Section Two
March 2026
Super Bowl violinist
Local musician went to the Bay Area to perform with Bad Bunny in the Super Bowl halftime show. Page 10
Monastery news
Homeboy founder
Father Boyle will serve pumpkin bread, candy, and souls in the Hollywood Hills. Page 13
By Helene Seifer
Windsor Square Association President Larry Guzin’s last meeting after serving on the board for 22 years—the last 16 as president—was Sat., Feb. 28. The board unanimously elected Vice President Jason Greenman as the new president. He has enormous shoes to fill.
Guzin, a former deputy and assistant city attorney, was in private practice as a trial lawyer when he joined the WSA board as public safety committee chair. “The experience I had with the city was a natural fit. I had dealt with law enforcement. Addressing public safety issues is agenda number one.”
John Welborne, who joined the WSA Board in 1978 and is vice president of its landuse committee, noted, “Larry encouraged a good relationship with LAPD and senior lead officers and organized recognition of them when they retired. He had a very good relationship with City Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martínez and others before. That takes time and effort.”
“For a civic organization the main objective is to encourage connections between people who have something
in common as residents of the neighborhood and foster connection between residents, law enforcement, government officials, and the like,”Guzin said.
Guzin enjoyed great success over the course of his term, as enumerated by President Greenman. “He accomplished a tremendous number of things. He was intimately involved with the establishment of the Windsor Square Historic Preservation Overlay Zone and the Park Mile Plan. He’s done tons of stuff on emergency preparedness [such as encouraging] water barrels stored in people’s houses or backyards. He put that together at a low cost for people in the neighborhood. The community planted over 900 street trees around Windsor Square; the canopy is denser than ever before. [Larchmont Boulevard] medians from Third to First
streets are all paid for by the Windsor Square Association. He’s been a tireless advocate for trees on Larchmont.”
It is well known that from a hilltop vantage point the Windsor Square-Hancock Park neighborhood stands out as a green oasis in the city. Guzin has actively worked to maintain that, not just by adding to the tree canopy, but in working to add greenery wherever possible, including the planting and refurbishing of the Norton triangle, a former dirt-and weed-choked traffic island where Sixth Street and Norton Avenue meet.
“I love gardening,” said Guzin, which partially explains his interest in greening the environment. “We have a California native and herb garden in front of our house. Our backyard is completely exotic.” Wendy Guzin, his wife of 25 years, is the lead gardener at home, and their efforts have been rewarded with twice being featured on the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society Garden Tour.
Enjoying the outdoors is a related passion for Guzin. He bicycled to his law office on Larchmont and to WSA
meetings for 10 years and is an avid hiker, leading Sierra Club hikes for 15 years. He’s trekked in harsher terrain, including through Bhutan’s Chele La Pass in 2010 and mounting the 18,519-foot Kala Patthar summit in the Nepalese Himalayas in 1982.
He’s not above traveling in style, though. Guzin collects Morgans, owning three of the gorgeous handmade British cars, each of which have won first place in car shows. Now that he’s retiring from the WSA, there will probably be more time for long scenic drives in one of those beauties, with Wendy and daughter Zoë (when she’s not studying at Bard College or spending a semester abroad in Barcelona) along for the ride.
When asked why he’s retiring now, Guzin explained,
“I’ve tried to focus my motivation on doing my best for Windsor Square. There are good people on the board and new people could take it in a new direction, maybe in a better direction. I still have just as much affection for the neighborhood, but this is a fresh start for them. Let them change things.”
“He’s a really solid guy,” Greenman summarized. “He’s going to leave a big hole in the community.”
A hole Greenman is prepared to tackle. Greenman’s first act as president was to ask board members to suggest new initiatives for the WSA to consider adopting, but he also intends to build upon the accomplishments of his predecessor.
The semi-retired technology executive and consultant has lived in Windsor Square with his wife, Jeanne Williams, for over 25 years, and they raised their two children there.
A fervent outdoorsman, mountaineer, and hiker who has summited Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Whitney, among others, Greenman echoes Guzin’s commitment to greening Windsor Square
(Please
By Jim Buckley
To all those smiling faces in the School News columns of the Chronicle: Keep up the good work! It can really pay off!
I was one of those faces back in 1974 to ’77, writing about the happenings at John Burroughs Junior High and later Loyola High School. And I’ve kept typing ever since.
My words (and picture!) in the Larchmont Chronicle kicked off what has become a 40-year career in publishing and has taken me from working at the old Baskin-Robbins [on Larchmont Boulevard] to years at Sports Illustrated and the National Football League. Writing for the Chronicle got me started in journalism and nonfiction.
I’ve now written more than 250 books for kids—and former kids—on a wide range of topics (though, admittedly, mostly sports). The most famous books I’ve written (under my fancy author name, James Buckley Jr.) are my 25 titles in the New York Timesbest-selling “Who Was…?” biography series. I’ve also written many books for Scholastic, as well as DK Publishing, National Geographic Kids, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as graphic work including the “Show Me History!”
So as I caught up on the news from my old nabe, I was so pleased to see that the Chronicle: A) remains alive and in print; and B) continues to offer young people the same chance I got lo, those many moons ago—the opportunity to share a true story of their lives and their school with their community.
Sadly, that is an opportunity that is vanishing almost daily in a truth-starved world. Journalism is not really a solid career path anymore. I was very lucky to come along when I did, but the writing lives of the current Chronicle crew will be very different.
series. I’ve been busy, thank goodness. (Ask for them all at Chevalier’s, of course!)
I recently saw an issue of the Chronicle during a visit to my sister, Annie, who now lives on Larchmont Boulevard! She moved there last year, 50 years since our family arrived on Lucerne Boulevard from far-off New Jersey. (In fact, Annie and my other siblings, Tom and Alicia, also worked at B-R!)
For anyone still around from back then, I now live in Santa Barbara with my wife, Patty, (our wedding made the Chronicle 33 years ago!) and have two happy, grown-up kids.
However, if they read this, I hope they will remain true
Reece
Bagley 6th Grade
to the truth. Facts mattered when I was 12, and they still matter today. My work has always been telling true stories, a skill I first learned working under the legendary Jane Gilman. (And in another lesson for today’s kids, I got the gig because my mom was pals with Jane. Then, as now, connections matter.)
When I give talks to classrooms about life as an author, I always point to seeing my name, photo, and words in these pages as the start of a wonderful, enriching, challenging, and rewarding life in print. So, keep up the good work, young typists. And thanks again to the Larchmont Chronicle for getting me started.
At Hollywood Schoolhouse, the administrators strive to create an enjoyable environment for the students. Throughout the year, there are many ways that they do this, including the annual Dream Week, which falls during the last week of
school before spring break. During Dream Week, loads of team-building, educational, and inspiring activities take place, and students are always looking forward to this time. Throughout this week, students who are not in the musical have the opportunity to take a small break from regular classes and enjoy captivating learning experiences centered around an engaging theme. Then, on the last day, the 6th grade students play against the staff in a sport of the 6th graders’ choosing. Nonetheless, Dream Week is an incredible opportunity to make learning exciting.
So far, Buckley’s second semester has been off to such a great start! We have had many exciting schoolwide events so far, and our athletic teams have made great strides. Just recently, we had our student showcase, where Griffins across grade levels could show off their artistic contributions or talents to the entire school. Additionally,
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much of the school came together to watch the boys basketball senior night, a huge win against our rival North Hollywood, qualifying the basketball team for CIF Playoffs. Additionally, our boys’ and girls’ soccer teams will play their first playoff game, following largely successful seasons. After our community service fair in mid-January, upper school students have been working hard to put together service projects and serve our community. With events such as Big Red Day, our pep rally, and our Black History Month assembly coming up, there is also much to look forward to!
Joyce Kang 12th Grade
Fairfax High School will be hosting our Community Movie Night
Wed., March 25, open to all members of the public!
The movie will be played in the school gym, where popcorn and more snacks will be sold. On Mon., March 16, through Fri., March 20, Fairfax Lions will be celebrating our school’s diverse student body during Multicultural Week with festive events and spirit days. On Fri., March 20, Fairfax’s various clubs, including KIWIN’s, Latino Student Union, and more, will be selling food and snacks representing their culture with great pride. Finally, Fairfax Students Run LA will be running the L.A. Marathon all the way from Dodger Stadium to Century City on Sun., March 8!
Cielle Khoury 7th Grade
At our school, we are lucky to learn in a rich environment where knowledge and communication really matter.
Reading and speaking in front of an audience are important skills, and this year’s Eloquence Contest proved it once again. High school students impressed everyone with their bilingual speeches on big questions like “Being or Having?” and “Is free will really free?”
Meanwhile, the Middle School proudly completed its yearly Read-A-Thon, raising over $10,000 and meeting amazing authors. We are so proud of Alex
A. and Samuel K., who won first and third place at the Rookly Chess Tournament. Our Model United Nations team traveled to UC Berkeley for BearMUN and came home with six awards! HS Students also pitched their ideas for our annual business challenge, Lycée Start-Up. Stay tuned to see who wins!
Finally, our High School Boys Team won the CIF-Independence League Championship for the second year in a row! Go Lions!
PILGRIM SCHOOL
Jake Pak 10th Grade
We are thrilled to share that the Pilgrim School Varsity Soccer Team has advanced to the CIF playoffs: an incredible accomplishment!
Congratulations to our student athletes and coaches for their hard work, determination, and Panther pride. Go Panthers!
February is a month of meaningful celebration at Pilgrim. We are honoring Black History Month, reflecting on the contributions, resilience, and leadership of Black Americans, while also welcoming the Lunar New Year, ushering in the Year of the Horse, a symbol of strength, energy, and perseverance.
This month also brings Science Night, an engaging evening for curious minds of all ages. We warmly invite students, families, and community members who share an interest in science to join us for hands-on exploration and discovery.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for Café Barnum on March 6, a beloved Pilgrim tradition. This special evening showcases the many talents of our students, with a fun twist: teachers take the stage too! It’s a joyful celebration of creativity, courage, and community connection that you won’t want to miss.
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about joining the Pilgrim School community, please reach out to our Admissions Office at admissions@pilgrim-school.org. We would love to connect with you.
TURNING POINT SCHOOL
Ren Stoppani-Brown 8th Grade
Welcome back to the Turning Point column!
We’re nearing our annual trips for grades 5, 6, 7, and 8. Fifth graders are go-
ing to Catalina, 6th graders are going to Joshua Tree, 7th graders are going to Vancouver, and 8th graders are going to Italy. Before we switched to Italy, we were going to Puerto Rico. In Italy, we’re going to the ruins of Pompeii, having a pizza-making class, and visiting Rome. In Vancouver, 7th graders go snowshoeing, hiking, and tubing. In Joshua Tree, 6th graders go hiking, rock climbing, and scrambling. In Catalina, 5th graders go snorkeling, swimming, and kayaking. The entire middle school is excited to travel and open our minds to new experiences.
Madison McClure 10th Grade
the annual MM Miller Blood Drive, which gives students the chance to donate blood. Simultaneously, the seniors returned to campus after the completion of their Senior Service Project, where they worked within their community during the month of January. On top of that, Loyola’s Composting Program hit a major milestone with the harvesting of its first compost silos.
Loyola had its annual Black History Luncheon featuring Mr. Stephan Faulk on Feb. 20 in Caruso Hall. The school’s basketball and soccer teams will be competing in the CIF playoffs. Finally, registration is now open for Loyola’s gala in March.
will taste delicious.
LAFAYETTE PARK
Ella Wolovitch 10th Grade
Spirit Week was a whirlwind! Every grade really stepped it up this year with their dances. I was insanely impressed; everyone had a good theme and I could tell each grade really gave it their all! Seventh grade got third place for their dance, which hasn’t happened for seven years! The juniors not only got first place but were also named Spirit Week 2026 Champions! As for our sports, our varsity basketball team is on their climb to the top with their D1 CIFSS game, and our Water Polo team is officially league champion.
Thatcher Hartman 11th Grade
Following a relaxing week off from school, the Cubs immediately got back into rhythm, kicking off with
Lucy Margolis 10th Grade Spirit Week was a success, adding some energy to an otherwise typical week on campus. Film 4 Honors students took a field trip to the Sundance Film Festival, giving them the opportunity to experience a major film event firsthand. The Windward cafeteria introduced an update to their offerings. Fruit cups, featuring options like cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, and grapes, have, until recently, excluded orange slices. Though minor, the change is in some ways monumental; offering a tangy experience which other fruits lack. This addition has proven its worthiness as oranges remain an undoubtedly reliable fruit. No longer will a squishy grape or funky piece of cantaloupe ruin the day, since students can now confidently buy a fruit cup they are certain
Recently at LFP, there has been lots of excitement. As Valentine’s passed, there were lots of fun events! On Feb. 11 there was a Valentine’s fest in collaboration with Pilgrim High School. Clubs hosted booths with food, crafts, and games. Students filled the event with energy, and love was in the air as Valentine’s Day approached. Candy grams were sold and distributed, adding a bit of sweetness to students’ day. As spring break slowly approaches, students grow excited and continue working hard to end the quarter strong. Girls Build continues to prepare for the assembly that they will host later this month.
Madison Dang 11th Grade Students recently rolled into the “Upside Down” with members of the junior class for a night of roller skating and 1980s fun. Each year, the juniors host a themed fundraiser at the historic Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale to raise money for Immaculate Heart’s Prom. For this year’s fundraiser, the juniors chose the popular television series “Stranger Things” as the theme, which fit perfectly with
(Continued from Page 5) the rink’s iconic retro ambience. Students had the opportunity to dress up as their favorite characters or go all out in ’80s apparel. Additionally, the vibrant decorations and nostalgic music put together by the junior board ensured that students were truly transported back in time. Overall, this year’s fundraiser at the Moonlight Rollerway was a success in executing the theme and guaranteeing a memorable outing for everyone.
PAGE ACADEMY
Naya Savodivker 6th Grade
Hello Larchmont neighbors!
February was an exciting month at Page Academy. We kicked things off with a field trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific, where students explored marine life and had an unforgettable experience. We also celebrated Valentine’s Day with a pancake breakfast for our families and a festive free dress day filled with red, pink, purple, and white. In honor of Black History Month, students completed meaningful projects recognizing influential Black and African Americans, and during Dental Health Month, they learned about the importance of oral hygiene.
On Mon., March 2 we will celebrate Read Across America Day with pajamas and book sharing. We are also looking forward to Bloom with Page Academy on Sat., March 7 and our fun-filled spring activities
before spring break.
Evelyn Abrams 5th Grade
school at the regionals!
Hello Larchmont! Our PTA Reflections Assembly takes place this month. Everyone that participated in the Reflections Program will be recognized in front of the whole school and we will hear who moves on to the next round. There is a community campus clean up March 21 to keep our school clean and free of litter. Third Street Open House is coming up on Wed., March 25, where parents can see their children’s work. The garden committee (student and teacher volunteers) will begin the spring planting and students can learn more about biology. At the very end of March, we have our Spring Break from Mon., March 30 to Fri., April 3. That week, our school is open for Got Game for spring break camp with fun games!
BRISKIN ELEMENTARY
Emme Feldsher Goldberg 6th Grade
Our 100th day of school is fast approaching, which we will celebrate by dressing up like we are 100 years old. Check out the school’s Instagram stories for the amazing photos!
Our 2nd graders are studying Change Makers—amazing historical figures who inspired others and made a difference. And this month, in honor of Black History Month, our students have been learning about four remarkable African American inventors and their contributions to the world. Benjamin Banneker was a self-taught mathematician and astronomer who created the first wooden clock and predicted a solar eclipse. He was an abolitionist who, in his writings to Thomas Jefferson, denounced slavery and advocated for racial equality. George Washington Carver was an agricultural chemist who made innovations with crops like peanuts and sweet potatoes and transformed farming; Sarah E. Goode was an early entrepreneur who invented the folding cabinet bed, an early precursor to the modern Murphy bed; and Dr. Patricia Bath’s groundbreaking laser eye surgery improved vision for thousands of people with cataracts.
perform a Purim Spiel, a funny version of the Megillah reading, in the Book of Esther.
And we will celebrate March Madness on Thu., March 19, by dressing up in our favorite sports gear—mine, of course, is my Briskin basketball uniform. Go Bears!
As you can tell, we really like to dress up at Briskin!
Hugo Payne 5th Grade
As an elementary school, The Center for Early Education has been fortunate enough to have a debate program for over 15 years.
In December, the debate team took part in the first tournament of the school year alongside eight other local schools. The topics
we debated were: zoos do more harm than good; the US should lower the voting age to 16; and high-school tackle football should be banned. The Center team took home three speaker awards, including the gavel for best debater. It was quite a success!
Tragically, our beloved debate coach, Krikor Kouyoumdjian, who started the program at CEE, passed away recently. An attorney by profession, he was always inspiring, funny, and warm. He devoted so much of his time to the program that he would close his practice early one day each week so he could still coach us. Year after year, students who were hesitant to join debate were persuaded by Krikor’s infectious smile, kind and welcoming demeanor, and unwavering support. Krikor’s extraordinary legacy will live on in the CEE debate program and within the generations of students he coached forever.
Time keeps flying by at Briskin as we head into March! We concluded our all-school Scripps Spelling Bee in early February. Congratulations to all the participants, and good luck to 4th-grade student Ben M. and 6th-grade student Alex K.J., who will go on to represent our
Our parents just held their annual Parents’ Night Out fundraiser at the Short Stories Hotel near The Grove. They had a great time enjoying the community and supporting the school with a fun silent auction.
We continue to give back at Briskin by participating in the Hollywood Food Coalition’s Sack Lunch Collection.
We are currently getting ready for Purim. We will celebrate by having a carnival, dressing up in costumes, sharing treats, and watching the 6th graders
March is here and Angelenos are slowly tiptoeing into spring. Get outside into your backyard of 4,300 acres! Yes, that park which is yours called Griffith Park. There is so much fun to be had for the whole family.
Take a hike on Fern Dell Nature Trail and end up at the Griffith Observatory which is free to enter. Splurge on a ticket and lay back in the darkened theater to watch a planetarium show.
Or plan a longer hike and gaze out at the Verdugo Mountains to the east finally ending up close to the Hollywood sign for maybe a photo.
Have you been to the Bronson Caves where the 1966 “Batman” series was filmed?
It’s a short hike from the park entrance at Canyon Drive. There are guided horse back rides, Travel Town for train buffs, an excellent zoo, and even a playground—Shane’s Inspiration Playground— which is designed to be accessible for children with disabilities.
Lucky we are here is L.A. Enjoy our amazing city.
By Nona Sue Friedman
Three rookie robotics teams in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades at Larchmont Charter School made a standout debut at the recent VEX IQ competition at Magnolia Science Academy.
Each team had to complete a working robot to enter the competition.
Although Larchmont yielded no winners, the teams made an impressive first showing. Los Angeles Unified School District invited Larchmont Charter’s team to join their league. Head Coach Bay Kobe said in an email, “This cements a path for next year’s team to compete with local teams and claim a spot in the state finals. The future of this program at Larchmont is very bright.”
The initial funds for the pro-
LARCHMONT CHARTER COMPETITORS work with their robot during the VEX IQ competition. Standing (from left) are fifth-graders Georgie Nash-Smith and Coco Seroussi. Fourth-grader Maria Kimpo is seated.
gram were secured by a grant from Google. According to Coach Kobe, Google was so impressed with the team’s performance this year that they offered Larchmont Charter a second year of assistance.
By Suzan Filipek
Windsor Village resident Joshua Lo has been honored with the U.S. Congress’ highest honor for youth—the Gold Medal.
“We commend your willingness to give of yourself to voluntarily help others in the community and your achievements in personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration,” Congressional Award National Board of Directors Chairman Shawn Whitman stated in a letter last month.
An annual celebration to honor the recipients will be held in the summer.
A Larchmont Charter High student, Lo is senior patrol leader at Troop 43 of Hollywood. As part of his Eagle Scout project he is creating emergency bags for families who are displaced by natural disasters such as fires or earthquakes.
Lo attended Third Street and Wonderland elementary
schools, as well as Christ the King.
He is president of the Rotary Interact Club in Koreatown.
“Consequently, it is very likely that the local community has bought Girl Scout Cookies and/or popcorn from Joshua and his sister over the years, as they sold over 5,000 boxes,” his proud father, Andrew Lo, told us.
The elder Lo also sent us a photo of his son with the “late, great Mrs. Plotke, of Plotke Plumbing, his sponsor in Boy Scouts, wearing a T-shirt Joshua designed while a member of Troop 621.”
As a young Scout he also dressed the meters on Larchmont Boulevard to look like candy canes for many years.
Lo began as a cub at Troop 621, and where he remained until it was dissolved. He joined Troop 43 when it was established in 2024.
Lo has also been a member of SAG/AFTRA and dancer at Debbie Allen Dance Academy.
Ed Krupp, director of Griffith Observatory since 1974, has been honored with the 2026 American Astronomical Society Education Prize. The award recognizes extraordinary contributions to public education and the next generation of astronomers.
Krupp has captivated observatory visitors and L.A. school students for decades with exhibits and planetary shows. He is recognized for a lifetime of accomplishment, having educated thousands of visitors and authored articles, papers, and books on astronomy.
Total lunar eclilpse
Watch a total lunar eclipse—when the round
disk of the full moon will be shadowed by the earth—live from a broadcast by Griffith Observatory on Tues., March 3 between midnight to dawn.
This rare astronomical phenomenon can be viewed in real time, from 12:37 a.m. to 6:25 a.m. PST. The observatory, which is hosting the onine broadcast, will not be open or conducting public viewing. The broadcast will be available weather permitting.
The total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in to the dark inner shadow cast by the earth. If skies are clear, the eclipse will be visible in Southern California. It is safe to view without eye protection and you don’t need a telescope. Just go out-
side nad look to thesouthwest, according to the Griffith Park Observatory website.
The Griffith Observatory is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 10 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free. Groups may visit without reservation.
Visit griffithobservatory.org to watch and for more information.
By H. Hutcheson
The Santa Ana winds are a weather phenomenon unique to Southern California, just as the nor’easters are to the upper East Coast, tropical cyclones are to Florida, and tornados are to the Midwest.
We are a city encircled by the Transverse Ranges, with the San Gabriel Mountains in the northeast, the Santa Susana in the northwest, the Verdugo Mountains in the north, Puente and San Jose Hills in the east, and the Santa Ana Mountains in the southeast. They protect us from the cold continental air masses and freezing desert temperatures. This wall of mountains, along with the mild temperatures of the Pacific Ocean, gift L.A. a Mediterranean climate. Angelenos stand in T-shirts and shorts while they marvel at the snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains in winter. It’s the Cajon Pass that funnels in our Santa Ana winds.
Dr. Janine A. Baijnath-Rodino, UCLA professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and director of meteorology, offered the science on where these mostly winter winds generate from: “Santa Ana winds often occur in Southern California during the cold season, from September through May. Air descends the mountains of Southern California [through the Cajon Pass] and brings warm, dry, strong winds—a key factor in fire weather during this time. The winds increase oxygen, which feeds flames, causing fires to grow more intense and spread more rapidly.
“To understand how Santa Ana winds work, we need to understand three main factors: pressure, temperature, and humidity.
“When it comes to pressure and wind dynamics, we need to zoom out from the earth (1,000 to 10,000 km) and look at the bigger weather systems that meteorologists refer to as the ‘synoptic scale.’ At this spatial scale, we can look at regions of high and low pressure.
“During the cold months, high pressure is situated in the Great Basins near Nevada, while low pressure is off the coast of California. Surface pressure is the force of air over a given region. A region of high pressure means that there is greater force of air in that region (think of it as air molecules colliding with the surface), compared to a region of low pressure, where there are less air molecules colliding with the surface.
“High pressure is associated with sinking air, spinning in a clockwise direction, while low pressure is associated with rising air, spinning in a counterclockwise direction.
“Cold, dense air tends to
UCLA Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Director of Meteorology
Dr. Janine A. Baijnath-Rodino.
sink and produce higher pressure at the surface. In the winter, this high pressure is seen over the Great Basins and high deserts. At the same time, the ocean temperatures are relatively warmer, and the air will want to rise, producing a region of lower pressure just off California’s coast.
“Naturally, Earth wants to be in a state of equilibrium, so air will move from a region of high pressure to low pressure. [More relevant topics including Coriolis force, pressure gradient force, and friction are explained on her YouTube channel, @jibber JABR!].
“Over the Great Basin, that air mass is dry and doesn’t hold a lot of moisture. As this cold, dry air mass moves from high pressure (Great Basins) toward low pressure (toward California’s coast), it descends the complex mountain ranges in California.
“That sinking air mass undergoes what meteorologists call adiabatic warming. This is a thermodynamic process where the air mass does not exchange heat with the surroundings but will warm up because the air compresses. What is happening is that the air mass is compressed by the surrounding greater atmospheric pressure. When the air mass compresses, the pressure inside the air increases, thereby increasing the temperature in the air mass— warm winds form.
“One other characteristic of the Santa Ana winds is the increased dryness that occurs as it descends the mountains (called saturation vapor pressure).
“Warmer air has a greater saturation vapor pressure (it can hold more water than cold air). Therefore, during a Santa Ana wind event, when the air compresses and warms adiabatically, but no more water vapor is added or removed, the air mass will naturally become drier. This is why Santa Ana winds can be dangerous—they enhance the warming and dryness of the air, which can be detrimental during wildfire season.”
So, how is one lured into this world of science? Dr. Baijnath-Rodino said, “When I was 4, I moved from Guy-
ana, a warm tropical country in South America, to Ontario Canada, a cold, snowy climate heavily influenced by the Laurentian freshwater Great Lakes. The Great Lakes were snow machines during the early winter months. The relatively warm lake waters and the cold arctic air mass above, mixed to produce blizzards and snowstorms, called lake effect snowfall, that inundated cities along the leeward side of the Great Lakes.
“While pursuing my master’s and Ph.D., I was also a television meteorologist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I quickly realized how challenging it was to forecast these snowstorms and the limitations with weather models (what we call numerical weather prediction models). This challenge helped motivate my Ph.D. research in understanding the climatological and meteorological factors influencing lake-effect snowfall.
“When I moved to California, I found it funny when some of the locals had never heard about freezing rain but were very comfortable living among wildfires. I still study the physics of the atmosphere but apply it to wildfire dynamics.”
Not everyone in SoCal en-
(Continued from Page 2) and its environs. “It’s a special place,” he stated. “I’m a frequent hiker in the hills and one of my favorite things is to look down and see how green it is. The community landscape is an important thing we do.”
Guzin reiterated his faith in Greenman’s leadership now that the latter has assumed the presidential mantle. “Of course I’m going to make myself available to Jason for anything he needs, but I don’t think he needs it.”
joys what some refer to as devil winds (a common phrase referring to our winds, possibly made from the portmanteau of Santa Anas, Santanas— bearing a resemblance to “Satan”). They can fuel fires and ignite allergies. Others look forward to the warm, clear, star-filled nights these winds bring. But without the ring of mountains that surround L.A. (which funnel in these warm,
dry winds), we would have a climate more like San Francisco—lots of cold marine coastal fog. Don’t forget the phrase, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” So don’t fight the winds—adjust your sails! You can watch Baijnath-Rodino’s science show at linktr.ee/jibberjabr, or on youtube.com/watch?v=BHoBU1JcSmQ.
Single-family homes
The Mark Taper Forum’s Here Lies Love, and the Geffen Playhouse’s Sylvia, Sylvia, Sylvia focus on strong women with contested legacies: Former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos and writer Sylvia Plath, respectively. The fact that neither script is completely successful only complicates their stories.
The Taper has made an allout effort to embrace the L.A. Filipino community (one of the largest in the world) and tackle—in its program notes, on-screen projections, and pre-show statements—the complex history and relationship of America and the Philippines.
But “Here Lies Love,” by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, can’t bear the weight of its own political ambitions and can’t make up its mind how it feels about Marcos.
For the first hour of the 90-minute high-voltage musical, we get Marcos’ ragsto-riches story, sung (there is no dialogue) in brief vignettes
to music that blurs together over convulsive beats. Are we supposed to applaud Marcos’ grit? Cheer as she climbs to power? Feel sorry when she is run out of the country (with 9,000 pairs of shoes and $5 billion stashed away)? In the end, we care more about Ninoy Aquino, the assassinated opposition leader. Ninoy’s mother’s sung eulogy and “the people’s” anthem of protest and solidarity in the play’s last half hour are the best things in it (no fault of any of the performers, especially Reanne Acasio as Marcos). We feel like we’ve spent an hour with the wrong people.
“Here Lies Love” has been around for over a decade, in workshops, concert versions, and previous productions. You would think that someone would have figured out what they were trying to say
and why they were trying to say it by now. (To Sun., April 5; 213-628-2772; centertheatregroup.org)
In the world premiere of Beth Hyland’s play, ghosts of Syvia Plath and her husband, Ted Hughes, haunt the Boston apartment they once lived in, now occupied by young husband and wife novelists, who are (a) at different stages of their careers; (b) grieving a lost baby; (c) unable to talk to each other any more. Plath is channeled to inspire the young wife as she struggles with her second novel. Hubby is concerned, but not enough to turn down a plum job at Columbia. I still don’t know what Hughes was doing. Plath has always been problematic for feminists and literary critics. Hughes was rightly castigated for his domestic violence towards her and for destroying her diaries after her suicide. But he also did much to preserve her legacy and advance her poems. I’m not sure what kind
of inspiration the younger novelists are seeking, but it’s actually hard to believe they have anything of consequence to say in their writing. The play finally ends with a rambling “I’m okay” monologue by the young wife, accepting her fate as a one-book wonder. Plath would not be pleased. (To Sun., March 8; 310-2082028; geffenplayhouse.com. What to watch for Three Arthur Miller classics are on this spring: All My Sons at the Anteus Company to Mon., March 30, 818-506;1983, tickets@anteus.org; The Price at Pacific Resident Theatre, Sat., Feb. 28, to Sun., April 12, 310-8228392; Death of a Salesman at A Noise Within, Sat., March 28, through Sun., April 19, 626-356-3100, anoisewithin. org.
Company of Angeles premieres Red Harlem, about the Soviet Union courting Black American actors during the Depression to Sun., March 15; 323-475-8814; companyofan-
The late Black American architect Paul R. Williams will be celebrated in a series of exhibits at three major Los Angeles museums, beginning in August, 2026.
The coordinated effort will feature the life and work of the groundbreaking architect (1894-1980), who helped design the LAX Theme Building and The Beverly Hills Hotel, yet was underappreciated in his lifetime.
“An Architect Considered” will open Tues., Aug. 18, at the USC Fisher Museum of Art and continue through March 13, 2027.
“Architect for Living” is at LACMA Sun., Nov. 15 to May 23, 2027, and “Architecture Across the Color Line” comes to the Getty Research Institute, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Sun., Dec. 15, to July 18, 2027.
A civil rights advocat and the first Black architect licensed west of the Mississippi, Williams was also the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects and the first Black architect to be awarded (posthumously) the AIA’s highest honor, the Gold Medal, in 2017.
In Hancock Park
His career spanned six decades, and he designed more than 3,000 projects, some of which were in our local neighborhoods.
Williams’ first house in the community was at 524 Lorraine Blvd. in Windsor Square, built for financier Frederick Leistikow, his wife, Esther, and their five daughters. The Chronicle’s Brian Curran wrote of the house in his On Preservation column in 2021.
“At this house on Lorraine,
Williams eschewed the popular Spanish revival for his version of a pared-down Tudor style, which resulted in a light-filled interior at once traditional yet thoroughly modern. Even as his volume of work increased on the Westside, he regularly returned to projects in Hancock Park, completing over
20 houses, with the last residence finished in 1965 for Edwin Ridgway at 232 Rimpau Blvd.”
The article continued: “Paul Williams himself explained his philosophy to the Los Angeles Times in 1970, saying, “Good design is a pleasing assemblage of parts; and not the assemblage of pleasing parts.”
The first city-center Ikea in Los Angeles is taking over the former HD Buttercup space at the Helms Bakery complex, 3225 Helms Ave., this spring. The 40,000 square foot space will include a café with its famous Swedish meatballs and fully furnished showrooms of kitchens and bathrooms. The exterior of the building will not be Ikea’s signature blue
and will remain its current Art Deco color.
The 11 acre complex is owned by Wally Marks’ family’s real estate company since 1972. Marks is in development of the Mirabel, a mixed-use community on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile. He is also on the board of directors for the Craft Contemporary.
gels.org.
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents MALICE: Stories of Injustice, a series of monologues inspired by communities affected by ICE. Tues. and Weds., March 10 and 11 only; 310-477-2055, ext. 2; odysseytheatre.com. Fritz Coleman’s one-man show, Unassisted Residency, enters its third year at the El Portal Theatre. Sunday afternoons, monthly beginning March 1 to Nov. 26. Visit elportaltheatre.com/fritzcoleman.html.
‘Cherry Orchard’ and ‘Richard II’ to be performed Feb. 26, Feb. 28
Louis Fantasia will be directing two readings this month: Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard,” and William Shakespeare’s “Richard II.” Both plays will be at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. “The Cherry Orchard” is on Thu., Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. (in Fantasia’s English-language version), and “Richard II” is performed on Sat., Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. “We have a great ensemble of actors performing both plays,” Fantasia said. “I hope you will be able to join us for either—or both!— readings.” Visit beverlyhills. org/1420/Play-Readings for tickets and more information.
Visit the Petersen Automotive Museum’s newest exhibit opening Sat., March 14, “A Fast & Furious Legacy, 25 Years of Automotive Icons.” The exhibit features famous cars from films and explores the impact vehicles have had in motion pictures for the last 25 years.
The museum at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. displays over 300 vehicles. Get tickets at petersen.org.
With the Academy Awards just around the corner, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at one particular songwriter who just landed her 17th Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. She has been cranking out hit songs since she was in her 20s. If you don’t recognize her name, you’ll certainly recognize the songs she has written.
Her first hit song “Solitaire,” recorded by Laura Branigan, peaked at No. 7 in 1983. After that, there was no stopping this one-woman hit machine. She continued with the family group DeBarge and their No. 3 hit “Rhythm of the Night.” Of her 33 Top 40 hits, which includes nine No. 1s, her most iconic hits are Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time,” Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me,” Aerosmith’s sole chart-topper “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” and LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live” (which incidentally broke a record at the
Musical Notes by Steven Housman
time for being the single with the longest chart run on the Billboard Hot 100).
Other monster hits include Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” Michael Bolton’s “Time, Love and Tenderness,” Toni Braxton’s smash hit “Un-Break My Heart” (which spent 11 weeks at No. 1), Roberta Flack and Maxi Priest’s “Set The Night To Music,” Taylor Dayne’s “Love Will Lead You Back,” Christina Aguilera’s “I Turn To You,” Chicago’s “Look Away,” Belinda Carlisle’s “I Get Weak,” and on and on. Not to mention writing songs for such diverse artists as Barbra Streisand, Eric Clapton, Gloria Estefan, Heart, Dionne Warwick, Lady Gaga, Eddie Money, Justin Bieber, Patti LaBelle, Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Tom
Jones, Olivia Newton-John, Chaka Khan, Aaron Neville, Debbie Harry, Joe Cocker, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, Wynonna Judd, Rihanna, Elton John, Luther Vandross, Taylor Swift, Faith Hill, Ricky Martin, Dolly Parton and Aretha Franklin. Michael Bolton and Cher alone have recorded dozens of songs by this woman. If you haven’t already guessed the songwriter, it’s none other than Los Angeles native Diane Warren.
Warren’s Oscar nominations began in 1987 with Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” and picked up in the ‘90s with four consecutive nods from 1996 to 1999, as well as three nominations in the 2000s. Beginning in 2017, she has been nominated for a record-breaking nine consecutive years—a record which was previously held by the late, great Sammy Cahn, who had eight consecutive nominations from 1954-61.
Following Cahn’s run, it was almost inconceivable that anyone could break that streak, but here we are.
In 2022, Diane Warren re-
“If you don’t recognize her name, you’ll certainly recognize the songs she has written. ”
ceived an Honorary Academy Award, presented to her by longtime friend Cher. She is also the recipient of a Grammy, an Emmy, two Golden Globes, and three consecutive Billboard Music Awards. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
In October 2023, “Say Don’t Go,” a song Warren wrote with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift in 2013, was released as part of Swift’s album “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” It debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Warren’s first Top
10 single in 22 years. Ironically, after writing so many love songs, Warren claims to never have been in love herself. She has never married and has said, “I’ve never been in love like in my songs. I’m not like normal people. I’m no good at relationships. I draw drama to me—it’s the Jew in me.” Warren said she is “autistic and believes being neurodivergent has made her a better songwriter.” This was all on full display in her 2025 documentary “Diane Warren: Relentless,” for which Warren has wrote “Dear Me,” which was recorded by Kesha and has earned the songwriter her 17th Oscar nomination. The documentary features Cher, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Gloria Estefan, Kesha, LeAnn Rimes, and more.
Will Warren finally win?
Tune into the 98th annual Academy Awards on ABC-TV, Sun., March 15, at 4 p.m. to end the suspense.
By Nona Sue Friedman
Lifelong Ridgewood Place resident Edgar Sandoval played his violin at the 60th annual Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny. Sandoval said, “It was an intense experience.”
The 41-year-old musician spent more than a week rehearsing for his one song in the big performance on a stage erected inside the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. After that, Sandoval, as part of a group of primarily Latin string musicians, most of whom hailed from Los Angeles, traveled to the Bay Area and spent nine more days
practicing. Three or four days were spent getting the over 300 performers on and off the field, which he said was one of the hardest parts of the performance—“so many different moving parts.” In fact, the cellos were cut from the act a few days before the show because of logistics.
Each rehearsal day had a different start and end time; and all cast members had to lock their phones in special pouches and sign a nondisclosure agreement before being hired.
HIS COSTUME, Sandoval performed with Bad Bunny during the Super Bowl halftime show.
Being a violinist for almost 30 years, Sandoval has performed with a number of famous artists over the years, including Lady Gaga, who he gave a wave
and a nod to during one of his appearances on stage.
Bad Bunny thanked all the musicians for perform-
ing with him. Regarding the whole experience at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., Sandoval said, “It was great!”
American Contemporary Ballet will perform the neoclassical work “Balanchine: Twin Masterpieces” to live music, including “Concerto Barocco” and “La Source,” Fri., March 6, through Fri., 27 at Bank of America Plaza, 333 S. Hope Street. ACB Director Lincoln Jones commented on the idea that classical vocabulary might be seen as limiting, and countered, “Here, we see it is the opposite: a tool of infinite creation and timeless beauty.” For more information visit, tickets@acbdances.com. For one performance Sat., March 28, Ballet Hispánico, a New York-based Latino dance company, will stage Bizet’s Carmen at The Soraya on the CSUN campus. “If they are even close to as fan-
tastic as they were last year with Doña Perón, they are not to be missed,” said local choreographer Laurie Sefton of Brookside. For tickets, visit thesoraya.org.
Have you ever watched cells move under a microscope? How they twist, bump, merge, or even devour eachother?
Truly a favorite of children and adults alike are the dancers of Pilobolus, who bring impossible-seeming movement to the stage. “Other Worlds” tours Wed., March 18, and Thur,., March 19, in Santa Barbara, or Wed., March 25 in Irvine. For more information, visit pilobolus.org.
If you know me, you know that I am fully obsessed with college basketball, especially the women’s game. March Madness is my absolute favorite time of year, and I literally plan my schedule around selection Sunday, game tip-off times, and the final four. So, when I first heard about Medium Rare, a story centered on a man who fills out the perfect March Madness bracket, I was immediately excited. The odds of building a perfect bracket are essentially impossible—one in 9.2 quintillion, to be exact!
The premise: The novel by A. Natasha Joukovsky is narrated by Cassandra, a smart D.C. fundraiser who may or may not be something of a modern oracle. Through her
By Wendy Werris
Among the many Starbucks locations that shut down last year was the popular, community-centric store on the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Detroit Street. The longtime staff there was notified by phone just two days before the store was to close.
“I had a great team, and we all took a big hit,” said Jesus Hernandez-Galicia, who had been the shift supervisor at the store for six years.
Little did they know, however, that help was on the way, just four blocks west of the shuttered Starbucks.
Lerida Mojica held the lease on what used to be NY Cake Pops, a store in the mini-mall on Beverly and Poinsettia Place. Mojica had opened the store in 2023 and was successful, but financial issues led her to close.
FAIRFAX
161 S. Gardner St. 323-936-6191
JOHN C. FREMONT
6121 Melrose Ave. 323-962-3521 (closed March 2 to April 7*)
MEMORIAL
4625 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2732 (closed through April 7*)
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.
*For facility upgrades
Katie Urban
point of view, we meet the main character, Phil Freyton, an unremarkable Washington, D.C., lobbyist with a boring, predictable life and a very pregnant wife, Raleigh, who is just weeks away from giving birth. As March Madness approaches, a publicity-hungry tech billionaire offers a billion-dollar prize to anyone who can submit a perfect National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament bracket. So naturally, Phil, having only a little sports knowledge, decides he’s going to try to win.
As the real-life 2019 men’s
NCAA tournament moves forward, every one of Phil’s picks is correct. Game after game, upset after upset, his bracket remains flawless. Against impossible odds, he becomes the first person in history to complete a perfect bracket, and he claims the billion-dollar prize. But once he wins, his entire life begins to unravel. Now flush with money and sudden fame, Phil begins to see himself as exceptional, and it’s all downhill from there.
The verdict: This novel completely surprised me. Even if you’re a reader who doesn’t like or understand basketball, there’s a lot to enjoy here. Beneath the buzzer-beaters and bracketology lies a fun, layered satire.
The book cleverly reframes
the myth of Icarus in a modern context, exploring what it really means to “fly too close to the sun” in an era of viral fame, political ambition, and billionaire spectacle. There’s so much amazing social com-
mentary here, too, enough to satisfy readers who are Edith Wharton fans, alongside the crazy college basketball junkies like myself.
The combination feels fresh and original. And if you’re a die-hard college basketball fan like I am, this is the perfect read for the day after your team gets knocked out of the big dance, the cure for that March Madness hangover. Mark your calendars now for Selection Sunday (March 15), right after this book publishes on Tue., March 3.
Fun fact: The book follows the real-life 2019 Men’s NCAA Tournament, where the author’s alma mater, the University of Virginia, won the national championship in an unforgettable run.
Meanwhile, Hernandez-Galicia and Brian Kim, cofounded Dura Coffee cart, which they stocked with coffees and pastries and brought to local farmers’ markets and flea markets. They paid a visit to NY Cake Pops to ask Mojica if they could add her cake pops to their cart. Their instant rapport and shared entrepreneurial spirit led them to open Dura Coffee in Mojica’s store. “We realized that we really wanted to open our own store,” said Hernandez-Galicia. “And this made it possible.” There is a full bakery in the back of the store, Leri Bakes, that allows Mojica to keep making baked goods that the community clamors for.
“We had two weeks to get ready,” Hernandez-Galicia said, laughing. “It was wild. We had to remodel the space, get the equipment, and order the product. We put a rush order in for our sign.” The other tenants in the mall, such as
Kearns’ Market and the Box and Ship store, welcomed Dura and its multicultural staff and customers.
Local resident and customer Tracy Abbott Cook said, “These guys didn’t just make coffee at [Starbucks], they built relationships. You can sense that continuity at Dura. It already feels like it belongs to the neighborhood.”
“We want Dura to be a community centerpiece,” Hernandez-Galicia said.
“There are five cofounders here, and we come from Mexico, Korea, the Philippines, and Central America.”
Leri Bakes is NY Cake Pops’ sister brand and offers baked goods made fresh in-house. Some of the pastries on the menu are inspired Mojica’s background. She hails from Culiacán, Mexico, The store is also planning events, such as jazz nights, baking classes, and more. “We source our coffee from Jetty Coffee, which no one else in the area offers. So break your morning routine—come to Dura!” Hernandez-Galicia said.
Dura Coffee, 7306 Beverly Blvd., 323-507-7244. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Central Library in downtown Los Angeles turns 100 this year. It opened July 1926 and according to its website, “Became an instant architectural icon and guiding light of learning for the City.” There are a multitude of ways the library is celebrating this centennial.
Patrons can apply for a limited-edition library card at any location while supplies last.
Visit Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., to view an assortment of art all related to the library, such as drawings of plans that never came to fruition and artwork that was approved but never made it into the expanded portion of the library in the ’90s.
For true library bookworms, pick up historic card catalog
cards at any location. One can stamp them at a branch or create something of your own with them.
Taking a drive or walk and need some local color? The podcast “Past due: 100 years of Central Library” is acces-
sible on their website at lapl. org. Lastly, the library store has numerous prints celebrating this historic occasion.
Welcome to Something’s Cooking, a new monthly food column where I cook with the seasons, letting what’s around us locally guide what ends up on the table.
I’m Jai Dattani. Born and raised in London, I’ve spent the last 12 years living across Australia, Amsterdam, and Mumbai. For nearly five years now, I’ve been proud to call Larchmont home.
For many, cooking is a chore. For me, it’s a creative endeavor. I’m endlessly inspired by the places I’ve lived and traveled, and I like to fold those influences into whatever ingredients are catching my eye, whether at the farmers market or the grocery store. My hope is that this column brings a little inspiration—and a little joy—into your kitchen each month.
As a British native, the idea that this time of year signals
Dattani
spring still feels slightly absurd, but in Los Angeles, it makes perfect sense. Over the past week, the jasmine in my courtyard has begun to perfume the air in the mornings and early evenings, and it’s given me a noticeable pep in my step. At the market, winter citrus is still going strong with fragrant Meyer lemons, while the first tender zucchinis are starting to appear. This in-between moment, when winter hasn’t quite let go and spring is quietly arriving, is the grounding for my inaugural recipe.
It’s a pasta dish with all the comfort of a risotto but lifted by the brightness of lemon and zucchini. I like to use ditalini, those small O-shaped
tubes that drink up flavor, but orzo works just as well.
Pasta Dish
For an individual portion, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt generously.
In a large, wide-bottomed pan, sweat one diced white onion with a heavy pinch of salt in a generous glug of olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent but not colored.
Add the zest of one Meyer lemon and two cloves of garlic, minced, stirring briefly until the garlic loses its raw edge.
Add one can of Great Northern beans, liquid and all, followed by a full can of water and one teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon stock paste. I prefer the roasted vegetable version, but any variety will work. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
While that cooks, add about 150 grams of ditalini or orzo
to the boiling water. Cook it for roughly 30% less time than the package instructions. For me, that was six minutes.
Meanwhile, chop six baby zucchinis, or two regular-sized ones, into small chunks, slightly larger than the beans. Add them to the pan along with three stems of Tuscan kale, cut down the center and sliced into thin strips. Keeping everything a similar size helps it cook
evenly.
When the pasta timer goes off, reserve one cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the beans and vegetables. Add about one-half cup of the reserved pasta water and simmer for four minutes, adding a little more as needed. You’re aiming for a consistency that’s looser than a sauce but not quite soup.
Remove from the heat and add the juice of the lemon used earlier, along with a generous grind of black pepper. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Finish with a generous grating of Parmesan.
Serve with a good hunk of crusty bread, Parmesan, and a drizzle of chili oil.
It’s the kind of dish that feels grounding yet hopeful, much like this time of year. I’ll see you next month.
By Helene Seifer
St. Patrick’s Day falls on March 17 every year, marking the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, who brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle. Judging from the hordes of bar-hoppers gulping pints of Guinness and downing corned beef sandwiches on that day, many have forgotten the holiday’s religious roots, but even the revelry is based on Christian tenets. St. Patrick’s Day falls during Lent, a time of reflection, charity, and the tradition of denying certain foods in the 40 days before Easter. However, even the church supports celebrating the beloved St. Patrick, so all bets are off on his day. Eat, drink, and be merry—and by all means, wear green.
SLEEPING ST. PATRICK, in blue (middle panel), Armagh Roman Catholic Cathedral, circa 1879, Northern Ireland. © Andreas F. Borchert, Creative Commons
The symbolism of green There are multiple reasons green is associated with St. Patrick’s Day. The lushness of Ireland’s landscape led to the
moniker the Emerald Isle, a phrase first used in the 1795 poem “When Erin First Rose” by William Drennan. The tri-colored Irish flag’s green band represents the Catholic population. The flag also includes orange for Protestants (referencing William of Orange, who brought Protestantism to the country when he ascended to the British throne after defeating Catholic King James II in 1690) and white for the hope of peaceful coexistence between the religious factions. In Irish folklore, it is said that wearing green renders one invisible to the impish leprechauns, who pinch anyone they can see. Particularly germane, when St. Patrick traveled throughout the island spreading Christi-
anity, he is said to have used the common green three-leaf clover to illustrate the concept of the Holy Trinity. St. Patrick’s blue
The earliest depictions of St. Patrick draped him in blue, not green. A French 13th-century illumination from “Legenda Aurea” in the collection of the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens depicts him in a flowing blue cassock. Ireland’s Armagh Roman Catholic Cathedral’s stained glass shows St. Bernignus placing flowers on a sleeping blue-robed St. Patrick. He’s also wearing blue in a stained glass portrait above the altar in Northern Island’s Saul Church, built in 1932 on the site where St. Patrick established the first Christian
church in Ireland in 432 A.D., and where he subsequently died, it is thought, in 461 A.D. A particular shade of azure became known as St. Patrick’s blue. When Henry VIII became Ireland’s first king in 1509, he designed a coat of arms for his new kingdom—a gold harp, long a symbol of Ireland, floating on a St. Patrick’s blue field.
It wasn’t until the Irish Rebellion in 1798 that the blue of their patron saint became overshadowed by its association with British dominance, and green, suddenly a symbol of Irish autonomy, became the favored color.
This year on St. Patrick’s Day, in deference to the authentic history, maybe eat, drink, and be merry—and wear blue!
By H. Hutcheson
Remember last summer’s crop of homegrown tomatoes? You wander outside, the morning is already heating up, and you see your tomato plant—bright green fuzzy leaves with full red globes. You twist off a deep red Cherry 100 because you can’t wait, as you imagine sweetness, acidity, and savory notes bursting in your mouth. Can you smell the fresh green scent of the leaf on your fingertips?
Well, it’s that time of year again. Time to plant your seeds and nurture your seedlings! Here are some March events coming up to get you started.
Look out for Alex Gasperik, better known as “the Tomato Kid of Brookside,” who will be showing up at the Larchmont Farmers’ Market come March.
“My tomatoes are already in their little pots. It looks like I’ll have 200 to 300 plants for sale, all heirloom varieties,” said Gasperik.
One might choose his Carmello variety (great for
sauces), or the Cherokee Purple, said to be rich and sweet, or a Green Grape variety—”tangy and great for snacking,” he said. All of Gasperik’s tomatoes are organic.
“I use the compost pile in my family’s backyard to grow them,” he explains.
Gasperik, not a kid at all anymore at 25, is taking orders from his Tomato 2026 menu through email. He said, “I deliver the plants to neighbors by car—no longer by milk crate attached to my bicycle, like when I was 10”—the age he started his business.
MORNING DELIGHT, the sweet Cherry 100s.
When not cultivating tomatoes, Gasperik teaches Lego robotics and Minecraft coding to children in after school programs.
To view Gasperik’s tomato menu or for more information contact him at tomatokid@ att.net.
• • • Tomatomania, a tomato lovers event started in the 1990s by Scott Daigre, will be holding a two-day sale at Anawalt
Lumber Hollywood, 1001 North Highland Ave., Fri., March 28, and Sat., March 29, where you can pick from 75 varieties of tomatoes. Employee Fidel Flores said, “You will learn how to get seeds to germinate and care for seedlings as well as how much sun the plants need and how and when to use fertilizer.”
• • • One local fan of Tomatomania events is Dean Schneider, who said, “Definitely go if you have the opportunity. It’s so pure and joyous seeing people in this hyper-specific community have so much fun and speak what is really another language about tomatoes— not fine pens or something. I’m like an evangelist now! I didn’t even like tomatoes growing up, and now I love them!”
Schneider said he won’t buy tomatoes from a store anymore. “The ones I grow have such distinct, unique flavors and less acidity,” he said. Some of his favorites are Brad’s Atom-
ic, which not only taste great, but are popular to photograph, “because the colors swirl like a galaxy with hues of brown, yellow, and deep purple.” He loves the size and flavor of Jaune Flamme too, but maybe his favorite is the Spoon tomato. Of the small, pea-sized varietal he said, “They are closer to the ancient tomato size, and being an indeterminate species (a highly productive tomato that keeps bearing new fruit) they work as a ‘party plant’ of sorts. People tend to chat in the garden and serve themselves.”
The former site of the Monastery of the Angels—a four-acre gated hillside property in Hollywood—will be transformed into a Homeboy Industries residential treatment facility.
The transformation will be subtle, retaining the site’s character. Buildings, courtyards, gardens, and walking paths will remain intact, with no exterior changes, according to the Homeboy website.
And, Homeboy has said it will continue to sell the beloved pumpkin bread baked by nuns on the premises for decades.
Candy will also be sold, as was traditionally offered by the nuns, once the transition is final. In addition, the facility will offer a chapel for the community to pray.
The largest gang rehabilitation, intervention, and reentry organization in the world, Homeboy is run by Father Greg Boyle, a Windsor Square native.
The site is expected to open in 2027 to serve adults connected to Homeboy through its programs and referrals.
The facility includes 50 residential treatment beds and 40 outpatient slots and will support residential treatment and outpatient services.
Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, at 1977 Carmen Ave., the site has been held by the Dominican Order since 1934. The monastery has long served as a place of prayer and service, and in recent years, the Order sought an ally to ensure the site would continue to serve a mission aligned with its values.
commitment to dignity, compassion, and healing for those most in need. In Homeboy, we recognize an ally who honors the spirit of this place and will carry its legacy forward as a refuge of care, restoration, and hope.”
Home of the Angels will strengthen Homeboy Industries’ integrated network of care by adding licensed residential treatment and step-up services coordinated with existing programs at its Chinatown headquarters. The campus will be operated in partnership with Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
“Healing happens when people are received with tenderness and held in community,” Boyle said in the release.
“Home of the Angels reflects what we have always believed at Homeboy Industries: that people heal when they are seen, cherished, and given a place to belong. By creating spaces rooted in love and dignity, we make room for restoration, hope, and new beginnings,” Boyle added.
“For generations, this monastery has been a place of prayer, quiet service, and sanctuary,” said Sister Joseph Marie of the Child Jesus, O.P., Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of the Monastery of the Angels. “As our community discerned the future of this sacred site, we felt a deep responsibility to entrust it to a steward whose mission reflected our own values. Homeboy Industries has demonstrated a profound
The campus will operate as a secure, supervised treatment environment with managed access, 24/7 staffing, and structured programming.
In spring 2025, Homeboy Industries received state behavioral health infrastructure funding from the California Department of Health Care Services to support acquisition and site adaptation. When completed, the campus is expected to include 50 inpatient treatment beds, 40 outpatient treatment slots, and residen-
tial bridge housing to support continuity of care. Windsor Square roots
Boyle grew up on Norton Avenue, where he was one of eight siblings. He attended St. Brendan church and school and Loyola High School.
As a youth, he frequented Chevalier’s Books, he told us in 2018 during a book signing at the Larchmont Boulevard store. The event drew one of the largest crowds in the store’s then 78 years.
The Chevalier’s talk was focused on Father Boyle’s 2017 book, “Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship,” a collection of stories based on Boyle’s work with former gang members and their families. He’s written several books; the most recent, which he co-authored, is titled “Forgive Everyone Everything.”
His many awards include the California Peace Prize and the 2017 Laetere Medal from the University of Notre Dame, the oldest and most prestigious honor given to American Catholics.
priest in 1984; he was set to head a student program at Santa Clara University when a trip to Bolivia, where he met the poorest people in the region, changed his course.
“The poor are trustworthy guides,” he told us in 2017, and “… as luck would have it, [the Los Angeles Archdiocese] needed a pastor at Dolores Mission, which was the poorest parish in the city.”
Dolores Mission Church, a Jesuit parish, is in Boyle Heights, an area that was rife with warring gangs, and Boyle soon got to work.
Homeboy Industries was founded in Downtown Los Angeles in 1988.
Visit homeoftheangels.org.
Boyle, often called “Father G,” was ordained a Jesuit
‘Thieves,’
In a vast marble hall in the heart of the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops leer toward one another as if locked in battle, their fearsome rage so palpable you can almost hear the earth-shaking cries. Icons of the museum since they were first installed in 1996, the “Dueling Dinos’” fighting days are of course long gone, their fossils dating back 67 million years.
Dinosaurs are a relatively recent area of study, with the now extinct creatures having only been identified as a class of Mesozoic reptiles in 1841, when Sir Richard Owen coined the category, from the Greek “deinos,” meaning “terrible” or “fearfully great,” and “sauros,” or “lizard.” A large grouping of our most wellknown dinos sport the same suffix, like the aforementioned Tyrannosaurus rex, which combines the Greek “tyranno” (“tyrant”) with “sauros” and “rex” (“king”) to form the mighty designation “king tyrant lizard.”
Other uses of “sauros” abound. There’s the Brachiosaurus, meaning “arm lizard,” named for the long-necked quadrupedal animal’s elongated limbs. (They’re the first dinosaurs glimpsed in “Jurassic Park” as Sam Neill’s gobsmacked paleontologist sheds a tear and the film’s monumental theme music reaches its crescendo.) “Einiosaurus,” a plant-eater with a curved nasal horn also on display at the museum, translates to “buffalo lizard,” originating from the Blackfeet Indian word for the American buffalo,
Word Café by Mara Fisher
“eini.” There’s also the Brontosaurus (“thunder lizard”), Apatosaurus (“deceptive lizard”), and Stegosaurus, or “roof lizard,” determined as such because the ancient creature’s telltale upright dorsal plates were originally thought to lay flat, like tiles on a roof.
Then there are the herbivorous, beaked Ceratopsia, or “horned face,” dinosaurs, arriving from the Greek “keras” meaning “horn of an animal” and “ops,” or “face.”
Those include the Triceratops (“three-horned face”); the dog-sized Bagaceratops, first discovered in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert and titled from the Mongolian “baga,” meaning “small”; and “Diabloceratops,” or “devil-horned face,” whose sinister skull resembles the curved-horn Baphomet.
Of similarly satanic influence are the names of two pachycephalosaurs with a bony dome and spikes on the top of their heads: the “dragon king,” Dracorex, and the Stygimoloch, translating to “demon from the river Styx.”
And death arrives not with a scythe but a sickle-shaped claw with the nightmare-inducing Velociraptor, or “swift thief,” from the Latin “velox” (“speedy”) and “raptor,” meaning “robber.”
And there are many more to come. On average, paleontologists name a new dinosaur species every two weeks from fossils discovered at sites around the globe, armed with Greek, Latin, and any number of local languages to devise
each new title. In 2022, the Jakapil, an early bipedal species from Argentina, was identified, breathing new life both into the dinosaur and the extinct Puelchean language from which the species receives its label (translating to “shield bearer”). The following year, scientists in Chile announced the discovery of a species they called the Gonkoken, from the words “gon” (meaning “similar to”) and “koken” (“wild duck or swan”) in the extinct language of the Aónik’enk, the indigenous people that in-
habited the region where the species was found.
The name of the smallest dinosaur ever to be discovered seems simple by contrast—the hummingbird, identified by Irish zoologist Nicholas Aylward Vigors in 1825. Dubbed for the sound created by their beating wings, the earliest species of hummingbirds appeared 34–28 million years ago, evolving—like all birds— directly from the same group of theropods that counts the “king tyrant lizard” and “three-horned face” among its
descendants. While non-avian dinosaur species met their demise after a massive asteroid struck Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula about 66 million years ago, those with the gift of flight survived. So if it’s living dinosaurs you’d like to encounter, no need to hire a team of genetic scientists to create a multi-billion-dollar theme park of de-extinct dinosaurs. Rather, look around—they’re living, breathing, flapping, chirping, hooting, and squawking all around us.
Las Madrinas, the oldest affiliate group of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, honored 19 families and their daughters for their service to the Southern California community at the Las Madrinas Ball.
Larchmont resident Victoria Lee Bessant was among the debutantes.
The organization continues its 92nd year of support for the hospital with funding toward a $5 million pledge to the Las Madrinas Endowment and Chair in development-behavioral pediatrics, said Kimberly Root Sandifer, president of Las Madrinas
Larchmont Florist created the “California Winter Garden” themed centerpieces and floral décor. The Wayne Foster Orchestra accompanied the Presentation of the Debutantes and played the traditional waltz that transitioned the party from ceremony to celebration at the ball, held Dec. 20 in the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s International Ballroom.
Las Madrinas was founded in 1933, at the heart of the Great Depression, by 65 Southern California women who recognized the need to save what was then known as the Convalescent Home of Children’s Hospital.
Las Madrinas history
As the first Affiliate Group of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Las Madrinas has been supporting equity, quality, and innovation in pediatric medicine for 92 years. Since 1939, Las Madrinas has honored families who have demonstrated a commitment to the civic, cultural, and philanthropic life of Southern California by presenting their daughters at the Las Madrinas Ball. Donations made in honor of the young women, together with the annual support of Las Madrinas Members and friends, have enabled Las Madrinas to give over $60 million in support of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, including the funding of 12 Las Madrinas Endowments and Projects.
DEBUTANTE Victoria Lee Bessant of Larchmont. Nick Boswell Photography
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is the highest-ranked children’s hospital in California and 4th in the nation on the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of best children’s hospitals. U.S. News ranks Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in all 10 specialty categories. Clinical care at the hospital is
led by physicians who are faculty members of Keck School of Medicine of USC. The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is home to all basic, translational, clinical, and community research conducted at the hospital, allowing proven discoveries to quickly reach patients.
Clara Baldwin Stocker didn’t just throw a party. She was the party. Daughter of pioneer Elias “Lucky” Baldwin, Stocker’s Baldwin Oaks Estate will be featured in the 61st Pasadena Showcase House. A total of 30 interior and landscape designers are busy adding finishing touches for its public debut in April. The home’s storied legacy is rooted in California’s Golden Age. Built in 1907, the Arts & Crafts estate is on two acres in Arcadia.
The home features a wraparound porch, grand oak staircase and expansive park-like grounds with rose gardens and fruit trees, and it offers a glimpse into the grandeur of a bygone era. Public tours will take place April 19 to May 17 everyday but Monday. Proceeds fund the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts four philanthropies. Ticket are available at pasadenashowcase.org/tickets, or call 626-606-1600.
