Hidden Hills Community Register • May 2020

michael BLOOM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERJAVEC

A parade of neighbors drive home the meaning of community.

TOGETHER OUTDOORS

As we look forward to gathering again, local business, Patioworld, evolves to meet the needs of summer.

PERSONAL PRESCRIPTION

Discover the new, family-owned business that wants to redefine the local pharmacy.

VIVA ITALIA

A quick and easy dish that will take you back to “the old country.”

LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC

Hidden Hills Resident, Robert F. Robertson M.D. shares his thoughts on how we can better prepare.

PREPARE FOR MOSQUITOS

Three easy tips for keeping the mosquito population in check.

BIRTHDAY PARADE

One of the great things about living in this community is that there is a real community.”

Says Robert Herjavec, a resident of Hidden Hills since last September, along with his wife, Kym and twins Hudson and Haven. The Herjavec’s had already realized this prior, and certainly, if you’ve driven by them as they take in the beauty of the neighborhood in their golf cart, you would instantly know if from their collective smiles. But when the mommy group and other friends showed up with a fully decked out (and safe) parade in the midst of California’s “Safer at Home” social distance lockdown on April 23rd, the point was literally driven home.

“The mommy group has been so inviting to my wife, and we’ve made more friends in terms of people with kids than we have in ten years where we used to live in L.A.” Herjavec muses. “We’re so fortunate and lucky to live in such a special place and I think one of the silver linings of all this is I know my neighbors, I see my neighbors, I see people walking down the street. We would always say ‘hi’ to each other but conversations didn’t really expand beyond that and today I am really seeing things expand, and I think that’s wonderful. What a great place to have our kids grow up!”

outsideTOGETHER

PATIOWORLD IS READY TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR WHEN YOU CAN AGAIN WELCOME FAMILY AND FRIENDS

WITH THOUSANDS OF ITEMS IN STOCK AND READY TO BE DELIVERED, PATIOWORLD CAN HAVE YOUR YARD REFRESHED IN A MATTER OF DAYS

It is unquestionable that we are living in an unprecedented time. Never in our history have we been so mindful of how important real, in-person, human interaction is to us as a species. As each day moves forward

with uncertainty, we keep an eye toward getting back to some semblance of social interaction, not knowing exactly when that will come. So in the meantime, we sit at home with lots of time on our hands and a hyper-awareness of anything we can

do to keep busy and make the best of it. And when we stay at home continually, we notice things. Projects we’ve been meaning to get to for a long time and little “to-do’s” we hadn’t thought of. So, it’s no surprise that home improvement right now is a welcome distraction for many, getting ready for the days and nights when we can, perhaps with baby steps, welcome our family and friends back into our homes, or at the very least, into our own backyards.

It would stand to reason that the first steps toward being together again socially will be taken in the open air of the outdoors. Like many local businesses doing their best to adapt to this current “new normal,” the family owned Patioworld wants to help homeowners prepare for these gatherings and has pivoted to develop a workflow that will allow those looking to refresh and beautify their outdoor spaces safely and conveniently.

IT WOULD STAND TO REASON THAT THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD BEING TOGETHER AGAIN SOCIALLY WILL BE TAKEN IN THE OPEN AIR OF THE OUTDOORS

To begin with, shopping with Patioworld has always been built upon a person-to-person experience, purposely not placing “add to cart” buttons throughout their website so that the design and selection process can be tailored

Roxanne Turnblom-Lyons, Patioworld’s VP and Managing Director, says it begins with a visit to their website and a simple phone call, where associates are available to walk you through Patioworld’s extensive array of collections, each with their own spectrum of style options and features. “There are literally thousands of items in-stock locally and ready for immediate delivery,” says Turnblom-Lyons. “If you were to decide today what you love, we could have it at your home tomorrow or the next day.”

IF YOU WERE TO DECIDE TODAY WHAT YOU LOVE, WE COULD HAVE IT AT YOUR HOME TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY

Knowing that Hidden Hills residents have placed a particular amount of care and attention towards quality and style, Patioworld has committed to offering an additional level of personal service to our community. So, if a trip to the showroom is not preferable, Patioworld’s associates will work with clients via their online catalog and facetime, as well as at-home appointments, that can take place entirely outdoors.

to each client’s needs and style. In today’s context, this has taken on an even more personal level of attention, offering private showroom appointments at either of their two local locations (Woodland Hills or Thousand Oaks) with plenty of space for social distance and safety.

“It’s been a crazy, trying time for everyone,” says Turnblom-Lyons. “And while everyone here is as consumed with the news and day-to-day challenges that we all face, we hope that what we offer at Patioworld can be a welcome distraction, helping to prepare our neighbors for the day we can all share time around a firepit poolside, enjoying the miracle of our friends.” HH

Now accepting applications for the 2020-21 school year. Contact the Admissions Office for information about upcoming Admissions events. admissions@manzanitaschool.org.

Now accepting applications for the 2020-21 school year. Contact the Admissions Office for information about upcoming Admissions events. admissions@manzanitaschool.org.

Manzanita is an independent school located in Topanga Canyon. We are welcoming families to visit our living classroom and submit applications for the 2020-21 school year. Serving families with students in grades 4 through 12

COURTYARD PHARMACY

BRINGING PERSONAL ATTENTION AND “SMALL TOWN” SERVICE BACK TO THE PHARMACY.

Tucked into the Courtyard at the Commons Center on Calabasas Road, Courtyard Pharmacy is a new, family owned and operated business by Greta Goldshtein and Ross Lekhtgolts. husband and wife team has been working together for almost 15 years, she as a clinical pharmacist and he as the manager. They relocated to Agoura Hills from West Hollywood 4 years ago so that their son could attend and play water polo at Agoura High School and fell in love with the area so much that they decided

to stay and open the outpatient pharmacy.

Outpatient pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals and are trained to handle a spectrum of issues from wellness and disease prevention to treatment of acute conditions and to management of chronic diseases. “We envisioned Courtyard Pharmacy as a health hub that meets the needs of a health-conscious community,” says Greta. “We always work closely with physicians and other health-care practitioners, patients, and their families

to avoid medication-related problems and stress and to achieve the best possible health and wellness.”

It is a personal experience that harkens back to the days of a “main street,” small town storefront, setting the business apart from a “chain” pharmacy in more ways than one. They answer their phones, don’t keep people on hold indefinitely, and offer convenient patient communication via text or email. The wait time is generally very short and they notify patients right away if

there is a delay (and work through any problems that the delay may cause).

This accessibility, combined with the staff’s collective knowledge, allows them to take the time to learn about each patient and to figure out the best way to address their unique challenges. “Pharmacists are highly trained, but if they are only asked to fill prescriptions those skills are underutilized,” says Greta. “We understand the drug delivery system, enabling us to help patients navigate drug shortages or insurance coverage and formulary issues. So, if you use the same pharmacy for all your medical needs and are able to establish this familiarity, the pharmacist will be able comprehensively service and protect you much more effectively.”

Building upon this idea, Courtyard Pharmacy’s comprehensive Medication Management Clinic, is an additional unique service

that offers a thorough critical review of a patient’s health status and medication profile to integrate, coordinate, and optimize their care. Any discrepancies in therapy are addressed and medications are adjusted to a patient’s health and organ status, assessing and adjusting supplement levels, and then working with the patient and their physicians to resolve any issues that have been identified. The session consists of a one hour appt, generation of a comprehensive report, and a thirty minute follow up session to go over the recommendations. The patient can then choose to authorize the sharing the report with their physicians, who can then implement necessary changes in their prescriptions.

Products and services include vaccinations, travel health advice and immunizations, supplements and vitamins, compliance aids and bubble pack cards, which organize prescriptions by time of day,

making taking medications safe and easy, especially important for at-risk elderly patients that are isolated at home. You can teleconference with the pharmacists either on the telephone or via facetime, so even teaching and comprehensive medication management sessions can be done effectively yet remotely. And convenient options like curbside pickup and home delivery help families maintain social distancing and minimize contact points.

“We love being a part of this community,” says Greta. “What we do is an important and critical part of a person’s health and well-being, so by connecting person-to-person rather than prescription-toprescription I really believe we can change the way people think about pharmacies.” HH

WHAT WE DO IS AN IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL PART OF A PERSON’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, SO BY CONNECTING PERSONTO-PERSON RATHER THAN PRESCRIPTION-TOPRESCRIPTION I REALLY BELIEVE WE CAN CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT PHARMACIES

CAN’T TRAVEL TO ITALY?

THIS QUICK DISH WILL WISK YOU THERE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES PREP TIME

FARMER’S MARKET HEIRLOOM TOMATO, BURRATA AND PROSCUITTO WITH CROSTINI

If you have an indoor grill on your range this is all the more easy to prepare. Bread could also be toasted in a toaster oven or broiler.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Ball of fresh burrata cheese.

• 2 Heirloom tomatoes. Colors of your choosing.

• 2 Slices of proscuitto. You could also use the thinly sliced charcuterie of your choice. Bresaola is also excellent.

• 1 Sprig fresh oregano.

• Italian bread or a french baguette.

• Extra virgin olive oil.

• Truffle salt- to taste

DIRECTIONS

Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices and dip one side of each in olive oil. Dust with truffle salt. Set on a hot grill or grill pan for about a minute (but watch closely to avoid burning).

Arrange the proscuitto on the plate.

Slice and place the tomatoes and burrata.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Dust with truffle salt and garnish with the oregano.

This is excellent with pinot grigio!

finally, dry cleaning that suits your lifestyle.

Environmentally-Conscious Dry Cleaning Expert Tailoring Pick Up and Delivery Service

Wedding Gown & Fine Linen Specialist 23542 CALABASAS ROAD CALABASAS, CA 91302 818.591.2125

Founder, Jennifer Lopata

With over 20 years experience in education, behavioral therapy, and child development, Jennifer has developed an affinity for helping children and teens navigate through adolescence and early adulthood.

LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC

Written by: Robert F. Robertson M. D.

Hidden Hills Resident Robert F. Robertson M. D. Is a board certified Internist and Pulmonologist who retired from Pulmonary and Critical Care practice on 1/01/20. He is an active member of the Hidden Hills CERT team, the City of Los Angeles Medical Corps and the California Health Corps.

diabetes may progress rapidly to uncontrolled diabetes in a severe stress situation, such as COVID-19 infection. Even loneliness carries a poor prognosis, with 49% of the American population feeling lonely, which causes a decrease in life expectancy similar to smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

you’re both running and multitasking with a racket, but also need social interaction in order to play.

So get out there and walk, jog or bike and say hello to your neighbors. People who smile and say hello to other people are actually less prone to depression. Don’t be one of these people

TRAINING FOR CERT IS PROVIDED THROUGH LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND IS FUN, FREE AND INFORMATIVE. OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES COORDINATOR IS BASED AT CITY HALL AND CAN ENROLL YOU IN A CLASS.

During the last three months over 1 million Americans have developed COVID-19 infection, with 60,000 deaths, including over 1000 in Los Angeles County. And in the last few years we have been threatened with infection from MERS, SARS, AIDS, H1N1 and, most recently, Ebola and Zika viruses. Meanwhile public health expenditures have fallen from 3% to 0.9% of the federal budget.

So what are the lessons from the latest pandemic.

On a macro level, we need a strong World Health Organization. We need to know if there are new infections breaking out in Sierra Leone or Congo let alone Wuhan, China, as all these places are no more than two plane trips from the USA. And we need to show strong leadership and financial

backing at the WHO , as well as dynamic integration with our Centers for Disease Control.

On a local level here in Hidden Hills, we have a Community Emergency Response Team, which became reinvigorated after we were essentially deserted by the fire department during the Woolsey fire. Clearly we need to add some more training in medical care to our previous work on fires, earthquakes and Search and Rescue. We do have emergency medical equipment, but this is mainly for trauma. I’m sure we will be buying lots of N 95 masks and gloves as soon as they are available and go back down to the pre-pandemic price of $.88 per mask. Training for CERT is provided through Los Angeles County and is fun, free and informative. Our Emergency Services Coordinator is based at

City Hall and can enroll you in a class.

We are now all familiar with comorbidities, which are preexisting conditions that increase the severity of a new illness. Over 90% of people who die from COVID-19 have significant comorbidities including but not limited to diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, severe lung disease and immune disorders.

So this is a great time for a personal health assessment. 40% of American adults are overweight, defined as a BMI over 30, and 18.5% of children. Obesity of course leads to diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure ,arthritis, increased risk of cancer and a myriad of other conditions, even including more accidents. 9.4% of the population has diabetes, but over 80 million Americans are also pre-diabetic. Pre-

So what’s to be done. Start taking exercise seriously. It can add as much as 7.6 years to your life.

Eat a reasonable diet, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables.

And no high glucose soft drinks. Decrease your screen time, and try and decrease your children’s as well.

Quit cigarettes and cut your alcohol intake to two units per day if you’re male, and one per day if you’re female.

But equally important is to have a good social life. The exercise that prolongs life most is singles tennis, because

walking along with your head staring at the ground or at your cell phone.

And, please don’t think giving your kid an electric bike or an electric scooter is exercise. HH

Courtyard Pharmacy’s founding pharmacist, Greta Goldshtein, is an advanced practice pharmacist. She based Courtyard Pharmacy’s services on a collaborativecare model that includes a pharmacist who can augment physician-provided care, deliver medication therapy management, provide preventative care services, and facilitate transitions of care. The pharmacy’s staff can steward the care of your family members to alleviate the burden on busy caregivers having to navigate mediation therapy on their own. They also make house calls and deliveries.

Greta and her staff strive to build strong relationships with their neighbors so that they can get a full understanding of every patient’s needs, meet their expectations and keep them involved in their care at every phase. State of the art healthcare and wellness support are now available to all age groups at your doorstep in Calabasas.

818.403.3072 CourtyardPharmacy.com 23693 B Calabasas Road, Calabasas, CA

Greta Goldshtein, PharmD, APh

Andy Roganson is

we dont just build for clients, we build long-term relationships.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Now that the weather is turning warmer, our slithery friends are emerging!

Horses are curious grazers and tend to get bitten by snakes on their muzzle or legs. Bell Boots, Polo Wraps and Splint Boot coverings are very helpful precautions, as well as watchful eyes and ears. If your horse is bitten, call your vet immediately for advice on whether the vet should come out to you or whether your horse should immediately be taken to a hospital for supportive care. Because horses can only breathe through their nose (not their mouth), snake bites on the muzzle can be particularly risky. If your horse is bitten on the face, monitor the swelling on his or her nose closely. The horse’s nose can swell up quickly (within minutes to an hour), rendering him or her unable to breathe. If your horse is bitten while riding, prevent the horse from stopping on top of the snake and also from looking down to avoid a second bite. Keep the horse as calm as possible and slowly move towards the closest, most accessible evacuation point so that a vehicle can get to your horse. If the bite occurs at home, keep the horse still and calm until the vet or trailer arrives.

Remember, the harmless gopher snake looks a bit like a rattlesnake. Some distinguishing characteristics of the Rattlesnake are: wide angular head, thick rough scales, elliptical pupils and, of course, a RATTLE at the end of a fairly thick tail.

If you find a rattlesnake at your home and need assistance, call the Fire Department at (818) 222-1107 Happy riding…

NastyLittle Suckers

IF YOU WANT A GOOD NIGHT’S REST OR A BITEFREE DAY, GET RID OF ALL CONTAINERS THAT CAN HOLD WATER.

If you want a good night’s rest or a bite-free da`y, get rid of all containers that can hold water.

STEP 2

INSECT REPELLENT

away from your wrist area. Exposed skin is always at risk of mosquito bites. Cover up!

Skillful Landscape Management aptitude, including job foreman

Knowledgeable Design Capability

I

n today’s crazy and uncertain world, it’s easy to forget about the tiny predator that hunts humans AND horses, potentially giving either West Nile Virus: The mosquito.

As you know, we no longer have a mosquito season; Mosquitoes can remain active throughout the year. But as the rains subside, yard watering increases and the weather warms mosquito activity will peak. Luckily, there are many ways to combat these insects, especially the invasive Aedes mosquitoes (ankle biters - new to our area).

STEP 1

NO CONTAINERS HOLDING WATER. . . NO MOSQUITOES

Mosquitoes need standing water to lay their eggs. Simple as that.

Look around where you live or on the trails or swales around your property line. Almost anything

can hold water: Troughs, buckets, plant saucers, tarps, a fountain, even a swimming pool.

Identify all the containers that can hold water and then either dump and drain the water once a week (it only takes seven days for a mosquito to complete its life cycle from egg to a flying adult) or throw away the containers.

Fun fact... only female mosquitoes bite, this is because they need the protein in your blood to produce eggs.

Insect repellent is effective in stopping mosquitoes from attacking.

Insect repellent bracelets, by the way, don’t work to protect your entire body. It will only keep mosquitoes

STEP 3 REPORT INFESTATIONS

If your own mitigation efforts are not working, odds are someone else is not mitigating at all. Contact the Greater L.A. County Vector Control District at 562-9449656 or submit an online service request at www. ReportMosquitoes.org. HH

Complete new and existing irrigation systems understanding and installation

Safe and skillful tree pruning and trimming aptitude

Hard scape installation and strategy Landscape (heavy equipment operators)

WHICH INSECT REPELLENT IS MOST EFFECTIVE?

When

SPAY & NEUTER PROGRAM

And Be Part of The Solution to Endless Euthanasia in California

START Rescue Funds More than 1,500 Spay & Neuter Procedures Annually for Underserved Communities in California. We Cannot Do this Without YOUR HELP.

WHY SPAY & NEUTER?

• 70,000 dogs and cats are born in the U.S. every day.

• 70 million stray dogs and cats are living in the U.S.

• 3 to 4 million animals are euthanized by U.S. shelters every year.

• It costs U.S. taxpayers over $2 billion yearly to impound, shelter and euthanize homeless animals.

REPRODUCTION FACTS

• One female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs in SIX YEARS!

• One female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 370,000 cats in SEVEN YEARS!

www.STARTrescue.org

START is part of the solution to pet overpopulation. Through our Spay/Neuter Program, we end the suffering of innocent dogs and cats by reducing unwanted births and, in turn, the number of animals entering the shelter system, thus increasing live-release numbers. We are presently able to fund 90 to 125 spay & neuter procedures monthly for needy California families and communities. But our goal is to do much more.

START is hoping to expand it’s Spay & Neuter efforts with your help. Please help us help them!

Donate

Donations are a tax-deductible gift to START, a 501c3 organization: TAX ID # 45-4258426

At Complete Health Dentistry of Woodland Hills, our doctors are dental health care leaders who believe in the importance of oral health as it relates to whole body health. Research has shown that by making good oral health a priority, you can lower the risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pregnancy complications, Alzheimer’s as well as certain cancers.