The radiance emanating last evening from the shining faces of the historian Julie Lugo Cerra and the president Cathy Zermeno — the color of Ft. Knox gold and the size of the sun — eloquently told the story of two ladies who were in the midst of staging the Party of the Century in honor of Culver City’s birthday.
An evening that was the quintessence of community celebrations — exactly on the date of Culver City’s 90th birthday — will skip the intermediary stops and go directly into the history books and family albums.
Smash Hit
Mrs. Lugo Cerra and Mrs. Zermeno, twin pillars of the sponsoring Culver City Historical Society, scorched the skeptics and pulled off the neatest promotion this town has seen in awhile.
To the full-blown delight of hundreds of homegrown partygoers at The Culver Hotel — which formed a dazzling, resplendent backdrop — the ladies engineered a classy, comprehensive and unflawed blowout. Their party was worthy of proudly perching alongside the swankiest of public, open-faced soirees.
A Winning First Date
Civically speaking, it was a terrific first date — the refurbished and spit-polished Culver Hotel as the host walking arm-in-arm into the night with a wide range of visitors and special guests. The host and the guests proved to be a dynamic matchup.
From 5:30 on a coolish but pleasant afternoon until the shank of a hugely crowded, but bubblingly happy evening, the best and the brightest of Culver City mixed with the less-washed.
An Egalitarian Dream
Whether it was a vegetarian’s delight can be debated from now until 1 o’clock on Sunday afternoon when they do it all over again, down the Culver Boulevard block a piece, at City Hall, with the screening of five memorable films — over a period of nine hours — that were shot here in the Heart of Screenland.
But last night was an egalitarian’s delight — the spiffiest, most titled and most entitled mingled comfortably with those neighbors who barely made the admission price, which was free.
If that was not precise enough of a characterization, you may tell your friends that the largest identifiable group working the crowd — if they will forgive the cynicism — was candidates.
A Driven Campaign
Long before the appointed hour, partygoers were streaming into The Culver Hotel, drawn initially, no doubt, by the three vintage automobiles for the many formal and casual auto buffs who hang their hats and gas caps in Culver City.
A 1932 Ford Model-A, a 1931 “deluxe model of a convertible sedan” and a 1929 Ford Model-A two-door sedan — the three are owned by gentlemen from the 58-member Screenland A’s Model-A Club. They are among perhaps 100 or more similar vintage babies around Culver City.
Steve Newton, the maven of everything mechanical dating back to 1900, really dressed for the occasion. He was stylish in his newsboy cap, bowtie and fashionable jacket, no doubt to ward off the winds — of change.
Nearly everyone who ever has driven through Culver City seemed to be there.
Between the massive collegiality of the occasion, the food and drink, the music of the West L.A. College Jazz Ensemble, seated just outside the hotel door, in Towne Plaza, the raffles, and the Laurel and Hardy screening at 7, partygoers were so energized they might have lasted all night.
Here is what they had to say about why they wanted to help celebrate No. 90:
Gerry Sallus of the Historical Society, Homeowners Assn. and the Democratic Club, and a 40-year resident: “I am almost as old as the city, and I think it is only appropriate that everyone get together and enjoy the evening.”
Activist, businessman Vince Motyl: “I w as here for the 75th anniversary, and I hope to be here for the 100th.”
Police Chief Don Pedersen, no longer the “new chief” after 16 months and 12 days in office: “I am here because it’s a great day for the city. Besides, Scott wanted me to be here with him.”
Police Capt. Scott Bixby: “I grew up in this city. Culver City is part of me. Happy birthday.”
City Councilman Steve Rose: “I am here because I am almost a lifetime citizen.” Will he be back in 10 years for the centennial? “If it is my choice, then yes.”
Pioneer family member and Downtown landlord Stu Freeman: “Our family (from Pittsburgh) has been here for 83 years of Culver City’s 90-year history. My grandparents came here originally on a vacation. My grandfather wanted to be able to say he had swum in both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans.” Will he be back for No. 100: “I hope so, God willing.”
Former Mayor Jozelle Smith: “I am Culver City’s oldest living native.”
Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld: “I don’t know about Culver City, but I feel like 90.”
Doug Newton, General Manager of The Culver Hotel, paused for a moment in the corner of the lobby, surveyed the largest lobby crowd in 83 years thronging the sparklingly polished setting and exhaled: “A rebirth.”
Andy Weisman, President of the Downtown Business Assn.: “I am here because 90 years is an impressive number for this city. Because of all the improvements in the last 10, 15 years, this is an ideal place to hold a 90th anniversary. I lived for awhile in Northridge. The difference is more than whatever is greater than night and day People didn’t know their neighbors, much less beyond the neighborhood. It’s the six degrees of separation. In Culver City, everyone knows everybody else, directly or indirectly. Go places, and people will recognize you. They knew your mother, They knew your father. They knew your Aunt Trudy.”
Activist Diane Hauptman, a 36-year resident: “I am excited to be here. Culver City has changed so much (for the better). I used to have a business over on Irving in the 1970s. Hardly anyone would come. It was like a ghost town around here. The Ivy Substation was an art gallery. Homeless people would make murals on the walls in there. Homeless people lived there. Look how beautiful the Ivy Substation is now. Everybody I know is thrilled with how the city is developing.”
John Richo, the city’s Information Technology director: “I have been with the city 10 years and four months, and I am here to celebrate Culver City’s birthday. I love being in Culver City for the immediacy of everything. There is something to be said for a small town. I can see the immediate effects of my work. In a larger situation, it takes months or years. And you may never see the effect of what you do.” How is this community different from where you lived before? “I lived in New York City. So we won’t go there.”
Former City Councilman David Hauptman: “This is a really great city, and especially a great place to raise kids. I have grandchildren in Culver City schools, and they are using the new Skateboard Park, too.” And then he donned his Ex-Councilman cap. Does he miss City Hall? “What I miss is that our parks are in disrepair, and we don’t have the kind of commitment to children in our community that we used to have. That’s a real shame. It went away because the values of the Council and city government are not the same as they were six years ago. Then, our parks and our children were the most important parts of our community.”
Robin Turner, Chair of the Historical Society’s Archive Center: “This is a special day, and there are a lot of people. Only one time can you be 90 years old.”
Historical Society member Fred Yglesias: “I am a worker behind the Historical Society. I do all the heavy lifting.”
Society Treasurer Lynn Baril was glancing at Ms. Turner and Mr. Yglesias: “I am here because of them.”
Lillian Jenkins was standing in the corridor of the second floor of The Culver Hotel: “I am here because, girl and woman, I have been going by this hotel for 77 years. We used to go to the beach up this way, and my brother used to bring me to the movie at the Meralta. I said to Ernie, ‘I would love to see the hotel.’ And here we are.”
Sharon Krakoff, a native: “I am here because this is where I grew up. Culver City has changed so much, absolutely for the better. We have caught up with the surrounding area. I love Downtown now.”
Four-term former School Board member Dr. Bob Knopf, who served 1981-1997: “I am here because I have been a Culver Cityite for a lot of years. I have to come and support Julie.” What does he like most about the community? “Self-rule. We have our own School Board, our own Police Dept., our own Fire Dept. Every individual can make a difference.” Of the present School Board race, he said two of the five candidates are “far outstanding. Steve Gourley is an absolutely fabulous candidate. He shows real depth in his decision-making. Mr. (Mike) Eskridge would be a fabulous Board member again, having served before with him for many years.”
Todd Tipton, a 17-year veteran of the Community Development Dept.: “Culver City has an unusually strong sense of community. Frankly, I know more people here than in my own town. People care. That makes Culver City special.”
City Manager Jerry Fulwood, a native New Yorker: “I am here to celebrate the birthday of wonderful Culver City. This community is very unique to me, for many reasons. It is a small city with a small city culture. You have heavy involvement of the community. Love that small town character. But yet it’s a big city because of the services it provides. It is a full service city. Every day we have 150,000 to 200,000 visitors coming through here. It hasn’t lost its small-city feeling. Yet it has the challenges of a big city. I just love it.”
Vice Mayor Carol Gross, who has lived here more than 30 years: “Great place to live. Nice people. Nice atmosphere. Very comfortable. Great weather. Lots of trees. And we are a safe city. Culver City combines a small-town feel with a great atmosphere — especially restaurants and art galleries.”
City Councilman Scott Malsin: “It is a pleasure to be here to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Culver City. This is a terrific event. I am enjoying myself very much, and it appears all of the people here are, too. Culver City is a small town in the big city. I love the sense of community.”
Mayor Alan Corlin, a New Jersey native: “I am here to celebrate the 90th and to get an idea of what the 100th anniversary is going to be like.” Is Culver City superior to communities where you previously lived? “Every place I have lived has been a great place. Right now this happens to be where I am living. Culver City is a really great place.”
Public Works Director Charles Herbertson, who has been here three years: “I am here to celebrate. This is a wonderful town with a great history, and we are here to celebrate that history as well as the future. I love the diversity of the community and the wonderful Downtown we have.”
Dep. City Atty. Heather Iker: “I am here because for the last five and a half years I have worked for a great city. The people here are dedicated, friendly and very hardworking. I love the small-town feel of a medium-sized city. This is by far the best place I have worked.”
Parks Commissioner Anita Shapiro: “I am here because I am a member of the Historical Society, and my Skateboard Park just opened last Saturday. The formal opening is Saturday, Oct. 27, from 11 to 2, and the public is invited to come watch all the kids skate. This is a great thing for Culver City. I have lived here for 56 years, and I would say now that Culver City has grown up — the development of Downtown and the young people are coming back into the city.”
Linda Radell: “I am here as an invited guest of Ms. Shapiro. I am having a dynamite time. Culver City really has woken up the last couple of years. When I used to pass through here, I never saw anything. Now you have got theatres, restaurants, entertainment. This is really a nice place.”
Cultural Affairs Commissioner Dr. Luther Henderson: “Culver City has the quality of a small town, but it is a large, full-service and vital community. It is definitely world class.”
School Board candidate Michael Eskridge, who has won two and lost two elections, a native: “I am here because I enjoy Downtown and I enjoy celebrations. This whole area (around Towne Plaza) has been completely transformed. It is lively at night, and it never was before. In fact, it was never very lively during the day, either.” When the five School Board candidates met with the Executive Board of the Teachers Union, seeking an endorsement, “the meeting went the way I thought it would,” he said. (The Union leaders endorsed C. Scott Zeidman and Mr. Gourley.) “The Teachers Union never has endorsed me,” he said. “But I have a number of teachers working on my campaign. I also know of members of the Executive Board who will support me. I wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for the teachers and the kids.”
Ken Ruben, man about town: “This is an historic event, and I skipped an important transit meeting to be here.”
Quiet-spoken activist Bill Reid: “I just came over to see what is going on. I think they have enough people inside the hotel to fill this thing three times. Most of the wheeler-dealers are here. ”
Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission Jeff Cooper, an 18-year resident: “I am here to celebrate with the Historical Society, The Culver Hotel and everyone else on this momentous occasion. Culver City is an inverted suburb, a suburb surrounded by a city vs. suburbs in other areas that are outside of the city.”
The activist Dr. Loni Anderson: “I live in Culver City — and Go Culver City. That is why I am here. Downtown is leaps-and-bounds improvement over when I grew up here.” Surveying the crowd jammed into the glistening hotel lobby, she said: “Look at how many people are here. This is fantastic. A few years ago, nobody would have come because they weren’t interested. Everything is so different, so much better than it used to be. What changed? Economic improvement. New businesses. The streetscape scene.”
The senior activist in Blair Hills, Mim Shapiro, answering the question, Why are you here tonight? “Why is anybody here tonight. This is a big event, very important for the Historical Society, to raise money so we can get our own museum one of these years.”
City Atty. Carol Schwab: “I am here because this is my hometown. I came back (to work here) to give back to the community. There have been many changes, but important things have remained the same — people caring about people, neighbors caring about neighbors, businesses being involved in the community.”
City Council candidate Mehaul O’Leary, a native of Ireland: “I am here because this is an historic moment. I have only lived here seven years, and I want to learn more about t he history that I have missed.”
