News, Awards and Love During a Valentine’s Day breakfast hosted by several Miracle Mile civic leaders, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, 4th District, made a surprising off the cuff remark about the city’s ongoing issue with food trucks.

Melody Kanschat, president and chief operating officer of LACMA, received a Lifetime Acheivement Award at the breakfast meeting. Kanschat is stepping down from her position at LACMA. (photo by Jose Martinez)

“We’ll be coming with a resolution about the food trucks,” LaBonge said.

Indeed, the Transportation Committee will be meeting next Wednesday at Los Angeles City Hall to step forward in the resolution of the matter.

Since Valentine’s Day is the official holiday of the Miracle Mile, proclaimed so by Mayor Richard Riordan in 2001, civic leaders gathered for a special breakfast at The Counter on Monday for the eighth annual Good Heart Award Ceremony celebrating local visionaries and leaders.

The breakfast was sponsored by the Miracle Mile Civic Coalition (MMCC), The ARTery USA, the J.H. Snyder Company, and The Counter.

LaBonge’s deputy district director, Nikki Ezhari, was one of five people awarded the Good Hearts Award for extraordinary vision and leadership in enhancing the Miracle Mile’s historic and artistic neon skyline and for fostering the Mile’s vitality and resilience by supporting Miracle Mile Safety Summits.

Ezhari also noted her office is “making progress” with the unveiling of the restoration of the neon sign near the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue (a replica of the neon sign currently at Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue).

“This has been an ongoing issue for three years,” Ezhari said. “It’s being fabricated now and should be ready in about a month.”

Other honorees included Brad Burlingame, president and CEO of the West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau; Dan James, co-chairman and CEO of the Prime Group, managers of Park La Brea; and Randy Murphy, director of facilities for LACMA.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed to Melody Kanschat, president and chief operating officer of LACMA for honoring an extraordinarily professional career and for remarkable leadership and vision in public service in the fine arts, and in the historic Miracle Mile community.

L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, 3rd District, praised Kanschat’s accomplishments.

“Melody has overseen major expansion and major undertakings done at some of the most difficult times financially, but she brought the ponies home,” Yaroslavsky said. “I’m very upset at her for making a career change at this point in her life. No one has done more to this area to set the direction to where the Miracle Mile is going.”

A new addition to the Miracle Mile is Restaurant Row that celebrates local restaurants including The Counter, Starbucks, Callender’s Grill, Mixt Greens, Johnnie’s Pizza, Baja Fresh, Pentimento, Black Dog Café, and International House of Pancakes. Joining Museum Row, the concept is delicious food close to home, work and play.

Hank Hilty, president of A.F. Gilmore Company and great grandson of Farmers Market founder Arthur Gilmore, announced he is close to breaking ground on the new Gilmore Station on the northwest corner of Third Street and Fairfax Avenue that will include a brand new Trader’s Joes and a Blizzberry Yogurt. Hilty hopes to have the complex completed by the end of the year.

In other Miracle Miles news, Clare De Briere, chief operating officer at The Ratkovich Company, announced a new restaurant would be moving into the former Museum of Miniatures space in the Variety Building at 5900 Wilshire Blvd. The plan is to have a restaurant sign a lease in the next two months and open in 18 to 24 months. Looking for a restaurant that would offer lunch, dinner and happy hour, De Briere explained they want a company to serve the community’s needs.

“We’re looking for someone to serve residents, tourists that visit LACMA, and the local businesses,” De Briere said.

At the end of the breakfast meeting, Lyn Cohen, founder and president of the MMCC, unveiled the official mascot of the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, her very own 20-month old, 110-pound Giant Schnauzer named Gabriel.