Archive for December, 2020
A quick trip through Los Angeles history with Wayne Ratkovich
Wayne and Jo Ann Ratkovich have lived in Windsor Square and Hancock Park (and Windsor Square again) for most of the past 50 years. Wayne has become a “famous real estate developer,” especially because of his interest in historic preservation. (He preceded me in serving a nine-year term as a Trustee of the National Trust […]
21-year-old makes fashion-forward twist for 1960s Contempo Casuals
Stylish women, popular girls, Cher Horowitz from the 1995 movie “Clueless” and every fashionista in between during the late 20th century flocked to Contempo Casuals, a pioneering giant in fast-fashion clothing. Both the brand’s future and aspects of its history are tied to Hancock Park. Los Angeles couple Dottie and Wil Friedman founded the clothing […]
Larchmont Blvd. grapples with multiple matters
As 2021 approaches, merchants on Larchmont Boulevard continue to defend against challenges. Village Pizzeria Steve Cohen, proprietor of Village Pizzeria for 24 years, told the Chronicle that the existing problems in being a merchant on Larchmont are exacerbated by the new pandemic-related regulations. “With limited staff and the physical, mental and emotional strain this has […]
Hugh Wilton remembers ‘the jungle’
Hugh Wilton was five years old when his family moved across the street from the Wood family compound, the present-day Harold A. Henry Park in Windsor Village. (See Oct. 2020 Larchmont Chronicle story in Section 2, Page 8.) Wilton remembers playing with neighborhood kids in what they called “the jungle,” an overgrown area that was […]
Home at 361 N. Citrus Ave., one year later
The reaction throughout Los Angeles to the sudden demolition last year of an historic 1927 Tudor-style home at 361 N. Citrus Ave., on the southwest corner of Oakwood Ave., was like a roar of outrage that echoed everywhere. Tinyurl.com/y2j8s5xq is just one example. There are nearly 100 other online references to the destruction of the […]
Renderings released for historic Rossmore project
The final design and first architectural renderings have been released for the “reconfiguration” of an historic Hancock Park apartment building located on Rossmore Avenue opposite the Wilshire Country Club. The building, 410 N. Rossmore Ave., will get a new lease on life by way of an extensive restoration project that will see seismic safety upgrades, […]
