Making the Pitch

Oh, those pseudo-poetic raptures on rustic cabins, country club snobbisms and pre-pubescent Xanadus, tempered by ever-rising fears of bad air and overcrowding. Such were--and continue to be--the clarion calls of Southern California’s boom developers. Through the century, when it’s time to pitch a neighborhood in brochures and newspapers as the place, above all others, you should call home, subtlety has never been exercised. Try to match the neighborhood with the pitch. (See below right for answers.)

1: “Where leisurely, rural home life may be conveniently enjoyed. . . . Where towering trees and sweeping mountains present a picture from each window. . . . Where children find new opportunities for robust play--for health--for schooling. Where you may live in a veritable world apart.”

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2: “The sort of place where your kids might walk to school and you might walk to work, where there is a range of housing types . . . where places are provided for real interchange, and where the premium is on the quality of life rather than in the family gas tank.”

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3: “You can’t beat the combination anywhere, can you? Just imagine owning a cozy, comfy little cabin, where you can relax and rest in a quiet, soothing atmosphere--’loafing’ in the shade of friendly oaks, refreshed by invigorating air. That’s what [it] offers you, man--and more, too.”

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4: “The setting. Classic as well. A quiet residential area that is most pleasing to the eye. . . . Tucked away from the congestion, noise and traffic of the city yet near every convenience you could possibly need or want. A wonderful place to raise a family and to give youngsters a lasting appreciation of the beauty of nature and a lifetime of memories.”

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5: “Prestige environment. This has nothing to do with being snooty. It’s simply a matter of family respect and neighborhood pride. [Its] environment is a priceless advantage to give your children.”

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a: Tujunga, 1923

b: Lakewood, 1958

c: Santa Anita, 1939

d: Playa Vista, 1998

e: Thousand Oaks, 1981