Silver Lake Improvement Association Celebrates 20 Years

I had the good fortune to attend the Annual Meeting of the Silver Lake Improvement Association last evening, held at Silver Lake's Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral. SLIA President Genelle LeVin has done an outstanding job in revitalizing the organization; a near-capacity crowd was on hand to celebrate the organizations' 20th anniversary.

Headline speakers, Los Angeles Council Member Tom LaBonge (CD-4) and Council President Eric Garcetti (CD-13)extolled the crowd for their community activism, and reported on council matters, especially the effects of the budget crisis. Long-time SLIA Board Member Ruth Faydich was honored for serving the organization for 17 years as the group's Treasurer.

A highlight of the evening, Councilmember LaBonge led the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" to long-time community activist Lucy Jones, who turns 92 this month.

Julius Shulman: Still Going Strong at 98!

This past week (March 9-15, 2009), I had the joy of seeing Julius Shulman on two occasions; visiting him at his home in the Hollywood Hills, and on Sunday, March 15th attending an "Ides of March Scotch-Tasting Bacchanal" at the home of (L.A. Magazine Executive Editor) Mary Melton and her husband Ed Leibowitz in Eagle Rock.

Apparently Julius has been wanting to do this for years, according to our hosts. For the occasion, they brought in one of the city's top Scotch experts from the Seven Grand bar in downtown Los Angeles. Guests mingled around the pool, sampling Middle Eastern delicacies before adjourning to the family room for the Scotch-tasting. I had no idea there was such a variety of unique single malt Scotch whiskeys! Afterwards, we were invited to stay for dessert, a medley of three cakes, spelling out the words, "All Hail Julius".

Among the guests were many old friends we originally met through Julius, including Designer Ron Fields, Woodbury University's Rose Nielsen, L.A. Magazine's Chris Nichols and his lovely wife, Charlene, Chris Alexander from the Getty Research Institute, Linda Dishman, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Conservancy, Jim Heimann, Executive Editor of Taschen America (Julius' publisher) and his wife Rolleen, Neutra Scholar Barbara Lamprecht, our neighbor Guy Vidal (DesignVidal) and of course, Julius' daughter, Judy McKee. Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge dropped in for a "Hail Julius" salute.

Besides our hosts, we were introduced to Michael Stern from Palm Springs (Michael hosted last year's Palm Springs Modernism event) and Craig Krull, owner of the gallery in Santa Monica that exhibits Julius' work.

Silver Lakers Dedicate the New Pathway Circumventing SL Reservoir

Saturday, December 20, 2008 marked an historic happening in Silver Lake, the Ribbon-cutting ceremony dedicating the pathway circling Silver Lake Reservoir. A host of dignitaries, neighbors and reservoir advocates were on hand for the long-awaited path to finally open.

I arrived just before 10 a.m., and already there were a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. I spotted Bea Gold, along with L.A. Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Council President Eric Garcetti, who were definitely pumped for the occasion. Bea was greeting CA. Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (43rd Dist.) while LaBonge was introducing Assemblymember Curran Price (51st Dist.).

Fine speeches by Eric Garcetti and Tom LaBonge were followed by addresses from Paul Krekorian, LADWP CEO H. David Nahai, L.A. City Engineer Gary Moore, Board of Public Works Board Member Julie Gutman and Committee to Save Silver Lake's Reservoirs President Shelley Marks. It was a special day for many of us who have been advocating for Silver Lake's open reservoirs.