October 201 7 | ISSUE NUMBER 335
Do You Know This House?
West Adams
www.westadamsheritage.org
St. Sophia Greek Cathedral
2017 Living History Tour
High Art Meets Haunted Warehouse
Preservation Report
Lots of photos and a big thank you to our volunteers.
President's Message
Halloween party and more.
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.
WAHA's annual progressive dinner will feature The Avenues.
Holiday Tour
Los Angeles Investment Company
A 1913 article by Ernest McConnell.
Newsletter Staff
WAHA membership includes: * 10 issues of the West Adams newsletter * 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
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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
The Village at USC
Living History Tour 2017
Laura Meyers, Vice-President, Communications Reggie Jones, Publisher & Editor Suzanne Cooper, Layout & Design Don Lynch, Writer
Upcoming Events
Living History Tour
-Laura Meyers and Rina Rubenstein
We’ve just wrapped up another incredibly successful – and exhausting – Living History Tour at the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, The Artist’s Way. Everyone worked hard (too hard, we can probably agree) with a singular goal: To Bring History Alive and share with our visitors the compelling stories of yet another group of surprising and unexpected personages who are buried at this landmark cemetery. Those of us who bring you this annual event – our 28th – are avid historians, all devoted to authenticity of story narrative, costumes and setting. Visitors learn about the cemetery itself, and aspects of our shared history and often its little-known tales. We who volunteer, and those who attend, are believers in what Pulitzer-prize winning author Peter Taylor stated in his novel, A Summons to Memphis: “The past is still real and present.” We want to specifically call out Michael Sonntag's contribution – he and fellow acting coach Blair Baron thoughtfully turned a motley crew of gregarious volunteers and several professional actors into genuine historic personages. The performances were surprising and engaging and, well, just awesome. Our visitors were propelled backwards in time to truly meet each of the artists, musicians, writers – and one spectacular interpretive dancer – in what felt was their time and place. The success of everything else we do -- all the months of preparation and frustratingly hard work -- pivots on the actual experiences of the audience, the interaction with the characters, the emotional reaction to meeting these fascinating people from the past. And this year's portrayals (and scripts, and costumes, and settings) were so varied and captivating – we are running out of adjectives here but really, truly, we want to say “thank you” to all who volunteered for what we think was miraculous work. Coordinators: Laura Meyers and Rina Rubenstein Organizing Committee Members: Elizabeth Fenner, Anne Hakes, Stacy Lumbrezer, Lana Soroko, Michael J. Sonntag, Marius Stelly, and Christie Webb Actors in order of appearance: Carlin Power as Samuel Holland “SH Dudley” Rous, early recording artist who sang "Sweet Adeline" with the Edison Quartet; Anne Hakes as poet and author Alberta Johnston Denis; Zale Johnson as Clyde Grimes, Jr., founder, lead guitarist and singer with The Untouchables mod/ska band; Kito Robinson as Marthesta Robinson Ponder (“Martha Davis”), half of the popular 1950s jive jazz musical comedy duo "Martha Davis and Spouse"; Bill Ratner as Welsh poet and bard Aneurin Jones ("Aneurin Vardd") who also had a somewhat notorious career as the supervising landscape architect for Central Park; Mel Hampton, Sr. as Arthur Laidler MacBeth, pioneering African American photographer and inventor of the MacBeth Daylight Motion Picture Screen; Terrence Butcher as John Curry Spikes, who with brother Reb owned the Spike Bros. Music Store on Central Avenue -- the hub of L.A. black music scene in the 1920s; Christopher Stanley as J. Bond Francisco, the "Dean of Los Angeles Painters" at the turn of the 20th century; Alise Barrett as Zetta Behne Richardson, an artist who specialized in Plein Air landscapes among other oeuvres; Myshell Tabu as Dorothea “Garbo” Durham Kelson, exotic interpretative dancer who appeared in many nightclubs, the movie "Cabin in the Sky", and Duke Ellington's groundbreaking musical revue, "Jump for Joy"; Brittany McClerkin as The Nightclub Columnist And many other helping hands: Chris Barnes, Blaire Baron, Ansley Bell, Geoff Bowen, Paul Brynen, Paula Brynen, SeElcy Caldwell, Chrissy Carr, Michael Chapman, Frank Cooper, Liz Cooper, Suzanne Cooper, Art Curtis, Lora Davis, Lianne Dutton, Chris Eisenberg, Mel Embree, Robin Evangelista, Leslie Evans, Maura Feely, Jean Frost, Julius Galacki, Margaret Gascoigne, Dan Hakes, Phoebe Heywood, Lore Hilburg, Derek Japha, Kim-Lai Jones, Nick Kasparek, Paul King, Sarah Lange, Danny Miller, James Mills, Mitzi Mogul, Lizy Moromisato, Marianne Muellerleile, Natalie Neith, Gisa Nico, Paul Nielsen, Jackie Nunn, Hunter Ochs, Dieter Obeji, Sharon Oxborough, Gail Peterson, Lanna Pian, Carmen Price, Lisa Raymond, Judy Reidel, Becky Rhodes, August Robinson, Maria Ruiz, David Saffer, Lauren Schlau, Flo Selfman, Roland Souza, Terry Speth, Christopher Stanley, Margaret Strong, Chris Taylor, Ed Trosper, Craig Weber, Kenny Wujek, Candy Wynne Thank you to our Patrons: Angelus Rosedale Cemetery History for Hire, prop house extraordinaire United American Costume, resource for historically authentic costumes Mark Arevalo, Southland CD, who provided albums and other materials related to The Untouchables band And the advertisers who support our efforts: Papa Cristo’s, the Blu Elefant Café, and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, located in the Historic West Adams District, 3726 S. Figueroa.
Living History Tour (continued)
Photos: Suzanne Cooper, Frank Cooper, Reggie Jones
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Do you know this house?
Do you know these homes? The photo is labeled “Los Angeles Cal” on the back. The variety of homes is very interesting in that the barriers on either side of the steps are all different on the houses in the foreground. The house closest to the camera seems to have clapboard or shingles alongside its steps, the next house stucco, the next a wooden handrail, and the next brickwork. Some of the homes appear to have a half story with rooms above the first floor, others seem to be only a single story home. The front lawns all have a row of evenly planted palm trees. If anyone knows where this photo was taken, please let us know at news@westadamsheritage.org. We’d love to update our archives.
UPCOMING waha EVENTS
WAHA’s 2017 Holiday Tour
Classified Ads Craftsman style cabinet with a working treadle White brand sewing machine inside. The machine was made in Cleveland, Ohio June 3, 1913. The oak cabinet veneer has some minor damage. The sewing belt is new. Works well as a side board or table. The dimensions are 18” W x 34 1/2 L x 29 “ H. I bought it for $500. Willing to let it go for $400.00. Call Pat and leave a message 310-572-7929 —————————————————————— 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..
Saturday, October 28, 2017 8:00 p.m. 2957 Brighton Avenue Put on your spookiest or prettiest costume and come join WAHA for a party. Robin and Dieter have wonderful Halloween surprises (including a vintage hearse) planned for WAHA 's enjoyment.
This year’s West Adams Heritage Association Holiday Tour will be on December 2nd and 3rd, and will take place on “The Avenues.” Neighbors from 9th Avenue to 12th Avenue have graciously offered to open their doors to our annual progressive dinner, where groups of polite and appreciative, yet possibly hungry, tour-goers are led through a variety of homes and served a variety of courses. This year’s organizers are thrilled to be able to offer homes which have not previously been on a WAHA tour. Tickets will go on sale in early October. The West Adams Avenues is a neighborhood between Adams Boulevard and the Rosa Parks Freeway, and between Arlington and 13th Avenues. It falls within the West Adams Terraces Historic Preservation Overlay Zone. Anyone who cares to volunteer to help with the tour, please contact volunteer@westadamsheritage.org. We can always use docents, servers, food preparers, dishwashers and many other skills on either Saturday or Sunday, December second and third.
Vintage Halloween Party
Please email Suzie at events@westadamsheritage.org if you are interested in hosting any sort of event at your home or if you have an idea for an event you would like us to plan. We’ll do all the work if you just open your home!
What can I say about my various responses to this East Coast Architectural reproduction? I know I am not at Harvard or Princeton or even Venice, Italy, but the buildings are strikingly similar to a Disneyland E ticket ride. Enough fantasies about world travels and Classic Italianate facades. I consider myself an architectural critic, but we must move on. I do think I am a Trader Joe’s aficionado and this TJ’s market is a winner. The parking is very convenient, unlike all the other TJ markets I go to that have limited space. Your only drawback here is that you get one free hour for parking, then it jumps to $5.00 for every additional 30 minutes. There are so far no waiting lines. Shopping carts for the market are conveniently located by the spacious elevators. Once up on the plaza level there is a direct line into the market entrance. The interior layout of the market is very spacious and they have the full range of specialty products offered up by Trader Joe’s. I found that several of my regular products were missing on the grand opening day #2, and I suspect all the students moving in over the weekend wiped them out of most beers and wines and a few Dark Chocolate Bars. One recommendation is to make a shopping list before you go shopping because there are so many products, it is easy to spend more than an hour just looking at them and then your parking validation will have exceeded that first hour. You then pay the penalty. Next door to TJ’s is a pint size Target. The Target store is limited in its selections as compared to its full-size partner in downtown L.A. They do offer a full service CVS Pharmacy in Target. Compared to the CVS at the Gateway Plaza this is ten times easier to use and ten times smaller. Because I went to the first weekend open house celebration there were very few additional businesses open. What I saw was a very cool bike shop and a half-finished Amazon pick-up center for ordering products on line where I assume you could pick up the same day (I have not had a chance to try that yet). There was a health food juice bar in the plaza area with its reflective pools and many gardens. Coming in the next few weeks will be CorePower Yoga, Village Cobbler for reviving those classic older leather wing tips and high heels, Trojan Town for the hardcore USC student or fan, Solé Bicycles (already open to get your bike on or get on your bike—whatever), and FedEx for quick and friendly shipping. Bank of America will relocate in October and move out of their very inconvenient temporary location. I will be returning to the village regularly to shop at Trader Joe’s obviously and also to check out and review some of the 15 eateries opening up in the next few months. Here is a list of the future 15 restaurants opening soon. Honeybird Southern fried chicken like you never had before. Wahlburgers- High quality burgers, I hope! Rance’s Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Trejo’s Tacos Can they compete with Mercado La Paloma’s Chichen Itza? The Baked Bear Ice Cream sandwiches - don’t think of calories just enjoy the sweet sugar high! Barilla Restaurant Yes, finally Italian pasta dishes within walking distance. Dulce From Café Dulce a trendy coffee house with more sweet things. I’m glad that they have a group exercise shop somewhere in The Village. Cava Grill Greek and Mediterranean Eatery. Healthy and also delicious. Who could resist? Greenleaf Gourmet Chop Shop A build it yourself anything goes healthy food place with class. You be the chef. Starbucks Of course! I can’t wait to stand in line for their Mocha Macchiato. SunLife Organics Quintessential SoCal energy food. The Butcher, The Baker, and the Capuccino Maker Brunch & dinner Rock & Reilly’s Irish Pub? Guinness? Is that too much to ask for? Panera Soup and salad specials available all the time. Asian Box Build it yourself healthy meals customized by you. In addition to all of this you can eat alfresco with the large convenient plaza areas plus tables with umbrellas for shade. See you there soon.
Photos: Suzanne Cooper.
Art Curtis is an artist/designer and landscape architectural artist. He and his artist partner have lived in North University Park for 38 years. He is a 4th generation California native and was born in Los Angeles .
Preservation in Retrospect: Looking Back at 2007 and its Lessons
Jean Frost is the current Preservation Committee Chair. Contact her at preservation@westadamsheritage.org.
Wells House, National Register of Historic Places Photo: Jim Childs
There are times when we feel the need to look back and reflect on issues and experiences that WAHAs preservation mission has faced. I experienced a trip down memory lane in reviewing WAHA’s 2007 Newsletters, and what we were attempting that year. Moving historic houses was in the forefront. Eric Bronson succeeded in convincing the LAUSD to cooperate and move or salvage the homes slated for demolition at the new Washington Boulevard School located on Washington just west of Arlington. WAHA toured the houses and made an inventory of houses to move and items to salvage. Preserving on site is always the first preservation preference but, for various reasons when that cannot be achieved, moving a resource to a site where it will be preserved and restored is a positive option - if there are cooperative developers. While the LAUSD initially rebuffed WAHA’ s efforts, with the help of LAUSD School Board member Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte, WAHA and the neighborhood council (UNNC) were able to achieve collaboration. That was not the case in 2007 when the historic 1890 Obee Cottage suddenly disappeared from its site at 1410 West Washington Boulevard. The developer (Anastasi Development) had left it open and a salvage company (four men, a generator and a truck) began to harvest its parts. The police were called but refused to arrest the men because the owner was not present. WAHA was in the midst having the cottage declared an historic cultural monument (HCM.) However shortly thereafter the Obee disappeared. On a happier note, the John Selah Vosburg House at 1201 South Hoover would not be torn down to make a 15 car parking lot for Bethlehem Presbyterian Church as an alternative site was identified thanks to efforts of John Kelley, Jim Grace, Eric Bronson and Laura Meyers along with the assistance of CD1’s planner Guadalupe Duran-Medina. That was also the year that the Felix Chevrolet Sign and Showroom, with WAHA’s full support, was nominated by ADHOC and the Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC) approved its designation as an HCM. This was bravely done by the commissioners in spite of pressure from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and L.A. Council Member Jan Perry. The nomination was “received and filed” at the City Council level, which means the last decision made was the CHC’s, but it was not decisively listed by City Council. It remains a historic property but is not an HCM. As architectural historian Mitzi March Mogul wrote, “The City Council opted to use a mechanism which would, in their eyes, absolve them of responsibility.” 2007 was a tough year. The National Register Wells House at 2317 Scarff Street was demolished by neglect. After decades of neglect by the owner(s) (Joe Hantman, Sonny Salazar), and the failure of the City to require the owners to maintain the historic resource, it was demolished by an alleged arson file. On a happier note, the Glen Lukens-Raphael Soriano house at 3524 West 27th Street was declared an HCM and later beautifully restored. The Cultural Heritage Commission had to tour a site filled with debris and yet was able to envision the residence’s positive future. The Joseph Starr Farmhouse also received HCM designation which helped lead to its award winning restoration by WAHA member David Raposa. The Bank of Tokyo at Crenshaw and Jefferson was proposed for demolition for a surface parking lot. Designed by O’Leary and Teresawa in 1964 in the International Style as a financial institution serving the adjacent Japanese American Community, WAHA argued for its architectural and cultural significance. A compromise was reached that saved the façade and a substantial portion of the building. 2007 also saw the creation of WAHA’s Preservation Award, named after its first recipient Martin Eli Weil. Martin received the award on the steps of the USC Catholic Center, and he was, as usual, pithy in his remarks. Martin was one of Preservation’s leading stars and advocates and his influence grew wide and far. Martin Weil was a leading preservation architect and a founding member and a former president of the Los Angeles Conservancy. He was one of the leaders in the effort to preserve the Los Angeles Central Library downtown. Since 1985 and until his death, he lived in one of the only Greene & Greene-designed craftsman homes in South Los Angeles, and the only one still standing in the City of L.A. Martin passed away in his Greene & Greene designed bungalow in February 2009. Many newer WAHA members did not have the benefit of his charm, erudition and sometimes curmudgeonly take on the perils and foibles of living in a historic neighborhood. He was indeed an original. When he spoke before the PLUM (Planning and Land Use) Committee of LA City Council about the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the restoration, rehabilitation and preservation of historic properties, his testimony was compelling and not easily dismissed. And he generously gave of his time to fight battles for historic preservation. Which brings us to the future and how it be informed by the past. We have a plethora of issues facing us today and affecting the quality of life in West Adams, from the destruction of vernacular architecture to massive changes such as the South Community Plan and its FEIR, the changes in the HPOZ Ordinance, the continuing 50 foot high I-110 concrete Transit way adjacent to St, John’s Cathedral (the Flyover), and the proposed demolition of half of the Flower Drive National Register District. WAHA is up to the challenges with its active Committees, Board and President. As (then) WAHA president Jefferson Davis opined in the April 2007 Newsletter “Our Board is committed to making West Adams the best place to live in Los Angeles….I leave you with one final thought. It’s your community, you can make a difference.
Site of Wells House in streetscape after fire, with adjacent damaged Burkhalter Residence ,Photo: Jean Frost)
The Glen Lukens-Raphael Soriano House Photo: Barry Milofsky, M2A Architects
Felix Chevrolet and Showroom (courtesy Charlie Fisher)
West Adams has a wealth of churches, ranging from grand edifaces to small-but-loudly-fervent storefronts. One of the most spectacular is St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral at 1324 S. Normandie Avenue. The building was designed by architect Gus W. Kalionzes after St. Sophia in Instanbul, but the force (and money) behind the building was Charles P. Skouras, a Greek immigrant who rose from a partnership in a St. Louis nickelodeon to become the powerful president of 20th Century Fox. St. Sophia opened its massive, hand-carved oak doors in 1952. The doors have since been bronzed to protect them from the elements, so their two peacocks drinking from a fountain (an ancient symbol of immortality) now gleam quietly in the Los Angeles sun. Much of the interior art, including the dome with a 27-foot figure of Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of All) blessing the congregation below was painted by William T. Chavalas, head of the decorating department at Fox West Coast theatres from 1941 to 1952. He stated, “I think it’s a myth that artists work on their backs to paint overhead scenes. On that ceiling painting I stood and painted over my head. About 15 men were working with me and we put in six hours a day.” The comparatively tiny saints between the dome’s windows are life-sized mosaic figures installed in 1989 by artist Sirio Tonelli to replace water damaged paintings. The mosaics are barely visible in this interior photo which shows the grandeur of the Theotokos (Mary, Mother of God, more familiar to other traditions as the Madonna) and the elaborate iconostasis or altar screen. One of the best ways to see St. Sophia is during their annual Greek Festival. Be dazzled by the gold interior lavishly filled with icons of saints and angels, hear the history of the church, then enjoy an evening of Greek food, music, dancing, shopping and games. This year’s festival will be Friday, October 6th, from 5:00-11:00 p.m., Saturday, October 7th, from noon to 11:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 8th, from noon to 10:00 p.m. Admission is free on Friday and $5.00 Saturday and Sunday, although the price drops to $3.00 with a coupon that can be found online. Parking can be a problem, so plan to hike, bike or rideshare to the festival. For more information, check their website, http://lagreekfest.com/.
ST. Sophia
— Suzanne Cooper
Photos: Reggie Jones
Although the caption states that the house at 4819 Gramercy Place was built for H. D. Rodgers, his home, which was virtually identical to the one on Gramercy, was actually built at 1749 West 49th.
— Don Lynch
The following article by Ernest McConnell appeared in the Los Angeles Herald of June 28, 1913. As Chief Architect for the Los Angeles Investment Company, Mr. McConnell was responsible for many homes in Los Angeles, as well as commercial buildings. WAHA’s own board member, SeElcy Caldwell, lives in a home designed by McConnell. EXPERT PREDICTS MANY CHANGES IN BUNGALOW BUILDING By Ernest McConnell The modern bungalow, so typical of Southern California because of its airiness, its light construction, its possibilities for out-door sleeping quarters, and the harmony it presents with floral settings, is to the layman one of the most apparently simple forms of home construction. And yet the development of the bungalow type of architecture represents an evolution in which many problems had, one by one, to be solved. Attractive and comfortable as the bungalow of today is, there still remain many points of improvement to be worked out, especially in the matter of roof construction. Later, also, there will be many new features of built-in arrangements until the day comes when by the mere pressing of a button the parlor furniture will disappear into the celling and the bed room sittings come into place. Already the "disappearing” bathroom has been worked out so that the tub vanishes into the wall without derangement of the plumbing. When the Los Angeles Investment company began its activities in Los Angeles Some sixteen years ago, the primitive form of the bungalow and the California cottage were just coming into being. The usual form of architecture, however, was the old-fashioned eastern house and the modified English style of architecture. The bungalow of today was then impracticable and it was not until the long form of bracket supports were devised that bungalow construction was made feasible. This bracket throws all the weight of the upper construction on the end walls and does away with the necessity for the supporting columns that had formerly been in use. The new arrangement also made possible the development of the pedestalled porch of today and the pleasing approaches. Following this structural innovation we took up the Swiss chalet but found that it needed modification. It was too cumbersome and hence too costly. It was not until a system of hollow beams had been devised that the chalet became practicable to Southern California. With the modification it not only became a pleasing style but, furthermore, it gave us the flat roof. From the flat roof we went to the composition roof with the “roll,” an adaptation that has been both effective and utilitarian. The roof with the "roll" was really an idea taken from the Japanese, though they use it differently. Then came the "aeroplane” bungalow—that architectural type that puts a sleeping cupola in the center of the roof and provides the ideal chamber of rest. It gives sleeping quarters open in every direction—a full sweep of the air currents and at the same time is easy of access. When the first of these "aeroplane” bungalows was put up it met with considerable ridicule. It was referred to as "the grain elevator” and by similar names imposed in jest. And yet now this is one of the most popular styles in use in Los Angeles. This aeroplane house needs the development of a new roofing material. When some one shall have prepared a roofing material for flat roofs that will be as satisfactory for houses as are the materials used on large buildings, but much less costly, the aeroplane sleeping room can be so arranged as to have a space around it utilizable for porch purposes. The bungalow idea is, I believe, far from matured and there will be great changes in the years to come. But, imperfect as it may be, it has solved great home-making problems in this section of the continent and has proved so attractive that our plans are copied in every part of the world.
All photos courtesy of Rogue Artists Ensemble
Kaidan Rehearsal - Tracking
— Lisa Raymond
Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin
Kaidan Rehearsal Tom Dang
Wood-Boy-Dog-Fish
Spirit, Brian White
Gogol Project
‘Tis the Season for Scary
“You receive a letter from your childhood friend who is haunted by a mysterious event in your shared past—and she needs your help. When you arrive at her family’s warehouse, you ascend to the sixth floor in a creaking freight elevator, followed by a voice that calls out through the shadows…” This October 13th, at an undisclosed warehouse built in 1927 somewhere in our neighborhood, Rogue Artists Ensemble, a collective of multidisciplinary artists, will present an immersive theatrical experience called “Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin,” produced in association with East West Players, the nation’s premier Asian-American theatre organization. This play is a modern take on the Japanese ghost story, taken from the ancient literary genre, known as Kaidan. It incorporates elements of both 14th century Noh musical theatre and the exaggerated and highly stylized Kabuki theatre as well as with large-scale puppetry, masks, and modern technology to create the immersive world of the performance. There will be several shows a day but the audience will be small. Twelve audience members at a time, move from room to room, story to story, choosing individually, or as a group, which performance to experience. Every room reveals another aspect of the ghost story, which is one of discovery and loss as the main character tries to find her way out of the warehouse. The play examines themes of “identity, new versus traditional beliefs, and the feminine voice,” says Rogue’s Artistic Director, Sean T.Cawelti. “By the end of the performance,” he continues, “each participant will have had a unique experience that will hopefully culminate in a coming together or community moment of sharing with each other after the show.” Rogue Artists Ensemble and East West Players are known for creating “original work and boundary pushing stories,” says Cawelti. Rogue is particularly known for what they call “hyper-theatre,” in which they blend multiple forms of technology and media with various artistic traditions to create a hybrid theatrical experience with an emphasis on design and storytelling. This performance is not for children and it is not recommended for audience members that are not, according to the press release, “comfortable with walking, ducking, navigating small spaces, standing for periods of time, loud noises, moments of complete darkness, being alone,” or just don’t like the horror genre. This being said, Cawelti proudly notes that several matinees have been added specifically designed for people with mobility issues and these performances are wheelchair accessible. This project has been a labor of years of workshopping in various outdoor locations. When the project was finally ready,” Cawelti tells me, “we realized we needed an enclosed space in which we would have more control. We initially looked in Little Tokyo but could not find anything. Then we happened upon West Adams via a friend of a friend and were thrilled to discover that Japanese Americans resided in West Adams and had a strong presence in the community until WWII.” (When Japanese Americans were forced to give up their property and relocate to internment camps.) Rogue Artists Ensemble will also be hosting community puppetry and mask workshops and behind-the-scenes talk backs (limited tickets). These are free or up to $10 for residents of West Adams. You just have to show proof of residency. Generous support for this production is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts; Venturous theatre Fund of the Tides Foundation; City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department; Los Angeles County Arts Commission; City of West Hollywood Arts Commission; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; Japanese Garden in Van Nuys; the Jim Henson Foundation; United Neighborhoods Neighborhood Council; and Macy's. This show previews October 5 and runs until November 5, 2017, with opening night on October 13. The address of the location is “secret” as it is part of the story. Once you buy you tickets online, you will be sent information regarding the performance location. For further information go to https://www.rogueartists.org/kaidan-project/. For questions or help with special needs please call the office at 951-757-5102.
I remember when I was 6 or 7 years old, driving around my hometown – “the old fishing port of Gloucester, Mass” – with my grandparents. I would incessantly point out buildings and houses that caught my interest, asking them how old they thought they were. To shut me up, and get back to more important issues, like gossiping about the less respectable members of the family, whose modest houses we also would also be passing, they would always say something like “real old, I remember that being built when I was in elementary school before World War One.” That would satisfy me for a while until I began to notice that some of the homes had 1730, 1740 etc. in the chimney and after asking my 3rd grade teacher, who verified that these indicated construction dates, I realized that at times I was probably being placated. Not the best way to encourage a budding young architectural preservationist’s curiosity. Later on, when one these old houses was torn down, I remember feeling really sad that a home that had had so many memories for so many generations was gone forever. Needless to say, my family never seemed to notice that they had an unusual kid in the family and I was never sent to a psychotherapist to be cured of these overly emotional reactions. Tonight, based on a casual suggestion by Jim Childs, I checked on a house on Catalina in the Old University district. We had lost our appeal last month to preserve the home, and as I drove down Catalina and looked toward the chain link fence, the bungalow that had sat on that site for exactly 110 years was gone. Further down the block I passed the cleared lot where the Tolchard cottage had stood until a few months ago. In back of the Tolchard cottage there was another recent pile of dusty lumber indicating where another cottage had stood. A familiar sadness came over me again. Having had that experience earlier today I am also aware of the many positive changes occurring. Recently I have noticed more members of the neighborhood councils are showing up at public hearings and speaking of the value and pride that they have in their neighborhood. They are beginning to take a lead in advocacy and bringing fresh new energy into the fight for preservation. Although the number of new challenges have increased recently, we are not backing off. We have new members in WAHA and energetic new members on the board as well. We just sponsored another popular tour last weekend which was a wonderful educational and cultural event, and it brought us positive new attention. We continue to be viewed by the city as an energetic and creative force to be reckoned with and we will continue building that path forward. Roland
Please attend this meeting being held by Congresswoman Karen Bass in our neighborhood: WHAT: “Quiet Skies Meeting” Airplanes over Jefferson Park/West Adams WHERE: Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 WHEN: Saturday morning, October 7, 2017: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM HOW: You can RSVP here or call Congresswoman Karen Bass's office (323) 965-1422. ATTEND THE MEETING AND SHOW CONGRESSWOMAN BASS THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEW SINGLE LANE HIGHWAY OF AIRPLANES OVER OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. As many of us continue to battle excessive airplane noise and pollution, I hope you will join Congresswoman Karen Bass and her special guests City Council President Herb Wesson and Councilmember (CD8) Marqueece Harris-Dawson to discuss strategies to tackle these issues. At this meeting, Congresswoman Bass, along with her guests, will provide us with the most-up-to date information about legislation and other efforts to address the low altitudes, unrelenting frequency, late night flights and other issues that are plaguing neighborhoods in our district.
QUIET SKIES MEETING
Benefactor Circle Lore Hilburg and Reggie Jones Patron Circle Craig Bartelt & Nick Mercado Ellen Farwell John Kurtz Hilary & A.J. Lentini Blake McCormick Ivy Pochoda & Justin Nowell Maryanne Sawoski
Transitioning from Paper to Digital
Heritage Circle Edy & George Alva John H. Arnold & Curt Bouton Barbara Bestor & Tom Stern David Bottjer & Sarah Bottjer Jean Cade Winston Cenac & Alishia Brown Robert Cresswell 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
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
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 Lisa Raymond 323-241-9657 Tours Coordinator Jeff Theer 323-964-9999 Candy Wynne 323-735-3749 President Emeritus John Kurtz 323-481-1753 Advisor Harold Greenberg Legal Advisor 323-732-9536
GWinston Cenac & Alishia Brown Tricia Dillon & Katherine Villarreal Eric Green & Sarah Noonan Susan Helm Dolores Palacio Bill Ratner & Aleka Corwin Lynn Steinberg Jeff Treves & Dana Bigman Reg Hubach Anthony Matt & Jennifer Gabriele Ana & Eric Orvieto
Harry Anderson & Terry Bible Audrey Arlington Albert Aubin Jeffrey & Patricia Baum Paula & Paul Brynen James Cain & Thomas Teves Clare & Michael Chu Rory Cunningham & David Pacheco Art Curtis & Shelley Adler Nicholas Daum Suzanne Dickson & Steven Stautzenbach Tricia Dillon & Katherine Villarreal Dayna Dorris Andrea Dunlop & Max Miceli Nazelie Elmassian Sarah and Charles Evans Craig Fajnor Elizabeth Fenner & Brian 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 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 Rebecca Sekulich Mary Shaifer & Chris Murphy Chris Taylor & Ansley Bell Willie Thomas Stephen Vincent & Jessica McCullagh Lindsay Wiggins Candy Wynne Ashley Wysong & Robert Lobato
New Members
WAHA (and Friends) Calendar Greek Festival Friday, October 6, 2017 5:00-11 p.m. Saturday, October 7, 2017 Noon to 11:00 p.m. Sunday, October 8, 2017 Noon to 10:00 p.m. St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral,1324 S. Normandie Avenue Enjoy Greek food, music and dancing at the annual Greek festival at St. Sophia. Daily admission is $5.00. Parking can be a problem, so plan to hike, bike or rideshare to the festival. For more information, check their website, http://lagreekfest.com/. Quiet Skies Meeting Airplanes over Jefferson Park/West Adams Saturday, October 7, 2017: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 Meeting with Congresswoman Karen Bass about flight paths. RSVP: https://bass.house.gov/quietskiesoct Hollywood Forever Walking Tour Saturday, October 21, 2017 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Noon to 2:30 p.m. $20.00 The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles is offering WAHA members a discounted price of $17.00 for the 11:20 tour. Please enter the code DeMille when you purchase tickets online. www.adsla.org Vintage Halloween Party Saturday, October 28, 2017 8:00 p.m. 2957 Brighton Avenue Put on your spookiest or prettiest costume and come join WAHA for a party. Robin and Dieter have wonderful Halloween surprises (including a vintage hearse) planned for WAHA 's enjoyment.
