Tableau Magazine Mar/Apr 2022

TABLEAU M A RC H /A P R I L 20 22 I SSUE

F R O M K I TC H E N TA B L E M A R K E T I N G

WHAT’S NEW IN OC SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING BIG SUR ESCAPES

THE GROWTH ISSUE

REAL-WORLD INSIGHTS + INFO FOR THE JOURNEY TO YOUR BEST SELF

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L E TTER F ROM T HE ED I TOR Welcome to spring and a new issue of Tableau Magazine!

Ah, spring, the season of new growth! We of course are big fans of growth — personal and otherwise — in all seasons. But we are taking our cues from this season for this issue, turning our focus on the power, promise, challenges and joys of growing.

In these beautiful pages, some of the region’s best, most insightful writers help us learn and grow in a variety of ways: • By “going green” — for your beauty and home cleaning regimens • By shopping sustainably + with intention — for home decor and accessories, supporting small, womenowned business • By giving back — learning about new-to-you nonprofits for inspired volunteer and funding opportunities • By eating well — how you fuel your body for longevity and health • By building awareness — understanding what your kids are going through in these challenging times • By discovering new people, places and ways of thinking — in your neighborhood, through art, books and travel Speaking of exploring the “new” — if you haven’t yet, please visit our website at tableauofficial.com. It’s beautiful, bold, so easy to navigate and full of wonderful stories for you to enjoy and share. Be sure to sign up for a free subscription so you’ll be the first to get our new issues and other updates. And, please share it with your friends. We're looking to grow, too!

Wishing you all the best of spring, of growth, of learning, and all the rest of it!

Carrie Freitas carrie@kitchentablepr.com  @tableauofficial  @tableauoc

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[ CONTENTS ]

MAR/APR 2022

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The Contributors

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Of Interest

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Take Note

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Point of View

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Do Good

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Give Back

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By Design

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Getaways

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Wellness

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Spring Reads

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Mom + Pop

Photos courtesy of Girls Inc. of Orange County, Miki Akil, Tea Otter and Posh Floral Studio

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OUR CONTRI BUTORS Anissa Brown Anissa is a freelance writer based in Southern California. She recently completed grad school and has written journalistic pieces for various publications and companies such as Starbucks and Disney. She is also experienced in social media, marketing and consumer insights.

Luke Gialanella Luke Gialanella is a high school junior in Los Angeles, California, and founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization GOVLEARN Education. He also has a passion for journalism, debate, creative writing, and international relations, with a focus on youth activism in public policy.

Sara Hall Sara has nearly 14 years of experience at several daily and weekly newspapers, including The Record Searchlight in Redding, The Daily Advocate in Greenville, Ohio, the Newport Beach Independent, and most recently at Stu News Newport and Stu News Laguna. Her work has included photography, writing, design and layout. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and pets.

Alyssa Hamilton Alyssa is a lifelong Southern California resident. She has been writing professionally for over 20 years, primarily for health websites and magazines.

She is an MFA candidate at Sierra Nevada University and is currently working on a novel. She enjoys biohacking and preventative health practices, full soil immersion in her native garden, and spending time with her two teenage sons and their black Lab named Bear.

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Allison Hata Allison Hata is a freelance writer and editor based in Southern California.

She lives and breathes OC, covering food, style, design and culture around town for over a decade. A former editor for Newport Beach Magazine, Allison is passionate about telling stories that capture the fascinating people and places that shape her community. Her work has appeared locally in Modern Luxury, Pelican Hill Magazine, Design OC and more.

Amy Senk Amy is a CDM resident and a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism.

She has worked at the Kansas City Times, Kansas City Star, Contra Costa Times, Coast Kids and Coast Magazines, and is a regular contributor to StuNews Newport. A recent empty nester, she spends her free time with her husband and planning elaborate imaginary vacations.

Cheri Swanson Cheri Swanson is a certified nutritionist based in Newport Beach, CA. Practicing for over 40 years, Cheri has a loyal following both locally and nationwide. Her areas of expertise include prenatal care as well as children's, adolescent and adult health, digestive issues, diabetes care, thyroid function, cardiac heath, cancer care and cancer prevention. In addition to offering nutritional education, Cheri often works on referral from those in a variety of medical fields. She works closely with GI doctors, cardiologists, endocrinologists, oncologists and internal medicine physicians to educate patients on wise dietary and supplement choices to support their medical health recovery.

TA BL E AU STA FF

AKA The Kitchen Table Marketing Team Carrie Freitas, Editor-in-Chief + Publisher Miki Akil

Lauren Burgos Kristen Cagatao

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TA K E N OT E

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By Anissa Brown

Bringing Naples to the Neighborhood Imagine biting into an airy, buttery, pizza crust topped with fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese; it’s the finest pizza that Naples has to offer. Now, if you think you have to book the next flight to Italy to enjoy this, think again. All you need to do is take a trip to Angeleno’s Woodfired Pizza, the newest addition to SteelCraft Long Beach. This eatery is the brainchild of Los Angeles natives Carmen and Daniel Samaniego, coowners who have perfected Neapolitan pizzas and added a dash of LA flair. Carmen is a classically French trained chef and Daniel is an expert on wood fire ovens. Together, the pair opened their first brick and mortar store after years of selling food from their food truck. Guests can now visit SteelCraft Long Beach to enjoy traditional pizza or create their own with unique toppings like chorizo, pistachio and hot honey! They also offer vegetarian and vegan options. They are open daily Sunday- Friday from 11am-9pm and Saturday from 11am- 10pm. www.angelenoswfp.com IG: @angelenoswfp

Photos courtesy of Angeleno’s Woodfired Pizza, Posh Floral Studio and Sisu

Posh Floral Studio Lisa Ricondo has 24 years of design experience under her belt, specializing in fresh & permanent flower arrangements. As The Posh Florist, she offers an impeccable showroom filled with trendy home décor and gift items. Shoppers can choose from a wide variety of accessories including candles, picture frames, wall art, mirrors, macramé hangers, pampas grass, and accent furniture. They are open MondaySaturday from 9am-5pm. www.theposhflorist.com | IG: @theposhflorist Within that same business space, you’ll find another floral paradise. Golden Halo Florist is one of the most indemand floral providers of choice in the Westminster area. Their high-end floral designs are delivered daily and import the most sought-after flowers. They import flowers from around the world and buy specialty products from local growers. Customers can choose from a wide range of roses, plants, dish gardens, gourmet fruit/gift baskets and exotic flowers. Golden Halo is open Monday- Friday from 9am-5pm and Saturday from 9am-2pm. www.goldenhaloflorist.com | IG: @golden.halo.florist

Sisu, I Do! Have you been searching for a lifestyle boutique that blends the beauty of nature and the outdoors with unique artistic home décor? Sisu is the place for you!

The boutique recently opened its second location inside The OC Mix. So whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect hiking gear to explore the great outdoors, or simply need unique home décor to enhance your abode, Sisu offers high quality home goods. Sisu also features renowned outdoor brands such as The North Face, Topo Designs, Snow Peak, and more. Website: Sisu – SOCO & The OC Mix | IG: @shopsisu

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Mind-Blowing Boba Boba has become synonymous with Orange County and another new addition comes to the area. Tea Otter has joined the SteelCraft Garden Grove family and offers a selection of refreshing boba and tea-centric drinks. Founders Adam and Sharon Go (husband-and-wife duo) are veteran restauranteurs. Fun fact: they are the former owners of the Costa Mesa-based restaurant, Pueblo, and are the current owners of Barrio, a Filipino-Korean fusion eatery also at SteelCraft Garden Grove. Tea Otter offers a selection of traditional and modern forms of boba, like Tres Leches Special-Tea, Strawberry Piña Colada smoothie, and Caramel Flan Milk Tea just to name a few. Tea Otter is open at SteelCraft Garden Grove seven days a week at 11 a.m. Menu: https://steelcraftlb.com/vendors/tea-otter/ IG: @teaotter

“As Larks Harmoniously..”

(From the poem Easter Wings) EasterWings, inspired by George Herbert's poem written in 1633, is a high-end luxury fashion boutique founded in Boston in 2005. Last November, they found a new home at The OC Mix. The owner is a lover of the arts and doctorate cellist of musical arts (DMA) who once designed her own clothes. This fashionforward boutique offers high-end women’s apparel and accessories, and each item is hand-picked to meet the fashion standards of OC natives. In addition, their K Collection is an eclectic line of trendy pieces fit for a night on the town or a boardroom meeting. www.easterwings.com

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Photos courtesy of Tea Otter, EasterWings, Pale Girls Palace, and Nourish Group OC

Sculpted From Head to Toe Are you looking for a one-stop shop that answers all your beauty and fitness needs? Well, look no further than premier salon, Pale Girls Palace (PGP). Located in Newport Beach, the full-service beauty salon is introducing its latest business venture, Sculpt. By PGP. With this expansion, they are now offering yoga and Pilates classes to help foster mindfulness and awareness. Visit PGP beauty salon to get a spray tan, microneedling, facials, waxing, and shop a full assortment of retail and apparel items. Once you’ve been pampered at the salon, learn about the ancient healing practice of linking breath to movement at Sculpt. By PGP. Their instructors will guide you through a physical practice that strengthens the mind and body.

To book an appointment at PGP, visit their website here.

To book a yoga or Pilates session and learn more about pricing and membership, visit the Sculpt. By PGP website here.

Effervescent Nourishment Craving Kombucha? Nourish Group OC inside The OC Mix at SOCO is serving the community one cup (or Ginger Beer) at time! The store offers craft Kombucha elixirs in a variety of delicious flavors and the best part is that not only do they taste good - but it’s good for you! If you’re looking to grab a bite, they also sell food items like avocado toast on sourdough bread, vegan doughnuts, and more. nourishorangecounty.com | IG: @nourish.oc

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DO GO OD FILL UP BUTTERCUP

By Alyssa Swanson Hamilton What’s one of the most striking things about entering Fill Up Buttercup, a shop dedicated to nontoxic, sustainable and zero-waste living in Costa Mesa? Despite the bounty of bulk cleaning and personal care products, there’s a refreshing lack of scent. The shop evokes freshness in a way that feels inspired by nature and essential oils, but your senses are not assaulted by artificial fragrances (which many of us in Generation Febreze have been conditioned to equate with cleanliness).

If you notice fragrance when you walk down a supermarket aisle, it’s the chemicals you’re smelling, explains Fill Up Buttercup founder Jamie Lake, a California native. Unlike food, cosmetics and other personal care products, however, cleaning products are not required by federal law to show a list of ingredients.

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Photos courtesy of Fill Up Buttercup

“People might not realize that in the laundry detergent aisle, when they smell those fragrances, they are actually seeping through the plastic,” she says. “Those chemicals also go into your skin.”

Jamie began her journey years prior to help her father, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

She started eliminating toxic products from their shelves, while also spending countless hours on beaches picking up trash in a bid to keep plastic out of the ocean and landfills. She reused what she already had, avoided single-use plastics and sought out nontoxic household personal care alternatives. She soon realized her lifestyle was becoming a full-time job.

Her passion project became Fill Up Buttercup, a bright and tranquil space with a distinct retro hippie vibe glowing with peach, gold and tangerine flower-power hues. Initially housed in a 200-square-foot space behind a Costa Mesa yoga studio, Fill Up Buttercup joined its likeminded, health-forward neighbors Fermentation Farm and The Water Brewery in Victoria Square in 2021.

“We have such a cool community here,” Jamie says. “You can see people starting at Fermentation Farm and working their way down

to us and Water Brewery. We have so many essentials covered, right here!”

Fill Up Buttercup started out as an educational model, one Jamie wasn’t sure would take off.

“And then everyone that walked in said they’d been waiting for a place like this, a kind of onestop shop for nontoxic zero waste products,” she says. “They were excited. We joke that we’re the new Target.”

Fill Up Buttercup offers bulk refills for virtually everything serving your kitchen, laundry, house cleaning and personal care life. From floor cleaners to pet shampoo, face astringents to air fresheners, Jamie has you covered. You can bring in your own container, purchase a glass or aluminum one in the shop, or help yourself to a freebie donated by a local community member (Fill Up Buttercup accepts clean glass container donations). The prices are reasonable: All-purpose cleaner by The Cleaner Soul in lavender, sage, coconut or eucalyptus runs 40 cents per ounce; Dropps laundry detergent pods in lavender eucalyptus, sage pine or unscented are 30 cents each.

Body care products can be a more challenging sell, says Jamie. People are very attached to their face and body care rituals, and who hasn’t had a traumatic experience with a natural

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deodorant that failed us in our time of need?

For the hesitant, the shop offers “Simple Swap Wednesdays” on its Instagram page; an example would be subbing out Cetaphil face wash for the shop’s essential wholesale mango/charcoal offering Fill Up Buttercup’s diverse offerings also include reusable cloth paper towel alternatives, “plant digestible” cat litter waste bags and compostable food waste bags, makeup and hair care products.

The hottest items right now? Hand soap, laundry pods and Iron Lion soap, heavenly plant-based bars crafted in small batches by a vendor in Santa Ana. Many items on the shelves are created by local artisans, Jamie says.

According to National Geographic, only 9 percent of recyclables are actually recycled. The rest are sitting in landfills. To stem the tide of plastics flooding the planet, she adds, we must stop buying them and start reusing what we already have.

“We use all of these products ourselves, so we can say with confidence that they work very well and can be swapped out for your traditional gotos,” she notes. “In fact, they often work better than the original product a customer was using.”

Don’t have time to shop? Fill Up Buttercup also offers online ordering with curbside pick-up or local delivery within a 5-mile radius. If you choose delivery, the shop will also pick up your empty bottles and reuse them.

But she also acknowledges that making changes to our daily habits can feel overwhelming.

Fill Up Buttercup is located at 1125 Victoria Street, Unit C, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. fillupbuttercup.com | IG: @fillupbuttercup

“We encourage people to do what you can, where you can,” she says. “Even changing one

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or two things is significant. Swapping out your dishwasher and laundry products in favor of the bulk options we offer that are plastic-free, for example, eliminates the need for plastic jugs.

Once you start realizing that you’re essentially buying your trash when you purchase commercial cleaning and personal care products, it’s easier to conceptualize. Every change makes a positive impact.”

Photos courtesy of Fill Up Buttercup

BY D ESI GN T RE ASURE HUNTING: S U STA INA B LE STYL E SO URCES F OR YOU R HOME

By Carrie Freitas I’ve always been a big fan of scouring consignment stores, vintage boutiques and flea markets for unique furnishings and accessories for my home. The thrill of the hunt — and knowing this was an environmentally friendly and sustainable way to decorate — saw me out and about at least once a month, making a hot lap of my favorite sources to see the most recent decor gems. When the world seemed to shut down for the pandemic, my treasure hunts migrated to Instagram, where I discovered some wonderful new outlets for my sustainable style jones that I’m sharing with you here. When you shop these sources, you can feel great about what you’re doing for the earth, your home, and for local, women-owned businesses.

Photos courtesy of Good Buy James

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Coast Vintage Market Mark your calendar for the second Sunday of each month, when the Coast Vintage Market is held outdoors at the Laguna Hills Mall. Proprietor Shelly Peterson ensures the market features a wide variety of quality, one-of-kind vintage decor goods at fabulous prices. On any given (second) Sunday, you can shop from up to 150 talented dealers who hunt far and wide for pre-loved treasures ranging from antiques and primitives to midcentury modern and repurposed items. thecoastvintagemarket.com | IG + FB: @ thecoastvintagemarket

California Casa Interiors Costa Mesa-based interior stylist Jen MacBeth has an amazing eye for eclectic home furnishings and accessories that embody the laidback California cool vibe. From midcentury modern to island-inspired, and surf culture to Mexican and African artifacts, the curated collection of items for sale on her Instagram makes it a must-follow and must-shop resource for vintage decor. IG: @californiacasa

THE FIND Consignments I have been following The FIND Consignments owner Kitty Canada for years — not in a creepy way, more in a “first stop for any furniture I need” way. You can save on high-end, gently-loved furniture in top condition at her two Costa Mesa locations: one 14,000-square-foot showroom on Newport Boulevard and another 7,600-square-foot showroom on Superior Avenue. Think Restoration Hardware, Baker, Lee Jofa, Barclay Butera, Ligne Roset, Ralph Lauren … the list goes on. The FIND is the largest consignment store in Orange County and, in addition to furniture, you’ll find art, rugs, and accessories. IG + FB: @thefindconsignments

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Photos courtesy of California Casa, Coast Vintage Market, The FIND Consignments, Hyde Goods, Good Buy James, and Magnolia Mews Consignments

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Hyde Goods When a recent IG rabbit hole session led me to Hyde Goods, I knew I’d hit vintage interiors pay dirt. Not only were there vintage ceramic pieces, which I’ve just started to collect, I found midcentury modern chairs, Pegge Hopper prints, rugs, and so much more. Dana Point-based Alexandra Madsen is the owner and has an incredible eye for sustainable vintage interior decor that is truly unique. For lots of conversation pieces, shop Hyde Goods via Instagram, the website or in-person at Urban Americana in Long Beach. hyde-goods.com | IG: @hyde_goods

Good Buy James I will readily admit that I’ve gone on a bit of a spree lately shopping Newport Beach-based Kristen James’ Instagram feed. She’s scouring the estate sales and flea markets for us to bring incredible one-of-akind finds to our homes. Her amazing taste, not to mention that net proceeds of her sales are donated to Childhelp (she gave $20,000 last year to the organization), make her vintage offerings a win-winwin (they’re sustainable, too!). If you’re as passionate about helping kids as you are about your home decor — and you better be! — give Good Buy James a follow, and your business. IG: @goodbuyjames

Magnolia Mews One of my favorite IRL stops for vintage decor hunting is Magnolia Mews Consignments in Newport Beach. Owner and proprietor Hillary Niblo places an emphasis on quality over quantity, with an inventory that is constantly changing — there are always new gems to discover in her shop. Select from carefully curated antiques, vintage, and designer pieces with a focus on medium to small furniture, original artwork and unique accessories. magnoliamews.com | IG: @magnoliamewsconsignments

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W E LLNESS The Skinny on Fats and Oils

By By Alyssa Swanson Hamilton and Cheri Swanson, Certified Nutrition Counselor In the field of nutrition counseling, we get a lot of client questions about oils: which are healthy, which aren’t, and how do we know what to choose? Refined vegetable and seed oils — mainstays in the modern American diet — were not accessible to us until the 20th century, when the technology to extract them became available.

The extraction process involves either a chemical solvent or an oil mill. The oils are then often purified, refined, and sometimes chemically altered.

These oils are used in cooking and baking, in restaurants, and are found in processed foods including salad dressings, margarine, mayonnaise, and cookies. The most common ones are canola, corn, cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, and rice bran oil.

The potential problem? They are high in omega-6 fatty acids and can oxidize and become rancid when exposed to high temperatures.

Both omega-6 and omega-3 are essential fatty acids; your body cannot produce them and must obtain them from your diet. Throughout evolution, humans got omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in

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a certain ratio, estimated to have been about oneto-one. In the past 100 years, however, this ratio in our Western diet has been significantly altered and may be as high as twenty-to-one in favor of omega-6. Scientists have hypothesized that too much omega-6 (found in many vegetable and seed oils) relative to omega-3 may contribute to chronic inflammation and other health concerns.

The good news? There are many delicious alternatives available (Hint: Your grandparents and great grandparents used many of them!). Healthy replacements include options like ghee, grass-fed butter, avocado oil, and coconut oil.

The Five Best Fats and Oils for Everyday Cooking All fats and oils are some combination of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

But the lower the percentage of saturated fat, the less ideal it is for cooking since unsaturated fats can oxidize and become rancid quickly when exposed to heat.

Saturated fats, found in high amounts in animal fats like ghee and tropical oils like coconut oil, are solid or semi-solid at room temperature. They are highly stable and safe for higher heat cooking. But for medium- to lower-heat cooking, monosaturated fats found in liquids like olive oil and avocado oil are the safer choice. Most fish oils, nut oils and seed oils, on the other hand, usually contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fats that should never be heated.

chemical composition of the fat changes, which produces toxic fumes, releases free radicals, and creates harmful carcinogens. Here’s a quick guide to the five fats and oils we use regularly in our kitchens and how to use them: • For high heat cooking (frying, baking and broiling), naturally refined avocado oil can be heated up to 500 degrees and ghee is safe up to 450 degrees.

• For medium heat cooking (quick stir-frying, light sautéing), butter, coconut oil, and olive oil are safe options and can be heated to 350 degrees.

• For roasting, we use avocado oil or melted ghee.

• For sautéing, we use olive oil, coconut oil, or butter.

When a fat is heated beyond its smoke point, the

Favorite Cooking Fat and Oil Brands Here are some of our favorite brands for both affordability and quality when cooking at home: • Avocado oil, naturally refined: Chosen Foods avocado oil is wonderful because it is naturally refined, making it ideal for higher heat cooking.

• Ghee: You can make your own ghee from any grass-fed butter. A delicious store-bought option is 4th & Heart.

• Coconut oil: We like Trader Joe’s organic virgin coconut oil, Nutiva virgin coconut oil, or Dr. Bronner’s expeller-pressed coconut oil, which is great for a more flavorless option (virgin coconut oil tastes like coconut).

If you do eat in a restaurant, ask to be guided to the options where the food is cooked in olive oil, avocado oil, butter/ghee, or coconut oil. If these options are not available, poached items also are a good choice.

Of course, as with anything in life, moderation is key: keeping your refined oil intake to a minimum is enough!

• Butter: Our favorite grass-fed butters of all time are Organic Valley cultured butter or Vital Farms. Be aware that many vegan butters do contain seed oils; be sure to check labels before using them and when in doubt, reach for the safer choice of coconut oil.

• Extra virgin olive oil: We use Trader Joe’s organic olive oil or Tunisian Organic extra virgin unfiltered Chetoui olive oil in the one-liter tin. Another great option is Bragg’s extra virgin olive oil. Buy olive oil in dark bottles and store it in the pantry to avoid oxidation from light.

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M OM + POP THE WORLD BASICALLY STOPPED: HOW PARENTS CAN HELP CHILDREN WITH THEIR POST-COVID LIVES

By Amy Senk

Quarantines and Zoom school are out. Normal life is in. Or is it?

I reached out to Jennifer Smith of the Smith Psychotherapy Group in Newport Beach, along with Allie Runkel, a therapist on her staff, to learn more about what struggles families are experiencing in 2022. I had hoped to get some insight from Jennifer, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and Allie, a licensed professional clinical counselor, about the headline-making issues we hear so much about — suicide, fear of gun violence, sexual identity, bullying.

Jennifer Smith of the Smith Psychotherapy Group

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Instead, they told me that the pandemic experience has stunted our kids’ development so deeply that almost any other issue must be viewed through the Covid lens. It literally changed everything.

Photo credit courtesy of Jennifer Smith and Allie Runkel

Amy Senk: Given the state of the world, business must be booming.

Jennifer Smith: We are very busy for sure. My practice has doubled in size in the last two years.

But I’m a therapist. I have a hard time saying no to people when they need help. The one thing that really stands out is we are nowhere close to the impact of Covid being over. For a lot of people, the impact is just starting. Even though the actual virus isn’t necessarily posing as much of a threat, the emotional, social, relational impact that it’s had on us is quite tremendous. I personally think that the teenage and young adult population was probably impacted the most. It was such a critical time of development for them, for the world to just stop.

And everything to go on pause was traumatic for them. The individuation process where they’re trying to become their own person and carve their path into the world and the launch into adulthood was delayed, and in some cases, just completely derailed. I don’t think people realize this. When we educate our clients about this, the lightbulb goes on.

Allie Runkel: Many parents think part of survival and coping was to just adapt really fast and to just handle it; we all had to white knuckle it. Now we’re coming up for air and realizing the significance of the impact. I’ve seen a lot of Allie Runkel of the Smith parents coming in with their Psychotherapy Group own anxiety and feelings of helplessness. Not only are they grieving their kids’ losses — they also have to tolerate their own emotional regulation and their relational impact within the family system.

AS: What issues are you seeing the most?

JS: When kids are elementary school age up until about puberty, they look to mom and dad for a sense of identity, a sense of belonging. When our kids enter puberty, that shifts. Now the focus becomes getting that acceptance, validation, the “Do I fit in? Do I belong?” from their peers. And the most important developmental task to accomplish

through puberty is that social competence, or social confidence. When we went into this lockdown state where kids were isolated and quarantined, they had no outlet for mastering this important developmental task. And a lot of our kids turned to things they may not have turned to before to cope with the isolation and not being able to work through that important developmental task. We’ve had kids dealing with addictions to substances, alcohol, pornography, gambling, sneaking out at night, increased sexual activity, increased violence. They’re looking for some sort of outlet to release this emotion.

AS: Now things are more normal, but is that creating a new set of issues?

JS: Definitely an increase in anxiety and social anxiety. For our kids, it’s not, “Get back up on the bike” if you haven’t been on the bike for a while. It’s teaching them all over again how to ride the bike.

The loss of social skills, the loss of confidence in interacting with their peers, needs to be looked at as a brand-new concept. There’s a lot of fear and anxiety about doing it again. They hadn’t developed the years and years and years of experience and tolerance of discomfort that adults often have.

AR: There’s a more unconscious integration that needs to happen, too, because whatever your relationship was to Covid, there was an underlying message that the world was unsafe. To process that in therapy is really useful because however that has impacted them is now this new world view.

“What is safe? What is okay? What are my needs?

Is it okay that my needs have changed? Is it okay that I have changed?” There has been so much shifting. The world was unsafe, and now, how do we relate to it when we re-enter.

AS: What advice do you have for someone who has been considering therapy for their child?

JS: The earlier the better because having a positive experience in therapy really lights the path up for them as they grow and become adults who can reach out for support in an objective and safe space. The red flags would be if there’s a change in mood, a change in diet or sleep. Anything where those basic needs start to shift. I think all of our kids, no matter how well we handled the pandemic, can benefit from getting that support right now.

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Asking our kids if that is something that they think would benefit them is a great start, even if you’re not seeing the signs and symptoms. It’s there.

They’ve all been impacted by it, and they could all use the support and help of a professional. It’s kind of like re-entering them back into a new normal life.

I’m finding is we have to re-teach our children these skills.

AS: Do you still see a therapy stigma?

AR: It’s just fascinating that that word is even still out there. As a therapist myself and as a client in therapy for years, I have found that therapy can look different for everyone. There’s this understanding that you have to have mental health issues, or all these buzzwords like anxiety and depression, but someone can benefit from therapy just by connecting to their therapist and having a therapeutic relationship that is safe and warm.

JS: I think it’s still more in the parent generation. I read a study once that said the millennial generation is the highest therapy-seeking generation of all

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time, and maybe Gen Z is going to beat that. Most of the time when we get a call from a parent, they kid has said they wanted therapy, and parents have hesitated for a variety of reasons. The stigma is definitely breaking down in the younger generation.

The misconception is you have to have a mental health disability or disorder or illness to get therapy, when in fact, therapy can benefit anyone and everyone. It can be a form of prevention, just like you go to the doctor to get checkups. Therapy can be seen as a safe, comfortable place to express yourself and gain skills and understanding so that you can enjoy life and feel better throughout the journey.

Smith Psychotherapy Group has years of experience working with a variety of populations, including children, families and young adults. For more information, visit smithpsychotherapygroup.com, call 949922-8661 or follow them on Instagram @smithpsychotherapygroup.

OF I NTEREST TRA N S F O R M I N G FOU ND ART INTO FINE ART

By Sara Hall

For local artist Jim Olarte, searching the beach for items washed ashore and repurposing his finds into sculptures is a fine art.

Jim, a macramé craftsman, artist and beachcomber based out of Laguna Beach, keeps his art materials close to their natural state. The fiberglass washed ashore is utilized as-is in sculptures. He doesn’t cut down rope for his large-scale macramé.

He’s visited local beaches his entire life and excavated his finds as a professional found-art beachcomber for more than a decade. It can be challenging to spot a sliver of fiberglass hidden amongst the rocks.

fiberglass. They are shaped and transformed by the ocean water or exposure to the sun, each piece distinctive and unique with textures and interesting colors. Also, it’s a finite resource, he explains.

Other unusual artificial, found items that can make for compelling art: lead weights used for fishing. Jim has an entire crate full of them that he’s found washed ashore.

“It’s almost like archeology,” he says. “Your eye has to be trained in that aspect, looking for textures and shapes. I’m always looking for unnatural shapes in the natural world.”

Jim collects most of his items from local shores, doing it both for the work and because he loves the beach.

His work revolves around the ocean, watching the tides and the rhythm of the sea. It creates a feeling of timelessness, he says.

It’s an epic discovery to unearth some human-made synthetic materials in a natural environment where they don’t belong. He gets most excited over finding

“I have not been to the beach … I get antsy,” Jim says of his daily ritual of visiting the beach to touch the water. “I need to connect in that way.”

Photos courtesy of Sarah Hall and Beach Portal by Cooper Root

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balanced, particularly on the more sizable pieces. He doesn’t like to cut the length down, so if he’s working with 100 or 200 feet of rope, it will be woven into the design in its entirety. With every knot, he pulls the full length of rope through.

Despite the challenge, Jim always works on a bigger scale. His pieces today soar upward of 10 feet. Scale is very important in his work, he emphasizes, and he often utilizes bunches of items tied together.

“One is nothing; 100 means something,” he says.

Drawing on his own desire to feel the sand and water running between his fingers, Jim’s work is extremely tactile.

“I want people to touch it,” he says.

Jim also plays with different mediums in his macramé art. It’s fun to ask himself, “Can I macramé that?”

The answer is often yes, or it’s at least worth trying.

In his studio, visitors will find much more than the traditional rope or twine. He has woven nearly every imaginable material into intricate designs, including computer cables, electrical cords, surf and boogie board leashes, underwater goggle straps, nylon cord, marine or boating rope, hoses and even seaweed.

Old leather wrapped around smooth driftwood or even the rough and eroded edges of a piece of fiberglass can elevate the art to another level.

His macramé is technical and beautiful. Complicated yet simple.

He takes measurements and considers every inch of rope as they intertwine to form the core and exterior braids. The knots are what tie the whole piece together, figuratively and literally. To replicate a weave, he has to remember every thread.

“It’s very geometrical and thoughtful,” Jim says.

It’s an art within itself to keep the weave tight and

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Photos courtesy of Sarah Hall and Beach Portal by Cooper Root

But his work didn’t start out on such a grand scale.

Jim got his start weaving a couple of plant holders for his mother in the 1970s, which sent him down other artistic career paths. He owned a vintage clothing store, leading to work as a prop stylist, set designer and art director. On a shoot for Roxy clothing around 2007, a designer asked if he could create a macramé set piece — his original love. He kept creating the pieces for photoshoots and soon he was crafting macramé work for commercial and private clients.

At the same time, he was beachcombing the local shoreline. When combined the two passions, his career as an artist went in an exciting new direction.

Most recently, he moved into his studio at 950 Glenneyre Street in Laguna Beach in October 2020.

The historic little bungalow was built in 1930 and has hosted myriad creative and artistic endeavors over the years. Much like Jim, art is in its bones.

Taking the leap of opening a studio during a pandemic was a liminal moment, he says. After 10 years of beachcombing, he contemplated why he kept doing it: Was it just his routine or did he still love the beach?

“I still love and need to be at the beach,” he confirms.

But now, he also needs to be at his studio. It’s nice to have a dedicated space where his artistic ideas can come to life, he adds. Hanging in his studio right now is a portion of “Tangle,” a kelp-inspired installation he's working on for the city of Laguna Beach for the Festival of Arts, pending a review by the arts commission.

“Tangle” is meant to reflect a love for the coast, both his and the community in general. The sheer size of the project will make many Festival of Arts visitors stop in their tracks. The proposed concept includes 20 different elements, ranging from six 10-foot pieces to two 30-foot sections.

In the spirit of growth, Jim is also teaching the craft of macramé to the next generation of artists. It wasn’t a calculated decision; instead, he met his apprentice much like how his art is created: naturally and at the beach.

Cooper Root was a student enrolled in an earth art class at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, tasked with creating a sculpture with zero environmental impact. He headed to a nearby beach he knew had some loose driftwood. Jim happened to be sitting nearby reading a newspaper, observing the young artist as he built his sculpture.

“My piece … played on the concept of generations and how different beaches are nowadays compared to what they were when Jim was growing up,” Cooper says.

The idea behind the piece couldn’t have been more fitting, as the two connected and Cooper soon became Jim’s apprentice.

It’s been an incredible experience to teach him, Jim says, praising Cooper for being “open and enthusiastic and curious.” He’s also a quick study.

Cooper was weaving rope and creating art after his first lesson with Jim. While he didn’t even know he had the patience to instruct someone through the process, Jim has found that teaching comes naturally to him. “To actually teach that and watch somebody get it, … it’s amazing,” Jim says. “It’s been a really good interaction.”

The younger artist has also helped Jim grow in other, unexpected ways.

“It’s actually made me come out of my shell a little bit,” he says.

Beachcombing is often a solitary activity and then Jim is typically alone in his studio crafting his sculptures.

There’s not a lot of social interaction, he notes, something that teaching Cooper has helped change.

He’s even on social media now and fans can find him @jimolarte on Instagram.

Those interested in Jim’s art can visit the studio by appointment only or on the occasional open studio Saturday — unless the tides are low enough for good beachcombing.

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POINT OF VI EW Where to be Happy: A Short Meditation on the College Admissions Process

By Luke Gialanella

The first thought I have when I wake up in the morning and the last before I fall asleep are the same: “When will this be over?”

“This,” of course, refers to the college admissions process, an undertaking I have been going through for the past few months since I began my junior year of high school. Sure, it might seem dramatic, but so is the process itself.

Attending college has been the objective my entire life. And not just any college, but a great one. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to seek higher education, yet this process and the goals I’ve set for myself have felt constricting and upsetting. I am more scared than ever that my life will be a failure, simply because I may not be able to meet my own high standards.

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Yes, extracurriculars and essays are important, but many applications are immediately discarded by admissions teams if those two numbers are too low.

Additionally, I’ve learned that schedule-planning for your junior and senior years of high school is more important than many have been led to believe.

I elected to have a free period this year (my junior year), and now that decision might have permanent consequences on my GPA and the colleges I might hope to attend.

It’s hard to go on a drive without seeing a car with something like “Proud UCLA Mom” or “Go Trojans!” plastered on its bumper. This pride and competition, which I call bumper sticker culture, represents a key issue with the college admissions process. This culture is one of name and logo recognition. When someone utters the word Harvard, people are quick to point out that they, or their child, attended the elite university. There’s nothing innately wrong with taking pride in your college — in fact, it’s school spirit that’s a selling point for many applicants. However, it’s the fight for spots at “name brand” universities that turns school spirit into a culture of competition.

I have seen firsthand how these cultures form and how friendships break over attempts to get into top universities.

There’s a website that my school provides that ranks colleges I’m interested in into four categories, based on my GPA and standardized test scores: unlikelies, reaches, targets and likelies. This website consumed my life for the first few weeks after I was given access.

Schools bounced between these color-coded tiers, and I kept track of all changes.

So, how can we improve this process? For starters, parents need to stop setting lofty expectations for their children from a young age. Of course, this doesn’t mean to stop setting expectations altogether; just don’t tell your child that they need to become the president, cure cancer or go to Yale. Next, schools need to be more transparent with their students about what colleges are interested in and start having conversations earlier. Personally, I feel as though I heard little from my school about college during ninth and tenth grade, and now I am being thrown into a new and scary world. College counselors and administration should set students up for success, rather than telling them to “worry” about college later.

If only they’d been more communicative, perhaps we wouldn’t have to “worry” at all.

As I search for somewhere I’ll be happy, where I can find people who I’ll truly bond with, dozens of conflicting interests are piercing me. Some want me to attend a state school, some want me to attend a small rural liberal arts school; others hope I attend an Ivy League. The truth is, I don’t know what I want. And I don’t know if I can. After a lifetime of expectations being set, I just hope I’ll find somewhere I can be happy, and hopefully get in there as well.

The more I reloaded that same screen of colleges, the more apprehensive I became about the entire concept behind the site. How could four years of my life — actually, my whole life — be decided by two numbers? I’ve been assured this isn’t the case, but from what I’ve learned through extensive research and communication with those in the know, GPAs and standardized test scores are perhaps the most important aspects of a student’s application.

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G IVE BAC K

TODAY ' S G IR L S , TOM OR R OW ' S L E AD E R S

By Allison Hata Imagine a world where we’ve closed the gender gap. Where women climb the corporate ladder at the same pace as men, earn equal pay and command the same level of respect as male counterparts.

Now look at the calendar. It’s the year 2157. That’s how long it will take to achieve gender parity in the workplace unless the landscape changes.

This is the stark picture that Girls Inc. of Orange County CEO Lucy Santana is painting for local business leaders and decision-makers, while extending an open invitation for them to get involved in the solution.

Lucy Santana of the Girls Inc. of Orange County

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Serving around 4,800 girls from kindergarten to 12th grade last year with free after school and summer programming, Girls Inc. is one of many organizations aiming to

Photos courtesy of Girls Inc. of Orange County

And it’s not just impactful for the girls; it’s meaningful for employees as well, prompting them to reflect on their own early work experiences and role models as they pay it forward with Girls Inc. “As a young girl, I always looked up to my mom for her work ethic and professionalism. So much so that as a young teen, I helped with her wallpaper business by becoming a ‘wallpaper installer pro,’” Kelly says. “At the time, I didn’t realize it, but now that I’m a mother, I can see how those days of hard work, sharing stories and advice shaped me to be the woman I am today.”

ready the next generation for the workforce. The nonprofit is rallying big support from the community in this effort, including some of the top names in OC business: Allergan, Boeing, Ingram Micro, Edwards Lifesciences and Taco Bell, to name a few.

“At Taco Bell, we are always striving to … uplift and inspire young people, and set up our future leaders for success. That’s what Girls Inc. stands for — they provide young girls with the expertise and tools to lead and become women of the future,” says Kelly McCulloch, chief people officer of Taco Bell International.

Taco Bell is one of the newer companies that signed on in 2021 for the Girls Meet the Workforce initiative, a four-month externship program that offers high school students training in business skills before matching them for up to 16 hours of on-site corporate mentoring. Programs like these are helping to strengthen college and career readiness for teens, with 90 percent of girls planning to go to college and 85 percent knowing what education or training they need for their career.

For Edwards Lifesciences’ director of THV quality compliance Renee Van Dorne, the impact is multifaceted: “My strategy is to mentor them oneon-one, have them work on networking through practicing their elevator speeches, having them interview other employees in line with the girls’ area of interest and have them learn about what Edwards does,” she says. “From an Edwards perspective, this is a way to foster the next generation of employees that will be greatly needed in the future. From my personal perspective, these girls recharge me with energy and give me hope for the future.”

Beginning workplace conversations early with youth from predominantly low-income, underserved communities in O.C. has helped provide a stepping stone as they apply for college and plan their careers, but Girls Inc. leaders realized there’s more work to be done.

“I’ve had an amazing experience with my mentor, Julie, who currently serves as the global chief legal officer at Taco Bell,” says Alyssa, a participant in the Taco Bell cohort. “This placement really could not have been any better for me, as I have an interest in pursuing a legal based career. Outside of my placement with Taco Bell, I’ve also taken advantage of additional workshops like Bank of America’s managing money series.”

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“For girls to reach the C-suite, especially those who will be the first in their family to go to college, support must continue beyond high school,” Lucy shared in an op-ed she authored for the OC Business Journal.

“Our newest program, Project Accelerate, picks up where Girls Meet the Workforce leaves off.”

Created to propel more women — particularly women of color — into leadership roles, the new program offers college students mentorship from female executives and an internship placement during their senior year. An area of focus is on STEM occupations, including engineering, computer science, mathematics and information technology.

After announcing the launch last year, Girls Inc. is now turning to the local business community for support. A new business leadership council comprising corporate and community leaders will aim to influence the culture of diversity and inclusion in Orange County. And outside of funding, the nonprofit needs corporate partners to provide real-life work

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Photos courtesy of Girls Inc. of Orange County

experience through internships and female leaders to mentor young women as they journey into the professional environment.

The end goal is to help young women like Alyssa graduate from college on time with a plan that will take them into the early stages of their careers. They’ll enter the job market with internship experience on their resume, interview skills and a network of professionals in their desired field.

“I know that I will be able to apply the skills I obtained through this program to both my academic and professional life, whether that be with relation to networking, interviewing or risk-taking,” says Alyssa.

“This experience has further reinforced my career interests and given me real-life preparation for today’s workforce.”

Contact Orleda at orledaa@girlsinc-oc.org to learn more about getting involved with Girls Inc. as a mentor or have your company join as a program partner.

GETAWAY

TREEBONES RESORT, BIG SUR

By Miki Akil Located around 300 miles up the coast from Los Angeles, this idyllic, picturesque stretch of land is one of the Golden State’s biggest treasures. The raw, unfiltered beauty of Big Sur extends over an 85-mile stretch of coastline, and we’ve got the ultimate escape for lovers of both nature and glamping that offers the best of both worlds.

Photos courtesy of Miki Akil

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WELCOME TO TREEBONES Dramatically situated on a coastal ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Treebones Resort offers exquisite views and a unique “back to nature” stay for its guests in a fun and relaxed setting.

HOW IT ALL STARTED In 1983, Corinne and John Handy were on their honeymoon, driving the coast from Canada to Los Angeles. A massive rockslide had closed a section of Highway 1 for most of that year, which turned out to be the Big Sur stretch. “The closure only amplified the allure of this special part of the world, and we knew that we had to go back and explore all along the coast,” Corinne says.

“Back in the 1960s and ’70s, there was one local in particular who used this land as a lumbermill,” Corinne shares. “The area was filled with dead trees that gave off this silvery glow — hence the name ‘Treebones’ — and this man would recycle and repurpose the dead wood. He was permitted by the U.S. Forestry to create useable lumber, and his lumbermill was located in the area in which our parking lot now sits.”

After settling down in L.A., the owners frequently visited the Central Coast to camp and explore the outdoors.

During one trip, they found a 10.7-acre parcel known as “Treebones” by Big Sur locals.

After years of conceptualizing their vision, zoning changes to the land, and a divine turn of events, a special opportunity presented itself for the Handy family to build and open a unique lodging experience in Big Sur: Treebones Resort.

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Photos courtesy of Miki Akil

AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER Treebones opened its doors in November 2004. The property houses 16 yurts that visitors can rent, which were thoughtfully selected by the family as they felt this was the perfect shelter option for the land.

“Round structures just made sense,” Corinne notes.

“After all, most indigenous people successfully lived in round structures. Igloos, Teepees, wigwams, wickiups, as well as the rudimentary dome-like shelters of the local Esselen and Salinian tribes — they all have ‘round’ in common.”

The resort also offers yoga, massage, a heated pool and hot tub, and two incredible dining experiences.

Wild Coast Restaurant boasts garden-to-table food in a casual, relaxed setting with scenic heated outdoor seating overlooking the Pacific Coast and cozy indoor seating. The eatery utilizes fresh produce from its on-site organic garden and local farms whenever possible, and offers local wines and regional beer.

The Sushi Bar offers an inspired omakase experience, where guests delight in an elaborate 16-course tasting menu. It incorporates the highest quality seafood available, with highlights of herbs and seasonings harvested from Treebones’ organic garden.

“Our sushi bar is so popular that people come from all over to make reservations to dine with us, even when they’re not guests of the resort,” Corinne adds.

Although daytime visitors are not allowed to roam the property due to the privacy of overnight guests, they are welcome to dine at the Wild Coast Sushi Bar (which is now offering seatings for the 2022 season). Prepaid reservations for parties of one to eight are available at $140 per person and can be made online via Tock at www.exploretock.com/treebonesresort.

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GET PHYSICAL (OR RELAX) Surrounding the area and all along Highway 1, there are dozens of parks, day hikes and wilderness trails that Treebones’ guests can explore. Whether you’re a beginner just looking for a quick outdoor stroll, or an avid hiker who wants to dedicate a full day to a challenging trek, there are options for any experience or fitness level.

To de-stress and cultivate your inner peace, Treebones also provides weekly yoga sessions held either out on the panoramic outdoor platform (when it’s sunny) or indoors in the Red Door fireside studio. Guests can purchase classes in advance at the front desk for $35 per person.

KEEPING IT GREEN Based on the history of the site, Corinne and John Handy always knew that they wanted to recycle and repurpose as many materials as possible and have stayed true to that commitment. From cleaning supplies to the non-packaged, natural soaps offered in each guest’s yurt, everything is 100 percent environmentally friendly.

“We didn’t want to just pretend that we were environmental, we wanted to be environmental,” Corinne says. “A large part of that success comes from the work-live culture that we’ve created, and the 25 staff who live on the property to help us make it all work.”

Here are the practices that make Treebones an eco-resort: 1. It recycles all cans, bottles, paper, cardboard and batteries.

2. It refuses single-use plastic shampoo and amenity bottles, and bottled water.

3. All restaurant scraps, coffee grounds and napkins are either composted or fed to the 20 on-site chickens.

4. It uses recycled or compostable components whenever possible (to-go containers, to-go coffee cups and coffee stir sticks are all compostable).

5. It grows much of its own produce in the on-site organic garden, and whenever possible buys from local farmers and purveyors.

6. When an appliance or fixture is no longer needed or remodeled, the resort donates the items to Habitat for Humanity.

7. It is completely “off the grid” and generate its own power using clean-burning microturbines. It also supplements this form of power with solar power and wind turbines.

8. It uses high-efficiency pumps and LED or CFL lighting throughout the property, as well as skylights to reduce electrical demand.

9. It provides on-site employee housing, which reduces its carbon footprint, since all employees walk to work each day.

10. The owners help sustain the Big Sur community by volunteering when they can, serving on several local boards, and donating to their local charities and nonprofits

BOOK YOUR STAY To book your getaway to Treebones Resort, simply go online and check upcoming availability. treebonesresort.com | IG: @treebonesresort

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Photos courtesy of Miki Akil

S PRING READ S SHELF DISCOVERY: INSPIRING BOOKS FOR GROWING AND LEARNING

By Michelle Pierce During this season of renewal, you can refresh your mind, body and soul with spring reads that will leave an impression. There’s a book to crack open for every interest, whether you want to approach personal growth through a different lens, connect with nature or help your kids learn new life lessons. Michelle Pierce of Lido Village Books offers her take on the top picks for a spring awakening. lidovillagebooks.com | IG: @lidovillagebooks

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P E R S O N A L GR OW TH “Surrounded by Setbacks: Turning Obstacles into Success”

by Thomas Erikson

In a world where the tiniest frustration becomes a mountain of setback and feelings of giving up, Erikson does a great job reminding us of the prioritization of obstacles. Is getting cut off or hitting on the red lights on the way to work as big of a setback as we make it out to be? Setbacks can be a failure or a lesson on who we are. He offers words and ideas to help us take setbacks in stride, something I’m trying to think about or put into practice, daily. (Hardback $27.99)

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear This book will not stay on the shelf at the bookstore — it just flies out the door with tools and strategies you need to form good habits, break bad ones and master tiny behaviors. Super practical and easy to digest, “Atomic Habits” gives you everything you need to change your perspective and create the you that you want to be. (Hardback $27)

“The Courage to be Disliked”

by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

We can't be liked by everyone; rather, it feels like each year there are more people who love to voice their opinions about you. We need to pivot our thoughts before diving into an internal spiral wondering, “What is wrong with me?” Read like a Socratic dialogue, easy and intimately informative, this book will help you find the bravery to sit in the discomfort and know that you are enough. (Hardback $25)

“I Didn't Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt”

by Madeleine Dore

Who doesn't deal with productivity guilt on a daily basis? A new January release, this is an inspiring call to take productivity off its pedestal and dismantle unrealistic or aspirational expectations of what you can accomplish. The moral of the story? There’s no real secret to productivity, so embrace the joyful messiness of life. (Hardback $27)

C HA R AC T E R - B U ILDING F OR KIDS “What Do You Do With A Problem” by Kobi Yamada

“Hello, Neighbor!: The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers” by

Great for anyone, at any age, this is a lesson in courage and facing the unknown told with beauty and innocence that brings the book to life. Kobi Yamada's "What You Do Matters" series is endearing and moving and relevant because we all need reassurance and new perspectives on how to handle a problem. (Hardback $16.95)

Keep the legacy of Fred Rogers alive for the new generation. This children's picture book is a biography of Mister Rogers, illustrating how one person saw the world, wondered, questioned and brought a voice to children. (Hardback $18.99)

“I Am Human: A Book of Empathy” by Susan Verde, art by Peter H.

Reynolds

What does it mean to be human? Make this discovery through the eyes of a child as he recognizes his own ability to feel joy and sadness, to do harm and be harm, and make good choices by acting with compassion. (Board Book $8.99)

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Photos courtesy of Lido Village Books

Matthew Cordell

“Two” by Kathryn Otoshi Otoshi's number series — “Zero,” “One” and “Two — uses colors and numbers to make bigger issues in children's lives very accessible and relevant to them, all while reiterating their current learning tasks.

This latest addition to the series is a powerful story of friendship, loss, letting go and self-discovery.

(Hardback $18.95)

N AT U RE AN D E ART H “A Natural History of the Future: What the Laws of Biology Tell Us about the Destiny of the Human Species”

by Rob Dunn

To survive on a fragile planet, this leading ecologist suggests we must understand and obey its iron laws — we are at the mercy of nature. Offering a crash course in ecology, “A Natural History of the Future” may help us better understand the diversity and destiny of life itself. (Hardback $30)

“Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction”

by Michelle Nijhuis

An acclaimed science journalist traces the history of modern conservation, from the origins of organizations like the Audubon Society to current efforts to protect species like the black rhinoceros.

No stone is unturned in her thorough and vibrant account, including the darker side of conservation where racism and colonialism often hide in the shadows. (Hardback $27.95)

“Rewild Yourself: Making Nature More Visible in Our Lives”

by Simon Barnes

In a digital-first world where the culture of busy often overshadows everything, the author fears we’ve forgotten the wild world. It’s a call for readers to remember how to look and listen to make the hidden parts of nature visible once again. Through even the simplest act of paying attention, birds singing in treetops can awaken your mind and help you discover new areas of yourself that have gone dormant. (Hardback $24.95)

“Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature and Spirit”

by Lyanda Lynn Haupt

In a deeply personal work, the award-winning writer and naturalist encourages readers to live with the earth, defining “rootedness” as a way of being in concert with the wilderness — and wildness — that sustains humans and all of life. And as we are affected by nature, in turn, we must look inward for ways we can exist in empathy to nourish our imperiled, beloved earth. (Hardback $27)

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LAST LOO K

Jim Olarte knot: kelp St. Ann’s, Laguna Beach

Jim Olarte is a macrame craftsman, artist and beach comber. He finds the art in nature, works with it and honors it. Here, he’s applied a series of square knots to kelp and says, “Kelp is a brown seaweed that grows as big as a tree in the ocean. Kelp doesn't have roots like most plants do, but anchors itself to the ocean floor through a system called a ‘holdfast.’ This ‘sea tree’ algae is loaded with nutrition.” And beauty.

Read more about Jim Olarte’s beautiful and thoughtful work in this issue and follow him on Instagram @jimolarte.