End of the line for L.A. media institution

The monthly gathering of media and political types formerly held at Yamashiro in Hollywood is losing its organizer after 11 years. Hollywood writer and producer Scott Kaufer emailed regulars over the weekend to say he was ending his involvement, citing his wish to spend more time with his young family. Managing the event had become increasingly burdensome as the invitation list grew, and Kaufer had also been frustrated trying to find a new venue after deciding in October to leave Yamashiro. The off-the-record gatherings, usually held on the first Friday evening of the month, typically attracted dozens of invited guests from among SoCal political consultants and pundits, authors, journalists, bloggers and other opinion shapers. It was also a popular stop for visitors from New York and Washington looking to catch up with colleagues in L.A.