Sunday Morning Hotsheet

So let me get this straight. A developer who can't afford to build a hotel and says it won't be successful in the current environment wants taxpayers to foot some of the bill. Developers of the billion dollar Wilshire Grand project want the City to provide financial assistance for construction and our fools Downtown are actually considering the idea. If the developers don't get the money their options "include shutting down the hotel and waiting for favorable financial market conditions, selling the structure or settling on development alternatives that would not include a hotel." Welcome to capitalism folks.

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Happy Birthday Griffith Park Wayist

Griffith Park Wayist celebrates it's first anniversary Monday.  It's not often blogs in Los Angeles remain consistent let alone continually knock home runs out of the park.

When I first saw GPW I didn't get it. Now I do. I don't think there is a more unique blog in the City in that you have taken what is seemingly a very local mission and applied it Citywide in a very pleasurable fashion.

GPW dovetails nicely with Mayor Sam, has had our back on more than one occasion, and provides some equilibrium to our dysfunction. I know that if Mayor Sam ever went away, I would be less worried as long as GPW is here.

Congratulations to Petrafried in the City, Mulholland Terrace and the whole GPW team!

I went to the Bloggers Party at the LA Times, and all I got ...

was this lousy photo. But it's my fault, because I forgot my battery was so low, and it died on me after only 2 shots.

This is one of the LA Times newsrooms, empty because it's night. Or is it the layoffs?

Actually, I had a good time. Met some new people, some interesting conversations, just okay pizza. Each of the guest speakers talked for a few minutes, and had their own table, which was a good way of talking further. Top of the Ticket's Andrew Malcolm was at my table, but since I didn't see his name, and thought Top of the Ticket meant movies or theater (!) (Sorry, don't read too many LA Times blogs!) I didn't get to talk with him as I wanted to. He was an amusing speaker. He loves technology. He's the biggest blog at the Times.

I was also interested in hearing Eric Richardson speak from blogdowntown.com. They just filed for non-profit status to make some money a different way! Impressive, but when I talked with him afterwards, chasing grants and foundations isn't what I want to do (even though I think my Griffith Park blog needs to be funded for me to give it the time it deserves.)

Luke Ford has his own angsty version of the evening here. William Yelles has the details here.

I have a small talent of being in the right bathroom, at the right time. Once I met an important book editor this way. So after the Times event, I was in a very nice clean bathroom with a pebbly floor, and one woman told another woman to hurry up for the tour. I asked, what tour? Can I come?

Well, what's she going to say?!

So I rushed out and there was Tony Pierce, Blog Editor of the Times, with a small group of his close personal friends. He looked surprised, but was gracious enough not to make a face at me. We walked all over. Someone had taken me on a Times tour before, but this time was cooler, at night. I particularly liked the 3' tall Lego structure of the Statue of Liberty at Tony's desk. (but my battery died, remember?) I wanted to touch it, but I didn't.

I mentioned I was contributing to Mayor Sam now and Tony said group blogs are the way to go.

Afterwards, we all headed towards the Redwood Bar down the street. It was decorated for Halloween, and I would definitely like to check it out when I have more time and there's an empty seat in the room. It has a red phone on the wall that connects directly to the Times for the newspeople there!

But I can't stop thinking about a woman I met who teaches blogging at one of the universities. She said her classes are jam-packed. But when I asked her what her blog was, no, she doesn't have a blog of her own. Nor has she ever, nor does she write for any!

No word on whether she reads them.

LA Times holds a secret meeting with pizza

Or, nomination for worst publicity effort of the month. It took a guy emailing me from Chicago for me to find out that there is a free "Meet the Bloggers" party on Thursday at the L.A. Times building downtown.

So if you're a blogger - and who isn't?! - you might want to check this out. Even includes free parking under the Times building, and the first panelist they're offering up for your delectation is the surprising Luke Ford.

Hat tip to Fishbowl LA for getting the details here, and if you're as nosy as me, you'll also want to check out Facebook for pictures of many of the attendees.

Join local Southern California bloggers in what is sure to be a lively round table discussion. Participants will get a chance to question the speakers as well as share their own opinions and ideas. It will be an insightful night into the life of a blogger (and we might even find out the answer to the big question: are they making any money?)

Did we mention we will have free pizza and head over to a cool bar afterwards?

See ya.