mid-city press
.com
Vol 1. No. 1
April 2010
Distributed monthly to 25,000 homes in Mid-City, Olympic Park, Country Club Park, Layfayette Square, Victoria Park, Arlington Heights, Harvard Heights, Oxford Square, West Adams and the areas of Carthay Square and Wilshire Vista
Wesson’s Chief of Staff Not to be Replaced By Allison C. Ferraro MID-CITY—Los Angeles City Councilmember Herb Wesson has announced he will not replace Charmette Bonpua, his chief of staff, who died Feb. 14th from complications related to a brain aneurysm. Instead, Wesson has appointed Deron Williams, his chief deputy, to take over Bonpua’s role as chief staffer. Bonpua, who was 44, had been in Las Vegas on a family trip when she became ill. Wesson, Council District 10 staffers, city councilmembers, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other city officials remembered Bonpua during a tribute in her honor held in the rotunda at City Hall on Feb. 26th. Wesson staffers—who all wore white Barongs—a ceremonical garment of the Philippines—were visibly shaken by their colleague’s death. She was remembered as tenacious and caring, the “epitome of a public servant” and being “4 feet 10-inches with a 6 foot 4-inch punch.” Her strong relationship with see WESSON page 4
Midtown Crossing May Resume Construction By Jessica Pauline Ogilvie, Mid-City Press Contributing Writer M I D - C I T Y— F o l l o w i n g years of planning and speculation, developers working with the retail structure at Venice, Pico and San Vicente boulevards—known as “Midtown Crossing”—may have found financing, leading to the restarting of construction. According to Mark Vella, Economic Development
Deputy for Councilmember Herb Wesson, developer CIM Group will attempt to secure a letter of commitment from an investment company within the next four or five weeks. If that happens, he said, “we would like to see whatever internal processing completed by June, [and] construction start date soon after that.”
CIM Group needs approximately $45 million to complete the project, according to Vella. Plans for the 12-acre lot have been in the works for over a decade. Residents of the area have expressed an interest in using it to create shops that would attract business. After years of planning
and false starts, the area was purchased by the CIM group, a developer with offices in Hollywood in 2003. Plans for the space included a Lowe’s Home Improvement store, which would serve as the primary anchor store, and about a dozen other retailers. Phase one of the project, which included the introduction of an MTA bus terminal, a Starbuck’s and several other small retailers, was completed in 2006. Ground was broken in September of 2008 for phase two of the project, however following the economic crisis, investors pulled the plug at the last minute and construction came to a halt. “CIM had all the construction in place when the private lender pulled their letter of commitment,” said Vella. Last year, following the abrupt stop in construction, CIM became embroiled in difficulties when it, along with the city, proposed allowing 11 billboards and supergraphics to go up on the site, presum-
NO ONE’S HOME: Construction came to a halt at Midtown Crossing in 2008, when the economic crisis hit. CIM needs $45 million to complete the project. Photo credit: Michelle Kunz
see MIDTOWN page 3
Little Hamburger Stand, Big Headache To Some Neighborhood Councils’ Oversight By Sharon Yi, Mid-City Press Contributing Writer
LIKE IT OR NOT: Capitol Burgers has been a fixture in Mid City for nearly a half century. Photo credit: Michelle Kunz
OXFORD SQUARE—From East Los Angeles and before that, from Greece, came a man named George Stamouvlasis to Pico Boulevard. In 1965, Stamouvlasis found an old unused gas station at the corner of Victoria Avenue and saw an opportunity to make it big. “My dad actually built the place,” said John Stamos, George’s son. Along with a nephew, the two still run Capitol Burger to this day. The hamburger stand is famous for its pastrami sandwiches and overflowing plates see BURGER STAND page 7
Group Vastly Reduced
By Jessica Pauline Ogilvie, Mid-City Press Contributing Writer LOS ANGELES—On the heels of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s decision to cut nearly 4,000 jobs from the city, the Dept. of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE), which oversees the city’s 89 neighborhood councils, will be rolled into the city’s Community Development Dept. (CDD). The consolidation will include the elimination of 27 positions from DONE. DONE has already seen a reduction in staff this year
as well as imposed furloughs. The cuts will leave the department with 16 staff members. BongHwan Kim, who served as the general manager of DONE, tenured his resignation following the announcement of the consolidation, which included the naming of CDD general manager Richard Benbow as the general manger of CDD/DONE. Kim will continue to serve in his position until June. see DONE page 3
Impressions:
Rockin’ MINC
Su Casa Home Sales
Farmer’s Market Opens Restaurant Review
St. Elmo Village, Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 5
Don Dae Gam Reviewed, Page 6
Los Feliz Ledger
mid-city press
[letter from the publisher]
Why Start a New Newspaper in the Mid-City Area? That is a really good question. It seems that every week we learn of more and more newspapers struggling or even closing. But while regional newspapers are seeing tough and uncertain times, local weekly and community newspapers are thriving and filling the information gap. Local coverage of areas in Los Angeles—including MidCity—has decreased over the years as the Los Angeles Times has undergone rounds of editorial layoffs. But still, local residents want to know what their City Councilmember is up to; the impact of a proposed new development on the neighborhood and how a local school is faring with its test scores. That’s what the Mid-City Press will provide, in depth coverage each month on local issues that are important to homeowners and businesses alike, right here in Mid City. Our neighborhood is a patchwork of communi-
ties, with a handful of boulevards that run through them. Whether we live here, work here, attend school or religious services here, we travel seamlessly from one community to next, sometimes completely unaware we’ve done so. That’s good and bad. Our community is the sum of its parts; and the Mid-City Press will not only bind our area as a whole, but will help define our individual communities, highlighting news and events that make each unique. I started a similar newspaper in the Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Atwater Village areas in 2005. That paper, the Los Feliz Ledger, started out small like this edition of the Mid-City Press. But it has grown today to 32 pages and has become an integral part of the neighborhood. We hope to do the same here in MidCity and look forward to comments and suggestions on how we can serve you better.
FOUNDED 2010 Delivered the last Thursday of the month to 25,000 homes and businesses in the Mid-City neighorhoods of: Mid-City, Olympic Park, Country Club Park, Layfayette Square, Victoria Park, Arlington Heights, Harvard Heights, Oxford Square, West Adams and the areas of Carthay Square and Wilshire Vista.
PUBLISHER /EDITOR Allison C. Ferraro, M.A.
ADVERTISING SALES Olga Measures and Dwaine Harris
GR APHIC DESIGN & L AYOUT Tiffany Sims
GENER AL OFFICE A SSISTANTS Griffin Oliver Cohen Charles H. Cohen
For editorial consideration, send story ideas to: allisonferraro@midcitypress.com For advertising inquiries, call: (323) 667-1329 For more stories and updates: Midcitypress.com
The Mid-City Press will be professionally delivered the last Thursday of each month (the first Thursday in April, July and September) in recyclable plastic bags between Normandie Avenue and La Cienega Boulevard and Olympic and Adams boulevards. If you’ve missed your paper, call (323) 667-1529.
inside the mid-city press • Impressions: St. Elmo Village .
Impressions: . . . . . . . . . . . 3St. Elmo Village
• Councilmember Herb Wesson.
Councilmember . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Herb Wesson
• MINC Update.
MINC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Update 4
• Upcoming Neighborhood Council. Upcoming Neighborhood Council . Elections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 • Select Home Sales.
Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Home Sales 5
• Wellington Square Farmer’s Market. Wellington Square Farmer’s Market . Opens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 • School Reports.
School Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Try Louise’s Greek Theatre Park & Dine Shuttle Service!
• Restaurant Review.R viw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 rn estau
Enjoy a delicious prix fixe dinner with no-hassle parking and convenient Greek Theatre shuttle. Only at L.A.’s favorite Italian restaurant.
To advertise, call (323) 667-1329 Become a Founding Member of the Mid-City Press 50% Off Rates
Service available at Los Feliz location only. Call (323) 667-0777 for more information and reservations.
Est. 1978
“And truly, I cannot recommend Louise’s ‘Park & Dine’ program enough. It’s a great deal and incredibly convenient.” – Splash Magazine
NEW 2010 MENU! Los Feliz • Larchmont Village • Brentwood Pasadena • Santa Monica • Studio City • West LA Convenient Delivery • On-line Ordering • Distinctive Catering
(877) LOUISES louises.com Page 2
www.midcitypress.com
April 2010
Los Feliz Ledger [IMPRESSIONS]
St. Elmo Village: An Oasis of the Arts in Mid-City By Susan Brooks, Mid-City Press Arts Columnist
Currently Sykes, the purpose of St. Elmo c e le br a tVillage is to make Mid-City a ing its 40th destination for the arts. a n n iver“Participation is the key,� sary year, he said, “because art gives St. Elmo ownership.� Village is a At the time of St. Elmo’s long-lived inception, the neighborhood standard bearer for the rich suffered from blight. Rodculture of Mid-City. Generick and his uncle Rozell erations of area residents have turned their resources tobenefited from its artistic conward making a difference by tributions. establishing the artists’ comFounded by relatives Rodmunity as a beachhead of loerick and Rozell Sykes and cal urban renewal. run today as a nonprofit by Roderick and his wife Jacqueline Alexander-Sykes, the Village, as its inhabitants affectionately refer to it, is a live/work space for artists which is opened to the public on a regular basis. Named for the street on which it is located, St. Elmo is a collection of small houses, apartments and a stable converted into studio and teaching space, all nestled City Mask by Roderick Sykes into a beautiful garden of native plants. Children who once threw The community’s setrocks at the property were ting is fantastically expressive invited inside to make art of – sculptures dot the property their own. Those first comand every inch of pavement is munity interactions evolved covered with vibrant, colorful into today’s weekly public decoration. The place vibrates art workshops. Their style is with creative energy and the freeform and fun, echoing the interiors continue the theme: jazz that’s played in the backnew construction the walls of the workshop ground and the profusion of remodeling additions space display dozens of artart on the grounds. works produced by neighborWorkshop participants are hood participants. An onsite mostly local kids, but anyone gallery features the work of who wants to explore their creresident artists and additionalative nature is welcome. The ly houses an impressive library sessions are loyally supported of art books. The Village is an - one parent has been bringing art-lover’s paradise in the 818 S. Broadway suiteheart 1000 Losdaughters Angeles, CA90014 his to the workshops 310.502.1449 lee@jubasais.com www.jubasaia.com of the city. for 10 years. According to Roderick see ARTS page 7
midtown from page 1
DONE from page 1
ably to help bring money in to fund the project. This occurred at a time when the city was concurrently working to reign in the massive advertisements throughout areas of Los Angeles. If the investor CIM is seeking comes through, according to a brief statement from CIM, the next phase of the project will remain fairly true to the original intent. “Phase Two will include a 144,000-square-foot Lowe’s Home Improvement store,� said the statement, “along with an additional 300,000 square feet of large tenant and multitenant space.� Once completed, the project has the potential to improve not just the aesthetic quality of the site, which is now essentially a vacant lot, but to bring in jobs and to revitalize the community. “There is a lack of sit down restaurants, and small grocery retailers like Trader Joe’s,� said Vella. “[And] there is no real home improvement store in the area.� Vella added that the entire community would be upgraded through the installation of lighting and the improvements made to sidewalks in the area, and that secondary retailers along Pico Blvd. would benefit form the increased foot traffic. “It’s really a communitychanging project,� he said, “so once its completed, we’re very very hopeful [that] it will produce multiple benefits.�
Stating in his resignation letter that he supports the decision to consolidate, Kim said in a later interview that the cuts will mean less access to city employees for neighborhood councils, as well as less oversight and fewer direct services. DONE representatives, he said, will no longer attend neighborhood council meetings, leaving councils to collect updates themselves and to liaise with the city. In a press release dated Feb. 22nd the mayor said that the consolidation will cut $2 million from the city’s overstretched budget. The same statement referred to the new consolidated organization as a “more efficient entity,� and stated that it will “take the bureaucracy out of community empowerment.� Several local neighborhood council presidents said that it is unlikely the changes will have any real impact on their activity. Allan DiCastro, President of the Mid-City Neighborhood Council (MINC), said in an e-mail that MINC had never received much help from DONE, and so the fact that issues will now be handled by the CDD will likely not make a difference. “It really doesn’t matter which department handles [neighborhood councils], but rather it is a matter of how they do it,� he said. Some believe the changes will further alienate neighborhood councils from city government. They say the city has
already had difficulty in providing assistance for neighborhood council’s and responding to requests for help. “If we don’t have [city representatives] coming to our meetings, [and] if there’s not a regular interaction, I think that it’s one more thing that may disassociate us,� from the department,� said Stevie Stern, President of the United Neighborhoods Neighborhood Council (UNNC). DONE has come under scrutiny over the past year or so for mismanagement of funds, and for lack of oversight both within the department and with neighborhood councils. Recently, several neighborhood councils were found to be grossly misusing funds. Some council members, with city issued credit cards, were discovered using them for personal purchases. The city’s mismanagement of funds has been a source of frustration for some neighborhood council members, especially as it may affect the future of the councils, whose funding– which now stands at $45,000 per year per council–may be reduced in the upcoming city’s fiscal budget for 2010-2011. “DONE has not done it’s job overseeing the neighborhood councils in a responsible financial way,� said Stern, the president of UNNC. “They are not being able to account for millions of dollars, and that’s awful. If that has done anything to put the neighborhood councils at risk for having our funds cut more than other departments, then DONE has done us a disservice.�
Lee Jubas Architects, inc.
new construction remodeling additions
Lee Jubas Architects, inc. 818 S. Broadway suite 1000
310.502.1449
Los Angeles, CA90014 lee@jubasais.com www.jubasaia.com
! "%34 #(/)#% #/.#2%4%
new construction remodeling "IG AND 3MALL *OBS \ !LL #ONCRETE 7ORK additions 3TATE ,IC
&OUNDATIONS 3EISMIC 2ETROFITTING #ONCRETE 3LABS
Lee Jubas Architects, inc. 0ATIOS $RIVEWAYS 3IDEWALKS 7ALKWAYS #URBS AND 3TEPS 2AILROAD 4IE 7ALLS
&REE %STIMATES April 2010 new construction
jubasaia.com www.midcitypress.com
Page 3
Los Feliz Ledger
HIV: A Battle We Must Continue to Fight By Los Angeles City Councilmember Herb Wesson It is a sober fact of life that HIV/ AIDS continues to be a problem that plagues our community. The tragedy is that this disease is preventable. However, this requires education and intervention to change behavior. Which is why the decision of the State of California to entirely eliminate its general fund spending of $82 million for HIV/AIDS prevention education is so alarming. The state’s funds served over 65,000 people in Los Angeles County. Over 55% of those individuals reside in the City of Los Angeles. This action, in my view, sent the wrong message to the public regarding the need and urgency to get HIV tested For this reason, as Chair of the City Councils Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee, I was successful in leading a Council action providing for a 24% increase in funding for HIV/AIDS testing in the City
of Los Angeles. The funding from the Community Development Block Grant program amounts to $1,560,355 representing a 24% increase over last year’s funding. The City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinators Office, which administers the HIV Testing Initiative, is now in the second year of a three-year pilot program. That office will receive the funds to distribute to local organizations for HIV/AIDS screening, testing and counseling services. The funds are targeted for high impact communities where the ramification of HIV/AIDS has been especially devastating. The pilot program has been implemented in conjunction with Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles, Drew University of Medicine and Science, Minority AIDS Project and Gilead Sciences. The threat of HIV/AIDS, particularly in our community, continues to be a serious problem. Expanding our own city’s HIV Testing Initiative with these additional funds is something we can’t afford not to do.
Median Islands Likely in MINC Area look vacant and industrial… We want to link improvements done in our area,” with what has been done immediately west. “We want to close that donut hole.” The islands—which are estimated to cost $250,000— have been considered for the area before, but were never implemented. “This time it looks like it is closer than it has ever been,” said DiCastro. Sketches for the medians’ possible locations should be complete in six weeks, DiCastro said.
Bonpua was Westall’s immediate supervisor. the LAPD was emphasized. “This has been one of the “Charmette was the voice hardest decisions I have ever but also the heart of the district,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck. “You’ll always be in our hearts,” he said, “and a friend to the LAPD.” Bonpua also served as Wesson’s Chief of Staff and Special Counsel when he served in Sacramento as a member and later as Speaker of the California State Assembly. Flags at City Hall were also lowered to half-mast by the mayor following Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel called Bonpua a “can do person.” Bonpua’s death. made in my life, and I make it Additionally, Andrew without reservation, regret or Westall, former candidate in purpose of evasion,” Westall the 43rd California District wrote in a prepared statement Assembly, withdrew his canto the news media. didacy shortly after Bonpua’s Westall has since returned death, citing a personal need to Wesson’s office as a senior to devote his time to Wesson deputy. and his staff.
Rock Garden: MINC got rid of crime and homelessness with its Rock Garden project along an undeveloped dirt road alongside Ballona Creek.
(left to right) MINC stakeholder Patty Wilson, Michael of Northeast Trees, MINC Boardmember Barbara Thompson, MINC President Allan DiCastro, Holly Harper of Northeast Trees, MINC Stakeholder Ruth Busenkell, MINC Boardmember and project lead Valaida Gory.
Page 4
The Mid-City Press is looking for the following: • Koreatown Correspondent • Crenshaw Correspondent • Religion and Spirituality Columnist • Real Estate Columnist • School Reporters (Elementary through High School) • Family Issues Columnist • Senior Issues Columnist • Calendar Editor • “In My Neighborhood” columnist—a column about the interesting people that make up our area If you are an expert in any of these areas and are interested in writing a monthly column contact: Allison C. Ferraro at allisonferraro@ midcitypress.com
Neighborhood Council Election Season in Full Swing MID-CITY—For the first time in neighborhood council history, the Los Angeles City Clerk’s office is overseeing all 89 neighborhood council elections in 2010. Neighborhood council elections in the mid-city area will be: Thurs. May 13th: Greater Wilshire; Mid City West; Olympic Park and PICO. Candidate filings for these races is closed. Sat., June 26th: Empowerment Congress West Area; Mid City; United Neighborhoods and West Adams. Write in candidates are still be taken for these races until Wed. April 28th. In the March 20th election for Wilshire Center-Ko-
$0--&$5*0/
MID-CITY—Median islands are now likely for Washington Blvd. between Redondo and La Brea boulevards, according to Allan DiCastro, president of the Mid City Neighborhood Council (MINC). Already, such cosmetic changes have occurred on Washington Blvd. in Culver City. The mid-city intersection of La Brea and Washington boulevards, according to DiCastro, is especially critical. “We have 60,000 cars that go through that insertion,” during the business week, he said. “We want the area to not
WESSON from page 1
reatown Neighborhood Council, the following were elected (vote counts are shown): Community Organization Representatives: Richard Y. Kim (85), John W. Kim (85), Brad H. Lee (84), Yonah Hong (82), David E. Ryu (77), Alex M. Cha (78) and Kee W. Ha (74). At Large Represenative: Hanna G. Yoon (98)
(117), Steven S. Park (116), Danny B. Lim (113), Scott H. Seo (110), Yeonhwa Nicole Chang (111) Young-Adult Representative: Patricia Hong (100) Sub District 3 Resident Representative: Yong I. Yi (34)
Latino Representatives: 107 write ins received votes. Official results available at midcitypress.com
Sub District 4 Resident Representative: Eisenhower Lee (15). One other write in candidate received 1 vote. The Sub District 4 has two representatives. Official results available at midcitypress.com
Business Representatives: Celine J. Park (141), William W. Choi (122), Justin S. Kim
Sub District 5 Resident Representatives: Sae Y. Ahn (5), Samuel In (3)
l.a. Eyeworks FICTION bevel spectacles J. F. Rey eyewear Paul Smtih eyeDC MYKITA Salt Optics Andy-Wolf vue-dc Shuron Ray Ban + Vintage collections.
4310 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029 (323) 664-2020 www.eyetailor.com See us at www.yelp/eyetailor.com
We will gladly fill your Rx for your favorite pair of eyeglasses: Accurately, Promptly & for LESS. Mon-Sat 10-8pm, Sun 11-7pm Owner Sung Kim
www.midcitypress.com
April 2010
Los Feliz Ledger [ SELECT HOME SALES APRIL 2010 ]
Hundreds Turn Out for New Farmer’s Market By Allison C. Ferraro
90006 Condominimums 981 Arapahoe St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $390,000 987 Arapahoe St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390,000 1,043 S Kenmore Ave 304 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375,000 1,043 S Kenmore Ave 305 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370,000 1,036 S Serrano Ave 301 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385,000 1,138 S Serrano Ave 103 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560,000
90006 Single Family Homes 1662 Roosevelt Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $220,000 1428 S New Hampshire Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180,000 90018 Single Family Homes 2524 8th Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $410,000 3612 Arlington Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320,000 2923 S Hobart Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320,000 1781 W 35th Pl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271,000 3422 8th Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250,000 1418 W 37th St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205,500 1569 W 37th Pl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200,000 1936 W 23rd St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178,500 3442 7th Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135,000
90019 Condominium 962
S Gramercy Dr 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $312,000
90019 Single Family Homes 1680 1044 1241 1223 4502 1611 1187 1241 1412 1251 1442 1616 4647 1204 1843
Virginia Rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $739,000 Westchester Pl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655,000 S Highland Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626,500 S Ogden Dr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597,000 W Olympic Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565,000 S Victoria Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545,000 S Longwood Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512,500 S Lucerne Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502,000 Crenshaw Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440,000 S Lucerne Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380,000 S Spaulding Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370,000 7th Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352,000 W 18th St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250,000 S Lucerne Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225,000 S Highland Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210,000
er Kathy Lewis, conceived of the market last year when the two were discussing volunteer projects they could do together in the area. Funding to Lacey, CD 10 and founders Lora Davis and Kathy start the market Sylvia Lewis at the first Wellington Square Farmers Market. came from a donaflowers, vegetarian food vendtion from Kaiser Permanente. ers and arts and crafts. Additionally, the market is vegA community booth is etarian only in keeping with also available for local orga7th Day Adventist practices. nizations and groups, each The church, which holds reguweek. To schedule call (323) lar services on Saturdays, do373-0961. nated its location at Washington Blvd. and Wellington Rd. For Information: Produce from local farms wellingtonsquarefarmerswill be on hand each week as market.com well as baked goods and bread;
NEW The New Erika J. Glazer Nursery School Now Accepting Applications
Parent & Me Classes
Now forming for ages birth - 2½ yrs
90034 Condominimums 3636 Jasmine Ave 301 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $500,000 3636 Jasmine Ave 405 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500,000 10021 Tabor St 110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419,000 9204 National Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220,000
90034 Single Family Homes 3670 3625 1951 2056
WELLINGTON SQUARE— The first Wellington Square Farmer’s Market was held Sunday, March 21st with an estimated 300 to 400 people shopping the site, according to Lora Davis, the market’s co-founder. “I thought it was a very good first day,” said Davis, who volunteers as the market’s manager. About 19 vendors participated in the market, which will be held every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Smyrna 7th Day Adventist Church parking lot. According to Davis, it is the only Sunday farmer’s market in the immediate area. Davis, who lives in Wellington Square, and co-found-
Kelton Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $687,000 Greenfield Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595,000 S Holt Ave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427,000 S Corning St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305,000
(213) 388-2401 www.wbtla.org
Wilshire Boulevard Temple Historic Campus 3663 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles For more information, contact Beth Weisman at bweisman@wbtla.org
90035 Condominimums 1520 S Shenandoah St 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $505,000 1515 S Beverly Dr 201 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466,000 90035 Single Family Homes 1600 S Bedford St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $742,000 Sales are from the previous month. Source: Great American Real Estate Solutions
St. James’ Episcopal School For Preschool through Grade Six
Admission Open House January 6, 2010, 9:45 a.m.
Application Deadline January 15, 2010
R.S.V.P. to 213-233-0133 x306 625 S. St. Andrews Place Los Angeles, CA 90005 admissions@sjsla.org www.sjsla.org
April 2010
www.midcitypress.com
Page 5
Los Feliz Ledger [Pilgrim School] By Michael Wong, 7th Grade Once again, I am very excited to be writing about Pilgrim School. I got back from our class trip to Joshua Tree a few weeks ago, which was a ton of fun. A dozen of us went to Joshua Tree National Park for five days. We got to rock climb, sleep in tents (which we constructed), make our own food, and many other things. Unfortunately, we had to leave. The week after we got back the annual Science Fair was held. Everyone has been preparing for the Fair for the past three months. There are a lot of events taking place in April. “The Wizard of Oz,”an all school play, is going to happen in late April. Also, Spring Break, which I am really excited about, is the first week of April. A group of students will be traveling to Japan with our Japanese teacher, Hiromi Takahashi, during Spring Break. The Arts Center is opening in mid-April, which our headmaster, art teacher, and many more people are excited about. The class of 2010 is getting accepted to many colleges and more are on the way.
[Loyola High School]
Sports For All Seasons By Griffin O. Cohen, 9th Grade At Loyola, we are well into our second semester. Winter sports ended on a strong note. Our basketball team had an excellent season going 26-3 before falling to Leuzinger High School in the CIF semifinals. Soccer also had another strong year going 18-7-5. Spring sports are under way and our defending national champion volleyball team is off to a nice start. Baseball won the El Segundo Tournament to open up the season and is also looking good. Other spring sports in-
clude track— which is highlighted by Elias Gedyon who is trying to run an under 4-minute mile—golf, swimming and diving, tennis and lacrosse. Everyone is getting excited for football in the fall with our new coach, Mike Christensen as well. During this past month, all students have had to make requests for honors and AP classes for next year. As a freshman, it has been difficult trying to figure out what classes I want to take, but it’s hard to go wrong with any choice. Loyola was also featured recently on the NBC Nightly News where NBC did a piece on Loyola’s senior community service projects. It’s a great video (watch it at: loyolahs.edu) and reflects just one of the many things that sets Loyola apart from other schools.
[restaurant review]
Don Dae Gam is Piggy-licious By Pat Saperstein, Press Restaurant Critic Korean restaurants can be intimidating for non-Koreans—sometimes there’s a language barrier, and the style of ordering and eating takes some getting used to. Don Dae Gam is a great choice for those new to Korean food. They have plenty of English speaking servers and is for those who’ve tried lots of beef barbecues and are ready to branch out. The $40 meal is enough for three people, with three kinds of pork meat and innumerable side dishes. A large beer or soju drink is also included. For $10 or $20 more, a beef course and more cuts of pork join the meaty procession on the grill. Don Dae Gam opened last summer, with two dining areas and a modern look. We ordered a terrific crispy kimchi pancake to go with the set meal—other choices include seafood pancakes, noodles and a spicy baby squidpork belly stew with fried rice that’s a must for adventurous, heat-seeking eaters. Before the grilling commences, a variety of bowls of panchan arrive. The small dish-
es serve as appetizers but can be eaten throughout the meal, and usually they’ll be refilled if you ask: several kinds of kimchi, cucumbers in dressing, a green salad, egg custard, black beans and more. When the first course of meat arrives—thin-sliced pork belly, for example—the server places it on the grill. Wrap bits of perfectly charred pork in the square white rice noodle wrappers with a schmear of soybean paste and a sprinkle of sesame salt for a perfectly packaged bit of meaty taste. At meal’s end, a steaming soup roiling with tofu and jalapenos arrives as well as a bland purple rice soup; these dishes are traditional finishes to a Korean meal, but if you’re not used to the progression of courses, you’ll likely be full by then. The restaurant takes reservations and offers valet parking, beer and soju. Don Dae Gam, 1145 S. Western Ave., 323-373-0700. Reviews are based on 4 forks as excellent from top to finish.
If PILGRIM SCHOOL Is at the Top Of Your List, You’ve Done Your Homework.
TODDLER PROGRAM THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
100% COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE RATE
NEW FINE ARTS CENTER FOR A TOUR PLEASE CALL THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE – (213) 355-5204
5 4 0 S . C O M M O N W E A LT H AV E N U E s L O S A N G E L E S , C A L I F O R N I A w w w. p i l g r i m - s c h o o l . o r g s ( 2 1 3 ) 3 5 5 - 5 2 0 4
90020
Pilgrim School is a division of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles
Page 6
www.midcitypress.com
April 2010
Los Feliz Ledger BURGER STAND from page 1
of chili cheese fries. Sitting just off Crenshaw Boulevard, Capitol Burger is in the heart of mid-city, a patchwork of ethnically diverse neighborhoods with a wide range of socioeconomic incomes. And while the neighborhoods mostly exist in harmony, the hamburger stand has created a stir in this closeknit community of Oxford Square—a historic neighborhood of about 200 homes along nearby Victoria Street and Windsor Boulevard. Chris Elwell, President of the Oxford Square Neighborhood Assoc., moved into the area, six years ago. “Over the years the condition of the place deteriorated,” he said. “The site has become a magnet for public drinking, [and] drug dealing. Everybody knows that. People even used to meet in the stand’s large parking lot to turn tricks.” So, in 2008, Elwell wrote a letter to the Los Angeles District Attorney, the local police, and to Los Angeles City Councilmember Herb Wesson, who represents the area. He blamed crime in the area on Capitol Burger calling it a hangout for “undesirable people.” That quote has caused a whiplash of retorts from some
local residents of Victoria Avenue, many whom have lived on the block for decades. “Chris Elwell led this crusade after Capitol Burger. He keeps harping on the prostitution and gambling and talking vice and crime. He doesn’t even live on this street… I just say, ‘Drive the other way!’” said Cindy May, a resident of Victoria Avenue for 14 years. But the letter caught the attention of Los Angeles Police Dept. Sergeant Ruben Gonzalez, Senior Lead Officer of the Wilshire Division, who has been patrolling the neighborhood the last few years. “There were complaints that I inherited in regards to Capitol Burger,” he said. “Lots of quality of life issues. Transients, homeless people hanging around there. For some reason it became the spot to hang out and drink with the occasional narcotics deal.” Starting last April, Gonzales said he led a so-called “purge” in the neighborhood with narcotics and public drinking arrests and busted a nearby underground club that functioned as a narcotics house. “Some of these guys hanging out there [at the narcotics house] would walk over and boom, end up at Capitol Burger,” said Gonzales.
But Gonzales said, “It’s not because of Capitol Burger. It’s the location of Capitol Burger.” Still, for his part, Stamos worked with the police and the city and put up a light pulse, two surveillance cameras and five “No Loitering” signs in the parking lot. “That’s what they asked [me to do], and that’s what we did,” he said. But, for Elwell that was not enough. “The lights helped,” he said, but, “it’s still a dump.” For others in the area, enough is enough. “Capitol Burger has been here longer than any of the neighbors,” said Liz Frankfather, a 32-year resident of Victoria Avenue. “They’re still a family-run business and always have been. They care about being good neighbors. I don’t think you can ask for more than that,” she said. Though neither Stamouvlasis or Stamos live in the neighborhood, many Oxford Square residents say the family and the stand makes for good neighbors. One woman, who lives alone near the burger stand, said Stamos once shooed a burglar away from her home. “George [Stamouvlasis] stands out there watching
over me making sure nobody’s bothering me,” she said. And Johnny [Stamos] is the neighborhood watchdog. I’m so glad they’re there,” she said. Whether they are vagrants, homeless, or the neighbors from the area, Capitol Burger is the locals’ hangout. It’s the “it-spot” for residents. Customers are greeted by name and are on a first-name basis with the owners. “Just because they see some person hanging around, they put a label on them. They think we’re to blame but we’re not. Even Bernard Parks just got something to eat just now and went his merry way,” said Stamos. “We’ve been here 45 years. I think it’s a damn good neighborhood, and I think it has great potential.” Elwell remains unconvinced. He has a petition— with around 100 signatures— against Capitol Burger waiting to be sent that will ask the city to impose land-use operating measures on the business if they want to stay open. “[Capitol Burger] completed some of the requests. We’re holding onto [the petition] to see how they hold up. If they fail to maintain the measures that they put up, this [petition] is our only recourse to treat the business like a nuisance,” he said.
IMPRESSIONS from page 3
Local schools also frequently bring students for tours and St. Elmo representatives often travel throughout the city giving presentations. There is also a weekly open house that’s free to attend. Besides visual art, the Village also supports literature with its Poetry in Motion festival each fall. One motto of St. Elmo Village is “Do what you love, love what you do.” The Village lives up to that every day with its open-arms embrace of Mid-City. For more information: www.stelmovillage.org Weekly Workshop Info: Saturdays: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Painting, drawing and hand drumming, all ages welcome. (Children under 5 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.) Saturdays: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Photography and computer graphics, ages 10 and up welcome. Weekly Open House: Sundays from 12 Noon until Dusk. All are welcome.
City Councilmember Tom LaBonge Congratulates the Mid-City Press On its Inaugural Edition Since 2005, Allison C. Ferraro’s other newspaper, the Los Feliz Ledger, has brought the Los Feliz and Silver Lake communities a much needed outlet for news, information and good story-telling. Our community in Council District 10 is better because of the Los Feliz Ledger.
You now can have what Los Feliz has: your own community newspaper.
Enjoy it Council District 10! TomLabonge_Apr10.indd 1
April 2010
www.midcitypress.com
Serving the Mid-City area of Los Angeles With 25,000 newspapers delivered monthly
Serving the Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Atwater Village area With 34,500 newspapers delivered monthly
3/26/10 9:19:45 AM
Page 7
Edward Ruscha - Standard Station, 1966 - Screen-print - 30x44
R E T N E C S T AR ION
FINE OPENING Ry,EACpriEl 1P7T, 2010 Saturda
0 PM
:0 8 – M P 0 0 : 6
540 S. Commonwealth Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90020 Call 213.385.7351 for more information The collection will also available for viewing Sunday, April 18, 2010 s 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Pilgrim School is a division of First Congregational Church of
Los Angeles
b r curateda Quinn Oliva xander Amand le A r e t Pe
lmaraz Carlos A oon John Alt mico David A Arnoldi Chuck chardy Don Ba ll Larry Be englis Lynda B engston Billy Al B rlant Tony Be lmins Vija Ce vis Ron Da Davy Woods l John Dil Laddie Dowd Robert wards Greg Ed ns Ned Eva in alkenste Claire F zer Jim Gan ehry Frank G ode Joe Go Graham Robert ward Jim Hay erman Roger H Herms George ockney David H oses Andy M es Ed Mos reston Astrid P e Ken Pric ichards Bruce R ha Ed Rusc rnycroft Ann Tho Weiner Sharon
Artists
A I N R O CALIF ART Y R A R O P M E T CON
n of o i t c e l l e co k Quinn h t m o r F Jac d n a n a Jo y