I grew up – scratch that. I did some growing up – better still, I was raised, among other places, about 10 minutes from Disneyland. In all the time I lived in that locale, I didn’t visit the happiest place on Earth. It’s not that I had anything against Walt Disney or happiness, for that matter. I simply had other things to do, and knew well that the magical kingdom wasn’t going anywhere.
There was little rush to do something that I could do tomorrow. That spirit of procrastination, aside from getting me through every level of my education – and beyond (it’s Tuesday evening as I write this), provides an something of an explanation as to why I often fail to appreciate something until it’s gone. Don’t worry, this isn’t a sob story or anything of that nature, it’s merely a suggestion to enjoy, among other things, the local amenities of one’s community.
“Why wait?” I guess is what I’m getting at. Yes, Disneyland is still there, but I missed so many opportunities to appreciate it at a time when I would have in a way that I wouldn’t now. All this preamble to say that right here in Culver City, there is a landmark attraction that embodies the glorious history and the uniqueness of this area. I’m talking about the Sony lot. It’s fascinating to visit the very stage where Dorothy set out down the Yellow Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz. Although the set is long since removed, there is still a sense of residual fantasy that remains.
For those who are interested in a more tangible experience, however, there are new movies constantly being filmed, and as TV quiz show host Alex Trebek pointed out while I was visiting the new Jeopardy! Hall of Fame museum, the history and memorabilia of the celebrated show has now been carefully preserved and is alive and well.
