April 2, 2007

Hey guys:

Sometimes I think we tend to get caught up in the business mode where everything we do or say has to be for financial gain, to make more money, sell more product or just stay ahead of the competitors. While that is good in certain circumstances and I certainly am a firm believer in good old American capitalism, it is also refreshing to meet someone who is just a good person.

Dave Williams is such as person. He is the executive general manager at Yamashiro in Hollywood, CA, a destination restaurant in the beautiful Hollywood Hills featuring the best view of Los Angeles, wonderful Cal Asian cuisine and an inviting atmosphere for great dining. Check out their fine menu with many appetizing items and the highest quality. The service of their very professional staff is tops and Yamashiro is the perfect destination restaurant for a memorable dining experience. I have the opportunity to meet with Dave in his office to record his radio spots on a regular basis and have experienced the service and cuisine at Yamashiro and it just as described and more. Now Dave and his staff are handling the food & beverage needs of another Hollywood landmark, The Magic Castle ... things just keep getting better!

Now, how to get to this fantastic landmark restaurant:

Just up the hill behind Mann's Chinese Theatre sit two unique Hollywood landmarks. If you turn north from Hollywood Boulevard, up Orange Drive, you will quickly come to the intersection of Orange and Franklin Avenue. Directly in front of you will be a sheer hillside, with a narrow, winding road ascending the heights. The large building you see in front (at 7001 Franklin) is the famous Magic Castle, a private club for magicians and their invited guests only. (If you're still interested, you can give them a call at (323) 851-3313.) But high above the Magic Castle, you will notice an even more impressive structure - a virtual castle perched upon the hill, some 250 feet above Hollywood Boulevard. This is Yamashiro. The name means "Mountain Palace" Japanese . An exact replica of a palace in the Yamashiro mountains of Kyoto, Japan, it was built as a private mansion in 1911. After the death of the original owners, the mansion was home to "The 400 Club", an exclusive social club for the Hollywood elite during the late 1920's, attracting silent screen legends such as Lilian Gish, Ramon Navarro and Bebe Daniels.
World War II and Pearl Harbor brought anti-Japanese hysteria to California, which led to the Yamashiro being vandalized, painted-over and eventually converted into a boys' military school. After the war, it was used as an apartment house, and it was about to be torn down in 1948 when (fortunately for the public) a new owner recognized the treasure beneath the paint, and decided to restore it. From the 1970's through the mid 90's it served the public as a grand Japanese restaurant; today they offer CalAsian cuisine. Boasting twelve acres of lushly landscaped gardens, waterfalls, koi ponds, a 14th century pagoda and a spectacular view of the city below, the Yamashiro is a Hollywood legend. It preserves some of the Old Hollywood glamour as that 600-year-old pagoda, imported from Japan in 1914, ranks as the oldest building in California!) Some of the stars who have dined here recently include Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck, Gwyneth Paltrow, Dolly Parton, Penny Marshall, LeAnn Rimes, Leeza Gibbons, Anjelica Houston, Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway and Ruth Buzzi.

Enjoy! Jack