Travels with Larry: Griffith Observatory ? Los Angeles, California
The nine white, over-sized letters that are featured in films, on postcards and even in billboard hit songs usually come to mind when thinking of California. But as I gazed up at Mount Hollywood, three copper-clad domes caught my attention instead.

Atop of the Hollywood Hills, approximately 1,134 feet above sea level, sits one of Los Angeles? most iconic landmarks, the Griffith Observatory. It is a cultural icon that offers extraordinary views into space as well as views of the Los Angeles Basin, including Downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest.
Since its opening on May 14, 1935, the structure has hosted millions of visitors and has appeared in movies and television shows, such as ?The Terminator,? ?The Rocketeer,? ?Charlie?s Angels,? and most notably, ?Rebel without a Cause? ? a bust of James Dean was placed on the grounds of the structure following the release of the film.
The main materials used for the Art Deco style structure include copper, concrete and steel. Copper sheets wrap around the central dome that houses a planetarium; as well as the other smaller domes that hold the observatory?s public telescopes. Copper was also used for several ornamental components of the structure as well.
The durability and longevity of copper is represented by the bright green color of the copper cupola in the middle of the roof; it reflects the patinat...