The emblematic nautical watch embodies a yachting heritage that stretches back to the 1950s. It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.
Family owned since 1969 the Sage Auto group of dealerships is built upon an understanding of the communities we serve. From luxury to sport or a first car for your kids, we’ve got you covered, always. From
This issue, as you by now may have noticed, is dedicated to Archie Hanson Junior. Archie passed away this past December at the age of 90, leaving behind a legacy that has touched thousands of lives. Archie’s vision when creating communities was not so much about the roads or the houses but truly about community. He created places that were about the people; a way of living that was simpler and perhaps more tightly knit than other neighborhoods. Over the years, as many of the original and simple “ranchettes” Archie and his father built have evolved into a different kind of landscape, not much has changed in the spirit of what was intended. Hidden Hills is still a place where horses roam trails, where neighbors wave to each other as they go by, where they gather as neighbors whenever possible, where despite how it may appear to those unfamiliar, many have chosen to live in the hopes of staying connected to nature and each other and that simpler way of life.
Since we started this magazine, Archie has always been a part of our advisory board. As we move forward his name will continue to be listed there to the right of this publisher’s letter because the spirit of what he created will always inform our decisions.
HAPPY TRAILS!
Lonna Weber & Joe Bellissimo
Lonna@LongValleyMedia.com
Joe@LongValleyMedia.com
CO- PUBLISHERS
Lonna Weber
Joe Bellissimo EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief
Joe Bellissimo
Copy Editors
Linda Raznick
Carly Fentress Advisory Board
Archie E. Hanson Jr.
Linda Raznick
Lisa Sapiro
Steve Weber
General Legal Counsel
David S. Schnider Inquiries
Advertising: Lonna@Longvalleymedia.com
Editorial: editorial@Longvalleymedia.com
Hidden Hills Magazine is published four times a year by Long Valley Media. LLC. It is mailed to residents of the city of Hidden Hills, California as well as distributed at commercial and retail locations in the greater Los Angeles and Ventura County areas.
Long Valley Media, LLC 5115 Douglas Fir Rd. Suite C Calabasas, CA 91302
All Rights reserved. No article illustrations photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of the copy write owner (s). Long Valley Media, LLC does not take responsibility for the claims provided herein. Printed in the U.S.A.
Dr. Kapil Moza has earned multiple awards at patients choice.org and is the highest ranked spine surgeon and neurosurgeon in the region. In 2007, Dr. Moza was the first Neurosurgeon in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties to complete a Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement. Of the nation’s 870,000 active doctors, Dr. Moza is among the top 1% who have received the Vitals Top Ten Doctor Honor from their patients in 2014. Vitals Top Ten Doctor is part of the Vitals Awards & Recognition Program, where patients rate and review their doctors.
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GODSPEED ARCHIE HANSON
A rare visionary and adventurer who left his mark on the world.
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THE LAST OF THE TRAILBLAZERS
In honor of Archie’s Passing, a re-issue of the story of how the community of Hidden Hills came to be.
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HAT FOR HAT
11-year-old Sam Wyatt Lenkov creates a business to help others.
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SAVORY AND SWEET SPRING
Guest culinary expert Dina DeLassaGonzar shares delectable creations for springtime entertaining.
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SMOOTHIES FOR A SUNNY LIFE
SunLife Organics founder Khalil Rafati spreads good karma with three healthy concoctions you can make at home.
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84 78
BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED
Three households, three generations! Meet the home-grown, extended families, the Blooms and the Triessls.
32 56 84
WALKING IN LA
A guide to enjoying La La Land for a day, night, or staycation.
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AS SUCCULENTS GROW, SO DO YOU
How the nurturing of succulents connects those who grow them with life, healing and the world around them.
MAJOR PROPS 93 SPANKY’S PET PICS
It is a safe bet that you have seen on the screen much from HH Resident Keith Marvin’s thriving family prop house.
How Carrie Kasper-Levis’ 38-year-old horse “Birthday Boy” has helped children everywhere.
Southern California native, Brielle Fraser is a student at Pepperdine University, working towards a degree in journalism. She is a dance instructor as well as a freelance journalist whose goal is to work in the field of print journalism.
Elyse Glickman’s work as a journalist and editor spans the globe and topics including gastronomy, wine and spirits, wellness, business profiles, interior design and fashion. She served as a Senior Editor for business/executive lifestyle magazine C-Suite Quarterly (CSQ) magazine, covering food and travel.
Debbie Yanuck began telling family tales about her siblings, at a young age, claiming they were nonfiction, but learned to label them fiction, and thus began her writing career. Since then, she has written 11 nonfiction children’s books (i.e. “The White House, “The Bald Eagle.”) Visit her blog at www.debyanuck.wordpress.com.
Raised in Hidden Hills, California, Sydney Easton is a freelance writer as well as an accomplished singer and musician. She is currently studying at L.A. City College.
Dina is the owner and recipe developer behind the popular blog, DishItGirl.com You may have seen her appear alongside her family on E! Network’s Married to Jonas. Most recently she was named Hallmark Channel’s “Home and Family’s Best Home Cook.”Dina believes family dinner is serious business and perhaps a lost art. She has turned years of helping with family meals into a career inspiring others to gather.
Marissa Arlt is a fashion, lifestyle, and portrait photographer based out of Long Beach, California. She has been featured on the cover of Thryve Magazine, and numerous fashion blogs. When she is not with clients or nestled in a cozy coffee shop editing photos, you can find her out hiking and exploring the many beautiful landscapes California has to offer.
1926-2016
Archie Hanson brought community to the towns he created and inspiration to those who knew him best. For Archie, a rare visionary and adventurer who left his mark on the world, not even the sky was the limit. He truly will be missed.
Archie E. Hanson, Jr., co-developer of the Hidden Hills community, passed away December 14, 2016, at the age of 90. While his physical presence may no longer be here, his artistry and love for family and communities still flows throughout the state of California and along to Colorado. Along with his father, A.E. Hanson, Sr., he did not see sage and boulders at the western edge of the San Fernando Valley; instead, he saw wide open spaces ready to house and embrace families. The land directed him such that he worked with it, not against it, and through this vision communities flourished everywhere he developed.
Archie was born in 1926 and grew up in California. He learned to fly in the U.S. Army Air Corps and after an honorable discharge, he traveled to Alaska to mine gold before he returned to California to work with his father as a developer. Archie’s roots for land development were genetic – his father, A.E. Hanson, Sr. was a landscape architect in Southern California who developed Rolling Hills on the Palos Verdes peninsula and numerous gardens and other landscapes throughout the region. The two men shared a creative passion.
As he and his father developed Hidden Hills, Archie’s task was to create the roads and the home sites, as well as direct the installation of the utilities. He often said, “Don’t make a straight road. The road should curve and have some mystery.” One of Archie’s many (half-joking) selling points for the Hidden Hills area was that “…the smog stops at Encino.” He also knew that with the opening of Rocketdyne in Simi Valley, many engineers would
be looking for nearby homes to raise their families. People flocked to the area where children could roam freely and safely in the mostly rural area, which following the model of Rolling Hills, was one of the only gated communities in the area at that time and was designed to accommodate horses and 1- acre ranchettes.
The single-story homes that soon dotted the Hidden Hills enclave nestled into the surrounding mountains and open fields. Horse trails crisscrossed the community, which allowed residents the freedom to discover the expansive area around them. Archie lived at the corner of Long Valley Road and Round Meadow Road (later the “Roy Disney home”), with his first wife and four children for close to a decade. His son-in-law, Jon Callender, who became a friend of the family in 1958 and later married Archie’s youngest daughter, Leila says, “Hidden Hills was paradise for children and adults.”
There were polo fields, pancake breakfasts, parades which Archie often led with a fire truck, and potluck dinners for the entire community. Archie even had a helicopter in his back yard. “Nirvana” is the heart-felt word Jon uses to describe growing up in Hidden Hills and Archie was the pied piper that led the parade.
In 1961, Archie and his family moved to the community of Paso Robles where he started a real estate office. There, he met and married his lifetime partner, Mary Mitchell. His four children and her three children combined to create a loving family.
BOTTOM ROW: CONGRESSMAN
JOE HOLT AS HONORARY HIDDEN HILLS FIRE CHIEF, WITH ARCHIE, 1954; ARCHIE, LEILA, LISA, AND LINDA WITH HUGHES 269-A HELICOPTER, EARLY 1960s; ARCHIE RIDING IN ROLLING HILLS, HIS DAD’S DEVELOPMENT, AUGUST 1935; ARCHIE ON “BABY”AT THE ROUND MEADOW POLO FIELD ACROSS FROM THE CALARABIA RANCH, CIRCA 1955; ARCHIE AND GOVERNOR RONALD REAGAN AT RANCHEROS VISITADORES TRAIL RIDE, CIRCA 1970; ARCHIE AND MARY, GRAND MARSHALL AT HIDDEN HILLS FIESTA, SEPTEMBER 2008.
Mary and Archie were friends long before they married, and one day he asked her to marry him. As Mary says, “They had not even held hands yet.” After over 50 years of marriage, it is obvious that Archie knew that he and Mary were destined to be together. Other than the fact that “Archie could not boil water,” their marriage was a partnership of respect and love.
At the time, the tiny town of Templeton in the Paso Robles area had a population of a few hundred farmers and ranchers, and much of the town was filled with boarded up buildings. Today, the population of the
area exceeds 60,000 and as Mary says, “…out Napa’s Napa Valley.” Archie brought his vision and talent to the town, purchased 2,200 acres nearby and developed Hidden Valley Ranch. Once again, he did the sweat work, creating the infrastructure for the Ranch and renovating downtown Templeton. His vision and talent brought a town that was on the brink of being overrun by decay and dust to the prosperous community it is today.
Much like a Renaissance man, Archie began Templeton Carriage Works where he built and restored horsedrawn carriages and buggies. He also made jewelry and carvings. He flew
his helicopter so that he could see the land in its natural state. Jon Callender explains, “Flying in a plane only allows a person to see side to side, with wings and fuselage obscuring the view, but a helicopter allows one to look down and view the land as if soaring like a bird.” Archie understood this and chose the best home sites to develop from the air, as well as by walking every acre.
After more than 25 years in Templeton/Paso Robles, Archie bought property in Cortez, Colorado in 1989. He had fallen in love with the area and purchased 1,200 acres and built Indian Camp Ranch, the
TOP ROW: ARCHIE ON RANCHEROS
VISITADORES TRAIL RIDE, SANTA YNEZ AREA, CIRCA 1970; ARCHIE WITH LEILA AND TORI (ON POLO PONY BABY), CIRCA 1965; BUGGY RIDE WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY, CRAFTSMAN CENTER, HIDDEN HILLS, CIRCA 1959; ARCHIE WITH HIS REPUBLIC SEEBEE, ONE OF MANY AIRCRAFT HE OWNED IN THE 1950S; LEX, TORI, LISA, AND ARCHIE WITH HIS FIRE ENGINE, HIDDEN HILLS, CIRCA 1957.
first archaeological subdivision in the United States. He honored the landscape and history by not building on top of the Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloan) sites, but around them. To develop land that housed over 200 archaeological sites was courageous—Archie understood the land not just as a developer, but also as a steward of the historical records of the ancient peoples and a way of life long gone.
Using professional archeologists, he developed an 800-year old site adjacent to his home, inviting school children and others to see and learn from a past way of life. Because of
his commitment to preserving the history of the area, and with the support of the local archaeological community, Indian Camp Ranch is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The native plants and topography were integrated into the development along with cement-free native rock walls. He worked with the land, without erasing the previous way of life to make it more beautiful. Archie’s widow, Mary, still lives there today. As we speak, she is sitting with a homemade pot of potato soup simmering on the stove while she waits out a snowstorm. Her
love and pride for the family she and Archie formed colors every word she speaks. The best part of the family she says, “are the hugs that we all share.”
Jon Callender, who married Archie’s youngest daughter, Leila, and was mentored by Archie in his teen years after his father died notes, “Archie taught me that you can do anything you put your mind to, which was a great thing for a geeky kid with a pocket protector to hear.” He explains the essence of Archie, “Archie was a genius at seeing possibilities and making them probable and ultimately real. He was a visionary. ”
A VISIONARY
tribute to ARCHIE HANSON JR.
IN HONOR OF ARCHIE HANSON’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SHAPING OF THIS PART OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WE ARE RE-RUNNING THIS ARTICLE FROM OUR PREMIER ISSUE, OF WHICH ONLY 700 COPIES WERE ISSUED.
STILL
Archie Hanson, 88, at his ranch home in Cortez, Colorado.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU ONCE SAID that “this world is but a canvas to our imagination.” Developer Archie Hanson is a man who, throughout the better part of his life, has taken this sentiment to heart. More than 65 years ago, not long after he and his father, A.E. Hanson first laid eyes upon the flax-colored canvas of a one-road town known as Calabasas, his imagination began to wander and bolt like the horses that once dotted this landscape. At the green age of 23 Hanson’s interest in his father’s project could have been written-off as another fleeting ambition of the wide-eyed dreamer, who had previously learned to fly in the army and had worked far above the Arctic Circle. But the challenge of creating something lasting and permanent from the barren, barbed-wire-threaded hills was, for him, impossible to pass up. For the first time in his life, all of the youthful energy and passion that is still uniquely “Archie Hanson,” was bridled for a greater purpose. With blinders on, he persisted forward with the equine-like faith that the long journey ahead may produce a reward well worth the ride.
“I grew up seeing that you could take just a no-good, throwaway piece of ground and absolutely make it marvelous,” says Hanson with an infectious enthusiasm. “You make it private and you put a fence around something and you get a spirit of ‘hey, we’re part of something pretty big here. We’re
all in this together.’” This may have been a new philosophy to Angelenos, but it was one already proven. The senior A.E. had earned his reputation as a renowned California landscape architect in the 1920s and ’30s, beautifying the vast estates of the likes of Harold Lloyd and the Getty family. He was a man who could see the potential in dirt and rock. In 1932, some New York financiers were neck-deep in debt in a Palos Verdes land deal and, knowing he could make something special of it, they called in A.E. to “save the bacon.” The result was a landmark success: Rolling Hills Estates, 600 acres of land surrounded by white, split-rail fences, a guard house and woven with ribbons of lush equestrian trails. Sound familiar? A.E. would wind up serving as president of Rolling Hills for more than 20 years, a community that grew and came of age in parallel with young Hanson.
By 1950 the Great Depression was a distant memory and post-war America was in full swing. Opportunity was everywhere if you knew where to look, and the Hansons believed they had the blueprint to bring equestrian living to life in the rustic fringes of the San Fernando Valley. It would be a gamble that few others would have taken, but the hallmark of a good developer is not only to be able to see the future, but to create it from the ground up. “When we started, it looked like
With vision, hard work and a passion for creating something enduring, Archie Hanson and his father took “a no good, throw-away piece of ground” and made it Hidden Hills.
no hope for any success. It was just way out in the country and the town of Calabasas was just the worst thing you ever did see! There wasn’t anybody out there who could rub two bits together,” recalls Hanson. “But the world was full of young people and soldiers who were in good shape and in their childbearing years. These people were all lean and they were all ready to go!” Thus, Hidden Hills would be positioned, at best, as an attainable rung up the ladder for families who weren’t afraid of a little horse manure. It was for hard-working people very much like Hanson himself, who believed something better would materialize if you were willing to endure the dust.
The definition of a go-with-your-gut boot-strapper, Hanson literally carved and shaped Hidden Hills from his connection with nature and his instincts. He, like his father, loved the challenge of creating from a hilly and rutty canvas. He would ride the ravines and ridges on horseback to get a feel for the natural lay of the land. He would speak to the local farmers, who advised him to follow the paths of the cows because they knew the easiest and most natural way over a hill. There was an art to getting the best out of the land, and as far as Hanson was concerned, no engineer was going to be allowed to simply “grid” this land up. “Ordinarily all the builders were bankers. They would go to their bank, get a big line of credit, get an engineer and away they’d go! They would do one and then the other and they left no personal imprint on anything,” says
Hanson, with a tinge of disbelief. “I laid out roads by holding up a stick of mustard with ribbon on top and said ‘follow-me!’” He remembers creating the roads we still drive today with a great sense of pride and is overwhelmed with sentiment when talking about bulldozing them. “One time I did it. I sat down and the bulldozer was coming at me just plowing this nice, virgin black ground and just spilling up over the sides and I thought ‘oh God I hope I’ve done the right thing. Because this is forever.’ It’s a tremendous feeling of responsibility.”
Given his age at the time, one might be tempted to suspect that such an insight was actually something simpler—colored and enhanced by his years of recounting the story—because it’s rare for someone of such a young age to truly recognize the longlasting impact of their decisions. Yet the longer you speak to Hanson, the more you understand that it is just his nature to dig for not only the value, but the underlying spirit and emotion within what others may consider to be the mundane. And that may be the very characteristic that drove him to plant the seeds that would allow Hidden Hills to grow into a city deeply rooted in its sense of community. “There was the joy of doing it. It was a job of creation. And when you’re part of creating something it just gets into your pores. You know it’s good.” So good that after purchasing, personally refurbishing and living in the Leonis Adobe for five years, Hanson and his family decided to leave the now-historic property and take
ABOVE: THE HOISTING OF THE ORIGINAL HIDDEN HILLS SIGN, AUGUST, 1950:
AT RIGHT, CLOCKWISE: A “SHEEPS FOOT” GRADING WHAT WOULD BECOME LONG VALLEY ROAD; THE TOWN OF CALABASAS CIRCA 1950, WHAT IS CURRENTLY OLD TOWN CALABASAS; HANSEN MARKETING AT ITS BEST, THE ROADSIDE SIGN THAT SAT BESIDE WHAT IS NOW THE VENTURA
“When we started, it looked like no hope for any success. It was just way out in the country and the town of Calabasas was just the worst thing you ever did see! There wasn’t anybody out there who could rub two bits together.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ONE OF THE FIRST HIDDEN HILLS PARADES, HELD DOWN CALABASAS ROAD; ARCHIE HANSON AT AN EARLY PANCAKE BREAKFAST; ARCHIE’S HIDDEN HILLS FIRETRUCK, VINTAGE EVEN THEN; A COUNTRY COOKOUT IN THE WILDS OF PENLAND ROAD; ARCHIE, FIRST WIFE, LINDA AND THEIR SON LEX AT HALLOWEEN; BOYS RACING IN THE BACKYARD; A.E. HANSON AND ARCHIE, STAKING THEIR CLAIM TO WHAT WOULD BECOME HIDDEN HILLS; OPPOSITE PAGE: A.E. AND ARCHIE NEAR THE HIDDEN HILLS SALES OFFICE.
the short walk across the strip of concrete that was Ventura Boulevard, for his own piece of Hidden Hills. The Hanson’s set up housekeeping on the three-acre property that eventually became what is now known as “the Disney House.” They would live there for 11 years, setting into motion a way of living that we still appreciate today. “It was vibrant! And it all belonged to us! And you had that closeness. A feeling of belonging. The parties and the get-togethers and the pancake breakfasts, we just made it a plain fun place to be.”
It was this sense of camaraderie that helped Hidden Hills grow in its appeal and its population. It was a lifestyle, both rustic and refined, that even then stood out from the rest of Los Angeles. Ever the savvy marketer, A.E. seized upon this unique intangible and made sure the world knew about it. “Another thing my father did to get the ball going was hire a marketing agency. So when we had a barbecue, it was in the paper. When we were having polo, it was in the paper. When there was a pancake breakfast, it was in the paper. And it attracted the kind of people you want.”
The “kind of people,” Hanson refers to were a smart and ambitious group; a critical mass of dreamers who in their own right broke new ground for a living—rocket scientists. As luck would have it, “Rocketdyne was testing rockets over in the Simi area. So they had a whole gaggle of engineering types who earned a good salary,” explains Hanson. “They were great, because people who have an education move into an area and want to know about the schools, the hospitals and so on. They are the people who get on school boards and are involved in the community.” Though they may have been ‘inteligensia,’ as Hanson calls them, they were far from the bookish number crunchers one might expect. They were a population that relished the nature of this new community and longed for the simplicity of the Qld West (which at that time was about as close in their rearview as the ’60s are now to us). They understood and embraced exactly what the Hanson’s set out to achieve: a community on its own terms, apart from the sprawl of a growing suburbia. And as tract development after tract development sprung up endlessly to the east, they understood more and more how unique a place Hidden Hills was. They rejected the streetlights and the sidewalks, opting instead for starlight and dirt. They set in place architectural expectations that, while some may grumble about today, have helped keep the rustic character of the area intact. Year after year they created and built upon traditions that have endured. And at the center of this whirlwind remained Hanson.
By 1955, Hidden Hills was a fully established community. Hanson would stay on, in a salesman capacity, for nearly a decade after that. But his passion for building and creating got the best of him and in 1961 he left Hidden Hills and moved north to Paso Robles, where he would develop 35,000 acres and spend the next 35 years.
“Today, to be a good developer, you buy it as cheap as you can, you sell it for as much as you can, and you run as far away as you can,” jokes Hanson, “I think a developer should be chained by
the ankle to his project for 10 years. Be there. See that it’s done properly. Keep guiding it. It’s really molding something, it’s not letting it just happen by accident. You’ve got to have a personal involvement.” It is an observation Hanson makes with no sense of self-righteousness. To him, it was just a simple, unspoken fact that the world you create should be one you would personally love to live in, a credo he’s lived by for more than 60 years.
Today, Hanson is 88-years-young and resides in Cortez, Colorado, with Mary, his wife of more than 50 years. They live in Indian Camp Ranch—an expansive enclave of large estates that, as you may expect, he envisioned and built. He still carries with him the pride of what he created in the western end of San Fernando Valley, and the insignia of Hidden Hills—a cowboy riding a bucking bronco—adorns the peak of a cupola atop his 40-acre historic property. He has just completed a book recounting his years in the Leonis Adobe and is working on another about Hidden Hills. Scan its pages and you probably won’t find him taking credit for setting in motion what Hidden Hills has grown to be. “It’s the people who come in who are thoroughly responsible for making it good or bad. You can only cast your net out so far on how you want it to be. You can do everything in the world to strive and strive and set it up right in the first place. But after that you cross your fingers and hope for the best.”
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Thank you for helping me help others.” This is written on every tag of a Wyatt’s Garage hat.
CEO and founder of Wyatt’s Garage, 11 year-old Sam Wyatt Lenkov, attains an entrepreneurial spirit with a charitable twist through his company that provides pediatric oncology patients with a sanitary, comfortable Wyatt’s Garage hat for every hat purchased by the public. Sam launched his company in November of 2016, and has filled numerous orders since the website went live, with more coming in each day. Smart devices and related gift cards are also purchased for and donated to the patients through the money Sam earns via neighborhood ice cream and lemonade
sales, household chores, monies gifted to him by friends and family in lieu of birthday presents and donations made on the company website.
Wyatt’s Garage was born out of Sam’s innate desire for helping others. Each year, Sam’s school holds a magazine drive where some of the proceeds go towards buying books and magazines for a sister school comprised of many children in need. Magazine drive participants who reach certain sales targets are rewarded with iPads, and Sam always wins one. Not needing anymore more smart devices, Sam spent time researching how they might best be donated and he discovered that children in hospitals found comfort and distraction from their surroundings and the pain with such
Brielle Fraser
“Sam is an exemplary reminder of how giving back will never go out of style, no matter your age.”
Sam purchases smart tablets for the patients through the money he earns selling each custom vintage cap.
PICTURED: AS FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE LEFT THEIR MARK ON A HEALING SAM’S CAST, HE HAS IN-TURN LEFT HIS MARK ON OTHERS TRYING TO HEAL, MOST OF WHOM HE’S NEVER EVEN MET.
Lovi’s Delicatessen is an homage to the delicatessens that opened in New York in the latter part of the nineteenth century with a contemporary edge. While our menu has the traditional Jewish fare that one has come to expect when they hear the word “delicatessen”
Lovi’s Delicatessen also offers an eclectic array of other international and American cuisine.
tablets in hand. After a recent emergency appendectomy, Sam discovered firsthand the security afforded by a smart device in a hospital setting and this further cemented his commitment to making Wyatt’s Garage a success.
Every hat made by Wyatt’s Garage is carefully crafted, distressed by hand, and then adorned with a vintage patch. Each patch is unique and signifies Sam’s love for collecting, a hobby that originated when venturing out to local swap meets with
his father, he discovered old worn-out collectible patches. People browsing the Wyatt’s Garage website can select their preferred cap from a variety of colors and patches, including vintage car and motorcycle emblems and music icons.
“We reach out to the smaller hospitals across the U.S. and they’re always excited to receive our donations,” said Lenkov. “We have baseball hats for the warmer areas and knit caps for the colder ones with the Wyatt’s Garage logo on each one.”
The hats are submerged in hot water and cleaned with a chemical free
detergent to avoid toxins soaking into the fibers. After they dry, all hats are handled with gloves and placed into a sealed bag to prevent an excess of germs for when they arrive at the pediatric oncology center.
“It feels good,” said Sam. “My goal by the end of this year is to sell 1,000 hats and give 100 smart tablets to the kids. Eventually, I want to make jackets with the larger patches we find.”
Sam is an exemplary reminder of how giving back will never go out of style, no matter your age.
As the sunshine gets warmer, dining “al fresco” will become more of a daily practice. Soon it will be time for Mother’s Day brunch and other Spring celebrations. We will be searching for fresh new ideas to help usher in the warmer months ahead and look for ways to brighten up the landscape of our tables. These dishes from Dina DeleasaGonsar of DishItGirl.com, are inspired by the Spring table. The recipes require minimal fuss, but not without adding a deliciously festive touch to your gathering. They are perfect to share on your patio or for the special occasions ahead.
1. Place the chicken in a shallow baking dish and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, anchovy oil, and rosemary.
4. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Turn the chicken to make sure both sides are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight if possible. Before roasting the chicken take it out and let it come to room temperature.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
6. Roast chicken for about 40-50 minutes. Until the juice runs clear when the chicken in pierced.
7. Finish the chicken by turning on the broil and let them sit under the heat until the skin browns. Or finish in a grill pan. Grill the chicken about 5-7 minutes skin side down until you get desired grill marks.
8. Serve on a platter with a squeeze of lemon, and fresh rosemary sprigs.
• 1 lb bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 lb bone- in chicken legs
• 1/2lb bone-in chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
• 3 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped*
• 1 tsp anchovy oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (plus extra for garnish if desired)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2-3 lemons, halved
*Buy the anchovies that are packed in olive oil
* You can vary the cuts of chicken that you use. If your family likes chicken breasts more than thighs use more of those. If you prefer boneless this recipe works as well. You will just need to adjust your cooking time. Keep in mind “bone-in” requires more time.
• 2lbs asparagus (look for thick spears)
• ½ cup shaved Parmesan
• 4 pieces of Prosciutto, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt
• pepper
1. Using a vegetable peeler shave asparagus into thin, long strips.
2. In medium sized saute pan cook pieces of prosciutto as you would bacon. Until the pieces become crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop.
3. In a bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the shaved asparagus and toss to coat.
4. Transfer asparagus to desired serving platter. Sprinkle the chopped prosciutto and Parmesan pieces over the top.
hidden hills | calabasas
westlake village
As someone who has dedicated her career to bringing buyers and sellers together I believe successful marketing is more than just about being online, it’s also about being there, in the community, engaging and understanding the needs and aspirations of the neighbors I represent. That’s why for over 15 years my team and I have consistently ranked as top producer, fulfilling dreams one at a time!
KayFieldsRealtor@gmail.com
KayFieldsRealtor.com
818.419.1172
BRE #013233396
VANILLA BEAN
INGREDIENTS
• 1 envelope of unflavored
• 3 Tbsp cold water
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean pod, with
gelatin (about 1 tablespoon) beans scraped out
1. In a small saucepan add the cold water and sprinkle the gelatin over. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat until fully dissolved. Remove from heat.
2. In large saucepan combine the heavy cream, half and
half, and sugar. Over medium heat bring to a boil, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. Once the mixture has heated through and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract, and gelatin mixture. Add the vanilla beans, stirring to incorporate.
4. Divide mixture into ramekins. Let them cool
to room temperature then put them in the refrigerator to chill, covered for 4 hours or overnight.
5. If you want to serve the panna cotta out of the ramekins Dip ramekins, 1 at a time, into a bowl of hot water 3 seconds. Run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin and invert ramekin onto center of a small plate.
In just a few short years, SunLife Organics has become a bright and energetic destination for those looking to savor a healthy lifestyle. Now, founder Khalil Rafati and his team are sharing these three spring go-to recipes for you to enjoy at home. Here’s to your health!
BIG DISCOUNT IF YOU SIGN UP BEFORE APRIL 1ST
Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm
Half days/Full days/Weekly YOU CHOOSE!
Ages 5-7yrs, 8-11yrs, Teens
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REGISTRATION IS OPEN! CALL TODAY!
The HOMEMADE Wolverine is not only a great source of energy, but also filled with super-foods that will help you feel like the best version of yourself! Maca, for example, is rich in vitamins B, C, and E and royal jelly (SunLife’s not-so-secret, secret ingredient) has been shown to help boost the immune system and support healthy digestion, bones, skin and more! Any SunLife devotee will tell you from experience, the banana-date-nut flavor is an addicting one… You’ve been warned!
1 serving bananas
1 serving maca
1 serving cacao nibs
1 serving bee pollen
1 serving royal jelly
1 serving almond butter dates to liking milk of choice
This vegetable-based, mineral-rich smoothie makes eating your veggies easy and tasty! You would be surprised at how well these flavors complement each other. Of course, it can be modified as desired: add in an extra serving of fruit to sweeten it up for the kiddos, or, for the extra brave, throw in a bit of cayenne for a digestive boost!
1 serving frozen mango
1 cucumber
1 serving spinach
1 serving dandelion greens
1 serving kale
1 sprig of mint
1/2 serving MCT oil
lemon juice
ginger juice
Mouth Breathing & Snoring are common symptoms of a restricted airway
When your child is not receiving the oxygen that they need, an internal mechanism triggers these outward problems as well as things like dark circles under their eyes and arrested growth and development
A child, who is exhausted due to lack of proper oxygen while sleeping, has a hard time coping in this depleted state
This is a very good indication that your child may suffer from Sleep Disordered Breathing
A sleep deprived child shows the same symptoms as a child with ADD/ADHD
18% of children, even into and beyond middle school age, are still wetting the bed at night, a condition that can be linked with sleep quality
With mouth breathing, air that is not filtered and humidified through the nose, leaves the tonsils and adenoids to do a job they were not designed to do
Lack of decent sleep often leads to poor academic performance
HealthyStart™ appliances offer a safe, drug free, pain free approach to naturally correct oral habits for breathing function while guiding the growth of the jaw and teeth with good alignment that, when started early and used consistently, will be permanent.
When you want a drink that tastes as pretty as it looks, SunLife recommends this HOMEMADE Strawberry Protein with Dragon fruit shake. This is an easy meal replacement for those who are constantly on the go or for those looking to refuel after a workout! Dragon fruit is high in phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamin C, the GOOD kind of fatty acids and B vitamins, which are excellent for carbohydrate metabolism.
2 serving strawberries
1 serving bananas
1 serving dragon fruit
1 serving vanilla protein powder milk of choice
TAKING RAMEN TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
Come try Westlake Villages newest Ramen Shop inside of Jeannines Gourmet Food Hall, The Ramen+Bar. Kyoto-born, Los Angeles-based chef Mako Tanaka, who served as executive chef at Spago and Chinois on Main from the late 1980s through the 1990s, brings with him a tremendous amount of energy, passion and creativity. The Ramen+Bar is the first of three new concepts he will be opening inside of Jeannine’s, this winter. Be on the look out for a curry house, a tempura stand and a Japanese crepe shop.
In Southern California it sometimes feels like the idea of the “extended family” has vanished, but for the Blooms and the Triessls, now cultivating a third generation of Hidden Hills citizens, Sunday dinner, a cookie from Grandma’s jar, or even just a hug are only a short walk away.
Iwas contemplating the ‘whoa, you are going to pay for that’ desserts at Lovi’s when Michael Bloom walked in the door. After sitting with him over coffee and water (my willpower won that day), I walked away struck by the bond that ties the Bloom family together. Then I met with mom, Tobie Bloom, and her daughter, Alison Triessl, separately and each interview wove tightly together to reveal the strength of the Bloom family. It began with Tobie and her husband, Lee, and continues to circle back to the family home in Hidden Hills.
Tobie grew up in Mississippi, while Lee grew up in Boston. They met and married when he was at Tulane Medical School and she was working in a cardiology lab doing research. She continued her research as he did his pediatric internship at Duke and then his psychiatric residency at UCLA.
When Lee was in the military, they spent three and a half years stationed in Hawaii and Guam before they came back to California. They fell in love with
“It is surreal to walk your child into the elementary school that you went to. So many things have changed and yet, so much is the same.”
MICHAEL BLOOM
Hidden Hills one Sunday when they were at another doctor’s house for a barbecue. They began looking for homes, but they kept getting sold too quickly. Finally, Tobie found a house and they moved to Hidden Hills in 1978. Although her husband passed away in 2008, she remains there in their home living across the street from her daughter and her family, and down the street from her son and his family. Three different households from two generations live in Hidden Hills today and as they tell me, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Michael says that growing up in Hidden Hills is like living in “the land of plenty.” He walked to his piano teacher’s house, Peggy Ahern Blaylock, former star of the silent “Our Gang” comedies, for his music lessons, played tennis and attended Round Meadow Elementary School, A.E. Wright Middle School and Calabasas High School, just as his children do and will too. After college, he briefly lived in Japan, but moved back to Hidden Hills in 2011 with his wife, Clarice, and their two children Johnny and Carly.
Weidman Pediatrics provides the highest quality and experienced concierge-type pediatric care to infants, children and adolescents in Hidden Hills, Calabasas, West Hills, Agoura Hills, Canoga Park, Woodland Hills, Westlake and the surrounding areas. Our staff offers the best pediatric services in a warm and friendly environment. As former Chairman of Pediatrics at West Hills Hospital, Dr. Weidman’s comprehensive approach to treating children combines expert pediatric care, preventative tips, and education on child development, behavior, nutritional advice, and more.
• Pre-natal consultations
• Same-day appointments for sick and injured children, as needed
• Newborn, well-baby, and well-child exams
• Daycare, school, sports, and camp physicals
• Comprehensive vaccines and vaccine education
• Hearing, vision, growth, developmental, and behavioral screening
• Available by phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Michael says that growing up in Hidden Hills is like living in “the land of plenty.”
“It is surreal to walk your child into the elementary school that you went to,” Michael says. “So many things have changed and yet, so much is the same.” Michael came back to Hidden Hills because he wanted to be near his family and wanted his wife and children to experience the ‘close-knit community’ that is so much a part of Hidden Hills. From the men’s tennis group, the plays, being a part of the Safety Commission and more, Michael believes that Hidden Hills offers an eventful, safe, gentle, familyoriented lifestyle that is tough to find anywhere else.
In 2000, Dr. Lee Bloom founded the Pasadena Recovery Center. It is a 98-bed, drug and alcohol treatment facility. When he passed away, Tobie, Michael and Alison took over the ownership and operations of the center. It is run with compassion, strength and a commitment to help those who are in need.
Alison (Bloom) Triessl learned well from her father and mother whose motto is, “Hard work will get you everywhere.” She has been a criminal defense attorney for 20 years, hosts a bi-weekly segment for KTLA, channel 5 in Los Angeles called Legal Smart with Alison Triessl and
has a weekly segment on the show Crime Watch Daily titled, Wild About Trial. She also recently launched a mobile application and website called Wild About Trial that provides breaking news, legal analysis and court information to trial lovers. I’m almost breathless hearing about all that she has accomplished, but as I speak more to her, I learn that her husband, three boys, and her extended family are what makes her happiest. They moved to Hidden Hills about four years ago and she now lives across the street from her mom. Alison says her dad felt that the minute he drove in the gates of Hidden Hills he was on vacation and he passed that along to his children. To her, Hidden Hills is like a “sleepy horse town where kids sell lemonade, walk everywhere and everyone feels safe.” Her mom walks over almost daily for family dinner and Sunday nights are usually spent with the three families together.
Alison says that she tells her mom that she should have been careful what she wished for because they all came home. I do not think Tobie minds one bit. Tobie tells me that Alison’s three boys, Jacob(12), Tyler (10), and Lee (6), named after his grandfather, all use her house as a short cut to get to the community center, even when she’s not home. She knows this by the trail of potato chips they leave behind.
Hidden Hills offers an eventful, safe, gentle, family-oriented lifestyle that is tough to find anywhere else.
ALISON (BLOOM) TRIESSL
If you have not considered an outing to Downtown L.A., it’s time to replace your picture of a faded, run-down expanse with the more optimistic, exciting Petula Clark version. Why? New restaurants, innovative bars, updated historic attractions, sparkling entertainment districts, repurposed neighborhoods and even a tricked-out observation deck are among the seriously cool things that have made it hot for a new generation of couples and families.
Pop culture reflects how times have dramatically changed. In the early 80s, many of us bopped to the new wave classic that featured the catchy refrain, “Nobody walks in L.A.” Today, we’ve got award-winning movie La La Land , where the process of rediscovering L.A. is central to the plot and hotspots in the once-neglected business center nearly upstage beautiful lead actors Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.
The ultimate extreme makeover--the reinvention of our downtown, which many argue began with the addition of Staples Center followed by the advent of L.A. Live , has been many years in the making. Just two decades ago, Valley residents came into the city for reasons one could count on one hand—Laker and Dodgers games, theater, visits to the MOCA Museum and work. If you did work downtown, you probably made sure you hit the freeway before 6:00 p.m.
Some highlights, such as the new Arts District, which uncannily resembles trendy sections of Berlin, Germany, and the OUE Skyspace are out-of-the-box new. Others, including the Central Los Angeles Public Library and Grand Central Market have been revitalized and renovated.
Are you ready to fall in love with the heart of your hometown all over again? If so, we’ve got a few ideas to get you to the downtown you never knew could exist…whether it is date night or family time.
PICTURED ABOVE: DOWNTOWN’S GRAND CENTRAL MARKET IS A CULINARY MELTING POT THAT IS A FEAST FOR THE SENSES.
The century-old Grand Central Market (grandcentralmarket.com), is ready for prime time as one of the city’s trendiest places to grab a quick snack, whether one craves barbeque, egg sandwiches, Mexican, Salvadoran (as seen in the movie), Chinese, ice cream, freshsqueezed juice and baked goods. The US Bank Tower , a cinematic icon for a couple of decades (most memorably in the original Independence Day) has found new life as the home of OUE Skyspace LA® , a gee-whiz experience 1,000 feet above Downtown Los Angeles that includes the daring “Skyslide,” the Skyline Time Lapse showcasing the city’s most notable landmarks and neighborhoods, an Infinity Mirror (creating reflections upon reflections down an old elevator shaft) and the Silhouette Wall, using pixels to create reflective images based on individual body movement. The site also features 71Above , a romantic highend restaurant with major foodie buzz and views that go as far as Laguna Hills and Malibu on a clear day.
The “Central” branch of the Los Angeles Public Library
(lapl.org/branches/central-library) continuously provides special lectures, activities and workshops throughout the year.
While museums have traditionally been fall back destinations for families and couples, the various cultural institutions are even giving Disneyland and Universal Studios major competition.
Since its opening in September 2015, the 120,000-square-foot Broad Museum (thebroad.org) has wowed people of all ages with 2,000 works permanently on display, including pieces by Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol and Roy Liechtenstein whose signature styles have contributed to Los Angeles’ status as America’s hub of popular culture. While adults will want to keep up with the various visiting exhibitions, kids enjoy the whimsical work of Jeff Koons as workshops are designed to inspire their creative souls.
The GRAMMY Museum (www. grammymuseum.org) accomplishes the same thing with four floors of exciting interactive exhibits celebrating all genres of popular music. On the fourth floor, a touch-screen Crossroads table allows visitors to explore over 160 genres of music. On the third floor, kids and grown ups can act out their rock star dreams in the in Roland Live corner. The second floor is home to the latest special exhibit, and the Clive Davis Theater, where both Taylor Swift and Ringo Starr have performed.
The appeal of dinosaurs and fossils never grows old and are on full display at the Natural History Museum (www.
nhm.org/site/). In addition to dinosaurs, visitors can experience nature, explore dioramas, be dazzled by an impressive gem and mineral collection in the world, and learn how L.A. went from tiny pueblo to sprawling metropolis in the “Becoming Los Angeles” exhibit.
Seasonally, the Butterfly and Spider Pavilions take flight. Its nextdoor neighbor in Exhibition Park is the California Science Center (californiasciencecenter.org), where one can explore technology and innovations that have propelled the entertainment industry, space exploration, bio-science and inventions that shape our everyday lives.
Although Red Carpet fashion parades that proceed top televised award shows (especially the Academy Awards) happens only a few times a year, FIDM Museum and Galleries (http:// fidmmuseum.org) keeps the party going with a constantly changing exhibit of costumes from the previous year’s best films, along with Academy Award nominated costumes. Overall, there are 10,000 costumes on display, along with accessories and textiles from the 18th century through the present day, includes film and theater costumes.
THE SPACE SHUTTLE “ENDEAVOUR” IS A MAIN ATTRACTION AT THE CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTERThe Arts District , L.A.’s newest neighborhood, is not just a gathering place for hipsters, creative businesses, artists, and coffee bars. The wonderland of early 20th century warehouses and structures contains some of the hottest dining and imbibing spots, including Bestia, Church & State, Villain’s Tavern (one of the birthplaces of L.A.’s craft cocktail scene) and The Factory Kitchen , as well as more casual, family-friendly dining options that include The Piehole, Pizzanista , and Wurstküche . Other one-of-a-kind finds include urban health retreat The Springs , the Hauser Wirth & Schimmel Gallery and the A+D (Architecture and Design) Museum , as well as the performance and art spaces Play and L.A. Boulders indoor rock climbing.
Though luxury and boutique hotels abound, the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza is tailor made for staycationing families. Kids receive backpacks with activity books and other goodies as part of Omni’s Sensational Kids program, and the entire family can enjoy house-baked chocolate chip cookies and ice cold milk on check-in. The fourth floor pool is a hit and so is the hotel’s car service.
The historic Clifton’s Cafeteria features a giant redwood tree in the middle, a five-billion year old meteorite and an enormous stuffed Catalina Bison, while restaurant landmark,
The Original Pantry , starts many happy weekend days with hearty breakfasts as it has since 1924. Pitchoun! , which means “kiddo” in a loving way, is new on the scene, but feels like it could have been in L.A. forever—and that’s a good thing. The family-owned shop brings a fresh European bakery setting the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. From artisan bread and homemade pastries to authentic soups and salads, the familyowned shop brings a fresh European bakery setting the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.
The Water Grill Downtown Los Angeles , meanwhile, proves that one doesn’t have to head to Santa Monica to enjoy the best fresh seafood in the city. From its gleaming oyster and raw bar, to its main courses and appetizers, this downtown staple still holds its own against the plethora of trendy eateries opening up in the vicinity. Other essential restaurants include Chaya, Mas Malo, Drago Centro, Bottega Louie and WP 24 .
No one intentionally means to hurt those they love the most…but they do. No one intentionally chooses to live with their own pain, but until they’re shown a way out, they do. Some of us really need help to just feel “normal”.
We live in a world that is suffering with worries like never before. “There are other ways of managing stress, tension and just feelings like “losing it”, without giving up the very best parts of ourselves’ I have been in private practice for over 20 years, working on just these issues specifically. Call today to begin your path to recovery.
PROVIDING HELP WITH THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: ADDICTION TO SEX AND PORNOGRAPHY
PAINFUL, DRAMATIC OR BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS
SHOPPING ADDICTION, ALSO KNOWN AS COMPULSIVE BUYING DISORDER ADDICTION DENIAL • EATING DISORDERS
Places to Know and Go Within 10 Miles of Any Hidden Hills Gate
Special Advertising Section
Places to Know and Go Within 10 Miles of any Hidden Hills Gate
Since Sushi gained popularity in the early 1980’s and grew into it’s own culinary genre various versions of going out to enjoy it have emerged. There are the local, no frills places, tucked efficiently into shopping areas, the casual, more restaurant-like versions offering broader fare, and the all-out, high-end destinations that you have to book well in advance (and may even have to save up for). Q Sushi, located
in the Shoppes at Westlake Village, has set out to - and succeeded atreinventing all of this.
With an energy and architecture that is on par with the best of the best, Q somehow manages to maintain an approachability and price-point that makes it a great destination for an impromptu night out with the family. The creativity of the dishes is always evolving along with the artistry of its
chefs, who have created a modern Japanese menu meant to be enjoyed Izakaya style. Using the highest quality fish and ingredients with an emphasis on seasonal items, the menu will satisfy a wide variety of taste buds with its selection of everything from delicately prepared sushi, grilled Robata items, Kobe beef, and so much more. Cocktails are both classic and avant-garde, along with sake, beer and an impressive wine list
“The creativity of the dishes is always evolving along with the artistry of its chefs...”
highlighting a large selection from the family’s Kieu Hoang Winery in Napa Valley, CA.
Kieu Hoang’s son, Binh, Q Sushi’s founder, had the opportunity early in his career to travel extensively and during these adventures, Binh developed a passion for sushi, wine and sake. He soon had the vision to re-create a dining experience parallel to some of his favorite restaurants all
over the world to Westlake Village, the place where he grew up. Luckily for anyone who loves an exceptional dining experience, we are the beneficiaries of this vision.
When you hear the word “spa” you probably imagine the usual massage bed, the aroma of essential oils and soft music all in the perfect setting for relaxation. The wellness industry puts a large focus on creating an environment that promotes relaxation, but what happens when you want to pair elements of a traditional spa with beauty and glamour? Licensed esthetician and entrepreneur, Lindsay Faulk, saw an opportunity in combining her love of luxury interior design with her passion for skincare services and wanted to create a business that celebrates all things beauty and glamour. It was through that inspiration that Lindsay opened the doors of GLAM Boutique Spa in Woodland Hills, a beautiful modern day spa for women to feel fabulous, while receiving some of the best spa and beauty services available in the San Fernando Valley.
Lindsay made sure that paying attention to detail was part of the experience for guests of GLAM Boutique Spa. Patrons get to experience glamorous services, with state of the art equipment all while inside a stunning blush haven decorated with crystal chandeliers, custom MOD furniture and more. The concept allows customers of all ages and skin needs to
WITHIN ten10
find something that works for them. Whether you are looking to clear up acne, hydrate aging skin, cover veins for an upcoming beach trip, get a new brow shape, wax unwanted hairs as your monthly beauty maintenance, or to try something new, Glam can cater to ALL of your needs under one roof.
As a modern new age day spa, GLAM Boutique Spa offers walk-in services and monthly memberships similar to “Dry Bar” and provides clients complimentary treats and beverages to enjoy in its cool and hip environment. This is a place where the women of the San Fernando Valley can enjoy the same services that are favorites among celebrities like Gabrielle Union, Kristin Bellamy, Rocsi Diaz and several others. All women who visit the GLAM Boutique Spa leave feeling refreshed, pampered and beautiful. It’s no wonder why the spa’s tagline is “Glam til’ You Glow!”
The West Valley has certainly seen an emergence of excellent eateries pop up along Ventura Blvd, but none have fused together the liquid energy of rock and roll with the excitement of over-the-top delicious fare quite like HQ Gastropub. HQ is a nostalgic feast for all five senses, with it’s plush booths and two distinct bars - one featuring a plethora of local and world-class brews on tap, and the other, an oasis of inventive cocktailsall to be savored while an eclectic mix of music videos from not only today’s
best known bands, but also from the golden-age of MTV. “HQ is not only a nod to the high quality of food a true gastropub delivers, but also the whole experience,” says Mark Matters, HQ’s founder, owner and managing director. “Whatever age people may be, they all have a good time here and leave happy.”
This may be because the menu at HQ (each bound cleverly into actual, vintage vinyl album covers) features inventive eats that are as universal as
music itself. Along with offerings like gourmet burgers, buffalo chicken lollipops and shishito peppers & cracklin’s, diners will also find a variety of sushi and sashimi dishes, gourmet salads, mini-taco platters and more (with an emphasis on “more.” The menu is expansive and everything is tempting).
HQ also features a private “VIP” lounge behind a velvet curtained glass wall, which is decked out with deep, white leather sofas. The heated
patio is festively lit and tucked neatly between the ivy covered brick facades of Woodland Hills’ “French Quarter,” instilling a bit of a New Orleans vibe.
It is safe to say that a night out at HQ Gastropub is pretty much guaranteed to be memorable, and if you love good food and great energy it is certain to become one of your go-to destinations.
20969 Ventura Boulevard
Woodland Hills, CA. 91364 (818) 887-2337
HQGastropub.com
Compassion for all animals is intimately connected with good character. This is a motto that Dr. Attila Molnar lives by, and it is displayed above his colorful waiting room as a reminder to those who work at All Animals Veterinary Hospital. A native of Romania, Dr. Molnar has always felt an immense passion, as well as a dire need, to care for the world’s most precious creatures. After obtaining his veterinary degree from the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of Budapest, Dr. Molnar moved to the U.S. in order to pursue veterinary medicine here and received a second degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Iowa.
“I’ve loved animals since I was three years old,” said Dr. Molnar. “I always tried to help them.”
Dr. Molnar works with all different animal species, including his specialization in small animal internal medicine. His knowledge of internal medicine ranges from domestic pets like dogs, cats and rabbits, to chickens, to zoo animals, but Dr. Molnar holds a unique interest in avian medicine and belongs to multiple conservation groups that protect animals such as the Lear’s Macaw, California Condor, New Zealand Kea and Kakapo. Amongst his vast skill set and interests, Dr. Molnar achieved board certification in avian medicine.
“I got a parrot many years ago and I fell in love with parrots ever since. I worked with other exotic animals, such as reptiles, from poisonous snakes to alligators. It’s a very specialized field working with exotic animals,” Dr. Molnar said.
All Animals Veterinary Hospital strives to bring each animal and their owner a truly informative, inclusive and phenomenal experience. Along with the routine full-examinations, All Animals also provides a full-grooming service as well as boarding services, which aids people in and around the Calabasas region with a trustworthy place to care for their furry members of the family. Clients place their
wholehearted trust in Dr. Molnar as well as his staff, which is essential when finding the proper care for animals of any shape and size.
“I grew up around exotic animals all my life and we see all animals now at my practice, besides horses, but I love taking care of the animals in need.”
23815 Ventura Blvd
Calabasas, CA 91302
(818) 600-1838
AllAnimals-Veterinary.com
If posed the question ‘would you rather go to a spa or the dentist?’ the answer most would give might be obvious…unless you are already a patient of Dr. Tania Baker, founder of Calabasas Dental Spa. Dr. Baker believes that the experience of taking care of your smile should actually make you smile, and for more than 25 years she has built a respected and much loved practice upon this philosophy. “When I am deciding on the treatment for my patients I am taking into consideration their
overall well being. I don’t just treat the teeth, I treat the whole person.”
After receiving her degree from the prestigious Academy of Dental Medicine in Bulgaria, Dr. Baker spent a few years teaching there before moving to California with her family in 1984. In 1990, after receiving her dental license trough Loma Linda University, she set up her first practice in Orange County and then in 1999 opened her Dental Spa in Calabasas. It was through these many years of connecting with
and listening to her patients that Dr. Baker realized that if extra care was given to the overall experience that her patients would show up more frequently, and even gladly. “I strongly believe in prevention and early diagnosis of dental conditions,” says Dr. Baker. “So when the anxiety some may have about ‘going to the dentist’ is no longer a barrier the patient is happier and my work is the best it can be.”
As part of this holistic philosophy, her practice is as much of a retreat
“For me it is very important that my patients love their new smiles and enjoy the process.”
DR. TANIA BAKER
as it is a dental office. Calabasas Dental Spa not only offers a full body massage chair to help patients relax, but also scented paraffin hand treatments, warm scented towels, cucumber water, gourmet coffee and healthy snacks.
Combined with her passion to always offer the latest technologies like one-visit crowns, cosmetic smile makeovers with veneers, Invisalign treatment and Zoom Whitening, it’s clear to see why Dr. Baker’s practice has continued to flourish. “For me it is very important that my patients love their new smiles and enjoy the process,” says Dr. Baker. “My goal is to not only change the way they feel about going to the dentist, but to change the way they feel about their smile.”
4937 Las Virgenes Rd #203 Calabasas, CA 91302 (818) 880-5520
CalabasasDentalSpa.com
When the energy between a mother and daughter come together in harmony beautiful things can be created. When the mother and daughter are Nancy and Shanessa Fath, each with their own set of distinct talents, the creative possibilities are limitless. This is what makes Chandeliers & Tulips in Agoura Hills so much more than just a store… more than just a gallery of finds that they believe people will love… it is also a place for them to get to know you and to learn about what it is
that you love so that they can make your vision a reality.
“The whole store is based on good, positive energy!” says Shanessa, who is the partner responsible for the retail experience. “We want you to feel that as you shop.” It is certainly an energy that is palpable. From the moment you walk in, you ‘get it.’ The airy Soho style boutique specializes in curating an eclectic selection of items to beautify anyone’s lifestyle, and on any day you can expect to discover
unique and carefully selected original art, décor and even women’s apparel.
It is in the services that Nancy and Shanessa offer however that the true creativity between them and the client really begins to flourish. Nancy has been a designer for most of her life, and is also a licensed contractor, so she has the unique ability to take a project from design to full construction or remodel, to custom furniture and furnishings. She loves that if a client wants it, she and the rest of the
Chandeliers & Tulips ‘family’ can create it. “I believe what I do is a very personal thing. Everyone wants a beautiful home and it’s my job to understand what is beautiful to them,” says Nancy. “It is such a blessing that through the process of creating I can develop a personal connection with everyone I work with... and we always wind up being really good friends.”
The Whizin Market Square
28857 Agoura Road | Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (805) 444-1586
ChandeliersAndTulips.com
Looking to grow some inspiration this spring?
Take a cue from this Army Combat Veteran’s personal life lessons.
Michael Tardif is like a wise big brother, a glorious rainbow and a hug, all rolled into one vivid personality. In our conversation, I learn that he is much more than the owner of Plant Picasso, an oasis of (California drought-friendly) succulents and landscaping services located in Newbury Park. His voice is rich and soothing, and his goal to help his fellow veterans, men and women, makes me want to sit up straight, quit whining about nothing and reach a hand out to others, all in under two hours. At his nursery, he hosts children, adults and veterans and teaches them through gardening, hikes, and a slower pace, how to learn about life from nature. Michael adheres to the simple concept of living, “High touch, not high tech…working with the soil and rediscovering that we live in paradise, but have covered it with technology and concrete.”
Michael laments the fact that in a world filled with technology; computers, smartphones, VR gear and cars that almost drive themselves, people have their heads down peering at their screens and often forget to take notice of the world or even other humans standing next to them. When someone steps onto Michael’s ranch, they honor his ‘no tech zone’. He hands his guests a magnifying glass, which reveals the beauty of the succulents and their blooms. Visitors learn that “a garden requires three things: one, common sense, two, patience and three, sympathy,” according to Michael. If all are employed, the garden flourishes, giving vegetables, fruits and flowers. As Michael says, “If people give, they also receive. It is like a pendulum, swinging back and forth, and if we use what we know about gardening in life, we flourish.”
WRITTEN BY DEBBIE YANUCK PHOTOS BY JOE BELLISSIMOVisitors learn that a garden requires three things: one, common sense, two, patience and three, sympathy, according to Michael
An Army Combat Veteran, Michael finds that gardening eased his suffering from PTSD. His succulents and vegetable gardens require weeding, watering and tilling of the soil. It makes him aware of the weather, the heartiness of nature and the joy to be found outdoors. He shares this with other veterans because he sees that people feel isolated and need a ‘tribe’ to feel connected to the world. Michael points out that, “When anyone works in a garden, they learn if you want a friend, be one. A garden requires one to toil, tend and see beauty
in nature. It brings everything and everyone together.”
With succulents Michael says, “You can have the rainbow and save the rain.” Succulents need little water, a lot of fresh air and bloom in a myriad of colors. He has palmsized succulents, man-sized succulents, and everything in between. Some bloom daily while others bloom every so often. They adapt to the environment, opening at night to absorb the moisture and closing during the day to keep the heat from drying them out. His
“He has palm-sized succulents, man-sized succulents, and everything in between.”
nursery is a wonderland of color and life and Michael uses it to teach and reinforce the importance of nourishing life.
One of six children, with two loving parents, Michael learned early on about giving. Michael, along with his wife of over 30 years, Irene and their two adult children, Samuel and Amanda, continue his parents’ lessons of helping others, volunteering and being intimately connected to the world. He recently hosted a girl scout troop at his ranch. When they arrived, many appeared disinterested, but when Michael said, “Okay, now that you are not looking at your screens, you never know what you will see…” And at that exact moment two hummingbirds floated right above the succulents the girls stood near, and no one made a sound as they stared in wonder at the birds. From that point on, they were fully engaged, listening, making full eye-contact and asking questions.
Michael’s business card reads, “Since 1962…Interpreter, Translator and Facilitator.” He teaches people through demonstration, not instruction, because he believes that this is the best way to fully involve their hearts and their minds. He follows the quote by Confucius, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” Allowing someone to care for a vegetable garden, to work it and then reap the rewards of eating from it, Michael feels that it opens a path to learning and engaging in the environment. When Michael asks me if I know what Carpe Diem means, I nod and offer the short version, “Seize the day.” I prepare myself for him to claim this as his motto, so I’m thrown off, but unsurprised when he says, “Well, I live by the motto, Carpe Punctum– seize the moment.” Of course he does and I am grateful for every moment that he seizes and shares with others.
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It is a safe bet that you have seen on the screen much from Hidden Hills Resident Keith Marvin’s thriving family prop house, Prop Heaven.
WRITTEN BY SYDNEY EASTONWhen I went to visit Hidden Hills resident Keith Marvin at Lennie Marvin’s Prop Heaven, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Visions of The Universal City back lot and Big Fat Liar came swimming to the forefront, but the reality is, in a lot of ways, so much cooler.
I go out to meet Keith on an overcast day in Burbank. As I pull up, a worker walks by with a large French menu written with chalk and a basket of (I’m hoping) plastic baguettes. I get out of the car and am greeted by Keith, who immediately sweeps me away to his office. “So… welcome to the lot. Basically everything here is a prop, my desk has been rented out several times, this bookcase, sometimes my chair.” He says it nonchalantly, because Keith’s world is props. Everything is rentable, even the office break room that looks like a 1950’s diner with old school red leather booths and an Atomic Age fridge.
“It was my dad who started all of this,” Keith starts out, motioning to the armoire covered in antiques to my left. “As a boy, he would collect antiques, specifically toys and trains.” Lennie Marvin’s first love, however, is music. He was a successful studio musician for most of his young career, backing the likes of Mae West. On
film sets, the recording studios used to be on the lot, so he would take in unique instruments, go to the prop houses, and ask them where and how they got certain things. Lennie soon came to realize that there were massive holes in the inventory of the prop houses he worked alongside.
And that’s how it all began; Lennie and his wife running a small prop service out of the garage in their Chatsworth home. He acquired all sorts of unique antiquities that were useful to period films, many of which were filmed in Los Angeles around that time. “He tuned pianos during the day to make extra money, played piano bars at night and occasionally people would come to the house and rent this stuff out. But he kept buying,” says Keith. “He kept collecting and built up an inventory of these special little trinkets.” Then, one day out on a pier in Long Beach called The Long Beach Pike, he found a collection of vintage arcade games for sale and purchased the lot.
After that, the Marvin’s began building out their Chatsworth residence to fit more and more of Lennie’s inventory. As Keith describes the rooms adding on to his childhood home, I see his eyes light up and he begins to animate more and more. I can see and feel the excitement
WORKING THE KNIGHT SHIFT. KEITH MARVIN IS THE REIGNING KING OF PROP RENTALS.
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of his whole family finding success within this unique sphere of expertise. “Then in ‘77, my parents purchased their first commercial building. Once [my dad] got his collection closer to the studios, he passed out pamphlets, went around to all the prop houses and studios and spread the word on foot. That was the last time he played piano professionally.”
Keith went to school at Cal State University, Northridge and began working part time at Prop Heaven during the summers. He really disliked working under his father and had little interest in the world of props. One summer, however, his parents took a much-needed vacation and Keith was left in charge. The summer is the prop world’s slowest season and it was then that he found the joy in working amongst his father’s collection.
By the time he graduated from CSUN, he had a full time job working under Lennie with one other employee. “My parents had some different people that would come through and help with moving through the years, from when they started in ‘77, but my dad hired his first real employee in 1980—and
the man still works here today. Thirty seven years, Leonard’s like a brother to me.”
Keith went on to step up and take over in the early ‘90s. I asked Keith what he brought that was different to a family business that was well established for almost twenty years at that point. He takes a moment to reflect, eyes sliding over to the armoire beside us carrying some of the trinkets collected by his father. “Well, I think the big shift that happened when I started taking over was a combination of increased portability,” he says, brandishing his iPhone. “And a big change in filming locations.”
The trend of period films being shot in places like Canada and Atlanta started in the late eighties and only grew in that direction over time. Lennie, however, continued to buy beautiful antiques, even though no movies fit for this style of prop were being made in Los Angeles anymore. Keith describes butting heads with his dad a lot over the following years, fighting over what can double as period and contemporary. At the same time though, Lennie began recognizing
a knack for buying in Keith. They met in the middle over things like mid century furniture, which Keith explains is a good crossover genre.
Keith expanded Prop Heaven to include a wider range of products, for all types of sets and environments. He kept his eye on the bigger picture, managing more and more employees and continuing to double and triple the business. “Of the stuff in all of these warehouses that you’ll see, probably less than 5% is from the original collection that my parents built. All of it is new stuff that I bought.” A lot of it was simply generational—Lennie would buy
for his generation, Keith for his. A perfect example of Keith’s eye for props can be found in a wonderful anecdote about one of his first dates with his wife, Leslie. “We went to the Third Street Promenade and
then to the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, and sat on a bench to talk.” He had been looking for the perfect metal bench for quite some time at that point, so when he found it sitting there in the gardens, he called the number on the bottom and acquired six of those metal benches and two trash receptacles. Later on as we walk through the different warehouses, Keith points to an array of one hundred of these metal benches. “Those are just like the ones I was telling you about,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.
I ask him why he would have need of things like trash receptacles and
“It helps business when people see a physical representation of all the things we carry. Producers have even gotten ideas for episodes walking around here.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: WHO ORDERED THE CHICKEN? THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET OF COMPLETE MARKETS IN PROP HEAVEN’S WAREHOUSES; A CABIN THEMED VIGNETTE; FULLY FUNCTIONING VINTAGE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; HUNDREDS OF NEON SIGNS; AN OLD WEST SET-UP, THE TWO LARGE CACTI WERE RECENTLY FEATURED IN LA LA LAND.
metal benches. Don’t most productions shoot in real stores and locations? Keith excitedly shakes his head—this is a big misconception. Most movies and TV shows build the interior and sometimes even exterior of all of their sets. “So, if I see someone walk into a salon on Ventura Boulevard, the second they walk over the threshold they’re in a studio?” He laughs. Most people assume that if you see an exterior in a film, the interior is that exact same place, but it’s almost never the case.
Thirty minutes television shows have an average of one to two minutes of location shooting, the rest is all on a set. Prop houses are stocked with such a massive, and often times odd and unexpected array of items, so these shows can carry on the illusion of the outside world from inside a studio.
Soon after this, Keith takes me for a tour around the different buildings, stopping and showing me different details. Immediately evident is one element that people wouldn’t expect from Prop Heaven. Something that Keith says is actually unique to his warehouse, which is as I walk through, I feel like I’m actually in a tattoo parlor, grocery store, lingerie boutique, coffee shop and log cabin. Every room or section of the prop house is set to look like the props true home. Keith explains that this is one of the prides of Prop Heaven, something that sets it apart from other similar businesses. “It helps business when people see a physical representation of all the things we carry. Producers have even gotten ideas for episodes walking around here.”
Keith is in his element here, waving and greeting every person that walks by. He clearly has an attention to detail and an attentiveness that most business owners at his level of success would have slacked on years prior. Every employee that stops to chat with Keith clearly knows him intimately. He is not a nameless faceless presence signing checks in a large office, he is involved heavily in the goings on. Keith introduces me to his right hand man, Dan Schultz, who runs day-to-day operations and oversees much of the business for Prop Heaven. We meander through gym equipment, high school desks, a music section complete with an authentic Fender Rhodes, around a
Bristol Farms-lookalike, Starbucks counter, occult dungeon, nail salon, casino, arcade and fine jewelry store. There is nothing the Prop Heaven team hasn’t thought of.
“My sons all have interest in the business,” says Keith. “Two of them have worked here already and one of them wants to open Prop Heaven Atlanta.” The success of the business continues to grow and stretch into directions Lennie Marvin hadn’t imagined in his wildest dreams, and Keith expresses a hope that it will continue on through the generations.
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Birthday Boy became a permanent member of the Kasper family around 1982 or 1983. He was just a spunky 3-year-old at the time. My parents got him for me for my 8th birthday. I was in love with horses from an early age and they finally acquiesced to my begging and pleading and insisted that I take my saved money to pay for part of him. Being novice horse people at the time, my parents had no business or idea what they were getting into by purchasing a 3-year-old horse for their young daughter. However, it was love at first sight when we met him. He just snuggled up to our shoulders for hours while I rode various other ponies and horses around the ring. He sold us on his big personality and charm from the beginning. Of course with that, came several shenanigans over the years. We called him “Houdini” as he would
somehow figure out a way to break out of the barn on a regular basis taking his stablemates along for a jaunt around the neighborhood always resulting in being found on someone’s beautifully manicured grassy lawn. He would happily walk into the house and would hang out in the garage, while we would play or do arts and crafts. Often times, he would just stand in the horse trailer hoping that someone would take him for a ride. He always wanted to be around people, and people always wanted to be around him. As a young girl, I used to sit in the barn with him for hours as his gentle spirit always made me happy and soothed me in sad times. He truly was a best friend to me. As time went on and I went off to college, graduated college, moving in and out of state, we thought Birthday Boy would make a positive impact at Ride On helping children with developmental disabilities. After years of service there, he came back to us when he was ready to retire. Currently, he is still standing strong as a senior (about 37 years old) with very few teeth and on a restricted diet. He loves all of his visitors that come to give him pats, carrots and Purina senior. But please no hay - he WILL colic!
OUR ANIMAL EDITOR AT LARGE, SPANKY THE DONKEY, LOVES GIVING SHOUT-OUTS TO HIS FURRY AND FEATHERED HIDDEN HILLS NEIGHBORS. SO PLEASE SEND YOUR PICS ON OVER TO: LONNA@LONGVALLEYMEDIA.COM
“He sold us on his big personality and charm from the beginning.”
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