Summer Soda Tasting #2 to Support the Friends of the Southwest Museum

Celebrate the summer enjoying sodas with the “King of Pop” when Galco’s Soda Pop Stop hosts its second annual Summer Soda Tasting from 5-8 p.m. on July 22. 2012.

• All proceeds to support Friends Of Southwest Museum
• Humorist Charles Phoenix Serves Poptails and a Seven-Layer Soda Pop Rock Cake
• Dublin Bottling Works will launch its new line of sodas, their West Coast debut
• New White Rosa soda will also be announced and sampled
• Performance By Native American Comic/Actor Dakota Black
• Music By Artichoke, Mele Ohana Ukulele Ensemble, Greger Walnum Blues Band and Genesee Hall

http://www.sodapopstop.com/

Buy tickets online at:

http://www.friendsofthesouthwestmuseum.com/soda2.html

John Nese in 2011 proudly showing off his White Rose Soda

Hendrik Stooker -May he rest in peace

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Hendrik Stooker.  In honor of Hendrik, there is an open house at the studio of Carol Collin and Ted Waltz tonight at 6pm at 5400 Monte Vista Street, corner of N. Ave. 54. Hendrik started the Arroyo Arts Collective and was heavily involved with the art culture of Highland Park. He was a major preservation advocate for the community and an active member of Highland Park Heritage Trust. He will be missed. Photo courtesy of Antoinette Miller

Update on Autry CEQA Litigation

The Highland Park Heritage Trust (OR MWHA) does not take lightly the responsibilities of our duty to uphold the mission of our organization.  For the past 30 years, 99% of our advocacywork has been successfully handled by working out a preservation solutionthrough the community process, working with elected officials and agency staffand on technical merits and the law.   Itis the option of last resort to even contemplate litigation for our all-volunteerorganization.  So, for only the second time in the history of Highland Park Heritage Trust (or MWHA), the board decided last year that there was no other choice.  With another organization and with the guidance of a great legal team, we retained the law firm of Otten & Joyce to represent us with this important case.  As you can see by the summary below, we are finally looking at the hearing in late May with a decision shortly thereafter.

Summary of the Litigation and Process
On July 26,2011, the Highland Park Heritage Trust and the Mount Washington Homeowner’sAlliance (“Petitioners”) jointly filed a Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Complaint for Injunctive relief in the Los Angeles Superior Court relating to Autry National Center’s Expansion Project described by Autry as “Facility Remodeling of Exhibit Space for Interpreting Native American Environmental Stewardship.” 

Petitioners are asking the court to set aside the agency approvals and June 21, 2011 Notice of Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) on various grounds including that: 1. the Project has been improperly piecemealed and isin fact just a segmented portion of a much larger project, 2. The Project is not subject to an exemption under CEQA and therefore further environmental review is mandated and, 3. the Project violates the provisions of the Northeast Community Plan specifically protecting the Southwest Museum at its Mt.Washington location.  Petitioners contend that Autry’s underlying motive is to move all collections off the SouthwestMuseum site and to dispose of the historic location at Mt. Washington altogether.

Petitionersfiled their Opening Brief with the court on March 5, 2012 and just recently received the City’s Opposition Brief.  Petitioners’Reply Brief is due in early May with the hearing on the matter currently set forMay 17, 2012 before the Honorable Judge James Chalfant.

Blacksmithing on Second Saturday

Sat. May 12th from 2 to 9 PM
Adam's Forge, a school & cooperative of artist blacksmiths celebrate the beginning of a new adventure with a new community at the Compound (Los Angeles Industrial Arts Compound) 2640 N. San Fernando Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Enter on Media Center Drive.
Demonstrations of blacksmithing, team striking and foldforming will be ongoing in the forge. Throughout the afternoon and evening there will be demonstrations of wood turning and stone carving.  Food trucks in case you get hungry. Live music. There will be a gallery with fine examples of metal art, wood turning, stone carving and other industrial arts. We will be a part of NELA art 2nd Saturdays when local galleries are open. There will be several artists in other media on display. Other surprises will be happening throughout the afternoon & evening. More fun than a barrel full of hot forging monkeys!
Admission is free.
Come see what's going on.
http://www.adamsforge.org/Adams_Forge/News_Blog/Entries/2012/5/12_Save_that_Day!.html
Here is a link to a map:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203057544486961315251.0004b6469e9e0c911f003&msa=0

Heather McLarty

www.steelcrazy.biz
www.adamsforge.org

L.A. Heritage Day!

Ride the Rails to LA Heritage Day! Take the train to Union Station and
attend. Part of the fun is that it will be Dapper Days on rail (more
info here: http://dapperday.railla.org), and they'll be including LAHD
on their Whistle Stop Tour of Historic LA.

 

Highland Park Heritage Trust will have a booth, so come by and say hi!

Highland Park Heritage Trust Community Awards

(Sketch by Rod Smith)

Franklin High School was the gracious host for our annual Community Preservation Awards.

The ceremony was held in the Old Gymnasium basketball court. Councilmembers Reyes and Huizar were both in attendance and showing their appreciation for HPHT. Amy Inouye gave a riveting presentation on the relighting of the Highland Theatre Sign (Award winner). To see more photographs of the Awards Ceremony by Martha Benedict go to this link: http://www.marthabenedict.com/hphtAwards2012

Tina and Charles Miller accepted their award for the addition to their Garvanza house.

Amy Inouye received the award on behalf of the North Figueroa Association for the Sign Relighting project. Walking tour docent, Pat Griffith stands next to our table hosted by Ann Walnum, Carmela Gomes and Louisa Van Leer. Rod Smith is sketching in the back.

Zenay Loera and Jose Huizar are enjoying the day.

The thanks goes to Franklin High School for making it happen!

Spotlight on Mt. Angelus

This 1927 French Chateau Style home was brough back to life by Gregg Logg. Gregg has painstakingly restored this fine residence in Mt. Angelus through the interior and exterior restoration. Most of the original features are still intact in the house, including the stone fireplace, iron and metal sconces, window & door hand forged hardware, as well as stained glass windows, oak flooring and the distinctive barrel roof. Many of he original windows had begun to be replaced with vinyl by a previous owner, but Gregg removed those and replaced them with proper wooden windows. The original light fixtures are also a sight to see as they are also intact. The main room has a beautiful wrought iron chandelier that is original to the room. One of the distinctive characteristics of the front exterior is the 1920's winding upward staircase that needed attention as a stairway railing had been altered and fell in disrepair only to be appropriately replaced by Gregg.

This decision and many others by Gregg Logg helped bring back a return to the original character of the house. The exterior landscaping was also considered and redone to integrate with the architecture and functions as a continuum of the original character of this Frenxh Countryside-Style home. There is even a wine cellar in the basement of the house. The kitchen and bathrooms have been updated with brand new plumbing and fixtures as well as high quality materials chosen for the floor and counter tops. White marble was used for all the surface counters in both the bathrooms and kitchen. The finishes are of high level in both material and execution.Gregg also bought the home across the street on Outlook Avenue and Garrison Drive so he could also do a complimentary restoration on that adjacent property to reflect and showcase the careful work of the 6118 Garrison Drive residence. The second home is also 1927 but it is a Spanish-Colonial style home. This restoration of this residence is not complete yet. But it is already apparent that the high level of restoration on both these homes has set a new mark of quality execution and finish as a gateway to Mt. Angelus. In other words, Mr. Logg's restoration work is a shining example of empowering the notion that one home or several home restorations on a street, can bring up an entire block of homes not at the same level of maintenance or finish.

(Text by Tina Gulotta-Miller)