Remember the days? Squint your eyes at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and think back: it began as The Culver Theatre in 1945. It was built in the late Moderne style, and like the Meralta, (Culver City’s other movie theatre, located where the Meralta Plaza is now) was a source of jobs for local youth. The theatre received Historic Landmark status from the city, but as the need for single theaters and ushers with flashlights declined, the principal theater was sold and reconfigured into a triplex. The Culver then underwent changes of ownership, as the Mann chain purchased the theater in the early 1970s, and later Great Western Theatres, Inc., and NCC Theatre Corp. In 1985, the Culver City Redevelopment Agency bought the theatre, and the Culver ceased operations in 1989. In 2004, the renovated facility became the Kirk Douglas Theatre, a member of the Center Theatre Group (including the Ahmanson, and the Mark Taper Theatres in Downtown Los Angeles), but with wonderfully-nearby parking and dining opportunities for theatergoers!
This week’s (Wednesday, July 15 at 2:00 p.m.) “Read to the Rhythm” program performed by the We Tell Stories group at the Veterans Memorial Building is titled “Jive Tales,” stories of trickster characters from folklore and literature. Kids and parents are invited to share in the fun – you may even find yourself on stage with the WTS actors! The weekly performances in July are provided by the combined support of a Culver City Performing Arts Grant, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Thanks go out from We Tell Stories performers (and audiences) to the City of Culver City’s Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department for offering the Vet’s Memorial Building during the Culver City Julian Dixon Library renovations.
We bet Soccer Coach Lino Herrera was forced to wear ear plugs during last week’s US Women’s Soccer Team’s victory: He coaches what he modestly terms the “very good” soccer program at Culver City Middle School – so good that each season the girls’ soccer teams have made it to the semi-finals or the finals, and last year they made it all the way to the finals facing the three-time defending champions New West. They won it all after going to penalty kicks, thus winning their first championship in the FIYA (Foundation for Interscholastic Youth Athletics) league. Coach Herrera continues, “Overall the girls showed great potential in having a future in this sport whether they continue playing at CCMS or continue on to the high school because most of all they are coachable and players that are coachable are hard to find. Congratulations to all of my players for being tough, determined and never giving up. I wish you all the very best and I hope to see you next season. Go Panthers!!”
Vive le Bistro! Have you always wanted to “Party like a Parisian?” Our favorite French bistro, Meet in Paris, invites you to enjoy a special Bastille Day celebration this Tuesday, July 14 at the restaurant, located at 9727 Culver Blvd. Call (310) 815-8222 for reservations. There’ll be Bastille Day specials as well as dineLA Restaurant Week menus available. Bon appetit!
Then on the next night, Wednesday, July 15, you can shout “bon appetit” before you enjoy a huge hunk of Johnny’s Pastrami Dip and pickles history at the Culver City Historical Society’s 7:00 p.m. meeting. “The Story of Johnnie’s Pastrami” takes you back to 1952, where on the corner of Washington and Sepulveda there was a restaurant called Johnnie’s that would later become Johnnie’s Pastrami! Who’s Johnnie? Why did they pick this location? How come those pickles are so good? These questions and more will be answered through a PowerPoint presentation and discussion of this well-known eatery. Bring a friend and your stories to share with the families of Johnnie’s Pastrami to the Rotunda Room of the Veterans’ Memorial Building, 4117 Overland Ave.
The same night, Wednesday, July 15 is the monthly Downtown Culver City Third Wednesday, and from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. you can enjoy craft beer, food samples and live music at the “Backyard Bash.” There’ll be $2.00 craft beer tastings at participating establishments plus free food samples and tasty treats. Don’t forget to stop by the CicLAvia table where you can enter to win prizes and learn more about next month’s car-free community event, when the streets leading from Downtown Culver City all the way to Venice Beach will be reserved solely for pedestrians and cyclists with live music and festivities throughout the day. Almost too much fun in Our Town!
Birthday wishes go out this week to Joyce Perlick, Jeanette Vosburg, Anita Agzarian (Rendon), Scott Malsin, Bruce Popkin, Patricia Stephan, Bruce Tepley, and Joyce Elder. If you’d like to see your (or a friend or family member’s) birthday here, send the information to [email protected] and we’ll be happy to post it!
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