Historic Artists Colony with Fairytale Flair ~ Carmel by-the-Sea

29 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Architecture, History, Writing

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artists colony, Carmel, Carmel by-the-Sea, Charles Stoddard, Edna St. Vincent Mallay, Edward Abbey, Elizabeth Fais, Fairytale Cottage, George Sterling, Historic, Hugh Comstock, Jack London, Joaquin Miller, Langston Hughes, Mary Hunter Austin, Mayotta Browne, Robert Bly, Robinson Jeffers, Sinclair Lewis, Upton Sinclair, William Everson

Carmel by-the-Sea is a small coastal town in Monterey County, California.

Today, Carmel is an upscale bedroom community and elegant vacation spot known for its fairytale architecture, gourmet restaurants, trendy boutiques, and numerous art galleries.

Carmel wasn’t always so glamorous or conventional, however. The seaside town’s culture is rooted in the whimsy of an eclectic artists community, including its signature fairytale architecture. [Image: The Tuck Box, Hugh Comstock’s only commercial building]

Bohemian Beginnings

Carmel was founded in 1902, and by 1905 the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club had been formed. What started as a small enclave, grew significantly larger when the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 sent artists flocking to the small town–musicians, writers, painters and others. Little did they know that they would leave a lasting influence on Carmel’s culture.

Jack London described the Carmel artists colony in his novel The Valley of the Moon. [Image of Jack London writing: Wikipedia]

Creative talent from all disciplines comprised Carmel’s founding artists colony. Theater, music, and the visual arts continue to play an important role in the community today. However, for the purpose of this post I’m focusing solely on the writers.

Literary Legacy

Poet George Sterling paved the way for the town’s literary base when he moved to Carmel in 1905. After the 1906 earthquake, many of Sterling’s literary friends followed. The following are some of the other notable writers who joined the Carmel artists enclave, or frequented the community:

Henry Miller established another artists enclave in Big Sur, just a few miles south of Carmel along the rugged California coastline. For a comprehensive list of authors who have lived and worked in the Carmel area, go here.

Living the Fairytale

Hugh Comstock single-handedly instilled the architectural fairytale flavor in Carmel, establishing its signature characteristic. Comstock came to Carmel in 1924 to visit his brother, but ended up staying when he fell in love with a resident doll maker named Mayotta Browne.

Mayotta’s business boomed after she and Hugh Comstock married. Merchants across the country were vying for her unique collector dolls, and her stock soon took over their house. The practical business woman asked her husband to build something in which to show off her dolls when buyers came to town. Comstock was not a trained architect, but he had a wonderful imagination and a keen creative eye. He built his wife a quirky cottage full of whimsical details, intentionally skewing things into charming imperfection. They named the cottage Hansel (shown below), and it was a perfect showcase for Mayotta’s dolls.

Carmel being a town full of artists and writers, it’s no wonder that Comstock’s whimsical cottage was extremely popular. In response to the huge demand, Comstock built numerous cottages with the same whimsical flair over a period of five years. Since then, others have mimicked Comstock’s original style, carrying on the tradition of living the fairytale. You can read more about Comstock’s Carmel cottages here.

Historic Hollywood Bowl: Hosts The Beatles to Beethoven

14 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Architecture, Historic, Music

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Architecture, Beethoven, Classical Music, dining, Elizabeth Fais, Historic, Hollywood Bowl, Joshua Bell, Music, Musicals, picnics, The Beatles

I was excited about attending a recent concert at the Hollywood Bowl (Joshua Bell and Friends), in Los Angeles, and couldn’t help sharing the news with whoever would listen. I was shocked when two different people asked, “What’s the Hollywood Bowl?” It was all I could do not to say, “Are you kidding?” I grew up on Southern California. But still. The Hollywood Bowl is an American icon, and has been used as a setting in films and television for years.

I would have dismissed one person not knowing about The Bowl. But two was a cry from the universe to write this post. Attending a performance at the Hollywood Bowl is a bucket list kind of thing.

Everything is better at the Bowl. It just is…

[image: Wikipedia, by Mathew Field]

From Rustic to Iconic

The Hollywood Bowl is the largest natural amphitheatre in the United States, located in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California. When the Bowl opened to the public in 1921, it was used in its natural state with only makeshift wooden benches for the audience to sit on, and a simple awning strung up over the stage.

The popularity of the venue grew with the boom of the film industry, and by 1926 designs for a permanent stage were underway. For the 1927 season, Frank Lloyd Wright‘s son Lloyd Wright built the first of the iconic shell structures. By 1929, the Allied Architects built a shell that stood on the site until 2003. A larger and acoustically improved shell debuted in the 2004 summer season, incorporating design elements from the 1929 shell and the first shells designed by Lloyd Wright.

[image: public domain, USC digital Library]

The two women in the photograph above are performing on the barn door (1920) to test the acoustics of the site, the first known musical event at the Hollywood Bowl. The barn door was placed approximately where the band shell was built.

Classical to Rock and Roll

A common misconception about the Hollywood Bowl is that it caters solely to the classical music crowd. The LA Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra both make their home there, but each season hosts productions from a wide variety of musical styles. For a complete list of upcoming performances, visit the Hollywood Bowl website.

Rock and Roll has a long history at the Bowl. In fact, The Beatles appeared at the Hollywood Bowl on April 23, 1964, just months after their US debut. Tickets for the show sold out in 3 1/2 hours, with the only sales being through select ticket offices, no online sales. Over 18,000 people packed the Bowl that night. To keep The Beatles safe from the overzealous fans, a smooth getaway scheme was devised. A decoy limo was used to attract the fans, while the band members slipped away in a nondescript Plymouth Valiant. In later appearances at the Bowl, a Brinks armored truck was used to escort The Beatles to and from their hotel to avoid a panic situation.

The screaming crowd at The Beatles first concert was so loud that no one could hear the music. However, it was recorded (as were their two Bowl concerts in August of 1965) and later released as an album under Capitol Records (US) and Parlophone (UK). [image: Wikipedia]

The Beatles 1964 concert became the bench mark for rock and roll concerts at the Bowl, but many famous rockers have played there before and since. To watch The Beatles performing at the Hollywood Bowl on April 23, 1964 go here.

Pre-Concert Picnic Tradition

One of the most engaging customs at the Bowl is the tradition of pre-concert picnicking. Some of the surrounding picnic areas open as early as 4 hours before each concert. Tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Those in the private boxes nearest the stage, can choose to enjoy a luxurious dinner served to them by professional wait staff. Whether it’s a casual picnic or box dining, you can’t beat the delightful al fresco dining under the stars. For more information, see the Hollywood Bowl website.