LC Real Estate 05 2023

356 S. Hudson Ave.| Hancock Park| $19,500,000

An Exquisite, Rare Gated Tennis Court Estate! 4 stories, 10 beds/14 baths, theater. By appt only.

Lisa Hutchins 323.216.6938 CalRE #01018644

109 Fremont Pl. | Hancock Park| $7,500,000

BORN IN 1948

Linoleum City celebrates 75 years of red carpets and fancy flooring. Page 7

242 N. Dillon St| Silver Lake | $1,399,000

A wonderful opportunity to build a four-plex or four small lot homes on a 6,370 sq.ft. lot in LARD 1..5 zone.

246 S. Irving Blvd. | Windsor Square | $3,775,000 Stately Traditional in prime Windsor Square HPOZ near Larchmont Village. 4 beds + 3.5 baths. 246Irving.com

Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

Stunning Contemporary 2sty, renovated 6 bd/3 + fam rm. 3600s ft. Fab kitch.Sound proofing dbl paned wndw Cecille Cohen

213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

New book by local shines light on cars and early Los Angeles

By Casey Russell Hancock Park resident

Darryl Holter, co-owner of Chevalier’s on Larchmont Boulevard, has a new book out. Written with Stephen Gee, the book includes a foreword by erstwhile “Tonight Show” host and car aficionado Jay Leno.

The book, “Driving Force: Automobiles and the New American City, 1900-1930,” is packed full of local history gems. Sprinkled with vintage photos and original cartoons, the book enlightens readers about the role Los Angeles’ early auto retailers played in the growth of the car industry and the city.

Holter’s father-in-law, Nickolas Shammas, was one of these early automobile dealers. He founded Felix Chevrolet and, for decades, Holter ran the family business, which had expanded to multiple dealerships along what is today known as the “Figueroa Corridor” in Downtown Los Angeles. Holter’s interest in history and his connections to the automobile industry led him to write this book. He previously has written “Workers and Unions in Wisconsin: A Labor History,” “The Battle for Coal: Miners and the Nationalization of Coal-Mining

in France” and “Woody Guthrie L.A. 1937 – 1941.”

Readers will learn about the creation of the Los Angeles Auto Show, which moved from Downtown for a very long run at the Pan Pacific Auditorium before moving back Downtown to the new Convention Center in 1972. Omnipresent in the history recounted in Holter’s book is dealership owner Ralph C. Hamlin, father of the late local resident (at 101 S. Hudson Ave.), and longtime Junior

(Please turn to page 3)

ANNUAL exposition of automobiles took place for many years at the Pan Pacific Auditorium, whose architectural style is mimicked by the recreation center there now, by the entrance to Disney’s California Adventure and by the parking lot entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida.

AUTHOR Darryl Holter at Seaver Center Library at NHM.

AUTO SHOW history in the 1960s, when the show was at the Pan Pacific Auditorium, now a city park and flood retention basin.

Driving Force

(Continued from page 2) League of Los Angeles (JLLA) member (and president from 1943 - 1944) Marjorie Hamlin Rainey. Family fortune allowed her to donate $1 million as the lead gift to build the two-story French Regency building at 630 N. Larchmont Blvd. just north of the Larchmont Chronicle’s

latest home. The JLLA headquarters building was named Rainey House in her honor.

Through the text and the book’s many vintage photographs, readers will become privy to the untold story of individuals who chose to take a chance on a new invention and industry that ended up changing American cities completely.

To pre-order “Driving

Force,” visit tinyurl.com/ wac8epjv. It will be available in bookstores, including at Chevalier’s, on May 9.

Chevalier’s Books will be hosting the launch of Zev Yaroslavsky’s new book on Tues., May 30 at 6 p.m. Exclusive signed copies of the book, “Zev’s Los Angeles: A Political Memoir: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power,”

will be available at the event at 133 N. Larchmont Blvd. Yaro-

RALPH AND CLARE HAMLIN with daughter, Marjorie Rainey, center. Photo courtesy of Kathleen M. Bailey

ORIGINAL RALPH C. HAMLIN automobile dealership on South Main Street circa 1906, before expanding to a larger facility on Flower Street. Photos above courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Seaver Center for Western History Research, Ralph Hamlin Collection.

HAMLIN’S FRANKLIN CAR dealership on Flower Street.

RAINEY HOUSE, home of the Junior League of Los Angeles, which was built with money donated by JLLA member Marjorie Hamlin Rainey.

Photo by Casey Russell

VOLUNTEERS gathered last month for the Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) annual cleanup and to celebrate and steward the region’s 51-mile winding connective center.

Photo courtesy of FoLAR

slavsky’s public service career spanned four decades on the City Council and the County Board of Supervisors. The book is co-written with journalist Josh Getlin.

‘Zev’s Los Angeles: A Political Memoir’ set to debut at Chevalier’s Books May 30

Saving water, composting— what’s next for 80-year-old PLB?

By Suzan Filipek

It’s never too late to change. Just look at Park La Brea (PLB).

The 80-year-old apartment complex — the second largest in the country — was recently awarded an Innovation Award for its “out-of-the-box” irrigation system credited with saving 30 percent of water use annually, said Aryn Thomez, vice president of property management for Prime Residential,

which owns Park La Brea.

Thomez was pleasantly surprised when she got a call out of the blue announcing the honor.

“We didn’t even know we were in the running for the award,” Thomez said last month in her garden-view office.

The award was presented recently by the Better Buildings Challenge, a United States

Dept. of Energy program that encourages sustainability and recognizes innovative projects.

The water-saving system was installed in 2022 soon after Thomez took the helm of the 4,250-unit residential complex at 6200 W. Third St. It is estimated to save up to 23 million gallons of water each year.

Thomez, who brought her experience working with new real estate developments, was

looking for innovative and forward-thinking ways to improve the complex.

Since landscape is such a huge component of the 150acre property, she thought it might be worthwhile to switch out the traditional weather-based irrigation system — common to apartment buildings — for a system specific to larger sites like cities and golf courses.

With rebates in hand from the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power, Thomez and members of her 200-member staff worked with the company UgMO to install 770 plastic sensors 6 inches deep throughout the property.

The cellular communication-based system monitors temperature and soil conditions of plants and trees in specific areas and reports data to Thomez and the landscape crew. “It’s a much better way of doing it than asking when was the last time it rained,” Thomez smiles.

The project will be finetuned over time to further reduce water usage and monitor leaks and faulty sprinklers. Cost savings will be passed

along to residents.

She plans to introduce indigenous plants over time, said Thomez, who grew up in Minnesota. She feels at home in the lush grounds at Park La Brea, a welcome break in the center of a busy metropolis. She walks through the complex’s two parks from her garden apartment to her office each morning.

She rose up the ranks in her 20-year career and worked in Washington D.C. and New York before moving to California seven years ago. She oversaw developer Greystar’s Southern California region for its newly developed and owned assets before joining Prime. Composting, EVs too

She also has overseen a compost program to divert food waste from the landfill for all 4,000+ units at Park La Brea. She will talk about the program at the WasteExpo this month in New Orleans, along with representatives from PLB trash collector Athens Services.

Also in the works are plans to increase the site’s EV charging stations. “I am a gogreen kind of gal,” she said.

PROPERTY MANAGER Aryn Thomez at Park La Brea.

Visit private gardens, raise funds for islands, see local trees

By Suzan Filipek

Everything is coming up roses, wisteria and a bountiful array of other colorful flowers when A Secret Garden Tour comes to our neighborhoods on Sat., June 3, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Five to six private gardens — the number is still being sorted out — will be on the tour and fundraiser in Windsor Square and Fremont Place.

Music, a plant sale and a silent auction will also be featured on the tour, which is not so secret, it turns out; rather, the name of the event is a take on the recent musical at the Ahmanson Theatre.

Confirmed gardens for the visit (as of presstime) are those of Leah Fischer and June Bilgore in Windsor Square and Patty Lombard in Fremont Place. Theirs are among the gardens that will offer a sensory and visual delight to visitors on the tour. Bilgore is also the silent auction chair of the event, hosted by the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society (WS-HPHS).

Organizers of the June 3 tour are Chronicle co-founder Jane Gilman and Richard Battaglia, WSHPHS president.

Islands of Rossmore

“The garden tour, like our home tours, depends upon the generosity of these wonderful homeowners who are willing to expose their secret private gardens for a good cause. This year’s cause is the ‘Islands of Rossmore and Beverly Project’ which is long overdue,” Battaglia told us.

The two triangular pedestrian islands are at the southwest and northeast corners of the busy intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Rossmore Avenue, as the project’s name says.

During the years that this project has been in the talking stages, other pedestrian islands were transformed on Wilton Place at Second Street and at First Street. One also was improved on the corner of Sixth Street and Norton Ave., Battaglia tells us.

“The Larchmont Boulevard medians were finished ages ago, while the two concrete eyesores on Rossmore and Beverly, the gateway to both Hancock Park and Windsor

Square, are still just looking ragged and derelict.

“This is not going to be done overnight and is certainly a process, but we have a good team in place,” he added.

The “Islands” committee includes both Michele Flores, field deputy, and George Hakopiants, deputy district director, for Councilwoman Yaroslavsky.

Others beside Battaglia are Cindy Chvatal, Joyce Kleifield, Joseph Guidera, Patty Lombard, Brian Curran, June Bilgore and Alysoun Higgins. “Landscape designer and Historical Society member Jeffrey Smith did a fantastic job on the renderings [for the islands]. Everyone was very impressed,” added Battaglia.

For tickets to the event visit wshphs.com.

Walk with a Lumberjack on May 6

Urban Lumberjack Steve Marshall will give a Tree Walking Tour of the neighborhood on Sat., May 6, beginning at

10 a.m. at First Street and Larchmont Boulevard. The tour will head east to Wilton Place, south to Second Street and return east along Second Street to Larchmont. Wear comfortable shoes. Visit theurbanlumberjack. com. For tickets visit wshphs. com.

from left (in her garden) Leah Fischer, Patty Lombard and June Bilgore.

JMS DESIGN provided a plan and plant photos for the two Hancock Park pedestrian islands at Beverly Boulevard and Rossmore Avenue (above). At right, the current condition.

Linda Dishman to leave a ‘strong’ Los Angeles Conservancy

By John Welborne

Linda Dishman, president of the Los Angeles Conservancy, is stepping down after helming the nonprofit for 31 years.

“It has been a great run, but I feel the time is right to leave, both for me and for the organization,” Dishman told supporters via e-mail in midApril.

“The Conservancy board and staff are strong, and we’ve hired a search firm to find the next leader,” she added.

Dishman announced that she would be retiring this coming November.

In a statement released by the organization, Conservancy Chair Joy Forbes said, “On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I want to thank Linda for her passion and dedication as the Los Angeles Conservancy’s leader for 31 years. As the Conservancy celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, I note that Linda has been at the helm for twothirds of our history.”

“While her absence at the

LINDA DISHMAN

organization will be felt, we will continue to see the fruits of her labor in the many historic places across Los Angeles County,” she continued.

The board of directors has hired Envision Consulting to manage the search process and anticipates having a successor in place before Linda’s departure on Nov. 30, 2023.

Since Dishman’s arrival at the Conservancy in 1992, the group has been successful in saving iconic buildings

threatened with demolition, such as the May Company (now the Academy Museum), Herald Examiner, Sheraton Town House, Downey McDonald’s, St. Vibiana Cathedral and the Century Plaza Hotel. The Conservancy has also expanded to saving places important within a broader and more diverse community — such as the Paul Revere Williams House.

The Conservancy helped add 14,000 units of housing in the Historic Core of Downtown as part of its Broadway Initiative, and the group has become a national leader in the effort to recognize Modernism.

Its Preservation Positive Report in 2020 validated that historic buildings and neighborhoods are a community asset enjoyed by economically and racially diverse residents.

“One of my favorite parts of leading the Conservancy has been working with so many people who believe in the power of our historic buildings to inspire and bring communi-

ties together,” said Dishman. Historic preservation has been Dishman’s passion and profession since 1977 when she was an intern at the California Office of Historic Preservation in her Sacramento hometown.

“I have met incredible people through this work, including

my husband, and I have made many friends.

“It has been my honor to help preserve the places that hold the history and future of Los Angeles County. Thank you.”

And “thank YOU,” Linda Dishman.

Last Remaining Seats returns with a classic film lineup

(1940) screens at the Los Angeles Theatre on June 10 at 8 p.m.

“Metropolis” (1927) kicks off the program on Sat., June 3, at 2 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre. The 1973 film “Enter the Dragon” with Bruce Lee screens at the Orpheum later the same day at 8 p.m.

“Planet of the Apes” (1968) is at the Los Angeles Theatre Sat., June 10, at 2 p.m.

“The Philadelphia Story”

“Auntie Mame,” a 1958 comedy, brings Rosalind Russell to the Million Dollar Theatre Sat., June 17, at 2 p.m. The same day, James Stewart and Kim Novak star in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” at 8 p.m. at the Million Dollar.

Live music, Q&A sessions and other programming accompany some of the screenings. Visit laconservancy.org for tickets and more information.

By John

Welborne Neighbors convened on April 15, at the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Poinsettia Place, to eat gelato and celebrate a recent addition to the city’s list of Historic Cultural Monuments.

Two groups, Save Beverly Fairfax and the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, nominated the Silberberg Building for designation, approved March 3 by the City Council. The 1931

building now houses ice cream parlor Gelato and Angels.

The report and recommendation of the Cultural Heritage Commission (available at tinyurl.com/32tm92fh) notes that “the La Brea Mortgage Company, founded in 1928 by realtor and businessman Abraham Silberberg, was one of many businesses established to serve the Jewish community that developed in [the area].”

Annual Garden Tour and Showcase House

Single family homes

Come

legendary

*Sale

prices for March.

Another local monument

Condominiums 425 S. Plymouth Blvd. $16,000,000 619 S. June St. $11,000,000 226 S. Windsor Blvd. $10,500,000 357 Lorraine Blvd. $7,750,000 415 S. June St. $7,075,000 129 Fremont Pl. $6,500,000 400 S. Arden Blvd. $5,967,000 244 N. Rossmore Ave. $5,100,000 336 S. June St. $4,900,000 537 N. Cherokee Ave. $4,848,545 157 S. Lucerne Blvd. $3,975,000 637 N. Lucerne Blvd. $3,738,888 148 S. Highland Ave. $2,900,000 720 Lorraine Blvd. $2,700,000 913 S. Mullen Ave. $2,695,000 755 S. Highland Ave. $2,564,427 512 N. Gower St. $2,350,000 515 N. McCadden Pl. $2,275,000 339 N. Irving Blvd. $1,843,000 318 N. Citrus Ave. $1,760,000 618 Wilcox Ave. $1,150,000 4100 Wilshire Blvd., #107 $955,000 600 S. Ridgeley Dr., #309 $870,000 600 S. Ridgeley Dr., #205 $845,000 5601 W. Olympic Blvd., #303 $808,000 961 S. Manhattan Pl., #3 $705,000 861 S. Windsor Blvd., #102 $689,000 102 S. Manhattan Pl., #104 $610,000

Real Estate Sales*

Design for Living

celebrates

By Helene Seifer

Once upon a time in the windy city of Chicago, two brothers owned a flooring store, Artistic Linoleum. As sometimes happens in families, the brothers Ed and William (Bill) Stifter had a falling out, resulting in Ed buying out the business. Bill and his pregnant wife Geraldine (Gerry) hopped on a train and headed to Colorado to conquer the flooring market there.

As luck would have it, a torrential downpour greeted them in Denver, so they rode to the end of the line in sunny Southern California.

The year was 1948, and Linoleum City was born, staking out a site on Route 66, Santa Monica Boulevard. The first shop was across from the Sears Roebuck & Co. there. Next, it moved into a bigger space next to

Sears, eventually settling into a 15,000-square-foot showroom in its current Santa Monica Boulevard location, outlasting Sears.

Still in the same family 75 years later, the current owner, Fred Stifter, is the baby who Gerry was carrying on that move west. Other family members work there, including Fred’s niece, Vice President Patricia Walters.

Those who are not technically family agree that all are made to feel as though they belong, from the fork-

red carpets and fancy floors

lift drivers to flooring artist Laurie Crogan of Crogan Inlay Floors, who works with Linoleum City to create elaborate linoleum inlay designs for customers.

“We are family,” emphasizes Crogan, whose designs include a leaf inlay for singer Phil Collins, a basketweave pattern for a home in Windsor Square and a bordered medallion for the Plymouth Boulevard kitchen of interior designer Scott Lander.

Walking into Linoleum City, one is greeted by a Crogan inlay floor. Then one realizes the enormous array of flooring options available.

“We stock close to 100 different patterns of sheet vinyl,” Patty Walters says. “We have 40 styles of linoleum, 100 styles of carpet. Overall, hundreds of thousands of square feet of flooring.” Linoleum City always keeps at

least 6,000 square feet of red carpet on hand. They also have a Glendale warehouse filled with overflow.

According to Fred Stifter, his father almost immediately realized there was a huge market in the entertainment industry and began importing specialized flooring and

working with manufacturers to create unique looks for the film and television business. Today Walters estimates that 70 percent of their business comes from entertainment companies. This year alone, according to Walters, Linoleum City (Please turn to page 8)

OWNER Fred Stifter and Vice President Patricia Walters.

PERFECT border work inlaid by Crogan Inlay Floors.

Linoleum City

(Continued from page 8) provided red carpets for the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards, the Academy Award stage carpeting and after-parties, the People’s Choice and

DESIGN FOR LIVING

Kid’s Choice Awards and numerous movie premieres.

In the past, their carpets were also used in the opening ceremony of the 1984 Olympics and for Pope John Paul II’s September 1987 visit to California.

As their name implies, Linoleum City is a large supplier of linoleum tile for residential and commercial use. Although, as Stifter explains, the United States stopped manufacturing real linoleum around the time vinyl floor-

INTERESTING PATTERNS abound in the showroom. ing became popular in the 1950s. Linoleum City maintains a supply of high-quality linoleum sourced from Europe. As it is a natural product made from linseed oil, pine resin and ground cork dust, environmentally conscious consumers are turning once again to real linoleum for their homes.

Linoleum City also works with manufacturers to develop interesting patterns for their sheet vinyl such as a black-and-white hexagonal print that mimics the old honeycomb tiles found in many of the original bathrooms in our historic neighborhood houses. That pattern is in demand with art directors, who placed it in the opening sequence of the William H. Macy series “Shameless” and in all of the bathrooms in Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Christmas,” among other productions.

As Walters observes, “Everybody needs flooring.” John C. Riley visited the store and bought linoleum tile flooring for his airstream trailer. Coachella acts perform on Linoleum City flooring, as did Michael Jackson. Kim Kardashian purchased rubber flooring for her home gym, and Jason Alexander opted for their carpeting. Mikhail Baryshnikov danced on it, “All in the Family’s” Archie Bunker argued on it, “Desperate Housewives” were desperate for it, and the family in Steven Spielberg’s “The Fablemans” lived with it.

Fred Stifter reflects on what he has most enjoyed about life with Linoleum City — “friends that I’ve made over the years, and carrying on a tradition of a family business.”

Linoleum City, 4849 Santa Monica Blvd., 323-736-3200.

Beastly Ball to honor Tom LaBonge June 3 at the Zoo

By Suzan Filipek

The late Councilman Tom LaBonge will posthumously receive an award at the Beastly Ball Sat., June 3, at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo.

The party will start “Down Under” in the Australia section and make its way through the lush grounds.

Participating eateries include Pink’s Hot Dogs, Little Sister, El Cholo and more. Actor Joel

McHale will host the fundraising gala.

Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association Trustee Diann Kim also will be honored, and LaBonge will receive the Betty White Conservation Hero Award for his longtime advocacy for the Zoo and Griffith Park.

For tickets and information, visit lazoo.org/beastlyball or call 323-486-4253.

ROLLS AND ROLLS of flooring at Linoleum City.

Contemporary home is new but keeps Larchmont scale

By Suzan Filipek

The third time is the charm for this growing family which recently moved into its almost dream home in Larchmont Village.

The couple completed interior remodels at their first two homes. This new one, a 1929 bungalow found for them by Realtor Ali Jack, was just what they were looking for.

“It was in a very deteriorated state and needed serious TLC,” said homeowner Danielle Rago.

“It gave us the opportunity to build something new and different... We were also planning on starting a family and had fallen in love with the Larchmont neighborhood.”

The project also gave Rago, cofounder of This by That, a public relations and advisory agency for progressive architects, the opportunity to work with one of her favorite clients, architects Claus Benjamin Freyinger and Andrew Holder of The LADG. They maintained the original home’s quadrant layout and took off from there.

A surprise design element of the home is a stainless

steel column rising from the backyard swimming pool to support an overhang.

“Interesting,” is how Rago and her husband Darren Hochberg described the concept when it was first presented to them. “It’s definitely a point of interest. It’s a fun place to put it,” Rago said of the beam rising from the water.

They saved half of the original home’s existing footprint and used the same foundation and framing to build addi-

tions to the front and back of the northwest and northeast sides of the house.

The original 1,426-squarefoot home was reconfigured into a 1,950-square-foot three-bedroom house and accessory dwelling unit (ADU).

The result, on Plymouth Boulevard, was recently featured in the March/April cover story of Dwell Magazine.

Other features of the finished house include preserving the massing of the

front of the house to keep in line with the neighborhood, and the addition of a vaulted, double-height roof in the center of the home above a striking all-white quartz kitchen — the heart (and hearth) of the home.

Rather than have a fireplace, family and friends gather around the kitchen, explains Rago.

The home has open spaces with indoor/outdoor living and sustainable landscap-

(Please turn to page 10)

Featured Listings for the Month of May by June Ahn

109 Fremont Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90005 Offered at $7,500,000

A park-like gated community with 24 hr. security guard. Step inside to a stunning 2 -story entry. Exceptionally elegant and charming home on a nearly 1 - acre corner lot located in the middle of the west side street. Extraordinary provenance abounds in this truly special, architecturally designed beauty! Offers warm woods, hardwood floors, large marble fireplaces in the living room, family room and upstairs bedroom, and natural light throughout from an expanse of French doors and windows. The gourmet kitchen has stone floors, marble countertops, coffered ceilings, beveled stained glass windows, with built -in subzero refrigerator, microwave oven, double oven, double dishwashers, double clay sinks and coffee station. The kitchen door leads to the side back yard with built -in BBQ, limestone fireplace and limestone table which seats 12. 3 kingsize master bedroom suites with en -suite full bathrooms, and a library room upstairs. French doors from the second floor and master open to a terrace with circular stairs down to a second patio and lush backyard. The maid's room/office has a bathroom and shower. Laundry inside, breakfast room, dining room, family room leading to the beautiful and expansive backyard with mature trees and swimming pool with jetted spa. Guest house over the garage. Parking spaces available for nearly 20 cars on the private street owned by the subject property.

THE NEW DESIGN has massing similar to other bungalows in the Larchmont Village neighborhood.

THE HEARTH OF THE HOME is the kitchen, here a striking visual in white. Photos by Marten Elder

DESIGN FOR LIVING

Huntington’s Tea Room gets a face lift

By Nona Sue Friedman

The historic 1911 Rose Garden Tea Room at The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, is reopening on May 24 after being closed for the past three years.

The new and improved space boasts an outdoor pavilion that opens onto the Shakespeare Garden and a room for private events that faces the Herb Garden.

A traditional English tea with sweet and savory tarts and scones will be available. A high tea with champagne and lobster salad in phyllo is another dining option. According to Huntington President Karen. R. Lawrence, “These innovative upgrades will make for an extraordinary tea experience.”

The structure was originally built for Henry E. Huntington as a billiard room and bowling alley. It has been serving traditional English tea to the public since the 1980s.

Start making reservations Wed., May 10 through Open Table. Visit Huntington.org for additional information.

New home

(Continued from page 9)

ing. While city constraints prevented the couple from increasing the square footage by much, privacy is increased by putting the bedrooms in front of the house and living areas towards the rear.

Common materials found at Home Depot like stucco, plywood and asphalt shingles are used in an unconventional way — the shingles wrap the underside of the roof and create a dramatic overhang.

More outdoor living was added by converting the existing garage into the ADU. A folding glass wall opens to the

The result?

The perfect home for the couple and their two children — 3-month-old Julian and nearly 3-year-old Oliver — and a Maltese named Melrose.

Spring Home Tour

The home will be part of AIA/LA’s Spring Arch Tour Fest on Friday, May 19, at 9:30 a.m. Rago and her architect Freyinger will lead the tour.

Tickets go on sale soon at aialosangeles.org.

AT HOME. Darren Hochberg, Danielle Rago, Oliver and Julian with Melrose. Ilene Squires Photography

STAINLESS STEEL support column rises from the pool to support an overhang wrapped in asphalt shingles.

OUTDOOR / INDOOR living is featured throughout the property. Photos above by Marten Elder backyard for entertaining.

NEW PAVILION looks out onto the Shakespeare garden.

Photo courtesy of The Huntington Gardens

Be a looky-loo for a good cause — see the Showcase House

I have to confess, as a connoisseur of historic houses, weekend open houses and designer showcases have always held a special allure for me. For a looky-loo like me, driving through historic neighborhoods of Los Angeles, most especially our own, one gets familiar with architectural styles, architects and the nuances of historic periods, but very rarely, unless invited in or they come up for sale, does one get to see the inside of these splendid houses. Does the language of the architecture continue inside or change? How do the occupants interpret the interior spaces and fill them? I often think of how I would decorate these interiors, how I would respond to the features or quirks of a house, what it would feel like living there. So I was particularly excited to be invited to preview this year’s 58th Pasadena Showcase House of Design, which is being held at one of Pasadena’s grand estates, the 1933 Colonial Revival-style Stewart House.

Stewart House

The house was designed by one of Pasadena’s most cel-

DESIGN FOR LIVING On Preservation

by Brian Curran

ebrated architectural firms, Marston and Maybury, designers of such Pasadena landmarks as the Chinese-inspired Grace Nicholson Building (home of the USC Pacific Asian Museum), the Old Pasadena Post Office, the Shakespeare Club and the Westminster Presbyterian Church. The client was Union Oil Company of California heir Arthur Stewart (grandson of founder Lyman Stewart) and his wife, Ruth Nicholson Stewart. For this home, the architects composed a 1930s version of Dallas’ South Fork, a grand columned manse with a semi-circular tree lined drive set on two acres of the former Rancho Santa Anita. Adjoining the house was a motor court, a pool complex and tennis court. At the time it included a stable and corral as well. This is the second time the house has been the Pasade-

na Showcase House of Design, the first time being in 1983. Decorator showcase houses pose a particular challenge, not only to visitors, but to the architectural historian, because organizers take a magnificent house, remove everything of the owners’ and allow a designer to interpret a single space or room. For this year’s Pasadena Showcase House, these individually-designed spaces are united only by a chosen color palette starting with the Dunn-Edwards 2023 Color of the Year, which happens to be Terra Rosa, a rich dusky rose color.

With more than 30 interiors and garden spaces on view, this could be a bewildering kaleidoscope of color, pattern, texture and styles obscuring Marston and Maybury’s sophisticated layout and rooms. Luckily the creative skill on display — even when it veered toward the contemporary or experimental — was successful in enhancing spaces that might be passed by or considered an afterthought.

What struck me in the midst of all this elegant showmanship was how intimate the spaces were, belying the

grandeur of the towering entrance portico with its lantern draped with chains. Visitors pass through this public projection of wealth and power into the private realm of the family typified by lower ceilings, smaller proportions and narrow passages for servants to circulate unseen. The entry hall and staircase are surprisingly understated after such a grand entry, almost a passage to quickly move to the drawing or dining room or wait while the lady of the house descends the stairs on her way for an evening out. Circulation proceeds to the right with the largest room of the house,

the drawing room, which branches off to the garden room with an adjacent “speakeasy” and finally to the gilded cigar box sanctum sanctorum, the gentleman’s library.

It became clear that the house was designed to allow flow through the garden room to a terrace, then to the rear garden and lawn as well as the pool and tennis court. The size of the rooms would not allow for the type of entertaining required by a Union Oil executive and his society wife, so, for large-scale entertaining, the massive expanse of rear yard must have come into

(Please turn to page 16)

STEWART HOUSE in Pasadena in 2023.

Photo by Susan Pickering Photography

By Casey Russell

Some new stores have recently opened on Larchmont Boulevard, and their managements report that the businesses are doing well.

The manager of Boba the Great at 142 N. Larchmont told us that the store has received a warm welcome from the community.

“People who don’t even know what boba is pop their heads in and say, ‘Hey, welcome to the neighborhood!’ It seems to be a courteous, nice place.”

Boba the Great brews all its teas and purees in-house. The Signature Brown Sugar Milk Teas and the Signature Ice Teas have been quite popular, we were told. When asked what days and times seem to be busiest, the manager said

that when school gets out, a lot of business comes in. The early hours on Sundays have been very busy as well.

So what is boba? It’s a sweet tea-infused drink with option-

al sugary tapioca pearls lining the bottom, slurped with a straw.

Nearby, at Velvet by Graham and Spencer, 146 N. Larchmont Blvd., assistant

store manager Kathryn Fissel told us the community has been extremely kind and welcoming. “We’ve received lots of little goodies from shops around just saying hello and

welcome. It’s a really nice community here,” she said.

Velvet is a men’s and women’s clothing store. It already has seen repeat customers with people on their daily walks popping in to see what’s new. “The reaction of the people around us tells us this seems to be a really good fit,” said Fissel.

Thirteen Lune, 120 N. Larchmont Blvd., is getting closer to opening its doors and plans to be welcoming customers starting Fri., May 5. The shop will feature an assortment of beauty products for all skin colors.

New Italian restaurant coming to the Boulevard Beloved Italian restaurant Vernetti, which was opened on the Boulevard in 2014 by Steve and Joanna Vernetti, will be closing at the end of May. The couple said they have enjoyed serving Larchmont but are ready to move on to other things.

The space at 225 N. Larchmont Blvd. is being taken over by Hancock Park resident Shereen Arazm, an owner of Terroni on Beverly Boulevard. Arazm will be offering food from the Terroni Italian-based menu and special dishes for the new Larchmont Boulevard eatery.

Business owner Jess Rona of Jess Rona’s Grooming at 656 N. Larchmont Blvd. has been working to share her entrepreneurial skills. For the past several years, the pet groomer has offered a course to help small business owners on their journeys to becoming successful.

Rona knows how overwhelming it can be to start and run a business. Ten years ago, she was grooming pets in her garage.

But her now busy brickand-mortar store speaks to the success she knows is possible for people.

This year’s updated course is currently available for purchase on her website at jessronacourses.com.

SMILING ASSISTANT MANAGER is ready to greet customers at Velvet by Graham and Spencer.

THIRTEEN LUNE is beginning to stock its shelves. Founder Nyakio Grieco is shown in the store. Photo by Thirteen Lune

STRAWBERRY CREAM boba at Boba the Great.

DESIGN FOR LIVING

LCDQ Design fest on La Cienega brings fashion to home design

By Suzan Filipek

A design extravaganza, Legends 2023, returns to the La Cienega Design Quarter (LCDQ) Tues., May 9, to Thurs., May 11.

The event’s 13th year is a nod to fashion royalty and features its crown jewel: the transformation of shops and showroom windows by superstar designers.

Inspired by this year’s theme, Fashion of Home, Sarah Jessica Parker’s designer will partially recreate the actress’s dressing room at Mecox, one of some 45 shops and showrooms in the LCDQ.

This year’s Living Legend awardees — interior designers San Francisco-based Ken Fulk and New York City-based Alexa Hampton — will be honored at the opening party

at Catch Steak. Fulk will sign copies of his new book, “The Movie in My Mind,” May 10 at the Rug Company.

Past honorees include the late Suzanne Rheinstein of Windsor Square, who was named a Living Legend in 2019.

Two days of programming include eight keynote panels, cocktail parties and book signings. The opening keynote, “Chic Is Chic! The Powerful Pull Between Interiors and Fashion,” is by Galerie magazine’s managing editor. Design Dating Game features House Beautiful’s senior style director, followed by mariachis and a taco truck, and Uncommon Kitchens is among many topics explored at events at various showrooms. A closing disco party

LEGENDS

a new showroom.

The LCDQ is one square mile of showrooms and shops around the intersection of La Cienega Boulevard and Melrose Place and Avenue. The design quarter has extended its boundary on Melrose to include a design-rich block of showrooms west of San Vicente Boulevard for Legends 2023. Part of the event’s proceeds will support Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles.

To register and for more information, visit lcdqla.com/ legends-2023.

Virginia Robinson Gardens is ‘Back in Bloom’

By Suzan Filipek

After a three-year hiatus and a yearslong drought, the Virginia Robinson Gardens (VRG) Tour and Showcase House promises a colorful and splendid return.

Four private gardens nourished by months of rain will make for verdant showpieces in the romantically themed “Back in Bloom,” on Sat., May 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The romantic theme… celebrates a new beginning and the return to VRG’s beloved Garden Tour after a threeyear hiatus,” co-chair Betty Goldstein writes on the Gardens website.

“This is our premier fundraiser where funds are raised for the restoration needs of the estate and the Children’s Science program which has served more than 5,000 children throughout the pandemic years, keeping Mrs. Robinson’s legacy for the welfare of children alive,” Goldstein added.

The 34th annual event in Beverly Hills also takes visitors on an exclusive “behind-thehedge” look at the lush gardens and the estate built in 1911 for Virginia and Harry Robinson of the Robinson de-

DESIGNER Alessandra Branca’s Legends 2022 window for Serena & Lily was inspired by designer Michael Taylor’s iconic California style.

2019 “Conversation with Suzanne,” speaker Suzanne Rheinstein is shown with fellow designer and fan Joe Lucas of showroom Harbinger on La Cienega. will be hosted by Ben Soleimani in

Pacific Outdoor Living family celebrates landscape longevity

By John Welborne

For more than 20 years, landscape design-build firm Pacific Outdoor Living (POL) has been serving residents of Los Angeles County. In just our Larchmont Chronicle distribution area, POL has undertaken more than 80 projects for area homeowners. Since beginning the company, founder Terry Morrill and his sons, Trent and Chad, and their large staff of nearly 100 employees have completed in excess of 10,000 outdoor renovation projects.

Terry Morrill told us that he actually lived in our community early on — on Windsor Boulevard — at the time he began the company. He said, “What began as a company run out of my garage is now a flourishing business.” A landscape contractor with a large corporate yard in Sun Valley, POL’s work includes landscape design, swimming

Virginia Robinson

(Continued from page 14) partment stores.

Usually open by appointment only, the six-acre property, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, will be transformed by area designers and florists.

Victoria Kastner, author and historian emeritus of Hearst Castle, will serve as Grand Marshal, and she will be signing copies of her book, “Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect,” now in its third printing.

Co-chairs of the event are past president Betty Goldstein, Elaine Stein and Nicole Antoine. Windsor Square resident Suz Landay is on the committee and Patty Elias Rosenfeld is a donor.

A catered gourmet lunch will be served on the Great Lawn with an array of desserts in the Pool Pavilion. A fashion show, silent auction and popup shops will also be featured. New this year will be a hat contest with prizes.

Visit robinsongardens.org for tickets and more information.

pools, hardscapes, lighting, custom fire features, outdoor kitchens, pergolas and more.

Terry Morrill also told us of the pride he has in his large team. “We have picked up dozens of awards along the way; have been featured on HGTV and the Inc 500 list; we have participated in the Pasadena Showcase House for decades; and we have received hundreds of glowing reviews across Yelp, Google and other home improvement platforms.”

He added that a significant reason for his company’s success and customer satisfaction is that POL is family owned and operated. “I run the company with my two sons. Trent runs our production team, and Chad runs our sister company, California Waterscapes, which handles all pond builds and

custom water features. Many of our employees have also been with us for decades and have brought their family members in to work with us as well.”

He also notes that POL’s construction is done by in-house crews. “We have separate

crews for every service we offer, from demolition to landscaping to pavers and swimming pools. We do not use subcontractors, the reason being that our quality assurance will always be top priority; we cannot guarantee that other contractors in our industry share the same goal.”

Pacific Outdoor Living also focuses on a design approach that it has instituted in the past five years. Morrill explained: “We have implemented a design process that no other contractor is doing

in the industry. It is called the Site Analysis Program. This is the homeowner’s greatest resource. It saves the homeowner and us time and money, and it enables us to always stay within a homeowner’s budget.” Morrill added that videos he made for the company’s website explain POL’s three-step process: site analysis, landscape design and construction. View his videos at tinyurl.com/yua98sdj.

Because of the company’s success, the Morrill family has expanded its service area from Los Angeles to nearly the entire coast of California. The service area now covers San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties. The main website for POL is pacificoutdoorliving.com.

Zeb and Bob Vacca Owners

VIRGINIA ROBINSON Gardens will be open for viewing May 20.

PACIFIC OUTDOOR LIVING founder Terry Morrill (at right) with sons, from left, Trent and Chad.

DESIGN FOR LIVING

On Preservation

(Continued from page 11) play. The Stewart House’s rear façade was also columned but with a second-story balcony off the primary bedroom suite and above the garden room. This served well as theatrical backdrop to the backyard entertainments and at night must give off a southern “moonlight-and-magnolias” atmosphere.

Favorite rooms

But what of the designs?!

My favorite rooms of the house were the mirrored chinoiserie Living Room by Tocco Finale, the Speakeasy and Hall by Sukeena Homes, the Primary Suite by Courtney Thomas Design, the second floor Terrace by Meredith Green Designs and the Artist’s Wunderkammer by Rosemary Home Design.

This last room was particularly interesting as Rosemary Home Design was the only firm that referenced the original chatelaine of the house, Ruth Nicholson Stewart, who was an avid traveler, artist and collector.

The Art Nouveau-inspired

studio with its eclectic collections of flora and fauna as well as handmade furniture by Christopher Grant Ward are particularly worth a look.

The Pasadena Showcase House of Design is open through May 21 daily except Mondays. Tickets can

be purchased online at pasadenashowcase.org/events/ tickets/ or by calling 626-6061600. All proceeds from the tour admissions, shops and restaurant go to the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts philanthropic activities. They include gifts and grants for music education, scholarships, concerts and music therapy as well as to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the

Music Mobile program which has introduced orchestral instruments to thousands of third-graders, an Instrumental Competition, awarding monetary prizes to exceptionally talented young musicians, and the Youth Concert, which has brought nearly 250,000 fourth-graders to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for exuberant performances by the LA Phil.

BACK TERRACE and lawn for Stewart House entertaining.

Photo by Susan Pickering Photography

THE LIVING ROOM in the 2023 Showcase House, with design by Tocco Finale. Photo by Chris Considine Photography

LIBRARIES

FAIRFAX

161 S. Gardner St. 323-936-6191

JOHN C. FREMONT

6121 Melrose Ave. 323-962-3521

MEMORIAL

4625 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2732

WILSHIRE

149 N. St. Andrews Pl. 323-957-4550

HOURS

Mon. and Wed., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tues. and Thurs., noon to 8 p.m., Fri. and Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed Mon., May 29 for Memorial Day.

LIBRARY CALENDAR

Cowboy trick roping, a comedy about Einstein and live music

FAIRFAX LIBRARY

Kids

Cowboy Ken: His show includes cowboy songs, trick roping, stories and large puppets on Tues., May 2, at 4 p.m.

Adults

English conversation: Every Monday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. practice everyday English with an instructor and peers.

Walk-in tutoring: Every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. come for help with searching the internet, job resumes, applications and filling out forms.

All ages

Book Sale: Browse used books every Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. All sales support the library branch.

FREMONT LIBRARY

Teens/Adults

The life and times of A. Einstein, a comedy: An off-

beat solo comedy show in celebration of Jewish Heritage Month is about the life of Albert Einstein from his secretary’s perspective. The performance takes place Tues., May 9, at 4 p.m.

All ages

UCLA Gluck String Quartet: A live musical performance on Sat., May 20, at 3:30 p.m.

UCLA Gluck Jazz Ensemble: Live horns and strings will fill the community room with music on Sat., May 27, at 3:30 p.m.

MEMORIAL LIBRARY

Toddlers

Story time in the park: Drop in to listen to stories and sing songs in Memorial Park adjoining the library Wednesdays, May 3 and May 31, at 10:30 a.m.

Kids

Día Folkoric Performance: Celebrate Día with art, music and storytelling. The event is

capped off with a dance performance in the park on Sat., May 6, at 1 p.m.

Reading to the rescue: Let your child read aloud to an adorable rescue dog on Wed., May 10, at 4 p.m.

Kids & Teens

Drop-in tutoring with Steve: Need a refresher on some academics? Stop by Thurs., May 4, from 3 to 5 p.m. for one-on-one assistance with any subject.

Teens

Miniature plant terrarium: Create a miniature plant terrarium to take home on Thurs., May 4 at 4 p.m.

Adults

B.Y.O. needle arts: Bring your own needlecraft to work on while sitting with others on Mon., May 1, at 1 p.m.

Art class: Color or paint with peers on Wednesdays, May 3 and 31, at 3 p.m.

Book club: Discuss “Has

(Please turn to page 20)

Craft Contemporary prepares for its next chapter

By Helene Seifer

Suzanne Isken, executive director of the Craft Contemporary, announced that, after more than 12 years at the museum, she is retiring. She pledges to stay with the organization until it finds a replacement.

SPRING @ THE WALLIS

MAY 20

Miró Quartet & Special Guest Kevin Puts

MAY 25

Jeffrey Kahane, Piano: Goldberg Variations

JUNE 1

Jordan Bak, Geneva Lewis & Evren Ozel

JUNE 9-10

Alonzo King LINES Ballet: Deep River

JUNE 11

SUNDAY FUNDAY

Nathalia

Dance Sunday with Debbie Allen

Dance Academy: African

2022/2023 SEASON

GET YOUR TICKETS! TheWallis.org

It won’t be easy to find a new executive director who is as passionate and committed to the presentation of the diversity of contemporary crafts as Isken. Previously the director of education at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Isken used her broad knowledge of contemporary art ideas to oversee the transition of the more limited scope of the Craft and Folk Art Museum into the Craft Contemporary’s embrace of diverse artistic expression.

A board committee has gathered names of potential replacements from its own knowledge base, and Isken also has recommended museum professionals to consider. The board then retained Museum Management Consultants to lead the national search. That firm commenced work in April and hopes to have a new museum executive director in place by May or June.

“Small places like this [the Craft Contemporary] give neighborhoods their flavor,” asserts Isken. “Why do you like a neighborhood? Not the big bank on the corner. Not the CVS. People want convenience, yes, but that’s sterile. It’s the shops and restaurants and small museums.” She concludes, “We have a really important place on the Miracle Mile.”

Craft Contemporary, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., 323-937-4230.

JEFFREY KAHANE

ALONZO KING LINES BALLET: DEEP RIVER

GENEVA LEWIS JORDAN BAK EVREN OZEL

SUZANNE ISKEN, executive director, Craft Contemporary, in front of a piece from the exhibit “Alicia Pillar: Within.”

Photo courtesy of Craft Contemporary

Kids’ games and flowers are at Van Ness this May

Join in the fun at Van Ness Avenue Elementary School on Sat., May 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Parents at Van Ness Elementary (PAVE) will hold a Family Fun Fest to raise money for the school. Enjoy an afternoon of kids’ games, food, music, a petting zoo and more.

Entry tickets will be on sale soon for $5 per person or $20 per group.

PAVE is also running a spring flower sale. Pre-order small bouquets in pots ($20), or large bouquets in watering cans ($30), through May 10. The orders (online only) can be picked up on Fri., May 12 in the parent center at Van Ness Elementary. Visit parentsatvanness.org for more information.

Libraries

(Continued from page 20)

Anyone Seen my Toes” by Christopher Buckley on Fri., May 5, at 1 p.m. Book title for June is “Empty Theatre,” by Jac

Jemc.

WILSHIRE LIBRARY

Babies

Story time: The littlest ones

Christ the King School Fun Run

To raise funds for the physical education and sports programs at Christ the King, the school is holding its inaugural Vikings Fun Run Fri., May 5. All TK through 8th grade students will run laps while music plays and teachers and parents cheer. The school aims to raise enough money to update play equipment, team jerseys and the outdoor canopies. If interested in making a donation, email: principal@cksla.org.

listen to stories in the library at 4 p.m. on Fri., May 12.

Toddlers

Story time: Listen to stories, sing songs and stretch with Sybil on Fridays, May 5 and 12, from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

Kids & Teens

Mexican paper cutting: In celebration of Mexican heritage month learn papel picado, Mexican paper cutting craft, from 4 to 5 p.m. on Tues., May 2.

DIY Mother’s Day cards: Make a card for your mom with paper, stickers, envelopes and markers available Mon., May 8 through Sat., May 13.

Teens & Adults

Henna tattoos: Henna artist Manjushree Normulwar will present a brief history of the art and culture of henna and

Wilshire Library’s book and bake sale is May 6

By Nona Sue Friedman

The green light has been given to the Friends of Wilshire Library to once again have its semi-annual book and bake sale. The sale will take place on the sidewalk in front of the library at 149 N. St. Andrews Pl. (at Council Street) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., May 6.

Given that it has been several years since the last sale, there will be a plethora of hardcover books, kids’ books, art books, DVDs and CDs available for purchase. While you’re there, pick up homemade baked goods to relish while reading your newest novel.

Thank You to all our Larchmont customers

Call 310-652-0123 • At 8914 Santa Monica Blvd. (between San Vicente & Robertson in West Hollywood)

Weekday: 8am-7 pm • Sat: 8am-5:30pm • Sun: 10am-5pm

The event features the debut of the group’s “blinddate-with-a-book” program. Staff will curate books ahead of the sale, wrap them in plain paper and mark the genre of the book. These selections will be sold for slightly more than the $1 adult hardcovers.

then offer participants a personal henna tattoo on Thurs., May 11, at 4 p.m.

Adults

Write your own story: Author and journalist Alison Singh Gee will lead a discussion and writing workshop about creating your own Los Angeles life story on Sat., May 13, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

100 years of Girl Scout photos at Central Library

By Nona Sue Friedman

A photo exhibit at the Los Angeles Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., shows Girl Scouts in Los Angeles during the last 100 years. The exhibit consists of images from the Herald Examiner and Valley Times along with numerous local photographers.

See how the uniforms evolved over the decades, the events participated in by the Scouts and how their cookies have changed. The exhibit is free and runs through Sun., Aug. 13.

If you are a Girl Scout, the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) is offering its own official Girl Scout patch. LAPL has partnered with Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles to help

Scouts understand the importance of LAPL to build strong communities and teach the girls about the services available at all local libraries. To qualify for the patch, there are a few online and in-person projects to complete. Visit lapl.org to learn more.

OFFICIAL PATCH from LAPL is available to Girl Scouts.

Photos courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library

COOKIE SELLERS from the San Fernando Valley take a break in 1960.

HENNA TATTOOS come to the Wilshire Library May 11.

Safety and community were key topics at LBA meeting

By Nona Sue Friedman

More than 80 neighbors participated in a safety meeting hosted by the Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA) on April 1. The LBA invited LAPD Senior Lead Officers Joseph Pelayo and Dave Cordova along with LAPD Wilshire Division Capt. Sonia Monico. The LBA also invited representatives from Council District 13 (CD13). The Zoom meeting was recorded and is available at tinyurl. com/2ucftzzz. The main concerns discussed during the meeting were safety at homes and businesses and the homelessness crisis occurring in the area, specifically on Raleigh Street.

Officer Pelayo spoke of the “abundance of residential burglaries in Larchmont Village in the last several weeks.” He continued by stating, “It is the number one priority for the Olympic Division.”

There were 15 burglaries in the span of four weeks. Two “hot-prowl” burglaries happened during the day while someone was homewhich Pelayo commented is the scariest. Olympic Division has added squad car patrols to the neighborhood as well as undercover units.

Pelayo appealed to all res-

idents to report any and all suspicious activity. “We must get the community involved to catch the burglers.”

When asked the best way to combat the growing crime in the area, all of the officers said “Get to know your neighbors.” They recommended in-person meetings for residents and officers to attend. Another suggestion from one resident was to reinitiate block captains.

Business Nuisance

One viewer, Romi Cortier, brought up an issue his salon on North Larchmont Boulevard has been having for a couple of months.

A well-dressed woman rings his business’s doorbell regularly. She claims to have an appointment, which she doesn’t. Cortier said there have been days when she has

rung the doorbell up to 20 times. She is banned. She has become a nuisance.

A representative from DR Pilates, located across the street, chimed in saying the same woman had been coming to their studio months earlier. She refused to pay for her sessions and is no longer allowed in the studio. The person from DR Pilates heard that other nearby merchants had similar issues with this woman.

Cameras

Camera coverage, especially in the alley behind Wells Fargo Bank, was addressed. How much of the alley is covered by cameras? No one knew, but the LBA was going to look into it.

Placing more cameras in the alley was mentioned as a possible deterrent to crime. In

March, a woman was robbed in the Wells Fargo parking lot. Todd Warner of Tailwaggers said that his staff has had issues with crime stemming from the alley.

The Chronicle reached out to Peter Nichols, executive director of Melrose Action, to learn about license plate recognition cameras which have been installed along Melrose Avenue. Nichols said the cameras have changed the type and amount of crimes committed in that area. In addition to curbing crime, LAPD has found the information acquired from the cameras to be extremely beneficial to investigations.

According to Nichols, “Melrose was the first community to use the cameras on a large scale” and it has become a model for the company,

Flock Safety. He is currently consulting with numerous municipalities in Southern California to implement a similar program.

Nichols said he’s really happy to see Larchmont business booming, but he thinks it’s time for the Boulevard to get these cameras.

Homelessness

A homeless man on Raleigh Street near Wilton Place has been violent towards residents for many months, it was reported in the meeting. He has refused services numerous times and continues to live on the street. Neighbors have contacted the office of Council District 13 as well as LAPD on multiple occasions. Neighbors say they are at wits’ end with the situation.

Frustration with CD13

Resident Eve Hyman wanted to know what are her rights? She feels unsafe on her street in that area.

Alejandra Marroquin, a CD 13 District Director, said the councilman’s office is working on a very humane approach to deal with the homelessness situation. His homelessness team is mapping areas, offering services and targeting larger encamp-

(Please turn to page 23)

LAPD OFFICERS Joseph Pelayo and Dave Cordova and Capt. Sonia Monico attended the LBA safety meeting.

POLICE BEAT

Side windows, back yards are avenues for thieves in area

WILSHIRE DIVISION

BURGLARIES: After jimmying the side window of a home on the 800 block of North Orange Drive, a thief stole credit cards, documents, a laptop computer and cell phone accessories before fleeing on April 6 between 5:30 and 6 a.m.

Two suspects jumped a fence into the backyard of a home on the 400 block of North McCadden Place. They smashed the rear glass door and ransacked the home taking money and a safe on April 8 at 12:30 a.m.

The garage door of a home on the 200 block of South Detroit Street was pried open. The suspect stole a bike, camera equipment and tools between 11 p.m. on April 8

OLYMPIC DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Joseph Pelayo

213-793-0709

31762@lapd.lacity.org

Twitter: @lapdolympic

and 8 a.m. on April 9.

Two suspects smashed the rear window of a home on the 700 block of South Citrus Avenue. Money, a safe and a computer tablet were

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Dave Cordova

213-793-0650

31646@lapd.lacity.org

Twitter: @lapdwilshire

stolen before they fled in an unknown direction on April 9.

BURGLARY FROM VEHICLE: A catalytic converter was stolen from a white Toyota Prius on April 3 on the

Irving burglar’s trial postponed again

The preliminary hearing for Anthonee Banks, charged with burglarizing a home in the 300 block of South Irving Boule-

vard on Thanksgiving Day, has been postponed until Fri., May 5. His hearing has been postponed twice. He is out on bail.

PLOTKE Plumbing

400 block of North Sycamore Avenue at 5:30 a.m.

The side window of a white Ford Expedition was smashed, the interior ransacked and the rear license plate stolen on the 100 block of North Orange Drive between 5 p.m. on April 3 and 5:30 a.m. on April 4.

Another catalytic converter was stolen from a red Toyota Prius that was parked in a home’s driveway on the 600 block of South Highland Avenue between 7:30 p.m. on April 3 and 7:30 a.m. on April 4.

THEFT: Shoes were taken off the porch of a home on the 400 block of South Sycamore Avenue on April 1 at

6:30 a.m. The white female suspect came back a second time and was caught by the owner.

GRAND THEFT AUTO:

A grey Kia was taken from the street on the 800 block of North Las Palmas Avenue between 7 p.m. on April 3 and 9 a.m. on April 4.

OLYMPIC DIVISION

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT:

A suspect was walking down the 800 block of South Wilton Place when he kicked a victim and then brandished a sharp metal object. The victim fled in fear on April 18 at 11:50 p.m. The suspect was arrested.

Communication was key in an intruder’s arrest on Lucerne

By Nona Sue Friedman

The communication chain of Lucerne Arden United (LAU), located in the Larchmont Village Neighborhood north of Beverly Boulevard, worked wonders at a recent attempted home break-in on April 16.

It all started when a neighbor noticed people going in and out of a newly built home on North Lucerne Boulevard, just south of Melrose Avenue, and contacted the homeowner. The homeowner, who had recently moved out but still owned the home, called 911 and simultaneously messaged LAU asking for help.

The LAU group went into action. Many called 911 while others arrived at the home to record and to witness anyone coming to or leaving the premises. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) sent a helicopter and half a dozen black-and-whites arrived at the scene.

LAPD cautiously entered the home, apprehended one intruder and arrested him for trespassing. The suspect cannot afford bail and will stay in jail until his preliminary trial.

INTRUDER gets comfortable after breaking into a vacant home near Lucerne Boulevard and Clinton Street.

The alleged others had run away.

The next day, another man entered the same empty home through the same window. This time, the alarm went off. The police were dispatched and neighbors, through LAU, went to the home. The intruder had fled the premises upon hearing the alarm. Luckily, LAPD found and arrested the man. He had a credit card on him belonging to the homeowner and was arrested for burglary.

The owner of the home is eternally grateful to all of the parties involved.

Photo courtesy of Lucerne Arden United

POLICE ARRIVE en masse to a home invasion call.

Photo courtesy of Lucerne Arden United

An expedition into the apostrophe, apocalypse and

One swift upward flick, four syllables and countless hours saved by turning twoword phrases into tidy little contractions. The apostrophe (’) is where this month’s etymological expedition begins — and ends.

The apostrophe is the faithful understudy of the letter “o” in “isn’t” and “u” in “let’s,” and it’s the go-to glyph for indicating the possessive case. The background of the word “apostrophe” is a matter of a bit more speculation — it traces its roots to the Greek apo meaning “off” or “away from” and strebh meaning “to turn.” Some scholars have theorized that this origin may be due to its function in “averting a hiatus” (like the break between the words “will” and “not” reconciled by the word “won’t”), though the apostrophe symbol’s curved, contrapposto shape could also be the culprit. It’s worth noting that the root strebh also supplies us with the term “strobe” — a light that

LBA meeting

(Continued from page 21) ments which are mostly in the Hollywood area. His office can only encourage individuals to take housing offers.

Pelayo chimed in, with an air of frustration, saying that this homeless individual is just one block away from two schools, implying something really bad could happen. He continued to say, “We can’t do much without [help from] CD13.”

Resident Pat Kelly stated that Marroquin’s answer to Hyman’s plea for help “was not acceptable from an elected official who is supposed to be looking out for the safety of their residents. It’s far too bland and generic of a response. It’s disheartening.”

Keith Johnson, of Larchmont Village, brought up a homelessness meeting that he had organized with Councilman Soto-Martinez’s office. The Councilman’s office cancelled the meeting at the last minute [but it was resched-

“turns” on and off repeatedly, producing a flashing effect.

The apo in “apostrophe” appears again in “apocalypse,” a word that once described prophetic revelation, but since 1858 has been more synonymous with cataclysmic disaster — not that these two definitions are necessarily antithetical to one another, of course. Apo is paired here with “calypse” from the Proto-Indo-European root kel, meaning “to cover, conceal or protect.” Thus roughly translating to “away from concealment (or protection),” it’s tempting to ponder what precipitated the transition of this meaning from the disclosure of divine knowledge to the literal end of the world. As French writer André Maurois reflected, “There are certain persons for whom pure Truth is a poison.”

The root kel forms a bridge between “apocalypse” and its unlikely relative, “eucalyptus.” Today a ubiquitous flora throughout Los Angeles, the

Word

Café

by Mara Fisher

tree known for its imposing height, papery bark and fragrant, sickle-shaped leaves was a newcomer when it arrived in California from its native Australia during the Gold Rush. Eucalyptus trees were introduced as a fast-growing resource for energy and building, but eventually proved terrible for woodworking and highly susceptible to fire. The tree’s distinctive anatomy is defined in part by petals that fuse to form a cap called an “operculum,” a common underfoot sighting at our city parks and sidewalks. The name “eucalyptus” refers to this cap, pairing the Greek

root eu, meaning “good” or “well,” and kalyptos from the root kel, meaning “covered.”

If you’ve attended a funeral in your lifetime, you’ve undoubtedly heard a eulogy — a commendatory oration or writing typically reserved for memorializing the deceased. Sharing genetic material with “eucalyptus,” “eulogy” pairs the root eu with the Greek logos, meaning “speech.” Eulogies are just that — “good speech” — and are considered appropriate even when the subject of praise is alive and present.

From kudos to a love poem to a glowing review, reflections on one’s good character needn’t fall only on deaf (or dead) ears.

We round a corner as we come to a different type of speech: the apology. Another sense-shifter, the word “apology” was originally more about self-justification than a true mea culpa. From the Greek roots apo and logos, rough-

ly translating to “away from speech,” the apology was a rhetorical tool used to deflect and defend. Socrates defined “apology” as “a well-reasoned reply; a ‘thought-out response’ to the accusations made,” while Samuel Johnson’s 1755 “A Dictionary of the English Language” wrote that “apology . . . generally signifies rather excuse than vindication.”

Later, Benjamin Franklin cast his vote for the value of admitting fault when he advised, “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” Coincidence or not, it was in Ben’s day that the main sense of the word “apology” metamorphosed to the expression of error and regret we (hopefully) know it as today.

Waving farewell to the word “apology,” its root apo carries us back to familiar ground. The apostrophe, whose rounded contour once seemed to turn away, now greets us warmly after a long journey.

uled and took place — Ed.].

The meeting closed with comments from LBA president John Winther and Warner. They said that there is work to be done to improve the safety of the neighborhood and the meeting was a good start.

COFFEE WITH A COP. Senior Lead Officer Joseph Pelayo, far right, joined LAPD Olympic Division colleagues and Starbucks employees at a recent event. Capt. Aaron Ponce, commanding officer at Olympic, is far left.

Photo by Nona Sue Friedman

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION PLUS A DASH OF HOLLYWOOD HISTORY

THIS CORNER LOT CHARACTER FILLED HOME WELCOMES YOU INTO A FORMAL 2 -STORY ENTRY WITH A GRACEFUL CURVING STAIRCASE. LARGE SUN-FILLED DINING ROOM AND LIVING ROOM WITH BEAUTIFUL MANTEL AND ORIGINAL WALL SCONCES. UPDATED KITCHEN HAS LOTS OF LIGHT, WORK SPACE, STORAGE AND HIGH END STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES. ONE BED AND FULL BATH DOWN. VERY SPACIOUS PRIMARY BEDROOM UPSTAIRS WITH DECORATIVE FIREPLACE, 2 DRESSING ROOMS AND A LARGE PRIVATE REMODELED BATHROOM.

TWO ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS SHARE ANOTHER REMODELED BATHROOM. PRIVATE YARD FEATURES A ROSE GARDEN, LARGE POOL WITH ENTERTAINING SPACE PLUS A 3 CAR GARAGE THAT HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A HOME THEATER WITH A FULL BATHROOM. RUMORED TO BE THE HOUSE WHERE GENE WILDER AND MEL BROOKS WROTE YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN AND WHERE COUNTLESS CELEBRITY PARTIES WERE HELD OVER THE YEARS. UPDATES INCLUDE A NEWER ROOF, CENTRAL AIR/HEAT, COPPER PLUMBING, UPDATED ELECTRICAL AND A NEW SEWER LINE. TRUST SALE.

100 SOUTH McCADDEN PLACE ǀ $4,995,000