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St. James’ awarded National Fund for Sacred Places grant
When I decided to send my sons to St. James’ Episcopal School, I knew little about the church itself or the parish. The school, founded in 1968, had grown to become a neighborhood institution, to which many of the residents of Windsor Square, Hancock Park, Koreatown and adjacent neighborhoods have sent their children for elementary […]
Century’s best film tells of model turned WWII photographer
Lee (10/10): 116 minutes. R. This isn’t just one of the best movies I’ve seen this year, it’s one of the best of the century. Lee Miller (Kate Winslet) was born in 1907 and became a prominent model for many magazines, including Vogue. Because she was a vibrant, ambitious woman, she tired of modeling, moved […]
Locals of all ages train at Tiger Boxing Gym on Gardner Street
On a slow weekday morning, walking through the shady Gardner Street neighborhood, I passed an open storefront with a boxing ring inside. This was just off Melrose Avenue. The proprietors — a married couple — were sitting outside on a bench, and the woman asked if I had ever boxed. I told her I hadn’t, […]
Preservation is not a problem; it’s a tool to protect community
At the time of this writing, Assembly Bill 2580 sits on the governor’s desk awaiting his august signature. AB 2580, as some of you may know from the email blasts received from preservation organizations and neighborhood associations, is a piece of legislation sponsored by CAL YIMBY (an anti-single-family, “yes in my backyard” advocacy group). The […]
ABBA, Sinatra, JFK, influential architect revealed in new releases
ABBA Forever: The Winner Takes It All (10/10): 51 minutes. Ovid.tv. Sept. 6. The music created by the Swedish group ABBA was captivating and fabulous. But it was not an easy road to even get recognized. I saw the stage play “Mamma Mia,” based on their music, in Los Angeles before it appeared on Broadway. […]
A lot to look forward to with 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games
I was impressed with the millennials at the Paris Olympics. Of course there were a few older athletes from Generation X, and some Gen Z up-and-comers, but the bulk of the competitors were born between 20 and 30 years ago. Just over 10,000 athletes participated in the Paris Olympics, and 595 represented the United States. […]
