Brentwood News / Century City - Westwood News: Aug 2025

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Brentwood Weekly Crime Report: August 16, 2025 – August 24, 2025

Quiet Week in Brentwood, But Thieves Target Homes, Bikes, and Stores

Brentwood saw a relatively quiet week for major offenses, with no reports of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, vehicle burglaries, or auto thefts, according to Senior Lead Officer Matthew Kirk’s data. However, several burglaries and thefts were documented.

Burglary

• Aug. 21, 2025 – 0200 block of Goshen Avenue

Police said suspects forced open a pedestrian door leading to an apartment garage before prying their way into the lobby and leasing office. A computer and office scanner were reported stolen.

Theft

• Aug. 17–19, 2025 – 11800 block of

Darlington Avenue

A resident reported leaving an Apple Watch on a poolside table inside an apartment complex. The watch was missing when they returned.

• Aug. 18, 2025 – 100 block of South Barrington Avenue

Two traffic cones placed in front of a residence were reportedly taken.

• Aug. 18, 2025 – 12000 block of Wilshire Boulevard

A shoplifting case was reported at a grocery store after a suspect concealed bottles of alcohol in a backpack and left without paying.

• Aug. 22, 2025 – 11700 block of Darlington Avenue

A locked bicycle was stolen from an apartment parking garage between 4 a.m. and 11 a.m., authorities said.

No Reports Filed

• Assault with a Deadly Weapon: None

• Burglary from Motor Vehicle / Theft from Motor Vehicle: None

• Grand Theft Auto: None

• Robbery: None

Brentwood’s San Vicente Medians Set for Makeover With Drought-Tolerant Landscaping

Residents Can Weigh In on Plant Choices Through an Online Survey

Plans are moving forward to upgrade San Vicente Boulevard’s medians between Montana and Darlington avenues, with funding secured through a $1.24 million state grant arranged by Sen. Ben Allen.

The San Vicente Median Greening Project will replace outdated irrigation with high-efficiency systems and swap out high-water-use turf for drought-tolerant landscaping. City officials say the effort will both improve visual appeal and reduce water consumption.

You can make your voice heard by voting for the plants and flowers you think would best suit the median and make it more beautiful here. The survey will be open until September 5, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

At a recent community meeting, according to the South Brentwood

Residents Association, residents raised concerns about the scope of the work, noting that irrigation problems and gopher damage along other sections of the median remain unaddressed. Attendees also pressed for action on left-turn lanes at San Vicente and Darlington, a long-discussed traffic safety issue that has gained urgency following a pedestrian fatality.

Another point of debate involved the plan to replace aging Coral Trees with new Coral Trees, with some residents suggesting hardier species better suited to the area’s climate and traffic conditions. Others noted that the project does not

currently account for pedestrian crossings or walking paths on the median.

The project timeline calls for design development through 2025, bidding in mid-2026, and construction beginning in late 2026 and continuing into 2027.

To learn more about the San Vicente Median Greening Project, please contact the Office of Councilwoman Traci Park, Council District 11.

Michael Amster: Field DeputyBrentwood/West Los Angeles/Sawtelle

Email: michael.amster@lacity.org

Phone: (310) 568-8772

Former Ed Ruscha Brentwood Compound Lists

Reimagined Estate Hits Market

Sprawling 1.73Acre Corner Lot

Joins Two 1950s Ranch Homes

The onetime Los Angeles home of artist Ed Ruscha has been listed for $4.65 million, a 6,350-square-foot Brentwood residence created in the 1980s by joining two 1950s ranch houses, according to a 1994 Architectural Digest profile and public records.

Ruscha, whose “Ed Ruscha/Now Then” retrospective opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 2023 before traveling to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2024, and his wife, Danna, reworked the property by retaining a fireplace from the second structure and building a large great

room to connect the homes. The 1.73acre corner lot now functions as a small compound with a primary residence, a one-bedroom guesthouse with a porch, a meditation studio, and a treehouse.

Interior features include vaulted ceilings, oversized windows, skylights, hardwood floors, and four fireplaces. A primary suite opens through French doors to a poolside patio. Most rooms face landscaped cactus gardens, fountains, and a swimming pool.

Property records show the Ruschas sold the estate in 2002 for just under $2 million. Film and commercial producer Rhea Scott, founder of Little Minx, purchased it in 2011 for $2.5 million; her production credits include music videos for artists such as Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Lauryn Hill.

The current listing presents threebedroom suites along with a library, formal dining room, family and living rooms, and a large eat-in kitchen.

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Glorya Kaufman, Coral Trees, Austria, and

Mr. Charlie’s

I’ve got a lot to cover this month, so I’ll be bouncing around a bit.

To start, I’d like to say a few words about Glorya Kaufman, who died last month at 95.

Glorya, who lived in Mandeville Canyon for many years before moving to Bel-Air, was a real force for good. She made huge philanthropic gifts to UCLA, USC, and LA’s Music Center in support of world-class dance programs.

I remember, many years ago, the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce hosted a private party at the Brentwood Country Mart. It was on a Saturday night, and it was all set up like a barnyard gathering, with bales of hay all around. A dance floor was set up for square dancing.

Later in the evening, the music switched to jitterbug. Glorya Kaufman got out on the dance floor with her partner; everyone else moved to the sidelines to watch. It was a very highenergy, athletic performance – as

think maybe it’s time to stop working so hard to try and save the Coral Trees.

As everyone knows, they break and fall often. They aren’t native to LA and don’t do well with either too much – or too little – water. Getting the underground irrigation system just right has been an issue for decades.

So some new ideas are being floated – planting new tree species to replace Coral Trees when they fall; replacing the green grass with native, droughtresistant plants; and installing winding walkways intended to make for a pleasant pedestrian experience.

Plans shown at the recent meeting envisioned the elimination of the twoway jogging paths in the median strip.

exciting as anything you’d ever see on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Glorya was married to Donald Bruce Kaufman, co-founder of Kaufman and Broad, a huge housing developer (KB Home). After her husband died in a plane crash, Glorya put up the money to build a new library on San Vicente. We know it today as the Donald Bruce Kaufman Branch Library. Glorya was a real treasure; she will be missed.

Speaking of San Vicente Blvd., a meeting was held recently at St. Martin of Tours to discuss some new plans for the San Vicente Median Strip. Many

These jogging paths run from Brentwood to the bluffs overlooking the ocean in Santa Monica. I hear the joggers aren’t happy with this idea, for obvious reasons. I’m sure this conversation is just getting started. Stay tuned.

I was invited to meet the people behind “Mr. Charlie’s,” a new, fully vegan fastfood place on 26th Street, about a block south of San Vicente. Mr. Charlie’s is the “Anti-McDonald’s,” with “Frownie Meals” instead of “Happy Meals.”

No meat products are served. The atmosphere is colorful and fun.

I was offered a “Not a Cheeseburger”

and some “Not Chicken Nuggets” –and you could have fooled me. Fries are, of course, made with potatoes, and they were as good as any you’d

find at McDonald’s. Mr. Charlie’s is expanding, and the proprietors seem confident their new store – right across from the Brentwood Country Mart –will do well. Welcome to Brentwood, Mr. Charlie’s.

Last but not least, Dr. Alexa Sekyra was recently honored at the home of the Los Angeles Austrian Consul General’s residence in Brentwood. Alexa, originally from Austria, is the head of the Scholars Program at The Getty Institute.

I know Alexa from some Getty

Scholars gatherings we mutually hosted. Alexa is in charge of the Getty Scholars program. Quite a few scholars from around the world stay at an apartment building on Sunset, close to Westgate, while working on their research projects. For a while there, several Brentwood residents hosted small gatherings of local residents and the Getty Scholars. I’m no art expert, but the gatherings were always fun and interesting. Unfortunately, COVID caused us to pause these get-togethers. Maybe it’s time to get them going again.

Anyone want to host a dinner for maybe 12 (six scholars, six Brentwood residents)? If yes, send me an email: jeffhall@mirrormediagroupla.com.

Oakley Founder Relists Beverly Hills Fortress for $65.995 Million

James Jannard’s Brutalist Mansion in Trousdale Estates For Sale

The brutalist estate built by Oakley founder James Jannard is back on the market, relisted at $65.995 million after a $3 million price cut.

Set on a 2-acre cliff in Trousdale Estates, the 18,000-square-foot residence combines raw brutalism with steampunk flourishes, softened by walls of glass framing sweeping views of Los Angeles.

Jannard enlisted the Dallas-based IDGroup to execute what he described as a “mad scientist” vision, as reported by Wallpaper Magazine, giving the architects wide latitude to create a singular statement home after buying the land for $19.9 million in 2009.

The result is an imposing compound that looks like a fortified castle with 96 concrete columns punctuated with exposed tie holes. Curtain glass walls run throughout, balancing the heavy

geometry with transparency and light for a truly impressive estate that is different from most in the Los Angeles area.

Inside, a cavernous great room showcases poured concrete walls, granite floors, and aluminum ceilings. Floor-to-ceiling glass panels are

built to be able to descend into the ground, opening to an infinity pool and panoramic city vistas.

The interiors blend stark architecture with industrial whimsy: a bar clad in bolted aluminum panels, all-metal fixtures scattered with unexplained knobs, and a bathtub designed to

resemble a hydraulic press, complete with an elvish inscription. A towering exhaust pipe crowns the fireplace, the centerpiece of the home’s eccentric, futuristic aesthetic.

The list is held by Aaron Kirman with Christie’s International Real Estate.

THE WATER

Court Orders Beverly Hills to Move Forward With 165-Unit Housing

Judge Rules

City Improperly Blocked Mixed-Use Development

Beverly Hills must move forward with a stalled 165-unit mixed-use housing project after a Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled the city improperly blocked the development, according to Californians for Homeownership, the nonprofit that brought the case.

The ruling marks the second legal defeat for Beverly Hills in as many years. In 2023, the same group, an affiliate of the California Association of Realtors, prevailed in a separate lawsuit over the city’s housing planning process.

At the center of the new case is a proposal for a 165-unit development on Linden Drive, just south of the city’s Golden Triangle. Thirty-three of the apartments would be reserved for lowincome households. The project is one of several so-called “builder’s remedy” applications submitted in Beverly Hills, where state law requires cities without compliant housing plans to allow certain

residential projects in commercial corridors.

“We are pleased with the court’s decision, and we are hopeful that it will lead to a settlement covering the remaining builder’s remedy projects in the city,” said Matthew Gelfand, the in-house litigator for the nonprofit.

“Beverly Hills should embrace these projects and work with the applicants to get these much-needed homes built.”

Rather than formally deny the project, Beverly Hills argued the developer’s application was incomplete, a tactic housing advocates say is increasingly used by local governments to sidestep state housing laws. The city also claimed some parts of the application had expired.

The court rejected those arguments, vacated the city’s decision, and ordered Beverly Hills to process the development as a builder’s remedy project in line with California law. A separate lawsuit filed by the developer resulted in a similar ruling.

Going for the throat

Coach Bill Schuman expects protégé Golda Zahra to hold back nothing

World famous competitors hire special coaches to make sure they are ready for critical events. These experts concentrate on specific muscles that are vital for success.

Bill Schuman focuses on “two pieces of gristle in the throat.”

That’s how Schuman described vocal cords in a recent interview. For his young client, Golda Zahra, they aren’t for chatting on her phone or making Tik-Tok videos. She will need them to be flexible and powerful for her performance in Puccini’s Turandot in Disney Hall on Aug. 16.

Zahra is playing the role of Liu in a concert version of the opera being presented by Pacific Music Festival. The cast also features Nina Warren in the title role, Alfred Kim as Calaf and Andrew Potter as Timur, plus the Opera Chorus of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Dream Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Suk. Schuman looks at Zahra’s voice as an instrument she plays, but which she can never put away. “She carries that Stradivarius around with her all day,” he said.

Nedra Zachary, who runs the prestigious Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition, introduced Zahra to Schuman, and he discovered, “Her voice was beautiful.”

But that’s just the beginning for an aspiring performer, according to Schuman, a vocal coach who’s worked with opera stars Marcello Giordani, Lisette Oropesa, Stephen Costello, Michael Fabiano and Angela Meade -- and also with singers from the worlds of Broadway and pop music, such as Judy McLane, Anne Crumb, Michael Jackson and Michael Bolton.

Did Zahra have the three essential qualities that he knows are the keys to success — humility, discipline, and curiosity? “Not everyone has the openness to learn,” he noted. As he began to work with her, he found that Zahra was willing to put in the work and make the necessary sacrifices.

“Bill cleaned up the rough edges,” Zahra said in an interview. “He has the magic touch.”

Schuman’s approach asks the singer to seek out the emotion in music and make each aria unique. For Turandot, he’s preparing her for a role that requires fragility as well as vocal beauty. “She will be stunning as Liu,” he asserted.

The story of Turandot’s first performance is as dramatic as the opera itself. Puccini was interested in Asian motifs – one of his most famous operas is Madame Butterfly –and he chose a play with a Chinese setting by German writer Friedrich Schiller to set

to music. “I have placed, in this opera, all my soul,” he told a friend, and then he died of throat cancer before he could finish it.

Another composer was hired to fill in the missing work, but on opening night at La Scala in 1926, conductor Arturo Toscanini dropped the baton in the final act and turned to the audience, announcing, “This is the end of the opera, because the Maestro died here.”

The version at Disney Hall will be minus elaborate opera sets and stage effects, but

the unamplified singers will have the benefit of the venue’s world-renowned acoustics.

Curved walls of vertical-grain Douglas fir and terraced vineyard-style seating create a space where someone sitting in the top row can hear a pin drop on stage.

It will be the third time Zahra has appeared at Disney Hall. In 2015, she sang there in the Spotlight Awards competition and became the youngest winner in the Classical Voice category. In 2024, she performed Liu there in a different

production of Turandot.

Schuman supports Zahra’s goal of bringing new audiences to opera. “The music world has changed,” he asserts. “Opera needs to be made more accessible, especially for the younger generation.”

Recalling the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti being criticized for singing in different genres before wider audiences, Schuman notes that “he helped to increase the popularity of opera.” It was Pavarotti who popularized the aria “Nessun Dorma” (none shall sleep), which will be sung by Alfred Kim as Calaf in the third act.

Even though there isn’t a lot of action in a concert presentation of an opera, audiences can expect Zahra, who is a huge fan of horror films, to come up with something special when she sacrifices herself to love. It’s probably not exactly what Schuman has in mind when he tells his singers to “bring the drama.”

He has high hopes for his protégé. “She can go to the very top, if she wants it,” he said, because “that mystical thing that we call charisma: Golda has it.”

Linda Chase is a freelance writer based in Santa Barbara specializing in the arts, travel and lifestyle. This feature is produced by the Journalism Arts Initiative, which is underwritten by donations from arts organizations and others interested in supporting excellence in arts journalism.

“Turandot in Concert,” presented by Pacific Festival, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Ages 9 and older. Tickets, $33 to $105, including all fees, are available at www.TurandotConcert.com

The Third Place Reinvented: Why Kavahana Is Becoming LA’s New Favorite Hangout Spot

In a city full of coffee shops that close too early and bars that don’t cater to the sober (or sober-curious) crowd, Kavahana is carving out something new: a place to be. More than just a spot for drinks, work, or weekends, Kavahana is quickly becoming Santa Monica's goto "third place" for any occasion—from morning coffee to date nights.

Tucked on Pico Boulevard just blocks from the beach, Kavahana blends cozy café comfort with the spark of a community hub. It opens early, stays open late, and draws everyone from sunrise surfers to midnight creatives. But it’s not just the hours that make it special.

Kava Nectar: The Tingly Drink That Actually “Works”

At the center of the Kavahana experience is Kava Nectar, a natural, non-alcoholic beverage made from the root of the kava plant. Long used in ceremonial settings across the South Pacific Islands and Hawaii, kava is a family drink known for its relaxing, smile-inducing properties. Kavahana’s version, Kava Nectar, is coldpressed, potent, and one-of-a-kind in the United States.

You’ll feel it. Most people notice a gentle tingle on the tongue, followed by a wave of relaxed energy and ease. Some describe it as “a mental massage” or “a hot tub for your mind.” Others just say it helps them feel genuinely happy, social, and present without alcohol or anything synthetic. Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, the feeling doesn’t fade.

Kavahana’s signature cocktails showcase kava nectar with real, natural ingredients like mango, ginger, spirulina, and coconut cream. They’re delicious, effective, and zero-proof. This is one wellness drink you can actually feel working.

Not Into Kava Nectar Yet? No Problem.

Kava not your thing (yet)? Kavahana’s

menu goes beyond. Their Hawaiiansourced Kona coffee is low-acid, smooth, and bold without bitterness. Or try hojicha, a roasted green tea from Japan that’s rich, nutty, and naturally low in caffeine.

The team is friendly and happy to walk you through the options. You’ll probably try something new, and you’ll probably love it. Food-wise, Kavahana offers islandinspired snacks that hit the sweet spot between satisfying and light.

Where You Can Hang Past 5 PM

With plenty of seating, fast Wi-Fi, and an unusual abundance of power outlets, it’s ideal for remote work, studying, or just posting up with a book. The vibe is welcoming and relaxed, with just the right level of background buzz. And unlike most cafés that close by late afternoon, Kavahana stays open late, often until

1 AM on weekends. It’s one of the only places on the Westside where you can hang out after dark without drinking alcohol. Every week, Kavahana hosts free events like Open Mic Night (Tuesdays) and Comedy Night (Wednesdays). Regulars say it’s one of the most welcoming crowds in town.

Whether you’re there to perform, support a friend, or just unwind after work, there’s a sense of shared energy and presence that’s hard to find elsewhere.

Visit Kavahana

306 Pico Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90405

Open daily (morning to late night) Tuesdays: Open Mic Night Wednesdays: Comedy Night

Website: Kavahana.com

Instagram: @kavahanabar

Welcome to Urban Jungle

Immerse yourself in a sanctuary where nature’s tranquility meets the vibrancy of city life. Urban Jungle is more than a plant store it’s a communitycentered oasis bringing a lush slice of paradise to your urban lifestyle. Here, we passionately believe in the power of plants to transform spaces and elevate well-being.

I-405 to See Lane Reductions, Ramp Closures as Pavement Rehab Project Continues

Drivers Should Expect Delays With Overnight Work Aug. 26–28, Sept. 5

Motorists using Interstate 405 through the Sepulveda Pass should prepare for significant lane reductions over the coming week as Caltrans continues a major pavement rehabilitation project.

There will be no closures during Labor Day weekend.

Overnight closures for median barrier work are scheduled from Tuesday, Aug. 26, through Thursday, Aug. 28. Starting at 10 p.m. each night and continuing until 6 a.m., crews will close up to two lanes in both directions:

• Northbound I-405: between Wilshire Boulevard and Mulholland Drive/Skirball Center Drive.

• Southbound I-405: between Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive and Wilshire Boulevard.

Extended weekend closures will follow, beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, and lasting through 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 8. During that period, I-405 will be reduced to three lanes in each direction between Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, with multiple ramp closures.

Northbound restrictions include:

• Lane reductions to three lanes.

• Closure of the Santa Monica Boulevard on-ramp.

• Closure of the Wilshire Boulevard off-ramp and both Wilshire on-ramps.

• Closure of the Sunset Boulevard on- and off-ramps.

• Closure of the Sepulveda Boulevard/Moraga Drive off-ramp.

Southbound restrictions include:

• Lane reductions to three lanes.

• Closure of the Sunset Boulevard/ Church Lane on- and off-ramps.

• Closure of the westbound Wilshire Boulevard on-ramp to southbound I-405.

Detours will be available:

• From Santa Monica Boulevard to northbound I-405: travel east on Santa Monica Boulevard, then north on Sepulveda Boulevard to access the onramp at Moraga Drive.

• From Sunset Boulevard to southbound I-405: travel north on Church Lane, south on Sepulveda Boulevard, and west on Santa Monica Boulevard to the freeway.

Caltrans said extended weekend lane

reductions will occur roughly every two weeks for about 25 weekends, though dates, times, and details may shift due to weather or operational factors. Nearby residents and businesses should anticipate noise, dust, and vibrations from the work.

The $143.7 million I-405 Pavement Rehabilitation Project spans Van Nuys to Westwood and is designed to improve safety and mobility while extending pavement life on one of the region’s busiest freeway corridors. You can sign up for notifications here, but you only need to sign up once.

For real-time conditions, drivers are encouraged to check the Caltrans QuickMap. Officials urged motorists to “Be Work Zone Alert” and “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

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