Ruth Handel: Retro party host proves thirfty is fabulous in a vintage Gregory Ain home

By David Keeps

For Ruth Handel, the key to throwing a great party is simple: Stick to a retro theme that's suited to her home, a classic 1948 Mar Vista tract house designed by renowned modernist architect Gregory Ain. With Handel’s strong sense of vintage design, the stage is set for a low-cost, high-style celebration. Join the party.

What a hoot: In the entry hall  lined with thrift shop portraits, Ruth Handel, left, receives a hostess gift from performance artist Johanna Went. Went found the metal sculpture of an owl earlier that day in a junk store. "I didn't dust it or take off the price tag," she admits. "Ruth likes things that way."