January/February 2018| ISSUE NUMBER 337
Another Illegal Demolition
West Adams
www.westadamsheritage.org
Holiday Tour
Emergency Preparedness
Volunteer Appreciation
The West Adams newsletter is a publication of West Adams Heritage Association. Members and supporters of WAHA are invited to submit articles by contacting news@westadamsheritage.org. Letters and articles will be subject to space restraints and may be cut for length. Articles will be published subject to the editors. Advertising is subject to the approval of the publishers. Although WAHA appreciates its advertisers, the Association does not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Services and products are not tested and the appearance of advertising does not imply, nor does it constitute, endorsement by the West Adams Heritage Association. Rights to use photos are supplied by the author of the associated article. Copyright 2017. All rights for graphic and written material appearing in the newsletter are reserved. Contact the publisher for permission to reprint.
Newsletter Staff
WAHA membership includes: * A subscription to West Adams magazine * Invitations to all WAHA programs, parties, Evening Strolls, and other activities, mostly free * Discount on WAHA tours and advance notice of tours * Membership Directory * Special publications * Membership card for discounts on services and products. Join online at http://www.memberwaha.org/amember/signup/index
Save trees! Opt for digital delivery only by emailing news@westadamsheritage.org
Become a member (or renew)
Join at any level: • Individual/Household $50 • Student/Senior $25 • Preservation Circle $100 • Heritage Circle $250 • Patron Circle $500 • Benefactor $1000 To pay by check, send the following information (Name(s), Address, Phone, and email along with your level of choice) with your check to: WAHA 2263 S. Harvard Boulevard Historic West Adams Los Angeles, CA 90018
Laura Meyers, Vice-President, Communications Reggie Jones, Publisher & Editor Suzanne Cooper, Layout & Design Don Lynch, Writer
Preservation Report
Pictures from the annual Progressive Dinner Holiday Tour.
President's Message
Rory Cunningham leads a tour of the Oscar costume exhibit at FIDM
In Memoriam
Jacqueline Hill
WAHA appreciates our volunteers
Holiday Party and Volunteer Thank you
WAHA Dudes Do Dinner
On the Avenues
Upcoming Events
WEST ADAMS, MAKE 2018 THE YEAR YOU GET READY!
The 1933 Long Beach earthquake toppled many schools including Jefferson Junior High (pictured here) and unreinforced masonry buildings throughout the area. On the cover: No actual houses were harmed in creating the illustration nor is there any reason these houses are less prepared than any others in the neighborhood.
2017 seemed to be the year for natural (and other) disasters in our state and nation. The only thing we haven’t had is a major earthquake and we all know we are overdue for “the big one.” Will you make 2018 the year you finally put your disaster planning into effect, or revisit to reorganize and change out that water and food supply? Consider putting this on the top of your Resolutions list. When thinking about earthquake disaster planning, any number of excellent sources for disaster preparedness will tell you to be prepared to “shelter in place” for 72 hours or more. HA! Remember that Southern California is an “island” in terms of water, food, transportation and energy. Our survival infrastructure must travel many miles from the north, the ports, and elsewhere and ALL of it depends on having an intact power grid. Think about living in a major city with broken water, gas and sewer lines, no or spotty cellphone service and no electrical power so no gasoline, cash, traffic signals, etc. The grocery stores will immediately be looted and traveling any distance on foot or bicycle is likely to be hazardous. Emergency service personnel are unlikely to be able to come to your rescue if you or family members are injured and hospital emergency rooms will likely be understaffed and swamped with people who manage to get there. This bears repeating: emergency services are going to be overwhelmed. The Fire Department and other emergency services WILL NOT COME so don’t imagine the Fire Department will show up in 5 minutes to put out the fires that are raging through your neighborhood. (Even if they did, will there be water pressure in the hydrants?) Take some time to consider what your home, your children’s school and your place of work will need to be stocked with to survive for an extended period of time. Have you made a family plan for letting out-of-area contact people know your status so they can share it? After a disaster is not the moment to remember that you MEANT to stock up on water (a gallon per person per day), non-perishable food (remember the four-footed family members), medicine, sanitation supplies, and everything else you will want to find close to hand, for possibly a very extended period of time, potentially for WEEKS. An earthquake won’t necessarily strike when you are next to your earthquake kit and enough rubble may make you unable to reach it. It’s best to have some supplies hidden throughout the house: a few bottles of water under the dresser, pop-top cans of your favorite water-packed tuna hidden under the couch, tasty energy bars in your desk drawer. It may be best to secure chocolate from pets, small children and people with no will power but if you are going to shelter in place, you may as well have easy-to-eat food you like. Gnawing on hard, dry earthquake biscuits will put you in a worse mood than you are already. Don’t forget heavy garbage bags for clean-up. The good news is that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel when laying your family disaster response plans. There are many excellent websites that provide guides and checklists and we list some below. Sign up for a first aid class with the Red Cross, and for training with the LA CERT (Fire Department) program. And while thinking about dealing with injuries and the needs of vulnerable members of your household, as well as water, food, medicine, camp toilets, tents, etc., don’t forget to think about your 100+ year old house and those of your neighbors. Is the sill plate of the house bolted to the foundation and is the cripple wall braced? If you don’t know what a sill plate and cripple wall are, you’ve got some catch up to do if you don’t want your house sliding off the foundation. Make this the year you get it done! Is your hot water heater securely braced? Remember, that’s about 40 gallons of potable water in there if you get to the shut off valve fast enough to prevent any backwash from broken water lines. That’s why some of us resist getting those “tankless” hot water heaters. Do you have an earthquake shut-off valve on your gas meter? Make this the year you get it done! And if you can’t afford it (yes, you can), do you have a $4 wrench made for turning off the gas at the meter, tied to the meter, and do you know how to use it if you smell gas? How about your neighbors’ houses, located only feet away from yours? Do they know what to do, assuming everyone’s home? Entire West Adams neighborhoods constructed of highly flammable old wood may burn down with breathtaking speed once broken gas lines ignite. Ditto for the electrical panel. Does everyone know where it is and how to turn off the main power to the house? A word about telephones. Do you have a landline, i.e., not a radio-operated handset, but one that is wired all the way to the phone junction? Lots of people have ditched these as superfluous when they have smart phones, but when the cell towers stop working, that landline could be your life line to the outside world because it doesn’t depend on power and the chances are it will work when your cellphone won’t. Have you gone on the “hazard hunt” through your house? Does everyone in the house have a pair of shoes with flashlights tucked into them next to your beds? Be aware, however, that they may go flying, so consider strapping an extra pair of shoes with good soles and a flashlight to your metal bed frame. Does everyone know where the fire extinguishers are and how to use them? Are you alarmed yet? If not, let’s remind ourselves what the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake looked like. Alarmed now? Good! Our work here is done. Now let’s get started on those checklists! Useful websites: http://www.cert-la.com http://www.redcross.org/get-help/ how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan
Fire is always a concern after an earthquake. Photo: Dave Pleger
Audrey Arlington is a longtime WAHA member and resident of Jefferson Park.
Emergency Preparedness (Continued)
California's "Earthquake Brace + Bolt" program reopened its registration list for the first time in a year on January 23. Grants are available in certain regions of CA. Registration closes Feb. 23; applications can be filed online at www.earthquakebracebolt.com. Most West Adams District homes are in these eligible zipcodes: 90015, 90016, 90018 and 90019. Unfortunately 90007 is excluded from the program this year.
Earthquake Brace + Bolt grants
A chimney sheared off at roof level is ubiquitous earthquake damage. Photo: Dave Pleger
Earthquake damage in unknown location. Public Domain. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0. University of Southern California. Libraries and California Historical Society. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California
If there is no automatic shutoff installed it is important to know how to shut off the gas manually. Photo: Suzanne Cooper
WAHA's Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour
December 2 and 3, 2017 Check-in House
Photos: Reggie Jones, Suzanne Cooper
Appetizer House
Soup House
Salad House
Dinner House (McCarty Church)
Dessert House
Neighborhood Outreach Donna Jones Don Lynch Natalie Neith David Raposa Reservations Rina Rubenstein Brochure Lentini Design a& Marketing
The Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour is a huge undertaking for WAHA every year and it couldn’t be done without an army of great volunteers. We thank all of the people who agreed to open their lovely homes for the weekend, the docents, shepherds, sweeps, servers, cooks and dishwashers who made everything look like magic to the guests. If your name isn't listed here, please let us know. We'd hate to miss anyone! A few extraordinary people deserve special attention. We are profoundly grateful that some volunteers were flexible enough to switch houses at the last minute to help serve dinner and to clean up after the guests were ready to move to the next adventure. Lara Elin Soderstrom especially deserves thanks for stepping up to keep the kitchen and dining room of the dinner house running smoothly, as well as shepherding a tour group on Sunday. A huge round of applause for all of you who helped make the tour a success! We are so lucky to have each and every one of you.
WAHA Thanks our Volunteers
Shepherds and Sweeps Paul Brynan Paula Brynan Frank Cooper Suzanne Cooper Rory Cunningham Eileen Ehmann Robin Evangelista Chris Hedberg Paul King A.J. Lentini Hilary Lentini Kim Michener Danny Miller Paul Nielson Pat Norwine Hunter Ochs Dave Pleger David Raposa David Saffer Lara Elin Soderstrom Marius Stelly Andrew Taylor Ed Trosper Steve Wallis Mary Weiss
Tour Organizing Committee Don Lynch, Tour Coordinator Suzanne Cooper, Volunteer Coordinator Regina Berry Jean Cade SeElcy Caldwell Lyn Gillson Lisa Raymond Candy Wynne
Soup Vern Menden, Homeowner Laura Meyers, House Captain Chris Eisenberg, Kitchen Captain Jarod Allen Kathleen Campbell Chrissy Carr Carol Chacon Art Curtis Mel Embree Elizabeth Fenner Margaret Gascoigne Cheryl Harrington Chris Hedburg Phoebe Heywood James Mills Gisa Nico David Nico Adele Nico Lanna Pian Lauren Schlau Flo Selfman Cat Slater Christie Webb
Check In Ian and Allison Glen, Homeowners Natalie Neith, House Captain Alex Ankai Auzzie Ankai Kwesi Ankai Andy Cohen Nancy Cohen Ellen Farwell Gavin Glynn Lyn Gillson Jane McMahon Rosalind Miles-Thompson Inge Mueller Judy Scales Karen Snyder Nigel Staton Maxine Toler Sally Turner
Appetizer Strath and Marcy Hamilton, Homeowners Jean Cade, House and Kitchen Captain John Kurtz, House Captain Suzy Adler Audrey Arlington James Carey Silvia Carey Norma Davis Suzanne Dickson Dayna Dorris Colleen Gong Alan Hall Amy Hall Rob Johnson Karin McGaughey Miller Paula Phillips David Saffer Mike Steele Steve Stautzenbach Tibor Vojtko Bryan Weston Angela Whiteway Bill Wolfe Candy Wynne Meg Wynne
Photos: Suzanne Cooper, Reggie Jones
Dinner Edward Anderson, McCarty Church Gwen Atkins, McCarty Church Anne Hakes, House Captain Dan Hakes, House Captain Eric Bronson, Kitchen Captain Roland Souza Kitchen Captain Stacey Anthony Cindy Bitterman Shem Bitterman Brenna Bronson Lynn Brown Liz Cooper Adie Fridman Suzanne Gracyk Deirdre Higgins Bill Judson Pat Karasick Aria Lentini Chrys Massey-Rhodes Beate McDermott Neil McDermott Chris McKinnon Hugh Moore Steve Moyer L.B. Nye Jamaal Rhodes Josh Rhodes Giselle Sanchez Rochet Edward Saunders Rebecca Sekulich Karlene Taylor Merris Weber Judi Wheeler Mica Wheeler
Salad Robert and Ellen Swarts, Homeowners Lore Hilburg, House Captain Regina Berry, Kitchen Captain Amy Bender Victoria Brown Kim Calvert Jennifer Charnofsky Maralyn Facey Janel Glover LeShae Bey Teresa Hillery Dennis Laski Michele McDonough Gail Peterson Ian Renner Kathy Shoemaker Mark Shoemaker BT Timmerman Violin Israel Heller
Dessert Charles Robins, Homeowner Chris Carlson, House Captain Yani Pohl, House Captain Molly Reiss, Kitchen Captain Randi Danforth Esra Guen Cindy Pendergast Demetrius Pohl Lindsay Wiggins Lighting Addison Wright
Holiday Party and Volunteer Thank You
On January 6, 2018 WAHA celebrated all of our wonderful members and friends who volunteer throughout the year and, especially, for the Holiday Tour. Thank you to the Holiday Tour Committee who despite their sheer exhaustion, stepped up to prepare the party. A special thank you to Lanna Pian, who went above and beyond by washing all the other volunteers' dishes, to Laura Meyers and Chris Eisenberg for helping with food and especially to Vern Menden who opened his beautiful house and garden for WAHA members to enjoy.
R E S P E C T
2018 has been ushered in without any unsettling holiday demolition that has haunted us in previous years: e.g., the Childs Mansion, the McKinley Mansion, the Wells house, and the Victorian at 1208 W. 25th Street. But we weren’t entirely spared as the legendary “Vermonica” art piece, which graced a strip of land in a mini-mall for the last 25 years, was uprooted and transplanted in front of the Bureau of Street Lighting offices, several blocks east of its original location. So what’s the big deal? No one bothered to contact the artist, Sheila Klein. Out of respect, that ought to have happened and she ought to have had a voice in the preservation and relocation of her unique piece of public art. That’s where respect comes in. It seems that the obvious courtesy and respect for the artist was overlooked. Ms. Klein states that relocation irrevocably changes the meaning of the work as a site specific piece that emerged from an urge to mend the city. “After the riots, I thought it has to be right in this place where things had burned down. I remember driving by that strip mall and seeing the sign that said ‘We are rebuilding!’ so I called the number on the sign and asked if I could put up the piece.” “This is a site sensitive piece. Context is everything.” In 1993, artist Klein chose 25 streetlights representing many decades from the City’s Streetlight Yard on Santa Monica Boulevard. She not only persuaded city officials to lend the poles, but also engaged 27 Bureau of Street Lighting workers to volunteer two weekends of free labor to erect them. A cultural affairs grant of $6,000 and $3,000 and the offer of the land by the property owners helped make this magic happen, and it did. It gave everyone a reason to rejoice. The art installation celebrated years of street light art in the form of the lamps and celebrated the history and tenacity of the City from 1925 to 1993. The carefully chosen lamps are but a few of the 400 or so designs that exist in the street lamp inventory. Klein wrote in 1992, when she was developing the art piece: “I am an artist who wishes to uncover romantic truths about the city. To get the average person to pay attention to their surroundings and the built environment, and to point out the sculptural significance of streetlights and complexity of the task of the city. The piece references the intimate household scale of candlesticks into an urban scaled candelabra for the household of the city.” For Klein “the work was about bringing together elements from different areas and different eras of the L.A. Landscape – streetlight – and presenting them as a stirring ‘urban candelabra’.” “Vermonica” was created fifteen years before the Chris Burden art piece “Urban Light” in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Wilshire Boulevard. Danielle Brazell, Department of Cultural Affairs General Manager, explains that “This is an important art work…it does pre-date Chris Burdens ‘Urban Light.’ It was done by a woman artist and often woman artists have to operate outside of convention.” “Vermonica” was an extraordinary public art project stimulated by the artist drawing from the grass roots of community participation. Sheila started with an idea and got everyone excited about the prospect of creating something special. The lampposts would serve as a symbol of the city’s rebirth. As reported by Michael Darling in his article in the March 2, 2017 issue of the Los Feliz Ledger: “The developers…loved the idea and proposed the lamp posts be placed in a grassy median in the parking lot. But there was still one thing keeping Klein’s vision from coming to life. She needed to acquire actual Los Angeles streetlamps for her vision, so she attended a meeting of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting and made her case. ‘I held up this drawing and said, ‘I’m an artist and interested in the sculptural nature of street lighting and I want to make this candelabra and I need your help.’ According to Klein, ‘a whole bunch of people stood up and said they would help me make it happen.’ ” Just as there is a need to preserve historic buildings and sites, we need to preserve public art. And to that end, context is extremely critical. What if the Statue of Liberty were not in New York Harbor? What happens when you remove or demolish eight out of seventeen buildings in a historic district such as Flower Drive? So integral to a sense of place is understanding and enriching its context, not blindly dismissing its long held significance to our culture. We hope “Vermonica” will find a new interpretation that builds on its past. As Ms. Klein stated: “I am proud that it lived for so many years and became woven into the vernacular of the City. I hope a new piece will emerge to keep this idea alive. In the coming months, it is my hope that a dialogue can begin and partnerships identified to bring the power of Vermonica back onto Los Angeles city streets in whatever form that may take. I am thinking deeply about what I think the next steps should be and I invite you to join this conversation.” If anyone can make this happen, it is Sheila Klein, a dynamo of vision and collaboration. Sadly, University Park missed an opportunity when residents and property owners embraced the Klein designed “Island of Lights” concept for the Hoover/Union Triangle but the City bureaucracy would not budge and the chance for a world class public art piece – indeed a destination - was lost. Let’s hope “Vermonica” has a better future. As Klein stated: “Vermonica operated within and outside of the realm of art. It had distinct lives in the art world, the arena of public works, historical preservation and the neighborhood where it was located.” Context and respect need to come into play to build for the future.
Photo courtesy of Sheila Klein
1993 Photo by Anacleto Rapping
The lights relocated several blocks away. Photo courtesy of Carolina A. Miranda
Jean Frost is the current Preservation Committee Chair. Contact her at preservation@westadamsheritage.org.
Photo Courtesy of the Artist, Sheila Klein
The year did not start out well for those who care about the character of our Historic West Adams homes and neighborhoods. A 117-year-old house located at 1733 West Adams Boulevard was demolished without permit, reduced to two tall piles of rubble by the end of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. The residence was erected in 1901 by Lewis Clark Carlisle (a real estate developer, builder and architect) soon after his marriage to Claire, and the couple soon appeared regularly in the social pages holding events at this American Foursquare-style home. Its interior had survived mostly intact when it was put up for sale last summer. In November, a group of investors paid $1 million for the property, with what we now know was the intention to build a complex of six apartment units in three detached, three-story structures. (This project is not yet approved.) The new owners applied for but have not received a demolition permit, nor even a pre-demolition inspection, and the manner in which they demolished the 3,200-square-foot house appears to violate every safety regulation possible. A gas meter is lying in the debris (was it properly disconnected?) and it seems fairly obvious that if there was any asbestos (there usually is in these old houses) it was not abated in advance of the demolition. WAHA has requested that City officials take all possible and available steps, including applying the “scorched earth” ordinance, to ensure there are consequences to the new owners for their illegal actions.
-Laura Meyers and Jean Frost
Before: MLS After: Laura Meyers
In Memoriam: Jacqueline Dolores Hill (December 31, 1947 – November 9, 2017)
August 12, 2000, Jacqueline Hill (then Sharps), Peggy King and Andree Presley (who lived on Adams in the 1920s) at a cocktail party. Jacqueline enjoyed wearing her mother's vintage dresses to parties, which delighted other guests. Photo: Don Lynch
Jacqueline D. Hill, a long time West Adams resident and a past WAHA President, passed away suddenly on November 9, 2017. Jacqueline was not from Los Angeles but had moved here in 1969. After living in other communities she chose to live in West Adams and moved into her home in January of 1997. She was drawn to West Adams over other communities because of the houses, the affordability and also the tight-knit and caring community. Jacqueline was an avid traveler. She enjoyed frequent trips to Italy. She always played an active role in her church throughout her life. Jacqueline was extremely proud of her 1908 home, designed by Hunt, Eager and Burns. It was restored in record time and the house was featured on the 1997 WAHA Holiday Home Tour. After working with a number of people who helped with the nomination process, her home, the “Perrine House,” became Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 662 on June 22, 1999. Jacqueline was extremely active in West Adams Heritage Association. In April of 1997, she was elected to the WAHA board and took over responsibility for the WAHA Community Relations activities. On her watch, WAHA’s Community Relations Committee supported neighborhood anti-graffiti efforts, handed out “Good Neighbor” awards to laudable local businesses, and participated in LAUSD’s Adopt-A-School Program, adopting 24th Street Elementary. During that period, WAHA helped refurbish the school’s teachers’ lounge, donated funds to the school, and spearheaded an architectural tour of nearby landmark homes for gifted 5th graders. Jacqueline put together a GREAT team of WAHA volunteers! By 2000 Jacqueline has taken on two more responsibilities — Vice President, and co-chair of the Membership Committee, and she was elected for another term on the Board. That was the year she became President of WAHA and Holiday Tour Coordinator, dual positions she held for the next three years during the full-term on the Board. As an organization WAHA was indeed blessed with her dedicated effort to our historic community. -John Kurtz
P.O. Box 5619, Whittier, CA, 90607-5619
Don't look now but it's another edition of "WAHA Dudes Do Dinner": A chronicle of West Adams guys gathering to eat, talk and lie about the size of our support beams. And by that I mean support beams. It's road trip time as Adam, Jeff and John pile into my SUV for the trek to Long Beach. So named because a guy called Long fell asleep on a beach and woke up next to a queen named Mary. There's only one way to get to Long Beach from West Adams, and that way is by jetpack, but tonight we'll take the 110. "It'll be okay. Traffic's light," says Adam, as he gazes at the skyline over USC. "Look at that chimney. A 5.2 hits and that's a pile of bricks." Adam's lifelong dream is to single-handedly restore every L.A. house born before 1950. He's half-way there. "Saw a chimney the other day made entirely of clinker bricks," says John. "You did not. Where?" says his husband Jeff, fulfilling his marital duty to never let a spouse get away with anything. Ever. Not once. Ever. "Well, I didn't memorize the address," John replies. As I write this Jeff and John are newlyweds, celebrating one week of marital bliss. I predict death till they part. Or longer. Speaking of their wedding. It was at The MacArthur, which was formerly the Park Plaza Hotel, and before that The Elks Lodge Number 99. It was built in 1925, and it's architecturally gorgeous. You should check it out. Just go to MacArthur Park and look west, young man. [Disclaimer: That's a paraphrase from a famous quote. You don't have to be a man or young to go west.] Hey, don't look now but we're pulling into our destination: Joe Jost's Tavern. Remember that bar your dad used to belly up to in the '50s? Or maybe your imaginary dad in a movie that takes place in the '50s? This is that place. Neon buzz, mahogany barstools, chalk-stained pool tables, and food that only your drunk uncle could love. Here's the Maitre D' / Bartender announcing the Chef's specials: "We got all-beef sausage with pickled eggs, all-beef sausage with peanuts, or all-beef sausage with chips. And if you don't like those, I got a knuckle sandwich with your name on it." Okay, he didn't say the last one, but that would've been awesome. Anyway, it's all-beef for all four of us, and here's what the chef drags in: Each wiener is cut in half and rests between a couple slices of white bread with mustard squirted on top. A time-tested combo, I'm sure. Let's review: Sausage, mustard, white bread. Any more old school and we'd actually be IN an old school. Here's some history on Joe Jost's. It was founded in 1924 and, according to their website, is "one of the oldest continually operated taverns west of the Mississippi River." Side note: You can't see this, but I bow every time I say "tavern." It's a holy word in my native Chicago revered just above "archdiocese," and below "Da-Bears." We make quick work of dinner and drift to the pool hall, which is another step back in time. Every wall is covered with old photos from around the world, and newspaper articles from back in the day. Lindbergh, FDR, Ike, Eleanor Roosevelt, the list goes on. They're the greatest generation, and they clearly love all-beef sausage. And by that I mean, all-beef sausage. Time to move on, so it's into the SUV for stop #2, the Steelcraft Shipping Container Mall. It's an outdoor food court made out of prefab shipping containers. Sounds odd, looks odd, and is odd, which is perfect. You park your carcass at a picnic table in a courtyard and enjoy your fare while being serenaded by the next Simon & Garfunkel. Or Garfunkel & Oates. I'd be happier without the music, but there are some interesting food choices: Pizza, ramen, waffles, even a joint called the Pig Pen Delicacy. "Pork belly sandwiches." says Jeff. "How much haute cuisine can a man handle in one night?" I laugh, Adam laughs, John says, "You ordering five or six?" "Three, Mr. Wiseass," says Jeff. They're a match made in heaven. I'm talking about Jeff and food. John's the third wheel in that relationship, and he's okay with that. The rest of us give in to the sweet tooth. Adam and I shuffle over to a place called, "Fresh Shave." They serve shaved ice topped with organic fruits that contain NO high fructose corn syrup or artificial coloring. Got that? John stands in line at "Waffle Love" and can't decide between the Dulce De Liege, which is a cinnamon and sugar waffle topped with "fried" ice cream, and drizzled with caramel . . . or the Sunshine Waffle, which combines lemon curd, raspberries, and whipped cream. Sophie couldn't make that choice. So tonight we downed meat by-products from the past, loaded waffles from the present, and walked away with clinker bricks in our bellies. That's what I call a successful eating adventure. And if you don't agree, I got a knuckle sandwich with Joe Jost's name on it.
Classified Ads —————————————————————————————————————————— Solid Oak Screen Door-very good condition $75.00 OBO, 2 vintage Victorian dresses-size small perfect for any docent occasion-make an offer, Delft, lots of it-sell as a set $100.00 OBO-plates, bread basket, coffee grinder, cups/saucers, soup tureen and more. Contact Carmen at 714-276-5288 to make an appointment to see. To have your classified ad placed in this newsletter, please send your proposed ad to news@westadamsheritage.org no later than the first of the month prior to the month of publication of the ad.
An Afternoon of Soup and Games February 25, 2018 2:00-5:00 p.m. Dave Pleger's house 1546 4th Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90019 Come spend a cozy evening with fellow Wahonians. WAHA will provide soup and drinks. Please bring bread, crackers, cheese or dessert to add to the table. RSVP to events@westadamsheritage.
Tour the Oscar Costumes Exhibit Saturday, Feb 10, at 2 p.m. FIDM, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising 919 S. Grand Ave. (Downtown) WAHA’s own costumer extraordinaire Rory Cunningham and fellow West Adams residents will gather for a special afternoon with Oscar -- Oscar costumes at the FIDM Museum, that is. The annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition at the FIDM Museum celebrates the art and industry of costume design, and honors the work of designers in the industry. See the costumes from 2017’s most popular films, including the Academy Award® nominees for Best Costume Design. Among the film ensembles to be featured are from Phantom Thread (Mark Bridges), Wonder Woman (Lindy Hemming), Dunkirk (Jeffrey Kurland), Thor: Ragnarock (Mayes C. Rubeo), and many more. WAHA’s special tour of the exhibition offers not only a look at the beautiful costumes on display but also an insider’s view of how costumes help define a movie’s look and characterizations. The Museum exhibit is free, as is parking in the FIDM building. After the tour, it’s been our tradition as a group to reconvene at a nearby restaurant to continue the festivities.
When I became president of WAHA last spring, I took on the task only after seriously assessing prior commitments and responsibilities in my busy life. I needed to be certain that the WAHA board members would be willing to continue to be not only a board that is committed to advocating for the goals that WAHA has stood for over the past three decades, but also a board that can also get down in the trenches and put their energies into making this organization a force to be reckoned with. Today looking back, I was correct in my assessment of the power of WAHA’s committed membership and board. Since May, I have witnessed the powerful community-building that is accomplished through the successful events that have been presented this year through Suzie and Don Henderson’s efforts. I have also been impressed by the efforts made by Lore Hilburg to introduce our WAHA community to her friends and neighbors and the energy she brings to the membership committee. Paula Brynen continues to develop the extremely positive KCET/WAHA relationship that we both benefit so much from, as well as taking on the impossible task of recording the minutes at our board meetings. Jean Frost, our Preservation V.P., and board member Jim Childs keep WAHA’s preservation committee focused and looking toward the future, each bringing an invaluable 40 + years of experience to our organization. An enthusiastic Candy Wynne and SeElcy Caldwell never miss an opportunity to staff a table at our tours and events during the year touting WAHA’s activities and goals. Our treasurer, Jean Cade, among other things keeps our financial status in order and social calendar full. Laura Meyers, V.P. of communications, as you probably have discovered, accomplishes a lot in the community and WAHA exceptionally well, and selflessly has given so much of her time and incredible skills to WAHA since its beginning. Kim Calvert and Laura continue to increase our communication efforts and advance WAHA into the digital age. Looking back upon our 2017 June tour, the Living History tour and last month’s Holiday Tour and the financial goals that we successfully achieved this year, it was a good year. In retrospect, I think I was probably underestimating the potential that a vast hardworking pool of volunteers and working board can achieve. Thanks for exceeding my expectations! -Roland Souza
Roland Souza
Benefactor Circle Lore Hilburg and Reggie Jones Patron Circle John Arnold & Curt Bouton Craig Bartelt & Nick Mercado Ellen Farwell John Kurtz Katie Larkin & Brian Jett Hilary & A.J. Lentini Blake McCormick Ivy Pochoda & Justin Nowell Maryanne Sawoski David Raposa & Ed Trosper
Heritage Circle Edy & George Alva David Bottjer & Sarah Bottjer Jean Cade Winston Cenac & Alishia Brown Lisa Ellzey & Jeff (Ulrik) Theer Friends of Hazy Moon Zen Center Amanda & Tomas Jegeus Marina Moevs & Steven Peckman Jim & Janice Robinson David Saffer Elvie Tuttle
Preservation Circle
Board of Directors
Officers Roland Souza, President 323-804-6070 Jean Frost Vice-President, Preservation Suzanne Henderson 323-731-3900 Vice-President, Events Laura Meyers 323-868-0854 Vice-President, Communications Jean Cade, Treasurer 323-737-5034 Paula Brynen, Secretary 323-936-7285 Board Members SeElcy Caldwell 323-292-8566 Jim Childs 213-747-2526 Kim Calvert 310-633-4117 Lore Hilburg 323-934-4443 Candy Wynne 323-735-3749 President Emeritus John Kurtz 323-481-1753 Advisor Harold Greenberg Legal Advisor 323-732-9536
Kari Anderson & Catrien Villamil Diana Armand & Ariel Joseph Janice Cimbalo & Catherine Cyr Kathy Converse & Dan Yoder Leslie & Adrio DeCicco Christine Esprabens & Ralph LeFevre Shelby Fowler & Joshua Fowler Marlena Gonzalez Donna & Michael Gunnar Jane Harrington Damona & Seth Hoffman Lawrence Kanowsky Yolanda & Thomas Oleniacz Mary Revell & Nicholas Bower Ramona Robinson & Ed Saunders Ellen & Ron Stein Susan Talesnick & William Neusteter Spencer & Katherine Villasenor Angela Whiteway & Janneth Reyes
Harry Anderson & Terry Bible Audrey Arlington Albert Aubin Jeffrey & Patricia Baum Barbara Bestor & Tom Stern Paula & Paul Brynen James Cain & Thomas Teves Clare & Michael Chu Rory Cunningham & David Pacheco Art Curtis & Shelley Adler Nicholas Daum Joyce Davis Suzanne Dickson & Steven Stautzenbach Tricia Dillon & Katherine Villarreal Dayna Dorris Andrea Dunlop & Max Miceli Nazelie Elmassian Robin Evangelista & Dieter Obeji Sarah and Charles Evans Craig Fajnor Elizabeth Fenner & Brian Chris Murphy Chris Taylor & Robinson Jean Frost & Jim Childs Sharon Hartmann Donald & Suzanne Henderson Sophie Jefferies Kim-Lai Jones & Jason Corsey Patricia Karasick & Christopher McKinnon Kevin Keller & Marc Choueiti Paul King & Paul Nielsen David Kirkwood & Kristin Riddick Adrienne & Blake Kuhre Daniel Lockwood & Barrett Crake Los Angeles Conservancy, Linda Dishman Cassandra Malry & Thom Washington Joseph McManus & Lara Elin Soderstrom JoAnn Meepos & Steven Edwards Vern Menden & Paulo Ribeiro Sharon Oxborough Gail D. Peterson Mary Power & Librada Hernandez Judy Reidel & Al Hamburger Walter Rivers, Jr. Donna & Mark Robertson, Sr. Amy Ronnebeck & Alan Hall Caroline Sallenbach Debbie & Stan Sanders Lisa Schoening Yale Scott & Bobby Pourziaee Mary Shaifer &Ansley Bell Willie Thomas Stephen Vincent & Jessica McCullagh Lindsay Wiggins Ned Wilson & Carrie Yutzy Candy Wynne
New Members
Transitioning from Paper to Digital
As you know, one of our major goals this calendar year is to transition the WAHA Newsletter from the printed document you’ve received in the mail to one you are able to read online. By now, most if not all of you have had a chance to review the digital version of the newsletter. This digital format is now the primary newsletter version and will be the source material for the printed version AND it includes FULL-COLOR photographs and many bonus features that the printed version will not have. The bonus content in the digital version includes: The ability to link directly to other online content such as photographs, articles and websites for more content, including the WAHA website. Click and enlarge FULL COLOR photographs for easy viewing or to see additional photographic content. Download the newsletter to any device and take it with you wherever you go. Allows printing of multiple copies of specific articles or the whole newsletter if you desire in FULL COLOR. An interactive document that will allow members to participate and share information, events and resources. This new digital format is much less expensive to produce and deliver to WAHA to members, both from a financial and manpower perspective. Every print copy of the newsletter costs roughly $1.70 to produce and about $1.50 to mail. Sending the newsletter in digital format saves the organization between $1,000 to $1,500 each month or approximately $13,000 per year. In terms of the total budget for the organization, printing the newsletter consumes approximately 70% or more of most members’ annual dues. In addition to the financial cost, a considerable amount of volunteer labor and time are required to prepare, label, seal, stamp and mail each newsletter to members. The financial and man-hour savings by not printing the newsletter can be reinvested in preservation efforts, additional web site improvements, tours or events. The Communications Committee is now consistently producing and sending the newsletter electronically to every member with an email address. If for some reason you’re not receiving the electronic format (Do we have your current correct email address?) or if you’d like to only receive the digital edition and opt out of receiving the paper edition, please contact me at news@westadamsheritage.org. As a reminder, you will receive the electronic format through a download email. Thanks Reggie Jones
WAHA (and Friends) Calendar Tour the Oscar Costumes Exhibit Saturday, February 10, at 2 p.m. FIDM, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising 919 S. Grand Ave. (Downtown) An Afternoon of Soup and Games Sunday, February 25, 2:00-5:00 p.m. Dave Pleger's house 1546 4th Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90018 Come spend a cozy evening with fellow Wahonians. WAHA will provide soup and drinks. Please bring bread, crackers, cheese or dessert to add to the table. RSVP to events@westadamsheritage. West Adams Native Garden Tour Saturday, April 28, 0:00 a.m -4:00 p.m. Take a tour of the beautiful gardens of West Adams featuring sustainable and habitat restoring California native plants. Tickets to be available online by April 1. If you want to volunteer for this tour or if you have a garden with native plants, and you are willing to be on the tour, contact Lore Hilburg at Lore@hilburglaw.com or at 323-590-4748. You need not know native plants to volunteer.
