LA’s legendary nightlife returns as exceptional performances revive one of the Republic's most iconic & opulent chambers
12/06/2020
Wouldn’t it be amazing to visit one of LA’s original themed roadside attractions for an ice cream on a beautiful Sunday? These fanciful establishments dotted the landscape from the Teens through the Sixties— when they mostly fell into disrepair and the wrecking ball. They offered a momentary fantasy escape into the land of dreams and imagination. What a difference it would make if some of the boxes built now contained just an ounce of this creativity and playfulness to delight guests!
12/06/2020
Happy Repeal Day! This muted celebration resonates more this year than ever before as more bars are closed in the country than since Prohibition itself—leaving employees, owners, landlords and patrons to fend for themselves during the pandemic. Hopefully soon we’ll all have something to celebrate and we can rebuild together! Please stay safe out there and do what you can to support local businesses and the employees who are struggling.
12/05/2020
Own a piece of Living History! We have a limited number of original vintage historic Clifton’s Cafeteria trays available for sale by following the link in our profile! A weekend afternoon in Southern California used to be the perfect time to bring the family to Clifton’s Cafeteria where young and old could explore our fanciful forest themed fantasy environment. Though our cafeteria has been closed for two years, we’re excited for it to return after the Pandemic— with original classics like turkey and stuffing as well as pies, an array of salads and even Jell-O! Until then you can experience the wonder of Clifton’s at home with this amazing piece of history. Nearly 180 million guests have visited Clifton’s Brookdale location in its nearly 90 year history (an astonishing number!) The trays are approximately 30-50 years old and each shows its unique, individual wear and condition. Imagine what it’s seen and who used it— it could have been you— your parents— or grandparents!
12/05/2020
Imagining the good old days when the elephant in the room was more than just a saying— when bars were serving stiff drinks to regulars and rubbing elbows didn’t mean someone was failing to follow social distancing guidelines. We’re saluting all the restaurants and bars struggling to survive— and all the people who make them special— that have literally become the elephants in the room. The ingredients of our history— the fabric of our neighborhoods and communities— is in danger of being extinguished. Let’s do what we can to support local businesses as they struggle for survival— order take out and delivery from your favorite places— tip well— all the while trying to imagine what “home” would be like without your favorite haunts.
12/04/2020
Remember how magical Christmas shopping used to be? It was like entering a fantasyland of wondrous presents, lights, sights & music. Although this season is muted by the Pandemic, we’re lucky to live at a time when we can still visit our families via Zoom, shop for wondrous things across the globe, and share a common experience— despite being socially distant and isolated. Please explore our Exposition Marketplace to experience a bit of the magic of years past— as we feature an assortment of extraordinary curiosities from our many journeys and adventures. It may not be the same thing as visiting Santa at Bullock’s in 1937– but it’s certainly a start! Follow the link in our bio to start exploring!
05/02/2020
We're back from our "vacation" 🌴🌺🍹 escape with us tonight at THE NEVERLANDS LIVE ✨ 9PM-12AM
https://bit.ly/theneverlandslive
Visit our website to learn how you can help our community. All proceeds will go directly to our Associates to help them through this challenging time.
theneverlands.com/coronavirus-resource-community
Produced by Casey Alva
04/19/2020
Join us this evening for The Neverlands LIVE as we bring you hours of classic entertainment and music 🎶 to share in quarantine!
Clebrate being together from 9pm-12am from the safety of your abode.
https://bit.ly/theneverlandslive
Starting next week we’ll even show you how to prepare your favorite 🍸 to accompany the festivities! And remember to stay safe and healthy and follow all social distancing guidelines!
04/04/2020
WE'RE LIVE AT THE NEVERLANDS TONIGHT ✨ 9PM-12AM
https://bit.ly/theneverlandslive
Our commitment is to provide a beacon of light-- a fantasy playland grounded in the spirit of community responsibility, social activism, and hope-- a source of inspiration, pleasure, hope, and nourishment during the most trying times in many generations.
Visit our website to learn how you can help our community. All proceeds will go directly to our Associates to help them through this challenging time.
theneverlands.com/coronavirus-resource-community
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Reminiscent of the parlors and museums of a previous century, history echoes through the walls of The Brookdale Ballroom. LA’s legendary nightlife returns as exceptional performances revive one of the Republic’s most iconic and opulent chambers. Lovingly restored to its original sophistication, the Ballroom provides a window into the past with dancing, cocktails and specialty dining amid décor sourced from natural history museums, gilded palaces and forgotten gin joints.
Originally designed to showcase furniture, the Ballroom has always maintained a sense of sophistication. Clifford Clinton used it for his radio broadcasts “The People’s Voice” in the 1930’s, part of his extraordinary efforts to w**d out corruption in city government. These broadcasts led to the bombing of Clinton’s home, imprisonment of several police officers and the retirement of the sitting Mayor. At the height of World War Two Clinton transformed the room into The Coral Room, a Polynesian themed dining hall– with a section labelled The Midway after an infamous battle was waged in that part of the Pacific. In 1960 Clifford’s son Don transformed it into the “Gay Nineties Room” owing to its heightened Victorian-esque style. It soon became affectionately known as The Red Room due to its red flocked wallpaper.
Curiosities of the Republic within The Brookdale Ballroom:
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)
The fastest land mammal of North America, the pronghorn is adapted to the open spaces of the Great Plains and the Western deserts. Reaching speeds up to 55 miles per hour, healthy pronghorn can usually escape from natural predators like coyotes. Although unrelated to the true antelope of Africa, pronghorn are sometimes called antelope due to similarity in appearance. The Antelope Valley of northeastern Los Angeles County was named for the vast herds of pronghorn that once lived there.
Incredibly adaptable and opportunistic, coyote thrive in habitats ranging from Downtown Los Angeles to desert plains. The diet of coyotes varies depending on what’s available and include a wide range of plant and animal material. Similarly, in varying circumstances coyotes will forage alone or may cooperatively hunt in packs to take down large prey like deer and pronghorn. The widespread persecution of the larger, closely related wolf has allowed the coyote to expand its range to include virtually all North America. One was seen as recently as March 2019 foraging in Downtown’s trash bins.
Once widespread throughout Africa and Southwestern Asia, the lion is now mostly restricted to the savannah and bush of eastern and southern Africa. Centuries of exploitation and persecution by humans has resulted in current wild populations limited to national parks and other protected areas. Male lions have a distinctive furred mane and research indicates that female lions prefer males with the densest and darkest manes. One or two males typically control a pride that includes several females and their cubs. The lion in the Brookdale is a juvenile male who died of natural causes in captivity. We urge everyone to work with organizations like the Shambala Preserve (Roar Foundation), a sanctuary for exotic felines who have suffered mistreatment or neglect located just 40 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles, to raise awareness of the plight of the great cats of the world. Los Angeles is only one of two cities in the world in which big wild cats freely roam—with the Mountain Lion still inhabiting the Hollywood Hills. Mumbai in India is the other.
