This building is so shabby, it’s a wonder the city didn’t bull-doze it to the ground ages ago when we all got caught up in building modern sky-scrapers and sleek apartment buildings; but Burbank is a bit old-school. It’s still a 1950’s suburban sprawl. So it fits that this barrel – this former Spanish restaurant, turned hole in wall eye-sore – this place has a story, albeit a small one (but historical!).
The La Caña Restaurant was built in 1941 (or 1935 according to another source) by a Universal Studios designer. Of the three giant wooden barrels, the largest is 23′ tall and 38′ wide. A large rectangular building at the rear served as the restaurant and flamenco club. The building has been vacant since at least the 1970s.
In fact, there are more than three barrels around the nation.
DB at Flickr posted this story:
I worked next door to La Cana during the late 1970’s. It was closed even then. What I remember of those times was the woman who owned La Cana. Dark haired, she epitomized the classic flamenco dancer, with her vivid red dress.
I happened by there yesterday and she was sitting out in front, reading the newspaper. She asked me what I was photographing and we struck up a conversation about the Iliad Bookstore, which is next door to La Cana, but moving a couple miles away because of “a lawyer who lives in Bakersfield”.
She is old and weathered now, but lucid and engaging. When I asked to take a photo, she pointed down to the Iliad’s mural and urged me to photograph the part of it where she is dancing. When I came back, she was gone.
NO SAINTS IN L.A. 