In the December issue of Los Angeles magazine, editor Mary Melton announced details of a new redesign:

We sweat every comma that appears in this magazine. We sift through dozens of photos of Scottish salmon with pickled fennel (“Don’t you think it’s a little sexier from this angle?”) just to fill a one-inch space. We argue over proper usage of the indicative versus the subjunctive. We spare each other embarrassment (ah, it’s “toe the line,” not “tow the line”—thanks, copy department!) and from resorting to clichés (you should never be “ready for your close-up” unless you are Gloria Swanson). Which is to say, we understand that every piece of writing and every piece of art that goes into the magazine represents an opportunity to reach and resonate. It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. There is a constant, mostly undifferentiated flow of information coming at all of us, and it’s our goal to make these pages as beautiful and accessible as possible. We want you to linger; we want you to learn.

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Local blogger Chimatli posted this map on LAEastside.com. They write:

While looking through some old papers that belonged to my grandmother, I found this map from the early 1980s of Los Angeles’ projected Metro rail system. It was part of a promotional package sent to Los Angeles city residents. More than twenty years later and sadly only a few of those lines became reality.

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Los Angeles magazine threw a deb party for Amy Saralegui , the new publisher. Charming and affable in a long black coat (designed by her brother in law), Salagui had been with Texas Monthly (another Emmis Publishing title), but moved to LA in a flash, and is renting Timothy Leary’s old pad.

There was talk about the WGA strike, but not enough to be a conversational trend.

Mickey Kaus, Anna Soellner (Center for American Progress), Roland Wiley (RawInternational), Bob Johnson (WithoutABox.com/producer/attorney), Linda Deutch

Amy Alkon, Ron Kaye

Kit Rachlis, Amy Saralegui and Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas

Bukowski lovers want to save Bukowski’s Hollywood home in Hollywood, at 5124 De Longpre Ave. where in 1969 Buk made the daring decision to leave his day job at the Post Office and try to make it as a writer.

The property has been advertised as a $1.3 million vacant lot on Craigslist. The Cultural Heritage Commission has agreed to put the preservation of Bukowski’s home on the agenda for their September 20th meeting. They will hear a presentation on the property, and will decide whether to proceed with the landmarking process.

Send letters and/or emails of support before September 20 to:
Attn. Mary Martin, 200 N. Spring St., Rm. 620, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(or edgar.garcia@lacity.org)

and thank you

for locating me there at

5124 DeLongpre Avenue

somewhere between

alcoholism and
madness.

Los Angeles Magazine has a new publisher: Amy Saralegui. Emmis Publishing just announced Saralegui’s new gig which brings her over from another Emmis publication, Texas Monthly. She replaces outgoing LA Mag publisher Alan Klein who left for Angeleno.

At Texas Monthly, Saralegui served as advertising director since 2003 and was in charge of overseeing the magazine’s Dallas, Houston and Austin sales offices and development. Prior to that post, she was associate and interim publisher of Latina < magazine and director of retail marketing for Polo Ralph Lauren.

In the release, Saralegui said, “Los Angeles is a dominant brand in one of the most dynamic media markets. It has continued growth potential, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with the magazine’s sister publications.”

In case you were wondering, those include Tu Ciudad Los Angeles and Orange Coast magazines.

- CHRIS GARDNER