People
Ko brings Bespoke Beauty to Larchmont
Makeup maven Toni Ko may have made her fortune in cosmetics, but she is also in the business of happiness. She painted her Bespoke Beauty Brands building, 320 N. Larchmont Blvd., a pastel shade reflective of her brand. “Pink is a happy color,” she says. And, in case anyone misses the subliminal message, she added […]
If you build it, they will come: St. Brendan Basketball
I never played basketball as a youth, so it was quite a learning experience when my friend Joe Byrne invited me to be his assistant coach on the Saint Brendan Basketball Association (SBBA) teams on which our sons were members. During one of the two seasons we coached together, the squad went undefeated, then it […]
Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Newstat, Chevalier’s manager, 72
Elizabeth “Liz” Clare Newstat, Hancock Park, passed away last month. She was 72. A long time employee and manager at Chevalier’s Books on Larchmont Boulevard, Newstat was considered the local aficionado on all things literary. Some of her work included selecting books for Chevalier’s, meeting with publishers and planning author events, as well as the […]
‘Professor Know-It-All’ knew it all for 32 years at Chronicle
Last month was the final installment of William Bentley’s “Professor Know-It-All” column. Bentley has been answering queries regarding word and phrase etymology for Larchmont Chronicle readers for 32 years. Bentley first pitched the idea to Jane Gilman, founder and former publisher of the Chronicle, because he thought the paper needed something lighthearted and fun. The […]
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 […]
