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T h e H T N .c o m PHOTO BY DAVID GRAHAM-CASO.
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Councilman Mike Bonin helps install one of 31 new security cameras that recently went up at Westchester Park.
Westchester Park receives surveillance cameras and light upgrades to help with security Over the last few years there have been many changes at Westchester Park from the renovations at the Westchester Senior Center to the addition of the skate park. In the latest round of park improvements, 31 security cameras were installed and nearly 60 LED light fixtures were upgraded to help bring better security
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surveillance and lighting to the park’s field. “Westchester Recreation Center is home to a great playground, wonderful open fields and fantastic amenities for neighbors to enjoy, but there is always more we can do to ensure people feel safe as they enjoy the park,” said Councilman
Mike Bonin, who recently helped install one of the security cameras. “I’m grateful for the work of the Park Advisory Board, Recreation and Parks staff, as well as our LAPD Pacific Division Officers, who are partnering with my office to make Westchester Recreation Center safer, more fun and even more inviting for families
throughout Westchester to enjoy.” The park’s staff will be able to watch the cameras in real-time, as well as refer back to taped footage if necessary. Signs will be posted throughout the park to let people know they are being filmed. “Having cameras in the park will (continued on page 4)
Rotary to Present Service Award
Community Welcomes New Eateries
Fall & Halloween Events and Activities
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Tony Palermo will be honored with this year’s Community Service Award by the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club for giving back to the community through time, talent and donations.
Marina del Rey restaurateur to receive Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club’s highest honor In the 18 years since Tony Palermo, or Tony P as he known by his friends and family, has owned his namesake restaurant with business partner Dan Ringwood, he’s managed to donate more than $380,000 to the community and operate arguably the Marina’s most popular restaurant. For his philanthropic efforts, the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club is bestowing their highest honor on Palermo at their annual Cultural Dinner. At the Thursday, October 15 event at Playa Vista’s CenterPointe Club, Rotarians will present Palermo with the 2015 Sunrise Community Service Award, an accolade they present once a year to a deserving community member who has made a difference in the lives of others, gives back to the community and lives their life by the Rotary 4-Way test. This year’s theme is “Return to Italy,” an ode to Palermo’s and club president Tony Ciancimino’s Italian heritage. “We couldn’t think of a more deserving honoree for this year’s service award,” said Cultural Dinner chair Gwen Vuchsas. “Tony has donated to practically every group in this community and he is especially generous with the local schools,
Page 2 • October 2015
from donating money and gift cards for raffles to inviting schools down to his restaurant to learn how to make pizza. He is a great example of someone who is dedicated to community service, both personally and professionally.” Palermo, who lives in Westchester with his wife, Lauren, and two daughters, is also known around the community for playing Santa Claus for the Rotary-sponsored Santa Tour and for having one of the major float entries in the Fourth of July Parade. He is active in a variety of community organizations and currently serves on the Executive Board of the LAX Coastal Chamber and as the Board Treasurer for the Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau. No stranger to being honored, in the past Palermo has been awarded the Business of the Year award from Senator Ted Lieu, Restaurateur of the Year from the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association and last year, he received the Kid’s Need Heroes Community Pillar Award from the Westchester Family YMCA. At the dinner, the club will also recognize longtime Venice resident Ty Pennington, who transformed
the lives of hundreds of deserving families on the hit ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Pennington inspired tens of thousands of volunteers across the country, as well as millions of television viewers
We couldn’t think of a more deserving honoree for this year’s service award. Tony has donated to practically every group in this community and he is especially generous with the local schools. worldwide, to give back to their communities, which is a cornerstone of the Rotary mission. Locally, the show helped inspire the Westchester Rotary’s Home Makeover Project, which has helped transform the homes of four local families and earlier this year, the Westchester Senior Center.
The Cultural Dinner is the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary’s largest fundraiser of the year and helps the 60-member club, which meets every Wednesday morning at Whiskey Red’s, the ability to fund projects like the Teacher Mini-Grants, the Holiday Adopt-A-Family program, feeding the homeless, scholarships and supporting local fire fighters. The club also holds a variety of community events throughout the year including pancake breakfasts in Westchester and Venice and a St. Patrick’s Day BingoFest. “It is truly an honor to be chosen to lead Playa Venice this year,” said Ciancimino. “Our members represent the best in our community and our events like Adopt a Family where we provide a joyful holiday where there wouldn’t have been one, Teacher Mini Grants and youth scholarships, which enhance educational opportunities, all offer a hand up to those in need. We proudly live the Rotary motto, ‘Service Above Self.’” Tickets to the event are $85 and include appetizers, dinner, a hosted bar and entertainment. For information, please call (310) 306-8525.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
This Month Brings You A look inside your HTN Rotary to honor restaurateur with service award Home Tour raises money for mental health Fall and Halloween events A look back at Westchester/Playa
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HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis, Publisher, Editor Sarah Ahern, Contributing Writer Jeff Blair, Contributing Writer
Fay Craton, Contributing Writer David “Duke” Dukesherer Sr., Looking Back
Advertisers’ Directory Airport Marina Counseling Business & Professional Covenant Presbyterian Church Custom Design & Construction Drollinger Properties El Segundo Car Wash Food Pantry, LAX Kevin and Kaz Gallaher Gateway to GO! Jane St. John LA Arts Collective LAX Coastal Area Chamber Loyola Marymount Marina del Rey Hospital
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Neighborhood Council Otterstrom and Orenstein Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Playa Vista Medical Plaza Socal Sports and Fitness Vistamar School Visitation School Westchester Lutheran Westchester/Playa Village Westchester Secondary Charter Westchester Town Center BID Westside Neighborhood School Zacha Homes
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t a t i d n u o f I ! r e t n e C n w o T r e t s e h Westc
About The HomeTown News (HTN) The HomeTown News is a monthly community newspaper dedicated to providing information about the people, events and happenings of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista. Look for the HomeTown News the first Thursday of the month at your home or at one of our drop-off locations.
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Park upgrades (cont’d)
– Karen Dial, President
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(continued from page 1) send a clear signal to anyone who would consider criminal activity that they will be very easily caught if they try to break the law,” said Bonin. “This is a simple way to make people who use the park feel more safe.” While many in the community have long complained about security issues involving people sleeping in the park, representatives from Bonin’s A new security camera overlooks the Westchester Farmer’s office say he is currently Market on a recent Wednesday afternoon. working with the Los Angeles Homeless Services for the park. All of the upgrades are Authority to have outreach part of an improvement initiative being workers in the area twice a week paid for by $450,000 in Quimby fund to help those in need find out what development fees. services are available to them. Bonin, “This most recent in a continuing who is a member of the City Council’s series of improvements is very exciting Committee on Homelessness, recently news for the community,” said Park helped introduce a proposal to declare Advisory Board President Scott Carni. homelessness a State of Emergency in “Westchester Park is a safe, fun gatherL.A., which would enable nonprofits ing place for our families, and our Park and faith-based institutions to more Advisory Board is always working to easily operate shelters and help create make the park better, safer and more a more streamlined process for affordfun.” able housing. He also helped introduce Those interested in getting more a motion calling for $100 million in city involved with issues at the park funds to help combat homelessness. are encouraged to contact Bonin’s In the near future, walkway Westchester-area Field Deputy Fred improvements, concrete work and repairs to the tennis courts are planned Sutton at fred.sutton@lacity.org.
www.lawa.org/dayofdiscovery Page 4 • October 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
October 2015 • Page 5
School News
TheHTN.com
Westside Neighborhood School’s Head of School, Brad Zacuto (center), poses with WNS founders, administrators and special guests on the school’s new field during their Founder’s Day Assembly. The school is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary. PHOTO COURTESY WNS.
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Community School Expo. Join the LAX Coastal Chamber’s Education Committee for its second annual School Expo on Tuesday, October 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Westchester Senior Center, located at 8740 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the different school options available in the community; the difference between public, private, charter, magnet and parochial schools and have the ability to speak one-on-one with education administrators. Local area schools have been invited to have booths at the event to meet with attendees. For more information, please call the chamber at (310) 645-5151. WSCS adds Mandarin to its curriculum. Westchester Secondary Charter School recently announced that beginning in its spring 2016 semester (starting January 2016), Mandarin Chinese will be offered as another language option for its middle and high school students. The school is excited to not only provide this option to its current students, but also to create enrollment opportunities for secondary students who may want to continue Mandarin after elementary school immersion programs. The school is currently accepting applications for a limited amount of
openings for the current school year for grades 6-11. The lottery for the next school year will be held March 21, 2016 and all applications must be in by March 18. The school’s October events include its Music Department Fall Concert on Thursday, October 8 at 6 p.m. and its Prospective Families Night on Wednesday, October 21. For more info about enrolling or space availability, please contact the school at (310) 216-6800 or visit westchestercharter.org. Neighborhood Council Hosts Westside Public School Education Event. The Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa’s Education Committee will hold its first ever Westside Public School Education event to give community members the opportunity to hear from elected officials about their vision and plans for strengthening the local public school system. The event will take place on Monday, October 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet auditorium, located at 6550 W. 80th St. in Westchester. As of press time, LAUSD school board president, Steve Zimmer, is confirmed to appear and other elected officials and education representatives have been invited to attend. Have something to share about your school? Please email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
October 2015 • Page 7
Page 8 • October 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Home Tour raises money for charity while showcasing homes decorated for the holidays Ever been curious about what your neighbors’ perfectly landscaped home looks like on the inside? The Holiday Home Tour, sponsored by the Westchester Mental Health Guild, gives attendees the chance to take a look at some of these cute, unique or architectural homes all in the name of charity. Now in its thirty-third year, the Home Tour not only showcases these exceptional local abodes, but also helps neighbors get to know each other and brings people together to raise money for local nonprofit, the Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS). This year’s tour will take place on Sunday, November 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature five distinctive houses in Westchester and Playa del Rey. Perhaps the best part? Each of the homes is decorated to the nines for the holidays! The homes guests can tour include: • A three-story Alpine-style Playa del Rey home, furnished with antiques and decorated for an old-fashioned Christmas. • A four-story modernistic Playa del Rey bluff home with magnificent marina views, decked out for New Year’s Eve. • A three-story Playa del Rey view home filled with artwork, decorated for Halloween.
This one-story bungalow in Westchester (above) decorated for Christmas and the modern Playa del Rey bluff home (below) will be featured on this year’s tour.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
• A charming one-story Westchester bungalow, recently renovated by a designer for her own use and decorated for Christmas. • A unique Westchester ranch home remodeled and decorated by its two talented artistic owners, featuring Thanksgiving décor. After the tour, guests are invited to enjoy a festive reception at the YMCA Annex, located at 8020 Alverstone Ave. in Westchester. The special oneday holiday boutique will be hosted by the Guilded Cage. The reception and boutique will be open noon until 5 p.m. The Holiday Home Tour is the Westchester Mental Health Guild’s largest fundraiser of the year. Net proceeds from the event support AMCS, which provides thousands of hours of child, adult and family mental health counseling services annually to people in the community. The clinic has also established outreach programs to local elementary and high schools, providing therapy and preventive intervention. Tickets for the tour can be purchased for $30 at the Guilded Cage, located at 8917-B S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester or online at wmhgtour2015.eventbrite. com, with a small service fee. Tickets will also be available on November 1 for $35 at the YMCA Annex.
October 2015 • Page 9
Business & Nonprofit News
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Hopdoddy Burger Bar’s Terlingua and the La Bandita Burger are two menu favorites at the new Playa Vista location.
Hopdoddy opens in Playa Vista. The community’s newest burger bar opened on September 15 in Playa Vista’s new Runway development. Hopdoddy Burger Bar specializes in serving up burgers created with all-natural, fresh ingredients. The restaurant grinds its meat in-house daily and bakes its own hamburger buns twice a day. Besides its burgers, other standout menu items include the Spinach and Arugula salad, hand-cut Kennebec fries with chile con queso and the hand-spun milkshakes. To help celebrate being part of the community, $1 from every Goodnight/Good Cause burger sold (Angus beef, Tillamook cheddar, caramelized onions, sliced jalapeño, hickory BBQ and sassy sauce) is donated to Playa del Rey nonprofit Friends of Ballona Wetlands. Westchester welcomes new pizza joint. After more than 20-months of delays due to the city’s red tape, LaRocco’s Pizzeria finally opened its doors on Sepulveda in early September. Owned by Westchester residents and New York natives Sue and Paul LaRocco, the 42-seat restaurant serves up a ”slice of New York pizza.” Water imported from New York and homemade pizza sauce made daily help create an authentic New York pizza experience in Westchester. Local favorites include the Whitestone Pizza, with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan and fresh garlic; Page 10 • October 2015
Westchester Farmers’ Market manager, Cynthia Rogers, receives a certificate of accomplishment from Councilman Mike Bonin for the market’s anniversary.
and Paul’s Special, a pizza made with garlic and oil sauce, fresh chopped basil, Parmesan, mozzarella and fresh sliced tomatoes. The restaurant also serves salads, calzones, pastas and sandwiches. LaRocco’s Pizzeria, which also has a location in Culver City, will hold a grand opening celebration on Tuesday, October 13. The eatery is located at 8806 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester. Friends of Ballona honor environmental heroes. The Friends of Ballona Wetlands will hold their 10th annual Moonlight on the Marsh gala
on Saturday, October 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Marina del Rey Marriott. The event gives the nonprofit the opportunity to recognize wetland and environmental advocates. This year’s honorees include Suzanne Goode, the Natural Resource Program Manager for the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Angeles District; former L.A. councilmember Ruth Galanter; friends of Ballona founder Ruth Lansford and Congresswoman Maxine Waters. The group will also recognize LMU as its institutional honoree. Residing atop the bluffs overlooking the Ballona Wetlands for 100 years,
LMU and its professors have given generously of their time and energy to work with The Friends to benefit Ballona. LMU partnered with the group to create Ballona Discovery Park at Playa Vista, and over the past three decades, LMU professors from the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, the College of Communications and Fine Arts, the School of Film and Television, Seaver College of Science and Engineering, the Law School and the School of Education have embraced and utilized the wetlands as a rich multidisciplinary teaching opportunity. In addition, The Friends and LMU’s Center for Urban Resilience work together on issues related to the health and wellbeing of the Ballona Wetlands within an urban environment. Tickets for the event, which includes dinner, entertainment and a visit from the South Bay Wildlife Rehab’s raptors and owls, start at $100. For more information, please visit moonlightonthemarsh.com. Westchester Farmers Market celebrates anniversary. The Westchester Farmers’ Market celebrated its 22nd anniversary on Wednesday, September 23. The market celebrated the occasion with community booths, fitness demos, activities for families and a live band. (continued on next page)
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Check out Westchester’s newest pizza spot, LaRocco Pizzeria, for dine-in, delivery or takeout. The special of the day includes a slice, salad and drink for $7.50.
To commemorate the occasion, Councilman Mike Bonin presented the market’s manager with a certificate from the city recognizing their achievement. The Westchester Farmers’ Market is held every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Westchester Park across from Otis College. LAX Coworking hosts free work days. Having trouble staying focused while working from home? Stuck in a creative rut and looking to create some synergy with other small business owners? LAX Coworking, a program of the LAX Coastal Chamber, is inviting local entrepreneurs and home-based workers to cowork at their facility gratis during Free Fridays. The goal of LAX Coworking is to create a collaborative community to foster innovation and spur economic development. Free Fridays will take place on October 2 and October 16 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and attendees can enjoy a productive work space with
complimentary coffee, tea and highspeed wifi. Attendees must RSVP by calling (424) 290-8745 or by emailing info@ laxcoastal.com. LAX coworking is located at 9100 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester. YMCA announces honorees. The Westchester Family YMCA recently announced its 8th Annual Kids Need Heroes honorees. The Hero of the Year award will be given to the USO at LAX. The Community Pillar award will be presented to WISH Charter School, with Shawna Draxton, the school’s Executive Director/ Principal, accepting the award on behalf of the WISH community. These organizations were selected by the YMCA for playing a vital role in the economic and social well-being of the community. The date for the event has not yet been announced. We want to hear about your business or nonprofit! Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com for a chance to be featured.
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
October 2015 • Page 11
It may still be 80 degrees outside, but fall is officially here! Thankfully, the HomeTown News community is full of fun, festive Halloween and fall themed events to help celebrate the harvest season. Here is our pick for October events and activities: Get spooked at the Haunting of Hannon Library III: Little Dead Riding Hood. A library on a bustling campus isn’t usually the stuff nightmares are made of, but thanks to LMU’s Theater Arts students, for a few days in October, the library is transformed in to a scene right out of an Edgar Allan Poe story. Theater arts students “haunt” the stacks at the library, while acting out scenes from famous horror novels, while guests are lead through the library’s “paranormal literary activity” by tour guides. The event will take place Friday, October 23 from 8 to 10:30 p.m. for LMU students and is open to the public on Saturday, October 24 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday’s event is family-friendly for guests 10 and up. Treats will be served and costumes are encouraged. Parking is free on the weekends at LMU, located at 1 LMU Drive in Westchester. Celebrate a Haunted Harvest at Westchester Secondary Charter School. Get an early start on your Halloween day festivities at WSCS’s third annual Haunted Harvest festival on Saturday, October 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. WSCS students and parents will be hosting carnival games and haunted classroom tours. Food will also be available for purchase. WSCS is located at 8540 La Tijera Blvd. in Westchester. Take a trip to the pumpkin patch. The Marina del Rey Garden Center is the perfect stop for your pumpkinpicking needs whether you’re looking for a gourd to carve or to use to make your pumpkin pie. As an added bonus, the pumpkin patch makes the perfect backdrop for your fall family photo-ops, thanks to the hundreds of pumpkins in a variety of colors from orange, striped, white and green, scarecrows and ghoulish Halloween decorations. This year, they’ve even created a fun straw maze perfect for kids to navigate through. The Marina del Rey Garden Center is located at 13198
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Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey and is open daily from 8 to 5:30 p.m. Head on down to LMU for the Family Fall Festival. The LMU Children Center’s will hold its annual Fall Festival on Friday, October 16 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 presale and $30 at the door. Admission includes dinner, drinks and dessert. Children under 12 receive free admission with an accompanied paid adult and will receive five complimentary game/ride tickets. Activities at the event include a bounce house, petting zoo, games, live entertainment, rides and more. The LMU Children’s Center is located at 1 LMU Drive in Westchester. For more information, or to purchase tickets, please call (310) 258-8900. Have a day of family fun at the 2015 Boo Fest. Stop by Playa Vista Elementary School for its Fourth Annual Boo Fest on Saturday, October 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees can enjoy food, games, class booths, prizes, a haunted house, pumpkin auction, a bake sale and more. Chili lovers can also rejoice because this Halloween themed event features a chili cook-off! Playa Vista Elementary School is located at 13150 W. Bluff Creek Dr. in Playa Vista. For more info, visit playavistaschool.com.
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Top: The Marina del Rey Garden Center has you covered whether you’re looking for a traditional pumpkin or something more exotic to decorate your home. Bottom: LMU theater students haunt the aisles at last year’s Haunting of Hannon Library. COURTESY LMU.
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Break out the lederhosen for Oktoberfest. Westchester’s Chalet Edelweiss is making it easy for locals to celebrate Oktoberfest thanks to a menu with German/Austrian inspired items and their German beers on tap. On October 14, the restaurant will host an all-you-can-eat Oktoberfest buffet, where diners can gorge themselves on items like giant Bavarian pretzels, a variety of sausages and homemade apple strudel. Dinner starts at 6 p.m. and is $28/per person (tip and tax not included). Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling (310) 645-8740.
If you’d rather learn to cook your own Oktoberfest fare, consider signing up for Fresh Food in a Flash’s cooking class on Thursday, October 8. Students will learn how to make German favorites like beer cheese soup, pretzels, wiener schnitzel, warm red cabbage salad and apple strudel. Classes are $50 when reserved in advance by emailing patricia@ freshfoodinaflash.com. Classes are held at Holy Nativity, located at 6700 W. 83rd Street in Westchester. Is your organization holding a fall or Halloween-themed event? Email us at westchesterhometown@ yahoo.com to be added to our event calendar!
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Community pioneer passes away at 92 Community pioneer Lloyd George Hild passed away due to respiratory failure on the morning of Saturday, August 22. He was 92. Born on a farm in the sand hills 13 miles from the town of Brady, Nebraska on September 10, 1922, Hild was the youngest of George and Sophie Hild’s three sons. As a boy, Hild rode to the one-room country schoolhouse on his horse, Ruby, but stopped attending school after he graduated from eighth grade because he was needed to help tend the family farm. Eventually, he was able to begin high school, boarding with relatives and working in a gas station before earning top honors as his high school’s class valedictorian. He joined the Navy V-1 Officer Training Program at Doane College in Nebraska. From there, Hild was one of two students from a group of 300 sent to UCLA to receive additional training. After training, he was sent to the Pacific Theater, where he served aboard a Landing Ship Tank (LST), supporting amphibious operations by carrying vehicles, cargo and troops directly to foreign shores. Hild returned from military service in 1946 and graduated a year later with a bachelor’s degree from UCLA. He began his business career immediately, becoming an insurance agent for Massachusetts Life Insurance Co., earning his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation in 1950. In 1951, he moved to Westchester and started the Lloyd Hild Agency as an independent agent in Westchester Village. It was in Westchester that Hild began putting down roots, starting his first family. His sons, Steve and Doug, attended Cowan Avenue Elementary School and Covenant Presbyterian Church. For a short while, he lived in Ladera Heights, where his youngest son, Drew, and daughter, Leslie, attended school. In 1972, he married his wife, Renate. They lived in Westchester and raised their daughter, Christina, in the local schools and Westchester United Methodist Church. Renate joined Lloyd in his business, and he eventually became a financial advisor with LPL Financial. Above all, Hild loved spending time with his family, which eventually included three grandchildren– Oliver, Julia and James. A warm-hearted man who always seemed to have a smile on his face, Hild loved to be with his many friends playing bridge, golf, tennis, paddle tennis and going bowling. Hild also had a lifelong love of music that started as a youth when he would play guitar and ukulele at
Lloyd Hild.
barn dances in his hometown. At Westchester Methodist Church, he sang for more than 40 years, and he lent his voice to a number of barbershop quartets over the years. Hild was incredibly active in the Westchester and Playa del Rey community, taking on a wide array of efforts to help improve the area. He joined the Rotary Club of Westchester in 1954 and served as the club’s president during the 1967-1968 year. A 61-year member, Hild often led the club in song and was rarely seen without his Rotary pin on his lapel. Hild was a member of the LAX Coastal Chamber, then known as the Westchester Chamber of Commerce, and served as that organization’s president in 1981-1982. He was selected the area’s Honorary Mayor in 1984-1985. Hild also served as vice chairman of the Westchester Family YMCA Board of Managers, was active in the Howard Hughes Spruce Goose conservation and was instrumental in lobbying to get an extra traffic lane built on the 405 Freeway in preparation for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Hild received numerous awards for his work in the community and earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rotary Club of Westchester, the Fritz B. Burns Outstanding Community Service and Leadership Award and many accolades from the city and county. Hild is survived by his wife of 43 years, Renate, his five children: Steve (Lois), Doug (Debbie), Drew (Stacey), Leslie, and Christina (Eric Maguire); his three grandchildren: Oliver, Julia and James; his brother, Roy (Lily); his brother-in-law, Gerd Petzold (Barbara); and many nieces, nephews and friends in both the United States and Germany. A celebration of his life was held on Saturday, September 19 at Westchester United Methodist Church.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
October 2015 • Page 13
A Look Back at Westchester/Playa By David J. “Duke” Dukesherer, Sr.
Looking Back at Route 66... Several months ago, I was having dinner with long-time Westchester residents Dick and Barbara Owens, and the discussion turned to their journey from Illinois and Missouri to settle in California. One of my favorite subjects, U.S. Route 66, dominated the conversation. As I am sure you know, Route 66 begins in Chicago and ends just down the road from us, at Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica. Although it officially opened in 1926, part of the road followed an 1857 wagon trail and the National Old Trails Road developed in 1912, which followed ancient Native American footpaths. Westchester was populated by an influx of folks from the central and eastern regions of the U.S., and anytime you mention Route 66 to them, smiles come across their faces and the years melt away. It as though Nat King Cole has suddenly entered the room and started singing in the
background. One thing you learn early on is that the “Mother Road” was and is timeless. When talking about Route 66 the towns along the route, Joplin, St. Louis, Needles, Gallup, Tulsa and Winona, and the people, food and amusements that you would come across along the way, seem like a fresh memory. You begin to recall visiting places like the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, the Meteor Crater and Meramec Caverns and passing by roadside stops like the Mule Trading Posts and Stuckey’s. Once you’ve traveled the route, you can never forget the stucco dinosaurs, teepee shaped motels, your first bite of Mexican food, curio shops, Jesse James’ hideouts, Cozy Dogs in Springfield, historic road markers, and the miles of road, and the thousand of cars you would see while on it. Although I was born here, I was lucky to make the trek twice (to Michigan), once in 1961 and again in 1969. Much of the route was still intact in those days, although with the advent of the Interstate Highway System (1956), many of
the original towns were forgotten as the new highways diverted travelers on less circuitous routes. Even in the 1960s large parts of the interstate were still gravel road or graded dirt. One of the fascinating things about people in our town is that they A postcard showing U.S. Route 66. The road, also known as the Will Rogers Highway, travels just under 2,500 miles from Chicago almost all came to Santa Monica. It is just another 6 miles up the hill to Westchester from someplace from there. Courtesy the Author. else. They all common conveniences and sparsely packed up their old Ford station populated. For instance, Manchester wagons and made the trek out West Boulevard was a dirt road until the and brought with them their rich 1930s. histories, habits and traditions, But come they did, and they helping create the patchwork quilt of are still coming to a town that is our town. historically young and truly unique We seldom think about on the Westside of Los Angeles. Westchester as being a hardscrabble Along with its little brother, Playa place, but it was still just that when Vista, our community continues to the waves of new residents began grow and draw people from across to arrive after World War II. The the U.S. area they arrived at was only fifty or Please email comments to: sixty years removed from the days of dukepdr@gmail.com Mexican Rancho life, void of many
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Page 14 • October 2015
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL OF WESTCHESTER / PLAYA Working together to improve our communities!
Neighborhood Councils exist to: • give neighborhoods greater influence on decisions made by local government • make government more responsive to local communities • unite the local community to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods
City’s Neighborhood Pothole Blitz Fixes Local Streets Thanks to the community’s feedback, the city made a number of minor asphalt repairs to the streets in our neighborhoods. On September 24, the following streets were repaired: Falmouth Avenue at 83rd Street 7325 Manchester Avenue 7331 Manchester Avenue 7335 Manchester Avenue 83rd Street @ Lincoln Boulevard 8900 S. Yorktown Avenue 77th Place at Airport Boulevard 7741 Airport Boulevard 7721 Airport Boulevard Airport Boulevard Between 75th St & 76th Street 8500 Lilienthal Avenue / 5900 85th Place The Bureau’s Small Asphalt Repairs (SAR) truck will be in our community to perform small asphalt repairs such potholes and pop outs, asphalt skin patching of eroded or cracked areas, some sidewalk and curb repairs, and some repairs on concrete streets, again in March, 2016. While the Neighborhood Blitz is only twice a year, pothole problems can be reported to the City of Los Angeles by calling 3-1-1.
Next Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa Monthly Board Meeting:
6:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 6 in the Community Room at 7166 W. Manchester Ave. (at Lincoln Blvd.), in Westchester
www.ncwpdr.org • 213.473.7023 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
October 2015 • Page 15
Random Notes/Opinion
What life do you imagine for yourself? By Fay Craton
Opinion: Imagination tends to go into overdrive as we get closer to Halloween. Envisioning haunted houses, jack-o-lanterns and parties can be fun as you step away from everyday life and into a created fantasy. The creation process can be a lot of fun. When we are playing most anything can be possible! As a child, you learned about the world through “play” activities. Lately have you watched a child take clay and create an animal or a toy? The limit to a child’s game are determined only by limits in imagination. Most people learn to limit or contain their imagination as they grow up. We listen to other people and buy into beliefs about all the things we can or cannot do. What beliefs do you have which say you cannot have the life you wish to live? I recently read a book titled, The Hell I Can’t, written by Terry McBride, in which he describes how the beliefs of the people in professional roles around him kept him from the life he wished to live. Terry had a severe, chronic infection which resulted in the need to have recurring major surgeries. Over a period of time he discov-
ered other people would project their beliefs onto what he could achieve in his lifetime. When he realized everybody has the capability to create their life based upon their own beliefs, he began to create a much healthier life than what others believed was in his future. Terry McBride’s realization did not happen overnight. It took much reading and self-reflection for him to understand the power of his own beliefs on his own life. Once he made the realization, he was able to take control of his life based on his beliefs, not what others thought. There is a lot of personal power in understanding how you can transform your own life by changing your beliefs. Your beliefs show up in how you behave, what activities you choose to invest your time into, the inner mind chatter you choose to allow to influence your decisions and how you act and speak to others. Look at what you fear and what you treasure and you will see your belief system. Beliefs are core to your very existence. Understanding the role of your beliefs in how your life plays out can be life altering. This understanding can be empowering, but it can also be scary or stressful. Most of all it can lead you to a place of uncertainty because most people do not really know
what they would create for their lives if given the chance. When I ask people what they want in their life, I frequently get a response of, “I do not know.” This place of uncertainty often comes from years of conditioning from listening to other people express negative or shaming words. This can limit your ability to imagine and perhaps even the ability to dream about what you wish to place your energy into in order to create what you desire. Creating a meaningful life can start with understanding your own strengths. In this way you begin to appreciate yourself, which can evolve to establishing a healthy internal relationship within you. As you embrace your own strengths, your belief system expands to a deeper appreciation of your own value. To explore your strengths consider the following: When you were a child where did your imagination take you? When playing, what did you most enjoy? Was there anything you enjoyed doing but was taught that it was not the best use of your time? Do your friends or family members frequently seek you out to help them for any specific reason? Chances are what you are sought out for is a unique strength belonging to you. Part of the pro-
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cess of forming your opinion about what a meaningful life looks like for you comes from reflecting on your strengths or what I sometimes call your unique gifts you bring into this world. Shifting your belief system requires you to be willing to look at your current beliefs and change your mind about some of them. As you pay attention to your actions resulting from your beliefs, you are able to adjust what you are doing and saying to better support what you truly desire. Only you can decide what your beliefs are, but having a safe person to assist you in sorting through your thoughts can be very helpful. It is a process where you take a step and decide if it is working or not. You then can take the next step based upon what you are discovering. My wish for you is that you experience a meaningful life. With each new minute you have a new opportunity to imagine and to think about your beliefs, as well as the world about you, in a new way. Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011). She has an office in Westchester. Contact her at visitcommunicationtriangle.com or call (310) 645-6762.
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Let October set the stage for fitness wins By Jeff Blair Opinion: In my thirteen years as a personal trainer, I have noticed people tend to slow down during this part of the year. From now until January, many people tend to put fitness on the back-burner. The days get shorter and then people become less active. Why is this? Well, maybe our bodies are starting to “hibernate” (funny to consider in L.A.) or maybe it is because less daylight makes exercise less convenient. Some people also experience energy drops during October as the days get shorter. We all know the holidays are not far off and few make fitness gains during November and December. Many gain a few pounds during this period due to the extra snacking and “eating, drinking and being merry.” Since I believe the best way to make progress is to set a goal, I am going to issue a challenge to you this fall. Rather than allow inactivity to cause you to lose energy and feel lethargic, why not do something different? This year, set a goal to increase activity in October and carry that through until December 31. Let’s call this the “not quite New Year’s Resolution.” How nice would it be to wake up New Year’s morning and NOT have to set a weight loss goal? Maybe your resolution for 2016 could be to travel more or spend more time at the beach rather than the annual “lose 10 to 30 pounds” goal. I will give you a simple plan to follow below. If you will commit mentally to staying active, your quality of life will improve. For the next 90 days, make a commitment to your physical and mental health. Follow these four “Fitness Baby Steps” to finish the year with a bang rather than a whimper: Baby Step #1: Begin each morning with a 20-30 minute cardio session. While there may be challenges to this for some (kids for example), try your best to exercise in the morning. My clients who exercise in the morning say it reduces stress and increases productivity. Many of the world’s top business leaders, like Sir Richard Branson, say daily exercise helps them produce great results for their businesses. I encourage you to exercise daily rather than on a random basis. My clients do best with
a regular schedule as humans tend to be creatures of habit. When you think, “I don’t want to do this today,” turn off your brain and get your butt out the door! Train yourself to do it until it becomes a habit. As the day goes on, people get tired and issues with kids or work arise. Baby Step #2: Resistance train 2-3 times per week. I hear people say all the time “I am eating the same things I used to but I seem to keep gaining weight.” Somewhere between when we’re 25 to 30 years-old, our bodies start to lose muscle and gain a little fat. Over a few years, this can have a serious impact on your metabolism as muscle burns calories 24/7/365. By the time most of us reach 40 yearsold, our metabolism will have taken a serious hit. So yes, you can be eating the same number of calories at 40 that you were at 25 and find yourself gaining fat simply because your “metabolic furnace” is not burning as hot as it once was. The great news is you can slow or even reverse this muscle wasting process by lifting weights. Study after study has shown this to be the case, but luckily beginners usually show the greatest improvement! Find a qualified exercise professional to teach you how to lift correctly. Baby Step #3: Take positive steps to healthy eating by stocking up on fruits, vegetables and other low-calorie, high nutrient foods. Keep these stocked in your home and at your work. Eat a light snack before heading to a social event or party. Remember water is the most important nutrient so make an effort to drink enough water daily. Baby Step #4: Make sleep a priority. Sleep experts say most people need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. A consistent sleep schedule will make it easier to make better nutrition and exercise choices. Schedule a consistent bedtime and stick to it. Before you start this or any fitness routine, consult your doctor. JEFF BLAIR (M.S.) owns a personal training studio located in Westchester. He was voted “Best Of” Personal Trainer in the Hometown News 2015 Readers’ Poll. Jeff has been featured in “Men’s Fitness” magazine and as a “Fitness Expert” on ABC’s “Everyday Health” TV show. Email jeffblair@ jeffblairfitness.com for fitness story ideas or comments.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
October 2015 • Page 17
Page 18 • October 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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Fabulous Custom Coastal view home in a great neighborhood of Westchester. This reverse layout takes advantage of its location with views from the entire upstairs. Walk into a beautiful entry with solid walnut floors throughout, head upstairs to fabulous layout with all of the luxury features at your whim, including a dumbwaiter to bring your daily shopping right up to you. Downstairs offers 2 Jack and Jill bedrooms that head out to the back yard with a family room and powder room, the upstairs brings you to where all entertaining can be done, open living room, dining room and gourmet kitchen with to huge deck for enjoying Southern California living. The master is tucked away privately and a powder room is available for guest. No expenses were spared attending to every detail in this meticulous home.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
October 2015 • Page 19
Calendar Ongoing monthly events: Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club Join the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club at its Wednesday morning meeting at 7:15 a.m. The club is now meeting at Whiskey Red’s, located at 13813 Fiji Way in Marina del Rey. The cost of the meeting is $25, which includes breakfast. Guests are welcome and reservations are not required. For more info, visit playasunrise.org or call (310) 429-3808.
Rotary Club of Westchester The Rotary Club of Westchester meets every Wednesday at 12 noon for lunch at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel, located at 5985 W. Century Blvd. in Westchester. The cost of lunch is $20 and validated self parking is free. Guests are most welcome! Reservations are not required. For information regarding the upcoming luncheon programs, visit rotary-westchester.com.
LAX Kiwanis Club The LAX Kiwanis Club is looking for new members. The club meets every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel, located at 9620 Airport Blvd. in Westchester. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. The LAX Kiwanis raise money every year for such causes as providing scholarships, holiday baskets for needy families and back to school shopping sprees. For more information about the club or to RSVP to attend one of their meetings, please email laxkiwanisclub@gmail.com.
We
TheHTN.com Westchester. The donation to the YMCA is $12 a year. For information, please call Mary Sage at (310) 397-3967.
October events: Kentwood Players present Ravenscroft Next up for Westchester’s Kentwood Players is Don Nigro’s comedic murder mystery Ravenscroft. Ravenscroft is a stylish, witty mystery-thriller where a detective investigates a murder at an English country estate inhabited by five intriguing women and finds that he is caught in a web of deceit and lies. He learns that everyone is a suspect and everyone has a motive! The play will run through October 17 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Ave. in Westchester. Tickets are $20. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (310) 645-5156 or visit kentwoodplayers.org.
Organic Gardening Workshop Learn how to grow your own food organically at the Emerson Avenue Community Garden’s fall garden workshop. In this time of water restrictions, the workshop will focus on how to save water while building your soil to grow healthy crops. Topics will include planning and preparing your garden, choosing plants and seeds, composting, handling weeds and pests, watering wisely, seeds, harvesting and more. Workshops will be held October 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. The cost is $15/per class or $55 for the series. Visit eacgc.org to register and pay for classes. Class sizes are limited to 20 people, but if space is available you can pay for the classes at the door. Contact danah.morgan@gmail.com for more information. The Emerson Avenue Community Garden is located on the campus of Orville Wright on Emerson Ave.
between 80th Street and 80th Place.
Meals on Wheels Fundraiser Culver Palms Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that serves meals to the homebound in Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Marina del Rey and the Westside, will hold a “Munch and Mingle” fundraiser on Tuesday, October 6. The fundraiser will be held at Casa Sanchez Restaurant in Mar Vista from 5 to 7 p.m. and a $20 entry fee entitles guests to half-price drinks, free appetizers and a chance at a door prize. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the organization. Casa Sanchez is located at 4500 S. Centinela Ave. in Mar Vista. For tickets or more information, please call (310) 559-0666 or email mowculverpalms@gmail.com.
Sandwich Generation Workshop
in Westchester. The seminar will be led by Dianna Hoffman, Ph.D., clinical director of Airport Marina Counseling Service. For more info, please call Westchester Playa Village at (310) 695-7030.
Pancake Breakfast Join the Westchester Family YMCA and the Y Service Club for their annual fall Pancake Breakfast benefiting youth programs at the Y. The pancake breakfast will be held on October 17 from 8 to 11 a.m. in the Westchester Y Parking lot, located at 8015 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester. Delicious pumpkin and regular pancakes will be served. Guests are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation for the food pantry. Tickets are $5.
Garage Sale for Charity
Do you find yourself living in a “sandwich generation–” the generation responsible for bringing up your own children as well as taking care of your aging parents? Covenant Presbyterian Church will host a free seminar by HomeWatch Caregivers where you can learn the tools you need to help aging parents live safely in their home. The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13 at 7 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church, located at 6323 W. 80th Street in Westchester. Free parking is available in the church parking lot with an entrance on Alverstone. For more information, please call (310) 670-5750.
The Westchester/Playa del Rey Court of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas will hold their annual garage sale on Saturday, October 24 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 8117 Yorktown Ave. in Westchester. A portion of the proceeds will go to the group’s charities. For more information, please call (310) 7032519.
“Raise your Voices” Concert Holy Nativity will hold a “Raise your Voices” benefit concert and fundraiser on Saturday, October 24 at 7 p.m. The concert will feature Dr. Diane WhiteClayton and the Sacred Praise Chorale of Faithful Central Bible Church. Tickets for the concert are $20 and will be sold at the door. Raffle tickets will also be available for purchase. Holy Nativity Episcopal Church is a welcoming community to people of all faiths and those of no faith. In addition, as is the custom at Holy Nativity, they ask that visitors to their location bring a can, bag or box of food to support Food Pantry LAX. For more information, please visit holynativityparish.org.
We We We JUSTWe JUST LEASED LEASED TWO MORE SPACES. TWO MORE SPACES. We
Life Story Writing Class
Thinking about your life story? Learn a simple method to recall and then write your memories. The Life Story Writing Group meets every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the YMCA Annex, located at 8020 Alverstone Ave. in
ST LEASED
RE SPACES.
Silver Seminar Series
Join the Silver Seminar Series for their October seminar “The Challenges of Change: How to Manage Loss and Thrive!” on Thursday, October 15 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The event will cover how to thrive during your retirement and will take place at the Westchester Senior Center, located at 8740 Lincoln Blvd.
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COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Sunday Monday Tuesday
Wednesday
October
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
First Friday @ 6200 87th Street Ravenscroft @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 17)
Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista Ravenscroft @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 17)
Free Fridays @ LAX Coworking
Ravenscroft @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 17)
Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza Meals on Wheels Fundraiser @ Casa Sanchez
Organic Gardening Workshop at @ EACG
4
Oktoberfest Cooking Class @ Holy Nativity
2 Ravenscroft @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 17)
Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
5
6 Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza Sandwich Generation Workshop @ Covenant Presbyterian
Organic Gardening Workshop at @ EACG
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13 Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza School Expo @ Westchester Senior Center
Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
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Secrets to a Successful Ravenscroft @ Remodel Seminar @ Westchester Custom Design and Playhouse Construction (through October 17) Cultural Dinner @ Playa Vista CenterPointe Club
Family Fall Festival @ LMU
Silver Seminar Series @ Westchester Senior Center
Free Fridays @ LAX Coworking
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19 Public School Education Event @ Wright Middle School Steam Magnet
20 Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza
10 Ravenscroft @ Westchester Playhouse Pancake Breakfast @ YMCA Boo Fest @ Playa Vista Elementary
17 Haunting of Hannon Library @ LMU
Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park
Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista
Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
Moonlight on the Marsh @ MDR Marriott
Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
Organic Gardening Workshop at @ EACG
Ravenscroft @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 17) Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista
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Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
Organic Gardening Workshop at @ EACG
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Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
Ravenscroft @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 17)
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Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park
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Concert @ Holy Nativity 24 Halloween
Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park
Haunted Harvest @ WSCS
Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista
Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
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October 2015 • Page 21
In Pictures
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Let Toastmasters help you overcome your fear of public speaking. Playa del Rey’s Speakers by the Sea Toastmasters Club was recently named “Club Of The Year” for District One. It also received the President’s Distinguished Club award, Toastmasters’ highest honor, for the fourth year in a row. Since 1924, Toastmasters clubs have helped people conquer their public speaking and presentation jitters. Meetings are organized to be “learn-by-doing” public speaking workshops held in a friendly atmosphere. Speakers by the Sea meets every Wednesday at 11 a.m. (prompt) and the meeting concludes at noon. Visitors are always welcome. The club meets at the Pregerson Technical Facility, located at 12000 Vista del Mar, Conf. Room 230a in Playa del Rey. For more information, please call (424) 625-3131.
Page 22 • October 2015
Ravenscroft now playing. Comedic murder mystery Ravenscroft is now playing at the Westchester Playhouse. The play runs through October 17 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Ravenscroft is a witty mystery-thriller, where a detective investigates a murder at an English country estate inhabited by five intriguing women and finds that he is caught in a web of deceit and lies. He quickly learns that everyone is a suspect and everyone has a motive! The mystery unfolds with comical twists and turns until the unpredictable ending reveals all. The Westchester Playhouse is located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by phone at (310) 645-5156 or online at kentwoodplayers.org.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
• Sciatica • Spinal Stenosis • Facet Disease • Bulging Disc • Pinched nerve • Degenerative Disc Disease
• No hospital stay • No lengthy recovery • No surgery, screws, plates or hardware • Better patient satisfaction success rate than big surgeries
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
• Disc Disease • Herniated Disc • Scar Tissue • Arthritis of the Spine • Foraminal Stenosis
•No or minimal incision •No general anesthesia •State-of-the-art Laser Machine •Go back to work the same week
October 2015 • Page 23
Page 24 • October 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News