For information on advertising in the paper, please call Pam Rudy 323-462-2241, x 11
Mailing permit:
n Rides, food, costume contest on Oct. 27
By Suzan Filipek
The Larchmont Family Fair returns for its 59th year on Larchmont Boulevard between Beverly Boulevard and First Street on the afternoon of Sun., Oct. 27.
The event will be full of neighborhood favorites, including rides, bounce houses, slides, a rock wall, bungie swings and a children’s costume contest in time for Halloween.
Schools and nonprofits will set up booths, and the aroma of foods from around the world will fill the air.
It’s never too soon to sign up for a booth for your school or nonprofit. Sponsorships are also available. Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA) Board President John Winther and the Family Fair Committee have alerted local organizations of availability of booths for the event. Contact Winther at john.winther@camoves.com to reserve a space.
Larchmont Boulevard will be closed from First Street to Beverly Boulevard to accommodate families and guests at the fair.
The planning committee is lining up musical entertainment and considering
PASS the popcorn. 2-13 Halloween & Harvest
Family Fair.
FLAG arrives with Mayor Karen Bass, LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman and three of the Team USA Olympic athletes, all having returned on a special flight from Paris on August 12.
By Suzan Filipek
Our annual Halloween & Harvest section will be featured in the October issue of the Larchmont Chronicle . Advertising deadline is Sept. 9. For more information, contact Pam Rudy at (323) 462-2241, ext. 11.
n Athletes, officials join Bass on return from Paris
By John Welborne
At the far west end of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), on the morning of August 12, really big crowds of reporters and camera-people passed through a series of security checks, including of camera equipment by sniffing dogs. The goal was to be admitted to the giant Delta aircraft hanger that adjoins the sand dunes and abandoned “Surfridge” residential section of Playa del Rey, right next to Dockweiler State Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
That afternoon, after a nonstop flight from Paris and a VIP customs and immigration
process aboard the aircraft at the historic Terminal 1 area on the south side of the airport, Delta Flight 291, an Airbus A350-900 with a special LA28 livery on the plane’s fuselage, was towed across the runways to the Delta hangar decked out with LA28 symbols and seating and dining areas. And lots of reporters.
When Mayor Bass appeared at the top of the passenger boarding stairs with LA 28 Chair Casey Wasserman and the Olympic Flag, plus three Olympians returning to the USA, it was the first time in 40 years that the Olympic Flag
Paris 2024. Team USA. Team Larchmont!
Support HopeNet food pantries and enjoy tasty cuisine on an early summer eve at this year’s Olympic-themed Taste of Larchmont.
On sale now are tickets for the community dining experience to take place on Mon., Sept. 16, from 6 to 9 p.m., on Larchmont Boulevard.
Mayor brings Olympic flag to set stage for 2028 Boulevard
Celebrate the Olympics at the 32nd Taste event. Dine al fresco and see old friends and neighbors on the sidewalks and make new friends while benefiting HopeNet’s network of 12 nearby food pantries.
See Taste, P 28
opens for business
By
Casey
Russell Larchmont Jewelers, the new high-end jewelry and Rolex dealer at 119 N. Larchmont Blvd., is officially open for business. When we spoke with owner David Lee in August, he told us that a grand opening party most likely will be August 29.
Fairfax High celebrates its 100th year
Event is Mon., Sept. 16 n Festivities will take place Sept. 6 to 8
By Casey Russell
Fairfax High School opened its doors 100 years ago. It was originally designed to be a mechanical and agricultural school focusing on practical skills — a bit ironic, it would seem, seeing as (according to Fairfax High’s website) the school was poshly named after Lord Fairfax of Colonial America and still uses that family’s coat of arms as its emblem.
In the school’s early years, courses included forestry, architecture, landscape gardening and domestic science. Today, Fairfax students who
are interested in a differentiation from the school’s traditional curriculum can also participate in programs like: the Korean dual language program; the police academy magnet program which includes classes in forensic science, law, computer and physical training; or the visual arts magnet program. (The high school is the only visual arts high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District.)
In 1966, most of the campus buildings were replaced
FIRST annual dog parade was a treat. 2-10
OLYMPIC
FAIRFAX HIGH School as it looked in 1931.
RIDES are among attractions at the Larchmont
BEAUTIFYING Larchmont. 2-3
Editorial
By John Welborne
Community Volunteers
Our “Word Café“ columnist, Mara Fisher, likes to research and write about etymology, the origin and evolution of a word and its meaning. The word “volunteers” can be a noun or a verb. Our local neighborhoods are so much stronger because the community volunteers (verb) so often and with such generosity. And we are stronger because of the volunteers (noun) who share their skills and passions for the benefit of the communities where we live and work.
This month, we report how Windsor Square residents (led by Dena Bloom and Guy Nemiro) got their streetlights back shining at night. Romi Cortier has been doing a great job on Boulevard beautification, and our local YMCA saluted volunteers James An, Patti Carroll and Cindy Chvatal-Keane at the end of August. In 1835, French visitor, Alexis de Tocqueville, shared his observations about this American trait of volunteerism. It is one of the things that makes Mid-Wilshire communities, like communities all across this country, places where people want to live and work. In the summer of 2028, Angelenos will find many unique opportunities to serve as volunteers during the Los Angeles Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. As was the case in 1984, there will be many ways to help fill each volunteer’s memory book.
Enforcing Our HPOZ and Electing Our Board of Directors!
Building and remodeling have increased in Hancock Park, and so have violations of our HPOZ rules! The Association has been working with the Council Office to have Building and Safety issue citations and stop unpermitted building. Our Preservation Plan specifies how changes to the front and side façades of a house must be done to ensure that any changes preserve the historic fabric of our neighborhood. Hancock Park is a desirable place to live for many reasons, but a major plus is the beautiful and historically protected buildings and environment.
Permits also ensure that any building is safe and up to standards that protect homeowners and the community. Building without appropriate permits can make the homeowner liable for any problems caused by unpermitted construction and make it difficult to sell a house. If an owner is cited by the City, the owner will incur penalties that can add up very quickly.
If you’re thinking of making any changes to the street-visible, front and/or side façades of your home, including removing landscaping and replacing it with hardscape, contact our HPOZ City Planner, Suki Gershenhorn (Suki.Gershenhorn@lacity.org). She will help guide your plans so they are approved quickly by the HPOZ Board and the City.
The Hancock Park Homeowners Association, est. 1948, annual meeting and election will be held at 6 p.m. on Weds., Oct. 2, via Zoom. The call for nominations has gone out to all members of the Association, and ballots will go out soon. Plan to attend the meeting and hear from City officials, the Council Office, Security Providers, the LAPD and Association Chairs.
We welcome volunteers! We’re also asking every homeowner to become a dues-paying member. See our website for more specific information about how you can participate: hancockparkhomeownersassociation.org.
o o o
Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the city’s Anti-Graffiti Request System: laocb.org/programs/graffitiabatement and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323463-5180.
Calendar
Mon., Sept. 2 — Labor Day. Tues., Sept. 10 — Mid City West Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Pan Pacific Park Senior Center, 7600 Beverly Blvd., midcitywest.org.
Wed., Sept. 11 — Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting on Zoom, 6:30 p.m. For meeting link, visit greaterwilshire.org.
Mon., Sept. 16 — Taste of Larchmont.
Sun., Sept. 22 — First day of autumn.
Thurs., Sept. 26 — Deliv-
ery of the October issue of the Larchmont Chronicle
A
reader in the know
It’s never too early to become a discerning reader.
Larchmont Chronicle reader Ellerie Kay Hillman, left, granddaughter of Windsor Square’s Chris and Sarah Dusseault, never misses the monthly source of dependable local news!
Letters to the Editor
Thank you, Dr. Lo
The work that Dr. Lo [“Dr. Lois Sprague works to make life better for others every day,” Aug. 2024] is doing is so important in our world today as we have lost the ability to talk to the “Other.” Lo, thank you for everything you do!
Susan Leary Santa Monica
Thank you for selecting Dr. Sprague as one of the Women of Larchmont for 2024. Lo is truly a woman of integrity, vision and selflessness. May we all follow her example to make a better
Larchmont Chronicle
Founded in 1963 by Jane Gilman and Dawne P. Goodwin
Publisher and Editor
John H. Welborne
Managing Editor
Suzan Filipek
Assistant Editor
Casey Russell
Contributing Editor
Jane Gilman
Staff Writers
Talia Abrahamson
Helene Seifer
Advertising Director
Pam Rudy
Art Director
Tom Hofer
Circulation Manager
Nona Sue Friedman
Accounting Irene Janas
606 N. Larchmont Blvd., #103 Los Angeles, CA 90004
323-462-2241
larchmontchronicle.com
‘What is your best school memory?’
That’s the question inquiring photographer Casey Russell asked locals.
“I loved going shopping with my mom for a gown for prom. I had an appointment at the beauty parlor to get my hair pulled back with all these big curls. I thought I was so glamorous. Prom was really fun!”
Karen Kawahara Windsor Village
community, a better world.
Mary Kirchen Brookside
Illicit
activity
The prostitution in the Ridgewood Wilton neighborhood is now out of control. This is evident by the significant number of condoms found each day in and around First Street / Wilton Drive, First Street / Ridgewood Place and Wilton Drive / Ridgewood Place. I am out in this quadrant daily removing the discarded wrappers and used condoms so that my children and others do not have to see them or even step on them when exiting vehicles. It has become absolutely repugnant.
Contributing to this illicit use of our neighborhood is the fact that our streetlights around the aforementioned area were vandalized some time back and have not yet been repaired. The original expense for these streetlights was put onto the homeowners in this area. We gladly paid for them knowing that the additional light would help deter crime, including prostitution. While other lights on the adjacent streets were also vandalized, they recently have been repaired — while ours are still out of service. I do not know if the lights alone will curb all of the sex work in
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Write us at letters@larchmontchronicle.com. Include your name, contact information and where you live. We reserve the right to edit for space and grammar.
“We won the lacrosse state championship in 2001-ish in Ohio. I played during all of high school. We won when I was a senior.”
Greg and Murphy Breidling Maplewood / St. Andrews
“I went to a performing arts school in the Valley. I played the flute and loved going to different schools to perform. I also loved being at school with all my friends and getting to know people from different cultures.”
Johnny Hugee Windsor Village
“I went to Carthay Center Elementary, and I remember wearing a frilly lavender graduation dress for my sixth grade graduation. We had to do square dancing for it, and I remember having such a princessy dress on — while square dancing. It was my favorite dress. I wish I still had it.
Bonnie Priever Hancock Park
August art, history, baseball, music, birthdays, politics and more
Although a lot of people were away in August, there was a heck of a lot going on here in town involving locals in the arts and social scenes. Political, too. Beginning on Aug. 1, there was a gorgeous downtown art opening for the exhibit, “Resonance: Paintings and Prints by Gayle Garner Roski and Ruth Weisberg.” Roski grew up on Hudson Avenue in Hancock Park and was a noted patron of the arts and painter of local scenes. She passed away in 2020. The School of Art and Design at USC is named in her honor. Not as well known is the school’s graduate school building and gallery, located at 1262 Palmetto St. (with a convenient adjacent parking structure) in the heart of the vibrant Downtown Arts District. That was the scene of a showing of some of Roski’s works, along with those of Ruth Weisberg. The lat-
SECTION ONE
Around the Town with Sondi
ter was a longtime professor of art at USC and served as the dean of the art school from 1995 to 2010. Weisberg recently retired from the university. Both she and Ed Roski spoke at the gathering on Aug. 1. The exhibit is open, by appointment only, through Aug. 31. Call 213-740-2787 or e-mail roski@usc.edu.
Two days later, the beautiful Windsor Square backyard of June Bilgore was the setting for the 49th annual meeting of the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society. In addition to a tasty Santa Maria barbecue dinner, there was a full meeting agenda,
including introducing new members of the board of trustees and the new president, Joseph Guidera, who has taken over from Richard Battaglia (remaining as a vice president, events). Adrian Scott Fine, the new president and CEO of the Los Angeles
Conservancy, spoke. Historic Landmark Awards (Numbers 128 and 129) were awarded to the neighborhood commercial building at 119 N. Larchmont Blvd., now the home of Larchmont Jewelers, and 553 S. Windsor Blvd., a prominent house on the cor-
ner of Sixth Street described as a hybrid of Craftsman and English or Tudor design. The handsome house was the 1914 creation of the prominent, and locally active, architectural firm Milwaukee Building Company.
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GALLERY in the USC Art and Design graduate building in the Arts District. At left are Ed Roski and Ruth Weisberg.
ED ROSKI speaks at the art show opening in DTLA.
Around the Town
(Continued from Page 3)
Then, in the middle of the month, tens of thousands of people gathered at Dodger Stadium for an August 10 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates (the Dodgers won!). For many in attendance, the highlights were the pregame activities because it was Dodgers Alumni Day, and more than 40 members of the historic franchise were there on the field. A special feature of the day was that famous former owner of the Dodgers (and longtime Hancock Park resident), the late Walter O’Malley, had his name
mounted as the 15th person installed on the Dodgers Ring of Honor on the front of the Club Level above left field. O’Malley’s sign is right
Is it September already?!
Come to the Larchmont Farmers Market or the Cortier Salon for a special notebook or book bag to start the new school year!
All merchandise proceeds go toward beautifying the Boulevard.
To reach LBA members, go to www.LARCHMONT.com
HISTORICAL SOCIETY presidents
and present,
outside of his old office. At the ceremony, the O’Malley family was represented by Walter’s son, Peter, also a Hancock Park resident. Other O’Malleys at the game included Peter’s sister, Terry Seidler, and Peter’s three children, Kevin, Brian and Katherine, plus numerous grandchildren. The Walter O’Malley sign was unveiled by Ann Meyers Drysdale (Don’s widow), Erin Scully (Vin’s daughter) and Laura Lasorda (daughter of Tommy).
The next day, hundreds of Angelenos gathered for music, food and fun in the Los Angeles State Historic Park (Downtown, north of Chinatown) for the third annual River Fest organized by FOLAR (Friends of the Los Angeles River). The group was founded in 1986 by poet and activist Lewis MacAdams. Among those on the VIP supporters list for the Aug. 11
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PETER O’MALLEY addresses Dodger Stadium audience on behalf of his family before the unveiling of the Dodgers Ring of Honor tribute to Walter O’Malley.
CONNIE RICHEY checks in member Deborah Cadis at Society meeting and barbecue.
past
Richard Battaglia (left) and Joseph Guidera.
SILENT AUCTION items are examined by Historical Society VP Jane Gilman.
JUNE BILGORE garden was the setting for WSHPHS annual meeting and dinner.
Larchmont Chronicle BACK
TO SCHOOL 2024
Fairfax High
(Continued from Page 1)
with ones designed to the latest earthquake safety standards. The auditorium and rotunda were the only two buildings that were retrofitted, rather than being razed.
(In 1971, when Los Angeles High School was damaged during the San Fernando earthquake, students from Los Angeles High took turns with Fairfax High students in using the still intact Fairfax buildings for classes while Los Angeles High was repaired.)
During this year’s main three-day centennial celebration weekend (Fri., Sept. 6, to Sun., Sept. 8), a history exhibit will be displayed in the historic rotunda. In the auditorium, a 20-minute documentary film created by alumnus David Zeiger, and covering all of the school’s decades, will be shown every hour.
A press conference was held in early August to promote the upcoming three-day celebration and also to honor the milestone.
In addition to Centennial Committee Co-chair Beverly Meyer, speakers included: LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin; Fairfax Principal Leonard Choi; Adam Schiff’s district representative Moha-
mad Almouazzen; State Assemblymember (AD-51) Rick Chavez Zbur; alumna and philanthropist Annette Shapiro; and alumnus and former Los Angeles Clipper Craig Smith. Also on hand were second-generation Pink’s Hot Dogs owner Richard Pink and Adeena Bleich, the community rep for Television City /
Hackman Partners, who are co-sponsors of the centennial.
Zbur, whose district includes Fairfax High School, spoke about the school’s diverse student body, which today is 60 percent Latino, 15 percent Asian / Asian Pacific Islander, 12 percent African American and 10 percent white. Melvoin highlighted
the fact that this milestone is one that few institutions achieve and noted that, over the past century, Fairfax High has “produced scholars, athletes, leaders, innovators and change makers.”
Fairfax High alumni
Notable alumni include: Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky; actors Demi
Moore, Mila Kunis, Timothy Hutton and the late Mickey Rooney and Carole Lombard; co-creator of Scooby Doo, Joe Ruby; musicians Slash (Saul Hudson) and Rob Gardner of Guns N’ Roses; and James Ellroy, author of “L.A. Confidential.”
More alumni include major league baseball players Barry Latman, Al Silvera, Larry Sherry and Norm Sherry.
The three-day centennial weekend will begin Fri., Sept. 6, on the school’s campus at the corner of Fairfax and Melrose avenues. Guided tours of the school grounds, an alumni flag football contest preceding the current team’s game, and fireworks will get the weekend off to a festive start.
Alumni basketball games and class reunions will take place on Sat., Sept. 7, during the day. Children can partake in craft activities provided by Craft Contemporary museum, and everyone can enjoy taking photo booth pictures, playing carnival games and munching on food from local restaurants.
An induction ceremony at the Alumni Hall of Fame Brunch will conclude the weekend’s events on Sun., Sept. 8.
For more information, visit fairfaxhigh100.org or email fhsaa.1924@gmail.com.
LEADERS and alumni attended the Fairfax High Centennial press conference in the historic rotunda. Front row, left to right: Alumnus Aleta Braxton, the Colonial Lion, and Beverly Meyer, Centennial Co-Chair. Back row, left to right: Mohamad Almouazzen, Teddy Eccles, Craig Smith, Nick Melvoin, TV City spokesperson Adeena Bleich, Annette Shapiro, Rick Chavez Zbur, Steve Gee, Principal Leonard Choi and Richard Pink.
New Covenant Academy expands, adds a second campus
By Casey Russell
New Covenant Academy is expanding with a second campus. The new location will be home to kindergarten through seventh-grade students. The school has entered into a long-term lease with Los Angeles First Church of the Nazarene, located just east of the Third and Vermont Vons Grocery, at 221 S. Juanita Ave., three blocks north of the school’s current 3119 W. Sixth St. campus. This expansion will enable New Covenant, a Christian college preparatory school, to add many more students and to bring its eighth graders into the high school experience.
“Eighth graders are so ready to move onto high school these days,” said Jason Song, principal and co-founder of New Covenant Academy.
The advent of social media has brought a greater knowledge of the world to today’s youth, says Song, and he believes the grade eightthrough-12 grouping, which is what many east coast boarding schools follow, is more appropriate for today’s students. Because the college application process is also changing — most private universities are now offering early application to seniors — this split will allow eighth graders to be embraced into the upper school environment and begin preparing for college.
New Covenant Academy was founded by Song and his wife, Kara, 25 years ago. The school began with 11 students in the sixth and seventh grades and has grown to serve 175 kindergarten through 12th grade students. There
is a plan in place to launch a new preschool program in the next year, as well.
New campus design
The Juanita Avenue campus has been designed and planned for the next stages according to what the Songs think a modern school should look like. Walls can be removed and space can be changed to accommodate more students.
“The new kindergarten, firstand second-grade classrooms are each approximately 1,000 square feet.”
Good teachers
But the school’s growth pattern has always been on the slow side, and this school year’s student body is not much larger than it was in the 2023-2024 school year. “We are known for high performance. We have highly effective teachers and [no more than] 15 kids per class,” said Song. The school believes in developing staff and having the strongest teachers possible. “It doesn’t matter if you have great technology or curriculum. It matters that you have good teachers,” said Song.
The small class sizes are clearly paying off. Song informed us that, though New Covenant’s tuition is half that of other private schools
in the area, the school’s national assessment scores for language arts are in the top 11 percent in the country, and its math scores are in the
top 10 percent.
The new campus has a chapel / auditorium that seats 250 people, a gym and an outdoor
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Third Street turns 100
By Casey Russell
Third
Street
Elementary School celebrates its centennial this year. Although a volunteer group of parents, alumni, staff and teachers has been hard at work over the summer, the school officially launched the centennial celebration during a back-toschool event (a time for new
students to get to know the campus and returning students to reconnect with friends) on Aug. 10.
“People are excited!” said parent Jennifer Cornwall Rojas, who is helping plan the festivities for the kindergarten through fifth grade school located at 201 S. June St.
(Please turn to Page 14)
NEW COVENANT ACADEMY’S second location is one block east of Vermont Avenue, adjoining Third Street.
PRINCIPAL Helen Lee (crouching under banner, center) with staff and members of the Third Street Centennial Committee.
YMCA Summer Soirée honored local leaders
By Sondi Toll Sepenuk
On Fri., Aug. 23, the Anderson Munger Family YMCA’s Summer Soirée dinner and fundraiser marked the tenth anniversary of the “Y” facility at Third Street and Oxford Avenue. More than 200 guests answered the call to show up and honor the first decade of the “Y’s” work at this impactful Koreatown location. The rooftop sports deck, with its awe-inspiring views of Los Angeles, was the venue.
Since its 2014 dedication and opening, the facility has become “a hub for health, wellness, and social connection, offering a wide range of programs that cater to the diverse needs of the community,” remarked Rae Jin, executive director.
Eight awards Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Immediate Past Chair of the Board of
Managers, Chase Campen. Awards were presented by Soirée Co-Chairs and Board of Managers members John Winther and Patricia (Patti) Carroll.
U.S. Congressman (and former local California Assembly Member) Jimmy Gomez received the Social Impact Award, while the Corporate Leadership Award went to both the Capital Group and to East West Bank. The Pub-
lic Safety & Service Award was bestowed upon the LAPD Wilshire and Olympic Divisions, while the Community Impact Award was given to the Wilshire Rotary Club.
Local leaders
Two local community lead-
ers, Cindy Chvatal-Keane and James An, received the Community Leadership Award. An is president of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, and Chvatal-Keane is president of the Hancock Park Home Owners Association, among other volunteer duties. Decade of service
A highlight of the eve -
ning was the presentation to Patti Carroll of the YMCA Distinguished Decade of Service Award. Early-day Wilshire Y leader, Scot Clifford, praised Carroll for devoting her “time, energy, and expertise to advancing the mission of the YMCA.” Clifford added that Carroll “got this YMCA started. It took a lot of vision and a lot of convincing. Patti was one of those people who pushed hard, and it wouldn’t have been built without her.”
YMCA SUMMER SOIRÉE guests included Larchmont Charter School faculty, from left, Edwin Co, Malcolm Moore, Steven Kim, Julie Johnson, YMCA Board Member Daniel Loh, Dana Chun, Myra Salinas and Maria Tanquary.
HONOREE Patti Carroll (right) shares a story with fellow Larchmontian Romi Cortier.
PATTI CARROLL received her YMCA award from Chase Campen and Scot Clifford (right).
Right: COMMUNITY LEADER James An.
LAPD Wilshire and Olympic Divisions sent officers to receive the YMCA’s Safety and Service Award.
CINDY CHVATAL-KEANE’S rooftop award presentation featured, from left, John Winther, Patti Carroll, Chvatal-Keane and “Y” Executive Director Rae Jin.
How to (and how not to) respond when our children lie
By Casey Russell
Summer vacation has come to a close for most students. It’s the time of year when homework needs to be completed, chores get squeezed into after-school hours, and our children are spending more time with friends.
Little lies can sneak into our children’s communication at any time. But, when kids get back into their school day routines, it’s common for some untruths to pop up now and then.
The fact is, lying is built into our social construct. We see an acquaintance at morning drop-off after having had a rough start to the day and in response to the person’s cheery “How are you?” we respond, “Good!” We go to a dinner party and are served something we abhor, but we thank our hosts for the wonderful meal.
Clearly, it would not be fair to say that lying is always wrong or bad. But, at the same time, it’s important for us to raise children who can be trusted, who know how to take responsibility for their actions and who feel safe telling the truth.
The “why” of the lie
A great place to start when confronted with a child’s lie is
Tips on Parenting by
Casey Russell
to remember to stay calm and then to focus on the “why” of the lie. Anger tends to shut down true communication, and threats lead to more lies. So take a breath and remember that the lie is a mistake, not something that means your child is morally inept.
Children can be impulsive, and they often speak before thinking. Sometimes we need to help them slow down. We can give our child a chance to reconsider her words, and the grace to know she won’t be punished for admitting or amending something in order to tell us the truth.
What could this look like?
We could say, “You’re usually so great at telling me what truly happened, but I’m having a tough time understanding how the window got broken. Can you try to tell me what happened from your perspective?”
Or, if we have a feeling our child will be tempted to lie, we can avoid trapping her and
angrily yelling, “Did you break the window?!” Instead, we can say, “I have a feeling that the baseball accidentally went through the window when you were playing, but I want to hear what happened from your point of view. Let me go wash my hands, and then let’s talk about it.” When we can remain calm, slow down and avoid judging, accusing or trapping our children, they are more likely to feel safe being honest with us.
It’s common for children to lie because they are worried about parents’ disapproval. After doing a quick self-check to see if we’ve been putting too much pressure on our child, we can focus on helping him solve the problem that caused him to feel the need to lie in the first place.
What is he attempting to gain, protect or avoid? Is he trying to seem cool for friends? Is he trying to avoid a consequence? Is he trying to gain more independence? Does he just want to see how we’ll react? Once we discover what happened to make our child feel the need to lie, we can help him brainstorm and rehearse alternate ways to deal with the situation. Doing this ends up being much more effective than anger, la-
beling and long punishments.
If a child under 10 has lied about doing something that was supposed to be done, we can let him know that the lie itself is a bigger deal than the fact that the task wasn’t completed. We can explain that relationships thrive on trust and that, just as he can trust us, we trust him and treasure knowing we can.
For a child over age 10, we can make it clear that when he tells us untrue things, it makes us question his readiness for the freedoms and privileges he’s been entrusted with and that we have to reconsider them.
No labels or generalizing
All of us, at some point, will have to respond to our child after he or she has lied. When we do, we definitely want to avoid labeling and generalizing. Calling our child a liar or a bad kid labels the core self rather than speaking to the isolated mistake.
Saying something like, “You never tell the truth!” Or, “Now, I’ll never be able to believe you again!” blows the mistake out of proportion and, in the child’s mind, makes it hopeless that you’ll ever trust her again... so why not keep lying?
Instead, we can let our child
know that everyone makes mistakes and that it’s important to take responsibility when we do. We can make it clear that it can be hard to tell the truth sometimes and that we will always try to create a safe space for her to do so. If a child owns up to something after first lying, we should acknowledge this. “That must’ve been hard to tell me. I am proud of your courage. You did break curfew, so I will need to take away driving privileges for a while, but because you told me the truth, it will be for two days instead of for a whole week.”
Rather than lecturing and grounding for weeks, we can help our children problem solve and can focus on natural consequences when they are needed. We can model honesty. We can notice and praise honest moments and send a message filled with love: Everyone makes mistakes; it’s important to own up to and learn from these; and we will always love him or her, no matter what.
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.
Teaching was St. James’ new head of school’s first love
By Suzan Filipek
You could say Diane Rich is something of an accidental head of school.
“I never wanted to be head of school. I wanted to do curriculum [and] coaching [and] create an environment where everybody can thrive,” she said last month in her new office at St. James’ Episcopal School, where she began her tenure as head of school in July.
Her outlook changed after taking on leadership posts, hesitantly at first. She was surprised to find she liked the options the jobs offered.
“I like to set the tone and create that sense of collaboration, optimism and dedication to the students and [to work] with educators and staff,” she told us.
Orchids and framed art of plants decorate her office. A fanciful flower pattern is another reflection of her love of gardening and landscape.
Rich also enjoys art, architecture and literature. Her experience of seeing these elements come together on a European backpacking trip made her think, “This might be fun to teach.”
More than 35 years on, she is taking her experience and know-how to St. James’, a longtime fixture of the MidWilshire community. She was chosen as the new head by the school’s board of trustees after a national search.
She replaces Peter Reinke, who retired after six years at the 400-pupil, preschoolthrough-sixth-grade (ages 2 to 12) campus. The school is entering its 56th year at 625 S. St. Andrews Place.
It has a total of 72 faculty and staff.
Rich is a proud Chicagoan.
The youngest of five children, she grew up in a suburb outside of the city with a stayat-home mom and a dad who was a CPA.
It was that backpacking trip through Europe that chartered her life course.
“I took off the fall semester of my junior year [at Boston College] to backpack through Europe with my oldest friend. We started in London, then went through nearly every country in Western Europe: France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy. We finished in Ireland.”
During her senior year in college, it was a summer job at an espresso bar at a Bloomingdale’s that finetuned her life course.
She had been on track for a Ph.D. in English when she was transferred from the espresso bar to the store’s personnel department, where she was tasked with training employees. She loved the teaching aspect of it and began questioning the doctorate path she was on — which would lead to a professorship, publishing and teaching in college, if she taught much at all.
So, she applied to Harvard, where she was accepted in an intensive program and earned her master’s in education. Her teaching career launched in Cape Cod before she moved to New Hampshire, where she also held leadership positions, including dean and department chair.
For the past decade, she has served in several leadership roles in Rhode Island at Rocky Hill Country Day School (a nursery to grade 12 school). For the past six years, she was head of school.
A trustee at Rocky Hill shared on St. James’ website that Rich is “a fearless leader, empowering collaborator, and passionate about educating children.”
Of her new school, Rich says, “It’s a wonderful, wonderful place.”
She describes how St. James’ is known for its academics and social and emotional learning, as well as something more.
“The schools to which our students matriculate talk about how kind our students are. Here, there’s an element of kindness and paying attention to others…
“People have been so gen-
(Please turn to Page 13)
DIANE RICH in her new office as head of school at St. James’.
ST. JAMES’ Episcopal School on South St. Andrews Place..
Diane Rich
(Continued from Page 12) erous,” she adds, as she waves to a child peeping in through the glass door of her office.
Her husband, Tim Rich, is the newly named priest in charge at All Saints Church in Pasadena. They blended their families when they married 12 years ago, like a “little Brady Bunch.”
Their four children are grown now, says Rich, wearing worn-in blue sneakers for her three-block walk from a school-provided home that she shares with Tim and their two dogs.
She became an Episcopalian before meeting Tim. She found her adopted religion more inclusive and more accepting than the Catholic faith in which she was raised.
“They accept homosexuality, and women can be priests.”
And priests can marry?
“Yes, they can!” she laughs.
She met her husband when she was teaching at Bedford High in New Hampshire, and he was the Canon to the Ordinary (it’s similar to a chief of staff) to Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire Gene Robinson, the first openly gay priest.
Diane Rich is involved in the church as well, and, she has served as a vestry member, a church school teacher
and even a cookie room director for the Christmas Fair back in Rhode Island.
“Her participation in the life of a church, and even that as a cookie lady, reflects her love not just for making cookies, but for making community,”
St. James’ website notes of its incoming head of school.
More on St. James’
The school was founded in 1968 by Rev. Dr. Samuel D’Amico as a mission of St. James’ Episcopal Church. Joseph DeBell, a St. James’ parishioner, donated the original school building, an apartment on Gramercy Place large enough for four kindergarten students and one teacher.
Each year from 1968 until 1974, a grade level was added until the school had grades kindergarten through sixth.
In 1981, St. James’ Episcopal School moved to its current location, 625 S. St. Andrews Pl. The DeBell Hall building — funded by Joseph DeBell, the St. James’ parish and the Ahmanson Foundation — was designed for 14 classrooms and reached its full capacity of 308 students in 1984.
In 1997, the commercial property on Sixth Street known as Belden’s Market was razed to create a playing field for the school. The following year, St. James’ established a preschool. In 2001, an additional build-
Party for Brookside residents Sept. 22
The annual block party for residents of the Brookside neighborhood (Muirfield Road to Highland Avenue; Wilshire to Olympic boulevards) takes place this year on Sunday, Sept. 22, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Organized by the volunteer Brookside Homeowners Association for residents of the
ing was added which included a multipurpose hall, library, technology room, science laboratory and larger classrooms.
In 2009, The Leonetti / O’Connell Family Foundation and numerous parents contributed to the creation of a science lab that led to the implementation of a S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engi-
neering, arts and mathematics) program at St. James’.
In 2011, an art room renovation, made possible by the Ahmanson Foundation and parent support, was completed. In the fall of 2012, a new preschool building opened on Gramercy Place.
In 2016, St. James’ launched The Believe Cam-
paign to raise $6 million and secure funding for a complete makeover of every room on campus, a new Spanish classroom and increased administrative space.
Completed in 2018, the campaign raised $6.5 million for its numerous programs. For more information, visit sjsla.org.
neighborhood, the party is financed from members’ dues and takes place this year in the 900 South block of Hudson Avenue.
For more information, residents should reach out to Dana Peterson or Loren Dunsworth or the association at brooksidelaca.com/contact.
COURTYARD at St. James’ School, abutting Sixth Street.
PUPILS at the school pass between classes at the school.
NEW COVENANT ACADEMY
By Sue Jung Park 12th Grade
New Covenant Academy kicked off the school year with the successful opening of the brand-new
lower campus and the smooth transition to our two-campus school. Students are already thriving and enjoying their new learning environments. NCA was thrilled to host Backto-School Night, during which parents got a glimpse into the exciting plans for the year ahead, and students proudly showcased their accomplishments.
One of NCA’s most cherished traditions is the annual fall camp, held this year at Campus by the Sea. Students had a much-needed break and a chance to strengthen their friendships and connections with teachers. The camp was filled with excitement, from swimming and kayaking to a variety of other fun activities, making the experience unforgettable.
Our girls’ volleyball season is in full swing! The high school student council organized a pep rally to celebrate the team. Show your support by attending their upcoming games! Go Huskies!
MARLBOROUGH
By Stella Seitz 12th Grade
Marlborough School is instituting a new school-wide cell phone policy this year.
The policy mandates that all students will secure their phones in pouches throughout the school day. Students in 11th or 12th grade will be permitted to access their phones if they have off-campus privileges for lunch to ensure their safety.
On Aug. 26, the first day of school, Marlborough students began with an all-school meeting led by the incoming council, including a video that introduced council members individually, followed by individual speeches by the members and the allschool president’s final address to the student body.
During the first week of school, students also had auditions for the all-school dance concert and annual school play, which will be “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.”
Student athletes in tennis, cross country and volleyball participated in pre-season athletic practices to prepare them for the competitions with other schools that begin early in the school year.
MELROSE ELEMENTARY
By Evelyn Cho and Isla Lacey 5th Grade
School started again and Melrose Elementary School students and staff are enthusiastic for the 2024-2025 school year. Melrose Elementary Math/Science/Technology Magnet is continuing our yearly special classes such as
Third Street
(Continued from Page 9)
One of the keystone events planned to celebrate the milestone this year is a centennial block party. It will take place on Sun., Nov. 3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. directly behind the school on Las Palmas Avenue between Second and Third streets. The free event will feature stage performances by students and Bob Baker Marionette Theater. There also will be crafts, games and food trucks on-site.
Coinciding with the 100th day of this school year, on
dance, P.E, musical theater, science lab and gardening.
One big event happening in September is Back to School Night, which is an event where parents get to meet their students’ teachers. We are also having our first Family Fun Night and it is a Game Night.
According to Principal Mathew Needleman, “One thing that is the best about Melrose is that the students take care of other students.“ He believes another thing that is great about Melrose is the diversity of the students — approximately 23 different languages are spoken at the school. He also thinks it’s great that Melrose was one of the first schools to use technology.
The Melrose community is glad to be back together again on campus.
CHRIST
THE KING
By Zoe Griswold and Anjella Guiza 8th Grade
The first day of the new school year began on Aug. 19. Students were very happy to move to their new grades and to see their friends again.
The CKS community welcomed many new students to our school. We also welcomed our new parish administrator, Father Justin Oh. On Aug. 20, we held our first school-wide assembly and the new students introduced themselves.
The football and volleyball seasons are starting next week and our student athletes will be practicing after school for their upcoming games. Vikings are looking forward to starting the new school year with many activities such as sports, field trips, choir, drama, music, dance and chess club.
At Back-to-School Night on Aug. 29, parents met with their children’s teachers to hear their goals for the academic year. We are excited about the upcoming school year and will keep you posted about all our activities and events!
Fri., Jan. 31, 2025, a centennial time capsule will be unveiled. A host of objects — many voted upon by students — will be included in the (most likely) titanium capsule.
Smaller celebrations will be woven into annual Third Street events like a Third Street’s Got Talent show, school movie nights and a casino cocktail event for parents that serves as one of the school’s fundraisers. Visit friendsofthird.org for more information on how to become a sponsor for the time capsule or the block
A personal appreciation of the cell phone ban at Marlborough
By Dinah Yorkin
A little under three years ago, when I was a freshman in high school, I created my own Instagram account for the first time. That account, on which I never posted but had a whopping 300 followers, lasted for a grand total of four weeks... four rough, rough weeks.
In a 2021 study that Facebook itself conducted, the company found that Instagram has proven to have significant harmful effects on young girls’ mental health — and let me tell you, as a teenage girl who was on Instagram, those effects are very, very real.
Granted, freshman year was rough for a number of other reasons, but joining social media only exacerbated all of those previous issues, while also creating a whole slew of new ones.
The friend group that I was in was extremely contentious and chock-full of unspoken resentment. I constantly was being bombarded with images of my classmates hanging out, and that made me feel more like an outsider than ever. The impossible beauty standards perpetuated on social media made me feel more insecure about the way I looked and dressed than ever.
And the worst part of it all? I couldn’t stop checking Ins-
tagram. Yes, it made me feel horrible, and yes, I knew it was making me feel horrible, but because of its insidious, addictive nature, I kept being pulled back in.
But after four weeks, I finally decided to delete my account. Since then, I have never looked back. Not to say that being a teenager without a social media account is easy (I have been lovingly called an “80-year-old man” too many times to count, and many people assume that they need to explain social media references to me), but being a teenager with social media is harder. I know that I am happier and healthier without Instagram. Not being addicted to an app is liberating, and not needing to validate every experience I have with a post on social media has led to authentic and meaningful enjoyment and a richer experience of life.
So on July 23, when I received an email from Jennifer Ciccarelli, principal of Marlborough School, saying that phones were going to be banned during the 2024-2025 school year, I didn’t feel the disappointment and mild outrage that I know is expected of me.
Marlborough School has joined the Los Angeles Unified School District and other local schools by banning cell
New Covenant
(Continued from Page 9) futsal court (a large space suitable for playing smallscale soccer). Song said he’s most excited about the fact that this new location offers growth opportunities and extra space for students to enjoy the campus.
“We’ve designed it in a way that fits our needs,” Song said. As stakeholders of the institution, parents have known what the school has been planning. Many have come to tour the new location and have commented on how new everything is. They are loving the spaciousness, he said.
Song is proud that his wife and he — along with New Covenant’s current leaders —
phones for the upcoming school year. (Pilgrim School successfully has had the ban in effect for the past year. See “Without cell phones, social connections thrive at Pilgrim,” Larchmont Chronicle, June 2024.) Because of the liberation I have found from
not being on social media, this is a much welcome and necessary change.
It’s a tough reality to recognize, but the dependency on cell phones and on social media has gotten out of hand.
While I’m not saying that everyone needs to immediately
delete his or her Instagram account, I think that forcing students to take a break from their phones during the school day can help to alleviate the dependency and the adverse effects of social media with which many students are plagued.
have been setting the school up for the next school leaders.
“I probably have about five years left leading the school,” he said. The couple has a succession plan in place. He’s currently a member of the school’s board and, when he steps down as principal, Song sees himself staying on the board and focusing on fundraising for the future.
The principal and Kara Song, who serves as admissions director, have worn a lot of hats at New Covenant over the years. They’ve cleaned toilets, driven school buses and have been leaders from the beginning. They are proud that, in Song’s words, “The little school that started 25 years ago is not only still around, but is growing.”
A COLORFUL CLASSROOM at New Covenant Academy’s new location is ready for students.
Directory of private and public schools
Following is a list of private and public schools both in and outside the Larchmont Chronicle’s delivery area. The information was attained by phone, email and the school’s website. Please send corrections or updates to info@larchmontchronicle.com
Kindergarten key:
K = kindergarten
TK = transitional K
PK = pre-K
DK = developmental K Nursery Schools
SPARK PRESCHOOL
4679 La Mirada Ave. 323-422-9690 ourccp.com
For children ages 2 1/2 years to PK. Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., with half and full day options and aftercare until 5 p.m.
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN PRESCHOOL
815 N. Alta Vista Blvd. 323-934-6512 christopherrobinpreschool. com
Susan Huber and Elizabeth de Roo, co-directors. For children ages 1 to 5 years, including parent and toddler and TK programs. Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
HAPPY BIRCH
PRESCHOOL
1423 & 1429 Tamarind Ave. 323-380-7311
happybirchpreschool.com
Dr. George and Mali Rand, co-founders. For children ages 1 to 5 years, including parent and toddler and TK programs. Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., with aftercare until 5 p.m.
IKAR EARLY
CHILDHOOD CENTER
910 S. Fairfax Ave. 323-634-1870 ikar.org/learn/ecc
Dr. Jane Rosen is director of education. Children ages 2 to 5. NEW HORIZON SCHOOL 434 S. Vermont Ave. 213-480-3145 newhorizonla.org
Jolanda Hendricks, principal. Islamic education for preschool and kindergarten. PLYMOUTH SCHOOL
315 S. Oxford Ave. 213-387-7381 theplymouthschool.com
Diana Conforti, director. Ages 2 to 5. Full days are 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Half days are 8:45 to 11:45 a.m.
ST. JAMES’ EPISCOPAL PRESCHOOL
625 S. Gramercy Pl. 213-382-2315 sjsla.org
Rochelle Rosel, director. Ages 2 to 5. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with before and after school care at 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. SHIR-HASHIRIM MONTESSORI SCHOOL
6047 Carlton Way 323-465-1638
montessorihollywood.org
Elene Cielak, director. Ages 2 to 5. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with before and after school care at 8 a.m. until 5 p.m
SUNSET MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL
1432 N. Sycamore Ave. 323-465-8133 sunsetmontessori.com
Liliya Kordon, head of school. Serves ages 2 to 5 as well as parent and me classes for kids 18 months and up.
WAGON WHEEL SCHOOL
653 N. Cahuenga Blvd. 323-469-8994 wagonwheelschool.org
Ruth Segal, director. Ages 2 to 5, 110 students. Hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. with optional after school until 4:30 p.m.
JLA EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
5870 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2531 thejla.org/ecc
Lauren Friedman, director. Ages 6 weeks to 5 years, infant care, preschool and TK. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
WALTHER SCHOOL
1246 N. Gardner St. 323-378-5732 waltherschool.org
Gloria Walther, head of school. For children ages 2 1/2 years to PK. Hours are either 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. Mon., Tues., Thurs. and Fri. For PK only, Wed. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WILSHIRE BLVD. TEMPLE
ERIKA J. GLAZER EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER 3663 Wilshire Blvd., 90010 213-835-2125 wbtecc.org
Floryn Rosendberg, site director. Ages 18 months to 5 years and baby and me classes from birth to 2 1/2 years.
Parochial and Private Schools
ARCHER SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
11725 Sunset Blvd. 310-873-7000 archer.org
Elizabeth English, head of school. Grades six to 12; 500 students. Tuition is $55,650 plus fees.
BAIS YAAKOV
SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
7353 Beverly Blvd. 323-938-3231
Joel Bursztyn, director. Ninth to 12th grade. Annual cost is $21,000.
BRAWERMAN
ELEMENTARY WEST 11661 W. Olympic Blvd. 424-208-8934
BRAWERMAN
ELEMENTARY EAST
3663 Wilshire Blvd. 213-835-2170
brawerman.org
Gillian Feldman, head of school at East. Brandon Cohen, head of school at West. K to sixth grade, coed. Cost at East is $34,235 plus fees and cost at West is $42,970 plus fees.
BRISKIN ELEMENTARY
TEMPLE ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD
7300 Hollywood Blvd. 323-876-8330, ext. 4000 briskinelementary.org
Hannah Bennett, head of school. K to sixth grade. After-school enrichment and supervision Mon. - Thurs. until 4:15 p.m. Cost is $27,000 plus fees and temple membership.
THE BUCKLEY SCHOOL
3900 Stansbury Ave. 818-783-1610 buckley.org
Alona Scott, head of school. K to 12th grade. 830 students. Tuition is $45,935 for K to fifth grade and $54,090 for sixth to 12th grade.
Rev. Julian Bull, head of school. K through 12th grade. Cost for K through sixth grade is $43,630 plus fees and $51,130 plus fees for seventh through 12th.
CATHEDRAL CHAPEL SCHOOL
755 S. Cochran Ave. 323-938-9976 cathedralchapelschoolpto.org
Donielle Mitchell, principal. Founded in 1930. K to eighth grade. Cost is $10,346. CENTER FOR EARLY EDUCATION
563 N. Alfred St. 323-651-0707 centerforearlyeducation.org
Damian Jones, head of school. Founded in 1939, 540 students. Ages 2 to sixth grade. Tuition for toddler & early childhood program is $27,360 for half day, $32,890 for full day; elementary is $38,950.
CHRIST THE KING
CATHOLIC SCHOOL
617 N. Arden Blvd. 323-462-4753 cksla.org
Ruth Anderson, principal. Catholic school that serves TK to eighth grade. Cost starts at $7,470 per year plus fees.
CURTIS SCHOOL
15871 Mulholland Dr. 310-476-1251, ext. 820 curtisschool.org
Meera Ratnesar, head of school. Founded in 1925. DK to sixth grade. Tuition is $38,021 plus fees.
Peggy Procter, head of school. PK to sixth grade, 180 students. Cost for PK is $32,000 and K to
sixth is $39,844 plus fees. FLINTRIDGE PREP 4543 Crown Ave., La Cañada Flintridge 818-790-1178 flintridgeprep.org
Vanessa Walker-Oakes, head of school. Seventh to 12th grade. Tuition starts at $42,750 plus fees.
FUSION ACADEMY 5757 Wilshire Blvd. 323-692-0603 fusionacademy.com
Jason Lions, area head of school. Rolling admission for grades six through 12. In-person, online, customized one-to-one education with full- and part-time options. Call for costs.
HARVARD-WESTLAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL
700 N. Faring Rd. 310-274-7281
UPPER SCHOOL
3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave. 818-980-6692 hw.com
Richard Commons, president; Laura Ross, head of school. Serves grades seven to 12. Tuition is $49,700 plus fees.
HOLLYWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE
1233 N. McCadden Pl. 323-465-1320 hshla.org
Ilise Faye, head of school. Preschool to sixth grade. Tuition annually is $25,100 for presechool, $30,800 for K, $32,100 for first to third grade and $34,200 for fourth to sixth grade.
IMMACULATE HEART HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL
5515 Franklin Ave. 323-461-3651 immaculateheart.org
Maureen S. Diekmann, president; Naemah Z. Morris, high school principal. Gina B. Finer, middle school principal. Girls-only Catholic school for sixth through 12th grades, 700 students. Tuition is $23,950 plus fees.
Laurie Wolke, head of school. K to sixth grade. Tuition is $38,950 plus fees.
LE LYCÉE FRANÇAIS DE LOS ANGELES 3261 Overland Ave. 310-836-3464 lyceela.org
Clara-Lisa Kabbaz, president. French and English curriculums available. Preschool to 12th grade, coed. Six campuses throughout Los Angeles. Tuition starts at $26,110.
ident. Jamal Adams, principal. Over 1,270 boys, ninth to 12th grade, Jesuit. Freshman year is $26,600 and goes up each academic year.
MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL
250 S. Rossmore Ave. 323-935-1147
marlborough.org
Jennifer Ciccarelli, head of school. Girls only, seventh to 12th grade, 530 students. Tuition is $49,950 plus fees.
MARYMOUNT HIGH 10643 Sunset Blvd. 310-472-1205 mhs-la.org
Dawn Reagan, interim head of school. Catholic, girls only, ninth to 12th grades. Tuition is $42,700 plus fees.
MAYFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL 405 S. Euclid Ave., Pasadena 626-796-2774 mayfieldjs.org
Joe Sciuto, head of school. Founded in 1931, independent, Catholic (Holy Child community) and coed. K to eighth grade, 515 students. Tuition for grades K through fourth, $29,790; grades five through eighth, $30,940 plus fees.
MAYFIELD SENIOR SCHOOL
500 Bellefontaine St., Pasadena 626-799-9121
mayfieldsenior.org
Laura Farrell, head of school. Girls only, ninth to 12th grade. 330 students. Tuition is $35,650.
MILKEN COMMUNITY MIDDLE SCHOOL 15900 Mulholland Dr. 310-903-4800
UPPPER SCHOOL 15800 Zeldins Way 310-440-3500 milkenschool.org
Dr. Sarah Shulkind, head of school. Serves grades six through 12, incorporates Jewish values and college preparatory. Tuition is $52,700 plus fees.
NEW COVENANT ACADEMY 3119 W. Sixth St. 213-487-5437 ncahuskies.org
Jason Song, principal. K to 12th grade, Christian and coed. Tuition for K to fifth grade is $17,900; sixth to eighth grade is $19,300; ninth to 12th grade is $21,200 plus fees.
NEW ROADS SCHOOL 3131 Olympic Blvd. 310-828-5582 newroads.org
Dan Vorenberg, interim head of school. K to 12th grade, coed, 520 students. Tuition K to fifth is $38,600; sixth to 12th is $47,300 plus fees.
NOTRE DAME ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2911 Overland Ave. 310-287-3895
HIGH SCHOOL
2851 Overland Ave. 310-839-5289
ndasla.org
Lilliam Paetzold, president. Elementary school is TK to eighth grade, coed. The high school is girls only, ninth to 12th grade. Annual tuition ranges from $13,495 to $26,325 plus fees, depending on the grade.
THE OAKS
6817 Franklin Ave. 323-850-3755 oaksschool.org
Ted Hamory, head of school. K to sixth grade, 150 students. Tuition is $35,620 plus fees.
Jaime Dominguez, head of school. K to 12th grade. Tuition is $43,780 plus fees for elementary school and $52,420 plus fees for middle and high school.
PAGE ACADEMY OF HANCOCK PARK
565 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-463-5118 pageacademyca.com
Kristin Dickson, head of school. Ages 2 to eighth grade. Tuition is $26,950 plus fees.
PARK CENTURY
3939 Landmark St. 310-979-2184 parkcenturyschool.org
Dr. Julie Porter, head of school. Serves kindergarten to eighth grade with language-based learning differences. Tuition is $53,000 for K and $68,398 starting in first grade.
PILGRIM
540 S. Commonwealth Ave. 213-385-7351 pilgrim-school.org
Patricia Kong, head of school. Parent and me and preschool through 12th grade. Tuition ranges from $27,566 plus fees for preschool to $43,388 plus fees for high school.
ST. BRENDAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL
238 S. Manhattan Pl. 213-382-7401 stbrendanschoolla.org
Collette Young, principal. K to eighth grade. Tuition starts at $881 per month plus fees.
ST. JAMES’ EPISCOPAL
625 S. St. Andrews Pl. 213-382-2315 sjsla.org
Diane Rich, head of school. PK to sixth grade. Tuition is $25,500 for PK, $36,820 for K and first and $34,710 for second to sixth plus fees.
THE SCHOOL OF LOS ANGELES
6325 Santa Monica Blvd. 323-462-3752 school.la
Dr. Kenneth Rodgers, Jr., head
of school. Grades six through 12 with 211 students. Tuition is $36,050 plus fees.
SHALHEVET HIGH
910 S. Fairfax Ave. 323-930-9333 shalhevet.org
Rabbi David Block, head of school; Daniel Weslow, principal. Grades nine to 12, Jewish. Tuition is $45,799 plus fees per year.
Megan Davis and Zaldy Ramirez are co-heads of school. Specializes in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects for students with high-functioning autism, ADHD or other social or learning challenges. Tuition is $45,000.
TREE ACADEMY
8628 Holloway Dr. 424-204-5165 treeacademy.org
Phú Tranchí, head of school. Sixth to 12th grades. Provides accredited small classes with individualized instruction. Tuition is $43,943 plus fees per year.
TURNING POINT
8780 National Blvd. 310-841-2505 turningpointschool.org
Dr. Laura Konigsberg, head of school. Pre-school to eighth grade. Pre-school tuition per year is $33,500 plus fees, $41,500 plus fees for K to fourth grade and $46,500 plus fees for fifth to eighth grade.
VISTAMAR SCHOOL
737 Hawaii St., El Segundo 310-643-7377 vistamarschool.org
Erik Carlson, interim head of school. Ninth to 12th grade. Tuition is $47,514 plus fees.
WESLEY SCHOOL
4832 Tujunga Ave. 818-508-4542 wesleyschool.org
Greg Armbister, head of school. K to eighth grade. Tuition for K to fifth grade is $36,210; sixth to eighth grades is $40,450 plus fees.
WESTMARK SCHOOL
5461 Louise Ave. 818-986-5045 westmarkschool.org
Claudia Koochek, head of school. For children in grades two through 12 with language-based learning differences. Tuition is $64,470.
WESTRIDGE SCHOOL
324 Madeline Dr. 626-799-1153 westridge.org
Andrea Kassar, head of school. Girls only, fourth to 12th grades. Tuition is $37,100 for grades four to six, $42,300 for grades seven and eight and $48,200 for grades nine through 12.
WILLOWS COMMUNITY
8509 Higuera St. 310-815-0411 thewillows.org
Lisa Rosenstein, head of school. DK to eighth grade. Tuition for DK is $32,525, K to fifth grade is $36,220 and grades sixth to eighth tuition is $41,535 per year.
YAVNEH HEBREW
ACADEMY
5353 W. Third St. 323-931-5808
yha.org
Rabbi Lipstein and Pavel Lieb are principals. Established in 1958. From age 2 to eighth grade. Tuition starts at $13,900 and goes up for each grade level.
Public
Elementary Schools
CHARLES H. KIM
225 S Oxford Ave. 213-368-5600
charleshkimes.lausd.org
Jonathan Paek, principal. K to fifth grade. Special education, gifted and talented, Spanish immersion, maintenance bilingual Korean program and structured English immersion programs.
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD
HOLLYWOOD
1316 N. Bronson Ave. 323-464-4292
cwchollywood.org
Kim Clerx, principal. TK to fifth grade. Charter school.
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD
SILVER LAKE
110 N. Coronado St. 323-705-9882
cwcsilverlake.org
Dr. Maureen Lamorena-Tatsui, principal. Charter school. TK to fifth grade.
LARCHMONT CHARTER
FAIRFAX
1265 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-656-6418
larchmontcharter.org
Mersedeh Emrani, principal. Jennifer Santangelo, assistant principal. TK to fourth grade.
Eva Orozco, principal; Domi Miyamoto, assistant principal. TK to fourth grade.
MELROSE
MATHEMATICS/ SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY MAGNET
731 N. Detroit St. 323-938-6275
melroseave.lausd.org
Mathew Needleman, principal. K to fifth grade. Gifted and talented program.
NEW LOS ANGELES
5753 Obama Blvd. 323-556-9500
newlaelementary.org
Jenna Rosenberg, principal. K
to fifth grade. Charter school. THIRD STREET
201 S. June St. 323-939-8337
thirdstreetschool.com
Hae Lee, principal. TK to fifth grade. Gifted magnet and Korean dual language programs.
VAN NESS AVENUE
501 N. Van Ness Ave. 323-469-0992
vannessavees.lausd.org
Regina Ramos, principal. TK to fifth grade for general education; PK to fifth grade for visual impairment special education. Science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) program, Mandarin language program.
WILSHIRE CREST
5241 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-5291
wilshirecrestes.lausd.org
Gayle Robinson, principal. TK to fifth grade, PALs (pre-school special education), Spanish immersion program.
WILSHIRE PARK
4063 Ingraham St. 213-739-4760
wilshireparkes.lausd.org
LeighAnne Creary, principal. TK to fifth grade. Korean immersion program K to first.
WILTON PLACE
745 S. Wilton Pl. 213-389-1181
wiltones.lausd.org
Marie-France Rallion, principal. TK to fifth grade. Dual-language programs for Spanish / English and Korean / English. School for advanced studies in grades third to fifth.
Public Middle Schools
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD SILVER LAKE 152 N. Vermont Ave. 323-705-9882 cwcsilverlake.org
James Boganey, co-principal. Sixth to eighth grade. Charter school.
JOHN BURROUGHS MIDDLE SCHOOL 600 McCadden Pl. 323-549-5000 burroughsms.org
Steve Martinez, principal. Samuel Corral, magnet coordinator. Sixth to eighth grade. National magnet school of excellence, school for advanced studies, Korean and Spanish dual language programs.
LARCHMONT CHARTER SELMA 6611 Selma Ave. 323-871-4000 larchmontcharter.org
Yasmin Esmail, principal. Greg Colleton, assistant principal. Grades five to eight.
NEW LOS ANGELES MIDDLE SCHOOL
1919 S. Burnside Ave. 323-939-6400 newlamiddle.org
principal. Grades six to eighth. Public High Schools
FAIRFAX HIGH 7850 Melrose Ave. 323-370-1200 fairfaxhs.org
Leonard Choi, principal. Ninth to 12th grade. Programs feature career technical education, visual arts and police academy magnets.
GIRLS ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, DR. MICHELLE KING SCHOOL FOR STEM 2328 St. James Pl. 323-900-4532 galacademy.org
Dr. Elizabeth Hicks, principal. Sixth to 12th grades. Girls only. Concentrates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects.
GRAND ARTS
450 N. Grand Ave. 213-217-8600 cortineshs.lausd.org
Jantré Christian, principal. Grades nine through 12. Focuses on the arts.
HAMILTON HIGH 2955 S. Robertson Blvd. 310-280-1400 hamiltonhs.org
Jennifer Baxter, president. Ninth to 12th grade. Includes business and interactive technology academy, communication arts academy and school for advanced studies. Magnet schools include music, performing arts and humanities.
HOLLYWOOD HIGH 1521 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodhighschool.net
Samuel Dovlatian, principal. Grades nine through 12. Teaching career academy, performing arts magnet, school for advanced studies and new media magnet.
LARCHMONT CHARTER LAFAYETTE PARK 2801 W. Sixth St. 213-867-6300 larchmontcharter.org
Mike Kang, principal. Lori Lausche and Haydee Garay, assistant principals. Grades nine to 12.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS
5151 State University Dr., Bldg. 20 323-343-2550 lachsa.net
Tina Vartanian, principal. Ninth to 12th grade. Specializing in college preparatory for visual and performing arts.
LOS ANGELES HIGH 4650 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-900-2700 lahigh.org
Marguerette Gladden, principal. Ninth to 12th grade. Includes science, technology, engineering, arts and math magnet, career and technical education and gifted and talented program.
Troop 10 Eagle candidates do community service projects
Hancock Park’s neighborhood school since 1924!
Identified by Los Angeles Magazine as a school to know about, 3rd Street provides a rigorous, forward-looking curriculum in a nurturing learning environment. 3rd Street Panthers continue on to higher education and become the distinguished, civic-minded leaders of tomorrow.
We welcome you to join us for one of our upcoming campus tours. For more information visit www.thirdstreetschool.com/enrollment-tours.
This year we are proud to welcome all our new and returning students back to campus, including our home school, Korean Dual Language Program and Gifted Magnet classes.
By Matt Rauchberg
Given that only four percent of Scouts achieve the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, Troop 10 is especially proud of its four Eagle Scout candidates who executed impactful community service projects over the summer of 2024.
Michael Hanna of Larchmont Village reupholstered and built movement devices for Silverlake Community Church’s historic pews, and he added safety and control features to the medical services area as part of the homeless outreach program of the church.
Lafayette Square resident Jacob Prior built new storage cabinets and a bench, also for
program at Silverlake Community Church.
Oliver Payne of Wilshire Park removed old grass and bushes and installed low-water landscaping at St. James’ Episcopal Church on Wilshire Boulevard, saving water, money and maintenance time for church staff.
Hancock Park’s Lion Paulson painted a large garden mural and redesigned a covered play area at the Para Los Niños Early Childhood Education Center in Hollywood. Para Los Niños raises children out of poverty and into brighter futures through positive educational opportunities and wraparound support.
Sponsored by St. James’ Church since 1914, Troop 10 is the oldest continuously chartered Scout Troop in the Western United States. In that time, more than 370 Troop 10 Scouts have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
This fall, Troop 10 is officially launching a Boy Scouts of America Scout Troop for
Girls. Boys and girls ages 11 to 17 (and their parents) are invited to join Troop 10 at the annual kick-off meeting on Tues., Sept. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at St. James’ Church, 3903 Wilshire Blvd.
Those interested in joining can also contact Scoutmaster Matt Rauchberg at matt. rauchberg@gmail.com.
Matt Rauchberg is the Scoutmaster of Troop 10.
EAGLE SCOUT candidate Oliver Payne (center) stands with scouts Maverick Nogales (left) and Ben Gregory (right) surrounded by some of the new low-water landscaping they installed at St. James’ Episcopal Church on Wilshire Boulevard.
CANDIDATE for Eagle Scout Michael Hanna (2nd from left) with other volunteers who helped refurbish and add heavy-duty casters to the historic pews at Silverlake Community Church.
FINISHING touches are added to the mural at Para Los Niños by Eagle Scout candidate Lion Paulson.
Children’s book by presidential historian makes debut
By Casey Russell
Pulitzer prize-winning presidential historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin’s first book for young readers will be in bookstores (Chevalier’s included) this month.
The book, titled “The Leadership Journey: How Four Kids Became President,” explores four journeys to the presidency — those of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. Organized into four sections, one for each young man, the book shows the differences in wealth, privilege, appearance and personality
strengths of the four, while also highlighting the similar qualities of leadership each
man came to embody.
The New York Times #1 best-selling author invites readers to foster core qualities of leadership in the way they live their own lives. She speaks of such virtues as humility, empathy, resilience, self-awareness, self-reflection, communication skills and the fortitude to take risks for the greater good.
While seeking to embolden today’s youth to claim the potential they personally have to make a difference in the world, Kearns Goodwin also encourages readers to think about what we citizens deserve from our leaders. Are
Flicka to add Flicka Home & Garden in fall
By Suzan Filipek
Popular children’s clothing store Flicka is branching out with a second location, Flicka Home & Garden, at 536 N. Larchmont Blvd.
The new space will be in a stand-alone, craftsman home with parking, gushes owner Kristen Sato.
Sato will head both stores, the new one and the original family children’s shop at 204 N. Larchmont Blvd., which opened 30 years ago.
Flicka Home & Garden
“will fill the void Pickett Fences left behind,” Sato said. Opening a home store “has always been a little dream,” she added.
Pickett Fences was a favorite among locals and visitors. It closed in 2021, after 27 years on the Boulevard.
Flicka’s new store will include an array of items ranging from fresh flowers and Apothia candles to glassware, apparel for men and
women, and hostess gifts.
Taschen books, Barefoot Dreams lingerie and more will also be on shelves, Sato told us.
the leaders we are choosing remembering that democracy is a two-way street in which listening and leading go hand in hand? Are those granted leadership positions working for the betterment of the whole?
Sprinkled throughout each section are brief anecdotes and informational mini-les-
sons on such topics as what the Declaration of Independence says about freedom; how a young, female private eye helped Lincoln arrive safely in Washington D.C. for his inauguration; and the ways in which Eleanor Roosevelt broke precedents for First Ladies and First Gentlemen of the future.
Based on decades of research and a profound knowledge about the four highlighted presidents, Kearns Goodwin tells the stories of four resilient, ambitious young people who honed the skills they had and worked hard to become some of the most respected leaders in U.S. history.
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, the new book is 360 pages. For more information, visit doriskearnsgoodwin. com.
WATERCOLOR filter of a photo of the new location, a craftsman home. Image by Evan Eggers
COVER of the new children’s book by Pulitzer prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Doris Kearns Goodwin Photo by Annie Leibovitz
HMLA and Apple join forces to engage young visitors with app
By Casey Russell Holocaust Museum L.A. (HMLA) has teamed up with Hollywood technology studio Magnopus to create a new educational app, helping bring the story of one of the Nazi concentration camps to life. Sobibor, an extermination
camp where at least 170,000 people were killed, was dismantled by the Germans after World War II. But, a 3D model of the camp, based on a detailed map made from memory by the late Thomas Blatt, a Polish camp survivor who escaped in 1943, allows
app users to interact with the model and get a feeling for what daily life at the camp may have been like.
This augmented reality experience, “Sobibor AR Exhibit,” includes barracks, gas chambers, mass graves, guard towers and other locations, and it tells
The Plymouth School
Blatt’s story. His daughter, Rena, provided details about her father and primary source materials instrumental in creating the app.
Guided by a holographic version of actor Ben Feldman, the app, downloaded for free at Apple’s app store, makes this tragic history relevant to young people. It allows a multidimensional experience that is interactive and immersive, museum officials told us.
The museum, which was founded in 1961 by Holocaust survivors, has also created a guide for teachers to use in conjunction with the app.
Jordanna Gessler, chief impact officer of HMLA, said the museum hopes to “extend the reach of Holocaust Museum L.A.’s invaluable artifacts, survivor testimonies and crucial lessons, making them accessible to students across the globe.” The museum aims to use the technology to bridge the gap between history and the next generation.
A physical model of Sobibor
has been at HMLA for years, and it will remain on display when the museum reopens in November. (Construction continues on the new addition; see holocaustmuseumla.org/expansion.) There is information on how to download the app next to this model, along with artifacts of Blatt’s.
Blatt himself once said of the physical model of Sobibor: “The model, this story, is not intended to be a tool for self-pity. It is intended to be a warning for humanity… to be on guard against [the force of] darkness, to be on guard against blind hatred and prejudice.” Gessler believes the kind of education this app and HMLA provide captures the emotions, thoughts and lived experiences of those directly impacted by historical events. “It not only adds depth and humanity, but also personalizes history and sharpens critical thinking,” she said.
To download the app, visit tinyurl.com/2vhtzf44.
(Left to right): HOLOCAUST Museum CEO Beth Kean, Holocaust survivor Mary Bauer and Holocaust Museum Chief Impact Officer Jordanna Gessler meet with students to share the new app.
SCREENSHOT of Sobibor AR Exhibit app, being used in the Larchmont Chronicle office. Screenshots by Casey Russell
HOLOGRAPH of Ben Feldman takes users through the app inside the office of the Larchmont Chronicle
STUDENTS at HMLA use the new Sobibor app. Photo above and at bottom: Al Seib/Holocaust Museum LA
Play ball, or volunteer, with local AYSO soccer region this season
By Suzan Filipek
With most spots already filled, AYSO Region 78 Hollywood-Wilshire is still accepting new players. AYSO especially seeks more players for its 6U Division (players born in 2019).
The registration deadline for all ages is Sat., Sept. 7, “but we will be accepting all kids as long we have enough parent volunteers,” Regional Commissioner Kurt Muller told us.
Wilshire Girls Softball readies to play Sept. 1
By Suzan Filipek
Learn the game as well as teamwork and good sportsmanship with Wilshire Wildcats, a softball league for girls between the ages of 7 and 14. Registration is still open for the 12U, 14U and high school age divisions.
Wilshire Girls Softball’s season is set to start on Sun., Sept. 1. Enrollment for the 8U and 10U divisions already is closed, Wilshire Softball President Keith Perera told us.
Practice is weekly at Lemon
Girls — sign up to play basketball with Goldie’s
Girls, get ready to gear up for basketball with Goldie’s Youth Sports (GYS). Registration continues until slots fill up. And they do fill up!
GYS is an all-girl recreational basketball league for first graders through age 16. The league focuses on instilling confidence, building skills and creating community.
Starting the week of Mon., Sept. 30, practice begins weekly. Games are held on the weekends. Most court play takes place at St. Brendan School at 238 S. Manhattan Pl.
For more information and to sign up, visit goldiesyouthsports.com.
Alexandria House hosts dancing stars
Alexandria House is hosting “Dancing with the Los Angeles Stars,” an evening of ballroom dance performances where community members and celebrities compete for a prize.
The fundraiser takes place Thurs., Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Vermont Hollywood, 1020 N. Vermont Ave. Visit alexandriahouse.org for tickets.
Grove Recreation Center, and games are held on weekends throughout Los Angeles and the South Bay. Team managers attend coaching clinics, and many alumni go on to play on junior high and high school teams. Volunteer coaches are always needed.
Registration until Sat., Aug. 31, is $250. The late registration fee is $275; a sibling discount is $25. Contact president@wilshiresoftball.com or call Coach Keith at 323383-5954.
Huntington Meats, Market Poultry join school drives
Huntington Meats & Sausage and Farmers Market Poultry have kicked off inaugural back-to-school supply drives. Customers who donate new, unused school supplies valued at $10 or more through Sat., Aug. 31, will receive a complimentary pound of ground beef or homemade sausages from Huntington Meats.
Market Poultry will give out a dozen fresh eggs to participating customers. Both shops are at the Original Farmers Market, 6333 West Third St. School supplies being sought include backpacks, pens, markers, calculators, lunch boxes, water bottles and more.
All items will be distributed to the Union Rescue Mission in Downtown Los Angeles, which services 350 children struggling with homelessness.
Teen mental health
The County of Los Angeles Public Health Dept. has created an online tool kit for teens and caregivers. The platform can be tailored to your needs. Visit tinyurl.com/3v679han.
Dentistry for Children and Young Adults
Randall E. Niederkohr, D.D.S.
“While we find a lot of parents grew up playing AYSO, there are still many more unfamiliar with the program. So we encourage parents to help get the word out to friends and classmates. This is a coed division and the first year where kids are actually playing on
teams with weekly Saturday morning games.”
All of the teams are led by two or three parent coaches. No experience is required, and training is provided.
“It’s a super-positive atmosphere where the kids love the friendly competition and
making new friends [as do the parents],” says Muller.
The season opening is Sept. 7; for younger divisions, the season starts Sat., Sept. 14. The home field for practices and games is Fairfax High School.
Visit ayso78.info.
Three ways to be mindful about your back-to-school shopping
By Dinah Yorkin
When I was in elementary school, a week before school started each year, my dad would take my twin and me to Staples for customary backto-school shopping.
There, we would stock up on binders, pencils, pens, notebooks and pencil cases galore.
But in 2020, when I entered eighth grade, my sister and I weren’t able to complete our
habitual restocking because of the pandemic. So instead, I merely reused what notebooks and binders I had and mindfully purchased what I truly needed online.
I learned that I don’t need to purchase a whole slew of new supplies each year at the start of school. Instead, there are meaningful ways to purchase supplies that do not play into rampant mass
consumerism or the growth of conglomerates and instead aid the environment and support smaller businesses.
So with that said, here are a few tips and tricks that I have learned in order to be mindful about back-to-school shopping.
Sustainable products
Although finding these can take a little more time, using sustainable products that are made from recycled materials or are ethically produced is key. By purchasing sustainable products, you are helping the environment while also ensuring that your products are more thoughtfully made. My favorite sustainable back-to-school purchase is Decomposition Notebooks, which are made from 100 percent post-consumer-waste recycled paper. They have plenty of pretty designs, but the most recognizable is made to look like a traditional composition book. Moreover, at around $12, they are not inordinately overpriced. They can be purchased online from their website decomposition.com (and will be mailed in sustainable packaging), or they can be bought from local stores like Skylight Books at 1818 N. Vermont Ave.
Local independent stores
Another fantastic way to be mindful about your shopping is to support local and independent stores that need your business rather than patronizing major conglomerates that will be able to survive without your support. For instance, go to Shorthand at 126 N. Larchmont Blvd. for all of your stationary needs, or check out Chevalier’s Books at 133 N. Larchmont Blvd. for
THERE’S more to Chevalier’s than books.
notebooks or planners.
Reuse, reuse, reuse
As per usual, the most obvious solution is the best. Instead of purchasing a whole new collection of products each year, simply reuse what you already have. Chances are, your binders and pens are still in good condition, and most of your notebooks are only half-used, if that. So merely empty out your binders (recycling the paper already in there, of course), re-sharpen those pencils, and rip out used pages in your notebooks and use them again next year.
Mindful shopping
Although climate change can feel overwhelming and unstoppable, if we all take the extra second to be mindful about our back-to-school shopping, our efforts can add up to true and meaningful change.
And while I know that going directly to Staples feels like the easiest choice, supporting local independent stores not only ensures that your money is helping to support a small business, but chances are you will wind up with a much cuter and cooler product.
Dinah Yorkin is a senior at Marlborough this fall.
SUPPORT LOCAL. Shorthand is at 126 N. Larchmont.
A lot to look forward to with 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games
I was impressed with the millennials at the Paris Olympics. Of course there were a few older athletes from Generation X, and some Gen Z up-and-comers, but the bulk of the competitors were born between 20 and 30 years ago.
Just over 10,000 athletes participated in the Paris Olympics, and 595 represented the United States. Incredibly, 142 of those athletes were from California. No other state had more. Locals only
It gets even closer to home. Two high schools I cover in this sports column produced Olympians.
Jrue Holiday attended Campbell Hall, where he played basketball and led the Vikings to a pair of California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state titles. He competed for UCLA in 2008-2009 before heading to the NBA.
Youth Sports by Jim Kalin
He now plays guard for the Boston Celtics. Holiday was on the men’s gold medal basketball team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and he competed last month for Team USA in Paris.
Johnny Hooper attended high school at Harvard-Westlake, where he played attacker on the water polo team. He helped the Wolverines win back-to-back CIF Southern Section Division I championships. At UC Berkeley, Hooper ended his college career with 245 goals, which is second on the Golden Bears’ all-time water polo scorers’ list. He
played for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. Take note
I’ve been writing this column for nearly four years and have interviewed and seen great young athletes. The work and talent it takes to move past high school athletics to compete in college is daunting, but to become an Olympian — miraculous. Three local athletes recently have been performing like future Olympians.
Sean Kelly played outside hitter on Loyola High’s national championship volleyball team this spring. Kelly is 6’7” and was the top recruit in the country. He was named the CIF Player of the Year twice, and he will be playing for UCLA next year. It would be fitting, and not unlikely, for Kelly to play on Team USA when the Olympics come to his hometown.
Zoe Chang attends GALA (Girls Academic Leadership Academy) and is coxswain in an eight-woman boat. Coxswains are responsible for steering and directing team members in rowing competitions and are generally the smallest person onboard. She and her crew compete for Marina Aquatic Center Junior Rowing. Last year, she coxed her four-woman boat to the U16 USRowing Youth National title in Sarasota, Florida. The U.S. women’s team has placed fourth in the past two Olympics. Could be time for a new coxswain. Maybe Zoe.
This last athlete is the youngest of the bunch, and he is someone I’ve watched play
basketball for several years. Coltrane Ragsdale, a ninth grader at St. Francis High, is possibly one of the best allaround athletes I’ve ever seen. When he played in the SBBA (Saint Brendan Basketball Association) D-League, which is ages 12, 13 and 14, he was the leading scorer, ending with 256 points for the season. At the time, he was only 13. But get this — as good as he is in basketball, he’s apparently better at baseball.
Venues
The 2028 Olympics are approaching fast. Some preexisting venues have already been assigned sports. Wrestling will be held at the Convention Center Downtown, golf at Riviera Country Club and tennis at the Carson Tennis Center. Oddly, the skateboard competition will take place at the Sepulveda Basin Rec Center in the Valley, not in Venice where it all began.
Oklahoma City will be part of the Los Angeles Olympics
in 2028. Softball and the canoe and kayak competitions will take place there.
Inglewood’s venues, the Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium, will be prominent for the ’28 Games. Other venues will be throughout Southern California. But the greatest number of venues will be in the city of Los Angeles proper. Go Team USA.
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ZOE CHANG, here in a playful mood, attends GALA and is a coxswain for Marina Aquatic Center Junior Rowing.
COLTRANE RAGSDALE is a ninth grader at St. Francis High.
SEAN KELLY will play for UCLA next year.
‘Clue’ closes season; ‘Green Day;’ ‘Brothers’ looks back
Spoiler alert! It’s Col. Mustard in the library with a… No, not even I am curmudgeon enough to spoil the completely mindless fun of Clue at the Ahmanson. The play’s fun-filled run closed Aug. 25.
Based on Jonathan Lynne’s 1985 film, the stage version was more enjoyable than the movie, thanks to the high-energy cast (especially Mark Price as the butler-not-a-butler who did it) and director Casey Husion’s pratfall, spittake, mad-dash staging. At 80 intermissionless minutes, this version of the board game takes less time to watch than play, which seemed fine with the audience, who came to the theater for summer frivolity. Nothing wrong with that… But…
As summer turns to autumn we look for meatier stuff than “Clue.” No matter what the outcome of November’s election, the future will be a challenging time culturally, artistically and financially for arts organizations large and small. Three of our major theaters have new artistic directors (a fourth, the Pasadena Playhouse, is relatively new) and, to boot, the Los Angeles Philharmonic loses Gustavo Dudamel to
New York in 2026. At the Geffen in Westwood, Tarell Alvin McCraney introduces himself as the new artistic director with a revival of his 2006 play, The Brothers Size (through Sun., Sept 8, geffenplayhouse.org), part of McCraney’s frequently produced trilogy of “Brother/ Sister Plays.”
The text, a modern-day fable drawing on Yoruba traditions and set in the Deep South, gets an intense, rhythmic, intimate production from director Bijan Sheibani and performers Alani Ilongwe, Malcolm Mays and Sheun McKinney. (The play was last seen at The Fountain Theater in 2014.) Mr. McCraney, an Academy Award winner for his 2016 adapted screenplay, “Moonlight,” plans coproductions with Chicago’s Steppenwolf and Paris’ Gare St. Lazare companies, and emphasizes emerging local voices for his first season here.
Downtown, Center Theater Group, combining the Taper and Ahmanson for one season, launches Snehal Desai’s artist directorship with yet another revival: a Deaf West “take” on Green Day’s American Idiot, based on the 2005 rock album (and last seen at
Theater Review by Louis
Fantasia
the Music Center in 2012). The play is directed by Mr. Desai, Oct. 2 through Nov. 9; centertheatregroup.org.
The CTG season continues with Larisa FastHorse’s long-delayed Fake It Till You Make It and includes “Slave Play” director Robert O’Hara’s interpretation of Hamlet
Mr. Desai left East-West Players to take the CTG position. He has been succeeded at East-West by Lily Tung Crystal from the Minneapolis-based Mu Theater and the Bay Area’s Ferocious Lotus Theatre, which she co-founded. While East-West has not (as of this printing) announced its 2025 season, it closes its 2024 mainstage season with yet another revival, Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures, which it produced both in 1979 and 1988. Previews begin Nov. 7, and the show runs through Dec. 1; eastwestplayers.org.
Mr. McCraney is a first-rate writer. Both Mr. Desai and Ms.
What to watch for
“Pascal & Julien” at the 24th Street Theater is the bittersweet tale of an isolated, middle-aged man opening up through his friendship with a child, Aug. 30 through Oct. 27; 213-745-6516; 24thstreet.org.
A Noise Within revives Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth,” Sept. 1 through 29; 626-356-3100; anoisewithin.org.
An updated “Cyrano de Bergerac” plays at the Pasadena Playhouse, Sept. 5 through 29; 626-356-7529; pasadenaplayhouse.org.
Tung Crystal are first-rate directors. Green Day is (was?) a first-rate band. And let’s celebrate the fact that all three artists (and Danny Feldman at the Pasadena Playhouse) speak passionately and articulately about the power of theater and their love for the art.
So why, curmudgeon-like, am I feeling vaguely depressed that these talented artists — despite their announced collaborators, coproductions and artistic statements — are reaching back 10, 20, 40 years for works with which to announce themselves?
Celebrating a dramaturg
The critic and dramaturg Inna Solovyova died recently in Moscow at the age of 96. She had spent her life — from Stalin, to Khrushchev, to glasnost, to Putin — at the Moscow Art Theater, where she believed that the job of art
“was not to hold a mirror up to life but to reflect its impact, as a shield reflected the blow of a sword,” (The Economist, Aug. 8, 2024). To hold that shield up for a lifetime, you need vision, an artistic director’s most important strength. Are these new artistic directors up to the challenge of a vision that reflects the times to come? I don’t have a clue.
‘Flora & Fauna’ at TAG gallery
Works by Hancock Park resident Kathleen Losey are on view at TAG, the Artists Gallery, 5458 Wilshire Blvd., through Sept. 7. The show, “Flora & Fauna,” features 17 pieces with themes of flowers and animals on oil, acrylic and watercolor. Three other artists are also featured in the group show.
ABBA, Sinatra, JFK, influential architect revealed in new releases
ABBA Forever: The Winner Takes It All (10/10): 51 minutes. Ovid.tv. Sept. 6. The music created by the Swedish group ABBA was captivating and fabulous. But it was not an easy road to even get recognized. I saw the stage play “Mamma Mia,” based on their music, in Los Angeles before it appeared on Broadway. While I knew instantly it would be a big hit, I didn’t realize how big a hit it came to be. This is a comprehensive documentary, narrated by Hugh Skinner with the four group members — singers Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog and songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus — telling their stories themselves, including the divorces and breakup. It is all interspersed with clips of many of their famous songs like “Fernando” and “Dancing Queen.”
As Paul Gambaccini, radio and TV presenter, says, “One
of the reasons Björn and Benny were such successful songwriters is that they were not stationed in either New York or London and could write their songs oblivious to the latest trends. They were not trying to cater to today’s headlines. They were writing timeless pop songs.”
Modernism: The Eliot Noyes Design Story (9/10): 78 minutes. This is a documentary about a little-known designer and architect who had a huge impact on all of our lives, Eliot Noyes. Written and directed by Jason Cohn, the story is told through narration (Sebastian Roché) and interviews with many people, including Noyes himself; Katrina Alcorn, head of design, IBM; his sons Eli and Fred Noyes; daughter Derry Noyes; and various colleagues and commentators. It goes into the details of what Noyes designed, like the Selectric typewriter (which
325 N. Larchmont Boulevard, #158 Los Angeles, California 90004 windsorsquare.org
157 N. Larchmont Boulevard
“September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.”
— Rowland E. Robinson
THE SUMMER has reached its crescendo, with kids back to school, Labor Day’s last summer holiday, Halloween décor in the stores already and the final stretch of election season bearing down upon us. Here’s what happening in Windsor Square:
KEEP YOUR BLOCK CAPTAINS INFORMED!
WSA Block Captain coordinators request that reports of any burglaries and break-ins be passed on to your Block Captain to allow for tracking and coordination with local police. Such information is really important to allow us to get the resources we need to protect our neighborhood.
Streetlighting Update: It has been reported that repairs in Windsor Square area are now underway for streetlight outages and the city’s light systems damaged by copper wire theft. One city worker reported that the reason for this progress was “orders from the top.” Thanks are due to residents Dena Bloom, Guy Nemiro and others who worked so hard on this issue.
Larchmont Median: The WSA has contracted with a new vendor, New Image, which has cleared out weeds, pruned back the various flora and fixed the irrigation system.
Taste of Larchmont: Come sample tempting delicacies from local restaurants at Larchmont’s annual gourmet promenade! All funds go to support HopeNet, our local coordinator of faith-based food pantries.
o o o
WE NEED BLOCK CAPTAINS! Be the leader of your block and the point person for all that’s going on in the neighborhood. The WSA has several Block Captain positions open. It’s a great opportunity to engage with neighbors and community leaders. Contact blockcaptains@ windsorsquare.org.
The Windsor Square Association, an all-volunteer group of residents from 1100 households between Beverly and Wilshire and Van Ness and Arden, works to preserve and enhance our beautiful neighborhood. Join with us! Drop us a line at 325 N. Larchmont Blvd., #158, Los Angeles, CA 90004, or visit our website at windsorsquare.org.
At the Movies with Tony Medley
greatly outsold all other typewriters combined), and unique homes he designed, which show the impact he had on all of our lives.
Sinatra in Palm Springs: The Place He Called Home (9/10): Prime Video. 92 minutes. I was quite young when I became a Sinatra fan, a few years before “From Here to Eternity” (1953). He was down-and-out and had a low-rated TV show on CBS from 1950-52, and I liked him and have been a fan ever since. This documentary is filled with stories and anecdotes told by his last wife, Barbara Marx, Trini Lopez, and local people who knew him as a neighbor and is limited to his life in Palm Springs, no music. It’s a view of Sinatra one rarely sees.
JFK’s Women: The Scandals Revealed (9/10): Prime Video. 53 minutes. A compliant press covered up for JFK, but his sexual activities were immense and threatened the security of the country. This covers some of them (all of them would take a multi-part series), including Judith Exner, who was a Mafia plant, and Marilyn Monroe. Some of the other women are Mimi
Alford, a teenage intern in JFK’s White House who wrote a shocking book about her experiences; Ellen Rometsch, an alleged East German spy; and Gunilla von Post. With telling confirming commentary by sleazy LBJ fixer Bobby Baker, it reveals that JFK feared he would be pulled into involvement with Rometsch. He was also worried about being pulled into the notorious 1963 Profumo Affair in England because of his apparent affair with Mariella Novotny, a spy who was part of Steven Ward’s coterie of women provided to Profumo.
Merchant Ivory (8/10): 110 minutes. From 1961-2007, the firm Merchant Ivory made 43 films. Ismail Merchant produced 42; James Ivory directed 12. They met in New York City in 1961; Jim was 32
and Ismael was 24. This film is an interesting story told by the late Merchant and Ivory themselves, along with a plethora of actors and crew who worked with them. It’s divided into six “chapters,” the last three of which deal a lot with their gay relationship. Directed by Stephen Soucy, it is an informative look at what goes into, and along with, the production of movies. Among those telling illuminating anecdotes are Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, Vanessa Redgrave and many, many more.
Recommended reading: “The Last Thing He Told Me,” by Laura Dave, is a compelling thriller; “Catch and Kill,” by Ronan Farrow, is about his reporting on Harvey Weinstein and the Matt Lauer revelation.
Sunday Eucharist 11:00am
Ecclesia Gnostica Gnostic Christian Church Bishop Dr. Stephan Hoeller
Michelin-recommended Leopardo in La Brea Bakery space
There was palpable excitement among the Los Angeles foodie crowd when Chef Joshua Skenes opened seafood-forward fine dining restaurant Angler in the base of the Beverly Center in 2019. After all, it isn’t every day that Los Angeles welcomes a chef who earned three Michelin stars for his restaurant in San Francisco. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Angler managed to hang on through the worst of it and limped along until permanently closing in July 2023. A mere nine months later, Chef Skenes opened nearby Leopardo with exceptional ingredients in a casual atmosphere. Judging from its instant popularity, Angelenos had missed Chef Skenes’ much-lauded cooking. In July, the restaurant was awarded a “Recommended” commendation from the Michelin Guide.
Ensconced on La Brea Avenue in the former La Brea Bakery space on the northeast corner of Sixth Street, Leopardo’s front room features wood tables and a welcoming bar, which was the former bakery counter. Wall decor appears to be left from the former occupant and works well in the warm and buzzing room. We were seated in the back room, a large and more sparsely decorated space, where tables are further apart than those in the front of the restaurant. Although there were fewer people there, it was quite loud because the music was in the “Huh? What did you say?” category. I always prefer some noise to funereal silence. However, even our server had trouble understanding our order over the din, and she brought the wrong wine because of it. When we asked if the music could be turned down, she replied that the owner “wanted the music at exactly this level.” I understand younger clientele prefer loud music, but most places will turn it down a scosh in the interest of customer service.
The relatively small, ever-changing menu always features seafood, along with meats and pizzas from their wood oven. Pizzas are delicious and rightly popular, and, in fact, the leopard-like fire spots on their crusts are the reason for the restaurant’s name, as leopardo is the Italian word for the spotted cats.
The night the four of us dined, there were three pizzas on offer, the $32 amusingly monikered “Hello Satan” with fermented chili sauce, honey and pepperoni; the $80 black truffle and buffalo mozzarella; and the one we ordered, the $29 barbecued tomato Margherita, also with buffalo mozzarella. The pizza was terrific, the
crust both crispy and chewy and the topping flavorful and satisfying, although some might find the ratio of large edge to modest topping area a bit disappointing.
We also shared Leopardo’s version of a caprese salad. Served at room temperature, cherry tomatoes had been cooked for 18 hours to concentrate the flavors while somehow preserving their shape. A large dollop of stracciatella (the soft cheese that’s usually found stuffed inside burrata’s mozzarella skin) adds welcome creaminess. The small $25 salad sits in a pool of honey vinaigrette, which we were encouraged to use as a sauce in which to dunk our pizza crust, which we did.
We couldn’t resist trying deer tartare, $37. Our server described it as two treatments of minced deer to spread on a large grilled sourdough crack-
On the Menu by Helene Seifer
er with roasted bone marrow. As there was only one pile of the beautiful rosy chopped raw deer meat on our plate, we asked what happened to the second treatment and were told that they were mixed together. At this price point, we expected more accurate descriptions. We were also disappointed by the taste. The tartare was bland. The cracker was a gorgeous free form shape bigger than the plate, smeared with the marrow, but it desperately needed a sprinkle of salt or a heaping of herbs to brighten the dish. The only seafood on the menu the night we went was
in the raw bar section and included oysters on the half shell; halibut crudo with charred pickled chilis, $29; and whole lobster cocktail, $90. We ordered a dozen perfectly chilled, sweet yet deliciously briny oysters, served with a spectacular seaweed granita. The tiny bivalves (we had been told they would be medium-sized) were from Morro Bay. None of us had ever had oysters from the central coast before, and we were delighted with them, even though at $72 for 12, they were more expensive than the $4-$5 apiece found elsewhere.
Two wood-fired mains were listed on the menu that evening, a $65 lamb saddle and $48 wild boar meatballs, which we would have ordered, but they were out of them. It was a Monday night, and I suspect that there are more choices on the weekends. As
it turned out, we were quite full from the other dishes and didn’t even have room for $18 soft serve ice cream with rum honeycomb and sourdough butter cookies, which dotted other tables around us.
Leopardo has an exceedingly interesting cocktail menu, with drinks such as mezcal infused with mesquite-roasted wild boar, served with a mini Bloody Mary, a rum drink with whole coconut and stracciatella and a rhubarb negroni, which I ordered (my friends ordered wine). I love negronis, and this version was lighter and refreshing. Served in a glass teacup, it was on the small side, but I nursed it throughout the meal and enjoyed every sip. Cocktails run in the $20-$22 range, except for an unusual $38 old fashioned with smoked tea and whisky aged at sea.
Leopardo, 460 S. La Brea Ave., 323-272-3535.
Taste
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Several local eateries will open their doors, and a live raffle will be featured.
Participating eateries are: Alfalfa, Bacio di Latte, Cookbook Market, El Cholo, Esco’s Pizza, Fancifull Gift Baskets, Great White, Holey Grail Donuts, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, Kiku Sushi Bar, La Bettola Di Terroni,
Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese, Le Pain Quotidien, Levain Bakery, Louise’s Trattoria, Pho La Vache, Starbucks, Sweetfin and Trader Joe’s.
Participants check in at the city surface parking lot near the Rotary town clock at 209 N. Larchmont Blvd. to pick up or buy tickets and receive a “passport.”
The printed passport will be your ticket to sample food from restaurants and sidewalk booths and to enjoy desserts and coffee offered under canopies at the parking lot.
HopeNet provides free, accessible and healthy food to anyone who wants or needs it, HopeNet Executive Director and local resident Roya Milder told us.
Passports for the Taste of Larchmont are $50 each. Raffle tickets are $5, or $20 for five. Passports usually sell out before the event. Get yours at hope-net.org.
While the 2024 Paris Olympics, completed last month, are but a memory, and while actor Tom Cruise did
not really bring the Olympic flag to Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass did. She and the flag arrived at LAX on a special
Delta flight from Paris on Mon., Aug. 12, accompanied by other officials and scores of Olympic athletes. See Page 1.
Fashion Week to open at the Farmers Market
The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax will host the opening night of the 12th Metropolitan Fashion Week, Thurs., Sept. 26, beginning at 6 p.m., in front of the market’s clock tower.
RESTAURANT & COCKTAILS
Lunch & Dinner Every Day of the Year
Restaurant Hours: Mon.- urs. noon to midnight Fri.-Sat.-Sun. noon to 1:00 a.m. Bar open till 1:00 a.m. Mon.- urs. ~ 1:30 a.m. Fri. & Sat.
(Continued from Page 1) organizing a “Larchmont’s Got Talent” show and even a pie baking contest.
Metropolitan Fashion Week is the longest-running fashion week on the West Coast. This year, fashion inspired by film and television scores will be featured in a show that will merge fashion and cinema. Inoe Vargas will be honored as the “Designer of the Year.” Other Fashion Week venues are in Palm Springs, Seattle, Caracas and Simi Valley. Admission is open to all ages and is free of charge. For more information, visit runwayfx.com/events.
The free event has been produced by the LBA since the mid-1960s. Rides and food will be available for purchase. The fair raises funds for the Boulevard’s upkeep, gardening, holiday decorations and more.
Thirteen Lune entrepreneur at Demo Day event
By Casey Russell
Nyakio Grieco, of Windsor Square and Larchmont beauty supply shop Thirteen Lune, will be one of the keynote speakers at a Plug In Ventures Demo Day, Thurs., Sept. 12, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Culver City.
Founded in 2014, Plug In Ventures is committed to helping Black and brown entrepreneurs. It offers guidance and support, and it strives to connect entrepreneurs to investors and other business contacts.
The Demo Day event will celebrate the latest cohort of founders and give attendees a chance to see their technological accomplishments. Visit pluginventures.com to learn more about membership and other events.
skin deep
by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald
Q: My hair is thinning, (I’m a 46 year-old female), and I’m freaking out. What do you suggest?
A: Hair loss remains one of those issues that cause people to feel incredibly alone. Of course we know that hair loss can happen for women and men, for a variety of reasons including genetics, aging, and post-partum. But that doesn’t address just how deeply personal and devastating it can feel. You know I’m about to give you some good news, right?
KeraFactor is a breakthrough serum containing proteins and growth factors wrapped in nanoliposomes to maximize absorption by your scalp. In other words, it packs the nutrients that your scalp needs packaged in an ideal delivery system to stimulate your hair follicles to grow hair. We are dream-teaming KeraFactor with our Clear+Brilliant laser to penetrate the serum to the perfect depth for regrowth. Your hair is parted and the gentle laser is applied to your scalp. KeraFactor is immediately massaged into your skin and you relax under a red light for 10 minutes. Following your appointment, you’ll simply apply the serum every other day at home. We are typically recommending three to six treatments spaced six weeks apart. The results are good, as in “wow” before and after photos good. Contact our office to schedule your first KeraFactor with Clear+Brilliant laser treatment, and please remember, you are never alone with us.
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.
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VOLUNTEER June Ahn (left) assists “sushi taste” provider Jane Kwak at Muraya in 2023 (now Pho La Vache).
ATTENDEES ENJOY a recent Taste of Larchmont event near the canopies and dessert court adjoining the Rotary clock.
Olympics
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had been in Los Angeles.
While officials and the reporters on the ground were awaiting the aircraft’s main door’s ceremonial opening, most of the passengers from Paris already had deplaned on the back stairs and walked into the hangar’s makeshift baggage area. The passengers included about three-score Olympians plus various government and LA28 officials.
Delta had set up a large baggage storage facility inside the hanger so the Olympians could check their carry-on bags (and some skateboards) while they returned to the tarmac for photo-ops in front of the aircraft. Later in the afternoon, Delta baggage carts brought in additional luggage from the aircraft’s hold. Thereafter, many Olympians would be transferred to connecting flights going elsewhere.
On the tarmac, the “official” welcoming of the Mayor and the flag came from Governor Newsom and Jennifer Siebel Newsom and LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover. Before the photo-ops ended, a stream of elected officials went out to the tarmac to join the Olympians and the Mayor and Governor for one last photo-op.
Sighted were Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, Los Angeles City Councilmembers Monica Rodriquez, Paul Krekorian and Traci Park, County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis, and Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto.
Gradually, the Olympians found their bags and began moving on to the next legs of their journeys home. Reporters filtered out. And, as he and his traveling party were heading out of the hangar, Governor Newsom noticed some NBC athlete interview cameras, so he stopped by to chat.
The Los Angeles Olympic Games Opening Ceremony is July 14, 2028, and the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony follows a month later, on August 15, 2028.
hanger allowed temporary checking of carry-ons during tarmac photo-ops and while eating. Many Olympians would then transfer to connecting flights.
Above: WELCOMING Mayor Bass (in red) and Casey Wasserman (in front) and Olympians (in powder blue) are, from left, Governor Newsom and Jennifer Siebel Newsom and LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover.
LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS joined the photo op including, in front row from left, Rex Richardson, Monica Rodriquez, Paul Krekorian, Janice Hahn, James Butts, Karen Bass, Hilda Solis, Traci Park and Hydee Feldstein Soto.
Right: GOVERNOR NEWSOM saw the NBC interview cameras on his way out of the event, so he stopped by to chat.
DELTA HANGAR AT LAX was organized into a welcome center for Olympians and others arriving on the Aug. 12 flight from Paris.
PRESS MEMBERS await Delta flight’s arrival.
NON-FLAG-BEARING passengers from Paris deplane on the back stairs and walk into the hangar’s makeshift baggage area.
BAGGAGE AREA inside the
Around the Town
(Continued from Page 4) event were architect
tect Mia Lehrer (whose Studio-MLA team donated the design work for the now-grown-in and water-wise Centennial Garden plantings at local Fire Station 29 in Windsor Square) and M.K. O’Connell, who grew up in Hancock Park and volunteers as treasurer of the nonprofit FOLAR.
On Aug. 13, a group of locals honored another landscape designer, who grew up in Hancock Park and Windsor Square, who had two beautifully landscaped homes in Windsor Square, and who now resides in Beachwood Canyon. Honoring the natal day of Judy Horton in her lovely garden were friends including Brooke Anderson, Patty Lombard, Vicky Martin,
Patsy Lowry, Cheryl Lerner, Helen Hartung, Mary Pickhardt, Ginger Lincoln, Diane Hawley, Jennifer Fain, and more.
Before heading to Chicago for the Democratic National Convention, Speaker of the House Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) was in Windsor Village on Aug.15. She was in Los Angeles to promote her new book, “The Art of Power.” Pelosi was welcomed by a full-house Ebell Theatre audience.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass — a Windsor Square resident — and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, 1st District, introduced Pelosi. Each had served with Pelosi in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Tracee Ellis Ross interviewed the author. Writers Bloc was co-presenter of the event with The Ebell.
The latter part of the month saw a lot of people gathering on the roof of the Anderson Munger YMCA to celebrate 10 years since the facility opened. More about that happy event on Aug. 23 is on Page 10 of this issue.
Two days later, on the 25th, Mary and Kevin O’Connell gathered about 40 neighbors and friends at their beautiful Paul Williams-designed Hancock Park home for a brunch in support of U.S. Congressional candidate Laura Friedman, who is on the Nov. 5 ballot with opponent Alex Balekian.
And now you’re in the Larchmont know!
WALTER O’MALLEY addition to the Ring of Honor on the front of the Club Level of Dodger Stadium is right outside his old office.
PRECEDING the unveiling, from left, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Erin Scully and Laura Lasorda stand ready.
LAURA FRIEDMAN (center) was welcomed to their Hancock Park home by Kevin and Mary O’Connell.
FOLAR CEO Candice Dickens Russell welcomes guests before world music band Los Silverbacks begins to play.
A BRIDGE ENTRANCE welcomes visitors to the Los Angeles State Historic Park, 32 acres of public space created from the former Southern Pacific River Station railroad yard north of DTLA’s Chinatown.
WAITING TO ENTER Nancy Pelosi’s sold-out book event is a long line at the Ebell Theatre on August 15.
Michael Lehrer and landscape archi-
Jewelers
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Much work has been done to preserve the historic building’s façade while preparing the interior for the elevated shopping experience Lee strives to give customers.
The owner told us that the windows are made of heavy-duty one-inch thick glass with a special 3M film, which adds to the store’s security. An elevator has been installed to allow customers easy access to the second level and to the rooftop area.
The upper level was designed like a lounge or a personal clubhouse. “It’s really cool,” said Lee. The owner’s personality is truly on show
upstairs. “You see … all the hobbies I like ... There’s one room that’s a guitar room,
‘Every woman housed’ is
goal of DWC’s gala Oct. 6
By Suzan Filipek
The “Every Woman Housed Gala” with the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is scheduled for Sun., Oct. 6, from 5 to 8:30 p.m at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes.
The event is named for a Downtown Women’s Center initiative aimed at women and families on Skid Row that has successfully placed 400 women in housing since launching in 2021.
The event will honor Andrea Van de Kamp, a member of the DWC Advisory Council and a philanthropist who spearheaded the fundraising
Letters
(Continued from Page 2) the neighborhood. However, I am sure that, with the light and some additional policing, the neighborhood will be much safer and cleaner. If the police would like to stop the prostitution before it
campaign to build Disney Hall. Gala Chair is DWC Board member Sara Sugarman, founder and CEO of home decor e-commerce site Lulu and Georgia, the Gala Presenting Sponsor.
The sit-down dinner, catered by Pez Cantina, will feature a live and silent auction and musical entertainment at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, which is a Mexican American museum and cultural center across from Olvera Street in DTLA. Tickets are $500. For more information, contact downtownwomenscenter. org/gala2024.
even finds its way over to the Ridgewood Wilton neighborhood, they need go only a few streets over to Western Avenue between Second Street and Melrose Avenue where you can see the ladies lined up each night.
Brian Terr Ridgewood Wilton
there’s a Ducati room with a Ducati bike [on display], there’s a Ferrari room, and one area is a bar, because I like wine, and I like to entertain people,” he said. Also on the second floor is a large dining area for events and meals. “It’s quite the entertainment area for our store,” Lee said.
The automobile aficionado told us that, in the future, he hopes to host events with cars involved. Lee has been in talks with Melissa Farwell, who coordinates the Farmers’ Market, to explore ways to make that happen. “I have a lot of friends and clients who have really nice cars,” said Lee. “A little car event on the
street [could] bring a different vibe,” he said. For now, neighbors who have been eager to get a glimpse of the new store can window shop through the sturdy new windows, or they can stroll through the beautifully designed showroom, perhaps getting a head start on acquiring holiday gifts.
The Beauty of Experience
Larchmont 's own Rebecca Fitzgerald MD, a board-certified dermatologic surgeon, brings extensive experience and up-to-theminute expertise to the convenience of your own neighborhood
OWNER DAVID LEE outside the newly-opened Larchmont Jewelers.
BEAUTIFICATION
Local neighborhood may soon have its own national historic designation. Page 5
New benches and spiffed-up planters are on the agenda of Beautification Committee. Page 3 CITRUS SQUARE
NEW WING
NHM Commons Welcome Center opening soon with wild and fun programs. Page 6
Some streetlights fixed, other neighbors still in the dark
By Nona Sue Friedman
For months earlier this year, city streetlights were a constant target of copper wire theft leaving many streets in the neighborhood dark. Now in Windsor Square, “All the lights are working,” resident Paul Newman happily told the Chronicle
After months of his neighbors’ streets being dark because of 39 non-working streetlights, “the city stepped up to fix the lights,” commented resident Gary Gilbert.
While three crews were repairing fixtures between Beverly Boulevard and Third Street and Irving Boulevard and Beachwood Drive in mid-July, Gilbert spoke to one of the crewmen who relayed that the order to repair these lights “came from the top.”
Windsor Square is lucky to have had its lights fixed faster than the 90-day turnaround that the Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL) says is the average. But these days, repairs are made closer to six months, if at all, because of the recent spate of copper wire thefts in the city.
The Windsor Square residents believe their lights were fixed because of their tenacity and the pressure they (especially Dena Bloom
and Guy Nemiro) put on Council District 13 (CD13).
A representative from CD13 confirmed that repair costs for the lights in Windsor Square were partially underwritten by the $200,000 that Councilmember Hugo SotoMartínez allocated from his office’s discretionary fund.
Gilbert and Newman also learned that BSL not only repaired the lights, but it hardened the fixtures to deter future wire theft. The crewmen placed the copper wire junctions at the top of the light where they are inacces-
sible without a ladder. They also permanently sealed the junction boxes on the ground, where wires are connected.
With regard to future theft, “It seems like, this time, we’re not going to run into the same problems with [BSL’s] creative fix,” according to Newman.
Neighbors to the east
Residents of Ridgewood Wilton, just a few blocks to the east, have not been as lucky. This area, much smaller than Windsor Square, has had 15 non-operating lights since the end of April. “That’s over half of the lighting district,” Bob Reeves, president of Ridgewood Wilton Neighborhood Association (RWNA), told the Chronicle in June 2024.
Reeves has reached out to Karla Martinez, CD13’s field deputy for the area, multiple times regarding the broken lights, prostitution and traffic plaguing the area and has not heard back.
The darkness in Ridgewood Wilton has contributed to a dramatic increase in prostitution on the streets in the neighborhood.
The disgust and frustration of the residents is palpable. Just a decade ago, the neighborhood voted to tax itself
to create this lighting district — and have streetlights installed — for the express purpose of safety and to help eliminate prostitution in the area. It worked while the lights were working.
Brian Terr, who lives in Ridgewood Wilton, wrote to the Chronicle this month [see “Letters to the Editor,” Page 2] about the situation. Early each morning, he walks the area to pick up used condoms and wrappers, bottles
of urine and other trash so others, particularly children going to school, don’t have to see it. His bag is full daily. His wife, Sheila Hoyer, thinks he should take his morning bag of trash to CD 13’s office. Lights in Los Angeles
According to the Los Angeles Dept. of Public Works website, “Street lighting is woven into the streetscapes and provides public safety, security and visibility for
(Please turn to Page 14)
NEWLY SEALED junction box on Second Street.
BUREAU OF STREET LIGHTING repairs a fixture on Second Street at Irving Boulevard in mid-July.
Making Larchmont even more beautiful, unified and fragrant
By Suzan Filipek
Romi Cortier has been tending to flowers and eyeing park benches near and far in his quest to make Larchmont even more beautiful.
It’s a special neighborhood, and its main street deserves a little, or maybe a lot, of TLC, said the chair of the Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA) Beautification Committee.
Cortier’s plans include sprucing up the Boulevard’s 10 concrete sidewalk planters with colorful drought-tolerant plants and replacing worn wooden benches with French blue, metal ones, starting with one in front of his salon, Romi Cortier Design, at 425 N. Larchmont Blvd..
The 23-year Larchmont business owner and artist (he also has a degree in interior design from UCLA) was inspired to tend to the neglected plants and median strips he saw on his daily rounds in the neighborhood.
Years of rain, trash and the homeless had taken a toll, he said.
The entrepreneur took time away from his style, cut and color appointments at his salon, rolled up his sleeves, and “took the bull by the horns.
“I keep water jugs in my SUV and go around at night and water, clean up the trash and trim the plants.”
His gardener, Virgo Designs and Landscaping, has taken on the project at a cut rate, charging for the cost of materials only. The project got underway on Aug. 19 by amending the cement planters’ soil and replacing poisonous spiky “fire stick” plants with Spanish lavender, asparagus fern, statice and casa blue dianella.
Medians
The cornflower blue, lavender and white color scheme will continue throughout the Boulevard’s four median strips south of Beverly Boulevard, one large and one small at each crosswalk. (Medians north of Beverly to Melrose Avenue are maintained by the Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association. The medians between First and Third streets are maintained by the Windsor Square Association.)
(Please turn to Page 4)
LBA BEAUTIFICATION CHAIR Romi Cortier stands by a possible bench color proposed for Larchmont Boulevard.
THREE PLANTERS together add an eye-catching appeal to the smaller medians.
Photo by Romi Cortier
Beautification
(Continued from Page 3)
Tailwaggers is among the businesses that have agreed to water the planters placed near their doors. Flicka, Coldwell Banker and Skin Laundry have also answered the call.
While the larger medians have watering systems, the two smaller center dividers rely on the city’s twice-a-month watering visits. Randomly placed concrete planters have been brought in from the north end of Larchmont to decorate the smaller medians.
“We are creating an installation of three planters per median combined with succulents, gravel and a boulder,” Cortier said.
A virtual image of the proposed design was created by neighbor James Dastoli and was posted on the newly launched Larchmont Boulevard Association Instagram account, helping boost the fund drive.
Cortier has raised the $2,000 needed to pay for the median portion of the beautification project.
Joining in the effort is a host of volunteers, business owners and fellow Beautification Committee members Patricia Lombard and Todd Warner.
Previously, in June, the Larchmont Business Improvement District (BID) paid to repair the sprinkler system in the large median in front of Rite Aid, which had broken in December, possibly due to drivers rolling over the curbs.
Blue Larchmont
With phase one moving
ahead, Cortier is focusing on the next phase. He has teamed up with the BID to install a pilot program of a “legacy bench” with matching dark muted blue (aka French blue) metal trash cans.
Ultimately eight of these Larchmont “signature” benches will be placed on both sides of the Village south of Beverly, with a few narrow, backless benches on upper Larchmont, says Cortier. The
existing eight worn wooden benches will be removed.
“They’re desperately in need of being replaced,” Cortier added.
He’s sourced the new street furniture from DuMor.com, the same company that supplies a Beverly Hills park, which is where Cortier was sitting one day when he noticed the manufacturer’s name on the bench, and had a “Eureka!” moment.
Cortier has been surveying public seating near and far, including in Venice on a recent trip to Europe, in his quest to beautify Larchmont.
Larchmont’s Legacy
He’s considering a legacy program to pay for each bench, at a price of about $3,200 per bench, which will include a personalized plaque.
“My hope is that several legacy families in the neighborhood will come forward to purchase these in memory of a loved one.”
The benches have a 20-year warranty on the metal and a five-year warranty on the paint. They’re double-coated with primer to resist graffiti and carving.
The new trash and recycling cans would replace the city’s once solar-powered Big Belly cans, which no longer compact the trash, as originally intended.
The pilot program will include one six-foot bench with a third arm in the middle to prevent people from sleeping on the bench, and two, 32-gallon, metal trash cans with open tops. “One for trash, one for recycling,” says Cortier.
“They’ll be placed strategically on the Boulevard for feedback from the community…
“People can see if they like what they see.”
From an unofficial poll of his salon clients, “So far, everybody loves it,” Cortier said.
Cortier, as business representative for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, is hoping to raise funds for the trash cans from City Council District 13. He and Heather Duffy of the BID hope to tap into the city’s contract to replace 6,000 city trash cans with trash cans from DuMor.
He’s also in talks with Jane Usher of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Land Use Committee, who has suggested making recommendations to builders about supporting the benches and cans for Boulevard projects.
Market Larchmont
Merchandise from a Market Larchmont campaign coined “the Gardens of Hancock
Park” — after the project’s inspiration — is available at Cortier’s salon, Romi Cortier Design, and at the Sunday Larchmont Farmers’ Market. All proceeds are reinvested into the LBA improvement projects.
The merchandise includes hats, mugs and totes. A hummingbird logo, from an original gouache painting by Cortier, was added for the summer season. Area resident June Lockhart-Triolo has donated the graphic design of the products.
Yet to come? There’s a dirt patch by the Rotary Clock Tower where Cortier hopes to trail blooming jasmine along a wall.
“One of my favorite California experiences is the smell of blooming jasmine, day or night.
“Imagine an evening strolling Larchmont under the glow of the overhead lights, then sitting on a beautiful blue bench as the fragrance of jasmine wafts through the air, while sharing a gelato with your significant other under the lavender-colored sky. I hold this vision dear, as I imagine the future of Larchmont.” Visit www.larchmont. com.
To help support the Larchmont Beautification Project financially, reach out to romicortier@me.com.
NEW MEDIAN LANDSCAPE, looking north on Larchmont Boulevard.
SIGNATURE BLUE BENCH and matching trash can are being proposed for Larchmont.
HUMMINGBIRD image is from an original gouache painting by Romi Cortier.
Citrus Square to be added to National Register of Historic Places
In January of this year, I wrote an article entitled “Citrus Square’s Time Has Come,” arguing that Greater Wilshire’s largest-remaining Survey LA-identified historic district needed to be officially designated. That article was an effort to not only celebrate the historic significance of the district but also to aid in the public outreach of an intrepid cadre of neighbors who had begun the process of putting together a National Register nomination for Citrus Square.
Well, the time has truly come, and their hard work was rewarded on Aug. 2 when The California State Historical Resources Commission voted 6-0 to recommend the designation, which will go to the National Park Service for approval.
State Commissioner Janet Hansen, who once worked locally for the Office of Historic Resources and Survey LA, commented during the meeting, describing Citrus Square as “outstanding.” “It’s very architecturally cohesive,” she said. “The automobile suburbs … are quite ubiquitous in Los Angeles. The ones that remain intact are a real treasure in the city. The Hancock Park area is one of the most intact in Los
On
Preservation by Brian Curran
Angeles. I do believe that the property meets the criteria for those reasons, and I support the nomination.”
Citrus Square’s eligibility for designation is based not only on its unquestionable architectural significance, showcasing a variety of styles from French Renaissance Revival to Spanish Colonial, but also for its variety of residential types including apartment buildings, duplexes, courtyard housing and single-family homes. The district is also one of the best illustrations of historic urban planning. The developer placed apartment buildings, duplexes and single family homes in waning gradations of density in proximity to the commercial corridor of La Brea Avenue. What makes Citrus Square truly remarkable is how preserved and intact it is given its size and the passage of time.
Greater Wilshire’s own preservationist extraordinaire, James Dastoli, led
the effort supported by Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Citrus Square representative Jeffry Carpenter and Melrose Neighborhood representative Jesseca Harvey (the effort was not GWNC sponsored).
Dastoli has said that he had wanted to write a nomination for Citrus Square ever since he read the SurveyLA documents about the neighborhood, but it was the beauty of the area that really inspired him. “For me, the most striking aspect of the district is its incredible integrity. These buildings have been so well maintained, it really feels like a postcard.”
The most significant challenge in the nomination process was the size of the proposed district and the sheer number of properties to be documented. While 512 properties were ultimately identified as contributors, the owners of all 785 properties in the district boundaries were contacted about the potential
designation. Only 64 letters of opposition were received, far below a level of 51 percent in opposition — which would have triggered a halt to the process. Often owners oppose because there is confusion about the differences between Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (which provide strong demolition protections and often rigorous design standards) and National Register Districts (which are largely honorary with some review and oversight by the City of Los Angeles Office of Historic
Resources).
Citrus Square now becomes the fourth neighborhood in Greater Wilshire — after Wilton Place, St. Andrew’s Square and Ridgewood Place — to be included on the National Register of Historic Places. Citrus Square also takes its rightful place as a recognized and historic part of George Allan Hancock’s original vision of Hancock Park. Thank you to all who helped make this possible, and congratulations to the soon-to-be Citrus Square National Register District!
352 NORTH Sycamore Avenue is a two-story apartment house in the Chateauesque style, built in Citrus Square in 1936, according to the district’s federal registration form.
Natural History Museum to open new wing with party, exhibits
By Suzan Filipek
A long, green-hued dinosaur skeleton named Gnatalie will greet guests when the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) opens its new wing and community hub, NHM Commons, on Sun., Nov. 17.
A free block party, featuring performances and live music, will ring in the opening of the new $75 million Welcome Center on the southwest side of the museum campus in Exposition Park.
The new addition is across from the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is expected to open in 2025 and is among several major improvements underway in Exposition Park in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics.
New NHM exhibitions and programming include the debut of a 3D film and landscape design features.
The community’s oldest museum’s 75,000-square-foot expansion was designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners. A transparent glass façade will link the new wing to the park.
Inside, the Commons Theater — a 400-seat multi-purpose theater — and additional spaces will allow community-centered programming and allow visitors into a portion of the museum, with or without a ticket.
NHM Commons will also feature a new café and retail offerings from local artisans.
A landscaped plaza, garden and entrance designed by
Studio MLA Landscape Architecture and Urban Design connects the existing main south entrance to the new Welcome Center, theater and multipurpose spaces. Studio Joseph will design theater experiences at the site.
“It’s exciting to look ahead to opening NHM Commons this November, when we will welcome everyone to connect with our research and
collections and enjoy special indoor and outdoor experiences in this new destination for Exposition Park,” Dr. Lori Bettison-Varga, NHMLAC’s president and director, said in a museum release.
Artist Barbara Carrasco’s 1981 mural, “L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective,” will be on display in the Welcome Center.
The mural portrays 57 im -
ages woven into the flowing hair of the “Queen of Los Angeles.” These include Union Station, City Hall, Angels Flight Railway, the Santa Monica Pier, the prehistoric La Brea Tar Pits, native hunters and gatherers, the
Owens Valley Aqueduct, a Mexican folk hero, a Japanese incarceration scene and much more.
Gnatalie — the celebrated green sauropod — was discovered in 2007 in the Badlands of Utah by researchers from the NHMLAC Dinosaur Institute.
The Dinosaur Institute’s team of paleontologists and excavators unearthed and assembled the long-necked Gnatalie, whose green shade is due to the mineral deposits in the quarry where she was found.
Her name is in honor of the stinging gnats that pestered excavators during the dig. Gnatalie, who is the most complete sauropod skeleton on the West Coast, and fossils of several other dinosaurs found at the quarry, were buried in what was a riverbed 150 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period.
“Dinosaurs are a great vehicle for teaching our visitors about the nature of science, and what better than a green, 70-foot-long dinosaur to engage them in the process of scientific discovery and make them reflect about the wonders of the world we live in!” said Dr. Luis Chiappe, NHMLAC senior vice president of research and collections, in the museum release. Learn more at nhm.org/ nhm-commons.
By Suzan Filipek
A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Mirabel, a 42-story mixed-use tower with 348 residential units in Miracle Mile, was released by the City Planning Dept. Aug. 22.
The proposed development at 5411 Wilshire Blvd. includes 29 units set aside for very lowincome households and 12,821 square feet of ground floor commercial uses.
The DEIR found the Mirabel Transit Priority Project would result in significant and unavoidable impacts related to historical resources and noise from construction vibration. All other impacts would be considered less than significant, according to the Notice of Completion and
MIRABEL will add a touch of elegance and views from 42 stories, says local businessman and developer Wally Marks.
GNATALIE, the most complete sauropod skeleton on the West Coast, and right across from the history mural (at left) will greet visitors to the NHM Commons Welcome Center. Renderings by Frederick Fisher and Partners, Studio MLA and Studio Joseph. Courtesy of NHMLAC
AREA HISTORY is woven into flowing hair in the mural “L.A History: A Mexican Perspective.”
COMMONS THEATER is a 400-seat multipurpose space.
Los Angeles streetlights studied in new book
By John Welborne Aficionados
of the historic in Los Angeles like to look at the wide variety of streetlights that line parkways across the city. Locally, there are Marbelite cast concrete poles and Llewellyn Ironworks “Windsor Square Special” cast iron poles, and several others. Of course, there are 202 poles you can study in detail at artist Chris Burden’s “Urban Light” installation in front of the County Art Museum on Wilshire Boulevard.
According to India Mandelkern, author of a colorful and comprehensive new anthology about lighting the streets of Los Angeles, a visitor at the
entrance of LACMA can examine “sixteen different models, which ranged from elegant single lights that once lit wealthy neighborhoods to majestic double torches that had dotted the major boulevards.”
The author and her photographer colleague, Tom Bertolotti, discussed the new book with local historian Eric Evavold before a small crowd of interested neighbors at Chevalier’s Books on Aug. 22. Also present were J.C. Gabel of publisher Hat & Beard Press and the book’s designer, Sabrina Che.
Mandelkern appropriately acknowledged the progenitor of all writing on local street-
lights, Eddy Feldman, author of “The Art of Street Lighting in Los Angeles,” a volume of Larchmont’s own Dawson’s Book Shop’s Los Angeles Miscellany series.
“Electric Moons” looks at the subject from more of a social history standpoint. Many of Mandelkern’s observations and conclusions are apt, but I disagree with some of what she writes. Where she might see something as intentionally “exclusionary,” I would argue it was merely marketing, seeking the highest prices when selling newly subdivided and graded residential lots in former bean fields like Windsor Square. I highly recommend the book, available at Chevalier’s and (a dread thought) online at Amazon.
ELECTRIC MOONS author India Mandelkern (left) and local architectural historian Eric Evavold (center) with her streetlights book team, from left, J.C. Gabel, Sabrina Che and Tom Bertolotti.
PATRONS gather at Chevalier’s Books to hear India Mandelkern and Tom Bertolotti speak with Eric Evavold (center) about their new book on street lighting in Los Angeles.
A condominium in this building at 531 N. Rossmore Ave. in Hancock Park sold for $1,010,000 in July.
Public hearing on CBS expansion — TVC 2050 — set for Sept. 12
By Suzan Filipek
The City Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Thurs., Sept. 12, concerning the proposed TVC 2050 expansion and modernization project of the former CBS Television City.
The hearing on plans for the 25-acre site at Beverly Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue will be a hybrid — held in-person at Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., and on Zoom.
This hearing follows a lengthy first public hearing that took place on Zoom May 15, where 185 people spoke on the 1.9-million-square-foot project of Hackman Capital Partners, owner of the site.
If approved, the $1.25-billion TVC 2050 project would become a Specific Plan that would permit up to a maximum of 1,724,000 square feet of sound stage, production support, production office, general office and retail uses and would include 1.5 million square feet of new development on the site.
Parking, landscaping, open space and a sign district would be established as part of the expansion project.
In addition, the building’s red painted canopy with “Television City” lettering on the facade along Beverly Bou-
levard, which is designated a Los Angeles historic-cultural monument, will be preserved.
The Commission also is expected to consider several appeals filed by local community and business groups at the hearing.
Appeals filed
Concerns have been expressed about the project’s size, density, traffic impacts and more, especially the 550,000 square feet of new office space proposed for general (non-studio) tenants.
The nine appellants include the Miracle Mile Residential Association, Neighbors for Responsible TVC Development, A.F. Gilmore Co. (owners of the Original Farmers Market) and others.
In connection with requested subdivisions of the property, the city Deputy Advisory Agency certified the environmental impact report in May.
The Planning Commission continues to accept written comments that can be submitted to paul.caporaso@ lacity.org; write “TVC 2050” in the subject line and copy mindy.nguyen@lacity.org and councilmember.yaroslavsky@ lacity.org.
OWNER HACKMAN CAPITAL PARTNERS says sound stages will be modernized in the proposal, as shown in this rendering at TVCstudios.com.
Families and canines parade around Wilshire Branch Library
By Casey Russell
The first dog parade at Los Angeles Public Library’s Wilshire Branch took place in early August with 22 canine participants. It was a sunny afternoon full of family fun, dogs, books and prizes.
The event — an idea sparked by Wilshire Branch children’s librarian Nicole McElhose — started with a lovely dog-themed story time. Three picture books were read aloud before McElhose handed out musical shakers and brightly colored scarves to all those interested in spicing up the parade around the block.
Accompanied by lively percussion instruments, the line of smiling parents, children and dogs strolled around the block before returning to the library for dog tricks, treats and ice cream.
Each participant left with
WILSHIRE BRANCH children’s librarian Nicole McElhose with local dog Pierre and his owner, So Yun.
a prize of some kind. Balls, treats and even a $25 gift certificate to a local pet store were randomly awarded. Families and dogs all seemed to have a grand time,
and there is talk of making the event a yearly one. After all the treats that my dog received, I’m sure she will exclaim, “Yip-yip-yippee!!”
LIBRARIES
FAIRFAX
161 S. Gardner St. 323-936-6191
JOHN C. FREMONT
6121 Melrose Ave. 323-962-3521
MEMORIAL
4625 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2732
WILSHIRE
149 N. St. Andrews Pl. 323-957-4550
HOURS
Mon. and Wed., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tues. and Thurs. noon to 8 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Libraries will be closed Mon., Sept. 2 in observance of Labor Day.
Find out about politics, learn Spanish through dance
FAIRFAX LIBRARY
Kids & Teens
Pizza and politics: Learn about different elected offices in Los Angeles city and county; find out when you’re allowed to register to vote and how to be a voice for change on Thurs., Sept. 5, at 4:15 p.m.
All ages
Book sale: Browse used books every Wednesday, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. All sales support the library branch.
FREMONT LIBRARY
Kids
Brick builders club: Use LEGO style bricks for creative play every Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m.
MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Teens
Bracelet making: Create personalized bracelets using colorful beads and letters on Thurs., Sept. 5, at 2 p.m. Get ready for college workshop: Discover the secrets to reshaping your approach to
the admissions process on Mon., Sept. 16, at 4 p.m. Parents welcome.
Adults
First Friday book club: Discuss “End of Story,” by AJ Finn on Fri., Sept. 7, at 1 p.m. The title for October is “A World of Curiosities,” by Louise Penny.
All ages
Chess club: Play chess or learn how each Friday, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Book sale: Support your library by purchasing your next favorite read every Tuesday from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., every Saturday, from 3 to 5 p.m.
WILSHIRE LIBRARY
Babies, Toddlers & Kids
Baila Baila: Music and dance for kids: Feel the energy of this interactive, bilingual concert in Spanish and English. Be introduced to Spanish while dancing. Sat., Sept. 21, from 4 to 5 p.m.
PERCUSSIONISTS accompany families and canines parading around the block.
PARTICIPANTS wait for story time to begin.
Work begins on Len Hill Arts Plaza; Sixth Street park named for late resident
By Casey Russell
There are signs that construction has begun on the Len Hill Arts Plaza, which will be located in the west end of the $82 million Sixth Street Park, Arts and River Connectivity (PARC) project in Downtown Los Angeles.
The Arts Plaza project is being partially funded by a lead gift from the Leonard Hill Trust. The trust carries forward the transformative work of the late Leonard Hill, who passed away in 2016 at age 68. He was a longtime area resident.
The new plaza will be located in the DTLA Arts District, directly below the west end of the Sixth Street Bridge, and the plaza has been designed with large, open, welcoming spaces and a stage to host cultural events. Terraced seating for community members to enjoy the area also will be constructed.
Last year, the Bureau of Engineering and Councilmember Kevin de Leon announced that construction for the entire PARC project was expected to take two and a half years once work commenced.
Leonard Hill lived in Hancock Park for 30 years and was an active community leader, dealing with land use issues and working to preserve res-
idential neighborhoods. He was a Lifetime Cornerstone Member of the Los Angeles Conservancy.
Hill, who had a long and successful career as a television producer prior to becoming a real estate developer, was instrumental in restoring the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District, having helped repurpose such buildings as the Toy Factory Lofts and the Biscuit Company Lofts.
Hill is survived by his wife, Dr. Patricia Gordon, who still resides in the area and has been a champion of the Len Hill Arts Plaza project since her husband’s death.
Dinner, dancing at Gehry-designed Loyola Law School
Heidi Duckler Dance, a site-specific dance company, is celebrating its 39th anniversary at the Frank Gehry-designed Loyola Law School at 919 Albany St.
The event, “Dance in the Light of the Harvest Moon,” takes place Sat., Sept. 21, from 5 to 10 p.m. The fundraiser includes dinner and dancing on the rooftop.
Tickets start at $300 and can be purchased at heididuckler.org/event.
TVC 2050
(Continued from Page 9)
take public comments at the Sept. 12 hearing.
Following the hearing, the Commission will make a recommendation and forward it to the Los Angeles City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee for consideration, followed by full City Council review.
Check the meeting agenda 72 hours before the meeting and get Zoom instructions at planning4la.org/hearings.
House of Lebanon to celebrate 25th with movies, art, gala
The House of Lebanon (HOL), 4800 Wilshire Blvd., in Brookside, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in October with a month-long art exhibition, children’s activities, music performances, a gala and a weekend of film screenings.
The art opening on Sat., Oct. 5 features HOL’s permanent collection, performance art by Doris Bitar and the unveiling of Tiles of Heritage, a commemorative bench created by
Lebanese American children.
The exhibition and “Dreaming of Lebanon,” a virtual reality experience, continue through Sun., Oct. 27.
Lebanese films will be screened on the weekend of Oct. 12 and 13, and musical performances will take place on Oct. 19 and 20.
The anniversary gala is set for Oct. 26. For times and more information on the silver anniversary, visit houseoflebanon.com.
LEN HILL ARTS PLAZA will be under the Sixth Street Bridge. Rendering: Hargreaves-Jones
Failed AC and new owner concern tenants at 444 N. Larchmont
By Suzan Filipek
Since a new owner took over the two-story office building at 444 N. Larchmont Blvd., things have not gone well for the tenants. The building is uninhabitable and has been unsafe due to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system breaking, they allege.
Some long-standing tenants have left. Some are pursuing legal action, citing unsafe working conditions and unfair evictions.
One marriage and family therapist who asked to remain anonymous has a twoyear lease, so she is staying, even though it is challenging in a building with no air conditioning and ongoing construction.
She has not worked in her office since the air conditioning broke June 25, and she had to meet with patients virtually from her home office.
The 17-unit, 10,500 squarefoot office building is tenanted mostly by health care workers like her, she said.
“We love our community and neighborhood and being health care providers on the east side,” she wrote in an email to the Chronicle. But the gutted, hot building is not what she signed up for when she moved in two years ago. Having another two-year lease going forward makes moving out difficult.
LIPSON Plumbing, Inc.
A handful of tenants signed two-year leases with the previous owner to lock in their rents before the changeover, said the anonymous tenant, who pays $1,534 a month.
New owner
The new owner, Leeor Maciborski of Rom Investments, said he bought the 1963 building at Larchmont and Rosewood Avenue to be closer to his home in Hancock Park.
He plans to move his business from Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood to the Larchmont property.
The sale of the corner building closed in April 2024, for $5 million, according to intero.com.
There are no plans for evictions, the new owner told us. His business will operate out of four units on the site. There are currently four empty units, but some moving around will be needed to accommodate his new space.
“Larchmont is beautiful. We liked the building for ourselves to take some of it but not all of it.
“We did not anticipate the air conditioning failing right away,” he added, which is why a permit had not been pulled from Building and Safety for the custom-built HVAC when the previous system broke.
Eight of the tenants sent a letter to the management company to seek to negotiate a resolution.
In the July 22, 2024, letter, the tenants allege a “complete breakdown of the HVAC system and the failed, hazardous attempts to install portable AC units in select offices. These units, which have proven to be fire hazards, recirculated exhaust inside the building instead of venting outside, causing headaches, coughs, and nausea among tenants, clients and patients.”
Mini-split AC units will be placed in the suites soon, and the hallways will have HVAC, the anonymous tenant was told.
Maciborski said he would provide rent discounts, but many tenants have already left or are in the process of moving.
Accountant Mel Miyamoto, who had been in the building for 37 years, was offered a unit downstairs, as his upstairs office was among those to be taken over by the new owner. It was offered to him for double his $1,800 a month rent and no guarantee of AC.
“It’s unbearably hot. I’m not stupid,” said Miyamoto, who signed a lease at another building on Larchmont last month.
Tenants allege the landlord has refused to fix the air conditioning in a timely manner while still collecting rent for July and August.
Management did provide small portable units to some offices, but these were improperly filtered into the ceiling, the tenants allege.
The letter continues, “with rising COVID-19 cases, this creates a perilous environment, especially for those of us working with immunocompromised clients. Since June 25, the building has remained non-functional, rendering all tenant suites and common areas, such as hallways and restrooms, uninhabitable and hazardous.
“These alarming safety issues have caused significant income loss. Clinicians among us have been unable to provide essential physical and mental health care to our patients. Therefore, we are expecting June and July rent abatement, as well as reimbursement for substantial income losses.”
The owner said he is working out rental deductions with tenants and moving as fast as he can to fix the HVAC system, which, at the fastest, will take two months.
New, operable windows will replace all of the old, single-pane ones, he added.
The new owner also is sandblasting the front of the building to reveal the original red brick façade of the 1963 building. That got underway on the weekend of Aug. 17.
“We are moving as fast as we can,” said Maciborski.
Coyotes active: Stay alert and take precautions with pets
By Casey Russell
The remains of a cat presumed to have been killed by a coyote were found recently by Brooke Bundy of Citrus Square. She was walking her small, 17-year-old dog, a miniature pinscher mix, when she came across what was left of the cat on Mansfield Avenue between Second and Third streets. Bundy knocked on a door of a house near where the cat was found, thinking it might belong there. It did not, and, though she never discovered to whom the cat belonged, the non-emergency services 311 number was called so that the remains could be taken care of.
Coyote activity is often seen in the area. “My physical therapist walks on Colgate Avenue and has seen two or three at
a time,” said Bundy. Her dog walker informed her that, while walking some dogs in Fremont Place, she saw a coyote walking down the middle of the street and was told by the gate guard there that six coyotes are living in the area. Bundy thinks it’s important for people to be aware and to report sightings so that the issue is taken seriously.
“Other people with small dogs are concerned. People have seen them early in the morning around 5 or 6 a.m.,” Bundy says of the coyotes. She walks her dog as early as 7 a.m sometimes, and she is scared. She bought a small air horn to use to scare a coyote off in case she sees one. Watch small pets
The Animal Humane So-
SANDBLASTING is underway on the exterior of 444 N. Larchmont Blvd., but there still is no air conditioning for the interior.
Neighbors gather for a potluck and movie night in Windsor Village
By Casey Russell
The Windsor Village potluck and movie night on Aug. 3 was a hit! Neighbors visited, played games and shared food in the Ninth Street cul-desac across from Harold Henry Park.
Windsor Village Association (WVA) President Barbara Pflaumer and WVA Vice President Heather Brel welcomed all who attended. They introduced neighbors and made sure young children had art supplies to use while parents chatted.
Windsor Villagers brought an array of homemade and store-bought foods to share, and Elvis, a well-known and well-loved neighborhood dog, “manned” the buffet table for nearly half an hour (politely only partaking in what he was given).
Families then brought blankets and lawn chairs over to the park for a screening of Disney / Pixar’s 2007 movie “Ratatouille.”
There was plenty of popcorn for all, and laughter filled the air among the neighbors gathered together under the stars.
The Windsor Village Association strives to host three movie nights a year at Harold Henry Park. Weeks ahead of the free events, WVA board members ensure flyers reach every neighborhood door so that all will feel welcome.
Big city feels smaller
“The park movies are a great way to bring neighbors together and make a big city feel smaller through shared interests and experiences,” said Brel.
She believes that strengthening neighborhood connections increases effective community action in times of need — whether that be working to improve the safety of our streets, taking a meal to an ailing neighbor, lending a hand during a global pandemic or disseminating critical information about emergency preparedness.
“We are a stronger community through the connections established by these types of social events,” she said.
For more information about the WVA and upcoming events, visit windsorvillageassn.com.
Mirabel
(Continued from Page 6) on Mon., Oct. 7, 2024, at 4 p.m.
Comments can be mailed to Jason McCrea, City of Los Angeles, Dept. of City Planning, 221 N. Figueroa St., Room 1350, Los Angeles, 90012. Refer to Environmental Case No. ENV-2019-3937-EIR.
The document can be viewed online at tinyurl.com/ bdemzvs9; it is also available at various library branches.
The Walter N. Marks, Inc.family-owned property will be within walking distance of the new Metro subway stops bookending the Miracle Mile Historic District.
Wally Marks told us earlier this year he hoped to begin construction in 2025. Mirabel
“The tower is a derivative of both the past and the future,” architect Richard Keating and his team explain on their website, keatingarchitecture. com.
Its 530-foot-tall tower features a glass exterior and has a curvilinear form, a rooftop deck and common
open space above a parking podium.
A state of California density bonus program allows for more floor area than otherwise would have been allowed by local zoning.
As part of the Mirabel project, the façade of the historic 1936 Streamline Moderne Sontag Drug Store
building — at the corner of Wilshire and Cloverdale Avenue — will be preserved.
The Mirabel will have parking for a total of 478 cars in an automated, three-level, underground garage modeled after a similar one at Marks’ Helms Bakery property in Culver City.
But Marks says he expects
many of his new tenants to walk the one block to and from the new D (formerly Purple) Line Metro subway station at La Brea Avenue when the subway extension to La Cienega Boulevard opens in 2025. The project will take an estimated 36 months of construction, once the EIR is reviewed and approved.
FAMILIES enjoyed watching Disney / Pixar’s “Ratatouille” on the lawn at Harold Henry Park.
NEIGHBORS gathered in cul-de-sac for a summer potluck.
NEIGHBORHOOD dog Elvis supervised the food table.
Lucerne is hit hard with multiple burglaries in August early weeks POLICE BEAT
WILSHIRE DIVISION
BURGLARIES: Unknown suspects entered a home on the 400 block of North Lucerne Boulevard and stole property on Aug. 1.
Someone broke the lock of a security gate and gained access to an unlocked and uninhabited home, took property and fled from the 200 block of South Lucerne on Aug. 1.
Then on Aug. 3, burglars broke the side window of a home on the 200 block of South Lucerne, removed property and fled.
Three suspects smashed a rear glass sliding door of a residence on the 400 block of North Lucerne. They
Just as this September issue of the Larchmont Chronicle was hitting doorsteps and newsstands, coffee was set to be poured and ice cream scooped at Coffee with a Cop at Salt & Straw Larchmont, 240 N. Larchmont Blvd., on
Senior Lead Officer
Andrew Jones
Text: (213) 793-0782
WILSHIRE DIVISION
(these officers are interim)
Furnished by Senior Lead Officer
Ryan Ty
Text: (213) 590-5407
41719@lapd.online 37555@lapd.online
damaged the security system, stole property and fled through the front door heading southbound on Lucerne on Aug. 10.
GRAND THEFT AUTO:
Two cars were stolen in August; one from the 5200 block of Wilshire Boule-
Thurs., Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The gathering is a way to get to know your police officers from the Wilshire Division of the Los Angeles Police Dept., while enjoying complimentary coffee and
vard on Aug. 1 and another from the 400 block of South Detroit Street on Aug. 4.
OLYMPIC DIVISION
There weren’t any crimes reported for the area for the first half of August.
A NOTE FROM THE SLO: Burglaries are still the most
ice cream.
The Wilshire Division serves parts of Windsor Square and everything west of the west side of Plymouth Boulevard, including Windsor Village, Fremont Place, Brookside, Hancock Park, Sycamore Square, La Brea Hancock, Citrus Square, Melrose Neighborhood, Miracle Mile and more.
Streetlights
(Continued from Page 2) motorists and pedestrians. [Streetlights] enhance the character of communities… and repair[ing] streetlights is an integral part of making Los Angeles livable and safe.”
With so many lights still out in Ridgewood Wilton and CD13 as a whole, and the initial $200,000 from CD13’s discretionary fund depleted, Soto-Martínez is said to be contemplating allocating more money from his discretionary fund to address this problem. At the time of publication, Soto-Martínez was still figuring out the exact amount to allot. His office said in an email, “hopefully we’ll have an update for
OLYMPIC DIVISION
Furnished by Senior Lead Officer
Daniel Chavez 213-793-0709
36304@lapd.online
Instagram: @olympic_slo1
prevalent issue for the community. Most entry points for these crimes are through the rear of a residence. Make it a
By Nona Sue Friedman Wilshire
Community Police Station is bringing back its community carnival fundraiser. The last time Wilshire Division hosted this family-friendly event was in 2018. Wilshire will transform its station grounds, at 4861 Venice Blvd., into a giant festival. (Think the finale of “Grease.”)
It takes place from Fri., Sept. 27, to Sun., Sept. 29.
The fun will include rides — such as a ferris wheel, giant slide and tilt-a-whirl, to name just a few — plus games, food and entertainment.
This is a great opportunity to support your local police station. Proceeds from the event are donated to the Wilshire Division Cadet Leadership Program, with a portion going to the Wilshire Station fund. The Cadet program empowers 13 to 17 year olds with valuable life skills
point to keep that part of your home secure.
Be aware that schools are back in session. This means there are more pedestrians. Be careful driving through neighborhoods, and pay close attention to children crossing the street.
Lastly, SLO Chavez wants to hear from you with any concerns or crime tips. He will be doing extra patrols in the area this month and welcomes a hello. He might even have a sticker for your child!
and allows participants to view law enforcement from multiple perspectives. The Station fund covers the cost of materials and incidentals at the station.
Discounted ride tickets, 10 for $30, are for sale at the station through Thurs., Sept. 26. Non-discounted tickets will be available at the event. Hours of the carnival are 5 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 27, 2 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 28 and 2 to 10 p.m. on Sept. 29th.
you for the next edition of the Chronicle .”
The councilman’s office had hoped to reduce the repair gap to a two-month turn-around with these additional funds. While that seems to have worked for Windsor Square, it isn’t the case for Ridgewood Wilton. Perhaps the second round will make it to that part of the councilman’s district.
The writer is a resident of Ridgewood Wilton.
From suede to patent, names of leather are more than skin-deep
In 2008, at a cave near the village of Areni in southern Armenia, Ph.D. student and archeologist Diana Zardaryan discovered the world’s oldest surviving leather artifact — a shoe. The simple slipper, dated to 3500 B.C., was made with a single piece of cowhide with lace-up closure for an adjustable fit. Measuring the same length as a women’s size 7, the shoe was found filled with straw, perhaps as an early analog to the modern shoe tree.
Until the 16th century, the word “leather” referred to the skin of both humans and animals. As the hide industry expanded, the meaning of the word narrowed to refer only to animals, a sanitization that averts our eyes from the morbid truth — that the leather we wear as jackets, pants and boots and carry as wallets and handbags is quite literally a “second skin,” and one not so different from our own. For a visceral case in point, one
need only look to the Huntington Library in San Marino, which houses a 1682 copy of Thomas Gibson’s “Anatomy Epitomized and Illustrated” bound in human leather that bears a resemblance to its bovine counterparts.
What makes leather leather is the process of tanning, which stops the natural decay of animal material by stabilizing the proteins of the rawhide. “Tan,” which traces its antecedents to the ancient Celtic word for oak tree, gives a hint at the early natural compounds used for processing skins. Cedar oil and alum were other agents used before the advent of chromium salt tanning in the 1800s, which remains the standard method used worldwide today.
Suede, from the French “gants de Suède,” meaning “gloves of Sweden,” suggests that Swedes may have made strides in leathercraft by developing the soft, dry hand
READ UP on ways to protect yourself, your family and pets from coyotes at animalhumanesociety.org.
Coyotes
(Continued from Page 12) ciety website (animalhumanesociety.org) notes that keeping lids securely on trash cans and compost bins is key to keeping unwanted wildlife out of neighborhood yards. It also warns people to keep a close eye on pets if yards are not fenced, and it advises pet owners to be especially watchful of smaller pets when taking them for walks. The website encourages people to make sure their dogs and cats are up to date on vaccinations, as rabies is fatal once symptoms appear.
Avoiding taking dogs out very early or late can reduce the likelihood that you will encounter a coyote. But, some of these animals have been seen at quite regular times of day. Make noise
If you do come across one or more coyotes, maintain eye contact and try to scare the coyote off by being loud and making yourself appear as large as possible. Pick up small dogs. With larger dogs, make sure you have full control and don’t turn your back on the coyote. Definitely avoid running away, as this may trigger the predator’s instinct to chase prey.
Word
Café by Mara Fisher
of the underside of an animal skin. Also attributed to a place, nappa leather is prized for its soft, supple finish, often fashioning luxury goods. The material — variably spelled “nappa” or “napa” — was first patented in the late 19th century by the Sawyer Tanning Co. in Napa, California.
Speaking of patents, let’s not overlook the glossy finish of “patent” leather. This surfacing for high-shine shoes was first referenced in 1793, when a British periodical noted that a “gentleman of the
name of Hand” had obtained a patent for glazing flexible leather in a manner that renders it impervious to water.
Shagreen is a type of granular leather once made from horse skin (see the Italian term for it, “zigrino,” from the Turkish word meaning “rump of a horse”) and now more associated with shark and stingray hides. The rough, reptilian texture of shagreen must have rubbed someone the wrong way, as it gave rise to the French — and later English — “chagrin,” meaning “distress” or “ill-humor.”
In use since well before the days of the Bronze Age cave dwellers at Areni over 5,500 years ago, the popularity of leather wearable goods doesn’t appear to be waning anytime soon. But, facing backlash from animal rights and en-
vironmental activists (even though leather has long been a byproduct of the meat industry, its production is still an outsize contributor to the climate crisis), the world of luxury leather goods has seen a slight shift toward less harmful substitutes in recent years.
In June 2021, Gucci introduced a new animal-free, leather-like material from primarily renewable sources with “up to 77 percent plantbased raw materials.” Soft and pliable yet resilient, the leather alternative bears a name with a considered etymology all its own — Demetra, inspired by Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture and new harvest. And with that, a new leather is christened. I wonder if archaeologists another few millennia from now will still relate.
Make sure no one in the area is feeding the coyotes, which can make them become aggressive and lose their fear of people. Ensuring these animals keep a healthy, natural fear of humans keeps us all safe.
The Humane Society also suggests shaking cans full of pennies or marbles, banging pans or pots, spraying coyotes with water guns filled with vinegar and using pepper spray. Report sightings to Los Angeles Animal Services at 888-452-7381.
