the illuminati stole my blood.
So I've always wondered what was in the big cube on Wilshire. You know, the huge white marble Borg cube labeled "Scottish Rite" with eagles and the Masonic symbols on it that used to be under construction, but isn't now. I could never figure out a way to get in, since I don't know a Mason, and I really have no reason to go there other than curiousity. So, when I got the Red Cross bulletin about the blood drive at the Scottish Rite Temple-- score!
(Your humble narrator has seen that Simpsons episode about the Stonecutters, once played Ouija board with Job's Daughters, but admits she doesn't know much about Freemasonry, other than it's a charitable, quasi-religious, possibly occult secret society of old white guys.)
Freemasons must be loaded, ah tell you whut. I had to walk through the (cavernous, banner-laden, marble-covered, tres 1960s) lobby, take the (blue and gold velvet-lined) elevator up to the fourth floor, where they had the blood drive set up in a little ballroom/dining room on the top floor, with gold-paneled walls, a little chandelier and a parquet floor. Expensive-looking Old-Master replica oil paintings (needing restretching) of ladies doing whatever 18th-century ladies did, which according to this artist, was sit around and pose for expensive paintings.
A little over the top, but way swankier and creepier than the chilly brick room that is the Van Nuys Red Cross. :D
After I exchanged my pint of blood for cookies, I took a little unauthorized tour. I figured if I got the stink-eye from someone, I could always bumble something about loss of blood and oh my goodness! I'm so very disoriented! and scuttle back to the lobby.
Turns out the majority of the "cube" is a huge 2000-seat theater. Rad. Looks to be recently renovated, with a play in rehearsal this afternoon. Fourth floor was conference rooms (more gilded stuff, more paintings) and the blood drive, and third floor had a large entryway with a construction crew. Didn't look around too much there.
There was a sign in the elevator about the "Hall of Exalted Heroes" or somesuch (everything has a very grand-sounding name) on the second floor/mezzanine, which sounded like a guarantee of all kinds of awesome, but alas, it was locked. I could peek around the gate on the mezzanine to see a lot of 1960s era portraits, a ton of ceremonial banners, and more expensive-looking statues. It's kind of weird-- all the decor was a riff on a Greco-Roman-Northern-European ultra-heroic theme, but the handful of guys wandering around all looked like your grandpa.
So there you go. I didn't find any occult rituals. Next time I donate blood, I'll check the basement. :)
(Your humble narrator has seen that Simpsons episode about the Stonecutters, once played Ouija board with Job's Daughters, but admits she doesn't know much about Freemasonry, other than it's a charitable, quasi-religious, possibly occult secret society of old white guys.)
Freemasons must be loaded, ah tell you whut. I had to walk through the (cavernous, banner-laden, marble-covered, tres 1960s) lobby, take the (blue and gold velvet-lined) elevator up to the fourth floor, where they had the blood drive set up in a little ballroom/dining room on the top floor, with gold-paneled walls, a little chandelier and a parquet floor. Expensive-looking Old-Master replica oil paintings (needing restretching) of ladies doing whatever 18th-century ladies did, which according to this artist, was sit around and pose for expensive paintings.
A little over the top, but way swankier and creepier than the chilly brick room that is the Van Nuys Red Cross. :D
After I exchanged my pint of blood for cookies, I took a little unauthorized tour. I figured if I got the stink-eye from someone, I could always bumble something about loss of blood and oh my goodness! I'm so very disoriented! and scuttle back to the lobby.
Turns out the majority of the "cube" is a huge 2000-seat theater. Rad. Looks to be recently renovated, with a play in rehearsal this afternoon. Fourth floor was conference rooms (more gilded stuff, more paintings) and the blood drive, and third floor had a large entryway with a construction crew. Didn't look around too much there.
There was a sign in the elevator about the "Hall of Exalted Heroes" or somesuch (everything has a very grand-sounding name) on the second floor/mezzanine, which sounded like a guarantee of all kinds of awesome, but alas, it was locked. I could peek around the gate on the mezzanine to see a lot of 1960s era portraits, a ton of ceremonial banners, and more expensive-looking statues. It's kind of weird-- all the decor was a riff on a Greco-Roman-Northern-European ultra-heroic theme, but the handful of guys wandering around all looked like your grandpa.
So there you go. I didn't find any occult rituals. Next time I donate blood, I'll check the basement. :)