Los Feliz Ledger Vol 7. No. 12
Read by 100,000+ Residents and Business Owners in Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, Echo Park & Hollywood Hills
SLNC Makes Final Year-End Funding Decisions
Advisory Board Votes 4-3 For Park Ball Fields City Warns Price May Rise $100K Due to Opposition
By Colin Stutz Ledger Contributing Writer SILVER LAKE—The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council (SLNC) voted May 2nd to approve five funding motions and spend roughly the entire remainder of its budget for the fiscal year, which ends June 30th. In so doing, the governing board met its expenditure deadline to submit funding requests to the City’s Dept. of Neighborhood Empowerment (EmpowerLA, formerly DONE) before the year’s May 10th cut-off. Any funds remaining in a neighborhood council’s treasury after this date revert back to the city’s general fund. The motions approved were for $2,500 towards a soundproofing project at the see SLNC page 7
By Colin Stutz Ledger Contributing Writer
NEW BABY AT THE ZOO—The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden welcomed a new baby chimpanzee March 6th, who is now old enough for viewing. The new baby chimpanzee is the first for the Zoo since 1999. She is pictured here with her mother, Gracie. Also this month at the Zoo, is the 42nd Annual “Beastly Ball,” Sat. June 16th. This Zoo fundraising event has been called one of the “best parties in Los Angeles.” At this year’s event, former Mayor of Los Angeles Richard Riordan will be honored. Tickets: $1,000 per person. Information: (323) 644-4753 or lazoo.org. Photo credit: Tad Motoyama.
Community News: Block Parties are Back, page 17
GRIFFITH PARK—Contentious plans to build two youth baseball fields in Griffith Park’s Crystal Springs picnic and recreation area are moving forward, after the seven-member Local Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committee (LVNOC) voted in favor of the project May 17th. But the advisory board’s 4-3 vote in favor of the Crystal Springs location does not mean ballpark construction will start there anytime soon, or is even a sure thing. The next step in the process will likely be a long assesssee BALL FIELDS page 4
No Date Yet On Street Festival LOS FELIZ—The date for this summer’s Los Feliz Street Festival remains unconfirmed, as the Los Feliz Village Business Improvement Assoc. (LFVBID) waits for city approval to close Hollywood Boulevard on their requested date of July 22nd. The LFVBID has contracted with Interactive Games to produce the event, which will be one day, as has been customary. Former Los Feliz resident Marie-Alise De Marco has also been hired to manage the media and vendors. Both were hired after previous producer O-Entertainment and Los Feliz Media’s John Forrestor and the LFVBID could not come to an agreement on the number of days for the event. LFVBID President Chris Serrano said the LFVBID’s
June 2012
role will be different this year from the past. According to Serrano, the LFVBID will be hosting and running the festival, not just sponsoring it. “The BID never benefitted from vendor booth or alcohol sales, the promoter did,” Serrano said. “We just paid a ‘presenting sponsorship fee’ and the past promoters did every aspect of fair and profited from it as well.” Serrano said she is unsure of the costs of closing Hollywood Boulevard. “We do not and will not for a while know what, if any, street closure fees the city will be charging,” she said. In some previous years, the city has waived street closure fees, but with its current budget crisis, if it will again is unclear.
Theater Review: A New Take on Cyrano, page 10
[presidential primary election]
Locals Weigh In On Propositions for Higher Taxes for Tobacco And Term Limits By Colin Stutz, Ledger Contributing Writer A shopkeeper and customer at the Hillhurst Liquor store in Los Feliz one recent afternoon discussed the negative impacts of Proposition 29 on the June 5th, Presidential Primary Election ballot—the state measure that would impose an $1 per pack tax on cigarettes for cancer research. In the store windows, several “No on Prop 29” posters faced the street. “In this economy there’s no money, you know?” said Kamy Azizi, sitting behind the counter with a wall of tobacco and alcohol to sell to his back. “If people are going to smoke, they’re going to smoke and it’s going to cost them more money but they’re not going
Su Casa Real Estate: Home sales, page 18
to stop… You’re hurting the poor. You’re not hurting the rich people. Rich people can afford it.” Patrons at the liquor store agreed. “It [stinks],” said Marc Davis, 67, while buying a pack of Marlboro Reds. “Who’s going to pay for all that education? People will quit smoking. So whatever taxes you’ve already got [will be] gone… Plus the black market is going to [increase]… with all the people who are going to be carrying cigarettes across the border.” Sitting outside a cafe also on Hillhurst Avenue, finishing a cigarette, Ani Mikaelyan, a 25-year-old mother of two,
Calendar: Dave Lebow shows at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, losfelizledger.com
said an extra dollar per pack wouldn’t stop her from smoking. But she said she will vote in favor of the proposition because of the effect it might have on deterring children from starting up with tobacco. “I think in the future it’ll help prevent the younger generation from smoking so I think it’s worth it,” she said. That’s the hope of the proposition, said Charlie Smith, a Los Angeles attorney who volunteers with the American Cancer Society. The measure has three specific goals, he said: to save lives, keep kids from smoking and fund research. “When you raise the tosee PRIMARY page 6
Open Mike: More on Ballfields, Going Solar and Pedestrian, page 26
Los Feliz Ledger [letter from the publisher] In 2008, I attended a packed hearing at City Hall regarding the possibility of Griffith Park being named a Historic Monument. During public comment, Los Feliz Improvement Association board member, and past president, Marian Dodge, astutely asked the crowd to stand if they were in favor of such a designation. Everyone in the room stood, except for two people: Symphony in the Glen’s Barbara Ferris and me. Both Ms. Ferris and I knew that by designating the park as such, ANY type of change or development (not a restaurant, not a tramway, not a “pleasure pier”) for the park would become more difficult, which seems now to be the case. Ms. Ferris, along with the Independent Shakespeare
Company would like a permanent stage built in the park for Symphony in the Glen concerts and Shakespeare productions. It’s well known by now, through many editorials I’ve written for the Ledger, that I advocate for the use of 2 acres of the 4,000 acre park in the Crystal Springs area of the park for the rebuilding what was once there—two youth sized baseball fields. This location will serve the nearly dozen elementary, middle and high school youth of Los Feliz and Silver Lake. North Atwater Park, where those opposed have offered instead, serves an entirely different community. We report in our front page story on this issue, that because of the opposition of a handful—10, 20, 30 people?—the probable cost for
the ball fields—if ever built— will increase by as much as $100,000. The city apparently fears a lawsuit by this small minority and the required environmental reports will be more complicated and costly. Perhaps the minority opposition should put their money where there mouth is and pony up for these additional costs. Equally important, the city expects “stall” tactics from this minority, who, my guess, will try to slow the review process until Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge—who initiated the project—is termed out of office in 2015. The wider news media, namely the Los Angeles Times and KPCC, among others, has picked up on the story. Hopefully, Angelenos outside of Los Feliz whom also enjoy the park, can start to chime in on
the “controversy.” Most communities, as our story reports, welcome Prop. K money in the neighborhood for such projects. Only in Los Feliz, would such a project be opposed. I still have a
hard time believing we are talking about two baseball fields! Just who are these people in opposition? Read the letter in the back of this edition. Others want to know too.
GIF T CA RD
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June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger
LFVBID Endorses Proposed City Waste Solutions By Norma Zager Ledger Contributing Writer
House & Gardens Historian Sam Watters to Speak At Los Feliz Library June 14th HILLHURST AVENUE—Architectural historian and author Sam Watters will speak at the Architecture & Beyond Lecture Series Thurs., June 14th from 6:45 p.m. 7:45 p.m. at the Los Feliz Library, 1874 Hillhurst Ave. Watters will discuss
his new book, Gardens for a Beautiful America 18951935: Photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnston one of America’s early women photographers. Free. For information, call (323) 913-4710.
MessHall to Replace Long-Standing Louise’s Trattoria By Norma Zager, Ledger Contributing Writer LOS FELIZ BOULEVARD—After over 20 years, Louise’s Trattoria is closing and reopening the first week of July as a new restaurant, “The MessHall.” “We feel the time is right to create something new and exciting for Los Feliz that captures the spirit and energy of
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Feliz Ledger (323) 667-9897
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the neighborhood,” said Owner and Managing Partner Rob Serritella. The restaurant will feature an American menu by Chef Keith Silverton, the son of chef Nancy Silverton; cocktails by Julian Cox and Joshua Goldman; and “raw” bar and craft beers. Serritella said the emphasis will be on communal dining—with tables that seat from two to 14—and the uncluttered atmosphere will lend itself to creating an experience of friends and food with few distractions. “People can sit together and share their lives and conversation in a neat environment,” said Serritella. The restaurant will incorporate elements of the location’s history including Cecil B. De Mille’s Willard’s Chicken Inn and the Brown Derby. The restaurant became an historic landmark after it was purchased in 2004 by developers intending to create a condominium complex on the site. An independent coalition successfully fought the demolition and in 2006, the Los Angeles City Council designated it as an official Historic Cultural Monument.
LOS FELIZ—Los Feliz Village Business Improvement (LFVBID) board members have voted to support the efforts of the “Don’t Waste LA” campaign—a coalition working to implement region-wide cleanliness standards and financial accountability for trash and recycling throughout Los Angeles. According to “Don’t Waste LA’s” Chairman Greg Good, the goal is to organize and standardize trash collection in Los Angeles. “We need to eliminate the current ‘wild wild west mentality’ that currently exists in waste management,” said Good. “We plan to accomplish this by rerouting trucks and eliminating companies that pollute and create problems for residents.” Currently, numerous trash pick up companies may operate in the same area, charging businesses what the market will bear and overcharging residents and smaller business owners. Other operators cut corners to make more profit. According to Good, who spoke at the LFVBID’s May 10th general meeting, some trash pick up companies operating in Los Angeles, including the Los Feliz area, are disreputable and are currently under investigation. “Instead of taking recyclables to appropriate facilities, haulers who are rushed or wish to escape higher tipping fees take recyclables to landfills. There is no incentive to prevent these behaviors when they are self reporting,” Good said. “Currently, it’s a marketplace that encourages bad behavior because companies are motivated to operate at the lowest denominator to undercut competitors.” As a result, Good said, “single families are getting burned and paying higher prices to unscrupulous operators.” A recent survey of 70 invoices showed some households and businesses pay as little as $90 a month for trash pick up while others pay as high as $400 only one mile away. According to Good, many businesses and landlords with higher volume have leverage to demand haulers lower prices. “This leaves the property owners and small businesses to pick up the slack and pay the higher prices,” Good said. According to Good the Los Angeles City Council should have a finalized agreement on new contracts and regulations by the end of the year. COMMUNITY NEWS
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Los Feliz Ledger BALL FIELDS from page 1
ment of the project’s impact. This will include compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a full environmental impact report (EIR) and review by The City Historic-Cultural Monuments and the Cultural Heritage Commission. “I think that there’s going to be a lot more environmental challenges and CEQA-related expenses,” said LVNOC member and Friends of Griffith Park President Gerry Hans, who voted in favor of the ballfields provided they be built in Griffith Park’s annexed North Atwater Park, across the Los Angeles River and the Interstate 5 Freeway. “I certainly would prefer to prevent the city from squandering money on CEQA sites,” he said. The cost of this process is also of concern to Sheila Irani, Director of Special Projects in
Council District 4, which includes Griffith Park. “I can’t tell you what a sense of relief it was when it was all over,” she said later, “but I had to remind myself the hardest part is yet to come and that’s the EIR. The environmental impact report could be a thicker document than expected because of the objections the project has received,” she said. “Will there be enough money?” Had there not been such opposition to the ballparks project, Irani said the project could have likely advanced with only a mitigated negative declaration, which is used in cases of less extreme objection where public review should vet any environmental impact. Instead, fearing a potential lawsuit, Irani said a substantial environmental impact report will be required that could cost as much as
One option from the city for the construction of two youth sized baseball fields in the Crystal Springs area of Griffith Park.
$100,000 more than initially anticipated for the project. The current budget for the ballparks includes $500,000 from the “L.A. for Kids Program,” Proposition K, and a roughly equal contribution of state QUIMBY funds, which
come from residential developers as a condition of approval for certain types of projects. Any extra necessary funding will come from private donors, said Irani. In the public review of the environmental impact,
Summer Fun at the Autry in Griffith Park From June 26 through August 10, the Autry will offer family-friendly activities every day, Tuesday through Friday, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Autry’s galleries are filled with fascinating artifacts, objects, and art that tell the story of the great American West! From gold panning to intricate basketry to Hollywood memorabilia, the Autry has something for everyone. The Autry Cafe has great food at great values, and the Autry Store is sure to please even the most discriminating shopper! Stop by every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon for the new Autry Farmers Market.
Hours Museum: Tuesday—Saturday, 10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. Sunday, 11:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Autry Store: Tuesday—Friday, 10:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m. Saturday, 10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. Sunday, 11:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Autry Cafe: Tuesday—Friday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m. Saturday, 8:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m. Closed on Monday
Admission Adults: $10 Seniors (60+) and Students: $6 Kids under 3: Free For more information, visit TheAutry.org.
4700 Western Heritage Way . Los Angeles, CA 90027 . 323.667.2000, ext. 336 . TheAutry.org
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COMMUNITY NEWS
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Irani said she is “a little concerned” they may see “stall tactics” similar to those, she said, seen of the project’s opponents throughout the LVNOC meetings. If so, she said, expenses would increase further. This is uncommon for a Proposition K (the L.A. for Kids Program) project, where typically communities are excited at the prospect of a new park or recreation center in their neighborhood, she said. “I think each side had a lot to say and it was just an unusually passionate LVNOC,” she said. “I think we’re all a little shocked by it.” Mark Mauceri, the LVNOC co-chair, Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council’s Recreation Interests Representative and coach of the Silver Lake T-Ball Pirates, who voted in favor of the ballfields at the Crystal Springs location, said he was pleased with the vote. “At the end of the day, I’m really happy that we had a debate. But I have no illusions; this was just the first round. I think there are going to be challenges that come up with this project all the way through,” he said. This month the city’s Bureau of Engineering will present a report on the project to a Proposition K steering committee of representatives from the City Administrator’s Office, the City Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Mayor’s Office. Once approved, the plans will move forward to the City Council to begin finalizing the design, further examining technical, environmental and community issues and discuss mitigation measures in open forum and through the review processes. Thereafter, the City Council will vote on the final plans and, if approved, construction will begin. Irani said she hopes this will be by 2015 when Council District 4 representative Tom LaBonge, who initiated the idea of the ballfields, will be termed out of office. June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger
Summertime: Time for Another Neighborhood Block Party
GGPNC October Election to Fill Additional Seats
By Michael Locke, Ledger Columnist
The upcoming Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC) elections will be the first week in October and 10 seats will be available—two from each of the five neighborhood council districts. Current members who will vacate their seats are: Ron Ostrow, Frank Masi, Jessica Kornberg, Christina Khanjian, Harpreet Mahli, Tomas O’Grady, Daniel McCarthy, Rafik Ghazarian, Leslie VanKeuren Campbell and Alex De Ocampo. The Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance to temporarily transfer the authority and responsibility to run the neighborhood council elections to the Dept. of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). For the election, the city’s 90 or so neighborhood councils were divided into 12 regions. The GGPNC is in Region 7 along with, Elysian Valley Riverside, Atwater Village, Greater Echo Park Elysian, Silver Lake and Rampart Village. GGPNC and the other councils in Region 7 will share an election date, which is still being determined. According to GGPNC board member and Rules and Elections Chair
If you want to make your neighborhood friendlier and the people that live around you more in touch with each other, I would encourage you to reach out to your neighbors and start a tradition on your own block. It’s not that hard to do: start by floating the idea to a few people around you that know you and respect you. You might think you have to “close down the street.” However that can be costly, requiring permits. Between our back and front yard, driveway and patios we have been able to accommodate a couple of hundred guests every year. Your situation will be different but I encourage you to start somewhere and build from there. The reward of new friendships and neighbors who actually know each other is worth the small price! If you live within walking distance of the intersection of Amesbury Road and Griffith Park Boulevard, you are more than welcome to attend. Send an email to mjlocke@pacbell. net and I’ll respond with an evite.
L I A R E R O M
Linda Demmers, the GGPNC prefers a Saturday election date versus a weekday. “Since the GGPNC had such a high turnout in the previous [2010] election with 1,600 community members voting, the councils feel that it is important to keep the com-
munity engaged,” Demmers said. The last election was held on a Saturday. Additionally, the GGPNC currently has four vacancies for immediate filling. Applications are available on the GGPNC website and must be filed by June 12, 2012.
metro.net/works
S K R O W E H T IN
Metro’s Board of Directors approved the >nal environmental reports on both the Westside Subway Extension to the MidWilshire area and the Regional Connector through Downtown LA. Both rail projects are now a step closer to awarding contracts and beginning construction.
ension
bway ext
su westside
l
regiona
idor
sit corr
or tran connect
A two-mile, fully underground light rail line has been approved for the route of the Regional Connector Transit Corridor connecting the Metro Gold, Blue and Expo lines through Downtown LA.
The >rst phase of the subway extension from the Metro Purple Line Wilshire/Western Station has been approved adding three new stations along Wilshire Bl at La Brea, Fairfax and La Cienega.
> The route connects with the Metro Blue and Expo lines at 7th St/Metro Center Station and with the Metro Gold Line at Alameda St.
> The $4.2 billion project will eventually extend the subway a distance of approximately nine miles to Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood.
> The Regional Connector will save approximately 20 minutes of travel time by eliminating transfers through Downtown.
> A one-way trip between Union Station in Downtown LA and Westwood will take only 25 minutes.
> Under the 30/10 Initiative leveraging Measure R funding with federal dollars, construction could begin in 2014 and be completed by 2019.
> Under the 30/10 Initiative leveraging Measure R funding with federal dollars, construction could begin in 2013, with completion of the subway to the Westwood area by 2022.
For more information, visit metro.net/regionalconnector.
For more information, visit metro.net/westside.
June 2012
www.losfelizledger.com
COMMUNITY NEWS
update-wsc-hh-12-2115eb ©2012 lacmta
Since I began writing for the Ledger, I have been extolling the value of getting together with the neighbors for a good, old-fashioned block party! Inspired by the ongoing “Primrose Hill” Block Party in Silver Lake—which began their annual get-togethers in 1994—my wife Donna and I will be hosting a block party in Los Feliz for the third straight year on June 9th. It’s something we look forward to every year; to keep costs down we ask everyone to bring a dish to share, which in turn provides an incredible array of exotic and interesting foods, reflecting the various backgrounds of our diverse neighborhood. This year, we will feature for the first time a live band, “Brisas” (we met the group at the Griffith Park Adult Community Center’s “Spring Fling;” they are very talented and have an all-genre repertoire that is sure to please most musical tastes).
By Norma Zager, Ledger Contributing Writer
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Los Feliz Ledger PRIMARY from page 1
bacco tax, less people are going to smoke and less kids will start smoking,” Smith said, citing studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Department of Public Health. “Statistically, this measure will save over 100,000 lives and keep 228,000 kids from ever smoking.” The issue of funding cancer research is, however, what some find to be contentious. Some, like the liquor store shopkeeper Azizi, fear the research might be done out of California. According to American Cancer Society volunteer Smith that is misinformation the tobacco companies have been spreading. “The… initiative states that it is for research in California, to build research facilities in California and tobacco control efforts in California,” Smith said. Furthermore, he added, the funds would prevent a “brain drain” of California’s top scientists and keep them and their work in the state, as well as hopefully lead to a cure for cancer. The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association in California, Stand up to Cancer, American Heart and Stroke Associations, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and the Lance Armstrong Foundation have all signed on in support of Proposition 29. But some opposed to the proposition, simply, would rather see these tax dollars go to the state’s general fund, rather than a “silo” dedicated in perpetuity to a specific cause. “I don’t disagree that these are valid programs,” said State Assemblyman Mike Gatto of the 43rd District, “but the state needs to have flexibility to spend on the core functions of government—making sure the roads are paved, making sure that when you dial 9-1-1 the police show up on time, making sure that we have a fully funded education system. The more silos that we create, the less flexibility we have to spend money on the core functions of government.” State Senator Carol Liu of the 21st District said the state Legislature has tried repeatedly to pass a tobacco tax but cannot get the 2/3rds vote necessary to pass it. “If there’s a way to encourage people to stop smoking or discourage folks, I’m all for it. Unfortunately this also avoids legislature,” she said. “So people have moved to the initiative process… You have these independent folks going out and doing their own thing, hopefully for the betterment of Californians, but the people get to decide.” Page 6
COMMUNITY NEWS
The other state measure facing Californians June 5th is of legislators’ term limits in Proposition 28, which reduces the amount of time a politician can serve in the state legislature from 14 years to 12 years but extends the years of service allowed in one house. The initiative, if passed, will not affect current legislators, only those elected after the measure is passed. Currently members of the California State Assembly may remain in office for a maximum of six years and members of the California State Senate may hold office for eight years. But a legislator can move from one house to another to build a total of 14 years in office. California voters imposed term limits on the California Legislature in 1990, when they voted in favor of Proposition 140. If approved, Proposition 28 will alter Proposition 140. Proponents for this measure believe it would help build expertise and continuity in the state legislature, rather than force the politicians to focus on their next campaign or terming out of office before the state can benefit from any experience. “There are just too many people here who don’t have an expertise, especially in the assembly side, there’s so much turmoil there,” said Liu, who previously represented the 44th assembly district until she was termed out in 2006. “Six years is just too short to get any sort of knowledge base. You don’t get to see a bigger picture. Definitely, I think longer terms would be helpful in guiding legislative progress in the state of California,” she said. Assemblymember Gatto agreed. “Just as nobody would want to be operated on by a surgeon if society capped surgeon’s careers at six years, I think that we would be better served in California if we had slightly longer term limits for our state officials,” he said. But Gatto said he is still unsure about Proposition 28, because it has been marketed to voters as a reduction term limits, which he said is dishonest. The other issue Gatto has with Proposition 28 is the possibility that it could create an imbalance in houses where one legislative body could become more powerful than the other, “and nothing would get done,” he said. Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge, who represents District 4 put his view bluntly. He’s against term limits. “Look at the long range. We’ve got long range problems with short term legislators,” he said.
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7 Deadly Mistakes That Will Cost You $1000s When You Sell Your Home LOS FELIZ–A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9 Step System that can help you sell your home fast—and for the most amount of money. This industry report shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and less effective in today’s market. The fact of the matter is that fully 3/4 of homesellers don’t get what
they want for their homes and become disillusioned and— worse—financially disadvantaged when they put their homes on the market. As this report uncovers, most homesellers make 7 deadly mistakes that cost them literally thousands of dollars. The good news is that each and every one of these mistakes is entirely preventable. In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled, “The 9 Step System to Get Your
Home Sold Fast and for Top Dollar”. To order a FREE Special Report, visit www.LosFelizHomeSellingMistakes.com, or to hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report, call toll-free (800) 284-3701 and enter 1000. You can call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to find out how you can get the most money for your home. ADV
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June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger Bureau of Street Services to install lighting, the governing board decided.
tion in my mind between a ‘passthrough’ and a stewardship of public funds.”
with how the council handled its budget this year, especially in regards to the community
restrictions and guidelines for the council’s grants. This Bellevue Recreation Center; helped avoid issues and con$1,500 to fund a native plant troversies the SLNC garden in the meadhas had in the past, he ow at the Silver Lake said. Reservoir; $1,500 for Anthony Crump, SLNC Treasurer, said he was pleased with “I do think as the beautification of the neighborhood counMicheltorena Steps how the council handled its budget this year, especially in regards cil’s budget continstairway; $100 for to the community grants program he proposed in October, ues to be reduced and the American Canwe have to cer Society’s Relay which placed set restrictions and guidelines for the council’s grants. scrutinized come up with a more For Life and $150 effective and equitable for a new podium way to distribute funds for the SLNC’s use According to BongHAnthony Crump, SLNC grants program he proposed throughout this community,” as well as that of Micheltorewan Kim, General Manager Treasurer, said he was pleased in October, which placed set Crump said. na Elementary School, which of EmpowerLA, this sort of hosts the monthly governing action of using another orgaboard meetings. nization as a “passthrough” In funding these projects, could potentially go against the SLNC voted to transfer city policy and face repercusfunds intended for the Bellevsions, but in hearing of these ue Recreation Center and the specific instances said there Micheltorena Steps Project to was no problem. the Silver Lake Improvement “The notion of a Association (SLIA), which ‘passthrough’ is basically a agreed to later disperse the neighborhood council takspecific allotted amounts. This ing a lump sum of money and is because the governing board delegating the authority of usdeemed neither project is preing that money to another aupared to accept money imthority,” he said. “But if what mediately and waiting would they’re doing is funding, say, result in losing the funds. another entity to do a comBellevue Recreation Cenmunity beautification project, ter must assemble the infrathen that’s another matter bestructure to accept the donacause the neighborhood countion and the Micheltorena cil is still being responsible for Steps Project’s architects— how they want the funds to Red Oxide Studio—must rebe used. So that’s the distincceive approval from the city’s slnc from page 1
June 2012
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COMMUNITY NEWS
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Los Feliz Ledger [greetings from tom]
Committee Approves Ball Fields in Griffith Park
[ERIC GARCETTI]
Restoring the Fire Dept. To Previous Funding
By Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge
By Eric Garcetti Los Angeles City Councilmember
I am pleased that the Local Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committee (LVNOC) has approved building two new youth ball fields in the Crystal Springs Area of Griffith Park. While the vote is advisory, it is an important step in the process of building much-needed youth sports fields in an area that could certainly use them. I believe Crystal Springs is an appropriate spot for these baseball fields. Plans call for the fields to be built roughly sideby-side, adjacent to Pote Field, the existing, full-size, Class-A baseball diamond, near existing amenities such as restrooms. The current favored option preserves a live oak tree in the picnic area, but will result in the relocation of seven picnic tables and the removal of several trees. It’s important to point out that trees will be planted to replace the ones that are removed. And we’re planning to install more picnic tables throughout Griffith Park, because there’s nothing like a picnic in a beautiful spot. The entire $950,000 cost of the two ball fields will be covered by a combination of Proposition K and Quimby Funds—money developers pay on projects to create more green space. Next the Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering will create a project report, which will be presented to the “LA for Kids” Steering Committee—made up of representatives from the Chief Administrative Officer, the Chief Legislative Analyst and the Mayor’s office. If that report is accepted without amendment, it will be sent on to the City Council for final approval. And if my Council colleagues approve the project, environmental studies will then be conducted, reviewing each of the proposed ball-field options. The proposed ball fields in Griffith Park have been endorsed by the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council, the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council and the Greater Toluca Lake neighborhood Council. The community support for the two fields is solid.
For more than a century, Angelenos have relied on the men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Dept. to help them in times of crisis. Today, whether it is saving homes from fire, saving lives in state-of-the art ambulances, or being prepared for natural disasters, our Fire Dept. must have the personnel and equipment necessary to perform its duty. Recently, the global economic downturn has led to a sharp decline in revenue for the City of Los Angeles. Despite the city’s implementation of significant efficiency and pension reform measures, city leaders continue to face tough choices about where to make cuts and the Fire Dept. has not been exempt. As the city began reducing the Fire Dept. budget, department managers altered the way they deployed coverage to neighborhoods and introduced new technologies. Their intent was to make assignments more efficiently to maximize coverage while reducing overtime and ongoing personnel expenses. As recent reports have revealed, however, Fire Dept. managers have been unable to maintain response times or meet other effectiveness standards. So it is clear—we must restore Fire Dept. funding to previous levels. That’s why I created a five-year funding restoration program that starts with an immediate infusion of resources. We cannot afford delays. And before we support “alternative strategies,” we must first restore our Fire Dept. to full strength to improve response times, dispatch response times and overall public safety. In May, the City Council approved my plan and included it in the city budget that takes effect July 1st. Having worked closely with Los Angeles firefighters during the last 11 years, I am confident that we have the personnel to do the important job of being our city’s first responders. And I am optimistic that by restoring Fire Dept. funding, those who are entrusted to manage the department will be able to provide the level of emergency services Angelenos need and deserve.
Page 8
POLITICS
[assemblymember mike gatto]
Protecting Seniors’ Bank Accounts By California Assemblyman Mike Gatto You probably know a senior who has someone to provide care or to help with household tasks. Often, the senior—who finds it harder and harder to make it to the bank—adds the caretaker on as a signer to the senior’s bank account, or provides some other form of access to a bank account. In 2003, a divided California Court of Appeal stunned legal pundits with its decision in Lee v. Yang, holding that whomever withdraws money first from a bank account becomes the owner of the funds, regardless of their individual contributions. This decision was widely panned by
senior advocates and the Conference of California Bar Associations as a license to drain seniors’ bank accounts. To protect against this type of “legal” theft, I introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1624, which clarifies that funds in multiparty bank accounts belong to each person based on their own personal contributions. The bill recently passed the State Assembly by a bipartisan 69-0 vote and has been sent to the Senate for consideration. When it comes to protecting individual rights, there are few more important than the right to access your own hardearned money. Our seniors have contributed so much to this country. We owe it to
www.losfelizledger.com
them to pass sound laws so that they cannot be ripped off later in life. If you believe that the Legislature ought to change a law to make it more sensible, I’d like to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me any time. Mike Gatto is the Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore of the California State Assembly. He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, North Hollywood, and Van Nuys. asm. ca.gov/gatto; email: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call (818) 558-3043.
June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger [representative adam schiff]
Lessons Learned from Recent Wildfires By Rep. Adam Schiff, U.S. House of Representatives In 2007, we lost part of the treasure of Griffith Park to a calamitous fire and much more was threatened with destruction. After the fire, I worked with many community leaders to help secure $500,000 in federal funds to rebuild trails and prevent future wildfires. The city pledged much more to restore the ravaged hillsides and stabilize the land. A couple years after the Griffith Park fire, our region was devastated with an even more destructive blaze—the Station Fire—that claimed the lives of two firefighters, many homes and hundreds of thousands of acres. I believe there are some important steps that the federal government should take to help our community better respond to forest fires: First, both the Dept. of the Interior and the Forest Service are obligated to develop a national wildfire fighting strategy identifying potential long-term options for fire response. But they have yet to
produce many of these critical analyses. Second, the Forest Service needs to complete its longoverdue study on using agency helicopters to fight fires at night in urban areas like Los Angeles. The use of nightflying helicopters could have done much to contain the Station Fire during the first critical night of that fire. Third, the implementation of “double-crewing” of Forest Service firefighting tankers could allow firefighters to fight fires from sunrise to sunset as one crew would be able to operate during the hours while the other crew is on its mandatory rest period. Finally, Congress should act on bipartisan legislation Rep. Mary Bono and I have introduced – the Match Act – which would create a registry of arsonists to help put these criminals behind bars. It should not take two terrible wildfires for federal agencies and Congress to act, and it is my hope that we will take these lessons to heart. Representative Adam Schiff serves in the U.S. House of Representatives.
[people in my neighborhood]
Tessa Bell: Changing Life to Save Her Life
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By Colleen Paeff, Ledger Contributing Writer
An Active Elegant Gracious Lifestyle Awaits You From Independent Living to Alzheimer’s Care, we encourage active independence. Let our special place be your new home. Affordable Assisted Living since 1968.
SILVER LAKE—In 1994, film producer Tessa Bell was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. She was living in New York City with her husband and two young children. The doctors gave her a year or two to live, but Bell had other ideas. “I decided that I shouldn’t die,” she said. “So I changed everything about my life. I changed my diet, my thoughts, my friends, my job… I looked at everything I was doing in my life to find where was I being dishonest—where I was doing something that would make my soul want to depart.” Meanwhile, Bell took advantage of every type of medicine that was available: WestJune 2012
ern, Eastern, naturopathic, and even spiritual healers. “One of the things I used as healing was singing and music,” Bell said, “which had been lacking in my life for many years.” Bell had sung when she was young but as she grew older music took a backseat. When she became sick, however, with the support of her family, she threw herself into music like never before. “I sang in church, then in jazz clubs, then in my own productions Off-Broadway. Just the act of breathing was healing in itself, but doing what I needed to do from an artistic point of view was rewww.losfelizledger.com
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www.glenpark-al.com ally, really healing,” she said. Which is why Bell’s most recent film project, still unnamed, resonates with her so strongly. “[It’s] a story about an artist who reconnects with her power against all odds,” Bell said. Bell has developed a novel way of raising money for the film. In addition to a “Kickstarter” campaign beginning on
June 1st, the production company is hosting an online music contest to raise money and fill out the film’s soundtrack. The contest categories include pop, hip-hop, punk and dub step. There is no charge to enter, but only those who donate (as little as $1) to the “Kickstarter” campaign can vote. “Everybody who comes into this project,” Bell said,
“has had a reason to be involved in it that’s about their art and their lives and about transformation and being true to yourself in some way.” And those are the things Tessa Bell knows well. They are the things that saved her life. For more info on Bell’s upcoming film and music contest email: whatweknowthemovie@gmail.com. POLITICS
Page 9
Los Feliz Ledger [eastside eye]
[theater review]
“Cyrano” and “Annie” Favorites Revisited In June
For the Record: Los Feliz’s Movie Music Revue
By Marilyn Tower Oliver, Ledger Theater Critic
Describing Show at Barre: For the Record’s unique concept is easy. Performers sing-danceand-recreate music and scenes from contemporary movies, all while roaming throughout the snugly packed audience at the Vermont restaurant’s bar, using every part of the space as a stage. “It’s a live, 360 degree theatrical concert experience,” says Los Feliz’s Shane Scheel, For the Record’s co-creator, producer and director. What’s difficult is conveying the show’s immediacy, the performers’ tangible connection with audiences and how the concert manages to keep engaging those audiences with its sheer talent factor. For over a year, the 40-member company—many from Broadway and ongoing television roles—has cycled through a series of original productions based on wellknown film directors’ work. Beginning with Quentin Tarantino’s films via Tarantino In Concert, the show has brought to life memorable movie moments, such as the “Elephant Love Song” medley from Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin
“Cyrano” at the Fountain Theatre is a modern adaptation of the old Edmond Rostand classic. The premise remains the same, but this new interpretation by Stephen Sachs and conceived by Fountain and the Deaf West Theatre takes the story to a new level. This is a tale of miscommunication and the universal need for love and acceptance. Melding sign language, speech and new media, the drama utilizes the acting talents of both hearing and non–hearing actors. Six of the 13 actors in the ensemble are deaf. The play is set in the present. Cyrano is a deaf poet. Although brilliant, his disability makes him feel like an unlovable freak. Unable to relate to the deaf and the hearing worlds, he exists alone. When he falls in love with Roxy he cannot express his emotions. Heartbroken when he discovers that she fancies his hearing brother Chris, Cyrano agrees to help his brother win her love by anonymously writing poetic messages to her via texting. The interaction between characters is fascinating. Troy Kotsur deftly captures the personality of Cyrano using sign language and eloquent facial expressions. Paul Raci (Cyrano’s brother) uses spoken and sign language to create his character. Erinn Anova, as Roxy—who doesn’t know sign language—is sexy and beguiling. Simon Levy’s direction is
brilliant. “Annie,” currently onstage at the Glendale Centre Theatre, is a new, production of the 1977 hit musical by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. Directed by Michael Sterling, with musical direction by Steven Applegate and choreography by Jerry Evans, this production stars Emma Howard, a local 11-year-old actress as Annie. Howard was one of seven finalists out of over 5,000 children who auditioned to portray the title character in the upcoming Broadway revival of the play set to open this fall. She is the standout of this production. When “Annie” first opened in the late 1970s the comic strip, “Little Orphan Annie” on which the show is based was a familiar memory. Today’s audience, especially children, may find the many references to issues of the 1930s to be dated. Nevertheless, with explanation from parents this is a fun show for everyone.
By Kathy A. McDonald, Ledger Columnist Rouge, in the intimate setting. In June, For the Record will present the music and dynamic scenes from the films of director/screenwriter Paul Thomas Anderson, well regarded for Boogie Nights, a film filled with late 1970s disco faves and early 1980s pop hits. Scheel, along with his collaborator Christopher Lloyd Bratten, select songs after watching the films and listening to a director’s various soundtracks choices. “We weave our story together through music first,” he said. For the Record: Paul Thomas Anderson will also have music from Magnolia (many by singer/songwriter Aimee Mann) and There Will Be Blood (original score by Jonny Greenwood). Also in June, the space will be reconfigured and renamed Rockwell, unifying the Vermont restaurant and bar (once Sarno’s Bakery) and the indoor/ outdoor Rockwell. The menu will be revamped too. What will stay the same are the energetic performances and creative song arrangements.
Scheel said he predicts the reconfigured space will add new ways to stage the spirited songand-dance numbers. Because the performers are using wireless microphones, they travel unencumbered. Upcoming are new productions featuring music from the films of Martin Scorsese and Tim Burton. And during the holiday season, holiday tunes from John Hughes’ crowd-pleasing films will get the For the Record creative mash-up. For tickets: www.showatbarre.com/ [Eastside Pick] Made in L.A. 2012 at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG). Works by 60 emerging and under-recognized artists will be presented at the Barnsdall Park gallery plus billboard art and performance art pieces at the Hammer in Westwood. A complete schedule is at: www.madeinla2012.org LAMAG, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., in Barnsdall Park.
“Cyrano,” Thursdays through Sundays through July 8th, Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave. Tickets: $30 to $34. Special prices for seniors and students. (323) 663-1525 or www.FountainTheatre. com Reservations required. “Annie,” Thursdays through Sundays through June 30th, Glendale Centre Theatre, 324 North Orange St., Glendale. Tickets: $22 to $28. Discounts for seniors and children under 14. (818) 244-8481 or www. glendalecentretheatre.com.
Page 10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
www.losfelizledger.com
June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger [restaurant review]
Cacao spices up Eagle Rock By Pat Saperstein, Ledger Restaurant Critic Cacao Mexicatessen may have started under the radar, but after three years in Eagle Rock, the Lujan family is cooking up some of the best Mexican food in the area. That’s saying a lot, considering Eagle Rock is right next to Highland Park, home to dozens of taquerias and family restaurants. In fact, Cacao has become so popular that it will soon double in size, taking over the family’s flower shop next door, and adding Mexican beers and and wines from Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe region. Remodeling will start this summer. The menu is dedicated to quality ingredients, out-ofordinary meats and creative preparations. True to its name, chocolate-inflected dishes dot the menu, from the three types of signature hot chocolate, to mole fries and bacon tacos with cacao salsa. Daily specials are more elaborate—and fairly pricey— and the menu also touches on enchiladas, chicken mole, ribeye steak and popular chile rellenos. But it’s really tough to tear oneself away from the taco menu, especially the “indigenous meats of Mexico” section. Start with freshly
made chips and a side of the excellent guacamole, and try to have the fortitude to save a little for the dishes to come. Silky, savory duck carnitas tacos outdo their porky cousins, while tacos stuffed with camarones enchipotlados—shrimp in a chipotle citrus garlic sauce—are a creamy delight. Vegetarian tacos are just as packed with flavor, especially a concoction of squash blossoms, poblano chile strips and manchego cheese, or flor de Jamaica—tacos stuffed with hibiscus flowers, cheese, and guacamole— which are usually only found in Mexico. Imaginative breakfast offerings include Huevos Benedictos with poached eggs atop mini quesadillas topped with spinach and covered in a chipotle infused Hollandaise sauce. While chilequiles win raves for the deeply flavored mole sauce that melds with the tortilla pieces. Even the drinks are special—fruity aguas frescas change often, cafe latte with cajeta (Mexican caramel) is a sweet way to start the day. Or try a gently spiced Aztec mocha latte with cinnamon, almonds and chile.
Each visit reveals something different— instead of a caramel apple, Cacao wraps apples in tamarind paste sprinkled with chiles, for a spicy, tangy dessert treat. A “happy hour” menu in the afternoon is bargain-priced, with “taco truck” style tacos for $1.65. But even if the regular prices seem a bit higher
than other informal Mexican restaurants, the cooking is miles beyond. Tom Bergin’s on Fairfax, one of L.A.’s oldest restaurants, has been renovated and is now under the management of Warner Ebbink and Brandon Boudet, of Little Dom’s. A new menu includes dishes like a full Irish breakfast with black pudding, smoked trout
salad and cottage pie. A wider selection of Irish beers and beyond complements a whiskeyintensive cocktail menu designed by star L.A. mixologists Aidan Demarest and Marcos Tellos. Of course, the beloved Irish coffees are still on the menu. Pat Saperstein blogs about L.A. restaurants at EatingLA.com.
[the good life]
Chardonnay: Returning to Its Origins By Tara de Lis, Ledger Columnist When it comes to “typical” Ca lifornia n Chardonnay, people either love it or loathe it. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, winemakers started upping its buttery, oaky flavor profile and sales skyrocketed. However, the trend is slowly turning back to a more traditional Chardonnay. In its native France, Chardonnay is produced highlighting the naturally neutral flavor of the green-skinned grape. For those who have only tried big Californian Chardonnays, culture shock is common. The two taste nothing alike, not only because of the differences in climate and soil, but also in terms of grape ripeness, and the type of oak—or not—in which they are aged. The more natural Chardonnay is more food-friendly, usually lower in alcohol and less cloying. Today, more Californian producers are adoptJune 2012
ing this approach. The Wagner Family has been in the wine business for five generations. Their Mer Soleil vineyard is located in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and from it comes “Silver,” which is bottled in ceramic representing the cement tanks in which it’s aged. It’s citrusy, with pitch-perfect acidity. Amista Vineyards made only 264 cases of its 2009 Chardonnay from Dry Creek Valley. The limited production ensures great attention to detail, and the result is a Chardonnay that is still fruity but balanced. Big House is mainly associated with blends, but starting in 2010, they introduced an un-oaked Chardonnay for the first time, called Unchained Naked. While Chardonnays can be quite spendy, this one is usually priced around $10 and is made mostly from Central Coast grapes. Tara de Lis is a freelance writer who lives in Hollywood. www.losfelizledger.com
LIFESTYLES Page 11
Los Feliz Ledger [focus on the advertiser]
Atwater Village Farmer’s Market: A Sunday Tradition for Seven Years By Kimberly Gomez, Ledger Contributing Writer
ucated and I love the harmony here.” For local representative Los Angeles City Councilmember Eric Garcetti, the market helps bond the neighborhood. “It’s the focal point for the community that strengthens ties between neighbors and has helped renew the vitality of Glendale Boulevard,” he said. Not only are farmer’s markets convenient for low-cost organic produce, shoppers like
the appeal of the market atmosphere as a social place to be with others. “We come out almost every Sunday,” said Aimee Demello, who lives close enough to walk with her daughters, Kira and Hoku. “I think it’s helped to make them aware of the different fruits and vegetables because they can see and taste them.” And those that visit the market, see the prices are good. “People think farmer’s
markets are for higher upper middle class. Really any income can shop here—we actively support that mission,” said market manager, Joyce Chan. According to Chan, the Atwater Village Farmers Market’s success makes it possible for SEE-LA to operate markets in less affluent South Los Angeles. And, true to its mission, Atwater Village Farmer’s Market accepts food stamp benefits and EBT making good food available to all.
Atwater Village residents, like Aimee Demello, and her daughters, Kira and Hoku —the next generation of healthy eaters—enjoy the multi-faceted experience of the Atwater Village Farmer’s Market.
ATWATER VILLAGE—Celebrating its 7th year, the Atwater Village Farmer’s Market continues to offer just the right amount of organic and natural goods for regulars. Topping two dozen vendors, it might not have the vast range you’d find at the Hollywood Farmer’s market—also run by nonprofit See-LA—but come on a Sunday you’ll get the feeling that the less crowded, cozier pace is just Atwater Village’s style. “This is among our bigger selling markets because there’s so much of a community backing. A lot of people here are
creative and fun and supportive of smaller business,” said central valley farmer, Nate Siemens, who sells Fat Uncle Farm’s almonds at the market. Each Sunday, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., roughly 1,500 to 1,800 attendees take their time to fill baskets with fresh food and have a friendly chat with vendors. “This is a beautiful market,” said Santa Inez Farmer, Gustavo Jimenez, who has been selling his produce and meats in Atwater Village since the market started. “The people here are very warm and ed-
[a dog’s life]
Rid your Dog of Fleas, Naturally By Jennifer Clark, Ledger Columnist The sun is out and the fleas have arrived. These small brown insects can leap over a foot in the air and five feet sideways. Problems caused by fleas include itching and skin irritation. Bites can lead to anemia and the transmittal of tapeworm and other diseases, which is why it is so important to rid your home of fleas. Instead of applying toxic chemicals to your pets and home environment, here are a few ways to exterminate fleas naturally. Inside your home clean everything thoroughly especially any dog bedding and blankets. In addition to washing these items to drown out the fleas, a hot dryer can also do the trick. Carpets may be steam cleaned and then sprinkle with powdered pyrethrum or boric. It’s also necessary to treat all outdoor spaces that your dog frequents by clearing out Page 12 LIFESTYLES
leaves and other plant debris where fleas love to hang out and procreate. You can order nematodes (roundworms) online that will rid your yard of fleas without harming your pet. Release them into the wild and watch the fleas disappear. To treat your pet, shampoo frequently with organic products. You can also make your own herbal sprays by mixing any of the following natural flea repellants with water and spraying: citronella, rosemary, wormwood, pennyroyal, lavender or neem. Add a small tablet of brewer’s yeast to your dog’s food and apple cider vinegar to their water. You can make your own lemon rinse by squeezing fresh lemon juice into water. Place the concoction in a spray can and let it sit over night before applying to your dog. Instead of smelling harsh chemicals… you and your dog can look forward to a summer full of natural smells and itch free skin.
So. Cal. Seahorses Christian Soccer Camps Full/Half Day And Goal Keeper Camps In Pasadena
June 18-July 20
n Top-level players and coaches. n Multi-level skill development. n Christ-centered.
To register, go to: www.seahorsesoccer.com/camps
Hosted by Lake Avenue Church, Pasadena www.losfelizledger.com
June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger [franklin avenue elementary]
Going Into Middle School
[LILA]
[glenfeliz elementary]
3rd Annual Multicultural Fair, June 9th
Spring By Sofia Corrales, 3rd grade
By Shailen Dawkins, 5th Grade
Lycée International de Los Angeles - Los Feliz Campus Parents Association will be holding its 3rd annual Multicultural Fair Sat., June 9th. The fair is a celebration of the almost 50 cultures and nationalities represented at the French-American school’s Los Feliz campus. A variety of ethnic food donated by area restaurants and caterers will be served. Dance and art performances representing different cultures will play throughout the day. There will be several raffle drawings and children can participate in organized games. 11:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Public welcome. Tickets, $7, sold at the entrance. Children under 10, $5.
Spring is here and Room 28’s garden is filled with all kinds of vegetables. We do not use sprays, but we use soapy water on insects. We don’t worry about the aphids, because we have “garden defenders.” Andrew, Byron, and Carlo patrol at lunchtime. They take off aphids and larvae that harm our garden. Our salad greens are the tastiest ever. We harvest Curly and Dinosaur Kale as well as colorful chard and lettuce. Our school garden is certified by L.A. County. The idea to become certified came from Chef Jason Kim of Forage restaurant. My mom and I brought our Glenfeliz salad greens to Forage, and I met Chef Jason. Chef Jason said, “My favorite green is dinosaur kale. We make kale salad.” He gave us the recipe. Our class jogs weekly. My mom is the coach. It’s fun exercise, and we learn the proper way to run. When we are finished we feel our pulse. The Los Feliz MOMs Spring days are fresh for Club will hold a bake sale, running. We hear birds chirpSun. June 10th from 10:30 ing and see our garden’s vegetaa.m. until 2:30 p.m. outside bles and flowers as we run. Skylight Books, 1818 N. Ver mont Ave. Send the Los Feliz Ledger Proceeds will benefit Plan your School News: USA’s anti-child trafficking allisonferraro@losfelizledger.com programs in Nepal.
Going to middle school can be tough for some 5th graders. Some of you will miss friends and teachers from your old school. But think of it as an opportunity to make new friends. You never know, you might discover a great friendship! People are most likely afraid of the challenges of a new school. Don’t worry. That is why you have your parents and teachers. You might also think that you can get bullied. This is a big problem in a lot of schools. If you do, immediately tell the teacher or teacher assistant. Trust me, you will not have most of these problems. After a few days you will understand the school system and how it works. Friends have told me that there is a lot of homework. My advice is to make a schedule of when you are going to your homework assignments. This helps you organize your day and it helps you get better grades.
[our mother of good counsel]
Brian Panish to Speak at OMGC Graduation Brian Panish, one of the country’s leading trial attorneys and graduate of OMGC, will speak at this year’s graduation ceremony, June 8th at 6:00 pm. Mr. Panish, has been recognized by numerous publications and organizations as being among the top lawyers in the country, including being named Trial Attorney of the Year by both the California Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and by the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles. He is a member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, which is limited
to the top 100 plaintiffs’ lawyers in the country, and has been listed as among the 100 Most Influential Attorneys in America by the National Law Journal.
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MOMs Club Bake Sale Benefits Children in Nepal
W e s t r i d g e s c h o o l c l a s s o f 2 012
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Congratulations
Westridge graduates!
will enroll in the following colleges and universities:
June 2012
The University of Alabama Allegheny College Boston College Boston University Brown University University of California at Berkeley Los Angeles (2) Santa Barbara Santa Cruz (2) Carleton College (2) Carnegie Mellon University Chapman University (2) University of Chicago (2) Colby College University of Colorado at Boulder Colorado College Emory University The George Washington University (2) Georgetown University (2) Hamilton College - NY Johns Hopkins University (2) Juniata College University of La Verne Lafayette College Lehigh University Loyola Marymount University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Miami New York University (3) University of Notre Dame Oberlin College Occidental College Pasadena City College (2) Pepperdine University University of Portland Purdue University Reed College (2) San Francisco State University School of the Art Institute of Chicago Scripps College Siena College Skidmore College Smith College University of Southern California (10) Swarthmore College Texas State University-San Marcos University of Vermont Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College Willamette University
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westridge school 324 madeline drive pasadena, california 91105 626.799.1153 • www.westridge.org
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SCHOOL NEWS Page 13
Los Feliz Ledger [pilgrim school]
Up Close to a Water Buffalo! by Lily Kachikis The end of the year is just around the corner and my fellow students and I are already
talking about our summer plans. Our 6th grade class has enjoyed many fun activities together. In the process, I made a lot of new friends and had a ton of fun with my old
friends-some I have known since kindergarten. A couple weeks ago, our 6th grade class took a boat 26 miles across the sea to spend five days and four nights at a camp known as CELP. While on the island we had several environmental awareness classes, and did rock-climbing, a high-ropes course, hiking, interactive games and tide-pooling. My favorite activity was snorkeling in full wetsuits, at night. We saw luminescent creatures floating we paddled through the dark water. Another highlight was when a full-grown water buffalo wandered into our camp from the surrounding preserve. The buffalo came down the hill and laid down right on the volleyball court. He was almost 6 feet tall at the shoulder and totally impressive. Everyone got a chance to snap some photos of the buffalo from a safe distance to show their families. Now, on to summer!
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Los Feliz Ledger (323) 667-9897
Page 14 SCHOOL NEWS
[immaculate heart high school]
Farewell to Our Seniors! By Emma Davidson ’14 and Georgia Peppe ’14 W i t h only a few weeks of school remaining, Immaculate Heart students are in the home stretch as summer is quickly approaching. The se-
wide range of remarkable student art pieces developed under the guidance of instructors Deneice Douglass and Laura Mart. Words can hardly do justice to this art department and its students. The Spring Concert featured our impressive choir,
The student body will wrap up the school year with the IH tradition of Class Day on June 4th. A day filled with slideshows, speeches and music… niors are beginning to relish their last activities at Immaculate Heart with many a wet eye. They prepare to say their goodbyes through frequent graduation practice, with the actual ceremony taking place on June 5th at the Hollywood Bowl. With AP exam testing finally finished, students are now turning their attention to semester finals. Meanwhile, the month of May featured several culminating events, beginning with Academic Awards Night, which honored students for academic excellence throughout the year. The Art Show showcased a
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which has worked diligently all year with chorus director Steven Van Dorn to produce this spectacular event. The student body will wrap up the school year with the IH tradition of Class Day on June 4th. A day filled with slideshows, speeches and music, the day represents a memory for the seniors to take with them on their journey, and a celebration for the other classes to cherish until their time of departure. Saying goodbye to another year, Immaculate Heart students wish the members of the Class of 2012 good luck and offer sincere thanks to all teachers for another successful year!
June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger [loyola high school]
Wrapping Up the Year By Griffin Cohen, 11th Grade School is officially winding down. Seniors finish their last final exams today before graduation Saturday. For underclassmen, finals are next week. Last week was also “Senior Week,” where we had an all school liturgy, an awards ceremony and a senior barbeque, followed by senior grad night at Disneyland. This has been a special time for seniors who have eagerly awaited to graduate but also have been left with disbelief that high school is over. Our awards committee named Tom Placido, who will attend USC in the fall, valedictorian and Kodi Whitfield, who will play football for Stanford in the fall, salutato-
rian for this years senior class. Even though it is summer, Loyola will still be up and running. Summer school begins on June 18th for 6th through 12 graders. For fall sports, summer is a critical time for training. With Cross-Country, we will be running all summer, including going to Mammoth to train in early August. Football will be preparing with early morning weightlifting almost all summer long as well. Our school’s play company—the Hannon Theatre Company—just staged the Broadway “musical within a comedy” The Drowsy Chaperone. It was amazing and all did a great job, including the actors and all those behind the scenes.
Summer
Serenade m a s q u e r a d e p a rt y f r i day j u n e 2 2
[family matters]
[marshall high]
Funding Needed to Keep AP Courses
Summer of 2012: The Shortest Summer Ever By Kristen Taylor, By Ledger Columnist
By Allia Parsons John Marshall High has one of the widest varieties of AP classes offered in any Los Angeles Unified District school. Because these classes are so important to students, and to the school’s rating, it is hard to understand why they are the first ones to get cut when the school needs to save money. AP classes not only challenge the student, but also level the playing field showing that whether you come from a high school that costs $30,000 per year or one that’s free, you can get top scores on the same exam. These classes are vital in the curriculum and the ideals of equality in education. But to keep them, the school needs more funding. If you are interested in donating you can find out more by calling the main office or donate to the FMSAS (Friends of Marshall High School) that employ most of the AP teachers at Marshall. You can find them at fmsas.org.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is shifting its calendar for the 2012-2013 school year to better align class time with testing and vacation schedules. The new calendar will have some key educational advantages: the summer break will be shorter, which should improve retention from year to year. Also, the first semester will end before the winter break, so kids will wrap up their final exams, semester projects and other testing before the holidays. This is all sound educational reasoning, but you are probably dealing with a lot of grumbling from your kids right about now, as they realize that this, the transition year, will be the shortest… summer… ever. This year, school year ends on June 19th, and the kids will hit the halls again on Aug. 14th (but please don’t book plane tickets based on that information; the budget is still in f lux,
and the number of school days is still under negotiation). That’s a lot less time off than the kids are accustomed to, but I’m sure that we parents will manage. I figure there are two ways to get them excited about their summer state date: make them love school, or lessen their enthusiasm for hanging around the house. The second option is much easier to implement. My son is starting high school this year, and there’s nothing that a kid that age avoids more than boredom. I’m planning a jam-packed June and beginning in July, a slow tapering off of activities, classes and trips, and then nothing but shoe shopping, doctor check-ups, and required reading starting in August. I’ll let you know how it works, if I hear the magic words, “I didn’t think I’d feel like this, but I’m really looking forward to school starting.”
6pm–10pm
j o i n u s i n w e lc o m i n g the summer solstice with
Cam elot’s very own
DJ Dan Wi lcox from KCRW f o l l ow e d by
H o wa r d L o r e y ’ s B a n d
“LEVITY”
w i t h a s p e c i a l a p p e a r a n c e by
Ston e Tem ple Pi lots’
Eric Kretz
$20 per adult – ki ds free adm ission i ncludes food an d on e dri nk ticket
B E L LY DA N C E R • S I L E N T AU C T I O N C R A F T S • TA ROT R E A D I N G S FAC E PA I N T I N G • J U M P Y C A S T L E
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
28 80 R ow e n a Av e
32 3. 6 62. 26 6 3
I n fo @ C a m e l o t k i d s . O rg
Page 16 SCHOOL NEWS
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June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger
Home Prices Rise Locally This Spring While Condo Prices, Mostly, Decline By Allison Ferraro
Relay for Life – June 9th & 10th The 5th annual Griffith Park Communities Relay for Life, organized by the American Cancer Society, is scheduled for Sat. June 9th and 10th. The event will be held at Marshall High School and covers a 24 hour period starting at 9 a.m. and continues until 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Relay for Life is a community gathering Walk A Thon where everyone can participate in the fight against cancer. As cancer never sleeps, teams of people will camp out on the football field throughout the evening.
The event draws millions of people throughout the country to help prevent cancer, save lives and diminish suffering from disease. While you’re raising much-needed funds, you’ll also be raising awareness of cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and patient support. For more information, to register a team, sign up as a team member, a survivor or to make a donation to Griffith Park Communities Relay for Life, visit www.relayforlife. org/griffithparkca.
Los Angeles median home the same time last year, in the 16% increase in median sale sales rose 3%, to $330,000, price to $943,000. The medi90068 zip code, servicing the in March 2012 an price for compared to condo sales DQNews reported that Southern California’s March 2011, additionally median sale price for the same time period according to rose 3% to DQNews, a real $347,000. was up 3.6%, the first time median sale prices estate reporting Visit in the region have risen in 16 months. service out of La losfeliJolla California. zledger.com Additionally, the service Hollywood and Beachwood during the month for an up to reported that Southern CaliCanyon areas. A total of 23 date listing of weekend open fornia’s median sale price for single-family homes were sold houses. Listings are updated the same time period was up in the zip code in April at a weekly. 3.6%, the first time median sale prices in the region have risen in 16 months. The reason, according to DQNews, is a “slimmer inventory” of homes for sale and Prudential California Realty “affordability driven” demand. Locally, in the 90026 zip tracy@tracydo.com I (323) 842-4001 I 1714 Hillhurst Ave 90027 I dre#01350025 code, which services parts of Silver Lake and Echo Park, a total of 15 single family homes were sold in April 2012 with a median price rise of 19% to $580,000. Only two condos were sold during the same time period with a 7% drop in median sales price compared to the same time in 2011. The median price for a condo in 90026, according to April 2012 data, is $321,000. In the 90027 zip code, which encompasses Los Feliz, prices for sold homes rose in April nearly 10% to a median of $1,059,000. A total of 17 single-family homes were sold in the zip code during April. However condo sale prices fell in the Los Feliz zip code as well, with a median sales decline of 24% to a median price of $285,000. However, the data were based only on sales of four condos sold in the zip code last April. In the 90039 area code, which includes Silver Lake and parts of Atwater Village, home sale prices rose 12% in April 2012 compared to the year prior to a median price of $573,000. A total of 13 singlefamily residences were sold in the 90039 zip code in April. Reversing trends in other local areas, however, condo prices in the 90039 zip code rose 19% when comparing April 2012 to April 2011 to a median price of $363,000. Median home price gains were seen in both single family home and condo categories You expect and deserve a high level of service. That’s what I provide. in April 2012, compared to
tracy do real estate
SOLD!
June 2012
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Su Casa REAL ESTATE Page 17
Listing and Selling the Historic Homes of Los Feliz #1 Producing Agent at Sotheby’s International Realty Los Feliz in 2011 #1 Producing Agent in 90027 with over 16 million sold in 2011
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
“Walt Disney’s” 4053 Woking Way Residence
4853 Glencairn Road
“Van Griffith” 2630 N.Vermont Residence
Offered at $3,650,000
Offered at $3,400,000
Offered at $4,875,000
P ATRICIA R UBEN Sotheby’s International Realty Los Feliz Brokerage DRE# 01262286
323.671.2310 Patricia.Ruben@sothebyshomes.com
CONGRATULATIONS
d l o S Just
In our fast-paced world of constant communication, it is sometimes important to stop and take a moment to celebrate our successes. This is one of those times. In Escrow
SOLD
1926 N. Hobart
2448 Glendower Ave
Historic Cultural Monument. Ralph Chandler Residence in Laughlin Park. Spanish Colonial Revival 5 Beds 7 Baths. Swimmer’s pool, Spa-style private patio. Original Butler’s pantry, Formal Dining Room, Office, Library, Sitting room. Beautiful period lighting and original glass rondels. Sheathed in glamour, a world-class property for an extraordinary lifestyle.
1952 Pedigree Minimalist home by noted architect William T. Dreiss defines open plan design. The visual entry allows a quick read of linear forms; floating stairs, Art Walls, Terrazzo floors and Dining purposely sited for articulate Downtown Skyline Views, which run throughout. Unmistaken utilitarian beauty of graphic lines throughout.
Offered at $3,100,000
Offered at $2,450,000
LOS FELIZ
•
1801 North Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
•
sothebyshomes.com
Los Feliz Ledger [interior motives]
Wallpaper: Like Wrapping a Package By Susann Thomason Tunick, Ledger Columnist Wallpaper is cloth is another good option modern patterns and it is wona great way to that will add texture and derful for renters as well as bring color, texture and a surdepth. Grass cloth now comes those who like to shake things prise to a room. Today’s pain a myriad of colors some of up simply and often. It is easy pers come in a range of matewhich are hand painted. to install and remove and can rials and patterns. Paper and Try wallpapering inside a ceilbe reused effortlessly. vinyl serve different purposes ing molding. This calls attenTry to think of wallpaand natural fibers and hand tion to the detail. It creates pering a room as you would painted papers add an elegant a border that is an alternative wrapping a package. Dratouch to bring a modern interto papering the whole ceiling. matic wrapping creates an enpretation to the wallpapers our You add an unexpected design ticing gift. Remember, good parent’s used. things come in C on s i d e r packages Try to think of wallpapering a room as small a vinyl washso make a draable paper for you would wrapping a package. Dramatic matic statement kitchens, bathin a small room wrapping creates an enticing gift. rooms, kid’s and wallpaper rooms and the walls and high traffic areas. The maintein an unusual way and save the ceiling. Stripes, patterns nance is easy and modern vimoney at the same time by usand grass cloths work well for nyl papers are beautiful. ing less paper and labor. this. An expert wallpaper inWhile I usually prefer an With the “Regency” style staller can bring magic to this entire room to be papered, still in vogue, try adding installation and make your sometimes just wallpapering molding to your walls. You small room into a little jewel. one wall and picking up a can either add a chair rail to For an incredible selection complimentary color on the create a wainscot or add wall of designer wallpapers, my painted walls creates enough panels that can be papered on favorite “go to” is Walnut at: interest. the inside. www.walnutwallpaper.com, Wallpapering only the If the idea of committing (323) 932-9166. They can also ceiling is sometimes overto paper is just not your style, refer you to installers. looked and it is a creative altertry Casart Covers removable Have fun! native to wallpapering walls. papers. Their website is: www. This works best on higher casartcoverings.com. This Susann Tunick can be reached ceilings. A small, simple patis like a magnet slipcover for at Susann@thomasontunick. tern can work, but using grass your walls! There are many com.
4140 PARVA AVENUE, LOS FELIZ
$2,695,000
Sprawling multi-level Los Feliz Hills Contemporary. 5Br/4.5Ba. Jetliner views. Amazing cooks kitchen with S/S appliances opens to Great Room w/ fpl. Wide plank hwd floors. 9½-14’ceilings. 2 Bonus rooms. Approx 1,150 sq ft of view decks. Lush backyard w/ cascading waterfalls, pond & a flat grassy pad. Close to the Village & Griffith Park. www.4140parva.com
2517 ABERDEEN AVENUE*, LOS FELIZ
$1,987,000
The personal residence of the Los Feliz Ledger’s “Interior Motives” columnist. 3bd/2.5ba; ±3,203 sq. ft. (per assessor) Mid-Century Arch’l on premier Los Feliz street. Open floor plan. Great indoor/outdoor flow. Lush private yard. Saline pool. Den. Office. Close to the Village & Griffith Park. www.2517aberdeen.com My personal residence. Listed w/ Eugene Ridenour/Henry Plascencia.
*
How to Sell Your Los Feliz House Without an Agent LOS FELIZ–If you’ve tried to sell your home yourself, you know that the minute you put the “For Sale by Owner” sign up, the phone will start to ring off the hook. Unfortunately, most calls aren’t from prospective buyers, but rather from every real estate agent in town who will start to hound you for your listing. Like other “For Sale by Owners”, you’ll be subjected to a hundred sales pitches from agents who will tell you how great they are and how you can’t possibly sell your home by yourself. After all, without
the proper information, selling a home isn’t easy. Perhaps you’ve had your home on the market for several months with no offers from qualified buyers. This can be a very frustrating time, and many homeowners have given up their dreams of selling their homes themselves. But don’t give up until you’ve read a new report entitled “Sell Your Own Home” which has been prepared especially for homesellers like you. You’ll find that selling your home by yourself is entirely possible once you understand the process. Inside this report, you’ll
find 10 inside tips to selling your home by yourself which will help you sell for the best price in the shortest amount of time. You’ll find out what real estate agents don’t want you to know. To order a FREE Special Report, visit www.SellYourHomeNoCommission.com, or to hear a brief, recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report, call (800) 284-3701 and enter ID# 1017. You can call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to learn how you really can sell your home yourself. ADV
This report is courtesy of Brock Real Estate DRE#01511068. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.
M I C H A E L
T U N I C K REAL ESTATE. REAL SERVICE. REAL RESULTS.
• 36 years sales + marketing experience • Top 2% of 54,000 Prudential agents nationwide • 21-year Los Feliz resident • Former boardmember Los Feliz Improvement Assoc.
323.646.3893 www.michaeltunick.com
An independently owned and operated member of BRER Affiliates Inc. DRE #01321406.
How do you know if your rents are at market? Call NOW for a FREE Rent Survey!
Property Management June 2012
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1621 Silver Lake Blvd., Suite 101 Los Angeles, CA 90026 (323) 668-7500 clukens@clintlukensrealty.com www.ClintLukensRealty.com DRE Lic #01367014
Su Casa REAL ESTATE Page 19
Local Experts Worldwide SELECTED PROPERTIES SOLD
NEW LISTING
MELROSE HILL: Hollywood. C.1918 Weaver Residence by architect S.L.Briggs. Discover Melrose Hill and all LA Cultural Monument No.777 has to offer. WEB: 0284520 Andrew Morrison 323.270.2277
3608 CROWNRIDGE DRIVE: Sherman Oaks. Modernist estate. Over 6,500 square feet including pool, tennis court and sweeping valley and mountain views. $2,995,000 WEB: 0284600 Robert Kallick 323.775.6305
SOLD
4715 LOS FELIZ BLVD: Los Feliz. 2 story Mediterranean villa w/6 bd & 7 ba built in 2005 offering stately approx. 10,000 sq.ft. of living area w/private lrg pool. $2,495,000 WEB: 0284389 Manvel Tabakian | Nadia de Winter 323.376.2222
IN ESCROW
NEW LISTING
2145MICHELTORENA.COM: Silver Lake. New England artistically restored w/defined simplicity, hdwd flrs,fpl, 3+2, media room, flat yard, superb views. $1,350,000. WEB: 0284510 Rosemary Low 323.660.5885
4133 HOLLY KNOLL DR: Los Feliz. Spanish home with modern touches on terrific street in the Los Feliz hills w/ sweeping unobstructed views and a large private yard. $1,090,000 WEB: 0284509 Manvel Tabakian | Nadia de Winter 323.376.2222
2280PANORAMATERR.COM: Silver Lake. “Villa Roselyn” 1927 stunning Spanish Revival 3+2, 2 fpl (LR, outdr), hdwd flrs, lush gardens, terrace, patio, historic detailing. $1,068,000 WEB: 0284570 Rosemary Low 323.660.5885 SOLD
IN ESCROW
2235 MORENO DR: Silver Lake. 1965 Peaceful, pretty 3 bedroom + 2.5 bath home in stunning Moreno Highlands. Peek-a-boo lake views shine through tall windows. $759,000 WEB: 0284570 Gail Crosby 323.428.2864
1441 NORTH BENTON WAY: Silver Lake. Timeless appeal, indoor/outdoor living + great location. Beautiful & spacious Character Spanish w/ spectacular views. $748,800 WEB: 0284504 Joseph Lightfoot 213.700.4438 NEW LISTING
2129 COVE AVENUE: Silver Lake. Entertain & relax in this Exquisite Updated Craftsman. Bright & airy, roomy floorplan, covered porch, & custom kitchen. $635,000 WEB: 0284497 Joseph Lightfoot 213.700.4438 IN ESCROW
3910 DE LONGPRE AVE: Los Feliz. Charming Franklin Hills Bungalow. Serene terraced garden&view. Beamed ceilings, hdwd flrs, updated kitc&bath. Central AC. $629,000 WEB: 0284610 Joseph Lightfoot 213.700.4438
1406 NORTH BENTON WAY: Silver Lake. 1920’s CA Bungalow w/ lg. Living Room,Vaulted ceilings, Hardwood floors, Lg. dining room. Master opens to Patio & Spacious yard. $650,000 WEB: 0284530 Joseph Lightfoot 213.700.4438 IN ESCROW
856 HYPERION AVE: Silver Lake. Come see this stylish Contemporary home w/ large living areas, open kitchen, rich hardwood floors, & large Master Suite! $599,000 WEB: 0284482 Joseph Lightfoot 213.700.4438
IN ESCROW
3515 VERDUGO VISTA: Glassell Park. C.1962 Mid Cen Mod California Living w/ an Asian influence, punctuated by an enclosed courtyard. www.3515VerdugoVista.com $569,000 WEB: 0284519 Andrew Morrison 323.270.2277
1445 MCCOLLUM ST: Silver Lake. Peaceful Spanish starter-home in heart of Silver Lake/Echo Park. Large lvg rm, 2 bdrms & studio+bath in converted garage. $545,000 WEB: 0284555 Joseph Lightfoot 213.700.4438
1848 MICHELTORENA ST: Silver Lake. Gorgeous down slope lot in the heart of Silver Lake w/dead-on downtown skyline vus. Create a masterpiece for times to come! $299,000 WEB: 0284606 Rick Yohon 323.270.1725
For Schools Sotheby’s International Realty - Los Feliz is proud to establish Sotheby’s International Realty for Schools.
Our mission is to help support our local public schools and our local youth realize their full potential. Our organization and agents are currently supporting various initiatives at our local learning institutions on an ongoing donation program from closed transactions. To date we have raised over $7,000 for Micheltorena Elementary School and Thomas Starr King Middle School.
LOS FELIZ BROKERAGE I SOTHEBYSHOMES.COM/LOSANGELES I LOS FELIZ 1801 NORTH HILLHURST AVENUE T 323.665.1700
USE THE WEB NUMBERS PROVIDED TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON A PROPERTY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE
Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark.Summer in Devon 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.*TheYellow House used with permission
Los Feliz Ledger [ SELECT HOME SALES JUNE 2012 ] 90026 Condominimums 850 LUCILE AVE 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $380,000 1080 EVERETT PL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261,000
90026 Single Family Homes 1400 1456 1406 800 3612 1874
Karen Lower COLDWELL BANKER Beverly Hills - NortH
www.karenlower.net
Living & Working in Your Neighborhood
N CORONADO ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $770,000 ANGELUS AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700,000 N BENTON WAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650,000 SILVER LAKE BLVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 620,000 CRESTMONT AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580,000 MORTON AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435,000
90027 Condominims 4411 LOS FELIZ BLVD 405 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $315,000 5125 HAROLD WAY 304 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295,000 4455 LOS FELIZ BLVD 204 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289,000
90027 Single Family Homes 4715 5272 2343 3642 3722 2033 2312 1634 4137 2226 2320
LOS FELIZ BLVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,449,000 LOS ENCANTOS WAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200,000 NELLA VISTA AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,175,000 AMESBURY RD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,017,500 EFFINGHAM PL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000,000 N SERRANO AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 982,500 LYRIC AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 967,500 TALMADGE ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 829,000 SUNSET DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 710,000 LYRIC AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 680,000 CLAREMONT AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590,000
90039 Condominimums 2279 3944 2604 2222 2604 3401 1940
NEW LISTING Los FeLiz $1,466,000
www.Observatory.com
Tucked behind the porte cochère is a touch of Mediterranean Romance and space to live, work, and play. The main house is a Classic Spanish 3bd/2ba Bungalow w/1,749 sqft, beautifully updated. A separate one-bedroom Guest House offers 634 sqft w/living, dining, kitchen, and full bath. Lush grounds, exceptional indoor/outdoor flow, perfect pool, plus 217sqft Cabana w/dressing room, gym/office and 1/2 bath. 2600sqft total permitted. Spread out and enjoy!
GLENDALE BLVD 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $480,000 KENTUCKY DR 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440,000 N BEACHWOOD DR 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385,000 N BEACHWOOD DR 208 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346,500 N BEACHWOOD DR 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280,000 BARHAM BLVD 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272,500 N HIGHLAND AVE 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251,000
90039 Single Family Homes 2960 6337 6201 7757 6920 3245 5615 5550 5916 2248 2403 6856 2326 7793 3736 2250 1925 2230 2346 2242 4132
GLENMANOR PL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,405,000 WEIDLAKE DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,205,000 RODGERTON DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,172,000 SKYHILL DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,025,000 PACIFIC VIEW DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,025,000 TARECO DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000,000 GREEN OAK DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 929,000 TUXEDO TER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908,000 TUXEDO TER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 840,500 PANORAMA TER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 829,000 ASPEN DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 828,500 SUNNY CV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 675,000 CANYON DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650,000 SKYHILL DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645,000 LANKERSHIM BLVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640,000 LA GRANADA DR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 632,000 WATERLOO ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600,000 GRIFFITH PARK BLVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573,000 EDGEWATER TER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535,000 BANCROFT AVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498,500 BEMIS ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410,000
IN ESCROW Los FeLiz $997,000
www.3709Effingham.com
SOLD OvER LIST pRICE / MuLTIpLE OFFERS Stunning designer done Traditional 2bd/2ba, plus den with fireplace. Views + room for a pool!
Sales are from the previous month. Source: Great American Real Estate Solutions
[keen to be green]
Resisting the Quick Fix By Meher McArthur, Ledger Columnist The other day, one of my large bookcases collapsed— and so did my spirits. It had been a stressful week already. I had a guest from Japan and jury duty selection; my son was up coughing at night, and I was behind in my work—including this column! Dejected, I looked for a quick, easy solution and scoured the internet for new bookcases. Most were over $100, just like my old one (yet it was made from such cheap materials that the shelves had started bowing right away!) Now it was time to put my New Year’s resolution “re” words to the test. I must “resist” the quick fix of buying a brand new bookcase. First, I’d have to “reduce.” I went through all June 2012
five of my bookcases and culled 40 books, creating space for some books from the collapsed case. Then, I re-organized the books more efficiently. But I still had piles of books on the floor, so had to concede that I needed a small bookcase—but maybe not a new one. On Saturday morning, I hit a local yard sale and scored a lovely 1950s oak (not particle board) bookcase—just the right size and only $10! I filled my “recycled” bookcase with the remaining books, and now my workroom actually looks neater and more spacious than before. As for the old bookcase, I’m “re-purposing” it in the garage for light objects. All that’s left now is to actually “read” some of those books! www.losfelizledger.com
NEW LISTING GLendaLe $637,000
www.423Caruso.com
Live Like a Hollywood Star with World-Class Concierge Services! Tired of lawn and pool services? Painting every few years? Take the first step and come view this beautiful designer finished 2bedroom/2.5 bath home located on the quiet north side of the Excelsior at Americana at Brand. For more details visit www.AmericanaatBrand.com and click on Residences.
SOLD
FOR LEASE
Hollywood $999,000
Los FeLiz $8,500/mo
www.4940MelroseHill.com
www.4011Farmouth.com
Historic Cultural Monument No. 777
Beautiful contemporary home in Prime Los Feliz. 4 bedroom suites includes 2-story Master w/indoor spa and sauna. Expansive deck provides perfect indoor/oudoor flow. Peaceful setting with views to the ocean!
MuLTIpLE OFFERS $46K OvER LIST pRICE
Su Casa REAL ESTATE Page 21
Los Feliz Ledger FO
R
SA
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Esau Tenorio Real Estate Solutions since 1995
Find Opportunity and Value Here. 2428 N. Commonwealth Avenue Prime Los Feliz
T
JU
ST
1917 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Feliz Direct: (323) 906-2477 Office: (323) 665-5841 Email: EsauTenorio@yahoo.com Web: www.EsauTenorio.com DRE# 01171617
he Ginsberg House, by Howard Elwell, A.I.A. This generously-proportioned Mid-Century Ranch-style home in a prime “North of the Boulevard” neighborhood offers the discerning buyer an outstanding opportunity for “next-level” updating. Grand living room with fireplace; formal dining room; family room with fireplace; enclosed sun porch; kitchen/breakfast/laundry rooms; 2 bedrooms; 2.5 baths--all on one level. Hardwood flooring and crown moldings throughout. Deep, poolsized, mostly-flat rear garden with detached 2-car garage and long driveway.
SO
LD
3143 Waverly Dr. Los Feliz $574,000 Spanish major fixer in Ivanhoe School District. Views!!! Double lot. Approved short sale.
1300 Sanborn Ave. Los Feliz $435,000 Provided selling solutions for this irregular lot size with no parking.
Vahan Saroians #1 Commercial Real Estate Broker #1 Residential Real Estate Broker at Coldwell Banker Los Feliz
Open houses:
Tues. 5/29, 11-2; Thurs. 5/31, 12-3; Sat. 6/2, 12-5; Sun. 6/3, 12-5.
www.2428commonwealth.com
When buying or selling
$999,000
property in southern Richard Stanley 1917 Hillhurst Av. Los Angeles, CA 90027 #1 agent, Coldwell Banker - Los Feliz, 1995-2009 rstanley@coldwellbanker.com www.richardstanleyrealtor.com 213 300-4567 cell / voice mail DRE license #: 00971211. ©2012 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and operated by NRT LLC. All rights reserved. If your property is listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.
[city sleuth]
Mulholland Remembered Through CSUN Exhibit By Diane Kanner, Ledger Columnist William Mulholland’s life was characterized as one of great triumph and tragedy, triumph for his role in importing Owens Valley water to Los Angeles, and tragedy for his role in the creation of the Saint Francis Dam which collapsed within hours of its completion killing over 500 people. Yet at an exhibit at Cal State University Northridge (CSUN), encompassing Mulholland family papers, drama of any sort is muted. T h e exhibit’s title, “Valley Memories” sets the tone. Here are photos and papers of everyday life for Ferguson, Ijams, Haas, Perret and Mulholland family members, establishing farms in the western end of the San
Fernando Valley. Mulholland’s farm encompassed 640 acres of citrus and walnuts extending from the northern border of Owensmouth—a town later named Canoga Park—to Devonshire Boulevard. From 1870, when the first of the families arrived, until after World War II, when the last of the land was sold and subdivided, changes reflecting growth are shown in the documents, all from the collection of Mulholland’s granddaughter Catherine. CSUN publicity calls the collection “remarkable.” At the heart of a large family tree display is Catherine’s image. Long before
Page 22 Su Casa REAL ESTATE
California, please
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(323) 497-6655 her biography of her grandfather was published in 2000 by the University of California Press, she was compiling papers which now create a journey through San Fernando Valley history. Before her death in July 2011, Catherine shared some Valley memories with CSUN library staff. “Zelzah,” the name of today’s Northridge, was “just a wide spot in the road,” she told CSUN staff. Its main street had a bank, pharmacy, bar and schoolhouse. The then star struck teenage Catherine said she saw Robert Taylor and Barbara
Saroians@aol.com
Stanwyck “enjoying a soda together on a hot summer’s afternoon at the pharmacy’s soda fountain.” At a horse show on Reseda Boulevard, her family had a box next to Clark Gable and Carole Lombard’s. “I hardly looked at a horse,” she recalled. www.losfelizledger.com
The Mulholland story is on view in the Oviatt Library of CSUN until July 27th. Information: call (818) 6772638. The exhibit includes renderings of the Mulholland Fountain, at Los Feliz Boulevard and Riverside Drive, before it was built in 1940. June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger
Popular CD13 Race Adds Four New Candidates By Colin Stutz, Ledger Contributing Writer The Los Angeles City Council District 13 race is shaping up to be the most contested of the city’s council districts in the upcoming 2013 elections. Four new candidates have entered the race, bringing the total to 10. More are expected to file paperwork to the city Ethics Commission in the months to come. Only the city’s mayoral race currently has more candidates. The new entries are BongHwan Kim, General Manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment; Los Angeles Fire Dept. (LAFD) Commander Emile Mack; attorney and businessman Stefano Formica and East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Member Sam Kbushyan. They join Scott Crawford, Reuben Martinez, Mitch O’Farrell, Thomas Marshall Penick, Josh Post and Jose Sigala in vying for the seat current councilmember Eric Garcetti has until he will is termed-out in 2013. Garcetti has announced he is running for Mayor of Los Angeles. Kim said he hopes to continue enabling community empowerment by working with city departments. Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in New Jersey, Kim has lived in Los Angeles since 1987. He co-chaired the Black-Korean Alliance until it disbanded in 1992 following the riots. He then directed the Korean Youth and Community Center and headed Pasadena Neighborhood Housing Services before joining the Dept. of Neighborhood Empowerment. “We really need to change the way that government works. [We need] to be more bottom-up oriented,” said Kim, 54. Like Kim, Mack, 54, was also born in Seoul and has been active in the Koreatown neighborhood, which could help either or both of them gain support from that corner of the district. An orphan adopted by an African-American family, Mack grew up in the Crenshaw community and attended Dorsey High School and then the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He is the Commander of the LAFD’s South Division and has served as the Administrative Operations Chief Deputy, second in command of the LAFD. He and his wife, Jenny, live in Atwater Village and recently adopted an infant from Korea. Formica, 32, the son of Cuban and Sicilian immigrants, runs the law firm Formica & Associates based June 2012
in Glendale. A native to Glendale, he began his law career after graduating from UCLA and then George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. As an attorney, he represents mostly businesses and individuals in litigation and corporate law as well as occasional pro bono clients in immigration, business formation and counseling matters. The son of Armenian immigrants, Kbushyan, 32, was born and raised in Los Angeles, he played football at Hollywood High School, was student union president at Los Angeles Valley College, commissioner of political affairs at Cal State Los Angeles, and after receiving a masters in economics and healthcare management from Northeastern University in Boston, he
returned to East Hollywood where he married and since has had two children. Kbushyan is executive director of the non-profit Immigrants Charitable Foundation, which helps immigrants with their immigration status. He is also the Business Representative for the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council and serves on the board of the Literacy, Arts, Culture, Education and Recreation afterschool program. “I have worked with these individuals promoting their businesses, advocating on behalf of their kids for education, bringing seniors together,” said Kbushyan. “I’m not a candidate who works for public entities or government agencies, I’m just a simple bold and original and that’s what will set me apart.”
Right now, there are 36 fresh opportunities to own a brand new home in one of Los Angeles’ premier neighborhoods. 36 chances to live just miles from downtown. Minutes from the heart of Hollywood. And only blocks from shops and local entertainment. Just imagine, right now, 36 chances to have it all. Until they’re gone. Call for an
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Su Casa REAL ESTATE Page 23
Los Feliz Ledger the Elysian Valley Recreation Center where she worked for more than five years before coming to Bellevue. A former college volleyball coach with an accounting degree and born in Parsons, Kansas, she is an energizing leader. “I don’t take long to acclimate because I’m always the same,” said Piha, sitting behind her desk at the recreation center. The office space, she has been told, looks brand new. “And all I did was clean up, straighten up and get rid of [extra] stuff,” she said. “We’ve had salvage out here twice and they’ve pulled out truckloads of stuff that’d been broken and thrown around.” Aside from cleaning up, Piha has been filling up the recreation center’s schedule, adding a fitness class she runs three nights a week and a Sunday ballet class taught by a volunteer, both of which have increased the park’s revenues. The center runs preschool and after school programs as well, hosts open gym time for basketball and operates a summer camp. Piha said she would like to add senior programs soon, too, and hopes someday people will pleasantly refer the park
New Bellevue Recreation Center Director Creating Positive Change By Colin Stutz, Ledger Contributing Writer SILVER LAKE—Community members have been abuzz with praise for Bellevue Recreation Center’s new director, Elaine Piha. And through meetings, exercise classes and park play dates around the neighborhood, the excitement of her arrival has been echoing. “She’s got it together, she knows what she’s doing, she takes action and she’s not afraid of a little bit of work,” said President of the Silver Lake Improvement Association (SLIA) Genelle Le Vin. Piha joined the Bellevue staff in March. Quickly, she secured funding for a $7,500 soundproofing renovation that had been stalled at the center for two years. The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council (SLNC) had budgeted to pay 1/3rd of the project this year. But with the fiscal year nearing end— when all neighborhood council budgets must be spent or the remainder reverts back to the city’s general fund—with Piha’s arrival to Bellevue came an immediate urgency to solidify plans for the echoing
room used daily for youth programming. Piha thought creatively. She put the SLIA in charge of the project’s finances. By doing so, she was able to sidestep one of the most difficult facets of the entire process—receiving the money to pay for it all. The rest of the soundproofing project’s funding was collected from City Council District 13 and the city’s Dept. of Recreation and Parks. Blonde with bright blue eyes, Piha exudes positivity. She is a certified life coach, holistic healing counselor, clinical hypnotherapist, domestic violence advocate, inspirational speaker and author of the book, What on Earth Are We Doing Here? which explores “the case of human suffering” and finding personal acceptance, freedom and fulfillment by understanding adversity and removing ourselves from the role of a victim. In 2010, she received a Park Hero award as director of
as “Beautiful Bellevue.” “I really wish we were called community centers because the community includes everybody,” she said. “It’s not just the young kids who want to play sports.” At Elysian Park, Piha organized many community events such as senior’s bingo and a yearly block party that turned out about 500 people
with music and food. She would like to do similar events at Bellevue. “We also have to focus on the family,” she said. “Families need free or low-cost activities to do together. . . I’m the baby of six kids. So I know what it is to be a part of a big family and what are we going to do with eight people at one time? You bring them to the park.”
Zoo Sets Record Attendance GRIFFITH PARK—The Los Angeles Zoo set an attendance record for the month of April with over 215,000 visitors, the highest attendance for the month of April in over 20 years. According to Zoo officials, much of the attendance can be attributed to the March 8th opening of the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles). The LAIR features over 60 species including Chinese giant salamanders, false gharial, bushmaster, Mexican giant horned lizards and green mambas. “We are very pleased to see these numbers,” said Zoo Director John Lewis. “All of our new features are a great
investment for the future of Los Angeles. With every new exhibit we are able to provide over 1.6 million visitors each year with the opportunity to experience and connect with wildlife.” Over the past decade, new features at the Zoo include the Entry Plaza, Children’s Discovery Center, Sea Life Cliffs, Campo Gorilla Reserve, Elephants of Asia, an environmentally friendly parking lot, the Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel and the LAIR. The Rainforest of the Americas, which will feature giant otter, tapir and harpy eagle, is scheduled to open in 2013.
NOURMAND & ASSOCIATES
Howard Lorey Branch Manager
6525 Sunset Boulevard, Suite G6 Los Angeles, Califor nia 90028 tel: 323.462.6262 www.Nourmand.com Three Offices. One Respected Name.
direct: 323.462.6262 email: HLorey@Nour mand.com
ACTIVE 2227 Fern Dell Pl.
ACTIVE
-
$1,799,000
6001 Carlton Way #201
LOS FELIZ. Med 3BR/4BA, 3200 sf. Celebrity-owned, formal LR, ktchn w-s/s appl. Backyard w/fp & fountain. Very private. Mica Rabineau Josh Goldstein
323.816.5868 310.569.4035
Bill Baeder
ACTIVE 3105 Hollycrest Dr.
-
$534,900
HOLLYWOOD. 2BR, 2BA condo w/hi ceilings, front facing corner unit. Balcony, granite counters, s/s appliances and wood flrs in living room. Laundry in unit. 310.409.8487
ACTIVE $875,000
7133 Hawthorn Ave. - From $529,000
HOLLYWOOD HILLS. Med duplex w/3BR, 2.5BA townhomes. New kitchens, fpls, hrdwd flrs, frml dining rms, central heat & AC. 2-car gar & garden w/fruit trees.
-
HOLLYWOOD. Open every Sat & Sun 2-5.19 Brand New Modern Residences. 2 & 3BR condos with 7 spacious floor plans. www.7133hawthorn.com.
Don Bozick
Gavin/Pamela/Mandana 310.300.3397
310.721.7021
ACTIVE
ACTIVE 4433 Clayton Ave.
-
2923 Asbury St.
$849,000
-
$449,000
LOS FELIZ. “Period” 1909 2-story Craftsman style home in the heart of Los Feliz. 5BR, 2BA, large backyard, updated systems and bolted foundation.
GLASSELL PARK. Hip 1920s Calif. Bungalow, beautifully restored by Better Shelter in 2010. 3BR/2BA+GH. Hrdwd flrs, dream kitchen, lrg yard w/ fruit trees.
Gina Isaac
Katie Crain
323.829.8009
ACTIVE
LOOKING FOR BACK-UP
1429 Westerly Terrace
-
$769,000
3468 Troy Dr.
SILVER LAKE. 2BR/2BA Mid-Century style stunner. High on the hill, stellar views of hills & downtown. Large private bckyrd. Carrie Bryden Howard Lorey
-
$779,000
HOLLYWOOD HILLS. Restored 1927 Spanish Hollywood Manor home. Updated 2BR, 2BA, mtn and city light views. Native CA garden. Centrally located.
323.829.1158 323.251.4553
Pat & Melody
ACTIVE 3508 Hollydale Dr.
310.502.2312
323.899.5636
LOOKING FOR BACK-UP -
$629,000
2322 Berkeley
-
$675,000
LOS FELIZ. Charming 2-on-a-lot in desirable Atwater Village. Front house has 2BR/1BA+den. Back house 1BR/1BA.
SILVER LAKE. Renovated and vacant triplex. Two 1BR, 1BA plus den units and a detached 3BR, 1BA house.
Courtney Smith Kurt Wisner
Courtney Smith Kurt Wisner
323.899.8509 323.841.3839
323.899.8509 323.841.3839
L o cally owned and operat ed sinc e 1976. Page 24 SECTION TITLE
www.losfelizledger.com
June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger [senior moments]
Keeping Our Bones Strong By Stephanie Vendig, Ledger Columnist In my February column, I wrote of learning I have osteoporosis, a disease in which new bone is not forming as fast as the old bone that is being absorbed by the body. This process may result in brittle bones or loss of bone density. Bones can become so weak that they could break when the person stumbles or lifts a heavy shopping bag. Bones in the spine can break without the person even realizing it has happened. Although having osteoporosis does not affect your life expectancy, fractures can be debilitating, and as a consequence shorten your life. For those who are over 50, half
of all women and a quarter of men will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Now, I accepted the notion of increasing my calcium and vitamin D intake, and I have begun using Fosamax or Alendronate (bisphosphonates) to build my bone density. However, after researching what this disease is all about, I decided that I needed to do something else, namely consider strength training as another tool for slowing down the disease. Walking has always been my exercise of choice, particularly because it addresses my need for aerobic activity, since heart disease has been a family risk, and I also saw it
as helping me to maintain a decent weight. But in order to strengthen the bones, weightbearing activity needed to be added to the mix. In addition, with simple strength training, I would also be building muscles. Strong muscles can
You do have a choice of activities or exercises that fall under the category of strength training. You are not just “pumping iron.” There are “weight-bearing” exercises, such as walking, jogging, playing tennis or dancing. “Resis-
Beside advice from your doctor relating to your age and health condition, you can find a lot of information on osteoporosis online. I used the web sites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www. cdc.gov), Mayo Clinic (www.
Strong muscles can be your aid in preventing falls and keeping your balance. If you trip, for example, your muscles can help you recover or keep you upright and stable. be your aid in preventing falls and keeping your balance. If you trip, for example, your muscles can help you recover or keep you upright and stable. With stronger muscles, you are also improving your posture, relieving or decreasing pain, and most of all, making it easier for you to carry out your daily tasks and activities as you age.
mayoclinic.com), and the National Institute for Health (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). As to where you can do these activities, check out GPACC, the Silver Lake Recreation Center, or the Wellness Center at Hollywood Multipurpose Center. They provide classes and equipment promoting strength training for the older adult.
tance” exercises include free weights, weight machines or stretch bands. Then there are “flexibility” exercises where you are moving your joints through their full range of motion and stretching. Tai chi and Yoga are examples of “balance activities.” And you can also select the stationary bicycle or the rowing machine for your strength training.
Sunset Hall - Curriculum and Advocacy Thanks to our ad sponsor Sunset Hall. They offer...
Programs for free-thinking seniors (323) 660-5277
Conversational Spanish at GPACC on Wednesdays
Griffith Park Adult Community Club Calendar
General Meeting & Lunch Wed., June 15, noon • Gourmet Potluck Lunch
Home of Bea Gold, 2206 Micheltorena St. Bring your favorite dish ready to serve. (323) 660-0106 for directions or info. New - Extended hours every Wed. eve until 7:30 p.m. through June 27. Free Computer Classes for all ages through June 30.* New - Computer Teaching Class* 3203 Riverside Drive, just north of Los Feliz Bl. * Call for info and reservations (323) 644-5579
Lunch Program: Mon.-Fri., GPACC, 11:30 AM sign in, Noon lunch, Donation under 60 $4, 60+ $2 Club Info and Newsletter: Stephanie Vendig, (323) 667-3043 or vendig@sbcglobal.net. Join GPACC: Only $15/year for trips and news. For information on trips, call Doris Slater, (323) 667-1879
Los Angeles Breakfast Club Join us Wednesdays at 7 – 9 am
Upcoming speakers and programs...
June 6: Bill Siefke, Great Western Tours “Rails to Sails - Half the Fun is Going Together” June 13: Jacobs & Lipson - “They Blended Vienna and Broadway: Lerner & Loewe” sing-along and background stories
“We choose Belmont Village.” • Licensed nurse on-site around the clock • Chef-prepared, restaurant-style dining • Free scheduled transportation daily • Fitness and social activities • Medication management • Housekeeping and laundry • Assistance with daily living • Award-winning Circle of Friends® memory program • Short-term stays available • Specialized Alzheimer’s care
June 20: Paula Woodley, Infinite Dreams “Arts and Disabilities” June 27: Judith Norris, Pepperdine Univ. School of Law - “Tricks of the Trade: Outsmarting Investment Fraud”
Burbank (818) 972-2405 Encino (818) 788-8870 Hollywood Hills (323) 874-7711 Rancho Palos Verdes (310) 377-9977 Westwood (310) 475-7501 Thousand Oaks (805) 496-9301
Friendship Auditorium 3201 Riverside Drive (1/4 mi. so. of Los Feliz Bl.)
For upcoming programs, see... www.LABreakfastClub.com
RCFE License 197603515, 197603848, 197605090, 198204246, 197607761, 565801746 © 2012 Belmont Village, L.P.
The Community Built for Life ®
or call (323) 662-1191 June 2012
www.belmontvillage.com
www.losfelizledger.com
LozFeliz_5_25_BV.indd 1
5/16/12Page 10:17 AM SENIOR MOMENTS 25
Los Feliz Ledger [OPEN MIKE]
Who Are “These” People? Who Are “Those” People?
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www.TheRunwayOutlet.com
Mon to Sat 11a on til 7p and Sun 11a til 6p
When Jerry Seinfeld quipped, “Who-are-thesepeople?” we laughed. At some point we’ve all dealt with groups we consider just a bit off, odd, maybe even somewhat unhinged. Nearly a decade ago my wife and I bought a home for our new family in Los Feliz for all the right reasons: Strolling in the village, dinners at Figaro and then Little Dom’s and of course Griffith Park. We have two children now; we helped found a charter school, joined our neighborhood association, started a neighborhoodwatch, and just got more involved because we’ve put down roots here. When I read in the L.A. Times the Friends of Griffith Park were working to restore Fern Dell, I sent them a check. We love Fern Dell. But I’d like a refund. After reading “Ballfields Ahead in the Count But Minority Hopes For A Strikeout” and your accompanying editorial, I found myself thinking, “Who are these people?” in the same Seinfeld-esque disgust. I work in The Media where one learns unless there’s a lawsuit, a “no comment” generally means we’re embarrassed or we have
an agenda we’re not comfortable talking about with the Press, i.e., the Public. I take a stonewalling “no comment” from six members of the same group, these Friends of Griffith Park, to mean we’ve got something to hide. After your story appeared, I found the “LVNOC” meeting video on Youtube, read a subsequent Sunday L.A Times article, and now local TV stations are covering this “controversy.” Why is there a controversy? Are residents of the eastside genuinely concerned about the dangers of “screaming kids” in Griffith Park? Or is this some sort of fake out? Screaming kids? C’mon, that’s what children do. It means they’re happy, and they’re going to do it whether they are picnicking, playing baseball, soccer, frisbee or anything else. So... Who are these people? Colin Stutz’s article not so subtly intimates the inconvenient truth behind this controversy is it’s more about local politics than little league fields in a public park. If so, that’s sad because when the adults fail, our kids lose and in all likelihood their kids too. I support putting more baseball fields in Griffith
Park and I would regardless of whether I had children or not. What I don’t support, and in fact vehemently disdain is the term “those people” used to describe minorities as Friends of Griffith Park Vice President, Bernadette Soter, does as quoted in your story. “Those people” perpetuates a racial divide we should all be working to close. I’ve picnicked with friends in Griffith Park, so am I “those people,” too? I’m looking forward to a day when we’re all “those people” so there’s no one left but “us people.” It’s no secret Los Feliz, Atwater Village, Silver Lake, and other nearby neighborhoods are teeming with families with children from many different cultures. But what might not be as easily recognized is when at a local school, an AYSO soccer match, a league basketball game or a birthday picnic, our children don’t see color. They just see other children. And in the end, is it so great a cost to put kids baseball back in Griffith Park? Apparently, only the Friends of Griffith Park seem to think so. Scott Einziger Los Feliz
[open mike]
Doubtful of Garcetti’s Hopes for a More Solar L.A.
7-31-12
* HOMESELLERS * Find out what the home down the street sold for. Free computerized list with pictures of area home sales and current listings. www.LosFelizHomes.com or Free recorded message 1-800-326-5582, ID#1041 This report is courtesy of Brock Real Estate DRE#01511068. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.
Page 26 OPEN MIKE / EDITORIAL
Regarding “Los Angeles Goes Solar,” by Eric Garcetti (May 2012) having gone thru a long, arduous process, at great expense, to install solar power in our building in Atwater Village, I feel I must address a few issues. When we first bought our building, we did not have a loading dock, something that was essential to our operations. I was told by the Los Angeles Dept. of Building and Safety it would be “at least a year and a half” to get approval. I contacted Mr. Garcetti’s office to explain that we would rather sell the building and move our business elsewhere than to have to wade through [this] process. Through the efforts of his office, we were able to get the dock built in record time. That was in 2007 and 2008. At that point the personnel
in Garcetti’s office told me it was a “priority of the Councilman” to “streamline” the permitting process. Here it is five years later and I see nothing has changed with the Dept. of Building and Safety. As to the solar issue, the contractor was done with the installation of the system in September of 2011 and it sat idle, producing zero solar power, until March 29, 2012. Not because there was a problem with the solar equipment. The problem was with the paperwork of both the Dept. of Building and Safety and the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power. What else seemed to me were power and control issues of the inspectors that showed up to approve of it. Each one seemed to have a different “opinion” as to what the
code was. If I had employees that treated my customers the way these people treat the contractors, they would be looking for a new job. I feel Mr. Garcetti truly wants to improve the system but it will take more than just him to do it. Snippets from [Garcetti’s column] ring rather hollow to me: ”…to streamline the installation… removes barriers… expedited process…” The city and LADWP needs to get employees to check their egos at the door in order to help, rather than hinder the building process. Mr. Garcetti’s words will never see the sunlight. They will be stuck in a building on Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles. Steve Van Eynde Atwater Village
Submission Guidelines To submit a letter, send to allisonferraro@losfelizledger.com or to 4459 Avocado St., LA, CA 90027. Include your name, area in which you live and contact information. Letters become property of the Los Feliz Ledger and may be edited for clarity or space for reprinting. www.losfelizledger.com
June 2012
Los Feliz Ledger [open mike]
The Mighty Motorist Regarding “Recent Fatal Accidents A Reminder for Safety,” by Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge (Los Feliz Ledger, May 2012), Labonge said that “he has always believed and that the Police concur, that non signalized crosswalks give pedestrians a false sense of security leading them to insist on the right of way, sometimes with fatal consequences.” Sounds like Mr. Labonge and the LAPD think crosswalks are a pesky nuisance and should be gotten rid of completely. If you look at the current rulings on California highway safety regarding crosswalks you will see it is a ridiculously vague list of contradictions that basically gives carte blanche to the motorist. Section B states: “No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop and delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.” Of course a motorist reads this as “You are in my way and are therefore delaying me so I will not slow down or stop, I will speed up”. Section D states that “Section B does not relieve a driver of a vehicle from the duty of exercising due care for the
safety of any pedestrian within a crosswalk.” Section D contradicts B in black and white. Basically if you step onto a crosswalk on a road that has any moving vehicles on it you are potentially delaying them and it’s your own fault if they mow you down. Maybe this law—let’s call it a “guideline”—was written with the best of intentions and with the idea people would actually read it and the police would actually enforce it? If you stand at a crosswalk waiting for a motorist to stop you will be there for a while, or maybe pesky pedestrians should just wait meekly until a mighty motorist grants us passage. After reading Mr. LaBonge’s comments I’m sure [drivers] will be inclined to continue with their dangerous and selfish driving practices. Why should they care. The flimsy law works in their favor. I wonder how many tickets are actually issued to motorists who fly over crosswalks that actually have pedestrians in them? A revenue opportunity for the city if ever there was one! C. Whitfield Los Feliz
Los Feliz Ledger Online Look for these stories only at losfelizledger.com: • • •
June 2012 Calendar Franklin Hills: Car Break Ins Marshall High School Senior Wins Heated Hollywood Cook-Off Visit losfelizledger.com to vote in our poll for June:
Regarding City Councilmember and area representative Eric Garcetti’s decision to run for the Mayor of Los Angeles: • • •
I think Mr. Garcetti has done a great job in CD13 and would vote for him for Mayor. I think Mr. Garcetti has done a poor job in CD13 and would not vote for him for Mayor. I want to wait until I learn more about the mayoral candidates and will make up my mind then.
Congratulations Ivanhoe, King & Marshall Grads!
June 2012
www.losfelizledger.com
OPEN MIKE / EDITORIAL Page 27
Coming Soon
2034 North Berendo Street Los Feliz Call For Price Stunning 3+2 1920’s Spanish home with lovely spacious yard in Franklin Square. Living room with Batchelder style fireplace, great moldings & refinished hardwood flrs thru out. Formal DR. Spacious kitchen w/6 burner Viking stove Large master suite with luxurious European bath. Open shower, copper sinks, skylight and clawfoot tub. Yard w/rm for pool. Could be the one you’ve been waiting for!
In Escrow
2750 Lakewood Avenue
2530 Park Oak Court Los Feliz Oaks $12,500 Impressive gated 4+ 3.5 estate like home on a gorgeous cul-de-sac in the Oaks. Beautiful private picturesque grounds with large pool. Gorgeous LR w/fireplace, wonderful library & master overlook the spectacularly landscaped property. Formal dining rm. Refinished hrdwd flrs. St. Charles kitchen & outdoor breakfast area. Cabana, bath & shower for pool. Views of the Hollywood Sign and the hills.
In Escrow
Silver Lake Hills
Sold
Franklin Hills $695,000 Charming Storybook 3+2 Brick Tudor with picture windows to enjoy sweeping city views from the spacious LR & DR. Charming original kitch. Breakfast rm w/built-in cabinet leads out to a patio & great yard. Many original details such as hrdwd flrs & coved ceilings. Fireplace. 3rd bdrm ideal for home off. Lovely tranquil yard surrounded by greenery. Needs updating, but with potential to be something very special. Short sale.
Sold ...
Glendale Hills
$1,054,000
Dramatic Circa 1927 4+3 Mediterranean home on lovely street. Tucked behind gates this home has been beautifully renovated in keeping with the fine architecture. Spacious living rm w/beamed ceiling, wood floors & fireplace Gorgeous master suite w/ fireplace, gorgeous bath, walk-in closet & views. Cook’s kitchen w/stainless appl & Caesarstone tops. Surrounded by Lush greenery. Lovely patio with arbor. Walk to Brand Park.
3931 Clayton Avenue
Los Feliz
$1,095,000
Silver Lake
$335,000
Excellent and rare opportunity to invest in great Los Feliz rental area. Built in 1962, this classic 7 unit apartment building offers spacious units with dining area and beautiful views of the Franklin Hills. 3 - 2 bedroom 1.75 baths, 1 - 2 bedroom 1 bath and 3 - 1 bedroom 1 bath units. Approximately 5,853 square foot building & 6,621 lot size. Annual Income $87,420 Great owner user or investor. Walk to Hillhurst & Sunset restaurants, shops & minutes to Downtown.
1192 Myra Avenue
Charming 1915 Craftsman Duplex in the Los Feliz area that needs work but has loads of potential. Each unit has one bed + one bath. Lots of original character. Approx 1,185 sq ft interior space and a 4093 lot. Good location close to all the great shops and restaurants the Los Feliz and Silver Lake neighborhoods have to offer. Minutes to downtown. 2 car garage. Excellent investment or owner user. Both units are vacant.
Thank You, George and Eileen
Franklin Hills
$1,155,000
Stunning gated 4+3 Contemporary home w/incredible views plus two studios - 1 with 3/4 bath. Perfect floor plan for entertaining, great indoor outdoor flow. Living rm w/fireplace and wall of glass to enjoy city views. Spacious and renovated kitchen with stainless appliances, breakfast bar and cozy sitting area. Master suite opens to deck offering amazing city and Observatory views. Decks, patio and grassy yard. A fabulous home!
Sold ...
From The Sellers Of 3931 Clayton Avenue I can’t really tell you how much George and Eileen did for us. We had struggled for 3 years to sell our house until we met them. They came in and gently told us what needed to change, made great suggestions as to how we could get our property sold fast and even had contractors that were extremely reasonable to help us. Next thing you know the house was in escrow. They are PRO’s!!! You could not ask for a better couple to sell your house. They are easy to work with, have your best interests at heart and are always available. It was a wonderful experience and I would recommend them any time Ican. They really are the best at what they do!!! If you want your house sold use Eileen and George!!! Haiti and Dave Harrison
Thank You, George and Eileen
2150 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.668.7600 georgeandeileen.com
moreno@georgeandeileen.com 3093 St. George Street
4133 Cumberland Avenue
In Escrow
$829,000 3839 Franklin Avenue
Lovely 2+2.5 with charming den on rare 11,454 sized view lot in the hills & in the Ivanhoe School District. Newly renovated sunny kitchen w/new Shaker style cabinets & new stainless appliances. LR w/views. 2 master suites w/private baths. The lovely den w/fireplace opens out to a patio and the spectacular grounds. Room to play, fruit trees, vegetable garden area, roses & more. Poss home office area. Newly refinished floors & AC.
748 Glenview Road
In Escrow
Just Listed
Los Feliz
$768,557
Beautifully preserved & much loved 1 owner Mid-Century home Ivanhoe District. Built in 1954 this fine home offers a cozy LR w/fireplace, built-in shelves & natural colored hardwood flrs. Spacious kitchen. Generous sized family room & hosted many wonderful gatherings. Large side yard waiting to be landscaped & enjoyed plus smaller 2nd yard. 2 car garage and storage area under the house. They hope this home will bring the next owner the same joy and happiness as it did for them.
From The Seller Of 3093 St. George Street As soon as Eileen and George entered my home for our first meeting, I knew they were the ones who could successfully sell my home. They exuded confidence, friendliness, and know how. I had decided to sell the home that my late husband and I had built 60 years ago when we were practically newly weds with one baby boy. But now I could no longer afford to live in Los Angeles on a fixed income. The decision to leave California was painful, and the Moreno’s sensed and responded to my discomfort in selling the house and making the move. Eileen and George delivered on their promise to guide me through the selling process. Throughout, they answered my plentiful questions and reassured me about any concerns. Best of all, the house sold quickly and above the asking price. “Who could ask for anything more?” I highly recommend Eileen and George as top-notch realtors who intimately know the Los Feliz Silverlake neighborhoods like the proverbial back of their hands. Thanks to the Morenos, the selling of my home couldn’t have gone any more smoothly or profitably. There’s only one downside - I’m going to miss my lively phone chats with Eileen! Sincerely, Noreen Dresser