Author: Igor Nastaskin

As she looks out from her Hollywood Riviera home onto the blue Pacific below, Stella Leontsini never takes for granted the calm and peaceful existence she enjoys today. It’s a far cry from her childhood in Greece, where she and her family were constantly on the move to avoid the German soldiers hunting down Jews during WW2. Stella was born in Greece in 1939, just two years before Germany invaded the country. At the time, approximately 75,000 Jews lived in Greece, with around 50,000 in Salonica. In 1943, almost all of Salonica’s Jewish population, along with neighboring communities, were deported to Auschwitz. By the end of the war in 1945, only about 10,000 Greek Jews survived the Holocaust, and Stella was one of them. Stella’s family was living in Athens when the war began. “My parents, with the help of a close friend named Nicholas Katsas, quickly changed their names from Isaac and Alice Leontsini to Michael and Alice Katsas to hide their true identities,” said Stella, whose Greek roots trace back to 1640. “We fled our home and moved into a one-room guardhouse at the entrance of our friend’s farm.” Stella’s father buried the family’s valuables in the yard of his factory (they were retrieved after the war ended). Every time someone who knew Isaac spotted him, the family loaded up their pushcart and moved by foot to a new dwelling. The last home they stayed in before the war ended was next to a German camp, and the Leontsinis had to pass by the guards every time they came and went. The home was so nice, no one imagined a Jewish family would live there. Stella lost 34 members of her family to the Holocaust, all of who lived on the island of Corfu. She left Greece after high school to study fashion design in Geneva, then returned to her home country where she met an American doctor whom she married in 1962. A year later they welcomed their daughter, Suzanne. Stella, her husband, and daughter moved to the U.S. in 1964 and settled in Torrance a year later. They purchased a roomy Hollywood Riviera home with huge views in 1972 where they raised their three children, Suzanne, David, and Alexia Brody. Stella was a nurse at hospitals in Redondo Beach and Long Beach for 15 years, then spent many years as a travel agent organizing private tours to Italy, Greece, and throughout Europe. She also gave talks at local libraries on the Los Angeles Opera. Today, Stella enjoys gardening, gathering with friends and spending time with family, and plans to never leave the Riviera. “I love my life, but it’s important to never forget what happened during the Holocaust, not just to Jews, but to the millions of others murdered then as well. We can never let that awful time in history repeat itself.”

Hankering for a fresh, Parisian-style baguette, one with a crispy, caramelized crust and a melt-in-your mouth interior? How about the perfect croissant with a buttery aroma and a flakey bite? You’re in luck — the Little French Bakery has arrived!  Recently opened next to Coffee Cartel, in the spot that once housed a French dessert shop, the Little French Bakery is both a patisserie and a boulangerie. The shop sells such well-loved French classics such as baguettes, croissants, puff pastries, cakes, tartes, and quiche, as well as sandwiches, crepes and gelato. Owned by husband and wife team Guillaume and Deborah Sabbadin, the family-run business is truly a labor of love.  French-born Guillaume earned a degree in Culinary Arts under the tutelage of Europe’s top chefs.  He worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in France before moving to California, where he was a chef at such acclaimed establishments as Crustacean in Beverly Hills, Maggie’s in Santa Barbara, and Figaro Café in Los Angeles.  Prior to opening the Little French Bakery, Guillaume and Deborah ran a successful catering company, La Cuillere Gourmet, until the pandemic forced the shutdown of parties and events and hence, their business. Switching gears, Guillaume focused on opening a shop where he could continue to practice his craft and bring culinary delights to eager mouths, and voila, the Little French Bakery was born. A typical day for Guillaume starts at 1 am when he leaves their home in Pasadena, where their three children go to school, for the long commute to Redondo Beach.  While most of us are fast asleep, Guillaume spends the early morning hours kneading baguette dough, rolling croissants, and loading ovens with these and other French delicacies.  Deborah joins him a few hours later to stock the shelves and prepare for the day.  By 7 am, when the bakery opens, there’s typically a line of customers eagerly anticipating their first bite of a still-warm almond croissant, savory crepe, or crunchy baguette.  Guillaume’s pastries and breads typically sell out well before the shop’s 3 pm closing time. Guillaume and Deborah also have a booth at the Sunday Farmers Market in the Riviera Village. They’re a warm and friendly couple, and we’re delighted they’ve chosen the Riviera Village as the site of their new business.  Once you meet them and taste their delicious goods, we think you’ll feel the same. The Little French Bakery is open daily from 7 am to 3 pm and is closed Mondays.  You’ll find them at 1820 South Catalina Avenue, (310) 504-0245. Don’t forget to enter this month’s raffle for a $25 Little French Bakery gift certificate. Your taste buds will thank you. Bon appetite mes amis!

The Hollywood Riviera exists thanks to the vision and tenacity of developer Clifford Reid, who in 1928 built the community’s first home — one specially designed for his family The majestic Italian Mediterranean mansion sits on three lots on lower Via Monte D’Oro, and to this day remains a beacon of elegance in our community. The original homes of the Riviera were required to have red tile roofs and a Mediterranean inspired design. Two years after building his own dream home, Clifford had constructed 16 additional homes nearby, including an early Spanish revival beauty at 317 Camino de las Colinas lovingly known for many years as the DeCamp house. Rosemary DeCamp was a popular stage, radio, film, and television actress who appeared in scores of productions, including the films Yankee Doodle Dandy and The Jungle Book and such television series as The Life of Reilly, The Rockford Files, St. Elsewhere and Murder She Wrote, among many others. She even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. DeCamp and her husband, Torrance Superior Court Judge John Shidler, bought the home at 317 Camino de Las Colinas in 1945. “We drove into an area called Hollywood Riviera – an almost-deserted real estate development from the 1920s,” said DeCamp, in her book, “Tigers in My Lap.” “On Camino de las Colinas (street of the little hills) there were only three widely separated houses…..We drove to the third house. It was white and beautiful – set down from the street and surrounded by big black pine trees and flowering succulents…..The house was remarkable. It had two-foot-thick walls, big windows with views of the sea and the pines, several fireplaces, and nothing between it and the beach but saltbush and sand. We gave the five bedrooms and baths a quick glance and bought it in 15 minutes for $22,500.” Despite a long commute to her work (60 miles round trip to Warner Brothers studio in the Valley at a time where there were no freeways), Rosemary spent many blissful decades living in the home. Rosemary and John raised four daughters in the house on Camino de las Colinas, and she was an involved member of the community, highly recognizable as she drove the streets in her white Rolls Royce, “Snowball.” John passed away in 1997, and Rosemary lived in the house until her death four years later. Today, the historic house at 317 Camino de las Colinas retains the same charm and elegance it exuded when it was built in 1930. One of eight original homes on Camino de las Colinas, the two-story house has 5 bedrooms and 5.5 baths in approximately 4,075 square feet and on a 7,801 square foot lot. A beautiful front courtyard with a fountain provides a calming and private entry. Inside, the home features wood beam ceilings, arched entryways, ornate fireplaces, Spanish tiled accents, and many other reminders of its historical pedigree. Sweeping ocean views can be enjoyed from the upstairs sun room and deck, as well as the master bedroom. There is also a gorgeous swimming pool and spa, both recently built. The beach, the Riviera Village and El Retiro Park are just a short stroll away. The home is priced at $2,895,000 and can be seen by appointment. Much has changed since Clifford Reid laid the groundwork for the wonderful Hollywood Riviera. From a couple of dozen homes, the Riviera has grown to more than 3,000, and even the smallest starter homes typically sell well over $1,000,000. But thankfully, the special community we call home still retains the charm, perfect climate, and seaside lifestyle that drew Clifford Reid and Rosemary DeCamp here all those years ago. And for that, we are grateful. For a virtual tour, visit www.317caminodelascolinas.com