THE EAGLE ROCK ASSOCIATION
The Best Investment You Can Make in Your Neighborhood
January 29, 2004
Join
now! Here's how:
Click on
http://www.TERA90041.org/teraform.htm
Now more than ever, please support your residents association --
more than 1,000 members strong, and growing every day!
Please encourage interested friends and neighbors to send their
email addresses
to us at e.letter@TERA90041.org so we
can keep them informed, too.
This week:
President's Message: Green is good (item
#1)
A prestigious appointment for our own Joanne Turner (item
#2)
More sound discussion (Item #11,
"We've Got Mail")
Table of Contents:
1. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE -- HOW OUR
GARDEN GROWS
2. JOANNE TURNER APPOINTED TO CITY PARKS COMMITTEE
3. ECLECTIC EAGLE ROCK HOME TOUR 2004: FIRST MEETING SET FOR
FEBRUARY 5!
4. THINK GLOBALLY, VOTE LOCALLY
5. CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ROUTE 66 SHOW
6. LAND OF A THOUSAND DREAMS: SONGS AND IMAGES OF LA --
JANUARY 31
7. COUNCILMEMBER VILLARAIGOSA GIVES US THE WORKS -- JANUARY 31
8. JEFF AND REBECCA BUGHOUSE TAKE YOU FAR FROM IKEA -- CLOSING
RECEPTION, JANUARY 31
9. ANTIQUE A CAPELLA COMES TO OXY -- FEBRUARY 1
10. MOUTH WATERING HOLIDAYS DEPARTMENT -- FEBRUARY 14
11. WE'VE GOT MAIL
12. THE LAST WORD -- GANDHI
1. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE -- HOW OUR GARDEN GROWS
TERAıs first community meeting of 2004 was a tremendous success!
More than 100 people came to hear our presentation "How Does Your
Garden Grow?"
Mary Tokita, Chair, Community Gardens, The Collaborative, Eagle Rock
Beautiful, (a committee of TERA) assembled a truly inspired panel of gardeners
and landscapers:
A few tips from John Wickham:
They save water.
You donıt need fertilizers and
pesticides.
Itıs our heritage!
It prevents weeds.
Al Renner, President of the Community Garden Council, advocated that 20
acres of the Ascot Reservoir be set aside for community gardens. The
Garden Council helps insure community gardens around the city. In Eagle
Rock, Al and Mary Tokita advocated that an open lot on Rockdale and Lanark
become a community garden as well!
The panelists then answered thorny questions from the audience, and urged us to
be both creative and water-efficient with our gardens. "Keep the
consumptiveness of your garden down." What a wonderful lesson water
conservation and beauty! We even learned that shredded paper makes good
protective cover for plants. It was a truly fascinating evening,
especially for someone who knows very little about gardening like myself.
Thank you to those who donated to our event: The Collaborative, Eagle Rock
Beautiful (a committee of TERA), Eagle Rock Lumber, IMIX Bookstore, LA
Common Ground / Master Gardener program, NorthEast Trees, Restoration Hardware
of Old Pasadena, Theodore Payne Foundation, Trader Joeıs, and Tritch
Hardware. Your donations were a genuine hit, as Mary asked the
audience to look under their chairs for corresponding letters to each of the
gifts.
Special gratitude to Valee Kunnaragthai of Sicha Siam Restaurant
on Eagle Rock Boulevard for their delicious donated dishes Yellow Curry with
Tofu & Vegetables and Pad See-Ew.
And thank you to the Eagle Rock Collaborative for donating
drought-resistant, succulent plants! No one left empty-handed.
Thank you to our brilliant TERA Board members Mary Tokita and Keith
Louie, Program Chair. Thanks also to Esther Monk, Kathleen Long,
John Stillion, Betty Tyndall and Renata Crump for all of their work
to get the program, decorations and sign-ups taken care of! Finally,
thanks to everyone who shared in this fun and educational evening!
-- Hilary Norton Orozco, TERA President
2. JOANNE TURNER APPOINTED TO CITY PARKS COMMITTEE
Our heartiest congratulations to TERA President Emeritus Joanne Turner,
who has been appointed by City Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa to
serve on the Regional Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committee
(RVNOC.) The RVNOC oversees the use of funds from Proposition K, which
are earmarked to improve the city's parks and public lands. We have no
doubt that Joanne will bring the same tireless energy and enthusiasm to her
latest post that she displayed during her highly productive six year stint as
TERA's President. Best of luck, Joanne!
2. ECLECTIC EAGLE ROCK HOME TOUR 2004: FIRST MEETING SET FOR
FEBRUARY 5!
Please come and be a part of Eagle Rock's biggest event! The fifth
annual Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour will take place in October, and we
need to begin planning now. It's hard work, but it's really fun and
rewarding, and you get to know and work with terrific people!
We've chosen the neighborhood along College View Avenue south of Colorado
Boulevard, and we're already in the process of gathering house candidates.
It's a truly unique and interesting part of Eagle Rock!
All Home Tour Committee members need to be TERA members. If you are not
already a TERA member and want to join our Committee, we'll be happy to sign
you up at the meeting.
Please remember the many benefits this wonderful event brings to our lovely
little town, and help us make it happen!
3. THINK GLOBALLY, VOTE LOCALLY
From Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council President Dalila Soleto comes news of
the upcoming Neighborhood Council elections:
"It's election time again in Eagle Rock! The Eagle Rock Neighborhood
Council will be filling the seats of directors who were elected for a one-year
term. The following is a list of the open positions:
Youth
Faith-Based Organizations
Business
Civic Organizations
Sub-District 2
Sub-District 5
Sub-District 7
Sub-District 8
"The election will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2004. Please
look for more information in the upcoming weeks.
"If you are interested in running for one of the seats mentioned above,
please contact Bill Markis, Election Committee Chair, at
District8@EagleRockCouncil.org or me at President@EagleRockCouncil.org.
We can also be reached by phone at (323) 257-6381."
-- Dalila Sotelo, President, The Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council
4. CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ROUTE 66 SHOW
The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, sends us this announcement about their
upcoming Route 66 Art Auction:
"On March 13th, 2004, the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock is
holding its second annual Route 66 Art Auction. We need your
support and your art. 100% of the funds raised from this auction will be
used to support the exhibition of the work of both emerging and established
artists, and also our arts learning programs (27 classes for children and
adults). Since the Center is a non-profit corporation, we, of course,
will provide you with a receipt for your taxes. Also, artists will have
the option to receive a percentage of the proceeds.
"The Board and the staff thank you for any and all support you can give
us. Please call us if you have any questions regarding the auction or our
programming: (323) 226-1617. Or visit us on our website, http://www.centerartseaglerock.org. We look
forward to the opportunity to speak to you about our Center."
-- Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, 2225 Colorado Boulevard, Eagle
Rock
5. LAND OF A THOUSAND DREAMS: SONGS AND IMAGES OF LA --
JANUARY 31
Avenue 50 Studio presents "Land of a 1000 Dreams: L.A. Songs and
Images," an intriguing evening of music, visual arts/photography, and
poetry exploring Los Angeles' artistic dreamscapes. With art inspired by a city
famous for attracting dreamers, this multi-faceted evening especially evokes
the L.A. Chicano and Central American experience. Featured musical guests
are Los Curiosos/The Curious and Ollin, with special
artwork/projection installations of LA by photographers Juliane Backmann,
Maria Nunez and painters Kathy Gallegos and Eloy Torrez. Interspersed
throughout the evening will be poetry by noted Los Angeles-based poets Manuel
Luna, Gloria Enedina Alvarez and Victor Carrillo.
The event is set for this Saturday, from 7:30 p.m. to approximately 11 p.m.
at Avenue 50 Studio. The suggested donation is only $3.00. For more
information call (323) 258-1435.
6. COUNCILMEMBER VILLARAIGOSA GIVES US THE WORKS -- JANUARY 31
From 14th District Field Deputy Michael Cathey comes this announcement about
an upcoming public workshop that promises to be quite useful:
"To start off 2004 with a bang, Councilmember Villaraigosa, in
partnership with the Department of Public Works, will be sponsoring a Public
Works Workshop on Saturday, January 31. The Workshop will take place in
Occidental College's Johnson Hall from 8:00 a.m. to noon.
"The workshop will consist of a general informational session about the
Department of Public Works followed by several break-out sessions focusing on
topics related to Street Resurfacing, Sidewalk Repair, Sanitation, Street Trees
and Street Lighting. This will be a perfect opportunity for folks to find
out exactly how our city's extensive infrastructure works, is maintained, and
what the process is to get streets and sidewalks repaired.
"Many thanks to Occidental College for providing the space for this
workshop. To RSVP for the workshop, or to get additional information,
please call Areen Ibranossian in our Eagle Rock Office at (323) 254-5295."
-- Michael Cathey, Council District 14 Field Deputy
7. JEFF AND REBECCA BUGHOUSE TAKE YOU FAR FROM IKEA -- CLOSING
RECEPTION, JANUARY 31
Through
February 5th, 2004
Closing Reception: Saturday, January 31st, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Gallery Ophelia
2114 Colorado Boulevard
Eagle Rock
Gallery Ophelia has been transformed into a wonderland where art meets
design and everyday items are embellished with fantastic images. Whether you
choose to wear your favorite art on your shirt or hang it on a wall, form and
function come together in new ways in Mod.i.fi. Please join us for
this eclectic showcase of Jeff & Rebecca's recent creative explorations and
for a special Closing Reception on Saturday, January 31st! The
exhibit presents limited edition serigraphs and screenprinting done on objects
such as tables, lamps, drapes, pillows and trash cans. The artists reject
the idea of a prepackaged lifestyle and say, "Make It Your
Way!"
TERA members are no doubt familiar with Jeff and Rebecca's work as designers of
the Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour poster, which was displayed on bus
shelters throughout Northeast Los Angeles this past autumn.
Gallery Ophelia is open Wednesday through Saturday, from noon to 6:00 p.m.
For more information, please call Candace Metzger at (323)
982-9945. Or visit the gallery's website at
http;//www.galleryophelia.com.
8. ANTIQUE A CAPELLA COMES TO OXY -- FEBRUARY 1
Choral Tapestry: LAVA (Los Angeles
Vocal Artists)
Sunday, February 1, 2004
3:00 p.m.
Herrick Chapel, on the Occidental campus
Eagle Rock
Occidental College presents a stirring concert of British a capella
music from the sixteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, including:
William Byrd: "Mass in Four Voices"
Orlando Gibbons: Almighty and Everlasting God
Charles Villiers Stanford: Beati Quorum Via
The concert will last approximately 50 minutes.
Tickets are $10.00 and may be purchased at the Occidental bookstore. Or
visit http://www.oxybookstore.com. You can also call (323) 259-2879 to
order. Tickets will also be available at the door.
9. MOUTH WATERING HOLIDAYS DEPARTMENT -- FEBRUARY 14
Our friends at Camilo's California Bistro & Catering Co. plan to roll
out the red carpet for Cupid on February 14, and invite you to join them!
Valentine's Day celebrants at Camilo's on Colorado Boulevard will
enjoy a grand five course meal with main course choices that include
Maine Lobster Thermidor, Filet Mignon Stilton or New Zealand Lamb Chops.
The evening's dessert is "Romantic Hearts": fresh raspberries
and cream heart tarts, with gelato de chocolate served on a bed of "Love
Potion."
Pre-paid reservations will be required at $60.00 per person, plus tax &
gratuity and beverage.
For reservations, call (323) 478-2644.
10. WE'VE GOT MAIL
Our letters section debate on the wisdom of erecting sound walls on the 134
freeway over Eagle Rock continues this week -- although at this point it's
hardly a debate: as of this writing, 100% of the people who've taken the time
to share their thoughts are firmly against building sound walls on Eagle Rock's
northern hillside. Let's listen in:
"I can't help but to reiterate the position taken by the three letter
writers in the January 22nd e.letter on the subject of freeway sound walls.
Many a time I have been captivated by the spectacular view of Eagle Rock
and beyond as I drive on the 134. It would be a horrid loss to have it
encased in concrete.
"I live a short distance from the wall on the Arroyo Seco Parkway that should
have never been built. It is the most atrocious thing on the entire
freeway. It is ugly, too big and a magnet for graffiti. If CalTrans
had spent their money wisely, they could have restored many of the safety
features, such as flashing amber lights that used to be at the base of the
ramps or repaired much of the lost or decimated landscape along the historic
road."
-- Charlie Fisher, Highland Park
"We also feel that a sound wall in Eagle Rock would be detrimental to the
town's look; and, for sure, it will create a haven for graffiti:
a brand new and very large easel in the neighborhood.
"When we try to tell people where Eagle Rock is located, we always
say: 'look to your right [as you drive along the 134 headed] east, and you will
see this wonderful hamlet nestled in the hills.'
"As my 90 year-old father-in-law said when we first moved here, 'What a
picturesque little town this is.'"
-- Tamara and Alexis Lobaco, Eagle Rock
"I strongly agree with the opposition to the sound walls on our freeway.
I live on Hill Drive, and can hear the freeway; but the beauty of the
hills makes up for it, and I wouldn't want to see that uglified (ugly-fied,
i.e, made ugly) with concrete walls!"
-- Lucy Cole, Hill Drive
Thank you, Charlie, Lucy, Tamara and Alexis, for joining in the
discussion. If anyone else has a comment on sound walls or a related
subject, email us at e.letter@tera90041.org.
* * *
Gloria and Mike Buccat's note in last week's e.letter about the ongoing
graffiti problems at and around the Von's property on Figueroa also drew quite
a response, as these letters show:
"We live in direct view of the horrible graffiti at 1100 Colorado Blvd.
I filled out a Graffiti Removal Request form on the City of Los
Angeles website: http://www.lacity.org. If you click on Forms
under the Quick Links section on the left, you will see a link to the
form. The graffiti was removed the day after I filled out the form.
I am not sure if it was my request that actually did the trick or if they
received other request forms/complaints as well. Von's really needs to do
something with that property--at least tear down the buildings. It is a
real eyesore!"
-- Kitty Davis, Eagle Rock Resident and TERA member
"I don't know how the Von's store manager can say that there have been no
other complaints regarding the graffiti at 1100 Colorado Blvd. I know
that we here at Jordinelli & Associates regularly complain about graffiti
and other vandalism at that location, as it is right next door to us.
(The person we've called is the property manager, Keith Lam at [626] 821-3788.)
Von's bought that property (as well as everything else on that side of
the street up to Figueroa) more than two years ago, made everyone move out, and
now it sits there, being vandalized and tagged. It's a shame that Von's
doesn't appear interested in adaptive reuse of that property. Built in
1946, it was originally a motel. It's an appealing place and would
make great little offices or shops or an antique mall. Or...?
I don't know what plans Von's has for it, though there have been lots of
rumors. Maybe TERA's Land Use Committee, which monitors sites of future
development knows more.
-- Alice L. Hartwell, Eagle Rock
"I was delighted to learn that someone else is beginning to fight what
we refer to in our household as the La Loma-Figueroa Battle (against
Von's.) We live on Oak Grove Drive, close to the Figueroa end of the
street, and are saddened and angered by the lack of interest
and response from Von's."
--Tamara and Alexis Lobaco, Oak Grove Drive
Also weighing in on the topic of grafitti at the Von's property was
Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council District 2 Director Jessica Wethington McLean,
who wrote the following letter to Gloria and Mike, which she was kind enough to
share with us:
"I'm glad to hear you took proactive steps to let Vonıs know about the
horrendous graffiti tagging which occurred on the property a couple weeks ago.
As Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council District 2 Director (the area in which
the Figueroa Vonıs is located) I have been in close contact with Vonıs
corporate offices, and their outside property management company, regarding the
myriad ongoing problems associated with the vacant buildings on the
northwestern portion of the Vonıs parcel lot. I spoke at length with the
corporate director in charge of this Vonıs store just last week about our
expectations that corporate neighbors be responsible neighbors, and that
leaving the lot to turn into a source of continual blight on our community is
not acceptable. He promises me that maintenance and overall upkeep of the
property will be much better attended to from here on out, and I think the
speed which which the tagging blight you mentioned was handled is a sign that
he meant what he said.
"Incidentally, we have an Action Team of volunteers in our district who
monitor graffiti all around our part of the community and report it to
Operation Clean-Sweep (800-611-2489) if itıs on public property, or to me if
itıs not, and I follow up on each complaint. We have another Action Team
which focuses on beautification activities, of which Vonıs has certainly been a
focus. In fact, last spring, stakeholders from District 2 and other areas
worked together with Operation Clean-Sweep one Saturday morning to clean out almost
a ton-- literally --of trash from the vacant lot between Vonıs and Sav-on on La
Loma.
This is all said to let you know youıre not the only one who cares about this
lot. I encourage you to join in these efforts, and to let me know if you
have other concerns in our little corner of the world. Iıve learned a lot
from this volunteer ³job² on the neighborhood council, and one of the biggest
is that even corporate giants can be moved to do the right thing when
persuaded. I hope that we will all see great improvements in the way this
Vonıs property is maintained in the future."
-- Jessica Wethington McLean, District 2 Director, Eagle Rock
Neighborhood Council
* * *
"Thank you for all the efforts to keep us well-informed in Eagle Rock.
My husband and I have been TERA members for 5 years and are continually
impressed with the passion and energy that makes TERA a driving force in this
community.
"My husband, Kevin, was born and raised in Eagle Rock. Thirteen
years ago we bought his parents' home and began 'renewing' the house and yard.
Like many TERA members, we wish to preserve what makes Eagle
Rock special in the way of architecture and land, and have tried to do this in
the rooms that we've remodeled as well as in our landscaping. We are now
considering adding on to our home and we're looking for an architect to help us
with the official plans and possibly with finding an interior designer and
contractor. We realized that if there were members of TERA who were in
these lines of work, this might make for a very nice match.
"Can you refer people whom we could contact? If possible, would you
also let us know if they are TERA members or friends/associates of TERA
members? We look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!"
-- Marina Thompson and Kevin Grace, Linda Rosa Avenue
The e.letter is proud to count a number of very talented architects among
our subscribers, many of whom will no doubt see this notice. If any
architecturally-inclined TERA members would like to get in touch with
Marina and Kevin -- or if you're a reader who'd simply like to share a referral
with the couple -- we'd be happy to forward your message. Just send
us an email with a subject line that reads "Architect" and we'll pass
your note along to Marina and Kevin.
* * *
"Thank you so much for running the notice for the Eagle Rock Valley
Historical Society's recent "Car ER" event. I also want to
compliment you on the e.letter. I like how you're handling the letters
section and the information you've added to the end. I also hear your
unique voice in the notices and like the friendly tone it gives the
publication. Makes it enjoyable to read."
-- Karen Germaine, Eagle Rock resident and member of TERA and the Eagle
Rock Valley Historical Society
Shucks, ma'am, not half as enjoyable as receiving a letter like yours.
Thanks! We'll see everyone right back here next week!
* * *
We welcome your comments, complaints and/or
compliments on the e.letter or any topic of interest to greater Eagle Rock.
Please address your message to e.letter@TERA90041.org,
and include your full name, along with your city, neighborhood or professional
affiliation. Opinions expressed in the e.letter's "We've Got
Mail" section do not necessarily reflect the views of The Eagle Rock
Association (TERA), the e.letter editor, or The Eagle Rock Association Board of
Directors, who reserve the right to publish letters or other materials
submitted to the e.letter at their sole discretion. Letters or other material
chosen for publication may be edited for style, clarity and brevity.
Please let us know if you do not wish to have your comments appear
in the e.letter.
11. THE LAST WORD
-- GANDHI
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by
the way its animals are treated."
-- Mohandas K. Gandhi (18691948)
The TERA e.letter is distributed weekly and seen by more
than 2000 readers with an interest in Eagle Rock and Northeast Los Angeles.
Please encourage interested friends to send their full name and email
address to us at e.letter@TERA90041.org
so we can keep them informed, too.
If you have changed your email address or would like to be removed from this
list, send us an email to e.letter@TERA90041.org
with the word(s) "remove" or "address change" in the
subject box, as appropriate.
If you have a press release, letter of comment, question or other notice that
you feel might be of interest to the Eagle Rock community, send it to e.letter@TERA90041.org. Your
announcement -- in the form of an email text message, (no attachments, please)
-- must be in our hands by noon on Monday to be considered for inclusion in
that week's issue.
TERA -- The Eagle Rock Association -- YOUR COMMUNITY IN ACTION -- http://www.TERA90041.org --
P. O. Box 41453, Eagle Rock, CA 90041 -- (323) 259-TERA -- a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit public benefit corporation
The TERA e.letter
A publication of The Eagle Rock Association (TERA)
Vince Waldron, editor
e.letter@TERA90041.org