Larchmont Chronicle
VOL. 61, NO. 7
• DELIVERED TO 76,439 READERS IN HANCOCK PARK • WINDSOR SQUARE • FREMONT PLACE • MIRACLE MILE • PARK LA BREA • LARCHMONT •
IN THIS ISSUE
More stores to open on Larchmont
Big turnout for launch of ‘Zev’s Los Angeles’
n Mercantile almost full
n Veritable who’s who at full-house event
PETS OF LARCHMONT
14
GET ‘EM while they’re hot. 5
‘THE PLACES’ make an entrance. 2-2
By John Welborne The official book launch for Zev Yaroslavsky’s long-awaited memoir, “Zev’s Los Angeles,” gathered a crowd of locals and distinguished friends of Zev from across Southern California. The event took place at Chevalier’s Books on Larchmont Boulevard on May 30. The full house included the author’s son (and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge) David Yaroslavsky, attending with his wife, Fifth District City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, their three young children and other family members. Also in the audience were many longtime former Yaroslavsky staff members well known to constituents who worked with the Yaroslavsky See ‘Zev,’ p 3
Ratkovich is focusing on homelessness n ‘Distiguished Citizen’
CITY’S history as told by marionettes. 2-6 For Information on Advertising Rates, Please Call Pam Rudy 323-462-2241, x 11 Mailing permit:
By John Welborne At a recent Rotary Club of Los Angeles (Rotary 5) special luncheon held at the Jonathan Club in Downtown Los Angeles on June 9, Rotary 5 presented Wayne Ratkovich, of Windsor Square, with its Distinguished Citizen Award. The recognition is for an Angeleno who leads the community in the spirit of Rotary’s motto “service above self.” Following a fascinating and fact-filled introduction of Ratkovich by leading local architect Brenda Levin, FAIA, the honoree finally took the See Ratkovich, p 12
Women of Larchmont
Our annual section, which has honored local women since 1965, will be in the August issue of the Larchmont Chronicle. Advertising deadline is Mon., July 10. For more information contact Pam Rudy, 323462-2241, ext. 11.
JULY 2023
ZEV YAROSLAVSKY waits in the front row while Bert Deixler, co-owner of the bookstore and a Windsor Square resident, welcomes guests to the book launch at Chevalier’s Books. Photo by Gary Leonard
Zoning considered for TV City; tours, drinks offered
n Opponents ask for more ‘substance... less smoke’ By Suzan Filipek The developer of the proposed expansion of the vast Television City property at Beverly Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue is making a full-court PR press throughout the community surrounding the project directly north of, and adjoining, the Original Farmers Market and The Grove. Tours are being offered of the historic Television City facilities, where the project continues to be mired in controversy. Developer Hackman Capital Partners seeks adoption of a Specific Plan for the property that it purchased from CBS Corporation in late 2018. The application for the TVC 2050 Project also seeks city designation of the property as a “regional center.” If approved, the designation would allow buildings with heights
TVC 2050 PROJECT was on display at Tarfest.
up to approximately 20 stories on the 25-acre site. The proposed new zoning would also allow 1.9 million square feet of sound stage, office and other uses, plus 1.6 million square feet of additional development. The developer says the project would create jobs and modernize and expand the aging TV studio, originally deSee TV City, p 22
By Casey Russell The Boulevard will soon have a stylish office supply shop. Shorthand, specializing in beautiful desk paraphernalia, recently signed a lease for one of the last available spots at the Larchmont Mercantile building, according to a spokesperson for the Mercantile, the new multi-shop building that originally was built as the Lipson Building in the 1920s. Since 2016, Shorthand has brought office goods to the Highland Park area of Los Angeles. Now Larchmontians will get to stop in a new, chic shop to get greeting cards, notebooks, pens, pencils and custom stationery, among other things. A lease also has been signed for the space previously occupied by POLA at 129 N. Larchmont Blvd. across the street from Shorthand between Le Petit Greek and Village Pizzeria. The new store, Duer, currently has a location at 170 S. La Brea Ave. Duer will sell “stretch performance denim” and lifestyle apparel. Designed for comfortable movement, Duer’s wares are crafted from plants and recycled materials. Speaking of Village Pizzeria, we understand that the new owners [“Tenant construction underway at Boulevard shops, some opening,” Nov. 2022] and their predecessor are seeking arbitration to try to resolve a dispute conSee Larchmont, p 13
Summertime events, fireworks planned
n Holiday celebrations
Bursts of color are expected to once again light up the night sky above the Wilshire Country Club and our surrounding neighborhoods on July 4, commencing at 9 p.m. A legal glitch for multiple venues cancelled the program last year, following a brief restart in 2021 after the patriotic program was put on hold due to COVID-19. This year, backyard barbecues, block parties and other summertime activities are expected to be back in all their glory. Enjoy!
THE SKY WILL BE ABLAZE with color above Wilshire Country Club on Independence Day, Tues., July 4.
www.larchmontchronicle.com ~ Entire Issue Online!
2 SECTION ONE
Editorial
Calendar
By John Welborne
Anarchy What are some synonyms for anarchy? Lawlessness is one. Disorder is another. Query: Do drivers park illegally in the center of the street on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills or in the middle of any street in Pasadena or Long Beach? Do they run through stop signs, oftentimes at unreasonably high speeds, in those towns? Endangering pedestrians and others there? As they do in the City of Los Angeles? As they do on Larchmont Boulevard? [See Letters to the Editor on this page.] Such transgressions affect public safety and the quality of life on Larchmont and throughout the City of Los Angeles. We have lawlessness. Despite adopted laws, city departments do not enforce our laws. And why is that? Because the elected City Council members, Mayor, and City Attorney apparently do not press the city department heads for enforcement of these laws. It seems obvious, in a city as vast as this one — of 500 square miles — that we have insufficient LAPD traffic officers to pose a threat to the sons and daughters of anarchy now driving on our streets — drivers who think only of themselves and feel that they can do whatever they want when driving a car, with impunity, despite creating danger for others. If you agree it’s a problem, ask our city’s elected officials to demand that departments enforce the law. DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF HANCOCK PARK
•
N
SO
I
O
S
A
•
Homeowners
C I AT
HANCOCK PARK HOME Est. OWNERS ASSOCIATION 1948
137 N. LARCHMONT BLVD. LOS ANGELES 90004 www.HancockPark.org
TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO GAS LEAF BLOWERS! If you are one of the many dozens of residents who are tired of the loud noise, clouds of dust and smelly fumes generated by gas-powered leaf blowers — a single gas leaf blower can generate the same amount of pollution in one hour as a car being driven more than 1000 miles — the HPHOA has a deal for you! A new state law, Health and Safety Code section 43018.11, bans the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers starting January 1, 2024, in order to help achieve 100% zero emissions in California from small off-road engines (SOREs) by 2035. Current City of Los Angeles law, LAMC section 112.04(c), bans the use of gas powered blowers within 500 feet of a residential property. Both the homeowner and its gardener may be fined $100 per each violation for the illegal use of a gas-powered leaf blower! You can request a City supervisor visit to the location of a violation at a specific time by visiting lacity.org/myla311. The great news — the cost of electric powered blowers is extremely reasonable, so why take the chance of a fine? Our research on what is available told us that you can purchase a kit which includes a powerful electric blower, battery, and power charger for about $250. The cost will be even less if Hancock Park neighbors with the same gardeners share the costs of the equipment. These battery powered blowers (with accessories) are available from Amazon, Ace Hardware, and a number of other websites that sell power equipment. To help encourage our Hancock Park residents to purchase a battery powered leaf blower, battery, and charger for their gardener to use on their property, we will help share the cost! The HPHOA is offering $100 rebates to the first 100 residents when they show proof of purchase! Contact Mark Alpers (mdalpers@aol.com) or Cindy Chvatal-Keane (snorekel@gmail.com) for more information. We hope you will take us up on the offer!
Your Hancock Park HOA Please visit our website at www.HancockPark.org Join a Committee! We are all Volunteers!
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Tues., July 4 — Independence Day. Tues., July 11 — Mid City West Neighborhood Council board meeting is 6:30 p.m. at Pan Pacific Park Senior Center, 141 S. Gardner St. See midcitywest.org. Wed., July 12 — Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Ebell of Los Angeles at 743 S. Lucerne Blvd. See greaterwilshire.org. Thurs., July 27 — Deliv-
That’s the question inquiring photographer Casey Russell asked locals.
ery of the August issue of the Larchmont Chronicle.
Letters to the Editor Congratulations
Kudos to the Chronicle — for receiving the California News Publishers Association award. Justly deserved! I was so impressed by Ms. Seifer’s series and that the Chronicle ran it. What a compass! Hat’s off. Van Dyke Parks Los Feliz
New NGA name
I just read your terrific article about Sondi [Toll Sepenuk] becoming the new Director of Plymouth School [“Torch will be passed to new director at Plymouth preschool,” June 2023]. It’s exciting! One correction — NGA of Hancock Park changed its name to National Giving Alliance a few years back. We are no longer known as the Needlework Guild. Thanks so much! Kiel FitzGerald, chair National Giving Alliance HP Windsor Square Meat Loaf’s mom I was also in Mrs. Aday’s class,
Larchmont Chronicle Founded in 1963 by Jane Gilman and Dawne P. Goodwin .
.
Publisher and Editor John H. Welborne Managing Editor Suzan Filipek Contributing Editor Jane Gilman Staff Writers Talia Abrahamson Casey Russell Helene Seifer Advertising Director Pam Rudy Advertising Sales including Classifieds Caroline Tracy Art Director Tom Hofer Circulation Manager Nona Sue Friedman Accounting Jill Miyamoto 606 N. Larchmont Blvd., #103
Adv.
‘How did you meet your pet?’
Los Angeles, CA 90004 323-462-2241 larchmontchronicle.com
probably around the same time [“A Word or Two about Meat Loaf (1947-2022) and his Mother, Mrs. Aday,” March 2022]. I still remember her so fondly. I always say she is the reason I became a teacher! I graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1964. So excited to have found this article about her. Susan Lawyer Guess San Antonio, Texas
“When I got home one day, he was there! I think I was two or three. We named him after the ‘Cars’ movie character Lightning McQueen.” Noah Borges and McQueen Windsor Village
Cars parked in the center lane irk readers
We enjoyed the June issue of the paper that arrived this morning. On Helene Seifer’s recommendation [“On the Menu”], we had a delicious dinner at Colibri tonight. Thanks! By the way, I think the LAPD or parking police should do a ticketing sweep on Larchmont [“Parking in the center lane on Larchmont is not legal,” June 2023]. I was there at 11 a.m. today, and there were so many cars parked in the center lane it was unbelievable — and ultimately dangerous. Jennifer Fain Windsor Square My girlfriend and I live near Larchmont Village. We probably drive or walk to the Village almost every day. We visit a lot of the shops there and eat in a lot of the restaurants. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen cars parked in the middle lane, almost every day and especially on Sunday. What I never see in the Village at all is parking enforcement. It’s funny that parking enforcement can drive up and down and give people tickets for being in a permit area after hours and in the middle of the night. And I have seen cars get tickets if you miss a meter by three seconds. But cars parked forever in the middle lane of Larch(Please turn to page 12)
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.
“My friend went to rescue a dog and [ended up with two]. He contacted me because he really couldn’t have two dogs. I took my kids to meet him. We did a trial run and decided to keep him! He’s been a really good dog.” Anthony Azizi and Ziggy Hancock Park
“We met near the Larchmont Boulevard farmers’ market at the pet adoption that often takes place on Sundays. That was when he was a puppy. He’s 13 now. I raised him with my mom, and now he’s mine. It was love at first sight.” Shea Depmore and Milo Hancock Park
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Zev
(Continued from page 1) city and county offices. In addition, former County Chief Executive Officer David E. Janssen came up from San Diego. Also in the audience were former State Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, former Congressman Howard Berman, former City Councilmember Cindy Miscikowski, current County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and many locals, including Jack Humphreville, Patty Lombard, Bill Simon, Jim Clark, Mary Nichols, Ann Reiss Lane, Jon Vein, Andy Murr, Nick Goldberg, Chevalier’s co-owner Bert Deixler (who introduced Yaroslavsky) and his wife, Judge Leslie Swain, LA Opera Music Director James Conlon and many more. Conlon was among those who wrote short blurbs for the back of the book, including Mayor Karen Bass, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, UCLA Jewish history professor David Myers, civil rights lawyer Connie Rice, longtime executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs (and just-appointed executive director of The John Randolph Haynes and Dora
DAVID E. JANSSEN, former Los Angeles County CEO, came from his retirement home in San Diego for the book launch on Larchmont. Photos by Gary Leonard
Haynes Foundation) Raphael J. Sonenshein and Miguel Santana, president and CEO of the Weingart Foundation. Young when elected As previewed in this newspaper last month, Yaroslavsky’s book recalls significant events in the lives of a local man and the city and county where he lives. He became a Los Angeles City Councilmember in 1975 at age 27, with very
little name recognition and confronted with a Westside establishment opponent. The book’s reports on that campaign are fun to read. The book also recounts the periods prior, including the passage of the author’s antecedents from Belarus and Ukraine to Boyle Heights and, then, the Fairfax District, where Yaroslavsky attended Melrose Avenue Elementary, Bancroft Junior High and
SECTION ONE
Fairfax High, on his way to study history at UCLA and become an activist who served a stint as executive director of the Southern California Council on Soviet Jewry before running for public office. A teaching text Because Yaroslavsky’s book features an actual participant in evolving what today is history, and because the author is a civic actor who shares with readers the actual background behind local history — such as the need for, and adoption of, Proposition U [see accompanying story on page 22] — I strongly commend the book to the newly elected councilmembers who will be overseeing the function of local government as we move forward. Oft quoted by writers everywhere, in various ways, is the saying attributed to writer and philosopher George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Alternatively: “Those who do not read history are
CHEVALIER’S BOOKS was the site for launching the new book, “Zev’s Los Angeles.”
doomed to repeat it.” Maybe some generous person will buy 20 copies of Yaroslavsky’s book and mail one to each current member of the city council and each county supervisor. That would be a worthy contribution to quality local government (if the recipients actually read the book). Regardless, the book has been welcomed in the local and national press. Jim Newton’s excellent piece in the (Please turn to page 4)
SECTION ONE
MEOW NEWS.
17
AROUND THE TOWN 5 COUNCIL REPORTS 12 PETS OF LARCHMONT 14 SCHOOL NEWS 19 YOUTH SPORTS 20 TIPS ON PARENTING 21
SECTION TWO VIEW:
Real Estate Entertainment Home & Garden
CAMPAIGN for a cause.14 ON PRESERVATION 2 REAL ESTATE SALES 4 ENTERTAINMENT Theater 8 Movies 10 On the Menu 11 LIBRARIES 16 POLICE BEAT 18 BEEZWAX 19 WORD CAFÉ 19
merEnterta
3
LRY . TABLETOP . riOME DECOR . GIFr
4 SECTION ONE
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Zev
every one of us in Los Angeles seems to have his or her (Continued from page 3) own traffic horror story. In Los Angeles Times is at ti- the book, he told his story nyurl.com/5x989sza. The — how long it took, one day, New York Times also wrote decades ago, for him to drive recently about the book at ti- from Santa Monica to Beverly nyurl.com/yms8xk48. Hills. My own story involves W YEAR Public transit driving west to UCLA along W YOU! I have been a public tran- Santa Monica Boulevard in sit advocate and activist for 1972. The long-ago concluthe past 50 years. smile each ped of us were the se the holiday stresses with…I SPA, spin,sions DMHfor , mani when Yaroslavsky writes that same — public transit net-
©LC0723
Support Your Larchmont Boulevard Association members or Go Online to: www.larchmont.com
works, not just streets and freeways, needed improvement. As a county supervisor and therefore a member of the board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Yaroslavsky was in a position to focus his fellow leaders on effective transit improvements. Those improvements should include, as he often recounted over the years, “simple solutions.” The book describes how his consciousness of that approach emanated from his experience as a county supervisor participating in the 1999 visit to Curitiba, Brazil, organized by Martha Welborne (she a private citizen and — full disclosure — this writer’s wife), financed by the W. Alton Jones Foundation, and led by then Mayor Richard Riordan. That trip led to Bus Rapid Transit in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States and to the highly successful Orange Line Busway in the San Fernando Valley, the latter largely the result of Yaroslavsky’s leadership and persistence. The book’s recollections of that visit to South America rekindled memories for me, because I had paid my way to tag along and saw the serious study and analysis in action (including the memorable time when Yaroslavsky held
COUNCILMEMBER for CD 5, Katy Yaroslavsky, seated second from left, was present with her husband and children for her father-in-law’s book launch at Chevalier’s. Photo by Gary Leonard
up the rest of us departing on a bus while he paced the width of the street outside, exploring how the Curitiba street measurements might relate to those of our streets in Los Angeles. Serious but funny Zev Yaroslavsky is an intensely serious guy, but he also is sentimental and has a sense of humor. The strength of his love for Barbara, sadly taken from him and their children and from so many others of us who loved her, is an underlying leitmotif of the book and Zev’s story because she was such a presence in his life. But also sprinkled throughout the book are bits of evidence of Zev’s sense of
humor. For example, concerning his first campaign, he describes a mailing he did at the urging of his campaign advisor, leading to the Yaroslavskys receiving back 600 Easter cards “with warm, personal handwritten messages from voters.” He continues, “I was thrilled, because I always believed that anyone who has taken the time to print the name ‘Yaroslavsky’ by hand will never forget the experience.” “Zev’s Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power. A Political Memoir,” Cherry Orchard Books, 388 pages, is available at Chevalier’s Books and elsewhere.
MASSUCCO WARNER INTERIOR DESIGN As seen in House Beautiful, Luxe, Elle Decor, Traditional Home, HGTV & Architectural Digest 560 N. LARCHMONT BLVD
310-570-0084
WWW.MASSUCCOWARNER.COM
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
5
A busy month of June: Brookside, parks, gardens and more About 40 friends and neighbors dragged blankets, pillows, picnic fixings and even their pets to Brookside’s annual Family Movie Night in the Park, June 11, sponsored by the Brookside Homeowners Association. This year’s feature, Disney’s “Encanto,” was chosen through online polling among several offerings. Perched on a grassy corner of Memorial Library Park, families cooked burgers on the grill, relaxed on the plush green winter-watered carpet, and popped popcorn in a good old-fashioned popcorn machine. This was the first movie night since the pandemic interrupted back in 2020. “Brookside is very much about community and neighbors, and we are getting back into the swing of things with our events — which were all but shut down with Covid,” said Brookside board member Loren Dunsworth. “Movie night is a fun way to dive into summer.” Neighbors in attendance included Laura and Adam Abramson with son Archie, Gina Rudnick with daughter Pearl, Danny Gibson, and Vivian Gueler with daughter Nikka. ••• One week prior, another Brookside celebration took place at the home of Pat and
Around the Town with
Sondi Toll Sepenuk Heather Houlihan. Immaculate Heart and Loyola high school graduates and their families from around the Larchmont community gathered to celebrate the end of high school and the beginning of the journey beyond. Guests enjoyed a taco cart filled with pork, chicken and beef tacos, homemade guacamole, Caesar salad, chips, pico de gallo and plenty of Champagne, beer and wine. Dessert included cookies and
RESIDENTS Loren Dunsworth and Archie Abramson get into the movie night spirit.
NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS enjoy the return of Brookside’s Movie Night in the Park.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY celebrate local high school graduates at the home of Pat and Heather Houlihan.
cupcakes, which were quickly gobbled up by the grads before they ran off to another neighborhood party. Typical! Seen celebrating with the proud grads were Elyse and Gordon Bobb, Roy, Samantha and Merryn Forbes, John and Julie Houlihan and Bridget and Clark Wells. •••
GRADUATES from Immaculate Heart and Loyola High schools celebrate. From left to right: Natalie Hernandez, Gabby Alfaro, Zoe Houlihan, Chloe Pithie, Maria Andrade, Joseph Drynan, Kellyn Lanza and Natalie Castro-Serpas.
Alexandria House hosted its annual WomenSpeak luncheon on June 1, welcoming more than 200 supporters to the yearly gathering. The luncheon, which focuses on the transformational power of women’s words, “provides a platform for women of
accomplishment and compassion to speak about their work as well as past residents of Alexandria House to describe their journeys.” A recorded video message from Mayor Karen Bass welcomed everyone to the (Please turn to page 6)
6 SECTION ONE
AT ALEXANDRIA HOUSE: (left to right) Mary Woodward, Beverly Brown, Kiel FitzGerald, Dre Guttag and Danielle Reyes.
Burschinger, Erin Garvan, Around the Town laPashina Siti, Ima Matul, Bev(Continued from page 5)
luncheon and recognized the great work of Alexandria House. Since 1996, Alexandria House has provided transitional housing for women and their children while offering them counseling, job training and resources to pursue careers and build futures of their own. Guests, including Michae-
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
erly Brown, Kiel FitzGerald, Dre Guttag, Danielle Reyes, Mary Woodward and more, enjoyed salad with strawberries, candied pecans and Champagne-Dijon vinaigrette; pan-roasted chicken with sundried tomato, artichoke and olives in a sherry wine manchego cream; gnocchi and an apple tart with caramel sauce.
TELEVISON CITY’S Michael Hackman speaks at the dedication of a Pan Pacific Park playground replacement funded by Hackman Capital Partners as Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky look on.
GARDEN TOUR VOLUNTEERS including (from left) Connie Richey, Alex Elliott, Jolin Crofts, Juanita Kempe, Marlene Zweig and Grace Kaminski welcome Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society guests at the Bilgore home in Windsor Square.
Speakers included past residents Ima Mattel, Ashly Nufio Mazel and Madisen Williams, while Founding Director Judy Vaughan spoke of the “power of proximity” to those receiving services. The fundraiser luncheon raised more than $100,000, which will go toward continuing to provide supportive services for residents and families who are moving into
the newly purchased and renovated Kenmore Apartments that adjoin the original house on Alexandria Avenue. ••• The Alexandria House event was part of the kickoff to a very busy weekend — just like the pre-pandemic days of old! That same Thurs., June 1, morning, right at our historic Pan Pacific Park, dignitaries showed up in big numbers for the 8 a.m.
ceremony to reopen a park playground facility destroyed by vandalism in the summer of 2022. Mayor Karen Bass joined Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky in cutting the ribbon with the CEO of $236,000-donor Hackman Capital Partners (developer of TV City), Michael Hackman, retired Los Angeles Parks Foundation Executive Director Carolyn Ramsay and various parks officials and supporters. ••• The event-filled weekend included no fewer than four exciting activities that drew people from the neighborhood, starting on Sat., June 3, with the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society (WSHPHS) “Secret Garden Tour” of six lovely local gardens, four in Windsor Square and two in Fremont Place. A large volunteer committee, led by chairs and co-chairs Richard Battaglia, Jane Gilman, Debbie Alpers, June Bilgore and Joanne Osinoff, numbered more than 50 people. Hundreds of visitors supported the event. ••• That same evening, lots of locals headed to Griffith Park and the Los Angeles Zoo for the Beastly Ball 2023. Always one of the town’s most-anticipated annual fundraising events, whether you dress in a safari outfit or not, guests enjoy wonderful access to habitats and curators who answer questions and sometimes share an up-close encounter with one of the animals. Entertainment abounds throughout the grounds, and eateries from around the southland, including local favorites such as Pink’s Hot Dogs, El Cholo and Milk Jar Cookies, share samples of their victuals. (Please turn to page 8)
WSHPHS garden tourists included, from left, Anne Loveland, Martha Welborne, Janet Loveland and Sue Carr.
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
7
8 SECTION ONE
JULY 2023
Larchmont Chronicle
BEASTLY BALL treats included El Cholo Green Corn Tamales served by Koah Arellanes and Alma Corona.
Around the Town HONOREE TOM LaBONGE’S family and friends at the Beast(Continued from page 6)
A big feature of this year’s Beastly Ball was its posthumous honor to our former councilmember, the late Tom LaBonge, who was recognized as the Betty White Conservation Hero. Like the late Betty White, LaBonge was a long-time loyal supporter of the Zoo. ••• The WSHPHS leaders hardly had time to catch their collective breaths when, the day after the garden tour, they gathered a group at the Hollywood Heritage Museum (nearby at
ly Ball included (from left) Kathleen Maguire, Debra and Charles Lovatelli, Charles LaBonge, Mary-Cate LaBonge, Brigid LaBonge and Ian Guerra.
the Hollywood Bowl) — in the circa-1895 Lasky-DeMille Barn — on Sun., June 4. (This
AT 94-YEARS-YOUNG, Nancy Olson Livingston signs her new book.
Providing Advanced
newspaper’s “On Preservation” columnist, Brian Curran, is the president of Hollywood Heritage.) The reason for the gathering was to be thoroughly entertained and informed by the vivacious (still, at age 94) Nancy Olson Livingston, who discussed her life since starring as an ingénue actress in 1950’s classic “Sunset Boulevard.” She also signed copies of her fascinating life tale, “A Front Row Seat.”
SUPPORTING the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at the home of Robert Ronus were (from left) Jim and Daryl Twerdahl, Carl Anderson, Susana Funsten and Betsy Anderson.
TARFEST 2023 in Pan Pacific Park featured music and art.
••• Several hours following the Livingston talk, another cultural institution, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), was the beneficiary of the hospitality of Hancock Park’s Robert Ronus. As host of a “LACO House Party,” he and about 30 friends, many from the neighborhood, enjoyed music by Mozart and others, presented by three LACO musicians who played clarinet, bassoon and cello. What a busy weekend! ••• The following week saw hundreds of people attending the 20th anniversary rendition of Tarfest, held in Pan Pacific Park instead of its regular home in the grassy fields adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits — this year coping with nextdoor construction activity by both Metro and the County Art Museum. But there was lots of wide open space at Pan Pacific, and Tarfest impresario James Panozzo was everywhere, overseeing musical performances, art installations and creative activities for people of all ages — and all free. Among those exhibiting on the lawn was Television City, explaining its TVC 2050 project with charts and illustrations. The proposed expansion of TV City is right next to Pan Pacific Park. ••• And finally, to wrap up the merry month of June, dresses sparkled, shoes glittered, and stylish shirts and ties were the unofficial dress code as supporters showed up en masse to celebrate the second annual “Hollywood Under the Stars” fundraiser for St. Vincent Meals On Wheels (SVMOW) on the Paramount Studios lot on Sat., June 24. The sold-out event kicked off with a glamorous Veuve Clicquot VIP (Please turn to page 10)
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
This is like my second home and everyone who walks through the doors is like a member of my family. Loida Umipig, Registered Nurse, Mother-Baby department
Now Hiring
Registered Nurses CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center has been a leading healthcare provider in Los Angeles and a great place to work for more than a century. With the opening of our state-of-the-art new patient tower, our commitment to inclusivity has never been greater as we understand how teamwork and diversity of experience leads to success. Join us. Valuable workplace benefits on offer:
Start your future with us today!
✓ State-of-the-art, technologically advanced campus. ✓ Top compensation packages and comprehensive medical benefits that rank among the best in the industry. ✓ Lucrative signing bonuses up to $50,000. ✓ Scholarship/tuition/ongoing educational support. ✓ Leadership development training and career advancement programs.
• Positions: OR, ED, L&D and other departments • Online Application: https://careers-hpmedcenter.icims.com • Questions: adriana.venegas@hpmedcenter.com patricia.pineda@hpmedcenter.com
1300 N. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027 www.hollywoodpresbyterian.com
9
10 SECTION ONE
Around the Town (Continued from page 8)
reception in the Paramount Theatre. Then, the chic Old Hollywood-styled guests segued to tables in front of the famous Bronson Gate arch to eat, drink and enjoy musical notes from the de Bois All Stars, a 10-piece live band whose music filled the
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
summer air. Nearly a dozen top chefs from all over the city, including Chef Gino Angelini of nearby Angelini Osteria, dished out a wide variety of specialty dinner items for the guests. “Host Angel Chef” Isais Peña, Caruso Regional Executive Chef of Hanks and Qué Padre, served as the event’s first-ever culinary am-
bassador. Co-hosts actor Doug Savant and newscaster Susan Hirasuna introduced guests and presented a video describing the impact that SVMOW continues to have on the lives of the elderly in Los Angeles. The Daughters of Charity, whose order established St. Vincent Meals On Wheels in 1977, presented its “Vincent’s Heart” Award to actor Mar-
tin Sheen for his “standing in solidarity with those who have been forgotten and discounted.” Longtime Meals On Wheels supporter and Windsor Square resident Rick Llanos was designated the event’s Honorary Host, and he told the guests about the original mission of the late Sister Alice Marie and her colleagues, saying, “I don’t think they ever, in their wildest dreams, would have thought that their project back in the 1970s would grow to be what it is today — a program that’s delivering to seniors over 100,000 nutritious meals a month. It’s quite amazing what this group has done, and it’s all thanks to people like yourselves, who have come out here tonight to help support this cause.” The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, celebrating 100 years of the iconic Hollywood Sign, collaborated in presenting the event. And now you’re in the Larchmont know!
SVMOW HONORARY HOST Rick Llanos (right) shares a light moment with Martin Sheen, recipient of the evening’s “Vincent’s Heart” Award.
MELROSE area resident Catherine Mann Roseme with actor and Meals On Wheels party co-host Doug Savant.
skin
deep
by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald
SUPPORTERS of Meals On Wheels attending the party included Kathy and Mike Gless of Windsor Square.
CARES helps hospital, patients
By John Welborne At Los Angeles General Medical Center (formerly Los Angeles County — USC Medical Center), the 40-year-old CARES hospital auxiliary not only distributes clothing, it also has refurbished the Pediatric Emergency Room waiting area as well as the family waiting room in the Pediatric ICU at the Medical Center. Furthermore, CARES provides a holiday children’s gift giveaway where pediatric patients and other patients’ children receive gifts at holiday time. Since 2019, CARES has partnered with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and holds twice-monthly food distributions at the Medical Center for patients and community members who do not have access to adequate and nutritious food. This effort has benefitted more than 38,000 families to date. CARES also provides nutritional support to the Medical Center’s geriatric clinic patients and provides clothing and shoes for more than 100 in-need patients who are being discharged from the hospital. Readers interested in helping may reach CARES at lacusccares@gmail.com or call local board member Toby Horn at (323) 409-6941.
You know who you are beauty DIY-ers. Let me guess, you jumped on pore strips when they first hit the market. I get it. The ability to wield substantial control over your skincare at home is empowering. Get ready to be thrilled by the slathering and peeling that comes with CO2Lift Carboxy Gel Treatment. But mostly by the results. You can think of the Carboxy Gel mask as an alternative in the summer to laser treatments for your face, neck and hands. Yes, it’s that effective. Here’s how it works: when you mix the gel before application, CO2 gas is formed. As the CO2 penetrates your skin, your body reacts with a rush of oxygen-rich blood to provide nutrition and hydration (as in an increase of moisture by 117%). Peel off the mask to reveal every good skin-related adjective: bright, plump, firm, tight, smooth, silky and glowing. You’ll see the reduction of dark circles, puffiness around the eyes, and diminished lines and wrinkles, We are offering CO2Lift Carboxy Gel Treatment with our facials, before or after specific procedures, and of course, for home use. Contact our office to ask about CO2Lift Carboxy Gel Treatments. Clients are loving it before big events or on any day they want to look exceptional. 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 from around the world to teach proper injection techniques for Radiesse, the volumizing filler. Dr. Fitzgerald is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA. Visit online at www.RebeccaFitzgeraldMD.com or call (323) 464-8046 to schedule an appointment. Adv.
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
11
Larchmont Boulevard Association
!
Cut or tear here and save
Directory of Services
ACCOUNTANTS, CERTIFIED PUBLIC LEE, EDWARD M. JR., C.P.A. 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 210 ......................................... 323-469-7203 MAIDENBERG, FRED, C.P.A. 526 N. Larchmont, Suite 200 ......................................... 323-467-8000 MIYAMOTO, MEL & ASSOCIATES 444 N. Larchmont, Suite 208 ......................................... 323-462-4845 ACUPUNCTURE HEALING HANDS WELLNESS CENTER 414 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-461-7876 ADVERTISING & MARKETING SERVICES FAIRWAY GROUP 584 ½ N. Larchmont ...................................................... 323-243-6444 ARCHITECTS STUDIO AR&D ARCHITECTS 424 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 760-322-3339
HOMEOWNER GROUPS HANCOCK PARK HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. EST. 1948 137 N. Larchmont, #719 LARCHMONT VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WINDSOR SQUARE ASSOCIATION 325 N. Larchmont, #158 ICE CREAM SHOPS SALT & STRAW LARCHMONT 240 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-0485 INSURANCE AEIFS, INC. — ALEXANDER EDDY INSURANCE 200 N. Larchmont ......................................................... 213-637-1870 STATE FARM INSURANCE – Leisha Willis, C.P.C.U., Agent 500 N. Larchmont, Fl. 2 ................................................. 323-785-4080
ATTORNEYS CUKIER, LINDA, Law Offices of 200 N. Larchmont, Suite 2 ............................................. 323-464-7777 JUNO LAW OFFICES 249 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-4114
INTERIOR DESIGN MASSUCCO WARNER INTERIOR DESIGN AND DECORATION 560 N. Larchmont, Suite 101 ......................................... 310-570-0084 THE SHADE STORE 216 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-856-1262
BANKS / CREDIT UNIONS POLAM FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 589 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-463-5137 WELLS FARGO 231 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 310-550-2101
JEWELRY VILLAGE HEIGHTS 122 1/2 N. Larchmont .................................................... 323-463-9410
BOOKS CHEVALIER’S BOOKS 133 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-465-1334
LEGAL INVESTIGATIONS JUNO LAW OFFICES 249 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-4114 MEDIA FLOOD MAGAZINE 542 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-251-0690 LARCHMONT BUZZ 584 ½ N. Larchmont ...................................................... 323-741-4651 LARCHMONT CHRONICLE 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 103 ......................................... 323-462-2241
REAL ESTATE COLDWELL BANKER 251 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-464-9272 HANCOCK HOMES REALTY 501 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-462-2748 HOLLYWOODLAND REALTY 584 N. Larchmont, Suite A............................................. 323-469-3171 RESTAURANTS & TAKEOUT BRICKS AND SCONES 403 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-463-0811 CAFE GRATITUDE LARCHMONT 639 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-580-6383 ERIN MCKENNA’S BAKERY 236 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-463-2023 GREAT WHITE 244 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-745-5059 LARCHMONT VILLAGE WINE & CHEESE 223 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-856-8699 LE PETIT GREEK 127 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-464-5160 SWEETFIN LARCHMONT 135 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-465-6040 SCHOOLS / EDUCATION LARCHMONT CHARTER SCHOOL 444 N. Larchmont Blvd., #207 ....................... 323-380-7893, ext. 301 PAGE ACADEMY 565 N. Larchmont Blvd ................................................. 323-463-5118 RHODES SCHOOL OF MUSIC 215 N. Larchmont, Unit C ............................................. 323-522-4888 SCOTT SEDITA ACTING STUDIO 526 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 310-770-0737 WRITE BRAIN WORLD 554 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-314-4247 SERVICES PARAGON LANGUAGE SERVICES, INC. 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 310 ......................................... 323-966-4655 SHOES & BAGS ROTHY’S 248 N. Larchmont ......................................................... 323-963-5364 SPA LARCHMONT SANCTUARY SPA 331 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-1028
MUSIC SCHOOL RHODES SCHOOL OF MUSIC 215 N. Larchmont, Unit C ............................................. 323-464-1154
SPORTS & FITNESS D R PILATES 5665 Melrose Avenue, #109........................................... 323-378-6333
NEWSPAPER LARCHMONT CHRONICLE 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 103 ......................................... 323-462-2241
STATIONERY / INVITATIONS LANDIS GIFTS & STATIONERY 584 N. Larchmont, Suite B ............................................ 323-465-7003
CLOTHING - CHILDREN / INFANT
NEWSSTAND ABOVE THE FOLD 226 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-464-6397
TOYS FLICKA 204 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-5822
CLOTHING - WOMEN SHOPAHOLIC SAMPLE SALES 234 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-498-5758
OPTICIANS ALEXANDER DAAS OPTICIANS 161 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-4396 LARCHMONT OPTOMETRIC 317 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-465-9682
TRANSLATION PARAGON LANGUAGE SERVICES, INC. 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 310 ......................................... 323-966-4655
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING THXPHIL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 4C .......................................... 323-463-0449 CHIROPRACTIC HEALING HANDS WELLNESS CENTER 414 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-461-7876 FLICKA 204 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-5822
CREDIT UNION POLAM FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 589 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-463-5137 DAY SPA LARCHMONT SANCTUARY SPA 331 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-1028
Cut or tear here and save
HEALTH AND FITNESS / MASSAGE D R PILATES 5665 Melrose Avenue, #109........................................... 323-378-6333 HEALING HANDS WELLNESS CENTER 414 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-461-7876
ASSOCIATIONS JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LOS ANGELES 630 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-957-4280 LARCHMONT BOULEVARD ASSN. 419 N. Larchmont, PMB 222 LARCHMONT VILLAGE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 200 N. Larchmont
BEAUTY SALONS & SUPPLIES LARCHMONT BEAUTY CENTER 208 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-461-0162 ROMI CORTIER DESIGN 425 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-462-1089 SKIN LAUNDRY 132 N. Larchmont, Suite 110 ......................................... 985-401-6545
!
LANDIS GIFTS & STATIONERY 584 N. Larchmont, Suite B ............................................ 323-465-7003 VILLAGE HEIGHTS 122 1/2 N. Larchmont .................................................... 323-463-9410
DENTISTS BEZIAN, SYLVA, D.D.S. 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 517 ......................................... 323-957-5100 GELLER DENTISTRY 402 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-467-1472 GIBBONS, JAMES R., D.D.S. BHUMI DESAI, D.D.S. - Children’s Dentist 411 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-3279 GOGAN, TIMOTHY C., D.D.S. - General/Cosmetic 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 714 ......................................... 323-469-6269 KEZIAN, DR. ARTHUR A., D.D.S. 443 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-467-2777 LARCHMONT VILLAGE DENTAL SPECIALTY CENTER 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 721 ......................................... 323-465-3116 NIEDERKOHR, RANDALL E., D.D.S. - Children 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 809 ......................................... 323-463-8322 WONG, ELLIS, D.D.S. 607 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-464-5555 DERMATOLOGY FITZGERALD, REBECCA, M.D. 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 906 ......................................... 323-464-8046 DRY CLEANING RITZ DRY CLEANING 306 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-464-4860 EDUCATION WRITE BRAIN WORLD 554 N. Larchmont ............................................... 855-622-6657, ext. 3 EYEWEAR ALEXANDER DAAS - OPTICAL BOUTIQUE 161 N. Larchmont ........................................................... 323-466-4396 FARMERS MARKET LARCHMONT VILLAGE FARMER’S MARKET............. 818-591-8161 GIFT STORES FANCIFULL GIFTS 5617 Melrose Avenue..................................................... 323-466-7654
OPTOMETRIST LARCHMONT OPTOMETRIC 317 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-465-9682 ORTHODONTIST LARCHMONT VILLAGE ORTHODONTICS Martines, Dr. Luis, D.D.S., M.S.D. 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 405 ......................................... 323-465-7100 PEDIATRICIANS LARCHMONT PEDIATRICS NEVILLE ANDERSON, M.D., LAUREN ESTRADA, M.D. 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 1020 ....................................... 323-960-8500 PETS THE BARKING LOT 336 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-464-3031 TAILWAGGERS 147 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-464-9600 PHYSICAL THERAPY LARCHMONT PHYSICAL THERAPY 321 N. Larchmont, Suite 825 ......................................... 323-464-4458 PIANOS KASIMOFF-BLÜTHNER PIANO CO. 337 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-7707 PLUMBING LIPSON PLUMBING, INC. 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 106 ......................................... 323-469-2395 YOUSEN PLUMBING & HEATING, INC. 410 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-467-7127 PROPERTY OWNERS CLINTON DEVELOPMENT COMPANY 606 N. Larchmont, Suite 300 ......................................... 323-466-8591 FENADY ASSOCIATES, INC. 249 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-466-6375 HOLLYWOODLAND REALTY 584 N. Larchmont, Suite A............................................. 323-268-3171 METROPOLITIAN HOLDING COMPANY 200 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-463-4220 MICK MCCULLOUGH & MARY BETH HERBENER RODEO HOLDINGS, LLC 441 N. Beverly Dr., Suite 207 Beverly Hills 90210 ...... 310-273-4747 PUBLISHING FLOOD MAGAZINE 542 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-251-0690
VETERINARIANS LARCHMONT ANIMAL CLINIC 316 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-463-4889 LARCHMONT VILLAGE VET 428 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-378-6676 WINE AND SPIRITS FANCIFULL GIFTS 5617 Melrose Avenue..................................................... 323-466-7654 LARCHMONT VILLAGE WINE & CHEESE 223 N. Larchmont .......................................................... 323-856-8699
List is of 6/22/23. For corrections or additions, please contact info@landisstationery.com.
Community Resources COUNTY SUPERVISOR Second District (S. of Beverly Bl.) Holly J. Mitchell 500 W. Temple St. Rm. 866, LA 90012 Tel 213-974-2222 | HollyJMitchell@bos.lacounty.gov Third District (N. of Beverly Bl.) Lindsey Horvath 500 W. Temple St. Rm. 821, LA 90012 Tel 213-974-3333 | lindseyhorvath@lacounty.gov MAYOR Karen Bass City Hall - 200 N. Spring St. LA 90012 Tel 213-978-0600 | mayorhelpdesk@lacity.gov CITY COUNCILMEMBER Hugo Soto-Martinez - 13th District City Hall 200 N. Spring St. Rm 480 LA 90012 Tel 213-473-7013 | councilmember.soto-martinez@lacity.org POLICE Olympic Stn. Sr. Lead Officer Joe Pelayo • 213-793-0709 Wilshire Stn. Sr. Lead Officer Dave Cordova • 213-793-0630 Interested in Filming on Larchmont? Call Larchmont Boulevard Association Filming Coordinator John Winther at 310-704-5885 for more information.
12 SECTION ONE
Six-month update on progress in CD5
Summer is now in full swing! Just over six months ago, I was sworn in as the Councilwoman for the 5th District. Together, we have made significant progress in key areas that directly impact the lives of our community. From housing and homelessness to transportation, climate action and quality of life, our accomplishments reflect our commitment to transforming Council District 5 and our city. Meaningfully addressing our housing and homelessness crisis continues to be our city’s most pressing priority. In the past six months, we have successfully moved 100 individuals off the streets in CD 5, providing them with a chance to rebuild their lives. In so doing, we resolved high-profile encampments at Sixth Street and Fairfax Avenue, along San
CD 5 Council Report by
Katy Young Yaroslavsky Vicente Boulevard and at Jasmine Avenue, ensuring safer and cleaner neighborhoods for all. Moreover, the city adopted an historic $1.3 billion budget allocation of new funding to tackle homelessness effectively. It is a bold step toward addressing this crisis head-on. Recognizing the urgency of the housing crisis, I am proud to have supported the largest expansion of tenant rights in four decades. We cannot address homelessness without addressing its causes, and this legislation will help prevent people from
falling into homelessness. In our ongoing efforts to create more affordable housing options, I also introduced legislation to accelerate the development of new, 100 percent affordable housing units, and I led the effort to repeal a costly and unwise city policy that hindered the construction of housing on city-owned parking lots. We have also made significant progress on transforming our transportation system into one that prioritizes people over cars. I am honored to have been appointed to the Metro Board, as well as the city’s Transportation Committee. So far, we have been able to double the funding for speed humps around elementary schools and implement new traffic safety measures (Please turn to page 13)
Letters
(Continued from page 2) mont Village? I’ve never seen anyone get a ticket at all. Michael Huens Hancock Park
WAYNE RATKOVICH (far left) with (left to right)) Jo Ann Ratkovich, Darryl Holter and Brenda Levin, who introduced Wayne.
Ratkovich
(Continued from page 1) podium. Homelessness Although Ratkovich was being saluted for his long career in real estate development, what he wanted to share with the audience was his current eleemosynary activity — working with other private sector leaders to help resolve the problem of rampant and dangerous street dwelling in Los Angeles. Beginning during his recent term as president of the Jonathan Club, Ratkovich has organized symposia for Jonathan Club members and guests to learn about specific aspects of homelessness and solutions that can be implemented. In accepting his award, Ratkovich explained that the involvement of the private Jonathan Club in this civic matter evolved because its leaders recognized that the city is in a crisis. “We at the Jonathan Club asked, ‘What can we do?’ We decided that … we have a platform, a facility in the City of Los Angeles … and that it was time for us to step up.” During the past several months, the club hosted three symposia on homelessness, fully knowing, said Ratkovich, that, “other people around the
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
city are doing exactly the same thing, and that’s wonderful to hear because the more of us that speak up … the better.” The symposia featured speakers including those “who are out on the street every day, even homeless people.” Ratkovich said that, “When we’re finished with [the final] symposium, we’re going to publish a paper. It is a paper that will contain what we think we have learned from the four symposia.” He noted that the shortfall of needed housing is obvious, but that, “For us to succeed on the homeless issue, we need to deal with everything … and that includes alcohol addiction, criminality, mental illness. “They’re all there. And we’re kidding ourselves if we think we can solve this problem in a simple way. It is a major issue, and it requires the best we have to offer.” Ratkovich is the founder and CEO of The Ratkovich Company, for 40-plus years a Los Angeles-based development firm often specializing in historic preservation, including of local landmarks like the Wiltern Theater and its surrounding Pellisier Building, The Downtown-based chapter of Rotary International is the fifth oldest group of Rotarians in the United States.
I was interested to read the article about the reckless behavior of those who park in the middle lane on Larchmont Boulevard. I have been deeply concerned for the last couple of years about this practice. I have young nephews and elderly parents who frequent Larchmont, and that long line of cars and the drivers who have the chutzpah to take up the critical turning lane really rile me. I know that people think it’s OK because they are only “parking for a minute,” but that means the rest of us can only make a left turn at the peril of pedestrian traffic. We need that left turn lane to remain open for us to use. What plans are in place for neighborhood police / traffic control to begin ticketing cars? Please advise. Julie Goler South Carthay [After hearing about the issues on Larchmont Boulevard, LAPD West Traffic plans to survey the area. — Ed.]
Median proposed
With the “glow up” of Larchmont in full swing, it’s time to bring the physical street into 2023. I propose a center median landscaping project along lower Larchmont Boulevard, between First and Beverly. Not only will the project bring some much-needed green space to the street, it also will solve the problem of unsafe u-turns and double parking. At crossing points, we could introduce seating, tables and outdoor common areas. Considering we would be doing construc-
School’s out — beat the heat with fun activities! School’s out, the days are getting hotter and summer is in full swing. To beat the heat or just to have a great day of family fun, we want to bring you some of the best activities you can find locally this summer. Cool off at the Hollywood Pool & Recreation Center The Hollywood Pool at 1122 Cole Ave. is open for the summer. Daily admission is just $4 for adults and $1 for youth. Full season passes for kids up to age 17 are available for as little as $10! In addition to the Hollywood Recreation Center’s amazing summer programming, the pool has swim lessons for children and adults. Plus, thanks to investments that our office was able to include in this year’s city budget, the pool will now be open year-round. So if you’re out of town this summer, you can still take advantage of this amazing public amenity in the fall and enjoy the heated pool. Free activities through the L.A. Public Library Did you know that your
tion on the street, it would be the natural point to install smart parking meters and EV charging infrastructure. Greg Pearson Hancock Park
Support also provided by CARES
In the Larchmont Chronicle’s May 2023 “Around the Town” report on the “Chic Affaire” event for the Assistance League of Los Angeles, one League member is quoted as emphasizing that the “League is the only local organization that gives clothing and other items to disadvantaged Los Angeles
CD 13 Council Report by
Hugo Soto-Martinez library card gets you into California state parks for free? You can also rent free bird watching gear at the library to take with you on your trip! From museum tickets, to 3D printing, to classes and activities, a simple library card can open up a world of possibilities this summer — all at no cost. Check out more details at lapl.org/services-programs. Support small businesses All summer long, we hope you can support some of the many amazing small businesses on Larchmont Boulevard and around local neighborhoods. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. So whether it’s a bite to eat or a tasty treat — we hope you can stop by some of the incredible establishments that make our neighborhoods so special. children and teens on a consistent basis.” The Assistance League is to be commended for its decades of work in this field, but your readers should know that — a bit further away, in Lincoln Heights — a 40-year-old nonprofit, CARES, continuously provides assistance whenever requested to pediatric and teen patients and their families who do not have adequate clothing nor essential basic household necessities. Toby Horn Miracle Mile North [See more information on CARES on Page 10. — Ed.]
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
13
Larchmont
(Continued from page 1) cerning the memorabilia of Village Pizzeria’s founders, the Steve and Nancy Cohen family, and other matters. Faherty, the men’s and women’s clothing store at 219 N. Larchmont Blvd., opened June 10. Operations Manager Delio Jaramillo told us that locals have been introducing themselves and welcoming the store to the neighborhood. “It’s been great so far,” said Marsha, the store’s manager. “We love the whole culture of Larchmont.” This store will be the New Jersey-based company’s 54th
CD 5 Report
(Continued from page 12) around Hancock Park Elementary School in the wake of this April’s tragic traffic death. We also expanded Metro Bike Share in Westwood, began the process for installing a new Bus Priority Lane Project on La Brea Avenue and added bus-only and bike lanes on Venice Boulevard. As chair of the Energy and Environment Committee, I introduced legislation to provide additional oversight and community safety measures on the Department of Water and Power’s plan to convert the Scattergood power plant to burn green hydrogen. I have pressed to improve LADWP’s customer service, which we know was unacceptable during last year’s rainstorms. At my first council meeting, I asked LAPD to report on hate crimes, given the rise in antisemitic violence. Only
OPEN for business, Bacio di Latte serves up scoops.
FAHERTY is now open on the Boulevard.
location. Faherty’s style is beachy, comfortable and bohemian. In addition to clothing, customers will find months into office, we saw two local men attacked simply for appearing Jewish. In the city’s budget, I was able to secure funds to expand the Jewish Federation’s Community Security Initiative to help make our communities safer. Finally, my staff and I have focused on improving the quality of life in District 5. We funded a Clean Team that cleans streets and alleys and does minor tree and landscape maintenance and graffiti abatement. Additionally, we completed several alley repair and resurfacing projects, and we planted new street trees in high impact business corridors. I am proud of our collective accomplishments in just six months. These achievements are a testament to the dedication and collaboration of our community. I look forward to continuing our efforts to create an even better future for District 5. Thank you for your trust and support.
Ecclesia Gnostica Gnostic Christian Church Sunday Eucharist Eucharist 11:00am 11am Sunday Wednesday Eucharist Eucharist 8:30pm 8 pm Lectures • Fridays • 8• pm Lectures • Fridays 8pm 307
3363 Glendale Boulevard, Atwater, Los Angeles • 323-467-2685 2560 N. Beachwood Dr., Hollywood • 323-467-2685
©LC0421
Bishop Dr. Stephan Hoeller
flip-flops, socks and Raen brand sunglasses. Bacio di Latte also has opened for business. With flavors like limone sorbet, peanut butter gianduja and a classic stracciatella, the store
at 141 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd. is seeing scores of new customers stopping by for scoops. Another flavor note: While strolling the Boulevard, keep your olfactory senses in action to catch the scent of baking cookies. Levain Bakery opened at 227 N. Larchmont Blvd. on June 24 at 8 a.m. with a team ribbon cutting. The first 100 people in line received a Levain Bakery Larchmont Village tote
LEVAIN BAKERY was set to open June 24 after we went to press.
bag with bakery swag, and throughout opening day there were balloon twisting, face painting and other activities. And, of course, cookies were served fresh out of the oven. The bakery also offers pastries, cakes, breads and rolls. The proceeds from Levain Bakery Larchmont’s opening day will be donated to Alexandria House, a bakery spokesperson told us.
Philip M. Hawley July 29, 1925 - May 25, 2023
Longtime local resident Philip Metschan Hawley, 97, died peacefully at his home in Hancock Park on May 25, 2023. He was born in Portland, Oregon on July 29, 1925 to Willard Prescott Hawley, Jr., and Dorothy Eleanor Metschan. A proud Oregonian, he spoke with great admiration of his ancestors and their many sacrifices and accomplishments. He enjoyed a cherished childhood surrounded by loving parents and four siblings, and during his teenage years formed close lifelong friendships. Phil attended UC Berkeley during World War II, a member of the V-12 Navy College Training Program while earning Phi Beta Kappa honors. Shortly before graduation in 1946 he met a young woman from Alhambra, Calif., Mary Catherine Follen. He knew instantly this vivacious Irish Catholic girl was the perfect match for his evenkeeled Protestant personality, and the two were engaged within six weeks. They were married on May 31, 1947, at St. Gregory Church in Los Angeles. Phil would reflect amusingly on their modest circumstances in those early years, as the young couple returned from their honeymoon with just $1.58 to their name. Phil and Mary started their own small business, opening the Broadway Ice Cream Bowl in Portland, with the first of many children arriving soon after. In 1958 they moved to Los Angeles, settling in Windsor Square, where they became active members of St. Brendan parish, Loyola High School, and many other civic and charitable organizations. Together they raised a family of eight children while Phil’s retailing career grew, as he ultimately led Broadway Department Stores and oversaw the national expansion of Neiman Marcus, among other accomplishments. His children would marvel at how, despite the demands of his career, he never missed a child’s birthday or family celebration. Phil enjoyed vacationing in Newport Beach, where he and the family would often embark on sunset cruises from their home in Beacon Bay. He possessed an incredible mind with perfect recall of events from decades earlier, nourished largely on a diet of bacon, donuts, butter, peanut butter sandwiches, more butter, and Dr. Pepper. In his youth he possessed a deadly accurate basketball shot and in his later years he took great pride in his collection of first edition Sherlock Holmes mysteries and was an avid reader of Winston Churchill biographies. No tribute to Phil would be complete without recognizing his incredible warmth and generosity of spirit. A quintessential gentleman, the true measure of Phil’s life can only be measured in the countless enduring friendships he forged. Phil had a remarkable gift for making each person he met feel truly special and appreciated, and yet he would be the first to tell you it was his life that was most enriched by these experiences. The deepest range of Phil’s affection was held for his family, who knew nothing but unconditional love from him. In every interaction, his children saw an example of kindness, patience, and support. Even as the many children that followed might have overwhelmed most, Phil’s deep reservoir of love grew in equal measure. Known affectionately as “Poppy” to his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, it was not an uncommon sight to see them pile into his 1929 Ford Model A for a tour of Hancock Park or join him at his decades-long, all-family weekly Saturday lunch on Larchmont Boulevard at the Gingham Garden and later at the Larchmont Deli. Most especially, Phil was completely devoted to his wife Mary. Their union grew in affection for 71 years, and his love for her manifested itself most tenderly in Mary’s final years. Phil was predeceased by his wife Mary, his parents, his brother Willard, and his sisters Adele and Barbara. He is survived by his eight children: Diane (Bruce), Willard (Joy), Philip Jr. (Janelle), John (Barbara), Victor (Diane), Ned, Erin (Kevin), and George (Jane); his 24 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and his sister Dinda. A requiem mass was held at St. Brendan Church on Monday, June 12, and interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City. Donations in Phil’s honor can be made to Loyola High School (www.loyolahs.edu/giving/) or St. Brendan Catholic Church (stbrendanla.org/give). Adv.
14 SECTION ONE
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Tails told and purr-fect pictures of pets from our fair land
TRIXIE
DOBERMANS Josie, 12, and Sonny, 3, stand guard.
MILES CHENWALD dressed in his frog hoodie.
By Suzan Filipek Trixie is the newest member of Sarah Tilley’s busy household on Lucerne Boulevard and Second Street. “She was quite skinny and scared when we got her, but she’s quickly settled in and is a source of great joy for our family… My two kids have fallen in love.” Besides chasing squirrels and birds, “Her favorite thing in the world is to go into Tailwaggers on Larchmont and get a treat from the employees.” Read on for more Pets of Larchmont: Robin Jameson of South Lucerne Boulevard says, “My Dobermans [Josie, 12, and Sonny, 3] are ever vigilant protectors of Windsor Square.” Miles Chenwald is here dressed in his frog hoodie at Go Get Em Tiger on Larchmont Boulevard. “Miles is a mixed breed and will be 5 in July, we think. He was adopted,” says Lynn Chen, Larchmont Village. “My cat Yoki likes to sleep under the covers,” Colleen Friend of North Windsor Boulevard tells us. Callie “was the only black golden doodle in a litter of blondes,” Paul Newman and Mary Pickhardt, Irving Boulevard, tell us. “She recently graduated from puppy school,
YOKI likes to sleep under the covers.
earning the ‘most improved’ award… Callie is energetic, quirky and observant and loves to say hi to people on Larchmont,” Paul adds. Marcello is a ragamuffin — a breed derived from ragdolls — Tamara Blustein of Westchester Place explains. “They are supposed to be quite large, around 18 pounds or so, but he’s a runt, and stays at a slim 13 pounds. All my other cats (three) are rescues.” Mookie “was named after our favorite Dodger, Mookie Betts,” Marsha Goodman and Dan Einstein of Norton Avenue tell us. Vincent LeVeque and wife Karen Jefchak of Plymouth Boulevard adopted Corro (I run) from Downtown Dog Rescue. “He is 100% Ameri-
WE ARE PROUD TO BE THE TRUSTED VETERINARY CLINIC TO THE LARCHMONT COMMUNITY FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY!
CALLIE enjoys the view.
can pit bull terrier,” LeVeque tells us. Bella and Addy chill at Manhattan Place with Mary Deles. Olive is a 12-year-old “bloodhound lady,” Paul Hoen of Norton Avenue tells us. “She has lived here all her life and enjoys barking and howling and saying hello to all the other dogs that pass our house.” Maddie, 6, is a fashionista Maltipoo whose hobbies include chasing balls and napping, Bill Johnson and H.J. Paik of North Arden Boulevard tell us. Ron Bran of Plymouth Boulevard tells us his “pandemic” Polish sheep dog, Sunny, “loves going to Larchmont daily for a treat at Tailwaggers.” David Weidman of North (Please turn to page 15)
MARCELLO in the tub.
MOOKIE is a Dodgers fan.
CORRO enjoys himself on a fine Larchmont Village lawn.
BELLA AND ADDY
(323) 463-4889
larchmontanimalclinic.com
316 N. Larchmont Blvd. CLINIC HOURS: Monday - Friday 8 am - 6 pm Saturday 8 am - 4 pm
OLIVE
Closed Sunday MADDIE in the latest fashions.
CONVENIENT FREE PARKING
Complete Selection of Natural Pet Food & Supplies Hours: Mon – Fri • 10 am to 6 pm Sat. • 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Closed Sunday
336 N. Larchmont Blvd. • (323) 464-3031
©LC0723
• FREE PARKING!
SUNNY
COOPER
Larchmont Chronicle
LUCY
Pets
(Continued from page 14) Rossmore Avenue walks Cooper, an 80-pound golden doodle, around Larchmont Village. “He’s very friendly and loves people and dogs. He rarely barks except when food is involved or when I show up to walk him. He’s very good-natured and a little mischievous.” Lucy, a 2-year-old poodle mix, was adopted by Sue and George Merlis of Lucerne Boulevard. “Lucy’s favorite walk is along Larchmont, where she takes every open store door as an invitation to enter and sniff around. Next to chasing squirrels up trees, it’s her favorite activity,” George Merlis tells us. Tishy was named after “my sister who passed away,” Suzanne Wilton tells us. Her other cat, Timmy, was named after her late brother. “They are great company and they love each other,” adds Wilton, who lives on Windsor Boulevard in a house her husband grew up in. “It was actually moved here in the 1920s when they built Bullocks Wilshire. I
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
TISHY AND TIMMY
also grew up in the neighborhood at 421 Wilton Place. We love living here,” she says. Willie, 12, and Michael Soriano are regular customers at Go Get Em Tiger. They “love meeting new people and dogs on a daily basis,” Soriano says. “Come by and say hi.” Gary Private of Gramercy Place and Third Street sent us a photo of his orange tabby, Beany, with a picture of his late brother, Bond T. Pussycat. Zephyr guesstimates he is roughly 9,100 kilometers from the Veuve Clicquot champagne house in Reims. The miniature schnauzer enjoys the good life at his South Larchmont Boulevard home with John Iglar and Jeremy Braud. Sophia Lo of North Bronson Avenue sent us a photo of her
KIYOMI and SCHMOOPY DOOPERS (Kiyomi is the allwhite cat).
“puppy,” Abby, an 11-monthold European English golden retriever. While Toby hails from Irving Boulevard with Annie O’Rourke and the O’Rourke/ Taormina family, in a previous life she was a street cat and fostered outside (hence the clipped ear). Two Persians join two dogs in a home in Larchmont Village. “We also have a 7 1/2-year-old daughter, so it is a bit of a zoo at our house!”
COWBOY Beau.
BEANY
THE KING of Bronson, Elvis.
SWEET Elsie.
explains Melanie Kaplan. Peter, 5, a terrier mix, and Appa, 3, a husky and shepherd mix, join Persians Kiyomi and Schmoopy doopers. Yee haw! Beau, 15, a Havanese, sports his Montana cowboy hat and recently celebrated his birthday with some of his furry neighbors, Adrienne and Stephen Cole of Windsor Square tell us. Elvis is the king of Bronson Avenue, Linda Sunshine of North Bronson Avenue tells us. “Elvis was born in a ditch behind the Home Depot near Lancaster. The rescue lady told me he was a Chihuahua and wouldn’t be more than 12 pounds. Ha! “Turns out he is a pit bull / German shepherd mix and now tips the scales at 58 pounds. His friends at Peet’s call him the biggest Chihuahua in Larchmont.”
Elsie, a “purebred poodle and half everything else” lives with the Siegel family near Beachwood Drive and Beverly Boulevard. “We rescued her when she was 10. She’s almost 11! She loves to snuggle and play with her favorite toy, mousie. Elsie is a fierce protector but absolutely loves (Please turn to page 16)
PRINCE ALBERT, aka Albie.
Come by to Check Out Our Many Services!
WILLIE
Tailwaggers
ABBY
ZEPHYR counts the kilometers to his favorite champagne destination.
Larchmont Village 147 North Larchmont Blvd. Cat & Dog Adoptions in parking lot
every Sunday 10:30 am-1 pm
Free Same-Day Local Delivery Mon.-Sat. 8am-9pm • Sun. 9am-8pm
323.464.9600 www.tailwaggerspets.com
Locally & Independently Owned Since 2003 PETER and APPA (Peter is the smaller dog).
15
Please visit our other two locations
TOBY
1929 N. Bronson Ave., Hollywood • 801 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood
16 SECTION ONE
KODAK wearing daddy’s hat.
Pets
(Continued from page 15) belly rubs,” Danielle tells us. Prince Albert, aka Albie, lives royally on South Lucerne Boulevard with Judy Zeller. “Kodak loves to wear daddy’s hat — especially while watching movies on TV,” say Crescenzo Notarile and Carolyn Trampf. Kodak adds, “Mommy takes me on long walks around Larchmont, so I can see all my many friends… Then we go to Tail Waggers for a treat — my favorite shop
KASHI
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
WAITING FOR MOM. Kramer and Francis.
on the strip.” Kashi, a 4-month-old toy golden doodle, lives on Sycamore Avenue. “But we consider Larchmont Village our neighborhood! You’ll find us there often eating at Burger Lounge and Larchmont Wine and Cheese and shopping!” Jessica Replansky and her three sons tell us. Kathleen Losey’s standard poodle, Francis, and Kramer the Pomeranian join her at home in Windsor Square, where she’s lived 53 years. Oscar and Emmet are cairn
SNOWBALL “is one special dish!” LAVENDER LADY VIOLET
terriers and Franklin is a Biewer terrier. “They’re all happily settled in Hancock Park,” Peter Golden tells us. Lady Violet is a blue classic torbie with white Maine coon. “Her favorite activities include balancing on the banister, exploring high places
and splashing in any water she can find. Lady Violet is a character!” the Dalton Family, Fremont Place, tell us. “Meet one of my wonderful Tonkinese babies, Lavender,” says Joan Kors of Hancock Park. “My hamster, Snowball, is cute, furry, energetic and lovable,” Ayin Im tells us. “She was adopted by us last November and even though she is small, she eats a lot and moves very fast. One thing special about her is her amazing power to devour vegetables. She loves any type of fruit, vegetable and more. Her top three favorite foods are: broccoli, apples and cucumbers. She just loves those! I have a picture of her eating broccoli which was so cute! She is one special dish!”
FRANKLIN, Oscar and Emmet.
Stella, a border collie on Plymouth Boulevard, “is my son Jake’s dog,” says Iris Petersen. “But I love her so she’s half mine.” “Jake got Stella in his senior year at University of Michigan,” she adds. “She was the last one in the litter and Jake rescued her. We flew her back to Los Angeles after he graduated.” Stella and Stanley enjoy life on Beachwood Drive with Melanie and Ron Mulligan. Franklyn and Eleanor enjoy pasta dinners at the Mary Samuelson and Louis Fantasia home in Windsor Square. Wilbur lives on North Rossmore with Kim Lemon and Mike Levine. Our golden gang is Willet, 5, and Orbie, 2, Gabriela Lopez and Tyler Stahl of N. Arden Boulevard, tell us. Gussie, a 16 1/2 year old pug mix, lives with Judianne and Ken Jaffe and four cats on June Street. “Gussie was res(Please turn to page 17)
STELLA and STANLEY STELLA
Celebrating the Pets of Larchmont Village
428 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles Open Monday - Saturday 9 am - 6 pm Closed for Lunch Daily • Noon - 1 pm
• IN HOUSE PHARMACY • PRESCRIPTION FOOD • LOCAL HOME DELIVERY • ONLINE PHARMACY • GROOMING
(323) 378-6676 www.larchmontvillagevet.com www.facebook.com/larchmontvillagevet
©LC0723
• PRIMARY CARE • DENTISTRY • SURGERY • DIGITAL X-RAY • IN HOUSE DIAGNOSTICS
FRANKLYN and ELEANOR
WILBUR
WILLET
ORBIE
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
GUSSIE
Pets
(Continued from page 16) cued from the East LA City Shelter when she was 4. She used to have a black face! She is a precious little sweet heart!” Judianne says. Rosie, 11, loves her Larchmont Boulevard walks, says Susan Gilig of Beachwood Drive. Byrdie lives on Lorraine Boulevard with Serena Duff. “Our cat Gabby passed away in March. She was an outstanding kitty. We took her off the street and enjoyed 11
GABBY
HONEY DEW, ROSE DOLLY
great years with her,” Annissa Lui and Joshua Tompkins of North Gower tell us. Betty and Jackson have a cozy life on Citrus Avenue with “mom” Cynthia Markus. Ethel-Mae loves her walks around the neighborhood and to Larchmont Village. Honey Dew and Rose Dolly enjoy the good life on South Gramercy Drive with Jonathan Sheldon.
Sophie is living her best life at home and on Larchmont Boulevard, where she can be spotted daily, Susan Goodman tell us. “Sophie makes every day marvelous,” adds Goodman, who has lived on Plymouth Boulevard for 52 years. And last but certainly not least is the Largemont Dog Club. Its members are mostly Saint Bernard pups, such as Stanley, 1, and Elvin, a mastiff, looks forward to his first birthday. They meet weekly to
BETTY and JACKSON
ROSIE
SOPHIE
BYRDIE
ETHEL-MAE, 14, is a crème pied Frenchie.
Finest quality meats and sausages
Our Own Pet Food! Ground Fresh
2 Varieties: * Beef * Chicken
©LC0723
WE ALSO CARRY MARROW BONES FOR DOGS & PUPPIES!
323-938-5383
6333 West 3rd St. (in Original Farmers Market) www.huntingtonmeats.com
SECTION ONE
17
LARGEMONT DOG CLUB, left to right: Saint Bernards Queenie, Huckleberry and Stanley, and Elvin, a mastiff. Not pictured: Toejam.
bark, cavort and more or less soak one another in drool in a local backyard and on outings to Larchmont, K.T. Wiegman
of Larchmont Village tells us. And there you have them — this year’s adorable, interesting and always fun local pack!
Furry cuddles, purrs await at Melrose Avenue cat café
By Talia Abrahamson Cat people will get fuzzy feelings from Crumbs & Whiskers, 7924 Melrose Ave. Kittens, all rescued and available for adoption, live in the café, and they are ready for snuggles from friends of felines to forever families. Crumbs & Whiskers opened in 2016, and it is Los Angeles’ original cat café. Unique within the wildly popular combination of cats and food first tried out in Taiwan in the 1990s is Crumb & Whisker’s local social mission. All of its cats, with ages ranging from 4 months to 3 years, are rescued from euthanasia by high-risk kill shelters by The Cat’s Meow, the café’s partner
CATS in the café are all rescued through Los Angeles nonprofit The Cat’s Meow.
organization. Many are strays from the neighborhood along streets like Rosewood and Mel(Please turn to page 19)
18 SECTION ONE
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Pets of Hollywood Forever Cemetery are living a beautiful life
By Casey Russell A picturesque oasis in the heart of the city, Hollywood Forever Cemetery is home to a surprising variety of wild and cared for animals. The cemetery was founded in 1899 and is the final resting place of Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Mel Blanc and Cecil B. DeMille, to name a few. Eddie Martinez joined the Hollywood Forever staff in 2015. He told us that he used to visit as a child with his father. “This place was completely different [then],” said Martinez. “Monuments were on their sides, gates were open… it was bad.” As to animals, squirrels were the main residents. Fortunately, Tyler Cassidy bought Hollywood Forever in 1998. Believing the space could be an area for more than grieving, Cassidy began investing to make it into what it is today. The cemetery is co-owned by Cassidy and Yogu Kanthiah. With their staff, they’ve created a beautiful space for families of all cultures to celebrate the lives of their departed. But the team also has brought life to the cemetery in a unique way — they’ve welcomed animals. Peacocks In 2005, the first pairs of peacocks were brought to Hollywood Forever. By the time Martinez came on in 2015, the peacock population had increased. In an effort to bring variety to the pride, Martinez arranged a trade of birds with a friend who owned an aviary. There are now 51 resident
MALE PEACOCK with Oreo the rabbit.
peacocks at the cemetery. Until several weeks ago, that number was 48. But Angel, a 4-year-old female, recently became mother to three sweet peachicks. The baby birds will remain in an enclosure until they are a bit older. Then they will roam free — night and day — like their fellow fowls. The birds are only herded into their two-story enclosure at the north end of the cemetery when a large event is taking place. This is done for the safety of the birds. Martinez, a funeral coordinator at the cemetery, is in charge of all the animals at Hollywood Forever. “I kind of fell into that position because [the owners] saw how dedicated I was to all of them.” The staff member is used to being around animals. Growing up, said Martinez, “My house was a zoo.” He had a rooster, a duck, two cats, a dog, two scorpions and a 7-foot-long iguana. “It’s fun,” Martinez said of
his job. “It’s relaxing, really. And it’s a pleasure to always be around them. There’s so much life.” The peacocks are just one of the many species people may glimpse while visiting. Swans Zeus and Helen are the resident swans. Four years ago, employees got very excited because an egg was produced for the first time. As it turned out, though, Zeus is female. So, although eggs have become a yearly occurrence since then, they are unfertilized. No ugly ducklings will be seen any time soon. Ducks There are several Cayuga ducks that stay at the pond year-round. They are black with a metallic green sheen and are, we are told, quite friendly. The mallards and geese come and go. But ducklings and goslings grace the area around the pond every spring. Felines Fifty cats live on the
HELEN the swan sitting on her nest (right) with Zeus guarding.
grounds. Of them, Growly is the most famous. He has his own Instagram account. run by Karie Bible, who gives cemetery tours. As soon as Bible shows up, Growly follows her all day, tagging along as she shows people around. All of the cats are spayed, neutered and up-to-date on their vaccinations. Most were abandoned here. A local woman helps with their care. Throughout the cemetery, cat boxes provide food and places for the felines to sleep. But it’s not just the cats that take advantage of this food. “It’s so interesting to see all these animals comingle. You’ll see a squirrel, a cat and a peacock eating all from the same bowl,” said Martinez. More The one large on-site pond is home to 20 koi, along with
ZEUS the swan with fellow fowls at one of the cemetery’s many cat boxes.
a multitude of turtles. Hawks, owls, cormorants and the occasional blue heron visit. A recently abandoned chicken is soon going home with one of the groundskeepers. Oreo, a black-and-white rabbit, was left at the cemetery four years ago and can be seen mingling with the peacocks. “We all love these animals so much. We want the best for them,” said Martinez.
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS (from left): David Lee and Abbik Ilyasov, and (far right): Azimjon Sodikov and Sol Kim. Wilshire Rotary President Joyce Kleifield and LA5 Rotary President Malinda Monterrosa are center.
Four students awarded $10,000 each by Rotary
By Casey Russell The Rotary Club of Los Angeles (LA5) recently awarded 25 $10,000 scholarships to students from Los Angeles. Four of these scholarships were bestowed upon students from Larchmont Charter High School: David Lee, Sol Kim, Abbik Ilyasov and Azimjon Sodikov. A luncheon was held at The California Club in downtown Los Angeles to honor the recipients. LA5 President Malinda Monterrosa joined Wilshire Rotary Club president Joyce Kleifield at the event. The Larchmont Charter students are also members of Wilshire Rotary’s
Interact Club, which engages kids ages 12 to 18 in activities that help them discover the power of “service above self” — the Rotary motto — while developing leadership skills and interacting with Rotary members. “One of the reasons we had four kids chosen from our club is that… they were not only excelling in school, but they were involved in service,” said Kleifield. With help from the scholarships, David Lee will be attending Yale University; Azimjon Sodikov will pursue studies at the UC Irvine; and Abbik Ilyasov and Sol Kim will both attend Claremont McKenna College.
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
19
Teens plan to be out in the world and the woods this summer
By Casey Russsell Ridgewood / Wilton resident Sam Terr has exciting plans. The Buckley School student, who recently finished his junior year, will head to New York University on July 7. Terr will be participating in the Tisch Summer High School Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music program. During four weeks of classes, juniors and seniors can earn college credits and study the aspects of the music business that involve recording, producing and distribution. Having started playing the guitar at age 6, Terr has always liked music. He aims to become a music producer. When asked what he’ll be doing before heading off to learn about his dream job, Terr said, “I want to see how wide I can grow my wealth of knowledge… just see what I can do and push my limits.” Another resident of Ridgewood / Wilton, Kayla Wolovitch, has outdoor plans for this summer. Wolovitch will be at Camp Tawonga in Yosemite for four weeks.
Cat café
(Continued from page 17) rose avenues. “They’re definitely local,” manager Amber Headrick said. “We can say that they’ve always lived in LA or just right down the street.” This is the second location of Crumbs & Whiskers, the first being in Washington, D.C. Through both locations, approximately 2,100 cats have been adopted. Windsor Square resident Annie O’Rourke said she often found herself driving by Crumbs & Whiskers and decided to surprise her 8-yearold son, Ronan Taormina, with a visit there last month. He said the experience lived up to his expectations. “My favorite part was that none of the cats ran away, and they were very playful,” Ronan said.
a campsite was more difficult than anticipated because many sites book up months in advance.” Fortunately, through perseverance and research, the two found a great spot to camp for two nights in La Jolla. They are excited to have some time to hang out and go inner-tubing down the river bisecting the campsite. After her outdoor adventures, Wolovitch says she’ll be doing lots of prep for her college applications.
Stella Steitz of Melrose Hill will be participating in the Oxbridge Academic Programs this summer. Steitz, who will be a junior this fall, will fly to Oxford, England, for three weeks of classes in a variety of subjects. Then, because she is eager to practice her French language skills, Steitz will be continuing on to Paris. “This is going to be the first time I’ve been out of the country since I went to London in fifth or sixth grade,” Steitz said. She added that she feels lucky to be able to explore the world
this summer. When she returns, Steitz said her time will be spent finishing her summer homework for Marlborough, working at Jeni’s Ice Cream (if she gets the call saying she’s hired) and lending an ear with a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-based hotline, Teen Line. Steitz works year-round with the hotline. Via texts, calls and emails, professionally trained teens support peers who contact the hotline. Steitz is working to pass a Teen Line test, which will promote her to handling phone calls. She encourages teens in need of support to call 800-8528336 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. PST. At the end of August, Steitz hopes to go with a few friends to San Francisco or Santa Barbara. She said this would be for “some fun teenage stuff after the program.” Apparently, our local teens have clear and varied ideas of how to spend their weeks off from school. We at the Chronicle wish them, and all of you, a great summer.
home his favorite, Banzai. She herself took a special likening to Coco, who had just been voted “Cat of the Week.” The café has been overall a successful way to market adoptable cats. Adoption takes $225 and about three weeks. Headrick said half of all guests are looking to adopt, and, since September, she has
seen about 80 adoptions. Most cats end up staying for only a couple of months. Their longest resident called the café home for just nine months. In addition to regular reservations ($25 for 30 minutes, $40 for 70 minutes), guests can sign up to attend monthly cat yoga sessions or themed play time, such as last month’s Pride Night, BTS Night, and
Taylor Swift Eras Tour Music Night. Crumbs & Whiskers also hosts birthday parties for children 7 (the minimum age for entry into the café) and up. “If we were to adopt another cat, I would definitely go,” O’Rourke said. “You can get a sense of the personalities of the cats when you go there, and they’re doing things for a nice cause.”
SAM TERR plans to learn about his dream job.
CAMPING at Ocean Mesa in Santa Barbara are, left to right, Avery Owen-Lara and Kayla Wolovitch.
While there, she will do one week of training, take a white water river trip and serve as a counselor in training for three weeks. The 17-year-old also has been planning a camping trip with her friend Avery Owen-Lara of Windsor Square. Both young women have experience hiking, backpacking and camping. But this will be the duo’s first camping trip sans parents. Wolovitch said, “Booking The family had adopted a cat, Toby, in September. Toby was skittish around Ronan and his younger brother. O’Rourke thought the café with its more socialized cats would be a fun experience. “I saw [Ronan] really calm down. It felt almost therapeutic for him to be there,” O’Rourke said. “It’s nice, clean and white, and all these animals are very sweet. He did not want to leave.” Crumbs & Whiskers partners with a café offsite to offer a selection of café items with a minimized risk of cat fur in your coffee. With a drink or pastry in hand — like Ronan’s beverage of choice, a “yummy” lemonade –– guests can enjoy their own small nibbles alongside the cats. O’Rourke said she was upfront about not adopting a cat, but that did not stop Ronan from pleading to take
RONAN TAORMINA, 8, and his mother, Annie O’Rourke, posed with their favorite cats, Banzai and Coco, for the café’s complimentary souvenir Polaroid image.
STELLA STEITZ is ready for European travel.
20 SECTION ONE
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Larchmont youth named Marlborough School Outstanding Athlete Youth Sports by
Jim Kalin “My parents were the ones who influenced the start of my love for basketball,” admitted Rita. Her mother Pamela — who played basketball in high school — coached Rita when she competed for St. Brendan and Goldie’s All-Girls League. “We taught Rita the love of sports by shooting around with her, going to live games and having sports on TV at home,” explained Pamela. “She loves watching March Madness and the NBA playoffs. It was important to her father and me that she felt comfortable watching and talking about sports as a girl.” Rita will move up to the high school level next year, and Marlborough’s varsity squad, coached by Sixx Johnson, is one of the state’s better teams. This past February, the team was runner-up in the CIFSS (California Interscholastic Federation – Southern Section) Division I Tournament, losing to defending champion Orange Lutheran in the finals. “I’m looking forward to having Rita up at the high school level,” said Coach Johnson. “She works hard, and she constantly wants to improve. I’m
AWARDEE Rita Wright will be a ninth grader next year.
excited to see what she does in the next four years.” Johnson recognizes that Rita is a natural leader, and he’s vigilant about cultivating that trait in her. At his summer basketball clinic, he put her in leadership roles during drills and warm-ups. “Rita sees the game through so many lenses because she loves the sport and does so much extra.” Lacrosse Rita ran track last spring, but decided to go out for lacrosse this year. “After one season of track, we quickly discovered that Rita is a team-sport athlete,” explained her mother. “I had seen clips of lacrosse games, and I figured this would help me in basketball,” said Rita. There were also a good number of her friends on the team who had previous playing experience, so Rita could
IN THE GAME, from left to right, Rita Wright (#4) with teammates Kasey Chong and Nia Guillemet.
go to them when she had questions about the game. “She picked it up with lightning speed,” said Marlborough lacrosse Coach Kendall Beeman. “She played defense and brought many of her basketball skills to the lacrosse field. They transferred so well.” The lacrosse team ended 5-1 for the season and placed second in the league.
Rita Wright loves competition, and thrives on camaraderie and family. Her younger brother Nico also competes in basketball. “Nico and I play one-onone,” laughed Rita. “And I always win. He claims basketball is not his main sport, but he just needs an excuse for me crushing him.” Did I mention that Rita Wright doesn’t like to lose?
THE WILLOWS Simone Meltzer 8th Grade
dents participated in Arts Night, which showcased dance pieces, a poetry ensemble, a rock band and the choir. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades had their final exhibitions. The 5th grade provided the school with an exhibition that gave a better understanding of life in early America. Our 8th grade students performed their well-rehearsed play, “The Prom.” Later, the 8th graders took a graduation trip to Magic Mountain and also completed the annual climb to the top of Baldwin Hill with their book buddies. The year finished with Spirit Week. These annual traditions at the end of the year are just a small part of what makes life at The Willows amazing. It is a place that many will miss over the summer, and a place that will live in us forever.
The end of the school year is always bittersweet. On June 13, The Willows Community School ended the year with its traditional step-up ceremony. The weeks leading up to step-up are action packed and funfilled, but also bring with them a tinge of sadness. At times, we will miss coming to school. The list of end-of-year moments is long. There was an inspiring visit from Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist David Oh, who talked about his work on the Psyche Mission. Many stu-
Dentistry for Children and Young Adults
Pediatric Dentistry Randall E. Niederkohr, D.D.S.
Member American Dental Association Diplomat of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
Orthodontics Available
TV & Video Games
©LC1010
My wife and I were watching the NBA playoffs, and at one point during a game, there seemed to be some confusion about the score. After debate and video-review, the officials finally got it sorted. “The NBA should hire Rita Wright to keep score,” my wife commented. That got us both laughing, but her point was valid. Focus Rita Wright is an eighth grader at Marlborough School and has been the statistician and scorekeeper for the SBBA (St. Brendan Basketball Association) the past two years. There is nobody more focused than Rita when she’s behind the scorer’s table on Saturday and Sunday during basketball season. “I appreciate her dedication and commitment to our league,” said SBBA director Abel De Luna. “We are proud to have her as part of SBBA.” Marlborough Rita attended St. Brendan School before transferring to Marlborough, the local allgirls independent school for grades 7-12. Marlborough offers 12 different sports throughout the school year for its students, and nobody has taken advantage of that athletic opportunity more than Rita Wright. She was recently presented the school’s Outstanding Athlete Award for grades 7-8. Hoops Rita’s favorite sport, and the one she’s best at, is basketball.
We have a unique living room atmosphere Children from newborns to 18-year-olds feel comfortable Saturday Appointments Available
(323) 463-8322 • 321 N. Larchmont Blvd, Suite 809
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
21
This simple act can have great benefits for kids of all ages
By Casey Russell Most people are aware that it’s good to read aloud to young children. But this month, I thought I’d write about why this simple act can have such great benefits for kids of all ages. Starting early Snuggling up to read your little one a book before sleep is wonderfully bonding. It gives baby her cue that the time for sleep is coming. And — separate from the calm connection time — reading to your child will encourage her curious neurons to begin making language pathways. Toddlers and preschool-aged children get practice with visual imagery when they are read to. They are also clued into words they don’t yet know
through illustrations. We can point as we read — helping reinforce, through pictures, the words our kids are hearing. Starting around age 3, it’s also helpful to trace your finger under the words as you read. This subtle way of linking the printed word with its sound helps kids learn to read quite quickly. School-aged kids When we read aloud, we model how to read punctuation. We can create excitement with our voice inflections and vocally emphasize characters’ personalities. Hearing a story helps kids to comprehend it. Words in their context are understood more easily when children hear them read aloud. But parents can take this a step further. When you notice
NEW COVENANT ACADEMY Sue Jung Park 10th Grade
water slide definitely kept the excitement high throughout the day! Through the program, I believe everyone creates closer relationships with their peers and gains knowledge of, and interests in, various areas.
For New Covenant Academy, June and July are full of laughter and fun with the summer enrichment program! Various courses and electives were offered in this program, including public speaking, Esports (electronic sports,) basketball and more! For high school students, the summer strength and conditioning training program was introduced. It allowed the students to enhance their physical fitness, improve their athletic performance in sports and learn injury prevention techniques. Program participants also made great memories through field trips. One notable day was the annual NCA Summer Festival. Various types of games, delicious food, jumpers and a
HOLLYWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE Miles Hoffman 6th Grade Writing for this newspaper has been a surreal experience for me, and I am sad that this is my last article. I will never forget driving out to get the latest copy and seeing a picture of myself printed out in the Larchmont Chronicle. For all of the readers that have even glanced at my article, I want to say thank you. You all have made my writing hopes come true. This year marks my graduation from Hollywood Schoolhouse.
Tips on Parenting by
Casey Russell a word that your child may not have encountered before, try this: Directly after you’ve read the unfamiliar word, say a similar word your child knows. Then simply continue on with the text. In the following days and weeks, make a point of using the word a few times in conversation. This technique is an amazing way to easily grow your child’s vocabulary. Helping struggling readers Children having extra trouGraduates were invited to a recognition dinner with family and friends. It took place at the Roosevelt Hotel. I was for the event, as my class and I have been talking about it since last year. I remember when I first walked into the Hollywood Schoolhouse at three-years-old. The first thing I did was run into the teepee that was set up in my classroom. I will always remember the feeling I got — excitement; but not just any excitement. I felt excited to be a part of a wonderful, new community. I hope I get the same feeling when I step into my new school. Goodbye, Hollywood Schoolhouse. Thank you.
ble reading on their own can learn to love stories by hearing them. This love of the story can help them persevere through reading challenges. And all kids will benefit from seeing a parent pause to figure out a word’s meaning. This models the fact that it’s okay to not know something. It also shows kids that stopping for a moment can bring much greater understanding of the whole. Feelings Studies have shown that kids who often are read to have an increased ability to put their feelings into words. This can help a lot when we’re trying to understand what our kids are experiencing. And, clearly, it benefits them in social interactions. Let’s face it: Being out in the world can be hard. Reading to your child can be a way to reconnect with home and family in the child’s safe space. As reading becomes associated with calm, regulated feelings, our children will have another tool to use on their own when they need to get back to stasis. Older children The benefits of reading aloud continue far past when kids have begun to read on their own. Children’s comprehension levels surpass their reading abilities for a long while. Reading aloud allows them to experience more advanced books with higher-
level language and concepts. Continuing to read aloud to older kids also gives us a chance to talk with them about the subjects that come up and how characters treat each other. Sharing a book can start conversations about what’s going on in their own lives. If we know our child is struggling in some way, we can share a book that may subtly help. As the pre-teen and teenage years are entered, it can feel harder to connect with our kids at times. If your child is still open to it, reading together can serve as another shared experience. With older kids especially, reading books together allows us to step out of our parent / child roles for a moment. For that space and time, we are simply two people widening our perspectives and experiencing someone else’s world together. Our experience of each other grows, as does our empathy and compassion for people similar to the characters about whom we are reading. So this summer, no matter what your child’s age happens to be, consider taking some time to pick up a book and read together. For more parenting tips, check out my book, “The Handbook for Life With Little Ones: Information, ideas and tips for birth to age five,” on Amazon.
IMMACULATE HEART
A Catholic, Independent, College Preparatory School For Girls Grades 6-12
The Plymouth School NOW ENROLLING
• Preschool program for children 2 to 5½.
1906
AC
OS
N
IM
U L ATA S U L ATA S
S PE
T RA
OS
T RA
EST
AC M
1906
UL A T E H E
N
T
IMM
©LC0123
T
AC
AR
M
M A RIA
theplymouthschool.com • theplymouthschool@gmail.com
UL A T E H E
EST
IM
315 S. Oxford Ave. • 213-387-7381
M A RIA
• Over 45 years serving the neighborhood
AC
AR
• Experienced teachers devoted to fostering self-esteem in a safe nurturing environment
IMM
“Educating the Hearts & Minds of Young Women Since 1906”
• Creative activities to encourage cognitive & social development including art, music, movement & play
PE
S
5515 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (323) 461-3651 www.immaculateheart.org
22 SECTION ONE
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
TV City
(Continued from page 1) veloped in 1952. “We know that the TVC Project will benefit not only studio workers… but local businesses and neighbors,” Zach Sokoloff, senior vice president, Hackman Capital Partners, told us in an earlier statement. Tours To better acquaint the public with the plans, the developer is offering free in-person tours of the iconic studio, giving an inside look at the historic site while outlining the plans for modernization and expansion. “Lunch on the Lot” is offered by day, and “Cocktails and Conversations” takes place in the evenings. “A studio tour is an intimate opportunity to meet so many of our neighbors, share our proposed project with them, and get their feedback and ideas. I have loved hearing from visiting community members and
NEIGHBORS FOR RESPONSIBLE TVC DEVELOPMENT cochairs Danielle Peters, left, and Shelley Wagers, right, address the community at a meeting held at Della Terra restaurant on Beverly Boulevard.
sharing our hopes to protect and uplift our neighborhood together and to keep this iconic studio open long into the future,” said Adeena Bleich, vice president, Community Relations of Television City. To sign up for a tour, visit: tvcstudios.com/get-involved. “More substance, less smoke” But opponents of the project are not impressed with
the modernization plan or the new tours. “Hackman has what looks like a PR / outreach blitz campaign going. No sign yet of a final EIR with more substance and less smoke,” Danielle Peters, co-chair of Neighbors for Responsible TVC Development, told us in an email. “Meanwhile, we’re broadening our base of support. Just
Neville Anderson, MD, FAAP Board-Certified Pediatrician
Lauren Estrada, MD • We care for children 0-21 years old • Most PPO Insurance plans accepted
Call Today! 323.960.8500
©LC0523
321 N Larchmont Blvd., Suite 1020 . Los Angeles . 90004 www.larchmontpediatric.com
say the word ‘traffic,’ and locals get one big piece of the picture. The community is floored by the prospect of something more than twice the size of Staples Center, and Hackman’s bid for a 20-year construction ‘window’ doesn’t play well, either.” Some 40 neighbors attended a June 4 community meeting to discuss “the threat posed by this massive and ill-defined project,” Wagers said. The meeting took place at Della Terra Restaurant on Beverly Boulevard at Spaulding Avenue, just across the street from TV City. “We hear growing concerns that the proposed TVC development will dwarf our community and snarl traffic throughout
the immediate vicinity and in all the freeway-adjacent neighborhoods downstream.” Meanwhile, representatives for the developer recently have made presentations to residents of Park La Brea and to members of the Greater Miracle Mile Chamber of Commerce. The City of Los Angeles Planning Dept. staff is reviewing hundreds of letters submitted last fall during the public comment phase of the project’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) preparation. The Final Environmental Impact Report is still being prepared with no known release date set, according to the Planning Department.
Yaroslavsky / Braude Prop U is impactful still
By John Welborne As a new member of the City Council in 1975, Zev Yaroslavsky began to see the impacts of poorly planned highrise office development, and he decided to do something about it. He led a successful initiative election campaign, with his City Council colleague Marvin Braude, to urge city voters to enact Proposition U in 1986. Prop. U is still locally topical today (for example, with respect to the Television City successor’s TVC proposal for the land abutting Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Boulevard). The Larchmont Chronicle reached out to Yaroslavsky about the continuing impact of his 1986 ballot measure that reduced allowable density along neighborhood-serving commercial streets like Pico and Beverly boulevards, Fairfax Avenue and similar streets throughout the city. Our conversation was stimulated by a May 12 letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times in which the writer from South Pasadena commented about a previous article about trucks and air pollution, asserting that, “I don’t get how there is an article talking about California air pollution and it doesn’t mention the main cause, our land-use pattern. In 1986, Los Angeles passed Proposition U. Along with other slow-growth measures in other cities, it significantly decreased the amount of housing that could be built in Los Angeles. Our zoning capacity dropped, possibly by millions of people. “Those people didn’t just disappear. Instead they were forced to build homes further away from Los Angeles and drive in and out to their jobs daily. This increase in traffic is one of the main reasons we have bad air here.” I asked Yaroslavsky about that letter, and he responded, “Prop. U was approved by 69 percent of the voters in every one of the city’s 15 council
districts. The law cut development by half on properties zoned for neighborhood commercial uses — streets like York Boulevard, Fairfax Avenue, Ventura Boulevard, etc. The measure did not reduce development rights on any property that was zoned ‘residential.’” I asked him to clarify and to respond to the letter writer’s assertion that Prop. U decreased the amount of housing that could be built. He responded: “Our objective was to direct intense commercial development into areas like Downtown, Hollywood, Van Nuys and other centers designated by the city’s general plan. “Although residential development was (and is) permitted in commercial zones, a developer could make more profit by building a mini-mall than a six-story apartment building there.” Yaroslavsky added that Prop. U was refined following its 1986 passage. He noted that, “Twenty-five years ago, the city more than doubled Prop. U density for residential development on such thoroughfares. Nevertheless, today, the overwhelming percentage of buildings on such streets remains retail or commercial.” He concluded: “The letter writer’s additional argument that Prop. U is the ‘main cause’ for L.A.’s air pollution similarly doesn’t meet the fact test. Sprawl is certainly a principal cause for air pollution, but Prop. U’s reducing the size of potential megaprojects, such as the Beverly Center adjacent to residential neighborhoods in the heart of urban L.A., certainly is not. “In 1986, a Los Angeles Times analysis concluded that Proposition U is a ‘more complex choice about where Los Angeles’ intense commercial development should be allowed to take place, and how to go about it.’ That was true 37 years ago, and it’s true today.”
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION ONE
23
24 SECTION ONE
JULY 2023
Larchmont Chronicle
FESTIVAL
MUSEUM
IN SEASON
Lanterns, lotus blossoms, entertainment are back in Echo Park this month. Page 7
Exhibit at Walt Disney Family Museum is going to the dogs — and cats.
Page 6
Real Estate Entertainment, Libraries Home & Garden
Green corn tamale season is here. Find out where to get them.
Page 15
VIEW
Section 2
LARCHMONT CHRONICLE
JULY 2023
HANCOCK PARK • WINDSOR SQUARE • FREMONT PLACE • GREATER WILSHIRE • MIRACLE MILE • PARK LA BREA • LARCHMONT
356 S. Hudson Ave.| Hancock Park| $19,500,000
330 S. Windsor Blvd. | Windsor Square | $6,299,000
100 S. McCadden Pl. | Hancock Park| $4,895,000
NEW STAR-SPANGLED PRICE. A+ location. 4 beds + 6 baths + office & full basement. Pool. 330SWindsor.com Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374
SOLD. Stately country English with 4 bdrms, 4.5 baths & full of character. Pool + guest house.
An Exquisite, Rare Gated Tennis Court Estate! 4 stories, 10 beds/14 baths, theater. By appt only.
109 Fremont Pl. | Hancock Park| $7,500,000 A park-like gated community with 24hr security guard. Nearly 1-acre corner lot, hrdwd flrs, guest house, pool.
Lisa Hutchins 323.216.6938 CalRE #01018644
June Ahn 323.855.5558 CalRE #01188513
617 S. Plymouth Blvd. | Hancock Park| $3,295,000
262 S. Orange Dr. | Hancock Park | $2,750,000
547 N. Highland Ave. | Hancock Park | $2,689,000
5714 Briarcliff Rd.| Los Feliz | $2,199,000 IN ESCROW. Amazing head-on jet-liner views from Downtown LA to the Westside await you. 3bds/3 bas.
Lisa Hutchins 323.216.6938 CalRE #01018644
SOLD. Handsome 1920s Mediterranean duplex w/ brand new, permitted ADU. 262Orange.com Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374
Stunning Contemporary 2sty, Sound proofing dbl paned wndw. Renovated 6 bd/3 + fam rm. 3600s ft. Fab kitch. Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530
Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101
6240 Mulholland Hwy| Hollywood Hills | $2,050,000 Just below the iconic Hollywood sign, this chic 2-unit home offers a top-level 2 BR / 2.5 BA & 1 BR / 1 BA apt.
4424 Victoria Park Dr. | Mid-Los Angeles | $1,725,000
1736 Westerly Terr| Silver Lake | $1,699,000
120 N. Harvard Blvd. | Hancock Park Adj. | $1,399,000
Charming Victorian Colonial 4 beds / 4 bath home. Features: Crown moldings, French doors, hrdwd flrs.
Location, Location, Location. 1930’s bungalow, 3 beds, 3.5 baths, hillside views. Large windows and balcony.
Roddy de la Garza 323.696.5375 CalRE #01995374
Steve Tator 323.810.1593 CalRE #00945256
Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101
IN ESCROW. 1909 Craftsman with 10,000+ sq ft lot 20 blocks from Larchmont. 3 beds + 2 baths. Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374
67685 Buckboard Ln| Desert Hot Springs| $660,000 10 minutes to Palm Springs, 3 BR/3 BA w/ pool. Short term rentals OK! Estimated income $60K+/- annually.
145 S. Hudson Ave. | Hancock Park | $25,000/MO Stately English on one of the finest blocks in Hancock Park. 6 beds + 5.5 baths, pool w/ spa.
160 N. McCadden Pl. | Hancock Park | $16,900 Lease Furnished or unfurnished, short or long term. 5 beds, 5.5 bas including guest house & pool.
432 N. Oakhurst Dr. #402 | Beverly Hills | $12,000/MO Stunning condo w/open flr plan 3+3.5 bas, 2 balconies w/great vus. 24hr concierge. Furnished or unfurnished.
Roddy de la Garza 323.696.5375 CalRE #01995374
Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101
Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101
Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530
Hidden away behind lush hedges & gate, this light filled treasure offers the best of California living. 4Beds/4.5ba.
Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101
COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM Hancock Park 323.464.9272 | 251 N Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90004 ©2023 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. CalRE #00616212
2 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
‘Chateaux in the sky’ part 2: Gramercy, St. Andrews and Manhattan ‘The Places’ take center stage
It must have been quite a shocking sight in the late 1920s as a swell of development erupted in “The Places” along Gramercy, St. Andrews and Manhattan between Third Street and Olympic Boulevard. Like a giant monopoly board, multistory apartment buildings sprouted up amidst a flat landscape of vacant lots, bungalows and Craftsman mansions which were often moved away to make room for the new colossuses in their midst. Stately tracts such as Westminster Square, Westminster Place, Western Wilshire Heights and Country Club Park, originally laid out for single-family use, transformed into multifamily districts. The proximity of “The Places” to the important intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue — with its multiple streetcar line connections, the cachet of Wilshire being promoted as the “Fifth Avenue of the West,” as well as the three blocks being a gateway to the leafy communities to the west — made “The Places” an ideal location for growth. Ada Bell Maescher, presi-
On Preservation by
Brian Curran
dent of the De Luxe Building Company and one of the most successful women in the U.S. at the time, was the first to dip her toe into the market, building a 29-unit Renaissance Revival “tenement” in 1923 at 539 S. Manhattan Pl. Maescher was a real booster for Los Angeles, even going so far as to produce a film titled “Night Life in Hollywood” presenting a vision of a beautiful and exemplary city to contrast the louche reputation it commonly held. Within three years, other developers were following the prescient Ada Bell, and, by 1930, 26 more apartment buildings over four-stories tall were built along Gramercy, St. Andrews and Manhattan places. The year 1926 was the beginning of the apartment gold rush with the construction of The Ancelle Apartments at 701 S. Gramercy Dr. and 3950 W. Eighth St. by William Allen, architect of the Art Deco Burbank City Hall and, later, the
Alhambra City Hall. These somewhat austere examples gave way to more exuberant designs, such as the grand Astor Arms Apartments at 801 S. Gramercy Dr. by Henry L. Gogerty and Carl Jules Weyl and the P.W. Howles Building with its Churrigueresque details at 620 St. Andrews Pl. by Richard King. Gogerty was the designer of the Hollywood Playhouse (now the Avalon Club) on Vine Street and the Yucca Vine Tower, while Weyl was responsible for the Hollywood Brown Derby and the Gaylord Apartments on Wilshire. Weyl would later win an Oscar for Best Art Direction for the 1938 film “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” Richard King would go on to design the famed Villa Riviera in Long Beach, as well as the Art Deco Redwine Building in Hollywood. Developers began to recruit architectural talent of the more theatrical variety such as Lewis A. Smith. A virtuoso of theater design whose work included The Tower Theater (with S. Charles Lee) and Vista Theater, among nearly 40 others, Smith won two local commissions: 939 S. Gramercy Pl. and 3707 San Marino St. For both, Smith employed the Renaissance Revival style,
608-614 S. ST. ANDREWS PL., the Versailles Apartments, is a project designed circa 1928 by architects Henry L. Gogerty, Carl Jules Weyl and E.B. Rust.
which became very popular among architects for such projects as it employed an endless variety of flexible and interchangeable elements for multiple designs. It projected an aura of history, class and panache to attract renters. The two apartment buildings were completed in 1927, along with the Arwyn Manor Apartments at 3835 W. Eighth St. (also Renaissance Revival) by C. W. Powers, and William Allen’s Chateauesque 715 S. St Andrews Pl.
On the eve of the Depression in 1928, building in the area ramped up significantly. Architects Gogerty and Weyl were joined by Los Altos Apartments architect E.B. Rust to design the magnificent Versailles Apartments at 608-614 S. St. Andrews Pl. Its dramatic Chateauesque design included French doors, a steeply pitched roof, arches and an ornamental garden. Also in 1928, Max Maltzman, of The Ravenswood (Please turn to page 3)
Expert Service. Exceptional Results. Sold In 5 Days
Sold In 5 Days
In Escrow
6160 Rodgerton | $1,412,000 2 Bed+2 Bath|Beachwood Canyon
1659 S. Hobart| $1,785,000 5 Bed+4 Bath| Harvard Heights
14882 Waverly Ln |$1,795,000 5 Bed+ 4 Bath+ Bonus |Irvine
In Escrow New Price
In Escrow For Sale
Sold Sold 8155 Willow Glen |$1,995,000 801 S. Grand #2204 | $845,000 3 Bed+4 Bath| Laurel Canyon
2 Bed+2 Bath| Downtown LA
For Sale
ING 121 S. Hope #10 |$759,500 1 Bed+2 Bath | Downtown LA
Pete Buonocore
www.coregroupla.com
pete@coregroupla.com 323.762.2561
DRE #01870534
DRE #01279107
Larchmont Chronicle most certainly inspired by the reemergence in popularity of the Ramona fable on the silver screen by Dolores del Rio. By 1929, the party was at its height, with some of the most significant and playful designs. Art Deco began to assert its full influence with Paul Kingsbury’s stunning 712 S. WILTON PL. apartment building is Art deco tower, known as the Tufford Arms. La Marquise, at 535 S. Gramercy Pl., featuring a ceremonial gateway and sunburst appli(Continued from page 2) qués. The designers Padelette and 410 N. Rossmore Ave., Hollingsworth and C.H. would design an everyman’s Horner would also produce Elizabethan-style apartment a Chateauesque-Art Deco hybuilding at 974 S. Gram- brid at 634 S. Gramercy Pl. ercy Pl., a style that would The ever-present C.W. Powers be echoed by the Tufford also designed an apartment Arms at 712 S. Wilton Pl. block with Art Deco icing at C.W. Powers produced an Art 320 S. Manhattan Pl. Charles Deco-Renaissance Revival hy- C. Frye, architect of the Palbrid at the St. Andrews Manor ace Hotel in San Francisco, at 516 S. St. Andrews Pl. The was recruited to build ansame street would also see the other chateau, the Gramercy building of smaller Spanish Tower Apartments at 160 Colonial Revival apartments, S. Gramercy Pl. The decathe Plaza Cordova at 729 S. dence continued with 621 St. Andrews Pl. and Casa Bel- S. Gramercy Pl., architect la at 735 S. St Andrews Pl., Louis Selden’s try at a French
On Preservation
SECTION TWO 3
JULY 2023
535 S. GRAMERCY PL., La Marquise, shows off a 1929 Art Deco design by Paul Kingsbury.
Renaissance rival to the Versailles around the block. Even Max Maltzman returned for a final bow with the Beaconsfield Apartments, a fussier version of his earlier Elizabethan at 329 S. Manhattan Pl. The Great Depression would draw the curtain on the era of castles and chateaux in “The Places,” and the pre-war period would see only two apartment buildings of note and more than three stories tall. Although five years apart, both of those buildings would involve architect Milton J. Black, Los Angeles’ premier Streamline Moderne architect. His first work was in 1935 at 722 S. Manhattan Pl., a half-hearted chateau apartment building (sadly much
320 S. MANHATTAN PL. is an apartment block designed with Art Deco influence by C.W. Powers.
altered). He later redeemed himself by building, in conjunction with H. Guthrie Thursby, the fabulous Richardson Apartments at 748 S. Gramercy Dr., second only in the larger Greater Wilshire to Black’s legendary Mauritania Apartments built on Rossmore in 1934. The post-war era would see
another boom of construction, this time in a more modern, egalitarian and futuristic style (perhaps to be explored in a future column), but gone were the days when developers and architects built in the manner of kings and designed as if, in the words of S. Charles Lee, “the show starts on the sidewalk.”
WSHPHS annual meeting July 29
The Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society will hold its annual meeting and barbecue Sat., July 29 from 1 to 5 p.m. Actress and author of “Hollywood Then & Now” and “Los Angeles Then and Now,” Rosemary Lord, is guest speaker. Lord, who is newly elected as president of the Women’s Club of Hollywood, will also speak
on the history of the Club. The event will be on the grounds of one of the finest houses in Windsor Square on S. Plymouth Boulevard. The Craftsman-style home was moved in pieces from its original location at Wilshire Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue. For more information, visit wshphs.com.
4 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Celebrating preservation at TV City
By Suzan Filipek Three local sites are among this year’s winners of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s annual Preservation Awards. A gala celebration to honor the winners will be held on Thurs., July 27, at Television City. In a town known more for tearing down historic buildings, the 45-year-old nonprofit — which has grown to be the largest membership preservation organization in
the country — has helped produce many preservation success stories. This year’s award winners include the local former Firestone Tires building on La Brea Avenue, the architecturally rich Carthay Neighborhoods Historic District and the Hollywood Sign. A VIP reception will begin at 3 p.m. The event continues from 5 to 7 p.m. in Studio 46 at Television City, 7800
LOCAL WINNERS named.
Photo by John Bare
Beverly Blvd. For tickets and more information, visit laconservancy.org.
SOLD: This home at 238 N. Norton Ave. in Windsor Square sold for $2,973,520 in May.
Real Estate Sales* Single-family homes
121 S. Rossmore Ave. 246 S. Irving Blvd. 465 S. Orange Dr. 507 N. Stanley Ave. 238 N. Norton Ave. 110 N. Plymouth Blvd. 301 N. Bronson Ave. 361 N. Alta Vista Blvd. 343 N. Irving Blvd. 418 N. Beachwood Dr. 939 S. Ogden Dr. 625 S. Mansfield Ave. 7271 Oakwood Ave. 200 S. Vista St.
Happy Fourth of July July!! Recent Sales: 232 S. Norton Ave. 581 N. Larchmont Blvd. - Private Sale 12008 Milan St., Valley Village
Sold for $3,850,000 Offered at $1,850,000 Listed for $850,000
Day — A trusted name in Los Angeles since the 1880s Bob Day’s tradition of service began with his great grandfather’s music store at First & Spring Streets.
Condominiums
Bob continues that legacy of service as a top Realtor with Coldwell Banker Hancock Park.
©LC0723
A Trusted Name in Los Angeles since 1882
Bob Day 323-821-4820 BobDay@coldwellbanker.com DRE # 0851770
Coldwell Banker realty • residential & CommerCial 251 n. larChmont Blvd.
909 S. Gramercy Pl., #3 820 S. Wilton Pl., #404 450 N. Sycamore Ave., #17 835 S. Lucerne Blvd., #201 631 Wilcox Ave., #1D 930 1/2 S. Orange Grove Ave. 733 S. Ogden Dr., #102 956 S. St. Andrews Pl., #202 620 S. Gramercy Pl., #201 533 S. St. Andrews Pl., #411 525 N. Sycamore Ave., #312 532 N. Rossmore Ave., #215 4255 W. 5th St., #308 446 S. St. Andrews Pl., #2 4255 W. 5th St., #310
$990,000 $930,000 $895,000 $850,000 $850,000 $800,000 $780,000 $665,000 $649,000 $632,000 $615,000 $527,000 $521,000 $449,000 $415,000
*Sale prices for May.
LET'S FIND YOUR
DREAM POOL rH1s SLUMMER
$6,786,400 $4,225,097 $3,580,000 $3,100,000 $2,973,520 $2,237,500 $2,040,000 $2,000,000 $1,850,000 $1,800,000 $1,750,000 $1,603,000 $1,549,000 $1,001,000
"'
:----t-.---
Restored Windsor S quare Craftsman 1146 S Norton Ave Serenel924 Mediterranean Sanctuary 11033 S Hudson Ave 6 Bdrm• 5 Bthrm • 4,452 sqft• 10,200 sqftlot• $4,499,000 4 Bdrm • 3 Bthrm • 2,129 sqft• 7,050 sqft lot• $1,999,000
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
9430 Cresta Drive Beverlywood 6 BEDROOMS
OFFERED AT $15,000,000 7 FULL BATHS I 3 HALF BATHS I 11,706 SQ. FT.
I 14,199 SQ. FT. LOT
Marc Noah 310.968.9212 marc@marcnoah.com MarcNoah.com
Co-Listed with Jeremy Ives, Compass
© 2023 Sotheby's International Realty. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby's International Realty® is a registered trademark and used with permission. Each Sotheby's International Realty office is independently owned and operated, except those operated by Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. All offerings are subject to errors, omissions, changes including price or withdrawal without notice. Equal Housing Opportunity. Marc Noah DRE#0l269495
5
6 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Los Angeles’ history told by marionettes in ‘Hooray LA’ By Nona Sue Friedman A visual history of Los Angeles in puppet form is coming to town starting Sat., July 1. Bob Baker Marionette Theater (BBMT) is performing “Hooray LA,” which began as “Ole LA” for the Los Angeles Bicentennial in 1981. For this newest iteration, BBMT created its biggest puppet yet — two dragons
Left: A POSTER PRESENTING the newest show features The Brown Derby, Cotton Club and other iconic spots. Art by Hayden Evans
that make up the Chinatown gateway. BBMT also collaborated with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to fabricate a lifelike woolly mammoth. In addition, the theater artists created a P-22 marionette, honoring the late, famous mountain lion that roamed Griffith Park. The performance showcases disco dancing clubs, Venice Beach rollerskating and iconic locations throughout the city. The show is the last original creation of Bob Baker, who was born and raised here in
the City of Angels. This version has been updated to present a more accurate historical and cultural profile of Los Angeles than the version presented as part of the 200th birthday celebration of the City of Los Angeles in 1981. See a related story about changing cultural and historical sensitivities in our September 2019 issue’s “Around the Town” mention-
ing the 1981 Barbara Carrasco mural soon to be installed permanently at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. The BBMT show runs through Sun., Sept. 10, at the theater in Highland Park, 4949 York Blvd. Tickets are $25 per person. Visit bobbakermarionettetheater.com to reserve your seat.
Magician returns to El Portal Theatre July 15
Portal: “You will be asking yourself this question — and perhaps many more — when you chuckle with amazement at the magic and comedy of the inimitable Bernie Shine:
‘How does he do it?’” Shine performs sleight of hand that amazes, as well as incredible mentalism, often with surprise audience participation. The audiences regularly include other artist and magician friends of the performer, and these guests sometimes are almost as entertaining as what takes place center-stage. Shine’s shows are not for youngsters; the experience is more like a cocktail party that breaks out into a show. For more information and tickets, visit elportaltheatre. com.
WALT DISNEY Family Museum is located in an historic barracks building along the former parade ground at the Presidio of San Francisco. Photo courtesy of The Walt Disney Family Museum
Hot diggity dog! Pet exhibit opens at Disney museum By Talia Abrahamson Decades of images of the cartoon and real-life cats and dogs that animated Disney storytelling are on display for the first time in the U.S. In celebration of The Walt
Disney Company’s 100th anniversary, the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco is presenting “Disney Cats & Dogs” through Jan. 14, 2024. (Please turn to page 8)
DESIGN DRIVEN REAL ESTATE
Just Sold | 2223 Silver Ridge Ave
Just Sold | 541 South Arden Blvd Historic Windsor Square Spanish-Style
Silver Lake Duplex Charmer
4 Bed | 4.5 Bath | 4679 sq ft | 12,603 lot | Converted Garage
5 Bed | 4 Bath | 3045 sq ft | 5499 lot
$6,000,000 | Multiple Offers | $305,000 Over Asking
Representing Buyers | $1,500,000
Just Listed | 2527 Scott Ave
In Escrow | 3846 Westside Ave Leimert Park Renovated Oasis
Charming 1926 Silver Lake Spanish
3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1772 sq ft | 6002 lot
3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1392 sq ft | 5933 lot | Studio Garage
$1,349,000
$1,649,000
Ali Jack
213.507.3959 Windsor Square Native ali.jack@compass.com @thealijack & Marlborough Alumna TheAliJack.com DRE 01952539
Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate.
By John Welborne Hancock Park resident magician and mentalist Bernie Shine will be returning for his fourth show at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood on Sat., July 15 at 7:30 p.m. Shine has been a prolific entertainer ever since his first appearance in the wizarding world in the 1970s when he started performing regularly in the Close-Up Room at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. A fan friend and Windsor Square neighbor of Shine observed after the magic man’s recent show in the intimate small auditorium at the El
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
7
Lanterns will glow at Echo Park Lake’s July 15-16 Lotus Festival
By Casey Russell Paper lanterns will glow at this year’s Lotus Festival, “Lights of Dreams.” The 42nd Lotus Festival event at Echo Park Lake will be celebrated with lantern launches Sat., July 15, and Sun., July 16. Paper lanterns — symbolizing such things as rebirth, hope for the future and appreciation for loved
ones — will be launched in the afternoon and evening both days. The event will also feature free entertainment, handcrafted artwork, dragonboat races, a children’s area and a food court. Lotus flowers are sacred in the Hindu religion and Echo Park Lake is home to some of the largest lotus beds in the Western United
States. The event celebrates Asian Pacific cultures, and this year’s festival will be an adaptation of Indonesia’s Buddhist Festival. First organized at the lake, 751 Echo Park Ave., in 1972, the festival had a short hiatus due to the pandemic but returned in 2022. Each registered participant will receive one floating paper
THIS YEAR’S LOTUS FESTIVAL, called “Lights of Dreams,” includes entertainment, a children’s area, food court and dragonboat races. City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks / JuanCarlos Chan
lantern kit, a lantern launch wristband and access to the event’s decorating station. Festival hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to
7 p.m. on Sunday. To register and to purchase $20-$30 tickets for the event, visit lightsofdreams. eventbrite.com.
8 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Revival suggests the times have become more forgiving Given the stress under which our civil society finds itself (Politico 4/21/23, etc.), I thought I might take the long view on two recent, excellent plays. Both — A Soldier’s Play (that closed at the Ahmanson June 25) — and Back Porch — running at the Victory Theater through July 9 — deserve attention for their solid writing, fine performances, thoughtful design and steady direction. Each play made me think (believe? hope?) that the moral arc of the universe just might really bend toward justice. First, Back Porch: Eric Anderson’s play is an homage to William Inge’s “Picnic,” both in its setting of the small Kansas town where the 1955 film starring William Holden and Kim Novak (based on the 1953 Pulitzer-winning play) was shot, and in its gay variation on Inge’s original in both the film and play. Hal, Holden’s drifter, comes
Theater Review by
Louis Fantasia to the repressed Midwest town looking for work. He lights a sexual prairie fire in young Madge (Novak) so that, when he moves on, she runs from small-town respectability and goes after him. Anderson’s play follows Inge’s structure, but instead of Holden, it’s Bill, his rugged but gay stand-in (Jordan Morgan), who hits the town. Instead of Novak, it’s the sensitive Gary (Isaac W. Jay), on his summer break before going to the local college, who is awakened sexually to the point that he wants to move to Los Angeles and live with Bill. Gary doesn’t go, but his life is forever changed.
The current rants against the LGBTQ+ community or woke leftists hark back to the 1950s of another McCarthy (and beyond, of course) for their origins. But here is a play that puts the right to love front and center with admirable honesty, clarity and caritas (love). Inge led a complicated, closeted life, committing suicide in 1973. Anderson’s play recognizes such struggles and paints them in all their small-town, self-righteous, small-mindedness, while warmly, almost nostalgically, celebrating a love that could “dare not speak its name” just a few decades ago. We’ve come from there, both in place and time, Anderson seems to say, and we don’t need to go back. Victory Theater, Burbank; 818-841-5421; onstage411.com/BackPorch. Charles Fuller’s A Soldier’s Play presents us with a double lens. First, the play is set on a southern U.S. Army base
What to watch for
Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” will be playing for three more weeks on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. until July 16 at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 E. First St., Boyle Heights; 323-263-7684; casa0101.org. “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” is another 40th anniversary revival, this one about women finding themselves in a summer of love. Fountain Theater through Aug 27; 323-663-1525; fountaintheatre.com. The season of Sondheim about town draws to a close with “Into the Woods” at the Ahmanson, through July 30; 213-628-2772. Theater 40 opens its season with Canadian playwright Norm Foster’s “Doris and Ivy in the Home,” a comic look at how love blooms at a senior living facility! July 20 through Aug. 23 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre at Beverly Hills High School; 310-364-0535; Theatre40.org. during WWII, at a time when few people could imagine Black officers leading white troops (including the lawyer who leads the play’s murder investigation). Written in 1981, the play ran then on a kind of Black-on-Black anger, especially in the central per-
formance of Adolph Caesar as the murdered sergeant whose bitter criticism of so-called lazy “Negro” behavior gets him killed by a Black enlisted man. The current revival shifts the center of the play away from the sergeant, ably played here by Eugene Lee (who was in the original cast), to Norm Lewis as a military attorney trying to get to the truth. As a result, Kenny Leon’s excellent revival becomes a softer focused, oddly kinder and more forgiving play. Perhaps it suggests that the times themselves have become more forgiving. Fuller’s play opened 36 years after WWII ended and 17 years after the 1964 Voting Rights Act passed. This revival comes 40 years after its premiere and 76 years after the war. It is hard to believe we once ran our armed forces like that. It’s not so hard to believe the rest, when, for example, the Supreme Court has to reaffirm Black Alabamans’ right to vote today (Reuters 6/8/22). Yes, we have made progress. Just not enough. Fuller loosely based his play on Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd,” where the corrosiveness of repressed homosexuality leads to injustice and the death of innocents, if not innocence. Both plays speak eloquently to the corrosiveness of repression and hate — a corrosiveness that attacks not just the individual, but the very fabric of our society.
Disney Museum (Continued from page 6)
The exhibition from Japan features more than 300 archival reproduction works of on-screen favorites, from Mickey Mouse’s pal Pluto to Walt Disney’s own German shepherd, Peggy. There will also be pop-up events including pet adoptions and a pet portrait drawing station. Disney enthusiasts can participate from anywhere in the world by submitting photos of pets for a chance at inclusion in the exhibition’s digital display. Submissions can be made at waltdisney.org/catsand-dogs-featured-pet.
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
9
10 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Byzantine backstory to LeMond’s race, ho hum ‘Indiana Jones’ The Last Rider (9/10): 96 minutes. PG-13. Before there was the notorious bike-riding cheater Lance Armstrong, there was Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour de France, the exhausting 2,000-mile bicycle race. Not being a fan of watching men ride bicycles, I was dimly aware of LeMond. But this documentary, directed by Alex Holmes and told by LeMond himself and his wife, Kathy, and others who were there, with footage never seen before, tells a compelling story that is much more than
a bicycle race. The first half shows Greg’s life leading up to the 1989 race, which is covered in the second half. It even has films of Greg and Kathy meeting for the first time. While watching a 2,000-mile bicycle race might rival watching water evaporate for excitement, this is a film that exudes drama, especially if you don’t know the Byzantine facts leading up to the race and the outcome. No Hard Feelings (8/10): 103 minutes. R. Never one to shy away from full frontal nudity, Jennifer Lawrence sparkles
COME TO PARTY HEADQUARTERS! EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR YOUR JULY 4TH PICNICS & PARTIES • INVITATIONS • DECORATIONS & BALLOONS • TABLE COVERS & SKIRTS
• NAPKINS, PLATES, CUPS • BUNTING • FLAGS • WEARABLES
Vine American Party Store 20% Off ALL MERCHANDISE WITH THIS AD (except printing, discounted goods, balloons and balloon delivery)
©LC0723
5969 Melrose Ave. (at Wilcox) • 323-467-7124 www.vineamericanparty.com
At the Movies with
Tony Medley as a 33-year-old woman with serious financial problems who is hired by a rich couple (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) to initiate their shy, withdrawn son (Andrew Barth Feldman) into manhood prior to his entrance into Princeton. This is a funny, sensitive film that was a pleasant surprise, marred only by Lawrence’s gratuitous smoking, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in films again. Since it has nothing to do with the plot, obviously money talks, and that’s shameful. Blood & Gold (8/10): 110 minutes. R. Netflix. Set in Germany near the end of WWII, a group of Nazi soldiers is looking for gold they believe is hidden in a small German town. In a well-made, tense stylized action drama that pictures Germany at the end of the war as anarchical, standing in their way are a disgruntled private fleeing from the Wehrmacht, Robert Masser, and a young woman, Maria Hacke, living with and protecting her mentally challenged brother. The Lesson (6/10): 103 minutes. R. If this is any example, noirs, like baseball, ain’t what they used to be. While Daryl
McCormack gives a fine performance as the protagonist Liam, a fledgling writer hired to tutor the son of famous writer J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant, who also performs well) and his wife Hélène (Julie Delpy), the film has inexplicable plot holes any good noir avoids. Directed by Alice Troughton from a script by Alex MacKeith, the mystery slowly builds towards the climax, but then any resemblance to a competent noir is destroyed by an ill-advised epilogue; in short, Troughton blinked. Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny (5/10): 154 minutes. PG-13. The sixth in a series that started in 1981, this is of a genre whose theme is to make the same movie over and over again with just a change of McGuffins. This time it’s a time warp clock, apparently invented by Archimedes (287 BC-212 BC). The “same movie” genre
probably traces its genesis to James Bond’s “Dr. No” in 1962. The first three Bond films were terrific; the rest sacrificed story and dialogue for special effects and just got increasingly passé. Sean Connery was right to try to bail after the third. Then came the “Fast & Furious” franchise, a series of odious car crash films that seems to never end. Now, this, which constitutes just one ludicrous chase after another, each stretching credulity past the breaking point. The film does, however, have a couple of plusses. Harrison Ford is not only almost as charismatic as Connery, but he is also a fine actor who gives a stellar performance. The second plus is John Williams’ music, which should get him another Oscar nomination. As for the rest of the film, it is a half hour longer than the previous films, which were already too long; wake me when it’s over.
325 N. Larchmont Boulevard, #158 Los Angeles, California 90004 windsorsquare.org 157 N. Larchmont Boulevard
Upper Larchmont Update
Windsor Square Association board members Jane Usher and Amy Forbes are continuing to help chart the future of Upper Larchmont as members of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) Working Group. (“Upper Larchmont” is the portion Larchmont Boulevard, of the six-block street between Beverly Boulevard and Melrose Avenue.) The Working Group would like to hear from Larchmont Chronicle readers in response to an Upper Larchmont real estate developer’s question. The developer’s architect asked the Working Group: “What do you want our new building on Upper Larchmont to look like?” A key principle of the Working Group is for Upper Larchmont to reflect the historic feel and fabric of the existing community as new structures are built. Working Group member, local architect John Kaliski, is preparing a “mood board” of ideas for the look of Upper Larchmont. Livable Communities, a group that includes Windsor Square resident and Working Group member Lindsay Sturman, also is considering the question of “look.” At their recent Larchmont Boulevard Neighborhood Association annual meeting, residents there were asked to contribute their ideas. The Working Group would like to receive the contributions of many Larchmont denizens and visitors. If there is a building, a group of buildings, a street scene or other photos or illustrations that you think provide ideas for how Upper Larchmont might look, the Working Group would like to hear from you via: tinyurl.com/yjmw8446.
Homelessness Issues & Reporting
Recently, a neighbor near the corner of First Street and Arden Boulevard noted that an individual was sleeping overnight on the street. The person only stayed for one night, but left several large baskets of belongings nearby the day after. The neighbor contacted the Council District 13 Homelessness Director, and the belongings were collected within 24 hours and the street cleaned up. For homelessness issues, CD 13 neighbors are encouraged to contact the following CD13 staff member: Field Deputy Karla Martinez karla.g.martinez@lacity.org (213) 886-4304
We are available to cater your graduation parties, weddings, showers and all types of events. Mention We also have private dining rooms and areas private events. this adfor for a special treat!
Ask about our private dining spaces & catering options!
7313 – 7317 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles,|90036 | 323.297.0070 7313-7321 Beverly Blvd 323.297.0070 www.angelinirestaurantgroup.com www.angelinirestaurantgroup.com Open for Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner – Catering
©LC0423
Call us at 323.297.0070 ext 27 or e-mail catering@angeliniosteria.com
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.
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
11
Two delicious takes on Japanese bites and ramen... and sake Tonchin, a sophisticated small plates and ramen Japanese restaurant, brings an urban vibe to Melrose Avenue at Larchmont Boulevard where Le Petit Marché used to be. Judging from the lively crowd on a recent Friday night, this eatery seems to have struck the right chord. Owner Anan Sugeno owns Tonchin restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan, inspired by his father’s Tonchin in Japan. The Manhattan version was awarded a Bib Gourmand designation from the Michelin Guide in 2022. Indeed, the dishes are flavorful and exciting, the look sleek, and the atmosphere festive. The interior sports a large bar and a variety of booths and tables. There is a variety of unusual Japanese whiskies and sakes, along with the usual suspects. My $17 vodka martini was perfect. The $15 glass of nigori sake (unfiltered, cloudy) hit the sweet spot of not-too-dry without tipping into the too-sweet side. The extensive menu includes small bites such as $8 edamame with basil and plum, larger plates of fried black cod buns for $16 and a panoply of noodle dishes, from ramen to $20 stir-fry.
The four of us agreed to share everything. Amazingly, even the smallest dishes divided satisfyingly into little tastes for each to try. We started with potato-and-crab salad, which is very similar to the potato salad served as banchan in Korean restaurants. Here, the $19 mayonnaise potatoes are mixed with onion tobiko (tiny, crunchy fish roe) and topped with snow crab. Tasty, but nothing special. The tsukune buns, on the other hand, are spectacular. Savory and bursting with flavor, two bao buns are each served taco style around a ground chicken and pork patty with cabbage, Japanese mustard and teriyaki sauce, $15. Curry-and-cheese chicken wings are deeply satisfying. Baked wings with crispy edges are slathered in spicy curry seasoning and blanketed by fluffy shaved parmesan. I was curious, but skeptical, that this combination would work, but I could have easily eaten twice as many as we ordered; $14 for six wings, $18 for eight. Another winner is the maguro, a bowl of raw tuna mixed table side with wasabi or spicy mayonnaise and radish sprouts, avocado, cashews,
On the Menu by
Helene Seifer
fried garlic, quail egg and sesame seeds. The $26 bowl is served with small lettuce leaves, radicchio and sheets of seaweed to make one’s own wraps. Our last savory dish was $20 spicy tan tan ramen. A rich slow-simmered pork broth was filled with roasted pork, scallions, bamboo shoots, cashews — which lent a peanut-buttery taste — miso, Sichuan peppercorns, a jammy egg and homemade noodles. We would have licked the bowl if we could. All evening long, we watched as mountainous desserts were delivered to almost every table, so we indulged and ordered a $16 mango kaki-gori, a giant snowball of shaved ice saturated with mango and topped with a dollop of honey cream. A heavenly way to end the night. Tonchin, 5665 Melrose Ave., 323-380-6072. For a similar meal without
the bells and whistles, head to a nondescript strip mall in Koreatown. Next to the wildly popular Pho 2000 sits the Korean-tinged Japanese Saikai Ramen Bar, run by the husband-wife team of Jimin Kim and Sandy Han. Two girlfriends and I hunkered down in the pleasant, quiet storefront dining room with some very good cold sake and ordered a slew of dishes from their extensive menu. A refreshing $5 spicy cucumber salad presents lightly brined crunchy Persian cucumber slices tossed with gochugaru (Korean chili). The $7 truffle lotus chips are addictively crispy, salty snacks. The $8 corn
fritters stacked four plump balls of fried corn batter with Mexican flavors (crema, cotija cheese, cilantro and jalapeño) and finished with togarashi, a Japanese spice blend. Four meaty chicken wings were fried with a sticky sweet and spicy glaze, $14. We finished with $16.25 spicy tonkotsu, a bowl of pork bone broth brimming with ramen, pork belly slices, bamboo shoots, woodear mushrooms, scallions, egg and basil-flavored perilla seed. We added bok choy for $1.50 and happily slurped the end of our meal. Saikai Ramen Bar, 209 N. Western Ave., Unit B., 323378-6518.
Variety of music on tap at Original Farmers Market through Aug. 31 A variety of musical groups will be featured at the Original Farmers Market every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. through Aug. 31. The free performances include rock, alternative R&B, folk fusion and everything in between. Dave Stuckey & The Hot House Gang will perform Fats Waller stomp and swing on July 6. SGV Vibes performs roots,
rock and reggae July 13. DionRacii will sing alternative R&B on July 20, and June Clivas and the Ditty Boys play outlaw country rock July 27. The music will be paired with food pop-ups, beer gardens and more. The month of August will be dedicated to emerging artists. The concerts take place in the Market plaza area near the Clock Tower.
12 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Sichuan take-out ‘Sua’ to open on the Boulevard soon vinegars, oils, soy sauces, misos, cookware, tea, ceramics and artfully crafted items. There will be minimal seating in the space and some on the sidewalk. The team told us they will use the freshest local proteins and produce to combine Sichuan flavors with incredible regional ingredients. Gao’s first cookbook, “The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp,” published by Penguin Random House, is coming out at the end of September. It will, of course, be sold at the eatery. Right: SUA OWNERS Stephanie Liu and Jing Gao in front of the site for their Larchmont Boulevard grab-and-go eatery.
Local ‘wins’ a stall at Farmers Market The results are in. The winner of the Original Farmers Market’s Pop-Up Contest is THICC Burger. The pop-up business will showcase its burgers in a brick-and-mortar location within the Market beginning this month. The competition included extensive vetting, interviews and a social media vote with a finalist showcase day held May 20. The winner’s 1,500-squarefoot retail space will be located on the Market’s south side with a Third Street frontage. The location is rent-free for three months with a lease option to follow. Founded in 2020 during the height of the
Flag Berry Pie Happy Fork of July!
COVID-19 pandemic, THICC Burger specializes in classic comfort food. Homemade sauces and condiments accompany the recipes at this traveling popup that has been seen around Los Angeles, with stops in Atlanta, New York, Dallas and Houston. Other offerings will include fried chicken sandwiches, breakfast foods including tacos and burritos, shrimp n’ grits and plant-based menu items. Pride Night THICC owner Jay Wolfe and team will join The Original Farmers Market and The Grove’s Pride Night celebration on Fri., June 30, from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The event kicks off with a pet parade at 5 p.m. The ’80s band The Radio Rebels, a DJ and dancing also are featured at the event. Wolfe grew up visiting The Original Farmers Market with their grandfather. “Like any other Angeleno,
RESTAURANT & COCKTAILS
OWNER Jay Wolfe flips their creations on the Farmers Market finalist showcase day, May 20.
I know what The Original Farmers Market stands for and the rich history behind it. I grew up visiting Third and Fairfax almost every weekend,” said Wolfe. With an outpost at the Market, Wolfe hopes to continue sourcing meats, poultry and produce from other vendors, including Huntington Meats. Follow THICC Burger on instagram at @thiccburgers.
Lunch & Dinner Every Day of the Year
Restaurant Hours: Mon.-Thurs. noon to midnight Fri.-Sat.-Sun. noon to 1:00 a.m. Bar open till 1:00 a.m. Mon.-Thurs. ~ 1:30 a.m. Fri. & Sat. 3357 Wilshire Blvd. • 213-385-7275 • thehmsbounty.com
Available For a Limited Time
323) 933-8446 • 323) 933-8447 Frances@dupars-psr.com In the Original Farmers Market • 3rd and Fairfax Open for Take Out and Delivery
©LC 0821
chef in Sichuan and spent years developing her own expression of what modern Sichuan food meant to her. What began as a personal quest to reconnect with her roots changed into a mission to shine more light on Chinese cuisine and the culture, which, in her words, “has been devalued outside China.” She wanted to shift the narrative about Chinese food and show how delicious and high-quality it could be. “That became my guiding light and my mission,” said Gao. In working to shift the way people perceive Chinese food, Gao realized that being in Los Angeles could serve her well. “The U.S. and its media dictate globally how we view others — and other cultures,” said Gao. When she started her Kickstarter campaign to fund Fly by Jing, its success solidified her idea that people here were ready for a high-quality Chinese food product. Fly by Jing was one of the first modern Asian food brands to launch in the U.S. “We are super excited to open [Sua] and be part of the neighborhood,” said Gao. Sua is a Chinese slang word that means playful. The chef told us the kitchen / superette will have rows of refrigerators with ready, pre-packaged food (meals, sides and larger meals for sharing). Beverages will be available at the counter, and a retail area will carry home goods including condiments,
BOGIE’S LIQUOR Open 7 Days
Hours: Open 10 a.m. Close 2 a.m.
5753 Melrose Ave.
Call 323-469-1414
©LC1122
By Casey Russell Targeting a late July or August opening, owners Jing Gao and Stephanie Liu are getting ready to bring their new Sichuan grab-and-go eatery, Sua, to the Boulevard. Construction started a few weeks ago for this, the team’s first U.S. restaurant. The duo’s goal is to make the flavors of Sichuan cuisine more accessible and convenient for people to enjoy. Their offerings, said Gao, will be “fresh, healthy and delicious — rooted in tradition, but where we are here and now.” Liu and Gao both hail from China. Gao had a restaurant in Shanghai and moved to Los Angeles to launch her Fly by Jing chili sauce. Liu’s family owns a Sichuan eatery in the San Gabriel Valley. Liu resides in the Larchmont Village neighborhood. Gao told us that, although she was born in Chengdu, in Sichuan province, she was in a faculty family and moved to a different country every year as a child. In her 20s, she moved back to Asia for a job in Shanghai, and she realized how much going from place to place had affected her. She felt like she had lost a sense of identity. Being back in China, Gao said layers were peeled back, enabling her to discover who she was, her heritage and her cultural identity. Food became the vehicle for her to make these discoveries. She studied with a master
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
THANK YOU LOS ANGELES FOR 83 YEARS! ir Open-a g in n i d o i t pa oto h p t n a Abund nities! opportu
Still fam ily own ed & opera ted by the Pink fam ily!
Our Famous Classic Chili Cheese Dog (Where it all started back in 1939!)
We serve more than 40 varieties of delicious, mouth-watering Hot Dogs and more than 12 varieties of colossal Hamburgers
At "Pink's Square" — the corner of La Brea & Melrose Visit us at: WWW.PINKSHOLLYWOOD.COM
We ! @theofficialpinkshotdogs @pinkshotdogs #pinkshotdogs @ pinkshotdogs r e t Ca Contact: CateringbyPinks@gmail.com or (310) 741-5352
©LC0723
Sun – Thurs 9:30 am – Midnight • Fri & Sat til 2am Follow us!
13
14 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
El Cholo, often honored, is helping hospitals by naming booths
BOOTH AT EL CHOLO can be yours, in perpetuity, if you help pediatric cancer research at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles or CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County).
ticipate in this charitable campaign included (and still include) making a $100 donation while visiting any one of the six Southern California El Cholos. The donor immediately will receive a VIP Nachos Card by which he or she can enjoy Carmen’s Nachos free throughout the rest of 2023. In addition, those donors also will become eligible to win one of many nifty prizes. Booth-naming details Now, for this new way to support the pediatric cancer research pledge, details have just been announced by the
Z
ZAVALA ELECTRIC Call 818.500.7778 For immediate installation
Guaranteed Excellence State Lic. #C-10 556059
Serving All Larchmont Hancock Park & Wilshire Communities
LC0509
• Complete Electrical • Service and Repair • Residential • Commercial • Bonded Insured
Salisbury family as follows: A donor may apply to become a permanent part of El Cholo history while contributing to improving lives of children by making a charitable donation of $5,000 or more. For such a donor, El Cholo will permanently identify one of its legendary booths in the donor’s name or with the donor’s proposed dedication text (text subject to El Cholo approval). The donor gets to choose which El Cholo location is preferred for the plaque and booth: Western Avenue (the Original), Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim Hills, Corona del Mar, La Habra or (soon) Salt Lake City. There only are 100 booths available for naming (that’s only about 15 available booths per restaurant). The donors will write their tax-deductible checks to either CHLA or CHOC Foundation. El Cholo owner Ron Salisbury asks people interested in naming a booth — while they last! — to telephone him personally at 562-352-8669. Honors continue At the end of May, the Or-
volved in the business. Responding to the news of the award, Ron Salisbury said, “This year, we have been so very fortunate to have received a great deal of recognition for the wonderful CONCEPT ART for the not-to-ex- journey of our 100-yearceed-100 naming plaques to be old family business. Remounted in select booths at the El ceiving this honor was a Cholo restaurants. really special day for us ange County Business Journal because the award was voted on (OCBJ) bestowed its annual by people who share our same Family-Owned Business of world of running small busithe Year “Longevity Award” nesses — and I certainly know on Ron Salisbury and his exactly what that means and son, Brendon Salisbury, own- what that entails. ers of the Family of El Cho“It was also highly meaninglo Restaurants. ful for me to share this award El Cholo has been owned by with 10 members of my famthe same Borquez / Salisbury ily in attendance, including family since the restaurant’s my youngest son, Brendon, launch in 1923. who is El Cholo’s CFO, along The winner of this year’s with my brand new grandson, OCBJ Family-Owned Busi- Daemon.” ness Award (in its 24th year) In related news, the City of was selected from among 43 Los Angeles recently honored nominees that ranged from the Salisbury Family with restaurateurs to construction the renaming of the interseccompanies to wealth manag- tion of Western Avenue and ers. To qualify, each company 11th Street. [See “El Cholo must have had at least two founders honored during cenfamily members actively in- tennial year,” April 2023.]
SALISBURY FAMILY members receiving an award are (left to right) Harrison Moore, manager of The Cannery in Newport Beach; Cheyenne Moore, manager of El Cholo in Anaheim Hills; Eryn Salisbury, general manager of El Cholo in Anaheim Hills; Brendon Salisbury, chief financial officer of Family of El Cholo Restaurants; and Ron Salisbury, owner of Family of El Cholo Restaurants. On the far right is the presenter of the Orange County Business Journal’s 2023 Family-Owned Business Award, Jeffrey M. Verdon.
Family-Run
Over 50 years
Custom Area Rugs to Custom Installations
Carpet • Linoleum • Hardwood • Vinyl
Announcing the Arrival of a New Shipment of Beautiful Sisal and Seagrass Rolls • Ready for Installation or Custom Rugs •
Custom-made area rugs made to fit your lifestyle & space! Staff Experts Provide Personal Service Selecting Your Ideal Flooring
323 • 934 • 7282 • lestercarpet@ @aol.com 7815 Beverly Blvd. • Lestercarpet.com
©LC0122
By John Welborne For the past six months, the local El Cholo Spanish Café on nearby Western Avenue — as well as the other restaurants in the numerous dining outlets comprising the Family of El Cholo Restaurants — has been celebrating the 100-year anniversary of El Cholo’s founding. Now there is a new benefit available to customers who want to join in the celebration while supporting a $1 million pledge to benefit pediatric cancer research. The first 100 people making a generous donation above a certain amount can name one of only 100 available booths in one of the six (soon to be seven, including Salt Lake City, now under construction) El Cholo locations. In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the restaurant, the Salisbury family already had announced — earlier this year — the launch of its Charitable Gift Campaign Benefitting Pediatric Cancer Research. Monies raised through the campaign will be donated to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and to Orange County’s Children’s Hospital / CHOC Foundation. The previous ways to par-
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
Green corn tamales: now is the time to enjoy peak season By Helene Seifer Tamales, little packages of corn masa stuffed with savory fillings and steamed in dried corn husks, are a common menu option in Mexican restaurants throughout the southland. Far less common are sweet corn tamales, where freshly shucked and ground kernels are mixed with cream and butter and sweetened with sugar, then encased with cheddar cheese and Ortega chiles and steamed in undried husks. Throughout history, savory tamales outnumber sweet varieties, but even the earliest examples of tamale-making include some sugary examples. Tamale production can be traced back to Mesoamerica, the south-central part of Mexico, as early as 8,000 B.C. The Aztecs, the Maya and ancient Olmec and Toltec peoples all made some version of ground corn masa stuffed with meats or vegetables and steamed in corn husks. These civilizations revered corn, thought to have been passed down to them directly from the gods. The Aztecs, for example, had no fewer than four different deities assigned to aspects of corn, from the sacred seeds to the ripening stalks. The Maya believed humans were created from corn itself.
These ancient civilizations found tamales to be the perfect travel food. Tightly wrapped in their corn husks (or in some cases, banana leaves), the little food packages are perfect to accompany hunting trips and marauding armies. An abundant food Tamales spread throughout the Americas. In Bolivia they are known as humitas. In Venezuela, hallaca. In Nicaragua, large nacatamal are stuffed with meat and eaten with bread and coffee. Puerto Rico’s are guanime and some are made with sweetened plantains. Guatemala favors chuchito sweetened with honey or sugar and flavored with chocolate, almonds, plums or peppers. The Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians have savory versions of tamales, known as broadswords and banaha, respectively. African Americans in the Mississippi Delta turned up the heat, and the resulting spicy tamales are known as hot tamales, a phrase that has joined the lexicon. What we consider true green corn tamales are usually said to have originated in Tucson, Ariz., where most Mexican restaurants feature them on the menu. Others claim they hail from Sonora, Mexico.
les area that offers the delicacy. El Cholo follows the tradition of only making them during peak corn season, from May through October. According to the restaurant’s operations manager, Dawn Schlegel, “May 1 to October 31 is when corn is freshest and sweetest. Fresh corn has more juice then, and we capture the juice for the tamales.” El Coyote, the other major local purveyor of the sweet tamales, steams them daily. Owner Margie ChrisGREEN CORN TAMALES at El Cholo. toffersen says her aunt changed it from El Cholo, whose famous a seasonal dish to one that seasonal green corn tamales is always on the menu. “She feature prominently in this, wanted to corner the green its 100th-anniversary year, corn tamale market!” ascribes to the Sonora theory The tamales are wildly popusince owner Ron Salisbury’s lar at El Coyote, which makes grandparents were from that approximately 150 tamales region and put them on the each weekend. Since patrons menu when the restaurant wait half a year for El Cholo’s was founded in 1923. (The green corn, the demand is restaurant was originally particularly high. Among El named Sonora Café.) Cholo’s six locations (three in Aside from mainly take- Los Angeles County, three in out operations in Pacoima, Orange County) the restauEl Cholo is one of only a few rants husk roughly 3,000 cobs restaurants in the Los Ange- of corn a week. “We make
15
about 3,500 tamales every week in season,” Schlegel states. “On Western, we sell approximately 450 tamales a week.” Some have conjectured that they are called green corn tamales because the corn is fresh off the cob, not made into masa, or because the included chiles lend a dash of green, but most sources agree the moniker is based on the fact that the husk wrappers are green and untreated, rather than the dried beige ones used to steam other tamales. El Cholo accompanies its famous green corn tamales with ranchera sauce, although they served them with mole at the 2022 Taste of Larchmont and the 2023 Beastly Ball, just as the tamales originally were presented when the restaurant first opened. El Coyote’s green corn tamales also come with ranchera sauce, but Christoffersen admits she’s partial to melting a pat of butter on them instead, “The way I eat fresh corn on the cob.” El Cholo, 1121 S. Western Ave., 323-734-2773. Green corn tamales available now through Oct. 31, 2023. El Coyote, 7312 Beverly Blvd., 323-939-2255. Green corn tamales available year-round.
16 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
Donuts and ice cream conclude Goldie’s spring season
VOLUNTEER COACH Laura Eichorn hands out trophies and recaps the season with her team.
With 319 girls signed up just for this spring season, Goldie has easily introduced more than 1,000 girls to basketball. In addition to playing basketball, Goldie’s has recently started a coaches-in-training program for high school girls and former participants in GSY who want to continue spreading the love of basketball to youngsters. There are two basketball sessions per year.
B Gaddy ElEctric since 1978.
Residential • CommeRCial
• Upgrades • Landscape • Pool Lights • Phone & Computer Lines • Security & Emergency Lighting
Call Bill 323-462-1023 Licensed & Insured
Local References
LIC #700914
©LC1010
Service & Repairs
Sign-ups for the fall session start Sat., Sept. 2, at goldiesyouthsports.com.
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. Closed Tues., July 4, for Independence Day.
GYS PLAYERS patiently wait for soft-serve ice cream.
Local graduate is a ‘Distinguished’ finalist
By Casey Russell Recent graduate of Marlborough School, Jina Kang of our local Western-Wilton neighborhood, is representing the state of California in this year’s Distinguished Young Women National Finals. The 50 finalists traveled to Mobile, Ala. in June where they competed for more than $150,000 in cash scholarships. During three nights of live competition, Kang and the other 49 young women demonstrated their skills in the areas of fitness, talent and self-expression. The program also evaluated participants in the categories of scholastics and interview skills. Kang has been working toward this moment since she heard about the opportunity last year through a school email. Yoo Kang, Jina’s mother, said, “She was very busy, so we hesitated. But all the categories really fit well for her.” The daughter of Yoo and Tae Kang is no stranger to competition, leadership or performance. Jina Kang was on Marlborough’s debate
JINA KANG
Photo by Shani Barel
team for four years, serving as one of three captains during her senior year. She was also elected to the Community Partnership position of the All-School Council at Marlborough. Additionally, Kang has studied with the Marat Daukayev School of Ballet for 12 years, and she danced the role of the Sugar Plum fairy in the company’s “Nutcracker” performance in 2022. That year, Kang was also selected as one of the top 12 dancers in the International Ballet Competition (Please turn to page 19)
Koontz
“The hardware STore” formerly “Larchmont Hardware”
IT’S A PERFECT TIME TO BUY A GREAT BAR-B-QUE ….
Come check out our beautiful display of over 30 glass kitchen cabinet knobs by Sietto. Prices range from $18-$27. We have the full line of Mrs. Myers cleaning products, more than anyone else! Plus, we are the only place nearby that has all the sizes of “soda stream” canister refills. You will love the new “Joseph and Joseph” “nest storage” containers. The sizes are color coordinated and the lids snap together so they are always easy to find Try our “freezable grocery bags” so that the whole bag is an ice pack. Larchmont customers get FREE DELIVERY on Bar-B-Que’s by mentioning this ad. We will be open on July 4 • Call for hours HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY!
310-652-0123 • 8914 Santa Monica Boulevard between San Vicente and Robertson in West Hollywood Weekdays: 8am–7pm, Sat 8am–5:30pm, Sun 10am–5pm ©LC0720
LC608
By Nona Sue Friedman Goldie’s Youth Sports (GYS), an all-girl recreational basketball program, ended its spring session with a party that included a soft-serve ice cream truck, a Glazed and Confused donut truck, tacos and lemonade. What a feast! The culmination took place on the lawn at St. Brendan School on June 11. Girls with their families, about 250 guests in all, enjoyed an afternoon filled with division championship games, food and frolic on the lawn. They then headed into the gym to watch the much-anticipated video montage of the season followed by the awards ceremony. Karen Goldberg, aka Goldie, started the league for 6- to 16-year-olds in 2018 because she noticed at her previous job at the Hollywood YMCA that girls were leaving athletics after ages 8 or 9. She wanted to create a safe and encouraging space for girls to participate in a sport.
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
17
Larchmont boys’ volleyball places second at FIYA championship were defeated on Finals Friday, June 2, by St. Mark’s, a team they had beaten during the regular season. “This was truly a unified bunch, and, as a coach, I have never had a team like it before,” said Keith Harris. “This was a group where every member truly cared about the others.” The team MVPs were Noah Riddell and Miles Monsod. “Miles’ only experience was playing volleyball at recess and at a park, and he’d never played on a team before,” said Harris. Noah Riddell was selected by the league coaches as Larchmont’s All-FIYA League Player. The team graduates just three players, so they’ll be a force again next season. Noah
Community was focus of Miracle Mile Town Hall
offices serving the Wilshire Division and the mayor’s office. Coffee with a Cop Capt. Jerry Chaney, patrol commanding officer, commented, “Coffee with a Cop has been very helpful for us,” as it gives officers a chance to meet and talk to business owners, employees and residents in a non-emergency and friendly environment. The division is getting four more officers from the recent LAPD Academy graduating class, however they are losing officers as well. Capts. Monico and Chaney reiterated that recruitment to LAPD has been difficult in recent years. The team stressed the importance of enforcement, education, community, outreach and prevention to continue improving the safety of their constituents.
Customer satisfaction will bring you back to our FULL SERVICE Company
© LC0922
Residential & Commercial
Your local roofer at the same location for over 97 years.
“Experience does make a difference.
323-469-2981 • supremeroofing.net 1015 N. Gower St., 90038
Lic.#386172
By Nona Sue Friedman “We wouldn’t be successful without your help,” is just one of the community driven comments from Capt. Sonia Monico of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Wilshire Division. She and other officers also emphasized community, partnerships with businesses and dealing with area crime to the approximately 40 attendees in a Zoom Town Hall with the Miracle Mile Residential Association on May 30. Daily crime briefs Regarding crime in the area, Capt. Monico said, “We are not letting our foot off the pedal as we approach summer.” Wilshire Division conducts daily crime briefs with its officers and works with the business improvement districts for the area, as well as the three city council
Riddell returns, and so do Ian Yoo and setters Joshua Jung and Sebastian Pura. Make some popcorn If television just isn’t interesting and you’re into great sports comebacks filled with action, drama, team chemistry and players showing poise under pressure, go to YouTube and search “Larchmont vs St Marks May 19.” Make some popcorn. The game runs about an hour. “This was the kind of team that just makes you a better person,” said Harris. Congratulations, Timberwolves volleyball!
Since 1959 License #768437
PLAYERS (back row, left to right): Sebastian Purg, Devon Jasiukonis, Kyd Kalin, Coach Keith Harris, Noah Riddell, Ian Yoo, Miles Monsod (and front row, left to right): Luke Flexner, Joshua Jung, Theodore Little and Adan Escoto. Not pictured: Mykel Locke.
Photo by Jay Jeehong Jung
PLOTKE
Plumbing
Lynn Shirley (323) 463-9201
Inc.
• COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL
SERVING THE LARCHMONT AREA FAX (323) 463-1259 FOR OVER 60 YEARS! 1551 E. 25th St., LA 90011
©0822
By Jim Kalin This was the first year Larchmont Charter fielded a boys’ 7th and 8th grade volleyball team, and what an unexpected and astounding season the Timberwolves had. For most of the boys, this was their first time playing volleyball. Just three had competed before, and one, Ian Yoo, broke his arm at the season’s start and never played again. The Timberwolves ended the regular season 8-1 and finished first in the Marina League, which gave them a No. 1 seed in the 2023 Division 1 (for students in grades 8th and below) FIYA (Foundation for Interscholastic Youth Athletics) Tournament. They progressed to the title game during playoff week, and they
18 SECTION TWO
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
POLICE BEAT
Scooter rider struck by car, scissors used as death threat
OLYMPIC DIVISION AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS: A couple got into an argument on June 4 at about noon on the 300 block of South Gramercy Place. The argument escalated with the male suspect striking and attempting to strangle the female victim before the suspect left the multi-unit dwelling on foot. A 37-year-old female was threatened with being stabbed with scissors near the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and North St. Andrews Place on June 5 at 7:40 p.m. The suspect, a 33-year-old male, held the scissors and said he was going to kill her. The suspect was arrested. A man started an argument with a 56-year-old woman on the 600 block of North Windsor Boulevard on June 7 at 10:15 a.m. The suspect intentionally backed his car into the victim, causing her to lose her balance. BURGLARY FROM VEHICLE: A female suspect smashed the passenger window of a vehicle parked in an underground lot on the 300 block of South St. Andrews Place on June 5 at 6:30 a.m. The suspect stole tennis shoes and was then confronted by the female victim, who took the tennis
shoes back. Then the suspect took the shoes again. GRAND THEFT AUTO: A white 2019 Audi Q5 was stolen from the 200 block of North Windsor Boulevard on June 6 at 7:40 a.m. WILSHIRE DIVISION AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS: A male suspect was driving down the 300 block of North Citrus Avenue on June 8 at 8:35 a.m. The suspect shouted, “I’m going to get you” and drove up on the sidewalk and struck the 45-year-old male victim riding an electric scooter with the vehicle. Road rage inflamed an argument between two men on the 100 block of North Pointsettia Place on June 9 at 11:45 a.m. One of the men flashed a pocketknife during the argument before the victim fled northbound away from the encounter. BURGLARIES: Masked and hooded suspects shattered the rear door of a home on the 600 block of North Lucerne Boulevard on June 8 at 1:40 p.m. They fled before entering the home. The front window of a home on the 400 block of North McCadden Place was smashed. The suspect entered the home and took jewelry and a purse
OLYMPIC DIVISION
WILSHIRE DIVISION
Furnished by Senior Lead Officer Joseph Pelayo
Furnished by Senior Lead Officer Dave Cordova
213-793-0709 31762@lapd.online Twitter: @lapdolympic
213-793-0650 31646@lapd.online Twitter: @lapdwilshire
before leaving through the broken window at 9:30 p.m. GRAND THEFTS AUTO: Numerous vehicles have been stolen in June. Keep your vehicle locked and in a well-lit area. A red 2018 Kia was stolen from the 5700 block of Clinton Street on June 5 at 7:45 a.m. Three cars were stolen between the evening of June 5 and the morning of June 6. A black 2021 Kia was taken from the 100 block of North Citrus Avenue; a silver 2022 Honda Odyssey was taken from the 100 block of North Detroit Street; and a grey 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was taken from the 700 block of Keniston Avenue. A silver 2021 Land Rover Discovery was taken between 8 p.m. on June 6 and 11:30 a.m. on June 7 from the 500 block of North La Palmas Avenue. On June 8 at 6:30 a.m., a grey 2004 Honda CRV was
stolen from the street on the 600 block of North Rossmore Avenue. GRAND THEFT PERSON:
A wallet was stolen from a 34-year-old woman as she walked in the parking lot at Melrose Avenue and North Arden Boulevard. The suspect approached her from behind, snatched the wallet from her left wrist and fled on foot southbound on Rossmore Avenue. THEFT: A suspect detached a Ring doorbell from a house on the 700 block of South Highland Avenue between 1:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. on June 6.
Man sentenced to two days in jail for burglary on Irving By Nona Sue Friedman A man caught in the act and then convicted of burglarizing a home on the 300 block of South Irving Boulevard on Thanksgiving Day of 2022 has been sentenced. Anthonee Banks will serve two days in Los Angeles County jail, be placed on three years probation and be required to perform 300 hours of community service. The sentencing hearing took place on June 9. Banks is one of three bur-
glars who were recorded on video entering the home that day and then leaving with stolen property. The other two culprits have not been identified and are still at large. Banks has been out on bail since December 2022. According to Dana Boldt, interim Public Information Officer for the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s office, Banks’ short sentence is “a pretty standard sen(Please turn to page 19)
A CAR ACCIDENT at the intersection of Wilshire and Lucerne boulevards on June 13 resulted in one car flipping over in front of the former Scottish Rite Cathedral, now the Marciano Art Foundation. According to the Los Angeles Fire Dept., no one was hurt. Photo by Barbara Pflaumer
LIPSON
Plumbing, Inc. Sun’s Out.... Now’s the Time to Repair Your Gutters and Downspouts! Local Hancock Park resident for over 35 years, specializes in gutter cleaning and repair.
“Your Neighborhood Plumbers”
Brian Brady
323-469-2395 606 N. Larchmont Blvd., L.A. 90004 5312 Valley Blvd., L.A. 90032 lipsonplumbing@gmail.com LIC.# 481793
©LC0122
(213) 910-0980
© LC 0717
an Handymes, Servic too!
Celebrating 46 Years on Larchmont
INSURED
Larchmont Chronicle
JULY 2023
SECTION TWO
19
Yo ho ho! A salty nautical tale of rum, fathom and Mayday As the sun finally graces us with its presence, I dream of being on a boat. I’ll settle for any kind of vessel, really: a catamaran tour through Channel Islands National Park, a ferry to Catalina or a kayak riding the current through the remarkably lush natural habitat of the Los Angeles River. With a vial of Dramamine and an SPF nearing the triple digits in tow, I’m ready to set sail. Seafaring was the raison d’être for one Admiral Edward Vernon. Born in London in 1684, Vernon had an illustrious career, starting as a volunteer-per-order in the Royal Navy and rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years of service. Vernon was known for wearing a cloak that was cut from a coarse material called “grogram,” earning him the nickname “Old Grog” among the sailors under his command. Following England’s con-
quest of Jamaica in 1655, rum came to replace beer and brandy as the drink that sailors received as daily alcohol rations (a Royal Navy protocol that would remain in place until 1970). In 1740, Old Grog, observing that some of his men would stockpile their rations for the occasional bender, mandated that the rum used for the allowance be mixed with water. This served to reduce both the drink’s potency and its shelf life, much to the displeasure of the sailors, who spitefully dubbed the inferior replacement “grog” after Vernon. Today, the word grog pervades as slang for alcohol in Australia and New Zealand, and it conjures a wistfulness for life at sea when used in the fanciful titles of tiki drinks. If grog isn’t a mainstay in your everyday lexicon, perhaps its derivative, groggy, feels more
Jina Kang
nancial industry. When asked what piqued her daughter’s interest in this area, Kang’s mother said, “It was clear from the time she was young that Jina always liked to follow the rules. While she was growing and studying economics, she found there is a lot of unfairness especially for underprivileged people.” Kang’s parents and her younger sister traveled to Alabama to support her in her final performances. At the time of this writing, results had not yet come in. Regardless of what happens, the Larchmont community can be proud of this distinguished young woman.
(Continued from page 16) Youth America Grand Prix. The winner of the Distinguished Young Woman of America will promote the program’s national outreach initiative, which encourages kids to be healthy, involved, studious, ambitious and responsible. But even if Kang doesn’t win the top prize, she will continue to be involved with the program. This summer, she will travel to Bakersfield to spend a week with the young women selected to be 2024’s California finalists for the program. Then, in the fall, Kang will head to Williams College in Massachusetts for her college freshman year. There she plans to major in economics and hopes to become a prosecutor, possibly in the fi-
ALAKAZAM UPHOLSTERY & DRAPERY
Word Café by
Mara Fisher prevalent, especially after a night of imbibing or simply a lack of sleep. It’s not a groggy sailor but a howling storm that causes the shipwreck that maroons a boatful of Italian royals in William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” The crash, caused by the revenge-seeking sorcerer Prospero, separates the King of Naples from his son, Ferdinand, who is told the news of the king’s supposed death at sea: “Full fathom five thy father lies.”
Just as feet, palms and fingers helped ancient civilizations form the basis for small units of measurement, the length of a human arm span, called a “fathom,” was a tool used by seafaring cultures — and Ferdinand’s informant — to describe water depth. Now having been in use for at least several centuries, the term “fathom” comes from the Old English fæðm, meaning “arms, grasp or embrace.” The exact length of a fathom has seen slight variations over time, but the international fathom used today measures a round 6 feet for us here in the U.S. — and a not-so-round 1.8288 meters for just about everyone else. The ocean’s murky depths churn with yet another nautical phrase to wrap our
arms — or minds — around. “Mayday” is an international distress call used by aviators and mariners to signal a life-threatening emergency. The phrase was chosen in 1923 as an alternative to the existing signal, “S.O.S.,” when involved parties realized the potential error that may result in an operator hearing the spoken letters as “F,” as in “Frank,” and not “S,” as in “Sam.” The inspiration behind “Mayday”? Not the impulse to placate one’s anxiety with happy thoughts of maypoles and springtime revelry, but rather the French for “help me” — M’aidez. And with that little safety tip in mind, I’m off to faraway shores, conveyed by wind or oar. Till next month, my salty dogs.
Irving burglary (Continued from page 18)
tencing.” By contrast, the homeowner victim told us: “This is beyond outrageous. They hit our house twice on the same day and took many treasured possessions of great monetary value. The criminal justice system no longer exists in the City of Los Angeles.”
ADT Security Services COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL
Four decades serving Mid-Wilshire Los Angeles
Let us be your 1st Responder.
• Every Style: Sofas, Chairs, Slipcovers • Replace Weather-proof Lining • Broad Selection of Fabrics • Draperies & Roman Shades
• Response • Patrol • Alarm • Monitoring
HIGHEST QUALITY WORKSMANSHIP ©LC1218
Call Rosie for FREE Estimates 310-491-8409
©LC0720
Affordable Prices
For more details, contact Mike Ball 818-435-3179
Please call now for a special offer for new customers who sign up for patrol or response services. Lic. # PPO 120288
20 SECTION TWO
JULY 2023
Larchmont Chronicle