tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185579282012-01-27T01:35:45.393-08:00A multi-lingering blog about the politicis, the civics, the places, and etc. in Sherman Oaks.Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.comBlogger1691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-74468959765457353232008-02-21T01:39:00.000-08:002008-02-21T02:00:30.516-08:00

For those who didn't see it on LAist, there's a new coffeehouse in East Sherman Oaks near Moorpark and Fulton, (more specifically Longridge).  Free wifi, plenty of wall plug space, eco and vegan friendly, you can't complain.  It's great to see this corner of Sherman Oaks beginning to become revitalized -- it only takes one coffeeshop.  I always found it sleepy since I moved here.  M Street can

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-84304067096626930402007-10-11T14:50:00.000-07:002007-10-11T14:54:52.885-07:00

Going eastbound on Ventura to northbound Woodman is never a fun turn, even sometimes later at night. My solution has always been to turn left onto a side street, which is much faster.But not to fear, no longer are those days, a left turn arrow will be born.More info at my post on LAist.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-72063784905872705022007-08-20T23:52:00.000-07:002007-08-20T23:55:59.707-07:00

On Saturday, September 8th from 9 am to 11 am, the Sherman Oaks Beautification Committee is having a “Rally in the Alley.” Volunteers will meet at the northeast corner of Van Nuys and Ventura Blvds., by the California National Bank building. After some food and camaraderie, we will go through the north and south alleys, sweeping up trash and debris, pulling weeds and painting out graffiti.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-24869812239693527842007-08-03T02:44:00.000-07:002007-08-03T03:00:16.286-07:00

I'm tempted to start this up, but I am way over-involved. But for this to happen would be incredible.With three bicycle shops in Sherman Oaks and other community support, a bicycle committee can really do some good for the neighborhood:Work on sidewalk bicycle parking in business districts not currently served (Van Nuys Blvd., Woodman Blvd, Sepulveda).Work with big box and grocery stores on

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-71088446415452650092007-06-27T01:29:00.000-07:002007-06-27T01:36:32.424-07:00

It's Britney Spears' Ralphs too:Los Angeles Times7:03 PM PDT, June 26, 2007Man wounded in shooting at Studio City groceryBy Francisco Vara-Orta, Times Staff WriterA gunman armed with a semiautomatic weapon shot and wounded a man after firing off several rounds this afternoon outside a bustling Ralphs supermarket in Studio City.Several people ducked when the shots started flying about 3:45 p.m.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1213237693196030222007-06-26T23:08:00.000-07:002007-06-26T23:15:53.505-07:00

I never knew until I was dropping off a package at FedEx Kinkos tonight that Greco's pizza next door is open to 2 a.m. all week long. This is the same pizza company that serves you on inebriated nights at Hollywood and Las Palmas and Hollywood and Highland.Greco's New York Pizzeria4572 Van Nuys Blvd.Sherman Oaks, CA 91403818 789-1652 (in the same strip mall as Solley's and Gelsons)

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-17584178731806011472007-06-12T23:26:00.000-07:002007-06-12T23:29:36.576-07:00

From an E-Policing AlertCOMMUNITY ALERT NOTIFICATIONLOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENTIt is not very often that we have a armed street robbery in Studio City but on Thursday June 7th we had one. At approximately 3:55am the vict was walking on Moorpark towards Coldwater Canyon to catch the bus for work.The suspect approached the victim on foot, pulled out a handgun, pointing it at the victim's neck and

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-42129240055970198262007-06-08T12:17:00.000-07:002007-06-08T12:23:28.148-07:00

When we were approaching last Wednesday's graffiti meeting, I requested a map of graffiti hot spots in Sherman Oaks so I could target market segments for flyering areas of the community. And with a little touch of Web 2.0 ingenuity, Council District 2 used the My Maps feature on Google Maps to share those locations.If you are just curious or want to adopt-a-wall, check out the map.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-88328827233495603382007-06-06T00:11:00.000-07:002007-06-06T00:17:30.299-07:00

Some more information has come out in the form of a press release, so I am just posting it here:COUNCILWOMAN WENDY GREUEL, LAPD, NEIGHBHORHOOD GROUPS KICK-OFF ANTI-GRAFFITI PROGRAM Councilwoman Greuel and city agencies to train local residents to fight graffiti (LOS ANGELES) - As part of her anti-graffiti campaign, Councilwoman Wendy Greuel will sponsor an "Adopt-A-Wall" training session

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-62908940329448348622007-06-05T16:59:00.000-07:002007-06-05T17:00:57.696-07:00

Caltrans will close all lanes of the northbound San Diego Freeway (I-405) from Ventura Boulevard to the Ventura Freeway (U.S. 101) nightly, for four nights beginning Thursday, June 7. The dates and times are as follows:Thursday, June 7, 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.Friday, June 8, 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.Saturday, June 9, 3 a.m. to 5 a.m.Sunday, June 10, 2 a.m. to 7 a.m.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-27766047551076462282007-06-04T14:10:00.000-07:002007-06-04T14:12:36.752-07:00

In lieu of our usual Public Safety Committee meeting, we are teaming up with Councilwoman Wendy Greue'ls office for the "Adopt-a-Wall/Anti-Graffiti Activist Training Session."Wednesday, June 6 2007 @ 6:30 p.m.VIVA Gallery13261 Moorpark St.Sherman Oaks, CA 91423(Intersection of Moorpark & Fulton)Parking found on Moorpark and side streetsFood will be served.This training session will provide you

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-50484422261291693612007-05-09T21:32:00.000-07:002007-05-10T11:05:24.231-07:00

While there are talks of a community garden in the neighborhood (more to come soon), there is no produce specialty shop other than Farm Boy at Hazeltine and Riverside abut to Trader Joes.They don't get too exotic, but it supplements your Trader Joes shopping with more and better choices of fruits and vegetables. They even have a small sushi station!Check it out.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-71582374980901038902007-05-09T12:46:00.000-07:002007-05-09T12:49:39.613-07:00

Caltrans and LADOT Meeting5/24/07 Skirball Cultural CenterAn important transportation meeting with information from both CAL TRANS (405) Widening Project and LADOT (Sepulveda Blvd. Reversible Lane Project) will be held:Skirball Cultural Center onThursday, May 24, 20077 to 9 pm.Many of the Neighborhood Councils and Homeowners Associations have worked hard to get both Caltrans and LADOT to meet the

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-32447095282680805682007-03-25T13:09:00.000-07:002007-03-25T13:19:16.340-07:00

A lot of people seem to find me as an elected Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council rep through this blog and e-mail me at my Non-NC address.Brother Zach:I live in SO with my wife and soon to be baby. Hey, what's up with all the street peddlers man? People selling Spider-Man blow up dolls, corn on the cob from hand-pushed carts, flowers, teddy bears, etc.I know you are on the SONC and I emailed them

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-17342847098290956392007-03-22T00:53:00.000-07:002007-03-22T01:06:22.558-07:00

Debate is going strong on the Westfield Mall expansion. It is inevitable as time changes that upgrades will be needed. If Westfield does not change their ways, the future could hold an abandoned space that will call for change anyway.What I see missing from all the newspaper articles and what I have read so far about from the critics are mitigations for non-motorized transit. The LA River Plan

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-64058202437447341382007-03-17T17:01:00.000-07:002007-03-17T17:45:20.831-07:00

How many sidewalk bicycle racks are there in Sherman Oaks? 33*. These are the LADOT Inverted U bike racks (see picture) that you see on the street that are part of the LADOT Sidewalk Parking Program. The 33 does not include racks at the Library, parks or off the sidewalk at businesses.Bike Rack Count by Council District:CD2: 3 Racks along Woodman at Moorpark, Riverside & Burbank (that is 6.5%

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-446369564644307062007-03-15T14:32:00.000-07:002007-03-15T14:35:59.721-07:00

At the neighborhood council, we take so many pictures, but never get to share them with the public. Part of that is that we are all volunteers and updating a website with photos mixed with different technical web skills of members, Flickr was an obvious choice. It is also an easy way to be part of a large online community. Not many pictures up yet, but over time there will be a lot of good

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-38964392185010342932007-02-17T23:15:00.000-08:002007-02-17T23:50:49.153-08:00

So I got a peek at the LA River Master plan today at the Friends of the LA River tour (something I highly recommend) that took a group of about 30 people to 5 locations in LA on the river (Sepulveda Dam being one of them). You can download it from the website, but I'm not a big fan of PDFs that are 100s of pages long.Above is the Sherman Oaks/Studio City portion of the draft plan (click to

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-27810716269748038252007-02-17T01:44:00.000-08:002007-02-17T01:54:17.704-08:00

The story, according to TMZ, is that "Britney Spears, back from less than 24 hours in a Caribbean rehab facility, showed up at a Sherman Oaks, Calif. tattoo parlor Friday night sporting a new hairdo. KABC in Los Angeles caught her as she got a new tattoo of red lips on her wrist."The new look would have been more fitting if she were caught visiting the Pyschic Eye Book Shop.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-28871669627388417412007-02-16T00:19:00.000-08:002007-02-16T00:48:04.912-08:00

We don't get that much crime in Sherman Oaks, but there has been a sharp increase in Burglary from Motor Vehicles (BFMVs) lately. There has been so much, I have been flooded my e-mail box with messages about this and the LAPD is pushing hard at meetings to educate people on how to have your car not become a victim to broken windows and lighter loads. We also got our first e-policing e-mail blast

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-38047247754985987792007-01-30T10:59:00.000-08:002007-01-30T11:04:18.850-08:00

Maybe I'm being picky here, but this happens too much. I was reading a news story about a man who was shot in Sherman Oaks last week and then CBS2 grabbed a quote from a detective from the West Valley Station. Wait a second, West Valley doesn't cover Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys does. So I look at the address of the block of the incident and lo and behold, it's Encino. For heaven's sakes, the article

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1169585803443826522007-01-23T12:54:00.000-08:002007-01-23T12:56:43.466-08:00

Straight from Wendy Greuel's office: The repair and repaving of the parking lots on the South side of the park is beginning. The first lot to be done is Tyrone at Huston, followed by the Huston Lot by the play area and finally, the Hazeltine lot. The Senior Center lot is still under review for short term treatments since it will need to be replaced (and reconfigured) after the new Senior Center

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1169543469107895262007-01-23T01:07:00.000-08:002007-01-23T01:11:09.126-08:00

Finally, it looks like the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council will be stepping it up with marketing to the community, at least to homeowners as the Sherman Oaks Sun only gets delivered to homes and not apartments.Good steps. Good steps.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1169432482630089212007-01-21T18:02:00.000-08:002007-01-21T18:21:22.650-08:00

I was speaking to a field deputy the other week about improving things in a neighborhood and driving grid was a topic that came up. Basically, you get in your car and drive through the area you are representing finding problems and asking questions to yourself to later ask city employees. This sounded way exciting so I drove the majority of my elected area for the Neighborhood Council (

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1168043631523099112007-01-05T14:27:00.000-08:002007-01-05T16:34:35.143-08:00

Elected OfficialJack Weiss was not nominated, but Wendy was. Vote here.Elected Official Staff MemberIn the North corner we have Pat Davenport fighting for Councilwoman Wendy Greuel and her 2nd District. In the South corner is rookie Joan Pelico fighting in honor of District 5's Jack Weiss. Both women are field deputies for their portions of Sherman Oaks. Vote here.Neighborhood CouncilSilver

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1167943713701431282007-01-04T12:46:00.000-08:002007-01-04T12:52:05.136-08:00

Los Angeles police are asking for the public’s help in locating a man suspected of sexually assaulting an 85 year-old woman.On December 31, 2006, at about 11:30 PM, the suspect broke in through the rear window of woman’s home in Van Nuys. The suspect went directly to the bedroom and sexually assaulted the woman.The suspect was described as a Black man in his 20s, about 5’ 7” to 5’ 10” tall and

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1167867470570336252007-01-03T15:29:00.000-08:002007-01-03T21:14:38.380-08:00

In the long long long long long list of projects to help fix the 405/101 interchange, here are the latest CalTrans closures:Ventura Blvd.From 11:59 p.m. Saturday, January 6 to 8 a.m. Sunday, January 7, Ventura Blvd. will be close from Sepulveda to Sherman Oaks Ave.Northbound 405 Ventura Off-Ramp closed from 11 p.m. Saturday, January 6 to 10 a.m. Sunday, January 7Connector to the eastbound and

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1167739256299262692007-01-02T03:58:00.000-08:002007-01-02T04:04:22.596-08:00

I didn't live here then...LOS ANGELES–It must have looked like a scene from a movie: On top of a parking garage at the Sherman Oaks Galleria stood an aging former actress, preparing to jump.Pedestrians below obeyed when the grief-stricken woman ordered them to move off the sidewalk. Conrad Buchanan, a mall security guard at the end of his shift, did not. In a moment that changed his life forever,

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1167119281525848022006-12-25T23:31:00.000-08:002006-12-25T23:56:36.596-08:00

MySpace blogs are always a good source of information. More than how some teenage girl is depressed over some teenage boy. Sometimes it turns out to be on-the-scene crime reporting:So basically, last night I'm standing outside after work [MAX Restaurant] with Laura hanging out... smoking a cig, enjoying my mini wine buzz, when out of frickin NO WHERE this kid comes running out of the restaurant

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1166934009878833862006-12-23T20:07:00.000-08:002006-12-23T20:22:43.870-08:00

I never thought this was a big deal. So it was a surprise to me when a room full of residents got excited as it was announced last Spring. Interestingly enough, the General Manager of the mall was recently appointed to the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council.By the way, this is a CPK ASAP:The new CPK ASAP is designed for customers "on-the-go." The menu features a specialized selection of CPK's most

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1166596555756912992006-12-19T22:26:00.000-08:002006-12-19T22:35:55.773-08:00

LA Times dug deeper into last week's story of the Valley's new census report and came out with a nice article focusing on the differences between the East and West Valley, respectively divided by the 405 Freeway. But I don't like how they painted this picture:On one end of the Valley [west], gated mansions and old ranch houses still preside over well-groomed neighborhoods; on the other [east],

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1164416983046498172006-11-24T15:54:00.000-08:002006-11-24T18:48:40.310-08:00

Lisa Sarno is the interim General Manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) who oversees the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council (SONC) and all the other neighborhood councils.Being involved with neighborhood councils (NCs) since the first week I moved into city limits of Los Angeles, I had never heard of her until an e-mail came asking my public opposition of an extension of her

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1162878466232845202006-11-06T21:25:00.000-08:002006-11-06T21:51:08.113-08:00

My first question for Zach: What are y'all doing with your $50,000 in city-issued mad money? And don't let any of those 200+ vote people push you around, know what I mean? Call on your inner Maxine Waters if needed. ~ Steven RosenbergWith the new board slate, we haven't spent any money yet. Next week, I may bring a motion to the board to spend $20,000 on LAPD surveillance cameras for Ventura

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1162618680185849772006-11-03T21:30:00.000-08:002006-11-04T01:51:22.546-08:00

Feinstein is pissed and ABC7 in San Francisco shows you how to find out who's behind these mailers (scroll to bottom of the page).I find it interesting that the local papers really haven't spoken much about this except for LA Times Blog, Political Muscle. Funny thing is that they don't even mention that this is from a Los Angeles (Sherman Oaks more specifically) based company or that the man who

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1162534418408495592006-11-02T22:06:00.000-08:002006-11-02T22:13:38.410-08:00

"The organized opposition [to Prop H] is a smaller group that includes Jon Coupal, president of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association. They've raised concerns that another bureaucracy may not act efficiently to get the monies where they're needed. Opponents also claim that there are existing programs to help homebuyers and

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1162533737118680402006-11-02T21:44:00.000-08:002006-11-02T22:02:17.143-08:00

Father of Democratic state Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, Larry Levine of Sherman Oaks, a Democratic political consultant, published the Voter Information Guide for Democrats that supports a democratic slate, but says No on 87, the alternative energy bill, and no on 86.$375,000 from oil and tobacco companies were given to Levine for inclusion in the mailer. Is Political Campaign Flyer Misleading? [

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1162395769070176612006-11-01T07:41:00.000-08:002006-11-01T07:42:49.093-08:00

A water main broke. I would suggest avoiding it today.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1162205116533256512006-10-30T02:25:00.000-08:002006-10-30T02:58:22.756-08:00

As Co-Chair of SONC Public Safety, I've been challenged with solving a tricky problem: government inter-agency duties and boundaries. There is an elderly woman who lives next to the 101 freeway. A CalTrans landscaping crew came to her cul-de-sac and opened up the gate to do some work. Mistakenly, they left it open. The elderly woman lived with her living room window facing the encampment 15

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1162194221499955822006-10-29T23:32:00.000-08:002006-10-30T02:45:42.850-08:00

I went to a Valley Institute of Visual Art (VIVA) gallery opening for the first time today. VIVA is not an art gallery where you just go and look around and maybe buy, maybe not. It is a community, it's more of a co-op.It's a place for artists in The Valley and surrounding areas to "exhibit their work, enjoy the fellowship and support of other artists, augment their level of educational

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1161512491125479392006-10-22T03:12:00.000-07:002006-10-22T03:25:39.113-07:00

Driving down Fairfax the other day, I was stopped at the light outside Whole Foods at Santa Monica in West Hollywood. I noticed something exciting, in that nerdy city planning way I can only do: the landscaped wall surrounding the parking lot improved the urbanity of the street rather than the drab longed view of a parking lot leading up to a building.It's all about the feel and this made the

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1161513410332681282006-10-22T02:33:00.000-07:002006-10-22T03:37:33.903-07:00

There was something fishy about the death of James Woodson on October 3rd at his Kester St. apartment. Police said he was shot in the back by a stray bullet that apparently traveled up and over a whole building.Ends up being a paranoid schizophrenic neighbor, 76-year-old former police officer Daniel Lisuk, who committed suicide 6 days later.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1161272137710957132006-10-19T08:27:00.000-07:002006-10-19T08:38:14.083-07:00

Most of the boots, high heels and sandals you see in the store have the "look" of celebrity shoes - but without the price tag of Prada and Manolo Blahnik - the kind you see in People magazine on the feet of J.Lo, Shania or Jessica.Hollywood stylist Art Conn agrees, which is one of the reasons he's putting clients from CBS' "Rock Star: Supernova" in Carmen Steffens and thinking of using the shoes

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1160973185641946222006-10-15T21:03:00.000-07:002006-10-15T21:44:08.923-07:00

The following italicized text is an excerpt from the latest Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association newsletter. My responses are in regular text. The following opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council.On September 11, 2006, a total of 429 voters elected new Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council Members. Considering there are

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1160813303584118032006-10-15T11:28:00.000-07:002006-10-15T11:36:13.783-07:00

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1160812218538666952006-10-14T00:48:00.000-07:002006-10-14T01:03:53.383-07:00

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1160650318619695172006-10-12T03:25:00.000-07:002006-10-12T03:51:58.646-07:00

Robinhood British Pub. No care's taken with the too pricey food — the reheated pasty is soggy, the ploughman's lunch has any old cheese. The décor is Mum and Dad's house and it should be a good lunch spot at least, but it's not working lately. 13640 Burbank Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 994-6045.The 15 Best Pubs Around [LA Times] Thai cooking is no exception, and, while I delight in the powerfully

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1160505483019277882006-10-11T02:10:00.000-07:002006-10-11T02:23:54.463-07:00

With 32 votes and no competition, last night I was sworn in as a councilmember of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council.From the Human Relations CommissionLooking at the numbers of votes that were cast in this election, the Human Relations Commission hopes that the Neighborhood Council and its Election Committee will not be satisfied with a voter turnout of 429 people for this election in a

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156991033905855372006-10-10T11:44:00.000-07:002006-10-10T18:36:28.493-07:00

By Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council District Counts:Area 1: 10,664Area 2: 9,400Area 3: 8,143Area 4: 7,562Area 5: 9,276Area 6: 9,730Area 7: 6,923TOTAL: 61,698That Said...(this is in response to a few Google searches that have led people to this blog)Sherman Oaks is not a city. It does not have city limits. Nor a city hall or a mayor. It is a neighborhood in the City of Los Angeles. It has an

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1160344018085297142006-10-08T14:31:00.000-07:002006-10-08T14:46:58.100-07:00

If you haven't heard, most Tower Records stores area going away. It is still unknown if the one at Sherman Oaks Galleria will go away or not, but if it does, it leaves a huge gaping space at the mall.What to do? What to do?I've never agreed with the anti Best Buy movement, but here's a solution: kick it to the Galleria and use the Van Nuys Blvd. location for something that will make traffic

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1158639835970663362006-09-18T21:23:00.000-07:002006-09-18T21:23:55.993-07:00

(CBS) SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. A woman who barricaded herself in a Sherman Oaks home Monday afternoon and threatened to blow it up after robbing a woman at knifepoint nearby, surrendered without further incident. After the robbery, which occurred about 2:15 p.m. in the 14800 block of Magnolia Boulevard, the suspect ran to a nearby home in the 14700 block of Otsego Street, said Officer Mike Lopez of

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1157449097495001872006-09-05T02:34:00.000-07:002006-09-05T02:38:17.510-07:00

The only time I've seen coyotes in city limits have been on Moorpark Street. I guess, they're back. Click on the picture to enlarge.Photo taken at Moorpark & Dixie Canyon.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1157008967674303772006-08-31T00:11:00.000-07:002006-08-31T00:27:55.026-07:00

But this time with a video capturing it all. Owner Jonathan Burrows was smart and installed panic buttons and cameras all over. Was there one out in the alley where the car may have been parked? No word on that yet.About a week before Barone's got robbed, I was there and speaking to the owner after some gang tagging happened. He said he was going to install a camera on the back wall. Well, a

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156495539000981762006-08-25T01:32:00.000-07:002006-08-25T01:45:39.016-07:00

The picture comes from a post today on Boing Boing. It got me thinking again about Public Art in Sherman Oaks, which there is not much of. Yet there is so much opportunity in terms of space. VIVA Gallery has an initiative for a small urban park and the mural of the Freeway Lady at the corner of Moorpark & Fulton. The library has some interesting work in the community room. But the picture here

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156471175846881752006-08-24T18:51:00.000-07:002006-08-25T09:43:35.293-07:00

PCR Chriss (that's Police Community Representative) passed this information along to all the East Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Watch Block Captains:There has been a significant increase in the last two weeks of stolen cars. Nate [Banry] says more in the last two weeks than in the last two years. A cluster is in the Ventura Blvd/Hazeltine area. Also, there has been a sharp increase in home

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156407847704841632006-08-24T01:18:00.000-07:002006-08-24T01:26:01.806-07:00

This photo was taken yesterday outside Westfield Fashion Square. I'm not exactly sure what this is about. Google and Google News searches are giving me nothing. When I passed by, it was only these two here on strike. And I thought the EAA strike was small.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156196479049538472006-08-21T14:10:00.000-07:002006-08-21T14:44:19.693-07:00

I sort of hid it in a post the other day, but I guess I can't hide anymore and it's time to get the word out and answer a few questions (including those from Daily News to me):Zach -- if you're reading this, or if anybody else knows, is there an actual vote for these seats? When/where/how is it done? I've never seen or heard about such a vote taking place in Van Nuys, and we do have a

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156194345326191312006-08-21T13:48:00.000-07:002006-08-21T14:09:37.083-07:00

I have a friend who is obsessed with cupcakes. Her motto: Cupcake + Multivitamin: Super Breakfast! She has a plan for when her friend comes to town: visit the best bakeries around, which included Leda's Bake Shop. I was surprised I had never seen Leda's, being that is located between Senor Fred and the pet store next to the old Orange Delight stand (basically Woodman and Ventura).So I checked

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156139764804052992006-08-20T22:49:00.000-07:002006-08-20T22:56:04.806-07:00

I posted about this on LAist, but I found a new one about 200 ft away.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156139118916848692006-08-20T22:35:00.000-07:002006-08-20T22:47:16.816-07:00

And it's pretty damn good.What's Memorable: The buttery like crustThe Atmosphere: Boardwalk like walk-in and order type of place. But there's no boardwalk, it's in Sherman Oaks.Savor Over: Chocolate Pizza Pizza Rustica15030 Ventura BlvdSherman Oaks, California 91403

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156060127824768592006-08-20T00:17:00.000-07:002006-08-20T00:48:47.846-07:00

Today, Ken Gerston resigned from the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council (SONC). In the e-mail letter to the council and city officials, Gerston signs off saying:I take great exception with many of the decisions that have been made by the leadership and executive board of the Council and find the Council has become an ineffective voice at this time.The very premise of Neighborhood Councils were to

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156058180015176822006-08-20T00:05:00.000-07:002006-08-20T00:16:20.030-07:00

I was catching up on From Sherman Oaks (1927 - ) and noticed Councilwoman Wendy Greuel's Sherman Oaks deputy, Patricia Davenport, has joined the blogging ranks. Commonly known as Pat, she is listed as a contributor and as of this writing, has not written anything. Pat works endlessly for Sherman Oaks floating from community meeting to meeting, solving problems and mediating tense situations.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1156057353476170792006-08-19T23:56:00.000-07:002006-08-20T00:02:33.490-07:00

Maxson's Pharmacy at 14070 Ventura Blvd (cross street Hazeltine) was robbed at gunpoint on Friday. The robbery of a Sherman Oaks pharmacy was foiled Friday afternoon by a store employee who confronted the would-be robber and shot him, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said.Initial reports indicated that the employee had taken the intruder's gun and turned it on him, but

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155878754044104362006-08-17T22:13:00.000-07:002006-08-17T22:27:16.350-07:00

Back in June, I posted a little Playfood update. LACityNerd thought the store front had dissipated and today, Kay commented this:A real Update on PlayFood. The Ventura restaurant location is slow going. The main focus is opening a manufacturing plant for this wonderful product in the state of Missouri. We are about 2 - 3 weeks away from production of our cheeses. Be sure to ask for us in your

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155844968186796602006-08-17T12:54:00.000-07:002006-08-17T13:02:48.216-07:00

Part of that recent upswing in Valley crime have been purse snatchers. A couple of them have been caught now. The statistics should now go down.Also, a 15 year old who has been tagging all over Sherman Oaks has been caught and charged with felony vandalism. This is his second arrest and supposedly his parents knew of his activities. The man who reported him got the $1000 reward.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155533558600286782006-08-13T21:45:00.000-07:002006-08-13T22:35:12.703-07:00

In addition to the new Stuck in the Valley by Max, Sherman Oaks has yet another new blog with a very similar url: http://sherman-oaks.blogspot.com (you'll notice mine is shermanoaks.blogspot.com). From Sherman Oaks (1927 - ) started last Tuesday by a group of community members involved on the Sherman Oaks Beautification Committee, a group made of of Neighborhood Council Reps (SONC), The HOA (

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155467009331547072006-08-13T03:59:00.000-07:002006-08-13T04:04:02.033-07:00

Midnight Ridazz announced they wanted to get some smaller chapters and after speaking to Monica over there, she seemed zealous through e-mail about it.So, as I said last month, I checked out Midnight Ridazz on Friday night and it was a blast. I'll write more on LAist on Monday, but here's a video for now:

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155289887637237342006-08-11T02:37:00.000-07:002006-08-11T02:53:24.480-07:00

ValleyNews.com prelaunches and there has been much buzz about it lately. I went and gave it a trial.The good: pretty easy to use, cool picture function, extreme local news, event calendar.The bad: design is blah, few bugs to fix, homepage is confusing, news stories that really should be blogs.My prediction: If the features keep rolling out and if it is easy to use for everyone, this site will be

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155106466502230892006-08-08T23:44:00.000-07:002006-08-09T00:47:42.636-07:00

The most interesting thing about this map is that the August 6th Homicide is not recorded here.Otherwise, the purple denotes thefts from vehicles which end up mostly to be CDs and Laptops.The light orange are violent robberies. You'll notice that the light orange near the 101/405 junction is the Valley Inn robbery.Navy Blue means Grand Theft Auto. One on Riverside and one on Costello (just

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155096179859408482006-08-08T20:43:00.000-07:002006-08-08T21:02:59.910-07:00

Now Sherman Oaks has 4 intersections with traffic officers assigned during rush hour: Ventura Blvd. and Van Nuys Blvd.Ventura Blvd. and Beverly Glen Blvd.Ventura Blvd. and Sepulveda Blvd.Dickens St. and Sepulveda Blvd. 4 of the 51 intersections make almost 8% (2 tenths short) of all intersections with traffic officers in Los Angeles. Chew on that. (List via LAObserved)Photo: Drunken Monkey

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155093326473536162006-08-08T19:59:00.000-07:002006-08-09T00:40:07.990-07:00

It's not even the 10th and this is what we have:Wednesday, August 2, 9:20 p.m.: The Valley Inn Restaurant gets robbed (Sherman Oaks)Thursday, August 3, time unknown : Father, Mother and Sister become victim to son/brother - Brandon Menard. (Northridge)Friday, August 4, 8:00 p.m.: A man abducts his three children and gets caught in Utah. (Panorama City)Saturday, August 5, 10:30 a.m.: 4 teenage

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1155086324840718552006-08-08T17:51:00.000-07:002006-08-08T19:58:45.506-07:00

It is Los Angeles. TJ Sullivan in LA wants you know that. I want you to know that too. I heard that Chatsworth is its own city from someone who lived there. I am constantly asked by FOB (that's Fresh of the Bus) actors, who move to the Valley, where Studio City's city hall is. And all I can do is smile and go, "let's get nerdy and do some local geography" (but really, I want to smack them

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154990048255558512006-08-07T17:33:00.000-07:002006-08-07T17:31:18.473-07:00

I missed this article from the New York Times Travel Section a few weeks ago:THE San Fernando Valley has always gotten a bad rap. For years, it has been associated with two dubious cultural phenomena: Valley Girls and pornography. But just as the city of Los Angeles has undergone a process of rediscovery in long-neglected regions like the downtown area, so this suburban outpost across the Santa

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154994670434103942006-08-07T16:39:00.000-07:002006-08-07T16:51:10.450-07:00

The sign hanging over their soon to be storefront says "South Beach's Famous Rustica coming soon!" This has nothing to do with the South Beach Diet. This has to do with Tuscan Pizza, or really, gourmet pizza.There is one already open in West Hollywood, but the Sherman Oaks one will be their 2nd in Los Angeles. The company has a few in Florida and wins a lot of rewards (Zagat, Digital City,

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154941651105526372006-08-07T02:02:00.000-07:002006-08-07T02:07:31.120-07:00

I believe this is the first murder of the year in Sherman Oaks. I remember an incident at a gas station earlier this year, but I think that involved a man from Sherman Oaks in an incident in Van Nuys. Nevertheless, CBS2 reports:(CBS) SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. A 22-year-old woman was shot to death in Sherman Oaks and her live-in boyfriend was suspected in her death.Victoria Ramirez was found shot

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154917186820654802006-08-06T19:13:00.000-07:002006-08-06T19:19:46.836-07:00

Number 2 Sherman Oaks Air Raid Siren: Hazeltine & Weddington.Previously: Ventura & Stansbury

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154833350169197002006-08-05T19:55:00.000-07:002006-08-05T23:57:33.746-07:00

What really bugs me with the majority of developments these days is the lack uniqueness. In the end, it's all money and how to conservatively save it and how to make a lot of it. The above apartments have some pizazz to them, as evident by the way they are titled and the typography choices. How cool would it be to say, "Hi, I live in the Lamartinique," or "Yeah, I live in the Halli House." (

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154825742431574222006-08-05T17:45:00.000-07:002006-08-05T17:55:42.446-07:00

LACityNerd challenged me to find my closest air raid siren in the comment section of a post I did on LAist. Maybe CityNerd did not intend it to be a challenge, but I took it as one because I can get nerdy too. I quickly obtained a complete list of all sirens in Los Angeles and hunted down the one at Stansbury and Ventura across the street from Jinky's.Over time, I will visit each of the sirens

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154728519177591532006-08-04T14:43:00.000-07:002006-08-04T14:55:19.190-07:00

The LA Daily News has an article this morning about the Valley Inn Restaurant being robbed by two masked robbers. Kevin at LA Observed notes that the robbery was "more aggressive than first described." I am a big fan of hardening the target. When we talk about cars, we talk about not leaving your laptop in the front seat. When you get robbed at a restaurant, there is not much you can do

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154638946251854212006-08-03T13:46:00.000-07:002006-08-03T14:02:26.276-07:00

Barone's got robbed. Mel's Diner got robbed. Many in The Valley have been.A Sherman Oaks restaurant was robbed at gunpoint in what has become a familiar story in the San Fernando Valley.Two men armed with handguns entered the Valley Inn Restaurant at 4557 Sherman Oaks Ave. near Ventura Boulevard at 9:20 Wednesday, according to Lt. Patricia Blake of the Los Angeles Police Department's West

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154596691561808072006-08-03T02:11:00.000-07:002006-08-03T02:18:11.580-07:00

LA City Beat asked ‘What is your favorite, secret treasure of Los Angeles?’ and Ilana Weiner answered the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Pool:“It is open year-round and used to cost $1.50 to swim there, although now if you show your L.A. Library card you can get in for free! There are typically plenty of lap lanes to swim in, although you do have to split the lanes. The staff is really nice and friendly.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154588859802274942006-08-02T23:38:00.000-07:002006-08-03T00:10:30.756-07:00

If you are a neighborhood watch block captain, you already know this. But most likely, you're not. If you are interested in becoming a block captain, e-mail me, I'll hook you up with the right people. Anyway, here is some info:Burglary From Motor Vehicle (BFMV) crimes remain the biggest problem in the East Sherman Oaks area. These crimes are easily prevented. Most BMFVs are crimes of

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154499471430207752006-08-01T23:08:00.000-07:002006-08-01T23:17:51.446-07:00

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154496826492596772006-08-01T22:10:00.000-07:002006-08-01T22:36:14.576-07:00

Funny, I always passed this place and rubbed it off as a bad mall Asian diner. Then I was in a hurry and I braved it. For what it is, it's damn good. The free fire cucumbers are worth it alone (and better than PF Chang's cucumber dish). miso soup, edaname and veggie sushi rolls are more than just decent (nothing beats Bizen though).Though, they really need to train the young girl at the front

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154474276000377362006-08-01T16:05:00.000-07:002006-08-01T16:18:16.006-07:00

A couch for the fall. A pony for the summer.Photo: Allott & Moorpark

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154377907966488132006-07-31T11:42:00.000-07:002006-07-31T13:37:46.806-07:00

Tomorrow night is National Night Out. As far as I know, there are about four block parties happening around Sherman Oaks, but I won't list them since they are really for the neighbors on those specific street. But the one public one is open at the Sherman Oaks Galleria which begins at 7 p.m. Park and go to the front of the mall where the fountains are. If you want free validated parking, LAPD

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154247736643845682006-07-30T01:16:00.000-07:002006-07-30T01:24:38.970-07:00

An olive tree got top heavy and fell from LA River property into our garden apartment's parking lot. The backlot was blocked, my car in the frontside was not. Too bad I rode my bike around anyway today.Upon calling 311 a few times, we found out that this was happening all over the city today. But I realized I should probably call the county since it is really their deal. Being jaded about the

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1154217815146148972006-07-29T13:22:00.000-07:002006-07-29T19:27:03.986-07:00

Sherman Oaks in the spotlight over an old and obscure 1936 ordinance of no fun in the streets or parks. I'm looking more into this, but in the meantime, I wrote about this on LAist.Photo of the actual basketball hoop taken be me

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1153809219282911772006-07-24T23:19:00.000-07:002006-07-24T23:33:39.300-07:00

And it's thrilling. And it's no offense to Sherman Oaks, but sometimes I just want to ride on the beach and I rather not bike the Sepulveda Pass or deal with it on a long bus ride. One of the other main reasons I wanted to get it now was that I am itching to join the Midnight Ridazz on their next ride over the hill.But really, shouldn't the Valley get a Midnight Ridazz event? I'll slowly start

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1153631479659967112006-07-22T22:08:00.000-07:002006-07-22T22:11:19.673-07:00

Despite the heat, the light reminded me of a hot summer evening in Chicago where I grew up.

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152938771468123572006-07-20T01:43:00.000-07:002006-07-20T01:52:04.646-07:00

Photographer and Bel Air resident Rebecca Fenning talks about her cul-de-sac:Technically Bel Air, but only because it's graded higher than Mulholland Drive, or some such nonsense -- Sherman Oaks is only about 5 feet away on the opposite side of the street. This cul-de-sac is the place for illicit drug deals, sketchy backseat liasons and the setting-on-fire of stolen cars. My family lives here, in

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1153293944542355142006-07-19T00:03:00.000-07:002006-07-19T00:25:44.556-07:00

I had a meeting in Culver City that ended at 6:00 p.m. I was not too hip on being in rush hour 405 traffic back to the Valley, so I decided to side street it back up to Sherman Oaks via Robertson - Santa Monica - Doheny - Sunset - Rexford - Beverly Dr. - Coldwater Cyn. Dr, which turns into Coldwater Cyn. Ave after Mulholland.Yeah, I know, it's a convoluted route. Scenic, nonetheless.And who do

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1153223735951572192006-07-18T04:39:00.000-07:002006-07-18T04:59:41.890-07:00

Fortuna Ippoliti of the Mayor's office spoke of the Tarzana Temple blaze at the last SONC meeting, but I was sketchy on some details, so I didn't feel good posting about it. LAFD's blog clarifies:On Friday, July 7, 2006 at 8:04 AM, two Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters and four LAFD Arson Investigators responded to an Incendiary Fire at 'Temple Beith David' located at 18648 Clark Street in

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152953662042757322006-07-16T20:56:00.000-07:002006-07-16T21:02:18.666-07:00

If you've been seeing these movie set directional signs around, it's been for Georgia Rule, directed by Gary Marshall, and stars Lindsay Lohan, Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman. And hey, it's Lindsay Lohan. Can we say gawker gossip?

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1153101438245524942006-07-16T18:31:00.000-07:002006-07-16T19:13:19.286-07:00

Despite the warning, Sherman Oaks got pretty lucky in my eyes. I went to the Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday and while it was hot, it was not unbearable.My apartment is a 1950's heat trap and I did not melt as usual. Yet, it is still hot and the LAFD Blog continues to be a great source of info for the heat wave:Wildfire Danger in Southern CaliforniaCooling Centers Open During L.A. Heat

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152986171957542262006-07-15T10:46:00.000-07:002006-07-15T11:07:56.220-07:00

Via LAObserved (and then I looked at EDIS myself). Please protect yourself:NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA954 AM PDT SAT JUL 15 2006...DANGEROUS HEAT EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS THE VALLEYS AND LOWERMOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA....VERY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL AFFECT THE VALLEYS AND LOWER MOUNTAINELEVATIONS TODAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REACH 100 TO 110 IN

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152936840341262632006-07-14T20:57:00.000-07:002006-07-14T21:39:25.820-07:00

To this date, this is my favourite sushi place in Sherman Oaks. Consistent readers of this site probably have figured by now that I'm a vegetarian, but my roommate, who definitely eats meat and spent a year in Japan, considers this his favourite too. He even has a good friend who drives up from Silver Lake to eat here.Bizen is a narrow sushi and Japanese cuisine restaurant that is easy to pass

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152908761477856742006-07-14T13:18:00.000-07:002006-07-14T13:27:32.233-07:00

I've recently become obsessed with Vegan Plate in Studio City. The service is a little hard sometimes, but the food is worth it: chicken nuggets, satay tofu, thai food, curries, salads and much more. By the end of this year, I should have had every item off the extremely large menu.Reviews:Vegetarians in ParadiseHappy CowLocation:11943 Ventura Blvd.Studio City, CA 91604Phone: 818-506-9015Hours:

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152768606232330132006-07-12T22:15:00.000-07:002006-07-12T22:36:53.760-07:00

Tonight was the monthly Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council (SONC) Parks Ad Hoc Committee (which has been quite an effective committee in the community). Here are interesting factoids from tonight's meeting:If you've putted around at the Sherman Oaks Castle Park lately, you may have noticed the miniature golf carpet is getting a little old. Not for long. Well, not for long in government speak

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152772137034861122006-07-12T21:04:00.000-07:002006-07-12T23:28:57.066-07:00

Flyer Distributed:Help Us Design a Universally Accessible Playground for Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks ParkHelp create a magical, full-accessible playground for ALL the children in your community!When: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Where: Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation CenterWhy: Children with disabilities are routinely excluded from playgrounds - and the incredible social,

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18557928.post-1152736596544243602006-07-12T13:36:00.000-07:002006-07-12T13:43:10.710-07:00

In a 1,000 years, will Union 76 balls be museum items?

Zach Behrenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464053827166581889noreply@blogger.com0