LC Section One 06 2023

By John Welborne

The California News Publishers Association (founded in 1888) has recognized the Larchmont Chronicle and staff writer Helene Seifer as winners of the 2022 California Journalism Award.

Last month, Seifer’s twoyear “Giorgio” homeless series was awarded the second place prize in the Public Service Journalism category for larger weekly and monthly newspapers. The first place award went to the San Francisco Examiner for a story about a troubled skilled nursing facility in that city.

By Nona Sue Friedman

Recently, there has been much talk and annoyance about people parking in the center (turning) lane on Larchmont Boulevard, especially between Beverly

Sweet Lady Jane joining Boulevard businesses

By Casey Russell

A retail take-out location, just south of the Larchmont clock and surface parking lot, has been leased, and it soon will be another location for Sweet Lady Jane, a decadent dessert bakery. The lease for Sweet Lady Jane’s newest location at 203 N. Larchmont Blvd. has been signed, and construction has already begun. Look for the shop to open in the fall or winter of this year. The former tenant at that location, Tacos Tu Madre, is moving to 660 N.

Boulevard and First Street. The Larchmont Chronicle decided to find out if it’s legal.

The short answer is “no.” Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) West Traffic Sgt. Jeremy Duncan, who has about 20 years of service, says, “by definition, the center lane [on Larchmont] is a two-way

See Parking, p 9

The publishers association’s salute to Seifer and the Chronicle is for the in-depth investigative reporting that began in early 2021, when Seifer first introduced herself to the former Larchmont Boulevard regular, “Giorgio.” The man and his shopping cart were on the Boulevard almost every day. He spent about a decade of overnights on or near the bus bench on the north side of Beverly Boulevard at Rossmore Avenue.

Giorgio’s real name is Pio

See CNPA award, p 2

By John Welborne

A large gathering of family, friends, neighbors and parishioners took place at the Parish Center (and indoor basketball court) of St. Brendan School on Sun., May 28 to celebrate with Msgr. Terrance Fleming his 50th year since being ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. He

See Msgr. Fleming, p 17

LPGA golf a big success

By John Welborne

Last month’s tournament at Wilshire Country Club, that saw Hannah Green become champion in a dramatic playoff, is in the record books. [See Page 16 for related coverage.]

Ride free: New DTLA Metro link opens June 16

By Talia Abrahamson

Metro’s ambitious Regional Connector light-rail transit project is set to open on Fri., June 16, following 10 years of construction. The project’s completion enables seamless trips across Los Angeles County. To celebrate, Metro will offer free rides everywhere on its entire transit

‘Secret Garden Tour’ is June 3

Enjoy the flowers and a summer breeze when A Secret Garden Tour features neighborhood homes on Sat., June 3, from 1 to 5 p.m. Beautiful gardens in Windsor Square and Fremont Place will be open to visitors at the annual fundraiser for the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society.

This year’s proceeds will help fund the design and landscaping of the “Islands of Rossmore and Beverly,” a proposed remake for two triangular pedestrian islands at the southwest and northeast corners of the busy intersection. Live music, refreshments, a plant sale and a silent auction will be included in the garden tour. For tickets, visit wshphs. com.

about vacations and all things summer at the email above. The same deadline as above applies.

The club’s general manager, Daniel Enzler, told the Chronicle that thanks are due to both neighbors and the city, thanking especially Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky and her field deputy Jarrett Thompson for their assistance in accommodating the early morning schedules of employees supporting the tournament’s seven days.

SHOPPERS AND ERRAND-DOERS illegally park in the center lane on Larchmont Boulevard.

Photo by Alan Wolovitch

Editorial

By John Welborne

Parking nonsense

Following a Larchmont Chronicle investigation conducted by writer Nona Sue Friedman, and as reported on Page 1 of this issue, it absolutely IS illegal to park in a center turning lane, such as the one on Larchmont Boulevard between First Street and Beverly Boulevard.

That turning lane has been there for many years now, but it only is in the past few years that people have started parking there.

It strains credulity for someone issued a California driver’s license to say that he or she didn’t know it is against the law to park in the center of the street.

Even more incredible (and amusing) is the quoted comment from a parker in the middle of the street who claims she thought it was OK to park for a short period of time to take a package in to FedEx, adding that she also “thought the store should have a short-term parking space in front.” Well, the store actually has more than 100 short-term (legal) parking spaces right in back!

Congratulations

As noted elsewhere in this issue, lots of people (unlike the bad drivers on and around the Boulevard) deserve congratulations. We salute the graduates featured in our special section, and we recognize (on Page 8) the 66 local people elected last month to serve on our two neighborhood councils.

Congratulations!

New Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Representatives!

The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council election results are in! All five Hancock Park residents who ran were elected! Association President Cindy Chvatal-Keane is now the director for the “At-Large Seat” which represents all neighborhoods within the Greater Wilshire area. Hancock Park will be represented by Jennifer DeVore and David Trainer as her alternate. Benny Rosenberg will represent Religious Institutions within the GWNC area, and Mark Alpers will be the alternate representative for the “Other Nonprofit” seat representing all nonprofits in Greater Wilshire. A huge thank you to everyone who voted!

The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council speaks to city government on behalf of all the diverse groups that make up our local community — geographic areas, homeowners, renters, educators, and business, religious and nonprofit interests. GWNC is the organization that tells the city what we want and need, and it thrives on strong, competing visions of how we can influence City Council offices and municipal departments. GWNC directors are elected every two years by the people who live and work here. Members are the voice of the public. They have a vision for our neighborhoods and want to make a difference in land use, transportation, sustainability, and emergency preparedness. We are here and want to hear from you!

To get more involved and find out what’s going on, go to: https://greaterwilshire.org.

If you need a tree in your parkway, contact the Association at: https://www.hancockparkhomeownersassociation.org.

If you’re 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, which regulates our HPOZ, can be found at: preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park. There is also an online form available: preservation.lacity.org/ hpoz/initial.screening.checklist. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the city’s Anti-Graffiti Request System: laocb.org/programs/graffiti-abatement and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180.

Calendar

Tues., June 6 — World War II: D-Day.

Tues., June 13 — Mid City West Neighborhood Council board meeting is 6:30 p.m. at Pan Pacific Park Senior Center, 141 S. Gardner St. See midcitywest.org.

Wed., June 14 — Flag Day. Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Ebell of Los Angeles at 743 S. Lucerne Blvd. See greaterwilshire.org.

Sun., June 18 — Father’s Day.

Mon., June 19 — Juneteenth.

Wed., June 21 — First day of summer.

‘How do you plan to celebrate graduation?’

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

Thurs., June 29 — Delivery of the July issue of the Larchmont Chronicle

Letters to the Editor

Chronicle is a gift

Always look forward to my Larchmont Chronicle . It’s like a nice surprise gift every time I see it at my door!

Barbara Jayne

Hancock Park

Thanks for Showcase

Thank you very much for visiting the Showcase House and supporting the arts [“Be a looky-loo for a good cause — see the Showcase House,” May 2023].

Christopher Grant Ward Glendale, Calif.

Knowing Mr. Behymer

I began my career as a lawyer working for Glen Behymer. My mother Ester Dempsey Hunt was an attorney who worked for Mr. Behymer [“The Behymer Family in Hancock Park, Brookside and Windsor Square,” May 2019]. When I came to the firm, it consisted of Mr. Behymer, Ralph Hoffman and myself. It was on the

Larchmont Chronicle

Founded in 1963 by Jane Gilman and Dawne P. Goodwin

Publisher and Editor

John H. Welborne

Managing Editor

Suzan Filipek

Contributing Editor

Jane Gilman

Staff Writers

Talia Abrahamson

Casey Russell

Helene Seifer

Advertising Director

Pam Rudy

Advertising Sales including Classifieds

Caroline Tracy

Art Director

Tom Hofer

Circulation Manager

Nona Sue Friedman

Accounting

Jill Miyamoto

606 N. Larchmont Blvd., #103 Los Angeles, CA 90004 323-462-2241

larchmontchronicle.com

fifth floor of the Philharmonic office building. It was the office of Behymer and Hoffman and then Behymer, Hoffman and Hunt. When Mr. Behymer passed away, I handled his estate. Then, Ralph Hoffman and I formed a partnership. My final firm was Hunt Ortmann, currently located in Pasadena. I specialized in construction law. I went to parties at Mr. Behymer’s house on June Street. I also visited Ralph at his house on Citrus. So I was fortunate to have been very close to the Behymer and Hoffman families. Diane Dixon is one of Ralph’s daughters. I retired in 2010.

Gordon Hunt Huntington Beach

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.

CNPA award

(Continued from page 1)

Franco Iervolino, and he now is a sheltered resident of a senior care facility near Olympic Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. Links to all of the stories (19 pages) are at tinyurl.com/5fbjf75f.

The judging journalist for the CNPA awards wrote of the series: “This extended occasional series about the homeless man ‘Giorgio’ (which turns out not to be his real name) is an involving and close-in look at one particular homeless person and how he interacts with society and agencies. The evolving articles bring what often seems a generic problem into the level of the personal, and brings some understanding and empathy to it.”

These days, Mr. Iervolino sometimes visits Larchmont for coffee with Seifer and his acquaintances at Peet’s. This summer, Seifer and the Chronicle will be following up on the care he now is receiving through the county’s conservatorship, now in its second year.

“To celebrate, I’d like to go to Noshi Sushi. I’m also looking forward to having everyone sign my yearbook so I don’t forget them.”

Beatrix Bates, fourth grade Larchmont Village

“I am graduating from the John Thomas Dye School (JTD), and I’m excited to be going to Marlborough next year. My whole class is celebrating our graduation with a party at my friend’s house. We will commemorate our years together at JTD with a video that the parents are making. We’re so excited to see it!”

Evie Shallman, sixth grade Windsor Square

“I asked my family if we could celebrate my graduation by taking a vacation for all of my hard work. My mom said ‘yes!’”

Thaddeus Thompson, sixth grade Windsor Village

Parties, nonprofit fundraisers, LBA mixer, police memorial

Butter, the Labrador retriever, stood guard at the front door, welcoming new and veteran moms from Larchmont Charter School to the return of the annual “Sisters of the Grape” wine tasting event at the home of chef, television personality and local Longwood Highlands mom Daphne Brogdon. The annual event hosted by Daphne, Julie Johnson and Kim Huffman Cary — put on ice when COVID-19 hit — was a welcome return to socializing and friendships old and new.

Guests on April 28 enjoyed three homemade tarts: bacon and onion mascarpone, onion, and Hubert Keller’s iconic onion, bacon, milk and egg recipe. An assortment of Alsatian cheeses plus fruits, nuts and breads, lined the kitchen’s center island, along

SECTION ONE

Around the Town with Sondi Toll Sepenuk

with handheld salads and lemon cake bites. Three Alsatian wines were drained, including a 2018 Crémant d’Alsace from the Emile Boec Kel Winery, a 2020 Midelberg Riesling from Boeckel Winery and a 2021 Rouquin de Jardin Pinot Noir from the J. Mouret Winery.

To avoid the usual “moms talking about their children” conversation, each attendee was asked to write down an area of great interest to her. Answers ranged from baking cakes to attending live concerts to world travel. The conversation starter did the trick, and the hosts final-

ly had to kick everyone out as the night descended into pumpkin territory. Moms in attendance included Jennifer Enani, Tara Timpone, Eileen Lanza, Juliet Burton, Cory Pohlman, Jenna Flexner, Jane Stuecken and Lily Icarangal. • • •

Amber Rivas, the new president and CEO of Aviva Family

and Children’s Services, who hit the ground running on Jan. 4, was welcomed to the community at the “Sip & Snack” high tea at the home of Windsor Square’s June Bilgore. The April 27 backyard presentation was attended by local residents, Aviva repre-

sentatives and several NGA members, including Jennifer Kim and Susan Kneafsey. Aviva and NGA have worked in partnership through the years and were delighted to come together for one beautiful, sunny afternoon to learn

(Please turn to page 4)

SISTERS OF THE GRAPE WINDSOR SQUARE BACKYARD of June Bilgore was a venue for new Aviva president and CEO Amber Rivas to introduce herself to the community.

Around the Town

(Continued from page 3) more about Aviva’s future plans and to enjoy tuna, egg salad, smoked salmon, ham and cucumber tea sandwiches and scones, fruits, cookies and an array of English-themed bites.

Rivas, who spent 17 years at St. Anne’s Family Services (six of which as COO), told the attendees how thrilled she is about Aviva’s mission and future growth.

“Aviva’s programs are near and dear to my heart. It has a phenomenal reputation, and I’m excited to support the next chapter and its legacy,” said Rivas. The organization focuses on mental health services, foster housing and adoption, supportive housing for women and children (through Wallis House) and crisis intervention. The tea attendees were

especially excited about the upcoming June 3 “Lifting Up LA” gala at the Avalon Hollywood, which will honor actor and philanthropists Jon Cryer and Lisa Joyner, former Mayor Eric Garcetti and First Lady Amy Wakeland, former Aviva Board Chair Bruce Anderson and former Wallis House resident Amber McCline.

“I instantly felt a connection with this organization,” Rivas shared. “It’s important to me to work with people who care about our mission first and foremost.”

• • •

The local La Brea Tar Pits is not a dinosaur site. Its specialty is Ice Age flora and fauna trapped in the local goo within the last 50,000 years. But the Tar Pits Museum is a part of the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, and learning and sharing information about

SINKS were the perfect shape and height for ice-filled offerings of cold beverages at the Larchmont Boulevard Association’s May mixer at Romi Cortier’s.

dinosaurs long has been a part of the mission of the Natural History Museum (NHM). Dinosaurs definitely were on center stage April 29 at the NHM in Exposition Park, when the beloved Dinosaur Ball returned in-person for the first time since 2019, raising $1.4 million for NHM educational programs. Tar Pit aficionados were among the 450 people attending, including excavation site director Dr. Emily L. Lindsey, the co-curator of the La Brea Tar Pits. [Learn more about Dr. Lindsey in the Chronicle’s March 2023 issue in “Science and community come together at La Brea Tar Pits” and in the March 2018 issue in “Misconceptions about La Brea Tar Pits, Ice Age animals, climate change.”—Ed.]

• • •

Also on the 29th, locals gathered to greet a group of visitors traveling with Historic New England’s president and CEO, Vin Cipolla, on a one-week

trip titled “California Modern: Mid-Century Masterpieces of Palm Springs and Los Angeles.” The group’s final evening was in Los Angeles and included a mini-bus tour of DTLA, Mid-Wilshire, Museum Row, Hancock Park, Larchmont and Windsor Square, guided by John Welborne and Brian Curran. The travelers ended up at the Windsor Square home of Curran and Kevin MacLellan (1908, hardly Modernism!), where Bret Parsons joined them, and everyone talked about architecture and history over drinks and dinner.

• • •

In early May, local Larchmont merchants reconnected at their first post-COVID-19 mixer. Sponsored by the Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA) and held at the Romi Cortier Design / Art Gallery, the invitation advertised “drinks and small bites.” There

was an extensive array — hardly “small” — of delicious appetizers filling up every flat space in the half-dozen rooms of the studio, courtesy of LBA board member Melissa Farwell of Larchmont Village Farmers’ Market. Hair-washing sinks provided perfect vessels when filled with ice and cans and bottles of cold drinks. In addition to LBA board members Cortier and Farwell, board members Bob Day, Mel Miyamoto, Edie Frère, Patti Carroll, Sharon Sweeney, John Welborne and Patty Lombard greeted fellow Larchmont business people and guests, including 13th District Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez and his field deputy for the Larchmont and Windsor Square areas, Karla Martinez.

• • •

After a seemingly unbearable two-year COVID-19 (Please turn to page 6)

AMBER RIVAS is the new president and CEO at Aviva.

LOCAL WOMEN, including Goldie D’Annunzio, Melissa Disharoon and Juliet Burton, enjoy “shopping” and socializing.

HUGO Soto-Martinez, at left, discusses neighborhood issues at the May 10 LBA mixer held at the studio of Romi Cortier, center, with Leila Kenzle, Sharon Sweeney and Bob Day.

HISTORIC NEW ENGLAND visitors enjoyed a farewell dinner at the Windsor Square home of Brian Curran and Kevin MacLellan (front row, from right). At left in the front row is HNE president and CEO Vin Cipolla.

EMILY LINDSEY, co-curator of La Brea Tar Pits, and Heather de Roos, President of the Board of Trustees of the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, at the 2023 Dinosaur Ball.

Photo by Gina Cholick

Around the Town

(Continued from page 4) hiatus, about 50 women from all over the Larchmont area descended on the home of the La Brea-Hancock neighborhood’s Wendy Burg for the beloved Semi-Annual Clothing Swap, started years ago by a few intrepid moms looking for a way to socialize, “shop” for free, eat, drink and be merry. Billed as “a fashion-filled, recycle-minded charity event,” the idea behind the May 20 swap was for each person to bring her “gently used” unwanted clothing items, offer them up to others for the taking, then return home with a fabulous new “free” wardrobe of her own. Any leftover items were donated to Goodwill.

The “shopping” event was also a potluck, and participants came in strong, bearing dips,

cheeses, fruits, salads, main courses, wine and beer. The freebie fashionistas commented that this swap had more clothes than usual, probably due to pent-up post-COVID-19 demand. Several women showed up with college-bound daughters in tow, eager to fiveand-dime some new summer and fall college wardrobes. Seen heading home with alternatively lighter closets yet new wardrobe additions were Anita Saunders, Goldie D’Annunzio, Catherine Mann, Jane Stuecken, Jen Enani, Julie Vlasak, Loretta Fox, Melissa Disharoon, Juliet Burton and Susan Hoen

The weekend of May 19 to 21 saw lots of tributes to local (and formerly local) patrons of music. A large turnout of people from throughout Southern California came to event center Vibiana, the former Catholic cathedral in Downtown Los Angeles, to salute Carol Henry while raising a half-million dollars for Camer-

ata Pacifica, one of the favorite music groups (among about a dozen favorites) of her and her late husband, Warner. Two generations of Henrys lived on Plymouth Boulevard, with Warner and Carol raising their three children, Will, Katie and Michael there. Katie was out of the country on May 19th, but she sent a touching video tribute to her mom, who over the years has provided volunteer leadership to about a dozen important nonprofit boards including the Los Angeles Opera since 1985, serving as president from 2005 to 2010.

Local fans of Carol’s who helped fill Vibiana while listening to an exciting concert of Baroque chamber music and then drinking and toasting the honoree included Janet Ciriello, Robert Ronus, Hilary Crahan and James Conlon. • • •

Two nights later, it was Robert Ronus who was the honoree –– this time of the Opera League of Los Angeles,

which presented the Hancock Park resident with its Peter Hemmings Award. Named for the beloved first general director of Los Angeles Opera, the award recognizes prominent supporters of the institution. Among previous winners in attendance to honor Ronus were Carol Henry and LA Opera music director James Conlon, who had to depart early to catch a red-eye to Cincinnati, Ohio, to conduct at the historic May Festival in that city.

Other locals honoring Ronus at the Sunday dinner and performance in the elegant, high-ceiling main dining room of Downtown’s Jonathan Club were Jennifer Fain, Gill and John Wagner, Julie Levtow, Carlotta Keely, John Welborne and Janet Ciriello.

Sun., May 21, was busy in the afternoon, as well. At the headquarters of the Wilshire Division of LAPD, locals joined police officers for the groundbreaking of the Fallen Police Officers Memorial and Garden. Drawings were on display showing the proposed memorial that will honor local police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty while serving the Wilshire area.

After the guests and participants were welcomed by Capt. Sonia Monico, commanding officer of the Wilshire Division, numerous speakers solemnly remembered these eight public employees who, beginning in 1958, had made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting and serving the residents of Los Angeles. The memorial project was described by its manager, First-In Fire Foundation president, Lyn MacEwen Cohen. In addition, Richard Battaglia, president of the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society, a major funder of the memorial and garden, spoke. The Society also hosted a reception following the ceremony.

Beverly Hills’ Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

setting for the inaugural event of Off The Chart, an initiative undertaken by the Simms / Mann Family Foundation to identify and reward nursing (Please turn to page 8)

by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald

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

was the May 22

SALUTING ROBERT RONUS (center) for his Opera League recognition are (from left) Carol Henry, Jennifer Fain and Carlotta Keely.

Photo by Greg Grudt

POLICE OFFICERS and community members remember fallen officers at memorial groundbreaking. WSHPHS president Richard Battaglia is at center, with hand over heart.

CAMERATA PACIFICA was the beneficary of the outpouring of admiration for Carol Henry, shown here with sons Michael (at left) and Will.

RAISING AWARENESS for nurses: Ronald Simms, Victoria Mann Simms and Rachel Barchie.

Around the Town

(Continued from page 6)

greatness. Thirty well-deserving nurses were carefully handpicked from City of Hope, UCLA Health and Keck Medicine of USC (10 from each) to receive a $10,000 gift each, no strings attached.

COUNCILMEMBER Hugo Soto-Martinez recognized former Windsor Square Association board member Caroline Labiner Moser for many and varied contributions to her community.

Attendees were ushered into the Wallis’ Lovelace Center to listen to journalist and author Sarah DiGregorio share personal stories of how greatly the nursing world affected and assisted her own family throughout her life. Victoria Mann Simms, co-founder and president of the foundation and the Simms / Mann Institute, then shared the origins

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

Rising to the Challenge — of Lower Water Use

Because of ongoing drought conditions, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) instituted the following residential outdoor water restrictions, beginning June 1, 2022, and they still are in effect:

• Residents are permitted only two watering days a week — Monday and Friday for odd numbered addresses; Thursday and Sunday for even.

• Watering is limited to eight minutes per zone, or 15 minutes for water-conserving nozzles.

• No watering is permitted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Violators may be subject to fines.

But we are lucky — many municipalties went to one-dayper-week limits. LADWP is trusting residents to reduce our water usage voluntarily, so that stricter measures will not be necessary. Windsor Square (and surrounding neighborhoods) must rise to this challenge, and here are a few simple tips to help us achieve that goal.

First, NEVER water during the day. Hot sun and heat can cause as much as 60 percent of your water to evaporate before it touches the ground! Make sure to set your irrigation controls properly.

Second, check your sprinklers. Don’t let them spew water in gutters or geyser up from broken heads. Test-run your sprinklers every month. Careful control of your sprinkler systems could save you hundreds of gallons of water a month.

Third, even if you decide to let your lawn go brown (a move many people are recommending), don’t forget to water your valuable trees — including parkway trees. Lawns are easy to replace, while trees take years to establish and can provide many benefits, such as reductions in heat and pollution.

Fourth, wait to install new landscaping until late fall. Even drought-tolerant plants need water to get established. Also, trees are stressed by the drought already, so wait until late fall to trim them as well.

Bewaterwise.com is a useful website for more information on water saving techniques for the garden. Researching ways to conserve water indoors also is important. Let’s work together to make a significant dent in our water usage so that we can avoid stringent restrictions in the future.

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.

of the idea for Off The Chart. “I had great concern about the nurses during COVID-19,” Simms shared. “Off The Chart wasn’t a strategic initiative… this came from a place of deep appreciation.”

Wilton-Ridgewood resident and foundation executive director Rachel Barchie emphasized, “Hopefully, we will be a model for other companies to emulate in their own communities and health systems.” After the discussion, guests were treated to an outdoor reception featuring dinner and an ice cream bar.

• • •

Another post-COVID-19, in-person get-together saw Windsor Square Association block captains and directors assemble with local officials — including Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, LAPD officers including Wilshire Capt. Sonia Monico and LAFD Station 29 firefighters including Capt. Josh Morehouse for dinner and a pep talk about the benefits of organizing residential neighborhoods block-by-block. Approximately 80 people attended the May 24th gathering that featured a buffet of Mexican food. All of the planning was done by Windsor Square Association board members June Bilgore, Angie Szentgyorgyi and Tracey Durning, the latter two serving as moderators and introducing several block captains who told stories of what has worked for organizing their blocks. Durning said that her

magic trick is serving margaritas, while Scott Abrahamson, Niloo Eskandari and Marcelo Ziperovich told of other ways they kept residents of their blocks involved for mutual benefit.

• • •

Okay, shhhhhhh… I usually don’t do this, but I’m going to give you a little sneak peek at an upcoming event, Sat., June 24, when St. Vincent Meals On Wheels will be throwing its annual mega fundraiser at Paramount Studios featuring Los Angeles’ top celebrity chefs and restaurants, this year dubbed “Hollywood Under The Stars.” I was lucky enough to get an advance tasting of some of the yumminess that will be featured at this year’s extravaganza, including gumbo by Chef Nika Shoemaker-Machado of Georgia’s

Restaurant, wagyu aburi nigiri and an hamachi shot of yellowtail, dashi, avocado and radish by Chef Richard Archuleta of Alexander’s Steakhouse; Maryland crab cake by 2023 Host Chef and Culinary Angel Isaias Peña; and two tasty desserts, a carrot cake cupcake by John Hensley of Lark Cake Shop and an obscene amount of deliciousness from Läderach Chocolatier Suisse.

Newscaster and host Susan Hirasuna and actor and host Doug Savant reminded the sneak previewers that Meals on Wheels serves 800,000 meals to homebound seniors each year. So if you want to attend an important and memorable fundraiser in the neighborhood, mark June 24 on your calendar!

And now you’re in the Larchmont know!

Neighborhood council directors elected

By John Welborne

The Los Angeles City Clerk has certified the winners of the April 30 election of directors for the boards of two local neighborhood councils for the coming two years.

For Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council , the following are the new Directors and Alternates. (The two people with asterisks are in a tie for the Windsor Village seat, with the Director and Alternate to be determined by the drawing of straws.) Those elected are: Mark Alpers, MJ Anderson, Scott Appel, Tommy Atlee, Selene Betancourt, Jeffry Carpenter, Patricia (Patti) Carroll, Cindy ChvatalKeane, Romi Cortier, Vincent Cox, Brian Curran, Charles D’Atri, Jennifer DeVore, Gary Gilbert, John Gresham, Jesseca Harvey, Julie Kim*, Suzana Kim, David Meister, Mark McQueen, Alex Nava, Tess Page, Lucy Pinkwater, Bianca Sparks Rojas*, Benjamin Rosenberg, Sixto J. Sicilia, Owen Smith, Conrad Starr, David Trainer and John Winther.

For Mid City West Neighborhood Council, these are the new Directors: Cindy Bitterman, Shem Bitterman, Shelby Blecker, Lauren

Borchard, Craig Brill, Hunter Burgarella, Ramiro Castro, Jr., Tedd Cittadine, Chris Dower, Aimee Garcia, Amy Goldenberg, Ellie D. Goralnick, Sara Griebe, Dre Guttag, Brent Kidwell, Benjamin Kram, Christian La Mont, Lynda La Rose, David Mann, Henry Mantel, Ava Marinel-

li, Christina Mondy, Terence Mylonas, Matthew Peskay, Clark Raustiala, Danielle Rodriguez-Donovan, Sam Roseme, Michael Schneider, Bob Shore, Nick Starr, Sandra Sims, Julian Stern, J. Keith Van Straaten, Valerie Jaffee Washburn, Don Whitehead and Xcevio Zuluaga.

157 N. Larchmont Boulevard

WINDSOR SQUARE Block Captain gathering included, from left, Jason Greenman, Jeanne Williams, Randy Esada, Andy Murr, Amy Forbes, Steve Tator and Dorothy Schouten.

Approving the budget for Los Angeles Important fight for the future of all of Hollywood

Last month, the Los Angeles City Council voted to pass the city’s budget for the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1. I have the honor of sitting on the Council’s Budget, Finance and Innovation Committee, which is responsible for reviewing the mayor’s proposed budget before it is sent to the full Council for approval. During that review, my colleagues and I made several changes to the budget to add or remove funding for programs based on our shared priorities.

You might have read that this year’s budget contains a record $1.3 billion to combat our homelessness crisis. This funding will help us acquire hotels and other properties to turn into interim and permanent housing — which will help us both end homelessness for more of our neighbors and improve our ability to transition individuals through the rehousing system. The funding will also scale our efforts to quickly move more Angelenos off the streets through the mayor’s Inside Safe program by adding $250 million to the program. My office also added $1 million to fund more therapeutic vans for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. On the prevention side, millions more will go to stem the tide of people falling into homelessness with rental assistance and a “right to counsel” program for tenants.

I’m also very proud that my team was able to double the amount of funding for speed humps, particularly around elementary schools, to $6 million. We also added funding to speed up sidewalk repair and to make it easier to request ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) street parking in front of your home. Also included in this budget is additional funding to cre-

CD 5 Council Report by

Katy Young Yaroslavsky

ate four new family resource centers. These are community hubs that offer residents a host of city services, including parenting classes and childcare referral services, rental assistance, tutoring, financial education and coaching, and pre-employment and employment services, to name a few.

We were also able to fund an expansion of the Jewish Federation’s Community Security Initiative. You might remember that I requested this funding back in February when two Jewish men were attacked in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood after leaving shul.

Jews, like all Angelenos, deserve to feel safe in Los Angeles.

I am hopeful that this funding will help redouble our efforts to increase security around our Jewish institutions.

Parking

(Continued from page 1) left turn lane.” The lane can be utilized to make left turns, not U-turns. So if you see a parking space on the opposite side of the street or you want to pull into a parking lot, use the turning lane. But parking in the center lane is illegal. LAPD works in tandem with Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) parking enforcement officers. According to LADOT clerk Aldo Andrade, who has worked for Los Angeles parking enforcement for 15 years, “Parking in the center lane is a hazardous technique; the lane is not for any kind of parking.” This

Also included was new money for addressing climate change, including funding for building decarbonization efforts and for clean vehicles. Los Angeles has established very aggressive climate change goals, so we need funding to implement the policies and programs to achieve these goals.

Finally, we added two new positions in the Recreation and Parks Department to help establish more community parks. This is a partnership between the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the city to turn schools into parks during after-school hours. It is an incredible program that helps add open space to communities where it is more difficult to identify new parkland.

I’ll be honest; bringing this budget across the finish line was hard work. We had to make decisions on what to prioritize, knowing that there simply isn’t enough money to fund every single worthy project or program. But what we were able to accomplish will help us move the ball forward on creating a more livable city.

includes delivery trucks.

Armando Vegas, a FedEx driver for one year, says he knows it’s illegal, and he does it anyway. He parks in the center lane daily. “I’ve gotten tickets and been bothered by the parking attendants, but there aren’t any other options. Also, I don’t pay for the tickets.”

The fine for parking in the center lane is $63. It’s considered double parking. Sgt. Duncan commented that LAPD can have a vehicle towed and impounded if parked in the center lane.

Windsor Square resident Julie Kim comes to Larchmont frequently. She was parked in the center lane when I spoke with her. She didn’t realize it was against the law to park there. She thought that — if it was just for a few minutes, especially if she waited in the car — it was okay. She said she does it because “Every time I come to town it’s difficult to park.”

In actuality, by staying in the car, you could receive a moving violation from LAPD “for impeding traffic, minimum speed law” according to Sgt. Duncan. This ticket can also come with a point on your license.

Another woman, who was parked in the center lane, also said she didn’t know it was illegal. She works nearby and was dropping a package off at FedEx. She thought the store would have a short-term parking space in front.

Many people who visit the Boulevard find the cars in the center lane to be annoying and dangerous. Heidi, of

As I write this in late May, over 11,000 writers are on strike, facing the largest assault on compensation and working conditions they’ve seen in a generation.

Writers are doing more work for less pay with less job security. They are fighting for a future where all the workers who make Hollywood run can earn a stable, living wage. This fight is so important, and it’s about more than just writers. It affects stagehands, actors, truck drivers and more. The studios have the money to pay these workers what they deserve, but instead, they are leaving the entire industry behind to prioritize their already soaring profits.

Here are some stats about the current situation:

Studios have brought in over $30 billion in profit over the past few years, yet they refuse to share those profits with the workers.

This isn’t about the money. The studios lost nearly $10

Larchmont Village, said the worst part about having the cars parked in the middle is when pedestrians walk in between the cars and then pop out into the lane while you’re driving. She finds it alarming and disconcerting to suddenly see someone in the middle of the street.

Many proclaim that parking is difficult on Larchmont Boulevard, especially when the Farmers’ Market takes up one of the city lots. Trucks from vendors and cars from customers are perpetually parked in the center lane.

If you are lucky enough to score a metered spot along the Boulevard, of course you should take it. Brian Terr of

CD 13 Council Report

by Hugo Soto-Martinez

billion in value on the first day of the strike alone. That’s enough to fund every single ask the writers made for 25 years.

Median weekly writer-producer pay has declined 4 percent over the last decade. Adjusting for inflation, the decline is 23 percent.

Last year, the combined salary of just eight major Hollywood studio CEOs was $773 million. Meanwhile, many writers can’t even afford to pay their rent.

As the councilmember who represents Hollywood, I wholeheartedly support these workers, and I will be on the picket line standing in solidarity with them until they win a fair contract.

Ridgewood-Wilton says, “I don’t begrudge the people waiting for spots, you just need to be able to get around them.” If the turning lane is filled with parked cars, Terr continues, “You can never get around the cars waiting for a spot.”

Polly Estabrook, of Windsor Square, said cars parked in the middle don’t bother her. But then added, “I rarely drive to the Boulevard because parking is such a nightmare and driving on the street is so slow, which it should be.” She walks or bikes.

Seems like this short stretch of the Boulevard has some traffic issues. Will knowing what’s lawful change drivers’ behavior?

“an oasis in the city”

New lounge-style jewelry store coming to the Boulevard

By Casey Russell Larchmont

Boulevard will become home to a new kind of jewelry store this fall. Emulating some European retail experiences, Larchmont Jewelers aims to provide clients with a relaxed, high-end lounge-type environment.

Visiting Hing Wa Lee Jeweler’s newest retail store, customers will get a very Soho House vibe, according to the Boulevard’s new retailer.

The Hing Wa Lee business started in Hong Hong in the 1960s. Master gem carver Hing Wa Lee, father of current company CEO David Lee, quickly became recognized worldwide for his talents. He was asked to venture to America to restore some of the Smithsonian Museum’s artifacts.

Noticing that there was an appreciation for Chinese arts in America, Lee opened a business in Bethesda, Maryland, in

the 1970s and then moved his family to Los Angeles, where he opened his first West Coast wholesale operation in 1980.

When the gem carver’s eldest son, David Lee, graduated from USC Marshall School of Business in 1992, he joined the family firm and helped it evolve into the retail powerhouse it is today.

The luxury retail chain has

multiple locations and caters to customers looking for fine jewelry and timepieces. The company is one of the few certified Rolex dealers in Southern California and will carry five brands of superior quality watches. At the new store, 70 percent of merchandise space will be allocated for watches, and 30 percent for jewelry.

Rolex approved

When we spoke with David Lee recently, he said Rolex had asked him to find a location to represent its product in Koreatown. “I was looking for more than a year,” said Lee. He found various places, but they were not approved. Rolex is very particular that the surroundings of stores selling its products be suitable for the brand.

“I remember the day I looked at the map and [on the fringe of Koreatown] saw the Larchmont area,” said Lee. He had never been to Larchmont before. When walking down the Boulevard to check it out, the CEO said, “In my mind I was saying, ‘This is the place.’ And Rolex agreed.”

This newest shop will be in the building at 119 N. Larchmont Blvd. that recently housed the corporate office of Buck Mason and, for many previous years, was the lo-

cation of Coldwell Banker’s southern office on the Boulevard. This is a passion project for Lee, and he plans to be very hands-on. “We were looking into leasing at the Mercantile,” [the renovated former Lipson Building across the street] said Lee. But as the businessman prefers to own the real estate where he operates, he was pleased to be able to purchase the building at 119 N. Larchmont. It is now in the renovation process.

Vice President of Marketing Caren Ho told us that all construction plans are in the city’s hands for review and she said that the team hopes to open for business in October.

“Club” feel

It is intended that the bottom floor will house the retail store, which will be designed to feel like a club lounge and look like a chic, posh living room. There will be minimal merchandise displayed. Most will be tucked away. “It’s our job to find out from you what you want… helping you discover what you need. Then we try to present it to you,” said Lee.

Half of the second floor will be used as a VIP lounge. After clients have selected their purchases, they can go up to the lounge, enjoy a drink from the bar and stay for as long as they want, says Lee. Associ-

ates will join them upstairs to size their watch or jewelry and complete the sale. The current second-floor tenant will remain in the other half of the upper level.

A rooftop garden deck is also planned. “It’s not just about selling jewelry anymore. It’s about giving the customer an experience,” said Lee.

The CEO said he believes the client base will be vast and thinks the store will draw high-profile clients from all over the world. He said, “They can’t even experience this on Rodeo Drive.”

David Lee has passions outside of the jewelry business. The family has a large real estate portfolio and Lee himself is a lover of cars. He said that Jay Leno is a good buddy because the two collectors both like to drive all of their cars. Lee, a Ferrari collector, went on to say, “I would like to do car events on Larchmont.”

When asked about the parking situation for his clients, Lee said there are 10 parking spaces in the back of his new building, which will allow clients to come and go quickly, easily and inconspicuously.

Lee believes that being on the Boulevard will open his business up to everyone, and he is glad to have found a space on a street that he described as “independent.”

Above: INTERIOR rendering of Larchmont Jewelers.

Left: EXTERIOR perspective view of Larchmont Jewelers.

New neighborhood mural appearing on the Boulevard

By Casey Russell

Popular East Coast bakery

Levain is planning to open its first West Coast site at 227 N. Larchmont Blvd. sometime before July 4. And in preparation for its debut here in Los Angeles, work is being done not just on the inside, but on the outside of this new Boulevard business.

Incorporated into the design at many of Levain’s locations is a large mural map illustration representing the local store’s neighborhood. Larchmont will not be an exception. But in a way, it will be a first.

Pam Lewy, vice president of marketing and communications for Levain, told us that this new location will be the first to have its mural outside rather than inside. Kirstin Bunger, project manager for Levain Larchmont, told us this is due to the design of this particular shop’s space. There wasn’t an appropriate wall for an inside mural.

The team was pleased to realize that a perfect wall for the mural existed on an outside wall of their store, which faces the Wells Fargo parking lot. Meeting dates were scheduled to present and discuss the proposed artwork. Bunger said, “We had people call in who were really excited about this blank, big wall having something on it that has to do with the community. So it’s been really well received.”

Reviewed by Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council

The mural was reviewed by the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC) Land Use Committee at a recent Zoom meeting. Revisions were made by artist Janice Chang to remove the bakery’s name from the mural to comply with city regulations, and the project was officially approved by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs.

It was important to bakery owners Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald to choose a mural artist who was familiar with the area and could tie the artwork into the community and its local history. They saw Chang, a Los Angeles native who is currently based in Brooklyn, New York, as having a style unique to Los Angeles. “Her vibrant and whimsical work does a wonderful job of highlighting some of the best and [most] iconic things about Larchmont Village, as well as the city of Los Angeles,” said McDonald. Village Clock

These include the Village Clock, Larchmont shuttle and the median monument at Third Street.

Of course, power washing, patching and priming were

needed to prepare for Chang and her team to begin the painting in late May.

Lewy told us that when Weekes and McDonald were looking for a West Coast neighborhood in which to expand their business, the fact that the Boulevard is such a walkable street held great appeal. “We love that Larchmont Village felt like a place where we could be a

part of a close community and really get to know our neighbors,” said Weekes. The East Coast residents are looking forward to visiting as often as they can.

TVC: 70 YEARS AND COUNTING

Television City has been a studio for 70 yea rs. The TVC Plan ensures that this community landmark will remain a studio by modernizing production fa cilities to meet the needs of today's content creators.

Right:

MURAL ARTIST Janice Chang (at left, in lift) and her colleagues begin laying out the painting to cover the wall facing the Wells Fargo parking lot on Larchmont Boulevard.

MURAL RENDERING approved for outer wall of Levain Bakery facing Wells Fargo.

Two faith-based schools build community and share pizza

By Casey Russell

Students from St. Brendan Catholic and New Horizon Los Angeles schools recently gathered for an afternoon of pizza, play and interfaith learning. The day built on a relationship between the two schools that began in 2016.

Stacey Herman, the kindergarten teacher at St. Brendan’s, reached out to Jolanda Hussein, principal of New Horizon School – Los Angeles, and suggested the kindergarten classes get together for a playdate with pizza. There had been a recent

rise in anti-Muslim incidents and the very day Herman called, New Horizon and the Islamic Center of Southern California had received a bomb threat. Hussein said “yes” to the kindergarten teacher’s idea right away.

“I think I wanted to teach the kids at our school that you don’t have to be afraid of people who are different. And I wanted the [New Horizon] kids to know that not everybody was against them, and that there were a lot of people who were glad they were here,” said Herman.

Since then, with a slight hiccup in visits due to the pandemic in 2020, the two schools have continued to meet at one school or the other. Said Herman, “Jolanda and I became friends, and we’d get together and have tea. She mentioned the older kids were jealous [of the younger kids].” Therefore, in 2019, the play date was expanded to include the schools’ entire student bodies. This year’s day of connection included the singing of salam alaikum (“peace to you”), the Islamic call to prayer, a pizza and balloon party and outside

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June 20-August 11, 2023

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fun with sidewalk chalk, ice cream and bubbles.

Anna Nemoianu, a fourth grade student at St. Brendan, said, “It was a lot of fun! I loved getting to know about another culture. I know a lot about being Catholic, so it was interesting getting to know about another faith.”

When asked if she thought this idea could spread to other schools, Herman answered in the affirmative. “It’s not hard to do. Kids just want to play together.” The teacher, who has been at St. Brendan’s for 28 years, said, “I think prejudices and fears are instilled when you don’t know people…. [But we can] teach [kids] early on to be tolerant and that you can be friends with a variety of people.”

The schools have not only come together for play dates, they’ve also worked jointly to support others in various ways. Last year, the

two schools collected supplies for Afghan refugees, and New Horizon students donated offerings to the St. Brendan Christmas Toy Drive, which benefits Alexandria House, a transitional residence for women and children.

Herman plans to continue fostering the two schools’ bonds and said, “The kids know about this [now] so they’re excited about it. They remember kids they’ve met before and were seeking them out when they came this time.”

Star chefs at St. Vincent Meals on Wheels ‘Tasting’

By Suzan Filipek

St. Vincent Meals on Wheels (SVMOW), the largest, privately funded senior nutrition program in the country, will stage its second annual “Hollywood Under the Stars” fundraiser on the Paramount Studios lot on Sat., June 24. The event gets underway at 6:30 p.m., with a VIP reception commencing in the Paramount Theatre at 5:30 pm.

Longtime supporter and area local Rick Llanos will serve as honorary host.

“Growing up in Windsor Square, I was lucky enough to stay close to my family and eventually start a career in real estate,” noted Llanos, adding, “I’ve long been involved, originally as a Junior Adviso-

HOST Rick Llanos.

ry Board member, where we created new, inventive ways to expand SVMOW’s reach.”

Llanos says he continues to participate in SVMOW events and “spread the word on all the amazing work SVMOW does.”

Angeleno chefs, tastings, live music

The organization will partner with nearly a dozen Angeleno chefs and pâtissiers for an evening of tastings complemented by a 10-piece band for dancing under the night sky.

The event will pay tribute to actor Martin Sheen in recognition of his standing in solidarity with those who have been forgotten and dis-

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SMILING fourth graders (left to right) Zoya Kadri and Anna Nemoianu at the inter-school play date.

HONORARY

ACTOR Martin Sheen will receive the Vincent’s Heart Award.

Torch will be passed to a new director at Plymouth preschool

By Suzan Filipek

Sondi Toll Sepenuk has been named the new director of much-loved Plymouth School.

When the Brookside resident takes the reins in September, she will be the third director in the preschool’s 52-year history.

“I’m thrilled and honored to be taking over. Plymouth is such an important part of my family life and many families in the community,” Sepenuk told us.

In her new post, Sepenuk will oversee the faculty and curriculum at the school, located at 315 S. Oxford Ave. on the property of the Wilshire Presbyterian Church at Third Street and Western Avenue.

Multiple generations

The school counts multiple generations of local families among its alumni. Sepenuk’s family is among them, which is one of the reasons the school board offered her the position.

“Her two kids went to school here, and she’s been a teacher here for five years. She represents the nonprofit school culture. She’s awesome,” current school Director Megan Drynan told us.

Drynan, who grew up in the area, is retiring from the post after nine years to spend more time with her family. (Her siblings and three children plus nieces and nephews all attended Plymouth.)

“The original director, Penny Cox, asked me to be director nine years ago,” she said, “and I have been blessed with an amazing staff and community to support me through the many transitions and growth of the school.

“I knew that Sondi would be a perfect fit.  She has been a teacher here for five years, and her strong sense of community and love of the school made it clear to us that she would be perfect.

“I am happy to pass the torch of director to Sondi knowing she has the support of our community.   She will protect our traditions while creating a loving environment to help nurture and stimulate our young children.”

Drynan, who will remain on the four-member school board, added: “[The school] is a gem in our neighborhood that has many important traditions. Soup Day, holiday parties and Fourth of July parades have been going on for 50 years.”

Another favorite is the festive 100th day of school, when the “100-year-old man” talks to students about what life was like a century ago. Sondi’s husband, Pete Sepenuk, an actor and producer, dons a beard and dresses for the role and explains to eager listeners

what life was like when everyone drove the same model car.

“They believe it. They believe he’s 100 years old,” Sondi beams.

Sondi, a Seattle native, has a bachelor’s degree in English from Loyola Marymount University. She continued her studies in early childhood education at Los Angeles City College and UCLA, and she was a founding parent of Larchmont Charter School. She has held various leadership positions as a manager, TV writer and producer.

She also is the Around The Town columnist for the Larchmont Chronicle, and she is a member of NGA (Needlework Guild of America) Hancock Park.

At Plymouth, where classes have names such as Hippopotamus and Giraffe, Sepenuk has taught the Bear class, which is made up of the oldest children at the school.

Children between the ages of 2 and 5-and-a-half years old are enrolled at the 60-pupil school.

Both of her children, Hazel and Gus, attended the school. (Hazel is currently a sophomore at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and Gus is a high school sophomore at Larchmont Charter School.)

Founded in 1972

The preschool was co-founded in 1972 by Cox, who died in 2020 at 87. Dissatisfied with the preschool where they were teaching, Penny and three other teachers and a neighbor opened Plymouth in 1972 in a space in the Wilshire Methodist Church on Plymouth Boulevard. In 1992, the non-denominational preschool moved to its current location.

“There aren’t many places like Plymouth,” said Sepenuk.

The play-based school features pre-reading and premath for the oldest children.

“We work it in a way where they don’t even know they’re doing it,” Sepenuk adds. “The school is more like a family, like home, with longtime teachers on staff [some who attended the preschool as children themselves].

“We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel. We know what children need — to feel

Academy to host free ‘Summer Jam’

The Academy Museum is holding a “Summer Jam” party on Fri., June 2, 2 to 8 p.m. Attendees can partake in free art, photo and music activities and, beginning at 4 p.m., free access to galleries. This June, the museum is also hosting Pride Month events, a “Summer of Music: Concert Films

1959-2020” series, and “A New Wave of K-Cinema: Korean Women Directors” series.

safe and be in a space where they can grow and learn and socialize and learn to be kind people and open up their minds to exploration and curiosity.

“I’m really excited about it, about meeting new families and helping them to guide their child forward.”

She added, “I look forward to continuing the legacies of Founding Director Penny Cox and now Megan Drynan, who have built the school into the warm, friendly, welcoming environment that we all know today.”

NEW HEAD of Plymouth School Sondi Toll Sepenuk.

Hot off the presses: Third graders’ Hollygrove Chronicle

By Casey Russell

Four Larchmont Charter Hollygrove third graders recently started a school newspaper called the Hollygrove Chronicle. The TK through fourth grade elementary school hasn’t had a school paper in years.

Tanvi Kanimerakala originated the project because she felt there wasn’t a place to circulate her ideas. She said, “I realized that, by starting a school newspaper, I could inspire kids to share their ideas and show their true colors.”

Classmates Lola Kessler and Elsie Mohr saw her working on the paper and asked if they could help. “I’ve really liked writing ever since kindergarten. So, I wanted to join,” said Mohr. Maxine Smith is the newest member. “She really improved our editing,” said Kanimerakala.

The girls’ teacher is Erik Amundson. “He knows more about writing than we do,” said Kessler. “We thought,

‘Oh! He should help us!’”

Amundson has been very supportive of the foursome’s endeavor. “It’s always cool to see students take on their own passions and find interest in applying the things we learn in class,” said Amundson. “It’s also been fun to see what their idea of a newspaper is and the things they find important to include and write about.”

The newspaper is currently seven pages long, and Hollygrove Chronicle staff is working on the third issue. The girls handwrite and draw all content, which includes short articles, movie reviews, greetings from newspaper staff and games such as crossword puzzles, word searches and find-the-difference challenges. A parent volunteer types the articles and formats the work. After Amundson prints the paper, the girls compile, staple and put the issue out for students to take.

When asked what each of their specialties are, Smith

said, “I think I’m good at final drafts.” Kanimerakala said she enjoys writing and describing what is happening.

Mohr said, “I come up with problems, and Lola develops them into ideas for the newspaper.” Kessler agreed and said she also helps with editing and is in charge of games.

Mohr revises and edits and said, “I do all the scheduling to make sure we’re organized because it gets really messy

without me.”

So what kind of response has the paper received? People seem to like it. The foursome has been hearing that readers would like the paper to be a little longer. They told us there are a lot of students wanting to contribute drawings and comics. Mohr believes the paper has inspired students to write more. “Before, more people were drawing. Now, more people are actually writ-

ing. I think they are going to submit [their writing] to the newspaper because now we have a submissions bin,” she said.

The girls said that if they get a lot of submissions they’ll just include the best ones. “Our goal isn’t to have the biggest newspaper, we just want it to be quality,” said Kanimerakala.

“We’re starting to collect data on what different grades like. We know what third grade is talking about, but [our data] can make [the paper] more interesting for other grades,” said Mohr.

Hollygrove Chronicle staff told us there will be at least one more issue coming out this year. The team plans to start up again when school starts in the fall.

We at the Larchmont Chronicle applaud these young writers for recognizing the importance of local news! We wish them great luck in their continued endeavors.

Actor helps launch ‘Lots of Compassion’

By Vivian Gueler

Third Street Elementary was selected to partner with the company that makes Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products to help launch the “Lots Of Compassion” initiative.

Actor Tyler James Williams of television’s “Abbott Elementary” was in attendance at Third Street, helping to kick off the campaign in the school’s garden. The initia-

tive calls on people to use the power of the garden to inspire change. Specifically, the program focuses on untended and vacant spaces that can be transformed into a community garden. Think vacant lots and lots of compassion. A YouTube video on the nationwide project is at mrsmeyers. com/compassion.

Third Street was put forward as a contender to help launch the campaign by KidsGardening, a national nonprofit whose mission is to create opportunities for kids to play, learn and grow

through gardening. The organization supports educators and families with grant funding, educational resources and inspiration.

Noel Nicholas, education content manager for KidsGardening, says, “What Mrs. Meyer’s is doing through the ‘Lots of Compassion’ project is incredible. I’ve seen the magic of garden-based learning and am thrilled they’re extending the opportunity to more communities.”

Williams, whose television character has an aptitude

(Please turn to page 19)

NEWSPAPER copies are available outside the classroom.

THE NEWSPAPER TEAM: (left to right) Tanvi Kanimerakala, Lola Kessler, Elsie Mohr and Maxine Smith.

DIGGING IN THE GARDEN at Third Street Elementary are (left to right) Tyler James Williams, Sul Lee from Third Street and Noel Nicholas. Photo by Jordyn Levine

Loopers don’t have to be 18 to begin learning the craft

Anyone who saw Australian Hannah Green win the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro at Wilshire Country Club (WCC) April 30 had to notice her looper, Nate Blasko. Immediately after sinking the winning putt of the two-hole sudden death playoff, Green walked over and hugged the grinning Blasko.

Of course he was happy; he’s been her caddie since 2018, and the last LPGA event she won was in 2019. Blasko was one of 144 loopers to work the tournament, and his earnings topped those of his fellow caddies that weekend.

As an unspoken rule, a looper receives 10 percent of the winning golfer’s prize money. The victory at Wilshire Country Club earned Green $450,000. No wonder Blasko was smiling.

Loop de loop

Like most sports, golf has its own jargon, and the caddie subdivision culture is no different.

The word “loop” can be a verb or noun. As a noun, it’s a caddie’s round of golf service. Makes sense; the round begins and ends at the clubhouse, so the route golfers and caddies traverse is basically a loop. As a verb, “loop” means to lug a player’s bag around a golf course. Consequently, “looper” is slang for caddie.

Most caddies begin looping in their teens. Some do it strictly as an occupation, and some for

Youth Sports

by Jim Kalin

the experience and proximity to golfers and the game because they want to eventually play professional golf themselves.

Arnold Palmer began looping in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, when he was just 10. Lee Trevino started even earlier; he began at age 8 in Dallas, Texas. Nate Blasko, Hannah Green’s caddie, was a junior golfer living in Kingston, Ontario, trying to elevate his game before his golf coach suggested he loop for Augusta James, a Kingston-area professional golfer.

Family affair

Name a famous pair of brothers who were loopers when they were teenagers. Need a hint? They starred in the most famous movie about caddies ever made.

Way before appearing in the classic film “Caddsyshack,” Bill Murray and his brother Brian Doyle-Murray looped at Indian Hill Club in Winnetka, Illinois, along with their three brothers. Apparently, looping ran in the family. Their father had been a caddie in the 1930s in Chicago.

At the JM Eagle Championship last month, the event ended in regulation with a three-way tie among Hannah Green, Xiyu Lin and Aditi

Ashok. Ashok is from India, and her father looped for her at WCC on the recent weekend. He also was her caddie at the 2016 Rio Olympics, although in Tokyo four years later, it was Ashok’s mother who carried her bag. Another competitor at the JM Eagle Championship was South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai. When she initially played on the LPGA, her boyfriend David looped for her. That went on until just before their marriage, when they decided it was best if he caddied for someone else. Made sense; life can be difficult when a couple’s income comes down to how just one of them performs on the golf course. David now loops for Sweden’s Madelene Sag-

strom, and Ashleigh’s caddie is Tanya Paterson. At the JM Eagle Championship, Sagstrom ended in a tie for 17th and collected $35,608. Buhai finished lower, tied at 33rd, and earned $17,562.

Chill

Golf legend Ben Hogan, who was known as the Wee

Ice Man, was a caddie as a teenager in Fort Worth, Texas. The first time he ever played Wilshire Country Club, someone jokingly challenged him to hit the Hollywood sign — which can be seen from the ninth hole — with his drive. Without missing a beat, Hogan replied, “Which letter?”

Panthers make history on court

By Suzan Filipek

Pilgrim School made history recently when the Pilgrim Panthers Varsity Volleyball Team won the Omega League Championship.

“This season was monumental for the school. We were the best team in school history,” team captain and high school senior Lucas George-Ghobrial told us.

It was the first time in 30 years that the team earned the league championship when Pilgrim beat Newbury Park Adventist High School April 20.

With Head Coach Joshua Manly and assistant coaches Joe Concialdi and Loki Woo, the 17 players competed against five schools (two games each) and only took one loss.

“This has been history in the making for us considering that we lost the league by one game last year — to Newbury Park Adventist, the team we beat to win it this year,” Lucas said.

The team advanced to the quarterfinals, but didn’t make it to the playoffs.

GOLFERS AND LOOPERS prepare for the tee off at the first hole at Wilshire Country Club during the JM Eagle Championship.

GOLFER Hyo Joon Jang (right) with looper Ryan Smith at the first tee off during the JM Eagle Championship at Wilshire Country Club.

Ideas for keeping some of summer’s stresses in check

By Casey Russell

Summer is upon us, and area kids are ready to revel in the freedom of the school-free weeks ahead.

For parents, this time of year can be stressful. People working away from home scramble to find childcare or camps for kids. Parents who work from home may feel pangs of guilt listening to the words “I’m bored” being uttered multiple times a day. Guilt can also raise its unproductive head when we realize our kids would love our attention, but we have stuff we need

to get done.

So how can we make the summer months less stressful and more fun for everyone?

Boredom can be good

First of all, boredom is not a bad thing for kids to feel or to learn to deal with. Rather than feeling the need to rescue kids from the b-word, see what happens if you give them screen-free space to find a way to fill their own time. Your kid may pull out an old art set and get busy. Maybe you’ll notice a fort getting made. Without being given something to entertain them, kids often come

Tips on Parenting

by Casey Russell

up with amazingly creative ideas to entertain themselves. Special summer fun

But while we parents do have things we need to get done, and while it is good for kids to practice entertaining themselves, it’s important to also make time for summer family fun.

Msgr. Fleming

(Continued from page 1) has served the Archdiocese of Los Angeles since 1973. The pastor at St. Brendan Church from 2005 until his retirement in 2016, the mon-

signor subsequently has been the executive director of the archdiocese’s Mission Office that coordinates local efforts to support Catholic charity organizations. In March of 2022, Archbishop José H. Gomez appointed Msgr. Fleming as

episcopal vicar for the Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region to oversee temporarily the administration of the most populous of the archdiocese’s five pastoral regions. The monsignor’s Central Los Angeles region includes 77 parishes, 12 high schools, 48 elementary schools, two hospitals and four parochial missions. Msgr. Fleming previously served as a theology professor at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo (1982-1989), pastor of St. Vibiana’s Cathedral (1990-1994), and vicar general of the archdiocese (1997-2002).

Public pools are open and make for great places to spend a day together. Summer camping trips full of sleeping bags and s’mores can be awesome adventures. But really, just making sure to connect in small ways throughout the day can make a big difference in keeping these months a bit less stressful.

Simple moments

Consider taking a long lunch break to take the kids for a picnic at the park. Feeling frazzled because your little one has interrupted the email you’re trying to write every five minutes for the past hour? Choose to lift her in the air and take her outside for 20 minutes of bubble-fun before getting focused again.

These simple moments of connection can remind kids they are seen and loved even though we also have other things we need to do. They can improve how everyone experiences the out-of-school weeks.

Managing messes

Another thing that can be stressful for many parents is that, with everybody home more, everybody’s messes take over the living spaces.

Instead of gritting your teeth while picking up after everyone, be honest. Take a minute to explain that, when the place is a mess and things are everywhere, it’s easy for you, and maybe for them, to feel frazzled and get irritated more easily. Remind them of how nice it is to be able to find whatever one is looking

for because it’s in the spot it’s meant to be. For some kids, just understanding the “why” can make a big difference.

For those for whom avoiding messes doesn’t work, here are some other ideas: Young kids enjoy a good game. Maybe you race your child to see who can finish faster: Dad finishing the dishes or Charlie putting his toys away. For elementary school kids, perhaps remembering to put their stuff away means they get to stay up a bit later. For teens, maybe consistently remembering to pitch in earns them a little spending money for an outing with a friend. Different techniques work for different families, but a technique I try to avoid is:

Parent cleans up.

Remembering

While these summer months of less structure and routine can be tough on parents, it’s good to remember how awesome they were when we were kids. The freedom from homework, the chance to not have to rush to school every day, the moments to sit in a sunbeam and just daydream — these are important. Summer is a time for kids to get away from all that comes with school. I remember loving summer for the time I got to just “be.” So while claiming our own need for less stress, let’s also keep in mind that summer is the time for our kids to let go of some of their stress, too. Maybe it will make it easier to smile at them as they take the time to just “be.”

The Plymouth School

• Preschool program for children 2 to 5½.

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

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

• Over 45 years serving the neighborhood

315 S. Oxford Ave. • 213-387-7381

TOM PATTERSON, Msgr. Fleming and Kelly Martin.

RECEPTION at St. Brendan School. Shown are Jane Hawley, Patricia McKeever, Msgr. Fleming and Iris Craddock.

MSGR. FLEMING and Cardinal Roger Mahony.

MONSIGNOR Fleming and Marge Graf.

Businesses

(Continued from page 1)

Larchmont Blvd., on the corner of Melrose Avenue, where it will be a sit-down restaurant.

Another new Boulevard shop opened — with a party — on May 12. Beyond Yoga, a female founded and led company selling activewear and athleisure (owned by Levi Strauss & Co.) has its newest home at 152 N. Larchmont Blvd. (the site of the missed-by-many former real hardware store). Beyond Yoga is committed to manufacturing locally, and the company prides itself on selling soft, comfortable, inclusively sized clothes for men and women.

Niccole Ferraro, retail operations manager, told us, “It’s going great! We’re excited to be part of the community.”

Ferraro added that having representation in a community area in Los Angeles was something store owners were looking for. Beyond Yoga’s other locations are mainly in malls. “This seemed like the perfect spot,” she said.

Bacio di Latte was scheduled to open right as this June issue was being distributed. The gelato store is between clothing and accessories stores Corridor and Res Ipsa at 141 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd.

A new jewelry store will grace the Boulevard this fall when Larchmont Jewelers opens for business at 119 N. Larchmont, the former home of Coldwell Banker’s south office. The new retailer will be the latest in the Hing Wa

Lee Jewelers family of stores. Read the story on page 10 of this issue to learn more.

Another store coming to Larchmont, this one located in the Larchmont Mercantile (formerly Lipson) building, is Sua, another Boulevard take-out food store. We recently spoke with Chef Jing Gao, founder of the Fly By Jing condiment brand. She and her partner, Stephanie Liu Hjelmeseth, a lifestyle content creator and entrepreneur, plan to open Sua at the end of July or beginning of August. The store at 144 N. Larchmont Blvd. will offer pre-packaged meals, pantry items, beverages and some artfully crafted home goods.

As reported previously, Terroni is coming to Larchmont, taking over the original Girasole space expanded and developed by Steve and Joanna Vernetti, who ran their popular restaurant at 225 N. Larchmont Blvd. for nearly 10 years, until Vernetti closed at the end of May. Joanna Vernetti recently applied to the City of Los Angeles for permission to sell a full line of alcoholic beverages for onsite consumption, and she announced at the restaurant’s

SWEET LADY JANE has signed up for Taco Tu Madre’s previous location.

May 25 closing party that the city had approved. The Vernetti application was under the city’s newly adopted restaurant beverage program that allows for expedited issuance of such licenses without neighborhood review. This will be the first time in memory for any Larchmont restaurant to be licensed to sell a full line of alcoholic beverages, and the license presumably was obtained to benefit Terroni and its operator, Hancock Park resident Shereen Arazm.

One of the other stores to open recently on the Boulevard is Thirteen Lune. It opened May 9, and assistant store manager Khepri De Walt told us business has been booming. “We’re so happy and so lucky to be here,” said De Walt.

Patrons can find more than skin care and makeup at the 90 percent BIPOC founded store. Damone Roberts’ eyebrow studio is located in the back and enables customers to get their brows done by

(Please turn to page 19)

Cooperstown-bound Warriors need support

By Jim Kalin Wilshire Warrior Coach-

es Pat Garrigan and Victor Smallwood have been getting their team ready for what’s become an annual trip to Cooperstown, New York, every summer. The best of our local 12-year-old Wilshire Warriors will head to Dreams Park Cooperstown to participate in a baseball summer camp where 64 to 100 teams attend per week.

Dreams Park was constructed in 1996. There are 22 grass playing fields and 104 barracks in the 165-acre Baseball Village. The fields have lights, so the boys play night games, too. Cooperstown is a family destination, with parents and siblings encouraged to attend games when not on Otsego Lake or touring the Baseball Hall of Fame. The experience for the players mirrors big league ball as much as possible.

“The place is magical,” said Tom Seeley, whose son Ryan

plays catcher and first base on the Warriors team. “It’s Disneyland for baseball fanatics.”

The team is actively fundraising over the next two months. The approximate cost per player is about $3,000, which includes travel, lodging, meals, uniforms and a seven-game guarantee during the tournament as well as incidentals like laundry, snacks and team pins, which the boys trade with other players throughout the week.

If you’d like to help with donations, or if you have questions, reach out by email to General Manager Melissa Perrot at mlperrot@mac.com.

You may donate via Venmo to the account dedicated to the Cooperstown 12U team (@Melissa-Perrot – last 4 of mobile # = 4038).

Donations also may be made by check payable to “Melissa Perrot” and mailed to Melissa Perrot, 3325 Wood Terrace, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

HEADING TO DREAMS PARK. Front row (L to R): Adi Litten, Nicolas Coppola, David Velador, Leo Russell, Ryan Seeley. Second row: Hans Smallwood, Malcolm Rudulph, Matthew Campos, Jack Garrigan, Leo Roddy, Miles Kwon. Back row: Coaches Victor Smallwood, Antonio Andrade, John Coppola, Pat Garrigan. Not pictured: Jackson Sims.

BEYOND YOGA’S grand opening was well attended.

Metro

(Continued from page 1) system during opening weekend.

The Regional Connector is composed of three new underground stations and 1.9 miles of track running beneath Downtown Los Angeles. It links the L (Gold) line with the A (Blue) line, and it also links the former southern part of the

Businesses

(Continued from page 18)

celebrity eyebrow artist Sarah Abikzer or by Roberts himself. The store is at 120 N. Larchmont Blvd.

As to the still vacant storefront at 129 N. Larchmont Blvd., between Le Petit Creek and Village Pizzeria, which briefly was the shop Pola, the

Third Street

(Continued from page 14) for gardening on “Abbott Elementary,” notes, “I believe every school, neighborhood and community should be able to benefit from those who are willing to roll up their sleeves and put in the care to grow something greater for tomorrow.”

Sul Lee, Third Street Elementary’s garden chair, says, “Third Street is flattered to partner with Mrs. Meyer’s and KidsGardening.org to help foster local garden initiatives here in Los Angeles and nationally.”

To support Third Street’s garden community, the cleaning products company has made a $5,000 donation to Third Street Elementary, which will,

L (Gold) line to the E (Expo) line. This creates two lines, A and E, and a one-seat journey from Azusa to Long Beach (A Line) and East Los Angeles to Santa Monica (E Line). A cross-county trip should take little more than an hour.

The three new stations will open as Little Tokyo/Arts District, Historic Broadway and Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill. The latter features a station

space has been leased. Broker Ryan Gurman, who specializes in commercial real estate, told us that the space has been taken by an international retail brand that has another location in Los Angeles. The name of the brand is, as of yet, a mystery. We shall update readers as soon as more information becomes available.

in part, be used to replace aging raised planting beds.

People can support the program by purchasing the nationally available Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Compassion Flower products. One dollar from each product sold on mrsmeyers. com and grove.com benefits community garden efforts throughout the country. Mrs. Meyer’s is pledging to provide up to $1 million from Compassion Flower product sales to support community garden transformations over the next five years.

July 29, 1925

May 25, 2023

Kathryn Ann Meihaus

May 18, 1921 - May 14, 2023

On May 14, 2023, Kathryn Ann Meihaus, “Kay,” wife and life-long sweetheart to John Edward Meihaus, MD, “Jack,”(deceased 2000), passed away peacefully at her home in Napa, CA. She was born in Indianapolis, IN to Louis and Linda Bernatz.

Kay was a devoted mother to eight children: John Jr., David, Anne, Barbara, Paul, Carol, Mark and Maureen. She was a beloved grandmother to 28 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

She and Jack married in 1945, and then moved to the Los Angeles area when Jack began his WWII naval service. Kay spent her final years in Napa, California, living happily in the loving care of her daughter, Barbara, and son-in-law, Bryan.

A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, June 2, 2023, 11 am at Holy Family Church, 1527 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, CA. Viewing will be from 10 to 10:30 am at Holy Family Church. Burial following the celebration of life will be at 1:30 pm at Holy Cross Cemetery, 5835 West Slauson Ave., Culver City, CA. Adv.

100 feet underground, the deepest of all Metro stations. Collectively, the stations feature art by more than 180 local artists.

More information about the Regional Connector is available at Metro’s “The Source,” at tinyurl.com/4t7dtm4z.

Right:

TWO LINES instead of the present four will commence service on June 16 because the Regional Connector allows for a single line from Azusa to Long Beach (the A Line) and a single line from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica (the E Line).

Ecclesia Gnostica Gnostic Christian Church

Bishop Dr. Stephan Hoeller

Wednesday

Sunday Eucharist 11:00am

Sunday Eucharist 11am

Wednesday Eucharist 8:30pm Lectures

Glendale Boulevard, Atwater, Los Angeles

8pm

323-467-2685

323-467-2685

Philip Metschan Hawley

Tarfest returns Saturday, June 10, this year at Pan Pacific Park

By John Welborne

As was tradition pre-pandemic, members and friends of the Greater Miracle Mile Chamber of Commerce gathered for an al fresco luncheon on the plaza at LACMA — to hear the plans for Museum Row’s annual free music and

art festival — Tarfest. Because of LACMA construction, this year’s 20th anniversary version of Tarfest is taking place at Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Boulevard, from 2 to 7 p.m. on Sat., June 10.

At the luncheon, LACMA’s Michael Govan, the museum’s

Zoo hosts Beastly Ball on June 3

The late Councilman Tom LaBonge will posthumously receive an award at the Beastly Ball Sat., June 3, at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo.

The party will start “Down Under” in the Australia section and make its way through the lush grounds. Participating eateries include Pink’s Hot Dogs, Little Sister, El Cholo and more. Actor Joel McHale will host the fundraising gala. Trustee Diann Kim also will be honored, and LaBonge will receive the Betty White Conservation Hero Award. visit

CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, welcomed the guests and fellow speakers. Chief among the latter were City of Los Angeles general manager of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Daniel Tarica, and executive director of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Kristin Sakoda. Eric Calhoun, Pan Pacific Park’s director, said how much he and his staff are looking forward to Tarfest locating there this year.

Finishing up among the scheduled speakers was the Tarfest impresario himself, the founder of both Tarfest and Launch LA, James Panozzo, who told of the amazing musical performances, art installations, and creative activities planned for the June 10th afternoon for people of all ages, and for free. Additional information is available at tarfest.com. lazoo.org/beastlyball or call 323-486-4253.

Liven up your summer nights at Jazz program

While museum construction adjoining and over Wilshire Boulevard continues to the east, the music plays on at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). (The museum’s David Geffen Galleries are planned for a late 2024 completion.)

Bring a picnic or enjoy open seating at the free outdoors Jazz at LACMA program, which recently began their 32nd season on the Smidt Welcome Plaza, 5905 Wilshire Blvd.

Concerts are on Fridays through November beginning at 6 p.m.

Saxophonist Keschia Potter, who’s toured with Beyoncé, Bruno Mars and others, performs with her quartet on June 2.

Pianist, composer and arranger Theo Saunders takes a break from his 55-year international career with his quintet on June 9.

Katalyst plays an eclectic mix of experimental contemporary jazz on June 16.

A group of seasoned local musicians, the Highland Park House Band, performs on June 23.

Free admission

As a part of the music series, museum admission is free to Los Angeles County residents from 3 to 8 p.m. on Fridays. Advance online reservations are recommended.

The free open seating is limited and is on a first come, first served basis. For more information, visit lacma.org/ music.

Food and drinks are available for purchase until 8 p.m. at Ray’s & Stark Bar, C+M and LACMA Café.

HONORED posthumously will be Tom LaBonge, here with Betty White.

SUPPORTING TARFEST, and present at the Chamber lunch at LACMA, are, from left, Daniel Tarica, Kristin Sakoda, James Panozzo, Eric Calhoun and Michael Govan.

Bands to play summer tunes on plaza area

The plaza area near the Clock Tower of the Original Farmers Market will be transformed this summer into a concert stage every Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. From June 1 to Aug. 31, visitors can enjoy free performances of rock, alternative R&B, folk fusion and everything in between.

‘Blue Whales’ to amaze at California Science Center

“Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D” is at the California Science Center. Narrated by actor Andy Serkis (“Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars”), the IMAX documentary is an inspirational story of the world’s largest animal’s journey to recovery.

By following two expeditions, the film gives viewers a glimpse into the feeding hab-

its, impressive long-distance communication and family bonds of these ocean giants. Audiences will gain insight into what scientists are doing to learn about these amazing mammals and their role in the health of our oceans.

“Blue Whales” is slated to screen through Mon., Sept. 4. Visit californiasciencecenter. org.

Orchestra for all ages to play opera tunes on June 10

By Talia Abrahamson

The Eisner Intergenerational Orchestra will perform timeless opera classics for its spring 2023 concert. Playing pieces from “Turandot,” “Carmen,” “Tosca” and more, the orchestra under the direction of opera singer Daniel Suk is set to present its “Opera Gala Spectacular” on Sat., June 10, at 5 p.m. at the Berendo Street Baptist Church, 975 S. Berendo St.

The orchestra was founded in 2021 by Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), the youth-serving nonprofit that, since 1989, has

been providing after-school programs to underserved children, primarily in central and south Los Angeles.

The Eisner Intergenerational Orchestra brings together teens and adults of every age to share in a multigenerational and multicultural celebration of music. Since its inception, the orchestra has grown to more than 150 members. Its official home is the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. Larchmont Chronicle theater columnist Louis Fantasia plays the double bass in the orchestra.

Kicking off the summer music series on June 1 is Paperback Writer, a Beatles tribute band, which will be taking the audience through the Fab Four’s top hits. Turning to big band for the following week, The Jazz Cartel is set to perform Sinatra-style swing music.

For the rest of June, the Farmers Market stage will be taken over by rock music, first by Tom Kenny & The HiSeas and then the Crown City Bombers.

July will see a wide variety of musical performances, starting on July 6 with Dave Stuckey & The Hot House Gang, which will perform Fats Waller stomp and swing music. The month of August is dedicated to emerging artists.

Celebrate the open road with an homage to the great American classics that took us to deserts and national parks and other marvelous places from coast to coast.

“Wonderful Wagons: A Tribute to Woodies, Lowriders and All the Great Family Haulers” will be on display at the Gilmore Heritage Auto Show on Sat., June 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Original Farmers Market, 6333 W. Third St. More than 70 wagons and a variety of American classics will be parked outside at the

Holocaust

Museum LA offers teen programs

Interactive workshops are being offered to students in grades seven through 12 this summer at the Holocaust Museum LA.

Kids interested in film can work with Holocaust survivors to create a short film in a workshop taking place Mon., June 19, through Thurs., June 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuition is $200.

Art lovers can work with Holocaust survivors to create a reflective art piece Mon., July 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tuition is $75.

Those with interest in the culinary arts can approach history through food on Thurs., July 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Learning about cultures of different Jewish communities, participants will make recipes from each, and they will leave with a personal recipe book. Tuition is $75.

Full scholarships are available for all workshops. Email rachel@hmla.org or call 323-651-3716 for more information.

Donate blood on June 14, 15 at Farmers Market

In celebration of World Blood Donor Day, a bloodmobile will be parked outside the historic Gilmore gas station at the Original Farmers Market from June 14 to June 15. The mobile blood donation center, operated by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, will be open each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Donors will receive free

parking for the day. To be eligible, individuals must be at least 17 years old, 110 pounds and in good health. Also, 16-year-olds who weigh more than 136 pounds are eligible if they have a signed parental consent form.

Walk-ins are welcome. Advanced registration is also available at donatebloodcedars.org.

CLASSIC AUTO is Phillip and Helen Albright’s 1950 Chrysler Woodie Royal Wagon. Photo provided by owner

BLUE WHALE mom and calf swimming underwater.

Photo by SK Films

Bard’s ‘Folio’ marks 400th year with works on stage to June 4

This year, 2023, marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s “First Folio,” the tome that contains 36 of the Bard’s plays. Seven years after Shakespeare’s death, two members of his acting company decided that Will’s work needed rescuing from oblivion. With help from rival poet Ben Jonson (plus an eager editor and a vaguely sleazy printer and his son), actors John Heminges and Henry Condell coaxed the volume into existence. Without them, we would never have full texts of 17 plays including “As You Like It,” “Julius Caesar” and “The Tempest.” “King Lear” and “Hamlet” (to name but two) would exist only in earlier Quarto versions.

There still is time in the days following the publication of the June 1 issue of the Larchmont Chronicle — but only a few days — to see the following three productions.

The “Folio’s” saga is the theme of Laura Gunderson’s “Book of Will,” running at A Noise Within through June 4. The production staged by Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliot rings with all the Shakespearean bardolatry of a romping, summer festival production: the language is muscular, the design sol-

Theater Review by Louis

Fantasia

id, the staging sweeping.

“Once more into the text, dear friends! Once more!” Elliot and Jeremy Raab outdo Hope and Crosby as pals on the road to publication. Ms. Gunderson dips her quill too often into melodrama and speculation, but it is all done from the heart, and it is refreshing to see the work of a Dead White Male celebrated with this much conviction. anoisewithin.org; 626-3563100. For more on the Folio see: folger.edu/explore/shakespeare-in-print/first-folio.

“Othello” is one of Shakespeare’s plays that exists in both Quarto and Folio. (The latter toned down the sex and cursing to please the censors.) Yet I am hard-pressed to believe that anyone involved with the LA Opera’s staging of Verdi’s “Otello” (at the Music Center, also through June 4) read the play in either version.

The singing is fine: Russell Thomas’ elegant Moor is more victim than protag-

onist (Igor Golovantenko’s Iago drives the action). Rachel Willis-Sørensen makes a promising debut as Desdemona (especially by the final act), and James Conlon gets appropriate Verdian thunder from the cast, chorus and orchestra. But how can you have either an “Othello” or “Otello” that manages, despite Shakespeare’s verse and Verdi’s libretto, to end not only without a bed to die on, but without a kiss before dying? If there was any sexual jealousy, envy or racial tension in the acting or staging of the evening, I missed it… sorely missed it. laopera.org; 213-972-8001.

The Road Theatre in Burbank presents Academy Award nominee Alessandro Camon’s “Scintilla” (through June 4). The play is a passionate statement about the survival of the environment and the right to exit life on one’s own terms. There are, perhaps, too many issues and too much information tossed in, but the cast, under Ann Hearn Tobolowsky’s direction, gets it out with aplomb — especially Taylor Gilbert, who, as the dying matriarch of a combustible family, demands a death with dignity. boxoffice@roguetheatre.org; 818-761-8838.

What to watch for

“A Soldier’s Play,” the 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner on race in the military, is at the Ahmanson through June 25 (213-628-2772; centertheatregroup.org).

The Will Geer Theatricum opens its season with “MacBeth,” through Sept. 23 (310-455-3723; theatricum.com).

The Fountain Theatre revives the Jane Chambers 1974 groundbreaking lesbian drama “Last Summer at the Bluefish Cove” through Aug. 27 (323-663-1525; fountaintheatre.com).

The Hollywood Fringe Festival runs June 8 - 25 in various locations. A list of plays and workshop is at: hollywoodfringe.org/shows.

Songstress ranked at top of chart, added to Hall of Fame

Jan Daley, a longtime local resident, is being inducted into The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame, Sat., June 24, in Washington, D.C. Daley’s song “Way of a Woman” is the official single of the event and is featured as Billboard magazine’s No. 1 Traditional Jazz album of the same name.

Currently, Daley is ranked as No. 1 Independent Artist and No. 25 on the Adult Contemporary chart (Taylor Swift is No. 24 and Lady Gaga is No. 26). “My single, ‘Way of a Woman,’ has been shooting up the adult contemporary charts alongside Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift! I am amazed and over the moon with the news,” Daley told us in an

email. An actress as well as a vocalist, Daley began her writing career composing a song a week in 2017. “To be inducted into this Hall of Fame is a dream I never even considered,” she said, “but [I] feel blessed to be included with such great women songwriters!”

Celebrate Grads & Dads with our June Dinners!

Grilled Salmon Tapenade

Grilled Atlantic Salmon served on creamed spinach with creamy mashed potatoes.

Almond Chicken

Breast of chicken dusted with flour and almonds served with steamed broccoli and creamy mashed potatoes.

Gourmet Meatloaf

Choice chuck and pork ground together to create this old-time favorite!

Topped with mushrooms and gravy. Served with creamy mashed potatoes.

Hotcakes for Dinner

One Buttermilk Hotcake, one egg, choice of one turkey link or bacon. Served with maple syrup and butter.

JAN DALEY

Back in the glory days of vinyl; winning ‘Master Gardener’

Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) (9/10): 96 minutes before credits. NR. Back in the day (’60s and ’70s), music was primarily sold on vinyl records as albums. Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell became the “go-to” people to design the album covers. They named their company Hipgnosis, “Hip” to designate “cool and groovy” and “gnosis” to designate “wise.”

This is their story told in interviews, mostly by Po, but with others like Paul McCartney, David Gilmour and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel and more. It is a fascinating tale of little-known influencers.

Thorgerson was, in the words of several people interviewed, rude and cantankerous. One says, “He wouldn’t take yes for an answer.” Paul McCartney says, “He could be really crappy.” But they also desribe him as “highly intelligent,” “full of ideas” and “one in a million.”

Po describes how many of the album covers were made and the immense work and planning involved. He says that the album cover for Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” “changed the course of history for us…suddenly we started to earn real money. Things were never the same again.”

Directed by famed photographer Anton Corbijn and written by Trish D Chetty, this is a captivating, behind-the-scenes, esoteric tale of rock music to which most people don’t give a second thought. It all disappeared when vinyl albums lost their appeal in the digital age. I was enthralled. Opens June 16 at the Laemmle Royal. Master Gardener (9/10):

111 minutes. R. Five seconds after the first scenes flashed on the screen, I said to my assistant, “I’m gonna really like this movie.” Sometimes you just know. Writer / director Paul Schrader bases his movies on “triads.” Here the triad is a character triad of Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton), his wealthy dowager employer, Mrs. Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver), and her great-niece, 20-something emotionally scarred Maya (Quintessa Swindell). The film shows, however, that they are all emotionally scarred. Roth is a quiet outsider who is horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens, Mrs. Haverhill’s historic estate. The movie slowly develops the characters and their troubled pasts as Roth, who is in his mid 40s, finds himself caught in between the two women. Exceptional acting and a good script make this a winner.

MH370: The Plane that Disappeared (8/10): Threepart miniseries. Netflix.

TV-14. The Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared in March 2014 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The plane was never found; nobody knows what happened. This involving documentary follows various possible answers, examines leads and gives differing, competing POVs alongside interviews with the relatives of the passenger victims.

Love and Death (8/10): Seven-episode mini-series. TV-MA. Max. This comes right out and says it’s a true story, although it is fictionalized for cinematic presentation. Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen) seduces Alan Gore (Jesse Plemons), the husband of her good friend

Betty Gore (Lily Rabe), in a short-lived relationship which results in a bloody murder and trial. Well-paced and acted, this is a “can’t-wait-until-the-nextepisode” production.

Call Me Kate (8/10): 86 minutes. NR. Netflix. An informative documentary with Katharine Hepburn telling her story herself with recently discovered footage and audio tapes and occasional

Meals on Wheels

(Continued from page 12) counted. Besides St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, Sheen has supported St. Joseph Center, St. Francis Center and Malibu Labor Exchange.

He will be awarded the Vincent’s Heart Award, named after St. Vincent de Paul, founder of The Daughters of Charity, whose order established St. Vincent Meals.

New this year will be the designation of a Host Chef / Culinary Angel to serve as the event’s culinary ambassador.

Chef Isaias Peña, Rick Caruso’s regional executive chef of Hank’s and Qué Padre in Palisades Village, is Host Chef for the 2023 event.

narration by Kat Kramer. Kate solidifies her reputation as an iconic free speaker who stood alone for her independence at a time when most actors and actresses were slaves to major studio contracts.

The Night of the 12th (7/10): 115 Minutes. NR. A police procedural adapted from 30 pages of Pauline Guéna’s 500-page nonfiction book, “18.3 - une année à la PJ” (18.3 - A Year with the Crime Squad), this is the examination of a case involving the cold-blooded murder of a beautiful young woman. It follows the police inspectors as they diligently try to track down the killer, showing their anxiety and clashes as they go from clue to clue. It won seven

In addition to Peña, the chefs and restaurateurs who will be on hand preparing some of their signature savory dishes include Chef Gino Angelini of Angelini Osteria, Chef Richard Archuleta of Alexander’s Steakhouse and Chef / owner Nika Shoemaker-Machado of Georgia’s Restaurant. Rounding out the gustatory line-up will be select desserts such as Etoile Filante Patisserie’s one-of-a-kind macarons, John Hensley of Lark Cake Shop’s handcrafted baked goods and Läderach Chocolatier Suisse.

“Despite the challenging circumstances over the past couple of years and a growing list of clients who need meals, we have been able to fulfill our mission and increase the

2023 César awards, including Best Film and Best Director (Dominik Moll). In French. Laemmle Royal, June 9. Hypnotic (3/10): 85 minutes. R. “Last Year at Marienbad” (1961) is the quintessential incomprehensible movie. This one isn’t even close enough to qualify as a pale imitation; it’s just silly. Danny Rourke (Ben Affleck) is a policeman looking for his daughter who was stolen from him on a playground. From that point on he encounters people who are apparently controlled by a master hypnotist, Dellrayne (William Fichtner), who appears and disappears magically.

Written (with Max Borenstein) and directed by Robert

number of hungry, isolated neighbors we serve thanks to the generosity of our supporters, as well as the volunteers who assist us in carrying it out,” noted SVMOW Executive Director Veronica Dover. She added, “This night is a celebration of our community and the local chefs who help us shine.”

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman (CD-4), who has supported the organization and has constituents who are SVMOW meal clients, will also attend the event.

For more information on “Hollywood Under the Stars” or to support St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, please visit www.svmow.org.

Flavors pop at star chef’s latest pop-up Peruvian restaurant

By Helene Seifer

Chef Ricardo Zarate has always popped from one Peruvian-concept restaurant to another, earning accolades at each stop, including achieving a 2011 Best New Chef designation from Food & Wine magazine for now closed Mo-Chica, a food stall in the Mercado La Paloma near Exposition Park. “Now closed” is a familiar refrain to those who have followed the chef’s journey around the Los Angeles food scene, with stops at Picca, Paiche, Causita, Rosaliné and Short Stories (on Fairfax Avenue). They’ve all either closed, such as Picca, Paiche and Causita, or he is no longer associated with them. Of late, he has mainly been consulting in the industry.

Well, he’s back with two interesting pop-ups: a marvelous take on traditional

Peruvian cuisine, Colibrí Pop-Up at Los Balcones in Hollywood, and Colibri West Hollywood, an Italo-Peruvian pop-up on La Cienega Boulevard.

What is a pop-up?

A pop-up restaurant can be open for a one-night event to several months. It’s in a temporary space and is designed to showcase culinary talents and edgier cuisine, fundraise or provide other offerings not typically associated with traditional restaurants.

We dined at the Colibrí Popup at Los Balcones, which is scheduled to stay open through the end of the year when the building is slated to be demolished in the name of gentrification.

Los Balcones is the restaurant on the east side of Vine Street decorated with a living wall of potted plants high on its dark exterior wall, cater-

corner from the McDonald’s adjoining Arclight.

Colibrí offers many of the familiar dishes previously served at Los Balcones, such as lomo saltado, $26, and arroz con pollo, $23, all greatly enhanced by Zarate’s considerable skill. I always enjoyed Los Balcones, but I want to come back to Colibrí with everyone I know.

The restaurant has a warm and welcoming air, with a landscaped small front patio under the wall of plants and with wood tables of various shapes and sizes inside. There is an attrac-

tive bar running along the back wall, and soaring white wood beams are draped with foliage. Colibrí means “hummingbird” in Spanish, and the side wall is festooned with three-dimensional versions of the bird. Long blue curtains loosely frame the open French doors, adding a dash of color. It’s all very casual and very charming.

Colibrí’s cocktail list includes, fittingly, one called The Hummingbird, made from mezcal, cognac, grapefruit, aperol and lemon, $18. One of my dinner companions got the $14 spicy pineapple margarita; two of us claimed authenticity and ordered pisco sours. The $15 cocktail features pisco (a Peruvian brandy distilled from grapes), lime, simple syrup, egg white foam and angostura bitters. We shared the food, starting with ceviche classico,

$25, considered Peru’s national dish. Slices of sea bass are soaked in leche de tigre. Translated to “tiger’s milk,” it is a citrus and spice-based marinade used to cure fish. The sea bass is tossed with pieces of sweet potato (potatoes of all kinds are a thing in Peru, as is corn), cancha corn (toasted large corn kernels) and choclo (fresh giant corn kernels). The mix of ingredients provides a feast of textures and the flavors popped.

Beef tamal, $22, surprised us. Instead of masa stuffed with shredded beef as we expected, the corn meal was topped with a large cube of estofado beef (stewed meat), accompanied by a boiled egg and salsa criolla (red onion relish). The distinct flavors of all the components made for an interesting bite.

One of my favorite dishes at Los Balcones was their arroz con mariscos (rice with seafood) and Calibrí’s is even better. Squid ink rice lends an earthiness to the sea-centric dish. Large shrimp and tiny scallops are nestled in the rice and fried calamari is scattered on top. A red seafood sauce forms the base and smoked rocoto aioli (chili pepper aioli, not particularly spicy) is dolloped on top.

Zarate’s short rib dish, $22, presents tender beer-braised boneless ribs on a plate of quinoa cooked in the style of grits for extra creaminess and flavored with huacatay, a black mint sauce.

We couldn’t resist ordering churro balls stuffed with caramel on a pool of blueberry sauce for $9. Four little spheres for the three of us made a satisfying sweet end to a very enjoyable meal.

Colibrí Pop-Up at Los Balcones, 1360 Vine St., 323871-9600.

At the Movies

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Rodriguez, the movie makes no sense as it goes from one thing to another as Danny teams up with Diana Cruz (Alice Braga), who is also a mind-controlling hypnotist with the apparent power to control people’s actions at will, trying to find his daughter and keep away from Dellrayne and his hypnotized cohorts. It’s full of tension and adds garish violence. Nothing is as it seems, which was also the case in ‘Marienbad.’ But ‘Marienbad’ became a classic. There is no worry about this achieving that status. My reaction when it ended was, “Why did you waste my time?”

Recommended Reading: “The Marriage Lie” by Kimberly Belle. I could not put it down.

On the Menu by Helene Seifer