LC Real Estate 07 2022 by Larchmont Chronicle

LARCHMONT, NY

SUMMER BOOKS

MUSEUMS

Meeting up with our older sister city on the Atlantic Coast.

Local libraries and stores offer up summer reading programs for kids of all ages.

Donation aids Holocaust Museum’s ‘worldclass’ expansion plan. Page 5

Page 2

Real Estate Museums, Libraries Home & Garden

Page 9

VIEW

Section 2

LARCHMONT CHRONICLE

JULY 2022

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

1228 N. Wetherly | Hollywood Hills | $10,500,000 IN ESCROW. Mediterranean estate w/ 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, parklike grounds, guest house, office & pool.

238 S. Hudson Ave. | Hancock Park | $7,129,000

201 N. Rossmore Ave. | Hancock Park | $6,850,000

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

SOLD OFF MARKET. Stately Tudor on the golf course. Lovingly maintained 4 bedroom, 5 bath w/ family rm.

Majestic Manor house on the 9th fairway of Wilshire CC. Sensational views. 5 beds + 4 full baths.

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

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

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

836 S. Muirfield Rd. | Hancock Park | $3,595,000

102 S. Wilton Pl. | Hancock Park | $2,995,000

554 N. Cahuenga Blvd.| Hancock Park | $2,465,000

5 Bed / 4.5 original baths, huge media room, beautiful lap pool & spa! E-Z to show! Lisa Hutchins 323.216.6938 CalRE #01018644

Buy now before rates go up further! UNIQUE PRESALE, Spanish design opportunity. 5 beds 7 baths.

JUST LISTED. Beautiful restored modern farmhouse w/ 4 beds, 5 bas, wonderful kitchen & high-end finishes.

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

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

JUST SOLD. Recently renovated 3 bed + 2 bath jewel box + ADU. 554Cahuenga.com Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

620 N. Cahuenga Blvd. | Hancock Park | $2,399,375

656 Crestmoore Pl. | Venice | $2,395,000

9043 Lloyd Pl. | West Hollywood | $2,024,000

308 N. Sycamore.| Hancock Park | $1,789,000

JUST SOLD off market. Charming 3+2.5 Spanish in Hancock Park HPOZ. Larchmont Village close. Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

IN ESCROW. 1920’s fixer with large attached warehouse on a prime Venice block near shopping and dining. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

SOLD. Charming West Hollywood bungalow with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, stylish kitchen and home office. A gem. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

Architecturally stunning 3 bed + 2.5 bath condo with common walls. HOA pool, gym + gated. Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

645 Wilcox #3B | Hancock Park | $904,000

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

5015 8th St. | Hancock Park | $18,500/MO

6151 Orange St. #104 | Miracle Mile | $1,950/MO

JUST SOLD. Gorgeous golf course views from top floor. Large 1 bed + 2 bath. HOA pool, spa & 24hr security. Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

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

COMING SOON FOR LEASE. Completely renovated 4 bed + 4.5 bath Mid-century on sensational triple lot.

Very Spacious condo with balcony. Move-in condition. Open flr plan, liv rm w/fpl, din area, granite kitchen.

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, 0888374

Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

Daniella David 205.540.7306 CalRE #02128631

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

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Larchmont Boulevard meets Larchmont, New York

By Cerys Davies Barbara and Richard Jebejian found themselves in a place called Larchmont, yet they weren’t in Los Angeles. They reside near La Brea Avenue and Third Street and are usually shopping or dining on Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles. But when visiting their son in New York this past spring, they realized there was a Larchmont only a few miles from where he lives. Drawn by curiosity, they had to go and pay Larchmont, New York, a visit. “It was so quaint, and all the people were so neighborly. The only main difference was that it was cloudy,” said Barbara. On the east and west coasts, the Larchmont streets both offer local retail and dining, and both are surrounded by

LARCHMONT CREST. The Village of Larchmont in New York, founded in 1891, has a little more than 6,000 residents.

WITH THE CHRONICLE. Barbara Jebejian is pictured with her husband in front of a Larchmont, New York police car. She brought her own copy of the May edition of the Larchmont Chronicle with her to New York.

older, upscale homes, though the houses in New York’s Larchmont all have their front doors individualized. A big difference between the two communities is that Larchmont, New York, sits on Long Island Sound and has its own yacht club, harbor and access to the beach. “I could definitely live there. The only thing I would need to know was where I could get a good kosher sandwich,” said Richard. Jane Gilman Little did the couple know that the co-founder of the Larchmont Chronicle, Jane

Gilman, grew up in Rye, New York, only eight miles from Larchmont, New York. When Gilman first moved to the Larchmont area in Los Angeles, it reminded her of Rye in so many ways. Once she found out that the area didn’t have a community newspaper, she embarked on the journey of founding the Larchmont Chronicle. With her journalism experience from working at “Cosmopolitan” magazine in New York, she partnered with Dawne Goodwin, and they started gathering local news (Please turn to page 3)

CLASSIC VILLAGE HOME. This colonial style home is a perfect example of what the houses in Larchmont, New York, look like.

MAIN INTERSECTION. Boston Post Road intersects Larchmont Avenue at the most popular area of the district.

LEDGER VERSUS CHRONICLE. Larchmont, New York has three local publications: Larchmont Ledger, Larchmont Loop and Mamaroneck Larchmont Daily Voice.

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Discovered in San Jacinto Mountains: Aldo Leopold, Part II The San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs, California, shoot up 10,804 feet from the desert without, as one writer has it, the geologic fanfare of foothills. I first came in December 2005 to one of its mountain towns, Idyllwild, to try to recover some shred of a self. We, my late husband and I, left a beloved Western Massachusetts town, landscape,

Home Ground by

Paula Panich

house and garden for a particularly congested section of Los Angeles, Miracle Mile. The population of our en-

THE AVENUE. Larchmont Avenue, New York has a French bakery, several coffee shops, an ice cream parlor and, of course, many places to shop.

Larchmont, NY (Continued from page 2)

and advertisers. From Goodwin’s living room, they began the Chronicle in 1963. That year, the proposed Beverly Hills Freeway was threatening to run through Hancock Park, and this was the news that Gilman

and Goodwin needed to get Larchmont’s attention. The first front page of the Chronicle featured this story and grabbed readers’ attention. That first issue helped the duo gain a loyal readership — a readership the Larchmont Chronicle has been proud to serve for 60 years, so far.

tire Massachusetts town was 30,000, probably the population of just our Los Angeles neighborhood. Life in Miracle Mile was bewildering. I returned to Idyllwild for brief stays of writing and hiking and enjoying wood fires. I found a hideaway place to rent just above the center of Idyllwild in Fern Valley. It was a bit crude — a 1940s-era garage converted, barely, into a 400-square-foot dwelling. The rent was $500 a month, including utilities. I wrote quite a bit in that old garage, and I read even more. Early on, it was without internet connection, and my cell phone didn’t work. (I did have an extension of my landlord’s telephone, for emergencies.) The non-connectivity was a godsend. Among the books I kept there was Aldo Leopold’s “Sand Country Almanac.” With only the distraction of pine trees, almost black in their density; Strawberry Creek, at the bottom of the property, hardly a raging stream and where strawberries disappeared long ago; mule deer, visiting in families and prancing and leaping like gazelles; Stellar’s Jays, clothed in brilliant blue; and once or twice,

“THINKING LIKE a Mountain” was a favorite essay by Aldo Leopold, who died in 1948.

a beautifully-muscled bobcat, with attitude one could read from the moon, I settled down to think and write. But — the pines. The tall pines hid my garage-cabin from the dead-end dirt road, and the presence of the pines, as Leopold has it, allowed me, as they did him, to feel “a curious transfusion of courage.” I read Leopold’s essay “Thinking Like a Mountain,” (a part of the “Almanac”) in that tiny place in Fern Valley. Leopold felt that all of the elements of the natural world had force, personality, meaning and importance equal to that of our own species. The land is an “energy circuit,” he writes; it is not “merely soil.” “Native plants and animals keep the energy circuit open… and man-made changes are of a different order than evolutionary changes and have effects more comprehensive than is

intended or foreseen.” This was news in 1949. “Thinking Like a Mountain” took my breath away. I shall never forget that moment — the open book before me, the gathering dusk and my innocence in not understanding then that Leopold is most famous for this section of the “Almanac.” Here is that famous opening — and our closing for this month: “A deep chesty bawl emerges from rimrock to rimrock, rolls down the mountain, and fades into the far blackness of the night. It is an outburst of wild defiant sorrow, and of contempt for all the adversities of the world. “Every living thing… pays heed to that call. To the deer it is a reminder of the way of all flesh, to the pine a forecast of midnight scuffles and of blood upon the snow, to the coyote a promise of gleanings to come, to the cowman a threat of red ink at the bank, to the hunter a challenge of fang against bullet. Yet behind these obvious and immediate hopes and fears there lies a deeper meaning, known only to the mountain itself. Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of the wolf.”

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Fanny’s launches monthly ‘Hello Gorgeous’ Supper Club By Helene Seifer In keeping with old Hollywood glamour, the Academy Museum has established Hello Gorgeous, a throwback supper club. Featuring the plush red seating and soft lighting in Fanny’s restaurant, the club’s organizer plans to entertain guests monthly with elegant prix-fixe meals from chef Raphael Francois and live music curated by music producer/ director Jason Bentley. Named to honor the line that Barbra Streisand made famous in “Funny Girl,” the 1968 movie about comedienne and vaudevillian Fanny Brice, Hello Gorgeous hits the right cheeky tone to signal timeliness without stuffiness. The series kicked off in June with singer/songwriter Danielle Ponder, fresh from her knockout appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” The event sold out its available 150 tickets. There are three ticket tiers, from $50 per person at the

FANNY’S restaurant is at the Academy Museum.

bar, with food and beverage separate, to $200 per person at table seating with full dinner and drinks. Reservations are required. The next Hel-

lo Gorgeous evening will be scheduled for the end of July. For tickets and more information, go to exploretock. com/fannys.

Yoga, Reiki at retreat July 17 on Blvd. A movement, sound and energy medicine retreat with yogi Anita Mawji and Urban Sanctuary’s Michelle Watkins will take place on Sun., July 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Center for Yoga, 230 N.

Larchmont Blvd. Yoga, meditation, Reiki and a sound bath will be included in the retreat. All levels are welcome. $75. For more information or to sign up, michelle@urbansanctuaryllc.com.

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!

“HELLO GORGEOUS” supper club is held in Academy Museum restaurant’s plush dining room.

Illustration by Konstantin Kakanias

Hand-sewn books and more at Craft Contemporary

The Craft Contemporary Museum, at 5814 Wilshire Blvd., recently reopened and is back to providing in-person programs and workshops for the community. “Maker Night: Bookmaking with Debra Disman” is on Thurs. July 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. The workshop is free for members and $12 for non-members. Disman will lead participants in several different bookmaking techniques, such as paper punching and sewing to customize attendees’ very own hand-sewn books. “A Craft Lab Family Workshop featuring Botanical

Light Printing with Simone Evans” is on Sun., July 10 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Families are invited to learn about the art of cyanotype printing which uses sunlight to print botanical images on paper. This event is free to members, $10 for adults and $7 for children who are non-members. Senior Exhibitions Curator Holly Jerger will be hosting an exhibition walk-through of “Many” on Sun., July 17 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The exhibition features 12 different Los Angeles-based artists. For more information or to register for these workshops, visit craftcontemporary.org.

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Holocaust Museum receives $5 million and community support

By Abigail Kestenbaum Holocaust Museum LA has received a $5 million grant from The Smidt Foundation that will help to further the Museum’s expansion project that will double its size to 50,000 square feet. Holocaust Museum LA is not the only institution in the area that the Smidts have supported. In 2016, Susan and Eric Smidt donated $25 million to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, helping to fund its new building, to open in 2023. Robin Kramer, managing director of The Smidt Foundation and a Windor Square resident, stressed the importance of the Larchmont community in supporting the Holocaust Museum. “We are neighbors of the museum, and it of us, and we ought to take great pride and be supportive of our neighbor,” Kramer said. For years, the museum has continued to provide education and programming, giving local residents the opportunity to learn about the Holocaust and how to stand up to hatred and bigotry. “The Smidt Foundation made this incredible gift, this important gift, not only out of a conviction that education and exposure is the best

THE SMIDT FOUNDATION’S founders are Susan and Eric Smidt.

way to address hate and build humanity, but also because this museum was built by Holocaust survivors, it’s local and it has a really important place in the life of our whole community,” Kramer said. Beth Kean, chief executive officer of the museum, explained that The Smidt Foundation’s donation has inspired others to give, helping the Museum near its goal for the expansion. “I think when people see well-respected philanthropic leaders in the community make an investment in an organization and a project like this, it makes them want to get involved and be part of it; so that inspiration is lead-

NEW GALLERY, theater, classrooms and outdoor spaces will be built to the south of Holocaust Rendering courtesy of Holocaust Museum LA Museum LA’s existing facilities.

ing to more gifts, and that’s how we’re getting closer to our goal,” Kean said. Building Truth Holocaust Museum LA, the oldest and first-ever survivor-founded Holocaust Museum in the United States, is currently working on its “Building Truth” expansion project, which is to be completed by 2024. The museum is hoping to break ground on the expansion by the end of 2022 and is 80% of the way towards its goal of raising $45 million. The Smidt Foundation has pledged to match gifts 2:1, up to $2.5

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million, through the “Tree of Life Challenge.” The donation from The Smidt Foundation is the largest the Museum has ever received from a family or foundation that doesn’t have familial connections to the Holocaust or the founders of the Museum. The expansion project will allow it to increase not only its physical footprint, but also its reach. “We want to be looked at as leaders in Holocaust education, and we’re really building a world class institution to go along with that,” Kean said. “We want to be a huge asset

in the community and be a safe space where people can come together for difficult conversations.” The expansion in Pan Pacific Park will include a 2,500-square-foot gallery, outdoor spaces for reflection, a 200-seat theater, classrooms and a Boxcar Pavilion, in which a train boxcar that transported people to death camps will be displayed. “The expansion is about the future, and the whole point is to make sure that survivors’ voices are being carried on for future generations,” Kean concluded.

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Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

New plantings beautify Barnsdall’s grove at historic Olive Hill By Cerys Davies Barnsdall Art Park welcomed 40 new olive trees to Olive Hill on June 16 with the help of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, the Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation and Parks and the Dept. of Cultural Affairs. Barnsdall Park is an 11.5acre cultural destination in East Hollywood. It is the location of Hollyhock House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is Los Angeles’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The private Barnsdall Art Park Foundation (BAPF) raised $33,000 to plant and care for the new trees. BAPF hopes that the new plantings will help preserve the historic olive grove that has existed since the 1890s, improve the air quality of the East Hollywood community and further support the tree planting goals of Los Angeles’ Green New Deal. Why olive trees? Prior to the building of Hollyhock House, there was an olive grove on this hill full of thousands of trees. When Aline Barnsdall purchased the 32 acres for her residence, architect Wright made sure to include the olive grove as part of the landscape. But when Barnsdall died and her property was subdivided and portions sold, many olive trees were destroyed. In 1992, there were only 90 of the once thousands of trees left. So planting got underway. The current Olive Grove Initiative began in 2021 with improvements to the irrigation system, pruning of the now-463 olive trees and removal of dead stumps. Donors and attendees The June 2022 planting ceremony included O’Farrell

PRESS SCRUM on Barnsdall Park’s Olive Hill reports on the commencement of planting for 40 new olive trees. Griffith Park and Observatory are in the far background.

in addition to: Lauren Blas, vice president of Barnsdall Art Park Foundation; Carolyn Ramsay, executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation; Daniel Tarica, interim general manager at the Dept. of Cultural Affairs; Abbey Chamberlain Brach, Hollyhock House curator for the Dept. of Cultural Affairs; Javier Solis, assistant general manager of the Dept. of Recreation and Parks; and tree donor Nathan Miller, CEO of Miller Ink. Among those in the audi-

ence was architect Michael Lehrer, FAIA, who worked on the master plan for the park 26 years ago. Lehrer was particularly moved at the olive tree planting because he had come to Olive Hill and the Junior Arts Center as a child to take art classes. He remembered fondly Mrs. Harriet Miller, who directed the Center for years, and who was the grandmother of speaker Nathan Miller, who accepted recognition at the ceremony on behalf of all of them. Learn more at barnsdall.org.

Metro street construction to continue on Wilshire Boulevard Metro’s contractor, Skanska Traylor Shea, has finished the decking removal and street restoration on Wilshire Boulevard between Highland and La Brea avenues two weeks ahead of schedule. Permanent curb and gutter restoration will continue in the same area. Construction will carry on at the station entrance on the northwest corner of Wilshire and La Brea through September. Wilshire will be narrowed to two lanes in each direction between Detroit Street and Orange Drive. To the west, in the Wilshire/

Fairfax area, crews will be working underground on appendage structures next to that future subway station. On the surface, lanes potentially may be closed on eastbound Wilshire between La Cienaga Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue from 9 p.m. on Fridays to 6 a.m. on Mondays. This construction is for the extension of the Metro Purple Line from Wilshire/Western to new stations in the cities of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. For information, contact Metro Purple Line Extension project at 213-922-6934 or visit metro.net.

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C0MPASS

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity lows. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but hos not been verified. Changes in price. condition. sole or withdrawal may be mode without notice. No statement is mode as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage ore approximate. If your property is currently listed for sole this is not o solicitation.

THE HOLLYHOCK was Aline Barnsdall’s favorite flower. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright created stylized representations of the plant throughout Hollyhock House. Above, one of the many hollyhocks in bloom on the site.

SOLD: The home at 545 Lillian Way in Hancock Park was sold for $2,435,000 in May 2022.

Real Estate Sales* Single-family homes

637 S. Lucerne Blvd. 348 S. Arden Blvd. 89 Fremont Pl. 310 S. Irving Blvd. 552 Wilcox Ave. 401 N. Martel Ave. 621 N. June St. 458 S. Mansfield Ave. 886 S. Victoria Ave. 601 N. Alta Vista Blvd. 109 N. Highland Ave. 547 N. Arden Blvd. 5017 Elmwood Ave. 637 N. Stanley Ave. 545 Lillian Way 851 Masselin Ave. 607 N. Citrus Ave. 623 N. Fuller Ave. 639 N. McCadden Pl. 858 Westchester Pl. 413 S. Mansfield Ave. 309 N. Arden Blvd. 836 S. Spaulding Ave. 956 4th Ave. 958 5th Ave.

$7,200,000 $6,950,000 $6,567,802 $5,895,000 $4,170,000 $4,050,000 $3,780,000 $3,650,000 $3,350,000 $3,150,000 $2,600,000 $2,600,000 $2,600,000 $2,512,155 $2,435,000 $2,200,000 $2,174,000 $2,170,000 $2,110,000 $2,000,000 $1,976,000 $1,810,000 $1,699,000 $1,419,850 $1,253,000

116 1/2 N. Sycamore Ave. 600 S. Ridgeley Dr., #103 5057 Maplewood Ave., #303 5037 Rosewood Ave., #301 835 S. Lucerne Blvd., #105 450 N. Sycamore Ave., #17 4830 Elmwood Ave., #204 647 Wilcox Ave., #2E 4822 Elmwood Ave., #101 651 Wilcox Ave., #2B 4822 Elmwood Ave., #202 358 S. Gramercy Pl., #203 532 N. Rossmore Ave., #208

$1,299,350 $1,200,000 $950,000 $865,000 $860,000 $825,000 $790,000 $782,500 $770,000 $754,500 $660,000 $650,000 $495,000

Condominiums

*Sale prices for May.

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

HOLA performed season finale at its new home, The Ebell

multicultural, multigenerational intermediate and high-level volunteer musicians — from 9 to 75+ year-olds — and have provided free community performances in our inaugural year across Los Angeles,” said Marielle Constantino, coordinator of the program. On stage for the June 25 pe r f o r man ce, Grand World Symphonies, was Larchmont Chronicle theater reviewer Louis Fantasia. He plays double CHRONICLE THEATER CRITIC Louis Fantasia, bass with the above at The Ebell, moonlights as a musician. orchestra. HOLA (Heart of Los Angeles) Eisner Intergenerational Orchestra held the finale concert of its historic inaugural season June 25 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. The theater is the permanent indoor home for the orchestra’s signature performances. “We include one-of-a-kind,

We invite you to take the Larchmont Chronicle with you on your next trip and to snap a photo. Send your picture to editorial@larchmontchronicle.com with your name and local neighborhood, and we might publish it in a future issue. Happy traveling!

A BABY GOAT kept Windsor Square resident Mark Feuerstein’s hands full at Ocean Mesa campground at El Capitan in Santa Barbara.

Report ranks CHLA among top 10 Sign up for field trips, dinner with Big Sunday Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) was among top hospitals named for pediatric care and specialty services in the “U.S. News & World Report” 2022-23 Best Children’s Hospitals list. “U.S. News” has again ranked CHLA as the top children’s hospital in both California and the survey’s Pacific U.S. region — which encompasses Alaska, Cali-

fornia, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. For the 14th consecutive year, CHLA also made the publication’s annual Honor Roll of Best Children’s Hospitals. The hospital has been included every year since the Roll’s inception — finishing No. 8 in the United States this year. CHLA, founded in 1901, is at 4650 Sunset Blvd.

By Abigail Kestenbaum Throughout July and August, Big Sunday will host a number of events to aid the underserved community and help others give back. One of its most popular programs, TM@10 is Thursday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. TM@10 attendees will participate in a different hands-on workshop each week in support of a local

nonprofit. To sign up, visit bigsunday.org. Beginning Fri., July 8, Big Sunday will host Friday Field Trips for the underserved community. To volunteer email naia@bigsunday.org. Prior to the 2022-2023 school year getting underway, Big Sunday will be donating school supplies to children in need. The Back-to-School Night and Community Din-

ner will take place Wed., Aug. 10, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. At the dinner, guests will fill backpacks with school supplies. Additionally, other back-toschool events will lead up to the dinner. These events take place at the Big Sunday office at 6111 Melrose Ave. The annual Big Sunday Summer List is available at thesummerlist.bigsunday. org.

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

LIBRARY CALENDAR

Discover sword fighting, book talks, reptiles and DIY crafts

FAIRFAX LIBRARY All ages Book Sale: Browse used books every Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. All sales support the library branch. FREMONT LIBRARY Children Lifestyles of the slimy and squishy: Experience live sea stars, sea urchins, hermit crabs, mussels and more on Sat., July 30 from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Teens Mug and plate decorating: Embellish your own plate or mug with Sharpies on Sat., July 23 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. All supplies are provided. Registration required; email jcfrmt@lapl.org or call 323962-3521. Adults DIY catchall dishes: Create a personal dish for your

keys and various other odds and ends on Sat., July 9 from 11 a.m. to noon. Registration required; email jcfrmt@lapl. org or call 323-962-3521. MEMORIAL LIBRARY Children Story time in the park: Drop in and listen to stories and sing songs in the park every Wednesday from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Thor's reptile family: Touch and learn about amphibians and reptiles from around the world on Wed., July 13 from 1 to 2 p.m. Teens Zine making: Put your thoughts to paper and learn how to make your own self-published work. All supplies are provided for the workshop on Thurs., July 7 from 4 to 5 p.m. Jewelry making: Design

your own bracelet or necklace with upcycled materials provided by jewelry designer Seville, Thurs., July 14 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tie dye bandanas: Learn the art and science of tie dye while creating a bandana to take home. This messy event takes place Thurs., July 28 from 4 to 5 p.m. Adults Book club: Get together the first Friday of each month to discuss a selected book. Next meeting is July 1 at 1 p.m. to discuss "Something to Hide" by Elizabeth George. Art class: Be artistic every Wednesday at the library and color and paint from 3 to 5 p.m. All ages Chess Club: Play chess or learn how every Friday from 3 to 5 p.m., Free. Book Sale: Find a good book to purchase every Tuesday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. and every Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m. All proceeds support the library. WILSHIRE LIBRARY

All ages Sword fighting for stage and screen: Watch staged combat fencing and discover the history of swords and how sword fights are created for theater and film. Sat., July 23 from 2 to 3 p.m. Children Weekly Summer Reading Challenge: Meet every Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m. during the month of July, July 5 is

chalk art, July 12 is learning about the aurora borealis, July 19 see a slideshow about skateboarding dogs and snowboarding cats and on July 26 learn about Fibonacci artwork. Children & Teens Mug decorating: Personalize a mug with a drawing or saying on Thurs., July 7 from 4 to 5 p.m. All supplies provided.

Barnes & Noble gets kids reading

By Casey Russell Barnes & Noble is getting kids excited to read this summer. Children in grades one through six are eligible to receive a free book from any location including at The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, by completing the store’s summer reading journal. The task? Read any eight books, record their titles and

authors, write down which part of the book is your favorite, and why, according to the company’s website. Once the journal is complete, kids can take it to the store through Aug. 31, 2022 to choose a book from the available options. Visit bn.com/summerreading for more information or to download the journal.

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Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Larchmont plays a rich role in memoir By Helene Seifer “I am not a nice person.” So begins “Easy Street: A Story of Redemption from Myself,” the second memoir from Hancock Park writer Maggie Rowe. From that beginning, the co-

medic television and memoir writer takes us on a sad, funny and complicated journey up and down the Boulevard, from the now-defunct Koo Koo Roo to Chevalier’s Books. Her husband, television writer

CHEVALIER’S STORYTIME is on Sundays.

Summer reading on Larchmont By Casey Russell Parents and caregivers will be happy to know that Chevalier’s Books at 133 N. Larchmont Blvd. has a weekly storytime Sundays from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. The bookstore’s neighbor, Village Pizzeria, is kindly letting storytime patrons gather in its outdoor dining area so kids can be unmasked. Enjoy a sense of community while listening to some great picture books read aloud by

Chevalier’s friendly staff. For kids of all ages, Chevalier’s is offering a summer reading challenge. Stop by the store to get a Camp Chevalier’s poster. Kids can jot down the books they read on the poster’s “camp path” and will receive rewards to mark their progress. Participants who read a full 25 books will be invited to an end-ofsummer ice cream party! For more information, go to: instagram.com/chevaliersbooks

Jim Vallely, gets haircuts at the Larchmont Barber Shop. Rowe buys plums at Larchmont Wine & Cheese and coffee at Starbucks and she mentions that Bellacures serves champagne in tiny mason jars with one’s manicure. She loves everything about Larchmont. “Unlike the town squares of other more affluent Los Angeles enclaves like Beverly Hills or Malibu or Pacific Palisades, whose main streets are sleek and shiny and golden and glittering and you worry about scuffing the sidewalks with your shoes… Larchmont’s wealth is hidden away in the distressed wooden floors of its shops, in the mismatched pottery of its homey restaurants and in the rickety wrought iron chairs that wobble on its sidewalks. Larchmont people don’t want to be reminded they’re rich while having the experience of being rich. That would ruin it.” Maggie Rowe knows she has a wonderful life on “Easy Street,” yet it’s anything but easy for her. In spite of her seeming contentment, Rowe falls apart when she sees a mother lead her daughter to Salt & Straw for ice cream. She never, ever wanted a child, but she can’t bear to witness a mother taking

Summer reading is on Larchmont

HANCOCK PARK Maggie Rowe.

author

Photo by Bradford Rogne

ROWE’S MEMOIR centered on Larchmont Boulevard.

her child for a treat. Her therapist’s office is above Burger Lounge and it’s a good thing that it’s so convenient given that Rowe is a bundle of resentments, unhappiness and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She and her husband’s lives change when he strikes up a conversation in front of Koo Koo Roo with a pan-handling older woman, Sunny, and her neurodiverse middle-aged daughter, Joanna Hergert. Soon Jim, and then Maggie, lunch with Sunny and Joanna and even invite the duo to their home to watch a marathon of the series Jim wrote, “Golden Girls” — which is their favorite — and

to swim on hot days. Rowe tried getting involved with charities in the past, but never stayed with it. Helping the mother-daughter team, in spite of misgivings, became a mission. When Sunny died, Maggie and her husband first helped Joanna get placement at the Good Shepherd center, then an apartment for which Maggie and Jim help pay. Rowe still would claim she isn’t a nice person, but between bouts of mental illness and doubt, she proves herself to be one. Rowe’s memoir is 320 pages and was published recently by Counterpoint. It can be purchased through counterpointpress.com.

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

An update to The Silent Movie Theater saga — Brain Dead

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million. Christian Rodriguez was hired by Van Sickle for $30,000 to kill Austin and the concession stand worker and to make the scene look like a robbery. Both Sickle and Rodriguez were sentenced to life in prison. Next, the Cinefamily nonprofit organization leased and reopened the theater in 2007 but had to shut it down 10 years later due to allegations of sexual harassment and mistreatment of employees. The building’s owners then decided to reopen the 163seat theater themselves as the Fairfax Cinema. It debuted in December of 2019 but then had to shut down in March 2020 due to COVID-19. In October of 2020, Brain Dead swooped in, took over the space and completely reformatted it. Every month, Brain Dead Studios releases a calendar of movie screenings that relate to a specific theme. Tickets are $12, and the experience is worth every cent. The venue maintains the feeling of being at an old-time theater while remaining one of the coolest places on Fairfax. It is perfectly decorated with classic movie posters throughout the lobby and an abundance of neon signage. It is the type of theater to sell yerba mate teas at the concession stand while the screen still remains behind curtains, unlike many modern theaters. Despite the history of unfortunate luck, Brain Dead is providing something that the previous owners did not: a full experience. Before, the theater was simply a silent movie theater; now it is one of the most unique spaces on Fairfax, if not in the city. Whether you are stopping by for a mov-

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was opened in 1942 by John Hampton, who had a passion for silent films. He and his wife lived in the apartment above the theater and exclusively screened silent films for 40 years. It closed in 1980 due to low attendance, and Hampton died in 1990. Lawrence Austin, a friend of the Hamptons, reopened the theater in 1991. At the time, it was the only operating silent movie theater in the country. Austin remained the owner of the theater until 1997. In January of 1997, he was murdered during a movie showing. The murder The man behind his murder was James Van Sickle, the theater’s projectionist and Austin’s lover. He was also named the sole beneficiary to Austin’s estate that was valued at more than $1

By Cerys Davies Since before World War II, the building at 611 N. Fairfax Ave. has been a haven for movie fanatics. With a history including murder and controversy, this theater is now much more than just a theater. It has become a place where people with trendy mustaches and vintage graphic T-shirts congregate, thanks to Brain Dead. Brain Dead is a streetwear clothing brand that has re-envisioned the Silent Movie Theater. Brain Dead Studios inhabits the theater and plays a wide variety of curated movies. Above the theater, streetwear enthusiasts can shop the Brain Dead clothing line, and foodies can dine at Slammer’s Cafe located in the back patio. The origin The theater originally

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

070 Shake shakes up the crowd at historic El Rey Theatre

By Cerys Davies From the red velvet curtains that conceal the stage to the crystal chandeliers that hang from the ceiling, the El Rey Theatre captures the essence of old Hollywood glamour with a touch of modernity. The El Rey lives in the heart of Miracle Mile, at 5155 Wilshire Blvd. The well-preserved art deco exterior may seem familiar to some, as it has appeared in movies such as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” and “Night of the Comet.” This exterior provides some historic context for the concertgoers who habituate this venue. The El Rey opened in 1936 and functioned as a single-screen movie theater until 1994, when it became a concert venue. Recently, New Jersey singer-songwriter Danielle Balbuena, who goes by the name 070 Shake, performed four consecutive nights at the El Rey, from June 7 to 10. She brought an immense amount of energy to Wilshire Boulevard as she had released her second studio album, “You Can’t Kill Me,” a few days prior. With an emphasis on electronic beats and heavy bass,

070 Shake’s music is an experimental combination of rap and R&B. Her most recent releases touch on her ideas of spirituality and romance. With her deep, echoing vocals and emotional lyrics, she has a way of transporting listeners into her very own world. As a performer, 070 Shake gives off an aura of being effortlessly cool. In a traditional suit with her face almost covered by her curly hair, she is the sole person onstage with just a microphone and lights set up behind her. Despite her DJ being offstage, 070 Shake makes the stage come alive. Throughout the June 7 show, she often stopped the music from playing and continued singing a capella or even began to beatbox. During her many rhythmic ballads, 070 Shake put the audience in a trance while slowly moving melodically to her beats. As the ringleader of the crowd, she incited a mosh pit within the crowd during her more intense songs. Even without the prompting of 070 Shake, the crowd was rowdy in the best way. Everyone in the venue sang along and moved to every beat. This type of bond and dedication

SHINING FOR 85 YEARS. Since 1936, names of movies and artists from everywhere have been displayed on the El Rey marquee on Wilshire.

between a crowd and a performer is one that can make or break a show. The June 7 crowd truly experienced the best kind of live music, where the audience is fully engaged

with the artist. 070 Shake definitely delivered. Intimate venue The El Rey allowed 070 Shake to put on a show to the best of her ability. The

size of the venue made the show feel intimate and small, while enabling the audience to experience the energy that comes with being in a crowd. Parking at the El Rey is always difficult, as street parking is the easiest option, and there are only a few surrounding streets that allow parking. Factor in time to find parking when attending a show at the El Rey. Because of its location, there are lots of places to get dinner before a show. Connected to the El Rey itself is El Cartel, the perfect Mexican restaurant for a quick meal. Or just across the street, Yuko’s Kitchen is a small Japanese restaurant with great outdoor seating that is perfect for lounging and enjoying the company of friends before a show.

La Brea Tar Pits video festival premieres July 22 Museum goers and videographers come together Fri., July 22 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. for “Fossilized and Realized: Tar Pits Video Festival,” a free event at the La Brea Tar Pits museum, 5801 Wilshire Blvd. The museum is partnering with the Getty Foundation as part of “Pacific Standard Time

2024: Art x Science x L.A.” (PST). It is a series of different exhibits and public programs exploring past and present connections between art and science. As part of this event, the museum invited the public to create minute-long videos that celebrate the Tar Pits. A

few of these submissions will be screened at the event, and the selected video makers will qualify to win a casting of a saber-toothed cat skull. Alongside the selected submissions, a new film about the Tar Pits made by Nic Cha Kim, host and moderator, will (Please turn to page 15)

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Primary election results evolved weekly following June 7

ELECTION NIGHT HEADQUARTERS for the Caruso for Mayor campaign was right in the neighborhood, at The Grove. Media interest was intense.

contest with nine candidates seeking to become the next Mayor of Los Angeles, there was a definite local aspect on election night because the event for candidate Rick Caruso was held at The Grove. As the polls were closing, Caruso was ahead of all of his competitors, including U.S. House of Representatives member Karen Bass. (It had been clear to most people for a long time that the November 8 runoff would be between those two candidates.) However, in the weeks following June 7, there has been additional drama because

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the lead changed. As of press time, with the vote count still not final, Bass was ahead with 43.12 percent of the votes cast, and Caruso had 35.99 percent. Regardless, those top two votegetters, Bass and Caruso, will face one another on the November 8 ballot. At the moment, it appears that all of the candidates, as well as us voters, are getting a temporary respite, but we probably should be prepared to hear real, two-person debates on the issues as we get into the fall.

SUPPORTERS of 5th Council District candidate Sam Yebri were at his headquarters near Beverly and Fairfax.

PARTYGOERS watched early election results with Katy Young Yaroslavsky at All Season Brewing in the 84-year-old Firestone Tire building on La Brea Avenue adjoining Sycamore Square.

Casting my vote, or trying to, in June By Tom Hofer On Monday afternoon, June 6, I was sitting comfortably in my apartment with my mail-in ballot, marking my preferred candidates in anticipation of voting in-person the next day. As I filled in the last dot on the final page, I took a satisfied breath — until I realized I hadn’t marked anything for the City of Los Angeles mayor’s race. I went back through the mail-in ballot, assuming I had somehow missed that section. And … no, I hadn’t. It wasn’t there. I immediately texted a good friend who lived close by, and asked him where the mayor’s race was on his ballot. “Page 2,” he replied. That’s odd; it wasn’t, on mine. I then scanned my sample ballot as well as other mailed election material piled next to me on the couch, including

a postcard making recommendations for Culver City residents — which of course excluded the Los Angeles mayor’s race. I should mention here that I live in that little pocket of Mar Vista that is surrounded on three sides by Culver City, including immediately across the street, but which has been part of Los Angeles as long as I’ve lived here — 20 years! Slightly concerned, I assumed that all would be made clear or corrected when I went to the polling place the

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By John Welborne The most local of myriad primary elections that took place on June 7 were for two City Council offices. Each of those two Council Districts has a voting population ranging from approximately 150,000 to 190,000 people. In Council District 5, Paul Koretz is termed out, and he is running to become the next City Controller. Of the four candidates seeking his seat, the two finalists for the November 8 runoff election are Katy Young Yaroslavsky and Sam Yebri. As of press time, Yaroslavsky had received 28,017 votes, and Yebri had received 16,975 votes (of the total of 57,204 votes cast). In neighboring Council District 13, there were four challengers to the incumbent, Mitch O’Farrell. The runoff will be between O’Farrell and Hugo Soto-Martinez. On June 7, the top two vote-getters were Soto-Martinez, who received 19,173 votes, and O’Farrell, who received 14,935 votes. Another 13,082 votes (of the total of 47,190 votes cast) were distributed among the other three challengers to O’Farrell. Although it was a citywide

Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Trying to vote

Local Candidates for November 8, 2022 Election

(Continued from page 12) a true impact with my vote — and I came to the last page of the electronic ballot and again had not been given the chance to vote for mayor. I stepped away from the booth, my ballot un-cast, and a poll worker quickly came by to help — assuming I was unfamiliar with the next step in the voting procedure. Long story short, we destroyed that ballot; a supervisor put in a call to the County Registrar facility in Norwalk; I was given a phone number to call to straighten out my situation; and I went home disappointed. The number I was given was a 10-digit version of 311, and after 20 minutes on hold, I told my problem to someone who gave me a new phone number to call, which turned out to be the County Registrar’s office itself. Great! Progress! I explained myself to the lady on the other end of the line: I live in Mar Vista, not Culver City. My official address is in Los Angeles, with a Los Angeles ZIP Code. My ballot — as well as those of my neighbors in my apartment building — for some reason does not include the mayor’s race nor, come to think of it, the race for my council district representative. “What do I have to do to get a ballot that includes the Los Angeles mayor’s race?” Her answer consisted of one word: “Move.” With my address entered into her computer, she informed me that, somehow, based on the most recent census data (and her perceived lack of census-completion by my neighbors), my neighborhood was now con-

* as of June 24, 2022

Mayor Karen Bass

Rick Caruso

City Council District 5 Katy Young Yaroslavsky

Sam Yebri

City Council District 13 Purple area shows Los Angeles Council District 11. White area is Culver City. Map courtesy of the Los Angeles County Registrar

sidered part of Culver City in some jurisdictions and for some services or utilities, and part of Los Angeles for others. “There are some areas in Los Angeles that aren’t eligible to vote,” she basically told me. I obviously wasn’t going to get this straightened out in time to cast an accurate ballot, so I went back to vote in-person as best as I could. Back home, I quickly tracked down my Los Angeles city councilmember, Mike Bonin, through Facebook. I messaged him to let him know that his constituents were unable to vote for his seat or for mayor, even though Bonin lives just a few minutes away from me. To my surprise, Bonin replied within the hour, agreeing that my situation was indeed strange. He checked city records and confirmed that my neighborhood was definitely included as part of Los Angeles in ZIMAS, the city’s online database and, yet, my neighbors and I were not listed in his district’s “voter file.” The councilmember suggested that the county made an error in drawing its precinct maps, and he told me he would reach out to the County.

When next I heard from him, he said he learned that the County Registrar’s personnel were still busy counting ballots, but that he and they would be in contact again. My last report from Councilmember Bonin came on June 18, when he told me: “The Registrar confirms you and I were both right, and you and a few households were misassigned as not being in Los Angeles. They say they fixed the maps and records.” He also provided me with the email address for County Registrar Dean Logan, so I wrote. In response to a few questions that I posed to him, Mr. Logan said, “I can tell you that the situation was very narrow and limited. Unfortunately, it occurred during the redistricting process. As soon as it was identified, it was corrected, and we appreciate you and the Councilmember bringing it to our attention.” Tom Hofer is the Larchmont Chronicle’s Art Director.

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Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

POLICE BEAT

Gunman at Beverly Blvd. and La Brea Ave. frightens residents

WILSHIRE DIVISION SHOOTOUT: An active shooter scared construction workers and residents on June 17 around 9:30 a.m. near the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. A Black male in his 30s pointed a gun at construction workers and then started walking around the area. The suspect went in and out of businesses and onto numerous apartment porches and fired at a moving vehicle without injury. When police arrived, the suspect fired at the officers. LAPD fired back, and the suspect fled. After scouring the neighborhood, LAPD found and apprehended the suspect, who was hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries. OLYMPIC DIVISION ROBBERY: A male and female, both 18, were approached by two Black minors while the couple was walking south on Norton Avenue near Ingraham Street on June 13 at 10 p.m. The minors, 15 to 17 years old, approached the victims

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and asked, “Where are you from? Do you bang?” Then, one of the suspects pulled out a matte black revolver, held it against the male victim’s chest and demanded his property. Fearful, both victims gave the suspect their wallets, jewelry and cell phones. The victims were then told to turn around so they could not see the suspects leave the location. BURGLARIES: A male and female duo broke into a vehicle in a secured parking garage on the 600 South block of Norton Avenue on June 13 at 4 a.m. The couple took money, jewelry and a wallet from the car. Two homes were burglarized on June 14 in a similar fashion. On the 900 block of South Bronson Avenue, a Black male suspect pried open the home’s rear door and took sunglasses. On the 200 block of South Manhattan Place, a Hispanic male broke in through the back door and took documents. A male intruder tried to climb into a victim’s bedroom via her balcony on the 100

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block of South Windsor Boulevard on June 10 at 2 a.m. The suspect fled after being seen by the victim.

A home on the 400 block of North Norton Avenue was entered during the day, also on June 10, through the front

CicLAvia to turn Western Ave. into a park July 10

By Cerys Davies Because of heavy Los Angeles traffic, different areas and streets can sometimes feel inaccessible. But on Sun., July 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., CicLAvia is opening up a major street in South Los Angeles. Three miles of Western Avenue will be closed off to cars and open for residents. From Exposition Boulevard to Florence Avenue, the neighborhoods of Vermont Square, Harvard Park, Chesterfield Square and Exposition Park

By Nona Sue Friedman Another horrible accident occurred at the intersection of Sixth and June streets in early June. This intersection has unfortunately been the site of numerous crashes for many years. Over the past decade, residents have

murals to see. Restaurants like L.A. Taco House and Primo Burgers will be open as well as different shops. It is a perfect opportunity to explore the neighborhood in depth, exercise and have fun in a traffic-free environment. “Meet the Hollywoods” is the next CicLAvia event. It will take place on Sun., Aug. 21 between East and West Hollywood. On Sun., Oct. 9, “Heart of LA” will explore neighborhoods in Downtown Los Angeles. For more information, visit ciclavia.org.

asked the Los Angeles Dept. of Transportation (LADOT) to install a four-way stop sign or take other safety measures at the intersection. LADOT told residents earlier this year that speed tables were being considered but that further consultation is needed.

A MOTORCYCLE AND CAR collided last month at the intersection of Sixth and June streets. Photos by John August

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door. The home’s interior was ransacked and a watch was taken. GRAND THEFTS AUTO: A grey Subaru Forester was stolen from a driveway on the 500 block of North Gower Street between June 8 at 10 p.m. and June 9 at 9:30 a.m. Another vehicle, a blue Ford Bronco, was stolen from a garage on the 5000 block of Maplewood Avenue on June 7 at 11 p.m. It was recovered on June 8.

SIXTH AND JUNE intersection remains the site of many accidents. This one occurred in November 2021.

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Larchmont Chronicle

JULY 2022

SECTION TWO

Tracing the word ‘clue’ from its mythological roots to today Welcome to Word Café, where we delve into the unexpected, oft-overlooked origins of words that we use every day. For our first installment, we venture to the Greek island of Crete to learn the early antecedents of the word “clue.” From 3500-1100 B.C., Crete was the center of Minoan civilization, a culture known for its elaborate buildings and sophisticated writing systems (some of which are still not deciphered), earning the Minoans a reputation as the

first advanced civilization in Europe. These ancient Cretans traced their lineage to the mythological King Minos — son of the gods Zeus and Europa — who reigned over the island of Crete from his palace of Knossos. The Minotaur Legend tells us that in retribution for the death of his son Androgeos at the hands of King Aegeus of Athens, King Minos decreed that, every nine years, Athens would send an offering of seven young men and seven maidens to contend with the

Word Café by

Mara Fisher fearsome half-bull, half-man Minotaur in the serpentine labyrinth deep within the walls at Knossos. On the third occasion of this tribute, King Aegeus’ son Theseus volunteered to try to defeat the monster. The youth set sail for Crete, and on his arrival, captured the eye of King Minos’ daughter Ariadne. Smitten with Theseus, Ariadne gave him a ball of thread (called a “clew” by those telling the tale) to use to retrace his steps in the lab-

yrinth, ultimately aiding in his defeat of the Minotaur. The word “clew” has meandered through place and time. In Old English, the words “cleowen,” “cliewen,” and “cliwen” were used to describe a rounded mass or ball of yarn, leading to the Middle English variant, “clewe.” To this day, the word “clew” is a nautical term that describes a knot used for making hammocks,

though we non-mariners are more familiar with its alternative spelling, “clue,” which Merriam-Webster defines as “something that guides through an intricate procedure or maze of difficulties.” So, please join me in thanking Ariadne for her thoughtful gift all those years ago. Without it, detective novels and murder mystery board games alike wouldn’t be quite what they are today.

La Brea Tar Pits video festival

Yolanda Bustos. Dion, a recipient of a PST research grant, uses his art to examine people’s understanding of history and the natural world. The discussion will cover the Tar Pit museum’s significance in art and pop culture. For more information, visit tarpits.org.

(Continued from page 11)

be screened. Following the screenings, there will be a discussion between Mark Dion, artist in residence, and the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum’s archivist

FIREFIGHTERS at Fire Station 61, left to right: Jesse Gonzalez, Manny Zepeda, Doug Noonan and Jesse Contreras shown with Lyn MacEwen Cohen, president, First-In Fire Foundation. Also pictured are Tony Verdecia, Luke Peterman, Greg Martayan from CD5 and Mike Oeser.

Classic berry pie served on Flag Day at Station 61

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to continue the program with private donations received as well. “Thank you very much for the ice cream and pies,” said Fire Station 61 Capt. Doug Noonan. “It’s a simple, classic gesture of appreciation that we value so much.” To learn more about supporting local firefighters, call 323-933-8164 or visit firstinfirefoundation.org.

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On Flag Day, observed annually on June 14, the First-In Fire Foundation partnered with City Councilmembers Nithya Raman and Paul Koretz to recognize firefighters in Council Districts 4 and 5. The partnership is part of the First-In Fire Foundation’s “Firehouse Dinners” program using local vendors. Dupar’s Restaurant provided its unique “Flagberry” pies filled with blueberries and cherries and topped with organic, handcrafted vanilla ice cream from Local Ice. Original Farmers Market The desserts were purchased and delivered from those merchants at the Original Farmers Market. Los Angeles Fire Dept. Chief Paul Pham, Battalion 18, says, “Sounds like pie and ice cream was a hit. No surprise.” The First-In Fire Foundation created the “Firehouse Dinners” program during the pandemic of 2020 to boost morale and ensure firefighters enjoy nutritious meals during the COVID-19 restrictions. Councilmember Nithya Raman, 4th District, and Councilmember Paul Koretz, 5th District, allocated funds

SECTION TWO

JULY 2022

Larchmont Chronicle