Hidden Hills Community Register • September 2022

LightYUpour Listing

with Michelle Gracie

If you have no time to do anything else before you list, remember this... LIGHT and BRIGHT. Light fixtures can be art installations throughout your home. They set the mood, tell a story though design, and brighten your space.

Customize your focus

The kitchen is often the heartbeat of every home. Remembering bright and light overhead lighting is a must, however we want to layer different fixtures. A grand Chandelier over the table, pendants over the island, and wall sconces above shelving create depth and warmth. Stacking your light fixtures are crucial in the design element of your home.

The art of control

Layers of light are key to setting the room’s ambiance. It will illuminate the setting while your friends and family gather in your kitchen, cooking and chatting. Then, a dimmer or smart control can help cue a warmer mood when it's time to gather at the table to eat, sip some wine and make some memories.

Choose your fixture

So many types of fixtures: Chandeliers, Pendants, Ceiling lights, sconces, etc. How do you decide which to use? Consider function and focus. Chandeliers will add design elements, and set focal points while anchoring seating areas.

MICHELLE GRACIE 818.967.8295 MICHELLEG@THEBEVERLYHILLSESTATES.COM

09125500

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

Upcoming Events and Announcements. August Barbecue Photo Gallery.

18

THE 2022 CHARITY MUSICALE

Performers young and old come together for good causes and a music-packed show!

20

THE FANER FAMILY

From building one of the neighborhood’s earliest houses, to bringing home the first Hidden Hills baby, Nancy Faner and her family have not only embodied the spirit of our community, they have helped to define it.

26

FRESH TAKES

The color and flavor of some of this summer’s lemonade stands.

28

WHOA THERE!

The Equestrian Services’ End of Summer Pony Event & Petting Zoo.

31

CALL ME VINNY

A Tribute to our neighbor, The Great Vin Scully.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

The story of the real Jed Smith.

RESIDENT RECIPES

It’s greek to her...Maria Spirtos’ Baklava. The herd of brush hungry goats returns. San Antonio’s Hotel Emma.

WHAT CUTE KIDS!

PUBLISHED BY YOUR NEIGHBORS EXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR COMMUNITY

The Hidden Hills Register and Resource Guide is published by long-time friends and residents Lonna Weber and Joe Bellissimo along with the help and involvement of many of our neighbors. Produced each and every month and sent exclusively to Hidden Hills homes, this magazine is dedicated to shining a positive light on the people, issues, events and interests of our community.

Only through the generous support of our advertisers are we able to provide this publication to our neighbors free of charge and continually hire residents young and old to fill these pages with their creative contributions.

As always, we are here to tell your story and the stories that are uniquely “Hidden Hills,” so please reach out any time you have an idea or would like to get involved.

SUPPORTING BUSINESSES

This community publication is created exclusively for you and all of our Hidden Hills neighbors and is made possible with the generous support of these local businesses.

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

MARK & SARA SHEVIN (PG. 1)

DANIELLE PERETZ (PG. 4)

MICHELLE GRACIE (PG. 6)

LISA MORIARTY (PG. 11)

JILL ROSENBERG (PG. 15)

MICHAEL BLOOM (PG. 43)

JASON & MELISSA IMPROTA (PG. 27)

SHARI & STEPHANIE (PG. 30)

MILLA PARISER (PG. 33)

DAVID SALMANSON (PG. 34)

DANA OLMES & JEFF BIEBUYCK (INSIDE BACK COVER)

AUTOMOTIVE

ROVERS ELITE (pg. 19)

DINING

LOVI’S DELI (PG. 10)

RIB RANCH BBQ (PG. 32)

WINE & SPIRITS

AGOURA WINE (PG. 25)

ANIMAL CARE

ALLIE TASHNEK, DVM (PG. 8)

START RESCUE (PG. 41)

HOME SERVICES

BOTTEGA LEGNA/CONEJO HARDWOODS (PG. 2 & 23)

UNIVERSAL KITCHEN & APPLIANCE CENTER (PG. 9)

MURRE CLEANERS (PG. 12)

LIGHTSCAPING BY DESIGN (PG. 44)

EDUCATION

SYNERGY ACADEMICS (pg. 37)

FINANCIAL SERVICES

UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES (pg. 17)

HEALTH/WELLNESS/ BEAUTY

DR. MILO (PG. 37)

COURTYARD PHARMACY (PG. 39)

COMPLETE HEALTH DENTISTRY (PG. 40)

JEWELRY/ART/ LUXURY

BEN BRIDGE JEWELERS (Back Cover)

SAVE THE DATE! FIESTA 2022

OCTOBER 8 th & 9 th

CALL THE CITY OFFICE FOR DETAILS & TICKET INFO (818) 888-9281

Come celebrate the 61st anniversary of the City’s Incorporation! Check your mailboxes for the Fiesta brochure with loads of information on how to buy tickets to participate in two days of residents only festivities, including the parade, carnival, games, entertainment, and food. Consider entering a parade float, art show, pet contest, chili cook off, bake contest, or volunteering at one of the many activities.

Tentative Fiesta Schedule:

Saturday October 8

• 9am Float Parade

• 11am Chili Cook Off, Baking Contest & Childrens Art Show

• 5pm Carnival

Sunday October 9

• 9am Pancake Breakfast

• 1pm Harvest Marketplace

• 5pm Wine Exchange, Car Show & Adults Only Dinner

LAS VIRGENES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BACK IN SESSION

The school year is quickly approaching with the first day of school at Round Meadow Elementary coming up on Wednesday, August 24th. As students prepare to go back to the classroom, we would like to remind all parents and drivers about traffic safety in front of the school. Residents are asked to remain patient while driving through this area as the first month of school is more impacted with traffic.

Residents are strongly encouraged to stay within the City gates, park and walk to the school to drop off/ pick up their students whenever possible. Several years ago, the City collaborated with the LVUSD, the Hidden Hills Community Association, and the Sheriff’s Department to establish a traffic flow pattern to ensure the safety of students and to ease the congestion caused by dropoff and pick-up daily at the school.

EQUESTRIAN VAULTING EVENT

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 TH- BEGINS AT 10:00 AM CALL (818) 227-6657 FOR DETAILS OR TO RSVP

“From Pioneer Days to Modern Ways!”

Come by the Spring Valley Arena on September 17th for an Equestrian Vaulting Event! Be a spectator or give it a try yourself! Presented by the Hidden Hills Pony Club and the Equestrian Services Committee.

Discover your new lifestyle at this remodeled contemporary ranch home in Hidden Hills. Superbly reimagined in 2021, this mostly single-story estate sits on 1.36 acres. A sun-filled double-height foyer reveals an extraordinary interior design highlighted by wide wood plank flooring. The gorgeous living room with striking coffered ceilings flows into an adjoining family room. Guests will want to linger in the magazine-worthy chef’s kitchen with exposed beams & vaulted ceilings. The primary suite features a fireplace & a spalike bathroom with heated floors, dual vanity, large shower, soaking tub & walk-in closets. Nearly every room of the home flows out to the private entertainer’s backyard. Horse stables with a guest unit, three-quarter bath, & flat horse corral complete the outdoor experience. More info at 24441LittleValleyRoad.com

THE SUN SETS ON SUMMER BBQ SEASON

Photos by Sam Wyatt Lenkov

It doesn’t matter where in the world you’re from – we all have to eat. Many of us associate food from our childhood with warm feelings and good memories that tie us to our families and frie nds. The food we grow up eating becomes a part of who each of us are and the Thursday Night Barbeques are no exception.

The weekly parties included an Evening in Espana, Italian, Greek, Hawaiian Luau, One Night in Bangkok, and Argentinian dinners. These are special times when neighbors can gather at the community center to enjoy delicious international cuisines and lively entertainment.

THE 2022 HIDDEN HILLS CHARITY MUSICALE

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Occasionally we are granted experiences that fill us up, pull us out of the mundane and beyond ourselves. The Hidden Hills Charity Musicale is the community’s only fundraiser started 26 years ago when a dozen residents decided to raise money for local charities while dramatizing some popular love song “standards.” Throughout the years the show evolved into an adult musical review with a resident celebrity serving as the announcer in the neighbor directed and choreographed production.

The cast did an amazing job enthusiastically singing and dancing to songs from 20 different Broadway Musicals live inside the sold out 99seat theater, with additional audiences entertained outside on the Jumbotron screen. The Parks and Recreation Committee organized an amazing event with delicious appetizers and desserts, beautiful decorations, and plenty of alcohol. $11,135.00 was raised for the designated recipients: A.E. Wright Middle School, the Motion Picture & Television Fund Country House, and the Wildlife Crossing Bridge ℅ the National Wildlife Foundation. HH

Here Get-go from the

Written by Jacqueline Cleaveland | Photos courtesy of the Faner Family

As sunlight warmed the glass of the bay window in Nancy Faner’s Long Valley residence, her smile glowed a recollective radiance. Currently spending her 71st year in Hidden Hills, Nancy looked fondly upon these memories.

Nancy Faner was born in Los Angeles, California in 1927. Being a true native to the area, Nancy has only lived in two houses. The first was her childhood home in Westwood; Nancy says it was “off of Santa Monica Boulevard, on 2116 Kelton Street.” She remarks that this family home “is still standing and looks the same.” Nancy also went to elementary and high school in the area; one of her classmates was a young Marilyn Monroe. But to Nancy, Marilyn was just a teenage friend, known by her pre-Hollywood birth name, Norma Jean Baker.

Along with Norma Jean, Nancy Faner built airplanes in her teen years during World War II. With

most able men fighting, Nancy says she and other women stepped up to be the “Rosie Riveters.” Nancy had the task of drilling holes into airplane wings at Douglas Aircraft; she did that for four months in between high school and college.

Nancy attended UCLA from 1945 to 1949, double majoring and getting a degree in English and Education. Nancy would later use those degrees to become an elementary school teacher, first in Westwood and then to teach Kindergarten at Woodland Hills Elementary. Nancy spoke of her times at UCLA with fondness. She says that after graduation she and her sorority sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta would meet up with all of their children. She also recalls that with most of the young men going off to war in the late 1940’s, UCLA had a unique demographic-the whole student body only had two men in attendance; the rest were all women!

Nancy fell in love with Walter Faner, a World War II veteran and practicing lawyer. They married on

FROM BUILDING ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S EARLIEST HOUSES, TO BRINGING HOME

THE FIRST HIDDEN HILLS BABY, NANCY FANER AND HER FAMILY HAVE NOT ONLY EMBODIED THE SPIRIT OF OUR COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE HELPED TO DEFINE IT.

June 24, 1950 and moved to Hidden Hills six months later. Nancy remarked with a laugh that it was difficult to convince her father to be on board with her and Walter relocating to the then incredibly rural and remote Hidden Hills. She says her father was so stubbornly against his Los Angeles city-girl moving to the far-away countryside of Hidden Hills that when he drove with her to check out the area, “he refused to get out of the car!” She recalls her father took one look at the miles of open land, tall sunflowers and sparse weeds and couldn’t just fathom “who would want to live this so far out!”

Nevertheless, Walter and Nancy Faner bought a Hidden Hills lot in June 1951 and moved in that Christmas. Nancy says there were no houses on Long Valley Road at that time and the nearest grocery store was in Encino; but she also confesses that the pastoral quaintness of the area was wonderful for beginning a family. Soon, in 1953, Nancy and Walter welcomed their first child, Cindy,

Nancy and Walter on their Wedding Day.

The Faner Home (center), long before landscaping turned Hidden Hills into an enclave of houses among a canopy of trees.

Walter Faner during MilitaryhisCareer.

making Cindy the first child born to a Hidden Hills family. This was celebrated with Cindy as Grand Marshall for the Hidden Hills Fiesta Parade in 1996.

The Faners then welcomed three more children: Tim, Doug and Wendy. Doug Faner looks fondly

upon his childhood, reveling that there were “no roads and no houses behind their house”; he recalls those days as plenty of open land to have a fun-filled, free-range childhood. He remembers times of “mud whomping and trying to find pollywogs and tadpoles.”

Nancy remembers a time in the autumn after an instance of heavy rain when a young Cindy and Tim went to play outdoors after the storm had dissipated. She says Tim put on his red rubber boots to walk into the chilly air down the muddy roads that were not yet paved. Soon when the

Nancy Faner in her Hidden Hills Home.

kids were outside playing, Cindy quickly boomeranged back running towards Nancy yelling “Mom, Mom, Mom! Tim’s stuck in the mud!”

Nancy recounts this with a laugh as she says she went outside to go help fix Tim’s muddy predicament. After trying and trying different ways to get Tim’s rubber boots unstuck, Nancy realized the only way to free her son was simply to lift him clean out of his boots and carry him home!

From helping her kids put up stands to sell fresh apricots from their trees in the spring, to organizing tropical summer parties in the theme of the celebration of Hawaii into the Union, Nancy was a hands-on member of the community. One of her fondest memories of these times was helping organize and create the 1976 Bicentennial Quilt; that infamous Quilt was created by her, her friend Doris Shepherd and many more members of the community. Today, the Quilt still hangs in the Community Center Building for all to see.

After her kids had grown, Nancy went on to teach again in the Las Virgenes School District, blessing many lives with her knowledge and nurturing presence while Walter

Above: Nancy Faner and her son, Doug, in Hidden Hills.

At right: Cindy Faner on the Family Horse, “Apache.”

Below: The Faner Kids, Wendy, Doug, Tim & Cindy, in front of their home on Long Valley Rd.

Hidden Hills’ Original Farmers Market...Tim & Doug Faner, selling apricots..

Top: Hidden Hills’ first baby ever, Cindy Faner... and years later as the Grand Marshall of a 70’s Fiesta Parade.

Above: The Faner Boys Exploring the Hidden Hills Frontier.

Right: Walter Faner and his Brand New Car... Walter Faner.

Below: Nancy Faner brings home Wendy, baby number four, to her thrilled brothers and sister.

Today, Cindy, Nancy, Doug & Wendy.

practiced law until his retirement. Walter passed away in December of 2012, just shy of 95 years old, as Doug says, “in his own bed and in his own house he built.”

Doug remarks that while in the Navy, his father impressively interacted in both the European theater and the Pacific theater of the War; “Walter talked about the military until he was 94, saying it was one of the best times in his life.”

Through Nancy’s photos of her children, grandchildren and one great-grandchild adorning her refrigerator, various table-tops and piano, it’s easy to see that the dearest thing to Nancy’s heart is the family she created. She has had two family weddings in her Hidden Hills backyard: the first for her daughter Cindy in 1977 and the second for Cindy’s daughter Brooke

in 2014. They were both married in the same exact spot, 37 years apart.

Though now retired from teaching, Nancy still meets for coffee every week with a group of her teaching friends to catch up about what’s on in each other’s lives. Nancy also enjoys taking walks around the neighborhood with her son Doug, remarking with a smile on how wonderful it has been to see Hidden Hills grow. She loves how our city’s equestrian nature has been preserved and how she is “still able to see dirt trails and horses.”

As Nancy Faner spends her 71st year here, Hidden Hills is blessed to have her all-around presence indelibly bonded into the fabric of this community, making her one of our city’s most precious gems. HH

FRESH TAKES!

NEIGHBORHOOD LEMONADE STANDS

BELOW AND ACROSS BOTTOM: Emily and Charlotte Campbell , Ava Levis, Shanyia and Lova Nord are the awesome kids that stood outdoors in the blistering heat at the Community Center selling homemade Lemonade & Baked Goods to raise additional money for the Charity Musicale. Way to go!

Lucy, Clay, Ford and Emma Niska; Parker, Hunter, and Slater Williams, & Harper Eisendrath utilized the the Little Red Bus Stop with their hugely successful summer Lemonade Stand.

3648 PASEO PRIMARIO CALABASAS SOLD FOR $2,250,000 | REP BUYER

290 LAKE SHERWOOD DRIVE LAKE SHERWOOD OFFERED AT $4,999,000

3458 MALAGA COURT CALABASAS LEASED AT $11,000/MO 5565 BALCOM CANYON ROAD SOMIS

32141 LAKE MEADOW LANE WESTLAKE VILLAGE SOLD FOR $1,400,100

VISTA CERRITOS

REP.

5481 ROUND MEADOW ROAD HIDDEN HILLS SOLD FOR $4,500,000

SEE MORE OF OUR RECENT SALES HERE!

EQUESTRIAN SERVICES END OF SUMMER PONY EVENT

Hundreds of parents and kids of all ages gathered one last summer night to enjoy free Pony Rides, Ice Cream & a Petting Zoo! Appetites were

satisfied with Asian Fusion, Japanese, Mexican Food provided by Pinch of Flavor & Wood-fired Pizza provided by Vivace Food Trucks.

PLEASE, CALL ME VINNY…

Vincent Edward Scully | November 29, 1927 – August 2, 2022

Dodgers icon and allaround Major League Baseball legend

Vin Scully died at his longtime home in Hidden Hills, leaving behind a formidable career and admiring fans nationwide. The Hall of Fame broadcaster’s popularity transcended baseball, making him one of the most recognizable sports figures of all time, with his voice narrating the summer season for decades. Considered by many to be the greatest baseball broadcaster, he was known for his distinctive voice, lyrically descriptive style, and signature introduction to Dodgers games: “It’s time for Dodger baseball! Hi, everybody, and a very

pleasant good afternoon/evening to you, wherever you may be.”

Scully happily drove the 50-mile round trip commute from his home in Ashley Ridge to the announcer’s booth at Dodger Stadium, spending his final years defining the laidback and friendly nature in our guardgated community better than any other celebrity. For many years, he and his late wife Sandi were often spotted in the neighborhood pocket where they lived greeting passersby at their mailbox with an encouraging word about the upcoming season, in addition to joyfully handing out candy to trick-or-treating children.

For 67 seasons Scully called games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning in 1950 and ending in 2016, making his tenure one the longest of any broadcaster with a single team in professional sports history. Despite his many accolades including being named the Ford C. Frick Award winner by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award winner for sportscasting, an inductee into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1995, and Presidential Medal of Freedom award winner in 2016, he will also be remembered for always being gracious to his many adoring neighbors who knew him as Vinny. HH

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HIDDEN HILLS

NAMESAKES

WHAT’S THE WORD ON THE STREETS

JEDEDIAH (JED) STRONG SMITH

Hidden Hills dedicated Jed Smith Road South and North to Jedediah Strong Smith, the heroic historic figure who was the first American to travel across the continent to reach California. Jed Smith was not your typical mountain man or fur trader and his adventures quickly became the stuff of legend. Born on January 6, 1799 in Jericho, New York, he was raised hunting in the forests of Pennsylvania and Ohio. After receiving some education and a strong religious upbringing, Smith

remained a devout Christian gentleman even among the wildest frontiersmen.

As a youth, Smith was influenced to explore by a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It is said he made his first trip west while still in his teens, determined to become a trapper. He soon joined William Henry Ashley’s One Hundred Men, traveling up the Missouri River to the mouth of the Yellowstone River. In 1822 he joined the Rocky Mountain Trading Company and continued

with the fur-trading expedition for the remainder of the decade until he purchased it from Ashley.

Jed Smith was tall, silent, never used tobacco or profanity, never boasted, and was reputed to always carry a Bible. He was cool under pressure, with a strength and leadership ability that was grounded in his faith. No matter the hardship or battle, Smith was said to have distinguished himself for bravery. Hard times leavened with wanderlust set him on the road and as he explored new

areas of the West, he filled his journal describing the wonders of nature and creation. When he faced hardship or peril, he looked to his religion for strength, including when Smith was almost killed by a grizzly bear that came out of the thicket and mauled him violently, throwing him to the ground, smashing his ribs and ripping off his scalp. The bear chewed off his ear when his head was in the animal’s mouth, but somehow he survived. Miraculously within a few days, Smith was again leading his expedition forward.

Smith belonged to the party that rediscovered the South Pass, a route to explore the Northwest through Wyoming. The South Pass was monumentally important. Not only did fur trappers prefer South Pass to the far more difficult and dangerous Missouri River passage blazed by Lewis and Clark in 1804, but the South Pass became an early 19th century “superhighway” for settlers bound for Oregon and California. Ideally suited for heavy wagon traffic, South Pass greatly facilitated the mass emigration of Americans to the Far West.

Discovering the South Pass route alone would have secured Smith’s claim as one of the great explorers of the American West, however Smith also explored the Great Salt Lake, the Colorado Plateau, and led the first expedition to cross the Southwest to California, all before he was 30 years old. He reached southern California, becoming the first American to enter California from the east, later exploring and hunting in San Diego, San

Bernardino, Mojave, San Gabriel, Sacramento, and San Joaquín Valleys.

In 1826 while leading an expedition to California, Smith was blocked by the governor who thought he was a spy. He altered his plan, crossing the Sierra Nevada and the desert to return to the Great Salt Lake, thus becoming the first American to return from California on an overland route. While retracing his steps from the Great Salt Lake to southern California, the Mojave people attacked his party and killed 10 of his 18 men. Smith first caught sight of majestic Mount Lassen in the spring after he and the other survivors made it to California. He named the peak of Mount Lassen “Mount Joseph,” out of reverence for Father José Sánchez, the genial padre and mayordomo of the San Gabriel Mission, who welcomed and fed his group of ragged trappers after their near starvation crossing the Mojave. The peak bore this name for a generation, until it was officially christened “Mount Saint Joseph” in 1841.

In the spring, Smith returned to the upper Rocky Mountains, confining his operations with Jim Bridger to the region east of the Great Divide. Smith continued trapping with Bridger but the farther west they trekked, the more difficult the journey and in an attack by the Umpqua people in Oregon all but two of the expedition were killed. In 1830, he and his partners sold the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. Smith retired but not for long as he soon turned to the Santa Fe trade company.

In May of 1831, when Smith didn’t return from a watering hole, the rest of the party continued on, hoping that he would catch up somewhere along the way. A merchant who was selling some of Smith’s personal belongings in Santa Fe reported that Smith had been attacked by a group of Comanche people near Wagon Bed

Spring on the Cimarron River, south of presentday Ulysses, Kansas. Smith’s body was never found.

In his short lifetime, Jed Smith would travel more extensively into unknown territories than any other single mountain man. Not only did he restore the South Pass route, but he succeeded in opening up the coastal route from California to Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River. He was the first to cross the Great Basin and to reach the coasts of Oregon by going up the great Central Valley of California then west through the foggy mountains of present-day Trinity and Humboldt Counties. He traveled in the central Rockies, down to Arizona, across the Mojave Desert and

into southern California, making him the first American to travel overland through the southwestern part of the continent.

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Maria Spirtos’ BAKLAVA

Maria Spirtos shares her secret family recipe for baklava, a crunchy, sweet Greek treat consisting of flaky layers of pastry with chopped nuts in between, topped with a sweet syrup. If you don’t have a Yia Yia making some for you, it can be found sold in bakeries, pastry shops and at our local farmers market. The Greeks did not invent the dessert but improved an ancient Assyrian version of the dish from three thousand years ago by replacing bread with wafer-thin sheets of filo pastry (phyllo means “leaf” in Greek).

People are charmed by baklava not only in Greece but across the Middle East. The filo pastry is low in calories and free from both trans-fat and saturated fats, while that drizzle of syrup can help to control blood sugar levels. The nuts used for the filling differ from region to region, from pistachio nuts in the north to almonds in central Greece; walnuts are very popular. The quality of this dessert depends on the ingredients used and Maria chooses the best for her family and friends.

Baklava is usually eaten with the fingers, just like a cookie. Kali Orexi!

BAKLAVA FILLING RECIPE

4 cups chopped almonds (may use another combination of nuts if preferred)

2 cups chopped walnuts

¼ cup sugar

1 TBSP ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 lb Filo pastry sheets (Apollo Filo) defrosted in fridge

1 lb unsalted butter

SYRUP RECIPE

(Made the night before because it must be cool before pouring over baklava)

5 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

2 cinnamon sticks

4 to 5 whole cloves

1 TBSP of lemon juice

Place all ingredients for the syrup in a mediumsize sauce pan and boil for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

PROCESS

Place all ingredients for the syrup in a mediumsize sauce pan and boil for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature and pour over hot baklava.

Combine the nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan. With a pastry brush, butter sides and bottom of a 12 x 18 x 2 pan. Open the Filo and keep the pastry covered with a damp towel. Begin placing Filo sheets in the pan remembering to brush each sheet with butter. Use 4 to 5 sheets for the bottom layer. Do not butter the top Filo sheet. Sprinkle a layer of nuts. Cover with a buttered sheet and then an unbuttered one. Sprinkle with nuts. Continue until all ingredients are used, reserving five Filo sheets for the top layer. Brush each of these top sheets with ample butter.

Trim edges of filo if necessary. Score the baklava into diamond or square shapes without cutting through the bottom layers. Spray with water and bake in a 350° preheated oven for about 45 minutes to an hour or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and pour cool syrup over hot baklava. HH

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WHAT DISEASES ARE HIDING IN YOUR MOUTH? Disease can be hiding in your mouth which can find its way into your blood stream to create inflammation contributing to diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, high blood pressure, certain cancers, kidney disease or even a stroke!

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU? Complete Health Dentistry is a unique practice that looks at the relationship between your mouth and body to determine the most appropriate way to treat your overall health. We call this the oral-systemic connection

HEALTHY MOUTH • HEALTHY BODY • HEALTHY LIFE

At Complete Health Dentistry of Woodland Hills, our entire team is working hard to educate and change public behaviors and address the importance of oral health as it relates and links to a patient's overall health. We believe in offering a complete range of dental services under one roof to make it convenient for our patients and their families. We also know that by making good oral health a priority, you can reduce many risk factors for developing other general health problems.

Dr. Bruce Beard and Dr. Manny Fernandez are

regarding Complete Health Dentistry

WHAT CUTE KIDS!!!

HERD OF HUNGRY GOATS RETURNS TO HELP KEEP HIDDEN HILLS SAFE FROM WILDFIRES

Approximately 400 “frontline workers” recently completed their summer brush clearance jobs in Hidden Hills. Residents loved visiting the sweet-natured goats whom the City rehired to clear out tall weeds and low-hanging vegetation as an environmentally friendly and adorable approach to fire prevention. These furry creatures are not only cute to look at, but they complete a critical fire hazard abatement task— the creation of a 200 foot buffer between the City boundary and open space into Ahmanson Ranch. Using goats as a management tool makes sense with the rise of deadly wildfires and the shrinking of water resources.

For close to a month, the herd slowly ate their way along the Crummer Canyon area behind Jim Bridger Road up towards Annie Oakley Road. The goats aerated the soil, carefully stepping

as they munched their way through acres a day, going places inaccessible by mowers with the added bonus of free fertilizer and no complaints about the heat. The herd was happy to eat anything in their path causing a firebreak, or open space that’s been cleared of vegetation so flames don’t spread.

A temporary electric fence kept the goats focused on the weeds and leaves that they were hired to consume. After a long day of munching everything in sight, the animals would lie down for a long rest while they continue to chew their cud and digest the greens they’ve consumed through a process known as rumination.

As the historic drought continues with no real rainfall in sight for our area until the fall, we are lucky these hard workers have a large appetite for removing brush & noxious plants and creating firebreaks. HH

We control and Dim your Lighting using Smarthome Technology

RETROFIT YOUR EXISTING LANDSCAPE LIGHTING SYSTEM OR INSTALL A NEW SYSTEM USING HIGH EFFICIENCY LED LIGHTING MADE TO LAST

WE USE ONLY BRASS OR COPPER FIXTURES MADE IN L.A. DESIGNED TO BE EASY TO MAINTAIN AND EASY TO MODIFY

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LIGHTSCAPING

LIGHTSCAPING

hile historic landmarks and buildings converted into luxury boutique hotels are breathtaking, they also have great backstories. Hotel Emma (thehotelemma. com) is an exceptional example of this as it perfectly captures the history, culture and spirit of its location. In its past life, it was one of the largest breweries in America, which had survived Prohibition and operated for more than six decades. Today, it stands as an amalgam of “industrial chic” architecture, luxury hotel service, imaginative amenities, art gallery and local flavor.

The structure of the Hotel Emma is an architectural marvel, stringing six buildings from different decades into one cohesive whole (with Chicago architect August Maritzen’s 1894 brewhouse as the anchor).

WHowever, it is also a monument to brewery owner Emma Koehler, who left behind a legacy of initiative and innovation, even while dealing with health and personal challenges when she took over the brewery after the death of husband Otto.

Even with 146 rooms and several apartment-sized suites on the top floors, the overall effect is as home-y and comforting as it is luxurious. “Niceties” outfitting the rooms include Frette linens, customdesigned furniture, original artwork, bespoke bathrooms with Spanish porcelain tile floors, a wet bar discreetly tucked into the room’s “Ice Box,” and adjoining pantry showcasing some offerings available at The Larder, a retail space specializing in locallyproduced specialty foods and takeaway meals.

The premium suites are truly one-of-akind, preserving the integrity of the former brewery’s walls, skeleton and foundations

even as they are filled out with modern luxury surroundings. “The Garrett” features a romantic seating area tucked under a hidden corner cupola and a free-standing clawfoot tub with a view of the Pearl Plaza in the bathroom. “The Terrace” rooms include a private balcony with a fireplace, handmade Redondo tile, ceiling fan, and a custom-made mesquite lounging bench. The “Emma” and “Otto” presidential suites and two-story “Billmeier” and “Maritzen” suites inside the pinnacle of the original Brewhouse further elevate the fusion of world class five-star hotel elements with 19th century charm specific to South Texas.

The contributions of local artists woven throughout the property further enhance and localize the “Hotel Emma” experience, from blacksmithing details by Robert Diaz De Leon to special textiles sourced by Jeffrey Fetzer and Kevin Elkins’ custom interior fragrances. The keepsake Elephant Milagro all guests receive on check-in

was designed by Metalsmith Alejandro Sifuentes. Curio, the hotel’s boutique, is beautifully stocked with fashion and home décor items from area designers. Like a quality on-tap lager, the “wow” factor flows over into inspired public spaces (over 6,160 square feet of event space in total) such as the Elephant Cellar, Courtyard and Brewmeister’s Office, and Expo Kitchen, available for special events and worth checking out when they’re not in use. The library adjoining the lobby (curated by Sherry Kafka Wagner, author and urban design expert) is worth checking out in the morning for its complimentary coffee and breakfast pastries and as an oasis of quiet in the afternoon. Craft beer and cocktails abound inside the Sternewirth, a luxury lounge carved out of a massive storage room built in 1896 with several ingenious unique seating areas.

HOTEL EMMA

San Antonio, TX.

by Elyse Glickman

WITH ITS LANDMARK ARCHITECTURE, EXCELLENT CUISINE, AND A LONG HISTORY OF ARTISANAL CRAFT BREW, THIS DESTINATION MAKES FOR A UNIQUE LONG-WEEKEND GETAWAY

Supper, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is a local favorite because of the breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes created under the direction of food and beverage director John Brand (who also oversees the catering and pool area’s “food truck”) and Chef Jorge Hernandez. Some of Brand’s more casual creations can be found in the rooftop pool area, which adjoins the gym and offers yoga and other fitness classes.

The Hotel Emma’s backyard is an access to San Antonio’s fabled Riverwalk. The paths, adorned with noteworthy murals and sculptures, provide easy access to the San Antonio Museum of Art and other attractions. While the Hotel Emma is not technically “central” (which actually works in its favor if you like a clean, quiet setting), it is a short commute to the San Antonio Botanical Garden and the McNay Art Museum outside of downtown, as well as several colorful neighborhoods. Better still,

the hotel has a number of complimentary bikes for guest use to explore the area.

Within “The Pearl,” the Hotel Emma’s front yard, one will find some of the city’s most noteworthy and popular restaurants, including Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery (up-scaled down-home southern comfort food classics), Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, Jazz TX (known for its inspired cocktails, like “Spiced Cherry Old Fashioned,” “Joie de Vivre” and “Black Pearl” as well as its live music schedule), Botika (deftly blending Japanese, Chinese and Latin American influences) and La Gloria by local hero/chef/restaurateur Johnny Hernandez. “The Bottling Department” is a food court with a rotating roster of pop-up restaurants vying for the hearts and palates of local residents. A few blocks from The Pearl, one can get his or her taco fix at Broadway News, a quirky and cool grouping of food trucks, vintage shops and specialty boutiques.

Rooms at Hotel Emma begin at $595, excluding taxes and fees. For more information, call 844-845-7384 or visit thehotelemma.com. For reservations, call 877-801-6134. HH