Hidden Hills Community Register • January 2021

ONE OF HIDDEN HILLS’ LONGEST-RESIDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS BRINGING PERSON-TO-PERSON SERVICE BACK TO LOCAL REAL ESTATE.

michael BLOOM

THE AGENCY CALABASAS WELCOMES Michael Bloom

“As someone who was raised here, I have experienced first-hand the evolution of Hidden Hills real estate. Whether your home is an original ranch, a recently built masterpiece, or anything in-between, I will always instill to the potential buyer the sense of pride and community that has always defined Hidden Hills.”

As a 30+ year Hidden Hills Resident, I understand that when it comes time to list your property, it is a very personal decision. That is why I take pride in representing the homes of my friends and neighbors with the level of care and attention that every homeowner deserves.

17

THE PANDEMIC IN PERSPECTIVE

Holocaust Survivor, Author and “Girl with Gusto,” Dr. Erica Miller, Has a New Year’s Message for Us All

27

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

Food Trucks at the Community Center help to make the new year delicious.

30

ELSA COOKS!!

Seven-year-old hidden hills resident, Elsa Nord, sets-out to take over the culinary world with her own YouTube cooking channel.

34

CHEWY COCONUT COOKIES

A sweet new recipe from Fig & Sprig Calabasas that you can try at home.

38

FAMILY FUCHS

Producer and “Bachelor” Director, Kate and Ken Fuchs met in a “Shark Tank” but decided to settle-down together in Hidden Hills horse country.

52

WILD MUSTANG DANIEL

Meet the fine art and nature photographer who captures the grandeur of the wild mustangs of the west.

ON THE COVER

“A Better Man”

Fine art wild mustang photography by Wild Mustang Daniel.

Story pg. 52

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 HOME SERVICES

MARK & SARA SHEVIN (pg. 1)

MICHAEL BLOOM (pg.2)

JILL ROSENBERG (pg.6)

JASON & MELISSA IMPROTA (pg.9)

DAVID WATKINS (pg. 10)

DAVID SALMANSON (pg.32)

LISA MORIARTY (pg. 46)

ANIMAL CARE

ALLIE TASHNEK, DVM (pg. 7)

START RESCUE (pg. 49)

HEALTH/WELLNESS/BEAUTY

THE ATRIUM (pg. 4)

COMPLETE HEALTH DENTISTRY (pg. 24)

SALON NUUVO (pg. 19)

COURTYARD PHARMACY (pg. 29)

YOU & ME SPA SERVICES (pg. 28)

VITALITY PERSONAL TRAINING (pg. 26)

CALABASAS MEDICINE

DANIEL ROSEN, MD (pg. 33)

DINING

LOVI’S (pg. 8)

FIG & SPRIG EATERY (pg. 41)

RIB RANCH BBQ (pg. 36)

SUN FIRE DEFENSE (pg. 11)

MURRE CLEANERS (pg. 12)

FUTRONIX AUDIO VIDEO (pg. 23)

AE AUDIO VIDEO (pg. 47)

UNIVERSAL APPLIANCE & KITCHEN CENTER (pg. 16)

GREEN LEAF PRO TREE CARE (pg. 41)

DENT MECHANIX (pg. 48)

LIGHTSCAPING BY DESIGN (pg. 42)

OC MARBLE & GRANITE (pg. 43)

LEGACY LANDSCAPE SERVICES (pg. 43)

PURE BUILDERS (pg. 51)

EDUCATION

SYNERGY ACADEMICS (pg. 14)

NOVEL EDUCATION GROUP (pg. 48)

JEWELRY / ART / LUXURY

WILD MUSTANG DANIEL (pg. 15)

RAIMAN ROCKS (pg. 21)

SHOP HALTER EGO (pg. 25)

GOLD COAST COIN EXCHANGE (pg. 37)

BEN BRIDGE JEWELERS (Back Cover)

THE PANDEMIC in PERSPECTIVE

Holocaust Survivor, Author and “Girl with Gusto,” Dr.

Erica Miller,

Has a New Year’s Message for Us All

Written by Kathryn Atkins

ith the unique challenges our society has been facing this year (and will continue to face into the immediate future at least), “perspective” is a word that is often mentioned. Of course, true perspective is wholly dependent upon the individual. With the COVID situation, for instance, you may hear a difference in how a “millennial” feels about the “challenges” versus what an elderly person might say.

Long-time Hidden Hills resident, Dr. Erica Miller, is among the latter, and at 87 years strong, she has a unique and fascinating story that might place the current pandemic in a perspective that few of us can imagine.

Dr. Miller spent four years in a German/ Romanian Nazi concentration camp starting at the age of seven. She managed to live through that horror (starvation, sickness, filth, cruelty beyond what you can conceive). In 1949, with her family, she emigrated to

Israel. There she worked two jobs during the day, attended high school at night, graduated, and then served in the Israeli Air Force from 1952 to 1954. Destiny had it that she relocated to Los Angeles, California, in 1958, where she eventually earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology—all while being married and raising young children.

You’d think the concentration camps would have defeated her, but she was determined to succeed in the U.S., which meant getting that advanced degree. Partway through, she almost flunked out of the program due to what she believed was prejudice (because she was an older woman with children and had an accent). But that didn’t stop her. She fought and won and was reinstated. Handling adversity proactively is her superpower and her message.

Part of her superpower stems from her “secret sauce” for handling this global pandemic. It’s her ability to live with guts, grit, and gusto at 87 years young—especially because she really wants to live to be 123 (!) years old.

“There’s no secret to it,” she says. “Just keep doing all the recommended things like eating well, exercising, reading and learning, finding your purpose, giving to your community, and having some understanding of spirituality. However, you do that is fine,” as she explains in her international best-selling book, Chronologically Gifted–Aging with Gusto: A Practical Guide for Healthy Living to Age 123.

As we continued our conversation, we sensed the energy and positivity

YOUNG ERICA MILLER (CENTER) WITH HER FAMILY, IN 1938, JUST THREE YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE TAKEN AWAY TO A NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMP

that explained her traveling and speaking to groups all over the world before the pandemic swept her off stages and onto pages and virtual events. When we asked her about the current pandemic, Dr. Miller said living in the concentration camps made her strong. Maybe we’ll all end up stronger from dealing with COVID-19. In that vein she commented, “I am tougher because of the unthinkable conditions from the camp. I learned resilience and grit and the importance of living in the moment.” Now, as a world traveler with her wings clipped, Dr. Miller meditates, lifts weights, and walks to keep healthy.

This five-foot-tall dynamo runs circles around people half her age. After getting her PhD, she

Miller Story: From Trauma to Triumph, which published in 2009.

From there, she realized how important it is for people to have a survivor’s mindset to get through the tough times, like now. “Life takes courage,” she says, “and I wanted other people to know how to thrive.” That inspired her next book, Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Do It, (2014), which contains five principles for successful living.

Especially these days, during the COVID tsunami, people want to know what might make their lives easier and more fulfilling. Dr. Miller says, “It’s a fine line. We want to take control on the one hand, but we also need to remember to surrender to the idea that we

started a chain of mental health clinics and founded a non-profit in Southern California to help people overcome substance abuse and domestic violence. That should have been enough achievements for a lifetime, but somewhere along the way, the idea of writing a book emerged. Dr. Miller says, “I hadn’t intended to write a book! But when a colleague asked me to tell her my life’s story as part of the Holocaust survivors’ narrative, I realized I wanted my children and grandchildren to know history first-hand and from my perspective.” The book that resulted was The Dr. Erica

“It’s best to live each moment fully. Keep trying new things and reaching out to engage with and help as many people as you can.”

DR. ERICA MILLER VISITS AN ISRAELI AIR FORCE BASE, WHERE SHE SERVED FROM 1952-1954

never know what will happen tomorrow. It’s best to live each moment fully. Keep trying new things and reaching out to engage with and help as many people as you can.”

In the “you never know” category, Dr. Miller and her husband’s Hidden Hills home burned down in 2005. She says, “It was another life lesson. The ovens didn’t get my family during the Holocaust, and the fire didn’t kill us in 2005. We survived and rebuilt.” She credits her joie de vivre with a few core beliefs. “I think everyone needs a purpose. It doesn’t have to be solving world challenges. It can be anything that excites you when you get up in the morning. Planting a garden. Reading to children. It’s an attitude, and it isn’t all pie-in-the-sky. It’s just being excited to be alive, being grateful, and showing kindness. Setbacks happen. But I believe people need to push their boundaries and live audaciously in the moment.”

If she could float a message behind a biplane over Hidden Hills during this pandemic, it would say, “Life is a gift—a present to be cherished. Carry on . . . with gusto!” HH

ABOUT DR. ERICA MILLER:

Dr. Miller has written three books, The Dr. Erica Miller Story: From Trauma to Triumph, Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Do It: Living Audaciously in the Here and Now, and the international best-seller, Chronologically Gifted: Aging with Gusto: A Practical Guide for Healthy Living to Age 123. When the pandemic is over, she will be back on the speaking circuit. For further information, contact drmiller@drericamiller.com.

ABOVE: DR. MILLER RECEIVES HER PHD IN 1978 BELOW: DR. MILLER AT A PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT, CALABASAS, FEBRUARY 2020

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 here to consult with you regarding Complete Health Dentistry

ORDER AHEAD ONLINE ONLY

...up to 24 hours in advance and select your pick up time at StreetFoodFinder.com/Hidden Hills. No walk ups.

FOOD TRUCKS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER

LA’s first Gourmet Kebab truck serving the streets of LA and all over the finest Mediterranean Kebab and vegetarian dishes!

year-old sourdough starter to make their dough. All of their pizzas are baked in their 5,500 lb. wood-fired pizza oven, handmade in Naples, Italy.

Richeeze Melts is the culmination of a want for an amazing Grilled Cheese Sandwich that we all loved as kids. Richeeze sought out to create the Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on Earth. Finding the right combinations of crisp toasted bread and gooey melted cheese stuffed with the best ingredients.

A new york delicatessen on wheels

Straight from the East coast, The Deli Doctor is Southern California’s premiere “Deli on Wheels,”bringing you authentic New York style deli favorites such as Hot Pastrami Rubens and their classic Brisket on Rye. Their menu also features all American Classics including their delicious juicy burgers and gourmet fries. They serve healthy options too including hearty salads, fresh wraps and several vegetarian menu items including their famous Cali-Melt!

Finding the right combinations of Baby’s has been at the forefront of the LA food truck scene since our inception in 2009. With over 14,000 twitter followers, a 4-star Yelp rating & winners of several food contests it’s apparent why Baby’s is a leader in the food truck industry.

Pinch of Flavor , a new home made touch with a fusion exploring Mexican, Japanese, and American Flavors. The bounty of tacos, burgers, and bowls are bursting with bold taste. You can grab a lobster burrito seasoned up with an aromatic blend of onions and cilantro.

There is something magical about seeing your pizza going into the oven and watching the flames and brick transform it into a blistered, mouth-watering treat. Our large glass windows give you and your guests a front row seat to all the action of throwing the pizzas and the dance of fire and dough. Vivace uses 100% organic flour and a 200

The Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race” winners have been bringing Middle Eastern food with an Asian and Mexican twist to hungry belly’s from the sea to the desert and everywhere in between.

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

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

Greta Goldshtein, PharmD, APh

ELSA COOKS!

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD HIDDEN HILLS RESIDENT, ELSA NORD, SETS-OUT TO TAKE OVER THE CULINARY WORLD WITH HER OWN YOUTUBE COOKING CHANNEL.

Local girl Elsa Nord has taken her talents from the kitchen to the world wide web.

The 7-year-old chef explained that she felt inspired to start her own YouTube channel because “There are so many unhealthy foods out there...I just love cooking and want to inspire other kids to start eating healthy”. She felt inspired by Danielle Walker and her cookbooks, which feature fun and healthy recipes as well. “She decides what to cook and what to stay”, explains her mom, “there is no script. I of course control her social media and she doesn’t have any access to that at this age.” Her mother films the show, and her nine-year-old sister, Lova, helps with the editing. Although her cooking channel is only a few weeks old, Elsa has been cooking since she was around 4 years old with her grandma. After over a year of begging her mom to start the YouTube Channel, she finally gave in. Her mother says that “Elsa is on a pretty strict diet due to medical reasons, so it is really helpful when she makes her own food... she feels in control of her eating and it makes her diet so much easier.” She has been enjoying seeing Elsa grow in the kitchen, and Elsa appreciates her mother’s company as well. “I

love being with my mom in the kitchen”, Elsa explains, “We have fun and I think it’s really cozy.” Some of Elsa’s favorite dishes to whip-up in the kitchen range from meat sauce to ribs with honey, to baked classics like breads and muffins, which she notes are especially “great for my lunch box”. She aims to post 2-3 times a week, depending on how busy she is with her academics and sports. “Right now she’s loving it and then we’ll keep going,” her mother explains, “We’re having such a good time hanging out together, but if she wants to stop posting videos then that’s what we’ll do.” Elsa wants to thank and send love to “all the people watching (her) channel and supporting (her)...more to come!” HH

Elsa Nord

“

I just love cooking and want to inspire other kids to start eating healthy.

Elsa Nord

A Medical Practice, Reimagined and Personalized.

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CALABASAS MEDICINE

DANIEL ROSEN, MD

Concierge Primary Care Board Certified Internal Medicine

Meet Dr. Danny Rosen

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Cup Butter, Softened

• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar 1 Egg

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1 1/2 Cups Flaked Coconut 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder Pinch of Salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

• In a separate bowl, use a mixer to combine the butter, sugars, egg and vanilla. Once that is combined well, slowly add the sifted flour mixture.

• When the flour and egg batter are mixed well, add the flaked coconut.

• Once that is combined, drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until browned.

• Let cool and serve.

Do

Fig & Sprig is a family-owned eatery that needs your support! Why not dial them up right now and order something for tonight?

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A Local Tradition Since 1970, Our Family’s Special BBQ Recipe is Legendary.

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FAMILY FUCHS

WRITTEN BY DEBBIE YANUCK | PHOTOS COURTESY OF FUCHS FAMILY

PRODUCER AND “BACHELOR” DIRECTOR, KATE AND KEN FUCHS MET IN A “SHARK TANK” BUT DECIDED TO SETTLE-DOWN TOGETHER IN HIDDEN HILLS HORSE COUNTRY

Hidden Hills residents Ken and Kate Fuchs took a circuitous route to their ‘forever’ home from New York City to the San Fernando Valley in California, to Hidden Hills, but they acknowledge the stops along the way only deepened their appreciation for the ‘…magical place…’ where they now reside. Ken directs unscripted TV shows such as Family Feud, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Shark Tank, and many more. Kate produced Shark Tank for over nine years and now stays home with their twoyear-old daughter, Bella. Together the three of them revel in their marriage, careers, and their ‘little piece of paradise upon a hill.’

Ken’s parents tried in vain to get him to do his schoolwork instead of watching TV. He says, “I told them I am doing my homework. I am watching TV.” He moved from New York to California to go to college. “I started working in production while I was still in college,” he says, “I knew I would hate having a normal job and immediately

found people like me in the production world. It is like joining the circus. I knew from day one that I had found my calling and I was only 18.” Ken loves the unscripted genre he works in from late-night shows, game shows, and reality shows. When he started working on The Bachelor over 20 years ago, many claimed it would be a ‘onetrick pony,’ but it flourishes today, where even during the COVID-19 pandemic they shot the current season in a safe ‘bubble’ in Palm Springs and now the upcoming season, filmed in Southern Pennsylvania, of Bachelor debuts January 4th following all CDC protocols.

Kate moved from New York to California in her teens. She graduated from college and worked the PR end of the business before segueing into production. Kate says, “…a producer is responsible for budgets, putting the show together, casting and content.” While producing Shark Tank, Kate mentored the entrepreneur of The DoorBot (now called the Ring doorbell.)

LEFT: Kate & Ken Fuchs, holding daughter, Bella.

“One of Bella’s first words was ‘neigh’ because she hears horses neighing so often.”

RIGHT: Kate has channeled her creative energy into making a magical home life for Bella.

She spent months with Jamie Siminoff and his team helping with his pitch and set up. Jamie sold the Ring for one billion dollars to Jeff Bezos of Amazon and remains the CEO of the company. He is the only entrepreneur to come back as a ‘Shark’ on the show.

Shark Tank not only offers entrepreneurs an arena to pitch and sell their products to ‘sharks,’ but it also played a role as an unlikely matchmaker for Ken and Kate. They met on Shark Tank and while working ‘crazy, long hours’ they developed a friendship that grew into a marriage. When asked how they work together as producer and director, Kate responds with her joyous laugh, “Consider the producer the CIA providing intel to the director, who leads the troops like a general. The director is involved in the minutia…it is like a puzzle…figuring out how to tell the story.”

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Ken discovered Hidden Hills. He spent time there with friends and family

and grew to love the farm-like town. He never imagined living there until he and Kate began to look for a quiet place to live. Almost four years ago, they made Hidden Hills their home and welcomed Bella soon thereafter. Kate compares her childhood memories of the blaring sounds of horns, the absence of greenery and space in New York to their home now. Here she embraces the bird sounds, the trees lining the streets, and the horses keeping pace with the runners and walkers. Kate says, “One of Bella’s first words was ‘neigh’ because she hears horses neighing so often.”

Ken and Kate married in their lush backyard overlooking the hills and valley. The officiant was Chris Harrison, the host of The Bachelor, further tying their home and work life together. Ken says, “The community of Hidden Hills reminds us of the community of people we work with; people from all different backgrounds working and living together to create ‘the magical unicorn’ that is Hidden Hills.” HH

LEFT: ALL OF THE FUCHS KIDS. SONS (FROM KEN’S FIRST MARRIAGE), JED (28) ELI (21), AND IKE (25), HOLDING BELLA (2). TOP: “BABY SHARK” BELLA, ON THE SET OF SHARK TANK, WHERE HER PARENTS MET. INSET: KATE, BELLA AND KEN AT THE BACHELOR MANSION.

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

MUSTANG DANIEL WILD

From a young early age, Wild Mustang Daniel always loved animals - especially horses. After going to school to learn photography, he combined his love of horses with his photography education to create Wild Mustang Daniel. Daniel is passionate and goes to the extreme to connect with the animal, until they are almost posing for him. He travels the world pursuing his love of wildlife photography that has now become him.

Being an artist at heart, all his frames are personally handmade, and they range from 100-year-old barnwood to custom high-end designer mouldings imported from Italy. Daniel supports various horse sanctuaries with generous donations from his sales proceeds. He just opened a gallery in Agoura to showcase his Wild Mustang Daniel photography. His largescale wild mustang photography is showcased there, and he has many different photos and sizes of wild mustangs and horses framed for the general public to view and purchase. If you’d like to see Daniel’s incredible work, visit the Gallery that’s newly opened at the Agoura Antique Mart or online at wildmustangdaniel.com. HH

TOP-LEFT: (2 HORSES) “COME WITH ME”

LEFT: “REBEL SOLDIER

OPPOSITE-TOP: Daniel photographs wild mustangs, June 2020, Eastern Utah.

OPPOSITE-BOTTOM: “YOU SOMETHIN’ ELSE”

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