Los Angeles county: Home to the land of “fruits and nuts” as my father and other Midwesterners commonly joke. When I initially made the cross country trek from MI to LA, I settled into a job at the grand ‘ol intersection of Hollywood and Vine, which served as a daily reminder of my father’s affectionate nickname for my new city. Once settled in, I began to realize that these daily eccentricities go hand in hand with living in Tinsel Town and it became refreshing to encounter a daily dose of flair. For those that find themselves in the position of being able to walk the streets of Hollywood Blvd, this is an easy task to accomplish. Once you drive a bit into the suburbs, it becomes more of a game of Where’s Waldo, however…unless of course, you know where to look.
Want to see something very different from the Captain Jack Sparrow knock-offs and scrawny Supermen impersonators on Hollywood Blvd? Take a drive into North Hills and end up at the intersection of Havenhearst and Plummer Street, pass thru a quiet suburb of residential developments and glance out the window, but only if you like dogs, specifically the “larger” breeds. Here you will find a ginormous topiary poodle, to the residents, “Ivy Poodle,” sheered from ivy that has overtaken a telephone pole. This canine proudly puffs out its chest to greet oncoming traffic with its impressive 15-feet of greenery. The traffic-stopping poodle was sheered over twenty years ago by the hand of area resident Brian Welch, who used the support of his home’s fence as well as the help of wires to reinforce the poodles derriere and ensure that the tail stands erectly. The North Hills residents love this fabulous addition to the town with a brag-worthy roster of housing the largest selling Ford dealership in the world and a church shaped like an onion. Some use it for a landmark to provide guests with directions to their home, while others take seasonal photos during Christmas time, when “Ivy Poodle” sports a giant red ribbon collar. One neighbor apparently felt close enough to the pup to use it as his own personal waste dispenser, as buried in the chest cavity of the topiary was an empty Hawaiian Punch can.
Los Angelinos do love their dogs, but you gotta wonder what pooch was cool enough to inspire this monumental shrine? I’d like to see the traffic report for this intersection, because keeping your eyes on the road while a giant, green, and professionally clipped purebred comes into your peripheral isn’t easy.
Words by Nicole Pajer with pictures by Sidney Bensimon
