JUL | AUG
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At Sceptre & Sash, we know that luxury is in the details. As Central California’s premiere sustainable boutique experience, we find only the most luxurious pre-owned and vintage accessories, perfect for every occasion. We specialize in bridal and estate jewelry, certified loose diamonds, timepieces, handbags and accessories, all while offering a 100% lifetime authenticity guarantee, and a 14 day no-questions-asked return policy. We additionally offer a one year limited warranty on all timepieces, details of which are available in store. Experience all the brands we love as you peruse our collections of Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermès, and so much more! Financing is available subject to credit approval, and a 10-month layaway program complete our buying opportunities. We pride ourselves in working with each customer to create a unique look that will leave a lasting impression. Sell to us. Visit us for a no-obligation offer on your luxury goods, with immediate payment.
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Our first Sunbirds, arriving soon Class is in session for the very first time this August at our brand-new TK-6th grade school—Stone Creek Elementary (home of the Sunbirds). Belonging to Golden Valley USD, the innovative 15.5-acre campus will feature tech-forward classrooms, outdoor learning spaces, a dynamic sports complex and much more. Ready for top-notch learning right around the corner from home? Come join us at Riverstone. For registration packets or other information, please contact Shellie Roth at 559.395.5264 or sroth@gvusd.org.
The Lodge Trails & Parks Dog Park
Stone Creek Elementary* Stylish Homes Riverwalk* Community Farm*
Tour the Model Homes www.RiverstoneCA.com @LifeAtRiverstoneCA From Fresno, go north on Highway 41, turn left at Avenue 12 and follow the signs. ©2021 Riverstone Development, LLC. Obtain a copy of the Public Report as required by Federal law and/or the Public Report issued by the California Bureau of Real Estate and read them before signing any documents. No Federal or State agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. This advertisement is not a solicitation to purchase or sell property in any state where prohibited by law. The stylized R logo is a service mark of Riverstone Development, LLC. Riverstone and Riverstone Development are trade names of Riverstone Development, LLC. The San Joaquin River and River Park are located approximately six miles from Riverstone. *Future amenity coming soon.
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Acting with intent Features Editor Elisabeth Ross Photographer Jamaal Murray Hair Trevor Jackson Makeup Andie Sleeman Creative Director Christina Marie
LOUNGE SET FROM NIKIVA’S OWN COLLECTION EARRINGS BY SAHARAS ESSENTIALS WWW.ETSY.COM/SHOP/SAHARASESSENTIALS NECKLACE FROM NIKIVA’S OWN COLLECTION RINGS FROM NIKIVA’S OWN COLLECTION
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W —47— JUL | AUG
hat is your purpose? Every human being would return a different answer to this question. Yet, it is those who strive to find purpose in all that they do that truly change the world for the better. Nikiva Dionne is intentional in all that she does, setting her apart as one whose platform is always used for the greater good. Working beyond a career that bloomed in fashion and is flourishing in film, it’s clear that this paragon’s pursuit in life is to always be better, no matter the industry. Growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, Nikiva displayed her creativity from a young age. “I always loved arts and entertainment. But it never even resonated, until I left Baltimore, that I could actually become an actress,” she recalls. “It was just never a conversation.” Throughout her childhood, she did the “theater thing” and began modeling as a teenager, which familiarized her with the fashion industry. “I coordinated the fashion shows in high school. Yes, I took drama classes. But, you know, there was never a teacher that was like, ‘You should do this.’” So she wound up at Berkeley College in Manhattan, studying fashion. “They didn’t have dorms, but there was a building that was allocated to internships and students,” Nikiva recollects, narrating her experiences in the place where she lived, near Times Square, during her first year and a half in New York. “There was a lot of noise in the hallway one day, so I opened up the door and it’s my neighbors, who I never met—I had just moved there—and they were like, ‘Oh we’re so sorry! We’re running lines!’ And I’m like, ‘What?’ And they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m in school for theater!’ I remember shutting the door and thinking, ‘Wait I could have went to school for that?’ I had no idea. No one ever said you could go to school for that!” That moment caused Nikiva to question her direction, but since success with fashion continued to come to her readily, she stuck with it and eventually graduated with two degrees. “New York is pretty much a place about work ethic—it’s not about who you know, they don’t really care. ‘Can you do the work?’ people would ask. So, I was able to thrive in that environment because I had always had a job since I was in the sixth grade—I’ve always worked!” Working in fashion, which is a notoriously fast-paced industry, really was the perfect fit for her. “I found success right away between school and I worked in wholesale—I did modeling
for BCBG.” One opportunity led to another, and she stayed with the brand for the next four years, a move that officially launched her fashion career. “New York definitely was that place of constant challenge.” Nikiva’s two childhood best friends from Baltimore had also moved to the Big Apple to study fashion at the same time. “It was kind of like I had my little piece of Baltimore in the middle of New York.” However, it wasn’t until she finally moved out to Los Angeles at 23 that Nikiva realized how valuable having that support system in Manhattan had been for her professional development. She had always wanted to move out to California and was eventually transferred to the West Coast to help launch a few major retail stores, turning that dream into reality. “I wasn’t looking for New York to do anything for me.” Nikiva had wanted to develop herself in NY, but her approach to LA was very different. She asked herself, “If I’m gonna be here, then what does this look like? What do I need from this environment?” As she still felt a strong pull to the entertainment industry, Nikiva decided to hire actors as models for the stores she was running to feed those creative cravings. “And that way they’ll have jobs,” she thought, “and I can give them flexible schedules, and that’ll be perfect!” Yet, it was The Alchemist that solidified that career pivot from fashion to acting, setting her course straight. Nikiva landed multiple promotions in the short time she’d spent in Southern California, but she couldn’t deny that something still didn’t feel right about this trajectory. It caused her to again question why she was vying for something more in fashion. Before stepping into yet another role, she decided to take a vacation. “My family and friends thought that I was in Mexico. I wasn’t. I was in a one-bedroom apartment in North Hollywood,” she admits.
N
ikiva had heard about fasting, though she’d never done it before. “A friend had bought me The Alchemist, and I had it and just never read it. So, I said, ‘You know what? No one can interrupt me!’ I knew there was something that wasn’t settled about accepting the job. Something wasn’t right, you know?” She did a water-only fast with little more than a new Bible and a notebook. “No electronics, no anything. I’m reading this book, and I’m seeing the parallels of my life,” referencing the main character Santiago, whose success in a crystal shop mirrored Nikiva’s own achievements in the fashion industry. “Maybe I keep wanting more in terms of the promotions because it’s not really what I’m supposed to do?” she wondered. That’s when she realized: “Okay it’s kind of now or never! You’re gonna try it and bet on yourself!” She knew whatever it was that was urging her had to be bigger than herself. When Nikiva came back to work that following Monday morning, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was time to make that change. She knew she had to walk away; she was only looking for a sign—which came in the form of her store being fully staffed, an anomaly that gave her the peace of mind to leave, knowing that all would be just fine without her. “I got up and sent an email, and I left, and I knew I couldn’t give a two-week notice because I would have been talked out of it.” Reality hit when she pulled up to her home in North Hollywood. “I had a Lexus car lease, I had this luxury apartment, and I’m like, ‘Wait a minute…where’s the money gonna come from? You have about two months’ worth of savings!’ It was crazy.” But she had no doubt that she could make it as an actress. “It’s funny because I remember thinking one time, ‘I’m gonna be telling the story and it would be like a two-second soundbite when it was like seven years of hell,’” Nikiva recounts with an infectious laugh.
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Summer Savoring
Summertime has a way of inspiring us to be on our best diet behavior. With more heat and less clothes comes greater UV exposure and little room for extra snacking. The need for additional sunscreen during this time of the year is a given, but sometimes we also need a gentle reminder that what we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in them. However, that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice flavor! Food grown from the earth is at the foundation of every well-balanced meal plan. With several approaches to this lifestyle, it’s easy to tailor a plant-based food regimen to meet everyone’s lifestyle. The concept and definition of vegetarianism has evolved greatly over the years—plant-based diets have numerous variations that create several vegetarian subcategories. On the strict end, vegans exclude all meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products and byproducts from their diet, and the even stricter raw vegan prohibits plant foods to be cooked past 115 degrees. There are the lacto types (which allow for daily), the ovo (permitting eggs), and the
Editorial Director Lauren Barisic Photographer Don Dizon
hybridized lacto-ovo. At the middle ground are pescatarians, who eat fish. Over on the semi-vegetarian side are flexitarians, who, as the name suggests, are more flexible with occasional and mindful meat consumption. It is estimated that approximately 8% of the world identifies as vegetarian, with the United States making up 2.2% of the global vegetarian population. Another 10% of humans follow some kind of vegetarian diet. Yet, despite the relatively low percentage of vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians world-wide, plant-based diets reduce the risk of death from heart disease by an astounding 40%. Heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consistently ranks as the number one cause of death not just nationwide, but around the world. Mother Nature knows what’s best for our bodies! Our earth yields a rainbow of wonderfully nutritious, pure foods, so when it comes to tidying up our dietary intake, eat well and be full naturally.
Spinach-Stuffed Shells with Marinara SERVES 8
24 jumbo pasta shells 5 oz. fresh spinach 1 white onion (thinly sliced) 3 garlic cloves (minced) 1 egg 2 cups ricotta cheese 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded) ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated) Olive oil Garlic salt Black pepper White pepper
For the Marinara 6 Roma tomatoes ¼ bottle of white wine 2 tbs. butter 1 white onion 3 garlic cloves 1 bunch of fresh basil 2 heaping tbs. capers Olive oil Garlic salt Black pepper
Instructions Begin by setting a large pot of salted water to boil before preparing the spinach filling. Prep the white onion and garlic. In a large saucepan on medium heat, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, followed by the onion and garlic. Once they’re cooked until soft and fragrant, toss in the fresh spinach, cover it with a lid, and cook until bright green and slightly wilted—if you need more moisture, just add a bit more olive oil. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses with the egg. Add garlic salt and black pepper to taste, plus a pinch of white pepper. When thoroughly incorporated, add in the cooked spinach mixture and fold it together to create the spinach filling. For the marinara sauce, wash the tomatoes before cutting away the stem bases, and then quarter them, as well as the white onion. Add the cut tomatoes and white onion to a blender, followed by the garlic cloves and half the capers, then add fresh basil, garlic salt, and black pepper to taste. This will make for a light marinara, so if you prefer a heartier tomato sauce, add a bit of tomato paste to embolden the flavor. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top of the ingredients, as well as the white wine, before pulsating until it’s nearly smooth. In a large saucepan, drizzle enough olive oil to cover the surface, and set it to medium heat. Pour the marinara sauce into the pan. Stir in the remaining capers. Add the butter, which will melt as the sauce cooks. Simmer the sauce until it becomes fragrant—it should begin to bubble gently and turn darker in color. Note: The sauce should reduce a bit while you prepare the jumbo pasta shells, but if it reduces to a point where it’s becoming thick or dry, just add some pasta water to bring it back to life. Boil the jumbo pasta shells until they are al dente. Remove the cooked shells from the pasta water and set them aside on paper towels to slightly dry and cool. Now, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Assemble the jumbo pasta shells for baking. Prepare a baking dish by covering the bottom of it with a thin layer of marinara. Gently stuff the jumbo pasta shells with the spinach filling. Place the stuffed shells open side up in the prepared baking dish. Once they are all lined up in the dish, spoon on the remaining sauce. Bake for 20 minutes—let the Spinach-Stuffed Shells with Marinara cool slightly before serving three to a plate.
Grilled Artichokes with Creamy Feta Sauce SERVES 4
2 artichokes 2 lemons (juiced; zest 1 of them) 4 garlic cloves (minced) Olive oil Garlic salt Black pepper
For the Creamy Feta Sauce 4 oz. feta cheese (whole feta in water is preferable) ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt 1 lemon (juiced) 2 garlic cloves ¼ cup fresh herbs (tarragon, dill, parsley, and basil are ideal) ¼ tsp. smoked paprika Garlic salt White pepper
Instructions Begin by setting a large pot of salted water to boil before preparing the artichokes. Trim their leaf spikes and cut off the prickly tops. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer skin of the artichoke stem, then trim the exposed tip off. Cut the artichokes down the center to create two mirrored halves. Rub about half of the lemon juice on the exposed artichokes to prevent them from browning. Place a steaming rack inside the pot of salted water. Once the water comes to a boil, place the prepared artichokes with the exposed side down on the steaming rack. Cover the pot, reduce the temperature to medium, and steam until they can be pierced easily with a knife (approximately 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the artichokes). While the artichokes are steaming, prepare the Creamy Feta Sauce. Add the feta cheese, plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, and paprika to a food processor. Blend until the mixture becomes creamy, then add a pinch of white pepper and garlic salt to taste. Allow the Creamy Feta Sauce to refrigerate while you finish preparing the artichokes; the sauce can even be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. In a small bowl, mix an equal part of olive oil (a flavored or infused olive oil works beautifully for this step) to the remaining lemon juice before adding in the lemon zest and minced garlic cloves. Once the artichokes are done steaming, remove them from the steamer pot and brush the exposed sides with the lemon juice and olive oil mixture, and sprinkle them with garlic salt and black pepper to taste. Using a grill mat, grill the artichokes with the exposed side down. Once the grill marks are evident, remove the Grilled Artichokes from the heat and serve them with the Creamy Feta Sauce.
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Salmon Cakes atop Baby Greens with Lemon Beurre Blanc SERVES 3-6
½ lb. cooked salmon (skinless) 1 egg 1 bag of baby greens lettuce ½ red bell pepper 2 stalks celery 2 stalks green onions 2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbs. capers 1 tbs. mayonnaise 1 tbs. spicy brown or Dijon mustard 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp. Old Bay seasoning Avocado or olive oil Salted sweet cream butter
Instructions Begin by flaking the cooked salmon and setting it aside in a medium mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, the mustard of choice, and the Worcestershire sauce, then whisk in the egg to make the wet base. Finely chop the red bell pepper, celery, and green onions. Add the chopped vegetable mix to the flaked salmon, followed by the garlic and capers, then gently combine the mixture. Once folded together, add the wet base, as well as the Old Bay seasoning, and again, gently fold until fully incorporated. Refrigerate the salmon cake mixture for at least 30 minutes, preferably up to 3 hours. To cook the salmon cakes, preheat a skillet to medium-high heat. Melt an equal part of salted sweet cream butter with avocado or olive oil (the butter will give the Salmon Cakes a golden-brown crust; avocado oil is preferable because it has a higher burning point and the oil helps keep the butter from burning). Scoop approximately ¼ cup of the chilled salmon mixture into your
For the Lemon Beurre Blanc ½ bottle white wine 1 lemon (juiced) 1 shallot (minced) 1 heaping tbs. capers 4 tbs. salted sweet cream butter (chilled)
hand and press it loosely into a ball—place it into the hot pan, pressing the top with a spatula to flatten and create the “cake” shape. Cover it with a lid to cook. When the Salmon Cakes become golden brown on the bottom, flip them and repeat the process on the other side. If you need more butter and oil during the frying process, simply keep adding an equal ratio of both to the hot pan. While the Salmon Cakes cook, heat a medium pan on medium-high heat. Add the white wine and the minced shallot, and simmer until the white wine reduces by half. Once the white wine has reduced, remove the pan from the heat. Add the chilled salted sweet cream butter (which should be cut into four parts) and whisk until it is completely melted. Next, stir in the lemon juice and capers. This should yield approximately 6 Salmon Cakes and can thus be presented either as a main course or as an appetizer. To serve, place a handful of baby greens lettuce on a plate, nestle the Salmon Cakes on top, and then ladle the Lemon Beurre Blanc atop the arrangement.
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