Our People Our Places 2022

Lights, Camera, Action!

“Regeneration:

Black Cinema 1898-1971” pre miered at the Academy Mu seum of Motion Pictures last month. The first museum exhi bition of its kind, “Regenera tion: Black Cinema” explores the achievements and chal lenges of Black performers and filmmakers and spans decades of filmmaking, begin ning in the 1890s through the height of the civil rights move ment. The exhibition features excerpts of films restored by the Academy Film Archive, narrative films and documen taries, newsreels and home movies, photographs, scripts, drawings, costumes, equip ment, posters and historical ephemera.

Regeneration is co-curated by Doris Berger, vice president of curatorial affairs at the Academy Museum, and Rhea Combs, director of curatorial affairs at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

“It has been a great honor for us to curate ‘Regeneration,’ a project that challenged us to do justice to the lives and work of nearly a century of Black filmmakers and the audiences they served,” said co-curators Berger and Combs, adding, “We hope to heighten aware ness of these films and film artists and encourage an appre ciation of the many, many con tributions that Black Americans have made to cin ema.”

“Regeneration” spans seven galleries organized themati cally and chronologically.

Early galleries explore the so cial and political situation of Black Americans at the dawn of cinema and the representa tion of Black people in early films from 1897 to 1915. The exhibition continues, high lighting pioneering independ ent Black filmmakers like Oscar Micheaux and contem plating “race films,” made for Black audiences from the 1910s to the 1940s. Following galleries focus on Black musi cals and the advent of Black film stars like Cab Calloway, Josephine Baker and Lena Horne. The exhibition con cludes with cinematic stories reflecting the freedom move ments, spotlighting the pio neering paths of Black film directors creating cinema dur ing the civil rights movement.

Additionally, the exhibition features prized film ephemera including costumes worn by Sammy Davis Jr. in “Porgy and Bess,” tap dance shoes from the Nicholas Brothers, and one of Louis Armstrong’s trumpets

Works by leading contem porary Black artists including Carrie Mae Weems, Glenn Ligon and Kara Walker appear throughout the exhibition, of fering complementary com mentary on the continuing legacy of Black filmmaking. “Regeneration” will be accom panied by a film series and screenings and a series guestprogrammed by Black Film Archive creator and curator Maya Cade. The groundbreak ing exhibition will remain on view through April 9.

Poster for “The Exile” (1931), Directed by Oscar Micheaux.

Spotlight on the history of Black cinema at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

PHOTOS COURTESY MARGARET HERRICK LIBRARY, EDWARD MAPP COLLECTION

The Nicholas Brothers in a scene from “Stormy Weather” (1943), Fayard Nicholas, left, and Harold Nicholas, photographic print, gelatin silver.

BY ZEV YAROSLAVSKY

Hollywood Bowl’s 100th year

This summer marked the 100th anniversary of the Hollywood Bowl, one of the world’s most iconic outdoor venues for the per forming arts. As a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors representing the Bowl from 1994-2014, I had the privilege of being its public sector steward. My predecessor, Ed Edelman, initiated a significant public investment in the nation’s most iconic amphitheater, and when I succeeded him I doubled down on what he started. As a result, today’s Hollywood Bowl has been transformed from a mid-20th century facility to a modern 21st-century venue with few peers.

As this summer’s season got started, I took stock of my family’s love affair with the Bowl. My fa ther used to tell me the story of how my mother (who died when I was 10 years old) attended a concert in July 1942, four years after my parents arrived in L.A. The main attraction was the great composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff, one of my mom’s favorites. That night, he performed his own Second Piano Concerto in C Minor in front of a packed house. At the conclusion of the con cert, she went to the stage door hoping she would have a chance to shake the composer’s hand. Sure enough, when he exited, he made a beeline for her, kissed her hand in the patrician manner, and en gaged her in an extended conversation in Russian. (As an aside, when I told the former President of the Philharmonic, Deborah Borda, this story, she found a copy of the program from that concert and gave it to me for my 60th birthday – a token that connects me, my mother and our mutual love of classical music).

My parents could not have imagined that one day I would represent the Hollywood Bowl as a member of the county’s governing body. When I began my own musical studies – piano at the age of seven and the oboe at the age 12 at Bancroft Junior High School – I couldn’t have imagined that either. But thanks to my parents, and to the

public schools that included the arts in the educa tional curriculum, I grew to appreciate and love classical music. I attended concerts every summer, first with my parents, later with my friends, and fi nally for nearly 50 years with my late wife, Bar bara.

For this teenager and college student, what made the Bowl so special was that it was the people’s amphitheater. The price of an admission ticket would not prevent anyone from experiencing one of the world’s most celebrated symphony orchestras and some of the world’s greatest performing artists. Ed Edelman and I both insisted that the philharmonic retain the $1 ticket price in the rear sections, a policy that survives to this day. And thanks to the theater’s renovations in 2003, LED video screens virtually put every patron in row 1. A true democratization of the concert experience.

The Hollywood Bowl is more than a cultural in stitution; it’s also an economic engine. It creates thousands of well-paying jobs on stage, back stage, and in the community. The cultural arts, writ large, are our home town industry. They help make Los Angeles the dynamic metropolis that it is. They draw tourists from across the country and around the world (tourism, too, is a major part of L.A.’s economy). For this city, diverse and cos mopolitan as it is, music and art foster an environ ment of mutual understanding that can bring our communities together. The Hollywood Bowl, more than any other major theater in America, demonstrates the power of the arts to build a more cohesive society.

For me, that all started at home and in public school. Over the last several decades, funding for arts education has been significantly reduced. However, there is an effort underway to rectify that mistake. Our former Superintendent of Schools, Austin Beutner, has launched an initiative – Propo sition 28 – that will appear on the November bal

PHOTO BY ADAM LATHAM

Zev Yaroslavsky

Los Angeles City Hall

An icon like no other

BY JOEY WALDINGER

which wasn’t doing anything with the sign. The Hollywood sign was now falling apart, and the ‘H’ had fallen down and it read “OLLY WOOD.’ The chamber of commerce ap proached the city and said, ‘We want to fix the sign because we’re getting all these complaints, it’s a reflection of Hollywood, it represents our industry.’ The Hollywood Chamber of Com merce stepped in, put money toward fixing the sign and removed the ‘LAND’ part of it in 1949. Since then, it’s just been ‘HOLLY WOOD.’”

The chamber has been the sign’s caretaker ever since, in partnership with the city, which owns the hillside below it. The chamber owns the licensing rights for the sign’s image and the Hollywood Sign Trust, which was established by the chamber, oversees upkeep and capital improvements to the sign itself.

From the 1950s-1970s, the Hollywood Sign underwent periodic restoration and painting, but no major structural repairs or changes were made. Los Angeles designated it as a historiccultural landmark in 1973. Five years later, like a story straight off the silver screen, the Holly wood sign underwent a rebirth after the cham ber raised $250,000 for an overhaul. The result

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WEST HOLLYWOOD AND BEYOND

A step back in time at the Formosa Cafe

Sitting above Elvis Presley’s favorite booth at Formosa Cafe is a display case showcasing a collection of “The Cool Cat” decanters and statues. When the 1933 Group restored the restaurant in 2017, they brought the famed Chinese restaurant back to its glory, yet kept the nostalgia, including the oldest surviving red train dining car. The dishes at the café pay homage to the past, yet are current in today’s culinary scene. Juicy squid ink dumplings are filled with seafood and pork broth. The pan-fried and steamed pot stickers are crisp on the outside and filled with tender ground pork and shredded cabbage, with a slightly spicy sweet chili sauce. Order the mix and match bao and select a choice of fried chicken, pork belly, garlic butter shrimp or tofu in a steamed white bun. The crispy prawns in a honey glaze with sesame seeds and a handful of candied walnuts is always a fan fa vorite. $$ 7156 Santa Monica Blvd., (323)850-9050.

Michelin star brunch at Ardor

At the West Hollywood EDITION hotel, chef John Fraser of the Michelin-starred Ardor restaurant makes the best brioche cinnamon bread and turns it into a magical French toast. It has a spread of fig jam, cream cheese and powdered sugar whipped topping. Sweet ripe sliced figs are placed on top and a small carafe of pure maple syrup provides an extra touch of sweetness. The soothing interior dining room is filled with wood, potted plants and trees everywhere you look. Chef Fraser’s artistic veg etable-forward, globally-inspired brunch fare is one of my favorite spots in L.A. 9040 Sunset Blvd., (310)953-9899.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AVANT BISTRO

Best new vegan cuisine

Avant Garden Bistro on Melrose tantalizes vegetarians, vegans and non-vegans with chef Sarah Stearns’ delicious healthy fare. Try her crispy sushi rice rectangles topped with creamy avocado puree and appealing carrot ginger dressing. Her bitesize roasted carrots have a crunchy pistachio chermula, and her heartier corn and green bean succotash is topped with smoked bok choy and sourdough fritters. Over throw Hospitality’s Ravi DeRossi and his set designer friend Andrew Nowling transformed the outdoor dining patio into “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” movie set. Mixologist Sother Teague creates some sensational low-ABV drinks and Mas ter sommelier Brett Zimmerman curated refreshing white, red, rosé and orange vegan wines. $$-$$$ 7469 Melrose Ave., (323)433-4141.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

Spiced up fare at asterid by Ray Garcia

One of my favorite dining experiences in 2022 has been at asterid by Ray Garcia. On the ground level of The Walt Disney Concert Hall, the restaurant offers spectacular views. Award-winning local chef Garcia creates a sensational octopus roll. Buttery New England style brioche rolls hold grilled octopus enhanced with aleppo chile pepper yogurt and topped with purple pickled cabbage slaw. Garcia incorporates a wide range of peppers in his dishes. He tops tender heirloom carrots with puya chiles, and uses thinly sliced serrano chiles in his colorful aguachile. Shishito peppers kick up the flavor of a premium pork chop with a caramelized red miso glaze crust. Prawns with corn, apricot, sungold tomato are zested with chile ancho. Finish with a cooling organic rose rice pudding mixed with coconut cream and tropical passion fruit. $$$ 141 S. Grand Ave., (213)972-3535.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ASTERID

son. It brings to mind the C.S. Forester line, “When a man who is drinking gin neat starts talking about his mother he is past all argu ment.”

That’s me and baseball. This slow, magnificent game is one of several things God gives us to make up for the disappointments. Baseball, golden retrievers, pumpkin moons.

My only major gripe these days is all the pitching changes. Plus, the way Major League Baseball divvies up its war chest, giving major media markets like L.A. and New York disproportionate pro ceeds, so smaller markets can’t afford to compete.

You might say, “Hey, they earned it, let them keep the spoils,” but that’s not how the world works today. The world works on par ity and fairness. We’ll see how all that pans out. As Vinny might put it: “Fascinating stuff, isn’t it?”

Till we get an answer, we have these Dodgers to marvel at. Sweet Jesus, they’re good … so silky, so confident that they make baseball look easy.

Love is hard. Life is harder. Baseball is hardest of all.

And these Dodgers wink at it. Seems almost pre-ordained that they will go all the way.

Of course, baseball is a long pregnancy almost nine months. Nothing’s ever over till the fat catcher sings.

Yet, let’s enjoy this sweet October. To borrow from Doctorow again, baseball is either a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia, or in the right hands – a playful therapy.

Man, are these guys good.

Go Dodgers.

As a sports columnist for The Times, Erskine wrote on the Dodgers for 10 years. For current columns and books, please go to ChrisErskineLA.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DODGERS

PHOTO BY ANDY KITCHEN

Erskine

From page 40

venerable SoCal stadium, we play this one game with coins that I can’t even tell you about, it violates too many local ordi nances, even in California, where laws are very fluid and no one’s been arrested in three years.

Look, I’d rather put poodles up my nose than attend one more schmoozy cocktail party. But a tailgate party is different – the least-stuffy, most-sponta neous social event we know.

At a tailgate party, you can dress any way you like, except nicely. You can plop buffalo horns on your head and fall to the ground, on your butt or your belly. Guests come and go at any time. You avoid the worst thing about parties: the long goodbye. You drink from the worst plastic cups. If you spill the onion dip, who cares?!

Of all the sports, football most resembles kindergarten.

In preparation for a tailgate, I make lists for days — of marinades and meats to bring, of all the stuff to remember –“BLOODY MARY MIX!!!”

Meanwhile, my twisted buddy Miller (is that redun dant?) creates play lists featur ing Lou Bega, Marvin Gaye and Otis Day and the Knights.

I swear, Miller could DJ the apocalypse and everyone would still have a pretty decent time.

Anyway…

The way others gush over Hawaii, or a Botticelli, or new countertops … that’s how I gush over tailgates. It’s a vis ceral connection, really. An im pulse meets another impulse, and off they go to nurture other

impulses. A party begins.

A tailgate doesn’t need to be big. A guy and a chair and a sub sandwich can be a tailgate, in many ways, that’s superior to a fancy tent with shiny people with bitchin’ hair … silver serving trays …tongs.

Yes, a tailgate can actually

be too nice. The idea is to wig gle your toes in the grass, to spill the onion dip on your knee.

Look, writers are really just professional people-watchers — leering idiots really. More than anything, writers chase the next memorable moment.

So, here’s to memorable mo ments and an autumn to re member — the walks to the stadium, the drum lines, the dopes like me, who in the sundappled light and the muddycharcoal air, find something greater than mere touchdowns.

A chance to huddle up.

griffith observatory

ONE OF HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST STARS

From the moment it opened in 1935, the Griffith Observatory has connected visitors to the stars above and also provided an iconic backdrop to the stars on the silver screen. While the institution’s dedication to accessible public astronomy has af forded locals and tourists the opportunity to gaze at the planets and take in sights like the Hollywood sign, viewers from all over the world have seen the observatory’s signature Art Deco domes in countless films and television shows.

Griffith J. Griffith first commissioned the observatory in 1896. An industrialist and philanthropist, Griffith donated 3,015 acres of land to Los Angeles for Griffith Park with specific instructions to build a free observatory and keep the land open to the public. When the ob servatory premiered to the public in 1935, it instantly became one of the park’s most celebrated landmarks. It didn’t take long for the bustling film industry to take notice of the Beaux-Arts building with Art Deco flair standing atop Mt. Hollywood surveying the studios below, and soon the observatory was cast as a key player in several films.

The year it opened, the Griffith Observatory was featured in the film “The Phantom Empire” starring Gene Autry. Many science fic

BY EDWIN FOLVEN & REBECCA VILLALPANDO

tion and fantasy films followed, such as “Crash of the Moons” in 1954, and “The Cosmic Man” in 1959.

“Of course, Griffith Observatory’s location makes it particularly bonded to Hollywood. We overlook the entire Los Angeles basin and Hollywood is right below us,” Griffith Observatory director Ed Krupp said. “Just physically, the observatory has been near Holly wood since it opened in 1935, and it just continues right through the decades, even through the present. The observatory is often selected for its location, its picturesque architecture and, of course, its mean ing.”

The observatory now boasts a lengthy list of 170 filming credits, providing a recognizable setting for films like “La La Land,” “Juras sic Park,” “Back to the Future,” “Terminator” and “Transformers.”

The Griffith Observatory made one of its most famous appear ances on screen in 1955’s “Rebel Without a Cause,” starring James Dean. The striking backdrop reinforced the film’s astronomical theme and the fanfare surrounding the film and its star brought the observatory international recognition. Dean, who tragically died in an auto collision the same year the film was released, is commem orated in a bust monument standing on the on the west side of the observatory lawn.

“Of all of the films to which our affection is directed, I think you’d have to say ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ comes very close to number one,” Krupp said. “And that is because it was the first major motion picture that featured Griffith Observatory as Griffith Observatory. In the past, the observatory was often portrayed as another locale, but in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ the film actually relied on the astro nomical theme of Griffith Observatory as part of its own messaging. I don’t think that effect was really duplicated as profoundly again until “La La Land,” when once again the observatory [played a star ring role.]

Some of the most beautiful architecture in Los Angeles resides in its churches and temples. We pay tribute to these grand structures and the significance to their congregants.

First Congregational architecture pays homage to Europe’s great houses of worship

When the doors of the dis tinctive gothic revival style cathedral opened in 1932, mem bers of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles must have marveled at its grandeur.

The oldest continually oper ating Protestant church in Los Angeles, First Congregational was founded in 1867, and the

cathedral on Commonwealth Avenue and Sixth Street is its fifth home. Located on land do nated to the congregation by Carla Shatto, wife of one of Los Angeles’ early real estate devel opers, the church was modeled after the great cathedrals of England and France. The con crete reinforced building was

designed by Los Angeles archi tects James E. and David C. Al lison and features many intricate fixtures including a 157-foot tower reminiscent of Oxford University’s Magdalen College, and a spacious sanctuary capped by a 76-foot ceiling. Decorative bronze doors lead to the sanctu ary, and hand-carved oak inlays

BY EDWIN FOLVEN

grace the pulpit. Colorful stained-glass windows through out the sanctuary allow ample natural light to shine through.

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles boasts one of the world’s largest organs with more than 18,000 pipes – the Hildreth Memorial Organ. The church campus houses Pilgrim School, an independent private learning institution serving 400 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

Senior minister and CEO Laura Vail Fregin called the building “magnificent,” and said the church’s beauty is time less and stands as a testament to the dedication and skill of the architects and craftspeople who built the structure.

The stained-glass windows in the sanctuary at First Congregational Church colorfully illuminate the nearly 100-year-old landmark.

“It was a miracle undertaking, especially during the Depres sion. I am constantly thinking about that as I am walking through there. I’m amazed that over 1,000 men worked on that building, [and] it gave work to a lot of people in Los Angeles in a very difficult time,” Fregin

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES

Immanuel Presbyterian Church

BY RANCE COLLINS

Built in the French Neo Gothic style, Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Koreatown was completed in 1929, housing a congregation that has existed since 1888. De signed by Chauncey Fitch Skilling, the building, replete with elaborate stained-glass windows and a formidable façade, is one of the corner stones of Wilshire Boulevard.

Rev. Andrew Schwiebert has been the transitional pastor for the church since 2017.

“When anybody walks into the sanctuary, there’s an imme diate stop, and [they] just kind of look up and [say], “Oh, wow,’” Schwiebert said. “That’s the immediate reaction of pretty much anybody that walks into the space. It’s just a really, really beautiful, gor geous space.”

The beauty of the building has not been lost on the film and television industry, which have made frequent use of the architecture as a backdrop.

“Beverly Hills Cop 4” wrapped shooting at Immanuel in early September, and “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The X Files,” and “Grey’s Anatomy” have all shot scenes within its walls.

But Schwiebert said that tourists most frequently ask about the music video for “He lena,” by the band My Chemi cal Romance, which was shot in the church’s sanctuary.

“We had a couple that wanted to get married here be cause of that,” he said.

The church is unique for the diversity of its congregation, which includes a large popula tion from various countries

across Latin Amer ica, including Mex ico, Guatemala, Colombia and Ecuador.

“We do bilingual worship,” Schwiebert said. “For newcomers, it’s a bit of an ad justment. [Now], there’s lots of peo ple that are like, ‘I want to learn a little bit of English’ or ‘I want to learn a little bit of Spanish,’ and they enjoy that. It’s definitely a unique crowd that enjoys [and] appreciates that.”

Additionally, Immanuel works heavily in community outreach, operating a food pantry that serves 1,500 house holds a week.

that as dry food storage. We were creative with the use of re frigeration, we bought a truck and we just started [distributing food],” Schwiebert said.

Fregin said the church build ing has remained in its original state over the years, save for a few small renovations.

“The sanctuary, the Shatto Chapel, our forecourt, the Mayflower courtyard, all the pieces that are part of that [past] are exactly as they were,” she said. “But the church itself has changed dramatically. It started out as a very intellectual church, very liberal in that era, and it changed during the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. But now, it has come full circle to where we once

again have a very progressive church that is intellectuallybased. Science is so important to us. Scripture and beauty, culture and the arts all come together in this place.”

Fregin said the church grew its membership around the world by livestreaming services, allowing parishioners who can not worship in person to see and enjoy the historic space. First Congregational welcomes new members and keeps its doors open to everyone, she added.

“We have worked hard to make the space sacred, not only in person, but online, and it is truly beautiful to see how that has been achieved,” Fregin said.

“A lot of people don’t even know it’s here and once they find it, it’s miraculous because it’s just such a beautiful place.”

“We pulled out the pews from one of our chapels and use

Services are available in-per son and online starting at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. For informa tion, visit immanuelpres.org.said. “And when you’re in the sanctuary, it’s absolutely beauti ful. You can really hear that organ. The pillars … reflect the sound and you are definitely surrounded by that music, which is just amazing in that sanctuary.”

HOLLYHOCK HOUSE

BY EDWIN FOLVEN

PHOTO BY EDWIN FOLVEN

Explore the beauty designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Surrounded

by gardens blooming with colorful flowers, the architectural treasure Hollyhock House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright sits high on a hilltop overlooking Hollywood.

Visitors step inside the residence – the first Wright-commissioned home in Los Angeles – and become immersed in its intimate woodpaneled elegance. Hollyhock House reopened for self-guided tours in August after being closed for two years. Visitors walk through the approximately 6,000-square-foot house at a leisurely pace and take in the intricacies of each room. Docents answer questions and provide information about the house and its history.

Located in the 36-acre Barnsdall Art Park at 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollyhock House is the only property in Los Angeles on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List. It received the designation in 2019 along with seven other structures throughout the United States considered to be unique examples of Wright’s architectural design. Hollyhock House is a National Historic Landmark and Los Angeles historic-cultural landmark, operated by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Built from 1919-21, Hollyhock House was created for Pennsyl vania oil heiress Aline Barnsdall. Designed to showcase the garden, the home features many windows, patios and terraces offering panoramic views of the city. The hollyhock, Barnsdall’s favorite flower, blooms on motifs throughout the interior and exterior, in cluding on distinctive decorative finials around its perimeter.

“We’re reopening with self-guided tours at this point, and those

tours offer unprecedented access to the outdoor garden spaces, the recently restored south terrace garden, which is off the private wing of the house, and the serene patio. You can get a closer look at Hol lyhock House’s iconic west façade,” Hollyhock House curator Abbey Chamberlain Brach said. “We’re excited with the new tour format that better highlights our garden spaces here at Wright’s selfdescribed garden house.”

The Mayan Revival design for Hollyhock House heavily empha sizes nature. Wood paneling warms the rooms and much of the orig inal wooden furniture has been meticulously recreated or restored. The centerpiece of the house is the monumental fireplace in the liv ing room. Wright designed a bas-relief sculpture set among 17 cast concrete blocks above the fireplace, and surrounded it with a moat.

“It’s the most show-stopping feature of Hollyhock House,” Brach said, adding that upgrades were made during the recent closure and a small bridge that crosses over the moat was restored.

“The fireplace, typical in a Frank Lloyd Wright house, is the heart of the home,” said docent Margie Grady. “In this case, it was de signed to represent the four basic elements: earth, air, fire and water. And it has a moat, which is part of a whole house water feature.”

Wood-paneled walls continue in the dining room and leaded glass windows offer views of the Hollywood Hills. A Wright-designed dining table and chairs feature the hollyhock motif.

The library, or study, is a warm and spacious area with hardwood floors and bookcases, and a large picture window allowing ample

THE BEAUTY THAT IS

The Wallis

BY RANCE COLLINS

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts’ 2022-2023 season is brimming with a robust and distinctive range of events, programs and performances from a variety of well-known artists and creators, including Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo, Bradley Bredeweg, Thelma Houston, Stephanie J. Block and Reza Aslan.

“I am beyond excited that, once again, The Wallis is able to bring local, national, and international artists to the Beverly Hills com munity thanks, in large part, to the support of our audiences, board of directors and fantastic neighborhood partners, as well as the Bev erly Hills City Council, led by Mayor Lili Bosse,” said Coy Mid dlebrook, associate artistic director of The Wallis.

Among the world premieres is “Invincible: The Musical,” fea turing the music of Benatar and Giraldo. The play reimagines William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and transports it to the 21st century with music from the Grammy-winning duo. The book is by Bredeweg, who created the television series “The Fosters” and “Good Trouble.” “Invincible” will run Nov. 22-Dec. 17.

Another world premiere will be “Shanghai Sonatas,” a new mu sical in concert that will present from March 16-18, 2023. Produced by Xiang “Sean” Gao, the show aims to showcase how music builds bridges across cultures.

“In addition to The Wallis producing and presenting many ex

ceptional locally-based artists this season, it will be the first time since 2019 that The Wallis will host acclaimed national artists, such as Ballet Hispánico, Alonso King Lines Ballet and The Mambo Kings, as well as an international production – Wise Children’s ‘Wuthering Heights,’ adapted and directed by Emma Rice,” Mid dlebrook said.

“Wuthering Heights,” a Los Angeles premiere, will perform at The Wallis from Jan. 11-22, 2023. The West Coast premiere, mean while, of “My Lord, What a Night,” a drama about the real-life friendship between physicist Albert Einstein and Black contralto Marian Anderson, will hit The Wallis stage from May 20-June 11, 2023.

“I am always so taken when I return by the sheer beauty of our campus and facilities. It inspires me to continue to work with our numerous community partners to celebrate the gift that is The Wal lis. Whether it’s outside on our promenade terrace with Sunday Fun day, our free monthly family programming, or inside in the Bram Goldsmith Theater, our crown jewel, or the intimate Lovelace Stu dio Theater, our audiences have the opportunity to engage with per forming arts in the most gorgeous and welcoming of settings,” Middlebrook said.

For tickets and information, visit thewallis.org.

THE WALLIS 2022-2023 SEASON

Sunday Funday: 10 a.m. each second Sunday of the month.

Sept. 29: An evening with Anthony Doerr

Oct. 1: “Motown: Celebrating the Music, the Magic, the Love”

Oct 7-8: “Noche de Oro,” a 50th anniversary celebration with Ballet Hispanico

Oct. 13: “Havana Nights” with The Mambo Kings and Camille Zamora

Oct. 15: “Phoenix” with pianist Stewart Goodyear

Oct. 21-22: Contemporary dance troop Bodytraffic

Oct. 23: An evening with John Irving

Oct. 27: “Falling Out of Time” by composer Osvaldo Golijov featuring the Silkroad Ensemble

Nov. 1: An evening with Reza Aslan

Nov. 3: Lillias White with host and pianist Seth Rudetsky

Nov. 22-Dec. 17: “Invincible: The Musical”

Jan. 11-22: Wise Children’s “Wuthering Heights”

Jan 28: “Baroque Concerti,” presented by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

Feb 2-5: “Dahlak Brathwaite: Try/Step/Trip”

Feb. 17-18: Luminario Ballet of Los Angeles

Feb. 23: Anthony McGill and the Pacifica Quartet

March 3: “The Last Sorcerer (Le Dernier Sorcier),” presented by Sing for Hope

Thelma Houston performs in “Motown” on Oct. 1.

PHOTO BCOURTESY

OF

March 4: An Evening with Issac Mizrahi

March 9: Cellist Seth Parker Woods

March 16-18: “Shanghai Sonatas: A New Musical in Concert”

April 22-23: “Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie starring Indigo Blume”

April 27: “Notes On Hope,” with opera star J’Nai Bridges and jazz musician Ulysses Owens, Jr.

May 4: Stephanie J. Block with Seth Rudetsky, host and pianist.

May 6: “Masterworks for String Orchestra,” presented by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

May 12-13: Blue13 Dance Company, led by Achinta S. McDaniel

May 20: String quartet Miro Quartet with special guest composer Kevin Puts

May 20-June 11: “My Lord, What a Night”

May 25: “Bach: Goldberg Variations,” with pianist Jeffrey Kahane

June 1: Jordan Bak, Geneva Lewis and Evern Ozel

June 9-11: Alonzo King Lines Ballet, featuring Grammywinner Lisa Fischer

Luminario Ballet of Los Angeles performs on Feb. 17-18, 2023.

PHOTO BY EMERSON CHEN

PHOTO BY FAY FOX

Camille Zamora and Monica Yunus perform “The Last Sorcerer” on March 3, 2023.

Looking at the future through a changing lens

BY EDWIN FOLVEN

Since1952, the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Fairfax Av enue has been a place where some of America’s most mem orable and beloved television shows have been produced.

From “The Jack Benny Program” and “The Red Skelton Hour” to “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” “Good Times,” “Maude,” “Alice,” “The Carol Burnett Show” and “Three’s Company,” the list of classics goes on and on. More recently, Television City has hosted popular programs like “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” The enduring hit game show “The Price is Right” is taped at Television City,” as are “Real Time with Bill Maher” and “The Late Late Show with James Corden.”

CBS owned and operated Television City for 66 years until sell ing the property to Hackman Capital Partners in 2018. Hackman, which owns production studios around the world, serves as the landlord, and CBS is now a tenant.

The iconic property is now at a crossroads. Hackman is planning a major project to expand the studio to meet the ever-growing de mands of modern productions. The expansion, known as the TVC 2050 Project, is presently going through the city planning process and if approved, will dramatically change the landscape.

Zach Sokoloff, vice president of Hackman Capital Partners, said the goal is to preserve historic elements of the site while adding needed production and support space. Modern productions require larger sound stages with state-of-the-art equipment, and Hackman’s goal is to provide those options for companies that produce televi sion programs. In turn, it will help the economy, giving people good-paying jobs in the entertainment industry, and keeping those jobs in Los Angeles, he said.

“We want to make sure we have a path forward on providing soundstages and entertainment industry jobs that the city so badly needs,” Sokoloff said. “We understand the importance of providing a place for productions and providing opportunities for people. Hav ing that certainty around what we can deliver is going to be critical to helping us work with prospective customers to ensure that they keep their productions here in Los Angeles and employ Angelenos.”

The TVC 2050 Project will create approximately 1 million square feet of new sound stages and production support facilities at the site. Television City’s main building, glass façade and covered en trance were designated in 2018 as Los Angeles historic-cultural re

sources. Sokoloff said Hackman is working with the Los Angeles Conservancy to preserve the historic elements in plans for the ex pansion. The preservation plan involves removing fencing along the studio’s frontage on Beverly Boulevard so the historic elements can be seen from the street.

Sokoloff said Hackman’s plan also seeks to lift up those in the surrounding community. The company launched the Changing Lenses initiative in 2020, providing training to prepare the next gen eration of employees for careers in television production. The ini tiative is specifically geared toward communities underrepresented in the industry. Partners have included the MBS Group, the largest studio-based equipment and production support company in North America, as well as Women in Media and its CAMERAderie Ini tiative. More than 250 participants have received hands-on training in set construction, lighting, cameras and film support, and Sokoloff said many have been hired by production companies.

“It trains individuals in below the line production jobs to help po sition them for long term careers that pay family-sustaining wages in the creative arts fields,” Sokoloff said. “And for many folks, they may not be aware that these are jobs that they can pursue.”

Hackman is also partnering with community-serving organiza tions, including the Fairfax Business Association and Melrose Busi

Hancock Park Elementary School fourth-grade students learned about studio operations and special effects during a tour of Television City.

PHOTO BY ANDI CERAGIOLI

ness Improvement District, to make the sur rounding neighborhood better.

“We wanted to address these issues in a manner that felt authentic to who we were as a studio, and also in a manner that was not simply writing a check but could be inte grated in an enduring manner into the way that we operate as a business,” Sokoloff said. “We work with organizations all across the community, whether it’s the Jewish Free Loan Association, which provides interestfree loans to small businesses, or the National Council of Jewish Women, which provides rental assistance to female-led households. We host the homeless count with the Mid City West Neighborhood Council-Los Ange les Homeless Coalition onsite. We’ve part nered with our neighborhood council to fund the Rosewood Gardens mural painting and community cleanup events. We host food drives onsite with the Saban Community Clinic, and host a holiday party where we distribute food and es sentials to families in need. We work with the Holocaust Museum, which themselves are going through an expansion plan, to uplift educational opportunities and fight against the bigotry and hatred that we see on the rise.”

Sokoloff said those programs will continue as a mainstay of Tel

evision City’s operations, and Hackman will continue to look for other opportunities to help in the community. The plan is to also work with neighbors to mitigate concerns that have surfaced about the size and scope of the TVC 2050 project.

“We are going to continue to march forward in the process and let it play out,” Sokoloff added. “We are thankful for all the support the project has generated in the community and will work to make sure we are creating something that will benefit everyone.”

Hackman Capital Partners produced an illustrative concept for the TVC 2050 project. (rendering courtesy of Hackman Capital Partners)

Cinespia

page

cemetery had fallen into bankruptcy. Cassity led the charge to use events as a way of making additional revenue.

“They kind of forgot about [the lawn],” Cassity said. “And one of our concepts was that we needed to keep this as a town square. And so that involved, in the beginning, trying a lot of different things. Some of them survived as traditions like [the cemetery’s an nual] Dia de los Muertos [celebration].”

That event served as a tipoff to the community that Hollywood Forever “wanted them to come in,” Cassity added.

“They hadn’t really been welcome before,” Cassity said. He added that prior to Cinespia’s involvement, there had been a couple of film screenings on the lawn. These were organized by Marvin Page, a longtime local film savant who is now interred at Holly wood Forever.

“He was an old time Hollywood casting director,” Cassity ex plained. “He actually helped put together the first two screenings, which were for [Rudolph] Valentino. We started with silents.”

Valentino, whose truncated film career ended in 1926 with his death at age 31, is another of the many movie personalities counted among the cemetery’s residents.

Older classics still often make their way to the large, white wall where the films are projected at the cemetery. In June, Cinespia paid

tribute to the centennial of Judy Garland’s birth by showing “The Wizard of Oz” with Garland’s daughter Lorna Luft in attendance. Garland was moved to Hollywood Forever in 2017 after resting for several decades in New York.

“One of our main goals [is] to just show the whole tapestry of film over the years, and hopefully, get someone excited about a director or actor from the past that was making great films that still resonate today, no matter who you are,” Wyatt said. “They just do, and it’s real. We live in a city that’s filled with creative people, people who are making films, people who are fans of films, and one of the things I love about what Cinespia has become, is that all of these people have a place to come together.”

“Every Portrait Tells a Story”

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the feeling of enchantment as we took our seats, the lights dimmed, and the curtain rose. But mostly, I remember the delight of spilling out into the sun-soaked courtyard to be greeted by all the characters, dressed in elaborate costumes and fantastical make-up. The pageantry of the theater and the special feeling of seeing all the players up close re mains a core memory.

Founded in 1929, the Assistance League Theatre is one of the oldest continuously performing children’s theaters in the United States. While it typically hosts more than 12,000 children from the Los Angeles area annually, the pandemic forced the theater to close its curtains. However, the stage is set for a triumphant return on Oct. 30. The As sistance League Theatre will bring the house lights back up and reignite the magic with the Nine O’clock Player’s live production of “Cinderella: The True Story.”

Based on the classic fairy tale, “Cin derella: The True Story” presents the kindhearted Cinderella who fights for a world where everyone – from tailors to kings –learns that bigger isn’t always better and that

to truly be rich we should share what we have. The musical production features singing, dancing, princes in disguise, and a fairy godmother who doesn’t always get things right.

“We are thrilled to continue our 90+ year tradition of bringing extraordinary children’s theater to Southern California’s students and their families, teachers, and caregivers,” said producer Rachel Wecht.

“Cinderella: The True Story” opens on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 2 p.m., with additional matinee performances on Nov. 13, 20 and 27. Ticket prices are $15 with special group rates and birthday party rates available. The Assis tance League Theatre is located at 1367 N. St Andrews Pl, Los Angeles.

Reflecting on watching the Nine O’Clock Players over 20 years ago still sparks the same child-like joy and wonder. I am de lighted that the theater will raise its curtain once again, introducing a whole new gener ation of children to the magic of theater. The stage is set for many more memories to be made and, perhaps, an enchanted tea party, or two.

A Nine O’Clock Player cast member welcomed a 5-year-old to the stage on her birthday.

PHOTO BY KAREN VILLALPANDO

A lesson in civility

BY JOEY WALDINGER

Jasmin Espinoza had never taken public trans portation until the summer before her senior year of high school, when she began her intern ship at the Cayton Children’s Museum (then the Zimmer Children’s Museum).

A first generation college-bound student, her parents could not drive her to and from the mu seum, and she was nervous to navigate Los An geles’ public transit alone.

The experience pushed her out of her comfort zone, but through her internship, where she led children’s activities and assisted with museum operations, Espinoza gained a sense of self she has carried with her in the nine years since.

continues on page 72

How an L.A. nonprofit helps students across the country become better citizens

“As a student, you don’t see yourself working at that age … so it kind of gives you a sense of responsibility,” she said.

“I have to be up at a certain time, I have to leave at a certain time, I need to make lunch for myself. … You have to be more profes sional,” she said.

Espinoza is now the office manager of the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the organization through which she secured her intern ship years ago.

Headquartered off Sixth Street in Koreatown, the CRF runs a myriad of other programs to help students become active partici pants in democracy and prepare for a professional life.

Through civics instruction, mock trials, research projects and many other offerings, the CRF teaches students how the justice sys tem works and educates them about their constitutional rights.

It helps them find internships, write college admissions essays and advocate for public policy.

But besides these tangible benefits, both Espinoza and CRF pres ident Amanda Susskind agree that students gain something deeper.

Susskind said it is important to empower students. A popular pro gram is one in which teens take civic action to combat an issue they care about.

“The number one lesson is … you are an expert in the commu nity. Your voice matters,” she tells students.

Founded in L.A. 60 years ago, CRF now has a national reach. The organization instructs teachers on how to implement its civics

curriculums in their own classrooms, and teachers take those les sons with them wherever they go.

Susskind estimates that, with tens of thousands of teachers having received training from CRF, hundreds of thousands of students across the country have been impacted by the organization.

While much of its work focuses on underserved communities, some of its programs, including the popular mock trial, are admin istered in private schools as well, Susskind said.

In L.A., the Expanding Horizons Institute, the CRF’s internship program for first-generation college students, remains one of its most transformative.

Syrabi Nur Rahman, a junior at Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools, has long known that she wants to become a lawyer. She happened upon CRF when Googling career opportunities last year, and after being interviewed and accepted into EHI, a coordinator encouraged her to apply for a legal internship at Disney.

After an interview, Rahman was accepted, and she spent four weeks embedded in the Disney legal operations team, she said.

Prior to her internship, Rahman was hesitant to ask legal profes sionals about their work. After attending seminars organized by EHI that discussed the importance of networking and putting those lessons to use, Rahman gained confidence and was eager to ask questions of her colleagues.

They responded to her enthusiasm in kind, opening her eyes to opportunities the legal profession has to offer, she said.

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“And now I have these … lists of connections with law profes sionals that I would have never had if I didn’t speak to them. And as a junior in high school who is an aspiring lawyer, that’s a very valuable thing to have,” Rahman said.

Espinoza similarly became more outspoken during her internship in 2013, a transformation she witnessed in other students when she returned to work for CRF six years later.

“That was pretty interesting, to actually see the students going through the same things that I did,” Espinoza said. “To see them change, it’s really inspiring.”

Susskind joined the CRF in the midst of the pandemic, following 18 years as the Los Angeles regional director of the Anti-Defama tion League. With the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, she started paying close attention to an increase in political polarization, and she views her work at CRF as a way to undo polarization and fend off the extremism it breeds.

Susskind believes the strongest human instinct is the need to be long, and many people join extremist groups just to satisfy this need.

Reflecting on her upbringing as the child of immigrants, Susskind said that while many people from similar backgrounds are grateful for the opportunities they have in this country, they don’t know how to participate, and don’t feel entirely at home.

By becoming informed citizens, students gain an agency that makes them more active participants in democracy and more likely to reject extremist beliefs, she said.

Through its programs and civics curriculums, CRF “is giving them a sense of belonging in this country,” Susskind said.

She added that all interested teachers are encouraged to visit the website for more information about how to get involved.

As president of the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Amanda Susskind sees the organization as an integral tool in the fight against extremism and political division.

PHOTO COURTESY OF

Peace and quiet at All Saints’ Church

David Davis pours a lifetime of learning and prayer into renovations of Beverly Hills church

BY JOEY WALDINGER

Architecture runs in David Davis’ blood.

Born to an architect father and raised in a French-style townhouse, Davis moved from Boston to Los Angeles in 1987 to pursue an architecture career of his own.

Shortly after, while driving down Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, All Saints’ Episcopal Church caught his eye.

“The building itself drew me in,” he said.

In the more than three-decades since, Davis has been an active congregant and a major player in its ongoing renovations, using his artist’s background to amplify the sense of wonder he feels when working and praying within its halls.

Since the original chapel was constructed in 1925, the church has grown into a small but dense compound nestled on a quiet cor ner adjacent to Santa Monica Boulevard, a refuge of prayer just steps from the sparkle

of Rodeo Drive.

It now hosts two chapels, conference, study and music rooms, a children’s school and outdoor spaces.

Since Davis joined the church, its mem bership has ballooned to about 1,500, a number that includes congregants from all walks of life, he said.

“There is an embracing of everyone who comes here, no matter where they’re from,” Davis said.

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David Davis, who has led some of the major renovations at All Saints’ Church in Beverly Hills after joining the church in the late 1980s, is most proud of his painting above the main altar.

PHOTO BY JOEY WALDINGER

A building designer, Davis enjoys a wider breadth of work than are afforded to licensed architects.

He is also a trained fine artist, and he approaches his work with an artist’s detailed discernment.

He has designed iron crosses for the church, and has affixed the chandeliers in the main chapel so that they shine dappled light on the steps leading up to the altar, replicating the feel of being out doors.

But his proudest work, he said, is his painting above the main chapel’s altar, a project that he said was epiphanic.

“It was this … intuition, and feelings through my whole person, that I was doing something core to who I was as a person. That I’m not doing something extraneous,” Davis said.

For three months, he concentrated only on the painting, working atop a high scaffolding to which he was not attached. While he worked, people prayed at the scaffolding’s base, he said.

With such an intimate connection to the church, it is hardly a surprise that he can speak about its design and construction in gran ular detail.

During a recent tour of the building, Davis pointed out the dif ferent types of columns supporting the main chapel, which draw from Romanesque influences and allow light to flood the room.

He highlighted details in the stained glass windows etched high into the building, and the layers of concrete poured into the original chapel.

Sitting in a pew in the main chapel, built after World War II, he spoke about the building’s echo and other sonic effects creating a sense of quiet.

He reflected on one of the most important lessons taught to him by Marilyn McCord Adams, a former priest at All Saints’ who be came the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and had an indelible impact on his life.

“Spiritual life … all of that comes down to one word,” Davis said. “Quiet. Being quiet before God.”

Hollywood Methodist Church from page 62

the larger denomination.

The church has been progressive since the beginning. The stained-glass windows on either side of the sanctuary showcase 24 Biblical characters, 12 women and 12 men.

“That made [us] very progressive [in the 1920s],” Jones said.

Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the sanctuary, however, is the large pipe organ, which encompasses the entire building.

“It’s not just a pipe organ. There is air blown from the basement to all four corners of the building because the building has wood and pipes and bells and all sorts of things all over. The entire build ing is actually the organ,” Jones said.

Sunday services start at 11 a.m. at Hollywood United Methodist Church. For information, visit hollywoodumc.org.

live football, baseball and also football – the word “soccer” dis solves at the door. With the eclectic Brit-rock jive, 24 taps – even Fuller’s English beer – and ranking in the top four burgers in L.A., according to The Infatuation, it’s no wonder why the Market Tavern has been an L.A. favorite for football fans, especially the L.A. Ham mers.

“We’ve invited the Los Angeles West Ham supporters and they’ve adopted us as their homebase,” said Twinn.

Market Tavern opens early on days when West Ham United plays outside of their usual business hours. This tradition of gathering with friends for a beer and a cause not only is the leading spirit of the Market Tavern, but also for Twinn’s performing band, The Long Shadows.

Much like the simple origin of Supernaut, The Long Shadows started in the extended patio area as a means to lift spirits and pro vide a returning sense of normalcy as easing of COVID-19 restric tions took place – lead drummer at the time, Clem Burke, the exuberant drummer for Blondie, resorted to banging on tables for percussive elements. But as sporadic and intermittently the Market Tavern reopened, so in the same vein grew the band into the fullfledged musical brigade that we know and love today. With Mick Cripps and Luke Bossendorfer on guitars, Gaz Ivin on bass and Charlie Nice, subbing for Burke, on the drums, the band members united represent a revival not only of rock, but of the Farmers Mar ket community on the whole. The Long Shadows play the patio on Fridays at 9 p.m. and are planning to release originals “I Know, I Know, I Know” and “Cross the Line” within the coming months.

Between the headbanging enthusiasm shared between performers and wait-staff, as well as the faithful Friday night patrons grooving on the dance floor and others toasting and enjoying the menu’s piece

Market Tavern’s Gary Twinn & The Long Shadows

from page 46

de resistance, fish ‘n chips, life is pretty spectacular when shared at the Market Tavern.

While performing his set with The Long Shadows, Twinn intro duced his next song realizing neither he, nor the Market Tavern, quite resonated with its title:

“‘Where Have the Good Times Gone?’… Well personally, things have never been better.”

Market Tavern is located at the corner of Third and Fairfax at the Original Farmers Market.

Vincent Twinn serves up English breakfast sandwiches with a smile.

LACMA

from page 24

LACMA’s fall slate of exhibitions will present an array of works from across the globe with focused themes and original points of view. In addition, gems from the museum’s permanent collection remain on view, including works by Picasso and Judy Chicago in the Frank Gehry-redesigned Modern Art galleries, and signature monumental pieces like Richard Serra’s “Band,” Mark Bradford’s “150 Portrait Tone,” and Chris Burden’s “Urban Light.” As LACMA makes headway on its new building, pouring foundations and installing rebar, the museum continues to install exciting new exhibitions and present the permanent collection with flair.

Observatory from page 52

2016’s “La La Land,” utilized the observatory in a climactic scene to capture the magic of the city of stars, and the lead character’s stratospheric rise in love as they struggle toward stardom. The mem orable score romantically swells as Gosling and Stone waltz through the planetarium, rising weightlessly toward the top of the dome.

The Griffith Observatory has also been a mainstay on television, playing roles in classic shows such as “Mission Impossible,” “Mel rose Place,” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” More recently, the observatory provided a stunning sunset backdrop for Adele’s televised CBS con cert special, “Adele One Night Only,” where she belted her hits framed by the iconic triptych of domes.

The relationship between Hollywood and Griffith Observatory ex tends beyond its walls and vistas. Many employees have worked in the film industry, with several Griffith Observatory astronomers serv ing as scientific consultants to filmmakers.

In May, the institution premiered a motion picture of its own, “Signs of Life,” the first production to be created exclusively for the Samuel Oschin Planetarium in more than a decade. With daily showtimes, “Signs of Life” tells a cosmic detective story that allows audiences to uncover forces that created life in the universe. It launches audiences into space on a trip to Mars and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, on the way to an exploration of the Milky Way. Krupp said it illustrates how the observatory has taken a few cues from Hollywood in telling the stories of the universe.

“Griffith Observatory has been in so many motion pictures, but there’s a deeper relationship that goes back very early,” Krupp said. “It has to do with the observatory learning from Hollywood, and then also Hollywood learning things astronomical. This is particularly im portant in terms of the new planetarium show ‘Signs of Life,’ where we created our own production studio and hired absolute masters of digital animation craft because we’re in the middle of Hollywood.”

The observatory remains an accessible public gateway to the stars for millions of visitors each year. Whether viewing the skies through free public telescopes, learning about astronomy in its exhibits or par ticipating in an interactive program on space travel, visitors to the Grif fith Observatory continue to be enchanted by the stellar place where celestial bodies and celluloid dreams come together. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling shared a memorable scene in “La La Land.”

PHOTO © SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO © MUSEUM ASSOCIATES/LACMA

Kaj Franck for Nuutajärvi Glassworks, Goblets, model KF 486, designed 1968, these examples c. 1970–71

Happy Halloweenie

Hollywood couple are Halloween ‘Angels’

BY RANCE COLLINS

Fred and Jason Arnes went on their first date on Janu ary 15, 2005. Six months later, they closed on a crafts man home located near the Hollywood sign. Renovations were necessary, and it took a full nine months before the couple could move into the house. Even then, they were not yet able to afford the finishing touches, so the space was littered with raw materials. But that didn’t stop them from throwing their first Halloween party in October 2006.

“It was actually the perfect place to just throw a crazy haunted house kind of party. It was all drywall and fill paint,” Jason said. “We literally painted neon colors all over the walls, [we] had black lights, and it was wild.”

They were both relatively new to the city, Jason having moved from his native Hailfax, Nova Scotia, and Fred hail ing from Riverside. Their mutual love of Halloween is part of what bonded the pair, having thrown seasonal bashes in their hometowns.

“[Jason] and his coworkers were all bartenders and stu dents at the local university. [They] would get together and celebrate Halloween. And in much of the same effect, I did the same in Riverside. I [went to] college and grad school there. And my circle of friends, we all love Halloween, and every year we would get together and throw a party and dec orate the house. Each year was a different theme,” Fred said.

The two exchanged notes, and after enjoying their first spooky season together in 2005, decided it was time to throw their own party. They fashioned handmade invitations and presented them to friends they had made at the gym, with an emphasis on gathering fellow gay men.

“So many gay men have spent their lives pretending to be some one they’re not,” party attendee Adam Arsenault said. “Halloween gives us the chance to be whoever we want to be.”

As the word got out, the anticipated at tendance began to snowball.

With a large headcount expected, they de cided to charge $15 at the door and

collected $3,000. Having recently helped launch the Young Profes sionals Council at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the couple wrote a check for $3,000 to the YPC.

In the following years, the party, christened Halloweenie, became an official, partnered fundraiser for the center. By the third time around, the party was bringing in $20,000-30,000, but the size of the crowd was taxing the couple’s home.

“We both looked at each other [and thought], ‘We have to find a venue,’” Jason said. “We can’t do it here.”

The fourth year went to the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood. Subsequent years would be hosted at places like the California Sci ence Center and Hollywood Forever Cemetery. By this point, the party had become a global phenomenon.

“We have people coming in from Canada, we have people com ing in from New Zealand,” Fred said. “We [were] seeing these re ports of tickets being purchased in these weird places.”

Attendance has climbed to as high as 3,000, although with COVID precautions, the 2021 party maxed out at 1,500. This time around, Halloweenie ticket sales will be limited to a similar number.

After benefitting the center’s Young Professionals Council for

Fred and Jason Arnes dressed as angels for the 2021 Halloweenie, the first to partner with Project Angel Food.

A group Halloweenie attendees in 2021 dressed as camp members from the 1989 cult classic “Troop Beverly Hills.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRED AND JASON ARNES

Finest Filipino food in LA

Now at the Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center, Abernethy’s executive chef Geter Atienza prepares modern Filipino menu that includes barbecue pork skewers topped with garlic and chives, and a plate of four large shrimp on a bed of collard greens in coconut milk, ginger and lemongrass. Be sure to order a side of steamed Jasmine rice enhanced with lemongrass. The bar shakes creative cocktails, and serves a handful of local beers and wines that go well with Atienza’s marinated tuna with coconut, ginger, chiles, red onion, and cucumber. It’s served with a large rice cracker to break in pieces to scoop up the chopped ingredients. Finish with the caramel flan adorned with micro flowers. $$-$$$ 220 N. Hope St., (213)972-8088.

Never walk away hungry at H&H Steakhouse

H&H Brazilian Steakhouse in downtown L.A. offers grass-fed meats and or ganic produce picked from the best farms around the world. Bartenders shake a number of classic cocktails including Brazilian caipirinhas. The H&H signature Empress Gin and tonic is served in a classic balloon glass and adorned with fresh flowers. Start at the hot and cold salad bar for warm stroganoff, feijoada, rice, col lard greens, sugar coated bacon and the soup of the day. Cold organic vegetables include extra-large and long asparagus stalks, delicious hearts of palm and a variety of colorful salads. Back at the table, turn the circular medallion to the green side to alert the steady procession of gauchos to visit you. They slice cuts of perfectly cooked beef, pork, chicken and lamb right before your eyes. Try the marinated chicken and bacon wrapped chicken kebabs. For a sweeter skewer, the grilled pineapple with brown sugar and cinnamon is delicious. In April, H&H Steakhouse opened at the Beverly Center. $$-$$$. 518 W. Seventh St., (213)266-8103 and 8500 Beverly Blvd., Suite 113, (424)284-7733.

PHOTO COURTESY OF H&H

WOMEN LEADERS

from page 77

of Art, where she has become one of few women to hold the chief operating officer position at a top art museum in the country.

“As a woman, a Latina and an immigrant, I bring a diversity and richness of experi ences that allow me to understand our em ployees, our audience and community from different points of view,” Vesga said. “This is even more critical in today’s environ ment.”

Vesga was the first in her family to leave not only her home country, but also the fam ily home before marriage.

“I am a trailblazer and didn’t even realize I was when I was doing it and coming to study in the U.S.,” she said.

Prior to joining the museum in 2014, Vesga worked in finance, holding positions as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and a senior executive role in private equity at Univision.

Diana Vesga, CFO Los Angeles County Museum of Art

LACMA provided Vesga the opportunity to combine her professional background with her longtime passion for the arts, which has been engrained in her since childhood.

“I grew up in a family of artists and art leaders. My mother was the CEO of Bo gota’s Philharmonic and a cultural leader in Colombia, [and she] was also the founder and conductor of a prominent chamber choir. My dad, a tenor, sang at the opera, and my brother [was] an actor,” Vesga said.

LACMA has experienced a tremendous period of growth since Vesga joined, and her role has put her at the center of the com pany’s expansion.

“I am very proud of our new building project and how it is changing the paradigm for museums by presenting artworks from all cultures on one single level without the hierarchical display of cultures that is the norm in vertical museums,” she said.

It embodies equity, diversity and, with its

entire perimeter in glass, it embodies trans parency and accessibility, she said.

Vesga believes that cultural institutions allow women a chance to use skills and tal ents to achieve a civic vision.

“The impact of what you do is huge. You can see it in the community. You don’t need to have an art history background or specific studies in cultural administration. You can leverage your background in many fields to contribute to the cultural field,” Vesga said.

But no matter how difficult the tasks may get at LACMA, she always keeps her family front and center.

“My schedule shifts frequently depending on [the]changing priorities of each day. I start early and work late, but always make time to drop off my teenage son at school each morning, to have dinner with my fam ily and put my little one to bed each night. Then I can go back to finishing what needs to be done,” Vesga said.

Hollywood Bowl

Every week, the Beverly Press and Park Labrea News highlight interesting articles, photographs and advertisements that have appeared in the newspapers over the years in the “Vintage” section. We have selected a few gems here, illustrating the dynamic people and places in the community.

Actress Patricia Morison was shown in the Feb. 21, 1980, issue of the Park Labrea News when she headlined a tribute to Cole Porter. Mori son, a longtime Park La Brea resident, was famous for film roles during the 1940s and 1950s and was also an ac complished stage actress, perhaps best known for ap pearing in “Kiss Me, Kate,” a Broadway production with music by Porter that de buted in 1948. Morison later starred in productions of “The King and I,” “Kismet” and “The Merry Widow.” She died on May 20, 2018, at the age of 103.

Beauty Bus

from page 54

and have a conversation with his wife and not talk about [his illness] and not address it and … be able to have basically the conversation you would have if you went to a normal hair salon, [brought joy into the room].”

Baze remembered one patient in particular who touched her.

“There was a little girl that was sick, and she didn’t have any hair. So, she couldn’t really have anything done in that re spect. But they do like these lit tle glitter tattoos … to make the kids feel good. And that little girl had the biggest smile on her face,” Baze said. “I [had seen] her the entire day and she just looked sad. I [could] tell she wasn’t feeling good. And just that little interaction, I could tell it made her day.”

To volunteer or learn more, visit beautybus.org.

L.A.’s Best

On March 27, 1921, the Los Angeles Philharmonic performed its first concert, an Easter sunrise service, at the Hollywood Bowl. This pho tograph depicts the Bowl on March 12, 1959, when Easter sunrise services were held with thousands in attendance. Now, 100 years later, the orchestra continues to call the venue its summer home.

Patricia Morison

Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, center, participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for an art gallery he designed in Holly wood’s Barnsdall Park, in this photograph from May 13, 1954. Wright’s grandson Eric Wright, left, and the project’s contractor Morris Pynoos, a Park La Brea resident, joined the architect. The gallery and Hollyhock House, a historic residence designed by Wright, are open for public tours.

Gay rights milestone Frank Lloyd Wright at Barndall Park

Genora Dancel, left, and Ninia Baehr appeared before the West Hollywood City Council, which passed a resolution in support of same-sex marriage, becoming the first city in the United States to do so, documented in this photograph from June 29, 1995. In 1991, Dancel and Baehr were among three couples who filed a lawsuit against the state of Hawaii and later won the case, widely considered the first in the nation granting same-sex couples the right to marry.

OBAMAS IN LOS ANGELES

Then-Sen. Barack Obama appeared at a rally at the Rancho La Cienega Sports Complex on Feb. 20, 2007, during his successful campaign for United States president.

Former First Lady Michell Obama appeared at a campaign event at the Ebell of Los Angeles for her husband, President Barack Obama, in this photograph from Oct. 28, 2010.

VOTE FOR JFK!

John F. Kennedy appeared in campaign ad in the Oct. 27, 1960, issue. Kennedy accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president that year at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Braille Institute honors Melissa Sue Anderson CBS Television City makes its debut

Actress Melissa Sue Anderson, left, received an award from the Braille Institute for raising awareness about sight impair ment in this photograph from May 15, 1980. Anderson por trayed Mary Ingalls, who was blind, on the television show “Little House on the Prairie,” which ran from 1974-81. She received the award from Mrs. William F. Cannon, a Park La Brea resident and longtime supporter of the Braille Institute.

CBS Television City made its debut in the April 23, 1953 issue, shortly after opening at the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue.