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Fresh N’ Lean
When Laureen Asseo was 18, her father’s health took a turn for the worse after years of consuming processed and fast foods. As she helped her father recover, she learned the importance of living a lifestyle with an organic diet full of nutrient-rich meals. This scare with her father inspired her to help others learn how to eat and live well. Fresh N’ Lean was born out of her one-bedroom apartment and is now the largest organic ready-to-eat meal delivery company in the country. Although it’s evident Asseo is an inspiration to many, she says her employees inspire her every day and she is extremely grateful to have the opportunity to lead and work with a diverse group of more than 450 people. “Being able to learn and understand everyone’s journey and background has really shaped me as a person,” says Asseo. Dishes change by the season, but you can expect meals with winter squash on the menu now. freshnlean.com.
Meet the Source
Roxanne Golkar and her husband, Bradley, created Costa Mesabased Meet the Source by accident. “We owned a small raw almond milk company called Rawmond Milk and frequently had large amounts of almond pulp we didn’t want to throw away,” says Roxanne. “So we experimented with the pulp in different ways, including making our first raw carrot cake.” A lightbulb went off when they quickly sold out of goods made with the leftover almond pulp at the weekly farmers market. They decided they would open a whole foods bakery specializing in organic, gluten- and dairy-free goods. “We have always believed in clean foods and knowing what ingredients you are putting into your body, so transitioning from making a clean almond milk product to clean snack foods and desserts was meant to be for us,” says Roxanne. The Golkars are constantly inspired by their customers and love to see the happiness on their faces when they are finally able to enjoy a dessert that won’t make them feel sick. Cakes, Bliss Balls, cinnamon buns, and more are sold online. meetthesource.com, (714) 698-9157
FOODIE MUST-TRY: STEELCRAFT
Built with repurposed shipping containers, SteelCraft is the ultimate hangout spot. Three locations — Bixby Knolls in Long Beach, Bellflower and Garden Grove — offer different food and beverage tenants, live music, and community events. Run, don’t walk, to these outdoor urban eateries, and don’t forget to bring your littles—each location is family-friendly. Read on to see our top picks from each location. steelcraftlb.com Duck Donuts at SteelCraft Garden Grove Duck Donuts founder, Russell A. DiGilio, was inspired to create his donut empire while vacationing in Duck, North Carolina with his family. DiGilio quickly noticed the town was lacking a donut shop. Fast forward years later, and DiGilio opened the first Duck Donuts in Duck, North Carolina in 2007.
Prime by Shenandoah at SteelCraft Bellflower
Long-time Long Beach residents might remember local comfort food restaurant Shenandoah, which opened more than 30 years ago on Naples Island (it’s now moved to Los Alamitos). Bellflower’s Prime offers a more casual vibe. You’ll find a wide variety of tacos on the menu, including hickory smoked prime rib or chimichurri brisket, fried cheese and green chorizo, grilled fish, seitan asada (vegan), and roasted cabo cauliflower. Jazz up your tacos with slices of avocado, fried manchego cheese, and TRUFF sauce. Add a side of elote off the cob to complete your meal. steelcraftlb.com/vendors/prime-by-shenandoah, (562) 353-5453
by Shenandoah is a nod to this beach town staple but
There are now hundreds of locations, with the newest shop opening at SteelCraft Garden Grove in early February. The donuts are made-to-order, and you can pick your coating, topping, and drizzle. Or choose from the fan favorite collection which has flavors like maple bacon, chocolate with Oreo, and cinnamon sugar with vanilla drizzle. And what’s even better? The company partners with local nonprofits and gives back to the community. duckdonuts.com
Rori Trovato knows the secret to making good ice cream: No skimping on the milk! She partners with local farmers to have the freshest and tastiest produce to use in her scoops. Trovato’s creamery, Rori’ s Artisanal Creamery, located at SteelCraft Long Beach, offers organic, small-batch authentic flavors as Black Pepper Pistachio, Brown Sugar Banana, Cinnamon Toast Cereal Crunch, Malted Milk Ball, Nutella, Lemon Curd, and Fresh Mint Patty. The menu also includes sundaes, shakes, malts, root beer floats, brownies, cookie ice cream sandwiches, and much more. rorisartisanalcreamery.com, (562) 912-7171
OF INTEREST
FROM “SECOND TEAM” TO THE SPOTLIGHT RIA PAVIA TALKS DIRECTORIAL DEBUT, CREATING ARTISTIC SPACE
By Maisy Menzies
“I was honestly not prepared for it,” Ria Pavia said as she fidgeted with the thick stems of her glasses. “This type of film festival success for ‘Second Team’ was kind of an accident.”
Throughout a career spanning upwards of thirty years, Pavia was encouraged by various colleagues to try her hand at directing. “Second Team,” her first short film about two stand-in actors who just broke up and have a massive fight on camera, was born out of her desire to have a directorial sample for her portfolio. It has now been featured at fourteen film festivals across the country. “ I have been working in this industry for so long, and everything I was doing or had done started to point to directing… all directions of my career were leading me there,” recounted Pavia.
Born in Ohio but raised in New York, Pavia moved from South Carolina to Michigan for boarding school until she settled down in California. A UCLA alumna, she resided in Orange County with her husband and three children before returning to Los Angeles, where she currently lives. All of this is to say that Pavia is no stranger to traveling the country. But virtually travelling from film festival to film festival with her hit directorial debut is certainly new terrain.
While certainly a difficult adjustment, Pavia has found benefits in the virtually adapted festival scene. Having each festival streamlined to fit into a virtual and more flexible agenda allowed Pavia and her fellow festival participants to really engage with the artists that were screening their works.
“There has been a real sense of community for sure, which honestly surprised me. I think with how hard things have been, everyone at these festivals only wants to offer support. There is no competition there, just warmth,” Pavia noted. For instance, while talking about the Facebook group for the Palm Springs Film Festival, Pavia said, “Everyone is just hyping each other up… Creating a space like that, that is for encouragement and creative bonding, is so exciting.”
In fact, creative bonding and collaboration are core tenets of Pavia’s character throughout everything she does. Outside of “Second Team,” one of Pavia’s main jobs is being a dialogue coach — “It’s just a fancy term for ‘acting coach,’” she demurely insists — for hit ABC shows Black-ish, Grown-ish, and Mixed-ish. Pavia expressed that communication, flexibility, and creative connection is paramount to not only being a successful conduit between the actors and directors, but for acknowledging her white privilege on a set where Black talent and Black stories are at the heart.
When asked about how she navigates being a white woman coaching Black and Brown actors through stories about their culture, Pavia responded that being able to be an effective coach comes from helping the actors connect to the script on a personal level. She expressed that when the actors she works with are able to tell her about experiences that have informed their life—experiences often similar to those the show examine—Pavia is able to build trust from these moments of expression.
“None of us are innocent when it comes to issues of race. I’ve learned so much from working on these shows, it feels like I am in school again,” she said. After years of working together, Pavia and her clients feel what she describes as a familial tie. This bond serves as the basis for their professional relationship. “There is no extra pressure when I work on these shows because when we first started working together, I did the work to sit down with them and hear their experiences… what they are bringing to their characters.”
But it isn’t just Pavia’s welcoming energy and adaptive coaching technique that makes her a successful dialogue coach. Her actors trust her because she, too, is an actor. Pavia started working as an actor at a very young age, first appearing on the television show Growing Pains in 1987. From acting in films like Candyman and Wanderlust to working as a casting associate, acting — whether it be in front of the camera or from the sidelines — has always been a constant in Pavia’s kaleidoscopic film career. It’s no surprise that her film “Second Team” tells the story of actors.
The focus of the project is in the title: It’s the second team—the stand-in actors who never make it onto the screen—finally expressing themselves in the spotlight. To Pavia, those are the most important stories to tell. The stories that happen on the sidelines, those that will pass by unnoticed if you are not paying attention.
“I am an open wound for story ideas. I take cues from my surroundings and draw from everything I see,” said Pavia.
As the film festival circuit for 2020 comes to an end, Pavia is thinking about her next steps: next steps for “Second Team,” next steps as a director, and next steps for the future stories she will tell. She hints that these stories will be ones that examine what’s going on behind the scenes and what happens in the underbelly of the surface world we know.
“I just want the stories I tell to be real and unflinching.”
SHOP + DINE SMALL
AT THE OC MIX AT SOUTH COAST COLLECTION
By Euni Lee
Ready to add another New Year’s resolution to your list? Try shopping small whenever possible—it’s an act that enriches our local communities and uplifts independent businesses that have been impacted during the pandemic. Fortunately, The OC Mix makes it easy to shop small! Located at the heart of SOCO (South Coast Collection) in Costa Mesa, The Mix is a vibrant collection of boutiques, restaurants, and retailers. Whether you’re a long-time shopper or first-time visitor, use Tableau’s guide to (re)discover The OC Mix and its abundant offerings!
Sunright Tea Studio
You may have tried boba before, but not like this. Sunright Tea Studio isn’t an ordinary tea shop, it’s a tea studio—a warm, inviting space that aims to spark intentionality and joy in its customers. And it’s not hard to do with Sunright’s delicious drinks and bright storefront. With high-quality ingredients sourced from Californian and Asian purveyors and a unique menu inspired by Southern California’s upbeat energy and diversity, Sunright Tea Studio is a must-visit spot at The OC Mix. Treat yourself to a one-of-a-kind beverage experience next time you’re there – and don’t forget to shake your drink for 17 seconds. (Yes, the studio recommends shaking your beverage 17 times before drinking, as this is their tried-and-true method of blending flavors and textures perfectly. Plus, they want you to stop and savor a happy moment—even if it’s just for 17 seconds.) | snrtea.com, (949) 232-3750
Tableau’s Top Picks: Sunright Fruit Tea and Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea - try experimenting with toppings like Oreos, pudding, cheese foam, and more!
The Cheese Shop
Charcuterie boards are all the rage lately, but we know that crafting your own can be daunting. Thankfully, The Cheese Shop and its team of expert cheesemongers are here to help. Owned by husbandand-wife duo, Naveed and Nushin Anwar, this shop is fully stocked with gourmet cheeses, meats, fruits, and chocolates, as well as rustic boards and other charcuterie accessories. Team members are available to help you find the perfect pairings of artisanal items, which guarantee a stellar cheese board. The Cheese Shop also serves breakfast and lunch, offering an assortment of delectable sandwiches, salads, and inhouse charcuterie boards. Whether you need a quick snack or are on a culinary adventure, you’re sure to fall in love with The Cheese Shop. | cheeseshopoc.com, (949) 284-0558
Tableau’s Top Picks: The Gooey Grilled Cheese and The Cheese Monger’s Choice Cheese Plate
The Getaway Barbershop
A newer addition to The OC Mix, The Getaway Barbershop, provides a truly authentic and refined grooming experience for clients. Founder Craig Thomas opened his first location in San Clemente in 2016. However, this new spot (technically location #2) has an all-new name and brand. Thomas curates individual and unique experiences for each of his storefronts and The Getaway Barbershop prioritizes rest and relaxation above all—uplifting each client with his artistic and skilled barbering. Book your appointment online today. | thegetawaybarbershop.com, (949) 547-6636
