LC Real Estate 12 2022

MUSEUMS

It’s Christmas!: A recipe from a Shaker Cookbook

The Sabbath Day Lake Shaker Community in New Gloucester, Maine, (24 miles north of Portland) was founded in 1782. It grew to 1900 acres and 26 distinc tive, large buildings by 1850. A blacksmith complex and woodturning shop, as well as a mill and farm, enabled the community to prosper, pro ducing food and other goods including beautiful baskets, boxes and furniture, elegant in their simplicity, to sell to “the World” — that is, to peo ple outside.

Sabbath Day Lake has been open to tourists since 1926. I took my young daughter in 1991 when she was 7. Today, the last two Shakers in the world still live there.

Ann Lee, a Shaker leader in England, led a group of fol lowers in 1776 to establish a church northwest of Albany, New York, where Mother Ann, as she was known, held forth until her death in 1784.

There were eventually 20 Shaker communities in the western and mid-western U.S. Some were short-lived; not so their influence on American design and architecture. Re cently, fashion designer Tory Burch curated an exhibition at Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts; a new Shaker

museum will open in 2023 in Mount Lebanon, New York.

Shakers lived communally, were pacifists, and believed in gender and racial equal ity. They were celibate and adopted orphans and other children. Their early mode of worship suggested their name: they danced.

Shakers, like other utopian societies, worked to make a more perfect life. The Shak ers made this life with their hands.

Mother Ann taught them to “Put your hands to work and your hearts to God.”

This idea was applicable to everyone — to the brothers and sisters in the fields and in the basket-weaving shops, to the furniture-making broth ers, the sewing sisters and the skilled sister-cooks.

Early Shaker furniture was utilitarian, but in the 1820s, there was a freshness in the designs and manufacturing. This was the golden age of Shaker design, which last

ed until just after Civil War, an era of beautiful objects in wood and metal, but also in graphic design, resulting in spiritual or inspirational drawings. For the Shakers, these drawings were not “art,” but gifts from the spiri tual realm.

It was also the period of Shaker spiritual songs. I have a cassette tape, “Early Shak er Spirituals,” sung by Sister Mildred Barker and others, recorded from 1963 to 1976.

More recently in Maine, I bought a first-edition (1953) copy of “The Shaker Cook Book: Not by Bread Alone,” by Caroline B. Piercy, who makes clear the provenance of some of the recipes. Her mother grew up within a mile of a Shaker village, North Union

in Ohio.

The recipes in this book came in part from a handwrit ten manuscript recorded by Piercy’s mother.

Only two recipes in Piercy’s book refer to Christmas — “Shaker Christmas Pudding” and “Christmas Bread Pud ding.” (The latter contains this instruction: “Spread with a layer of strawberry jam, not too thin, for remember it’s Christmas!”) But I am choos ing a recipe from North Union to pass along:

Amelia’s Quince Pudding

6 large ripe quinces 1 cup sugar 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup rosewater 6 egg yolks, beaten 6 egg whites, beaten stiff

Rub fuzz off quinces; pare (peel) and quarter them. Grate quinces to a pulp; add sugar and cream and mince well. Add rosewater and beat en egg yolks. Fold in stiff egg whites. Turn into a well-but tered baking dish and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

My adult daughter remem bers the beautiful baskets. “Bentwood,” she told me last week, “and tiny nails.” She thinks she can remember a circle of people. Perhaps her hair was in pigtails. If I could have the holiday gift of my dreams, it would be that day in Maine, her small hand in mine.

SHAKER-STYLE cherry wood box. Collection of the author.

MONOGRAPH on Shaker Traditions in Maine (Bowdoin College, 1969). Collection of the author.

Home Ground by Paula Panich

Windsor Village, Windsor Square, Larchmont Village neighborhoods meet

By Casey Russell and Suzan Filipek

Neighborhood meetings gathered locals in late No vember. Two took place in Windsor Village (Wilshire to Olympic; Crenshaw [west side] to Lucerne) because the annual “Town Hall” meeting of the Windsor Square Asso ciation (Wilshire to Beverly; Arden to Van Ness) was held at the historic Ebell Club. The third was for the Larchmont Village Neighborhood Associ ation, which covers the area north of Beverly Boulevard to Melrose Avenue, between Arden Boulevard and Wilton Place.

Windsor Village

The Windsor Village Associ ation (WVA) had its monthly meeting Nov. 20, just hours before the group hosted a movie at Harold Henry Park — one of the many events put on by the WVA to bring joy to the community while giving neighbors an opportunity to come together.

Top on the November monthly meeting’s agenda was the re-election of board members Heather Brel, Jeff Estow, Chris Urner, Barbara Pflaumer and Andrew Lo. Half of the members were up for re-election this year; the oth er half, including Julie Kim,

Ginger Tanner, Stephanie Shim, Marilyn Batchelor and Bruce Beiderwell, will be up for reelection in 2023.

The meeting, sparsely attended due to the Thanks giving holiday, touched on many matters the WVA champions, including park clean-ups (Harold Henry Park being a neighborhood centerpiece), movie nights, neighborhood pot lucks, an nual meetings with police and city council leaders, signage to distinguish the neighbor hood, and working to get speed bumps installed on Lu cerne Boulevard.

At the meeting, board president Barbara Pflaumer emphasized the need for the neighborhood to focus on emergency preparedness. In the past, the WVA has offered emergency preparedness training, and Pflaumer said this will be a big focus for the board in 2023.

Windsor Square

The Nov. 17 annual “Town Hall” meeting of the Wind sor Square Association (WSA) also featured a focus on emer gency preparedness. Crisanta Gonzalez, City of Los Ange les emergency management coordinator for the RYLAN (“Ready Your LA Neighbor hood”) program spoke, as

did LAPD Olympic Division commanding officer Captain Aaron Ponce.

Elected as members of the WSA board of directors for the coming year were June Bilgore, Jeryl Bowers, Brian Curran, Amy Forbes, Gary Gilbert, Jason Greenman, Larry Guzin, Steve Kazanji an, Angie Szentgyorgi, Steve Tator, Jane Usher and John Welborne.

The WSA annually pres ents its Squeaky Wheel Award for protecting or improving the quality of life in Windsor Square. This year’s award ee was Louis Fantasia (also a Chronicle columnist!) “for obtaining safety improve ments on and adjoining Sixth Street,” specifically in the stretch between Wilton Place and the Getty House on Irving Boulevard.

Larchmont Village

A few days before, on Nov 15, the Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association (LVNA) semi-annual meet ing took place. After crime, land use issues were among the chief concerns raised by residents. City and state ef forts to build more housing are jeopardizing single-family neighborhoods, according to LVNA members.

“Our entire community is at

risk,” said LVNA resident Sam Uretsky. “The north side of Beverly and Larchmont Bou levard North is all TOC.” The city’s Transit Oriented Com munities (TOC) law grants developers “bonuses,” things such as more density and greater height, for multi-fam ily residential projects within a half-mile (2,640 feet) of a “qualified major transit stop,” which can simply be a street intersection where two or more bus routes meet or cross and where passengers can transfer.

Uretsky asserted that the TOC law is “part of the state-mandated effort to de stroy, either deliberately, or not, single-family R-1 neigh borhoods.”

(Please turn to page 4)

WINDSOR SQUARE president Larry Guzin speaks at the asso iation s ann al own all meeting held in person at he bell on ovember esting on the podi m s low er shel is the ea heel ward and its ertif ate

EBELL LIVING ROOM was the setting or the ann al meeting o the indsor are sso iation

Small business owners may apply for a legacy grant

The Los Angeles Conser vancy has launched a Legacy Business Grant Program to support eligible small busi nesses that have operated and contributed to their commu nity’s history and/or identity for at least 20 years. Up to 10 longtime small businesses within Los Angeles

Meetings

(Continued from page 3)

Resident and architect Chris Shanley concurred, warning of current city and state pol icies to build at all costs. “We need to fight back, and hope fully we’ll get the attention of the new mayor, and devel

County will be awarded $5,000 grants, thanks to funding from Wells Fargo.

Application for the first round of funding for five grants closes Wed., Dec. 7. The second round opens on Wed., Feb. 8 and closes Wed., March 8. Visit laconservancy.org/ grant for more information.

opers will build where there is actual transportation and in commercial corridors and not in single-family neighbor hoods,” he said.

Crime, security and safe ty were high on the agenda. For a full report on the crime discussion, turn to Page 13 of this Section 2.

Get ready for n l

CicLAvia, Dec. 4

The last CicLAvia of 2022 will be closing streets in South Los Angeles on Sun., Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event gives participants the opportunity to bike, jog, skate, scooter or walk along Martin Luther King Boule vard, starting at Vermont Avenue, and then down Cen tral Avenue to 103rd Street. Both streets will be off-limits to motorized vehicles during the event.

There are multiple hubs along the route with free bike repair, water and CicLAvia swag. For more information visit ciclavia.org.

SOLD: The home at 206 N. Lucerne Blvd. in Windsor Square was sold for $3,303,000 in October 2022.

Real Estate Sales*

Single-family homes

616 N. Martel Ave. $4,752,000 542 N. Vista St. $4,750,000 206 N. Lucerne Blvd. $3,303,000 823 S. Hudson Ave. $3,025,000 102 S. Wilton Pl. $2,950,000 160 N. Poinsettia Pl. $2,915,000 683 S. McCadden Pl. $2,650,000 201 S. Larchmont Blvd. $2,626,937 226 N. Arden Blvd. $2,430,000 802 S. Genesee Ave. $2,275,000 542 N. McCadden Pl. $2,270,000 110 N. Gardner St. $2,200,000 329 N. Windsor Blvd. $2,000,000

Condominiums

4595 Wilshire Blvd., #303 $1,200,000 5019 Maplewood Ave., #103 $1,060,000 901 S. Gramercy Dr., #406 $930,000 860 S. Lucerne Blvd., #206 $900,000 4477 Wilshire Blvd., #112 $862,000 957 S. Wilton Pl., #5 $808,000 637 Wilcox Ave., #1F $740,000 901 S. Gramercy Dr., #204 $711,000 444 S. Gramercy Pl., #16 $612,000 532 N. Rossmore Ave., #213 $511,500 620 S. Gramercy Pl., #307 $400,000

*Sale prices for October 2022.

Brookside and the varied, winding paths to preservation

n Second in a series

Last month, we began a re port on the possible creation of additional historic districts in the Greater Wilshire area — [“Room to Grow?: Pre serving not-yet-designated historic districts”].

Let us begin our exploration of the undesignated historic districts of Greater Wilshire with a closer look at what Sur veyLA refers to as the Wilshire Crest - Mullen Park Residen tial Historic District, a place we know better as Brookside. Nestled between Olympic Boulevard to the south and the Park Mile section of Wilshire Boulevard to the north, and between both sides of High land Avenue to the west and both sides of Muirfield Road to the east, this district is signif icant not only for its historic architecture but its distinc tive landscape feature, El Rio del Jardin de las Flores, which sets it apart from other local undesignated historic neigh borhoods on our list.

Notable buildings

The neighborhood is home to a handful of important ar chitectural sites, including the famed Chateau Le Moine (the Monk’s Castle) at 846 S. Long wood Ave. by Earl LeMoine; the

Farmer’s Insurance Building, 4680 Wilshire Blvd. by Claude Beelman; 4922 W. Eighth St. by Ralph C. Flewelling; and other residences by prolif ic California architects John Byers and Edwin C. Thorne.

The district also is home to the famous Brookledge Theater, 929 S. Longwood Ave., the pre cursor to the Magic Castle.

Brookside also has the rem nant of one of Los Angeles’ great lost architectural en sembles, the Memorial Branch Library by John C. Austin (architect of the Griffith Ob servatory), with its adjoining Los Angeles High School Me morial Park to honor the high school’s students who served in World War 1. The library and park sit opposite the now lost Elizabethan palace building of Los Angeles High School.

Early history

Brookside traces its roots to the Rancho Las Cienegas and its illustrious owner, Don Francisco Jose Avila, whose

youngest daughter Francisca married a German immigrant, Theodore Rimpau. The Rim pau family, besides being instrumental in the develop ment of Anaheim and Orange County, also established the Rimpau Estate Company which — as the city of Los Angeles expanded — sold off portions of the Rancho Las Cienegas for development. In 1921, this included what be came Wilshire Crest, as it was situated on the highest eleva tion along Wilshire Boulevard. (An entire block at this highest point on Wilshire Boulevard was sold to the Roman Catho lic Archdiocese as the site for a

new cathedral. See the story in Section 1, Page 17.)

Wilshire Crest joined Wind sor Square and Fremont Place, and, later, Hancock Park, in developers’ rush to attract families migrating from West Adams and other rapidly com mercializing neighborhoods closer to Downtown. Wilshire Crest was subdivided into lots of varied sizes, with larg er more luxurious lots for two-story homes on the west, and smaller lots, generally built upon with one-story bun galows, on the east.

The brook

But Wilshire Crest had an amenity that its neighbors

could not offer, a brook, El Rio del Jardin de las Flores, itself a tributary of Ballo na Creek which originates in springs in the Hollywood Hills. According to the Wind sor Square - Hancock Park Historical Society, Wilshire Crest’s planners laid out Longwood Avenue so that the brook snaked from one side of the street to the other “pre serving some of the natural arroyos, barrancas and hills of the original tract — still there to this day.” At the time of the 1978 creation of the Wilshire Homeowners’ Alliance, Wilshire Crest was denom inated South Brookside in honor of its famous brook, soon to be shortened to Brookside, as the neighbor hood is known today.

2015 Survey LA

SurveyLA evaluated the area in 2015, awarding it the rather clunky name, the Wilshire Crest - Mullen Park Residential Historic District. Surveyors found that, out of 396 properties surveyed, 326 were considered contributors to the historic district. This official survey proved in a definitive way the historic sig nificance of the community.

While previous attempts (Please turn to page 7)

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Numbe r 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources de emed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, cond ition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements

BROOKSIDE is nestled between Olympic and Wilshire boule vards and both sides of Highland Avenue and Muirfield Road.

Smaller-scale plan moves forward for 410 N. Rossmore

By Suzan Filipek

Final design and color choices are being made for a more modest remodel than previously planned for the five-story apartment building at 410 N. Rossmore Ave.

The 1930s building, which was finished in the 1940s, had been poised for a seven-story addition. But the economic tide has shifted — changing with it the remodeling plans.

Instead of a major redo, “We are planning to preserve the historic charm with a subtle deco touch,” Greg Po

On Preservation

(Continued from page 6) had been made to create a Brookside Historic Preserva tion Overlay Zone (HPOZ) — I participated in one in 2009 — the survey plus the appearance of new McMansions, (also known as “BWB” — big white boxes) subsequently has gal vanized the community.

Brooksiders were not unan imous in their desire for an HPOZ in 2009. Some argued that the process was too long and expensive to be able to quickly address the tear-down issue. Others feared that the HPOZ would “historicize” Brookside and prevent such

tikyan, new asset manager for co-owner ESI Ventures, told us. Potikyan came on board after the shelving of the seven-story addition with sun decks and swimming pools.

Preliminary construction staging for the new design was expected to start late last month. Completion is expect ed in the third quarter of 2023.

While 15 tenants still live at the site, 41 previous ten ants accepted buy-out offers after Atlanta-based Domos Co-Living and ESI Ventures of Beverly Hills purchased the

innovative modern designs as Linda Pollari and Robert So mol’s Off Use House at 950 S. Highland Ave. and Dan Brunn Architecture’s Bridge House at 750 S. Longwood Ave. In October 2015, Councilman David Ryu of CD4 spearhead ed the passing of an Interim Control Ordinance (ICO) halt ing demolition for two years, while — after considerable debate — a new R-1 sub-zone for Brookside was established. This new zone, R1V3-RG, dic tates the size and lot coverage of new construction and re quires garages to be in the rear of the property.

While this recent fine-tun ing of the zoning does

property in January 2020.

Those offers were made in anticipation of the more am bitious remodel and addition, where the number of units was to increase from 78 to 87.

The rent-controlled building of studios and one-bedroom apartments was also to be morphed into a co-living de velopment. But those plans were also scrapped. “Con struction costs increased significantly during the last three years due to inflation, so the partners decided not to

maintain the scale of structures within the neigh borhood, it lacks the breadth of protection provided by HPOZs, as it does not pre vent demolition of historic properties nor provide de tailed design guidelines for new structures.

Future protection?

Nonetheless, the new zon ing and the enduring strength of the Brookside Homeowners Association have reinforced the fact that Brookside is an historic neighborhood to be handled with care. Case in point, the soon-to-be-under way successful evolution of the landmark Farmer’s Insur ance Building and its vacant

parking lots into housing completely consistent with the restrictions of the city’s Park Mile Specific Plan.

I will always retain a soft spot for Brookside, as it was where I owned my first home and participated in commu nity groups and advocacy, including one of the attempts to create an HPOZ.

And while I have every confidence in the residents’ ability to protect their neigh borhood, I am still convinced that Brookside requires some formal recognition of its his toric significance with some level of individual project re view, however meager. Too much has been lost or eroded

away in bad alterations that could have been prevent ed. Perhaps the listing of a Brookside Historic District on the National Register of His toric Places?

This designation has served well the Wilton Historic District further to the east — allowing the City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Re sources to weigh in on issues and provide guidance.

Brookside’s path to pres ervation has not been a conventional one, but I, for one, hope to see it one day take its proper place where it belongs among HPOZs and historic districts of Greater Wilshire.

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ARMY ENGINEERS revised the original grand design and com pleted the building in 1944 with only five stories in an effort to ease a housing crisis during World War II. The El Royale stands behind.

Big Sunday headquarters moves east on Melrose Avenue

By Suzan Filipek

After 13 years, Big Sunday — the local nonprofit that believes everyone can help someone — has moved a few miles east to Melrose Avenue at Heliotrope Drive.

It’s temporary until a per manent home can be found, Executive Director David Levinson wrote us in an email. Of the new headquarters, Levinson wrote it is in “a nice building that looks like the corner drug store in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ (if it were across the street from a tattoo parlor).”

The nonprofit’s former land lord of the one-story building at 6111 Melrose Ave. “has been nothing but nice and accommodating,” Levinson adds. The move was prompted after that building was slated to be replaced by a four-story mixed-use development.

Ironically, Big Sunday’s new home will also be razed. When that happens, in a year or more, “We’ll move to our permanent place. (But we’re not telling anyone where it is, because otherwise it might get torn down, too!)” Levinson quipped.

Regardless of where it is

based, the volunteer-powered organization isn’t missing a beat in organizing its more than 2,000 annual ways to help at schools, pet rescues, senior and transitional hous ing and other places.

The annual Holiday Singalong & Toy Drive is Sun., Dec. 11, and plans already are in the works for the MLK Day Clothing Drive & Community Breakfast in January.

Looking back

Packing has been a bit of a walk down memory lane for Levinson, who shared his thoughts in an email blast:

Wherever it goes, Levinson said, Big Sunday will contin ue to “try to see the best in everyone. And rest assured: That feeling, and that goal, will be true in whatever build ing we call home.”

Survivor tells of hope at 100th

By Nona Sue Friedman

It’s official. November 20 is Joe Alexander Day in the City of Los Angeles. Alexander is a Holocaust survivor who just turned 100. He is a bright and beloved speaker at Holocaust

Museum LA. At the recent celebration, the local resident received multiple certificates from city, county and state of fices honoring his service.

TEMPORARY NEW HOME for Big Sunday.

JOE ALEXANDER celebrates his 100th birthday. Photo by Alan Wolovitch

Beverly Hills Mayor Lili

Holocaust Museum LA’s Beth Kean joins state council

By Suzan Filipek

In spite of a rise in antisem itism, Holocaust Museum LA (HMLA) CEO Beth Kean is hopeful that positive change is coming.

“The timing couldn’t be better,” Kean said last month after being selected to join the governor-appointed Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education.

Launched last year, the Council is tasked with pro viding tools to recognize and respond to bigotry and discrimination on school campuses, including dis

turbing images such as swastikas and hateful re marks and slogans.

While Holocaust ed ucation is mandated in California schools, it lacks standards. Teach ers can choose from a 30-minute outline to weeklong instruction on the Holocaust, Kean ex plained. Kean hopes the outcome of the Council’s work will serve as a mod el for schools around the country. (Only 15 states have mandatory Holocaust education in schools.)

“The Holocaust is not a Jew ish story. It’s a human story,” Kean adds.

Bosse, a daughter of Holo caust survivors, presented Alexander with a certificate and told him, “You are a gift to all of us. You are our sunshine and our guardian angel.”

Alexander believes telling his story — including meeting Dr. Mengele (aka Dr. Death) three times — especially to middle and high school kids, is his most important mis sion. When asked how he stayed so positive during World War II, he responds, “I never lost hope because I always said today could be bad but tomorrow will be better.”

The local museum, HMLA, is about more than teaching about the horrors of Nazi Germany. “We’re about fight ing hate … to stand up to all forms of hate, and, … We need to learn from our mistakes.”

Recently named to the Council were Kean and eight other academics and advocates, including Joyce Newstat, former chair of the Jewish Family and Children’s Services Holocaust Center, and Kori Street, deputy ex ecutive director of the USC Shoah Foundation. They join Assemblymem

bers Adrin Nazarian, Jose Medina, James Ramos and Re becca Bauer-Kahan, and state Sens. Scott Wiener, Connie Leyva and Susan Rubio.

“I’m so excited. I’m eager to get started, and I’m eager to make a difference,” Kean said, adding that the governor has provided needed funding for this and similar programs.

The Newsom administra tion has funded more than $150 million to support an ti-hate programs and has designated another $115 mil lion for the State Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

“An attack on any of our communities is an attack against all Californians, and

our state will not stand by as the forces of hate instigate acts of violent extrem ism that put lives at risk,” Newsom said in an Oct. 31 release.

The Coun cil is co-chaired by state Sen. Henry Stern, At torney General Rob Bonta, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Anita Fried man, executive director of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Northern California.

“I applaud Governor Newsom for not just con demning antisemitism when it’s broadcast across our freeways and social media channels, but for re sponding with substantive lasting solutions and the funds to realize those solu tions,” said co-Chair Stern. “Whether you’re a Califor nian whose family suffered the death squads of El Sal vador, the killing fields of Cambodia or the gas cham bers of Auschwitz, students and teachers across our state share a common bond

of resilience in the face of trauma.”

HMLA Expansion

HMLA recently commemo rated its 60th anniversary by announcing expansion plans for its facility within Pan Pacific Park. (The muse um opened there in October 2010.)

The new Jona Goldrich Campus, designed by award-winning architect Hagy Belzberg, who designed the current museum, will al most double the existing site from 28,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet. Addition ally, it allows for doubling the 60,000 annual visitor capacity (pre-COVID).

While much of the existing museum is partially under ground with a sloping roof to blend into the park, the new adjacent site along The Grove Drive will be 100 percent abo veground with high ceilings and natural light.

The expansion also will display an authentic railroad boxcar that transported Jews and others to death camps. The boxcar came from near the Majdanek concentration camp in Poland.

HMLA construction is scheduled to begin next year and be completed at the end of 2024, Kean said.

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM LA CEO Beth Kean was named to the Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education.

By Suzan Filipek

“Fantastic weather, great homes and homeowners, enthusiastic attendees, new members, diligent docents, an abundant silent auction, good food, Douglas Fairbanks and, most importantly, pink pro secco.”

That’s how Richard Batt aglia, the president of the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society, de scribed the recent tour of century-old houses on one of Hancock Park’s premier streets, Rimpau Boulevard.

The homes on the Nov. 5 tour were designed by ear ly-20th-century architects Roland E. Coate and Gordon B. Kaufmann.

“We had a great time. The weather was certainly with us. I want to thank all of our volunteers too numerous to mention by name here,” Batt aglia continued.

In an email to members, he did thank the many partici pants at the Sunday afternoon event, from the homeowners who opened their doors to all the other volunteers who

helped make it a success. Five new members were added to the membership at the event.

As to Douglas Fairbanks, one of the hosts at the three homes on the tour is a silent film expert with a focus on the swashbuckling star, an ex pertise that is reflected in her home’s decor, Battaglia told us.

The annual event was a welcome sight to its 270+ attendees after a two-year hiatus because of the pan demic.

Next up is the WSHPHS’ annual Holiday Party, Sun., Dec. 11, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the wonderfully at mospheric Scottish pub and restaurant, The Tam O’Shanter. Visit windsor squarehancockpark.com

By Suzan Filipek

Florann “Fluff” McLean, an acknowledged “mover and a shaker for our area,” was remembered by friends and family after her recent pass ing.

“Life won t be the same without her! I know my family will sorely miss her,” McLean’s friend Laura Brad ley-Small told us. “It’s a big loss for us all.”

A longtime resident of Plymouth Boulevard in New Windsor Square, McLean and her late husband, San dy, seemed to be involved in every charitable and neigh borhood group around.

She was honored posthu mously at the annual Windsor Square-Hancock Park His torical Society (WSHPHS) home tour last month, having served as the Society homes tour chairman and as a past president.

She was a fixture in the neighborhood, WSHPHS President Richard Battaglia said of Fluff in a video the pair hosted on the history of Han cock Park.

“I’ve been president of al most everything I’ve ever joined,” Fluff said in the 2011 video.

Before the internet, she “would take groups of people interested in doing research on their own homes as well as select homes for the home tour to the lower depths of the hall of records in Down town Los Angeles and look through large old dusty books for names and dates for the home,” her niece Lynda Jutronich told us.

“Fluff was a force to be reckoned with. She was ca pable, confident, generous and quick-witted,” she con tinued. “Throughout her life, she excelled both in the arts — as a brilliant pianist and an amateur actress — and in business, working in finance for many years before devot

AMONG THE MEMBERS who volunteered as docents at the event were, left to right: Ivy Haskins, Geri Kimbrough, Cecile Keshishian and Joann Clark.

FLUFF MCLEAN

Debuts at Los Angeles Auto Show are electric-centric

By Steven Rosenthal

Apparently, if you’re an au tomotive giant like Toyota and exhibiting at the Los An geles Auto Show, you present concept cars and pretend you also have EVs.

Slow to adapt to the EV parade, Toyota exhibited EV concept models that may not be available for a year or two.

However, Toyota did debut the new Prius, which has been redesigned with a beautiful low-slung shape packed with more pep and pizzazz.

The annual L.A. Auto Show, famous for its debuts, even featured EV “Cars of the Year” from the once laughed-at Hyundai and Kia carmakers from South Korea. To catch up with its Asian rivals, Hon da has partnered with GM.

Fluff McLean

(Continued from page 10)

ing her time and skills to myr iad charitable and historical causes.”

Her skills were appreci ated also at the Assistance League of Los Angeles and its children’s theater (the Nine O Clock Players), at the Wilshire Rotary Club and its yearly holiday tree fundraiser, and by the Junior Philhar monic.

Honda is competing with EV believers Hyundai and sis ter Kia, which debuted their second-generation electrics.

Nissan added a hot-looking Arriya EV and silently reduced the prices of its bland Leaf EVs, which have been around

A native of Montana, Fluff, 85, was a collector, her friend Juanita Kempe told us. “Fluff liked to cook and had a huge collection of cookbooks.”

She was a collector of antiques and had many oneof-a-kind children’s tea sets, which will be donated to a lo cal museum, Jutronich added.

“Fluff was a lady, a leader, a lover of public service and of making things more beauti ful everywhere she went. She was brilliantly creative and ar

since 2011.

From the other side of the planet, Germany’s VW expanded its EV product line and exhibited several available electrics as well as a new EV minibus based on the now legendary VW bus

tistic,” added another friend, Lyn MacEwen Cohen.

During the holidays, she set up tours of Windsor Square neighbor Raul Rodriguez’s floats featured in the New Year’s parade.

She gave fundraisers for lo cal fire departments, and she hosted breakfasts in her yard when early Los Angeles Mara thon routes passed homes on Third Street.

She and her husband, whom she married in 1974 — the

es of the 1960s.

Surprisingly, Porsche, which makes one of the priciest and fastest EVs, the Taycan, debuted the gas pow ered Dakar, an off-roading 911, lifted slightly to avoid rocks in its path, while add

couple lived in the home he grew up in — hosted Christ mas parties wearing Sandy McLean’s Scottish family tar tan, and they played Mr. and Mrs. Claus at The Ebell of Los Angeles’ children s Christmas parties for many years.

Fluff also was a past pres ident of The Ebell of Los Angeles and was a 1993 Larchmont Chronicle Woman of Larchmont.

Her husband Sandy passed away almost one year before

ing a rally package sporting a “look-at-me” paint job so everyone will know that you are driving your $222,000 Porsche to your favorite offroad camping spot.

One American manufac

her own passing on Sept. 29.

“They were dear neighbors who contributed much to our community over the 40 years they lived here,” The Ebell wrote in an online memoriam on her.

A celebration of life for her and Sandy will be held in 2023. Friends and family may also visit their final resting place at Hollywood Forever. Fluff is survived by several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

PORSCHE 911 DAKAR is gas-powered and designed for off-roading (but with a $222,000 price tag).

1915 DETROIT ELECTRIC shown at the 2022 Auto Show is from a U.S. company that manufactured EVs continuously from 1906 to 1939.

listen to live music at libraries

FAIRFAX LIBRARY Adults

Adult literacy: Walk-in tutoring sessions are back! Come in to get questions an swered about English spelling, pronunciation and conversa tion. First come, first served Mondays from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

FREMONT LIBRARY Babies & Toddlers

Story time: Come to the li brary Wednesdays, Dec. 7 and 14, at 10:30 a.m. to hear sto ries and sing songs with your friends.

All ages

Holiday book sale: Get some incredible stocking stuffers at this blowout sale Fri., Dec. 2, and Sat., Dec. 3, from noon to 4 p.m.

MEMORIAL LIBRARY Kids

Story time in the park: Drop in to listen to stories and sing songs in Memorial Park

MAKE AN ADORABLE snowperson for the holidays at Wilshire library.

adjoining the library every Wednesday in December from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

Reading to the rescue: Children can read aloud to an adorable rescue dog on Wed., Dec. 14, from 4 to 5 p.m.

Kid’s craft: School’s out! Come to the library for a win

ter craft on Mon., Dec. 19, from 4 to 5 p.m.

Kids & Teens

Drop-in tutoring with Steve: Stop by Thursdays this month from 3 to 5 p.m. for one-on-one assistance with any subject or drop in to make a future appointment.

Adults

First Friday book club: Dis cuss “How to Be Eaten” by Maria Adelmann on Fri., Dec. 2, at 1 p.m.

Art class: Color or paint with peers every Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m.

All ages

Theremin: Ed Sussman will demonstrate the only instru ment that’s played without touching on Mon., Dec. 5, at 3:30 p.m.

Stargazing with sidewalk astronomers: View stars and

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. Limited hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 24 for Christmas Eve. Closed Mon., Dec. 26, for Christmas and Mon., Jan. 2, for New Year’s Day.

craters on the moon through a telescope Mon., Dec. 5, at 6 p.m., weather permitting.

WILSHIRE LIBRARY Babies, Kids & Teens Story telling and reading (STAR): Beloved STAR vol unteer Frances will be at the library to read to you or to be read to on Wednesdays

Auto show

(Continued from page 11)

turer, Dodge, now owned by Italian manufacturer Stellan tis, showed off a highly styled Dodge Charger. Derived from its 1978 Charger design suc cess, this new model sported smooth flowing sheet metal wrapped around race-compet itive EV power.

The Auto Show also had on display, courtesy of our local Petersen Automotive Muse um, a 1915 all-electric car from Detroit Electric, a U.S. company that manufactured EVs continuously from 1906 to 1939.

Many of today’s top U.S. manufacturers like Cadillac and Buick were no-shows. Coincidentally, they’re also late to the EV game. Some of Europe’s most prestigious vehicles from Audi and Mer

Dec. 3, 10 and 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kids & Teens

Make a sock snowperson: Add holiday cheer to your home by creating an adorable no sew, bean bag-like snowperson from white and colored socks Sat., Dec. 17, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

cedes were also missing. Other no-shows included In finiti, Acura, BMW and Tesla. EV charging companies like Electrify America, owned by VW, and EVGO in partnership with General Motors, present ed their latest quick-charge technologies.

According to these charging station companies, the latest innovations make it possible to add 65 miles to your trip in about five minutes.

Most offer 80 percent of maximum charge in 30 min utes. We also got a glimpse of the future with hydro gen-powered vehicles from Toyota and Hyundai.

The 2022 Auto Show was at the Convention Center from Nov. 18 to 27, and it was elec trifying to be sure, but it felt incomplete because popu lar vehicles from around the world remained at home.

KOONTZ

formerly “Larchmont Hardware”

Are you ready for the Holidays?

Koontz Hardware has all the lighting and decorations you need. We’ve got all kinds of LED holiday lighting in plug-in and batteryoperated styles of white, blue, green, red, and multicolor. Plus, check out our full line of ornaments and decorations, and don’t forget to pick up a Koontz Gift Card for the perfect present.

Happy Holidays to all our friends!

Crime, safety are top concerns at neighborhood meeting

By Suzan Filipek

Rising crime in the neigh borhood took center stage at the semi-annual meeting last month of the Larchmont Vil lage Neighborhood Association.

“Security and crime have been a major concern in the neighborhood as vandalism and crime have seemed to have an upsurge,” President Charles D’Atri said at the onset of the Nov. 15 Zoom meeting.

LAPD Olympic Division Se nior Lead Officer (SLO) Joe Pelayo reported that there was a series of residential bur glaries in the last six months, with no apprehensions.

“They’re still out there,” he cautioned. One of the suspects was a teen on a skateboard who robbed an elderly couple at gunpoint of their wedding rings and wallet while they were walking on Beverly Bou levard and Van Ness Avenue. “That guy is out in the world as well,” Pelayo said.

He cautioned the 30-plus in attendance, “If you’re going to walk to the Village at night, don’t walk alone. Walk where it’s well lit. If someone’s fol lowing you, don’t go home.”

He suggested heading to the LAPD Hollywood Station, 1358 Wilcox Ave.

“Numbers don’t lie,” added Senior Lead Officer Dave Cor

dova, who covers the Wilshire Division.

While crime was down the last few years, “The newest stats [show] crime is up 31 per cent,” which is about 20 crimes more than this time last year.

The increase is in robberies, while burglaries are down. A significant rise is in car break ins and personal theft.

In general, crime “is up citywide,” Cordova said, stressing for residents to be extra vigilant and aware of their surroundings. “We need to continue reporting crime, and lock your residence.”

Many incidents are crimes of opportunity. Suspects will sometimes knock on the front door, and if there’s no answer, they’ll go around to the back and break in.

The officers advised against keeping large sums of cash at home and to either put it in the bank or, if it’s in a safe, bolt the safe to the ground. “Some will just take the safe right out,” Cordova said.

On the upside, perhaps be cause of the recent change to daylight savings and the cold er weather, crime has been quieter lately.

Several residents remarked the beauty of the neighbor hood is its pedestrian-friendly streets and easy walk to Larch

mont Village.

One suggested if more peo ple were out and about and sitting on their porches, it would serve as a deterrent. Another asked if walking with a large dog added protection.

“A big dog can definitely be a deterrent… It will definite ly make someone think twice before approaching,” said the officers.

“We don’t want people to be in fear, but we are concerned. If you are going to walk, walk in groups,” Cordova said.

And, “Don’t just be on your cell phone, and don’t wear expensive jewelry,” added the SLO.

When asked about the large

incidence of catalytic con verter thefts, largely from Toyota Prius vehicles for their precious metals, Pelayo ex plained that a new law that restricts their sale in the state may help curb the problem.

Questions about firearms were also brought up.

“Everyone’s more brazen to pull them out. There are more ghost guns on the street,” said Cordova.

Officer Pelayo also said the division plans to be more proactive in discouraging prostitution on Western Av enue and darker side streets.

Local police plan to join ef forts with the LAPD West Bureau vice unit to add more

motorcycle officers, imple ment parking restrictions and change traffic patterns.

Terry Segraves of SSA Secu rity Group, a private security firm that hires former police officers, was invited to talk about its services, which pro vides three patrol cars in the Mid-Wilshire area: one each in Larchmont Village, Windsor Square and Hancock Park.

“The problem is that you live in an affluent community They know there’s going to be something in there they can use to sell… Some of them use this to buy their drugs, alcohol.

“Breaking into cars, that’s (Please turn to page 15)

Car accident ends with a handgun, bike stolen from balcony POLICE BEAT

OLYMPIC DIVISION

ROBBERIES: While a 26-year-old man was in his second story apartment on the 400 block of South Man hattan Place, on Nov. 1 at 9:30 p.m., he heard a noise coming from the balcony. He confronted a Hispanic male in his early 30s stand ing on the balcony trying to steal his bicycle. There was a physical altercation between the two men. The victim left to call the police. The sus pect managed to take the bicycle off the balcony, and was later seen riding the bicycle eastbound on Fourth Street.

Nov. 4 at 1 a.m., near Sev enth Street and Manhattan Place, while stopped at a traffic light, one of three sus

pects asked the victim to pull over, accusing the victim of colliding with the sus pects’ car. After the victim, a 37-year-old Black man, pulled over to the curb, one of the suspects told the vic tim to look at the rear of his vehicle. Once the victim got there, one of the two other suspects pointed a handgun at him and demanded his money. In addition to mon ey, the suspects stole his telephone, credit cards and items from the trunk of his car. The victim was ordered to turn around while the suspects took off in their car.

BURGLARIES: Some one smashed a glass door on the side of a home on the 900 block of South Bron son Avenue. After entering,

OLYMPIC DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Joseph Pelayo

213-793-0709 31762@lapd.lacity.org Twitter: @lapdolympic

the suspect ransacked the residence and left with jew elry and money on Nov. 14 between 9:15 and 11 a.m.

Two men climbed over a driveway gate to gain access to the backyard of a home on the 100 block of North Ridge wood Place on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. The suspects attempted to enter the residence but were unsuccessful.

GRAND THEFT PERSON:

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Dave Cordova

213-793-0650 31646@lapd.lacity.org Twitter: @lapdwilshire

A 25-year-old female was standing near Eighth Street and Manhattan Place when a Black male rode by on a scooter and took her phone out of her hands on Nov. 4 at 2:30 p.m.

GRAND THEFTS AUTO: A gray Honda Accord was sto len from the street near Fifth Street and Gramercy Place between 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 and 7:15 a.m. on Nov. 8. The 800 block of South Manhattan Place was where a gray Chevy Astro van was stolen at 7 a.m. on Nov. 8.

WILSHIRE DIVISION

BURGLARIES: The rear window of a home on the 200 block of South Rossmore Avenue was smashed on Nov. 7 at 8:15 p.m. The family was upstairs. The male suspect fled in a blue Toyota Corolla. Two male suspects broke the glass front door of Café Grat itude on Nov. 7 at 3 a.m. The suspects entered the restau rant, broke into a locked safe and fled with money.

A male suspect shattered the rear window of a home on the 100 block of North McCadden Place between Nov. 7 and 14. After entering, the suspect pulled two alarm systems out of the wall and fled the location without tak ing any property.

Black prescription eye glasses were removed from an apartment on the 600 block of North Rossmore Avenue on Nov. 9 between 8 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.

A suspect used a metal rod to break a window while a person was home on Nov. 7 on the 600 South block of Hudson Avenue. The suspect took a purse, ransacked the home and fled in an unknown direction.

BURGLARIES FROM VEHICLES: Credit cards and documents were taken from a black Land Rover between Nov. 8 at 8:30 p.m. and Nov. 9 at 8:30 a.m. on the 100 block of North Citrus Avenue.

A catalytic converter was stolen from a white Toyo ta Tundra on the 400 block of South Citrus Avenue. The incident occurred between 5 p.m. on Nov. 8 and 7:45 a.m. on Nov. 9.

The 400 block of North Mansfield Avenue was where another catalytic converter was stolen from a Toyota Pri us between 11 a.m. on Nov. 9 and 9 a.m. on Nov. 10.

A catalytic converter was stolen from a Toyota Prius parked on the street near the intersection of Rossmore Ave nue and Clinton Street. This occurred between 10 p.m. on Nov. 9 and 8:30 a.m on Nov. 10.

Yet another catalytic con verter was stolen from the 300 block of North Lucerne Boulevard between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 11.

GRAND THEFT AUTO: A grey Lexus R35 was stolen from the street at 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 10 on the 100 block of North Arden Boulevard.

toast to the New Year in this ‘once 10th’ month

Consider the number 10 — an even, natural number, elegant in its simplicity, nes tled neatly between nine and 11. Ten is the first double-dig it number you’ll encounter when counting upward from zero. It is the exact number of fingers and toes humans can hope to possess (20 in total, to be clear), the amount of cents in a dime and the basis for the metric system. It’s the atomic number of neon in the periodic table of the elements,

the only numeral card that counts as much as the face cards in blackjack, and argu ably the most efficient way to get from Santa Monica to Downtown (depending on the time of day).

The number 10 also has much to do with the month now upon us — December.

From the Latin decem , or “ten,” joined with mensris , meaning “month,” the nam ing of December originates with the 10-month Roman

Burglars caught in the act

By John Welborne

Thanksgiving, 2022: Family members returning to their Windsor Square home about 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day heard noises in their house and called authorities. Offi cers arrived as three burglars, who previously had knocked on the front door and then entered the house through the rear, were running out of a side yard carrying a safe that they had removed from the

410 N. Rossmore

(Continued from page 7)

pursue the co-living model,” Potikyan said.

Instead, the remaining tenants will be relocated to topfloor units while work begins below on plumbing, electrical and other upgrades, as well as painting and new flooring and appliances, Potikyan said.

When the rehab work is complete on their former apartments, the 15 tenants will return to those units.

Five other residents who live on the site through a monthto-month lease agreement with the nonprofit Oasis orga nization will move out by Dec. 4. They were asked to leave in October, but they requested more time, which the owners

home’s basement with crow bars.

Two suspects escaped on foot, but one was apprehend ed, along with a cell phone dropped on the ground and the burglars’ white Tes la. Authorities believe these suspects may be part of the burglary ring operating in the neighborhood in recent weeks. More information, including video, is at: tinyurl. com/42766f8a.

granted, said Potikyan.

The five tenants were ex pected to be relocated to Alexandria House, a transi tional center for women and children in the neighborhood.

Among the tenants still in residence is David Weidman. He refused the $120,000 buyout bid and the $150,000 before that. “In this day and age, that would not get me very far, after I pay taxes and insurance,” said the retired pastry chef. He pays $997 a month for his unit.

Word

Café

by Mara Fisher

calendar in which each year began in March and end ed in what was at that time the 10th month, December. This same ancient system of organizing days supplies the names for November (from the Latin word for “nine”), October (from the word octo , meaning “eight”) and September (after the Latin word for “seven”). August,

LVNA crime

(Continued from page 13) the biggest crime problem in the United States. These are [largely] left unlocked, stuff they can see from the outside, so they’ll go in, and

which was originally called “Sextilis” in keeping with this same naming conven tion, was renamed in 8 B.C. to honor the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus (who, perhaps confusingly, was also known as “Octavi an”). The months January and February were added to the Roman calendar around 700 B.C., at first following December, and were later moved to the beginning of the year preceding March.

The number 10 influenced several other ancient Ro man conventions. It was the governing arithmetic in a particularly barbaric form of capital punishment: the pen

these people are quicker than the catalytic converter thieves…

“Our guys will do random patrol and pick up on things, just like we did when we were on the job,” Segraves con cluded.

alty for cowardice or mutiny was the killing of one-tenth of soldiers, or one-tenth of the able-bodied men in a vil lage, the latter of which was intended to cause a labor shortage that could end in mass starvation. This meth od of retribution was called decimare, or “the removal or destruction of one-tenth,” from which we obtain the word “decimate.” The Roman numeral system itself is a dec imal system based in powers of 10, or “X” — a character comprised of two mirrored glyphs of the Roman numeral 5 or “V,” a contour which itself is based on the shape found in the negative space between our thumb and forefinger.

So as we revel in this month that we once called our 10th, take a day off from your de cathlon training, decimate any treats you see fit, toast to a new year (though not yet a new decade) and party like it’s 1999 — B.C.

Housekeeper available