No Pond, No Problem

Lawn and Landscape. February 10, 2016. By Brian Horn: Pondless waterfalls have the benefits of a water feature without the hassle…

The trend now is maintenance-free water features. Instead of homeowners taking an active role in maintaining the feature, they want something they can see and hear but don’t have to touch. That attitude has led to a rise in the popularity of pondless waterfalls.

Santa Monica’s Last Unadulterated ‘Shotgun’ House

Los Angeles Times. January 24, 2016. By Nita Lelyveld: It’s just a little slip of a house, three tiny rooms in a row.

But when its narrow front door opened on Saturday, people lined up for a chance to get in.

What is believed to be Santa Monica’s last unadulterated “shotgun” house — one straight, hallway-less shot from front door to back — had been through so much to reach what amounted to this moment of rebirth.

When El Ninos Hit Hollywood

The Hollywood Reporter. January 15, 2016. By Sharon Swart: Ghosts of the epic storms that have slammed L.A. haunt the town as bold-faced names recount what it’s like finding your pool washed away, getting to work on ‘Seinfeld’ with the sheriff’s help and discovering a trampoline (someone else’s) sliding into your backyard.