As summer starts off, Toluca Lake shows no signs of slowing down in its 101st year. Our community has been bustling with a variety of new events, initiatives and beloved traditions, including the Chamber’s Pancake Breakfast, the HOA’s yearly meeting and the Beautification Partners’ efforts in improving the Lankershim Boulevard streetscape. You can read about these activities and more in the Out & About section of this issue.
One of the many highlights of last year’s centennial celebrations was seeing a tribute to Toluca Lake on Good Day L.A., reported by host/anchor Amanda Salas. We learned this veteran entertainment journalist has been a local resident for the past seven years and calls the segment her “love letter” to her neighborhood. In our cover story, the self-described “Latina on the Scene-a” gives us the scoop on her career highlights, her public battle with cancer, her knack for puns and the place where she’s found healing, romance and community.
Also in this issue, we share the tale of how residents Sarah and Stephen Whitney undertook a thoughtful renovation to expand their classic single-story cottage on Clybourn Avenue into an enduring home that meets their evolving needs. Creatively blending traditional and modern touches, the result is a stunning testament to their love for their community, its history and the legacy of the home’s past owner, Roy O. Disney. Their story illustrates why our neighborhood continues to be highly prized for its lovely homes, scenic streets, convenient location and village-like lifestyle, which can make the local housing landscape both irresistible and intense. That’s why we’re bringing you our fourth annual real estate resource guide, where six local pros detail the services they provide and offer their expertise to help buyers, sellers and renters navigate the market.
And finally, we take a trip back in time to the local nightclub scene of the 1960s and ’70s, when Burbank-based chanteuse Bobbi Boyle serenaded audiences at the Money Tree, the Smoke House and other Valley haunts. Author Chris Lukather, a childhood friend of Boyle’s son, reveals his discoveries about the intriguing story of her life and performing career. We hope this taste of nostalgia whets your appetite for more glimpses of yesteryear or inspires reminiscences of your own, because our fall history issue is right around the corner! If you have vintage photos or memories of past people, places and events, I encourage you to share them with us at stories@tolucalake.com.
As always, thank you for your enthusiastic readership, and please continue to support our amazing advertisers, who help our community thrive and make this magazine possible. Have a wonderful summer!
