Alison Becker: Project Manager
-Favorite Hollywood memory: The Lion King sign on top of the Equitable Building was spectacular.
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: The mixologist at the Hungry Cat.
-Favorite Hollywood street: I love the broad, slightly desolate feel of Cole near Hollywood City Hall. It has great old streetlights.
-Favorite Hollywood event: If you’re into marching bands and fancy horses, the Hollywood Christmas Parade is a hoot!
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: The Capitol Records Building on Vine St.
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Didn’t Harry Potter get a star recently?
-Best cheap eats: Cheap is relative. A super tasty 6 in 1 Italian sandwich can be had at the Tamarind Deli. Almost as good as a godmother from Bay Cities.
-When I was a kid I wanted to… study political science
-My job is… city building
-My perfect day would be… complete with competent child care and include a goddess treatment at the Olympic Day Spa.
-Hollywood is… captivating
-I am… planning my next adventure
Jessica Cowley: Program Coordinator
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: The Cat & Fiddle patio, and LACE for great local art. I’m looking forward to hanging out in Hollywood Central Park or Hudson Plaza, once they get built.
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: there are many more families, seniors, and other regular folk here than there are movie or rock stars.
-Favorite Hollywood street: Hollywood Boulevard for people-watching; Afton Street’s my favorite residential street
-Favorite Hollywood event: the weekly farmers’ market.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: Crossroads of the World, home to the Hollywood Community Studio, of course!
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Hank Williams
-Best cheap eats: Skooby’s and Huston’s Barbecue (though I can’t really go either place with my many vegetarian friends). Mashti Malone’s makes some of my favorite ice cream in the city.
-Hollywood’s soundtrack: Snippets of R&B and classic rock drifting out of car windows on Sunset Boulevard.
-My job is… exactly what I wished it would be!
-Hollywood is… constantly surprising me.
Alexander R. Holsheimer: Technical Services Coordinator
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: Hollywood Farmers’ Market
-Favorite Hollywood memory: Fishin’ for lobster at the Happy Endings bar near La Brea.
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: The three community gardens along Fountain Avenue!
-Favorite Hollywood street: Tie between Wilcox and Ivar. Both have great civic buildings, interesting people, and residential uses. Wilcox is more historic, while Ivar has a trendier feel.
-Favorite Hollywood event: Thai New Year’s Day Songkran Festival
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: Pantages Theater, especially when Wicked was playing and the theater was a beacon of green and purple neon lights.
-Best cheap eats: RoRo’s Chicken
-When I was a kid I wanted to… be a “Renaissance man” or “jack of all trades”
-My job is… to display survey and geographic data in a visually appealing manner without misleading the viewer. Sometimes I’m a professional talker.
-My perfect day would be… Taking the Metrolink down the coast to San Diego and enjoying a nice day at the beach.
-My biggest challenge is… explaining to non-planners what I do for a living.
-Hollywood is… rich with contrasts and full of surprises.
-I am… making the move to Hollywood so that I can live CAR-free!
George Villanueva: Resident Researcher
-Favorite Hollywood memory: Being 16 years old and working my first job as a courtesy clerk at the Hollywood Pavilions on Vine Street. One time James Earl Jones came in to shop and I followed him a bit throughout the store, and I swear he was breathing like Darth Vader
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: Its recurring myth of stardom and glamor.
-Favorite Hollywood street: Cahuenga Boulevard, because it can beam you from flatland Hollywood on Melrose to Ventura Boulevard in the Valley
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: The Hollywood Sign. Funny enough, it orients oneself like the North symbol on a compass.
-Best cheap eats: H. Salt and Fish, and of course Ro Ro’s when there is a hookah in front.
-My biggest challenge is… to challenge people’s notions that Hollywood is reinventing itself or becoming impacted by one catalytic intervention. Hollywood has always been changing…we just need to step back and understand that change as a whole.
-Hollywood is… or continues to be a dream factory that more than often does not deliver on what people perceive Hollywood to be in their own minds.
-I am… hoping you all come and visit us at the Hollywood Community Studio!
Melissa Watson: Outreach Coordinator
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: The Hollywood Forever Cemetery summer movie screenings on Saturday nights–absolutely spectacular!
-Favorite Hollywood memory: Running into the entire cast of “Parks and Recreation” on my first day asset mapping near Hollywood Boulevard.
-Favorite Hollywood street: Vista del Mar Avenue, between Carlos and Yucca. I’m not sure if you could ever see the ocean from there, but this quiet and unexpected hilltop street lined with homes provides a great view of the buildings below at Hollywood and Vine.
-Favorite Hollywood personality: “Superman,” who’s been taking pictures with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard for 20+ years and is now fighting for the rights of the Hollywood street characters to continue working. If you ever get a chance, he loves to talk about it.
-Favorite Hollywood event: Saturday movie screenings at the cemetery and the Sunday farmers’ market.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: I have to admit, it’s the Hollywood sign. I was so excited when I first moved to L.A. and could see the “Hollywood” sign from my sidewalk!
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Michael Jackson.
-Best cheap eats: It’s not exactly cheap, but the new Tender Greens at Sunset and Vine is a vegetarian’s paradise!
-When I was a kid I wanted to… Restore old historic buildings into cute coffee shops.
-My job is… ideal. I work with an amazing group of talented professionals who care deeply about this neighborhood and the future of Los Angeles, and I get to spend hours a day talking to residents and local workers about how they see Hollywood — and how they believe it could be better. It’s inspiring.
-Hollywood is… An international icon, a melting pot of cultures, and a fascinating place to live and work.
Ryan Duff: Planning Intern
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: Hollywood and Highland Redline Station.
-Favorite Hollywood memory: Seeing Vince Vaughn at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles.
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: The People. They seem quirky.
-Favorite Hollywood street: Whitley.
-Favorite Hollywood personality: Angelyne.
-Favorite Hollywood event: Any movie premiere at ArcLight.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: The Pantages Theater.
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Bob Barker.
-Best cheap eats: Hollywood Boulevard’s pizzerias during the day, bacon wrapped hot dogs from vendors at night
-Hollywood’s soundtrack: City of Angels by The Distillers
-My job is… any planning major’s dream. Engaging with people on a daily basis, while trying to analyze and understand urban change.
-My perfect day would be…a modern art museum, Thai Food and train ride.
-My biggest challenge is… finding my place as a catalyst for positive change in the world.
-Hollywood is…enrapturing.
-I am…excited.
Daisy Allen: Planning Intern 
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: I’m still just beginning to explore Hollywood, but my favorite spot so far is The Cat and the Fiddle pub – great courtyard and excellent Guinness pours!
-Favorite Hollywood street: Sunset, because I take this street all the way from Santa Monica to get to the studio and it changes dramatically along the way.
-Favorite Hollywood event: I haven’t been yet, but I plan to check out the Hollywood Farmer’s Market on Ivar and Selma Avenues between Hollywood and Sunset.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: I always know I’m in Hollywood if I can see the Capitol Records building!
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: I have to go old school on this one: Fred Astaire.
-Best cheap eats: So far, I’m into Groundwork on Sunset and Cauhenga – not only great coffee, but excellent food too!
-Hollywood’s soundtrack: Cars Trucks Buses by Phish.
-When I was a kid I wanted to… be a teacher like my mother.
-My job is… rewarding!
-My perfect day would be… surf in the morning, hang out at the beach with friends and snack on homemade guacamole and chips all day, go see some live music at night.
-My biggest challenge is… trying to cultivate a lifestyle that truly matches my values.
-Hollywood is… diverse in many ways and cannot be easily defined.
-I am… lucky to have the opportunity to go back to school for Urban Planning and work with HCS!
HCS ALUMNI
Kristen Gates: Human Capital Coordinator
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: The Cat & Fiddle Pub. LOVE their patio!
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: The Jim Henson Studio at La Brea and Sunset — AKA the old Charlie Chaplin Studio. Walking around the studio has an old world feel you just don’t get on most studio lots today.
-Favorite Hollywood street: DeLongpre. There are some amazing bungalows along the street and you feel like you are in a different world! It’s hard to believe Sunset and Hollywood Blvd. are just seconds away.
-Favorite Hollywood personality: Marilyn Monroe at Hollywood/Highland
-Favorite Hollywood event: Anything at the Hollywood Bowl.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: I would be lying if I said anything other than the Hollywood sign.
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Cary Grant
-Hollywood’s soundtrack: Anything by Liza Minelli. I feel like every song would be different, crazy and all around interesting.
-My job is… helping to make the link between physical planning and building human capital. How can redevelopment HELP the residents of Hollywood? I’m looking into it and hope to have fabulous recommendations and ideas!
-My biggest challenge is… trying to pinpoint Hollywood’s identity. Then again, that’s what I like about it!
-Hollywood is… never static.
-I am… excited to be working in Hollywood and getting to know the area better!
Jane Dam: Planning Intern
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: Groundwork Coffee.
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: The Cat & Fiddle.
-Favorite Hollywood street: Lanewood Avenue between Orange and La Brea.
-Favorite Hollywood personality: Shirley Temple.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: The Roosevelt Hotel.
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Mickey Mouse.
-Best cheap eats: Ro Ro’s Chicken on Sunset Boulevard at Cherokee.
-Hollywood’s soundtrack: “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra.
-When I was a kid I wanted to be… a marine biologist.
-My job is… a full time graduate student and part-time intern at the HCS.
-Hollywood is… a very walkable neighborhood!
Maeve Johnston: Planning Intern
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: Nothing beats the Cat & Fiddle patio.
-Hollywood’s best kept secret: The tiny 1930s houses tucked away on residential streets behind giant studio buildings.
-Favorite Hollywood street: Fountain. It’s great for biking and there’s a Birds of Hollywood mural on Fountain at Gordon.
-Favorite Hollywood personality: Jack Sparrow at Hollywood and Highland.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: The World Book and News Stand at Cahuenga and Hollywood. It’s a good people-watching spot.
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Lucille Ball.
-Best cheap eats: Ro Ro’s on Sunset.
-Hollywood’s soundtrack: Is the same as the Cats soundtrack.
-My job is… always something new.
-Hollywood is… a constantly unfolding mystery.
Shelma Jun: Planning Intern
-Favorite Hollywood Hangouts: Hollywood Bowl and the Hollywood Farmer’s Market.
-Hollywood’s Best Kept Secret: Counterpoint Records and Books on Franklin and Bronson.
-Favorite Hollywood Street: Wilton and Lexington because they are easy to bike on.
-Favorite Hollywood Event: Hollywood Bowl summer programming.
-Best Cheap Eats: Alwazhir Chicken
-My Biggest Challenge is: To create a strong, healthy community by empowering the existing residents, not displacing them.
-My job is… a new adventure.
-Hollywood is…very accessible by bike, bus and metro rail!
-I am… exploring Hollywood and finding many treasures.
Dominique Kaschak: Planning Intern
-Favorite Hollywood hangout: Tiago Espresso Bar. The coffee is great!
-Favorite Hollywood memory: Garfunkel and Oates opening for Mortified at the King King.
-Favorite Hollywood personality: John Peterson, the man who cleans the stars on the Walk of Fame every day.
-Favorite Hollywood landmark: The Arclight Cinerama Dome
-Favorite star on the Walk of Fame: Julie Andrews
-Best cheap eats: Loteria Grill
-Hollywood’s soundtrack: Alicia Bridges’ I Love the Nightlife. “I love the nightlife, I got to boogie…”
-When I was a kid I wanted to… have a secret garden
-My job is… engaging.
-My perfect day would be… spent picnicking in a public secret garden.
-Hollywood is… a place with character.
-I am… Lucky to be part of Hollywood.
Hollywood Community Studio 