Along the PCH
By Rick Wallace/Special to The Malibu Times
Okay, can the story poles come down now?
A small sampling of Malibu in the 1940s: The Las Tunas Isle Motor Hotel was located at 18904 PCH just up the beach from Topanga where a stretch of houses sit now. The Malibu Mountain Archery Club met frequently in Latigo Canyon and had regular tournaments and hunts. The location of presentday PierView Cafe was a small little shop called the Colony Sea Food Cafe. More than 300 residents petitioned our congressman to demand a post office be established in Malibu. The request was fulfilled with one at Las Flores/PCH, which was the heart of the town in those days. Pilots and air enthusiasts established a group called “AiRancho Malibu,” with the primary purpose of securing land to build an airstrip.
In the early 1970s, Malibu was nearly bordered by Las Virgenes City. The idea of such a city, in the back section of Calabasas through the Malibu Canyon tunnel, died halfway through the L.A. County process.
Riddle: Does anyone know how Ralph cooks?
The Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Musuem grounds are looking particularly lovely these days. If you haven’t recently spent at least a half hour at the property, you should treat yourself soon.
Development may be creeping in, but Malibu remains the land of plentiful nurseries.
Every week in Malibu, several annual events take place. Here are my favorite annual events: The Malibu Presbyterian Father-Daughter Valentine’s Dance; the Chili Cook-off Friday night “locals only” carnival; the Dolphin Ball; Webster Elementary School’s May Jogathon PTA Fundraiser; Malibu Association of Realtors year-end Installation Dinner; Pepperdine Waves Homecoming basketball games (and all games with large crowds that fill Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse); Sunday at the Art Festival in July; Chamber of Commerce Christmas party at Duke’s.
At the very west end of Malibu are homes on the beach that have two addresses. They have an address in the 11000 block for Ventura County where they are located, and an address in the 40000 block for Los Angeles County from which they receive mail. Meanwhile, there are four houses in Malibu listed for sale at this writing that changed their address in recent years.
If you are a bird watcher, you must love watching birds in the lagoon. Dozens of bird watchers watch birds on weekends there. They have their high-powered binoculars and photo equipment. I like watching the people who are watching the birds.
Lagoon eyesore: The 14 signs on the lagoon bridge that say “No Stopping On Bridge” are ridiculous.
Imagine a large building in Malibu where 125 workers toil within a huge 44,000-square-foot factory. You couldn’t get permits for that today! But you didn’t need a permit in 1926. The Malibu Potteries factory was in operation for six years on Carbon Beach, creating decorative ceramic tiles for homes in Los Angeles as well as its City Hall. Simon Rodia was one of the workers; he regularly brought home pockets full of tile scraps that he used to build the Watts Towers. The closure in 1932 was supposed to be temporary, but the Depression ended hopes of its re-opening. Nevertheless, Malibu Potteries, Malibu’s first business with worldwide customers according to “The Malibu Story” published in 1985 by the Malibu Lagoon Museum, remains an epic part of Malibu’s early history.
If you think Malibu is beautiful in the springtime or summer, try seeing it from the air! Ten times more gorgeous! Malibu from a small plane is the ultimate viewing experience.
My February, 1997 “Along the PCH” suggestion: How about if we lined Corral Beach with palm trees?
Remember the days when Big Dume Beach was called Pirate’s Cove and it was a reknown nude beach?
Malibu is singled out for special laws and oversight by the Coastal Commission because of its particular beauty and appeal to the state masses. Environmental sensitivity and “public benefit” are the justifications for its burdensome property rights invasion. How much longer before other matters of individual freedom must fall to the whims of the bureaucratic elite? The type of car we drive, the number of children we breed, the style of clothing we wear-all are potential targets to the whims of bureaucrats who pay no heed to the value of individual liberty.
Currently it is property rights that crumble under environmental paranoia and dictatorial control. Later, unaccountable agencies such as the Coastal Commission may deem that raising more than two children is not “environmentally sound.” Excessive driving distances may be determined “contrary to the public welfare.” Especially in a popular tourist area such as Malibu!
If the fight to determine how one utilizes their own property is lost in our local battleground, all freedoms will be fair game in the future.
Many folks like to hang out at Starbucks. Looking across the street at the large blank white wall of the Malibu Lumber & Hardware warehouse building can’t be very inspiring. How about a mural? It would add character to the whole street! David? Anybody? I will contribute to the cost of the paint. Which, of course, can be purchased on the other side of the wall.
Want to know HOWS Ralphs Cookes? With Pacific Greens.
“Malibu’s Most Wanted” (2003). “Malibu Summer” (2000). “Malibu Beach Blanket” (2000). “Fast Lane to Malibu” (2000). “Malibu Nights” (1997). “Malibu Bikini Shop” (1985). “Malibu Express” (1984). “Malibu Beach” (1978). Please stop! This isn’t even the X-rated list.
Remember during the 1970s and 1980s when Malibu Travel and Shannon Travel planned our vacations?
Isn’t it time the Borderline Bar & Grille sign came down at Trancas? It’s been years. Think of the all the poor visitors who stop for lunch and come away with work tools and a latte.