– The Unsung NELA Heroes Who Saved My Cat –
Fawn Vu, Partner Agent
There are everyday heroes in this city who don’t wear capes or badges, but do carry ladders and cat treats!
Two of them showed up at my house early one morning in a big city truck. They were from LA Animal Services, and they pulled up cool and collected, like it was just another day saving cats from trees. They looked up at the towering eucalyptus tree on the side of my house, listened for the faint, panicked cries from above, and got to work like it was a high-stakes rescue mission. Because to them, and to me, it was!
This all started the previous day, when I came home from a morning walk in Mt. Washington and heard our cat Coco crying. Coco is our pandemic cat, a feisty tortoiseshell we adopted during the early days of lockdown—hence the name “Coco,” short for Covid. She’s always been our most independent cat, the only one we let roam outside.
I followed her cries, eventually realizing they were coming from high up outside our second-story bathroom window. When I looked out, there she was—perched nervously on a branch in our neighbor’s tree, clearly stuck! I did everything I could to get her down, and even built a makeshift bridge to the window. Unfortunately, that only scared her further up the tree.
After two hours, I realized I needed help. My first instinct was to call the local fire department, like we’ve all seen in the movies. But the fire captain I spoke with chuckled and told me they don’t do that—turns out that’s just a storybook myth! Eventually, after lots of Googling and transfers, I connected with someone at LA Animal Services. They were kind and understanding, but told me they typically wait 24 hours to see if the cat comes down on its own.
That night was one of the longest I can remember. Coco cried throughout the evening and into the early hours. To make matters worse, it rained!
By morning, she was still stuck. That’s when the rescuers came.
The two rescuers assessed the situation and huddled together as they mapped out their plan, treating it like a serious rescue effort!! Their strategy: climb onto our roof, then extend a ladder from there into the upper branches of the eucalyptus. They’d try to lure her in with treats, gently coax her close enough to scoop her into a net. From below, I watched it all unfold—these two steady professionals 35 feet above me, calling out softly: “Coco… Coco…” About ten minutes later, I heard the words, “I got her!”
These guys are the kind of unsung heroes we don’t hear enough about. City employees, showing up with care and sympathy. The service was free of charge—just part of the work they quietly do for the community.
Since then, Coco has become more of a homebody, though she still occasionally sneaks outside. I think she’s learned her lesson. And I’ve learned mine: real heroes don’t always arrive with sirens. Sometimes, they just pull up in a big truck with a ladder and a plan.
– Save the Date: Saturday, May 10th, for L34’s next Gallery Art Night –
We’re excited to host our upcoming Gallery Art Night, featuring the past works of the late artist, Bob Branaman.
The exhibit, “You Got That Sage?”, is a survey of his work from the 1990s that portrays a more intuitive and painterly approach to the work. As Bob once said:
“When I paint, I don’t think… I’m just totally involved with it and whatever comes out is on its own. It’s like the painting paints itself.”
A fixture of the creative communities in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, Bob Branaman worked until he passed away in 2024 at the age of 90, telling his daughters on his final day:
“I’ve been painting all day… in my mind.”
Save the Date:
Saturday, May 10, 2025 | 6-9pm
L34 Group Office: At L34 Group, 5818 N Figueroa St, 90042
And, as always, stay tuned into @L34Group for additional information about exciting upcoming Gallery Art Nights, and the local charities benefitting.
– LOVE NOTES –
We love our clients, and they love us…
❝The L34 Group helped us to sell our home and buy our new home, which is no easy task. They are motivated, thorough, informed, and strategic. Fawn from The L34 Group developed a timeline for our listing that put our house in the best position to attract quality buyers and sell efficiently. She kept us on track. They’re a small, dedicated group of agents that really take the time and energy to assess a listing, with pre-market inspections and research, so when it’s time to list – there are less unknowns. They also know the Northeast L.A. area very well and live here and have been invested in this community for years.❞
~ Lucila Caro
– JUST SOLD –
1518 N Boylston St, 90012
2 bd + 1 ba, 1328 sq ft, built in 1916, 6250 sq ft lot
The quintessential Los Angeles bungalow in Elysian Park
List price $989,000
Sales price $1,200,000
$211,000 over asking
www.1518Boylston.com
– ON THE MARKET –
4235 Camino Real, Mount Washington, 90065
2 bd + 2 ba, approx 1500 sq ft, 5056 sq ft lot
Mind-blowing gardens, Airstream trailer, phenomenal views and design, open floorplan kitchen, perfect for entertaining.
List price $1,395,000
4235caminoreal.com
6209 Vidette St, Highland Park, 90042
2 bd + 1 3/4 ba, 1029 sq ft, built in 1926, 4782 sq ft lot
Updated bungalow with views and a terraced yard with a yurt
List Price at $999,000
www.6209Vidette.com
4951 Nagle Ave, Sherman Oaks, 91423
4 bd + 4 ba, 3100 sq ft, Built in 1956 – Reimagined in 2019, 7046 sq ft lot
The Phoenix House – designed by MINARC, one of Forbes’ top residential architects
Chef’s Kitchen, Pool and Sauna, Floor-to-Ceiling windows
List price $2,899,000
www.4951Nagle.com
For Lease
108 W 2nd St #204, DTLA, 90012
Studio Loft, 1 bath, 790 sq ft
Tucked inside the Higgins Building – a designated LA Historic-Cultural Monument- this DTLA loft offers privacy, light, and space to exhale
$2,200/month
Prime Mt Washington LAND lots, 90065
APN 5466-010-006
Zoned LAR1, 6100 sq ft
List Price $150,000
APN 5466-010-002 + APN 5466-010-003
TWO contiguous lots! Zoned LAR1, 6500 total sq ft
List price $150,000
– IN ESCROW –
2436 Fairmount Ave, La Crescenta, 91214
4 bd + 3 ba, 2248 sq ft, built in 1977, 8263 sq ft
2nd flr primary suite w/ balcony, spacious open living room w/ fireplace,
plus swimming and gardens!
– COMING SOON –
910 N Monterey St, 91801
3 bd + 3 ba, built 1980, 2007 sq ft
Spacious townhome with large primary suite in a well maintained community.
List Price $925K
4908 Buchanan Street
2 bd + 1 ba, built 1922, 1115 sq ft
Charming bungalow that combines the rare combination of walkability and views in prime Highland Park.
List Price $999K
1393 N Avenue 57, Highland Park
3 bd + 2.5 ba, built 1991, 1521 sq ft
Contemporary home with 180 degree views
List Price $1,299,000
– L34 GROUP’S PREFERRED LENDER – |
Leslie J. Black, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Branch Manager | Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #1111536
C: 562.322.0836 | lblack@fairwaymc.com
We would love to meet with you, whether you’re considering selling
your home, or looking to purchase a home, please reach out to get the conversation started!
Information always updated and available on www.L34Group.com
