June | 2019 | The Valley Village View

The astonishing “SuperJuneGloom” has lingered three days past the summer solstice; remarkable. For months our city has looked different. Different things appear beautiful, or appear at all. Nothing built in L.A. was designed to be viewed against this background of diffused light, with murky gray skies. Nevertheless, there are places — buildings, views, colors — that “pop” intensely in this subtle light. The Modernist and Post-Modernist buildings, surprisingly, come off as the winning styles in this weather. (Perhaps that’s because the styles evolved in gloomy Berlin, Rotterdam, Helsinki, Chicago, New York, Hong Kong.) Also, the diffuse light flatters our local fauna, which tempts them out to parade.

Enjoy the colors of Los Angeles without all the distracting sunshine and oppressive blue skies.

The flashing marquee at the Pantages Theatre.

Sunset/El Centro, once the heart of “Poverty Row”

Reds and greens together are the best gloom colors. Golds and orange-yellows also really pop in this light, right along with the paler purples. First the Getty Research Library gift shop (sic); then the lobby of the Henry Fonda Theatre on Sunset; then the entrance to the Vine Street Metro station.