Los Feliz LedgerVol 6. No. 11 Serving the Greater Los Feliz, Silver Lake & Hollywood Hills Area | Distribution 34,500 May 2011

Los Feliz Ledger

Theater Review: “Re-Animator, The Musical,” page 13

School News: OMGC School Vis-ited by Local Firefighters, page 21

People in My Neighborhood: Sandy Driscoll, page 14

Advertising Focus: Naturalmind Beauty & Beyond, page 13

CRA Postpones Atwater Village RedevelopmentAgency’s Future UnclearBy Caitlin M. FoytLedger Contributing Writer

ATWATER VILLAGE—The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA) has post-poned plans for the Northeast Los Angeles (NELA) River Corridor Study Area because the agency’s future statewide is uncertain, according to Cal-ifornia Gov. Jerry Brown’s pro-posed state budget summary.

“The CRA/LA is postpon-ing all activities related to plan adoptions and/or amendments until the Governor’s budget, which includes legislation that would abolish redevelop-

see CRA page 7

see LAUSD page 6 see GARCETTI page 11

see DWP LIGHTS page 9see MARSHALL page 9

GRIFFITH PARK—When 11-year old Tami Campos learned the Griffith Park Holiday Lights Festival has been can-celled for the second year in a row, she let out a thoughtful sigh and muttered, “Oh well.”

Her mother, Mandy, who was packing groceries into the back of her family’s red SUV, had much the same, disap-pointed reaction, but with a minor twist.

“Well,” she said, “at least there won’t be all that traffic. We missed the lights last year, but it made it a lot easier to get around during the holidays.”

Construction work around the park led to the annual show’s cancellation in 2010.

Frank Brenton, an electri-cian on lunch break outside the supermarket, didn’t think his Christmas would be any less merry without the light show “because if my kids wanted to go, we’d have to sit hours in line, in the car, just to see a few Christmas lights.”

Such were some of the re-cent reactions in front of the Ralph’s supermarket, at the corner of Hollywood Boule-vard and Western Avenue, to the recent announcement by the Los Angeles Dept. of Wa-ter and Power (LADWP) that the wildly-popular light event will be remain dark next holi-day season due to budget cuts.

The Ledger took an unsci-

Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti at work in council chambers.

DWP Cancels Holiday Lights Festival For 2nd Consecutive YearBy Erik Derr, Ledger Contributing Writer

FRANKLIN HILLS—For the first time ever, two Marshall High School softball play-ers have signed on for Division I schools—the NCAA’s highest level of intercollegiate athletics. 

Megan Reiner, a pitcher, will be join-ing Fairleigh Dick-inson University in New Jersey for the 2012 season.  Infield-er, Jessika Sandoval was recruited to play for six-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference softball champions, the Mississippi

Valley State Devilettes.  Both seniors signed their

letters of intent to attend their respective schools in a mov-

Marshall High Sending Two Students To Play Division 1 College SoftballBy Kimberly Gomez, Ledger Contributing Writer

Future of New King Magnet Unclear Amid LAUSD’s “Doomsday Budget”By Erik DerrLedger Contributing Writer

SILVER LAKE—Less than half a year after Thomas Starr King Middle School announced it would open a new “eco” based magnet this coming fall, there are questions about the pro-gram’s viability, even before it starts.

Faced with a $408 mil-lion budget shortfall, the Los Angeles United School Dis-trict (LAUSD) has drawn up a so-called “Doomsday” budget that officials say would have to be implemented if Gov. Jerry Brown can’t find more state funding for schools.

Preliminarily passed by the LASUD school board Feb.

City Sleuth: Neutra’s Notable Recreation Center, page 10

not make a decision until this summer. He said he doesn’t like making such announce-ments “too far in advance.”

Announcement or not, in an April 4th Los Angeles Times editorial, editor-at-large Jim Newton wrote that if Garcetti runs he is “immediately in front of the pack.”

Thus far, Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel has announced, as has Los Ange-les City Councilmember Jan Perry and Austin Beutner, who is currently serving as First Deputy Mayor for Anto-nio Villaraigosa.

Other names being ban-died about include developer Rick Caruso, state senator Alex Padilla and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaro-slavksy.

One thing is for sure, though: Garcetti said he would like to remain president of the city council—especially

Garcetti: In Or Out? We’re Not Sure YetBy Erik DerrLedger Contributing Writer

Eric Garcetti—the tall, dark and highly popular city

council president from Los Angeles’ 13th District—has emerged a leading contender in the upcoming race for the mayor’s office.

But, despite prodding from several media outlets, he hasn’t announced whether or not he will run in the 2013 election and most likely will

Los Feliz Ledger

Page 2 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011

FOUNDED 20 05 Delievered the last Thursday of each

month to 34,500 homes and businesses in the Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Hollywood

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PUBLISHER /EDITORAllison B. Cohen Ferraro

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4459 Avocado St. Los Angeles, CA 90027Phone: 323-667-9897 Fax: 323-667-1816

acohen@losfelizledger.com www. losfelizledger.com

In a press release is-sued April 20th by Los An-geles City

Controller Wendy Gruel re-garding the Mayor’s proposed budget for the fiscal year start-ing July 2011, Gruel writes: “It’s time to be honest with Angelenos about the scope of the fiscal crisis we are facing and the painful, but necessary solutions.”

What is to come, is not exactly clear, but already I can’t count the number of pot-holes I drive over on a daily basis; I receive less parking tickets (thankfully) when my meter runs out on Avocado Street due to fewer patrollers on the street; graffiti seems to

be on the rise and now neigh-borhood council budgets are threatened (see page 11 for the story) as well as an astonish-ing cut of almost 90% poten-tially of Los Angeles Unified School District magnet school funding (see page 1 story and Family Matters, page 23); and the possible elimination of some athletics at Marshall High School (see page 1 story, again).

It’s been years since the country’s economic meltdown but the ripple effects of the crash of real estate and the mortgage banking meltdown still continue (see our story on “Underwater” Homeowners, page 16).

I want to personally thank community leader Barbara Ferris, the Greater Griffith

[LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER] Park Neighborhood Council and the Los Feliz Improve-ment Association for their “Connect Los Feliz” mixer held April 4th. Certainly, in times like these, collaboration amongst community groups is essential.

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 3COMMUNITY NEWS

Preschool Hosts Blood Drive To Benefit Child-rens Hospital LA Offers Car Seat Checks as Well

Camelot Kids will host their 3rd annual blood drive benefiting Childrens Hospital LA on May 24th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

“We have a mobile donor bus on site to take 4 blood donations every fifteen min-utes and our goal this year is to have those seats filled the entire day,” said Renae Plant, Director.  

Additionally, Safe Kids USA’s Buckle Up program will be providing car safety educa-tion and information through-out the day offering free child safety seat inspections, and educational demonstrations to parents and kids about riding safely, and being safe outside of cars in driveways and park-ing lots.

  According to Safe Kids USA, four out of five car seats are used incorrectly. Partici-pants can make an appoint-ment to have their own seats checked by child passenger safety technicians. 

Call Camelot Kids (323) 662-2663 to schedule an ap-pointment for a car seat in-spection or blood donation, or simply show up on the day. 

Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast May 7th

The Griffith Park Lion’s Club will have its 68th annual pancake breakfast, May 7th from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Wells Fargo Bank Parking lot, 3250 Glendale Blvd.

Tickets are $5. There will be a silent auction, door prizes and free glaucoma screenings.

For information call Betty Barlotta at (323) 394-2452.

The newly created Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC) Sports & Recreation group convened its first public meeting on April 11th with what committee Chair Mark F. Mauceri called our “starting nine.”

“We have a nine found-ers: a few local dads, two staff members from the Silver Lake Recreation Center, one AYSO Director and three current GGPNC members, so I’d call it a good start,” Mauceri said.

The following night, at a special budgeting meeting, the GGPNC Governing Board approved a $3,400 grant for Thomas Starr King Middle School to install two new height adjustable basketball back-boards and hoops, enabling the formation of youth basketball leagues from the school.

“The gym is a great space, but it’s hard for a 5-year-old to hit a free throw on a 10 foot rim,” said Nelson Bae, GG-PNC Board Member and city officiator for various sports leagues. “This new equipment will enable kids to play at an

age appropriate level, so they can learn the game without getting frustrated,” Bae said.

Los Feliz’s American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Region Director, Brent Whitt-lesey added: “We’re focused on expanding sports opportuni-ties right here in the neighbor-hood.  Parents shouldn’t have to drive to other parts of the city for their kids—or them-selves—to enjoy athletics.”

According to Mauceri, the group is currently focus-ing on what is do-able with the existing facilities in the area, but “we’re also taking note of what other city neighborhoods enjoy in the hopes of meeting or exceeding those levels, so, we’re looking for soccer moms, sports dads, and the like join in with us.  People who want to see all sorts of athletics or-ganized here, from winter vol-leyball leagues to pee-wee foot-ball,” he said.  “We’ll take all comers.”

Info: www.ggpnc.org under “Sports & Recreation” or call (213) 973-9758.

GGPNC Sports & Recreation Hits the Field Running

ATWATER VILLAGE—The At-water Village Neighborhood Council has voted 10 to 1 to object to advertising signage in Los Angeles public parks, in-cluding Griffith Park, and has approved a letter to Los Ange-les city councilmembers Eric Garcetti and Tom LaBonge and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich supporting this po-sition.

The vote came in response to a presentation by Bernadette Soter, with Friends of Griffith

Park, a grassroots non-profit dedicated to preserving the natural and historical heritage of the park.

Soter said she first be-came aware of an attempt to post ads on roofs, bench seats, trash cans and walls through-out public parks when she watched a KCET “SoCal Con-nected” segment called “Show Me The Money” last February.

Other issues raised in the televised report were po-

AVNC Takes Stance vs. Park AdvertisingBy Caitlin M. Foyt, Ledger Contributing Writer

see AVNC page 6

Advertise in the

Los Feliz Ledger (323) 667-9897

Los Feliz Ledger

Page 4 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011POLITICS

Special thanks to the Los Feliz business community for its ongoing support of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Saturday, April 30, 2011Check-in begins at 2:30 p.m.Walk begins at 5 p.m.

5K Walk Through Los Feliz, Street Party & Lighting Celebration

ProudlySupported by

Have fun with family and friends while helping kids in our community.

Visit CHLA.org/WALK for more information.

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acm

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westside subway

extension

MORE RAILIN THE WORKS

metro.net/works

exposition transit

corridor phase 2regional connector

transit corridor

The Expo Construction Authority passed two major milestones for Phase 2 of the Expo Transit Corridor to extend the nearly completed light-rail line to Santa Monica.

Exposition Transit Corridor Phase 2> A$1.5billionagreementbetweenMetroand

ExpoAuthoritywillfundtheprojectthroughMeasureRtaxrevenueaswellasstateandlocalfunds.

> A$541.7millioncontractwasawardedtodesignandbuildPhase2oftheExpoLineextendingthelinenowunderconstructionfartherwesttoSantaMonica.

> Phase1oftheExpoLine,betweenDowntownLAandCulverCity,is88percentcompleteandexpectedtopartiallyopenlaterthisyear.

Regional Connector Transit Corridor > TheFederalTransitAdministrationgave

formalapprovalforpreliminaryengineeringworktobeginontheRegionalConnector,bringingitastepclosertoactualconstruction.

> Atwo-mile,fullyundergroundlightraillinehasbeenapprovedfortherouteoftheRegionalConnectorTransitCorridorconnectingtheMetroGoldLine,MetroBlueLineandfutureExpoLinethroughDowntownLA.

Westside Subway Extension> TheFederalTransitAdministrationalsogave

formalapprovalforpreliminaryengineeringworktobeginontheWestsideSubwayExtension.

> TheapprovedrouteisasubwayextensionrunningbetweentheMetroPurpleLineWilshire/WesternStationandtheWestwood/VAHospital.

>The$4.2billionprojectwillextendthesubwayadistanceofapproximatelyninemilestoBeverlyHills,CenturyCityandWestwood.

For more information, visit metro.net/3010

The City of Los Angeles has an ordinance against parking cars for sale on Los Feliz Boulevard and Franklin Avenue. Re-sponding to complaints from constituents, I introduced a motion in October 2008, ask-ing the City Council to form a task force to find ways to regulate the sale of cars on city streets.

Today, we have an ordi-nance that makes it unlaw-ful for any person to park any vehicle on the streets or public lands in the city for the purpose of advertising to the public the private sale of that vehicle.

The ordinance covers Los Feliz Boulevard, between In-terstate 5 and Western Av-enue; and Franklin Avenue, between Hillhurst Avenue and Western Avenue. Violators are subject to citation, towing, im-pound and fines. In addition, the City Council may amend the ordinance to include other streets within the city of Los Angeles, should that become necessary.

Los Angeles also has a comprehensive “Mansioniza-tion” ordinance, now that the Baseline Hillside Ordinance has been approved by the City Council and signed by the Mayor. Again, I introduced the original motion for this ordinance after hearing com-plaints from residents about huge neighboring homes

blocking views and sunlight and destroying the character of the neighborhood. This is a long overdue step that gives architects and builders clear guidelines for residential de-velopment and renovation in both the flat lands and the hills of Los Angeles.

Another issue that’s start-ing to gain attention is the parking of mobile billboards on city streets. There’s already an ordinance prohibiting “un-hitched” mobile billboards taking up parking spaces. Now, we’re starting to see these rolling advertisements parked on the public street still “hitched” to a vehicle, which isn’t technically illegal. My staff and I are examining the issue and talking with the City Attorney’s office about a possible amendment to the existing Mobile Billboard or-dinance to include those that are still “hitched” to a vehicle. Parking’s tight enough with-out having to share valuable spaces with a billboard.

The Los Angeles Zoo just unveiled a new environmen-tally friendly parking lot that allows storm water to perco-late back into the groundwater supply, rather than flow into the Los Angeles River.

Make the most of this great time of year, and contin-ue to enjoy and love the great city of Los Angeles.

[GREETINGS FROM TOM]

Making Progress on Some Pervasive Issues By Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge

[MIKE GATTO]

California Voters Should Know Who Is Paying for Democracy

By California Asseblymem-ber Mike Gatto

At the be-ginning of a Dodger game or even an NPR broadcast, the listener hears that the program is “brought to you by” and a list of corporate sponsors or donors.  How is it that special interests can sponsor ballot initiatives without the voter being made aware of the same?  I’ve authored legislation that would change that. 

The bill is AB 65, and it would require that the top five contributors to a ballot initia-tive campaign be listed right in the ballot pamphlet.

Ensuring that voters are well informed before heading to the ballot box is critically important to creating a ratio-nal system of governance in our state.  For example, just last year, out-of-state oil com-panies spent millions to place an initiative on the ballot in an attempt to overturn Califor-nia’s clean-air laws.  Environ-mentalists had to counter with millions of their own, just to inform voters of this cynical attempt by out-of-state inter-ests to purchase an exemption at the ballot box. 

see GATTO page 5

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 5POLITICS

And that’s just one ex-ample.  There are plenty of other instances of special in-terest groups, in many cases from out of state, trying to af-fect California law or even the rights of California citizens with a ballot initiative. 

I believe the electorate would be better informed if they simply knew who was the “money” behind a ballot initiative, because in almost every instance, knowing who seeks to change California law to their benefit is half the battle.  Knowing this will help voters make informed deci-sions—and informed deci-sions are always best. Mike Gatto’s website is asm.ca.gov/gatto. E-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov.

[ERIC GARCETTI]

Envisioning Atwater Village’s FutureBy Eric Garcetti

Los Angeles City Council President

In the last ten years, I have

ing in this process.Here are the priorities and

ideas that the community de-veloped at the summit:• Connections and connectiv-

ity: more safe passageways, including pedestrian and equestrian bridges

• Neighborhood businesses: creating more incentives to attract local businesses and creating a guide to local stores

• Transportation/walkability: better signage, crosswalks,

traffic calming measures, pedestrian-friendly improve-ments and maps

• Los Angeles River: making the river a destination for families, walkers and cy-clists, improving access to the river from the neighbor-hood, bringing more activi-ties to the river and creating an equestrian bridge

• Beautification: painting murals under train bridges, planting more trees and greenery on main streets, bringing more sidewalk din-ing to commercial areas and beautifying medians

• Community: identifying an area as the heart of the com-

munity for neighborhood gatherings, building a new park and improving exist-ing parks, good zoning that maintains the character of the neighborhood

We are taking appli-cations from members of neighborhood organizations who would like to participate in the LAND steering com-mittee.

For more information contact Angela Motta of my office at (323) 957-4500 also visit: www.cd13.com.

been proud to partner with the Atwater Village commu-nity on a variety of neighbor-hood projects.  Together, we have tackled everything from creating more parks and green space to making Glendale Boulevard a more robust, pe-destrian friendly place to shop, dine and stroll.

I have just two more years to serve as your City Council-member and in this remaining time, I want to work with you to address Atwater Village’s top priorities.

I’ve launched an initiative called Los Angeles Neighbor-hood Dreams (LAND), a col-laborative process through which community-members in my Council District are identifying what they want to see addressed most in the next two years.  The LAND process is two-fold – first community stakeholders come together at a Visioning Summit to iden-tify priorities; then, a com-munity steering committee will continue to meet to refine and execute plans to bring the projects to fruition.

Atwater Village stake-holders were invited to par-ticipate in a neighborhood Vi-sioning Summit in March.    I was pleased that dozens of community members spent a Saturday afternoon participat-

GATTO from page 4

Los Feliz Ledger

Page 6 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011COMMUNITY NEWS

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SILVER LAKE—The Silver Lake Jubilee is set for Satur-day and Sunday, May 21st and 22nd, under the bridge at Sunset and Santa Monica boulevards.

On hand will be more than 50 bands, 50 perfor-mance artists, more than 60 vendors and gourmet food trucks and food from local restaurants.

$5 general admission. Free for children 10 and under and for those 60 and older. Info: silverlakejubilee.com

Silver Lake Jubilee Set for May 21st & 22nd

GRIFFITH PARK—The Inde-pendent Shakespeare Com-pany will return to Griffith Park this summer with three productions: The Merry Wives of Windsor; Love’s Labour’s Lost and Hamlet.

The Merry Wives of Wind-sor will perform June 30th through July 31st; Hamlet runs July 14th through Au-gust 28th; and Love’s Labour’s Lost will run from Aug. 4th through August 27th.

The location is the Griffith Park Old Zoo near 4730 Crys-tal Springs Dr. There is no seating at the site. Please bring a blanket or low-backed chair.

Last year, the season drew 13,000 in attendance—the largest summer theater event in Los Angeles.

The productions are free. For information and direc-tions visit: www.iscla.org or call (818) 710-6306.

Shakespeare in the Park For 2011

tential conflicts of interest by Barry Sanders, who had ap-proved (since denied by the city council) a $57,000 deal for Warner Bros. to advertise “Yogi Bear” in three different Los Angeles parks. Sanders is president for both the Recre-ation and Parks Commission and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation.

Soter called the issue “a runaway train.” She said she is attempting to gather support against such practices from community groups and neigh-borhood councils.

“I spend an inordinate amount of time in Griffith Park with my child and I am always horrified by how much she has already, only at 11 months, been assaulted with advertise-ments,” she Leonora Gersh-man-Pitts, AVNC co-chair. “I love Griffith Park deeply and I love that I can go there and be completely shut out from ev-erything else in the world.”

AVNC from page 3

15th, the plan would slash funding for the district’s mag-net schools program by 86%, or, put another way, take away $10.5 million from the $12.2 allotted for the program’s costs in the 2010-2011 academic year. That would leave a total $1.7 million to operate all 169 magnets located throughout the LAUSD.

Dr. John Deasy, the dis-trict’s superintendent-elect, in early April introduced a one-year budget for 2011-2012 that, according to a press release, would “save school programs including those that support the arts, magnet schools, after-school activities and early education.”

As the Ledger went to press, the district’s communications office was unable to explain

how Deasy’s budget would “save” the magnet schools or impact program funding levels.

Should the LAUSD’s “Doomsday” budget be imple-mented, it would eliminate the program coordinators who currently oversee individual magnet sites, along with about 7,100 other district adminis-trators, teachers and counsel-ors at traditional schools.

LAUSD spokeswoman Lauren Mendoza said that if the “Doomsday” budget is im-plemented, staffing and teach-ing for the magnet schools throughout the district would shift to the regular staffs at the affected program’s respective school sites.

Online bloggers across the district’s service area fear the cuts will lead to the mag-net program’s demise and Los Angeles Times columnist Steve

Lopez, who lives in Silver Lake and has a child that attends a local elementary school, allud-ed to as much in a recent opin-ion piece about the LAUSD’s ongoing challenges.

“It is very sad,” said Tomas O’Grady, president of Friends of King, the middle school’s non-profit support group, who led last year’s campaign for the new King magnet. “Is it just me or am I the only chap who thinks our priorities are all eschew?”

King would lose three of its 175 magnet staff under the “Doomsday” plan, while John Marshall High School would lose seven of its staff of 160.

The area’s non-magnet schools would also see staff cuts, with Los Feliz Elemen-tary School losing six of its 21 faculty; Ivanhoe Elementary losing two of 18 staffers and Micheltorena Elementary see-

ing one of its 19 staff members cut.

The faculty, school staffs and parents “involved in these magnets will still do what-ever it takes to deliver,” said O’Grady, who also recently lost a bid for a Los Angeles City Council seat to incum-bent Tom LaBonge. “We sim-ply have no choice.”

LAUSD from page 1

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 7COMMUNITY NEWS

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The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GG-PNC) and the Los Feliz Im-provement Association (LFIA) co-hosted a “Connect Los Fe-liz” super mixer for the board members of several local resi-dent and business associations on April 4th.

The mixer, held at the Desert Rose Restaurant on Hillhurst Ave., was designed to foster productive working relationships among the major resident, homeowner and busi-ness associations in Los Feliz.

Among the 50 attendees were board members of the GGPNC, the LFIA, the Los

Feliz Business Improvement District, the Los Feliz Square Neighborhood Association, the Franklin Hills Residents Association and The Oaks Homeowners Association.

The gathering, an initia-tive of the GGPNC Outreach Committee, provided an op-portunity for people from dis-tinct areas of the community to come together in a relaxed, informal setting to create new ties, refresh old ties and en-courage constructive dialog about issues that effect the whole neighborhood.

More mixers of this na-ture are planned.

Area Groups Connect At “Super Mixer”

ment agencies statewide, is ad-opted,” said associate planner at CRA/LA, Alison Becker. “That could happen anytime between [now] and June 30th, or even later.”

The proposed redevelop-ment zone locally includes all of Atwater’s northern industrial area, including the residential area between Chevy Chase Drive and Goodwin Avenue, as well as all residential and commercial properties between Fletcher Drive and Carillon Street. Also included were all industrial and some residential property along the Seneca Av-enue / Casitas Avenue corridor.

The CRA/LA alluded to green roadways and develop-ment of the Los Angeles Riv-er as part of the project, but the organization had not yet shared with the community its specific plans for the area.

The possible redevelop-ment was a concern for many Atwater Village residents because any redevelopment would require Atwater Village be declared a “blighted area.”

Alex Ventura, chair of the Atwater Village Neigh-borhood Council’s (AVNC) Environmental and Land Use committee said that he, per-sonally, is pleased that CRA’s involvement in the commu-nity has come to a halt.

Ventura was instrumental in drafting a letter to Los An-geles City Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Eric Gar-cetti that stated the AVNC’s opposition to the CRA’s ideas for the Atwater community.

If the governor doesn’t end up shutting down the CRA, Ventura said he wouldn’t be surprised if this is not the last time Atwater Village hears about this development project.

“I have no doubt that they wouldn’t try to reopen this project in three to four years after the next city council election,” Ventura said. “They would have to establish blight in the next three years, though and it’s soon going to be im-possible to establish blight in Atwater Village. A lot can hap-pen in three years and things will only get better and nicer.”

CRA from page 1

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Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 9COMMUNITY NEWS

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BARNSDALL PARK—The League of Women Voters will host “Climate Change: Global Consequence—Local Action,” a film screening and panel discussion, Wed. May 11th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater.

The event will feature the award winning documentary, “Climate Refugees” and a vid-eo short from Oxfam Ameri-ca, Sisters on the Planet. 

“Climate Refugees” illus-trates the impacts of climate change already occurring. After the film, there will be a panel discussion with local climate policy experts. $10; $5 for students.

Information: www.lwvlosangeles.org 

Climate Change Film and Panel Discussion, May 11th

ing ceremony held at Marshall High School in April. 

Marshall Coach Orky Labrador—who happens to be Sandoval’s aunt and Mar-shall’s softball coach since 1996—said she couldn’t be prouder of her top players who have been starters since their freshman year.   

Both, she says, showed the kind of early commitment it takes to play at the four-year college level. 

Friends since meeting at Marshall, Sandoval and Rein-er also play softball together on an 18-and-under Gold travel team.

“I might not get another kid like this for 10 years,” said Coach Labrador. “This is a great opportunity for them and for our program.”

The hope of playing at this level, both girls said, was just part of what made sacrificing time with friends and main-taining good grades worth it.

MARSHALL from page 1

entific, random survey of 20 people in the immediate vi-cinity of the grocery store. An estimated 80% of those ques-tioned said they would miss the light show and hoped it would return, while the remaining 20% cited a variety of reasons they wouldn’t miss it—the re-sulting traffic congestion being most often mentioned.

In fact, over 90 percent of those interviewed—pretty much every participant old enough to drive a car—said they strongly disliked the traf-fic jams the light show has historically caused throughout the area.

“Oh my God, the traffic is so bad,” said college theater ma-jor Chris Drew. “I don’t know about everybody else, but the traffic sucks all the enjoyment out of it. I think it’s gotten too big for the park. Griffith Park and the surrounding roads can’t handle it.”

Skateboarder Aaron Zim, 16, suggested “all the excite-ment [over the light festival] was always kind of dumb… My family took me there a couple of times when I was younger. There are a lot better things to do.”

On the other hand, 70-year-old Susan Cohn, a re-tired secretary and mother of three, couldn’t think of many other things that better repre-sent the holiday season in Los Angeles.

“We went to see the lights every year. It became our fam-ily tradition. Maybe it was a little crowded, but that just meant it was something peo-ple really enjoyed,” Cohn said. “It made our holiday.”

In early April, the LAD-WP, which serves about 1.4 million electric customers and 680,000 water customers, un-veiled a list of budget cuts and cost-saving measures to reduce operating costs by $440 mil-

lion over the next three years. The Holiday Light Festival was one of several programs the utility looked to for imme-diate savings.

“Our customers are being forced to tighten their belts in this economy and we need to be more frugal too,” said Ron Nichols, LADWP’s general manager. “These budget cuts are part of our commitment to function more like a business in today’s economy.”

Functioning as a modern business is all well and good, but the light festival “is so de-lightful,” said one local resi-dent who frequents meetings of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GG-PNC), but asked not to be named. Even with the city’s budget woes, she said, it would be a shame if LADWP don’t find a way to turn the light festival back on, once and for all. “To hell with the money,” she said.

“All the work that I did paid off,” said Reiner who said she plans to study biology and eventually go into physical therapy and travel with sports teams.  “To go to college and have it all paid for and getting everything settled for my fu-ture is amazing.”

And what a boost the scholarships have done for other athletes at Marshall.

“I think the team looks up to us seeing what we can do and how far we’ve gone,” said Sandoval who says she’ll major in biology and follow her aunt into physical education.  “And seeing us going to D-1 schools shows them what they can do too.”

Marshall High’s Varsity Softball team has six graduat-ing seniors on the squad. The team hopes to finish the sea-son as League Champions for the 3rd consecutive year and to be seeded 4th out of over 60 teams with a shot to win the citywide playoffs. 

DWP LIGHTS from page 1

Los Feliz Ledger

Page 10 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011COMMUNITY NEWS

EAGLE ROCK—The gymna-sium and stage inside Eagle Rock’s Recreation Center at 1100 Eagle Vista Dr. appear much as they did when the clubhouse was dedicated in 1954.

In the vast Los Angeles Recreation and Parks system, you won’t find any facility like it. Not only is it a pristine ex-ample of International Style architecture, it was designed by the father and son who put the style in the architectural lexicon—Richard and Dion Neutra. Last month, Dion Neutra gathered there with clients and collaborators and at other Neutra buildings to recognize the 85th year of the Neutra practice, which still continues in Silver Lake.

With its flat roof, glass clerestory windows and steel frame, the Recreation Center bears the architectural traits of the Neutra vocabulary. Sel-dom examined in the trove of literature on the Neutras, some of the center’s story is available in the Public Officials Papers Collection of Cal State LA.

John C. Holland repre-sented Eagle Rock during the postwar era when the city of Los Angeles commissioned architects like the Neutras to design new schools and play-grounds for its baby boomer population. Holland’s City Council papers reveal that Eagle Rock’s Women’s 20th Century Club and Chamber of Commerce lobbied for the purchase of 30 acres of “rough terrain in the foothill area” just below the geographic fea-ture for which the community was named, the Eagle Rock.

Money was available through the multi-million dol-lar Playground Bond Fund of 1947, and the city purchased the land for $35,000 from the Huntington Land and Im-provement Company in 1949.

Within years, the Recre-ation and Parks Commission voted to proceed with con-struction of a playground and recreation center on the foot-hill land. History intervened when North Korean troops invaded South Korea in June, 1950, and America’s National Production Authority banned the construction of recreation facilities.

Following the signing of a Korean armistice in July, 1953, the Recreation and Parks Commission proceeded with plans to build a $100,000 rec-reation center/clubhouse, and broke ground that month after Neutra and Associates were se-lected as the architects. In the end, the project cost $171,683. By 1958, baseball and softball diamonds and tennis courts were funded.

Eagle Rock had a first class park, and just in time, for the population boom was neces-sitating east west highway ex-pansion. The 134 Freeway split the mighty Eagle Rock from the community it was named for, including the Neutras’ Rec Center. The park was spared, but a home by architect Ru-dolph Schindler several miles to the west at 325 Ellenwood Dr. was in the freeway path, and was demolished.

To learn more about the 85th anniversary celebration of Neutra architecture, visit www.neutra.org.

[CITY SLEUTH]

Eagle Rock’s Notable Recreation CenterBy Diane Kanner, Ledger Columnist

GRIFFITH PARK—The 4th Annual Griffith Park Com-munities Relay for Life, orga-nized by the American Cancer Society, will be June 11th and 12, at the Mulholland Foun-

tain at Los Feliz and Riverside Drive.

The event covers a 24 hour period starting at 9 a.m. and continues until 9:00 a.m. Sun-day morning.

Relay for Life is a commu-nity gathering Walk-A-Thon to help fight cancer.   The idea behind the event is that: as

cancer never sleeps, teams of people will camp out at Mull-holland Fountain throughout the evening.  

The event is designed to raise funds for cancer research

and to raise awareness of can-cer prevention, early detection, treatment and patient support.   

For information to register your team, sign up as a team member, a survivor or to make a donation visit www.relayforlife.org/griffithparkca.

Relay for Life Set for June 11 & 12

The idea behind the event is that: as cancer never sleeps, teams of people

will camp out at Mullholland Fountain throughout the evening.

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with a city deficit looming at a reported $485 million—a po-sition he has repeatedly been elected to by the council, every two years, since 2005.

“Most issues,” he said, hinge on “establishing public trust,” which he said seems a tall order amid the econom-ic instability and persistent doubts by many Angelenos about the accountability of city officials.

“How do you get your fiscal house in order, ensure technology is advancing and get people back to work?” said Garcetti, who was named

“L.A.’s Favorite Elected Offi-cial,” by the Los Angeles Alter-native Press in 2003. How do you “get people’s faith back?”

As if giving a glimpse of a potential mayoral campaign platform, Garcetti said that while reforming immigration law is the federal government’s responsibility, Angelenos, he said, must understand “the huge stake” the city and re-gion have in ending illegal immigration while retaining and caring for those who have learned and developed vital marketplace skills.

He also said the city must push through public employee

pension reforms and that he would call for greater scrutiny of the proposed new football stadium downtown—a project which he supports for its abil-ity to spur economic growth

downtown. Locally, he said that

Griffith Park could stand growth too, but not the type of sweeping projects directed by a “Master Plan.” Instead, he said he prefers “smaller, more organic” usage plans that pro-vide greater park access.

“There are so many cre-

ative people out there,” he said.Garcetti, son of former

Los Angeles City Attorney, Gil Garcetti, taught public policy, diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College

and the University of South-ern California before being elected to the city council in 2001.

Recently he was fined by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission $4,800 for ac-cepting tickets to the Gover-nor’s Ball after the Academy and Emmy awards in 2007

and the Governor’s Ball and Academy Awards in 2008. Three other councilmembers were additionally fined for similar violations.

The issue, Garcetti said, was he failed to report the din-ners following the events and that he has “paid back every dollar” and freely admits he made an error.

Garcetti, known for his leadership and as a “gifted coalition builder” said he be-lieves city officials can win back those they serve by keep-ing their civic eyes and ears open, as he has.

“I think every public of-ficial needs to see the city from the street level,” he said. “When you get out of the car you find amazing pockets of opportunity… I fall in love with this city weekly.”

GARCETTI from page 1

LOS ANGELES—Mayor An-tonio Villaragoisa’s 2011-12 budget calls for a 10% cut in neighborhood council fund-ing—to $40,500 a year—as well as the elimination of al-lowing the city’s 89 neighbor-hood councils to “roll over” unused funds from year to year.

The city also gave all neighborhood councils a deadline of April 15th to sub-mit funding requests—in ad-vance by April 15th—through the end of the fiscal year, June 30th.

The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GG-PNC) met April 12th to pri-oritize their funding requests to the city. They included $14,000 for such things as ad-justable basketball ball hoops for Thomas Starr King Middle School; sound equipment for John Marshall High School; a garden project at Los Feliz Charter School for the Arts; a lunchtime supervisor at Los Feliz Elementary School; benches for Franklin Elemen-tary School; stainless steel wa-ter bottles for volunteers for the Friends of the Los Angeles River; neighborhood watch signs; outreach materials dis-couraging the use of gas-fueled leaf blowers; and the purchase of recycling containers for the Griffith Park Adult Commu-nity Center.

“We are providing ser-vices and funding to some very worthwhile and deserv-ing institutions and projects,” President Ron Ostrow said of the GGPNC’s last round of approved allocations.

As the new city bud-get heads to the city council for consideration, Ostrow summed up the GGPNC’s prioritizing experience with a sense of relief but also caution.

“The city is not doing the

public any service by forc-ing neighborhood councils to worry about deadlines. There is another 2½ months left in the fiscal year and the city is making [the councils] spend their funds for fear of losing them. While I believe our council acted responsibly and funded some great projects, the fear that the city may take away funds could be a moti-vator for some neighborhood councils to spend for the sake of spending. That urge should be resisted.”

While it might not matter in the long run, in Echo Park, the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council voted “no” on any funding decreases.

Jose Sigala, president of that neighborhood council said he was inspired by the myriad appeals of Los Ange-les’ leaders to save dollars and help close the deficit in the city’s budget. Sigala assumed his fellow councilors would approve at least a small bud-get dip.

But, then “the whole board voted that we don’t want any budget cuts,” he said. “That was a surprise.”

Sigala said all the numbers crunching he did preparing for the neighborhood council’s year-end budgetary funding submissions meeting to the city— similar to the one held by the GGPNC—he forgot how passionate members of his council are about support-ing their community.

“They see economic pain facing a lot of our working families, how many fami-lies can’t afford the things they need every day,” he said. “There are things we can do to augment city services… we have a strong multiplier ef-fect… the things we do can spread through the commu-nity and reach so many.”

Neighborhood Councils Make Last Minute Funding Requests; Face Reduced BudgetsBy Erik Derr, Ledger Contributing Writer

“Most issues,” he said, hinge on

“establishing public trust,” which he said

seems a tall order amid the economic instabil-

ity and persistent doubts by many Angelenos

about the accountability of city officials.

Los Feliz Ledger

Page 12 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011COMMUNITY NEWS

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GRIFFITH PARK—The Griffith Park Adult Community Cen-ter (GPACC) is moving out-side! Thanks to community help and various fund-raising efforts, the center is develop-

ing an outdoor patio area with landscaping; the area will pro-vide additional class space and opportunities for gardening and outdoor dining.

In April, the club received

a gift of $1,025 from Keller Williams Los Feliz Realty. the funds will be used to em-bellish the patio and provide landscaping. Previously, Los Feliz Café donated outdoor ta-bles and the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power donated concrete rails to act as a buffer, separating the patio from the parking lot. Well known local artist Yuriko Etue will create designs for the concrete barri-ers with help from the center’s artistic members.

GPACC Director Monty Sutherlin and Stephanie Ven-dig, president of the Adult Center accepted the Keller Williams gift on behalf of the center. Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom La-Bonge was on hand to pre-side over the presentation, as well as several Keller Williams agents who participated in the effort, including branch man-ager Anthony Vulin.

“At Keller Williams Los Feliz Realty, we believe con-tributing to the community is a fundamental responsibility,” said Chris Laib, co-chair of Keller Williams Cares, Los Fe-liz. “Our clients and business benefit directly from a healthy, vibrant community”. 

GPACC is in its third year now and has a very active group of seniors involved in a wide range of activities, now to include a communal garden. 

“The garden will benefit the center in many ways”, said Councilmember LaBonge. “Getting out of the house, eat-ing healthy, getting some exer-cise, and most importantly, the social connection from their relationships at the center, will have long term benefits.”

Stephanie Vendig added: “We are grateful for this dona-tion as it contributes to the en-hancement of the greater com-munity so a place like GPACC can thrive and serve well the older adult population.”

GPACC Takes it OutsideBy Michael Locke, Ledger Contributing Writer

Members of Keller Williams/Los Feliz, along with Los Angeles City Councilmem-ber celebrate the Keller Williams donation to GPACC at the site.

Jimi Hendrix. Wood-stock. The Fillmore East. The Who’s Tommy. Do you associ-ate certain images with these rock-n-roll legends? Illustra-tor David Edward Byrd is the man behind some of the most iconic album covers and poster art of the late 1960s and 1970s rock era.

A graduate of Carnegie Tech., Byrd got his start seren-dipitously: his friend worked for promoter Bill Graham who needed some posters made quickly for an upcoming show. And the rest is rock-n-roll history, as Byrd went on to design Jimi Hendrix’s poster art for his headlining show a the Fillmore East in 1968, posters for the Grateful Dead and the Grammy-award win-ing album cover art for The Who’s Tommy.

For the past 15 years, Byrd has lived in Silver Lake along with partner and mosaic art-ist Jolino Beserra. Their 1928 bungalow is a colorful pastiche of inlaid mosaics and hand-painted furniture. Stepping inside the house is like walk-ing into a three-dimensional sculpture as mosaics cover many surfaces.

“To me it’s important; art is your life, what you touch and see every day,” said Byrd.

Also gracing the wall is Byrd’s original line drawing for the classic program cover art for the 1971 Broadway musical Godspell that depicts

Jesus with cascading, inter-twined locks.

“I never felt I had a style, but everyone thinks I do,” said Byrd of his prolific career. “I let the job tell me how to do it.”

His other distinctive art deco-tinged images are found on posters and playbill cover art for original Broadway pro-ductions of Jesus Christ Super-star and Stephen Sondheim’s Follies and the poster art for the film Day of the Locust.

Byrd continues illustrating today and his once throwaway rock posters are highly collect-ible. Although he formerly did all his work by hand, he now draws the initial image by hand then scans it and paints it via desktop computer. “There’s so much about mak-ing art that is tedious,” muses Byrd. “I used to ink each in-terlocking motif and rosette by hand. I couldn’t do it today.“

He is now putting the fi-nal touches on two upcoming exhibitions. On May 7th, a display of his rock era posters will open to the public at Echo Park’s Bedrock Studios. Be-ginning June 11th, Glendale’s Brand Art Library Galleries will host a 40-year retrospec-tive of Byrd’s work aptly enti-tled: The Byrd Show: 40 Years of Art & Design.

Information: www.david-edward-byrd.com/www.brandlibrary.org/brand_gallery_schedule.asp

[EASTSIDE EYE]

David Edward Byrd: An Illustrator with a Rock-n-Roll pastBy Kathy A. McDonald, Ledger Columnist

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Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 13LIFESTYLES

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SILVER LAKE—Open a little over a year, Naturalmind Beauty & Beyond—its exte-rior walls a vertical garden—still draws a double take from passersby. Inside the 15-foot bare wood ceilings, vibrant plants and original art in every direction almost overtake one’s senses.  Even the furniture feels organic, moveable and on wheels, borrowing their shape from nature itself.

Naturalmind Beauty & Beyond is the creation of owner Arnaud Ozharun, who, after some 40 years as a hair designer and salon owner in Paris, France, followed his dream to Los Angeles—Sil-ver Lake, to be precise, hav-ing been acquainted with the artist-clustered neighborhood by Parisian friends.

  In Paris, Ozharun pio-neered the idea of a multi-function beauty salon dou-bling as an art space. And

Naturalmind Beauty & Be-yond, at 3607 W. Sunset Blvd. perfects the multi-function capability—at once a spa/sa-lon, and art gallery that once stylist stations tuck behind ab-stract screens, transforms into a 5,000 square foot space for lavish bi-monthly parties.  

 “I want to show the works of young artists and the art world,” said Ozharun.

 The Naturalmind Beauty & Beyond salon and spa ex-perience is like no other. The buzz is out on the unique and engaged stylists with extensive backgrounds in hair design. Naturalmente, their exclu-sive line, is the foundation that keeps customers coming back—so much that the sa-lon recently began opening on Mondays just to handle the business.

“Do you notice how great it smells in here?  It’s lavender, it’s fennel, it’s essential oils,” said Jaime Foley, stylist and

Ozharun’s right hand when the room is bursting with clients. “I love working for a company that all we are doing is organic, biodynamic and 100% vegan.”

Naturalmente products are yet another creation that Ozharun came to, well, natu-rally.           

 “Forty years ago there was no product,” said Ozharun. “I started in the early 1970s us-ing eggs, vinegar, shea butter, coco butter on hair and mix-ing tree sap and alcohol for hairspray.” 

After four decades of cli-ents as prominent as Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne, Ozharun has seen his profes-sion come back to basics.  And he stresses that beauty requires only the essentials.

“What’s the most impor-tant thing about hair today is healthy natural glamour,” he said.

Look for a Naturalmente makeup line coming soon.

For information:naturalmindbeauty.com

[FOCUS ON THE ADVERTISER]

Naturalmind Beauty and BeyondBy Kimberly Gomez, Ledger Contributing Writer

If horror stories are you cup of tea, you won’t want to miss “Re-Animator-The Musi-cal” currently onstage at the Steve Allen Theatre on Holly-wood Boulevard.   

The show has been so popular that performances have been added through May including a midnight show on Fridays and has drawn audi-ences from as far away as San Francisco and Phoenix.   The night I saw the show, the cou-ple next to me were horror ma-vens who had driven up from San Diego.    Some audience members even come dressed as the story’s characters.

The plot is a recap of “Re-Animator,” a 1980s cult movie favorite based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft. The plot is very campy.     Set in a medi-cal school, the story revolves around Herbert West, a stu-dent who believes he has cre-ated a serum to revive the dead.  When he moves in with serious medical student  Dan Cain, gory havoc reigns.  

As Herbert  begins to test whether his serum can actually bring corpses back from the dead, most of the play’s char-acters meet an unfortunate end.  If this sounds creepy, one must remember that this is a comic filled spoof set against a catchy musical score per-formed live on a keyboard with acoustic effects.  The clever lyr-

ics and snappy music by Mark Nutter are witty albeit maca-bre.   As the dialogue is mostly sung, the show is more an op-eretta or even an op-era than a musical.

The show is not for the squeamish or faint of heart, how-ever.  When I ar-rived, I took a seat in the second row.  Bad choice!  Before the play began, a staff member announced that those of us in the first two rows should wear protective gear so as not to be hit by simulated blood, and she proceeded to pass out gar-bage bags with holes cut in the tops for our heads.  By that time, there was a full house, and I was stuck. Indeed, there was a lot of gore, and in spite of the garbage bag tunic, my clothing and skin were spat-tered with fake blood that for-tunately was not permanent.    

This show is so out of bounds that it may turn out to be a cult classic in its own right.   There is never a dull moment in the action, direct-ed by Stuart Gordan with cho-reography by Cynthia Carle. High-energy performances are offered by the cast, and there is never a dull moment.   

Of note are Graham  Skip-

per who portrays the creepy pseudo scientist   Herbert West and  Chris L. McKenna who plays the serious medi-cal student Dan Cain. Jesse Merlin is hilariously scary as the  sinister Dr. Hill, the pro-fessor who tries to steal West’s serum. Special kudos to Peter Adams whose musical effects and arrangements   provide continuity to the production.

“Re-Animator-The Musical” plays through May on Fri-days 8 p.m. and midnight, Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3:30 and 8 p.m.  Tickets $30 at www.steveal-lentheater.com or a 1-800-595-4TIX (595-4849).

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SILVER LAKE—“When I was a kid I used to walk all the dogs in my neighbor-hood,” said Sandy Driscoll. “When I got my own dog…I bought a book by Lassie’s trainer and I taught her to do all kinds of things by hand signal. She even sneezed on com-mand.”

Driscoll was born in Ohio, but moved to Silver Lake in 1966 when her job with McGraw-Hill brought her west. She’s been training dogs professionally for 25 years. And since 1997, she’s been training full-time.

Driscoll works with dogs and their owners for any num-ber of reasons, but she sticks to private lessons.

“I find I’m better at work-ing with individuals than with a group,” she said, “because with group training you have to give people one way of ac-complishing something with the dog…and just like people they’re all different.”

Driscoll balances her professional work as a trainer with a healthy dose of volun-teering. For many years she was the volunteer coordina-tor for the Los Angeles City animal shelters. She admits that animal shelter work can be stressful, both for volun-teers and employees, because so many of the animals end up euthanized.

“People used to say to me ‘I don’t know how you can do this,’” Driscoll said, “…and I would always tell them if I could just find a home for one dog or one cat it would be

worth it.”Driscoll is currently the

president of Volunteer Services for Animals, an organization that helps fund spaying and neutering of pets for people in need.

And, for the past five years she has been taking her dog Gunner, a 9-year-old Do-berman Pinscher and retired show dog, to work as a therapy dog. Twice each week Sandy and Gunner visit children at group homes for abused and neglected kids.

“It gets very emotional sometimes,” Driscoll said, “be-cause these kids–a lot of them just don’t have anybody else.”

Driscoll said she enjoys the combination of paid work and volunteering.

“It’s a nice mix,” she said. “I told myself one time that if I could spend a day getting some exercise…making a little bit of money, spending time with a friend, and doing some-thing nice for someone else—those are the four things I like to include in each day—then my day is complete.”

For more about Sandy Driscoll and Gunner visit www.sandydriscoll.com.

[PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD]

Local Dog Trainer Sandy DriscollBy Colleen Paeff, Ledger Contributing Writer

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 15Su Casa REAL ESTATE

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Los Feliz Ledger

Page 16 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011Su Casa REAL ESTATE

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Los Feliz this year.

* Represented Buyer

2866 Durand Dr. $888,000 HOLLYWOOD HLLS. Mid-Century diamond nes-tled in the hills of Beachwood. This 2 bedroom is the defi nition of style and distinction. Every room is graced with 180˚ views.

2311 Richland Ave. $549,000 LOS FELIZ. 1923 Mediterranean fi xer, one can only imagine the glamours parties and events that once graced this showplace. Now “Grey Gar-dens” this home needs restoring.

SOLD SOLDSOLD

4778 Cromwell Ave. $2,295,000*LOS FELIZ. 1922 A.F. Leight Mediterranean. 4 ensuite bedrooms with city views. A large swimmers pool and beautifully landscaped yard complete this walled and gated oasis.

IN ESCROW SOLDNEW4059 Cromwell Ave. $1,299,000 LOS FELIZ. Romantic Country English home sit-ed atop rolling grassy lawn and private gardens. 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, cook’s kitchen and wood burning fi replace.

SOLD

BRIAN ADESTO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS YOU NEED GOOD INFORMATIONwww.brianades.com | email: brian@brianades.com | cell: (310) 503-8080

Of all the things Chris Pea-cock looked forward to when he and his brother bought their Silver Lake home in 2004, a lesson in business eth-ics wasn’t one of them.

But, the so-called Great Recession and national mort-gage market meltdown hit less than a handful of years after the Peacocks’ purchase and the brothers, like millions of others, suffered a fairly quick drop in income, as work be-came scarce. Also, just like millions of other homeowners, the two found themselves ow-ing more on their house than it was worth.

Data presented in March by market analyst CoreLogic shows an estimated 23.1 na-tionally—and about 32% of all residential properties with a mortgage in California—

suffer “negative equity,” other-wise known as being “under-water.”

Over the last four years, about 5 million homeown-ers have lost their property to foreclosures. The Peacocks—Chris, a television editor, and brother Bailey, a movie trailer producer—began digging into their life savings, just to keep up with their mortgage pay-ments.

Several months and with greatly-depleted joint funds later, the brothers decided to pursue a loan modification: a two-year ordeal during which they filed multiple applica-tions that were denied every time, even though the both-ers still had never missed a payment and had managed to protect their credit rating.

That was the point, said

Chris Peacock, when he fi-nally understood the reality of home financing in the current economy.

The home financing mar-ket gives “an incentive for people who are struggling. . . to intentionally miss payments and ruin their own credit in order to keep their homes,” Peacock said.

Liliana Chavez, an Echo Park auto insurance office manager, said the way she and her husband lost their first home in 2009, during the be-ginning days the mortgage cri-sis, “was so disheartening.”

Following their eviction of a problem tenant who oc-cupied the extra room in their Palmdale house, the Chavezes were unable to make their full mortgage payments. They managed to scrape up a

few partial installments each month while they sought assis-tance through the distressed-mortgage hotline set up by the Bush Administration and their lender directly.

The only “help” the couple was able to muster from their lender was a delay in their monthly payments for about 30 days. Then, they were told, the installment amounts would return to their previous, un-workable levels.

“We asked for help, like the government encouraged us to do, and literally got noth-ing,” said Chavez, who now rents a two-bedroom apart-ment. “They basically were unwilling to change any of the other terms of our contract.”

Paul Habibi, a lectur-ing real estate professor for UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, acknowledged the way the government and lenders have doled out help on an “as-needed basis”—with those in the worst financial shape getting assistance first—is a form of moral hazard. The

policies, he said, have insulat-ed those who didn’t make the wisest financial decisions. “It’s not set up in a fair fashion,” he said.

Habibi, principal for Habibi Properties LLC, one of the largest private multi-fami-ly housing owners in the met-ropolitan Los Angeles area, echoes Chris Peacock’s belief that federal and state hom-eowner assistance programs have largely proven ineffective.

“If you’re a homeowner who hasn’t missed a payment, but is just struggling,” he said, “the reality is” there hasn’t been “a state program or a federal program set up to help you. It doesn’t exist.”

But that reality may be changing.

The state recently an-nounced the California Housing Finance Agency has expanded its guidelines to in-clude more at-risk homes in its “Keep Your Home Califor-nia” program, designed to help 100,000 low-to moderate-in-

[REAL ESTATE]

“Underwater” Homeowners: Help May Be On the WayBy Erik Derr, Ledger Real Estate Reporter

see REAL ESTATE page 19

NOURMAND & ASSOCIATES6525 Sunset Boulevard, 8th f loor

Los Angeles, California 90028

tel: 323.462.6262

www.Nourmand.com

Three Off ices. One Respected Name.

Howard LoreyBrokerage Manager

direct:

323.462.6262

email:

HLorey@Nourmand.com

Local ly owned and operated s ince 1976.

2661 Aberdeen Ave. - $2,625,000

Los Feliz. Mid-Century modern ren-ovated by Stephen Moore. 4500 sf., 5BR, 4.5BA. Indoor/outdoor liv-ing area & pool. Lrg prvt mstr.www.2661aberdeenave.com

Judy Feder 310.890.0033

ACTIVE

2006 Preston - $422,000

Echo Park. Quiet location. Out-door gardens with deck and views. Original charm, modest updating and potential to convert large basement into living space.

Steven Maher 310.433.5192

855 S. Orange Dr. - $949,000

Hancock Park. Updated Syca-more Square Spanish corner lot. LR w/fp, FDR, 3BR/2BA, bonus rm, lots of storage. Front patio, lrg side yrd, beautiful rear yrd, 2-car gar.

Scott Campbell 323.252.9870

2460 Meadow Valley - $1,550,000

Silver Lake. Restored 1930’s Span-ish hacienda w/3BR, 3BA. Family rm, media rm, 5 patios. Fountains and lush gardens. 3,900 sf. More photos: www.elenajovis.com

Elena Jovis 310.866.7385

3335 Glenhurst - $549,000

Atwater Village. Spanish 2BR/1BA w/restored kit & bath. Wd flrs, coved ceilings, newer windows, central AC. Dtchd garage + ofc w/French drs to landscaped grnds.

Courtney Smith 323.899.8509Kurt Wisner 323.841.3839

2114 Rockford Rd. - $1,549,000

Silver Lake. Rare loft-style living w/cstm recording studio by designer Robert Maune. 2 decks w/lake & mtn views. Cook’s ktchn, 4BR/4BA, master w/fireplace & lush bckyrd.

Sherri Rogers 310.888.3368Anthony Stellini 310.888.3378

2866 Durand Dr. - $888,000

Hollywood Hills. Mid-Century dia-mond nestled in the hills of Beach-wood. This 2BR/2BA is the defini-tion of style & distinction. Every room is graced w/180˚ views.

Sherri Rogers 310.888.3368Anthony Stellini 310.888.3378

3318 Glenhurst - $649,000

Atwater Village. Eco-friendly tradi-tional 3BR/2BA. Go green w/solar panels, dual pane wndws, tank-less H20 heater. Mstr w/spa bath & French drs. Updtd kit, spacious yrd.

Courtney Smith 323.899.8509Kurt Wisner 323.841.3839

251 W. Dryden St. #28 - $269,000

Glendale. Sunny townhome close to shops & restaurants. 2BR/1.5BA, huge ground flr patio, inside laun-dry, west facing unit, perfect to relax & enjoy the afternoon sun!

Margaret Arana 323.997.5339

713 N. Sycamore #2 - $449,000

Miracle Mile. 2BR/2.5BA town-home, prvt garage w/direct ac-cess. Washer & dryer in unit, small HOA w/low dues. Perfect location to restaurants, shops & nightlife.

Linda Chamberlain 323.828.7269Howard Lorey 323.251.4553

5747 Briarcliff Rd. - $1,149,000

Los Feliz. Beautiful architectural home in Los Feliz Oaks. 3BR/3BA, family room, redone kitchen, 2 FP, patio and grassy yard. More photos: www.elenajovis.com

Elena Jovis 310.866.7385

1114 3rd St. - $348,000

Burbank. Short-Sale, lovely updat-ed condo alternative. 2BR/1BA house. Proximity to shopping and nightlife is fantastic! Inviting sunk-en rear patio/deck.

Manila Chansmouth 818.395.3979

ACTIVE

ACTIVE

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Los Feliz Ledger

Page 18 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011Su Casa REAL ESTATE

UMANA CONSTRUCTIONGeneral Contractor

Commercial & General

Francisco Umana6509 Blewett Ave.Van Nuys, CA 91406

(818) 780-0869(818) 819-0520

Cell: (818) 298-3513Lic. #733580

Design trends change just like fashion. Sometimes “less is more” is in vogue and other times, clutter is the rage. Art, accessories from travels, and layering may feel right at the moment, but how many times have you walked into a room that’s just too busy and sud-denly those treasures look like mere dust collectors?

We all want to be sur-rounded by the objects we love. How do we know when our placement of objects de-tracts rather than enhances? Here’s a trick I use with my clients and myself. Remove all of the art and accessories from a room so that you can feel the room in a bare state. This includes rugs and table lamps. It may be beneficial to under decorate several rooms at the same time so that acces-sories can be switched around. Then carefully add back piece by piece. Don’t go back to the same arrangement. Add slow-ly and carefully and look for a different point of view and aim for the unexpected.

Move your rugs around or place them on an angle to create a dynamic viewpoint. If there

have always been two lamps on your credenza, try one instead. Those vertically stacked books on your shelf will look like new by placing them horizontally or combined vertically and hori-zontally.

Art and mirror placement can make a huge difference in a room. By rearranging on a different wall, the art will look new. A dramatic look is to hang a huge piece of art on a smaller wall. If, for years, a painting has hung above the sofa, try a mirror, instead.

A friend and fellow design-er and Los Feliz resident, Mer-le Sheridan, recently created a new living room. A Steinway baby grand was repositioned, the sofa and chairs shifted and the Chinese armoire moved to a different wall. Her beau-tiful art collection, consisting of eclectic accessories from around the world, now has a new life. Nothing was pur-chased to make this change. The key was repositioning what she owned.

Susann Thomason Tunick can be reached at susann@thoma-sontunick.com.

[INTERIOR MOTIVES]

The Power of EditingBy Susann Thomason TunickLedger Columnist

[ SELECT HOME SALES MAY 2011 ]90026 Single Family Homes3118 SWAN PL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,050,000 2344 VISTA GORDO DR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 850,000

90027 Condominiums1755 N EDGEMONT ST 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125,000 4411 LOS FELIZ BLVD 201 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265,000

90027 Single Family Homes2041 CUMMINGS DR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,595,000 3645 LOWRY RD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,353,000

90039 Single Family Homes3305 CHILDS CT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $805,000 2451 LANTERMAN TER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 762,000

90068 Condominiums2222 N BEACHWOOD DR 314 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $530,000 5918 CHULA VISTA WAY 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403,000

90068 Single Family Homes3530 MULTIVIEW DR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,515,000 2601 LARMAR RD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,450,000

Sales are from the previous month. Source: Great American Real Estate Solutions

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 19Su Casa REAL ESTATE

designFOUNDATIONwww.foundationdesignla.com2378 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039

323.365.7338free local delivery!

MOTHERʼS DAYMAY 8 TH

Heaven is now more affordable...

“One of my favorite homes in Los Angeles.” --Joel Wachs, president, The Andy Warhol Foundation

New lower price. The Ralph Brown Residence, Phil Brown, architect, 1963. Second offering since new. In remarkable original and judiciously-updated condition. Ridge-top site at the end of a secluded cul de sac deep in the Los Feliz Oaks affords privacy and 200-degree, hills-to-city-to-ocean views. Bold use of steel cantilevered roof system above broad entertainment/view decks, ex-tensive glass, high ceilings, elegant spaces.

3 bedrooms; 2 baths; 2,360 square feet of living space per the owner on a 10,890 square foot lot per the as-sessor--with room for a pool and possible pool house/studio. One-level, open-plan living; gracious reception area; light-filled, generously-scaled rooms with high ceil-ings. Walls of glass merge indoors and outdoors. Quiet and private.

www.5699hollyoak.com

$2,399,000

Richard Stanley1917 Hillhurst Av.Los Angeles, CA 90027

#1 agent, Coldwell Banker - Los Feliz, 1995-2009rstanley@coldwellbanker.comwww.richardstanleyrealtor.com

213 300-4567 cell / voice mail323 906-2417 direct line / voice mailDRE license #: 00971211.

©2011 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Op-portunity. Owned and operated by NRT LLC. All rights reserved. If your property is listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.

Before I moved to Los Angeles, I didn’t drive at all. I used public transport or cycled–until I was 33 years old! Once in L.A., I got a car, started commuting and had a child. I gave up cycling and my poor bike stood for years in the garage gathering dust and rust. Though I know it’s healthier and greener to cycle, fear of Los Angeles drivers has kept me off two wheels.

But some recent events have inspired me to buy a new bike. Last October, the won-derful cycling event CicLAvia began in Los Angeles (www.ciclavia.org), and it’s gaining momentum as more people ditch their cars to cycle on the streets of downtown L.A.

Also, cyclist friends have given me helpful tips on bike safety and good local routes. Finally, my son is old enough to ride his own bike with us

now (slowly and shakily), and we’re planning to join the L.A. River Ride on June 5th.

“The LA River Ride is a safe environment for the whole family to cycle, and there are rides for all ages and abilities,” said Alexis Lantz of the LA County Bicycle Coali-tion (www.la-bike.org). “It’s also a chance to experience the revitalization of the LA River.”

Now, armed with new hope and a good helmet, I’m ready to get back in the saddle!

Sustainable Saturdays at the Silver Lake Library Building a Better, Bike-able Los Angeles with Alexis Lantz, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

Saturday, May 7th, 11 a.m.Free. Contact www.sustain-ablesilverlake.org or call (323) 913-7451.

[KEEN TO BE GREEN]

Getting Back on Two WheelsBy Meher McArthur, Ledger Columnist

come homeowners. Funded by the U.S. Trea-

sury Depts.’ “Hardest Hit Fund,” the program offers fi-nancial help, up to $15,000 per household through one assistance option, along with relocation assistance and prin-cipal reduction.

The new version of the program would offer:

• Mortgage assistance of up to $3,000 per month for unem-ployed homeowners nearing mortgage default.

• Mortgage assistance for ho-meowners who have fallen behind on payments due to documented financial hard-ship.

• Relocation assistance for ho-meowners who have started a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.

• Capital to cut the outstand-ing principal balance for those owing more than their homes are worth.

“We are part of a very large group of struggling yet responsible home owners that are not being heard…the world, and especially the banks, need to hear our story,” said Chris Peacock.

REAL ESTATE from page 16

Advertise in the

Los Feliz Ledger(323) 667-9897

Southern California BrokerageS I sothebyshomes.com/socal I uSe the WeB numBerS provided to find out more information on a property through our WeBSite

loS feliz 1801 North hIllhurst aveNue t 323.665.1700

SeleCted propertieS

Local Experts Worldwide

operated by sotheby’s International realty, Inc.. sotheby’s International realty® is a registered trademark. the yellow house used with permission. sotheby’s International realty does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size or other information concerning the property provided by the seller or obtained from public records or other sources.

315 N. SYCAMORE: hancock Park. c.1929 stunning mediterranean Fourplex on desirable sycamore ave. substantial 2bd/2ba units w/garage parking & numerous updates $1,649,000 Juan Longfellow/Louise Leach 310.920.3019

ARCHITECTURAL: silver lake. mark Kirkhart’s, stunning silver lake architectual wood/glass/concrete, soaring ceiling 2bd/2ba w/fab. kit & baths, hi end finishes $1,149,000 Rosemary Low 323.660.5885

2219 RICHLAND AVE: los Feliz. spacious +/- 3,300 sq ft. 5bd/4ba contemporary w/lg pool & bkyrd. N. of los Feliz blvd. lr w/2-story ceilings & fpl, fam rm. $999,000 Web: 0284184 Manvel Tabakian, Nadia De Winter & Gail Crosby 323.376.2222

1809 SILVERWOOD TERRACE: silver lake.stunning reservoir views, elegant updated kitchen and baths, large balconies that capture the views. close to shops and restaurants $1,075,000Joseph Lightfoot 323.665.1108

3477 BEN LOMOND PL: los Feliz.. c1927 mediterranean 3bd/4ba. Gorgeous old world character seamlessly updated to perfection. Impeccable! www.benlomondplace.com $1,279,000 Web: 0280289 Rick Yohon 323.270.1725

1236 N. MARYLAND AVE: Glendale. spectacular 3bd/3ba spanish/med revival located in the Glendale highlands $999,000 Web: 0026143Stephen Placial 323.671.2330

1525 ANGELUS AVE: silver lake. a skillful blend of old and new. Wood floors, chef’s kitchen, granite counters, high-end appl, tumbled marble and Italian tile in the bath. $850,000 Web: 0284205 Joseph Lightfoot 323.665.1108

1768 ROTARY DR: silver lake. 60’s modern w/incredible views. entertainer’s dream. master br captures mtn vus, silver lake, Downtown & beyond $815,000 Web: 0284152 Joseph Lightfoot 323.665.1108

1406 N. BENTON WAY: silver lake.california bungalow, vaulted ceiling in lr, hdwd floors, 3br/2ba, pleasant private yard, lush gardens, close to shops and restaurants $749,000 Joseph Lightfoot 323.665.1108

2476-2478 LAKE VIEW AVE: silver lake. original charm, hdwd flrs, each unit 2bd/1ba, light-filled office/studio below, beautiful mtn vus, close to everything $775,000 Web: 0284187 Joseph Lightfoot 323.665.1108

3110 BERKELEY CIRCLE: silver lake. spacious 2bd/1.5ba + den + bonus office. vus. Wood flrs, character details. Indoor/outdoor flow. Pvt patio, yard. close to shops. $829,000 Web: 0284201Carol Stewart 323.255.3800

1749 W SILVER LAKE DR: silver lake. 2 story trad. with updated baths, large eat-in kitchen, Fr. Drs to patio and terraced garden. hdwd floors, period details, close to everything $749,000 Web: 0284212 Joseph Lightfoot 323.665.1108

2030 N. VERMONT #9: los angeles. 2bd/2ba spectaculary redone inside condo at the right location. Great courtyard. tons of storage. $399,000 Web: 0284192Neviana Hristova 323.671.2388

1621 MCCOLLUM PL: silver lake. loft-like master w/deck, terrace garden, Downtown views. hdwd flrs, stainless appliances, 3rd br perfect for studio/office.$698,000 Web: 0284052 Joseph Lightfoot 323.665.1108

3206 BERKELEY AVE: silver lake. character spanish in the silver lake hills. 2bd/1ba with bonus room with separate entrance.$589,000 Web: 0284198Stephen Placial/Luisa Ferrante 323.671.2330

NeW eXclusIve

NeW eXclusIve IN escroW

NeW eXclusIve

IN escroW solD

Sotheby’s International Realty - Los Feliz is proud to establish Sotheby’s for Schools. Sotheby’s for School’s mission is to help our local youth realize their full potential. Our organization and agents are currently supporting various initiatives at our local learning institutions on an ongoing donation program from closed transactions.For SchoolS

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 21SCHOOL NEWS

[LYCEE INTERNATIONAL DE LOS ANGELES]

Raising Funds for OthersBy Carsun Hall, 4th Grade

At LILA a k i n d e r g a r -tener named Daniel Smith has made a painting of

the Japanese flag and put them on t-shirts. He is selling them to help earthquake victims in Japan rebuild. His fundraiser is called “Julez For Japan.”

Also, a 7th grader named Théo Grison has started “Foot Pour Tous.” That is French for “Soccer For All.” He is collect-ing used soccer jerseys and is giving them to kids in Iraq and Afghanistan who cannot afford them. These fundrais-ers were made on their own. I think these are excellent ideas, and I am glad they came up with them.

[LARCHMONT CHARTER]

Spirit WeekBy Serena Storm Jamison, 7th grade

 Our school has been proudly show-ing its school spirit in a grand array

of fun activities during “Spirit Week.”    From March 8th to April 1st, we all got to show our unique sense of style in celebrating Pajama Day, Crazy Hair Day, and Cartoon Char-acter Day in a glow of pure fun.  It was truly a week to re-member.

May 26th  is our school‘s Spring Concert, where classic favorites like Journey’s “Sepa-rate Ways” and Queen’s “We Will Rock You” will be sung out valiantly in a glorious medley put together by our wonderfully talented music teacher, Baraka Williams. Ev-eryone’s working their hardest as we are all very anxious for the show.  

We’re coming up with more exciting events in the fu-ture—here at Larchmont Char-ter School, the fun never ends!

[IVANHOE ELEMENTARY]

Burgers and Tech Night!By Diego Chiat

On Monday, April 4th, Ivanhoe had its second an-nual In ‘n Out burger/Tech

Night! 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students presented their tech-nology projects to family and friends. Students created Key-note portfolio presentations with all the work they did dur-ing the school year, including iMovies and podcasts.

Tickets were sold for an In n’ Out burger meal which at-tracted people to come to the event, and part of the profit went to the school.

Many adults compliment-ed Ms. Yagi, our technology teacher, for the magnificent work that she helped the stu-dents create.

I think the Ivanhoe One to One program is very useful because we are able to bring laptops home every night to create projects and do our homework. We learn a lot of excellent computer programs like Word, Pages, Keynote, Inspiration 8 and ICal.

The One on One program will help lots of students learn how to use computer pro-grams that they will need in the future.

This spring my class went on a field trip to an area in Glenoaks known as Ri-ley’s Farm.

Riley’s Farm is an organiza-tion that reconstructs the day and life of the people who lived during American revo-lutionary war. Students from several different schools were present that day and each as-signed to a different class—weaving, gardening, gun handling and usage (we used sticks not guns!), silversmith-ing and games.

During the classes, if you answered a question correct-ly, you would get a shilling. Whoever collected the most shillings by the end of the day got a delicious candy apple from their bakery!   All of us were jealous of the winners.

After our classes we each received our ‘rations’—a piece of cornbread, a strip of beef jerky, a slice of cheese, and a cup of sweet lemonade.  It may seem like a small snack, but it was very filling!

Although the early Ameri-can experience was fun, I was glad to get back to Pilgrim School and 2011.

[PILGRIM SCHOOL]

Field Trip Takes Us Back In TimeBy Lily Kachikis, 5th grade

On April 5th, our local fire department visited our school with two fire trucks to demonstrate equipment use and on fire safety to our kin-dergarten through 4th grade students.

There were many “oohs

and aahs” made by the stu-dents as they watched the fire-fighters climb the large exten-sion ladder. They also had fun playing at being a firefighter by getting to squirt water from one of the large hoses.

Also, on this day, the students saw school staff and faculty walk around school all day with blue hair. The teach-ers sprayed their hair blue as a result of the students reaching their goal of over $2,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Pennies for Patients Program.

The fundraiser was a re-warding experience for our students, faculty, and parents.

[OUR MOTHER OF GOOD COUNSEL]By Grace Larsen, Student Body President

KCSolutions Making Things WorkA/V Installation • Carpentry • Electrical

Plumbing • General Handiwork

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Los Feliz Ledger

Page 22 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011SCHOOL NEWS

The vol-leyball Barristers set a strong pace right out of the gate in what could be the last season that Marshall carries its vol-leyball program.

The Marshall boys vol-leyball team started the season with a 7-2 record and head coach Adina Mori-Holt says the reason is experience.

“We got a very strong team,” he said, “because most are returning seniors. We are working a lot on improving our game after each and every time we play a match. I’ve got a really competitive squad of guys.”

The Barristers have always been at the top of their league, or at the very least in second. Throughout the years they have only had one main threat, Eagle Rock High School.

“In our league our biggest competition is Eagle Rock.

Generally, Marshall is usually first or second in league. We are always successful. Some-times there are teams that fly under the radar, but we always manage to be competitive,” explained Mori-Holt.

And again this year, Eagle Rock is off to a 9-0 start.

What does Marshall need to do in order to take control of first?

“Learning how to handle a pressure situation. Our league doesn’t have much competi-tion. So we need to step it up in tournaments,” said coach Mori-Holt.

Even if Marshall is able to qualify for the playoffs they have one huge monkey that they need to get off their back, “the curse of the second round.”

“We have the Marshall curse, we always lose in the second round,” said Mori-

Holt. “I strongly believe we can get to the semis. I think we are totally capable. It comes down to our mental games. This is the first year that we are really balanced and strong and athletic.”

No matter what the out-come of the season, head coach Mori-Holt has one mes-sage for her seniors, “Volley-ball is definitely a sport that can be played and enjoyed an entire lifetime. Whatever the outcome is for the season I am proud of their accom-plishments and they should be proud also. Just because their high school career ended it doesn’t mean their volleyball career is over. This is the most fun I have had as a volleyball coach.”

This could be the last sea-son Marshall High School car-ries its volleyball program, due to budget cuts.

[SARK ON SPORTS]

Can Marshall Varsity Volleyball Break the 2nd Round Curse?By Sarkis Adajian, Ledger Sports Columnist

[THOMAS STARR KING]

Field Trip to Malibu Lagoon by Celeste Cisneros

My class re-cently went to the Malibu Lagoon. We learned about fish anatomy,

plankton, water quality and about some resident birds at the sandbar.

We learned that some fish have two eyes on one side of their body and they camou-flage with the sand to catch prey as they swim by. Some species of shark have a spike on their dorsal fins.

We also learned about brackish water—a mixture of fresh and salt water. Fresh-water drains from the moun-tains into the lagoon that has a small amount of salt water. We also tested the lagoon for pH levels. pH stands for potential hydrogen. That day the pH level was 7.5–or neutral.

We studied the differenc-es between zooplankton and phytoplankton. Phytoplank-ton are microscopic plants that live in the ocean. Zooplankton are actually tiny little animals, with many varieties.

The trip was paid for by www.friendsofking.org.

[HOLY TRINITY]

A Day in the Life of a Student at Holy Trinity SchoolBy Anais Singh, 8th grade

With graduation near, there are many things going on right now, like our Sci-ence Fair on May 10th. This is a kindergarten through 8th grade event and all students will create their own science projects.

We recently had three stu-dents place in the Junior High Academic Decathlon in Math, Literature and Religion. The 7th and 8th grade girls par-ticipated in the Ramona Chal-lenge and placed 1st in Sculp-ture, 2nd in Social Studies and Honorable Mention in Mono-logue.

I am sad to see many of the people who have been at Holy Trinity with me leave and move on to high school. My classmates are attending different high schools: Bel-larmine Jefferson, Providence, Cathedral, Holy Family, St. Francis, Crespi and many others.

These past years have been very memorable at Holy Trin-ity School. Once a husky…always a husky!

[IHHS]

School’s End Is Near!By Olivia Origel ’13 & Maura Turcotte ‘13

Students spent the last Saturday in April helping the Friends of the Los Ange-les River clean up the nearby Glendale Narrows section of the river. This project was one of many activities students organized as part of Earth month.

Now, students can be seen around campus studying for AP exams. However, students can enjoy a brief break from their studies with such activi-ties as Awards Night on May 11th, where students are hon-ored for their achievements, and our annual art show, May 17th and 18th. Students are also anticipating the Ju-nior and Senior Prom, at the Biltmore Hotel on May 20th with the theme Rendezvous at Gatsby’s.

Soon, the freshmen, sophomores and juniors will have one final chance to say goodbye to their senior sisters on Class Day, May 31st this year. This year-end tradition is a wonderful way to wish the Class of 2011 all our best. Graduation will take place on June 1st at the Hollywood Bowl.

Send the

Los Feliz Ledgeryour School News to:

allisonferraro@losfelizledger.com

We are now accepting Fall 2011 Registrations for Pre. K – 8th grade.

Private tours are available on request by calling

323-664-2131, or visiting our School located at

4622 Ambrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA. 90027.

www.omgcschool.org

Our Mother of Good Counsel School

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 23SCHOOL NEWS

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This is getting embarrassing. Here I am, your broken record col-umnist, railing about cuts to the Los Angeles schools bud-get. Again.

Or should I say, “educa-tion?” Because at a certain point, when 4,500 teachers are let go, when class sizes approach 40 in elementary schools, when the school year is cut to 175 days, when pro-grams for gifted and talented kids are gutted, when librar-ies don’t have librarians, when music rooms sit empty and quiet…what we’re providing to our kindergarten to12th grade students may not really qualify as an education.

District wide, the situa-tion is grim. The Los Ange-les Unified School District (LAUSD) is dealing with a $408 million budget deficit for the 2011-2012 school year. The crisis budget passed in March calls for layoffs of more than 7,300 employees, includ-ing 4,500 teachers. Funding for Magnet programs will be cut by 90%.

The Marshall High School

Principal, Daniel Harrison, told me that the school will lose almost half of its teach-ers next year, and the general school class size is expected to rise to about 45 students. Mar-shall High School’s Gifted Magnet Coordinator, Rachel Morton, has been notified that her position will be elimi-nated. Morton has been with the Magnet since its inception in 1999, and while she will be rotated to a teaching posi-tion rather than fired, she is still concerned about the fate of the popular and successful program.

California Governor Brown asked the legislature to put a measure on the June ballot that would extend cur-rent taxes and restore a good amount of LAUSD funding, but Republicans blocked the effort. Unfortunately, the deadline for this measure to make it onto the ballot has al-ready passed, so when the cur-rent tax rates expire, all taxes will be considered new taxes, rather than extensions. We all know just how palatable new taxes are to the public, and to

certain legislators seeking re-election.

You might wonder what’s on tap for 2012-2013. LAUSD is projecting an $891 mil-lion deficit, almost 20% of the entire budget (which has already been cut $1.2 billion since 2009). If this concerns you, I suggest that you contact the Republican State Senators who have refused to extend the current tax rates and ve-hicle registration fees. Even though they’re not our district representatives, they hold all the cards for Los Angeles. Let them know the situation in your child’s school, and what it will mean to you if these cuts to California’s education budget are forced through.

Tom Berryhill, R-Oakdale, (916) 651-4014Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo, (916) 651-4015Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres, (916) 651-4012Bill Emmerson, R-Hemet, (916) 651-4037Tom Harman, R-Huntington Beach, (916) 651-4035

[FAMILY MATTERS]

Wasn’t Last Year’s Education Budget a Crisis Budget?By Kristen Taylor, Ledger Columinst

• GOOD LIFE: Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, writer Tara de Lisa introduces us through various tequilas.

• SILVER LAKE: Meadow opens, finally

• ATWATER VILLAGE: Sweet! AVNC teams up with local theater listing and review website

Visit losfelizledger.com to take this months poll regarding the cancellation of the DWP’s Holiday Festival of Lights.

Los Feliz Ledger ONLINE

Los Feliz Ledger

Page 24 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011SENIOR MOMENTS

Griffith Park Adult Community Club Calendar

Sunset Hall has expanded services to Seniors! Sunset Hall offers curriculum & advocacy programs for freethinking elders at two locations! The popular Conversational Spanish, GPACC on Wed. For other programs, call Wendy Caputo at 323-660-5277.

Classes and Events: New Activity: Build your own remote control

model airplane. Class starts in May. Other classes include Art, Music, Dance and Exercise.

Computer and Work Out equipment are available. Call GPACC at (323) 644-5579 or come by

3203 Riverside Dr., in the pkg lot of Friendship Aud., so. of Los Feliz Bl. to sign up and for more info.

General Meeting and LunchWed., May 18, Noon – 3:00 • Friendship Aud.

Book Sale, White Elephant, Plants and Food, 3:00 – 5:30

Sign up at GPACC for lunch the week before

Lunch Program: Mon.-Fri., GPACC, 11:30 AM sign in, Noon lunch, $1.75 donation, age over 60.

Club Info and Newsletter: Stephanie Vendig, (323) 667-3043 or vendig@sbcglobal.net.

Join GPACC: Only $15/year for trips and news. For information on trips, call Doris Slater, (323) 667-1879

Since Con-gress has re-

cently passed their nonbind-ing budget measure setting up a framework for future legisla-tion, we are getting a clearer idea on the division between the parties on how the $1.6 trillion deficit should be di-minished. I don’t think anyone would argue for not worrying about this defi-cit, but it is a bit alarming to hear that Wis-consin Repre-sentative Paul Ryan’s plan was adopted focusing al-most exclusively on the spend-ing-cuts-only approach.

This plan includes target-ing the America’s safety-net programs while making the tax-cuts of the Bush era per-manent and reducing the top individual tax rate from 35% to 25%. Meanwhile, our coun-try is still experiencing high unemployment rates, higher poverty rates (14.3%, high-est since 1994), growing un-insured rates, and according to the Dept. of Agriculture, a

record “prevalence of food in-security.”

With the Ryan plan, se-niors, with their longevity and high health costs associated with more vulnerability to chronic disease, will shoulder a heavier burden. Accord-ing to the American Assoc. of Retired Persons (AARP) the voucher system as proposed

by Mr. Ryan “…would dra-matically increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries while removing Medicare’s promise of secure health coverage—a guarantee that future seniors have contributed to through a lifetime of hard work.”

Continuing the current system for people 55 years and over, those under 55 will be receiving subsidies for private insurance plans, capped at the rate of inflation. This ap-proach assumes that privatiza-

tion would create more com-petition and more efficiency. It also assumes that seniors will spend less if they have to personally cover more of their health care costs. However, according to the Congressio-nal Budget Office, it will shift the risk of higher costs to the patient rather than to govern-ment.

For a retiring 65 year old aver-age earner, fully 49% of his or her Social Security benefits would be absorbed by Medicare out-of-pocket costs in

2022, and 62% by 2030, up from about 20% today.

The GOP blueprint would cut almost $800 million from the federal-state Medicaid program (MediCal in Califor-nia) that provides health care to the poor and disabled, and pays for nursing home care for millions of senior citizens. Block grants will be sent to the states, including the Food Stamp program. With more choices but limited funds, states will probably change the

eligibility or increase cost shar-ing. Older adults and people with disabilities account for 2/3rds of all Medicaid spend-ing and have nowhere else to turn for coverage of these ser-vices. Since there are limited options currently to pay for long-term services and sup-ports, individuals typically ex-haust their own assets before

turning to Medicaid.  Now the issues of whether

to increase taxes, and how to control healthcare costs will be debated in the Democrat-controlled Senate. The choices should become clearer for all of us as the debates will surely continue into the 2012 cam-paigns, hopefully concluding with a more balanced plan.

[SENIOR MOMENTS]

A Radical Plan to Reduce our DeficitBy Stephanie Vendig, Ledger Columnist

For a retiring 65 year old average earner, fully 49% of his or her Social Security

benefits would be absorbed by Medicare out-of-pocket costs in 2022, and 62% by

2030, up from about 20% today.

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LozFeliz_04_29_CFL.indd 1 4/19/11 9:59 PM

Los Feliz Ledger

May 2011 www.losfelizledger.com Page 25RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY

Los Angeles Breakfast Club

Join us Wednesdays at 7 – 9 am

Upcoming speakers and programs...May 4“Identity Theft Prevention”

May 11Pierre Odier, Author and World Traveler - “Cambodia: Angkor - A Lasting Legacy”

May 18USC Emeriti College - Saul Jacobs & Bob Lipson - “Songs and Stories of the Singing Stars”

May 25Cathy Kort - Hollygrove - “Heart for Hollygrove”

Friendship Auditorium3201 Riverside Drive (1/4 mi. so. of Los Feliz Bl.)

For upcoming programs, see...www.LABreakfastClub.comor call (323) 662-1191

ForgottenVoices

We invite you later that afternoon to the concert, Forgotten Voices, featuring Ryan Ross, who sings the works of Jewish composers exiled or murdered during the Holocaust. This special event is recognized by the Austrian, German and Israeli Embassies. 2:00pm

Sunday, may 111:00am

540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90020Tel. 213.385.1341 • www.FCCLA.org

yom ha’shoah holocaust

remembranceservice

“I want to focus on the importance of remembering the Holocaust, and how we, as Christians, have a special moral obligation to make sure this will never happen again. Religiously motivated hate and inhumanity cannot be tolerated.”

—Dr. R. Scott ColglazierSenior Minister

The planets Mars and Ju-

piter emerge from behind the glare of the sun as May begins, joining Venus and Mercury low in the east during dawn, producing many interesting groupings during the first half of the month.

On the May 1st, look at 5:30 a.m. to see the brightest planet, Venus, to the upper left of the the second brightest planet, Jupiter, above which is

hovering the slender waning crescent moon. To the upper right of Jupiter, less than half a moon-diameter away (close enough to fit in the same tele-scopic field-of-view) is the red planet, Mars. The innermost planet, Mercury, is located be-tween Jupiter and Venus. By the 12th, the moon will be long gone, but the four bright plan-ets will be within 6 degrees of each other, and can all be seen at once through binoculars.

The ringed planet, Sat-urn appears as a bright yellow “star” in Virgo the Maiden and is well placed for viewing dur-ing the early evening. Saturn appears more than halfway up

from the point due south on the horizon and the zenith (di-rectly overhead) at 10:00 p.m. The waning gibbous moon passes Saturn on the night of the 13th.

The moon’s phase is new on the 2nd, first quarter on the 10th, full on the 17th, and is at last quarter on the 24th. It ap-pears near Jupiter on the 29th, then is above Mars and Venus on the 30th.

The only meteor shower

not spoiled by moonlight this year is the eta Aquarid shower on the morning of May 6th. From locations far from city lights, as many as one meteor every 3 minutes should be ex-pected to be streaming from the southeast between 2:30 a.m. and the start of dawn, at 4:24 a.m.

The meteors are fragments shed centuries ago by the fa-mous comet Halley. The com-et was last seen well 25 years ago, in the spring of 1986, and will next be at its bright-est in the summer of 2061. Eta Aquarid meteors are active in lesser numbers between April 21st and May 13th each year.

[STARGAzING]

Stargazing for MayBy Anthony Cook, Griffith Observatory

SILVER LAKE—Though it seems an unlikely spot, there must be something spiritual in the air on Union Avenue.

There are three churches alone between the 100 and 300 blocks. All three are Christian, but they come at their shared religion from very different angles.

Filipino Christian Church is a Disciples of Christ church.

Disciples of Christ is a denom-ination native to the United States, and it is highly evan-gelical. They were among the first to arrive in the Philip-pines after the Spanish-Ameri-can War, ready to spread their particular word. Interestingly, different denominations split up the Philippine islands into sections, making region and religion deeply intertwined for

Filipinos. The church itself might

not look like much in passing, but it’s actually a Los Angeles Historical Landmark, due in some part to its stained-glass windows.

The two other churches on the street are much more obvious as houses of worship. Our Lady of Loretto, a Cath-olic church and school, has one, tall Modernist spire soar-ing above the street—quiet a change, given that for the first decade of the church’s exis-tence, services were held in a cable car garage.

But Loretto’s spire is no longer the most visually ar-resting feature on Union. The Church of Christ, at 141 N. Union Avenue, has just com-pleted a complete remodel, at a cost of $7.6 million. It’s now a large peach-colored building, topped by three spires. It may not be the most historic build-ing on the block, but it is now the most noticeable.

[RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY]

Abundant Spirituality on UnionBy Katherine Spiers, Ledger Religion Writer

The

Los Feliz Ledger is looking for

a new columnist to

write about spirituality

and religion.

E-mail Allison Ferraro,

publisher, with your

interest and writing

samples

allisonferraro

@losfelizledger.com

The only meteor shower not spoiled by moonlight this year is the eta Aquarid

shower on the morning of May 6th.

Los Feliz Ledger

Page 26 www.losfelizledger.com May 2011EDITORIAL / OPEN MIKE

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For the last several years, I’ve had the honor to serve, with a handful of other stake-holders, on the Planning, Zon-ing and Historical Preserva-tion Committee of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (GGPNC).   That’s a mouthful. In truth, I feel as though I am one of the advi-sors on a committee that ad-vises another committee that advises our city council mem-ber—a kind of subcommittee of the PTA.

As such, we usually hear from folks who want to exceed zoning or building code limits imposed by the city.  We also gather community feedback before coming to a recommen-dation to the GGPNC.  We are all volunteers.   Occasionally, we are apprised of upcoming projects that do not need spe-cial consideration—so-called “by right” projects that com-ply with all applicable build-ing and zoning codes.   Why would a developer ask to bring such a project to the attention of the community and possibly stir up controversy?   Because getting the support of the community looks good to the people downtown and some of them, such as the Los Angeles Housing Department, control public funds that, in part, sub-sidize such projects.

Recently, our com-mittee heard presentations from DAVCO Communi-ties, LLC, a large developer of low-income, or otherwise known as “affordable” or “income-restrictive,” housing projects.   Locally, DAVCO proposes to redevelop a site on Riverside Drive, south of the Mulholland Fountain, now occupied by an auto re-pair shop in a former gas sta-tion.   They propose to build 49 “family” units:   34 two-bedroom units and 15 three-

bedroom units, for a total of 113 bedrooms.   To accom-modate the parking needs of the tenants, they will provide 60 parking spaces only.  This number of parking spaces is actually 11 more spaces than the city requires for units of this type.  There is no visitor parking provided or required by the city.

I have no objection to DAVCO’s plans generally, as they exceed some of the mini-mum requirements laid down by the city.  DAVCO plans to remediate the site of toxic sub-stances, and, arguably, to el-evate the site to its highest and best use by helping to meet the needs of lower-income families here in the city.  

The site has many advan-tages, as it is served by major bus routes and freeways, next to Griffith Park and across the street from the Griffith Park Adult Community Center (GPACC), soccer fields, ten-nis courts and the city swim-ming pool. DAVCO plans to hold the finished development indefinitely and to manage the property in such a way that tenants must have appropriate credentials to live there, such as having a job.

What does concern me, however, is that the city is not stepping up, proactively, to fix inevitable problems that its “by right” regulations will create.  For example, the park-ing requirements are unre-alistic.   Here, the city allows another of its “one size fits all” approaches that may be suit-able for a heavily urbanized site to be applied to a subur-ban site.  

Unlike in denser-populat-ed neighborhoods, there is no market anywhere within walk-ing distance near this part of Riverside Drive.  A bus ride or car trip is the only way to go

shopping.  Many, if not most apartments are likely to house two drivers, at least.   Where will they park?  The quick an-swer is the street, but not so fast.  Riverside Drive prohibits parking from 10 p.m. until the next morning (a relic of the motor home city of homeless of years ago).  

Further, those who cross Riverside Drive at this loca-tion, between a major local traffic intersection and free-way off and on-ramps, do so at their peril.   The closest traffic light and crosswalk are too far away to serve the de-velopment’s anticipated 100 to 200 residents and their guests.   Residents will cer-tainly be lured across River-side Drive to additional park-ing, not to mention to the Griffith Park attractions.   A suitable pedestrian crosswalk and traffic signal should be in-corporated into the plans now, before a tragedy occurs.   As the city sets the preconditions for future problems, so too, let it resolve the costs of solutions with those that benefit the most: the developers.

Too often the city, in its rush to increase housing den-sity city-wide, offers gener-ous concessions to develop-ers without anticipating the deleterious consequences to be borne later by the city in-frastructure and its neighbor-hoods.  Whether a new devel-opment is “by right” or not, the city needs to look beyond a project’s lot lines to the great-er effects upon the block, the street, the neighborhood—and its people.   The city has not learned that it’s easier and cheaper to fix a problem before it becomes a mess.

Richard Stanley is a real estate broker for Coldwell Banker/Los Feliz.

[EDITORIAL]

City Needs to Solve Riverside Drive Housing Development Issues Now While Project is Still

in Planning Stagesby Richard Stanley

I had the pleasure of driv-ing past the newly opened Sil-ver Lake Meadow several times last weekend with my friend Catherine Moyers.  Catherine, who has since moved to the Central Coast, was president of the Silver Lake Residents Association some 15 years ago when the plan including the meadow was first developed. 

We recalled with rueful amusement all the dire pre-dictions that have been made

by hand-wringing NIMBYs.  These  “concerns” plagued the planning process and threat-ened to derail the project again several years ago.  None of these (congestion,  parking problems, mass invasions from other neighborhoods) were apparent last weekend.  Con-gratulations to all the people whose hard work, ingenuity—and yes, patience and persis-tence— have made this lovely meadow available to us and

our neighbors.Yes - our neighbors.  The

idea that guests from other parts of LA are a threat is repugnant.  If we were con-fined to our quarter, I would never be able to hear music in Leimert Park, or stroll around Balboa Lake or Mariachi Square, or go to the beach.  All parts of our wonderful, diverse city are for all of us to enjoy!

Susan North, Silver Lake

[OPEN MIKE]

The Meadow is Now Available For All

To submit a letter for Open Mike, send to allisonferraro@losfelizledger.com or to 4459 Avocado St., LA, CA 90027. Letters may be edited for clarity or space for reprinting.

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3607 Amesbury Road Los Feliz Hills $869,000Comfortable & lovingly updated 3+2.5 Traditional w/Mid-Century feel. Large living room w/wet bar, hardwd floors & original casement windows to let in the natural light. Charming kitchen w/built-ins + breakfast & dining area. Family room & the dining area open out to a nice patio - perfect for dining al fresco. Master suite w/private bath, double sinks & closets. Lovely vus from many rooms. Appx 2451 sq ft + large bonus rm for great home office. A lovely home.

For Sale

1739 Deloz Avenue Los Feliz Franklin Hills $839,000Inviting and beautifully updated 1960’s Mid-Century 3 bedroom 2 bath home with a great vibe offering stunning views from the Griffith Park Observatory, to the Los Feliz Hills & out to the city. Wonderful living room w/pitched ceiling, wood floors, fireplace & deck out to enjoy the view & overlooks the great yard. Charming kitchen & dining room. Master opens out to deck & yard. Central air & heat. Security system. 2 car garage with direct access. A very special home.

3848 Clayton Avenue Los Feliz $735,000Beautifully renovated & transformed 3 + 2 contemporary home with a Traditional feel offering lovely hillside views from most rooms. Living room, dining room, breakfast room and kitchen with dark flooring. Spacious galley kitchen with new cabinets, granite tops and tile backsplash. Living room and one bedroom open to view decks. Central A/C & heat. Separate entrance to a bonus rm. View decks from the living room & a bedroom.

New Price

New Price For Sale

1950 Lucile Avenue Silver Lake Hills $1,069,000Stunning 3+2.5 2008 Mediterranean home w/views of Hollywood sign & Griffith Park Observatory. LR w/gorgeous fireplace, built-in’s, dark floors. The LR leads to balcony to enjoy the glorious views. Cook’s kitchen newer ss appl & granite tops. Formal DR. High ceilings. Wonderful master suite & private bath. Large patio surrounded by greenery w/built-in BBQ & small flat yard. Ivanhoe. Scenic views from most rooms. Move-in ready.

1900 Monon Street Los Feliz $735,000Lovely 2-story 3+2 Traditional on a lovely cul-de-sac. Spacious living room. Beautifully remodeled kitchen w/gorgeous tile work, stainless appliances, natural lighting & breakfast bar. Master bedroom w/private bath. Dining rm opens to a large patio & deck surrounded by greenery - perfect for outdoor entertaining. Incredible views of Shakespeare bridge. Hardwood floors. Central A/C. Garage w/direct entrance. A charming home in a great neighborhood. Franklin Elementary.

1807 Barrington Avenue West Los Angeles $769,000Premier luxury 3 + 2.5 townhome. The formal entry leads you to the living room w/dark cherry wood flrs, fireplace & high ceilings. Gourmet kitchen w/granite tops, stainless appl. Master w/high ceilings, fireplace, private bath w/double sinks & separate shower & tub + 2 closets. Plus private laundry, crown moldings, recessed lighting, central air & heat, security system, direct access to garage from unit & spacious roof to deck.

2516 Kenilworth Avenue Silver Lake Hills Call For PriceBeautifully updated 5 + 4 Moreno Highlands 1940’s Traditional. Step into formal entry & thru to the gorgeous LR w/fireplace & blt-in’s that opens to a balcony to enjoy views of the gorgeous yard, patio & scenic views. Newly updated kitchen w/Caesar stone tops, new cook top, oven & dishwasher. Beautifully renovated baths. Family rm leads out to the spacious yard. Garage with direct access. Ivanhoe. Home Sweet Home.

Coming Soon

4525 Cockerham Drive Los Feliz Hills $1,095,000Influenced by legendary Architect Richard Neutra, classic Mid-Century 2 + 2 home is located on a lovely cul-de-sac in prime Los Feliz Hills location. Spacious living room w/ fireplace, quality built-ins & bamboo floors.Den overlooks the expansive park-like yard. Sunny kitchen with eat-in breakfast nook, newer appliances & lovely views. Gorgeous dining room, built-in buffet. Open floor plan A/C. Copper plumbing. Sec system.

1954 Berendo Street Los Feliz $785,000 Stunning restoration of a Classic 2+2 Spanish in the Franklin Square. Gorgeous living room w/possible Batchelder tiled fireplace leads to spacious dining rm. Cook’s kitchen w/new cabinets, tops & stainless Viking appl. Sunny rooms. New baths. Hardwood floors. A/C, copper plumbing, tankless water heater, many windows & more. Home office. Garage great for studio. Beautifully landscaped yard for California living!

1474 Silver Lake Boulevard Silver Lake $619,000Charming gated 3+2 bath California bungalow in great Silver Lake area. Kitchen with limestone flooring, tile countertops, skylight & newer stainless appliances. Dining room leads to enchanting patio & the beautifully landscaped yard withfruit trees.. Master suite with private bath, spa tub. French doors open to a charming patio. A/C, copper plumbing, newer electrical & sec system. Electric gate driveway. Walk to Sunset Junction, reservoir & dog park – urban living at it’s best!

Coming Soon

3017 Fall Avenue Silver Lake Call For Price Lovely gated 3+3 1920’s Spanish in the heart of Silver Lake. Step from the courtyard into the spacious living room opens to dining rm & den w/views of the reservoir. Kitchen has been updated w/new cabinets, countertops & Bosch appliances. Upstairs there are 2 + 1 bath. On lower level is the 3rd bedroom which makes for a great home office/family rm or guest quarters. Wonderful spacious yard. Needs a little TLC, but has so much potential.

Coming Soon

“ Thank you for understanding the special qualities of my home and bringing me multiple offers from many qualified buyers!” Erica Freed “ We were more than pleased with your ability to generate multiple offers after just one week on the market and even more amazed that we were able to enter escrow for our property at a price above list!” Lisa Silva, ANR Director of Operations “ When choosing a realtor, I did my research, and you came to me as the most prepared and knowledgeable about my area.” K.C. Schillhahn

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