The View From Jack Smith's Street

It's Finally Fall on Mount Washington

The author pursues fall rituals like stocking the garden and planning Thanksgiving despite summer tomatoes in the balcony garden.

Long-awaited autumn is finally here but seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis--at least in my corner of Mount Washington. Still Summer? The sun is still warm enough to dry laundry and to tease scent from the rosemary and the sage. The Chinese elm, the pittosporum and the jacaranda trees--all lush with green leaves--still think it’s summer. The cool weather lettuce in my balcony micro-farm is thriving and thanks to its southwestern exposure, the potted garden is still producing warm weather crops: basil and bell peppers and--amazing for November--tomatoes. There are also two yellowish, misshapen cucumbers that look like they’ve had a run-in with a nuclear reactor. The less said about them the better. Finally Fall? It feels more …

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Lummis Day Celebrates Northeast L.A.'s Rich Cultural Heritage Today

The sixth annual Lummis Day celebration will take place this Sunday, June 5.

Northeast Los Angeles residents and neighbors on Sunday have the opportunity to enjoy a festival as diverse as the population and culture of their neighborhoods. The sixth annual Lummis Day celebration will take place on Sunday, June 5 at two locations, Charles Lummis’ homestead El Alisal and Heritage Square Museum, and will run from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. “This is a very exciting celebration of arts in our neighborhood and the community is well-represented in all aspects,” said Lummis Day planning board member Eliot Sekuler. “This year we really ventured out and did things we haven’t done before.” Some of those firsts include spoken word poetry accompanied by background music, performed by, among others, celebrated Los Angeles poet Wanda…

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Video: El Alisal Filled With Support for Lummis Day Benefit

Approximately 140 people turned out for the sixth annual Lummis Day benefit.

Charles Fletcher Lummis celebrated diversity. On Saturday night, a gala and fundraiser was held at the pioneer folklorist’s home, in an effort to spread and reinforce Lummis’ beliefs. “Today we live in one of the most diverse cities in the world and Charles Lummis was speaking about this diversity way back then. It’s only fitting that we not only cite Charles Lummis, but do everything to preserve what he has left us,” 14th District L.A. City Council member José Huizar said, addressing the crowd of nearly 140 people in attendance. The annual benefit is in its sixth year and was put together by the Lummis Day Community Foundation, an organization composed entirely of volunteers. “Each year it’s a scramble to get it going and this is the lead…

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