Los Feliz Ledger Vol 5. No. 6
Serving the Greater Los Feliz, Silver Lake & Hollywood Hills Area | Distribution 34,500
No Bah Humbug for Tree Lighting Event
SLNC Gives Up Pricey Digs By Ian Lovett Ledger Contributing Writer SILVER LAKE—In response to a citywide 10 percent cut to neighborhood council budgets, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council governing board last month vacated the Rowena Avenue office space it has paid $16,000 annually to rent since 2004. As a result, most of the neighborhood council’s business will now be conducted in Most of the neighborhood council’s business will now be conducted in the Citibank community room on Glendale Blvd., which is available free of charge.
the Citibank community room on Glendale Boulevard, which is available free of charge. “I work in the real estate business, and I know there are a lot of spaces available basically for free,” said board member Clint Lukens who introduced the motion to move. “As a resident, when I looked at the amount of money we were paying for this lease, I wondered why 40 percent of our budget should go towards something that’s not going into the community. It didn’t make sense to keep paying rent.” The city’s Department of see SLNC page 10
Patience Produces Two New SLNC Boardmembers By Ian Lovett Ledger Contributing Writer SILVER LAKE—The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council gained two new governing board members at last month’s meeting. Adam Marvel will represent Region 2, while Michael Masterson will represent Region 7. Both Masterson and Marvel ran unopposed in their respective bids to fill the two vacancies. Masterson, a consultant, has lived in Silver Lake for 21 years, and for the last three years has worked on the Silver Lake see SLNC BOARD page 8
December 2009
By Lory Tatoulian Ledger Contributing Writer
friendliness and fear,” said Kenneth Owen, Chair of the PZHP committee, adding that they “don’t do anything useful.” The GGPNC was not in agreement about the decision to recommend a denial, however, with some members expressing concerns that the final verdict was overly harsh. “The GGPNC’s decision essentially recommends she either rebuilds or relocates,” said Mark Mauceri, GGPNC board member, in an e-mail.
ATWATER VILLAGE—After a near cancellation due to a lack of funds and volunteer support, the Atwater Village annual tree lighting ceremony and the holiday decoration of Glendale Boulevard will proceed this year as planned. Both the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council (AVNC) and the Atwater Village Chamber of Commerce were able to secure enough volunteers to decorate Atwater’s main commercial thoroughfare and continue the tree lighting event, which began 18 years ago by Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge’s wife, Brigid. In previous years, former Chairman for the (AVNC) Mark Newman-Kuzel was able to secure up to $8,000 dollars in donations from friends and local merchants for the tree lighting festivities. Due to his resignation 3 months ago, funds for the ceremony were considerably less this year. Dana Schwartz, OpenAir Productions, will donate her time to plan the event. “I wanted to create an open
see ACTRESS page 9
see TREE page 9
Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge presented the new Silver Lake Public Library with copies of several of his favorite books as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council President Eric Garcetti and Senior Librarian Melissa Potter, look on. The new library, at Glendale and Silver Lake boulevards was finished on time and under budget and is the first LAPL branch to use an automated book check-in system.
City Cuts Squeeze NC Elections By Ian Lovett Ledger Contributing Writer SILVER LAKE—Silver Lake Neighborhood Council board elections will be Sat., March 20, 2010 at the Silver Lake Recreation Center, according to the Los Angeles City Clerk’s office. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Next year’s neighborhood council elections—scattered from March until June next year—will, for the first time, see ELECTIONS page 18
Actress Seeks Exemption From Property Wall Limitations By Jessica Ogilvie, Ledger Contributing Writer LOS FELIZ—Actress Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice), a recent transplant to Los Feliz, has requested permission to maintain walls and hedges in front of her property that are not in compliance with height restrictions for homes in the neighborhood. The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council’s (GGPNC) Planning, Zoning and Historic Preservation (PZHP) committee has recommended the city deny her request. “Walls give a feeling of un-
BID Responds To Election Criticism By Jessica Ogilvie, Ledger Contributing Writer LOS FELIZ—In the midst of ongoing discussions regarding how to best deliver ballots to fee-paying members, the Los Feliz Village BID (LFVBID) board finalized a list of candidates for its upcoming board member election, and ballots were mailed Nov. 16th. The election will determine who takes empty seats on the LFVBID board. On the ballot to date are Tony Fanara, Laura Springer, Chris Serrano, Ermanno Neiviller, Teddy Chambers, Dana Premer and Nina Fayad. According to Dora Herrera, owner of Yuca’s and member of the LFVBID election committee, the LFVBID has a flexible number of members that it
must maintain. Depending on how many candidates are on the final ballot, the board may seat between five and seven new people. Recently, the LFVBID has been accused of a lack of transparency and inadequate effort to keep the 250-plus fee-paying members—all local businesses—abreast of their activities, including elections. To ensure that all members were aware of the upcoming election and had the opportunity to run should they choose to do so, the LFVBID board made several public announcements about the election. With a candidate deadline of Nov. 13th, it was first ansee BID ELECTION page 4
OUR HISTORY IN PHOTOS: The Los Feliz Improvement Association’s annual Photo Day—to collect old community photos—will be held Dec. 5th at the Los Feliz Library, 1874 Hillhurst Ave., from 2-5 p.m. Pictured here: Ambrose Terrace kids pose for a neighborhood photo circa 1950. Donated to the LFIA by Andrew Quarress.
Los Feliz Ledger [letter from the publisher] This month, we introduce Tara de Lis as our new Wine and Spirits columnist. Tara fills the very large shoes of Chris Rubin, who wrote this column until his death last year. Already, in this first submission, Tara introduces a new idea by way of wine and spirits for this holiday season, beer. Check it out on page 19.
After Chris’s death, the wine and spirits column was covered, in the interim, by my friend: Silver Lake resident Paul Hickey. Paul recently told me he over dinner that he and his wife Mary have ripped out their lawn and replaced it with an environmentally friendly turf. “That’s a good story,” I said to Paul. And the next morning there it was in my inbox and it is now on page 27 for you to read.
That’s what I love about being a journalist. There is always a good story just around the corner. Please e-mail me with your story ideas. We love hearing from our readers. Next month, we will have our annual year in review of stories and forecast reports from the Los Feliz Village Business Improvement District, the Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce and Real Estate. Until then, happy holidays!
Happy New Year Happenings Edited by Oliver Gettell, Ledger Calendar Writer
Giant Hotel This year Giant celebrates New Year’s at the iconic Westin Bonaventure Hotel. The gleaming glass towers, impressive indoor ballrooms and central atrium will provide a unique backdrop for sets by electronic-music duo the Crystal Method, trance group Above and Beyond, DJ Kaskade, and more. Guests who book a two-night stay (New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day) will receive complimentary access to Giant’s DeCompression New Year’s Day event at the hotel’s Lakeside Lobby Bar and Lounge. General admission tickets are $65, VIP tickets $165 (hotel rooms booked separately). The event is 21 and over. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Thurs., Dec. 31st, 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., and Fri., Jan. 1st, 9 p.m. 404 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. Information: (323) 464-7373; www. gianthotel.com New Year’s Eve at the Kress This multilevel art-deco-styled restaurant and club will feature DJs, dancing, a balloon drop, party favors, an open bar and a midnight Champagne toast. Special guest performers are to be announced. VIP tickets will provide access to
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the dramatic rooftop lounge with panoramic views of Los Angeles. General admission tickets are $125 ($95 before Sat., Dec. 5th), VIP tickets $200 ($140 before Dec. 5th). The event is 21 and over. The Kress, Thurs., Dec. 31st, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. 6608 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Information: (323) 785-5000; www. thekress.net New Year’s Eve Dinner and Gala at the Biltmore The Biltmore’s elegant New Year’s celebration offers two dinner options—a four-course menu at the Rendezvous Court ($99) or a buffet of Asian small plates at Sai Sai ($89)—and a gala at the historic Crystal Ballroom. The gala will feature a DJ and live band, plus a midnight Champagne toast with a shower of balloons from the ceiling. Dinner includes tickets to the gala; standalone gala tickets are $50. The event is 21 and over. Formal attire. Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Thurs., Dec., 31st, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. 506 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Information: (213) 612-1523; www. millenniumhotels.com New Year’s Eve With Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Swing in the new year with local
hepcats Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. The seven-man group plays a mix of jazz, swing, Dixieland and bigband music, and earlier this year released the album How Big Can You Get?, a tribute to Cab Calloway. The band will perform two shows on New Year’s Eve. Tickets range from $60 to $175. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Thurs., Dec. 31st, 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Information: (323) 850-2000; www. laphil.com
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Rose Parade 2010 The 121st annual Rose Parade will again delight audiences of all ages with marching bands from across the nation, high-stepping equestrian groups and the parade’s famous flower-covered floats. Curbside camping along the parade route will be allowed starting Thurs., Dec. 31st, at noon. Related Tournament of Roses events include Equestfest (Tues., Dec. 29th), Bandfest (Tues., Dec. 29th and Wed., Dec. 30th) and the Rose Bowl Game (Fri., Jan. 1st). Fri., Jan. 1st, 8 a.m. Along Orange Grove Blvd., Colorado Blvd. and Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena. Information: (626) 449-4100; www. tournamentofroses.com
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December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger [roving reporter]
What Are You Doing for New Year’s? By Jennifer Haning Ledger Contributing Writer “I am going to celebrate British style. I’ll be in London for the holiday season this year.” – Kate Landry, Finley Avenue, Los Feliz
“I am going to be at the Vanguard in Hollywood. I went there last year with some friends and it was awesome. The music was great, the drinks were great – and I expect nothing less for New Year’s Eve 2010.” – Jesse Valdez, Rowena Avenue, Atwater Village
“I am traveling back home to Missouri for Christmas and will probably just meet up with old friends. As long as I’m in good company I really don’t care where I spend the New Year.” – Liz Richardson, Normandie Ave, Los Feliz
“I think I’ll be attending a New Year’s Eve bash in downtown L.A. My girlfriends and I will probably party all night long and celebrate the passing of a terrific year with the hopes of making 2010 even better!” – Lexi Carter, Virgil Avenue, Silver Lake
Long-Time GGPNC Board Member Resigns By Jessica Ogilvie Ledger Contributing Writer [ POLICE BLOTTER DECEMBER 2009 ] From Oct. 14, 2009 to Nov. 11, 2009 Burglary (Property) Robbery (Violent) Aggravated Assault
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Burglary (Property) Los Feliz Oct. 15th, 10:00 p.m. on the 1700 block of N. Kenmore Ave.; Oct. 20th, 12:00 p.m. on the 1600 block of N. Kenmore Ave.; Oct. 30th, 10:40 a.m. on the 3900 block of Los Feliz Blvd.; Nov. 2nd, 7:30 p.m. on the 4600 block of Los Feliz Blvd., and Nov. 9th, 9:15 a.m. on the 1900 block of N. Edgemont St. Atwater Village Oct. 16th, 7:30 a.m. on the 2200 block of Glendale Blvd; Oct. 19th, 12:30 p.m. on the 3300 block of Onwoner Ave., Oct. 25th, 9:00 p.m. on the 3100 block of Glendale Blvd., Oct. 29th, 5:00 a.m. on the 3100 block of Tyburn St.; Oct. 30th, 12:05 p.m. on the 3200 block of Onwoner Ave. and 12:20 p.m. on the 2600 block of Glendale Blvd. Silver Lake Oct. 22nd, 4:30 p.m. on the 2400 block of Lyric Ave.; Oct. 23rd, 1:45 p.m. on the 2000 block of N Berendo St.; and 8:00 p.m. on the 1300 block of
December 2009
N. Hoover St.; Oct. 27th, 9:00 a.m. on the 1000 block of Hyperion Ave., Nov. 4th, 10:40 a.m. on the 1800 block of Silverwood Tr.; Nov. 6th, 4:00 p.m. on the 2500 block of Lake View Ave., and Nov.7th, 5:30 p.m. on the intersection of Silver Lake Blvd. and Duane Ave. Robbery (Violent) Los Feliz October 14th, 9:30 p.m. on the 1700 block of N Vermont Ave.; Oct. 17th, 9:00 p.m. on the 2000 block of N Oxford Ave,; Oct. 23rd, 9:40 a.m. on the 1500 block of N Vermont Ave.; Oct. 30th, 9:00 p.m. on the 1600 block of N Vermont Ave.; and 11:55 p.m. at the intersection of Hillhurst and Melbourne.; Oct. 31st, 6:00 p.m. on the 4600 block of Hollywood Blvd.; Nov. 2nd, 6:10 p.m. on the 2900 block of Los Feliz Blvd.; Nov. 9th, 7:00 p.m. on the 1000 block of N Vermont Ave.; and Nov. 10th, 4:00 p.m. on the 1100 block of N Vermont Ave. Silver Lake Oct. 22nd, 4:00 a.m. on the 700 block of Heliotrope Dr.; Oct. 25th, 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Virgil and Burns and 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of Talmadge and Clayton.
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GGPNC Forms Public Safety Committee The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC) has formed a new public safety committee, designed to address such crime prevention, disaster preparedness and youth safety. Local attorney Dan Sandman has volunteered as chairman and was appointed by the GGPNC executive committee in late October. The committee is looking for additional members. “We want as many people in the community to participate as possible to be neighborhood watch captains,” said Sandman. The committee’s next meeting is Wed., Dec. 2nd, 6:30 p.m. at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church in Los Feliz. Information, contact Dan Sandman at dsandman@ggpnc.org and visit ggpnc.org/publicsafety for updated info and crime alerts.
Applications for GGPNC Election Start Dec. 21 The application period for candidates wishing to run for a seat on the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council will begin on Dec. 21st and run through Jan. 19, 2010. Late-comers can also consider being a write-in candidate. The deadline to file for that status is: Jan. 20th through Feb. 18th. The council’s election will be Sat. Mar. 20th. Ten seats are up for grabs. For information: www.GGPNC.org Advertise in the
Los Feliz Ledger (323) 667-9897
LOS FELIZ—Citing personal and business reasons, Philip Gasteier, longtime member of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC) board, has resigned. Gasteier served on the GGPNC board from 2004 – 2009, and as the Board President from August 2008 until September 2009. During his tenure, he served on the formation committee for the neighborhood councils, and was responsible for helping to write the GGPNC bylaws. He will be succeeded as President by Charley Mims, who was appointed to the position on Sept. 15. At a recent board meeting, Mims took time out to praise the outgoing President. “Phil did terrific work,” said Mims. “He has been a steady influence during his tenure at the GGPNC and he will be missed.” COMMUNITY NEWS
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Los Feliz Ledger BID ELECTION from page 1
nounced publicly in the Los Feliz Ledger on Oct. 3rd. A newsletter mailed Nov. 6th to 230 local business owners also included election information, and following that, an e-mail was sent Nov. 9th to 76 business owners, a list which represents those businesses for which the LFVBID has email contact information. Despite these efforts, a formal process for distributing information to fee-paying members is not in place. This constitutes what some members see as an oversight in communication between the board and its members, and has raised concerns. “[The communication] is very spotty,” said Barbara Ferris, a local business owner and member of the BID and who spearheaded a “Get Rid of the Bid” movement in early 2009. “It’s very hit and
miss, there doesn’t seem to be any system there.” Adding to the mistrust between board members and constituents this year was the revelation that BID board members had asked friends and acquaintances to run for board seats. But board members, who all act on a volunteer basis, cite frustration over their workload, and a public that is eager to complain yet reluctant to help. “I hope the business community can see we are doing the best we can with the manpower that we have,” said Heather Arndt, owner of Happy and a member of the election committee on the BID board. “We are all volunteers, and if people want to help, they can.” Arndt also denied that preferential treatment played a role in which members were approached to run. “The BID is asking everybody to run,” she said. “Even
with the article in the Ledger, the newsletter and the e-mail we haven’t gotten any response. If there’s any push [in person], it’s for lack of anyone else responding.” At their Oct. 21st meeting, BID board members openly struggled with the question of how to best distribute information to members, and were unable to come to an agreement that suited all present. While communications have traditionally been hand-delivered or mailed, some board members pushed heavily for a move to electronic distribution. “The entire world is electronic,” said Jonathan Sample, LFVBID board member. Until formal procedures are put in place, fee-paying members will continue to receive communication from the LFVBID by mail, by hand and occasionally by e-mail, including election materials. The ballots were due back to the LFVBID board by Nov. 25th. Following their collection, votes will be tabulated and new board members will be announced. No date for either has yet been made public.
AVNC Election Set for March 20th By Lory Tatoulian Ledger Contributing Writer ATWATER VILLAGE—Atwater Village Neighborhood Council (AVNC) elections will be March 20th, 2010, according to Stella Yun, project coordinator for the Los Angles City Clerk’s Election Division. A total of 15 seats are open for the election and three special interest seats will be appointed. Current (AVNC) board member, Jenny Hoffman, will serve as election chairperson. The filing period for candidates interested in running begins Dec. 21. The AVNC board, at a recent board meeting, discussed ways to get out the vote, stressing the importance of community involvement. “If we can get several hundred people to come out and vote and say we matter, we will have some influence when the city wants to do things to us that we don’t like,” (AVNC) Co-Chair Leonora GershmanPitts said.
Happy New Year!! from the
Los Feliz Ledger Page 4
COMMUNITY NEWS
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December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger
by Emmett Mathison At The Oaks School we have recently been taking the ERB’s. These tests are for students at lower schools and secondary schools and are similar to the public school’s STAR tests. Although they are important, I don’t think it is something that students should be too worried about. “For most schools, they pay more attention to who you are, not how you test,� said Declan Jacobs, an Oaks 6th grader. This is the basic idea of what most students and teachers say about the ERBs. The 6th graders have also been preparing for the ISEEs (Independent School Entrance Exam). Not unlike the ERBs, the ISEEs are also one of many things secondary schools consider. “I think it’s important to keep the tests in perspective,� says Joan Beauregard, our interim head of school. “A very bright child could miss a question, or be having a bad day, but that should not decide their future.�
[micheltorena]
Our Community Field Trip By Jessica Gutierrez, 4th Grade Micheltorena Street School’s 4th grade classes recently went to Fire Station 20 in Echo Park, because they’ve been studying about “Risks
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SCHOOL NEWS
Ms. Ralph’s 7th grade health classes go to the garden every Tuesday. We tend the plants, fertilize them, and once we played a game where we have to find a plant according to the scent of the leaf. Meg made us apple pie using an all black solar oven (using no electricity) using organic, green apples. We learned that worms are decomposers and that they aren’t male or female, they are hermaphrodites. We learned how to make squash soup, mint lemonade, a basil orange drink and yummy salsa, and all the scraps we put in the compost bins. We have two compost bins with worms in them. When the bins get full we use the compost to fertilize our plants.
HOLIDAY SMILE SPECIAL!
School hosts its open house beginning at 1 p.m. Our Christmas Concert on Dec. 16th is a great family program in which students in the choir, dance and drama classes perform their rehearsed pieces. To add to the Christmas festivities, the Genesians Club hosts the school’s Christmas program filled with holiday cheer on the last day of school, Dec. 18th. That evening—one of the most elegant gatherings of the year—our Winter Formal, takes place at the Omni Hotel downtown. To end the night, students return home and celebrate winter holidays with their families for two weeks. May the spirit of the holidays be with all!
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By Paulina Lopez, 7th grade student At our school, there is a new garden called Farm King. Classes can go to the garden to plant, compost, mulch, learn about insects, and do other interesting activities. Tomas Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Grady, Brian Miller, Kiki Crawford, and Meg Taylor volunteer to teach and help us in the garden.
December abounds with festivities for st udent s, as well as plenty of opportunities for prospective students interested in Immaculate Heart. We will have a prospective student open house, at 1 p.m. on Sun., Dec. 6th. The event is a chance for 8th graders and their families to become more familiar with Immaculate Heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus, curriculum and faculty. Additionally, our entrance exam for high school admission and merit scholarships will be Dec. 12th from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The following day, Dec. 13th, the Immaculate Heart Middle
We are a knowledgeable, caring & friendly dental office. We are here to listen to your needs.
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HEALTHY TEETH AND GUMS FOR A LIFETIME
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and Consequences.â&#x20AC;? Firefighters do their job because they find the work very rewarding. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just work with fire. They sometimes work around dropped power lines after windstorms. Those lines are just as dangerous as fires. Students learned that different materials burning cause different colors of smoke. Wildfire smoke is usually white in color and houses or buildings are usually brown. The students learned that at Station 20, firefighters have a handball and basketball court which helps their fitness. And they have a classroom for their special classes. They also learned that fire engines cost over $400,000 each and are used for 20 years. If you ever see a firefighter wearing an orange helmet you know that he is special. The person that wears the orange helmet is the Captain for that day!
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December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger
New Episcopal School Announced Administrators have announced the new Episcopal School of Los Angeles will open in Sept. 2010 with 7th and 9th grade classes of 25 students each. Each year, two grade levels will be added to the student body, with the school’s first graduating class in 2014. A location for the new school is currently being secured. According to school officials, Koreatown will be its temporary location with longterm space being sought in Hollywood. The school hopes to draw families from all over the greater Los Angeles area. Admissions interviews will continue through January. The school day will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. According to school officials, the longer school day will ensure that each student, regardless of background or circumstance, will have the opportunity to excel in his or her academic work. For more information: www.es-la.com
[Ivanhoe Elementary]
Holidays at Ivanhoe By Luca Herman, 4th Grade At Ivanhoe, the holiday season is in full swing. On Oct. 24th we hosted the “IvanHoeDown,” our annual Halloween celebration. There were lots of fun games like sponge toss, great prizes, live bands, and an amazing haunted house. In December, Ivanhoe celebrates the end of the year with a traditional winter program. Each grade performs two songs. We are starting rehearsals and will work on costumes soon. Last year, Ivanhoe launched its first on-line student newspaper called Dragon News. Its interviews, reviews and articles have been written, edited, produced and published entirely by Ivanhoe students. The editors of this year’s Dragon News are Genevieve Nollinger and Hanna Barakat. Go to www.ivanhoeschool.org to see the latest edition. Dragon Football team update: On Oct. 31st, the Ivanhoe Dragons took 4th place in the citywide championship. In the last issue of the Los Feliz Ledger, two of our football players’ names were omitted: Adrian Reyes and Alex Demirdjian.
[lycee international]
[pilgrim school]
Learning About Careers and Giving
Go LILA Lions! By Théo Grison, 6th grade
By Michael Wong, 7th Grade Here at Pilgrim School we have had loads of fun. Career Day was very enjoyable. Thank you, Mrs. Allison Cohen Ferraro for telling us about your paper! We also learned about other people’s professions such as acting, being a lawyer, a doctor—a Pilgrim graduate—and editing a TV show. In November we raised funds through our Reada-Thon for new library books. Soon, we will have a high school Christmas dance and an all-school Christmas program in the beautiful First Church sanctuary. There will be dances, songs, our band will perform and also hand chimes. We are “adopting” Commonwealth Elementary School for Christmas to provide students with school supplies, books, clothing and other gifts. Most of these kids live below the poverty line, so this is for a good cause.
“Goal!” For seven Saturdays since September, our LILA Lions U-12 boys soccer team has been hearing this word quite often. We are currently undefeated in our division in the West Valley Soccer League. With three more games to go before the playoffs, we know that we need to keep working hard in order to make it to the finals. Being a LILA Lion means that we learn to live and compete honorably; to be committed and respectful; to demon-
strate and demand integrity; and to be gracious in victory and to accept defeat in dignity. It is exciting to be a LILA Lion. Last year, our high school boys basketball team played in a special game at the Staples Center before a Clippers game and won. Last year, our U-12 soccer team won the league championship and played an international youth tournament in France. It is a privilege to be a LILA Lion. We have to act responsibly and keep up our schoolwork. I am very proud to be a LILA Lion.
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SCHOOL NEWS
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Los Feliz Ledger SLNC BOARD from page 1
History Collective, a neighborhood council committee. “I’m interested in joining the board because I’d like to give something back to the neighborhood that’s given me so much,” Masterson said. “I’m focused on preservation issues, as well as controlled development and quality-of-life issues.”
Marvel, an actor, freelance writer, and political consultant, has a career working on political campaigns—both in Idaho, where he grew up, and throughout Los Angeles County. “I grew up around local politics, and it was natural to fall into it again when I moved out here,” Marvel said. “Since I’m representing a specific area, I’m hoping to help generate a
St. James’ Episcopal School For Preschool through Grade Six in the Heart of Los Angeles
Admission Open House January 6, 2010, 9:45 a.m.
R.S.V.P. to 213-233-0133 x306 625 S. St. Andrews Place Los Angeles, CA 90005 admissions@sjsla.org www.sjsla.org
little more civic engagement from that part of the council district. Traditionally, Region 2 [in the southern portion of the district] has been a low turnout area, especially with the neighborhood council.” Neighborhood council cochair Paul Neuman said vacancies were not uncommon on neighborhood council boards across the city. For several months, in fact, Neuman served as the board’s only co-chair, after the other co-chair resigned. “Vacancies are just not that rare,” Neuman said. “Many neighborhood councils do not have full boards. It is a volunteer council, and often people have been on the board for a long time, and they burn out, or other things come up in their lives. We’ve filled all our vacancies with some very good people, which bodes very well for the election coming up in March.” In addition to the two new board members, the council also elected new executive committee officers at their November meeting. Scott Crawford was elected to serve as co-chair with Neuman, who was reelected to serve another term. Claudia Vazquez was elected Vice-Chair, while Crissi Avila was reelected as Treasurer and Steve Renahan reelected Secretary.
If Pilgrim School Is At The Top Of Your List, You’ve Done Your Homework.
OPEN HOUSE
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 6:00 pm P RESCHO OL T HRO UGH GRADE 12 5 4 0 S . C O M M O N W E A LT H AV E N U E s L O S A N G E L E S , C A L I F O R N I A w w w. p i l g r i m - s c h o o l . o r g s ( 2 1 3 ) 3 5 5 - 5 2 0 4
90020
Pilgrim School is a division of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles
Page 8
www.losfelizledger.com
December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger ACTRESS from page 1
â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s] a hard line that I found unfair.â&#x20AC;? Walsh made the request when photos of her at home, taken without her permission, surfaced on the Internet. With the intention of keeping paparazzi from repeated invasions of her privacy, she applied for permission to put a hedge in place that would reach 10 to 12 feet. The Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) limits wall and fence height to 3 feet and 6 inches. A representative of Walshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first filed an application on her behalf for exemption to the over-height wall regulation in April of this year, and a copy was filed with the GGPNC as well. At a public hearing on Oct. 13th, Walshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case was presented to the Zoning Administrator, and on the following evening, the case was again presented to the GGPNCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Planning, Zoning and Historic Preservation (PZHP) committee. Residents of Walshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quiet residential block spoke out against the proposed walls at the Oct. 14th meeting, making clear that their concern lies less with the personal problems of their celebrity neighbor and
more with local safety. Edmond Stephan, Lorelei Young, Florence Rossie, and Gilbert Rossie, all neighbors of Walshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, claimed that the hedge presents a major obstacle in viewing the sidewalk, and put pedestrians in danger. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[The hedge] blocks our view from seeing the traffic when we come out of our driveway,â&#x20AC;? said Gilbert Rossie in a later interview. Rossie, who has lived in the same house for 43 years, added that problems like this rarely arise in the neighborhood. Restrictions on wall height were originally put in place to preserve an open and well-landscaped aesthetic in the neighborhood. The GGPNCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oct. 26th letter to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Zoning Administratorâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; drafted by Owen, and signed by Charley Mims, GGPNC Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;cites this tradition as its chief reason for recommending that Walshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request be denied. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The street remains generally an open, spacious street with no authorized variation granted,â&#x20AC;? the letter states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and the GGPNC board believes it should remain so.â&#x20AC;? The Oct. 26th letter also suggests that by permitting one resident to bend the rules without good cause, the city
would set a dangerous precedent. Additionally, the committee determined that the needs of the current resident donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t qualify as a reason to alter the landscape of the neighborhood. To address the concerns of her neighbors, Walsh and her advocates have suggested that a small triangle be cut in the hedge, which would allow neighbors to see the sidewalk when pulling out of the driveway. The GGPNC, as well as the neighbors, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see that as a sufficient solution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The cutting of a hedge in a triangle would of course reduce the risk of a car exiting the drive way immediately to the north of hitting a runner, bicyclist or pedestrian,â&#x20AC;? said Owen in an e-mail. But, he added, it â&#x20AC;&#x153;does not address the issue of safety to users of the sidewalk from cars exitingâ&#x20AC;? other nearby properties, or the property itself. Neither Walsh nor her representation would provide comment. The PZHP committee has submitted their recommendation to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Zoning Administrator, who will make the final decision regarding the request. According to Owen, the decision could take up to three months.
TREE from page 1
house feel and have the Village come together to celebrate the season,â&#x20AC;? Schwartz said. The event is also designed to drum up business along the boulevard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we are trying to do is make this a family and merchant oriented event,â&#x20AC;? AVNC Co-Chair Leonora Gershman-Pitts said.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This way people will get to know the merchants and the shops will get to promote their business.â&#x20AC;? Festivities are set to begin at 4 p.m. on December 4th, with the main tree lighting ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Parking Lot (3250 Glendale Blvd.)
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[Eastside Eye]
2009: The Year In Art By Kathy A. McDonald, Ledger Columnist 2009 was a great year for the visual arts in-and-around Los Feliz and Silver Lake. One of the privileges of writing this column is getting to experience so much inspiring art and share it with readers. Follows
are my favorites and a look forward to 2010. The completion of the Silver Lake Reservoirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s walking path opened up marvelous vistas. As the path is generously set back from the street, now
McAlmon House by Rudolf Schindler from MAK tour.
December 2009
www.losfelizledger.com
the row of Richard Neutra-designed homes that front Silver Lake Boulevard and his former residence, are more clearly visible. If you stop on the path in front of Neutraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residence and look west, John Lautnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Silver Top is clearly in viewâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an incredible modernist moment. In October, the MAK Center at West Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Schindler House organized a self-guided tour of other modernist homes in the area including Gregory Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forward thinking Avenal Homes Cooperative and Rudolph Schindlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1935-built McAlmon House. Recent projects follow in that modernist tradition: architecture firm M2Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Silver Lake Library and the Auburn 7 town houses on Auburn Street at Waverly Drive. Two new public events enlivened local weekends this year: Silver Lake Wineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Friday summer afternoon wine tastings on the west lawn of Frank Lloyd Wrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hollyhock House attracted thousands of new visitors to Olive Hill and Barnsdall Art Park. Many had their first close-up view of the house, the only Wright-designed home open to the public in Los Angeles.
Silver Lake Art Craft & Vintage, brought a neighborhood flea market to Sunset Boulevard and its new Sunday location at the Citibank parking lot on Glendale Blvd. As a sometime vendor of pop culture artifacts and curiosities, my customers have been an eclectic bunchâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;many area artists, musicians, crafters and even some foreign tourists. Visual art abounds: look no further than the many colorful murals that dot the
Art walks are an easy way to check out the scene: the NELA Art Walk (second Saturday of the month) opens the galleries of Highland Park and Northeast L.A. My favorite: the MorYork Gallery on York Blvd. that features artist Clare Grahamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s astonishing sculptures created from discarded items like bottle caps, buttons and Scrabble tiles. In 2010, new exhibits devoted to Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ecosystems will open at the California
Muralist on Sunset Boulevard.
neighborhood such as those on Sunset Boulevard decorating the Micheltorena St. Elementary Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wall and the black-and-white mural, complete with â&#x20AC;&#x153;the walking man,â&#x20AC;? just outside the restaurant Local by artist Nicky Gagliarducci.
Science Center as will the remodeled Natural History Museum with an expanded kid-orientated Discovery Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;sure to be intriguing additions to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vibrant cultural scene, much of which emanates from our creative corner. Page 9
Los Feliz Ledger slnc from page 1
Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) exercises little authority over the city’s 89 neighborhood council budgets. “The majority of neighborhood councils don’t spend much on administrative costs, and as a general guideline, we suggest 10 percent or so,” said DONE General Manager BongHwan Kim. “We think the neighborhood councils should be able to determine how best to use the public funds. Short of using the money illegally, they can use the funds for whatever fits the needs of their particular community.” Kim’s reference is to the recent acknowledgement that six other neighborhood councils have had treasurers who allegedly have embezzled funds. As a result, Kim said, DONE is considering several policy changes to prevent illegal use of neighborhood council funds in the future, like requiring governing boards to approve their financial statements and fingerprinting treasurers to check for criminal records. But the overall financial independence of the neighborhood councils will remain unchanged, he said. Last year, the Silver Lake
council came within one vote of moving to cheaper grounds. This year, however, the vote— taken Oct. 29th—was unanimous, with one abstention. “In the past, there was a sense that the office space seemed like a big financial hit, but also affordable,” said governing board co-chair Paul Neuman. “Now with the budget crisis, we don’t know how much money we’re going to have. There’s been a drop in real estate prices in many areas, and there was a sense that we shouldn’t be paying this much, given the economy.” Rusty Millar, who has served on the council’s board since it formed in 2003, defended the council’s decision to retain the office the past five years. One reason was that the office was compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) that requires handicap access for public spaces. “There have always been concerns about the cost and the location of the office,” Millar said. “I think that this opportunity to use the Citibank space is good. The office was a big expense, and we want to use the money for something else.” All neighborhood council’s budgets were cut this year from $50,000 to $45,000.
Los Feliz Ledger your School News to:
Send the
acohen@losfelizledger.com
Flintridge Preparatory School
Admissions Open House December 6, 2009 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 4543 Crown Avenue La Cañada, CA 91011 818.790.1178 Coeducational Grades 7-12
Sunday, December 6, 2009 between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, Flintridge Prep will hold its Open House, allowing your family to meet Flintridge Prep’s students, faculty and coaches as you visit our campus. The Headmaster will speak and answer questions in the auditorium at 1:15 pm and 2:15 pm. Reservations are not required. With an average Upper School class size of 14 to a room, Flintridge Prep offers one of the most intimate academic settings in Southern California. Flintridge Prep is equally committed to a school experience that values the human development of the adolescent in an increasingly complex and competitive world.
the
A LIVING ART TRADITION of Now through May 30, 2010
NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETRY
Presenting over 250 baskets selected from the world’s largest collection of Native American basketry This remarkable exhibition features Native American baskets from 11 different regions, representing more than 100 cultures, from across North America. Ranging in size from small Pomo feather baskets to massive Apache ollas, you will see how the materials, techniques, and designs vary regionally, as do the distinctive styles of individual artists. This display of historic and contemporary baskets, combined with multimedia elements, tells the story of a living art through the voices of the weavers themselves.
Anna J. Moore Brad Lemons Foundation Mark C. Lemons Foundation
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 . TheAutry.org
Page 10
Image: Lidded basket, Chitimacha, late 19th century. Clara Darden (1800-1910). The Caroline Boeing Poole Collection, Southwest Museum of the American Indian, Autry National Center; 811.G.1082A&B
www.losfelizledger.com
December 2009
WK $118$/ /$':3
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just wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be the holidays without the Los Angeles Department of Water and Powerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Light Festival. Bring the family and enjoy this annual tradition now in its 14th year. See tens of thousands of holiday lights in festive displays showcasing the uniqueness of the City of Los Angeles all using energy efďŹ cient LEDs. The Holiday Light Festival in GrifďŹ th Park is open every evening from December 3 through 30 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
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'HFHPEHU Bicyclists can preview the festival on Thursday, December 3rd from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Parking will be available at the LA Zoo.
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'HFHPEHU The festival will be walking only from December 4th through 17th. There will be no cars on the route on these nights. Visitors on â&#x20AC;&#x153;vehicle freeâ&#x20AC;? nights can enter from Zoo Drive. Parking will be available at the LA Zoo. Parking is on a ďŹ rst
come, ďŹ rst served basis. The route is one-mile in each direction, so wear comfortable shoes and dress warmly.
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'HFHPEHU Come celebrate The Holidays at a mini fair on December 11, 12 and 13 during festival hours. Visit informational booths to learn about family activities in LA, receive tips on ways to go green at home and more.
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'HFHPEHU The festival will be open for vehicles and pedestrians. Vehicles may enter from Los Feliz. Shuttles will also be available on December 18-30. Shuttle users may park at the LA Zoo parking lot. This one-mile celebration of energy efďŹ cient twinkling lights and music has become an LA tradition. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss this once-a-year event.
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As a covered entity, under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, service and activities. For additional information, call (213) 485-6334
Los Feliz Ledger [people in my neighborhood]
The Guildhouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Margaret Freed By Colleen Paeff, Ledger Contributing Writer Barlow Respiratory Hospital, next to Dodger Stadium in Elysian Park, is a long-term, acute care hospital with an internationally recognized success rate for weaning patients from ventilators. Margaret Freed, 94, has been a volunteer at the hospital for 62 years, but her association with Barlow extends all the way back to 1935. In 1935 Freed was working as a nurse at County Hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;now USC Medical Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;when one of her patients was transferred to the Barlow Sanatorium. (The sanatorium became Barlow Respiratory Hospital in 1989.) â&#x20AC;&#x153;I used to come visit him as a friend,â&#x20AC;? Freed said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Then it just kept going.â&#x20AC;? Margaret and Dr. Arnold Freed were married in 1938, three days after Dr. Freedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s release from the hospital. Dr. Freed, a pulmonologist, became the Asst. Resident Physician at Barlow in 1944 and later became the hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief of Staff. Margaret Freed continued her nursing career, but worked with her husband to raise funds for Barlow as well. Initially, she ran a small gift shop inside the hospital. Then, after closing the gift shop, she coordinated a yearly Christmas Bazaar. But Freed wanted a permanent location, outside the hospital, that could bring in
other countries. Since the gift shop is entirely run by volunteers, prices are low. To date, the Guildhouse
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funds all year long. In 1975, she found it in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Help Home,â&#x20AC;? an abandoned dormitory building that had housed some of the hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen staff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was full of junk,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was an autopsy table in front of the fire placeâ&#x20AC;Śsome of the doctors thought I was absolutely out of my mind.â&#x20AC;? But, Freed persevered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take any of the walls down because they were load-bearing,â&#x20AC;? she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;so we decided each room would be a separate little shop.â&#x20AC;? And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how the Guildhouse remains today. There is a doll room with one-of-akind handmade dolls, a glass roomâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;ablaze with rainbows from crystals hanging in the windowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a jewelry room, a garden room, an entire floor of Christmas decorations (open during the Winter holidays), and more. With the help of her granddaughter, Amy Poulos, Freed keeps the Guildhouse shelves lined with artisan crafts from Peru, Poland, Kenya, Russia, China, Egypt, the USA and
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wards buying new beds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eventually Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to give this up,â&#x20AC;? Freed said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OK for the time being.â&#x20AC;?
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2650 Griffith Park Blvd. Suite A, Los Angeles, CA 90039
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11/19/09 8:59:39 PM December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger
Hope all your news is good in 2010!
Happy New Year from the
Los Feliz Ledger
The staff of the Los Feliz Ledger wishes all a wonderful and safe holiday season! Pictured here are some of your favorites: (left to right, front row): Senior Moments’ Stephanie Vendig, Around My Neighborhood’s Rona Edwards, Keen to be Green’s Meher McArthur, our Roving Reporter Jennifer Haning, publisher Allison Cohen Ferraro, theater critic Marilyn Oliver, People In My Neighborhood’s Colleen Paeff and contributing writer Kim Gomez. (Left to right, back row): City Sleuth’s Diane Kanner, ad sales rep Betsy Hall, contributing writer (Silver Lake) Ian Lovett, real estate’s Richard Stanley and graphic designer Tiffany Sims.
December 2009
www.losfelizledger.com
Page 13
Los Feliz Ledger [real estate]
Time IS of the Essence By Richard Stanley, Ledger Columnist At one time, a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Purchase Agreementâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the California Association of Realtorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; standard contract form used to purchase real propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;was less than two pages long. Today, this contract is eight pages of dense language.  One thing that was in that version, and has been in every subsequent version, is the phrase, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Time is of the essence.â&#x20AC;? So what does that mean? In short, â&#x20AC;&#x153;time is of the essenceâ&#x20AC;? means that the people signing a contract promise to do what they agree within specific time periods. If they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perform as promised within those time periods, they will â&#x20AC;&#x153;breach,â&#x20AC;? or break, the contract. In real estate, breaches may result in one partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s canceling the contract, or the forfeiture of moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or both.  The easiest way to fall into a breach is to run out of time in a contingency period, an amount of time one party gives another for a specific purpose. The future progress of a sale is dependent upon the removal or â&#x20AC;&#x153;approvalâ&#x20AC;? of a contingencyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;within the contingency periodâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;by the party granted the contingency.  All purchase contracts require that the parties perform certain acts within certain time periods. Most sellers grant the
buyer a contingency period to secure a loan. Usually, this is about 17 days, the default time period in the contract form. Â During this period, the buyer needs to acquire â&#x20AC;&#x153;final loan approvalâ&#x20AC;? from a lender, meaning that the lender is ready to draft the loan docu-
incessant reviews and the imposition of never-ending new loan conditions. No buyer, not even the most credit-worthy, is immune from being on tenterhooks due to a lenderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underwriting department. The consequences of overrunning a contingency period, such as the loan approval contingency, can be dire. A seller may send a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Notice to Performâ&#x20AC;? to remove a contingency. Â If the buyer fails to do so, the seller
The easiest way to fall into a breach is to run out of time in a contingency period, an amount of time one party gives another for a specific purpose. ments and to send them to the escrow officer for the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature. When the loan documents are signed, they are returned to the lender, the loan is funded and the escrow officer may close the sale. Â Mortgage brokers and lenders have always been vague about how long the loan approval process will actually take. And the amount of time a seller grants a buyer for a loan contingency may be wildly unrealistic. Lately, it is not unheard of for loan approvals to take more than an entire escrow period of 30-45 days. The reasons for lendersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; slowness are many: Â short staffing due to deep layoffs; low morale; staff indifference; slow and incompetent appraisals;
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ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ALL ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Times are hard and you want to keep your family safe and happy. Next time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thinking about buying and selling real estate call Gail Crosby because sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always got your best interest in mind.
GailCrosby@aol.com SRES Licensed ECObroker CertifiedÂŽ DRE# 01377453 Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty owned and operated by NRT LLC
Page 14 Su Casa REAL ESTATE
may cancel the agreement. Â Â Here are some tips to consider when drafting a loan contingency into a purchase agreement: Ask your mortgage broker to put a time frame for final loan approval into the letter of preapproval. Get a commitment or guarantee from your broker, preferably in writing, that this time period is realistic. Â Ask your realtor to check the box in the loan contingency paragraph that extends the loan contingency period â&#x20AC;&#x153;until the designated loans are funded.â&#x20AC;? The seller may not agree, but it usually doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt to ask. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste a momentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opportunity to move the loan forward by getting requested documents to the broker as quickly as possible. Keep on top of everyone in the chain. Your purchase and your money are at stake. Richard Stanley, rstanley@ coldwellbanker.com. Thanks go to Michele Hunstable at West Coast Escrow for her assistance in this column.
Eco-Tour of Homes, Dec. 6th The Los Feliz/Silver Lake Eco-Tour of homes is set for Sun. Dec. 6th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The tour includes a look at several homes and gardens in the area that demonstrate sustainability through water conservation, energy efficiency, alternative energy generation, organic gardening, non-toxic paints, finishes and cleaning products. Â Sponsors of the tourâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; the â&#x20AC;&#x153;greenâ&#x20AC;? committee of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, the EcoHome Network and Farm Felizâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;-are still accepting other homes as tour candidates.
[ SELECT HOME SALES DECEMBER 2009 ] 90026 Condominimums
1701 CLINTON ST 313 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $381,000 1701 CLINTON ST 203 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375,000 720 WATERLOO ST 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295,500
90026 Single Family Homes 1338 N BENTON WAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $800,000 1342 LUCILE AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800,000 1646 MCCOLLUM ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740,000 1722 MALTMAN AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 725,000 1148 N CORONADO ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550,000 1423 BELLEVUE AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410,000 2708 GLASSELL ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265,000
90027 Condominimums 4455 LOS FELIZ BLVD 408 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $525,000 4555 FRANKLIN AVE 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500,000 4315 LOS FELIZ BLVD 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435,000
90027 Single Family Homes 3423 3617 3823 4444 2308 4341 3079 1746 5117
LOWRY RD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,544,000 SHANNON RD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,126,500 FRANKLIN AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,050,000 DUNDEE DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 985,000 HILLHURST AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750,000 KINGSWELL AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750,000 ST GEORGE ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700,000 HOLLYVISTA AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695,000 HAROLD WAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380,000
90039 Condominimums
2354 FLETCHER DR 224 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $272,000
90039 Single Family Homes 2038 2001 2365 2420 4049 3418 3261
REDCLIFF ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,200,000 MICHELTORENA ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 950,000 TEVIOT ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 760,000 EDGEWATER TER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 670,000 BRUNSWICK AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510,000 GREENSWARD RD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437,000 LARGA AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394,000
90068 Condominimums
2700 CAHUENGA BLVD E 3203 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $246,000
90068 Single Family Homes 6266 1997 2738 2454 7765 6311 3160 2796
MULHOLLAND HWY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,375,000 GLENCOE WAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,350,000 HOLLYRIDGE DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,089,000 CANYON OAK DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000,000 SKYHILL DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 995,000 GILDAY DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 860,000 CADET CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 690,000 HOLLYRIDGE DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600,000
Sales are from the previous month. Source: Great American Real Estate Solutions
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Information: www.farmfeliz.org www.losfelizledger.com
December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger
Ready, Aim, Irony By Diane Kanner, Ledger Columnist What is it about the box camera that appeals to photography enthusiasts? At Barnsdall Park’s Art Center, where Tom Meyer’s photography students are a good generation younger than
work for small gifts, and I have so many scraps of cloth that I’m going to make a few furoBy Meher McArthur, Ledger Columnist shiki of my own. But, what to do if your The Holiwaste is to use colorful gift kids—or you—love the feel days have bags, as they can be used over of ripping the wrapping pabecome a time of crazed and over again. Even more per into shreds in search of consumption and shocking long-lasting is the Japanese treasure? Well, I am collecting amounts of waste. On Christwrapping cloth or furoshiki, colorful magazines to serve as mas mornwrapping and will ing, my joyPretty handkerchiefs can also work jazz them up with ful mood can attractive ribbons. be dampened for small gifts, and I have so many scraps We rarely get a quickly by the of cloth that I’m going to make a few white Christmas huge pile of here in Southern furoshiki of my own. ripped wrapCalifornia, but ping paper with a little effort we can make and plastic toy packaging that a lovely, artistic way to wrap it a greener one. almost hides the living room special gifts. On-line, www. floor. Some packaging can be furoshiki.com has a beautiful recycled and I do my best to selection, or Rafu Bussan (326 Advertise in the re-use as much wrapping paEast Second Street, (213) 614per as possible, but I still end 1181) and other stores in Little (323) 667-9897 up throwing so much away. Tokyo are a good local source. An easy way to reduce Pretty handkerchiefs can also [keen to be green]
[city sleuth]
ing” says Meyer, “when you compare it to 35 millimeter or to digital. The four by five format of the box camera teaches patience.” Meyer had been with the Cultural Affairs Dept. of the City of Los Angeles since
Wrapping up the Year
Los Feliz Ledger
he, the challenge of operating the device from the bygone days of journalism is the draw. But students were loading 4-inch by 5- inch film into the contraptions by the second class of the six class schedule, and wandering the park to “capture what light does,” as their instructor instructed. “I was really scared when the course began in October,” Meyer admits. He had not taught this format of photography and he knew the limits of his materials. The center’s darkroom, for instance, is not so because cracks in the wall allow outside light to enter. “The box camera is basically that,” he says, “and the lens is everything. We have four cameras we loan students, and a tripod or two, so if we had more equipment, we could expand the possibilities.” The laborious process of loading, shooting, exposing, and enlarging film is “astound-
the Art Center opened in 1967. When Seymour Rosen, who worked for the department for some of those years, passed away, Rosen left his equipment to the city for use in Barnsdall and other programs. Meyer saw the gift as an opportunity to return to the department as a photography teacher. Other photography courses at the park include “Playing with Photoshop” on Friday nights; “A very 19th century look at Photographic Processes” on Saturday afternoons; “Portfolio Development” on Thursday nights; and Meyer’s other class, “Introduction to Black and White Photography” on Wednesday nights. Registration for winter session is Jan. 16th, 2010 at the park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd. See www.BarnsdallArtPark.com/ activities and click on “Classes & Workshops” for course list and fees.
Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There.® Patricia Everett Aleman Agent, Lic# OF39397 (323) 644-0900 www.alemaninsurance.net
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Su Casa REAL ESTATE Page 15
Los Feliz Ledger
2009 Holiday Guide American Vintage Inspired by the 1960s pop tunes that are the store’s soundtrack, American Vintage welcomes style-orientated shoppers who are looking for vintage clothing, shoes and accessories. There is new inventory every Friday. On Mondays and Tuesday all merchandise is 20 % off. 1750 Hillhurst Ave., 323/661-8081, www. americanvintagecouture.com
atwater village library HOLIDAY GIFT SALE Sat. Dec. 5th 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Atwater Village Branch Library 3379 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, Ca 90039 Sponsored by Friends of Atwater Library, all proceeds benefit the Atwater Village Branch Library. Donated re-gift-quality items include gift books, jewelry, home decor, accessories, stationery, toys and games. Give a green gift this holiday season - help your own budget as you help your library.
Birkam yoga silver lake Bikram Yoga Silver Lake is hosting a toy drive benefiting Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Bring a new, unwrapped toy to the studio from Dec. 1st to Dec. 21st and receive 10% off a monthly unlimited package or 15% off a three month unlimited or annual package. Restrictions apply. Call (323) 668-2500 for details. Per CHLA guidelines, stuffed animals and plush toys will not be accepted. 3223 Glendale Blvd., in Atwater Village. www. bikramyogasilverlake.com
BLUE ROOSTER ART SUPPLIES Want to make your own t-shirts, posters, cards or invitations? At Blue Rooster Art Supplies check out the YUDU, the new compact personal silkscreen machine. Everyone who buys a YUDU gets a free class on how to use it. Go to BlueRoosterArt.com for more information. 1718 N. Vermont Ave., 323/661-9471
CAKE Cake has an extensive collection of “Made in the USA,” artisancrafted women’s, men’s and unisex jewelry lines in a variety of metals (sterling, bronze, karat gold) and gems. TV and film wardrobe stylists favor Cake’s extensive 1960s through 80s mint condition vintage jewelry selection. Many items priced under $50 for the holiday season. 4649 Russell Ave.,323/644-5699 www.cakejewelry.com
Carol Young | Undesigned Undesigned by Carol Young is an artful collection of contemporary women’s wear. Timeless garments that merge comfort, architectural design and sustainability are presented in an ever-changing assortment. Shoes, bags and jewelry by local designers round out the offering. Dec. 1-22, receive 20% off one item when you bring in a new toy or toiletry item donation for Midnight Mission/PATH. 1953 1/2 Hillhurst Ave., 323/663-0088, www.undesigned.com
DISTANT Distant carries unique house wares from different parts of the world. Among their interesting gifts: Turkish towels, funky pillows and vintage Ikat teapots, plates and bowls. There will be special
Page 16 HOLIDAY GUIDE
savings and offers throughout the holidays. 4516 Hollywood Blvd, 323/669-0829, www.distant-la.com
Dragonfly DuLou
323-953-8899 www.JasminesGardenLA.com
LA LUZ DE JESUS
Give your little one the gift of fashion with Dragonfly DuLou’s latest clothing lines: Alejandra Kearl’s dresses and twirl skirts are the perfect everyday wear with enough ruffles and hand embroidered detail to make your little girl feel like a princess. And for boys: check out Monster Republic’s cool threads. Also available: classic toys and games as well as original artworks. 2066 Hillhurst Ave., 323/665-8448, www.dragonflydulou.com
La Luz has a large collection of very popular ugly dolls ranging in price from $6 to $23 that have recently been featured in the Los Angeles Times. There is also the Do-It-Yourself Vinyl Design Toys from Toy2R and Kidrobot ranging in price from $10 to $35. Also featured: the latest book from Billy Shire Fine Arts Press, The Late Fauna of Early North America by artist Scott Musgrove. 4633 Hollywood Blvd., 323/666-7667, www.laluzdejesus.com
Gypsy’s Palace
Los Feliz High-Tech
OOU
Pot-Ted
At Oou you’ll find a well-edited selection of vintage clothing plus contemporary lines such as Something by Natalie Wood, Seneca Rising and 80/20 shoes. Just in time for holidays: scarves, purses, jewelry, belts and other affordable and fashion forward accessories priced at $20. Many specialty vintage items like handbags and boots are less than $100 at this welcoming Vermont Avenue store. 1764 N. Vermont Ave., 323/665-6263, www.facebook.com/ooushop
Pot-Ted has furniture, pots and fountains for last minute sprucing up as well as outdoor themed items such as bird ornaments, leaf bowls and platters and faux tree trunk watering cans. From 12/1 through 12/24, bring a December ’09 sales receipt from a local Los Feliz, Atwater Village or Silver Lake book, gift or clothing store into Pot-Ted and receive 15% off your purchase as a thank you for shopping with local merchants during the holidays. 3158 Los Feliz Blvd., 323/665-3801, www.pot-ted.com
PANTY RAID For the ladies in your life, visit Panty Raid in their new location on Hillhurst Ave. Choose something warm and cozy with pajamas and chemises by Eberjey and robes by Barefoot Dreams. Or, go French and flirty with bras and panties by Huit. 1953 Hillhurst Ave., 323/668-1888.
Gypsy’s Palace is offering luxury Celebrating their one-year plush, generously-sized, faux fur anniversary, Los Feliz Hi-Tech is throws this season backed with your local Apple dealer, offering soft two-ply flannel. Looking for the perfect gift for the little one in your life: consider the store’s line of handmade keepsake baby blankets. Gift PAZZO GELATO certificates are Sunset available, which Boulevard’s make perfect Italian-style stocking stuffers. Pazzo Gelato has 1730 N. Vermont custom-made Ave., 323/662gelato cakes for 5669, www. holiday desserts. gpdrapery.com. Written in stone, from Pot-Ted. Great for stocking stuffers or incorporate into Each cake has two plantings. Express your feelings during the holidays. Phrases and inspirational layers of gelato— HAPPY words laser cut into river rocks. Starting at $9.95. Pot-Ted, 3158 Los Feliz Blvd., customers Happy stocks can pick their 323/665-3801, www.pot-ted.com well-designed favorites such as home and pumpkin and mascarpone—with sales, service and support for lifestyle accessories and features a thin layer of butter pound cake all things Apple. Also on sale: revolving art shows. This unique in the middle, frosted with a peripheral devices, iPod/iPhone space is a combination of complementary mousse topping accessories and certified preboutique and gallery and is full and edible decorations. Look for owned Macs. Located next to “Ye of inspired gifts and thoughtful seasonal holiday flavors handOlde Rusic Inn” on Hillhurst, the embellishments. In December, crafted by owner Michael Buch. store will have extended holiday Happy will feature its first small Intelligentsia coffee is also served. hours Monday-Sunday 9 a.m.-8 works show, with over 50 artists 3827 Sunset Blvd., 323/662-1410, p.m. beginning Friday, Nov. 27th. showing works priced at $100. 4675 www.pazzogelato.net 1805 Hillhurst Ave., Hollywood blvd., 323/661.2200, 323/665-6227, www.happylosangeles.com pilates metro www.losfelizhitech.com
Hotel de Ville Vintage Eyewear Hotel De Ville Eyewear is an optical boutique showcasing vintage eyeglasses, fashion pieces and uber-neu independent frame designers at the forefront of the next eyewear evolution. Our Los Feliz location introduces the complete Andy Wolf collection, handmade in Austria, featuring the Homage to Bettie Page line inspired by the ultimate kitten with a whip. 4624 Hollywood Blvd., 323/664-1462, www. hoteldevilleeyewear.com
I N A Cleaners Special – 20% off – Household Items Thru Jan. 31, discount on all household pieces: bedding (sheets, pillows, bedspreads, comforters, quilts), upholstery, sofa pillows, curtains, not to mention wall hangings and embroidery. 3729 W. Sunset Blvd. at Lucille. (323) 953-9988 Open 7 days a week. Free pickup and delivery.
Jasmine’s Garden
Jasmine’s Garden is a neighborhood flower shop that delivers. During the holidays, they create custom-made dining table centerpieces, wreaths and garlands to embellish your dining area, fireplace or entryway. Recognized by myfoxla.com’s Hot List and Los Angeles Magazine as “Best Florist.” 2030 Hillhurst Ave.,
MIND BODY FITNESS Mind-Body Fitness Pilates Studio is offering a Winter Special! Your first session is free with the purchase of any of the following: 8 CLASS INTRO-PRIVATE SERIES, 8 CLASS INTRO-DUET SERIES (must bring a friend for duet series), or 8 CLASS SHARED SERIES (must have prior experience for the shared series, and we will partner you up with someone! Shared sessions are two or three people in the class). New clients for a limited time only. 947 1/2 Hillhurst Ave. (323) 661-2711.
SPECIAL SECTION
Pilates Metro Holiday Sale - 10% off sale Monday, December 7th Saturday, December 12th, 2009. Gift Certificates available. One discount per customer.
Skylight Books What is a better gift than a work of literature? Pages full of whole worlds, lives and art; words turned into prose turned into laughter and tears. Walk into Skylight for some great suggestions such as The Anthologist by the gifted Nicholson Baker, The Death of Bunny Munro by Nick “21st century Frank Sinatra” Cave and Skylight fave Dave Eggers’ take on Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are (entitled The Wild Things, complete with furry cover). 1818 N. Vermont Ave., 323/660-1175, www.skylightbooks.com.
THOMAS RUG CLEANING & ARARAT ORIENTAL RUGS 20% discount towards rug cleaning services for local residents during the holiday season. MondayFriday 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., 3000 Riverside Dr. (800) 259-9929 or 323-660-7388. info@thomasrugcleaning.com
The Village Bakery and Cafe Need a little help with your holiday menu? Are you looking for a sweet gift for a sweet friend? Call The Village Bakery and Cafe to order one of their delicious house-made pies (pumpkin, apple or chocolate pecan), artisan breads, rolls or any of their other scrumptious baked goods. Open since September, the café serves breakfast and lunch. 3119 Los Feliz Blvd., 323/662-8600 www. thevillagebakeryandcafe.com
NOW HEALING Give the Gift of Healing. It’s the perfect gift. It won’t turn into clutter or junk. It’s got zero carbon footprint. It’s sweatshopfree. And it’s the most useful, beautiful thing you can give... healing. Lighten up any kind problem, including aches, pains, arthritis, allergy, stress, anxiety, anger, and anything else that’s bothersome. This energy-healing technique works long-distance, since energy travels at lightspeed – so it’s perfect for your far-away loved ones. The first five callers to mention the Los Feliz Ledger will get a 50% discount on a Now Healing Session. That’s $45 off the regular $90 session price. Call now, and give the gift of healing for only $45. (323) 309-7687, www.nowhealing.com
www.losfelizledger.com
December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger the toll on the person’s family who become caregivers. As a person’s behavior becomes By Stephanie Vendig, Ledger Columnist more unpredictable, it is the caregiver who must increasingly be the manager of the Alzheimer’s, when the disease becomes eviperson’s life. The stress and for us older dent. And finally, there is no the time necessary to make adults, it is cause for anxiety, cure at this time to restrain the sure that the person is safe especially since this disease, increase. and functioning is all cona brain disorder that affects In early stages, called suming. memory, thinking, and rea“mild cognitive impairment,” Check out Leeza’s Place soning skills, is connected to the person shows a pattern of about support groups and acour aging. deficient memory and reduced tivities for the caregiver. (323) According to the Alperformance on cognitive 932-5414 or ywyte@leezaszheimer’s Association’s 2009 tests, but is still maintaining place.org. The Los Angeles report just released, nearly activities of daily living. In adCity Dept. of Aging, with its 5.3 million Americans suffer dition, depression, irritability, mu lt ipu r p o s e from Alzheimer’s centers, prodisease; most deThe saddest feature of Alzheimer’s vides resources velop symptoms training, after age 60. This and dementia is the toll on the person’s for support groups, number is exfamily who become caregivers. case managepected to double ment, and inwithin 20 years. home respite care or adult day In fact, 50% of us, 85 and anxiety, aggression, and apacare: (213) 252-4030 or (800) older, will probably succumb thy are more apparent. Where 510-2020. to Alzheimer’s or other related once it seemed useless to get a For comprehensive infordementia conditions. Total diagnosis as early as possible, mation on Alzheimer’s Disease healthcare costs are three times it is now worthwhile because and other related dementia conhigher for Americans with Alstudies into the earliest stages ditions, go to www.nia.nih.gov/ zheimer’s and other dementia of the disease suggest that cerAlzheimers, www.alz.org (Althan for other people age 65 tain behaviors may slow cogzheimer’s Association), www. and older, putting a financial nitive decline, or that specific mayoclinic.com, www.nlm. burden on both families and medication might slow the nih.gov/medlineplus. If you programs. progression. don’t have a computer, come to Alzheimer’s is prevalent The saddest feature of GPACC and get help there. for various reasons. People Alzheimer’s and dementia is are living longer. This means that more people will exhibit Floral Décor for Christmas & Chanukah the full impact of dementia Flower Centerpieces, Garland, Wreaths & Gifts because it takes time to deRecognized by myfoxla.com’s HotList & Los Angeles Magazine velop. Previously, you would Jasmine’s Garden die of other conditions before 2030 Hillhurst Ave. you die of Alzheimer’s. Be(across from Albertsons) cause women live longer than Los Angeles, CA 90027 Your Neighborhood Florist men, their incidence is higher. In addition, the large group Check out our festive florals at www.JasminesGardenLA.com of “Baby Boomers”—78 milCall 323.953.8899 and Order Today or Visit our Shop lion—is now reaching the age [senior moments]
Knowing Alzheimer’s
JasminesGarden_Dec09_2.indd 1
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Senior Classes Offered by No. Hollywood Poly Adult School Brain Fitness: Based on UCLA’s Department on Aging, this course offers information on brain structure, ways to protect and practice memory skills, to live well. Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., The Piedmont, 6750 Whitsett, North Hollywood and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Valley Storefront, 12821 Victory Blvd, North Hollywood. Popular Music Appreciation: Historical study of America’s Tin Pan Alley composers, using film, documentary, lyrics, life stories and discussion format. Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., The Valley Village Senior Apartments, 12111 Chandler Boulevard, Valley Village and Wednesdays at The Sun-
rise, 4610 Coldwater Blvd, Studio City. Piedmont Music Ensemble (Chorus): Learn about rhythm, breathing techniques, harmony singing while rehearsing the great songs of the 1930s and 1940s as well as Beatles music. No professional experience necessary. Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30 p.m., The Piedmont, 6750 Whitsett, North Hollywood. Intergenerational Tutoring: Job-training in tutor-mentoring with opportunity to practice skills with high school students needing assistance with exit exams. Thursdays 10 a.m.12 p.m., The Valley Village Senior Apartments, 12111 Chandler Blvd., Valley Village.
Griffith Park Adult Community Club Calendar Wed., Dec. 16th, 2009, 12 – 3 pm, Gourmet Pot Luck at the home of Bea Gold 2206 Micheltorena St. Bring your favorite dish. Call (323) 660-0106 for more information.
NEW! At the Computer Lab, learn to navigate Kaiser Web Site and other health sites on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 10:00- 11:30, presentation by Anne Fraser, Medical Librarian at Kaiser. Trip: Thurs., Dec. 17, 2009, International Printing Museum in Carson and Alpine Village in Torrance. 9:45 – 3:30 pm, $30 includes lunch. Contact Doris Slater, (323) 667-1879 for more information. Contact Griffith Park Adult Community Center (GPACC) at (323) 644-5579 or stop by at 3203 Riverside Dr., in the parking lot of Friendship Auditorium south of Los Feliz Blvd. to get a schedule of classes and events. Silver Lake Recreation Center at 1850 W. Silver Lake Dr. (323) 644-3946 will also have classes. The Lunch Program: Lunch is served 5 days a week at the Center. $1.75 is the donation for those over 60 years. Daily lunch is served at 12 pm and you can come in for coffee and sign in at 11:30. For Information on the Griffith Park Adult Community Club and getting a newsletter, call Stephanie Vendig at (323) 667-3043, or e-mail at vendig@ sbcglobal.net. Programs for Free-Thinking Seniors!
To learn more about our current calendar of classes, concerts and cultural events, visit www.sunsethall.org. For information: Wendy Caputo (323) 962-5277
Expand Your Mind by a Degree
Los Angeles Breakfast Club Making Los Angeles a better place through community service and friendship.
MOUNT ST. MARY’S COLLEGE
M.A. in HUMANITIES Designed for working professionals and offered entirely on weekends, our Humanities program focuses on English, history, creative writing, and cultural studies. For more information visit www.msmc.la.edu/HUM2 or call (213) 477-2800.
Wednesdays, 7:00 to 9:00 a.m.
First-time visitors – FREE (normally $6.00) Full buffet breakfast Songs – Movement – Interesting Speakers – Music December 2:
YMCA of Glendale - Tyler Wright – “YMCA Impact on Society” December 9: All About You! Wellness BootCamp Elaine Miller – “Staying Healthy during the Holiday Season” December 16: Vista Nova Renaissance - Thelma Johnson – “Supporting Quality Living for the Blind” Please note: There will be no meetings December 23 & 30.
Friendship Hall, 3201 Riverside Drive (1/4 mile south of Los Feliz Blvd.)
10 Chester Place • Los Angeles 90007 December 2009
www.losfelizledger.com
(323) 662-1191
BreakfastClub_Dec09.indd 1
SENIOR MOMENTS Page 17
11/17/09 10:05:58 PM
Los Feliz Ledger elections from page 1
be completely conducted for all 89 of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neighborhood councils by the City Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office. That office, in 2008, ran 22 council elections as a trial. In past years, the councils have conducted the elections with the help of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dept. of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). â&#x20AC;&#x153;The elections took too much time for DONE to implement, and kept the neighborhood councils in election mode year round,â&#x20AC;? City Clerk senior project coordinator Isa-
total of six hours. Locally, for the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, the City Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan will result in decreased access to the polls, which in past elections have been open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at two locations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These changes undermine our capacity to have useful elections that are available to the mass publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation,â&#x20AC;? said Silver Lake Neighborhood Council co-chair Paul Neuman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a community as large as Silver Lake, if only one place is open for a few hours on Saturday, most people are
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The elections took too much time for DONE to implement, and kept the neighborhood councils in election mode year round. Part of what the city asked us to do was standardize the election process, and provide a system of checks and balances.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; City Clerk senior project coordinator Isaias Cantu ias Cantu said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Part of what the city asked us to do was standardize the election process, and provide a system of checks and balances.â&#x20AC;? Originally, Cantu said, the Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office planned to publicize the elections with two promotional mailers sent to every address within each neighborhood councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boundaries, as well as billboards, and other promotional materials. The original plan also included full vote-by-mail access for all stakeholders. But due to nearly $400,000 in citywide neighborhood council budget cutbacks, the clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office thought scaling back was necessary. As a result, the City Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office will not spend funds promoting the elections and only stakeholders with physical disabilities can vote by mail. Additionally, polls will only be open at only one site in each neighborhood council, for a
not going to come.â&#x20AC;? Joanna Paden, another member of the neighborhood councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governing board, echoed Neumanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sentiments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What about people who work on Saturdays?â&#x20AC;? Paden asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vote by mail, and polls are only open for six hours, those people simply arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be able to vote.â&#x20AC;? The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cantu, however, expressed hope, however, that the process would continue to improve over time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we took over neighborhood council elections, there were things that neighborhood council leaders brought to our attention as ways of improving the process,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve implemented a number of these. This is our first full election, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room for growth. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in ongoing discussions with stakeholders and neighborhood council leaders, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re committed to improving the process for the 2012 elections.â&#x20AC;?
[restaurant review]
Wat Dong Moon Lek Noodle Spices Up Fountain By Pat Saperstein, Ledger Restaurant Critic The junction of East Hollywoodand SilverLake, where Thai Town hits a neighborhood of fervent foodies, should be Nirvana for Thai food. But in reality itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hit and miss, with a patchwork of pretty good places strewn among restaurants that are coasting 20-year old reputations. So, the opening of Wat Dong Moon Lek, in a Fountain Avenue mini-mall, brings a welcome jolt of flavor to the local restaurant scene. Owner Billy Jalanugraha worked at Chan Dara for many years, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s put a more personal stamp on this quirky little spot thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just right for the neighborhood. The walls of the compact storefront are painted a vivid turquoise, with a large blackboard colorfully detailing the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specials and desserts. Not to give away the ending, but in many Thai restaurants desserts are just as well ignored. Here, they stand out, thanks to the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef wife. The menu is smaller but more interesting than traditional Thai restaurants. Among appetizers, rambutan salad is bright and fresh tastingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a completely new addition to the Thai salad genre where juicy lychee-like fruit, plump shrimp, slices of fiery bird chiles all swim in a pool of cool, tangy coconut dressing. Other unusual choices include larb todâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;spicy patties with ground chicken, and crispy fried taro wrapped in cabbage leaves. Several are inspired by other Asian cuisines. The signature Wat Dong Moon Lek noodle, a garlicky beef soup with rice noodles, is similar to Vietnamese pho. Tom yum soup
packs a dual jolt of lemongrass and chile, with the added bonus of fat Japanese udon noodles. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not familiar with Hainanchicken and its cousin, ham hock rice, which are more often seen in Chinese restaurants, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ignore them. The sliced ham hock meat is deeply smoky, with a wonderful soy-based sauce, chili sauce and pickled mustard greens to cut the richness of the pork. A half order seems like a prudent way to try the dish, but pork lovers should dive right into a full serving. Curries like a complex
Panang curry and stir fries are more traditional, but executed with a light touch and extra touches like green peppercorns. Nightly specials include catfish steaks in dry chile as well as other seafood dishes. Desserts include mixed berry tarts and caramelized bananas with vanilla ice cream. To drink, there are fresh fruit smoothies, or BYOB. Wat Dong Moon Lek has a more modern and thoughtful take on Thai food than the old school ThaiTownspots, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a welcome update. Prices are quite reasonable for the quality of the food, but at the moment itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cash only. Wat Dong Moon Lek, 4356 Fountain Ave., 323-666-5993 Pat Saperstein blogs about L.A. restaurants at EatingLA.com
indochine vien vietnamese cuisine %NJOY AUTHENTIC 6IETNAMESE COMFORT FOOD IN A HIP SPACE
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Lunch-Dinner-Cocktails-Food to Go We Now Deliver! 11:30am-11:00pm Sun-Thur 11:30am-12:00 Midnight Fri-Sat
1813 Hillhurst Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 667-3388 www.chidynasty.com
Page 18 LIFESTYLES
www.losfelizledger.com
December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger [theater review]
Local Theater Fare
By Marilyn Oliver, Ledger Theater Critic If you feel saturated by an overabundance of holiday festivities, local theater offerings will provide you a respite. One is the one-man show, “Nevermore,” at the Steve Allen Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Feliz. Veteran actor Jeffrey Combs, known as a major player in the horror genre, recreates an evening with 19th century poet, Edgar Allan Poe. You may remember Combs for his roles in such television shows as CSI, Cold Case and most famously Star Trek where he appeared in 50 or so episodes. Combs has an eerie resemblance to Poe, and during the 90-minute production he becomes Poe. We gain insight into Poe’s short, tormented life—he died at the age of 40 of mysterious causes—and see Poe’s descent into alcoholism. Although Poe is known as the master of the macabre, we also learn about his career as a literary critic and editor. We also learn about his tragic life, his orphaned childhood and the death of his young wife. The high points of the play, however, are Comb’s recitation of such Poe favorites as “Annabel Lee” and “The Raven.” At its conclusion, Combs as Poe becomes more highly agitated and frenetic. We see a tragic figure, a genius out of control. “Nevermore” demands much of the actor, and Combs does not disappoint which is why the play has been extended to Dec. 19th before it moves to Baltimore and Chicago. “Stage Door,” a classic play written by Edna Ferber and
George S. Kaufman, is another non-holiday offering presented at Occidental College’s Keck Theater. Director Laural Meade says that the play is a beautiful classic that addresses the problems young actors faced in the 1930s when they had to make a choice between a career in theater or in film. Although many people are familiar with the film which starred Kathryn Hepburn, the film was largely rewritten from the original Broadway script which is performed here. The play is famous for its razor sharp wit. The Silverlake Children’s Theater group is also offering a 1930s play in tandem with an original work. “My Man Godfrey” was a popular film in the 1930s. In this movie, done as a one act play, the teen actors will follow the film’s script. The other play is an original comedy called “Jackpot,” a work that was written and directed by the children themselves. “Nevermore,” Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m. at the Steve Allen Theater at the Center for Inquiry, 4773 Hollywood Blvd. Tickets $10 students; $20 adults. Tickets: www.steveallentheater. com or (800) 595-4849. “Stage Door,” Dec. 2nd - 5th, 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 6th at 2 p.m., Keck Theater at Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road. Tickets: (323) 259-2922. “My Man Godfrey” and “Jackpot,” Dec. 4th and 5th, 7 p.m. and Dec. 6th at 2 p.m. Tickets: $15 at the door. Knightsbridge Theatre, 1944 Riverside Drive. Information (323) 634-2595.
[wine & spirits]
[in my neighborhood]
L.A. Live’s Grammy Museum By Rona Edwards Ledger Columnist
If you’re a musician, singer or just appreciate music, the Grammy Museum should definitely be on your “hit” list. Three floors of non-stop exhibits covering every aspect of music, peppered with memorabilia and interactive displays, this museum is by far the most fun of all. Your musical experience begins on the 4th floor. A passageway filled with song leads to the Crossroads; a large colorful, multi-touch-sensitive table allowing you to explore 150+ morphing musical genres. Wearing headphones, you’ll get an earful as pictures and text illuminate tuneful connections and witness music’s evolution. Small booths highlight classical, pop, folk, sacred and jazz with short films illustrating the genres and walls lined with musical artifacts. Musical Epicenters utilizes dynamic touch screens. Patrons don earphones and tap areas of the U.S. map to learn about our nation’s musical legacy. At the Grammy Hall of Fame exhibit, touch any year, artist or song and hear the Grammy winner. Finish this floor with Inspiration and Influence, a revealing film of famous artists discussing their influences and creative process. Experience the Songwriter’s Mezzanine where interactive kiosks display prominent songwriters describing the stories behind their masterpieces. The 3rd floor takes you behind the scenes of the recording process beginning with Record Men. But the keystones are the eight recording booths where viewers interactively learn to mix a song, record a voice and master a track, guided by video instruction from some of the best engineers and producers in the business. The 2nd floor houses The Museum’s Soundstage. Audiences watch the 50th anniversary Grammy broadcast from a backstage vantage point. Finish your day with Social Conscience, Songs of Freedom; 200 years of America’s revolutionary music and politics.
Winter Warmers
By Tara de Lis, Ledger Columnist After Thanksgiving every year, there’s a common misperception that seasonal drinks are limited to vanillin eggnog, spiked coffee, heated rum and mulled wine. In the tradition of English winter warmers and Belgium Trappist monk brewers, beer is a great alternative. Besides, Los Angeles isn’t exactly an après-ski town, right? Beer is big right now in general, and as we move into cooler weather it’s only going to get hotter. “Beer is very seasonal. You’re going to see lighter beers in summer, then a move toward pumpkin beers and Oktoberfest styles for fall, with darker, higher alcohol beers in winter,” said Ryan Sweeney, co-owner of specialty Glassell Park beer lounge the Verdugo. Traditionally speaking, warmers are malty-sweet English Strong Ales brewed during the cold months. They are typically dark—but not too dark—in color, with an alcohol percentage between six and eight percent. Many American craftsman have left their marks on the technique, adding spice and nuts along the way. Belgian Trappist monks are to thank for boozier brews, usually between eight and twelve Photo: Carol Reach
percent ABV; experimental Belgian-style darks can top out at an astounding 20-plus. In 1994, Portland-based Hair of the Dog Dave was famously freeze-distilled at 29 percent. Occasionally, a label started as special seasonal beer will become so popular that the demand necessitates broader availability, such as the fruity Chimay Grand Reserve Blue from Belgium. One of the most popular Belgian Christmas selections of late has become the Fantôme Noel, a farmhouse-ale Saison made in the countryside. The recipe varies year to year, as does the ghostly label and rumored apparition-inspiration for it. Other choices to consider: cocoa nib and pecan-brewed Two Turtle Doves, the second vintage in a series from the Placentia-based Bruery, who started the tradition last year with Partridge in a Pear Tree; Hanukkah favorite Jewbelation by He’Brew; thymeand curacao-spiced N’ice Chouffe Belgian Strong; sour beer Jolly Pumpkin out of Michigan; and English-style barleywine from Mexican producer Cucapá. Tara de Lis is a freelance writer who lives in Hollywood.
L.A. Live, entrance on Figueroa St. Tickets: regularly $14.95 but special rate through Dec. 31st, $10.00. Visit: www.grammymuseum.org December 2009
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LIFESTYLES Page 19
Los Feliz Ledger
Los Feliz Ledger (323) 667-9897
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Page 20 POLITICS
Mon - Fri . . . 7am - 7pm Saturday . . . 8am - 6pm Sunday . . . . . . Closed
1922 Hillhurst Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-665-0737
[greetings from tom]
Silver Lake Branch Library Opens By Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge When I was growing up in Silver Lake, my mother had to drive my seven brothers and me all the way to Hollywood to go to the library. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the reasons I was so happy to attend the grand opening of the new Silver Lake Branch Library, the 73rd new library built in Los Angeles in the past 20 years. My gift to Librarian Melissa Potter was 13 books since the library is located in the 13th Council District on Glendale Boulevard (across the street from the 4th District, which Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud to represent.) Here are books I donated: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton; The Little Fire Engine by Lois Lenski; A Treasury of Curious George by H.A. Rey and Margaret Rey; Big Dig: A Pop-Up Construction, by Paul Strickland; Los Angeles Dodgers by Mark Langill; Images of America: Los Angeles Original Farmers Market by David Hamlin and Brett Arena; Landmark L.A. by Jeffrey Herr; A Long Way from Home by Tom Brokaw; L.A. Noir by John Buntin; Forever Blue by Michael Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Antonio; A Game Plan for Life by John Wooden; Port of Los Angeles by Ernest Marquez, Veronique de Turenne and Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D.; and Great American Railroads by Michael Swift. This year, more than ever, I hope youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll patronize your local merchants for holiday gift-giving. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that we help each other through this difficult economic time. If you are looking for free
holiday activities, I hope youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll visit the 14th Annual Dept. of Water and Power Griffith Park Light Festival, where holiday and city scenes are depicted in holiday lights along Crystal Springs Drive in the park. Since people appreciate the light show moving a slower pace, the City now offers evenings specifically designated for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians, as well as motor vehicles. For more information, visit www.dwplightfestival.com. Lastly, whenever you are in Griffith Park, please do not feed the coyotes. We just posted new signs to remind the public about this. Have a wonderful holiday season and continue to enjoy and love Los Angeles.
[eric garcetti]
A New Era at LAPD By Eric Garcetti Los Angeles City Council President Our city is experiencing the lowest crime rate in fifty years and public approval of the Los Angeles Police Department is at a high. Communities are working in partnership with police officers. The LAPD has become a more transparent organization; one that is more responsible to those it protects and serves. It is under these circumstances that Charlie Beck takes the helm as Chief of the Los Angeles Police Dept., and I believe that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the right person to lead the department at this moment in its history. Chief Beck embodies the new era of LAPD. He represents the future, but connects us with the best of our past. He has the vision, tempera-
www.losfelizledger.com
ment, and intellect to continue making Los Angeles safer. We all saw how former Chief Bill Bratton brought creative and innovative management solutions to the department, turning around an aging organization into one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost examples
Chief Beck embodies the new era of LAPD. He represents the future, but connects us with the best of our past. of urban policing. During that time, he entrusted Charlie Beck to transform the Rampart Divisionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;badly scarred by the actions of a few bad officersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and to rebuild the neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confidence in its police department. I had the opportunity to work closely with Chief Beck at Rampart. He was one of the finest captains Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever worked withâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;embraced by the rank-and-file and the community. He is an innovative leader, using technology in groundbreaking ways while building new partnerships with residents and businesses. His creative and innovative management strategies will help the department, particularly in this tough economy when everyone is being asked to do more with less. He will work with all of our cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse communities and he will push the department to be as transparent as the windows on its new headquarters. Chief Beckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work has consistently produced results. Whether it was turning around MacArthur Park for the community or moving forward on languishing rape kits, Chief Beck gets things done. Now, all of Los Angeles will benefit from Chief Beckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expertise, drive and followthrough to make our city safer.
December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger [focus on the advertiser]
Happyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday By Kimberly Gomez, Ledger Contributing Writer LOS FELIZâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a year after opening Happy, the unique combination of designer gifts and art gallery, and owner Heather Arndt says she has plenty to smile about. Arndt, whose bio boasts a successful spin as a footwear designer before getting a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in painting, opened Happy at 4675 Holly-
wood Blvd., with community in mind. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wasâ&#x20AC;Ś meshing all my worlds together, the product design and retail. . . [my] art background and having a huge grouping of artists and designer friends,â&#x20AC;? she said. Arndt says the art shows at Happy that she and curator Paul Evans collaborate, add
dimension what Happy, the store, sells: items for the home, books, vintage t-shirts, art and jewelry. All selected with Arndtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-trained eye. A recent exhibit by artist Donald Krieger honored American poet Walt Whitman, with a garland of quotes and images spanning the store. And even Happyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closet is used as an experimental art space that recently screened a youth documentary film class project from the Echo Park Film Center.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a reason to come back and go â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh what do they have going now?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no obligation and you can just come in and see art and get inspired and I like that,â&#x20AC;? said Arndt. Central to the newly-designated Los Feliz Art and Design District on Hollywood Blvd., Arndt says she has met more of the eclectic mix of local artists, actors, politicians and folks in the neighborhood through Happy than over the eight years she has lived in Los Feliz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We get so many good people who just come in and want to talk about art,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our openings are packed
with people we have met since the store opened so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creating this great community vibe that I really love.â&#x20AC;? Plans to utilize Happyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2nd floor space to hold classes in art, crafts, even organic gardening and composting are in the works. This month, Happy is presenting â&#x20AC;&#x153;Plenty,â&#x20AC;? a small-works group show. The exhibit brings together over 50 artists from the Los Angeles area and beyond, each creating one work no larger than 12â&#x20AC;?x12â&#x20AC;?, in any desired medium to be sold at $100 each. www.happylosangeles.com
LAUSD Cancels Bus for Afterschool Programs By Lory Tatoulian, Ledger Contributing Writer
Pilates Metro Annual 10% off Holiday Sale! Gift Certificates Available. Monday, December 7th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday, December 12th, 2009 Limited time offer only. One discount per customer.
323.906.0088
ATWATER VILLAGEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Due to budget cuts, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has cancelled school buses that shuttle students to after school programs from Glenfeliz Boulevard Elementary School to Chevy Chase Recreation Center. The Atwater Village Neighborhood Council (AVNC) opposes the cancellation and, according to board member Leonora GershmanPitts, the (AVNC) plans to pressure the LAUSD to put the buses back on their routes
in North Atwater Village. On Nov. 12th, the AVNC re-approved a $4,000 grant for after school scholarship programs started by the Friends of Glenfeliz Elementary School. The grant will provide scholarships for enrichment programs that offer tutoring, music and nutrition classes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parents are actually saying that their kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grades have improved because they are getting more educational attention after school,â&#x20AC;? said (AVNC) board member Bruce Fleenor.
www.pilates-metro.com 3178 Glendale Blvd. LA, CA 90039
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December 2009
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LIFESTYLES Page 21
Los Feliz Ledger [Star Gazing]
[a dog’s life]
Holiday Gift Guide for Your Hound
December, 2009
By Jennifer Clark, Ledger Columnist
By Anthony Cook Griffith Observatory
‘Tis the season of gift giving, and why should the dogs be left out? Below is a compilation of gifts for all different types of dogs and owners. For the camping enthusiast, the Tee-Pee hound Lounge is the cutest pup tent on the market. Includes a removable fleece covered sleeping pad for outdoor adventures or as an indoor hideaway. (www.wagwear.com) Stylish beachgoers will enjoy the colorful retro rubber Beach Collar made from 100% recycled materials. They wash clean so the mess doesn’t come home with you. (www.mymascot.net) Check out local Los Feliz Pet stores for holiday-themed treats and toys like rawhide candy canes and plush menorah chew toys.
Dogs looking for a brain boosting challenge will love the affordable Squirrel Dude, a revamped version of the Kong chew toy. Four rubber prongs block the treat hole slightly, making dogs work harder for their snack. When thrown, the toy has an unpredictable bounce sure to challenge even the smartest dog. Available at local pet stores. And finally, for the spoiled rotten pooch and the infantilizing owner, look no further than Pup To Go, a dog version of a baby Bjorn (I kid you not). The wearable hardness comes in three sizes (the biggest for 25 pound dogs!). Or, perhaps you could just take your dog for a walk. Call me old-fashioned. Happy Holidays! – Jennifer & Reba
please join bikram yoga silverlake for a toy drive benefiting childrens hospital.
bring a new, unwrapped toy december 1st to december 21st and
receive 10% off a monthly or 15% off a three month or annual package. restrictions apply. appl call for details.
3223 glendale blvd, in atwater village, la ca 90039 323 668 2500 | www.bikramyogasilverlake.com
Page 22 LIFESTYLES
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Winter in the northern hemisphere begins at 9:47 a.m. on December 21st. At that moment, the sun appears at its southernmost point in the sky. In Los Angeles, the day is 9 hours and 53 minutes long–shortest of the entire year. Winter will end with the start of spring on March 20th. The annual Geminid meteor shower should put on a good show on the night of the 11th and the early morning hours of the 12th, and again night and early morning of December 12th and 13th. The shower is best between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. with about one bright meteor visible every minute. More numerous, fainter meteors are visible from wilderness regions free of urban light pollution. The meteors seem to stream from the constellation Gemini the Twins, which is overhead at 2:00 a.m. The planet Jupiter, now in Capricornus the Sea Goat, is the brilliant object in the southwest when darkness falls. On the 19th, a telescope will also show the distant planet Neptune in the same field of view as Jupiter, only ½ degree to the north. The moon appears near Jupiter on the 21st. The innermost planet, Mercury, will be briefly visible about 5 degrees above the southwest horizon at 5:25 p.m. between the 11th and 27th. It will appear as a fairly bright star. The slender crescent moon appears near the planet on the 18th. The planet Mars appears as a bright rust-orange light, crossing almost overhead at 3:47 a.m. at midmonth. The planet, now in Leo the Lion, is well placed for telescopic observation. The waning gibbous moon is near Mars on the night of the 6th. Golden Saturn appears in the southeast below Mars in Virgo the Maiden. The moon appears near Saturn on the morning of the 10th. Through a telescope, Saturn’s rings appear narrow, only five degrees from edge-on to us. The “blue moon” occurs on December 31st. A second full moon within a single calendar month is designated as “blue”, and the last day of 2009 is one of those occurrences. The next blue moon in the Pacific Time zone will be in August, 2012. December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger [ DECEMBER 2009 events calendar ] Edited by Oliver Gettell ART ‘Plenty’ Group Show This inaugural small-works show will feature work by more than 50 artists from the Los Angeles area and beyond. Each piece will measure 12 inches by 12 inches or smaller and cost $100, giving art lovers a chance to purchase a unique composition at a reasonable price. Opening reception Fri., Dec. 4th, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Happy, Fri., Dec. 4th to Sun., Jan. 24th 4675 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz Information: (323) 661-2200; happyonlinestore.blogspot.com Hollywood Remembers Art Exhibit In observation of World AIDs Day, Hollywood Remembers will present four panels from the AIDs Memorial Quilt and an art exhibit featuring work by young people affected by HIV/AIDs. The exhibit is sponsored by the Los Feliz Art Walk, Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, East Hollywood Neighborhood Council, Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and Art Institute of California— Hollywood, Hollywood Lutheran Church, Sun., Nov. 29th to Sun., Dec. 6th 1733 N. New Hampshire Ave., Los Feliz. Info: (323) 667-1212 www.hollywoodlutheran.org
BOOKS Atwater Book Club This month’s selection is I’ll Take You There, by Joyce Carol Oates. Atwater Village Branch Library, Tues., Dec. 8th, 1 p.m. 3379 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village. Info: (323) 664-1353 www.lapl.org
FARMERS MARKETS Atwater Village Farmers Market Wells Fargo parking lot, Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 3250 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village. Info: (323) 463-3171 www.farmernet.com L.A. Medical Center Farmers Market Barnsdall Art Park, Wednesdays, noon to 6 p.m. 4814 Hollywood Blvd., East Hollywood. Info: (323) 463-3171 www.farmernet.com Echo Park Farmers Market Parking lot 663, Fridays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Logan St., just south of Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. Info: (323) 4633171; www.farmernet.com Los Feliz Farmers Market Formerly held in the parking lot behind the Dresden, the Los Feliz Farmers Market moves up the street this month.
December 2009
Post office parking lot, Sundays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 1825 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz Silver Lake Farmers Market Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunset Blvd. between Edgecliffe Drive and Maltman Ave., Silver Lake. Info: (323) 661-7771 www.sunsetjunction.org
HOLIDAY Atwater Village Tree Lighting Glendale Blvd. will transform into a winter wonderland complete with music, treats, photo opportunities and even a visit from Santa himself. Fri., Dec. 4th, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., along Glendale Blvd. and in the Wells Fargo parking lot, 3250 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village. Information: (323) 634-2535; www.atwaterchamber.org Downtown on Ice L.A.’s biggest holiday outdoor ice rink returns downtown for its 12th year of skating, concerts and special events. Admission: $6, skate rental: $2. Pershing Square, through Mon., Jan. 18th. Mon. to Thurs., noon to 10 p.m.; Fri. to Sun., 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 532 S. Olive St., Los Angeles. Info: (213) 624-4289; www.laparks.org/ pershingsquare DWP Holiday Light Festival This one-mile display of lights and music is a Los Angeles tradition, and it’s more ecofriendly than ever this year. The more than 1 million lights use energy-efficient LEDs, and there are nights reserved for bicyclists (Thurs., Dec. 3rd) and pedestrians (Dec. 4th to 17th). Visitors can drive or walk the route from Dec. 18th to 30th. Parking is available at the L.A. Zoo. Thurs., Dec. 3rd to Wed., 30th, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Griffith Park. Info: (213) 367-1255; www.dwplightfestival.com L.A. City Historical Society Holiday Buffet Dinner For this annual dinner, author and journalist Bill Boyarsky will speak about Inventing L.A.: The Chandlers and Their Times, his new book about the family behind the Los Angeles Times. The evening will also include the presentation of a number of annual awards. Tickets are $35 per guest or $65 per couple. L.A. Police Revolver and Athletic Club, Tues., Dec. 8th, 6:30 p.m. 1880 N. Academy Drive, Los Angeles. Information: www.lacityhistory.org Photos With Santa Children who visit Santa will receive a free coloring and autograph book and 20 percent off at Gymboree. Located in the J.C. Penney Court. Glendale Galleria, through Thurs., Dec. 24th. Mon. to Sat., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.,
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6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sun., noon to 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. 100 W. Broadway, Glendale, Information: (818) 240-9481, www.glendalegalleria.com/ events
MUSIC L.A. County Holiday Celebration This year marks the 50th annual Holiday Celebration, showcasing music and dance groups from all over Los Angeles County. Featured acts include Taikoproject’s blend of Japanese drumming and hiphop, African-American music from the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers, and street dance with a holiday spin from Antics Performance. Admission and on-site parking are free, and the show will be broadcast live on KCET-TV, kcet.org and KPFK 90.7 FM. Thurs., Dec. 24th, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Information: (213) 972-3099; www.holidaycelebration.org Live Arts Group Benefit Concert The nonprofit Live Arts Group, an organization dedicated to bringing free arts enrichment to underserved inner-city youth, hosts its second annual Benefit Concert, with performances by Alanis Morissette, Greg Laswell and Miss Willie Brown. Andrew W.K. will emcee. Tickets range from $75 to $250. The Troubadour, Thurs., Dec. 10th, 8 p.m., 9801 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Information: (323) 854-3480; www.liveartsgroup.org Mere Mortals This month, Spaceland hosts the L.A.-based band
Mere Mortals for its free Monday night residency. The band recently re-released its breakthrough EP, Rebel Radio, with three new tracks. Spaceland, Mon., Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28, 8:30 p.m., 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., Silver Lake. Information: (323) 661-4380; www.clubspaceland.com ‘Tis the Season: Holiday Music of Ukraine and Lithuania’ Three music groups—the Kobzar Ukrainian National Choir of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Doctor’s Symphony Orchestra and the Lithuanian Choir of Saint Casimir— unite for a holiday concert celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. Tickets are $25 to $45, Alex Theatre, Sun., Dec. 13th, 5 p.m., 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Info: (818) 243-2539 www.alextheatre.org
POLITICS GGPNC Public Committee Safety Meeting Our Mother of Good Counsel Church, Wed., Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m. 2060 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz. Information: (323) 908-6054; www.ggpnc.org
SHOPPING Unique Los Angeles Holiday Gift Show This weekend shopping extravaganza will showcase clothing, accessories, stationery, housewares, art and more by independent designers. Nearly all the offerings are made in the U.S., and the show will also feature free workshops, a lounge area,
two cafes and a “green room” with environmentally friendly products. Admission is $10, with partial proceeds going to 826LA, a local nonprofit, Sat., Dec. 5th, and Sun., Dec. 6th, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. California Market Center, 110 E. 9th St., Los Angeles. Info: www.uniquelosangeles.com
THEATER ‘Bob Baker’s Holiday Spectacular’ The puppeteer Bob Baker and his marionettes have performed all around the world, and this hourlong holiday revue is one of his mostrequested shows. It covers everything from the eight days of Hanukkah to a trip to Santa’s workshop. Tickets are $20 each, and admission is free for children age 2 and under. Bob Baker Marionette Theater, through Sun., Jan. 10th. Tues. to Fri., 10:30 a.m.; Sat. and Sun., 2:30 p.m., 1345 W. 1st St., Echo Park. Info: (213) 250-9995; www. bobbakermarionettes.com ‘Jackpot’ and ‘My Man Godfrey’ The Silver Lake Children’s Theatre Group presents a program of two one-act plays. Jackpot is a Billy Wilder-esque drama about the arrival of a mysterious stranger in a small Nevada town, and My Man Godfrey is an adaptation of the 1936 screwball comedy starring William Powell and Carole Lombard. Tickets are $10 if purchased from an SCTG actor or $10 at the door. Knightsbridge Theatre, Fri., Dec. 4th, 7 p.m. & 11 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 5th, 7 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 6th, 2 p.m. 1944 Riverside Drive, Silver Lake. Info: (323) 634-2595.
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Los Feliz Ledger [Being Whole]
[Family Matters]
Healing Trauma
The More Lights, The Merrier
By Elma Mayer, Ledger Columnist
by Kristen Taylor, Ledger Columnist
Think back on an embarrassing moment. Here’s one of mine: years ago, I spilled coffee all over a stranger at a cafe. The memory still makes me shudder and flush. If such minor humiliation can cause physical reactions like wincing and slapping myself in the forehead, imagine the more severe uncontrolled reactions someone might experience from a major disaster, accident, abuse or war trauma. The intrusive quality of traumatic memories, small or large, can short-circuit our ability to be functional. Healing trauma has many approaches. Sufferers can analyze, hypnotise or de-sensitize. Alternative therapies recognize that trauma isn’t just a problem of the brain, mind or psyche. Trauma can be held unconsciously, in organs, glands, tissues and cells. Energy medicine even treats traumas held in the bio-field – our human energy field. In this work, it’s common to find that resonance with ancestral trauma, karma or collective human trauma, can lock in and amplify a per-
son’s individual trauma. Once we disentangle the old energy field from the present, healing happens more easily. How? We work directly with the energy component of the trauma. It’s not a process of the conscious or even the sub-conscious mind. It doesn’t involve changing behavior, or positive thinking. And it’s certainly not just a biochemical memory in the nerves or brain. Here’s a quick, easy sample of energy work you can do yourself. Find one memory you can’t let go of—perhaps it loops uncontrollably in your mind. Tune in to how much it bothers you. Now shift your focus away from the memory, and instead, focus on your Center (spine area). Press an imaginary Delete button on your spine. Now take a breath. Find that memory again. You might notice that it feels different, just from this quick exercise. Elma Mayer, MA, is a healer and teacher of energetic healing in Silver Lake and beyond. www.nowhealing.com (323) 309-7687.
My poor son. He’s a maximalist kid with a minimalist mom. Then again, pretty much every kid is a maximalist when it comes to the holidays. For Luke, the more songs, the more lights, the more tinsel, the more lawn ornaments, the more presents, the better. Though I sincerely believe that for him, it’s really not all about the presents. Luke gets excited and carried away by the magic and the novelty, the way Christmas takes an ordinary, bleary time of the calendar and transforms it into pure zaniness when the normal rules don’t apply. A tarted-up tree in the living room? Sure! Cookies everywhere, every day? Yup! The same songs over and over again on the radio and at home? Yes, and for once it’s not Lady Gaga! A two-week break from school doesn’t hurt either. Luke starts looking forward to Christmas around the Fourth of July, and for the
next five months I hear the same pleading but sincere bit of advice: “Mom, we should really get more decorations for the house.” He would like nothing more than for us to have THAT house: The one that’s featured on the local news; the one that attracts gawkers from all over the Southland; the one that causes a DWP transformer-crippling surge each day when the timer automatically trips on. It’s not too hard for me to put him off, considering the expense and eco-unfriendly status of such a display—
note to self: Investigate solar Christmas lights and compostable Nativity scenes. But that argument is really a bluff on my part, because my idea of a perfect outdoor holiday display is a wreath on the door and a single string of fat, colored bulbs along the eaves of the house. In other words, the bare minimum it takes to even qualify as having decorated the house. This year, like every year, I will suggest alternative oldfashioned and homemade decorations like paper snowflakes, pine garlands, and pomades of oranges and cloves, to no avail. He’ll say, “Sure, we can do that too.” For my kid, if it’s not plastic, glowing, and animatronic, it’s useless.
The Los
Feliz Ledger
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December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger
55 Degree Wine Hosts AIDs Benefit
[religion and spirituality]
Celebrating World AIDS Day By Roberta Morris, Ledger Columnist When the impacts of HIV/AIDS were first felt in the 1980s, a whole generationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consciousness regarding life, health, sex, relationships and spirituality was altered. In the face of great loss, the AIDS epidemic unleashed a torrent of artistic expressions. And as the numbers of infected continues to grow, so too do the expressions of hope. World AIDS Day is celebrated in Los Feliz this year
concert witnesses to the artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strength and creativity. Money raised will go to Women Alive, an organization committed to serving women living with AIDS. The largest expression in sheer physical dimension is the AIDS Quilt, and again this year panels of the quilt will be on display at Hollywood Lutheran Church. Each of the 40,000 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt is approximately three by four feet,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Red Ribbon,â&#x20AC;? at Hollywood Lutheran Church 1755 N. New Hampshire, Los Angeles. www. Hollywoodremembers.org. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hollywood Remembers; HIV/ AIDS Affects Young Adultsâ&#x20AC;? remains open at the same location through the Los Feliz Art Walk, December 4. www. LosFelizArtwalk.org
ATWATER VILLAGEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;55 Degree Wine will host a benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles, Mon., Dec. 7th, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Aids Project LA (APLA) in providing basic and direct services for men, women and chil-
dren whose lives are affected by HIV/AIDS. $40 per person. Wine tastings, gourmet cheeses, Italian meats, raffle prizes and more. Call (323) 662-5556 to RSVP. Information: http:// web.me.com/erikachaumontet/Site/Welcome.html
Look for the January edition of the
Los Feliz Ledger on December 31st
Each of the 40,000 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt is approximately three by four feet, and memorializes the life of a person who died of AIDS. with the world premiere of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Red Ribbonâ&#x20AC;? by Joe Lawrence, a multi-media event, at Hollywood Lutheran Church at 5 p.m. Sun., Nov. 29th. The organizers stress that the event celebrates life, and particularly life of those living with the disease. This free rock and blues
and memorializes the life of a person who died of AIDS. Several panels will remain on display at Hollywood Lutheran Church through December 5th as part of the Hollywood Remembers observance and can be viewed during the Los Feliz Art Walk, Dec. 4th 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Art of Christmas
Join us for The Art of Christmas! The Rev. Dr. R. Scott Colglazier focuses his Advent sermon series on the people of the nativity and five beautiful paintings that represent them. Plus, enjoy festive music of the season as it dances through the Gothic arches of our Sanctuary. Nov 29 The Art of Christmas: John the Baptist Artist: El Greco St. John the Baptist Dec 6 The Art of Christmas: Joseph Artist: Conrad von Soest The Birth of Christ Dec 13 The Art of Christmas: Mary Artist: Paul Woelfel Annunciation
Plus, join us for these upcoming special concerts and services: Dec 6 at 4PM Carols and Chants for Christmastide S. Wayne Foster, Organist in Residence, joins our Cathedral Singers for a festive holiday concert. Complete with time for singing beloved carols, this event is perfect for the whole family. Dec 20 at 12PM Senior Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Reception This elegant holiday event begins after our morning worship service.
Dec 20 The Art of Christmas: Jesus Artist: He Qi, Nativity Dec 27 The Art of Christmas: The Holy Family Artist: Emil Nolde, Holy Night Join the Cathedral Choir and our chamber orchestra for J. S. Bachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful Epiphany Cantata #65.
Dec 24 5pm Children and Family Service 10:30pm Choral Prelude: Vivaldiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gloria 11pm Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
First Congregational Church of
Traditional Worship
Los Angeles
Progressive Values
Inspiring Community
Sunday Morning Worship at 11:00 am
Featuring Glorious Music on the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Largest Church Pipe Organ
Between Downtown and Hancock Park
ÇŻÇŽÇŞ 4ĂżÄ&#x2026;Ä&#x201E;ø $ÿýýÿÞÄ&#x2021;þùßÄ&#x201E;ø "Ä&#x2020;þÞÄ&#x2026;Ăľ -ĂżÄ&#x192; "ÞáþßþÄ&#x192; $" dzǪǪǏǍ t 5þß ÇŹÇŤÇ ÇDzǯ ÇŤÇÇŽÇŤ t Ä&#x2021;Ä&#x2021;Ä&#x2021; '$$-" óÿý Dr. R. Scott Colglazier, Senior Minister December 2009
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RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY Page 25
Los Feliz Ledger [editorial]
[open mike]
We Are North Atwater Village Not “River Glen”
Four Hours and Four Phone Calls
An open letter to Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge: In 2003, you proposed that Atwater Village’s northern industrial area be renamed “River Glen.” At that time, the community responded to your proposal with a resounding and unanimous no. Today, the answer is still no. The Atwater Village Neighborhood Council (AVNC) was created in part to protect and strengthen the integrity of the community’s boundaries and identity. Those boundaries are set in both our bylaws and the Los Angeles City Charter. At our Aug. 13th meeting, the AVNC Board voted unanimously to continue this endeavor by rejecting your current efforts to rename our northern industrial area to “River Glen” or to another name for that matter. To put it simply, the AVNC will not accept the renaming and partitioning of any area of our community. We understand your expressed intent to continue and
pursue this name change, but until it clears official channels including community input and City Council vote, we are calling for you and your staff to stop referring to Atwater Village’s northern industrial area as “River Glen.” It is not “River Glen.” Our stakeholders and we know it as North Atwater Village. We also insist that you discontinue using “River Glen” in all CD4 publications (such as “Map & Guide of Griffith Park,”) communications with the public or city agencies and your online district map. Lastly, we urge you to assist the AVNC in strengthening the integrity of the community’s boundaries and identity. As a first step, we hope that you can get “Atwater Village” community identity signs installed at intersections of Doran St. and West San Fernando Road and Brazil St. and West San Fernando Road.
Regarding “Burglaries Have Locals Worried,” (Nov. 2009) one quote in particular caught my attention, “…but what’s even more upsetting is the delayed response and minimal attention of the police to such matters.” My own Silver Lake home was burglarized in Nov. 2007. A friend stopping by to walk my dog discovered it and called police immediately. I left work and came home right away. The police never showed up. We
called again. And again. And again. It took four phone calls over the span of four hours for a patrol car to arrive. My question as a tax paying, law-abiding citizen is why? Is there a pattern here on the part of the police that needs further investigation? Also, there was absolutely no follow-up on the part of the police. What is the explanation for such disinterest and non-responsiveness? Please don’t tell me it’s because Los
Angeles is a big city that is geographically spread out. I don’t buy that. I can drive by the 7-11 on Silver Lake Blvd. and find two or three patrol cars parked there at any given time. What’s worse is the criminals have now figured out that the police don’t respond to reports of home burglary alarms. The alarms are no longer a deterrent. They enter, grab and go. This lack of response on the part of LAPD is frightening and appalling. Priscilla Stultz, Silver Lake
Leonora Gershman-Pitts, AVNC co-chair Robert Smith, AVNC co-chair
Page 26 EDITORIAL / OPEN MIKE
www.losfelizledger.com
December 2009
Los Feliz Ledger [changing times]
Los Feliz Ledger (323) 667-9897
Where the Grass is Always Greener
Advertise in the
By Paul Hickey, Ledger Columnist Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the talk of the neighborhood according to insiders on our block. Â After years of fronting the most disgraceful patch of landscape this side of Death Valley my wife and I decided to â&#x20AC;&#x153;go greenâ&#x20AC;?! We installed Easy Turf. Our lawn had been diminishing in front of our eyes. Each week after the mow and blow gang showed up there was less grass and less dirt because the lawn jockeys discovered that blowing the lawn away was easier than mowing it. To be fair, nothing would grow in our moonscape soil. Â Not even mold. Â Finally, after trimming the giant pittosporum tree that had for years shaded out any possibility for a lawn of means we realized that indeed, there IS room for a lawn there! Mary, my lovely spouse, who is the office manager for Our Mother Of Good Counsel Catholic Church had become involved with Systems Pavers because they put in a new courtyard at the parish
and had mentioned that they also put in artificial turf. And we were off and running. We ultimately chose Easy Turf for a variety of reasons and have been very happy with the results; a putting green for a lawn that looks like it was mowed an hour before you walked by and it is so lush looking that you get the impression that it is growing in front of your eyes. Here are some of the plusses; dogs fear it, neighbors are jealous; previously lame gardeners hate it; people walk by and stare at you as if you are a scientist; you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to mow it; you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to water it and last but not least the DWP will give you a rebate for putting in a waterless lawn (this is strictly a rumor peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;its impossible to get through to them). And when you walk barefoot on it, it feels just like real grass. Paul Hickey lives on Lakeview Terrace East in Silver Lake. Previously, he wrote the Wine and Spirits column for the Los Feliz Ledger.
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Happy Holidays! from George and Eileen Just Listed
Just Listed
3642 Holboro Drive Los Feliz Hills $895,000 Comfortable Mid-Century 3+ 2.5 home w/family room in the Los Feliz Hills with views. Spacious living rm w/high pitched beamed ceiling. Hardwood flrs in some rms. 2 fireplaces. 2 car garage w/direct access. Large patio & yard awaiting a gardeners touch.
For Sale
3600 Crestmont Ave Silver Lake $1,199,000 A very special Four-Plex on a wonderful street to street lot & incredible views from downtown to the ocean. Fabulous 2 bd & 2 ba owners unit + 3 wonderful apartments each with fabuluous views. Owner’s unit will be delivered vacant at COE. Must See!
For Sale
3455 Griffith Park Blvd Los Feliz Hills $1,175,000 Exquisitely Restored 1926 Los Feliz Mediterranean offering 3 bedrm suites each w/private bath+ an add’l 1/2 ba. Gorgeous living rm w/fireplace. Gourmet kitchen. Formal DR. A stunning home w/5 lovely patios for outdoor dining & entertaining.
Leased
2249 Duane Street Silver Lake $725,000 Great investment or owner user property in great Silver Lake Hills location. Four large one bedrooms apartments. Nice views from several units and large front yard. Walking distance to the Silver Lake reservoir & dog park, shops, & restaurants.
For Sale
3471 Griffith Park Boulevard Los Feliz Hills $1,395,000 Dramatic 4+3 Mediterranean + separate studio over garage. Gorgeous & spacious living & dining rm. Lovely views, beautiful hardwood floors, archways & fireplace. Wonderful character throughout. Lushly landscaped grounds w/waterfall, fountains & several great patios.
Sold For $30,000 Over Asking Price!
1722 Maltman Avenue Silver Lake $725,000 Character 3 + 1.25 Spanish home in great area. Nice living room. Large dining area. Sunny kitchen w/breakfast rm overlooking the yard. Fabulous yard w/deck, fireplace & many spaces to entertain. 2 detached guest houses for home offices or gym.
Leased
4835 Glencairn Road Los Feliz Hills $5,000 Stunning 3 + 2 Architectural in the hills w/ jetliner city views designed by noted owner architect Ray Franco. Published in L.A. Times Home magazine, this stunning residence offers a great study w/separate 400 sq ft studio w/addt’l bath & kitchenette.
3151 Los Feliz Blvd Los Feliz Hills $2,000 Great Atwater Village location with good visability for store lease in charming building on corner location. Separate area for office plus bathroom. Parking lot. Good locale for boutique, flower shop, and more.Utilities included. 3 Year Lease preferred.
“Thank you for all of your assistance & professionalism... Dennis & Robert” Sold
3423 Lowry Road $1,544,000 Majestic 3 + 2.5 Mediterranean w/ballroom size living room, spacious dining rm, beautifully appointed gourmet kitchen, center island, library, finished basement & “Endless” swimming pool. Wonderful character thruout. Lovely views. 3 car garage.
Dear George and Eileen, We would like to thank you so much for the way in which you efficiently and effectively represented us in the sale of our home this fall. We met with a number of realtors. From the beginning, we were impressed with the thorough understanding you showed of the Los Feliz real estate market, and your realistic advice in this tough economy. You not only helped us set a sales price we felt good about, but you also helped us see a number of improvements we could make to better showcase the house. Clearly, your advice paid off. Our friends and associates are always astonished to hear that in this economy we received an offer above asking price within a day of listing the house. We know it was your efforts in marketing that led to attracting a couple who fell in love with the house as we had done twelve years earlier; your counsel that ensured the house showed well; and your advice that priced the house appropriately to drive their initial interest. Again, we appreciate all of your work and advice in representing us. Sincerely, Dennis Frahmann and Robert Tieman
2150 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.668.7600
georgeandeileen.com