Ben Lee Properties — November 2019 Newsletter
This Month's Article
By Ben Lee H ere we are knocking at the door of November, shocked that this year has sped by so fast yet again.
Not sure how frenetic it is in everyone else’s households but at Casa Lee, once Halloween hits it’s just a downhill mad dash to Thanksgiving with what feels like zero time in between.
This Thanksgiving will feel a little different for us because it’ll be the first without my grandmother at our table.
If you’ve read this newsletter for a while, you’ve already met my grandmother.
She was an unforgettable bright light in our family for generations- a true matriarch whose humor, positivity, optimism and grace held the Lees together for what feels like an eternity.
A transplant from Chicago, my grandmother (“Tutu,”) settled in Rancho Park and lived in the same apartment on Almayo for over seventy years.
She raised two sons (my dad and uncle) and taught Hawaiian dance at Cheviot Hills Rec Center for decades.
By the time she passed away last month at 101 years old, her legacy included two sons, four grandsons, seven great-grandchildren and thousands of dance students all of whom loved her tremendously.
Growing up, Tutu wasn’t really known for her cooking skills.
In fact, when my brother and I got together with our cousins to plan her memorial, we had a great time reminiscing and laughing about some of the afterschool snacks she fed us over the years.
Spaghetti and ketchup was a particularly tasty albeit odd treat.
Cut up hotdogs with rice and butter was another.
My favorite thing she made were these brown sugar sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving that always were a little burned but always delicious.
But what Tutu lacked in fancy culinary talent, she made up for in so many other ways.
She was equally comfortable traveling through Asia as she was spending the day at Costco.
Friendly to everyone, I never heard her say a harsh word about anyone and the way she looked you in the eye while placing her hand over yours made you feel like the most important person in the world.
Though in a wheelchair towards the end of her life, she could still keep up with graduates from her dance classes- remembering every intricate hand gesture, keeping perfect time with the classic Hawaiian melodies.
And despite her advanced age, she was usually the last person to leave a party, relishing every bit of time she could spend with the family who adored her.
It was in that spirit that we celebrated her life with a warm get together full of generations of admirers.
As I explained to my boys (as much as to myself), hers was not a tragic death.
While we loved her and will of course miss being with her, she lived the kind of life to which any of us should aspire.
She spent each day being kind and good towards others and made us better people for having been in her orbit.
Everyone at her memorial could only think of her with a broad smile that is saved for someone who’s truly one-of-a-kind.
And it wasn’t a sad day but a real celebration of who she was and I am sure something she would’ve really enjoyed.
We all wore Hawaiian shirts, shared stories in the sunshine of my brother’s backyard and enjoyed watching past students dance in tribute to her honor.
The highlight for me was seeing my three and a half-year-old nephew, her 6th great grandson, overtaken by inspiration to spontaneously take the ‘stage’ and dance with the professionals.
I’m not sure anything would’ve made our Tutu happier than seeing that sight.
In the end, I think all we can hope for is to be remembered fondly, leave the world a bit better and make our loved ones feel enriched for having known us.
Tutu did all that and more. We will miss having her at our table this Thanksgiving and I for one still long for those slightly burned, sugary roasted sweet potato slabs she used to make every year when I was younger.
But if there’s a big, festive luau happening up above, I know my grandmother’s right in front, showing everyone how to dance and likely the last one to leave.
She probably will share her famous sweet potatoes, too.
Featured Listings
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Beverlywood - SOLD! 9408 Kramerwood Pl – $1,349,000 3 Bed / 2 Bath 1,459 Sq. Ft., 5,344 Sq. Ft. Lot Brentwood - ACTIVE! 11970 Montana Ave #110 – $849,000 2 Bed / 2 Bath 1,292 Sq. Ft. Beverlywood - ACTIVE! 2213 S Beverly Dr – $1,995,000 3 Bed / 2 Bath 2,550 Sq. Ft., 7,993 Sq. Ft. Lot
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Community & More
By Dr. Kirstin Noreen F rom May 14 to May 25, 2019, Loyola Marymount University sponsored a study abroad program in Italy for the course “Christian Faith and Visual Culture in Rome.” This class, that I taught with Fr.
Marc Reeves, took sixteen students to Rome, a city that is distinguished by its rich artistic and architectural history as well as by its important role in the early development of Christian thought and practice.
Using the streets, museums, and churches as our classroom, the students directly engaged with the culture, art, society and faith that helped to shape Rome and beyond.
On May 16, we visited the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine accompanied by your newsletter.
We told the students that if we won your photo contest, the $500 would go towards a gelato fund for the next year’s program.
After having done this course for many years, we have discovered that gelato is important for maintaining the energy level necessary for our intensive class.
We are certain that the program in May 2020 will be very appreciative of our student photo contribution and the generosity of your photo contest!
Beverlywood happenings By Michael Harris T he Bradbury Building is worth a look when you have eaten at the Grand Central Market.
It is across the street at 304 S. Broadway.
It is one of the few remaining original buildings built in the 19th Century.
Its attraction is the skylight atrium and the ornate ironwork and walkways.
It is a favorite location for the movie studios.
To name just a few films that have benefited from its wonderful early look and presence would be the following favorites: Blade Runner; I, the Jury; Caprice; Lethal Weapon 4 and a whole slew of noir thrillers that just love the ambience which would include: Shockproof, DOA and M.
The Bradbury Building Photo contest Vignettes By Ben Lee A re you overwhelmed by the amount of Halloween candy you still have taking up space on your shelf (and eventual belly)?
There are places you can go to take extra candy and do something nice for others in the process.
Operation Gratitude is an organization that will happily accept unwanted candy and ship it off to grateful soldiers stationed overseas.
Turning Point School is a drop off location but you can also head to Operation Gratitude’s website to learn more: https://www. operationgratitude.com/expressyour-thanks/halloween-candy.
And if you find you have too many leftovers after Thanksgiving, PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) is a shelter located at 2346 Cotner (across from Smart and Final) that will happily accept whatever food you’d like to offer them.
This is the only place I’ve found that will take cooked food as most places only accept canned goods and I’ve found it’s a nice way to share with those less fortunate who deserve a nice holiday, too.
You can call PATH for more information: 310-996-0124.
photo contest that was featured prominently in last month’s edition.
Over the next several months you’ll get to read the stories behind the photos we featured from around the world, we hope you enjoy them.
If you enjoy reading these vignettes each month, you may want to check out my fatherin-law’s book, Westside Stories.
It’s a memoir/history of growing up on the Westside of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 1950s with great photos, anecdotes and stories.
Perfect for the history buff/enthusiast in your family!
It’s available for purchase at http://www.americasgroup.com/ Westside-Stories-Book.html Study Abroad
