Ben Lee Properties — June 2025 Newsletter
This Month's Article
By Ben Lee A h, June. It’s the season for grads and dads and I’m 100% here for both.
This might be the first June in years that we don’t have a graduation to attend which allows for reflection on ceremonies’ past and all the emotions they stir up.
There’s something about watching young people don caps and gowns while marching in unison, seeing the pride on their faces and smiles among family members in the audience- it’s truly magical.
But like most important rites of passage, it’s easy to get caught up in the technical aspects of the day instead of appreciating the moment in real time.
It doesn’t seem to matter if they’re graduating from pre-k, high school or college, the organizational details threaten to split focus until those first few notes of Pomp and Circumstance start playing.
There are always questions that permeate the day: with a limit on tickets, who will be in attendance?
How will grandma get there, let alone nab a good seat where she can see the stage?
If the ceremony is at an odd time, what will be the plan for food?
Do we eat before or after? Where’s a place to eat that’s close enough but not so close that you have to battle the onslaught of happy revelers and therefore have to wait hours for a table?
Maybe you schedule a party on another day but heaven forbid you have two graduates on the same weekend, do you combine celebrations into one or honor them separately?
The list goes on and on but in the end, all of these questions and potential stressors take away from the heart of the occasion.
This special person in your life has made it to the end of one journey before embarking upon the beginning of the next one.
It’s a big day! Last June our family was blessed to attend not just one but two graduations in two days.
It was a lot to take in, and nearly impossible to be wholly in the moment for either of them.
We were joyful but there was almost too much to navigate in order to completely appreciate both events to their fullest.
The Hamilton High graduation was fun, festive and absolutely enormous.
Even though the school is split into five separate magnets, the graduation ceremony celebrates the whole school at once so each of the 550 seniors’ names get called.
For the sake of time, the officiants ask the audience not to clap for each person but it’s impossible not to, given the massive accomplishment each senior has achieved.
A few hundred kids down the list, it was getting tough to maintain a high level of excitement for each name called, but I felt compelled to still give them my attention and applause because after all those book reports, science projects and homework assignments- it took a lot to get to this moment and the least I can do is applaud!
For some reason, the ceremony for Hamilton is held at the Greek Theater.
Beautiful, yes, and a truly lovely setting but located nowhere near the school’s campus.
It might be in closer proximity for some parents, since so many kids travel from all over the city to attend one of the magnet programs Hamilton offers.
However, for those who live in Cheviot or Beverlywood, getting across town to the Greek is a bit of an ordeal.
But we soon learned that traffic getting in is the easy part.
After you have navigated parking, waited in long lines to get through security, figured out where to sit, tried to save seats for late comers (a big no-no), shielded your face from too much sun or break out the sweaters if you’re sitting in the shade, it’s practically time to watch the recessional because the whole thing is over.
Then, you need to swim upstream in a crowd to try and find your senior in the crush of other students and all their families, everyone trying to locate a familiar face while having zero cell reception because you’re in the Hollywood Hills.
Leaving the venue is rough since most of the parking is stacked so if you happen to be stuck behind a car whose occupants are still inside the Greek mingling and taking pictures, be prepared to wait a while.
But minor headaches aside, the unabashed thrill from the crowd during the speeches and names being called was truly infectious.
Some of these students are first generation graduates and their families were so incredibly proud, it was impossible not to be moved.
I imagine those parents made plenty of sacrifices to make this day a reality and if that’s not an excuse to ignore the small annoyances in favor of embracing the occasion, I don’t know what is!
The day after watching our son Spencer graduate from Hamilton High, it was our youngest son Vinnie’s turn to graduate from Middle School.
We were tired from the festivities the day before however equally excited to be there and cheer him on.
The experience, however, was as different as night and day.
Vinnie had been at the Geffen Academy at UCLA and there were only about 75 kids in his graduating class.
No caps, no gowns. The ceremony was held indoors at Pauley Pavillion.
Zero traffic, easy to park and given the venue has over 11,000 seats for roughly 200 guests, finding seating was not a problem.
There was no arguing over saving seats for latecomers, no issues with shade or sun.
Just a simple, organized, subdued affair.
The hardest part was identifying our graduate in the processional given that it happened to be the year when practically every 13 year old boy seemed to have the same fluffy haircut.
A few speeches, some well-wishes from administrators and we were done in time to have an early dinner.
But regardless of the style of ceremony, the sheer joy watching your child graduate cannot be understated.
Because everyone knows: even though he/she is wearing the cap and gown, getting them to this monumental stage was indeed a group effort.
All the drop offs, pick ups, last minute help with projects, purchasing extra supplies, filling the stands at games, performances, concerts, providing snacks, supporting in all ways, shapes and forms- your kids may be the ones wearing the caps and gowns, but all of us parents deserve a few rounds of applause of our own, too.
So, here’s to all of us. We did it! And if you are lucky enough to celebrate one or two graduations this month, hats (or caps!) off to you and your family, too!
Hope you can ignore all the small stresses and just enjoy the moment.
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Community & More
Cheviot Hills happenings By Ben Lee W e’re starting to get some fabulous photos of you with our newsletter on vacation.
You have a few more months to travel with any copy of the newsletter and take a picture of it (with or without a human holding it) to win a $250 prize.
To enter, simply take a photo with the newsletter on vacation and then email it to me: ben@benleeproperties.com with ‘PHOTO CONTEST’ in the subject line.
That’s it! We’ll pick a winner by the end of summer.
But if you’re antsy for a raffle before then, I do have two Dodgers tickets to give away.
These are great seats and include parking!
It’s for the 8/16 game against the Padres.
To enter, email me: ben@benleeproperties.com and write ‘DODGERS’ in the subject.
We’ll pick the winner at the end of the month.
Good luck and GO BLUE!! Summer Photo Contest By Lilli Lee S ocial stuff is happening this Summer!
Mark your calendars because there is not just one but two fun parties to tell you about!
The first is for single people looking to find friends/companionship/ possible romance and will be held on July 24 from 7-9 in Cheviot Hills.
There’ll be raffles/ give-aways and an opportunity to meet other singles from the area.
RSVP to: lillijlee@yahoo. com for address and details!
The other party will be a ladiesonly neighborhood wine night, hosted by the lovely Lori Berman on August 13, also from 7-9pm.
Open to all the ladies in the neighborhood and we hope to see you there.
LET’S PARTY! By Ben Lee I n honor of Father’s Day, we’re offering a deal on the coffee table books my father-in-law wrote about the sights, sounds and stories pertaining to the Westside of Los Angeles.
These books cover it all. He goes into detail about what life was like growing up in Cheviot Hills in the 1950’s and offers reasons why movie studios shaped the geography of Los Angeles.
He recounts the famous figures whose contributions helped create the most iconic architectural spots in the region and explains how different neighborhoods have evolved.
If you have a dad who would appreciate these stories, then maybe you’d like to purchase one or both books.
My father-inlaw’s publisher, his brother Jeff Harris, is running a promotion for the holiday.
His first book in the trilogy is actually sold out but if you’re interested in buying the other two, he’s selling both for $37.50 (an 18% discount) and that includes tax and shipping.
He’ll also refund your money if you’re not fully happy with the purchase!
Father’s Day Fun By Ben Lee D on’t let your four legged friends have all the fun this month.
Check out Paws in the Park! Head to Rancho on 6/22 and find vendors, resources, sketch artists, photo booths and everything you need for your pet.
All leashed animals are welcome to attend!
And, if you have been considering adopting/rescuing or fostering a dog, contact Melissa Levy: maklaskin@sbcglobal.net Paws in the Park
