History

The Hotel, once glamorous, became a virtual crack-den only half occupied. That was the purchase made by Mr. Day and his company at the end of the seventies. A few originals remain, easily discernible from the general population, they are the ones who have personality, characters direct from Central Casting. Small aside: there really is a Central Casting. I happened past it one day, perused the line outside, and thought, wow, they could be right out of Central Casting...much in the same way I was passing La Brea Tarpits one day and observed, hm, smells like tar around here. I know, I'm brilliant that way.

Some of the original, some of the character , some of the flavor remains, both in and around The Hotel. When our fire extinguisher was serviced, it turns out the "Indian Chief Fire Extinguisher Service" really is run by an Indian Chief who also once lived here way before my time. There are kids here who tell of older brothers once living here. And of course there is Larry.

There were a few incarnations of radio on the premises, mostly KIEV at 87 on your AM dial. Here is a more in depth history of them and their time in the basement of the Hotel. The sign is

still on the back of their door. There are also remnants of them on the parking lot, cements patches where radio towers once stood. Here's also a picture of a picture where you can make out the radio tower in the foreground while they're building The Cave in the background. (You can see this one hanging when you come in to visit.)

Larry worked at KIEV. He did commercials for them and was here in the wee hours watching the night pass by, quite possibly why The Cave caught his attention. Larry came in today to pick up some wine, and I saw this one in the outgoings. 1969 Robert Mondavi Cab, best wine of the year that year, puntless, with a price tag that reads $5.27. The wine, The building, The Larry...a moment of many classics.