| The Silver Lake billboard — sweet but a little awkward — gives no context. |
| "I LIKE YOU VERY MUCH," it proclaims in blocky, all-caps white text on a solid red background. It stands in a grassy lot facing Sunset Boulevard, near Westerly Terrace.
The billboard isn't hawking anything. No name is attached to it. And, um, it doesn't even know me. |
| I've seen it for years while heading to Dodger Stadium and wondered who, exactly, liked me very much. I am, after all, an acquired taste. My colleague Rebecca Castillo, a video creator for 404 by L.A. Times, solved the mystery this month. Rebecca kindly answered a few of my burning questions. Our interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. |
OK, so what is the deal with this billboard? Who owns it, and why? |
| Rebecca Castillo: The billboard is owned by an advertising company called Lamar, and is rented out by Jordan Bromley, an entertainment lawyer who specializes in music. According to Bromley, it had a very "simple and whimsical beginning." |
| In 2011, his friend was driving past the billboard, wondered how much it cost, and called Lamar, which gave a quote of a few hundred bucks a month. Bromley has a house in Silver Lake, an artsy neighborhood he describes as "a hub of activity for musicians." The billboard, he figured, would be "a fun extension of that." |
| Bromley said the phrase "I like you very much" was just something that he would say a lot, and he liked the idea of having "fun, positive messaging" in the neighborhood. |
| Bromley told me the billboard has been up since 2011, usually for 10 months a year. It usually has the white text and red background, but Bromley has put up a green background around Christmastime. Sometimes his friends rent out the billboard. His one rule is that it can't be used for direct advertising — just for art or messaging. |
Was Bromley surprised you tracked him down? |
| The first thing he said to me when I called to ask if I could interview him was: "I've been waiting for this day." So, it definitely didn't come as a surprise. |
| If anything, he was surprised it hadn't happened sooner. He assumed people must have been wondering about it. |
How much has he paid over time for this message? |
| Bromley now pays around $500 a month. He did some (very) quick math and estimates he has spent around $90,000. |
When did you first notice it yourself? |
| It was before I lived in Silver Lake. I was dating someone who would send me pictures of it. Now, I live in Silver Lake and pass it every day. And it's pretty funny that my relationship to that billboard outlasted my relationship with that person. |
Do you think the billboard likes me very much? |
| If it doesn't, then it's a great liar. |
Today's top stories |
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| Statewide enrollment is growing in transitional kindergarten or TK. These TK students were attending John Mack Elementary School in Los Angeles shortly after returning from the holiday break in January. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) |
House Republicans passed Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' |
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Hints of human error grow in wildfire response |
- A lawsuit filed in federal court claims Edison misled the company's investors about the effectiveness of its efforts to reduce the risk of wildfire for before the devastating Eaton fire.
- Edison is also facing blowback over a proposal to hike rates after the fires.
- Meanwhile, nearly five months after the deadly Eaton fire swept through Altadena, officials have yet to explain the reasons for significant delays in evacuation alerts.
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California school enrollment continues to drop |
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California FEMA earthquake retrofit grants canceled |
- The Trump administration has canceled $33 million worth of federal funds meant to help pay for earthquake retrofits in California — sparking "grave concern" and a call to reconsider from Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)
- In a letter dated Wednesday, Schiff urged U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to reinstate the funds.
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Antonio Villaraigosa blasts fellow Democrats for not speaking out about Biden's decline |
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What else is going on |
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Commentary and opinions |
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This morning's must reads |
| | | Dr. Casey Means moved to L.A. to find her soulmate. Along the way, she met the influencers who would shape the Make America Healthy Again movement. | | | |
Other must reads |
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| Keep up with California | Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. | | | | | |
For your downtime |
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| Though it encompasses 8,000 acres of rugged mountains, hills and valleys, Mission Trails Regional Park is an often-overlooked oasis in San Diego. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) |
Going out |
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Staying in |
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A question for you: What's your favorite city to visit in California? |
| Bill says, "Los Angeles."
Mike says, "Palm Springs/Desert area, and the South Lake Tahoe area." |
| Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. |
And finally ... from our archives |
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| Johnny Carson hosts his final episode of "The Tonight Show." (NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images) |
| On May 22, 1992, television host and comedian Johnny Carson ended his 30-year reign on NBC's "The Tonight Show." |
| The Times' Rick DuBrow recapped the emotional farewell, which ended with Carson telling viewers: "I bid you a very heartfelt good night." |
Have a great day, from the Essential California team |
| Hailey Branson-Potts, staff reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters |
| How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com. |
