LC 05 2024

Memorial Day is more than just a threeday weekend

By Nona Sue Friedman

“Fire up the grill” and “chill some drinks” are common phrases associated with Memorial Day. But why do we celebrate this holiday? Is it to unofficially mark the start of summer? Hardly.

On May 5, 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern veterans of the Civil War, declared May 30 as the day for Americans to honor fallen soldiers from the American Civil War. This day was chosen because it was not the anniversary of any known battles.

The general declared the holiday Decoration Day and encouraged people to strew flowers on military graves and place flags at gravestones. This tradition was inspired by customs in Southern states.

As wars continued, Decoration Day broadened to encompass everyone who

City juggles housing plans

By Suzan Filipek

The City Planning Dept. is juggling many potential solutions to create more affordable housing, all at the same time.

There are: the mayor’s Executive Directive No. 1 (ED 1) to fast-track building approvals; the Housing Element Rezoning Program (Plan to House LA); and the City Housing Incentive Program (CHIP).

Confused?

You are not alone.

The three methods: ED 1,

GRAD SALUTE

Our annual section honoring local graduates will be in the Larchmont Chronicle’s June issue. Advertising deadline is Mon., May 13. For more information, contact Pam Rudy, 323462-2241, ext. 11.

LPGA at Wilshire CC April 25 – 28

Tickets

By John Welborne

Everyone is invited to come to Wilshire Country Club on the weekend of April 25 to 28 for this year’s Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) championship tournament — where the world’s number-one lady golfer, Nelly Korda — will be playing to win her sixth championship in a row.

Heading to Wilshire just off her April 21 victory in the Chevron Championship in Texas, Korda has not lost a competition since January, winning five in succession.

The 2024 JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro at Wilshire Country Club has tickets available that range in price from free (for military and first responders and a child under 18 accompanied by a paid adult) to hundreds of dollars for premium club seating that includes food and beverage service. Regular grounds passes are $25 per day or $45 for the four days. Ticketing and other information can be found online at: jmeaglelachampionship.com.

This year, the tournament purse has been increased from $3 million to $3.75 mil-

lion, the largest prize fund on the LPGA Tour outside of the major championships.

Top players attending

In addition to No. 1 Nelly Korda, the tournament will boast one of the strongest fields of the 2024 LPGA Tour season. Twenty of the top-25 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are entered into the championship. In addition to Korda, players include World No. 2 and Los Angeles resident Lilia Vu, Celine Boutier (3), Ruoning Yin (4) and 2019 champion Minjee Lee (6). The complete list of JM Eagle Championship entries is at: tinyurl.com/5dchp7da.

Historic bronze statue stolen from park

By Casey Russell

Residents of Windsor Village recently discovered that a sculpture of the late councilman Harold A. Henry has been stolen from a park named in his honor. The bust had stood for more than 50 years upon its pedestal at the park, which sits on a peaceful stretch of Lucerne Boulevard between Olympic and Wilshire boulevards.

Henry, who died in 1966, served the Fourth Council District from 1945 until 1966. He served four terms as city council president.

The councilman’s bust, created by sculptor Enrique de la Vega, is not the first metal artwork to be stolen in Los Angeles. Sadly, such theft is

CHILDREN PLAY near bust

increasing. Years ago, this statue’s commemorative bronze plaque was taken. At nearby MacArthur Park, two bronze statues accompanying the statue of Harrison Gray Otis, former publisher of the Los Angeles Times, have been stolen; one, a depiction of a newsboy,

within the past two months. And, further away in Pasadena, 11 bronze light posts, each over a century old, recently were stolen on Orange Grove Boulevard. Bronze is 88 to 90 percent copper, which is valuable on the recycling market.

of former Fourth District Los Angeles City Councilman Harold A. Henry at Harold Henry Park in Windsor Village. Photo by Julie Stromberg

By John Welborne

The city budget Editorial

Note to Mayor Bass:

Here is a suggestion of one way to help solve the current City of Los Angeles budget crisis. Increase income!

How?

Assign Department of Transportation (LADOT) traffic officers full-time to Larchmont Boulevard with the mandate to “cite-at-sight” any non-commercial vehicle stopped, and not turning into a driveway, in the Boulevard’s center turning lane between Beverly Boulevard and First Street.

This is not a new idea. For the last several, post-COVID years, neighbors repeatedly have suggested that this is a way to generate income for the city, while enforcing legitimate and important safety laws. Readers know the reasons why it is not appropriate for automobiles to park in the turning lane in the center of the Boulevard — whether leaving a car unattended or leaving someone sitting in the car while another walks through traffic to do errands. (“I was just picking up a coffee.”)

Here is another suggestion — for someone wanting to do a quick errand on the Boulevard: Park in the city’s underground parking lot. The rates are reasonable, and you will never get a ticket because your meter ran out.

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It’s Budget Season in Los Angeles!

Time to Focus on Neighborhood Needs!

Each fiscal year, the Mayor proposes a new City budget, subject to City Council approval, which details expenditures for the entire fiscal year based on projected revenues that come in over the course of the year. These allocations pay for services, salaries and more. This year the City faces a budget shortfall requiring many vacant City Department jobs to be eliminated and Department budgets slashed. Remember! THERE IS MONEY IN THE BUDGET and FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED!

We always ask our residents to let us know their top issues and to prioritize neighborhood concerns. Every year at the top of the list is repairing our crumbling infrastructure, our failing streets and dangerous sidewalks with historically accurate environmentally friendly and long lasting concrete — per the City mandated HPOZ Preservation Plan.

So how do we as constituents of Los Angeles and Council District 5 advocate for funds for our neighborhood? We make sure our Council Member is listening to us and is actively working on getting our request funded. How is that done? We ask. We put it in writing. We send emails to our Council Member and her team with our request. We encourage our CM to advocate for our absolutely necessary infrastructure repair. We follow up during the budgeting process. We make sure our voices are heard!

Please email Council Member Katy Yaroslavsky (katy. yaroslavsky@lacity.org) and copy District Director George Hakopiants (george.hakopiants@lacity.org) and Cindy Chvatal-Keane (snorekel@gmail.com) with the following message:

Dear CM Yaroslavsky,

As our CD5 Council Member and as a member of the City’s Budget and Finance Committee, please make sure there is enough funding in the City Budget to finally repair our dangerous sidewalks and crumbling historic streets per our Hancock Park Preservation Plan (2007) — tinyurl.com/2d34yr4n — that mandates using concrete for these repairs, in keeping with preserving our Historic Streetscape in the Public Realm.

Sincerely, (Your Name and Address)

Thank you for helping ensure that Hancock Park’s failing streets and dangerous sidewalks are addressed by our representative as the next City budget is prepared!

Sun., May 5 — Yom HaShoah commemoration, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pan Pacific Park.

Sun., May 5 — Cinco de Mayo.

Wed., May 8 — Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Ebell of Los Angeles, 743 S. Lucerne Blvd., greaterwilshire.org.

Sun., May 12 — Mother’s Day.

Tues., May 14 — Mid City West Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Pan Pacific Park Senior Center, 141 S. Gardner St., midcitywest.org.

Mon., May 27 — Memorial

Letters to the Editor

Build on the boulevards

Thank you for the Brian Curran column, “YIMBYs vs. Preservationists: Roundtable suggests uneasy détente” [April, 2024].

I can’t know if the YIMBYs are being correctly portrayed in the article. They come off as unreasonable and irritable. One obvious omission is the counter-term, which preceded YIMBY by decades: NIMBY. It shows that the Chronicle has picked a side. No doubt your readers mostly hew to that perspective and would take offense if you named them as such.

That said, I have had conversations with other housing advocates / YIMBYs, and I have had to get them to walk back their perspectives as well. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the portrayal was based in fact.

I think preservationists should drive YIMBYs toward fixing up California’s boulevards with 5-over-1s [mid-rise

residential structures built with a wood frame over a concrete platform – Ed.]. Many of our boulevards in Los Angeles look terrible, with vacant shops and very few pedestrians. I am enjoying seeing the new apartment buildings go up on Pico, and I think Miracle Mile will be very vibrant once all the metro / museum construction has finished next year.

There are so many boulevards here that are only slightly better than highways as far as living conditions go. Crenshaw Boulevard has some giant, vacant lots near Olympic that would be transformative with new residential buildings. Third Street, west of Fairfax. Fairfax between Venice and Melrose. Western between Wilshire and Santa Monica. Most of Venice Boulevard, etc. etc. We should try to get the businesses that get displaced to return once the commercial first floors are finished — and cut a lot of the red tape that bogs construction in LA down to multi-year, multi-billion-dollar behemoths.

I say the same thing to YIMBYs: quit fighting for NIMBY neighborhoods and fight for places that would make the value of NIMBY homes rise.

Barcelona has been creating  superblocks , which eliminate through-traffic and encourage community and pedestrians. They seem to be working well there. The slowstreets initiatives with speed humps here in LA, as well as the gated communities, speak to the same sensibility here.

I think fixing up the boulevards with apartment buildings and retail spaces would give residents between the boulevards nice places

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Write us at letters@larchmontchronicle.com. Include your name, contact information and where you live. We reserve the right to edit for space and grammar.

‘Are you commemorating someone in particular this Memorial Day?’

That’s the question inquiring photographer Casey Russell asked locals.

“I will be commemorating my husband, Roger Sherwood. He was a marine veteran from the Korean War. I met him when I was 18. We had a beautiful life together and we celebrated our 61st wedding anniversary right before he died.”

Windsor Square

“I am a Vietnam veteran. I served for two-and-a-half years while trying to figure out why we were there. I never did figure it out. On Memorial Day, I think of all the people who lost their lives [in the war] for no

Diane Sherwood

Children strut runway for CHLA; EVs cruise in to Petersen

Even though the skies were cloudy, gray and wet, the dresses and suits were colorful, spring-forward and dapper at the Children’s Fashion Show & Luncheon organized by Children’s Chain, a 66-year-old support group of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). The event took place April 13 in the newly renovated enclosed patio of The Beach Club in Santa Monica.

The shiny new club building remains smack dab on the beach, and the venue for the fashion show was bright and airy, smelled like new paint and provided the perfect backdrop for children to model their favorite fashions from Elfin, a children’s clothing store in Woodland Hills.

The store donated 20 percent of proceeds for all items purchased to Children’s Chain, which in turn do-

SECTION ONE

Around the Town with Sondi Toll Sepenuk

nates the money to CHLA. Children’s Chain is one of 24 associate and affiliate groups that support the hospital. Guests were welcomed into the space with a steel drum and beverage reception, while children created arts and crafts, making personal frames and drawings. The guests were then seated to enjoy the main event.

Emcee was Hancock Park’s Carlotta Keely, who provided color commentary while the children strutted their stuff down the runway, some walking, some dancing, some making their cute-as-can-be

debuts on the world stage. Apparently pizza, mac ‘n’ cheese, Taylor Swift and even trash days on Tuesdays are very big with this new generation. Who knew???

After the fashion show, guests were treated to a luncheon of Ora King salmon salad and Asian chicken salad with grilled cheese or chicken tenders with french fries for

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EMMA AND ELLIE DAVIE show matching dresses.

RECENTLY RENOVATED enclosed patio at The Beach Club in Santa Monica was the setting for a spring children’s fashion show to benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Photos by Sondi Sepenuk

Beautifying Larchmont!

The LBA has replanted 10 of the concrete containers in the village as part of our beautification project.

Support our May beautification projects

We have created new merchandise to help fund these projects, available at Tailwaggers and Romi Cortier Design. All proceeds will go toward beautifying the Boulevard.

To reach LBA members, go to www.LARCHMONT.com ©LC0524

Around the Town

(Continued from Page 3)

the younger crowd.

While attendees enjoyed the light luncheon, Children’s Chain’s Jaclyn Dunne and her event co-captain, Cathryn Quinn McCarthy, called out the successful buyers at the silent auction and the winners of the raffle.

The afternoon was the most highly attended Children’s Chain fashion show to date, and the generous giving of the attendees will allow Children’s Chain to present a significant check to CHLA. Keely was proud to point out that the money Children’s Chain raises throughout the year helps enable CHLA to “never turn any children away.”

Children’s Chain’s next big fundraiser will be a Newport Harbor sunset boat cruise in June with champagne and light bites.

• • •

A couple of weeks earlier, at the end of March, our local Holocaust Museum LA in Pan Pacific Park was the site for a sold-out conversation among Los Angeles Times Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Patt Morrison, Holocaust scholar Steven J. Ross and Jordanna Gessler. The recent Ross book, “Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America,” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in history in 2018. Gessler is the museum’s chief impact officer and is a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. Gessler’s career includes presenting internationally on topics like

The Beauty of Experience

Larchmont's own Rebecca Fitzgerald M.D., a board certified dermatologic surgeon, brings extensive experience and up-to-theminute expertise to the convenience of your own neighborhood.

contemporary antisemitism and related subjects.

Morrison wrote a Times story in January of this year, “Antisemitism has a long his-

tory in Los Angeles,” and that story led to the March 27 program where attendees could learn more about “why and

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PATT MORRISON from the Los Angeles Times brought a soldout audience to Holocaust Museum LA for a discussion with Steve Ross, center, and Jordanna Gessler, right, about the long history of antisemitism in Los Angeles.

CHILDREN’S CHAIN members (back row, left to right) Natalie Stone, Maureen Hawley and Alex Huddle, with fashion models, Ella Stone, Frances Jenkins, Harper Huddle and Sienna Morales.

THREE GENERATIONS of CHLA supporters are (back row, left to right) Elizabeth Fain LaBombard, Jennifer Fain and Meg Fain Jenkins, and, in front, Gloria LaBombard (left) and Frances Jenkins.

HENRY WYMAN and friend Teddy Canon (left) participated in the fashion show.

MODELS included, from left, Hadley Hromadka, Harper Dunne and Miller Dunne.

CO-CAPTAINS for the fashion show were Children’s Chain chair Jaclyn Dunne (left) and Cathryn Quinn McCarthy. Photos by Sondi Sepenuk

To All Moms –

Happy Mother’s Day!

Tailwaggers

Pet Food, Supplies, and full grooming salon

Your friendly neighborhood pet store

Larchmont Village

147 North Larchmont Blvd.

Hollywood

1929 N. Bronson Ave. West Hollywood 801 N. Fairfax Ave.

Free Local Same-Day Delivery

Mon. - Sat.

8am - 9pm Sun. 9am - 8pm ©LC0524

323.464.9600

www.tailwaggerspets.com

Around the Town

(Continued from Page 4)

how antisemitism in Los Angeles is not new and how we, as a community, can work together to stand up against anti-Jewish hate.” The presentation now is available online at: tinyurl.com/2bw8h2w3, where the discussion begins about six minutes into the recording.

Serious enlightenment on topical issues was available, once again, in the heart of our communities.

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In between the discussion of somber history and the hopeful expectations of youth at a fashion show was another recent and hopeful gathering — the 2024 “EV & Hybrid Silent Cruise-In” at the Petersen Automotive Museum at Wilshire and Fairfax.

Although dominant presences at the event included nearly two dozen massive Tesla Cybertrucks, the Petersen’s annual electrified breakfast and car cruise-in for alternate fuel vehicles even included something as modest this year as Larchmont Chronicle publisher John Welborne’s 2023 Chevy Bolt all-electric.

But nearly two-dozen Cybertrucks drew more eyes, especially because their creator, Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s chief designer, was present. He was treated like a rock star (which, in the EV world, he is), and people were asking his advice and getting his autograph on Petersen Cybertruck posters distributed

to attendees.

As the longtime chief designer at Tesla, von Holzhausen has been responsible for driving the overall design direction of the EV manufacturer and establishing the design language for Tesla products. He is known for designing Tesla’s Models S, 3, X, Y, Roadster 2.0 and Cybertruck. He also was part of a three-member panel of car industry experts who shared some of their insights at the culmination of the cruise-in. Included among the cars on display were one-off elec-

Memorial Day

(Continued from Page 1)

perished in battle. After World War II, Decoration Day’s name morphed into Memorial Day but continued to be celebrated on May 30.

It wasn’t until Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Bill and it was implemented in 1971 that this commemorative day was moved to the last Monday of May, guaranteeing federal workers a three-day weekend.

Today, people still visit cemeteries and decorate the graves with flags and flowers. However, most celebrate Memorial Day by getting together with family and friends enjoying a backyard barbecue or a quick getaway out of town. The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. It still holds the notorious distinction as the deadliest war in American history. More than 600,000 died in conflict, more than WW I and WW II combined.

trified custom vehicles like a circa-World War II Jeep and a red 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible. These examples of progress toward non-fossil fuel transport were hardly shocking, but lots of fun, according to attendees!

• • •

And now you’re in the Larchmont know!

skin deep

by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald

I’ve heard about the latest “Botox” that lasts longer. What can you tell me?

Despite the decidedly unsexy names, neuromodulators or neurotoxins are the group of injectable medications that you’re referring to. The latest cousin to join the party is called Daxxify and it offers a major benefit: smoother lines and wrinkles for about twice as long.

As you likely know, this group of injectables works by freezing muscles underneath wrinkles, causing the tissue to relax therefore creating a smoother appearance of overlaying skin. But Daxxify has a different molecular makeup that includes peptides and amino acids. These hardworking peptides are likely credited with Daxxify’s staying power. In clinical trials submitted to the FDA, 80 percent of people using Daxxify had no visible wrinkles at 4 months, and about 50 percent had little evidence of wrinkles at 6 months. Just like its helpful relatives, Daxxify can be used to treat other than your appearance: it can address migraines, excessive sweating and some causes of an overactive bladder. Many professionals in my line of work are in agreement that Daxxify may become the preferred choice simply because of requiring fewer visits for a myriad of goals.

Contact our office to discuss Daxxify and you may find yourself looking as stunning as ever, yet calling us about half as often. Adv.

Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald is a Board Certified Dermatologist located in Larchmont Village with a special focus on anti-aging technology. She is a member of the Botox Cosmetic National Education Faculty and is an international Training Physician for Dermik, the makers of the injectable Sculptra. She is also among a select group of physicians chosen to teach proper injection techniques for Radiesse, the volumizing filler, around the world. Dr. Fitzgerald is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA. Visit online at www.RebeccaFitzgeraldMD. com or call (323) 464-8046 to schedule an appointment.

PETERSEN Automotive Museum was host to an “EV & Hybrid Silent Cruise-in” on the top deck of the facility’s parking structure, and there were close to two dozen Tesla Cybertrucks among the many EVs on display.

TESLA CHIEF DESIGNER Franz von Holzhausen was surrounded by EV fans at the exhibit and later spoke on a panel discussing EVs and their future.

Larchmont Spring Block Party is April 27 Stores opening soon as locals are out and about

By Casey Russell

Fun will ensue at the second annual Larchmont Spring Block Party, Sat., April 27, from noon to 5 p.m. On the 500 block of North Bronson Avenue (which will be closed to traffic for the party) attendees can enjoy barbecue, tacos, ice cream, kettle corn and more.

Animal lovers will see kitten and cat adoptions at the party through local cat rescue group Cats at the Studio. Also present will be some tortoises from our local nonprofit Tortoiseland. Premium sponsor for the event, The Max Dog Trainer, has ensured that there will be plenty of water bowls for canine companions attending the day of fun.

Many local businesses are participating in this year’s festivities with tables or through the raffle. Wilshire Rotary will be providing carnival games. There will be a scavenger hunt with prizes, water games, craft

tables, face painting, a bikeand-scooter course, a water balloon toss and tarot card readings — lots of options for family fun!

Musack, a nonprofit that provides instruments and lessons to underserved youth, will be at the party supporting student performers in coordination with Larchmont Charter School’s music teacher, Malcolm Moore.

Senior Lead Officer (SLO) Joe Pelayo, who is retiring in May, will be honored at the event, and a Wilshire Division SLO, Hebel Rodriguez, also will be in attendance. Other city leaders planning to attend are school board member Nick Melvoin as well as Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez and his team.

By Casey Russell

To volunteer, write to larchmontvillageblockparty@ gmail.com. Follow the fun on Instagram: @larchmontblockparty.

Chic Affaire luncheon is May 9

Mark your calendar. A Chic Affaire Fashion Show and Boutique Luncheon is Thurs., May 9, at the Lakeside Golf Club, 4500 Lakeside Dr., in Burbank. Sponsored by the Assistance League of Los Angeles and its Mannequins and College Alumni auxiliaries, the event will feature Trina Turk fashions modeled by members of the Mannequins.

All proceeds from A Chic Affaire will support Assistance League of Los Angeles programs that help 22,000 homeless, foster and impoverished children and young adults annually.

For tickets and more information contact Senior Director of Development Mayboll Carrasco at mcarrasco@ assistanceleaguela.org.

Things are hopping on the Boulevard. Patrons are enjoying alfresco spring dining, and the farmers’ market has served a multitude of people out and about on market days.

Larchmont Jewelers saw a flurry of construction activity for much of April. As of our press deadline, the new jewelry store at 119 N. Larchmont wasn’t yet open, but Vice President of Marketing Caren Ho told us they expect to be ready for business in mid-May.

Walk & Play for CHLA May 18 on Santa Monica Pier

The largest community event of the year for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), Walk and Play L.A., is on Sat., May 18 from 8 a.m. to noon on the Santa Monica Pier.

The event includes a 3K walk on Ocean Front Walk and family-friendly activities for family and community members to raise funds for young patients at CHLA.

Hosts are boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard and KOST 103.5 radio host Ellen K.

To register, visit walkandplayla.org.

Larchmont Charter

Gala, ‘Years of Magic,’ is May 10

Larchmont Charter School (LCS) will host its first in-person gala in five years. Titled “20 Years of Magic Celebration & Auction,” the event is on Fri., May 10, at 6 p.m. at the Taglyan Cultural Complex, 1201 N. Vine St.

LCS is a nationally ranked charter school started in 2004 by Rebecca Hutchinson and Heather Boylston, both of Larchmont Village, and Lindsay Sturman of Windsor Square, along with educator Dvora Inwood.

The school opened as a small schoolhouse with 120 students in grades K-2. It focused on providing — to a socioeconomically, culturally and racially diverse community of students — an exceptional public education, Jennifer Bledsoe, director of development, told us. “Today they are a thriving TK-12 public charter school serving more than 1,600 students from Los Angeles on four campuses, from Koreatown to West Hollywood.”

Tickets can be purchased at lscmagic.givesmart.com. Tax-deductible sponsorships and donations are welcome. For information, email gala@ larchmontcharter.org.

Construction has also been underway inside Aesop’s new 128 N. Larchmont location. Workers told us it, too, is expected to open in May.

Sweet Lady Jane co-owner Julie Ngu told us that all permits have been submitted and things are “on a roll!” She hopes to be able to open the bakery’s new Larchmont Boulevard location at 203 N. Larchmont at the beginning of May.

Velvet by Graham & Spencer, the clothing store that began with the quintessential laidback Los Angeles T-shirt, has been on the Boulevard for a little more than one year. In time for Mother’s Day, a seasonal collection of luxe contemporary styles can be found in-store at 146 N. Larchmont.

Dress up: Puppet Prom is May 11

Bob Baker

Marionette Theater’s spring

fundraiser, Puppet Prom!, is Sat., May 11. This grown-ups only event is from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Garibaldina Society, 4533 N. Figueroa St. Wear your finest 80s or 90s prom best. Tickets include antipasto bars and desserts. Visit bobbakermarionettetheater.com.

Yom HaShoah is commemorated at museum May 5

Holocaust Museum LA will bring together Holocaust suvivors and also use the occasion to stand-up against antisemitism and hate on Sun., May 5. The program commemorates Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, beginning at 11 a.m. The event will also acknowledge the 80th anniversary of the deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz.

Emmy award–nominated actress Mayim Bialik will give keynote remarks. Rabbi Steve Leder of Wilshire Boulevard Temple will participate along with Holocaust survivors, including Mary Bauer, who will speak. Colburn School musicians will perform under the direction of Maestro James Conlon of the LA Opera.

The event takes place at Pan Pacific Park, adjacent to the museum, 100 Grove Dr. RSVP to the event at holocaustmuseumla.org.

DRESS is 80s and 90s best.

Bust

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It is disturbing to city officials and to residents of the Windsor Village neighborhood alike. Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky said, “Stealing a bust from a public park is totally unacceptable.” Barbara Pflaumer, president of the Windsor Village Association said, “We are saddened at the loss of the beloved bust of Harold Henry, the benefactor of the park that is enjoyed on a daily basis by the whole community. It is our fervent hope that the bust will be returned or replaced.”

The park has been a magnet for locals since the city purchased the land in 1965. Prior to becoming a community park, the large two-lot property was a family compound owned by the Wood family. It consisted of five houses.

When the city bought the land, neighbors united to ask then Councilman Hen-

ry to create a park instead of approving the building of a large apartment complex. Clearly, the neighbors got what they wanted. (Prior to serving as a councilmember, Henry had established the Wilshire Press in 1925, a newspaper that he edited and published until 1941.)

Over the years, playground equipment has been upgraded

325 N. Larchmont Boulevard, #158 Los Angeles, California 90004 windsorsquare.org

157 N. Larchmont Boulevard

The Month of May

“May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope.”

— Emily Brontë

• Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society Annual Garden Tour and Silent Auction: May 4 — This year’s garden tour features five delicious gardens of varying sizes, three in Windsor Square, one in Fremont Place and one near Hancock Park on Fuller Avenue. 12-4 p.m. windsorsquarehancockpark.com

• Yom HaShoah Commemoration: May 5 — Holocaust Museum LA, 100 The Grove Drive. Honor survivors, remember those who perished, safeguard Holocaust history, and stand up against antisemitism and hate. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. holocaustmuseumla.org

• Cinco de Mayo: May 5.

• Ebell Mother’s Day Brunch: May 12 — 743 S. Lucerne Blvd. The tradition continues for families honoring the mothers and mother figures in their lives. Brunch Buffet and live music. 12-2 p.m. ebellofla.org

• LAPD Police Advisory Board Meeting, Olympic Division May 2, Wilshire Division, May 16: Join community members in providing information and advice to the LAPD Olympic Division (1130 S. Vermont Ave., 6-8 p.m.) and Wilshire Division (4861 W. Venice Blvd., 7-8:30 p.m.) and in taking information from the police department back to the community.

• Memorial Day: May 25.

• Windsor Square Important Dates: Windsor Square HPOZ Board meets May 1 and 15 at the John C. Fremont Library. Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council General Board Meeting is May 8.

WE NEED BLOCK CAPTAINS! Be the leader of your block and point person for all that’s going on in the neighborhood. The WSA has numerous block captain positions open. A great opportunity to engage with neighbors and community leaders. blockcaptains@ windsorsquare.org

The Windsor Square Association, an all-volunteer group of residents from 1100 households between Beverly and Wilshire and Van Ness and Arden, works to preserve and enhance our beautiful neighborhood. Join with us! Drop us a line at 325 N. Larchmont Blvd., #158, Los Angeles, CA 90004, or visit our website at windsorsquare.org.

©LC0524

pedestal on which the stolen bust once stood was part of the renovation.

The Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation and Parks was notified about the theft, and Edwin Canales, senior park maintenance supervisor, told us that the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) had been notified. The city art collection department of DCA is in charge of artwork in parks.

us the investigation is still open. Rodriguez said detectives are gathering information and plan to ask neighbors whose homes face the park whether they have security cameras that may have captured footage of the theft. A police report (#240708017) was filed on April 10.

periodically and, a decade ago, a nearly $1 million park renovation was done on the neighborhood’s jewel of a park. The

Letters

(Continued from Page 2) to walk to. There would be more pedestrian traffic to the businesses from the residents above them, which should make them more profitable. Additionally, preserving the manicured gardens of preservationists between the boulevards gives the apartment-dwellers green spaces to jog and bike and walk their dogs and — ideally — take their kids to school in safely.

I hope you’ll work to help us all find common ground.

Chris McKee Park La Brea

Biased review At the Movies?

The review of the movie “Wicked Little Letters” by “At The Movies with Tony Medley” [April 2024] once again reveals Mr. Medley with his political bias injected into his movie reviews. Mr. Medley seems to be easily offended by Jennifer Lawrence, who was not featured in the film, but he includes a photo of her in a Patton costume, presumably to make his point.

Referring to casting, he complains about “offensive woke presentism used in the casting of a character.” Yes, the cast includes some BAME actors, which would not be historically accurate. However, while the film’s narrative might not appeal to all viewers, many seeking a good laugh and enjoying the strides women have taken toward equality might find much to appreciate in this film.

My issue with the review is the focus on Mr. Medley’s “woke” and agitprop complaints, referring to the movie as “feminist because virtually all the male characters are presented in a negative light.” The injection of his personal bias in any review takes away from a movie that tries to balance humor with a wonderful cast. (Perhaps he should stick to reviewing Tom Cruise movies?)

Longtime Windsor Village resident Julie Stromberg, who recently relocated west to Brookside, has hopes that the bust will be returned. Said Stromberg, “It’s so sad. I have trouble accepting it. [The bust] is such a special thing.”

When the  Chronicle reached out to the LAPD Senior Lead Officer Hebel Rodriguez, he told

I submit that the movie review and companion photo were misguided and distasteful. Disappointing to say the least.

Margaret R. Wood Hancock Park

[The Larchmont Chronicle editorial cartoon of General George S. Patton — with the face of Jennifer Lawrence — was not Mr. Medley’s idea. He first saw it when every other reader did. — Ed.]

More on movies

I saw your editorial [“What’s at the movies?”— April 2024] and then looked for the article.

It would have been one thing had Tony Medley commented that he simply found the “nontraditional casting” jarring, but he frames his response as a screed against “offensive woke presentism.”

I haven’t read Medley much

As the Chronicle went to press, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto said in an April 18 newsletter that she is partnering with the Los Angeles City Council, the Bureau of Street Lighting, the LAPD and the Port Police Dept. to eliminate the market for stolen copper.

She sent a letter to 700 City recyclers to notifiy them that they will face state penalties if they break California’s laws regarding stolen copper.

through the years; he’s more of a movie opinion writer than a film critic (think Justin Chang, formerly of the Los Angeles Times). Ego drips from his “reviews,” qualifying him for membership in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which always was full of self-important hacks who hung on the fringe of the film industry.

Rather than apologize for him in an editorial, I hope that you will replace Mr. Medley with someone more qualified.

I’ve read the Larchmont Chronicle  almost since its founding, but if Medley continues to appear in your publication, the paper will go direct to the recycling bin when it arrives. It’s your prerogative to weigh in on the culture wars, but know that you will lose devoted readers if you do.

Alan Warhaftig Miracle Mile North

Ecclesia Gnostica Gnostic Christian Church

Bishop Dr. Stephan Hoeller

Sunday Eucharist 11:00am

Sunday Eucharist 11am

Wednesday Eucharist 8:30pm Lectures • Fridays • 8pm 3363 Glendale Boulevard, Atwater, Los Angeles • 323-467-2685 307

Wednesday Eucharist 8pm Lectures • Fridays • 8pm 2560 N. Beachwood Dr., Hollywood • 323-467-2685

BUST of former Fourth District Los Angeles City Councilman

Harold A. Henry at Harold Henry Park in Windsor Village.

Photo by Julie Stromberg EMPTY PEDESTAL on which the bust of Harold A. Henry stood for decades.

A Shakespearean mix; charismatic Fanny takes to the stage

Like roses after the rain, theater is blooming all over Los Angeles.

In Westwood, James Ijames’ superb Fat Ham continues at the Geffen to Sun., May 5. Based on Hamlet, the action takes place at a backyard barbecue that is both wedding and memorial. Revenge motivates the plot, but the theme is what it takes to be a man, particularly a queer Black man. There’s a Shakespearean mix of laughter, pathos, action and reflection, and the cast (including original Broadway cast members) is terrific. The whole evening makes you feel glad to be alive, as only great theater can. 310-208-2028; boxoffice@geffenplayhouse. org.

• • •

At the Ahmanson, Funny Girl holds sway through Sat., April 28. Michael Mayer’s production of the Jule Styne-Bob Merrill classic began in London and transfered to Broadway, first with Beanie Feldstein and later Leah Michele. (Understudy Julie Benko garnered raves between the star turns.) The production is heavy on nostalgia; turgid and tacky in places. What separates it from a run-of-the-mill road show is the blockbuster performance of Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice.

Plucked from relative obscurity in a Miami audition, Ms. McCrimmon is a force of nature, with a stunning voice and tons of charisma. She deserves a show of her own when this tour ends. 213-972-4400; centertheatregroup.org.

• • •

At the other end of the Music Center, LA Opera is less successful with its muffled production of Verdi’s La Tra-

Theater

Review

by

Louis Fantasia

viata (through April 27). The production, from the San Francisco Opera, is set in the 19th century of Alexander Dumas’ “Lady of the Camellias” novel, but it is so bogged down with sexual politics as to be both perverse and pedantic. Tenor Liparit Avetisyan has a clear voice as Alfredo, infatuated with ill-fated Violetta, but his hand-waving takes any intimacy out of his acting. Baritone Kihun Yoon comes closest to a true Verdian voice and style as Alfredo’s pained father.

American soprano Rachel Willis-Søresen is a star on the international opera scene, but I find her an unconvincing Verdi heroine. (I felt the same about her recent Desdemona in Otello.) Director Shawna Lucey does her no favors, either, with her acting choices. It’s a pity. However…

LA Opera presents two free performances of Benjamin Britten’s Noah’s Flood (based on a 15th-century retelling of the Old Testament story) at the Cathederal of Our Lady of the Angels, Downtown, Fri., May 3, and Sat., May 4, at 7:30 p.m. The production involves amateur singers and musicians as well as opera professionals under the direction of Maestro James Conlon. Worth seeing! laopera.org, 213-972-8001.

• • •

In North Hollywood, the Group Rep celebrates its 50th anniversary with a re-

vival of artistic director Doug Haverty’s touching 1992 comedy-drama Could I Have This Dance? through Sun., May 5. The play, on one hand, is about the ravages of Huntington’s Disease and the dilemma two adult sisters have in deciding to know, or not, whether they have the gene. On the other, it is a heartwarming comedy about family. Haverty and his sure-footed cast navigate the tricky dance between emotions and laughs. A solid, satisfying production. thegrouprep.com; 818-7635990.

• • •

Finally, the Odyssey in West Los Angeles presents British playwright David Pownall’s 1983 drama Stalin’s Master Class about a fictitious meeting between Stalin, party apparatchik Andrei Zhdanov and the composers Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich, who were denounced for “formalism” in 1948 despite their international successes and complicated relationships with Soviet authorities.

I saw the play in London with Timothy West as Stalin. Ron Sossi first directed the play at the Odyssey in 1987. Perhaps the Thatcher-Reagan-Glasnost years were kinder to the play’s themes of art, politics and power. Despite a first-rate cast (especially Ilia Volok’s Stalin) and quality production values, the play feels more interesting than dramatic now. Given

What to watch for

The Latino Theater Company presents “Ghost Waltz,” a new play about Juventino Rosas, one of Mexico’s most significant composers, at the Los Angeles Theatre Center; through June 2; 866-811-4111; latinotheaterco.org/ ghostwaltz.

George Bernard Shaw’s satiric comedy of manners, “Misalliance,” plays at A Noise Within in Pasadena through June 9. 626-356-3100; anoisewithin.org.

Pasadena Playhouse presents “Jelly’s Last Jam,” the Jelly Roll Morton jazz musical, through June 23. 626356-7529; pasadenaplayhouse.org

the world we live in, though, it is good to expose autocrats who think the purpose of art is to make them great. Again. odysseytheatre.com; 310-4772055.

Ètra: Warm and inviting Italian restaurant in Melrose Hill

There are more than 1,000 Italian restaurants in Los Angeles — and easily a dozen or so within a one-mile radius of the Larchmont Chronicle office. One of the newest pavilions of pasta in the area is Ètra, which joined the expanding array of cultural and foodie destinations on Melrose Hill in December of last year. (See “Building Community on Melrose Hill with Larchmont in Mind,” Larchmont Chronicle, April 2024, Section Two, pages 6-7.)

One of few evening eating options in the area, Ètra has quickly become a go-to spot for those craving a glass of vino and the savory comfort of Italian cuisine. It’s really a one-two punch of a restaurant, as it is situated behind popular breakfast, lunch and coffee place Café Telegrama, and it shares that kitchen and chef — Evan Algorri, formerly of Augustine Wine Bar (now closed) and New York City’s late, great French-inflected restaurant Bouley. Every day, the kitchen switches from a well-curated daytime menu of strong espresso drinks, eggs, gourmet sandwiches and salads to evening plates inflected with pear mustarda, bottarga (dried, salted roe) and other examples of

a skilled chef’s touch. Both eateries are owned by Chef Algorri, General Manager Andrew Lawson and real estate developer Tyler Stonebreaker, whose company office, Creative Space, is housed behind the restaurant (hence the name, since è tra means “in between” in Italian).

Café Telegrama’s sunny side patio has an attitude adjustment at night, with a canopy and moody lighting leading to Ètra’s entrance. There is limited outside seating; inside, the warm, inviting space is paneled in honey blond birch and filled with bare wood tables and bentwood chairs. One wall is lined with a carmine red banquette; another has a cozy wine bar. The ceiling is punctuated by skylights, wooden beams and an artful pattern of wooden slats. Swedish pine pendant lamps lend a golden glow. It’s a study in upscale casualness. Ètra is buzzy without becoming too loud. Reservations get snapped up quickly, but room is left for walk-ins so locals can stroll over on a whim and have a chance of scoring a seat.

My husband and I settled in with $17 glasses of Nebbiolo from Piedmont, Italy. Starters include $14 prosciutto

On the Menu

by Helene Seifer

and comté cheese, $20 burrata with corn and sorghum (a high-protein grain) and $32 shrimp scampi with ‘nduja (spicy sausage spread). We ordered meatballs on the recommendation of Lawson, who was at the host stand when we arrived. Until recently, I didn’t understand eating meatballs without a pile of spaghetti beneath them, but these banished that notion once and for all. Three plump meatballs had ricotta folded into their mix, resulting in a welcome lightness and milky sweetness. Resting in a pool of delicious tomato sugo (sauce) and dusted with grated Parmesan, they were deeply satisfying ($18). We followed with an innovative version of a Caesar salad. The hint of bitterness from the mix of chicories used in place of romaine made a perfect foil for the pungent anchovy and black pepper dressing. The $20 salad was capped by a flurry of shaved cured egg

yolk and Parmesan cheese. We practically licked the plate.

Next, we contemplated the four pasta options: $21 spaghetti pomodoro, $27 spaghetti with tuna confit and $26 bavette Nerano, a pasta with zucchini. Bavette is a flat ribbon pasta, typically from Liguria. Nerano is the name of the village in Italy where the dish was invented. In a twist, poached mussels are tossed into the mix. We were drawn to the $26 rigatoni Gricia, traditionally made with guanciale (cured pork jowl) and pecorino romano with plenty of black pepper. Chef Algorri adds a buttery, creamy onion soubise, which completely transforms the dish. The silky onion sauce generously coats the al dente pasta tubes, and even though we only had a

few pieces left when we were full, we boxed them up so we could enjoy a little taste of it at home the next day.

There are five entrees on the menu, from a $120 steak for four to a brown butter dorado with Sichuan peppercorns and capers, $33. We opted for chicken. The crisp-skinned half chicken ($36) had been prepared with Calabrian chili, which lent just a bit of heat and a lot of flavor. Moist and meaty, it was sostanzioso!

Flourless chocolate cake was the only dessert on offer that evening and we appreciated the embedded berries in the batter. Espresso would have been the perfect ending to our meal, but they do not have coffee service as of yet.

Ètra, 737 N. Western Ave., Suite B, 323-672-8606.

‘Seussical the Musical’ is on LCS stage May 30, 31

“Seussical the Musical” is coming to Larchmont Charter Hollygrove at Selma Thurs., May 30, and Fri., May 31. A group of 20 third- and fourth-grade students have been rehearsing for months, and the students are excited to share the fun-filled show, a comedy, which is based on the stories of Dr. Seuss, says parent Jenn Schneider.

She spearheaded the endeavor and has been running rehearsals with help from her mother, Linda Moran (who has decades of experience in children’s theater), and another Larchmont parent, Tiffany Anderson. “A bunch of parents have stepped up and offered their artistic talents,” said Schneider. “It’s been a really beautiful way to bring all of our skills together and create something magical with

our kids.”

The show will take place at 5 p.m. both days at the school, 6611 Selma Ave. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or visit tinyurl.com/2pdyhftf. For more information and to confirm showtimes, call 323-836-0860.

STUDENTS (left to right) Alice Carman, Lola Kessler and Ava Schneider rehearse for “Seussical the Musical.”

Stones’ muse story told; ‘Jeanne du Barry’ gains momentum

Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg (10/10): 113 minutes. Anita Pallenberg was the lover of one of the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones, and the wife of another, Keith Richards. Anita was gorgeous and a strong woman, who was born in 1942 and raised in Europe, arriving in the United States when she was 21. She quickly became involved with the Andy Warhol Factory. In 1965 while working as a model in Europe, she went to a Stones concert in Munich and just as quickly became involved with them, first with Jones. She and Jones looked remarkably similar. Then she segued into her marriage to Richards.

She wrote a memoir, and Scarlett Johannson voices her story of how she became the Stones’ muse, with comments by Anita’s two surviving children, Marlon and Angela, and a few others. Directed by Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill, this is one of the best documentaries I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot. With an abundance of archival films never before seen, Anita tells of her short time as a model and movie star (“Barbarella” and a few others), and of her horrible drug addiction. She is frank and unapologetic about her life. But what really comes across is what a strong, confident woman she was, despite her drug addiction. Even if you are not a fan of the Stones (I’m not), this is a documentary not to be missed.

Streaming from May 3.

Jeanne du Barry (7/10): 110 minutes. NR. The first half of this film is slow as molasses and not as interesting. The second half is very good. Telling the first half in less than 30 minutes would have resulted in a much better film.

I would have walked out had I not been reviewing it, and that would have been a mistake because when it finally gets to the meat of the story, it is much better than average.

At the Movies with Tony Medley

Jeanne Bécu (Maïwenn, who directed and co-wrote with Teddy Lussi Modeste and Nicolas Livecci) was a lowborn prostitute who became the mistress of King Louis XV (Johnny Depp) of France in 1768 at age 25. She was shunned by Louis’ daughters but persevered for six years until his death in 1774. Filmed in France, mostly at Versailles, the cinematography captures the beauty of the palace. It had a budget of more than $22 million which is much higher than most French films.

The acting is good throughout, especially the King’s daughters, who did not hide their dislike of Jeanne. This film needs someone like Irving Thalberg to recut it. In French with English subtitles, opening in theaters May 2. Space: The Longest Goodbye (5/10): 84 minutes. PBS Independent Lens. This is a documentary examining the challenges of sending a team to Mars. Directed by Ira Mizrahi, it examines NASA’s attempts to prepare people for the psychological problems inherent in being stuck in a small, cramped spacecraft for 6 to 9 months with no real- time communication with Earth. They will have

to get along with each other because they are trapped in close quarters. But this is a problem that has faced explorers since time began. For example, it took the Bounty 10 months to sail from England to Tahiti in the 1780s, all the while out of contact

with anyone. While it is an interesting study, it is marred by ill-chosen music that slows and mars the tone of the entire film.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (3/10): 120 minutes. R. While this is based on “recently declassi-

fied files of the British War Department and inspired by true events,” it is pure, violent, gory Hollywood hokum. Director Guy Ritchie has used every hackneyed cliché put in all those old WW II “B” movies that came out of the (Please turn to Page 22)

‘Alice,’ the musical, premiered with color and fun

By Casey Russell

“Alice in Wonderland,” the musical, premiered at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre the first weekend in April to standing ovations. Brooke deRosa, the show’s creator and a member of The Ebell, told us it is her dream to someday have the production on Broadway.

DeRosa, a vocalist, composer and conductor who has worked with the LA Opera and whose work has been featured on television and in film, told us she was drawn to Lewis Carroll’s story because it spoke to her of keeping wonder in your life at any age and had lots of opportunities for costumes and color.

DeRosa said that her goal with this first run of the show was to “get the show on its feet and see what worked and what didn’t” for this new genre, which she has dubbed

“cinematic musical theater.”

That the Ebell Theatre has an LED wall on its stage was a big plus for the creator. It enabled deRosa to handle the complexities of Alice’s size changes with ease.

Because footage was recorded during the two live performances, deRosa now has clips to present to theaters and producers to spark interest in bringing the show to life elsewhere. Wherever the show lands, deRosa is thrilled that she first got to share it with audiences at the

at The Ebell

SAINT BRENDAN

By Harry Jannone Kim

8th Grade April was an exciting month for our 8th graders and May promises even more fun! Our 8th grade students received their high school acceptances and have decided to attend Loyola, Providence, Marlborough, Mayfield Senior School, Marymount, St. Francis, Notre Dame High School, Immaculate Heart and LACHSA.

In celebration of a great year, on April 19 there was a dance for grades 6 through 8 called “Under the Sea.” On May 3, the talent show will be held. Students will exhibit their amazing talents in front of the whole school.

An event that takes place on May 9 is the May Crowning. Eighth and 2nd graders lead the whole school community in honoring Mary with a prayer service and a crown of flowers. Finally, our 8th graders will host the Mini Carnival. This annual event will be held on May 17, and all students will enjoy fun games and candy.

historic Ebell Theatre. To contact deRosa about the show, email: info@trialrunproductions.com.

Right: ALICE (Brooke Iva Lohman) and the White Rabbit (Kirk Garner) greet each other outside Alice’s house.

Right: CAST AND CREATORS of “Alice in Wonderland” ready to take their bows. Left to right: Mark Thurner, Brock Birkner, Michael O’Halloran, Jack Krimmel, Kirk Garner, Paige Lehnert, Brooke deRosa, Analisa Idalia, Brooke Iva Lohman, Ashley Becker and Ben Lowe.

Summer camp is close by at Marlborough and Immaculate Heart

By Casey Russell Opportunities

abound for campers at Marlborough and Immaculate Heart this summer.

Immaculate Heart, 5515 Franklin Ave., has a summer program for fourth- through eighth-grade girls from June 17 through July 12. Girls can choose up to three sessions, which begin at 8:10 a.m. and end at noon. Participants can also sign up to stay for the 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. workshops and classes. Course offerings include writing, coding, cooking, debate, drawing, filmmaking, fitness, forensics, French, Spanish and yoga, as well as classes in all levels of language arts and math. Those who choose to stay until 4 p.m. will enjoy sports, culinary classes and themed activities. The program is designed to be flexible and customizable to families’ needs.

Tuition starts at $240 for a two-week, single-course session.

By Isabella Argiropoulos 8th Grade

Also at Immaculate Heart, a summer youth sports camp for girls in grades four through eight will blend learning, sports and fun activities. Sessions are July 15-19 and July 22-26 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The camp is designed to help girls gain confidence, build skills and make new friendships. As a bonus, they will get to know the high school sports coaches.

For more information, visit immaculateheart.org

Marlborough, 250 S. Rossmore Ave., offers summer opportunities for boys and girls in kindergarten through ninth grade. However, slots for children in kindergarten, first and second grades largely have been filled. Those entering third through ninth grades this fall can still sign

up for many of the more than

150 different classes available during the five-week camp. Choices include sports, dance, drama, creative writing, math, science, chess, visual arts, music and more.

Campers’ days for the fiveweek program begin at 8:15 a.m. for four one-hour morning classes, which end at 12:20 p.m. The cost for each morning class starts at $630. Those choosing to partake in lunch and an afternoon class stay until 2:45 p.m. for an additional cost. Extended care is available until 5 p.m. on a dayby-day basis, or for the whole session, also for an additional fee. The program runs from June 24 through July 26.

For more information, visit marlboroughsummer.org.

We had a busy month at Page Academy! On April 4, we held our Re-Enrollment Night and the next day we participated in “Move Up Morning” where our students followed the next grade level’s schedule for a sneak peak of what’s to come next year.

Standardized testing was in mid-April and I’m happy to say we got through it! On Earth Day, we held various events celebrating all that our planet gives us. We also held our Spring Scholastic Book Fair where we all stocked up for our summer reading.

We closed out the month with International Day on the 26th, showcasing our students’ heritage with many of them wearing traditional clothing from their families’ native countries. With the start of May, we will be in the last six weeks of the school year. We will start off the month by celebrating our amazing teachers with Teacher Appreciation Week!

Our students will also be preparing lovely surprise mementos for their moms and grandmothers in honor of Mother’s Day, with a special event planned for them that week.

On May 16th we will have an all-school field trip to the California Science Center. Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, students will participate in our annual Spirit Week, which will be filled with creative and cool costumes and spirit events.

BASKETBALL player shoots hoops at Immaculate Heart.

By Casey Russell

Tucked away in Hancock Park is Wagon Wheel School, a gem of a preschool that has been part of the neighborhood since 1948. When owner / director Ruth Segal purchased the school at 653 N. Cahuenga Blvd. in 1977, the school consisted of one building and a simple grassy area without trees, and it had only 37 pupils.

Today, 110 2- to 5-year-old children are enrolled at the preschool, which now is comprised of four buildings, including an auditorium. Many large trees (planted by Segal herself) offer shade for students’ outdoor play in varied areas. There is a large area for playing in the sand, a playground, space to create outdoor art and a grassy area for movement games.

Monthly themes

Each month at Wagon Wheel follows a different theme. April was “Children of the World,” which exposes children to a wide variety of cultures. Pictures from around the world

& Workshops

adorn the walls alongside student artwork, and performers entertain while educating.

“Not knowing about other nationalities brings fear. So we like to bring it here through music and dance performances,” said Segal.

♥ Extended Afternoon Activities with Camp Little Heart ♥ Register at immaculateheart.org

New! Girls Summer Youth Sports Camp: July 15-19 and July 22-26

♥ Cross Country ♥ Softball ♥ Basketball ♥ Soccer ♥ Swim ♥ Volleyball ♥ Register at immaculateheart.org/youthsportscamp

Immaculate

Growing up as a child of diplomats who moved the family from country to country, the director learned to value diversity and also stability. Many of the staff members have been at the school for more than 20 years, and Segal speaks Spanish, French, Hebrew, Arabic and English. The books and toys the children are offered are far from cookie-cutter. They are as varied as the children themselves.

Active learning

Each classroom has materials appropriate for the growing skills and stages of the children. The school day is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (though the youngest children leave at 2 p.m.), but students are moving between activities approximately every half hour. “They go inside for story time, go outside to play, maybe go inside for a craft…” They are moving at a pace matched to their age, Segal told us.  Segal and the faculty value children’s opinions. They guide students by helping them notice their peers’ feelings, and they model behavior, rather than telling kids what to do.

Faculty and family

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• Patient instructors, gentle school horses

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The staff members at Wagon Wheel are also truly valued. Segal raised her own three kids at the school and ensures that all children of staff members attend free of charge. She also does fundraisers to raise money for staff bonuses, and paid vacations are given to all employees.  There is a family feel to the school that is reflected in the fact that Segal has stayed in touch with many alumni and their families. Parent participation is high at Wagon Wheel. Segal told us, “I want parents to feel empowered to be involved in their kids’ education.” The director also provides a Junior Helper Program for alumni 12 years of age. Interested alumni come for an interview and then help at the school during the summer for three hours a day.

Parent and Me

In addition to the preschool classes, Wagon Wheel offers a window into the school through its year-round Parent and Me classes. Two one-hour classes take place in the afternoons at 3:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The classes are taught by two staff members. To attend, children must be walking and accompanied by a guardian. During the classes, attendees participate in a mini school day where the children play, enjoy a snack, have circle time and do arts and crafts. The classes aim to get children and parents accustomed to being in a preschool setting. This helps eliminate the

fear that can exist when kids get ready to step into school for the first time. But it also allows families to get to know each other and to start making connections, which Segal feels is vital in a city as big as Los Angeles.

Parent and Me classes are $50 per class, and tuition for full time preschoolers is $2,100 per month, though scholarships are available. For more information about the school or the Parent and Me classes, visit wagonwheelschool.org.

THE BUCKLEY SCHOOL

By Max Terr 10th Grade

Back with the Buckley school, spring is here but the news is not all good.  Unfortunately, plans for the Buckley library demolition are in place.  It is not happening without students being up in arms. Special social media accounts such as the @ walkoutbuckleylibrary have been created in order to further the protest of the library’s demolition. The heart of the bustling campus, created to help students pursue their academic career, is being discarded without parent and student input. We sincerely hope to have a dialogue to save the library.

PRESCHOOLERS take advantage of an outdoor art area to try some Jackson Pollock-like artwork.

YOUNG LEARNERS use a program called Handwriting Without Tears.

STUDENTS enjoy some indoor playtime.

OWNER / DIRECTOR Ruth Segal in front of Wagon Wheel School’s auditorium.

The beauty of not taking our children’s behavior personally

By Casey Russell

Picture this: while at the grocery store, your 6-yearold loudly calls you a mean witch when you refuse to buy the sugar cereal. Or this: your 10-year-old leaves her dishes on the table for the umpteenth time, and then stomps out glaring at you when you remind her to put them in the dishwasher. Or this: your teenager calls you the worst dad ever and slams the door in your face when you won’t let him spend the night at a new friend’s house until you have the friend’s address and the parents’ phone number.

As a parent, it can be difficult not to take our children’s behaviors personally. It’s something I’m still working on. Things can just seem so intentional and pointedly aimed. But the truth is, most of the time, our children’s behaviors are not orchestrated to hurt us or to push our buttons. Their behaviors come from their feelings and from their perceived needs.

Most of the time, when our children behave in undesirable ways, they are venting their frustration and anger about the current circumstance. The behavior is simply the way our child is dealing with his or her feelings. From the child’s perspective, we have caused the circumstance, so the venting is aimed at us.

But, here’s the thing: when we take our kids’ less-thanpleasant behaviors personally, we end up reacting with tension and anger. Our children pick up on our body language, facial expression and tone of voice. Instead of bringing calm to the situation, we heighten the tension because our dysregulation (trouble

PILGRIM SCHOOL

By Allison Pak

9th Grade

Tips on Parenting

by Casey Russell

controlling one’s emotional responses) adds to theirs. What follows is a struggle for power and control. Words fly back and forth, and nothing is really gained.

When we find ourselves in a situation like this, the best thing to do is to pause. Take a breath. If you need to step away, say, “I’m feeling angry, and I don’t want to yell, so I’m going to take a minute to wash my hands / stretch my body so I can get myself calm before we figure this out.” If you need the minute, take it. It’s good for our children to see us modeling ways to calm ourselves. If you just need the breath, take that, and then strive to see the situation from your child’s point of view.

Understanding vs. fixing

This shift in perspective can make a world of difference.

When we take a moment to remember that our kids have personalities of their own — personalities that come with their own needs and wants — we realize they are not staying on the iPads (even though we’ve told them their time is up) to spite us. They are staying on because they love the games they are playing, and it’s hard to stop doing something they love.

Does this mean we let them stay on the iPad? No. Does it help us to reframe their behavior and make it less personal? Yes. The shift helps us to not get sucked into an argument. It helps us remain

Pilgrim Parents organized an Art Night for participants to make jewelry with recycled tiles.

calm so that we can hold our boundaries without anger. We can say, “I know you don’t like that you can’t stay on the iPad. It’s understandable that you’re mad. You love your game, and it’s hard to not play it as much as you would like to. It is time to turn the game off, but I’d love to hear about what you did in it today.” We can show our children that we understand their problems without striving to fix their

problems.

Becoming an investigator

It can also be important to be an investigator while taking our pause. We can ask ourselves what the underlying reason for our child’s dysregulation might be. Is she hungry? Is she tired? Has she had enough water? Did she just have a hard moment with a friend? Is she feeling lonely? Investigating helps us to look at the situation objectively

rather than with ruffled feathers. And, if we can try and climb into our child’s experience for a moment, we can become compassionate.

It is much easier to remain calm when we feel compassion. The beauty of striving to depersonalize our children’s behavior is that it enables us to listen with love, to calmly connect and to consistently follow through on the limits we have set.

2024

June 10-14 & June 17-21

ONE-WEEK CAMPS

June 24-July 26

FIVE-WEEK CAMPS

It was great to come back from spring break and experience the solar eclipse together as a community. We also had our first Fashion Show at Community Monday. Students (the designers) went shopping at Goodwill, for their models (students, faculty and staff). The clothes were sponsored by Goodwill to promote sustainability and reuse.

Our high school dance was partnered with the School of Los Angeles and it was nice to collaborate together for a wonderful time.

New families were welcomed at the New Family Reception in mid-April.

Our school musical is “Oliver,” and performances are on April 25 and 26. You don’t want to miss it!

Junior kindergarten through 8th grade students got to go to Elysian Park for our school’s annual Outdoor Education Day, and to celebrate Earth Month, Clay LA is May 4, 5 Craft Contemporary’s ceramic marketplace and fundraiser, Clay LA, is Sat., May 4, noon to 5 p.m., and Sun., May 5, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Workshops are free with price of admission. Visit craftcontemporary.org.

Larchmont Charter volleyball is a dynasty in the making

Sports dynasties are rare and wonderful for fans: the multiple titles year after year, superstar players, and every home game a sellout. But what exactly are the necessary ingredients for a sports dynasty?

The coach Larchmont Charter Middle School volleyball coach Keith Harris understands the value of

Youth Sports by Jim Kalin

exposing his players to dynasty. “When I was in college, my coach, Dan Hays, took me to see Gonzaga [University Bulldogs] practice. On that team

were Adam Morrison and Ronny Turiaf. I remember that being a turning point in the way I practiced and approached basketball.”

In March, Harris took members of the Larchmont Charter boys’ volleyball team to Loyola High School to watch them play Corona del Mar. At present, Loyola’s volleyball team is ranked No. 1 in the country, and Corona del Mar is No. 5.

“I wanted my guys to see

how nationally ranked teams warmed up, played together, communicated…and how hard they competed. I know my players want to make it to that level, and they needed to see that it’s possible.”

Harris played college basketball and then played professionally for a brief time in Germany. When he started as a physical education coach at Larchmont Charter, he was also hired to coach basketball.

Volleyball is a new sport for him, but one he has grown to love as much as basketball. He is currently taking a volleyball class at Pierce College, and he attends a coaches’ clinic at Bishop Mora Salesian High School on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

“It’s helped make me a better coach.”

The players

Harris coaches the Larchmont Charter girls’ team in the fall and the boys in the spring. Volleyball is one of the few sports where the girls’ and boys’ seasons do not run concurrently. This unique setup enables him to coach both teams.

Volleyball is a relatively new sport for boys at Larchmont. Presently, they are in their third season.

“Larchmont has always been known for boys’ basket-

ball,” said Harris. “Now the girls see something they can be recognized for.”

Harris had about 80 girls try out for the grades 5-6 and 7-8 volleyball teams, and he had to decide on just 24 players. The amount of talent made it impossible to just pick two squads of 10, so he added two players to each group.

On Nov. 16, 2023, the Larchmont girls 7-8 grade team won its league playoff finals, and the team finished the season undefeated.

In March 37 boys tried out for the grades 7-8 teams. Last season’s boys’ team had ended runner-up in the league, which motivated more to try out this spring. Harris will have an A squad and a B squad. The extra Harris knows that putting in the extra work is also a must, and that’s what his players do. Alice Killoran did not make the girls’ team two years ago, so she worked hard over the summer and, in November, played on that championship squad. She was also that games’ captain.

(Please turn to Page 19)

Good Shepherd music program commended again

To qualify for the award, which has been given out by the foundation for the past 25 years, Good Shepherd responded to a detailed questionnaire that was reviewed by the University of Kansas’ Music Research Institute. Good Shepherd was one of only 19 schools in the state of California to be honored at the individual school level.

Last season’s team MVP, Noah Riddell, plays off-season for The Beach Club in Santa Monica. He and fellow Larchmont teammates Ian Yoo, Good Shepherd Catholic School recently received the Support Music Merit Award — for the fifth year in a row. The Beverly Hills-based school was honored by the National Association of Music Merchants, a foundation dedicated to advancing participation in music, for providing high quality music education to Good Shepherd’s students.

UCLA Bruins basketball, The San Francisco 49ers and the New York Yankees.

GIRLS’ TEAM (back row, left to right): Abigail Makray, Mayli Hernandez, Winnie Baird, Zuri Jacobs, Sofia Foster, Ellie Castillo. Front row, left to right: Coach Keith Harris, Stella Captain, Lily Kamenetzky, Emerson Basco, Meggan Martinez, Alice Killoran and Mia Geller.

THE WILLOWS

By Birdie Reynolds 8th Grade

TURNING POINT

By Lochlann O’Connell 12th Grade

It’s a summer of sloths, saber-tooths

By Casey Russell

For many people, these last few months of school can be full of dread for final tests, and anticipation of summer. However, I’ve always looked forward to these last months because of all the wonderful events The Willows has for its students.

Kicking things off on May 2 is our annual Party on the Pier. It is an event for future, past and present students to reconnect and have fun at Santa Monica Pier — a night that’s Willows only.

The 7th grade also has a very exciting trip to Georgia and Alabama. They will visit sites at which historical events during the Civil Rights Movement took place, and bring their learning outside of the classroom.

Lastly, we have our Spring Festival Showcase at which dance, rock band and choir all perform what they’ve been practicing for so long.

Everyone is excited for springtime at Turning Point. We are glad to see the shining sun and to shed our bulky sweatshirts. Our school garden is thriving as a result of all the rain. The first graders have been inspired to hold class in the garden and write haiku poems.

Our favorite springtime event is fast approaching — Poetry in the Park. Parents will enjoy spreading out their picnic blankets and hearing students’ Haiku poems and more.  Not only that, but each middle school class is looking forward to doing some hiking!  We’re heading to Kenneth Hahn State Park, and I can’t wait to check out the view from the overlook. We’ll see wildflowers, Culver City and even our school from up there! We are all thrilled about this excursion and the hands-on science activities our teachers have planned for us.

Youth Sports

(Continued from Page 18)

Luke Flexner, Joshua Jung and Everett Mohr frequent volleyball sessions at open gyms on the weekends yearround in Burbank, DTLA, and Santa Monica.

“I researched the open gyms and passed the

Children’s Learning Lab offers exceptional small-group and individualized online learning in reading and math for K-6 students.

info along to the kids,” Harris said.  “I let them decide if they want to attend. I’m extremely proud of the kids that are there every weekend. They play against adults, and, of course, the best teacher that you can ever have is experience.”

That, and a great coach.

Explore our offerings at childrenslearninglab.com or call 310-454-1560

The La Brea Tar Pits has a dramatic slate of offerings this summer. They get off to a slow start with “Summer of Sloths” from Sun., June 3, through Mon., Sept. 2. Visitors can celebrate the giant moseying mammals that lived here more than 10,000 years ago by taking a self-guided or docent-led tour.

The museum also offers its Excavator Tour, which explores the Fossil Lab, the Tar Pits’ past excavation sites and Project 23, an active excavation site. Tours are available at 1 p.m. on weekdays and at 10:30 and 1 p.m. on weekends.

Visitors young and old also may enjoy the museum’s 15-minute multimedia performance “Ice Age Encounters,” where a life-size saber-toothed cat puppet makes a memorable appearance. Film projections and live performances transport audience members to the mysterious past to learn about the extinct creatures who once roamed the area.

Showtimes for “Ice Age Encounters” are Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Admission is $6 in addition to the museum entry fee. Regular museum admission is $18 for adults,

$12 for seniors and students and $7 for children ages 3 through 12. Members and children under 2 enter free of charge.

The museum is located at 5801 Wilshire Blvd. Check tarpits.org to confirm dates and times.

A LIFESIZE saber-toothed cat puppet will bring some spark to summer.

BOYS’ TEAM (left to right): Noah Riddell, Ian Yoo, Luke Flexner, Sebastian Purg, Joshua Jung, Coach Keith Harris, Aiden Bae, Everett Mohr and Paul Vaillancourt.

THE CENTER FOR EARLY EDUCATION

By Griffin Miller 5th Grade

do The Stick Dance and the 6th graders’ dance is always something special, since it is their last Olympics at CEE.

Spring is the most exciting time of the year at CEE, and one of the highlights of this time of year will be the CEE Olympics this May. The Olympics are a big tradition at The Center for students, teachers and families. Before the Olympics start, the P.E. teachers break up each grade into four teams, and each team represents different countries from around the world. The teams are also our competition teams. The two-day event will start with the opening ceremonies, during which each grade performs a special dance in front of the whole school and the families. For example, the Kindergarteners always do The Chicken Dance, the 5th graders

There are many fun events at the Olympics, including the Zone Throw, the Forty Yard Dash, the Jump Rope, Basketball and more. The first-place team in each grade earns a medal, and then their point total competes against other grades to determine who gets gold, silver or bronze. Even though everybody doesn’t get a medal, we are all winners at the CEE Olympics.

CAMPBELL HALL

By Claire “Cal” Lesher 11th Grade

their new journey into university life.  School will wrap up fast from another remarkable year.  However, before school ends we are jam-packed with an ample amount of fun events.

We will have our annual CH Community Sunday Shine Your Light, during which the CH community unites for a day of service and outreach to help bag groceries for the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry. We will also have our annual Bagpipers Ball, proceeds of which benefit Campbell Hall’s Financial Aid Programs.

students to the Biltmore Hotel Downtown on April 19. To reflect the Great Gatsby-inspired theme of “Glitz and Glamour,” students dressed in “Roaring ’20s” attire as they danced, dined and celebrated this year’s Prom Court.

Many seniors also celebrated their college commitments this month, with members of the Class of 2024 planning to attend institutions such as Yale, Berkeley, UCLA and more!

of classes. A “Voices Envisioned” talk, our monthly-or-so event with spotlight speakers, is scheduled for April 10 and will be hosted by Rabbi Sharon Brous and Eric K. Ward. The talk is about allyship between Black and Jewish communities and it should be a riveting conversation.

College decisions will be made by May 1st, meaning April is either the most relieved or the most on edge seniors have felt in a while. Either way, the senior class has done a phenomenal job throughout the college application process.

After the 2024 “Prom in the Stars” was a smashing success, students began to prepare for final exams while seniors prepared to embark on

Also during the month of May, the Secondary Spring Music Concert Series gets into full swing. It will include the Spring Sing Choral, Evening of Jazz, popular music and the orchestra concerts. Additionally, the CH annual Dance Company Spring Concert will feature dancers in grades 5-12.

Congratulations to our Graduating class of 2024! We wish them the best in their new journeys, wherever they may lead. Thank you to our incredible teachers, faculty and staff for always being there for us. May you have a summer of adventures! See you in the fall, until next time.

IMMACULATE HEART

By Emmelyne Lay 12th Grade

As April ends, students now look forward to celebrating the beloved tradition of Mary’s Day in early May. The theme for this year’s event is “Mary, Untier of Knots,” and both students and faculty are preparing decorations, activities and dances according to this theme.

MELROSE ELEMENTARY

By Franklin Raghaven 5th Grade

Most juniors took the break to explore East Coast colleges and learn more about the process our seniors are so happy to now have behind them.

Melrose students have more field trips in May.  Third graders get to see a behindthe-scenes tour of CBS Studios, 2nd graders are going to a farm for veggie and fruit picking and to the natural history museum.  Fifth graders have guest artist David Brown teaching drawing.

Seniors will actually end their high school careers in a little over a month with prom being May 11 and their last day soon after the big dance.

Baseball has also been in full swing (pause for pun) all throughout spring break and has been killing it out on the pitch. That’s all for now!

CHRIST THE KING

By Zoe Griswold and Anjella Guiza 7th Grade

April was a month of celebration for the Panda community! The entire school community gathered outside on April 8 to watch the solar eclipse together. Students shared special glasses on the quad to view this rare event.

Our 79th Annual Spring Luncheon took place in mid-April and proved to be a successful community builder. Everyone enjoyed the lunch, entertainment and prizes in our decorated auditorium, which featured the theme “La Dolce Vita.”

Immaculate Heart’s Prom drew

Well that’s all the fun stuff.

Now we’ll move on to what every kid in 3rd grade and over dreads if you go to an LAUSD school. SBAC! It stands for Smarter Balanced Assessment System and is basically a hard test that takes all day for four days in 5th grade. Students are tested on different subjects.

Fifth grade has a little photo shoot moment going on soon.  Just kidding, it’s just a panorama picture with the fifth grade classes and the principal that the school hangs up in the office.

We can’t forget to thank our Melrose volunteers who help all year. In May we’re having a thank you breakfast for them. We wouldn’t be the school we are without them.

OAKWOOD

By Charlotte Zabel 11th Grade

Oakwood students returned from our month of Immersion and Spring Break to resume our second semester

Students returned from their spring break on April 8. Our soccer season is in full swing and the team is enjoying playing games each weekend. Track and Field team members are practicing their running skills in preparation for their upcoming meets.

On April 22, we celebrated Earth Day with a variety of activities. Some classes enjoyed watching the Disneynature movie “Earth.”

Our 5th and 6th grade students enjoyed a field trip to the Ronald Reagan Library. Our Pueri Cantores school choir is excited about their upcoming trip to Disney California Adventure Park next month. They will sing on the stage and then enjoy a day at the park.

At the end of the month, students received their third trimester progress reports. We hope that students will continue to do well and improve in all of their academic subjects!

MARLBOROUGH

By Avery Gough 12th Grade

AP Exams

start May 6 and run through the 17th. The last day of exams is also the last day of classes for the seniors. We will leave for Hawaii the following Monday and spend our final weeks as Marlborough students together. The rest of the student body finishes school on the 24th.  Juniors receive their class rings during the annual Ring Ceremony on the 9th. Parents, teachers, families and seniors will be there to pass the baton. It is a meaningful tradition and will feature speeches by the faculty and alumni. Juniors will perform their class song. It will be a heartwarming event.

Additionally, 9th graders will be inducted into the Upper School on the 22nd during the Pin Ceremony. These rising sophomores will receive their class pins, be allowed to wear a new skirt color, and will be granted new privileges.

We seniors will return from our Hawaii trip just in time for prom and then our graduation. It is incredible, nostalgic and unreal to think I am about to conclude my time at Marlborough. I feel privileged to have been able to represent Marlborough through this column and to have been given a plat-

NEW COVENANT ACADEMY

By Sue Jung Park 11th Grade

April was yet another busy month with many events!

The High School Student Council hosted our school’s prom. The prom’s theme this year was “A Night in Paris!” Delicious food, sweet desserts, photo booths and raffles for various prizes were provided at the event!

The middle school students enjoyed a field trip to Knott’s Berry Farm! In addition, the 8th grade class went on a weeklong trip to Washington D.C., chaperoned by our principal, Dr. Song!

New Covenant Academy also held its first Bible Bee! Through this competition, the students were able to gain a deeper understanding of the Bible and cultivate a closer relationship with God.

The Huskies also showcased outstanding performances from the preliminary rounds of the Association of Christian Schools International Math Olympics! Several students from grades three to eight earned themselves a spot in the upcoming divisional competition.

The boys’ volleyball season finished off strong as they persevered as a team, emerging victoriously! Go Huskies!

form to keep my community informed. Thank you, Larchmont Chronicle !

THIRD STREET SCHOOL

By Benjamin Dias Reino 5th Grade

It’s May already. I can’t believe it hap pened so fast!

With a beauti ful total solar eclipse in April, you may be wondering what other good things are coming this May. Star Wars day is coming up! May the fourth be with you.

The 5th graders are actually going on two more field trips. One of them will be a tour of John Burroughs Middle School. The other one is to the Los Angeles River. I’m really surprised we’re getting two more field trips considering we already had three!

Culmination is coming up and 5th graders are going to be performing two songs. There is going to be a multilingual

greet at the culmination, and I am going to audition to say “welcome” in the Brazilian Portuguese language. Our Smarter Balanced Assessment System tests are going to be starting this month and all the 5th graders know it’s going to be torture. This is the last time I’m writing for you guys, so I hope you have a great rest of the year!

LARCHMONT CHARTER HG@SELMA

By Elsie Mohr 4th Grade

watch “We Tell Stories” and their hilarious tales. They had a trunk full of props and they invited student volunteers to perform with them, which was a fun experience for everyone.

camp that HSH’s 6th grade class goes to every year. Last year’s 6th graders had a great time, and I’m so excited to go.

Last week, we took a field trip to Huntington Gardens. We went to Henry Huntington’s house and saw all the art, books and furniture he’d collected in his giant more-than-an-acre mansion. My favorite part was going to the Chinese Gardens and walking along the stone bridge surrounding the pond.

Here at Hollygrove, we have really been loving our assemblies! We had the Mime Over Matter organization come. Students got to watch and learn about different mime stories. The performers even taught us some moves, like how to make it look like there’s a wall in front of us and make it look like we’re having a tea party. We also got to

Speaking of fun, inquiry projects have really been taking shape. Mr. Patrick’s 3rd grade class has planned activities to do at pickup time like drawing and making crafts. Mr. Erik’s 4th grade class is installing clubs at recess time. There’s a newspaper club, craft club, tag game club and book club. No matter what your idea of fun is, Larchmont has it!

HOLLYWOOD

SCHOOLHOUSE

By Penny Yoon 6th Grade

Hail fellow, well met! (That’s Medieval speak for hi!) Next week, we’re going to AstroCamp! AstroCamp is an astronomy-based sleepaway

Last but not least, it’s almost time for our monthly buddy program. The buddy program partners younger students — usually kindergarteners or preschoolers — with older students. The older students read, play or do projects with the young children for a morning. My buddy is in kindergarten. She’s so fun and I can’t wait to see her again! Programs like this are one of my favorite things about going to a small school. We all get to know each other really well and have a good sense of community.

Housing (Continued from Page 1)

the Housing Element and the Incentive Program are not coordinated with existing Community Plans, according to United Neighbors, a statewide coalition of renters, homeowners and community organizations working with

our local Greater Wilshire homeowner groups.

“That is why we are having so many campaigns going on at one time trying to protect neighborhoods,” the group said of its mailings to residents and elected officials.

While a lot is going on, the main goal, the group stresses, is to push for den-

sity on commercial corridors while “being unrelenting in our opposition to densifying needlessly our existing single-family and sensitive multi-family zones.”

As to why there are so many programs being juggled at once, a City Planning spokesperson wrote in an email to the Chronicle, “In a city as large

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as Los Angeles, it is natural for there to be many different implementation programs ongoing at the same time, particularly around the topic of housing. Each of these programs has its own purpose and [they] work together. Information about these programs is available on the Los Angeles City Planning website.”

Public input on the citywide CHIP program — and how it impacts Larchmont and single-family neighborhoods — is underway.

Workshops in spring

Draft ordinances of the proposals were released last month, and more public workshops are expected in late spring, City Planning Dept. officials said.

“Los Angeles City Planning will hold a public hearing which will give an opportunity for the general public to provide additional comments.”

Then, “Los Angeles City Planning will begin the adoption process with public hearings at the City Planning Commission, followed by Planning and Land Use Committee, then City Council.”

Under proposals being considered, single-family neighborhoods are still at risk with the zoning changes being reviewed, according to United Neighbors.

“We showed the city that there was plenty of zoning capacity throughout all communities that would not require the densification of our single-family or sensitive multi-family neighborhoods,” the group wrote in an email to local readers.

Right to live in single-family neighborhoods?

“But, we all knew this push for density wasn’t just about capacity, but the desire by some [individuals and] groups to end the right to live in single-family neighborhoods. The Planning Department is getting a lot of pushback from these groups.”

Which is why United Neighbors is encouraging residents to reach out to planning and elected officials with their views to protect neighborhoods from multi-story buildings.

Also troubling to United Neighbors leaders is the delay of a hearing on a draft permanent ordinance to implement Mayor Karen Bass’ Executive Directive 1 (ED 1), “which means, every day, more problematic projects are being submitted with no guidelines for fast-track approval.

“We are being told groups opposed to restricting these ED 1 projects are contacting their council offices en masse.”

Another concern of United Neighbors is “transition areas” in the Housing Element and Community Plans. These are high-density areas

that back up to single-family homes without an adequate transition or buffer area.

And there also is a movement underway by United Neighbors and others to make the city staff’s proposals consistent with state law — so faith-based organizations only can build affordable housing on property owned by them on or before Jan. 1, 2024.

City staff proposes that any land bought by a faith-based organization at any time in any location would benefit from relaxed rules.

“This will become a big problem if we do not prevent this from happening,” the United Neighbors group wrote.

Both Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky and Hancock Park Homeowners Association (HPHOA) support “time of ownership” restrictions on the Faith-Based Incentive Program in the Housing Element. They support making the city rules consistent with the state’s “prior to Jan. 1, 2024” threshold.

If approved, as now drafted by staff, “the Planning Dept. will turn Faith-Based Organizations into land speculators, who along with investors can purchase land today with few restrictions on where [the parcels] are located or how many affordable units are required,” according to an email from the HPHOA.

For more information visit planning.lacity.gov and unitedneighbors.net.

At the Movies

(Continued from Page 13) adds a few more.

Ritchie does a disservice to the brave people who actually accomplished the audacious feat. The few protagonists are shown killing hundreds of Germans, many in hand-to-hand fighting, which, from what I’ve been able to determine, did not happen. Naturally, they all survive without a scratch. The movie starts with graphic mayhem, and it continues throughout. The heroes are all devil-may-care, Errol Flynn types who face danger with a smile, a laugh, and often a bon mot, but it’s a long way from the way war really is. The actual exploit, concocted by Ian Fleming and which laid the foundation for the British SAS and Black Ops operations, was apparently nothing like this.

Recommended reading:

“Hunting the Falcon” by John Guy and Julia Fox. Countering centuries of myth and misinterpretation, this illuminates the brutal, tragic relationship between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

“The Twist of a Knife” by Anthony Horowitz, an ingenious whodunit.

PRESERVATION

Miracle on Wilton Place. Sad saga has a happy ending and original bricks. Page 2

What’s up on Upper Larchmont? Find out at these local Boulevard spots. Page 10

The Nightmare on Wilton Place reaches a happy ending

Three years ago, I had the sad duty to report on the “Nightmare on Wilton Place,” the willful destruction of the interior of 215 S. Wilton Pl., Historic Cultural Monument #568. As City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources’ Lambert Giessinger described it, “It was one of the most egregious cases of demolition I have ever seen.” It was a shock that struck at the heart of the community preservation values in the Wilton Historic District. What made the demolition even further of interest was that it was a violation of the property’s Mills Act Contract, which carried with it substantial penalties, which, to the city’s credit, the city moved quickly to enforce.

For Marita Geraghty, the former owner of 215 S Wilton Pl., who had sold it to buyers who she was assured would be respectful stewards of the home that she and her former husband had lovingly restored and maintained, it was an ultimate betrayal. Neighbors reported dumpsters full of century-old oak flooring, fine paneling, light fixtures and bricks. Pictures would later reveal that the first and second floors had been brought down to the studs, a complete erasure of the historic interi-

On Preservation by

Brian Curran

or of a designated landmark.

Stop work

The damage was halted when the Office of Historic Resources, Council District 13 and the City Attorney jumped into action. A complete reconstruction of the lost interiors was ordered under the management of a preservation architect, and a subcommittee of the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission was formed to monitor progress. Work was slow and painstaking at the start, with the property owner slow to comply. But the architectural talent and diplomatic skill of preservation architect Michele McDonough, a specialist in Craftsman houses, got the project moving.

Marita Geraghty contacted me recently with some intriguing news: the restoration of the home was nearly complete. She had been given the opportunity to view the work of which she commented, “The story has as happy an ending as we could have

hoped for, considering how devastating the destruction was.  The firm brought in to do the detail work — extensive wood panels on the walls, all the moldings, recreating the pocket doors, rebuilding the fireplace and the original built-ins (many with leaded glass)…. It was a large, difficult job.  Having been to the home, I am feeling very grateful that almost all of it looks right. It doesn’t look exactly right, because old-growth wood was removed.  The wood looks new.  The floors don’t

have the amazing patterns that the original oak did, but, still, it’s a miracle that it got to this point.”

Intrigued, as I say, I wanted to see the work for myself. I reached out to Michele McDonough who agreed to meet me for a walk-through. When I arrived, Ms. McDonough greeted me with Roy Yun, the perpetrator of the original demolition, who looked rather sheepish. Entering the house is almost like stepping back in time or onto a movie

(Please turn to Page 3)

ORIGINAL living room in 2021.

DESTROYED living room in 2021.

On Preservation

(Continued from Page 2)

set. The work was superb and to a high standard — smooth, crisp and glowing, like new — as the house must have felt when first built.

Construction on the project was carried out by KC Restoration, under the direction of Steve Lehne. While some elements like the fireplace brick and the lighting could

be salvaged, almost everything else was new. Beautiful oak floors were installed on the first floor and maple on the second. Flat-sawn fir paneling stained dark as black coffee adorned the walls. The built-in furniture was recreated with new leaded glass. The project also included accommodation to modern living with the installation of a new kitchen and three new bathrooms. The kitchen reused

some original cabinetry with new cupboards, respectfully echoing the historic carpentry. The project team is still awaiting final sign-off from the Cultural Heritage Commission, but there is ample light at the end of the tunnel.

The level of craftsmanship and quality of the materials could not have made the cost

of this restoration anything less than astronomical. An enormous penalty has been paid for the damaging of a home that should have been treasured. This is the lesson that must be imparted to sellers, buyers and real estate agents for historic properties. An understanding of preservation regulations, benefits and

obligations must be shared by all parties to avoid preventable consequences. All must be made to know that a house is not merely being exchanged, but a torch is being passed, and a responsibility for stewardship is being assumed, and that the burden of a historic property is not light, but is always worthwhile.

RESTORED living room.

DINING ROOM as sold in 2021.

DEMOLISHED historic dining room in 2021.

More responses re: Park(let)

By John Welborne

In the April issue of the Larchmont Chronicle , we shared reactions from readers to the very preliminary ideas about a possible “Larchmont Central Park(let)” that were presented in the March issue (tinyurl.com/4s7vsemz).

These are ideas being considered by neighbors and the board of directors of the Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA). The ideas were

expressed in concept drawings prepared for the LBA by Jeffrey Smith and his team at JMS Design Associates.

The LBA seeks to stimulate public discussion of the parklet concept and possible preliminary design approaches that might be used.

An additional response came from Larchmont Village Neighborhood resident Paul Nankivell, who wrote, in part: “Saw the article about the

potential for parklets in the middle of Larchmont and couldn’t be more excited.  ... I’ve had lots of ideas and hopes for the future of Larchmont, specifically regarding placemaking, parklets and community.

One thing I’d like to suggest about parklet furniture is to please consider different forms of wood parklets.

I’ve attached examples [one, from London, is shown here], but two things that I think these do versus traditional tables and seats is that they provide more seating and easily integrate plants and other greenery into the build.”

Discussing a possible Larchmont Central Park(let) will be a months- and years-long process, no doubt. The LBA continues to seek community feedback, positive or negative.

Windsor Square prepares for disaster: Are you ready for The Big One?

By Helene Seifer

It’s impossible to live in California and not be aware of the very real threat that at any moment an earthquake could roil the land beneath our feet, toppling buildings, destroying freeways and causing fires. How many of us are ready for The Big One?

Citywide

The City of Los Angeles Emergency Management

Dept. has addressed the lack of information about best ways to prepare for a disaster by establishing the “Ready Your L.A. Neighborhood” plan, or RYLAN. Lists of what a household or business needs in an emergency kit, which critical documents to gather (such as medical information and property records), and how to coordinate within a neighborhood or business

community can be found at ready.lacity.gov. Angelenos can also contact notifyla.org to sign up individually, or with friends or neighbors to take an in-person or Zoom RYLAN workshop.

Windsor Square

“The problem is RYLAN has a lot of steps and people wouldn’t do those steps,” says Windsor Square Association board member Steve Kazanji-

an. He notes that “Earthquake preparedness to me was the single most valuable thing we could do [as a board initiative] because it would save lives… The city has identified that the first 90 minutes [after an earthquake] are critical. Then, the first couple of weeks after The Big One, we’ll be on our own… Using RYLAN as the basis, we took the essence of it and created a streamlined program for Windsor Square.” They rebranded it Windsor Square Prepare.

Kazanjian and fellow WSA

board member Gary Gilbert have been working for a year to pilot the modified step-bystep guide using eight blocks in the roughly 70-block Windsor Square neighborhood. Gilbert is concentrating on refining lists to post on the Windsor Square Association website, such as the emergency kit supply list. Kazanjian is focusing on organizing the neighborhood. Although some preparedness information is posted on the website (windsorsquare.org) now, it

(Please turn to Page 11)

WOOD PARKLET idea from London, England, shared by Paul Nankivell. Photo courtesy of Meristem Design

POSSIBLE Larchmont Central Park(let) as seen in an aerial concept drawing.

PARKLET concept shown in a view from inside the city’s central surface parking lot. Renderings by JMS Design Associates

Please share thoughts with the chair of the LBA’s Beautifica-

tion Committee, Romi Cortier, at: romicortier@me.com.

Academy Museum pays homage to city’s filmmaker founders

By Suzan Filipek

Learn about the early days of filmmaking in Los Angeles at the new exhibit, “Hollywoodland: Jewish Founders and the Making of a Movie Capital,” opening Sun., May 19, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

It is the museum’s first permanent exhibition since it opened in 2021.

Told in English and Spanish, the origin story tells how the studio system would go on to transform Los Angeles into a global epicenter of cinema.

“The American film industry began developing amid an influx of immigration to

the United States by Jewish émigrés escaping European pogroms and poverty,” curator Dara Jaffe said in announcing the exhibit.

Most of Hollywood’s founders were in this wave of Jewish immigrants who recognized that the industry didn’t enforce the same antisemitic barrier as other professions, Jaffe added.

“The stories told in ‘Hollywoodland’ bring the intertwined histories of Los Angeles and the Hollywood studio system to life and resonate with stories of immigrants from around the world,” added Academy Mu-

seum Director and President Jacqueline Stewart.

The exhibit explores the original eight “major” film studios in a segment called “Film Frontier to Industry Town, 1902-1929,” and will also include showings of the documentary, “From the

Shtetl to the Studio: The Jewish Story of Hollywood.”

Public programs

Opening day on May 19 will feature two public programs.

The first is a book signing with Neal Gabler, author of “An Empire of Their Own:

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Ruscha discusses his first retrospective in 20 years

By John Welborne

Artist Ed Ruscha and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan sat together on April 3 in front of two long acrylic-on-canvas panels — the artist’s 2007 work, “Azteca / Azteca in Decline.” The artwork crosses a BCAM gallery wall about 60 feet long, and it served as a colorful backdrop for a lively discussion for the assembled art aficionados.

The purpose of the conversation was to kick off “Ed Ruscha / Now Then,” the artist’s first retrospective in 20 years. It continues at LACMA through Oct. 6. It first was shown at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Attendees on April 3 included Govan’s co-organizer of the exhibit, Christophe Cherix, the Robert Lehman Foundation Chief Curator of

Drawings and Prints at MoMA.

The exhibit is a collaboration among the artist and Govan and Cherix and their curatorial colleagues.

Near the end of the conversation, Govan said of the retrospective exhibit, to Ruscha: “You said the other day

that it’s like going backwards on a roller coaster.” Ruscha responded: “Oh well, yeah; a look in the rearview mirror; it’s an avalanche of things from my past that’s kind of jarring in a way.” But Ruscha also was emphatic that he is not done yet. Visit lacma.org.

DEDICATION of the Hollywoodland sign, Dec. 1923.

ED RUSCHA talks with Michael Govan at LACMA on April 3.

WARNER BROTHERS: Sam Warner, Harry M. Warner, Jack L. Warner and Albert Warner, undated. Photos courtesy Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Relive the glamour and Golden Age at Hollywood Heritage exhibit

By Suzan Filipek

See the costumes and glamour of Hollywood history in a new exhibit,  “Meet The Stars: 100 Years of MGM and the Golden Age of Hollywood,” at the Hollywood Heritage Museum.

The celebration of Hollywood’s golden era (1926 to 1960), with a special nod to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios’ 100th anniversary, features vintage costumes, rare photographs and more — all culled from more than 20 private collections.

The exhibit is open weekends through June 16 at 2100 N. Highland Ave.

Costumes

Highlights include a Judy

Me in St. Louis,” as well as clothes worn by a Golden Age all-star line-up that includes: Greer Garson, Hedy Lamarr, Marion Davies, Clark Gable, Eleanor Powell, Cary Grant, Ann Miller, William Powell, Mae West, Dorothy Lamour and Shirley Temple.

Besides clothing, rarely seen photographs and personally owned items will allow visitors to humanize the stars of the silver screen from yesteryear.  Memorabilia, more

Among the items on display is a Technicolor camera that filmed “The Wizard of Oz” and “Gone with the Wind.” Rare memorabilia related to the 1932 feature “Grand Hotel” feature a guest register signed by Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Louis B. Mayer and Cecil B. De-

Mille. The display also includes premiere programs and photos.

Across from the Bowl

The museum is housed in the legendary Lasky-DeMille Barn across Highland Avenue from the Hollywood Bowl. The Barn is where the first feature-length film was produced in 1912. The 1901 barn-turned-studio was designated a California Historic Landmark in 1956.

According to Museum director and co-curator Angie Schneider, “This is the first time the Hollywood Heritage Museum has done an exhibit on this scale.”

Curator and longtime movie memorabilia collector Darin Barnes says, “It’s been so gratifying connecting with fellow collectors around the country to bring these one-of-a-kind

items together in one space.” Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m weekends. Parking is adjacent. Check ahead to confirm days and times. General admission is $10. Visit hollywoodheritage.org.

the 1948 feature “Let’s Live a Little” are among items on display in the legendary Lasky-DeMille Barn.

Academy Museum

(Continued from Page 6)

How the Jews Invented Hollywood,” 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Ted Mann Theater Lobby.

Following that at 6 p.m. in the Ted Mann Theater is a “Curator Conversation”

where Gabler will talk with curator Dara Jaffe. Jacqueline Stewart will moderate.

The exhibit is in the LAIKA Gallery at the Academy Museum on the corner of Fairfax and Wilshire at 6067 Wilshire Blvd. Learn more at academymuseum.org.

Right: A 1938 PAINTING of Hedy Lamarr by actor Reginald Gardner titled “The Scorpio” and a gown she wore in

Garland costume from “Meet OPENING DAY of the exhibit last month drew a crowd.

THE ORIGINAL WIG used by MGM to change Lucille Ball’s hair color to its famous red.

ON THE SET of “Ben Hur” (1925).

Photo courtesy Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Burroughs Middle School modernization on track as cost rises

By Suzan Filipek

Cost projections for the John Burroughs Middle School Modernization Project have been on the upswing since it was first announced.

In the earliest days of the approval process, 3 to 5 years ago, the total cost was estimated at $208 million. The figure was adjusted after the project was bid and awarded to a contactor in 2021.

A large sign in front of the school states the cost is $263 million, which was the estimate when the sign was made.

The actual figure today?

It is approximately $270

LIBRARIES

FAIRFAX

161 S. Gardner St.

323-936-6191

JOHN C. FREMONT

6121 Melrose Ave.

323-962-3521

MEMORIAL

4625 W. Olympic Blvd.

323-938-2732

WILSHIRE

149 N. St. Andrews Pl. 323-957-4550

HOURS

Mon. and Wed., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tues. and Thurs. noon to 8 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Libraries will be closed Mon., May 27 for Memorial Day.

million, according to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

When the project is complete in 2027, the nearly 11-acre campus at Sixth Street and McCadden Place will have new buildings, 27 new classrooms (making the total number 71), improved handicapped accessibility, strengthened security and improved parking, according to the Project’s Final Environmental Impact Report.

Resident responds

One resident across from the school took issue with many of the points in a recent Larchmont Chronicle article (“Modernization on track at Burroughs School,” April 2024), including the article’s quoted cost (explained above).

The resident continued in

an email to the Chronicle, “I would be interested in knowing how LAUSD’s plan to relocate the buses to the JB parking lot will solve the problem of cars driving on the wrong side of the street of S. McCadden Pl. going north during dismissal because the cars in the carline are double parked? How will relocating the buses stop the cars from blocking neighbors’ driveways? The carline should have been relocated, not the buses.”

The LAUSD spokesperson responded: “The relocation of the buses off of McCadden Place will not solve the entire traffic problem, but it will significantly reduce it. It will also improve student safety and traffic flow on McCadden during student drop-off and pick-up.”

June vs. McCaddden

As for the reader’s claim that McCadden Place residents were being ignored in favor of June Street residents — “that is simply not the case,” wrote the LAUSD representative.

Several examples were given by the district:

“In response to a neighbor complaint, we installed an 8-foot sound attenuating blanket on the inside of a construction perimeter fence across the street from that neighbor’s home on McCadden Place.

“In response to a complaint from a McCadden Place neighbor, we explored and lowered the construction vehicles’ reverse alarm beeping to the lowest volume allowed by law.

“In response to a McCadden Place neighbor’s complaint

Operation brings sparkle to Miracle Mile

By John Welborne

The Saturday morning clean-up on April 13 was nothing if not efficient. Many

hands indeed made light work, and there certainly was a strong turnout of hands from Miracle Mile residents

regarding idling construction vehicles, we instructed workers waiting at the entrance gate to wait away from McCadden Place.

“We strive to be good neighbors by addressing the concerns, issues and complaints raised with each of our projects, but construction is such a complex undertaking that it is impossible to avoid or remove every inconvenience — that is why we maintain communication with neighbors, parents and other stakeholders throughout. Ultimately, we hope that the purpose of this or any school construction project — which is to better serve our students and communities — will make the temporary inconveniences worth it in the long run.”

and business people.

It was a joint effort of the Miracle Mile Residential Association (MMRA), the Mid City West Neighborhood Council and Wally Marks and his housing project, The Mirabel.

Assisting and available for community interaction were Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky and Wilshire Division LAPD representatives.

OPERATION SPARKLE organizer and MMRA vice president Samantha Friedland (left) talks with clean-up volunteer Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky.

MIRACLE MILE’S Andrew and Vicki Sussman with just a bit of the trash collected in mid-April’s Operation Sparkle.

Design for Living

Local interior designer lives, works and plays in Larchmont

By Nona Sue Friedman

“If you can build a small community within the large city of Los Angeles,

that’s wonderful,” says local interior designer Sarah Shetter. And that’s just what she’s done.

Shetter lives in Hancock Park, has an office on Larchmont Boulevard, and frequents the Boulevard for meals with family and friends as well as vendors for her projects. She tries to keep it local. “It’s hard to spend less than 40 minutes on the Boulevard because of all the people you run into.”

Shetter started her design education at USC and then went to the Pratt Institute in New York for graduate school. While finishing her thesis, she worked at a New York design firm where she met Kate Brodsky, the late Suzanne Rheinstein’s daughter and former resident of Windsor Square. After finishing graduate school, Shetter headed back

to Southern California and was introduced to Suzanne Rheinstein.

“Rheinstein was a champion for young designers. She was always so giving, kind and helpful,” says Shetter. Shetter was not only charmed by Rheinstein, but also by her neighborhood and wanted to live nearby someday.

Shetter started her Hancock Park journey living on the sixth floor of the El Royale Apartments on Rossmore Avenue. “It’s a magical place, beautiful building, great views of the city lights, and my husband, my children and I had lots of friends there. I loved it,” reminisces Shetter. But she thought she should be responsible and buy a home, in the neighborhood, of course.

So they moved into a 1924 Mediterranean on Lillian

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THE ORIGINAL WOODEN molding frames the entrance to the dining room at a home on Plymouth Boulevard.

A PORTRAIT OF interior designer Sarah Shetter.

Is North Larchmont becoming a new hub for the design industry?

By Nona Sue Friedman

Staff at this newspaper began noticing a slight influx of design firms occupying spaces near our offices on North Larchmont Boulevard. Perhaps this is a trend that will continue, and maybe the area will become a satellite for West Hollywood and La Brea Avenue showrooms. Who knows?

Massucco Warner

Melissa Warner, a partner in the interior design firm, Massucco Warner, says “this is the only place I wanted an office,” when referring to her space at 560 N. Larchmont Blvd. She’s been there for 10 years. She lives just blocks away, walking distance to her office, in Windsor Square.

With her work on Larch-

mont and her home so close to Larchmont, she spends her free time on the Boulevard, shopping at the Sunday

Farmers’ Market, lunching on weekdays or picking up a hostess gift. She plainly states, “I love the Boulevard.”

Old Flames

Pop art for the MODERN home Old Flames

interpreting vintage matchbook and album art

Tom Hofer

310.600.8699

Commissions welcome!

facebook.com/collagesbytom • instagram.com/thenewtomhofer

With an undergraduate degree in business and a graduate design degree, Warner is very conscientious in keeping her projects on time and on budget. Additionally, “I like to make the project fun, enjoyable and exciting for my clients.”

One of her favorite parts of projects is highlighting what she refers to as forgotten spaces, a nook or a pass-through hallway, and making it a surprise star.

She can be reached at massuccowarner.com.

Walnut Wallpaper

The Willy Wonka of artisan wallpaper has come to Larchmont. The newest design showroom on the Boulevard, Walnut Wallpaper, opened in October 2023, and it carries scratch and sniff, glow in the dark, Disney, modern art and wallpaper recreating old scenes from the 1800s, just to name a minute sampling. The showroom is a feast for the eyes.

Norinne DeGal started the business in 2004 after transitioning from journalism. While working at design and fabric stores around town, she noticed some very cool and interesting, small-scale wallpaper manufacturers. With her journalistic instinct, DeGal dug deep and found some very underground product being manufactured. At the time, big companies were staying away from wallpaper. All of her friends and col-

leagues thought she was crazy when she decided to open a wallpaper store. Twenty years later, she’s still in business with a loyal following of trade and retail customers.

When asked about her most recent move, she shared how she loves being on the Boulevard. She finds it quiet and offering pretty much everything you need. DeGal especially likes that she doesn’t need to get in her car for much of anything once she’s at her store.

She also quickly noticed how tight-knit the community is here. “It’s like somebody cares and is watching out for others.”

(Please turn to Page 11)

SURROUNDED by saturated emerald and gold wallpaper is Melissa Warner, at a home she decorated in Windsor Square. MASSUCO WARNER design studio at 560 N. Larchmont Blvd.

WALNUT WALLPAPER owner Norinne DeGal poses in front of some artisan wallpapers at her store.

North Larchmont

(Continued from Page 10)

Studio AR&D

Perhaps you’ve seen the amazingly giant, 17’ window on the remodeled building at 424 N. Larchmont Blvd. That is Studio AR&D Architects.

This company first came to the Boulevard in 2007 and occupied 507 N. Larchmont Blvd. As the firm grew, it needed a bigger space. Studio AR&D bought its current location, a fixer a block south of its original location, and gutted and remodeled it and, in 2021, it became the firm’s new space.

The company’s focus is high-end custom homes. That means a minimum $3 million construction budget. Most of the projects are ground-up as opposed to re-models.

Despite being in Los Angeles, the company started in Palm Springs, and most of its work is still in the desert. However, principal owner, Sean Lockyer, would like to add more Los Angeles clients to the firm’s portfolio.

Check out studio-ard.com for more information.

Windsor Square Prepare

(Continued from Page 4) is expected that, by the end of 2024, finalized Windsor Square Prepare lists will be posted and other blocks in the Windsor Square neighborhood engaged.

Contact info

The pilot program is gathering contact information for the residents: names, phone numbers, addresses and skills each possesses that could help in an emergency. On each block, two locations get identified: an outside gathering site, or command center, where everyone initially meets after a disaster for assignments; and an indoor care center, the neighborhood triage center. Teams are created: communications, care and sheltering, utility, and safety and neighbor wellness. “The most important thing is to get people to know where to go and what to do,” says Kazanjian. Windsor Square residents who are interested in becoming an earthquake preparedness block leader should reach out by using the “Contact Us” page at windsorsquare.org. Those not living in Windsor Square are welcome to use the same contact to seek material to help create a modified RYLAN program in their neighborhoods. “It’s super easy,” says Kazanjian. “Let’s save lives together.”

DESIGN FOR LIVING

STUDIO AR&D REMODELED the building at 424 N. Larchmont Blvd., above. Notice the giant window in the remodeled building, at right.

Shetter

(Continued from Page 9)

Way, within walking distance of her workplace at 606 N. Larchmont Blvd. Her office has grown to include a total of three designers and a full time architect, Kate Christensen, who is instrumental in many of their design projects and remodels.

“The whole design process is enjoyable,” says Shetter, who continues that she particularly likes “making homes for people to live in and function well in with kids, dogs, cats, etc.”

Everyone at her office cares deeply about the projects they do and loves the old houses in this neighborhood, Shetter told us. “The homes speak to us. We don’t want to do them wrong.” She adds, “Given the choice, we would always only

choose projects in the Hancock Park area.”

Not only do many of her clients live in the area, but she also frequents many vendors nearby. One is L7, for light fixtures and furniture, and another is Plug Lighting. Both sell only to the trade and are located on Melrose Ave-

nue at Larchmont Boulevard.

Shetter’s clients are loyal and some return for work on multiple homes across the country. They seek her out when moving from one part of the neighborhood to another.

Shetter can be reached at sarahshetterdesign.com.

FLORAL WALLPAPER adds to the décor of a home on Van Ness Avenue.

DINING ROOM in a home on Van Ness Avenue.

LIVING ROOM in Van Ness Avenue home.

BEDROOM in a home on Van Ness Ave.

DESIGN FOR LIVING

TV City expansion reduces size a bit, but not controversy

n Hearing is May 15

By Suzan Filipek

While members of a community group note some positive changes in the recently revamped development project at the site of CBS Television City at Beverly and Fairfax, the proposed development is still too large for prime time, they say.

Increasing the size of the production studio is not the issue. They support that, the project opponents say. What they do not support is the surplus 550,000 square feet proposed for new general office and retail use unrelated to the studio and not of benefit to the community.

The development proponents for the Television City property released an updated proposal last month. If approved, it would permit up to 1.7 million square feet of stages, production support, production offices, general offices and retail uses, according to the proposed Specific Plan.

The opponents see the proposed new general office spaces as the problem.

The updated application to the Los Angeles City Planning Dept. eliminates 150,000 square feet of office space by removing a 15-story west tower. The proponents assert that this would result in a reduction of 5,000 daily car trips. The revision also adds other benefits to the community, developer Hackman Capital Partners said in a statement.

“While it’s a positive step forward, it’s not enough,” according to Danielle Peters and Shelley Wagers, co-chairs of Neighbors for Responsible TVC Development.

“The project is still 92 percent of the size of the original proposal — still roughly the size of two Staples Centers crammed into the middle of modestly-scaled homes, apartments, and businesses.”

In a telephone conversation last week, the co-chairs said, “The biggest issues for all the communities surrounding Television City is that there is still too much density… We feel it has very, very serious impacts on traffic, quality of life and public safety.”

The corner of Beverly and Fairfax now — with the existing 750,000-square-foot TV studio plus The Grove and the Original Farmers Market — already is associated with comments of: “Oh my god! The traffic,” they told us.

Imagine, the co-chairs say, adding 20 years of stop-andgo construction to the area, as the developer seeks.

Other concerns include emergency vehicles, and that

“the proposed Sign District includes digital signage with unclear impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods.”

A spokesperson in Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky’s office said she was grateful the developer responded to some of her concerns in the newly released documents. The Councilmember is, however, waiting until after community meetings before commenting.

Public hearing May 15

A virtual public hearing is scheduled for Wed., May 15 at 9:30 a.m. The meeting agenda will be provided no later than 72 hours before the meeting at planningla.org/hearings. Virtual meeting instructions will be provided on the agenda.

Hackman Capital said its “refinements are a result

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AERIAL VIEW LOOKING SOUTH, published in an “erratum” issued in April 2024 to “clarify and refine the EIR, and provide supplemental information for the City decision-makers and the public.” The document says that “within the conceptual aerial renderings provided... several of the building layouts have been refined.” Courtesy of Los Angeles Department of City Planning

DESIGN FOR LIVING

Hancock Park GC was host to 68 western gardening leaders

By John Welborne

A masterpiece of planning and execution was the just-completed Garden Club of America (GCA) Zone II Regional Meeting held in Los Angeles. Hostesses and organizers were the members of the local GCA group, the Hancock Park Garden Club (HPGC) — founded here in 1962.

Per its website, the local organization “furthers the knowledge and love of gardening for its membership and contributes to the beautification of the greater Hancock Park area through community projects.”

HPGC is one of the 199 garden clubs that are members of the GCA, which is a nonprofit national organization founded in 1913, with nearly 18,000 individual members. The GCA is composed of 12 regions, with Hancock Park being in Region XII, which includes 18 garden clubs, from Colorado west to Hawaii and from Washington State south to Los Angeles and Pasadena.

“Urban Oasis”

The logistically complicated, educationally stimulating, and socially memorable April 16-17 gathering in Los Angeles was titled “Urban Oasis” and was led by HPGC cochairs Flo Fowkes, of Windsor Square, and Gina Brandt, of Hancock Park.

They and their fellow ladies

of the local garden club had a total of 68 guests from other western United States GCA clubs. Each of the Region XII clubs was allowed to bring its president and one delegate. Additionally, the heads of the Zone XII committees (conservation, publications, legislative advocacy, etc.) were invited. Also attending were national leaders of GCA, including Marilyn Donahue, from Rye, New York, the current GCA president. For the Urban Oasis events,

the local HPGC members — other than president Michaela Burschinger of Brookside — did not attend; they just worked! The HPGC members were busy, per Fowkes, “staffing the meeting and executing the meeting’s details.”

Early arrivals

And the details were myriad, from presentations to tours to entertaining the visitors. Some of the out-of-town attendees did arrive early for optional events such as visits to the Academy Museum and the Magic Castle, a trip to Robinson Gardens in Beverly Hills, and more. There was a Sunday supper at the Fremont Place home of member Shar Penfold following Frank Lloyd Wright Ennis House tours arranged by HPGC member Priscilla Chase.

Robert Rock, ASLA

The official conference kicked off on Tuesday, April 16, at the home of member Jennifer Fain. The full contingent of guests gathered there for a backyard talk by Chicago landscape architect Robert Rock,

(Please turn to Page 15)

HPGC MEMBER Carolyn Bennett leads a group of visitors up the sidewalk from one Plymouth Boulevard house to the next.

URBAN OASIS opening session in the Jennifer Fain back yard was a presentation by Chicago landscape architect Robert Rock (at left, out of picture) about the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.

DESIGN FOR LIVING Garden Club

(Continued from Page 14)

who designed the local Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway near Agoura Hills Valley, and who described the how, why and where of the project and the progress made to date.

Six gardens

That completed, HPGC workers acted as guides to groups of 18 visitors who walked to six gardens, five of them on Plymouth and Windsor boulevards in Windsor Square, and one in Hancock Park.

In Windsor Square, the attendees saw: the Curran / MacLellan garden (where Larchmont Chronicle columnist Brian Curran spoke briefly about the preservation of the historic O’Melveny House), the Han / Park garden, the Miller garden (where HPGC member Pat Benner spoke about her design for that garden and the nearby Fischer garden) and the Rheinstein Garden.

The one Hancock Park garden was the Yust garden, where the late Clara Yust’s daughter, Allegra, gave tours of her mother’s expansive Italianate grounds.

Back in Windsor Square, and in the tradition of “exiting through the gift shop,” the next-to-last Windsor Square garden was that of Oona Kan-

ner, where there was a boutique shopping opportunity.

Carlotta Keely and Edie Frere spearheaded the al fresco boutique that featured: Windsor Square jewelry designer Olivia K; an umbrella designed by New Yorker (and Suzanne Rheinstein’s daughter) Kate Brodsky; totes and towels and flower-related paper goods from Landis Gifts and Stationery; needlepoint from

A Stitch in Time; and the Kilte cashmere collection. Proceeds support HPGC community projects. (Learn more at hancockparkgardenclub.com.)

Drinks and dinner

The last stop before dinner was the Windsor Square garden of Leah Fischer for a brief cocktail party hosted by HPGC members Marge Graf and Shelley Schulze, where the visitors were served hors d’oeuvre by

HPGC tray-passers including Daryl Twerdahl, Mary Pickhardt, Janet Loveland, Diane McNabb and others.

And then, it was off to eight local homes for HPGC member dinner parties in honor of the visitors. (Most of the outof-towners were staying at the Short Stories Hotel on Fairfax Avenue, right across from the Original Farmers Market.)

The Tuesday night din-

ner venues were the homes of HPGC members: Melanie Boettcher, with co-hostesses Wendy Guzin and Maggie Kuhns; P.J Clark, co-hosted by Rosie Juda, Annie Johnson and Anne Mansour; Pam Clyne; Elizabeth Debreu, co-hosted by Edie Frere and Julie Grist; Susan Humphreville, co-hosted by Susanna Funsten and Marla Ryan; Lisa Hutchins,

SHOPPING ASSISTANTS (and HPGC members) Caroline Labiner Moser (left) and Michaela Burschinger (right) stand with Olivia Kazanjian, proprietress of Jewelry by Olivia K at the Urban Oasis Boutique set up in the Oona Kanner garden.

THE ONE HANCOCK PARK GARDEN on the tour was the Italianate one of Larry Yust, through which his daughter, Allegra, toured groups of Garden Club visitors. VISITORS VENTURE up the driveway to see the Han / Park back garden. The front yard is mostly xeriscape, and the back yard is green.

By John Welborne

Public officials and the press gathered next door to the Petersen Museum on April 2. The purpose: Celebrate the recent completion of tunneling a ninemile subway extension from Western Avenue to the Westwood Veterans Administration campus. Work continues to complete the seven new subway stations. The event allowed members of the press to explore the mezzanine and track levels of the Fairfax Station.

SMALL WORK CARS travel on the tracks, carrying workers and materials.

TUNNEL extends to Westwood.

LOCAL PRESS covering the Metro event included, from left, John Welborne, Larchmont Chronicle; Liz Fuller and Patty Lombard, Larchmont Buzz; and Ed Folven, ParkLabrea News / Beverly Press.

MAYOR BASS celebrates completion of the two D Line (formerly Purple Line) nine-mile tunnels from Western Avenue to the VA campus in Westwood.

STATION GLASS CEILING at Fairfax will be atop the stairs and escalators.

Right: ESCALATOR AND STAIR connect the mezzanine level to the track level.

VISITORS learn about the track level of the Fairfax Station.

Anderson Munger YMCA hosts Olympic LAPD coffee with captain

By Nona Sue Friedman

Capt. Aaron Ponce of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Olympic Community Police Station addressed a crowd of about 50 residents at the Anderson Munger YMCA on April 11. He stressed the importance of community and working together at the Coffee with the Captain event.

Capt. Ponce told the crowd

Prostitution

he has reinvigorated a volunteer program. He recently has recruited eight young adults to help with language translation. This makes it easier for the officers to help the residents and makes the residents more comfortable talking to the police. Ponce added to those assembled at the Y, “We can use your help.”

Ponce also mentioned that

is on the rise in the area because of a repealed state code

By Nona Sue Friedman

Readers of the Larchmont Chronicle have noticed an uptick of “ladies of the night” in the neighborhoods flanking Western Avenue from Beverly Boulevard to Sixth Street.

For many years, this was a chronic problem in the area, according to police. Early morning walkers would see the aftermath of the evening and early morning activities thrown to the ground. However, more recently, neighbors have worked to curb these illegal trysts on family residential streets.

For example, when the late Councilman Tom LaBonge was in office, he worked with the Los Angeles Dept. of Transportation to install “no turning” signs on Western Avenue for

the hours between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The signs enable officers to pull over drivers who violate the restrictions.

Ridgewood-Wilton installed streetlights to make evening

(Please turn to Page 18)

the Olympic station is implementing the Citizens Academy again this year. Last year, about 45 people participated in the Academy. It’s a program where neighbors take a peek behind the magic curtain of the LAPD. They see firsthand how the station operates, learn about 911 calls and go on field trips. It’s a free, 12-week course that meets for three hours once a week.

Along with the captain, several senior lead officers spoke. They reiterated the captain’s message of encouraging community involvement with the LAPD and emphasized how much they need help and support.

SENIOR LEAD OFFICERS at the event were Joe Pelayo, Dan Chavez, Lucy Bermudez, Eric Millinedo and Dikran Melkonian.

NO TURNING signs were installed on Western Avenue to help alleviate the problem.

Burglar triggers alarm by breaking glass; multiple cars stolen POLICE BEAT OLYMPIC

OLYMPIC DIVISION

BURGLARY: A burglar triggered a home’s alarm by smashing the glass of the rear door while the victim slept. No property was stolen on the 200 block of South Norton Avenue, April 7.

GRAND THEFT AUTO:

Two 2023 Chevrolet Silverados were stolen from the street on April 2. One from the 500 block of North Irving Boulevard and another from the 200 block of South Manhattan Place.

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY:

TV City

(Continued from Page 13)

of input from and collaboration with residents and stakeholders in the Beverly / Fairfax community and direction from LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky.”

Hackman Capital reemphasized that its “extensive community outreach program” included nearly five years of studio tours, open houses, focus group sessions, distribution of over 100,000 mailers, hundreds of door-

DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Joseph Pelayo

213-793-0709

31762@lapd.online

Twitter: @lapdolympic

A victim at a multi-unit building confronted a suspect about broken screens on the 500 block of South Gramercy, April 5.

to-door conversations, and face-to-face meetings with nearly 3,000 neighbors.

“Television City has increased its commitment to getting employees and visitors out of their cars by making its transportation and mobility program one of the most robust in the City. These refinements — when taken together — will eliminate approximately 5,000 daily car trips from local streets,” the developer stated in its April 5 release.

Proposed as the city’s first all-electric studio, the TVC

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Furnished by Interim SLO

De'antraye

Dantzler

213-793-0708

40675@lapd.online

Twitter: @lapdwilshire

WILSHIRE DIVISION*

BURGLARY: A burglary occurred in a home on the 100 block of South Citrus Avenue on April 2, at 2:30 p.m.

Project would use renewable energy under the new design from the new architecture team of Foster + Partners, Adamson Associates Inc. and RIOS.

“Television City is committed to being a good neighbor for the long-term, which starts with listening. We are grateful to all Project stakeholders for their participation in our outreach process…” said Michael Hackman, Founder and CEO of Hackman Capital Partners.

Operating since 1952, the iconic studio was the home of “All in the Family,” “Sonny and Cher,” and more recently “Dancing with The Stars” and “Real Time with Bill Maher.”

Supporters of the Project include the Mid-City West Neighborhood Council, Park La Brea Residents Association, Fairfax Business Association, Melrose Business Improvement District, West 3rd Street Business Association, Holocaust Museum LA, Los Angeles Conservancy, Los Angeles Parks

Prostitution

(Continued from Page 17)

parking brighter and less desirable at night. Additionally, the city was more responsive to residents requesting tree trimming near the residential streets where prostitutes would direct their customers’ vehicles.

So why, suddenly, has prostitution increased? The Chronicle found that — as of Jan. 1, 2023 — California

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Furnished by Interim SLO

Hebel Rodriguez

(213) 793-0715

35738@lapd.online

Twitter: @lapdwilshire

GRAND THEFT AUTO: A car was stolen between April 3 at 3 p.m. and April 4 at 9 a.m. from the 700 block of South Sycamore Avenue.

BURGLARY THEFT

FROM VEHICLE: A car was stolen near Citrus Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard on April 3, at 4 a.m.

ROBBERY: A street robbery occurred near La Brea Avenue and First Street on April 5 at 2:50 p.m.

* The Wilshire Division is working out the kinks of a new RMS (Records Management System) and apologizes that it is unable to provide more details before press time.

PROPOSED Television City main vehicle gate on Beverly Boulevard opposite Genesee Avenue.

Courtesy of Foster + Partners and Television City Foundation and FilmLA.

Others who join Neighbors for Responsible TVC Development in seeking further reductions to the proposed project include the A. F. Gilmore Co. (owner of the Original Farmers Market), Caruso (owner of The Grove), Miracle Mile Residential Association, Beverly Fairfax Community Alliance and the Park La Brea Impacted Residents Group.

Penal Code Section 653.22 (PC 653.22) “loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense” was repealed. It was replaced with Senate Bill 357, which Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco sponsored. His bill passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law, repealing the restrictions long in effect.

According to Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Senior Lead Officer Joe Pelayo, speaking of the increasing problems near Western, “the Vice Division of West Bureau is aware of the situation and they are on it.” Vice is con-

“We absolutely don’t oppose the total project. We support reinvigoration of the industry and expansion of the studio. But [this project] is out of scale [with the character of the neighborhood], and the 550,000 square feet of office space has no relation to the studio,” the Alliance co-chairs said.

The city’s website with the documents for the proposal is: tinyurl.com/ycy65stp.

ducting monthly operations, Friday through Sunday, in the area, says Pelayo.

However, he says that — with old PC 653.22 no longer in effect — officers cannot question or arrest individuals for loitering on the street. Officers have to catch the perpetrators in the act. That takes a lot of police power and, simply put, LAPD is short-staffed.

To try to mitigate the situation, Pelayo urges residents to keep areas near their homes well lit, to install motion detector lights and to trim trees so parking areas aren’t as dark and inviting.

Humor is a funny thing, especially in Gabrovo, Bulgaria

Last fall I visited Bulgaria. I knew the country was famous for several treasured exports: rose oil from Kazanlak just south of the Balkan Mountains, wine from the country’s five distinct viticultural regions and, perhaps most notably, yogurt.

But the export of one city, Gabrovo, puzzled me. “Oh yeah, it’s the city of humor and jokes,” a local man in the capital city, Sofia, responded when I told him Gabrovo was one of the stops on my road trip through the central part of the country. “How does a city become known as a center for something as intangible as humor?” I wondered.

Humor itself is a funny thing. The word originates from the Latin “umor,” meaning “body fluid,” a reference to ancient times when Greek and Roman physicians believed that the body was made up of four vital substances called humors — blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile — and that any physical malady was caused by an imbalance of the four. The theory, called “humorism,” was the dominant system of medicine in the Western world until as recently as the 19th century. This use of “humor” leaves its imprint still today — while

one definition is “something designed to be comical or amusing,” the word is also used to describe one’s mood or temporary state of mind, as in “ill” or “good” humored.

The definition of “comedy” has also shape-shifted over the centuries. To the Greeks and Romans of antiquity, a comedy was simply a stage play with a happy ending. The sense is reflected in the formation of the word, from the Greek “kômos,” meaning “revelry, carousal or merrymaking,” and “oide,” the Ancient Greek word for a singer or poet.

The ancient Athenian playwright Aristophanes made his derisive commentaries on politics and philosophy through caricature, or a distorted or exaggerated portrayal of a subject. The name of this “inflating” comedic device evolved from the Italian “caricare,” meaning “to load,” which itself originates from the Latin word for a twowheeled wagon, “carrus.”

Caricature is a form of mockery, itself defined as insulting action or speech that highlights one’s unflattering characteristics. “Mockery” is thought to come from the Vulgar Latin “muccare,” or the blowing of one’s nose as a scornful gesture. Take a sim-

Garden Club

(Continued from Page 15) with co-hostesses Ginger Lincoln and Gill Wagner; and Marnie Owen, co-hosted by Stacey Twilley and Shelley Schulze.

David Rubin, FASLA

The next day was a business meeting and awards luncheon at Wilshire Country Club. The Wednesday keynote speaker was another national heavyweight in the landscape field, David Rubin, FASLA. From Philadelphia, Rubin had been the 2010-2011 recipient of the GCA’s Rome Prize in Landscape Architecture. His prominent firm emphasizes “socially-purposeful design strategies … landscapes that create positive change.”

Understandably exhausted after all was said and done, Fowkes still wanted to point out that, “Of course we did our own floral arrangements”

ulated sneeze too far and you get the Latin “mucus,” the origin of the Vulgar Latin word which translates to — you guessed it — snot.

Adding to the list of ways to elicit a laugh at another’s expense is sarcasm, a concept clearly designed to inflict pain. The word originates from the late Greek “sarkazein,” a verb literally translating “to strip off the flesh.” It shares a common root — “sarkos,” meaning “flesh” or “piece of meat” — with the word “sarcophagus.” While “sarcasm”

devastates through ironic speech, the above-ground coffin used by Egyptian pharaohs was said to be made from “flesh-eating stone.”

The humor capital

When I finally arrived in Gabrovo, I made my first stop the Museum of Humour and Satire in the city center. The museum’s permanent collection tells the history of Gabrovo humor, which became part of the local culture when the city developed into a major industrial center during the 19th century. As the manufacturing of textiles and leather goods flourished, local merchants would convene in large openair markets and while away the hours chatting and gossiping. Humor — and particularly jokes about Gabrovans’ alleged stinginess — became a new, native vernacular.

As I continued to browse the museum, some of the most beloved of these jokes appeared as visual symbols: a bronze sculpture of a cat with a cut-off tail (based on the lore that the citizens of Gabrovo are so frugal they cut the tails off their cats so that when they let them outside they can close the door more quickly to save on heating costs); a large ceramic egg outfitted with a tap (a whimsical ode to thrifty cooks who make do with just a fraction of an egg’s contents); and a clock with a tethered minute hand (quipping that Gabrovans stop their clocks when they go to sleep to save the clocks’ cogwheels from wear and tear). Gabrovo’s ephemeral export — just as cherished as any other — is a tradition of joyful self-deprecation, all done in “good humor.”

(spearheaded by member Christine Lowry with her committee of Rosie Juda, Mary Pickhardt and Anne Mansour).

Word Café by Mara Fisher

GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA guests in the garden of Leah Fischer were served hors d’oeuvre by HPGC passers. Shown in this photo are servers Daryl Twerdahl, Mary Pickhardt, Janet Loveland and Diane McNabb.