LC Section One 04 2023

100 days

n Nearly 4,000 housed

By Suzan Filipek

Mayor Karen Bass gave an overview of the progress and challenges of battling homelessness at a discussion at City Hall on March 15 in her offices.

Joined by her team, she told a group of reporters, “We want to do a deep dive to let you know all that is being done… I’m very proud of the team we’ve assembled, not just to show for 100 days, but to solve this problem.”

The mayor said that approximately 4,000 formerly unhoused people would be sheltered by her 100th day, March 21. She was confident she is on target to shelter a total of 17,000 homeless people in her first year.

Much of what the mayor told the group echoed what she had told the Larchmont Chronicle in a conversation we had with her shortly after her election and move into the mayoral residence at Get-

Traffic slows on Rossmore after striping

n Increased speeds led to new lane striping

By Helene Seifer

In February, without warning, residents of Rossmore Avenue found their street painted with new traffic mitigation lines, including dashed stripes indicating spaces for driveway access.

“The new traffic lines on Rossmore were added as a design feature to reduce speeding, which is a major concern of mine and many residents in the community,”

Chronicle

Electrical outages spark meeting on problems’ solutions

n Residents ‘deserve a resilient... power grid’

By Casey Russell

Major storms in January and February left many residents in Windsor Square and Hancock Park without power for multiple days. Those affected dealt not only with the extended outages but also with confusing messaging as to when power would be restored.

Boys and girls leagues celebrate with pancakes

By Jim Kalin

Hancock Homes Realty (HHR) hosted a pancake breakfast on Sunday morning, March 12, to celebrate Larchmont Charter School’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.

“It gave me an excuse to finally buy a griddle,” said HHR chief executive officer John Duerler, whose sons Liam and Jackson played basketball for Larchmont this season.

In attendance were all five

teams — two boys,’ grades five and six; girls’ grades five and six; girls’ grades seven and eight; and boys’ grades seven and eight. Both boys’ and girls’ grades seven and eight teams won their league titles.

The breakfast took place in the parking lot of the Hancock Homes Realty offices at 501 N. Larchmont Blvd. and was attended by players, siblings, parents, coaches, teachers and pets.

Banding together to try to get answers and to put pressure on Dept. of Water and Power (DWP) and city officials to ensure the recent experiences aren’t repeated, residents organized a Zoom meeting on March 6.

The meeting was attended by Council District 5’s Katy Yaroslavsky and members of her team, Council District

Top players to play for $3 million purse

By Suzan Filipek

The world’s top female golfers soon will descend upon the historic course at Wilshire Country Club (WCC) for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament.

They will be competing for a

$3 million purse at the tournament, being held Thurs., April 27, through Sun., April 30.

“We’re looking forward. We’re very excited and ecstatic,” said John Shipka, chair of the WCC LPGA Committee.

“The [sponsors] have stepped

up” to double the size of the purse — the largest for an LPGA event outside of the majors.

The 72-hole tournament will feature 144 women golfers “from all over the world.

Editorial

By John Welborne

Refresh and be positive

The vernal equinox this year was during the afternoon of Monday, March 20. It was the first day of spring . . . the start of a new season.

While there is much to be concerned about in the world around us, as well as much on which to comment locally, it occasionally is beneficial just to reflect upon the circle of life . . . and what spring brings.

What better way to do that than to visit the many beautiful gardens in Southern California? Whether filled with native plants or imports of lush, botanical specimens, gardens bring us delight and optimism.

And the recent rains have made local gardens even more colorful.

On that note, I would like to compliment the longtime local newspaper of record, the Los Angeles Times, for its Sunday, March 26, 2023, list of garden tours coming up in April and May.

With the hope, as I write this, that the following link will continue to be available to our readers (and without a paywall), I commend to you the taking of one or more of the following garden tours as a means to refresh and keep positive as the days go by: tinyurl.com/5828vt59

You

Calendar

Sat., April 1 — April Fools’ day.

Wed., April 5 — First night of Passover.

Sun., April 9 — Easter.

Tues., April 11 — Mid City West Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. See midcitywest.org for details.

Wed., April 12 — Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. See greaterwilshire.org for details.

Sun., April 16 — Orthodox Easter.

Mon., April 17 — Yom

‘Do you have any favorite stories from camp or do you have plans for camp this year?’

That’s the question inquiring photographer Casey Russell asked locals.

HaShoah begins at sundown. Thurs., April 27 — Delivery of the May issue of the Larchmont Chronicle

Letters to the Editor

Cookbook clientele

I look forward to the opening of Cookbook in the former Chan Dara space [“Cookbook heats up its move-in date, plans,” March 2023], but am concerned that its customers will abuse the parking spaces in front of the Larchmont Animal Clinic next door. Enough tension prevails when we bring our furry friends to the vet, but to be unable to park in their designated spaces in front will only make our trips all the more fraught.  I hope that the proprietors of Cookbook will respect their neighbors and make arrangements accordingly.

Toby Horn Windsor Square

Home demo on Citrus

I enjoyed reading the Larchmont Chronicle this morning. I particularly enjoyed the article on my neighborhood [Brian Curran’s On Preservation March 2023 column,

Larchmont Chronicle

Founded

“Citrus Square: paradise planned next to Hancock Park”], and the focus on the drama with that house on Citrus and Oakwood.

M. Scott Hancock Park Adjacent

Drama about Citrus

I am a longtime reader of the Larchmont Chronicle , and I appreciate your coverage of issues affecting the local community, including the debate between those who want to preserve the original character of a neighborhood and those who want to build bigger homes. However, your article on this topic in the March issue contained a subtle yet unmistakable current of intolerance.

The family, who angered many of their neighbors by tearing down a charming Tudor-style home, are Orthodox Jews. There’s certainly a conversation to be had about how an influx of Orthodox families affects longstanding residents, and expressing concern about changes to the neighborhood is not antisemitic. However, adding the word “ultra” to “Orthodox” makes them seem like extremists, rather than simply Americans who follow the traditional tenets of their faith. I suspect they don’t characterize themselves that way.

Sadly, there has been an increase in antisemitic attacks in Los Angeles, including the recent shooting of two Orthodox Jews leaving a synagogue. Was it necessary to include the names of the couple involved (including both of their first names, which identify them as Orthodox), as well as their address and photographs of their home? It

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Include your name, contact information and where you live. We reserve the right to edit for space and grammar.

“I was a Boy Scout for about eight years and went to camp at Circle X Ranch. During roll call every morning, some of the favorite camp counselors with awesome names like Rooster, Elf and Frito Lay would do a quick scavenger hunt game. Winners would get to have breakfast with the counselor. I got to do it a few times!”

Jesus Uriostegui and Arlo Windsor Square

“Julien is going to Camp Manu. He did a day camp last year, and this year he’ll do a whole week camping. Manu teaches kids survival skills, compass skills — she’s wonderful with children.”

Julien and Min Pirone St. Andrew’s Square

“We’re thinking of having Luna do the camp at the Los Angeles Zoo.”

“It would be my first time and we have to bring a backpack!”

Tiease Lee, Luna Rose and Ren Rose Miracle Mile North

Festivities, fundraising and honorees begin to fill calendars

Due to yet another rainy weekend in Los Angeles, the outdoor Civic Leadership Forum (CLF) brunch that the Junior League of Los Angeles (JLLA) hosted was moved indoors at the last minute, but that didn’t dim the spirits or significance of the occasion: to highlight and exchange information about the current foster care system and the issue of youth “aging out.” BOA Steakhouse on Sunset Boulevard was the location for March 11.

Attendees socialized and enjoyed a buffet of Caesar salad, smoked maple bacon, egg casserole, creme de French toast, muffins and cookies while sipping virgin Bloody Marys and orange spritzes. Guests then listened to a poetry recitation from CLF Foster Youth Poetry Contest winner

SECTION ONE

Around the Town with Sondi Toll Sepenuk

Breanna Lamountain-Raya, then a keynote address from Angelica Nwandu, founder of The Shade Room, an Instagram-based media empire celebrating Black culture and entertainment. Past JLLA President Anika Jackson moderated a panel featuring foster and youth advocates, including State Assembly Member Isaac Bryan and Franco Vega, founder and CEO of The RightWay Foundation. The JLLA’s inaugural Civic Engagement Award was presented to CASA of Los Angeles and accepted by Charity Chandler-Cole, its CEO, followed by a closing

performance by hip-hop artist Michael “Mikol” Jelks. All of the speakers had once been a part of the foster care system when young, and they shared personal stories of pain and uncertainty within the system, but then told of having been inspired by an advocate, mentor or friend who stepped forward to help. JLLA President Joy C. Williams emphasized the importance of this event, saying “JLLA’s mission is to develop the potential of women to take action and be a catalyst for community change. CLF is important and significant for the Junior League of Los Angeles because it empowers and provides attendees with tools to become advocates of change in their communities.”

• • •

The famous California sun finally made a glorious appearance on March 18, when hundreds of people showed

up to walk and run in support of the Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research 10K Walk in Westlake Village. More than 75 of those walkers were friends supporting Abby’s Majestic Oaks, the walking team

of Larchmont Village resident Abby Maxam, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in November 2022. Usually not diagnosed until late stages, the purpose of the walk was to raise critical funds and awareness needed to trans-

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JOY C. WILLIAMS, current JLLA president, welcomes attendees to the brunch and forum.

PAST JLLA PRESIDENT

Anika Jackson (right) moderates panel with The RightWay Foundation’s Franco Vega (left) and State AssemblyMember Isaac Bryan (center).

Around the Town

(Continued from page 3) form pancreatic cancer into a curable disease. The Lustgarten Foundation is the nation’s largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research, with 100 percent going to research. Decked out in a purple wig and tutu, Abby and her friends and family raised more than $67,000 for the walk.

“My doctors said that 50 percent of beating this is the medication,” said Abby, “but the other 50 percent is having this community of incredibly supportive and loving and positive people, which is this whole group here.”

After the event, the exercisers ventured over to a hosted brunch at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, where they cooled their leg muscles and enjoyed scrambled eggs, fruit, pastries, muffins, coffee and juice. Proud to pound the pavement were Larchmont area locals Abby, Noel and Mason Maxam, Julie Hoegee, Kori Bernards, Pete Sepenuk, Matt and Ashley Kline, Natalya Hudis, Greg Roth, Howard Franklin, Guy Franklin and Anne Litt.

What do Josh Groban, Corbin Bleu, Phoebe Bridgers, HAIM, Jenna Elfman, Taran Killam, Zoey Deutch, Robert Vargas and Kehinde Wiley have in common? They all graduated from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), the No. 1 arts high school in America five years running. On March 18, the historic Avalon Hollywood

was the place to be for the sixth annual Future Artists Gala, where guests eagerly strolled through the landmark’s doors donning their shiny, sparkly best. Awaiting them inside was a hosted bar, passed canapés and plenty of goodwill. The evening’s host and LACHSA alum, Corbin Bleu (“High School Musical” and Broadway’s “Kiss Me Kate”), kicked off the eve-

ning by showcasing the free, audition-only high school’s five academies: Cinematic Arts, Visual Arts, Dance, Theatre and Music. Windsor Square’s own Josh Groban received the LACHSA Luminary Award, while Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Channing Dungey

was honored with the LACHSA Arts Advocate Award. Jimmy Kimmel Live! writer and live auction host Tony Barbieri (a former Larchmont Charter School parent) served up a hilarious dish of “making giving so funny you don’t realize you’re emptying your wallet,” followed by a rousing live performance of the hit song “The Walker” by LACHSA alum Michael Fitzpatrick, of Fitz and the Tantrums, that brought the entire crowd to its feet. The live and silent auctions raised more than $500,000 to go toward funding the free

(Please turn to page 6)

ATTENDEES ENJOY BRUNCH before the JLLA Civic Leadership Forum. From left to right: Kendra Muecke, Quinn Fischman, Sommerly Simser, Krista Griffin and Giselle Fischman.

LACHSA ALUM Michael Fitzpatrick of Fitz and the Tantrums performs live with students from LACHSA’s music, theater and dance departments.

LIVE AUCTION HOST Tony Barbieri (center), with wife Daryl (left) and Pete Sepenuk, cheer on the live performances at the Future Artists Gala.

KORI BERNARDS and Ashley Kline enjoy brunch after the Lustgarten 10K Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk.

ABBY MAXAM and daughter Mason celebrate a strong finish after the Lustgarten 10K Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk.

FRIENDS of Abby Maxam celebrate walking and fundraising at the finish line.

Around the Town

(Continued from page 4) public arts school. The party was nowhere near finished, though, as the crowd ascended the stairs for the after-party at Bardot, the Avalon’s speakeasy-esque Art Deco lounge. Spotted in the crowd of supporters were locals Elizabeth Dennehy and James Lancaster, Meg Gallagher, Lisa Picotte and David Kaufman, as well as celebrity guests Halle Berry and Diane Keaton.

More than 300 supporters of Big Sunday, one of the country’s top organizations for connecting people to volunteer opportunities, showed up in force for the eighth annual Big Sunday Gala March 23 at Candela on La Brea Avenue. The much needed in-person return to (sorta) normal soiree was a jubilant way to kick off the organization’s plans for the upcoming year and to celebrate their volunteers, contributors and 43 sponsors.

The event honored Marc Canter of Canter’s Deli, Live Nation and Elizabeth Higgins Clark (actress, writer, advocate) and Emmy-winning writer and producer Lauren Pomerantz. Marc Canter and Canter’s Deli have been longtime supporters of Big Sunday, hosting Big Sunday’s celebrity rich Bingo n’ Bagels, and catering countless Big Sunday events, including Thanksgiving and the MLK Day clothing drive. Elizabeth Higgins Clark and Lauren Pomerantz stepped up during the COVID-19

shutdown with the Foot the Bill Fund, helping struggling Americans pay their bills to stay afloat. Live Nation was honored for more than a decade of support and for their generous Big Sunday auction donations to top name con-

certs such as Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney and Beyoncé. Thousands of dollars were raised by live auctioneer and comedian Gary Cannon, while Founder and Executive Director David Levinson entertained the crowd with

personal stories and inspiration, saying that “everyone needs to be at the table, and if there’s not enough room, we get a bigger table.” Founded in 1999 with 300 volunteers,

the organization now boasts 20 states, Australia, the U.K., and 1.75 million volunteer man-hours.

And now you’re in the Larchmont know!

El Cholo founders honored during centennial year

By Suzan Filipek

El Cholo’s beginnings may have been humble, but the restaurant’s 100th year is worthy of its long and colorful history serving authentic Mexican cuisine. Among the commemorating events so far was the unveiling of a street intersection named after its founders.

Family members joined celebrities and city officials at the intersection of Western Avenue and 11th Street on March 30, where new street corner signs read, “Alejandro and Rosa Borquez Square, the Founders of El Cholo in Los Angeles in 1923.”

The Borquezes’ grandson, Ron Salisbury, 90, owner of

the El Cholo chain of restaurants, was scheduled to be joined by his son, Brendon Salisbury, CFO of the restau-

rant company.

Also expected at the unveiling was longtime El Cholo patron and singer Michelle Phillips, founding member of The Mamas and The Papas, City Councilwoman Heather Hutt and City Dept. of Transportation officials.

El Cholo, which is part of Salisbury’s company, Restaurant Business Inc., is credited as the third-oldest continuously-operating Mexican restaurant in the United States.

Its success is rooted in the traditional recipes originated by Rosa Borquez, who, with her husband, Alejandro, opened the first El Cholo (then called the Sonora Café after the couple’s home state in Mexico) in 1923 near the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (which opened the same year).

In 1926, after the Borquezes’ daughter Aurelia met her future husband, George Salisbury, his mother mortgaged her home to help the couple open at the Western Avenue site in 1927.

From its start, with one counter, eight stools and three booths, Hollywood stars and locals dined on enchiladas and freshly made tortillas.

In 1931, Aurelia and George moved El Cholo to the other side of Western, where the original El Cholo stands today.

A 100th Anniversary Red Carpet Gala will take place there in October.

Meanwhile, the Centennial Celebration continues. Make a $100 charitable donation and receive a VIP Nachos Card for free nachos through 2023. It’s part of a $1 million fundraising effort by El Cholo benefitting pediatric cancer research at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Visit elcholo. com for ways to help.

And while you’re there, check out the new menu.

Items featured include one newly added for 2023 (mole

chicken enchilada) as well as a 1923 original: green corn tamales.

skin deep

by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald

Q: What do you recommend for the sagging that’s going on around my mouth and jaw?

A: I hope you know how thrilled we are whenever we can offer innovative options that achieve the kind of results made for before and after photos. The Ellacor System is firmly in that category.

Ellacor relies on neither surgery nor thermal energy to remove excess skin. Yet it does actually remove excess skin. Here’s how this state-of the-art technology works: hollow needles remove micro circles of skin which immediately close to tighten the area addressed with no potential for scarring.

The ouch factor and downtime are less than one would imagine for these results. Depending on your level of treatment, you can opt for topical or injected anesthetic to maintain your comfort. Patients are averaging three days to a week of downtime form social activities, and most elect for three treatments about 30 days apart.

Contact our office for a consultation and let’s welcome back your beautiful cheeks, mouth area, and jawline.

Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald is a Board Certified Dermatologist located in Larchmont Village with a special focus on anti-aging technology. She is a member of the Botox Cosmetic National Education Faculty and is an international Training Physician for Dermik, the makers of the injectable Sculptra. She is also among a select group of physicians chosen to teach proper injection techniques for Radiesse, the volumizing filler, around the world. Dr. Fitzgerald is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA. Visit online at www.RebeccaFitzgeraldMD. com or call (323) 464-8046 to schedule an appointment.

ROSA AND ALEJANDRO BORQUEZ opened The Sonora Cafe (near Memorial Coliseum), and the restaurant soon became El Cholo.

MARC CANTER accepts his award for his contributions to Big Sunday events for more than a decade.

HANCOCK PARK resident Leslie Maisel and friend Linda Perlman show their support for Big Sunday.

BIG SUNDAY SUPPORTERS gathered at Candela on La Brea Avenue.

Two Neighborhood Council elections are Sunday, April 30

n 2023 vote is in person and by mail for Mid City West and GWNC

By Suzan Filipek

Two hyperlocal elections are being held this month for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) and the Mid City West Neighborhood Council (MCWNC) — advisory groups that discuss and opine about issues at City Hall, from development to homelessness.

Both councils are holding in-person elections Sun., April 30. The GWNC’s will take place at The Barking Lot, 336 N. Larchmont Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stakeholders in Mid City West can vote at Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Vote-by-mail ballot requests for both areas close Tues., April 11. Information about

that is at tinyurl.com/5n7hevr4.

Besides local residents, stakeholders include employees and property owners plus individuals who are a member of, or participate in, a community organization (such as a local business, school or religious or other nonprofit organization) within the boundaries of the neighborhood council.

Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council

In Greater Wilshire, 39 candidates are on the ballot vying for one of 21 seats to serve as Directors of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) for the following two years.

Among categories, 15 are for geographic areas; others are renters, business, education, religious, other nonprofit and at-large. (Also, 21 alternates will be elected; they are usual-

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

www.windsorsquare.org

157 N. Larchmont Boulevard

Three Great Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill

No matter how much rain falls on Southern California, or how deep is the snow pack in the Sierra, it’s a fact that we live in an arid climate and must always be mindful of water usage. But what’s good for California can be good for your wallet, as well. Below are three useful tips:

One

We all know that running sprinklers during rainy periods is wasteful. But it’s sometimes hard to anticipate weather patterns — and easy to assume that someone else (your gardener, maybe) will adjust sprinkler timers accordingly. Here’s an easy solution: Install a Weather Based Irrigation Controller (WBIC). These “smart” devices will irrigate according to the needs of the landscape, automatically reducing times or skipping cycles during cool, rainy or windy periods, and increasing times or cycles as needed for warmer seasons. These WBICs potentially can save you more than 10,000 gallons of water a year, and hundreds of dollars on your water bill during the device’s lifetime. WBICs start at about $150, and they can be eligible for an $80 rebate from the LADWP. To learn more, go to: bit.ly/3ySyviN.

Two

Did you know that the sewer service charge you receive in every water bill is based solely on how much water you use in the winter? That rate is applied all year round, so if you reduce water usage during cooler months (defined by the LADWP as October through March), you will reap the benefits during summer as well. To learn more about how the Winter Water Use rates work, go to: bit.ly/39sbrvf.

Three

The best way to save substantially on your water bill is to install a sub-meter, which will divide your water use into separate household and landscape charges. The sewer service charge does not apply to water used just for landscape needs. Sub-meters require professional installation and can cost several hundred dollars, but they will pay for themselves relatively quickly. By some estimates, the sub-meter can save as much as $100 per bill. To learn more, go to www.ladwp.com and search in the Residential section for “Sewer Sub-Meter.”

Let’s be smart and keep our Windsor Square neighborhood — and our wallets — in the green.

Don’t forget to vote on or prior to April 30, 2023 in the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board of directors’ election. You must register if you want to receive a mailed ballot or to vote in person at The Barking Lot, 336 N. Larchmont Blvd. between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. Further information about voting is at greaterwilshire.org/2023-elections.

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. ADV.

ly those who come in second.)

The bylaws of the GWNC provide that people who document their eligibility to vote in specific categories must vote in person at the polling place on election day. At that time, voters must bring their driver’s licenses (or other photo ID showing birthday and address). If you also are voting for one of the special interest board seats in addition to the geographic area where you live, work or own property, you also must bring evidence of your participation in that special interest con-

stituency. Therefore, as has been the case since the founding of the local neighborhood council in 2001 and the official certification of GWNC in 2003, an individual voter who lives, works or owns property within GWNC may cast up to two votes. As noted, vote-by mail also is available this year.

Detailed information about 2023’s GWNC election is at greaterwilshire. org/2023-elections.

Information about the certified candidates for the GWNC seats is at tinyurl.com/824npp2j.

Mid City West Neighborhood Council

In Mid City West, 41 candidates are running for 13 seats.

There are seven zone representatives, and there are seats for youth, homeowners, renters, business, nonprofit organizations and members at large.

Meet the candidates for Mid City West at tinyurl.com/ mua29fum.

The list of certified candidates for MCWNC (in Region 5 of 12 regions) as well as for other councils can be found at tinyurl.com/y2xajrn4.

Candidates for April 30, 2023 Elections

Mid City West Neighborhood Council

Zones (1 seat each):

Zone 1

Hunter Burgarella

Zone 2

Sam Roseme

Zone 3

Amy Goldenberg

Zone 4

J. Keith Van Straaten

Zone 5

Tedd Cittadine

Zone 6

B ob Shore

Zone 7

Brent Kidwell

Thao Tran

Special Interest Categories:

Youth Representative (1 seat)

Clark Raustiala

Homeowners (3 seats)

Shem Bitterman

Valerie Jaffee Washburn

Don Whitehead

Renters (5 seats)

Lauren Borchard

R amiro Castro, Jr.

Lynda La Rose

Ava Marinelli

Xcevio Zuluaga

Business (6 seats)

Craig Brill

Sara Griebe

Frank La

Henry Mantel

Terence Mylonas

Danielle RodriguezDonovan

Nick Starr

Nonprofit Organizations (6 seats)

Cindy Bitterman

Chris Dower

David Mann

Elizabeth Margaret Mason

Christina Mondy

Matthew Peskay

Julian Stern

Members At Large (8 seats)

Shelby Blecker

Aimee Garcia

Ellie D. Goralnick

Dre Guttag

Andrew L. Herman

B enjamin Kram

Christian La Mont

Charles A. Lindenblatt

Michael Schneider

Sandra Sims

Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council

Geographic Areas:

1 — Brookside

O wen Smith

2 — Citrus Square

Jeffry Carpenter

3 — C ountry Club Heights

Selene Betancourt

4 — Fremont Place

Mark McQueen

5 —Hancock Park

David Trainer

Jennifer Devore

6 — L a Brea-Hancock

Sixto J. Sicilia

7 — L archmont Village

Charles D’atri

Vincent Cox

8 — Melrose

Neighborhood

Craig Au

Jesseca Harvey

Jason Wood

9 — OakwoodMaplewood- St. Andrews Square

Tess Paige

Alex Nava

10 — Ridgewood-Wilton/

St. Andrews Square

Patricia (Patti) Carroll

11 — Sycamore Square

Conrad Starr

12 — Western-Wilton

(“We-Wil”

Neighborhood)

(None)

13 — Wilshire Park

John Gresham

14 — Windsor Square

David Meister

Gary Gilbert

15 Windsor Village

Bianca Sparks Rojas

Claire Ortiz

Julie Kim

Special Interest Categories:

At-Large

Lucy Pinkwater

Cindy Chvatal-Keane

Diran Yanikian

Business

Michael Knowles

Romi Cortier

John Winther

Education

Scott Appel

Other Nonprofit

Mark Alpers

Brian Curran

Religious

B enjamin Rosenberg

Suzana Kim

John Halbert

Renters

Lourdes Gomez

Tommy Atlee

Annah Rose Verderame

MJ Anderson

John Marchesini

Opportunities on the horizon with Metro expansion

Last month, I received great news — Mayor Bass announced my appointment to the Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors. This is a big deal for the Fifth District. For those of you who aren’t familiar, LA Metro is made up of 13 voting members, and only four of those members — which includes Mayor Bass — represent the city of Los Angeles. We have a lot of work ahead of us, including making the transit system safer, improving wait times and continuing our work to greatly expand our rail and bus network. But I want to specifically talk about the opportunities we have as they directly relate to Greater Wilshire, Mid City and surrounding communities.

Metro is currently in the process of extending the Metro D (Purple) Line along Wilshire all the way to the VA in West LA, connecting job centers like UCLA and Century City to Downtown LA. There will be five new stops, the first of which will be Wilshire / La Brea. Although there now will be three stops serving the communities between Western and Fairfax avenues (on Wilshire Boulevard at Western, La Brea and Fairfax), this presents a small challenge

Preparing for the next storm

CD 5 Council Report by

Katy Young Yaroslavsky

for those closest to Larchmont Boulevard, given its distance from both the existing Wilshire / Western station and the new La Brea station, but it’s also an opportunity.

The success of our new rail lines will not just be measured in distance or number

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After neighborhoods across our community dealt with countless power outages caused by the recent storms, we saw firsthand how our city’s infrastructure is unprepared to deal with the increasing effects of climate change and other potential disasters, like earthquakes.

Folks were left in the dark — both literally and figuratively — enduring extended power outages without accurate information about when their power would be restored.

We received multiple messages from elderly constituents and folks on ventilators who didn’t know whether to make arrangements for other

CD 13 Council Report by

Hugo Soto-Martinez

accommodations because of the extended outages. At minimum, outages are a major inconvenience for residents. But for some, it can literally be a life or death situation.

Decades of disinvestment in our critical infrastructure, continuing to today, have led us here. We must realign our priorities as a city to focus on the real needs of our com-

Brookside safety and construction discussed

By John Welborne

LAPD Senior Lead Officer

Hebel Rodriguez spoke about community safety at the Brookside Homeowners Association meeting on March 8 at Memorial Library. Attendees said they were happy to be back gathering in person.

Representatives from local security firms also attended, as did three representatives of Brookside property owner, CIM Group.

(Please turn to page 27)

munities.

As a start, we seconded a motion from councilmembers Yaroslavsky and Raman for the Dept. of Water an Power (DWP) to report back on:

The causes of power outages by area, responses to them and recommendations for better systems for the future; Whether staffing levels and operations are able to respond urgently to outages and emergencies; and

How we can improve data collection, outage notifications and public communication.

But that won’t be enough. After the storms, I joined Councilmember Yaroslovsky and DWP representatives to discuss the city’s lackluster response at a Virtual Town Hall.

While I appreciate DWP showing up and letting folks ask questions, their answers, in my opinion, lacked empathy and accountability. I felt they failed to truly acknowledge the broadly felt frustration in the community.

Our office, City Council, DWP and the city of Los Angeles can all do better to respond to what our neighbors need in times of crisis. We are committed to leading that work in District 13 and across the city.

DOZEN BROOKSIDE TOWNHOUSES to start construction on Eighth Street. Rendering courtesy of C2 Collaborative

Frontline returns to Ebell on April 27

By Casey Russell

Stories From the Frontline, a storytelling platform working to raise awareness and elevate voices of lived homelessness, is holding an event at The Ebell of Los Angeles Thurs., April 27.

Featuring Molly Smith Metzler, creator of “Maid,” a Netflix miniseries inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir, the event is sponsored by Imagine LA, Corporation for Support-

ive Housing, the John and Marilyn Wells Family Foundation and The Ebell of Los Angeles.

Locals Marilyn Wells and Allison Schallert brought the team at Stories From the Frontline together. The group highlights perseverant, formerly homeless people with strong wills to survive, and its programs strive to understand and find solutions to homelessness in our area.

Casino games, hookah lounge at local fundraiser

By Nona Sue Friedman

Play your hand at blackjack or poker or roll the ball for roulette at Casino Night at the House of Lebanon’s (HOL) fundraiser on April 22 at 6:30 p.m. HOL has been doing this fundraiser for over 10 years, but this is the first time it will be held in the group’s newly remodeled headquarters at 4800 Wilshire Blvd.

The evening proves to be

festive, past attendees report. There will be casino games, delicious Middle Eastern finger food and a DJ with dancing. And this year, for the first time, organizers are setting up a hookah lounge outside! Attendees also will be entered into a raffle.

The price for this evening of entertaining and supporting HOL is $150; $125 if under age 30. RSVP at tinyurl.com/ mr49jjs8.

Dr. Lauren Estrada joins Larchmont Pediatrics

Dr. Lauren Estrada recently joined the practice at Larchmont Pediatrics, 321 N. Larchmont Blvd., Ste. 1020. The doctor, who completed her pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, has been practicing privately in general pediatrics in the Los Angeles area.

Dr. Estrada finds joy in working with children and is constantly inspired by their strength and resilience, according to Dr. Neville Anderson, who founded the well-respected Larchmont practice in 2014.

To learn more about the office, visit larchmontpediatric. com.

Doors at The Ebell will open at 6:30 p.m. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. Member tickets are $10; tickets for the public, $15. Student tickets are free. For more information, visit storiesfrontline.org.

YomHaShoah: remembering survivors April 16

Honor survivors and remember those who perished in the Holocaust at YomHaShoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, Sun., April 16, at 2 p.m. at Holocaust Museum LA, 100 The Grove Dr.

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and uprisings at Sobibor and Treblinka death camps.

Attendees in the April 16 event will include Jeffrey Abrams, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, and Consul General of Israel, Dr. Hillel Newman. A musical composition by the late Holocaust survivor Herbert Zipper will be performed by musicians from The Colburn School. RSVP at HMLA.org.

‘Discover’ Debussy at The Ebell Theatre April 4

The Ebell of Los Angeles is among venues participating in “Discovering Debussy,” a citywide celebration of Claude Debussy.

“Impressions of Pelléas,” an abbreviated version of Debussy’s opera “Pelléas and Mélisande,” will be performed in a salon setting on the stage at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Tues., April 4.

LA Opera Music Director James Conlon will give a pre-performance talk at 6:30 p.m. and pick up the baton for the performance at 7:30 p.m. Artists from LA Opera’s Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program and the Colburn School will perform. Learn more at ebellofla.org.

The citywide event honoring the French composer — considered the founder of Impressionist music and one of the most influential composers of the 20th century — is through April 16. It features intimate conversations and performances hosted by several cultural destinations, in addition to The Ebell, including the Colburn School, The Hammer Museum, LA

New Village Girls Academy gala and fundraiser is April 23

New Village Girls Academy will hold its annual fundraiser, Sun., April 23, at the Japanese American National Museum, to celebrate the strength and fortitude of the students who attend.

“Because we’re small, we’re able to do a lot of individualized learning and focus on the whole child, as far as mental health services. We give [the girls] safe spaces to deal with daily life challenges, while also getting a

Letters

(Continued from page 2) is at best irresponsible, at worst malicious, to include so much information identifying this family with young children in an article that portrays them with a distinctly negative slant.

The Larchmont Chronicle serves a diverse community, and sometimes neighbors are at odds with each other. But in the future, I hope you’ll display more sensitivity reporting on issues that involve the Orthodox Jewish community.

Nina Litvak Hancock Park

[This article did not identify the couple that demolished the historic home, Mr. and Mrs. Gradon, by their religion, only by their names. —Ed.]

great education,” said school spokesperson Coco Kornspan.

Funds raised for the ninthto-12th grade school will support the girls’ activities, wellness and mental health.

The celebration will include museum tours from 4 to 5 p.m., cocktails from 5 to 6 p.m. and dinner and programs from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

To purchase tickets or to donate to the school, visit: newvillagegirlsacademy.org.

Opera, Norton Simon Museum and The Opera League of Los Angeles.

For a complete schedule of related events, visit colburnschool.edu/discovering-debussy/

“Discovering Debussy” is directed and curated by Conlon in time for LA Opera’s full productions of Debussy’s only opera, “Pelléas et Mélisande,” in five acts, continuing to April 16 at The Music Center.

Ebell spotlights

Chronicle founder

Jane Gilman

Larchmont Chronicle founder Jane Gilman was honored at the Ebell of Los Angeles’ Member Spotlight on March 8.

Interviewed by Ebell member Laura Foti Cohen, Gilman spoke about her experience starting the long-lived community newspaper in 1963. The now 90-year-old credited the longevity of the enterprise to the loyalty of local businesses and the fact that the paper serves a local news need that wasn’t being met.

*Please visit www.greaterwilshire.org for updates on the transition from Zoom to in-person

Board of Directors

Second Wednesday each month, 6:30 p.m.

Land Use Committee

Fourth Tuesday each month 6:30 p.m.

Outreach Committee

Third Tuesday each month, 6:30 p.m.

Transportation Committee

It’s Election Season!

Vote by mail or inperson voting (your choice)! For info, visit: greaterwilshire.org/election

Election Day: April 30th

Third Thursday of odd-numbered months, 6:30p.m. (NEW DAY & TIME)

Environmental & Sustainability Committee

First Tuesday of even -numbered months, 6:30 p.m. (NEW TIME)

Qualit y of Life Committee

Fourth Wednesday of the 2nd month of each quarter, 5:00 p.m.

Resilience Committee

First Monday of each month, 6:30 p.m.

DR. LAUREN ESTRADA

MUSIC DIRECTOR James Conlon. Photo by Dan Steinberg for LA Opera

TO OUR DOCTORS Thank you

PIH Health extends its deepest gratitude to our outstanding physicians. Every day, these dedicated professionals provide our patients with expert, consistent, comprehensive, focused and compassionate care. Thank you, doctors, for your dedication to keeping our communities healthy!

PIH Health Downey Hospital

PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital

PIH Health Whittier Hospital

PIH Health Physicians

Mayor

(Continued from page 1) ty House in Windsor Square.

In that interview, featured in the February issue of the Chronicle, she said that when President Biden had recently announced he wanted to alleviate homelessness nationally by 25 percent in two years,

she didn’t hesitate to tell him:

“Just come to Los Angeles; if you come here, you can actually reach your national goal.” It was a statement she repeated at the press roundtable last month.

Early on in her term, she declared a state of emergency to release funding and cut red tape to help battle the crisis

of 42,000 people living on the streets of Los Angeles. Since then, of the 4,000 newly housed, about 1,000 Angelenos have been moved into motels as part of her Inside Safe program. It’s an expensive option, Bass acknowledged, but a necessary one while more permanent solutions are sought.

“We are in a disaster. This is an emergency… saving lives is costly,” explained the mayor’s chief of housing and homeless solutions, Mercedes Marquez.

One motel in Council District 5 was just that — very costly — so Bass’ team is looking at an alternate; a former nursing home in the area. The team hopes to work out a deal soon.

Inside Safe

So far, Inside Safe has targeted 13 locations, including at Sixth Street and Fairfax Avenue where about 40 people were moved from the sidewalk in February.

The remaining people sheltered so far are benefitting from programs initiated before Bass’ tenure and that recently have been seeing fruition, largely funded through Proposition HHH, the $1.2-billion bond passed by voters in 2016.

“Fortunately, I am the lucky recipient able to do all of the ribbon cuttings,” Bass said.

Of the 4,000 scheduled for housing within the mayor’s first 100 days, the actual total released from the mayor’s office on March 22 was 3,873.

Inside Safe has housed 945 people. There are 1,336 in interim housing, such as tiny home facilities, of which 36 people entered under Bass’ tenure. Emergency vouchers went to 883 people, of which 143 vouchers are credited to Bass’ team, and she extended a lease at the L.A. Grand Hotel Downtown to house 235.

Another 615 permanent housing units were financed through Prop HHH, while Bass helped secure some of the 94 vouchers provided to veterans.

Bass’ overall “locking arms” strategy includes city, county, state and federal governments joining forces and looking for acres of public land across the city and purchasing or leasing buildings, especially in gentrified areas, so residents can stay in their homes and neighborhoods — in hopes of preventing homelessness in the first place.

Tenant protection from eviction is in place, but many people do not know about it, said Bass.

To rehouse people in sidewalk encampments, several days of outreach before the move-out day and providing wraparound services are key to the program’s success. Then, once a street dweller moves off the sidewalk and out of a tent, “a connection to permanent housing is vital,” said Va Lecia Adams, executive

director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and former CEO of the St. Joseph Center.

Homelessness czar Marquez said Inside Safe helps bridge the connection between street and permanent housing, a transitional step that had been lacking. So far, every city councilmember has asked for Inside Safe to visit his or her geographic area.

The mayor’s team expects progress to move exponentially going forward. “We’re further along in three months, because we’re learning how to scale,” Adams added.

City Council allocated Bass $50 million for the homeless effort. So far $4.4 million has been spent, and $27 million is obligated, leaving $19 million. Bass told us she expects another $200 million from the state and federal governments.

Take back parks

All Angelenos are encouraged to get on board this effort to house people, from landlords, who will be subsidized and encouraged to accept vouchers, to neighbors helping people move into local hotels and other sites with welcome packs of soap and sheets.

“I think it’s a way for all Angelenos to get involved,” Bass said. “Everybody’s got to get skin in the game.”

Once an encampment is cleared and cleaned up, nearby residents need to take back public spaces with activities and sports events. If just one tent shows up, residents need to call the city before a whole community has sprouted on the property, Bass said.

When asked about homeless on the subway, Bass said she is looking into a real estate strategy to provide interim housing and get homeless people out of the public transit system, including working with police and sheriff departments. “We need more services there.”

To her surprise, she told us, there have been no arrests or mental health issues during the initial Inside Safe program. And, regardless of what street dwellers say beforehand, everyone has accepted the offers and moved indoors.

LACHSA concert at The Ebell April 12 Students from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) will perform their Junior Year Recital at The Ebell of Los Angeles, 743 S. Lucerne Blvd., on Wed., April 12 at 7 p.m. Free.

Traffic

(Continued from page 1) explains Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, who represents Council District 5, where the striping occurred. “In Los Angeles last year, we had 312 individuals who died from traffic violence. These design features make our streets safer for pedestrians and for other drivers by discouraging dangerous behavior that puts our lives at risk.”

Kim Huffman Cary, a 25year Rossmore resident, has observed that the city seems to install traffic safety measures after a fatality occurs and wonders if that was the genesis of the lane striping. “There was a terrible accident recently,” she remembers. “A car chipped trash cans, chipped cars, all the way down Rossmore. A passenger was killed.”

She is referring to a fatal onecar accident that occurred on Rossmore late on Oct. 27, 2022. KTLA5 News reported that a car had “sideswiped multiple parked vehicles, then ran into a tree” near the Wilshire Country Club

property south of Beverly Boulevard in the 200 block of North Rossmore. A passenger was ejected from the vehicle, and the driver was killed.

The accident occurred north of where the striping begins at Beverly, but apparently cars parked all along Rossmore regularly get sideswiped or have their side-view mirrors damaged.

“Our visitors had their mirrors knocked off. One of our cars was creamed out there one night,” according to Ben Whitwell of South Rossmore.

Whitwell has noticed an improvement since the stripes arrived, noting, “Fewer people are pretending it’s a two-lane [each way] street. It feels like it would be safer to park.”

Huffman Cary has also noticed a change in traffic. “The lines have been effective at slowing traffic,” which she especially appreciates given that, in her estimation, people had been driving more erratically since the pandemic closures. Huffman Cary still worries about turning left across traffic into her driveway, however, since cars had swerved around her and hit

her side mirror in the past, and she doesn’t see how the new lines help with that. She would have liked to see a middle turn lane added.

Marlborough School is facing a different traffic challenge. “We love the idea of making things safer,” states Matt Riddle, director of facilities and capital planning at the school. “But we noticed the first morning after the striping was put in that it’s actually worse for us.”

Riddle explains that the wider center lines with traffic-slowing bulges take space away from their school bus

parking zones, making it especially dangerous as cars zip by even closer to the buses than before. “Our bus drivers had trouble getting out of their buses,” Riddle states.

Marlborough invited members of the city’s Dept. of Transportation to observe the problem, and the DOT officials suggested a solution. Soon the striping will return to its previous configuration in front of the school, but bollards will be strategically placed to define traffic versus bus areas. “We are really pleased with their suggestion,” states Riddle.

“We’re hoping it’s a win-win.”

Cindy Chvatal-Keane, president of the Hancock Park Homeowners Association and chair of the Transportation Committee of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, reiterates that the lane striping is meant to slow traffic. “We saw an increase in accidents due to speed,” she explains, noting the too-common danger of a speeding car hitting something and flipping over.

“Any kind of slowing was the mission,” Chvatal-Keane asserts. “The good news is the city is paying attention.”

DASHED STRIPES were added on Rossmore Avenue recently to help reduce speeding.

Helping Hands Needed for Local Elderly Couple

Any “stay-at-home” Mom or person with free time on their hands — social visits to a local elderly couple would be greatly appreciated!

We would like the opportunity to get acquainted and develop a good relationship to build on.

Monthly compensation is open for discussion, along with details of position. Please email your resume along with recommendations to fricisiegler@gmail.com.

Got Game invites kids to create their own camp experience

By Casey Russell

les since 2004.

He designed the program with myriad activities so that all kids can find something that sparks their interest. With an

eye to this, campers can personally customize their own days.

Chaperoned by an experienced coaching crew, kids can choose from traditional sports, science and art projects, games, robotics, dance, photography, theater, water play and more. Optional field trips are also offered.

Sessions close to home will take place at Hancock Park and Third Street elementary schools from Mon., June 12 through Fri.,

Aug. 11. Melrose Elementary will host during the week of Aug. 7.

Got Game is open to kids ages 4 to 14, and camp hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with extended care available for a fee. Prices range from $285 to $335 per week, and sibling discounts are available. Registration is open now with early bird discounts until May 8.

For more information or to register, visit gotgamecamp. com.

CAMPERS playing at Got Game.

LARCHMONT CHARTER

By Yena Rhee and Alastair Ayandele 4th Grade

We won’t be in school very much during April, but when we are, April will be a very interesting month!

There are two field trips coming up: 2nd graders will visit the California Science Center on Mon., April 24, and 4th graders will visit Selma, our 5th through 8th grade campus, on Wed., April 26. We also have an upcoming spirit day called “Crazy Hair Day” for the whole school on Fri., April 28. That sounds very exciting to some… but dreadful to others.

Ms. Sabina, our art teacher, informed us that we will be making art that shows our appreciation for Earth Day. For example, 2nd graders are working on printmaking and will be using natural dyes and objects for eco-friendly art.

In Music with Mr. Malcolm, we will celebrate Greek Easter and Armenian Easter, which we’ve never done before! Both cultures have different ways of celebrating, and it’s usually fun to learn new things.

Hopefully you enjoy your spring break, and if you’re back in school, we hope it’s pleasant!

CAMPBELL HALL

By

Claire

“Cal” Lesher 10th Grade

The smell of spring is in the air and spring break is just around the corner!  But, before vacation begins, we’ve been busy helping the community.

Annually, CH sponsors the MEND (Meet Each Need with Dignity) food drive, and our school community provides an abundance of non-perishable food for it. We also had a blood drive benefiting the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center. There was an enormous response.

We recently celebrated our outstanding faculty and staff with an appreciation lunch. There was a variety of delicious food and flowers and we got to show our gratitude for all the hard work they do for our students and school.

The 22nd annual Gospel Choir show featured several special guests. And, the high school production “Into the Woods” was incredible.

Our girls’ and boys’ high school sports teams are in full swing. The high school varsity girls’ soccer team defeated Hueneme 2-1 in the CIF Division 5 Wild Card game. The high school girls’ basketball team has made it to the CIF State playoffs semifinals! The high school boys’ baseball, golf and tennis teams are doing well, too. Go teams!

With the slogan, “We speak kid,” Got Game camp has been a presence in Los Ange-

Korey Kalman, or Coach K as he is known to campers, owns and operates the camp.

Horse lovers can trot to camps at the Equestrian Center

By Casey Russell

This spring and summer, kids who love horses can embrace their inner hippophile at horse camp! The Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank is home to multiple camps for families to choose from.

Traditional Equitation School (TES) offers horse-centered fun to kids ages 6 through 12. Experienced equestrians teach campers how to groom, feed and care for the equines.

Two to three hours a day are spent with the horses, and kids ride daily. Camp-provided helmets and riding boots are available.

Campers get to do such activities as horse-themed crafts, scavenger hunts, arena playtime, water games and horse beauty pageants. An air-conditioned classroom is available for breaks and for movie and pizza days.

The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $685 per week. Before and after care

are available. Register online at ridetes.com.

Enterprise Farms is another great option for campers ages 6 and up. It is located at the Paddock Riding Club at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Riders of all skill levels are welcome, and camp-provided riding boots and helmets are available.

Kids ride daily and learn grooming and horsemanship through such things as tack-

AYS spring concert to serenade listeners April 23

The American Youth Symphony’s (AYS) spring concert will be performed Sun., April 23, at 4 p.m. at UCLA’s Royce Hall. This year’s concert marks 58 years of AYS, an orchestra comprised of 100 competitively selected musicians from around the world. The youth symphony strives

to prepare young, talented musicians for “leadership in 21st-century orchestras and ensembles,” according to the AYS website. Repertoire on the 23rd will include works by Samuel Barber, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Richard Strauss. To reserve your pay-whatyou-can tickets, visit tinyurl. com/3ss5wa9w.

Dr. Seuss’ Sam-I-Am

STUDENTS at Christ the King School prepare green eggs as part of their celebration of Dr. Seuss Day on March 2. The book “Green Eggs and Ham,” in which Sam-I-Am offers the curious dish, was first published in 1960.

ing and grooming the horses they ride, watching ferriers and veterinarians and bathing horses.

Summer sessions begin the week of June 5 and continue through the week of Sept. 11. Starting May 1, applications will be accepted, with early bird discounts through May 15. Camps are $750 per week with stand-alone days being offered at $200 per day. Visit enterprisefarms.com

PAMPERED horse gets ready for the day.

DAILY RIDE at horse camp.

With so many camps nearby, your child

Summer is coming and it’s a great time for kids to go to camp! That can mean sleep away for a week or a month, put them on a bus or drop them off for a day filled with fun activities.

Camps are a great opportunity for kids to be outdoors with other kids. Kids can play baseball, ride horses, craft, sing and dance, surf and garden or learn a new skill, such as photography or ceramics.

The following list of camps comprises day camps in the Los Angeles area and overnight camps a bit farther out of town. Check each website for more information.

If you have a favorite camp that we’ve missed, please contact circulation@larchmontchronicle.com.

Overnight camps

Aloha Beach Camp Hawaii

68-729 Farrington Hwy. Waialua, HI 96791 818-919-0833

alohabeachcamphawaii.com

Boy Scouts of America

2333 Scout Way, 90026 213-413-4400

greaterlascouting.org

Catalina Island Camps

707 W. Woodbury Rd., #F Altadena, 91001 626-296-4040 catalinaislandcamps.com

Camp Hollywoodland

3200 Canyon Dr., 90068

323-467-7193 laparks.org/camp/camp-hollywoodland

Camp JCA Shalom Institute 8955 Gold Creek Rd. Lakeview Terrace, 91342 818-889-5500 campjcashalom.com

Camp Ramah 385 Fairview Rd., Ojai, 93023 310-476-8571 ramah.org

Camp Tawonga 31201 Mather Rd. Goveland, 95321 415-543-2267 tawonga.org

Canyon Creek

41600 Lake Hughes Rd. Lake Hughes, 93532 661-724-9184 canyoncreeksummercamp. com

Girls Scouts Lakota Camp 11220 Dorothy Lane Frazier Park, 93225 213-213-0123 girlscoutsla.org

Gold Arrow Camp P.O. Box 155 Lakeshore, 93634 800-554-2267 goldarrowcamp.com

Griffith Park Boys Camp

4730 Crystal Springs Dr. 90027

323-664-0571 laparks.org/camp/griffithpark-boys-camp

Guided Discoveries

302 North El Camino Real San Clemente, 92672 800-645-1423

guideddiscoveries.org

Habonim Dror Camp Gilboa

38200 Bluff Lake Rd. Big Bear Lake, 92315 323-653-6772 campgilboa.org

Idyllwild Arts

52500 Temecula Rd., #38 Idyllwild, 92549 951-659-2171 idyllwildarts.org

Monarch Camps

Catalina Island & Sequoia 5792 Ethel Ave. 818-304-3016 ext. 4 monarchcamps.com

Pali Adventures

330778 Hwy 18 Running Springs, CA 92382 909-867-5743 paliadventures.com

River Way Ranch Camp

6450 Elwood Rd. Sanger, 93657 559-787-2551 riverwayranchcamp.com

School of Creative and Performing Arts

Occidental College

1600 Campus Rd., 90041 800-718-2787 socapa.org/locations/la-camps

Skylake Yosemite 37976 Road 222 Wishon, 93669 559-642-3720 skylake.com

Wilshire Blvd. Camps Hess Kramer and Gindling Hilltop

3663 Wilshire Blvd. 213-835-2196 wbtcamps.org

YMCA Summer Camps

Marcil and Camp Whittle P.O. Box 70 Fawnskin, 92333 909-866-3000 ymcala.org/camps/ sleep-away-camp

Day camps

General camps

Aloha Beach Camp

30100 Pacific Coast Hwy. Malibu, 90265 818-932-4600 alohabeachcamp.com

Camp Keystone

2854 Triunfo Canyon Rd. Agoura Hills, 91301 818-717-7290 campkeystone.com

JCamp at Westside Jewish Community Center 5870 W. Olympic Blvd., 90036 323-938-2531 jcampwestside.org

Monarch Camps

Los Angeles Valley College

5800 Fulton Ave., 91401 Los Angeles City College 855 N. Vermont St., 90029 818-304-3016 ext. 4 monarchcamps.com

Pan Pacific Day Camp 7600 Beverly Blvd., 90036 323-939-8874 laparks.org/reccenter/ pan-pacific Silver Lake Camps 4607 Prospect Ave., 90027 323-445-3790 silverlakecamps.com

Silver Lake Recreation Center Day Camp 1850 W. Silver Lake Dr. 90026 323-644-3946 laparks.org/reccenter/ silver-lake

Summerkids 3697 Fair Oaks Ave. Altadena, 91001 626-577-9979  summerkids.net

Tom Sawyer Camps 707 W. Woodbury Rd., #F Altadena, 91001 626-794-1156 tomsawyercamps.com

Tumbleweed Day Camp 1024 Hanley Ave., 90049 310-472-7474 tumbleweedcamp.com

UCLA Recreation 2131 John R. Wooden Center 90095 310-206-4000 recreation.ucla.edu/summer-camps-2023

Art camps

Atwater Photo Camp 3015 Glendale Blvd., 90039 310-463-6277 atwaterphotoworkshops.com

Bitter Root Pottery 7451 Beverly Blvd., 90036 323-938-5511 bitterrootpoettery.com

Children’s Art Institute 1407 Sylvan St. Van Nuys, 91411 818-780-6226 ccsteaches.org/cai

School of Creative and Performing Arts

Occidental College 1600 Campus Rd., 90041 800-718-2787 socapa.org/locations/la-camps

RAZ Sumer Camp 1046 S. Roberston Blvd. 90035 424-303-7868 razland.com

Wizard of Art 1947 Hillhurst Ave., 90027

323-661-0341 thewizardofart.com

Dance camps

Colburn School 200 S. Grand Ave., 90012 213-621-2200 colburnschool.edu

Level Up Dance Academy 5873 W 3rd St., 90036 213-953-7784 levelupdanacela.com

Marat Daukayev

School of Ballet 3435 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 200, 90010 323-965-0333 maratdaukayev.com

School of Creative and Performing Arts

Occidental College 1600 Campus Rd., 90041 800-718-2787

socapa.org/locations/la-camps

Sophie Dance 5867 W. 3rd. St., 90036 323-395-3050 sophiedance.com

Drama camps

Children’s Civic Light Opera CSULA Bldg. 20 2955 S. Robertson Blvd. 90034 310-600-4620 cclotheatrecompany.com

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

Summer Arts Conservatory CSULA Bldg. 20 5151 State University Dr. 90032 818-957-1619

summerartsconservatory.com

School of Creative and Performing Arts

Occidental College 1600 Campus Rd., 90041 800-718-2787

socapa.org/locations/la-camps

Shakespeare Youth Festival Kenneth Hahn Park 4100 S. La Cienega Blvd. 90056 323-334-0370

shakespeareyouthfestival.com

Theatre 360 Performing Arts Camp 2623 E. Foothill Blvd., #104 Pasadena, 91107 626-577-5922

theatre360.org

Youth Academy of Dramatic Arts

Los Angeles 8115 W. Third St., 90048 Studio City 12745 Ventura Blvd., 91604 323-655-9232

yada.org/summer-camp-2023

Garden camps

Huntington Explorers Camp 1151 Oxford Rd.

(Continued from page 1)

can do or try anything this summer!

San Marino, 91108 626-405-2104 huntington.org/explorers-left message

Los Angeles Zoo Camps

5333 Zoo Dr., 90027 323-644-4200 lazoo.org/plan-your-visit/ camps-and-classes/zoo-camp

Museum camps

Arboretum Nature Camp

301 N. Baldwin Ave., 91007 626-821-3222 aboretum.org

Natural History Museum

900 Exposition Blvd., 90007 213-763-3466 nhmlac.org/adventures-nature

Los Angeles County

Museum of Art

5905 Wilshire Blvd., 90036 323-857-6512 lacma.org/education/art-camp

Music camps

Burbank Music Academy

Rock-n-Roll Camp

4107 W. Burbank Blvd. Burbank, 91505 818-845-7625 burbankmusicacademy.com

Colburn School

200 S. Grand Ave., 90012 213-621-2200 colburnschool.edu

School of Rock

7801 Beverly Blvd., 90036 323-999-1919 schoolofrock.com

Los Angeles College of Music

Summer Xperience

300 S. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, 91105 626-568-8850 lacm.edu

Los Angeles Opera Camp 135 N. Grand Ave., 90012 213-972-8001 laopera.org/community/get-onstage/opera-camp/

School of Creative and Performing Arts

Occidental College

1600 Campus Rd., 90041 800-718-2787 socapa.org/locations/la-camps

School camps

Buckley School

3900 Stansbury Ave. Sherman Oaks, 91423 818-783-1610 buckley.org

Cal State LA 5151 State University Dr. 90032 323-343-3000 calstatela.edu

Camp TIOH 7300 Hollywood Blvd., 90046

323-876-8330 ext. 4000 briskinelementary.org/ community/camp-tio

Center for Early Education 563 N. Alfred St., 90048 323-651-0707 centerforearlyeducation.org

Camp Wildfolk Wildfolk WeHo

Larchmont Charter School 1265 N. Fairfax Ave., 90046 Wildfolk Valley Adat Ari El 12020 Burbank Blvd. Valley Village, 91607 818-299-4151 campwildfolk.com

Campbell Hall Sports Camp 4533 Laurel Canyon Blvd. Studio City, 91607 818-505-2415 campbellhall.org

Camp Patriot @ Pilgrim 540 S. Commonwealth Ave. 90020 213-400-8885 camppatriot.weebly.com

Center for Early Education

563 N. Alfred St., 90048 323-651-0707 centerforearlyeducation.org/ school-life/summer-at-the-center

Children’s Arts Institute

CCS Campus 14702 Sylvan St., Van Nuys, 91411 818-780-6226

ccsteaches.org/cai

Got Game Sports Third Street Elementary 201 S. June St., 90004

Hancock Park Elementary 408 S. Fairfax Ave., 90036 310-975-8524

gotgamecamp.com

Harvard Westlake Middle School 700 N. Faring Rd., 90077 310-274-7281

Upper School

3700 Coldwater Canyon Studio City, 91604 818-980-6692

hw.com/summerprograms

International School of Los Angeles - Ecole du Soleil 2714 St. George St., 90027 323-665-4526

internationalschool.la

Immaculate Heart 5515 Franklin Ave., 90028 323-461-3651

immaculateheart.org

Iverbe Day and Sports Camp

The Willows 8509 Higuera St. Culver City, 90232 310-779-1952 iverbe.com

Loyola High School 1901 Venice Blvd., 90006 213-381-5121

loyolahs.edu/academic/ summer-session

Marlborough Sports Camp 250 S. Rossmore Ave., 90004 323-964-8401

marlboroughsummer.org

Marymount High School 10643 Sunset Blvd., 90077 310-472-1205 mhs-la.org

Summer at Mayfield 500 Bellefontaine Pasadena, 91105 626-799-9121

mayfieldsenior.campbrainregistration.com

Prime Time Sports

Culver City Middle School 4601 Elenda St., 90230 310-838-7872

primetimesportscamp.com

Steve & Kate’s Camp Valley Village

The Country School 5243 Laurel Canyon Blvd. 91607 323-244-2556

steveandkatescamp.com

Sports camps

Enterprise Farms 3919 Rigali Ave., 90039 323-665-8977 enterprisefarms.com

Fitness By the Sea

1541 Palisades Dr. Pacific Palisades, 90272 310-459-2425 fitnessbythesea.com

JAG Gym

8640 Hayden Pl. Culver City, 90232 310-287-9886 jaggym.com/camps/summercamp

Learn To Surf 641 Westminster Ave., #5 Venice, 90291 310-663-2479 learntosurfla.com

Swordplay LA

3316 W. Burbank Blvd. Burbank, 91505 818-566-1777

Traditional Equitation School

480 Riverside Dr. Burbank 91506 818-569-3666 ridetes.com

Vernon Lee Gym Pasadena

1047 N. Allen Ave., 91104 8626-796-6011 Burbank 1828 N. Keystone St. Burbank, 91504 818-558-1177 vernonleegym.com

Special interest camps

California Science Center

Hands-On Science Camp 700 Exposition Park Dr. 90037 323-724-3623 californiasciencecenter.org/ programs/summer-camps

New York Film Academy 3300 Riverside Dr., 91505 818-333-3558

NYFA.edu/summer-camps/ SCI–Arc

960 E. Third St., 90013 213-613-2200 sciarc.edu/academics/summer-programs

Summer Institute for the Gifted UCLA, 90095 866-442-1913 giftedstudy.org/ucla

ROCK STAR-COOL campers posing at School of Rock.

Jump

Enjoy puppets, entertainment at Bob Baker Day on April 30

By Nona Sue Friedman Bob Baker Day,

a one-ofa-kind birthday celebration that honors the man who created his namesake theater, is free entertainment and an opportunity to experience the magic of puppetry. It takes place on Sun., April 30, at the Los Angeles State Historic Park at 1245 N. Spring St. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

del Toro’s Academy Award winning film, is slated to be the grand marshal. Mann will be among other stars of Oscar-nominated Netflix films at the event.

Gregory

Mann,

the voice of Pinocchio in Guillermo

DREAM. DESIGN. DIG IN!

June 20-August 11, 2023

1- and 3-Week Sessions

Kindergarten-8th Grade

Camp Adventure

Arts, Science, Tech, Academics, Sports, & More!

Camp SHAKE

Basketball and Sports & Games Camps

centerforearlyeducation.org/summer Registration

Summer Riding Camps Summer

For over 25 years we have offered a safe, fun-filled program

June 5 - September 12 (weekly) 9am to 3:30pm

- Applications accepted May 1 — first come, first served

- Beginner to Advanced

- Ages 6 and up

- Patient instructors, gentle school horses

- Limited group size

- Health precautions observed

- Arts & Crafts

The unique birthday party will have two stages for performances that include puppets, clowns and other variety performers. There also will be music, food and crafts.

Although the event is free, a suggested donation of $20 is appreciated. An RSVP

CATHEDRAL CHAPEL

By Olivia Sherman

6th

Grade

We have great news to report. Our Academic Decathlon team won first place at the Cathedral High School Quizbowl and our decathletes went on to win first place at the Archdiocesan Regional event on March 4 at St. Monica School. As of this writing, the team is working diligently to prepare for the National event, which takes place at the end of March.

We continue our CYO sports season with softball and track. Go Direwolves!

We are well into this season of Lent and continue to attend Stations of the Cross on Thursdays. Our 8th graders will be re-enacting the Stations of the Cross on Wed., April 5 before we are dismissed for Easter vacation. Our 2nd graders celebrated their First Reconciliation on March 18.

Our school is full S.T.E.A.M. ahead for our Science Fair this month. After our Science Fair, students will begin to prepare for our Geography and Religion Bees. Happy Easter, everyone!

IMMACULATE HEART

By Kellyn Lanza 12th Grade

Happy Spring from Immaculate Heart!

During the busy month of March, our Genesians theater company staged a successful production of “Alice in Wonderland.” Following the play, Immaculate Heart hosted a welcome breakfast to celebrate newly accepted students and their parents. To conclude the month, the sophomore class embarked on a one-day retreat at Camp Bob Waldorf.

Students are now ready to enjoy a two-week Spring Break. During their time off from

classes, more than 80 students will visit Japan with faculty chaperones on the trip of a lifetime. Students and faculty look forward to enjoying cherry blossoms, Mount Fuji, noodle bowls and unique shrines and other sites during their adventure.

Additionally, throughout the month of April, students and faculty will continue prepping for Mary’s Day, a beloved Immaculate Heart tradition that honors Mary, the mother of Jesus, as well as women across the world! The theme of this year’s event on Fri., April 28, will be “Mary, Gate of Dawn” to celebrate new beginnings.

THE WILLOWS

By Simone Meltzer 8th Grade

For all middle school students applying to high schools, early March was a charged time. For months students’ minds, and schedules, had been filled by essays, tests, interviews and tours. On March 10, we huddled around our laptops, anxiously refreshing emails and anticipating news that would determine our future as students.

At The Willows Community School, the 8th grade class had been preparing to receive this news. A meeting was held on the Thursday before to remind all students to be respectful and conscientious of our peers while going through this vulnerable time.

Fortunately, the following Monday was celebratory for the grade. I know that no matter where we end up next year, we’ll be split up and scattered to various schools. So, what matters is enjoying the time we have now, here, with the people that helped us get through it all. Because as far as I know, until September, we have no high school essays to write, no entrance exams, no tours or interviews. We are free to spend the rest of our time together without the stress of acceptance or rejection.

563 N. Alfred St., West Hollywood, CA 90048

MARIONETTES PERFORM for crowds at Bob Baker Day.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Pashkowsky

MODERN-DAY GEPPETTO, the late Bob Baker. is necessary to attend. Visit bobbakerday.com.

Design for Living 2023

LPGA

(Continued from page 1)

Every corner of this planet,” said David Tucker, vice president of Outlyr, the LPGA tournament operator. “They love the course [at Wilshire Country Club]; they love the community.” And, of course, the lofty purse is a major draw. “It’s attractive,” Tucker added.

While COVID-19 put a “wrench in our trajectory… we’re coming back stronger with a new title and a new sponsor,” Tucker added.

While the LPGA Tour has staged its signature Los Angeles event at Wilshire Country Club since 2018, this is the inaugural JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastro LPGA event.

Manufacturing companies JM Eagle and Plastro serve as title and presenting sponsor, respectively.

“I think the passion for golf inspired Walter and Shirley [to raise the winnings],” said Shipka, referring to Walter Wang, CEO of JM Eagle, the world’s largest plastic pipe manufacturer. Shirley Wang is founder of Plastro, a leading manufacturer of fiberglass entry doors.

Unique to this area in the world of golf tournaments is that many neighbors host

Swingin’ beneft Building Bridges with golf for HMLA May 22

The Building Bridges Golf Classic, a benefit for Holocaust Museum LA, will swing into action on Mon., May 22, at El Caballero Country Club beginning at 10:30 a.m.

The inaugural event offers a team package for four players and a cocktail reception with silent and live auctions.

The venue in the San Fernando Valley has hosted US Open qualifying rounds and LPGA events. The course originally was designed by the late prolific golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. In 2017, the course was redesigned by Rees Jones, a son of its original designer.

Proceeds from the event will support the Miracle Mile museum’s lessons about the Holocaust and its efforts to empower students and the public to speak out against antisemitism, bigotry and hatred.

For tickets and more information, visit hmla.org or contact Omar Sharif Jr. at omar@hmla.org, or call 323651-9915.

players at their homes. “This community has opened up its doors to a lot of players, some of whom, during the tournament, can walk to the course … which is phenomenal,” said Tucker.

Added viewing areas

New this year, spectators and guests will get an even better, up-close look with added viewing areas as golfers play on the historic course, which opened in 1919.

Upgraded food and beverage hospitality also is new to the menu.

Registration for volunteer opportunities also is open.

Single-day and weekly grounds passes as well as upgraded hospitality ticket options are available when purchased in advance.

Tickets can also be purchased at Will Call during tournament week, pending availability.

Outlyr and the LPGA have partnered with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and will offer free admission on Thurs., April 27, to all guests who donate three or more nonperishable, non-expired food cans at the admissions tent.

Also, in partnership with the Southern California PGA, a youth clinic for inner-city youth will be held the week of the tournament.

Visit lpga.com for tickets and more information.

U.S. Open is back at Los Angeles Country Club Close by (and for the first time in 75 years), the United States Open Championship (US Open) returns to Los Angeles in June.

Registration is underway for the 123rd national golf championship taking place on June 15-18 at the Los Angeles Country Club, 10101 Wilshire Blvd., and continues through Wed., April 12.

For tickets and more information, visit champs.usga. org.

Local qualifying rounds take place between April 17 and May 22. For more information, visit usopen.com.

As of 2022, the US Open awards a $17.5 million purse, the largest of the four major golf championships.

It was way back in 1948 that golf great Ben Hogan won the first of his four U.S. Opens with a 72-hole score of 276 (8 under par — two strokes better than Jimmy Demaret) at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades.

Hogan is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

And with that, let the games begin and more history be made.

LARCHMONT CHARTER leagues celebrate victories with a pancake breakfast. Above, John Duerler and son Liam man the griddle. See story on Page 1.

Power of pretending and how parents can encourage it

By Casey Russell

There is a reason kids’ costumes and dress up clothes are sold year-round. It’s the same reason play kitchens, doctors’ kits, dolls, action figures and role-playing games abound in toy aisles. Kids like to pretend. But, is pretending just a fun, silly way for kids to pass the time? Or is there more to this ubiquitous childhood activity?

Studies have repeatedly shown that imaginative play promotes brain development and social skills in numerous ways. Kids’ brains become very active while pretending — priming them for learning. Pathways and connections in the brain are created while kids play.

Problem solving

Pretending helps kids practice solving problems — either in the situations they are dramatizing or in figuring out how to work with fellow pretenders. Pretending with others necessitates practicing working together. One cannot do everything exactly his or her own way. There is a give-and-take of ideas and preferences. Doing this through play gets children ready to do it in life.

Social interaction

Imaginative play done with others gives kids practice reading social cues, interpreting body language and reading facial expressions. But empathy has also been shown to develop as kids pretend on their own. Imagining himself as a particular character or being multiple dolls gives a child practice stepping into the shoes of another. He sees things from a different perspective and begins to share and understand the feelings of another.

Pretending also helps kids make sense of the world around them. As they role-

E.S.L.A.

By Isabel Viola 12th Grade

The Flower Ceremony is ESLA’s way of recognizing members of the community who have stood out and upheld the virtues of our school — generosity, integrity, curiosity, courage and sincerity. This past week, our monthly tradition returned and our peers were acknowledged for their virtuous actions. It is always a beautiful moment shared in our community where we show gratitude and respect for our fellow students.

Another ESLA tradition was

Tips on Parenting

by Casey Russell

play, children learn about their likes and dislikes. In being another character or in playing with a doll or stuffed animal, feelings and ideas can be expressed safely. This is one reason pretend play is often used in child psychotherapy.

Coping

Imaginative play can help a child feel more comfortable with something that might seem a bit scary. Going to the doctor or dentist can seem frightening to a child. Getting on an airplane or staying at Grandma’s house without her accustomed caregivers for the first time can seem daunting. Seeing a loved one dealing with an illness can make some kids feel unsure or anxious. Pretending about things like this helps kids work through emotions and become more able to get through life’s tough situations.

Learning

Another great aspect of pretending is that kids use a lot of skills they might avoid if we actually asked them to sit down and do them. In playing teacher, a child uses writing, organization and planning, and she practices a lot of the things she’s recently learned in school. In making a grocery store, children practice the exchange of money, how waiting in line works and social interactions, and some children practice sorting likeitems.

Verbal skills tend to be enhanced when children pretend, too. Caregivers may hear words their child would

held this week in the form of a game with red versus white competitions. Every member of ESLA is placed on either the red or white team (the school colors) and throughout the school year, the teams compete against each other until a winner is announced during our culminating feast.

Spirit week is coming up and is another opportunity to earn red and white points! Our daily themes range from monochromatic to dress-like-a-teacher.

In other news, ESLA’s very own environmental club is planning an upcoming clothing swap. Not only is this a great way to promote environmentally friendly alternatives to fast fashion, it will also be an awesome opportunity to bring students across different grades together.

not otherwise utter when she tries them out as her character. And in playing the role of a hero, a mother, an astronaut, a pilot, a firefighter or a doctor, she sees herself in this role. This opens her eyes to seeing not only what is, but also what is possible.

Fostering imaginative play

There are so many good things that come from children having opportunities to pretend. We can encourage

imaginative play by providing things like: costumes and props; Play-Doh; blocks; puppets; dolls; stuffed animals; empty cardboard boxes and tubes; fort-building materials; play food or tea sets and clean, empty food boxes, toy vehicles; doctors’ kits; and art supplies. Materials don’t have to cost a lot, but having them accessible will entice kids to dive in and play.

Having materials to pretend

with can inspire imaginative play, but kids also need the time to engage in these activities. So remember to build unscheduled, screen-free time into your child’s days. It may be one of the best things you can do for her or him. For more parenting tips, check out my book, “The Handbook for Life With Little Ones: Information, ideas and tips for birth to age five,” on Amazon.

Exceptional basketball coach continues to impact local youth

My son transferred to Larchmont Charter School in September. He’s an eighth grader and loves basketball. When we were considering the move, my wife researched the school’s academics and teachers. She toured the Selma campus and reached out to parents whose kids were already enrolled there. She was thorough because that’s the kind of mother she is.

I knew of Larchmont’s exceptional basketball coach, Keith Harris, before we ever considered moving our son there. I had never met the man, though friends whose boys he had coached praised his coaching style and temperament. The school looked attractive with him coaching there. My wife didn’t have to work too hard to convince me that Larchmont was a great fit. That’s the kind of dad I am.

Player

Keith Harris calls Larchmont Charter School - Selma his home at the moment, but his ties reach beyond Greater Los Angeles youth basketball. Harris was raised in Houston, Texas. His first basket and backboard was a wooden apple crate nailed to a tree. He attended North Shore High School where he played basketball, and he was good enough to receive several

Youth Sports

by Jim Kalin

athletic scholarship offers, including one from Texas State.

“It was a moment that meant the world to me,” said Harris in an interview with German Hoops. “I intended to be the best I could in those four years.”

And was he ever! Harris attended Oklahoma Christian University, a private college in Oklahoma City. While there, he helped lead the Eagles to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament. The Eagles ended the season 22-11 that year and were ranked No. 27 in the country. Harris received NAIA All-American Honorable Mention. He is No. 11 on Oklahoma Christian University’s career leading scorer list with 1700 points (the Eagles’ basketball stats go back to 1960), and scored over 500 points two seasons in a row.

After graduating, Harris played professional basketball in Europe for the German Regionalliga team Schwelm. He

was there a year, then decided to head to Los Angeles and Hollywood, where the now actor-producer-director has a decent resume on IMDb. In Tinseltown, he goes by EK Harris.

Coach

“He’s the best coach my kid has ever had,” said every parent I talked to about Keith Harris the basketball coach.

Harris now is the athletic director and boys’ basketball coach at Larchmont Charter. Both teams, grades five and six and grades seven and eight, were league champs this year. He also teaches a boys’ leadership class that does voluntary community service. His boys held a toy drive in December with a goal of collecting 600 toys for underprivileged children.

Renown for Harris goes beyond Larchmont Charter School. Pre-COVID-19, he and Mike O’Malley formed a basketball travel team called the Hollywood Celtics that ventured to the Valley and Westside to take on other squads. O’Malley’s sons Seamus and Declan played on the team.

“It’s pretty cool for the kids

OAKWOOD SCHOOL

By Scarlett Saldaña 12th Grade

Last month, I had an exciting time presenting at the Committee on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York. Oakwood’s Immersion program, in which students explore specific interests and unfamiliar topics outside of usual classroom boundaries, gave me the opportunity to be one of the Ambassadors for The

to be able to watch their coach dunk,” said Scott Hanna about Harris. Hanna’s son Michael also played on the travel team.

Abel Luna runs the SBBA (St. Brendan Basketball Association). “Keith approaches coaching from the right perspective and is not about winning at all costs,” said Luna.

John Duchesneau was having a rough year on St. Brendan School’s JV basketball team.

Pad Project (TPP), an organization that strives to end period stigma and empower all menstruators.

Our group spoke about the creation of TPP and screened “Long Line of Ladies,” TPP’s new film project. It was such a rewarding experience. I not only helped lead the event at the UN, but also learned more about worldwide organizations applying digital

ST. BRENDAN

By Jack Byrne

8th Grade

St. Brendan had a great month of March. The 8th graders were accepted into their high schools of choice including Immaculate Heart, Loyola, Notre Dame, Providence, John Bosco Tech, St. Francis and Harvard Westlake. One hundred percent of the boys that applied to Loyola were accepted.

St. Brendan also held the

Most of his friends were on the varsity squad. After one game, Harris approached John to tell him how great he played.

“It meant so much to John,” said Jamie Duchesneau, John’s mother.

Perhaps Henry Hoegee sums up Harris best. Hoegee also played on the travel team.

“Coach Keith’s passion for basketball inspires me.”

Isn’t that what the best coaches do?

advocacy to their programs. At the end of April, Oakwood High School will host Just Art/Glove Affair, an event that spreads awareness on HIV/AIDS, and showcases student art — mostly focused on social justice issues. While it’s displayed as a dance party and art exhibition, it’s incredibly educational and addresses necessary topics that aren’t commonly discussed.

Penny War in the last week of March. This has been a tradition at St. Brendan for many years and is a lot of fun. The Penny War raises money for Friendly Manor, a women’s shelter in Oakland, California.

Finally, St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated and there were exciting events surrounding it. The kindergarteners made contraptions out of simple machines and placed them in classrooms to catch leprechauns. Unfortunately none were caught, but everyone got to dress in green and white and attended the St. Patrick’s Day dance. Thank you for reading about St. Brendan.

Dentistry for Children and Young Adults

LARCHMONT CHARTER ffth- to sixth-grade basketball team: (left to right) Coach Keith Harris, Jack Tsai, Rowan Halkowich, Austin Santos, Cameron Thaw, Charlie Cole-Kelly, Liam Duerler, Casey Calderon-Prom and Joseph Najjar.

New leader and expansion plans set for Park Century School

By Casey Russell

Started in 1968 by a parent dedicated to giving her son an education fitting his needs, Park Century School has been serving students with neurodiverse profiles ever since. Currently, 100 students in grades one through eight, some of them from local neighborhoods, attend the Culver City-based school.

The school’s new K - 1 Intervention Program will open in the fall of 2023, and a capital campaign is underway to build an addition and double the school’s enrollment.

“A large percentage [of Park Century’s students] are dyslexic, but there is a wide range of learning differences, and the school works to address all of them on an individual basis,” said Dr. Julie Porter, who took over as head of school last fall. Porter previously served as the middle school director of The Westmark School in Encino, and she has a Doctoral Degree of Education in organizational leadership.

Windsor Square’s Helen Hartung is president of the Board of Trustees and is a parent of a former Park Century

NEW COVENANT ACADEMY

By Sue Jung Park 10th Grade

To celebrate Easter and the resurrection of Jesus, all students and staff came together for an Easter Service.

Elementary students were able to show the performances they had been preparing.

After a week filled with rest, the middle school student council held a school dance! Everyone was able to have a fun time danc-

student. She told us that Porter is a “talented and dynamic leader… she’s modernizing the curriculum and really emphasizing increased professional development among the teachers… We were in great shape before, but she is bringing a new energy.”

When asked about strengths that she brings to the school, Porter said, “I think I bring an evidence-based approach to how our kids think and learn. By using targeted intervention, we can monitor progress and

ing and eating delicious food with peers. New Covenant Academy’s annual prom was held, as well. The theme was “a royal soiree,” and everyone was able to enjoy the prom, take pictures and, most importantly, make memories with classmates!

The Class of 2023 was able to enjoy the graduation trip in Korea — trying new food, shopping and visiting famous landmarks.

The 8th grade class enjoyed their graduation trip in Washington D.C.

Lastly, the boys’ volleyball team is making great accomplishments, as they are giving it their all for every game! Go Huskies!

The Plymouth School

use the data to inform instruction.” A goal of hers is to build a community where students feel proud of who they are and see the blessings of their learning differences. “The school is good at building individualized programs. We are focusing on a growth mindset instead of a deficit mindset,” she said.

Porter was attracted to the school because she didn’t see enough attention in this part of town paid to children with learning differences. She said she thinks there is an opportunity to take families and kids from a situation that can feel like a crisis and turn it into a celebration.

‘Diverse’ Expo April 30

To help share resources with those not attending Park Century, Porter and the school are holding a research expo, which they hope will become a yearly event. It’s called “Diverse Minds, Bright Futures” and will take place at the school, 3939 Landmark St., Culver City, on Sun., April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The community outreach event will feature approximately 35 exhibitors, multiple speakers and breakout rooms to help attendees learn how to support their neurodiverse learners. Up to 100 free screening tests in areas such as reading, language expression and comprehension, occupational therapy and focus and attention will also be available starting at 8 a.m., but those must be scheduled ahead of time. Contact parkcenturyschool.org.

New facilities

The school hopes to be able to support even more students soon. The school’s capital campaign started in March, and the goal is to raise $10 million to help build an addition to the school and to increase the financial aid fund.

The new premier learning center will allow Park Century to expand its student body to 200. School leaders are excited about the plans designed by architect John Berry. Proposed is a three-story building with parking underneath, an amphitheater and an outdoor play space. Each parking space will feature a charging station (which could be used after school hours as city parking spots), and there are plans for a lattice of solar panels that would power the school and also feed energy back to Culver City.

The building itself will serve as the school’s creative learning center. Rooms will allow

students to focus on movement education, visual arts, performing arts, gaming and the digital arts. It will also house space for educational therapy. Plans are for ground to be broken on the project in June of 2024 with a projected construction time of 18 months.

For more information, visit parkcenturyschool.org.

• Preschool program for children 2 to 5½

• Creative activities to encourage cognitive & social development including art, music, movement & play

• Experienced teachers devoted to fostering self-esteem in a safe nurturing environment

• Over 45 years serving the neighborhood

315 S. Oxford Ave. • 213-387-7381

LEARNING with teacher Courtney Roarke at Park Century School.

DR. JULIE PORTER, head of Park Century School.

INSIDE the Culver City-based school.

SBBA 2023: Team Mexico wins D-League fnals

By Jim Kalin

The SBBA (Saint Brendan Basketball Association) 2023 season concluded Saturday, March 25 with the division playoff semifinals and title games. That was nine games in one day! Doesn’t get any better for youth basketball fans.

Championship Saturday began early with the first of two Bobcat Division (ages 8-9) semifinal games. The eventual champions were Salt & Straw, coached by Ben Gellar. Their leading scorer for the season was Justice Johnson. He ended with 155 points.

The Cobra Division (ages 10-11) title game followed next. The champions here were The Burns, coached by Kyle Ross and Andrew Wright. The team’s leading scorer was Liam Duerler, who ended his

HOLLYWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE

Miles Hoffman

6th Grade

About 82 percent of the 6th grade class (including me) got into their first choice school for next year!

We are so excited about this new journey into middle school.

At Hollywood Schoolhouse, one of my favorite times of the year is Dream Week. We participate in all sorts of activities like cooking, line dancing and building our own mini arcade systems using cardboard.

season with 133 points.

Team Mexico , coached by Nick Padua, won the D-League (ages 12, 13, 14) title. Nick’s team also won the D-League title last season.

Team Mexico’s leading scorer

Some schoolmates recently performed “We Are Monsters.” There was even a stage crew program for students to build sets behind the scenes.

We just finished a huge Black History Month project, and let me tell you, it was hard work. We each chose an important African American figure to focus on. We researched, wrote a five-paragraph essay and made a very detailed drawing using shading techniques we learned in art class. We wrapped it all up with haiku poems written about our heroes.

In science, we are doing a lot of interesting projects including each making our own water filters out of plastic bottles.

for the season was Coltrane Ragsdale, who ended with 256 points. Coltrane is 13 and returns next year.

The 2023 Gus Deppe H.E.R.O. Award winners were also announced after the con-

MELROSE ELEMENTARY

By Stella Coppola

5th Grade

Hoppy April, readers! It’s surely a fun month at Melrose. For starters, our 2nd Grade students spent a fun-filled, athletic day at Dodgers Stadium learning the engineering of baseball and cheering for our Los Angeles team. That wasn’t the end of the fun at Melrose, all of our grades got the best picture books of 2022-23 and made movie / book trailers. Yep, it was time for the California Young Reader Med-

Girls’ soccer at LCHS score #1 out of 30 teams

By Suzan Filipek

cluding championship games. Those winners were Micah Minton, Alligators Division, Davis Bolden, Bobcats Division, Rex Wright, Cobras Division, and Joe Fiedler, D-League Division.

al book trailers. All grades made creative, fun trailers with iMovie director, Mr. Frank.

Now I have some very big for my dedicated readers. On Fri., April 7, I’ll turn 11! I’ll spend two days at Disneyland. Then, I’ll have a red carpet pizza party!

Now back to school events. Our 5th grade finally had a not-so-black-and-white chess tournament. Other grades have asked for their own tournament. Lastly, we had our very first annual Pokémon tournament led by our Pokémon master principal, Matthew Needelman! And trust me - it was awesome.

MARLBOROUGH

By Avery Gough 11th Grade

After spring break ends on April 7, and classes resume on the 10th, the senior class only has a few weeks until school

The varsity girls’ soccer team at Larchmont Charter High School at Lafayette Park, the Timberwolves, won the recent city championship in Division 4. Their coach, David Brown, was awarded coach of the year for the same division of the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation). After they finished #1 out of 30 teams, they lost the state girls’ soccer quarterfinals which happened soon afterwards, Brown told us. The 19-member Ocean League’s mix of top scorers and newcomers is its secret sauce, said Brown. Read more about the team at issuu.com/ larchmontchronicle/docs/ lc_02_2023/19.

ends. On April 24, parents and seniors meet to review graduation details and practice the class song.

As senior year and college applications approach for juniors, Marlborough holds an annual workshop, which allows students to ask their college counselors questions, begin personal statements and more.

The Spring Choral Concert on Fri., April 21 is titled “From Land to Sky, where Dreams can Fly,” evoking a theme of being grounded and yet having great imagination and ambition. Performers from our high school’s Chamber Choir, middle school choir, Melodic Mustangs and Vocalist In-Residence Program participants will all be featured. Our WEBCCAM (improv.) Comedy performance will be on the Wed., April 19.

Marlborough’s annual Celebration of Innovation is on the Thur., April 27. It showcases the talent of the robotics, coders, researchers, etc. in the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

TEAM MEXICO players, from left: Linus Davies, Coltrane Ragsdale, Henry Hoegee, Edward Min, Joe Fiedler, Jee Hye Moon, Nico Franck, Matthew Suh, Leo Yaitanes and coach Nick Padua.

Pinewood Derby enjoys night of racing and pandemonium

By Jim Kalin

Local Cub Scout Pack 16 held their annual Pinewood Derby race March 10 at St. Brendan’s School gymnasium. The racing was divided by dens, so there were five divisions. A specialty contest was also held. Below are the results of the racing and specialty judging. It was a nice night of

THE OAKS

By Amelia Goldberg

6th Grade

The Oaks is busy right now with science projects being done in all grades.

Kindergarten is learning about solids, liquids and gasses and making ice cream as a liquid to solid example. First grade just finished their project on the human body, and is now starting to learn about the life cycle. Second grade is building volcanoes with the 6th graders and learning about types of rocks. They’re making paper mache volcanoes with bottles for magma chambers. Ecosystems are the focus of the 3rd graders, as they make dioramas of biomes and habitats. Fourth grade is looking at each of the planets in our solar system in depth, and is making a slideshow report. Fifth grade is also learning about space, making their own constellations and writing stories about them. The 6th grade is studying specific volcanoes and also learning about plate tectonics.

The whole school is always working on hands-on science projects and creatively finding ways to learn.

PILGRIM SCHOOL

By Allison Pak

9th Grade March is

Women’s History Month!

We celebrated all the women at Pilgrim and Judy Vaughn from Alexandria House came to talk to students about the housing need and crisis. A former Alexandria House

THIRD STREET

By

Nikka Gueler

5th Grade

This past month we had Chana Stiefel, an award-winning children’s author, speak with students about her new book, “The Tower of Life.” The novel is a true story about the holocaust survivor and historian, Yaffa Eliach, who created the Tower of Faces display at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Yaffa and her family were the

racing and pandemonium.

Tigers

Winner: Liam Salviejo

Runner-up: Charlie Gibson

Best Design: Francesca Sy Wolves

Winner: Jeraldine Miron

Runner-up: Jordan De Rosas

Best Design: Mason Im

Bears

Winner: Hailey Kang

resident also came and shared her experiences as a homeless woman with three young children and how the Alexandria House changed their lives.

All 4th through 12th grade students went on trips the week of March 20. The 4th graders camped at El Capitan; 5th graders went to Astrocamp for Math and Science; 6th and 7th graders camped at Pinnacles; 8th and 9th graders went to Sacramento; 10th and 11th graders traveled to the east coast for college tours and our seniors went to Hawaii for community service and class time.

Notification letters were sent to all the students who applied for admission to our school and we will be welcoming them at the New Family Reception when we get back from Spring Break.

ST. JAMES’ EPISCOPAL

Evan Listi

6th Grade

Here at St. James’ we’ve had an eventful couple of weeks, and there is much to look forward to, as well.

Throughout March we celebrated Women’s History Month. One highlight was a speech by Ms. Reynoso, one of our amazing teachers, who talked about her experiences as a competitive runner. Another was our school-wide project dedicated to the achievements of influential women in every aspect of life. It was a great project to work on, and I hope that tradition continues.

In April, three days after we return from spring break, we’ll have our 4th through 6th grade Spring Dance! On April 18, we’ll have Inand-Out day, which is always so much fun. Last, but certainly not

only Jews from their village in Poland to escape the Nazis. Once they immigrated, President Jimmy Carter reached out to her, requesting that she create an exhibit about the people in the Holocaust. She decided to make the exhibit using photos saved of Jews who perished during the Holocaust.

We will begin our annual walkathon fundraiser in mid-April. It will be full of fun and festivities.

On Thur., April 27, Third Street is having our Korean Dual Language Program showcase, which showcases traditional Korean dance in music performances. Third Street’s open house was March 29.

Runner-up: Aiden Park

Best Design: Zachary Bitzelberger Webelos 1

Winner: Mason Ji

Runner-up: Henry Fiedler

Best Design: Che Nafa Webelos 2

Winner: Van Liston

Runner-up: Lucas Huybrechs

Best Design: Phoenix Lay

least, the 4th grade classes will be going to Sacramento on a threeday field trip. They will get to visit landmarks like Sutter’s Fort and the capitol building. The 4th graders will also have the opportunity to pan for gold in the American River and to participate in an interactive Gold Rush performance!

I know April is going to be a super-fun month at St. James’.

PAGE ACADEMY

Isabella Argiropoulos

7th Grade

Hello! March was such an eventful month. We started off with some very interesting pajama outfits during our reading and story times on Read Across America Day. Our campus was awash in shamrocks and green for St. Patrick’s Day while our students enjoyed the fun events planned by our Student Council. Report cards went home that day to mark the end of our 3rd quarter.

Our students completed their science fair experiments and inventions, which are on display at the school. The highly creative Art

to Remember projects can still be ordered until Sun., April 2.

On Fri., March 31, we will have spring class parties and the annual egg hunt, with a special guest! Page will be closed for spring break from Mon. April 3 through Fri., April 7 with everyone returning on Mon., April 10.

When we return to campus, the Scholastic Book Fair will be in full swing, and our students will work on their Earth Day projects in support of environmental protection. Happy Spring!

CHRIST THE KING

Joshua Lo

8th Grade

Our junior high academic decathlon team placed second in the Super Quiz and third overall in the Academic De-

cathlon early in March.

Each week of Lent, our 8th grade students lead the Stations of the Cross for the student body

We celebrated Dr. Seuss Day and students also participated in the annual Spell-A-Thon in March. The Junior High students memorized one hundred words and did their best to ingrain the spelling words in their minds.

On St. Patrick’s Day, students wore green to display their school spirit, and to recognize Saint Patrick for his delivery of Christianity to Ireland. That day, CTK held a St. Patrick’s dinner dance. There was Irish food and music and traditional Irish dancers performed at the event. After all the activities, students had a day to recuperate while the faculty went on a retreat to connect with God.

On March 22, we had our awards ceremony to recognize students who were successful academically in the second trimester.

CUB SCOUT PACK 16 Pinewood Derby champions (left to right): Van Liston, Jeraldine Miron, Liam Salviejo, Hailey Kang, and Mason Ji.

‘Poker Face’ shines on the run; Richard III revisited; tense ‘Tetris’

Poker Face (9/10): 10-episode series streaming on Peacock. TV-MA. Nathasha Lyonne shines as Charlie, a lady with the unique ability to discern immediately when people are lying. She goes on the run after witnessing a crime in Las Vegas and has one adventure after another all the while being chased by Cliff LeGrand (Benjamin Bratt, playing a bad guy for once). Created by rising star Rian Johnson, Charlie is one of the more memorable and charismatic characters you will find in film.

The Lost King (8/10); 102 minutes without credits.

PG-13. King Richard III of England was either a monster who, among other things, killed two young boys to pave his way to the throne, or was one of the most unjustly maligned men in history. Years

ago, I was a member of The Richard III Society, dedicated to bringing forth the truth. The fact is that most of what people know about him is based on a play by Shakespeare (or by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, which is what I believe) that paints him as a monster. (See tinyurl.com/42bwn5u2)

Richard was the last of the Plantagenets, and was defeated and killed at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, leading to the Tudor takeover of England. Thomas More, decapitated and sainted by Tudor Henry VIII, also authored a scathing but unfinished bio of Richard III while he was in Henry VIII’s good graces. Similarly, Shakespeare / de Vere were subjects of Tudor Elizabeth I. As such, they (especially de Vere, since he was royalty), like More, were

At the Movies with Tony Medley

flacks wanting to ingratiate themselves to their monarch. Since the Tudors were still desirous of legitimizing their reign, the flacks felt they had to paint Richard in the worst possible light and Shakespeare / de Vere and More were only too glad to oblige.

The facts indicate that Richard was an enlightened king who did much for England and the world, including enforcing the rule that all men are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Phillipa Langley (Sally Hawkins) was an amateur researcher who took it upon herself to find Richard’s body, so she joined The Richard III Society and attacked the problem single-handedly — having to convince a doubting Society to even start the project. Director Richard Frears has taken a script by Langley and himself, from the book “The Search for Richard III” by Jeff Pope, to tell the story of her quest.

Her quest was not easy because it cost money that she had to raise, and she had to deal with political-minded academics who were dubious and untrustworthy.

The book uses the conceit that Langley spoke to the spirit of Richard (Harry Lloyd) to tell this story. If it’s not true that Langley was this loony, I think it detracts from the story. But Frears directs the tale tightly, and Hawkins gives a smashing performance, so the scenes with Richard fit in

with the narrative.

The Tutor (8/10): 92 minutes. R. Ethan (Garrett Hedlund) is a tutor who gets a highly paid assignment to help Jackson (Noah Schnapp), who lives in a big house in the country. It seems like a good gig until Jackson seems to be strangely attracted to Ethan emotionally. Ethan becomes uncomfortable and suspicious as Jackson’s actions cause Ethan’s life to spiral downward out of control, affecting his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, Annie (Victoria Justice), forcing him to try to extricate himself from a terrible web. This is a terrific, tight thriller that is involving up to the end.

Tetris (7/10): 118 minutes.

R. When Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) found out about the video game Tetris in the ‘80s, he committed his life to make the game available to a global audience. Competing with others also trying to grab the game, like Robert Stein (Toby Jones), this improbable (but true) tale takes Henk to the former Soviet Union where he gets involved with James Bond-type machinations after he finds the game’s inventor, Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov). This is a tense tale

equal to any Cold War thriller. In theaters and on Apple TV+. Operation Fortune (4/10): 114 minutes. R. Movies just keep getting worse. This could have been so much better. Hugh Grant’s performance almost saves the film from being just another mindless orgy of violence, disgracefully celebrating Jason Statham’s numerous cold-blooded murders. Statham always plays the same character, a superhero without a cape who can singlehandedly put down dozens of antagonists without working up a sweat. Enough, already!

The plot is close to absurd if one could actually understand it. The protagonists were never in danger; always in control; ergo no tension. It’s a shame because, with a better script, it had the cast to be something a lot better, but this is just like all the other shoot-em-ups they’ve been making for decades.

In addition to Grant, the performances of Audrey Plaza and Josh Hartnett as a Hollywood star recruited to do the real thing as an agent were very good. The production values were of a high level, especially the cinematography (Alan Stewart), and the locations.

RAIN OR SHINE filming of season two of “Loot” took place on Larchmont Boulevard between March 22 and 24 inside Chevalier’s Books (right), as well as in Clark Street Bakery (above), which was transformed into a juice bar. Maya Rudolph stars as a billionaire divorcee in the Apple TV+ production.

Lauded Mexico City chef’s restaurant in Arts District dazzles

By Helene Seifer

I’ve always loved Mexican food, but I hadn’t discovered the revelation that is fine Mexican dining until visiting Mexico City in February 2020, a few scant weeks before the pandemic shutdown (see April 2021 Larchmont Chronicle, Section 2, p. 14). The trip was so delicious that my first big post-Covid vacation found me flying back to Mexico City in February 2023 for more culinary adventures.

Now home, I’m not ready to leave behind the earthy and brilliant cuisine of Mexico City’s best chefs, so my husband and I headed to the Arts District downtown to try Executive Chef Enrique Olvera’s Damian. His acclaimed restaurant in Mexico City, Pujol, was ranked #5 on “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” in 2022. I had eaten there on my visit in 2020.

Damian sits across from

Brookside

(Continued from page 9)

On behalf of CIM, its vice president, development, Lina Lee, gave an update on construction soon to be underway on three of the four blocks owned by CIM on the south side of Wilshire Boulevard. All projects have been reviewed and approved by the Park Mile Design Review Board and the city.

In CIM’s existing 3-story office building between Keniston and Hudson, the upper two floors and a portion of the first floor will be converted to apartments.

In the block to the east, between Hudson and Rimpau, construction will get underway on twelve townhouse condominiums to replace parking and a former house

On the Menu

by Helene Seifer

Bestia in an otherwise sketchy part of the Arts District. The restaurant buzzed with lively conversations. A long bar graced one side of the main dining room; wood two-tops and larger round tables were clustered in front of a warm brick wall across the way.

As we were led through the dining room, at least five different people welcomed us. We felt like celebrities by the time we reached a large patio filled with plants, well-spaced tables and a retractable roof, closed on this chilly, damp night. Sometimes patios lack the charm of the indoor space. Not so here.

along Eighth Street.

Between Rimpau and Mullen, the historic Farmers Insurance tower will be adaptively reused as condominium units and associated recreational facilities, with some office space and the surface parking remaining. The large parking lot block between Mullen and Muirfield will be replaced by construction of 16 long-approved single-family homes.

Lee said the Brookside association and neighbors would be notified in advance of commencement of each phase of construction. In response to a question, she said she did not know rental or sales prices at this time, but she did indicate that the pro forma analysis for developing the condominium units in the tower forecast market rate sales prices of $900 per square foot and up.

As expected, there are numerous tequila and mezcal cocktails, along with a hefty selection of other spirit-forward beverages. Most were in the $20 and above range. My husband loved his mezcal margarita. I was very pleased with my unusual “dtla,” made with tequila, absinthe, dill and lime.

Our server recommended ordering three small and one large format plates, and that worked perfectly. The staff is exceptionally well trained. In a world where many places face staffing issues, Damian seems to have had no trouble finding competent people who seamlessly dance from kitchen to table to bar and back again.

Chef de cuisine Chuy Cervantes infused every dish we ordered with multiple layers of flavor. Even the tetela, a simple triangular stuffed corn pastry, is elevated by Damian’s kitchen. Filled with mashed ayocote beans and garnished with pickled Swiss chard, it was extraordinary. Ayocote beans are particularly flavorful, but I’ve never before been blown away by a bean. The slightly vinegary chard added the perfect counterpoint to the rich, sweet, silky filling, $27.

We usually order a ceviche or tartare at Mexican restaurants, so we tried the $24 tostado loaded with fish tartare, tossed with avocado and furikake, a Japanese seasoning often made with sesame seeds, seaweed and dried fish. This was very fresh, balanced and one of the best tartare dishes I’ve had.

I love huarache, a large, thick, oval masa pancake used as a base for almost anything.

Damian’s $32 huarache was smeared with a thick layer of mashed potatoes, then topped with chipotle-tinged slices of tender octopus. Wonderful!

I would have been inclined to order the $48 lobster in pineapple butter or $68 dry-aged branzino, but I had heard so much about the celery root we had to try it. Celery root?

As a main? The hype is real. It was the star of the show. A whole trimmed root was roasted in chicatana salsa

macha — a garlic, chile and winged-ant salsa. This happily reminded me of Quintonil, a stellar Mexico City restaurant with a fondness for insects. The $34 dish is served on a bed of white mole. Fold everything into delicious, rough-textured house made tortillas for a flavor-burst surprise.

For dessert, we ordered a refreshing $19 creamy meringue with raspberry pieces under a thin hibiscus meringue shell. I could have eaten five more.

Damian, 2132 E. 7th Place, 213-270-0178

‘Twilight’ and Los Angeles deserve more 30 years on

According to a recent (3/20/23) Suffolk University / Los Angeles Times poll, more than “half of Los Angeles residents said the [Los Angeles] police are generally fair, while about one-third said they are racist.” However, “Angelenos younger than 35 were more than twice as likely as those 55 and older to say that Los Angeles police are racist.” This means that older residents who lived through the Rodney King riots / unrest / civil disturbances, such as I, have a better view of the police than those who were in diapers when Rodney King and Reginald Denny were beaten on the streets of Los Angeles. Having worked with LAPD Wilshire Division Senior Lead Officer Joseph Pelayo on community issues, for example, I would say I was generally in agreement with this poll.

I mention this as context for the current revival of Anna Deavere Smith’s “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” at the Mark Taper Forum to Sun., April 9 (Tickets at www. centertheatregroup.org or 213-628-2772).

In 1991, following her play about the Crown Heights riots in New York, the late Gordon Davidson, then artistic director of the Taper, invited Ms.

Smith to create a piece about Los Angeles, still raw from the post-King verdicts. The year before, the Taper had brought to life “The Kentucky Cycle” and “Angels in America,” and it then was known as a theater that created new work, rather than simply bus it in, as it mostly does now. Ms. Smith had the theater’s full support, interviewing more than 300 people, from Korean shop owners to Mr. Denny and Mr. King’s aunts, as well as luminaries such as Darryl Gates and Maxine Waters, for material.

The result was a time-capsule mosaic of post-trauma Los Angeles which went on to Broadway and regional theater acclaim, but which left some of us (myself included) less than satisfied, with its characterizations occasionally bordering on caricature and its oddly detached sensibility. Sylvie Drake, the Los Angeles Times drama critic, writing in her farewell column (12/26/93), looked back at the piece as both “non-committal” and “non-controversial,” chastising it for being theater “without an opinion.”

In 2021, Ms. Smith, then playwright-in-residence at New York’s Signature Theater, revised the play for five actors,

Theater Review by Louis Fantasia

editing and updating the script (in one monologue) to reflect the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement. This, with some additional editing and tweaking, is the version currently on stage at the Taper.

A first-rate cast of Los Angeles-based actors (Hugo Armstrong, Lovensky Jean-Baptiste, Lisa Reneé Pitts, Jeanne Sakata and Sabina Zúniga Varela) tackle the multiple roles with passion and aplomb. Under Gregg T. Daniel’s crisp direction, “Twilight” is transformed into a true ensemble piece reflecting our multicultural, multigenerational and multifaceted city. Reflecting on the changes to Los Angeles — and to Los Angeles theater — over the past 30 years, director Daniel noted in our recent conversation that he had “never seen such a fundamental change” as had happened over the last few years, as efforts to bring diver-

What to watch for

The Geffen hosts the second play about Ava Gardner this year in “Ava: The Secret Conversations,” April 4 through May 7 (310-208-5454; geffenplayhouse.com).

“Six,” the hi-octane musical about Henry VIII’s wives plays the Pantages, April 11 through June 11 (323468-1770; hollywoodpantages.com); while “1776” gets a multicultural makeover at the Ahmanson, April 11 through May 7 (213-628-2772; centertheatregroup.org).

The Pasadena Playhouse rounds out its Sondheim-fest with “A Little Night Music,” April 25 through May 28 (626356-7529; www.pasadenaplayhouse.org).

sity and inclusion have helped to “dismantle the citadel” of whose stories get told on stage.

As for the local cast and creative team for “Twilight,” the resonances of the play were visceral and personal, “part of their DNA,” he told me, adding that this was not a “distant, dormant” museum piece.

No, but it still strikes me as a piece that pulls its punches, especially here in Los Angeles. Why remount the 2021 New York version? Why not interview locals 30 years on? Why not discuss how far (or not) the Korean community has come or the recent, racist City Council tapes of Latino leaders, or the fact that Black police officers were responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols?

Los Angeles is the city that gave birth to this work and to much of the debate and

discussion on race in America, and we deserve more than just another regional theater revival.

As produced, “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” is not a museum piece, but, after 30 years — like Los Angeles itself — it is not quite what it could be, either.

Magician Shine at El Portal March 31

Having amazed audiences for decades, magician Bernie Shine of Hancock Park returns Fri., March 31, to the El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. Get ready to be entertained with mentalism, telepathy and precision slight-of-hand. For $40 tickets to the 8 p.m. show, visit elportaltheatre. com/bernieshine.html.

Center Theatre Group to light up Los Angeles

By Casey Russell

The Center Theatre Group

(CTG) is holding its 2023 gala Sat., April 15. To take place at The Music Center’s Mark Taper Forum, the “Light Up Los Angeles” gala will be a night to celebrate CTG and Los Angeles in cocktail attire.

Guest artists including Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita, Rachel Bloom, Joey

and Faith Soloway, Kristina Wong and Culture Clash will be featured. Honorary co-chairs are Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance, Anna Camp, Adam Rothenberg and Cecily Strong.

The night will include cocktails and dinner in the Eva and Marc Stern Grand Hall of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Then, guests will enjoy the celebrity musical performances

Cuisine, music at PATH Food Fest on April 29

Help end homelessness while enjoying delicious cuisine and signature cocktails at a Taste of Home Food Festival to benefit PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) on Sat., April 29 at Sunset Las Palmas Studio. Enjoy delicious bites from more than 35 local restaurants

Residents to meet with CD13 April 3 on homelessness

With fencing proposed to come down at Echo Park Lake and several other homeless-related issues, a meeting has been set up with Larchmont Village, Windsor Square and other area residents and Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez.

The meeting is on Mon., April 3 at 4 p.m. at the City Council field office, 6501 Fountain Ave., and it will include CD13 homeless team deputy Kylie Jansen.

“We have heard from neighbors that they’d like to attend to find out more about CD13’s plans for encampments along with our questions and concerns,” said Keith Johnson, board member of the Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association.

For information and updates, email kjphotog@gmail, or call him at 323-461-5895.

CD 5 Council Report

(Continued from page 9) of stops, but in how connected they are to adjacent communities. That success is achieved by direct investments in improving streets and sidewalks to make walking and biking to and from stations safer, providing convenient alternative transportation options — such as Metro Bike Share — and creating local micro-mobility shuttle services to connect communities to the transit system.

By tailoring additional transportation options to the needs of the community, we can reduce traffic and pollution while continuing to make Greater Wilshire and Mid City among the most livable communities in Los Angeles.

in the intimate setting of the Mark Taper Forum, followed by an after-party on The Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza.

The CTG event will raise funds to support its programs on- and off-stage, including its Education and Community

Book signing is April 22 at Grove

Author Mimi Slawoff will sign copies of her book, “Oldest Los Angeles,” Sat., April 22 from noon to 4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble at The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive.

Partnerships Programs.

Tax Day for Angelenos has been postponed to Oct. 16 for 2023. That’s another reason to celebrate CTG on April 15th!

For information and to purchase tickets, visit ctgla.org/ gala.

MOCA gala on April 15 takes guests clubbing

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) will hold its annual fundraising gala Sat., April 15 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in the Little Tokyo neighborhood. “Carl Craig: Party / After-Party,” which guides visitors sonically through a club night from the perspective of the DJ, will be unveiled at the event.

and curated libations from beer and wine vendors and chef demos while listening to live music at the event. All proceeds benefit PATH’s work to end homelessness in Los Angeles.

VIP admission is at 3 p.m. General admission starts at 4 p.m. Visit tasteofhomefest.org for more information.

Travel journalist and former reporter Slawoff will share details of historic sites, including from among several local ones featured in the book: El Cholo Mexican restaurant, Chevalier’s Books, the Original Farmers Market and the La Brea Tar Pits.

More information is in last

October’s paper at: issuu.com/ larchmontchronicle/docs/ lc_10_2022/38

The evening will kick off with a cocktail reception and will include a dinner and musical performance.

Tiffany & Co. is the gala’s presenting sponsor.

Visit moca.org for more information on the gala and for tickets.

The second annual Gala Dance Party will follow the dinner. Email gala@moca. org for more information.

Electrical

(Continued from page 1)

13’s Hugo Soto-Martinez and representatives from the DWP. DWP participants were Chief Operating Officer Aram Benyamin; Director of Power, Transmission and Distribution Walter Rodriguez and Senior Assistant General Manager for Power Systems and Construction, Brian Wilber. Many concerned community members also signed on. President of the Hancock Park Homeowners Association, Cindy Chvatal-Keane, moderated. She reported that there were 200 participants.

Said Soto-Martinez at the meeting, “Hopefully we can learn from this because the second-largest city of the country should not be dealing with these issues.” Yaroslavsky echoed his sentiments saying residents “deserve a resilient and reliable power grid.” She went on to say that it appears there are par-

ticular underground utility vaults having issues and that the system in general is outdated in some areas. “The grid is particularly old in Hancock Park,” she said. “The extensive rains are just a preview of what’s going to come as climate change continues to intensify. We need to be thinking of long-term climate resiliency — both when it’s really wet and when it’s really hot and the grid is strained under opposite conditions. We have a real opportunity and, I would say, an obligation, to do that work now, so that outages like we just experienced don’t become the new normal.”

Cause

Asked what was a main cause of the Hancock Park / Windsor Square outages, Rodriguez said there was an underground transformer serving the area that failed. It had to be located and fixed.

“Basically, you have to turn the system on and off… locate the problem… isolate it,

and try to get as many customers online as you can,” said Rodriguez. This is very time consuming, he added. DWP has to make sure protocols are followed and crews are kept safe while doing the underground work, especially when water is involved.

Delays

The answer to why it took multiple days to get everyone back online was multifaceted.

“We have 1.5 million customers in the metro area,” said Rodriguez. Rains hit hard in January and February saturating the ground and causing trees to fall over on power lines throughout the city. Hazardous areas have to be dealt with first. Next, crews start working on areas with the largest amounts of customers affected, and they work through affected areas until power is restored.

When Chvatal-Keane pushed for specifics on staffing, DWP officials said the department is seriously un-

derstaffed. “We are at about 50 percent of what we want, and need, to get to over the next five years. We had every available crew working, but we are short-handed. We are continuing on ramped-up hiring so we can meet goals,” said Wilber.

“Understaffing,” said Soto-Martinez, “is an issue every department is facing. We are working on our end on this issue.”

The department is looking to “harden the system in the overhead and in the underground. We want to make it more of a water-tight system,” said Rodriguez. The DWP is looking to address outages caused by trees and on the ground.

Benyamin said, “We put in [requests] for water infrastructure hardening and replacement funds,” including for grants from the federal Department of Energy (DOE), one of which is for a transmission upgrade grant of $436

million.

Residents can help inform the DOE’s selection of grant awardees by making sure it hears from people in the community that the area is deserving of the funds. The DWP will be reaching out to residents in the coming months to appeal for support calls to the city’s delegation of federal elected officials.

Confusion

The actual outages, however, were not residents’ only concern. Outage maps and messaging to those without power were incorrect or inconsistent. This caused confusion and riled many tempers.

The automated system currently in place takes in information based on phone calls received and similar information, and it then automates outage responses. When the system gets overloaded, false information appears on the site. “This is what we really need to look at — when our system is overloaded, how can we make it… have accurate information?” said Rodriguez. He said this definitely would be looked at in the after-action plan.

Chvatal-Keane asked about the timeframe for fixing the issues discussed. Said Yaroslavsky, “The council offices will be checking in regularly with the DWP… and will come up with an accountability plan so that what is said is going to happen actually happens. We’ll be in communication with our constituents about timing and how it’s working. These are not small projects that need to be undertaken… but it’s safe to say we see this as a real problem.”

Help clean up LA River on April 15, April 22

Friends of the LA River will gather on two Saturdays — April 15 and on Earth Day, April 22 — to support the Los Angeles region and city for the organization’s 33rd Annual Great LA River CleanUp!

The clean-up event will take place at seven sites along the 51 miles of the Lower, Middle and Upper River.

Activities for all ages include habitat restoration, nature walks and education and art activities. For more information and to register, visit folar.org

Earth Day at Arboretum

In honor of its 75th anniversary year, the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia will be having an Earth Day Seed Giveway on Sat., April 22. Tours of the endangered Engelmann oak will take place on National Arbor Day on Fri., April 28. For more information visit arboretum.org.