Toluca Lake Magazine

Holidays

Warm Up to Winter

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A historic home on Forman Avenue once owned by Bing Crosby provides the perfect backdrop for our favorite cool-weather looks from Rose & Sage boutique. Modeled by local talent, these enchanting ensembles utilize the creative power of layering, from faux fur and a touch of glitter for holiday parties to pattern mixing with an eye-catching scarf for everyday chic.
Michael Stars high-slit plaid coat, bishop + young vegan leather leggings, Nixon booties, scarf and pom-pom beanie exclusive to Rose & Sage
Warm Up To Winter
Michael Stars draped halter top and plaid bomber jacket; felt floppy hat, distressed denim leggings and black fringe booties exclusive to Rose & Sage
bishop + young faux fur vest, Michael Stars sequined miniskirt, halter tank exclusive to Rose & Sage
Warm Up To Winter
Chevron faux fur vest and hunter plaid button-down shirt exclusive to Rose & Sage, bishop + young vegan leather leggings, Amanda choker
Located on Riverside Drive between Forman and Talofa avenues, Rose & Sage was opened in 2013 by young entrepreneur Soraya Ardakani. The store features handpicked accessories, shoes and clothes from global and local designers in a variety of price points. With its vintage furnishings and fixtures, creative merchandise displays and light, spacious interior, the store offers a comfortable shopping environment with an emphasis on personalized service.
Photos by Daniel Deitch

Festive Finds

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’Tis the season for giving! Finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list can be stressful, but we’re here to make it easier by showing you how much shopping you can do in your own backyard. We’ve curated this list of the season’s most popular items from businesses in and around our community, so you can avoid the crowds and malls (you’re welcome!). With an eclectic mix at a variety of price points, consider this sampler a jumping-off point for finding local treasures. Cheers and happy hunting!

A Vendome Wine and SpiritsTop

Toluca Lake

Vendome has provided fine wine, spirits, beers and cigars to the Toluca Lake area and its surrounding communities since 1987. An expert staff is on hand to help choose the perfect wine or craft beer for your holiday gatherings. Wine Specialist David Milligan recommends the best-selling Five California Friends, a five-bottle gift basket with selections of pinot and cabernet sauvignon, along with snacks like focaccia crisps and brie.

B Generales & GeneralesTop

Toluca Lake

Generales & Generales has a large selection of affordable jewelry for holiday gifts with some extra sparkle. The family-owned business has been the purveyor of fine jewelry in the neighborhood since 1969, and has an expertly trained staff to help select special pieces from its house line or luxury brands. This season, they recommend pieces with subtle yet striking details, like these 14K rose gold and diamond drop earrings (also available in yellow and white gold). The store’s design services also allow customers to create earrings, rings and bracelets to their specifications. 

C PergolinaTop

Toluca Lake

A Riverside Drive staple, this gift and garden boutique has called Toluca Lake Village home since 1990. Owner Paulanna Cuccinello has created an out-of-the-box shopping experience with a finely curated selection of international and local home goods and accessories reflecting her modern, European-inspired aesthetic. This season, Cuccinello suggests a classic holiday bar set, with a Match Italian pewter shaker and classic martini vessels. Pergolina also offers a gift-wrapping service and customized gift baskets for individuals or businesses.

D Atomic RecordsTop

Magnolia Park

Since 1996, Atomic Records has served as the neighborhood’s premier destination for affordable rare and collectible vinyl, CDs and DVDs. While best known for specializing in classic jazz, soul, ’60s rock, punk/new wave, soundtracks and compilations, the store carries most genres at any given moment, thanks to its constantly changing stock. “New” used records arrive daily, meaning customers can drop by often to score unique picks for as little as 50 cents in the endless bins and crates. 

E Bésame CosmeticsTop

Magnolia Park

Inspired by the cinema, art, history and culture of the 1920s through the 1960s, Bésame Cosmetics is widely recognized for emulating period glamour in its range of iconic red lipsticks, mascaras and face powders. Encased in vintage-inspired packaging, each item is highly giftable, acting as both makeup and covetable trinket in one. Visit the flagship boutique in Magnolia Park to explore and experience the brand in depth. Museum-like displays showcase historical makeup “artifacts” in their original packaging, such as pot rouge, cake mascara and lipstick, all of which have served as inspirations for owner Gabriela Hernandez’s modern creations.   

F Spa Lé LaTop

Tujunga Village

The endless things to do during the holidays — shopping, baking, spending time with relatives and attending one party after the next — make unwinding at the spa a necessary indulgence. With gift certificates at the ready, Spa Lé La provides the perfect escape (or recovery) from the season with its popular bath, massage, nail and facial services. Founder Trina Renea created the Spa Lé La Signature Massage, a combination of facial acupressure and scalp, hand, foot and back massages in one. To make for an even more accessible spa experience, Spa Lé La offers complimentary childcare services. After their session, customers can bring the spa home with a selection of shea butter creams and body washes.

G Forget Me Not FloristTop

Toluca Lake

Add a fragrant finishing touch to any gift this season with an artful arrangement by Toluca Lake’s go-to florist Joey Chuy, owner of Forget Me Not Florist. Chuy works with customers to whip up bouquets using mixes of dahlias, cockscomb, white lilies, green hydrangea and larkspur, to name a few — perfect for home décor, a hostess gift or “just because.” 

H Bell CottageTop

Magnolia Park

Since 1988, family-owned Bell Cottage has offered a relaxed shopping experience for finding the perfect gift among its jewelry, handbags, books and home goods (fresh coffee and cookies are available while you peruse). The shop also offers complimentary gift wrapping. Owner Theresa Hanna filled us in on two of Bell Cottage’s most popular items for the season: elegant Brighton handbags and keepsake memory blocks from Sid Dickens. 

I Blast From the PastTop

Magnolia Park

Hero-themed gifts starring the Avengers and the Justice League are bound to be must-have items this season. Blast From the Past has the latest selection of Marvel and DC Comics items, with wall-to-wall selections of toys, T-shirts and collectibles from movies, television and comic books — past and present — to please fans of all ages. Co-owner Kathy Ross says that since Wonder Woman smashed summer box-office records, gifts featuring the Amazonian princess are going to be particularly big this year. For kids, Space Flyers offer a modern take on remote-controlled cars and airplanes of yesteryear.

J Cinema SecretsTop

Toluca Lake

Cinema Secrets is known worldwide for raising the bar in the professional cosmetics industry with its high-performance makeup and innovative application tools. The neighborhood beauty mecca’s 5-in-1 Chroma eyeshadow palette is sure to be a go-to product for this season’s popular metallic looks. Cinema Secrets spent a year perfecting the highly pigmented formula to ensure that the colors appear consistent on all skin tones.

K MindfulnestTop

Magnolia Park

Mindfulnest encourages a “mindful” approach to shopping by offering gifts handcrafted by local artists, artisans and American companies. The shop sources 70 percent of its items from California, so purchases contribute to the local economy and support artists in our communities. Alongside jewelry, wall art and prints, the Burbank location includes a KleanSpa bath and body shop with select spa services and a scent-blending bar. Co-owner Amanda Vernon recommends gift items in a variety of vintage and contemporary local motifs.

L Slone VintageTop

Magnolia Park

In the heart of Magnolia Park’s vintage shopping district, Slone Vintage offers some of the area’s best finds, with pieces from as early as the 1930s. Owner Amy Jordan curates a diverse selection of women’s clothing, handbags and accessories, in addition to new and found home goods, which she showcases regularly on the shop’s Instagram account (@slonevintage). Slone Vintage’s stock changes daily, so shoppers are encouraged to visit often to see what gems Jordan has scooped up. Pieces from the ’30s, like silk kimonos, are always popular and make for unique gifts, she says. For the home, she recommends tea towels and wine glasses as hostess gifts. 

M SWAG Vintage DesignsTop

Tujunga Village

In 2008, mother–daughter duo Tammy and Lauren Dunn created SWAG and brought their love of all things vintage to Tujunga Village in Studio City. The store is reminiscent of a European-style boutique with its collection of French-inspired antiques, gifts, jewelry and home goods that combine vintage and contemporary flair. For the season, the SWAG Signature candle, with notes of Kahve caramel and Turkish coffee, is one of the store’s best-selling items. Antique-inspired jewelry imported from France is also popular. 

N Pauline’s Premier SweetsTop

Burbank Media District

Add to the bevy of delectable treats this holiday season with homemade brittle from Pauline’s Premier Sweets. Pauline Marasek has been handcrafting her traditional recipes for the neighborhood since 1999. She blends different nuts and special ingredients to create twists on old favorites, such as the Smooth Operator, a decadent blend of dark chocolate and pecans, and the Sweet Fire mix of fiery habanero and chipotle peppers and peanuts. For those who can’t decide which brittle to bite into first, we suggest the Rockin’ Classic pecan and the peppermint and white chocolate Minter Wonderland.

Note: These items and businesses were selected by our editorial team because we love them — and we hope you do, too! We have not been paid to feature any products, nor will we receive revenue from any purchases made at these retailers.

House Boo-tiful

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House Boo-tiful

Every October, cobwebs, giant spiders, tombstones and ghosts start popping up in Toluca Lake’s well-tended yards, turning them into classic graveyards and evil gardens! We love how this neighborhood goes all out in decorating for the holidays, and Halloween 2017 brought out the community’s creative best. Check out our slideshow to see for yourself!

Sotheby’s first annual Toluca Lake Halloween House-Decorating Contest added to the fun. Congratulations to Ruth Ann and George Jones, whose Scary Tales house received the most votes.

The homes pictured here are just some of the many that build on a longstanding tradition of elaborate Halloween decorating in the community, which is why the neighborhood tops best trick-or-treating lists year after year. With so many residents either working in or connected to the entertainment industry, it’s no wonder that each home feels like a grand production, complete with lights, horror soundtracks and, sometimes, costumed actors to scare passersby.

And while the tricks are plentiful, so are the treats. In the past, Bob and Dolores Hope had a reputation for handing out full-size candy bars, nose-shaped noisemakers and Frisbees. Many continue the Hopes’ tradition, handing out plenty of candy and creative loot to those brave enough to traverse the ghostly pathways leading up to their doorsteps.

The Say Scream house builds on this generous custom by adding a social media element. For the second year in a row, the Gallopo family took free professional photos of attendees in costume and shared them in an online gallery and Instagram feed. “I love Halloween in Toluca Lake!” says Todd Gallopo. “The way this neighborhood warmly welcomes and spooks thousands of trick-or-treaters has always brought out the kid in me.”

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Simple and Elegant Décor Tips by Reitzhaus

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A well-set dining table adds another level of design and dresses the room. Accessories from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Williams-Sonoma, Pergolina and Victoria Reitz. Floral arrangement from the Enchanted Florist.

Create a Concept

Identify your theme, then the colors you want to use. As an example, with gold and white pieces, you can change the accessory color — one year arrangements of red flowers bring in your third color; the next, soft blush accents, such as the wrapping paper and ribbons, candles or candleholders. Go with three colors max to keep your color scheme and maintain a concise look. Keep your house style in mind: A friend of mine goes mid-century modern with a silver tree and wild colors like purple, turquoise or lime green every year. 

Greenery
  • For a beautiful mantel, arrange fragrant eucalyptus or magnolia cuttings, which we have a lot of in Toluca Lake, and dress with clementines, persimmons or pomegranates. Tie or weave ribbons into a garland. Add pinecones tipped in silver or gold, some candles and voilà!  
  • Replicate the greenery for a door wreath.
  • Add small vases of the greenery around the room, set off by white flowers. Coordinate the vases to the décor.
White and gold are beautiful together for the holidays. Different heights create interest.
Table Settings 
  • Bring out the silver! Invest in little pieces that add elegance, like small stockings that hold the flatware. 
  • Fill water pitchers or ice buckets with flowers, and use multiple sizes of candlesticks and mercury glass votives. 
  • Buy small white pumpkins, hollow out the stem and put in votive candles. 
  • You don’t need a flower arrangement on the table: Use a runner and build a long garland, add candles, and you’re done! 
Tree and Presents
  • To create a “finished” look for one of the main centerpieces in the house, pick one or two different papers and a couple of different ribbons in your color scheme for wrapping gifts. Mix and match, then mound them all under the tree. 
  • Put ornaments around the house, too — in glass bowls, on a chandelier or on a wreath.
  • Keep the base of your live tree filled with soda water; the carbon dioxide will help it stay fresh much longer than plain water.
Buy good pieces each year in a consistent theme. You can mix it up by varying the accessory color from season to season. Accessories from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Williams-Sonoma and Pergolina.

Toluca Lake’s Tuneful Holiday Legacy

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Always a home to creative geniuses, Toluca Lake holds a notable spot in holiday-music history: One of the most popular seasonal tunes of all time, “The Christmas Song” by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells, was written here. 

In his memoir It Wasn’t All Velvet, Tormé described that day in 1945: “One excessively hot afternoon, I drove out to Bob’s house in Toluca Lake for a work session. The San Fernando Valley, always at least 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the town, blistered in the July sun.” Tormé noticed four lines of verse, beginning with “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” jotted on a notepad next to Wells’ piano. When Tormé asked about it, Wells replied, “It was so damn hot today, I thought I’d write something to cool myself off. All I could think of was Christmas and cold weather.” Tormé saw the potential for a song, and as he recalled, “We sat down together at the piano, and, improbable though it may sound, ‘The Christmas Song’ was completed about 45 minutes later.” Nat King Cole recorded the song in 1946, making it an enduring holiday standard.

Another musical holiday staple from the 1940s with a very similar L.A. origin story (the often-omitted opening verse describes seeing sunshine and palm trees while “longing to be up north”) is Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” While that song references Beverly Hills, there is, of course, a Toluca Lake connection: The singer who made it a hit and became inextricably linked to it was Bing Crosby, one of the neighborhood’s best-known residents. But the local ties don’t stop there. When “White Christmas” became the basis for a movie of the same name in 1954, the composer who wrote the score for that now-classic holiday film (as well as the iconic Road movies starring Crosby and another famous Tolucan, Bob Hope) was Joseph J. Lilley — who that same year bought a house in Toluca Lake on Moorpark Street, where he resided until his death in 1971. 

Kling Street Kids

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Kling Street Kids
Tom LaBonge presented the Kling Street Kids with an award from the City of Los Angeles at the 2010 event. Photo courtesy of Kling Street Kids.

Just before Christmas, the 10400 block of Kling Street in Toluca Lake transforms into a winter wonderland. “We moved to Kling Street back in 2014, and that first Christmas Eve morning I awoke, looked out my window and saw our neighbors’ house with snow on the lawn, kids sledding, children selling coffee and pastries, and all our neighbors walking by to visit,” remembers Laura Scuticchio. “That’s when I knew we had found an extraordinary neighborhood.” 

This annual fundraising event is extraordinary in many ways — its longevity, 15 years and counting; its organizers and volunteers, made up of more than 60 children and family members collectively known as the Kling Street Kids; and its positive impact, having generated a total of more than $182,000 for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Above all, it’s a community phenomenon that brings local residents and businesses together for a good cause, with plenty of fun along the way. 

“I absolutely think Kling Street Kids is a perfect representation of Toluca Lake,” says Cady Stark, the event’s co-founder. “It showcases the close-knit community that is just as engaged and passionate about the holiday season as it is about giving back and charity. It is amazing to live in as big a city as Los Angeles, but still find a neighborhood that is so connected and supportive of one another.” 

STARTING SMALL  The original Kling Street Kids, Grady Meier (9), Cady Stark (8), Libby Meier (9) and Callie Stark (10), displaying refreshments provided by local businesses at the second annual event in 2003. Photo courtesy of Kling Street Kids.

Kling Street Kids began in 2002, when Cady and her older sister, Callie, were just 7 and 9 years old. Wanting to help cheer up children who had to spend the holiday season sick in the hospital, they considered raising money by hosting a lemonade stand, but their parents encouraged them to think bigger. With a couple of neighborhood friends, the girls organized a two-day bake sale offering coffee (donated by the local Starbucks), doughnuts, hot chocolate and pizza, which collected more than $500 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The next year, Krispy Kreme and Trader Joe’s also contributed, and the kids nearly quadrupled their fundraising. They decided to give the money to Children’s Hospital and began a new tradition of visiting on Christmas Eve to deliver the donations directly. This is always the highlight of the day, says Cady. “We’ve seen a lot of friends and family affected by sickness, so it is really rewarding to be able to bring some light to people in a pretty dark place.” 

Kling Street Kids has grown year by year, with additions including a host of sponsors, a silent auction, 10 tons of snow, live music, train rides, face painting, homemade baked goods and holiday gifts, and the opportunity to sponsor a stuffed animal and write a personal note for a child spending the holidays at Children’s Hospital. The event has been recognized with an array of awards, featured widely in the media, and attended by celebrities and dignitaries. Yet its core focus remains “Kids Helping Kids.” With the original “kids” now young adults moving on to college and careers, the Starks are passing the reins to a new generation of neighbors. The Scuticchio, Barron and Davis families have taken on the responsibility of planning, coordinating, securing donations and getting the word out, a process that typically begins as early as September. 

BEARING GIFTS  Kling Street Kids Shannon Larsuel, Grace Gannon, Leah Freeark, Spencer Allyn and Callie Stark delivering donated Pillow Pets to the hospital on Christmas Eve in 2014. Photo courtesy of Kling Street Kids.

Cady says that organizing Kling Street Kids has taught her “hard work, leadership, patience and appreciation,” and the neighborhood parents agree it’s been an invaluable experience for their children. “One of my favorite parts is watching the kids get so involved and excited about volunteering to help run the event,” says Kara Barron, whose family has participated since 2015. “Giving back to the community and being part of something bigger — this is something that I always wanted to teach my kids and share with them.”  

The lessons extend both ways, says Cady and Callie’s father, Steve Stark. “Thanks to this event and my children, I know all of our neighbors. I can’t tell you how many people I meet every year who tell me that they’ve been bringing their kids to this event for over a decade and have watched their children grow up here.”   

For 2017, the Kling Street Kids are consolidating the event into a single super-sized day on December 23 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., which will be full of familiar favorites and new surprises. All are welcome to volunteer or attend; visit www.klingstreetkids.org for details.