From the death of “Mama Yuca’s” to the Southern California fires, the end of 2024 and the start of 2025 brought no shortage of sadness locally. The Voice of Los Feliz returns with this brand new episode to help get February off to a good start …
(Socorro Herrera at “Viva Los Feliz: Hidden Gems”; photo by Larry Underhill)
Join host Phil Leirness, announcer Marc Hershon, and musical director Jon Lawlor as they take you from Franklin Hills to the Vista Theatre, from Friendship Auditorium to the (“slightly haunted”) Alcove cottage. Up above Shakespeare Bridge Phil interviews “Mr. LA”, Tom Sanchez, about recovery from the devastating fires, the ever evolving culture of Los Angeles, walking tours, the Los Angeles Breakfast Club and “Television Noir”.
(Photo courtesy of Tom Sanchez)
Following a poem written by Phil’s mother-in-law reflecting on sad memories of a long ago wedding anniversary, Jon Lawlor performs a song recorded at the Vista Theatre during Phil’s wedding, and Don Snyder performs a song recorded at Friendship Auditorium during Phil’s wedding reception. Then it’s off to the historic Alcove cottage, where Phil gets better-acquainted with the incredible Céline Vacher. They discuss her (former) store La La Ling, her longtime participation on the local Business Improvement District, her neighborhood council work, the huge success that was the Holiday Extravaganza, her fear of singing, the Marshall High School mascot, and the beloved string lights she helped bring to Hillhurst. As beautiful as those lights are, they shine nowhere near as bright as Céline herself.
(Photo courtesy of Céline Vacher)
The hilarious, the heartfelt and the historic are all in ample supply on this month’s show, which also teases the “origin story” of Shakespeare Bridge, a story that will be given a full report on our NEXT installment!
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