Block party; Plymouth School; Women’s Empowerment Movie
It was billed as “It’s a Wrap! The Last Brookside Block Party,” but residents are hoping that not to be the case. On Sept. 28, Brookside held its 43rd annual block party on Tremaine Avenue, the
PENELOPE HELPERN of Rimpau Boulevard hits the face-painting bonanza with twirls and swirls.
longest continuously running block party in the city (minus the COVID interruption). As families have grown and moved on, or just plain grown older, it has been
FATHER AND SON, Matthew and Jacob Ladner get in on the block party fun!
difficult to find volunteers to replace the stalwarts who have loyally stepped-up year after year. The good news is that the success of this year’s block party, filled with face painters, a
OWEN AND REATHA SMITH are all smiles after Owen is presented with flowers for his decades of service to the Brookside community.
BROOKSIDE RESIDENTS Tony Gittelson, Vivian Gueler, Pete Sepenuk, and Amy Lemisch enjoy Pink’s hot dogs and a cold drink.
potluck, Pink’s hotdogs, a bounce house, and lots of good fun, has encouraged fresh voices and younger residents to step in and consider taking over
the reins.
ARCHIE ABRAMSON and Jesiah Shepherd show off their fabulous face paint.
There was much chatter about new ideas, and all in attendance realized the importance of this annual community gathering. Over the years, the block party has featured pet contests, pie-eating contests, dessert contests, a teen “game room,” live bands, DJs, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Hawaiian dancers, costume contests, homemade BBQ, and more.
This year, each attendee was asked to bring a potluck dish that would serve 10 to 12 people.
Every household also received two free tickets for Pink’s hotdogs. Neighbors brought appetizers, main dishes, salads, desserts, and beverages.
Tremaine was taken over by tables and chairs for lounging and eating, a bounce house for little ones who wanted to get some energy out, children running freely in the street, and dogs who were just happy to be there!
Safe to say, it was a rollicking good time, and everyone wants it to continue. Stay posted a year from now to see the results of this reinvigorated community, and to see the fresh ideas that will (hopefully!) be born out of the changing of the guard!
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FORMER TEACHER Fran Hentz gets a hug from former student Giacomo Lovatelli.
Plymouth School parents, teachers and neighborhood supporters showed up at the home of Brookside resident Megan Drynan to celebrate 53 years of the play-based school’s commitment to early childhood education within the community. The annual Fiesta Fundraiser, on Oct. 16, helped raise money to support this local 501(c)(3) bedrock neighborhood school, which has educated a good percentage of Larchmont area kids for decade upon decade.
CURRENT PARENTS enjoy an evening of food, drink, and friendship while celebrating 53 years of The Plymouth School.
BOARD MEMBER and former school director Diana Conforti, Debra Lovatelli, and former teacher Donna Marie Carolan catch up at the Plymouth School annual Fiesta.
ATTENDEES Nicola Butler, Claudia Frank, Sarah Chon, and Marisa Wolf enjoy food and friendship at the Plymouth School annual fall Fiesta.
The party was a chance for parents and teachers, including former teachers and board members, to socialize and connect as their little ones at home slept soundly in their beds. Guests enjoyed a catered Mexican food spread, including tacos, rice, beans, guacamole, and all the fixins. The evening also featured a raffle, with donations from Larchmont Wine & Cheese, Dyptique, M Special Beer Company, Flicka, and the highlight: a two hour tour of L.A. in a vintage 1971 Chevrolet Impala convertible, with late councilman Tom LaBonge’s son Charles LaBonge as the tour guide!
Attendees included George Hawley, who was in the first graduating class at Plymouth, and former teachers Fran Hentz and Donna Marie Carolan, who taught at the school for 33 and 15 years, respectively.
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“SHOW HER THE MONEY” creator and author Catherine Gray (from left), executive producers Dawn Lafreeda, and Sharon Gless.
The West Hollywood City Council Chamber was filled with a standing-room-only crowd to celebrate the launch of L.A. Tech Week. Women’s Empowerment Movie Day on Oct. 11, which celebrated women’s leadership, innovation, and equality across film, tech, and venture capital was first up on the agenda.
The event opened with a morning meet-and-greet and book signing with “Cagney & Lacey,” and “Queer as Folk” star Sharon Gless, a Los Angeles native and Hancock Park alum. Gless wrote the forward and narrated the audio version of the book “Show Her the Money” written by Catherine Gray, executive producer and producer of the same named book and documentary, revealing the realities women face in raising venture capital.
Gless also received the Legacy Impact Award, recognizing her acting career and decades of LGBTQ+ advocacy. “Sharon has used her voice and her art to open doors for others,” said Gray. “She represents the courage, passion, and integrity that continue to drive this movement forward.”
Additional screenings included “Lilly,” and “Still Working 9 to 5,” two films that focus on the struggle for workplace equality. The coffee table book expands the message of the “Show Her the Money” documentary, spotlighting more than 30 women who are rewriting the rules of business and finance. “This isn’t just about money,” said Gray. “It’s about equality, opportunity, and giving women the power to lead and invest.”
And now you’re in the Larchmont know!
Category: People
