Rodeo Drive mansard

Here's a mansard on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California.  I think this is my first LA mansard.  May as well start in Beverly Hills.

I do really like the rounded boxwood hedge.  It seems to take the edge off the sharp points of the mansard roof.

Thanks to my friend Emily who snapped this picture on a recent business trip. She is the president of her family's electrical contracting business (the one with the orange trucks with the lightening bolt) and she is always going to fabulous locations to attend interesting conventions.  She also hold the distinction of being one of the first mom friends I made at school back in 2004 when our daughters started in the Montessori pre-school together.  Thanks Emily!

Mansard pour la voiture

Being a parking lot owner must be hard.  There are the obvious issues- security, maintenance, advertising and taxes.  And the more complex issues- those pesky urban preservationists who have valid-but-annoying reasons that the historic building shouldn't be knocked down to pave your crappy parking lot.  And the antitrust collusion inquiries by states' attorneys general.  Finally, can you find an attendant who won't sell crack from the booth? (see article here)

Assume you have all of those issues under control with your parking lot.  Let's say you really want your parking lot to look classy so you add a touch of 1880's Second Empire Victorian.  A mansard parking lot!  This photo is located in Alameda, California and courtesy of reader Paul at Vanishingstl.