y r! p ap Yea H w e N
Los Feliz Ledger
Vol 4. No. 7
Resident Files Grievance vs. the GGPNC By Rachel Heller Ledger Contributing Writer LOS FELIZ—Resident DanaJoy Cremin last month filed a letter of grievance against the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC) alleging a laundry list of complaints against the council dating to 2005, including that the GGPNC violated its operating laws and showed “blatant disregard” for a segment of its stakeholders by opposing Cremin’s bid for a preferential parking district in her neighborhood. In a letter filed Dec. 9th with the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
Serving the Greater Los Feliz, Silver Lake & Hollywood Hills Area | Distribution 34,500
2008 Year In Review: An Update on the Year Past By Rachel Heller, Kimberly Gomez and Heather Downie, Ledger Contributing Writers Autry National Center Expansion Plans to expand the Autry National Center are now in the
midst of a lengthy review process and still must be heard by several city panels for approval, according to Autry officials.
The proposal will soon be heard by the Los Angeles City Council’s Board of Referred Powers, which will rule
see GGPNC page 3
2008: A Very “Green” Year For Silver Lake By Dyan Collings Ralph Chair, Silver Lake Chamber SILVER LAKE—In July of 2007, the Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce introduced their Green Committee. The idea, developed by Chamber Treasurer Ann Le, was to address the growing interest in green and sustainable business practices. We could never have anticipated the exciting response we’ve seen! In 2008, businesses left and right in our community realized that they could help the environment, save money, and please their customers. see Chamber page 5
Real Estate in 2008: Prices & Sales Drop Except in Atwater By Richard Stanley Ledger Columnist Last year, I predicted that local real estate sales would be steady in the early part of 2008, with a gradual wind-down as the November election approached. That prediction was generally true. What I, and most others, see Real Estate page 12
Marshall High Student photos: (top) “Still Not Enough to Keep Me Here” by Mark Bercero (left) “Green Licks” By Chiaki Samonte (right) “Curtains” By Jennifer Mollinedo
Marshall Students Capture The “Stillness Within” By Student Advisor Elizabeth Bush and Student Nicole Costales, Ledger Guest Writers SILVER LAKE—John Marshall High School’s journalism students exhibited their photographs this month at Hyperion Avenue’s Trader Joe’s as part of the grocery store’s monthly young artist series. Student photographer Kyle Crisostomo was astounded by the customers’ response to the display. “I’m all smiles over their reactions,” said Crisostomo.
“Our class feels really appreciative that these photo enthusiasts asked about our shots and valued the professionalism in the work we do.” The students’ work aims to dispel the notion of the selfinvolved teenager by creating a new mythology through photography. The photos are a departure from the teenage vanity shots that saturate the pages of MySpace and Face-
book. In lieu of mugging for the camera, the students discovered how to photograph the stillness within a person. Ignited by renowned street photographer and classroom guest speaker John Free, the Marshall journalists set out to create poignant and stirring images without the need for retouching or digital reworking. Using Free’s technique of see Students page 9
January 2009
on the issue in place of the city’s Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners due to a conflict of interest—one of the commissioners was an attorney in the same firm as the lawyer now representing the Autry. A hearing has not yet been scheduled. Once there, the proposal will undergo about three months of review, said John Gray, president and CEO of the Autry. The project would ultimately need the approval of the entire City Council. The Autry unveiled plans last February to build new galleries, classrooms, storage areas and spaces for theatre and music performances at its Griffith Park facility. The project would add 79,000 square feet in the first phase of construction and 50,000 square feet in its second phase, including a semi-subterranean parking structure. Board members of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC) voted Sept. 16th to support a “limited expansion” of the Autry National Center with eight conditions attached, including that the Autry limits the height of any new structures to 30 feet and abandons Phase 2 of its construction plans. Gray said the Autry so far has not made any changes to its expansion proposal based on the GGPNC’s recommendations, but he said some of their suggestions will “absolutely” be looked at as the plan is reviewed. Cahuenga Peak More than 10 months after Cahuenga Peak was first put on the market for $22 million, the see 2008 page 4
Murdered Mumbai Chabad Directors Mourned Locally By Rachel Heller Ledger Contributing Writer LOS FELIZ—Chabad of Greater Los Feliz, last month, joined other Chabad houses, synagogues and Jewish organizations nationwide in holding a public memorial service for Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, the directors of the Chabad house in Mumbai, India who were slain in the terror attacks Nov. 26th and 27th. “Every candle we light brings light to this dark time,” Rabbi Leibel Korf told the
men and women in attendance, Dec. 5th. A handful of community members gathered at the Chabad’s Hillhurst Avenue location early to watch a video memorializing the couple and their four guests who were also killed when gunmen stormed the building. At sundown, a group of women lit trays of tea lights and said the traditional blessing of the candles. Dozens of local residents filtered in for a free community dinner the Korfs hosted
A boy looks on while a woman lights candles during the Dec. 5th service.
after a Sabbath service. Rabbi Korf recalled growing up with Gavriel Holtzberg in Brooklyn. They sat next to each other in the Chabad center there for weekly study sessions when they were teenagers.
“Every tragedy that happens, it is our responsibility to respond,” Korf said. “As terrible as an act might be, we must respond with that much goodness and kindness and help make the world a better place.”
Los Feliz Ledger [ letter from the publisher ]
Jan 19th: MLK National Day of Service With presidentelect Barak Obama readying to take office on Jan. 20th, our nation’s annual Martin Luther King holiday, Jan. 19th, suddenly takes on new meaning and urgency this year. To that end, Obama is transforming Martin Luther King Day into a National Day of Service. O u r newly elected president and his family will be doing community service throughout the Washington D.C. area on that day. Let’s follow his lead and make Mon., Jan.19th, a day “ON,” instead of “Off” by helping in our own community. For information on how you can get involved visit www. mlkday.gov. The site has local links to show projects in need of volunteers, as well as a link to post your own project’s needs.
We also want to take this time to say Happy New Year to our readers. As is our own tradition for our January edition each year we catch readers up on the biggest stories of the year, by providing a quick overview of where each issue
stands currently. Additionally, we have a retrospective piece by Richard Stanley on the biggest story of all last year: Real Estate and forecast pieces on the state of business in both Silver Lake and Los Feliz. Thank you all who contributed.
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FOUNDED 2005 Delievered the last Thursday of each month to 34,500 homes and businesses in the Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Hollywood Hills communities.
PUBLISHER/EDITOR Allison B. Cohen
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GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT
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SILVER LAKE $1,000 GRANT GIVEN TO LOS FELIZ LIBRARY: Pictured are Los Feliz board members Chris Laib and Greg Bender of The Charitable Foundation, Agent Community Outreach of Prudential CA Realty, delivering a grant of $1,000 to Mark Stong and Dora Herrera, Friends of the Los Feliz Library. The funds were given to redesign and landscape the interior courtyard and grounds of the library in support of school and community educational seminars. Others interested in contributing, call Mark Stong at (323) 667-0121.
Los Feliz Ledger
Casita del Campo 1920 Hyperion Ave Michelangelo 1637 Silver Lake Boulevard Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce 1724 W. Silver Lake Drive
Tiffany Sims Griffin O. Cohen
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Story ideas, submissions, advertising rates & inquiries contact: Allison Cohen 4459 Avocado St. Los Angeles, CA 90027 Phone: 323-667-9897 Fax: 323-667-1816 acohen@losfelizledger.com www. losfelizledger.com
[ star gazing ]
January 2009 By Anthony Cook, Griffith Observatory We are closest to the sun, Jan. 4th at 7:30 a.m., P.S.T. when the Earth’s center is 91,400,938 miles from the sun’s center. Venus remains the blazing evening planet in the southeast for four hours after sunset. A telescope shows the planet’s phase change from gibbous to half-lit on the 18th, and crescent thereafter. The waxing crescent moon is near Venus on the 29th and 30th. Jupiter will sink out of sight in the evening twilight to the lower left of Jupiter by the 8th, but is visible below and to the right planet Mercury. The two will fit in the same binocular field of view during the first week of January. Saturn is the best placed planet for telescopic viewing this month. Now in Leo, the Lion, the planet can be seen from nightfall until dawn, and is 61 degrees high in the south at 3:45 a.m. at mid-month. The International Space Station will pass over Los Angeles between 6:00 a.m. and 6:05 a.m. on the 6th as it moves from the northeast to the east south east, passing 60 degrees above the north east horizon. For up to date viewing information go to: griffithobservatory.org or call: (213) 473-0880. CORRECTION: In our December edition, we failed to mention in our “Angles on Architecture” column that Los Angeles High School was the primary location for the filming of the TV series “Room 222.” We regret the omission.
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www.losfelizledger.com
January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger GGPNC from page 1
(DONE), the city department that oversees neighborhood councils, Cremin claimed the GGPNC violated both the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act by withholding information about the proposed preferential parking district from the public. In doing so, she said the council “deliberately frustrated the process” of her parking district request. “They are an insular group that is not representative of all of its stakeholders,” Cremin said by phone recently. “There are a lot of issues with that neighborhood council. As an invested stakeholder, I’m concerned. I’m going through the proper channels to make sure the proper people are paying attention.” Cremin’s letter also alleges the GGPNC acted beyond its power when it took a position generally opposing preferential parking districts in the neighborhood. The council board voted to adopt that stance in April 2007 after dozens of Los Feliz residents spoke out against the parking district at a contentious meeting attended by over 300 stakeholders. Under the terms of the preferential parking proposal, residents in the neighborhood council’s District B—south of Los Feliz Boulevard and north of Hollywood Boulevard between Normandie and Vermont Avenues—would have had to buy permits to park in their neighborhoods. Cars parked within the boundaries without a permit would see GGPNC page 17
[ forecast 2009 ]
Los Feliz Business Improvement District By Ermanno Neiviller BID President Like President Elect Obama we have high hopes in 2009 both for the country, as well as, Los Feliz Village. We are looking forward to positive change; change that is made not by a few but from the village as a whole. From the installation of our new Los Feliz Village Business Improvement District Board in January to “greening” our businesses, the possibilities for improving Los Feliz Village are endless. A case in point is the completion of the Triangle Project at the intersection of Vermont, Hollywood and Prospect Boulevards. After 10 years in the making, this was a true joint community project involving the Los Feliz Improvement Association, Franklin Hills Residents Association, Los Angeles January 2009
Community Redevelopment Agency, Barnsdall Residents Association, Los Feliz Oaks, Tom La Bonge from council district 4, Eric Garcetti from council district 13 and the Los Feliz Village Business Improvement District. The Triangle now serves as a beautiful gateway to the Los Feliz Village. These groups are continuing their efforts to beautify Los Feliz Village. The “elephant in the room”—better known as our nation’s sluggish economy— fortifies us to continue our ongoing efforts at maintaining Los Feliz Village as the dining, shopping destination we know it to be. LAPD Senior Lead officer Gina Chovan is on vacation. The Police Blotter will return in our February edition.
www.losfelizledger.com
LACC Registration Underway Registration is underway for Los Angeles City College’s winter session, which begins Jan. 5th and the college’s spring semester, beginning Feb. 9th. Interested students can enroll on line at www.lacitycollege.edu. Located at the Vermont Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard Redline stop, LACC has a wide variety of short-term, on-line, evening and weekend classes. Students can start and finish certain winter courses in just eight days. For information, call (888) 930-LACC or visit www. lacitycollege.edu. Los Angeles City College is home to more than 15,000 full time students and provides pre-major courses to students wishing to transfer to universities, as well as a variety of two-year vocational job training programs. Classes are offered year-round and financial aid is available to students who qualify.
Standing from left: David Nahai, DWP General Manager; Gary Lee Moore LA Bureau of Eng.; LA City Councilmember Tom LaBonge; LA City Council President, Eric Garcetti; 43rd Assemblymember Paul Krekorian; Julie Gutman, LA City Public Works; Shelley Marks, Committee to Save Silver Lake Reservoirs President and community members.
Silver Lake Blvd. Walking Path Completed By Kimberly Gomez SILVER LAKE—December marked the completion of a portion of the Silver Lake Walking Path, a 3100 foot decomposed granite walking path that winds along the east side of Silver Lake Reservoir. Walkers and runners already putting the path to use squeezed by an enthusiastic crowd of over one hundred who gathered on a crisp wintry morning for the official ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Council President Eric Gar-
cetti, Councilmember Tom LaBonge and 43rd Assemblymember Paul Krekorian. Members of the community and the Committee to Save Silver Lake Reservoir were commended for their dedication to the Silver Lake Master Plan which included design and construction of the paths. The decomposed granite walkway took just over a year to build at a cost of over $2.2 million which also included the planting of 50 trees and hundreds of shrubs. COMMUNITY NEWS
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Los Feliz Ledger 2008 from page 1
sprawling mountaintop property west of the Hollywood sign is still up for sale. Chicago investment group Fox River Financial Resources listed the 138-acre parcel on Feb. 13th of last year amid cries from Los Angeles residents that development on the ridge would clutter views of the iconic sign. The property, once owned by billionaire Howard Hughes, is now zoned for residential use. There has been “enormous interest” in Cahuenga Peak since its listing with Beverly Hillsbased Teles Properties, said listing agent Sarah Blanchard. Potential buyers have called from around the world, some proposing large-scale developments such as condominium complexes. But the sellers would not entertain those offers, she said. Los Angeles officials have maintained hope that the city can purchase the land to preserve it as undeveloped open space. Officials have so far designated about $4.3 million to buy Cahuenga Peak, and Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge is now working with the nonprofit Trust for Public Land to raise additional funds. “Every day I think about buying that land,” LaBonge said. “We’re a little short right now, but it’s my hope that in 2009 we will be able to reach an agreement with the property owners.” Blanchard said the sellers are open to working with Los Angeles city officials if they can make a reasonable offer. Ennis House Renovations continue at the famed Ennis House in Los Feliz, one of four cement-textile block homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1924. Heavy rains in February of 2008 caused the southeast garden wall, which had been slated for repairs, to collapse. A full replacement wall was built with new matching concrete block using money left over from the original $6.5 million restoration project that was completed a year ago. A $73,000 grant from the Getty Foundation was awarded to remove coating that had initially been applied to protect the cement block exterior, but ultimately trapped in moisture causing significant damage. Although a delicate chemical process, Steve McEvoy of the Ennis Foundation said the project is going “surprisingly well.” Griffith Park Master Plan The Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group this past fall completed its draft of a new master plan that they believe would protect the park’s open spaces over the next 25 years. Page 4
The working group, which has been meeting monthly to write the draft for more than three years, submitted its final document to the Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation and Parks on Oct. 27th. The draft is now being reviewed by the Dept. of Recreation and Parks’ Advance Planning Division, said assistant general manager Vicki Israel. After a couple months’ review, Advance Planning Division staff will run through an environmental checklist to see if the project requires a CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) study. The Dept. of Recreation and Parks will reconvene the working group in early February for a progress report, said working group member Bernadette Soter. “There are still steps that need to be taken,” said Israel, who has been supervising working group meetings. “Because
of the holidays, the Advance Planning Division decided they needed a few months to review the draft. We all agreed to come back in February to see where we’re at.” Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge and Dept. of Recreation and Parks general manager Jon Kirk Mukri assembled the working group in July 2005 to revise a draft master plan the city commissioned in 2003. That plan— which proposed building a hotel, restaurant, culinary school and sports complex in the park—was widely protested by a chorus of homeowner groups and park advocates. Ivanhoe’s “Bird Balls” The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) says tests show that the 3 million “shade balls” installed at Ivanhoe Reservoir last June have been effective in preventing the formation of bro-
mate, a carcinogen that forms when sunlight chemically reacts with the treated water. The balls will cover Ivanhoe Reservoir until the Headworks Underground Water Storage Project in Griffith Park is completed and in use, currently projected at approximately 5 years from now. New High School at Taylor Yard Construction for the Los Angeles Unified School District’s new Central Region High School #13 on the site of the former industrial property known as Taylor Yard near the intersection of San Fernando Road and Division Street is on schedule. The school is expected to open in the fall of 2011, providing 2,295 seats in an effort to relieve Marshall High School. The school will be on a traditional September to June calendar, in adherence to a California class action settlement that requires
all schools revert back to that schedule by 2012. Sunnynook River Park Designs will soon be in the works for Sunnynook River Park, a new park in Los Feliz for which Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge secured grants in July. The city plans lease a fiveacre site between the 1-5 Freeway and the Los Angeles River, just north of the Hyperion Bridge, for a pedestrian park. The land belongs to CalTrans. LaBonge said the city will re-landscape the site with native plants and install benches, picnic tables and walking paths to encourage Griffith Park visitors to take the Sunnynook Pedestrian Bridge across I-5 to the park and walk along the river. Landscaping has not yet begun, LaBonge said—planners are now in a pre-design phase of the project and have see 2008 page 5
Leap into summer! Summer Activities for Every Budget Local Camps & Residence Programs Sports Camps & Outdoor Adventure International Travel & Cultural Enrichment Community Service Opportunities Special Needs Programs, plus
Food, Games, Fun!
Summer Opportunities Fair
A community service event with over 100 camps and summer programs represented
Hosted by Westridge School
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, February 7, 2009 Free admission Westridge School • 324 Madeline Drive Pasadena, CA • (626) 799-1153
www.westridge.org/sof.html www.losfelizledger.com
January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger 2008 from page 4
Chamber from page 1
tentatively scheduled the next public meeting for February. Vermont Hand Car Wash Carwasheros are still boycotting six Los Angeles carwashes for allegedly violating employment, heath, safety and environmental regulations. The Community-Labor-Environmental Action Network or CLEAN Carwash Campaign, backed by the United Steelworkers of America and the AFLCIO, are continuing to demand that carwashes owned by Benny Pirian and family—including Vermont Hand Wash in Los Feliz—provide adequate protective gear and pay workers minimum wage. They are also insisting that three employees fired for speaking out against conditions be reinstated with jobs. At the end of July, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously for a resolution supporting LA carwash workers. And in December, the National Labor Relations Board filed a formal complaint alleging that Vermont Hand Wash engaged in unfair labor practices by firing and harassing union supporters. A Feb. 19th trial will determine if the Pirians have to reinstate three fired workers who spoke out in the media and pay employees for lost earnings.
Recently, we’ve had an exciting development on the Green Business front in Los Angeles: the City, through the efforts of Councilmember Richard Alarcon of Coun-
and events consultant; Curves SilverLake, a fitness facility specially designed for women; Bleu Sage restaurant; Cafe Stella Restaurant; Andiamo Restaurant; Large Marge Sustainables catering; Modem
We have an embarrassment of riches in Silver Lake when it comes to green business. cil District 7, has announced initial funding of a City-wide voluntary Certified Green Business Program, to be rolled out in about six months. We have an embarrassment of riches in Silver Lake when it comes to green business. An organized effort on the part of our local businesses, both already green and in green development, will further the goals of putting Silver Lake on the map as a green place to shop, dine and celebrate; and help show the city that there is ample interest to justify further funding for the program. Among the Silver Lake Chamber businesses already committed to participating are Gingergrass Restaurant; All Shades of Green, a retail store and design center; Materials & Applications, an art and architecture research center; CaterGreen, a food service
Salon; and Camelot Kids Preschool. More businesses can get involved by pledging at www. env i ron ment l a .or g /c g bp/
pledge.html. The Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce Green Committee is also working on bringing a LA DOT DASH route to Sil-
ver Lake. We’d love to see this happen; it would help resolve parking issues, encourage patrons to visit local businesses, and benefit the environment.
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Fine Art Exhibition and Sale Saturday, February 7 — Sunday, March 8, 2009
Jim Wilcox, Spotlights Through the Mist (detail), oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in.
The Autry National Center of the American West’s Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale has become the country’s most important Western art show. Join 75 of the world’s best contemporary Western artists who have painted, sculpted, and drawn exceptional artworks that represent the extraordinary range of subject matter that the Western experience continues to inspire.
Saturday, February 7, 2009 . Opening Weekend Events Daytime-Only Package . 10 am—4:30 pm Includes special programs with Masters artists, exhibition viewing, and chuck wagon luncheon. Does not include admission to the evening cocktail reception and sale. $100 for Autry members / $175 for nonmembers
All-Inclusive Package . 10 am—9 pm Includes special programs with Masters artists, exhibition viewing, chuck wagon luncheon, and evening cocktail reception and sale. $175 for Autry members / $250 for nonmembers
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 • 323.667.2000, ext. 317 • MastersoftheAmericanWest.org
January 2009
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Page 5
Los Feliz Ledger [greetings from tom]
Happy NewYear! By Los Angeles City Coucilmember Tom LaBonge Every January, I enjoy reviewing the work that my staff and I have done over the past 12 months and setting goals for the year ahead. I’m very proud of several accomplishments from 2008, including the opening of the Griffith Park Adult Community Center in January. The temporary office trailers used during the restoration of the Griffith Observatory have been transformed into a lively Center serving seniors in six neighborhoods. We also worked steadily with volunteers throughout the year on monthly clean-ups and tree-plantings in Griffith Park. All of us who live near and love the park have watched with wonder and appreciation as the park has recovered from the devastating fire of May 2007. We broke ground and dedicated the Vermont Triangle in 2008. A former traffic triangle is now a patch of green that welcomes visitors to the Los Feliz business district. The Los
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POLITICS
improvements. We will continue raising funds to acquire the 138-acre parcel called Cahuenga Peak to expand Griffith Park to the west. My goal is to announce the acquisition by the City Councilmembers Tom LaBonge (2nd from left) and Council President Eric Garcetti (4th from left) are flanked end of the year. by community members: Ermanno Neiviller, Los Feliz BID Last, but by no President; Dora Herrera, Yucas; and Nelia Cacic of the BID means least, we plan and Washington Mutual/Chase at the Vermont Triangle Inauguration. to continue our efforts to make our school campuses Feliz Business Improvement greener and more beautiful District and Greater Griffith through various city planting, Park Neighborhood Council asphalt cutting and recycling did a great job of supporting programs. this project and pledging to Thank you for your supmaintain it. port for all of our efforts to My goals for the Los Feliz/ improve your community. Silver Lake area in 2009: I want to complete the restoration of Griffith Park by reopening the Bird Sanctuary, rehabilitating Captain’s Roost By Eric and finishing the repairs to the Garcetti Vista del Valle area. Los Angeles My office will continue City Council to oversee the improvements President around Thomas Starr King Middle School to make the Let’s take a moarea safer for pedestrians. This ment to reflect on what we have year, city crews will widen the accomplished as a community sidewalks around the school in the past year and the changes and install lighting in the freewe want to make in 2009. way overpass nearby. My office In the last 12 months, we and Council President Eric have seen great additions to our Garcetti’s worked to jointly neighborhoods, including the obtain a $900,000 state grant new walking path on the east to fund these much-needed
New Year Brings New Hope
side of the Silver Lake Reservoir, the new triangle median at Vermont and Hollywood Blvd. and the securing of nearly $1 million in state funding to make it safer for students to walk to King Middle School. In this tough economy, though, too many families found themselves facing lost jobs and homes in foreclosure. The city helped fund a hotline to connect families with free financial counseling to avoid foreclosure and is working to expand protection for renters who find themselves pressured to vacate their homes when their buildings fall into foreclosure. There is much more to do in 2009. I am excited about the new leadership coming to Washington to help put our country and our economy back on track. But we will not be able to fix all of our problems overnight. At City Hall, we know that we are going to have to make some very difficult choices regarding our budget. Even in our current fiscal year, we are already facing a deficit due to lower-than-expected revenues to the city, and the Mayor and City Council are reviewing mid-year budget cuts. My priority will be to ensure the city can fund the basic services to keep our neighbor-
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hoods clean and safe—police, fire, emergency response, trash collection, street repair and other key public works services. Keeping communities safe also means ensuring that our young people have something positive to do in a safe, supervised environment. Last summer, our At the Park After Dark program that kept targeted city parks open late into the evenings gave hundreds of kids a place to go when they needed it most. Now crime is down by doubledigits around these parks. During my seven years on the City Council, I have also worked with schools and community-based organizations to ensure that there is an afterschool program on campus or within walking distance from every public school in my district. Investing in our youth by supporting quality education and enrichment programs will also be an important priority for me in our city budget. These are the priorities and values that guide me as part of the transition team for the Obama Administration where I am fighting for investments in Los Angeles and our nation’s cities. We are key to America’s future success, and change will begin right here where we have been practicing it for eight years in our neighborhoods.
January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger
Two Silver Lakers Honored By Kimberly Gomez Ledger Contributing Writer Silver Lake resident, Barry Isaacson, has been honored by The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard for his article, “From Silver Lake to Suicide: One Family’s Secret History of the Jonestown Massacre,” published in the Oct. 22nd edition of the LA Weekly. Isaacson’s article was based on his discovery of a briefcase full of letters and articles that had been hidden at his home by the former owners. His findings led him to the story of Dr. Herbert Alexander and his wife Freda whose daughter, Phyllis, her husband, Gene Chaikin and their teenaged children, were among the 900 who died in the 1978 Jonestown Guyana mass suicide tragedy. Jackie Sloan, also from Silver Lake, has been recognized by the Jefferson Awards, which honors individuals for their achievements and contributions through public and community service. Sloan was recognized for her work with The Children’s Ranch in Atwater, a therapeutic equestrian program.
[silver lake correspondent]
A Very Special Members Only Club by Michael Locke, Silver Lake Correspondent Let me share with you a bit of wisdom that everyone who is approaching (or over) 50 years should be made aware of. I am talking about membership in the Griffith Park Adult Community Club. That’s right: for a mere $10 a year, your membership entitles you to a host of benefits and privileges that are nothing short of mind-boggling. While I have not taken advantage of a host of weekly activities offered by the club and the Griffith Park Adult Community Center (GPACC) where the club is housed, the field trips and gourmet potlucks at Bea Gold’s “Elevator House” in the Moreno Highlands are more than worth the price of membership. For example, this past Tuesday, Dec. 16th, I took advantage of a day trip with the club, to visit the Guide Dogs of America and the Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar, accompanied by my wife Donna, our mothers and a friend. I had the pleasure of spending the day with family
GPACC members with wood carver Sam Maloof, April 3, 2008.
and friends, learning a great deal about the important role of seeing-eye dogs, and got a few tips on how to better care for our own three dogs. The trip also included a stop at the Nethercutt Museum, to view their fantastic collection of antique autos and lunch at an all-you-caneat Chinese buffet. (The trip, including lunch and luxury coach cost a mere $15!) Another interesting field trip took us to meet the legendary wood carver Sam Maloof at his studio in Alta Loma in April. If you have not taken advantage of the GPACC yet, I urge you to stop by the new facility on Riverside Drive and check out what’s happening. GPACC, 3203 Riverside Drive, Los Feliz. Monday-Friday, 8:30a.m.-4:30p.m. For more information, please call (323) 644-5579 or visit http:// site.gpaccclub.com.
Relay for Life Set for June 6th & 7th Griffith Park will be the site of the Relay For Life, June 6th and 7th, 2009. The event—which raises funds for the American Cancer Society, will take place from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday. Teams participating in this non-competitive walk and campout will have members walking in shifts for 24 hours,
as a reminder that cancer never sleeps. Participants will celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer; remember loved ones lost; and fight back against a disease that continues to affect millions. For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org. To participate, contact ggrelay@ gmail.com.
Since 1913
Westridge
school
An independent day school for college-bound girls in grades 4 through 12
Prospective families are invited to attend Westridge’s Admissions open house. saturday, January 10, 2009 1 to 4 p.m.
For questions or to make a reservation, please contact the Admissions Office, 626.799.1053, ext. 256 or email admissions@westridge.org.
324 Madeline Drive • Pasadena, California 91105 626.799.1153 • www.westridge.org
January 2009
www.losfelizledger.com
COMMUNITY NEWS
Page 7
Los Feliz Ledger and real animal furs. But when we were done looking, we got down to the business of archeology. In groups of three, we took turns digging and found artifacts such as an abalone snail shell, a shell fish hook, and Native American dice which were made from walnut shells, tar, and more bits of shell. We studied and researched the artifacts, finding their length, weight and types. After an hour of excitement, we went back to our classroom to learn more. We looked at other Chumash artifacts like things they used to make music, and things they used to hunt deer. We learned that they chewed something and wore deer skins so the deer would not smell them and run away. It was a fun first experience as an archeologist digging for really neat artifacts.
[ micheltorena street school ]
Adventures in the Earthmobile By Mark Reyes, 4th Grader On Nov. 24, it was pretty shocking to see the Earthmobile from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles pull up at our school because our principal had informed my class that we had been on a waiting list for 10 years. The point of this program was to study about life as an archeologist, and so we studied the Chumash, Native American Indians who lived in the Santa Barbara area. After we were introduced to our two instructors, Mike and Colin, we split up and my group went down to the Earthmobile. When we stepped into the Earthmobile, we stepped into an archeological dig-site in a Southern California Forest. We looked at the ground and saw different types of animal tracks. When we looked up, we saw an owl camouflaged in the trees. The walls looked like a cave with Chumash Indian drawings
[pilgrim school]
A New Year at Pilgrim By Jake Weber, Grade 11 For Pilgrim High School students, the New Year is all about college.
Teresa of Avila St.Elementary School “Where Faith and Knowledge Meet”
Kindergarten through Grade 8
A Quality Catholic Education
An Excellent Academic Program
Educating the Whole Child
Departmentalized Junior High
Computer Classes/ Internet Access - K-8
Instrumental Music Program - K-8
Varsity Sports Program
Daily Hot Lunch Service
A Caring Multi-Cultural Community
Committed Qualified Teachers
Spanish as a 2nd Language - K-8
Academic Decathlon Team
Extended Day Care
Family/Parent Involvement
Our 22 seniors have already applied to over 100 colleges, and sophomore and juniors and their families have a College Planning night coming up early in January. Pilgrim 8th graders are doing some planning, too. They are planning for the Inauguration festivities in Washington, D.C. While the rest of our student body watches events on television, our 8th will observe the Inauguration first-hand, attend a Middle School Inaugural Ball with students from all over the United States, and visit famous Washington landmarks and museums. City Hall will award Pilgrim School a proclamation on January 9th commemorating our 50th anniversary. Interested in knowing more about us? We will be holding the last Open House of the school year on Jan., 13th at 6 p.m. [ wilshire private school ]
Happenings By Joy Kim Last fall, we participated in the “Great California Shake Out.” This was where about 5 million other people in California pretended there was a 7.8 earthquake. We had a few students assigned to be missing or injured. The teacher rescue team found every student in less than 10 minutes. Our Junior and Senior Chorus is doing community service at the Wilshire Adult Day Healthcare Center by singing and serving snacks.
[ immaculate heart ]
Preparing for a Busy 2009 By Anne Suh and Suzie Shehayeb ’10
Immaculate Heart students are refreshed and ready to start 2009 after a two-week Christmas break. As the new year begins, final exams will soon enter the lives of the students. They will be frantically studying with the desire to get excellent grades as first semester comes to a close. Their stress and anxiety will hopefully be relieved with a “Finals Survival Kit,” a goody bag full of stress-relief toys and snacks that is put together by the student board members of the California Scholarship Federation. Students will be rewarded for all their hard work with a semester break, immediately following finals. Meanwhile, 8th grade students are encouraged to apply to Immaculate Heart High School. The school will hold its second and final entrance exam on Sat., Jan. 31st, from 8:30 a.m. to noon on campus. This is your opportunity to become a part of Immaculate Heart High School’s Class of 2013! Next month, the Junior and Senior classes of Immaculate Heart will participate in the annual Ring Ceremony. The event, which includes a special liturgy, is when members of the Junior class receive their class rings.
[ franklin avenue elementary ]
Our Tree Was Twice My Size! by Lola Dutcher, 1st Grade December was a busy month. In my classroom, we made lots of puppets like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa. We had a show called the International Sing and Dance on Dec. 18th. The classes, directed by our music teacher Miss Aimee, took us all around the world by singing and dancing. The kindergartners took us to Australia; the 1st graders took us to Jamaica; the 2nd graders took us to Armenia and Italy; the 3rd graders took us to Scotland; the 4th graders showed us California history; and the 5th graders took us to Japan. The entrance to our school had a beautiful Christmas tree and Hanukkah display. The tree was twice my height and this is what was on it: Rudolphs, snowmen, paper wreaths, Hama bead decorations, ghost angels, paper chains and sewed stockings. In the Hanukkah display there were dreidels, menorahs and golden chocolate coins called gelt. We come back from winter break on January 12th. I love the holidays!
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Page 8
SCHOOL NEWS
www.losfelizledger.com
January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger Students from page 1
moving towards the moment, capturing life without artificial lighting or cropping, the students realized that walking home from school would never be the same again. Special Education teacher Michael Thompson fused his
“With You,” By Sean Torres
classes with Marshall’s photojournalists for this project, hoping to provide students with “a great way to reflect.” Two of his students were chosen to showcase their photos at Trader Joe’s. “We walk around very self-indulged and I think photography makes us more aware
of others, our environment, and just more aware of life,” said Thompson. While Trader Joe’s could not sell the photos, store management said they were inundated with requests about the students’ work. Los Feliz Ledger readers are encouraged to contact either Michael Thompson or Journalism Advisor Elizabeth Bush regarding any of the photographs at John Marshall High School (323-671-1400) when classes resume January 5th. In the meantime, Marshall’s journalists will continue the tradition of street photography, keeping Free’s advice tucked snugly in their backpacks. “Use photography as a pass for you into the world of art and remember, this is a power no one can take away from you,” he told students.
[ lycee international de los angeles ]
LILA Goes Green By Ralph Akl, Justin Kim, Joshua Godbold, Danny Brack, 8th Grade LILA is trying something new. We are now putting blue recycle bins in the yard. We are doing this to bring the recycling spirit to LILA students. The administration really does not appreciate all the plastic bottles on the floor. Recycling bottles will also allow LILA to pay for better equipment for the French American Olympics in Chicago. Recycling also
helps out the environment. Our plastic and glass bottles are recycled at the Glendale recycle center. The members of the LILA administration included in this project are Mr. Chiappini, Mr. Lacroix, Miss Debbie Thornburg, and Johnathan Allen. LILA is getting involved in a larger plan to save the planet and stop global warming one step at a time.
Send the
Los Feliz Ledger your School News or story ideas to: acohen@losfelizledger.com
St. James’ Episcopal School For Preschool through Grade Six in the Heart of Los Angeles
Admissions Open House
January 7, 2009 at 9:45 a.m. Call 213-382-2315 to R.S.V.P.
Admissions Applications Due January 12, 2009
[ family matters ]
A Mother’s New Year’s Resolution By Kristen Taylor, Ledger Columnist then add a glass of red wine for the resveratrol and your sense of dignity. 2) Finishing your children’s abandoned dinner is a good deed that prevents waste. Save more money—It’s awfully tough these days to end up with any money leftover at the end of the month, but gas prices are tumbling, which should leave a few dollars to tuck away. Last week, eBay sales of Webkinz had a greater return than T-bills, so we’ll be investing heavily in
Pa rent s, it’s time to dust off last year’s New Year’s resolutions and give them a fresh spin for 2009. In previous years my resolutions have been foiled by what I consider every mother’s deluded sense of optimism (e.g., I can make it from school to the orthodontist in six minutes!). This year I decided that my resolutions would actually take into account the fact that as a mother I am more pressed for time, sleep, money, and an even temperament than other folks. Here, then, are one mother’s slightly more realistic New Year’s resolutions: Get more exercise—Set a goal of “functional fitness,” meaning a level of fitness that lets you accomplish the tasks in your everyday life. The dog needs walking, the flowerbeds need turning over and the roof needs repairing. If you do isometric exercises while supervising your children doing these chores, you will end up svelte and strong. Eat better—Eating better requires a certain amount of planning, which requires time. You have none of that, so regulate your diet by following two simple rules: 1) Kids are growing and have super quick metabolisms. The sad fact is that your kids need to eat more than you do. Serve yourself 2/3 of what your kids are eating,
Bubblegumasaurus. Stop procrastinating— Contrary to what you tell your children, you are not “working” just because you are on your computer. That is, unless you are writing your mommy blog, which you plan on monetizing with banner ads and those animated mortgage rate come-ons. And you will definitely get more material for your blog if you check in with your Facebook friends several times an hour. No, it’s not really working, but it is networking!
Pilgrim School Salutes Debbie Koller
Fourth Grade BS, Liberal Studies, Regents College, NY
Autumn Koller
Second Grade BA, Education, University of the Pacific
This is Pilgrim School • • •
“I have had the opportunity to work with students from preschool through sixth grade at Pilgrim School. Students come to my class knowing they will be valued and loved, and they will learn and have fun!” – Debbie Koller
•
“Having two experienced teachers as parents, I discovered my passion for teaching at a very young age. Working at Pilgrim School allows me to reach and teach the whole child.”
•
– Autumn Koller
Visit us at www.pilgrim-school.org or phone for a personal tour, (213) 385-7351 x 355
•
•
Traditional college prep with individual laptops in seven grade levels. Core arts education. Small class sizes ensure individual attention. Every senior class, 100% college bound. A nurturing community, a beautiful historic campus. Preschool begins at 2 years, 8 months. All interested students enjoy team sports from Grade 4 up.
We Grow Students 625 S. St. Andrews Place Los Angeles, CA 90005 213-382-2315 admissions@sjsla.org www.sjsla.org
January 2009
www.losfelizledger.com
Preschool through Grade 12 College Preparatory Day School Since 1958 Pilgrim School is a division of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles Fully accredited by CAIS and WASC; a member of NAIS
Pilgrim School 540 S. Commonwealth Avenue Los Angeles 90020 (213) 385-7351 www.pilgrim-school.org SCHOOL NEWS
Page 9
Los Feliz Ledger [people in my neighborhood]
All in the Name of Pablo
Local Produces CD to Benefit Childrens Hospital By Colleen Paeff, Ledger Contributing Writer is hoping that will change. “Diseases are getting trickier and trickier and treatment just keeps getting better,” Castelaz said. “How that happens isn’t magic. It happens because of places like Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).” C a s te l a z Jeff and Pablo Castelaz, Grady Gallagher, Jo Ann Thrailkill with knows a thing Santa Claus or two about tricky diseases. Last May, his SILVER LAKE—Silver Laker 5-year-old son, Pablo, was diJeff Castelaz wants you to agnosed with bilateral Wilms’ know there’s a gem of a hospiTumor, a rare form of children’s tal just down the street. Many cancer that affects the kidneys. of you probably drive past it His family is in the final months every day, he says, without givof a nine-month chemotherapy ing it much thought. Castelaz [echo park correspondent]
“Stories” Opens in Echo Park By Hayley Fox, Ledger Columnist ECHO PARK—“Stories” bookstore in Echo Park is cozy, unique, and community conscious. Lacking any hints of pretentiousness, this newest addition to the changing face of Echo Park does so with a unique balance of simplicity and eclecticism that makes all feel welcome. “We knew we wanted to have a focus on Los Angeles and California history, pop culture, cookbooks, kids books, and fiction; subjects we like,” said Liz Garo, who owns the shop with partner Claudia Colodro. “Stories” is bright and airy, encouraging you to sit and enjoy with spacious seating areas near the store’s front windows; a large umbrella dotted back patio; and even padded bench seats in between the aisles of books. A cafe of coffee and baked good basics is elevated to new heights, with creations from baker Barbara Monderine,
famed creator of Auntie Em’s. A snack menu includes baguette with salami and a pita plate of hummus and feta cheese. Sandwiches, soups, and possibly breakfast frittatas are planned for the future. A great place to discover classic vintage literary novels, sneakily read your newest favorite graphic novel, or read about the great California wilderness, “Stories” keeps its selection dynamic and potent. Hosting book signings like that of Dope Menace: The Sensational World of Drug Paperbacks, as well as a twice a month kids’ “Storytime @ Stories” this bookstore extends open arms to all. Garo said she hopes to make “coffee and dessert, and a poet or an author, an alternative to going to a club, ” as the shop ads weekly Friday night events or readings. Stories, 1716 Sunset Blvd., (213) 413-3733
2516 to 2518 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 1,560 sq. ft. of Retail 1,560 sq. ft. of Warehouse with High Ceilings 300 sq. ft. Storage Room Parking at the Rear of Property $749,000
(323) 497-6655 regimen that has effectively made CHLA their home away from home. And Castelaz is brimming with praise for the place. “It treats anyone that walks through its doors,” he said. “Most hospitals don’t do that.” In 2007, CHLA spent $90 million on charitable care and community benefits. “There’s research being done there,” he said, “that isn’t being done anywhere else in the world.” The Saban Research Institute at CHLA is widely considered to be one of the best research facilities in pediatric medicine. So when Alan Sartirana, of Filter Magazine, suggested Castelaz start a foundation to benefit CHLA, it was a nobrainer. And since Castelaz
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is the co-founder, with Peter Walker, of Dangerbird Records, it was natural that the Pablove Foundation’s, first money-raising effort would involve music. “We got together with Alan,” Castelaz said “and put together what I’d say is a really great double CD.” The CD is the fifth installment of the “Give.Listen.Help.” compilation series, curated yearly by Urban Outfitters and Filter Magazine. It features previously unreleased tracks and exclusive remixes from some of the most recognizable names in indie and alternative music (Radiohead, Oasis, and Jack Johnson to name a few) and is available exclusively through Urban Outfitters until Jan. 31st. The proceeds will go to CHLA, for playrooms, cancer research and
toward the new hospital set to open in 2010. “The thing about the music project is that it’s allowed us to reach a much larger group of people,” Castelaz said. “Obviously many of them don’t know us but if they choose to read the liner notes some of them might get involved at a higher level. Whether that means getting involved with their local children’s hospital or just calling an old friend to see how they’re doing, it’s about more than just us now. That’s a really gratifying thing.” To learn more about the Pablove Foundation, to buy a CD, or for news on Pablo’s treatment and recovery visit www.pablove.org. For info on becoming a CHLA volunteer call (323) 361-2371.
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January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger
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2427 CHISLEHURST DR: Los Feliz. Exceptional 1930’s Mediterranean Est, grand scale public rms, Dwn Twn vus. Guest Hse, 3 car gar www.2427Chislehurst.com $2,795,000. WEB:0283498. Alperin/Karen & Marc 323.804.8043
2601 VERMONT AVE: Los Feliz. Gorgeous 1924 Tudor beautifully updated w/ designer finishes, 4bd/3ba, Grand scale, Old Hwd charm. www.2601Vermont.com $1,874,000. WEB:0283356. Karen & Marc 323.804.8043
1962 MICHELTORENA ST: Silver Lake. 2 story celebrity-style architectural in the Silver Lake hills.Vus. Pvt pool w/spa. Garden. Lrg dining patio. $1,700,000. WEB:0283500. Sonya Coke 323.829.4440
SPANISH REVIVAL CIRCA 1937: Los Feliz. Meticulous restoration of impeccable Spanish Revival Home circa1937. 2bd/1.75ba +den (1821sf/assr) www.2303wayne.com $1,100,000. WEB:0283464. Rick Yohon 323.671.2356
1240 TAMARIND AVE: Hollywood. 5 units in great central location. Four 1bd/1ba’s & a 2bd/1ba. Great market rents.Vacant owner’s unit +$5465/mo. Pkg,lndry. $1,100,000. WEB:0283441. Rick Yohon 323.671.2356
LOFTLIKE MODERN: Silver Lake. Interior opens to decks with huge views. Modern styling with accents of period details blends “Then” and “Now”. $979,000. WEB:0283482. Joseph Lightfoot 213.700.4438
CHARACTER HOME WITH EXQUISITE YARD: Silver Lake. 3bd/2ba charming Country English, fireplace, hdwd flrs, fantastic yard with deck, gazebo, outdoor kitchen. $859,000. WEB:0283494. Joseph Lightfoot 323.671.2347
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3423 GLENHURST AVE: Los Feliz. Charming 2bd/2ba Spanish Casita in Atwater, sep office/ studio, updated kit & bas, original details, www.3423Glenhurst.com $695,000. WEB:0283447. Karen & Marc 323.804.8043
2395 CANYON DR: Los Feliz. 1936 Moderne, 4bd/3.5 +fam rm, hdwd flrs, tiered ceilings, pool, fab outdr patio w/ fpl, 3 car gar. was celeb occup. $8,000/mo. WEB:0283518. Rosemary Low 323.660.5885
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©2008 Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. is Owned and Operated by NRT LLC. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark. Painting of the French Countryside, by Alfred Sisley, used with permission. Sotheby’s International Realty does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size or other information concerning the property provided by the seller or obtained from public records or other sources.
January 2009
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Su Casa REAL ESTATE Page 11
Los Feliz Ledger Real Estate from page 1
failed to see coming was the catastrophic collapse of the financial industry, the ensuing credit crunch and the beginnings of serious economic malaise. With all these wild cards dealt, 2008 was a very tough year to own any asset. Our local real estate suf-
es sold has dropped about 40% from the boom years. I expect these trends to continue until at least early 2010 and I would not be surprised if, by the time we reach the bottom of the present cycle, the increases of the 20012006 boom might be gone. People who have desirable houses and are not economi-
Waiting for a better market than now will be a long wait—perhaps at least five years. fered with the rest, though not as severely as outlying areas. Home values doubled between 2001 and 2006—the peak of the boom. Since then, we have lost about 29% of the run-up— about 50% of that decline in 2008 alone. The median house in Los Feliz, for example, sold for about $760,000 in 2001; for about $1,540,000 in 2006 and in 2008 for about $1,100,000. In addition, the volume of hous-
cally distressed are holding fast for now, as for example, homeowners in prime Silver Lake, a sluggish market lately. A critical factor to watch locally is the number of distressed properties. These are the future “REOs,” or Real Estate Owned properties—those that will be foreclosed and resold mostly by lenders at market-depressing prices. These sales are the dragging anchors pulling the mar-
it? a t G o nt Un a c a V ll The Rental Girl!
ket down. In Los Feliz 90027, Silver Lake 90039 and Silver Lake/Echo Park 90026, there are each about 130 to 150 such properties coursing toward a probable distress sale in 2009. Stability in the market will be elusive until the REOs are disposed of. If you’re a seller in the present market, effective pricing is everything. Fixers are tougher to sell than in the past, due to ever-more-stringent appraisal and underwriting criteria and the disappearance of equity credit lines. Buyers are scarce, as many have lost much of their down payment money in the stock market crash. Waiting for a better market than now will be a long wait—perhaps at least five years. If you’re a buyer, now is your moment to find a bargain. Acknowledge that whatever home you buy is a home you will want to live in for at least the next five years. If you have good credit and reliable income you will probably be able to find a low-interest, fixed-rate loan in 2009. The house you buy today will give you smart-buyer bragging rights in the years ahead. Have faith that of all the as-
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sets a person can acquire— a sound, well-situated home in our neighborhood—out-performs just about every other asset over time. The last real estate downturn enfranchised a new group of homeowners. I suspect another new group with a dash of audacity will take advantage of present opportunities. Here’s how the 2008 local real estate market shaped up as the Ledger went to press:
The number of singlefamily home sales contracted sharply in 2008, registering a 30% drop. Trends show that sellers must discount their asking price in order to sell properties. Median sale prices fell 15%–in line with other local areas less affected by the current economy. Only about half as many condos found buyers as in 2007. Condo prices shrank slightly. Homes sold: 81 (-5% change from same period 2007) Median home price: $749,000 (-17% from 2007) Median home size: 3 bedrooms; 2 baths; 1,546 sq. ft. on a 5,459 sq. ft. lot; built in 1935 Highest home sale: $2,645,000 (21% less than 2007 highest sale) Condos sold: 13 (-28% from same period 2007) Median condo price: $539,000 (+10% change from same period 2007) Median condo size: 2 bedrooms; 2 baths; 1,235 sq. ft. 2008 was another sluggish year for sales in prime Silver Lake, with the median sale price contracting about as much as it rose in 2007. The ultra-luxury market ceiling in Silver Lake continues to exceed $2 million, but only one such sale, a “flipped” 1960s house done up stylishly, broke this barrier in 2008. Condo sales see Real Estate page 21
12/19/08 9:23:41 PM
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www.losfelizledger.com
January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger horror universe for more than 70 years. Playing bit parts in low-budget horror films, he By Diane Kanner, Ledger Columnist became well known in Hollywood studios for collecting Old age ultimately overForest J. Ackfilm memorabilia.” Worlds took Ackerman’s perpetual erman was unof Tomorrow—The Amazing verve until he was unable to afraid of letUniverse of Science-Fiction attend a 92nd birthday party ting strangers Art, was his final book, writwhich the science fiction auinto his Los Feliz home. Even ten in 2004, and it may be thor Ray Bradbury threw for after visitors helped themselves found on the shelves of select him this last Nov. 24th at to his unparalleled science ficcity library branches. All told, Glendale’s Mystery and Imagtion and horror film collecAckerman wrote 20 books. ination Bookshop on North tion, he continued sharing his The literary-film Science Brand Boulevard. Nonethetrove in a hillside Glendower Fiction specialty is monstrously less, friends at the party sang Avenue home he called the huge.“The Day the Earth Stood “Happy Birthday” to the guest “Ackermansion.” He felt that Still,” a remake of the 1951 film of honor over the telephone. his lifetime’s avocation, amassabout an alien visitor and his After Ackerman passed ing a singular archive, had to giant robot counterpart, was away on Dec. 4th, a Los Anbe shared, no matter what. the number one Los Angeles geles Times obituary recogWhen he moved to a more box office attraction during the nized him as the “writer-editor modest home south of Los FeDec. 12th , weekend it opened. who coined ‘Sci-fi.’” The New liz Boulevard, he dubbed his At our local branch library, diYork Times obituary headline home “Karlifornia” in honor rector Pearl Yonezawa finds that noted the “High Elder of Fanof horror’s legendary leading science fiction is eclipsed only tasy Fans.” The on-line Los man, Boris Karloff. Among by “mystery” as the most popuAngeles Public Library dataAckerman’s holdings were lifelar genre. base recognizes Ackerman as a size molds of the great faces of That Ackerman had the “part of the science fiction and horror: Karloff, Bela Lugosi, makings of a museum Lon Chaney Jr., Tor Johnson, was patently clear, but Glenn Strange, Vincent Price he was never able to and Peter Lorre. sell his collection as a I became aware of Ackerwhole. man’s collection around 1978 “If I were a vegetarwhen the Hollywood Los Feliz ian,” he told the Los AnJewish Community Center, togeles Times, “I could surday’s Silver Lake Independent vive on the giant carrots Jewish Community Center, was that have been dangled the beneficiary of funds collectin front of my nose.” ed from a tour of the Ackerman Considering that he was home. Later Ackerman sat for born and raised in Holan interview with the Los Felywood, and in the end, liz Improvement Association’s sold the collection one newsletter editor, a close friend piece at a time, Ackerof mine, Fred Chriss. Fred was man’s own personal stothe owner of the Silver Lake ry has the high and low video rental store, Videoactive, points of real life-like and he placed Ackerman on a drama, not the fantasy Forrest J Ackerman at his Ackermansion, 1990. pedestal. Photo by Alan Light kind he wrote about. [city sleuth]
Mr. Sci-Fi Lived Here
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January 2009
www.losfelizledger.com
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Su Casa REAL ESTATE Page 13
12/19/08 9:26:29 PM
Los Feliz Ledger [senior moments]
Never Too Old for Computers By Stephanie Vendig, Ledger Columnist No one denies the importance of the young acquiring computer skills these days. But, if you are retired, is there a reason for you to acquire these skills? I think so. Exposure to computers clearly improved my life. I often became lazy in correcting my writing using the typewriter or a pencil because of the hassles of erasing, “crossing-out,” “white-out,” cut and paste, carbons, etc. With a computer, I deal with my mistakes, since I correct or change my writing with little effort and quickly. I move words, even sentences, or delete, correcting with the effortless touch of highlighting, dragging, and pushing buttons on my keyboard. Now there are some things in life I would like to go back to, but not the typewriter. Another benefit is the Internet enabling you to get information on anything, conveniently. With a word in the search box of your browser (Google or Yahoo, for example), a multitude of articles or information relating to that word appears. Whether it is to learn about a health condition, or to find information about a product you want to buy, it’s all there. Searching the Internet for information even increases brain activity in the area in-
volved in complex reasoning and decision-making, thereby possibly protecting your brain from future decline, according to Gary Small, Director, UCLA Center on Aging, leader of a study of middle-aged and senior computer users. With e-mail, communication is easier, faster, and cheaper than conventional means of communication. If your family or friends are elsewhere, you can still keep in touch. For grandparents whose grandchildren are not next door, e-mail is a great way to stay in touch. Then there is the WebCam. While online, you see the people you are communicating with and visa versa. According to an article in the New
York Times “Over the River? Not Anymore. Grandma’s at Home on Screen, 11/27/08”, the Web-Cam has become an important tool for grandparents to keep connected with family. It also has been useful for American soldiers in Iraq, or parents on business trips in order to maintain closeness back home. Internet companies are now promoting “video chat.” Gmail just introduced video capability in November. Because the Griffith Park Adult Community Center (GPACC) has a computer lab, we feel it is important to help people become comfortable with this amazing technology. We have volunteers providing one-on-one coaching five days a week from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Check us out for your newest learning adventure. It will keep you young.
The Overmedication Epidemic By Wendy Caputo, Ledger Contributing Writer More than 1/3rd of people age 45 to 64 take at least five drugs a week. Whether you manage an aging parent’s medications, or your own, know what is prescribed and why. In this age of specialists, many people are treated by several physicians. Provide all your doctors with names of the other physicians you see, their contact information and the medications you are prescribed by them. If they are not able to communicate with one another, you are at great
risk of being overmedicated. Partner with your physicians to keep your medications limited to as few as possible. When a new medication is prescribed be sure your medication list is reviewed to avoid a reaction. Notify all of your physicians when any new medication is prescribed, discontinued, or if the dosage changes. Notify your physicians immediately if you feel “different” after medication changes, you could be having a reaction. Fill your prescriptions at one pharmacy.
Care Agency Offers Free Guidance to Caregivers Right At Home, a Glendale in-home care agency run by Silver Lake resident and previous Silver Lake Neighborhood Council cochair Doug Dickstein, is offering free guidance to help family caregivers and their loved ones sort
through in-home care options. For more information, visit www.glendale.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home’s free adult caregiving eNewsletter, please go to www.caringnews.com.
Griffith Park Adult Community Club Calendar General Meeting:
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 12 pm - 3:00 pm Friendship Auditorium. Installation of Officers and a presentation on the Needs Assessment of LA Recreation and Parks. AARP Driver Safety Class (8 hr) – Jan. 22nd & Jan. 29th, $12 members, $14 nonmembers, sign up at GPACC. Trips: Thursday, Jan. 27, 2008 - Sony Studios Tour and Taping of Jeopardy - $30. Call Doris Slater at (323) 6671879 for information and availability of space. A LOST TREASURE FOUND: Annamaria Gailbraith, District Supervisor with the City of Los Angeles, Stephanie Vendig, President Griffith Park Adult Community Club and Silver Lake artist Bea Gold flank a newly installed piece of art at the Griffith Park Adult Community Center (GPACC). The artwork--painted in 1935 by Boris Lopatian--is of the Griffith Observatory. GPACC director Mark Wilson found the piece of art in the basement of City Hall and rescued it. Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge found $3,000 to have the painted restored. The artwork was unveiled at the Center on Dec. 4th.
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January Classes 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. Center closed on Jan. 1st. 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 a donation for those over 60 years. Daily lunch is served at 12 pm and you can come in for coffee and check in at 11:30 am. 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 or call Jeanne Phipps at (323) 664-2681. Programs for Free-Thinking Seniors!
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Los Feliz Ledger [ gardening ]
The Ubiquitous Rosemary New Year… New Uses By Melissa Berry, Ledger Columnist At this time of year, there seems to be an abundance of rosemary used in wreaths or table centerpieces that can be recycled. Here are a few ideas: Rosemary chicken: Stuff a small frying chicken with rosemary and lemons. Cook at 20 minutes at 450 degrees and then down to 325 degrees to finish. Take the juices from the pan and reduce them for a savory sauce. Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes: Ingredients: Small red potatoes
(3 per person), Kosher salt and Olive oil. Peel a belt around the middle of the scrubbed potato. Roll potato in olive oil and then put in a plastic bag with kosher salt and minced/ chopped fresh rosemary. Shake until coated. Spread on the baking pan and put in a 450 degree oven until done. Also try putting small branches in a bottle of vinegar or olive oil. Neither the vinegar nor the olive oil need to be expensive because after the rosemary sits a while in both, they’ll taste like a million dollars.
[ being whole ]
A Silver Lining
[ a dog’s life ]
Jumping for Your Love By Jennifer Clark, Ledger Columnist With the influx of holiday visitors, it has officially been confirmed that my dog has no “meet and greet” manners. The biggest infringement is her incessant jumping on guests the second they make their way through the front door. Dogs jump for a variety of reasons: to display their dominance, share their joy, and, what I think is the cause of Reba’s leaps, for attention. The tricky part is, each time I respond to her jumping, whether it be gently pushing her away from my guests, shouting, “off” even making eye contact with her,
I am reinforcing the behavior because I am giving her attention. Instead, it’s important to ignore the jumping. The easiest way to do this is to turn your back. When the dog stops jumping, you can resume giving your dog attention. Some people laud the tether training method, which I have yet to try. This involves keeping the dog on a tether, unable to reach the front door. You can have your guests approach the dog from a distance. If the dog jumps, wait until she stops, then resume moving towards her. Eventually, she will learn that if she stays with all four paws on the floor, she gets the attention
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By Elma Mayer, Ledger Columnist There’s an upside to the downturn. As our fiscal systems fail, we have a rare opportunity to heal the economy. It’s time to change lifelong habits, as a nation and as individuals. Our economy’s illness did not begin with this recession. It goes back decades, with socially acceptable over-consumption, environmental degradation and lack of sustainability as obvious but ignored symptoms of addiction. Welcome to the morning after. Now what? Do we reach for the hair of the dog, a temporary fix? Do we make a profound change now, or wait to hit bottom? The current crash is a healing crisis. The patient who resists changing unhealthy behavior, holding on to what’s making them ill, usually has a difficult healing process. Willingness to do whatever it takes, without resistance, often makes for much
easier healing. Let’s let go of our need for more stuff, lest we be consumed by over-consumption. We can now re-think and retool the whole economy, rather than apply band-aids and bailouts to a sick system. A new holistic bottom line must include more than a dollar amount. It will factor in environmental health, quality of life, family time, community, creativity, nature, personal growth and the common good. Whether we can barely afford to buy ramen, or are merely re-considering our daily Starbucks fix, let’s activate what truly sustains us. Our empty pockets have a silver lining. Elma Mayer, MA, practices and teaches Chinese Energetics in Silver Lake and beyond. www.nowhealing.com (323) 309-7687.
she wants. Another method, which involves a bit of bribery, is to walk into the house with a favorite toy in your hand (you can keep them in a box outside the door). As soon as you enter the house, throw the toy; this way, the dog can control her balled up energy by fetching the toy and she’ll learn that you’ll throw it again if she doesn’t jump. Whatever method you use, it’s important to be consistent and anticipate the dog’s behavior. Teaching your dog social skills is an important part of being a responsible dog owner. And your friends will be sure to thank you for it.
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Page 16 LIFESTYLES
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January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger Cremin also claimed in her grievance letter that the be ticketed. Cremin said the council board’s inclusion of a measure would reduce overrepresentative from the reliflow parking from local busigious community is an “unnesses in the area, but critics constitutional” breach of the said it would unfairly penalize separation of church and state, residents who lived on denser and that the council has done streets and could not afford insufficient community outthe permits. reach to potential candidates Charley Mims, immedifor open board seats. She ate past president of the GGalso said the PNC, said the council board Cremin also claimed in her grievance letter G G P N C ’ s of acted fairly in that the council board’s inclusion of a repre- definition a stakeholdits handling of Cremin’s sentative from the religious community is an er — a nyone who lives, parking dis“unconstitutional” breach of the separation works, owns trict request. “I think of church and state, and that the council has property, or a we spent a lot done insufficient community outreach to po- declares stake withof time on the tential candidates for open board seats. in council issue of the bounda ries pre ferent ia l (through community orgaGGPNC president Philip parking district to make sure nizations or religious groups, Gasteier. we gave the proponents and among others)—is too broad. According to DONE’s opponents an equal opportuCremin attended the current operating procedures, nity to make their case,” said council’s general board meetgrievances are typically resolved Mims, who presided over the ing Dec.16th, where she made by the neighborhood councils council during the April 2007 a bid for the open District B they are filed against. If a counmeeting. “The neighborhood representative seat, vacated by cil has trouble resolving a grievcouncil bent over backwards former board member Amy ance, it can request mediation to be fair on this issue. The Ferguson in October. assistance from DONE, said council decided it would not The board ultimately Deanna Stevenson, a neighborbe advisable to support a parkelected stakeholder Ron Oshood empowerment analyst ing district in the area.” trow to fill the open seat. with the department. The GGPNC’s Executive GGPNC from page 1
[ good life ]
Hair of the Dog or Tripe? By Paul Hickey Ledger Columnist The oldest of all hangover remedies is the Hair of the Dog, which comes from the old English and simply means more alcohol for breakfast and that translates, universally, to a bloody Mary. Actually, a shot of booze can improve your mood, and since hangovers are largely psychological, the breakfast Bloody Mary can make sense. But, the key is just one. Another cure, scientifically proven, is Menudo, a stew
Committee voted Dec. 16th to designate several committee members to investigate the claims made in the grievance. The committee will hold a meeting in January where Cremin will present her case in greater detail. “None of us want to be in a conflict situation, but we all want to address this,” said
made from tripe and wonderful Mexican seasonings. Tripe is the lining of a cow’s stomach and seems to absorb alcoholic toxins which makes the hangover feel better. For a first rate bloody Mary go to the Tarn O’ Shanter on Los Feliz Blvd., Atwater Village. But best of all: remember to drink in moderation. [ Restaurant news ] By Pat Saperstein Barbarella Bar launches in January in the former Zen Sushi spot on Hyperion. The nightspot and eatery is owned by Anat Escher, who also runs Melrose Avenue’s Bungalow Club. Cuisine includes pizzas, burgers, vegetarian and vegan dishes, Jidori chicken
and Scottish organic salmon. The bar will offer more than 24 micro beers on tap, as well as a broad wine selection and specialty martinis. The Deli at Little Dom’s has opened; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. There’s sidewalk seating and a menu of items for takeout or eating at the deli. Sandwiches are made with Italian ingredients including fresh mozzarella, speck, proscuitto and soppresata, and salads include white beans, brussel sprouts and Israeli couscous. Desserts include pumpkin cheesecake, cupcakes, Meyer lemon panna cotta and chocolate budino. Fresh pasta by the pound and sauce make an easy dinner to go. Pat Saperstein blogs about L.A. restaurants at EatingLA.com
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LIFESTYLES Page 17
Los Feliz Ledger [january 2009 events calendar ] Edited by: Debru Petrov Art Discovery Days, arts & crafts event for the entire family. Jan. 3rd, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Petersen Automotive Museum 6060 Wilshire Blvd. Reservations: (323) 964-6308 www.petersen.org “Phantom Aquarium,” a solo exhibition by Juri Ueda Through Jan. 3rd. Black Maria Gallery 3137 Glendale Blvd. (323) 660-9393 www.blackmariagallery.com “Maverick Art,” exhibition explores 50 contemporary artists of Western art Through Jan. 4th Autry National Center 4700 Western Heritage Way (323) 667-2000 www.autrynationalcenter.org “Bold Caballeros y Noble Bandidas,” exhibition explores Mexican pop culture Through May 10th, 2009 Autry National Center 4700 Western Heritage Way (323) 667-2000 www.autrynationalcenter.org An Evening of Fine Art: Fine Art Sale A benefit for the Neighborhood Nursery School located in Silver Lake. Jan. 24th, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Barnsdall Art Park Los Angeles Municipal Gallery 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Tickets: www.neighborhoodnursery.org “Puffpieces,” a solo exhibition by Paul Evans Through Jan. 23rd, Scoop 712 N. Heliotrope Drive (323) 665-7658 Art Class for Kids Jan. 23rd, 3:30 p.m. Atwater Village Library 3379 Glendale Blvd. (323) 664-1353 “Welcome to the Greenhouse,” solo exhibition by Renee Lawter. Artist Reception: Jan. 10th, 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Jan. 10th through Jan. 31st Black Maria Gallery 3137 Glendale Blvd. (323) 660-9393 www.blackmariagallery.com “Landscapes and Smokes,” solo exhibition by Ander Nilsen, through Jan. 14th. Little Bird Gallery 3195 Glendale Blvd. (323) 662-1092 www.littlebirdgallery.com
Books Los Feliz Library Book Club Jan. 10th, 11:00 a.m. 1874 Hillhurst Ave. (323) 913-4710 Atwater Village Library Used Book Sale Jan. 17th, 10:00 a.m. 3379 Glendale Blvd. (323) 664-1353 Edendale Library Weekly Book Sale Jan. 7th, 14th, 2:00 p.m. 2011 W. Sunset Blvd. (213) 207-3000
Page 18 CALENDAR
“The Folded World” by Amity Gaige & “Ms. Hempel Chronicles,” by Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum Jan. 22nd, 7:30 p.m. Skylight Books 1818 N. Vermont Ave. (323) 660-1175 www.skylightbooks.com
Clubs Los Angeles Breakfast Club Wednesdays, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m Friendship Auditorium, 3201 Riverside Dr., Public welcome.
“Viva Zapata!” (1954) starring Marlon Brandon. Jan. 17th, 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. Autry National Center 4700 Western Heritage Way (323) 667-2000 www.autrynationalcenter.org
Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Jan. 7th, 7:00 p.m. 1511 Micheltorena St. Micheltorena Street Elementary School www.SilverLakeNC.org
“And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself,” (2003) starring Antonio Banderas. Jan. 24th, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Autry National Center 4700 Western Heritage Way (323) 667-2000 www.autrynationalcenter.org
bodies using a variety of telescopes and meet with amateur astronomers. Jan. 3rd, 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Griffith Observatory 2800 East Observatory Rd. (213) 473-0800 or www.griffithobservatory.org A Faery Hunt Interactive faery show for the entire family. Free admission Jan. 17th, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Fern Dell 5375 Red Oak Drive www.laparks.org/dos/parks/ griffithPK/calender/calender.htm
Lectures & Learning Architecture & Beyond Lecture Series Jan. 15th, 6:30 p.m. Los Feliz Library 1874 Hillhurst Ave. (323) 913-4710
Theatre Thomas & Friends: A Circus Comes To Town Live! On Stage Performances: Jan. 30th, 7:00 p.m. Jan. 31st, 2:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. Nokia Theatre L.A. Live 777 Chick Hearn Ct. www.ticketmaster.com
Los Feliz Writing Seminar Expanding the Writer’s Toolbox
“We Need More Wind Power” by Renee Lawter at Black Maria Gallery.
Los Feliz Library Scrabble Club Jan. 10th, 1:00 p.m. 1874 Hillhurst Ave. (323) 913-7410 Los Feliz Library Quilting Club Jan. 17th, 11:00 a.m. 1874 Hillhurst Ave. (323) 913-7410 Atwater Village Library Scrabble Club Jan. 24th, 1:00 p.m. 3379 Glendale Blvd. (323) 664-1353 Echo Park Crochet & Knitting Club Jan. 3rd, 31st, 11:00 a.m. 1410 W. Temple St. (213) 250-7808
“Like Water For Chocolate,” (1993) Jan. 31st, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Autry National Center 4700 Western Heritage Way (323) 667-2000 www.autrynationalcenter.org
Politics Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council Jan. 20th, 7:00 p.m. Los Feliz Community Police Center 1965 Hillhurst Ave., 2nd floor www.ggpnc.org
It’s Our Nature: Free lecture with John Frederick Walker. Author will discuss his latest book. Ivory Ghosts: The White Gold of History and Fate of Elephants. LA Zoo & Botanical Gardens 5333 Zoo Dr. (323) 644-4200 www.lazoo.org Free Computer Classes for Seniors Learn how to navigate the Internet. Jan. 6th, 3:00 p.m. Los Feliz Library 1874 Hillhurst Ave. (323) 913-4710 Los Angeles Astronomical Society and the Los Angeles Sidewalk Astronomers look at celestial
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Films “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez,” (1982) starring Edward James Olmos. Jan. 10th, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Autry National Center 4700 Western Heritage Way (323) 667-2000 www.autrynationalcenter.org
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Los Feliz Ledger [ eastside eye ]
Silver Lake Art, Craft & Vintage: A Real Flea Market Find By Kathy A. McDonald, Ledger Columnist I watch a potential customer turning over a vintage silver cigarette case-combolighter in his hand. The craftsmanship and fine details, like the ornate clasp to hold cigarettes in place, are definitely of another era, 1930s perhaps. He guesses it’s English-made; and then I remember: the case is a piece I bought 30 years ago at Madrid’s famed outdoor market, El Rastro. But today I’m the vendor selling select vintage small things collected at countless thrift store and yard sales, one of many sellers at the Silver Lake Art, Craft & Vintage market in Citibank’s parking lot. When I think of all the places I’ve traveled, there’s always been a stop or detour to a thrift or antique shop or a trip to an outdoor market. In London, the winding narrow market of Portobello Road: in Paris, the vibrant Les Puces (the fleas, literally) where I discovered a cache of hand-colored post cards of Mt. Baldy and Echo Park (circa 1915). Every
thrift store/flea market scavenger shares my quest: a unique item for an impossible price that comes with a story. That’s what I sell my customers too: a little history on each piece and in return, they share memories and ideas with me. One woman looking through my vintage studio portraits describes one of her Panamanian grandmother in the same pose. Others are collectors such as the woman who buys a panel of antique, hand-made lace with work so delicate and detailed, the skill
required is almost impossible to comprehend in our machine-made age. Some just want a deal. The outdoor market holds many surprises: the chance to discover a new artist; an unexpected connection with a vendor; a meeting with a neighbor haven’t seen in years. Watching the sunset over the new Silver Lake Library as I pack up my somewhat depleted inventory of treasures, I feel part of a medieval tradition of trader at the crossroads. For a few hours an ordinary parking lot was transformed into a bazaar—where buyers and sellers traded and exchanged, not just objects d’art, but their humanity as well. Silver Lake Art, Craft & Vintage, corner of Silver Lake Blvd. and Glendale Blvd., sponsored by Ghettogloss, every Saturday and Sunday. Schedule: ghettogloss.com.
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[ eastside eye ]
Picks for January 2009 NELAart Second Saturday Gallery Night Jan. 10th. Approximately 24 galleries open their spaces on Saturday night from 7 to 10 p.m. Full schedule at www.nelaart.org. Exhibitions include Hector Silva’s artworks and prints at the Southwest Museum accompanied by pan dulce and Mexican hot chocolate.
ALOUD at the Central Library Jan. 21st at 7 p.m. presents “EMBERS: a jazz opera in poems” by composer David Ornette Cherry and librettist Terry Wolverton of Los Feliz’s Writers at Work. Story is adapted from Wolverton’s novel-in-poems; four-piece jazz band will be led by Cherry. Central Library, 630 West Fifth Street, downtown L.A. www.lfla.org/aloud/index.php
[ theater review ]
A Local Methodology By Marilyn Oliver, Ledger Theater Critic Many actors have credited Method acting with their success. Most have learned their craft at New York’s Actors’ Studio. Method acting was developed by Konstnatin Stanislavski. The approach’s goal is to train actors to merge their personal emotions with those of the characters. The surprise is there is a Method acting school and theater right here in Atwater Village. Tucked away in an unlikely industrial neighborhood, the 45-seat theater space is amazingly stylish and comfortable. “In the 1990s I was in a writers’ group that occasionally met in Atwater,” said Jamie Paolinetti, founder and artistic director. “I loved Atwater Village. It seemed about to ex-
plode creatively.” The Atwater Playhouse showcases original productions and co-sponsors a playwriting festival. The winning play is produced in the theater. During the three years that the Atwater Playhouse has been up and running they have produced 11 original plays. They also present monthly showcases of one act plays and numerous staged readings. The showcases are free, but as space is limited; reservations are necessary. “Our plays are serious drama,” Paolinetti said. “We’re not afraid to do something serious, but some of our plays include humor along with the ironies of life. Our goal is to illuminate the human condition. ” For information visit: www.atwaterplayhouse.com.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 19
Los Feliz Ledger [ religion and spirituality ]
MLK Day: A “Day On” Not a “Day Off” By Roberta Morris Religion Columnist The night before the election I couldn’t sleep, suffering a sense of dread that dates back to the 1960s. The suburb where I grew up remains largely segregated. “I have a dream,” Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed. Unable to sleep, I was unable to dream, but finally dosed off just to be awakened at 6 a.m. to a racket outside my window that overlooks the entrance to Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church. Outside the polling station, a line was already wrapping itself around the corner. It appeared that the first four people in line were African Americans, and the racially mixed crowd was thoroughly enjoying their exercise of this freedom. This is not new at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church. Some readers might recall the story retold in this column, about how a GermanAmerican child in 1931 invited African Americans Purcell and Wyndon Brown to join the church’s model airplane club but they were denied, because Mt. Hollywood was a “white people’s church.” The white child reported this to his parents who invited the Brown family to attend Morning Service. The invite was accepted, making this church one of the first integrated churches in Los Angeles. Purcell Brown remained a member of the congregation until his death in 2003. Was that Purcell’s ghost there on the church steps Elec-
tion Day? And will that be Odetta’s spirit enjoying the synchronicity of Martin Luther King Day followed by Obama’s Inauguration Day, even if Odetta won’t be singing? The woman Martin Luther King Jr. called “the queen of American folk music” and another former member of Mt. Hollywood Congregation hoped to sing at the inauguration but died of heart failure on Dec. 2nd at the age of 77. “The Sunday after Odetta passed away,” said Rev. Rachel Ciupek-Reed, pastor at Mt. Hollywood, “there were members of our church who remembered when she attended here, how she would get up and sing from the pulpit.” The web of interconnection between Martin Luther King Jr., Obama, Odetta, and all of us here Mt. Hollywood, is part of the web of connection that touched the whole nation with this election. “It’s not about race. It’s about being connected,” said Ciupek-Reed. “Odetta is being remembered as the person, not the symbol. Martin Luther King Jr. and Obama too, are just normal people who, through a series of events, became determined to live out God’s call for their life.” This philosophy will be celebrated at Mt. Hollywood in January for Martin Luther King Day. Make it a “day on, not a day off” and volunteer in your communities to realize the vision and make the dream alive.
Page 20 RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
[ obituary ]
Yvon Docker Lincoln 1921 – 2008 By Michael Locke Silver Lake Correspondent Silver Lake resident and activist, Yvon Docker Lincoln died on Nov. 26th of cancer. She was 87 years old. Lincoln arrived in Los Angeles as a baby with her parents from Tucson, Arizona. She remained in Southern California the rest of her life. During WWII, she served as an air raid warden and as a U.S. Navy truck driver, building landing strips. She was the first woman Western Regional Vice President of Delta Nu Alpha, a national transportation society. In retirement, Lincoln was a volunteer and contributor to many non-profit organizations. She is survived by her companion, Lucile Jones and her cousin Laura Burns. UCLA Donated Body Program accepted her remains and there will be no services, pursuant to her wishes. Donations in her name may be made to: St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, c/o St. Vincent Foundation, 2222 Ocean View Avenue, No. 114, Los Angeles, CA 90057.
[ obituary ]
Guillermo Leon Brzostowski Local Silver Lake psychotherapist Guillermo Leon Brzostowski, died Dec. 2nd after suffering a stroke and aneurysm. He was 62. Brzostowski was vacationing in Cuernavaca, Mexico with his partner, Laura at the time of his death. The couple had been celebrating their eight-year anniversary. “Guillermo was a sweet cherub of a man—always with something kind to say,” said Wanda Jewell, coordinator of the Silver Lake Heath and Wellness Association, of which Brzostowski was a member. “He was cheerful, loveable—a colleague and a friend.” He was also an active and giving member of Alcoholics Anonymous. Brzostowksi began in practice in Silver Lake in 2000. One of his specialties was helping immigrants with integration. He is survived by his partner Laura, and his nieces Paola and Marianella. A memorial ceremony was held for Brzostowski Dec. 7th. “I know that if mourners were to merely take a moment to think of Guillermo and “send him” through their thoughts a little loving kindness, Guillermo would appreciate this,” said Ray Everett, a colleague and friend.
www.losfelizledger.com
[ obituary ]
Renee Davidson
Los Feliz chiropractor Dr. Renee Davidson died Nov. 18th from cancer. She was 51. “She would meet me at the office at 6 a.m. for a treatment,” said long time patient Faye Ireland. “She worked working people’s hours. She was a fantastic person.” Davidson’s practice was located on Hillhurst Boulevard. Her patients are now being cared for by the Chiro Wellness Group on Los Feliz Blvd. (323) 663-2926. Services for Davidson were Dec. 13th at the Advanced Centers for Scientology.
Send us information about your religious organization.
Los Feliz Ledger acohen@losfelizledger.com
(323) 667-9897
January 2009
Los Feliz Ledger Real Estate from page 12
contracted moderately in volume, but rose slightly in median cost, as newly-constructed units found buyers. Silver Lake and Echo Park (90026): Homes sold: 114 (-19% change from same period 2007) Median home price: $599,000 (-12% from same period 2007)
especially 90026, could signal a softening of other neighborhoods. Volume of units sold is markedly off for both homes and condos vs. 2007.
period 2007)
Atwater Village (90039): Homes sold: 51 (+29% change from same period 2007)
High home sale: $1,000,000 (2% less than 2007 highest sale)
Median home price: $532,500 (-22% change from same
Condos sold: 1 (-50% change from same period 2007).
Median home size: 2 bedrooms; 1 bath; 1,070 sq. ft. on a 5,400 sq. ft. lot; built in 1924
Median condo price: $340,000 (-18% change from same period 2007) Median condo size: 2 bedrooms; 1 bath; 930 sq. ft. Atwater Village registered the sole increase in home sales in 2008, as entry-level homes at discounted prices attracted bargain
hunters. Condos (there are 40 only) play a minuscule role here, but remain the best values around among 2 bedroom condos. More of these condos are for sale lately than in many years. Richard Stanley is a 20 year veteran of local real estate. www.richardstanleyrealtor.com.
Median home size: 2 bedrooms; 2 baths; 1,187 sq. ft. on a 5,459 sq. ft. lot; built in 1923 Highest home sale: $1,700,000 (10% more than 2007 highest sale) Second highest home sale: $1,237,625 (30% less than 2007 highest sale) Condos sold: 6 (-54% from same period 2007) Median condo price: $449,000 (-14% change from same period 2007)
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Page 21
Los Feliz Ledger [EDITORIAL ]
The Cyclists De-Ride Again By Stephen Box The 13th annual Griffith Park Festival of Lights began with a whimper and ended with a shout as cyclists passed Opening “Bike Night” and instead rode alongside cars, protesting all the way to the end. This is the third year that cyclists have protested “Bike Night.” This year’s token event fell on a Monday night, and judging from the turnout, crowd control was the least of the city’s worries, with the LAPD, DWP, General Services, LADOT, Rec & Parks and Council office staff easily outnumbering the celebrants. Cyclists, instead, came out in droves on Mon., Dec. 8th, for our ritual “Festival of RIGHTS!” protest ride. Cyclists have long argued that California’s Uniformity Code restricts a municipality from excluding cyclists from streets open to motor vehicles. The irony here is that there are bike lanes through the park but they are decommissioned for the duration of the Festival in order to make more room for cars. Cyclists also argue that the auto-centric Festival of Lights is an ecological nightmare that shuts down the freeway, clogs up the neighborhood and wreaks havoc on the park environment. To be fair, great strides have been made in accommodating other modes of transportation with pedestrians,
equestrians and even dogwalkers receiving improved access this year. The tremendous attendance by these groups indicates there is an audience in favor of reversing the priorities from an auto-centric Festival to a people-centric Festival. But still, we feel the city’s efforts to include bicyclists has been disingenuous. We were told we could only ride on the bridle trail along Crystal Springs Drive, rather than the street. Denying cyclists their rights to the street denies them of their CVC 21 and CVC 21202 rights. As for our protest ride, “Festival of RIGHTS!” was fun and we rode on the streets. We even brought our own music, our own lights and our own Santa. We were chased, however, by a city vehicle trying to stop our protest. When traffic stopped the car from catching up to us, we were appalled to witness the same car drive on the pedestrian (bridle trail) forcing pedestrians to jump out of their way. Our protest ride was otherwise uneventful until the end when a Supervising Ranger blocked our way and insisted we use the bridle trail. A debate broke out over State Law, California Vehicle Code and the rights of cyclists to ride the same streets open to the public. Ultimately, there were other bike rides through the Festival, most of them memorable only to the participants and to the motorists and their passengers, stuck in gridlock that lasts from 90 minutes to 2 hours. We instead rode
through the festival, enjoying the evening air, the lights, the music and the free expression of their rights! It was probably enough to prompt more than a few to add a bicycle to their holiday wish list! Stephen Box is a local cycling advocate. [ editorial ]
Crosswalks Needed On Hollywood Blvd. By Matt Summers Regarding “Hollywood Blvd. The New ‘Melrose?’” (Los Feliz Ledger, Dec. 2008), I noticed a small yet significant quotation towards the conclusion. It’s a statement from Jonathan Sample, owner of Fresh Pressed, explaining his frustrations with the city not accommodating the growing pedestrian traffic by installing a crosswalk on Hollywood between Vermont and Hillhurst. That sentiment rang especially true to me, because for over one year now I have been championing three specific pedestrian safety concerns in Los Feliz proper. The most paramount being a crosswalk along the newly crowded stretch of Hollywood Blvd. My concern for the congested area along Hollywood Blvd. began while dining at Cobras & Matadors. I noticed numbers of pedestrians parking along the South side of Hollywood and then darting through evening traffic to reach the restaurant. It’s hard to put blame on them for their
daring jaywalk—the only traffic signals are significant walks in either direction (at Hillhurst and Vermont). Installing a cross walk with clear signage will slow traffic down and provide a simple and easy way for residents to engage in business along both sides of Hollywood. Similar to the cross walks on Vermont & Rodney (bridging Fred 62’s and the Post Office) or on Hillhurst just north of Franklin. The fact that similar crosswalks already exist in our neighborhood seems to make the decision that much more of an easier one to accomplish. Being a city official is something I sympathize with; constant bureaucratic red tape, countless requests, approvals needed, asinine measures and complicated rules to follow. But ignoring traffic and pedestrian safety is a dangerous thing. When a citizen comes to their Representative (or in this case, their Representative’s represen-
tative) with a specific and direct request for improvement – it should be heard. That is how local government needs to work. I’ve brought this issue to the Councilman LaBonge’s office’s attention numerous times. I’ve been met with polite attentiveness, but never much action. I’ve also explained the problem to the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council. One terrifying explanation for the lack of action from a city official is that if the LAPD doesn’t have a significant number of reported accidents and injuries at the sight of the requested improvement, there isn’t a need for reform. Simply stated, the city wants to wait until one of our residents is injured, or killed, before taking action. Please contact either Tom LaBonge’s office or the GGPNC if you share my concerns. Matt Russell is a Los Feliz resident.
Water Conservation
ordinanCe The City of Los Angeles recently enacted a stronger water conservation ordinance which prohibits certain uses of water. The ordinance allows water customers to be cited for the violations listed below. Fines range from $100 to $300 for most household water meters (two inches or smaller) and $200 to $600 for most commercial and industrial meters (larger than 2 inches). To report water waste, call 1-800-DIAL DWP or go to www.LADWP.com and alert the Water Conservation Team via e-mail.
in Los anGeLes, it is iLLeGaL to: • Use water to wash any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways or parking areas • Allow runoff onto streets and gutters from excessive watering • Irrigate landscaping between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. • Permit leaks from any pipe or fixture to go unrepaired
‘‘
• Permit watering during periods of rain • Water outdoors for more than 15 minutes per watering station, 10
We are hopeful that by December, our committee will have reached our $2 million fund-raising goal in Los Feliz to support the New Hospital Building at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Contact us if you want to help.
’’
minutes for other irrigation systems • Allow for the washing of a vehicle without using a hose with a selfclosing, shut-off device • Serve water to customers in eating establishments unless requested • Use water to clean, fill or maintain decorative fountains unless the
Ron Weinstein and Diane Kanner Co-Chairs, Los Feliz- A Community That Cares (323) 666-8939
water is part of a recirculating system • Permit large landscape areas to water without rain sensors that
Los Feliz: A Community that Cares About Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
shut off irrigation systems • Install non-recirculating systems in new car wash and commercial laundry systems • Install single-pass cooling systems in new buildings
To find out more about the New Hospital Building and how you can help, please contact Karen Wirick at (323) 361-1711.
For more water saving tips visit www.LADWP.com online or go to www.bewaterwise.com
4650 Sunset Blvd., #29 • Los Angeles, CA 90027 • (323) 660-2450 • www.ChildrensHospitalLA.org
Size: 5.9 x 6.4
PA:
t. Louis
I/O: LA43429
www.losfelizledger.com ING
Page 22 EDITORIAL / OPEN MIKE
Please do your part. Every drop matters.
January 2009
Largest Real Estate Office in Los Feliz (125+ Agents) Fastest Growing Real Estate Company in North America
Thank you for a great 2008! We are still the LARGEST Real Estate office in Los Feliz and we are STILL GROWING! 2411 Inverness Ave $6,799,000 The Harry Chandler Estate, built in the tradition of Hollywood’s Golden Era, on approx one acre in the Los Feliz foothills. The home was designed in 1914 for living on a grand scale. The 24-room interior retains original hardwood detail, distinctive paneling and ornately carved fireplace. A grand entrance which rises two stories in baronial splendor is the focal point of the 3 story home. Grounds feature blendings of creative space, pool, guest house, in a handsomely landscaped traditional setting. Dorothy Carter/ Michael Orland
5523 Tuxedo Terrace
$2,088,000
Classic re-interpretation of 1960’s Modern. Two-story living room w/terrazzo floors. Viking kitchen w/Italian Alno cabinetry. Master bedroom opens to meditation garden w/Buddha fountain & bamboo fencing. Private yard, pool/spa, fire pit in “ultimate backyard”.
8573 Walnut Drive
Blanche D’Souza
1909 New Hampshire
1802 Wollam St.
$850,000
Anita & Bill Dorich
(310) 923-2157
4652 Hollywood Boulevard (Between Vermont & Hillhurst)
$899,000
Legendary Laurel Canyon. Furnished 2bed/2 bath Romantic hideaway with brilliant views of city & mountains. Living area w/ French doors open to deck, overlooking views. Upgraded kitchen and master bath.
Dorothy Carter/Michael Orland (323) 300-1025
REDUCTION! Old world quality and charm. 3 bd+2 ba, 1,488 sq. ft. Lot 6,500. New kitchen, New roof, electrical panel, and tank less hot water tank. Move-in condition.
(323) 300-1025
(310) 990-0087
$579,000
Remodeled 2bed + 1.5ba. Retreat steps from Elyria Park & minutes to the FWY & Downtown. Expansive deck & stone patio! New electrical, roof, plumbing, fixtures, appliances, counter tops, landscaping, and central AC/HEAT.
Ivy & Mike Brooks
(310) 910-9379
4565 Dundee Drive
$3,499,000
Villa De Sol, classic 1927 Palazzo-style Mediterranean. Austere & elegant, perfect refuge from hustle/bustle of city. Relaxed blend of original details, atmospheric villa charm. Verandas to outdoor space w/major views, pool & beautiful guest house.
Dorothy Carter/Michael Orland (323) 300-1025
7361 Pyramid Place
$899,000
Hugh Reduction of $350K, now $899,000. 2bd, 2ba + Den, 1,500 sq.ft. 7,300 ft lot. Room to build. Open every Sunday 1pm-4pm.
Bill Dorich
1138 E. Union #2,5,6 & 7
(310) 923-2157
$439,000+
Stunning & Brand New Townhomes in Pasadena. Walk to shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Minutes from metro offering easy access to Downtown LA. Two master suites, granite counter tops, front/back patio, laundry and 2 car detached garage.
Jennifer Berg
(626) 497-4000
Tel 323-300-1000 • Fax 323-300-1001 www.KWLosFeliz.com
Happy New Year! The Best to You in 2009! George & Eileen 2150 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.668.7600
georgeandeileen.com
Just Listed
2420 Moreno Drive
Silver Lake Moreno Highlands
$1,195,000
Stunning Moreno Highlands 4 bedrooms and 3 bathroom Spanish residence with a great home office, family room and wonderful flat grassy backyard with patio and hot tub. Spacious living room with lots of windows to bring in the incredible views of the Silver Lake hills, city lights of Glendale and beyond to the San Gabriel Mountains. Formal dining room which opens to a large balcony for outdoor dining and enjoying the view. This a impressive home on a lovely view lot on one of the premiere streets of the hills. All this plus, it’s in the Ivanhoe School District!
In Escrow
For Sale
3733 Clayton Avenue
Los Feliz
$1,268,000
Stunning 4 bed & 3 bath Mid-Century Architectural in the Franklin Hills of Los Feliz. This stunning home is nestled in the hills to give the feeling of privacy & enjoys a great sense of greenery with city & hillside views. Dramatic & spacious living room w/a fireplace opens to a lovely outdoor seating area. Spacious & bright cook’s kitchen w/center island & breakfast area w/views & opens to the beautiful private patio. Formal DR. Great 2-story floor plan. Polished concrete & honey colored hardwood flrs. Built in 1965. A super cool house you will absolutely love!
8941 Wonderland Park Ave Laurel Canyon $2,675,000 Single level 4 bed & 5 bath Mid Century Architectural residence designed by Los Angeles architect Robert Kennard & beautifully landscaped by Garrett Eckbo is set on almost 2 acres in the hills of Laurel Canyon & surrounded by greenery & privacy + a great guest house in the Wonderland Elementary School District. Minutes from the city, yet nestled in an atmosphere to give the feeling of being miles away in a private oasis in the countryside. Gorgeous living rm & large open kitchen & family rm w/views to the amazing grounds & sparkling pool. Lovingly preserved & gently updated. This home is a must see!