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 The
Deadline

www.thearroyosecojournal.com
Journal
Arroyo
Seco
Did you know that the city
of Rome has no skyline?
Something about no build-
ing being higher than the
Serving the communities of Northeast Los Angeles Basilica of St. Peter’s. Here
in Northeast LA, we have
is published by no such dilemma. There
The Verdugo Group may be some ordinance
PO Box 50236 involving the height of Fol-
Los Angeles, CA 90050 USA liero’s Pizza, we’re still look-
Editorial: 323.434.1478 ing into that. We bring this up because this issue
SKYPE: eddietor323 is all about landmarks, of which we have several.
Advertising:: 323.434.1478 And we’re not even talking about Chicken Boy.
News Editor Margaret Arnold takes a look at
www.thearroyosecojournal.com
the increasing number of new landmarks here
•
in the neighborhood, and one that’s getting an
Serving the communities of overhaul. That’s in our cover story.
Northeast Los Angeles and beyond And did you know that Highland Park used
• to have nearly half a dozen movie theatres back
Publisher/Editorial Director in the day? Actually, before back in the day. We’ll
Edward Rivera take a look at whats become of those buildings.
And if it’s June, it’s time for Lummis Day,
News Editor Northeast LA’s favorite holiday. No big head-
Margaret Arnold liner this year, but lots and lots of music, dance,
culture, art and poetry, all just down the street at
Heritage Square June 5. Read about it inside.
Sales Manager
We also head south this issue to Palos
Deborah Ray Verdes and the former site of Marineland of the
Pacific, where travel writer Candace Merrill takes
Art & Design us with her to Terranea, a spectacular resort right
John Bowers off the ocean, and worlds away from Division
Street.
Music There’s also Wheel Life, with a fast red car,
Rupert Pupkin Gizmotics with cool travel gadgets and of course,
“Just Ask Me,” your answer to nearly everything.
It all begins on the other side of this page. I’ll
Contributing Writers
see you there.
David Auslender, Mark Barawitz,
Ronald Bello, Karen Daly, Candice Merrill, Everything,
Jack Neworth, Jessica O’Byrne, Linda Overly,
Ashley Sifer
Edward Rivera
Photography Editorial Director
Joel Monroy, Art Villanueva, Caryn Gilbert Arroyo Seco Journal

The Arroyo Seco Journal magazine is a proud
member/supporter of The Highland Park Chamber
of Commerce, The Eagle Rock Chamber of Com-
merce, The NELA Rotary Club, TERA, The Highland
Park Heritage Trust, The Lummis Day
Community Foundation, NELA Art, The Arroyo Arts
Collective, the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts, and the
Rock Rose Gallery.

4—Arroyo Seco Journal


Leigh Adams demonstrates the art of creating with glass during NELAart Second
Saturday Gallery Night. Adams’ work is featured this month at The Glass Studio on York Boulevard.
Local News
Reduce, Reuse And Recycle
Open House Planned
Northeast L.A. residents are invited to
learn about “Reducing, Reusing and
Recycling” at a Los Angeles Bureau of
Sanitation open house, Saturday, June 4,
9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the bureau’s North Central
District Yard, 452 N. San Fernando Road.
“The Open House showcases
Sanitation’s residential collection
programs and raises awareness of
reducing, reusing and recycling by
making real the connections to the
economic, environmental and social
benefits of reducing waste,” said Cynthia
Ruiz, president of the Board of Public
Works and Northeast resident
The open house will include
equipment demos and facility tours,
information, a used tire collection, games,
refreshments and a visit from the City’s
recycling mascots, Mr. Recycle and Robo
Blue. Fruit and shade trees, as well as
tree mulch and compost from the City’s
green waste program, will be available to
city residents on a first-come, first-served
basis. Kids will receive small vegetable
plants to take home and transplant.
May/June 2011
Create a Low-Water Garden
Learn how to create a low water, drought-
tolerant garden for your home at the next
meeting of the Glassell Park Improvement
Association.
Glassell Park resident Leigh Jer-
rard of Greywater Corps will demonstrates
the benefits of using grey water to irrigate
your gardens. Then, The Theodore Payne
Foundation will give a presentation on
native, drought tolerant plants and land-
scaping.
There will also be updates from
the offices of elected officials and the
LAPD’s Northeast Division. Thursday, May
19, 7 p.m. Glassell Park Community and
Senior Center at Public Storage, 3750 Ver-
dugo Road (at Eagle Rock Boulevard., next
to the Rec Center pool).
‘Laws of Attraction’
Apply at ERCFA
A new exhibit at the Center for the
Arts, Eagle Rock explores the invisible
connection represented in the visual art
of artist couples. All of the participating
artist couples are Northeast Los Angeles
residents, and each couple’s works
hang face-to-face, inviting comparisons
and reflections. A variety of media are
represented, including Photography,
Ceramics, Drawing, Sculpture, Textile Art,
Painting and Mixed Media and Digital
Art.
Artists include Carl Smith and
the late Donald Krieger, Brian and Mary
Jean Mallman, Cidne Hart and Kevin
Haas, Marcos Lutyens and Yi Ping Hau,
Jeff Klarin and Rebecca Johnson, Jamison
Carter and Margaret Griffith, Samatha
Fields and Andre Yi, John O’Brien and
Cielo Pessione. There is an accompanying
documentary by film makers and couple
Barbara Green and Michell Boyaner.
The exhibit is curated by Renee
Dominique. It will be on view through
June 17.
Pictured: works by Brian Mallman
and Mary Jean Mallman.
Art Walkin’ the Brewery
Twice a year the occupants of the world’s
largest arts colony, The Brewery, located
in Lincoln Heights, open their doors to
the public for an ArtWalk. For a five-
May/June 2011 —5
NEL Aar t

minute recap of seven hours of the Brewery experience,

visit LINK. The next Brewery ArtWalk will be in the October.
(Pictured: Kevin Rolly.)

Atwater Art Walk

GALLERY
N I G H T

The first annual Atwater Art Walk, coordinated by the

Northland Village Church, took place along Glendale
Boulevard May 14. The event featured an art show,
children’s activities and live music at several boulevard
locations.

The Arroyo Seco Journal on Video!

This issue features a lot more photos than we could ever
hope to publish, but thanks to the mysterious alchemy
of the Internet , we ‘ve published video siideshows of
our major stories this month, including the Landmarks
of Northeast LA, Historic Theatres and various art shows
and round-ups.
You can view them all by visiting our blog at
www.arroyosecojournal.blogspot.com, and on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/arroyosecojournal
May/June 2011 -—7
 NELA Gourmets on Wheels

8—Arroyo Seco Journal

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May/June 2011 —9
 Lights, Camera...
NELA!
Now that Northeast Los Angeles’ new
high school (Central High School 13,
aka Taylor Yards High School) is almost
complete, it is time to decide who is
going to run it. Six educator-created
proposals are in the running for five
slots on the Glassell Park campus.
The facility, located just west
of San Fernando Road off of Division
Street, features five separate small
school sites co-housed on one property.
It is scheduled to open in the Fall of this
year.
The new public high school will
be the first ever located in Glassell Park
and will be convenient for residents of
Atwater Village, Cypress Park and Elysian
Valley as well. It has been badly needed
for several generations. Local students
have had to walk or ride the bus to Eagle
Rock, Marshall, Franklin and Lincoln
High Schools. Those schools have been
seriously overcrowded. Plus, students
have been forced to commute through
dangerous competing gang territories
just to get to school.
Central High School 13 is also
providing an opportunity for educators
to craft innovative, challenging and
engaging ways of learning.
“The district is open to new
approaches to instruction,” said Los
Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
Superintendent Ramón Cortines in
announcing the submission process,
“and committed to providing a range
of choices for students and parents.
The goal is providing a high quality
education for all children who live within
the boundaries of LAUSD.”
“They want to feel like citizens
of the world,” says Friends of Taylor Yards
High School convener and Glassell Park
resident Alisa Smith of local students,
“and they want the tools that help them
feel that way.”
Two of the proposals for the
new high school are from existing
independent charter school chains. Four
were submitted by a collaborative of
teachers from area public high schools.
The small school selection
process came about as a result of the
“Public School Choice Resolution,”
proposed by local Northeast L.A.’s Board
of Education representative Yolie Flores
Aguilar and passed by the Los Angeles
Unified School District Board in 2009.
The resolution directed the district to
support “school transformation efforts”
for low performing schools (known as
Focus Schools). It also extended the
process to new campuses built with
voter-approved bond funds to relieve
overcrowding at other schools, which
is where Central High School 13 comes
into the picture.
The application process was
open to a variety of entities with an
interest in the education of young people.
Serious work went into the preparation
of applications. The proposals run 150+
pages each in length.
There were 16 applicants for the
five slots as of the deadline for letters of
intent last summer. The number shrunk
to six when it came time to submit
complete proposals by a December
deadline.
“It’s been an arduous process
in addition to working full time,” says
Marshall High School teacher Dain
Olsen, part of the teacher collaborative’s
ArtLAB proposal. “We proposed a school
from top to bottom.”
Independent Charter Schools
(see accompanying articles about
Alliance College-Ready Public Schools
and Partnerships to Uplift Communities)
are defined by the district as fully
 Highlighting Northeast
LA’s Local Landmarks Story and photos by Margaret Arnold
True, Northeast Los Angeles commu-
nities are L.A.’s original suburbs, and
L.A.’s original arts enclaves. But say
you’re passing through—by car or
by Gold Line or by bicycle. How are
you to know that you are someplace
special—someplace worth spending
some time to shop, eat, see art, hike
or bike?
NELA neighborhoods are roll-
ing out the red carpet with a series
of eye-grabbing projects. In some
cases, the projects are made possible
by government agencies. In all cases,
they incorporate the work of local
artists and have come about as the
result of uncountable hours put in by
local residents.
Not much land dedication has
been necessary—a geyser of water
shoots into the air from a street cor-
ner, a sign is relit on a historic build-
ing. But all of the projects tell visitors
that they have arrived someplace
that has a history filled with color,
someplace with a present filled with
art, someplace occupied by people
who care about the neighborhoods
in which they live.
The Highland Theatre Sign:
The day the Metro Rail Gold Line
opened in 2003, Northeast L.A. resi-
dents and visitors stood in long lines
to experience the new transit option.
That evening, a crowded train pulled
into the Highland Park Station. Safe
to say, a number of the riders had
never experienced much of Highland
Park before.
“Look!” passengers gasped.
The Highland Theatre sign was
glowing in the night sky.
In the eight years since, the 502
light bulbs on the classic theatre sign
have done what light bulbs do—
they’ve burned out.
But on May 17, the sign will
glow again, thanks to the efforts of
a small group of local activists who
have made it happen, and thanks to
a large number of individuals and
community organizations who have
contributed money and adopted in-
dividual letters.
The relighting of the Highland
Theatre sign will take place May 17
at 7 p.m. The switch will be flipped
up the street at the Old LA Farmers
Market, on Marmion Way at Avenue
57, right by the Highland Park Gold
Line Station. The event is sponsored
by the North Figueroa Association,
and the public is most welcome to at-
tend.
The Figueroa corridor was once
dotted with movie theatres. The
Highland Theatre is the only one left.
The Highland Theatre dates to
1924. According to local preservation
consultants Nicole Possert and Frank
Parrello, the building’s dramatic sign
is notable for several reasons. It is the
largest and most visible rooftop sign
in Highland Park. It is a representative
example of the first type of electrical
signage. And it is one of only two
incandescent bulb signs still in use
on historic Route 66 in Los Angeles.
The sign’s 502 exposed incandescent
bulbs spell out “Highland” in green
and “Theatre” in clear bulbs.
The grand opening of the High-
land Theatre took place on March
5, 1925. Moving pictures were still a
fairly new art form, and 1925 was a
pivotal year. Charlie Chaplin released
“The Gold Rush,” with its famous
scene in which the endearing Little
Tramp character is forced to eat his
boot for dinner. The “Phantom of the
Opera,” one of the first horror films,
caused audiences to scream at the
sight of the disfigured Phantom. “The
Big Parade,” with its realistic depiction
of the horrors of World War I, became
the highest grossing silent film in
movie history.
Attending a movie was a ma-
jor event in 1925. Sweaty storefront
movie houses were being replaced
with “movie palaces.” The small High-
land Park Theatre in the 5600 block
of Pasadena Avenue (now North
Figueroa Street) was gone. The 1,432
seat Highland Theatre now dominat-
ed the Highland Park skyline.
The grand opening of the High-
land Theatre was an event fitting for a
movie palace. Famous actress Norma
Shearer came to Highland Park for a
personal appearance at the event.
The opening night film was “The
Lady of the Night,” in which Shearer
played a double lead role (“Two girls
loved him/one was a lady of luxu-
ry/the other was a /LADY OF THE
NIGHT”).
But moving pictures were not
the only entertainment to be found in
movie palaces. There was live enter-
tainment as well. In addition to “The
Lady of the Night,” opening night at
the Highland featured Vaudeville
performances. A theater-goer in the
age of silent films was apt to see sing-
ers, musicians, comedians, circus acts
February/March 2011 —11
 and popular Kiddie Reviews. The theatres often opened their

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doors for local events, everything from charity fundraisers to
regional meetings of women’s clubs.
The Highland Theatre was originally part of the West Coast
Theater chain. West Coast Theatres was a young but rapidly
hannels
Over 100 c
expanding company. The Highland was one of 15 theatres

1
West Coast opened in Los Angeles in 1925. A few years later,
West Coast merged with Fox Theatres, and the Highland was
operated for many years as a Fox West Coast Theatre. (It is

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now privately owned.)
2899%:%8"";%+<06=;%>.67%?@81 The theater building itself, a City of Los Angeles Historic
Cultural Monument, was designed by a noted theatre archi-
tect, Lewis A. “L.A.” Smith. Smith designed 28 theaters in

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opened a few months after The Highland, and the Vista at
Sunset Junction, which had opened a couple of years before.
Smith was also known for his automobile showroom de-
signs.
The theatre was constructed at a time when the nature
of Main Street U.S.A. was in a state of flux. In 1924, Henry Ford
had been turning out assembly-line produced automobiles
for a decade, and car culture was taking hold. The sign on top
of the Highland Theatre is not visible from the sidewalk di-
rectly in front of the building. It is meant to catch the eye of
the motorist approaching from up the street.
Car culture took a huge step forward when North
!"#"$%&'()*+',-.%/$%#+')00+1'1+23"1+4'567*)/$8'9)**"$*+/$'%/-'91+-"$'23%&"0"9%$")/:';0'4+1."9+'"4'$+1*"/%$+-'<+0)1+'$8+'+/-')0'9)**"$*+/$='%'9%/9+&&%$")/'0++')0'>?@A*)/$8'
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that brought immigrants and visitors to California from 1931
B"$8'E%C+1&+44'R"&&"/#:'(RLU='N"/+*%TU'%/-'1+&%$+-'98%//+&4'%/-'4+1."9+'*%1H4'%1+'$8+'C1)C+1$D')0'()*+'R)T'L00"9+=';/9:'F(LVW;XY'%/-'1+&%$+-'*%1H4'%1+'$1%-+*%1H4')0'
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R1+%H-)B/')0'>@[Q'4"#/'3C'<)/34'%4'0)&&)B4S'P'X)/$84')0'*)."+'98%//+&4'"/9&3-"/#'(RL'%/-'F8)B$"*+S'>\P:]6'^'N"/+*%T'0)1'%'D+%1'0)1'%'C+//D'>?@@:\['_1+23"1+4'91+-"$'9%1-'
The movie palaces brought the grandeur of Hollywood
%3$)C%D'%/-'C%C+1&+44'<"&&"/#`'^'>?@'91+-"$'C+1'*)/$8'0)1'?5'*)/$84S'>?\Q'_1+23"1+4'23%&"0D"/#'C1)#1%**"/#='91+-"$'%*)3/$'.%1"+4'<%4+-')/'4+&+9$")/4`'^'O1++'!(,756',9$".%$")/'
>]]:QQ'^']'*)/$84')0'!"#"$%&'()*+'E1)$+9$")/'E&%/'>@P:]?'a'>@[5:[5 to quiet suburban and Middle American communities. Auto-
mobiles and Route 66 took Americans toward Tinseltown and
12—Arroyo Seco Journal the Land of Sunshine. The Highland Theatre is reflective of a
time when communities like Highland Park were becoming,
in a sense, shared space. BOB TAYLOR
“The Highland Theatre rooftop sign is a local treasure,”
says Figueroa Street resident and business owner Amy In-
PROPERTIES, INC.
ouye, co-coordinator, with Nicole Possert, of the sign project. 323-257-1080
“Its relighting is a symbol of community pride. Many individu-
als and local groups have contributed to the relighting fund, 5526 North Figueroa Street
showing how valuable we think it is. It represents Highland
Park’s ‘sense of place,’ and it also highlights the commercial
Highland Park, CA 90042
corridor and Figueroa Street’s Historic Route 66 history.”
Route 66 in Highland Park hasn’t always had the P.R. buzz that
the famous highway has had in other parts of the country,
or even in other parts of California. That may be about to
change.
The Highland Theatre sign restoration is an initial step
in a long-term project to bring back local Route 66 roadside
signs and attractions. Next up: the Manning’s Coffee Store
sign atop what is now Las Cazuelas Restaurant will be relit
later this year.
“The efforts of the project team to restore the historic
Highland Theatre and Manning’s Coffee Store signs are to
be commended,” says Kaisa Barthuli, New Mexico-based Pro-
gram Manager for the National Park Service Route 66 Corri-
dor Preservation Program, who will be in Highland Park for
the sign relighting. “These signs were in operation during the
long period that Figueroa Street was commissioned as U.S.
Highway 66, bringing character and brilliance to the busy
commercial corridor. Restoring them reinvigorates Highland
Park’s unique and special qualities and pays tribute to the
community’s commercial and automobile heritage.”

Highland Theatre sign community partners:

H sponsored by The Highland Park Heritage Trust
I sponsored by The Highland Park Heritage Trust
G sponsored by The Uptown Gay and Lesbian Alliance
H sponsored by many individual donations
L sponsored by Sharon Lilly & Joan Potter
A sponsored by Louisa Van Leer & Rodney Ascher & Family (A”
is for the Awesome baby Anton Ascher)
N sponsored by The Historic Highland Park Neighborhood
Council
D sponsored by The Northeast Democratic Club
Jordinelli and Associates and Bob Taylor Properties, Inc. have
joined forces to create the premier independent real estate
brokerage in Northeast Los Angeles.
Each and every member of our staff is an expert real estate
professional, with the kind of knowledge that is gained by
working through numerous real estate market cycles.

T 10th anniversary gift to Tom Marble from Pae White Whether you are buying or selling, we can offer skilled
H sponsored by The Historic Highland Park Neighborhood understanding, trusted advice and a calm voice of reason.
Council
E sponsored by the Ebell Club of Highland Park View all of our listings at www.Bob-Taylor.com
A sponsored by Arroyo Apartments, Adam Bray-Ali
T sponsored by Robert Carey & Katrina Webb, Sotheby’s Inter- View community events and commentary at www.NelaLive.net
national Realty
R sponsored by Rita Baird View open houses and market stats at www.TaylorHotSheet.com
E sponsored by Councilperson Ed Reyes, CD1
Learn about foreclosure at www.LosAngelesForeclosure.info
BesidesA the
city support from
view from locals, the
Montecito Route
Heights on66 project is made
a day
possible by a grant from the National
when fires painted the skies. Park Service Route 66 Learn about buying your first home at
Corridor Preservation Program. www.RealEstateHomeBuyersGuide.com
Donations are still happily accepted
Photo for a theatre
by Scott Rubelsign mainte-
• Flickr
nance fund and for the relighting of the Manning’s sign. Visit Learn about our intensive marketing at
futurestudio.typepad.com/highland_park_lights/. www.WeMarketRealEstate.com

May/June 2011 —13


Confluence Plaza:
In April of 2010, the Arroyo Seco
Journal reported on major changes
in the works for the Cypress Park/Lin-
coln Heights/Elysian Valley gateway
intersection of North Figueroa Street/
San Fernando Road/Riverside Drive.
Now, one year later, Phase 1 of the
intersection make-over is complete.
On March 30, community members
gathered on its northeast corner for
the dedication of Confluence Plaza.
The dominant feature of the new
plaza is a major water feature. At the
dedication, politicians and activists
flipped a giant switch, causing gey-
sers of water to burst forth from the
ground to the accompaniment of the
Northeast L.A.’s Santa Cecilia Orches-
tra. The dignitaries had barely retired
to their refreshments when neigh-
borhood children began showing up
on bicycles, anxious to get soaked on
a warm Spring evening.
The Plaza dedication was hosted
by The Santa Monica Mountains Con-
servancy, The Mountains Recreation
and Conservation Authority, City
Councilmember Ed Reyes and the
office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa.
Confluence Plaza is located near
the confluence of the Los Angeles
River and the Arroyo Seco. It also
sits on the confluence of two worlds.
When looked at from one direction,
the backdrop to the water geysers
is the southeastern end of the Santa
Monica Mountains. When viewed
from another direction, the back-
drop is a freeway interchange and a
Home Depot parking lot. 125 species
of birds call local river-side communi-
ties home. Yet the site is at a junction
of some of L.A.’s most densely popu-
lated residential neighborhoods. The
dedication of the plaza marked a
180-degree turnaround for a former
brownfield site on a scrap of land un-
der two freeways.
Confluence Plaza was designed
by landscape architect Mia Lehrer.
The project was shepherded by The
Mountains Recreation and Conserva-
tion Authority’s Barbara Romero. The
water feature was designed by WET.
There is much more to come, includ-
ing the installation of a major piece of
public art right in the middle of the
intersection.
In the meantime, water shows
take place on the hour. The public is
welcome to get wet.
The home of the Zuniga Family, on Marmion Way between Avenue 54 and Avenue 55, has
been turned into a “Home as Canvas.” More than a mural, the entire house is now
evocative of the Zunigas’ Nicaraguan heritage, with tropical plants; Nicaragua’s national bird,
the Motmot, and poetry by acclaimed Nicaraguan poet Giocon-
Please turn to page 16

May/June 2011 —15

 Luis Ituarte, has a history of involve- was also a donation from the Wal-
Home As Canvas: ment with Avenue 50 Studio. And it Mart Store in Duarte and additional
was Avenue 50 Studio Director Kathy support provided by The Marmion
What many people know of High- Gallegos who suggested Marmion Way and Avenue 56 Neighborhood
land Park is limited to what they see Way as a site for Casas Arte. Watch.
though the windows of Gold Line The completion of the Zuniga
trains. Between the Highland Theater home marked the end of phase one An Urban Forest
sign on the north and the Southwest of the project. Phase two is about to
Museum to the south, the trains slow begin with the painting of another A group of local residents has come
down through an above ground, nar- house on Marmion Way. together as an Urban Forest Collab-
row residential corridor. And that lit- Govine Ituarte says that the plan orative to bring trees to local boule-
tle corridor, along Marmion Way, is— is to eventually have ten “Home as vards. New trees now fill wells where
old trees have been lost in Highland
Park and in Eagle Rock, and more are
on the way.
The trees are drought tolerant,
The home of the Zuniga Family, on Marmion Way between and their canopies, as the trees ma-
ture, will enhance the experience of
Avenue 54 and Avenue 55, has been turned into a “Home as the boulevards for pedestrians.
Canvas.” More than a mural, the entire house is now The most recent planting took
evocative of the Zunigas’ Nicaraguan heritage, with tropical place April 30 on York. Participants
and passers-by wrote wishes, such as
plants; Nicaragua’s national bird, the Motmot,
“My wish is for a healthy, safe and hap-
and poetry by acclaimed Nicaraguan poet Gioconda Belli py Highland Park,” on scraps of paper,
painted across the house’s façade. which are now part of the ground be-
neath a native Sycamore tree in the
5600 block. The “Plant a Wish” event
was filmed and will become part of a
documentary highlighting tree plant-
ing efforts in all 50 U.S. states.
piece by piece—slowly turning into Canvas” houses along the Gold Line 16 trees were planted that day. More
something that will show the world Corridor. will be added in the coming months.
that Highland Park is a vibrant, arts- Project artists on the Zuniga “The significance of the event
rich destination. house were Daniel Ruiz of Highland is in people from the neighborhood
The home of the Zuniga Family, Park, Jennifer Gutierrez Morgan of working together,” said local activist
on Marmion Way between Avenue 54 Los Angeles and Julio Orozco of Ti- and artist Jane Tsong. “Ten to twenty
and Avenue 55, has been turned into juana, with documentation by Kavita years from now, it’s going to be so
a “Home as Canvas.” More than a mu- Sharma. The design was chosen by shady and nice.”
ral, the entire house is now evocative the Zuniga Family. Tree planters included members
of the Zunigas’ Nicaraguan heritage, Although the design is fanciful, of local scout troops, high school
with tropical plants; Nicaragua’s na- it was executed with respect for the students and neighborhood council
tional bird, the Motmot, and poetry 1901 bungalow that serves as its can- members. The Historic Highland Park
by acclaimed Nicaraguan poet Gio- vas. Neighborhood Council provided
conda Belli painted across the house’s The Casas Arte project seeks to funding. Tree People, a non-profit
façade. build cultural connections among that brings people, trees and sustain-
And the Zuniga house is only the local residents, artists and Gold Line ability together, provided the know-
beginning. commuters. It serves as a bridge be- how.
Highland Park’s “Casas Arte tween Highland Park’s rich family his- The ongoing care of the trees will
Home Intervention Project,” is an un- tories and architectural heritage and be a community effort as well. Even
dertaking of two arts non-profit orga- its vibrant, artistic, transit-friendly drought-tolerant trees need water
nizations. One is the Consejo Fronter- present. when they are young. And merchants
izo de Arte y Cultura (COFAC)/Border And hopefully, a lot of Gold Line and municipalities everywhere have
Council of Arts and Culture, which riders will be enticed to get off the a misguided habit of hacking trees
is located jointly in Tijuana, where is train and see what else Highland Park into lollipop shapes that causes them
has painted several art houses in a has to offer. to sprout at sign level rather than ma-
Colonia, and Pasadena. The other is Funding for phase one was pro- ture into shade canopies. But along
Highland Park’s own Avenue 50 Stu- vided by the National Association York, property owners have agreed to
dio. of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) water the trees, and local volunteers,
Gerda Govine Ituarte, who heads Transnational Cultural Remittances including members of the Historic
up COFAC together with her husband (TCR)/ Ford Foundation Grant. There Highland Park Neighborhood Coun-
An electrician works hard to get the bulbs changed in time for the official lighting ceremony.
cil, are taking Tree People training to
ensure proper tree maintenance.
The new York Boulevard trees
include two California Sycamores. It
isn’t possible to plant many natives in
existing tree wells, because the wells
are too small. Most of the trees are
London Planes, cousins to the native
sycamores, which pick up on existing
Northeast Los Angeles landscaping.
There is also a new touch, a couple
of Mexican Planes, which sport deep,
rich color and are expected to be ev-
ergreen on York while other trees lose
their leaves in winter.
Tsong likens the mix of trees from
different backgrounds to the cultural
mix that exists in Highland Park.
And, according to Tsong, trees
can do even more for a community
beyond providing shade and reduc-
ing air and noise pollution. Shady
comfort attracts customers, and
Tsong cites studies that suggest that
customers are willing to spend 20%
more at local businesses if a commer-
cial street is tree-lined.
Los Angeles Neighborhood Dreams
Times are rough, and a lot of com-
munity improvements across the City
have been back burnered. An eco-
nomic downturn can generate some
creative thinking, however.
“I refuse to accept that a $6 bil-
lion operation cannot get anything
done,” said Los Angeles City Council
President Eric Garcetti at an Atwater
Village kick-off for his new Los An-
geles Neighborhood Dreams (LAND)
program.
Residents of all Council District
13 neighborhoods, including the
Northeast Los Angeles communities
of Glassell Park, Atwater Village and
Elysian Valley, have been gathering
in forums sponsored by Garcetti to
brainstorm and prioritize small proj-
ects that can be completed quickly
and fairly cheaply, but which will fur-
ther the pedestrian-oriented, busi-
ness friendly, artistic natures of main
corridors.
Five to seven projects will be under-
taken in each neighborhood.
According to Garcetti, the cho-
sen projects will fall somewhere in
between “My sidewalk is broken” and
“Fix traffic in Los Angeles.” Ideas gen-
erated at the meetings have ranged
from broad, such as incentives to
attract good businesses, good uses
for empty warehouses, community
branding and job skill training, to
quite specific, such as a grocery store
in the empty sea food market on Riv-
erside Drive and an outdoor patio
near the Van de Kamps turned com-
munity college site.
The projects are not envisioned
as little pockets of renewal. Garcetti
refers to them as “urban acupunc-
ture.”
“Put in one project,” the Coun-
cilmember says, “and the transforma-
tive effect on the entire body can be
huge.”
Glassell Park, Atwater Village and
Elysian Valley are all defined to a large
extent by their unique geographies.
Glassell Park is a gateway communi-
ty, serving as an entry point to much
of Northeast L.A. Atwater Village and
Elysian Valley both draw a lot of their
identities from the Los Angeles River.
Atwater Village resembles a quaint
and quiet small town in the middle of
a big city and is accessed by historic
bridges. Elysian Valley is basically an
island formed by the river and free-
May/June 2011 —17
A resident keeps track on voting on priorities for Atwater Village.
 Glassell Park, Atwater Village and Elysian Valley are all defined to a large
extent by their unique geographies. Glassell Park is a gateway community,
serving as an entry point to much of Northeast L.A.

ways.
Transportation has emerged
a common theme among all three
communities. There is a strong desire
for DASH busses. Wishes for walkable
boulevards and easy transit connec-
tions have been frequent. Atwater Vil-
lage and Elysian Valley residents have
discussed better linkages across the
river and a bike path extension, and
some Atwater Village residents have
long sought an equestrian bridge.
Beautification and streetscap-
ing in Glassell Park are envisioned
widely to include all of the elements
that grew up around the neighbor-
hood’s transit structure—from main
boulevards and their wide medians
that cap trolley tracks to stairs built
to bring residents down to the bou-
levards, to alleys. Atwater Village and
Elysian Valley residents have brought
up murals and community signage,
as well as greening of streets for both
beautification and water-reclama-
tion.
A committee has formed in each
community to distill all of the ideas
generated in larger meetings. In
June there will be a gathering of par-
ticipants from all CD13 communities
and a presentation of plans.
Eagle Rock Centennial:
What better time than a birthday for
a make-over? The Northeast com-
munity of Eagle Rock is celebrating
its 100th this year. A party sponsored
by Councilmember José Huizar took
place in March at Los Angeles City
Hall. (Click here to see the photos.)
More events are taking place through
the year.
There is also an interest is creat-
ing something lasting as Eagle Rock
enters its next hundred years.
The Urban Forest Collaborative,
whose efforts on York Boulevard are
detailed above, has also been active
in Eagle Rock. New trees were plant-
ed, with support of The Eagle Rock
Association (TERA), in March, along
Colorado Boulevard and around the
corner onto Eagle Rock Boulevard, in
celebration of the community’s cen-
tennial.
“We wanted to do something
that would improve the community
in a concrete way,” Jane Tsong says of
the Eagle Rock birthday planting.
Meanwhile, local artist and activ-
ist Linda Johnstone Allen is leading
an effort to commemorate the Cen-
tennial with a large public artwork.
The west end of Colorado Boule-
vard, where visitors enter Eagle Rock
via surface streets from Glendale or
via the 134 or 2 Freeways, is currently
singularly unattractive. The view is
dominated by dirty freeway over-
passes and buttresses and often by a
good bit of trash.
Allen is proposing the creation of
welcoming art work at the Eagle Rock
gateway. The work would celebrate
the Eagle Rock’s history, while provid-
ing something that could contribute
to the community for the next 100
years. According to Allen, the work
would possibly be done in ceramic
tile, which would pick up on the use
of a medium that is already common
in the area.
York Vision Plan Update:
The Arroyo Seco Journal has reported
on City Councilmember José Huizar’s
visioning process for York Boulevard
from Avenue 50 to Avenue 56 in the
past. The process is well underway. A
large number of area residents and
business people have participated in
a series of five community workshops
where they have brainstormed and
voted on what projects to undertake.
Participants have chosen to cre-
ate street patios—artistically de-
signed seating areas where residents
and shoppers can relax, socialize
and enjoy beverages and food from
York Boulevard businesses. In a move
supportive of both public safety and
beautification, participants also have
chosen to install antique-style light-
ing. Another priority for the group
is the conversion of the vacant lot at
York and Avenue 50, which is private-
ly owned and has contaminated soil,
from blight to park space.
At Workshop #6, participants will
walk the corridor and decide where
to put the street porches and the
lighting. All residents, business own-
ers and community stakeholders are
invited. Gather Monday, May 16, at
6 p.m., at the Glass Studio, 5052 York
Boulevard, ready to walk.

“We wanted to do something that would improve the community in a

concrete way,” artist Jane Tsong says of the Eagle Rock birthday planting.
 And, Speaking of Landmarks......
The Highland Theatre is the only movie theatre in Northeast Los Angeles. But that wasn’t always the case. Movie houses dotted
the Northeast map for decades. Some were demolished years ago. But most of the buildings are still standing on our main streets.
We’ve researched over 20 sites all over Northeast LA, and you can see the video of all the theatres on our Facebook page, or on
our blog. (www.arroyosecojournal.blosspot.com). We invite you to share with us your memories of these theatres (and any others
we may have missed). Send us your thoughts at www.facebook.com/arroyosecojournal, and we’ll share your comments in a future
issue.

Some of Highland Park’s former theatres: (Clockwise L to R:) 1. The Sunbeam Theatre on North Figueroa predated the
Highland. It was purchased by the owners of the Highland when that theatre opened, in order to be put out of business
and eliminate competition. The original building now houses a typewriter repair shop, but it does so minus almost all of
its ornamentation. Ironically, the business now furnishes period-accurate typewriters to movie studios. 2. The High-
land’s closest competition, beginning in the mid-1930s, was provided by the Park Theatre just up the street. With just
half the seating capacity of the Highland, the Park occupied the northern portion of the lot where the Dollar Tree now
sits. The theatre was already long out of business when the building was lost to an arson fire. 3. While the Park provided
the entertainment just north of the Highland, the Franklin did the same just to the south. The building is still there, (The
stage is vaguely intact in the back), though converted to an industrial purpose. 4. Residents of west Highland Park, and
trolley car riders, attended movies for many years at the York Theater, located at York Boulevard and Avenue 50.
 Presenting the 4th Annual Lummis Day Library Series

VIVA POETRY!
During the first three Saturdays in May from 2-5pm hear live poetry from Los Angeles poets and learn to write
or improve your own poetry. All events are free and open to the public.

Saturday, May 7, 2-4pm @ Autry National Center / 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, 90027. Poetry in
a Golden Nutshell by Austin Strauss. Most of what you need to know about contemporary poetry in 7 minutes!
To be followed by short reading by this iconic LA poet. FREE WORKSHOP with Brendan Constantine, suitable
for beginners to advanced poets. Special appearance by Autry docent, SKIP GILLETTE, will present two classic
traditional poems.

May 14, 2-4pm @ The Eagle Rock Library / 5027 Caspar Avenue, Los Angeles, 90041. SUZANNE LUMMIS
presents best-loved poems of the Eagle Rock branch library and a FREE WORKSHOP with JESSICA
GOODHEART, suitable for beginners to advanced poets.

May 21 @ 2-4pm, Arroyo Seco Regional Branch / 6145 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, 90042. OPEN READING
Be a part of the line-up or just come to listen to emerging and established poets in the Northeast Los Angeles
area. This event will wrap-up the Lummis Day Library Series and kick-off the 6th Annual Lummis Day Festival on
Sunday June 5. POETRY SIGN-UP’S AT 1:30.

Brendan Constantine’s work has appeared in Ploughshares, The Cortland Review, The
Malpais Review and RUNES. New work is forthcoming in Field, Rattle, Redivider, and
PANK. His collection, Letters To Guns, was released in 2009 from Red Hen Press. He
is currently poet-in-residence at The Windward School and Loyola Marymount
University Extension.

Jessica Goodheart’s work has appeared in The Best

American Poetry, The Antioch Review, Blue Arc West:
An Anthology of California Poets, Mudfish,
Salamander, Cider Press Review, Pearl and other
journals. She was featured in the Newer Poets
reading, sponsored by the Los Angeles Poetry
Festival. Her first book, entitled Earthquake Season, was published by Word
Press in 2010.

Austin Straus is a poet/visual artist. He was host of

The Poetry Connexion on Pacifica Radio. He's
worked for human rights with Amnesty International and other groups. He taught
English, art, poetry workshops and philosophy. He creates unique artists books,
paintings, collages and prints. Publications include Drunk with Light (2002) and
Intensifications (2010) from Red Hen Press. He has been married to poet/writer
Wanda Coleman for 30 years. The painting in the background is titled "Ruined City."
Photo Credit: Steven Oshatz

This event is made possible with the generous

support of PEN Center USA. For more information
about Lummis Day, visit lummisday.org

February/March 2011 —21

 Northeast LA’s Favorite
Holiday Returns!
Music, dance and poetry representing a colorful patchwork of cultural traditions will be presented at the sixth annual
Lummis Day Festival, Sunday, June 5, the free all-day arts festival that has become the signature cultural event of the
Northeast L.A. neighborhoods.

The dual-site Festival runs from 10:30am-7:00pm.

The Music
The main stages for Lummis Day’s performances will again be Heri-
tage Square Museum (3800 Homer Street), where the best of
home-grown Northeast L.A. music, dance, food and commu-
nity resources will be presented amid the historic and architec- tur-
ally significant buildings that have been preserved at the “living history”
park and museum.

The Dance
Dance artists will include the Ballet Coco Mexican folkloric performers, the Cleary Irish Dancers, a classi-
cal and jazz ensemble from the Renaissance Arts Academy and the Cypress Park Folkloric Dancers. Poet Wanda
Coleman will read her work with the accompaniment of jazz guitarist Joe Calderon. Additional performances will be
announced , on the Lummis Day website, www.lummisday.org.

.The Art
Artists featured at this year’s art exhibit, “The Lummis Print Fair,” will include Olivia Barrionuevo, Kathy Gallegos-Mas,
Cidne Hart, Linda Lyke, Don Newton, Poli Marichal, Sonia Romero & Rod Smith. The exhibit, which will be hung within
the century-old Lummis Home salon and adjoining rooms, is curated by Juan de Jose. Outside, in the courtyard, craft
exhibits will be on display and wood-carving demonstrations will provide family enter-
tainment from noon until 5:00pm.

18—Arroyo Seco Journal

The Lummis Day Schedule
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Stage One - Music

Official Welcome: LA Water Singers, Smudging Ceremony,and introductions by Eliot Sekuler

1 p.m. Dub8

2: 15 p.m. Brasil, Brazil

3:30 p.m. Gingger Shankar

4:45 p.m. La Santa Cecilia

6 p.m. The Delgado Brothers

Stage Two- Dance

1:45 p.m. Cypress Park Folklorico

3 p.m. Wanda Coleman, Poet, and Joe Calderon, jazz guitar

5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Ballet Coco

Stage Three - Family

1 p.m. Nightingale Middle School

1:20 p.m. The Puppets and Players Theatre

1:45 p.m. Cleary Irish Dancers

2:15 p.m. The Puppets and Players Theatre

3:15 p.m. Futura Latin Salsa Ensemble

3:45 p.m. El-Haru Kuroi

4:15 p.m. Teo Franco y su Trio San Pedro

May/June 2011 —23

 Travel
A Place Called Terranea
Romance and Relaxation at the Former Marineland of the Pacific.
byCandace Mettill
The azure sky met the turquoise
water of the ocean as we drove
along the rugged rock cliffs. A
lone pelican soared over the
sunlit water looking for its
breakfast. Were we in some
Mediterranean paradise? No,
we were on the Palos Verdes
Peninsula looking forward to
a romantic weekend at the
brand new Terranea Resort.
Located in Rancho
Palos Verdes on the site of
what used to be Marineland of
the Pacific, the Terranea Resort
makes full use of the 102
acre-property with winding
walking paths, three pools, an
oceanfront spa, three signature
restaurants, a 9-hole par 3 golf
course and 360 hotel rooms,
30 suites, 20 bungalows, 50
ocean view Casitas and 32
Villas.
The architecture fits the
setting with Mediterranean
influences and incredible
ocean views from most of
its rooms. Like Marineland,
Terranea is terraced and we
were surprised to find that the
resort’s lobby is actually on the
20—Arroyo Seco Journal
fourth floor.
Our room included a king
size bed, flat screen HD TV, a
refrigerator instead of a mini-
bar (nice touch) and a balcony
with a table and chairs that
overlooked the ocean. I slept
with the balcony doors open
so I could hear the ocean. All
was quiet and still except for
the sound of the waves that
lulled me to sleep.
If you’re timing is right, in
the mornings you can watch
pods of dolphins at play and
seabirds on the search for a
meal.
Speaking of meals, on
the first night of our stay we
ate dinner at Catalina Kitchen,
one of the many restaurants
on site. A casual dining
restaurant, Catalina Kitchen
serves breakfast, lunch and
dinner and on Friday nights it
offers a seafood buffet that is
outstanding.
Freshly steamed crab legs
are brought to your table if you
want them (and who wouldn’t!)
while an array of fresh fish and
shellfish prepared in various
dishes await at the buffet.
Sushi chefs busily prepare outside the Spa’s co-ed
sushi and sashimi if you’re so relaxation lounge overlooking
inclined (and I was). the ocean. We felt serene,
My only complaint is that I relaxed and refreshed.
can’t eat that much! Everything We decided to have
was delicious; from the lunch in the spa restaurant
assortment of salads, breads overlooking yet another pool
and cheeses to the wide range with the ocean just beyond.
of main dishes and of course, Not wanting to “harsh our
dessert! We sat on the outdoor mellow” we took our time
patio overlooking one of the relaxing in the sun and just
pools and the ocean beyond. enjoying the gorgeous day.
The beamed, If you are into an active
Mediterranean style arcade life-style the resort offers yoga,
dotted with colorful glass and exercise classes and a fitness
wrought iron lanterns was center along with kayaking,
beautiful. What a wonderful kayorkling (a combination
beginning to a relaxing of kayaking and snorkeling)
weekend. and nature walks. For those
The next morning we wishing to embrace the beach
were scheduled for a couple’s lifestyle, Terranea Resort
massage at the oceanfront spa. provides one-on-one and
Gentle rocking, acupressure group volleyball and paddle
I slept with the balcony doors open so I could
hear the ocean. All was quiet and still except
for the sound of the waves that lulled me to
sleep. If you’re timing is right, in the mornings
you can watch pods of dolphins at play and
seabirds on the search for a meal.
and passive stretching relieved board lessons. Even if you are
the tension from the work-a- not all that active the way the
day world. resort is laid out will keep you
The Spa at Terranea is a walking in spite of yourself.
wonderfully-designed (and For dinner we decided to
spacious) building which dine at the Café Pacific on the
also houses a salon, gift shop Trump National Golf Course,
and café. It is situated on a a three minute drive from the
point close to a clifftop with resort. (Terranea also offers a
unobstructed ocean views, bus that will take you to Trump
and is a holistic oasis. if you wish to play a full round
After a blissful 60 minutes, of golf or just enjoy a meal.)
my companion and I stood on Overlooking the green
a large, wind-whipped balcony golf course and blue ocean
the Café Pacific offers
breathtaking views of the
ocean and Catalina Island. The
restaurant consists of a cozy
room with brocade covered
chairs, a hand-painted ceiling,
a roaring fire and understated
elegance. Newcomer Maitre D’
Georgio Silva has changed the
dining room around to offer
views of the ocean from most
tables and a more intimate
atmosphere.
Chef Jean Pierre re-
worked the menu to take
advantage of the vast bounty
Southern California has to
offer. Combining fresh seafood
and local fruits and vegetables
Chef Jean Pierre has created
recipes that reflect California’s
vast ethnic diversity as well
as his bent for Mediterranean
cuisine.
Warm artichoke and
hearts of palm were combined
with pears, avocado, shaved
Pecorino and citrus dressing
to make a delicious starter.
My companion ordered
the tender beef Carpaccio
served à la Nicoise with
Peruvian potatoes, capers,
haricot verts and Nicoise
olives. Each bite rewarded the
diner with a complex taste
sensation.
Our next course is frankly
one I will never forget. It will
go on my list of dishes I will
crave, think about and order
again. A lobster tail coated in
tempura batter and fried to
a crispy golden brown was
accompanied by the most
sinfully delicious coconut curry
sauce. It was sweet, savory
and complex and melded with
the buttery lobster in a favor
ecstasy. I told Chef Jean Pierre
that I would love to try the
curry sauce on ice cream and
he admitted that he had and it
was wonderful.
House-made Papardelle
pasta topped with tender
braised beef in a complex red
wine sauce and creamy risotto
with porcini mushrooms and
Pecorino cheese were served
as our next course. Both were
worthy of main course status,
and are usually served that
way.
I’ve never eaten Skate but
I’ve how fortunate for me that
Chef Jean Pierre prepared it
for me. Looking like a delicate
fan, the Skate was touched
with just a hint of orange
and vanilla and served over
a creamy soft polenta with a
bit of bitter braised endive for
contrast.
I found a small amount of
room to sample dessert: fresh
peach and almond cheese
cake and a trio of crème brulee.
Both desserts where worthy of
the calories; although I found
the crème brulee to be a bit
heavy, more a mousse than a
true custard.
I should add that the
prices for these dishes are
quite reasonable, beginning at
$12.00 and going up to $40.00
for the ‘surf and turf.’ (Even
if we weren’t staying a few
minutes down the cliffs, this
restaurant is worth the hour’s
drive to Palos Verdes just to
enjoy a dinner created by Chef
Jean Pierre.)
Back at the ranch (or
should I say, resort) my
companion and I enjoyed a
leisurely walk along one of
the many lighted paths to a
moonlit cove before retiring
to our room for a restful sleep.
The next morning (our
last, we were leaving that
afternoon) I delighted in
exploring the many walking
paths weaving through the
property. One way took us to
the cliffs overlooking Abalone
Cove, along the other we
could walk to one of the few
lighthouses still left along the
Pacific coast. Native grasses,
flowers and cactus dot the
grounds while indigenous
birds and insects take
advantage of the open spaces.
I could wax poetic about the
views of cliff, sea and sky, but
they are best experienced in
person.
For Sunday brunch, I
chose The Admiral Risty, a
local hangout. I grew up in the
South Bay so I know that some
of the best food to be had is
served in local restaurants with
community roots. Opened in
1966, The Admiral Risty fit the
bill.
Decorated in 60’s
nautical kitsch, this charming
restaurant is situated only a
few minutes from Terranea
in a small shopping center
with easy parking and a great
view. They specialize in fresh
seafood but do offer steaks,
lamb and chicken if you are a
land lubber.
Admiral Risty’s Sunday
brunch is a mixture of breakfast-
type dishes and fresh fish.
Your meal is started with fresh
banana and lemon-poppy
seed bread accompanied with
plenty of soft butter. Fresh fruit
and a Mimosa completed the
beginning to a great meal.
I ordered the Dungeness
Crab Cake Benedict; I didn’t
think crab cakes could get
any better but top them with
a poached egg and excellent
Hollandaise and you’ve got a
Grand Prize winner. Plenty of
crabmeat studded the cakes,
with just enough spice to make
them interesting. They were
accompanied by browned
potatoes served with plenty of
onions and bell pepper.
The Admiral Risty is a
great place to come and watch
the sunset while sipping a
margarita (that only costs $8.00
instead of $13.00 at the resort)
or for a change of pace while
staying at Terranea. If you have
kids, the Admiral Risty has a
great, time-tested kids menu.
It’s obviously a favorite of the
locals; almost every seat in the
restaurant was full when we
ate there. The restaurant also
offers take-out if you’d like to
eat on the beach.
The Terranea Resort is at
100 Terranea Way Drive, Rancho
Palos Verdes. For reservations
and more information call (310)
265-2800. They are offering
special packages for the
holidays, go to www.terranea.
com for more information.
The Pacific Café at Trump
National Golf Club is at One
Ocean Trails Drive, Rancho
Palos Verdes. For reservations
and more information call (310)
303-3265 or log onto www.
trumpnational.com.
The Admiral Risty is at 31250
Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho
Palos Verdes. For reservations
and more information call (310)
377-0050 or log onto www.
admiral-risty.com.
Candace Merrill is a staff
writer at www.pasadenanow.
com. Used by permission.
May/June 2011 —25
 Gizmotics

Heres What we Like This Month!

Traveling soon? Take along a few of these.
Seriously? OK
Not that we have enough to keep this hard-working wallet busy,
but...25,000 flexible stainless-steel threads that are three times thinner
than a piece of paper--.001"--keep your money in your own personal
jean vault. You can’t stretch it or stain, and the corners don’t fold. the
stainless steel is the same metal fabric found in the architecture, aero-
space, and automotive industries, resulting in a thin profile that allows it
to fit into a front pocket.
Resistant to corrosive materials such as salts, acids, and seawater,
the tightly woven steel also passively resists radio-frequency hacking-
-the latest identity theft technique that attempts to scan newer credit
cards.

by Hammacher Schlemmer. www.skymall.com. $89.95. If you must.

Open up!
This is either the apex of convenenience or a new low in
laziness. Reef has combinined a classic staple of beach life
– the sandal – with a bottle opener. The “Fanning” is either
brilliant or evil, we’re not sure. but you’re voting “brillliant,”
right? www.reef.com

Say What?
Did you just tell the waiter you like the color of his dress
and then order the national anthem as an appetizer?
Scan a complete line of text and see a word-by-word
translation with Franklin’s Super Pen, and avoid an inter-
national incident. The built-in text-to-speech technology
can even dictate the words in English.
MSRP: $229.00. www.franklin.com

22—Arroyo Seco Journal

 These things only seem stupid until you need
them. Like the Trackstick II, for starters. Ever gotten
lost while driving only to wonder later where you
took a wrong turn? The Trackstick, slightly larger
than a USB thumb drive, can help you retrace your
steps by copying your travel route to GoogleEarth.
Relive the comedy in the privacy of your own
home, after the fact. www.trackstick.com. $199.99

Yup! That’s them’s!

It’s been a long trip. You can’t spend one more second
waiting for your luggage at that carousel. But that PA
guy was right. All bags look alike! Now you can se
yours as soon as they shoot down the ramp with these
super-bright, padded, and velcroed wrap-around lug-
gage handle covers from Brookstone. www.brook-
stone.com $12.50

Click!
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 is a lot of camera for the price—
a whole lot. It’s a full-featured, compact digital camera with full
high-definition video recording built-in.
The camera’s got a 12.1 megapixel image sensor and an integrat-
ed GPS unit, which automatically records location information
to image files. Whether you’re shooting wide landscapes or an
action-packed sporting event, the 12x Leica VARIO-ELMAR zoom
lens puts you right there in it. We drove some Panasonic cameras
last holiday season, and were suitably impressed by just how
much Panasonic was packing into these babies. Not cheap, but
affordable, and you might not pull another camera out of your

“Honey? Hi, it’s me....um...”

Save yourself an argument, and bring your dead
car battery back to life with the Roadside Assis-
tant. It also features a built-in air compressor, an
18-amp-hour battery, heavy duty copper cables,
a 400-watt AC power inverter, and dual 12 volt DC
sockets.
MSRP: $149.95. ww.herringtoncatalog.com

May/June 2011 —27

24—Arroyo Seco Journal
 Wheel Life
Eddie Rivera
The 2011 Nissan 370z:
Really dazzling. Really hot.
Really impractical.
Two trips. Essentially the same scenario,
last year and this year. I am traveling
north on the 5, buzzing up the Grapevine
to Buttonwillow and beyond. Last year it
was blue. This year it’s red. I’ve crammed
my 6’2” frame in to a Nissan 370z. The
ride is powerful, responsive and as force-
ful as I want to push it.
At one point on the way up, I
stomp the accelerator, and my head is
thrown back like a stupid scarecrow, as
the Nissan’s horses kick into gear and
the Z tears up the highway like Tommy
Lasorda after the check arrives. (Sorry.
Inside joke.)
It’s frankly dazzling to look at,
especially this year, as its design has
advanced into a symphony of cool lines.
This is a lot of vehicle with impressive
handling and performance, but its short-
comings might be its eventual downfall.
Sure, it’s fast and nimble, but without
some better sight lines, you could easily
be a sitting duck changing lanes out
there. But most reviewers call this one
a tough competitor in the “affordable”
sports car class. (Affordable these days
starts at $31,200.)
The 370Z has a rocket-cockpit
interior and gets major performance
props, though the price is seriously
knocking on the doors of some luxury
sports cars. As I took this one out of its
“The 370Z improves, and
becomes more confidence-inspiring, as
time is spent in the driver’s seat,” said the
guys at Autoblog. “While the sixth-gen-
eration Z-car isn’t exactly the sports car not what you can do when you drive, it’s
to dethrone all others, at this price point, how quickly you can get out of it.
few others can touch its performance.” The interior is cool enough, but
There is no question about the I fear some space is wasted. An oversize
car’s performance, but it could use some dashboard compartment replaces a
help in the comfort department. There console compartment, and wouldn’t this
is an increased engine vibration in the have made a better place for a satellite
navigation system and satellite radio?
At one point on the way up,
From the Guys who Built it:
I stomp the accelerator, and Exterior (inches)
my head is thrown back like a Wheelbase
100.4
stupid scarecrow, as the Nis- Overall length
167.2
san’s horses kick into gear and Overall length (NISMO)
173.4
the Z tears up the highway Overall width
like Tommy Lasorda after the Overall height
72.6
check arrives. 51.8
(Sorry. Inside joke.) Track Width (inches)
18” Aluminum-alloy wheels (front/rear)
61.0/62.8
19” RAYS® forged alloy wheels (front/rear)
upper rpms, road noise and some serious 60.6/61.6
rearward visibility issues. 19” NISMO/RAYS® forged alloy wheels
(front/rear) 61.2/62.2
However, considering the Z’s
positive attributes, you can overlook a Interior (inches)
lot of shortcomings. After all, the 370Z is Head room
built more for performance than comfort. 38.2
Reviewers agree that the Nissan 370Z is Leg room
a phenomenal sports car for the price, 42.9
especially since its base trim is more than Hip room
capable right out of the box. 54.6
Shoulder room
54.4
box and pointed it north, I appreciated
its overall power and swarthiness. It’s MSRP: from $31,200
handling, along with its power, makes it
a much safer car, with a smart driver. It’s
May/June 2011 29
Just Ask Me
Karen Daly
Bad Co-Workers, Cute Bosses and Wild Daughters
Dear Karen,
I’m having a problem with a co-worker. She
comes in late, takes longer than normal
lunch and coffee breaks and even leaves
early when no one is looking. It drives me
crazy because I am always on time and
never exaggerate my breaks. She seems
to be doing her work well enough, I never
seem to see her make mistakes, but it is
frustrating to see what she can get away
with. What should I say to her?
Nancy, Mt. Washington
Hi Nancy,
You say you are this woman is a co-worker;
therefore she is not someone who reports
to you. You also say she appears to be
doing her work properly. You don’t know
if there is a reason, that she has perhaps
has discussed with your boss. So perhaps
it would be best to just mind your own
business? And if you did say anything to
her, what do you think the outcome would
be? Do you think she’ll be inviting you to
lunch anytime soon? Saying something is
just going to bring a lot more frustration
to your door, trust me on that!
Dear Karen,
I work in a grocery store and have a crush
on my boss, George. He is the nicest guy
in the world; gorgeous, intelligent, funny,
caring, professional… he’s just perfect.
Well, except for the fact he’s married! He
hasn’t really given me any indication that
he’s interested in me, but I just feel he
is. How can I approach him and see if he
feels the same way?
Melissa, Garvanza
Hi Melissa,
You asked, “How can I approach your boss
and see if he feels the same way?” Simple
answer! You can’t! It is a no win situation.
First of all, and most importantly, he is
married. That means hands off. Secondly, if
you were to say something, you risk losing
your job, and if you don’t lose your job,
26—Arroyo Seco Journal
you will be creating a very uncomfortable
work environment for yourself. There are
plenty of single men out there; you are
just going to have to set your sights on
one of them.
Dear Karen,
I’ve known my best friend Steve since
we were kids. When we were in high
school, he wasn’t interested in doing
well. Once we were done, he did not
continue his education, but I did. So now
I have finished college, and she has been
working in retail for the last 4 years. The
problem is, we don’t have very much
in common anymore. I find the time we
spend together unpleasant and awkward,
but she seems to really enjoy herself when
we’re together. I just can’t spend time with
him and don’t know how to tell him.
Leon, Atwater Village
Hi Olivia,
I can’t really come up with a good way to
tell Lindsey you don’t want to be friends
anymore without really hurting her
feelings. It might not be the right thing
to do, but I would probably just try to
avoid her, find reasons why you can’t go
out (family, work etc.). Do keep in mind
though, that she will probably come
outright and ask why you’re avoiding her,
then it will be time to gently explain that
you feel that you no longer have a lot in
common. Good luck!
Dear Karen,
There’s a girl I work with in my new job
who is making my life miserable. She
really can’t complain about my work, I
haven’t made any mistakes or anything,
but she has mean nasty things about me
to my co-workers and it really hurts my
feelings. Besides, most of the people she
talks to don’t even know me so they are
going to think I’m all the things she says
I am. Should I talk to my boss about her,
or maybe start saying things about her?
How can I handle her?
Monica, Eagle Rock
Dear Monica,
Worst thing you could do would be
to talk to your boss. You will look like
the trouble maker, especially if the
other girl denies it. Don’t even think
about starting rumors about her.
That is immature and won’t solve
anything. Anybody with any brains
will not believe malicious gossip. Do
you remember the old adage, ‘sticks
and stones may break your bones,
but names will never hurt you’? This is
a perfect example. Get to know your
other co-workers and they will realize
that the gossip was just that.
Dear XXXX,
My 13 year old daughter Caitlyn
spends a lot of time on a social net-
work site. I am very concerned that
she is posting provocative pictures.
I found one picture on my memory
card that wasn’t too risqué, but it was
close. I have tried to tell Caitlyn about
the dangers and permanence of post-
ing pictures but she doesn’t seem to
care. I limit her use of the computer
and make sure I have her passwords,
but when she’s at her mother’s home,
I have no control and her mother
won’t even listen to me when I try to
voice my concerns. What can I do to
get Caitlyn to understand the dan-
gers out there?
Andy, El Sereno
Dear Andy,
I understand your fear, and it is a
shame that your daughter’s mother
isn’t listening to you. Type ‘dangers
of posting pictures online’ into your
search engine and it will give you a
plethora of excellent articles outlin-
ing the very serious and real dan-
gers of posting pictures online. Give
a couple of the stories to Caitlyn and
make sure she reads them. Discuss
them with her. This should help,
good luck!
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