Westside Newsletter_January 2019

area newsletter JANUARY 2019 • WESTSIDE

20 19

Community News Malibu seeks to assist homeowners affected

by Woolsey fire

The Malibu City Council has responded to the recent Woolsey fire destruction with efforts to assist affected residents seeking to rebuild their homes. Following the precedent set after the 1993 Malibu/Topanga fire, the council considered a resolution during a recent meeting that would amend building codes to allow for the rebuilding of homes that were compliant with regulations when originally constructed but would not be permitted if built under today’s current legal standards. The council also reviewed restrictions on the length that temporary structures, such as mobile homes, are permitted on residential properties and sought to incentivize upgrades to the wastewater system and implementation of erosion control plans for new construction. Separately, the council also considered an ordinance that prohibited price gouging in the rental properties inhabited by displaced residents. The Woolsey fire began near Chatsworth on the afternoon of November 8 and within 24 hours had led to the evacuation of the entire city of Malibu.

By the time the fire was brought under control, 443 structures had been destroyed in the area

Apartments to be built next to Expo Line

An eight-story apartment building is planned for 601 Colorado Ave., near the Expo Line Santa Monica station. The project will include 140 residential units, in studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations. Plans also call for 11,825 square feet of retail space and 3 levels of subterranean parking.

The residential levels of the building will open to a central courtyard area. The project would replace an existing singlestory commercial building whose current tenants include a Japanese restaurant, a yoga studio, and a dentist’s office. The development is currently pending with the Santa Monica Architectural Review Board. The company behind the project, WS Communities is active in Santa Monica, with several projects planned for Lincoln Blvd. and 5th St. in particular.

Community News Chaya in Venice closes its doors

Chaya, the renowned Venice sushi restaurant, has closed its doors perma¬nently after 27 years of service. The company also closed its downtown Los Angeles loca¬tion recently, after operating there for 10 years. Reports indicate that the closures were due to financial difficulties and were unexpected by the staff. The family behind the Chaya restaurants claims a lineage of restaurants dating back to Japan of the early 1600’s and previously operated locations in Silver Lake and Beverly Hills. M Café de Chaya, their casual contemporary restaurant, contin¬ues to operate on Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.

Historic hotel finds new life in Culver City

Palihotel in Culver City has announced its grand reopening, after over 2 years of renovations. The 49-room establishment, previously known as the Washington Hotel and the West End Hotel, originally opened in 1923 and was the first LA home of Joan Crawford, due to its close proximity to what was then the MGM lot. The new incarnation of the hotel retains its Art Deco roots and features a first-floor bar and restaurant called Simonette.

Grifka Group, the firm behind the adaptive reuse project, also has plans to open a location in on Tiverton Ave. in Westwood Village.

L.A. has 18 of the most expensive ZIP codes

According to a recent study, 18 ZIP codes in the Los Angeles area rank among the top 100 in the country for housing prices. The website PropertyShark.com found that the North of Montana area of Santa Monica ranked #5 in the U.S., with a median sales price of $3.76 million. Other expensive neighborhoods include Beverly Hills’ 90210 (ranked #11), Pacific Palisades’ 90272 (#16), and Brentwood’s 90049 (#30). Bel Air came in at #34 and Malibu was tied at #39. California dominated the list with 65 entries, including the most expensive ZIP code nationwide, San Mateo county’s 94027, with a median sales price of $6,700,000.

Restaurant

Spotlight

Conservatory

Ms. Chi Cafe

Jame Enoteca

8289 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood

3829 Main Street Culver City

241 Main Street El Segundo

WeHo welcomes Conservatory to its sprawling landscape of trendy eateries. The restaurant stands at the landmark spot of former Irv’s Burgers stand on historic Route 66 and dishes out a bounty of flavor. Choose to start off with the Grilled Lamb Kafka and sumac Tzatziki or a light pairing of the Seared Ahi Crudo drenched in sesame ginger vinaigrette. Move onto entrees like their simmering Roasted Cauliflower steak in Golden Raisin Chutney. After dinner head over to the Society Room for cocktails like the “Miso Wari” whipped up by Josh Goldman of Soigne Group.

Top Chef contestant Shirley Chung has completed her LA move, after opening a smaller stall at The Fields and now this all-day contender in Culver City, serving breakfast through dinner (with a small break in the afternoon) serving reasonably priced, new school Chinese comfort fare. So far the results are pretty solid, making Ms. Chi one of the most compelling places to open in Downtown Culver City since Bacoshop.

This casual pasta and salad restaurant in El Segundo is a smash hit with locals. Chef Jackson Kalb, formerly of Factory Kitchen and NYC’s Union Square Cafe, takes a seamless every day Italian-American approach to pasta, with some maximum flavor going into the handmade noodles.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS in LOS ANGELES

MOCA Grand Avenue

Petersen Automotive Museum

LACMA

221South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012

6060 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036

5905 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036

CURRENT EXHIBITION:

CURRENT EXHIBITION:

CURRENT EXHIBITION:

One Day at a Time: Manny Farber and Termite Art October 14, 2018 - March 11, 2019

Auto-Didactic: The Juxtapoz School September 29, 2018 - June 2019

3D: Double Vision July 15, 2018 - March 31, 2019

Juxtapoz Magazine, known for featuring “lowbrow” and pop surrealist artists that would otherwise be considered as outside of the mainstream art world, has teamed with the Petersen Auto Museum to create a group show of artists whose work is often inspired by hot rod culture. The exhibit features many car-centric paintings and sculptures, as well as a number of vehicles that converted into moving works of work.

The exhibit includes work by Robert Crumb, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Robert Williams.

This exhibition explores the art of stereoscopy, the technique that allows a two-dimensional image to create the illusion that it occupies three dimensions of space. Following the history of the technology from the experimental photographs of the 1830’s to the sophisticated digital films of modern day, the exhibit creates a hands-on experience, allowing viewers to use various devices to view 3-D art from artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Ed Ruscha, and features over 60 photographs, videos, and holographic sculptures.

Manny Farber was an artist and writer who penned a famous essay “White Elephant Art vs. Termite Art,” which celebrated artists who were influenced by their day-to-day lives rather than an ambition to create a singular masterpiece. This exhibition features 23 paintings by Farber as well as pieces by other artists who had similar approaches to their work. Featured artists include blown-glass artist Josiah McElheny, sculptor/florist Maurice Harris, and painter Patricia Patterson, who is Farber’s widow.

RodeoRE.com