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Saturday, May 24, 2014

LOS ANGELES'S ONLY DRIVE IN MOVIE THEATRE



Yes, believe it or not Los Angeles has a drive in theatre. It is fact the only drive in theatre in Los Angeles.  A drive in theatre in the middle of the city.  This is an amazing find. I went on a Saturday night when they were playing “Casablanca”. The weather was perfect. The sky was clear. Couldn’t ask for a more perfect evening. You can buy tickets online and the check in process is easy. This place has an easy going, comfy feel and the people running it give off that same vibe.
You can sit in your car to watch the movie or you can bring lawn chairs and blankets and sit on the “astroturf in front of the screen to watch the movie. For those who come in their car, they can listen to the audio through their car radios. I watched couples with picnic baskets full of food and drink. Saw a couple with wine and cheese. And if you didn’t bring your own goodies no worries. There is a concession area with popcorn, cookies, coffee, drinks and other assorted snacks.
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The crowd was a good mix of both young and old. Singles and couples and groups. I saw folks waking in with their dogs as well! And a couple in their comfortable pj’s with a blanket spread out on the astroturf.  I almost forgot to mention –trivia questions with prizes before the movie and raffles during intermission. A fun night out!




To find out about this and other great places in Los Angeles to explore stay tuned for my book "Discovering Los Angeles, Seventy Surprising yet Safe Delights."

































































































Thursday, May 1, 2014


Where to Hike, Explore and Find the Only World War II Nazi Camp in Los Angeles

Murphy's Ranch/
Nazi Camp


If you have a strong interest in history and a special bent for World War II, you've probably thought you have to go to Europe to see remnants of the Nazi regime. But for a brief period of time, Hitler's followers did establish a tiny foothold near LA in a remote location where they waited for a conquest that never happened. That hideout was Murphy's Ranch.

The history of the ranch began during World War I, when a mysterious alleged German spy known only as “Herr Schmidt” convinced Winona and Norman Stephens to build a self-sustaining compound to house Hitler supporters until the Germans arrived to take over the U.S.

They selected Murphy's Ranch, a 50-acre spread in a remote area of the Pacific Palisades, where they built an extensive infrastructure in 1933 that included a diesel power plant and power station, a fully irrigated hillside for growing food, a giant meat locker and a 375,000 gallon water tank.

The property was supposedly protected by armed guards until the early days of US involvement in World War II, when federal agents raided the compound the day after the Pearl Harbor bombing and rounded up and arrested dozens of Nazi sympathizers.

The area is run down today, but it is possible to explore the remnants of the compound, much of which are rusted over and covered in graffiti. While the ruins may be stark and somewhat ugly for the most part, the walk through Murphy's Ranch includes some of the best attractions nature has to offer in the greater LA area.

To get to the ranch, you can enter Topanga State Park via the Rustic Canyon entrance, which is located west of Capri Drive on the Sullivan Fire Road. Ironically, the iron gate at the front of the compound was designed by Paul Revere Williams, a famous African-American architect. From there, you can walk a loop around the ranch area and take in the remains of this bizarre compound.

The area has received considerable publicity over the years while hikers and nature lovers wait for it to be transformed into a rest and picnic area. Commenting on the iron gate during an episode of “Off Limits,” Travel Channel historian Randy Young noted, “They may have been Nazis, but they were Nazis with taste.

Indeed, Williams' architectural sketches included plans for a huge four-story mansion that was to include 22 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. The area became an artist's colony in the 60s and 70s, but it was abandoned after a fire in Mandeville Canyon in 1978.

The hike around the area is 3.85 miles long, and it includes a set of 500 stairs that led to the farming area, where the Nazi supporters harvested nut, fruit and olive trees. You can also see the machine shed, the garage, the power station and the gardens on the hike, along with other detritus left behind by the Nazis. Parking can be found near the entrance at Sullivan Ridge Fire Road or on Casale Road, which is adjacent to the entrance.

Capri Drive & Casale Road

Los Angeles, CA 90272

 

Friday, April 25, 2014

Maje Exploring Los Angeles.Where are the real gems in L.A. to explore and discover

This blog is about uncovering real gems in Los Angeles, whether you are a resident, a commuter, or a visitor. I bring one question to each experience, namely, Does this venue exhibit enough surprise and safety to make it one of  spots I could recommend? Not every attractive establishment made the cut. Here's one that did. 

Lake Shrine




The atmosphere here is so peaceful that I can’t help but feel like a different person when I leave. I am quieter, more peaceful than when I arrive. There is no explaining it. This is the perfect place to go to If you are feeling stressed, need some alone time or just a peaceful moment. It’s a great place to get away from it all. You will leave this spiritual sanctuary feeling both reenergized and tranquil. If you are in need of a spiritual rejuvenation, I highly recommend the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades. 

Founded in 1950 by Paramahansa Yogananda, the SRF Lake Shrine is a hidden paradise available and free to the public. The Lake Shrine honors all the religions of the world, but you don’t need to be religious to enjoy the Lake Shrine. Park your car in the very accessible parking lot and begin your visit by walking to the left as you enter the Lake Shrine grounds, where the first thing you will encounter is the Court of Religions. Each of the five principal religions of the world are honored, with plaques representing Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism.  From here you can continue walking to the left onto the path that encircles the lake. You will find yourself surrounded by the lush greenery of the Lake. 

There are a variety of beautiful flowers to look at and various tall trees to shade you as you walk. From here, your walk around the lake should take you no more than fifteen or twenty minutes, but I recommend you take your time and discover all the benches shaded by trees and all the alcoves hidden at various intervals as you walk around the garden. As you walk around the garden you will find other people utilizing the benches reading quietly, meditating, or just sitting enjoying the beauty and quiet of Lake Shrine. The lake itself is filled with several swans and koi fish. 



One of the historic sites you’ll first encounter is an authentic reproduction of a 16th century Dutch windmill, which houses a small chapel and is open to the public every afternoon Tuesday-Sunday, for meditation and prayer. At the front of the chapel at the altar are pictures of the gurus of Self Realization Fellowship. They are (in order of their appearance on the altar) Lahiri Mahasaya, Mahavatar Babaji, Jesus Christ, Bhagavan Krishna, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Swami Sri Yukteswar.

Anyone can sit and pray in the chapel. Further along the path is a double-decker houseboat which was transported from Lake Mead to the Lake Shrine in the 1940s, before Sri Yogananda acquired the property. He occasionally used the houseboat during the Lake Shrine’s development. Right next to the houseboat there is a wooden landing with a sitting area to enjoy the beauty of nature here. Most amazing to me and located near the entrance of the Lake Shrine garden is the an ancient sarcophagus where a portion of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes are enshrined. 

The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 9:00-4:30 pm. Sunday: 12:00 noon to 4:30 pm. 

The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine
17190 W Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272