The Culture of Restoration
(Or what makes Long Beach special and why I couldn’t wait to move back here from Laguna Beach)
I grew up in dairy country in upstate New York. That’s right-where all the snow banks are!
The area is home to all kinds of people and all kinds of architecture. But I just saw old buildings, or so I thought then.
Moving to Long Beach in the late 1970’s, I encountered beautiful art deco and mid-century buildings framed by palm trees and bathed in glorious sunshine. It was magic. It still is magic – for me.
What fuels this wonderful aura of Long Beach is the cumulative effect of rows of grand commercial buildings and modest historic bungalows, combined with the vibrant locals and the history of their surroundings.
When I bought in Rose Park in the mid-90’s I knew nothing of California bungalows, I (incorrectly) called them cottages. Over many, many years I learned the distinctions in style and craftsmanship. It doesn’t make me an aficionado, but it does make me appreciative.
It takes commitment to both home and neighborhood to actively restore one’s property. We sustain our homes for ourselves and for future generations. When we are gone others will occupy our houses, making them their homes.
For a time I lived in a tract home in the ‘top of the world’ neighborhood of Laguna Beach. Everyone there seemed to stay inside their home, or backyard. No one seemed to walk around the neighborhood.
Oh yes, they jogged every morning, but no one seemed to walk to visit their neighbors or go to the store. Getting around was dependent on a car and whether or not tourists were jamming the roads.
The Laguna Beach house I lived in has been re-modeled several times. In fact, it is hard to find that house as it, and most of the homes in the area, have been re-built in different styles. Laguna is a beautiful place but it doesn’t support my warm, lingering memories like Long Beach.
(Or what makes Long Beach special and why I couldn’t wait to move back here from Laguna Beach)
I grew up in dairy country in upstate New York. That’s right-where all the snow banks are!
The area is home to all kinds of people and all kinds of architecture. But I just saw old buildings, or so I thought then.
Moving to Long Beach in the late 1970’s, I encountered beautiful art deco and mid-century buildings framed by palm trees and bathed in glorious sunshine. It was magic. It still is magic – for me.
What fuels this wonderful aura of Long Beach is the cumulative effect of rows of grand commercial buildings and modest historic bungalows, combined with the vibrant locals and the history of their surroundings.
When I bought in Rose Park in the mid-90’s I knew nothing of California bungalows, I (incorrectly) called them cottages. Over many, many years I learned the distinctions in style and craftsmanship. It doesn’t make me an aficionado, but it does make me appreciative.
It takes commitment to both home and neighborhood to actively restore one’s property. We sustain our homes for ourselves and for future generations. When we are gone others will occupy our houses, making them their homes.
For a time I lived in a tract home in the ‘top of the world’ neighborhood of Laguna Beach. Everyone there seemed to stay inside their home, or backyard. No one seemed to walk around the neighborhood.
Oh yes, they jogged every morning, but no one seemed to walk to visit their neighbors or go to the store. Getting around was dependent on a car and whether or not tourists were jamming the roads.
The Laguna Beach house I lived in has been re-modeled several times. In fact, it is hard to find that house as it, and most of the homes in the area, have been re-built in different styles. Laguna is a beautiful place but it doesn’t support my warm, lingering memories like Long Beach.
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