LC 11 2020 by Larchmont Chronicle

Larchmont Chronicle

VOL. 58, NO. 11 • DELIVERED TO 76,439 READERS IN HANCOCK PARK • WINDSOR SQUARE • FREMONT PLACE • MIRACLE MILE • PARK LA BREA • LARCHMONT •

IN THIS ISSUE

Homeless housing set to open

Contested local seats on Nov. 3 ballot n 12 state propositions, one county measure, one LAUSD measure

n Built to last, and move

DINING GUIDE 13-21

KIP’S TOYLAND celebrates 75th year! 3

GALAS raise funds and new interest. 6

DAYS of yore.

For Information on Advertising Rates, Please Call Pam Rudy 323-462-2241, x 11 Mailing permit:

By Suzan Filipek Two homeless housing facilities designed with prefabricated steel modules and constructed relatively quickly, yet with comfort in mind, are readying to open. Hope on Lafayette, a 70-bed dormitory-style bridge housing project, has an end-ofNovember target opening date. A certificate of occupancy for this project is expected by Oct. 31. “The opening would be 30 days later,” said Michael Tonetti, communications deputy for Council District 10, in which the project, at Wilshire Blvd. between Hoover St. and Lafayette Park Pl., is situated. Hope on Alvarado, an 84-unit permanent supportive project, expects to have residents move See Homeless housing, p 29

Larchmont Blvd. Holiday Open House Nov. 28

By Rachel Olivier Hear live holiday music while strolling the boulevard or see Santa come by in a fire truck at the Larchmont Boulevard Association’s annual Holiday Open House and Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28 from noon to 5 p.m. There will be no trolley to take people between the open house and the Wilshire Rotary tree lot this year, but the tree lot will be open. Participating stores will have seasonal sales. Food, drink and raffle tickets will also be available for purchase. This event is in conjunction with American Express’ Small Business Saturday to encourage shopping at small, local businesses and to keep communities strong and vibrant.

Holidays on Larchmont

Light up your holidays with the Larchmont Chronicle! Our annual holiday edition is featured in the December issue. Advertising deadline is Thurs., Nov. 12. For more information contact Pam Rudy, 323-462-2241, ext. 11.

NOVEMBER 2020

VILLAGE PIZZERIA has been serving pizza pies in a colorful atmosphere on Larchmont Boulevard for more than 24 years.

Larchmont stores struggle, seek help from community n Chevalier’s Books, Village Pizzeria need support By Billy Taylor As pandemic-related pain continues for many small businesses, several beloved shops on Larchmont Boulevard have reached out to the community to share their struggles. Here’s what Chevalier’s Books, Village Pizzeria and YogaWorks are saying. Chevalier’s Books Supporters of Chevalier’s Books, the oldest independent bookstore in Los Angeles, received an Oct. 5 email asking for their support as the bookstore faces an existential question of whether to close or move to a more expensive location, after the shop’s current lease ends next month. Signed by co-owners Bert Deixler and Darryl Holter, the message explained that due to the pandemic, sales had fallen

by about 40 percent, and then their landlord, Christina Development, announced that it would not extend the lease. “We’ve located a vacant space on Larchmont that could be a new home for us, but the rent there will be more than double what we currently pay,” the email read. “We are now asking you to help keep Chevalier’s Books a part of the Larchmont community. As the holiday season approaches, we ask you to consider making us your one-stop-shop for all your bookish needs. … If we are all in it together, we can continue to have a first-class independent bookstore in our neighborhood.” Two weeks later, Deixler told the Chronicle that the response from residents has See Stores struggle, p 28

By John Welborne Incumbent Fourth District City Councilmember David Ryu is facing a challenge from newcomer Nithya Raman. The district includes most of Larchmont, Hancock Park and surrounding Larchmont Chronicle readership areas. See the map of local political districts on page 8. Other local candidates in highly contested elections on the Nov. 3 ballot are Holly Mitchell, who is running against Herb Wesson to represent the Second District on the County Board of Supervisors, and Mark Ridley-Thomas, who is competing with Grace Yoo to represent Council District 10. This year, our four incumbent members of the U.S. See Election, p 9

‘Destination’ vote centers open till Nov. 3 By Rachel Olivier Instead of being limited to a specific polling place for the Nov. 3 election, voters can pick from any Vote Center in the county to cast or drop off their ballots. Whether it’s a “destination” Vote Center like the Hollywood Bowl, or simply the center most convenient for the day’s errands, there are more See Vote centers, p 30

Safer alternatives to trick-or-treating advised n Wear a costume and enjoy a safe, spooky holiday By Talia Abrahamson Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic does not need to mean “all dressed up and nowhere to go.” Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offer suggestions for how to enjoy a low-risk spooky holiday. Although not explicitly banned, traditional trick-ortreating and the modern spinoff “trunk-or-treating,” where children receive treats from

car-to-car instead of door-todoor, are not recommended. County-wide Halloween gatherings with non-household members are also not permitted, even if they take place outside and have fewer than the three-household maximum allowed by the state. Keep it online County officials say that the safest Halloween celebrations include spending time with household members and celebrating virtually. Online See Safer alternatives, p 25

COSTUMED. Bardot Montoya (left), Sycamore Ave., a third grader, is Mal of “The Descendants.” Her younger brother, Viper, is a pirate. Or is he a ninja?

www.larchmontchronicle.com ~ Entire Issue Online!

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Editorial

Calendar

By John Welborne

Re-elect David Ryu There is absolutely no reason for the voters of the Fourth Council District to “fire” our City Councilmember David Ryu. There is every reason — in our district’s and our city’s best interests — to re-elect David Ryu for a second term. Experience does matter. This is a local election. National endorsers, whether Bernie or Hillary, just obscure the basics. We residents should concentrate on our own real interests. David Ryu remains the best, proven representative to continue addressing what matters in CD4. Ryu’s record of years of productive employment in Los Angeles — more than 15 years in both government and the private sector prior to his election to the City Council — is a significant contrast to his opponent, who only moved to Los Angeles at the end of 2013. David Ryu has done an exceptionally good job as our councilmember since 2015. He has been a City Council leader in securing locations for needed homeless bridge and permanent housing. Our own district now has 600 units either occupied or under construction since voters approved Proposition HHH at the end of 2016. Ryu and his staff also have been extremely responsive to the more mundane, every-day concerns that affect residents of CD4. On or before Nov. 3, vote for David Ryu.

Thanks to Everyone Who Zoomed at the Annual Meeting This year’s Annual Meeting was held virtually, via Zoom, on October 14th. We thank everyone who attended, including representatives from the LAPD, the Council Office, the security companies and most of all, our members. The impact of COVID-19 is being felt throughout the city as businesses struggle and people lose their jobs. The city is facing unprecedented needs for services to citizens, while seeing revenues fall. LAPD Captain of Wilshire Division, Shannon Paulsen, spoke about those challenges, and Councilman Ryu described local accomplishments and what more needs to be done. Our committee chairs updated the members on parkway trees, filming, our HPOZ, security, traffic and some of the many other issues facing Hancock Park. The results of the Association election were announced and the slate nominated by the Board was unanimously reelected. Now, more than ever, our community will need the help of dedicated residents who volunteer to help. Please consider joining a committee, and let us know via the website hancockpark.org how you’d like to participate. It’s now fall which means tree planting season has begun. The Tree Committee will be starting to plant so if you have a place in your parkway that could use a tree, let us know via the website. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE! Not only is this a presidential election, but it’s also an election for our Councilperson, so be sure you VOTE! You can check your registration at website https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/registrationstatus. You should have received your ballot. If you haven’t received it, check the Where’s My Ballot website - https:// www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status/wheres-my-ballot. o o o If you’re planning to make any changes to the streetvisible portion of your house, including hardscaping and windows, check with our HPOZ Planner Suki Gershenhorn (suki.gershenhorn@lacity.org) before starting. The HPOZ Preservation Plan, which regulates our HPOZ, can be found at preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park. There is also an online form you can fill out to help speed up the process — the Initial Screening Checklist (preservation.lacity.org/ hpoz/initial.screening.checklist). Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System: laocb.org/programs/graffiti-abatement and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180. Adv.

Sun., Nov. 1 – Daylight Savings time ends at 2 a.m. Turn clocks back one hour. Tues., Nov. 3 – Election Day. Wed., Nov. 11 – Veterans Day. Thurs., Nov. 12 – Windsor Square Association annual “Town Hall” meeting. Wed., Nov. 18 – Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting via Zoom, 7 to 9 p.m. Check greaterwilshire.org for login. Thurs., Nov. 26 – Thanksgiving Day. Sat., Nov. 28 – Small Business Saturday and Holiday Open House on Larchmont Boulevard, noon to 5 p.m. Sat., Nov. 28 – Wilshire Rotary Christmas Tree lot

That’s the question inquiring photographer Talia Abrahamson asked locals along Larchmont Blvd.

opens, 568 N. Larchmont Blvd. Thurs., Dec. 3 – Delivery of the Larchmont Chronicle.

Homeowners gather via Zoom, or don’t gather By John Welborne Fall is the season of annual meetings of local neighborhood associations, but COVID-19 is cancelling those meetings or making the associations get creative. Although Brookside Homeowners Association has not set a date for its annual end-of-year meeting, other associations have been meeting, or will be, using Zoom to gather neighbors. The Four Corners A joint gathering of four associations — with the common boundary point being the intersection of Wilshire

‘What are your Thanksgiving plans?’

Blvd. and La Brea Ave. — took place via Zoom on Oct. 6. The theme was “Keeping the Neighborhood Safe in the Face of Unrest.” The gathering was organized by the Sycamore Square Neighborhood Association, the La Brea Hancock Homeowners Association, the Sixth Street Miracle Mile Neighborhood Association and the Miracle Mile Residential Association. A terrific PowerPoint presentation prepared by Sycamore Square’s Conrad Starr is available at tinyurl.com/y49t6bol. (Please turn to page 9)

“This year, we’re going to Charleston because my sister just moved and bought her first house there. So, we’re going to be there for Thanksgiving.” Tara Duester with Cliff Duester Windsor Square

“I think we’re going to go to Mammoth and go snowshoeing and just rent a place.” Isabella Rojas (left) “I really look forward to going to Mammoth each year, because it’s just a tradition. We’ve been doing for several years now.” Mateo Rojas (right) Windsor Square

Letters to the Editor Harold A. Henry Park

I enjoyed the article [“Harold A. Henry Park in Windsor Village: Wood family property

Larchmont Chronicle Founded in 1963 by Jane Gilman and Dawne P. Goodwin .

Publisher and Editor John H. Welborne Managing Editor Suzan Filipek Associate Editor Billy Taylor Contributing Editor Jane Gilman Staff Writers Talia Abrahamson Helene Seifer Advertising Director Pam Rudy Advertising Sales Caroline Tracy Art Director Tom Hofer Classified and Circulation Manager Rachel Olivier Accounting Jill Miyamoto 606 N. Larchmont Blvd., #103

Los Angeles, CA 90004 323-462-2241 larchmontchronicle.com

now a public park,” Oct. 2020] because not only has my family visited Harold Henry Park so many times over the years, but we also live in a Craftsman style home. Could you make available photos of the Woods’ family Craftsman home as I’d love to see details of its architecture? Matthew Artukovich Windsor Square The paper is reaching out to Wood family descendents for photographs. – Ed.

Rimpau ‘treasures’

Rich Correll’s passion and knowledge on his collection [“Rimpau resident moves his haunted, horror treasures for public exhibit,” Oct. 2020] is amazing. He loves Halloween and wants everyone else to enjoy it, too. Great guy. Bless him! Jim Geoghan Whitley Heights 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.

“I’m going to be here. I don’t feel comfortable traveling. I’m not really sure I’m going to go home at Christmas, either. I always go home either to Missouri or North Carolina, and I know for a fact I don’t feel comfortable flying on a plane.” Shelly Hartman Ridgewood-Wilton/St. Andrews Square

“I’ll stay here for Thanksgiving, but I’ll definitely go home for Christmas. I’m comfortable traveling. I have no qualms. It’s just a matter of being responsible.” Monika Ebly St. Andrews Square

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

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Kip’s Toyland celebrates 75 years of good, old-fashioned fun By Sondi Toll Sepenuk Five years ago, I wrote the Larchmont Chronicle’s article celebrating Kip’s Toyland’s 70th anniversary. It’s now five years on, and life has changed quite a bit around the globe. But thankfully, not at Kip’s Toyland. “We just keep trucking along,” says Lily Kipper, the granddaughter and buyer / store-manager of store founder Irvin ‘Kip’ Kipper, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 99. “We’re rolling with the punches because there’s no blueprint for this pandemic. But I will never let go of my grandpa’s legacy.” And boy oh boy, what a legacy it is. Irvin Kipper was a U.S. Air Force pilot in WWII who was shot down in his B-17 bomber, the “Purdy Gerty,” (named after his wife, Gertrude) on his 26th mission. He spent eight months in a prisoner-of-war camp in Moosburg, Germany, dreaming of liberation. “While Kip was prisoner, he wore a ring that said ‘this too shall pass,’” reveals Lily, as if in secret. “And he told himself

SECTION ONE

SERVING HOPE.

AROUND THE TOWN 4 COUNCIL REPORT 12 POLICE BEAT 12 DINING GUIDE 13-21 On the Menu 21 THEATER REVIEW 22 SCHOOL NEWS 22 Youth Sports 28

SECTION TWO VIEW:

Real Estate Libraries, Museums Home & Garden

HOME GROUND. 4 MUSEUM ROW 8 LIBRARIES 9 REAL ESTATE SALES 10 ON PRESERVATION 11 POKER FOR ALL 14 PROFESSOR 15 BEEZWAX 15 CLASSIFIED ADS 15

OPENED in 1945 by Irvin “Kip” Kipper, Kip’s Toyland remains a treasured part of local childhood memories.

every day that he was going to survive and open a little toy store to bring families and kids happiness. It’s been a full circle rollercoaster, a wild ride, but I say that mantra to myself every day, and I know that this too shall pass.” At that time, after the war,

toy stores weren’t a “thing.” Kids found their toys in the toy section at the local hardware store. But Kip wanted to change that. “He was patient, cooperative and resilient…” writes Lily in a love letter to her grandfather, “because he had endured such an atrocity, he vowed to bring the same hope and love that kept him alive to everyone and anyone who would visit his toy store.” 75 years later, that legacy is cemented in the Los Angeles landscape. Grandparents who came to Kip’s as children then brought their children to Kip’s, who now bring their current small children to Kip’s. And why do they keep coming back? The timeless toys, of course! Batteries not required If you’ve been inside Kip’s, you know that they are not big fans of anything that requires a battery or a plug. They fill their

PROPRIETOR Don Kipper with his daughter Lily, buyer and store manager.

shelves with puzzles, Lincoln Logs, board games, science kits, etc. You know… things from your childhood. During the pandemic, these items have proven quite desirable. “People are nostalgic for these old-school items that help people interact with one another right now,” observes Lily. “I even see my 30-some-

thing friends buying up the Jenga games to take to outdoor picnics.” Working through the pandemic hasn’t been easy, though. “You do what you do… we put one foot in front of the other,” says proprietor and “The One Filling the Big Shoes” (and Lily’s father) Don Kipper. “Nobody knows where we’re going, but somehow the world got through the 1918 flu pandemic, and we will survive this, too,” he says. When Kip’s Toyland emerged out of lockdown in May, the store offered curbside pickup only. They are now fully open, masks required, minimal capacity, and have even done something that they never thought possible: they are slowly going online. “We’ve always been very hesitant about e-commerce,” explains Lily. “A Target or a (Please turn to page 24)

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Larchmont Chronicle

Debbie Allen on breaking glass ceilings; Petersen, LA Opera galas Opening Day at the Ebell of Los Angeles is a time-honored tradition. The annual event was held remotely this year with the inspirational actor / choreographer / executive producer / director Debbie Allen. “As women, we are like ants; we can carry 10 times our weight on our backs. Stop asking permission. “You don’t have to go all ‘Lysistrata’ on them — just say ‘no!’” She described how, as a woman of color, she broke so many glass ceilings. “‘Amistad’ took me 18 years from creation

Around the Town with

Patty Hill to production. Here I was, referred to as ‘little dancing Debbie’ pushing into studio after studio pitching a story of a slave trade ship whose question of purpose ended up before the Supreme Court. ‘But Debbie, is there any singing in it?’ was among the responses, until, of

course, Steven Spielberg.” At the Sept. 26 event, there were discussions on race, Black Lives Matter and coping with COVID-19. Allen spoke of how when a change many expect does not happen, but shifts and moves, we must move and adjust with it. “I had to learn what Instagram was so that I could teach remotely. I had 35,000 students worldwide.” She ended with high praise for the women of The Ebell, their mission and their purpose. Ebell President Patty Lombard and member Beate McDermott (whose daughters Hanna and Katie were Allen’s former students) introduced this special day, and locals Madelyn Murray and Laurie Schechter were among the 150 participants. • • • The Petersen Museum held its 26th annual Gala Celebration Sept. 26 as well. During the virtual event, the museum raised a record net of $1.2 million. During the festivities, the museum teased three new exhibits set to launch in October, including a new supercar display with more than 30 cars. The event also featured a live auction in which a 1961 MGA Outlaw restored by the museum broke records and became the highest-selling MGA in history. The proceeds generated from the auction benefit its exhibits and the Hammertime educational programs, which include the Bruce Meyer Automotive Scholarship that supports vocational training and internships.

DEBBIE ALLEN shares her experiences at Ebell Opening Day

• • • Los Angeles Opera reports that — as with The Petersen — the Opera’s Oct. 15 online gala was much more successful than the organizing staff and volunteers ever could have imagined. Enjoying that success locally were the ‘table guests” (in their owns homes) of Hancock Park’s Ann and (Please turn to page 6)

EBELL PRESIDENT Patty Lombard welcomes viewers to Opening Day from the club’s library.

BEATE MCDERMOTT introduces Debbie Allen for Opening Day.

1961 MGA “OUTLAW” roadster broke sales records for the charity auction at Petersen Museum online gala.

Saturday Nov. 28

SHOP SMALL in Larchmont Village.

all m S n d. o pport v l B su ! ont nd a m ses h y s c a e r t La turd usin Visi ess Sa mall b in ls Bus r loca you

321 N. Larchmont Blvd. Suite 906 323.464.8046 rebeccafitzgeraldmd.com

Larchmont Chronicle

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NOVEMBER 2020

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Larchmont Chronicle

Nonprofits pivot for this year’s gala season — with success By Rachel Olivier Cocktails, a fine dinner, a silent auction, live entertainment, celebrities and a glittering array of guests — a standard formula for major gala fundraising events for many organizations. But not this year. While many nonprofits are canceling or postponing such events, others are pivoting, creating gala-type events that take social distancing or virtual connection into account, using drive-in type events, livestreaming (live transmission of an event over the internet) or even regular television. Many organizations are learning that one of the advantages of holding such events is the low overhead. They don’t have to pay for a venue, decorating, catering staff, linens, valet parking, etc. Los Angeles Opera The Los Angeles Opera is one organization taking advantage of Zoom to book virtual “tables” for a gala event. Sev-

LEAD WITH LOVE telethon was hosted by KTLA anchor Jessica Holmes and Eric McCormack of “Will & Grace.”

eral Hancock Park residents participated in an October 15 “online gala,” including Robert and Ann Ronus, Victor and Marlene Chavez, David and Kiki Ramos Gindler, Mark and Cathy Helm, Elaine Johnson, Peter and Annette O’Malley, Suzanne Rheinstein and Phil Roman. The opera gala program included live-streaming entertainment with performances by tenor Russell Thomas and the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra conducted by James Conlon. Participants were able to

“hook in” family and friends from around the world to view the program with them. Visit laopera.org. Opera management indicated that generous donors had allowed the virtual event to net as much income as would have been received in a normal year. Project Angel Food Instead of holding its usual September gala, Project Angel Food instead hosted an oldfashioned telethon, “Lead with Love,” which was broadcast on KTLA, complete with people manning phones and holding online chats with some celebrities attending via Zoom. The June 27 telethon raised at least $720,000, which was more than what would have been raised at a regular gala event, says Richard Ayoub, executive director at Project Angel Food. Next up, this month, the annual Angel Awards Gala will be experienced as a 10-day event that begins Thurs.,

JAMES CONLON conducted the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra for online gala, viewed world-wide.

Nov. 12 with an online silent auction that lasts until the live-stream event “A Night of Gratitude and Song,” itself a live auction featuring musical performances and celebrity guests on Sun., Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. Visit angelfood.org. River LA River LA, a nonprofit working on revitalizing the Los Angeles River, scheduled two COVID-safe fundraising events

You are cordially invited to the

WINDSOR SQUARE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL TOWN HALL MEETING

HELD “VIRTUALLY” THIS YEAR! Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. To join the meeting, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81576710633 or one-tap mobile: +16699006833,,81576710633# +14086380968,,81576710633#

this season that together are called “Rio Reveals.” The first was “Firefly Nights,” a donorsonly event on Oct. 24-25 that combined a drive-in experience at hidden spots along the Los Angeles River with fireflies, puppets, dancers and music. “Rio Records,” the second part of “Rio Reveals,” is both live and at-home and is a 70-minute program of live performances and interactive entertainment beginning Thurs., Nov. 19 and lasting through Tues., Dec. 29. Each evening is unique, and participants are to be given a recording of the event at the end of the experience. Visit rioreveals.com. In October there were several more not-in-person galatype events that organizations used for fundraising. Craft Contemporary The Miracle Mile museum (Please turn to page 31)

ROBERT AND ANN RONUS’ pup, Theo, also attended the LA Opera gala.

Around the Town (Continued from page 4)

• Review of WSA Activities in 2020 • Public Safety • Land Use Issues • Block Captain Matters • Other Community Concerns • Squeaky Wheel Award

©LC1120

• Introduction of WSA 2020-2021 Directors This is your chance to hear from the Council Office, LAPD and the Association, as well as an opportunity for you to ask questions and volunteer to serve on a committee.

Robert Ronus. Included were local residents Betsy Anderson, Bill and Jennifer Fain (hooking in from Palm Springs), Jim and Daryl Twerdahl, Carl Anderson and Philip Lance. Robert reported that a virtual gala had advantages because he and Ann were able to invite their daughter Caroline and her husband Andrew in Maryland. Also included were Ann’s cousin and her husband in Sydney and another opera-loving friend in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. For the Ronus “table,” Los Angeles Opera delivered dinner to all the locals (and even organized a lunch from a local French restaurant to be delivered to the Sydney guests; it was lunchtime on the following day in Sydney!). “It is not what you feel; it is what you DO.” — Debbie Allen And that’s the chat!

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

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NOVEMBER 2020

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Larchmont Chronicle

Local area elections for 2020 conclude Tuesday, Nov. 3 Officials Council District 4

David Ryu davidryu.com Nithya Raman nithyaforthecity.com

Council District 10

Mark Ridley-Thomas Grace Yoo

markridley-thomas.com graceyooCD10.com

2nd Supervisorial District

Holly Mitchell Herb Wesson

hollyjmitchell.com wessonforsupervisor2020.com

U.S. Rep. 28th District

adamschiff.com ericearly.com

Adam Schiff (D) Eric Early (R)

U.S. Rep. 33rd District

Ted Lieu (D) James P. Bradley (R)

tedlieu.com bradleycongress.com

U.S. Rep. 34th District

Jimmy Gomez (D) David Kim (D)

jimmygomezforcongress.com davidkim2020.com

Karen Bass (D) Errol Webber (R)

karenbass.com webber2020.com

U.S. Rep. 37th District

State Assembly District 50

Richard Bloom (D) Will Hess (D)

richardbloom.com willhess.org

State Assembly District 53

Miguel Santiago (D) santiagoforassembly.com Godfrey Santos Plata (D) godfreyforassembly.com

State Assembly District 54

Sydney Kamlager (D) sydneykamlager.com Tracy Bernard Jones (D) tracybjones.com

District Attorney

Jackie Lacey jackielacey.com George Gascón georgegascon.org

Also: Community College Trustees (4) and Also: Superior Court Judges (3)

Propositions

PROPOSITION 14 — Bonds to continue stem cell research.

YES: The state could sell $5.5 billion in general obligation bonds primarily for stem cell research. NO: State cannot sell those bonds.

Proposition 15 — Split off commercial and industrial property from Proposition 13 protections.

YES: Property taxes for most businesses would increase. NO: Formula for annual business property tax increases stays the same.

Proposition 16 — Allow racial preferences.

YES: Repeals current law prohibiting state and local government entities from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity and national origin. NO: Current ban remains in effect.

Proposition 17 — Restore right to vote after prison term.

YES: People on state parole would have their right to vote restored. NO: State parolees would continue to be unable to vote in California.

Proposition 18 — Allow 17-year-old voters.

YES: Eligible 17-year-olds would be allowed to vote in certain situations. NO: People younger than 18 years of age may not vote in any election.

Proposition 19 — Change property tax rules.

YES: Potential property tax savings for all homeowners over age 55 when they move. However, it

restricts heirs’ property tax savings on inherited property. NO: Status quo remains, wherein some homeowners who are over 55 (or who meet other qualifications) would continue to be eligible for property tax savings when they move, and inherited properties would continue to be eligible for property tax savings.

Proposition 20 — Restrict parole and authorize felony sentences for certain offenses.

YES: People who commit certain theft-related crimes (such as repeat shoplifting) could receive increased penalties (such as longer jail terms). Law enforcement would be required to collect DNA samples from adults convicted of certain misdemeanors. NO: The status quo remains.

Proposition 21 — Allow expanded rent control on residential property.

YES: Allows cities and counties to apply more kinds of rent control. NO: Current state limitations on local rent control laws remain.

Proposition 22 — Allow UBER, LYFT and similar drivers to remain independent contractors.

YES: Exempts rideshare and delivery companies from restrictions in Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) adopted by the California Legislature in 2019. NO: Drivers will have to become employees per AB 5.

Proposition 23 — Establish state requirements for kidney dialysis clinics.

YES: Increases dialysis clinics’ expenses. NO: The status quo remains.

Proposition 24 — Amend data privacy laws.

YES: Existing data privacy laws would be expanded and a new state agency to oversee those laws would be created and funded. NO: The status quo remains.

Proposition 25 — Referendum: Replace money bail with a system based on public safety and flight risk.

YES: Upholds the California Legislature’s 2018 law eliminating money bail. NO: Keeps bail rules the same as before the Legislature acted.

COUNTY MEASURE J — Charter amendment to permanently allocate ten percent of Los Angeles county general fund.

YES: At least 10% of the County’s general fund shall be appropriated each year for community programs and alternatives to incarceration. NO: The Charter shall not be so amended, and the Board of Supervisors shall continue to use its discretion in allocating the County’s funds each year.

LAUSD Measure RR — Bonds for facilities.

YES: Los Angeles Unified School District could sell $7 billion in bonds for school facilities. NO: LAUSD can’t sell those bonds.

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

Associations

John Vein and James Wolf. With that, the meeting was adjourned (and tuned out!). Windsor Square This year’s annual “Town Hall” meeting of the Windsor Square Association (also

(Continued from page 2) Hancock Park The venerable Hancock Park Homeowners Association (established in 1948) is famous for its well-attended annual meetings, usually held in the auditorium of Third Street School. This year, there still was a good turnout of attendees, but the 85 of them gathered wherever their electronic devices could get signals. Yes, another Zoom meeting! But it was a very productive meeting, according to association officers and this viewer. COVID-19 impacted not only this year’s meeting type, but it continues to impact everything, private and public. Speakers explained how the City of Los Angeles is facing unprecedented needs for services while seeing revenues fall. LAPD Capt. Shannon Paulsen, commander of Wilshire Division, spoke about keeping the community safe while meeting the challenges ahead as the city tries to balance its budget. Councilmember David Ryu talked about what’s been accomplished for the local neighborhoods this past year, including the renewed maintenance for the Highland Median and the procurement of funding for — and implementation of planning for — the restoration of the long-lived concrete streets of Hancock Park. The council-

Election

(Continued from page 1) House of Representatives, Adam Schiff (D), Ted Lieu (D), Jimmy Gomez (D) and Karen Bass (D), face challengers Eric Early (R), James P. Bradley (R), David Kim (D) and Errol Webber (R), respectively. The three incumbent members of the State Assembly, Richard Bloom (D), Miguel Santiago (D) and Sydney Kamlager (D), face challenges from Will Hess (D), Godfrey Santos Plata (D) and Tracy Bernard Jones (D), respectively. There is one countywide race that is highly contested, the nonpartisan job of Los Angeles County District Attorney. Incumbent Jackie Lacey is facing a challenge from former San Francisco County District Attorney George Gascón. There also are four Los Angeles Community College Trustee seats and three Superior Court Judge seats being contested. See: isb.lavote.net Finally, the Nov. 3 ballot includes 12 statewide propositions, one Los Angeles County measure, and one Los Angeles Unified School District bond measure.

SECTION ONE

“FOUR CORNERS” neighborhood associations convened for a joint Zoom meeting on public safety. Illustration by Conrad Starr

member also spoke about the challenges ahead for security, city services, housing the homeless and other important issues. Chairs of various association committees reported on security, traffic, parkway tree installation and maintenance, filming, the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, and other issues. Finally, the secretary announced that the vote

of members had approved a slate of association directors for the coming term: Cindy Chvatal-Keane, Jennifer DeVore, David Gajda, Joel Kozberg, Clif Lord, Pam Newhouse, Shondell Spiegel, Erik Storey and Victoria Vickers. They join incumbent directors Tim Allyn, Martin Beck, Greg Glasser, Susan Grossman, William Newby, Deborah Trainer, Victoria Vickers,

venerable — founded in 1925) will take place via Zoom on Thursday, November 12. Information about Zoom links is available in the Association’s meeting notice on Page 6 of this issue.

NOVEMBER 2020

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Larchmont Chronicle

Brooksiders join hundreds to help, one sandwich at a time

SEVENTH GRADER Manan Gupta runs the Brown Bag Lunch Drive in Brookside.

Early on, Manan’s family prepared vegetarian, gourmet, and ham and cheese sandwiches and rallied their neighbors to join them. “We got such a great response — 120 meals that week — that we decided to do it every week since then,” said Manan, who convinced his Boy Scout Troop 10, and school, Citizens of the World Charter Middle School, Silver Lake, to join him. Each week, he collects the neighborhood sandwiches and helps his parents take them to a collection area on Norton Ave. Citywide The citywide Brown Bag Lunch Drive was founded in mid-March in Hancock Park by Hang Out Do Good (HODG). The activist group founded by Hancock Park locals Jennifer Levin and Helen Eigenberg already had organized a

pre-pandemic homeless food program which evolved into the lunch bag drive. In early March, 19 families signed up to make sandwiches; today there are 655 families, said Andrea Rothschild of HODG. Because of the shutdown, many people were at home —like Manan’s mom, Puneet Singh Gupta, a yoga teacher, and his dad, who runs a startup to replace single-use plastics with fallen palm leaves for the food industry. “The feedback we get is it’s really appreciated,” said Puneet. “Everybody feels like they’re able to do something… “Nancy Horton and husband Craig have been donating every single week since April, bringing us 40 bagged lunches every Sunday. We love them,” Puneet says. Many of the sandwich makers also liked being able to get their kids involved and teaching them about homelessness. A combination of factors fell into place, and “the word just spread,” HODG’s Rothschild said. HoFoCo stepped up its distribution process to help deal with the surplus sandwiches. “When the pandemic hit, HODG contacted us to ask if we wanted sandwich kits on a Sunday,” said Bonanno, expecting about 200 sandwich kits. She got closer to 500. Guest chefs The program is so popular that guest chefs prepare a carrot ginger, gazpacho or other soup to serve with the sandwiches at HoFoCo’s regu-

COLORFUL designs decorate the lunch bags.

lar Sunday meal — renamed “Soup and A Sandwich Sundays.” The pandemic lunch program “ties in with our bigger picture,” says Bonanno, also a Brookside resident. To deal with the growing need for food during the pandemic, HoFoCo created the Community Exchange to

BIG DONORS Nancy Horton and husband Craig.

help smaller organizations get by. Launched in May, the program borrows spaces from Hollywood United Methodist Church and the Roosevelt Hotel. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Cedars(Please turn to page 30)

Marcel Loh joins CHA as new CEO Marcel Loh was appointed president and chief executive officer effective Oct. 5 at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. Loh joins the hospital while its new patient tower, under construction, is slated to open in 2022. Loh served as the CEO of Providence Saint John’s Health Center and the John Wayne Cancer Institute on the Westside from 2014 to 2019. He brings more than 40 years of experience in leadership roles in healthcare. He previously served in executive roles with Providence affiliate Swedish Health Services in Greater Seattle for 14 years. “I am confident he has the right track record, commit-

ment, vision, and judgment to lead our health system,” said Yongseok Kim, CEO at CHA Health Systems. Marcel Loh “CHA HPMC has positioned itself throughout the years as an innovative, quality healthcare system,” Loh said. Loh succeeds Robert Allen, who joined CHA HPMC as CEO in 2017. Allen led a more than $400 million master plan expansion of the hospital campus, established new service lines of ophthalmology and orthopedics, and brought cutting-edge technology, a hospital spokesperson said.

Gia Marakas

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By Suzan Filipek Every Sunday morning, Brookside resident Nanci Leonard spreads peanut butter and jelly on slices of bread. She makes 10 sandwiches, and she places each one in a bag with a snack, a drink and a note. Leonard likes to include inspirational quotes by Charlie Brown or Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, among others. Some of the sandwich-makers write jokes or add a small gift; others make cards or decorate the bags with colorful stars or rainbows and messages of hope. “We are serving extremely poor people who often don’t have wonderful lives. The notes show, ‘We care about you,’” said Sherry Bonanno, executive director of the Hollywood Food Coalition (HoFoCo). More than 4,000 lunch bags are picked up each Sunday from 11 locations countywide and are given to 29 nonprofits, including Alexandria House, a transitional home for women and children; My Friend’s Place, a center for youth in Hollywood; and LA on Cloud 9, which servces unhoused people and their pets in South Los Angeles and MacArthur Park. These groups in turn pass out some of the colorful bags with sandwiches to people living on the streets and in encampments, Bonanno said. Orchestrator In Brookside, the sandwich movement is orchestrated by seventh grader Manan Gupta.

COVID-friendly one-on-one instruction Longtime Hancock Park resident

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Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Holiday giving opportunities abound locally Daryl Twerdahl retires after 31 By Suzan Filipek place from Mon., Nov. 2 to ness crisis. Covenant House years with Meals on Wheels Giving can come in many Fri., Dec. 11. Adopted families California also appre ciates donations of gift cards and new towels, blankets, books, clothes and portable chargers. A wish list is available at: covenanthousecalifornia.org ••• Shop at MADE, the Down town Women Center’s online Home & Gift Collection, for all-natural soaps, bath salts, candles and greeting cards crafted from upcycled and donated materials by women at the center. Donations listed on the DWC Emergency Preparedness Amazon wishlist, and gift cards in $20 amounts to local grocery stores or large retail stores, are also appreciated. Visit DowntownWom ensCenter.org and MADEbyDWC.org. ••• Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Chil dren has wish lists for items needed by adults, children, teens and people moving into their own apartments. There is a wish list on Amazon, but gift cards from grocers, retailers and bookstores are also helpful. Call 213-482-1834 or visit gschomeless.org/donatean-item. ••• The Karsh Center and Wilshire Boulevard Temple are co-hosting their annual Thanksgiving meal bag distribution — the Big Give — which this year will be Big Give Week 2020, from Nov. 15 to Nov. 24. The event will focus on preparing and distributing 1,500 Thanksgiving (Please turn to page 30)

By Rachel Olivier Daryl Twerdahl, Hancock Park, a 1994 Larchmont Chronicle Woman of Larchmont, retired from St. Vincent Meals on Wheels (SVMOW) last month after a total of 31 years volunteering and working for the organization. Inspired by a meeting with SVMOW founder Sister Alice Marie Quinn, Twerdahl began volunteering with local support group, Cuisine á Roulettes, in 1989. At the time, she owned a business on Larchmont Boulevard (Village Catering Co.) and also would help Sr. Alice Marie deliver meals to seniors residing in the neighborhood. In 2002, Twerdahl transitioned onto the organization’s staff as the director of annual giving, a role that expanded to director of development, then executive director of development, then interim executive director. A 2018 interview about her SVMOW involvement follows below. “Since 1989, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels has been my home away from home, first as a volunteer and later as staff. So many of you — donors, volunteers and employees — have become life-long friends. It has been a privilege to do this work with you, and I will miss you all,” wrote Twerdahl in a farewell statement. In May 2018, “Voyage LA” interviewed Twerdahl, and an extract of the full interview, at tinyurl.com/ y4kv4v77, is here:

DARYL TWERDAHL

“I grew up in the South where stories matter. And this is my story. “In 1989, my much-beloved grandfather became ill and needed to be placed in assisted living for a short period of time until we could arrange support for him in his own home. During that time, I traveled from Los Angeles to Arkansas on a regular basis to visit Pop. On what turned out to be my last visit to him in assisted living, Pop, at age 92, began to cry. He wanted to go home. He wanted to be in a place he knew and a place that held many cherished memories for him. This was remarkable to me. I had never seen my grandfather cry, not when his daughter, my mother, died or when his wife, my grandmother, died. It was a sure sign that Pop meant it — he wanted to be at home. And, indeed he was able to go home because we were able to provide the intervention of food and support for him at home. (Please turn to page 29)

Wilshire Wilshire Rotary’s Rotary’s

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are provided with food, clothing and gifts. Donations can start at $50. Gift suggestions include gift cards, toys, art supplies and home essentials, or host your own toy drive. To learn more, contact Azucena Navarrete at 323-876-0550, ext. 1122 or anavarrete@aviva. org. ••• Big Sunday’s headquarters, at 6111 Melrose Ave., will be open every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon for people to drop off items to be given away to those who are struggling. Drop-offs will be nocontact and socially distant. The annual Big Thanksgiving Stuffing Event will be online Sun., Nov. 22. Delivery will be at Big Sunday headquarters on Mon., Nov. 23, with some in-person Thanksgiving packing opportunities available (once again very small groups in Big Sunday’s parking lot, masked and distanced, RSVP required). Big Sunday’s annual Holiday List, with hundreds of ways to help during the holidays in the time of COVID, will be posted on the Big Sunday website Nov. 1. Big Sunday is also continuing with popular online entertainment and interactive programming. For more information visit bigsunday.org. ••• Spend a night virtually on the street with Cov enant House of California at its Executive Sleep Out on Thurs., Nov. 19. Different from years past, participants will be sleeping out virtually from their kitchen floors, backyards, or tents to help raise urgently needed funds for Covenant House California while spreading awareness about the youth homeless-

forms. Sometimes it’s a friendly smile or a kind word. Other times it’s a hot meal or fulfilling a child’s holiday wish. Not sure where to start? Here are some of the many nearby giving options from which to choose. Join in Alexandria House’s on-line Bingo and After Party Sat., Nov. 7. Tickets and sponsorships are available for adults 18 and over. The National Giving Alliance (NGA - Hancock Park) is one of the honorees. Thanksgiving can be celebrated by purchasing gift cards from supermarkets or donating foodbaskets to this amazing local charity. Participate in National Giving Gay Tues., Dec. 1. You can also celebrate the holidays by “adopting” an individual or family, hosting a virtual Deck the Halls event for your friends and family to benefit Alexandria House, or purchasing items on its Amazon Wish List. For more information, contact Michele Rich ards at 213-381-2649, or michele@ alexandriahouse.org Up-to-date information and holiday ideas are at alexandriahouse.org. ••• Celebrating its 101st year, Assis tance League of Los Angeles and its programs Operation School Bell, the Nine O’Clock Players, the Assisteens, and others, provide many opportunities for giving back. Call 323-5454847 or email events@assistanceleaguela.org. ••• Bring the joy of the season to families and children in need with Aviva Family and Children’s Services’ AdoptA-Family and Adopt-A-Child holiday programs, taking

If you’re goingfrom to buy Christmas treesTree this year, please helpRotary Rotary invest in our comNet proceeds the Christmas Lot go to the International munity. 100% of the go to The Wilshire Rotary Foundation are spent Foundation and theproceeds Wilshire Rotary Foundation to benefit& Rotary in support of humanitarian, educational, cultural Service Projects in our community andand around theprograms world. and their operations. So celebrate the holidays and know that your money spent at our lot is going

to help others — a win, win for everyone!!! Our Christmas Tree lot is located on For more information visit www.rotary.org or www.wilshirerotary.org Larchmont Blvd. across from Page Private School (between Beverly & Melrose).

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Larchmont Chronicle

Small business needs our support in these challenging times We are facing unprecedented times right now, both on a public health level, and a social and economic level. Local businesses, big and small, have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic first hit, our top priority has been protecting the health and safety of our residents. That’s why I quickly worked with the city and county to secure the earliest COVID-19 tests for Los Angeles and have continually worked to provide Personal Protective Equipment and masks for our frontline workers. But while safety of residents must always be our top priority, I have been also working hard to find solutions for our local economy. Legislation Larchmont is home to many small businesses, some of which have been in the neighborhood for decades. Local businesses are truly the backbone of our economy, and they provide the

Council Report by

David E. Ryu

vibrant and innovative spirit that is so essential to our community. I worked quickly to support our local businesses and when I introduced legislation that would use up to $100 million in CARES Act money allocated to the city to help struggling businesses rehire employees who have lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program would be similar to the federal Paycheck Protection Program, but would be specific to the small business community here in Los Angeles. I’ve also held a series of Small Business Resource webinars, connecting local business

325 N. Larchmont Boulevard, #158 Los Angeles, California 90004 www.windsorsquare.org 157 N. Larchmont Boulevard

Halloween — All Trick and No Treat in 2020

Two days to go until Halloween! The scariest thing roaming our neighborhood on October 31 will not be a witch, a goblin or a ghost — it’s (still) coronavirus. That’s why state health officials are advising Californians to skip trick-or-treating this holiday. Los Angeles County public health officials strongly state that the activity is “not recommended,” and they have banned all Halloween gatherings of people outside of a household, including haunted houses. Beverly Hills has gone even further and completely banned door-to-door trick-or-treating. Our neighborhood has always been a popular destination for candy seekers, and our sidewalks and front porches can be jammed with costumed visitors — a perfect environment for passing out the worst “trick”: COVID-19. So have fun with private celebrations, or parade around in costume, but skip the door-to-door approach. And donate all the money you save by not buying candy to worthy causes, such as our local Big Sunday or the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank — treats we can feel good about.

ing the pandemic, and my office has worked to support them, including reaching out to commercial landlords and urging them to negotiate fair leases. In Larchmont, I have been disappointed to see that landlords have sometimes refused to cooperate in a meaningful way, and I just recently committed $25,000 from my office’s Discretionary Funds to a local small business recovery fund to help struggling establishments. During a pandemic that has put millions of people out of work, and has led to the permanent closure of tens of thousands of small businesses, this is a critical moment for Los Angeles, and for our country. We must do everything possible to support our local economy, to protect the establishments we have known and loved for decades, and to keep working Angelenos on payroll. But Los Angeles can’t do it alone. We need our state and federal partners to recognize the Depression-era economy we’re in before it’s too late, and to provide real relief. A healthy recovery will depend on the actions we take today, and I am committed to fighting for Los Angeles until we get the job done.

POLICE BEAT OLYMPIC DIVISION

Shop Local

©LC1120

Holiday shopping season is around the corner, and we urge you to shop local! The pandemic has hit area merchants hard. Let’s all work together to support our favorite neighborhood by buying from Larchmont shops. Great gift ideas abound. For example, the book lovers on your list (and you too!) can choose from Chevalier’s wellstocked shelves, as always. And if they don’t have what you want, they will order it for you. Landis Gifts & Stationery has a beautiful selection of ornaments, letter papers and stylish items for entertaining. Larchmont Beauty Supply offers a vast selection of cosmetics, candles, hand lotions and other luxuries. For clothes and fun accessories, check out Flicka (for children), Pickett Fences and Buck Mason. There’s Diptyque for beautiful candles and Silver Lining for picture frames, and many other sources too numerous to list here. So save time and energy (your own, as well as the energy it takes to deliver packages) by shopping locally. Reward yourself with a (socially distanced) cup of coffee or other treat. Pick up a pizza pie at Village Pizzeria, of course! You’ll be doing your part to save the Larchmont Boulevard we all love, and that’s really in the holiday spirit! 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. ADV.

owners to free, expert legal advice from the team at Bet Tzedek. If you weren’t able to join us, get in touch with Bet Tzedek and LA Represents for help finding free legal resources. You can find more information for both of these resources, and more, at davidryu.lacity.org/small_business. Restaurants We know that restaurants have been especially devastated by the pandemic. Restaurants have struggled to deal with new rules and health orders, all while trying to keep employees on payroll and their doors open. The “Al Fresco” program has been a lifeline to our local restaurants in many ways, allowing us to cut through red tape, support local businesses, and reimagine the ways we use our shared city spaces. I introduced legislation to make Al Fresco permanent and to allow a streamlined outdoor dining permitting process for interested restaurants. I’m happy to share that this legislation recently advanced out of committee, and is headed to full Council for a vote. Tenant rents It has been especially difficult for small businesses to navigate their commercial rental agreements dur-

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer Joseph Pelayo

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer Dave Cordova

213-793-0709 31762@lapd.lacity.org Twitter: @lapdolympic OLYMPIC DIVISION ROBBERIES: A victim was walking near the corner of Bronson and Elmwood when a vehicle pulled over in front of him with two suspects jumping out. One suspect pulled a gun on the victim while the other suspect searched his pockets, stealing a mobile phone and wallet on Oct. 4 at 12:15 a.m. A 77-year-old female victim was strong-armed and robbed of her mobile phone and purse after she parked her car in her building’s garage on the 600 block of S. Gramercy Pl. by a suspect who jumped into a waiting getaway car and fled on Oct. 6 at 4:30 p.m. BURGLARIES: A handgun was stolen from inside a home on the 400 block of S. Norton Ave. on Sept. 30 at midnight. Electronics and construction equipment were stolen from inside a home on the 300 block of S. Irving Blvd. after a suspect entered through an unlocked front door on Oct. 1 between 3 and 5 a.m.

213-793-0650 31646@lapd.lacity.org Twitter: @lapdwilshire Bicycles were stolen from a home on the 100 block of N. Norton Ave. on Oct. 9 at 8 p.m.

skin

deep by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald You’re certainly not the only one scrutinizing your aging face and neck during all of those Zoom calls. Cooler temperatures plus our collective dedication to wearing masks add up to the ideal time to treat the lower face discretely. Think turkey neck, jowls, double chin - all about as appealing as their names. Now how about all of them addressed with remarkable results? A double chin, otherwise known as submental fullness, was formerly only treated with liposuction. However, the FDA approved the injectable Kybella to remove chin fat. Kybella’s active component, deoxycholic acid, (a naturally occurring molecule in the body), breaks down fat cells to be carried away by your lymphatic system. The process also boosts collagen production to tighten the skin under your chin. The before and after photos are nothing short of astounding. Next up, we’ll suggest a skin-tightening laser, Thermage or Ulthera, to tighten skin, lift those jowls, and smooth your neck. Both devices use heat to stimulate collagen production in the deep layers of the skin: radiofrequency (RF) energy from Thermage, and ultrasound technology from Ultherapy. Imagine a restored smooth jawline and improved facial contours. We can even customize our approach for you with both Thermage and Ulthera. This month receive 20% off Ulthera and Thermage full face and neck plus 20% off skincare to maintain your results. Contact our office for your face lift alternative consultation and let’s get started. Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald is a Board Certified Dermatologist located in Larchmont Village with a special focus on anti-aging technology. She is a member of the Botox Cosmetic National Education Faculty and is an international Training Physician for Dermik, the makers of the injectable Sculptra. She is also among a select group of physicians chosen to teach proper injection techniques for Radiesse, the volumizing filler, around the world. Dr. Fitzgerald is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA. Visit online at www.RebeccaFitzgeraldMD. com or call (323) 464-8046 to schedule an appointment. Adv.

Larchmont Chronicle

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Larchmont Chronicle

2020 Fall Dining Guide Dining out is changing in the era of COVID-19 By Rachel Olivier

In the new normal experienced by most people this year, dining out has either ceased or significantly decreased, depending on local public health guidelines and individual choice. Terms such as “PPE,” “positivity rate” and “physical distancing” have entered common parlance as diners and restaurants consider how to continue functioning in the midst of a pandemic. At this writing, Los Angeles County allows “al fresco” or outdoor dining for most eateries and some wineries and breweries with established protocols for implementation, such as wearing face coverings except when seated at a table, hand sanitizing stations, and advanced reservations suggested. This is in addition to pickup

and delivery services (many through companies such as DoorDash, Grubhub Postmates and Uber Eats) that also are offered by most restaurants. While we may miss the ritual of dining inside a restaurant or visiting a favorite pub, we are fortunate to live in a city that has a more temperate climate. Even as we enter the fall and winter months, if restaurants cannot resume indoor dining, the addition of an outdoor heater and an umbrella could mitigate any discomfort while dining al fresco, and still allow for compliance with County of Los Angeles Dept. of Public Health guidance and protocols (visit tinyurl.com/y6e7m84b). As most of us have learned this year, however, guidance from the public health

officer can change with the increase or decrease in COVID-19 positivity rates. To allow for that, in vetting our Annual Dining Guide list of restaurants this year, we’ve added descriptors for what types of services they may provide — “P” for pickup, “D” for delivery and “A” for al fresco dining. Most restaurants have changed their operating hours and sometimes their menu offerings, so check websites or call the business to inquire about any changes in services. In the Guide (in the centerfold pages of this section) we also have included restaurants that have decided to close temporarily or permanently because of the pandemic. Guide begins on page 16.

NOVEMBER 2020

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Larchmont Chronicle

2020 Fall Dining Guide Will the pandemic gobble up Thanksgiving get-togethers? By Helene Seifer Thanksgiving is second only to Christmas as America’s favorite holiday. This family gorge-fest has been widely celebrated since Sarah Josepha Hale, founder of “American

Ladies Magazine” and writer of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” convinced President Abraham Lincoln to declare it a national holiday in 1863. With this country in a second and perhaps third COVID-19

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wave, are we still planning to gather together in 2020? Or do we risk sharing the virus along with the turkey and stuffing? Guest-free November “My husband is from Massachusetts, so Thanksgiving is the ‘it’ holiday of the year,” states Beate Kessler-McDermott, explaining that her family is German and that Thanksgiving wasn’t a big deal growing up. Now, however, “We usually do a gigundo Thanksgiving” in their Windsor Square home, welcoming up to 14 people, including their three grown daughters, friends, “strays,” and even foreign exchange students. Her husband Neil takes charge of the turkey and cranberry sauce. Kessler-McDermott is responsible for the pumpkin pie and hors d’oeuvre, including crab dip, shrimp and popovers. This year is different, of course. Worried about their health, the McDermotts are resigned to a guest-free November, but she nevertheless wants to do something to mark the holiday. They may change their minds, but they’ve reserved a casita in La Quinta where they can easily socially distance and

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eat outdoors under the warm desert sun. Kessler-McDermott explains, “It might be strange in our big house. It’s too weird to be alone there.” Caravan to desert “Alone” is not what Sue Carr has in mind for the holiday. “Everyone’s been really healthy and smart,” insists Carr of the 22 to 24 family members who hope to continue their Palm Springs Thanksgiving tradition this year. “I’m not terrified. Life is full of risks.” Her son-in-law’s family owns two houses there, and they rent another one. The grandparents, children, grandchildren, cousins, aunts, uncles and in-laws spread out over the properties. The Windsor Square resident takes the holiday seriously, making certain that not only the food is perfect, but the décor is, too. “I pack up and bring our silver, china and fine linens.” Once there, everyone has assignments. Carr explains, “My daughter Courtney cooks two giant turkeys. Some people do fabulous potatoes. Some just bring flowers.” Ritz Cracker stuffing Julia Johnson also generally hosts large Thanksgiving din-

A WELCOMING TABLE from a Thanksgiving past with the McDermott Family. Left to right, John McDermott, friends Ramona Mallory and Chris Vance, Beate Kessler-McDermott, German foreign exchange student Victoria Putze, Zack Hughes.

ners. “Usually we have about 25 people in the backyard for Thanksgiving,” she says. “It’s really fun.” She, her husband Chris Marcil and their children Will and Coco invite various friends to join them al fresco. She continues, “My husband loves to cook and cooks almost everything.” He often prepares a heritage turkey; one year he cooked a turducken. One thing Marcil must make every year is Ritz Cracker stuffing. “This sounds hilarious,” she admits, “but you should make it. It’s the best thing! Chris always makes an extra bowl just for me!” (Please turn to page 15)

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

2020 Fall Dining Guide

For All Your Holiday Needs!

Thanksgiving

(Continued from page 14) Last year, Johnson skipped Thanksgiving because she was on deadline to finish her second novel, “Better Luck Next Time,” due out in January. Their children didn’t travel home from college and husband Chris went to his mother’s house for the meal. That year, the Wilcox Avenue resident realized it was okay to shed the Thanksgiving burden. Johnson’s fine with skipping the big gathering this year, too, considering it “a perk of COVID.” Of course, her husband still has to provide a vat of Ritz Cracker stuffing. Snapping beans Andrea Meigs knows 2020 won’t be a normal holiday when the whole family does not congregate at their N. Las Palmas home. “My mom will be here,” Meigs thinks out loud, “and our kids Avery, Isabella and Calla. My husband, John. My in-laws might stop by.” She thinks the rest of the extended family will divide among other households in this time of the virus. Regardless, their usual feast will happen. “I make yams. My daughter likes the melted marshmallows on top. My husband John makes orange glazed duck. I make string beans.” Making the beans is important to Meigs because it reminds her of Thanksgiving with her child-

PRE-PANDEMIC THANKSGIVING with the John and Andrea Meigs family. Clockwise from lower left, daughter Avery, daughter Isabella, Ann Avery (John’s grandmother), Darryl Meigs, Darryl Meigs Jr., John Meigs Sr. (John’s father), DaVonne Meigs, Dorothy Nelson (Andrea’s mother), Kameron Nelson, daughter Calla, John Meigs Jr., Connie Meigs (John’s mother). Not pictured: Andrea Meigs, photographer.

hood family. “I would come home from college and stay up late the night before and snap the beans with my father. My children do it with me now.” And that’s really the reason

ER ORDU YO RAY HOLID BIRDSY! EARL

so many are trying to find a way to somehow commemorate the occasion in the midst of COVID-19. Family tradition, especially now, connects and heals us.

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©LC1115

SUE CARR AND DAUGHTER Courtney Macker pictured with a feast from the past.

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ince 1934, The Original Farmers Market has been serving the community with the finest groceries available. Our artisan grocers are the best in the business, offering the absolute freshest meats, seafood, produce, pies and baked goods imaginable. Plus, we offer farm-to-table produce, fine imported cheeses and a floral shop to complete your holiday shopping list—all in a breezy, al fresco atmosphere. Visit us soon at Third & Fairfax or at farmersmarketla.com.

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HOME TO

THANKSGIVING SOIRÉES were a tradition at the Johnson-Marcil home.

LET THIRD & FAIRFAX COME TO YOU VIA MERCATO.COM WITH CONVENIENT AND SAFE GROCERY DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR.

L.A.’s BEST LOCAL GROCERS 6333 W. THIRD ST. LOS ANGELES • 323.933.9211 @FARMERSMARKETLA

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Larchmont Chronicle

Larchmont Chronicle’s In the time of COVID-19, some local eateries adapt, some close This list is a sample of the dining options available in and around our neighborhood. For this year of coronavirus, we’ve added descriptors for what types of services a restaurant may provide — “P” for pickup, “D” for delivery available, and “A” for al fresco dining. If a favorite eatery was overlooked, please let us know at info@ larchmontchronicle.com. Call ahead to confirm hours and/or to reserve.

Larchmont Boulevard BRICKS AND SCONES

CHIPOTLE

301 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-978-2047 chipotle.com 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.

ERIN MCKENNA’S BAKERY

KREATION JUICE

121 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-848-4714 kreationjuice.com 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

LARCHMONT VILLAGE WINE, SPIRITS & CHEESE

236 N. Larchmont Blvd. 855-462-2292 223 N. Larchmont Blvd. erinmckennasbakery.com 323-856-8699 Sun. to Thurs., 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri. larchmontvillagewine.com and Sat., 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon. to Sat., 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

GO GET EM TIGER

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 230 N. Larchmont Blvd. 113 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-543-4321 323-461-7701 gget.com lepainquotidien.com Mon. to Fri., 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Sat., Sun., 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

NOAH’S BAGELS

250 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-466-2924 noahs.com 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

PEET’S COFFEE 124 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-978-1003 peets.com 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

PRESSED JUICERY 201 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-464-5800 pressedjuicery.com 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

SAM’S BAGELS 154 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-469-1249 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

LE PETIT GREEK 403 N. Larchmont Blvd. GOOD GOOSE CAFÉ 127 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-463-0811 5210 Beverly Blvd. 323-464-5160 bricksandscones.menufy.com STARBUCKS 323-378-5272 lepetitgreek.com Mon. to Fri., 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 206 N. Larchmont Blvd. goodgoosecafe.com Tues. to Thurs., 4 to 8 p.m.; Fri. Sat., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 323-469-1081 Mon. to Fri., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sat. and Sat., 4 to 8:30 p.m.; Sun., 3 starbucks.com and Sun., noon to 8 p.m. BURGER LOUNGE to 8 p.m. 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. 217 N. Larchmont Blvd. GROUNDWORK 323-462-2310 LEMONADE SWEETFIN 150 N. Larchmont Blvd. burgerlounge.com 626 N. Larchmont Blvd. 135 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-843-4920 Sun. to Thurs., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; 323-464-0700 323-465-6040 groundworkcoffee.com Fri., Sat., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. lemonadela.com sweetfin.com Mon. to Fri., 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. and Sun., 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. CAFÉ GRATITUDE

639 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-580-6383 cafegratitude.com 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

CHAN DARA

JAMBA JUICE 122 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-378-5720 jamba.com 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily.

310 N. Larchmont Blvd. KIKU SUSHI 323-467-1052 246 N. Larchmont Blvd. chandararestaurants.com 323-464-1323 Tues. to Sat., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Noon to 9 p.m. daily. 5 to 8 p.m.

LOUISE’S TRATTORIA

TACOS TU MADRE

203 N. Larchmont Blvd. 232 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-499-1143 323-962-9510 tacostumadre.com louises.com Sun. to Thurs., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Fri., Sat., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

MURAYA

UNCOOL BURGERS

Sun., 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

VERNETTI 225 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-798-5886 vernetti.la Tues. to Fri., noon to 3 p.m.; Tues. to Sun., 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

VILLAGE PIZZERIA 131 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-465-5566 villagepizzeria.net Wed. to Thurs., 3 to 8 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 3 to 8:30 p.m.; Sun., 3 to 8 p.m.

Beyond the Boulevard 6TH & LA BREA BREWERY 6thlabrea.com Permanently Closed

ALL ABOUT THE BREAD 7111 Melrose Ave. 323-930-8989 allaboutthebread.com 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

ANARKALI INDIAN RESTAURANT 7013 Melrose Ave. 323-934-6488 anarkalilosangeles.com Sun. to Thurs., 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

ANGELINI ALIMENTARI, ANGELINI OSTERIA

139 N. Larchmont Blvd. 7313 Beverly Blvd. 323-417-7900 323-297-0070 125 N. Larchmont Blvd. uncool.fun angelinirestaurantgroup.com 323-856-0369 Mon. - Sat., 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m..; Mon. to Thurs., 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Angelini Alimentari: 11 a.m. to 3 Fri. and Sat., 10 a.m. to midnight; p.m. daily. Sun., 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Love Dogs?

Sun – Thurs 9:30 am – 10:00 pm Fri & Sat 9:30 am – Midnight

La Brea & Melrose

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Dining Guide - Fall 2020 Angelini Osteria: Mon. to Thurs., BLACK DOG COFFEE noon to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 10:30 5657 Wilshire Blvd. p.m., Fri., noon to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 323-933-1976 to 11 p.m., Sat., 5 to 11 p.m.; Sun., blackdogcoffee.com 5 to 10:30 p.m. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

ANIMAL 435 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-782-9225 animalrestaurant.com Temporarily Closed

ANTICO 4653 Beverly Blvd. 323-510-3093 antico-la.com Mon. to Tues., 3 to 8 p.m.; Wed. to Sun., 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

ANTONIO’S 7470 Melrose Ave. 323-658-9060 antoniosonmelrose.com Tues. to Sun., noon to 9 p.m.

APOLLONIA’S PIZZERIA 5176 Wilshire Blvd. 323-937-2823 apolloniaspizzeria.com Wed. to Sun., noon to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m.

ASTROBURGER

BLUDSO’S BAR + QUE

AUBURN

BERRI’S CAFÉ 8412 W. 3rd St. 323-852-0642 berrisla.com Noon to 4 a.m. daily.

EAST INDIA GRILL 1245 S. Fairfax Ave. 323-936-8844 eastindiagrillla.com 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

609 N. La Brea Ave. 323-931-2583 barandque.com THE EDMON Mon. to Thurs., 11:30 a.m. to 5168 Melrose Ave. 3 p.m. and 5 to 9:30 p.m., Fri., 323-645-5225 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to theedmon.com 10 p.m., Sat., noon to 10 p.m.; Wed. to Sat., 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sun., noon to 9 p.m.

CANTER’S DELI 419 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-651-2030 cantersdeli.com Open 24 hours.

THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE PUB AND RESTAURANT 742 N. Highland Ave. 323-468-3800 thecatandfiddle.com Noon to 9 p.m. daily.

COMMERSON 788 S. La Brea Ave. 323-813-3000 Temporarily Closed

5601 Melrose Ave. THE COUNTER 323-469-1924 5779 Wilshire Blvd. astroburger.com 323-932-8900 Mon. to Sat., 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; thecounterburger.com Sun., 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. auburnla.com Permanently Closed

dupars.net Sun. to Thurs., 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Fri., Sat., 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

DRAGO RISTORANTE 6060 Wilshire Blvd. 323-800-2244 dragoristorante.com Temporarily Closed

DU-PAR’S Farmers Market 323-933-8446

EINSTEIN BROS. BAGELS 5550 Wilshire Blvd. 323-330-9501 einsteinbros.com Mon. to Fri., 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU Permanently Closed

HMS BOUNTY 3357 Wilshire Blvd. 213-385-7275 thehmsbounty.com Noon to 8 p.m. daily.

HOT WINGS CAFÉ 7011 Melrose Ave. 323-930-1233 hotwingscafe.net 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

INDIA’S TANDOORI 5468 Wilshire Blvd. 323-936-2050 indiastandoori.net 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES

EL CHOLO 5655 Wilshire Blvd. 1121 S. Western Ave. 323-297-4467 323-734-2773 ihop.com elcholo.com 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Sun. - Thurs., 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri., ISA JAPANESE Sat., 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. 916 S. La Brea Ave. EL COYOTE CAFÉ 323-879-9536 7312 Beverly Blvd. isajapanese.com 323-939-2255 11 a.m. to midnight daily. elcoyotecafe.com JON & VINNY’S Wed. to Sun., noon to 9 p.m. 412 N. Fairfax Ave. ESCUELA TAQUERIA 323-334-3369 7615 Beverly Blvd. jonandvinnys.com 323-932-6178 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. escuelataqueria.com KALI RESTAURANT 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. 5722 Melrose Ave. THE GROVE 323-871-4160 189 The Grove Dr. kalirestaurant.com 323-900-8080 Mon. to Fri., noon to 2 p.m. and 6 thegrovela.com to 10 p.m.; Sat., 6 to 10 p.m.; Sun., A wide variety of restaurants open 6 to 9 p.m. Sun. to Thurs., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri. and Sat., 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

LA BREA BAKERY CAFÉ 468 S. La Brea Ave. 323-939-6813 labreabakery.com 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily.

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB 100 La Cienaga Blvd. 310-652-2827 lawrysonline.com Mon. to Thurs., 5 to 9 p.m.; Fri., 5 to 10 p.m.; Sat., 4 to 10 p.m.; Sun., 4 to 9 p.m.

LITTLE BAR LOUNGE 757 S. La Brea Ave. littlebarlounge.com Temporarily Closed

LUCIFER’S PIZZA 7123 Melrose Ave. 323-424-4230 luciferspizza.com Mon. to Thurs., noon to 10 p.m.; Fri. to Sun., noon to 11 p.m.

LUCY’S EL ADOBE 5536 Melrose Ave. 323-462-9421 Temporarily Closed

M CAFÉ 7119 Melrose Ave. 323-525-0588 mcafedechaya.com/menus 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

M GRILL 3832 Wilshire Blvd. 213-389-2770 m-grill.com Mon. to Thurs., 5:30 to 9 p.m.; Fri., 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Sat., 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Sun., 4 to 8:30 p.m.

MARINO RISTORANTE 6001 Melrose Ave. 323-466-8812

(Please turn to page 18)

ThinkPink's.

Enjoy Dining on our Patio or Take it To Go!

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

2020 Fall Dining Guide metheratabar.com 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. marinorestaurant.com Mon. to Fri., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and MET HIM AT A BAR 5 to 10 p.m.; Sat., 5 to 10 p.m. 801 S. La Brea Ave. Virtual dinner events. 323-852-3321 methimatabar.com MARKET TAVERN Mon. to Thurs., 4 to 10 p.m.; Fri., Farmers Market 4 to 10:30 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m. to 323-452-9299 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. markettavernla.com Mon. to Wed., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thurs. to Fri., 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; MUSSO AND FRANK Sat., 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun., 11 GRILL a.m. to 11 p.m. 6667 Hollywood Blvd. MET HER AT A BAR 323-467-7788 759 S. La Brea Ave. mussoandfrank.com 323-847-5013 Temporarily Closed

(Continued from page 17)

OFF VINE RESTAURANT 6263 Leland Way 323-962-1900 offvine.com Mon. to Thurs., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat., 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

ONO HAWAIIAN BBQ 5550 Wilshire Blvd. 323-525-1688 onohawaiianbbq.com Sun. to Thurs., 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

ORIGINAL FARMERS MARKET 63333 W. Third St.

323-933-9211 ROCCO’S PIZZA farmersmarketla.com 6335 Wilshire Blvd. A wide variety of restaurants and 323-655-0058 specialty food shops, open 10 a.m. roccospizza.la to 6 p.m. daily. Mon., 3 to 9 p.m.; Tues. to Sun., noon to 9 p.m.

OSTERIA LA BUCA

5210 Melrose Ave. 323-462-1900 osterialabuca.com Noon to 9 p.m. daily.

OSTERIA MAMMA 5732 Melrose Ave. 323-284-7060 osteriamamma.com Mon. to Sat., 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 5 to 10 p.m.

OSTERIA / PIZZERIA MOZZA

SPARE TIRE 5370 Wilshire Blvd. 323-823-4890 sparetirepub.com Wed. to Fri., 4 to 10 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

SYCAMORE KITCHEN 143 S. La Brea Ave. 323-939-0151 thesycamorekitchen.com 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

TART

6602 Melrose Ave. 115 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-297-0100 323-556-2608 la.osteriamozza.com tartrestaurant.com Wed. to Thurs., 5:30 to 9 p.m.; Sat., Sun., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fri. to Sat., 5:30 to 10 pm.; Sun., SUPREMO RISTORANTE 5 to 9 p.m. 901 S. La Brea Ave. PACIFIC DINING CAR 323-852-3192 pacificdiningcar.com supremoristorante.com Permanently Closed Sun. to Thurs., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

PETIT TROIS

718 N. Highland Ave. 323-468-8916 petittrois.com Wed. to Sun., 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

PETROSSIAN

PETTY CASH

Mention this ad for a special treat!

Our large catering trays are available throughout the holiday season.

7360 Beverly Blvd. 323-933-5300 pettycashtaqueria.com 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. daily.

Let us take care of the cooking! ©LC1120

PINK’S HOT DOGS

www.angelinirestaurantgroup.com Open for Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner – Catering

A TASTE OF GREECE

Open with Temporary Hours Dinners Tues.-Sun.

Our healthy, delicious, Greek Mediterranean cuisine comes from the Peloponnese region. Our recipes are those of our forefathers and we delight in sharing our philosophy of conscious, healthy living with our guests, because we truly care about your health and well being.

Dimitris

TROIS MEC troismec.com Permanently Closed

TSUJITA & CO.

109 N. Fairfax 709 N. La Brea Ave. 323-591-0470 323-931-4223 tsujita-usa.com pinkshollywood.com 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Sun. to Thurs., 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 TSURI SUSHI p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 9:30 a.m. 7015 Melrose Ave. to midnight. 323-935-1517 PROVIDENCE Mon. to Thurs., 5:30 to 10 p.m.; 5955 Melrose Ave. Fri., 5:30 to 11 p.m.; Sat., 4 to 11 323-460-4170 p.m.; Sun., 4 to 10 p.m. providencela.com WIRTSHAUS Tues. to Fri., 6 to 9 p.m.; Fri., 345 N. La Brea Ave. noon to 2 p.m.; Sat., 5:30 to 9 323-931-9291 p.m. wirtshausla.com RALEIGH STUDIOS CAFÉ Mon. to Thurs., 4 to 11 p.m.; Fri. to 650 N. Bronson Ave. Sun., noon to midnight. 323-871-5660 YUKO KITCHEN raleighstudios.com 5484 Wilshire Blvd. Temporarily Closed 323-933-4020 RAY’S AND STARK BAR yukokitchen.com Mon. to Sat., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at LACMA 5905 Wilshire Blvd. 323-857-6180 raysandstarkbar.com Temporarily Closed

RÉPUBLIQUE

“Stin y yassas!” … To Your Health! Your Host Dimitris Houndalas

Take-out Available Online on website - or call 323-464-5160

©LC1120

Celebrating 32 Years with Plenty of Al Fresco Dining

7111 Melrose Ave. 323-747-1388 tatsuramen.com 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

321 N. Robertson Blvd. TAYLOR’S STEAKHOUSE 310-271-6300 3361 W. Eighth St. petrossianrestaurants.com 213-382-8449 Wed. to Sun., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; taylorssteakhouse.com Sun., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun. to Thurs., 4 to 9:30 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 4 to 10:30 p.m.

Celebrate at home with Angelini!

7313-7321 Beverly Blvd | 323.297.0070 7313 – 7317 Beverly Blvd.,| Loswww.angelinirestaurantgroup.com Angeles, 90036 | 323.297.0070

TATSU RAMEN

127 North Larchmont Boulevard • www.lepetitgreek.com

624 S. La Brea Ave. 310-362-6115 republiquela.com 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily; Wed. to Mon., 6 to 9 p.m.

= Pickup = Delivery = Al Fresco

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

Timeless. . .

SECTION ONE

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

2020 Fall Dining Guide Firehouse Dinners menu expands “Power burgers” and “fire buns” were delivered recently as a thank-you to firefighters and first responders at Los Angeles Fire Station 61, on Third Street, just west of La Brea Ave. As part of the expansion of “Firehouse Dinners,” the FirstIn Fire Foundation program coordinates the menus and delivery of food from the Original Farmers Market and other area merchants, said Lyn MacEwen Cohen, founder and president, First-In Fire Foundation. The protein-packed burgers arrived from Huntington Meats. The freshly baked “fire buns” were from Diamond

Bakery in the Fairfax District, and corn and green beans came from Farm Fresh Produce. Miracle Mile’s local Fire Station 61, which serves Larchmont Village, was among the seven fire stations that received these sumptuous meals. “Preparedness is Patriotic” is the latest theme for “Firehouse Dinners,” a nutritious meal program during this challenging pandemic time and at the advent of Thanksgiving. “This program gives firefighters a respite from shopping and gathering food for their meals and helps their food budget as well,” Cohen said.

The First-In Fire Foundation program also supports local small businesses, restaurants and merchants and shows appreciation to local firefighters and first responders. Additionally, the Foundation has reached out to homeowner associations, neighborhood councils, and local residents and small business groups to not only prepare their families for natural disasters, but to help meet their needs during unexpected crises. “Emergency preparedness is patriotic,” says Cohen. Funds from the offices of Councilmembers David Ryu

FROM THE FRONTLINES. Back row: Chief Monica Hall, Battalion 18; Firefighters from FS 61: Joe Luna, Joel Fine, Capt. Matthew Hennessy, and Engineer Ryan Guzman; Angel Izard, field deputy, Council District 5; and Deputy Chief Ronnie Villanueva, Commander, Operations South Bureau, LAFD. Front row: from FS 61: Capt. Timothy Rockey, Engineer Manny Zepeda, Richard Franco, Santiago Bustamante, and Phil Tran; and Jared Pursell, program coordinator, First-In Fire Foundation.

and Paul Koretz, from Television City and from private donors support the project. As resources become available, the Foundation will extend the program to other fire sta-

tions and communities. For more information, visit firstinfirefoundation.org, or write firstinfirefoundation@gmail. com or call 323- 933-8164.

Ristorante

Open for 37 years Host your private or company party here in our beautiful patio. Tent and heaters for winter arriving under the century-old olive tree.

Come in for Take Out or Dine al fresco

Catering Available

Enjoy our food at your home. We’ll come to you. Pick up, drop off, or full catering.

It’s been a tough year. We are here for you. Shop local and support small local businesses.

on our Outdoor Patio

323-466-8812 • www.marinorestaurant.com 6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

www.elcoyotecafe.com

email: sal@marinorestaurant.com

CHOW TIME

©LC0320

7312 Beverly Blvd. 323-939-2255

©LC1120

We wish you all a happy holiday season and a better 2021! The Marino Family

ANYTIME

GREAT STEAKS, FRESH SEAFOOD, SALADS AND SANDWICHES ARE IN BOUNTIFUL QUANTITY & QUALITY ON BOARD THE H.M.S. BOUNTY. OPEN DAILY FROM NOON TO 8 P.M. FOR PICK-UP AND DELIVERY.

World Famous Restaurant • Deli • Bakery • Bar Open 24 Hours

213-385-7275 3357 Wilshire Blvd.

419 N. Fairfax Ave. (323) 651-2030 Entertainment Nightly in the Kibitz Room • www.cantersdeli.com

©LC1120

Between Alexandria & Catalina

thehmsbounty.com

©LC 0406

WELCOME ABOARD, MATES!

Our Reuben is a classic!

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

2020 Fall Dining Guide Caterers, underground chefs pivot during the pandemic On the Menu by

Helene Seifer

kabobs, roasted squash with kale, beet salad with pomegranate maple vinaigrette, and compressed watermelon, cucumber and feta salad. We ordered the chicken breast in fresh tomato paprikash with roasted eggplant and potato and onion hash, Chianti-braised beef and mushroom ragout with ziti, shrimp and andouille sausage gumbo, collard and romaine salad with blueberries, pepitas and molasses vinaigrette. The portions

are small, but so are the prices, and these four dishes amply fed two for dinner with a little left for lunch the next day. The beef and pasta was terrific. Chianti added depth and a whiff of Italy, the ziti was al dente, even when reheated at home. The next day, as is so often true of braised foods, the flavor was even better. The gumbo was liberally seasoned with the signature gumbo spice, powdered filé (ground sassafras leaves), and it reminded me of one of the best meals I’d had years ago in New Orleans. However, my quibble is that the shrimp were small and scarce, and while it doesn’t take much andouille to flavor any dish, I’d still like more slices on my plate. The overall effect was of eating a wonderful sauce over rice, rather than

a heartier gumbo. The thinsliced chicken breast had been cooked sous vide before being lapped with paprikash sauce. Using a water bath to cook protein guarantees a moist, soft chew. The eggplant and hash sides were fine, but I was glad we had ordered the salad for a

needed crunchy counterpoint to the chicken. The greens were sliced into ribbons, which made a pretty backdrop to the round berries and ovoid pepitas. The sweet note of blueberries in the salad is genius! Hundred Miles, Hundredmilesla.com, 323-508-3620.

BOGIE’S LIQUOR

Open 7 Days Hours: Open 12 noon Close 2 a.m.

5753 Melrose Ave.

Call 323-469-1414

©LC0920

We all know how difficult it has been for restaurants to adapt and survive during this pandemic, but little attention has been given to caterers. Chefs who regularly executed menus for banquet halls, fancy dinner parties and weddings have seen their businesses dry up completely. Similarly, there are dozens of pop-up purveyors who in the “before times” would email their fan bases to announce their next underground supper club in a storefront downtown or an alley in Venice, and now they are bereft of crowds clamoring for coveted spots at the table. Laurent Quenioux, who earned his chops in his native France, is a former restaurant chef (7th St. Bistro, Bistro LQ) and one-time executive chef for Dodger Stadium. Afterwards, he started LQ Foodings, a supper club run out of other restaurant spaces and even his own backyard. Featured in “Food & Wine” magazine and Bravo TV’s “Getting Off the Menu,” these delicious, super-foodie multi-course meals sold out as soon as they were announced. Although Quenioux is again hosting small, COVID-compliant, inperson backyard suppers at his home in Corona ($85-$174), he also has pivoted to weekly Saturday take-out. As of this writing, LQ Foodings listed a $49 “Boxx,” consisting of a foie gras torchon snack and a cold uni amuse bouche, followed by five courses, including duck salad, diver scallop with truffle-scented risotto and wild boar shank with winter squash mousse. There’s always an optional cheese course add-on and usually wine to purchase. Many weeks, there is an even more elaborate $95 menu available. LQ Foodings. For information, visit bistrolq.com. • • • Louis Pechan spent 12 years as the executive chef of The Ebell of Los Angeles before leaving to launch his own catering operation, Hundred Miles. His local approach to cooking, including the inclusion of foraged greens and herbs, struck a chord, and his business was growing. In March, everything stopped. Pechan switched to a weekly limited menu, posted on Sundays, delivered to households on Thursday. In the Chronicle neighborhood, the chef himself delivers the order. Usually there is a choice of four mains ($14-$16) and two salads or vegetables ($11-$14). Recent menus offered beef stroganoff, shakshuka rockfish, short ribs, pancetta rigatoni, kaffir lime chicken breast

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Larchmont Chronicle

Small measures won’t turn the lights back on, on Broadway No tricks, few treats: the Broadway League last month announced that it would continue the suspension of all ticket sales for Broadway performances in New York City through May 30, 2021. “‘With nearly 97,000 workers who rely on Broadway for their livelihood and an annual economic impact of $14.8 billion to the city (NYC), our membership is committed to re-opening as soon as conditions permit us to do so,’ Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League, which represents producers, stated in the release.”

(USA Today, October 9, 2020) Compare this to ABC News’ reporting of “staggering losses” in the airline industry (October 1, 2020) that reported that nearly 40,000 jobs would be lost if Congress did not approve a $25 million bailout for the airlines (which it did not). Look at the numbers Now, any job loss is devastating psychologically and emotionally, as well as financially. But look at the numbers. If the respective industry sources are to be believed, New York City alone lost more than twice the number of jobs on Broadway as

Theater Review by

Louis Fantasia the U.S. airline industry did nationally. Adding to those numbers in New York are the historic season closures of the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic. Nationally, according to an Aug. 11 report in “Forbes” online magazine, 2.7 MILLION arts jobs have been lost, with a

Hands-on Projects • Swimming & Field Trips Computer Science & Technology • Before & After Care Included Small Class Size with Differentiated Instruction

cumulative loss in sales of $42.5 BILLION dollars. This includes those working in film, media, advertising, visual and performing arts. More than two thirds of these losses occurred in cities with a population of a million or more, with, as to be expected, New York and Los Angeles leading the bloodbath. Strategy needed Quoting the authors of the Brookings Institute study that did the arts economic analysis, the “Forbes” article concludes that “small, stop-gap measures will not undo the damage (of the pandemic); a substantial and sustained national creativeeconomy recovery strategy is required… The most critical challenge is facing those who facilitate, promote, and perform in live events… The longer that events are prohibited from taking place with substantial audiences, the bigger the threat that the infrastructure supporting these events, (such as) promoters, sound engineers, venues, musicians, dancers, directors, etc., will disappear.” Which makes me, and many of my colleagues and friends, dinosaurs threatened with extinction. It is true that compared to rampaging wildfires, epic hurricanes, collapsing ice shelves, impending mass evictions, raging social and racial injustice, and a viral epidemic that, Presidential claims not withstanding, will have probably killed more than 235,000 Americans by the time this column is published, solving a crisis of out-of-work artists is

not high on anyone’s to-do list. But it should be. Between 1935 and 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration created and sustained the Federal Art Project, the Federal Music Project, the Federal Writers’ Project, and the Federal Theatre Project as part of the WPA (Works Progress Administration), providing work for thousands of artists during the Great Depression. Of course, the complication here is the audience: as long as we are in the midst of a pandemic, we cannot gather as a live audience in any meaningful way, and virtual theater, art and music are only satisfying in limited measures. Plan now But that is not to say that the next administration should not begin to plan now, with a national plan to employ artists and commission new works, rebuild arts infrastructures, and reinvigorate arts education programs in public schools (which have suffered because of a mindless and meaningless emphasis on quantifiable “testing”). President Roosevelt’s administration spent approximately $35 million on the combined WPA arts programs (about $700 million in today’s money). That’s the cost of about eight F-35 jet fighters or 2% of this year’s subsidy to American farmers. I know that, as a nation, we need to eat and protect ourselves, but we also need the arts. Now, more than ever. Otherwise, who are we feeding and what are we protecting?

John Burroughs project continues during pandemic

Neville Anderson, MD, FAAP Amaka Priest, MD Courtney Mannino, MD, FAAP Board-Certified Pediatricians

By Billy Taylor The John Burroughs Middle School Comprehensive Modernization project is currently in design with portions of the project under review by the Division of the State Architect, according to a Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) spokesperson. Burroughs is one of 11 campuses chosen to benefit first from major improvements to its facilities through the LAUSD’s Comprehensive Modernization Project. “Construction activities are anticipated to begin in mid-

2021,” Elvia Perez Cano told the Chronicle last month. According to the spokesperson, the project has continued to progress throughout the pandemic, and the district is utilizing this time period without students on campus to complete multiple site and building investigations. A “Project Update Bulletin” will be distributed soon to the community, explained Cano, adding that the next community update meeting will be scheduled prior to the start of construction.

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Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

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NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Larchmont Chronicle

Local pre-school makes changes to serve community By Caroline Tracy Plymouth School, a nonprofit preschool for ages 2 through 5, has been serving greater Hancock Park residents for nearly five decades. Many in the neighborhood have connections; multiple generations of families have

enrolled their children and consider it the source of lifelong friendships and muchneeded community during the early years of child-rearing. When the pandemic hit, the loss of that sense of community, not so easily translated over Zoom, was felt deeply.

“We responded to the shutdown initially by offering an hour of virtual class time, which was, of course, not very productive,” said Director of School Megan Drynan. “When you’re working with the under-five population, there are limitations. We

OUTDOOR classrooms function with the help of barriers.

functioned like that until the end of the school year, and we then worked tirelessly over the summer to be able to offer more for our families.” Outdoor Classrooms As of Sept. 15, Plymouth has been open full time. Over the summer, the hard work and logistical considerations that Drynan referred to involved developing a plan through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Department of Social Services, as well as adhering to Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. In accordance with County and CDC guidelines, Plym-

outh is now fully operational as a “childcare center.” The school built partitions in their sizeable yard to make outdoor classrooms feasible. The school facilitates daily health screenings of all students, parents and caregivers though an app. It employs around-theclock cleaning services, and it utilizes UV lights for toy, material and apparatus cleaning. Masks are widely worn, though not mandated. Help for working parents “Our school’s ethos over the past 49 years has always been about the social and emotional development of children (Please turn to page 25)

Kip’s

engage and support the little guy,” says Lily. “They see that lots of places are going out of business and people are realizing how important it is to shop small. They don’t want to wake up one morning and see that their favorite little nostalgic store is closed and say, ‘Wait? They’re gone? What???’” Even with today’s uncertainty, Lily and Don feel good about their current situation, all because of one absolute constant in life: “Sometimes…” says Don, “kids just need to play.”

(Continued from page 3)

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Toys R Us can order 600,000 Slinkys, while we order six. The cost is so much higher for us. But now that we’re in a pandemic, we understand that people don’t feel safe going out, so we bit the bullet and are slowly working to get our website fully up and running by the end of the year.” This is not the first existential threat Kip’s Toyland has faced in its 75 years of operation. Does anyone remember the giant F.A.O. Schwartz at the Grove, just a hundred yards from Kip’s? “It was like David and Goliath,” remembers Don. “That was one of my grandfather’s biggest challenges,” says Lily. “But he said, ‘people know we’re here and they will come. They are loyal and they count on us, we are a dependable store.’” “Dad was once interviewed by Steve Lopez of the L.A. Times,” remembers Don, “who asked him, ‘do you ever go into F.A.O. Schwartz?’ My dad replied, ‘No, I never saw the need to!’” “We’re the underdog,” states Lily unequivocally. “Who thought the little guy would prevail? Who knew that the big toy store with the huge teddy bears would be gone, and that we would keep trudging along?” Lily and Don are both thrilled that their “little toy store that could” has survived multiple downturns over the years, and they are quick to point out the importance of shopping at small businesses. “People are really starting to

STORE FOUNDER Irvin “Kip” Kipper and his granddaughter Lily Kipper.

WHILE A P.O.W. in WWII, Irvin Kipper’s dream was to open a toy store and bring families and kids happiness.

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Las Madrinas debutantes announced at virtual event Las Madrinas has announced the 38 families and their daughters who will be honored for their service to the Southern California community and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Traditionally, the young women would be honored at the Las Madrinas Ball held in December, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the charity’s Board of Directors announced with regret the postponement of the annual event. Las Madrinas was founded during adverse times in 1933 when 65 Los Angeles women joined to raise operating funds for the Convalescent Home of

the Childrens Hospital, and the group continues its important mission today, during the current pandemic, supporting The Endowment for the Neurology Chair and the Neurological Institute Epilepsy Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The 2020 debutantes were introduced at a virtual tea on Aug. 12. Prior to the event, the young women and their mothers were surprised by deliveries of special packages filled with a Las Madrinas teacup, tea and scones for them to enjoy during the virtual event. President of Las Madrinas, Mrs. John Rouse, welcomed the families and thanked them

Safer alternatives (Continued from page 1) activities can include virtual costume and pumpkin carving contests. Halloween-themed decorations are encouraged, as well as hosting at-home scavenger hunts and a Halloween movie night with household members. In the car Drive-by alternatives, including car “costume” contests, drive-through Halloween displays and movie nights at drive-in theaters are allowed. Events where a driver receives a commercially packaged, non-

perishable treat bag or items from an organizer while still in the car are also allowed. Mask details Cloth masks are still required unless the costume masks are made of two or more layers of fabric that completely cover the mouth and nose region. It is not recommended to wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because that may inhibit breathing. Outdoors is OK Officials have condoned safer options that still include leaving the house and neighbor-

LOCAL DEBUTANTES, left to right, are Caroline Mage Cox, Kendall Elizabeth Fisher, Eleanor Catherine Hawley, Victoria Monroe Holdsworth, Lucy Kate Hutchins, Liza Ioanna Pyle.

for the contributions and commitment to the Southern California community. Dr. Deborah Holder, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, gave a presentation on the Center and the direct impact made by Las Madrinas through

hood. It is acceptable to visit Halloween-themed art installations at outdoor museums; eat Halloween-themed meals at outdoor restaurants; and walk around in costume admiring Halloween decorations. Activities that are labeled “higher risk” include attending indoor costume parties, going to indoor haunted houses and participating in hayrides or tractor rides with non-household members. Most of all, creativity and caution are recommended this Halloween.

its fundraising efforts. Las Madrinas was the first Affiliate Group of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and has been supporting pediatric medicine for more than 87 years. Since 1939, Las Madrinas has honored families who have demonstrated a commitment to the civic, cultural, and philanthropic life of Southern

California by presenting their daughters at the annual Las Madrinas Ball. Donations made in honor of the young women, together with the annual support of Las Madrinas members and friends, have enabled Las Madrinas to fund ten major endowments and capital projects at the hospital since 1988.

Plymouth

Plymouth, Soup Day, is around the corner — it’s the school’s version of a Thanksgiving celebration. Each year, the students and their families are welcomed to the school yard to eat soup which everyone had a hand in making. It may be different this year, but I’d venture to guess that the small but mighty (and safe) enrollees will find a way to express their gratitude for being part of the Plymouth community.

(Continued from page 24) through play,” says Drynan. “To see the kids back in an environment where they can do that makes me so happy, but our decision to press forward and open is about helping the whole family. As a community school serving our neighborhood, it was really important to serve the families who work,” she iterated. An autumn tradition for

NOVEMBER 2020

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OAKWOOD SCHOOL

Larchmont Chronicle

By Scarlett Saldaña 10th Grade

BUCKLEY

By Jasper Gough 11th Grade

MARLBOROUGH

CHRIST THE KING

Over these past few months of remote learning, Oakwood continues to stay in tune with this year’s theme, Embrace the Moment. Although we are unable to see each other in person, our community has learned from last year’s theme that we are always Better Together, despite our distance. With that being said, even though students will not be able to participate in the usual in-person activities November has in store, at least we will be together virtually. Starting this month, auditions for the high school play, The Colored Museum, will be held through Zoom. As Oakwood focuses on becoming more anti-racist, this satirical play will allow for students to explore how Black culture is represented in America. Written by George C. Wolfe, this play will feature socially aware scenes, introducing themes of stereotypes and racism in Black history. At the end of the month, Oakwood usually holds several events that give students the chance to present their artwork, films, and photography. However, once again, due to the pandemic, these events will be held virtually. Following that, students will get ready to break for Thanksgiving. Our fall trimester typically ends this month, but to accommodate the possibility of hybrid learning in the future, Oakwood has switched to a semester system for the time being. After our break, students will begin from where they left off until next year, when the semester ends.

The first event to take place during November will be the Walk, Run, or Bike to End Epilepsy. This event is a fundraiser that’s dedicated to raising awareness and the money that will be raised will be donated to medical facilities to help find a cure for epilepsy. The 12th graders will have a class wide College Counseling session during office hours on Nov. 3. This meeting will be to finalize the student’s applications before the deadline. Two days after, on the 5th, the Lower School will be assigned a new book list that will teach them about inclusivity and how to be anti-racist. The collective Middle School and Upper School will have advisory meetings in which they will discuss the importance of Veteran’s Day Nov. 9. Then, on the 11th, it will actually be Veterans Day and there will not be any school. There will be an open house on Nov. 17 but only for 5th, 6th and 7th graders. Later that week, on the 19th, there will be an Open House for 8th and 9th graders. Normally you can bring a family friend but they will be excluded this time around. Also, until further notice the Open House will be via Zoom due to health concerns. After that on the 20th, the Lower School will have an assembly on Native American history and its importance. They will discuss all the contributions Native Americans have made to our society.

This month has been very busy for Marlborough students even as we continue to try to ease our way into online school. Marlborough has put a new testing schedule in place for us this year. Every Monday morning first period is a testing period for math or science. This means that either only the math of the science department can assign test or quizzes for that first Monday morning. Mondays are also half days, so after the testing block we have two periods that rotate each week and then we are done with school by 12:30. This is nice because it offers us a break after studying for a test all weekend. On another note, 9th grade student council are doing everything in their power to help make 9th grade Tuesday class meeting more relaxing and rewarding for us all. For example, in our meeting on Oct. 7 we had an activity to help our class bond with new classmates we have yet to meet in person. We could eat or drink what we made, and talked to our classmates about what they prepared. It was a fun time to see what our friends decided to make. This past class meeting on Oct. 14, we did mindful meditating to have a moment of relaxation from the tests and papers due. Relating to class bonding, on Oct. 15 there was an online class lunch and Marlborough sent a 10-dollar GrubHub gift card to all the 9th graders that RSVP’d to the lunch. We all ordered what we wanted and everyone ate lunch together on Zoom. It was a nice way to learn more about our classmates.

Christ the King School’s 2020-2021 academic year has kicked off to a great start. Although COVID-19 is still a global concern, students throughout the school have all been working hard online and thriving through distance learning. To maintain a sense of school spirit, students and teachers of all grades attend our weekly Friday Assembly and Prayer Service. Every week, one class presents a new and creative project, and the viewers are always in awe of the presentations. We were fortunate to have Archbishop Jose Gomez come and bless our newly renovated school on Oct. 2. Many changes have been made to the school, thanks to a generous grant from Shea

By Avery Gough 9th Grade

By Scarlett Gonsalves 8th Grade

LARCHMONT CHARTER By Sally Shapiro 11th Grade

It is hard to be a new or even continuing student during a year when you can’t interact with people face to face. Getting students socialized and comfortable in the school is a priority. At Larchmont Charter High School at Lafayette Park Place (now remote), we are trying to find creative solutions to this problem. One solution we have been exploring is the use of Gaming Zoom Rooms. Here is how they work: Different grades join a specific Zoom call together. They

Catholic Families. New windows and cabinets have been installed in the classrooms, and our central air conditioning system has been replaced. Our auditorium and kitchen have been renovated, and a new playground for the younger grades has been created. On October 10th, our 3rd graders celebrated their First Reconciliation, so we as a school community are immensely proud of them. They are now preparing to receive their First Holy Communion on November 7. Eighth graders have also been busy applying to different high schools, and students and parents have been attending Virtual High School Nights. These virtual meetings have encouraged us to continue to work hard and strive to meet our goals. Finally, the Junior High Academic Decathlon preparation has begun with a lot of anticipation. We wish our prospective team members the best of luck in the upcoming event which will take place in March 2021!

are then separated into smaller breakout rooms each with 2 facilitators. We play a game and talk to each other in these breakout rooms. The first game we played is a mobile app called Among Us. It’s popularity has skyrocketed and joins the list of gaming trends like Fortnite and Pokemon Go. Being able to play a game while talking to peers in a context that doesn’t include school helps foster community. When we were in person, we socialized at lunch or during passing periods. We hope to continue the Gaming Zoom Rooms and may play games like Pictionary or trivia. We are trying to recreate the social environments that we are missing, in an online setting.

Larchmont Chronicle IMMACULATE HEART By Quinn Lanza 12th Grade

Sports

may have been delayed, but our athletes on our fall and winter sports teams continue to practice together via Zoom. Soccer and crosscountry athletes also have begun in-person, socially distant practices. Our cross-country runners participate in early morning runs during the week in Griffith Park, and members of the soccer team now practice on the school field on Saturday mornings in small groups at two different times. Although students continue online learning, some teachers and students recently returned to campus for the first time this year for school photos and for the junior class to take the PSAT. Wearing masks and maintaining social distance, students noticed recent campus renovations, including new flooring in class-

NOVEMBER 2020

rooms and new landscaping and trimmed trees along the school fence on Western Avenue. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, students in the Girls’ Athletic Association and the Pre-Med Club also came to campus one Saturday morning to make pink paper links and posters with words of encouragement that were later posted on the campus fence. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage month, IH’s Latinas Unidas club hosted six of our Latinx alumnae for a special activity period with students. All members of the Class of 2010, the alums shared their experiences after graduating from IH. They specifically spoke of instances of bias they have faced in the workplace as well as the benefits of being bilingual in their respective fields. Although IH students could only view the speakers on-screen through Google Meet, they were able to connect with the alums by asking questions. Immaculate Heart’s recruitment efforts continue! If you are a 7th

or 8th grader interested in becoming an IH Panda, join our virtual Academic Playday on Saturday, November 14, for fun workshops with faculty and students. To register, visit our website’s admissions page, where you can also sign up for virtual shadow visits with the high school or the middle school if you are interested.

CATHEDRAL CHAPEL By Michael Kim 8th Grade

The new president of the CCS Student Council is… drumroll please… REESE! The highlight of this month had to be the CCS Student Council elections. It was the school’s first time doing it through a Zoom for campaign speeches and using Survey Monkey to place our votes, but everything was smooth sailing. This year, we had some amazing speeches.

SECTION ONE

SAINT BRENDAN By Lucas Bland 8th Grade

Saint Brendan School had an eventful October despite our current circumstances. A Dodgers watch party took place over Zoom where our game of baseball bingo took place. We even got a shoutout from baseball legends One person didn’t even write a speech, but she wrote and sang a lovely song. Each student presented spectacular ideas, which made it hard for me to vote. His speech was astounding, but she had more ideas, but again, his ideas were more realistic. How was I supposed to choose? Eventually, time forced me to pick one for each position. We used Survey Monkey to tally all the votes, and now Reese, Maya, Elizabeth, Jacob, Adrienne, Morgan, Madison, Atticus, Renae, and I are the new student council members! We will do our best to make CCS a place of mirth, success, and creative learning.

Tommy Lasorda and Alex Wood. Of course, we couldn’t forget about Halloween, where we had a Halloween Car Parade so everybody could show off their costumes. We saw some great combo costumes involving our 7th grade prisoners. We finished our Halloween by creating lots of creative pumpkins designs to live up to our usual Halloween spirit. This month, we will have a charity bingo night where students and families can donate to help our LA community. We will have fun breakout room games and activities in between bingo games. Veteran’s Day is almost here. and we are more than happy to honor the veterans in our school community at assembly. We must put remembering our valiant Veterans first before we can get into our Thanksgiving traditions. But for now, Lucas Bland signing off.

THIRD STREET By Sofia Kirilov 5th Grade

Here at Third Street Elementary we have many interesting activities that help engage students in every subject imaginable. One of my favorite programs at our school — Read Around the World — begins this month. Students read amazing stories about people, places and events across the globe. This year, the program is held virtually and our librarian, Ms. Sartore, will do Zoom after-school readings and discussions of the books selected for this year’s program. I believe that reading can transport you into a world where anything is possible. That is one of the reasons why I have volunteered for our school’s reading buddy program. Older students have the opportunity to read all kinds of stories to younger students. My reading buddy and I are currently reading (over Zoom), “The Land of Stories” by Chris Colfer. The reading buddy program helps younger students learn new words and identify the main ideas of stories, and help older students like myself practice reading out loud and develop reading confidence. And it’s just fun to have a reading buddy, especially in COVID times! I have some exciting news to share with you about Third Street Elementary. As some of you may already know, as a School for Advanced Studies, our school already provides instruction to gifted/high ability learners. And now we are opening a grade 3-5 Gifted Magnet Center beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year! For more information about the magnet center and how to apply, visit thirdstreetschool.com/giftedmagnetcenter.

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Larchmont Chronicle

Youth Sports: Talk about rough timing to start a column I was invited to write the “Youth Sports” column for the Larchmont Chronicle after inquiring this summer if the publication could use another writer. I’ve been a columnist for “Drag Racer Magazine” and am presently assistant editor of “Amateur Wrestling News.” I also coached in St. Brendan’s boys’ basketball league so, of course, a local sports column interested me. I accepted, but the next step — finding something to write about during this pandemic — wasn’t easy. California has not permitted high school athletes to begin competing yet.

Youth Sports by

Jim Kalin

What a first assignment: writing about what’s not there. I’ve experienced similar challenges searching out content for “Amateur Wrestling News.” On March 15, all further live wrestling events were cancelled, beginning with the National Collegiate Athletic Association

(NCAA) Tournament in Minneapolis at the U.S. Bank Stadium. That’s where the Vikings of the National Football League play. Talk about a letdown! This was the first time that Division I wrestling was going to hold its national tournament in a football stadium. Some college sports have returned, although schedules are shortened and starting dates have been pushed back. High school football has resumed in other states, but with tweaks. In Connecticut, the usual fullcontact 11-on-11 tackle format has been replaced with smaller squads and passing-only league

play. Here at home, the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) modified and split its sports into two seasons instead of the standard three, although official competition has yet to begin. Practicing locally “We’re practicing weekly on Tuesday afternoons,” said Tim Cullen, girls’ cross-country coach at Marlborough School. “No competitions until the season officially begins, which for us will be mid-January or so, depending on COVID.” Presently, CIF has football on hold, but that hasn’t carried over to practice. “We’re holding conditioning workouts for football, cross country, water polo, and volleyball,” said Chris O’Donnell, athletic director at Loyola High School. “These are limited to one hour per workout.” Obviously, the athletes’ safety

and well-being have been priority, but practice is not the same as competition, especially with a sport like football. Temperatures are taken before practice, and athletes are carefully monitored to make sure nobody is showing COVID-19 symptoms. “Our student-athletes are chomping at the bit to get back out there, but everyone is doing well in regards to rule-following and safety measures when they do come to campus for workouts,” said Jason Cruz, communications associate at Loyola. The last time athletics were suspended across the nation was during World War II. These are such odd doldrums through which we’re maneuvering these days. I wish the best for our local athletes and look forward to attending high school sporting events again. Whenever.

Stores struggle

they have refused to cooperate in any meaningful way. During a pandemic that has put millions of people out of work, and led to the permanent closure of tens of thousands of small businesses, landlords should be willing to work together with commercial tenants, and negotiate fair compromises for the good of our community.” To help, Ryu says that he will contribute $25,000 from his office’s discretionary funds to the Larchmont Boulevard Assoc. for a small business recovery fund. That fund will also help Chevalier’s and others. You still can sign the petition, which at last glance had garnered more than 3,800 names, at: shorturl.at/adryC YogaWorks In an Oct. 14 email, YogaWorks CEO Brian Cooper announced that the business was voluntarily filing for Chapter 11 protection to relieve the company of its studio, brick and mortar, liabilities, which include the Larchmont Boulevard location, considered one of the oldest yoga studios in Los Angeles. Cooper said that the pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for the yoga industry. “Our work to ensure YogaWorks’ successful future has also included trying to strengthen our financial position so that we can continue to operate at our high standards and invest in our people and offerings. As part of that effort, we decided that a necessary step is to voluntarily file for Chapter 11 and to close all YogaWorks physical studios across the U.S. By implementing this process, we will be better positioned to continue operating and investing in the digital and educationfocused segments of our business that have proven to be so successful,” Cooper explained. Visit yogaworks.com for details on how you can join online, live-streaming classes.

(Continued from page 1)

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been inspiring: “The community has been unbelievably supportive,” he said. “It was moving to see people emailing, calling and sending notes of support. In addition to buying books, people have volunteered to help in many ways including to move books, to paint a new location, and even host events. “People are so lovely,” said Deixler, who notes that he has his fingers crossed on finding a new location by Dec. 31. Visit chevaliersbooks.com Village Pizzeria In an Oct. 9 social media post, Village Pizzeria owner Steve Cohen asked his supporters to sign a petition as a way of “encouraging” his landlord, American Commercial Equities, to “negotiate a fair resolution” to a rent dispute. “We’ve tried in good faith to negotiate a fair deal with our landlord for six months to no avail,” said Cohen, who notes that his business is down about 60 percent since the beginning of the pandemic. “We know a lot of you will miss your local favorites when they’re gone, so now’s the time to take action. We really don’t know if this petition will work; in the end our landlord has final say, but we would love and truly appreciate it if you could show your support by signing.” The call for help got the attention of Councilman David Ryu, who tried to mediate. “Village Pizzeria is a beloved local restaurant that has been in Larchmont for over 24 years. The owner, Steve Cohen, has been doing everything possible to stay afloat during this difficult time,” read an Oct. 14 statement from Ryu. “My office reached out directly to the landlord on behalf of Village Pizzeria, and I am incredibly disappointed to see that

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

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Homeless housing

(Continued from page 1) in by Thanksgiving. “We have had many delays due to COVID, but we are getting very close. We are looking for final inspections by the end of the month, and I hope to be moving in residents by mid- to late November,” Scott Baldridge, principal, Aedis Real Estate Group, told us late last month. Both sites are made of stackable modules fabricated in China from corten steel, a super-strong alloy assembled using the same technology as the manufacturer of shipping containers. The units are fabricated and installed by HBG Modular. “These projects are built like a battleship. They will last a long time,” said architect Peter De Maria, chief design director. Hope on Lafayette Men and women will be in separate buildings in this dormitory-style housing community set in a portion of a former park filled with tennis courts. The city-owned land is available for three years, after which time the lease can be renewed, or the modules can be picked

Twerdahl

(Continued from page 11) “I came back from that visit both moved and determined that if I could ever help other seniors stay in their own homes, I would. And then, the proverbial lightning struck! I learned about a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Alice Marie Quinn, and the program she founded and ran, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels. The day that I first met Sister, she told me that many seniors, just like Pop, really want to stay in their own homes and that often Meals on Wheels could make that possible with daily meals and visits. Sister, lovingly called SAM by her friends, explained the importance of serving seniors with the values of compassion and respect. I was inspired by the care provided to homebound seniors who really had no one but Meals on Wheels. I kept imagining my grandfather alone and hungry. It was unthinkable. “Thus, in 1989, my journey with Meals on Wheels began. I owned a business on Larchmont Boulevard and Sister would send a Meals on Wheels van to Larchmont to meet me, and off we would go to deliver meals in the neighborhood where I worked and lived. I had 13 years of awesome experiences and opportunities to change lives through volunteering at St. Vincent Meals on Wheels when my next chapter opened. “Sister asked me to help with fundraising. Though I had no experience doing that, she knew that I had the heart

RENDERING of Hope on Lafayette shows the various living areas in the former park. HOPE ON ALVARADO is five stories tall and is constructed largely of stackable modules.

up and moved to another location, said De Maria. This $4 million triangular Bridge Home site features a tower at the northwest corner with a picture of HBG Modular founder, the late fashion designer Max Azria. The Tunisian-born designer envisioned creating affordable homes “not just for everyone in Los Angeles but around the planet,” De Maria said. Hope on Alvarado Standing five stories tall, Hope on Alvarado, 166 S. Alvarado St., is made of the same stackable modules, but it is made to stay in place. Studios and one-bedroom for the seniors. I still had my business and my family but nonetheless, I began working with SAM three days a week, though as my husband pointed out, I am too much of a type A personality to do something halfway. Sister got a good deal! The director of annual giving became full-time as more seniors needed our support. That role expanded to director of development and then to executive director of development, and that led, 16 years later, to the position of interim executive director of St. Vincent Meals on Wheels following the death of Sr. Alice Marie. “Every day has its challenges but every day we get to save lives. I can’t ask for a better opportunity to live my life fully. There are challenges for sure, but every senior we serve has a story of their own, and they share those stories with us. When I hear a senior’s voice whisper a ‘thank you’ or say ‘If it weren’t for Meals on Wheels, I would have nothing to eat.’ I know that what we do each day is what we are meant to do. And my story is here.” The interviewer asked, “Has it been a smooth road?” “The 29-year road [now 31-year —Ed.] has been the journey of a lifetime. It has been filled with ups and downs and struggles and successes. But, it is definitely a ride worth taking — and like so much more in life, that ride may never be smooth. My most rewarding accomplishments are the ones that were (Please turn to page 31)

apartments are in the $27 million project that includes 10 parking spaces for social services staff and a bike storage space for each resident. KTGY Architecture + Planning designed the finished building that includes a concrete podium with the steel modules installed from the second floor up and around a central courtyard.

HOPE ON LAFAYETTE under construction, where the containerlike modules are visible.

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION ONE

Giving

(Continued from page 11) meal bags providing 6,000 meals. Daily online programming is also featured. Donations to help pay for the Thanksgiving meal bags are welcome. Visit karshcenter.org/biggive or email biggive@karshcenter.

org for more information. In December, the Karsh Center is hosting a toy+winter essentials drive. For more information or if you would like to donate, please contact Elizabeth Green, elizabeth@ karshcenter.org. ••• “Operation Shoes from Santa” will be socially distanced

this year, but Santa is still coming to town. Call Senior Lead Officer Eric Mollinedo of the LAPD Olympic Division to donate a new pair of shoes for needy kids. Email him at 31754@lapd.online, and he will pick them up. (The station is closed to walk-ups due to COVID-19.) The shoes will be distributed at RFK Com-

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that has volunteers all over the country creating special cards for seniors. Volunteers will be gathering and bundling holiday cards to offer to seniors to send to their own lists of friends and family. For more information on activities and opportunities to volunteer, visit stvincentmow.org or contact Laura Medina at 213-484-7494 or lmedina@stvincentmow.org ••• This holiday season, Uplift Family Services’ Hollygrove campus, 815 N. El Centro Ave., is seeking unwrapped gifts for children ages infant to 15 for its holiday toy drive. Also needed are donations to support emergency needs such as food, blankets, clothing, diapers, school and hygiene supplies and laptops for distance learning and telehealth services. Make donations at upliftfs. org/donate2020 or contact Jasmine Cadena at 323-769-7173 or jasmine.cadena@upliftfs. org for toy drive details.

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the Community Exchange has “rescued” 279,000 pounds of food in its first four months. “The Hollywood Food Coalition is so grateful for all the new partnerships and friendships that have emerged during this difficult time, and … how different parts of the community have come together in such a kind and productive way,” Bonanno said. To donate food — including canned goods, vegetables, fruit, prepared foods and eggs — and/ or face masks and hygiene and cleaning supplies to the Hollywood Food Coalition Community Exchange, text or call 323-347-7907 or visit hofoco. org/donate-food-and-goods. To join in the Brown Bag Lunch Drive, visit hangoutdogood.com.

(Continued from page 10) Sinai Community Benefit Giving Foundation have also joined the effort. 33 years HoFoCo has been serving those most in need in the community seven nights a week for 33 years. “We rescue all the food we use and repurpose it to make a complete dinner, with vegan, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options,” said Bonanno. The food is sourced from grocers, farmers markets and restaurants, prepared in a kitchen on the campus of its partner, the Salvation Army, and served on the street “to anybody who is hungry.” With its new partnerships

(Continued from page 1)

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Larchmont Chronicle

munity School in December. Donations can also be made to the Olympic Booster Association via PayPal at tinyurl.com/yyudwvch. ••• No longer managed by the volunteer Good Sam Auxiliary, the PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital Gift Shop still supports the hospital. Hours for the gift shop are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Masking and social distancing rules apply. Call 213977-2358 for information. ••• With a hint of the holidays in the air, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels (SVMOW) is gearing up to make handmade cards and bring good cheer to the homebound seniors they serve. Project Giving Kids will be making “cheery cards” decorated with hopeful messages, to be delivered alongside the seniors’ meals. More cards are coming from Letters Against Isolation, a nationwide initiative

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than 700 locations to choose from throughout the county. Some of Los Angeles’ most iconic places have become Vote Centers. Downtown spaces include the Music Center, Dodger Stadium, Union Station and Grand Central Market. Other locations include the Wiltern, La Brea Tar Pits, Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood Pantages Theatre and the Magic Castle. There also are hundreds of other locations closer to home such as Christ the King School, Wilshire Park Elementary School, Wilshire Crest Elementary School, Charles Kim Elementary School, Los Angeles High School and Fairfax Senior Center. Some of these centers have been open since Oct. 24, with the majority to open Fri., Oct. 30. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. All will be open through Election Day, Tues., Nov. 3.

Election Day hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election workers and voters appearing in-person at voting centers must wear masks and gloves, which will be provided if they are needed. A six-foot distance will be maintained between voters. All surfaces and ballot-marking devices will be wiped down and sanitized between each voter. As a reminder, ballots may also be mailed in. No postage is necessary and they must be postmarked on or before Election Day. There also are 400 secure official ballot drop boxes located around Los Angeles County, many of them outside of libraries and recreation areas. You can find your closest Vote Center or locations of official ballot boxes at lavote. net. Once a ballot has been mailed in, dropped off at a voting center or officially cast, it can be tracked via BallotTrax. Visit california.ballottrax.net/voter.

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

Galas Holiday cooking, shopping at Junior League Harvest Boutique (Continued from page 6)

As the Junior League of Los Angeles (JLLA) prepares to celebrate its 95th anniversary, it is readying its Harvest Boutique online offerings, which include cocktails and a cooking class all in the safety of your home. Learn to make a holiday dish with easily found ingredients at the VIP interactive class with James Beard Award-winning chef Daniel Patterson on Sat., Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. Sip & Shop, a curated online boutique and silent auction, is on Sun., Dec. 6 at 11 a.m.

VIP tickets for the Nov. 21 cooking class and early shopping access are $125 and include the Dec. 6 Sip & Shop event. A Sip & Shop-only ticket, which includes a cocktail demonstration, silent auction and the curated boutique, is $35. The JLLA, a women’s organization that promotes voluntarism and is based on Larchmont Boulevard, serves area children with education and other programs. For more information on the 21st annual Harvest Boutique, visit jlla.org.

featuring craft and folk art, like most museums, has been closed because of the pandemic. However, it has been holding a two-week online fundraiser and ceramic celebration, titled “Potluck,” that includes an auction and online programming with clay workshops, studio tours and artist interactions. The event ends Oct. 31. Visit pot-luck.cc. Museum of the Holocaust Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, adjoining Pan Pacific Park, presented a live-

SECTION ONE

stream event, “45 Minutes of Inspiration” that was hosted on Oct. 21 by Melissa Rivers (daughter of Joan Rivers), to raise awareness about the Holocaust. Visit holocaustmuseumla.org. Junior League The Junior League of Los Angeles presented its “Little Black Dress Initiative” during the fourth week of October. Supporters were asked to wear a little black dress (or hoodie or wig or blazer or something) during five days to raise awareness about foster youth and funds for projects to support them. Learn more at jlla.

org/little-black-dress. St. Anne’s Guild The St. Anne’s Guild “Evening of Angels” event was online this year. Held on Oct. 25, Angel Awards were presented during the live-stream event. Visit stannesgala.org. Stray Cat Alliance In September, the Stray Cat Alliance held a virtual event for its 20th Anniversary Gala. For the partially live and partially pre-recorded program, there were: a silent auction, award presentations and rescue stories. Both feline and human celebrities were present. Visit straycatclub.org.

Twerdahl

one lesson I learned on that particular day at Meals on (Continued from page 29) Wheels provided a turning the toughest. The obstacles point for my understanding that have tested me have also of our service. That senior helped me appreciate the suc- and the challenge she precesses I have had. sented slapped me with an “When I first began my vol- understanding of compassion unteer chapter here, I deliv- and what it means to really ered to a lady who was cranky serve with compassion. ...” and demanding — in fact, The interviewer asked she actually made me cry. I Twerdahl to explain “what was young and hadn’t really sets MOW apart from othbeen exposed to the kind of ers?” attitude she had. I will never “St. Vincent Meals on Wheels forget coming back to the is the largest privately funded kitchen and walking into Sr. Meals on Wheels program in the country. Founded over 40 years ago, our mission has never wavered or changed. The core values of the Daughters of St. Vincent de Paul are the basis of all that we do, and they inform the way we deliver service to our homebound seniors every day. “Our mission is to serve anyone in need regardless of age, religion, ethnicity, disability or ability to pay. Unlike many Meals on Wheels programs DARYL TWERDAHL (right) with, from left, that are depenChef Mark Peel, Chef Kevin Meehan and dent on governChef Sally Camacho at a morning show ment funding, we shoot for SVMOW’s “Food is Love” fund- do not have a wait list for seniors to raiser in 2019. eat. When a senior Alice Marie’s office — telling reaches out, we respond. Our her every detail of my tale mission distinguishes us and of woe. I still remember the allows us to always be the senior chastised me because safety net program for our she said she was NOT a veg- hungry seniors. The compasetarian and we had sent her a sion which we demonstrate vegetarian meal. I remember each time we deliver a meal apologizing while trying to and a smile drive us and configure out what to do. When tinue to be the backbone of St. I relayed all this to Sister, her Vincent Meals on Wheels. The response was simple. ‘Daryl, relationships we form and the she is lonely and the only work we do, becoming family way she has to keep you there for our seniors, is what I am is to complain.’ That was as most proud of. though a new day of under- “It is this that makes my standing had dawned. That heart sing!”

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2020_GAF_Larchmont_November_Final_HR-Print.pdf SECTION ONE

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NOVEMBER 2020

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Larchmont Chronicle

LARCHMONT

ARTS PATRON

FALL FEST

Are more changes in store for the beloved neighborhood boulevard?

Founder of the Craft and Folk Art Museum is featured in a new short film.

Pumpkins are on the boulevard until Halloween, or they run out.

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REAL ESTATE MUSEUMS HOME & GARDEN

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VIEW

Section 2

LARCHMONT CHRONICLE

NOVEMBER 2020

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230 S. Irving Blvd. | Windsor Square | $3,600,000 SOLD. Prime Windsor Square location, great floor plan & curb appeal. 4BD+3.5BA. 230Irving.com Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

604 S. Arden Blvd. | Windsor Square | $2,249,000 BEST DEAL OF ALL! 4bed/3.5 bath w/open kitchen fam rm. Grand Liv + Din rm o’look backyard. Lisa Hutchins 323.460.7626 CalRE #01018644

101 S. Norton Ave | Hancock Park | $5,299,000 Gorgeous Mediterranean w/4 Bdrms, 4.5 bas, bright airy rooms, stunning kitchen & 1 bed BH

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Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

Lipson owner-tenant relationship frays as construction kicks off

By Billy Taylor Tension between tenants of Larchmont’s historic Lipson Building and its new owner Christina Development came to a head after a block of parking spaces facing the property was reserved in October for construction. “COVID has made our lives difficult enough without losing parking spots as well as visibility,” said Edie Frère, owner of Landis Gifts & Stationery in an Oct. 10 email to Councilman Ryu’s office inquiring on the loss of parking. Ryu’s office confirmed that the application for the use of parking meters was made by Christina Development and its onsite construction team,

BARRICADE construction began Oct. 20 on the Lipson Building.

Del Amo Construction. They also confirmed that “they will be constructing a pedestrian walkway there for safe passage” for construction set to start imminently. Construction it seemed would begin sooner than tenants thought, which raised a sensitive subject for several tenants still operating, and paying rent, in the historic building. Lipson Plumbing owner Bob Vacca told the Chronicle that Christina tried to “strongarm” him into letting the construction team begin building a barricade to his storefront before his lease ends (on Dec. 31), but Vacca pushed back. Other shops were also approached with the proposal. Del Amo Construction Construction Superintendent Shane Aeshliman with Del Amo Construction now has an onsite office within the Lipson Building, where his team is preparing for construction. “The plan is to start barricading only those units that are empty, starting at the north end of the property. As the barricading works its way south, so will the block of reserved parking spaces,” Aeshliman told the Chronicle. “The City rejected the first plans for the barricade, so

LIPSON BUILDING has long been home to small, locally owned businesses.

new plans are underway,” he explained. One week later, Oct. 20, construction began on the barricades and pedestrian walkway skipping the Lipson Plumbing storefront, starting with the building’s next vacant space to the south. Christina Development In an Oct. 8 press release from a Christina representative, the company publicly confirmed its lease agreement and repair plan. A statement read, “The previous owner of our property set all tenant leases in the building to expire on or before Dec. 31, 2020. This simultaneous expiration of the tenant leases was intentional so that the building could thereafter undergo

necessary repairs, which were, and are, long overdue. … “Upon our taking ownership of the property, we began the planning process for completion of the repairs. While our desire was to keep the building occupied to the greatest extent possible during this repair work, it has been determined that the noise and disturbances will be too disruptive for our tenants to continue to operate.” Chevalier’s feels betrayed “You know that’s bullsh*t, right?” Chevalier’s Books Coowner Bert Deixler told the Chronicle in response to the statement. The Dec. 31 date “has nothing to do with upgrading, nothing like that.” To the contrary, Deixler says that the

year-end date was picked by the former owner’s trustee as a way to protect tenants and their rents as long as possible. According to Deixler, Christina Development’s owner Larry Taylor had personally suggested assurances that Chevalier’s Books would be protected from renovation work, and that the city’s oldest independent bookstore would remain at that location. Negotiations between Christina and Chevalier’s went on for months: “They even talked about naming the building “Chevalier’s,” said Deixler. “But Larry would never give us a written proposal.” In August, Deixler said that Chevalier’s was told that Christina would begin construction in December and that all tenants must be out. When Deixler asked for a 90-day extension, it was denied. “We don’t know what to do,” admits Deixler. “We don’t want to shut the thing down.” “The whole thing is crazy. Christina has these insane views of the value. Larry has a list of chains he wants for the building, like Versace — it’s preposterous,” said Deixler. Vincent has a plan “I saw the writing on the wall,” admits Vincent De Mar(Please turn to page 3)

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Larchmont Chronicle

SALON OWNER Vincent De Marco stands ready to move into a new location, seen here over his shoulder, following the end of his current lease.

Lipson (Continued from page 2) co, owner of the eponymously named salon in the Lipson Building. “When I first took over the space [previously Haas & Co Hair Design], I understood that I needed four years to make this a destination, in order to survive what would come next.” He could foresee the day when the building would have a new owner and rents would quadruple. “But I thought we could just give up half of the space, and still stay in the same location,” said De Marco. For months he waited for information from Christina Development, with no luck. Finally, a representative for the company casually offered to rent the salon a space in another building on Third

NOVEMBER 2020

Street. De Marco took that as a sign they would not be able to stay in the Lipson Building, in a smaller space or not. “At first, I was nervous about the overhead, and whether or not it was going to be too expensive for me to stay on the Boulevard, with our prices and the level of business that we’re doing,” said De Marco. After COVID-19 hit, Vincent Hair Artistry was closed for months due to restrictions on salons. He has built an outdoor space in his current location to accommodate clients, but it has nevertheless been a challenging year. Then, De Marco’s luck changed last month. After a chance encounter on Larchmont Boulevard with property owner David Adelipour, Vincent Hair Artistry now has a new home at 140 N. Larchmont Blvd., directly across the street from his current location. “Working with David has been a total contrast to working with Christina Development,” admits De Marco. “He was willing to negotiate.” The new salon is smaller than his current location, but the interior design will maximize the size and promote good lighting. De Marco has tapped Peter Vracko, known for his work on West Hollywood’s The Abbey, to design

SECTION TWO

a “modern industrial” space complete with stylist stations that hang from the ceiling.

“It’s a better solution,” De Marco says of his new home. “I actually think we’re going to

do much better there because it will be a more attractive (Please turn to page 4)

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Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

Walking and Seeing: John Stilgoe’s “What is Landscape?” I would guess many readers are feeling as anxious as I am, here in early November of this astonishing, unpredictable year. I take some small comfort these days at looking at words and revisiting writers who can take me down the rabbit hole of fresh meaning, which sounds like quite a good place to be. Almost daily, as I try to walk out my unease, I think about the origins of the words bosque, brushland, bushwacking to help make connections to the actual world under my feet. In his book, “What Is Landscape?,” John Stilgoe, a Harvard professor of landscape studies, opens an inquiry into the meaning of landscape-related words, and the gorgeous linguistic byways of these mostly everyday words will surprise and, I think, delight. Takenfor-granted English words such as field, furrow, gutter, guzzle, gateway are as complex as human culture. This book is an exploration through language into history, and through Stilgoe’s nimble, imaginative mind. Hitchhiker, for example, “harks back to harness, wagons, lifts, teams hitched to whiffletrees and neaps*, the equipage of long-distance travel before railroads.” The discussion takes

Home Ground by

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a “byeway” (also defined) to the human significance of inns in the landscape. We readers are on a wild ride here. Making The book is divided into nine sections. In “Making,” the first, Stilgoe contends that we all make our own landscape by the way we see and perceive. Here Stilgoe weaves together fires, candlelight, headlights, sun, sky, clouds, screens, color, photography, the German writer Goethe, the Upper Paleolithic, and the 1859 solar flare that frightened people in the United States and Great Britain beyond measure. Stilgoe asks us to imagine how different our own perception of landscape would be if we were completely earthbound, without any locomotion other than our own feet. What if we had never seen the Earth from an airplane? Or had never seen our planet, through images, from the perspective of the moon?

Stilgoe often draws a direct line — 500 years, perhaps — to the present. It is a thrilling gallop. The word glade begets two-and-a-half-pages of discussion through the Nordic languages, to Old English and Old French, to the poet Spenser (1596), before settling down on lawn and land. Stead In the section called “Stead,” in which he discusses the roots of what became the American suburban house, Stilgoe posits that its wholeness, its completeness, “reveals the deep power of being established, living in place, being stable, and living in light.” (That’s one way to think about lockdown.) John Stilgoe has written many books and articles; among them is a two-page introduction to another of my

Lipson (Continued from page 3) venue for the general public.” De Marco expects to welcome clients into the new space in January 2021. Not another Rodeo Drive “It’s a very difficult moment for everybody. There’s going to be major change coming,” said Dalia Moretti, owner of CH Boutique, a 16-year tenant

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Barbara Allen 323.610.1781 CalRE #01487763

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1500 Crest Dr. | Beverlywood | $6,495/MO Charming 3bd/2.5bas 2 story Spanish home. Winding staircase, step-dn LR w/ fpl, hrdwd flrs, enclosed yard. Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

BOOK opens an inquiry into the meaning of landscaperelated words.

cellar and garret,” writes Bachelard, using his prodigious power of imagery. Stilgoe, too, goes high and low in considering words that describe the land and our human place on it. I particularly admire how Stilgoe ends “What is Landscape?” “Landscape designates something so complex and rich and overwhelming it is best not to take one’s inquiries too seriously. Inquiring into landscape is often an excuse for a walk, a rewarding walk. “This book is no field guide. Close it now, put it down, and go.”

touchstone books, Gaston Bachelard’s 1964 “The Poetics of Space.” I can see how Stilgoe has been influenced by the French philosopher: “Words are little houses, each with its

* whiffletree. Crossbar, pivoted at the middle, to which a harness is fastened to pull a cart. neap . The pole or tongue of a cart.

of the Lipson Building. Currently, Moretti does not have a plan for what comes next for her boutique, but she also worries for what will be forever lost on Larchmont. “If you bring big chain stores here, Larchmont will lose all of its charm,” Moretti warns. The longtime shop owner says that it’s sad to see such beloved places that are not going to be around anymore.

And she is convinced that residents nearby don’t like it. “People don’t want Rodeo Drive on Larchmont. Those stores are all exactly the same. Residents don’t want that here. The old money in this neighborhood likes to keep a low profile, and they like the European charm that unique boutiques bring to the block. “It’s so sad to see what’s going on,” concludes Moretti.

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Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

Short, short tale of loss is a big winner ally took the helm of The Ebell’s monthly writing class — which she also helped instigate. Based on an in-class exercise that used the phrase “the last time I saw her” as a prompt to unblock students’ creative juices — Seifer wrote the short, rough piece in 10 minutes. Months later, the writing group agreed to situate their earlier stories in a train station, or on a train or subway. “I dug out my old beginning, combined the concepts, and completed the winning story. It’s the first story I ever sent for judgment outside of my writing group and family, so I’m very excited by the library’s response!” In the story, the narrator describes the last time she saw her dearest, closest college friend — across the train tracks in a Parisian train station. “… She didn’t notice me, across the tracks in my tweed coat and angora beret, dressed a little too warmly for the unseasonably mild Parisian day. She, on the other hand, was noticed by everyone, as she had always been. Raven curls, sparkling green eyes, lips upturned in per-

142 N Irving Blvd

332 N Citrus Ave

petual laughter. And the red scarf. Always the red scarf. Even at — what were we then? — 50? — She was the woman every man noticed. And every woman, too, for that matter.” The college friend in the story is fictional, Seifer says, although some of the details were true, such as Seifer has been to the Paris train station, the Gare du Nord, and, like the narrator, she did carry Modigliani posters of “thin-necked blank-eyed women” to school. Anthology forthcoming Seifer has recently joined two other writing groups and a poetry-reading class. One of the groups, Western Edge Writers, offered through Eagle Rock Branch Library, is self-publishing an anthology of coronavirus-related work. Seifer will have several stories and poems included in the anthology, “Viral Voices: Creativity in the Time of Coronavirus.” (She wrote the Gabriel García Márquez-inspired title.) It will be available on Amazon in 2021. To read her winning LAPL entry, as well as other contest winners and learn more about the LAPL program, visit lapl.org/shortstories.

Sold Off Market Windsor Square $2,675,000

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LEAF HOUSE was built in 1929 for attorney Earle Leaf, vice president of the National Bank of Commerce. Above, the entrance hall. Today, it is the residence of the British Consul General.

eff portraye in ook

Father of the California style of architecture, Wallace Neff is featured in the third and latest volume in the series, “Master Architects of Southern California 1920 – 1940.” Neff’s career spanned six decades and included designing homes all around Southern California, including the Leaf House in Hancock Park. This mansion on June Street has served as the British Consul General’s residence since 1957. A Neff home recently sold in (Please turn to page 8)

128 N Ridgewood Pl Co-listed with Boni Bryant & Joe Reichling

432 N Oakhurst Dr, #204

213.507.3959 ali.jack@compass.com @thealijack TheAliJack.com

allace

NEW BOOK on architect Wallace Neff.

Just Listed Larchmont Village | Ridgewod Wilton 4 Bed | 2 Bath | Pool | $2,199,000

24-hour Security & Concierge Beverly Hills 2 Bed | 3 Bath | $1,995,000 $1,075 per month HOA

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Boni Bryant DRE 01245334 / Joe Reichling DRE 01427385

By Suzan Filipek A story inspired by a writing exercise in a class taught by Helene Seifer at The Ebell is among winners in the Summer 2020 Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) Short Story Contest. Seifer’s story, “The Last Time I Saw Her,” was one of 12 winners from among 265 entries. The winners are posted on the library’s online short story portal — sharing ranks and posterity with the works of Lewis Carroll and Virginia Woolf. In 740 words, Seifer’s tale tells of friendship, memory and loss. “The story is an example of Flash Fiction, which is a short, short story,” Seifer adds. Seifer is on staff at the Larchmont Chronicle, where she also writes a dining column, “On the Menu.” She also has penned newsletters for The Ebell and Westside Jewish Community Center, and she worked for many years in the television industry producing and writing for talk shows, children’s programs and women’s series. Writing class The short story format is a new one for Seifer, who ventured into creative writing a few years back and eventu-

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

JUST LISTED

D AV I D PA R N E S DParnes@TheAgencyRE.com 424.400.5916 | LIC. #01905862

JAMES HARRIS James@TheAgencyRE.com 424.400.5915 | LIC. #01909801

All square footages and lot sizes are approximate. Seller and Sellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Broker/Agents are not responsible for guaranteeing. Buyer to independently verify same.

T HE AGENCYRE.C OM

ac ueline tewart na e

Jacqueline Stewart has been named chief artistic and programming officer for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

The scholar, programmer, and educator will join the museum in January 2021. The museum is set to open in April 2021 at the corner of Wilshire

324 Muirfield Road

ca e y

useu

Blvd. and Fairfax Ave. Stewart will lead strategy and planning for the Academy Museum’s curatorial, educational, and public programming initiatives. “Jacqueline Stewart is a powerful leader in the film world. Her inspiring history of scholarship, teaching, programming, building community partnerships, and archival work combined with her dedication to inclusivity and accessibility make her an ideal leader for the museum,” said Bill Kramer, director and president of the Academy Museum. “As a scholar who researches, teaches, presents, and archives films, I see how cinema shapes our understandings of history and culture, of other people and ourselves, in profound and enduring ways,” said Stewart. “I am excited to join the Academy Museum team at this critical moment for the institution, and for our world.” Stewart joins the Academy Museum from the University of Chicago Department of Cinema and Media Studies, where she teaches American film history, specializing in African American cinema. She serves on the curatorial advisory committee for the Academy Museum’s upcom-

s chief artistic o cer

SCHOLAR Jacqueline Stewart will join the Academy Museum in January 2021. It is set to open in April 2021.

ing exhibition “Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971,” which explores the visual culture of Black cinema from its early days to just after the civil

rights movement. An awardwinning writer, Stewart is author of “Migrating to the Movies: Cinema and Black Urban Modernity.”

Wallace Neff

by many movie stars. Neff, a prominent resident of Pasadena, died in 1982 at 87. The new book is available at angelcitypress.com now and on Amazon Jan. 1. Paul Williams, the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects, will be featured in the next volume of the Master Architects, which is due out spring, 2021.

(Continued from page 6) Hancock Park for $5.75 million, said realtor Bret Parsons, who is the book’s co-author with Marc Appleton and Eleanor Schrader. Neff’s client lists included families such as Doheny, Pickford and Gillette, and his homes have been owned

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Larchmont Chronicle

ew l

NOVEMBER 2020

features

Edith Wyle changed the art scene in Los Angeles forever when she founded the Craft and Folk Art Museum, now called Craft Contemporary. The artist will be featured in a free online screening event Thurs., Nov. 12 at noon by “Look What SHE Did!” — hosted by The Ebell of Los Angeles. Three new films will be pre-

LIBRARIES FAIRFAX* 161 S. Gardner St. JOHN C. FREMONT Online only MEMORIAL Online only WILSHIRE Online only ASK A LIBRARIAN 213-228-7272 infonow@lapl.org HOURS *Library-to-Go at Fairfax and other select libraries: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed Wed., Nov. 11, Thurs., Nov. 26 and Fri., Nov. 27. Visit lapl.org.

miered from the nonprofit’s “Artists of Los Angeles” series, which features artists from each City Council district speaking about a woman who inspires them. Mask maker Judy Leventhal will talk about Wyle in a short, under four-minute, film during the hour-long screening Wyle introduced folk art, masks and giant puppets during the city’s Festival of Masks, a multi-cultural parade and arts celebration. The Folk Arts Research Library at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is named after Wyle, who was a mentor for many, including Leventhal. Also featured in a short film will be poet Shoeleh Wolpe, speaking about Iranian filmmaker Forough Farrokhzad, and rock drummer Lisa Marie Maestas, talking about drummer Viola Smith.

Library poetry writing workshop People of all ages can participate in a poetry workshop through the Los Angeles Public Library via Zoom Thurs., Nov. 12 at 6:15 p.m. To RSVP and get the link, please email nohlwd@lapl.org at least one day before the meeting.

SECTION TWO

foun er

Each film will be followed by a salon discussion with the artist and film director. To register, visit tinyurl. com/y3s8rxsa or write meredyth@ebellofla.com. MASK MAKER Judy Leventhal will talk on artist and founder of the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Edith Wyle (in photo).

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Spectacular single family home in West Hollywood with exquisite Santa Barbara architecture style, showcased throughout the interior and exterior, derived from Spanish Andalusian architecture. The backyard includes luminous lighting and a swimming pool/spa area perfect for night entertaining and weekend fun.

323.842.1980 jill@jillgalloway.com jillgalloway.com DRE01357870

Compass is a licensed real estate broker (01991628) in the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice.

100 Fremont Place | $11,400,000 | Oﬀ Market Property Just SOLD by June Ahn represented buyer. Incredible Mediterranean Revival on one of the premier lots in Fremont Place with 24-hour security guarded & gated. This immense home, marked with grand scale rooms and incredible Honduran Mahogany woodwork, Located in Hancock Park Area.

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251 N Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004

he e independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2020 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned oﬃces which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised oﬃces which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. CalRE #00616212

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

Real Estate Sales

SOLD: This home at 267 S. Windsor Blvd. in Windsor Square was sold in September for $4,500,000.

Single-family homes $11,500,000 101 N. Hudson Ave. 6,700,000 200 N. Irving Blvd. 4,500,000 267 S. Windsor Blvd. 4,005,000 631 S. Arden Blvd. 4,000,000 332 S. Lucerne Blvd. 3,600,000 230 S. Irving Blvd. 3,200,000 634 N. Cherokee Ave. 2,925,000 642 S. Sycamore Ave. 2,800,000 507 N. Gardner St. 2,555,000 850 Masselin Ave. 2,425,000 106 N. Vista St. A Special Lease 2,417,000 617 Lillian Way Private 1-story ranch house at the top 2,300,000 203 N. Gower St. of Mandeville Canyon 2,289,085 111 N. Irving Blvd. $25k/Month Furnished 2,270,000 151 S. Citrus Ave. www.MandevilleRetreat.com 2,155,000 130 S. Highland Ave. 2,080,000 111 N. Beachwood Dr. 1,905,000 341 N. Poinsettia Pl. 1,875,000 648 Lillian Way 1,850,000 1042 S. Dunsmuir Ave. 1,764,000 627 N. Gower St. 1,750,300 5422 Edgewood Pl. 1,711,000 160 S. Gardner St. 1,650,000 525 N. Gardner St. Sold Listed 1,580,000 121 S. Gardner St. 110 S Martel Avenue* 930 N Wetherly Drive #304 1,395,000 972 Westchester Pl. Cut through the noise. Stunning Estate Property w/Guest House & Pool www.930NorthWetherly.com Sold Listed 1,320,000 403 N. Beachwood Dr. There is a lot to discuss 110 S Martel Avenue* 930 N Wetherly Drive #304 about the market today. Stunning Estate Property w/Guest House 6215 Drexel Ave. www.930NorthWetherly.com 1,305,000 & Pool 930,000 5315 Clinton St. Happy to be your resource. Coming Soon Condominiums ONE OF THE INTERIOR SPACES of the new Audrey Irmas Pavilion at Wilshire Boulevard Temple. Photo by Gary Leonard, October 8, 2020

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Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

David Ryu’s tenure has been a boon for preservation in CD4 2015, Councilman Ryu’s office shepherded through the creation of two HPOZs — Sunset Square and Miracle Mile; he has overseen the nomination of more than 50 applications for Historic-Cultural Monument status, the vast majority of which were approved; and he was the driving force behind the “Baseline Mansionization Ordinance” that has helped mitigate the growing population of “McMansions” (or “BWBs”—“Big White Boxes”), particularly in areas such as LaBrea Hancock and west of Fairfax Ave. There were some notable

On Preservation by

Brian Curran

losses such as the failure to designate as HCMs the Bob Hope estate in Toluca Lake, the Lytton Savings building on the Sunset Strip, and the historic multi-family buildings at 412 and 424 N. Norton. The loss of these choice few is far outweighed, however,

by the citywide protection of nearly 1,500 significant historic structures through HCM designation and HPOZs. Highlights among the significant sites designated during Councilmember Ryu’s tenure in the neighborhoods served by this paper are: CBS Television City HCM 1167 : Designed by William Pereira, whose nearby LACMA campus was recently demolished, CBS Television City was completed in 1952 and houses eight studios. Still in operation, Television City was the home to some of the

most iconic sitcoms and game shows such as “All In the Family” and “The Price Is Right.” Tom Bergin’s House of Irish Coffee HCM 1182: This neighborhood institution nearly met the wrecking ball after it closed in 2018. Designated as a legacy business, the Irish pub was proven to have a “significant association with the commercial identity of Los Angeles.” In operation from 1936 onwards, it holds one of the two oldest liquor licenses in the city. Howard Hughes Residence, 211 S. Muirfield Road (Please turn to page 15)

101 S. Norton Ave. — $5,299,000

201 S. Plymouth Blvd. — $4,995,000

Gorgeous bright Mediterranean on a large 13,000 sq.ft. lot on prized Norton Avenue. Beautiful original details are highlighted with wonderful modern upgrades and welcome you in. Large original tiled entry, step down living room leads to cozy den overlooking the gardens, formal dining room, stunning chef’s kitchen with breakfast room and separate laundry room. Spacious master suite with spa like bathroom, walk in closet, office area and private patio. 3 additional bedrooms & 2 beautiful original baths. Remodeled guest house plus 3 car garage.

Impressive country English home just around the corner from Larchmont Village. Wonderful home featuring a large living room with fireplace, equally large dining room, family room with fireplace and doors out to the yard, sunny newer eat in kitchen, home office and laundry room. Upstairs is a sumptuous master suite with a “WOW” bathroom plus 2 additional bedrooms with private baths & a bonus room. Beautiful gardens with room for a pool plus guest house above a 2 car garage.

ld o S

527 N. Cherokee Ave. — $2,499,000 Located on one of the best blocks, this wonderful Spanish home has been with the same family for almost 45 years. Lovingly maintained over time, this home features a 2 story entry with sweeping staircase, large living room formal dining room, kitchen with breakfast area and large family room plus separate laundry area and powder room. Upstairs is the owner’s suite with office area and bath plus 3 additional bedrooms and 2 more baths. The private yard features an entertaining deck, pool, outdoor kitchen and permitted guest house plus single car garage. This is a great opportunity.

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100 North Irving Blvd. Sold for $5,350,000 • Represented the Buyers Fantastic rebuild of this iconic home on Irving. The Seller’s maintained the Windsor Square facade but added a beautiful new interior featuring an open floor plan. The formal entry flows into the family room and stunning designer kitchen and through to a step down dining room with hand painted ceiling. There is also a cozy den with fireplace plus a large living room, exercise room and charming guest house. Upstairs is a luxurious master suite with spa like bath and walk in closet. 3 additional bedrooms all with private baths plus a secret kids playroom. Beautiful outdoor space with outdoor kitchen and patios.

w o r c

508 N. June St. — $4,995,000 Overlooking the Wilshire Country Club, charming English home welcomes you with a dramatic living room, large dining room that opens out to the yard, family room, updated kitchen plus a maids room & bath. Second floor landing leads you to the master suite with balcony overlooking the gardens as well as 3 additional bedrooms, 2 additional baths plus a home office with views. Great entertaining gardens with a pool, outdoor lounge with fire pit plus a home gym all overlooking Wilshire Country Club.

Representing Buyers and Sellers in the Hancock Park/Windsor Square neighborhoods for the past 28 years

Rick Llanos (C) 323-810-0828 (O) 323-460-7617 rllanos@coldwellbanker.com CalRE# 01123101

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo service marks are registered or pending registrations owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

©LC1120

In last month’s edition, this paper went on record supporting the election of City Councilmember David Ryu to serve a second term. While Ryu has been reported upon in this paper for his work on an array of issues including homelessness, affordable housing, crime, etc., I decided to do a survey of his record on historic preservation. What I discovered was a solid history of advocacy and achievement in the preservation and protection of the historic resources of Council District 4. Since assuming office in

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

SECTION TWO

Pumpkins, Christmas trees bring old-time cheer to Boulevard “We plan to close the Pumpkin Patch at the end of the day on October 30, but if we still have a good supply of pumpkins left and customers are pouring in late on Friday the 30th, we might persuade our staff to stay open on Hallow-

KOONTZ

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Happy Thanksgiving to All!

LC608

Here are some fun things to check out at Koontz Hardware in November. “Vapur” has a lightweight and collapsible water bottle that’s perfect for outdoor activies and it’s made in the U.S.A. Just fill it up, drink it, and then fold it up and stow it away until you need a refill. We have eco lunchboxes for kids that expand and collapse to store bigger food items, and then collapse back down when you’re done with them. Available in assorted sizes and colors. Foldable spoons and forks complete the package and make meals on-the-go more manageable. We still have all the Benjamin Moore colors to match anything your heart desires. November is a great time to touch up the kid’s rooms or add an accent wall color. Our paint professionals can help you find the perfect color. And, of course, we are ready for your every Thanksgiving meal need including enamel roasting pans, brining bags, and oven mitts, so stop on by and say Hi.

©LC1116

LIPSON

Plumbing, Inc.

een morning,” Scot Clifford, chair of the Wilshire Rotary Foundation, told us. The Hoedown at the Pumpkin Patch, at 568 N. Larchmont Blvd., was cancelled this year, but plenty of pumpkins and colorful gourds were delivered soon after the Wilshire Rotary Club received its permit to operate on Oct. 2. “The city doesn’t always grant these permits,” Clifford said, and, because of the coronavirus, the process took considerable time to get the A-OK via an email. (Because the October edition of the Larchmont Chronicle hit the newsstands and neighbors’ doorsteps Oct. 1, we missed telling our readers about the popular fall tradition ahead of time.) Permit in hand, Rotarians Wendy Clifford and Larry and Elsa Gillham drove north to Santa Paula, where the Cliffords’ son helped pack and truck back more than 18,000 pounds of pumpkins and gourds. While children miss the usual bounce house and petting zoo, also cancelled because of the pandemic, a maze made of hay bales adds to the old-fashioned fun, Clifford told us. Plenty of hand sanitizer is available, as well as gloves and masks, for anyone who forgot to bring theirs. The good news is that the Pumpkin Patch permit also applies to the Christmas tree lot, which will be at the same location — as it has been for the past 14 years. (Please turn to page 13)

COLORFUL gourds and pumpkins and a maze are at the Pumpkin Patch. hotos courtesy of en y liffor

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By Suzan Filipek It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays are upon us, what with the Larchmont Pumpkin Patch open for business … and fresh-cut Christmas trees soon headed our way.

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Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

ic curbed travel plans. “Our trees, if they are cut on a Monday, are on our lot Wednesday, and we put them in water as quickly as we have the manpower to do it. “You’re going to get a much fresher tree at a lot like ours.” The tree lot may be even more popular than the Pumpkin Patch, judging by the calls Clifford gets. Some residents, so eager to

TALKING TREES, cot Clifford left stands amon future Christmas trees in re on ith ro er Andy Au ust .

Pumpkins (Continued from page 12) “Top-of-the-line” Douglas firs and noble trees are expected to arrive around Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, silvertips are not available from the supplier this year. “Deliveries are never exactly precise. The growers cut the trees immediately before the 24-hour trip from Oregon. Sometimes there are delays. Typically we aim to open the Friday after Thanksgiving,” said Clifford. Wreaths, mistletoe and reindeer and snowmen made from

archmont s euber er in

cut trees will also be for sale. The trees brought to Larchmont are “top-of-the-line, high-quality premium trees,” said Wendy Clifford. The Larchmont lot only carries “plantation trees,” which are sustainably grown on a farm in Oregon. Unlike a wild tree, these are fertilized and shaped, creating a thicker trunk than a tree you might find in the forest, and making for not only a beautiful tree, but also a fragrant one, added Scot. While in years past the Cliffords have traveled to Oregon to view the trees, the pandem-

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get their trees, call him on his cell phone about arrival times. “Some people like Christmas trees more than I do. And I like them a lot,” he said. Trees for a good cause Profits from both the Pumpkin Patch and the tree lot support charities and schools locally and around the world. The Wilshire Rotary Club recently purchased hardback dictionaries for elementary

students, and the group sponsors field trips to the Pumpkin Patch and tree lot for visually impaired students from Van Ness Elementary, as well as supports that school with donations. Fighting polio and providing necessary food and water are among causes Rotary International supports. “We think we do a good job with our charities,” Scot said.

Larchmont Chronicle

NOVEMBER 2020

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How to minimize ‘cheap hands’ and go home a winner Starting Hands You have no control over the cards dealt out during the hand; but you are the only one who can make the choice. As you peek at your two hole cards, decide if this is a starting hand worthy of your investment.

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Sometimes, that is easy. For example, with a high-pocket pair, you should be willing to pay to see the flop — hoping to improve to a set (or better). The odds are against it — about 8-to-1; but, if you do catch a big hand on the flop, you have a great opportunity to build a huge pot to add to your winnings. In that regard, ideally an unraised multi-way pot is best — unless you were dealt pocket Aces, Kings, or Queens. In that case, your goal is to play against no more than four opponents so your top pair has a good chance of holding up even without improving; consider raising to thin the field, if necessary. Middle pocket pairs and even small ones are playable from middle and late positions.

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George Epstein As a general rule, over the long run, about one out of four hands dealt to you will be playable before the flop. A player who consistently pays to see the flop more often is a “poker pigeon” — bound to be a loser. Those are the kind of opponents we love to have at our table. In addition to pocket pairs, premium drawing hands — such as A-K, A-Q, A-J and K-Q are playable from any position. Likewise, connectors (two cards in sequence, open at both ends) are often playable. They are even more so if they are also suited. When making your decision whether or not to pay to see the flop, consider the traits of your opponents and their actions. If a tight player

raises, have due respect for his bet; chances are he has a strong starting hand. Whereas, a loose-aggressive opponent could be raising with almost anything. If he does that often, consider him a “maniac” and call his raise. Chances are you will beat him out. In fact, consider re-raising to thin the field and play heads-up against him the rest of the way. To make it easier in selecting starting hands pre-flop, there are charts available from various sources. I prefer to use the Hold’em Algorithm. (See my book, “Hold’em or Fold’em? — An Algorithm for Making the KEY Decision.”) Next Column In our next column, we will take the next step to decide whether to continue in that hand post-flop, or muck your cards. We label that the “twostep process.” George Epstein, a long-time local resident, is the author of three poker books and currently is writing “Win More in Texas Hold’em.”

irtual eterans

In our previous column, we explained how best to go home a winner after a session of low-limit Texas Hold’em at your local casino. Let’s elaborate on one of the most essential skills: Minimize the number of losing hands, and make them as cheap as possible.

Forest Lawn’s 61st annual Veterans Day Celebration will stream via Facebook Live, Wed., Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to noon. The event will honor past and present members of the United States military with a flyover by the Condor Squadron’s vintage aircraft. Also featured will be patriotic music by Band of the California Battalion, a rifle salute, color guard, wreath laying and an invocation by Monsignor Frank Hicks of St. Basil’s Catholic Church. Stephanie Stone, director of veteran affairs for the County of Los Angeles, will speak. Air Force Col. Jennifer Bergdorf and Air Force Col. Andrew Bergdorf will present a Presidential Proclamation. “We are proud to honor the

yo er

bravery and sacrifices of the United States military this Veterans Day,” said Rodolfo Saenz, senior vice president of marketing at Forest Lawn. To participate, visit facebook.com/ForestLawn.

Hollywood holiday parade canceled The Hollywood Christmas Parade is canceled this year, but highlights from past parades will be broadcast on CW/KTLA Fri., Dec. 4. For more information, visit thehollywoodchristmasparade. org or your local listings.

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This nautical phrase is used for objects that are clean, like new How come something very clean is “spic and span”? queries Jay Capaul. Actually this saying refers to not only clean but also shiny — like new. The origin is nautical. In the days of sail, a spic was a spike or a nail, and a span was and still is a rope or chain with both ends fastened. So, a “spic and span” ship was one in which every nail and piece of rope or chain was spotless — clean like new. • • •

Professor KnowIt-All Bill Bentley Why, when we are happy, are we in “seventh heaven”? ponders Margaret Lannister. The Hebrew Cabbalists (a Jewish mystical system of theology and metaphysics) as well

as the followers of Islam maintained that there are seven heavens, each rising above the other with the seventh being the abode of God or Allah and the highest class of angels. • • • How come an overly zealous actor is a “ham”? wonders Connie Smith. This universally used term originated with the strutting, bellowing, blackfaced performers of the minstrel shows of the mid-1800s, who removed

their heavy makeup with lard or hamfat. This somewhat unconventional face cream was featured in a popular minstrel song, “The Hamfat Man.” Because minstrels used outlandish gestures and shamelessly overacted, the shift to “ham actor” was inevitable. • • • Why is someone with news called a “harbinger”? asks Hal Needham. When nobility traveled in medieval times, a servant

called a harbinger (from the French vauntcourier, which means one who runs ahead) galloped a couple hours in front of the noble party to arrange food and lodging for the night. This job was highly prized because innkeepers were always very hospitable to these men. Professor Know-It-All is the nom de plume of Bill Bentley, who invites readers to try and stump him. Send your questions to willbent@prodigy.net.

On Preservation

5156 W. La Vista Court HCM 1143 : Among Greater Wilshire’s most unique homes, the Finn Frolich House was built on a residential alley off Van Ness Ave. Home and studio of beaux arts sculptor Finn Haakon Frolich, the house is notable for its bas relief depicting author Jack London. The narrow three-story house is reminiscent of seaside houses on the Mediterranean. 226 S. St. Andrews Place HCM 1119 : This important Japanese Craftsman home

was built in 1914 for portrait photographer Albert Witzel, who moved from Deadwood, South Dakota to Los Angeles in 1898 and became one of Hollywood’s earliest celebrity photographers, supplying photos of stars to the “Los Angeles Times” and movie magazines. A friend of Charlie Chaplin, Witzel also photographed the likes of Theda Bara and Harold Lloyd. Thank you for helping save our history, Councilmember Ryu!

(Continued from page 11)

RICHARD AND GLORIA PINK and staff members show big smiles (behind the masks) in support of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2020 World Series.

HCM 1123 : Designed by master architect Roland E. Coate in 1926 for socialite Eva K. Fudger, the house was leased, then purchased by Howard Hughes in 1929. During his time on Muirfield, Hughes produced several of his most famous films, including “Hell’s Angels,” and lived in the house for a period with Katherine Hepburn. Finn Frolich House, 5152-

Dodgers in Series (again), Pink’s went blue (again) By John Welborne Honoring the Los Angeles Dodgers’ latest trip to the World Series (playing all games against the Tampa Bay Rays in Texas — ah, coronavirus!), the Pink family again decked out the iconic hot dog stand in Dodger Blue for late October. Pink’s also featured a special price for its “Blue’s Bacon Chili Cheese Dog.” The discounted price ($2 off) for the all-beef stretch dog was $4.88 (with the “88” being an homage to the last time the Dodgers won the World Series). Pink’s donated 100 percent of the special dogs’ sales proceeds to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. The promotion was scheduled to extend until the Dodgers won the World Series ... but that outcome was still unknown as the Larchmont Chronicle’s November issue went to press! Go Dodgers!

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HAN O SOOOO CH t was such a pleasure wor ing with you two. new we were in great hands and was very appreciate that you always ept us in the loop via email. Thank you for all of your hard work. Once the pandemic began, was worried lic er would sit on the mar et. can t believe how uic ly you got it sold once it was listed, and to great buyers as well han you for everything. he whole process was incredibly smooth and m grateful for the guidance both of you provided throughout. And than you for using the PS to locate the penguin statue Audrey Wayne & Charlotte Wayne 9222 Flicker Drive, Los Angeles

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Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. DRE 01866771. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and s uare footages are appro imate.