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April 23 – May 21, 2021

Brentwood Community Council Unanimously Opposes Bonin’s Shelter Plan

BCC passes motion opposing Mike Bonin’s plan to bring more temporary shelters to Westside By Sam Catanzaro

The Brentwood Community Council (BCC) unanimously voted to oppose Councilmember Mike Bonin’s plan to bring more temporary homeless shelters to public spaces and parks on the Westside. On March 31, Bonin introduced a motion to Los Angeles City Council that would evaluate the feasibility of bringing a variety of projects to combat homelessness to locations across the Westside. Among the locations is the Los Angeles County-owned parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach at 17000 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. According to Bonin, this location would serve as a temporary site for single-occupancy tiny-homes or safe camping. The motion also calls for looking into the feasibility of bringing similar housing options to the following locations across the Westside: Mar Vista (Mar Vista Park), Marina Del Rey (Fisherman’s Village), Playa del Rey (Dockweiler Beach), Del Rey (private building at 5000 Beethoven Avenue), Westchester (Westchester Park) and West LA (West LA Municipal Building). In addition, the motion proposes a singleoccupancy tiny-homes or safe camping sites on a property owned by Culver City for a joint LA-Culver City program and at an undetermined location at LAX. The motion also would instruct the City Housing Authority to work with Council District 11 and willing property owners to enter into master lease agreements for hotel rooms

or apartment units to be used for homeless housing. The motion is currently pending in the City Council Homelessness and Poverty Committee. At their meeting Wednesday, April 14, the BCC voted unanimously to oppose the motion as an official position. “the use of shared, public recreational spaces are a benefit and resource for the entire community of Los Angeles, and, California beaches, in particular, hold a unique and valued place in the hearts and minds of residents and visitors from throughout the world, and the California Coastal Commission is clear the public should have unfettered access to utilize every portion of these recreational properties,” reads the

BCC motion. In their motion, the BCC states that they support using private property for shelters, though did not take a position on the Del Rey location in Bonin’s proposal, which is located on private land. “The Motion proposes a homeless safe camping site located in Del Rey on private property which is supported by the Del Rey Neighborhood Council, thus the BCC defers to the local council on this issue,” reads the BCC motion. The motion goes on to list amendments the BCC is requesting to Bonin’s proposal: 1. Remove all public recreational space from the Motion, including deedrestricted City parks; 2. Instruct the CAO to include a study of the City’s Industrial Element and

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industrially zoned areas for alternative locations and include the results of Councilmember Raman’s (Council File 21-0063) study of municipal property in the final recommendation report for this Motion; 3. Request U.S. District Judge David O. Carter to direct that any homeless shelter opened in CD11 be restricted to homeless persons who were registered in the Coordinated Entry System as living within CD11 during the 2019 Annual Homeless Count or who can show a connection to CD11, such as birthplace, prior school, work, or home address, or receipt of any public benefits, or relatives currently living in CD11.

2 | April 23 – May 21, 2021

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Homeless Man Arrested for Murder at Encampment Next to West Los Angeles VA 51-year-old man dead following April incident By Sam Catanzaro A man has been arrested for murder following an altercation at the homeless encampment next to the West Los Angeles VA in April that left one dead and another injured. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide division, the incident occurred Sunday, April 4 around 12:05 a.m., on the 11600 block of San Vicente Boulevard, at the encampment occupying federal land adjacent to Brentwood. The suspect, 34-year-old Pedro Flores, and the victims were involved in a verbal argument prior to the incident, according to the LASD. “The suspect then got into his vehicle and deliberately used his vehicle to assault both victims, leaving one of them dead,” LASD said. “During the course of the incident, one of the victims was dragged for over 200 yards and sustained fatal injuries.”

The deceased victim was a 51-year-old white man. The other victim, a 36-year-old Hispanic man, was transported to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers located the suspect Flores in his vehicle a few blocks away, initiated a pursuit and a short time later took him into custody. He was booked for murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Flores is being held on a $2 million bail and will appear in court Tuesday. The LASD said in a press release that “the suspect and victims are all transients that live at the Federal Enclave adjacent to the Veterans Administration at the location.” There is no additional information available at this time, the LASD said. According to the Brentwood Community Council (BCC), if the death is determined to be a homicide it would be the first in Brentwood in recent memory. “This episode crystalizes the BCC’s longstanding position that allowing the homeless encampment to remain in place is neither a safe nor humane solution to the problem of homelessness in our community. Over the next several weeks we will release additional information on BCC’s efforts

A police officer at the scene of a murder scene April 4.

to force our political leaders to resolve this crisis,” the BCC wrote in an email newsletter following the incident. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. If you

Photo: Citizen App

prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone

by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

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April 23 – May 21, 2021 | 3

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American Jewish University Seeks Partner to Share its Bel Air Campus American Jewish University is looking for a partner to share portions of its Mulholland Drive campus.

American Jewish University (AJU) announced March 25 it has begun an exploratory process to seek a strategic partner to make use of underutilized portions of the Sunny & Isadore Familian Campus in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. AJU’s Board of Directors will consider a wide range of potential partners and models in which currently underutilized segments of the campus will be shared with a strategic partner that aligns with AJU in mission and values. A wide range of compatible institutions will be considered as part of the process, including universities, schools, and nonprofit organizations. The parcel of land—located at 15600 Mulholland Drive Los Angeles, CA 90077—is in the heart of Los Angeles near other higher education institutions including the University of California, Los Angeles. In a statement released March 25, AJU President Dr. Jeffrey Herbst said: “Over the last eight decades, American Jewish University has evolved to meet the needs of the Jewish community. In that tradition, during the past year, the University has made a range of important strategic decisions to both navigate the pandemic and effectively position AJU for the future long after this crisis recedes.

As we look to a post-COVID future, AJU envisions a range of educational offerings that draw on online and in- person instruction at our Familian Campus in Los Angeles and BrandeisBardin Campus in Simi Valley. The Board of Directors believes that it is important to explore whether we could better allocate resources to serve our mission, as we continue to invest in our educational programs and grow our digital capabilities. AJU is at the beginning of this exploration and no decisions have been made. The review will not include the Brandeis- Bardin Campus in Simi Valley, home of the renowned Brandeis Collegiate Institute and the much-loved Camp Alonim. During this challenging year, AJU has made significant investments in new capabilities. We launched B’Yachad/Together: Spirited by AJU, now a leading digital platform for conversations centered on Jewish wisdom. We developed robust online learning options for our Schools of Enterprise Management and Social Impact and Education and have worked to provide new learning opportunities for our students at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. With one of the largest gifts the University has ever received, we created the Maas Center for Jewish Journeys, which champions those too-often relegated to the periphery of Jewish life. Over the past year, we have seen the profound and wide-ranging ways that AJU is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of the 21st Century Jewish community. We look forward to continuing our work to advance Jewish wisdom and elevate Jewish life across North America.” Institutions interested in learning more about this opportunity can contact Adrian Breitfeld, Vice President for Finance and Administration, at adrian.breitfeld@aju.edu

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April 23 – May 21, 2021 | 5

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Canter’s Deli Opens Near Brentwood Iconic LA restaurant comes to Santa Monica and Bundy By Kerry Slater Landmark restaurant and bakery Canter’s Deli has opened a location on Bundy near Brentwood. As reported by Toddickallen, Canter’s Deli is open at 2109 Santa Monica Boulevard (near Bundy) on the second story of the strip mall. According to their online order portal, the restaurant is up and running from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Since 1931, Canter’s has been serving up some of LA’s finest deli cuisine. Voted in the past as the best pastrami by the LA Times and LA Weekly, Canter’s is a culinary landmark lovingly managed by the third- and fourth-generations of the Canter

family. The restaurant first opened in Boyle Heights, and later moved to the Fairfax District where it has become a landmark. “Whether it’s the freshly-baked breads, or the famous house-made pickles, Canter’s always goes the extra mile to provide the authentic, traditional Jewish deli experience, which helped grow the restaurant from a small storefront to the massive operation that it is today. As inviting as its food, Canter’s is also known for its welcoming ambiance, a perfect blend of contemporary comfort with the nostalgic charm of its stylish 1950’s decor. Canter’s continues to stand out as a unique dining experience that transports patrons back to the golden age of delis,” reads their website. According to the restaurant, over the years Canter’s has sold over: 2 Million Pounds of Lox, 10 Million Pounds of Corned Beef, 7 Million Pounds of Pastrami, 10 Million Matzo Balls and 24 Million Bowls of Chicken Soup.

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A 22-POINT PLAN TO DEAL WITH LA’s HOMELESSNESS SITUATION Founding Publisher People are freaking out about the homelessness issue – and with good reason. The sidewalk camps are everywhere, trash abounds, the public health risks are real. Many homeless individuals suffer huge mental health issues, are addicted to drugs or alcohol and have been known to become violent, harass pedestrians or start fires. Our homeless brothers and sisters are in a trap. Let’s help them escape. We tried when taxpayers passed Propositions HHH and HH – money for housing and “wraparound” services – mental healthcare, etc. But what have the city and county done with the money? Here it is, years later, and fewer than 500 housing units have been built. Many of these units are projected to cost $500K or more. Meanwhile, the homeless population continues to grow and overwhelm our sidewalks and other public places. Politicians seem reluctant to provide decent temporary shelter as we wait for the promised permanent structures to get built. But, given the cost of these permanent housing units, they will barely make a difference even when they do get built. At one time, it seemed like the promise of HHH and HH was that we’d fix LA’s homeless problem. Soon enough, people started saying maybe only 10,000 units would be built with Prop HHH money; now some who are close to this situation are saying, with rising costs, the real number might be closer to 5,000 units. But we have over 50,000 homeless individuals in LA County. So, even in a bestcase scenario, we’re talking about providing housing to maybe 20% of the number of people we need to shelter, and the real number might end up closer to 10%. Under current plans, we will barely scratch the surface of the humanitarian crisis we see all around us – and that continues to grow. Far more emphasis needs to be put on temporary shelter. If we build affordable shelter – tent villages, tiny homes, mobile home villages, housing units built out of shipping containers – far more homeless individuals can be housed – and quickly. As is clear by now, the money isn’t limitless. The tradeoff is this: Is it better to house 5,00010,000 homeless individuals in really nice housing in coming years – or 50,000 homeless in less nice (but adequate) housing in the next two or three years? One video I watched recently shows a young woman offering an explanation for why our elected officials favor these big permanent housing projects that cost so much and take forever to build (over temporary shelters that could get our homeless brothers and sisters off the streets right away). Developers and construction unions, this young lady explained, make campaign

Photo: VA Greater LA Healthcare System

The VA “safe camping” parking lot.

contributions to candidates and elected officials who favor building big structures. These big projects provide profits to developers and jobs to construction union workers, who reward our elected officials with additional campaign contributions in order to perpetuate this payto-play system. This theory might explain a lot, because so little else makes sense. Once in a while, the city cleans up an area, as happened recently in Echo Park – but that’s just reshuffling things. Homeless individuals move to another part of town and the misery begins anew. That’s not a solution. I hear people in high places say the homeless have civil rights and therefore we can’t or shouldn’t intervene. If they want to live on the sidewalks, we should let them, according to this line of reasoning. But what about the civil rights of everyday citizens who pay the taxes that pay for city and county services – and the salaries of our elected officials? Don’t these citizens have a right to live in a safe, clean community? Shouldn’t they be able to count on those who serve in government to actually solve the homelessness problem? When just about every approach taken has failed utterly and miserably – for decades on end – it’s time to try something new. The following 22-point proposal could, I believe, make a real impact. Some might find the following proposals “mean,” or “cruel.” In my opinion, our current policy is the cruelest policy of all, because nothing meaningful ever changes. People are dying out there and that will likely continue for years to come. Here goes: 1) First, let’s appoint a homelessness “czar” empowered to cut through all the red tape, reduce regulatory barriers and quickly approve projects (including assembling tiny homes, erecting tent villages, building big buildings). Our new czar needs the authority to steer funding and other resources (healthcare,

mental healthcare, security, food, sanitation, etc.) where needed. 2) We need a very no-nonsense, take-charge individual, maybe a former military or FEMA official. Andy Bales of Skid Row’s Union Rescue Mission would make a good candidate. He knows what works, and what doesn’t, when it comes to dealing with homeless individuals. Our new czar should report to federal Judge Carter until this plan, which could take threeto-five years to implement, is completed. Judge Carter understands the urgency of this situation in ways our elected officials don’t. If the city wants to appoint a czar, maybe that could work, but it’s hard to understand why the appointment of a czar didn’t occur years ago. The city seems peculiarly inept when it comes to grappling with the issue of homelessness. 3) In Phase One, we should build, on the outskirts of town, in big open areas, tent villages big enough to handle 100 individuals here, 100 individuals there. Maybe ten small villages of 100 each could surround a central gathering place that could accommodate 1,000 individuals, total. It should take no more than 60 days to assemble one of these villages and they should cost very little to build. All kinds of creative housing ideas would be welcome – tiny homes, homes built out of shipping containers, homes built out of bamboo and thatch roofs, centralized bathrooms serving a village – anything that will result in quick and affordable housing. It’s possible many homeless individuals don’t even want a fancy housing unit that costs half a million. Done right, homeless individuals might like our new villages. 4) We should build spaces for 25,000 individuals within the next year and then be prepared to double this number, if needed, the following year. Private landholders who make their properties available to shelter the homeless should pay no property tax while the property remains in use sheltering the homeless. All unused city and county land EXCEPT sidewalks, public parks and beaches

would be made available for these villages. Beaches and parks should be kept open for the public and LA’s tourists. 5) Those in charge of our new tent villages will provide food, shelter, water, clothing, bathrooms, sanitation, showers, medical care, mental health care, dental care, spiritual counseling, security, job training, educational opportunities, a central community center, a storage area, access to wi-fi, etc. These camps should be welcoming, positive places that offer hope for a new beginning. 6) Faith-based organizations, high school and college students and others from all across the region can help build the villages and conduct food drives. We can all get involved. A church in Brentwood conducts an annual event in Mexico in which a house is built in one weekend for a poor family. Church members ride a bus down to Mexico and back. Why can’t we do the same closer to home? 7) We should start on a voluntary basis. We want the word to get out among the homeless living on the streets that these new camps are a good thing. Existing communities of homeless – for example, those who currently live and sleep together below the same bridge – should be allowed to stay together in one of our new camps. These villages aren’t “jails” or places to push the problem “out of site, out of mind” – they are “come in from the streets and regain your sanity” outposts whose goal is to prepare as many as possible to go back out into the world as productive citizens – as soon as possible. 8) Upon arrival into one of our new villages, individuals will be assessed. Those who are seriously mentally ill will be sent to a village location equipped to handle such situations. Those who are currently in a drug- or alcoholinduced fog will be weaned from substance abuse in special camps dedicated to this purpose. This is a key reason shelters in our

HOMELESSNESS, see page 8

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HOMELESSNESS, From page 8 neighborhoods or on our beaches won’t work – homeless individuals with addiction issues would still have easy access to drugs and alcohol. We need to separate them from the temptation – and get them into rehab. 9) Before moving into one of our recovery villages, each homeless person who wants one will be provided one big plastic trash bin on wheels for his or her possessions. Whatever possessions the individual can fit into that trash bin can be taken to the new location. Whatever doesn’t fit will get tossed. Upon arrival, these bins must be inspected for any contraband and weapons or dangerous objects, which will be confiscated. 10) In addition to counseling and rehab, homeless individuals in our camps will be provided job training, with a job guaranteed upon “graduation.” Those who would have a hard time fitting into a normal work environment – but capable of doing something productive – can be given jobs filling potholes, cleaning up street trash, feeding other homeless individuals, fixing cracked sidewalks, sorting recyclables, clearing brush in fire-prone areas, building temporary shelters for their fellow homeless. A job provides dignity and purpose – something many of our homeless brothers and sisters desperately need. 11) Those homeless who have jobs (or who can enter the workforce now) will be placed in shelters within the city, close to public transportation and jobs. Those who hire the homeless get a tax break for up to two years. As these individuals get back on their feet and leave the city shelters, other homeless individuals still in the outer areas will take their places within the city. It’s a pipeline we’re building.

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12) In Phase Two, we tackle the more difficult situation – the “service resistant” (individuals who, even if offered housing, would prefer to stay on the streets). As shelter becomes available, we will offer it to them. It’s hard to tell someone he or she can’t sleep on the street if there’s no place to go. But with our new camps, there will be a place to go. If homeless individuals still refuse shelter, then police – with a social worker’s help – will be authorized to remove these individuals from the streets and transport those individuals into one of our new villages. 13) Every homeless person who checks himself or herself in (or is checked in by authorities) will be registered so others looking for them can find them. Camps will have public phones and access to Zoomlike calls. Social workers can help the newly sheltered find family members or others who might want to know. 14) We should set a goal of getting ALL homeless off the streets and into one of our villages within two years. We will keep building villages till every homeless person is housed in a safe place with all the needed services. As many formerly homeless individuals as possible should help staff these facilities. 15) Meanwhile, the city and developers should continue to build more permanent housing. The city should ask for bids from contractors willing to build homes (or units) for $10K or less, from $10K to $50K per unit, and from $50K to $100K per unit. There should be a cap on expenditures of $100K per unit. 16) If we limit spending to $10K per unit for our temporary housing units – and we provide shelter for 50,000 homeless individuals – that’s half a billion dollars, a little less than half the money provided by Proposition HHH.

And that’s just for building our temporary villages. We need to provide all the services, too. 17) Projects already approved should be completed. This is a reasonable compromise with Judge Carter, whose recent order to shift resources from permanent to temporary housing is sure to invite legal challenges and possible delays building housing. That’s only fair to contractors who played by the rules when submitting their plans. As we go forward from here, we should s offer financial incentives to those capable of building temporary and permanent housing quickly and inexpensively. 18) Clearly HHH and HH won’t cover the entire cost of building villages, permanent housing and providing all the needed services. If more money needs to be raised, we should start talking about that now. If our officials and developers can’t figure out how to reduce costs and build housing faster, more taxpayer money should not be approved; we should focus on maintaining our new villages, instead. If those in charge can come up with a plan that looks like it might work, I’m guessing corporations, philanthropies and wealthy individuals will gladly climb on board, effectively reducing the net cost of this program. 19) In Phase Three, things get tougher. By this time, most homeless now have some form of housing and more and more will start their reintegration into society. But we must face the hard reality that quite a few mentally ill homeless individuals represent a danger to themselves and others – and they will likely never get better. We must pledge to do our best to keep these individuals as happy, safe and as well cared-for as possible – but they shouldn’t be allowed to return to the streets. 20) The camps are intended to be temporary, but clearly we’ll need them for at least several

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years. If and when the camps are no longer needed, we’ll take them down. If our city and county officials can’t figure out how to build permanent housing in a timely and costeffective manner, we will at least have our villages in place. That’s a lot better than letting homeless individuals sleep on the sidewalks indefinitely. 21) If there is anything in this plan that might be interpreted as illegal, the city and county (or pro bono legal volunteers working on behalf of citizens) should assign several of their best legal minds to work on figuring out how to make this all legal, proposing and passing new laws, if necessary. 22) Voters need to assert their influence. If a majority of voters makes clear it will only support candidates truly willing to tackle the issue of homelessness, either the politicians will come around or they will be voted out of office. Let’s identify candidates who are willing to embrace a new – and long overdue – approach. Let’s make homelessness the single issue we all focus on until we’ve solved it. Anticipating some will be repelled by this plan, I ask: Have you got a better plan that actually gets homeless individuals off the streets in a timely and cost-effective manner? If so, the rest of us are all ears. Tell us how you would do it. But please don’t reject this plan because it sounds harsh and will require courage. That’s where we’ve been for decades now. Surely we don’t want to be having this same conversation decades from now. This 22-point plan will make the city a happier, safer place for everybody – including the homeless. We shouldn’t feel guilty if we proceed with this program. We should feel guilty if we don’t. Agree? Disagree? Send me an email with your proposal: jeffhall@mirrormediagroupla.com.

Brentwood Weekly Crime Report April 13, 2021 – April 19, 2021

From West LA Senior Lead Officer Matthew Kirk Among recent Brentwood crimes include the theft of a 1984 Porsche 911 from the street and the burglary of an apartment after a suspect was buzzed into the building through the intercom. Burglary April 24, 5:30 p.m. – April 15 5:30 a.m., 11300 Block of Waterford Street: Suspect(s) entered property through side gate. Once inside the yard the suspect(s) entered home through open construction area and then entered garage. Suspects(s) then open garage door and loaded new kitchen appliances into pickup truck and fled location. April 13, 4 a.m., 700 Block of Bundy Drive: Suspect entered front lobby of apartment building by being buzzed in by intercom. Once inside the suspect was seen entering the parking garage at which time he pried open garage storage unit and took property. Suspect fled outside garage door with property. Suspect

was a male possibly Hispanic in his 30’s wearing a grey baseball cap, grey shorts and grey shirt. He also had a mustache and goatee. All the suspects actions were on security cameras at location. Property taken was photo lighting equipment. April 14, 4 p.m. – April 15 7:30 a.m., 11300 Block of Denair Street: Suspect(s) pried open basement door and removed property. Property taken was tools and a computer GTA (Grand Theft Auto) April 7, 5 p.m. – April 15 3 a.m., 12200 Block of Falkirk Lane: Vehicle taken was a 1984 Porsche 911 from the street. April 16, 1 a.m. – 8 a.m., 11900 Block of Darlington Avenue: Vehicle taken was a 2018 Mazda CX-5 from multi-unit parking garage. I just want to remind everyone that if some call or e-mails stating that you need to send money or gift cards most likely it’s a scam. If they say they are from a reputable company contact the company with a phone number that you acquire and check that way. Sometimes these suspects can be very convincing but never just hand over money, gift cards or any personal information. If you are going to sell an item on the internet and meet in person make sure you have someone else with you

and make the transaction in a public location. Many people meet in front of police station to make the transaction and advise the buyer of the location prior to meeting. Also, when you are shopping, please keep your purse on your person and not left in the shopping cart. Thieves will many times work in pairs to distract the victim while the other suspect

takes the purse. If you feel it is necessary to keep your purse in the shopping cart have it zipped up and place it in the bottom. Thanks, Matthew Kirk Senior Lead Officer Basic Car 8A13 Brentwood Area

1984 Porsche 911 Carrera, similar to one stolen in Brentwood recently.

Photo: Flickr (@micsworld)

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LA City Council Looks at Plan to Limit Use of Wood-Based Construction By Toi Creel Los Angeles City Council voted recently to take a look at a proposal to lessen the use of wood-frame construction in certain neighborhoods. As reported by UrbanizeLA, recommendations for the report came from the Council’s Public Safety Committee. The goal of the ordinance is to lessen the City’s wildfires, taking away a highly flammable element of construction. The proposal suggests expanding the area known as Fire District 1 as defined by the California Department of Forestry’s Very High Severity Zone and the City’s High Wind Velocity Zone. Fire District 1 is made up of commercial hubs and neighborhoods with predominantly older buildings in areas like Century City and Downtown. This would also include hilly neighborhoods like the Pacific Palisades and Echo Park. The proposed ordinance would impact construction projects with 100,000 square feet of floor area for a building over 30 feet in height or populated neighborhoods with a minimum of 5,000 residents per square mile. These numbers would be adjusted every

decade reflecting U.S. Census data. The proposal was initiated by Councilmembers Bob Blumenfield and Monica Rodriguez, with backing by organization Build with Strength. The group is made up of a mix of housing advocates, including architects and labor unions, working to limit the usage of combustible construction materials in Los Angeles and across the state. “We fully support the City Council’s efforts to strengthen building practices in our city,” wrote Ron Miller, Executive Secretary of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council in a March press release. “We represent the skilled men and women who build LA. We see firsthand how important safety is. This ordinance will have a huge impact on many communities across the city, and I encourage the City Council to act swiftly and give all residents access to safer and more resilient housing.” Despite the support from council members and others in the community, the report does have critics. According to UrbanizeLA, architect Simon Ha with Steinberg Hart wrote a letter to the city citing a list of reasons against the project.

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Ha claims it goes against increasing affordable housing in the city and adds unnecessary costs. “The incremental cost increase is about 5 to 10 percent from Type V to Type III, so if you were building on Sunset Boulevard at the border of West Hollywood and the City of L.A., it would

cost 5 to 10 percent more to build in L.A. than in West Hollywood.” Council will not yet put an ordinance into writing, but instead will ask Staff to conduct more research and develop an additional report.

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April 23 – May 21, 2021 | 11

Brentwood Getting New Wine Shop? Local real estate agent looking to open Brentwood Fine Wines By Toi Creel

A Brentwood local is looking to open a fine wine shop in Brentwood. Smith Cho, under company name The Menacing Beagle, has applied for a permit for a liquor license to open Brentwood Fine Wines in San Vicente Plaza. Located in what used to be Moe’s Fine Wines, at 11740 San Vicente Blvd Suite 11, Cho says she plans for a wine and liquor shop to offer premium quality alcohol selections from all over the world. “Brentwood Fine Wines was chosen because Brentwood and the surrounding area (Pacific Palisades) is desperately in need of its own wine shop,” Cho told Brentwood News. “The Brentwood community (and by proxy, Palisades) deserves a proper wine shop. A place for you to pop into on your way to a dinner party, a local place for residents to gather for tastings and to feel like they have their own wine+spirits shop that caters to them and for them.” While Cho originally has a background in real estate, she said she plans to employ her own love of wine to help guide her decisionmaking. She also has help in the form of her partners, whom have years of experience in

the industry. “There will be local deliveries and curbside pickup to make it convenient too. We will be able to assist with stocking their cellars from all over the world. [We also want to] help arrange and coordinate wine for private dinners and parties. There are many tiers of households right here in Brentwood and Palisades and

everyone should be able to choose from either end of the spectrum and expect an excellent product curated for them,” Cho said. As far as what visitors can expect from inside the wine shop, Cho says she wants to provide a relaxed and airy feel. She plans to offer wines from worldwide and local vineyards, but also natural and organic wines, tequilas, scotches,

whiskeys, vodkas, gins. Brentwood Fine

Wines will also offer “tastings for varietals/ vineyards/regions, as well as liquor tastings,” with staff on hand to guide and assist visitors.

Cho expects the shop to open in early

summer 2021.

Food Review: Griddle Cake Perfection Arrives in Santa Monica Breakfast by Salt’s Cure lands on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica By Kerry Slater

A new breakfast spot on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica serves up griddle cakes that even a self-professed pancake-hater can’t help but love. Popular West Hollywood restaurant Breakfast by Salt’s Cure opened at 714 Montana Avenue last month, the small space on the south side of the street was formerly home to Italian restaurant Osteria Bigoli that closed at the beginning of the pandemic. In a bold move, the restaurant has opened up just feet away from Marmalade, another breakfast spot. Breakfast by Salt’s Cure was born 2017 when Chef Chris Phelps opened meat-centric West restaurant Salt’s Cure in WeHo before relocating to Hollywood on Highland Avenue in 2015. He says early on the restaurant’s griddle cakes on the brunch menu had become

one of the most popular items which led to the opening of Breakfast by Salt’s Cure. The menu is straightforward at Breakfast by Salt’s Cure: a handful of griddle cake varieties, eggs, breakfast meats, some greenery, a sandwich and beverages. For a brunch this week, I ordered the OG griddle cakes (served with cinnamon butter) and a side of softscrambled eggs and waited outside at a table for my food. Five-minutes later, breakfast had been served and darn it looked good, and I soon found out it tasted just as good. I started with the soft-scrambled eggs, since cold eggs are an abomination. While the restaurant specializes in griddle cakes, these soft-scrambled eggs were a work of culinary art. Rich, warm, creamy yet not runny, I ate the eggs in under a minute and got to dig into the stack of griddle cakes while they were still piping hot. Here is where I should probably announce that I normally do not like pancakes, griddle cakes or waffles. In most cases I find without heaps up butter and syrup they taste like nothing. Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, however, serves up griddle cakes that had me wanting more. The outside is crispy and caramelized. The inside is moist and flavorful. Each

griddle cake is pretty thin but these, in my opinion, are meant to be eaten as a stack as opposed to individually. The taste itself is balanced between sweet (thanks to the batter and powdered sugar), savory (thanks to the cinnamon butter) and slightly bitter (thanks to the use of oatmeal in the mix). One thing missing from this description is syrup. As the restaurant writes on its website, however, these griddle cakes do not need it, a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with. “Sorry not sorry, but at Breakfast by Salt’s Cure we do not offer syrup with our Griddle Cakes. Why? You don’t need it. The batter itself has the perfect amount of sweetness you seek, and when topped with our Sea Salt Butter and a padding of powdered sugar, you are good to go. Next question,” they write. The total cost of my breakfast with tip and tax with $14, which may seem steep for just pancakes and eggs. Given that Breakfast by Salt’s Cure is on the posh Montana Avenue and also serves up some elite griddle cakes, however, this is a justifiable price in my opinion. So how do I rate the meal? Earlier this year, when reviewing the The OMG sandwich from Heroic Italian in Santa Monica, I wrote “When gauging a restaurant’s rating, I like to tend to

Photo: Kerry Slater

OG griddle cakes and soft-scrambled eggs from Breakfast by Salt’s Cure.

reserve ratings of 8 and above for places that I would take a friend from out of town to.” The griddle cakes from Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, perfectly-cooked eggs, combined with the fact that it’s within walking distance of my home makes this restaurant definitely worth taking a visiting friend to. Or just myself, as I will surely be returning again. Taste: 8.6/10 Quality: 8/10 Value: 7.5/10 Overall: 8/10

12 | April 23 – May 21, 2021

Brentwood News

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HOME and GARDEN Free and Sustainable Trees for Your Yard City Plants and California Native Plant Society making a greener Los Angeles BY C HAD W INTHROP Two programs are helping make Los Angeles greener, more sustainable and shadier by facilitating the planting of trees on private property. First up is City Plants, a non-profit organization running a public-private partnership between the City of Los Angeles and six other non-profit organizations. “Together, we work with community groups, residents, and businesses to coordinate tree planting and care throughout Los Angeles,” the organization writes on their website. City Plants is a continuation of LA’s former tree planting program, Million Trees LA. “Our current name reflects our changing priorities, which are to focus our efforts in low canopy areas and to plant in a way that maximizes the benefits trees provide rather than on reaching a specific number of trees,” City Plants said. Among other initiatives, the organization plants and distributes around 20,000 trees a year, including free shade trees to plant in yards on private property and in parkways. “If you live in the City of Los Angeles, you can receive free trees to plant in your yard! Planting trees in your yard is an easy way to save energy and cool your home. We’ll supply you with up to seven free, water-efficient shade trees and deliver them straight to your door, along with stakes, ties, and fertilizer pellets to get your trees started off right,” City Plants says. There are two ways to get trees through this program, the first is free shade trees delivered straight to your door. Choose from over 30 different water-efficient species, and City Trees will deliver 5-gallon sized trees to your home with stakes, ties and fertilizer pellets. All you have to do is plant and care for them. There is a 7 tree limit per household. All yard trees come in a 5-gallon container and are between 3 – 5 feet tall. Trees are delivered approximately in 8-10 weeks. In addition, for those who do not want to wait, City Plants Collaborative offers limited free fruit and shade tree “virtual adoptions” to bring trees straight to Angelenos. So who can take part? You must be a resident of the City of Los Angeles and present a photo ID or LADWP bill to prove eligibility. Visit

CityPlants.org for more information on the program. So why should LA Residents take part in this program? “We cannot take our trees for granted. We must plant now to ensure a green future for our kids and grandkids. We are losing trees at a time when we need them the most. We expect our City to get hotter in the coming decades, and trees are key to cooling our homes, streets, and schools. We must plant aggressively now to ensure that as temperatures rise, our City is equipped with a cooling canopy of healthy, mature trees,” City Plants says. People who do not live in the City of Los Angeles who can’t access the free trees that are part of City Plants can still feel good about planting trees in yards. The California Native Plant Society, a collaboration between UC Berkeley and the Jepson Flora Project offers a resource that displays nurseries in the state that specialize in native plants. “True native plants are the foundation for nature restoration. They attract butterflies, birds, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals,

City Plants, see page B-4

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How to Heal the Soil and Why. We all know how important the vital role the soil plays in your plants’ health, trees, and eventually the Earth’s health. We take for granted the soil that lies beneath our feet. For a while now, humankind has been dumping chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc., into the soil, air, water, ocean. These all kill off the microbial life that lives within the soil. The microbial army whose home is the soil. A long time ago, when I first started gardening in my backyard, I realized right away how alive the soil was. Earthworms everywhere, and many things were moving around! Looking under a microscope, I discovered a fascinating hidden world. I call them Earth Warriors. They are the real Invisible Gardeners. It didn’t take me long to realize what my calling was! To help these tiny beings in their work of healing the soil! Why is healing the soil so important? All life depends on the Earth having living soil. The soil provides everyone else the minerals they need to be alive, stay alive, and be healthy. The soil microbes are grouped according to their functions. The ones I am talking about are the ones that take the minerals in the soil and convert it into a soluble nutritional form that the plants can use. This is one grouped of mycelium. These guys then pass this food along to another grouped of mycelium that

lives on the plants’ root hairs, trees, etc. These have evolved to attach themselves to the roots and then transfer directly into the trees. The plant then transfers the food to all its parts. Like when we eat, the body has a system of making sure all aspects of our body receive the proper nutrition. The central part of this food is minerals. But we cannot digest minerals straight, so the microbes and plants do that. I often tell folks that all diseases start in the soil. They are already there, waiting for the right time to emerge. When is it the right time? The higher the stress, the greater the pest. The stress can come about through many things indirectly, like overwatering. Too much water floods the soil and drowns the microbes. So the water is an indirect cause, but the real reason is that the soil no longer has these beneficial microbes to provide food to the plants. All diseases and pests attacks are directly related to a trace mineral deficiency. The health of the soil directly affects the plants’ health and their ability to absorb the minerals. We can help heal the soil by avoiding chemicals, especially chemical fertilizers. Use only organic fertilizers best if they carry their mycorrhiza. Learn to apply rock dust as a source of minerals. Find a source of living compost rich in microbes. For more information, please visit InvisibleGardener.com Any questions visit my website and use the contact form. Mention this paper and I will answer back in next column

Andy Lopez Heal the Earth, and you Heal Yourself

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B-4 City Plants, from B-1 bees and other pollinators that evolved with those plants, and over time create a working natural ecosystem, without pesticides, and without artificial fertilizers. The butterfly and bird life in particular in a true natural garden is often spectacular. With the right plants, it’s not hard for homeowners to create small patches of nature throughout even the developed part of the state,” California Native Plant Society writes on their website. California is an extremely environmentally diverse state. According to the California Native Plant Society, different California native plants evolved to grow in areas of the state with very different temperatures, rainfall levels, summer drought periods, air moisture levels, and marine influences, among other factors. “It’s always best to grow California native plants in the areas in which they evolved. They are easier to grow, healthier and require little or no artificial irrigation when they are planted in an area in which they evolved and naturally belong. Native California plants that aren’t really native to that location will often struggle or die no matter how much you water them,” California Native Plant Society writes. “For successful native plant landscaping and nature restoration, it’s important to grow plants that are native to your location AND placed in spots with the right soil, sun and water conditions. Before you finalize which native plants to grow and exactly where to place them, please review the Calscape plant descriptions to make you place them in spots with the conditions they require.” Visit calscape.org for more information.

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Family vacations are a great way to bond and take a step back from the hectic schedules that accompany everyday life, but sometimes time or money (or both) make planning an elaborate trip a non-starter. However, a staycation - a vacation you take right in your hometown (or nearby) - can be much less expensive and fit into nearly any amount of available time with the added bonus of skipping out on potentially stressful travel. Consider these staycation ideas to take advantage of your local area’s attractions and prove you don’t have to go far to spend quality time together. Visit local landmarks. Just because it’s not a traditional vacation doesn’t mean you can’t pretend to be tourists. Start by visiting the places you recommend to friends and family from out of town or pick up a city guidebook to uncover hidden spots you may not even know exist. Make a plan to seek out historic

Photo: Getty

Staycation, see page B-7

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B -7 Staycation, from B-5 sites, visit local landmarks like museums or try an out-of-the-way restaurant (or two) you’ve never eaten at before. Camp out in the backyard. Camping doesn’t have to be done far from home. In fact, it can be done right in your own backyard. Pitch a tent

to sleep under the stars and plan a night full of traditional camping activities like roasting s’mores, telling spooky stories by flashlight and trying to identify stars and constellations. Set up a picnic in the park. Pack a basket with sandwiches, fruit and other treats and head to the park. You can enjoy a casual meal then take advantage of the open space for a family walk or game of tag before retreating to

the playground to let the little ones expel any leftover energy. Have a home spa day. If you’re looking for some relaxation but don’t want to splurge on the full spa treatment, plan an at-home oasis instead. Light some candles, run a bubble bath and break out the facial masks and fingernail polish. Visit an amusement park. No matter where

you live, there’s probably an amusement or water park within driving distance. A quick online search before you arrive can help prepare a strategy for hitting the most popular thrill rides and waterslides while skipping those that may not provide quite the same entertainment value. Find more tips and tricks for enjoying family time together at eLivingtoday.com.

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