LC Real Estate 02 2022 by Larchmont Chronicle

HISTORY

PLAY ON

Our state’s place names tell stories of history, politics and power. Page 4

MUSEUMS

Bob Baker Marionette Theater organ has all the bells and whistles. Page 9

Real Estate Museums, Libraries Home & Garden

Saddle up for the 2022 Masters of the American West Art Exhibition and Sale. Page 13

VIEW

Section 2

LARCHMONT CHRONICLE

FEBRUARY 2022

HANCOCK PARK • WINDSOR SQUARE • FREMONT PLACE • GREATER WILSHIRE • MIRACLE MILE • PARK LA BREA • LARCHMONT

427 S. Lucerne Blvd. | Windsor Square | $5,085,000 JUST SOLD. REPRESENTED BUYERS. Stately Windsor Square Traditional. 4 beds + office + 3.5 baths. Pool.

117 S. Windsor Blvd. | Windsor Square | $4,350,000

738 Longwood Ave. | Brookside | $4,070,000

IN ESCROW. Beautiful Mediterranean in A+ location. 3 beds + 2 baths. 117Windsor.com

Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

JUST SOLD. Elegant English Tudor in coveted Brookside. 3 beds + 6 baths. 738Longwood.com Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

364 N. McCadden Pl.| Hancock Park| $3,950,000

552 Wilcox Ave| Hancock Park | $3,899,000

4957 Melrose Hill | Hollywood | $2,895,000

1733 N. Ogden Dr. | Hollywood Hills | $2,445,000

In heart of Hancock Park, this beautiful Spanish home is a true gem! 5BR/2.5BA & verdant garden with pool. Naomi Hartman and Leah Brenner 323.860.4259/4245 CalRE #00769979, 00917665

Gorgeous newly remodeled 2 story Spanish near the LA Tennis Club. 4 beds 3 baths plus beautiful pool area.

Historic Melrose Hill family compound w/ 4 bed, 3 baths, studio & 2 bed guest house. Large lot.

REPRESENTED BUYER. Beautiful remodl’d lower HH home 3 bed, 4 bas & wonderful entertaining spaces. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

150 S. Windsor Blvd. | Windsor Square | $5,400,000 JUST SOLD. Architecturally stunning Mediterranean w/ guest house & pool. 5 beds + 3.5 baths. Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

Kathy Gless 323.460.7622 CalRE #00626174

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

439 N. Gower St. | Larchmont Village | $2,250,000

351 N Poinsettia Pl.| Miracle Mile| $2,250,000

6550 W. 84th St. | Westchester | $1,465,000

631 Wilcox Ave. #1A| Hancock Park | $1,100,000

JUST SOLD. Sunny Craftsman one block from Village cafes & shops. 5 beds + 4 baths. 439Gower.com Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

SOLD OVER ASKING. Grand 3/2 Charac. Spanish in prime area. X-lrge frml D.R, Grnte kitc. Fpl, hdwd flrs. Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

Developer’s dream! Permits ready to issue for apprx. 3,000 total SF. 2-Sty ADU to be delivered completed! Erik Flexner 310-941-FLEX (3539) CalRE #01352476

JUST SOLD. REPRESENTED BUYERS. 2 beds + 2.5 baths gated Hancock Park Terrace. Golf course views. Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

6151 Orange St. #121 | Hancock Park | $499,000

145 S. Hudson | Hancock Park | $25,000/MO

165 N. Las Palmas Ave. | Hancock Park | $23,000/MO

160 N. McCadden Pl. | Hancock Park | $20,000/MO

SOLD. Beautiful 1/1 condo. Frplce, balcony. Pool. Gated garage. Close to LACMA, Grove, Transportation. Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

FOR LEASE. Stately English on one of the finest blocks in Hancock Park. 6 beds + 2 baths, pool with spa. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

FOR LEASE. Stately English Tudor on a beautiful treelined st. 5Bd / 4.5Bas, covered patio, large pool. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

Furnished Lease, short or long term. 4 beds, 4.5 baths w/ a pool and guest house. Great location. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM Hancock Park 323.464.9272 | 251 N Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90004 ©2021 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

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

RYLAN program is set for February pilot in Windsor Square

By Talia Abrahamson Under the city’s free Ready Your LA Neighborhood (RYLAN) program, 400 homes in Windsor Square this February will be piloting an emergency preparedness plan. RYLAN is an initiative to organize neighborhood resources for the first hour after a disaster and before emergency responders arrive. Why RYLAN? The hope is that disaster preparations under RYLAN will look much more like getting to know your neighbors. Windsor Square resident Gary Gilbert, who has been leading the push for RYLAN, said that he selected the program for its relatively simple implementation. “Hopefully this is like car insurance,” Gilbert said. “Hopefully we’ll never have to use it, but if we do, it would be good to know that we’re prepared, because it’s not that much effort to get ready.” RYLAN will start in the northwest quadrant of Windsor Square: from Arden to Plymouth boulevards and from Beverly Boulevard to Third Street. For each one of these approximately 20 blocks, a host will step up to facilitate communication among neighbors.

The first step, which will take place in February, is for all interested neighbors to attend a 90-minute workshop which, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be conducted over Zoom. The workshop includes watching an informational video and identifying emergency resources. The goal for hosts and cohosts is to organize information for their “pods,” or groups of approximately 20 families who live on their block. The pods become active in the event of an emergency –– for example, cataloging the names and contact information for all household members; determining who has a backyard without power lines that is ideal for a meeting place; and knowing who might be doctors or have health impairments. Gilbert estimates that the host perhaps will take on three hours of responsibility, which he says is easily worth the time. “We’re really asking for a few hours of someone’s life that might truly save the lives of themselves or their neighbors,” Gilbert said. RYLAN can be activated for any disaster. In the “golden hour,” or first hour after the event, the aim is for each

THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT of Windsor Square will host a customized RYLAN pilot program.

pod to be able to support its members independently. In preparation for such an event, however, RYLAN is in effect encouraging neighbors to get to know each other better. Support from the city, neighborhood associations RYLAN is offered through

the Emergency Management Department (EMD) of the City of Los Angeles. Since RYLAN’s creation in 2017 and implementation in 2018, the city has helped organize about 200 plans. The city does not collect any personal information gathered through RYLAN.

Crisanta Gonzalez, the EMD division chief overseeing planning and community preparedness, who has been working with Gilbert to implement RYLAN in Windsor Square, said that neighbors should consider her department as a “one-stop shop.” Neighborhoods can request free RYLAN resources at readyla.org. They can ask for help in developing a neighborhood map, or ask for a stronger partnership in implementing RYLAN. “The strength of RYLAN is getting to know your neighbors and working together collaboratively to take care of each other,” Gonzalez said. “We’re just offering you a tool to write it all down and facilitate that.” Gonzalez will be leading the informational workshops in February. She also gave a presentation via Zoom at the Windsor Square Association’s most recent annual town hall meeting last November. Gilbert serves on the board of the Windsor Square Association (WSA), which has been supportive of RYLAN. He also is the Windsor Square representative on the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) and the chair of its Resilience Committee that (Please turn to page 10)

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

Audrey Irmas Pavilion brings a modern edge to Wilshire

By Suzan Filipek The amazing, modern, leaning-shaped Audrey Irmas Pavilion is finished, and it was ready for its January opening. But like many things these days, the official fanfare has been postponed because of the pandemic. In the meantime, here are a few images by architecture photographer Jason O’Rear of the new building, located adjacent to the historic Wilshire Boulevard Temple. Named for its lead donor, Audrey Irmas, whose $30 million gift launched the capital campaign in 2015, the new 55,000-square-foot pavilion was designed by the architecture firm Office of Metropolitan Architecture, and it will host religious and cultural activities, celebrations and performances, according to audreyirmaspavilion.org. The geometric, neutral façade is made from 1,230 hexagonal panels of glass fiber -reinforced concrete. Inside the three-floor building, colors range from red tones in the Grand Ballroom to green in the chapel and a sunken roof garden. The new pavilion is also home to the Annenberg Foundation’s Wallis Annenberg GenSpace, a community space for older Angelenos.

WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TEMPLE provides a striking contrast.

FIRST FLOOR has large gathering space. Photos by Jason O’Rear

NEW PAVILION has a roof garden and great views.

SECOND FLOOR CHAPEL features shades of green.

SECTION TWO

FEBRUARY 2022

Larchmont Chronicle

A mountain by any other name, and the toponymists among us

Despite warming oceans, melting ice, fire, mudslides, violent storms, rising water and pandemic, I think about mountains. I find them literally and psychologically grounding. I see them, too. The Sandia Mountain Range is in the near distance outside my kitchen door as I write here in New Mexico. In the next few months, I will be writing about mountains and books about mountains. Some will be in and near Los Angeles, and some will be further afield in the Southwest. I will be revisiting writers who found their way and their footing in mountains — Mary Austin, Keith Basso, Aldo Leopold and Ed Abbey, among others. These writers are my touchstones; they occupy my dreams. But I want to start with naming mountains — who first named them, then who changed their names — or at least try to tempt you into this subject of toponymics: the study of geographic, or place, names. A toponymist has to know everything, it turns out — history, linguistics, geography, geology, anthropology and archeology. A brilliant writer, historian and toponymist, George R. Stewart, wrote in 1945 about naming before written history: “The more distinct a place was, the more likely an Indian was to name it. A small lake set cleanly in the forest was a thing in itself, as individual as a person … [but] mountains generally went unnamed. They were huge and vague; they mingled one with another, and faded off into their own

shoulders; no one was really named for the son-in-law of sure where a mountain began John Muir, are examples). Home … [M]ost of the resonant InTwo books about CaliforGround dian names of high peaks were nia’s place names might be by placed there later by white of interest to readers curious men.” about the names we take for Paula Panich In California, geographic granted. The first is “Californames are tiny capsules of nia Place Names: The Origin history and power. Some are and Etymology of Current from Spanish and Mexican actual Native names, or exGeographical Names” by trapolated Native names (an land grants (the list of the Erwin Gudde (4th Edition, example of the latter, Hoosim- ranchos of California is in- revised and enlarged by Wilbim Mountain, derives from spired reading; the San Ja- liam Bright), and the second “huusun meem,” or “buzzard’s cinto Mountains are likely is “California’s Spanish Place water” from the native Wintu named for the Rancho San Ja- Names: What They Mean and language). Many others are cinto, one of Mission San Luis the History They Reveal” by the result of years of political Rey’s ranchos). Other names Barbara and Rudy Marinacci horse-trading and passionate commemorate certain people (2005 edition). disagreement among various (Mount Whitney, Mount HunName changes occur over governmental levels through tington and Hanna Mountain, time. Sometimes a mountain Spanish, Mexican, American and state rule. Still others are a result of power wielded by government surveys and railroad companies. Many kinds of names float above California’s mountains. In English, descriptive names abound, as 12 peaks have the word “volcano” in their names; other names refer to incidents (Deadman Summit, Donner Peak); certain beliefs (Tahquitz Peak); and some derive TWO BOOKS cover many of the state’s names that people often take for granted.

name needs to be changed to something more historically and socially appropriate. In 2020, Jeff Davis Peak, a summit in Alpine County in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, named for the Confederate president, received a deserved new designation. The peak is now called Daek Dow Go-et Mountain. In the Washoe tribal language, it means “saddle between two points.” The new name was recommended by the Alpine County Board of Supervisors, and it received official approval by the U.S. Board on Geographical Names. The work of a toponymist never stops.

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

Park la Brea residents meet, elect board Councilman Paul Koretz was guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Park La Brea Residents Association (PLBRA) Jan. 9. Originally planned to be in-person, the meeting was changed to Zoom and approximately 40 people participated. Candidates for the residential association’s board were introduced, and PLBRA officers reported on the past year. Visit PLBRA.org.

COUNCILMAN Paul Koretz Zooms with his Park La Brea constituents.

SOLD: The two front townhouse condominiums at 610 and 618 S. Van Ness Ave. in Windsor Square were sold in December for $1,950,000 and $1,789,000 respectively.

Real Estate Sales* Single family homes

601 S. Windsor Blvd. 616 N. Martel Ave. 738 Longwood Ave. 606 N. Arden Blvd. 330 N. Formosa Ave. 543 N. Curson Ave. 301 Lorraine Blvd. 116 S. Curson Ave. 677 S. McCadden Pl. 522 N. Beachwood Dr. 252 S. June St. 438 S. Citrus Ave. 351 N. Poinsettia Pl. 137 S. Citrus Ave. 612 N. Sierra Bonita Ave. 729 S. Orange Dr. 533 N. Irving Blvd. 842 Third Ave. 634 N. Las Palmas Ave. 401 N. Detroit St. 635 N. Mansfield Ave. 323 N. Irving Blvd. 7307 Oakwood Ave. 415 N. Arden Blvd. 1015 S. Gramercy Dr. 5006 W. Maplewood Ave.

Condominiums

610 S. Van Ness Ave., #1 618 S. Van Ness Ave., #1 610 S. Van Ness Ave., #2 4713 Wilshire Blvd. 4180 Wilshire Blvd., #203 4460 Wilshire Blvd., #305 853 S. Lucerne Blvd., #301 611 N. Bronson Ave., #1 333 Westminster Ave., #104 5670 W. Olympic Blvd., #PH07 620 S. Gramercy Pl., #202 4733 Elmwood Ave., #302 631 Wilcox Ave., #2F 525 N. Sycamore Ave., #419 620 S. Gramercy Pl., #212 *Sale prices for December.

$10,270,000 $4,640,000 $4,070,000 $3,700,000 $3,685,000 $3,650,000 $3,562,000 $2,940,000 $2,813,300 $2,700,000 $2,670,000 $2,650,000 $2,289,000 $2,200,000 $2,130,000 $2,050,000 $2,008,000 $1,725,000 $1,700,000 $1,700,000 $1,574,000 $1,550,000 $1,530,000 $1,450,000 $1,247,000 $1,139,000 $1,950,000 $1,789,000 $1,748,000 $1,729,000 $1,100,000 $985,000 $980,000 $965,000 $790,000 $790,000 $635,000 $600,000 $581,500 $535,000 $420,000

ALL OF THE ARTISTS in the “Black American Portraits” group show recently posed at the BCAM building at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The exhibit remains on view through April 17 and includes artworks by Obama presidential portraitists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald along with Beauford Delaney, Kerry James Marshall, Titus Kaphar, Augusta Savage, Charles White and many more. The exhibit’s aim is to reframe portraiture to center Black American subjects, sitters and spaces. Photo by Ye Rin Mok. Courtesy of LACMA

Montelongo and Parsons LA’s Architectural Real Estate Group

Windsor Village 1923 Mediterranean Revival sold within days by Montelongo and Parsons.

AARON MONTELONGO

BRET PARSONS

Executive Director, Luxury Division

Founder & Executive Director, Architectural Division

310.600.0288 aaronmontelongo@gmail.com DRE 01298036

310.497.5832 bret@bretparsons.com DRE 01418010

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 square footages are approximate.

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

Larchmont Chronicle

New American flag proudly waves at Robert Burns Park By Billy Taylor A new American flag was hoisted up the flagpole last month at Robert Burns Park thanks to a local resident, plus the office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell. The condition of the previous flag, which had aged and was tattered, caused concern for veteran Mike Dawson, who lives across the street from the park. “I can see the flag from my home, and I sure hate to see it flying in such a state,” the Larchmont Village resident told us, as he inquired as to the best way to get it replaced. “It’s faded and in bad shape,” said Dawson, who served in

PLAQUE at the park honors Robert L. Burns, who served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1931 to 1945.

the Vietnam War. “I don’t care about people’s personal politics, but I don’t like to see the

Half-marathon, 5K are at Griffith Park on Feb. 13 The annual Griffith Park Half Marathon & 5K are back, on Sun., Feb. 13, and they are open to all levels of runners. Participants can join in person and also virtually as they enjoy the scenic route. Hikers and joggers will begin the half-marathon 13.1-mile course at 7:30 a.m. at the north end of the pony ride trail adjacent to the ranger station. The course passes the Merry-Go-

Round, Travel Town, the Zoo, Autry Museum and the perimeter of the golf course. It finishes back near the pony ride area. The 5K 3.1-mile course is a flat and fast route that starts at 8:30 a.m. and travels by the iconic golf course and then returns to the starting line area. Proceeds support the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. For information on parking and tickets, visit RunGPR.com.

American flag in disrepair or on the ground.” Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell’s office was quick to take action. Following a January call between Chronicle and O’Farrell staff members, the matter was resolved within 24 hours. “I just wanted to call and thank the Larchmont Chronicle for helping me get the flag replaced,” Dawson later told us. “Councilmember O’Farrell’s office called me to say that they got it changed and thanked me for my service. “I can report the flag is there and in good regard,” said Dawson.

NEW FLAG waves at Robert Burns Park.

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

Preservationist works to save landmark and family’s legacy

The City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission agreed Jan. 20 to take under consideration the nomination of the Hollywood Home Savings and Loan (aka the Chase Bank) on the corner of Sunset and Vine for Historic Cultural Monument (HCM) status. Designed by artist Millard Sheets for Howard Ahmanson Sr., whose Savings and Loan helped build southern California during the post-war boom, the bank is beloved for its mosaics, murals and stained glass depicting the history of Hollywood through the lens of the motion picture industry. But what made this occasion at the Commission particularly interesting was that it was Howard Ahmanson’s great-grandniece who applied for the nomination. She is a resident of Hancock Park and a graduate student at USC School of Architecture’s masters in Heritage Conservation program. Kathryn, having learned the family’s history and seeing her uncle’s architectural legacy (as well as growing up in a historic house in Hancock Park) was drawn to architecture. “Originally I thought I wanted to be an architect,” Ahmanson said, “However, I soon discovered that I was less interested

On Preservation by

Brian Curran

in the design of buildings than the stories they have to tell.” This led Kathryn to the field of historic preservation, the masters program at USC and an internship with Hollywood Heritage Inc. (Full disclosure: I serve as Hollywood Heritage Inc.’s current president). Hollywood Heritage had long wanted to landmark the bank, so when Kathryn was asked to write the nomination, she jumped at the chance to designate and hopefully preserve the first of her family’s remaining collection of bank buildings. The former Hollywood Home Savings and Loan sits on the northeastern corner of Sunset and Vine, sacred ground with regards to Hollywood history. This is the block where previously sat the Lasky-DeMille Barn, where the first full-length Hollywood feature, “The Squaw Man,” was filmed in 1914. The site was later occupied in 1938 by NBC’s Streamline Moderne

monument Radio City Hollywood, which was demolished in 1964 following the broadcaster’s move to Burbank. Howard Ahmanson purchased the lot and soon began construction of his new bank branch in 1967. Designed by the famed artist Millard Sheets, architect of the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple on Wilshire between Plymouth and Lucerne boulevards, the Hollywood HOWARD AHMANSON SR.’S great-grandniece, preservationist Kathryn Photo by Angie Schneider Home Savings and Ahmanson. Loan is an example of New Formalism, a style Howard Ahmanson chose for Home Savings buildings as they would appear timeless yet modern. Given complete freedom and sparing no expense, Sheets designed a “jewel box” which he decorated with mosaics depicting Hollywood movie stars, a mural of scenes from “The Squaw Man” and stained-glass windows designed by Sue Hertel to look like film strips. Of the finished product, Sheets was quoted as saying, “That’s one that every- CELEBRITIES ARE featured on the murals, including Charlie (Please turn to page 8) Chaplin as The Tramp, above. Photo by Margot Gerber

YOU’ VE NEVER BEEN YOU’VE YOU CLOSER TO HOME...

145 S. HUDSON AVENUE.- $25,000/MO.

165 N. LAS PALMAS AVE. - $23,000/MO. Character English on a great block Newly remodeled, 3rd Street School 5 Bedrooms + 4.5 Baths + Pool

Beautiful traditional on prime street Short/long term lease, furnished/ unfurnished 5 Bedrooms + 6 Baths + Pool + Guest house

6636 WEST 6TH STREET - $2,490,000

1733 N. OGDEN DR. - $2,445,000

Stately brick tudor on coveted block Short/long term lease, furnished 6 Bedrooms + 5.5 Baths + Guest House + Pool

Represented Buyer Beautiful updated triplex with original details Two 3 + 2 units plus studio

Represented Buyer Charming hillside traditional in beautiful setting 3 Bedrooms + 4 Baths

160 N. MCCADDEN PLACE- $20,000/MO.

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

MOSAIC of actor Charles Laughton as King Henry V. Photo by Margot Gerber

On Preservation (Continued from page 7)

body admires. It’s been reproduced in all sorts of magazines all over the country. The tourist agencies run busloads of people out there every week in Tanner buses to look at the building… That building has become a kind of a landmark in many ways for a lot of people.”

HOLLYWOOD HOME SAVINGS AND LOAN (aka Chase Bank now) on Sunset and Vine is being considered for City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument status.

To Kathryn Ahmanson, the preservation of the bank is personal: “To me, it’s a way of keeping our family history alive and recognizing the significance of not just Home Savings and

Loan, but also Howard’s relationship with Millard Sheets that resulted in this amazing culmination of art and architecture unlike anything else.” Now that the building has been

taken under consideration for HCM status, perhaps it will truly become a monument, thanks to the efforts of Kathryn and Hollywood Heritage. Kathryn Ahmanson will be

giving a virtual presentation on the Hollywood Savings and Loan and the Historic Cultural Monument nomination process Thurs., Feb. 24. For details, go to hollywoodheritage.org

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

Storied organ gets second life at Bob Baker Marionette Theater

By Caroline Tracy During a recent visit to the Bob Baker Marionette Theater (BBMT), Los Angeles’ famed puppet theater, Brookside resident Vivian Gueler took note of something she hadn’t previously clocked. An organist was playing “upbeat, old-timey music” on an ornately detailed and colossally-sized theater organ. Situated to the left of center stage, it appeared to be a centuries-old antique. Gueler did some inquiring and learned that the organ is on permanent loan from the Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society (LATOS). “This is such a cool story and a little piece of history,” Gueler, who happens to be on the board at BBMT, told me at our kids’ school pick-up one day. It just so happened that — around this same time — a copy of the brand-new book, “Enchanted Strings” was circulating here at the Larchmont Chronicle office. The book is generally available this month. It details the history of BBMT and its master puppeteer / founder, Bob Baker. Chronicle Managing Editor Suzan Filipek reviewed the book in our January issue. The organ, however, is deserving of its own story, and I contacted BBMT resident

LIVELY SOUNDS heard from the massive theater organ at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater are enjoyed by children of all ages. Photo: Ian Byers-Gamber

organist Ed Torres to get that story. Torres explained to me that this particular organ is a digital replica of a theater organ from the early 1900s, and it was donated via LATOS from the private estate of a musician and author named Jack Darr. I learned that theater organs were built for playing during the showing of silent movies. They were also a cost-saving

measure, enabling theaters to replace an entire orchestra with one instrument and one player. “These were not like church or concert organs,” Torres explained. “They had all sorts of bells and whistles and drums attached. They were extremely versatile — you could play anything. They could play jazz and all the tunes of the day.” This jibes with what Gueler

experienced at the BBMT theater. “The music coming from the organ (played by Torres) was lively and created a convivial atmosphere for all ages to enjoy,” she shared. Torres, who has been playing organ since he was 13, was thrilled at the chance to come and play at BBMT. “My mother had taken me to the original theater downtown when I was about six,” he said,

“and I always remembered it fondly.” Torres had spent many of his formative years “hanging out and volunteering” at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, ultimately becoming the head organist there until the pandemic struck. When he found out BBMT was opening its doors again in September (after its pandemic closure), Torres immediately contacted BBMT Executive Director and Head Puppeteer Alex Evans to let him know he was available to come and play. When I spoke with Torres during Christmas week, he was about to play his 100th show at the theater. “This is such a specialty, and I’m really happy to introduce an instrument from a bygone era to a new generation of listeners,” Torres shared. Mr. Darr would undoubtedly be happy as well. His estate made clear that he wished the organ to be placed “where people would enjoy it.” Chevalier’s March 7 Author Randal Metz will sign copies of his new book about the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, “Enchanted Strings,” at Chevalier’s Books, 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., at 7 p.m. on Mon., March 7.

69 Fremont Pl. Los Angeles Represented Tenant / Landlord Leased / Sold $15,000/MO

627 E. Traction Ave. #606, Los Angeles Represented both buyer & Seller Sold $920,000 Over the asking

Located with 24 Hours security guarded community.

Located in Downtown L.A. 24 hour security guard. Swimming pool, gym, 2 beds 2 baths, wood floors, 2 parking space.

267 S. San Pedro St. #110, Los Angeles Represented both buyer & seller Sold $415,000

620 S. Gramercy Pl #212, Los Angeles Represented Seller Sold $420,000

Teramachi Luxury Senior (55+) complex 2 beds 2 baths , laundry inside, pool, gym 24 hour security guard.

Studio Located in heart of Koreatown. Swimming pool, gym 24 hour security guard.

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. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 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

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

RYLAN

(Continued from page 2) initiated the implementation of the RYLAN program in Greater Wilshire. GWNC will be creating and distributing a checklist of items that everyone should have to be prepared for emergencies, like extra medication for yourself and your pet, or good shoes that can tread on glass. Why the NW quadrant of Windsor Square? RYLAN is typically implemented one block at a time, with Gonzalez or a member of her staff hosting a RYLAN workshop and organizing the neighbors. But this month, Gilbert and Gonzalez are preparing to organize all 20 blocks in the northwest quadrant of Windsor Square at once. The reason they are hoping for success of this approach is because Windsor Square has a pre-existing network of block captains. Gonzalez said that a common concern with the implementation of RYLAN is the lack of organization within neighborhoods, which is not unusual across such a large city. Although not all block captains may sign up to host their

RYLAN pod, they are involved citizens who are committed to leading communication with their neighbors. Block captains are responsible for keeping up to date with contact information and neighborhood news. “Half the battle is getting a neighborhood engaged — because sometimes you can have one person who leads the charge, but the other neighbors are not as engaged and not as organized and don’t want to create block captains to help facilitate this,” Gonzalez said. “Windsor Square is already ahead of the curve, just in that aspect alone.” Gonzalez said that the community connections facilitated under RYLAN can also be a strong appeal for the program in a neighborhood like Windsor Square. “This is a group that wants that civic pride, that wants that neighborly feel, being able to go out and walk your dog and wave and actually know who you’re waving at and who you’re talking to,” Gonzalez said. “I think that’s the strength in piloting with this particular group.” Windsor Square, which is approximately 1,100 homes, has long been organized by

Larchmont Chronicle

the WSA into four quadrants. Depending on the success of RYLAN in the northwest quadrant, Gilbert will plan about its expansion. “I realized RYLAN would be the perfect thing for Greater Wilshire, which is 50,000 people, but it was a challenging task to try to address 50,000 people,” Gilbert said. “I said we should try to start in a smaller group and I’d like to start using Windsor Square.” A particular advantage of the northwest quadrant is the commercial blocks on Larchmont Boulevard, which has a Rite Aid pharmacy. Gilbert is in communication with corporate management to see about the possibility of including Rite Aid’s first-aid and food supplies in the neighborhood’s emergency preparedness plan. 28th anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake In the back of their minds, both Gilbert and Gonzalez are reminded of the 6.8-magnitude Northridge earthquake in 1994, which had its 28th anniversary on Jan. 17. Even though the San Fernando Valley region suffered the most damage, residents of Los Angeles still consider the earthquake a big one. (Please turn to page 11)

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RYLAN

(Continued from page 10) Gilbert remembers when the earthquake temporarily took out water and power supplies across the city. He walked

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to Baskin Robbins, then on Larchmont Boulevard, whose ice cream was melting, and he came back with 20 or so pints for his neighbors. With people gathering at his house, he said that they were lucky to be safe, but if there was another large earthquake or terrible disaster, there had to be a plan

for when neighbors start gathering outside. “In the case of a big one, we are going to be together as a group,” Gilbert said. “We should figure out how we’re going to do this.” Emergency preparedness for all neighborhoods Although a part of Wind-

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sor Square is piloting RYLAN, there are steps that every Los Angeleno should be taking to better prepare for emergencies. Gonzalez said that one important step is signing up for NotifyLA emergency alerts, which warn residents of when local disasters strike. She said that RYLAN contributes to the overall goal of making emergency preparedness feel like second nature.

Determining emergency contacts or storing up extra supplies are examples of preparations that all residents should consider. “The benefit of RYLAN is that we’re not asking you to be emergency-prepared,” Gonzalez said. “We’re not asking you to be a firefighter. We’re not asking you to be the police. We’re asking you to get to know your neighbors.”

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Needlework weaves into exhibit at Italian American Museum The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA) is presenting an exhibit named “Woven Lives: Exploring Women’s Needlework from the Italian Diaspora.” It features 100 different examples of needlework created by Italian women. It opens Sat., Jan. 29 and runs through Sun., Oct. 16. The exhibit examines the role of needlework in expressing and preserving culture. The museum put out a call

for artifacts of needlework on social media and received more than 200 examples from the United States and Australia, many of which are in the exhibit. “‘Woven Lives’ explores untold stories of women using items made by their own hands and… the role they played in preserving traditions, supporting families and creating communities,” according to Marianna Gatto, executive director of IAMLA.

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Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

Art will have equal footing at LACMA’s new Geffen Galleries

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ART WILL BE DISPLAYED on a single floor with plenty of natural light at the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA.

cultures. There is no predetermined order. We are not telling you where to start, what is best. We’re letting you explore the world of art,” she adds. “Everything is on equal footing. So for the first time, Asian art and European art and African art will all be on the same level,” said Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena, principal architects, Escher GuneWardena Architecture. While, in the past, the art would be separated by culture or period or country and various “artificial boundaries,” now it will be displayed in a holistic way, adds Linda Komaroff, curator and department head, Art of the Middle East. Art history is changing quite quickly, adds Zoe Kahr, deputy director for Curatorial and Planning. “It was quite static for a long time … and there’s a new generation of curators who are very interested in ensuring the stories we tell are represented.” Some of these changes were already underway, including the expansion of the Chinese and Korean collections at the

encyclopedic museum. As recently as 10 years ago, it was believed there was one notion of Korean art. “There’s more going on today, and we should also show that … ” said Virginia Moon, associate curator of Korean Art. The textbook narrative of the past can be expanded in the new building to encompass more than artistic exchange, said Bindu Gude, associate curator of South & Southeast Asian Art. For instance, “It can look at

what has been the impact of this privileging of the GrecoRoman artistic heritage and how is that picked up in the Neoclassical period that then impacts the colonial officials in India who were discovering this material and using it to interpret Indian art.” The natural light in the new building will also enrich the viewing experience of the museum’s amazing Indian art — including its stone sculpture — which had been on (Please turn to page 13)

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grounds that are as big or bigger than the actual museum, said building architect Peter Zumthor in a series of short videos released in the Jan. 11 online publication “LACMA Unframed.” View the videos at buildinglacma.org/video. What’s happening inside the galleries, behind the floor-toceiling glass façade, promises to be compelling. Changes in art display Several LACMA curators and architects spoke about these changes and their impacts in the art world. Here’s a sampling of what they said: “The fact that you’re on a single floor, it’s fantastic,” said Diana Magaloni, deputy director of the Art of the Ancient Americas, at the beginning of the series. “It is really about equity … the connections between all

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By Suzan Filipek When the David Geffen Galleries open at LACMA in 2024, art from all points of the globe will coexist on an equal playing field. No longer will some art be delegated to dark corners of the museum while other works shine in the light. How we view paintings and sculptures and their placement in museums is changing rapidly. And, at the forefront of these changes, will be the Geffen, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Plans for the new 347,500square-foot building include its by-now well-known expansive single floor of galleries stretching across busy Wilshire Boulevard. The building, elevated by seven concrete-and-glass pavilions, will allow more park and open space on the

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

New works to open at Craft Contemporary

Photo courtesy of the artist

LACMA

(Continued from page 12) the fourth floor of the now-demolished Ahmanson Building, Gude adds. Windows Windows play an important part in museums, said Kulapat Yantrasast, architect and founding partner at WHY Architecture Workshop. Besides the natural light they allow in in a beautiful way, they also allow a place of refreshment to look out versus walking through closed boxes of rooms. The new space offers the museum’s curators the rare gift to rethink the gallery space and to reshape it all at the same time, said Leah Lehmbeck, curator and department head, European Painting & Sculpture and American Art. “We have an opportunity to create something new … to present the work that is much more attentive and receptive to the audiences of today and the future,” said Rita Gonzalez, curator and department head, Contemporary Art. “We can hardly wait for the building to be open, because we know that it’s going to transform the way our visitors interact with not just the

work on view but also the kinds of work we want to offer,” said Naima Keith, vice president, Education and Public Programs. The new building allows curators to establish connections that were not possible in the prior building, said Ilona Katzew, curator and department head, Latin American Art. “We will be able to tell a story that both emphasizes the uniqueness of cultures and the expansiveness of global cultures.” Art opens a window into cultures that can seem very different. “At the end of the day, [these cultures] are made of people just like us,” said Stephen Little, curator of Chinese Art and Department Head, Chinese, Korean and South & Southeast Asian Art. Read more about the new galleries, the public outdoor space and the most current construction update at buildinglacma.org/video.

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CATFISH are woven into Diedrick Brackens’ works.

Three exhibits are opening Thurs., Jan. 27 at Craft Contemporary, 5814 Wilshire Blvd. An opening reception is set for Sat., Jan. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibit “Diedrick Brackens: Heaven is a Muddy Riverbed” features catfish as a motif in the artist’s weavings and poetry. While considered bottom feeders, catfish are highly adaptable, and the artworks encourage us to see them as complex, complete beings — creatures that society easily dismisses. Also opening are “Daisy Hightower: An Installation by Rosa Myles” and “Jaishri Abichandani: Flower-Headed Children.” All three exhibits end May 8, 2022.

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

POLICE BEAT

Murder on La Brea: suspect arrested, community mourns By Billy Taylor A shocking incident at a furniture store in Hancock Park last month has rattled business owners and residents alike. Brianna Kupfer was killed Jan. 13 while working alone at the Croft House furniture store on N. La Brea Avenue. Just after 1:30 p.m., Kupfer, 24, who was seeking a graduate degree in architectural design at UCLA, texted a friend that someone inside the store “was giving her a bad vibe,” according to Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). About 15 minutes later, a customer entered the location to find Kupfer dead. Within days, the LAPD had identified Shawn Laval Smith as a suspect in Kupfer’s death. Police allege that Smith entered the location and stabbed Kupfer before fleeing

VIGIL for Brianna Kupfer draws scores of residents and business owners Jan. 20 on La Brea Avenue, just north of Beverly.

out the back alley of the store. In response to the grisly incident, a citywide manhunt for Smith began, and Councilmember Paul Koretz made a motion for the city to offer a $50,000 reward, which was

increased to $250,000 by contributions from the community. Smith was arrested on Jan. 19 in Pasadena, according to the LAPD, which said the suspect had been recognized as he was waiting for a bus near

Fair Oaks Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. Vigil More than 75 people attended a Jan. 20 vigil in honor of Kupfer, a Pacific Palisades resident. The vigil’s invitation

asked residents to “show your support for Brianna and bring awareness for the urgent need to restore safety in our community.” At the event, flowers were left and candles were lit in honor of a life taken too soon.

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An iPad, bicycle and radio were among the items stolen from inside a home’s garage on the 100 block of N. Orange Dr. after a suspect used a tool to gain entry between Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. and Jan. 12 at 11:30 a.m. Two neighboring Larchmont Village businesses were burglarized within hours of each other on Jan. 12. At 4:30 a.m. a suspect used a branch (Please turn to page 15)

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Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

Why I don’t play online, and what the experts say — most players. I sent a draft of this column to several poker experts and have incorporated their comments. These include Linda Johnson (member, Poker Hall of Fame), Jan Fisher (Women in Poker Hall of Fame), Dr. Alan Schoonmaker (leading poker psychologist), Chad Holloway (famed poker columnist) and Ron Ross (voted top player in our Seniors Poker Group). Advantages In my mind, the biggest advantage of online poker is that you can play in the convenience of your own home, even in your pajamas, any time you want. You do not

Poker for All by

George Epstein have to drive to and from the casino. Another advantage: Since the online poker room has fewer operating expenses, the cost-to-play is somewhat lower — so it’s easier to go home a winner. Disadvantages But, in my opinion, the disadvantages of online poker far outweigh the advantages.

Improve the block by ‘adopting’ a street tree It’s a brand new month, so we’ve got a brand new tiny, micro, un-big challenge to readers of the Larchmont Chronicle. A tiny challenge to make our community just one iota better. This month’s challenge: adopt a street tree Not anything formal or legally-binding, this tiny challenge is more of an “adoption in spirit only.” Because the challenge isn’t tiny if it involves filling out a bunch of forms. Instead, this challenge is to find a tree you see often and mentally “adopt” it. Suddenly “that palm tree” becomes “MY palm tree.” Or “MY oak” or “MY the one with the bark that flakes off.” (I don’t know tree names, I’m not a tree guy; I’m a newspaper guy!) So what does it mean to fake-adopt a tree? All you have to do is use common sense to take care of it. Hasn’t rained in a while? Give it some water. There’s some trash at its base? Pick it up. Is there a rentable scooter thrown into its branches again? Bring that Lime down where it can bother pedestrians and not your tree. But maybe you don’t have a street tree that you see often. Your sidewalk might have a square of dirt that looks like it used to have a tree, but is now barren, or possibly home to a couple of dog poop bags. For that scenario, we’ve got three options. Option 1: Get a tree! Cityplants.org will bring and plant you a tree, at no cost. It’s a

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Eric Cunningham free green street tree spree! Option 2: Go rogue. Off the grid. That’s right: unauthorized guerrilla gardening. Order yourself some SoCal wildflower seeds online and sprinkle them around your dirt patch. If they grow, great! If they don’t, well, blame the

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Police Beat

(Continued from page 14) to smash the front door to Le Pain Quotidien and gained entry, but left without taking anything. Hours later, a safe was stolen from inside the Buck Mason store after a suspect pried open a door to gain entry at 9:55 a.m.

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dog poop bags. But it’s worth a try. Or just pick any street tree and adopt it. The challenge is to take care of some little square patch of land with a little bit of arboreal life on it. So do it! Oh, I almost forgot Option 3 for the barren dirt square! Option 3: Performative Street Art, where you dress up like a jacaranda in full body makeup and stand there to bring awareness of street-side foliage. With Option 3, the tree you adopt is… (tearfully) yourself. Just go with Options 1 or 2.

First, your opponents are unseen. It’s just you and your computer playing over the internet. No longer can you observe your opponents. As contrasted with live games, you cannot study their facial expressions and body language. Did he sit up straight or abruptly stop his conversation with the cocktail waitress as the dealer turned up the flop (tells suggesting his hole cards had connected)? Some players believe that cheating, especially collusion, is a potential problem online. According to Dr. Schoonmaker, “Hardly anyone wants to talk about it, but it is a fact.” Surely there is also cheating / collusion in live games, but it seems to be much less so than in online games. The fast speed of the game is even a greater disadvantage — at least for older players like me. Now in my mid-90s, my reflexes have markedly slowed down. An online hand takes only one minute or less to play, less than half the time of a live hand. There is little time to ponder the action in order to make your best decisions. For example, how can you estimate your card odds versus the pot odds? If the odds against drawing to a winner are higher than the pot odds, you would fold in a

live game — and save yourself a bunch of chips. Because of the pandemic, I currently do not play in the local casinos. So, I found an online Texas hold’em game played for points rather than cash that happens to be nolimit, and I have learned to cope with the extremely fast speed of the game. Yes, my mental acuteness has waned over the years, but I use my time more effectively, asking myself key questions while observing the cards being dealt out. Examples: With a made hand (A-A, K-K, Q-Q) preflop, how much should I raise as I look to see how many opponents are folding? What if an opponent raises before me? Looking at my hand after the flop, should I raise to thin the field or build the pot? How much should I raise? Holding a strong draw to a big flush, should I raise as a semi-bluff? Nevertheless, I fully intend to get back to live poker games as soon as it’s safer to do so. Life/poker quote of the month “Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but, sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” Jack London

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Online poker has become more popular since it started in the late 1990s — despite attempts to rule it illegal. And now, faced with the health risks of live games due to the coronavirus pandemic, many more players are turning to online poker. I enjoy playing Texas hold’em poker, and I much prefer live games rather than online. See if you agree with my reasons. As with most things in life, live games and online games have their pros and cons. We will discuss some of each from the standpoint of recreational poker players

Larchmont Chronicle

FEBRUARY 2022

SECTION TWO

New districts for the neighborhoods — city, county, state, U.S. LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL

By John Welborne Residents of the areas served by the Larchmont Chronicle may find themselves voting for representatives in very different districts this June and November. That certainly will be the case for the Los Angeles City Council. Ninety percent of the residents within the boundaries of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) will be in districts new to them, either CD 5 or CD 13. The new city districts are above; the former boundaries are at right. Whereas the city bifurcates GWNC east-west, the new County of Los Angeles districts bifurcate GWNC north-south. That puts about one-third of the residents in an all-new Third Supervisorial District — which will be having a contentious election for an open seat. That map is at far right. The six small maps, below at right, are “before and after” that show the differences between the logical draft maps of the State Redistricting Commission dated Nov. 10, 2021 and what the Commission made public at the last minute on Dec. 20, 2021 (and subsequently adopted). As the Chronicle reported last month, the Commission switched to an untrue community boundary line created in 2009 by a “Los Angeles Times” mapping project that made up a wholly artificial and historically incorrect western boundary for what that newspaper’s interns and/ or editors decided was “Koreatown.” As a result, for the coming decade beginning in 2022 and for the United States Congress and the State Assembly, Greater Wilshire will

be split again, with the dividing line being the middle of Wilton Place, from Beverly to Wilshire, and then south down Cren-

shaw Boulevard. However, for the State Senate, communities within Greater Wilshire are largely kept together.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

CITY COUNCIL PRE-2022

STATE MAPS proposed November 10, 2021.

Star is set at approximately Larchmont and Beverly boulevards.

34 54 37

STATE MAPS as adopted December 20, 2021.

Shaded area is the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council.