HomeTown News September by Westchester/Playa del Rey HomeTown News

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NEWS

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista

September

your community newspaper • your community • WESTCHESTER • PLAYA DEL REY • MARINA DEL REY • PLAYA VISTA • your community newspaper • your community

LMU begins charging for visitor parking on campus If you visit Loyola Marymount University (LMU) during the weekdays, it’s going to cost you. Beginning Monday, August 27, the first day of the fall semester, the university began charging visitors for parking. Now visitors will be charged from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. $2 per 20 minutes, with a maximum parking fee of $10 per day. According to the university, they begin charging for on-campus parking in the early 1970s. With the January 2000 purchase of University Hall, LMU agreed to not charge for parking on campus as part of the Conditional Use

Permit tied to purchasing the building. LMU’s Master Plan, which went into effect in April 2011, however, stipulates that the university can again charge for parking. LMU is charging “for parking as part of a general parking management program designed to address parking demands as well as comply with the mandate to add more parking on campus.” At the Department of City Planning’s July 18 meeting regarding LMU’s Specific Plan and Development Agreement, some in the audience asked the department on its perspective on

LMU charging for parking. They cited a provision in the Master Plan regarding community benefits, which includes the public use of certain university facilities, and providing meeting rooms for community groups like the quarterly LMU Neighborhood Advisory Meeting. Neighbors at the meeting also brought up their concerns about students parking in the community come January 2013 when students, faculty and staff will begin being charged for parking on campus. According to the university, 83 percent of its students live between 0-3

miles from campus, while 33 percent of its faculty lives the same distance. LMU hopes that students and employees with short commutes will walk, bike, or take public transportation to campus. Said W.H.O.L.E (Westchester Homeowners Observing Loyola Expansion) coordinator Linda Kokelaar at the meeting, “Those that do not wish to pay to park on campus will park in our neighborhood, expanding LMU’s footprint. Adding cars to our neighborhood will clearly expand (continued on page 7)

NCWP to hold town hall meeting on LAX SPAS DEIR On Thursday, September 27, the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/ Playa will hold a town hall meeting to discuss the Draft EIR for the LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study. The meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the auditorium at Westchester Enriched Science Magnet School (formerly known as Westchester High School), located at 7400 W. Manchester Ave. in Westchester. The moderator will be former State Assemblyman Richard Katz. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has been invited to give a brief presentation on the SPAS report and elected officials have also been invited to give their take on the document. LAWA is not expected to give their preference on any of the nine proposals listed in the Draft EIR, which are aimed to increase efficiency and safety at the airport, until after the public comment period has ended. At the meeting, the NCWP Airport Relations Committee will make a presentation on their preference for Alternatives 2 and 9. Members of the public will have the opportunity to submit speaker cards and comment.

Organizers are planning on having a stenographer so that a transcript of the meeting can be submitted to LAWA. NCWP Airport Relations Chair and 30-year resident of Playa del Rey, Craig Eggers, is hoping that the community will rally behind this issue and provide a very large turnout for this meeting. Said Eggers, “The community is missing the boat if we don’t have double the number of attendees that were at the redistricting meeting. This is a much bigger issue. This is the biggest issue facing our community and one of the biggest projects to happen in L.A. in the last 50 years.” The public comment period for the LAX SPAS Draft EIR ends on October 10. Those interested can submit their comments via laxspas.org, via email at spaseircomments@lawa.org or by writing Mr. Diego Alvarez, SPAS Program Director; Los Angeles World Airports; 1 World Way, Room 218; Los Angeles, CA 90045. “My interest in this is the long-term stewardship of the community,” said Eggers. “That is what is driving me. We will do our best to fight this.”

At left: A LAWA representative discusses air quality with a community member at the August 29 open house at the Proud Bird Restaurant.

A look inside your

HomeTown

4 Space Shuttle scheduled to land at LAX 8 Rabbits rescued from wetlands

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Visitation School Welcomes to Our Upcoming Events! WELCOME TO VISITATION SCHOOLYou - VOTED “THE BEST OF THE BEST” � �

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

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T h i s M o n t h B r i n g s Yo u September Features Shuttle expected to land at LAX on September 20 4 5 WSIA plants new trees on Sepulveda, Manchester 6 MS Vintage brings recyled style to Playa del Rey 12 Star of the Neighborhood pictures Community Calendar/To Do 16-17 NCWP Community Update 24

Monthly Features Community Random Notes/Opinion Looking Back... To Do

Calendar Happenings Pictures Business and Professional

Submit Submit articles, pictures and letters to the editor at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com. Be sure to include your name and contact information (phone number, address and e-mail) and correctly spell names of all those involved. All materials must be submitted no later than 12 noon on the 22nd of each month. The HomeTown News reserves the right to edit all submissions for content and length.

HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS

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 – MASON SHAYAN

Stephanie Davis, Publisher, Editor Fay Craton, Contributing Writer David “Duke” Dukesherer Sr., Looking Back

Nora Lee Owens, Humor Mishele Viera, Contributing Writer Jack Younger, Contributing Cartoonist

Advertisers’ Directory

American Hearing & Balance Business & Professional Ballerini Cooley Studios Covenant Presbyterian Church Covenant Preschool Drollinger Properties El Segundo 5-Minute Car Wash Food Pantry, LAX Holy Nativity Church Laura and Jack Davis Kevin and Kaz Gallaher Nora Lee Owens

11 21 06 10 09 05 19 10 08 23 23 22

Pat Davis Neighborhood Council Retro Prom South Bay Brokers Vergari & Associates Visitation School Westchester First Friday Westchester Lutheran Westchester Town Center BID Westchester/Playa Village Zacha Homes

05 24 4 22 09 02 07 06

3, 19 14 22

“As someone who has been involved with Westchester Vitalization and the Westchester Farmers Market for many years, I know the value of great local businesses. That’s why I can take of everything right here in Westchester Town Center. Whether it’s training at Tenshin-Kai karate studio, getting food for my dogs at PETCO or having a meeting at The Coffee Company, WTC has it all!”

About The HomeTown News The HomeTown News is a monthly 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.

Connect with the HTN:

Mailing Address: 8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110 #745 LA, CA 90045 Phone: (310) 641-1016 Email: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com or htn@thehtn.com Website: http://www.thehtn.com Facebook: Search the Westchester/Playa del Rey HomeTown News

The deadline for submissions is the 22nd of the month.

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If you normally receive the HTN at your home, and for whatever reasons your paper is missing or damaged, please call (310) 641-1016 or westchesterhometown@yahoo.com. September 2012 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

www.westchestertowncenter.com

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Community

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Shuttle set to land at LAX on September 20 The space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to land at LAX on Thursday, September 20. Officials stress that the target day is flexible depending on the weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center in Florida where the shuttle will begin its journey and along the flight path to Los Angeles. According to California Science Center (CSC) President Jeffrey Rudolph, although the some 23,000 ceramic tiles that cover the shuttle’s body can withstand extreme heat and cold, they are actually very delicate to moisture and any precipitation along the route could push back the scheduled flight. The shuttle will arrive at LAX on the back of a specially designed NASA Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) and is expected to arrive midday, although the time has not yet been posted. Officials are hoping that a fly over above Los Angeles will occur before the shuttle lands at LAX, but any plans on a fly over will be contingent on FAA approval. The shuttle is expected to land on the south airfield. After the Endeavour arrives at LAX, it will be removed from the SCA and moved to a United Airlines hanger, where it will remain until it begins its final journey to the California Science Center in Exposition Park on Friday, October 12.

The Endeavour will be transported through the streets of Los Angeles on an overland transporter. ARTIST RENDERING COURTESY OF THE CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER.

“We look forward to everyone joining in the celebration as Endeavour travels from the United Airlines hangar to the California Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion,” said Rudolph. “This will mark the first, last and only time a space shuttle will travel through 12 miles of urban, public streets. It’s not only one of the biggest objects ever transported down city streets, it’s an irreplaceable national treasure. Most importantly, this marks the beginning of Endeavour’s ultimate mission of inspiring current innovators and explorers at the California Science Center.” When the shuttle leaves LAX, it will

make a slow two-day two mile-perhour journey through the streets of Westchester, Inglewood and South Los Angeles. The route through Westchester is expected to be as follows: • LAX United Hanger to Northside access road to security gate. • Exit security gate and travel east on Northside Parkway to Lincoln Boulevard. • Cross Lincoln Boulevard bearing left onto McConnell Ave. • Turn right onto Westchester Parkway to La Tijera Blvd. • Turn left onto LA Tijera Blvd. to Manchester Ave. • Turn right onto Manchester to Crenshaw

Due to its 5-story size and 170,000 weight, the shuttle could not be airlifted to the museum or travel under freeway overpasses. Some 400 trees are estimated to be cut down to make room for the shuttle, and traffic signs will have to come down. Celebrations are being planned along the shuttle route. There will be an official launch ceremony on the morning of October 13 at Inglewood City Hall. A celebration at the intersection of Martin Luther King Blvd. and Crenshaw Blvd. will also take place. The event will be produced and directed by choreographer Debbie Allen and will feature 200 artists, dancers and musicians. As the plans for the space shuttle landing are flexible, please stay-up-date on Endeavour news by “liking” the Westchester/Playa del Rey Hometown News on Facebook. If the shuttle lands on the south airfield, according to LAWA, the general public will be able to view the landing at: • Anywhere east of LAX on the southside • Imperial Ave. bluffs in El Segundo • The Proud Bird and Encounter Restaurant both plan to have “Space Shuttle Specials”

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WSIA plants new trees along Sepulveda, Manchester Ave. The volunteer members of the Westchester Streetscape Improvement Association (WSIA) are celebrating their huge success planting new trees as summer draws to a close. Some 40 new trees have been planted along Manchester Avenue and La Tijera Boulevard in June. New median trees have also been planted in Sepulveda Boulevard, north of Manchester. And, in September, after several years’ efforts, another 39 plus trees will be replanted along the west side of Sepulveda Boulevard in a partnership with Westchester Lutheran Church, as required by the City. “WSIA is a community based nonprofit organization that was created to beautify Westchester. We’ve been blessed to have had a group of volunteers that have tirelessly given of their time and efforts, and the support of City Councilman Bill Rosendahl and the WTC BID. This success was produced by to those individuals and belongs to the entire community,” said John Ruhlen, WSIA President and WTC BID Board Member. In addition to Ruhlen, WSIA Board Members include: Jack Davis (Coldwell Banker), Sue Piervin (retired), Karen Dial (Drollinger Properties), Don Duckworth (WTC BID), Karen Follette (YMCA), Marc Huffman (Playa Vista), and Barbara Musella (USO). Trees and planting services for these projects have been provided by Mayor

Villaraigosa’s Million Tree Initiative and the L.A. Conservation Corps at no cost to the local community. Program Manager, Meghan Shearer credits WSIA’s energetic leadership in convincing the L.A. Corps that Westchester was the right place to invest their scarce resources. One benefit is that trees are planted here that otherwise would not have been. “Westchester is becoming a real tree city,” she said. “We enjoy working with such enthusiasm.” Sandra Masted, Headmaster of the Westchester Lutheran Church, was thankful for WSIA’s assistance in replanting new street trees. Parishioners and other pedestrians had fallen over the years. Sepulveda Boulevard was an eyesore, as well. Experts had informed the church that there was no way to safely save the old ficus trees and allow for pedestrian use of the sidewalks. “As a church we didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but WSIA’s connections and experience allowed us to improve the sidewalks to City standards,” she said. “We are grateful to this community spirited group.” Councilman Bill Rosendahl said, “I have great respect for members of WSIA who volunteer their time to make Westchester a better place to live, work, and play. Their actions represent a perfect example of how public/private partnerships can work to benefit the taxpayers and the local

community over the years to beautify the streets, sidewalks, and medians in Los Angeles.” WSIA will also support on-going tree watering outside of the WTC BID area. “This is a tremendous partnership to beautify our community and the

business district for all that shop, dine, and enjoy it,” said Jack Davis. “More customers are drawn to beautiful business districts.”

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WSIA Board Members Don Duckwork (far left) and John Ruhlen (second from right) pose with the new trees being put up along Sepulveda Boulevard.

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Community

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MS Vintage brings recycled style to Playa del Rey By Michelle Weiss Nestled between shops along Playa del Rey’s Culver Boulevard strip lies a newly remodeled yet quaint vintage store. Upon entrance, one gets transported to another city, a different country, an alternate era, all distant yet familiar. At MS Vintage the long gowns, the derby hats, the period piece heels, are all purchased directly by the shop owners and nothing is on consignment. The shop doesn’t only carry clothing though, as it is neatly designed with furniture and decorated with art, all of which is for sale as well. The store was formerly located on Abbott Kinney, but the owners, Marsha Gleeman and Sabrina Brulee (their first names inspiration for the shop’s name) felt it was time for a change and to move somewhere that fit that store’s personality better than the trendy, hipster vibe in Venice. After looking on Main Street, on Rose Avenue and on Lincoln Boulevard, the two women spotted a “run down space” on Culver Boulevard in February. Double the size of their former location, closer to the beach and in the center of a street full of bars and restaurants, they instantly snatched the space and began remodeling. “It was funky, but we thought we could make it work,” Gleeman said.

After cleaning out cages and pulling up layers of linoleum and carpet, the two women were finally able to make the space appropriate for a vintage clothing shop and opened in June. Gleeman, who is also an entertainment lawyer, runs her practice out of the back of the shop, which has been transformed from a dressing area into a spacious office. The office has two desks, a television and of course, beds for their dogs who freely roam the store, never barking or misbehaving, as they have clearly inherited the mellow personalities of their owners. The dynamic duo has worked together for over 13 years. While Brulee is Gleeman’s legal assistant, they are also 50/50 partners in the shop which first opened in 2008. The two travel to Europe multiple times a year where, they search out pieces that they feel fit the shop, occasionally purchasing for specific clients that they have in mind. The constant traveling for work could inevitability cause them to get tiresome of each other’s company, but they claim that patience is key to a successful working partnership, where they are often on the road. Bouncing off of each other’s (continued on next page)

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MS Vintage (continued) (continued from page 6) energy and finishing each other’s sentences, it’s clear the two are a kind of soul mates, fated to have met. “She’s my best friend,” Brulee said of Gleeman. Though the motivation to leave their Venice location sprouted from a multitude of reasons, the straw that broke the camel’s back was the sudden influx of food trucks that flooded Abbot Kinney. The trucks would often block the view of the shop, and when the women found trash and food in their mailbox, they decided it was time to find a neighborhood that aligned with the environment they were channeling. While certainly invested in the shop, its clients and the clothing, Brulee and Gleeman have a rather different approach to their business model, which ultimately seems to lead to their success. Rather than worrying themselves about clientele, marketing and promoting the shop’s new location, the two women believe that the business will come to them. “It either appeals to people or it doesn’t, they can either afford it or they can’t,” says Gleeman with a touch of airiness and confidence about the shop and its items, which are primarily highend vintage and designer fashions from the likes of such companies as Chanel. The women were fully prepared for the possibility of losing their Venice clientele and having to start fresh, yet

that doesn’t seem to be the case. One couple stumbled upon the shop when it was located on Abbott Kinney on their way to a Laker game and fell in love. When the shop moved, they tracked down the telephone number and inquired on the new location, returning soon afterwards to continue their patronage of this unique shop. In the five years that MS Vintage has been in business, the women have gathered many other endless anecdotes in their memories. One client searching for a non-traditional wedding dress found her’s at MS Vintage: a flowing silver and off-white gown that was irresistibly unique. Another woman attending a western style costume party, where dresses from “Gone with the Wind” were displayed claimed she was “the star of the night,” wearing what she purchased from the shop. “Style can carry you a long way,” Gleeman said. With an aim to be pleasant and as accommodating as possible, both Gleeman and Brulee are interesting in cultivating long-term repeat clients. They are anxious and inspired for the new set of customers and clientele that they will attract within the Westchester and Playa del Rey community. MS Vintage is located at 314 Culver Boulevard in Playa del Rey. For more info, please visit msvintage. net.

LMU parking (continued) (continued from page 1) LMU’s borders. We are not their parking lot.” According to LMU’s Government and Community Relations Director, Clarence Griffin, however, as of press time, he has not received any complaints regarding having visitors pay for parking on campus. Living in a city where paying for parking is commonplace, visitors who come to the campus for classes, meetings or events haven’t been fazed by shelling out a few bucks to park. He also points out that parking stations are

Foundation announces local grant recipients The William H. Hannon Foundation has recently provided grants to seven organizations on the Westside of Los Angeles. Grant recipients include: • The Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS) in Westchester, where the Foundation has renewed its support of the highly effective Hannon Intermediate Intervention Program. AMCS provides affordable community-based health services and trains mental health therapists. • CLARE Foundation in Santa Monica has received a grant to support its new Women’s Treatment Program. CLARE began in the late 1960s and today is a leader in the successful residential and outpatient addiction treatment throughout LA County. • Friends of Playa Vista School (FPVS) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that supports the new K5 school at Playa Vista, which opened its doors on August 14. FPVS received a grant to help pay for a library media specialist. • LMU received a contribution towards its Chancellor Scholarships Program to help students from Jesuit prep schools attend LMU. • OPCC in Santa Monica received continued financial support to help

homeless mentally ill women. For almost fifty years, OPCC has provided support to homeless and at-risk men, women, and children and is the largest human services provider on the Westside of Los Angeles. • Otis College of Art and Design in Westchester, the first professional school of art in Los Angeles, received a grant for 2012-2013 student scholarship support. • St. Joseph Center in Venice received a grant for the Foundation’s continued support of the agency’s Family Center and Food Pantry. St. Joseph Center now serves 6,000 people annually through comprehensive case management and integrated social service programs. “My late uncle, our Foundation’s founder, believed in providing multiple grants of various sizes to worthy organizations and then helping raise the organizations’ profiles so that other donors would join in supporting their good works. He was especially interested in supporting schools and social service providers. We continue to carry on this tradition,” said Kathleen Hannon Aikenhead, President of the William H. Hannon Foundation and a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors since its founding in 1983.

WESTCHESTER

conveniently placed and there is a lot of signage explaining the parking costs. Griffin stated that public meetings, like the LMU Neighborhood Advisory meeting, will no longer be held on LMU’s campus and will instead be held at Westchester’s Senior Center to ensure that parking is free. The city has yet to release its report on the findings of the Development Agreement meeting, but it is expected to be released sometime in early fall according to Griffin. For more information on parking at LMU, please visit lmu.edu.

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Curious about your community? Have news to share? We want to hear from you! Contact us! westchesterhometown@yahoo.com www.thehtn.com Facebook: Westchester/Playa del Rey HomeTown News September 2012

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Rabbits rescued after being dumped in the wetlands For Executive Director of the Friends of Ballona Wetlands, a non-profit dedicated to restoring and protecting one the area’s natural treasures, getting your hands dirty is all in a day’s work. While the area is teaming with native plants, animals and insects, domesticated rabbits are not what you would expect to see during your typical day at one of Southern California’s remaining wetlands. However, on Monday, August 27, Fimiani got a call from a colleague that five rabbits were running loose in the freshwater marsh near the corner of Jefferson and Lincoln. After discussing a plan of action, Fimiani was able to secure a net, which she carries in her car at all times, as well as carrying cases for the rabbits for once they had been caught. What started off as five identified rabbits, quickly turned into seven, which were tricky to catch even with large nets. Even the bigger, slower rabbits proved difficult to catch due to their darting back and forth. Since the non-profit has a close working relationship with LMU’s Center for Urban Resilience (CURes), however, they enlisted the help of CURes staff members, April Sandifer and Courtney McCammon to get the job done. The woman brought carrots and lettuce to help lure the scared rabbits out of hiding from the dumpsters and brushes. The food was too much of a temptation for the little creatures, who

soon came out of hiding for a snack. A small, injured rabbit was the last to be captured and in all, nine domesticated rabbits were rescued from the wetlands after a two hour game of “catch.” While the wetlands may seem like a nice place to live for animals, Fimiani would like to remind the community that domesticated pets of any kind should never be dumped. Besides it being illegal to dump animals into the wetlands, pets of any kind have little chance of surviving in the wetlands or in the wild. If they do not die of starvation or are not hit by a car by running across Jefferson, they are certainly easy prey for coyotes, raccoons, or even cats that roam the area. As for the rescued rabbits, they are currently resting comfortably at Fimiani’s home and will be up for adoption by the Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation. For more information on adopting rabbits, please visit larabbits.org.

ABOVE: Friends of Ballona Executive Director, Lisa Fimiani, captures a rabbit in the wetlands. BELOW: Rabbits wait to be transported out of the wetlands. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LISA FIMIANI.

Interested in helping preserve the Ballona Wetlands? Visit ballonafriends.org to register for the September 15 Coastal Cleanup Day!

Jazz Sanctuary Presents

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Patrice Rushen

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benefits many programs

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

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Looking Back...

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By David J. “Duke” Dukesherer

Historic Places in Westchester/Playa I seem to write in reoccurring themes, namely less about what is now and more about what has been. It is not that I do not enjoy the here and now, I just seem to be more in interested in the what was then. At any rate, I just returned from a short week at a very historic place, the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. I had to force my son to leave his friendly Westchester locales and enter his freshman year at Bama. As I drove away that last evening there, admittedly a little teary eyed, I had to smile wondering if he made it to his dorm elevators before jumping up and down making a few fist pumps and freedom yells. It is in my experience, one of the most beautiful campus settings on earth, and he will do well there. The “salad days” are over: Roll Tide. It got me thinking today about all the historic buildings I saw in Alabama, but moreover about the lack of the same types of monuments in our area. The oldest building on campus, and I believe the only one saved from the scorched earth policy of the Union Army, is the Gorgas House (1829) and it predates our own Milliron Department Store Building (1949, now a Kohl’s), by over one hundred-twenty years. Once upon a time however, Inglewood, which Westchester was more or less a part of because of the common ownership that existed at Rancho Sausal Redondo, was home to one of the finest local landmarks. It was called the Centinela, Spanish for the sentinel, and was built by Daniel Freeman in 1888. It was a modern marvel, and a far cry from the little adobe that he and his family had at one time occupied. Freeman used bricks from his own Continuous Brick Kiln Company, as well as redwood he purchased when a boat carrying the lumber ran aground in Redondo Beach. He wanted the house to be a landmark, but he favored a sturdy wood and brick design over the

FREEMAN MANSION. The Daniel Freeman Mansion in Inglewood in 1970, shortly before it was demolished. The Freeman family had been living in their ranch house, now known as the historic landmark the Centinela Adobe, when Daniel decided to build a mansion matching his growing status in the community. Through a series of transactions from 1881-1885, Freeman ended up owning two Southern California ranchos, the Rancho Sausal Redondo and the Rancho Aguaje de la Centinela. The mansion was to be located on the property that would later become Daniel Freeman Hospital, on the west-side of present-day Prairie Avenue between Manchester and Florence avenues. Freeman began planning the mansion in 1887, with construction and ﬁnishing of the grand structuretaking place from July through September of 1888. (PHOTO COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS FROM “WESTCHESTER, CALIFORNIA BY THE AUTHOR).

more ostentatious Victorian houses more commonly built by the well to do during that period. The wood was carved with ornate designs, and there was a stained-glass window containing the family crest above one of the mansion’s nine fireplaces. Once the mansion was built, the Freemans began living there in style, entertaining high-class guests at balls complete with live orchestras. Freeman had become a prominent figure in Southern California; he was twice president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and was the first president of the exclusive men’s group, the California Club. After his daughter Grace married Charles Howland in 1888, the couple continued to live in the Centinela Adobe. Her father sold his last interests

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September 2012

in his ranchos in 1912, and lived peacefully in the mansion until his death in 1918. Then Grace moved in. Daniel Freeman Hospital, operated by the Carondelet order, opened on the site in 1954. The Sisters inherited the entire property following Grace’s death. Two nearby streets, Grace Avenue and Howland Drive, were named in her honor. No one lived at the mansion following Grace’s death, but it was used by the hospital for a time to hold classes. Vandals kept stealing medical equipment from the abandoned house, though, and classes were discontinued. Despite security measures, homeless people would occasionally break in and live there, which led to fears that the historic mansion would be destroyed by fire. The stained glass

window was stolen during this period, and never recovered. By 1970, the disposition of the mansion had become a real issue, as the hospital wanted to use the land on which it stood. The Sisters offered to deed the structure to the city, providing that it be moved from hospital land. Because of the size of the mansion, though, this idea was deemed impractical. So, in an unpopular decision in 1972, the Daniel Freeman Mansion was demolished to make room for expansion at Daniel Freeman Hospital. The hospital no longer operates.

Comments: dukepdr@gmail.com

Space Now Available for Covenant Presbyterian Church Preschool Space available for September enrollment. 2, 3 and 5 day programs available. 2 years- 5 years old. 9 a.m. to noon

Located at 6323 W. 80th Street in Westchester!

Call for more information and a tour. (310) 670-5758 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

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Patrice Rushen to be the featured entertainer at this year’s Faithfully Jazz concert

Come Join Your Friends At

COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Worship Service 10:30 am Canines@Covenant 5:00 pm Sunday Covenant on the Corner 80th and Sepulveda Blvd.

Church School for Young People during Service

Pastor: Rev. Cathy Chisholm

We have an Orchestra and Adult, Youth and Children’s Choirs E-mail: cpofﬁs@pacbell.net Childcare is provided- For more information, Call (310) 670-5750

FOOD PANTRY, LAX Emergency Food Distribution to those in need Sponsored by Westchester Clergy Association

Open Tuesdayand andFriday Friday •• 11:00 a.m.toto12 12:30 Open Tuesday 10 a.m. p.m.p.m. (noon) 355 Beach Street, Inglewood

If you have Food to donate, take to Covenant Presbyterian Church or bring to location from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged. For further information, please call (310) 677-5597

Ad donated by Covenant Presbyterian Church

On Saturday, September 22, noted jazz musicians Patrice Rushen and special guests will provide the entertainment at Faithfully Jazz, a special fundraising event hosted by Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, Westchester. The event will feature a silent auction, entertainment, tapas and a wine bar, and will commence at 5 p.m. Rushen’s performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. An award-winning musician and composer, Rushen is a classicallytrained pianist, who includes the title of director, conductor and includes such events as the Grammy Awards, the Emmy Awards, the People’s Choice Awards and the NAACP Image Awards among her professional credits. She has also recorded with such artists as Carlos Santana, Quincy Jones, Prince, Herbie Hancock, and Teena Marie. Faithfully Jazz is an annual event that invites the community to join in the fun of a silent auction, as well as enjoy an evening of music, refreshments, and friendship. It supports numerous programs offered

by Holy Nativity Episcopal Church to Westchester, and the surrounding community, including its music series Jazz Sanctuary Presents, an ongoing program that has featured such well-known artists as Kathryn Grace, Dwight Trible and Benny Maupin; The Community Garden at Holy Nativity, which provides an organic, sustainable gardening experience to the community-at-large–while growing fresh, organic fruits and vegetables that are harvested and delivered weekly to the Food Pantry LAX; and Environmental Change-Makers, a grassroots group that meets monthly for the discussion and promotion of sustainability, communitybuilding, local resilience and positive environmental projects. Tickets for the event are $50 per couple, and $30 per individual (if purchased by September 10), and are available at www.holynativityparish. org. For more information on Faithfully Jazz, Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, or upcoming events, call (310) 6704777, email holynativity@sbcglobal. net or visit holynativityparish.org.

LMU’s Laband Art Gallery presents first West Coast exhibition of Japanese contemporary artist Motoi Yamamoto The Laband Art Gallery at LMU will open “Return to the Sea: Saltworks by Motoi Yamamoto” on September 8, 2012 with an artist’s reception from 4 to 6 p.m. The centerpiece of the exhibition will be a site-specific saltscape on the floor of the gallery. Artist Motoi Yamamoto is known for working with the basic, but unusual, material of salt, often in the form of temporary, intricate, large-scale installations. At the Laband, along with his “Floating Garden” floor installation, salt drawings and photographs will also be on display. A video will offer more insight into Motoi’s installation process. A delicately drawn, 31.5 foot-long scroll will hang in the atrium of LMU’s William H. Hannon Library. Yamamoto forged a connection to salt while mourning the death of his sister at the age of twenty-four from brain cancer. He began to create art out of the element in an effort to preserve his memories of her. Salt, a traditional symbol for purification and mourning in Japanese culture is used in funeral rituals and by sumo wrestlers before matches. It is frequently placed in small piles at the entrance to restaurants and other businesses to ward off evil spirits and to attract benevolent ones. Yamamoto’s art radiates an intense beauty and tranquility, but also something ineffable, painful and endless.

September 2012

Yamamoto says, “Drawing a labyrinth with salt is like following a trace of my memory. Memories seem to change and vanish as time goes by; however, what I seek is to capture a frozen moment that cannot be attained through pictures or writings. What I look for at the end of the act of drawing could be a feeling of touching a precious memory.” Yamamoto views his installations as exercises that are at once futile, yet necessary to his healing. An important aspect of the installation is the dismantling of his work at the end of the show and delivering the salt back to the water, usually in collaboration with the public; hence, the title “Return to the Sea.” On the last day of the exhibition, December 8th, the public will be invited to participate in collecting the salt from the installation and returning it to the Pacific Ocean. There will be a range of other events and programs in conjunction with the exhibition. Along with the opening reception (September 8), the Laband will also host the presentation of the Japanese Noh play Matsukaze [Pining Wind], a lecture and performance by artist, Japanese archery master, and Buddhist priest Hirokazu Kosaka, a gallery walkthrough with Laband Director and Curator Carolyn Peter, and a closing ceremony.

Motoi Yamamoto working on his installation at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston, South Carolina, May 2012. PHOTO COURTESY HALSEY INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART.

The exhibition was curated by Mark Sloan, director and senior curator at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston. The exhibition features a video produced by Sloan and Emmy award-winning videographer John Reynolds that includes interviews with Yamamoto at his studio in Kanazawa, Japan, insight into his creative process, still images and time-lapse videos of many of his previous installations and an overview of the fascinating history of salt in Japanese culture. Other events surrounding the exhibition this month include:

• A theatrical performance of Matsukaze [Pining Wind] on Thursday, September 20 at 5 p.m. in the Burns Fine Art Center Courtyard . In collaboration with LMU’s Theatre Program and Music Department, the Laband Art Gallery will present Matsukaze, a Japanese Noh Theatre piece that explores many of the same themes found in Motoi Yamamoto’s work; the significance of salt, grief, humankind’s relation to the natural world and the fleeting nature of life. For more info, please visit cfa.lmu. edu/laband.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

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American Hearing & Balance offers no-obligation appointments to start your journey to better hearing By American Hearing & Balance Staff The answer to better hearing may be just a phone call away to Westchester’s American Hearing & Balance, located in the Westchester Triangle at 6229 West 87th Street. American Hearing & Balance is a family business that started with Patricia Michaels 25 years ago in Santa Monica. They currently have 6 employees that are family members. American Hearing & Balance has served the Los Angeles area and its surrounding communities for the past 25 years. They offer a full range of diagnostic and preventative hearing healthcare professional services, including hearing aid screening, evaluations, hearing aids sales and rehabilitative and preventative counseling. They are dedicated to keeping abreast of the latest improvements in technological advancements in the hearing industry and are committed to offering the most current options to our patients. Your Goals Are OUR Goals American Hearing & Balance promise to work closely with you to discover where you are having the most difﬁculty communicating. Then, they will collaborate with you to determine the best solution to increase your ability to hear and understand in the situations you describe. If that solution includes hearing aids, then they are committed to

personal relationships you will develop with the staff at American Hearing & Balance will continue long after your initial appointment. They understand that ongoing counseling, periodic adjustments and regular hearing aid cleanings are vital to your continued satisfaction with your investment in better hearing and they are committed to being here to support your every need. If you are interested in scheduling a no-obligation appointment to discuss your hearing needs, including: hearing aids, tinnitus (ringing of the ears) evaluation and management, or balance issues, please call today at (310) 773-4453. You can also visit American Hearing & Balance online at americanhearingbalance.com. When you came in for an appointment, friendly and professional staff members will conduct a hearing evaluation.

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where renowned audiologists Dr. Miles Peterson and Dr. Peter Ivory guided him through his graduate work. He then went on and acquired his doctorate at Florida University Premiere program for audiology. Keith has helped ﬁt thousands of people with hearing aids in the last several years and loves to work with people who have problems with their balance and/or vertigo. Matt Michaels, M.S., CCC-A, is an Audiologist and Hearing Instrument Specialist. Mr. Michaels graduated from California State University, Northridge in 1995 with his Masters in Communication Disorders/Audiology. He has trained at the House Ear Clinic, CARE Center for Children and at the VA Hospital. He has been an advanced technology consultant for a leading manufacturer and has trained other professionals. He is known as a warm and caring hearing healthcare provider as well as a knowledgeable and skilled professional. American Hearing & Balance is located at 6229 West 87th Street in Westchester. (310) 773-4453.

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News you may choose to retain them and receive up to 35% OFF MSRP and you will also

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Stars of the Neighborhood

2012 Star of the Neighborhood: Robert Mogck

Honoree: Arnie Corlin

Honoree: Jane St. John

Honoree: John Elliot Reese

Honorees: Pat and Al Menezes

Honoree: Cindy Williams

Congr atulations to this year’ s Star of the Neighborhood Nominees! Every year, the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa (NCWP) asks for nominations for its Star of the Neighborhood award. They ask for nominees that live in the NCWP area and who works to better the community without fanfare. After all of the nominees are submitted, a NCWP committee selects the honoree in late June. The honoree is then invited to participate as an entry in the annual Fourth of July Parade. This year’s Star of the Neighborhood is Robert Mogck, who works tirelessly to improve the landscape of the area through his beauification efforts. At the Tuesday, September 4 Neighborhood Council meeting, all of the nominees were recognized for their contributions to the community. Nominees are pictured above with Outreach Committee Chair Sibyl Buchanan (far left) and NCWP President Cyndi Hench (far right). Not pictured: The HomeTown News’ very own Duke Dukesherer who was nominated for his work in preserving the history of the area through his numerous books, lectures and column in the HTN!

September 2012

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

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September 2012

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

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Random Notes/Opinion

• your community newspaper •

Weather and Traffic in Los Angeles By Nora Lee Owens It seems that all I ever talk about lately are the weather, stupid people running for public office and traffic. As I write this article, I’m too hot, suffering through yet another horrible election season and not happy about all the changes the genies in charge of the 405 Freeway are seeing fit to make. At least once a week, I have to make the trip north on everybody’s favorite route through the Santa Monica Mountains. Getting there is one thing, but coming back late at night is always an interesting experience because there are daylight-bright lights burning along Sepulveda so that the workers can see what they are doing (thank goodness!),

and one never knows which on-ramps going south are open or if you will need to go east or west before you can go south. Throw in several pieces of large construction equipment and lots of orange cones, and you can just have the time of your life after 9:00 p.m. on Sepulveda north. If you don’t need to travel quite that far, however, you can still be treated to a heart-racing experience by simply going north on the 405 and entering the freeway by way of the Hughes Center on-ramp any time of day or night. What used to be two lanes merging safely onto the freeway with no urgency required, is now one short lane requiring you to either merge quickly into that right lane where people are

speeding or throw yourself over the side and onto the Westfield Mall. It’s really quite fun. Of course, the good news, and I always try to bring you good news, is that the 405 through Westchester is hardly ever smooth sailing, and when you are ready to complete your merge, you usually have mostly-stopped cars to meander between. What the heck do they care if there’s one more car in front of them? They aren’t going to make the meeting they’re headed for in time anyway. Supposedly all these changes will make the 405 wider, safer and more enjoyable to travel. And supposedly the check is in the mail. By the time they finish this horrific project, millions of new people will consider themselves

Angelenos, and the freeway work will be obsolete upon its christening. What we have always needed was a rapid transit system, but that leads us back to politics and I don’t have the energy in the heat to deal with that smelly subject. Don’t forget to stay home September 28-30. Just because Carmageddon I was a successful flop isn’t any reason Carmageddon II won’t be the worst thing since O.J. Simpson tied up traffic driving his white Bronco while being chased by a coterie of available law officers on an otherwise normal Friday night. Remember that? Some of my best memories happened on the 405 and I’ll bet yours did, too.

Wrangling the recipes By Mishele Vieira, Certified Professional Organizer®

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Volunteer Today! ��

Curious about your community? News to share with your hometown? We want to hear from you! Contact us at (310) 641-1016 or westchesterhometown@yahoo.com. September 2012

One thing many of us have a lot of is recipes. They come from many sources and can often be found in various locations in a home. When was the last time you visited your recipe collection? Perhaps it’s time for an update on recipe organization. As with all organizing projects, the goal with recipes, is to be able to find them when we need them. This means that they should all be together, in one accessible place. Now that they’re together, the next thing to do is clean out the collection. Let go of the recipes that you do not use, the ones you never did and never will make. They sounded good at the time when they were ripped out of a magazine or brought home from the meat counter, but now they’re taking up space and may even be causing you work if they’re collecting dust. Keep the recipes you love like Dad’s secret sage stuffing or Aunt Betty’s apple pie. As for the maybes like the shallot stuffed pork chops with boysenberry glace that you saw a celebrity chef crank out in 5 minutes, you can probably find it again online. Now some options for organizing the recipes. Choose the method you are most likely to use and can easily maintain. Binder– Create a binder just for recipes. You can use tabs to create sections for the various things you cook: meat, side dishes, desserts, etc. Use plastic sheet protectors so you can easily slide the recipes in to the sleeve. Use the heavy duty, non-glare version which are sturdy and easy to maneuver. You can find these at any office supply store an you may even have some in your supply cabinet. Recipe Card Holder– This tried and true method still works for many people. Each recipe is written, occasionally typed on an index card and then filed away neatly in a recipe

box. The challenge is that writing or typing on the cards can be time consuming. If you like the card holder, consider a program that allows you to print out the recipes in this format. File Folder– A file folder inside of a file drawer can serve as a safe place to store your recipes and be able to find them. This may not be the ideal solution if the file drawer is in the upstairs office and your kitchen is located downstairs. Accordion File– Often referred to as “a pocket file, or check wallet” this handy sorter also comes in an 8 1/2 by 11” version in a variety of colors. There are multiple pockets that you can sort your recipes in to, much like the binder version above. And like the binder, this portable solution can be stored elsewhere and then brought to the kitchen when needed. Clipped to the fridge– Certainly an option, but it can easily start to overflow so perhaps not a great long term solution if you have an abundance of recipes. Go Digital– Storing your recipes in a digital format is a great way to minimize the paper and easily find what you need. Scan the recipe, or take a picture of the recipe with your smart phone and tag it, and/or use an app like Evernote to organize and easily find your recipes. Or you can use one of the online programs like allrecipes.com, where for a small fee you can organize, edit and even print out recipes in various formats. So now that you have a reminder of where and what your recipes are, go ahead and pull something out to make it tonight. Bon Appetit! Mishele Vieira, CPO®, owner of Away With Chaos helps overwhelmed, overscheduled and under-organized people make room for what matters most in their home, work and life. Visit Away With Chaos in the Community Booth at the Playa Vista Farmers Market on September 29, or contact her at mishele@awaywithchaos.com.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

Expectations around aging By Fay Craton While sitting in a doctor’s office waiting for my mother’s name to be called, I observe the parade of disabled and aging seniors and their helpers. Life can have many challenges. Aging and health changes of those we love can be difficult both for the loved ones and for the helpers. The waiting area is crowded; one middle-aged male helper is standing close to the entry door, while what appears to be his mother takes a seat on the other side of the room. As another elderly woman finishes her visit, the man opens the door for her, declaring, “This is a job I can do!” The comment draws chuckles from people in the room. The truth is helpers, or what is termed “family caregivers,” often feel frustrated and helpless. As one ages, a person’s body declines but his or her mind is the same as when he or she was young. As disability sets in, an aging person usually wants to remain independent and cling to whatever control he or she can maintain over his or her own life. This can be hard when it becomes difficult to stand, sit down, walk or even to move without fear of falling or experiencing pain. A disabled person may need some help– but only on his or her own terms. The desire to be vibrant and contributing to a community is very real to a disabled

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person. As the inability to hold onto one’s independence and the identity he or she perceives for him or herself unfolds, it is normal for the person needing help to feel frustrated and helpless. When frustration sets in, it can be easy to think about what is wrong. Everyone has expectations about their lives. When conditions change, usually the expectations are forced to change, too. For example, you might have the expectation of easily walking down the street and stepping up and down curbs without giving them any notice. As a person ages, this may no longer be possible as conditions within his or her body change. There could be pain when walking. Balance when walking may become difficult. For a young person, walking on uneven ground is something insignificant. However, as pain and balance challenges start, the uneven ground can mean a fall. To a young person, a fall might not be significant, but to a senior, it now becomes a threat. A fall can mean a broken bone or possibly a banged head – which could lead to death. Memories of being vibrant and in full control of his or her life remain, yet for an aging person his or her body betrays them. Expectations about movement must change for the aging person. The people who love the aging person also must form new expectations. Changing expectations can be frightening. To

have no control over the changes, which are happening, can leave the aging person and those around him or her feeling helpless. Many people have conditioned thought patterns ready to flood their thinking with memories of being inadequate or being not good enough. The unpleasant thoughts are ready to flood their thinking with memories of being inadequate or being not good enough. Shameful thinking is ready to spring forth destructively. You may find yourself mentally saying nasty things about yourself. You may even observe yourself uttering words in anger when someone recognizes a change you are not ready to accept. For the family caregiver, the changes may also be hard to accept. The role an aging person has held is changing. Your expectations about the aging person must change even when you are not ready to accept what is unfolding. While adjusting to a new normal, you must mentally and emotionally process what is happening to your loved one. At the same time you are coming to terms with the change, you must learn how and when to help the loved person. The place of not knowing can be a place of helplessness. Expectations and the control you attempt to exert in your life and over the life of others can create despair, stress, and anger. Navigating relationships when those around you

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change or need to change involves looking at facts. You may create unhappiness if you look at facts through past perceptions, which may no longer be true. Healthy connection with others means you need to remove glasses with lenses in them that distort the truth of what is happening right now. Looking at the present moment does not mean to only look at what is wrong. Right now, there are both things we may dislike and things that can bring contentment. Look around you. Search for what you can be grateful for in your life. My wish for you is for you to consciously acknowledge the good in your life. I wish you are able to understand that when life appears to be dark that by seeking out the lighter spots there is the hope of happiness, perhaps even laughter. In the doctor’s office, the helper faced the daunting task of navigating the crowded waiting room with a lightness of being. With a grin he declared he found a job he could do. Sometimes what we can do is simply being present and considerate of another person. Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011), which is the psychology license specializing in relationships and she has an office in Westchester. Visit her website at communicationtriangle. com or (310) 645-6762.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

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To Do Rotary Club of Westchester The Rotary Club of Westchester meets every Wednesday at 12 noon for lunch at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel, 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 www.rotary-westchester.org/ or become our friend (Westchester Rotary) on Facebook. Playa Vista Farmers’ Market Come out to the Playa Vista Farmers’ Market, located in the heart of Playa Vista. Open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and showcasing the freshest fruits, vegetables and flowers direct from the best local farmers’ California has to offer as well as other traditional market fare. This is a Certified Farmers’ Market sponsored by Sprouts of Promise Foundation, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit focused on the education of healthy eating habits. Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club Join the Rotary club of Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club at its Wednesday morning meeting at 7:15 a.m. at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, located at 13480 Maxella Avenue in Marina del Rey. The cost of the meeting is $25, which includes breakfast and a guest speaker. Guests are welcome and reservations are not required. For more information, www. playasunrise.org or call (310) 4293808. Speakers by the Sea Toastmaster’s Group Improve your public speaking skills every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. by joining the Speakers by the Sea Toastmaster’s Group. Visitors are always welcome - just drop in. The meeting takes place at 12000 Vista del Mar in Conf. Room 230A in Playa del Rey (One traffic light South of Imperial Highway on Vista del Mar) For more info, please call (310) 5592834. Watch Trade in Program Each year Westchester Watch Works has a program called, Trade In, Trade Up. When you buy a new watch, whether it is a $20 watch or $2,000 watch and then donate your old watch (working or not), Westchester Watch Works will give you 20% off your new watch purchase. The old watch will be refurbished by our two expert watch makers who will clean, fix and pretty them up. Then, the watch you have donated will be given to one of two local charity groups. Most are donated to veterans, who live in a local residential facility and the rest to a local recovery center, where they focus on skill and job training. This a great way for everyone to give! The customer donates a watch, we give them a discount on a new watch and someone

September 2012

• your community newspaper • your community newspaper • your community newspaper • in need gets a watch! This program runs through end of September. Stop by today and donate to a great cause. Westchester Watch Works 6207 W. 87th Street, Westchester, CA (310) 6411074. Pacific Area Boosters Open House and Pancake Breakfast The Pacific Area Boosters Association will hold an open house and pancake breakfast on Saturday, September 8 from 8 a.m. to noon. The event will take place at the Pacific Station, located at 12312 Culver Blvd. in Los Angeles. Admission is free. Come and meet the Men and Women of LAPD Pacific Division; Pacific Beach Detail; LAFD Firefighters Station 63; County Life Guards; Department of Public Health and other City entities. LAPD Specialized Units and ATV’s will be present. CHP Safety Booth and Mothers Against Drunk Driving display. Guided Tours, Games and Raffle Prizes! The pancake breakfast is $5 and proceeds will benefit the Pacific Area Boosters Association, which supports Pacific Area Youth Programs and the Pacific Area Station. Sponsors include IHOP Westchester and Rainbow Acres on Washington Blvd. For more information please contact Pacific Area Community Relations Office (310) 202-2890 Westchester Elks Lodge 13th Annual Car Show The Westchester Elks Lodge will be holding their 13th annual car show on Saturday, September 8. There will be burgers, a beer garden, music, raffles and of course all sorts of pre-1980 cars! The event is free, open to the public and kid and dog friendly. If you would like to register your car, please contact Mark at mark@got-bail. com. The entry fee is $20 per vehicle and $30 for 2 vehicles and includes a dash plaque, burger, chips and soda. The Westchester Elks Lodge is located at 8025 W. Manchester Avenue in Playa del Rey. For more information, please call (310) 821-3005. Emerson Ave. Community Garden Please join us at the garden on Emerson Avenue and 80th Place in Westchester on the grounds of Orville Wright Middle School. The next volunteer day is Saturday, September 8, from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers invite you to join them in the development of the garden. Tasks will include tending to and harvesting from the shared communal beds; continued building of the circular seating area which includes work on the flooring; painting, composting and other fun garden activities. Lots to do for all ages and skill levels! Morning treats and coffee will be provided. On September 9, there will be a quarterly meeting of the Emerson Avenue Community Garden Club at 2

p.m. On September 22, there will be an Introduction to Organic Vegetable Gardening, class to be held in the garden at 9 a.m. Everyone is welcome to participate in all events. For more information or make a donation, contact the garden club at eacgc@yahoo.com or call (310) 3370827. Playa Vista Orioles Try-Outs The Playa Vista Orioles Youth Baseball Academy (Ages 12-13, 14-15 & 16-17), an organization dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of players so that they will achieve their highest potential on and off the field of play is holding try-outs. Try-outs for students in 7th-8th, will take place on September 8 at U.C.L.A. For more information, please call (310) 339-6413 or visit www. playavistaorioles.org. This academy is sponsored by Playa Vista Capital. Tango Lesson Interested in learning how to Tango? On Sunday, September 9 stop by the LA Turner Center, located at 8946 Sepulveda Eastway in Westchester. From 6 to 7 p.m. participate in a free lesson (no partner needed) and from 7 to 11:30 p.m. social tango dance, performances. An Argentine style dinner is optional. For more info, go to www. LivingTango.com/milonga-lax or call (310) 621-0622. Fiesta at the Centinela Adobe The Historical Society of Centinela Valley Presents its Annual Fiesta on Sunday, September 9 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. This celebrating of the heritage of the California Rancho days will include Folklorico dancers, Mariachis, a pinata Party, handmade tortillas and pan dulce. Visitors can also strolls the grounds, take tours and see demonstrations. The Centinela Adobe Complex is located at 7634 Midfield Ave. in Westchester, Tours are available every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call (310) 649-6272. Environmental Change-Makers Events Join the Environmental ChangeMakers for these September events: Saturday, September 15 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. join the garden class for a lesson in “Vegetable Crop Rotations in the Home Garden.” You’ve heard that farmers “rotate their crops” and you can learn to do it too, as well as to build soil fertility and help prevent pests. This intermediateto-advanced level course centers around the new crop rotation wheel being developed by Joanne Poyourow and the Change-Makers. The cost is $20 and includes crop rotation wheel.

Saturday, September 22 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. learn about “Introduction to Organic Vegetable Gardening.” This course touches on all the basics: soil, water, plant selection, safe seed sources, harvest, composting, and much more. Even if you’ve been dabbling in vegetable gardening for quite some time, you can check in with “what’s working” and what is not. This class is taught by Joanne Poyourow of the Environmental Change-Makers. Bring your own folding chair, sun protection and water. This class is a $10 suggested donation. Wednesday, September 19 from 7 to 10 p.m. learn about “The Art of Fermentation with Sandor Ellix Katz.” New York Times bestselling author and “fermentation revivalist” Sandor Katz will give a lecture, hands-on workshop and book signing at this event. Attendees will discover the health benefits of live-culture foods. The cost is $25 prepaid, $30 at the door, RSVP strongly suggested since space is limited. All classes will take place at Holy Nativity Church, located at 6700 West 83rd Street in Westchester. Sunrise of Playa Vista Events Sunrise of Playa Vista will hold a Presidential Trivia Social on Tuesday, September 11 from 3 to 4 p.m. How well do you know your American presidents? Come and enjoy some spirited competition with Sunrise residents. All American snacks and beverages served. There will be resident art show on Thursday, September 13 from 3 to 6 p.m. Get your cultural fix! Have a glass of wine and a little cheese while enjoying the amazing art created by our gifted residents. Join in a Laughter Yoga/Stretching Class Saturday, September 15 from 2 to 3 p.m. Laugh your way to a stronger, more flexible body. A fun class designed and presented by the delightful Shanhnaz Herati. Light refreshments will be served following the class. All events are free and open to the public. Sunrise of Playa Vista is located at 5555 Playa Vista Drive in Playa Vista. For more info or to RSVP, please call (310) 862-2704. Garage Sale “Big-3” Event The Westchester Boy Scout and venture Troop 927 will hold its “Big3” event on Saturday, September 29, from 8 to 10 pm. There will be a bake sale, garage sale and car wash at Covenant Presbyterian Church, located at 6323 W. 80th St. at the corner of 80th and Sepulveda in Westchester. This is a wonderful opportunity to pick up great finds from sports equipment, bikes, toys, clothing, uniforms (sports, scouts and otherwise), small furniture, housewares, books, electronics, artwork, jewelry and more. All proceeds help fund Troop 927.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

Page 17

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

September Sunday

Monday

Tuesday Tuesday

Wednesday Wednesday

Thursday Thursday

Friday Friday

Saturday Saturday

1 Gateway to Go @ Crowne Plaza LAX

Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park

NCWP Meeting @ Westchester Municipal Building

Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey

First Friday @ 87th Street & Truxton Ave.

Pancake Breakfast @ Pacific Station 13th Annual Car Show @ Elks Lodge Opening Reception @ Laband Gallery

4 Gateway to Go @ Crowne Plaza LAX

Fiesta @ Centinela Adobe Tango lesson @ LA Turner Center

Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park

Opening Night of “Scream Queens” @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 20)

Playa Vista Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista Environmental Change-Makers @ Holy Nativity Coastal Cleanup @ Ballona Wetlands

10 Matsukaze performance @ LMU

11 Gateway to Go @ Crowne Plaza LAX

18 Gateway to Go @ Crowne Plaza LAX

12 Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey

September 2012

Space Shuttle Endeavour Expected to Land at LAX

15 Playa Vista Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista

Environmental Change-Makers @ Holy Nativity

Faithfully Jazz @ Holy Nativity

Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park

Environmental Change-Makers @ Holy Nativity

19 Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey

23/30

Community Meeting on LAX Draft EIR @ Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet

Last Day to File Paperwork to run for NCWP

22 Playa Vista Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista Garage Sale @ Convenant Presbyterian Church

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

Page 18

September 2012

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

Page 19

Save the Dates...

Westchester’s October Halloween Town Events Saturday, October 27th WESTCHESTER’S 4th ANNUAL HALLOWEEN TOWN FAIR 10:30 am - 4:30 pm

The Westchester Y’s Orcas Swim Team with Coach Robert Higgins (back row left) and Coach West Carter (back row right). PHOTO SUBMITTED BE ELENA TORRES.

Westchester Y’s Orcas complete successful swim season The Westchester Family YMCA Orcas’ swim team has successfully completed their long-course swim season with the Pacific Committee Long Course Championship Meet, which was held at the John C. Argue Swim Stadium in Downtown L.A. in July. In the course of three very long, hot days, 36 team members participated in the preliminary events. With some of the older and experienced swimmers having moved on to high-school or larger teams and with many younger swimmers attending the championship for the first time, it was a tough challenge for the Orcas to keep their competitive advantage, but they fully lived up to it. The high attendance at the meet allowed the team to swim 13 relay races, earning top points for the team. Despite the persistent shortage of boys on the team, Nicholas Scollan, 10, Eeman Motallebi, 8, Trent Rigney, 8, and Alan Torres, 10, teamed together for the first time and won second place in the 7-10 boys 200 freestyle relay, beating some fierce competition, while Liam Baker, 13, Umberto Moreno, 13, Andy Begazo, 13 and Jacob Martin, 14, placed second in the 13-14 boys 200 medley relay. Eight swimmers also placed in the top 16 in various individual events, and thus qualified for the finals. Heat and long hours notwithstanding, two of the team’s youngest swimmers qualified for the finals competing against 10-year-olds and set new

team records in their respective individual events: Leelee Marucci, 7, in 100-meter breaststroke, 100-meter and 50-meter butterfly and Eeman Motallebi, 8, in 100-meter backstroke. Nicholas Scollan, 10, and Alan Torres, 10, received the highest number of individual awards, six each. In all, the swimmers brought home 22 individual awards and 52 relay awards, thus putting the small Westchester Orcas’ team in seventh place out of twentyfour swim teams. In addition to the championship awards, the Orcas’ coaches, West Carter and Robert Higgins, are pleased to recognize two of their outstanding and most improved swimmers of the season: Leelee Marucci, 7, and Alan Torres, 10. In the course of the longcourse season, 7-year-old Marucci broke seven out of ten Westchester YMCA Orcas team records in the 8-and-under-girls age group, most of which had been unchallenged for over six years. Alan Torres broke and improved twice a two-year-old team record in 100-meter butterfly in the 10-and-under-boys age group and was the only swimmer on the team who qualified for the June Invitational Age Group and Junior Olympics meets this summer, successfully competing in four events at each meet. Westchester YMCA Orcas are now looking forward to opening another successful season with their first shortcourse meet at Whittier College in September.

Presented by:

Saturday, October 27th AFTER FAIR FOOD TRUCKS & FUN 6 pm - 10 pm Limo Rides to and from the Haunted House, OTIS and LMU Paradise Building: 9100 Sepulveda Blvd., 90045 More info: www.westchestertowncenter.com or Contact Terry at (310) 994-9904 • terry_oconnor2012@yahoo.com Saturday, October 13th The WTC BID, LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce and OTIS Halloween Window Painting Competition www.laxcoastal.com Friday-Sunday, September 14th through October 20 Kentwood Players The Scream Queens www.kentwoodplayers.com Saturday, October 6th Kentwood Elementary School’s 2012 Retro Prom www.retroprom2012.com

Friday-Sunday, October 19th, 20th & 21st Visitation’s Celebrating Community Carnival Ed Stokx: (310) 480-6116 Friday, October 26 Loyola Marymount University Fright Night Carnival Open to the Community www.lmu.edu October 26th, 27th, 28th & 31st Westchester Parks and Rec Center Haunted House Limo Rides on the 27th to and from the Halloween Town Fair (6 pm -10 pm) 310-670-7473

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Page 20

In Pictures

• your community • your community newspaper • your community • your community newspaper •

Ed Massey Mural unveiling at WNS. Westside Neighborhood School has announced that it has installed artist Ed Massey’s “Syncopation” mural on its campus. Students, parents, faculty and staff are delighted and proud to be at a school with such an exciting, visually stimulating exterior. This vibrant, 7,000 square foot artwork by Ed Massey was originally installed in 2004 at the Culver Plaza Building in Culver City. As the Culver Plaza Building is now scheduled for demolition and redevelopment, the Syncopation panels have been saved and installed on the facade of WNS. The new painting installation is comprised of twenty-foot tall stretched canvases encompassing the central administration building. Brad Zacuto, Head of School explains, “Ed Massey’s project-based approach

Jet to Jetty Volunteers. Boy Scout Troop 716, was just one group of many volunteers that helped make this year’s Jet to Jetty run/walk event a success. This year’s Jet to Jetty took place on August 25th and the event benefits the Airport Marina Counseling Service. Front row from left to right: Jordan Makkar, Luke diPaolo, Spencer Lao and Tyler Wessels. Back row from left to right: John Lao, Mike Guerra, Max Guerra and Wesley Lao. PHOTO BY JOHN LAO.

Want to be “In Pictures?” Email us your photos at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com September 2012

is very closely aligned with how we teach and learn at Westside Neighborhood School. We value and appreciate the process as well as the beauty of this artwork. We are honored to have it displayed on our building facade.” The artwork will be unveiled at a ceremony on September 6, at which time students, parents, teachers and staff will see the artwork on the WNS buildings for the first time. It has been in storage since it was taken down in January. Everyone present will witness the transformation of the exterior of WNS from a neutral looking space to a building making a dynamic, bold and bright statement. WNS states that the new mural is like “a reflection of all the creativity and enthusiasm of the students inside the building and among the many creative enterprises in our surrounding community.”

Scream Queens. Kentwood Players will present the hilarious musical “Scream Queens- The Musical” with book, music and lyrics by Scott Martin from September 14 to October 20, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester. The production is directed by its author Scott Martin with Susan Goldman Weisbarth producing by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. The choreographer is Victoria Miller. A hotel ballroom outside of Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for the International GlamaGore ScreamiCon, an annual convention for fans, collectors and celebrities of the direct-to-video B-movie horror film genre. The special guests this year are six of the sexiest and most popular actresses in the business– collectively known as the Scream Queens. During the show, the Queens read and answer several fan letters, present a “Lifetime Achievement Award” to their favorite horror film personality, and involve the audience in a “screaming contest” and an improvised “Q &A” session. Tickets are $23. To purchase tickets, please visit www.kentwoodplayers.org; PHOTO BY SHARI BARRETT.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

Page 21

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NEWS

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista

September 2012

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

Page 22

Welcome to the Neighborhood

These Fine Properties Coming Soon... North Kentwood remodel with 3BD 2BA, family room Open ﬂoor plan...........$825,000 West Westchester new construction with city views 5BD 6BA, 2 family rooms,......$1,475,000 North Kentwood full ocean view property 2BD, 1BA........$899,000

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Page 23

LAURA & JACK SELL WESTCHESTER & PLAYA DEL REY COMING SOON 28,000 Sq. Ft. Lot in North Kentwood

• Main House 4 bed, 3 bath, master suite, family room & den • 1200 square foot 1 bed, 1 bath apartment • Sparkling pool with party cabana & outdoor kitchen • 4 car garage plus circular drive for additional parking • 17 Fruit and nut trees

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7014 Alverstone Ave. Westchester – $685,000 Spacious ﬁxer– North Kentwood home

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��

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News

Page 24

NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL OF WESTCHESTER / PLAYA Your Chance to Run for Neighborhood Council: Election Set for Oct. 28 The City of Los Angeles has selected Sunday, October 28, 2012, for the next Neighborhood Council of Westchester/ Playa election. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westchester Municipal Building Community Room. About half of the board seats will be on the ballot, and each �� your opportunity to get involved and help your community. Getting your name on the ballot is easy. �� to run. �� empowerla.org/ncwp/nc-of-westchesterplaya-elections/ 3) Submit your form and supporting documentation online, via U.S. mail, email or fax.�� . It’s just that easy!

�� seats 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 ��

By Chris Lynch, NCWP Board Member �� Ruth Baseball had sent only one team to the Babe Ruth World Series – the 2008 13-year-olds. Manager John Lopatto chose �� All-Star team. Last year, as 13-year-olds, the Westchester team had advanced to the Regionals but were eliminated by the eventual World Series champions from Northern California. This year’s journey began, like last year, with Westchester taking the �� Segundo twice. In the championship game, Representing Westchester were: Avery Allen, Cristian Amador, �� Jordan Caines, Reggie Castro, Anthony Chavez, Grant Craddolph, Angel de la Torre, Lawrence (LJ) Gilliam, AJ Inatsugu , Carlos enoute to winning the district title. Jacobo, Matthew Kanfer, Matthew Kaplan, Ethan Lazar, Mario Mo-

rales and Jason Zeidman. The team is managed by John Lopatto, Westchester then swept the Southern California State Tournament by beating teams coached by Alex Galaviz and Barry Craddolph. �� Championship.

�� Series. Westchester kept the momentum and beat Hawaii 4-0 in the afternoon match with the mercury hitting �� Carlos Jacobo was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for World Series-bound Westchester.

��

Town Hall Meeting on LAX Set for September 27

Westchester Babe Ruth Team Nabs Third Place at World Series

�� in one game.

The community will hold a Town Hall meeting to discuss the �� northernmost runway further north. The event will be held ��

�� The moderator will be former State Assemblyman Richard �� and the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa will make a presentation as well. Members of the public will have the opportunity to submit speaker cards and comment.

www.ncwpdr.org September 2012

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey• Playa Vista HomeTown News