LC Real Estate 07 2023

MUSEUM

Exhibit at Walt Disney Family Museum is going to the dogs — and cats.

Page 6

FESTIVAL Lanterns, lotus blossoms, entertainment are back in Echo Park this month. Page 7

IN SEASON Green corn tamale season is here. Find out where to get them.

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120 N. Harvard Blvd. | Hancock Park Adj. | $1,399,000 IN ESCROW.

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‘The Places’ take center stage

It must have been quite a shocking sight in the late 1920s as a swell of development erupted in “The Places” along Gramercy, St. Andrews and Manhattan between Third Street and Olympic Boulevard. Like a giant monopoly board, multistory apartment buildings sprouted up amidst a flat landscape of vacant lots, bungalows and Craftsman mansions which were often moved away to make room for the new colossuses in their midst.

Stately tracts such as Westminster Square, Westminster Place, Western Wilshire Heights and Country Club Park, originally laid out for single-family use, transformed into multifamily districts. The proximity of “The Places” to the important intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue — with its multiple streetcar line connections, the cachet of Wilshire being promoted as the “Fifth Avenue of the West,” as well as the three blocks being a gateway to the leafy communities to the west — made “The Places” an ideal location for growth.

Ada Bell Maescher, presi-

sky’ part 2: Gramercy, St. Andrews and Manhattan

On Preservation

by Brian Curran

dent of the De Luxe Building Company and one of the most successful women in the U.S. at the time, was the first to dip her toe into the market, building a 29-unit Renaissance Revival “tenement” in 1923 at 539 S. Manhattan Pl Maescher was a real booster for Los Angeles, even going so far as to produce a film titled “Night Life in Hollywood” presenting a vision of a beautiful and exemplary city to contrast the louche reputation it commonly held. Within three years, other developers were following the prescient Ada Bell, and, by 1930, 26 more apartment buildings over four-stories tall were built along Gramercy, St. Andrews and Manhattan places.

The year 1926 was the beginning of the apartment gold rush with the construction of The Ancelle Apartments at 701 S. Gramercy Dr. and 3950 W. Eighth St. by William Allen, architect of the Art Deco Burbank City Hall and, later, the

Alhambra City Hall. These somewhat austere examples gave way to more exuberant designs, such as the grand Astor Arms Apartments at 801 S. Gramercy Dr. by Henry L. Gogerty and Carl Jules Weyl and the P.W. Howles Building with its Churrigueresque details at 620 St. Andrews Pl. by Richard King. Gogerty was the designer of the Hollywood Playhouse (now the Avalon Club) on Vine Street and the Yucca Vine Tower, while Weyl was responsible for the Hollywood Brown Derby and the Gaylord Apartments on Wilshire. Weyl would later win an Oscar for Best Art Direction for the 1938 film “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” Richard King would go on to design the famed Villa Riviera in Long Beach, as well as the Art Deco Redwine Building in Hollywood.

Developers began to recruit architectural talent of the more theatrical variety such as Lewis A. Smith. A virtuoso of theater design whose work included The Tower Theater (with S. Charles Lee) and Vista Theater, among nearly 40 others, Smith won two local commissions: 939 S. Gramercy Pl. and 3707 San Marino St. For both, Smith employed the Renaissance Revival style,

which became very popular among architects for such projects as it employed an endless variety of flexible and interchangeable elements for multiple designs. It projected an aura of history, class and panache to attract renters. The two apartment buildings were completed in 1927, along with the Arwyn Manor Apartments at 3835 W. Eighth St. (also Renaissance Revival) by C. W. Powers, and William Allen’s Chateauesque 715 S. St Andrews Pl.

On the eve of the Depression in 1928, building in the area ramped up significantly. Architects Gogerty and Weyl were joined by Los Altos Apartments architect E.B. Rust to design the magnificent Versailles Apartments at 608-614 S. St. Andrews Pl Its dramatic Chateauesque design included French doors, a steeply pitched roof, arches and an ornamental garden. Also in 1928, Max Maltzman, of The Ravenswood (Please turn to page 3)

608-614 S. ST. ANDREWS PL., the Versailles Apartments, is a project designed circa 1928 by architects Henry L. Gogerty, Carl Jules Weyl and E.B. Rust.

On Preservation

(Continued from page 2) and 410 N. Rossmore Ave., would design an everyman’s Elizabethan-style apartment building at 974 S. Gramercy Pl., a style that would be echoed by the Tufford Arms at 712 S. Wilton Pl. C.W. Powers produced an Art Deco-Renaissance Revival hybrid at the St. Andrews Manor at 516 S. St. Andrews Pl. The same street would also see the building of smaller Spanish Colonial Revival apartments, the Plaza Cordova at 729 S. St. Andrews Pl. and Casa Bella at 735 S. St Andrews Pl.,

most certainly inspired by the reemergence in popularity of the Ramona fable on the silver screen by Dolores del Rio.

By 1929, the party was at its height, with some of the most significant and playful designs. Art Deco began to assert its full influence with Paul Kingsbury’s stunning Art deco tower, La Marquise, at 535 S. Gramercy Pl., featuring a ceremonial gateway and sunburst appliqués. The designers Padelette Hollingsworth and C.H. Horner would also produce a Chateauesque-Art Deco hybrid at 634 S. Gramercy Pl

The ever-present C.W. Powers also designed an apartment block with Art Deco icing at 320 S. Manhattan Pl. Charles C. Frye, architect of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, was recruited to build another chateau, the Gramercy Tower Apartments at 160 S. Gramercy Pl. The decadence continued with 621 S. Gramercy Pl., architect Louis Selden’s try at a French

Renaissance rival to the Versailles around the block. Even Max Maltzman returned for a final bow with the Beaconsfield Apartments, a fussier version of his earlier Elizabethan at 329 S. Manhattan Pl

The Great Depression would draw the curtain on the era of castles and chateaux in “The Places,” and the pre-war period would see only two apartment buildings of note and more than three stories tall. Although five years apart, both of those buildings would involve architect Milton J. Black, Los Angeles’ premier Streamline Moderne architect. His first work was in 1935 at 722 S. Manhattan Pl., a half-hearted chateau apartment building (sadly much

altered). He later redeemed himself by building, in conjunction with H. Guthrie Thursby, the fabulous Richardson Apartments at 748 S. Gramercy Dr., second only in the larger Greater Wilshire to Black’s legendary Mauritania Apartments built on Rossmore in 1934.

The post-war era would see

another boom of construction, this time in a more modern, egalitarian and futuristic style (perhaps to be explored in a future column), but gone were the days when developers and architects built in the manner of kings and designed as if, in the words of S. Charles Lee, “the show starts on the sidewalk.”

WSHPHS annual meeting July 29

The Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society will hold its annual meeting and barbecue Sat., July 29 from 1 to 5 p.m. Actress and author of “Hollywood Then & Now” and “Los Angeles Then and Now,” Rosemary Lord, is guest speaker. Lord, who is newly elected as president of the Women’s Club of Hollywood, will also speak

on the history of the Club. The event will be on the grounds of one of the finest houses in Windsor Square on S. Plymouth Boulevard. The Craftsman-style home was moved in pieces from its original location at Wilshire Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue.

For more information, visit wshphs.com.

320 S. MANHATTAN PL. is an apartment block designed with Art Deco influence by C.W. Powers.

712 S. WILTON PL. apartment building is known as the Tufford Arms.

535 S. GRAMERCY PL., La Marquise, shows off a 1929 Art Deco design by Paul Kingsbury.

Celebrating preservation at TV City

By Suzan Filipek

Three local sites are among this year’s winners of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s annual Preservation Awards. A gala celebration to honor the winners will be held on Thurs., July 27, at Television City.

In a town known more for tearing down historic buildings, the 45-year-old nonprofit — which has grown to be the largest membership preservation organization in

the country — has helped produce many preservation success stories.

This year’s award winners include the local former Firestone Tires building on La Brea Avenue, the architecturally rich Carthay Neighborhoods Historic District and the Hollywood Sign.

A VIP reception will begin at 3 p.m. The event continues from 5 to 7 p.m. in Studio 46 at Television City, 7800

Happy Fourth of July!

Real Estate Sales*

Single-family

Condominiums

Beverly Blvd. For tickets and more information, visit laconservancy.org.

LOCAL WINNERS named.

Photo by John Bare

SOLD: This home at 238 N. Norton Ave. in Windsor Square sold for $2,973,520 in May.

Los Angeles’ history told by marionettes in ‘Hooray LA’

By Nona Sue Friedman

A visual history of Los Angeles in puppet form is coming to town starting Sat., July 1.

Bob

Baker

Marionette Theater (BBMT) is performing “Hooray LA,” which began as “Ole LA” for the Los Angeles Bicentennial in 1981.

For this newest iteration, BBMT created its biggest puppet yet — two dragons

that make up the Chinatown gateway. BBMT also collaborated with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to fabricate a lifelike woolly mammoth. In addition, the theater artists created a P-22 marionette, honoring the late, famous mountain lion that roamed Griffith Park.

The performance showcases disco dancing clubs, Venice Beach rollerskating and iconic locations throughout the city.

The show is the last original creation of Bob Baker, who was born and raised here in

Magician returns to El Portal Theatre July 15

By John Welborne

Hancock Park resident magician and mentalist Bernie

Shine will be returning for his fourth show at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood on Sat., July 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Shine has been a prolific entertainer ever since his first appearance in the wizarding world in the 1970s when he started performing regularly in the Close-Up Room at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

A fan friend and Windsor Square neighbor of Shine observed after the magic man’s recent show in the intimate small auditorium at the El

Portal: “You will be asking yourself this question — and perhaps many more — when you chuckle with amazement at the magic and comedy of the inimitable Bernie Shine:

‘How does he do it?’”

Shine performs sleight of hand that amazes, as well as incredible mentalism, often with surprise audience participation. The audiences regularly include other artist and magician friends of the performer, and these guests sometimes are almost as entertaining as what takes place center-stage.

Shine’s shows are not for youngsters; the experience is more like a cocktail party that breaks out into a show.

For more information and tickets, visit elportaltheatre. com.

the City of Angels. This version has been updated to present a more accurate historical and cultural profile of Los Angeles than the version presented as part of the 200th birthday celebration of the City of Los Angeles in 1981. See a related story about changing cultural and historical sensitivities in our September 2019 issue’s “Around the Town” mention-

ing the 1981 Barbara Carrasco mural soon to be installed permanently at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

The BBMT show runs through Sun., Sept. 10, at the theater in Highland Park, 4949 York Blvd. Tickets are $25 per person. Visit bobbakermarionettetheater.com to reserve your seat.

Hot diggity dog! Pet exhibit opens at Disney museum

By Talia Abrahamson

Decades of images of the cartoon and real-life cats and dogs that animated Disney storytelling are on display for the first time in the U.S. In celebration of The Walt

Disney Company’s 100th anniversary, the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco is presenting “Disney Cats & Dogs” through Jan. 14, 2024.

(Please turn to page 8)

Left: A POSTER PRESENTING the newest show features The Brown Derby, Cotton Club and other iconic spots.

Art by Hayden Evans

WALT DISNEY Family Museum is located in an historic barracks building along the former parade ground at the Presidio of San Francisco. Photo courtesy of The Walt Disney Family Museum

Lanterns will glow at Echo Park Lake’s July 15-16 Lotus Festival

By Casey Russell

Paper lanterns will glow at this year’s Lotus Festival, “Lights of Dreams.” The 42nd Lotus Festival event at Echo Park Lake will be celebrated with lantern launches Sat., July 15, and Sun., July 16. Paper lanterns — symbolizing such things as rebirth, hope for the future and appreciation for loved

ones — will be launched in the afternoon and evening both days. The event will also feature free entertainment, handcrafted artwork, dragonboat races, a children’s area and a food court.

Lotus flowers are sacred in the Hindu religion and Echo Park Lake is home to some of the largest lotus beds in the Western United

States. The event celebrates Asian Pacific cultures, and this year’s festival will be an adaptation of Indonesia’s Buddhist Festival.

First organized at the lake, 751 Echo Park Ave., in 1972, the festival had a short hiatus due to the pandemic but returned in 2022.

Each registered participant will receive one floating paper

lantern kit, a lantern launch wristband and access to the event’s decorating station.

Festival hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to

7 p.m. on Sunday.

To register and to purchase $20-$30 tickets for the event, visit lightsofdreams. eventbrite.com.

THIS YEAR’S LOTUS FESTIVAL, called “Lights of Dreams,” includes entertainment, a children’s area, food court and dragonboat races.

City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks / JuanCarlos Chan

Revival suggests the times have become more forgiving

Given the stress under which our civil society finds itself (Politico 4/21/23, etc.), I thought I might take the long view on two recent, excellent plays. Both — A Soldier’s Play (that closed at the Ahmanson June 25) — and Back Porch — running at the Victory Theater through July 9 — deserve attention for their solid writing, fine performances, thoughtful design and steady direction. Each play made me think (believe? hope?) that the moral arc of the universe just might really bend toward justice.

First, Back Porch: Eric Anderson’s play is an homage to William Inge’s “Picnic,” both in its setting of the small Kansas town where the 1955 film starring William Holden and Kim Novak (based on the 1953 Pulitzer-winning play) was shot, and in its gay variation on Inge’s original in both the film and play.

Hal, Holden’s drifter, comes

Theater Review by Louis Fantasia

to the repressed Midwest town looking for work. He lights a sexual prairie fire in young Madge (Novak) so that, when he moves on, she runs from small-town respectability and goes after him. Anderson’s play follows Inge’s structure, but instead of Holden, it’s Bill, his rugged but gay stand-in (Jordan Morgan), who hits the town. Instead of Novak, it’s the sensitive Gary (Isaac W. Jay), on his summer break before going to the local college, who is awakened sexually to the point that he wants to move to Los Angeles and live with Bill. Gary doesn’t go, but his life is forever changed.

The current rants against the LGBTQ+ community or woke leftists hark back to the 1950s of another McCarthy (and beyond, of course) for their origins. But here is a play that puts the right to love front and center with admirable honesty, clarity and caritas (love).

Inge led a complicated, closeted life, committing suicide in 1973. Anderson’s play recognizes such struggles and paints them in all their small-town, self-righteous, small-mindedness, while warmly, almost nostalgically, celebrating a love that could “dare not speak its name” just a few decades ago. We’ve come from there, both in place and time, Anderson seems to say, and we don’t need to go back. Victory Theater, Burbank; 818-841-5421; onstage411.com/BackPorch.

Charles Fuller’s A Soldier’s Play presents us with a double lens. First, the play is set on a southern U.S. Army base

What to watch for

Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” will be playing for three more weeks on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. until July 16 at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 E. First St., Boyle Heights; 323-263-7684; casa0101.org.

“Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” is another 40th anniversary revival, this one about women finding themselves in a summer of love. Fountain Theater through Aug 27; 323-663-1525; fountaintheatre.com.

The season of Sondheim about town draws to a close with “Into the Woods” at the Ahmanson, through July 30; 213-628-2772.

Theater 40 opens its season with Canadian playwright Norm Foster’s “Doris and Ivy in the Home,” a comic look at how love blooms at a senior living facility! July 20 through Aug. 23 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre at Beverly Hills High School; 310-364-0535; Theatre40.org.

during WWII, at a time when few people could imagine Black officers leading white troops (including the lawyer who leads the play’s murder investigation). Written in 1981, the play ran then on a kind of Black-on-Black anger, especially in the central per-

formance of Adolph Caesar as the murdered sergeant whose bitter criticism of so-called lazy “Negro” behavior gets him killed by a Black enlisted man.

The current revival shifts the center of the play away from the sergeant, ably played here by Eugene Lee (who was in the original cast), to Norm Lewis as a military attorney trying to get to the truth. As a result, Kenny Leon’s excellent revival becomes a softer focused, oddly kinder and more forgiving play. Perhaps it suggests that the times themselves have become more forgiving.

Fuller’s play opened 36 years after WWII ended and 17 years after the 1964 Voting Rights Act passed. This revival comes 40 years after its premiere and 76 years after the war. It is hard to believe we once ran our armed forces like that. It’s not so hard to believe the rest, when, for example, the Supreme Court has to reaffirm Black Alabamans’ right to vote today (Reuters 6/8/22). Yes, we have made progress. Just not enough.

Fuller loosely based his play on Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd,” where the corrosiveness of repressed homosexuality leads to injustice and the death of innocents, if not innocence. Both plays speak eloquently to the corrosiveness of repression and hate — a corrosiveness that attacks not just the individual, but the very fabric of our society.

Disney Museum

(Continued from page 6)

The exhibition from Japan features more than 300 archival reproduction works of on-screen favorites, from Mickey Mouse’s pal Pluto to Walt Disney’s own German shepherd, Peggy. There will also be pop-up events including pet adoptions and a pet portrait drawing station.

Disney enthusiasts can participate from anywhere in the world by submitting photos of pets for a chance at inclusion in the exhibition’s digital display. Submissions can be made at waltdisney.org/catsand-dogs-featured-pet.

Byzantine backstory to LeMond’s race, ho hum ‘Indiana Jones’

The Last Rider (9/10): 96 minutes. PG-13. Before there was the notorious bike-riding cheater Lance Armstrong, there was Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour de France, the exhausting 2,000-mile bicycle race. Not being a fan of watching men ride bicycles, I was dimly aware of LeMond. But this documentary, directed by Alex Holmes and told by LeMond himself and his wife, Kathy, and others who were there, with footage never seen before, tells a compelling story that is much more than

a bicycle race. The first half shows Greg’s life leading up to the 1989 race, which is covered in the second half. It even has films of Greg and Kathy meeting for the first time. While watching a 2,000-mile bicycle race might rival watching water evaporate for excitement, this is a film that exudes drama, especially if you don’t know the Byzantine facts leading up to the race and the outcome. No Hard Feelings (8/10): 103 minutes. R. Never one to shy away from full frontal nudity, Jennifer Lawrence sparkles

At the Movies with Tony Medley

as a 33-year-old woman with serious financial problems who is hired by a rich couple (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) to initiate their shy, withdrawn son (Andrew Barth Feldman) into manhood prior to his entrance into Princeton. This is a funny, sensitive film that was a pleasant surprise, marred only by Lawrence’s gratuitous smoking, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in films again. Since it has nothing to do with the plot, obviously money talks, and that’s shameful.

Blood & Gold (8/10): 110 minutes. R. Netflix. Set in Germany near the end of WWII, a group of Nazi soldiers is looking for gold they believe is hidden in a small German town. In a well-made, tense stylized action drama that pictures Germany at the end of the war as anarchical, standing in their way are a disgruntled private fleeing from the Wehrmacht, Robert Masser, and a young woman, Maria Hacke, living with and protecting her mentally challenged brother.

The Lesson (6/10): 103 minutes. R. If this is any example, noirs, like baseball, ain’t what they used to be. While Daryl

McCormack gives a fine performance as the protagonist Liam, a fledgling writer hired to tutor the son of famous writer J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant, who also performs well) and his wife Hélène (Julie Delpy), the film has inexplicable plot holes any good noir avoids. Directed by Alice Troughton from a script by Alex MacKeith, the mystery slowly builds towards the climax, but then any resemblance to a competent noir is destroyed by an ill-advised epilogue; in short, Troughton blinked.

Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny (5/10): 154 minutes. PG-13. The sixth in a series that started in 1981, this is of a genre whose theme is to make the same movie over and over again with just a change of McGuffins. This time it’s a time warp clock, apparently invented by Archimedes (287 BC-212 BC).

The “same movie” genre

probably traces its genesis to James Bond’s “Dr. No” in 1962. The first three Bond films were terrific; the rest sacrificed story and dialogue for special effects and just got increasingly passé. Sean Connery was right to try to bail after the third. Then came the “Fast & Furious” franchise, a series of odious car crash films that seems to never end. Now, this, which constitutes just one ludicrous chase after another, each stretching credulity past the breaking point. The film does, however, have a couple of plusses. Harrison Ford is not only almost as charismatic as Connery, but he is also a fine actor who gives a stellar performance. The second plus is John Williams’ music, which should get him another Oscar nomination. As for the rest of the film, it is a half hour longer than the previous films, which were already too long; wake me when it’s over.

Upper Larchmont Update

Windsor Square Association board members Jane Usher and Amy Forbes are continuing to help chart the future of Upper Larchmont as members of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) Working Group. (“Upper Larchmont” is the portion Larchmont Boulevard, of the six-block street between Beverly Boulevard and Melrose Avenue.) The Working Group would like to hear from Larchmont Chronicle readers in response to an Upper Larchmont real estate developer’s question.

The developer’s architect asked the Working Group: “What do you want our new building on Upper Larchmont to look like?” A key principle of the Working Group is for Upper Larchmont to reflect the historic feel and fabric of the existing community as new structures are built. Working Group member, local architect John Kaliski, is preparing a “mood board” of ideas for the look of Upper Larchmont. Livable Communities, a group that includes Windsor Square resident and Working Group member Lindsay Sturman, also is considering the question of “look.” At their recent Larchmont Boulevard Neighborhood Association annual meeting, residents there were asked to contribute their ideas.

The Working Group would like to receive the contributions of many Larchmont denizens and visitors. If there is a building, a group of buildings, a street scene or other photos or illustrations that you think provide ideas for how Upper Larchmont might look, the Working Group would like to hear from you via: tinyurl.com/yjmw8446.

Homelessness Issues & Reporting

Recently, a neighbor near the corner of First Street and Arden Boulevard noted that an individual was sleeping overnight on the street. The person only stayed for one night, but left several large baskets of belongings nearby the day after. The neighbor contacted the Council District 13 Homelessness Director, and the belongings were collected within 24 hours and the street cleaned up. For homelessness issues, CD 13 neighbors are encouraged to contact the following CD13 staff member:

Field Deputy Karla Martinez karla.g.martinez@lacity.org

(213) 886-4304

The Windsor Square Association, an all-volunteer group of residents from 1100 households between Beverly and Wilshire and Van Ness and Arden, works to preserve and enhance our beautiful neighborhood. Join with us! Drop us a line at 325 N. Larchmont Blvd., #158, Los Angeles, CA 90004, or visit our website at windsorsquare.org.

157 N. Larchmont Boulevard

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

Two delicious takes on Japanese bites and ramen... and sake

Tonchin, a sophisticated small plates and ramen Japanese restaurant, brings an urban vibe to Melrose Avenue at Larchmont Boulevard where Le Petit Marché used to be. Judging from the lively crowd on a recent Friday night, this eatery seems to have struck the right chord.

Owner Anan Sugeno owns Tonchin restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan, inspired by his father’s Tonchin in Japan. The Manhattan version was awarded a Bib Gourmand designation from the Michelin Guide in 2022. Indeed, the dishes are flavorful and exciting, the look sleek, and the atmosphere festive.

The interior sports a large bar and a variety of booths and tables. There is a variety of unusual Japanese whiskies and sakes, along with the usual suspects. My $17 vodka martini was perfect. The $15 glass of nigori sake (unfiltered, cloudy) hit the sweet spot of not-too-dry without tipping into the too-sweet side.

The extensive menu includes small bites such as $8 edamame with basil and plum, larger plates of fried black cod buns for $16 and a panoply of noodle dishes, from ramen to $20 stir-fry.

The four of us agreed to share everything. Amazingly, even the smallest dishes divided satisfyingly into little tastes for each to try.

We started with potato-and-crab salad, which is very similar to the potato salad served as banchan in Korean restaurants. Here, the $19 mayonnaise potatoes are mixed with onion tobiko (tiny, crunchy fish roe) and topped with snow crab. Tasty, but nothing special. The tsukune buns, on the other hand, are spectacular. Savory and bursting with flavor, two bao buns are each served taco style around a ground chicken and pork patty with cabbage, Japanese mustard and teriyaki sauce, $15.

Curry-and-cheese chicken wings are deeply satisfying.  Baked wings with crispy edges are slathered in spicy curry seasoning and blanketed by fluffy shaved parmesan. I was curious, but skeptical, that this combination would work, but I could have easily eaten twice as many as we ordered; $14 for six wings, $18 for eight.

Another winner is the maguro, a bowl of raw tuna mixed table side with wasabi or spicy mayonnaise and radish sprouts, avocado, cashews,

On the Menu by Helene

Seifer

fried garlic, quail egg and sesame seeds. The $26 bowl is served with small lettuce leaves, radicchio and sheets of seaweed to make one’s own wraps.

Our last savory dish was $20 spicy tan tan ramen. A rich slow-simmered pork broth was filled with roasted pork, scallions, bamboo shoots, cashews — which lent a peanut-buttery taste — miso, Sichuan peppercorns, a jammy egg and homemade noodles. We would have licked the bowl if we could.

All evening long, we watched as mountainous desserts were delivered to almost every table, so we indulged and ordered a $16 mango kaki-gori, a giant snowball of shaved ice saturated with mango and topped with a dollop of honey cream. A heavenly way to end the night.

Tonchin, 5665 Melrose Ave., 323-380-6072.

For a similar meal without

the bells and whistles, head to a nondescript strip mall in Koreatown. Next to the wildly popular Pho 2000 sits the Korean-tinged Japanese  Saikai Ramen Bar, run by the husband-wife team of Jimin Kim and Sandy Han.

Two girlfriends and I hunkered down in the pleasant, quiet storefront dining room with some very good cold sake and ordered a slew of dishes from their extensive menu. A refreshing $5 spicy cucumber salad presents lightly brined crunchy Persian cucumber slices tossed with gochugaru (Korean chili). The $7 truffle lotus chips are addictively crispy, salty snacks. The $8 corn

fritters stacked four plump balls of fried corn batter with Mexican flavors (crema, cotija cheese, cilantro and jalapeño) and finished with togarashi, a Japanese spice blend. Four meaty chicken wings were fried with a sticky sweet and spicy glaze, $14.

We finished with $16.25 spicy tonkotsu, a bowl of pork bone broth brimming with ramen, pork belly slices, bamboo shoots, woodear mushrooms, scallions, egg and basil-flavored perilla seed. We added bok choy for $1.50 and happily slurped the end of our meal.

Saikai Ramen Bar, 209 N. Western Ave., Unit B., 323378-6518.

Variety of music on tap at Original Farmers Market through Aug. 31

A variety of musical groups will be featured at the Original Farmers Market every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. through Aug. 31. The free performances include rock, alternative R&B, folk fusion and everything in between.

Dave Stuckey & The Hot House Gang will perform Fats Waller stomp and swing on July 6.

SGV Vibes performs roots,

rock and reggae July 13. DionRacii will sing alternative R&B on July 20, and June Clivas and the Ditty Boys play outlaw country rock July 27.

The music will be paired with food pop-ups, beer gardens and more. The month of August will be dedicated to emerging artists. The concerts take place in the Market plaza area near the Clock Tower.

Sichuan take-out ‘Sua’ to open on the Boulevard soon

By Casey Russell

Targeting a late July or August opening, owners Jing Gao and Stephanie Liu are getting ready to bring their new Sichuan grab-and-go eatery, Sua, to the Boulevard. Construction started a few weeks ago for this, the team’s first U.S. restaurant.

The duo’s goal is to make the flavors of Sichuan cuisine more accessible and convenient for people to enjoy. Their offerings, said Gao, will be “fresh, healthy and delicious — rooted in tradition, but where we are here and now.”

Liu and Gao both hail from China. Gao had a restaurant in Shanghai and moved to Los Angeles to launch her Fly by Jing chili sauce. Liu’s family owns a Sichuan eatery in the San Gabriel Valley. Liu resides in the Larchmont Village neighborhood.

Gao told us that, although she was born in Chengdu, in Sichuan province, she was in a faculty family and moved to a different country every year as a child. In her 20s, she moved back to Asia for a job in Shanghai, and she realized how much going from place to place had affected her. She felt like she had lost a sense of identity. Being back in China, Gao said layers were peeled back, enabling her to discover who she was, her heritage and her cultural identity.

Food became the vehicle for her to make these discoveries. She studied with a master

chef in Sichuan and spent years developing her own expression of what modern Sichuan food meant to her.

What began as a personal quest to reconnect with her roots changed into a mission to shine more light on Chinese cuisine and the culture, which, in her words, “has been devalued outside China.” She wanted to shift the narrative about Chinese food and show how delicious and high-quality it could be. “That became my guiding light and my mission,” said Gao.

In working to shift the way people perceive Chinese food, Gao realized that being in Los Angeles could serve her well. “The U.S. and its media dictate globally how we view others — and other cultures,” said Gao. When she started her Kickstarter campaign to fund Fly by Jing, its success solidified her idea that people here were ready for a high-quality Chinese food product. Fly by Jing was one of the first modern Asian food brands to launch in the U.S.

“We are super excited to open [Sua] and be part of the neighborhood,” said Gao. Sua is a Chinese slang word that means playful. The chef told us the kitchen / superette will have rows of refrigerators with ready, pre-packaged food (meals, sides and larger meals for sharing). Beverages will be available at the counter, and a retail area will carry home goods including condiments,

vinegars, oils, soy sauces, misos, cookware, tea, ceramics and artfully crafted items. There will be minimal seating in the space and some on the sidewalk. The team told us they will use the freshest local proteins and produce to combine Sichuan flavors with incredible regional ingredients.

Gao’s first cookbook, “The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp,” published by Penguin Random House, is coming out at the end of September. It will, of course, be sold at the eatery.

Right: SUA OWNERS Stephanie Liu and Jing Gao in front of the site for their Larchmont Boulevard grab-and-go eatery.

Local ‘wins’ a stall at Farmers Market

The results are in. The winner of the Original Farmers Market’s Pop-Up Contest is THICC Burger.

The pop-up business will showcase its burgers in a brick-and-mortar location within the Market beginning this month.

The competition included extensive vetting, interviews and a social media vote with a finalist showcase day held May 20.

The winner’s 1,500-squarefoot retail space will be located on the Market’s south side with a Third Street frontage. The location is rent-free for three months with a lease option to follow. Founded in 2020 during the height of the

COVID-19 pandemic, THICC

Burger specializes in classic comfort food.

Homemade sauces and condiments accompany the recipes at this traveling popup that has been seen around Los Angeles, with stops in Atlanta, New York, Dallas and Houston.

Other offerings will include fried chicken sandwiches, breakfast foods including tacos and burritos, shrimp n’ grits and plant-based menu items.

Pride Night

THICC owner Jay Wolfe and team will join The Original Farmers Market and The Grove’s Pride Night celebration on Fri., June 30, from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The event kicks off with a pet parade at 5 p.m.

The ’80s band The Radio Rebels, a DJ and dancing also are featured at the event.

Wolfe grew up visiting The Original Farmers Market with their grandfather.

“Like any other Angeleno,

I know what The Original Farmers Market stands for and the rich history behind it. I grew up visiting Third and Fairfax almost every weekend,” said Wolfe.

With an outpost at the Market, Wolfe hopes to continue sourcing meats, poultry and produce from other vendors, including Huntington Meats. Follow THICC Burger on instagram at @thiccburgers.

OWNER Jay Wolfe flips their creations on the Farmers Market finalist showcase day, May 20.

El Cholo, often honored, is helping hospitals by naming booths

By John Welborne

For the past six months, the local El Cholo Spanish Café on nearby Western Avenue — as well as the other restaurants in the numerous dining outlets comprising the Family of El Cholo Restaurants — has been celebrating the 100-year anniversary of El Cholo’s founding.

Now there is a new benefit available to customers who want to join in the celebration while supporting a $1 million pledge to benefit pediatric cancer research. The first 100 people making a generous donation above a certain amount can name one of only 100 available booths in one of the six (soon to be seven, including Salt Lake City, now under construction) El Cholo locations.

In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the restaurant, the Salisbury family already had announced — earlier this year — the launch of its Charitable Gift Campaign Benefitting Pediatric Cancer Research. Monies raised through the campaign will be donated to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and to Orange County’s Children’s Hospital / CHOC Foundation.

The previous ways to par-

ticipate in this charitable campaign included (and still include) making a $100 donation while visiting any one of the six Southern California El Cholos. The donor immediately will receive a VIP Nachos Card by which he or she can enjoy Carmen’s Nachos free throughout the rest of 2023. In addition, those donors also will become eligible to win one of many nifty prizes.

Booth-naming details

Now, for this new way to support the pediatric cancer research pledge, details have just been announced by the

Salisbury family as follows:

A donor may apply to become a permanent part of El Cholo history while contributing to improving lives of children by making a charitable donation of $5,000 or more. For such a donor, El Cholo will permanently identify one of its legendary booths in the donor’s name or with the donor’s proposed dedication text (text subject to El Cholo approval).

The donor gets to choose which El Cholo location is preferred for the plaque and booth: Western Avenue (the Original), Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim Hills, Corona del Mar, La Habra or (soon) Salt Lake City. There only are 100 booths available for naming (that’s only about 15 available booths per restaurant). The donors will write their tax-deductible checks to either CHLA or CHOC Foundation.

El Cholo owner Ron Salisbury asks people interested in naming a booth — while they last! — to telephone him personally at 562-352-8669.

Honors continue

At the end of May, the Or-

ange County Business Journal (OCBJ) bestowed its annual Family-Owned Business of the Year “Longevity Award” on Ron Salisbury and his son, Brendon Salisbury, owners of the Family of El Cholo Restaurants.

El Cholo has been owned by the same Borquez / Salisbury family since the restaurant’s launch in 1923.

The winner of this year’s OCBJ Family-Owned Business Award (in its 24th year) was selected from among 43 nominees that ranged from restaurateurs to construction companies to wealth managers. To qualify, each company must have had at least two family members actively in-

volved in the business.

Responding to the news of the award, Ron Salisbury said, “This year, we have been so very fortunate to have received a great deal of recognition for the wonderful journey of our 100-yearold family business. Receiving this honor was a really special day for us because the award was voted on by people who share our same world of running small businesses — and I certainly know exactly what that means and what that entails.

“It was also highly meaningful for me to share this award with 10 members of my family in attendance, including my youngest son, Brendon, who is El Cholo’s CFO, along with my brand new grandson, Daemon.”

In related news, the City of Los Angeles recently honored the Salisbury Family with the renaming of the intersection of Western Avenue and 11th Street. [See “El Cholo founders honored during centennial year,” April 2023.]

BOOTH AT EL CHOLO can be yours, in perpetuity, if you help pediatric cancer research at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles or CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County).

SALISBURY FAMILY members receiving an award are (left to right) Harrison Moore, manager of The Cannery in Newport Beach; Cheyenne Moore, manager of El Cholo in Anaheim Hills; Eryn Salisbury, general manager of El Cholo in Anaheim Hills; Brendon Salisbury, chief financial officer of Family of El Cholo Restaurants; and Ron Salisbury, owner of Family of El Cholo Restaurants. On the far right is the presenter of the Orange County Business Journal’s 2023 Family-Owned Business Award, Jeffrey M. Verdon.

CONCEPT ART for the not-to-exceed-100 naming plaques to be mounted in select booths at the El Cholo restaurants.

Green corn tamales: now is the time to enjoy peak season

By Helene Seifer

Tamales, little packages of corn masa stuffed with savory fillings and steamed in dried corn husks, are a common menu option in Mexican restaurants throughout the southland. Far less common are sweet corn tamales, where freshly shucked and ground kernels are mixed with cream and butter and sweetened with sugar, then encased with cheddar cheese and Ortega chiles and steamed in undried husks.

Throughout history, savory tamales outnumber sweet varieties, but even the earliest examples of tamale-making include some sugary examples. Tamale production can be traced back to Mesoamerica, the south-central part of Mexico, as early as 8,000 B.C.

The Aztecs, the Maya and ancient Olmec and Toltec peoples all made some version of ground corn masa stuffed with meats or vegetables and steamed in corn husks. These civilizations revered corn, thought to have been passed down to them directly from the gods. The Aztecs, for example, had no fewer than four different deities assigned to aspects of corn, from the sacred seeds to the ripening stalks. The Maya believed humans were created from corn itself.

These ancient civilizations found tamales to be the perfect travel food. Tightly wrapped in their corn husks (or in some cases, banana leaves), the little food packages are perfect to accompany hunting trips and marauding armies.

An abundant food

Tamales spread throughout the Americas. In Bolivia they are known as humitas

In Venezuela, hallaca. In Nicaragua, large nacatamal are stuffed with meat and eaten with bread and coffee. Puerto Rico’s are guanime and some are made with sweetened plantains. Guatemala favors chuchito sweetened with honey or sugar and flavored with chocolate, almonds, plums or peppers. The Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians have savory versions of tamales, known as broadswords and banaha, respectively. African Americans in the Mississippi Delta turned up the heat, and the resulting spicy tamales are known as hot tamales, a phrase that has joined the lexicon.

What we consider true green corn tamales are usually said to have originated in Tucson, Ariz., where most Mexican restaurants feature them on the menu. Others claim they hail from Sonora, Mexico.

El Cholo, whose famous seasonal green corn tamales feature prominently in this, its 100th-anniversary year, ascribes to the Sonora theory since owner Ron Salisbury’s grandparents were from that region and put them on the menu when the restaurant was founded in 1923. (The restaurant was originally named Sonora Café.)

Aside from mainly takeout operations in Pacoima, El Cholo is one of only a few restaurants in the Los Ange-

les area that offers the delicacy. El Cholo follows the tradition of only making them during peak corn season, from May through October.

According to the restaurant’s operations manager, Dawn Schlegel, “May 1 to October 31 is when corn is freshest and sweetest. Fresh corn has more juice then, and we capture the juice for the tamales.”

El Coyote, the other major local purveyor of the sweet tamales, steams them daily.

Owner Margie Christoffersen says her aunt changed it from a seasonal dish to one that is always on the menu. “She wanted to corner the green corn tamale market!”

The tamales are wildly popular at El Coyote, which makes approximately 150 tamales each weekend. Since patrons wait half a year for El Cholo’s green corn, the demand is particularly high. Among El Cholo’s six locations (three in Los Angeles County, three in Orange County) the restaurants husk roughly 3,000 cobs of corn a week. “We make

about 3,500 tamales every week in season,” Schlegel states. “On Western, we sell approximately 450 tamales a week.”

Some have conjectured that they are called green corn tamales because the corn is fresh off the cob, not made into masa, or because the included chiles lend a dash of green, but most sources agree the moniker is based on the fact that the husk wrappers are green and untreated, rather than the dried beige ones used to steam other tamales.

El Cholo accompanies its famous green corn tamales with ranchera sauce, although they served them with mole at the 2022 Taste of Larchmont and the 2023 Beastly Ball, just as the tamales originally were presented when the restaurant first opened. El Coyote’s green corn tamales also come with ranchera sauce, but Christoffersen admits she’s partial to melting a pat of butter on them instead, “The way I eat fresh corn on the cob.”

El Cholo, 1121 S. Western Ave., 323-734-2773. Green corn tamales available now through Oct. 31, 2023. El Coyote, 7312 Beverly Blvd., 323-939-2255. Green corn tamales available year-round.

GREEN CORN TAMALES at El Cholo.

Donuts and ice cream conclude Goldie’s spring season

By Nona Sue Friedman

Goldie’s Youth Sports

(GYS), an all-girl recreational basketball program, ended its spring session with a party that included a soft-serve ice cream truck, a Glazed and Confused donut truck, tacos and lemonade. What a feast! The culmination took place on the lawn at St. Brendan School on June 11.

Girls with their families, about 250 guests in all, enjoyed an afternoon filled with division championship games, food and frolic on the lawn. They then headed into the gym to watch the much-anticipated video montage of the season followed by the awards ceremony.

Karen Goldberg, aka Goldie, started the league for 6- to 16-year-olds in 2018 because she noticed at her previous job at the Hollywood YMCA that girls were leaving athletics after ages 8 or 9. She wanted to create a safe and encouraging space for girls to participate in a sport.

With 319 girls signed up just for this spring season, Goldie has easily introduced more than 1,000 girls to basketball.

In addition to playing basketball, Goldie’s has recently started a coaches-in-training program for high school girls and former participants in GSY who want to continue spreading the love of basketball to youngsters.

There are two basketball sessions per year.

B Gaddy ElEctric

Sign-ups for the fall session start Sat., Sept. 2, at goldiesyouthsports.com.

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 Tues., July 4, for Independence Day.

Local graduate is a ‘Distinguished’ finalist

By Casey Russell

Recent graduate of Marlborough School, Jina Kang of our local Western-Wilton neighborhood, is representing the state of California in this year’s Distinguished Young Women National Finals. The 50 finalists traveled to Mobile, Ala. in June where they competed for more than $150,000 in cash scholarships.  During three nights of live competition, Kang and the other 49 young women demonstrated their skills in the areas of fitness, talent and self-expression. The program also evaluated participants in the categories of scholastics and interview skills.

Kang has been working toward this moment since she heard about the opportunity last year through a school email. Yoo Kang, Jina’s mother, said, “She was very busy, so we hesitated. But all the categories really fit well for her.”

The daughter of Yoo and Tae Kang is no stranger to competition, leadership or performance. Jina Kang was on Marlborough’s debate

IT’S

Come

team for four years, serving as one of three captains during her senior year. She was also elected to the Community Partnership position of the All-School Council at Marlborough.

Additionally, Kang has studied with the Marat Daukayev School of Ballet for 12 years, and she danced the role of the Sugar Plum fairy in the company’s “Nutcracker” performance in 2022.  That year, Kang was also selected as one of the top 12 dancers in the International Ballet Competition

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Koontz

“The hardware STore”

formerly “Larchmont Hardware”

We have the full line of Mrs. Myers cleaning products, more than anyone else! Plus, we are the only place nearby that has all the sizes of “soda stream” canister refills.

….

You will love the new “Joseph and Joseph” “nest storage” containers. The sizes are color coordinated and the lids snap together so they are always easy to find

Try our “freezable grocery bags” so that the whole bag is an ice pack.

Larchmont customers get FREE DELIVERY on Bar-B-Que’s by mentioning this ad.

We will be open on July 4 • Call for hours HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY!

JINA KANG

Photo by Shani Barel

VOLUNTEER COACH Laura Eichorn hands out trophies and recaps the season with her team.

GYS PLAYERS patiently wait for soft-serve ice cream.

Larchmont boys’ volleyball places second at FIYA championship

By Jim Kalin

This was the first year Larchmont Charter fielded a boys’ 7th and 8th grade volleyball team, and what an unexpected and astounding season the Timberwolves had.

For most of the boys, this was their first time playing volleyball. Just three had competed before, and one, Ian Yoo, broke his arm at the season’s start and never played again.

The Timberwolves ended the regular season 8-1 and finished first in the Marina League, which gave them a No. 1 seed in the 2023 Division 1 (for students in grades 8th and below) FIYA (Foundation for Interscholastic Youth Athletics) Tournament. They progressed to the title game during playoff week, and they

were defeated on Finals Friday, June 2, by St. Mark’s, a team they had beaten during the regular season.

“This was truly a unified bunch, and, as a coach, I have never had a team like it before,” said Keith Harris. “This was a group where every member truly cared about the others.”

The team MVPs were Noah Riddell and Miles Monsod.

“Miles’ only experience was playing volleyball at recess and at a park, and he’d never played on a team before,” said Harris.

Noah Riddell was selected by the league coaches as Larchmont’s All-FIYA League Player.

The team graduates just three players, so they’ll be a force again next season. Noah

Community was focus of Miracle Mile Town Hall

By Nona Sue Friedman

“We wouldn’t be successful without your help,” is just one of the community driven comments from Capt. Sonia Monico of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Wilshire Division.

She and other officers also emphasized community, partnerships with businesses and dealing with area crime to the approximately 40 attendees in a Zoom Town Hall with the Miracle Mile Residential Association on May 30.

Daily crime briefs

Regarding crime in the area, Capt. Monico said, “We are not letting our foot off the pedal as we approach summer.” Wilshire Division conducts daily crime briefs with its officers and works with the business improvement districts for the area, as well as the three city council

offices serving the Wilshire Division and the mayor’s office.

Coffee with a Cop

Capt. Jerry Chaney, patrol commanding officer, commented, “Coffee with a Cop has been very helpful for us,” as it gives officers a chance to meet and talk to business owners, employees and residents in a non-emergency and friendly environment.

The division is getting four more officers from the recent LAPD Academy graduating class, however they are losing officers as well. Capts. Monico and Chaney reiterated that recruitment to LAPD has been difficult in recent years.

The team stressed the importance of enforcement, education, community, outreach and prevention to continue improving the safety of their constituents.

Riddell returns, and so do Ian Yoo and setters Joshua Jung and Sebastian Pura.

Make some popcorn

If television just isn’t interesting and you’re into great sports comebacks filled with action, drama, team chemistry and players showing poise under pressure, go to YouTube and search “Larchmont vs St Marks May 19.” Make some popcorn. The game runs about an hour.

“This was the kind of team that just makes you a better person,” said Harris.

Congratulations, Timberwolves volleyball!

“Experience does make a

PLAYERS (back row, left to right): Sebastian Purg, Devon Jasiukonis, Kyd Kalin, Coach Keith Harris, Noah Riddell, Ian Yoo, Miles Monsod (and front row, left to right): Luke Flexner, Joshua Jung, Theodore Little and Adan Escoto. Not pictured: Mykel Locke.

Photo by Jay Jeehong Jung

POLICE BEAT

Scooter rider struck by car, scissors used as death threat

OLYMPIC DIVISION

AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS: A couple got into an argument on June 4 at about noon on the 300 block of South Gramercy Place. The argument escalated with the male suspect striking and attempting to strangle the female victim before the suspect left the multi-unit dwelling on foot.

A 37-year-old female was threatened with being stabbed with scissors near the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and North St. Andrews Place on June 5 at 7:40 p.m. The suspect, a 33-year-old male, held the scissors and said he was going to kill her. The suspect was arrested.

A man started an argument with a 56-year-old woman on the 600 block of North Windsor Boulevard on June 7 at 10:15 a.m. The suspect intentionally backed his car into the victim, causing her to lose her balance.

BURGLARY FROM VEHICLE: A female suspect smashed the passenger window of a vehicle parked in an underground lot on the 300 block of South St. Andrews Place on June 5 at 6:30 a.m. The suspect stole tennis shoes and was then confronted by the female victim, who took the tennis

shoes back. Then the suspect took the shoes again.

GRAND THEFT AUTO: A white 2019 Audi Q5 was stolen from the 200 block of North Windsor Boulevard on June 6 at 7:40 a.m.

WILSHIRE DIVISION

AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS: A male suspect was driving down the 300 block of North Citrus Avenue on June 8 at 8:35 a.m. The suspect shouted, “I’m going to get you” and drove up on the sidewalk and struck the 45-year-old male victim riding an electric scooter with the vehicle.

Road rage inflamed an argument between two men on the 100 block of North Pointsettia Place on June 9 at 11:45 a.m. One of the men flashed a pocketknife during the argument before the victim fled northbound away from the encounter.

BURGLARIES: Masked and hooded suspects shattered the rear door of a home on the 600 block of North Lucerne Boulevard on June 8 at 1:40 p.m. They fled before entering the home.

The front window of a home on the 400 block of North McCadden Place was smashed. The suspect entered the home and took jewelry and a purse

OLYMPIC DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Joseph Pelayo 213-793-0709

31762@lapd.online

Twitter: @lapdolympic

before leaving through the broken window at 9:30 p.m.

GRAND THEFTS AUTO:

Numerous vehicles have been stolen in June. Keep your vehicle locked and in a well-lit area.

A red 2018 Kia was stolen from the 5700 block of Clinton Street on June 5 at 7:45 a.m.

Three cars were stolen between the evening of June 5 and the morning of June 6. A black 2021 Kia was taken from the 100 block of North Citrus Avenue; a silver 2022 Honda Odyssey was taken from the 100 block of North Detroit Street; and a grey 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was taken from the 700 block of Keniston Avenue.

A silver 2021 Land Rover Discovery was taken between 8 p.m. on June 6 and 11:30 a.m. on June 7 from the 500 block of North La Palmas Avenue.

On June 8 at 6:30 a.m., a grey 2004 Honda CRV was

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Dave Cordova

213-793-0650

31646@lapd.online

Twitter: @lapdwilshire

stolen from the street on the 600 block of North Rossmore Avenue.

GRAND THEFT PERSON:

A wallet was stolen from a 34-year-old woman as she walked in the parking lot at Melrose Avenue and North Arden Boulevard. The suspect approached her from behind, snatched the wallet from her left wrist and fled on foot southbound on Rossmore Avenue.

THEFT: A suspect detached a Ring doorbell from a house on the 700 block of South Highland Avenue between 1:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. on June 6.

By Nona Sue Friedman

A man caught in the act and then convicted of burglarizing a home on the 300 block of South Irving Boulevard on Thanksgiving Day of 2022 has been sentenced. Anthonee Banks will serve two days in Los Angeles County jail, be placed on three years probation and be required to perform 300 hours of community service. The sentencing hearing took place on June 9. Banks is one of three bur-

glars who were recorded on video entering the home that day and then leaving with stolen property. The other two culprits have not been identified and are still at large. Banks has been out on bail since December 2022.

According to Dana Boldt, interim Public Information Officer for the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s office, Banks’ short sentence is “a pretty standard sen-

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Yo ho ho! A salty nautical tale of rum, fathom and Mayday

As the sun finally graces us with its presence, I dream of being on a boat. I’ll settle for any kind of vessel, really: a catamaran tour through Channel Islands National Park, a ferry to Catalina or a kayak riding the current through the remarkably lush natural habitat of the Los Angeles River. With a vial of Dramamine and an SPF nearing the triple digits in tow, I’m ready to set sail.

Seafaring was the raison d’être for one Admiral Edward Vernon. Born in London in 1684, Vernon had an illustrious career, starting as a volunteer-per-order in the Royal Navy and rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years of service. Vernon was known for wearing a cloak that was cut from a coarse material called “grogram,” earning him the nickname “Old Grog” among the sailors under his command.

Following England’s con-

Jina Kang

(Continued from page 16)

Youth America Grand Prix.

The winner of the Distinguished Young Woman of America will promote the program’s national outreach initiative, which encourages kids to be healthy, involved, studious, ambitious and responsible.

But even if Kang doesn’t win the top prize, she will continue to be involved with the program. This summer, she will travel to Bakersfield to spend a week with the young women selected to be 2024’s California finalists for the program.

Then, in the fall, Kang will head to Williams College in Massachusetts for her college freshman year. There she plans to major in economics and hopes to become a prosecutor, possibly in the fi-

quest of Jamaica in 1655, rum came to replace beer and brandy as the drink that sailors received as daily alcohol rations (a Royal Navy protocol that would remain in place until 1970). In 1740, Old Grog, observing that some of his men would stockpile their rations for the occasional bender, mandated that the rum used for the allowance be mixed with water. This served to reduce both the drink’s potency and its shelf life, much to the displeasure of the sailors, who spitefully dubbed the inferior replacement “grog” after Vernon.

Today, the word grog pervades as slang for alcohol in Australia and New Zealand, and it conjures a wistfulness for life at sea when used in the fanciful titles of tiki drinks. If grog isn’t a mainstay in your everyday lexicon, perhaps its derivative, groggy, feels more

nancial industry. When asked what piqued her daughter’s interest in this area, Kang’s mother said, “It was clear from the time she was young that Jina always liked to follow the rules. While she was growing and studying economics, she found there is a lot of unfairness especially for underprivileged people.”

Kang’s parents and her younger sister traveled to Alabama to support her in her final performances. At the time of this writing, results had not yet come in. Regardless of what happens, the Larchmont community can be proud of this distinguished young woman.

Irving burglary

(Continued from page 18) tencing.” By contrast, the homeowner victim told us: “This is beyond outrageous. They hit our house twice on the same day and took many treasured possessions of great monetary value. The criminal justice system no longer exists in the City of Los Angeles.”

prevalent, especially after a night of imbibing or simply a lack of sleep.

It’s not a groggy sailor but a howling storm that causes the shipwreck that maroons a boatful of Italian royals in William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” The crash, caused by the revenge-seeking sorcerer Prospero, separates the King of Naples from his son, Ferdinand, who is told the news of the king’s supposed death at sea: “Full fathom five thy father lies.”

Just as feet, palms and fingers helped ancient civilizations form the basis for small units of measurement, the length of a human arm span, called a “fathom,” was a tool used by seafaring cultures — and Ferdinand’s informant — to describe water depth. Now having been in use for at least several centuries, the term “fathom” comes from the Old English fæðm, meaning “arms, grasp or embrace.” The exact length of a fathom has seen slight variations over time, but the international fathom used today measures a round 6 feet for us here in the U.S. — and a not-so-round 1.8288 meters for just about everyone else.

The ocean’s murky depths churn with yet another nautical phrase to wrap our

arms — or minds — around. “Mayday” is an international distress call used by aviators and mariners to signal a life-threatening emergency. The phrase was chosen in 1923 as an alternative to the existing signal, “S.O.S.,” when involved parties realized the potential error that may result in an operator hearing the spoken letters as “F,” as in “Frank,” and not “S,” as in “Sam.” The inspiration behind “Mayday”? Not the impulse to placate one’s anxiety with happy thoughts of maypoles and springtime revelry, but rather the French for “help me” — M’aidez And with that little safety tip in mind, I’m off to faraway shores, conveyed by wind or oar. Till next month, my salty dogs.

Word Café by Mara Fisher