Our very FIRST "Hi Neighbor" spotlight is Victoria Van Zandt. We selected Victoria as the first spotlight for her amazing passion to create Art Break West LA. Read more about Victoria below and if you see her in West LA say "Hi"!
My name is Victoria Van Zandt and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Art Therapist in private practice in West LA. I also lead bimonthly Women's Creativity Workshops here in WLA.
How long I've lived here:
I have lived in my current apartment, in WLA for over 23 years. I moved here in 1994 after I lost my home in Tarzana due to the '94 earthquake. At the time, I was working at UCLA.
About me:
Along with my professional work as a therapist, where I work with adults and children, I am an artist, mother of an amazing beagle-mix rescue dog, and a survivor and thriver kidney transplant recipient. Now on my third transplant of 27 years, which I received at UCLA in 1990! I fill my time with friends, writing and currently working on a Women's Creativity Workbook. I recently hosted the first Art Break Day at Stoner Park and love introducing the art of creative expression to young and everyone else!
What I like about West LA:
WLA has got it all. It is close to everything, dining, entertainment, great weather, the beach nearby, and transportation. It is the center of it all! That is definitely what I love about WLA.
Neighborhood Improvements:
What needs improvement for starters, is the traffic has become a nightmare and developers have taken over and pushed many out of their homes. As an older resident, I'm fearful that could happen to me one day. Lets find a way to create incentives to get residents involved in their neighborhoods, attracting more uninvolved residents to participate. Let's initiate permit parking on some streets so nearby businesses don't take up resident parking. Of course, homelessness issues continue all over LA and coming up with solutions would be grand. Speed bumps on some streets could slow some traffic down especially on my street Saltair. What about having local artists create positive message murals around WLA for children, teens and adults. Maybe get UNI high students involved. These are just a few of my ideas for improvements.