Author Archives: Natalie Banach

Coming from her homeland of Turkey to the hills of Malibu, Ozge Gencay-Ustun arrived at the Getty Villa as hundreds of visitors made their way to the opening. But unlike those expecting to leisurely stroll amid the sumptuous gardens and ancient art, she came to work. Part of the first class of a graduate conservation […]

Brooding on the horizon in 79 A.D., the temperamental Mount Vesuvius expunged its molten rock onto extravagant villas and slave quarters alike. In that year, a slice of ancient Roman society in all its pomp and circumstance became indelibly preserved and simultaneously hidden to human eyes. Hundreds of years later, classical archaeologists uncovered sites such […]

For six days last quarter, UCLA students carefully sliced away at the tendrils and vibrant petals of rich tropical foliage on the garden island of Kauai. The students, however, were not majoring in botany, but instead, all were intent on applying what they learned about plants to architectural principles and design. Bridging the gap between […]

It’s not another pharmacy or coffee shop, but a new store coming to the Village will still have to convince students and residents that it is right for the community. Opening the first week in February, GolfTEC is a high-tech golf instruction facility where golfer aficionados and newcomers can learn to better their swing. Taking […]

As the number of reports of sexual battery occurring in Westwood increases every week ““ now totaling seven in the last month ““ it is clear the incidents have gotten more than a few students shaken. The first of these cases occurred on Dec. 15, 2005, and each case has involved an unknown assailant who […]

Not much could surprise a career diplomat who served as a U.S. special envoy to Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti and Somalia. But when that diplomat is unexpectedly questioned by the former Spanish ambassador to the United Nations who referred to his associate Kofi, it makes for a promising and exciting experience. And it was just that […]

Flanked by baby blue medical scrubs and white lab coats, Phil Gabriel maintains two presumably conflicting roles at his Westwood establishment ““ that of merchant and landlord. As owner of Scrubs Unlimited, a nationwide retailer of medical uniforms and accessories, Gabriel also owns the building he works out of on Weyburn Avenue. More importantly, he […]