The Courier’s Desert - Where The Wildflowers Are, See Page 17 BEVERLY HILLS VOLUME XXXXVII NUMBER 16 $135 PER YEAR - $1.25 PER COPY • www.bhcourier.com SINCE 1965 APRIL 22, 2011 THIS ISSUE Brucker Delivers P Diddy Hip Hop Party To Rodeo Drive By Courier Staff for every ticket sold, the deletion In yesterday’s study session of an event at La Cienega park on The Taste of Beverly Hills— or on Monday of Labor Day week- is it now Los Angeles?— Mayor end and the offer of a 20 percent The CVB plays host to Barry Brucker had obviously discount for Beverly Hills resi- travel trade management been working this week on mak- dents on any Taste tickets. staff from Shanghai. 4 ing changes to the Best proposal Other new elements includ- for two events on Rodeo Drive ed a confirmation of the intent that would meet his goal of gath- for a Sunday evening “P Diddy ering the most votes. white party” on Rodeo Drive, al- Introduced at yesterday’s though Jeffrey Best of Best Events hearing were many new ele- claimed it would not be a tradi- Norman track competes in ments that appeared nowhere in tional “White Party.” All of these the Mt. San Antonio College the published staff reports in- additional elements were not Invitational. 4 cluding a $15 donation to BHEF (see ‘TASTE,’ page 23) BIJAN PAKZAD—Legendary Fashion Icon Bijan Pakzad died last Saturday from a stroke. Former Mayor Jimmy Delshad and Pakzad had been friends for 10 years. “He was an exceptional man, totally out of the 2P Discussion Postponed ordinary,” Delshad said. “Thirty-eight years ago he opened his retail shop on Rodeo Drive, by appointment only. It was his matter of thinking that sep- Although an outline of the tee assigned to draft the outline arated him from everyone else in that business. He was an artist so every- City’s options and the fiscal and recommended waiting for the re- thing he did was very closely tied to being chic and being different.” For consequential impacts Measure sults of the April 29 hearing on more information on Bijan and his life, see page 8. Daniel Stern announced to 2P would have on the City’s re- Measure 2P before discussing be a featured artist at the Affaire In the Gardens. 4 sources was prepared for the recommendations for implemen- City Council by the Study Ses- tations. Apple Ball Launches One sion this week, the sub-commit- (see ‘2P,’ page 15) Campaign, Raise $1 Million The Beverly Hills Education year to our schools but this year Foundation will be launching we need an additional million,” their One Campaign at this year’s BHEF CEO Dev Hankin said. Rima Fujita debutes artwork Apple Ball on April 27.The one- “Other districts have been able at the Sundaram Tagore week Campaign will as from one to meet the challenge of these Gallery. 5 dollar a day per family in an ef- tremendous state budget cuts fort to restore the 13 positions and we hope that Beverly Hills that were “Reduced in Force” can step up so that, when we re- (RIF) in March including instru- turn in September, our schools mental music, performing arts, won't look markedly different. journalism, counselors and spe- This may be our most important cial education. (see ‘APPLE BALL,’ page 16) Helen Hakimi and Dick Van “We donate $1million each Patten celebrate Beverly Hills volunteers. 5 • Fashion 8 • Arts and Entertainment12 • Restaurant Review 20 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE—Incoming Chamber of Commerce • Birthdays 22 President Bruce Schulman accepting a Business Excellence award at the Business Excellence and Installation Gala in 2009. The Chamber of CLASSIFIEDS 29 Commerce will be holding its annual Economic Summit on Tuesday, April • Announcements 26, at The Beverly Hilton. For more information see pg 4. • Auctions • Business & Financial • Rentals • Transportation MRCA Sued Over Stop Signs • and More A Northridge man has filed which manages several park- suit against the Mountain Recre- lands, including Franklin Canyon ations and Conservation Author- Park among others, installed the ity (MRCA), alleging its Photo cameras on their stop signs in its Enforcement Stop Sign Program, parklands in 2007 where exces- a stop sign camera system in use sive safety hazards are caused by in parks such as Franklin Canyon vehicles in close proximity to Park in Beverly Hills, is illegal park users on park roads, said George Christy, and unconstitutional. (see ‘STOP SIGNS,’ page 11) Page 6 The MRCA, an agency Scenesters Love Craig’s; Eye- Catching Jewelry Board Of Education Set To from Rwanda; Restaurateur Giorgio Baldi Is Discuss Policies Tuesday Remembered By Marla Schevker erational, attendance and permit GETTING TO KNOW TAI—Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon star After postponing it for sever- policies at its April 26 meeting. in Water for Elephants with scene-stealer Tai, who responds to spoken Editorial from Rabbi Pressman al meetings, BHUSD’s Board of The board will be discussing commands in Polish. She’s a veteran of several movies, is 42 years old and Education will be discussing op- weighs 9,000 pounds. More photos in George Christy’s column on page 6. AND MORE (see ‘POLICIES,’ page 14) 20th Century Fox Page 2 | April 22, 2011 BEVERLY HILLS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DATE: April 28, 2011 TIME: 1:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard LOCATION: Commission Meeting Room 280A Beverly Hills City Hall 455 North Rexford Drive Beverly Hills. CA 90210 The Planning Commission of the City of Beverly Hills, at its REGULAR meeting on Thursday, April 28, 2011, will hold a public hearing beginning at 1:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, to consider: Requests for: 1) A Variance to allow a bridge structure to allow access to the front door of the house which is over three feet in height within the required front yard setback; 2) A Second Unit Permit to allow a detached second dwelling unit/acces- sory structure; and 3) A Hillside R-1 Permit to allow the construction of a detached three-car garage (second accessory structure) within the front and side setback areas on the property located at 1166 Summit Drive. This project has been assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria con- tained in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and the environmental regulations of the City. Staff has determined that the proposed project qualifies for a Class 3(e) Categorical Exemption under the authority provided by the CEQA Guidelines and no significant environmental impacts are anticipated. Any interested person may attend the meeting and be heard or present written com- ments to the Commission. If you challenge the Commission's action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City, either at or prior to the public hearing. If there are any questions regarding this notice, please contact Donna Jerex in the Community Development Department at (310) 285-1138. Copies of the applica- tions, plans, and Categorical Exemption are on file in the Community Development Department and can be reviewed by any interested person at the City Hall located at 455 North Rexford , Beverly Hills, California 90210. Approved as to form:, David Reyes, Principal Planner BEVERLY HILLS April 22, 2011 | Page 3 BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | APRIL 22, 2011 Page 4 HERE! BEVERLY HILLS MAIN NEWS Chamber of Commerce To Hold CVB Promotes Beverly Hills To Shanghai Reps Economic Summit On Tuesday The Beverly Hills Chamber and economic outlook on of Commerce will be holding where the Beverly Hills econo- the 2011 Economic Summit on my may be heading. Registra- Tuesday April 26 from 11 a.m. tion for the Chamber of Com- to 2 p.m. at The Beverly Hilton. merce’s Economic Summit This year’s theme is “A New ends today. To register or for Dawn or a New Bubble.” The ticket information, visit summit is an expert analysis www.beverlyhillschamber.com PENNIES FOR PATIENTS— Hawthorne 5th grader Sanaz David, teacher Mary Mon- tegue and fifth grader Daniel Fouldain write letters, last week, to Eva, a 7-year old di- agnosed with Leukemia at the age of 4. Hawthorne 1 TOP TRAVELERS—The group through 8 grade clases partic- of travel trade management staff ipated in a Service Learning from Shanghai’s top tour opera- project to raise money for the tors on April 15 on Rodeo Drive Leukemia and Lymphoma So- before they set off on a tour of ciety called “Pennies for Pa- Beverly Hills put on by the BH tients.” In three weeks, Conference & Visitors Bureau. Hawthorne School raised $6,753.69. By Tricia Arend from Shanghai’s Pudong Air- duction to Beverly Hills, the The Beverly Hills Confer- port to LAX, said BHCVB Busi- group of travel trade manage- Team Beverly Hills Registration ence & Visitors Bureau ness Development Director ment staff from Shanghai’s top (BHCVB) hosted an education- Stephanie Nakasone. tour operators set off on foot to- To Start Next Month, End In July al tour through the City to pro- “There are major compa- wards The Beverly Wilshire and mote tourism to business repre- nies based in Shanghai with a then continued on to Montage By Marla Schevker program is 10 sessions that go sentatives with interests based large clientele we would like to Beverly Hills. With the recruitment from September 2011 through in Shanghai last Friday. welcome here,” she said.