High School Jouralism at the LA Times

14th Council District Contenders: José Huizar vs Rudy Martinez

The Incumbent





Quoted from Councilman Huizar's Campaign
Literature

"Council Member José Huizar is really getting things done for our neighborhoods"
- The New Hollenbeck Police Station

Making our community safer
- Ascot Hills Park in El Sereno

Preserving Open Space
- DWP Headquarters

Taking on the DWP
- Mendez Learning Center

Great new schools
- The Gold Line light rail

Working for good jobs
- Eagle Rock Park

The Challenger




"Rudy is the loving father of two children Marty (11) and Mia (7)"

-Quoted from Rudy Martinez's Campaign Literature

"I am running because I want to make a positive difference in our Council District and accomplish the following objectives:
- Create jobs and streamlining the bureaucratic process
- Bring accountability and transparency to elected offices and City Departments
- Find innovative ways to improve our roads, sidewalks and recreation areas
- Work with police and fire departments to improve public safety"

My evaluation of the incumbent:

Having attended José Huizar's campaign kick off and reporting it on my blog dated January 16, 2011, I have confirmed my support for the incumbent. That day, I
witnessed a a parade of politicians (including the mayor), civic and business leaders testify to the outstanding service that Councilman Huizar offered to his district and the city at large.

As a new resident in Boyle Heights and having no previous associations with Los Angeles, the Mariachi Plaza Farmers Market (Boyle Heights Farmers Market), for which I credit Councilman Huizar as being largely responsible, has provided both me and my wife with an opportunity to connect with our neighborhood and to feel that we belong here.

On February 8, I attended the goLAstreetcar release of the project's economic benefits study. Here there were different faces: politicians, business leaders, and civic leaders, all of whom testified to the significant role that Councilman
Huizar played in moving this project forward. They praised his vision and his ability of secure the necessary funding for this project which will bring: "$1.1billion in new development; 675,000 ft of new office space; 2,600 new housing units; 9,300 new jobs; 3,600 new residents' $24.5 million in  new annual spending; 5,800 new hotel room bookings per year; and $47 million in new city revenue."

From my perspective, Councilman Huizar is an intelligent dedicated public servant who knows how to work the levers of government in order to bring dollars that will benefit our neighborhood. He is tuned to the needs and desires of his constituents using them as guidelines for actions. He is a tireless worker who is known to answer emails at 3:00am.

My evaluation of the challenger:

On February 9, I attended his campaign stop in Boyle Heights. Although I was already convinced that Huizar was my choice,I wanted to find out who his opponent was and what his qualifications might be. There is no question that Rudy Martinez exudes personal charm accompanied by demonstrable naivete regarding the complexities of governmental affairs. Although he brags about his evident commercial successes, he cannot make convincing arguments that he would be able to translate those skills into the realm of governmental affairs. He offers simplistic solutions for the "evils" of an entrenched and obdurate municipal bureaucracy.

With justifiable pride accompanied by praise for his mother,he tells of his up from the depths transformation. The level of his formal education was not made apparent; however,he takes pride in being a graduate of the school of hard knocks.

At the Boyle Heights campaign stop, a member of the audience lamented what she deemed to be excessive mud slinging being practiced by both candidates. Rudy Martinez responded that both candidates agreed to end their campaigns of personal vilification at the "quorum" he attended the previous day.(KPCC Candidate Forum) He later acknowledged that he meant to say "forum."

Although there is no party affiliation indicated on his campaign literature, his pro-business, anti-government, and anti-labor rhetoric suggests that he is either a Republican or a Blue Dog Democrat.



On February 4, 2011, there was an endorsement of Martinez on the editorial page which reads like a high school newspaper student council candidate endorsement. I quote it in part:

"They offer voters notably different backgrounds and approaches to serving. The Times endorses Martinez.

"... Bright, articulate and well educated, he (Huizar) can point to a list of minor achievements — a bridge improvement here, protection of open space there, support for a Department of Water and Power ratepayer advocate and opposition to the 710 Freeway extension. Although his record is not exactly inspiring, it's hardly a failure.

"Martinez is energetic and engaging, and thoroughly immersed in the civic life of the district. A successful restaurateur and house flipper — he starred in the cable series "Flip This House" — he is campaigning in precisely the opposite of Huizar's fashion.

" ... Martinez says the FBI has interviewed him about Huizar's long delay in paying for some home repairs. One Huizar line of attack has been to remind voters that Martinez had a few arrests as a young person — for loitering, a DUI and a couple of scuffles. That's true, but all were minor offenses and occurred when Martinez was a young man going through a tough time. None offers any insight into the man or candidate he is today."

Recognizing that the Los Angeles Times is a pathetic shadow of the once great paper that it had been, the editorial, with unsubstantiated rumors, confirms its decline as a viable community voice. Having lived in Los Angeles for one year, I am increasingly cognizant of some issues and perplexed by others.

As a relatively new blogger, I realize that I, as well as the Los Angeles Times, can editorialize. Below is my first editorial.

I would like to see a retraction of the Los Angeles Times' editorial endorsing Rudy Martinez with mine replacing it as the paper's  endorsement of  José Huizar.

EDITORIAL

Los Angeles City Council District 14 is one of our city's most bifurcated political entities. It reaches from Boyle Heights in the heart of East Los Angeles across the Los Angeles River encompassing pieces of Downtown, Eagle Rock and El Sereno, representing a smorgasbord of residential, commercial, and industrial areas with diverse personalities and populations.With its 98 per cent Mexican American population, Boyle Heights has served as a baptismal font for Mexican American politicians.

Currently, two Mexican Americans, one a seasoned politician and the other a complete novice, are competing to represent this district. At one point, they were close personal friends.Many find the public acrimony that has erupted distasteful.
On a neighborhood level, it mimics the kind of character assassination that has become epidemic in national politics.

The two candidates represents totally different Mexican American trajectories. Rudy Martinez appears to be a street kid who cleaned up his act and has become a very successful businessman. He has dabbled in public service, mostly associated with the police department. He is charming and engaging which might explain the popularity of his restaurants.

When asked why he is running for public office and spending hundreds of thousands of his own money, he admits that he can't provide a convincing answer. José Huizar is a serious dedicated public servant. His educational credentials include: UCLA, UC Berkeley and Princeton. Prior to politics, law was his profession. Before being elected to City Council, he served Board President of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Since becoming a councilman, he has mastered manipulating the levers of local, state and national governments to obtain funding for a number of significant district projects. He has been the unquestioned motivational force behind the goLAstreetcar project which will generate significant economic benefits for the entire Downtown area.

How does one decide between an affable novice and a dedicated public servant? The choice is clear. We prefer solid experience rather than gamble on naivete and inexperience. We endorse
José Huizar for councilman in the 14th District.

DISCOVERING MY NEIGHBORHOOD

Boyle Heights

Having lived at 573 S. Boyle Avenue for a year, I have driven up and down Boyle Avenue hundreds of times and walked by the buildings on both sides of the street less often; however, to me, they appeared to be wallpaper because I never had the opportunity to penetrate below the surface. On January 15, the anniversary of our arrival in Boyle Heights, Survey LA, the Los Angeles Historic

Resources Survey in association with the Los Angeles Conservancy, the office of Councilman José Huizar and the Boyle Heights Historical Society organized a walking tour of S. Boyle Avenue in which we were able to visit eight sites. There were docents at each.

For me, this was a revelation because I saw these buildings in a totally different light. After meeting some of the residents, these buildings will some degree of familiarity when I drive or walk by them.

Cities have played a major role in my life. I have lived and worked in many and am most familiar with New York, Paris and Rome. It has taken a lifetime to build my reservoir of knowledge and experience related to each of these cities. In Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, I am still at the starting point; however, this walking tour awakened a new sense of identity on which I hope to expand.

S. Boyle Avenue is the western edge of Boyle Heights which reaches into East LA housing nearly one hundred thousand people with supporting industrial, commercial, educational and recreational resources. I travel through these streets on a regular basis making excursions to a supermarket, the post office, and the cash machine hosted by the local police precinct. I need to find similar opportunities to become familiar with the rest of my neighborhood. Until then, I will remain a half citizen in my community.


Detail of a drawing of Boyle Heights, 1877. In the foreground, looking west toward the Los Angeles River is Downtown Los Angeles. In the background, looking east are the vineyard covered hills of Boyle Heights. Collection: Los Angeles Public Library.


South Boyle Avenue, 500 block, facing north toward Mariachi Plaza. 2011.


504 S. Boyle Avenue. Elmer O. Simmons House. Plant Number One of the Simons Brick Company was located in Boyle Heights; it produced many of the bricks used in the construction of Downtown Los Angeles.


432 S. Boyle Avenue. "Max Factor House." Max Factor, a Polish Jewish immigrant, lived in this house in the 1920s. He developed cosmetics for the film industry which he later transformed into commercial products for a mass market.


Hollenbeck Park, lying to the east of S. Boyle Avenue, was created in memory of John Edward Hollenbeck by his widow and Mayor William Workman in 1892.


The ubiquitous freeways have left their mark on Boyle Heights. The 101, 5 and 10 all traverse the neighborhood. Here, the 5 stradles the lake in Hollenbeck Park.


Breed Street Shul, 247 N. Breed Street. Built between 1914 and 1923, then the largest synagogue west of Chicago. It was one of many synagogues serving the large Jewish community. Currently unoccupied, there is group raising funds for its restoration and eventual conversion into a community cultural center.




Mariachi Plaza, First and S. Boyle. Boyle Heights is now a predominantly Mexican American community. According to the 2000 Census, there were 92,786 residents of whom 94.78% were Latino, 2.3% Asian, 2.0 Caucasian - Non Hispanic, 0.9% African American and 0.8% other.


St. Mary's Roman Catholic Elementary School, Boyle Heights, Third Grade, 1936.In all global cities, of which Los Angeles is one, there is a neighborhood that has traditionally served as the entry point for the uninvited. In Los Angeles, it was Boyle Heights.

While reminiscing about the past, long time residents always emphasize the fact that people of different nationalities and religions: Japanese, Jews, Italians, Russians, Mexicans and others, lived in harmony. While immigrants might have been welcomed to Boyle Heights, they were excluded in the rest of Los Angeles where restrictive covenants controlling the entrance of new residents were operative. These restrictions remained in place until the end of World War II, when all such discriminatory practices were outlawed by the U.S. Congress. As a consequence, ethnic communities emerged across Los Angeles where they had previously been excluded. In comparison with New York, London, Paris and Rome, Los Angeles is a relatively new city lacking layers of history upon which to draw. However, there is no question that Boyle Heights has been its immigrant portal comparable to those in
New York, London, Paris and Rome.

In New York, the immigrant portal was The Lower East Side.

http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Lower_East_Side 

In London, it was Brick Lane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick_Lane

In Paris, it was the 20th Arrondissement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_arrondissement_of_Paris

In Rome, it was Trastevere

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trastevere

Throughout human history, the influx of immigrants has been seen as vital to the life of great cities. In the Ancient Near East, trading centers emerged in which multiple languages and ethnic diversity were common. In the First Century AD, Seneca The Elder, a Roman statesman of Spanish origin, estimated that foreigners constituted half of Ancient Rome's population. He said that "From their towns and colonies, from the whole world in fact they have flocked here (Rome). Every class of person swarmed into the city ..." With an estimated population of a million, imperial Rome required an influx of 10,000 immigrants annually to maintain its population density.

Better to Live in Boyle Heights or Beverly Hills?

Several weeks ago, I was invited to a Yale event in Beverly Hills. Having no familiarity with the area, I printed a Google map as my guide. Allowing myself an extra half hour to get lost, I found later that I needed at least an extra hour. My Google map indicated that my destination was in proximity to Sunset Boulevard. Having entered Beverly Hills, I moved cautiously looking for one of the street names on my map. None appeared. So, I decided to turn around. To complete this manouver, I entered a dead end street, the name of which escapes me. I thought that I had been suddenly air lifted to East Jerusaem. I was surrounded by eight to ten foot solid walls on both sides with surveillance cameras craning their necks above the top. Back on Sunset Boulevard, I headed in the opposite direction. Then, I saw a group of people playing games in what appeared to be a public park. I approached them with my request for directions. They were on an outing from East LA and had no familiarity with the area. Continuing further on Sunset, I did not see another human being from whom I might obtain information nor were there any gas stations or commercial stores. Checking my iphone for my location and comparing it with my Google map, I began to recognize names appearing on visible street signs.

Turning on to one of them, I was greeted by a "Stars Tour Bus," with the driver stopping and pointing out significant addresses. I questioned whether I should ask him for directions because he obviously knew all of the streets and decided against doing that.So, I turned my car around again. Then, this sign loomed large in my windshield. Behold, I saw:



I entered the drive and pulled up alongside a black limo with its driver leaning on the hood. When asked for assistance, he checked his iphone and said that my destination was two blocks away. I had to make a right at the end of the drive then make a left at the second street, and I would be there. He was right. I finally arrived at my destination.

The event's host lived in one of a long line of pseudo mansions of no particular architectural merit situated in this verdant paradise. No eight foot walls here, just lawns. No human beings to be seen either. Obviously, there were no stars on our host's street because the bus did not appear here. I walked up the steps entering an opulent den of bad taste: an imitation Warhol with the head of Marilyn Monroe looming from a stainless steel background caught my attention. Next, I was cofronted by a dangling piece of sculpture that looked  like a stuffed cobra. Finally, the de rigueur swimming pool.

Last night, Mary and I ate street food in Mariachi Plaza while a dj plied his trade from the stage. We loved it and felt comfortable in our neighborhood where urban grit predominates.

ON GETTING INTO LOCAL POLITICS

In my blog of August 10, I reported my dialogue with Councilman
Jose Huizar in answering his question about how a transplanted New
York Jew feels about living in a largely Latino neighborhood. Since
then, I have become a Huizar groupie, in the sense that I monitor and
support his neighborhood initiatives which are many.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Huizar

Although one would hope that Huizar would run unopposed, that is not
the case. He is being opposed by Rudy Martinez of A&E's "Flip this House"
fame.  Martinez describes himself as a "self-made businessman" approaching
the race as an outsider.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/businessman-rudy-martinez-donates-150000-to-campaign-to-unseat-la-councilman-jose-huizar.html

I have heard that polls indicate that Huizar is leading by 95%.

Since there are approximately two hundred residents and two hundred
employees at Hollenbeck Palms, I told Councilman Huizar that I hoped
to deliver two hundred votes. Grateful, he said, "That's a precinct."

On January 8, I attended the campaign kick off. It was held in the side yard
of a house that appears to serve as a Democratic Party neighborhood
headquarters. There must have been at least 500 people standing and listening
attentively to a parade of civic officials singing Councilman Huizar's praises.
The audience was primarily Mexican American reflecting the neighborhood's
dominant ehnic group.

 
From left to right: Myself, Councilman Jose Huizar, Nissim Leon.



From left to right: Myself, Nissim Leon, founder of Boyle Heights Wolfpack
football support organization, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Aba Ramirez, UC Davis Extension, nutritionist.

Hardly knowing anyone, I did my best to strike up conversations with
congenial and friendly fellow standees. I met the coach of the local high
school's football team. I met a woman who shared her aspirations of
seeing one of her sons attend an Ivy League college. As I asked another
stranger what he did, he said: "I'm the mayor!"

BLOGGING AGAIN!

THIS IS MY FIRST POST SINCE NOVEMBER. PERHAPS
I HAVE SOME VIABLE EXCUSES? PERHAPS NOT! IN 
ANY CASE THIS POST WILL SIGNAL MY RETURN TO
BLOGGING.
TODAY ALSO MARKS THE FIRST ANNIVERARY OF
OUR MOVING TO LA.

Changes

Dear Readers,

I wanted to let you know about some changes to the blog. I have decided to rename the blog and changed the address. The blog has been renamed THE RELUCTANT ANGELENO (http://the-reluctant-angeleno.blogspot.com/).

Please make a note of the address change and change the RSS feed if necessary.

Thanks for reading. I've got some good posts in the works.

all the best,
Allon

On Los Angeles' Aspirations to Become a "World Class City"

"Downtown 2020 - Continuing the Renaissance"

On October 12, I attended the Central City Association's symposium
"Downtown 2020 - Continuing the Renaissance."
http://www.aialosangeles.org/event/downtown-2020-continuing-the-renaissance

The CCA describes itself as "lobbying government and advancing
policy in shaping the future of Los Angeles business. And it's fueling
the renaissance of our entire area." http://www.ccala.org/

Having organized and attended similar events in New York and Paris, I can
recognize a good one when I see it. This was top notch.

In an attempt to assert LA's status as a "world class city," there were
three one and a half hour sessions with some of the major players who
are going to participate in and accelerate the creation of an urban center
for Los Angeles.

At a forum focused on sensitivity to New York's urban environment held
in a ballroom at the Waldorf, I was on a panel with Philip Johnson. To make
my point - that it was as important to be as sensitive to what we build as what
we eat - I distributed loaves of artisanal bread and Wonder bread encouraging
members of the audience to taste them. The room was a mess, but I made
my point. I hope this post will be as provocative.

Downtown as An Economic Engine

The Central City Association reports that "The current renaissance has
transformed Downtown Los Angeles from a 9-to-5 business center to a
residential, cultural and entertainment destination with 27,000 new residents,
83,500 new jobs, $180 million in tax revenues to the city and county and
$10.9 billion in business revenues."

So, what kind of a city is evolving and what can we expect to happen over
the next ten to twenty years? After digesting what the various power brokers
of major and minor scale had to say, here's my take.

More than half the world's population - 3.3 billion people live in cities

According to the "United Nations Report, State of the World Population,"
this milestone was reached in 2007. By 2030, the number is expected to be
5 billion, the majority of the people on this planet. We are entering a new age
in which urban environments will continue to expand everywhere.

Awareness of a generational shift

One of the panelists stressed that there is "going to be a surge in demand for
downtown housing among the twenties." This was amplified by another who
spoke of living in Orange County and raising his family there. Unquestionably,
his children were the products of car pool culture. His son did not want to live
in the suburbs; he is living downtown. Many people with similar histories
are attracted to living and working in downtown LA. Such people are the
majority of current downtown residents and represent the nucleus of an
expanding population. For another panelists, seeing a couple walk their dog
after dark, obliterated personal safety as a factor in choosing to live downtown.

The importance of transportation infrastructure

No one disputed nor regretted the demise of the dominance of the automobile.
There was general agreement that completing a suitable local and
regional transportation infrastructure including an expanded subway
system integrated with high speed rail was the city's highest priority.
While this was being built, it was acknowledged that automobiles and
their corollaries: freeways and parking, had to be reckoned with. There
was also discussion of enhanced transportation alternatives within the
urban core.

"A walking city again"


Spring and Seventh, 1926.

One panelist said that "Streets are for everyone, not just for cars."
New York was considered a model to be emulated in developing more
pedestrian friendly streets.

High brow culture as an increasingly significant commodity

It was acknowledged that the entertainment industry has played a major role
in the growth and development of the city and the region over the last century.
With an expanded population of college educated people who have been
exposed to museums and cultural tourism, Eli Broad stressed the magnetism
of museums and concert halls as benefits to local residents as well as to
visitors and convention delegates.

The "haves" and "have nots"

One panelist acknowledged the gap between the "haves" and "have
nots" and the need to create jobs and residences for both classes. The
availability of affordable housing was seen as a necessary corollary.
One of the developers discussed his experience with affordable housing
downtown.

The giants and the dwarfs see opportunities ahead

Although they did not appear on the same panels - the giants spoke of
millions and billions while the dwarfs spoke ot thousands and tens of
thousands - the mega bankers, developers and builders shared common
ground with small scale entrepreneurs in their visions of the continuing
revitalization of downtown LA. Both envision it as a 24/7 city with a mix
of residential and office space, retail commerce, bars, restaurants, and
entertainment.

Evoking the spirit of Jane Jacobs

In the 1960's Robert Moses, the uncontrollable New York developer who left a
mixed record of accomplishments, was opposed by Jane Jacobs when he
attempted to build an expressway that would have bisected Lower Manhattan.
He lost; she won. Her book, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities,"
published in 1961 was a critique of the then current urban renewal process.
She stressed the importance of urban spontaneity where decentralized
ownership stimulates neighborhoods to regenerate themselves through mixed
use and individual entrepreneurism.

Andrew Meiran, owner of the highly successful Edison lounge, who is planning
to both revive and transform Clifton's Cafeteria on Broadway, serves as a perfect
Jane Jacobs' case study. One can predict that his transformation of Clifton's will
have a multiplier effect on Broadway encouraging other entrepreneurs to join
in creating new and innovative enterprises that will breathe life into the whole
downtown area.

No more banal Bunker Hill buildings

One of the speakers said that there had not been a new office building
in LA for twenty-two years. (The LA Live tower contains hotels and
apartment; no office space.) Given the advances in communications
technology, twenty year-old buildings are out-of-date. He promised two
new 60-story office towers in the next three years. There was no mention
of pursuing architectural quality as Eli Broad had said was so important
in planning cultural complexes.

How can we get two office towers that are architectural wonders?



Skyscrapers do not have to be square boxes with glass walls. Shanghai
Tower, above, with 128 floors is approximately 2,000 feet high. It will have
the world's highest open air observation deck, and will house: office space,
a luxury hotel, retail and cultural venues. It is organized as nine cylindrical
buildings stacked one on top of the other. The sweeping design was planned
to reduce the impact of winds often experienced in extremely tall buildings.
Incidentally, this building was designed by Gensler, an American global
architectural firm.

It blows one's mind to think of what is possible. The two towers could be
self-sustaining green buildings generating their own electrical power
with solar panels and turbines. They could recirculate their waste water.
There could be year round gardens on terraces supplying fruits and
vegetables to the building's restaurants. Tenants would flock to such
buildings. People would travel from around the world to see them. The
media would find them endlessly interesting providing LA with a positive
image whenever they are mentioned.

If we wait for the developers, real estate interests and bankers to put
together their package, the odds of getting more Bunker Hill banality are
high. Great architecture means enduring real estate value. Think 80-year
old Rockefeller Center. Great architecture generates great pr. Think Beijing
olympics. Bad architecture means bad business. At one of the panels, there
was discussion of tearing down a section of the LA convention center.

Given the fact that developers and real estate interests will be calling the
shots regarding the design and construction of the two new 60 story towers
being planned for Downtown LA, they should be encouraged to accept
community input. I recommend an international design competition
administered by the CCA. Will the CCA do it? If not, someone else should.

Once again, there is a New York precedent worth examining. The Lower
Manhattan Development Corporation organized an international design
competition in which architects and teams of architects prepared proposals
for buildings to replace the World Trade Towers at Ground Zero. The Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey owned the property and the developer,
Larry Silverstein, was responsible for construction. These proposals influenced
the final design for One World Trade Center, Freedom Tower.

Eli Broad, if willing, would be the perfect chairman for an international design
competition committee. He would have no problem finding qualified members.

The CCA is at bat. For those of us who live here now and for future generations, they need to hit a home run.

P.S. I hope that I fulfilled my promise at the beginning of this post.

The Getty Villa - A World Class Museum

Having lived in LA for nearly 8 months, I have been waiting for
" a world class museum experience." On Monday, September 27,
the hottest day (113 degrees) on record, I went to the Getty Villa.
My wish was fulfilled.



Getty Villa, September 27, 2010

Although The Metropolitan Museum http://www.metmuseum.org/
is my all time favorite encyclopedic museum, the Musei Capitolini,
designed by Michelangelo in 1536, located in Rome's Piazza del
Campidoglio, offers a special attraction on a personal level.



Musei Capitolini, Campidoglio, Rome.



Musei Capitolini, Palazzo Nuovo, first floor gallery, May 2009



Musei Capitolini, Palazzo Nuovo, first floor gallery, January
2001.

I am standing alongside the portrait bust of an unidentified
Roman citizen, dated First Century AD. For those who believe
that as individual embodiments, we have experienced multiple
lives, this comparison serves as testimony.

So, what does this have to do with my recent visit to The Getty Villa?
I view the Getty Villa, not as a unique experience, but as one episode
of an extended continuity.

Many years ago, I was in LA for an American Association of Museums
annual meeting, and visited the J.Paul Getty Museum, as I believe it was
then called. My recollections are of a less sumptuous historical recreation
with fewer objects on display. This four-part video tour in 1985 by my
friend, Professor Bernard Frischer, describes it as I recall it then.

http://vimeo.com/9404906

http://vimeo.com/9406020

http://vimeo.com/9406916

http://vimeo.com/9407401

Now, one finds an extraordinary collection of Greek and Roman objects
displayed impeccably in elegant galleries of varied dimensions. One cannot
fault the Getty Villa staff on any level of professional presentation; however,
in the area of personal taste, I find the new installation of the Greek and
Roman galleries at The Met, renovated under the watchful eye of Carlos
Picón, Curator in Charge, Department of Greek and Roman Art, to
be more to my liking.



The Met's renovated Greek and Roman galleries, 2007.



The Getty Villa's Geta Krater installation.

Overall, the Getty Villa offers distinct advantages as an experience. It is
not a museum where objects are assembled and displayed as cultural trophies.
It is the recreation of an authentic Roman villa in a physical setting which
provides a simulation approximating the original experience. Artifacts
displayed here acquire an authenticity that can never be achieved in a traditional
art museum.

In ancient Roman times the Bay of Naples hosted a colony of villas which
served as playgrounds for the rich and powerful much as the area surrounding
the Getty Villa does now. For the Roman aristocracy, these villas served as
the settings for extravagant displays of conspicuous consumption and refined
living embodied in eating, drinking and philsophizing.