KIT SELZER

photos EDMUND BARR

produced by CHAR HATCH LANGOS

M imi Frie

birthda

hom e

ian

ty cake and swapp

on g before she mo

ictured her neighbors sharing

tories in her n ew

)in

oved in

That’s because she and her son,

Owen, 7, had been living just two doors down from this 1918 W est Hollywood bungalow, and

their neighbors were already like family. “The kids run from one house to the next,” Mimi says.

To accommodate constant activity, she enlarged the kitchen to include an island w ith stools,

ceiling-height cabinets for toys and “a zillion odds and ends,” and an eating area w ith a

cushioned banquette. “That long table says this is a place where a lot of people can gather.”

It’s also where Mimi and Owen build rockets from oatmeal boxes, practice math w ith

flashcards, and do just about everything else. “Something’s always cooking and someone’s

always hanging out—exactly w hat I wanted,” Mimi says.

T he granite-top island,

above,

has storage fo r everything from small appliances to pullout trash

and recycling bins. In th e evenings, it’s M im i’s favorite spot to read th e mail and newspaper.