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1921: In praise of photographer Margrethe Mather (and Edward Weston)
Edward Weston’s name is one we remember now. In 1921, though, when Larchmont Boulevard was aborning, Edward Weston and Margrethe Mather were tucked away in Weston’s simple (but successful) wooden portrait studio in Glendale. The two photographers had been collaborators since 1913, and would be until 1923. The images they were making together in 1921 […]
Alas, victory of SB 9 and SB 10 will no doubt be a pyrrhic one
One has to hand it to California state Sen. Scott Wiener. After years of failures in the face of fierce political and public resistance, he managed with Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins to drag SB 9 and SB 10 over the finish line just in time for Gov. Gavin Newsom, fresh from his victory […]
A splash of cold witch hazel: Raymond Chandler’s prose
Raymond Chandler, who some people consider the best writer of detective novels in English, didn’t like that sort of hyperbole at all. He thought it was just “critics’ jargon,” this separating works of literature into this sort, or that sort. But last week, bored and recovering from illness, I reached out to my shelf, and […]
On Preservation: Well-heeled hero wanted to free Wright’s tarnished treasure
When Harriett Freeman deeded her home in the Hollywood Hills to the University of Southern California in 1984, she must have thought that she had taken an action to ensure its preservation and protection. Built in 1924, the rare architectural treasure was designed for Samuel and Harriett Freeman by none other than America’s most renowned […]
Pinewood Derby spotlights craftsmanship as well as racing
LISTON SPEEDWAY, Larchmont — Despite a strong surge from Jace Kim’s yellow Spiderman car, Jaden De Guzman’s blue and red Streak held the lead in the final race to remain undefeated the entire day in Cub Scout Pack 16’s Bear and Wolf combined-dens Pinewood Derby at Liston Speedway in the heart of Larchmont on May […]
The Nimby Diaries: Homes end homelessness — we need to say ‘yes’ to new housing
Recent polling found 66% of California voters (54% of whom were Republicans) approve of a bill to amend the California Constitution to establish a fundamental human right to housing. So, how is California doing — housing our residents? Sadly, Los Angeles allowed the population of the unhoused to escalate to crisis levels before taking action. […]
