LC 2 2026

Larchmont Chronicle

By Helene Seifer

Windsor Square resident Dr. Leo A. Gordon gave a lecture at the home of his neighbor Janet Loveland last month on the devastating Cocoanut Grove fire of 1942. The lecture took place as part of the local chapter meeting of Daughters of the American Revolution.

On Nov. 28, 1942, the popular Boston, Massachusetts, nightclub went up in flames, killing 490 people and injuring more than 200.

A surgeon and affiliate faculty member in Cedars-Sinai’s History of Medicine Program, Gordon regularly speaks about medical and societal advances attributable to lessons learned from historical events. He chronicled the events leading up to the horrific nightclub fire and the knowledge gained in its after-

See Charter reform, P 17

Chasing sports: Wanna bet?

Let’s play Jeopardy; I’ll give you the clue, you come up with the question. Ready?

The answer is, $165 billion. If you guessed “How much money was wagered on sports in 2025” you’re right! That is a 2400% (you read that right) increase since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to give states the right to decide the legality of sports betting.

Smell Thin Mints and new Exploremores in the air

By Nona Sue Friedman

The sweet smell of Girl Scout cookies will be wafting through the air starting Sun., Feb. 1. That’s when public cookie selling season begins. You’ll see troops hawking their once-a-year treats on Larchmont Boulevard, in front of supermarkets, and walking door-to-door.

Buying Girl Scout cookies

gives you the opportunity to support the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world. That means stocking your pantry with sweet treats like Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, and Trefoils is doing good for members of your community. New this year is Exploremores, a rocky road-inspired cookie with

By Jon Vein

Los Angeles is again confronting a question that has surfaced periodically over the past several decades but has never been resolved: whether a city of nearly four million people can still be effectively governed by a City Council made up of just 15 members. This time, the issue is not abstract. A Charter Reform Commission appointed by city leaders is reviewing potential amendments to the City Charter, including whether to increase the number of council seats. The commission is expected to deliver its recommendations later this year, potentially setting the stage for a ballot measure in 2026.

While previous efforts to expand the council have failed, city officials, governance experts, and community advocates say the context has changed—and that the mismatch between the city’s size and its governing structure

annual section on Miracle Mile happenings—from culture and entertainment to news will be published in the March issue. To reserve advertising space, contact 323-462-2241 ext. 11, or email jesse@larchmontchronicle.com or sandy@ larchmontchronicle.com. The deadline to reserve space is Wed., Feb. 11.

By H. Hutcheson

Did you know there is a group called SideWalking that organizes inspired, educational, communal walks in Windsor Square? Marcelo Ziperovich, who lives in the area, led the February walk, which started on Second Street and Windsor Boulevard. Camille Waddell, who recently moved to the neighborhood, said, “This is my second walk with the group.”

Past walks have included trips through Fremont Place and a visit to the Marciano Art Foundation in the former Scottish Rite Masonic Temple. Each included information on the visited sites and friendly conversation with new friends.

On a recent Saturday, our group greeted each other and then set off at a moderate pace through the neighborhood to Kasimoff Blüthner Piano Co., 337 Larchmont Blvd.

Local neighbors Emma

Ross and Daniel Acker joined based on its description, which promised some music history. Ross said, “Plus, I think I’ve walked by this piano store for over 16 years and

Editorial

Leimert Park, L.A.’s cultural history

January’s formal inclusion by the California Arts Council of Leimert Park, Crenshaw, West Adams, and Central Avenue as the first Black cultural district in L.A. is more than a symbolic gesture—it is a long-overdue recognition of a neighborhood that has shaped the artistic, political, and spiritual life of this city for generations. And the Chronicle, which has its offices in a property owned by the Leimert family, feels especially aware of the symbolic importance.

Before World War II, Leimert Park was developed by Walter H. Leimert (who lived at 251 S. Muirfield Rd.) as one of the first master planned communities in Los Angeles, which included covenants preventing Black people from living there. The Supreme Court changed this in 1948, and the area organically grew into a center of Black cultural richness.

For decades, Leimert Park has been the beating heart of Black Los Angeles; a place where jazz spills onto sidewalks, poets claim the microphone, drum circles gather strangers into community, and small businesses quietly sustain culture day after day. This designation affirms what residents, artists, and historians have always known—Leimert Park is not adjacent to history; it is history.

At the Larchmont Chronicle, we recognize how deeply personal the recognition is for the Leimert Park community. Every workday we are reminded that journalism, like art, is rooted in place—a place we call home, a place we raise our kids, and a place that helps us define our collective identity.

As Los Angeles continues to grow and change, preservation must mean more than plaques and press releases. It means investment without erasure, recognition without commodification, and progress that honors the people who built the foundation. Leimert Park’s inclusion is a victory—not just for South L.A., but for the soul of Los Angeles itself.

325 N. Larchmont Boulevard, #158 Los Angeles, California 90004 windsorsquare.org

157 N. Larchmont Boulevard

“While it is February one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch.”

—Patience Strong

THANK YOU CD13!: The Windsor Square Association thanks CD13 Councilman Hugo Soto Martinez for dedicating $1 million for street light repairs in the neighborhood, and another $75,000 for tree trimming. Its hoped that this will help brighten our streets and prevent crime.

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TAKE THE GWNC STAKEHOLDER SURVEY: The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, of which Windsor Square is a part, is doing outreach to better serve our community. Please take time to fill out the stakeholder survey so you can weigh in on issues most important to the community. Links to the survey can be found at https://greaterwilshire.org.

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REPORT STREET LIGHT OUTAGES: the WSA continues to track street light outages throughout Windsor Square so that they can be properly reported and scheduled for repair. If your street is experiencing an outage please report it by contacting blockcaptains@windsorsquare.org and CD13 representative Mark Fuentes mark.fuentes@lacity. org.

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“ARE YOU PREPARED?” The WSA’s one page sheet on preparing yourself, family and A Guide to Neighborhood Disaster Preparedness is now available online. Download your copy at https://windsorsquare.org/safety-security/ emergency-preparedness/

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WE NEED BLOCK CAPTAINS! Be the leader of your block and point person for all that’s going on the neighborhood. The WSA has numerous block captain positions open. A great opportunity to engage with neighbors and community leaders. blockcaptains@ windsorsquare.org

Mon., Feb. 2—Groundhog Day.

Tue., Feb. 10—Mid City West Neighborhood Council board meeting, 6:30 p.m., via Zoom, midcitywest.org.

Wed., Feb. 11— Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council board meeting 6:30 p.m. via Zoom, greaterwilshire. org.

Sat., Feb. 14—Valentine’s Day.

Mon., Feb. 16—Presidents’ Day.

Tue., Feb. 17—Lunar New Year; first night of Ramadan.

Thu., Feb. 26—Delivery of the March edition of the Larchmont Chronicle

Countdown to L.A. events:

FIFA World Cup 2026: 134 days to first match June 12

2028 Summer Olympics: 897 days to opening ceremony July 14

2028 Summer Paralympics: 929 days opening ceremony Aug 15

by Finn Walker Instagram @finnwalkersart

Letters to the Editor

Housing truce needed Los Angeles needs a truce between the Yes In My Backyards and the Not In My

Larchmont Chronicle

Backyards. As usual, the extremists are dominating the headlines and the conversations. But we can all agree that rents and home prices are too high, that we have too many homeless people, and that many of our commercial boulevards look blighted and scary.

‘What would make for a great Valentine’s date?’

That’s the question our inquiring photographer asked locals.

“A nice dinner at Tacos Delta and good conversation,” said Myles George. “Yes, a restaurant with some nice wine, a walk, and great conversation. Small details matter, like opening the car door, taking care of the bill, and driving her,” added Lucas George. “A nice dinner. Conversation, yes,” said Wagner.

Levi Wagner (left), Lucas George, and Myles George, Windsor Square

The Windsor Square Association, an all-volunteer group of residents from 1100 households between Beverly and Wilshire and Van Ness and Arden, works to preserve and enhance our beautiful neighborhood.

325 N. Larchmont Blvd., #158, Los Angeles, CA 90004, or windsorsquare.org.

Editorial Assistant

Nathan Rifkin

Proofreader

Mara Fisher

Advertising Director

Jesse Wilson

Advertising

Sandy Shapiro

Art Director

Finn Walker

Circulation

Nona Sue Friedman

Digital

Rhett Hutcheson

Accounting Irene Janas

606 N. Larchmont Blvd., #103

Los Angeles, CA 90004

323-462-2241

larchmontchronicle.com

We all need to focus more on what we advocate for rather than what we advocate against, so we can find what we agree on and tell our city councilmembers. Building more, building faster, and building where we want it fixes problems and creates more construction jobs, more supply to reduce prices, more tax revenue for the city, more economic activity for local businesses, and nicer neighborhoods.

Builders say inspections and permitting are too slow. California state laws are pressuring cities to speed this up, but many are trying to slow it down out of fear of upsetting

(Turn to Sec. 2, page 2-11)

Write us at letters@larchmontchronicle.com. Include your name, contact information and where you live. We reserve the right to edit for space and grammar.

“Breakfast in bed—but make the whole day special. Go for a hike. Maybe even reliving the day he asked me to be his girlfriend,” said Hedahl. “Something thoughtful. It really doesn’t matter if it’s a pricey restaurant—I’d rather it was something personal,” said Saajakari. “I’d like to be with someone I really like— not just anyone. Or, it could be with close friends,” said Thugge. “Liking the person you’re with! I’ve been on a Valentine’s date with someone I didn’t like. That was…” Morina trailed off.

Helena Hedahl (left), Vendela Saajakari, Angela Thugge, and Elza Morina Sweden

“I love Koreatown, so I would go to Soot Bull Jip, where they can use coal indoors, and a post-game at Wi Spa with no curfew,” said Lerman. “I would drive up to Mattei’s Tavern in Ojai with my wife (no kids) and visit the spa in the afternoon,” said Ritter. Dan Lerman, (left), and Matt Ritter, Windsor Square

Exhibit of silk lanterns at the Korean Cultural Center and the hanbok

By H. Hutcheson

On Jan. 15 the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles, 5505 Wilshire Blvd., opened its exhibit “Lights of Korea: Jinju Silk Lanterns; The 12 Panels of Grace,” which will run through Sat., Feb. 28.

A sensual, elegant exhibit (which just might be the perfect setting for a date during the month of love), the Jinju silk lanterns arrangement is inspired by the painting “Portrait of a Beauty (Miindo),” by Shin Yun-bok, from the Joseon Dynasty, exploring its subject of hanbok, the traditional Korean dress.

The hanbok is composed of 12 layers, and the arrangement of silk lanterns mimics a hanbok hemline as they unfold into a circular structure “that gently envelopes the visitor,” said KCCLA Director Haedon Lee.

Exhibition Curator Yoo

MOTHER AND DAUGHTERS in traditional dress for the occasion (left to right) Hailey, Injo, and Elena Hong.

KwanSook reflected upon the many iconic expressions of Korean beauty, such as, “the flow-like unfolding of the fan dance, or the disciplined elegance of tae kwon do.” In deciding how Korean beauty should be presented for this exhibit, she said the hanbok’s “simple restrained lines of the upper garment flowing into natural curves, and the

ANJU, SMALL BITES, including kale wraps, sweet pancakes, and yuzu lemonade.

12-panel skirt unfolding with quiet grace” were inspirations.

The opening evening of Jan. 14 was even more elevated by a performance from contemporary dance artist Hannah Joo and sound musician Haejin Bang. (Watch a video on the Chronicle’s Instagram @ the larchmontchronicle.)

The exhibit premiered in Brazil in 2023 and has toured cities across Southeast Asia, finding much popularity on social media. There is a presentation of hanboks made

DANCE ARTIST Haejin Bang interprets culture and the grand diaspora of Koreans through the body and movement.

of Jinju silk, a history of the region’s industry, and the sarangbang and anbang rooms—a Confucian-era man cave and a women’s area respectively.

Admission is free. The exhibit is open Mon. to Fri., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sat., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information visit la.korean-culture.org.

We asked these locals how they met. Here are their stories...

These two storytellers met when internet dating was in its infancy

Seth and Damona Hoffman were young, but online dating was even younger, when the two met on a website called Nerve.com in 2003.

At this time, Damona Hoffman, née Resnick, already had a system and a dating plan she called “Operation Date Nice Guys.” She was working as a television casting director, which she felt gave her an advantage for online dating: she knew how to make her photos stand out from the crowd and how to tell her story. She met her match in Seth Hoffman. Seth was an aspiring writer who had a knack for storytelling. He spent two days crafting his perfect opening message to Damona.

Damona took one look at Seth’s profile and threw all her rules out the window. “When can we meet?” she hastily typed. She tossed out the idea of mini golf at Castle Park in Sherman Oaks. Seth quipped back, “If you’re used to kicking guys’ butts, I’d hate for your winning streak to come to an unceremonious end.”

They settled on drinks, and Seth unknowingly suggested Damona’s regular dating spot, Lola’s, which used to be on

Fairfax Avenue. They were off to an aligned and intriguingly competitive start.

The first date went well, Seth was (and still is) the epitome of nice, and Damona broke her next rule by having two martinis (her usual limit was one). Finally, on the fifth date they made it to mini golf and exactly tied.

Nearly four years later, they were married at The California Club. They now live in Windsor Square with their

two children, Addie, 15, and Julian, 11.

Damona stuck with her online dating winning streak and became a dating coach, TV personality, and the bestselling author of the dating advice book “F The Fairy Tale.” Seth continued storytelling and is now the showrunner of “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” and has a long list of writing and producing credits, including “House,” “Prison Break,” and the original “Walking Dead” series.

After 19 years of marriage, their happily-ever-after Hollywood ending is still being written.

Her hazel eyes sealed the deal for this cinemathographer

By Crescenzo Notarile

I, Crescenzo, work in the motion picture industry as a multi-award-winning director of photography. I am a member of the American Society of Cinematographers and of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

My now wife, Cary Trampf, works at home as a recruiter for a large corporation.

We got married this past August in Beverly Hills, after being together for 15 years! Ha…It was time we tied our

knot into an eternal bow of “till death do us part.”

I’ve been a member of the Larchmont community for 38 years, most of which has been bicoastal—New York City’s SoHo, and here.

I am a quintessential Brooklyn boy, while my wife is from Wisconsin and a Green Bay Packer diehard stockholder— aka, a Cheese Head.

When I met Cary, she was an executive for Banana Republic, and I used to see her often at the stores.

What attracted me to Cary initially were her eyes! They bolted out of her face, and I loved the hazel color. That, against her porcelain flesh tone, attracted me as a photographer.

After talking to her, I was very intrigued by her highpitched voice. Often, she sounds like an 8-year-old girl, and it is such an unexpected contrast to her stature. To this day, I still chuckle at times, listening to her.

One day, I had the nerve to ask her out, and she accepted. That changed our lives forever!

We went to Le Pain Quotidien and had a wonderful lunch, and our conversation was filled with comfort and laughter. She was impressed with all my world travels from shooting, and I was impressed with her hazel eyes and porcelain skin. Ha… Wink wink…

I did get a very quick taste of her personality when I took her out on our first date to see Cheech Marin do a one-man stand-up show at Universal City. I was comped tickets and had the VIP treatment. She was very uninterested in the show; it was written all over her face. She was squirming in her seat, and it was clear she was not having a good time. I took note of this, made up for it with a romantic dinner, and kept it simple from that moment onward. Ha.

The rest is history, and now in the books.

We live in Larchmont as solid pillars of the community and are involved with and participate in everything.

Our pooch, Kodak, is well known on the strip—everyone knows her by her name. Kodak is half Akita and half Jindo. She is 25 pounds small because she is the runt of her litter of six. She was born on Valentine’s Day and is now 16 years old. I got her on Larchmont at the Sunday adoption day when she was one month old. I walked past her, she gave me a look, and I proceeded to walk 10 steps more, then

walked back. She came up to me immediately. I picked her up, and three minutes later she came home with me and now has been a very important part of my family! I am a cancer survivor, so I was unable to have children, so to have my Kodak is a gift and a blessing. I have learned so much from her, mostly through the observation of unconditional love and how meaningful that is.

As a cinematographer, we are visual people, and a picture is worth a thousand words [in reference to the photo]. Our expressions and smiles say volumes!

Some things are just meant to be

By Barbara Sueko McGuire It’s easy to remember how long Darin and I have been together. Take our son’s age, 7, and add nine months. But while that equation is simple, the story of how we came to be a family is anything but. It begins a decade earlier, when I moved back to Los Angeles from New York and started working at Swingers Diner on Beverly Boulevard. Darin was living in San Francisco working as a manager of a skateboarding team. He was often in L.A. for skate trips and stayed in the hotel adjacent to Swingers. I knew him as the kind of guy who tipped well. Fast forward eight years, and after not having seen him for a while (Darin left skateboarding for photography), he showed up one day at the diner for lunch as he was in town for a wedding.

The connection was immediate. We both felt it—and were both awkward about it. I remember telling my coworker, “Table 205 is so handsome,” and feeling disappointed when he didn’t ask for my number. Darin later told me he wanted to leave his number, but worried about being a creeper.

An Instagram message later, we were texting all day for weeks. Unbeknownst to Darin, I had been planning to

How they met

(Continued from Page 4)

have a baby on my own—by the time we met, everything was lined up. When he booked a trip to come down, I thought it’d be a last little “que sera” before I was off the market.

But as the weekend approached and our connection grew stronger, I realized I couldn’t omit this information. I picked up the phone and explained everything. His reaction: “Cool, I’ve raised a kid who wasn’t mine before.”

His visit was a blast—we walked my dog to Larchmont every morning, hiked Griffith Park, and ran into his friends everywhere. We weren’t sure what was happening, but I postponed my insemination and decided he should visit again.

THE MCGUIRES were on a road destined to be together!

As his second trip approached, I realized my period was mysteriously absent. On a whim—and only because I happened to have one—I took a pregnancy test. When I glanced at the stick minutes later, I froze. What the...! I had to lay down. Not only had we used protection, but I was 36 and Darin was 41—young fertile teenagers we were not.

And the rest is history. Darin moved to the neighborhood a couple months before Otis was born, and now helps run a golf brand, Metalwood Studios, while you can still find me at Swingers Diner. We love the neighborhood so much, we moved from my studio on Saint Andrews Pl. two buildings up to an apartment that fits us all, and have been raising our son here since, continuing our daily walks to the Boulevard, now as a family.

IN 1992, Brian Curran and Kevin MacLellan.

How I met my husband: The Love Hangover Ball By

Brian Curran

I met the love of my life in early 1992. I was in the second half of my freshman year of college at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. Looking for love at Fordham, a Catholic Jesuit school, wasn’t so easy. There were not many “out” gay students and no apps with which to find each other, leaving the gay bars in Manhattan as my only option. There was a slight hitch though, as I was 19 and did not yet have a fake ID to get past the bouncers on the lookout for underage posers like me.

One cold February day, I found a flyer for a gay singles dance called “The Love Hangover Ball,” set for Feb. 15, the night after Valentine’s Day. I was in luck! As it was a sober event, I was able to attend.

That Saturday, hair gelled and in my best ’90s boy band fashion, I hopped on the subway down to 13th Street in Greenwich Village. The dance was held in the basketball court/theater of the former St. Bernard’s Grammar School. Decorated with streamers, a disco ball, and rotating lights, it had the look of a sad high school prom!

My now husband, Kevin, a new college grad who had just turned 25, was heading to the Village bars with some of his friends when they saw some guys entering the school. One of his buddies turned and said, “Let’s check out what kind of losers go to an event like this!” They entered and headed to the snack bar. As they headed up the stairs Kevin looked up and saw the back of me climbing up ahead of them. He pointed and said to his friends, laughing, “I’m gonna marry that one.”

Later, in the auditorium, I noticed him leaning against the wall staring at me. When our eyes met, he walked right over to me and asked me to dance. I managed to cough out, “I’d love to!” The DJ was so bad, and our dancing with it, that we retreated to a nearby hallway. To me, he was the most attractive man I’d ever met, and I couldn’t believe he

Artist’s intuitive works speak of love

By Suzan Filipek

Award-winning artist and graphic designer Elaine Callahan recently moved to Larchmont from the East Coast, bringing her intuition-based artwork with her.

Her “Heart Art Expression” paintings of oversized hearts lend themselves to Valentine’s and this month of love.

Among them is a vibrant

was talking to me, much less had danced with me! Kevin’s friends had left, but he stayed the rest of the event to continue talking to me. When the night ended, we exchanged numbers and decided to meet the next evening.

Cake, coffee, a kiss on Christopher Street, and the rest is history…

red heart with spots of yellow, black, and blue on a gold iridescent background.

The 22-by-22-inch painting “Do what lights you up” was inspired by the “fabulous Tina Turner and the energy and passion she brought to life,” Callahan states on her website.

Since arriving in Larchmont, the artist has been

inspired by the area’s natural beauty, creating a work depicting the ubiquitous ficus trees.

Her works are in the homes of art collectors in the U.S. and abroad, specifically Australia.

“I painted different subject matters in the past, then focused on food for several

The biological mechanisms involved in the process of love!

For this month’s issue, I wanted to write something related to the topic of love, in honor of Valentine’s Day.

Falling in love is like an altered state. Everything shifts: your thinking, your emotions, your bodily sensations, your behavior, your perception. Have you ever wondered what is happening inside your body when you are in love? In this article, for my science geeks, I am going to make an extremely brief review of a study authored by Dr. Donatella Marazziti and others called “Alteration of the platelet serotonin transporter in romantic love,” on the science of love, published in Springer Nature, Switzerland. Then I’ll wrap up with a bit about medieval love potions, just for fun.

The experience of love cannot be reduced to a series of neural substrates and physiological changes. It is also shaped by sociocultural factors that may be more ambiguous and harder to measure. Nevertheless, neuroscience can lend fascinating

Artist’s intuitive

(Continued from Page 5)

years, and currently am doing the heart series,” she said.

Her works have won awards from the Georgia Watercolor Society and Southern Watercolor Society, among others.

The heart series came about as a response to “the pain and challenges our society is navigating,” she said. As “intuitive paintings” they are “designed to connect your heart and soul with what matters most.

insights into how our physiology relates to behavior. Not to mention, there is consistency in the experience of love across cultures, generations, and environments. It’s an experience of safety, joy, reward, and connection that we can all relate to in some way, and this gestures at some biological mechanism.

According to Marazziti and her colleagues, love can be organized into “attraction,” followed by building “romantic attachment.”

In the attraction step, the authors suggest that a brain structure called the amygdala, which is known for its involvement in regulating our fight-or-flight behavior, is activated in response to another person. This brain structure normally processes fear responses, but in the case of falling in love our brain codes the stimulus as positive rather than threatening. Therefore, the authors note that love can be understood as “a fear without fear.” The ensuing experience charac-

DO WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP

“It is always my intention when creating art to put love into creating it so the viewer

Health & Wellness

By Priscilla Duggan

terizes the altered state of being in love: raised energy, changes in appetite and sleep, lowering of rational judgment, and possible mood swings according to the reciprocation or not by the partner.

The authors go on to state that the following “romantic attachment” step involves the neuropeptide oxytocin (produced in the hypothalamus), which has been associated with many human behaviors: initiation and maintenance of pair bonding, infant attachment, and maternal behavior.

So, we’ve learned that the neurobiology of love can be understood through looking at different brain structures and biomarkers, but is it possible to “trick” the body into thinking it’s in love? If you asked a witch during the 17th century they’d probably say yes. And here’s how… I recently read a paper

can feel that for themselves; to activate something in their heart that touches them.”

She had worked in graphic design and other artistic mediums until a few years ago when circumstances changed her course.

“I followed my intuition and nudges from the universe to save a client’s employee from drowning in a remote private lake. Listening to my intuition saved his life… That became a turning point, eventually redefining my art

published by Aldo Sena de Oliveira, PhD, and others, titled “Witches, potions, and metabolites: an overview from a medicinal perspective,” published in the Royal Society of Chemistry, and I thought it’d be fun to summarize the bit about “love potions.” But first, a very important disclaimer: literally do not try this at home! Some of these ingredients can be toxic and even fatal if ingested at the wrong dosage.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get on to the elixir of love that is commonly used in medieval tales. It includes a mix of ingredients that are meant to mimic the effects of love on the human body (shortness of breath, excessive sweating on the hands, difficulty in reasoning) such as mandrake root extract, henbane leaves, areca nut, and yellow hemp.

Mandrake roots are known to be potently narcotic and aphrodisiac. Henbane leaves are toxic and may cause hallucinations in moderate

and my life. Up until then, my painting was focused on food and was very realistic.”

Elaine lives on North Plymouth Boulevard with her sister Mary Ellen Callahan, who is general counsel of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, scheduled to open in September of this year.

When her sister’s job opportunity opened and Callahan was invited to join her, the lifelong East Coast dweller hesitated, but not for long.

The self-described “heart-

doses, but are used for their anesthetic properties as a tea. Areca nut can mimic the stimulating and euphoric effects of nicotine. And yellow hemp has a stimulating and broncho-dilating effect. I’m not sure I’m sold on the medieval love potion after reading about its effects, but, as always, if readers have any questions, please email me at: pcd1130@gmail.com

ist—an artist that helps you connect with your heart and your humanity” and her sister quickly fell in love with Larchmont. They frequent the Boulevard and visit the weekly Farmers Market as well as local treasures such as Chevalier’s Books, Erin McKenna’s Bakery, and La Bettola Di Terroni. The works are available in two sizes: 11-by-11 inches and 22-by-22 inches, as well as custom sizes. They start at $600. Visit elainecallahan. com.

Stunning pan-Asian restaurant encourages romance—and good eating

Mindy and Vinny Kinne, the couple behind the popular cluster of Mid-Wilshire neighborhood spots Met Her at a Bar, Met Him at a Bar, Her Thai, and Her Little Bar, have opened the remarkably grown-up, stunning, and atmospheric The Night We Met across the street from their existing mini-empire. Chefs Pornpawee and Prasert Sussadeewong were recruited from the Bangkok Mandarin Oriental to helm.

The “Met” naming scheme references the fact that the Kinnes did, in fact, meet at a bar, and they wanted to create a place that lent itself to kindling friendships or love. It just might work.

On the Menu

by Helene Seifer

The warmly decorated restaurant is lit with a romantic glow from tabletop lamps, flameless votive candles, and wall-to-wall ceiling lanterns. Earthy colors, textured tiles, curtained booths, and a scattering of greenery add to a welcoming feel.

Unfortunately, we felt anything but welcome when we checked in for our reservation. The hostess ignored us while helping a caller find an available dinner slot. I eventually wandered off to take photos of the dining room

PAPER LANTERN-FESTOONED dining room.

and when I got back, she was still immersed in the phone call. At least there were seats in a nook by the hostess stand for comfortable waiting. I was ready to hate the place.

However, once we were seated, all resentment faded away. The Night We Met is too beautiful for anger. And the food was too delicious to not revel in it. Although tables are close together, it felt convivial rather than intrusive. Plus, at 7 p.m. a bluesy-jazzy quintet, pitched at a reasonable decibel level, lent soft sounds to the ambiance, a weekend feature. Who wouldn’t love that?

In a nod to its Asian inspiration and acknowledgement of Mindy Kinne’s Thai roots, Asian spirits and flavors make a strong appearance on the cocktail list, with Japanese-made whiskey and gin, along with yuzu foam, lychee, Szechuan peppercorn, and pandan.

The menu is divided into four sections—cold, hot, sides, and sweet—and we partook from each of them. Cold offerings included salmon sashimi in Thai citrus chili

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14

WE LOVE MARDI GRAS!

MUTTI GRAS PET PARADE & COSTUME CONTEST

ALUMNUS BRASS BRAND

GUMBO POT BEIGNET TENT

FACE PAINTING

BRASS BROTHERS SHOW BAND

TORRENCE BRANNON & HIS EVERYTHING WITH SOUL BAND

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15

BEAR BRASS BAND

MAKE A MARDI GRAS HEART WAND WITH ART 2 GO

GUMBO POT BEIGNET TENT

KENNY SARA & THE SOUNDS OF NEW ORLEANS

CRAWDADDIO

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17

*SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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POLICE BEAT

Burglars stole a plastic necklace, while

OLYMPIC DIVISION

BURGLARIES: An unknown suspect removed an apartment window screen, took a laptop and backpack, and then entered a vacant unit Jan. 9 at 3 p.m., on the 5000 block of Maplewood Avenue.

While a victim was home, an Asian male suspect attempted to pry a door open Jan. 10 at 12:50 a.m. on the 800 block of Gramercy Place. No entry was made.

A male suspect entered through a rear door and took designer purses, watches, and a backpack on the 500 block of South Van Ness Avenue Jan. 16 at 5:45 p.m.

GRAND THEFT AUTOS: A blue 2023 Audi Q4 was stolen from the street on the 200 block of North Windsor Boulevard Jan. 9 at 9:30 p.m.

A 2008 Lexus ES250 was stolen from the street on the 700 block of Saint Andrews Place Jan. 10 at 8 p.m.

A blue 2025 Range Rover was stolen from the street on the 300 block of South Irving Boulevard Jan. 10 at 3:30 a.m.

A white 2014 BMW 320i was stolen from a driveway Jan. 17 at 8:30 a.m. on the 500 block of South Wilton Place.

ROBBERY: A Hispanic male suspect brandished a gun at a victim while the victim walked back to their delivery vehicle. The suspect took a necklace, bracelet, and money Jan. 19 at 10:50 p.m.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT: During an argument with building security, a Black male tenant brandished a paint scraper on the 900 block of Gramercy Place Jan. 19 at 5:50 p.m.

BURGLARY THEFTS

FROM AUTO: Two license plates were stolen from vehicles on the 500 block of South Gramercy Place at noon Jan. 19.

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Senior Lead Officer Shuck

WILSHIRE DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Tyler Shuck

213-712-3715

40740@lapd.online

Twitter: @lapdwilshire

relayed that crime for his area, basic car 7A17, is down 34% from 2024 and down 44% from 2023. Burglaries for 2025 have decreased 29% from 2024. Although burglaries are up so far for 2026 from last year, he said that sometimes this is common for the beginning of the year. Detectives are working hand in hand with patrol officers, and extra patrols have been sent to the area to combat this situation. Some arrests have been made.

BURGLARIES: Two suspects pried open a patio door

Spotlight on Senior Lead Ofcer Danny Chavez

By Nona Sue Friedman

When talking to Senior Lead Officer Danny Chavez of Olympic Division, his pride in being an officer, helping his community, and specifically being part of the Los Angeles Police Department is apparent. When referencing LAPD he said, “It’s the best police department in the world.” And that’s after spending almost 23 years on the force.

As a native Angeleno, Chavez wanted to be a baseball player for the L.A. Dodgers. However, he said that wasn’t realistic. Instead, he took classes at community college while he thought about what he should do.

He wanted to help people daily and make a difference. Police officers were always his heroes growing up, so at 20 1/2 he decided to take the LAPD entrance exam. Seven months later in 2001, he graduated from the Police Academy and started working as a first-year officer at the Hollenbeck Community Police Station in East Los Angeles. Seems like he really wanted to wear a blue uniform.

Becoming a SLO Olympic Division, located at 1130 S. Vermont Ave., opened in January 2009. Chavez was eager to be part of the new station and transferred there from Hollywood. In that first year he was named Officer of the Year, while being a field training officer, wherein he helped train rookie officers. In 2010 he was assigned temporarily to be a SLO. That

are the glue at a station. He likened it to a house. He said, “Anything that breaks, we have to fix, inside and out.” Officers even need to take care of the station’s landscaping by trimming hedges and pulling weeds. “SLOs are the ones who keep morale up and are the most constant presence at a station,” according to Chavez.

What did he do before SLO?

others left a $20 bill

OLYMPIC DIVISION

Furnished by Senior Lead Officer

Daniel Chavez

213-793-0709

36304@lapd.online

Instagram: @olympic_slo1

and entered a home on the 300 block of South Cloverdale Avenue Jan. 4. The tenant, who has an extensive criminal record, was not home. A guest heard suspects in the home and locked herself in the bathroom. The suspects pried open the bedroom door, ransacked the location, and fled with a plastic necklace.

A suspect shattered a rear glass door and entered a home on the 100 block of

South Lucerne Boulevard. They took property but left a $20 bill Jan. 9 at 10:10 p.m. Suspects entered a storage unit on the 5000 block of Wilshire Boulevard, took property, and fled Jan. 12.

A male suspect wearing a black hoodie, pants, and shoes shattered a rear glass door, unlocked it, and entered a home. He took property and fled in a white Ford pickup truck on the 500 block of Lillian Way.

Two suspects wearing black masks and white shoes, one wearing a black hoodie, the other wearing a white hoodie, entered a home by smashing a rear glass door on the 400 block of South June Street. The victim was home and turned on a light upon hearing the noise. The suspects fled Jan. 14.

brief assignment became permanent, and he’s spent the past 15 years as a SLO at Olympic.

A senior lead officer is a specialized officer that acts as a liaison between the police department and the community. SLOs solve problems in their assigned neighborhood and work to improve the quality of life. Much of the job is interacting and being available to the community, so changing workdays, hours, and even days off to handle community events are all aspects of the position, commented Chavez.

He’s worked the Windsor Square and areas east in designated patrol car 20A1 for two years. “I’m really enjoying it. I love working alongside the community and being a SLO for 20A1,” he said. He doesn’t plan on changing anything until he retires in nine years.

He’s 45.

He also shared that SLOs

Prior to becoming a SLO, he spent years being part of the Special Problems Unit at both the Hollywood and Olympic divisions. This is a plain-clothed, undercover unit that works in tandem with regular patrol, gang, and vice units. He also worked gangs in East L.A.

The future of LAPD Staff numbers are down, and LAPD continues to hire. Chavez claims there are a lot of young, capable officers at Olympic. LAPD is always looking for applicants. He is reached most easily via email at 36304@lapd.online. You can also check out his Instagram @Olympic_SLO1.

TV City owner defaults loan of Radford Studios

Hackman Capital Partners— owner of the CBS TV City complex next door to the Original Farmers Market and the Grove—has defaulted on a $1.1 billion mortgage of Radford Studio Center in Studio City. TV City is slated to be built on the 25-acre site in time for the 2028 Olympics. A spokesman for the project did not comment by presstime.

Reaches over 100,000 local readers

Serves year-round as the guide and marketing tool for the Miracle Mile.

Contact by February 11, 2026. Jesse Wilson • jesse@larchmontchronicle.com

Sandy Shapiro • sandy@larchmontchronicle.com

After 112 Years, Troop 10 looks ahead; breakfast is February 8 S couting for 116 Y ear S

By Andy Fiedler

Troop 10 has been an active part of the Los Angeles community for 112 years. Over that time, the troop has provided young men with opportunities for leadership, responsibility, and adventure, both in the city and out in the wild.

Last summer, the Troop attended two summer camps: one in the forested mountains near Lake Arrowhead and the other along the water at Mission Bay in San Diego. At camp, Scouts learned skills including kayaking, motorboating, search and rescue,

By Diane Gilmore

Pan Pacific Park, at 7600 Beverly Blvd., is now home to new Cub Scout Pack 392. This unit serves youth in kindergarten through 5th grade. They meet twice a month on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. This makes it convenient for working moms and dads. In addition to Tuesday meetings, they go on hikes and outdoor adventures. Last fall they camped overnight in tents at Boo Fest, and they are looking forward to Rocket Academy this spring.

You can see them on Larchmont selling Popcorn to support their unit.

Karen Youmbi and Aura McCracken, key leaders for Pack 392, were parents from Cathedral Chapel School. They wanted Cub Scouts for their boys. They began by taking all the required train-

welding, and more. The troop also completed two multiday backpacking trips beginning in the Hoover Wilderness. One group summited Virginia Pass (10,500 feet) before returning to Green Lake, while the second completed a 30-mile trek ending in Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. Along the way, Scouts navigated challenging terrain, worked together as teams, and built leadership skills through shared responsibility.

This fall, the troop participated in two council events. At the District Camporee, Scouts competed in team-

based challenges and games. At the aptly named Pumpkin Smash, they safely launched arrows, fired rifles and shotguns, bowled, and used catapults to obliterate hundreds of pumpkins. Over the past year, troop outings also included exploring the Pisgah Lava Caves, rock climbing in Joshua Tree, and campouts at Calico Ghost Town, Pismo Beach, and Pinnacles National Park. Monthly hikes took Scouts to the Wisdom Tree atop Cahuenga Peak, Cheeseboro Canyon, Brown Mountain Dam, and Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.

ing. The moms went to Pan Pacific Park and asked for meeting space both inside and in the park. As the Cubs went to their meetings in their uniforms other families saw them and they came looking. Today the Pack has 12 Cubs and hopes to reach more local families. This is a wonderful way to bring families with like-minded values together to support our youth.

Troop 10 also continues to serve the community through Eagle Scout projects and ongoing service with local organizations. A long-standing partnership with the Friends of Griffith Park has included trail maintenance, stream clearing, native planting, and other handson conservation efforts that directly support one of Los Angeles’ most important public spaces.

Only about 4% of Scouts

nationwide earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Troop 10 is especially proud of its five most recent Eagle Scouts, each of whom planned and carried out a major service project as part of their multiyear journey to Eagle: Lucas Henrich rebuilt and improved a worktable and sink at Micheltorena Elementary School and Community Garden in Silver Lake, enhancing an outdoor learning space focused on healthy eating, environmental stewardship, and hands-on learning. Nathan Bookstaver built a worktable and several storage box stools for the art room at El Nido, a residential campus for boys ages 11–17 in the Los Angeles foster system, creating a more organized and functional creative space. Carter Tsao designed and produced more than 50 cardboard engineering kits for a 4th grade classroom at Melrose Elementary. Using hydraulic principles, the kits powered mechanical arms that lifted everyday objects and were incorporated into the teacher’s science and engineering curriculum. John Black renovated a basement room at Delaney Wright Preschool into a safe, colorful children’s library, adding a new learning space with windows, low bookshelves, and color-coded books for students and teachers. Holden Tsao created an engineering project for a 5th grade classroom at Melrose Elementary, building air-pressure-powered bottle rocket kits that introduced students to advanced engineering concepts through hands-on

experimentation.

Troop 10 is the oldest continuously chartered Scout troop in the Western United States. Since it was founded, more than 375 Troop 10 Scouts have earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Today, the troop serves boys ages 11 to 17 from a wide range of backgrounds and more than a dozen local schools. St. James’ has also officially launched a new Scouting America BSA Girl Troop for girls ages 11 to 17. Families interested in learning more are invited to visit Troop 10 during weekly Tuesday meetings at 6:30 p.m. at St. James’, 625 S. St. Andrews Pl. Finally, Troop 10’s annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser will take place on Sun., Feb. 8. Community members may see Scouts selling tickets and first-aid kits along Larchmont in the coming weekends. Troop leadership transitioned this year from Larchmont resident Matt Rauchberg, who served as Scoutmaster for 11 years, to Andy Fiedler, a St. Brendan and Loyola parent with two boys currently in the troop.

S couting for 116 Y ear S

Pack 16 enjoy year of growth and service

By Jackie Miron Cubmaster

Pack 16 Cub Scouts are celebrating a year for the record books, marked by strong membership, outdoor adventure, and meaningful community service. With 62 scouts and a full calendar of activities, the pack remained active year-round while building skills and friendships, and enjoying a spirit of giving.

The 2024–2025 year concluded with a busy summer that kept Scouts active and outdoors. Activities included a bike rodeo at St. Brendan School, biking and picnicking at Dockweiler Beach, and camping trips to Cabrillo Beach and Camp Whitsett, offering Scouts opportunities to explore nature and strengthen teamwork.

The 2025–2026 Scouting season officially kicked off in September with the pack’s annual on-campus cam -

Girl Scouts

(Continued from Page 1)

chocolate, marshmallow, and almond crème.

Surveys have found that when Girl Scouts become adults, they are more likely to attain a higher level of education, volunteer in their communities, contribute financially to causes they care about, and vote in elections than those who don’t participate. Also, 100% of female U.S. Secretaries of State were Girl Scouts.

So, feel good saying yes when asked to buy a box for $6.

pout. Fall events followed in quick succession, including Trunk or Treat in October, the Raingutter Regatta in November, and a Holiday Pizza Party and Gift Exchange at Desano’s Pizzeria to close out the year.

Fundraising efforts were also a highlight. Pack 16 sold popcorn and opportunity drawing tickets at the Wilshire Rotary Christmas tree lot, culminating in a Dec. 20 drawing. Prizes included a 3D toy printer, $250 in Salt & Straw gift cards, and a Nintendo Switch 2.

Scouts across all ranks participated in hands-on service and educational activities throughout the year. Arrow of Light Scouts partnered with TreePeople to plant trees in the city of Winnetka and camped at KOA Campgrounds in Ventura and El Dorado Park in Long Beach. Webelos Scouts built and painted birdhouses, while Bear and Wolf Scouts explored the Ballona Wetlands using binoculars to observe native plants and wildlife.

As a pack, the Scouts gave back to the community by decorating Thanksgiving placemats for recipients of the St. Brendan Church food drive and creating nutcracker ornaments for families in need.

Looking ahead, Pack 16 is preparing for winter camp at Lake Arrowhead in February, an overnight campout aboard the Battleship Missouri in the spring, and summer camp. With continued growth and an enthusiastic group of Scouts and families, Pack 16 Cub

New Troop 10’s girls build something new

By Diane Gilmore Cubmaster

Three girls have launched a new troop at St. James’ Church, 3903 Wilshire Blvd. While the meetings are two Sundays a month, they pair up with the larger boys’ troop for outings and summer camp. Building a new team is a leadership opportunity.

The girls are setting their own goals and managing their own recruiting.

Their unit goals are to double in size and all go to summer camp this year. Girls who enjoy cooking, hiking, and leadership opportunities are welcome.

Scouts are poised for another memorable year. Pack 16 welcomes boys and girls in grades 1 to 5 and holds its meetings at St. Brendan School.

Scouting Builds confidence in youth. The founding members of troop 10 girls look forward to finding their purpose through a sense of community responsibility. They plan to have fun doing it. Helena, the senior patrol leader, wants to share her past experiences with outdoor camping, cooking and hiking. All three girls are looking for ways to support their community through the outreach programs at St. James’ Church.

SCHOOL NEWS

LARCHMONT CHARTER

LAFAYETTE PARK

Ella Wolovitch 10th Grade

Following students’ return to the LFP campus last month, everyone worked hard to finish any missing

Troop 10 girls are learning to navigate new territory as they build something new from scratch. They hope to double in size in a few months with new 5th graders bridging over from Cub Scouts to their Girl Scouts unit.

In building a new cohort of friendships from the Larchmont neighborhood this troop will develop friendships that bride several local schools. For more information go to BeAScout.org and enter your zip code.

Scouting America will bring up Packs and Troops in your neighborhood. Troop 10 Girls is the only local Scouting America opportunity in our Larchmont area.

assignments and fix last minute grades before the first semester ended. We have now started our second semester and are looking forward to the next few months.

The Asian American Association hosted a night market on Jan. 15 filled with food, games, and music! Students piled into the side lot and were able to enjoy a peek into a variety of Asian cultures. Additionally, Valentine’s Day was

Directory

Cub Scouts

Ages 5-10

Pack 10

Glen Lim, Cubmaster Glenlim416@gmail.com

Pack 16

Jackie Miron, Cubmaster jdmiron@quigleyandmiron. com

Pack 392

Karen Youmibo, Cubmaster karenyoumbi@gmail.com

Pack 777

Eugene Hong, Cubmaster ceo@eugenehong.com

Scouts Ages 11-17

Troop 10 Boys

Andy Fiedler, Scoutmaster T10andy.fiedler@gmail.com

Troop 10 Girls

Diane Gilmore dianegilmoreLA@gmail.com

Troop 43 Boys

Glen Schector, Scoutmaster mauriglen@icloud.com

Troop 777 Boys

Joseph Shin, Scoutmaster Troop777bsa@hotmail.com

It’s Pinewood Derby time for Pack

By Diane Gilmore Charter Representative St. James’ Church

This is the season for the Pinewood Derby race. Sawdust everywhere. Anyone who has built this little car remembers the adventure. Our Cubs start with a simple block of wood and turn it into a lifetime memory. In making these cars it is possible the dads have more fun than the Cubs. But the Derby, like all Cub activities, is a game with a purpose. Our Cub Scouts are learning

School News

(Continued from Page 11)

festive, and students received candy grams from friends filled with some fun treats set up by student leadership!

PAGE ACADEMY

Naya Savodivker 6th Grade

Hello Larchmont friends!

The beginning of 2026 at Page Academy was calmer compared to other months, yet still full of meaningful moments. On Jan. 9, we held our Honor Roll Assembly to recognize students for their outstanding efforts during the second quarter. We also cel-

character, citizenship, and fitness. It may be all about the fun to the kids, but there are real life lessons to be learned. Pack 10, sponsored by St. James’ Church, has nine dens of boys and girls who are in kindergarten through 5th grade. Our lower grades are always full. But as school gets harder only the dedicated outdoors Cubs make it to Scouts. Pack 10 is proud of the four Webelos Cub Scouts that bridged over to Troop 10 this year. We are also proud that

ebrated the 100th day of school, with students and staff dressing as if they were 100 years old and participating in fun activities and games. That same week, we hosted a school sleepover for students in grades 3 through 7. Students enjoyed spending time together playing games, sharing great food, and watching a movie. It was a memorable experience, and everyone had a wonderful time.

We are excited to welcome February with many activities planned. Highlights include a field trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific, our Valentine’s Day celebration with a special breakfast, and engaging lessons honoring Black History Month and Presidents’ Day. Page Academy will also observe an academic break from February 16-20, with classes resuming on Mon., Feb. 23.

10 at St. James’

Sanford, and Levi Oquendo.

our 60 Cubs completed their adventures and moved up in rank over the summer.

BRISKIN ELEMENTARY

Emme Feldsher Goldberg 6th Grade

This year Pack 10 went deep sea fishing, did a cleanup at Kenneth Hahn Park, toured the USS Iowa, and watched the sun rise at the beach. Every den slept in a tent and all learned new songs and skits to enjoy at campfire. It’s gratifying to see families who want to spend time unplugged and out in nature. The whole Pack is looking forward to Rocket Academy weekend in March. Yes, it all sounds like a big game. But the purpose is to build good character.

with grace and kindness.

Things are really buzzing at Briskin Elementary! Upon returning from Winter Break, we held our grade-level Spelling Bees, and the top two spellers from each class will now go on to the schoolwide Bee on Tue., Feb. 3. It is an official Scripps event, so the winner of our Bee will participate in a regional Spelling Bee on Mon., Feb. 23. It is meant to be an opportunity for friendly competition and a chance for excellent spellers to shine. As we do every year, we are focusing on sportsmanship and competing

The Organization for Social Media Safety will visit our 5th- and 6th-grade classes to discuss how to safely navigate technology, which makes our parents very happy!

Briskin Elementary School and the BNECC (our TIOH preschool) are joining forces for a Briskin Buddy SleepUnder! It will be a really fun movie night and Havdalah ceremony. (Havdalah is a service marking the end of the sabbath and the beginning of the new week.) Preschoolers have been invited by their Briskin Elementary School buddies to attend the cozy playdate, which will include pizza, hot cocoa, and a sing-along with the 6th graders who will help lead the Havdalah service. Everyone will bring their sleeping bags, wear PJs, and have a blast.

School News

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The Briskin Bears’ basketball season is underway! Both the joint 4th/5th and our 6th-grade teams have begun practicing and are ready for a fantastic season ahead!

Auditions were just held for Briskin’s annual Spring Performance, which is “Peter Pan, the Musical.” The 6th-grade cast has been selected, and we’re all set to begin rehearsals, which will continue until the big show in March!

And those were just the highlights!

THIRD STREET

ELEMENTARY

Cole Bigus 5th Grade

LE LYCÉE FRANÇAIS DE LOS ANGELES

Cielle

Khoury 7th Grade

As we enter 2026, we should also pause to remember last year’s fires. January marks the anniversary of the Palisades fires, a moment that we will never forget. These hard times showed how resilience united us as one strong community. Many students lost their homes and precious memories, but our school community stood strong together.

bers of the junior class attended a celebratory Mass Jan. 30, followed by the presentation of their customized class rings. The tradition is an eagerly anticipated highlight of junior year as each student’s class ring symbolizes a lasting connection with the school community. “I believe the Junior Ring Ceremony is a beautiful and timeless way to welcome the juniors to a lifelong

sisterhood rooted in camaraderie, support, and love,” Ms. Stacie Miller, Junior Class moderator and Immaculate Heart alumna, said. Juniors contributed to the ceremony in various ways, from decorating the auditorium to reading passages during the liturgy. The Junior Ring Ceremony is a beloved tradition that continues to unite more than 11,000 Immaculate Heart graduates.

THE OAKS Atlas Tuck 6th Grade Happy 2026! Everyone is back on campus after a much-needed winter break. Although students might be longing for

Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening! We at Third Street are excited for all the events coming up this month! To start off, on Fri., Feb. 6, we will have a Spirit Day and will be encouraging students to wear red and show their Panther pride! On Fri., Feb. 13, we will have our Prospective Kindergarten Parents Orientation and Tour, where our principal, Ms. Lee, will be meeting parents that want to enroll their child in Third Street Elementary and tour the campus. We encourage visitors to sign up and join the tour on our school website. If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time! To end, Third Street School will be having a Parent’s Casino Night and online auctions! Here, parents can have fun and add prizes to our auctions! Hope you have a great Valentine’s Day!

CHRIST THE KING

King Hernandez 8th Grade

Although our school lost a campus, it was able to rearrange another campus overnight to welcome all students from Pacific Palisades. Our school proudly provided lunch and daily snacks for families affected by the fires and collected uniforms.

Students supported their classmates with kindness, showing true school spirit. Even during difficult times, learning continued and friendships grew stronger. As we remember this anniversary, we are proud of who we became together. Now, we are ready for what comes next. While the high school is working on a start-up project, the middle school looks forward to welcoming authors during Read-A-Thon week.

PILGRIM SCHOOL

Allison Pak 12th Grade

Happy New Year! 2026 is the Year of the Horse. The horse represents energy, strength, freedom, and forward movement. These are exactly the qualities we can carry into the new year as we support one another.

As the school year moved forward, January and February were active and meaningful months at Christ the King School. January began with students returning refreshed and ready to learn after Christmas break. The school celebrated Catholic Schools Week with themed days, special activities, and moments of prayer that highlighted the value of faith and education. Students also stayed busy in athletics, with basketball teams practicing and competing in games throughout the month, showing strong teamwork and school spirit. Academic Decathlon teams continued preparing for upcoming competition.

In February, students balanced academics and sports with dedication. The Academic Decathlon teams competed in the Quiz Bowl, proudly representing Christ the King. Basketball teams continued to play games, supporting one another and demonstrating unity. These months reflected the strong spirit of faith, teamwork, and community at Christ the King School.

Semester two has started strong, and some college early action decisions have been made to NYU, Wesleyan, Boston University, and Parsons. We continue our Snow Trip tradition, where all high school students will go to Big Bear for three days and two nights. It’s a wonderful opportunity to bond and be with each other celebrating the first semester.

Pilgrim partnered with USC for girls in STEAM. It’s a program for middle school girls who code and love science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

It is admissions season. Open houses and visit days were well attended, and many families were interested in Pilgrim School’s programs, offerings, and our beautiful historic landmark.

For more information, please contact admissions@pilgrim-school.org.

IMMACULATE HEART

Madison Dang 11th Grade

The Junior Ring Ceremony & Liturgy marked a major milestone for the Class of 2027.

Surrounded by family and friends, mem-

School News

(Continued from Page 13)

more time away from school, the second semester is going to be a very fun, eventful season. For starters, 5th and 6th graders will be going on an overnight trip to Astro Camp, where they will learn about physical science, astronomy, and space exploration.

Some activities at Astro Camp include launching rockets and astronaut training. In February the annual Oaks School dance will take place. The dance is a great opportunity for friends to bond on the dance floor and around the stacked dessert station. Lastly, our new head of school, Debby McLean, will be visiting campus before she officially starts this summer.

MARLBOROUGH

Madison McClure 10th Grade

We’re back! Marlborough is starting off strong after our two weeks off with the Varsity Basketball team winning their game against Harvard West-

lake last Monday and some our seniors are starting to present their Capstone Projects, which are always so interesting. Onto other exciting news, Spirit Week is coming up at the end of this month! At Marlborough we do Spirit Week a little differently: instead of having a football game being the Friday event, we have a dance competition. Every grade will perform a dance that they have choreographed themselves and have been rehearsing all week long. During Spirit Week there is a different theme (Sport Jersey or Student-Teacher Swap) each day, and the whole school dresses up like the theme. Currently, every grade is planning their theme and choreography, trying to keep it a secret from the rest of the school. Spirit Week is one of Marlborough’s most anticipated activities of the year. And just be wary, ’cause my grade is ready to get our first Spirit Week win this year!

ST. JAMES’ EPISCOPAL

Sloan Kennedy 6th Grade

ballet and even skits written by the students themselves! During the State of the School address on Jan. 28, our administrators will talk with parents about ideas for the new year. In February, we will celebrate Black History Month and Lunar New Year with chapels, assemblies, and special lunches. I am very excited for 2026 and to cover every moment of it!

WINDWARD

Lucy Margolis 10th Grade

Windward School has hit the second half of the year running, with students juggling coursework, activities, and an impressive number of commitments that may or may not include overachieving. Daily breakfast offerings, including apple pancakes, s’mores French toast, and huevos rancheros remain undoubtedly delicious.

Happy New Year! We kicked off January with a 6th grade Free Dress on Jan 9. On Jan. 15 we hosted Dr. Peg Oliveira for a seminar on the Ages & Stages of Early Childhood Development. Our head of school, Mrs. Rich, began the Family Partnership Series to support families in addressing critical issues in today’s world. On Jan. 20 we had a 5th grade Variety Show, with performances in anything from magic to

The debate team is preparing for a grueling season, with tournaments at Stanford and Harvard in February, proving that competitive arguing can now require air travel and formal attire. Windward’s new art building, which opened earlier this year, recently hosted the upper school production of “Urinetown,” which received stellar reviews. Student journalism continues through Windward’s digital newspaper, the Windwardian, including an interview with new Head of School Sarah Beck. Meanwhile, the CTL is busy with

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Sports betting

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How did we get here? How did sports gambling become so big?

The answer is, this was probably always going to happen. The public’s desire to wager on something they love to watch—11 of the 13 highest-rated television events in history are Super Bowls—was always significant, it was just a matter of society catching up and becoming comfortable with that demand.

Growing up a child of the 80s, I was a huge sports fan, but it didn’t seem like sports betting loomed large.

But then a story dropped that was too big to ignore.

Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader in major league baseball and player-manager of the Cincinnati Reds, was suspended from the game for life for betting on games involving the team he was managing. A sport that clings to its stats and records like no other banned one of the biggest names to ever play the game.

The first modern gambling scandal occurred in 2007 when NBA referee Tim Donaghy admitted to betting on games he officiated, as well as providing inside information to gamblers. The bomb dropped in the lap of the NBA Commissioner David Stern, who presided over a meteoric rise of the league in profits and popularity. Stern received a call from the FBI in June 2007, just days after the Spurs completed a four-game sweep over the Cavaliers and a promising young player named LeBron James. The FBI informed Stern they were investigating Donaghy for suspicious, gambling-related activities; a month later they confirmed their findings to

CALIFORNIA VOTERS rejected Prop 27 in 2022 to legalize online sports betting, but residents often use offshore sportsbooks.

him and Donaghy owned up to his crimes.

An ashen-faced Stern revealed all of this in a 72-minute press conference, adding when he first learned of the FBI investigation, he said, “I can’t believe it’s happening to us,” and called the entire affair “the worst situation I have ever experienced as a fan of the NBA, lawyer for the NBA, or a commissioner of the NBA.”

And that’s the thing. These kinds of scandals were jaw-dropping at the time. They were shocking. That is no longer the case.

Since sports betting gained legality in 2018 it’s moved from shady backrooms to prime time. Literally. Broadcasts of games now prominently include updated gambling references throughout the game. Viewers can not only bet on the game beforehand, but throughout, as the odds shift.

But fans betting on sports is innocuous—for the most part. The problem is when the participants do it, something that’s been happening with increasing frequency.

Several athletes have been ensnared in gambling scandals. Former Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley was

suspended for one year for betting on NFL games. In May 2023 the University of Alabama fired its head baseball coach after suspicious gambling activity in which a friend of the coach bet against the Crimson Tide after receiving communication from the coach. In 2024 an employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars was sentenced to prison for stealing millions of dollars from the NFL team, most of which he funneled directly into his FanDuel account.

In 2024 Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors was suspended for life for his involvement in prop bets—feeding insider information to gamblers who can score big on those bets which require a bettor to wager on how many rebounds a player will grab in one game, for example. If a player twisted an ankle in the pregame shoot around, that could be valuable insight to bettors.

It’s prop bets, and the involvement of players who are uniquely equipped to provide bettors information, that have drawn the most scrutiny. And the names of those involved are growing more prominent. An MLB All-Star closer on the Cleveland Guardians has been suspended over a gambling inquiry, as was a sitting NBA coach—Chauncey Billups of the Portland Trailblazers—for his role in a gambling investigation.

Sports viewership is an inevitable behemoth, and gambling on those games is a cat that’s not going back in the bag. Fans now have a reason to hang around to the last whistle to see if the fourth guy off the bench scores basket.

Most experts agree that the biggest opportunity to curb corruption is through those prop bets. They are fun for fans—throw a quick $20 on whether (name a

basketball player) will grab two rebounds, or whether a pitcher’s first pitch will be a ball or a strike. The problem is, the players themselves are aware of those bets, and it’s too easy—and tempting—for them to influence their outcomes in a way that doesn’t seem like it’s influencing the outcome of the game. Which is exactly why NCAA President

School News

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hardworking students studying and completing puzzles, Spirit Week looms on the horizon, and another music concert is on the calendar.

HOLLYWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE

Reece Bagley 6th Grade

Charlie Baker has been advocating for the banning of prop bets in college sports; many think doing the same in professional sports would reduce nefarious activities by its participants.

Whatever the case, something’s got to give, because the combination of legalized betting, technology-enabled apps that make access easy, and the ubiquitous references to gambling through sports networks and media personalities have created a perfect storm that shows no signs of slowing.

graders can’t wait to present their products, and they’ve enjoyed the process!

NEW COVENANT

Evelyn Lee 11th Grade

Hollywood Schoolhouse’s curriculum includes tons of interesting projects. One of the most exciting endeavors is the 6th grade Shark Tank project. For this project, students began by brainstorming with their classmates to think of good products to create and sell as well as how to best present their product. Then, they surveyed the school community to gather data. Later, they presented their products to the school administration, who acted as the “sharks,” or investors. All of the pitches went very well, and in early February, the products will be sold at a community gathering for the school. The 6th

Our students were re-energized and ready to learn as they got back from their threeweek winter break. New Covenant Academy welcomed their students back with excitement for the upcoming spring semester!

To commemorate the start of the spring semester, NCA hosted a back-to-school night event, which gave parents the opportunity to engage with the teachers and observe their children’s work. The parents and teachers had the opportunity to discuss their children’s progress at school and brought up the NCA spirit!

The girls’ and boys’ basketball teams worked extensively and fought so hard this season! To bring more support, our Cheer Team performed and encouraged the basketball teams for the first time this school year! Go Huskies!

Happy tails told of Tailwaggers; Caroling rings in the New Year

Since Tailwaggers hit the Boulevard in 2021, it has become one of the most beloved retail shops on the street. From animal rescue adoption days to Tailwashers and Doggy Daycare, the store looks out for us. All of us. You may have noticed, though, that lately, the shelves have been a bit bare. COVID-19 and other factors came into play, such as the expansion of the business into Palm Springs, which required several loans. The combination of these factors caused the perfect storm for the business, and Tailwaggers was not immune. Luckily for our community, Tailwaggers has turned the corner, and brighter days are ahead.

Todd Warner, owner of Tailwaggers, is looking toward the future with positivity. “I have an amazing relationship with the landlord.” He said. “They took a chance on me in the beginning and are being

Sidewalks

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never been in it.”

That being said, I do not believe anyone of the 35 on this walk, including one dog and two children under 10, thought they would be walking to a concert performed by virtuoso pianist Ilya Ramlav from Moscow.

The owners of the piano store, the Kasimoff brothers, hosted the concert. Kyril Kasimoff gave a historical introduction of each instrument including the famous musi-

EMPLOYEES greet furry and non-furry clients daily.

patient and understanding.”

Warner’s priority is to rebuild the inventory. “That has been the biggest challenge,” he admitted. “What has helped us through is the standing and special orders. Everybody has the choice to buy from a small business or a big company. We appreciate everyone in the community who chooses to buy from a small business. I feel a responsibility to the staff, to the vendors, and to the landlords. Closing was never an option.”

The moniker of Warner’s

cians who have played them and films they appeared in—followed by Ramlav, who played a composition appropriate for the instrument, which included the pianoforte, the grand piano, the clavichord, and others. Ramlav performed works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, Sergei Rachmaninoff (one of Ramlav’s favorites), among others. Each was performed with such sensitivity and intimate awareness that I and my new friends were no less than stunned at our great luck to

store, Tailwaggers, has a long history. The Tailwaggers Club was founded in England in 1928. Stars such as Betty Davis put the Tailwaggers Foundation on the map in the U.S., with fundraisers held at the Beverly Hills Hotel that included such Hollywood royalty as Howard Hughes, Walt Disney, Greta Garbo, and Judy Garland. The original foundation gradually faded out of existence, and Warner snapped up the namesake. February will start a new

have happened upon this evening!

Ziperovich, who lives on South Van Ness Avenue, organized the free walking series. It began during COVID-19 to offer an in-person community

Marylin Parker Stephens

February 1, 1927 – November 3, 2025

Marylin Parker Stephens passed away peacefully on November 3, 2025 with her children by her side. A native southern Californian and long-time resident of Hancock Park, she was born on February 1, 1927 in Los Angeles to Dr. Joseph Parker and Madeline Smith Parker. Marylin attended John Burroughs Junior High and graduated from Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy High School in 1945. She attended USC and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Education. She married fellow Trojan, Gordon Fitzhugh Stephens, in 1950, and taught elementary school for a few years. e Stephens had three children, June Sweeney (James), Julie McCloskey (Terry) and William “Steve” Stephens (Stacey). Marylin doted on her six grandchildren and their families: Trevor Mcloskey (Taylor), Mary McCloskey Lanman (Will), Pearson Sweeney (Kiah), Carey Sweeney, Camille Stephens (Mike Smith) and Jillian Stephens Grovenburg (Timothy). She was blessed to have been able to meet 8 of her 9 great grandchildren. Marylin was active in a multitude of philanthropic, social and Christian organizations. Her faith was of the utmost importance to her and she would not hesitate to share the encouragement and peace she received from her relationship with Jesus Christ. When she wasn’t attending Bible Study she could most o en be found at Wilshire Country Club playing bridge or sharing a meal with her friends.

A member of Alpha Chi Omega (Epsilon Chapter, USC), she served as chapter president in 1948. She was active at All Saints Episcopal Church of Beverly Hills, where she was a member of the vestry and the Altar Guild. She spent countless hours volunteering in the gi shop at Good Samaritan Hospital. Additional philanthropic activities included CHLA’s Kate Crutcher Juniors, USC’s Patronaires, and the Assistance League of Los Angeles.

Marylin was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon, her daughter, Julie, and her sister, Joan Barrie. She is survived by her sister, Marge Cro ord, her two children, June and Steve, 6 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held at St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church, 3903 Wilshire Boulevard, on Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of owers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Homeboy Industries in Marylin’s memory.

chapter of rebuilding for Tailwaggers, now that most of their loans have been paid off. He is focusing on restocking the shelves, staging more events, and being a bigger part of the community.

Over the years, Tailwaggers has employed hundreds of workers, and their adoption events have placed thousands of animals into loving forever homes. The surrounding community has been a huge part of that success, and Warner looks forward to many more years of catering to the community and especially to the animals who bound into the store to receive their special treats at their special counter that they know ohso-well.

“Larchmont is so very special,” boasts Warner. “We

experience. The SideWalking website says, “Every neighborhood is a treasure trove of stories…All it takes is a willingness to walk side by side, listen and share.” Ziperovich said he loves to travel and one reason he creates these events is, “I never know what I’m going to see or who I’m going to meet. Doing this recreates that feeling for me without having to brush off my passport.” And we can’t wait for the next one.

To see video of Ramlav’s performance that evening visit @ thelarchmontchronicle on IG. For upcoming walks follow @ sidewalkingorg on IG.

don’t have any plans to go anywhere.”

Over 100 neighbors met in front of Le Pain Quotidien to carol their hearts out with a big brass band Dec. 21. The meetup found friends and musicians ready to stroll the neighborhood with The Blasting Company, a band that has led the annual caroling party for a decade. The New Orleans-style brass band gave a sense of parade-like fun as neighbors moved through the Larchmont and Windsor Square neighborhoods, laughing, caroling, and drinking hot spiced cider and mulled wine. One pit stop included a “shot ski,” where the homeowners generously poured shots of holiday cheer into shot glasses on a ski, which groups drank in coordinated, unincumbered unison.

The singing party then moved through the streets ending at the home of Frances and David Hoge where the Hoges generously offered homemade chili, holiday libations, and cheer. This holiday tradition has been going on for over 10 years, interrupt-

Cocoanut fire

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math which felt relevant around the anniversary of the 2025 L.A. wildfires.

To set the scene, Gordon explained that in 1942 America had just come out of the Great Depression and was one year into World War II. Nov. 28, 1942, was during Thanksgiving weekend, and people wanted something to do. For many in Boston, that meant celebrating with dinner and dancing at the much sought-after two-story Cocoanut Grove nightclub. For them, the evening’s revelry ended in the seventh worst fire in U.S. history.

News coverage of the day recounted how just before the fire broke out a young man on a date was annoyed that a glaring light above his table was interfering with his amorous intentions, so he unscrewed the offending light bulb. When the maître d’ sent the 16-year-old busboy over to replace the bulb, he held a lit match up to the ceiling to better see where to put the bulb. Did the match flame start the fire? Again, the similarities to the January 2026 fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, strike a chord.

We know that the current and previous owners of the Cocoanut Grove were men of shady reputations. We know that corners were cut, and laws circumvented, for their financial benefit, including having the nightclub licensed as a restaurant, not a place of public gathering, thus avoiding the stricter rules for the latter, such as requiring sprinklers.

The building itself and much of the wiring were in violation of building codes of the time. We know that the decorations did not comply with fire retardant regulations.

Capacity crowd

The Cocoanut Grove was approved for a capacity of 460; 1,000 crowded the place that night. When the fire broke out and quickly filled both floors of the building with smoke, panicked crowds found that the only path down from the second floor was by a narrow stairwell and one revolving door—the owner had arranged for every other exit door to be cemented shut or locked to keep guests from sneaking out without paying.

The Boston Fire Marshall, who dined there with his wife that night, had declared the nightclub safe only 10 days before.

Because there were numerous factors contributing to the severity of the fire and its toll, and an inconclusive investigation into the cause, the Fire Commissioner determined that “The fire will be

DR. GORDON, a retired surgeon and historian, gave a talk at a home in Windsor Square last month on a devastating 1942 Boston fre.

entered into the record as of no known origin.”

As Gordon concluded, the real cause of the tragic fire was greed.

Among those who perished in the Cocoanut Grove fire were newlyweds who had just gotten married hours before;

two women who were the first in Boston to join the WAVES, a branch of the U.S. Naval Reserve created that year to help the war effort by placing women in non-combat roles; the Boston College Eagles equipment manager and his wife; and Buck Jones, the most popular Western movie actor in the country. The Boston Fire Marshall and his wife both survived.

Information gleaned

Fire victims were rushed either to Boston City Hospital or Massachusetts General Hospital. Although there had been a citywide drill regarding burn care after Pearl Harbor, the two hospitals had vastly different approaches. BCH used tannic acid, which caused liver damage, and MGH treated the burns with petroleum

Chris was born at Saint John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California on January 8, 1954. He grew up on S. Plymouth Blvd in Windsor Square/Hancock Park. His rst memory was losing a shoe in an upwelling of tar adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits.

A er 9 years of LAUSD public schooling, Chris transferred to Harvard School for Boys, where he played for both the water polo and swim teams. Outside of school, he was a member of Boy Scout Troop 121, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout at the age of 13. He went on to join the Scout’s honorary society, the Order of the Arrow, and later became the troop’s Senior Patrol Leader.

Chris matriculated to Stanford University, where he played water polo and was invited to participate in the Humanities Honors Program for exceptional academic performance. One of his best lifetime experiences was studying abroad at Stanford’s overseas campus in Florence, Italy, where he studied European social theory, literature, and lm.

Inspired by his lm courses, Chris changed his major to Film and Broadcasting. His summer jobs included writing for a local lmmaker, working as a production assistant on a TV commercial, and hosting tours at Universal Studios Hollywood. He graduated in 1975 with

jelly and gauze. Boston City switched to match MGH’s approach. Today, Mass General is recognized as a leading burn treatment center.

Gordon summarized the architectural changes spurred by an analysis of the devastation caused by the 23-minute fire. Well-marked exits are now required, maximum capacity signs must be posted, there are stricter rules for sprinklers, and staff must be trained in safety protocols. Another change: revolving doors often seen at the entrance to hotels and department stores must have separate swinging doors on either side for ease of egress. All of Boston’s building codes were revised.

Have we put into practice lessons of fires past?

Although our knowledge

of fire safety is exponentially broader than it was in 1942, two things stand out from the recent New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation Bar in the ski resort town of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, which killed 40 people and seriously injured over 100: greed and incompetence often override safety.

Analysis to date indicates that the recent Swiss fire was caused by sparklers placed in champagne bottles and held aloft, lighting the highly flammable soundproofing on the ceiling, harkening back to the lit-match theory as the cause of the Cocoanut Grove fire.

Read the full article on our website larchmontchronicle. com in the section “People.”

Christopher William Blakely

January 8, 1954 - December 13, 2025

Honors and had a dream of working in the lm industry. But at the insistence of his father, who had always wanted to be a lawyer himself, Chris enrolled in law school at USC.

But Chris had no desire to become a lawyer, and a er earning his JD degree, he started his own motion picture production company. A er years of hard work, in 1986, Chris’s lm X- e Unheard Music made its debut at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, and was screened at the Sundance Film Festival. e lm was honored by Sundance again in 2007, and a 35MM print became part of e Sundance Collection at the UCLA Film Archives.

e best thing Chris gained from law school was his sweetheart and lifelong partner, Elizabeth (Betsy) Bolles, whom he met in 1977 and married in 1982. Chris and Betsy lived rst in Venice, then on Van Ness Avenue in Windsor Square, and on Norton Avenue, where they resided for 32 years.

Chris worked on many corporate lms, commercials and rock videos, and was fortunate to work with numerous famous directors including James Cameron, Michael Apted, and Robert Zemeckis. Notably, he worked with legendary director George Lucas on the music video of “To Know Him Is To Love Him” by “ e Trio”: Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris.

With his friend Rob Newell, Chris co-owned both Play It Again and Main Street Media, Inc., where they produced and directed several award-winning educational videos. ey also wrote, shot, produced, directed and edited countless corporate lms on subjects ranging from architecture and knifemaking, to balloon decorating and healthcare. In recognition of his contributions to the industry, Chris was awarded a Lifetime Membership in the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700).

Chris spent much of his free time volunteering for non-pro ts. He served as Founding Director of the Surfrider Foundation, and was later was elected Chairman of the Board. He served as President for the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society, where he headed the Executive Committee, and helped to organize the Society’s Homes Tours, membership teas and annual meetings. Chris also volunteered as an Assistant Scout Master for Boy Scout Troop 10, and later as a Board Member of the Troop 121 Old Timers’ Club.

A er the passing of his father, William Blakely, II, and his mother, Betty Jane Lissner Blakely, Chris became the de-facto manager of several family properties, including the family’s Malibu beach house. He used the credits earned from renting the beach house on a vacation

home exchange site to fund countless unforgettable family vacations in fabulous locations including France, New Zealand, Spain, Germany, Portugal, e Netherlands, Italy, England, and Hawaii.

Chris and Betsy moved to Petaluma, California in December 2024. ey were warmly welcomed by a great group of neighbors and had just commenced an extensive landscaping project to ll their backyard with an Eden’s full of fruit trees when Chris’ battle with cancer cut short their dream of living an agrarian life a small town.

Just before his death, in October 2025, Chris attended his 50th Stanford University class reunion which brought him a great deal of joy.

Chris loved body sur ng at the family beach house in Malibu. He was a world traveler who was well liked and made friends wherever he ventured.

Chris was a wonderful husband, a marvelous father, a devoted brother and a caring friend. On his passing, his friends and associates stated that he was one of the nicest, kindest people they had ever met. Chris is survived by his wife Betsy, children Lauren Alessia Blakely (Ren) and William Wallace Blakely III (Will), daughter-in-law Sidney DuPont, brother Bruce W. Blakely, and sister-in law Lillian Trac.

Charter

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has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

A council that has not grown with the city

The size of the Los Angeles City Council was last set in 1925, when voters approved a revised City Charter establishing 15 single-member districts. At the time, Los Angeles had just over one million residents and a far less complex municipal apparatus.

Today, the city’s population is approaching four million, spread across more than 500 square miles. The scope of city government has expanded dramatically, encompassing issues ranging from homelessness and housing development to climate resilience and public safety. Yet the number of councilmembers has remained unchanged for a century.

As a result, each councilmember now represents roughly a quarter-million residents. That scale has reshaped the role of a council office, which functions not only as a legislative post but also as a constituent service center and informal problem-solving hub. Even well-staffed offices struggle to maintain consistent engagement across districts of that size.

Why expansion failed in the past

Los Angeles voters have rejected council expansion before, most notably during the 1999 charter reform election. That year, voters approved sweeping changes to city governance, including strengthening the mayor’s authority and creating a citywide system of Neighborhood Councils. At the same time, they voted down ballot measures that would have increased the number of

council seats.

Several factors contributed to those defeats.

Public trust in City Hall was low, and opponents framed expansion as adding more politicians without offering a clear case that it would improve accountability or city services. The proposals competed for attention amid a crowded reform package, and expansion lacked the visibility or urgency of changes to the mayor’s powers.

Cost concerns also played a role. Although the projected budget impact of adding council seats was relatively small, critics emphasized the symbolic cost of enlarging government, and supporters struggled to articulate tangible benefits that voters could expect in return.

Equally important was the creation of Neighborhood Councils, which were presented as an alternative way to bring government closer to residents. For many voters, the promise of dozens of local advisory bodies felt like a sufficient compromise — one that avoided increasing the number of elected officials. Limits of the neighborhood council system

More than two decades later, Neighborhood Councils remain an established part of Los Angeles civic life. There are now 99 councils, offering forums for residents to raise concerns and advise city officials.

The system has expanded participation and created new pathways for civic en-

LOS ANGELES CITY HALL being built in the 1920s, when the size of the City Council was last set.

gagement. But Neighborhood Councils are advisory bodies. They do not pass ordinances, control budgets, or make binding policy decisions.

Over time, it has become clear that they have not reduced the workload of City Council offices or significantly altered the concentration of power at City Hall. Instead, they operate alongside a council structure that continues to place substantial authority in the hands of a small number of elected officials.

That reality has prompted renewed scrutiny of whether advisory councils alone can address representation challenges in a city of Los Angeles’ size. Why the debate looks different now What distinguishes the current discussion from earlier efforts is how the argument

for expansion is being framed. Rather than focusing solely on representation, proponents point to structural pressures that have intensified over time.

Councilmembers wield significant influence over land use, development approvals, and discretionary spending within their districts. With only 15 seats, that authority is highly concentrated, increasing the stakes of individual decisions and the burden placed on each office.

Supporters argue that adding council seats would reduce district size, make elected officials more accessible, and distribute power more evenly. They also contend that a larger council would function more like a legislative body, with policy shaped through broader coalitions rather than through a small number of powerful offices.

There is also a practical capacity argument. Council offices increasingly serve as intermediaries between residents and city departments that are themselves stretched thin. Smaller districts could

Charter

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allow councilmembers to spend less time managing volume and more time on oversight and problem-solving.

What expansion might look like

The Charter Reform Commission has not endorsed a specific model, but several options are being discussed. Some proposals would make a modest change, increasing the council to 17 or 19 seats. Others envision a larger expansion to 21 or even 25 members, bringing Los Angeles closer to peer cities in terms of representation.

Each option carries tradeoffs. Smaller expansions would be easier to implement but might leave districts comparatively large. Larger expansions would reduce

On the Blvd.

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ed only by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was obviously missed, because each year, the party grows. Yet another sign that our neighborhood is back and stronger than ever. Until next year... Fa la la la la la la la la!

There’s a new school on the block, but it’s not for kids. The New Mom School opened in January at 658 N. Larchmont Blvd. The school is for moms and focuses on the fourth trimester after birth. The eight-week class is organized by your baby’s birthdate, and brings moms into a community with other new parents, gives them information about motherhood, and their baby’s

Of the Blvd.

By Nona Sue Friedman

The Chevron gas station at 4700 Beverly Blvd. is closed and going into its second month of construction. As a requirement of the state, the station’s underground fuel tank needs to be upgraded.

The well-known neighborhood auto repair shop that shares space with the gas station, S.M.G. Auto Repair,

district size more significantly but raise additional questions about cost, district boundaries, and the pace of implementation. Commission members have also discussed whether changes should be phased in over multiple election cycles to avoid disruption.

Concerns about cost and complexity

Opponents continue to raise concerns about the financial and administrative impact of expansion, particularly at a time when many city departments are facing budget constraints.

City budget analysts note that even a sizable expansion would account for a small fraction of the city’s more than $13 billion annual budget. Council offices represent a modest share of total spending, and supporters ar-

development.

If you dream of having ice cream for breakfast, Jeni’s Ice Creams at 123 N. Larchmont Blvd., will make that dream a reality. On Sat., Feb. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon, indulge in a brand-new flavor reveal along with their usual offerings. What a great way to wake up! Lunar New Year celebration of the horse is coming to Larchmont Boulevard for the first time. This free, family event will take place Sun., Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include a lion dance, lantern making, tea ceremony, mahjong, calligraphy lessons, and more. Suá Suprette, at 144 N. Larchmont Blvd., is one of the sponsors.

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Bluemercury has been gutted but will return with a

is barely visible beyond the temporary chain-link fence enclosure. Customers can only enter the business from St. Andrews Place. According to Edgar Potensiano, one of the brothers who works the shop, the closure “has definitely affected our business. People think we’re not open and there have been fewer walk-ins.” The Potensianos hope the construction is finished in the next month and

gue that improved oversight and responsiveness could help prevent costly delays or inefficiencies elsewhere in government.

Others worry that a larger council could become unwieldy or more fragmented. Supporters counter that Los Angeles already struggles with coordination and transparency under the current structure, and that concentration of power has created its own inefficiencies.

What comes next

The Charter Reform Commission is expected to continue public hearings and outreach throughout the year as it refines its recommendations. While a charter amendment could technically appear on a primary ballot, city officials have indicated that a November general election is more likely, given the

facelift of sorts. The store will reopen with an “interactive” experience, offering facials, smart mirrors to analyze skin conditions, and other personal services.

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• Virgo Designs and Landscaping were working hard in January replacing a broken pot damaged by a drunk driver, and planting new greenery. LBA President Romi Cortier said, “The next spot to get a makeover will be the planting area near the Village Clock.”

a half. Potensiano said, “The sooner the better,” and the neighborhood concurs.

complexity of the issue and the need for voter education.

Whether voters ultimately support expansion remains uncertain. But for the first time in years, the question is being evaluated less as a symbolic reform and more as a practical response to a

governing structure that has not kept pace with the city it serves.

In that sense, the debate is less about adding seats than about whether Los Angeles is prepared to modernize a system designed for a much smaller, simpler city.

Larchmont

Village Neighborhood Association

“The objective and purpose of the LVNA has, since 1987, been the preservation and enhancement of our neighborhood.”

After an eventful 2025 we’re now into the second month of 2026. Can you believe it?

The LVNA’s ended last year with real progress helping our neighbors on critical issues such as the prostitution problems bleeding over from Western Avenue, the widespread street light outages, and (by joining hands with almost every other organization in the Larchmont area) opposing poorly thought-out developments on Larchmont Boulevard itself.

We were thrilled to be part of the Toys For Tots campaign which put 50,000 gifts in the hands of children who would otherwise have gone without and look forward to doing even more next year

LAPD and CPAB

Larchmont Village is served by two different LAPD Divisions. Wilshire Division serves those locations WEST of Gower, Olympic Division serves those locations EAST of Gower.

Each Division hosts a monthly meeting of their CPAB – their Community-Police Advisory Boards. These are local, volunteer-based groups in each of the LAPD’s geographic areas and are intended to serve as a vital communication link between residents, community leaders, and police to discuss crime, safety, and quality-of-life issues. The meetings are hosted on Zoom or, in some cases, at the police station itself.

After advocacy from our board, the Olympic Division CPAB meetings have been revived and moved to Zoom while their community room is under construction. It takes place on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 pm. We will circulate registration details via the LVNA email list prior to the February meeting.

The Wilshire Division CPAB meeting takes place on the third Thursday of the month at 6 pm. If you would like to join, please call the Wilshire Community Relations Officer @ 213-473-0200 or emailWilshirecro@lapd.online for instructions and to register.

Of course, when we have problems which fall under their purview, our hardworking Senior Lead Officers are many times our primary point of contact and help.

Wilshire Division Senior Lead Officer is Officer Tyler Shuck. His email: 40740@lapd.online. His phone is 213-793-0650.

Olympic Division Senior Lead Officer is Officer Daniel Chavez. His email is 36304@lapd.online. His phone is 213-793-0709. Please reach out to your LVNA contact info listed below for help or more information…

Need to figure out who represents you? There’s a great tool at https:// www.laforward.org/who-represents-me .

In Larchmont Village there are always new ideas and opportunities to further enhance our quality of life. If you have an idea or project on which you’re looking for support, we’ll connect you with a member who’s got exactly the right combination of interest and knowledge to help you get it off the ground. The solution to the problems of our community comes from participating, working together and making our voices heard. Reach out at www.lvna.info You can write to the LVNA at: Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association 325 North Larchmont #294

Los Angeles, CA 90004

You can email the general LVNA box at lvna90004@gmail.com or President Charles D’Atri at lvgwnc@gmail.com

Serving the Larchmont community between Beverly and Melrose, Arden to Wilton Place lvna.info • lvna90004@gmail.com

Section Two

February 2026

Artist Larissa Lockshin

Bucking trends of internet art, her paintings are created to be experienced in person. 4

Fr. Gregory Goethals honored

Fr. Jack Dennis, S.J. remembers retired president of Loyola High School, and local resident. 10

The Preservationist’s Progress: A bittersweet start to 2026

The year 2026 got off to a heartbreaking start for this preservationist. On early Sunday morning, Jan. 4, the historic Hollywood Center Motel at 6720 Sunset Blvd. was destroyed by fire and its ruins demolished by the Los Angeles Fire Department. This was a tragic loss of one of Hollywood’s oldest and most vulnerable sites. As a preservation advocate for Hollywood Heritage, I was in the process of shepherding this historically significant site through the Historic Cultural Monument process, so its loss was quite a gut punch. Loss is unfortunately part and parcel of the work of preservation, often feeling akin to holding back the waves of progress and the tide of time.

The Hollywood Center Motel was a unique complex of historic structures, the earliest of which, built in 1905, was described by the 2020 Architectural Resources Group Survey of Hollywood as a “rare example of residential development that pre-dates Hollywood’s consolidation with the city of Los Angeles in 1910,” and also as an “excellent example of a shingle-style residential architecture in Hollywood.” In 1922 the property became a multifamily

On Preservation by Brian Curran

bungalow court with the addition of seven new buildings. Later converted to motel use in 1954, a breeze-block privacy wall and mid-century car-centric signage was added. The Hollywood Center Motel was a physical chronicle of the cultural and economic evolution of Hollywood from residential suburb to urban core.

Its loss was the result of a confluence of issues and events that bedevil vulnerable historic structures throughout our city and even in our neighborhood. The chief among these is vacancy. A building loses its purpose as a residence or place of business etc., which is then followed by departure of occupants. If the building is left unsecure it will become a magnet for transients, and soon the fires begin. This happened to a house at 252 S. June St., which burned in 2018, and also at 304 S. Plymouth Blvd., which, although occupied by transients and vandalized, did not burn and is not being restored. Confronting the vacancy issue in historic buildings and properly securing them is one of

the major issues that I will be working on this year. The Hollywood Center Motel’s loss was preventable, but sadly irreparable.

Where Hollywood lost one historic building, it celebrated the survival of another with the opening of the museum exhibit “The Barn That Made Hollywood: 40 Years of the Hollywood Heritage Museum” on Jan. 10. The museum is based in the historic Lasky DeMille Barn built in 1895. Originally located at Selma Avenue and Vine Street, the barn was rented in 1913 by Jesse Lasky and Cecil B. DeMille to film “The Squaw Man,” the first feature-length motion picture made in Hollywood. When the Lasky Company merged with other early studios Famous Players and Paramount, the company soon outgrew its Vine location, moving to its current site on Melrose Avenue. The barn was also moved there, being used as a gym as well as a studio set until 1979, when it was donated to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and moved to the parking lot of what is now the club Avalon on Vine. In 1982 the barn was given to Hollywood Heritage for use as a museum and moved again, this time to its

current location on Highland Avenue across from the Hollywood Bowl.

The exhibit celebrates the colorful and peripatetic history of the barn, including its 40 years as a museum, as well as the history of Hollywood Heritage. Founded in 1980 by Marian Gibbons, Christy McAvoy, Mildred Heredeen, Frances Offenhauser, and Susan Peterson St. Francis, Hollywood Heritage grew to become Hollywood’s premier preservation organization,

responsible for the establishment of the Hollywood Boulevard National Historic District and the preservation of the Janes House, The Wattles Mansion, the Hollywood Pilgrimage Memorial Monument, and more. “The Barn That Made Hollywood: 40 Years of the Hollywood Heritage Museum” runs through April. Open Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Hollywood Heritage Museum, 2100 N. Highland Ave. Tickets can be purchased at hollywoodheritage.org

By Suzan Filipek

An exclusive after hours visit to the Sistine Chapel. A private visit to recently excavated tombs in Egypt. Behind the scenes of changing of the guards in London.

These amazing experiences might be hard to tackle on your own, which is where an agent can help.

While lots of budding travelers turned to the internet in its early days, booking their flights and stays, and while some continue to do so, others have found the myriad of choices online exhausting.

“Things have circled back to people using travel advisors to plan their trips, whether it’s ‘just a hotel’ to get all the perks and upgrades, to more complex trips,” said Sharon Ronen, of Above and Beyond Travel.

Some clients, she said, “entrust me to know their vibe and what they like and give them options. I have other clients who have a sense of what they want to do but don’t have the time, energy, or desire to figure it out themselves. So it’s a mixture of all types of scenarios.”

An aesthetician, Ronen became a travel advisor by way of sharing her adventures and itineraries with friends, family, and skincare clients.

When not giving facials at a salon on Larchmont Boulevard, Ronen “was an avid traveler and over the years collected a lot of information, tips, and recommendations.”

If a client was going to Paris she would give them a spreadsheet on the city with all of her recommendations.

Astounded by her wealth of information, someone told her, “You should really do travel, for real.”

Her clients travel the world,

from Bali, Vietnam, and Bhutan to Italy, Canada, London, and Mexico. Japan is very much on trend right now. She booked 20 trips to the East Asian country last year.

Among her personal favorites are road trips of the golden state with her husband and dogs in tow.

Wherever the destination, she encourages her clients to spend a few days off the beaten path, away from the crowds.

She doesn’t charge a fee for customers seeking hotel and minor recommendations, and can even offer discounts, with amenities and upgrades. Her next tier, which adds tours, a yacht, or other extras, can range from $50 to $100 per day.

The all-hands-on-deck package has a $75 to $100 daily fee.

She stresses she can work within every budget. “I never want people to be priced out of traveling, because there’s lots of different ways to travel,” she said.

Whatever the destination, “Being a citizen of the world gives you so much more perspective and appreciation of how we live, realizing our way is not the only way, and dare I

rest of us as she can privatize tours to museums, such as the Louvre and d’Orsay in Paris.

“I recently was able to get my clients a private, after-hours visit of the Sistine Chapel at the last minute the night before Easter,” she told us.

Another amazing adventure for some lucky travelers was a private underground visit of just-excavated tombs in Egypt.

say, not always the best way.

“I love helping people who have the curiosity. It’s always possible to make it work.”

Her new website is scheduled to be up any day: aboveandbeyondtravel. biz.

There’s also behind the scenes/behind the glass tour of Churchill War Rooms and access to the changing of the guards experience in London.

Would you prefer private dinners with celebrity chefs?

“

Exploring other cultures and landscapes is a mind broadening experience. I love the world, and I love to learn. It’s the best way.”

Meanwhile, you can reach her at foratravel.com/advisor/ sharon-ronen.

• • •

Diane Sherer is founder of Beyond Traveled, a boutique luxury agency. Brick-andmortar businesses may be gone, but high-end service is booming, she said.

The former divorce attorney and screenwriter turned her joy and passion into her day job in 2016.

The result is a bonus for the

Sherer works her magic out of her Beachwood Drive home, which she shares with her husband, and where they raised two sons.

In addition to 10 independent contractors, mostly in Southern California, plus New York City and Rome, she has partners situated around the globe.

Clients often plan a year out, and Sherer stays busy making hotel reservations and booking flights, mostly first class, some on private jets.

Where to? Everywhere… Mexico, Hawaii, Brazil, Aspen, Big Sky, the Caribbean and Ja-

pan come to mind.

Her fee ranges from $500 to $2,500 depending on the complexity of the trip.

Exploring other cultures and landscapes is a mind broadening experience, she said. “I love the world, and I love to learn. It’s the best way.”

Sherer can be reached at beyondtraveled.com.

Canvassing the art scene of the upcoming Los Angeles Art Week

By Helene Seifer

February is known for many things: Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, the Superbowl. Here in Los Angeles, an item to add to our February calendars is Art Week. Art cel-

GALLERY is an

Fair. Pictured here, “Bull Man Remnant #1,” by Rick Bartow.

ebrations kicked off early with the L.A. Art Show in January; multiple eclectic art fairs will occur across our city the last week of February, providing an exciting glimpse into the state of art across the world.

Frieze Los Angeles: Feb. 26 to March 1, 2026 Frieze established art fairs in 2003 as an outgrowth of its arts magazine of the same name, “Frieze,” first in London, then expanding to New York, Chicago, Seoul, and Los Angeles. This year’s L.A. iteration will feature 95 galleries from 22 countries, including Kukje Gallery from Seoul, South Korea; Shanghai’s Bank; Mexico City’s Proyectos Monclova; and South Africa’s Southern Guild. Numerous internationally known galleries with local outposts are exhibiting, including David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, Gagosian, and David Kordansky, among others.

Of special interest is the Focus section of the fair, which will feature 15 U.S. galleries formed fewer than 12 years ago. Curated by Essence Harden, who also co-curated the Hammer Museum’s “Made in LA 2025” exhibit, two of the Los Angeles-based galleries selected for Focus are the Melrose Hill gallery Fernberger, 747 N. Western Ave., which will exhibit Greta Waller’s luscious paintings of melting ice cubes, and Hollywood’s Make Room gallery, 6361 Waring Ave., with abstractions by artist Erica Mahinay.

Napoles Marty is the recipient of the 2026 Frieze Los Angeles Impact Prize. Established seven years ago by

artist Mark Bradford, it awards $25,000 to an early-career artist, supporting their growth, community engagement, and social justice.

Deutsche Bank, a major collector and supporter of the arts, has been the Global Lead Partner for Frieze Art Fairs for 23 years.

Frieze Los Angeles; Santa Monica Airport, 3223 Donald Douglas Loop S., Santa Monica; frieze.com/fairs/ frieze-los-angeles. General admission tickets are $106.60; after 3 p.m., $85.20.

Felix: Feb. 25 to March 1

Felix is enjoying its seventh year in Los Angeles, but it has a completely different spin than Frieze. Rather than rows of art booths in a large hall, works are displayed in the guest rooms and poolside cabanas of the atmospheric

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The fair’s unusual environment encourages intimate and less intimidating interactions with art, artists, collectors, and gallerists.

There are over 20 first-time exhibitors this year and an equal number of returning galleries. Those representing the global art marketplace hail from such places as Buenos Aires, Seoul, and London. Some of the featured galleries with an L.A. presence are the Fairfax district’s Timothy

Hawkinson Gallery; albertz benda, with galleries in the Hollywood Hills and New York; and Morán Morán, of Melrose Hill and Paris, whose owners Al Morán and Mills Morán cofounded Felix

Art Fair with collector Dean Valentine.

Felix; Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd.; felixfair.com. Day pass $75; run-of-show pass, $100.

(Please turn to Page 10)

Emotional weather systems explored in shimmering works

By Helene Seifer

“I grew up hanging around the racetrack with my grandpa,” stated artist Larissa Lockshin while surrounded by the 17 artworks in her exhibit “Squall Line” at Nazarian / Curcio. Her paintings are named after racehorses, such as “Boots on the Moon,” “Blazing Hot,” and “World of Trouble.” Thoroughbreds are not allowed to repeat the use of a name; so too, each of her paintings is unique. “The names read like tiny poems,” she said, noting that she keeps a list of horse names she especially likes, assigning them to her finished works depending on what feels right.

In keeping with her desire to create unique works of art, Lockshin sought to buck current trends. “Internet art is prevalent,” she noted. “I wanted to resist having art that worked as a photograph. It needs to be experienced in person. Over time I developed this process that I feel incorporates sculptural elements.”

“Squall Line” is named for an ever-changing severe storm weather front that forms a straight or curved line across the horizon. Lockshin’s hand-rubbed oil pastels on shimmering satin are also mutable—as the light changes in the room or as one walks from one side to the other the colors shift and bits of the background material peek through, some-

thing impossible to convey in a two-dimensional, online image.

“It’s the theme of weather, but also emotional weather—what I’m feeling that day…I stretch satin over a layer of canvas, then dye it,” Lockshin explained. She then selects a starting color and makes a mark, smearing oil pastels directly with her fingers, then sees where it leads her. “It’s very intuitive. I’m meditating with it. I work on it until it is balanced enough. There’s a crucial balance between ground and the marks, in terms of light coming through.”

The Toronto native now lives in New York after having graduated from Parson’s School of Design in Manhattan. “They emphasized video and performance there. I was the only painter in the department. If painting was irrelevant, perhaps there’s other material?” she thought. That’s when she began working with satin. She also builds her own wooden frames, which lift the paintings away from being flat against a wall, for maximum light interaction.

“I’m stubborn” Lockshin admitted, referring to her desire to stay with painting. “If you’re going to add to a genre, how can you make it different? How can you push it forward?”

“Squall Line” by Larissa Lockshin; Nazarian/Curcio; 616 N. La Brea Ave.; 310-2810961; through Sat., Feb. 14; nazariancurcio.com.

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The Eagles have landed…Again!

On March 21, 2025, I went to see the Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas. It was supposed to be the final concert at that venue for the legendary band. However, since that time, due to high demand, they have added several shows to their residency, beginning last fall and extending into 2026. The “Long Goodbye” tour will officially come to an end Sat., March 28 after a run of a record-breaking 56 concerts at this spectacular venue.

Concerts will take place the last two weekends of each month, with one show on Fridays and one show on Saturdays. If you’re even a casual fan and are fortunate enough to be able to travel to Vegas for a pricey ticket, I implore you to go. Even if you can’t afford the best seats, there are plenty of seats at more accessible prices. What makes the Sphere so unique is that there really isn’t a bad seat in the entire venue, due to its

Musical Notes by Steven Housman

unique architectural design.

I’ve seen hundreds of concerts in my lifetime, so when I say this particular concert is in my top five, please take it seriously. Beyond how incredibly tight the production was, which would have been enough, the Sphere was perhaps the best music venue I’ve ever experienced. It went way beyond my expectations. Between the sound system, the atmospheric lighting, graphics, and special effects that encompass the entire globe (not to mention the band’s two and a half hours on the stage), I was completely transformed, transfixed, and overwhelmed. It’s a concert experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Yes! It was that great.

The lineup features founding member Don Henley

February Events

6

FIRST FRIDAYS , Natural History Museum’s monthly series, celebrates its 20th season Feb. 6 to May 1. Events offer a mix of science, live music, signature cocktails and pop-ups. A discussion on “Life at the human scale” kicks off the season Feb. 6, from 6 to 10 p.m. Neuroscientist Yewande Pearse will moderate the talk in collaboration with the Planetary Program at the Berggruen Institute. Food trucks will be on site at NHM, 900 Exposition Blvd. Tickets are $30. Visit nhm.org/firstfridays. THE WINTER OLYMPICS, held once every four years since 1924, will feature 116

events in eight sports, including alpine skiing, curling, ice hockey, and figure skating. The Milano Cortina 2026 Games are Italy’s fourth time hosting the games, which will take place in Milan and the Dolomites. Watch the opening ceremony, taking place in Milan, Fri., Feb. 6, and the closing ceremony (in Verona) Sun., Feb. 22, on NBC, Peacock (USA), and olympics. com.

MUMMIES OF THE WORLD: THE EXHIBITION opens Sat., Feb. 7, at the California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Dr. The exhibit features more than 30 human and animal mummies from 7

(drums and vocals), along with longtime members Joe Walsh (guitar and vocals) who joined in 1975, and Timothy B. Schmit (bass and vocals) who joined in 1977. There were also newer additions— the extraordinary Vince Gill (guitar and vocals), who joined in 2017 and whose vocals have not changed since he first began in the ’70s with the band Pure Prairie League, and Deacon Frey (guitar and vocals), son of the late Glenn Frey, who also joined in 2017.

As an extra bonus to all of the Eagles’ hits (and there are many) and some deep tracks, the set list also included some of their solo hits—Henley’s 1984 smash hit “The Boys of Summer” and 1985’s “Sunset Grill,” as well as Walsh’s 1973 hit “Rocky Mountain Way” and 1978’s “Life’s Been Good.”

I had a bet with a friend as to which song the set would begin with. He said “They will begin with ‘Hotel California’” to which I answered, “No, it’s

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN priest Nes-Min, from the Ptolemaic period.

South America, Europe, and Egypt. The exhibit dives into the science of mummification in varied environments with stories revealed through CT scans. Having premiered in 2010, the exhibit returns to L.A. as its closing venue with specimens never seen in Los Angeles and rarely toured. Timed entry tickets are required. In conjunction with the exhibit, the 40-minute film “Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs” will screen at the Center’s IMAX Theater. Visit californiasciencecenter. org.

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POETRY BROTHEL’S “A Valentine’s Night of Sensual Splendor” is Sat., Feb. 14, from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

too iconic – they’ll save it for the encore.” He was right. That familiar opening guitar riff began and the audience erupted in wild applause. If I told you they sound as great as they did in the ’70s, you might not believe me—but they do. That’s what made this concert experience go beyond my wildest dreams.

The group that started out with Linda Ronstadt (most

at the Sassafras Saloon, 1233 Vine St. Tickets are $45 for general admission, 21 and older only. Poetic encounters, dancers and performance artists, and live music will be featured amid candlelight. Hosted by the Poetry Society of New York. Visit poetrysocietyny.org.

VICTORIAN VALENTINE

15

TOURS are Sun., Feb. 15, from 1 to 4 p.m., with guided tours at 1 and 2:30 p.m. at the Grier Musser Museum, 403 S. Bonnie Brae St. Vintage Valentines, teddy bears, and Kewpie dolls will be on display in the 1898 Queen Anne-style Victorian house. Call for res-

famously at Doug Weston’s

The Troubadour in West Hollywood) came into their own immediately following their departure as her backing band. Ronstadt was so gracious, she even gave them her blessing.

I guarantee that if you enjoy this experience even half as much as I did, you’ll always smile upon this memory with a peaceful easy feeling.

ervations. Admission is $18 for adults; $6 for children. Cash only. Visit griermussermuseum.org.

21

THE LEIMERT PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL will showcase “Narrative & Notes” at 4276 Crenshaw Blvd. Sat., Feb. 21, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The life, music, and legacy of jazz pianist Bud Powell will be honored at the event. Admission is $35. Visit leimertparkjazzfestival.org.

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L.A. CHINATOWN FIRECRACKER celebrates the Lunar New Year and Year of the Horse with a festival and one of the largest and oldest running races in the U.S., with routes through Chinatown, Dodger Stadium, and Elysian Park. Meet at Chinatown Central Plaza, 943 N. Broadway, Sat., Feb. 28, and Sun., March 1. Events include a 5/10K, run/walk, 1K kiddie run, 2K PAW’er dog walk, and 20/50-mile bike rides. Visit firecracker10k.org.

‘Hamnet’—transcendent performance overrides historical issues

Early January is a theatrical dead zone in Los Angeles. The Nutcrackers have packed up, Tiny Tim is skiing in Mammoth, and actors are lumbering back into studios as rehearsals for shows opening in early February click back into gear. In short: nothing to review.

This year, however, my understanding editors suggested I take a look at Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet, her film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel of the same name. If you don’t know by now, the book/ film’s thesis (at least in regard to Shakespeare) is that “Hamlet,” first published in Quarto in 1603 (the small books, not the big First Folio of 1623), was inspired by the death of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, in 1596. It also posits that the 11-year-old died of plague (possibly; other scholars suspect dysentery caused by unsanitary conditions—which does not make a great plot point).

There are several problems with this assumption, not the least of which is that

the “great-man-turning-hisgrief-to-art” trope went out with the late German Romantics. More problematic, it assumes that Shakespeare (assuming “Shakespeare” actually wrote his plays) churned through “King John,” “Merchant of Venice,” both parts of “Henry IV,” “Julius Caesar,” “As You Like It,” “Twelfth Night,” and quite possibly “Troilus and Cressida,” and “The Merry Wives of Windsor” (all written between 1596 and 1602) before finding an outlet for his grief in “Hamlet.”

The book and film take cover under (and, indeed, the novel is a response to) Shakespeare scholar Stephen Greenblatt’s assertion that Hamlet and Hamnet are interchangeable spellings of the same name. (The film puts Greenblatt’s assertion on the first frame.) There seems to be no actual proof of this (“truthiness” is not limited to politics), and it ignores the fact that Shakespeare based his play on a 12th-century Danish leg-

end, whose main character is named Amleth. The story would have been known to Shakespeare through a 16th century translation from the French of Belleforest. Does this make “Hamnet” a bad film? No. Depending on your appreciation for three-hankie melodramas, it is either a brooding elegy on loss and recovery, or, as The New Yorker’s reviewer called it, “grief porn.” I, on my editor-approved busman’s holiday, kept getting pulled out of the film by its Shakespearean inaccuracies, such as the children performing the witches scene from “Macbeth” for their mother (the amazing Jessie Buckley), when the Scottish play was written four or five years after “Hamlet,” a decade after Hamnet’s death. We’ll leave the inaccuracies about the Globe in the film’s last half hour for another day.

But the film is not about the Globe, Hamnet, Hamlet, or Shakespeare, but about Anne Hathaway (maddingly called Agnes here), who, at 26, was 8 years older than Master Shakespeare when he, as they say, knocked her up. Germaine Greer (in “Shakespeare’s Wife”) and others have tried to give Anne some agency in recent reappraisals, but there seems to have been little of love’s labors lost between Mrs. S and her husband, who could only bring himself to leave her his “second-best bed” in his will. Again, none of this matters. Jesse Buckley’s performance (it’s her film, frankly) would be as transcendent if she were the wife of Stratford’s garbage collector. Hers, as Roland Barthes wrote of Greta Garbo, is the kind face for which cinema was invented. Like Ingrid Bergman’s, or Liv Ullmann’s, or Julie Christie’s, it is a face “that represents the fragile moment when cinema is about to extract an existential beauty from an essential

beauty…when the carnal essences will give way to a lyric expression of Woman.” (“Mythologies,” 1957). In other words, she’s really terrific! My review: if you want Shakespeare, stay home. If you want Buckley—go!

What to watch for

And speaking of Hamlet, Eddie Izzard brings his one-person Hamlet to the Montalbán Theatre, through Sat., Jan. 31; ticketmastercom.

The Greenway Arts Alliance presents the world premiere of Stacey Martino’s The Circle, about three generations of families and the 2016 elections; Fri., Jan. 30, through Sun., Feb. 22; boxoffice @ greenwayartsalliance.org or 323-655-7679 (ext.4).

Former weatherman Fritz Coleman continues his long-running, one-man show, Unassisted Living at Noho’s El Portal Theatre through March; tickets and details: elportaltheatre.com/fritzcoleman.html.

Black doll workshop among events at Ebell this month

The Ebell of Los Angeles celebrates Black History Month with events open to members and the public.

As part of a members-only field trip, a Black Doll Workshop will reflect on dolls, such as corn husk figures, as vessels of hope, and members will create their own piece to

By Nathan Rifkin

The Los Angeles Central Library, 630 W. 5th St., turned 100 Jan. 29, and festivities are taking place all year long.

The celebration kickoff included the opening of a time capsule that was placed in the building when it was constructed in 1926.

To commemorate the occasion, five exhibitions featuring library history will be on display throughout the building for the entirety of 2026. A special edition library card is offered at all public library locations. Exclusive commemorative merchandise is offered at The Library Store.

Patrons and staff are encouraged to share their stories of the Central Library via video recordings that will become part of the Los Angeles Public Library Archives, submitted online through a link at lapl.org/central100 or at an in-person event.

Angel City Press will publish two books honoring the library in July: “L is for Librarian: The ABCs of Los Angeles Central Library,” an ABCs guide to the library

take home. Members should meet at the William Grant Still Arts Center, 2520 S. West View St., Tue., Feb. 3, at 11 a.m.

As part of the Ebell’s “Distinguished Voices” speaker series, actor and author Denise Nicholas will join journalist Christopher Ben-

son in conversation at the Ebell, 743 S. Lucerne Blvd., Mon., Feb. 9, at 11:30 a.m. Nicholas will be promoting her new memoir “Finding Home.” Benson coauthored two books about Emmett Till and was the Washington editor of Ebony magazine. Tickets are $45 for members and $60 for non-members.

The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles will perform a concert with the theme “I, Too, Sing America,” Sun., Feb. 15, at 4:30 p.m. at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 8th St.

To reserve a spot, and for more info on LA Voices: Free Sundays at The Ebell, visit ebellofla.org.

Juried exhibit Also this month, the window to submit art for the Ebell’s exhibition “A Woman’s Place: Framing the Future” ends Tue., Feb. 24. A reception and exhibition will take place at the Ebell Thu., Mar. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is free; RSVP at ebellofla. org.

for readers of all ages, and “Los Angeles Central Library Pops,” a pop-up book celebrating the library’s history. A new time capsule dedication is slated for December.

ALLA needs 7,500 books for kids and teens

The Assistance League of Los Angeles, the nonprofit volunteer-driven group founded in 1919, is campaigning for 7,500 new books for the children and teens that they serve throughout the county.

The drive started Jan. 21 and continues through Tue., March 31.

If buying books isn’t your jam, they are also asking for $2,500 in donations to flesh out their book goal.

Participants can make donations individually or start a book drive of their own, at their school, religious institution, or in their neighborhood and help tomorrow’s adults!

For more information, visit assistanceleague.org.

‘Kin’ the newest must-read book for 2026 from Tayari Jones

Every new year brings a flood of predictions about which books will dominate the conversation, and it can be exhausting trying to keep up. But the moment I heard that Tayari Jones had a new novel, Kin, coming out this month, I knew this book would land on many of those most-anticipated lists.

I was so lucky to get an early copy to read. One of the author’s most acclaimed previous novels, “An American Marriage,” published in 2018, remains one of my favorite reading experiences. It is a devastating, powerful novel of a young marriage undone by injustice when the husband is sentenced to 12 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. I highly recommend checking out that book if you

haven’t already.

The premise: “Kin” follows Annie and Vernice, two motherless girls raised next door to each other in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, in the 1950s

and ’60s. Annie is brought up by her grandmother after her mother abandons her as an infant; Vernice is raised, reluctantly, by her aunt after her mother is killed by her own father.

The two girls grow up inseparable, until adulthood pulls them in opposite directions. At 18, Vernice leaves Honeysuckle for Spelman College in Atlanta, entering a world of privilege, ambition, and powerful Black womanhood. Annie, meanwhile, runs away to Memphis in search of the mother who left her behind, embarking on a hard and uncertain journey. Though their paths go in opposite directions, the two childhood friends stay connected and a part of each other’s lives. Both

Larchmont Bookshelf

by Katie Urban

women struggle to find their way in the world without a mother’s guidance, though they are helped along by women who step in with care, discipline, and grace.

The verdict: Tayari Jones delivers another quietly devastating novel, one that poses important questions without ever losing momentum. What does it mean to be family? How does abandonment shape who we become? Can love, especially maternal love, be replaced, reimagined, or reclaimed?

Told in alternating voices, the novel is both ambitious

and deeply accessible, an emotional exploration of friendship, sisterhood, and the complexities of womanhood in the American South. Kin is already a top 10 book for me in 2026, and one I expect will appear on countless book club must-read lists. Its release date is Tue., Feb. 24.

Fun fact: all of the author’s novels, including “Kin,” “Leaving Atlanta,” “The Untelling,” “Silver Sparrow,” and “An American Marriage,” are set in or inspired by Atlanta, where the author grew up. I also listened to a recent interview Jones gave about “Kin” and wanted to share one quote that stayed with me: “We have to keep writing these books faster than they can ban them.”

Choose your own adventure from Gothic Blues to future climate news

Extrapolations: A miniseries of eight interrelated episodes spanning 33 years in the future explores the possible outcomes of climate change and what the world might look like soon. An amazing ensemble cast ranges from Meryl Streep and Kit Harington to Diane Lane and Edward Norton. Created by Scott Z. Burns (“Contagion,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”) for Apple TV, the viewer will question how the decisions we make today could possibly affect the world we leave for our children and grandchildren tomorrow.

His & Hers: This mystery thriller limited series captures the politics and intrigues of a small town in the state of Georgia. Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson stand out with strong performances as estranged spouses investigating a murder case from two different perspectives: one as a detective and the other as a reporter. The questions keep popping up and the answers are surprising. The series delves deep into feelings that can fester in communities for

years and how those feelings can lead to tragic outcomes. Watch it on Netflix.

Eden: This is the true story of European settlers who built an eccentric life on an island they called Floreana, part of the Galápagos Islands. Ron Howard directs a star-studded cast that includes Jude Law, Ana De Armas, Vanessa Kirby, and an almost unrecognizable Sydney Sweeney. Law portrays Dr. Friedrich Ritter, a German doctor who relocated to the island to create a new utopia in 1931 along with his partner Dore Strauch. The accounts of their exploits (that were printed in the papers at the time) attracted another German couple, Margret and Heinz Wittmer, to come to the island to help establish the new world. A “baroness,” played by Armas, arrives with an entourage of two lovers and grand plans to build a hotel. Things decline rapidly from there; shortly after Capt. Allan Hancock (the founder of Hancock Park) pays a visit, and there are murders and disappearances. The film has a slow pace, but the outstand-

What We’re Watching

by A.R. Johnstone

ing performances keep you engaged until the end. Stream it on Netflix.

No Other Choice: The acclaimed Korean director Park Chan-wook, known for “Oldboy” and “The Vengeance,” once again brings his own artistic vision to this film based on the book “The Ax,” by Donald Westlake. The black comedy thriller follows the attempts of a middle-aged man who has been laid off from his

job to eliminate his competitors for a new job. Starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Yejin, the film gives a glimpse into the despair one feels when their status and identity are at threat of being taken away. The audience will find themselves rooting for a protagonist that they wouldn’t like otherwise. This film was nominated for three Golden Globe awards.

Sinners: With a record-breaking 16 Academy Award nominations, the horror film set in 1932 in the Mississippi Delta follows star Michael B. Jordan who plays

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• Strong attention to detail to ensure thorough cleaning and maintenance

twins. Enter the tacticle world of the south, rich with juke joints, blues music, Voodoo, and yes, vampires. All a perfect setting for exploring generational consequences in the Black community. HBOMAX.

JOHN

FREMONT 6121 Melrose Ave. 323-962-3521 MEMORIAL

4625 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2732

WILSHIRE

149 N. St. Andrews Pl. 323-957-4550

HOURS

Mon. and Wed., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tue. and Thu., noon to 8 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The library will be closed Mon., Feb. 16 for Presidents’ Day.

Beverly Hills salon Umberto closes, Romi Cortier Design reigns

By H. Hutcheson

Romi Cortier has had his own salon, Romi Cortier Design, on Larchmont Boulevard for 25 years. “I didn’t know what I was getting into when I opened the doors at 38 years of age!” The 900-square foot cottage that houses his salon feels both upscale and homey, with vintage chandeliers and wallpaper in the bathrooms made from photos he took in Italy of the Ponte Vecchio and of Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

I went to speak to Cortier because, as many of our readers might have heard, there was a devastating fire at Porta Via, 424 N. Canon Dr. in Beverly Hills, where the restaurant of 31 years suffered a major fire in the early morning hours of Christmas. As a result of smoke damage, the iconic Beverly Hills hair salon Umberto (next door at 416) has also permanently closed after 48 years servicing clients, including many locals of Windsor Square and Hancock Park.

Although Cortier doesn’t have room at his salon for more hairdressers, some hav-

ing been there for over 15 years, he said there’s always a way to fit in new clients.

“Larchmont used to have a large salon similar to Um-

my teeth in LA. It was celebrity, but not too chichi. Kind of cool.”

In 2001 Cortier opened his own salon at 425 North Larchmont. He credits the development of his clientele partly to the acting class he took where he made friends with local Hancock Park actresses like Sharon Lawrence and Tammy Polo. “They were my posse,” he said. In picking his location he said it helped that “people always loved Larchmont—low-key and off the beaten path—like a hidden oasis here.”

berto some might remember, called Haas, on the south end of the street.”

Cortier moved to the neighborhood in 1993 from Bellevue, Washington. “There was a very affluent clientele in Bellevue,” he recalled, but decided to look for a more contemporary, or hip clientele. When he first came to Los Angeles he interviewed with Umberto’s wife, Babette, and declined her offer to work at Mauro Salon on Melrose. Mauro’s attracted movie stars of the era such as Roger Moore, of the “James Bond” series, and TV star Morgan Fairchild. “That’s where I cut

Cortier, president of the Larchmont Business Association, lives in Beverly Hills on Burton Way. “My husband is on the thread for Beverly Hills neighbors, and they are chatting about how many fires there have been recently in the surrounding area and how unusual it is to have so many fires happen over such a short amount of time.”

Umberto Hair Salon and Porto Via share a bit of history. In 2017, four continuous parcels went on the market for $100 million, all owned by the renowned hair stylist Umberto Savone, including Porto Via, Umberto, Il Pastaio, and 410 N. Canon Dr. No sale was made of this once-in-a-lifetime prize property in what is referred to as the Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills. Businesses in the four locations suffered financially through COVID-19 but have returned to pre-pandemic business levels, only to fall victim to fire Christmas morning. As the

Single-family homes SOLD: This home at 200 Lorraine Blvd. in Windsor Square sold for $5,243,810 in December.

$5,243,810

$5,150,000

$3,750,000

$3,100,000

$2,450,000

Remembering larger-than-life Fr. Gregory Moen Goethals

By Jack Dennis, S.J.

Fr. Gregory Moen Goethals, S.J., was a larger-than-life character. Greg lived and breathed Los Angeles, Loyola High School, his Goethals family, and his priestly vocation to the Jesuit Order.

Having known and loved Greg Goethals for over 45 years, I came to admire the amazing person he evolved into over the decades and the incredible leadership he showed managing Loyola High School Los Angeles. Greg cared deeply about every aspect of Loyola, from the most timid new freshman, to building facilities and programs to accommodate and meet the needs of all.

Greg’s contagious laugh-

Art Week

(Continued from Page 4)

Startup Art Fair:

Feb. 27 to March 1

Established in 2015 and held in San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, and New York, the Startup Art Fair in Los Angeles turns the rooms of a colorful boutique hotel into a space for art exploration, like the Felix model, at a fraction of the ticket fee. Created to give voice to emerging and underrepresented talent, over 80 independent artists—and innovative unaffiliated galleries—get to shine and control the conversation, and art

ter and great sense of humor could extinguish a multitude of dilemmas, and his brilliance leading Loyola for 20 years is unmatched. His sensitivity and care for sister institutions, like Verbum Dei Jesuit High School, is what characterized Greg most perfectly. He was a “Man for Others” in the most definitive ways.

Since I had the joy of being a close friend of his for decades, I will forever savor the love that we shared and all the memories of days gone by. Greg brought a rich texture of commitment and concern to everything he set his mind to, and his legacy will live on forever.

Gregory Moen Goethals

lovers can meet and support creatives outside of a more commercial art space.

Founder Ray Beldner explained, “Artists deserve multiple paths forward, and collectors deserve experiences that feel human, meaningful, and real.”

Startup Art Fair; The Kinney Venice Beach, 737 Washington Blvd., Marina del Rey; startup-art.com/los-angeles. Tickets start at $17.

The Other Art Fair: Feb. 26 to March 1

Over 120 emerging, independent artists will take center stage at The Other Art Fair, presented by online

“Experience

Greg’s personality and character that mattered most. Our world will be a little less without him, but his family, his friends, his students, and their parents will pass on the lessons they learned from Greg and that will help them to be a little bit more compassionate, forgiving, just, inclusive, and loving. And, if I know Gregory Moen Goethals, S.J., that is exactly what

he wanted his life to bear. Editor’s note: Father Goethals died Nov. 24, 2025, in New York at the age of 70 after being hospitalized from a massive heart attack. He had recently retired after 20 years as president of Loyola High School. He attended St. Brendan School, and Loyola High School (class of ’73), and grew up in Windsor Square. Fr. Jack Dennis, S.J., is a Baltimore, Maryland, native.

touched the lives and hearts of countless people in the Los Angeles community and beyond. His educational expertise reached far and wide, as the many academic and civic boards of which he was a member will attest.

But, far and away, it was

art gallery Saatchi Art, which runs art fairs in seven cities in the United States, Australia, and the U.K. Dedicated to making art accessible, some pieces are priced as low as $100. Aiming for a vibrant, festive atmosphere, there will be immersive installations, performances, DJs, and a full bar.

The 2025 fair had a community coloring wall, tea leaf reader, and mystery art bags for $50. Expect the unexpected again this time around.

The Other Art Fair; 3Labs, 8461 Warner Dr., Culver City; theotherartfair.com/la. Tickets start at $30.

JLLA celebrates 100 years with Gala

Looking for a fancy affair with an organization that helps the community? The Junior League of Los Angeles, which has made a home in the Rainey house at 630 N. Larchmont Blvd. since 1995, invites you to cele-brate their 100 years of ser-vice.

The black-tie optional event takes place Sat., March 21, at the California Club, 538 S. Flower St. Visit losangeles. jl.org to purchase tickets.

AROUND TOWN Holiday drinks and feast in Windsor Square

Don Granger and Lisa McRee threw a holiday party for neighbors at their home in Windsor Square.

Granger acted as mixologist, serving his New Orleans cocktail, the Sazerac, while McRee filled the table with a cornucopia of holiday favorites such as black caviar, Swedish meatballs, and the coconut cake Tom Cruise famously gifts to friends each year—always a major success.

McRee said, “The best part, other than having a gathering of neighbors, is having so many of their adult children join us, whom we’ve known since they were little!” And, happy New Year to all.

Salon

(Continued from Page 9)

Chief Ettore Berardinelli. Back here on the ranch, just like Umberto’s used to have… Cortier’s salon, albeit much smaller in size, provides the same full-service experience of hair and nails, and a boutique featuring his photos which will is scheduled to be-

come a book called “Gates in the Hollywood Hills.” Cortier said, “I like this as a boutique art space. Wish I had more space!”

Other beauty salons on the Boulevard include Larchmont Hair and Nails, and Larchmont Beauty Center for services.

Rest in peace, Porto Via and Umberto, we will miss you.

Of ostriches, prawns, and hooded cloaks; a look at Africa’s countries

For many of us here in the U.S., Africa feels very far away. There’s the geographic distance, of course, but also a deeply fragmented understanding of the continent that makes up a staggering 20% of the world’s total land area.

Myself included. When I think of “Africa,” I’m met with a hazy collage of photographs, sounds, and films absorbed over years, mostly by osmosis. I’ve seen David Attenborough-narrated clips of Serengeti wildlife and Senegalese director Djibril Diop Mambéty’s 1969 “Contras’ City,” an incisive portrait of post-colonial Dakar. I’ve been serenaded by the recordings of Ethio-jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke and the sentimental, dreamlike strings of Malian kora instrumentalist Toumani Diabaté. And I was of course raised on near-weekly viewings of “The Lion King,” Disney’s “‘Hamlet’—but with lions.”

But with a population of over 1.5 billion people living in 54 countries, speaking 2,000 different languages (with more than 520 in Nigeria alone), and living in large metropolises, mid-size cities, suburbs, and rural villages,

On the menu

(From Sec. 1, Page 2)

dressing, crispy papaya tempura salad, and scallop crudo, which is what we ordered. Raw scallops, sliced thin, floated in lemony yuzu with half discs of radishes and a scattering of crunchy pomegranate arils. The scallops absorbed the yuzu goodness, and the pomegranate lent a pop of color and sweetness. It was a wonderful and light way to start.

Hot dishes ranged from teriyaki tempura tofu, fried calamari with the Korean hot pepper sauce kochujang, and grass-fed ribeye with spicy Thai dipping sauce. We tried the garlic noodles with grilled chicken and the whole fried branzino.

Garlic noodles, a fusion dish originating in San Francisco at a Vietnamese restaurant, have since been adopted and adapted by Thai and Chinese restaurants. Redolent of intense garlic flavor, perfectly paired with a succulent, wellbrined, and grilled chicken breast, it was flavorful and homey. Even better, the fried fish was possibly the best branzino we’d ever eaten. The gorgeous fish had delightfully crunchy skin and moist sweet flesh. Basil chili sauce was the perfect balance of spicy, tangy, and sweet. Served with plain jasmine rice, it was a dish that would be hard to resist ordering again. Tempura green beans with chipotle aioli made an addictive side dish.

The short dessert menu

it’s a wonder we often consolidate our notions of Africa into a single, monolithic image. Perhaps my earlier attempt to “think of ‘Africa,’” misses the point altogether.

Narrowing things down only slightly, when I “think of ‘sub-Saharan Africa,’” the first thing to come to mind is Cameroon, thanks to being assigned the Central African republic when each student in my 4th-grade class was tasked with researching a different African nation. The Sao civilization, from the Lake Chad Basin, was the dominant culture in the region now known as Cameroon when Portuguese ships first landed on its shores in the 15th century. Observing the tidal estuary of the Wouri River, the foreign explorers noted its abundance of shrimp, naming the territory “Rio dos Camarões,” or “River of Prawns.” (Some may note the similarity to the Spanish word for shrimp, “camarón,” which originates from the same Latin root.) Germany colonized the area—calling it “Kamerun”—in 1884, followed by a takeover by the British and French, who divided it into

SPECTACULAR BRANZINO.

GARLIC NOODLES with succulent grilled chicken.

included a choice of two homemade sorbets: lychee or butterfly pea, a bright blue antioxidant-rich flower in the pea family. We opted for both the deconstructed mango sticky rice and the matcha donut. The former was the least successful bite of the night. The rice was mixed with matcha and formed into disappointingly stolid balls. The donut was delicious, just sweet enough, drizzled with matcha icing. The accompanying vanilla ice cream was excellent. A swish of bright red strawberry coulis gave the dessert a bright jolt of color.

The Night We Met; 788 S. La Brea Ave.; 323-4243108; thenightwemetla.com.

“French Cameroun” and the “British Cameroons.” The country gained independence from France Jan. 1, 1960, and Ahmadou Ahidjo was established as the first president of the République du Cameroun shortly thereafter.

Just to the south, in neighboring Gabon, it was the Portuguese who again christened the area, this time from “gabão,” meaning “hooded cloak,” due to the curved horn shape of the coastline’s Komo River estuary. Under French rule from 1885 until the country gained its independence Nov. 28, 1958, the French-speaking citizens of Gabon still call it “République Gabonaise” today.

Algeria, in the North, is Africa’s largest country, named for Algiers, the city chosen by France as the capital when they invaded and colonized the region in 1830. The city was titled centuries earlier, following another usurpation, when Berber leader Buluggin ibn Ziri established the mu-

Letters

(From Sec. 1, Page 2) us, the voters. In addition to hiring more planners and inspectors, the byzantine zoning process needs to change.

Projects following our codes need to be supported, not attacked. We need to accept what gets decided in this zoning process as long as the public is vigorously invited to participate.

I get great information from YIMBY advocates in Abundant Housing L.A., but I tell them we don’t need to tear

nicipality on the ruins of the Phoenician city of Icosium in 950. “Algiers” arrived from the Arabic “al-Jazā’ir,” meaning “the islands,” so called for four islets in its bay. The singular form, “al-jazīrah,” might sound familiar as the media network whose name references the Arabian Peninsula.

Eritrea, adjacent to Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa, is separated from the Arabian Peninsula by just a couple hundred miles of the narrow waterway known as the Red Sea. Long contested by many powers, including the Ottoman Empire, the Egyptians, and the Sultanate of Adal, the area gradually came under Italian rule in the mid- to late19th century, culminating with the founding of the “Colonia Eritrea” in 1890. The Italian name harkens back to the ancient Greek word for the Red Sea, “Erythre Thalassa,” from “erythos,” the Greek phrase for “red,” tracing its roots to the Proto-Indo-European “reudh,” also the origin of the English term for the color.

Still in East Africa, just south of the equator, the continent’s second highest mountain rises high above the landscape, its tallest peak

down single-family neighborhoods.

And I don’t want to lose L.A.’s historical buildings and homes. But surely we can all see the many thousands of buildings that could use replacement here. Los Angeles is a young city that was in a hurry to rise up—especially after the L.A. River floods got contained by our grandfathers.

Our job now is to improve on the ticky-tacky buildings that were never built to last.

Chris McKee, member, Mid-City Rising / Abundant Housing LA

reaching 17,057 feet. The land mass was called “Kīrī-nyaga” in the local Kikuyu language, with “nyaga” implying both “ostrich” and the bird’s white patch of feathers, so deemed for its snow-capped peaks. “Kīrī-nyaga” was translated into the Kamba language as “ki nyaa” and was eventually recorded by German missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf as “Kenia” when he became the first European to encounter the mountain in 1849. The appellation would define the larger region when the British Empire established the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya in 1920, dominating the area until Kenya gained its independence on December 12, 1963.

Leaping off the page

Now with a few more bits of ephemera, my mental collage of the continent grows more defined, but remains distant, flattened to words and images on a page. To begin to understand a place nothing can replace being there, bringing it closer, allowing our preconceived notions to leap off the proverbial page and, if we’re lucky, be replaced by our own experiences.

Not nice I enjoyed your article about the niceties in our neighborhood [“Niceties in the neighborhood set the tone for the new year,” Jan. 2026]. They should be celebrated. Meanwhile, it

SIGN asks for no stretching.

drives me to share this neighbor near Irving Boulevard and Fifth Street who clearly doesn’t like my stretching. Shame. Kim Huffman Cary, Hancock Park