Father and creator of Miracle Mile is innovative A.W. Ross
By Nona Sue Friedman
If you blink you’ll miss the bust of A.W. Ross at 5799 Wilshire Blvd., located in a grassy little triangle facing the stretch of boulevard he created, Miracle Mile. Without him, who knows what would have happened to Wilshire.
It was 1920. The heart of Los Angeles was Downtown. Streetcars were the primary form of transportation. The automobile was just coming into vogue. Wilshire was only paved for one-and-ahalf miles west of Downtown to MacArthur Park and the wealthy Westlake neighborhood. The remaining stretch of Wilshire consisted of a dirt road passing through barley fields, pastures, oil fields and
even a small airstrip.
About four miles west of Downtown, Ross had a goal to build a new retail destination. With that thought in mind, he bought 18 acres, from what is now approximately La Brea to Fairfax avenues, for $54,000.
Ross’ friends and associates thought he was crazy for wanting to build a shopping district several miles from the bustling Downtown, in an area that didn’t even have an electric streetcar. As a visionary, he believed this new form of transportation, the automobile, was the way of the future. He wanted to change the retail landscape.
Miracle Mile is built
Ross’ idea was to erect a shopping district that catered to cars, not pedestrians. This
would mean simpler, larger, bolder signs oriented toward the street and easily viewed through a windshield. Each store needed larger frontage along the boulevard, as vehicles move faster than walkers. Buildings needed rear parking lots to accommodate shoppers and mitigate traffic even then. Large window displays were added along sidewalks as well as the rear entrances for those parking there. This was all new, revolutionary retail thinking.
Even the street itself was created differently. More and wider lanes were installed. Wilshire was the first road in the western U.S. to have dedicated left-turn lanes and synchronized traffic lights.
Ross lured businesses to
Wilshire by offering very inexpensive rents, sometimes as little as $100 per foot frontage.
In 1924, the first structures of Miracle Mile starting appearing. But what sealed the success of the area was when Desmond’s, a wellknown Los Angeles-based department store with three locations Downtown, in 1929 opened a fourth location in the Wilshire Tower at 5514 Wilshire Blvd., between Dunsmuir and Cochran avenues. What’s in a name?
Ross originally named the area Wilshire Boulevard Center. However, there had been numerous nicknames over the years, such as Fifth Avenue of the West and America’s Champs Élysées. It wasn’t until a friend of Ross heard him talking about his development and described it as a “miracle,” that the name took hold.
The area has had its ups and downs over the decades, but has persevered as a destination. It’s still referred to as the
Miracle Mile, with numerous signs declaring its name, but it’s also known as Los Angeles’ Museum Row.
Many of the original Art Deco buildings remain, but the only attribution to Ross’ impact on the area, and possibly all of Los Angeles, is that bust on a pedestal looking over his creation. The inscription reads, “Founder and developer of the Miracle Mile. Vision to see, wisdom to know, courage to do.” And that sums him up.
STATUE OF MIRACLE MILE developer A.W. Ross was dedicated on March 16, 1964.
La Brea Tar Pits passes major hurdle; green space, birds at risk
By Suzan Filipek
Plans to reshape the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum came closer to reality last month, when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) on Feb. 4.
The master plan for the project offers a new vision and expansion of the Ice Age fossil site — the world’s largest active paleontological dig in an urban center.
The new design will accommodate an additional 800,000 visitors annually — up from the 400,000 students, tourists and others who visit the 13-acre La Brea Tar Pits today. It rests on the 23-acre park donated to the community by George Allan Hancock in 1924.
So far, a total of $22 million has been allotted for the proposed project, and fundraising is underway at the site at 5801 Wilshire Blvd.
“The certification of the EIR was a significant step forward for the project, and we hope to be able to share a concrete timeline for construction soon,” said museum spokesperson Amy Hood. “La Brea Tar Pits is one of L.A.’s most iconic destinations, and we plan to be able to welcome visitors to L.A. during the 2028 Olympics. Construction timing will take this into consideration.”
New York-based Weiss / Manfredi’s design includes renovating the existing museum, built in 1977 as the George C. Page Museum, and construction of a two-story, 40,000-square-foot building with two theaters.
When the La Brea Tar Pits Loops and Lenses, Master Plan and Concept Design opens, scientists and visitors of all ages will be able to step back in time — way back — to learn about the last major episode of global climate change and to consider possible solutions for our own time, museum officials say.
But much of what people like about the expansive park — open green space, its many trees and serving as a migratory stop for birds — will be removed, according to opponents of the project.
The Miracle Mile Residential Association (MMRA) has been in lock step with the Audubon Society in opposition of the new design since it was first presented for its endangerment to birds and other wildlife, demolition of 200 trees and loss of open space.
“The city is starved for open space, and [people] don’t need to be hectored with [climate change or] any kind of message,” said Greg Goldin, MMRA president.
Travis Longcore, president of the Los Angeles Audubon
RENDERING shows a view from the land bridge.
Society, added, “The final EIR corrected some factual deficiencies in response to our comments. Walls of glass, glass railings and extensive night lighting, all of which would be lethal for birds, would not be in the final design.
“But they have not backed off their unfortunate plans to cut a large number of the trees remaining in the park,
Courtesy of NHMLAC
which is made even worse by the tree losses from other projects in the last decade.”
Some 330 trees are rooted in the park site. Under the proposal, 200 would be removed and replaced.
“We plan to replace more trees than the number removed, and the new trees will be native species better suited to the climate,” said Hood.
Many of the public comments during the environmental review process were about the trees, said Ann Rubin, a Carthay Circle resident who has long worked to save the open-space park and its beloved trees.
She questions who is looking at the overall development of the block and the Mile as a whole, with several high-rise developments in the works.
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WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
TAR PITS are located behind the May Co. department store, as seen in this 1940 photo. Photo courtesy of Ann Rubin
Community unites to focus on resilience and preparedness
By John Welborne
The 39th annual community meeting of the Miracle Mile Residential Association (MMRA) took place on Jan. 25 in the sunny penthouse on the roof of the Petersen Automotive Museum. After the meeting, MMRA members and guests mixed in with the crowds of families and automobile aficionados exploring the three-story museum with its hundreds of shiny cars.
The prime purpose of this year’s meeting was to focus on creating a “Resilient Miracle Mile Through Preparedness and Community.”
That was not a surprise, given January’s fire tragedies and widespread evacuations of homes throughout Southern California. MMRA Vice President Kari Garcia was the discussion leader, and she had four public safety experts on the dais with her. They were LAPD Wilshire Division Senior Lead Officer (SLO) Tim Estevez; Terrence Gomes, a Council District 10 constituent services deputy, and MMRA Block Captains Ben Skerker and Scott Boyett. There subsequently were
community meeting.
remarks from both Skerker and Boyett, both of whom have been trained to be disaster first responders as part of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) program Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The disasters for which CERT volunteers are trained include fire, earthquake, flood or public health emergency. CD 10’s Gomes also is CERT coordinator. Learn more at lafd.org/ join/volunteer/cert.
Representatives from Los Angeles City Councilmembers Heather Hutt and Katy Yaroslavsky (Council Districts 10 and 5, respectively) spoke
Runners ready for Marathon
This is the 40th year for the Los Angeles Marathon. The sold out race covers 26.2 mile with a 932 foot elevation gain. The course begins at Dodgers Stadium and finishes in Century City. Runners will wind through Silverlake, Hollywood,
West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood and then double back to the finish line.
The race takes place on Sun., March 16, starts at 7 a.m. and lasts for six and a half hours after the last person crosses the starting line.
and responded to questions.
Prior to a general question and answer session, association President Greg Goldin gave an update about the previous year’s MMRA activities. For the coming year, Goldin said that the volunteer organization will continue to focus on the quality of life in the Miracle Mile and will put a special emphasis on increasing the neighborhood’s disaster preparedness and resilience.
After the meeting, Goldin told the Chronicle that the MMRA board members were very impressed by the large turnout of residents at the meeting. In the two weeks preceding the long-scheduled event, there had been discussion of cancelling it because of the fires. Goldin recounts, “There was an active debate, but we eventually decided not to cancel.” He said that turned out to be the right decision because so many neighbors had become interested in learning about
I’m proud to represent this community and serve as Democratic Caucus Chair in the California Assembly, where we are taking bold action to defend our democracy, rebuild and prevent future fires, address home insurance concerns, build affordable housing, keep California’s film industry strong, combat climate change, fight against hate, protect civil rights, create safer communities, and invest in good-paying jobs.
emergency preparedness on account of the fires.
Goldin told us, “It was especially so after people in the Miracle Mile had seen flames starting to leap up Runyon Canyon, not so very far way. People really needed, and wanted, to be together.”
Goldin repeated his thanks to the sponsors and food donors for the meeting, and he offered special appreciation
to the Petersen Automotive Museum and its executive director, Terry Karges. Goldin explained that the museum made available its meeting room and onsite parking, plus the option for attendees to explore the museum after the meeting, all at no cost. Of Karges, Goldin says, “He is, head and shoulders, the best neighbor we could have.”
PENTHOUSE of the Petersen Automotive Museum welcomed a standing-room-only group of neighbors gathered for the MMRA annual
KARI GARCIA, vice president of the Miracle Mile Residential Association, describes what is needed to have a resilient Miracle Mile. With her, from left, are: SLO Tim Estevez, CD 10 staffer Terrence Gomes, MMRA block captains Ben Skerker and Scott Boyett.
MOVIE CARS are part of the Petersen collection in the Miracle Mile museum on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue.
VISIT THE ACADEMY MUSEUM
Discover the magic of moviemaking at the Academy Museum—where film history, artistry, and education come to life. Explore iconic exhibitions, watch exclusive screenings, and go behind the scenes of Hollywood’s greatest stories at the ultimate destination for people who love movies.
by: Joshua White/JWPictures, Bottom Image: ©Academy Museum Foundation, Photo by: Andy Boyle
Food delivery robots have arrived to the neighborhood
By Bridget Smith
Delivery robots showed up in the Larchmont area last year, but have been making short-trip deliveries near The Grove and in the Arts District in Downtown L.A. for much longer. According to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), these cute little guys have made more than 10,000 deliveries in the area so far. LADOT monitors autonomous vehicles in Los Angeles, including delivery robots. Using advanced digital tools, LADOT collects information on where delivery robots travel to ensure that sidewalks remain accessible and safe.
There are two companies with delivery robots in our area: Serve and Coco. In Los Angeles, Serve has been delivering UberEats on demand since last May. Coco users use the Coco app to
arrange delivery.
These all-electric robots take cars off the road and reduce traffic and emissions. Serve robots have a maximum speed of 11 mph, which is about the same
as a beginner bike rider. However, they are generally observed at walking speeds. Coco robots use both AI and human operators to ensure great service. Serve robots can generally travel
for about 14 hours or 48 miles before needing to be recharged. They can hold the equivalent of four pizzas in their 13-gallon cargo spaces.
Sweetfin on Larchmont uses Coco for deliveries.
Owner Seth Cohen says Coco “offers consumers a faster, cheaper delivery experience with a higher-quality end product. The moment our product is ready to leave our kitchens there is a Coco waiting to fulfill the delivery right outside our front doors.”
However, unlike their human counterparts, they cannot leave your items at your doorstep. The robots cannot climb stairs, so most customers need to meet them on the sidewalk. They also only discharge their cargo when a human unlocks their insulated compartments using their app.
‘Do you like Coco, the food delivery robot, or not?’
That is the question our inquiring photographer asked people in the Miracle Mile.
“I used to live in this neighborhood, and they are like little cars driving around. We saw them a lot. I like them! We don’t have them in the South Bay yet.”
Urban florist
Crossword: A Look at Art
“I’d rather have a person do that.”
“I think it’s great ... I mean they’re not hurting anything. I see them more in West Hollywood than here. You either love something or hate something … that’s the climate we’re in…everybody just needs to calm down.”
Douglas Vanlaningham (not photo ready, he told us) Miracle Mile
of nature
Can-Can 1891
Islamic calligraphy art form
SAMO
Celebrity portraits on silkscreen
The school of classical learning and Renaissance art
Eccentric artist, largest collection housed in St. Petersburg, Florida
Dean (left) with friends Hancock Park La Brea
Coco crossing the street en route to deliver food. Photo courtesy of Coco staff
Anjini and Urmi Subramanian Visiting from Dallas
Join us at craft contemporary as we celebrate 60 years of crafting a brighter cultural landscape in Los Angeles County! This special Benefit & Art Auction honors the visionary legacy of our founder Edith R. Wyle (1918-1999), The Egg and The Eye, and the exceptional contributions of contemporary artist Bari Ziperstein. located at 5814 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036. more info at craftcontemporary.org/benefit2025/
This page was generously sponsored by Wally N. Marks, Inc.
Five museums, lots of homes: Miracle Mile by the numbers
By Helene Seifer
development on the boulevard between La Brea and Fairfax avenues miraculously
lured shoppers from Downtown. What isn’t generally known, though, is that our Miracle Mile is one of many, with at least nine more scattered across the country, from Coral Gables, Florida, to Long Island, New York, to Chicago, Illinois. California has at least two other Miracle Miles — in the Santa Rosa area and in Stockton.
What is miraculous about these miles is that most of them were named to celebrate the great American pastime of shopping, including the onemile-long string of stores in the Miracle Mile shopping mall in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tucson, Arizona’s Mile is a bit classier than most, as its Mid-century Modern architecture is honored in the National Register of Historic Places. The closest thing to a true miracle is the Miracle Mile in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, also known as “the
luckiest place in America.”
Since the 1990s, convenience stores along one stretch of this road sold lottery tickets totaling over $300 million in payouts.
Our Miracle Mile is more than a shopping street or a place to buy Powerball tickets. It is a walkable neighborhood crammed with dozens of restaurants, five museums and 4,694 homes and apartment buildings. It boasts a low crime score of 4 out of a high of 10.
There are many ways to define a place; numbers are as good as any.
The numbers
20,463 — People live in the Miracle Mile neighborhood 25 — Countries of family origin are represented in the populace
31 — Different languages spoken at home
3,000,000+ — Bones retrieved from the La Brea Tar Pits to date
3,000,000+ — Cars clogging Wilshire Blvd. every day (or so it seems)
300 — Number of cars in Petersen Automotive Museum’s permanent collection
2 — Average number of people per household
2 — Subway stops being excavated in the neighborhood
5 — Main architecture styles: Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival and Streamline Moderne
14 — Los Angeles Conservancy-designated historic Wilshire Boulevard buildings in Miracle Mile, including the Academy of Motion Pictures / May Company building, El Rey Theatre, the Darkroom building and IHOP
Median price
$1,554,750 — Median price of a Miracle Mile home
$17 — Average price of a cocktail in Miracle Mile
2,259 sq. ft. — Average size of a single-family home
78 sq. ft. — Size of a Barbie Dream House, adjusted for a real person
39 — Median age of residents in Miracle Mile
$70,000 — Median household income
73.6% — Population in workforce
71% —Workforce employed in management, executive and professional occupations
61.1% — College graduates
22% — Have advanced degrees
150,000+ — Objects in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, including the 202 street lights in “Urban Light” by Chris Burden #urbanlight
65,000 — The number of times the hashtag #urbanlight has been used on Instagram.
The Miracle Mile neighborhood in Los Angeles is defined by its backbone, Wilshire Boulevard, which acquired the moniker to denote how
TURTLE PARK: Several turtles live in Wilshire Green Park, more commonly referred to as “Turtle Park” for those in the know. The park centers around this pond with the many turtles and colorful koi. There is also a children’s play area nestled behind Wilshire Courtyard between Masselin and South Curson avenues.
La Brea Tar Pits
(Continued from Page 3)
These include the 42-story Mirabel; Onni Group’s 708 Cloverdale Projects set to reach 43-stories; Onni’s Wilshire Courtyard’s two buildings, (35- and 41-stories); and the Metro construction of two subway stops along Wilshire Boulevard. There is also expansion underway at the Holocaust Museum LA and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the new Academy Museum opened a few years ago.
“That’s the real concern for us. The daily grind of outof-scale developments. We’re overwhelmed,” said Goldin. “The MMRA has always welcomed the general notion of the park and museum expanding to accommodate the people who visit. It’s a big attraction. People love the museum. We’ve always wanted to see the museum thrive.”
Built over seven years
The La Brea Tar Pits project is expected to be built in phases over seven years. It’s next door to the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA, expected to open in 2026.
In a 2023 letter to the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Longcore wrote, “The La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum are important cultural and scientific institutions that educate the public about the history of the region. The insights from the excavations and associated research are vitally important and inform much of what we
SITE PLAN of the La Brea Tar Pits Loops and Lenses, Master Plan and Concept Design. Renderings courtesy of NHMLAC
know about the paleohistory of birds in this region. The park and museum complex is also a unique site in that it has areas that have never been developed to urban uses, including vegetation that could well be over 100 years old.
“This project, in combination with the overdevelopment of the remainder of the site by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, represents one more step toward the total replacement of the remaining bits of open, undeveloped space with buildings, active programming and sterilized landscape. Where will the nature persist after cutting down 200 trees? How will the ecological contiguity of land be maintained? People and wildlife need parks with fewer buildings, not more.”
Plan elements
Besides renovation of the existing museum and construction of a new two-story, 40,000-square-foot building, other key elements of the plan
include a new pedestrian bridge to take visitors across Lake Pit, where iconic mammoth sculptures have lounged for decades. In addition, 7.3 acres of renovated park space will feature picnic and play areas.
Inside, visitors will be able to peek into a glass-enclosed Fossil Lab to see ongoing discoveries and the extensive collections. Exhibition space will increase by 20 percent. Animal images will be projected at night on the new building’s windows.
Fossil remains of saber-tooth cats, giant sloths, dire wolves and other Ice Age animals who walked the grounds here millenia ago — before being pulled into the sticky tar below — will be featured in the new exhibition building.
Shade will be added at the existing outdoor classroom and fossil dig at Pit 91, where visitors will be able to see sticky asphalt oozing up from the ground below while watching scientists work in real time.
More shade is planned to welcome visitors at the entry plaza at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Curson Avenue, which also will feature an Ice Age-era Pleistocene garden. A second entryway on Sixth Street will be for school groups. Native plantings that support local wildlife and birdwatching areas will be in the park. A rooftop café and “Tar Bar” will offer refreshments and views.
“The site is a gateway to the Ice Age, and it is right on our doorstep,” Lori Bettison-Varga, president of the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, told us when the project was first announced in 2023. “It gives us a very good glimpse into the last global climate change episode — understanding what happened back then, 10,000 to 50,000 years ago.”
Visit tarpits.org/reimagine.
Troop 10 celebrates 111 years with pancakes
By Matt Rauchberg Scoutmaster
As Scouts around the country celebrated Scout Sunday and the 115th anniversary of the founding of Scouting in America, Troop 10 was celebrating their 111th anniversary as the oldest continuously chartered Scout troop in the Western United States with their annual pancake breakfast fundraiser.
The Scouts spend several weeks selling tickets for the event, as well as first aid kits, raising awareness about emergency preparedness. On the day of the event, Feb. 9, the Scouts cooked up pancakes and sausages along with coffee and hot chocolate for over 100 hungry guests, who enjoyed browsing the 100 years of photos and history that adorn the walls of the Troop 10 Scout Room at St. James’.
Based at St. James’ Episcopal Church since 1914, Troop 10 today brings together over 35 boys ages 11-17 from a
dozen area schools to camp, hike, kayak, fish and perform conservation and community service projects. New members are always welcome to come by our meetings on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. and check it out for a few weeks before deciding to join. For more information, or to support the troop by purchasing a first aid kit, visit tinyurl. com/3dzua6a5.
AERIAL VIEW rendering of the central lawn during the evening at the La Brea Tar Pits site.
SCOUTS Ben Gregory, Matthew Angulo, Wyatt Moen, Zeke Capper-Goss, Ajax Voukydis and James Cooper at the ticket booth for the Troop 10 Pancake Breakfast.
TROOP 10 Scouts Asher Levy and Lucas Henrich serve up pancakes and sausages at the annual Pancake Breakfast Feb. 9.
Descanso’s Mexican flair fills a dining void on Wilshire Blvd.
Ever since Marie Callender’s restaurant closed in 2018 after nearly 40 years on the Miracle Mile, there’s been a culinary void on Wilshire Boulevard. The fussy Victorian-esque edifice that housed Callender’s sat empty for seven years before Descanso arrived to much fanfare with a fresh take on Mexican cuisine, perfected at their original restaurant in Costa Mesa.
Descanso was welcomed at their grand opening on Jan. 23 with a city proclamation presented by Thao Tan, field deputy for District 5 City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky. The restaurant co-owner and creator Rob Arellano expressed how excited he was to bring his childhood memories of Mexican street food to the Miracle Mile. Standing beside co-owner Rick Warren, Arellano wielded the scissors for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Invited guests and the public enjoyed cocktails and small bites while wandering the 9,000-square-foot taqueria.
Although I was in the crowd, the best way to try a restaurant is on a normal business day, so four of us walked over for dinner after spending a few hours at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Descanso means “rest” or “relax,” and it’s a perfect place to relax and refuel after
On the Menu
by Helene Seifer
visiting Museum Row.
The largely untouched exterior still shouts “chicken pot pie!” for those who frequented the late homey Marie Callender’s, but Descanso’s interior sports a beautiful modern redo. Those entering from Wilshire pass through impressive brick arches, which lead to a large moody dining room wrapped around a towering bar. There is also a private party room, an agave spirit private locker room, outdoor patios and a mural-splashed plancha room where diners sit around a flat top where eight different grilled-to-order, three-course meals are prepared.
We settled into the main room and, fortified with very good margaritas, perused the menu. Starters ranged from the quotidian ($5 chips and salsa; $14 grilled white corn with aioli, Cotija cheese and chile lime seasoning) to the sublime ($15 short rib corn empanada). We began with $15 creamy and lightly spiced guacamole with piquant salsa and fresh tortilla chips, because, after all, is there any other way to start a Mexican meal? We also shared a gen-
erous plate of 10 fiery and flavorful peel-and-eat, headon shrimp, $20. Dosed in what was described as “volcano” salsa, sprinkled with salty Cotija cheese crumbles and spritzed with lime, this is a dish to be enjoyed with gusto — rip off the heads, slurp their juices, peel the shells and dig into the plump, spicy crustaceans while red chile oil marinade drips down your hands and stains your lips (or clothes!). Fantastico!
There are three soups, three salads, 12 taco choices and a dozen entrees, such as $25 crispy carnitas (slow-cooked pork) and $44 sea bass with vegetables and huitlacoche (umami-rich corn fungus). It was a chilly night, so soup was appealing. Fideo (cup $8, bowl $12) offered a tangle of skinny noodles in tomato broth with avocado slices and crema. It was lukewarm and not especially interesting. The red pozole was better. Hominy (alkali-soaked dried corn kernels) and chunks of pulled pork float in a chile broth with
radishes and cilantro (cup $9, bowl $15). I added a spoonful of salsa to jazz it up. Descanso’s cups are the smallest we’d ever seen.
We chose not to try the entrees since the variety of tacos sounded wonderful and this is a taqueria, after all. Generously stuffed, they range from $8 for achiote marinated chicken to $18 for lobster with slaw and mango salsa. They are mostly served on blue corn tortillas, made be-
hind glass in a corner of the restaurant where patrons can watch. A spicy $15 surf-andturf taco mixed steak with agave-glazed shrimp, topped with cheese, serrano chiles, habanero-pickled red onion and fiery salsa. The overflowing filling nestled in a griddled pairing of both flour and blue corn tortillas. Although the combination worked, I think I would have enjoyed it even more if the proteins were separated into two tacos. Their $8 crispy tilapia taco was too heavy-handed on the breading and the frying, completely losing the sweet flesh of the fish. The two tacos that won the night were the steak with salsa, grilled onions and poblano peppers, $9.50, which allowed the beefiness to shine, and the chile-rubbed mahi-mahi with pickled fruit sauce and a cabbage and jalapeño slaw. The sauce enhanced the mild fish and the slaw added a satisfying snap and hint of heat. Although not the same as the barrel-fried fish tacos we experienced on the docks in Baja, it tasted just as authentic and delicious.
Next time we’ll save room for $13 mango crème brûlée or Mexican brownie, $14. Or perhaps we’ll try the plancha room for a completely different experience.
Decanso, descansorestaurantla.com, 5773 Wilshire Blvd., 213-672-2444.
People of Action "doing good and having fun."
Serving our community since 1932
LA PLANCHA ROOM: Eight different grilled-to-order, threecourse meals can be prepared here.
FRESHLY MADE TORTILLAS at the new Descanso restaurant.
CO-OWNER AND CREATOR Rob Arellano accepts city proclomation from Council District 5 Field Deputy Thao Tran.
Be prepared for disaster with CERT training and a go bag
By Nona Sue Friedman
As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” With the recent fires that devastated parts of Los Angeles, residents were reminded, once again, that this is a disaster-prone city. Readiness, go bags and some training are essential tools to live in Los Angeles.
What is a go bag?
A go bag is a pre-prepared bag that holds essential items one can easily carry in case of an emergency. The last thing you want when faced with
a catastrophic situation is to start looking for important documents, sentimental items or the basic necessities needed to survive for a few days.
A backpack is a good carrier for a go bag. Inside, put enough food and water for three days, along with necessary prescriptions and over- the-counter medication, such as aspirin. Include a first aid kit, copies of important documents, a flashlight and a battery-powered radio. Extra batteries, single or $5 bills, masks and wipes or hand san-
itizer are also needed. A warm jacket and change of clothes are helpful to include. So is a charger for your phone.
One bag should be kept in your house and another in your car, since Angelenos spend so much time on the road. For the car, don’t forget an extra pair of shoes. You don’t want to be out for the night in heels and not have a sensible alternative.
If you have a furry friend, pack food for them as well.
If putting together a bag seems too overwhelming,
there are plenty of pre-packaged varieties available online and at hardware stores. Don’t forget to refresh your bag every year.
Training for a disaster Community Emergency Response Team, also known as CERT, is a free program sponsored by the Los Angeles Fire Department. It’s a seven-week course that meets once a week.
Participants learn how to take care of themselves and their neighbors, put out small fires, perform basic first aid,
organize neighbors and make sure areas are safe for shelter. In an emergency, civilians will need to be competent and resourceful, because the majority of emergency personnel will be busy taking care of the disaster or results of the disaster.
Classes take place all over the city at many different days and times, but they tend to fill up fast. The next course with available spots close to this area starts Tues., May 6, at Fire Station 82, 1792 Bronson Ave. Visit cert-la.com to enroll.
‘Sweetheart’ statue is part of Art Deco revitalization
By Nona Sue Friedman
The statue of a carefree-looking girl from a bygone era stands holding flowers in Wilshire Green Park. She could easily go unnoticed, located in the center of a roundabout behind the Wilshire Courtyard office complex. The building and the park were erected in the late 1980s.
Lyn MacEwen Cohen, president of the Miracle Mile Residential Association at the time, saw a smaller version of the statue in an art gallery window in New York City. It spoke to her and she thought it would be the perfect addition to the newly erected park.
Cohen entered the art gallery and it was kismet. The artist, Corrine Weinberg, happened to be there. She and Cohen started talking about making a larger version of the statue and a deal was sealed for $12,000. The statue is named, “Sweetheart of the Miracle Mile.”
(Please turn to Page 16)
STATUE OF a young girl, sculpted by Corrine Weinberg, sits in the center of Wilshire Green Park.
Police run and play to let off steam with coworkers after hours
By Nona Sue Friedman
Not only do officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) work hard, but they play hard. Being a police officer can be a draining job. To let off steam and build camaraderie, they participate in a multitude of extracurricular activities.
Baker to Vegas
The Baker to Vegas foot race is a 120-mile relay for law enforcement around the world. It starts in Baker, California and finishes in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sat., April 5, and Sun., April 6. The race’s
motto is “Where runners go to compete.”
Each team of 20 runners takes a leg of the course, which can vary in length from just under 5 miles to 13. The race starts in the afternoon with the Mojave Desert sun blasting down and continues overnight.
This year, Wilshire Community Police Station is sending a team to compete. Senior Lead Officer (SLO) Tyler Shuck, who covers Windsor Village, is one of the captains and will be running for his sixth time.
Officer Andrew Jones, who oversees Miracle Mile, will be participating for his second time.
“It’s hard to do the race and you get humbled very quickly,” according to Jones. But he also says, “It’s nice to let loose, relax, have a good time with your co-workers and enjoy the accomplishment.”
Participants run for pride, honor and the possibility of winning one of the coveted mugs as a trophy.
• Compassionate & Caring
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It’s one of the most unique and prestigious running races for police officers, says SLO Danny Chavez.
Softball
In addition to running, the officers at Wilshire have a championship softball team. After returning from Las Vegas this year they start practicing softball. Under the helm of Jones as captain, this team has won three out of the last four seasons. These officers can’t get enough of each other!
‘Sweetheart’
(Continued from Page 14)
“Since Art Deco was the building style for the original Miracle Mile, we wanted to have the park styled similarly for historic preservation,” said Cohen. The Art Deco elements of the park include the statue, a footbridge and a gazebo. It was the first of many projects the MMRA implemented to make the area greener.
The bronze statue is
by a small playground on one side and a pond with turtles and koi on the other. The plaques on its base display quotes for visitors to ponder while meandering through the area. One says, “These gardens are dedicated to the spirit of cooperation,” another, “As you play well together, thrive together … here in this garden,” and lastly, “Preserve today for tomorrow.” Enjoy your stroll.
Coffee with a Cop lets residents stroll in for a visit
By Nona Sue Friedman
The Larchmont Chronicle caught up with Senior Lead Officer (SLO) Andrew Jones at a Coffee with a Cop community get-together in the grassy area in the middle of Park La Brea on Feb. 11. LAPD was asked to come by the security patrol of the apartment complex.
Claire Mintz, 96, a 20-year resident of Park La Brea, said, “I feel pretty safe here. But I do wish they had more activities for seniors like they used to.” Her sage advice: “Enjoy yourself and have fun.”
The park setting enabled residents to trickle in throughout the morning and talk to officers and security staff in a relaxed manner.
Two Metro stations
Jones said soon there will be two Metro subway stations in his area. Construction is still ongoing at Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue
and another at the station planned for Wilshire and Fairfax Avenue.
Since Metro has its own security team and LAPD has a detail devoted exclusively to Metro, he hopes when the stations open, most likely later this year, there won’t be any issues. “The two departments work hand in
hand,” according to Jones.
LAPD checks for TAP cards, which is a passenger’s entrance ticket, on the platforms. If the passenger doesn’t have one, that’s considered trespassing.
“Overall things are good in the Miracle Mile,” says Jones, who just returned from his honeymoon in the Bahamas.
WILSHIRE DIVISION’S championship softball team. Photos courtesy of Officer Andrew Jones
PASSING THE BATON in the dark is Officer Drew Penner, left. Receiving it is Officer Lisa Jimenez. Both officers are with Wilshire LAPD.
SOLO RUNNER Officer Tearso Torrento of Wilshire LAPD runs through the Mojave Desert.
PARK LA BREA resident Claire Mintz is surrounded by (from left) Dora Magana from Park La Brea’s security patrol and Officers Hector Marquez, Andrew Jones and Michael Soliman.
flanked
Toast the Oscars, celebrate a new era in crafts on Museum Row
By Suzan Filipek
Watch the Oscars live from the comfort of a world-class theater, see new works by emerging and established artists and immerse yourself in car culture, all from the comfort of our neighborhood on Museum Row.
The 97th Oscars will be streamed live on Hulu and ABC, as well as on the big screen in the David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum on Sun., March 2. Guests can nibble on hors d’oeuvres and have their photos snapped on the Walt Disney Company Piazza. The event is from 3 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $75 for members and $100 for non-members.
Fanny’s restaurant inside the Academy Museum will serve cocktails inspired by this year’s best picture nominees. Fanny’s will also host its own Oscars Watch Party with a prix fixe menu from 3 to 8 p.m. on the celebrated night.
The festivities will continue with a month-long schedule of screenings, tours and exhibits.
Exhibitions coming up include “Director’s Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho,” opening Sun., March 23, and “Barbie to Anna Karenina: The Cinematic Worlds of Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer,” opening Fri., May 23.
Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., academymuseum.org.
The Craft Contemporary celebrates its 60th anniversary with a tribute Sat., May 10. The benefit and art auction will honor artist Bari Ziperstein. Museum founder, the
late Edith Wyle, will also be honored, as well as The Egg & The Eye — the former beloved brunch spot which served art along with omelets.
Then, a new storytelling era will be unveiled.
“We are ushering in a new curatorial vision for the museum that prioritizes storytelling, accessibility, sustainability and the natural world,” Rody Lopez, museum executive director told us. Exhibitions and a maker-in-residence program will create a cohesive narrative in upcoming exhibits, Lopez said.
Senior curator Frida Cano envisions exhibitions and programming at the museum as a story in which “Craft” is the protagonist who embarks on a journey to rebuild the connection between nature and humanity. “Our exhibiting artists produce work that combines tradition with innovation and tell a story that will encourage our audience
to consider how craft can heal and redeem the relationship between humanity and the earth,” Lopez told us.
The first in the series, “Book 1: On Healing,” will open Sat., June 7.
Craft Contemporary, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., craftcontemporary.org.
A monumental collage, “Die Plage,” by visual artist and minimalist composer, the late Harley Gaber, is at Holocaust Museum LA through June. The work includes 600 canvases covering six walls, that shed light on World War II Germany. Gaber (1943-2011) combed archives, explored historical sites and visited former concentration camps to create arresting images that include perpetrators and victims.
Author Pamela D. Toler will discuss her new book, “The Dragon from Chicago: The Untold Story of an American Reporter in Nazi Germany,” on Sun., March 16, at 3 p.m. Holocaust Museum LA, 100 The Grove Dr., holocaustmuseumla.org.
Watch paleontologists at
work at the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum, the only actively excavated Ice Age fossil site in the middle of a city in the world! The site — where animals, plants and insects were trapped in sticky asphalt, perserving them to today — has fascinated visitors for more than a century.
Experience the Ice Age up close with a life-size saber-toothed cat puppet in Ice Age Encounters. Show times are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. “Titans of the Ice Age” showcases in 3D the giant mammoths and other mammals that ruled the area 10,000 to 50,000 years ago. Screenings are every half hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. La Brea Tar Pits, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., tarpits.org.
Vivid colors and patterns adorn textiles, clothing and headwear from more than 20 cultures in “Ritual Expressions: African Adornment from the Permanent Collection.” The exhibit continues at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) through Sun., July 6.
“Zheng Chongbin: Golden State” opens Sun., March 23. The artist’s works combine the Light and Space movement and East Asia’s tradition of ink painting. Ends Sun., Jan. 4, 2026.
LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., lacma.org.
Petersen Automotive Museum recently opened “People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block,” celebrating the iconic motorsport figure.
Adventurous car enthusiasts might consider the Road to Eccellenza. The international rally will take drivers
(Please turn to Page 20)
CHIMERIC LANDSCAPE by Zheng Chongin is coming to LACMA.
“DIE PLAGE,” by the late visual artist and minimalist composer Harley Gaber, is at the Holocaust Museum LA. Photo: Al Seib
THE EGG & THE EYE, circa 1971.
FOUNDER OF the Craft Contemporary, Edith Wyle, at left.
COCKTAILS will celebrate Best Picture nominees at Fanny’s.
WALK THE RED CARPET on Oscar night at the Academy Museum. Above: last year’s party.
Streaming: Hollywood’s creative and economic landscape
By Philip Alberstat
The entertainment industry is experiencing its most dramatic transformation since the advent of television, as streaming platforms revolutionize how content is produced, distributed and consumed in Los Angeles and beyond.
Netflix’s evolution from DVD rentals to streaming giant sparked an industry-wide shift that has upended traditional Hollywood business models. The success of early Netflix originals like “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black” demonstrated streaming’s potential to rival traditional television. This catalyst prompted tech giants Amazon and Apple to invest billions in their own platforms, while legacy studios launched services like Disney+, Paramount+ and Peacock.
The streaming revolution has fundamentally altered viewing habits. Gone are the days when hit shows like “Friends” or “Seinfeld” commanded massive live audiences. Instead, series like “Stranger Things” and “The Last of Us” release entire seasons at once, enabling binge-watching and transforming how audiences engage with content. This shift has led to shorter theatrical windows – “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” arrived on streaming platforms just months after their box office success, compared to the traditional six-month wait.
The streaming boom has
brought mixed fortunes to Los Angeles’ entertainment workforce. While demand for content has created new opportunities, with streaming giants like Netflix establishing permanent production hubs on Sunset Boulevard and Amazon taking over Culver Studios, production increasingly moves to other locations. Georgia’s generous tax incentives have attracted major productions like “Stranger Things” and Marvel’s upcoming projects, while Vancouver hosts numerous streaming series including “The Night Agent” and “Percy Jackson.”
The rise of virtual production technology, exemplified by Industrial Light & Magic’s StageCraft facility in Manhattan Beach, where “The Mandalorian” is filmed, represents both innovation and disruption. While this technology keeps high-end production in Los Angeles, it also enables more work to be performed remotely. Visual effects for shows like “House of the Dragon” can now be completed by artists working worldwide.
Production compensation
Recent labor disputes highlighted streaming’s impact on compensation. The 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes centered on establishing fair payment structures in an era where viewership data remains closely guarded by platforms. Writers of successful streaming shows like “Wednesday” and “Ted Lasso” argued for residuals comparable to traditional television, where hits like “The Office” generated substantial ongoing revenue for creators.
Production economics have also transformed. While Netflix once offered generous budgets — reportedly spending $200 million on “The Gray Man” and $160 million on “The Crown’s” final season — streaming services have begun tightening spending. Amazon’s “Citadel” and Apple’s “The Morning Show,” despite their high budgets, face increased scrutiny as platforms seek sustainable business models. This shift has particularly affected mid-budget films, with stu-
dios focusing investment on proven intellectual property like Marvel series and Star Wars spin-offs.
Industry experts anticipate further changes ahead. Market consolidation appears likely, as evidenced by Warner Bros. Discovery’s merger and the Disney-Hulu integration. Meanwhile, theatrical releases show resilience — “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” demonstrated audiences will still attend theaters for major releases, prompting streaming services like Amazon (with “Air”) and Apple (with “Killers of the Flower Moon”) to embrace theatrical runs.
The integration of AI and virtual production technology promises to further revolutionize content creation, while streaming services expand aggressively into international markets.
Netflix’s “Squid Game” from South Korea and “Money Heist” from Spain proved global content can achieve worldwide success, leading to increased investment in international productions like “3 Body Problem” and “Berlin.”
Despite these challenges, Los Angeles maintains its position as an entertainment hub. Major streaming services continue to lease studio space across the city, from Netflix’s expansion at Sunset Bronson Studios to Amazon’s presence at Culver Studios.
The city’s deep talent pool and production infrastructure, combined with initiatives like the expanded California Film & Television Tax Credit Program, help retain productions even as the industry evolves.
As streaming platforms mature and business models evolve, the industry’s foundation remains unchanged: delivering compelling stories to audiences worldwide. The next chapter in Hollywood’s history is being written in pixels and data streams, but Los Angeles continues to adapt as it has throughout previous industry transformations.
Philip Alberstat is an Emmy Award-winning producer and content creator.
Museums
(Continued from Page 18) through the South of France and into Italy on Fri., May 16 to Sat., May 24.
Back home, the Junior Concours program calls on all innovators under 18 to create a scale car model or design a sketch. To enter, fill out an entry form by Sat., March 1. Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Petersen.org.
DETAIL OF a royal ceremonial robe from Nigeria is at LACMA.
“TITANS OF THE ICE AGE” is in 3D at the La Brea Tar Pits.
ICONIC VEHICLES are featured in “Legacy of Ken Block” at the Petersen Museum.
Farce, satire and dose of tragedy make for interesting theater
Farce is nothing to laugh about. Despite the Oxford English Dictionary’s (OED) definition of it as a “comic dramatic piece that uses highly improbable situations, stereotyped characters, extravagant exaggeration and violent horseplay,” farce really is, as the English Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote, “nearer tragedy in its essence than comedy.”
In other words, if you slow down the philandering husband diving under the bed while the maid dashes into the closet as the wife (who’s having her own affair) strides into the bedroom, then you have painful betrayal and broken hearts: tragedy. It’s the pacing of the direction and the elegance of the performances that allow us to safely laugh at the pain as others slip on their emotional banana peels. Or so I was taught.
There are two farces running that put that lesson to the test. The first is Michael Frayn’s 1982 chestnut, Noises Off, at the Geffen through Sun., March 9; 310-2085454; geffenplayhouse.com).
The second is the world premiere of Larissa FastHorse’s long-delayed Fake It Till You
Theater Review by Louis Fantasia
Make It, also through Sun., March 9, at the Mark Taper; 213-628-2772; centertheatregroup.org.
First the chestnut. “Noises Off” is a co-production with Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theater, directed by Tony winner Anna D. Shapiro. One would be forgiven for expecting a modernist “take” on the play, given Steppenwolf’s stellar reputation, but this is just regional theater at its sturdiest. The unit set appears to be an Agatha Christie-style country house, but is in reality the set of an Agatha Christie-style country house.
Frayn’s conceit is that we see a play about a play from the front of the house first, then from backstage, and then, sped-up, from the front again.
The slamming doors and flying dishes of sardines (and other bits of slapstick) are supposed to hide the hurt: the stage manager is pregnant by the director, who is also having an affair with the ingenue; the old character actor is drinking too much; the
rest of the cast is engaged in heated backstage romances and rivalries. Human fallibility, the essence of farce, is absent from the production. The gags are all there, but it’s a production lacking soul, which didn’t keep the opening night audience from roaring with laughter. I just couldn’t figure out why.
The problem with Larissa FastHorse’s farce, “Fake It Till You Make It,” is much simpler. It’s not a farce, it’s a satire. And a dated one.
Satire, again referencing the OED, is a genre “which uses humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticize prevailing immorality or foolishness, esp. as a form of social or political commentary.” A classic example was David Levine’s 1966 political cartoon mocking Lyndon Johnson showing his scar to reporters after gallbladder surgery. The scar in the cartoon was the shape of Vietnam.
Ms. FastHorse’s subjects seem to be diversity and “well-meaning white people,” as she herself put it. “I’m really grateful … because I keep writing plays that make fun of [theater audiences], and you
What to watch for
“Four Women in Red,” by playwright Laura Shamas, a citizen of Chickasaw Nation, premieres at the Victory Theater through Sun., March 23; 818-841-5421; thevictorytheatrecenter.org.
“These Shining Lives,” about 1920s striking female factory workers, is at the Actors Co-op through Sun., March 30; 323-462-8460; actorscoop.org.
Megan Gogerty’s “Feast,” a solo retelling of “Beowulf” runs Sat., March 8 through Sun., April 6, at The Count’s Den, DTLA; leonixtheatre.org.
The world premiere of “The Camp,” about the Japanese American internment, has its final two performances at the Aratani Theater in Little Tokyo, Sat., March 1, and Sun., March 2; jaccc.org/events/the-campan-opera-in-two-acts.
keep coming” (CTG Performances, 2/25).
The plot revolves around who has greater claim to grant money: Indigenous groups trying to do good, or white groups trying to do good for them? The fact that the women who lead the two nonprofits squabble over a shared cat only shows how desperately the play tries for laughs. It’s hard to tell whether the one-dimensionality of the production comes from its writing, acting or directing. It was opening night and perhaps things will fill out as the run progresses.
I hope so. Like the Geffen and
CROSSWORD
Steppenwolf, this is a co-production between the Taper and Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage, where it plays next.
