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THE MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ISSUE COMPOSER NATHAN BARR

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THE PRIMARY CARE YOU TRUST, NOW IN THE VALLEY. With multiple Cedars-Sinai locations in the Valley, our primary care doctors are bringing expert care closer to you and your family. From checkups to consultations that guide you to specialized care, trust Cedars-Sinai to help manage your health, right in your neighborhood.

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NORTH HOLLYWOOD • TARZANA • VAN NUYS

“

What has made the biggest difference is not what Dr. Tolbert has done to help my back. It’s the way that she and her entire staff have treated me from the very beginning. For them, it was never about a broken down body part. It was about helping me find me again.

“

— Darren Kavinoky

IMAGINE IF YOU COULD REVERSE THE AGING PROCESS USING YOUR BODY’S OWN RECOVERY SYSTEM

The Tolbert Center difference According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, chronic pain now affects more people than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Most people over 50 are given the option of surgery, pills or physical therapy to treat any number of musculoskeletal conditions. But, at the Tolbert Center for Rehabilitation and Wellness, a Los Angeles-area state-of-the-art medical facility, we believe there is a better way to heal people. If you’re looking to feel like you’re young again, Dr. Glenna Tolbert and her team of physicians and nutrition and fitness specialists can work with you to decrease your pain, enhance your performance and keep you moving—all without surgery. Imagine that! We offer four main treatments to restore the function of your body and make you feel faboluous.

DNA Testing As a result of an injury or the aging process, medications, stress and chronic illness can rob our bodies of their necessary elements. With DNA micro nutrient testing, Dr. Tolbert has decreased patients’ pain by supplementing their diets with minerals and vitamins to restore their bodies’ balance.

Exercise We incorporate exercise into the healing process because, as Dr. Tolbert always says, exercise is the secret to the fountain of youth. Bring in your golf club, dancing shoes or yoga mat and get personalized injury prevention training or enroll in our performance enhancement program.

Regenerative Medicine Regenerative medicine uses minimally invasive procedures, along with a patient’s own body, to regrow and repair damaged cartilage and ligaments. We use tools such as prolotherapy, PRP and stem cell injections to accomplish this goal without surgery. We are even beginning to use regenerative medicine for hair loss.

Mind-Body Connection The evidence shows that the power of the mind is important to healing the body, and vice versa. That’s why we recently added a psychologist to our team to educate patients about the strength of the mind as it relates to the body.

JULY 2019

where we live

the sauce

20 Q & A An Expert on Men’s Heart Health

56 WHERE YOU’LL FIND ME 9-1-1 Actor Ken Choi at Pearl District

22 DATEBOOK Fun Stuff to Do 30 MEDIA Decidedly Masculine Works

59 TRÈS JOLIE Bistro Jolie at the Glen Centre 60 BERRY BOOZY Whiskey Blackberry Tarts

38 VALLEYDICTORIANS Local High School Valedictorians 64 RHINESTONE COWBOY Designer Nudie Cohn 72 TRAVEL British Columbia 74 SEEN Faces Spotted Around Town

features 14 ORGAN OWNER Meet composer Nathan Barr and step inside his Bandrika Studios in Tarzana. 24 SOUNDS LIKE HOME Musician Ray Parker Jr. shows off his Calabasas recording studio. 32 EXTRA CREDIT The team from Oakwood School reflects on their Oscar—and what’s next.

and then some... 76 PROFILES A Curated List of Local Health Care Professionals 104 REAL ESTATE Spectacular Local Listings 114 LAST WORD Little League at The Sixth Inning

42 ROAD SHOW Learn about a clever outreach program to teach students about protecting our oceans. 48 HOW TOXIC IS YOUR BOARD? Step inside the workshop of a shaper who is using worms to make eco-friendly surf boards . 68 FASHION Peruse some of the coolest trends of summer.

COVER Nathan Barr Photographed by Michael Becker

24 72

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

PUBLISHER

Linda Grasso

Robin Sanders 424-220-6340 | robin@goldenstate.is

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Michelle Villas

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EDITORIAL

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Marketing Manager | Kimberly Caltagirone

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GROUP PUBLISHER

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Jared Sayers

CONTRIBUTORS Heather David, Jenny Karl, Hadley Hall Meares, Tanya Monaghan, Kara Mickelson, Anne M. Russell, Steve Seidel, Susan S. Spillman PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Becker, Stephanie Betesh, Kristin Burns, Matthew Cooke, Shane O’Donnell, Eric Garcia-March , Monica Orozco

VENTURA BLVD IS A DIVISION OF THE GOLDEN STATE COMPANY

MANAGING PARTNERS Charlie Koones

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MARKETING & OPERATIONS Partner/Brand Publisher | Emily Stewart Partner/Managing Director, Media & Analytics | Warren Schaffer Director of Digital | Charles Simmons Director of Film & Video | Bryce Lowe-White Operations Director | Allison Jeackjuntra Community Manager | Natalie Long Director of Events | Danielle Price Accounting | Janet De La Cruz, Ljay Farris To learn more about us, visit thegoldenstatecompany.com No part of this periodical may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent from The Golden State Company LLC. Any and all submissions to this or any of The Golden State Company, LLC publications become the property of The Golden State Company LLC and may be used in any media. We reserve the right to edit. SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: info@goldenstate.is or phone: 310-376-7800. Subscriptions are $29 per year. TO OUR READERS Ventura Blvd welcomes your feedback. Please send letters to: Reader Response Department, Ventura Blvd at address below. Include your name, address and email. Edited letters may be published. 200 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 110, El Segundo, CA 90245 Tel 310-376-7800 | Fax 310-376-0200 | goldenstate.is | venturablvd.goldenstate.is

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SERVING THE COMMUNITY

editor’s letter | LINDA GRASSO

Class Act I’ve always been inspired by people who have an ambitious vision and are able to execute it. Great ideas are a dime a dozen, but being able to make them happen is what matters. Our cover feature for our annual MEN’s issue about TV and film composer Nathan Barr and his Bandrika Studios is a terrific example of the kind of story that gets me fired up. He built a state-of-the-art, full-fledged recording studio just a stone’s throw from the Boulevard in Tarzana. And the studio is not just for him; he’s sharing it with the community and using it as a means to pay it forward. When I got pitched the idea to feature Nathan and Bandrika, I honestly thought I was hearing some sort of embellishment. Not the case, as you will see beginning on page 14. In this issue you’ll also meet a couple of other impressive guys who are on a mission to save our planet. One is shaper Ryan Harris, who is manufacturing nontoxic surfboards. He invites us into his workshop and shows off his 10,000 mealworms, which he believes are the key to creating environmentally safe boards. Curiosity piqued? Check it out on page 48. In this issue, we also share a story about Hans and Nick Schippers (page 42). The 20-something brothers are committed to teaching students up and down the West Coast about protecting our oceans from plastics. The tricked-out, eco-conscious school bus they travel in is as colorful as they are, which somewhat explains why they’re able to reach that oh-so-tricky age group: middle schoolers. Also don’t miss our annual salute to local high school valedictorians, “Valleydictorians” (page 38). The group was fun and animated for the photo shoot at Balboa Park. Their elation at embarking on new lives was palpable. And as you can see from the above photo, I got a bit caught up in it!

Linda Grasso Editor-in-Chief

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

Follow me on Instagram @linda.grasso and my podcast @she_sez

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THE RIGHT CHORD The sophisticated Calabasas home recording studio of Ray Parker Jr. More on page 24.

APRIL 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

ORGAN OWNER What do you do when you buy a piece of Hollywood history? If you are TV and film composer Nathan Barr, you build a world-class recording studio and concert space to show it off. WRITTEN BY HADLEY HALL MEARES PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL BECKER

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

GOOD PIPES Nateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prized Wurlitzer organ, which spent seven decades on the 20th Century Fox lot

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

oyish and brimming with enthusiasm, Emmy-nominated composer Nathan Barr bounds up a spiral staircase inside Bandrika Studios, his new recording studio nestled in a quiet mixed-use area just north of the Boulevard in Tarzana. Although it is just past 8 a.m., Nathan, or Nate, as friends call him, seems champing at the bit. He’s excited to demonstrate the intricate and unique capabilities of his priceless 1928 Wurlitzer pipe organ, which he has had meticulously restored. “These are supposed to sound like low strings. This is supposed to sound like a sax,” he says, pointing out pipes of various lengths and sizes. “For every note, we need a pipe. It’s incredibly complex— and it’s all wind, air and magnets—the whole thing. That’s it!” Nate, who lives with his two dogs in Topanga Canyon, has a passion for the incredibly complex but simply beautiful. That fervor is discernable in his scores for hit shows like The Americans, Fosse/ Verdon and True Blood as well as those he has created for dozens of films. It is also on full display at the Art Deco-inspired Bandrika Studios. This jewel box of a complex, designed by Soler Architecture with acoustical design by Jay Kaufman of Kaufman & Associates, was conceived, in part, to house Nate’s growing collection of historical mechanical instruments. The collection also includes a humanbone trumpet from Tibet, a dismantled piano that he calls his “butchered piano,” a rare glass armonica, and several cellos including a custom motorized drone cello and a gourd cello. Six years ago, Nate discovered the Wurlitzer organ, which for seven decades was located at the 20th Century Fox Studios scoring stage and was used in films including The Sound of Music, Patton and The Witches of Eastwick. The organ was in disrepair and packed in floor-to-ceiling crates in a warehouse in Reno, Nevada. Nate knew immediately he had to have it. “This organ was built to give one person maximum ability to musically accompany themselves,” Nate explains. “And you can imagine the audiences back in the early 1900s going into a theater and hearing this—and their heads just exploded!” He grew up in New York with parents who are accomplished (non-professional) musicians, surrounded by eclectic music. Those sounds ranged from his mother performing on the koto and piano,

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

INTERMISSION Nate relaxing with his two dogs at Bandrika Studios. Right: a few items from Nateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection of rare instruments and musical books.

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

to his father playing the banjo, guitar and shakuhachi. Later Nate studied at Skidmore College, and toured Europe with the Juilliard Cello Ensemble. Nate envisioned Bandrika Studios—named for the fictitious country in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes—not only as a home for his collection but also a world-class, state-of-the-art recording and scoring facility. “When I spoke to my architect, I said. ‘I want something that doesn’t feel like we’re imitating something from the past. But I do want something that feels like it tips its hat to the past.’” Transforming what had been a nondescript, 10,000-square-foot, two-story office building into one of the most technologically advanced scoring studios in the world took years of planning—and compromise. “The architect would draw this beautiful thing and send it to the acoustician and he’d just go, ‘No, no. Can’t use that. Can’t put that there,’” the composer explains. “And then the contractor would take a look at the plans and say, ‘What? How am I supposed to build this?’ We’d have meetings here and I’d leave every Thursday absolutely certain it was going to never happen.” The finished product feels like a composer’s—or a musically gifted frat boy’s—dream. There is a cozy, elegant control room, a high-end gourmet kitchen and bar, and an office/lounge space overlooking the spectacular scoring stage, which “floats” on special discs to isolate the sound. “The room has such a unique sound,” Nate says of the stage, which can easily accommodate an orchestra of 50 players. “Any of the engineers that have come through to record feel like the room has its own identity. There’s a warmth and a clarity and a generosity. Like if you put a cello in there, the room loves that—the cello really emanates out into the room and blooms.” But Bandrika is not just for work; it is also a space for education and play. The composer frequently hosts visitors, including concertgoers, musicians and students on educational field trips. This past spring Nate co-hosted three sold-out “Silent Films Live II” concerts to benefit the nonprofit Education Through Music–Los Angeles. For the event he and several other accomplished composers created new scores for clips of classic silent films. They were screened on the scoring stage and performed live by the USC Chamber Orchestra. “Sharing it is the best part,” Nate says, beaming. “Like, if I sit here alone, then so what? But we calculated we’ve probably had fifteen hundred people come through the building since it opened less than a year ago. There’s something with live music that isn’t captured in a box or on a laptop. And this is a testament to that. Having people come in and enjoy it ... that’s what it’s all about.” ■

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

Matters of the Heart

Cardiologist Eduardo Marbán is the director of the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The top-ranked institute encompasses the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center, which focuses on the differences between heart disease in women and men. In addition to his role as the Institute’s director, the physician (who received a dual MD/PhD at the Yale University School of Medicine) oversees the Marbán Laboratory at Cedars-Sinai, where he conducts cutting-edge research in re-engineering heart cells to treat arrhythmias— essentially creating a “biological pacemaker.” He’s also working on methods of therapeutic regeneration, which seeks to repair damaged hearts using stem cells. Here, Dr. Marbán reveals the latest on heart health and what the future holds for better disease treatment.

When it comes to cardiovascular disease, men are the more vulnerable sex, accounting for two-thirds of heart patients. Here an expert expounds on preventive care and the latest treatments for men. WRITTEN BY ANNE M. RUSSELL ILLUSTRATED BY YASMINE KAHSAI

Why are men more susceptible to heart disease than women? We don’t understand it fully, other than being able to say there’s a male preponderance. A lot of focus has been on hormonal influences—testosterone versus estrogen—but that doesn’t seem to be the whole story. It’s not as simple as saying “Let’s get rid of testosterone and we’ll get rid of heart disease.” That just seems to be one of the many factors that figure into it. Which is the worse scenario for men: bad genes or bad lifestyle? I’d much rather have good genetics than a good lifestyle with bad genetics. Look at Winston Churchill: He was obese, ate poorly, smoked like a chimney—and died at the age of 90 after living a full and stressful life. Then, at the other extreme, there’s Jim Fixx, the marathon runner who died of a heart attack in his early 50s, having lived a pristine life. But the important thing to realize is that while we can curse our genes, we’re stuck with them. In somebody with an average predisposition to heart disease, lifestyle modification is incredibly important. In the prosperous parts of Southern California we tend to be Exhibit A for good lifestyles: fewer smokers, less obesity and a relatively meatlight diet, favoring more fish and vegetable oils and a lot of exercise.

Of those kinds of healthy behaviors, which is the most critical for preventing heart disease? Adherence to a good dietary regimen and exercise to avoid obesity are the most important things people can do to modify their overall risk, aside from smoking cessation. The evidence regarding exercise shows that what is really important is getting out of the sedentary lifestyle. You need to avoid sitting on the couch and doing nothing. I tell my patients half an hour a day of vigorous activity is plenty. You don’t have to hit the gym for two hours a day or sweat away your life on a Soul Cycle. Do doctors still believe in a “heart attack personality”? That is, the Type A overachiever who gives himself heart disease? The idea that personality itself breeds heart disease is increasingly outmoded; we just don’t see that there’s a strong evidence base for that. But in somebody who already has heart disease there’s no doubt that stress plays an important role and can be a precipitant of a bad outcome. In those cases, we prescribe meditation and relaxation therapy as well as exercise for its benefits in terms of outlook. Is the future of treatment biological fixes, like the stem cell and gene-engineering therapies you’re working on? I think we will give the traditional devices and the major surgeries like transplants a run for their money, but ultimately those approaches will keep getting better, so we may end up with hybrid approaches—more of a bionic approach where we do a bit of both to fix the heart. The goal is to make people better—we don’t necessarily have to do it one way or another. ■

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

datebook

Wanna See

GOING ON NOW Summer Nights

KCRW’s popular annual event series features free outdoor performances from bands and DJs. Suitable for all ages and runs throughout summer. kcrw.com

Contact High

A look at the contact sheets of the photographers who brought hip-hop’s visual culture to the global stage. Through August 18. annenbergphotospace.org

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Theatricum Botanicum brings back its signature summer production staged in a magical outdoor setting in Topanga Canyon. Through September 2. theatricum.com

Book of Beasts: The Bestiary in the Medieval World

More than 100 works that transport visitors into the world of the medieval bestiary, the book describing the beasts of the world. Through August 18. getty.org

JULY 5-7 The Royal Ballet

Fearless Fashion: Rudi Gernreich

LA fashion designer Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985) helped launch the careers of supermodels with designs including the topless monokini and the micromini. Fearless Fashion offers an entertaining look at 80 Gernreich ensembles. Through September 1 at the Skirball Cultural Center. skirball.org

Coyote Leaves the Res: The Art of Harry Fonseca

This exhibit showcases paintings, sketches and lithographs on the recurring figure of Coyote, exploring the complexity of Harry Fonseca’s art within the context of a contemporary world. At the Autry Museum through January 5. theautry.org

Frozen in Time: Images of Antarctica

A captivating ensemble of photographs by Diane Tuft that highlight the changing landscape of Antarctica. Includes 13 large-scale works. At the Natural History Museum through January 20. nhm.org

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

Great Britain’s most prestigious ballet company returns to the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Also performing July 12-13. musiccenter.org

16 Steve Martin & Martin Short

The two comedians join forces for what is sure to be a gutbusting evening. lagreektheatre.com

19 Hugh Jackman: The Man. The Music. The Show. The entertainer performs hit songs from Broadway and film, accompanied by a live orchestra. hollywoodbowl.com

21 Grand Park’s Sunday Sessions

LA’s beautiful downtown park plays host, featuring music by local house curators. Pack a picnic or purchase from food trucks. grandparkla.org

A peek into the state-of-the-art Calabasas home recording studio of Ray Parker Jr. WRITTEN BY LINDA GRASSO | PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;DONNELL

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

he impetus for musician Ray Parker Jr.’s home recording studio in Calabasas wasn’t convenience or accessibility. Interestingly enough, it was color. “Most recording studios are all black. I wanted a space with color. It makes me feel awake,” says Ray. The state-of-theart facility adjacent to Ray’s home is awash in hues of red, ochre, purple and maroon. “It reminds me of Jimi Hendrix in here,” he laughs, reclining on a Moroccan daybed filled with jewel-toned velvet pillows. The structure was built three years ago, just a stone’s throw from his sprawling Mediterranean-style house in an exclusive gated development. Ray and his wife, Elaine, who owns a modeling agency, have lived there for 25 years, raising their four children. Facing the street, and with its own distinct, lush landscaping, the studio could easily be mistaken for a separate residence. But a closer look reveals that the structure is a mini replica of the main house. The architectural design of the studio is the same, right down to the creamy ivory stucco color and the red-tiled roof. In the entry, visitors are greeted by a wall of glass-encased, mostly electric guitars. There’s the one George Benson gave Ray. Another is from Phil Upchurch. Every instrument has a story. Ray gestures to the ebony guitar Stevie Wonder gave him, and a story soon spills out. Ray started collaborating with Stevie as a guitar player in the early ’70s, and then something happened that cemented Ray’s career in the music industry—and their friendship. “He called me on the phone. I was just 18 years old. He asked me if I wanted to tour with the Rolling Stones as his lead guitarist. (Stevie was opening for the Stones’ 1972 tour.) I ended up dropping out of college—and my parents were not happy!” After the Stones tour, Ray left Detroit for good, first living in Beverly Hills, then Mammoth Lakes, before permanently settling down in Calabasas in 1992. “I’m a pilot, and whenever I was flying I’d see this sunny circle around what was then just a country town. I

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

BEHIND THE CURTAIN Clockwise from left: Ray’s wall of guitars at the studio entry; the soundproof space; a creation by glass artist Barbara Domsky illuminates one wall

“Most recording studios are all black. I wanted a space with color. It makes me feel awake.”

said that spot is always sunny. That is where I want to live.” The singer/songwriter has had a prolific career. He and his band have nine gold and platinum albums, collaborating with artists including Barry White, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross. His biggest hit was “Ghostbusters,” created for the 1984 blockbuster film starring Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd, for which he received an Oscar nomination. “It doesn’t matter how old I am. That song does not get old. Everywhere I go people want me to sing it.” These days Ray spends a fair bit of time in his studio, whether he’s composing, jamming with his two sons or collaborating with other artists. The main area of the studio is divided into two spaces, a control room and a live room. They are separated by thick sheets of floor-to-ceiling soundproofing glass, slightly slanted to diffuse sound. “We can be in here recording at 4 a.m., drums and all, and no one outside this studio can hear a thing,” states Ray. Eric Scott Williams was on the engineering team from Westlake Pro that did the wiring for the studio. “It is a fully functioning recording studio, capable of tracking live rhythm sections and full bands. There are two isolation booths, and even the piano foyer in Ray’s home is wired for recording live with the rest of the facility,” Eric says. Other impressive features: a six-camera video system that allows for live streaming of sessions, and wall-mounted microphones. “While it could easily serve as a worldclass commercial facility, this studio is about Ray and his friends—all legends in the music industry—created to be a musical and creative oasis,” Eric adds. Through a side door, visitors get a glimpse of a pristine vineyard of syrah grapes, a variety well suited to Calabasas’ hot summers. The grapes yield a half dozen cases of wine each year; there’s a wine cellar in the basement. Ray is currently working on composing the music for a documentary about his life. He says music still gives him the same joy it did when started back in Detroit. “Oh yeah, definitely,” he says. And then the conversation trails off as he loses himself in a riff of melodies on his guitar. ■

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

to our Class of 2019 Oh, the Places They’ll Go... accepted by these wonderful high schools! Fearless scholars. Conscientious citizens.

Archer School for Girls Brentwood School Buckley School Campbell Hall School Cate School Chaminade College Preparatory Crespi Carmelite High School Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences Geffen Academy Harvard-Westlake School Louisville High School Marlborough School

Marymount High School Milken Community School New Roads School Notre Dame High School Oakwood School Sierra Canyon School Thacher School Viewpoint School Vistamar High School Wildwood School *bold denotes where enrolled

Nursery to 8th Grade 16000 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049 • 310-476-6421 • BerkeleyHall.org License #191604221

Just the Ticket

Take an adventure with a few memorable men of summer. ANTHONY BOURDAIN REMEMBERED By CNN | HarperCollins Publishers This new book brings together memories and anecdotes from fans reminiscing about Bourdain’s enduring effect on their lives as well as comments from chefs, journalists, filmmakers, musicians and writers. Among the interviewees: Barack Obama, Eric Ripert, Jill Filipovic, Ken Burns, Questlove and José Andrés. The remembrances give us a glimpse of Bourdain’s dedication to travel and eating well (and widely), and his love of the written word. ULYSSES By James Joyce | Dover Publication Originally reviled as obscure and obscene, Joyce’s 100-year-old masterpiece stands as one of the great literary achievements of the 20th century. Loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey, the novel traces the paths of Leopold Bloom and other Dubliners through an ordinary summer day and night in 1904—a typical day transformed by Joyce’s narrative powers into an epic celebration of life. ROCKETMAN In Theatres Now This musical fantasy follows the fantastical transformation of shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into international superstar Elton John. At the core of the drama: Elton’s struggles with drug addiction and his parents, who refused to accept his homosexuality. The movie is set to Elton John’s most beloved songs which are actually performed by star Taron Egerton. Rocketman also stars Jamie Bell as Elton’s longtime lyricist and writing partner, Bernie Taupin. ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD In Theatres July 25 Quentin Tarantino’s ninth feature film is a story that takes place in LA in 1969, at the height of hippie Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a Western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in Hollywood, and Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor: Sharon Tate.

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Extra Credit After winning an Oscar for the documentary Period. End of Sentence., some Oakwood School students, along with their inspirational teacher, field offers and ponder their next move. WRITTEN BY HEATHER DAVID | PHOTOGRAPHED BY MONICA OROZCO

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GIRL POWER Oakwood students Mason Maxam and Charlotte Silverman in India last year with the pad making machine.

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even years ago, Oakwood School English teacher Melissa Berton, serving as faculty sponsor for Girls Learn International, traveled alongside a few students to the United Nations. They were in New York to attend a commission on the status of women. While attending the meeting, the girls were struck by something they learned. Young women in some third-world countries have to miss school when they’re menstruating because they don’t have access to feminine hygiene products. ”At one of the meetings we attended, we learned about a man in India who invented a simple pad machine and we thought, ‘what a practical solve to a worldwide problem,’” Melissa shares. The machine, they were told, doesn’t require much space, is easy to use and only needs a small amount of electricity to create low-cost disposable sanitary napkins. “So right there on the spot we decided we had to get a pad machine for our partner school in India. The idea for it happened in a flash,” the teacher adds. Calling their effort The Pad Project, the group began regularly meeting during lunchtime and began holding vegan bake sales and “yogathons.” They also launched a Kickstarter campaign. “They were raising money and awareness for a theoretical thing but it turned into all of these amazing sets of intangible skills along the way. They were breaking down classroom barriers and engaging in the real world,” says Phu Tranchi, the Director of Experiential Learning at Oakwood, a K-12 private school in

North Hollywood. Living in the heart of the entertainment industry, the students’ next move seemed like a natural one. They decided to take a bold step into the world of filmmaking, documenting the installation of the pad machine in Hapur, India, located outside of New Delhi. “We started talking about making a movie to the Oakwood administrators and no one said no. Instead they kept saying, ‘Tell us more,’ and that was really liberating and permission-giving,” says Melissa, who is one of the producers on the documentary. They recruited a recent University of Southern California film school graduate, 25-year-old Rayka Zehtabchi, to serve as director and titled the movie Period. End of Sentence. The students also reached out to the parents of two 2017 Oakwood graduates and Pad Project alums. Ruby Schiff’s father— writer/producer Garrett Schiff—and Claire Slaney’s mom, Lisa Taback, an awards strategist for Netflix—are credited as producers on the film. Clocking in at 26 minutes, the film quickly gained attention on the festival circuit. It won several awards, including one at the AFI film festival. And then the real bombshell: The film garnered worldwide recognition when it won this year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. “Even when this film was first being made, it was never the goal to win any awards. At first we thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if this went to a film festival; then, wouldn’t this be cool if this got shortlisted,’ but no one ever thought we’re going to win an Oscar,” says

ninth grader Maggie Brown. “Winning the award gets the word out about what’s happening and is helping get rid of the taboo around periods, which has always been our goal,” states Lila Sugerman, a sophomore at Oakwood. Fresh off the win and now with global accessibility on Netflix, the film is bringing opportunities for Melissa and her students at lightning speed. “We’ve had outreach from 17 different countries who want pad machines. There’s also been talk of a future docuseries. It’s been a huge journey with the one documentary, but who knows—anything is possible,” exclaims Melissa who also serves as CEO of The Pad Project. The club, open to all Oakwood middle school and high school students, still meets weekly to further the cause. “What we’re working toward now is global awareness. We want to work with as many communities as we can to install as many pad machines as possible. We also want to work in California and the United States because one in five girls have to leave or miss school because they don’t have access to affordable hygienic supplies,” Lila explains. The other message they want to convey to their peers is that anything is possible with vision and perseverance. “We started this when we were 12, 13 years old, and what I would say to young activists who want to make a change is just go for it—if you have the passion,” says Lila. For more information visit thepadproject.org ■

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RSVP online for a daytime tour and one of two evening Open Houses (October 18 or November 29)

CONGRATULATIONS 7TH GRADERS Los Encinos School’s

Daily or Weekly June 17 - August 2

Campers: Grades 1-6 • CITs: Grades 7-9

ON VENTURA BLVD. IN ENCINO

www.LES.camp Under the auspices of Los Encinos School, grades K-6. 17100 Ventura Boulevard • Encino, CA 91316 • (818) 990-1006

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Class of 2019 “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” –Henry David Thoreau

Congratulations Campbell Hall Class of 2019! Colleges and universities that the Class of 2019 will be attending include: American University Babson College Boston College Boston University California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State University, Northridge Chapman University Claremont McKenna College Colgate University Colorado College Columbia University DePaul University Drexel University Duke University Elon University Franklin & Marshall College Hamilton College Harvard College Howard University Indiana University at Bloomington Lewis & Clark College

Loyola Marymount University Muhlenberg College New York University Northwestern University Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Occidental College Otis College of Art and Design Pitzer College Portland State University Pratt Institute Santa Clara University Santa Monica College Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta Scripps College Southern Methodist University Stanford University Syracuse University The American University of Rome The George Washington University The New School The Ohio State University The University of Arizona

The University of Texas, Austin Toccoa Falls College Tulane University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Cruz University of California, Santa Barbara University of Chicago University of Colorado at Boulder University of Denver University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Michigan University of Oregon University of Southern California University of Wisconsin, Madison Vassar College Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College Wesleyan University Williams College Yale University

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, Campbell Hall’s unique mission is more timely and relevant than ever: We are a community of inquiry committed to academic excellence and to the nurturing of decent, loving, and responsible human beings. Episcopal, independent, coeducational college preparatory day school for grades kindergarten through 12. campbellhall.org • 4533 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91607 • 818.980.7280

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THE RIGHT STUFF Seated: Gillian Roy, Daniel DiVenere, Colin Bernstein, Angela Minasyan; Standing: Elisa Rivas, Daniel Law, Sophie Craig, Thomas Beres

Valleydictorians

The Valley has some of the best high schools in Los Angeles. Here we share with you some local students who excelled to the highest possible level, graduating as class valedictorians. Plus, where they are headed in the fall. Congratulations to this stellar group that makes us Valley proud! PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTIN BURNS

Daniel DiVenere

Gillian Roy

Angela Minasyan

Brighton Hall Pasadena City College

Notre Dame High School Stanford University

Providence High School UCLA

Daniel Law

Colin Bernstein

Diana Arutyunyan

Crespi Carmelite High School University of Notre Dame

Sierra Canyon School Duke University

U.S. Grant High School UCLA

Katie Hameetman

Kyle Newman

Sophie Craig

Viewpoint School Princeton University

Milken School UC Berkeley

Campbell Hall Columbia University

Thomas Beres

Elisa Rivas

Riley Stanford-Hill

Notre Dame High School UCLA

CHAMPS Charter High School of the Arts Stanford University

Buckley School Stanford University

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OPEN HOUSE Shadow Tour Days High School Placement Test Boot Camp

Sunday, December 2, 2018 November - March Saturday, November 17, 2018

LOUISVILLE

HIGH SCHOOL

WWW.LOUISVILLEHS.ORG 22300 Mulholland Drive  Woodland Hills, CA 91364 818-346-8812  www.louisvillehs.org 40

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Congrats to VIP The first year has been a fantastic one, and the Class of '19's final college choices are compelling and diverse! Congratulations VIP on successful completion of its first year of operation as an LAUSD authorized charter high school AND its Class of 2019’s individual college choices! In no particular order as every student is unique: University of Chicago (full-ride Questbridge Scholarship!), Western Kentucky University (full-ride speech scholarship!), Oberlin College, University of Edinburgh, Parsons School of Design, Elon University, University of Southern California, Sarah Lawrence College (2), Bennington College, Goucher College, Trinity College, Cal Poly SLO, McGill University, UC Merced, Savannah College of Art & Design, Lewis & Clark College, Valley College (2), Gonzaga University, Whittier College, Sonoma State University, Pasadena City College, UC Berkeley, Cal Lutheran University, DePaul University, Merrimack College, San Francisco State University, Whitman College (2), CA College of the Arts, Bard College (2), CSU-Monterey Bay (2), Loyola University New Orleans (3), San Diego State University, Soka University of America, Citrus College, Tufts University, Wittenberg University, University of Puget Sound (2), Mt. St. Mary’s University, IDC-Herzliya (2), University of San Francisco, CSU Northridge (2), University of New Mexico, LA Recording School, Westmont College, Northern Arizona University, CSU-Channel Islands, University of La Verne (2), Santa Monica College, University of Redlands (4), Woodbury University, University of Wisconsin, Evergreen State College

Here’s what VIP offers: Individualized and results-oriented College Planning • Tops-in-the-USA Speech and Debate Team and growth-oriented elective • Award-winning Mock Trial Team and lively academic elective • Songwriting/Contemporary Music (performance and production • Creative Writing (and performance) • College-Prep Curriculum with ample AP options • Lively Performing/Visual Arts and Academic Electives (such as theatre, photography, drawing, psychology, tropical ecology, etc.) • Small Class Sizes (you’ll know your classmates well) • Effective Teaching (by caring and likable educators) • Opportunities For Quiet Reflection (but make no mistake, we’re pretty lively!) • Warm and Friendly School Community (you’ll like it here!)

College. Culture. Communication. It’s what we DO (with a little rock and roll!) Photo credit: Gabriel Anderson, VIPHS Class of ‘19

Valley International Preparatory High School (currently co-located on the Chatsworth Charter High School campus, but not forever!) | 10027 Lurline Avenue (off Vintage Street), Chatsworth 91311 | viphs.org

Road Show From Seattle to San Diego, traveling in a tricked-out school bus, brothers Hans and Nick Schippers are reaching out to students about protecting our oceans. WRITTEN BY LINDA GRASSO

his past January, Hans and Nick Schippers, two brothers from Kingston, Washington, boarded a customized school bus—their new home—and embarked on a journey. There was no set beginning or end—only a mission: to teach elementary and middle school students about plastics pollution. The lanky, longhaired brothers, 24 and 26, look younger than their years and have an easy, funny rapport that they show off daily in their Instagram posts (@schroadtrip). Their mode of transportation is as colorful as they are. “The 1998 Bluebird is like a dream,” says Hans. “The road trip concept was driven by the idea of going to schools along the West Coast—and what better way to do it than in school bus?” Both men graduated from the University of Hawaii with environmental science degrees. Nick also has a master’s in environmental policy. The idea to do an educational road trip came from Hans. In college he’d done an internship with the nonprofit Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and found it rewarding. After graduating, Hans landed a job working for a solar energy company, but felt a calling to help save the oceans. “Nick and I were both raised around the water and grew up surfing. We developed a massive amount of respect for our environment.” His aha moment came while surfing one day off Oahu: “I got taken out by a wave only to resurface with microplastics in my hair, on my face and in my mouth.” The brothers got a loan from their uncle to purchase the bus, and their dad, a construction manager, helped them with the impressive buildout. “We have beds that slide out to fit our tall, lengthy bodies, solar energy, a fridge, surfboard rack, LED lighting, hot water, outdoor shower and many other amenities. It really is quite the dream vehicle, thanks to our father and his crazy-good carpentry skills,” says Nick. Although SCH provided the umbrella of working under a nonprofit, as well as the educational decks, it couldn’t provide financial support. The brothers were unfazed. “We decided to just go for it and make it happen,” says Nick. They self-funded what they could, sold sponsorships to companies for bus advertising, held a couple of fund-raisers and set up a GoFundMe site. So far it has raised more than $11,000 of a $25,000 goal. Encino resident and attorney Michael McNamara is an SCH Road Trip donor. He met

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the Schippers through his son Henry, who lived with Hans at the University of Hawaii. “As a surfer, I treasure the sanctity of our oceans and appreciate what these brothers are doing. It is obvious that plastic is a huge growing cancer on our planet. The fact that these two young men are dedicated to eradicating this problem is fantastic,” Michael says, adding, “Their mission, to educate our youth, is the first important step.” This past spring Hans and Nick visited several LA schools including the Multicultural Learning Center elementary and middle schools in Canoga Park. The brothers think that their own youth gives them an edge. “We connect because they can see that we are not that much different than them. In addition, it’s because we are speaking about an issue that is transparent and that we are passionate about. If I can look a student in the eye and tell them something about this problem with complete sincerity, I think that carries a lot of weight,” Nick says. And they try to integrate a sense of fun. “Plastic pollution is a sad topic and you can easily fall down the rabbit hole. So Nick and I are energetic and keep the presentations lively through humor, storytelling and full-on stoke. The kids laugh, get excited and are engaged,” Hans adds. This summer the Schippers will be working with Parley, a company that turns ocean plastics into usable material for companies like Adidas and Starboard Paddleboards. They’ll do cleanups at national parks throughout Canada and host educational programs for participants. Then in the fall, with school back in session, they’ll hit the road again. The brothers view their mission as ongoing and the results as tangible. “There have been numerous schools that have messaged us explaining the actions taken in their school— whether that be banning Styrofoam lunch trays and plastic utensils or starting environmental clubs. We’re super motivated by watching our future take action and implementing the changes needed,” Hans shares. The duo has a long-term goal to grow from educating 10,000 students to more than 500,000 students a year, and they’d like to have numerous traveling teams—other college graduates—working with them. “The ultimate goal would be not to have a need for NGOs like Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, because that would mean that gap or problem in society is no longer existent.” ■

“Plastic pollution is a sad topic and you can easily fall down the rabbit hole. So Nick and I are energetic and keep the presentations lively through humor, storytelling and full-on stoke. The kids laugh, get excited and are engaged.”

GET ON BOARD Operating under the umbrella of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, SCH Road Trip is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, go to schroadtrip.com

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Congratulations to our 6th Grade Graduates! We are so proud of our students who gained acceptance to the following middle schools: The Buckley School Campbell Hall Heschel Day School Kadima Milken Community Schools Millikan Math Academy The Wesley School 12020 Burbank Blvd., Valley Village, CA 91607 818.766.4992 â&#x20AC;˘ aaeds.org

Congratulations CLASS OF 2019!

Michigan State University (4) Middlebury College (2) Muhlenberg College (2) New York University (2) Otis College of Art and Design Names and numbers below represent a select list of acceptances. Princeton University All institutions with one or more graduates attending Rice University are denoted in bold. San Diego State University (2) Santa Clara University (12) DePaul University (4) Amherst College Stanford University Drexel University (4) Barnard College (3) Syracuse University (5) Duke University Bond University Texas Christian University (7) Duquesne University Boston College (5) The American University of Paris (3) Emerson College (3) Brown University The New School - All Divisions (3) Carnegie Mellon University (3) Emory University (2) The University of North Carolina Georgetown University (3) Chapman University (3) at Chapel Hill Goldsmiths, University of London Colby College The University of Texas, Austin (6) Gonzaga University (3) Colgate University (4) Trinity College (3) College of the Holy Cross (3) Indiana University at Bloomington (7) Tufts University Johns Hopkins University Columbia University Tulane University (5) Kenyon College Connecticut College (2) United States Coast Guard Academy Loyola Marymount University (9) Cornell University UC Berkeley (9)

We are incredibly proud of our Class of 2019 graduates who were admitted to over 150 college and/or university programs.

UC Irvine (6) UCLA (8) UC San Diego (5) UC Santa Barbara (8) UC Santa Cruz (10) University of Michigan (6) University of Oregon (10) University of Pennsylvania (4) University of San Diego (8) University of Southern California (7) University of Virginia University of Wisconsin, Madison (14) Vanderbilt University Vassar College (3) Villanova University Waseda University Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College West Los Angeles College

For more information about this outstanding group of young women, please visit: www.mhs-la.org/Classof2019.

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Congratulations Notre Dame High School Class of 2019 Educating hearts and minds in the Holy Cross tradition since 1947. 13645 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 ▪ 818.933.3600 ▪ www.ndhs.org

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how toxic is your board? Shaper Ryan Harris is on a mission to prove that the sport he loves can clean up its manufacturing act. WRITTEN BY ROBERT EARLE HOWELLS PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF BERTING

as seen in

Ventura Blvd is part of the Golden State network, a family of digital, social and print media brands celebrating the people, pursuits, lifestyles and ideas of California. In every issue going forward, we will share one story from across our network. Each will explore topics that go beyond the limits of the San Fernando Valley. These are California stories that speak to the meaningful impact our state and its residents make on the global stage. To learn more about Golden State and to see more stories like this, please visit goldenstate.is.

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

yan Harris is one of SoCal’s finest surfboard shapers, but what he’s most eager to show me in his south Torrance workshop are ... his mealworms. “These frickin’ rad critters are going to save the planet,” he says. Saving the planet is very much on Ryan’s mind, and his strategy extends beyond curating some 10,000 mealworms. He also makes environmentally sustainable surfboards in what he calls “the only zero-waste surf-production factory on the planet.” To understand the significance of that, you have to understand surfing’s dirty little secret: Most surfboards are toxic. They’re made from polyurethane foam—toxic, not recyclable—coated generously with toxic polyurethane resin. One serious meeting with some rocks at El Porto, and that shattered plank of toxicity heads off to the nearest landfill to molder its carcinogenic components into the earth we call home. It doesn’t have to be that way, contends Ryan—40-year-old surfer, veteran shaper and head dude at Earth Technologies. “We use EPS [expanded polystyrene, aka Styrofoam] for our boards, 100% recyclable. And bio-epoxy resin. And we run our shop very similar to a recycling facility—what’s not recyclable is shredded and upcycled to new products.” Which is why you’ll see, right next to the shaping stands at Earth Tech, thin round molds filled with excess resin. Shredded bits of almost anything get mixed into the resin inside the molds, where they harden into slender discs, then get backed with

sustainable, self-adhering cork (no smelly glue in this joint). Voila: surf-themed coasters for sale. Ryan is also beginning to take orders for barroom countertops made of the same upcycled stuff. This is also why a venerated station in the shop is devoted to the care and feeding of those frickin’ rad mealworms. These chubby squirmers, you see, are never happier than when they’re digesting EPS foam. What? You thought EPS isn’t recyclable? The contrary evidence is right before my eyes, where Ryan is holding a chunk of foam riddled with mealworms making Swiss cheese of the stuff. The byproduct of their digestive efforts becomes organic gardening material. By now I suspect that anyone who surfs has their eyebrows raised. Surfers are all about the environment, sure. But they’re also about their boards, and if these socalled ecoboards don’t perform like the real thing, well, surfers are going to stick with their dirty little secret. Ryan is accustomed to overcoming surfers’ skepticism. “I’m as much educator as shaper,” he says. “This is an industry largely stuck in the way they did things 60 years ago. But the truth is, our core material is not only sustainable, it’s stronger. Our boards may go for $100 or so more than conventional boards—biopoxy is expensive—but our boards are going to last twice as long.” And, of course, should you break one of Ryan’s ecoboards, you can bring it back and know that it will be 100% recycled.

LEADING THE REVOLUTION Ryan Harris came to surfing a bit late. He grew up in Portland, Oregon, where he skied and snowboarded at Mount Hood and fished with his dad. “It was all beautiful. I was groomed as an environmentalist from the beginning.” He bailed out of a postcollege Nike job designing footwear, moved to the South Bay at age 21 and fell in love with surfing. El Porto was, and still is, his main go-to. “I fell into doing repairs,” Ryan says, “and buddies told me, ‘You’re decent at this—you should try shaping.’ I started shaping boards for friends at first as a hobby, then a fulltime career. I was an airbrush guy at a poly shop”—meaning he’s worked with his share of toxic materials—“so I know what I’m talking about. The eco thing happened about seven to eight years into it.” Ryan was among the first shapers to use bio-epoxy, or biopoxy, which was notorious back then for going yellow after a time. “I didn’t care that it was yellow—just that the boards were stronger and didn’t break.” Biopoxy no longer yellows, he stresses. Ryan may be at the vanguard of the sustainable-surf movement, but he’s not alone. A national organization called Sustainable Surf, also based in SoCal, advocates for eco-sensitive board construction and certifies shapers who meet its standards. Those who comply with minimal standards get the Ecoboard Level One designation. Those who meet higher standards in both materials and manufacturing process are rewarded with the Ecoboard Gold Level certification.

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Ryan was the first shaper ever to earn the Gold standard. “Ry Harris was one of the first to commit 100% to making ecoboards,” says Sustainable Surf cofounder Kevin Whilden. “That was key. Back in 2012 he was one of the only glassers to make ecoboards. He showed that he could make high performance boards that work well and were sustainable. So many surf companies started using him—and they still do— but back then he was the only resource.” Today dozens of board makers, including makers of stand-up paddleboards, windsurf boards and kiteboards, have Sustainable Surf certification. But Ryan’s commitment to zero waste in his workshop puts him in something of a different category. “Ry is doing it all over again,” says Kevin. “Number one was to show that you could use sustainable materials that don’t affect performance or quality. Number two is Ry’s focus on zero waste, on upcycling and recycling. So again, he’s a leader, an innovator setting an example for everyone else in the surf world.” Still, only about 10% of surfboards made today are considered environmentally sustainable. “But it’s changing,” says Kevin. “That’s a big jump from 1% six or seven years ago. In another five years it will be, ‘Why wouldn’t I do that?’ But if not for Sustainable Surf and Ry Harris, it wouldn’t even be close to where we are now.” YOU MIGHT SMELL FOOD Back in the Earth Technologies shop—in a nondescript, light-industrial complex off South Sepulveda in Torrance—Ryan is pulling a sheet of thin fiberglass over a SUP board

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and bathing it in biopoxy. He is wearing disposable gloves but no respirator. OSHA needn’t have a cow over the latter fact, because this is a VOC-free shop. No volatile organic compounds—the stuff you smell in paints, thinners, glues, etc. And in poly-based resins. “Yeah, nothing smells here,” Ryan says. “Well, you might smell food sometimes.” The surf industry “loses guys to cancer every year,” according to Ryan, “guys who have been shaping with toxic poly resins.” Only in one workshop room do Ryan and his coworkers wear masks, and that’s in the airtight shaping room where foam blanks are shaped and sanded into surfboards. That, of course, creates particulates in the air that eventually settle to the floor, as do bigger chunks of foam. What happens to those sweepings? Worm food, of course. Those disposable gloves Ryan is wearing will get tossed into the drip trays beneath the board-shaping stations, along with strips of masking tape, to get coated with excess resin and harden into odd-looking blobs. No, that’s not worm food, but it gets fed into the shop’s industrial-strength shredder—an impressive beast that’s between R2-D2 and C-3PO in size. Those shavings go into making coasters and countertops and whatever else Ryan and his crew come up with (e.g., hand planes for bodysurfing, fins and key chains.) In fact, Ryan calls his coworkers “zerowaste technicians.” Because in Ryan’s world, “making a coaster is just as important as glassing a surfboard.” WAVES OF SUCCESS Ryan will be the first to tell you that it’s not

easy to make a living as a board shaper, let alone one dedicated to making sustainable boards. “The running joke around here is that margins so suck on surfboards that we’ll end up making money from our trash.” Still, Ryan is on target to make 1,000 boards this year, plus he and the crew do private-label work for other board manufacturers. He’s fresh off a big trade show and so swamped with orders that his voicemail cautions callers that he doesn’t talk during working hours. Hilton has ordered no fewer than 400 decorative ecoboards that will hang on the walls of a Westside hotel. And Ryan has gained notoriety among surf cognoscenti, including pro surfer Hunter Jones and former pro and current World Surf League commissioner Jessi Miley-Dyer. “We call them ecoboard ambassadors,” Ryan says. It’s all part of his campaign to overcome a skeptical marketplace. “Most surfers give a shit about the environment, or we wouldn’t have a sport. So they’re becoming more and more open, especially when they see a pro on something eco. We did a foilboard for [pro surfer] John John Florence. Now we’re doing lots of them.” He’s also upping his tech game with new board blanks imbued with strong composite stringers that permit careful tuning of a board’s flex pattern. But Ryan doesn’t geek out too much on topics like that. The performance of his boards speaks for itself. He will geek out endlessly about zero waste (“We don’t even have a dumpster anymore”), upcycling, recycling and, of course, mealworms. He tosses a chunk of agave into a bin crawling with foam-eating critters. “Gotta keep ’em hydrated.” ■

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the sauce

BISTRO HUES

An eatery inspired by the south of France opens doors. More on page 59.

the sauce

Where You’ll Find Me

Actor Kenneth Choi, from the hit Fox series 9-1-1, has a recipe for kicking back: Pearl District. PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL BECKER

When Kenneth Choi gets off the set of 9-1-1 on the Paramount lot, he can’t wait to get through the Sepulveda Pass to his home in the hills of Sherman Oaks. “I love living in the Valley. It just feels quiet and calm, more relaxed,” the actor says. And when he wants to “just chill and eat great food,” he is equally decisive. He heads down to the Boulevard to get a table at Pearl District. “Everything is delicious. I order the salmon entrée a lot. And my favorite drink is the Wildwood. It’s made with vodka, coldpressed cucumber and green apple.” Spend an afternoon with Kenneth at the eatery and it’s easy to tell he’s a regular. Waiters and bartenders call him by name and when the owner, Peyman Afshar, spots him, he gives the actor a big bear hug. “We’ve known each other for 20 years!” the longtime restaurateur exclaims. Before Kenneth’s career took off, he waited tables at an eatery Peyman owned in Portland, Oregon. Both men started out their careers in Portland, home of the Pearl District, the downtown area filled with eateries and cafes that inspired the name of Peyman’s current restaurant concept. He opened the first outpost in Westlake Village. “It’s very successful and I just felt like the concept could work in the Valley. When this spot (formerly SOCA) became available, I grabbed it,” Peyman says. The menu, described by Peyman as

“eclectic American,” includes both meat and seafood. A diver scallop entrée has an Indian masala sauce; an ahi tuna appetizer is drizzled with a lemon-spiked truffle oil and topped with shards of Parmesan cheese. In a move away from the current trend, waiters don’t lobby for you to order multiple small, shared plates; appetizers and entrées are traditionally sized. Some appetizers are even large enough to be an entrée. The sophisticated setting, with one of the most handsome bars in the Valley, and the retractable street-facing windows—remnants from the SOCA days—are delightfully intact. “And it’s just comfortable,” says Kenneth, leaning back on one of the leather pincushioned banquette benches. After years of steady work, Kenneth saw his career take off after snagging a role in The Wolf of Wall Street and then playing judge Lance Ito in The People v. O.J. Simpson. Raised by strict first-generation Korean parents who weren’t originally thrilled at his career choice, Kenneth says he’s grateful to be playing a paramedic on 9-1-1. It is currently Fox’s mostwatched and highest-rated scripted series. He takes equal pride when it comes to his former boss’ success. From its debut earlier this year, Pearl District has seen healthy crowds. “I usually sit at a table, but it’s getting so busy that soon I’m going to have to sit at the bar!” he chuckles. ■

Peyman Afshar and Kenneth Choi

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

the sauce

PERFECT TASTE Clockwise from upper left: a crab salad; the spacious bar; salmon over a bed of ratatouille and a specialty cocktail.

Très Jolie

Bistro Jolie, in the Bel-Air hills, evokes the glamour and gastronomy of the Côte D’Azur. WRITTEN BY JOSHUA LURIE PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL

A stone’s throw from the hilltop mansions along Mulholland Drive, the Glen Centre is known for its handful of longtime eateries, upscale shops and celebrity spotting—from A-list actors to aging rock stars. Everyone else, conspicuously on display at sidewalk cafes, looks like they could be a Hollywood dealmaker or aspiring starlet. It’s a small strip mall that never seems to change, with stalwart tenants Fabrocini, the jazz club Vibrato and the Beverly Glen Deli. Now there is something new: Bistro Jolie, which champions the French Riviera’s taste and feel. Owner Thomas Plejer grew up in nearby Sherman Oaks and is a serial entrepreneur who has worked mostly in retail. His first restaurant, Bistro Jolie showcases, as he describes it, “southern French-inspired cuisine accented with California flair and seasonal sensibility.” To execute his vision,

Thomas hired chef Cody Dickey, who worked at the high-end Carbon Beach Club in Malibu and for Bobby Flay at Gato in Manhattan. “For the menu, it goes back to the local farmers markets and what keeps the food alive,” Thomas says. Share-friendly small plates include stuffed piquillo peppers bursting with albacore tuna that’s butchered in back and enlivened with spicy espelette pepper, scallions, capers, bell peppers and house vinaigrette. A trio arrives on crunchy crostini. A Niçoise salad is crisp, fresh and amply sized. The chicken meuniere has just the right amount of zesty lemon sauce. Both dishes are perfect representations of what you’d get at a cafe along the Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes. While steak frites is the most popular dish, Cody loves to steer diners toward his fig leaf-roasted king salmon. My server called this “the dish that best represents what he’s trying to do with the menu.” I can taste why. A rosy, medium-rare filet appears atop seasonal ratatouille—pattypan squash, baby zucchini and eggplant slathered in zesty tomato sauce and dressed with tangy sauce verte made with pureed herbs and verjus (unripened grape juice). Other entrées are reminiscent of the Mediterranean, but with an original twist. Thomas favors duck confit “in the vein of traditional bistro fare,” starring quacker

cured in pink peppercorns and orange zest. Cody then garnishes the crispy, bathed-infat results with charred orange and Spain’s prized Ibérico ham. Gateau Basque cake keeps pace for dessert. This delicacy from the Pays Basque region of southern France sports flaky slices, contains pastry cream, and comes plated with brown sugar vanilla cream and sweettart Luxardo cherries. The Mediterranean influence extends to ambience and decor. “I’ve always cherished my summers spent in the French Riviera,” Thomas says. “There is something special, not only in the scenery but also with the class, elegance and casual approach they have to deliver unforgettable experiences.” He mimicked the aesthetics of Club 55 and Eden Roc—both in the south of France—to deliver an airy restaurant with wraparound patio and dining room bathed with sun rays that stream through a skylight, lined by live plants. Brass sconces and other elegant accents lend sophistication to the space. With Bistro Jolie, Thomas has diligently tried to transport diners to the French Riviera, delivering a unique LA experience in the process. ■ Bistro Jolie 2922 Beverly Glen Cir, Bel-Air 310-773-9484 bistrojolie.com

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

the sauce

Berry Boozy

Chocolate whiskey tarts topped with fresh blackberries are our new summer crush. WRITTEN & STYLED BY KARA MICKELSON PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;DONNELL

CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRY WHISKEY TARTS Makes 4 (4-inch) tarts or 1 (9-inch) tart

4 Mini Chocolate Tart Shells Chocolate Whiskey Ganache 2 pints blackberries, cleaned and dried* Whiskey, plain or blackberry flavor MINI CHOCOLATE TART SHELLS 10.9 ounces slim/thin chocolate crème-filled wafers (Trader Joe’s Joe-Joe Slims wafers are perfect) 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt tart pan(s) – 4” x 1” or 9” x 1” Place all ingredients in food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles finely ground cornmeal. Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Mixture should hold together when pressed between two fingers. If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of melted butter. Separate mixture into four equal portions and then press into tart molds. Start by building the base, and then build up the sides. Press and compact mixture using your fingers or a small glass. Carefully trim top tart edge with a knife. Place tart shells on a sheet tray and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. Bake chilled tart shells on a sheet tray for 15 to 20 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and cool completely before filling. CHOCOLATE WHISKEY GANACHE 1¾ cups dark chocolate chips, 60% cacao or greater 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream 2–3 tablespoons whiskey 1 teaspoon unsalted butter Pour chips into a heatproof bowl that will hold 4 cups volume. Heat whipping cream on the stovetop or in the microwave until cream starts to boil. Pour cream over chips and let set for 1 minute. Slowly begin stirring the mixture until it looks like thick chocolate sauce. Blend thoroughly. Add butter and 1 tablespoon of whiskey at a time while stirring. Immediately pour ganache into tart shells. Pierce any bubbles with a toothpick and lightly tap tarts to settle ganache. Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 6 hours or overnight. These can be made 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container, once firm, until ready to use. Top tarts with fresh blackberries. Drizzle with whiskey and serve immediately. *Depending on the size of the berries you may want to purchase an extra pint. The goal is to have the tarts brimming with fruit.

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ON THE MARKET

Ariana, Shawn, Nicole and Ilana Basseri

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2018

BUSINESS S P OT L I G H T

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BEST OF THE WEST A beloved part of the community for decades, Steamer Cleaners’ longtime success is about more than excellent service and expertise. WRITTEN BY SUSAN SPILLMAN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATTHEW COOKE

f there were a Dry Cleaning Hall of Fame, Steamer Cleaners, owned by Shawn Basseri and his wife, Nicole, would be an inaugural inductee. Renowned for its unparalleled expertise, especially in handling high-end and couture clothing, the Sherman Oaks establishment has been a fixture in Sherman Oaks for more than 30 years. Steamer Cleaners has been trusted to care for precious, one-of-a-kind items ranging from Oscar gowns to Prince’s rhinestone jackets. Located in a gleaming two-story building at the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Woodman Avenue, the family business attracts customers from throughout Los Angeles. One client even ships her favorite pieces from Santa Barbara. “I’ve told her you’re paying so much in shipping I can recommend somebody in your area,” says Shawn. “But she didn’t want to use anybody else.” What makes this dry cleaners as beloved as a three-star Michelin restaurant? We whittled it down to the top five reasons: 1. UNPARALLELED EXPERTISE Along with its VIP Couture Service, in which garments are showered rather than soaked in cleaning solvent, Steamer Cleaners offers custom tailoring and fluff-and-fold laundry service performed with state-of-the-art equipment. Steamer operates the only fully automated dry cleaning system on the West Coast. Called the Metalprogetti and made in Italy, the automated system assembles, bags, labels and racks each customer’s order,

eliminating the human error that accounts for most misplaced orders. 2. ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS The couple, whose daughter Ariana is the company’s marketing director (as well as a stand-up comic), are committed to running an eco-friendly operation. Daughter Ilana works in marketing and public relations. They use silicone-based GreenEarth cleaning products, which are gentler on garments and the environment, and recycle hangers. Steamer has a Certificate of Excellence from the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute (DLI). In addition, Nicole has DLI certification as a dry cleaner and a certified environmental dry cleaner.

“WE’RE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” how we can make a difference,” says Nicole. That extends to supporting local schools, the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association and the Princess Project, which donates prom dresses to teens in need. Three of the Basseris are proud Rotarians.

3. THE EXTRA MILE Steamers Cleaners,voted best dry cleaner by Ventura Blvd Magazine, goes above and beyond to satisfy customers. Pickup and delivery service is available Monday through Friday—and free for orders over $50. But those are the basics. “My dad once drove to Las Vegas to deliver an order for a customer,” says Ariana. The customer had left town earlier than expected and desperately wanted her clothing. “Our customers are our friends and have become part of the family,” says Shawn.

5. THE FUN FACTOR Steamer Cleaners makes picking up and dropping off less of a chore and more of an amusement. Ariana keeps customers laughing via her Instagram account that frequently features antics at the family business. Also part of the festive atmosphere: a wheel of fortune game in which customers can win free laundry service. Plus, there is complimentary candy, hot chocolate, popcorn, dog treats, and teddy bears for the kids. “We want to make the Steamer Cleaners experience fun for the childen to visit us, too,” explains Nicole.

4. COMMUNITY SERVICE The Basseris believe in supporting their community. Steamer Cleaners will clean unemployed job-seekers’ interview outfits free of charge and police officers’ uniforms for just $2. “We’re always thinking about

STEAMER CLEANERS 818-906-2345 13646 VENTURA BLVD SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91423

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

WHEEL OF FORTUNE The designer tricked out a Pontiac Bonneville for his daughter. The car is now on display at the Valley Relics Museum in Van Nuys.

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

Rhinestone Cowboy

The story of the tailor turned celebrity designer who invented the bedazzle. WRITTEN BY HADLEY HALL MEARES

It’s a story right out of a country-western song. A little tailor’s apprentice from Kiev, born in 1902 as Nuta Kotlyarenko, grows up idolizing the American cowboys he sees on the silver screen. Given the name Nudie Cohn upon arriving in America at Ellis Island, he becomes a costuming pioneer, one that writer, LA historian, and family friend Julie Ann Ream calls “the P.T. Barnum of western wear.” His bedazzled and embroidered suits, boots and cowboy hats were worn by the country-western megastars of the day,

including John Wayne, Hank Williams, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. In later years, he even made the $10,000 gold lamé suit worn by Elvis Presley on the cover of his album 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong. But at Nudie’s Rodeo Tailor in North Hollywood, the star was the proprietor himself. “He was a self-made personality and he was flashy in his dress,” Julie Ann remembers. “He was friendly but caustic, buoyant and fun, and he made his presence known with the way he looked, the way he was.” Nudie started out as a young tailor’s

apprentice in New York, early on displaying a flair of his own while creating extravagant G-strings for burlesque dancers. When he and his wife, Bobbie, moved to LA in the 1940s he turned his attention to western suits. The couple launched Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors from their garage and within a decade they had enough business to open a shop in North Hollywood. A big break came in the 1950s when western actor and singer Roy Rogers wore a spectacular Nudie suit for a show at Madison Square Garden. Rogers apparently

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SHOP TALK Nudie with singers George Jones and Tammy Wynette at his North Hollywood headquarters. Left: with Elvis dressed in the gold lamé suit.

It’s better to be looked over than to be overlooked!”

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

wanted something to make him stand out— and he got it. The outfit Nudie created had rhinestones on the fringe that adorned the front of the shirt as well as down the front of his pants. Nudie’s maxim—“It’s better to be looked over than to be overlooked!”—was evident in all his custom creations, with the goal that they always be visible from the front row all the way to the cheap seats. “They’re the most flamboyant clothes you’ll ever see,” Julie Ann says, adding that country music singer Porter Wagoner “had a complete wagon train on his!” For many stars, a fitting at Nudie’s in NoHo could become an all-day jam session, with Nudie playing his custom mandolin. Such was the case with singers Tex Williams and Glen Campbell. “Actors like Robert Mitchum would go to his shop to shop and they would end up just shooting the bull and drinking coffee and talking,” the historian recalls. “It was a meeting place, a gathering place.” During the late ’60s and ’70s, Nudie was embraced by a whole new generation of

artists that extended beyond country music and Western films. Clients included some of the most popular recording artists of the day, including Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Cher and Robert Plant. “My costumes used to be called corny,” Nudie told Rolling Stone in 1969. “Now they call us mod. I don’t care. Country music has took over rock and roll. Doesn’t matter to me who buys clothes. Whatever does the best.” Overseeing it all was Nudie’s wife, Bobbie. “She was the business head,” Julie Ann explains. “Nudie was not a businessman. If it weren’t for Bobbie, I don’t think they would’ve made a dime. He was the personality and she was the businesswoman—she ran things.” Nudie Cohn died in 1984, and his store closed 10 years later. But his influence lives on, as evident in rapper Post Malone’s redcarpet wardrobe—like the Nudie-inspired rhinestone-encrusted pink suit he wore at the Grammys in February. One of Nudie’s favorite quotes seems to have also kept its currency: “Real men wear rhinestones.” ■

g n i o g t e g THE PODCAST FOR WOMEN WHO A R E N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; T S TA N D I N G S T I L L . Available on all podcast platforms. Learn more at SheSez.com.

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

Ease into summer with these stylish local looks. PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC GARCIA-MARCH STYLED BY TANYA MONAGHAN HAIR & MAKEUP BY JENNY KARL

Striped Alan shirt, $64, katinusa.com; Skinny Coolmax jean, $129, luckybrand.com

ON HER: Blue floral jumpsuit by Jenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pirate Booty, $204, and brown leather belt with turquoise accents by Puntovita, $222, both available at The Beehive in Manhattan Beach; faux tortoise shell earrings by Petit Moments, $24, available at Beach & Beverly in Hermosa Beach ON HIM: Teton print camp shirt, $225, billyreid.com; black skinny chino pant by Zanerobe, $99, shop.nordstrom.com

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White T-shirt by Rhythm, $36, available at BLVD in Manhattan Beach; chambray shirt by Hartford, $210, barneys.com

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Pacific Coast Perfect

Escape the heat and summer crowds with an exploration of the idyllic western islands of Canada. WRITTEN BY JENNIE NUNN

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

Dotted with ancient rainforests, top surfing spots, glaciers, sea life and coastal scenery, the islands of Canada’s Pacific Coast are some of the most picturesque in the world. Here our itinerary begins in Tofino, Vancouver Island and moves on to Haida Gwaii, an archipelago that’s known for its rampant wildlife.

TOFINO, VANCOUVER ISLAND Located approximately 45 minutes by plane from Vancouver, Tofino on the western edge of Vancouver Island is known as one of the prime surfing destinations in Canada. The laid-back coastal town set along the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (once the misty backdrop for the film The Twilight Saga: New Moon) offers everything from kayaking and bear-watching tours with Jamie’s Whaling Station to artisan shops, restaurants and galleries. At the Tofitian café, grab a London Fog tea latte and hear the surf report from locals. Plan a day at one of the island’s beaches (Cox Bay, Long Beach or Chesterman Beach), and pick up house-made meats and provisions from Picnic Charcuterie, or head to nearby Summit Bread Co. for fresh-baked

rosemary cheddar bread and chocolate. For dinner, head to Wolf in the Fog for entrées including Dungeness crab arancini and island chicken with cauliflower, potato, butter chicken sauce and raita. WHERE TO STAY Nicknamed “The Wick,” The Wickaninnish Inn is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and an old-growth forest. The woodsy property features 75 guestrooms and suites with soaker tubs and gas fireplaces and an acclaimed restaurant, The Pointe. There is also a wine cellar with 8,500 bottles and a 20-foot single yellow cedar slab table that seats 18. (wickinn.com) Situated along Cox Bay, Pacific Sands Beach Resort just unveiled a $1.2 million renovation for beachfront Lodge Suites that offer modern furniture and updated kitchens. Learn to surf at the on-site surf school or fuel up at Surfside Grill with a salmon burger or a crispy chicken burger. (pacificsands.com)

HAIDA GWAII For an off-the-beaten path experience filled with adventure and history, Haida Gwaii is

an outdoor paradise. Situated approximately two hours north by plane from Vancouver, the main towns include Masset and Skidegate with about 4,500 total residents. Start with a visit to the Haida Heritage Centre—a museum with Haida historical objects and archeological artifacts, monumental poles and a café. At Sgang Gwaay, a 19th-century village at the southern tip of the Haida Gwaii archipelago, learn about village ruins and marvel at 32 carved memorial and mortuary poles. Take a guided cultural tour of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve on a 28-foot zodiac with Haida Style Expeditions. WHERE TO STAY Located near the Tlell River, Haida House at Tllaal is the ideal home base for exploring the islands. Originally built in the 1980s, the 10-room lodge is set on 50 acres with a fruit orchard and forest trails. (haidahouse. com) For complete seclusion, opt for newly opened Ocean House (Haida House’s sister property), a fly-in luxury wilderness lodge replete with a spa. (oceanhouse.ca) ■

LOCAL TALENT: ENVIRONMENTAL ARTIST PETE CLARKSON Pete Clarkson’s artistic debut was sparked in the most unlikely of ways. One day he spotted a washed-up item on one of his daily hikes—remnants of an old wood shipping box. “As humbling and calming and ultimately satisfying as it can be in close contact with the ocean and nature, I got really depressed hiking the shoreline and finding all the garbage—even in a national park,” says the Tofino-based artist. “When I found the piece, I laughed, I cried and I was inspired … so I took it home. Little did I know that that small beginning would become a major turning point in my life.” When he’s not creating, Pete works as a park warden and visitor safety specialist at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. According to the artist, whose work is exhibited at the Tofino Botanical Gardens and Canadian Museum of Nature, his job of 35 years has influenced his work. “My passion for the ocean, wild landscapes, fresh water and birds often shows up in my art,” he explains. “That’s not to say it is the main theme of every piece, but the material itself carries a constant environmental message.” The artist has been collecting washed-up debris for more than 20 years along the shoreline of Vancouver Island. He has procured everything from hockey gloves and shin guards to an ornate Japanese chalk measuring tool called a sumitsubo, which came from the 2011 Tohuku tsunami. “I honestly try to take delight in everything, confident that the process is part of the journey,” says Pete. “The payoff is that the whole process is filled with a sense of discovery, adventure and promise.” (peteclarkson.com)

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

seen

Jazz Fest

It was a full house at Catalina’s Jazz Club for an evening to benefit weSPARK. The program was headed up by Jeff Goldblum and his Mildred Snitzer Orchestra featuring Grammy winner Patti Austin and American Idol contestant Haley Reinhart. Proceeds go to weSPARK Cancer Support Center in Sherman Oaks, which offers free services and programs for cancer patients and their loved ones.

Jeff Goldblum on stage

Ed Begley Jr., Rachelle Carson Begley, Jeff Goldblum, Nancy Allen

Haley Reinhart and Patti Austin

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID SOBEL

Patti Austin with her backup singers

Haley Reinhart on stage

In Concert The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala and concert. The evening featured Brad Pomerance as MC and included performances by actress Tovah Feldshuh, as well as sopranos Hila Plitmann and Rachel Reich and pianist/ composer Emily Bear.

Gray Davis and Noreen Green

Top: Burt Tregub, Elaine Gill, David Gill, Noreen Green, Sylvia Bernstein-Tregub Bottom: Ellie Lainer, Mark Lainer, Phillip Freed

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

Below: Ian Drew, Noreen Green, Mark Kashper, Richard Merkin

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CURTIS DAHL/LA JEWISH SYMPHONY

Stan Baratta and E. Randol Schoenberg

seen

Having a Ball

The John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary (JWCIA) honored neurologist and neuro-oncologist Santosh Kesari and President of Premier Girls Fastpitch Dan Hay at La Odisea, the 34th Odyssey Ball. The annual JWCIA fundraiser benefits the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. The event brought in $500,000 in donations.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY VINCE BUCCI PHOTOGRAPHY

Patrick Wayne, Dan Hay, Santosh Kesari, Anita Swift

Ruth Weil and Bobby Herbeck

Gloria Gebbia and John Gebbia

Santosh Kesari and Kirk Cameron

New Kid on Block The JD Shultz Gallery opened in Studio City with a benefit party for My Gym Foundation, which helps kids with disabilities. The gallery showcases acrylic paintings on canvas and plexiglass by JD Shultz.

Eddy Rubin, JD Shultz, Celeste Pisani and the gallery staff

JD Shultz, Gordon Tokumatsu

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TOP DOCTORS

There have been an astounding number of changes in health care in recent years. But what hasn’t changed is our need for attentive care and a trusting relationship with our medical providers. From primary care physicians to specialists to family dentists, we’ve rounded up some top-notch local professionals. Take your pick from the following pages—whether you need assistance with a specific health challenge or simply want to improve your appearance. This curated list of Valley practitioners is aimed at helping you and your family find quality care and expertise—right in your own backyard.

PROVIDENCE SAINT JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER

PROVIDENCE TARZANA MEDICAL CENTER

DR. ALI SADRIEH & DR. JASON KHADAVI EVO ADVANCED FOOT SURGERY

DR. HUSAM ELIAS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR SURGICAL ARTS

DR. ELYSA RACHEL KAHAN KAHAN ORTHODONTICS

DR. ZAINAB MAHMOUD

DR. GENE RUBINSTEIN DERMATOLOGY AND LASER CENTRE

DR. KATRIN AZIZZADEH LIBBIT DENTAL

DR. NEETU KHURANA SODHI BLOOM OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, INC.

DR. ANDREW T. COHEN

EYESTHETICA

DR. MICHAEL A. PERSKY FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

DR. SHERLY SOLEIMAN COSMETIC INJECTABLES CENTER

DR. JOSE-LUIS RUIZ SUPRA-GINGIVAL DENTISTRY

DR. TSOLAIR HOVSEPIAN THE DENTAL STUDIO

DR. ELLIOT HIRSCH

100

DR. TINA KOOPERSMITH WEST COAST WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE CENTER

101

DR. ANNA D. GUANCHE BELLA SKIN INSTITUTE

102

DR. MELINA B. JAMPOLIS THE BODY SCULPTING STUDIO

WRITTEN BY LAURA L. WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATTHEW COOKE, SHANE O’DONNELL, MONICA OROZCO

TOP DOCTORS

L to R: Dr. Christian Herrera, Dr. Tina Wang, Dr. Philip Schwarzman, Dr. P. John Simic, Dr. Stephen Kishineff, Dr. Angelique Campen, Dr. Celina Barba-Simic, Dr. Roger Lai

PROVIDENCE SAINT JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER OPERATED BY BURBANK EMERGENCY MEDICAL GROUP

rovidence Saint Joseph Medical Center Emergency Department is operated by Burbank Emergency Medical Group, which was created in 1973 and was the first medical group in California to specialize in emergency medicine. Dr. Philip Schwarzman, the group’s president, has worked in health care for 42 years. His team of board-certified physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners provide full-service emergency care around the clock. The Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Emergency Department is a Paramedic Base Station, a Certified Stroke Center, a STEMI (acute heart attack) Receiving Center and is certified to provide pediatric emergency care. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE READERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR TEAM? “Our doctors are top-notch—all highly trained and experienced in emergency medicine. We have always been at the forefront of the

field, so we attract the best talent in the field to our medical group. Our mission and commitment is to provide the absolute best emergency care possible, to make efficient and accurate diagnoses, to alleviate pain in a compassionate and caring manner, and to treat you and your family as we would treat our own family.” IS THERE A QUESTION YOU HEAR FREQUENTLY? “Many patients ask if we have a private practice, which is flattering. That means that they want to trust us with their care on a more regular basis as primary care physicians. Since we specialize in emergency medicine, this isn’t an option—but it still feels good to hear this from patients.” WHAT METHODS DO YOU USE TO STAY ON TOP OF CURRENT RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS? “We are constantly reading and following

the top journals/newsletters that focus on emergency medicine. Most of what we learned in medical school is obsolete, so it is critical that we keep up with the latest research.” HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE? “We are enhancing the Emergency Department at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center to provide the best and newest life-saving technologies for everything from bedside diagnostic tools to on-site imaging, including ultrasound, X-ray and CT scans—all close to the patient so that their care is expedited as quickly as possible.” DO YOU HAVE A GUILTY PLEASURE THAT MIGHT NOT BE CONSIDERED “HEALTHY”? “The breakfast burrito in the Providence Saint Joseph cafeteria on Sundays!”

501 S. BUENA VISTA STREET, BURBANK | 818-843-5111 | PROVIDENCE.ORG/SAINTJOSEPH

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TOP DOCTORS Representatives from Providence Tarzana Medical Center’s Emergency Department

PROVIDENCE TARZANA MEDICAL CENTER EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

he Emergency Department of Providence Tarzana Medical Center is an interdisciplinary team of 30 highly trained emergency physicians— including specialty physicians like cardiologists and radiologists—as well as pathologists, nurses, respiratory therapists and technicians. This group provides emergency care to the community around the clock. WHAT DO YOU WANT PATIENTS TO KNOW? “At Providence Tarzana we practice a wholeperson care approach, serving clinical excellence with compassion and dignity. Our care team works hard to maintain a calm atmosphere and clearly communicate each patient’s treatment plan. We are here for you and want the very best for you. That’s the bottom line.” HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE? “Telemedicine allows us to connect patients with offsite specialists via secure video

conferencing technology, resulting in faster treatment and better patient outcomes. This is especially valuable in stroke cases, where every minute counts.” WHERE DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF HOSPITAL CARE? “Health care is undergoing a significant time of change as hospitals focus on reducing costs, improving quality and enhancing the consumer experience. This might include making appointments from your smartphone, paying your bill on an app or even online checkin for appointments. Eventually you may be able to consult with a doctor or nurse by video before you drive to an emergency room or urgent care center. The delivery of health care is changing to provide more convenient and affordable care to consumers.” ARE THERE ANY EXCITING NEW PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON? “As part of the medical center’s campus redesign

—an investment of more than $500 million—the Emergency Department will be expanded to a 32-bed unit with a private ambulance entry and new patient entrance; all-new, private patient rooms; expanded diagnostic and treatment areas; and state-of-the-art equipment.” HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK AND SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED? “We are a mission-focused medical center rooted in community service and serving the underserved. We hold clothing collections year-round to ensure that homeless patients who come into the Emergency Department are discharged with dignity in clean clothing. We’ve recently rolled out the Du Coeur project to upcycle sterile surgical tool wraps into sleeping mats for homeless patients. To help address rising mental health and substance abuse issues, Providence Tarzana and its two sister hospitals in the Valley launched a patient navigator program to help enroll homeless patients into Tarzana Treatment Centers.”

18321 CLARK STREET, TARZANA | 818-881-0800 | CALIFORNIA.PROVIDENCE.ORG/TARZANA/SERVICES/EMERGENCY

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

TOP DOCTORS

EVO ADVANCED FOOT SURGERY ALI SADRIEH, DPM, & JASON KHADAVI, DPM

n practice for the past 18 years, Dr. Ali Sadrieh designed evo advanced foot surgery to offer active professionals advanced medicine and cutting-edge technology to correct foot problems with a quality experience and a more simple recovery process. He is joined by aesthetic foot surgeon Dr. Jason Khadavi. In 2003 Dr. Sadrieh developed the sub-specialty of aesthetic foot surgery and invented three new procedures that simplify the recovery process and improve the patient experience. Prior to opening his practice, he earned his undergraduate degree at UCLA and pursued podiatric medical training at University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. He completed a podiatric surgical residency at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR SPECIALTY? “At the core, it’s all about the feet! As foot surgeons we treat everything below the ankle. But back in 2003 I realized a need for a new kind of foot surgical approach. I called it aesthetic foot surgery. The concept is designed around fixing structural problems before they cause issues and symptoms but performing the procedures with an aesthetic technique. Sixteen years later, there are numerous practices that have been inspired by our work and offer their patients the modern way to experience foot surgery.” HOW IMPORTANT IS A PHYSICIAN’S “BEDSIDE MANNER”? “I’ve always held the belief that doing what we do well is a minimum deliverable. Attending medical school and residency, there’s a minimum expectation of excellent medical knowledge and work. Everything above this is what achieves the ‘A’ grade ... and that’s where bedside manner comes in!”

GRAPPLING WITH INSURANCE CAN BE A CHALLENGE. HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE HANDLE IT? “We’ve always been a patient-centered practice, and consistent with that philosophy is our relationship with insurance. Our practice is out-of-network with insurance, so we can work for the patient without dealing with the bureaucratic hurdles that insurance companies place in the way of an excellent patient/doctor relationship. Despite our out-of-network status, we accept all insurance plans so our patients still have access to the evo philosophy.” DOCTORS OFTEN SEEM IN A HURRY. THOUGHTS? “Since the beginning of my time in practice, I’ve held to the formula of Q=1/v. Quality is inversely proportional to volume. The more volume, the less quality. The numbers vary from product to product, but the relationship holds true across industries. This is why our practice is designed around the low-volume, high-quality model of care. We limit the number of patients and surgeries we perform to make sure our work is the best it can be.” WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU AND THE TEAM AT EVO FOOT? “Our team is what make us special because every one of them subscribes to the ethos of ‘Do what you love ... love what you do.’ We come to work every day to do better than we did the day before and challenge ourselves to stay on top of the relentless pursuit of excellence.”

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR EVO ADVANCED FOOT SURGERY? “We’re excited about our concept called evofoot 3. This project provides patients with technologies and a user experience design that has never been seen before. Our goal has always been to improve the patient experience by making cuttingedge technology available to all of our patients.” HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE? “We’ve always believed that the barriers of the patient/doctor relationship should be eliminated. That’s why since the inception of technologies like the iPad or Electronic Health Records, we’ve been early adopters and have had the privilege of collaborating with developers in Silicon Valley to build the next-generation system. We leverage drchrono EHR, Spruce for secure patient communications, Echosign for paperless HIPAA-compliant document signatures, and we are an all-iOS based practice so you begin and end your experience with us on an iPad!” WHAT’S ALL THE MEDIA AND NEWS COVERAGE ABOUT? “Doing great work for our patients is a privilege, and to do this we had to create a new model of practice and new procedures as well. Back in 2003 these procedures began to pick up the attention of the TV shows like The Doctors and newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. We had the privilege of participating in these opportunities to help spread the vision of what an excellent surgical practice could look like, as well as the latest in surgical procedures for the foot.”

12265 VENTURA BLVD, SUITE 107, STUDIO CITY | 310-691-5411 | EVOFOOT.COM

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HUSAM ELIAS, MD, DMD, FACS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR SURGICAL ARTS

n practice for 10 years, Dr. Husam Elias is a surgeon who is dually trained in cosmetic surgery and oral and maxillofacial surgery. He practices at the Southern California Center for Surgical Arts, which has been in existence in the same location for more than 35 years. Born and raised in Sudan, East Africa, Dr. Elias completed his undergraduate degree and graduated at the top of his class at University of Khartoum. He then moved to the U.S. to follow his dream of becoming a surgeon. He earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University and his dental degree from Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, graduating with honors. Dr. Elias completed an internship in general surgery, a residency in maxillofacial surgery and a fellowship in cosmetic plastic surgery. Before joining Southern California Center for Surgical Arts, Dr. Elias held the position of section head of maxillofacial surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Head and Neck Institute and served as medical staff member for the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers. He also held a position as staff surgeon at the Head and Neck/ Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. Dr. Elias is a diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery and the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He has lectured nationally and internationally in cosmetic surgery and oral and maxillofacial surgery. He currently holds academic positions as clinical assistant professor of surgery at Case Western Reserve University and University of Khartoum in Sudan, East Africa, and is a clinical instructor for UCLA and Harbor UCLA oral and maxillofacial surgery residency programs. Dr. Elias has been published in a variety of medical journals.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE POTENTIAL PATIENTS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? “With a background in both reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, I have developed a unique practice that encompasses a wide range of cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries. My goal is to deliver the most natural cosmetic results with a gentle and artistic touch.” WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BE A DOCTOR? “I chose to pursue a career in cosmetic and maxillofacial surgery because of the opportunity to combine art, science and technical skill to improve the lives of my patients.” TELL US ABOUT YOUR TEAM. “We have a team of nurses, surgical techs and patient concierges who take care of our patients’ needs from A to Z.” HOW DO YOU PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “My patients are my family members. I always make time to sit and listen to them. I try to put myself in their shoes to understand their concerns and address any of their questions.” TELL US ABOUT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. “Virtual surgery and 3-D printing have been a tremendous addition to contemporary surgical practice. They have led to a more accurate prediction of surgical outcomes and reduction in the length of surgery. We use these technologies on a daily basis in treatment planning of most cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries from dental implant, facial reconstruction and corrective jaw surgery to rhinoplasty and breast augmentation.” WHAT IS YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE? “Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. We are known nationally and internationally for

natural breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, complex facial reconstructions and dental implantology.” WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOUR PRACTICE? “We live by our motto: ‘Availability, affability and ability.’ We make it all about our patients.” DO YOU TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH? “I recommend a balanced diet, exercise regimen and nutritional supplements. We also emphasize the connection between speedy recovery and emotional and spiritual well-being.” IS THERE A COMMON CONCERN THAT YOU HEAR FREQUENTLY? “In our busy lifestyle, speedy recovery is the most common concern for our patients. We utilize strict protocols before and after surgery to ensure positive outcomes and fast recovery.” TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY. “I am married to Dr. Zainab Mahmoud, worldclass physician, super-mom and the love of my life. We have one son, Nadir, my pride and joy. He is about to finish fifth grade and is excited to start middle school next year.” WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN NOT WORKING? “I am an avid sports enthusiast and love to watch professional sports. I play golf whenever I have a chance and love to travel to see new places and experience new cultures.” HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK? “I volunteer my time to train the next generation of surgeons, working with the maxillofacial surgery residents at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.”

4910 VAN NUYS BLVD., SUITE 102, SHERMAN OAKS | 818-789-6622 | SOCALSURGICALARTS.COM

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DR. ELYSA RACHEL KAHAN KAHAN ORTHODONTICS

r. Elysa Kahan received her dental training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and completed her three-year specialty certificate in orthodontics at Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center in New York. A boardcertified orthodontist, she started Kahan Orthodontics in 2014. HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFER FROM OTHERS? “We approach orthodontics with passion, integrity and respect for our patients. I take pride in providing the most current and state-of-the art practices to patients in a newly remodeled facility. Our mission is simple: We provide exceptional orthodontic care and always go the extra mile to make our patients’ experience a great one. We specialize in straightening teeth and creating beautiful smiles for young children, teenagers and adults.”

available to review within minutes and are easily transferred and shared with your general dentist. When you start Invisalign or braces, our iTero digital scanner allows us to capture a digital model of your teeth in minutes without the use of goopy impression material! The scanner shows extreme detail of the teeth, and I can digitally move your teeth to their final positions right in front of you! Patients feel satisfaction that they can see a simulated outcome of their smile before their treatment is started.”

WHAT STEPS DO YOU TAKE TO MAKE YOUR OFFICE A STRESS-FREE ZONE? “Our office was renovated a year ago with the intention of making it a happy, calm and positive atmosphere for our families to escape the day. We have memory foam chairs, a coffee bar, a homework nook for after-school appointments and even a game station for the little kids.”

TELL US ABOUT SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF ORTHODONTICS. “I am one of the first orthodontists in the San Fernando Valley to offer Invisalign to children who need early interceptive treatment. These patients are typically 7 to 10 years old without room for their adult teeth to come in due to crowding. In the past, only traditional expanders, braces, headgear or extractions could help resolve these problems. However, recent innovations with Invisalign have made it possible to correct developing crowding with clear, removable aligners. Our young patients who have used this technology have been extremely happy with fewer poking wires and emergencies, and they can clean their teeth more easily than with braces.”

HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE? “Kahan Orthodontics creates beautiful smiles using cutting-edge techniques in orthodontics. We constantly push the boundaries to find new advancements that will make our patients’ experience not only comfortable but enjoyable. We take digital photographs and X-rays that are quick, highly accurate and provide real-time digital scans that are

WHAT DO YOU WISH PATIENTS WOULD DO AFTER THEY LEAVE YOUR OFFICE? “Remember to wear their retainers! We stress the importance of wearing retainers after teeth are straightened to prevent any relapse. We make clear custom retainers from a scan of the teeth so our patients benefit from a precise and more comfortable fit. The retainers come as a set of four upper and lower clear retainers. We keep the scans on file, so if you lose all four it is

easy to get replacements made without an extra office visit.” WHAT IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED FROM A PATIENT? “Everything we do at Kahan Orthodontics is grounded in our patients having a positive experience while in the chair. A teenage boy had just finished braces, and I had seen him grow into a confident, self-assured person. After his braces were off, he told me I had changed not only his smile but his outlook on his life. Impacting others makes it all worthwhile.” WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO INSTILL A LIFESTYLE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN THEIR CHILDREN FROM A YOUNG AGE? “I hear parents say over and over again that it’s too early to take their child to the orthodontist for a check-up because they still have baby teeth. But check-ups as early as 7 years old allow orthodontists to prevent more serious problems such as crowding and abnormal jaw growth. Ultimately, early intervention makes orthodontics easier and treatment can be more conservative.” HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED? “I believe that what you give is far more important than anything you get in return. I am very committed to giving back to the Los Angeles community. I donate my time regularly to speak and provide dental education at San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles schools and for mommy groups. Our office routinely sponsors local organizations in the Encino-Tarzana community.”

18372 CLARK STREET, SUITE 201, TARZANA | 818-578-8782 | KAHANORTHODONTICS.COM

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY PABLO ENRIQUEZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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ZAINAB MAHMOUD, MD, INC.

r. Zainab Mahmoud is a family physician and owner of a new family practice with a focus on adolescent and adult primary care. Her office provides a wide range of services from chronic disease management to women’s health and general examinations, as well as minor office procedures. Dr. Mahmoud has been in practice for almost nine years. She attended medical school in her native Sudan, East Africa, and then completed family medicine training at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland before relocating with her family to Southern California. WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO WORK IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH CARE? “Growing up, I was greatly influenced by my father, who was an internist and a cardiologist. The concern he showed his patients and the dedication he had for their care was truly inspiring. He developed lasting friendships that continued into his retirement. That, coupled with my love of learning and finding answers and problem-solving, resulted in my choosing a career in medicine.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A PHYSICIAN? “What I like best about family medicine is the longitudinal relationships I am able to form with my patients—often having the privilege of caring for entire families, which provides me with a unique vantage point and allows me to tailor each patient’s medical care to suit their specific needs. I also enjoy being a lifelong learner, since the field of medicine is everevolving. I believe it is imperative to learn something new every day as I continue to practice medicine.”

WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH AS HOLISTIC? “Yes. A great focus of mine is wholeperson care and the mind-body connection. There are many factors that make us well. Modern medicine, while successful in treating mainstream illnesses, is still developing in the area of the mind’s effects on our feeling of wellness. We should acknowledge the variations of what wellness means to each patient and how to achieve it. I try to explore and achieve this with each of my patients.” HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE? “Technology provides better connectivity between physician and patient. It helps us maintain more accurate records for each patient and is a great resource for information for patients. At our office, we collect patients’ health history electronically. We plan to add a patient portal in the future as well.” TELL US ABOUT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN YOUR FIELD. “I think the most important development is the emerging role of normal levels of essential nutrients like vitamins in the state of wellness. We are also finding out that certain health conditions predispose a patient to low vitamin levels due to problems with extraction from the dietary intake and absorption.” WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO INSTILL A LIFESTYLE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN THEIR CHILDREN FROM A YOUNG AGE? “They can provide a healthy diet rich in proteins, fruits and vegetables and ensure that children get regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight and help bone and muscle development. In addition,

I would suggest the importance of mindfulness in helping children maintain a healthy state of mind and providing them with coping skills to manage the inevitable stresses of daily life. The practice of mindfulness was recently introduced to my son at school, and I can see the wonderful benefits it gave him.” HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK AND SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED? “I always try to give back to those in need and to teach my son the importance of kindness and helping those less fortunate. We recently volunteered to help feed the homeless population in Los Angeles. It was a wonderful experience for the both of us.” TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY. “I share office space with my wonderful husband, Husam Elias, MD, who is also an extraordinary oral and maxillofacial and cosmetic surgeon and father. We have a beautiful, funny little boy, Nadir. I treasure the time I spend with my family when I am not working, and I am ever thankful for the support and love they give me.” HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR OWN HEALTH AND YOUR FAMILY’S? “I try to cook healthy meals daily and encourage regular exercise and activities as a family. I provide a safe environment for them to discuss any issues that may be sources of stress.” DO YOU HAVE A GUILTY PLEASURE? “I do like to curl up with a good book, and I enjoy reading for hours when I can. It’s not the most rigorous activity, but it’s immensely gratifying.”

4910 VAN NUYS BLVD., SUITE #102, SHERMAN OAKS | 818-789-6622

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GENE RUBINSTEIN, MD, FAAD DERMATOLOGY AND LASER CENTRE

ene Rubinstein became interested in medicine while a senior at Agoura High School. He participated in cadaver dissections as part of an anatomy program, and it was then that he decided to pursue medicine as a career. He studied biology at UCLA and earned his medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine. Today Dr. Rubinstein is a boardcertified dermatologist who has been in practice for 16 years.

surgery, including Mohs surgery, to treat the cancer. On the cosmetic side I have expertise in lasers and use many in my practice. I have also lectured about lasers for pigmentation, resurfacing and tattoo removal at conferences to physicians and physician assistants. With respect to neuromodulators and fillers, I have had a very busy practice and have performed many procedures from the earliest time they were available.”

WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOUR PRACTICE? “To provide the best individualized service to patients using cutting-edge, effective technology in a friendly and professional environment.”

HOW WOULD PATIENTS DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH? “My approach is intensely personal. I want to know who my patients are, their interests and what they do because it allows me to treat them better and leads to better outcomes. Good communication is also important. I make it a point for any patient concern to be answered promptly.”

HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFER FROM OTHERS? “We strive to be the go-to dermatology practice for all of our patients, their friends and their families. We now offer a variety of digital tools, including telemedicine virtual visits, which allow our busy patients better access to our providers; mole mapping technology, which allows us to photograph the entire body and digitally compare it on future visits to analyze changes in moles and any new moles; and virtual biopsies using a confocal microscope to digitally analyze many lesions without cutting. These tools are the future of dermatology, and we are excited to be a part of it.” WHAT IS YOUR SPECIFIC AREA OF EXPERTISE? “I treat a wide spectrum of patients. On the medical side, I specialize in the treatment of dermatologic conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. I lecture about the treatments of skin problems to dermatologists and other physicians. I also see many patients for skin exams for the detection of atypical moles and skin cancers. If I find a skin cancer, I perform

DO YOU TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO YOUR PRACTICE? “Absolutely. When a patient comes in for an evaluation, I look at the whole picture. Which lifestyle factors—such as exposure to sunlight, diet, caffeine or other factors— contribute to the condition?” IS THERE A COMMON CONCERN THAT YOU HEAR FREQUENTLY? “Adult acne is a very popular concern that is often misunderstood. There are effective new treatments for adult acne, which often manifests itself in the 30s but often continues into the 50s for women and presents as breakouts and lesions around the mouth and cheeks. Related to rosacea, this condition has very good clearance rates with proper treatments by our expert providers.” TELL US ABOUT YOUR TEAM. “Every person on our team is an expert in their field. Eric Lovato, PA-C, has been with us for more than 12 years and is adored by patients. He specializes

in laser skin rejuvenation, pigmentation, tattoo removal and is a skilled aesthetic injector. Simona Fikhman, PA-C, and Jessica Kramer, PA-C, are both extraordinary medical dermatology providers and excellent surgeons. Karen Landy, NP, has worked in dermatology for more than 20 years and is an expert in medical, surgical dermatology and is our primary aesthetic injector in our Simi Valley location. Our registered nurses, Heidi and Peri, perform many laser procedures including Ultherapy, laser hair removal, laser fat reduction, CoolSculpting, IPL PhotoFacials and much more. Aestheticians Aina and Linda have more than 20 years of experience each and perform acne facials, chemical peels, oxygen and hydro facials.” WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOUR PRACTICE? “We are continuing to evolve our practice by bringing on advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities for skin cancer.” WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING? “I have been playing a musical instrument from age 11. I started on French horn, but it was the guitar my parents gave me for my 14th birthday that really got me excited about music. I studied jazz and rock guitar and have played in musical groups since that time. For me, music is more than just a hobby. I consider it to be a creative outlet that complements my work as a dermatologist by allowing me to harbor the artistic part of the brain.” HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY? “I am on volunteer faculty at the Department of Dermatology at the Veteran Administration Hospital at West L.A. There I teach UCLA dermatology residents as a clinical instructor. I also teach medical residents from USC and physician assistant students from Stanford.”

3959 LAUREL CANYON, STUDIO CITY | 818-505-9300 | 135 MACAW LANE, SUITE 200, SIMI VALLEY | 805-522-3300 | LASKINMD.COM

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L to R: Jessica Kramer, Gene Rubinstein, Eric Lovato, Simona Fikhman

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KATRIN AZIZZADEH, DDS OWNER, LIBBIT DENTAL

ibbit Dental, a family dental practice, offers preventative dental care as well as state-ofthe-art cosmetic services including veneers, porcelain jackets, bleaching/ whitening and Invisalign—all the while keeping a keen eye on patients’ comfort and ensuring that the experience is stressfree. In addition, the practice offers night guards and retainers. Owner Dr. Katrin Azizzadeh has practiced dentistry for more than 25 years, after graduating from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco. A resident of Encino for more than two decades and the mother of two children, she opened her practice on Libbit and Ventura five years ago. HOW DOES LIBBIT DENTAL DIFFER FROM OTHER DENTAL OFFICES? “We have a boutique dental practice, and my staff knows all our patients by their first names—which immediately fosters a sense of trust and comfort. At my practice, patients literally have no wait time; they walk in and immediately are seated in the dental chair. I like to provide dental hygiene services for patients myself (instead of having a hygienist do it as many other practices do) because I can detect changes during the process. Most importantly, I develop a very customized dental plan that best fits patients’ needs. We focus on improving smiles and dental health. Both can truly impact one’s quality of life.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A DENTIST? “I love connecting with my patients. This not only brings joy to my day-to-day life but also reduces their anxiety in the dental chair. When I make a diagnosis, there is a full discussion with the patient.

I don’t rush it. Their input is important. The best reward is when a patient is about to leave after a procedure and tells me, ‘That was easy.’” HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “Our practice is more like a concierge dental practice. Not only do we provide the most advanced care, but we do the little things that can have significant impact on a patient’s experience. We provide sedation, headphones, pillows and blankets as needed. And it is not just about the time a patient spends at our office; we are always available to communicate with patients, their caregivers and doctors should medical issues arise that may impact their care.” WHO INSPIRED YOU TO WORK IN HEALTH CARE? “My grandfather and uncle were both dentists, and I grew up in a family that valued education, integrity, honesty and helping others. Becoming a dentist was natural and rewarding, as it has allowed me to help so many people with their quality of life.” HOW CAN PARENTS INSTILL A LIFESTYLE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN THEIR CHILDREN FROM A YOUNG AGE? “The most important step parents need to take toward their child’s dental health is to teach them a daily oral hygiene routine starting when they are young. Flossing and brushing as well as six-month dental checkups should be done from an early age. We make the process smooth and seamless so kids can look forward to their visits.”

IS THERE A COMMON CONCERN THAT YOU HEAR FREQUENTLY? “Obviously most people want to have healthy teeth and avoid cavities and gum disease. Additionally, many are concerned with the appearance of their teeth because of discoloration and crookedness, which we can improve with Invisalign, bleaching, veneers and/or lasers. As the stress level in people’s lives has increased, we are seeing more people come in with jaw pain and grinding, which we can help with night guards and relaxation techniques. Many people are seeing us due to snoring and/or sleep apnea. There are now sleep appliances that are much easier for patients to use than CPAP machines.” WHAT METHODS DO YOU USE TO STAY ON TOP OF CURRENT RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS? “Recently I finished my mini-residency for sleep apnea at UCLA. I am also involved with the SPEAR education group, which brings together subspecialties to keep doctors informed about the latest developments in dentistry. We meet once a month to discuss different cases and also take multiple continuing education courses on a regular basis.” HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK AND SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED? “Our family is involved in Global Smile Foundation, which is dedicated to treating dental and surgical issues for children with craniofacial deformities in third world countries such as Ecuador and El Salvador. My brother, Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, is one of the leading facial plastic surgeons who travels annually to help these kids. As a health care provider, it is great to give back to optimize global health care.”

16311 VENTURA BLVD., | SUITE 1296, ENCINO | 818-788-1231 | LIBBITDENTAL.COM

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NEETU KHURANA SODHI, DO, MPH MEDICAL DIRECTOR, BLOOM OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, INC.

loom Obstetrics and Gynecology is a boutique medical practice offering a personalized one-stopshop for women’s wellness. Dr. Neetu Sodhi trained at Harbor UCLA and Kern Medical and is a clinical professor at Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a mother of twin boys and “twin” Dobermans. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR SPECIALTY? “I am an OB-GYN who practices integrative medicine to optimize health. We avidly promote the concept of a Woman in Bloom, representing a woman in her optimal state of mental, physical and spiritual well-being. We offer full-scope OB-GYN services, the Ideal Protein weight loss method, comprehensive aesthetic services as well as holistic alternatives and complements to standard medical care.” HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFER FROM OTHERS? “We are all electronic and state-of-the-art. The office is specifically designed to please the senses and immediately put patients at ease. Each member of the Bloom team is full of energy and excited to offer excellent care. I focus heavily on education and disease prevention, and I partner with patients to help them get healthy and stay well. We also thrive on patient feedback and use it constantly to help improve the patient experience.” HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “For patients who join Bloom Boutique, our concierge program, we upgrade their medical experience well beyond what insurance covers. I communicate with them directly, they have access to me after hours, they receive priority scheduling and many additional benefits including special rates on weight loss and aesthetic services. We also make pregnancy a truly intimate experience and are the only practice to have an integrated doula service. Our Bloom doulas offer in-house prenatal yoga and massage, conduct prenatal workshops, make home visits, work with me directly to guide patients during their pregnancy and are at their side throughout labor.” HOW DO YOU STAY ON TOP OF CURRENT RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS? “I regularly attend medical conferences and conduct clinical research, with recent publications in the fields of high-risk obstetrics and contraception. It is important for physicians to use the latest technology to optimize patient outcomes. We spare no expense and keep the most advanced tools at our disposal to give you the most effective and comfortable care.”

18555 VENTURA BLVD., SUITE C, TARZANA | 818-639-9700 | BLOOMOBGYN.COM

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ANDREW T. COHEN, MD, FACS

r. Andrew Cohen grew up in Southern California, earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and performed his plastic surgery residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center. He has worked in health care for nearly two decades and opened his practice in 2001. Dr. Cohen is a board-certified plastic surgeon, offering surgical and nonsurgical treatments. WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALTY? “My specialty is natural-looking procedures that are, at times, life-changing for my patients. WHAT STEPS DO YOU TAKE TO MAKE YOUR OFFICE A STRESS-FREE ZONE? “When patients walk in the door, my office has the cozy feeling of being in someone’s home. They grab a coffee or cold drink and relax with a magazine. Diffusers give off a relaxing scent. We have a display of our favorite skincare and sunscreen products and offer skin rejuvenating treatments by our

renowned esthetician, Cynthia Marie Franco (cynmarietherapy.com ). This warm ambience and the friendly conversation with my staff all contribute to an experience that makes my patients realize they are part of our family.” HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “The patient experience begins when a person calls for an appointment. My staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and patients immediately feel trust and comfort. We have patients who have been with us since the first day I opened the doors. I built my client base on referrals from patients and fellow doctors. I have grown with my patients, and they have grown with me.” HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFER FROM OTHERS? “My practice is unique in that I provide a personal touch. The postop care is as important as the surgical care. Patients are taken care of 100% from the time they walk into the

door for their consult, through their preoperative visit and postoperative care. It is our intention for our patients to never feel that we are too busy to care about the smallest detail.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A PLASTIC SURGEON? “The fact that I can change people’s lives and restore their confidence.” HOW DO YOU STAY ON TOP OF CURRENT RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS? “Education is key to keeping up with the latest surgical treatments and technology. Nonsurgical procedures are changing weekly, and meeting with the companies and demo-ing new lasers is important to stay current. In my private practice we are always examining, comparing and discussing new technology and surgical techniques in order to maintain excellent results and patient safety. It is important for my staff and me to stay up-to-date and push each other to be the best we can be!”

5400 BALBOA BLVD., SUITE 217, ENCINO | 310-659-8771 | ANDREWCOHENMD.COM | @BEVERLYHILLSSURGEON

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TOP DOCTORS L to R: (front) Dr. Steven Dresner, Dr. Michael Burnstine (back) Dr. Christopher Lo, Dr. David Samimi

EYESTHETICA

yesthetica is the largest private physician group in Greater Los Angeles dedicated to oculofacial plastic and cosmetic surgery. The team has more than 70 years of combined experience in cosmetic plastic surgery and complex eyelid and facial reconstructive surgery and includes Dr. Steven C. Dresner, Dr. Michael A. Burnstine, Dr. David B. Samimi and Dr. Christopher C. Lo. Dr. Dresner earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed his ophthalmology residency at Louisiana State University. Dr. Burnstine earned his medical degree from Harvard MedicalSchool and completed his ophthalmologyresidency and chief residency at W.K. Kellogg Eye Center,University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Dr. Samimi earned his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and completed his ophthalmology residency at Bascom Palmer

Eye Institute at the University of Miami. Dr. Lo earned his medical degree at Mount Sinai in New York City and completed his ophthalmology residency at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat H ospital. WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALTY? “Oculofacial plastic surgery is an art that combines the meticulous techniques of ophthalmology with the aesthetic outcomes of plastic surgery for the very best results in eyelid surgery. The eyes are the focal point of the face, so it is no surprise that the world-class doctors at Eyesthetica have been chosen to train doctors, to treat their colleagues and to consult on international patients. Exceptional patient outcomes are the reason why the Eyesthetica team is the first choice for doctors personally undergoing eyelid surgery. Eyesthetica patients benefit from results that are naturalappearing and safe for the eyes.”

HOW DO YOU PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “Prior to surgery, each patient receives a personalized treatment plan tailored to their individual goals—taking into consideration the patient’s unique anatomy, gender and ethnicity to achieve their desired result. The entire Eyesthetica team is devoted to exceeding expectations. Total patient satisfaction is our top priority. Our friendly, multilingual staff will make you feel at home at any of our conveniently located offices. More importantly, when you walk into Eyesthetica, you can rest easy knowing that your eyes and face are in the best possible hands.”

OFFICES IN DOWNTOWN L.A., ENCINO, PASADENA, SANTA CLARITA, SANTA MONICA, TORRANCE | 213-234-1000 | EYESTHETICA.COM

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TOP DOCTORS

MICHAEL A. PERSKY, MD, FACS FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

ichael A. Persky, MD, and his team assist patients with all aspects of facial plastic surgery including surgery of the nose, eyes, neck and face; rejuvenation of the neck, jawline, face and body with nonsurgical, noninvasive techniques; and muscle-building and fat-reducing for arms, legs, abs and glutes. Dr. Persky has worked in the medical field since 1985. He attended UCLA followed by Emory University Medical School and LA County-USC Medical Center. Boardcertified in facial plastic surgery, he lectures internationally on a variety of medical topics.

HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “Every face is unique and requires customized attention. At the initial consult we listen, evaluate and then recommend the best personalized natural beauty plan, quote the cost and treat our patient.”

WHICH ATTRIBUTE IS MOST IMPORTANT IN CARING FOR PATIENTS? “Caring—both as in the ‘care’ given as well as truly personally ‘caring’ for the well-being of another. Creating and maintaining facial beauty is facilitated by my experience, skill, knowledge, judgement, faith and most importantly my natural artistic vision.”

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU OFFER THAT ARE UNIQUE? “Emsculpt: an electromagnetic muscle-building, fat-reducing device—the latest ‘paddles’ for arms, legs, abs and glutes. Four 30-minute sessions over two weeks results in 16% muscle increase and 19% fat reduction. Our ‘WOW’ treatment combines the noninvasive lifting and tightening power of Ultherapy with Sculptra

HOW WOULD YOUR PATIENTS DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH? “I combine the science of facial aesthetics with an emphasis on the art of creating and maintaining natural beauty.”

Aesthetic and Physician Micro-Needling with PRP (platelet rich plasma), resulting in a naturally refreshed, rested and healthy appearance.” IS THERE A COMMON CONCERN THAT YOU HEAR FREQUENTLY? “Like Nora Ephron’s book title, I Feel Bad About My Neck!” HOW DO YOU STAY ON TOP OF CURRENT RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS? “Specialty journals, as well as attending Vegas Cosmetic Surgery multispecialty conference every June and Global Aesthetics Conference every October, where I lecture, moderate, share experiences with colleagues, and stay abreast of the latest innovations in aesthetic surgery and medicine.” HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR OWN HEALTH AND WELLNESS? “Golf, stationary cycling, yoga and walking the dogs.”

16311 VENTURA BLVD., SUITE 600, ENCINO | 818 501-3223 | DRPERSKY.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

TOP DOCTORS

SHERLY SOLEIMAN, MD

FOUNDER & COSMETIC PHYSICIAN | COSMETIC INJECTABLES CENTER

r. Sherly Soleiman is a board-certified physician who specializes in noninvasive and minimally invasive aesthetics. She opened Cosmetic Injectables Center more than a decade ago and offers Botox and other fillers, as well as procedures to rejuvenate and enhance patients’ aesthetic features.

ARE THERE ANY MEDICAL BENEFITS TO THE PROCEDURES YOU OFFER? “Neuromodulators such as Botox can help a lot of medical conditions. By relaxing overactive muscles, they can help with migraines, back pain due to muscle spasms and knots, jaw-clenching, teeth-grinding, TMJ, tense shoulders, ptosis of eyelids, twitching, Bell’s palsy, neuralgia and even depression. Fillers can be injected into areas that may require extra padding, such as fat pads in the feet to reduce pain from walking.” HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFER FROM OTHERS? “Many medical spas have directors and owners who aren’t particularly familiar with the injectables industry and the latest research. I am highly specialized. I’m on the faculty for Allergan (the company that makes Botox, Juvéderm, Voluma and Kybella), and I’m an investigator in clinical trials for aesthetics companies. We are ranked by Allergan as one of the top 250 offices that offer injectables in the United States. That ensures usage of genuine FDA-approved products. Also, I have taught and presented at more than 30 injection trainings and roundtable speaking events. ”

14460 VENTURA BLVD., SHERMAN OAKS | 818-322-0122 | COSMETICINJECTABLES.COM

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEPHANIE BETESH/WIND PRODUCTIONS

WHY DO YOU THINK COSMETIC PROCEDURES HAVE BECOME MORE POPULAR? “Unlike surgery, which used to be the only option, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures make enhancements more affordable, natural and even reversible. So there’s less fear and guilt. Just as we take care of our hair and nails and try to dress our best, we now can care for our face—avoiding looking disheveled, tired, angry or sad. There’s no need to feel guilty when we spend money to take care of our appearance. Let’s face it, our psychological health is impacted by the way we look. If you look tired and sad, people will treat you like you are tired and sad, and subconsciously you can become that way. Research shows that Botox can treat depression. At our office, we also have a signature procedure called Hyaluronic Acid Infusion where we replace the body’s naturally lost hyaluronic acid (HA) without volumizing the face. Since HA can hold 1,000 times its weight in water, the procedure can hydrate the internal structures—lasting for a year.”

TOP DOCTORS

JOSE-LUIS RUIZ, DDS OWNER, SUPRA-GINGIVAL DENTISTRY

upra-Gingival Dentistry by Dr. Jose-Luis Ruiz provides artistic cosmetic dentistry as well as general dentistry. Supra-gingival (above the gum) dental procedures offer patients benefits such as healthier gums, tooth preservation, less chance of root canal and less discomfort. Dr. Ruiz has been practicing for more than two decades. He is a leading researcher and educator in modern, minimally invasive dentistry, developing and teaching a number of new techniques in aesthetic and restorative dentistry. He has published several clinical and research papers on adhesive dentistry, aesthetic dentistry and occlusion therapy. He has made numerous television appearances all while being the director of the Los Angeles Institute of Clinical Dentistry. WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALTY? “I decided to become a dentist to make beautiful smiles. I have taught advanced courses on porcelain veneers and esthetic dentistry

at USC for years and have done thousands of smile makeovers for people in the movie industry. We have people consistently come from around the country and even overseas to get their veneers done with me for a reason.”

HOW DO YOUR PATIENTS DESCRIBE YOU? “Caring, gentle and an artist. My patients see me as someone they can trust and rely on when it comes to oral health—not only cosmetically but for overall health in the mouth.”

HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFER FROM OTHERS? “We understand that only by providing dentistry that preserves and protects the health of not just your mouth but your entire body can we truly create smile masterpieces. We offer a healthier form of minimally invasive dentistry. We say ‘no’ to crowns— always choosing healthier options.” WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH AS HOLISTIC? “We are not holistic, but we are a new level of healthy—based on scientific evidence. The way we practice protects the patient’s health. There are fewer issues that patients encounter after leaving the office.”

HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE? “By having the most up-to-date, state-of-theart technology, we are able to have full digital X-rays; newer, cleaner and faster equipment; and most importantly, new equipment allows for a cleaner and more sterile atmosphere.” HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “We provide VIP services not usually available in dentistry, such as zero wait time, personalized attention one patient at a time, extended hours by request, comfort technology such as aromatherapy, and the latest equipment to improve the quality of care such as lasers, digital X-rays and GALILEOS cone beam technology.”

11966 VENTURA BLVD., STUDIO CITY | 818-641-5577 | DRRUIZ.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

TOP DOCTORS

TSOLAIR HOVSEPIAN, DDS THE DENTAL STUDIO

r. Tsolair Hovsepian and her team at The Dental Studio provide general and cosmetic dentistry for the entire family. Dr. Hovsepian graduated from the UCLA School of Dentistry and has practiced all over Los Angeles for the past 15 years. She took over her current practice in 2017.

appointments, treatments, questions or followup. I am very easy to reach and communicate with, and I cater to individualized needs. Furthermore, I treat every single patient as though they are family—with honesty and the utmost quality of care.”

WHAT STEPS DO YOU TAKE TO MAKE YOUR OFFICE A STRESS-FREE ZONE? “I have designed my dental office with the anxiety-free dental experience in mind. The office is more intimate while at the same time light and airy with a modern touch. The vibe is friendly and fun, and we like to keep the appointments easy and painless.”

WHAT IS MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR WORK? “Knowing that I have eased patients’ anxiety and they return ‘looking forward’ to their dental appointment. I have time and time again heard patients telling me about previous bad experiences, which have kept them from going to the dentist at all. My mission is to create a comfortable, trusting environment for patients and to give them the best dental experience possible.”

HOW DO YOU PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO PATIENTS? “I strive to provide personalized attention to all of my patients, whether it is for their scheduled

HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE? “Our office is equipped with TVs in each treatment room. Our X-ray is fully digital, offering

extra comfort and convenience. We have recently upgraded to cloud-based software, which provides digital communication such as appointment reminders via text and email.” TELL US ABOUT BEING A BUSY WORKING MOM. “I am a mom of three beautiful children! As a working mom and business owner, my life is a constant balancing act. I have an incredible support system, including my husband and my mother, who help me make my dreams a reality. I am able to practice dentistry with my own philosophy of helping patients with all of their dental needs—improving their smiles and, ultimately, their lives. Although the balancing act as a working mother is challenging, it is also incredibly rewarding to know that I am a wonderful role model for my own children. This is what gives me the strength and motivation to make it all happen!”

17175 VENTURA BLVD., ENCINO | 818-788-3488 | THEDENTALSTUDIOENCINO.COM

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TOP DOCTORS

DR. ELLIOT HIRSCH OWNER, ELLIOT M. HIRSCH, MD, INC.

oard-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Elliot Hirsch specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery and performs a number of other cosmetic procedures, such as body contouring after massive weight loss, facial plastic surgery, and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation procedures such as Botox and other fillers, chemical peels and facial treatments, lasers and PRP. Dr. Hirsch grew up in Westlake Village and graduated from Johns Hopkins University. He returned to Southern California and earned his medical degree at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, followed by a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He is the chair of plastic surgery for Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WORK IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD? “My mom insists I was sitting in a high chair at 2 years old saying I wanted to be a doctor. But as far back as I can remember, I knew I wanted to be a surgeon. When I was in high school in Agoura, California, I was lucky enough to have a cadaver lab and I was fascinated by the dissections. From that point on, I knew I was going to do whatever it took to become a surgeon.” HOW WOULD YOUR PATIENTS DESCRIBE YOU? “My patients would say I am honest about outcomes and what can be corrected or enhanced surgically and what simply cannot be altered. Patients thank me for the realistic expectations I set before surgery and the care and thought that I put into every single case.”

IS THERE A COMMON CONCERN THAT YOU HEAR FREQUENTLY? “The various ‘cosmetic surgery’ credentials can be confusing, and patients have a hard time understanding the qualifications they should be looking for when they choose a surgeon. Look for certification by the American Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery—the most stringent and only legitimate board.” HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR OWN HEALTH? “It is very important to me that I have work-life balance. I am an avid surfer on weekends, and I play water polo on a team once a week. I love taking my kids and Maltese on walks and bike rides every evening, and my son and I play catch most nights. We love to cook together, and we are teaching our kids healthy eating habits.”

4955 VAN NUYS BLVD., SUITE 715, SHERMAN OAKS | 818-825-8131 | HIRSCHPLASTICSURGERY.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

JULY 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

TOP DOCTORS

WEST COAST WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE CENTER FOUNDER, TINA KOOPERSMITH, MD

r. Tina Koopersmith and her team at West Coast Women’s Reproductive Center offer clients services such as gynecology, integrative medicine and functional medicine. They also provide consultation services for third-party reproduction. The team includes Dr. Melanie Landay; dietitian Lori Lichterman; Shirin Peykar, LMFT; Sharee Conrad, who is trained in Reiki, Ayurvedic medicine and acupuncture; and massage therapist DeLeon. In October, naturopathic doctor Stephanie Berg, ND, will also be on staff. The practice also offers classes in meditation, wellness and yoga. HOW DOES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFER FROM OTHERS? “In Western medicine, doctors are trained to look for and diagnose disease and treat any illnesses with medicine, surgery or other procedures. At our practice we want to go

deeper into your history and try to uncover why and how you may not be living to your fullest. We want to maximize your health and even reverse disease processes. We believe in the power of the body and mind to heal and are open to using more than the tools of Western medicine. I also realize the power of adjunctive healers to help my patients—we all need a dedicated team.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A DOCTOR? “I get to witness people in their humanity. We are all spiritual beings having a human existence, and sometimes that can be very challenging. I am honored to hold and listen to people when they are hurting and scared and help them grow out of their darkness and back into their light.” HOW WOULD YOUR PATIENTS DESCRIBE YOU? “I have had numerous patients comment

that their visits are more than a doctor’s visit but also a therapy session. I dig deep into the root causes of their history and symptoms and then integrate their social, mental and physical health to better understand them. The best compliment I have received is that I listened and I cared without judgment.” WHAT STEPS DO YOU TAKE TO MAKE WEST COAST WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE CENTER A STRESS-FREE ZONE? “Keeping the office stress-free is essential. We have a back room available to patients and staff that has exercise equipment. We have meditation cushions and coloring books when people need a break. On Friday mornings our amazing massage therapist is available for massages. Daily we have music playing, and I encourage regular dance breaks! I encourage staff cooperation and friendship—being kind to one another and working together as a team is key.”

4835 VAN NUYS BLVD., SUITE 200, SHERMAN OAKS | 818-986-1648 | WOMENSREPRODUCTION.COM

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TOP DOCTORS

ANNA D. GUANCHE, MD, FAAD OWNER/FOUNDER, BELLA SKIN INSTITUTE

ella Skin Institute is a full-service dermatology and aesthetic surgery practice directed by Dr. Anna Guanche—a board-certified dermatologist with more than 14 years of experience. The Bella Skin team cares for all types of skin conditions but places special emphasis on the areas of cosmetic dermatology and laser surgery. WHAT DO YOUR PATIENTS LIKE BEST ABOUT YOU? “We love our patients and treat them as friends and family. Patients love us because we are consumers of our own offerings, and so we clearly believe in what we are doing.” WHAT IS YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY? “We offer a full range of cosmetic procedures and devices to enhance the appearance of the skin and reverse signs of aging. We best serve our patients by giving them optimal, specific treatment, rather than trying to recommend the same treatment for everyone.” WHAT CONCERN DO YOU FREQUENTLY HEAR FROM PATIENTS? “That they look natural after their aesthetic treatment. Our practice provides treatments that are well-planned and administered in the safest, most conservative way to ensure a natural look and minimal downtime. At the intersection of proper evaluation and counseling, pretreatment care and an artistic eye is where optimal results are achieved.” TELL US ABOUT YOUR STAFF. “Our staff has been nicknamed the ‘derm dream team’ for good reason. Our estheticians have more than 30 years experience collectively. The medical assistants are caring and experienced and understand patient needs. Physician assistants Ananda Fidani, PA-C, and Wendy Kao have a combined experience of 11 years in dermatalogy, and our patients love them.” HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY? “Bella Skin Institute is a leader in contribution to the Dermatology Foundation, which funds research for finding cures for other skin conditions.” WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR BELLA SKIN INSTITUTE? “Bella Microgold is our newest technique for delivering microBotox and microfiller to the surface of the skin—a procedure that models and red carpet attendees and everyone loves! BellaFX is a radiofrequency neck-tightening device that provides phenomenal results. The new GG-Global Glow Up is the ultimate procedure series for smoothing skin. It is the ‘models’ favorite’ and incorporates skinperfecting procedures from all over the world. Dr. Guanche has written a beauty book that will be published this year: Seven Days to Sexy.”

23622 CALABASAS ROAD, SUITE 339, CALABASAS  | 818-225-0117 | BELLASKININSTITUTE.COM

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TOP DOCTORS

MELINA B. JAMPOLIS, MD OWNER, THE BODY SCULPTING STUDIO

he Body Sculpting Studio offers several body sculpting methods including Emsculpt®, CoolSculpting® and Venus Freeze, along with advanced, medical-grade facials, HydraFacialMD, IPL, microneedling, cellulite treatment programs and personalized nutrition and weight loss programs. Dr. Melina Jampolis is an internist and board-certified physician nutrition specialist and has been in private practice for 19 years. She has been a CNN health contributor for the past decade and is a frequent guest expert on national TV shows, magazines and websites. Dr. Jampolis has written four books, including her latest, Spice Up, Slim Down, of which 100% of the profits go to charity. WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS? “I feel that I am truly a healer at heart, so helping people improve their health and look and feel better can have a profound impact on their lives—not just physically but also mentally. When you look in the mirror and feel good about yourself, it can positively impact your entire outlook and mood, so I get to make people feel better every day.” WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR TOP TREATMENTS? “Our latest (and favorite) treatment is Emsculpt—a nonsurgical procedure that builds muscle and burns fat. This incredible machine gives you lean, sculpted abs or a nonsurgical butt lift with just four 30-minute treatments over two weeks with no downtime. It is the perfect addition to CoolSculpting, which addresses larger amounts of fat, along with my comprehensive nutrition and weight loss programs. I’m also very excited about our new Tribella™ total rejuvenation facial, which combines IPL, Diamond Polar and NanoFractional IF™ to truly transform your skin and dramatically improve skin texture, tone and tightness.” HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR OWN HEALTH, BEAUTY AND FITNESS? “I love spinning, and last year I did my very first triathlon (at the age of 48!). I am also a big skier, so winter weekends are usually spent in Mammoth. I just had major knee surgery so this year will be more challenging, but I’m going to try to incorporate more weight training as part of my rehabilitation. I didn’t take great care of my skin when I was younger, so as I approach 50, I’m trying very hard to undo the sun damage and slow the clock as much as possible. In terms of my diet, as a nutrition doctor I’m pretty conscious about what I eat every day, but I don’t believe in deprivation or cutting anything completely out of my diet.”

12626 RIVERSIDE DRIVE, SUITE 409, VALLEY VILLAGE | 818-336-4377 | THEBODYSCULPTINGSTUDIO.COM

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Compass is a licensed real estate broker (01991628) in the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. To reach the Compass main office call 310.230.5478

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Call for your FREE market analysis! ©2016 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting this information. Based on information obtained from the MLS as of (11/1/2016). Display of MLS data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS. CalBRE 1317331

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323.333.7018 | LIC. # 01905431

$10,500,000 7 BEDS 10 BATHS 12,656 SQ. FT. 23.48 ACRE LOT

$4,499,000 4 BEDS 5 BATHS 4,302 SQ. FT. 11,252 SQ. FT. LOT

$3,199,000 7 BEDS 7 BATHS 5,680 SQ. FT. 1.1 ACRE LOT

$2,695,000 5 BEDS 5 BATHS 8,348 SQ. FT. 17,542 SQ. FT. LOT

3931 OESTE AVENUE STUDIO CITY

CRAIG KNIZEK

424.230.3718 | LIC. # 01377932

5153 AMESTOY AVENUE ENCINO

CRAIG KNIZEK

424.230.3718 | LIC. # 01377932

4179 PRADO DE LA PUMA CALABASAS

GINA MICHELLE

818.850.1458 | LIC. # 01503003

5325 COLLINGWOOD CIRCLE MOUNTAIN VIEW ESTATES

DANIELLE PERETZ

424.230.3710 | LIC. # 01897529

$6,495,000 7 BEDS 11 BATHS 10,015 SQ. FT. 1 ACRE LOT

$3,995,000 4 BEDS 6 BATHS 4,905 SQ. FT. 33,171 SQ. FT. LOT

$2,998,000 6 BEDS 6 BATHS 4,902 SQ. FT. 13,126 SQ. FT. LOT

$2,370,000 5 BEDS 4.5 BATHS 4,778 SQ. FT. 14,966 SQ. FT. LOT

in the San Fernando Valley

5001 GAVIOTA AVENUE ENCINO

MAYA LIBRUSH

818.379.7702 | LIC. # 01932610

16144 MOORPARK STREET ENCINO

BRYAN CASTANEDA

310.895.5572 | LIC. # 01309833

5271 ELVIRA ROAD WOODLAND HILLS

GINA MICHELLE

818.850.1458 | LIC. # 01503003

5460 WHITE OAK AVENUE #104 ENCINO

MICHELLE SCHWARTZ

424.230.3716 | LIC. # 01889141

$2,333,000 4 BEDS 6 BATHS 4,987 SQ. FT. 13,572 SQ. FT. LOT

3551 GLENRIDGE DRIVE SHERMAN OAKS

ANDREA KORCHEK

818.371.0933 | LIC. # 01311917

$1,848,000 5 BEDS 3.5 BATHS 4,600 SQ. FT. 7,523 SQ. FT. LOT

5747 VESPER AVENUE

$1,099,000 5 BEDS 4 BATHS 3,618 SQ. FT. 6,342 SQ. FT. LOT

22711 LIBERTY BELL ROAD

$325,000 2 BEDS 2 BATHS 990 SQ. FT.

SHERMAN OAKS

MICHELLE SCHWARTZ

424.230.3716 | LIC. # 01889141

CALABASAS

HOLLY HATCH

818.306.7901 | LIC. # 01244574

17845 AVENIDA PUERTO VALLARTA ENCINO

ANDREA KORCHEK

818.371.0933 | LIC. # 01311917

$1,995,000 4 BEDS 5 BATHS 5,009 SQ. FT. 18,498 SQ. FT. LOT

85 STAGECOACH ROAD BELL CANYON

EMIL HARTOONIAN

818.924.2806 | LIC. # 01796925

$1,200,000 3 BEDS 2.5 BATHS 1,700 SQ. FT. 6,605 SQ. FT. LOT

16142 BAYBERRY PLACE

$1,050,000 4 BEDS 2.5 BATHS 2,408 SQ. FT. 9,126 SQ. FT. LOT

14647 DICKENS STREET #1

$19,500/MO 4 BEDS 6 BATHS 4,699 SQ. FT. 18,804 SQ. FT. LOT

SHERMAN OAKS

ANDREA KORCHEK

818.371.0933 | LIC. # 01311917

SHERMAN OAKS

DENISE SNANOUDJ

323.646.8866 | LIC. # 01101684

OAK VIEW ESTATE ENCINO

ANDREW MORTAZA

818.458.2218 | LIC. # 01470043

$1,868,000 5 BEDS 7 BATHS 5,200 SQ. FT. 1.01 ACRE LOT

$1,150,000 3 BEDS 3 BATHS 2,284 SQ. FT. 13,826 SQ. FT. LOT

$615,000 2 BEDS 2 BATH 1,347 SQ. FT.

$18,000/MO 6 BEDS 7 BATHS 5,133 SQ. FT. 3.71 ACRE LOT

THEAGENCYRE.COM

4004 Rogen Drive

5325 Collingwood Circle

5088 Amestoy Avenue

839 N. Ogden

6310 Mirror Lake

ENCINO | $2,989,000 | AC TIVE ENCINO | $2,898,900 | SOLD

CAL ABASAS | $2,370,000 | AC TIVE CAL ABASAS | $1,895,000 | SOLD OFF-MARKE T

HOLLY WOOD | $1,700,000 | SOLD OFF-MARKE T

Danielle Peretz | Danielle.Peretz@TheAgencyRE.com | 424.230.3710 | Lic. # 01897529 LU X U R Y R E A L E S TAT E AT T H E A G E N C Y R E .C O M

TOLUCA LAKE

4315 Arcola Ave $3,495,000

Craig Strong 818.930.4050 DRE 01450987 Romantic French Country Estate on exclusive street. Magnificent Old World craftsmanship. Private entertainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise!

SHERMAN OAKS

13280 Valley Vista Bl $4,750,000

SHERMAN OAKS

Joan Duffy 310.995.0900 DRE 00525687

14806 Hesby St $2,399,000

Kristin Neithercut 323.397.0800 DRE 02003278

STUDIO CITY

4225 Alcove Ave $2,495,000 ENCINO

4250 Alonzo Ave $1,999,000

STUDIO CITY

Suzan Sacket 818.674.2369 DRE 01931257

SHERMAN OAKS

5002 Matilija Ave $1,899,000

3231 Dona Raquel Pl $1,939,000

Eric Lieberman 310.849.4900 DRE 01008206

STUDIO CITY

Gina Covello 310.251.8280 DRE 01323543

11642 Acama St $1,836,000

Eric Lieberman 310.849.4900 DRE 01008206

Exceptional East Coast Cape Cod, newly built - completed May 2019, on very quiet tree-lined street.

SHERMAN OAKS

Michael Bergin 310.600.0715 DRE 01845572

5232 Ethel Ave $1,099,000

Alan Taylor 818.650.1603 DRE 01369255

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate.

EXQUISITE MEDITERRANEAN OASIS

10424 VALLEY SPRING LANE

3791 WINFORD DRIVE, TARZANA

TOLUCA LAKE

OFFERED AT $3,199,000

OFFERED AT $6,495,000

6 Bd | 7.5 Ba | 6,399± sf | 25,155 ± sf lot

5 Bd | 8 Ba | 6,386 ± sf | 21,572 ± sf lot

3768 BERRY DRIVE

4315 ARCOLA AVENUE

8819 LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AVENUE

STUDIO CITY

TOLUCA LAKE

HOLLYWOOD HILLS

OFFERED AT $3,495,000

OFFERED AT $4,250,000 4 Bd | 6 Ba | 5,598 ± sf | 15,898 ± sf lot

OFFERED AT $1,745,000

5 Bd | 5 Ba | 4,685 ± sf | 12,188 ± sf lot

3 Bd | 3.5 Ba | 2,062 ± sf | 6,630 ± sf

10405 SARAH STREET

3274 BERRY DRIVE

COMING SOON - TOLUCA LAKE

STUDIO CITY

OFFERED AT $4,295,000

OFFERED AT $1,699,000

5 Bd | 6 Ba | 5,310 ± sf | 15,979 ± sf lot

3 Bd | 4 Ba | 3,106 ± sf | 10,196 ± sf lot

CRAIG STRONG Vice President, Luxury Home Sales Top 1% Nationwide Sold Over $125 Million in 2018 StrongRealtor.com #1 Individual Agent Companywide

Compass does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size, or other information concerning the condition or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from public records and other sources and the buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information. CalBRE 01450987 | 818.930.4050

OVER A QUARTER BILLION IN REAL ESTATE SALES

ALAN TAYLOR

REAL ESTATE GROUP

Alan Taylor | 818.650.1603 | info@alantaylorrealestate.com Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01866771. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

FEATURED PROPERTY

4302 Teesdale Ave, Studio City COMING SOON

10439 Valley Spring Lane, Toluca Lake ACTIVE

833 N. Sierra Bonita, Los Angeles IN ESCROW

15967 Meadowcrest Road, Sherman Oaks SOLD

4358 N. Clybourn Avenue, Toluca Lake

#1 Team in the Valley #6 in Los Angeles #16 in California #60 in the U.S.

COMING SOON

12403 Landale Street, Studio City ACTIVE

11553 Sunshine Terrace, Studio City IN ESCROW

12339 Cantura Street, Studio City SOLD

4240 Teesdale Avenue, Studio City

ACTIVE

3850 Vanalden Avenue, Tarzana ACTIVE

13520 Hesby Street, Sherman Oaks SOLD

4207 Cedros Avenue, Sherman Oaks SOLD

15147 Rayneta Drive, Sherman Oaks

ACTIVE

4450 Gayle Drive, Tarzana ACTIVE

20239 Inland Lane, Malibu SOLD

4379 Firmament Avenue, Encino SOLD

5025 Noble Avenue, Sherman Oaks

818.432.1524

CalDre Lic#01850113

Each office is independently owned and operated. If your property is listed with another broker, this is not a solicitation. Keller Williams Realty does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size, or other information concerning the condition or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from public records or other sources and the buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information through personal inspection with appropriate licensed professionals.

MICHAEL BERGIN |

LUXURY ESTATES DIRECTOR

FOR SALE 11642 Acama Street, Studio City

FOR SALE

IN ESCROW

COMING SOON

IN ESCROW

JUST SOLD

3450 Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles $950,000 - $1,365,000 2 + 3 Bedrooms Available Enclave Live/Work Townhouses

4254 Irvine Avenue, Studio City Colfax Meadows Pool Carpenter School District Representing Buyer

4150 Kraft Avenue, Studio City $2,199,000 5 Beds 5 Baths Colfax Meadows Carpenter School District

4707 Cedros Avenue, Sherman Oaks $1,965,000 5 Beds 4.5 Baths 3,622± Sqft Representing Buyer

6014 Greenbush Avenue, Valley Glen $1,499,000 4 Beds 6 Baths 4,100± Sqft Guest House & Pool

23133 Mariano Street, Woodland Hills $1,050,000 4 Beds 2 Baths 2,136± Sqft Represented Buyer

Michael Bergin Luxury Estates Director 310.600.0715 BerginHomes@gmail.com DRE 01845572

Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. This is not intended to solicit property already listed.

Oren David Mordkowitz ESTATES DIRECTOR | REALTOR Â® CalDRE License #01246402 818-933-5866 oren@orenestates.com

15732HighKnollRoad.com

15732 High Knoll Road | $2,349,000

COMING SOON

17801TwilightLane.com

17801 Twilight Lane

IN ESCROW

SOLD IN 3 DAYS

12442RyeStreet.com

12442 Rye Street | $1,149,999

16725OakViewDrive.com

16725 Oak View Drive | $1,249,000

IN ESCROW

SOLD IN 1 DAY

4570GableDrive.com

4570 Gable Drive | $1,599,000

SOLD

3747 Hayvenhurst Ave. | $1,389,000 4903 Newcastle Avenue | $1,250,000

4938 Alonzo Avenue | $985,000

3325 Alginet Drive | $1,749,000

COMING SOON

3747HayvenhurstAvenue.com

SOLD

3325AlginetDrive.com

SOLD

4235 Alonzo Avenue | $1,889,000

SOLD

16701 Bajio Court | $6,750,000

SOLD

4047 Hayvenhurst Ave. | $3,999,000

Curious what your home is worth? Contact Oren for a complimentary home analysis!

www.OrenEstates.com

A home that exceeds expectations deserves a mortgage to match.

• Up to 85% financing on a primary residence may be available on loan sizes up to $2 million1 • Dedicated support every step of the way

Let’s find a mortgage that fit your needs. Call me today. John Musso Home Lending Officer 818-518-1008 john.musso@citi.com citi.com/johnmusso NMLS# 448606

Terms, conditions and fees for accounts, programs, products and services are subject to change. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Certain restrictions may apply on all programs. Offer cannot be combined with any other mortgage offer. This offer contains information about U.S. domestic financial services provided by Citibank, N.A. and is intended for use domestically in the U.S. A minimum FICO score of 740 is required. Borrowers must have a minimum of six months reserves. Refinances are limited to rate/term refinances of an existing CitiMortgage serviced loan. Refinances cannot result in cash back to the borrower. The property must be a 1 to 2 family dwelling located in a stable market occupied as a primary residence. Properties in any MSA depreciating 5.01% or more per the Citi seriously declining market list or information found on the appraisal are not eligible. A Citibank deposit account is required for this option. A minimum in $50,000 in eligible post-close balances must be in place no later than 10 days prior to your scheduled loan closing. The anticipated post-close Citi eligible balances are based upon the balances you are anticipated to have following the closing of the mortgage loan and taking into account any down payment and/or closing costs you will be paying out of pocket at closing. Citi eligible balances include your personal account balance in your Citibank deposit accounts (Checking, Savings, Certificate of Deposit and Money Market). Balances from Citibank, N.A. business accounts and retirement accounts other than IRAs are excluded. Conforming loans are loans that are up to $484,350 or up to $726,525 in certain high cost markets. Jumbo loans are loans that exceed those conforming loan amounts. A Citi Mortgage Representative can inform you what the conforming loan amount is in the area where your property is located. ©2019 Citibank, N.A. NMLS# 412915. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Citi, Citi and Arc Design and other marks used herein are service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, used and registered throughout the world.

last word

Bottom of the Sixth

A father in the stands on the trials, tribulations and true joy of Little League. WRITTEN BY STEVE SEIDEL | ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE GEORGIADES

Tucked beneath the steady hum of the 101 Freeway sits an oasis of ballfields, fields as soft as a yacht-rock ballad, and the chatter of boys and girls at play. A largely technologyfree zone, save for siblings who have been dragged there against their will, this is The Land That Time Forgot. Banners of past victories adorn the fences. The best kosher dog in the city can be still purchased at a snack stand once manned by Annette Funicello. The obsessively maintained grass, never wavering from its kelly green sheen, would make Julie Andrews pirouette in ecstasy. Here, the hills, or perhaps I should say fields, are alive with the sound of baseball. This idyllic setting, better known as Encino Little League, has been the home of countless moments that have shaped my son’s youth. At 12 years old, he is in his final season at ELL, completing his journey as a “lifer,” having participated in every level of competition. He started with Wee Ball, where no runs or outs are counted and the most one can hope for is that its participants know to travel the bases in a counterclockwise rotation. And he is ending in the Majors, where the emotional highs and lows of competition are as palpable as the nerves of the parents

122

VENTURA BLVD | JULY 2019

cheering—and sometimes coaching— from the stands. It was here on the fields of ELL where my son learned that passion, practice and the fundamentals are the great equalizer. This proved important these last two seasons in particular, as 11- and 12-year-olds personify the haves and the have-nots of puberty. My undersized, squeaky-voiced son stood on third base the other day, next to a kid purportedly his age but seemingly three feet taller. He appeared to have a budding mustache; I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a driver’s license. Meanwhile, we parents learned a thing or two about being supportive, but not too tribal. “Your Children Are Watching,” command signs posted above the bleachers. It can get intense, but for the most part we have kept ourselves under control while cheering him on. Little League parent chatter is unlike any other. “Good eye!” for a ball taken. “Nice cut!” for a hearty swing and a miss. “You’ve seen it!” for a taken strike. Try chirping “good eye!” at a Dodger game and imagine all the blank stares of bewilderment. As the sun sets on my son’s Little League experience, he hopes that his baseball

career is just beginning. He’ll represent ELL with a team of his buddies competing in a tournament at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, this summer. From there, he plans to play as long as the game will have him—in middle school, high school, maybe beyond. After a recent Sunday practice, the parents brought in dinner of pizzas, salad, homemade brownies ... and maybe some concealed adult beverages; I will neither confirm nor deny. At one point, the kids all seemed to have disappeared. We looked around for them, and sure enough, they were on a neighboring field, playing a simplified version of baseball with Wiffle bats and tennis balls. No Fortnite to distract them; they didn’t want to stop playing. The action continued until darkness overtook the field. That little slice of (mostly) prepubescent youthful activity felt like the end of a particular journey. Hormones, girls, driving, college and all that other “real life” stuff beckons. For now, let’s leave it all out on the field. ■ Steve Seidel is an EP and partner at the branded content studio VIMBY. He lives with his wife, two children and golden retriever in Sherman Oaks. Follow him @schnd.

The Spitz | Cameron Group Selling A Lifestyle

The View From The Top Is Outstanding! SU GO N RG SE T EO V US IE W S

V EX A LL PL EY OS I V VE IE W S

17925 Medley Dr, Encino $4,295,000 www.17925MedleyDr.com

3949 Vista Linda Dr, Encino $3,195,000 www.3949VistaLinda.com

V ES V

E S

16461 Dorado Dr, Encino $2,899,000 www.16461DoradoDrive.com

A TA U T I V FU IE L W S

4369 Empress Ave, Encino $2,549,000 www.4369EmpressAve.com

The Spitz | Cameron Group, Placed 70th Out of All Berkshire Hathaway Agents Internationally for 2018! AndrewSpitz.com

HarrietCameron.com

FranChavez.com

DRE#924610 Realtor®

DRE#675971 Realtor®

DRE#01013357 Realtor®

818-817-4284

818-380-2151

818-517-1411

©2019 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information. DRE #01317331

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