LC Real Estate 05 2022 by Larchmont Chronicle

HOME GROUND

DESIGN MAGIC

Revisiting the 1949 bible of poetry, conservation and land ethics.

Alakazam! With a wave of a wand, your couch looks like new again. Design for Living

Page 5

BOULEVARD SURVEY Results revealed of Larchmont 2021 (online) Survey about Larchmont Boulevard.

Page 16

Page 13

REAL ESTATE DESIGN FOR LIVING HOME & GARDEN

VIEW

Section 2

LARCHMONT CHRONICLE

MAY 2022

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

108 S. McCadden Pl. | Hancock Park | $4,995,000

126 N. Rossmore Ave. | Hancock Park | $4,799,000

First time on the Market—Ever. Built by the family’s great grandparents. 5 beds, 5 baths, pool.

IN ESCROW. Ready to restore English estate with 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, guest house & pool.

149 S. Hudson Pl. | Hancock Park | $4,599,000 IN ESCROW. Beautiful 1940’s traditional on the best block in Hancock Park. 5 beds, 4.5 baths and large lot.

552 Wilcox Ave. | Hancock Park | $3,899,000 IN ESCROW. Gorgeous newly remodeled 2 story Spanish. 4 bedrooms 4.5 bas plus beautiful pool area.

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

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

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

639 N. McCadden Pl. | Hancock Park | $2,149,000

6330 Pimrose Ave. | Hollywood Hills | $1,699,000

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

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

NEW LISTING. 2-story Spanish home. 2,008 sf, hardwood floors, massive backyard. ADU potential.

SOLD. Newer Construction 3 bed, 3 bath modern home w/beautiful kitchen & bas. Yard w/office & spa.

Erik Flexner 310-941-FLEX (3539) CalRE #01352476

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

Kathy Gless 323.460.7622 CalRE #00626174

645 Wilcox Ave. #3B | Hancock Park | $899,000

651 Wilcox Ave. #2B | Hancock Park | $795,000

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

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

Gorgeous golf course view from the top floor. Large 1 bed + 2 bath. Pool, spa & 24-hr security. Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

Beautifully renovated, this large and spacious (1,395 sf) 1 bed & 1.5 bas which overlooks a glistening pool. Bob Day 323.821.4820 CalRE #00851770

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 bedrooms + 5.5 baths, pool w/ spa. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

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

251 S. Citrus Ave. | Hancock Park | $8,500/MO

Furnished Lease, short or long term. 4 beds, 4.5 baths w/ a pool and guest house. Great location.

LEASED. Charming Spanish in 3rd St School District. 3 beds , 2.5 bas, family rm, great kitchen & guest house.

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM Hancock Park 323.464.9272 | 251 N Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90004 ©2022 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

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

Meet the five candidates for City Council District 13 Portions of our Greater Wilshire community that recently were part of CD4 (some for 70-plus years) now are the southern tip of the new CD13, most of which is in Hollywood. The new part includes the Larchmont shopping district and the residential neighborhoods between Western Avenue and Arden Boulevard, north of Wilshire Boulevard. Meet the five candidates — one incumbent and four challengers — who are on the June 7 primary election ballot for CD13, in their own words. Albert Corado Albert Corado did not respond to several requests to submit a biography and to list his top priorities. The following was garnered from his website: “My experience as a wageworker in the service industry means that I understand, firsthand, what it’s like to survive off an often-invisible and underpaid job. I believe housing is a human right … I believe immigrants like my parents deserve rights, respect and protection. I believe we need a Green New Deal. … “I quit my barista job last year and have been community organizing full-time, working first on homelessness outreach with SELAH and then with NO-

lympics and Street Watch …” [He quit his job after his sister was accidentally shot and killed in 2018 at the Trader Joe’s where she worked. She was shot by an LAPD officer in pursuit of a shooting suspect, who was later caught and is awaiting trial in Corado’s sister’s death.] Steve Johnson I am a former Air Force captain, educator and currently a sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. My husband, Brian, and I (and our rescue dog, Quin) are proud to call ourselves Angelenos. We must face the reality our streets are not safer. Our homeless problem has gone beyond a crisis. My parents raised me with commitment to stand up for what is right. Lessons I have taken with me throughout my entire life. I have fought to keep our communities safe. I have fought to improve the quality of life for everyone, not just a select few. I am the right candidate. I’ll do what I’ve been doing my entire life: fighting to improve the quality of life for everyone that I serve. I will champion efforts to maximize resources such that we have a deployment of officers commensurate with

In Escrow 1819 S. Ridgeley| $1,050,000 2 Bed+1 Bath| Mid City

the city’s needs. I will lead the way as a councilmember by providing permanent supportive housing for our 2,400 severely impacted unhoused neighbors in my district by 2024. I will be a visible partner with county, state, and federal agencies to ensure our city receives the aid it needs to deal with the insidious nature of the existing pandemic. Mitch O’Farrell I’m committed to serving Council District 13, and I have the experience needed to deliver the results that we deserve. From enacting the nation’s strongest COVID-19 eviction moratorium, enacting Hero Pay to support workers and their families, addressing homelessness with bold and compassionate action, creating 2,000+ units of affordable housing, and leading the “LA100” plan to achieve 100 percent carbonfree energy in Los Angeles by 2035, we’ve made progress but more must be done to meet the needs of our neighborhoods. As a citizen of the Wyandotte Nation, I’m honored to be the first Native American to serve on the Los Angeles City Council, and I’m a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. I was raised in a working class household, faced housing in-

security and lacked access to quality healthcare, and it’s these experiences that motivate me to improve the lives of all Angelenos. I’ll continue to be a strong advocate to address homelessness through a comprehensive and effective approach that focuses on services for mental health and drug counseling and increases access to housing and shelter, fight the climate crisis, and make our communities more livable. I’m the only candidate endorsed by Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Sierra Club and Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles County Action Fund. Kate Pynoos Throughout my career, I’ve worked to advance progressive policies that put families and neighbors first. As a third-generation Angeleno, my vision for a more equitable city is inspired by my family, one that made public service a major part of my life. After college, I worked on immigration policy and as an attorney focused on immigration. In both capacities, I soon realized that to advance progressive policies, I needed to shift focus. That’s why, two years ago, I started working for one of the

most progressive city councilmembers, Mike Bonin, where I helped develop a full ban on evictions during the pandemic, a ban on campaign contributions from developers with business before the city, moving the Dept. of Water and Power to 100 percent renewable energy and instituting innovative housing solutions. As the only candidate in this race with progressive values and the City Hall experience needed to get things done, my priorities include homelessness, creating affordable and livable communities and climate change. I’m an active member of our community, serving on the Hollywood Neighborhood Council, volunteering weekly with the Hollywood Food Coalition and doing outreach to unhoused neighbors through SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition and the NOHO Home Alliance. Hugo Soto-Martinez I’m the son of street vendors from Mexico, and was born and raised in Los Angeles. When I was 15 my dad became disabled so I got a job at a nonunion hotel to help my family. Right before graduating with honors in criminology at UC (Please turn to page 3)

In Escrow 552 Wilcox| $3,899,000 4 Bed+5 Bath| Hancock Park

IN ESCROW 6216 Warner Dr.|$2,395,000 4 Bed+ 3 Bath | Carthay Circle

In Escrow 1903 E. Woodlyn | OFF MARKET 3 Bed+2 Bath| Pasadena

In Escrow 6927 La Presa |$1,895,000 3 Bed+3 Bath| Hollywood Hills

SOLD Sold

322 S. Rossmore| $5,000,000 5 Bed+5 Bath| Hancock Park

EXPERT SERVICE exceptional results

Sold 301 Ashland | $7,100,000 9 Units | Santa Monica

203 N. Benton | $2,530,000 6 Units | 12+12 | Sunset Junction Pete Buonocore

pete@coregroupla.com

www.coregroupla.com

323.762.2561

DRE #01870534

DRE #01279107

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

Albert Corado

Steve Johnson

CD13 candidates

Ending our failed homelessness policy of shuffling encampments from block to block, instead of focusing on permanent housing with mental health and addiction services; Converting underused / vacant retail, hotel, and other properties into housing; Drawing on the insights gained from my criminology degree to redirect money toward services and unarmed trained professionals to actually prevent crime at the root cause; and going 100 percent clean energy by 2030 by creating jobs programs to implement robust transit and efficiency improvements.

(Continued from page 2) Irvine, I led my first union organizing drive. I’ve spent the last 15 years in the district with UNITE HERE! Local 11, organizing massive coalitions of mutual-interest across all demographics — from budding actors waiting tables to immigrant housekeepers — to win family healthcare, higher wages and respect on the job. I helped pass the $15 minimum wage, oust crooked Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and win for Senate Democrats in Georgia. My top priorities include:

Mitch O’Farrell

SECTION TWO

Kate Pynoos

Hugo Soto-Martinez

USC’s Mike Murphy interviews all five CD 13 hopefuls at forum

By John Welborne An online Council District 13 Candidate Forum was held on the evening of April 4, 2022. The full program was recorded and is available online: tinyurl.com/y3n2t69a Moderated by interviewer and Windsor Square resident Mike Murphy — Co-Director of the Center for the Political Future at USC — the event was jointly sponsored by the Larch-

mont Boulevard Association, the Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association and the Windsor Square Association. For the primary election to be held June 7, there are four challengers running to unseat incumbent councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, who is seeking election to a third and final allowable term of office. All five candidates participated in (Please turn to page 7)

HANCOCK HOMES REALTY

BRINGING BUYERS AND SELLERS TOGETHER

FOR LEASE

Interest Rates are Rising If you have Questions about Selling, Call John Today All Sold Off Market $1.5 M - $12 M

John Duerler

DRE #01848596

info@hancockhomes.com O: 323.462.2748 | C: 213.924.2208 501 N. Larchmont Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90004

HANCOCK HOMES REALTY

All information presented herein including, but not limited to, measurements, room count, calculations of area, school district, and conditions or features of property, is obtained from public records or other sources. While these sources are deemed reliable, Hancock Homes Realty and its Agents/Brokers cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided. Hancock Homes Realty fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. If your property is currently listed with another Broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

Meet the 12 candidates for Los Angeles Mayor By Suzan Filipek Twelve candidates have thrown their hats into a crowded ring to lead the City of the Angels at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century (and the city’s 241st year). They range from a billionaire businessman and a noted congresswoman — who are head-tohead in the polls — to others, who have made their marks at City Hall and in civic and social activism. Here they are, in reverse alphabetical order. Mel Wilson, Realtor / community activist Mel Wilson has served twice on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board. Mel4mayor.com

Alex Gruenenfelder Smith, Social justice advocate Alex Smith is a member of the Echo Park Neighborhood Council. He graduated from UC San Diego and has been a political activist since age 19. Mayoralex.com

Gina Viola, Community activist A business owner, Gina Viola has organized around LGBTQ rights and racial and social justice work. She supports the Green New Deal and defunding the police. Ginaforla.com

Craig Greiwe, Business executive Craig Greiwe graduated from USC and Columbia Law School in New York. He is chief strategy officer with P.R. firm Rogers & Cowan/PMK. If elected, he would be the first openly gay mayor in the city’s history. Craigformayor.com

Ramit Varma, Education technology founder Entrepreneur Ramit Varma received his MBA from UCLA, and he is co-founder of Revolution Prep, an online tuturing platform. Votevarma.com

Andrew Kim, Lawyer / Citizen advocate After diligent research, neither a website nor social media accounts could be found for this candidate. John “Jsamuel” Jackson, business owner After diligent research, neither a website nor social media accounts could be found for this candidate.

Mike Feuer, Los Angeles City Attorney City Attorney for the past eight years, Mike Feuer was a member of the Los Angeles City

Council from 1994 to 2001, and he served in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012. Mikeforla.com Kevin De León, Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin De León is a council member for the 14th District. He attended U.C. Santa Barbara and graduated from Pitzer College with honors. After four years in the State Assembly, he was elected to the State Senate; he served as Senate President pro Tempore in 2014. Kevindeleon.com Rick Caruso, Businessman / nonprofit leader Rick Caruso, developer of The Grove and other real estate ventures, served on the Dept. of Water and Power Commission from 1985 to 1993, and again in this capacity from 1997 to 2000. He was appointed to the Police Commission for a five-year term in 2001, serving as president. A graduate of USC, his law degree is from Pepperdine, and he was on the USC Board of Trustees, serving as chair from 2018 until 2022. Carusocan.com Joe Buscaino, Los Angeles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino is the president (Please turn to page 6)

Karen Bass

Joe Buscaino

Rick Caruso

Kevin De León

Mike Feuer

Craig Greiwe

photo unavailable

John Jackson

Andrew Kim

Alex G. Smith

Ramit Varma

Gina Viola

Mel Wilson

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

It’s a honking by way of a muffled trombone. Those of us here in the Rio Grande Valley of Albuquerque know, without looking up, the sound we hear is not made by flocks of geese from the river, but by visiting Sandhill cranes. They come from Alaska and Canada to winter in our valley around the first of November and stay until after the vernal equinox. They tuck themselves in to sleep within our riverine forest, the Bosque; they wake to fly to breakfast in the wheatstubble of the agricultural North Valley and stay for lunch and for an early supper. Then we see and hear them come in for the night. Here is Aldo Leopold (18871948) on the subject of Sandhill cranes awakening in a Wisconsin bog: “High horns, low horns, silence, and finally a pandemonium of trumpets, rattles, croaks, and cries that almost shakes the bog with its nearness, but without yet disclosing whence it comes. At last a glint of sun reveals the approach of a great echelon of birds. On motionless wing they emerge from the lifting mists, sweep a final arc of sky, and settle

JUST SOLD

Home Ground

ANOTHER HAPPY CLIENT!

“Everyone was so nice and knowledgeable in all areas. They held our hands all the way through. We are very grateful and would recommend the team highly!”

Paula Panich

in clangorous descending spirals to their feeding grounds. A new day has begun on the crane marsh.” This is Leopold’s writing in what has become a bible of poetry, conservation and land ethics, “A Sand County Almanac” (1949). No one can come away from his book unchanged. I hear the high and low horns now as I write these words. Aldo Leopold was a trailblazing forester, conservationist, educator, land ethicist and writer. He is considered by many to be the father of the wilderness system in this country. He was hired by the then brand-new U.S. Forest Service in 1909 to work in the soon-to-be states of New Mexico and Arizona. In 1923, he proposed the first wilderness area in the country — the Gila in southwestern New Mexico. Leopold and his wife Estella (Please turn to page 6)

Homes for an Era, Agents for a Lifetime

713 N. Orange Dr.

713 N. Orange Dr. 6 BR / 5 BA Represented Buyer and Seller Offered at $1,869,000

JUST LEASED

IN ESCROW

231 S. Orange Dr.

8019 - 8021 Blackburn Ave.

3 BR / 2 BA Represented Tenant Offered at $4,100/MO

6 BR / 4 BA Represented Buyer and Seller Offered at $2,475,000

Naomi Hartman Leah Brenner

323.860.4259 / 4245

nhartman@coldwellbanker.com lbrenner@coldwellbanker.com CalRE #: 00769979 | 00917665

Members ~ Society of Excellence www.naomiandleah.com

©2022 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.

DESIGN DRIVEN REAL ESTATE

1460 Elevado Street

250 N First Street, Unit 401

Sold I Won in Multiples I Represented Buyers

Sold I Multiple Offers I $121,000 Over Asking I Represented Seller

4 Bed I 3 Bath I 1789 sq ft I Guest House I $1,950,000

1 Bed I 2 Bath I 1120 sq ft I $756,000

Historic Silverlake Craftsman

Sophisticated Downtown Burbank Loft

Ali Jack Windsor Square Native & Marlborough Alumna DRE 01952539

1220 S Redondo Blvd

213.507.3959 | ali.jack@compass.com |

Sold Off Market I Represented Sellers 4 Bed I 4 Bath I 2916 sq ft I $1,600,000 Classic Spanish Hancock Park-Adjacent Duplex

@thealijack | TheAliJack.com

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.

Aldo Leopold, Part I: Land ethics and Sandhill cranes

SECTION TWO

Home Ground (Continued from page 5) moved to Albuquerque in 1914. In 1918, the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce hired him away from the Forest Service. He was a skilled organizer and communicator, and his thinking was for the long-term and for the benefit of people in

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

the growing city. He became what would be known now as Albuquerque’s first environmental planner. Among the long-term plans he advocated was one that would provide for the gradual acquisition of a system of open space and parks along the Rio Grande. The idea was the backbone of his belief in wildlife con-

servation, the health of the land, and economic justice. He envisioned it as a place in reach of everyone on foot. Now Rio Grande Valley State Park is a linear park spanning 20 miles of the river as it passes through the city. It is one of the best-preserved riparian habitats in the western U.S. A century later, many people

MONTELONGO AND PARSONS LA’s Architectural Real Estate Group

in the city have to drive to the park — known locally as the Bosque — but I don’t. I can walk there in 10 minutes; I can also walk to see the exterior of the house where the Leopolds lived until 1924. I had no idea that Leopold’s thinking was the author of my experience of life here near the river. I walk and walk in the Bosque — by its ponds, by the river, through its willows and cottonwoods. I await the spring return of turtles and mulberries; with my neighbors, I watch waterfowl from duck blinds. “Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins,

as in art, with the pretty,” writes Leopold. “It expands through the successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language. The quality of cranes lies, I think, in this higher gamut, as yet beyond the reach of words.”

Mayoral candidates (Continued from page 4) pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council and represents the 15th District. Before being elected to the City Council, he served for 15 years as a police officer in the Los Angeles Police Dept. joebuscaino.com Karen Bass, Member of Congress As congresswoman for the 37th District, Karen Bass Designed by architect Tracy Price, this Japanese-inspired Mid-century in Bel-Air emphasizes clean lines and indoor-outdoor living with walls of glass and a variety of outdoor spaces. Photo by Marco Franchina.

AARON MONTELONGO Executive Director, Luxury Division 310.600.0288 aaronmontelongo@gmail.com DRE 01298036

BRET PARSONS Founder & Executive Director, Architectural Division 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.

Clint Lohr

Realtor®, GRI, CNE, SRES 818-730-8635 rholcwl@pacbell.net clintlohr.kw.com

KELLER WILLIAMS® LARCHMONT 118 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90004 Each office is independently owned and operated

Donating clothes for the homeless? Please call me!

has represented Los Angeles in Washington, D.C. for 14 years. A graduate of Cal State Dominguez Hills and USC, she worked as a nurse and clinical instructor at USC. She previously served in Sacramento as congresswoman in the 33rd District for two years and as a State Assemblywoman for five years, including as Speaker of the Assembly from 2008 to 2010. karenbass.com

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

Appeals of Town & Country Center denied, crosswalks added

CONSTRUCTION is expected to begin this summer for the Town & Country Shopping Center.

CD13 hopefuls (Continued from page 3)

the hour-and-a-half program. O’Farrell’s challengers are: community organizer Albert Corado; deputy sheriff / educator Steve Johnson; homelessness policy advisor Kate

Pynoos; and labor / community organizer Hugo Soto-Martinez. More about Murphy is available from his USC biography (bit.ly/3JhO2vo). Murphy and fellow campaign veteran David Axelrod discuss American politics twice a week at hacksontap.com.

By Suzan Filipek The Central Area Planning Commission has denied two appeals challenging the proposed mixed-use development at Third and Fairfax. The commission action after a public hearing April 12 moves the project — Town & Country Shopping Center — forward. The project is a new

mer break for Hancock Park Elementary School. The school is directly south of the project. At the hearing, the applicant volunteered to install two new pedestrian crosswalks: Third Street at Gilmore Lane and Fairfax at Blackburn Avenue. Construction is expected to take three years with a 2025 opening tentatively scheduled.

eight-story complex of up to 331 housing units over retail space and includes pedestrian walkways and bike paths. The applicant, Tom Warren, executive managing director for developer Holland Partner Group, told us he hopes to begin demolition of buildings that are east of the Whole Foods market during the sum-

Lovely 1920s Mediterranean Unit In A Hancock Park Fourplex (TIC) FULLY EQUIPPED, CONTROLLED ACCESS, BASKETBALL COURT Stunning Mediterranean unit in a Tenants-In-Common fourplex, offers the best of LA Living. All the charm & period details of the 1920’s combined with all modern conveniences.

821 S. Mansfield Ave #4 | 2 Bed | 2 Bath | ±1,512 SF | Price available upon request

IN ESCROW

COUNCIL DISTRICT 13 forum participants are introduced by Windsor Square Association president Larry Guzin, top center, and include: moderator / interviewer Mike Murphy, upper right, and candidates, from left, middle row: Kate Pynoos, Mitch O’Farrell and Hugo Soto-Martinez; and, bottom row: Steve Johnson and Albert Corado.

Jill Galloway

Manuel Pablo Arnao

Estates Director, Sunset Strip

REALTOR®, Sunset Strip

323.842.1980 | jill@jillgalloway.com jillgalloway.com | DRE 01357870

310.547.7454 | DRE 02147960 manuel.pablo.arnao@compass.com

Featured Listings for the Month of May by

June Ahn

New Listing

4460 Wilshire Blvd. #206 | Offered at $1,300,000 3 bedroom, 2 baths. No unit below you. 24 hour security guard. Common area with swimming pool and spa. Hardwood floors throughout, nicely renovated. Living room facing Wilshire Blvd. Double pane glass windows. Many guest parking and it comes with 2 parking spaces. Many upgrades are: Kitchen, hardwood floors, new door on den. One of the luxurious condominium in Hancock Park adjacent. 2,250 sq.ft. as per tax record.

New Listing

510 S Hewitt St #102 | Offered at $1,349,000 SALE SUBJECT TO BANKRUPTCY COURT APPROVAL & OVERBID. SOLD "AS IS". Located on Art District in L.A. Downtown. With an undeniable urban soul and artist energy , the Barker Block is the hub of the Los Angeles "scene". Museums, restaurants and boutiques are out your front door. The resort style building has so m any amenities including roof top pool, gym cabana, views and lounge areas through the complex. The unit is one of the largest in the complex with step down living room, hardwood floors, high ceilings and a massive brick wall which adds to the aesthetic. 2 parking spaces. 24 hour security guarded building. 2,660 sq.ft. Co-Listed.

Recent Sales by June Ahn

June Ahn

International President’s Elite

Cell: 323.855.5558

juneahn21@gmail.com www.juneahn.com | CalRE #01188513

837 S. Windsor #9 - Sold Represented Seller - $845,500 4460 Wilshire Blvd. #703 - Sold Represented Buyer - $1,615,000 Hancock Park 251 N. Larchmont Blvd. 4460 Wilshire Blvd. #606 - Sold Represented Buyer & Seller $1,700,000 Los Angeles, CA 90004

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

State and Congressional Representative Candidates in 2022 U.S. Representative— District 30

Sal Genovese Patrick Lee Gipson Ronda Kennedy

William “Gunner” Meurer Johnny J. Nalbandian G “Maebe A. Girl” Pudlo

Tony Rodriguez Adam B. Schiff Paloma Zuniga

U.S. Representative — District 34 Jimmy Gomez

David Kim

Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck

State Assembly Member — District 51

Louis Abramson

Rick Chavez Zbur

State Assembly Member — District 54

Miguel Santiago

State Senate — District 26 Maria Elena Durazo

SOLD: The home at 512 N. Gower St. in the Larchmont Village neighborhood was sold for $1,825,000 in March 2022.

52 51

Real Estate Sales* Single family homes

54 55

24 26

STATE MAPS as adopted December 20, 2021. Shaded area is the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council. The star roughly indicates the location of Larchmont Village.

5220 W. 2nd St. 145 N. Rossmore Ave. 274 Muirfield Rd. 600 Muirfield Rd. 6446 W. 5th St. 531 N. Martel Ave. 423 S. Mansfield Ave. 507 N. Gardner St. 217 N. Windsor Blvd. 871 S. Tremaine Ave. 414 N. Vista St. 521 N. Formosa Ave. 412 N. Highland Ave. 180 S. Vista St. 516 N. Citrus Ave. 524 N. Mansfield Ave. 950 S. Highland Ave. 118 S. Wilton Pl. 322 S. Mansfield Ave. 512 N. Gower St. 4717 Wilshire Blvd. 401 S. Van Ness Ave. 948 Keniston Ave. 5002 Maplewood Ave.

$13,495,000 $10,639,500 $6,325,000 $6,300,000 $4,100,000 $3,860,000 $3,725,000 $3,700,000 $3,618,888 $3,600,000 $3,050,000 $2,912,000 $2,810,000 $2,600,000 $2,450,000 $2,265,000 $1,900,000 $1,885,000 $1,850,000 $1,825,000 $1,750,000 $1,690,000 $1,595,000 $1,212,500

Condominiums 853 S. Lucerne Blvd., #304 585 N. Rossmore Ave., #309 853 S. Lucerne Blvd., #105 4477 Wilshire Blvd., #301 610 S. Wilton Pl., #101 4823 Elmwood Ave., #D 861 S. Windsor Blvd., #103 443 S. Gramercy Pl., #E 651 Wilcox Ave., #2C 949 S. Manhattan Pl., #302 4830 Elmwood Ave., #104 525 N. Sycamore Ave., #212 620 S. Gramercy Pl., #141 641 Wilcox Ave., #3D 533 S. St. Andrews Pl., #319 532 N. Rossmore Ave., #102 *Sale prices for March.

$1,100,000 $902,000 $885,000 $850,000 $815,000 $810,000 $750,000 $735,000 $730,000 $730,000 $685,000 $655,000 $649,000 $575,000 $560,000 $460,000

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

Design for Living Landworth / DeBolske have a building partnership with a view By Suzan Filipek Architects Philip DeBolske and Lisa Landworth have transformed homes in Miracle Mile, Hancock Park and throughout the city and beyond. They’ve also created new homes from the ground up, often for repeat clients. “For a lot of clients, we’ve become the family architect,” notes Landworth. ADUs (accessory dwelling units) have become increasingly popular since zoning laws were eased in recent years. These light-filled and spacious little houses are not your parent’s granny flat. “They’re fun. New construction is fun,” Landworth says of the cottagestyle guesthouses and add-ons. “They give the homeowner a lot of flexibility for rental and multi-generational living … but still have privacy.” Similarly seeking aging-in-place flexibility, about a dozen longtime clients have asked to add elevators to their homes to avoid the climb to the bedroom.

MONTECITO is the locale for this two-bedroom accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a large irregular, slo ing, tree lled lot NOT YOUR GRANNY’S ADU. This guest house in Carthay Circle was converted from a 1922 garage, also adding square footage for a bedroom.

“That’s the trick,” she responds when asked how to integrate the lift into an existing home. “I always want to make it seamless.”

In the family Choosing a major when she was a student was never a problem for Lisa Landworth. Her father was an architect, and her mother was an interior designer and a member of a support group for wives of architects, back when women didn’t become architects. “I couldn’t escape it. My parents

lived and breathed architecture and design,” Landworth said of her career path. (Only 10 percent of her architecture school graduating class was women, compared to more than 50 percent today, she notes.) After graduating from USC, she teamed up with classmate Philip De(Please turn to page 10)

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

DESIGN FOR LIVING Landworth

(Continued from page 9)

HOME designed by the DeBolske team.

“the most important thing is problem solving — to take all the information you have and come up with the best solution.” All while working within a budget, notes Landworth. Good buildings Her work takes her to locales throughout the city, where she

Photo by Tracey Landworth

is often pleasantly surprised to find period-revival architecture. “The houses are really what’s so wonderful about Los Angeles,” she says. She is on the board of the Miracle Mile Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, the project of an ordinance she worked

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with her neighbors to obtain to protect the area. When growing up, her parents would often drive to Beverly Hills and other wellheeled areas to peruse the architecture and gardens, and they visited art galleries. Landworth and DeBolske started their architecture firm on Fairfax Avenue, and they later moved to Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. Metro helped them relocate 11 blocks east to their current spot at 5150 Wilshire six years ago. The duo hasn’t minded the ongoing Metro construction that has followed them down Wilshire, nor the construction of new apartments rising in the neighborhood. “It’s fun for us. We’re architects. We like to watch construction,” said Landworth. What she doesn’t like is the large, boxy homes designed by developers or otherwise untrained types. “I think it’s like a disease in our neighborhood. I think neighborhoods can have a mix of different styles, but it needs to be sensitive, and scale is the important thing.” She is also not a fan of

floor-to-ceiling windows on the façade of a home, which she calls, “exhibition living. People’s homes should be retreats,” she says. Landworth / DeBolske’s fifth-floor office faces the quiet south side made up of residential streets, and it offers a “terrific view. It almost feels like a neighborhood from the 1930s,” says Landworth. She’s a longtime visitor to LACMA, where she’s taken watercolor classes for years, and she thinks the entire area of Museum Row — “with all the eclectic architecture” and two Metro stops (coming in 2024) — will be the Times Square of Los Angeles. It’s only fitting she calls her workspace an “office / gallery.” Art hangs on walls throughout the bright, airy space, including one large faded print of a port scene. It was from the haberdashery department of the turquoisetiled Art Deco Eastern Columbia Building on Broadway and Ninth streets, a now “historic” building that a family member of hers built in the 1930s. As she said, architecture runs deep in the family.

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

DESIGN FOR LIVING

(Please turn to page 12)

Notarile’s commute takes him to galaxies far, far away By Ron Mulligan Talk about a commute: For the last five years, cinematographer Crescenzo Notarile of Windsor Square has been working in the 32nd century. Or perhaps the 25th century. It all depends on which iteration of the Paramount+ Star Trek television series he happens to be shooting. How does Notarile, a 34-year resident of Beachwood Drive, feel about shining a light on arguably the most famous franchise in all science fiction? Since the future always begins with a past, his story starts in Sicily, where he was born, and Brooklyn, New York, where he was raised. As the child of a noted advertising art director whose work can be found in the New York Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection, Notarile has happy memories of hanging out in an art studio at a very young age with the likes of legendary photographer Richard Avedon: “I was seeing flash umbrellas, strobe lights, beautiful girls… It was exciting. I knew I wanted to be a photographer since I was five.”

CINEMATOGRAPHER Crescenzo Notarile lines up a shot on the set of “Star Trek: Picard.” Photo by Dennys Ilic

By that time, he was developing his own photographs taken on a little plastic Brownie camera given to him by his father. His obsession only deepened, and after high school, on the strength of his photography, he won a scholarship to NYU – a university famous for its film school. One of his professors urged him to turn one of his

photo essays into a short film, which was so well-received by the rest of the class that Notarile was hooked, deciding “I wanted to be involved in that world.” As it turns out, over the years he has been involved in many worlds – from the antiseptic crime labs and Vegas glitter of CSI on CBS to the shadowy noir streets of FOX’s Gotham.

Along the way, he took home an Emmy for his work, and got to discuss film craft with his idol, the great Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. But nothing quite prepared him for the challenges of lighting outer space. “Usually, when you’re reading a script, the first thing you see is whether a scene is taking place in day or night

conditions,” he explains, “but with sci-fi, there’s no day or night. It’s all night. But space is not just black. You got planets out there, you got stars, moons, suns. All this affects interior scenes also.” Realizing the enormity of the job, Notarile chuckles, “I started to hyperventilate a little. I’d never worked in science fiction prior to that. So, I had to catch-up, very fast.” On Star Trek: Picard, it took eight months to design and build the main set, the starship USS Stargazer, with over 10,000 lights embedded in its ceilings, walls, corridors, machinery and passageways…all programmed into a giant dimmer board. And the cinematographer was involved every step of the way: “Pre-production is probably the most important stage of what we do, because when you look over your shoulder and you got 200 people asking, ‘What are we doing?’ – you gotta have a plan.” So, what are Notarile’s own plans for the future? “I’ve never done a western,” he confesses. “I’d love to do one. But I also love doing sci-fi. I’m (Please turn to page 12)

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

DESIGN FOR LIVING

(Please turn to page 12)

Explore historic and scenic area gardens on tour June 5 Explore five gardens in historic neighborhoods on Sun., June 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. The tour is sponsored by the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society. After going dark during the pandemic, the garden tour is back, with gardens in bloom in Windsor Square, Hancock Park and Brookside. Docents will be at each site to describe the gardens, which include drought-tolerant plantings and an over-the-bridge backyard. Tour chairman is Jolin Crofts. The tour also will feature refreshments, a plant sale and a raffle. Proceeds go to community beautification projects.

GARDENS on the tour include the “Bridge House” in Brookside (above) and other nearby sites featuring water elements, peaceful retreats and walkways (left).

Cost is $40 for Historical Society members and $50 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the

event at Second Street and Plymouth Boulevard. For advance tickets, visit wshphs.com.

Notarile

(Continued from page 11)

Family-Run

hoping to continue with the Star Trek legacy. But as a freelancer, you go where the wind blows.” For now, he enjoys rediscovering his own little world on Beachwood Drive, working on a book of poetry, and spending quality time with fiancée Cary Trampf and a dog named (naturally) Kodak. But for him, the call of the camera lens will always be there: “There is something magical about how light refracts through the glass.” It can even illuminate the stars.

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CINEMATOGRAPHER Crescenzo Notarile on the set of “Star Trek: Picard.” Photo by Dennys Ilic

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

DESIGN FOR LIVING

avor te p e es fi By Suzan Filipek Rosie Fortunat has had her share of challenges. First there was the dot-com crash in the 2000s, and then, more recently, the pandemic struck. But luckily for us, both times she rose from the ashes at her Alakazam Upholstery & Drapery. As head of the firm, she carries bundles of fabric and textile samples to her clients’ homes and, two weeks later — Alakazam! — their furniture returns like new, in creamy shades of white and bolder hues, dressed in modern fabrics and plush velvet. One of her grandchildren came up with the name when she started her business nine years ago. It was a good fit, she said, since she takes the forlorn and neglected, and makes it look rich and elegant, like in a fairy tale. The transformation, however, is a bit more involved than just waving a magic wand. Fabric choices First, her customers survey a lot of fabrics, which they can purchase from her, or they can choose to buy material elsewhere. The samples Fortunat brings are mostly to inspire. “Many times they don’t have any idea what they want,” she explains. An able-bodied crew then picks up the sofa sectionals, chairs and/or other pieces to take to a downtown workroom that includes a separate area for window treatments, including sewing new curtains and roman shades and fabricating shutters and blinds. Happy customers Designer Liz Wilson of Poinsettia Place-based MC1R Studio has hired Alakazam to upholster pieces for a number of her clients. “Rosie has been our go-to for reupholstery and window treatments for seven years,” said Wilson. Another satisfied customer, Patricia Leonard, has had work done for furniture in her homes in Beverly Hills and Carmel and a flat in NYC. She had gingham chairs stuffed with down and covered with French linen for a guest suite. A slip-covered red couch and white loveseat “are easy to machine wash, and with children, ideal!” She had a nonpareilpatterned settee covered in cotton silk for her office. “She is such a delight to work with. She delivers quality service 100!” raves Leonard. Career path Business has picked up steadily after a slump during the pandemic, said Fortunat, who was a bookkeeper in the entertainment industry before the dot-com bubble burst.

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She switched careers after being trained by the best in the business: her sister in New York City. “We both like colors and design,” Fortunat said. And so, they thought she might make a go of it. Upon her return, she placed a small ad in the local paper, offering reasonable prices and the highest quality workmanship, and then she waited for the phone to ring. “And sure enough, people began calling … my clean, noble little business.” Her adult sons help out on larger deliveries, and she has expanded the business to include commercial clients, including Jon & Vinny’s restaurants. She travels to give free esti(Please turn to page 14)

(Please turn to page 12)

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

DESIGN FOR LIVING

(Please turn to page 12)

Showcase House is open through May 22 Pasadena Showcase House opened its doors last month — after going dark the past few years because of the pandemic — with great fanfair. The 57th annual showcase features a 1905 stately English Tudor house. Called Oaklawn Manor, it anchors an historic neighborhood of century-old homes planned by architects Greene & Greene. The house features baronialsized rooms with wood interiors, ornate beamed ceilings GENTLEMAN’S RETREAT by Interiors by Ranalli. Photos by Chris Considine

and floor-to-ceiling travertine fireplaces. The home was built for Harry Hawgood, an English civil engineer who designed railways and waterways. After four months of renovation, guests can now tour more than 20 interior and landscape design spaces through May 22. For hours and tickets, visit pasadenashowcase.org. Proceeds pay for nonprofit music and arts programs.

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

DESIGN FOR LIVING

(Please turn to page 12)

Preservation on the move: Windsor Square and Kress Co. I recently was showing a visitor around my home, which originally had been commissioned by Henry O’Melveny, the founder of the law firm O’Melveny and Myers. One of the facts that always interests visitors is that the house had been moved from its original site, 3250 Wilshire Blvd., at the corner of New Hampshire Avenue, to its current site on Plymouth Boulevard. The story goes that the house was jacked up from its foundation, cut into three pieces, hoisted onto trucks and slowly driven two miles down Wilshire to Windsor Square. I usually follow up with the claim that another five houses in the neighborhood were also moved to Windsor Square from their former locations. However, the last time I told this story, I decided to find out just where these houses were in the neighborhood, and I discovered a much bigger story. Moving West Henry and his wife Nettie O’Melveny were not the first migrants to Windsor Square from the Wilshire District. In fact, they were late to the party, having had four of their neighbors relocate with their houses in the decade prior to the O’Melvenys’ arrival in 1930. The Wilshire District, later Wilshire Center and now Koreatown, was originally developed by Gaylord Wilshire as a fashionable counterweight to high

On Preservation by

Brian Curran

society West Adams. By the 1920s, the Wilshire area was rapidly becoming more urban and commercial, leading to an exodus of residents westward, taking their homes with them. Perhaps the most famous of these relocations was the 1923 move of 637 S. Lucerne Blvd., then home to Howard Verbeck. In Great Gatsby style, Verbeck hosted a swinging party in a section of his house as it was moved down Wilshire. House mover Kress The man responsible for this move, and later the O’Melvenys, was George R. Kress Jr. of the Kress House Moving Company. Few men would have such an impact on the landscape of Los Angeles and the face of Windsor Square as Kress. A self-taught engineer, Kress moved to Los Angeles in 1913, purchasing an established house-moving company and quickly learning the ropes. Kress soon made a name for himself for not only moving houses but for devising novel solutions to moving buildings, including removing an 8.6’ slice out of the Commercial Exchange Building on Olive Street and stitching the build-

ing back together, which made national press. In his company brochure, Kress explained: “The advantage in using this method of altering buildings for the widening of streets are many … the alteration is made in about half the time required to tear down and rebuild the wall; the architecture of the building is preserved; and considerable saving of money is possible to the owner.” By the time he started moving houses to Windsor Square in the early 1920s, Kress had become the leader of his industry, having moved nearly 350 buildings and assembling a Who’s Who of government, society, architectural and entertainment figures as clients. His work in Windsor Square culminated in the relocation of nearly 20 houses and more, if you include Fremont Place and Hancock Park. This sets up a rather confusing paradox when examining Windsor Square’s history in that most of the “oldest houses” in the neighborhood actually arrived later than their neighbors. What I found most significant about the story of George R. Kress and his eponymous company is that, by today’s standards, Kress should be counted among the earliest members of our city’s preservation community. His extraordinary engineering skill, coupled with an economy

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

Larchmont 2001 Survey results presented in Zoom forum April 14 By Steven Herrera The Larchmont 2021 group presented its survey results and facilitated a community conversation during a Zoom meeting on April 14. The group is chaired by Patricia Lombard. The other three members are John Kaliski, Gary Gilbert and Heather Boylston. Their April 14 event ran for an hour and a half. The survey had been conducted online between early December 2021 and January 13, 2022. Presenter Kaliski said the survey communicated four areas for possible improvement of the Boulevard: (1) street beautification, including “parklettes” (dining areas on the street), trees, sidewalks and trash; (2) the Qualified, or “Q,” Zoning Conditions for restaurants and retail businesses; (3) alcoholic beverage policies; and (4) street programming that would encourage gatherings. Among the 1,024 responses, 52 percent stated that they visited Larchmont two to six times per week. Most of the respondents were 45 or older. There was no participation from people under 18. Fifty-five percent say they drive to Larchmont, while 42 percent walk.

THE LARCHMONT SURVEY ZOOM event was organized by Patricia Lombard, John Kaliski, Gary Gilbert and Heather Boylston.

The most popular reasons to visit Larchmont included “shopping daily needs” (33 percent), “take out and coffee” (26 percent), and “sit-down dining” (17 percent). On the subject of street beautification, 41 percent supported the current number of parklettes, and 33 percent wanted more of them. Thirty-four percent indicated that sidewalks and trees were in need of attention. But trash was a minor issue. In regard to sit-down restaurants, 41 percent of re-

spondents were in favor of relaxing the zoning restrictions (Q Conditions) to attract more eateries. But when asked about the quantity of takeout restaurants, 53 percent indicated there was already the right number. Presenter Kaliski pointed out, “The trend toward stability on this one contrasts a little bit with the trend toward relaxation.” The Q Conditions, adopted in 1992, are city rules to protect the Boulevard as a neighborhood-serving retail district. There was a lot of discus-

sion about a possible grocery store, but not necessarily a modern supermarket. “I think people were talking about a small, gourmet-type market,” said landlord representative Heather Boylston. People who posted comments during the Zoom meeting expressed the need for a “bodega,” which refers to a small market. Sixty-six percent of respondents were in favor of serving beer, wine and mixed drinks, while 30 percent wanted to al-

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

er ls of stu e t rop o s a By Steven Rosenthal If you live on McCadden Place near John Burroughs Middle School, or if you are routed by your car navigation to drive by the school to reach your pre-determined destination, you’re headed to the unsafe possibilities that can occur every weekday from wrong-way drivers, students crossing in front of wrong-way traffic or family members talking to students on their cell phones while standing in the middle of the street. Some parents and friends also get out of their cars to talk with friends. The routes available for families and friends driving students to school in Los Angeles can lead motorists onto side streets and along treacherous stretches. Drivers may find residential streets leading to schools are blocked by big school buses plus rushing cars darting in and out of winding car lines. In most cases, the routes for public transportation do not get students to school. Therefore, getting students to and from Burroughs every day means loading them into the car in the morning for drop-off and fighting for a space in the school car line and / or battling the afternoon rush to pick up the students to

SECTION TWO

UNSAFE POSSIBILITIES on the streets outside Burroughs range from wrong way traf c to distracted students on their cell hones

return home again. One of the neighbors who lives near the school (and who asked to not be identified) has documented wrongway buses, delivery vehicles and family vehicles blocking parking lanes and driving lanes, obstructing driveways, and creating dangerous traffic situations forcing traffic to a standstill at times while students arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon.

The neighbor describes school buses heading in the wrong lane to drive around double-parked cars, residential cars and delivery vehicles forced to drive in the wrongway lane just to pass the parked cars, and double-parked cars in front of the school waiting for students to get dropped off or picked up. Driveways are blocked, traffic lanes are undriveable and, as a result, residents must schedule their

ups at urrou hs movements around the school’s car line perils. You can find parents arriving 30 minutes to an hour early just to get the precious first-inline spots. Are buses an alternative? There are parents who avoid Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) buses for their children because of reports of bullying and other fears for student safety. Burroughs is expanding its campus to accommodate over 1,700 PERILOUS Mc adden Place students. That is more than twice the school popu- in place for those who do not lation the school and sur- follow the rules. It seems the rounding areas were built for. school takes no responsibility The expansion is planned for for the traffic congestion, accompletion in 2026 and will cidents, blocked driveways and include bus pick-up and drop- unsafe practices that seem to off accommodations from a be ongoing, reported the comWilshire Boulevard entrance. plaining neighbor. When I contacted princiI personally had to drive into pal Dr. Steven Martinez, he the wrong lane just to turn the responded quickly to say he corner from Wilshire onto Mcwas unfamiliar with the situa- Cadden Place to drive north. It tion and would look into it. He is scary, to say the least. Apsaid that he referred the ques- parently, traffic disruptions tion about the dangerous car caused by parents picking up lines to his media department, or dropping off students is not which has not contacted me. just a problem at John BurIt seems the school has guide- roughs Middle School; it is a lines for student pick-up and national problem with serious drop-off with no consequences consequences.

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2022

SECTION TWO

POLICE BEAT

Ski-masked robber with handgun enters local home WILSHIRE DIVISION ROBBERIES: A masked male robber entered a home on the 6000 block of Willoughby Avenue on April 2 at 10:30 p.m. The masked man threatened the victim with a handgun and then left the home with luggage, a purse, wallet and passport. A suspect broke in through the front door of a home on the 300 block of N. Arden Boulevard on April 5 at 1:30 p.m. A 49-year-old woman was in the kitchen at the time. The robber stole a watch, jewelry and purse. THEFT: A man forced open a camera and accessories display case at Target at 415 S. La Brea Ave. on April 8 at 8 a.m. The male suspect took its contents, then boldly walked through manned registers impersonating a customer and exited the store without paying for the merchandise.

BURGLARY THEFTS FROM VEHICLE: Three catalytic converter thefts have taken place over the past month. One converter was taken from the 800 block of N. Citrus Avenue, and another was stolen from the 400 block of N. Sycamore Avenue. Both of those thefts occurred between April 8 and 9. The last converter was stolen from Beverly Hills BMW on Wilshire on April 6 at 1:30 p.m. A woman’s car window was smashed while parked on the 700 block of S. La Brea Avenue on April 7 between 9:30 and 10:35 a.m. The suspect took a computer, bag and cell phone accessories. OLYMPIC DIVISION TIPS FROM SLO PELAYO: Residents should lock their homes when they leave for the day. If you have a camera, make sure it works and is aimed to capture license plate

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open security bars of a home on the 500 block of N. Irving Boulevard on April 8 starting

at 10:30 p.m. They ransacked the property for almost an hour while the victim’s grandmother was in the home. GRAND THEFTS AUTO: A Hyundai Sonata was stolen from the 300 block of N. Van Ness Avenue between 4 p.m. on April 15 and 11:30 a.m. on April 16. The 4800 block of Oakwood Avenue was the spot where another Hyundai was stolen between April 10 and April 11 from 10:30 p.m. to 11 a.m.

LAPD says crime is on the upswing; stay vigilant By Suzan Filipek On a recent Sunday afternoon, two men were walking on Larchmont Boulevard when an SUV pulled up and two suspects got out and pulled a gun. The victims were held up at gunpoint, and then the suspects drove off in the dark-colored vehicle, according to Det. M. Flores of the LAPD Wilshire Division. The victims were walking south on the Boulevard on April 3 at about 5:15 p.m. The suspects fled east on Beverly Boulevard. Unfortunately incidents like this on otherwise quiet afternoons have become all-too familiar. Robberies — with a gun — are up 44 percent this year, Chief Michel Moore told the Los Angeles Police Commission last month. Moore is urging residents

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to keep alert and be aware of their surroundings. Wearing expensive jewelry in public draws unwanted attention from criminals, whether potential victims are shopping in mini-markets, filling up at gas stations or simply walking along a street. Gangs Street gangs are targeting well-to-do neighborhoods, sending “crews” in multiple cars to search for people driving expensive cars and/or wearing expensive jewelry, police said. Police have identified 17 Los Angeles-area gangs, and LAPD have listed 165 such robberies in 2021 and 56 so far this year, according to Capt. Jonathan Tippet in an April 15 frontpage report in the “Los Angeles Times.” The Wilshire Division had 46 of those robberies during that 2021 to April 22 period. Avoid danger Be aware of your surroundings. No matter how safe you think a neighborhood or shopping district is (Rodeo Drive included), it’s not a good idea to leave the front door open, your valuables in the car or

your purse on top of an entry table, and don’t flaunt your pearls and diamonds and high-end watches. Other tips include: Act confident and focused. Criminals look for people who are meek, mild and distracted React quickly to danger. Use the same element of surprise as the criminal. Run towards lights or people, make noise. And, above all, stay safe.

‘Last Remaining Seats’ tickets on sale now Tickets are on sale for Last Remaining Seats, the Los Angeles Conservancy’s popular film series that showcases classic movies in historic and opulent settings. The series returns after a two-year hiatus with a tribute to the late, great Sidney Poitier in “To Sir, With Love” (1967). The film screening kicks off the series on Sat., June 4 at 8 p.m. at the Art Deco-style Regency’s Village (Please turn to page 19)

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Caution: Beware hi-lo poker hands, and be patient

Last Remaining (Continued from page 18)

Theatre (formerly Fox Village Theatre) in Westwood. On Sun., June 12 beginning at 1 p.m. at the lavish Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, Charlie Chaplin stars in “The Immigrant,” a short from 1917, followed by his classic portrayal of “the little tramp” in “The Kid.” They will be accompanied by live organ music. The 40th anniversary of scifi classic “Blade Runner: The Final Cut” (1982) starring Harrison Ford, screens Sun., June 12 at 7 p.m., also at the Orpheum. Joan Crawford and Norma Shearer headline “The Women” (1939) at the bedazzling French Baroque-style Los Angeles Theatre on Sat., June 18 at 2 p.m. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman sizzle in Hitchcock’s stylish thriller “Notorious” (1946)

Poker for All by

George Epstein A multi-way pot is necessary in case you get really lucky and flop a big hand.) To better understand our rationale Suppose you start with K-6 suited in a late position (that gives a point score of 22, barely meeting the Hold’em Algorithm minimum point-score criteria). The odds are that you will pair up one of your hole cards about one out of three flops. Suppose it’s the 6. Now you have a pair of 6s with a good

kicker (the King). Problem: With eight or nine opponents at the table, chances are one of them will either have a bigger pair in the hole or flop one. What if you are lucky to flop a pair of Queens? Now your kicker is a lowly 6. There is a reasonable chance that one of your opponents also has a Queen in the hole; and, most likely, he holds a bigger kicker than your 6. Your hand is dominated — and it can be very costly. So it all boils down to avoiding Hi-Lo hands. Why invest your precious chips in a starting hand that is almost certain to be a loser? The next hand will be dealt in a few minutes. Just be patient. Avoid being a loser A competent poker player will generally play fewer than 25 percent of the hole cards

dealt to him. Losing players are inclined to pay to see the flop with considerably more starting hands. Another way to identify a loser — a Poker Pigeon — is if he shows down a Hi-Lo hand, and how often it happens. That’s as good a tell as you could hope for. Keep it in mind the next hand he plays against you. Our best advice: Avoid Hi-Lo starting hands; it is horrible to find your hand has been dominated since the flop, and you called his bets all the way. Don’t let it put you on tilt. Just learn your lesson. Life / poker quote of the month “Life is like a poker game. It takes skill to succeed. A little luck along the way also helps. In both cases, the winner walks away with the rewards.”

on Sat., June 18 at 8 p.m., also at the Los Angeles Theatre. For tickets and more information, visit losangelesconservancy.org.

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The most important decision a poker player must make is the starting-hand selection. You have been dealt two hole cards. Taking a peek at them so as to be sure no one else sees them, you must quickly decide whether this is a good starting hand — one that has a decent chance to improve to the winning hand before the showdown. Quite often you will be dealt a Hi-Lo hand. That’s one high card (Ace down to 10) and one low card (7 down to 2). For

example, I would never invest my chips to play K-3, even if suited and in a late position. Exceptions: You are the Big Blind and there has not been a raise, so you get to see the flop for free; and possibly if you are the Small Blind so it costs you just one-half a small bet. (You never know what surprise might greet you.) For one thing, if you use the Hold’em Algorithm for starting-hand selection, there would be very few Hi-Lo hands that barely meet the pointscore criteria — marginal (or “borderline”) hands at best. Those are hands that are very unlikely to improve on the flop. But, if you do want to take a shot at it, be sure the Hold’em Caveat is satisfied: three or more opponents staying to see the flop, and no raises. (Note:

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George “the Engineer” Epstein died March 29 at the age of 95. (See the story on Page 19, Section 1.) Always prompt, George already had submitted his May Chronicle poker column prior to his death. Here it is, published posthumously.

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