PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS HERE!
SAVE MONEY Buy Quality Used Instruments
Yes, in this very spot! EVERYDAY
(310) 453-1928
Call 310-458-7737 for details
1901 Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica w w w. s a n t a m o n i c a m u s i c . c o m
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
Visit us online at smdp.com
Volume 9 Issue 19
Santa Monica Daily Press THROWING STONES SEE PAGE 6
We have you covered
THE WE’LL MISS YOU, MELODY ISSUE
Historic cottage becomes new B&B
Lighting up the holiday season BY DAILY PRESS CITYWIDE The season of cheer will be in full swing after this weekend of tree lightings, holiday walks and festivals. MONTANA GETS FESTIVE
Montana Avenue’s annual holiday walk begins today at 5 p.m. and lasts until 9 p.m. Enjoy decorations, treats and live music at various participating businesses. Marmalade Café, located at 710 Montana Ave., is serving hot chocolate and oat currant scones. Platino, located at 909 Montana Ave., is featuring live music and truffles. Live music is also playing at Seasons on Montana (1021-A Montana Ave.) with Djembe drums and at Weathervane (1209 Montana Ave.). Mom’s the Word, located at
BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer
CITY HALL The city’s final remaining beach-
SEE HOLIDAYS PAGE 8
Courthouse clinic helps victims of domestic abuse BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer
SM COURTHOUSE The woman appeared to be in denial, dismissing assertions that she needed a restraining order, insisting that it’s been a long time since she was struck. The volunteers at the Domestic Violence Clinic were having little luck with the new client who came at the ultimatum of an employer — get a restraining order or don’t come back. Minty Siu-Kootnikoff took a seat next to the woman and started talking, asking questions, including what would constitute a “long time.” “The more I talked to her I discovered her idea of him not hitting her for a long time meant last Thursday,” Siu-Kootnikoff, an attorney at the clinic, said during a recent interview. “I finally was able to get her to maybe understand that it’s not a bad idea to get a restraining order.” About a year later the two women ran into each other at the market, the one-time
Brandon Wise brandonw@smdp.com
facing cottage — the adopted cause of passionate historic preservationists who fought off demolition two years ago — will soon be reincarnated into a bed and breakfast, at least when the owners aren’t living there. The Planning Commission on Wednesday approved a conditional use permit for a bed and breakfast at the old historic yellow cottage at 2219 Ocean Ave., attaching a series of stipulations including limiting the days of business operation to no more than 182 in a calendar year and requiring a manager to check in on guests two hours in the morning and a pair in the afternoon. The property owners — John and Donna Heidt — must also return after one year for a review of the permit to see if any complaints have come in from neighbors, leaving the revocation option open. The permit was narrowly approved 4-3 following a back-and-forth give-and-take between commissioners over a series of issues that have been raised by neighbors in recent months, including whether the property owner should be required to hire a full-time manager to live at the property, and addressing concerns over the lack of guest supervision. The owners of a property management company in Santa Monica, the Heidts began receiving inquiries about short-term stay at the more than century-old cottage after they began rehabilitation last year on the home, which was then in precarious condition, sitting atop a sloping foundation, its exterior covered in chipped yellow paint. But following visits by family and friends
UNIQUE: Santa Claus will lead a candlelit walk down Main Street to the Edgemar Center for the
SEE ABUSE PAGE 10
Arts Saturday, where a Christmas tree made out of shopping carts (pictured) will be lit.
Gary Limjap
Five generations of family jewelers
SEE COTTAGE PAGE 7
BACK OR UNFILED
(310) 586-0339
ALL FORMS • ALL TYPES • ALL STATES
In today’s real estate climate ...
Experience counts! garylimjap@earthlink.net
SAMUEL B. MOSES, CPA
Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm
331 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica 2 Hours Free Parking (Behind Store) 310.451.1349 • www.readersjewelers.com
(310) 395-9922
100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1800Santa Monica 90401