Curating the city

Johnny's Coffeeshop, an "icon of Googie architecture on Wilshire's Miracle Mile"

Another online exhibit about the city, of a different kind. Los Angeles Conservancy's nifty web site, "Curating the City" can make anyone wax nostalgic about L.A., its boulevards and modernist architecture, no matter how much of a die-hard New Yorker you may be. (Anyone who's been there knows that sometimes, there ain't much to love about L.A. boulevards when you're sitting in the middle of afternoon traffic and the beautiful sunshine only seems to stir up more smog.)

Right now the focus is on Wiltshire Boulevard and the tour is available in English, Spanish and Korean. I also like the Memory Book, where you can submit your own stories of place.

The site looks great. But here's the thing: it seems that a preponderance of the buildings highlighted along the tour are exclusive (a la country club or office building). Few are real public spaces - though a boulevard is typically a city's easiest and most rarely pursued opportunity for a public space. At least the site will point out which public transit stop will take you to each place.