DANIKA BRYSHA model citizen
1528 E. CHAMPLAIN DR. STE. 103 FRESNO, CA | 559 434 4589 | WWW.SCEPTREANDSASH.COM NE CORNER OF CHAMPLAIN AND SHEPHERD, INSIDE THE VIA MONTANA SHOPPING CENTER
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The heartbeat of this agency is family,” says Andrea Der Manouel, of M.D. Manouel Insurance Agency. Andrea’s husband, Michael Der Manouel, Sr. started the agency in 1974, after spending 20 years as a farmer and working as an insurance underwriter. His farming experience has proved invaluable, as one of the agency’s areas of specialization is insurance pertaining to agriculture. Today, Michael, Andrea and her son, Austin Brock, operate a family-run insurance agency that not only serves its clients, but also treats its employees like family, while giving back to the community. When Michael and Andrea talk about their employees, it’s as if they are talking about family members. Michael’s face lights up when he talks about his employees’ children, to whom he is affectionately known as “Papa Michael.” “When their kids come in, they always come and visit me. If one of those kids is sick, we tell their mom to ‘stay home.’ We have a high chair here and some of our young moms even work with their babies in a playpen in their office,” says Michael. It’s clear that not just two-legged family members are welcomed into the office. “I’ve got a dog bed behind my desk,” laughs Andrea, “and so do some of our other employees.” “We love our business,” Andrea says, “and our staff loves to work here. We make life work here. We eat together and support one another.” It’s obvious the staff agrees; M.D. Manouel boasts a distinguished history of long-term employees and professional agents. M.D. Manouel is a full-service agency, but they offer something that other insurance companies do not: a focus on certain “niche” areas. This means they offer not just insurance policies, but full-service risk management and loss control, tailored for these specific areas. Though they serve a wide array of businesses and offer commercial products, employee benefits and personal products, they specialize in the niches of agriculture, social services, construction and High Net Worth Personal Insurance. Charles Specht, V.P. of Business Development and Marketing, joined the M.D. Manouel team in May of this year. After being an area V.P. for the fourth largest insurance company in the world, Charles left to start his own consulting firm, which supports both insurance agencies and insurance buyers to improve their business and learn to lower their fees and costs. “We aren’t just focused on insurance,” says Charles. “We look at ourselves as being in the industry of our client rather than being in the industry of insurance. We aren’t just another vendor. We can insure anything, but we focus on loss control and risk management, primarily in our niche areas. We are then able to offer specific solutions for problem areas.”
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Because of this focus, they can give specific guidance in both loss control and risk management. “This means we work with our clients to help put niche-specific safety measures and other programs into place, to prevent loss,” explains Charles. “This allows frequency and severity of claims to be lower, which drives down premiums and creates a better work environment where employees feel safer and have higher productivity.” In addition to providing their clients with the best insurance for their needs, one of the things that the Der Manouel family is most passionate about is the Hubbard Baro Memorial Golf Tournament, established in honor of Jeremiah Baro and Jared Hubbard, two friends who were killed in action on November 4th, 2004. The tournament was started by Austin Brock, as well as a group of the fallen young men’s other close friends, as a way of honoring them, remembering them and celebrating their lives. Over the last 13 years, the tournament has continued to donate 100% of its proceeds to the Fresno Veteran’s Affairs Hospital, totaling over $300,000. Each tournament honors a vet, and at one, the tournament had the honor of hosting Colonel Oliver North as its guest speaker. Stephen Bauman, Director of VA Central California Health Care System, presented a plaque of appreciation to the Hubbard-Baro Golf Tournament in February of 2016, for its support of the VA. “I served as the Acting Director at VA Central California Health Care System (VACCHCS) in 2015,” says Bauman. “What I noticed then and what was the deciding factor in my decision to apply for the Director position at VACCHCS was the support of the veterans in this community,” says Bauman. “It really is about faith and hope, love and respect, and this community exemplifies these attributes perfectly. What the Hubbard-Baro Memorial has done, and continues to do, for the VA and our Central Valley Veterans is absolutely immeasurable. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are honored to call you friends.” The Der Manouel family “works hard and plays hard,” Andrea says. When they aren’t spending time with their children and grandchildren, they are working with their horses and relaxing at their beach house. But they are also avidly involved in their community: in addition to sponsoring a local young man to go to West Point, the Der Manouel family also contributes to Cats on the Kings, an orphanage in Haiti and equine rescue. Michael’s love for animals is evident in the bag of dog food he keeps in his car, just in case he comes upon a hungry stray. Andrea, Michael and Austin all agree that they don’t go to work every day because it’s a “job,” but because of the people they work with and for. “We are committed to creating a positive work environment for our staff,” Andrea explains. “At the same time, we are committed to helping our clients manage risk, so that they and their businesses can grow and thrive. Accomplishing both those things gives us purpose and fulfillment.”
HIGH PROFILE Three’s Company: The Butterfish Story Features Editor Ann T. Sullivan Whitehurst Managing Editor Cheryl Ensom Dack Photographer Don Dizon
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e sat down with Butterfish owners, Brandon Smittcamp, Kevin Koligian and Rema Koligian to ask them about their restaurant, which specializes in “California Poke.” They explained how the business started and what makes it different from other culinary experiences in the Valley.
“We were convinced that there had to be a way to make and serve delicious, healthy, fresh food,” they told us. Furthermore, as the three put their heads together, they realized, “The options were limited. If it was fast, it usually wasn’t healthy. If it was healthy, it often didn’t taste great. And if it was convenient, it typically wasn’t fresh.” Since they have families who have been farming in the Valley for generations, and they all knew and appreciated fine dining, “We knew we could do better,” they decided. Brandon and Kevin, both born and raised in Fresno, have been best friends since kindergarten and they even had their first jobs together: Brandon (who is an eligible bachelor, by the way!) and Kevin worked at Lyons Magnus in junior high, stacking boxes on pallets at the end of a production line. Kevin and Rema first met in Sacramento at McGeorge School of Law in 2005. Kevin made a great sales pitch about Fresno and the rest, as they say, is history; the two will celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary this fall. We were curious: how did three friends concoct the unique concept of their restaurant, California Poke? “We each enjoyed eating poke in Hawaii, and on the heels of one of us complaining about the lack of healthy food options in town, we decided to develop our own California Poke Bowl concept. It was important to us that we offer more than just raw fish, so we started playing with ways to incorporate real crab, shrimp and chicken,” they told CVLUX. “We came up with the name ‘Butterfish,’ because we wanted a playful, catchy name. We liked the fact that ‘butterfish’ was a little oxymoronic in that we don’t serve butterfish or cook with butter.” When we asked the trio what their personal favorite Butterfish bowls are, they each had a different response. Brandon likes a combination of salmon, seared ahi, brown rice, wontons, spicy thai, cilantro, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, Sriracha ponzu, miso vinaigrette, cucumber, shaved snap peas, jalapeno, blistered shishito peppers, spicy mayo drizzle and crispy onions. Kevin’s favorite bowl includes ahi, sushi rice, wontons, Srirachi ponzu, miso vinaigrette, cilantro, green onion, toasted sesame seeds, cucumbers, edamame, shaved snap peas, honey cashew drizzle, macadamia nuts and crispy onions. If Rema created her ideal bowl it would include seared ahi, sesame shoyu, cilantro, green onions, toasted sesame seed, shaved snap peas, zucchini threads, wasabi cream drizzle, macadamia nuts and crispy onions. It’s clear that the possibilities are endless and delicious when it comes to California Poke, but the Butterfish owners say they have a lot of exciting sauces, proteins and topping they haven’t rolled out yet. They also recently accomplished a major goal in signing a lease for a third location in Northwest Fresno. When we asked them who in their lives has had the greatest impact on the people they are today, Brandon talked about Dave Milutinovich. “He’s the reason I fell in love with the restaurant business,” Brandon explained. Both Kevin and Rema say their grandparents impacted them most. “My grandfather, Vaughn Koligian, Sr., was an incredibly tough man, yet also kind,” said Kevin. Rema’s grandmother, Tobina Dalton, "Exemplified unconditional love and patience," Rema told us. Those answers led us to to ask the three what the best advice they’ve ever been given, expecting something like, “Work hard,” or, “Don’t give up on your dreams.” Their unique friendship and sense of humor is fresh and fun, so their answers were comical, to say the least! Best advice Brandon every got? “Don’t go into business with your friend or his wife.” Kevin answered, “Don’t go into business with your wife or your friend.” So of course we weren’t surprised at Rema’s answer: “Don’t go into business with your husband or his friend!”
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MEN THE
WHO COOK Managing Editor Cheryl Ensom Dack Photographer Don Dizon
The San Joaquin Valley is known as “the bread basket of the world” for good reason: we are surrounded by agriculture and an abundance of fresh ingredients, year round. Here in Fresno, “farm to table” can be very literal. At the same time, the Valley is home to countless cultures, and as a result, a very rich culinary heritage. CVLUX would like to introduce you to three of “The Men Who Cook” in Fresno, who make it fresh, fun and delicious to eat right here in our own neighborhoods.
Jim, Jeff and Jimmy Pardini, The Annex Kitchen The Annex Kitchen, once home to Pardini’s Café, is an Italian-inspired restaurant influenced by the seasonal offerings of farmers throughout Central California, opened by Jim Pardini and his sons, Jeff and Jimmy Pardini. Inspired by his travels throughout Italy, Jimmy Pardini began his cooking career at Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton’s Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. After working in Los Angeles for several years, Jimmy decided to move back to his hometown of Fresno and enter into business with his brother Jeff, and father, Jim. In June of 2015 they renovated the existing Pardini’s Cafe into what is now The Annex Kitchen. The cuisine the Pardini family seeks to reflect is the rustic, ingredient-focused cooking of regional Italy. The focus of the menu revolves around housemade
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pastas, grilled meats and vegetables from a wood burning hearth, and pizzas baked in their wood burning Acunto oven. The full bar also draws inspiration from locally sourced seasonal produce in its development of modern crafted cocktails while also paying homage to the classics. Italian food is quite literally in this family’s blood, as is the restaurant business. Jim worked with his own father in several restaurants here in Fresno, learning to do everything from bussing tables to meal prep. In 1971, Jim and his father, Al, opened Pardini’s restaurant on Shaw and Van Ness, and then in 1981, Jim founded Pardini’s Catering Company, one of the largest and established catering companies in the San Joaquin Valley. Three generations of Pardini men who cook is clearly turning out “quite deliciously,” as earlier this year, at the Best of the Valley Restaurant Awards, Jimmy Pardini received the honor of being named Restaurateur of the Year, while his father, Jim Pardini, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Pat LaRocca, FIVE Pat LaRocca has always been in the restaurant business. His first job was at his uncle’s restaurant, the original DiCicco’s on Blackstone. In the ‘80s, Pat’s parents opened LaRocca’s, where Pat worked until he opened his own restaurant in 2015, FIVE, in its current location, on Champlain in Fresno. FIVE offers an exquisite blend of contemporary Californian and Italian cuisine and features a private dining room, a wine room, an outdoor dining patio and full bar. The engaging atmosphere and energetic ambience is perfect for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends. Pat is passionate about food and the food service industry, and it’s evident in his exuberance and genuine enjoyment of both his job and his customers. But he’s also passionate about where he lives. Of course, he loves to visit other places and enjoys splurging on travel (especially to Italy), but he told CVLUX, “I love living in Fresno because this city is my true home with my friends, my family and the community who has continued to be so good to me over the years. Fresno will always be home to me—she and I are like a wellworn shoe … we just fit together perfectly.” Pat’s other passion is his family. He has been married to his wife, Marina, for over 22 years, and the couple has two daughters. When CVLUX asked him what the perfect evening for him would look like, his answer was, “One with all of my family.” Fresno restaurant-goers agree that FIVE is one of their favorite places to eat (and drink), and in fact the Fresno chapter of the California Restaurant Association called FIVE “Best Watering Hole” earlier this year.
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MODEL citizen Features Editor Andrea Towers Photographer Annie Vovan, Annie Vovan Photography Creative Director Rae Pardini Matson, RPM PR Stylist Melissa Chataigne, assisted by Amanda Weil Hair/Make-Up Trace Watkins
Dress and Shoes Micael Kors Earrings Bone by Dawn
MEETING DANIKA BRYSHA IN PERSON, YOU IMMEDIATELY NOTICE THE FOLLOWING THINGS: SHE’S TALL, AS A MODEL SHOULD BE. SHE HAS A BRIGHT SMILE THAT LIGHTS UP THE ROOM. HER FASHION SENSE IS ABSOLUTELY IMPECCABLE. While I fuss over my comfortable flats and stare at her five-inch heels, she ushers me into her quaint hotel room overlooking Gramercy Park, and offers me a water and fruit from a beautiful arrangement. I immediately feel more comfortable; I’ve been here two minutes and I feel like we’ve met before. Danika Brysha has that personality, and she embraces it. “I would love to be a motivational speaker,” she confesses when we sit down. “And what I mean by that is to help people do what I’m fortunate enough to do. I’m a big believer in manifestation and self-care.”
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It’s safe to say that both of those things have been important in Brysha’s life, transforming her into one of the most important “body positive influencers” in recent memory. Still, “I can’t wait for the day when I’m not a plus-size model or curve model, [but] I’m just a model,” she admits. “And I use the term—I’m by no means ashamed of it, I love the term—I think it’s beautiful and I think it causes awareness, and people can call me whatever they want to call me. But eventually … I’ll just be a model.” Born on Long Island, NY and raised in Newport Beach, CA, Brysha grew up doing what most teenagers do: she filled her walls with magazine cutouts of models who seemed to be the epitome of fame and success. It wasn’t any different, after all, than what she saw at the beach, or on the streets of her town. “I saw all the models and thought that would make me feel like enough,” explains Brysha of her runway dreams. “And I saw eating disorders my whole life as a mission for weight loss.” It was a mindset that led her to spend most of her teenage and college years battling bulimia and other disordered eating. But it was only when she stopped actively trying to lose weight in 2011—letting her body settle naturally at a size 12/14—that she got her first big break as a model, when she was approached at Bank of America. And suddenly, that “stamp of approval” she had sought out while trying to make it as a model meant something different. “A big thing was being surrounded by other body positive women. Now I’m on photo shoots with these curvy women that I’d never seen,” she says. “So, to see these other women who were celebrated for being beautiful and [now] for me to be the person in the media that I never had growing up is a real sort of honor.” Today, Brysha is far from the person she was as a teenager, in many ways. Not only has she modeled for brands like Target, Old Navy, Forever 21 and Benefit Cosmetics (to name a few), she’s a successful business woman, the CEO and co-founder of the rapidly growing Whole30 approved, paleo, organic and locally-sourced food delivery service called Model Meals. She’s in a stable and happy relationship with her boyfriend of ten months (who she calls her “guilty pleasure”). She’s writing a book on self-care and has dreams of becoming a life coach. She’s happy, healthy and looking toward the future with what can only be described as glowing optimism. And just because she’s succeeding on so many levels, she has no intention of stopping.
Gown Mac Duggal Earrings Private Collection
Photographed (left to right) Christian Ramirez, Danika Brysha, Tony Thomason, Janell Webber, Paul Barbosa and Camille May On Danika Brysha Dress Skies Are Blue Earrings Bone by Dawn On Camille May Dress Hottie & Lorde Earrings Bone by Dawn Scarf Vince Camuto Jacket Unreal Fur Ring Charles Albert Food Styling Michelle Ozuna Chef's Apron BlueCut Aprons
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or renowned interior designer, Julia Buckingham, this North Shore home in exclusive Kenilworth, Illinois, was truly a labor of love. Her clients, both West Point graduates, were so busy with their work lives that they had put off the design work needed to make this historic house the home of their dreams. After researching the historic pedigree and reviewing original turn of the century photographs, Julia started from the outside in. “A different approach for me,” says Buckingham. The endeavor began with a modern yet timeless paint redo. Presto! The house was ready to be tackled inside. “The client’s orders included ‘Color! Texture! FUN!’ So … I added my favorite color purple—in a huge way into the living room.” Amazing and important art was added, along with custom hand-knotted rugs from Oscar Isberian. She also added diamond-shaped 3-D ceramic silver leaf tile to the fireplace surround. The lighting is a mixture of vintage gems, agate slices and blown glass balls.
The kitchen was gut-renovated with the assistance of Julia’s beloved colleague, O’Brien Harris Kitchens. Buckingham designed custom, French-inspired barn doors to close off the family room, as well as custom lead glass doors to separate the kitchen from the dining room. The result? “Painstaking and aesthetic details all the way,” Buckingham describes. “Clients approved.” The dining room was embellished with side-to-side functioning Donghia fabric window draperies. “When you close the whole room off it feels like a magical salon,” the designer says.
What I love about Julia is her attention to detail. No space goes without thought and purpose, which is perfectly demonstrated by the bookshelves in the family room which she lined in antique mirror to reflect the 3-D Romo wall covering which resembles quilted and tufted upholstery.