The Argonaut Newspaper — January 27, 2022

HEALTH & WELLNESS SPOTLIGHT ON PAGE 6

Ecological Gem The Ballona Wetlands are rich with nature, history, educational value and controversy

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PAGE 2 THE ARGONAUT JANUARY 27, 2022

ON THE COVER: The Ballona Wetlands are rich with nature, history, educational value and controversy. Photo: Jonathan Coffin. Design by Arman Olivares.

LETTERS....................................... 4

Local News & Culture

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NEWS & SALES OFFICE PO Box 1349 South Pasadena, CA 91031 The Argonaut is distributed every Thursday in Del Rey, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Santa Monica, Venice, and Westchester. The Argonaut is available free of charge, limited to one per reader. The Argonaut may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of The Argonaut, take more than one copy of any issue.

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N E W S

L E T T E R S

Coronavirus by the numbers and local updates Compiled by Kamala Kirk Cases and deaths by neighborhood as of January 23: Culver City: 6,373 (deaths 120); Del Rey: 78 (deaths one); El Segundo: 2,437 (deaths 14); Marina del Rey: 1,459 (deaths four); Mar Vista: 6,241 (deaths 38); Palms: 6,960 (deaths 72); Playa del Rey: 352 (deaths one); Playa Vista: 1,954 (deaths 12); Santa Monica: 14,649 (deaths 202); Venice: 5,781 (deaths 21); Westchester: 7,625 (deaths 63) Total Westside cases: 53,909 Total Westside deaths: 548

Total confirmed cases in LA County: 2,494,097 Total deaths in LA County: 28,480 Total new cases as of Jan. 23: 26,354 Total new deaths: 63 Hospitalizations: 4,568 Positivity rate (seven-day daily average): 17.47% Total number of people tested: 10,871,507 (Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)

Properly fitted masks fight COVID-19 Editor: If you are not concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, then you are either badly informed or not informed at all.

Here are two incontestable facts: • A coronavirus infection produces the severe and frequently fatal disease COVID-19 • Airborne (aerosol) particles can carry virus material that is easily inhaled to lodge and multiply in the noses of uninfected victims Properly-fitted high-filtration masks reduce contagion two ways: 1) Through filtering virus-carrying materials out of inhaled air, and 2) Through reducing the amount of virus an infected person can release into our communal breathing supply. Unmasked or improperly masked infected people contaminate the air we all must breathe. Less virus in the air reduces opportunities for overwhelming virus counts in innocent victim’s airways to win over natural antibodies and immune responses — making them sick or, in some cases, dead.

What really gets my goat: people who wear a potentially effective face mask without the metal strip at the top edge of the mask formed to fit closely around the bridge to their nose. These masks are frequently seen at ‘half-mast’ nearly at nostril level. “Gee that looks stupid!” I always think.

I’m reminded of when California began requiring helmets for motorcycles 30 years ago, something that met considerable resistance from many older riders who had gone without for decades. A common demonstration for reluctant head protection wearers was to make a statement by leaving the chinstrap that secures the helmet un-fastened — demonstrating there is nothing new about stupidity.

If you’re going to wear protection, why

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PAGE 4 THE ARGONAUT JANUARY 27, 2022

I PAY TOP $$$$ PHOTO CREDIT: KRIS DAHLIN

not wear it in a manner that provides protection? It doesn’t cost any more. For a few dollars, you can buy a plastic “mask fitter” or brace cage to wear over inexpensive flat filter paper masks that greatly improves the seal between mask and face.

Look at a properly worn N-95 mask providing a good seal from the outside air. There will be two head straps to hold both top and bottom of the mask tightly to the face. The top edge of the mask with its thin metal strip has been carefully formed to fit the wearer’s nose and upper cheek contour, thereby minimizing air leaks around the edges.

Properly forming the metal reinforcement around the bridge of the nose also helps keep the mask from slipping down — a proper fitting technique even for the lesser effective KN-95 and surgical style masks that utilize ear loops instead of the more effective pair of head straps.

Lesser effective air filtering of inferior mask types can still be dramatically improved by carefully fitting the mask over the bridge and along the sides your nose. Take a minute in front of the mirror to experiment

chance at controlling the pandemic Tim Tunks

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H E A L T H

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W E L L N E S S

Safe and Sustainable Beauty

Curie is a line of clean and effective personal care products

S

unwavering belief in what you are doing.”

Moret named the brand after Marie Curie, a famous scientist in the 1800s who was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. Her focus was always to put science first. Moret wanted to do the same thing to prove that the product really worked and had the safest combination of ingredients possible.

Curie’s team includes VP of operations Rami Jubran; social media manager Rebecca Cunningham, and Moret’s sister Margot, who is head of customer support and has been by her side since day one.

“Nobody loves and cares about our customers more than my sister does, and it shows in every interaction she has with them,” Moret said.

Curie’s line of effective and clean deodorant is available in the classic stick form as well as a spray. They also offer whipped body wash, a clay detox mask, moisturizing body oil, hand sanitizer and candles. All the products are created with natural, clean ingredients that are found in nature or synthetic ingredients that have been tested to guarantee safety for humans and the environment.

Curie has a strict list of ingredients that are

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF CURIE

By Haley Beyer anta Monica resident Sarah Moret started her career working for a Big 4 accounting firm, but after several years of long days and nights, she decided to move in a new direction. She joined an early-stage venture capital fund in Silicon Valley, where she learned more about entrepreneurship.

“I learned how to build a business, what worked, what didn’t work, etc., through meeting with hundreds of entrepreneurs over the course of three years,” Moret said.

That first step set the rest of her life in motion. Moret was using clean, natural products, but none of them were working as well as the products with chemicals.

After deep diving into research, she decided to create her own antiperspirant that actually worked. It seemed that no brand was able to master the formula for an aluminum-free deodorant while using ingredients that were safe for our bodies and the environment. Moret officially left her career to start Curie in 2018.

“Founding a company doesn’t take some special type of genius,” Moret said. “It really just takes determination, grit, and an

Santa Monica resident Sarah Moret is the founder of Curie, a line of clean and effective personal care products including natural deodorant, candles and whipped body wash. not used in their products and every product is Leaping Bunny Certified cruelty-free, meaning they do not test on animals.

Another thing that customers love about Curie are their scents. When Moret first launched Curie, she only had enough funds to create one scent. She wanted it to pull people in and be something that no one had smelled before.

She found a scent house in New Jersey and after several months the first scent, White Tea, was done. After narrowing it down to three options, Moret decided to let the people pick. 90% of people chose the same scent, so Moret knew she had the winner.

“I went to the mall in the middle of the day on a Tuesday with the three versions of the deodorant and asked random women walking in and out of Nordstrom to sniff each and vote on which one they liked best,” Moret said. “I wanted people who were not my friends and not worried about offending me to help narrow it down.”

Moret is always excited when she gets to connect with customers.

“It’s incredible getting to meet and talk to the real-life people who are buying our products,” Moret said. “Connecting with our customers is my favorite thing.

Whenever I’m having a tough day, hopping in our Instagram messages or chiming in on customer support tickets always energizes me and brings me back.”

The product packaging is just as important

as the ingredients. Curie recently relaunched its best-selling Full Body Deodorant Spray bottles, which are now made of 100% recycled plastic water bottles. The deodorant sticks and detox mask packaging are made of recycled plastic as well. Curie’s goal is to remove virgin plastics from the supply chain entirely by the end of 2022.

Moret also has plans to continue expanding Curie’s product line and scents into 2022.

“Our mission is to create products people will want to use as part of their personal care routines every single day, with scent as the core experience,” Moret said.

Within the next year, Curie plans to release more new products with safe and effective ingredients, new scents and retail partnerships. In addition to selling products and special brand merchandise, the company website also has a blog that covers various topics on self-care.

Curie also gives back to Simply the Basics, an organization that aims to help homeless women by providing simple hygiene products (toothbrush, soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc.) For every five sticks of deodorant purchased through Curie’s website, one stick is donated to the organization.

Curie curiebod.com

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JANUARY 27, 2022 - HEATLH & WELLNESS PAGE 7

H E A L T H

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Beauty by the Beach

Ocean Avenue Aesthetics in Santa Monica offers medical-grace facials and cosmetic treatments

By Bridgette Redman s Zoom calls dominate people’s lives, they are spending more time than ever before looking at their own faces. It’s a trend that has been keeping Dr. Jason Champagne, a wellknown Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon and owner of Santa Monica’s newest medical spa, busy.

“We’ve had more patients during the past year or so,” Champagne said. “People have really started looking at themselves in a different way with Zoom and all these new meeting apps. They want to do something now about things they may have put off for a few years or things that they didn’t notice before.”

In August 2021, Ocean Avenue Aesthetics opened a beachside bungalow designed to provide what they call a simple approach to beauty. Their goal is to have customers feel like they are getting a service at home — able to address their wellness concerns in an intimate private setting where they can hear the sounds of the ocean and relax in a beautiful spa environment.

The spa’s treatments include medicalgrade facials, cosmetic treatments and contouring injectable fillers. While

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OCEAN AVENUE AESTHETICS

A

Ocean Avenue Aesthetics is a new beachside bungalow med spa in Santa Monica that was founded by Dr. Jason Champagne, a well-known Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon.

Champagne’s other practice focuses on surgical procedures and more aggressive solutions, Ocean Aesthetics offers a different atmosphere, one that thrives on relaxation and rejuvenation.

“It is something that’s a little on the lighter side for patients who are just dipping their toes into the water,” Champagne said. “This is more for patients who are wanting to start with something and just see what they can do with some milder treatments. Maybe the patient doesn’t need surgery yet, but they want to do some minor maintenance procedures. The spa is tailored toward those patients.”

Champagne said they are creating an atmosphere that connects with the ocean.

They designed the building so that patients enter it from the ocean side, helping them to arrive more relaxed. He said they chose an area on the secluded side for Santa Monica.

In their first several months, they have focused on staff training while doing a lot of facials. Of their seven different facials, their most popular ones include: • Champagne & Caviar Facial: This invigorating treatment begins with a foaming enzyme treatment and steam to

remove dead skin cells. This is followed by extractions to remove congestion and improve skin texture. To finish, a caviar hydro-jelly mask and antioxidants are applied for long-lasting benefits and glowing skin.

• Fire & Ice Facial: The legendary Fire & Ice Facial is designed to safely resurface and rapidly rejuvenate the skin with little or no downtime. The first mask is the “fire,” containing revitalizing vitamins and minerals to diminish dead skin. The second mask, the “ice,” is made of potent antioxidants that promote rejuvenation deep within the skin. Afterwards, a vitamin C and hyaluronic acid serum are applied to hydrate and protect, which results in a more youthful and even complexion.

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H E A L T H

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The intimate private setting is inspired by the calming sounds of the ocean and designed to help clients relax and rejuvenate while addressing their wellness concerns. the cell. This treatment helps protect the longevity of the skin cells and limits collagen degradation.

While many patients come in knowing what they want, Champagne said there is an esthetician on staff who provides education and consults with patients on what sort of facial would best match their needs.

“We’ll look at them and really suggest a facial depending on their skin type, what some problem areas that they have are, if they have pigmentation or have fine lines,” Champagne said. “We’ll suggest a facial based on different skin conditions and issues. It’s more of a consultation. We will kind of guide patients to something that would be the most beneficial for them.”

Ocean Avenue Aesthetics is designed to be an overall skincare center that goes beyond

The med spa specializes in beauty treatments such as problem-solving medical-grade facials, cutting-edge cosmetic treatments and contouring injectable fillers.

just facials.

“At some point, a little minor resurfacing of the skin to get rid of old skin cells (is necessary),” Champagne said. “That’s what maintaining the skin is all about. You can do facials every so often, but I think you also need to be doing some other minor procedures. We offer microneedling with radio frequency, skin tightening and a mild CO2 laser-type procedure that can resurface the skin. In the long run, a combination of all those things are going to keep your skin looking more youthful through the years.”

The exact services a person needs, he said, are going to travel a spectrum that is different for each person because everyone has different skin.

“I always approach things from an individualized standpoint,” Champagne said. “Everything is customized. Everything is going to be tailored to you and that’s how it should be. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.”

Champagne, who loves the artistry and creativity of his work, pointed out that what they do at Ocean Avenue Aesthetics is minimally invasive. It isn’t as aggressive as facelift surgery. Rather, their patient population is one that is looking for a little pick-me-up, something to make their skin look a little brighter and better for a month to a year.

“The results we can achieve with the technology that I have brought into the spa leave patients really happy or just overall excited about how good their skin looks after the procedure was done,” Champagne said. “It just helps patients feel a little better about their skin and gets their skin looking better, healthier, and a little tighter in a minimally invasive way.”

Ocean Avenue Aesthetics 1327 Ocean Avenue, Suite E, Santa Monica 310-310-3850 oceanavenueaesthetics.com JANUARY 27, 2022 - HEATLH & WELLNESS PAGE 9

C O V E R

S T O R Y PHOTOS CREDIT: JONATHAN COFFIN

the area into a ranch, which was called Rancho La Ballona, paid for by a grant from the Mexican government. With this development, the Ballona Wetlands endured conflicting functions of its natural landscape and catering to livestock.

Since then, the Ballona Wetlands endured years of development and decay. This also included speculation of a DreamWorks studio being plotted over the land and excess sediment when Marina del Rey was developed in the 1960s.

Now, the land is owned and managed by the CDFW.

Overview of the Restoration Project

Ecological Gem The Ballona Wetlands are rich with nature, history, educational value and controversy The Ballona Wetlands are the last coastal wetlands remaining in Los Angeles and there is much controversy on finding the right way to preserve it.

By Holly Jenvey he Ballona Wetlands are the last coastal wetlands remaining in Los Angeles. Many are vouching for its survival; however, there is controversy on finding the right way to preserve it.

“My generation is exposed to so much destruction of our environment, and we are begging leaders to make decisions based on what is best for the planet,” said Genesis Butler, a 14-year-old environmentalist and the founder of Youth Climate Save, at a news conference for the Ballona Wetlands on July 21.

Situated south of Marina del Rey and east of Playa del Rey, extending to west of Playa Vista and south of the Westchester Bluffs, the Ballona Wetlands brings locals, tourists, schools and more to this ecological gem of the Westside. However, even as the Ballona Wetlands brings wonder to its visitors, it is also subjected to lack of precipitation and climate change.

According to the Environmen-

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tal Protection Agency (EPA), wetlands are among one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. They can be thought of as “biological supermarkets,” which benefit both wildlife and humans. Wetlands provide food and habitats for species, which they use for most to all of their lifetime. They also protect from flooding, improve quality of water and control shoreline erosion while providing economic opportunities.

As the Ballona Wetlands are valuable to many, there is a divide on how they should be preserved. Currently, there are four alternatives. The main divide rests on whether to implement the restoration plans made by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), which involves using mechanics (alternative one) or to leave the wetlands be and implement a 20-point “gentler approach” proposed by Defend Ballona Wetlands (alternative four). Over the years, this dispute has yet to be settled as lawsuits from opposing parties

PAGE 10 THE ARGONAUT JANUARY 27, 2022

continue to be posed. However, will the wetlands win against the race of climate change?

“The wetlands as an ecosystem, I see as being unhealthy because it has been starved of water,” said Eric Strauss, executive director of the Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Healing. “So the natural processes of tidal flow have long been suppressed, and just like natural fires are a nourishing and regenerative force in forests, storm surge and flooding is a critical aspect of the rejuvenation of wetland systems.”

Strauss worked with wetlands both in LA and on the East Coast, and explained how different climates affect their vitality. The Ballona Wetlands is located in an urban area with a Mediterranean climate where precipitation comes in extremes.

LA receives most of its precipitation from a few storms during the year, which makes the wetlands diverse with animals and plants that adapt to long periods of water stress. However, Strauss explained how

these extremes are beneficial in terms of remapping and rebuilding the wetlands’ ecosystems.

“Our efforts in the Ballona Wetlands are more complicated than in other wetland systems to a degree because we have to mechanically mimic what storms and water would do if they were allowed to move unimpeded,” Strauss said, adding that these efforts would also contain protecting built structures.

From working with Loyola Marymount’s Center for Urban Resilience, Strauss sees a problem with the term “restoration,” as it should instead be called “transformation.”

Restoration assumes a time when the Ballona Wetlands were untrammeled by human urbanization. On the other hand, transformation signifies recovering the ecosystem services the wetlands once provided.

History The Ballona Wetlands was founded by Agustin Machado around 1820. Machado turned

Richard Brody, the land manager for the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve, working for the CDFW, explained how restoration is the long-term solution for the wetlands. The plans for restoration were mandated as a part of the original acquisition of the lands.

When the CDFW acquired the land in 2003, there was a bond measure in 2000. This was the Coastal Protection Bond Act, of which $25 million went to restoring habitats in the Santa Monica Bay. This extends from Malibu to Palos Verdes, including the Ballona Wetlands.

“We need to still protect surrounding infrastructure,” Brody said. “So, if we take these levees down, we need to move them to the perimeter. There’s no way anyone would responsibly just tear these levees down and say, let nature figure it out.”

The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) explains how the objectives and purpose of the Restoration Project fall under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). However, there is pushback to the restoration plans due to different environmental perceptions.

Sea level rise Part of the restoration plans include removing the existing levees and replacing them with new ones further away from the creek. Walter Lamb, president of the Ballona Wetlands Land Trust, is opposed to this change because the environmental impact analysis shows that removal of the existing levees would expose current breeding habitat for endangered and

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threatened species to inundation by sea level rise.

Instead of removing the existing levees, Lamb’s organization has requested an analysis of how using the thin layer segment augmentation could be used to raise the elevation of the marsh to keep pace with rising seas. Lamb notes that, according to the environmental analysis, the tide gates could be adjusted to allow more water to come in as marsh elevations are increased.

Endangered Species: A species that is being widely talked about in the restoration plans is the Belding’s Savannah Sparrow. This species lives in mid to high marsh and pickleweed is among its preferred nest plants. From reading the environmental analysis, Lamb noticed that a slight increase in sea levels would change the marsh from mid to low, which isn’t as good for the sparrow.

“It’s a different habitat and it’s not a habitat that’s as conducive to this bird,” Lamb said.

However, Dr. David Kay, an environmental manager who advocates for the state’s restoration plans, said the Belding’s Savannah Sparrow is not going to be significantly adversely affected, as the project construction will be performed outside of nesting season, which is a standard mitigation measure on all earthmoving projects. Kay said that a small area of pickleweed will be impacted, but much more will be created by the project, expanding the habitat for the sparrow.

“We’ve done this successfully dozens of times before at scores of other coastal tidal wetland restorations in Southern California,” Kay said.

The Draft EIR shows the net gain and loss of the Belding’s Savannah Sparrow if the restoration goes through. The total change in net habitat for the animal is 69.6 acres gained (cited from table 3.4-9 on page 3.4-99 of the Draft EIR).

However, as 17.9 acres of the habitat would be permanently lost, there are fears that the species won’t be able to adapt.

Marcia Hanscom, assistant vice chair of Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, believes the restoration plans aren’t conducive to endangered species due to the reliance they have on the wetlands and associated habitats

in reserve. She and others are opposed to displacing species from their habitats as that activity goes against protecting them.

“We call that the precautionary principle, which is a principle that medical doctors think of all the time and it’s ‘First do no harm,’” Hanscom said. “And so if this were a parking lot and you wanted to dig it all up and turn it into something else, that’d be one thing, but that’s not what this is and so the endangered spaces issue is crucial and in the center of why a lot of us are working to protect this place as it is. And that doesn’t mean there aren’t some things that could be done. It just means don’t dig up the place and alter the habitat with this big industrial plan.”

Climate change A part of protecting the Ballona Wetlands is understanding the impacts of climate change.

According to the EPA, the largest source of global greenhouse gases is through burning coal, natural gas and oil for heat and electricity. The location of the Southern California Gas Company facility by the Ballona Wetlands is a point of contention for all restoration perspectives as gas has leaked into the wetlands.

Alexandra Nagy is the California director at Food & Water Watch, an organization that focuses on corporate and government accountability relating to food, water and corporate overrreach. As fossil fuels and methane are propelling climate change, Food & Water Watch believes the facility is a detriment to the health of the wetlands and surrounding community and would like to see it shut down. However, as Governor Newsom oversees the public utilities commission, Nagy thinks that he should localize policies that can help lower greenhouse gas emissions.

“The governor is responsible at the end of the day for making sure we’re moving off fossil fuels,” Nagy said. “So localizing that stuff for him and having communities on the ground who are really engaged, educated and know who has power to do this and are putting that pressure directly on him, that’s what we need to keep doing so we can move forward on that goal.”

However, Nagy among other sources believe that CDFW’s restoration plans will benefit the

Wetlands provide food and habitats for species and also protect from flooding, improve quality of water and control shoreline erosion while providing economic opportunities. gas facility. On the other hand, SoCalGas announced plans last year that they will be permanently sealing 16 wells within the wetlands and one located just outside it. They have also hired archaeologists and biologists to monitor work aiming to preserve the wetlands.

Yet, Kay believes that the restoration plans are designed to help the wetlands fight climate change. Kay managed the restoration of the San Dieguito Wetlands near Del Mar, which took a similar approach to what the state is looking to take at Ballona. He believes that they make a dent in the problems that are trying to be solved against climate change.

He pointed to how restoration can help control greenhouse gases from being emitted. Kay said because tidal wetlands are more biologically productive than dry uplands due to their lusher, year-round vegetation, they absorb more carbon dioxide.

“Every little bit of greenery helps pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and of course that’s the main human-caused driver for global climate change right now,” Kay said.

Equitable access/restoration decision-making Neysa Frechette, manager of scientific programs at Friends of Ballona Wetlands, explained how implementing a scientificbased restoration would be beneficial to the city of LA for appreciating its last coastal

wetlands and for providing equitable access.

“That’s always been our dream as an organization to see Ballona fully restored, a fully functioning, thriving, coastal estuary, our only one in the city of LA,” Frechette said. “So we support a robust science-based restoration that maximizes the biodiversity and connectivity of the area while creating safe and equitable public access.”

The restored wetlands will provide equitable public access. Friends of Ballona Wetlands website lists how the restoration plan will expand public access to explore the Ballona Wetlands. This includes adding 3.6 miles of bike/ pedestrian pathway, 5.5 miles of pedestrian-only pathway, 2,000 feet of boardwalk for people, two bridges to increase safety and access, educational signage and more parking space.

With these new features, Friends of Ballona Wetlands believes the restorations can bring more than 15,000 disadvantaged households within biking distance (1.9 miles) and 500,000 within driving distance (13 miles), as identified in a study by Jon Christensen, adjunct assistant professor at UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Note: Friends of Ballona Wetlands is in support of the restoration, not working on it.

Yet, Hanscom doesn’t believe that everyone has an equal opportunity to make a decision for the future of the Ballona Wetlands and would like to see

that changed.

“I want everybody to feel like they’re part of this decisionmaking and that they haven’t been. The Ballona Wetlands right now is still run like it’s a private club.”

The Indigenous community is also a significant population of the Ballona Wetlands. They mentioned how the restoration plans may be affecting their livelihoods.

“This restoration is only an excuse to destroy what’s left of these ecosystems,” said Genelle Butler, the grandniece of Caesar Chavez at the July 21 news conference.

Hopes for the future of the Wetlands Even as there are different perspectives on how the Ballona Wetlands should be protected, many want to see it healthy through the long run and accessible to everyone.

Friends of Ballona Wetlands run K-12 educational programs, student internships and weekend docent-led tours for the community. Frechette believes these programs are beneficial for people to learn about the world around them and how nature can help human health, and vice versa. Frechette believes visitors can use what they learn at Ballona into their daily lives.

Lamb said he hopes for his young daughter to be able to explore nature at Ballona and for everyone to think of the genera(Continued fon Page 15)

JANUARY 27, 2022 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 11

B U S I N E S S

25 Years in Business

Marina Bay Watch Company reaches special milestone

M

“It was extremely stressful in the beginning but my wife, Kori, is my rock,” Vartanian said. “She helped us stay up while I struggled to make a name for myself and the shop. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.”

Having the support of his wife and daughter, along with his employees who all happen to be family members, has kept Vartanian focused over the years.

His cousin, Moosh Babadjanian, has worked there for over 15 years and helps manage the business.

“I am so grateful to him for the hard work he does,” Vartanian said.

Vartanian created a special bond with his customers and the people who supported the business when he was starting

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Founded by Michael Vartanian, Marina Bay Watch Company has been in business since 1996 and recently celebrated its 25-year anniversary. out. In the beginning, he filled the store with merchandise to make extra money rather than just relying on servicing the jewelry. He had a lot of debt trying to balance everything, but worked with companies that lent him money to give him enough time to pay back every penny of credit, which he did.

“I kept telling myself I would get through it, and I did,” Vartanian said. “I just needed the people I was working with to believe in me too. And I proved to them that they could trust me.”

Once business was stable, he worked to build the same trusting relationship with his customers.

“A successful business is all about good customer service and quality work,” Vartanian said. “I want to be part of every transaction to interact with every customer and guarantee they leave happy. Jewelry is very expensive, so it took a long time

to build up my reputation of being able to handle expensive brands and for customers to trust me enough to leave their jewelry with me.”

Some of the brands people trust Marina Bay Watch Company with include Cartier, Gucci, Rolex and TAG Heuer. On the repair side of the business they specialize in diamond replacement, ring sizing, necklace and bracelet repair, pearl restringing, battery replacement, and jewelry and watch inspection.

Many of Vartanian’s customers are regulars who only trust his business to service their jewelry.

When COVID-19 hit, their doors were closed for two months and Vartanian didn’t know if the business would make it through the pandemic.

When they were finally allowed to open again, he immediately had a long line of customers that was out the door and around the

corner. Things were so busy that the company had to change to appointment only.

“99% of our work is servicing watches and jewelry, which is very time consuming,” Vartanian said. “We could barely keep up with the work so my wife and I decided to open for only four days a week (Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday) to guarantee we would still have some personal time alongside the chaos of the store. I couldn’t be more relieved that I made it through COVID-19. With all my heart I am counting my blessings. I’m grateful and happy to have my doors open again. I am thrilled we made it to this milestone.”

Marina Bay Watch Company 4027 Lincoln Boulevard, Marina del Rey 310-574-8777 marinabaywatch.com PHOTO BY PETER LYMBERTOS

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By Haley Beyer ichael Vartanian began his journey working at a watch shop when he was just 16 years old. He spent nine years at that job and learned all about how to care for watches. He originally had planned to become a pharmacist but didn’t feel that it was the right path for him, so he earned a business degree from Cal State LA before starting his own business.

After saving up all his money, in 1996 Vartanian opened Marina Bay Watch Company, a watch service center and jewelry repair shop in Marina del Rey. It was a huge challenge the first few years of running the store in his early twenties, but he was fortunate to meet his wife shortly after opening the business.

Marina Bay Watch Company specializes in watch and jewelry repair, and services a variety of high-end brands including Cartier, Gucci and Rolex.

A R T S

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Captain Danger Feels Safe Onstage Venice rock band to perform in Santa Monica

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski o matter the occupation, sometimes people just don’t click.

For Aaron Steinberg, when he met Roger “Joose” Benford and Keith “E-Day” Eaddy, he instantly knew they could play music together.

“We just had this chemistry somehow,” Steinberg said. “Sometimes you just feel that way with people. They had this willingness to take twists and turns and share their personality. I love that. We felt energized by each other.”

Founded in New York, but reconfigured in Venice, Captain Danger will bring that energy to Trip in Santa Monica on Saturday, Jan. 29.

“At the show, fans can expect us to play a few of our own songs, but then they will notice we play songs we know,” said Steinberg, whose band recently released the album “Love Sweet Love.”

“We put a twist on them, though. We love to play songs with a twist, like, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ by the Cure. We adapted that to a roots-reggae song.

“We feel we bring something new to a song people told us they dig. We play ‘I Feel Good’ by James Brown and give that a twist.”

Longtime musician Steinberg moved from New York to Venice and performed solo around Los Angeles. He yearned to return to a band, so he resurrected Captain Danger with Benford and Eaddy.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Captain Danger hosted livestreams, but has since hit the stage at the likes of Hotel Café for its Motown Night.

“Being in a band makes everything easier and more fun,” Steinberg said.

“There is stuff I’ll do when I collaborate with other people that I won’t do on my own. We vibe back and forth like a tennis ball in front of an audience. The audience makes you do things that you might not do, too. It’s almost like an experiment to see what comes out of you. If you’re open to collaborating, the result is a thousand times better.”

Steinberg shares his talents elsewhere, too. He pens TV and soundtrack music.

He recently scored the documentary “Tomorrow’s Hope,” which tells the story of educators, kids and their families on the south side of Chicago.

The website said he was the “obvious choice” for “Tomorrow’s Hope” to further incorporate more drumline elements into the score when appropriate.

Steinberg also explored ambient music with his electric guitar that complemented the film.

He’s also written “ditties” for the FX

(PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPTAIN DANGER

N

Captain Danger is, from left, guitarist/vocalist Aaron Steinberg; drummer Roger “Joose” Benford and bassist/ keyboardist/vocalist Keith “E-Day” Eaddy. network, which he called “fun.”

“We did one wacky thing, ‘The Americans,’ which is a very serious show,” he said. “Incredibly, that’s been busy as hell the whole time,” he said. “The TV stuff has been great. The TV stuff is all over the map stylistically. I’ve been fortunate and lucky.”

As for popular releases, he turned the knobs for an Olivia Olson album. She’s best known for voicing Vanessa Doofenshmirtz in “Phineas and Ferb” and Marceline and Vampire Queen in “Adventure Time.”

“She an amazing singer,” he said.

“I’ve been super lucky. I fell into the scoring/soundtrack thing. I’ve always loved film music. I didn’t know what my entrée into it would be. In New York, I was in the Televisionaries, where we take TV theme sons and do terrible things to them. We put them in a Cuisinart.”

As for Captain Danger, he said it’s a little different.

“We definitely have our own sound,” he said.

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C A L L TO D AY: 3 1 0 . 8 2 2 .1 6 2 9 JANUARY 27, 2022 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 13

A R T S

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On the Move

Viva LA captures the energy of iconic locales with roving art project

By Bridgette M. Redman very place has its own energy, its own vibe. In Los Angeles, the energy can flare up in different colors and undercurrents, even as you move from block to block.

Viva LA, founded by renowned artist Andre Miripolsky and entrepreneur Christian Mitman, has been all about celebrating LA at home and abroad by creating a brand that promotes the city’s creative culture and its artists.

Throughout December, they took to the streets in a brightly painted art truck festooned with the Viva LA logo and paintings created for the Pershing Street exhibition held last February.

They transformed the truck into a mobile studio – one with a work table and gallery-style walls. The truck’s first project was to help support the artist known as M. as she created 30 days of artwork all around LA. Starting Dec. 10, she created 30 paintings in 30 LA locations that were exhibited at the LA Art Show from Jan. 19 to 23.

Not only do people purchasing her work get the painting, but they also get a video clip of the art being created. The process was filmed for the upcoming streaming series called “Viva LA! Celebrating the creative culture of Los Angeles at home and around the world.”

It will form some of the content for the show that plans to show LA lovers around the globe what it is like to be a creative person living and working in LA.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS MORTENSON

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Throughout December and early January, LA-based street artist M. (left, with Viva LA cofounder Christian Mitman) traveled around Los Angeles in the Viva LA Art Truck + Mobile Studio to create 30 works of art in 30 iconic locations, including Santa Monica and Venice.

“Our mission is to support the arts in LA,” Mitman said. “With COVID-19 raging and events being stifled, we wanted to put together a project that showed LA and the world the uniqueness of place in LA and the creative nature of the people.”

They got in touch with M., who had been helping them make videos for the past year, and they worked out a plan for her to create a series of works to be exhibited at the LA Art Show. M. had always been a street artist but was interested in becoming a gallery artist.

She created work in such places as Hollywood, DTLA Industrial District, LACMA, Urban Lights, Fairfax District, The Broad/

Disney Concert Hall, Runyon Canyon, Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, the Fashion District, Sunset Strip, Culver City and Baldwin Hills.

They’ll be posting the works on their Instagram account (@vivalaofficial). As they drove around the city, they did so with the intent of creating joy and showing local communities that it is the arts that drive any culture, and that in LA, the innate creativity is so powerful.

“We had M. working on the street in every location and creating a spectacle wherever we went,” Mitman said. “The idea was to remind people that the arts are really important. Part of this whole journey is not just creating

The process was filmed for an upcoming streaming series that will form some of the content for the show that plans to show LA lovers around the globe what it is like to be a creative person living and working in LA. PAGE 14 THE ARGONAUT JANUARY 27, 2022

all these paintings in LA locations, but with the way M. works, she’s a conduit for the energy of a place.”

“I’m all about energy,” M. agreed.

M. creates using an automatic writing process in which she creates geometric shapes. The automatic nature of the writing is the process by which she transfers a place’s energy onto the canvas.

“Each one will be representative of the time and place where it was created,” Mitman said. “For example, on Christmas morning we got up at 5 a.m. It was completely fogged in —white-out conditions. She picked a blue canvas for Runyon because it always has such a blue sky, but when she unwrapped it against the white fog, it was really magical.”

With each painting, they set up a camera and captured the artist, her work and the environment in which she is creating. The buyer of the painting gets the video, so they get to see the conditions under which the painting was created, hopefully deepening the connections to LA and LA artists.

Mitman hopes it will create a deeper appreciation for the art, the artist and how beautiful LA is.

“She’s so pretty,” M. responded.

“I have a crush on LA.” M. believes that society is on the verge of another Renaissance.

She points out that the first one came as the world was recovering from a plague.

“With Viva LA, they are really adamant about supporting the arts,” M. said. “We need that more than we’ve ever needed it before. We’re coming into a new renaissance. The energy I’m transferring that comes through me with each location is the most purest form of magic of that area.

Runyon, West Hollywood — each had its field of energy that I’m trying to hone in on. You will see that exact energy for the rest of time (in the painting). That will never dissipate. It’s very powerful to have Viva LA to help me do it and to film it and tell that story for others. Every location has a magic to it that I’ll never forget.”

Mitman said the people who show up to watch the art being created are often touched not just by the spectacle of art being created in public, but also the chance to connect with the creative sides of their own life.

While most of M.’s previous work had been done in all black and white, Mitman encouraged her to use color because LA is such a colorful city. M. described the learning process as a joyful one.

“I’m learning every day,” M. said. “Certain colors work with other colors. With black and white, you know what it is going to do, but when you play off of different blues, it can come out differently. Runyon has blue with whites. Downtown LA is going to have reds, golds and bronzes. The colors play off the energy, the feel of the area. That’s been beautiful.”

M. said she’s learned more in the past month than in the 10 years that she’s lived here. She’s found all sorts of different storylines and absorbed the atmospheres of each place in new ways. She said that knowing her work is going to be shown in front of thousands of people has forced her to be more vulnerable and to believe in herself.

“I want to kick ass,” M. said. “I want to deliver. I want to show up.”

Mitman said it has been exciting to watch M. grow as that is part of what he wants to have Viva LA do — they can create the environment and have the resources that allow people to create. He tries to identify obstacles that artists need to

ArgonautNews.com overcome to do their work, whether it is art, food art, fine art, dancing or music.

“I know it totally works,” Mitman said. “When they don’t have to worry about mundane things, the creativity just comes out and you get really transformative results.”

While they had an exhausting schedule in December, M. continues to be excited about where it might lead. She wants to create work and paint murals all over the planet while constantly having each work be better than the one before. She said that as a world, we are in need of a lot of healing and she hopes that is what her work does.

Mitman, meanwhile, is focused on the television show, knowing it is a great way to launch Viva LA as so much of LA centers around the television and movie industry. He pointed out that with the pandemic still raging, people are back at home and the television industry is flourishing.

“There is a ton of creativity and it is a great way to get Viva LA into the zeitgeist — generating interest in LA again,” Mitman said.

One recent project was to team up with a homeless artist in Venice to paint longboards.

Afterward, local longboard dancing guru Brooke Johnson danced on the painted longboard.

They were exhibited for sale at the LA Art Show and the homeless artist received his portion of the proceeds. All of that was filmed for the television show. The plan is for any sponsorship revenue they earn from the show to be funneled back into the creative people in LA. The work created during this project has also been uploaded to the Viva LA website and posted on Instagram so people could make pre-show bid offers on them.

“We encourage everyone to get involved and to put a bid on these art works to keep the creative culture going,” Mitman said. “We’re doing this for a much larger goal.”

Viva LA vivala.us Instagram: @vivalaofficial

Viva LA also teamed up with a homeless artist in Venice to paint longboards, and afterwards local longboard dancing guru Brooke Johnson danced on the finished piece.

Ecological Gem (Continued from Page 11)

tion of children who will be with Ballona in the future.

“My hopes for them [the children] is that the politicians and the people who have [the], financial, political, whatever stake in this can pull back and say this ecological reserve isn’t for them,” Lamb said.

Brody sees the restoration as an opportunity to spotlight one of the biological hotspots in LA. “I see it as one of the most significant biological hotspots in the region and a large-scale regional opportunity for wetland education,” Brody said. “It’s really the largest opportunity for coastal wetland and wildlife recovery along the LA county coastline. It’s a significant opportunity for open space for Angelenos. This is the second largest open space, second only to Griffith Park in the city. So to have that, really teaming with sensitive wildlife is exciting to think about.”

Nagy hopes for the Ballona Wetlands to be protected and that access can start to be improved right away.

“It’s one more jewel in Southern

California’s nature network that is closed off to the public and that’s really sad,” Nagy said.

“The public should be let in and I think that could happen immediately, regardless of this super controversial plan.”

Strauss believes that more underprivileged students need to experience nature as a whole, which can start at the Ballona Wetlands.

“One of the most important roles that urban green space can provide is the social transformation,” Strauss said.

According to the CDFW’s website, the restoration project will proceed to its final design.

Part of what’s left to be done is completing a federal environmental review document, which would take around two and a half years.”

The Ballona Wetlands are also home to the endangered Belding’s Savannah Sparrow, which lives in mid to high marsh and is restricted to saltwater marsh habitats with pickleweed among its preferred nest plants.

Friends of Ballona Wetlands ballonafriends.org CDFW Environmental Impact Report wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/5/ Ballona-EIR SoCal Gas youtube.com/ watch?v=kbd5T1VoCdk

JANUARY 27, 2022 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 15

THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION

MAR VISTA GEM “This charming 1928 Country English-style cottage has inviting curb appeal and welcomes you in with beautiful hardwood floors”. says agent Jane St. John. “It also offers a cozy fireplace, a formal dining room--plus all the special conveniences of an updated bathroom and kitchen. The open living room/dining rooms flow into a bright white kitchen with stainless appliances, a sunny breakfast room (or a perfect work-from-home space), and a laundry room with newer stacked appliances. Both bedrooms provide morning sunlight and convenience to an airy full bathroom. Enjoy outdoor dining/relaxing on the rear deck that leads to a very private gated/fenced and tree-lined backyard. Situated just north of Washington Place off Grandview Blvd, this central location is freeway close and convenient to all Westside employment communities, and close enough to enjoy all the beach cities have to offer.”

PAGE 16 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION JANUARY 27, 2022

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IN ESCROW 12314 WASHINGTON PLACE 4-plex opportunity | $2,050,000

3724 KELTON AVENUE 4-plex opportunity | $1,599,000

4350 VIA DOLCE #110 2 Bed | 2 Bath | $999,000

IN ESCROW 8000 DUNBARTON AVENUE 5 Bed | 5.5 Bath | $4,295,000

Stephanie Younger Group 310.499.2020 | DRE 01365696 stephanieyounger.com | @stephanieyoungergroup Compass is a licensed real estate broker (01991628) in the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. To reach the Compass main office call 310.230.5478.

JANUARY 27, 2022 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION PAGE 17

THE ARGONAUT PRESS RELEASES MODERN BEACH LIVING

CULVER CITY MULTI-UNIT

“This beautiful tri-level, 3-bedroom and 3-bathroom townhome in the prestigious Beach Collection at Latitude 33,” says agent Jesse Weinberg. “This contemporary home offers modern beach living at its finest and is located in one of the quietest parts of the community. The main level offers an open living room with tons of windows, gas fireplace, tile floors, custom window coverings and a gorgeous chef's kitchen with quartz countertops, Thermador/ Bosch appliances, oversized island and adjacent dining area.

Upstairs the primary suite offers two custom walk-in closets and a spa-like master bathroom with a separate shower and tub. Private 2 car garage and large private patio.”

Offered at $1,599,000 Jesse Weinberg Jesse Weinberg and Associates 800-804-9132

“Rarely offered, two neighboring four-unit buildings adjacent to the heart of fashionable Culver City being sold together or separately,” says agent Stephanie Younger. “The unit mix consists of four two-bedroom apartments in each property.

While each unit maintains unique finishes, they each share original 1950s oak wood floors. These sister properties share a center courtyard with a mature, fruit-bearing lemon tree to complete the refreshing SoCal aesthetic. Currently, all units are occupied; of special note is the high rental demand and 40% upside in current rents. Full of promise and potential, these R4-Zoned pair of buildings are close to the trendiest of restaurants and shopping on the Westside of L.A. while also being moments from freeway access and the Pacific Ocean.”

Offered at $2,050,000 Stephanie Younger Compass 310-499-2020

BREATHTAKING CITY VIEWS

“Sixth Floor Unit in the Marina City Club, with a breathtaking, panoramic view from the balcony and master bedroom” says agent Homa Nassi. “One can pan from sunrise snowcapped mountains, past the famed Hollywood sign, then the reflective high-rises of Beverly Hills, and on to the orange sunset over the hills of Santa Monica, Malibu, and the Pacific ocean. The front door opens into this light condominium's spacious living room with floor to ceiling windows and the spectacular view.

Unit is adjacent to the main north tower elevator and the impeccably clean, shared laundry room area.”

Offered at $649,000.

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THE ARGONAUT REAL ESTATE BUSINESS NEWS

Are We in a Housing Bubble? Homebuyers Say Yes, Redfin Expert Says No Historically fast home-price growth has homebuyers and sellers worried the market has become detached from reality. But Redfin’s chief economist says rising mortgage rates and buyers who can afford their homes are preventing a bubble.

More than three-quarters (77%) of homebuyers and sellers believe there’s a housing price bubble in the area where they live, according to a survey in a new report from Redfin (redfin. com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. Meanwhile, 44% of real estate agents believe there’s a housing bubble in the market where they work.

The former is from a Redfincommissioned survey of 1,500 U.S. residents who are planning to buy or sell a home in the next 12 months fielded by research technology company Lucid from December 10 to 13, 2021. The latter is from a Redfin survey of 360 real estate agents from October 2021.

What is a housing bubble?

A housing bubble is characterized by rapid unsustainable growth in home prices, eventually “bursting” when demand no longer supports the high home values, followed by sharp price declines. It’s typically caused by an influx of demand from homebuyers and real estate investors.

Redfin Chief Economist: We’re not in a housing bubble The housing market has been ultracompetitive since the coronavirus pandemic upended American society in mid-2020, ushering in an era of remote work and record-low mortgage rates that have resulted in strong homebuyer demand and a severe supply shortage.

Median home prices have been growing by double digits all year long.

“Homebuyers and sellers are rightfully concerned about how fast prices are rising, especially those who remember the housing market crash during the Great Recession,” said Redfin Chief

PAGE 18 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION JANUARY 27, 2022

Economist Daryl Fairweather. “If this rate of price growth were to continue for another year, I would be worried about a bubble, too, but I predict home-price growth will slow significantly in 2022. What we’re going through right now is closer to a ripple in the water than a bubble. Mortgage rates are already going up, which will likely stabilize demand and reduce the risk of a bubble that could burst.”

Average 30-year mortgage interest rates have already risen roughly 0.5 percentage points since the beginning of the year, landing at 3.56% in the week ending January 20, and they’re likely to continue increasing.

Inflation, which climbed to its highest level in 40 years at the end of 2021, also reduces the risk of a housing bubble, Fairweather said. With the prices of goods and services significantly higher than they were a year ago, people have less disposable income to put into the housing market.

The pandemic-driven housing boom is

fundamentally different from that of the mid-2000s, when loose lending criteria allowed many homebuyers to take out mortgages they couldn’t afford. That resulted in millions of foreclosures and a sharp decline in home prices. Today’s lending practices are much stricter, ensuring that buyers can afford their monthly payments. Additionally, this boom is characterized by Americans moving to new parts of the country and new neighborhoods because of their relative affordability.

“The housing market is much stronger than it was before and during the Great Recession,” Fairweather said. “There’s a very low likelihood that home prices will go down anytime soon.”

To read the full report, please visit: https:// www.redfin.com/news/homebuyer-surveyhousing-bubble/ THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTION CAME FROM:

REALTY TIMES realtytimes.com

Team Tami's 2021 by The Numbers

for Listings Sold, Buyers Represented, Total Sales Volume, Rentals Leased and Happy Clients!!

95 Homes Sold - 63 in Playa Vista $130,000,000 in Total Sales $85,000,000 in Playa Vista Thank you for trusting us with your real estate goals.

It is truly an honor!

JANUARY 27, 2022 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION PAGE 19

WESTSIDE HAPPENINGS Compiled by Kamala Kirk

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA MONICA PLACE

Have an event for the calendar? Send it to kamala@ timespublications.com Marina del Rey Farmers Market, Saturday, Jan. 29 This weekly outdoor event allows Westside residents to support local produce sellers and other vendors. Food from a wide variety of businesses is available for purchase. Masks are required and only 40 people are allowed to shop at any one time. Held in parking lot 11.

14101 Panay Way, Marina del Rey, 8 to 9 a.m. (seniors), 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (general public), beaches.lacounty.gov/ mdrfarmersmarket Santa Monica Main Street Farmers Market, Sunday, Jan. 30 Shop for local fresh produce and prepared foods from local restaurants. You can also enjoy musical entertainment from featured weekly bands, face painting, balloon designs, and if you catch it on the right week, a cooking demonstration featuring local produce.

2640 Main St., Santa Monica, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Mar Vista Farmers Market, Sunday, Jan. 30 This vibrant, year-round market offers local produce, prepared foods, kids crafts and live events.

12198 Venice Blvd., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., marvistafarmersmarket.org Motor Avenue Farmers Market, Sunday, Jan. 30 The Motor Avenue Farmers

From Feb. 1 to 8, Santa Monica Place will commemorate the Year of the Tiger to honor the Lunar New Year with a variety of fun offerings.

Market enhances the farm-totable connection and availability of fresh, local produce to residents of the Palms, Cheviot Hills, Beverlywood and surrounding communities. The market is dedicated to cultivating a sustainable food system through its operation and educational programs. The market consistently provides a wonderful opportunity to create synergy between local businesses and residents while promoting a healthy city and a vibrant community. Open every Sunday, rain or shine.

10418 National Blvd., Los Angeles, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., motoravenuemarket.com

Westchester Farmers Market Sunday, Jan. 30 Certified farmers market brings together some of the region’s best small and micro farmers from the Central Coast and Ventura counties with over 30 local food businesses, kids activities and live bands. Held in the heart of downtown Westchester adjacent to many new and thriving local businesses from an independent bookstore to local eateries with plenty of free parking. Held every Sunday rain or shine!

6200 W. 87th St., Los Angeles, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., westchesterfarmersmkt.com COURTESY PHOTO

On Sunday, Jan. 30 at 11 a.m., Sugar Palm at Viceroy Santa Monica will host an exclusive outdoor succulent building class led by the owner of the local boutique nursery, The Juicy Leaf.

PAGE 20 THE ARGONAUT JANUARY 27, 2022

Succulent Building Workshop & Brunch Sunday, Jan. 30 Beachside hotel Viceroy Santa Monica and boutique Highland Park plant shop The Juicy Leaf are partnering up for an exclusive succulent building class and brunch. Under the palms on the outdoor patio of the hotel’s new restaurant concept Sugar Palm, Juicy Leaf owner Felix Navarro will guide attendees on constructing and caring for their very own succulent arrangement to display proudly at home or give as a gift. Tickets, priced at $65 and available for purchase on OpenTable, include a cocktail or mocktail and a Black Elegance succulent arrangement. In addition to the workshop and plant-inspired libations, attendees can also partake in brunch bites from the Sunrise Menu. Engaging and accessible for those of all ages and artistic abilities, the workshop will allow participants to flex their creative muscles, enjoy great company and dine on innovative, market fresh cuisine.

1819 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, 11 a.m., bit.ly/35k42yG Lunar New Year at Santa Monica Place Feb. 1 to 8 Santa Monica Place will commemorate the Year of the Tiger to honor the Lunar New

Year with a variety of offerings.

Guests will enjoy red and gold lanterns draped over Center Plaza, as well as red envelopes with special deals from participating shops and restaurants, take-home craft kits and fortune cookies. Well-wishers have the opportunity to participate in a Lunar New Year tradition by hanging their wish on the cherry blossom wishing trees for prosperity and renewal for the new year. On Feb. 4, The Gourmandise School will also offer a Date Night: Lunar New Year Celebration class where participants will learn how to make special cocktails and dishes, and on Feb. 10 a 90-minute virtual Lunar New Year celebration with Chef Katie Chin will take place.

395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, santamonicaplace.com A Gourmet Winemaker Dinner Wednesday, Feb. 2 At this special dinner, you’ll have the opportunity to taste five of Swank N Smith Winery’s outstanding wines paired with authentic Cuban cuisine from the culinary team of El Rincon Criollo. Winemaker/ owner Gregg Smith will be on hand to talk about his wines and his winemaking philosophy. Attendance will be limited to 30 guests so book your reservations soon to ensure your seats. Call 310-397-9295 to make reservations.

4361 Sepulveda Boulevard, Culver City, 7 to 10 p.m., bit.ly/3HdXRdH Freeway Funk Yard Standup Comedy Friday, Feb. 4 Come watch some of LA’s top comics perform in an outdoor speakeasy in a large hidden lot nestled near a secret Westside LA freeway. Lineup includes Nick Hoff and Ryan Churchill.

Beer and wine available for donation. $15 per person.

5301 Grosvenor Street, Los Angeles, 8 to 10 p.m., bit.ly/3H2ByaA

Send event information at least 10 days in advance to kkirk@ timespublications.com

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Classifieds / Legals

DEADLINE: Monday at 11am for Thursdays CALL ANN: 626-584-8747 or EMAIL: ann@argonautnews.com

Lien Sales Notice of Self Storage Sale Please take notice US Storage Centers - Marina Del Rey located at 12700 Braddock Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90066 intends to hold an auction to sell the goods stored by the following tenants at the storage facility.

The sale will occur as an online auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 2/17/2022 at 10:00AM. Unless stated otherwise the description of the contents are household goods and furnishings. John Lewis Tandy.

All property is being stored at the above self-storage facility. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply. See manager for details.

PUBLISHED: Argonaut Newspaper 01/27/22, 02/03/22

626-584-8747

ann@argonautnews.com

Fic. Business Name FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2021269762 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: SEMICOLON BAKERY. 6601 Springpark Ave, Apt. 15 Los Angeles, CA 90056.

COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Brian Szczerbinski, 6601 Springpark Ave, Apt. 15 Los Angeles, CA 90056. State of Incorporation or LLC: California. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY an Individual. The date registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant know to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)). REGISTRANT/CORP/LLC NAME: Brian Szczerbinski.

TITLE: Owner. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: December 13, 2021. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: Argonaut Newspa per. Dates: 01/06/22, 01/13/22, 01/20/22, 01/27/22

change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: Argonaut Newspaper. Dates : 01/06/22, 01/13/22, 01/20/22, 01/27/22 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2022005946 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ETRUSCA GALLERY USA. 12 Spinnaker St. Marina del Rey, CA 90292. COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Etrusca LLC, 12 Spinnaker St. Marina del Rey, CA 90292. State of Incorporation or LLC: California. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY a Limited Liability Company. The date registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant know to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ( $ 1 , 0 0 0 ) ) .

REGISTRANT/CORP/LLC NAME: Paola Lorenzi. TITLE: CEO, Corp or LLC Name: Etrusca LLC. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: January 10, 2022.

NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 01/27/22, 02/03/22, 02/10/22, 02/17/22

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was filed with the LA County Clerk on: January 10, 2022.

NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 01/27/22, 02/03/22, 02/10/22, 02/17/22 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2022011129 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: HEAVEN'S CLOUD CO. 8939 SO. SEPULVEDA BLVD., SUITE 110-325, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Natalie Brush, 8939 SO. SEPULVEDA BLVD., SUITE 110325, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY an Individual.

The date registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant know to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)). REGISTRANT/CORP/LLC NAME: Natalie Brush. TITLE: Owner.

This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: January 18, 2022. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: Argonaut Newspaper. Dates : 01/27/22, 02/03/22, 02/10/22, 02/17/22

Summons SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) Case Number (Número del Caso): 21STCV16424 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): JOHN R. LEAK a/k/a JOHN R. LEAKE; TOP TIER COMPANIES L.L.C.; LUCKY 7 ENTERTAINMENT LLC; ALASKA MINING GROUP, LLC; VOLT COSMETICS, LLC; EAGLE MINING PARTNER LLC; VOLTAGE MANAGEMENT GROUP LLC; JUGGERNAUT FUNDING LLC; MIAMI ADORE PARTNERS, LLC; JRL SALT LAKE ORE, LLC; JOHN LEAKE,

ALASKA MINING GROUP, LLC; VOLT COSMETICS, LLC; EAGLE MINING PARTNER LLC; VOLTAGE MANAGEMENT GROUP LLC; JUGGERNAUT FUNDING LLC; MIAMI ADORE PARTNERS, LLC; JRL SALT LAKE ORE, LLC; JOHN LEAKE, CORP.; MARKETING MATRIX GROUP LLC; DOES 125 YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): TORY TEASURO NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff.

A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case.

There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal SerWeb site vices (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/espanol/), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio d e remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro.

Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelp-

es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro.

Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de C a l i f o r n i a , (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/espanol/) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Robert H. Dewberry, State Bar No. 89354, 34 Executive Park, Suite 210 Irvine, CA 92614; Tel: 949.955.2940 DATE (Fecha): April 30, 2021; Sherri R. Carter, Clerk (Secretario), by C. Monroe, Deputy (Adjunto) PUBLISH: Argonaut Newspaper 01/27/22, 02/03/22, 02/10/22, 02/17/22

The Argonaut

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JANUARY 27, 2022 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 21

LOS ANGELES TIMES SUNDAY CROSSWORD PUZZLE “ON THE JOB” By FRED PISCOP

BUDDY ODOR

I’m a woman in my mid-20s. In the last year, I’ve noticed that a number of my core friends have begun to exhibit traits and values that I don’t really identify with. I do my best to show up for them, but when I go through a hard time, they don’t seem all that concerned with my well-being.

However, I have a history with these people, so I feel I owe them my loyalty.

— Disappointed The fact that something has gone on for a while is not reason for it to continue. Take the long “history” of people eating people – dating back 100,000-plus years and still occasionally (though criminally) practiced today. These days, sure, there are restaurants that specialize in “traditional fare,” but their entrees tend to be roasted leg of lamb – as opposed to roasted leg of Bruce.

Likewise, the “because history!” argument for staying with a friend (“We’ve been in each other’s lives for 17 years!”) is not reason to braid each other’s hair and skip off together into year 18. “History” in the friendship context often means having lots of shared experiences (especially misadventures like ending up side-by-side in the back of a police car after getting caught shoplifting at age 10).

Some of these “historical” experiences – like your friend being there for you in tough times –can make you feel you’ve got an unpaid bill to work off, endlessly indentured friendservant-style. But do you actually owe them? Doing good for you probably did some good for them.

Research by psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky finds that two of the most effective ways we can make ourselves meaningfully happier are regularly “practicing acts of kindness” and “nurturing social relationships.” You might also consider that a friend who helped you surely did it by choice – not because you held her at gunpoint and demanded, “Listen to me sob about my ex for 26 hours straight!”

However, because we’re prone to feel guilty asking ourselves the legit (and healthy) question, “Hey, what do I get out of this friendship?”, we often end up populating our lives with fair-weather friends: there for us whenever they’re in need. Granted, friendship is not always 50/50.

However, if the give and take balance is generally 5/95, your friendship is less a friendship than a usership with a nicer name.

We tend to be hard on ourselves if

we end up with a collection of toxic friends – or friends who aren’t bad people but just aren’t good people for us. Though we believe we carefully handpick our friends according to shared values, attitudes, and interests, the formation of our friendships may have more in common with closing our eyes and throwing darts than with some Socratic inner dialogue on a potential friend’s merits. Psychologist Mitja Back finds we often form friendships through “mere proximity” – like being next-door neighbors or being assigned to sit next to each other for a semester in a college class.

Understanding this might help you be as discerning about your social world as you are about your physical one: “Um, maybe that house next to Acme Turn-You-Radioactive Chemicals is not such a steal.” This is vital because the sort of people you’re frequently around shapes who you are, seeping into your thinking, habits, and motivation. So, it’s important to have a “core” group of friends who share your values: the bedrock principles underlying the person you want to be (your ideal self).

These friends, simply by being who they are, will motivate you – monkey see; monkey do! – for example, inspiring you to work harder or smarter. Also, at times when you see nothing but gloom and doom, they’ll pop up all human flashlight to point out everything you’ve got going for you.

This isn’t to say you should exile every person in your life who doesn’t exactly share your values. Just be sure they’re in your life not because they’ve been there for eons but because you choose to keep them around: They’re fun; they share your sick obsession with the 1972 Pinto; or they need you and you feel good giving to them (though they can’t give back in equal measure).

If you decide to part company with opportunistic, emotionally toxic “friends,” avoid any temptation to take the “Off with your head!” approach – like abruptly disappearing without explanation. This is mean, and it can lead to ugliness and ostracism by mutual friends and acquaintances – as can “constructive” honesty: explaining that you can no longer be friends with such selfish users. It often pays to fade: Simply become increasingly less available...like for those amazing opportunities to devote your entire weekend to helping your bestie move – in exchange for a pepperoni and dust pizza they make you eat in the back of the U-Haul.

GOT A PROBLEM? Write to Amy Alkon at 171 Pier Ave, Ste. 280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email her at AdviceAmy@aol.com.

©2021, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Alkon’s latest book is “Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence.” Follow @amyalkon on Twitter or visit blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon.

PAGE 22 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION JANUARY 27, 2022

ACROSS 1 With 21-Across, marching band instrument 5 Feline weapons 10 Vineyard measure 14 Valuable find 19 James who co-wrote and sang “I’d Rather Go Blind” 20 Monsieur __: classic Jacques Tati role 21 See 1-Across 22 Had one’s fingers crossed 23 M.D. on “Wheel of Fortune”?

25 Fast-working “Downton Abbey” woman?

27 Indian menu word 28 “... a grin without a cat!” thinker 30 How aspirin is taken 31 Restful state 32 Promising moment, as of wit 33 Till stack 34 Madness 35 Coward’s lack, figuratively 36 Aparicio in Cooperstown 37 Dress (up) 40 Float like smoke rings 43 Painter in prison?

45 Crime novelist Paretsky 46 Crop up 48 “Nixon in China” role 49 Mutual influence 51 Speak like a rug?

52 Ideal for farming 55 Quilting events 56 Hurricane of 2011 57 The Who co-founder 59 Prepare for a race 61 Hot rod?

62 Shoppe preceder 63 CIA operative in the Arctic?

67 Dry run 70 Happy cap tosser 72 Delete 73 “And Still I Rise” poet 75 Unacceptable, as punishment 77 Caramel-topped dessert 78 Exodus obstacle 81 Chem class part 82 Partied hearty 84 Site for used cars 85 Short-vowel mark 87 “The West Wing” Emmy winner, 2006 88 One rating singles bar come-ons?

92 Smelter metals 93 __ hours 94 “Don’t play” music notation 95 Gazetteer stats 96 Drink from a snifter 98 Wall map marker 99 Princeton mascot 100 Cell feature 103 Trip up 106 Derby drink 107 Hill hundred 109 Gofer at a ballpark?

111 Displayer of truck-stop equipment?

113 Flirt with, say 114 Sign of spoilage 115 Marquesses’ inferiors 116 100-year-old chip brand 117 Ran standing still 118 Digs for pigs 119 Surprise ending 120 Put one over on DOWN 1 Awards adjective 2 For face value 3 “Fear Street” series author 4 Kids’ play places, across the pond

5 Settle on 6 Ill-gotten loot 7 Some choir members 8 Try to win over 9 Secure for the trip 10 Fan 11 Pain in the neck 12 Mystical character 13 Liberty’s LiMu, for one 14 Beatles’ “__ a Place” 15 Oblong tomatoes 16 Birthstone after sapphire 17 Bridal shop buy 18 Hot tub feature 24 One of a coupe’s pair 26 Time on a marquee 29 Clark’s teenage crush 32 Fishing line holder 33 Gives the heaveho 35 Nature’s bandage 36 White sale purchases 37 Bank worker with lots of stories?

38 City across the Mediterranean from Cartagena 39 Marvin of Motown 40 Guy hiding in a red-and-white striped shirt 41 Sans-serif font 42 Farmland tour giver?

44 Advertising gimmick 45 Elf 47 Melodic sense 48 Eponymous surgical family name 50 Tear 53 Tear 54 Hawke of “Sinister” 55 Less carpeted 58 One of Barbie’s

best friends 60 Hi-__ graphics 61 Seasonal song word 64 Back off 65 Give this for that 66 Historian’s subject 68 Dry Italian wine 69 Straws, e.g.

71 Cockpit gauge fig.

74 Be a chatterbox 75 Metaphorical sticking place 76 Auditioner’s goal 77 Pat down 79 English composer of the symphonic study “Falstaff” 80 “That __ it!”

83 Awards a seat to 86 Skiers’ aids 89 Corrections staffers 90 Push for 91 Like Jennifer Aniston’s eyes 94 Typed in ALL CAPS, maybe 96 Least wacky 97 Mosque leader 98 Not given to speeches 99 Yank at 100 Amoebae, e.g.

101 “The Kiss” sculptor 102 Recess rebuttal 103 Piedmont wine region 104 Hustled 105 Longtime Kentucky resource 106 Green hue 107 Bollywood attire 108 Whole lot 110 Uncorking sound 112 Rook’s call

Attorney Advertising

CLAIM DEADLINE: DEC 31, 2022

Abused by Clergy in California?

These individuals have been accused of child sexual abuse in California.

Fr. Ruben L. Abaya

Fr. Leonard Abercrombie

Fr. Fredrick Balak

Fr. Roberto Barco

Fr. Nicolas Deacon Arturo AguilarFederico Rivera Ahumada

Fr. Kevin P. Barmasse

Fr. Matthias A. Berumen

Fr. Pierre Albalaa

Fr. Roger Anderson

Bishop Juan Arzube

Br. Gregory Atherton

Fr. Michael Baker

Fr. Honesto Bismonte

Fr. Robert Boley

Fr. (Msgr.)

Leland Boyer

Fr. John Lawrence Brennan

Br. Lawrence Brown

NOT PICTURED Fr. Willliam Allison Fr. Jose Alonso Fr. Sebastian Altamirano Torres Fr. Michael D. Buckley

Fr. Honorato Cabaong

Br. Samuel Cabot

Fr. Lynn Caffoe

Fr. David Fr. Michael (Laurian) Carrier J. Carroll (Carriere)

Fr. Edward Casey

Fr. David E. Anderson Fr. Andres Arias

If you have information regarding alleged abuse or its cover-up involving these men, ACT NOW.

Contact us Confidentially

1-800-ITS-TIME

TM

Lawsuits were filed in California involving these alleged perpetrators. The vast majority of claims against these individuals have not been fully evaluated in a civil or criminal court.

The allegations should not be considered proved or substantiated in a court of law. All individuals should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

AndersonAdvocates.com 12011 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 700 Los Angeles, CA 90049

JANUARY 27, 2022 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 23

Your Journey starts at SMC

Classes start

February 14 smc.edu/spring

SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rob Rader, Chair; Dr. Louise Jaffe, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Dr. Sion Roy; Barry A. Snell; Ali Shirvani, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu