WHERE WE LIVE
OURV E N TU R A B LV D.CO M
the WOMEN'S issue DANCER KARINA SMIRNOFF
SIX DOLLARS
SEPT/OCT 2017
Calabasas | Encino | Sherman Oaks | Studio City | Tarzana | Toluca Lake | Woodland Hills
now serving
the 818 Offices Now Open In Sherman Oaks | Calabasas Luxury Real Estate at TheAgencyRE.com
Swinging tor, irec ve D i t u c Exe
2017-18
r rabe eing t S r Tho
To Ray With Love, Starring Maceo Parker Featuring the Ray Charles Orchestra & The Raelettes Oct 19 | 8PM
Terence Blanchard
Miles Electric Band Mar 1 | 8PM The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Apr 5 | 8PM
Cécile McLorin Salvant Onstage Sessions Apr 18–19 | 8PM Cécile McLorin Salvant
Terence Blanchard Breathless Featuring The E-Collective Onstage Sessions May 1–2 | 8PM
#MUSICKNOWSNOBORDERS
VPACatCSUN
We’re here for you so you can focus on what matters most
W E L L S FA R G O P R I VAT E B A N K Wealth Planning Investments Private Banking Trust Services Insurance
At Wells Fargo Private Bank, we understand that your commitments to your family and community are some of your most important responsibilities. We offer a dedicated team of local professionals who take the time to understand your unique needs so you can focus your time and energy into what’s most important—when it’s most important. Contact us to learn more about our wealth management solutions and how we can help support your vision. To start a new kind of conversation, contact your local Wells Fargo Private Bank office: Wells Fargo Wealth Management 118 E. Carrillo St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805-564-2876
Wells Fargo Wealth Management 2829 Townsgate Rd., Ste. 215, Westlake Village, CA 91361 805-777-8375
wellsfargoprivatebank.com Wells Fargo Private Bank provides products and services through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the banking affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company, and its various affiliates and subsidiaries. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Trust services available through banking and trust affiliates in addition to non-affiliated companies of Wells Fargo & Company. Insurance products are available through insurance subsidiaries of Wells Fargo & Company and are underwritten by non-affiliated Insurance Companies. Not available in all states. © 2017 Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Member FDIC. NMLSR ID 399801 IHA-4771603
Kids, bring your grandparents (or great-aunts and great-uncles) for FREE when they buy you a Noah’s Ark ticket September 5–15! Visit skirball.org to learn more about this special promotion.
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 skirball.org • (310) 440-4500 FREE on-site parking; street parking strictly prohibited
NOAH’S ARK ANIMALS BY GRANT MUDFORD; NOAH’S ARK VISITOR BY © ANTONIO DIAZ/SHUTTERSTOCK
Grandparents Week at Noah’s Ark
COMING THIS FALL:
INTERACTIVE OPEN HOUSE EVENTS CALENDAR Ventura Blvd Magazine will host a comprehensive calendar of the finest Open House events for schools in our area. Plan your fall using this easy to navigate guide. Find it live mid-September at
OurVenturaBlvd.com/OpenHouses
Want to include your events? Find out how by contacting Robin Sanders at 818-427-2050 or robin@moontidemedia.com
YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
OPEN HOUSE November 9 – TK-5th grades November 19 – 6-8th grades
Come learn about our robust academic programs, and experience the nurturing Heschel community you’ll discover at our state-of-the art campus. We offer multiple bus routes to our campus from Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills and Calabasas.
For more information, visit us at heschel.com/openhouse
Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School 17701 Devonshire Street Northridge, CA 91325 (818) 368-5781
goldenstate.is The digital content destination celebrating the very best of California.
@ourgoldenstate
A production of
The Best Cosmetic Facial Services in Southern California Dr. Namazie is a board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology and of the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Namazie does extensive facial plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures as well as his otolaryngology specialty, including balloon procedures for sinus obstruction, surgical procedures for sleep apnea, surgery procedures for thyroid disorders, and much more. He is qualified to treat the full range of medical and surgical ailments for all ages of patients with interests in aesthetic surgery, acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, cancers of the head and neck, surgery for snoring and sleep apnea and disorders of the voice.
DR. NAMAZIE’S SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
• • • • • • • • • •
Rhinoplasty Nasal reconstruction Eyelid surgery rejuvenation Facelift Endoscopic brow lift Lip augmentation Laser skin resurfacing Liposuction Chemical peel Collagen, Botox injections & facial fillers
CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT (818) 986-5500 4955 VAN VAN NUYS NUYS BOULEVARD, BOULEVARD, SUITE SUITE 505, 505, SHERMAN SHERMAN OAKS, OAKS, CA CA 91403 91403 || NAMAZIEMD.COM NAMAZIEMD.COM 4955
GREG S. KHOUNGANIAN, MD MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE SURGERY BOARD CERTIFIED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON
We treat each patient with quality care.
WE LIKE TO START OUR PATIENTS ON PROGRAMS DEVISED TO EXHAUST ALL OPTIONS FOR TREATMENT BEFORE SURGERY IS NECESSARY.
MINIMALLY INVASIVE OUTPATIENT SURGERY BAND-AID SIZE INCISION CERVICAL DISCECTOMY & FUSION CERVICAL AND LUMBAR DISC REPLACEMENT LUMBAR MICRODISCECTOMY LUMBAR DECOMPRESSION LUMBAR FUSION PROCEDURES COMPLEX SPINE REVISION SURGERY
WWW.GSKSPINE.COM 5363 BALBOA BLVD. SUITE 245 ENCINO, CA 91316 818.343.4430
COVER & “WOMEN WE LOVE” Photographed by Michael Becker Hair & Makeup by Cat Sherwin
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
22 FEELING FINE Q & A with Dr. Shira Miller
58 SOLE FOCUS 3 Great Shoe Shops
24 BUFF ON THE BLVD Amp Up Your Workout
60 SEEN Faces Spotted Around Town
38 DULY NOTED A Friendship Turned Business 40 TALL ORDER Tree Tips for Fall 42 DATEBOOK Fun Stuff to Do 44 BARE BONES Haunted House
the sauce 66 THE ROOT OF IT Tuccio’s Farm Fresh Italian 70 BELLA IN THE VALLEY A Cook’s Kitchen
features 26 WOMEN WE LOVE Meet 8 feminine forces. 46 ULTRA LADY & THE BULLDOG A Calabasas woman inspires women ultramarathoners to take on the challenge of their lives. 54 A BIG FALL The season’s best styles showcased in all their glory. 72 PERFECT PERCH The hillside home of interior designer and actress Annie Fitzgerald and HBO producer Gregg Fienberg.
78 WHERE HISTORY MEETS ART A LAUSD pilot program is using art to teach students about the Holocaust. 83 GETAWAY GUIDE Exploring the California coast—one resort at a time.
and then some... 90 PROFILES A curated collection of the most impressive and accomplished women in SoCal 111
REAL ESTATE Spectacular Local Listings
130 LAST WORD Just a Doll
“My goal is to restore function, get my patients back to the activities they enjoy, and improve their quality of life."
MichaelAbdulianMD.com
1500 E. Chevy Chase Dr. Suite 401A & 401B Glendale, CA 91206 (818) 863-4446
Specializing in arthroscopic and minimally invasive surgery of the shoulder, hip, and knee Shoulder, hip and knee joint replacement including anterior hip and robotic partial knee replacements Operative and Non-Operative Arthritis Treatment Platelet Rich Plasma erapy (PRP Injections) Bone Marrow Stem Cell erapy Injections Orthopaedic trauma and fracture surgery Sports Injuries
Hearing Health Centers An affiliation between Providence Health & Services and House Ear Clinic
Joyce Crawford, Au.D.
Increased
Mental Heal
Optimize your HEARING, Optimize your BRAIN. There are many benefits of treating hearing loss:
Increased
Cognitive Heal
Those who treat their hearing loss have a decrease in feelings of depression, anger and anxiety.
Increased
Improved Ability to
Individuals with untreated hearing loss are at an increased risk of cognitive decline.
Focus
Untreated hearing loss leads to difficulty concentrating, especially when communicating with others.
Social Interactions
Improved communication leads to a boost in confidence and more social activities with friends and loved ones.
Using the latest technology, we can find the hearing solutions suited for your needs.
Receive $500 OFF a set of premium devices.*
Call Emma Tornero (818) 528-6965 www.houseprovidence.org | 16260 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91436 *OPN1, AudÊo™ B90-R, Beyond 440, LiNX29, Halo2 i2400, Primax7
A P L U S S I Z E FA S H I O N B O U T I Q U E
Abundance is one of the very few upscale independent plus size fashion boutiques in the entire United States. From comfortable to casual or dressy - classic to funky and fun. Abundance has it all!
(818) 990-6128 1 3 6 0 4 V E N T U R A B LV D. S H E R M A N OA K S , C A 9 1 4 2 3
16
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
GROUP PUBLISHER
Linda Grasso
Jared Sayers
ART DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Michelle Villas
Darren Elms
COPY EDITORS
PUBLISHER
Peggy Jo Abraham, Laura Watts
Robin Sanders 818-427-2050 | robin@moontidemedia.com
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christine Georgiades
ADVERTISING Senior Account Executive | Sue Williams
VB’S THE SAUCE ENEWSLETTER EDITOR
818-625-3515 | sue@moontidemedia.com
Joshua Lurie Account Executive | Erika Carrion CONTRIBUTORS
310-897-2424 | erika@moontidemedia.com
Jenny Karl, Heather David, Diane Haithman, Kathleen Laccinole, Allison
Account Executive | Marcie Gutierrez
Rae Marsh, Hadley Hall Meares, Tanya
424-220-6337 | marcie@moontidemedia.com
Monaghan, Jennie Nunn, Cat Sherwin, Susan Spillman, Steven Stiefel
Account Executive | Amy Tetherow 424-220-6338 | amy@moontidemedia.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Becker, Ulysses Chan, Starla Fortunato, Eric Garcia-March, Tameka Jacobs, Kat Monk, Shane O’Donnell, Monica Orozco
MANAGING PARTNERS Charles C. Koones
Todd Klawin
MARKETING & OPERATIONS Partner/Brand Publisher | Emily Stewart Partner/Managing Director, Media & Analytics | Warren Schaffer Brand Publisher | Hannah Lee Associate Brand Publisher | Cherice Tatum Director of Digital | Charles Simmons Director of Film & Video | Bryce Lowe-White Art Director | Angela Akers Operations Manager | Allison Jeackjuntra Marketing Manager | Rachel Gotko Marketing Manager | Danielle Price Accounting | Janet De La Cruz No part of this periodical may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent from Moon Tide Media, LLC. Any and all submissions to this or any Moon Tide Media, LLC publication become the property of Moon Tide Media, LLC and may be used in any media. We reserve the right to edit. TO OUR READERS Ventura Blvd magazine welcomes your feedback. Please send letters to: Reader Response Department, Ventura Blvd Magazine, PO Box 3760, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. Please include your name, address and email. Edited letters may be published. SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: info@moontidemedia.com or phone: 310-376-7800. Subscriptions are $29 per year. 200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110, El Segundo, CA 90245
Tel 310-376-7800 | Fax 310-376-0200 | MoonTideMedia.com | OurVenturaBlvd.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
17
editor’s letter | LINDA GRASSO
Greetings from Dr. Tolbert HAD A SURGERY BUT STILL IN PAIN? NEED TO REDUCE YOUR OPIOID DEPENDENCE? AFRAID TO BE IN PAIN? Dr. Tolbert specializes in minimally invasive procedures & treatments to rehabilitate and get rid of pain. If dependent on medication, we can reduce or eliminate your dependence and pain.
Call NOW To Schedule A Private Consultation!
818.784.7197 “OUR job is to make you FABULOUS”
With Jess Weiner, who helped rebrand Barbie, which now comes in a variety of body types and skin tones.
WOMEN ON THE VERGE It brings me such joy to present you with this issue—in particular the cornerstone article, Women We Love (page 26). The VB team was lucky to have photographer Michael Becker and makeup artist/hair stylist Cat Sherwin on board. The artistry they brought to the project was formidable—only matched by the sheer brilliance of the women. Our subjects range in age from 23 to 58; they include women who have triumphed in the face of adversity, beaten odds, shattered glass ceilings and some who are just doing things in an incredibly authentic way. I hope you find them as inspiring as we do. Speaking of inspiration, I also hope you will check out my new podcast, SheSez. It is for women interested in making a meaningful change in their lives—a new job, mindset, passion or cause. Each 30-minute episode covers all bases—from struggles to strategies to successes—with intimate conversation. I like to think of it as a reinvention master class. You can find the podcast on SheSez.com, beginning September 12. It’s also available to download on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Access individual episodes or subscribe and receive alerts when new episodes become available. If you tune in, do leave a comment. As an ongoing student of reinvention, I’m interested in your feedback. Happy Fall!
17609 Ventura Blvd., Suite 114 Encino, CA 91316 Phone: 818.784.7197 Fax: 818.784.3060
www.Center4rehab.com
Linda Grasso Editor-in-Chief Follow me on Instagram @linda.grasso
Hear Dr. Tolbert’s CNN interview
www.snappytv.com/tc/1886415
18
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
e provide Nursery (3-year-old) to 8th Grade students with an outstanding, inspiring, and nurturing educational environment focused on unlocking each child’s potential. ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE
WEEKDAY TOURS Thursdays at 9:30am
Sunday, October 8 Sunday, November 5
September 21, 28 October 12, 26 November 16 December 7, 14 January 11, 18, 25
@BerkeleyHallSchool • #BerkeleyHall • 310-476-6421 An Independent Coeducational N-8 Day School 16000 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049
License #191604221
–6 DK
u Th
20
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
a rs d
y,
t Oc
o
r be
26
hu T •
rs
D y, a d
e ec
m
r be
7,
1 20
7,
.m 9a
.
sept/ oct VISIONARY
Meet Jess Weiner, who helped redesign the iconic Barbie doll. More on page 26.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL BECKER
HAIR & MAKEUP BY CAT2017 SHERWIN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER | VENTURA BLVD
21
datebook
Feeling Fine
From how to slow down the aging process with bioidentical hormones to the safest, most effective birth control methods, we get the latest take on women’s health from Dr. Shira Miller. PHOTOGRAPHED BY STARLA FORTUNATO
22
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Dr. Shira Miller is the founder and medical director of The Integrative Center for Health & Wellness, a concierge consultative service in Sherman Oaks. She specializes in replacing hormones that are lost (in both men and women) during the aging process. And that is where VB Editor Linda Grasso begins her questioning.
Prescribing hormones for menopausal women can cause women to get their periods again. That sounds a bit unnatural… My primary goal is to optimize health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases in patients. Once a woman loses estrogen and progesterone (during menopause/postmenopause), she begins to have a myriad of symptoms (disturbed sleep, fatigue, body aches, mental fog, lack of femininity), and her health starts declining. In addition, the risk of chronic diseases begins increasing (osteoporosis, heart disease, dementia). So how do you treat those low hormone levels? I replace the actual hormones that are deficient in a way which mimics how women’s hormone cycles normally work. This means prescribing bioidentical hormones in a cyclic fashion; not nonbioidentical hormones that look similar to what the body would have produced. Similar is not good enough—an exact copy needs to be replaced. And just to be clear, in menopause and postmenopause, estrogen and progesterone levels are nil or almost nil. The male equivalent of menopause is castration. So essentially what you are trying to do is mimic the reproductive cycle phase of life for women– correct?
Exactly. During a woman’s reproductive years she is at peak health. Mimicking a reproductive cycle means essentially recreating a woman’s monthly rhythm of estrogen and progesterone. And it is these rhythms that subsequently cause regular menstrual periods. The goal isn’t primarily the menstrual period (which is simply due to estrogen and progesterone rhythms reaching the uterus). The primary goal is to restore estrogen and progesterone hormone rhythms to the entire body. Can’t taking high levels of estrogen cause cancer? The 2002 Women’s Health Initiative study, which publicized the idea that HRT causes cancer, is actually flawed in several ways. A later analysis of the study showed that women taking only the horse estrogens (and not the alien progesterone) had a 20% decreased risk of breast cancer. That being said, if a woman already has breast cancer for example, then both BHRT or HRT could cause that cancer to grow. Paradoxically, high dose estrogen has been used for over 50 years in the treatment of breast cancer. It gets complicated. How important is it to have an internist who integrates all types of medicine— eastern/western and some of what my friends call “hocus pocus” treatments? For me, the goal is to provide good medicine, and many times that means using tools found outside the box of traditional medicine. Therefore, it’s important that patients have a physician who is willing to learn and do whatever it takes to help patients. I loathe the ageism. And yet I find myself seeking out younger doctors for their more progressive, integrative approaches. Thoughts? There are young doctors who are not willing to learn new information and mature doctors who are. If you find a physician who respects you as his/ her equal, and is constantly learning and open to new ideas, then that’s a good catch! A lot of post-40 women complain about fatigue. Recommendations? A comprehensive evaluation and blood
work are necessary to look for the cause, of course. If declining estrogen levels (perimenopause) are the culprit, cyclic can be initiated. When we were in college everyone was on “the pill.” Is that what we should be recommending for our daughters? Birth control pills are made up of nonbioidentical hormones and severely disrupt those reproductive rhythms I was raving about … so I don’t recommend them if there’s an alternative. Furthermore, I don’t recommend any hormone treatment that interferes with natural hormone rhythms, unless it’s an emergency. Can you share some nondisruptive alternatives? The copper IUD is one, although it can still cause problems in some women. A woman needs to research options and discuss them with a knowledgeable gynecologist. The decision shouldn’t be made in haste.
If you find a physician who respects you as his/her equal, and is constantly learning and open to new ideas, then that’s a good catch!
Many women these days take medicine for a thyroid condition. I told a holistic nutritionist friend recently that I took the drug Synthroid and she was incredulous that I’d “put chemicals” in my body. Should women with thyroid conditions—hyper or hypo—seek alternatives? Yes, there are several different forms of thyroid medication, and ideally it would be best to find a physician who is familiar with prescribing different forms. For example, some people convert Synthroid to active thyroid hormone and do great, but some don’t and continue to feel fatigued. These patients would likely need to additionally be prescribed active thyroid hormone. ■
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
23
Buff on the Boulevard From a bootcamp-meets-hightech-workout to a spin studio with a social twist, 3 innovative ways to jump-start your fitness routine this fall.
WRITTEN BY HEATHER DAVID
ASHTON WHITE
SPIN WHEELS
PUMP UP
FEELING THE SQUEEZE
The bright and airy studio at Beatbike is the brainchild of 27-year-old venture capitalistturned-fitness entrepreneur, Ashton White. “My original goal was to create the Starbucks of spin, meaning I want the workouts to be customizable. I also want everyone to feel like they belong here,” she says. The clientele ranges from the super-fit workout junkie to the novice looking to get in shape. The schedule includes indoor cycling classes as well as circuit training group workouts, aimed at all fitness levels. “We’re looking to create a community feel, rather than just a place you have to race in and out of.” To encourage mingling, there’s a coldpressed juice shop as well as a spacious outdoor deck with Wi-Fi.
At the new Fitmix Studio, toss out all preconceived notions about traditional Pilates—like it’s only for women or the super fit. “Our classes are for all levels and both men and women. We’re always able to give modifications to make it easier or harder, depending on the individual,” says Fitmix co-founder Diana Newton. Their two signature 55-minute classes, Endurance and Mashup, are both equally grueling. Mashup begins with 25 minutes on the treadmill—sprinting and jogging at varying rates of inclines. After a quick cool down, and just when you’re considering giving up, you move to the customized Pilates reformer, where every part of your body—not just the core— gets hammered. In the Endurance class, students work solely on the reformer equipment.
Orangetheory Fitness offers a fast-paced class, taking students through a series of exercise stations ranging from running, rowing and weightlifting to floor exercises. The idea is to work out at about 84% of your maximum heart rate, or “orange zone,” for 12 to 20 minutes of the hour-long class. The theory is that once you hit that goal, you’ll reap the benefits of the “afterburn effect” or amped-up calorie loss that continues afterwards. Students are equipped with a heart rate monitor. A plasma screen located inside the studio displays information like heart rate and exactly how many minutes are spent in “the orange.” With plentiful parking and sessions running nearly every hour throughout the day, it’s attracting all types of people who are looking to squeeze in a structured workout and then move on with their day.
$10 trial class 17060 Ventura Boulevard, Encino
Free trial class 14006 Riverside Drive, Suite 201, Sherman Oaks
$10 trial class 18700 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 220, Tarzana
24
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
We are proud to announce
+
The Adat Ari El Day School Stanford University’s d.school K12 Lab Network Collaboration Learn about our collaboration with Stanford University’s d.school K12 Lab Network – the foremost institution in the field of Design Thinking – elevating our Design Thinking curriculum to a remarkable new level!
Prospective Parent Open Houses November 2 • January 10 To make a reservation for an Open House or to schedule a tour, contact Sarah Schultz, Director of Admission and Community Relations, at sschultz@adatdayschool.org or 818.766.4992. 12020 Burbank Blvd., Valley Village, CA 91607 • 818.766.4992 • aaedayschool.org
FallAdCampaign-2017.qxp_VenturaBLVD 8/1/17 3:11 PM Page 1
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
25
BETHANY ASHTON WOLF Styled by Allison Rae Marsh Love Shack Fancy dress from Barney’s
Women We
Love Meet 8 women who are doing extraordinary things with their lives and—whether shattering glass ceilings or inspiring others—they’re making the world a better place. Here we share the reasons we chose them as well as some other noteworthy and interesting tidbits.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL BECKER HAIR & MAKEUP BY CAT SHERWIN
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
27
Bethany Ashton Wolf
Michelle Sobrino
Writer/Producer/Director
Master Multitasker
Dogged Dream Pursuer WHY *As a thriving film screenwriter and producer for 10 years, the soft-spoken, petite beauty longed to direct full-length feature films. But every time Bethany got up to bat, she was turned down. “I don’t fit the mold of what Hollywood expects from a director.” Many people told her to give up and just be thankful for her success on the indie circuit. “But I refused to pick up the ball and go home.” And it’s a good thing. In early 2018, Forever My Girl, which she wrote the screenplay for and directs, will be distributed by Roadside Attractions, which was also behind the Oscar-winning movie, Manchester by the Sea. *She fell in love with her husband of 13 years, comedian Josh Wolf, on their first date— despite its rather unconventional nature. Josh was a single dad of three at the time. “He called me that day and said his sitter had cancelled. Would I want to just come over and hang out? He opened the door that night and we passed each sleeping child on the way to the den. We both fell in love with each other at that exact moment.” *She is doing it her way. Advised it might help her career if she “acted more like a director,” she refused. “Look I’m not Penny Marshall. I’m not Nora Ephron. I think both made terrific movies and I admire both. But I do it differently.” GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT “There are two things in my life that make my heart beat. The first one is my children and husband, and the second thing is writing and directing. Truly, I know that both of those things in my life are what I was put on this earth to do.” ON BEING AT THE HELM “There is nothing more rewarding for me as a director than to help an actor through something personal by working through it artistically on set.” Integral to that process is exhibiting kindness and creating an environment which nurtures and supports actors. “That, in fact, is the secret.”
28
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Iconic Brand Trailblazer
WHY *It isn’t just that she was named the first woman publisher in Variety’s more than 100year history. It is her viewpoint on it: “When my promotion was announced, it mentioned that I was the first woman in Variety’s history to hold the publisher title. The significance of that did not sink in immediately. As time passed, I had many women reach out to me, but I was surprised by the number of students preparing to start their careers who sought my advice. I then began to really take pride in the milestone it represented.” *She’s been with the same company for 20 years and still has the same enthusiasm that she had as a junior sales executive. “I have great affinity for the talent in this business, but the best parts of my job are collaborating with an outstanding team and meeting with the brilliant marketers, managers and publicists. I loved my job when I started back in ’97 and I still love it. For me, it’s all been a dream job—regardless of title.” *She is a team player and is quick to share credit. After an ownership change and a couple of reorganizations, the brand faltered for a period. But for the past five years, under Michelle’s guidance, Variety’s profits have grown. “I have a great boss [Jay Penske] and a terrific team. It is a collaborative effort.” HER SECRET She has a demanding career (managing some 40 employees) and two kids (8 and 10 years old), and she seems to carry it off effortlessly. “It is tough to stay in front of all the challenges. The key for me is to be as organized as possible. My husband is really supportive and that helps. And every moment I’m not working, I’m with them.” WHAT’S NEXT *Michelle has helped expand the brand with new revenue streams, including consumer events and leadership summits. “The business is constantly evolving. I am excited to continue growing Variety across products. There is room for acquisitions to help drive scale and push into new markets.”
Suzanne Farwell Movie Producer Glass Ceiling Shatterer WHY *She has a producer credit on some of our favorite movies including Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated. They make us laugh; they make us cry; they make us want to redecorate our homes like the ones we see on the big screen. *After working with her mentor, Nancy Meyers, for some 20 years (Suzanne started out as her assistant on The Parent Trap.), she formed her own production company in her 40s—a time when Hollywood is showing most women the door. *While many female showbiz execs wear their tresses long and blown-out, she sports a chic, no-fuss-no-muss “boy cut.” And she has the smarts to know that it looks really, really good on her. GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT “I would say my kids—raising two great kids who are good people.” (Her daughter Kate, a “VB Top Teen” featured in the April issue, just headed to college. Son Jack is an elementary school student in Encino.) WHAT’S NEXT With Resonate Entertainment (that she owns and operates with two partners), Suzanne aims to make movies for the female audience. “I want to make films that I want to see. Look at the movies this past summer—nearly all of them were made for a male audience. The studios have all but abandoned the ‘people movies’ in favor of big budget action and superhero films. Women are starved for the kinds of stories they want to see on the big screen. When you make an even moderately good movie for women or girls, they show up. The fact that Hollywood continues to ignore the huge financial opportunity in this underserved audience is baffling to me,” she explains. Resonate will begin filming the dramatic comedy Give or Take in 2018. Suzanne will direct for the first time. And we will be watching.
30
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Paige Duddy Indie-Pop Vocalist Feminine Force WHY *Born in North Hollywood and raised in Westlake Village, the 23-year-old performs in indie-pop duo XYLØ, with her older brother, Chase. The duo burst on the music scene this year doing a nationwide tour with The Naked and Famous and producing the vocals for the Chainsmokers’ hit “Setting Fires.” The pair quickly became an internet sensation and snagged a record deal. *Though she is a self-described nonconformist, Paige recognizes when it’s time to bend. “I’ve never really been into school to be honest. I’m the type that needs to just go and experience things in the real world. Growing up as a girl, I never really cared what people
thought, and I sort of had a big mouth. I spoke my mind even when it wasn’t appropriate, but that’s changed as I’ve matured. Some things are better left unsaid!” *She remembers her roots. She was raised in a musical family; her grandfather was a drummer and her two uncles were in the popular ‘80s rock band TOTO. “I grew up living next door to my grandparents, and when I was a senior in high school, I actually lived with them. So anytime I would practice piano, my grandpa would be standing over my shoulder making sure I was playing in time! I definitely wouldn’t be pursuing music if it wasn’t for my family’s influence.” *She considers herself a feminist and participated in the women’s march in downtown LA. “I think feminism just means equality in my eyes, and that’s something we need to fight for every day, not only for ourselves
but for people who may not have as many opportunities as we do.” CAUSE CROONING In XYLØ’s song “America,” Paige expresses frustration at laws that could keep her apart from her British boyfriend. “I don’t think you need to write about every aspect of your life, but it’s really therapeutic when you talk about real stuff. Lee [Newell] and I were just falling in love when that song was written, so it was amazing how it turned out the way it did. It was really hard trying to figure out at 19 how your boyfriend was going to be able to stay with you when you’re from two different worlds.” WHAT’S NEXT This fall XYLØ embarks on a tour through the U.S. and Canada. Signed by the Disruptor label on Sony, she and Chase are working on their first album, which is slated for release next year.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
31
Jess Weiner Social Entrepreneur Change Agent WHY *She works with media makers, marketers and influencers to ensure their messages to girls and women are responsible. As a consultant to global brands like Dove and Mattel, she is helping to change the way we think about physical beauty. *She is incredibly insightful on things we all strive for and sometimes get frustrated by, like confidence and self-esteem. She teaches us that having things not work out and having to switch gears is not about failure; it is simply part of life. As a noted speaker (Yes, she’s done a Ted talk.), best-selling author and podcast host (Talk to Jess), her wise voice takes authenticity to a new level. *She totally owns herself—right down to her decision, with husband, Felipe [Lopez], not to have children. “I love kids, but I figured I could be more powerful in this world helping other people with their children than having my own.” FOCAL POINT Jess stresses that true confidence is not about perfection or beauty. “We need to change the way we talk about confidence. You get confidence through self-discovery. It’s a process and it takes time.” GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT “I’m most proud of creating two cultural change moments on a significant scale. In 2006, Dove launched a national and global conversation around beauty standards [with its “Real Beauty” ad campaign using women of all body types dressed in lingerie]. And 10 years later, I helped change an iconic brand like Barbie and her aesthetic. We got to challenge the idea of beauty by offering four different body types, seven different skin tones and 24 types of hair. I look at those two things—Dove and Mattel—and it really makes me proud, because I know it’s had an impact for women and girls.
32
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
33
Liz Pryor Best Selling Author Advice Expert WHY *She kept a secret for 38 years and then dug deep and shared it in her compelling memoir, Look at You Now. The book tells the story of how, at 17, Liz got pregnant and was sent away to have the baby at a home for wayward girls. Her parents told friends and family that she was hospitalized for an illness. She gave the baby up for adoption. *In her mid-40s, after being a stay-home mom, she got divorced and suddenly became the sole supporter of three kids. Liz tapped her talent for writing and got her first book published (What Did I Do Wrong?). Then from among 15,000 applicants, she snagged a “game-changing” gig as advice guru for Good Morning America. *She is crazy comfortable in her own skin. Spend an hour with her, and she makes you wish you could own and like yourself half as much as she does. GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT “Nothing compares to the pride I feel in my three kids. My youngest just turned 18. They aren’t an accomplishment of course, but they are the purpose, inspiration and meaning behind everything I do. The feeling of knowing they are out in the world with a true sense of who they are and tackling life with strength and hope … it doesn’t get better than that.” WHAT’S NEXT Liz recently finished writing the pilot for a limited TV series of Look at You Now. She has also signed on to executive produce and co-write. And there is another book in the works. But for Liz, who proudly offers she is 58, the possibilities are endless. “Honestly every year for the past four, I have ended up doing something I had no idea was going to happen. So who knows? I try to remain open and hopeful.”
34
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Brittany Goosen Boxing Promoter Bona Fide Badass WHY *At 30 years old, she is one of the boxing industry’s youngest female executives, repping 250 fighters, including legendary tough guy Floyd Mayweather. *She is VP of Operations for her family’s boxing promotion company, TGB Promotions, based in Studio City. Her dad, Tom Brown, is CEO, “but he knows who the real boss is.”
*Nicknamed by her clients “The Tough B” (“B” apparently does not stand for Brittany), she can go from boardroom to the boxing ring in full, perfectly applied makeup, commanding equal respect at both locales. UNIQUE TALENT She works with boxers, who can in her words, “be … generally speaking … a challenge.” Her secret? “I’m very direct and I don’t take any lies. Plus–from making sure checks are cut to handling press conferences to sitting ringside—I take care of everything that has to do with the business side. My fighters know that with me on board, they are being treated fairly.”
HER STORY Both sides of Brittany’s family were in the boxing business. (Her mother’s side—the Goosens—ran a boxing training center in Van Nuys.) After graduating from CSUN, she worked for a cosmetics company until her mom started pushing for her to join her father in the family business. “At first I resisted; I was really into the cosmetics company. But my uncle, who worked with my dad, had died, and he really needed some help. It just seemed right, and now I couldn’t be happier with my choice.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
35
Karina Smirnoff Professional Dancer Dream Weaver WHY *As a dancer on Dancing with the Stars for 22 seasons, she was known as something of a drill sergeant, but in real life she is not so tough. “With the TV packages that got aired on the show, it was really hard for people to get a sense of who I am. I’m actually really sweet and I have a great sense of humor,” she shares at Karina Smirnoff Dance at The Village at Westfield Topanga. Her parents live a stone’s throw away and both help her run the studio, which offers classes for kids and adults. *At the age of 14, she moved here from the Ukraine—not speaking a word of English— and despite some hardships, she flourished. “It was culture shock. We started from ground zero. My parents slept on the floor. But I had big dreams even then. America gives you the opportunity to succeed. And I’m so grateful.” *The 39-year-old isn’t fazed by turning 40. “I feel better today than I felt 10 or even 20 years ago. Dancing is the fountain of youth. No sleep—that’s the fountain of aging.” THE APPLE OF HER EYE Her immediate family includes two terriers. “Randy and Oscar are not dogs. They are humans!” she quips. Randy is named after Randy Couture and Oscar is named after Oscar De La Hoya—both of whom are former DWTS partners. WHAT’S NEXT The dancer is busy promoting her new beauty line—The Karina Collection by LASplash Cosmetics—designed with enough staying power to last through any one of her rigorous performances. It includes a smudgeproof mascara, waterproof eyeliner pen and matte lipstick. She also continues traveling the world to compete professionally. What she truly hopes is next, though, is a family. “I really want to have kids. It is the only thing that is missing in my life.” ■
For more on Bethany, Suzanne, Jess and Liz, checkout the SheSez podcast, launching on SheSez.com and Apple Podcasts Sept. 12.
36
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Come SEE FOR YOURSELF what the big deal is! (at our small school) RSVP online for a daytime tour and one of two evening Open Houses (October 18 or November 29)
www.LosEncinosSchool.org/see Independent school serving grades K-6. Accredited by CAIS and WASC. 17100 Ventura Boulevard • Encino, CA 91316 • (818) 900-1006 • info@LosEncinosSchool.org
h etter t an ever! b d new at Buck n a le ’s t
y.
Com es
e
85 wha e
OPEN HOUSES October 14 and November 18 RSVP at buckley.org/openhouse SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
37
Duly Noted
Two Encino moms come up with a fun way to connect with kids while inspiring positive thinking.
38
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
When moms Sharona Saltzman and Hadas Propper first met at their daughters’ Encino elementary school, little did they know they would become business partners. The idea stemmed out of small handwritten notes that Sharona would put in her daughter, Shayna’s, lunchbox. “I would write something that would make her laugh and teach her something too,” she recalls. Turns out Shayna wasn’t the only one amused. The child’s friends also started looking forward to these clever little notes. And moms began asking if they could get them for their kids.
Sharona asked Hadas, a graphic designer/ marketing specialist, if she would team up, and the partnership gave birth to their Anytime Notes collection. The colorful 4”x 4” tearoff notes are full of fun facts, jokes, riddles, positive messages and thought-provoking questions. They are also great for dinner table conversation as well as car and plane rides. Notes from Me! are now available at Target stores nationwide through mid-September (and online anytime at mywish4u.com). You can find them—where else?—by the lunchboxes. ■
A distinctive and dynamic K-12 independent college preparatory school. Excellent academics with an ethos of innovation and continual improvement in a nurturing environment.
Academic Excellence and Character Development Within the Circle of Family Lower School Open Houses October 18 & December 5 Middle School Open House November 4
Come for a visit! Weekday individual tours
Kindergarten Saturday Open Houses - Oct. 28 and Dec. 2 Upper School Open House - Saturday, Oct 14 Middle School Open House - Saturday, Nov 18 Middle and Upper School Admission Preview Day - Saturday, Dec 2 www.viewpoint.org or 818-591-6560 23620 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, CA 91302
Call 818-508-4717 or email admissions@wesleyschool.org to make a reservation. 4832 Tujunga Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91601 ~ www.wesleyschool.org
the sauce
T H E D E S T I N AT I O N F O R VA L L E Y F O O D I E S
S I G N U P & E AT W E L L O U RV E N T U R A B LV D.C O M
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
39
Tall Orders
Fall is the season to tend our trees—whether planting or trimming. Here’s some advice from an expert. WRITTEN BY DIANE HAITHMAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY TAMEKA JACOBS
40
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
This story began with a close encounter with a redwood tree on Fruitland Drive in Studio City. Could this be a young version of the famous giants that grow in Sequoia National Park, someday to soar more than 250 feet, shattering the sidewalk and street as it widens to a circumference of 90 feet plus? And what was this northern California native doing down here, anyway? I decided to consult TreePeople, our local experts in Coldwater Canyon Park. An e-mail brought an immediate response from Linda Eremita, TreePeople’s Forestry Education Manager and a certified arborist. Turns out the tree is a coastal redwood, not a giant sequoia. Still, according to Linda, even a coastal redwood would grow too big for its space—and ultimately fail to thrive without rainfall, fog and forest shade. “This is a sad story of someone not thinking it through before they planted a tree,” Linda says.
She often reminds homeowners that planting a tree represents a longtime commitment and that they should put in as much research as they would before getting a dog, a house or even a spouse. Some things to consider: climate (high-low temperatures), sunlight, rainfall, drainage, soil and drought tolerance. Make sure you know how wide your tree’s roots might get, so you know how far to plant from your house. Gauge height to avoid branches tangling with power lines. Definitely consider pests. Right now, local arborists fear the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), a tiny, nasty beetle from Southeast Asia, currently attacking SoCal trees. If not stopped, the bug could kill as many as 27 million trees in the next few years. ■
Valley-Friendly Varieties Keeping in mind Linda’s warning that every area has its own microclimate, we asked her to select some promising options for a local home. Linda says late fall is best for planting. (She would have loved to include California’s native oaks in the mix, but not until the PSHB beetle problem is resolved.)
CORYMBIA PAPUANA (GHOST GUM)
LOW WATER USE/ EVERGREEN
MODERATE WATER USE
CORYMBIA PAPUANA (GHOST GUM) 30’-50’ x 20’-35’. Grey-green, scented leaves (formerly classified as Eucalyptus) and white, patchy bark. Small, white summer flowers.
ARBUTUS ‘MARINA’ (MARINA STRAWBERRY TREE) Evergreen. 40’50’ x 40’. A hybrid that is related to manzanita and has the same beautiful cinnamon-colored bark and bellshaped flowers. Also produces small, round, orange-red edible fruits.
LAURUS NOBILIS (SWEET BAY) 40’ x 30’. The bay leaf used in cooking. Often multi-trunk. MELALEUCA LINARIIFOLIA (FLAXLEAF PAPERBARK) 30’ x 30’. White, flaky bark, small, white summer flowers. PRUNUS ILICIFOLIA SSP. LYONII (CATALINA CHERRY) 25’-35’ x 20’30’. Native. White flowers and edible fruit, although not as tasty as our cultivated fruits.
CERCIS OCCIDENTALIS (WESTERN REDBUD)
CERCIS OCCIDENTALIS (WESTERN REDBUD) 10’-20’ x 10’-20’. Native. Purple-pink, pea-shaped flowers in late winter/early spring. Magenta seed pods. Often multi-trunk. Yellow fall color. X CHITALPA TASHKENTENSIS (CHITALPA) 25’-20’ x 30’. Big, pink, trumpet-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds. Fast growing.
PISTACIA CHINENSIS (CHINESE PISTACHE) 25’-35’ x 25’-35’. Beautiful redorange fall color makes this deciduous variety a favorite in our hot climate. TIPUANA TIPU (TIPU) 30’-50’ x 30’50’. Orange-yellow flowers cover this semi-evergreen tree in summer. Fast growth.
LOW WATER USE/ DECIDUOUS CELTIS RETICULATA (WESTERN HACKBERRY) 25’-35’ x 25’-30’. Very low water use. Loves the heat but will suffer in clay soils. Needs good drainage.
PISTACIA CHINENSIS (CHINESE PISTACHE)
EUCALYPTUS NICHOLII (NICHOL’S WILLOW LEAF PEPPERMINT) Evergreen. 40’-50’x 15’-40’. High canopy with weeping branches.
3 Great Resources The new Sunset Western Garden Book California Polytechnic State University’s tree selection guide, selectree.calpoly.edu Visit TreePeople up on Mulholland Drive or at treepeople.org
MELIA AZERDARACH (CHINABERRY) 20’-40’ x 20’-40’. Spring/summer, pale lavender flowers.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
41
datebook
Scent of a Woman Going on Now Other Desert Cities
A comedic look at unruly family politics. theatricum.com
September 2&3 Pick Your Own Tomatoes
Head to Moorpark to fill your basket with sweet Romas. underwoodfamilyfarms.com
8 Lisa Lampanelli
A stand-up routine from the loveable “Queen of Mean.” canyonclub.net
Billy Valentine
13 Goo Goo Dolls
The multiplatinum band hits The Greek, with special guest Phillip Phillips. nederlanderconcerts.com
Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960-85
With 260 works by 116 artists from 15 countries, this is a comprehensive survey of the international influence of experimental art by women in Latin America. It runs September 15-December 31 at the Hammer Museum and is part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. hammer.ucla.edu
The art of Mexico seen through the work of the Mexican-born, American writer Anita Brenner (1905–1974). The exhibition underscores Brenner’s importance as a Jewish woman in Mexico who was instrumental in introducing North Americans to Mexican history and culture; September 14–February 25. skirball.org
Skirball Center
Candle Making Class Stone Candle 42
Trace the development of luxury arts in the Americas from about 1,000 B.C. to the 16th century. Through January 28. getty.edu
23 En Plein Air Sketch Marathon
Participate in a sketching marathon. Instructors and drawing materials are on hand. pmcaonline.org
Hammer Museum
Another Promised Land: Anita Brenner’s Mexico
16 Golden Kingdoms: Luxury and Legacy in the Ancient Americas
From orange blossom to pumpkin pie—every scent imaginable can become a candle with this fun hands-on class. Custom blend your own fragrance to create an 8-ounce, coconut, wax candle. stonecandles.com
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
October 5 – 29 Cagney the Musical
Follow the life of James Cagney from the streets of New York to his rise as Hollywood’s original tough guy. elportaltheatre.com
15 Sherman Oaks Street Fair
Food, live entertainment and special events commemorating the 90th birthday of Sherman Oaks. shermanoaksstreetfair.org
PHOTOGRAPH CREDIT: CHARLTON FORTUNE, DRYING SAILS, ST. TROPEZ, 1926. OIL ON CANVAS BOARD, 12 1/2 X 16 INCHES. COLLECTION OF JOHN JANNECK; ABRAHAM ANGEL, LA INDIA, 1923. REPRODUCTION AUTHORIZED BY THE INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES Y LITERATURA, 2017.
A night of soulful classics under the stars in Coldwater Canyon Park. treepeople.org
Opportunity rarely knocks twice.
Oaks Christian School is one of the top independent private schools in the nation with 100% of our graduates attending college. With individualized learning paths, our highly qualified teachers inspire students grades 5-12 by going beyond the textbook to provide real-world experience. Learn more about our school by joining us at one of our upcoming admissions events. Admissions Information Night
Wednesday, September 27 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
or
Admissions Open House
Sunday, November 5 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Visit our website at www.oakschristian.org or call us directly at 818.824.9492.
We are Oaks Christian Preparing Minds for Leadership and Hearts for Service 31749 La Tienda Drive, Westlake Village, CA 91362
Learning forward at Sierra Canyon
is both a mindset and an action.
On our energizing campuses, students gain unstoppable momentum to learn and explore, propelling them toward lifelong success. We invite your family to experience our entrepreneurial program.
CAMPUS PREVIEW EVENTS: LOWER CAMPUS Pre-K – Grade 6
Saturday, Nov. 18 10 am
UPPER CAMPUS Grades 7 – 12
Saturday, Nov. 4 9 am
(818) 882-8121 sierracanyonschool.org
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
43
In His Bones Halloween may be in October, but for one Valley resident it’s been front and center since summer. Rick Polizzi has been busy working with his team to put on one of the most spectacular holiday displays in all of LA.
44
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
An Emmy award-winning producer on The Simpsons for more than a decade, and as creative director for the 20th Century Fox theme park in Dubai, Rick Polizzi certainly has a sense of how to entertain the masses. And if one had any doubt, all they’d need to do is visit his Sherman Oaks property in late October, when his modest yard gets transformed into a live event known as Boney Island. “It’s like a big amusement park right at the house—a skeleton amusement park,” he chuckles. More than a hundred skeletons are the stars of the show. Rigged with string to act essentially like animatronic puppets, they perform from every corner of the property. Skeletons dance from the rooftop of the house; they dangle from trees; they spin, sitting in cauldrons, on an amusement park-like ride. A complex audio system—via a computer placed inside Rick’s house—orchestrates sound throughout. “It’s really amazing—so cool to experience in person. Shocking in the level of detail and effort put forth by the homeowners. Each year it’s better and better and has turned into one of LA’s most exciting Halloween places to visit. My favorite feature is the tree house. It is covered in giant pumpkins that interact with all the glowing lights,” says local Alan Taylor. Rick may fund the Halloween extravaganza alone (to the tune of thousands of dollars each year), but he has a group of about 10 people, many of whom are in the industry, help build and assemble. He works on the weekends and says, “We start planning in July. Then in August we start putting stuff up. The whole process really takes about six months.” He kicked off Boney Island back in 1997, and pretty much every year since (save a couple) Rick has played host to thousands of people over a 10-day period. The display is open during the evenings up until the 31st. He estimates 50,000 came in October 2016. Lots of celebrities have visited, including Halle Berry, Dave Grohl and Gisele Bundchen. “Mayor Garcetti came last year!” Rick quips. But what do all the neighbors think about thousands flooding their quiet, charming nook just north of the Boulevard each fall? Alan, a realtor who does a fair bit of business in the enclave, says you really have to understand this particular area to get why it all works. With so many showbiz types in the neighborhood, from a creative perspective, most truly appreciate what Rick does. “Sure there are a handful of neighbors who are concerned and that’s understandable, since people can be naturally protective of their space. Some have a hard time with the traffic and congestion. But if you celebrate Halloween as many do, there’s nothing better than ‘trick or treating’ in your neighborhood when homeowners go all out. It’s fun!” says Alan. Rick’s wife, Carla, and their two 20-something daughters apparently share that affinity. “They’ve always liked it. It is a lot of work. Every year I say, ‘I’m not gonna do it this year; it’s too much.’ And then I do it all over again,” he laughs. ■
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
45
ULTRA
LADY AND THE
BULLDOG Nancy Shura-Dervin, a 67-year-old ultramarathoner and cancer survivor, organizes one of the most challenging trail races in the country.
WRITTEN BY STEVEN STIEFEL PHOTOGRAPHED BY ULYSSES CHAN
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
47
T
he Santa Monica Mountains separate coastal Malibu from the southern edge of the San Fernando Valley. While Sandstone Peak, the highest point in this range, reaches only 3,114 feet, these mountains rise quickly from the temperate sea-level coast. Drive 10 minutes into Malibu Canyon, and temperatures in the summer often increase by more than 30°. Nancy Shura-Dervin knows the terrain well. For the past three years, the Calabasas resident has put on The Bulldog, a challenging 50 kilometer (30-plus mile), ultramarathon race that traverses some of the most extreme and spectacular landscape in America. Along the route, participants rise from the desert canyon to the top of mountains, where they can see the entire LA basin and beyond. It feels like the top of the world. Shura-Dervin, now 67, has herself completed The Bulldog six times, becoming the race director in 2014. She is an avid marathon enthusiast—finishing 10 50-mile races and three 100-mile races, including the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, perhaps the most challenging run in the country. She has also run “too many marathons and 50K races to count.” She adds that, of these “shorter” races, she is most proud of qualifying and competing in the Boston Marathon four times. But that’s not how Shura-Dervin’s story as an ultramarathoner begins. It starts on a couch in her home in 1990, alone at 40, contemplating her life with an impending divorce. She was an out-of-shape smoker. She had never been athletic, but she knew she wanted to improve her life.
ULTRA LADY IS BORN
“The first time I ever ran was when my 23-year marriage ended,” Shura-Dervin says. Her sister Robin, a triathlete, ran over to her house to check on her. “Put on some shoes,” Robin said. “We’re going for a run.” Emotionally drained and out of shape, Shura-Dervin only ran about three minutes in her chunky mom sneakers before she reached the corner of her street in Agoura, where she lived at that time. She collapsed onto the curb. “I had to hold my head between my knees,” she says. “I felt so sick.” Despite the grueling aspects of this first modest run, Shura-Dervin understood the healing that this experience could
48
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
offer. And so, she agreed to run with her sister again. Then, alone on weekends, she began hiking the trails near her home, jogging the descents. Shura-Dervin took to the trails like a champion. Her first long competitive run was the Los Angeles Marathon in March 1991, only nine months after her first failed run with her sister. But on that day of the LA Marathon, Shura-Dervin had the flu. “It was pouring rain, and I completed 18 miles before I had to withdraw,” she says. “I had trained too quickly, and my body broke down.” Then, three months later, Shura-Dervin entered the Shadows of the Giants run in Yosemite. “I went from failing to complete my first marathon to finishing my first 50K in less than a year from my first run,” she says. An ultramarathoner was born. In 1992, Shura-Dervin committed to running The Bulldog, a local 50K on challenging mountain desert trails, that begins in Malibu Creek State Park. Back then the event was owned and organized by Ingrid Shattuck. “It was a challenge to train for such a long trail run at that time, because it was a sport that attracted more men than women,” Shura-Dervin says. “And I couldn’t keep up with the men.” While the terrain is more challenging than road running, Shura-Dervin explains that trail running is actually easier on the body than pavement. “The ground is more forgiving so there is less pounding. Trails are uneven, up and down and from side to side. The pressure on your legs and feet is more evenly distributed. “If I can do it, then anyone can,” ShuraDervin says. Her voice has a seductive lilt. Suddenly you’re thinking you can achieve the impossible. You can run for distances longer than a marathon. Why can’t you do it if a couch potato, middle-aged, divorced smoker who had never run before was able to complete 100-mile events? That’s the message Shura-Dervin wants to communicate to others today: She’s run 100-mile races and beyond, and you can too. Try to wrap your brain around that.
THE BULLDOG
This ultramarathon trail race in the Santa Monica Mountains is held annually in August, the desert heat adding to the challenge. “We’re on either side of 100° every year,” Shura-Dervin says. The 50K event goes off at 6:30 a.m. to mitigate this just a bit, at the beginning. The 25K event
leaves at 7:30 a.m. “The 50K has about 8,000 feet of rise,” Shura-Dervin says. Since the race ends in the same place where it begins, that also means it has 8,000 feet of descent. This amount of rise is about the equivalent of running from the base to the top of any of the highest peaks in Colorado—after all, the bases of virtually all of these mountains are located above 5,000 feet. Those unfamiliar with running will likely mistake downhill as “easy,” but the pounding during descents causes greater stress to the body than ascents. That’s especially true if you’re going to run the second loop to complete the 50K. As many as 700 participants gather at the starting line of The Bulldog. After the race begins, runners trot along fairly gentle terrain for the first few miles, passing through the M*A*S*H campsite, where the popular TV show was filmed in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Shortly after runners leave the campsite, the terrain grows far more challenging. “You have to run up a steep incline that goes for nearly 4 miles,” says Jennifer Davis, a 37-year-old Ultra Ladies member, who lives in Valley Village. Davis has completed five 100-mile races—four of them crewed by Shura-Dervin. After you reach the top of Bulldog Motorway, about a 2,300-foot climb, you find panoramic views. “You can see the beach and the Valley, and it’s all worth going up that hill in the heat. It’s my favorite 50K,” Davis says. At the top of this rise, you reach Corral Canyon and the Ultra Ladies’ aid station, near the beginning of the Devil’s Backbone Trail. Despite this harbinger, the Backbone is one of the easier aspects of the run, even though it goes for more than 6 miles. You’ve reached the peak of Los Angeles and, in this moment, you’re a witness to all that lies beneath. You can also view the outcropping that gives the race its name. “I think that rock looks more like an elephant than a bulldog,” Shura-Dervin says. Even the landscape near Hollywood tries to get cast in roles it may not be quite right for. After the Backbone, participants begin the descent on such steep and rocky terrain that it’s nearly impossible to run full stride. Before reaching the stoplight at Piuma and Las Virgenes, the trail goes through a creek and then a climb up the Chihuahua, before
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
49
TRAIL BLAZING Feel up to the challenge? In addition to The Bulldog, Nancy Shura-Dervin serves as race director for several other trail runs. Here is the skinny on each.
THE AHMANSON 12K TRAILS This 7-mile-plus run is on April 14, 2018. It begins at the Victory Trailhead in West Hills, where you run into Las Virgenes Canyon. A good introduction for those seeking longer trail runs.
THE VALLEY CREST HALF-MARATHON This 13-mile run begins at Mulholland Gateway Park at the top of Reseda Boulevard on June 10, 2018. The full run is on wide, well-maintained fire roads.
ROCKY PEAK ULTRA TRAIL RUNS This event offers both a 50K and 30K race. It begins at Corriganville Park in Simi Valley on October 14, 2017. For more information go to trailrunevents.com.
50
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
descending back into Malibu Creek State Park, where the race began. If you’re an ultramarathoner, you’ve reached another starting point. The 25K run is one loop; the 50K Bulldog demands that you dig in and repeat. “The second time you run up that huge rise, you have to get your mind in the right place,” Davis says. At that point you’ve already run about 20 miles, and the desert temperature is increasing. Many 50K runners take six to eight hours to complete this run, but Matt Adams, a 22-year-old Alaskan, set the course record in 2010. He smashed the previous one by more than 20 minutes, coming in at about 3 1/2 hours. “I don’t think that record will be beaten for a very long time,” Shura-Dervin says. But like so many things in life, The Bulldog isn’t about finish time. It’s about completing a goal. That’s the message Shura-Dervin provides to all of her Ultra Ladies: Pull up your big-girl pants. You’ve done the training. You can finish this race.
ULTRA LADIES GAINS TRACTION
Shura-Dervin founded Ultra Ladies in 1994. She wanted to support other women and their lofty, extreme running goals. “When I started training for ultramarathons, I had to run with men, and it was a challenge for me to keep up.” She came across her best recruiting tool at the LA Marathon, greeting women who had completed the 26-mile run. “That first year of Ultra Ladies, I volunteered to train about eight women who had completed the LA Marathon, helping them prepare for The Bulldog,” Shura-Dervin says. “Now I use this strategy every year to bring more women into Ultra Ladies,” Shura-Dervin adds. She believes that many female runners are looking for a greater challenge. CeeCee Malone, 36 and an R.N., found Ultra Ladies by Googling. Malone moved from Toronto to Valley Village in 2015, and she was seeking other women to support her goal of completing an ultramarathon. “I signed up for my first ultra the year before. But because I trained on my own, I suffered an overtraining injury,” she says. “I started running about seven years ago, and now I’m trying to complete my first ultramarathon.” Malone believes that training with Ultra Ladies and Shura-Dervin will help her achieve this life goal. “Nancy is a great coach,” she says. “She doesn’t assume that
all of her Ultra Ladies have the same mindset. She checks in with each of us during our training, and it’s really important for me to have that in a mentor. “Nancy knows exactly what to say to you at the most difficult times in your training,” Davis says. “Whether that’s ‘Time to pull up your big-girl pants,’ or ‘Come on butterfly, it’s time to fly,’ Nancy always knows whether you need nurturing or tough love.” Ultra Ladies aims to make certain that as many members as possible complete The Bulldog. Training runs often include more than 50 women. One of these is 83-year-old Pat Devita, who calls herself “ultra granny.” She began training with Ultra Ladies in 1995, and she’s still running 50K ultramarathons. Practice runs for The Bulldog typically begin at 7 a.m. The distance varies. A run in July went for five hours or about 25 miles, Malone explains. “For this one we started at 6 a.m.,” she says. “because it was so hot that day.” This was the last distance practice run before her first attempt at The Bulldog. Ultra Ladies also ran a 25K loop of The Bulldog in August, but Malone’s concern isn’t the first loop. It’s the second.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
“I met my husband at the top of Corral Canyon in 1991,” Shura-Dervin says. Fifteen years ago, when Larry Dervin was in his mid-60s, he was winning his age division in the LA Marathon. By 2004, he had back problems and a failed surgery. “He was my crew chief when I completed the Badwater in 2003,” Shura-Dervin says. This 135-mile race begins at the lowest point in the U.S., in Death Valley, and ends at the highest peak in continental America. With Dervin no longer able to crew her, Shura-Dervin retired from ultramarathon racing. “I sat down and told him, ‘I’m not going to run without you.’” But she didn’t leave race organizing or lengthy practice runs despite the fact she retired from participating in competitive ultramarathons. In January 2016, Shura-Dervin was diagnosed with breast cancer. “It really interfered with my training,” she says, as though this was the most consequential inconvenience of her prognosis. While that prognosis is very good, she developed deep vein thrombosis in her leg that caused blood clots in her lungs. She has since recovered. “The strengths you need to tap into when you have cancer are the same ones you need to complete a 100-mile run. It’s a life skill that
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
51
ultrarunning has taught me,” Shura-Dervin says. She believes that the strenuous mental and physical endeavors she has put her body through are those that have helped her survive breast cancer and her other physical maladies. Her doctors have cleared her to run again.
RACE DAY
Each year, race director Shura-Dervin arrives at Malibu Creek State Park at 4 a.m., before The Bulldog begins. “Larry and I share duties on race day,” she says. He oversees the aid station and supplies at the top of Corral Canyon; she organizes the event at the beginning and end. Today she says the race is a well-oiled machine. “The key is that we recruit almost 100 volunteers ahead of time to make sure race day goes smoothly.” During any ultramarathon, you don’t know what challenges you’ll face until you meet them. “I’ve seen snakes on the trail and in the shade at the side of the road during practice runs,” Malone says. It’s not a crazy concern. After all, ShuraDervin was bitten by a rattlesnake on a practice trail run. “Luckily it was a ‘dry’ bite,” which means the snake did not release venom into her bloodstream. As you run The Bulldog, you’re on your own in the heat and sun, and you have to face these fears. Faster runners have left you in their dust. Slower runners are far behind, and you don’t want to see, feel or hear any of them creep up on you. You want the battle to be between you, and the terrain and desert climate. “You learn the tricks,” Davis says. “You put ice in your bra at Corral Canyon. You break the race down into very many small, achievable goals. You look for the next rock, the next patch of shade. The important thing is to keep running.”
REACH YOUR PEAK
“If I can become a runner, then anyone can,” Shura-Dervin says. “I was the least likely person to ever run a marathon.” Every Ultra Ladies runner we spoke to echoes a similar sentiment. They all came to running ultramarathons in adulthood, some even beyond what many would consider their prime. Shura-Dervin’s message is clear. You can change your life, no matter your age or previous experience. You can accomplish things you never thought possible. All you need to do is heed the words she says to her Ultra Ladies when they reach the point of their most difficult practice runs. “Put on your big-girl pants. Fly, butterfly, fly.” ■
MMMMM...
Mexico $319,000 | 3 bedroomS | 2 baths | wrap-around decks A stunning 3 bedroom oceanfront condominium at the pristine Playa Grande Resort, 25 miles north of Manzanillo
ituated on a spectacularly peaceful beach, Playa Grande is a beautiful condominium complex featuring gorgeous pools, full service amenities and unforgettable sunsets. One of only 6 condos that directly front the ocean, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath unit is nicely appointed with dark woods, Mexican tiles and arched ceilings.
S
Disappearing glass doors open to wrap-around decks that ensure no sunset or breaching whale is missed. The charming towns of Barra de Navidad and Colima are a fun water taxi away and the Grand Isla Navidad resort and golf club are a short drive. A direct 2.5 hour flight from LAX leads to an incredible tropical paradise.
CALL 424.220.6321 FOR MORE INFORMATION Also Available for Lease
A Big Fall Take a plunge into the season’s most current styles. Khaki, plaids, frayed hemlines and tiered ruffles came together on the catwalks—trends that offer color, comfort and a sense of frivolity. Toss in some peek-a-boo lingerie, and you’ll rock the absolute best day-to-nighttime looks.
STYLED BY TANYA MONAGHAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC GARCIA-MARCH HAIR & MAKEUP BY JENNY KARL
Army green military jacket by Veronica Beard, $595; cap by Brixton, $48; wide-leg jumpsuit by Ulla Johnson, $390
Tartan belted blazer by Raquel Allegra, $686; black lace bralette by Les Coquines, $110; Crop Step Fray denim by Mother Denim, $228; velvet mules by Dolce Vita, $102; fishnet stockings by Asos
Black pencil skirt by Tibi, $395; leather belt by Halogen, $29; velvet mules by Dolce Vita, $102; Victorian blouse by Isabel Marant Étoile, $380
Sole Focus
Whether you are into classic, comfy or mildly sadistic styles, Valley shoe lovers can rejoice. Three terrific shops are now part of our retail landscape.
THE KINGDOM
FOR UPTOWN GIRLS
FOR SANDAL LOVERS
FOR SOPHISTICATED TYPES
Ladies, you don’t need to go over the hill for an array of high-end shoes anymore. The Kingdom in Calabasas opened this past summer—stocked with everything you’d find in the shoe department at Barney’s and more. Opened by a former real estate broker and a fashion industry executive, the luxury boutique offers 1,400 square feet of space that includes a velvet sofa, crystal chandeliers, herringbone oak floors and chinoiserie wallpaper. But don’t kick back too much. You’ll need every ounce of energy to shop. The boutique carries Gucci, Manolo Blahnik, Balmain, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and what every “shoe freak” seems to want these days, Gianvito Rossi and Aquazzura.
Jerusalem Sandals offers more than what you might expect, with its line of handcrafted leather shoes (for both men and women). Sure, the biblical-style sandals come in standard black and dark brown, but they also include an array of vivid colors like red, which make them feel a bit more contemporary. Other interesting twists: versions with buckles as well as ones with thinner, more feminine straps that crisscross. The Valley-based couple who owns the shop discovered the sandals when they took a trip to Israel and soon began importing them. Posted photos of celebrities like Sharon Stone (sporting the red) and Annabeth Gish wearing the styles have trendy types from the westside venturing into the Valley to get their hands on a pair.
Valley-based fans of the Brentwood Habit Footwear + Accessories were thrilled when the boutique opened in Studio City. The elegant shop offers high-quality shoes with a California- casual vibe. Most look and feel comfortable but are still sophisticated. There is an eclectic assortment of brands including Trask, as well as some that are new to you. Prices tend to be moderate— more than some of the more stylish shoe store chains— but well below the level of popular designer brands. Expect terrific one-on-one customer service; you won’t ever feel rushed or pressured to buy here. Handbags and jewelry are also available.
4719 Commons Way, Suite G, Calabasas 4325 Woodman Ave, Sherman Oaks
58
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
12069 Ventura Place, Studio City
Craft Your Next Chapter. Passion. Purpose. Possibilities. Sometimes we need to reinvent to put them within reach. That’s where SheSez comes in. SheSez is a master class taught by the world’s most interesting and inspiring women. Intimate conversation—from strategies to successes. Download the podcast, hosted by Linda Grasso, beginning Sept. 12 on SheSez.com, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
seen
Culinary Cruisin’
VB celebrated its Summer/FOOD issue with a festive party. Gourmet eats were provided by Scratch|Bar, Woodley Proper and Frankland Crab Co.— all in Encino; libations were courtesy of Scholb Brewery; music from Stephen Harris; wine from Vintage Point; and rentals from Choura Events. Guests were treated to a sit-down, small plates meal inside the completely renovated estate, which was once the home of Smokey Robinson. It is currently listed for sale by Craig Knizek at The Agency Real Estate. Billy Rose, Andrea Korchek, Craig Knizek
Jacob Mondry, Candace Silvers, Sue Williams, Robin Sanders, Judy Proffer, Nathalie Miller
Stephanie Payab, Linda Grasso, Cat Sherwin, Lani Kreshek
60
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Molly Unger and Jennifer Gordon
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TAMEKA JACOBS
Tracy Taggart, Crag Knizek, Michelle Schwartz
seen
Hector Flores and Jennifer Jacobs
Ann Luly, Lisa Long, Cathy Nelson Arkle
Michael Wilson, Carol Lee and Johnny Hsu
Keri Meglen, Matt Hodeaux, Andy Goldmark, Soomi Goldmark
A multicourse, small plates meal was prepared by Scratch|Bar
Lada Kallas and daughter, Margarita Kallas-Lee
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
61
seen
Power Lunch The Woodland Hills-based Motion Picture & Television Fund hosted its 5th annual Deal With It: A Women’s Conference. Three hundred women in the entertainment industry attended the day-long event.
HBO president of documentaries and keynote speaker, Sheila Nevins, chats with Linda Grasso.
Bristol Baughan, Kathy Van Ness, Sarah Minot Gold, Jessica Corbin
Kim Kensington, Regina Lark, Alyssa Nobriga, Ilyanne Morden Kichaven
62
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LESLIE ROCKITTER PHOTOGRAPHY
Bob Beitcher, Sheila Nevins, Ira Byock
We offer a unique seven-year learning experience that combines a rigorous academic curriculum with
robust offerings and extra-curricular activities. We prepare students for success in college and beyond while fostering in them deep moral values and a commitment to service that is grounded in the Catholic faith.
OPEN HOUSE NOVEMBER 5
NOVEMBER 19
19800 Devonshire St. Chatsworth, CA 91311 818.363.8127
7500 Chaminade Ave. West Hills, CA 91304 818.347.8300
Middle School 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
High School 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
CAN’T MAKE IT TO OPEN HOUSE? CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE A CAMPUS TOUR.
chaminade.org A WCEA/WASC accredited school.
Louisville High School
Sept-Oct 2017.indd 1
8/17/2017 12:45:31 PM
A Legacy of Excellence in Catholic Education for Young Women
8th GradeVisit Day OPEN HOUSE Shadow Tour Days Practice High School Placement Test
Friday, November 3, 2017 Sunday, December 3, 2017 November -March Saturday, November 11, 2017
22300 Mulholland Drive Woodland Hills, CA 91364 818-346-8812 www.louisvillehs.org
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
63
At the STORE, I really wanted to show off our SoCal roots … from upscale locally-crafted goods to skateboards and sunscreen, we’ve got you covered! I know it’s not ‘cool’ to say you’re ‘cool’ but ...... CARRINGTON GARLAND, OWNER pictured with Kiley Donnelly, Store Manager (818) 980-8000
|
THEGARLAND.COM
4222 vineland avenue, north hollywood, ca 91602
the sauce
FARM FRESH ITALIAN
Move over pasta! Veggies are the star at Tuccio’s. For more on this season-centric take on Italian fare, turn the page...
the sauce
66
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
To the Root of It Tuccio’s chef Gavin Humes elevates Italian fare by putting veggies center stage. WRITTEN BY JOSHUA LURIE
Pull into Warner Center Towers in Woodland Hills and you’ll see legs churning on exercise bikes in Equinox’s windows. Delve deeper into the complex, and until recently, your next most exciting option has either been a parking garage or a bank. Office towers aren’t typically culinary destinations, but Tuccio’s is changing the rules. Gina Shields and husband, Damien, run the restaurant, which honors her grandfather Raymond Tuccio’s Italian heritage by making everything from pasta to ricotta in-house. For executive chef/wine director Gavin Humes, Italy is merely a starting point. He takes their menu to a whole new stratosphere with an adventurous, multilayered antipasti, starring seasonal farmers market vegetables. Gavin grew up in nearby Moorpark and worked at well-regarded restaurants like Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga Canyon, Raphael in Studio City and Cliff’s Edge in Silver Lake. The Lake Balboa resident recognizes that, “Woodland Hills is the home of steakhouses and chain restaurants.” Consider his menu counterprogramming. With veg-friendly chefs like Adam Horton (now at Saddle Peak Lodge) and Stephen Barkulis (formerly at Raphael) as mentors, it’s no surprise Gavin’s menu places heavy emphasis on vegetables. He’s also always found inspiration from the “diversity and top-notch quality” of farmers market produce. Gavin keeps the menu fluid, based upon market finds and constant sparks of creativity. He says, “In general my philosophy with vegetables and vegetarian dishes is not to make them taste like meat or ‘pretend’ to be meat.” Instead, he builds dishes “satisfying and substantial so that the guest doesn’t miss the meat.” His “study of sunflowers” elevates the humble sunchoke, the root of a sunflower species that also goes by the name Jerusalem artichoke. He cleverly highlights the vegetable’s nutty sweetness, plating crispy sunchokes on puree with thin-sliced pickled sunflowers, crunchy sunflower sprouts and fresh herb gremolata made with sunflower seeds. Request an order of broccoli and you’ll get Gavin’s broccoli “steak.” He skips basic steaming, instead searing twin slabs, basting in butter, and plating over broccoli puree with shaved stems, punchy pickled mustard seeds, Meyer lemon, olive oil and lemon ash. This dish has become a mainstay, for good reason. The Tutti Frutti Farms stall at the Santa Monica Farmers Market inspired his carrot confit. He slow cooks fat orange carrots that would make Bugs Bunny blush, in olive oil and aromatics, plating with spiceroasted Thumbelina carrots, pickled carrots, tangy blood orange gastrique, lacto-fermented garlic and crumbled hazelnut. Gavin doesn’t broadcast that this dish is vegan, a stunning realization given such bold flavors. The chef generally plays with market finds for a couple weeks and gives dishes test whirls on Tuccio’s chef-tasting menus to see if diners respond positively. This fall, he’ll offer an acorn squash dish that got rave reviews last year, and highlight celery root and parsnips. He’ll also spotlight a root vegetable known as “oyster plant.” Expect culinary preparations with all. Bonus: none of these dishes require extra time on the bike. ■ 21550 Oxnard St., Woodland Hills, 818-888-4514
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
67
Offering cocktails and cuisine daily from Noon- 2am
16101 Ventura Blvd. #242 2nd Floor Encino Place, CA 91436
|
818.906.9775
|
woodleyproper.com
Serving dinner nightly, beginning at 5pm
16101 Ventura Blvd. #255 2nd Floor Encino Place, CA 91436
|
818.646.6085
A SCRATCH RESTAURANTS CONCEPT
|
scratchbarla.com
“BIG PARTY IN A LITTLE HOUSE”
NOW POURING ON 12 TAPS 12 X THE FUN! “BEST HAPPY HOUR IN THE VALLEY” M-F from 3PM - 6PM 4524 Saugus Avenue, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 | 818-990-2583 | BlueDogBeerTavern.com
Bella in the Valley
A serious cooking enthusiast invites us into her Sherman Oaks kitchen to share the 5 appliances she can’t live without. WRITTEN BY HEATHER DAVID PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL BECKER
70
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
the sauce To say Chiara Vergati Iorfida loves food would be an understatement. The native Italian has spent nearly every day of her life both enjoying and preparing fresh, local food. “Learning to cook was a very natural process for me. I grew up in Milan, but I spent summers in the South of Italy at my aunt’s house. We would pick fruit and vegetables from her garden and make our own tomato sauce, eggplant and pepper preserves. My family’s mentality is that you have to participate in making sauce and stay in the loop because you’re the next generation,” Chiara fondly recalls. In 2012, Chiara and her husband, music producer and songwriter, Michele Iorfida, relocated to LA and soon after, their son Elia was born. The former Italian pop singer is now a mom who still finds time to cook her heart out—whipping up everything from risotto with beets and pancetta to her decadent butter lemon cake. “I love variety and putting something different on the table everyday for my family. I look in my fridge and get inspired by the few ingredients I have on hand. It’s what I do on a daily basis and it’s how I was raised.” ■
Chiara’s 5 Kitchen Must-Haves LE CREUSET ROUND FRENCH OVEN This Le Creuset pot is pricey but a great investment because I can make an entire dinner in it. I use it for what we call in Italian, cucina espressa, which means fast and from scratch. Something that doesn’t require more than 30 or 40 minutes to prepare. I recently made chicken with curry and dried apricots and it was a hit! WOLF SIX BURNER GAS STOVE WITH TWO CONVECTION OVENS When we first started searching for a new home, I was looking for the kitchen of my dreams. When I saw this stove, I instantly fell in love. If I’m entertaining, it allows me to feed a lot of people. With two ovens, I can cook veggies in one and roast lamb in the other. It just cooks so perfectly. WOLF BUILT-IN COFFEE SYSTEM It’s no secret that Italians love their coffee—we’re no exception. My husband starts the day with three espressos and this machine tastes just like the ones baristas use in Italy. It also makes fantastic American drip coffee, which I drink every morning. I use organic espresso Sierra beans from Whole Foods. They’re full-bodied and work perfectly for espresso and other coffee drinks. MATCHA GREEN TEA WHISK Iced Matcha green tea is my latest obsession. Unfortunately the ones you find at places like Starbucks have tons of sugar, so I decided to make an unsweetened version. I found the very best organic Matcha green tea powder at Whole Foods, as well as this Japanese bamboo whisk. It works perfectly to mix the dense powder in hot water. TYPHOON DIGITAL FOOD SCALE I love to bake but the Italian recipes I have are in grams, so I need an accurate scale to help me with conversions. A friend of mine, who’s a pastry chef, also taught me that baking is a science. You can literally taste the difference if your ingredients are off even by the slightest amount. I love this scale because of its modern look and precision.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
71
Clients of interior designer Annie Fitzgerald love her ability to integrate color and texture— as well as add elegance—to a space. Here she takes that aesthetic to her own new home—a mid-century modern in Sherman Oaks. WRITTEN BY SUSAN S. SPILLMAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL
fter six years of viewing mid-century modern homes in the Valley, Annie Fitzgerald and husband, Gregg Fienberg, finally found their dream house. The couple knew it the moment they walked through the front door. It wasn’t that the home was picture perfect. Greeting them as they entered the hilltop property just below Mulholland Drive was a black, Asianinspired mural that covered the entire south entry hall wall, chocolate brown drapes and a serious lack of light. “It wasn’t my aesthetic,” says Annie. “But we knew we could do something special with the architecture.” And did she ever. In just four months, Annie, a partner with Maria von Hartz in the design firm Von Fitz Design, transformed the 3,628-square-foot space from a dark
mishmash of dreary sage, khaki and brown into a bright, breezy sophisticated oasis. Built in 1956 by noted architect Armand LeTourneau, the structure already had the distinct mid-century modern features that Annie and Gregg love: clean lines, floor-to-ceiling windows and an open floor plan that makes for great entertaining. One of the first problems addressed: the lack of light. Despite numerous oversized windows, the afternoon sun was obstructed by a large, stacked stone wall in the front yard. By lowering and shortening the length of the wall, which was also resurfaced with white concrete, the kitchen and family room became drenched in glorious sunlight. Add to that the picturesque Valley and canyon views and the home’s 1/3-acre lot, and it’s easy to see why Annie calls this “my little tree house.” Little is merely a term of endearment. The home has five bedrooms, including one for Annie’s son, Jesse, a student at University of Washington. There
CLASSIC ELEMENTS A brown and white Moroccan rug, purchased at Amadi Carpets, anchors the step-down living room. Annie’s carved wood, electrical tape-wrapped platform shoes adorn the hearth.
are offices for Annie, who is also an actress (Bloodline, Big Love), and for Gregg, a producer with HBO. Another key move in terms of brightening the house was lightening the dark cherry hardwood floors. That entailed a thorough sanding and three bleachings, followed by a whitewash and two coats of protective matte varnish. “Not an easy task,” admits Annie, “but less expensive than doing a whole new floor.” Another thing Annie did to lighten up the interiors was to cover the mural, as well as all the walls, with Benjamin Moore’s “Decorator’s White.” The kitchen revamp included installing walnut cabinets, Caesarstone quartz countertops and a Heath Ceramics tile backsplash. The biggest structural change was relocating the powder room that opened into the family room. “It was the weirdest thing,” says Annie. “You’re having a party, and literally the door would be open, and you could see the toilet.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
75
“It’ll neverreally really It’ll never be done, but playing is the fun part.” part.
76
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Cleverly repurposing a second pantry, she moved the powder room to a more appropriate spot off the entry hall. The original powder room space was then brilliantly converted to a built-in bar, stunningly tiled with brushed brass and topped with Rosa Aurora marble. The step into the living room in front of the new bar was then extended about 18 inches to make the passageway wider. After a brainstorming session with architect friend, Sue Addison, a bench/bookcase was built into the stairs. Once these structural changes, the floors and painting were complete, mid-century light fixtures were added throughout. Among these is a four-ball, vertical hanging light in the foyer, made in Germany, that Annie purchased on eBay years before having a place to hang it. The kitchen island lights are original 1959 Wohlert pendants from Louis Poulsen, and the dining room and breakfast room lights are Noguchi lanterns. The furniture is a combination of custom-made and vintage pieces, including a custom dining room table made by MIDCENTURYLA in North Hollywood, surrounded by fiberglass, molded Eames dining chairs from Modernica, in Los Angeles. Rugs throughout the house are from Amadi Carpets in West Hollywood. Annie’s handpicked, and in some cases, own original artwork and artifacts complete the casual, clean and highly personalized space. Prominent among these is a 22-inch-high pair of 1960s platform boots that sit on the family room fireplace hearth. Annie spotted the boots, which each weigh 8 pounds, in a Seattle vintage store, and Gregg surprised her with them for Christmas. The house is still a work in progress. Next up: installing a slatted, teak wooden wall behind the bed in the master and wallpapering the powder room. The couple would also like to eventually add a Jacuzzi next to the pool and a bit more landscaping. It’ll never really be done,” admits Annie, “but playing is the fun part.” ■
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
77
A life, A memory Before the wave of genocide, that latches on and never lets go Before the reign of terror, the separations - the hope that was lost That stole so many lives that scarred them too. How you want, how you wish to forgive, to forget. But never will. — ESPIRITUS Y CORAZONES, A STUDENT RESPONDING TO DAVID LABKOVSKI’S WORK
78
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
The LAUSD is piloting a program here in the Valley—The David Labkovski Project—aimed at teaching students about the Holocaust. WRITTEN BY HADLEY HALL MEARES
The life of Jewish artist David Labkovski was filled with tragedy. Born in Lithuania in 1906, he survived three years of imprisonment in a brutal Siberian gulag during World War II. He then returned to a devastated Lithuania, where over 95% of the Jewish population perished in the Holocaust. Throughout Labkovski’s life (He died in Israel at the age of 85.), he painted the story of his struggles and those of his community—the vanished, as well as the people and places that survived. “If it was a choice between a cup of coffee and paints, it was always paints and paintbrushes,” his great-niece Leora Raikin says of David and his wife, Rivka. “Their entire life’s focus was securing paint supplies in whatever form, to be able to document what had happened.” Today, thousands of miles away in California, the artist’s work is the foundation of the nonprofit David Labkovski Project. The organization is using the artist’s powerful paintings to teach school kids about the Holocaust—and more. Founded by Leora, an artist and educator, and longtime educator Stephanie Wolfson, the DLP has piloted an innovative educational program in four schools, including two in the Valley: the Abraham Heschel Day School in Northridge and Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Lake Balboa. Over the course of a semester, Leora and Stephanie go into classrooms once a week, with copies of Labkovski’s paintings. Students learn about his life and are encouraged to critique and respond to his work with their own artwork and poetry. The semester culminates in a
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
79
student-led exhibition of Labkovski’s art. “The ultimate goal is for them to be able to curate an exhibition that they have designed,” Stephanie explains. “They have selected the pieces for it, and they have collaborated with each other on how to tell his story in a historical context.” “Traditionally a lot of Holocaust history has been taught either through survivor testimony or reading a document,” Leora says. This project, she explains, is “much more than just Holocaust education—it’s the creation experience, it’s the ownership, it’s the critical thinking skills, it’s the public speaking, it’s reading art.” Students are given enormous freedom in how they choose to display Labkovski’s work. “When we say it’s up to them, it really is up to them,” Stephanie says. “So we have our lesson plans to explore the history and the art, and then we’re like ‘What are you going to do with this?’ The question we ask is, ‘So now, how do you want to tell the story? How do you want to curate it for the public if you are not there to docent?’” The kids have responded in innovative ways. At Heschel Day School, students decided to use QR codes (matrix bar codes) in their exhibition, so that visitors could listen to information about each piece of art on their smartphones. Another school chose to create a website to serve as a companion piece to its exhibit, ensuring the project lived on after it closed. Leora and Stephanie hope to expand the program nationwide and continue Labkovski’s lifelong mission of bearing witness. The two enthusiastically share student comments. One student told Stephanie, “If anyone ever tries to deny this [the Holocaust] happened, they need to come to me!” Another student, while drawing a portrait of Labkovski, said, “I thought I understood how hard his life was, but when I was drawing the lines on his face, I felt it.” Perhaps empathy is the project’s greatest lesson. ■
80
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
GRADES K-6
Stratford School nurtures the joy of learning in children. Schedule a tour today! StratfordSchools.com/tours
OPEN HOUSE
FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS
TAKE A
TOUR THURSDAYS!
Now through Dec. 7 9:30 a.m. & 10:15 a.m.
Nov. 15 Jan. 23 WEDNESDAY
n! Actio n i s See u
TUESDAY
9:15 AM
For a private tour of VBS Day School, please
WE S
at tbarak@vbsds.org • 818.788.2199
LS
GE
LE
O
S
OF Accrediting Commission for Schools
O
2046 Allen Avenue Altadena, CA 91001 (626) 794-1000
ASSOCIAT I RN
ON
1200 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90038 (323) 962-3075
SCH
Altadena Allen TE
contact Tal Barak, Director of Admissions, Los Angeles Melrose
AND CO
L
RSVP at vbsds.org/admissions
Preschool State License: 198018949, 198018875. © 2017 Stratford Schools, Inc.
• Superior School of Academic Excellence • Small Class Sizes • Technology & Robotics Program • NEW Sanford Harmony Mindfulness Program Join Us For Our Open House and Informational Sessions: Kindergarten - 5th Grade November 2nd at 7:00 p.m. November 30th at 9:30 a.m. Middle School October 19 at 7:00 p.m. November 15th at 7:00 p.m. November 30th at 9:30 a.m
6043 Tampa Avenue Tarzana, CA 91356
818.345.3002
woodcrestschools.org
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
81
FREE
PICK
-UP &
DELI
VERY
13646 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks
FIND US SOCIALLY
/OurVenturaBlvd
@OurVenturaBlvd
/OurVenturaBlvd
/OurVenturaBlvd
(at the corner of Woodman & Ventura) Parking In Rear
818.906.2345 Mon-Fri 6am-10pm | Sat 8am-8pm | Sun 9am-5pm | Overnight Service WWW.STEAMERCLEANERS.COM
Bus transportation available from Los Feliz and the San Fernando Valley
82
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Wish they all could be Californian? Look no further than this curated list of the coolest and closest hotels, inns and resorts—from north to south and everything in between. Let the local lovefest commence. WRITTEN BY JENNIE NUNN & DARREN ELMS | ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE GEORGIADES
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
83
The Ritz-Carlton WHERE: Lake Tahoe 13031 Ritz Carlton Highlands Court in Truckee; 530-562-3000, ritzcarlton.com/laketahoe WHY WE LOVE IT: Tucked mid-mountain at Northstar California Resort, the luxe, 170room hideaway—replete with a gas fireplace in every room—offers just about every activity known to man, including mountain biking, hiking, guided nature walks and golfing. In the winter, die-hard skiers can revel in slopeside ski-in/ski-out access and ski valet and lift ticket services.
WHAT’S NEW: The Lake Club, The Ritz-Carlton (exclusively for resort guests) consists of a modern, private, lakefront venue with sweeping views featuring a multilevel dining facility and bar, and access to a lawn, private beach, outdoor whirlpool, fire pit and boat pier. DON’T MISS: Be sure to save time for an appointment at the 17,000-square-foot spa. Consider the new Tahoe Tree of Life treatment complete with a foaming salt soak and indigenous stones from nearby surroundings.
Timber Cove
NOR CAL THE Meritage Resort & Spa WHERE: Napa 875 Bordeaux Way; 707-251-1900, meritagecollection.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Surrounded by carefully cultivated grapevines, this Tuscan-style getaway is a love letter to the area’s best-known export: delicious wine. Savor seasonal menus at the California- and Italy-inspired Siena, or sip vintages 40 feet below the sun-soaked soil in the Estate Cave, home of the exclusive Trinitas Cellars Tasting Room.
WHERE: Sonoma Coast 21780 CA-1 in Jenner; 707-847-3231, timbercoveresort.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Other than some modern updates, the vast majority of the property looks much like it did when it was first built. Rooms are spacious and elegantly rustic. Many overlook the ocean, much like the giant statue “Peace Obelisk” that hovers over the cliffs like a towering beacon. Apparently the artist, Beniamino Bufano, was none too happy that the “hand” at the perch was lowered onto the statue facing the wrong direction. Talk about a slap in the face.
DON’T MISS: Jenner has some great cliffside restaurants, like River’s End right on Highway 1. If you’re in a tasting mood, head up the hill to Fort Ross Vineyard, a secluded spot with forest views and some notable estate wines.
WHAT’S NEW: The Meritage will soon double its profile with the addition of new rooms, suites and venues on the property. Currently the resort features 322 rooms, including 12 suites. DON’T MISS: Nestled under the vineyards in the 22,000-square-foot Estate Cave, awardwinning Spa Terra soothes with natural stone and copper accents, blended with old-world Florentine architecture and furnishings. Each deluxe treatment integrates Napa Valley influences with essential ingredients indigenous to Northern California.
The Inn at Union Square WHERE: San Francisco 440 Post Street; 415-397-3510, unionsquare.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Situated steps away from the hustle and bustle of Union Square and iconic cable cars on Powell Street, the 30-room boutique hotel is a nod to bygone days of San Francisco’s storied past, with a hint of modern elegance. Guests enjoy complimentary breakfast and perks in a setting that’s as close to staying at a good friend’s home as it gets.
WHAT’S NEW: The in-house restaurant, Coast Kitchen, was designed by hot, trendy LA design firm The Novogratz, with subdued simplicity that takes a backseat to the tasty, locally inspired menu offerings (Dungeness crab beignets, buttermilk-brined quail, fresh house-made cavatelli pasta … all epic).
WHAT’S NEW: Thanks to a massive renovation completed earlier this year, the property’s guestrooms are awash in calming sand and chocolate tones with pops of persimmon. Each is appointed with tufted headboards with nailhead trim, velvet lounge chairs, and artwork inspired by the beloved philanthropy and arts mogul Alma Spreckels (referred to as the “great-grandmother of San Francisco”) and her penchant for dancing and French baroque design. DON’T MISS: Grab a good book and unwind by a wood-burning fireplace in one of the inn’s parlors (one on each floor), and mingle with other guests at a nightly complimentary wine and cheese reception.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
85
The Hideaway
CEN TRAL The Landsby WHERE: Solvang 1576 Mission Drive; 805-688-3121, thelandsby.com WHY WE LOVE IT: The modern, Scandinavian-style hotel in bucolic Solvang (founded in 1911 by three Danish pioneers) is equipped with an on-site eatery, Mad & Vin (“food and wine” in Danish) headed by Chef Beto Huizar, and a lobby bar. Outfitted by Santa Monica–based design firm Studio Collective, the serene refuge is dotted with fluffy, flokati throws, charcoal-hued wooden
WHERE: Carmel-by-the-Sea Junipero Street & 8th Avenue; 831-625-5222, hideawaycarmel.com WHY WE LOVE IT: The artistic enclave on the Monterey Peninsula is timeless, thanks to its inherent appeal and small-village vibe. Taking the place of the former Cobblestone Inn, The Hideaway brings a contemporary touch to the area without sacrificing an ounce of its natural charm.
WHAT’S NEW: The property has just debuted nine additional guest suites (bringing the grand total to 50 rooms) and upgraded the interior courtyard. DON’T MISS: Swap the day’s news in the hotel’s light-and-airy lobby, or grab a glass of wine and retreat to the outdoor courtyard lined with modern fire pits and lounge chairs.
WHERE: Santa Barbara 8301 Hollister Avenue in Goleta; 855-968-0100, meritagecollection.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Located along Santa Barbara’s most spectacular stretch of Pacific paradise, with 78 acres of oceanfront property including two miles of natural beach, sun-drenched Bacara is equally matched in beauty and bliss. Enjoy vista views of the sea and sky while embracing an innovative, artful design of low-storied buildings terraced to the sea and connected by lush, meandering garden paths. WHAT’S NEW: There is classic, and then there is expected. Angel Oak is anything
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
DON’T MISS: Pets are welcome. Your fourlegged friend will enjoy a comfy bed, doggie treats, a bowl for food and water, cleanup bags and a customized Hideaway guest ID tag. Woof!
headboards, brass task lamps, Eames-style molded desk chairs, and black-and-white graphic prints.
Bacara Resort & Spa
86
WHAT’S NEW: Owned and operated by the PlumpJack Group, the boutique hotel opened its doors in spring 2016. This highly anticipated 24-room inn now showcases sleek yet comfortable interiors, an airy lobby and a courtyard fire pit where guests can enjoy a complimentary wine and cheese hour as well as an extensive European-style breakfast, complete with mimosas.
but the latter. Chef Vincent Lesage has created a culinary experience that takes a modern approach to the traditional steakhouse. There is also plenty of fresh seafood, an extensive wine list and a blow-your-mind Baked Alaska. Service is superb. DON’T MISS: Set above the calming waters of the Pacific, the spa features an adults-only pool, Jacuzzi, unique redwood sauna, eucalyptus steam room, fireside lounge areas, wellness classes and a rooftop terrace. With holistic, therapeutic treatments and deluxe amenities, the Spa at Bacara doesn’t just relax; it transforms.
Majestic Yosemite Hotel WHERE: Yosemite National Park 1 Ahwahnee Drive; 888-413-8869, nationalparkreservations.com WHY WE LOVE IT: This historic, granite-andlog hotel (formerly the lauded Ahwahnee Hotel) is located smack dab in Yosemite National Park, with direct access to hiking trails including Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. Built in 1927, the 123-room hotel is a National Historic Monument and has welcomed a long line of notable guests and
dignitaries including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth II, Greta Garbo, Ansel Adams and John F. Kennedy. WHAT’S NEW: Yosemite Valley has a host of summer activities including camera walks, “bike to hike” tours and guided adventure hikes to Vernal Fall. DON’T MISS: Dinner in the Majestic Yosemite Dining Room with 34-foot-high beamed cathedral ceilings and wall-height windows framing the surrounding conifer trees and woods. You might just feel like royalty.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
87
Shore Hotel WHERE: Santa Monica 1515 Ocean Avenue; 310-458-1515, shorehotel.com WHY WE LOVE IT: An eco-friendly, beach-chic property with a heated outdoor pool and hot tub located just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier. The 164room LEED Gold-certified hotel uses lowflow showerheads and select lobby and guestroom furniture made from 100% preconsumer recycled polyester and Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood.
88
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
WHAT’S NEW: The hotel has teamed up with Perry’s Café and Beach Rentals on offerings including beach butler services. Guests receive two chairs, umbrella, table, two towels and two bottles of water. You can also have the option to purchase food from Perry’s Café at an additional cost from their butler, plus bike rentals. DON’T MISS: Take a stroll down Ocean Avenue to restaurants such as Herringbone and Red O, or take in a picture-perfect sunset from the balcony of your room.
SO CAL Island Hotel Newport Beach WHERE: Newport Beach 690 Newport Center Drive; 949-759-0808, islandhotel.com WHY WE LOVE IT: The stylish, urban oasis with 292 guest rooms and suites offers views of Newport Harbor, Newport Back Bay and the ocean; a 3,000-square-foot outdoor heated pool framed by a large, cozy fireplace; a fitness center and spa; and an on-site restaurant and lounge. Feel like venturing off-property? Choose from stand-up paddleboarding in nearby Newport Aquatic Center, shopping at Fashion Island or electric boat rentals in Newport Harbor.
Fairmont Grand Del Mar WHERE: San Diego 5300 Grand Del Mar Court; 858-314-2000, fairmont.com/san-diego WHY WE LOVE IT: Inspired by the work of architecture giant Addison Mizner, the elegant, Mediterranean-style property designed by San Francisco–based interior design firm Warren Sheets Design features more than 2,000 pieces of custom-designed furniture, Venetian-plaster walls, iron and glass doorways trimmed with 22k gold accents, a lobby library with a 13-foot-high carved limestone fireplace, and manicured gardens and walkways.
DON’T MISS: A private tennis lesson with on-site pro Lynn Lewis (a three-time UCLA All American and NCAA Doubles Champion), a guided horseback ride through the Los Peñasquitos Canyon, or a spa treatment at the five-star spa equipped with wet and dry saunas and outdoor courtyards.
WHAT’S NEW: After an 18-month transformation, the property has debuted a fresh, coastal-modern look in all rooms and suites complete with a text concierge program; a customizable, in-room mini-bar; Keurig coffee makers; and a 24-hour Market Place for last-minute provisions and gourmet snacks. DON’T MISS: For your stay (for an additional fee), opt for access to the Island Club: an exclusive, 2,100-square-foot lounge replete with extras including an enhanced continental-style breakfast, daily beer and wine happy hour, a special pillow menu, iMac workstations and a DVD library.
L’Horizon Palm Springs WHERE: Palm Springs 1050 East Palm Canyon Drive; 760-323-1858, lhorizonpalmsprings.com WHY WE LOVE IT: One of the new kids on the block, this glamorous 1950s gem once served as a playground for Hollywood A-listers and U.S. presidents alike. Thanks to the unique aesthetic of renowned designer Steve Hermann, the renovated resort is better than ever. Oh, and it’s ages 18-and-older only … so leave the little ones at home.
WHAT’S NEW: Enjoy complimentary “Dive-in” movies and snacks by the resort pool on Friday nights, complimentary s’mores at the fire pit on Saturday nights or try your hand at a sand castle-building class with the help of experts at San Diego Sand Sculptures.
WHAT’S NEW: Combining the stunning mountain views with L’Horizon’s mid-century heritage, The Spa is a blend of relaxed elegance with its white canvas cabanas, serene indoor-outdoor setting and private outdoor showers. The Spa features four treatment rooms and a relaxing outdoor space. Indulge in massages, facials and body treatments, aromatherapy and fresh juice bar. DON’T MISS: Dramatic, refined and intimate, SO•PA offers a unique alfresco dining experience on-property. Enjoy a table for two or dine family-style at the 26-foot live edge walnut communal table. Making new friends is encouraged. ■
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
89
“More than just a doctor’s visit, we provide a complete wellness experience—a modern approach to medical care in which the setting is as important as the care being provided. Our patients describe our office as gorgeous and zen-like, and when they enter they are instantly put at ease.” – DR. NEETU K. SODHI, BLOOM OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, INC.
PRO FILES
women in business In the business arena, women of SoCal are forging forward in new and interesting ways in a diverse variety of fields. In this special profiles section, you’ll meet some of them and learn about their various areas of expertise, what they offer that is unique and how they are making our community a better place.
92
THE WOMEN OF THE AGENCY
94
TERRANEA RESORT CATERING TEAM
96
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES, CA PROPERTIES Stephanie Payab
97
BLOOM OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, INC. Dr. Neetu Khurana Sodhi
98
ILEAD ENCINO Farnaz Mobasheri Kaufman
99
MALI + LILI JoAnne Wannarachue Lord
101 MONTRÉSOR Lisa Long & Ann Booth Luly 102 THE WOMEN OF MOON TIDE MEDIA
100 CAT SHERWIN
WRITTEN BY LAURA WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY TAMEKA JACOBS, KAT MONK & MONICA OROZCO
104 CLOSET THERAPY Kristin Muckley 105 COMPASS FINANCIAL Joni Deakins 106 WEVILLAGE (SHERMAN OAKS) Karen Beninati 107 NACHSHON MINYAN Rabbi/Cantor Judy Greenfeld 108 ARTISAN CHEESE & WINE Shelley Janson
women in business
The Women of
The Agency TheAgencyRE.com
T
he Agency is a full-service, luxury real estate brokerage founded in Beverly Hills in 2011, which has now expanded into offices in Calabasas and Sherman Oaks. With more than $9 billion in real estate transactions, the firm focuses on customer service and marketing for real estate buyers, sellers, developers and investors worldwide. Here some of the ladies of The Agency share why clients should choose this firm to represent them.
Agency. It is a culture, a representation of style, class, cutting-edge innovation and collaboration. Why would you want your home, investment or lifestyle represented as anything less?”
Christine Agopian, Sherman Oaks/Beverly Hills “The Agency is unlike any other traditional brokerage. It’s a full-service luxury real estate company that goes above and beyond for our clients worldwide. Our collaborative environment and dynamic leadership allows us to offer a true competitive edge on modern-day real estate.”
Zohar Daniel, Calabasas “The Agency goes above and beyond to provide our clients with a service that is incomparable to other agencies. Our agents build relationships with our clients that go beyond close of escrow; they last a lifetime.”
Sarah Ghodsi, Calabasas “The Agency’s straightforward commitment to clients and inventive approach to a business that has been around for decades is what makes us stand out from other brokerages. Our agents constantly look for new avenues to tailor a service to our clientele and collaborate—not compete—with each other. This, combined with our innovative marketing strategies, is a perfect recipe for success.” Ellie Hartoonian, Calabasas “Doing business with The Agency is an opportunity for buyers and sellers to experience a different approach to the real estate transaction. It’s a stylish platform of the most sophisticated marketing and branding paired with an unparalleled reputation of integrity. We are constantly creating trends that are revolutionizing the world of our business. And we’ve only just begun!” Andrea Korchek, Sherman Oaks/Beverly Hills “People are intrigued with The Agency. Justly so! Our collaborative culture offers clients an alternative to traditional marketing and information gathering, with 30% of our sales consisting of in-house, off-market deals. Our founding partners are brainy tastemakers who have attracted cutting edge agents. We learn from each other and grow with each other, becoming the best agents we can be.” Adrienne Martz, Sherman Oaks/Beverly Hills “The Agency is the greatest team to be a part of because I love and trust the people. In a cutthroat business, we work together and support each other. We are an innovative, fresh, young company that thinks outside the box. We do things differently, and that’s what has set us up for success!” Jamison Molone, Calabasas “For the same reasons I chose to work at the
92
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Kathrin Nicholson, Sherman Oaks/Beverly Hills “The Agency’s global commitment to collaboration, innovation, marketing savvy and philanthropy allows me to go above and beyond for clients with absolute knowledge and passion for real estate.”
Michelle Schwartz, Sherman Oaks/Beverly Hills “The opportunity to bridge the Westside and the Valley with our new Sherman Oaks location was the push I really needed to get this office open ASAP. The Agency offers clients the ability to remove distance as a factor for inaccessibility. We are truly global. The 818 will be painted red!” Rebekah Schwartz Sklar, Sherman Oaks/Beverly Hills “I believe my clients should choose The Agency for the same reason I did: twork with a cutting-edge real estate firm that incorporates all of the innovative tools of current technology with selling homes. They are the Tesla of real estate.” Denise Snanoudj, Calabasas “Whether buying or selling a property, The Agency takes a unique approach to every transaction. From our marketing department to our sales professionals, we work our butts off to get buyers and sellers the best price. We are dedicated to raising the bar in both price per square foot and days on market transactions, and we are committed to closing more million-dollar listings in the San Fernando Valley.” Laura Stupsker, Sherman Oaks/Beverly Hills “The Agency and its concierge approach to community-focused real estate allow me to build close, lasting relationships with clients. The business may be ever-changing, but our passionate approach to connecting people with their homes never will.” Tracy Taggart, Calabasas “My clients greatly appreciate how we collaborate and meet often. They love our dedicated marketing team. They like that when they work with me, they are working with everyone at The Agency. This exposure ensures your home has a robust presence, which helps get the best price and best buyers.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Top L to R: Kathrin Nicholson, Jamison Malone, Tracy Taggart Middle L to R: Laura Stupsker, Andrea Korchek, Denise Snanoudj, Sarah Ghodsi Bottom L to R: Rebekah Schwartz Sklar, Zohar Daniel, Michelle Schwartz Not photographed: Christine Agopian, Ellie Hartoonian, Adrienne Martz, Jordan Reghetti
women in business
Terranea Resort Catering Team 100 Terranea Way Rancho Palos Verdes 310-265-2883 terranea.com
“Constant communication and checking in with our clients to make sure they are happy throughout the planning process is key to our success.”
T
erranea Resort, an events destination boasting panoramic views of the coastline and Catalina Island, is the site of special events for groups of two to 900+. The resort’s team of catering and culinary experts manages activities that take place throughout the resort for clients, including corporate meetings, bar/bat mitzvahs, anniversaries, birthdays, celebrations of life and parties. Associate director of catering Christina Canalez has 25+ years of experience working in catering and events. A summer job turned into a decade of work with a family-run events venue in Malibu, which opened the door to her long career in the industry. After working for years on the East Coast, she returned to Southern California to work with Terranea. She manages the catering sales and event managers, who handle nearly 100 weddings a year plus many other events and celebrations. What is Terranea doing that is unique? “Terranea Resort is a destination venue where we host our guests’ most memorable occasions. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Terranea is the epitome of Southern California. We utilize the freshest herbs, vegetables and fruits from our garden. Our executive chef Bernard Ibarra collects seawater from the ocean to make our own sea salts. We curate custom culinary extravaganzas and social events for our guests, taking our cues from the bounty of the peninsula. We are proud to deliver a personalized and warm service that is a true collaboration naturally inspired.” How important are personal skills? “Our catering team has the tools to deliver great service to our guests. Each member of our team is unique in their style and approach as they engage, build rapport and earn trust with clients. We encourage individuality and want to support them as they delight guests at each encounter, finding some fun along the way.” Tell us about the partnerships your department depends on. “The production of any event has so many supporting partners within the resort and outside the resort with our vendors. It takes a village for us to be successful in creating beautiful and memorable events. We would not be able to deliver on our promises without the commitment from so many others. Our culinary and banquet
94
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
teams are our lifeline, and we are only successful when the food and service are as memorable as the location and the décor. While so many play a critical role behind the scenes, we owe them a heartfelt thank you for their many talents and expertise.” What are some of the challenges for women in today’s workplace? “Fortunately, gender is not a factor in our workplace at Terranea Resort. Women have the opportunity to work in leadership roles in hospitality more than ever before. Our own president, Terri Haack, is an accomplished businesswoman who empowers us all to go beyond in delivering exceptional service and creating extraordinary memories. She is a great role model and an advocate for all of us.” Advice for women in your line of work? Christina Canalez: “My best advice is to never give up. Even when you think it is easier to walk away, persevere. Listen intently to find out the root of the issue, make recommendations and provide them with possible solutions. Problem-solving and providing expertise to someone planning their wedding—which is already a stressful endeavor—can be very rewarding and fulfilling. Understanding our clients’ needs positions us to be invaluable in delivering a successful event.” What does success mean to you? C.C.: “Success is a smile of gratitude, a hug at the end of a fabulous weekend for a job well done. When our clients don’t want to leave because they had such a marvelous time, we have done our jobs effectively.” Does mentorship play a role in your life? C.C.: “I am a huge proponent of mentorship. I enjoy training and mentoring anyone who wants to get involved in our business. I love when I can help someone achieve their dreams and assist them in transitioning into their next promotion.” What is the #1 way you support clients? C.C.: “I enjoy meeting our clients and listening to their requests in order to create their perfect occasion. I am empathetic and understanding, as I often work with clients who have never planned an event of such magnitude. Constant communication and checking in with our clients to make sure they are happy throughout the planning process is key to our success.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
L to R: Laura Knight, Eleni Cuevas, Tiffany Hong, Kadija Fofana, Victoria Caporaso, Jennifer Messerli, Christina Canalez
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
95
women in business
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, CA Properties
Stephanie Payab Luxury Collection Specialist 16810 Ventura Blvd., Encino 818-269-2796 | StephaniePayab.com CalBRE#01394407
S
tephanie Payab has worked in real estate for 14 years and is a Luxury Collection Specialist for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, California Properties. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, whether trying new restaurants, cooking at home, walking in the hills or traveling. How would your clients describe you? “As hardworking, straightforward, prepared and fun. I love working in real estate, and it shows in everything that I do. Buying or selling a home can be a stressful and emotional experience. I am sensitive to clients’ needs while guiding them through the complicated process. I use my market knowledge, experience and instinct to navigate them through the deal while providing amazing customer service. Most of my clients are referral-based by former clients, and that really says it all.” What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career? “How to be proactive. Things don’t always work out the way you think they should. A lot of a real estate transaction is putting out fires and figuring out alternate ways to make a deal go through. So a big part of what I do is stay ahead of the game instead of getting caught up in the moment. Also, it’s incredibly important to be completely transparent. Keep clients in the loop throughout the whole process so they don’t have any surprises or assumptions that aren’t met and everyone is on the same page.” Does mentorship play a role in your life? “Yes! I have been mentoring new agents in my office for a while now, and it’s great to see them develop into confident and successful real estate professionals. If it weren’t for my mentors, I know I would not be where I am … and I believe in paying it forward.”
“My clients know that I am there for them 100% of the time.” 96
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
What is the #1 way you support your clients? “My clients know that I am there for them 100% of the time. I promptly return emails, texts and calls. I patiently answer questions or quickly find out the information they need. My clients always feel that they have someone looking out for their best interests. I’ve been doing this a long time, and the most important thing I do is listen to my clients—which allows me to meet their real estate needs in a calm, professional and timely manner.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
women in business
Dr. Neetu K. Sodhi, Ranveer Sher Sodhi, Kabir Sher Sodhi
“My own path to motherhood was long and arduous and deeply sensitized me to the patient experience.”
Bloom Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inc.
B
loom Obstetrics and Gynecology offers a variety of medical services to its clients, relating to fertility, pregnancy, birth, general gynecology, weight loss as well as aesthetic services. Owner and founder Dr. Neetu Sodhi trained at Harbor UCLA and Kern Medical and opened the practice in April. “My goal is to help the women in our community come into bloom,” she says. What is Bloom Obstetrics and Gynecology doing that is innovative? “We are all electronic and state-of-the-art. From 3-D/4-D ultrasound with images sent directly to your phone, immediate access to your test results, appointment scheduling and direct messaging through the patient portal, to the latest in laser aesthetic technology, we keep up with the greatest that
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
science and technology have to offer. I am uniquely trained in osteopathic manipulative therapy and use the osteopathic medical philosophy that a person is a single unit of mind, body and spirit to guide my care. I focus heavily on education and disease prevention, and I partner with patients to help them get healthy and stay well. I also remain heavily involved in the academic community, conducting clinical research as well as teaching medical students.” Tell us about the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career. “We all come from different walks of life but follow a similar path. I am here to help guide women along their path through adolescence to sexual maturity to possible motherhood and menopause, all the while still recognizing their differences, honoring
Neetu Khurana Sodhi, DO, MPH Owner/Founder 18555 Ventura Boulevard, Suite C, Tarzana 818-639-9700 | bloomobgyn.com their preferences and respecting their personal decisions. I’ve learned that you gain more trust and build better bonds with your patients when you approach everyone with an open mind and caring heart.” How important is the relationship between you and your patients? “Trust and honesty are paramount to the physician-patient relationship. I spend a lot of time listening to my patients and learning about them before diagnosis or treatment. Women are often anxious when they go to the doctor, but I’ve learned through patient testimonials and word-of-mouth referrals that patients are pleasantly surprised with how comfortable they are with me and how much time I spend addressing their needs. I thrive on patient feedback and use it constantly to help improve the patient experience.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
97
women in business
“We believe that every child has a voice, every child is unique and every child can learn.”
Farnaz Mobasheri Kaufman Director of Intellectual Curiosity
iLEAD Encino
i
LEAD Encino offers a hybrid learning environment through independent study and guided, in-studio, projectbased instruction led by credentialed facilitators. Founding administrator Farnaz Mobasheri Kaufman has worked in the field of education for 20 years. After teaching at an LAUSD school for 17 years, she opened her own educational studio, which led to the founding of iLEAD Encino in 2015. What is iLEAD Encino doing thatis innovative? “Our progressive approach to education is everything. We believe that every child has a voice, every child is unique and every child can learn. We are a hybrid program that gives families flexibility while meeting the needs of each child through units of study all rooted in project-based learning. Our focus
98
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
17400 Vanowen Street, Lake Balboa 818-796-3144 | ileadencino.org on building character and social-emotional intelligence through a PBL lens of instruction make us a rarity in public education.” Describe your work ethic. “I’m an insanely hard worker. But let me be clear: I have that mentality because I feel leadership should include modeled behavior of what you expect to see. I put forth 150% at all times, and I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. I think my passion and dedication definitely rub off on the staff, the learners and our families. As a result, we have a tight-knit community that really is working together to redesign education, to support one another and to inspire each other to new heights.” Tell us about the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career. “Flexibility and preparedness. I am very
comfortable with the unknown as long as I’m allowed to work toward a solution. My staff regularly teases me about always having a plan B, C and D in my back pocket, but I believe in being able to successfully navigate any situation— even if failure comes first.” Have you had an experience in life that materially changed who you are? “There is no question that that my experience as an Iranian American has shaped who I am. My family was completely uprooted due to the Iranian Revolution. Watching my mom’s strength during that year without my father has been the greatest influence on my life. I am a strong, confident role model for others just as my mom was for me.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
women in business
JoAnne Wannarachue Lord Founder/Partner
mali + lili
110 E 9th Street A1073, Los Angeles maliandlili.com | Instagram: mali_and_lili
F
ounder JoAnne Lord has worked in the fashion industry for 20+ years, as buyer, merchandise manager and VP of merchandising for various large companies. After the birth of her second child, she wanted more flexibility in her career and decided to consult and start her own line, named after both daughters. The mali + lili collection, which launches in October at nordstrom.com and The Canyon in Hollywood, features backpacks, waistpacks, card cases and other items. The products are designed locally and are PETA-approved vegan. Any advice for women going into your line of work? “Find your passion. I grew up around fashion. I traveled with my mom and aunts to tradeshows and buying trips at a young age. They were boring at the time, but as I got older my appreciation, understanding and passion developed. You need to understand trends and have an eye for fashion, but you also need to be able to run a business and be fiscally responsible. There have been many late nights, long meetings, working on weekends and a lot of travel, but there are a lot of fun and amazing experiences involved too!” How important are personal skills? “My philosophy is regardless of what you do in life, your ability to connect with others is key. Personal skills are everything—whether it’s with family, friends or business relationships. I love that my girls get to see me in action in our home life and my work life. It also helps to keep me in check and model good relationships and friendships, open communication and integrity. Life in general is so much about personal skills and relationships with others.” What do you do when you’re off the clock? “My husband and I are always in motion, whether it’s entertaining and hanging out with friends and family, running around for our daughters’ activities or traveling. We’re constantly on the go and multitasking; this was the main inspiration for the mali + lili line.”
L to R: Lili Lord, JoAnne Wannarachue Lord, Mali Lord, Luc
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
“We’re constantly on the go and multitasking; this was the main inspiration for the mali + lili line.”
Why do you choose to live in the Valley? “We love our neighborhood. We’re in the hills of Sherman Oaks—centrally located and easily accessible to everything we need. My husband and I found our original 1963 French modern home 11 years ago, and we’ve been restoring and updating it—an ongoing passion project. We’ve also developed strong ties and friendships in the Valley.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
99
women in business
Cat Sherwin
Studio City 323-975-1454 catsherwin.com
C
at Sherwin is a Los Angeles-based freelance makeup artist and hair stylist. Born in Britain, she lived in Sydney, Australia for 14 years before relocating to the U.S. Her experience spans live and reality television, drama, print and motion commercial, publicity and editorial. When she’s off the clock, Cat enjoys yoga, meditation, hiking, cycling, running, and catching up with friends over dinner and a glass of wine. What would you like potential clients to know about you? “I not only work in the entertainment industry, but I am mobile and can travel to your home or workplace to provide personalized makeup and hair services for private events and filming. I also offer lessons. I am extremely experienced and fantastic with clients.” What is unique about your services? “I’m strong in both makeup and hair styling—it’s not so common to have both in Los Angeles. I’m always looking at new ways of doing things and artistic, creative projects. I love incorporating a twist of the latest red carpet and catwalk looks into a person’s everyday style.” Any advice for women going into your line of work? “Be prepared to start at the bottom, work hard, be reliable, flexible and punctual. Stay true to yourself, stand out from the crowd. Integrity and communication skills are everything—there are no shortcuts. Leave your ego and attitude at home—this is never a job ‘about you.’ Be careful with social media; be professional and confidential at all times.” What does success mean to you? “Making my clients feel a million dollars. Helping people recognize their beauty and feel special is priceless.” How do you maintain a healthy balance between work and home life? “As I’m building my business from the ground up in a new country, the slant is more work now, but I’ve learned from experience: Taking time out, looking after your health and wellbeing is essential for success and feeds the soul. It makes you more effective and shine more brightly at your job.”
“Helping people recognize their beauty and feel special is priceless.” 100
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
What’s at the top of your to-do list for the next year? “Bicoastal work (NYC and LA), the Emmys and then awards season—the Oscars, Golden Globes, etc. I also want to travel around the U.S. and explore”.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
women in business
Montrésor
Lisa Long & Ann Booth Luly Owners 11266 Ventura Blvd., Studio City 818-760-7081 | montresor.LA
M
ontrésor is an eclectic bistro rooted in French tradition with a twist on American cuisine, fashion and art in a fairytale setting. The from-scratch menu by Chef David Feau is influenced by seasonal and local ingredients and features palate-pleasing French dishes. Owners Lisa Long and Ann Booth Luly opened the doors of the establishment in September 2017. Lisa has owned and managed restaurants for 25 years. In addition to her restaurant work, she is an actress with more than 77 film and television credits. Ann designed the restaurant and has owned Hoity Toity in Tujunga Village in Studio City for 23 years. The store features her designed and custom-made clothing, bags and functional art. What is Montrésor doing that is unique? “The space is filled with French antiquities, and we have the amazing Chef David Feau creating an incredibly exquisite menu. We really live up to the English definition of Montrésor, which is ‘my treasure.’” What would you like potential clients to know? “Our top priority is customer service.” Any advice for women going into your line of work? “Be smart, work twice as hard, make your own choices and respect all men and women.” Describe your work ethic. How does that influence your business? “24/7, give your all.” How would your clients describe you? “Accessible, smart, strong and a friend to all.”
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CATHY NELSON ARKLE
What’s at the top of your to-do list for the next year? “Maintaining what we have already achieved and paying it forward by getting involved with communitysupported projects.” What is the #1 way you support your clients? “We are grateful and appreciate anyone who walks through our door.” Tell us about your photo. “In the photo by Cathy Nelson Arkle, we are wearing Ann Booth clothing (annboothdesigns.com) from Hoity Toity. The interior was designed by Ann with the love of eras gone by.”
“We are grateful and appreciate anyone who walks through our door.” SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
101
women in business
The Women of
Moon Tide Media 200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 110 El Segundo 310-376-7800 MoonTideMedia.com OurSouthbay.com OurVenturaBlvd.com
M
oon Tide Media is a content marketing agency that helps clients engage and motivate their audiences with solutions such as social content platforms, branded magazines, web-based videos and live events. Moon Tide’s publications include Southbay, Ventura Blvd, Southbay HOME, Ventura Blvd HEALTH, Et Cetera and Southbay HEALTH. The firm also produces a digital film series. Here the ladies of Moon Tide Media share what success means to them.
pleasures and fully owning myself.”
Peggy Jo Abraham – Copy Editor “Success is finding a path that enriches your life and the lives of others. It doesn’t necessarily pertain to a career. Success can come in many different forms.”
Hannah Lee – Brand Publisher “Success is being happy with where you are based on your own life goals (both personal and professional). It is not a fixed point but an ever-evolving state of being.”
Angela Akers – Art Director “Success is loving others and being loved, while becoming the best version of yourself and being able to share that authentically.”
Danielle Price – Marketing Manager “Did I do my absolute best? Did I learn? Did I leave all my cards on the table? Did I smile and take the high road? If ‘YES!’ then I was successful today.”
Emily Stewart Baker – Partner & Brand Publisher “A project completed on time, on budget and, most importantly, extremely happy clients!” Erika Carrion – Account Executive “Doing what you love, living with passion and gratitude at work and play. Having meaningful relationships. Helping others. Balance. Taking care of myself.” Janet De La Cruz – Accounting “Success means making a difference in whatever you do and enjoying it.” Kelsey Elliott – Graphic Designer “Success isn’t measured in goals reached or money earned but rather a constant drive to make myself better every day and make those around me better.” Christine Georgiades – Senior Graphic Designer “Being excited for a Monday morning.” Rachel Gotko – Marketing Manager “Being completely content and happy with yourself and the life you live.” Linda Grasso – Editor-in-Chief, Ventura Blvd “Success is having inner peace. For me, that comes from living a life surrounded by loved ones, enjoying the simplest of
102
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Marcie Gutierrez – Account Executive “The ability to do what you love every day. Work hard and accomplish goals and especially take care of yourself—travel, read, spend time with friends and family.” Allison Jeackjuntra – Director of Operations “Making choices that allow you to find happiness in your everyday life.”
Robin Sanders – Publisher, Ventura Blvd “If at the end of a day I have my to-do list complete, know tomorrow is planned out and I have made people happy, then I have achieved success.” Cherice Tatum – Director of Marketing & Business Development “Success is giving ourselves room to falter without allowing slips to define our journey. It’s finding the silver lining. It’s picking yourself up and dusting yourself off again.” Amy Tetherow – Account Executive “Success means doing what you love every day and working toward your goals. Work hard but also remember to maintain balance and not sweat the small stuff.” Michelle Villas – Art Director “Success is recognizing the moments that really matter and finding that sweet spot where you find balance in your life.” Laura Watts – Copy Editor “Working with amazing clients, collaborating with talented coworkers, doing a job I love … and also having the time to enjoy friends and family when I’m off the clock.” Sue Williams – Account Executive “Success is the ability to look back at your accomplishments with pride and forward at new adventures with excitement.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
L to R, back row: Janet De La Cruz, Angela Akers 2nd row: Danielle Price, Robin Sanders, Sue Williams, Erika Carrion, Kelsey Elliott, Hannah Lee, Emily Stewart Baker 3rd row: Linda Grasso, SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Michelle Villas, Brody, Cherice Tatum, Christine Georgiades, Amy Tetherow Front: Rachel Gotko, Huck Not pictured: Peggy Jo Abraham, Marcie Gutierrez, Allison Jeackjuntra, Laura Watts
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
103
women in business
“Cleaning out your closet can be a big job, but you don’t have to do it alone!”
Closet Therapy
W
ith a background in psychology and social work, it was a natural fit for Kristin Muckley to open a business helping clients organize their closets—and their lives. “By combining my background as a therapist with closet organizing, I help women see that it’s not only physical clutter in their closet but also emotional clutter that’s weighing them down,” she says. “It’s not the material item we become attached to, but the meaning we give the item that makes it difficult to let go.” Kristin launched her company, Closet Therapy, in January 2015. What would you like potential clients to know about you? “Having a closet organizer is like having a gym trainer. Yes, we could all work out on our own, but we get better results with a
104
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Kristin Muckley Owner 1355 N. Sierra Bonita Ave., West Hollywood 424-302-7972 | closettherapynow.com professional keeping us focused. Cleaning out your closet can be a big job, but you don’t have to do it alone!” How important are personal skills? “They’re huge, especially when you consider what a personal space a woman’s closet is! Cleaning out one’s closet is often a walk down memory lane. Certain items can be difficult to let go of—especially if there’s a particular meaning or memory attached to it.” How would your clients describe you? “Supportive and nonjudgmental. Many women feel embarrassed by how messy or cluttered their closet is. The rest of our home could be immaculate, but our closets are where we ‘stuff’ things we don’t want to deal with. I try to normalize the experience for clients while also practicing confidentiality.”
What does success mean to you? “Success is being able to use my gifts to have a positive impact on another’s life. When I initially meet with a client, they’re usually overwhelmed, and the energy in the closet is heavy. But by the end of the session they appear lighter, more in control and radiate with renewed excitement. Seeing the shift in their energy feels like success.” How do you maintain balance? “Finding balance has always been a struggle for me, but once I started my own business I knew I had to get real with myself about how I was prioritizing my time. Yoga and meditation have become non-negotiable and crucial for my sanity. It’s important that I take care of myself in order to hold space and be present for others.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
women in business
Compass Financial
Joni Deakins Financial Advisor 15760 Ventura Blvd., Suite 700, Encino 818-995-9492 | lplfinancial.lpl.com
C
ompass Financial Advisors, founded by financial advisor Joni Deakins and her husband, Mark, a decade ago, helps individuals, families and businesses work toward their financial goals. The couple will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary this year and have three sons: Charlie, Jack and Henry. As a family, they enjoy traveling, scuba diving, the beach, movies and Notre Dame High School football. Have you had an experience in life that materially changed who you are? “My husband and I had successful careers in entertainment until the bottom fell out of that business in the early 2000s. It changed my perspective on money. When you do not have to worry about money, it’s not a thought. But when you are worried about money, it is an every-waking-moment thought. Having gone through that helps give you an understanding with clients that you cannot get any other way. Consequently, many of our clients are in entertainment!” What would you like potential clients to know about your business? “We’re here to help people create—and stay committed to—a financial plan … something that can be pretty challenging, even overwhelming, to do by yourself. Clients need to see the big picture. Our job is to help them get that vision and move them toward their financial destination.” What is Compass Financial Advisors doing that is unique? “Many advisory firms are male dominated. While our clientele is diverse, being a woman puts me in what I believe is a unique position to help women. Whether you are married or single, a woman’s financial plan has to be a bit different from their male counterpart. Women live, on average, longer than men, so they need a plan to provide for a longer life.” How has your life experience contributed to who you are today in the professional arena? “Being a mom of three boys, I understand the value—and costs—of a good education (CU Boulder, Utah State and Notre Dame High School). It’s hard to strike a balance of funding your kid’s education and funding your retirement. These are not mutually exclusive. A good advisor will give you that guidance.” Where do you find most of your new business leads? “About 99% of our new clients come from our existing clients. I don’t think there is a higher compliment than that.”
“We’re here to help people create—and stay committed to—a financial plan.” SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Disclaimer: The financial consultants at Compass Financial are registered representatives with and securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
105
women in business
WeVillage (Sherman Oaks)
Karen Beninati Founder & CEO 13335 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks 818-233-8218 | wevillage.com
W
eVillage is a fully licensed child care facility that started in Oregon in 2009. In addition to four locations in that state, WeVillage opened a branch in Sherman Oaks this year. Founder & CEO Karen Beninati worked as a movie producer before transitioning to the field of child care eight years ago. She has a 15-year-old son and enjoys cooking in her free time. What is WeVillage doing that is innovative? “WeVillage offers: infant care, preschool—from afterschool programs to homework help, school break day camps and even French lessons! The space is beautiful—a custom-designed modern environment created to engage young minds through artistic integration. And there are no contracts! Not everyone needs fulltime, five-day-a-week child care. We give parents the ability to have care based on their weekly schedule!” How has your life experience contributed to who |you are today in the professional arena? “As a single mom I noticed a lack of flexible, affordable, clean and safe child care facilities that met the demands of a busy schedule, often with last-minute changes. So I started WeVillage based on a vision of the perfect child care facility for my own son.” How does your work ethic influence your business? “Being a movie producer, the daily hustle is often demanding but builds a strong skill set for getting things done! Having that work-flow/play-flow balance is important.” Tips for women getting back into the workplace post-child rearing? “Make a to-do list and either throw it away or stick to it. Take it one day at a time and always take at least one hour a day for personal time. That’s why I started WeVillage—for all parents who need a beautiful, clean and stimulating educational place but on their own time, on their own schedule, so they (parents) could work or play.”
“We need to be our best selves for our children, so I provided a facility so moms can do that!” 106
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
How do you maintain a healthy balance between work and home life? “I prep for everything; I always try to be one step ahead. I schedule time for my family—and sometimes I say no to things so I can spend that extra hour with my family. That email will be there, make that phone call later, but man our kids grow up so fast!”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
women in business
“My vision for Nachshon is to continue establishing this new model of Jewish life that is relatable, relevant and fits into our modern lives.”
Rabbi/Cantor Judy Greenfeld Spiritual Leader
Nachshon Minyan
T
hirteen years after Judy Greenfeld became ordained as a Cantor, she returned to the seminary to become a Rabbi as well. This dual role is rare and innovative and enhances her spiritual leadership. After working at several traditional temples, she started the Nachshon Minyan synagogue in an effort to unite like-minded people who yearned for an updated approach to Judaism. Over the last 10 years, Nachshon Minyan has grown from 10 to 125 families and from five to 80 children in the private Sunday religious school. Rabbi Greenfeld holds weekly Torah classes and conducts many B’nei Mitzvoth each year. What would you like our readers to know about your temple? “We provide a safe environment with welcoming, strong and passionate
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
17046 Ventura Blvd. Encino 818-789-7314 NachshonMinyan.org leadership. Our staff—including myself—is available to help members discover a spiritual connection to Judaism they may have been missing.” What does success mean to you? “Success for me is seeing the light re-ignite in the eyes of one who has been totally turned off to Judaism.” How has your life experience contributed to who you are today? “I am the product of a typical suburban home—conservative, Shabbat, Zionist parents, givers to the community. It was down-home family. That was all shattered when my father was murdered in 1975. My life took a spiral, and I wanted to address this ‘God’ that I thought took away my security and joy. Little did I know that my search, my journey back to my Jewish
roots would be my life journey, and that my experience could help and inspire others. If anyone had told me that I would become a Rabbi/Cantor and serve a spiritual community, I would have thought they were crazy. But my life circumstances set me on a path of growth and fulfillment that I did not expect.” Advice for women going into your line of work? “Find a way to create more togetherness than competition. All people—women and men—need to feel seen and empowered to share their voices and experiences in Judaism and not be hushed or shamed when they don’t feel connected.” Tell us about your family. “I am most proud of my children, Samantha and David. I’ve learned volumes from both of them in different ways.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | VENTURA BLVD
107
women in business
“When you empower young women, they always end up paying it forward.”
Artisan Cheese & Wine
S
Shelley Janson Owner 12023 Ventura Blvd. Studio City 818-505-0207 artisancheeseandwine.com
tarting her career in the marketing department of Estee Lauder in New York, Shelley Janson relocated to L.A. and has owned three businesses: Epicurean School of Culinary Arts, a marketing firm for nonprofit organizations and now Artisan Cheese & Wine in Studio City (formerly named Artisan Cheese Gallery.) She opened Artisan in 2015.
lunch and as a cheese store. We are currently mixing things up. We just built a bar and we are moving into night hours, where we have designed a Small Plates menu and a more extensive menu of wines by the glass. We also added Raclette and a Mozzarella Bar. And we changed our name to reflect our passion for wine as well as cheese.”
What do clients love about Artisan Cheese & Wine? “There are two things I hear all the time: ‘Artisan feels like being in Europe’ and ‘Thank you for having us.’ Artisan has that warm, intimate feeling that makes you want to return—kind of like the Cheers of Studio City.”
How has your life experience contributed to who you are today professionally? “Growing up, I spent a fair amount of time being fairly independent. That made me a strong young woman. I think I’m pretty fearless, which helped guide me into becoming an entrepreneur.”
What would you like potential clients to know about your business? “For years, Artisan has been known for
Have you had an experience in life that materially changed who you are? “My son has been my guiding light. I
108
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
always wanted him to be proud of me as a single parent—knowing I was a good mother but also working hard and achieving my goals. I raised him knowing that women—just like men—have a voice, and I was never afraid to use mine.” How do you give back to the community? “I work with the founders of the African Millenium Foundation, which supports women’s and children’s projects in Africa. Artwork supporting their educational project is for sale at Artisan, and all proceeds go directly to African Millenium Foundation. Also, Artisan has given me an opportunity to employ more women in the food industry. One thing I know for sure: When you empower young women, they always end up paying it forward.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
HIGH HOLY DAYS
Services Led by Rabbi/Cantor Judy Greenfeld Erev Rosh Hashanah Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 pm (7:00 pm Apples & Honey Reception)
Rosh Hashanah Thursday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 am
(9:00 am Apples & Honey Reception)
Tashlich (at the beach) Thursday, Sept. 21 at 5:00 pm
Kol Nidre Friday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 pm
Yom Kippur Saturday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 am
Yizkor and Neila Saturday, Sept. 30 at 3:00 pm
The Performing Arts Education Center 22855 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA 91302
To reserve your tickets call (818) 789-7314. For information email OfficeNachshon@gmail.com or visit NachshonMinyan.org
A Warm & Welcome Invitation to All!
HOME FILMS
C R E AT I N G V I D E O F O R YO U R L I S T I N G S I S O N LY E X P E N S I V E I F N O O N E I S WAT C H I N G . H o m e F i l m s i s t h e o n l y f u l l y i n t e g r a t e d , r e a l e s t a t e v i d e o p ro d u c t i o n a n d d i g i t a l distribution package. Our talented filmmaking artistically tell the story of what m a k e s yo u r l i s t i n g u n i q u e . A n d o u r t a r g e t e d d i g i t a l d i s t r i b u t i o n e n s u r e s t h a t t h e r i g h t p o t e n t i a l b u y e r s a r e s e e i n g yo u r p ro p e r t y i n t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l l i g h t .
BEST IN CLASS FILMMAKERS
+
S M A RT D I S T R I B U T I O N
Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n : Ro b i n S a n d e r s a t 8 1 8 . 4 2 7. 2 0 5 0 o r ro b i n @ m o o n t i d e m e d i a . c o m .
real estate
CUSTOM AMESTOY ESTATE
List Price $3,995,000 www.17110McCormickSt.com Represented by Harriet Cameron & Andrew Spitz 818.380.2151 & 818.817.4284 Harriet@HarrietCameron.com & AndrewSpitz@bhhscal.com CalBRE#00675971 & CalBRE#00924610 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
STUDIO CITY
11550 Dilling St $4,995,000
find open houses now
Colfax Meadows Cape Cod Crestron Smart Home with media room. Pool, spa, built-in bbq. Pool house.
aaroe.com
11550dilling.com Craig Strong 310.439.3225
TOLUCA LAKE VALLEY VILLAGE
12515 Addison St Eric Lieberman & Nancy Gerber
ENCINO
$3,195,000 818.535.8755
ENCINO
17966 Lake Vista Dr Kevin Driscoll
$2,499,000 818.398.0797
SHERMAN OAKS
4557 Cartwright Ave $1,199,000 Mediterranean 2-story 2013 built home with 5bd,4ba, 2900± sf., 7000± sf. lot. 4557cartwright.com 16440 Westfall Pl Kristin Neithercut
$1,749,000 323.397.0800
VALLEY VILLAGE
11819 Kling St Patty Ray
SHERMAN OAKS
$1,679,000 213.760.3177
SHERMAN OAKS
$1,499,000 818.406.1853
STUDIO CITY
5222 Atoll Ave Marcia & Renee
TOLUCA LAKE
13454 Valleyheart Dr Joan Duffy
BEVERLY HILLS
BRENTWOOD
Michael Bergin 310.600.0715
ENCINO
$1,399,000 310.995.0900
SUNSET STRIP
17017 Addison St Gordon Myers
BALDWIN HILLS/VIEW PARK
$1,350,000 818.590.8122
PASADENA
DOWNTOWN LA
John Aaroe Group does not guarantee the accuracy of sq. footage, lot size, or other info 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.
STRONG REALTOR TOP 1% NATIONWIDE 2016
4818 LEDGE AVE, TOLUCA LAKE AVAILABLE | OFFERED AT $1,425,000
SOLD OVER $100 MILLION IN 2016
3Bd | 3.5Ba | 2,567± sf | 9,075± sf lot
AVAILABLE | TOLUCA LAKE
Bob & Dolores Hope Estate
AVAILABLE | TOLUCA LAKE
$22,000,000
AVAILABLE | BURBANK
820 Grinnell Dr.
10125 Valley Spring Ln.
$3,996,000
AVAILABLE | SHERMAN OAKS
$4,700,000
5261 Ventura Canyon Ave.
$899,000
AVAILABLE | VALLEY GLEN
AVAILABLE | MANHATTAN BEACH
CRAIG STRONG Executive Director, Aaroe Estates 310.439.3225 CalBRE 01450987 516 Marine Ave.
$2,149,000
5905 Hillview Park Ave.
$1,599,000
STRONGREALTOR.COM #1 AGENT SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
John Aaroe Group 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
KevinDriscollHOMES.COM Extraordinary Seller Representation!
ENCINO
ENCINO
17966 Lake Vista Drive $2,499,000
4517 Firmament Avenue $4,199,000
17966lakevista.aaroe.site
4517firmament.aaroe.site
SHERMAN OAKS 4935 Varna Avenue $1,599,000 4935varna.aaroe.site
ENCINO 17428 Oak Creek Court $2,499,000
KEVIN DRISCOLL
17428oakcreek.aaroe.site
Top 1% Nationwide Director, Aaroe Estates
818.398.0797
KevinDriscollHomes@gmail.com John Aaroe Group 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. This is not intended as a solicitation if your property is currently listed with another broker. CalBRE 01270052
THE MELLENTHIN MAN
4850 LONGRIDGE AVENUE, SHERMAN OAKS
4850Longridge.aaroe.site | $1,175,000
Classic William Mellenthin traditional with exceptional character located in the highly coveted Hidden Woods. Impeccably maintained and wonderful curb appeal with rich wood siding and signature cupola above the garage. Two spacious bedrooms share an adorable hall bath and spacious master suite has a walk in closet, spa bath and French doors flowing to the garden. Clean cooks kitchen is light and bright, with white tile counters, beautiful cabinetry an adjacent laundry room with ½ bath, storage and conveniently located off the den and formal dining room. The family room is beautifully appointed with custom mantle, hardwood floors, high ceilings and French doors with full view of the yard. Shaded by a beautiful orchid tree and adorned with romantic lighting is the perfect space for al fresco dining. Sizeable yard with room for a pool, mature landscaping for privacy and sitting area for relaxing by the fire on the long summer nights. This is a remarkable home and shouldn’t be missed.
ALAN TAYLOR | 818.650.1603 Director Aaroe Estates l Trust & Probate | Top 2% Nationwide l Top 1% Companywide
Alan@AlanTaylorRealEstate.com | AlanTaylorRealEstate.com John Aaroe Group 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 01369255
GRAND COLONIAL OF SHERMAN OAKS – STATELY, LUXURIOUS & UNIQUE: $5,500,000 4107 Ventura Canyon. Over 7000 sq. ft. w/ Main House, Guest/Studio & Basement. 5 Beds, 6 Baths, Family Room, Great Room, Formal Dining, Living room, Breakfast area, center island, showcase kitchen. Resort grounds, swimmers pool/spa, designer BBQ area, vegetable garden, surrounded by beautiful soft and hardscape. Newer Construction. www.4107VenturaCanyon.com
m co
in
o gs
on m co
ELEGANCE & BEAUTY! UPDATED ROYAL WOODS MID CENTURY: $2,500,000 15949 Tobin Way - Sherman Oaks. OVER 4500 Sq.ft, 5 Beds, 4 Baths. Beautiful home. Designer upgrades throughout, champagne & caviar! Pool & spa, views, deck, quiet culdesac street, EZ access to Westside.
in
o gs
on
GREAT LOCATION IN ROYAL WOODS SINGLE LEVEL, VALLEY VIEWS: $1,600,000 15708 Castlewoods Dr – Sherman Oaks. 4 Beds, 3 Baths, near 3000 sq. ft, 12,000+ lot. Quiet neighborhood, fast Westside and Valley access, first time on market in 40 years. Fabulous community.
m co
in
o gs
on
LOVELY TRADITIONAL WITH CONTEMPORARY FLAIR. DESIRABLE ROYAL WOODS AREA: $2,395,000 3508 Alana Dr – Sherman Oaks. 5 Beds, 4 Baths, near 4000 sq.ft. Formal entry, Den, Bonus room, master suite, entertainers back yard with city light view. Pool, Deck… Super location for Westside access. Great Community.
BILLY WYNN
818-261-3400
text/cell billywynn@pacbell.net | www.billywynn.net
olson estates
“No agent has more transactions in Royal Woods of Sherman Oaks than Billy”
17085 RANCHO STREET | ENCINO | $8,750,000
4630 ENCINO AVENUE | ENCINO | $75,000/MO
9908 ANTHONY PLACE | BEVERLY HILLS | $12,000/MO
745 MORENO AVENUE | BRENTWOOD | $3,600,000
7 BEDS | 8 BATH | 10,600 SQ. FT. | 67,058 SQ. FT. LOT
4 BEDS | 5 BATH | 4,315 SQ. FT. | 14,594 SQ. FT. LOT
6 BEDS | 9 BATH | 10,104 SQ. FT. | 76,104 SQ. FT. LOT
DUPLEX | 5 BEDS | 3 BATH | 2,995 SQ. FT. | 9,909 SQ. FT. LOT
ANDREA KORCHEK
ANDRE A .KORCHEK@THE AGENCYRE.COM 818.371.093 3 An international associate of Savills
THE AGENCYRE.COM
Oren David Mordkowitz ESTATES DIRECTOR | REALTOR ® CalBRE License #01246402 818-933-5866 oren@orenestates.com
JUST LISTED
COMING SOON NEW CONSTRUCTION
www.16725OakView.com
www.4143HayvenhurstDrive.com
16725 Oak View Drive | $1,249,000
4143 Hayvenhurst Drive | $4,200,000
JUST LISTED
SOLD
www.4775HaskellAve.com
www.17067EscalonDrive.com
www.17230LuvernePlace.com
4775 Haskell Avenue $1,399,000
17067 Escalon Drive $1,249,000
17230 Luverne Place $1,599,000
JUST LISTED
SOLD
16636 Calneva Drive $1,489,000
SOLD
4405 Alonzo Avenue $1,435,000
www.OrenEstates.com
SOLD
16701 Bajio Court $5,550,000
Nobody does it better...
sold
4121 Longridge Ave., Sherman Oaks $7,350,000 www.NewLongridgeEstate.com
sold
3833 Hayvenhurst Dr., Encino $3,799,000 www.RoyalOaksColony.com
active
3856 Vista Linda Dr., Encino $1,699,000 www.VistaLindaEstate.com
#1 Agent
Rodeo Realty San Fernando Valley 2017 YTD
sold
3925 Archdale Rd., Encino $5,499,000 www.ArchdaleEstate.com
active
19100 Sprague St., Tarzana $3,499,000 www.NewTarzanaEstate.com
sold
16214 Morrison St., Encino $1,539,660 www.HomeOnMorrison.com
coming soon 17437 Palora St., Encino $4,500,000 New Construction
in escrow
5421 Amestoy Ave., Encino $2,349,000 www.AmestoyAvenueEstate.com
sold
16716 Alginet Pl., Encino $1,532,500 Encino Hills
sold
16167 Royal Oak Rd., Encino $4,449,000 Royal Oaks
sold
4811 Encino Ter., Encino $2,199,000 www.EncinoTerraceEstate.com
sold
14839 Round Valley Dr., Sherman Oaks $1,520,000 www.RoundValleyDrive.com
818.285.3688
www.CarolWolfe.com
CalBRE #00477745
Authentic Spanish architectural on a corner lot in Carpenter School District! Dripping with charm home with arched doorways, tiled roof, 2 arched fireplaces, coved ceiling & Saltillo tiled floors. Very private yard enjoys the beauty & shade of mature trees. Located near Studio City Library, Beeman Park, Golf Course and in prestigious Carpenter School District.
Valley Village - $750k
000 $10, US! N BO
Gated mini estate - 4 blocks to Universal Studios, at the end of a Cul De Sac! A few yards to Universal City Walk restaurant’s, amusements and fun! Approximately 1/4 of an acre, with wood deck, covered patio, pool & spa. This home has 3 suites: 3 BR / 3 BA each & an independent Guest Quarters, spacious living room, formal dining, family room with wood beam ceiling & dual brick fireplace. Across from Weddington park & minutes to all major studios: Disney, Warner Brothers, Sony -- and to Hollywood!
Prime Valley Village oversized corner lot! (S.E. Corner of Morrison St. & Colfax)
ng Co
ratulations
MATTEPSTEIN.COM SOMATT@AOL.COM 818-789-7408
to
Matt Epstein #1 #2 #5
Agent San Fernando Valley Agent Los Angeles Agent Nationwide for
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Follow me on Facebook: MattEpsteinRealty Top one-half of 1 percent of more than 1,250,000 REALTORS® nationwide
Follow me on Twitter: @SoMattEpstein CalBRE# 01121162
With proven results from the market leader, why call anybody else?
11540 Canton Dr. - SC - $3,499,000 - 3Br+3Ba in 1,754 SqFt on a 8,337 SqFt Lot – Built in 2012, this gorgeous Spanish style home is located in a quiet neighborhood off Laurel Canyon. Hardwood floors, exposed beam ceilings & wrought iron fixtures feature throughout. Lush backyard w/ waterfall pool/spa and fully legal guesthouse.
#KeepingItRealEstate
3727 Meadville Dr. – SO $2,700,000 – 4Br+3.5Ba in 4,877 SqFt on a 11,300 Lot –S. of the blvd contemporary home in highly sought after SO area. Living room w/ walls of glass & FP. Updated kitchen w/ wood floors & stainless appliances. Master suite w FP + huge BA w spa tub. Backyard has amazing views, pool & spa & covered patios.
11239 Canton Dr. - SC - $1,600,000 - 3Br+3Ba in 1,754 SqFt on a 8,337 SqFt Lot –Serene, charming California ranch located s. of the boulevard in a quiet cul-de-sac in the hills off Laurel Canyon. Feat. gorgeous hardwood flooring, thoughtful amenities & large, lush front/back yards. Ideal venue for intimate gatherings or large scale entertaining.
4104 Goodland Ave - SC $1,499,000 - 5Br+3Ba in 2,661 SqFt on a 6,470 SqFt Lot - Nicely updated South of the Blvd Cape Cod with easy access to all Studio City has to offer. Recently updated and upgraded inside and out. Easy West Side and Valley Access.
14813 Hesby St. – SO - $750,000 – 2Br+1Ba in 1,642 SqFt on 6,752 Lot Charming single family home w/ permitted 2nd back house located in quiet neighborhood in prime Sherman Oaks. Ample natural light, beautiful hardwood floors, vaulted wood beamed ceilings and fireplace. Fully permitted back house adds additional ~400 sq ft.
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
Saturday
2012
Open House
Haleakala Luxury Apartments 14227 Magnolia Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
11:00 - 4:00 PM
2017
Integrity. Experience. Service.
Every home is different, and so is every homebuyer. That’s why I’ve spent 23 years focusing on meeting the unique needs of every home loan client. As your lending specialist, I’ll take the time to understand your priorities and help you find the best possible financing solution.
Trust your home loan to John Musso
As a Bank of America lending specialist, I can offer you: • Low, competitive rates — call for a personalized quote • A range of loan options, from loans with lower down payments to loans for higher-value homes • Integrity, experience and personalized service so you can feel confident throughout the home loan process • Jumbo loans up to $5 million on owner-occupied properties, and up to $2 million on second homes1
Enjoy the peace of mind of working with a dedicated mortgage professional. I’m looking forward to helping you get started.
Wealth Management Lending Officer, VP President’s Club NMLS ID: 448606 818-518-1008 Office johnmusso@bankofamerica.com mortgage.bankofamerica.com/johnmusso
Contact me today.
Minimum down payment requirements vary by property type and location. Loan amount, interest-only payment option, loan-to-value percentage, property and/or occupancy type may require a higher level of reserves and/or post-closing liquidity. For loan amounts greater than $3 million, certain minimum reserve amounts are required to be held in a Bank of America and/or its affiliates (Merrill Lynch and/or U.S. Trust) account. Two separate full appraisals may be required. Excellent credit required, including proof of recent consistent housing payment history. Not available on all loan programs. Other restrictions apply, ask for details. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. l Equal Housing Lender. © 2017 Bank of America Corporation. HL-121-AD ARDC33CJ 11/2016 1
Just A Doll The story of how Madame Alexander almost ruined my life WRITTEN BY KATHLEEN LACCINOLE | ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE GEORGIADES
She set me up. And I’m exhausted. The doll maker, originally named Bertha, was born to immigrants in New York’s lower east side. She attached the title of “Madame” to her name as a marketing ploy—and it stuck. In truth, she was a wife, mother, businesswoman and a ballbuster. She did it all. And I imagine she was exhausted as well. Santa brought me my first doll when I was 4. Cinderella was perfect, every detail just so, down to her immaculate broom and spitspot apron. And so, it began … I collected the dolls in an unspoken competition with my sister. I had more dolls, but she had Scarlett O’Hara. When my sister moved on to pencil sketching members of The Eagles, my Madame Alexander obsession only picked up steam. The dolls were my dreams, what I would be one day, each an accomplished woman—from Betsy Ross to Lucille Ball. If my collection was solid, so too would be my future. I had an agenda. It didn’t work out. As girls, we set levels of perfection impossible to reach. As women, we still try. We must be the attentive mom, loving
130
VENTURA BLVD | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
wife, accomplished chef and organized homemaker—with a successful career, a fit body and a garden without powdery mildew. We volunteer, entertain, protest and attempt to never fall down. But I fell a lot. And when I did, I poured vinegar on my skinned knees. Why couldn’t I do it all like Queen Victoria or Pocahontas? More than once, I felt like a failure as a woman. And there they were, always, in the corner of my room; with their perfect skin and Bette Davis eyes—empty stares taunting me, reminding me I didn’t measure up. But then I grew up. And after far too many falls, I stood up and realized I will never wear perfectly ironed, spit-spot aprons, have perfect skin or be Maria von Trapp. I imagine Maria von Trapp was exhausted too. We all are. We are women. It took me 40 years to realize that if I try to do everything, I will always fail at something. But at the end of the day, failures are far more entertaining. I am a middle-aged single mom, with a new career, an old dog, a house that needs paint and crepey skin on my elbows. But boy, do I have laughs.
I explain to my daughter that this is what makes a successful woman: trying, falling, getting up, trying again, falling again; loving, learning, failing and finding joy in the process. The other day I looked in my old doll case at my 24 dolls. Their perfect skin had faded. They stared back at me with shallow, freakish, Baby Jane eyes. Amish Girl‘s elastic waistband had given way, leaving her bloomers around her ankles. Miss Holland’s right eye had gone wonky. And Shirley Temple’s head was in her lap. I knew how that felt. And for once, I could relate. They were exhausted. Just like me. I rolled Miss Holland’s eye back into place, safety pinned Amish Girl’s bloomers back on and used a paper clip to secure Shirley Temple’s head. Then I made myself a martini in my plastic shaker, poured it into a stained crystal glass and played with my dolls. ■ Kathleen Laccinole is a freelance writer who lives in Sherman Oaks with her son; a daughter is away at college. She also writes for pcharlottelindsay.com.
Andrew & Harriet Results That Will Move You! A V A
A IL
B
C
! LE
17110 McCormick Street, Encino $3,995,000
IN
G
SO
O
N
!
16067 Valley Wood Road, Sherman Oaks
!
IL A
A
M
A V A BL E!
A V A
IL
E BL
O
5353 Vanalden Avenue, Tarzana $1,449,000
5912 Calvin Avenue, Tarzana $1,195,000
Andrew & Harriet Did It Again! Ranked In The Top 1,000 (#90) Out of 1.25 Million Realtors /Teams Nationwide! Andrew Spitz & Harriet Cameron of the Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices California Properties named one of America’s Top 1,000 real estate professional as advertised in The Wallstreet Journal
teams by
Nearly $100,000,000 Millon Dollars In Closed Transactions in 2016 AndrewSpitz.com 818-817-4284 BRE#924610 Realtor®
HarrietCameron.com 818-380-2151 BRE#675971 Realtor®
2017 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 vafified by broker or MLS. CalBRE 01317331
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s17) The Walking Dead © 2017 AMC Film Holdings LLC. All Rights Reserved. ©2017 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. 17-ADV-22191