Couple the Road Work: Expanding the 405 on the North Side with the

Protests at the Veterans Administration,

Us on the Westside have had a tough week getting around!!

Below is a shot from my cell phone exiting the ramp heading West. 

The police are on the left side as they do crowd control. 

Curious why they could not get them onto the VA property? Traffice was impossible the entire day!

 Hotel Hollywood Sign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Architectural firm reimagines the Hollywood sign. Read more

 

I like the Location for a New Stadium in Los Angeles for NFL Football

Roski’s NFL plan for Industry  from www.LAOBSERVED.COM

   

 

 

 

 

 

Developer Ed Roski sees his Los Angeles Stadium, to be unveiled at a press conference today, as the hook that will bring pro football back to Southern California and be a boon to his big commercial development where the 60 and 57 freeways cross. “Los Angeles Stadium will bring the NFL back to Los Angeles after 14 years and create a new entertainment center for families across Southern California,” says the website. Sam Farmer in the L.A. Times grants that “it’s a dazzling, asymmetrical venue built into a hillside in the City of Industry,” but he gives Roski fat chance of succeeding.

Signature Wine Wall

 In yesteryears wine cellars were relegated to – as a cellar would imply – underground areas.   Historically, cellars were dark and quiet respites for the storage and unabated maturation of wine.  More recently, with the increase in the popularity of wine and its storage, wine cellars have moved out of the basement and become focal points in homes and restaurants, often ensconced behind glass walls to maintain the temperature and humidity requirement for aging wine.  Rob Hussey (Hussey Real Estate Group) has taken the evolution to the next step.  Set in a contemporary home in Brentwood (West Los Angeles) that Hussey designed and built with partner Mark Keckeisen (Woods Design Group) is an entire wall of concrete dedicated to the storage of wine.  “The idea originated from a wall of terra cotta pipes that I saw in a Spanish house.” Hussey commented when asked the genesis of his design.

 ”I had the idea – for a contemporary house – to construct a wine cellar using cinderblock turned on its side and placing the bottles in the openings of the block, but that was very inefficiency.  Cinderblock only comes in rectangular shapes and that left a lot of wasted space for a symmetrically-shaped wine bottle.  The idea then evolved into a poured-in-place wall with open cylinders for the wine storage.  The Brentwood design had a number of poured-in-place concrete elements; so it was a natural fit to make the wine wall out of concrete.”

 A two-foot thick wall was poured between the screening room and the wine lounge.  The wall is backed on the screening room side and open to the wine lounge.  The wall is trimmed in Douglas Fir, has a cantilevered Glulam bar in a center niche with wine glass storage, an built-in wine bottle opener, and overhead light, and a rolling library ladder for access to the upper bottles.  Each cylinder holds two bottles of wine in tandem.  The entire wall can store up to 510 bottles.  There’s a section with larger cylinders for the storage of magnum bottles.  The wall is chilled in a fashion similar to that of radiant heat with cold water circulated through plastic tubes that run through the wall.  The wall has three zones; each can be set to a different temperature (as white wines typically are stored at a lower temperature than reds).  Because of the row and column layout of the columns a collector can address the various cylinders using spreadsheet convention with numbered rows and lettered columns to find the perfect bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild in cylinder E12 and record the storage addresses in a wine storing software program.

This design looks to be a signature piece in the future Hussey/Woods projects.  We look forward to seeing its evolution.

To experience this room in person please visit 171 3rd Anita in Brentwood by calling Randy Forbes at: 310-345-7082      

or www.171anita3.com

 May 2009

realized how far along Webb Farrer has come from his early days of detailing cars on the Westside.

Webb has a dream job for any car enthusiast.  Be it storing and maintaining many celebrities and non celebrities fine collections, attending the Pebble Beach Tours deConcourses,  to searching out the best deal on a new or used car for people like you and me, Webb has reached the summit as The Local Car Aficionado. 

Knowing Webb when we were kids and seeing him today as “The Man in LA for handling all of your car needs”, his pro-curring, storing, and maintaining knowledge is second to none.  Match this with his resources and friendliness he is an unbeatable source for what you wish for.

 For 25 years he has been servicing customers with the quality of work essential to customer satisfaction. 

His  Mobile Hand Car Wash and Detailing service currently maintains 150 monthly customers from Malibu to Beverly Hills.  His years of experience, reliability and impeccable standards have gained the respect of car enthusiasts all over. Whether you have 2 cars or a collection of cars he can service your needs.  

Webb’s Exclusive Vehicle Sales & Leasing service has been able to save clients time and money with new and used car purchasing assistance. 

In May of 2007, they celebrated 25 years of business with the Opening of Webbwax Auto Spa. This premiere Hand Car Wash and Detail shop is located in the heart of Brentwood at 12100 Wilshire Blvd; 4th floor parking, at the corner of Bundy Drive.

If you have any questions about their services call 

WEBBWAX Corporate Office

11693 San Vicente Blvd # 204
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Office:(310) 390-0933
Fax: 310-476-2824
www.webb@webbwax.com

“My son was always so sweet, and he still is, but, I just feel things could be better, and frankly, I’m at a loss on what to do.”

As parents, early on, we often have a vision of how we would like our child to turn out. Based on our parenting skills, our children’s experiences, their education, friends, and, perhaps some luck, the results will often be varied. What’s the cause and effect? Maybe as parents sometimes we become complacent, not out of a lack of caring or love. No one said it would be easy. Maybe our complex lives are the culprit. Sometimes it takes a lot of work, sometimes it’s simple and at other times our efforts seem to have the opposite affect on our children that we had hoped for. Do we lower our expectations? That sounds crazy. Then, after all, we are awfully busy. Is that just the way it is? How can we create a significant shift? “How can I enrich my child’s life?”

“We just want to be good parents and give our kids a chance. What are those experiences and influences that have some kids go awry and others make choices that keep them on a great path? What if there was a way you could increase the probability significantly that your child will learn and embrace values such as; responsibility, humility, fairness, compassion, and, develop courage and a sense of indomitable spirit? How about learning to face fear head-on and not fearing fear itself but using it as a tool to recognize areas that need work? 

We accept that our children might not be the best at everything they do, but, at a minimum we want them to be decent people.

“It would be so cool if there was a class on ‘how to live your life right’, where does one go for something like that?” 

I’m going to share a little ‘hidden gem’ in our community that many of you might not know a thing about. A place where our children are encouraged and nurtured to let their true spirit blossom.  All while learning respect and recognizing authority and boundaries as a good thing, regardless of how young they might be. This will occupy their time and minimize the time they spend vegging-out in front of the computer, playing video games or watching television. Does that seem a little too good to be true? Champions Martial Arts in Brentwood is that place. Owner and Master Sensei Keith Cooke Hirabayashi has built a school that nurtures our children, by teaching lessons through a thoughtful, comprehensive and rigorous curriculum. Champions Martial Arts isn’t just another Karate Studio, I wish you could have seen the transformations I have witnessed over the last decade or so.

“The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of character of its participants” (Master Gichin Funakoshi)

Karate in America has evolved considerably in the last 40 years or so.

For the most, part Karate was introduced to America through the armed services. Soldiers who studied the fighting art brought it back from Asia after the Korean war, and, consequently, some opened their own studios. The karate schools back then were pretty brutal, not unlike the military itself. In most cases, it wasn’t really a place where you sent young kids.

“To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the highest skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill.” (Sun-Tsu)

In the 60’s and 70’s America was introduced to karate through Bruce Lee’s movies and David Carradine in the television series Kung Fu.

The early Martial Artists such as Chuck Norris became popular action hero’s. But karate for kids, as we see it today, really didn’t get a strong foothold until the 80’s and 90’s. Karate studios began digging deeper into the spiritual aspects of Martial Arts and instructors saw this as an opportunity to enrich the character of their young students through this training, while teaching them self defense and keeping them in shape.

Most of the really good karate schools today instil more of an emphasis on character development. They teach their students to avoid violence and confrontations. Consequently, I have rarely or heard of any instances where kids have ever had any issues. Once the confidence has been developed and one develops a sense of what is right the student would feel as if he let his school and family down by using martial arts training for anything other then a life-threatening situation. But where the true benefit comes in is they get to use the what they learn in Martial Arts training and see the parallels and transfer those lessons to real life situations on a daily basis.

Champions has blended a number of styles of Martial Arts, taking the best from a variety of disciplines and creating a hybrid of sorts.

I’ve seen overweight kids get a handle on their eating habits, I’ve witnessed kids with Asperger’s (highly functioning autistics), over the course of their training, develop social skills, I’ve seen kids with ADHD make great progress and gain confidence, and, I’ve also seen kids that were already functioning at an exemplary level ratchet up their game even more. While results will always be varied, it is exciting to watch the transformation.  It’s been fun watching little kids grow and go off to Cal, Penn., Yale and other great academic institutions. They just turn out to be great kids. After all, we’ve known a lot of them since they were four years old and now they are going off to college. Earning your Black Belt doesn’t look too shabby on a college resume, either.

“I feel that the challenges we receive in the practice of Martial Arts are metaphors for the challenges we face in life. We learn how to deal with them over time with practice. When I can remain calm and centered, particularly as an advanced student, when kicks and punches are coming at me, I then remain in the present moment. When I get upset and fearful, I am not present. Consequently, I will get hit more, and, things will get worse. When I am present and aware, I can make rational decisions from moment to moment, and my situation will improve. Every challenge we face in training can be a metaphor for the challenges we face outside of the dojo. The key is, we are building character, the true foundation of all great people.” Keith Cooke Hirabayashi

  Champions Martial Arts Brentwood – Los Angeles 310-440-1947 in the Barrington Village

I know it’s not manly, but I do most of the marketing for our household.  My wonderful wife always asks me the same question.  Why don’t you make a list and do all the shopping for the week in just one visit? That makes a lot of sense but my mind just doesn’t work like that.  Come on, that means I have to plan ahead, consider 5 lunches, 5 dinners, daily snacks, and then again what’s for breakfast.  Make a list, go to the market, and then cross off the items as they land in the shopping cart.  That’s too confusing for me.  I’m just a man who’s not very organized.  Well, to tell you the truth, I act like a caveman: the Hunter-Gatherer Mentality.

I shop, get the the meat, and bring it home. –Me ultimate provider–.  I get the feeling of satisfaction when I arrive home with the food, just as the caveman must have felt when he came home with his catch of the day.

Boy do I need help in a major way. (That’s a conversation for another day though). The only real positive thing that has come out of my inability to plan ahead, is that I know every deli, specialty store, gourmet shop, and market on the West Side of Los Angeles and one of my hidden gems in this department, is a little nugget in Santa Monica called The Santa Monica Seafood Company.

They specialize in the freshest fish you can find.  All the best restaurants in Los Angeles get their seafood from them.  When you walk in the joint, which is located at 12th and Colorado in Santa Monica, there is always a crowd.  Don’t let that get you down, unlike CVS pharmacy, they have plenty of wonderful people behind the counter to help you.  The line actually moves quickly, and you’re not an inconvenience to the employees that work there.  They are happy to answer any question you might have. What goes well with salmon? How much Ono do I need for 8 people? Or, how long should I marinate the yellow-tail for?

They will suggest what sauces go with what fish, and they will clean and slice specific to your request no hassle at all.  They are truly happy to assist you because they know you will be back. They have got you hooked!

Want to feel like a hero? Do what I do, bring home the freshest fish in the city from Santa Monica Seafood. The cave woman and children at home will thank you.

Holmby Park

Chicks dig the long ball!!  Or so they say.  Any real golfer will tell you the big money is made on the short game. I have found a special jewel in Los Angeles to practice that short game and have a great 2 hours of people watching. Just north of Wilshire  Blvd.  on Beverly Glen  is Holmby Park. There you find an eighteen hole golf course for just $6.  All that is needed is 3 golf clubs, 2 wedges and a putter.  So many times here in L. A. you have to call in advance for a tee time , then try to enjoy a lovely 6 1/2 hour round of golf without losing your patience. At Holmby an hour and a half is all that is needed to unwind and polish up on that rusty short game. The greens are a little bigger than a standard size coffee table, and your approach shots vary from 35  to 100 yards.  A par of 54 on this little monster is a great accomplishment.

In the late afternoons this course changes dramatically, an invasion of dedicated walkers over takes the perimeter of the golf course. With back ground chatter, and the loud laughter and giggles from little ones staying focused can be a task and a half. Watch out for the Frisbee tossers , who have mistaken the golf course for a recreational field. Don’t be alarmed or mad it’s just Holmby after 3 pm. On the north side of the park is a child’s playground with at least 50 children having the time of their life. While on the south side of the park the non roar of lawn bowling takes place. All this activity and they decide to build a pitch and putt right in the middle. Sounds like a crazy idea , but it not only works, it fits in perfectly. So if you are a beginner or an old pro who has lost their touch around the green, Holmby Park is the ideal spot to learn or polish up on your skills. Hey for $6 it is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

P.S.: Acording to a long time local resident, George Bagnall, Arthur Letts founder of the Broadway Department Stores, (who basically “bought Westwood for a dollar an acre”) donated the property as noted by the plaque which sits near the swing set.  It was Armand Hammer who owned Occidental Petroleum, who created a trust to maitain the park and thus “The Armand Hammer Golf Course!”