Take that, Philadelphia: Damon & Pythias on Wilshire Boulevard in SM offers “LA Cheesesteak – on grilled foccacia bread – balsamic-spice marinated flank steak, blue cheese dressing, country onions, mixed baby greens, tomatoes” … What? Just “tomatoes”? Not heirloom tomatoes, or something? … Late last month, LA City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl issued a press release stating his opposition to “the proposed 31-story MDR Tower, as it is currently designed” at 4363 Lincoln Boulevard. In the course of the release, he said he is “working to bring light rail to Lincoln Boulevard.” Then how come Metro CEO Roger Snoble, when asked earlier that month about public transit plans for Lincoln, had absolutely nothing to talk about but the status quo Big Blue Bus “rapid” line? …
Karen Bass, State Assembly member from the 47th District, has just been named Majority Leader. Bass figures to be one of the highest profile Democrats in the state. One of her main focuses is on reforming the Foster Parents/Kids program in the state. How is that for a worthy cause? … At the City Council candidates forum hosted by C.R.A.A.P. at the Ken Edwards Center on October 5, moderator Dr. Jean Gebman’s tactic of taking questions/comments from the audience four at a time before calling for the candidates’ responses worked quite well … You know the race is heating up when – still a month before election day – candidate Terence Later talks about an effort to “find a healing answer to every one of your needs” …
September turned October over a musical weekend: On the north side of town on Saturday, September 30, Tish Nettleship hosted an afternoon of chamber music for her La Senora Research Institute and the Harvard B-School Assn. at her Jose Mojica Hacienda in Santa Monica Canyon – Bach, Boccherini and Brahms for cello and piano on the program, with a Bach bourrèe as encore for solo cello … You knew you were in The Canyon when the children selling cold beverages to passersby in front of the old Leo Carillo estate called out, “Lemon iced tea! Lemon iced tea!” … And on the south side of town on Sunday, October 1, Irene Webb hosted jazz musicians Ben Wendel on sax and Josh Nelson on keyboards in a Venice walk street garden to benefit The Impact Fund and its gender discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart … You knew you were in Venice because – well, you always know when you’re in Venice …
Meanwhile, right in the middle of town, series producer Patrick Scott released the program for the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica’s 2006-2007 Jacaranda music series … While the church suffers renovations this year, the concerts take to the road, and the opening program November 4 will be at Samohi’s Barnum Hall, “a lavishly restored 1938 streamline art deco triumph” per the program … First Pres pastor Dr. William A. Wood III sends the congregation out with a benediction that is as thoughtful as it is spirited …
Line of the Week (no, at least the Month) goes to Donna Mendez, a formerly homeless honoree at the Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition’s 11th Annual Success Breakfast at the Miramar, October 6: “You know, with us alcoholics, there are two things in life we do not like at all – (1) change, and (2) the way things are” … I don’t think the alcoholics have cornered the market on that conundrum … Who’d a thunk it: What with email, voice-mail, text messaging and such, some people now consider a telephone call (in which people actually talk and listen in the same real time) to be a personal way to deliver a delicate message …
Country Joe McDonald, speaking from the stage at McCabe’s Guitar Shop on Pico on Friday, October 6, called it “one of the legendary acoustic music places” in the world. And he also said, “I am so close to retiring, and I can see [looking into the audience] that many of you are too” … And, with that, I will retire.
