Did you know that the Hollywood sign was originally meant to stay in place for only 18 months? And that it was put in place to advertise properties! When installed, it spelled 'Hollywoodland'. That phrase remained well past its intended timeframe though and became a sort of icon of greater Los Angeles. Then in 1949 the word 'land' was removed and LA’s most iconic lettered-sign entered a period of decay before a rebirth that gave us the landmark as we know it now. One that is visible from all over the city and seems close enough to reach out and touch sometimes. . To me it’s a symbol of the storytelling that’s inherent to a large part of the culture of this city. Hollywood creates stories that we gobble up. That help us escape from life for a while, that inspire us. Sometimes that help us face things. Learn things. Stretch the boundaries of our knowing and widen our scope. Those are the stories I love best. . And right now that type of story seems more important than ever. There’s so mu...