area newsletter MARCH 2019 • SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
20 19
Community News Metro announces four options for Sepulveda Pass train line
LA Metro has revealed 4 initial options for the train line that is proposed for the Sepulveda Pass. The project would connect the San Fernando Valley to the westside of Los Angeles, beginning at the Van Nuys Metrolink station and ending at the Expo Line stations near the 405 and 10 freeways. Long term plans call for this line to later be extended further, ending at LAX. Two of Metro’s current options, designated HRT 1 and 2, call for a heavy train that would run underground, following the path of Van Nuys Blvd. or Sepulveda Blvd, respectively. A third heavy rail option, HRT 3, would travel above the Orange Line path, run at-grade along Sepulveda in the Valley, then go underground after passing Ventura Blvd. A fourth option calls for a monotrail system that follows the same path as HRT 3. All four options end at the Expo/Bundy and Expo/Sepulveda Stations in West LA. Among the pros and cons discussed in the Metro proposal are that the underground trains would require the most challenging construction but would allow for the fastest service and highest capacity. Likewise, a monorail would be the least expensive option, but with slower service and fewer passengers.
Horror fans help keep Valley store alive
Dark Delicacies, a shop at Magnolia Park in Burbank that specializes in horror-themed books and collectibles, was facing an uncertain future as its lease was ending in May and rent was due to rise to an unaffordable rate. The store’s owners, Del and Sue Howison expected that they would be forced to leave brickand-mortar retail and sell their wares only online and at conventions, despite a 25-year following among fans of the macabre. But fortunately, a new location became available on Hollywood Way and a crowdfunding drive successfully raised the $30,000 needed to make the transition to a new location. Amongst their supporters were Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and actor/comedian Patton Oswalt, who have each held signings at the store.
Community News Kaiser donates to local mental health agencies
Kaiser Permanente recently awarded $410,000 in grants to mental health agencies in the San Fernando Valley as part of a $6 million effort to support mental health services in Southern California. The five-year program, the Community Mental Health and Wellness Initiative, includes an initial allotment of 16 two-year grants totaling $1.28 million. Among the recipients of $80,000 grants are Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. and Village Family Services in North Hollywood. Separately, Kaiser’s Panorama City Medical Center recently made donations totaling $250,000 to 26 community organizations in the Valley including the Boys & Girls Club of San Fernando Valley in Pacoima, and the California State University Northridge Foundation.
Calabasas office park sells for $78m Calabasas Park Centre, a three-building office park near the 101 freeway at Parkway Calabasas, recently sold for $78 million, at a rate of $347 per square foot. The property was purchased by Cruzan, a Solana Beach-based firm, and Related Fund Management, the New York company that just began construction on Frank Gehry’s Grand Ave. project in downtown LA. Calabasas Park Centre was
originally built in 2000-2001 and was 96% leased when the deal was closed.
More wildflowers anticipated after fire and rain Local biologists are looking forward to a super bloom of wildflowers this spring, following the plentiful rains we’ve experienced this winter. The effect will be more pronounced in the Santa Monica Mountains, where the Woolsey Fire burned through 88% of the land managed by the National Park Service. According to experts, the seeds of certain species of flowers lie dormant in the soil and only sprout after the heat of a fire triggers their germination. Other seeds only grow when other plants competing for daylight and soil nutrition have been removed, in this case by a destructive fire. Among the species expected to be plentiful this spring are Plummer’s mariposa lily and cliff aster, two wildflowers that can only be found in California.
Restaurant
Spotlight
Blue Dog Beer Tavern
Sadaf
Bamboo Cuisine
4524 Saugus Avenue Sherman Oaks
16240 Ventura Boulevard Encino
14010 Ventura Boulevard Sherman Oaks
“A Big Party in a Little House” sums up the vibe at Blue Dog Beer Tavern. The restaurant considers itself a place where easy dining and laughter come together and where families, friends, and groups can feel welcomed. The 1940s-era California bungalow offers an indoor and an intimate outdoors dining experience. Not only does this gastropub have one of the best burgers in town, they also have a huge beer list! They currently have 12 taps, seven that are permanent and five that rotate out weekly. The menu here includes signature fries, nachos, mac & cheese, wings, hummus, and a variety of fresh-ground burgers.
Experience modern Persian cuisine at its finest at Sadaf Restaurant. Here you will find healthy, yet tasty, wholesome fresh food. All the food at this restaurant is made with 100% olive and vegetable oils. The Middle Eastern spot is perhaps as far west as you’re likely to go, but it’s worth heading under the 405 for it. Their menu includes melt-inyour-mouth skewers of chicken and beef, rice boiled with sour chicken and cherries, and juicy, thick savory stews of eggplant and veal. Some of the popular plates on the menu: the White Fish, the Koobideh Sandwich, and the Juicy Chicken.
This restaurant is a Zagat-rated favorite with reliably delicious takes on classic dishes like sizzling hot beef & scallops and wonton soup. The family friendly restaurant is always busy because of the great food. The menu here includes Mandarin and Szechuan dishes from mushu chicken to a black bean sauce. You can dine in, takeout, or get delivery to a location in Sherman Oaks.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS in LOS ANGELES
J. Paul Getty Museum 1200 Getty Center Drive Los Angeles, CA 90049
LACMA
6060 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036 CURRENT EXHIBITION:
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
Auto-Didactic: The Juxtapoz School September 29, 2018 - June 2019
Eighteenth-Century Pastel Portraits August 28, 2018 – October 13, 2019
3D: Double Vision July 15, 2018 - March 31, 2019
Juxtapoz Magazine, known for featuring “lowbrow” and pop surrealist artists that would otherwise be considered as outside of the mainstream art world, has teamed with the Petersen Auto Museum to create a group show of artists whose work is often inspired by hot rod culture. The exhibit features many car-centric paintings and sculptures, as well as a number of vehicles that converted into moving works of work. The exhibit includes work by Robert Crumb, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Robert Williams.
Celebrating a medium that is often overlooked in other time periods, this exhibit delves into the favored form of portraiture in late 18th century Europe. Pastels allowed the artist to create classically beautiful works without the arduous process that oil painting often requires. This flexibility coincided with the growing class of people who patronized portrait artists, creating a unique body of work that represented both an evolving craft and an evolving society.
This exhibition explores the art of stereoscopy, the technique that allows a two-dimensional image to create the illusion that it occupies three dimensions of space. Following the history of the technology from the experimental photographs of the 1830’s to the sophisticated digital films of modern day, the exhibit creates a hands-on experience, allowing viewers to use various devices to view 3-D art from artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Ed Ruscha, and features over 60 photographs, videos, and holographic sculptures.
Petersen Automotive Museum
5905 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036
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