All your helpful, sometimes bitterly angry emails located in one spot. From the depths of our inbox, we gladly reproduce your words here.
Subject: What the F?
Date: Wed, February 14, 2007 9:15 am
To: la@curbed.com
Priority: Normal
We haven't been on Santa Monica Blvd. in awhile. Is it really done?
"What the F has happend to SM Boulevard? They spent 5 years doing the reconstruction, they planted some trees, and then the final touch for landscaping is to throw some wood chips down and called it a day? That's stupid. Also incredibly stupid is the lamp posts that feature custom figurines that swivel on the side of the lamp post with western and cinematic themes around SM and Westwood, how ridiculous are those things? Who do we complain to?" We always suggest complaining to Jack Weiss. He loves to listen and help people. Especially if you're old.
Subject: New Wave of Tobacconists and Pipe Stores
Date: Mon, February 12, 2007 2:39 pm
To: la@curbed.com
Priority: Normal
We've been so caught up in the wave of Pinkberries and Famimas!! that we've missed the resurgence of ciggy stores.
Dear Curbed L.A., Have you noticed the recent wave of tiny little stores that sell cigarettes and glass pipes? The newsstand at Poinsettia Place and Sunset (next to rock-n-roll Ralphs) recently closed. Part of its space now houses such a store. The news stand on La Brea, just north of Santa Monica (in front of the strip mall containing Radio Shack and Rite Aid) converted to a tobacco/pipe/bong stand a year or two ago.
The mini-mall on the NE corner of Sunset and Highland had a corner shack built on it a year or so ago. First it was a locksmith. Now, it's packs of cigarettes, marijuana pipes, etc. And what's that being born in a storefront of the St. Moritz Hotel (next to The Bar at 5851 Sunset, corner of Sunset and Bronson)? Looks like a cigarette kiosk to me. Is such a trend really happening? Has there been a change in tobacco control law or wholesaling to cause such a sudden growth? Thanks for your insight.
Thank you for the question. We're glad you identified these locations selling bongs and pipes. We'll discuss this with someone... yes, someone important. Please feel free to send us stuff. We try to read everything even if we don't respond or post.