1. Failure is in the eye of the beholder.
Historically, The Hotel Glendale has been presented as a dismal failure. Sometimes failure is a lot like an alternative success, and this building is one of those times.
2013 began with an attempt to prove the rumors true: that what is now The Cave was, during Prohibition, a speakeasy. Proof remains elusive and circumstantial evidence is 50-50, so for now it stays in the realm of Santa Claus, a handful of gods, and the odds of winning the lottery: you believe or you don't.The allure of this building, its history, its rumors and its stories remain, and at the end of that series I decided The Cave was ready for its close up, it was time to make it legendary.
In October this year, a lovely bit of that goal was realized with a very generous nod to our subterranean dank via columnist Liana Aghajanian @ Glendale News Press. Here is part one, and here is our closeup.
2. The stories.
In 2013, we bid farewell to our favorite story, the guy who stored ONE BOTTLE of wine at The Cave.
We also twice spoke to Cave Past, one Mr. Vern Homer, most recently the day before Thanksgiving. Vern was my predecessor and it's his fault I am here, so blame him. I used to sit for him. You may recall Vern was a pipe-smoker and would pass his day in this airless, windowless Cave puffing away until the walls were yellow ochre. After sitting for him I'd go home, peel off my clothes and sequester them from the rest of my dirty laundry, was the odor so complete! Vern remembers everyone here and always sends his best.
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| I heart Freddy. |
Also from around the Hotel Glendale we paid homage this year to new Cave mysteries, George (who sat for both Vern And Joe Burns), Joe Burns dustpan, Jack the Watchmaker, Freddy and Max and then Freddy two more times because we love Freddy. And his tamales. These are my favorite blog posts.
Other stories we can't divulge, and there were more than a few of those. Here are a few pictures of the aftermaths.
3. The food.
Not much public eating this year, but I got two in and they were GREAT.
4. The wine.
People who cave at The Cave are exemplars of a bewildering and overwhelming generosity. Never expected and never necessary, much good wine flows my way. All is appreciated.
Solid and memorable:
Sublime.
5. A moment of silence for those we lost.
The Cave suffered few fatalities this year, not bad considering the many bottles coming and going.
6. The Waiting List.
The Cave currently has a waiting list for most sized lockers. This is a good problem to have, isn't it? Still we continue to work with and find ways to help anyone who wants to store their wine here, and so far we've turned no one way.
Every person who moves in to The Cave is a compliment - to all that was and all that is. They are becoming all that will be, and next year around this time you may be reading about a few of them.
Cheers.
Part 2: social media.