Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California
Encyclopedia
Pacific Palisades is an affluent neighborhood and district within the U.S. city of Los Angeles, California
, located among Brentwood
to the east, Malibu and Topanga to the west, Santa Monica
to the southeast, the Santa Monica Bay
to the southwest, and the Santa Monica Mountains
to the north. The area currently has about 27,000 residents. It is a very affluent and primarily residential area, with a mixture of large private homes, small (usually older) houses, condominiums, and apartments. Every 4th of July, the Chamber of Commerce
sponsors day-long events which include 5K
and 10K runs, a parade
down Sunset Boulevard
, and a fireworks
display at Palisades High School football field. The district also includes some large park
lands and many hiking trails. The Pacific Palisades is known as "Where The Mountains Meet the Sea" and is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities and luminaries.
Thomas Ince
created his Western film factory, "Inceville," which at its peak employed nearly 600 people. A decade later, the Rev. Charles H. Scott and the Southern California Methodist Episcopal Church
bought the land; in 1922, Scott founded Pacific Palisades, envisioning an elaborate religious-intellectual commune. Believers snapped up choice lots and lived in tents during construction. By 1925, the Palisades had 100 homes. In one subdivision, streets were named for Methodist missionaries. The tents eventually were replaced by cabins, then by bungalows, and ultimately by multimillion-dollar homes.
During their exile from Nazi Germany
in the 1930s and 40s, Pacific Palisades became a venue for German
and Austrian
writers and actors, like Thomas Mann
, Lion Feuchtwanger
, Vicki Baum
, Oskar Homolka and Emil Ludwig
.
For many decades there was a virtual ban on drinking alcohol
in the district, and a Chinese restaurant
, House of Lee, held the only liquor license. The Presbyterian Church originally owned a conference center in Temescal Canyon before it was sold to become Temescal Gateway Park.
s "Mapping L.A." project supplied these Pacific Palisades statistics: population: 23,940; median household income: $168,008.
represents the district.
Los Angeles Fire Department
operates two fire stations serving Pacific Palisades. Station 69 at 15045 West Sunset Boulevard serves Pacific Palisades and the Pacific Coast. Station 23 at 17281 West Sunset Boulevard serves the Palisades Highlands, Castellammare, and the Pacific Coast.
Los Angeles Police Department
operates the West Los Angeles Community Police Station at 1663 Butler Avenue, 90025, serving the neighborhood.
represents the district.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
SPA 5 West Area Health Office serves Pacific Palisades. The department operates the Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center in Santa Monica
, serving Pacific Palisades.
Pacific Palisades is within District 41 of the California State Assembly
. As of 2008, Julia Brownley
represents the district. Pacific Palisades is within District 23 of the California Senate; as of 2008, Sheila Kuehl
represents the district. The community is a part of the State Board of Equalization District 4, represented by Judy Chu
as of 2008.
The community is within California's 30th congressional district
. As of 2008, Henry Waxman
represents the district. The United States Postal Service
operates the Pacific Palisades Post Office at 15243 La Cruz Drive and at 15209 West Sunset Boulevard.
Residents are zoned to Los Angeles Unified School District
schools. The area is within Board District 4. As of 2008 Marlene Canter represents the district. Canter announced that she will not seek re-election after her term expires in June 2009.
Some residents are assigned to Pacific Palisades Elementary School, some residents are assigned to Canyon Elementary School, and some are assigned to Marquez Elementary School. All residents are zoned to Revere Charter Middle School and Palisades Charter High School
.
Private schools in the area include:
operates the Palisades Branch at 861 Alma Real Drive.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, located among Brentwood
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
Brentwood is a district in western Los Angeles, California, United States. The district is located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, bounded by the San Diego Freeway on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, the Santa Monica city limits on the southwest, the border of Topanga State...
to the east, Malibu and Topanga to the west, Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
to the southeast, the Santa Monica Bay
Santa Monica Bay
Santa Monica Bay is a bight of the Pacific Ocean in southern California, United States. Its boundaries are slightly ambiguous, but it is generally considered to be the part of the Pacific within an imaginary line drawn between Point Dume, in Malibu, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Its eastern...
to the southwest, and the Santa Monica Mountains
Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains are a Transverse Range in Southern California, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the United States.-Geography:...
to the north. The area currently has about 27,000 residents. It is a very affluent and primarily residential area, with a mixture of large private homes, small (usually older) houses, condominiums, and apartments. Every 4th of July, the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
sponsors day-long events which include 5K
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
and 10K runs, a parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
down Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
, and a fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display at Palisades High School football field. The district also includes some large park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
lands and many hiking trails. The Pacific Palisades is known as "Where The Mountains Meet the Sea" and is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities and luminaries.
History
In 1911, film directorFilm director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Thomas Ince
Thomas H. Ince
Thomas Harper Ince was an American silent film actor, director, screenwriter and producer of more than 100 films and pioneering studio mogul. Known as the "Father of the Western", he invented many mechanisms of professional movie production, introducing early Hollywood to the "assembly line"...
created his Western film factory, "Inceville," which at its peak employed nearly 600 people. A decade later, the Rev. Charles H. Scott and the Southern California Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
bought the land; in 1922, Scott founded Pacific Palisades, envisioning an elaborate religious-intellectual commune. Believers snapped up choice lots and lived in tents during construction. By 1925, the Palisades had 100 homes. In one subdivision, streets were named for Methodist missionaries. The tents eventually were replaced by cabins, then by bungalows, and ultimately by multimillion-dollar homes.
During their exile from Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in the 1930s and 40s, Pacific Palisades became a venue for German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and Austrian
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
writers and actors, like Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual...
, Lion Feuchtwanger
Lion Feuchtwanger
Lion Feuchtwanger was a German-Jewish novelist and playwright. A prominent figure in the literary world of Weimar Germany, he influenced contemporaries including playwright Bertolt Brecht....
, Vicki Baum
Vicki Baum
Hedwig Baum was an Austrian writer. She is known for Menschen im Hotel , one of her first international successes....
, Oskar Homolka and Emil Ludwig
Emil Ludwig
Emil Ludwig was a German author, known for his biographies.-Biography:Emil Ludwig was born in Breslau, now part of Poland. Ludwig studied law but chose writing as a career. At first he wrote plays and novella, but also worked as a journalist...
.
For many decades there was a virtual ban on drinking alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
in the district, and a Chinese restaurant
American Chinese cuisine
American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by many Chinese restaurants in the United States. This type of cooking typically caters to Western tastes, and differs significantly from the original Chinese cuisine.-History:...
, House of Lee, held the only liquor license. The Presbyterian Church originally owned a conference center in Temescal Canyon before it was sold to become Temescal Gateway Park.
Areas
- The Alphabet Streets also known as "North Village", are north of Sunset Blvd. and are characterized by narrow streets. The street names are consecutively named beginning with A, B, C, D, etc. - hence the name Alphabet Streets. The streets are named for Methodist Bishops of the late 19th and early 20th century. It is a popular destination for trick-or-treaters on HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. - The Bluffs are located further out-of-town west along Sunset BoulevardSunset BoulevardSunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
and start past Palisades Charter High SchoolPalisades Charter High SchoolPalisades Charter High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California, United States. The public high school serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Palisades Highlands, Kenter Canyon and portions of Brentwood...
and Via De La Paz. they extend for a long distance between Sunset Blvd. and the Palisades Bluffs. - Castellammare is located on small bluffs directly on the ocean. The narrow, winding streets have Italian names. It is the home of the Getty Villa. It is located where Sunset Blvd meets Pacific Coast Highway.
- Huntington Palisades is close to the 'village' proper, and is more of a typical suburb. It is located south of Sunset Blvd.
- Marquez Knolls is a large area of homes, known for spectacular ocean views, and is located farther west on Sunset Blvd on a mountain upslope. The lower upslope was first developed in the early 1950s and mid 1960s by the Earl Lachman family. Marquez Elementary services the neighborhood along with a small shopping center on Marquez Street and Sunset Blvd.
- Palisades Highlands is a community near the end of Sunset Blvd., bordering Topanga. About five minutes away from the center of the Pacific Palisades, the Palisades Village, The Highlands could almost be considered its own separate community.
- The Riviera features The Riviera Country ClubRiviera Country ClubThe Riviera Country Club is a country club with a championship golf course. It is located in Pacific Palisades, California, a community within the city limits of Los Angeles. The country club opened in 1926, with George C. Thomas, Jr. as the course architect. The course has been the primary host...
, a high-end country club, and streets named after various locations in the French and Italian Riviera. The neighborhood is divided into north and south sections by Sunset BoulevardSunset BoulevardSunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
. It borders Santa Monica and Brentwood. - Rustic Canyon features post-war homes located on the former polo field of The Uplifters, the original site of The Uplifters clubhouse (now a city park) and the "cabins" developed as second homes and weekend retreats. This area is also known as Uplifter's Ranch. Located off Sunset Blvd. between The Riveria and Huntington Palisades. Above the canyon lies Will Rogers State Historic ParkWill Rogers State Historic ParkWill Rogers State Historic Park is the former estate of American humorist Will Rogers. It lies in the Santa Monica mountains in Los Angeles, in the Pacific Palisades area.-Geography:...
. - The Village is a small central business district on Sunset BoulevardSunset BoulevardSunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
, consisting of restaurants, stores, banks, and offices. Notable shops in "the village" include Norris Hardware (which originally was the Bay Theater), Cathay Palisades (formerly Fein's Deli), Black Ink, PaliSkate, Sylvia's Skin Studio, Benton's Sporting Goods, and Village Books.
Demographics
In 2009, the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
s "Mapping L.A." project supplied these Pacific Palisades statistics: population: 23,940; median household income: $168,008.
Government and infrastructure
The most important civic group within the Palisades is the Pacific Palisades Community Council. The Pacific Palisades council usually meets twice each month to discuss a wide range of issues that affect its residents. The council has rejected city offers to become an official part of the city, preferring its independent, non-aligned status. Among the main reasons that Council members cite is the fear that it will lose the power to sue the city.Local government
The community is within District 11 of the City Council. As of 2008 Bill RosendahlBill Rosendahl
William Joseph "Bill" Rosendahl is an American politician. He is serving on the Los Angeles City Council, representing Council District 11. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Biography:...
represents the district.
Los Angeles Fire Department
Los Angeles Fire Department
The Los Angeles Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles....
operates two fire stations serving Pacific Palisades. Station 69 at 15045 West Sunset Boulevard serves Pacific Palisades and the Pacific Coast. Station 23 at 17281 West Sunset Boulevard serves the Palisades Highlands, Castellammare, and the Pacific Coast.
Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
operates the West Los Angeles Community Police Station at 1663 Butler Avenue, 90025, serving the neighborhood.
County, state, and federal representation
Pacific Palisades is within Los Angeles County's 3rd District. As of 2008, Zev YaroslavskyZev Yaroslavsky
Zev Yaroslavsky is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D...
represents the district.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
SPA 5 West Area Health Office serves Pacific Palisades. The department operates the Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, serving Pacific Palisades.
Pacific Palisades is within District 41 of the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
. As of 2008, Julia Brownley
Julia Brownley
Julia Brownley is a California State Assemblywoman representing California's 41st Assembly District . She was elected to the Assembly on November 7, 2006. She is a Democrat. Before her political career, Brownley hired by several companies in market management...
represents the district. Pacific Palisades is within District 23 of the California Senate; as of 2008, Sheila Kuehl
Sheila Kuehl
Sheila James Kuehl is an American politician, and a former child actress. She most recently served as a Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing the 23rd district in Los Angeles County and parts of southern Ventura County...
represents the district. The community is a part of the State Board of Equalization District 4, represented by Judy Chu
Judy Chu
Judy May Chu, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
as of 2008.
The community is within California's 30th congressional district
California's 30th congressional district
California's 30th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Los Angeles County. The district includes many of the upper-class suburbs of Los Angeles, most notably Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Calabasas, Agoura Hills,...
. As of 2008, Henry Waxman
Henry Waxman
Henry Arnold Waxman is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is considered to be one of the most influential liberal members of Congress...
represents the district. The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Pacific Palisades Post Office at 15243 La Cruz Drive and at 15209 West Sunset Boulevard.
Education
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
schools. The area is within Board District 4. As of 2008 Marlene Canter represents the district. Canter announced that she will not seek re-election after her term expires in June 2009.
Some residents are assigned to Pacific Palisades Elementary School, some residents are assigned to Canyon Elementary School, and some are assigned to Marquez Elementary School. All residents are zoned to Revere Charter Middle School and Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California, United States. The public high school serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Palisades Highlands, Kenter Canyon and portions of Brentwood...
.
- Canyon Elementary School opened in 1910.
- Pacific Palisades Elementary opened in 1922.
- Marquez Elementary School opened in 1955.
- Paul Revere Middle School first opened as Palisades-Brentwood Junior High School on September 12, 1955; it chose its current name during its first year of operation. It became an internal charter in 1994.
- Palisades High School opened in 1961. Palisades received a charter in 1994.
Private schools in the area include:
- Calvary Christian (K-8)
- Village School (pre K-6)
- Corpus Christi (K-8)
- St. Matthew’s Parish School (PS-8)
- Seven Arrows (K-6)
- Westside Waldorf (K-8)
Public libraries
Los Angeles Public LibraryLos Angeles Public Library
The Los Angeles Public Library system serves the residents of Los Angeles, California, United States. With over 6 million volumes, LAPL is one of the largest publicly funded library systems in the world. The system is overseen by a Board of Library Commissioners with five members appointed by the...
operates the Palisades Branch at 861 Alma Real Drive.
Media
The only newspaper directly serving the Palisades is the Palisadian-Post. The community was served by two papers until they merged in the 1970s. The papers, The Palisades Post and the Palisadian, became the Palisadian-Post. Unlike most weeklies on the westside of Los Angeles, the Post is subscription-based. The paper is owned by the Small Newspaper Group, a midwestern media chain. The Small family purchased the Post from longtime owner/operators the Browns in the early 1980s. Roberta Donahue is the publisher and Bill Bruns is the paper's managing editor.- Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
is the citywide newspaper. - Palisadian-Post is a local community newspaper.
Parks and recreation
- The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks operates several recreational facilities in Pacific Palisades at 851 Alma Real Drive. Palisades Park, at that address, has 117 acre (0.47348262 km²) of land. The Palisades Recreation Center, also at that address, has barbecue pits, four baseball diamonds (two lighted, two unlighted), lighted basketball courts (indoor and outdoor), a children's play area, an American football field, an indoor gymnasium (no weights are offered), picnic tables, lighted tennis courts, and lighted volleyball courts. The facility also has a kitchen, a stage, a television area, and various scheduled athletic and non-athletic activities. The Pacific Palisades Tennis Court, also at that address, has eight courts.
- Rustic Canyon Park is located along Rustic Canyon Road. The Rustic Canyon Pool is located at 601 Latimer Road. The Rustic Canyon Recreation Center, located at the same address, has a multipurpose with a capacity of 150 people that can be used as an auditorium, a gymnasium, or a volleyball court. The center also has barbecue pits, an unlighted baseball diamond, basketball courts (lighted indoor and unlighted outdoor), a children's play area, an indoor gymnasium (no weights are offered), picnic tables, and volleyball courts (lighted and unlighted).
- Temescal Canyon Park is a non-staffed "pocket park" located at 15900 Pacific Coast Highway. The park has barbecue pits, a children's play area, picnic tables, hiking trails, a native garden, and toilets. Santa Ynez Canyon Park is located at Palisades Drive and Avenida de Santa Ynez. Rivas Canyon Park is located at the east terminus of Oracle Pl.
- Will Rogers State Historic Park and Polo Club. While Will Rogers made Beverly Hills his home in late twenties, in 1922, he bought a large plot of almost 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land above Sunset to build a weekend cottage. He built a polo field on the property in 1926 and in 1928, he and his family made it their home. In 1944, after Will RogersWill RogersWilliam "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
died, the ranch became a state park. In the interest of historical preservation, the home is maintained as it was including the furniture and fixtures. It is open to the public most days with the exception of major holidays although admission is required. The top of the property's trail includes vistas of the ocean and city.
Notable places
- Eames HouseEames HouseThe Eames House is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture located at 203 North Chautauqua Boulevard in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles...
The 1949 home and studio of husband-and-wife designDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
pioneers Charles and Ray EamesCharles and Ray EamesCharles Ormond Eames, Jr and Bernice Alexandra "Ray" Eames were American designers, who worked in and made major contributions to modern architecture and furniture. They also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art and film.-Charles Eames:Charles Eames, Jr was born in...
. - The Getty VillaGetty VillaThe Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, California, USA, is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria...
The most well-known landmark in the Palisades is J. Paul Getty's Getty Villa. The museum erroneously claims that it is the Getty Villa of Malibu; however, it is a part of the Palisades, which is in the city of Los Angeles. - Villa Aurora An artists residence and historic landmark located in the former home of exiled German-Jewish writer Lion FeuchtwangerLion FeuchtwangerLion Feuchtwanger was a German-Jewish novelist and playwright. A prominent figure in the literary world of Weimar Germany, he influenced contemporaries including playwright Bertolt Brecht....
and his wife Marta. - Self-Realization Fellowship Lake ShrineSelf-Realization Fellowship Lake ShrineThe Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine lies a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean, on Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades, California. It was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, on August 20, 1950 and is owned by the Self-Realization Fellowship...
Founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1950.
Filming location
- The 2005 Anne HathawayAnne Hathaway (actress)Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
, Bijou PhillipsBijou PhillipsBijou Lilly Phillips is an American actress, model, and singer. Phillips began her career as a model but soon transitioned herself into acting and singing. When she was 13, she started as a model and became one of the youngest people to grace the cover of Interview Magazine and Italian Vogue....
film HavocHavoc (film)Havoc is a 2005 American film about the lives of wealthy Los Angeles, California teenagers whose exposure to hip hop culture inspires them to imitate the gangster lifestyle...
was set in the Palisades and filmed at Palisades Charter High School. - The 2003 Disney film: Freaky FridayFreaky Friday (2003 film)Freaky Friday is a 2003 film based on the novel of the same name by Mary Rodgers. It stars Lindsay Lohan as Anna Coleman and Jamie Lee Curtis as her mother. In the film their bodies are switched due to an enchanted Chinese fortune cookie...
with Jamie Lee CurtisJamie Lee CurtisJamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author. Although she was initially known as a "scream queen" because of her starring roles in several horror films early in her career, such as Halloween, The Fog, Prom Night and Terror Train, Curtis has since compiled a body of work that spans many...
and Lindsay LohanLindsay LohanLindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
was filmed at Palisades Charter High School. - The 2001 film Crazy/BeautifulCrazy/BeautifulCrazy/Beautiful is a 2001 American drama/romance film starring Kirsten Dunst and Jay Hernandez. It is largely set at Palisades Charter High School and the surrounding area, including Downtown Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, Malibu , and East Los Angeles .-Plot:Nicole — the spoiled, rich,...
starring Kirsten DunstKirsten DunstKirsten Caroline Dunst is an American actress, singer and model. She made her film debut in Oedipus Wrecks, a short film directed by Woody Allen for the anthology New York Stories...
was filmed at Palisades Charter High School. - The house used for the exterior shots of the Pearson residence in the 1979 film PhantasmPhantasm (film)Phantasm is a low-budget "cult classic" horror film produced in 1977 and released in 1979. The film was directed, written, photographed, co-produced and edited by Don Coscarelli...
is located at 1232 Corsica Drive in Pacific Palisades. - The 1977 NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television program James at 16, starring Lance KerwinLance KerwinLance Kerwin is an American actor, perhaps best remembered for his starring role in the TV series James at 15. Since the mid-1990s, however, Kerwin has not acted, instead focusing on his Christian religious beliefs, having become a pastor...
was filmed at the same school, which was then called Palisades High School, or more commonly as "Pali" High. - The 1976 film Carrie was also filmed at Palisades High School.
- Food NetworkFood NetworkFood Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
's Everyday ItalianEveryday ItalianEveryday Italian is a Food Network show hosted by Giada De Laurentiis. In the show, De Laurentiis focuses for her viewers on traditional Italian cuisine with an American flair, such as herb-crusted lamb and chocolate-ricotta pie.-Popularity:...
is filmed on El Medio. - The TV series BaywatchBaywatchBaywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
was filmed at Lifeguard Headquarters by tower 15 of Will Rogers State BeachWill Rogers State BeachWill Rogers State Beach is a beach park on the Santa Monica Bay, at the Pacific coast of Southern California. It is located in Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, and is protected as part of the California Department of Parks and Recreation...
in Pacific Palisades. - The TV series Rockford Files was often filmed in and around the Palisades in the 1970s.
- The TV series Popular filmed at Palisades High School
- The first season residence of the television series "The Golden GirlsThe Golden GirlsThe Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
" was a home in Pacific Palisades. For subsequent seasons, a facade house was built on the Disney/MGM back lot. - The HBO series Curb Your EnthusiasmCurb Your EnthusiasmCurb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
is filmed in the real-life residence of Larry DavidLarry DavidLawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
, as the home of his character, "Larry David."
Cultural references
- The Beach Boys 1963 hit "Surfin' USASurfin' USA (song)"Surfin' USA" is a song with lyrics written by Brian Wilson for The Beach Boys, set to the melody from Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen". Berry received co-writing credit for composing the song after litigating. "Surfin' USA" was recorded by The Beach Boys and released as a single on March 4,...
" mentions Pacific Palisades in its list of Southern California surf spots. - The 1976 book, What Really Happened to the Class of '65?What Really Happened to the Class of '65?What Really Happened to the Class of '65? is a 1976 non-fiction book by Michael Medved and David Wallechinsky. Directly inspired by a Time magazine article of the same name, the authors follow up on the people of Palisades High School mentioned in the article, and the book mainly consists of that...
is about members of one of Palisades High School's early graduating classes and how their once-privileged lives turned out years later, often disastrously. The book, by author David WallechinskyDavid WallechinskyDavid Wallechinsky has worked as a commentator for NBC Olympic coverage and is the author of many Olympic reference books and other reference books. He is a Jewish-American. He is the author of The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics and The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics series...
, the son of novelist Irving WallaceIrving WallaceIrving Wallace was an American best-selling author and screenwriter. Wallace was known for his heavily researched novels, many with a sexual theme. One critic described him "as the most successful of all the many exponents of junk fiction perhaps because he took it all so seriously, not so say...
, and his "Pali" classmate, film critic Michael MedvedMichael MedvedMichael Medved is an American radio host, author, political commentator and film critic. His Seattle, Washington-based nationally syndicated talk show, The Michael Medved Show, airs throughout the U.S...
, described Pacific Palisades as a microcosm of America during the tumultuous Summer of LoveSummer of LoveThe Summer of Love was a social phenomenon that occurred during the summer of 1967, when as many as 100,000 people converged on the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, creating a cultural and political rebellion...
-era. - The West Coast AvengersWest Coast AvengersThe West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. The team first appear in The West Coast Avengers #1 and was created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall.- Publication history :...
, a California-based branch of the Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
superhero team, were depicted as based out of an estate in Pacific Palisades. - A 1997 TV seriesPacific Palisades (TV series)Pacific Palisades is an American soap opera that aired on Fox during prime time from April to July 1997. Produced by Aaron Spelling, the show was cancelled after just thirteen episodes despite a last-minute attempt to increase ratings by casting Joan Collins.-Plot summary:Set in the Los Angeles...
produced by Aaron SpellingAaron SpellingAaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
was named for the area.
Notable residents (past and present)
See List of people from Pacific Palisades, Los AngelesFurther reading
- Exiled German-Speaking Intellectuals in Los Angeles
- Young, Betty Lou, Pacific Palisades, Where the Mountains Meet the Sea, Pacific Palisades Historical Society Press (1983)