LC Section One 05 2021 by Larchmont Chronicle

Larchmont Chronicle

VOL. 59, NO. 5

• DELIVERED TO 76,439 READERS IN HANCOCK PARK • WINDSOR SQUARE • FREMONT PLACE • MIRACLE MILE • PARK LA BREA • LARCHMONT •

IN THIS ISSUE

Conversations continue on future of Larchmont Boulevard

Third Street students head back to school Mascot, testing and on-campus learning greet K-5th graders

DESIGN FOR LIVING 13

CLEANING UP Harold Henry Park.

By Caroline Tracy As with other elementary level Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) locations, Third Street Elementary on June Street opened its doors to students on April 20. For those families who choose to have their children attend school in person, a hybrid model is being offered with both morning and afternoon cohorts. Remote learning will continue alongside the inperson instruction for families See Schools, p 20

WILSHIRE COUNTRY CLUB was host to the Ladies Professional Golf Association, without spectators, last month. Shown

LPGA: Brooke Henderson takes top spot at Wilshire Winning score of 16 under par MODERN Victorian on Larchmont. 17 PANTHER mascots and welcome signs greet students.

By Billy Taylor The Wilshire Country Club opened its gates to 144 of the best players in women’s pro-

New GWNC directors elect

BOULEVARD jeweler remembered. 27 For Information on Advertising Rates, Please Call Pam Rudy 323-462-2241, x 11 Mailing permit:

By John Welborne The new Board of Directors of the local Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) elected new officers on April 14. President is Conrad Starr, Sycamore Square. Vice president is Charles D’Atri, Larchmont Village Neighborhood. Jennifer DeVore, Hancock Park, is secretary, and Patti Carroll, Ridgewood - Wilton - St. Andrews Square, was re-elected as treasurer. The Los Angeles City Clerk had released final results of the March 16 election prior to the meeting, and an antici-

GRAD SALUTE! Our annual section honoring local graduates is in the June issue of the Larchmont Chronicle. Advertising deadline is Mon., May 17. For more information contact Pam Rudy, 323-462-2241, ext. 11.

MAY 2021

pated tie-breaking drawing of straws no longer was necessary. The following are the new representatives (including two Directors and one Alternate selected at the meeting to fill vacancies). The representatives are listed by seat; with the Director’s name first and any Alternate’s name second. 1. Brookside: Owen Smith, Joane Hennenberger Pickett; 2. Citrus Square: Jeffry Carpenter; 3. Country Club Heights: Brian Donahoe, José Tamayo; 4. Fremont Place: Stephanie Lee Leonard; 5. Hancock Park: Jennifer DeVore, David Trainer; 6. La Brea / Hancock: Cathy Roberts; 7. Larchmont Village; Charles D’Atri, Kathryn Burke; 8. Melrose Neighborhood: Christopher Hauck, Philip A. Farha; 9. Oakwood-Maplewood-St. Andrews Neighborhood: Bindhu Varghese; 10. Ridgewood - Wilton - St. Andrews See GWNC, p 26

fessional golf at the third annual “Hugel-Air Premia LA Open,” April 19 to 24. But the gates to this year’s event were not open to the general public due to panSee Golf, p 6

By Billy Taylor Local stakeholders last month continued their dialogue over the future of Larchmont Boulevard. As reported in April, questions have been raised over recent weeks as to whether parking spaces might be permanently replaced with outdoor restaurant dining now that pandemic-related restrictions are ending. That also propelled discussion about perennial Larchmont topics like the existing limitations on certain types of businesses such as restaurants. Further, with Larchmont Boulevard celebrating its centennial year in 2021, it seems to many residents to be a good time to reevaluate how local neighborhoods interact with, and envision the future of, the historic shopping district. The Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA) is spearheading the effort. It seeks an organized discussion through the committee it convened, See Larchmont, p 26

Smart co-working office coming to Larchmont Village Yoube to open in new mixed-use building By Suzan Filipek While many local retailers have closed shop and moved on, one company is moving in to the neighborhood. Yoube — a smart drop-in, co-work space — will open its

second location, at 5570 Melrose Ave., tentatively this summer on the ground floor of a brand-new, mixed-use apartment building. “We love Larchmont. It’s See Yoube, p 4

A SMART OFFICE, Yoube, is planned at 5570 Melrose Ave. Pictured, left to right, are building developer Mishel Mikail with Jenny Berglund Castro and Stephan Agerman of Yoube.

www.larchmontchronicle.com ~ Entire Issue Online!

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Editorial

Calendar

By John Welborne Owner-occupied family homes threatened There are 62 people in Sacramento (adding a 21-vote majority in the State Senate to a 41-vote majority in the State Assembly) who have the wherewithal to upend and eliminate owner-occupied family neighborhoods in California. And why would they want to do that? Long story. A link at the end of this Editorial will lead you to more information. Short answer: The leader of the State Senate, president pro tempore Toni Atkins from San Diego, and San Francisco’s irrepressibly dictatorial State Senator Scott Wiener again are pushing two particularly bad “housing” bills — both based upon their defeated legislation last year. Both legislators actually are fronting for the construction, development and investment communities, who want an easier path to building lucrative McMansion or apartment projects in the best locations possible — of their choosing, with little or no community or government oversight. As has been the case for the past three years, there is nothing in this year’s “bad bills” (Senate Bills 9 and 10) that will address California’s problem of needed affordable housing. Find out more from the burgeoning statewide coalition of communities organizing under the banner of “United Neighborhoods.” Learn what might happen locally, and what you can do to help prevent it, at: http://tinyurl.com/2vxhw8az

Welcome our new Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council representatives The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) election results are in, and Jennifer DeVore, with David Trainer as her alternate, now represent Hancock Park. Association President Cindy Chvatal is the new director for “Other Non-Profit Organizations,” with Hancock Park resident Helen Eigenberg as her alternate. The “Other NonProfit” seat represents all non-profits in the GWNC area except educational and religious institutions. Our neighborhood council is an important platform for the diverse voices in our neighborhood to be heard, to work on common areas of interest and to coordinate these efforts with the City. Our neighborhood council works on real estate development proposals, coordinates with city security services such as the LAFD and LAPD, and works on quality of life issues such as environmental health and transportation. Neighborhood councils act only in an advisory role and do not have decision-making powers. To get more involved or to find out what’s going on, visit https://greaterwilshire.org/ Sidewalks: The Association has an initiative to document the most egregious sidewalk issues in Hancock Park and to push the City to make repairs. Block Captains have submitted the “worst sidewalk on our block” to the Association, and this list is now with the Council Office and City staff. The Association also has asked the Council Office and the City to install a sidewalk on the north side of Beverly Blvd. between June Street and Rossmore Avenue. The first step will be taken when the City installs signs on the north side of Beverly forbidding foot traffic. The Council Office and the City will then develop plans for installing the sidewalk. Trees: It’s getting warm, so don’t forget to water your trees, and if you need a tree in your parkway, contact the Association at: https://www.hancockparkhomeownersassociation.org/ If you are planning to make any changes to the streetvisible portion of your house, hardscaping and windows, check with our HPOZ Planner Suki Gershenhorn (suki. gershenhorn@lacity.org) before starting. The HPOZ Preservation Plan can be found at preservation.lacity.org/ hpoz/la/hancock-park. Also a form is online at: preservation. lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180. Adv.

Sun., May 2 – Orthodox Easter. Wed., May 5 – Cinco de Mayo. Sun., May 9 – Mother’s Day. Wed., May 12 – Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting. Check greaterwilshire.org to confirm details and Zoom login. Mon., May 17 – Tax Day. Wed., May 26 – Total Lunar Eclipse. Mon., May 31 – Memorial Day. Thurs., June 3 – Delivery of the June issue of the Larchmont Chronicle.

That’s the question inquiring photographer Talia Abrahamson asked locals along Larchmont Blvd.

Letters to the Editor Fire unites community Thank you for publishing the untold story of the 1986 Central Library fire by Sally Stewart Beaudette in the Larchmont Chronicle [April, 2021]. Our director recently shared the story with staff. What a powerful and beautifully told story about the community uniting “to serve and save our Library!” I am thrilled Beaudette’s story was published in the Larchmont Chronicle for the first time. Thank you for continuing to educate, entertain and enrich our communities through this and other stories. Monica Valencia Los Angeles Public Library Pio Pico Koreatown Branch

TV City’s future? I was concerned about your brief story on Television City [April issue, photo on page 2 of Section 2]. The story, essentially a caption to the photo, links to the Hackman Capital

Larchmont Chronicle Founded in 1963 by Jane Gilman and Dawne P. Goodwin .

Publisher and Editor John H. Welborne Managing Editor Suzan Filipek Associate Editor Billy Taylor Contributing Editor Jane Gilman Staff Writers Talia Abrahamson Helene Seifer Advertising Director Pam Rudy Advertising Sales Caroline Tracy Art Director Tom Hofer

website for the project. This is a one-sided story and a fluff piece for Hackman. This proposed overhaul has the potential to have many negative impacts both for the surrounding community and the historic preservation community because of the enormous expansion proposed on this site, which is adjacent to The Grove and Farmers Market and other areas of interest to locals and tourists alike. As someone who works in the film industry, who participates in historic preservation and who is also a community activist, I feel I have a unique perspective on balancing the needs for all of these concerns. William Pereira and lead designer Gin Wong have designed some of Los Angeles’ most iconic mid-century buildings, but many of their most significant works have recently been slated for demolition. The proposed office building above the historic studio building has the potential to jeopardize the existing historic status because it looms and dominates over the original building and is not a good preservation solution. Major changes need to be made in the plan for this site in order to prevent serious negative impacts. The Hackman proposal could triple the number of people working at the studio and could have real (Please turn to page 26) Write us at letters@larchmontchronicle.com. Include your name, contact information and where you live. We reserve the right to edit for space and grammar.

CORRECTION TVC 2050

Circulation Manager Rachel Olivier Accounting Jill Miyamoto 606 N. Larchmont Blvd., #103

Los Angeles, CA 90004 323-462-2241 larchmontchronicle.com

‘Do you have any spring cleaning or remodeling plans?’

Television City is at Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Boulevard, not Melrose Avenue as was incorrectly reported last month. See this month’s article on the property’s proposed expansion, the “TVC 2050 Plan,” on Page 3 of Section 2.

“I do not. I just re-did my room a little while ago. I rearranged my bed and all the stuff on my walls a few times, and I painted, too.” Lila Fitzgerald “I do have spring cleaning coming up, and I’d like to remodel the kitchen. A lot of cleaning and organizing.” Rebecca Fitzgerald Hancock Park

“We just donated a bunch of Dylan and his brother’s baby stuff. Maybe some gardening, too.” Matt Fusfeld (right) “We might remodel our house, as well. We’re thinking about adding a second story to our house.” Jessica Replansky with sons Nate and Dylan Fusfeld Hancock Park

“We’ve kind of been doing a lot of cleaning and reorganizing, but we’re headed to Wisconsin for the summer. At the beginning of the pandemic last year, we bought a lake house, not knowing if it was going to be five years in a pandemic.” Jenny Lennon Windsor Square with Oliver Lennon

“I just got a cleaning lady. It’s great to have a clean place again.” Prem Goyal Pico-Robertson “I actually have spring cleaning plans. Since COVID, I had a more permanent person cleaning the house, and I didn’t want him there at all anymore, and so I’m back to wanting to hire somebody again.” Alan H. Park La Brea

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Following 2021 Awards, Academy focuses on fall museum opening By John Welborne The 2021 Academy Awards were presented in Hollywood at the Dolby Theatre and downtown at Union Station last month. Now, the leaders of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences are focusing their energies on the September 30 opening of the Academy Museum, right here in the Miracle Mile. The completed building, of 300,000 square feet, is being outfitted with exciting exhibitions that are sure to draw crowds of movie aficionados

from around the world. Visitors will start their journeys on the ground floor of the Saban Building (the former May Co. building from 1939). There, in the Grand Lobby, is a glass-walled gallery and multi-screen experience. This is the Spielberg Family Gallery, where the introductory portion of the “Stories of Cinema” exhibition can be enjoyed for free. The Museum is offering preopening programs online at: academymuseum.org/en/programs

SPIELBERG FAMILY GALLERY in the new Academy Museum will have multiple video screens to orient visitors. Image by WHY Architecture; © Academy Museum Foundation

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HISTORY REVEALED. 18 THE NIMBY DIARIES 8 ENTERTAINMENT Theater 10 On the Menu 11 Movies 12 DESIGN FOR LIVING 13 CAMPS & SCHOOLS 20 YOUTH SPORTS 25

SECTION TWO VIEW: Real Estate Libraries, Museums Home & Garden

FRIEND OF SCHOOL. 2 HOME GROUND 6 ON PRESERVATION 8 REAL ESTATE SALES 10 LIBRARIES 11 MUSEUMS 12 POLICE BEAT 14 POKER FOR ALL 15 BEEZWAX 15 CLASSIFIED ADS 15

CONGRATULATIONS Brooke Henderson! 2021 HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open Champion A special thanks to UCLA Health for your continued support of the tournament and impact in the community.

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Yoube (Continued from page 1) very unique in Los Angeles. We were excited when this came up,” said Stephan Agerman, one of the company’s three owners. Agerman and his associates searched the city before finding this location in a new building, the Gillis House, under construction at the northern edge of Larchmont Village. Its appeal? “Larchmont is a real neighborhood where you can work and pick up bread and ice cream,” Agerman noted. And, he added, the neighborhood has a high walkability and bike score. Neighbors can easily walk to Yoube (pronounced “you be,” and named after its informal interior design.) Yoube’s owners are looking to expand their enterprise to 50 locations citywide in the next few years with more openings across the country within the next three-to-five years. There is an abundant inventory of vacant commercial space from which to choose, they say, thanks to the pandemic. Their co-work business concept was formed before the pandemic, but the model has become more relevant, from parents who need an office setting to 20-somethings or older, working out of small apartments, explains Yoube cofounder and owner Jenny Berglund Castro. Features at the new 3,800-square-foot office on Melrose will include secure fiber optic Wi-Fi, sit / stand

T 100

RENDERING

desks with ergonomic chairs, meeting pods, outdoor spaces and cleaning and sanitizing throughout the day. “You don’t have to step into an elevator, and there is a lot of air flowing in a big space,” Berglund Castro added. Fees in this non-traditional setting will start at $2.50 an hour, and go up to $6 an hour for walk-ins. Packages, group purchases and membership discounts are also available. So why not just stop in a Starbucks for the price of a latte to write or have a meeting? “Good question,” said Agerman. Besides hearing the constant sounds of lattes being frothed and name callouts for orders, Wi-Fi at coffee shops is slow and nonsecure. They’re for “digital nomads,” says Agerman. At Yoube, customers can be socially interactive in meeting

pods, or they can enjoy privacy wearing headphones or rent “phone booths.” Either way, the surroundings are conducive to work. Also, the fees are lower than the “smart” co-work competition, which require memberships and are in traditional office settings with the dreaded (in the pandemic age) elevators. At Yoube, “anyone can come in without a long-term commitment,” added Berglund Castro. The owners have signed a three-year lease for the groundfloor space on the southwest corner of Beachwood and Melrose, with tall windows and views of busy Melrose. The office will include touchless entry and COVID-19-safe protocols. It will be furnished with 60 seats — to include the sit / stand desks. “Our bodies are not meant to sit,” explains Berglund Castro. The modern furniture, in-

100 years

In celebration of

100 Years of Larchmont Village the Larchmont Chronicle’s October issue will be a centennial souvenir collector’s edition. For advertising information call 323-462-2241 — Pam Rudy (ext. 11) or Caroline Tracy (ext.16)

cluding the desks and oversized lounge chairs, will come from design manufacturer Poppin, and plants will hail from KKOT Botanical Design in DTLA. Communal shared tables are made of recycled oak from an East Los Angeles-based manufacturer. The environment is designed to inspire workers to take breaks to boost creativity, efficiency and balance. And to shop. Almost everything in the space

will be for sale, even hand soaps, the art works and photographs on the walls — all by local artists — and the vending food snacks. Customers can scan the QR codes found on each product to purchase online. “Yoube blends a modern coworking experience with that of a designer showroom,” explains Berglund Castro. Some 40,000 cars drive by the Melrose location every day. “It’s a massive billboard we’re providing,” adds Agerman. Initial funding for the venture came from Klovern, a publicly-traded Swedish-based real estate investment firm, in collaboration with its partner in New York, GDSNY. Berglund Castro and Agerman, who hail from Stockholm, and fellow co-owner/founder Babak Kheshti met as freelancers, when they saw a niche for creating a workspace with easy dropin access, trustworthy technology and social engagement. Local art already hangs at the company’s first pop-up planned for a launch at 5335 W. Adams Blvd. at the end of April, with similar fees and easy access. “It’s a new trend we’re tapping into,” said Agerman. Visit yoube.today, or by visiting its Instagram, @yoube.today .

Larchmont Sanctuary Spa hosts bloodmobile visit Larchmont Sanctuary Spa, 331 N. Larchmont Blvd., will be hosting the Red Cross Bloodmobile Tues., June 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments to give blood can be made by visiting tinyurl. com/4tt46c3z or calling the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767. Larchmont Sanctuary Spa has collected 121 pints of blood for the Red Cross over the last six years, says Scott Buss, owner. About every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs

blood, and with so many people going on vacation this time of year the need for blood donors is especially critical, he said. Other local businesses that are having blood drives in May and June include: Anderson Munger Family YMCA, 4301 W. Third St.; the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd.; and the Los Angeles Police Dept., Olympic Division, 1130 S. Olympic Blvd. For more information, visit redcrossblood.org.

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Windsor Villagers rally for their park

COMMUNITY volunteers cherish the Windsor Village neighborhood and work to prove it.

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In mid-April, the Windsor Village Association (WVA) hosted a weekend morning park trash clean-up at Harold A. Henry Park. Over the course of an hour and a half, residents filled more than 30 bags — 55 gallons each — with trash, pine needles, pine cones, etc. Volunteers from throughout Windsor Village worked on the project. WVA president Barbara Pflaumer reported: “Although we discovered that we needed more time to complete the undertaking (and sadly lost some of our workers to predictable and understandable conflicts like baseball prac-

NEIGHBORS AT WORK at a mid-April clean-up of Harold A. Henry Park in Windsor Village.

tice, etc.), we are determined to do it again sometime in the coming months. We have such

Golf (Continued from page 1)

BARBARA PFLAUMER (left), president of the Windsor Village Association, and vice president Heather Brel wielded brooms and 55-gallon trash bags with other volunteers at the park.

demic-related restrictions. Last year’s event was cancelled for the same reason. Eager to return to Wilshire, 2019’s winner Minjee Lee from Australia told reporters at an April 20 press conference that it was nice to be back: “When I parked the car and walked down the stairs yesterday, all of these memories came back,” Lee said. “I really like this golf course, the layout. It’s kind of tricky and unique. I do really like coming back here, and I’m glad we got to come back here this year.” Even with that excitement, Lee was unable to take the top spot this year, which went to seven-year LPGA Tour veteran Brooke Henderson, who captured her 10th win at Wilshire Country Club, ending two years of not seeing a victory. Henderson finished with a 16-under score of 268 to break the event record of 14-under set by Minjee Lee in 2019. “Unreal. It’s pretty crazy,” said Henderson of her 10th victory. “To get my ninth win was such a big deal in Canada, and then, since then, I have been just trying to chase that 10th one. To get it here, it’s just — I’m just so happy and it’s hard to believe.” The 23-year-old Canadian golfer took home the $225,000 winner’s share of the tournament’s $1.5 million purse. “I feel like I have been playing solid golf and just haven’t had the victory in what feels like a really long time now,” said Henderson. “Just to get it across the line and to have the work that Brit [sister and caddie] and I have been putting in pay off and be able to celebrate together and get the 10th win on the LPGA Tour is really incredible.” Henderson is the winningest Canadian golfer in the history of the LPGA and PGA tours.

wonderful residents who take great pride in ‘our’ little city park (where Plymouth Blvd. intersects Francis Ave.), and they are willing to work hard to make our clean-up efforts the successes they always are.”

skin

deep by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald

What’s the saying…If it ain’t broke don’t fix it? But what if our most popular laser managed to get even better? And just in time for our collective reentry into life as we knew it. Clear + Brilliant is rightfully touted for providing enviable results: evening-out skin tone, texture, and reducing the appearance of pore size with very little downtime. Now we welcome Clear + Brilliant Touch. Think of it as one-stop shopping, or the Amazon of lasers. While we previously recommended three treatments with Clear + Brilliant, thanks to the two wavelengths of C+B Touch, we can achieve all of the magic in one appointment – and that’s for all skin types. That’s correct — we can address fine lines, pore size, and pigmentation, as well as stimulate collagen production and improve your skin care product absorption. One session. Zero downtime. Contact our office today to schedule your single appointment. The timing couldn’t be better. Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald is a Board

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Myth-busting: What are the ways we perceive the homeless? and physical disabilities and substances abuse. These conditions indicate the inability to care for oneself and the dispiriting lack of adequate mental health and substance abuse resources available for healing. Simply offering the much-needed medication could change the woman talking incoherently on the corner’s life! Fewer than twothirds of Los Angeles County’s residents living on the streets have a psychological or substance abuse disorder. Much of the mental health and substance abuse is due in large part to undiagnosed disorders that flare up, along with the numerous traumas people experience while living in unsafe environments. Our homeless crisis is the result of a long-ingrained depiction of “the poor.” Maintaining this narrative keeps us unaware of our own complicity in the problem of homelessness. Let’s examine the powerful narrative, the words we use to define poverty and how it has shaped the inequities that are pervasive in our beloved neighborhoods today. Unjust stereotypes / myths We are experiencing a sea change in our values (whether we like it or not). The pandemic and the protests over the course of this past year have raised our awareness of the inequities in our society. We will be able to make the desperately-needed changes when we accept how the pervasive narrative, the

The NIMBY Diaries by

Marilyn Wells

unjust stereotypes and myths, have shaped our attitudes and beliefs and how those attitudes and beliefs have established our current policies and systems. It’s time to examine them for what they are and where they came from and most importantly to discuss how they need to change. We need to examine ourselves first by asking the questions, “how do I perceive the disheveled man pushing a shopping cart?”; “how do I explain that person’s plight to my children?”; “who am I

in the context of this other person?”; and “do I have the responsibility to help remedy the person’s experience?” I believe we do. We need to do the work in order to see how their experience is interconnected with our own biases and beliefs — whether as a result of the repercussions of racial covenants, or redlining or other aspects of housing injustice, or as a result of how we vote on the policies that attempt to change the system. However, we can be a part of the solution: • If you see someone in need on the street, ask him or her what you can do to help. Use the LA-Hop online portal or call 211 to request assistance. Don’t call the police unless you are in danger. • Get involved; call your city council member and let

him or her know you support building housing and that you support helping people (especially during this time) to stay in their homes. Bridge housing, supportive housing (invaluable for chronically homeless individuals) and affordable housing units are all desperately needed and will serve all of our unhoused neighbors. We can change the narrative by adopting the words of another (not Reagan or Clinton) president: “Poverty in the midst of plenty is a paradox that must not go unchallenged in this country.” — John F. Kennedy Guest columnist Marilyn Wells, Psy.D. is a resident of Hancock Park and an advocate for people with lived homeless experience. She is the co-founder of storiesfrontline.org.

MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS

Ridley-Thomas and Hollywood Pres team up By John Welborne Angelenos seeking COVID-19 vaccinations can obtain them conveniently at 1819 S. Western Avenue (just north of Washington Blvd.) every Tuesday through the end of May, thanks to a joint effort of 10th District City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas and CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (CHA HPMC) and the Southern California Eye Institute (SCEI). Inaugurated on April 20, the mobile clinic provides free vaccines to those who meet County eligibility

criteria. At the outdoor site’s opening, Councilmember RidleyThomas made brief remarks, as did Rohit Varma, MD, MPH, who is the chief medical officer of CHA HPMC and the CEO of SCEI. Ridley-Thomas acknowledged the presence of student volunteers from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. That first day, 300 vaccine doses were administered. Learn more at: https://sceyes.org/20210403. Vaccine%20Mobile%20Clinic. PDF

Gia Marakas

Classically trained

Certified Pilates Instructor ©LC1020

I am from the “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” generation — from the Reagan and Clinton years when both Republicans and Democrats rebranded empathy for those experiencing poverty as a lack of initiative on the part of the impoverished, a lack of initiative that was supposedly made worse by the heavy hand of government assistance programs; the generation that turned the impoverished into “the other,” that removed financial support from mental health services and clinics and reduced the “social safety net” for the poor. That generation’s narrative of “homelessness” still is prevalent today. What do you picture when someone uses the word “homeless?” A disheveled man pushing a shopping cart, a woman standing on a busy corner talking incoherently, multiple tents and cardboard boxes surrounded by trash? The very word “homeless” conjures up a stereotype and is a lazy handle we all use to define a large and extremely diverse population of our neighbors who are unhoused. It has become an inaccurate label, “othering” a group of people. The descriptions above represent only a small portion of who the unhoused among us actually are. These individuals are often chronically homeless and frequently manifest the descriptions above due to the length of time they have been on the street, which can lead to or exacerbate mental

COVID-friendly one-on-one instruction Longtime Hancock Park resident

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITIES FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. Since our first COVID-19 patient in March 2020, PIH Health has been dedicated to caring for those impacted by this disease and now we are grateful to be turning our attention towards providing vaccine to put an end to this pandemic. Throughout the past year, you were there supporting our efforts every step of the way. Thank you for your good thoughts, letters and prayers; your donations of food, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies; your financial support; volunteering your time; and most of all, for trusting us with your care. Together, we made a difference and as always, PIH Health remains your health and wellness partner!

PIHHealth.org

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Will ‘Diana,’ the musical, be as ill-fated as the people’s princess?

RESTAURANT & COCKTAILS

Theater Review by

Louis Fantasia nedy, is one of the founders of Amblin Entertainment and a multiple Academy Award winner and nominee. His grasp of popular culture is much greater than my own. But, having been trained by the Jesuits, I fail to see the logic in his argument (even though part of me hopes he is right). Let’s put an event on TV (to use the old term), where a family can sit and watch it for twenty bucks (or so), while eating a pizza in their jammies (they are in their pajamas, not the pizza), and then say: “I know, honey: let’s spend three or four thousand dollars to fly to New York, rent a Covidproofed hotel room, and see the show we just saw, along with one or two other shows

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that might be playing on the Great White Way.” Possible, but I think unlikely. Marshall, whom I applaud for his theatrical optimism, is, at age 74, three years older than I am, and I think I know whence both his optimism and (if I may be so bold) his logical flaw, derive. In the 1950s and ’60s, television was both aspirational and hierarchical. Networks carried programs such as Leonard Bernstein’s “Young People’s Concerts” and productions of Gian-Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” and condensed versions of Broadway plays were shown on “Playhouse 90” and the like. There was more than a little cultural elitism behind all this (let alone institutional racism) that basically treated “art” like Popeye’s spinach: you consumed it because it would make you a better person. Shows like Ed Sullivan’s would have (between the Beatles, the comics, and the jugglers) Jan Peerce and Beverly Sills from the opera, or Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet doing a scene from “Camelot,” which, in 1960, had just opened on Broadway, and was having trouble gaining an audience. Andrews remembers in her autobiography (“Home: A Memoir of My Early Years”) that during the musical excerpts on TV, “… there was palpable electricity that night. The following morning there was a line of people outside the

PRINCESS DIANA

theater and around the block queuing for tickets. Sales skyrocketed and ‘Camelot’ was, at last, a big hit.” Thank you, Ed Sullivan! Thank you, television! Thank you … Netflix? A line queued outside the box office? Everyone watching the same show on Sunday

night at 8 p.m.? How quaint. My parents — as did Mr. Marshall’s — went to the theater as a result of what they saw on TV, and it was a big deal. But TV quickly became a “vast wasteland,” and cable news and networks such as MTV drove multiple wedges into an audience that now shares almost nothing in common. Will a musical about the “people’s princess” get us off our couches? Perhaps, although the cultural moment might be better geared to a rock opera about the “Tiger King.” Who knows? I think I’ll wait — and maybe try and find a Youtube clip of Burton and Andrews wondering “what the king is doing tonight.” The pizza at home is pretty good!

El Cholo’s green corn tamales return on May 1 tocols followed scrupulously. By John Welborne A seasonal tradition since It’s a rather pleasant and nowthe local restaurant’s found- popular setting, and owner ing in 1923, green corn tama- Ron Salisbury tells us that les again are within easy reach some aspects of the experience at El Cholo on nearby West- are likely to be incorporated ern Avenue, effective May 1. into future remodeling plans. As corn becomes available for (The restaurant has had quite harvesting when its kernels a few makeovers since moving are soft and sweet, El Cholo’s from across the street to its kitchen gears up for produc- current location on the west ing this customer favorite, side of Western in 1931.) Visit in person at 1121 S. only available until October. While seating is still limited Western Ave. (323-734-2773) inside the restaurant because or online at elcholo.com . of the ebbing pandemic, the restaurant nonetheless is able to serve many returning customers because half of its large, second parking lot has been converted to fresh air dining, with tables widely spaced GREEN CORN TAMALES are back at El and all County pro- Cholo from now through October.

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“It’s May! It’s May! The lusty month of May,” as Lerner and Lowe wrote in their musical, “Camelot.” Spring has sprung! Announcements blossom like crocuses, as theaters reopen from London to Los Angeles: the Globe, Shakespeare in the Park, our own Hollywood Bowl. The Fountain Theater will turn its East Hollywood parking lot into an outdoor theater for a production this summer (no details yet on where you actually park, but…). And yet… Netflix (now a theatrical juggernaut) has announced that it will stream “Diana,” the musical about the illfated British princess, in October, before the show (hopefully) opens in New York two months later. Producer and film-maker Frank Marshall, quoted in the “New York Times” (3/30/21) said, “I think people will see the movie, and will say, that’s a show I want to see in person.” Marshall, along with Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Ken-

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

SECTION ONE

’Tis the season for tacos and beer; takeout Thai still a favorite At first glance, the scene at All Season Brewing Company looks disturbingly like the coronavirus breeding ground we all saw when spring breakers flooded Florida. Upon closer examination, however, the new drinking and taco re-do of the Firestone Tire building on La Brea Avenue reveals that the reveling imbibers are actually adequately distanced on the capacious patio. Temperatures are taken upon arrival, and parties are either seated at individual tables or assigned an end of a long table which no doubt will hold four times the number of people once we are truly an open society again. Once seated, head to the bar to select one of 14 housemade brews, $7-$8, or a $12$13 cocktail. My so-named Slick Porter was exactly how I favor beer: dark and toasty. My husband, a smoky-drink fiend, enjoyed his mezcal Paloma on tap. If feeling peckish, head to the food ordering station run by Chicas Tacos, a well-loved mini-chain with other outposts in Beverly Grove, Culver City and, soon, Venice Beach. Their satisfying array of simple Mexican food is exactly what one wants to munch while sitting outside with family or friends and a pint. Aside

from a somewhat soggy $4.50 ear of street corn, which nonetheless was nicely seasoned with crema and cotija cheese, we went straight for the tacos rather than indulging in the short list of other options, including burritos, wings and quesadillas. The tacos were quite good. Best were braised steak and chicken, especially when drizzled with fiery salsa, but the braised pork and thick-battered crunchy fried fish tacos also fit the mood. Options for vegetarians are jackfruit and “impossible meat.” Each taco is stuffed with flavor enhancers such as radishes, scallions, crispy potatoes, red or green salsa and queso fresco. Tacos run $4-$5; other dishes, $7$15. I used to buy tires and have minor repairs done at that Firestone, and it’s fabulous that the Streamline Moderne sweeps of the building, desig-

On the Menu by

Helene Seifer nated a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument in 2012, have been preserved and repurposed into a fun environment. What better way to celebrate warm weather and pandemic protocol-easing than a casual meal at this lively indoor/outdoor spot? All Season Brewing Company, 800 S. La Brea Ave., 323591-0330. • • • Even in the before times, takeout Thai was a staple in my house, and I don’t see any reason to stop that tradition now that brick-and-mortars beckon. Our city has no shortage of

Thai eateries, and Chao Krung is one of the standouts, usually landing on every top 20 list of Thai restaurants in Los Angeles. It isn’t as innovative as Night + Market, nor as encyclopedic as Jitlada, but if you’re a fan of Thai cuisine, you’ll find plenty to love at Chao Krung, from the everpopular pad Thai to sour sausages, mussel pancakes and spicy drunken noodles (labeled a “great hangover cure”). I love soup, and one of my favorites is tom yum with shrimp, a typical Thai hot and sour offering on menus everywhere. Chao Krung’s is very good, with balanced flavors of sour from lemongrass, lime juice and kaffir lime leaves, a touch of sweetness from sugar (but not as cloying as so many other versions) and a jolt of heat from Thai chilies. The clear broth, also seasoned with galangal, a type of earthy Asian ginger, comes loaded

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Devlin, friends are hit at Irish Import Shop Comedian and Chronicle photographer Bill Devlin will be performing outdoors once more in front of the MacNamara Irish Import Shop at 742 Vine St., Sat., May 15 at 8 p.m. Bill Devlin Devlin frequently has guests such as Fritz Coleman, Kevin Nealon and Jamie Kennedy at the COVID-safe parking lot shows. “The last few shows we’ve had at the Irish Import parking lot have sold out,” says Devlin. Tickets must be reserved in advance and are available at billdevlin.com.

with plump shrimp, mushrooms and cilantro, $8 for 16 ounces. I order it with mild spiciness, although I always order at least one dish medium hot to give my taste buds a workout. Definitely try one of their noodle dishes, such as pad see ew, $12.50, wide rice noodles tossed with Chinese broccoli, scrambled egg, soy sauce, vinegar and protein of choice. I generally assign a different protein to each dish ordered, covering pork, tofu, chicken and shrimp. One could also opt for pork belly, beef or vegetarian. Three satisfying Thai curries grace the menu here; my favorite is green curry spiced with green chilies, coconut milk, eggplant and bell peppers, $14.50. Its creamy, peppery deliciousness sings when tossed over rice. Chao Krung, 111 N. Fairfax Ave., 323-939-8361.

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

SECTION ONE

Fools and heroes of politics and wars, questionable assassin Coburgo-Gotha), the granddaughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria, as she is sent to Paris to take part in the negotiation of the Versailles (peace) Treaty that signaled the official end of WWI. We see the fools who were responsible for the nonsensical war now bumbling their way to a horrible agreement that set the stage for Hitler and WWII. Lloyd George (Richard Elfin) and George Clemenceau (Ronald Genery) are aptly closed-minded and obstinate. But the guy who really destroyed the peace ac-

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cords was the Democrat racist Woodrow Wilson (Patrick Drury) who is shown to be the arrogant, haughty alazon he really was. But this movie is about Queen Marie. Lupo gives a performance for the ages. She is in almost every scene and steals the movie. She even looks like the real Queen Marie. Something’s wrong if this lady does not receive an Oscar; if not for this (well, it was released in 2019), at least sometime down the road. She is enormously talented and beautiful. Once again, though, it would have been nice if brilliant director Alexis Sweet Cahill had provided a postscript on what happened to the characters, especially Queen Marie. From what I know, though, you can take most of this to the bank, which is unusual for a biopic. VOD (Audiences can purchase it from one of the video platforms — iTunes, YouTube, Amazon, etc.. Just to explain, SVOD — Subscription Video On Demand — would be Netflix, Prime, Hulu, etc.) May 7. Dateline – Saigon (9/10) 96 minutes. NR. Back in the day,

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these writers were the bad guys. They weren’t, and this movie proves it. This is a terrific film, and it’s told mostly through archival interviews with each of the journalists who tell their fascinating personal stories years later. I hope lots of people can see it, especially those who lived through those years. Ovid.tv. The Virtuoso (6/10) 105 minutes. I am tiring of movies about cold-blooded, stoic professional assassins who have hidden feelings of compassion. If a person is a killer, it’s unlikely that person thinks much about the injustice or moral consequences of the act. Here, Anson Mount is a professional assassin working for Anthony Hopkins, a military buddy of Mount’s deceased father. Mount is given a vague assignment and has to guess whom to kill in a small hamlet in the Pocono Mountains, Pa., where it was filmed along with Santa Ynez, Calif. But Mount is bothered by “collateral” damage he has inflicted in the past. That’s a difficult pill to swallow, exacerbated by Mount’s shallow performance. He meets a plethora of suspected targets in a diner, along with Abbie Cornish, a pretty waitress who gets the hots for Anson. Directed by Nick Stagliano from a script by James Wolf with help from Stagliano, the film is too long and very slow, although it has its share of violence. Cornish does a good job, but Mount has about as much charisma as my driveway, which makes the slow parts virtually devoid of the tension required in a thriller like this. It might have been helped by better music. Rated “R” (for violence and because Cornish does display her magnificent breasts), this would be a great star vehicle for someone like Bogey or Steve McQueen. Of those actually still alive, I’m thinking that Cillian Murphy or Mark Wahlberg or Hugh Jackman might be able to pull it off, somebody with sex appeal who also can show that he has a screw loose somewhere (think of Bogey in “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” and “The Caine Mutiny”). As it is, Mount plays it like a dead man walking.

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I trusted our government. That articulate good-looking womanizer JFK wouldn’t lie to us, would he? His cabinet was called The Best and the Brightest. Well, it turns out they were The Worst and The Dumbest, led by his Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, former Tex Thornton Whiz Kid of WWII. This documentary about the youthful newsmen who covered the start of the Vietnam War in the early ’60s opens with a shocking picture of U.S. troops in a trench watching an atomic bomb test blast just a few miles away. These poor troops were ordered by their government, which they trusted, to be stationed dangerously close to the detonation site, soaking up deadly nuclear waves. This mindless government faux pas is an allegorical prelude to the story that follows — how a few young newspaper correspondents, Malcolm Browne, Peter Arnett, Horst Faas (AP photographer), Homer Bigert and David Halberstam of the “New York Times” and Neil Sheehan of UPI, were sending back reports of what was really going on in Vietnam while the government and the Army were lying through their teeth. There is a telling clip of a JFK news conference where he is asked flat out if the U.S. military was engaging in hostilities, and JFK replies categorically, but weakly, “no,” when, in fact they were. And another where the Viet Cong wiped out a village, and a four-star general lied about it, calling it a “victory,” even though he had never been to the site of the battle. Written and directed by Thomas D. Herman and narrated by Sam Waterston of “Law and Order” fame, this film shows how these young newspaper correspondents were voices crying in the wilderness as they wrote the truth to the lies of the army and the government about what was going on in Vietnam, while generals and unprincipled politicians closed their eyes to the truth and told lie after lie to the people. Most Americans, including me, believed the government and thought

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Queen Marie of Romania (9/10) 105 minutes. NR. This is a movie! It tells the probably mostly-unknown story of the Queen of Romania (Roxana Lupo) after WWI. Production designers Nora Dumitrescue and Laura Russu should get awards because there is no green screen here. It’s all shot on location in Romania and Paris, and the locations are gorgeous and lovingly shot; kudos to director of photography Gabriel Kosuth. The film tackles the task of Queen Marie (whole name was Maria di Sassonia-

Larchmont Chronicle

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SECTION ONE

Design for Living

WIDE PLANK

Townhomes by top architects ready for sale By Billy Taylor he area’s newest residential development, Windsor Row, featuring 12 townhomes designed by Electric Bowery Architects, is set to officially hit the market

this month. To get a sneak peek, the Chronicle met with the Deasy Penner Podley sales team representing the project for a pre-release tour. Located at 610 S. Van Ness Ave., Windsor Row intersects the bustling and hip Korea-

WINDSOR ROW was designed by Electric Bowery Architects.

town neighborhood with the leafy residential streets of Windsor Square and nearby Hancock Park. Replacing a run-down house and crumbling parking lot full of abandoned vehicles, the new townhouse project is made up

of two facing contemporary four-story structures designed with six townhomes on each side, centered on a gated courtyard shared by residents that includes a stream that meanders along fresh landscaping. Each townhome

includes a direct entrance to a work-from-home office suite, an outdoor patio, roof deck and private two-car garage. Dubbed as a refined modern retreat among the urban landscape of Los Angeles, Windsor Row aims to redefine what a community of architectural condominiums can look like. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” said agent Michele Sanchez as she revealed to us last month the master suite complete with a walk-through closet, spa-like bath and an enclosed terrace. “The aesthetic is very unique in that it is both modern and warm.” On the main level of each home, an open floor plan combines a great room and a dining room with high ceilings, a central fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors. A modern kitchen comes equipped with custom cabinetry, a Thermador appliance package and a large kitchen island made of leathered quartzite. Electric Bowery Architects The team behind the (Please turn to page 14)

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

SECTION ONE

DESIGN FOR LIVING

MASTER SUITES include walk-in closets, spa-like baths and private terraces.

FULL HEIGHT sliding glass doors off the living room provide an indoor-outdoor space.

Windsor Row (Continued from page 13) project’s design is Venicebased Electric Bowery Architects, known locally for its work on the Neuehouse building and Paley restaurant at the former CBS Headquarters. “Electric Bowery does some really cool stuff, but I love that they’re a homegrown, Los Angeles-based firm, so you know that you’re getting

an architect that understands SoCal living and what people are looking for,” said listing broker Joshua Gaunya on the building’s design pedigree. In fact, Electric Bowery had input and influence on all of the finishes in the townhomes, down to the faucets, door hardware and counter selection. “They didn’t just deliver the plans and leave it to the contractor. Everything was approved by them,” said

Gaunya. “The architect has pushed the envelope to create row houses with a modern aesthetic that will attract a diverse mix of homeowners that include families, small business owners and even those looking for a place that they can lock and leave.” Like a single family home According to Gaunya, living in a high-quality townhome like those of Windsor Row is more like living in a single-

family home than a traditional condo project. “You don’t have the interior hallways, and you have direct access to your home via the front and the garage. There’s no one above or below you, so you don’t have to worry about noise. “In some ways, Windsor Row has an east coast vibe in that it resembles brownstone and row house projects often found in Boston or New York City,” Gaunya adds. A newly-built single-family

home in Los Angeles, that is both modern and welldesigned, can sell for more than $3 million, maybe much more, depending upon the neighborhood, explained the Deasy Penner Podley team. Windsor Row is an opportunity for people who can’t afford those homes to still get into contemporary new construction in a highly desired neighborhood. Prices start at $1.88 million. Visit windsorrow.com.

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

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DESIGN FOR LIVING

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Larchmont Chronicle

DESIGN FOR LIVING

Art Deco-inspired mixed-use building readies for June opening By Suzan Filipek Some in the neighborhood spoke out against it. It was too tall, they feared, adding that it just would be one more boxy apartment building. But developer Mishel Mikail of Crescent Capital Group persevered with his mixed-use project, the Gillis House at 5570 Melrose Ave., (with its residence address at 647 N. Beachwood Dr.). Responding to the circa-2017 criticism of the proposal’s renderings, Mikail said, “That’s not who we are. We are the owners. We’re the developer, and we’re going to keep this for a really long time.” During a recent hardhat tour of the property, Mikail enthusiastically showed features of the five-story build-

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building is scheduled to be complete June 15. Before it was approved by the city for construction, Mikail went through half a dozen designs with the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council before settling on a design with which stakeholders could agree — a five-story building made to look like an original, historical Art Deco office building. Bronze metal grilles adorn the north and east elevations, and there are bronzeFIVE-STORY mixed-use building is being developed by Crescent trimmed tall windows that add Capital Group and Balour Associates. a presence on the fifth floor, on the Melrose and Beach- bedrooms. A Hollywood-inspired mural wood corner. Five units are low-income. by Kelsey Montague will cover Not everyone is happy with The units average 652 square all five levels at the corner of the finished product, however. feet each. Prices have yet to be Melrose and Beachwood. Tracey Clarke, a neighbor a determined. The fifth-floor rooftop has block away from the project Parking, an issue during the been set back by two feet to who challenged it during the approval process, is now 22 make the 44,000-square foot 2017 city approvstructure less imposing al process, said to drivers and pedestrilast month that Before it was approved by the city ans below, said Mikail. her biggest com- for construction, [the developer] went After he purchased plaint at the time through half a dozen designs with the the property in 2017, of her unsuc- Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council he waited two years for cessful challenge before settling on a design with which the former owner (of 23 “was the height stakeholders could agree ... years) to find a new locaand that the units tion for his auto repair were not going to shop. be suitable for family / work ground-floor parking spaces A new tenant, Yoube, a dropforce housing.” for retail and 47 underground in co-work office space, has Of the nearly-finished prod- parking spaces for tenants. signed a three-year lease for uct, Clarke said: “I don’t think Rooftop units and a two thirds of the eastern porthe exterior finishes line up 5,000-square foot rooftop tion of the 5,587-square feet with the renderings or the common dining and barbecue of ground-floor space. Mikail promise of blending in with area boast “insane” views of hopes to lease the remaining the neighborhood. It looks DTLA and the Hollywood sign, commercial footage to a grab like a tired 70s building to me Mikail beams. Amenities also ‘n’ go type of coffee shop. and not a vintage Deco build- include a U-shaped outdoor Residential tenants will be ing as intended … the brown pool area on the second floor given discounts at the downis just depressing to me!” with views of the neighboring stairs co-work company. The building’s apartments rooftops. It is a “holistic way of life … have their separate entrance Hallways will be lined with full stop … on Beachwood; they have pa- French oak walls and cushi“It’s a positive for us. The tios and are set back further ony carpets. Units feature a tenant can come downstairs from the street. modern vibe with high ceil- and use the conference facilAll of the units are one bed- ings, Carrara marble, quartz ity, the printing or coffee shop room, except for four studios countertops and black steel and outdoor space,” said Miand two units that have two staircases. kail.

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Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

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DESIGN FOR LIVING

CONSTRUCTION on the house in July 2020 involved rebuilding the foundation.

RESTORATION of Victorian-style house on Larchmont Boulevard is nearly complete.

1920s Victorian house gets facelift from local architect By Billy Taylor The final touches of a major restoration project are being made this month on a 1920s Victorian-style house on Larchmont Boulevard by Studio AR&D Architects. For the past year, Sean Lockyer, the principal and lead architect for Studio AR&D, has been working to restore the old house, at 424 N. Larchmont Blvd., from the ground up with the aim of turning the location into his firm’s offices and showroom. “The building looks fantastic,” Lockyer told the Chronicle last month. “It’s been a lot of work and we had some setbacks with the pandemic, but things are progressing great.” Pushing the project forward during a pandemic meant that Lockyer had to overcome issues with subcontractors unable to perform and some material shortages. “It definitely slowed things down,” he said. When asked about the renovation process, Lockyer explained that it was no small task to return the house to its former glory while adding some modern touches: “It is an old house that was moved to this location 100 years ago. It’s definitely re-built now.” Perhaps the most eye-catching update to the house’s exterior is the addition of a twostory glass window that opens with a mechanical crank. “It’s a pivot window 18 feet tall and six and-a-half feet wide, with a steel frame,” explained Lockyer. It took some engineering magic to design and install the glass window, which Lockyer said “required a footing the size of a car under the ground.” Further, to obtain city officials’ approval of the engineering and design, Lockyer had to sign a covenant with the city that the giant window will be properly maintained and repaired. “It’s a great way to get fresh air in the office.” Once complete, Lockyer notes that the house will not “just be an office space,”

although it is that. He also wants it to be a place that demonstrates what Studio AR&D can do: “This house has a lot of the finishes that we use in our

custom homes,” he said. With the project nearing completion, Studio AR&D expects to be in the location by the end of May.

Was it worth it? “Absolutely,” said Lockyer. “This house has a lot of character, which is exactly what we were looking for. Now

it is the dichotomy of very old and very contemporary — it’s got both. That makes it interesting to me.” Visit studio-ard.com

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

SECTION ONE

DESIGN FOR LIVING

Renovations add spacious feel to 1929 Dover building on Beverly a number of changes since By Rachel Olivier Multi-family homes, such then, says Candice Gurfinkel, as apartment buildings, aren’t of MCM Property Managetypically known for being ar- ment, who is the property chitectural or historical works manager for the building with of art, yet there are many such her husband Marty. For exambuildings in Los Angeles, built ple, a valet no longer waits for after the 1925 Exposition des residents to drop off or pick up Arts Decoratifs in Paris, and perhaps influInitially ... residents gave their enced by it. One in particular, keys to the valet, who would which has been under- drive cars onto an underground going renovations re- turntable that would turn the cently, is the six-story car into the correct position to The Dover at 4649 Bevbe parked in the garage beerly Blvd. Built in 1929 and neath the apartments. These designed by Hillier & days, while the turntable can Sheet architects, the still be seen, it is not used ... now 31-unit apartment building was built with a two-story lobby, an elevator their cars, and a key fob entry with a grate door, a circular and security system has regarage and a rooftop patio. A placed an onsite attendant. Initially, she said, residents valet station still sits in the gave their keys to the valet, front. The Dover has gone through who would drive cars onto an

EXPOSED CONCRETE

underground turntable that would turn the car into the correct position to be parked in the garage beneath the apartments. These days, while the turntable can still be seen, it is not used, and Gurfinkel says they are looking for ways to make use of the space, such as extra storage units, or maybe workout rooms for the residents. Apartments and the economy Ninety-plus years have also had an influence on the number of units in the building over time. The original certificate of occupancy, Oct. 21, 1929 states there were 31 apartments, with an apartment set aside for an onsite attendant. However, by Sept. 17, 1933, an article in the “Los Angeles Times” on renovations that were giving much needed employment to workers included a paragraph on the $35,000 worth of refurnishing and modernization done on 51 separate apartments at The Dover. By 2005, The Dover also included a penthouse unit, formerly the attendant’s apartment, on the roof. Renovated anew Currently, Gurfinkel says, the “penthouse” unit is a clubhouse for use by the residents and there are again 31 onebedroom units. And while some of the classic style of the building remains, such as the lobby and the elevator, units

THE DOVER

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black-and-white tile in the bathrooms have made the apartments feel more up to date, while keeping some of the Art Deco feel.

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MAY 2021

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Loyola High School unveils new building, Caruso Hall By Billy Taylor Last month, Loyola High School of Los Angeles unveiled Caruso Hall, a state-of-the-art facility that serves as the centerpiece of a program to modernize the 21-acre, centuryold campus. Through the Caruso Family Foundation, local businessman and developer Rick Caruso and his wife Tina donated $4.5 million to the boy’s high school’s new building as well as $500,000 to endow a fouryear scholarship for a highperforming, low-income student from a nearby and underserved neighborhood. The Caruso gift was the largest single gift to Loyola’s 1901 Venice Boulevard Capital Campaign to prepare the 1,250-students school for the future with a “reimagined” campus. Of the project, Rick Caruso said: “Taking Loyola into the next century was the board’s goal, as was retaining Loyola’s mantle as one of the finest Jesuit schools in the country. It was clear that what Loyola needed to do to continue to be an elite Jesuit Catholic educational institution was to build, both academically and physically, to literally reach out to this new century and capture the future. “A Jesuit Catholic education

Wilshire Park resident aids typhoon victims By Suzan Filipek When a super typhoon came roaring into the largest and most populated island in the Philippines late last year, Cay Chiuco helped mobilize manpower and resources to ensure basic sustenance and living conditions were met. Now the focus for the Wilshire Park resident has turned to housing victims of the Category 5 typhoon — the strongest landfalling tropical cyclone on record. Typhoon Goni (known as Rolly in the Philippines) arrived Nov. 1 with 195-mph winds and uprooted the lives of people in the region who are dependent on farming, fishing and crafts, often working from their homes. The typhoon “put lives in danger and ravaged structures along its path. Homes were destroyed and families cramped in shelters,” explains Chiuco. Several months later, displaced families are still homeless. “They may be able to repair parts of their home, eventually, but for others it may take years or never,” she adds. This is where Chiuco and Sahaya International come in. The non-profit, based in Davis, Calif., is sponsoring the Bangon Luzon Project, a fund(Please turn to page 27)

CARUSO HALL is a new state-of-the-art building on the campus of Loyola High School.

forms and leads. Loyola makes all the difference in the world to the young men that come here — it’s a game changer. Tina and I are honored to be part of this next step as Loyola charts the next hundred years,” said Caruso.

Designed by Los Angelesbased architectural firm KFA Architecture, Caruso Hall is a more-than 26,000-squarefoot facility expected to be used for more than 200 events per year. The building includes a dedicated sacristy

to service liturgies, hidden retractable walls in the Grand Hall, integrated communications and audio-visual equipment, a full-service banquet kitchen capable of serving 800 guests, and ADA-compliant restrooms.

“When we embarked on the 1901 Capital Campaign, drawing up the plans for the new gateway to our campus, we envisioned what Loyola could be, what Loyola should be, what Loyola would become,” said Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73. “We are very grateful to the members of our community that have been on this journey with us, our many benefactors and friends. I especially want to thank Rick Caruso for his vision throughout these years as we moved forward with plans for the 21st century Loyola. His generosity, his leadership as Board Chair and strong belief in our mission helped to make this all possible.” In addition to Caruso Hall, the 1901 Venice Boulevard Project also enhanced Hayden Circle with a wrought iron front gate that spans the entrance to the school.

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Blessed Sacrament among schools to close Six Catholic elementary of Sienna School (Reseschools in the Archdiocese da), St. Ferdinand School of Los Angeles will close (San Fernando), St. Franin June, it was announced cis of Assisi School (Silver last month, including Lake) and St. Madeline Hollywood’s Blessed SacSchool (Pomona). rament School, located “These six schools had at 6641 Sunset Blvd. and been trying to overcome founded in 1915. Archfinancial challenges long diocese officials blame before the pandemic,” low enrollment, shifting said Paul Escala, Superdemographics and finanintendent of Catholic cial difficulties. Schools. “Unfortunately, our “After careful discernBLESSED SACRAMENT on Sunset Blvd. enrollment has continment with Archdiocesan ued to decline due to sigwork closely with each family and school leadership, the nificantly fewer school-aged enrolled to ensure that all stu- decision was reached to conchildren in the surrounding dents can register at another solidate these schools with neighborhoods. Moreover, Catholic school. nearby schools to create a the pandemic has further In addition to Blessed Sac- union that would strengthundermined the ability for rament, five other locations en the school communities the school to remain sustain- will be consolidated with oth- in the area so that all stuable,” read an April 5 state- er Catholic schools, including dents can continue to receive ment from Blessed Sacrament Assumption School (north of the quality Catholic education officials. The Archdiocese will Boyle Heights), St. Catherine that our schools provide.”

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CAMPS & SCHOOLS MARLBOROUGH By Avery Gough 9th Grade Happy Spring everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break and is ready for the last stretch to the 2020-2021 school year. I am so happy to finally be

writing an article that details Marlborough’s return to campus. April 12 was our first day back from spring break and has brought half of the school (known as the “Violet” cohort) back in person on Monday and Tuesday, and the other half of the student body

(the “Marigold” cohort) back on Thursday and Friday. In order to keep the 6 feet rule on campus, some classes are held in tents on

the field. The tents have monitors, cameras, and microphones so the students at home those days are able to still connect with their teachers and fellow students on campus. It has been so much fun seeing my friends that are in my cohort, and meeting my teachers for the first time in person. There are also arrows in the hallways guiding students in which direction to go so it is not over crowded, and lockers are not in use so students do not stand so close to one another. Wednesdays are still half day virtual science/ math testing blocks with two optional 45 minute periods after.

We are moving in the right direction, and hopefully we will return to normal in the fall. Along with our return to campus, Varsity and JV sports such as tennis, lacrosse, golf, etc. are now able to participate in games. Sports tryouts and practices began well before we were able to return to campus, but now we are able to compete with other schools. Course sign-ups for next year are open until next week, which is crazy to think how fast this year flew by. I am so thrilled to share such positive news with you and I look forward to see where this is heading.

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Go Pandas! Go Heart! We also recently observed the 100th celebration of Mary’s Day, a beloved tradition that students have been working for months to prepare. This year, students worked in their respective committees virtually to plan a Mary’s Day with the theme “Under the Mantle of Mary.” Finally, seniors are anticipating a socially distanced prom on Sat., May 15. This prom was an unexpected surprise from our student body officers. The event will take place on our school field where students can dance while maintaining social distance. Although only IH seniors are invited and no guests are allowed, the seniors are still anticipating a memorable night. Seniors also have an in-person graduation at the Hollywood Bowl to look forward to. The graduation will take place June 2, and seniors are currently practicing the songs they plan on performing that evening.

By Quinn Lanza 12th Grade Immaculate Heart is approaching a full month of successful hybrid learning! Overall, the transition has gone smoothly for those students who have returned to campus for in-person classes, and the change has provided at least some sense of normalcy. Students who have returned to campus use an app to answer a series of COVIDrelated questions before arriving at school. This system has proved to be an effective one. Hopefully, the precautions being taken will encourage more students to return to in-person learning. Meanwhile, our sports program is in full swing. Athletes have moved almost entirely from virtual conditioning to in-person practice and league competition.

THIRD STREET By Sofia Kirilov 5th Grade April marked the beginning of a new chapter for us here at Third Street E l e m e n t a r y. I am happy to report that after over a year of learning online, our school reopened for in-person instruction. Students had the option to continue learning online or to return for in-person schooling. For students choosing to return on campus, the school reopened for different grades across a three-day period. The youngest grades started first, 2nd and 3rd grade students started next, and 4th and 5th graders returned last. Returning students were welcomed with the sight of colorful balloons, artwork and our school mascot PJ, the Third Street Panther. Students were also greeted by our teachers, principal, and friends. Everyone was excited and happy to see each other again! To help us celebrate the reopening of our school, we had a family takeout night. Many thanks to

Erin McKenna’s Bakery with generously supporting Third Street School. As a 5th grader about to graduate, I participated in senior picture day. In addition to the annual yearbook for our entire school, fifth graders get a special yearbook only for the graduating class. The Class of 2021 got to take pictures for our special yearbook against fun backgrounds. We also took pictures with PJ the Panther on the school’s buddy bench. As part of the event, we also created a Wall of Wishes, a place where students left wishes and messages for each other. I left messages for my friends and a wish for the pandemic to end.

Spotlight on teens The Music Center’s national Spotlight program will premiere Sat., May 22 at 7 p.m. on musiccenter.org. Students from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Campbell Hall, Colburn Music Academy and other schools are among the 14 Grand Prize Finalists. Spotlight alum Josh Groban will host the event, which will showcase the winner’s performances.

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CAMPS & SCHOOLS CATHEDRAL CHAPEL By Michael Kim 5th Grade As I write this article, I am happy to say that our school is finally open for in person learning. Students in grades K to 2nd returned on March 22 and the students in grades 3 to 6 returned on March 29. Students in grades 7 and 8 who wanted to return to in person learning arrived on April 12. At this time 50 percent of our students are participating through in-person learning and 50 percent are in distance learning. In March, the CCS Student Council organized an event to

HOLLYWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE By Emily Mansourian 6th Grade Last month, in English class, we finally met with our University of Michigan mentors for Place Out of Time. Place Out of Time, or “POOT,” is an online virtual experience where you portray a character from any point in time in history; you are then faced with a modern day problem. You speak and conduct yourself as though you are your character. What a wonderful way it was to look at issues from a different point of view! It was also a very exciting experience to get to talk with the people who we messaged online over the website. One question we asked them was, “Have you ever disagreed with

accentuate the accomplishments and contributions of women in our history. Each member chose an individual and prepared an informative slide to share with the school. One student gave a presentation about Mother Teresa and another taught about our current vice president, Kamala Harris. One member went above and beyond and thanked every female staff, and faculty member at CCS, but the student council did not stop there. Our school president put together a Powerpoint presentation to give respect to the most important female in our life: our mom or mother figure. Each student ended their slide with a quote, so I will do the same. “I am woman, phenomenally, Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” - Maya Angelou your character’s opinion?” and “When finding someone to message, do you look for someone specific or is it random process?” The college students answered these questions well, and I think both us sixth graders and them, as mentors, enjoyed ourselves during this learning process. Recently, in science class with Mr. Andy, we were working on building a sustainable house model with a partner. We had the option to build this house using any game with the ability to create different structures. To build a sustainable home, you need eco-friendly materials and other things, like solar panels. You could also use LED lights instead of traditional lighting many houses already have. In this lesson, we also learned about other sustainable building materials such as bamboo, and concrete. Overall, this was a very informative lesson.

SAINT BRENDAN By Lucas Bland 8th Grade The St. Brendan School community has been blossoming ever since our students have returned to the classrooms. St. Brendan students have been able to learn more effectively because

EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF LOS ANGELES By Hank Bauer 11th Grade In the past month at ESLA, we have had two incredible guests visit during our online commons period. The first of whom was the actor Henry Winkler, who inspir-

of hybrid learning. Teachers are also benefiting from hybrid learning by being able to guide and help students more easily. Because of this, I have noticed a considerable increase in motivation and willingness to learn from all students. An increase in motivation allows students to work on what they are most passionate about, while not feeling discouraged or tired. Unlike online school, hybrid learning allows us students to

become a part of the St. Brendan community. The school has been giving students more chances to become a part of the community through events like the book fair. To open up to a broader audience, we also held a dream adventure drawing contest to go with it. For those who are very competitive athletes, we decided to start our CYO basketball season. We, at St. Brendan School, want to open up to as many students as possible.

ingly spoke about his career as an actor and the adversity he had to overcome, such as his dyslexia, to achieve his dreams. Our other speaker was the NPR reporter Susan Stamberg, who told the students about her experience of being the first female reporter of a national broadcast program and about how to be a good journalist; listening to what is not said can sometimes be more valuable than listening to what is said, for example. Speeches such as these are

valuable to students because they give them a view of the greater world around them, especially during this age of online learning and limited access to the outdoors, showing them valuable passions or career paths and giving them opportunities for interaction with society until in person schooling returns. Fortunately, it will not be too long until then because ESLA’s seniors and 6th graders have already started returning to school.

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CAMPS & SCHOOLS

Dinos, wildlife, fossils at NHM online camp

CAMPERS study a skull at Adventures in Nature day camp in 2019. This year’s camp will begin in July.

Kids in grades kindergarten to 5th grade can learn about dinosaurs, dire wolves and alligator lizards, among other creatures, at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County Adventures in Nature day camps beginning Tues., July 6. The online camp focuses on a different theme each week: Dinosaurs, Los Angeles wildlife, Ice Age fossils at La Brea Tar Pits, and ocean life. Virtual camp groups are no larger than 20 kids, and they

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meet for lessons and activities five times a week for 90 minutes (the first week is four days, due to the Fourth of July weekend). DIY kit Each camp comes with an at-home do-ityourself activities kit that includes a workbook, instructions and LOS ANGELES wildlife, including bugs, materials, as well as an is one of the topics at Adventures in NaAdventures in Nature T- ture day camp. shirt. members. Camp is $100 per camper for For more information, visit members and $175 for non- nhmlac.org/adventures-nature.

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By Jasper Gough 11th Grade We have begun on-campus instruction. Students are required to have a COVID test prior to being admitted to campus. Classes are held in shifts by grade and in distanced spaces. Students will sit for the AP (Advanced Placement) tests on May 3 through May 7, and then again on May 10 through May 14. Students scoring well enough may be able to test out of certain classes when they get to college. Next, on May 8, SAT tests will be administered. The SATs (Scholastic Assessment Test) are a

OAKWOOD SCHOOL By Scarlett Saldaña 10th Grade After a few weeks of hybrid learning, the beginning of May will start with orientations to welcome new students coming to Oakwood. Then, from May 20-22, the high school musical “The Fantasticks” will be performed through Zoom. As a student a part of this musical, the rehearsal process was extremely fun and unique, and certainly something I had never experienced before. The cast and crew staged the entirety of Act I on campus, and following two weeks of rehearsals, continuous

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national exam, and while optional for many colleges this year, nevertheless are a requirement for many applicants. The Improv students will host a comedy showcase on May 17, where they will get to show off their skits and acting skills to the entire school. It’s unsure whether or not this will be in person because we are starting to come back to school. Then, the Upper and Middle school will have their last day of regular classes before finals on May 19, which are scheduled from May 24 through May 28. The next two days will be off school for students to review their class material in preparation for finals. There will also be a dance concert going on for those two days and it is optional to attend. COVID tests, double masking, and keeping a six-feet distance, Act I will be filmed. Act II will then be live on zoom, altogether representing our lives before and during the pandemic. In the final months of the school year, Oakwood comes together to enjoy the Arts Festival, a beloved tradition. Filled with visual and performing arts, while it’s always been a way for students to express themselves creatively and artistically, it is also a day that allows the seniors to have one of their last special events at Oakwood. Even though there are no current plans for how this event will occur this year, since last year was an online festival, we can only hope for a hybrid, COVIDsafe event.

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CAMPS & SCHOOLS

Touring local skateparks is a great way for beginners to improve I’m on my second fold-up beach chair since the pandemic shut down so much of ordinary life. The new one, bought during my son’s spring break from middle school, has a built-in bottle holder. This beach chair won’t last a year. Skateparks do that to leisure furniture. My son began skateboarding before the pandemic’s start. He was 11 years old then, and he received a skateboard on Christmas Day 2019. I had no idea how much the gift would change my life as well as his. Like most Southern California kids who take up skateboarding, Venice skatepark was his preferred destination. The place encompasses every aspect of the sport. We had stopped there during rides on the beach bike trail, and I was always struck by how accomplished, and aggressive, Dogtown skaters could be. I questioned if such territorial thrashers would tolerate a novice pre-teen skater on their turf. He needed experience before heading west, at least so he might go unnoticed when we finally hit Venice (isn’t it funny how vernacular adjusts with parenthood, especially when referring to athletic involvement? The youth isn’t the participant; WE are.)

Youth Sports by

Jim Kalin Charmette Bonpua Our first skatepark was Charmette Bonpua in the expansive Rancho Cienega Recreation Center. It’s the best local place for beginners to gain their chops and learn etiquette. The skatepark is just 10 minutes from Larchmont, and when I went to its website, the first comment I noticed made me laugh. “I had to skate pretty far for a working water fountain.” Great inadvertent advice. We now bring several filled water bottles to any skatepark we visit. At Charmette Bonpua, there’s nothing high, nor any bowls, those features that resemble drained pools common to most skateparks. For beginners, bowls are obstacles to avoid, and accidental approach by someone still learning balance and control could have confidence-sinking results. Charmette Bonpua also has plenty of open sidewalk where spectators can set their beach chairs. The Lily Pad Our second park was Marsh

Street, or, as it’s known to skaters, Frogtown. This gem, located along the concrete banks of the Los Angeles River, is a confined area of ramps, rails and half-pipe that resembles a collection of large-scale abstracts blowtorched from thick ships’ hulls, á là sculpture by Richard Serra. During the pandemic, the park’s gates were kept locked, though skaters gained access through the wrought-iron fence at a point that appeared as if the bars had been bent aside by a carnival strongman. Frogtown is the loudest skatepark due to the steel ramps, and it is astonishing that the residents immediately adjacent to the park endure daily the piledrive pounding of skateboards on steel. Beach Bucket Brigade During the shutdown’s initial phase, The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks bulldozed sand into Venice skatepark as a deterrent to ensure skaters couldn’t gather or use the facility. Didn’t work. The timing of this action benefitted my son more than any prepping he had done for Venice. We had no idea the city had buried the park in sand the previous night, and upon arrival, he was momentarily disappointed. The local skaters were

VENICE skatepark is not the only place Jim Kalin takes his son Kyd to learn new skills.

inside the center bowl, armed with shovels. Those digging filled buckets with sand, which were then passed from skater to skater, up and out onto the beach to be emptied. My son asked if he could jump down into the bowl to help, and was instantly accepted by that Dogtown skater tribe. Later, my son took brief turns skateboarding. The lone cleared bowl had to be shared in bursts, and by then, it was no longer about territory or peers, or even skating. I unfolded my beach chair alongside the center bowl and watched the camaraderie.

SKATERS

dig

dents at Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA). An additional five students, Kaia Thompson, Zooey Gastelo, Sophia Lemus and Kahlila Williams, received Book Awards. Recipients of the awards must show financial need and be academically deserving and planning to study engineering, science, mathematics, or medicine. Book awards are made to other deserving students to cover the cost of their first-year college textbooks. To read more about it, visit lasampe.org.

Reserve

Your School’s June

Graduation Salute!

Adventures await at Los Angeles Zoo safari summer camp Kids entering kindergarten to fifth grade can explore big cats and wild dogs to backyard wildlife and more at Safari Summer day camp at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, 5333 Zoo Dr., beginning Mon., June 21. The weekly onsite themed camps are $350 and run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to

Friday, with afternoon extended care available until 5:30. Themes include artistic animals, rebel raptors, comic creatures and more. COVID safety protocols include wearing a mask, social distancing frequent handwashing and temperature checks at arrival. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/mb274j76.

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Publishes on June 3

Venice

bulldozed sand into the pit to deter use of the park during the pandemic.

GALA, Fairfax students awarded Epstein scholarships Seniors Grace Kim, Grace Lee, Ashley Chang, Humairah Djafar, Raquel Bravo, Tora Hoar Vea and Angela Cui were awarded the Irene Epstein Memorial Scholarship by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE). 25th year This is the 25th year the Irene Epstein Memorial Scholarships have been awarded to Fairfax High School students, and the first year in which awards were also made to stu-

out

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initial meeting of the new board, the Directors voted to continue consideration of the second half of the agenda for one week. The regular May meeting of the new board will

be on May 12 at 7 p.m., likely still via Zoom. Asked the week after the first meeting if the new GWNC officers have yet developed any particular plans for the coming year, board president Starr said: “This year we expect to resume in-person activity. We’re not sure when, or what it will look like, but we know it’s coming. “As with our switch to virtual meetings, the transition back (or to some sort of hybrid) will require planning and training. We are looking forward to all of it. And the planning starts now: getting our new board acquainted with the rules and with one another. The time we all devote is precious, and we won’t take it for granted.”

Association, the Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association and others who have volunteered to help, to get their ideas as well. Once we have consensus on conducting the conversation, we hope to get the first session underway in June, either virtually, or in-person, or a hybrid, depending on the pandemic restrictions,” said Lombard. Anyone interested in the “Larchmont 2021” working group may contact Lombard at: patty@larchmontbuzz.com Mayor Garcetti “In a city whose unofficial motto is 72 and sunny, let’s make al fresco dining permanent,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti on April 20, proposing during his 2021 State of the City address an allocation of nearly $2 million in grants for restaurants in low-income neighborhoods to set up permanent parklets for outdoor dining. Will that include Larchmont? Resident voices The debate about the future of Larchmont also continued on the social media site Next-

door as residents shared their thoughts about the Larchmont Chronicle’s April article: “I like the outdoor dining idea, it’s so much better than the way it used to be with tables scattered all over the place, sometimes making the Blvd. an obstacle course to walk down. Be great to make Larchmont more user friendly,” said Keith Johnson. “I miss the hardware store! It was so sweet. Small, but somehow he had everything I needed. Unfortunately the rents have skyrocketed, and I am concerned we’ll lose the small business owners/shops,” said Lisa Brause. “I love having the outdoor dining. I think it will ultimately bring the Larchmont community together, especially for those of us who are lucky enough to live in the neighborhood. The businesses I most wish were on Larchmont: a small hardware store and a small food market,” wrote C. Pierson on the Chronicle website. Building unveiled Speaking of improvements (Please turn to page 27)

GWNC (Continued from page 1) 325 N. Larchmont Boulevard, #158 Los Angeles, California 90004

Square: Patricia Carroll; 11. Sycamore Square: Conrad Starr, William Schneider; 12. Western-Wilton (We-Wil) Neighborhood: Juan Portillo Jr.; 13. Wilshire Park: Michael Duggan, John Gresham; 14. Windsor Square: Gary Gilbert, Caroline Labiner Moser; 15. Windsor Village: Stephanie Shim, Beau Lloyd; Renter: Bailey Benningfield, Hayden Conner Ashworth; Business: John Winther, Raphie Cantor; Education: Scott Appel, Kelly Rielly; Religious: Michael Genewick; Other Nonprofit: Cindy Chvatal, Helen Eigenberg; and At-Large: Brian Curran, Joe Suh. After three hours of this

www.windsorsquare.org 157 N. Larchmont Boulevard

Larchmont is our Main Street

The Windsor Square Association sponsored an advertisement about Larchmont Village zoning rules in last month’s Larchmont Chronicle. The ad, basically “Background and Questions,” can be read here: https://issuu.com/larchmontchronicle/docs/ lc_04_2021/6 Those thought-provoking questions are part of an introspective review of what really is our local community’s “Main Street.” It has been so for nearly 100 years. Under the leadership of Larchmont Boulevard Association board member, Patty Lombard, the local merchants’ group is assembling representatives from among Larchmont landlords and surrounding neighborhood associations to review potential improvements to the Boulevard to “set it on its way to a successful second hundred years.” As noted in last month’s Chronicle, anyone with suggestions to offer about the state and/or future of Larchmont is invited to reach out to her at patty@larchmontbuzz.com.

The Mayor and the State of the City The present and future of our city’s commercial streets, including Larchmont Boulevard, is a subject also on the mind of Mayor Eric Garcetti, and he devoted quite a bit of last month’s “State of the City” address to the subject. Here are a few excerpts. The full speech is at: https://tinyurl.com/5f8y29da “We know COVID-19 has thrashed our economy. Many of L.A.’s small businesses are gone. Many more, just barely hanging on. Workers lost their hours and lost their jobs. Entrepreneurs lost their dreams. And neighborhoods lost their main streets. “But just as we helped Los Angeles roar back out of the last recession more quickly than the state and more quickly than the nation ... we’re bringing that fighting spirit back. “Because our economy is ready to roar. Businesses who want to open or re-open those doors, your city is going to have your back so you can reopen, hire up, and spread the wealth. On our end, we will cut red tape. ... “And in a city whose unofficial motto is ‘72 and sunny,’ let’s make al fresco dining permanent, including nearly $2 million in grants for restaurants in low-income neighborhoods to set up permanent parklets for outdoor dining. ... “And let’s get L.A. small businesses the cash they need to open up and thrive. That’s why tonight I’m announcing a $25 million program to write Comeback Checks of five thousand dollars to 5,000 businesses. This money will help L.A. businesses roar back. Need some new equipment? Check. Need to pay off debt? Check. Need to make the first month of payroll? Check. “Comeback Checks will catalyze our main streets ... and we’ll focus them where our city took the biggest hits, from South L.A. to East L.A. to the Northeast San Fernando Valley.” And merchants on Larchmont Boulevard may be seeking some of that help as well.

Join GWNC Board & Committee Meetings on Zoom or Phone! REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE: Board of Directors

Second Wednesday of each month, 7:00 p.m.

Land Use Committee

Fourth Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m.

Outreach Committee

First Saturday of each month, 9:30 a.m.

Subject to change. Links and access numbers will be available online at greaterwilshire.org and at The Ebell of LA 72 hours before all regular meeting times.

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Transportation Committee

Fourth Monday of odd-numbered months, 7:00 p.m.

Environmental & Sustainability Committee First Tuesday of even-numbered months, 7:00 p.m.

Quality of Life Committee

Fourth Wednesday of the 2nd month of each quarter, 7:00 p.m.

Resilience Committee

Third Monday of each month, 7:00 p.m.

(Continued from page 1)

©LC0521

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.

Larchmont headed by LBA board member Patty Lombard. Of the group, Lombard tells the Chronicle that: “So far, we have a very small working group putting together a structure for an open, transparent community conversation on the current issues facing the street with professional assistance from Windsor Village resident and architect and urban planner John Kaliski, FAIA. Other members of the group are Heather Duffy Boylston with the Larchmont Village Business Improvement District and Gary Gilbert, representing the Windsor Square Association. “Our working name is ‘Larchmont 2021’ and our focus is to facilitate the retail stability of the street and enhance Larchmont’s character.” The working group’s approach is still evolving: “But we’d like to conduct a series of learning and listening sessions with experts on local retail streets and placemaking,” she explains. “Once we fill in the details of the sessions, we will engage a larger working group of stakeholders representing the various other groups in the neighborhood, including the Hancock Park Homeowners

Letters (Continued from page 2) impacts on traffic and parking, especially at times of the year when The Grove is busy. The Hackman Capital community relations team, whom I have been in contact with since their purchase of the site, failed to inform me in advance that a story would be released in the “Los Angeles Times” presenting a proposed project that has caught off guard a community that is very concerned about serious negative impacts. Keith Nakata Beverly Grove

CONRAD STARR is the new GWNC president.

Your Support Means

the to WORLD Larchmont

Businesses

THANK YOU!

“An oasis in the city”

LARCHMONT BOULEVARD ASSOCIATION Representing businesses from 1st Street to Melrose

www.LARCHMONT.com

©LC0521

Larchmont Chronicle

MAY 2021

SECTION ONE

Village jeweler: Paul Thompson, July 20, 1937 to April 11, 2021 Paul Thompson, born and raised in San Francisco, came to Southern California in 1960. He made his first home in Palm Springs where he was hairstylist to the likes of actresses Henny Backus and Zsa Zsa Gabor. And although Paul loved his life in the desert, in 1975 he located to Los Angeles where he began his career in gemology, his lifelong passion, becoming a Graduate Gemologist, an Accredited Senior Appraiser and a Master Gemologist Appraiser. In 1980, well-prepared for life as a highly accomplished jeweler, he opened Paul Thompson Co. Jewellers on Larchmont, in the current location of Village Heights. Thompson was his own welcome wagon for Larchmont, making sure all new storeowners, merchants and neighbors got to know one another. He was a great connector as well as an expert jew-

PAUL THOMPSON

eler and was certainly a large part of the fabric of Larchmont Boulevard. In the 1990s, Thompson began his service to the Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA), spearheading many initiatives that helped Larchmont retain its small town and neighborhood charm, including working hard with other

UNVEILED after sitting vacant and boarded-up, 227 N. Larchmont Blvd. now boasts a glass and steel façade.

Larchmont (Continued from page 26) on Larchmont Boulevard, last month the longtime boarded-up Mirzrahi family-owned building at 227 N. Larchmont Blvd. was unveiled, freshly remodeled, with a glass and steel façade, and new for-lease signs posted. The late Albert Mizrahi purchased the building, which previously was the site of Prudential Real Estate,

Wilshire Park (Continued from page 19) raiser to benefit the provincial city of Tabaco in the Bicol Region. There, 15,000 houses were damaged and another 3,500 were totally destroyed. Cost estimate for repairs is $320 per dwelling, and $710 to rebuild. The cost covers building materials of plywood, coco lumber and corrugated sheets. It’s the second project Chiuco has undertaken for Sahaya. In 2015, she worked to benefit Sambayanan ni San Benito (St. Benedict’s Village)

in 2007. The following year, Mizrahi told the “Los Angeles Business Journal” that he had rented the space to Wachovia Corp. for a bank branch to open in the fall of 2008. However, due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis that year, Wachovia was acquired by Wells Fargo, putting Mizrahi’s lease in dispute. The building was left vacant and boardedup until now, more than a decade later. for Haiyan typhoon survivors. The program raised funds for water pump and involved Cathedral Chapel of St. Vibiana on La Brea and Olympic. To learn more and to donate, visit sahaya.org/bangonluzon/

merchants for the adoption of the “Q Condition” guidelines. Thompson was LBA president in 2004. Longtime friend and former fellow Larchmont merchant Daryl Trainor Twerdahl reminisced about Thompson: “There was never a Larchmont Family Fair or an LBA party where Paul wasn’t greeting everyone by name and making them welcome. And though Paul could sometimes be a bit feisty, he always worked to ensure the success of Larchmont, its merchants and its customers. He

would often be seen walking from store to store during the mid-afternoon, picking up an iced decaf tea at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a chocolate chip cookie at Village Catering Company and a bunch of flowers at Collins Hanson’s shop. He was a regular at Robert Grounds Antiques, Chevalier’s Books and of course Gingham Garden!” Thompson also was a great lover of music, especially jazz and classical. He played the piano beautifully and never stopped taking lessons. He could sometimes be heard on

Sunday mornings at Mount Hollywood Congregational Church, where he was an enthusiastic member. He continued his study of music his entire life, singing in the choir at his church in Palm Springs as well as at Mount Hollywood. In 1997, Thomson was elected president of the Southern California chapter of the American Society of Appraisers. Around 2007, he retired and relocated back to Palm Springs where he continued his appraisal work. He died at peace in the early hours of April 11, 2021.

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