Changes to Mills Act could affect historic sites
The Mills Act Historic Property Contract program started in 1996 and according to City Planning is Los Angeles’ leading financial incentive for preservation, offering property tax reductions in exchange for the rehabilitation and preservation of historic properties. Mills Contracts are set at a minimum of 10 years and are automatically renewed annually in perpetuity, even transferring to new owners upon the sale of properties.
On Preservation
by Brian Curran
On March 14 the Los Angeles Department of City Planning and Office of Historic Resources released a new document titled “Mills Act Property Contract Program Draft Policy Updates and Ordinance Amendments,” which outlines City Planning recommendations for the preservation of the program based on comprehensive assessment processes that began in 2020.
Among the most controversial suggestions is the nonrenewal of existing contracts over 10 years old, a move
which would affect many local Mills Act property owners.
Chattel Inc. reviewed the Mills Act, finding it was too big to manage by city staff, and secondly, said the majority of contracts were concentrated in areas “facing low barriers to opportunity.” Addressing the first point, City Planning came up with 10 suggested actions including adding new staff, collecting noncompliance and penalty fees, adjusting tax revenue and creating a new database of Mills Act properties. To address equity, City Planning proposed prioritizing applications for historic multifamily and adaptive reuse projects as well as properties with affordable housing.
One aspect of this which could potentially affect those in our neighborhoods who hold Mills Contracts over 10 years old (myself included) is the suggestion that these contracts not be renewed to allow for new properties to apply.
As a consolation to contract holders facing nonrenewal, the draft states, “Nonrenewal of a contract begins a 10-year wind down, during which time an owner’s property tax valuation is reset to the base year
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Tacos and consommé: A taste of Larchmont
By Desmond Garvey
The Pavilions located on the corner of Vine Street and Melrose Avenue has long served as Larchmont’s local grocery store. For those unaware, over the past five years or so, Tacos Guelaguetza — a taco stand located on the sidewalk just south of the Pavilions parking lot — and Birria De Res La Tia Juana — a taco truck situated just off Melrose on Lillian Way — have been locked in a stalemate, competing for the title of best tacos around Larchmont.
You roll into the parking lot around 4 p.m. A taquero shouts at the oblivious first-timer standing in front of you to step up and tell him his order. A line of about 30 others snakes behind you, each patron anxiously waiting for their turn to soak up the heat put off by the trompo rotisserie as it scorches a glistening mile-high stack of al pastor. They stand with their hands in their pockets, chat among themselves and glance at the menu printed on a blue tarp quivering in the wake of cars speeding by. Bulbs strung across the outer edges of the blue tent above the flat top illuminate various meats dancing in their own juices: carne asada, al pastor, carnitas con buche, lengua, chorizo and tripa.
Unaware that the lingerer
in front of you is now gone, the taquero now shouts impatiently at you to step up and order. You get the burrito. He grabs a handful of cheese, raises his arm to shoulder level and sprinkles a precise round layer of shredded queso Oaxaca on the griddle just before quickly slapping a Sonoran-style tortilla on top. “What kind of meat bro?” the taquero to the right of the first asks. You’ll opt for the al pastor along with rice and beans. Not skimping on the portions, he presents to you a mountain of bright orange meat resting on the open-faced burrito. Taking it, sneaking your way around customers waiting to pay, you wind your way to a station with tubs of limes, diced onions and cilantro, radishes and a selection of four salsas: an oil-based habañero salsa (defi-
nitely not for the faint of heart), roasted poblano salsa, a chile de arbol salsa and a tomatillo avocado salsa. A squeeze of lime, a healthy portion of onions and cilantro and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo salsa will do. Meander on back to the second taquero you talked to. Without looking he’ll take your plate, roll up the burrito and slide it to the cashier.
Take a spot at the green electrical box or stand in the parking lot, making sure to assume a wide stance as to avoid any unwanted drippings. Don’t shy away from the man handling your burrito; the Sonoran-style tortilla coupled with the melted cheese ensure an airtight seal. Peeling back the foil, the aroma rushes out — smoky, sweet pork bathed in a crimson marinade, the scent of charred edges mingling with hints of pineapple. The onions, cilantro and lime cut right through the richness, allowing room for the creamy yet electric avocado salsa to shine. Each bite is heaven. While all of the other meats on offer are great in a burrito or on tacos, I highly recommend getting the cabeza and carnitas con buche on tacos. Tacos Guelaguetza undoubtedly draws in the most customers and are certainly
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BIRRIA TACOS from the truck and consommé in the cup.
LBA board named; beautification update
By Nona Sue Friedman
Romi Cortier of Romi Cortier Design was recently elected president of the Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA). As president, Cortier plans to continue beautification of the Boulevard. Previously, he was chair of the LBA’s Beautification Committee.
During his tenure as committee chair, he orchestrated the planting of new flowers and foliage in concrete plant-
ers throughout the village and relandscaped the medians. As president, he is continuing the beautification process.
Beautification project
First up is eight new trash bins, two recycling bins and three benches all in a shade of French blue. According to Cortier, “The French blue will make the Boulevard look different and chic.” These items were installed on the west side of the Boulevard at the
Rollerblade, ride a bike in CicLAvia
It’s time to mount your bike, grab your scooter and put on your favorite sneakers. CicLAvia is coming to town. Koreatown Meets Hollywood is Sun., April 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Designed to get Angelenos out of their automobiles, the car-free event will connect Hollywood, East Hollywood, Melrose Hill and Koreatown.
Participants can run, walk, roll and dance, as long as their mode of transportation is people-powered (with exceptions for those with disabilities).
Resting points — called hubs — and car crossings will dot the 4 3/4-mile route. Travelers can go both ways between Vermont Avenue on the east and Hollywood Boulevard to the north and drop in any-
where along the route, which includes portions of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards. Visit ciclavia.org for more information.
Tacos
(Continued from Page 2) not lacking in the knock-yoursocks-off delicious department. However, they do fall short when it comes to originality.
If an entirely new experience is what you’re looking for, head for Lillian Way. There you’ll find a white taco truck at the curb. Greasy birria de res, with that signature deep red color, has been all the rage lately. Despite the truck’s name, Birria De Res La Tia Juana won’t have this Mexican beef stew on offer. With
end of March. More French blue items are planned for installation.
Cortier has also been busy dealing with an assortment of agencies trying to get the town’s clock working again.
In addition to the new president, the LBA elected vice president Melissa Farwell, who organizes the farmers markets on Larchmont Boulevard; Bob Day of Coldwell Banker as secretary; and treasurer Jennifer Audette of POLAM Credit Union. They will each serve a two-year term.
According to their website, “The LBA was organized in 1965 as a nonprofit, volunteer, cooperative organization of
only one choice of protein on the menu — in an attempt to not scare away picky eaters — the meat remains beef. The consommé is closer to a broth and is reminiscent of Jalisco-style goat birria.
Grab a couple tacos dorados — slow cooked beef cradled in a fried tortilla — and a cup of consommé on the side. The tacos are just fine and the truck is lacking in the tortilla department. These seemingly major drawbacks allow for the consommé to shine and bring it all home. Spiced with clove, cinnamon and bay
businesses, professional firms and property owners located primarily on Larchmont. The organization is committed to supporting and promoting local businesses.”
If you are interested in making a donation to the beautification of Larchmont, please visit larchmont.com.
leaves, a spoonful of this consommé warms you from your soul to the parts extreme.
In the battle for Larchmont’s best tacos, the crown has to go to Tacos Guelaguetza. Tacos Guelaguetza wins with its tried-and-true mastery — a crowd-pleaser that never disappoints. However, if you’re in search of something different, Birria De Res La Tia Juana offers a limited, soulful detour. Whether you’re drawn to the familiarity of al pastor or the motherly embrace of a spiced consommé, both spots deliver something unforgettable.
Village Mail-Call makes last call
By Suzan Filipek
Julie Levtow is retiring after 40 years of serving as a notary and taking passport photos at her shipping and mailing business in Larchmont Village Square.
While she is closing Village Mail-Call, at 419 N. Larchmont Blvd., on March 31, she will continue to offer services to her older clientele, many of whom she considers her friends, from her Gower Street home.
Many of her customers are children and grandchildren of her earlier clientele. But
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EIGHT NEW trash bins are on Larchmont Boulevard.
Village Mail-Call
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regardless of their age, Julie welcomes everyone with a smile and helpful attitude. If her Yelp reviews are any indication, the neighborhood will be sorry to see her go.
She’s taken some 14,000 fingerprints in her career — from the ink type to today’s electronic live scan version.
Her late husband, Kenneth Levtow, introduced her to the business and also to the world of opera and symphonies, which have developed into a passion. She is on the Board of the Opera League of Los Angeles and also serves as its photographer. “I joined the board, since I’m already always there,” she said of the performances and lectures held at the Music Center. Her
manufacturing at the time.
Julie joined Kenneth in the U.S., where she earned a master’s degree from U.S. International University (now Alliant International University) in San Diego and had planned to continue in journalism. But, she joined her husband in business and never looked back. (Kenneth Levtow died 20 years ago.)
She’s glad to see Romi Cortier as new president of the Larchmont Boulevard Association and the beautification of the Village, with new planters and benches and other pos-
itive changes made by her longtime neighbor (Cortier owns a hair salon next door to Village Mail-Call.) “It’s really exciting to see all the changes in the neighborhood.”
car has a bumper sticker that reads: “Give Opera a Chance.”
Levtow was a journalist writing about off-shore drilling and other issues for a newspaper in Hong Kong when she met her future husband, who worked in garment
“I’ve seen the industry develop and grow,” she said of her long career. Companies like UPS, which once were only carriers, now offer more services in line with what her shop offered from the start.
In this new chapter of her life, she looks forward to traveling. “I want to see the world and see the other side of the U.S.,” she said. All the while, she plans on keeping a close watch on Larchmont.
Single-family homes
$2,800,000
$1,550,000
JULIE LEVTOW shows a notebook with handwritten entries of fingerprints taken from 1993-96, before her business entered the computer age.
SOLD: This home at
Playing for Change Foundation party
By H. Hutcheson
Playing for Change Foundation (PFCF) celebrated its 2025 Impact Awards in Miami March 15 with an array of prominent figures from Miami and beyond, including Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke, PFCF Executive Director Whitney Kroenke Silverstein, the Marley family, Los Angeles resident Panos A. Panay (president of the Recording Academy). There were music performances by Skip Marley and singer-songwriters JUANES of Columbia and Anitta of Brazil.
PFCF’s achievements include building a cultural art center for children in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement of Uganda. Its mission is to create positive change through
music and arts education for marginalized youth primarily located in low and lower-middle income countries. PFCF
has programs in 19 countries, with 100 locations in all.
The Kroenke family, owners of the Los Angeles Rams and SoFi stadium, do not have a program for PFCF in Los Angeles, which would make for a great new location.
The theme of the evening was Brazil, with talented youth from Brazil and other countries performing. Gale, a talented young Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, performed, and there was a special honorary award given to Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records and the godfather of reggae music. JUANES gave an intimate and inspiring performance and also has similar nonprofit goals.
Among the named sponsors were Jimmy Hutcheson, CEO
Two Stunning Properties Available for Lease Two Stunning Properties Available for Lease
of SPIN magazine, and his wife, Elizabeth, and Tiffany & Co., who created the honorary awards. It was heartwarming to see the auction go wild with a guitar signed by all of the members of the Rolling Stones, trips both to Napa Valley and Jamaica, and one
simply generous auction paddle was raised to donate $250,000 because, as Ziggy Marley said, “Love is my religion,” too.
The after-party continued the Brazilian theme with dancing and partying into the early morning in true Miami style.
JIMMY AND ELIZABETH HUTCHESON of SPIN (at left) with (left to right) Hedy and Andrew Hutcheson and Felicia and Dennis Cunningham with auction item “Love Is My Religion” by Victoria White.
CHRIS BLACKWELL (left) accepting his Tiffany-created award from Cedella and Ronan Marley.
Street lighting outages continue to plague Larchmont area
By Bridget Smith
Residents of the Larchmont area have noticed an increasing frequency of street lighting outages, sparking concern over public safety. According to city officials, the persistent outages are a result of a complex set of issues including a rise in copper wire theft, staffing shortages and a budget that has failed to keep pace with inflation for the past three decades.
Zoe Friedlander, a longtime Norton Avenue resident, shared her frustration after reporting a series of outages that left her street dark over the holidays. “It’s frustrating, but I realize the city has much bigger issues to deal with, and I am committed to being patient,” Friedlander said.
Growing problem
Copper wire theft has become a significant issue, with criminals targeting streetlights and traffic signals. Desperate thieves resell stolen copper wire for a fraction of the cost of repairing the damage. The City of L.A. Public Works Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL) oversees the city’s streetlight system and reports that 40% of street lighting outages are directly linked to theft and vandalism. The Los Angeles Police
Department has a task force to go after these criminals, but this has not significantly slowed the problem.
Most streetlights in the city rely on copper wiring, making them easy targets for theft. The BSL is experimenting with theft-resistant solar-powered lights to reduce vulnerability, but these are still in the pilot phase for residential areas and currently only in the East Valley. The BSL is also fortifying equipment by sealing off other points of entry so that criminals cannot get in and has reinforced approximately 200 street lighting circuits in the past year. However, these enhancements affect only a small portion of the city’s vast network and, according to the BSL, at the current rate it would take over 70 years to fortify all vulnerable streetlights.
City response to the crisis
Vahid Khorsand, the newly appointed president of the city’s Board of Public Works, acknowledged the challenges faced by the BSL.
“Ensuring safe, well-lit streets is a fundamental priority, and we recognize the challenges posed by staffing shortages and the rise in copper wire theft.”
Councilmember Hugo
Soto-Martinez, who represents Council District 13, of which the Larchmont area is part, has made streetlight repairs one of his top priorities. As a part of his response, he allocated $200,000 in discretionary funds for overtime pay to create a dedicated street lighting team both this year and last. The funds are meant to cover overtime costs for the remainder of this fiscal year, ending June 2025, with plans to continue this funding annually as necessary.
“These funds are crucial to meet the rise in reported outages and to restore reliable street lighting for our neighborhoods,” Khorsand said,
commending Soto-Martinez’s leadership in addressing the issue. The discretionary funds come from repurposed redevelopment funds for infrastructure repairs including streetlight systems (the Councilmember directs their use in his district).
Soto-Martinez expressed frustration over the long delays in repairing outages, stating, “A broken streetlight shouldn’t take up to eight months to fix.” He noted that the city must “get back to basics” and prioritize these essential services.
Staff shortages continue to hinder progress
Like other city agencies, the BSL is facing significant staff-
ing challenges. Last year, the city enacted a hiring freeze. At that time, the BSL was significantly understaffed, with one-third of all positions vacant, and now those vacant positions have been eliminated as part of a citywide effort to close budget gaps. The resulting staff shortage has led to delays in addressing both repairs and preventive measures. Employees receive 1 1/2 times their regular wage for overtime work.
The road ahead: advocating for change
The challenges of street lighting in Larchmont go beyond simple repairs. With the city budget tight due to broader financial concerns, including the aftermath of recent wildfires, there is growing uncertainty about the future of funding for essential services like street lighting.
One proposed solution is to update the outdated street lighting assessments that have been unchanged since 1996. These assessments, funded through property taxes, generate $42 million annually but fail to reflect rising costs. City officials are interested in a citywide ballot measure that could adjust these rates
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100 NORTH BLOCK OF VAN NESS AVENUE, which includes Burns Park, on the evening of March 12.
Spring duck recipe from tour guide Pete Thunder Down Under
By H. Hutcheson
Springtime is here, and, having just completed a tour of Australia, I’m bringing you back a recipe for duck with some native Australian ingredients.
Traversing the Outback, we met Pete Thunder, one of those fantastically unforgettable and passionate tour guides. It happens to be that in his previous life, Thunder was a classically trained chef, but he then decided to live in Uluru upon falling in love with the land and the indigenous Anangu people.
One of his favorite recipes for cooking duck involves the native bush plum, a relative to sandalwood, whose flavors are both sweet and tart. Also called Davidson plum, it can be purchased online, but why not try one of our own local tart plums for the recipe? Satsuma plums are an excellent variety.
As we hiked the sacred
grounds of Uluru, he elaborated:
Preheat the oven to 350 F
Use a sauce pot over low heat to slowly boil and melt:
1 lb. chopped plums
Half a cup Manuka honey
Thick rind strips of one orange
The juice of said orange
One stick of cinnamon
12 cloves in a muslin bag
1/4 cup of light red wine
Score the duck breast for a crispy skin and then rub it with a good dukkah (an Egyptian spice commonly used in Australia). There are variations on this spice throughout the world, but I’m sure over on Westwood Boulevard, in the Persian Square, you will find a beautiful version.
Place the duck breast side up on a roasting rack in a pan and pour the basting sauce you have made over the duck. Place into the oven. Contin-
ually baste the duck every 10 minutes or so.
After the duck has cooked for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 325 F and continue roasting for another 30 minutes or until the duck has an internal temperature of 165 F.
Allow the duck to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
He suggests sautéing some beautiful green Asian vegetables to serve with the duck such as bok choy, water spinach or daikon radish. Certainly any market in Koreatown could supply some great variations.
Enjoy spring! And maybe go visit Pete Thunder Down Under on a spring break trip! (No kidding. This is really
Street lighting
(Continued from Page 7) to help secure the funding needed for consistent street lighting repairs. Assessment updates could also be tackled district by district. At present, there does not seem to be any real momentum by the city or advocates on tackling this three-decade-old issue at either the citywide or local levels.
How you can get involved
As city leaders finalize the budget for the upcoming fis-
his name!)
Do you have a seasonal recipe for the Chronicle? Write to hedy@larchmontchronicle.com with “recipe” in the subject line.
cal year, now is the time for residents to make their voices heard about BSL staffing shortages. However, there is no logical budgetary reason not to restore and fill positions with dedicated street lighting funding. These funds can only be used on the street lighting system and therefore cannot have much impact on the wider budget crisis.
It is important that the mayor and City Council hear from citizens who want staff restored at the BSL. The mayor’s office is actively putting together the budget for the next fiscal year now and will present the budget to the City Council in late April. The City Council has the opportunity to adjust the budget to their priorities before it is finalized, and concerned residents can make their voices heard at meetings in May.
Advocating for increased staffing, better funding for streetlight maintenance and proactive theft prevention can help ensure safer, more reliable streets for the entire Larchmont community. What can residents do?
As frustration continues to
grow among residents, there are steps the public can take to help address the problem. The first is to report outages to the city’s 311 service by calling 311 or visiting lacity.gov/myla311. After getting a service request number, residents should email that number to Councilmember Soto-Martinez’s office (councilmember.soto-martinez@ lacity.org) to ensure their issue is tracked and addressed promptly.
On Preservation
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Proposition 13 value and, at 10 years the contract is no longer in effect.”
Affected owners will have the opportunity to comment on the Mills Act through an online feedback form as well as at two public outreach events. Online public comment ends Fri., May 23. Public outreach events are scheduled for Thurs., April 24, at 10 a.m. at the Cultural Heritage Commission Room 1010 City Hall. A virtual event will take place on Mon., April 28, at 6 p.m. The draft can be found online at tinyurl.com/bdzh5uwx.
PETE THUNDER (center, in hat) guides bushwalkers through the Outback, sharing his mouthwatering local duck recipe. Uluru is in the background.
BROOKSIDE AREA has also been dark since December.
CHRIST
THE KING
Anjella Guiza and Zoe Griswold 8th Grade
Students celebrated Mardi Gras by wearing green, purple or gold. March 5 was Ash Wednesday which marked the first day of Lent. Students received blessed ashes on their foreheads.
Eighth graders were very happy to receive letters of acceptance to the high schools they will be attending.
Our St. Patrick’s dinner dance took place on March 16 and featured traditional Irish dancers, Irish music and delicious traditional Irish food.
An elegant afternoon tea at the historic Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena was enjoyed by members of the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society and friends March 9.
“The hotel was very accommodating, the food was great, the company was very festive in their hats and both speakers were excellent,” Vice President of Events Richard
Students celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by dressing in green. Students are now busy memorizing their spelling words and finding sponsorship for our annual Spell-A-Thon on March 27.
LARCHMONT CHARTER WILSHIRE
Emory Tom Kirkwood & Xavier Mason 3rd Grade
“Evil Aliens are taking over earth!!” said Oliver Granillo. April fools!!
All jokes aside, we have some-
Battaglia told us.
Guests were treated to the Royce Room, one of the original restaurant spaces in the hotel when it was built in 1907. Concierge Alejandro Sosa addressed the crowd and the keynote speaker was author Danny Jensen.
The site originally opened in 1907 as the Hotel Wentworth, but heavy rains and high construction costs forced the hotel to close. Railroad tycoon and art collector Henry Huntington purchased the hotel at auction in 1912 and renamed it the Huntington
thing that’s a little more real: Our annual gala. Decorations are in full bloom for it.
Spring break is an incredibly fun experience. Third grader Ryuan said, “Spring break is great and calm! I like to read all throughout it.”
In March, we had an off-campus book fair! Here’s our librarian with more. “At the off-campus book fair we partnered with Chevalier’s Books to encourage families to purchase recommended books from teachers and fundraise with different businesses on Larchmont like Burger Lounge and Jeni’s Ice Cream.”
Easter egg hunt on April 5
Toddlers to 12-year-olds can search for Easter eggs, play games and crafts and enjoy a moon bounce at the Pan Pacific Park Recreation Center, 7600 Beverly Blvd., on Sat., April 5, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Spring Egg Hunt will feature events for toddlers to 3-year-olds at 11:30 a.m., 4- to 8-year-olds meet at 12:15 p.m. and 9- to 12-year-olds will gather at 1 p.m.
Bring your own basket to the city of Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation and Parks-sponsored event. Food will be available for purchase. Free.
Hotel. Architect Myron Hunt, who designed the Rose Bowl and Ambassador Hotel, was hired to redesign the main building and grounds.
Nearby at The Grove, family-friendly activities will be offered through Sun., April 20, including a festive petting zoo, brunch with the Easter Bunny and live entertainment. For tickets and pricing, visit thegrovela.com.
WSHPHS President Joseph Guidera (left) and Vice President of Events Richard Battaglia at the tea.
Photos by Mary E. Nichols
NEW MEMBERS Lyma Mehl, Kim Galloway and Erin Dundee.
AT THE TEA: Isabella Battaglia, Emma Daukayev and Langham Huntington Hotel history speaker Concierge Alejandro Sosa.
IMMACULATE HEART
Rosie Lay 11th Grade
Happy Spring! Immaculate Heart ended March with our Spring Luncheon, an annual community-building celebration that brings school families together for a fun afternoon on campus. This year’s theme was “Come Sail Away,” featuring “ports of call” offering global cuisine. There was also music, raffle prizes and the chance to bid on an adorable Doodle puppy.
PAGE ACADEMY
Amanda Arigiropoulos 8th Grade
The fencing team will compete at the SoCal Scholastic League State Championships. Four top fencers, including myself, have qualified to represent our school. Go Pandas! Go Heart!
ST. BRENDAN
Alyssa Lee 8th Grade
congratulate our 8th graders for their high school acceptances in March. Big thanks to our amazing teachers who have supported us throughout the process.
On March 17, we kicked off our annual Penny War fundraiser. We awarded our athletes at the winter sports banquet on March 27. We would also like to
On April 5th, the 2nd graders received their First Holy Communion. We also hosted our first Multicultural Fair celebrating the different heritages and traditions in our community. Our beloved Nick’s Favorite Lunch will be held on April 8th. On April 16th, the eighth graders led the Stations of the Cross before heading to Easter break on the 17th. We wish you all a blessed and Happy Easter!
ST.
JAMES’ EPISCOPAL
Puzzle solution is on Page 9. Answers will also be in our online edition in early April.
In April, Page will have its Move-Up Morning for our JK through 7th grade students. Each grade will have a “sneak preview” of what to expect in the coming year by spending the morning following the next grade’s schedule.
Our lucky 4th to 8th graders will be going to Astro Camp in the middle of the month. The Scholastic Book Fair will also be back along with the Page Annual Egg Hunt, where everyone searches for the special “golden egg.”
Students prepared projects and presentations in celebration of Earth Day on April 22. Standardized testing occurred April 28-30, with practice testing the week before. For a short month, April is jam-packed with activities.
PLOTKE Plumbing Inc.
Madeline Cheng 6th Grade
Every year, the Spring Dance is heavily anticipated by the students — often weeks, if not months, in advance. We have raffles, a photo booth, games and competitions between the grades, but the thing that everyone looks forward to is the theme.
The theme for the spring dance is selected by the 6th grade class. This year it’s a ballroom theme with avant-garde aesthetics, extravagant gowns and debonair suits. We loved the fact that a ballroom theme is broad, allowing for self-expression, over-the-top performances and different interpretations of the theme. I expect plenty of glitter, glamour and excitement at this year’s spring dance!
PILGRIM SCHOOL
Allison Pak 11th Grade
ACROSS
2. Find your way
3. 4000 be Bandhani for camp
6. Summer job
7. Next stop, El Capitan
11. Roasting Marshmallows
12. 1477 Bavaria started sport
14. Lover of fishing
15. Original amateur hour
17. String and fine motor skills
18. Nasty camp visitor
1. Build a bird house
4. Fun version of migration
5. Wes Anderson camp
8. Tharp’s log in Sequoia
9. Bi-pedal Northwest visitor
10. Faster than a canoe
13. As good as partners
16. Less formal than choir
March was Women’s History Month! We kicked off with a panel featuring Pilgrim moms who shared their diverse and unique experiences, facilitated by our student group, Women Standing Together.
The High School Student Association planned a bonding trip on March 19th, where they hiked in Griffith Park.
In with the matzah and hot cross buns to ring in the holidays
April—time of showers and spring flowers, all manner of leavened breads and the complete absence thereof.
When Passover rolls around on the 12th, many Jewish households will have already cleared their pantries of “chametz” — any food made of grain and water that has been allowed to ferment and “rise.”
heights, so much so that you may not be counting down the days (eight in total) until the holiday ends (at nightfall on the 20th, this year).
Fisher
The term (transliterated from the Hebrew ) comes from the Semitic root meaning “to be sour” or “to ferment.” The Hebrew word for vinegar, “chometz” ( ), and its derivative, “chumtza” ( ), meaning “acid,” also trace their origins to this verb.
Out with the chametz and in with the matzah, the unleavened flatbread that’s key to the Passover feast and a handy snack in the week thereafter. With some good butter and a sprinkle of salt, matzah ascends to new
LARCHMONT CHARTER LAFAYETTE PARK
Ella Wolovitch 9th Grade
Recent weeks have been full of spirit and ex citement. On March 1st, we hosted the an nual Jogathon Fundraiser. This event brings in donations to fund our wonderful school programs, such as athletics, visual arts and social studies. To achieve this, students make pages and get donations for running laps. At the event, there’s food, music, games and more to bring excitement and fun! It appeals to all ages, which brings our wonderful and close-knit community together.
The name of this cracker-like holiday mainstay has traditionally been linked to the Hebrew “ ” (pronounced matsáts), meaning “to suck,” referring to something that has been sucked up or drained out. Another theory attributes “matzah” to the Hebrew root describing something prepared in haste, as the Israelites were said to have fled quickly during their exodus from Egypt, without time to let their breads rise.
Come Fri., April 18, some among us may be preparing a wholly different take on bread — the Good Friday staple known as hot cross buns. Made from leavened dough and sanctified with a sugary cross on top, the buns
a basketball competition, lots of fun prizes and a surprise music performance to top it all off. It has been a great month at LFP!
THE WILLOWS
Wren Meltzer 7th Grade
hold symbolism related to the crucifixion of Jesus and his death. Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in the dough recall the spices used to embalm Jesus at his burial, and orange zest calls to mind the bitterness of his crucifixion.
The last rites of Christ are honored in the Czech Republic with mazanec, a loaf baked at Easter and flavored with lemon zest and rumsoaked raisins. The sweet treat is topped off with slivered almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar or otherwise incised with a small cross on top. It’s this final touch that makes holy the mazanec, whose name originates from the Czech “mazat,” meaning “to anoint.”
In Ukraine, Easter celebrations call for paska, a bread decorated with intricate braids, swirls and spirals sculpted in dough. The tabletop showstopper is named for the Greek word for Easter, “pascha,” which is also the origin of the modern-day names for the holiday in Spanish (Pascua), French (Pâques) and Italian (Pasqua), among others. “Pascha” arises from the Semitic “pasha,” meaning “pass over,” as the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ took place during the week of the Jewish Passover.
There are plenty of other yeasty Easter rolls and loaves enjoyed throughout Europe, each with their own blend of spices, nuts and fruits.
The Portuguese folar, made with cinnamon, aniseed and a spirit called aguardente, is named after the Portuguese word “fole,” or “bellows,” per-
haps for the way it fills with air while baking. In Friuli, in Northern Italy, the neighboring country of Slovenia supplies the root word—”guba,” meaning “wrinkle”—for a celebratory spiral-shaped bread called “gubana.” Using a brioche dough, the gubana is filled with a parade of delectable flavors—raisins, candied orange peel, sweet wine or dark rum, breadcrumbs and up to four kinds of nuts. Slovenia has its own version of the delicacy—the walnut-filled rolled bread called potica, from the verb “poviti,” meaning “to wrap in.”
So in between taxes and gardening, be sure to show your affection for the “bread of affliction” (as matzah is so called) or indulge in some fruit-filled Easter fare. Lucky for us, the teachings of testaments old and new give us plenty to chew on.
Additionally, we had a wonderful assembly led by the Black Student Union in honor of Black History Month. There was trivia,
One of the best things The Willows does to begin spring is Intersession. The week before spring break, regular classes pause and students get to participate in a weeklong project. Some of the many different Intersession options are: The Service Squad, where you do things to help the community; The Willows Community School of Rock, where you divide into groups with your friends and write songs with full access to instruments and teachers; and Dancing with the Stars,
where middle school students are paired with lower school students to choreograph a duet with music and costumes. My favorite is Lights, Camera, Legacy, where students make a documentary with videos using footage from the archives and from present day for the school’s 30th anniversary.
ST. JAMES’ EPISCOPAL
Oona Macek 6th Grade
HOLLYWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE
Alice Markus 6th Grade
Hollywood Schoolhouse has introduced two new, beneficial changes.
As many of you know, March was Women’s History Month (WHM). We had very exciting celebrations at our school. On March 4, we were invited to wear purple tops (the color of WHM) and head down for a commons, which is kind of like an all-school assembly.
We met female heroines and learned about their jobs. Some were even mothers of kids at our school! We also had the pleasure of meeting two firefighters who helped with the Los Angeles firestorm in January. Some other professions included a costume designer, a stylist, an author and a psychologist.
These wonderful women enlightened us about their jobs and told us about their childhood. It was fascinating to hear all of these stories!
The first is adding an all-gender restroom, which is especially helpful for our LGBTQIA2S+ community. It’s also a reassuring reminder to all students that we’re learning in an environment of respect and inclusivity.
The second major change has been the introduction of a regular study period on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Now, students who may be too
overwhelmed or busy to complete their homework on the assigned night can finish their studies the next morning. Teachers are available during this period to provide extra guidance if a student has a question. I particularly appreciate this change because it is not always easy juggling homework with multiple after-school activities, middle school applications and ERB test prep.
WRITER, PRODUCER looking for coach house or equivalent accommodations in exchange for house sitting.
Former property manager. Terrific Organizer. Great for someone who travels.
Irrefutable, stellar references.
EstateofRichmond1@gmail.com
Word Café by Mara
