NEWS & SALES OFFICE PO Box 1349 South Pasadena, CA 91031
LETTERS
Mike Bonin’s lack of leadership on homelessness
Editor:
The recent increase in homelessness in Venice, specifically the last two years, is due directly to Councilman Michael Bonin’s lack of leadership and planning. I
have lived in Venice since 1991 and have never seen the number of homeless in Venice so rampant, and more importantly, see the number of unhoused people be so confrontational. Both issues are being caused by Bonin’s lack of leadership as a
city official. He claims to be spearheading solutions, but if one takes an in-depth look, one will see he helped create the current situation happening in Venice. Unsheltered homelessness in Los Angeles is not a new issue nor is it at its all-time high. Based upon LA County’s own data, 2020 had 48,000 unsheltered homeless people. In 2005, there were 53,000 unsheltered homeless. That means there are 10% fewer unsheltered people now than in 2005. But the state of affairs in Venice is exponentially more problematic than in 2005. The reason for this is the city of LA’s handling of where and how to deal with unsheltered homeless.
There were hundreds of homeless (sheltered and unsheltered) living in a controlled area near the airport, the area between Manchester, La Cienega, Century and Aviation. This area is approximately 100 acres that are owned by the city of LA within Bonin’s district. The city and airport had development plans, and in 2019 they fenced off the area to begin the airport expansion, forcing these hundreds of homeless people out without providing any relocation help. All
of these unhoused people needed to go somewhere and have ended up in Venice and the surrounding area.
When Bonin says to the local residents of Venice that he “wishes he could remove the homeless, but his hands are tied due to legal issues”, why did those same issues not exist when the city forcibly removed them from city-owned property? If Bonin was a true leader, his office would have offered a real vision for handling the removal of the homeless from that area and done so with the community’s help, thereby curtailing the situation we are now witnessing.
When Bonin says he is looking at all options to house the homeless and help deal with the Venice homeless situation, his actions do not bear that out. When the MTA lot was converted into homeless housing, Bonin informed the Venice community this facility would not house local homeless, but would instead bring homeless from outside Venice. This same situation is happening again with the use of the Ramada Inn on Washington Boulevard, where again, unhoused people from outlying areas will be given the
opportunity for housing while the current Venice encampments continue to grow.
There is a huge amount of vacant land in his district between Vista del Mar and Pershing that used to be homes that the city purchased and demoed so they could expand LAX. This area could be used immediately to temporarily house the majority of unhoused people now camping on the Venice Boardwalk and throughout the city and county. The city doesn’t want to consider this land because it will make the homeless their issue rather than the local community.
The Venice community is open to working with the city of LA to find equitable solutions, but desperately needs help with shifting the paradigm that “the unhoused have a right to choose to stay that way” that Bonin espouses. He uses this paradigm whenever it suits him. If the city needs to build something then it is OK to move the homeless without consideration, but if a resident wants to use the sidewalk, the homeless are not required to move.
District 11, Venice especially,
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Newly installed easy access to the water from the Venice Boulevard parking lot.
CREDIT: KRIS DAHLIN
needs a council person that understands its specific needs and is willing to listen and address them, not ignore them. We need a solid plan that incorporates city and county participation, especially with mental health issues to address how to help those people who explicitly say they want to stay unhoused.
This is an untenable option that city residents and businesses shouldn’t have to face alone. District 11 does not need a councilman who has his own agenda that doesn’t sync with any part of the district he represents.
Mark Van Gessel Venice
June is National Dairy Month Editor:
June is National Dairy Month. Time to review the financial, ethical and nutritional burden created by the dairy industry.
This week, NPR reported that New York dairy farmers, who are blaming slumping sales on the pandemic, are expecting more subsidies. As a resident of New York, where dairy is the number one agricultural export, I find this particularly distasteful.
Dairy is an outdated industry that relies on a cycle of constant insemination and impregnation of cows to produce milk intended for their offspring. Newborn calves are torn from their mothers so we
can steal their milk for human consumption. At a rate of 24 billion gallons a year nationwide.
Dairy products are laden with cholesterol, saturated fats, hormones, pathogens and antibiotics, leading to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Many people lack the enzyme for digesting dairy products.
But help is on the way. Food manufacturers have developed excellent nut and grain-based milks, cheeses, yogurts, and ice cream. U.S. sales alone are expcted to exceed $2 billion this year.
It is time for everyone to explore plant-based dairy products, for the sake of our economy, our personal health, and the health of the animals.
Respectfully,
Eric C Lindstrom Executive Director Farm Animal Rights Movement
Corona by the numbers & local updates
Compiled by Kamala Kirk
Cases and deaths by neighborhood as of June 6:
Culver City: 2,231 (deaths 110); Del Rey: 32 (deaths one); El Segundo: 734 (deaths six); Marina del Rey: 395 (deaths four); Mar Vista: 2,082 (deaths 37); Palms: 2,622 (deaths 61); Playa del Rey: 115 (deaths one); Playa Vista: 611 (deaths nine); Santa Monica: 4,841 (deaths 183); Venice: 1,731 (deaths 13); Westchester: 2,553 (deaths 49)
Total Westside cases: 17,947
Total Westside deaths: 474
Total confirmed cases in LA County: 1,245,120
Total deaths in LA County: 24,389
Total new cases as of June 6: 213
Total new deaths: One
Hospitalizations: 259
Positivity rate (seven-day daily average): .40%
Total number of people tested: 6,822,726
(Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
COMMUNITY
Field of Flags
Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey hosts Memorial Day fundraiser and tribute
By Kamala Kirk
Over Memorial Day weekend, the Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey (WCPDR) hosted a Field to Flags fundraiser and tribute to fallen military heroes who bravely gave their lives for our country during times of conflict.
The tribute was held outdoors on the south side of the club house, and between 30 to 40 members and guests were in attendance. Margarita Diosomito, WCPDR president, opened the ceremony with a moment of silence, followed by a dedication.
Club sister Kathy Davison read a Memorial Day inspiration, and club sister Sheila Walsh sang a beautiful rendition of “God Bless America.” Personal tributes and words of thanks and appreciation were shared by many attendees, naming friends and family whose memories were brought to mind during Memorial Day.
Prior to the event, a handful of
Over Memorial Day weekend, the Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey hosted a Field to Flags fundraiser and tribute to fallen military heroes.
club volunteers planted 120 American flags on the center median on Manchester Avenue, which were on display over the weekend. The flags were donated by members who
purchased them. Placards were attached to 40 of the flags, naming the person of their
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choice for dedication. The Woman’s Club hopes to continue this as a tradition every year and eventually place enough flags to fill the median from Falmouth Avenue to Gulana Avenue.
The fundraiser raised $1,300 which will benefit Shelter to Soldier, a California nonprofit that rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to become psychiatric service dogs for post-9/11 combat veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“The Field of Flags experience was a moving tribute to the brave men and women who did not make it home, as they fought for our freedom,” said Teri Mesina, first vice president, General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey. “I am profoundly grateful for their sacrifice, as they are enduring heroes that must always be remembered.”
Prior to the event, a handful of club volunteers planted 120 American flags on the center median on Manchester Avenue, which were on display over the weekend.
Path to Success
Venice YouthBuild alum Rodrigo Vazquez earns national scholarship
By Kamala Kirk YouthBuild USA alumni
Rodrigo Vazquez is a recipient of the 2020 Helene D. Stoneman Scholarship and Civic Leadership Program.
The scholarship provides $1,000 awards to outstanding YouthBuild graduates who have been recognized for excellence in civic engagement, community leadership and academic achievement, with special emphasis on the students’ academic promise.
“I am so grateful to be a Stoneman Scholar and receive this scholarship,” Vazquez said.
“When I was young, I overcame many obstacles with the support of my YouthBuild family. Now, I’m committed to helping others succeed and achieve their goals. It is an honor to continue representing YouthBuild while pursuing higher education.”
YouthBuild USA is the nonprofit support center for a global network of 290 local YouthBuild programs in 18 countries, with
233 programs in 46 U.S. states and territories, and 57 programs in 17 other countries.
In YouthBuild programs,
between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed – pursue their education, prepare for future careers and grow into community
leaders, building brighter futures for themselves and their neighborhoods.
YouthBuild primarily serves young people who lack a high school diploma and financial resources, and partners with them to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood and leadership.
The Stoneman Scholarship was established by YouthBuild founder Dorothy Stoneman and her sister Elinor Stoneman Shaffer, in honor of their mother, Helene D. Stoneman.
The scholarship recognizes YouthBuild graduates who share Helene’s passion for leadership and education. Since 2005, the Helene D. Stoneman Scholarship and Civic Leadership Program has awarded 314 gifts to 155 YouthBuild graduates attending post-secondary education or training, providing $620,000 to assist YouthBuild graduates with their post-secondary education.
“Our Stoneman Scholars have
dedicated themselves to lifelong learning, livelihood and leadership,” said John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild USA.
“We’re proud to celebrate this group of deserving honorees and support their pursuit of higher education. We need their passion – and grit – in the years to come.”
Vazquez, who is working toward a master’s degree in social work at UCLA, is a 2004 graduate of Venice YouthBuild.
Along with the other winners, Vazquez submitted a personal essay, personal recommendation and college transcripts, and was chosen from a pool of applicants. The recipients of the 2020 Stoneman Scholarships are pursuing associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a variety of fields.
Some have recently graduated from their YouthBuild program, while others are alumni who are still involved with the movement.
Venice YouthBuild graduate Rodrigo Vazquez was named a recipient of the 2020 Helene D. Stoneman Scholarship and Civic Leadership Program.
Learn about the Ocean
The Venice Oceanarium is looking for volunteers to join its Docent Training Program
By Kamala Kirk
Just steps from the worldrenowned Venice Boardwalk, ecosystems are teeming with wildlife.
Those who have wanted to explore tide pools and wetlands or watch the elusive grunion spawn, have their chance to do so.
The Venice Oceanarium is looking for volunteers to join its Docent Training Program. Everyone is welcome and neither a marine biology background nor knowledge is required. The Docent Training Program provides participants with great tools, resources and education. There are many opportunities to get involved including kids programs, oceanographic research, art projects, tech support and behind-the-scenes assistance.
The Venice Oceanarium is a nonprofit based in Venice Beach. Since 1995, its programs, which integrate science
The Venice Oceanarium, a nonprofit based in Venice Beach, is looking for volunteers to join its Docent Training Program, which will provide participants with great tools, resources and education.
with the arts, have inspired kids of all ages. COVID-19 forced the Oceanarium to scale back on its programming, but during the pandemic the organization utilized its downtime to brainstorm a full schedule of interactive events. It will soon launch activities and the staff looks forward to it.
“You’ll enjoy learning about the ocean, history and culture of Venice Beach from trained marine biologists and locals,” said Tim Rundnick, founder of the Venice Oceanarium.
“Experience the delight of sharing your knowledge and igniting passion with kids of all ages. Have fun learning while giving back and inspiring stewards of our previous environment.”
For more information, email donna@veniceoceanarium.org. To sign up, visit veniceoceanarium.org
Supportive Housing
City Planning Commission votes in favor of Reese Davidson Project
By Katie Lulla
The City Planning Commission approved the Reese Davidson Project’s requested actions in a public hearing via Zoom on May 27. The Reese Davidson Project will be statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and will amend two general plans and one specific plan.
The Reese Davidson Project will replace a parking lot and two-story residential structure with a dual lot consisting of a permanent supportive housing structure, a retail lot, restaurant space, art studio and parking structure.
The hearing started with a presentation from Ira Brown, city planning associate for the city of Los Angeles Department of City Planning. Toward the end of the presentation, he highlighted the
reasoning behind the exemption from CEQA.
“The project meets the definition of supportive housing outlined in Health and Safety code section 50675.14 and the requirements contained in government codes section 65651,” Brown said. “ In addition, the project is funded by
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY
CONSULTATION
measure H.”
Jamie Hall, the appellant representative, outlined the negative environmental effects of the Reese Davidson Project and stressed that the project is not entirely an affordable housing structure. He said the project could not proceed without being subject to CEQA.
“The city was indeed preparing an EIR for this project and had conducted an initial study in 2018 that showed significant environmental impacts to a variety of resourced categories including [...] greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous waste, hydrology and water quality, [etc.],” Hall said. “The city, in this case, takes the position that the statutory exemption removes the requirements to evaluate and mitigate the environmental impacts of this project.”
The Reese Davidson Project’s applicant representatives, DJ Moore and Beth Cordy, spoke in favor of the project. Afterward, opposing and supporting residents were given one hour of public comment. A majority of the opposing residents were in favor of the project, but wanted a housing structure built faster, cheaper and under stricter environmental codes. Supporting residents said the benefits outweighed the potential negative effects.
Officers and commissioners then responded to the public’s concerns and support of the Reese Davidson Project. Representatives for Councilman Mike Bonin of the 11th District and Mayor Eric Garcetti said both politicians will consider community concerns for future adjustments to the housing project. Jacqueline Wagner, chief administrative analyst in the Office of the City Administrative Office of Los Angeles, opened
the officer commentary and commissioner deliberation by giving an overview of the project and emphasizing the benefits.
“The Reese Davidson community will include 140 affordable and supportive units, 50% for formerly homeless households, 20% for low-income artists, 25% for other low-income households,” Wagner said.
During the comment portion of the hearing, supporters and the opposition had differing views on this division of housing. Supporters commented that building 140 housing units was the least the Venice community could do to provide affordable housing, while opponents said the project took up too much time and money for so few units.
In the officer and commissioner commentary, the opposing and supporting residents’ views on the cost of the project were reiterated.
“[The project shows] a price tag of nearly $750,000 per unit. At this rate, it would cost over $22 trillion to house 30,000 people,” said Alex Neiman of the Venice Neighborhood Council. “[Quoting Judge David O’Carter], The humanitarian crisis on the streets of Venice is neither alleviated nor changed for those who can’t afford to wait for enough inexpensive housing to be built years later and millions of dollars over budget.”
“I do not like the cost of housing, but having worked in affordable housing for a lot of years, it’s an ongoing problem,” countered commissioner Jenna Hornstock. “And I don’t like it and I don’t blame anybody else for not liking it, but just saying ‘no’ isn’t going to fix it.”
In addition to the cost of the project, a minority of opposing residents emphasized their concerns over the theft, drug use, and an increase in violence from other bridge housing projects.
“If you wait for someone to be sober before putting a roof over their head, they will die on the street,” commission president Samantha Millman later said in response.
Other commissioners and public commenters stressed that not every homeless person is inclined to crime and that most people on the streets are not there of their own volition.
The opposing and supporting sides also commented on the ecological effects of the Reese
Davidson Project. The opposition said it would be irresponsible to bypass environmental reports on the project, while supporters prioritized the benefits of low-income housing.
“The subject site is a subversive parking lot with minimal vegetation,” Brown said. “No work is propped in the existing rideaway or grand canal, which is an artificially constructed waterway with concrete sidewalks on both sides.”
Brown also stated that while the project was exempt from CEQA, all other health and public safety codes would be followed. He did not address the unprotected 24 on-site trees and 11 street trees that will be removed.
When continuing the discussion over the one site being a parking lot, opponents of the project cited the permanent lack of parking and the possible failure of the automatic parking structure that will replace the parking lot.
“What I hear people wanting is that they want to park and this project is replacing the parking,” Hornstock said. “This is maintaining that use and adding more. I think forward-thinking parking in terms of reducing [the carbon] footprint of parking with the [automation] is the future for this city.”
In addition, to the advancement of parking technology, residents in support of the Reese Davidson Project continually mentioned the project not only serving as permanent housing, but as an attempt to bring back Venice’s artistic culture. Several commissioners agreed with this outlook.
“I really hope what you get to see several years down the road when this is open and you get to use the wonderful spaces, the [artistic] uses, and whatever coffee shops it brings and celebrate this new housing for your neighbors and celebrate that the city is trying to look at a multitude of solutions for housing,” Hornstock said.
“We’re not just building buildings, we’re building community and that’s what this is supporting.
“[It’s] building a community that’s just not homeless folks, but bringing some diversity back into Venice, which is the ideal,” said commissioner Karen Mack. “If it was easy to build this kind of housing, we wouldn’t be in this crisis.”
William J.Wickwire, M.D.
Neal M. Ammar, M.D.
COMMUNITY
Facilitating Change
New Westside-based social justice app matches people with worthy causes
By Haley Beyer
Social impact BIPOC tech founder, Chloe Cheyenne, recently launched COMMUNITYx, a new activism-based app headquartered in Santa Monica.
Cheyenne was employed by Google but decided to go and create something more meaningful after her African American father was left disabled after a police brutality incident.
“The more people I talked to, the more I realized how many people had issues they deeply cared about and wanted a way to take action,” Cheyenne said.
COMMUNITYx is a space for allies to unite. It matches people and brands with their desired causes using actionable content. It moves away from the normal social media platforms where “actions” are just a comment or double tap/favorite/like. The app also keeps important information from getting lost in the Instagram algorithm, censored or shadow banned. It helps build meaningful connections through joint efforts toward tangible change.
With COMMUNITYx, participants can find the causes they care about and have deep, genuine conversations with others while sharing information.
“The best part so far was when the app launched,” Cheyenne said.
“There were thousands of people from around the world joining who were having very important conversations that they wouldn’t feel comfortable having on other platforms.” The app aids in setting up
virtual protests, one-click petitions, event coordination, funding for events and community organizing.
The main categories are health, government, racial justice, education, economy, environment, civil rights and human rights. There are subcategories within each category to focus on more specific issues.
If an issue isn’t covered, it can be submitted for review. This ensures all information and action on the app is professional, safe, and within the guidelines of its mission.
“We want COMMUNITYx to be a space where people can be themselves and do good,” Cheyenne said.
The app matches people and brands with causes using actional content to facilitate tangible change such as virtual protests, one-click petitions, fundraising and community organizing for various causes.
COMMUNITYx makes sure its board and executive teams have the most intersectional and diverse group of people working behind the app. This includes “American Horror Story” actress, trans-rights activist and tech entrepreneur, Angelica Ross, along with NBA legendturned-tech-mogul, Baron Davis.
“Their support means everything to me,” Cheyenne said. “It is such a unique opportunity to have people like them put their names behind this project.”
On-screen, Ross made history as the first female transgender actress to be in two series regular roles and was recognized for her fierce and moving
performances. She has been just as powerful off-screen, leading the movement for transgender and racial equality.
Ross founded and is currently the CEO of TransTech, a social enterprise that provides education and support for transgender people that want to enter the tech field.
Ross was also the first openly trans person to host an American presidential forum in 2020 on LGBTQ issues.
These experiences and roles have made her well-versed in COMMUNITYx’s social impact mission on a large scale, making her a perfect fit as a board member.
“What I love about COMMU-
NITYx is that it closes the gap between information and action,” Ross said.
“With this app, we can form coalitions and create actionable content to make real change. For me, that might be trans rights and black liberation. For others, it might be climate change or social justice. When it comes to fighting the good fight, you’ll find that you’re not alone on COMMUNITYx.”
Next month, the COMMUNITYx team will release a coalition of celebrity activists who will support the campaign in the summer to bring awareness.
For more information, visit communityx.tech
COMMUNITYx is a new social justice app that was founded by BIPOC tech entrepreneur Chloe Cheyenne.
COMMUNITY
Riding Forward
Metro, LADOT relaunch new and improved Bike Share System on the Westside
By Kamala Kirk
Officials from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) recently held a press event and ribbon-cutting ceremony at Expo/Bundy E Line Station to relaunch the popular Metro Bike Share System on the Westside.
The Bike Share System was suspended last September to convert the bike fleet, plan new station sites and make key improvements.
Fifty-four upgraded Metro Bike Share stations have been installed on the Westside, including two new stations at Dockweiler State Beach and Toes Beach, with more to come.
Metro also has plans to add 13 other stations for a total of 67 in the Westside communities of Santa Monica, Venice, Mar
Vista, Palms, Playa Vista and surrounding areas. Additional stations will be sited in Westside communities along the E Line, including West-
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wood and Sawtelle. Therefore, electric bikes will be available from Downtown LA to the Westside.
The improved Metro Bike
Share System employs Classic Metro Bikes and docking stations, and Westside riders can connect seamlessly with the Metro Bike Share System in
Downtown Los Angeles.
The Classic Bikes are stationbased, simpler to use, feature adjustable seats and wide tires for comfort, roomy front baskets, three speeds, and include an electric-assist option. The bikes have geofencing limitations that restrict the ability to use them outside areas of the Westside without incurring additional usage fees.
To ride, purchase a pass online or at any Classic Metro Bike station. Rides costs $1.75 for every 30 minutes.
After purchasing a pass, the bike can be released with a TAP card, phone number and credit card, or using the Metro Bike Share app.
To end the ride, return the bike to any Classic Metro Bike station.
For more information and a map of all available Westside stations and bikes, visit bikeshare.metro.net/stations
SocialEats launches new partnership with Coco to offer zero-emission food drop-off
By Kamala Kirk
SocialEats recently launched a partnership with Coco, a remotely piloted delivery service, enabling customers to have droids drop off their food orders from the food hall directly to their door.
SocialEats is a space where modern cuisine meets a one-ofa-kind community experience, all built upon a foundation of stellar culinary concepts. Coco partners with restaurants and markets to make their local deliveries more affordable and sustainable.
Available for free local delivery within a 2-mile radius from Third Street Promenade on orders over $15, customers can combine menu items from any restaurant in the same order at SocialEats’ website.
For large orders, multiple robots will be dispatched, but orders over 2 miles away will be assigned to a human.
Deliveries within a 2-mile
SocialEats has launched a partnership with Coco, enabling customers to have their food orders dropped off directly at their door by droids.
radius placed via DoorDash will also be powered by Coco so customers can enjoy the benefits of the no-contact, human-piloted, zero-emission delivery robot program.
“Partnering with Coco Delivery is a natural evolution of SocialEats as the next generation of social dining and delivery experiences,” said John Kolaski, owner of SocialEats and K2
Restaurants.
“By offering no-human contact delivery via human-piloted ‘cocobots,’ we hope to send a message that SocialEats remains committed to the safety, health
and environment of our communities, while still focused on offering restaurant dining in a unique and convenient way.” For more information, visit ordersocialeats.com
Metro and LADOT recently announced the official relaunch of the popular Metro Bike Share System on the Westside. COURTESY
FOOD & DRINK
A Taste of Mexico
Vamonos Tacos opens in Culver City
Tacos is a new neighborhood taco and margarita bar in Culver City that serves Mexican-inspired flavors and dishes.
By Katie Lulla
Upon walking through the doors of Vamonos Tacos, guests are greeted by the smell of the flavorful mesquite smoke and craveable homemade tacos.
Chef Luciano Ramirez and owner Marcelo Ahn have given Culver City a little piece of Mexico by creating a genuine taqueria.
“When you try to do too much, you lose authenticity,” Ramirez said. “The way we offer a taco is the way a taco has been made from day one.”
When the pandemic occurred, Ahn closed his previous restaurant, The Wallace, and opened a more fun and casual restaurant.
Initially, he wanted to follow his success with a steakhouse, but soon found a passion for true Mexican food.
“I didn’t know I was going to do Mexican food until about October of last year,” Ahn said.
“After about two months of traveling [to Mexico], I fell in love with the food. I was puzzled because I actually did not eat a lot of Mexican food in California, and I came to realize that I did not enjoy eating it here, but I did in Mexico.”
After a few solo trips to Mexico, Ahn persuaded Ramirez to visit Baja and taste tacos from Tijuana to Ensenada. There, the two learned a few tips to create a truly Mexican taco.
Ramirez said he believed he was using the wrong maseca. He had white tortillas and thought he needed to find yellow ones.
He saw Tijuana cooks using fresh maseca and soaking the corn overnight in an alkaline solution before grinding it.
“It explained everything,” Ramirez said.
The technique Ramirez discovered is called nixtamalization, a process dating back to the 13th century that brings out the corn’s natural oils and is a great source of vitamins.
Unlike factory-made tacos, these are fresh and delicious, he said.
After finding a base for the tacos, the pair searched for a way to cook the meat authentically. They decided to follow tradition and chose a mesquite grill over a charbroiler.
“People do notice when you serve [mesquite grilled meat] on tacos,” Ramirez said. “They can taste it and it has the charred flavor that makes it authentic.”
One of the most popular tacos is the Birria, a brisket stew cooked for three hours in consommé broth and braised with guajillo and chile ancho. The stew is then poured into a taco to reflect the Tijuana adaptation. The runner-up is the carne asada, which is grilled on mesquite and seasoned with salt only. This puts the flavor of the meat front and center instead of
masking it with a sauce.
To make Vamonos Tacos as close to the original Mexican taco, they used the same type of meat.
“When I visited several taquerias in [Mexico], I was looking at the meat because it goes from raw to the charcoal, as they grill it right in front of you, and I recognized the meat as sirloin,” Ahn said. “Most of the restaurants in California are using flank, for some reason, but we decided to use sirloin just like the people in Mexico do.”
Led by Ricardo Martinez, the expansive drink menu focuses on fresh ingredients and quality alcohol.
In the past few weeks, more than 80% of the drinks ordered have been margaritas.
Although the best seller depends on the day, the top four flavors are the traditional lime, strawberry, cucumber jalapeno, and pineapple. Just like the tacos, original margaritas are made from scratch.
“We’re trying to be as authentic as possible, a lot of people have changed stuff that’s been done for hundreds of years,” Ahn said.
“I feel like it would be cheating if I put my own twist on food that’s been done for so long.”
Vamonos Tacos is located at 3833 Main St., Culver City. For more information, call 310-202-6400 or visit vamonos-tacos.com
Vamonos
Venice-based tattoo artist Dillon Forte is one of the world’s top artists in sacred geometry design.
Leaving His Mark
Dillon Forte goes where no tattoo artist has gone before
By Kamala Kirk
One of the world’s top artists in sacred geometry design, Venice-based tattoo artist Dillon Forte views art as an extension of the body. From Morocco to Mount Everest, he has traveled across the globe, finding inspiration in all corners of the world and amidst nature.
It’s reflected in his harmonious designs.
Forte’s clientele includes Usher, Kehlani, Kat Von D, Imagine Dragons’ bassist Ben McKee and NFL linebacker DeAndre Levy.
One of his most memorable experiences was flying to
Morocco to tattoo Chris Hemsworth, who was filming “Men in Black: International.”
“That was one of the most interesting experiences, I came from the London Tattoo Convention and met up with Chris at his hotel,” Forte said.
“We had been talking for a while about doing a piece for him. His daughter was there looking at my drawings and while she was doodling, she created a design based off one of mine, so I tattooed it on his arm.
Another time I flew a helicopter out to a location above Base Camp on Mount Everest to do a tattoo for someone.”
On another occasion, Forte tattooed himself while visiting the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Within the king’s chamber, he tattooed three dots on himself to represent the alignment of the pyramids with the Orion star system.
“I had my tools in a fanny pack and the tiniest little setup, it was a really cool experience,” Forte said.
“I’m super into anthropology and Egyptology. I love learning about history, why we are here, what happened in the past and how that relates to what’s happening now.”
Forte enjoys traveling because
it gives him a break from his routine and opens him up to new ideas and inspiration. He regularly attends tattoo conventions around the world and has traveled to Bali, Japan, Nepal, Tahiti, Singapore, Mexico, among other places.
“My parents took me traveling frequently and it’s one of my biggest passions,” Forte said.
“I’m very ritualistic and routine-based, but I also like to have a complete break from that to have new experiences and adventures. I love being outside and I’m really inspired by ancient wisdom, which a lot of people overlook because they
don’t understand it. True innovation comes from understanding the past and ancient practices.”
Born in Santa Monica, Forte moved to the Bay Area with his parents and grew up in Oakland and Berkeley.
His mom was an author and his dad was a fashion photographer, so Forte grew up exposed to the arts. The book “The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life” by Drunvalo Melchizedek fueled his geometric inspiration and has remained a foundation of his work.
“My parents always had books around so I would read about a
PHOTOS BY LUIS CHAVEZ
variety of topics like numerology, astrology and philosophy,” Forte said.
Forte skateboarded and created art as a child and teenager, and enrolled in art classes at Berkeley City College.
He got his start with a tattoo apprenticeship when he was 19, then went on to work at various tattoo shops around the Bay Area before ultimately opening his own studio in Oakland.
“After I broke my ankle skateboarding, I realized I probably wasn’t going to pursue that anymore, so I decided to focus on art,” Forte said.
“The first tattoo I did was on myself – it was a star on my hand in between my thumb and index finger. A lot of people are nervous about the permanence of tattoos, I don’t get that. I got my tattoos as a reminder of impermanence and mortality, you only have about 90 years at best with your tattoos, so I never thought of them as a permanent thing.”
Forte’s signature sacred geometry style features various motifs including mandalas, cubes, line work and black dots, as well as tribal and spiritual influences.
“The term ‘sacred geometry’ was coined due to the architectural styles of temples, churches and mosques, which all use these mathematical principles to inspire awe and give the appearance of perfection,” Forte said.
“I create all kinds of imagery, it’s all black and gray now, I don’t really do color anymore.
For me, it’s like a language. I’m trying to say something with my work. I want my work to feel integrated with the body, I call it the ‘infinity pool effect.’ For instance, you look at an arm, it has a silhouette but you don’t see the end of the design, it just continues off forever into the distance.”
Forte said, through his occupation, he enjoys meeting different people and helping them build and share their creative visions.
“I get to hang out and collaborate with different people every day,” Forte shared.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do each day to some extent, and I get to think outside the box to help tell a story that is important and share some insight into the mysteries of our world.
“Creating visual art with needles on another human’s
body is way more interesting and high stakes. There’s an element of rebellion and danger that makes it appealing.”
Two years ago, Forte moved back to the Westside and eventually opened shop in Venice Beach.
He recently relocated to a new space on Lincoln Boulevard, which has a private tattoo studio and an art gallery that displays his canvas work and sculptural collaborations.
“I moved back here to switch things up and am way happier now,” Forte said.
“I like the beach, and I love the vibrant and positive vibes here. I’ve been painting my whole life, and even though I spend most of my time tattooing, I try to make limited capacity paintings that are also for sale.”
“My latest collection is a series of abstract geometric paintings about order and chaos. It’s like a study of sacred geometry in the medium that is painting.”
Forte has multiple projects that he’s working on, including a sacred geometry app that will allow people to design and draw, making sacred geometry more accessible.
Forte is also building a marketplace where people can buy and sell tattoo designs with a sense of authenticity.
Last year, Forte launched Forte Tattoo Tech, a line of ecofriendly tattoo products he created as a solution to help solve the issue of excessive plastic use in the tattoo industry.
He custom developed innovative products including ink caps, bottle bags, eco-cling film, rinse cups, razors and clip cord sleeves using natural renewable plant-based resources such as hemp, bamboo, cornstarch and sugarcane.
“Tattooing uses enormous amounts of plastic and nonbiodegradable materials,” Forte shared.
“The amount of trash produced is insane, especially by tattoo studios, and it’s only going to continue to increase. I love nature and I don’t want to see it destroyed. We need to make our supplies out of renewable resources. I don’t want to complain about things that I’m not actively changing, so I decided to be part of the solution. I think all things are possible.”
For more information, visit fortetattootechnology.com, dillonforte.com
collaborations on
Forte’s tattoo studio and art gallery in Venice features his canvas work and sculptural
display.
Last year, Forte launched Forte Tattoo Tech, a line of eco-friendly tattoo products to help solve the issue of excessive plastic use in the tattoo industry.
ARTS & EVENTS
Celebration of Love
Family-friendly Pride event shines colorful lights on Rainbow Road Art Walk
By Bridgette M. Redman
This June, rainbows will light up miles of artwork celebrating Pride in Santa Monica.
After last year’s Pride events had to be suspended because of COVID, organizers are hoping to make this year’s event a family-friendly celebration of love in every color.
Central to the celebration will be the Rainbow Road Art Walk, a stretch of visual art created by LGBTQIA+ artists. Several organizations are collaborating to make Pride happen in a year of uncertainty. They include the Santa Monica Pier, Downtown Santa Monica, Santa Monica Place, City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, and Allies in Art. Rainbow Road Art Walk, which will be a pathway spanning miles of city streets, will be lit up with rainbow-colored lights. It will stretch through Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place and Santa Monica Pier.
The city celebrated its first-ever family-friendly Pride celebration in 2019 and was excited about how it would build into the next year.
“We had this wonderful momentum and then in 2020, we had to close it all down like the rest of the world,” said Kathleen Rawson, CEO of Downtown Santa Monica. “It was unclear to what level we’d be able to gather in person this year, so the team put together this Rainbow Road Art Walk that highlights gay and lesbian artists with these wonderful partnerships. We’re looking at this as a bit of a transitional year, hoping to pull out all the stops again next year.”
This marks the first year that they’ve issued an open call for visual artists to participate in Art Walk. Downtown Santa Monica turned to Allies in the Arts, a local nonprofit whose mission is to support women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists. Allies in Arts will curate the installation and they selected the final artist participants. Rainbow Road Art Walk is open through June 30.
Rainbow lights shed boldness on event
The light installation started several years ago. Rawson said it was the end of an evolution of brainstorming trying to figure
out how they could add a bold, multicolored element to Pride.
They talked about painting the sidewalks, but discarded the idea. Once they came upon the idea of the rainbow lights, they tried it and it was a huge hit.
“People can walk under it at night and it fills your heart with joy,” Rawson said. “It was all over Instagram because it is very beautiful and easy for people to take advantage of. It’s a bold statement visually and programmatically.”
Allies in Arts considered the dozens of submissions they received and settled on two for the Pier, three for Santa Monica Place and seven for along the Third Street Promenade. As of mid-May, there was still the possibility that they might bring on additional collaborators or fabricators if there is room.
“It’s a really dynamic collection, something I’m excited about,” said Drew Denny, co-founder and creative director of Allies in Arts. “There are amazing murals that will be
painted right on the pier bridge to photography installed in vacant storefronts on the Promenade.”
A variety of work
The works chosen range from those that are being created specifically for Santa Monica Pride and those that are extensions of other projects the artists have already done. They also run the gamut of contemporary art.
Two trans artists, James Daniel and Kyle Lasky, are creating an interactive multimedia installation. People can interact with it, take photos and then share them on social media to declare that they stand with trans youth.
Chris Classen will install his existing work of “Love Letters.” They are a collection of sculptures made with fluorescent light bulbs. When each light turns on, it flashes beautiful, sweet and evocative excerpts from love letters.
On the pier, a group known as Very Gay Paint will be painting a mural that is a new work.
Parisa Parnian is also making a mural that will be installed on Third Street. It’s a large-format vinyl wrap that features Santa Monica in it as a vision of Pride being an inclusive event.
Drawn from the queer community
Denny said that all the partners spent a lot of time ensuring that they had the same vision for this year’s Pride. One thing they all felt was important was that LGBTQ+ people curated the art works and determined who the exhibitors would be.
“We want to make sure that the decision makers are from the community that this is supposed to support,” Denny said. “So whenever we have a project that is, for example, Pride, that is geared toward queer-identified individuals, those individuals are the ones deciding who the Pride artists will be. We put together a curatorial board of three members representing different identities across the alphabetical spectrum and were also inclusive
of Latinx and Black.”
This year’s Pride comes after more than a year of isolation with people craving community. It is also a time that has been devastating for artists financially.
“We are really grateful to Santa Monica for providing artists with a paid gig,” Denny said.
Rawson added that Pride is about lifting people up and that includes the artists. “We’re not asking any artist to display their artwork for free. We are absolutely paying artists.”
Denny says that is one of the things that already makes the event a success in her mind, in part because their research shows that women and LGBTQ+ are often excluded from exhibitions, are tokenized or are expected to do their work for free.
Throwing the gates open to all ages
There have traditionally been many Pride events in Southern California, and Rawson said that they want to make sure Santa
Throughout June, rainbows will light up miles of artwork created by over a dozen LGBTQIA+ artists celebrating Pride in Santa Monica, in addition to family-friendly programming.
Monica offers something different, which is why they have the emphasis on being family-friendly.
They want it to be an event that all members of the community, regardless of age, can attend and they can celebrate LGBTQ families.
“I feel abundantly proud of the work that we have done for Pride, specifically family-friendly programming,” Rawson said. “It’s one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve had in my career and I’ve been here 24 years.”
She said they are careful in the selections they make for entertainment and visual artists so that a family can be comfortable with a 5-year-old seeing whatever is on display.
“It has always been extremely important to me and my family that Pride has a family element,” Rawson said. “It isn’t the focus for some of the traditional Pride celebrations.”
She referred to a photo they have of a transgender youth standing in front of the stage who looks to be about 13 and is wearing a trans flag on their shoulder.
“This is the message — this
was their community and it reflected them and how they are,” Rawson said. “They’re validated, heard, seen and celebrated. That’s why we must have a family-friendly Pride event.”
For more information, visit smpride.com
Third Street:
• Alexandra Floro (“UnderNewMGMT”)
• Chris Classen
• madineLA
• James Daniel
Third Street Promenade:
• Parisa Parnian (“Savage Music”)
• Yaicecream & Jeromy Velasco
• Grey
Santa Monica Place:
• Superick911
• Annie Hong “Hootnannie”
• Little Ricky
• Nicholas Scheppard and Jenson Titus “Very Gay Paint”
Advertising Works!
Playa Vista Direct magazine is the only local magazine mailed directly into every address in 90094. Your advertisement will reach a community with a median income of $121,000! And with so many families staying closer to home, our readers are closely paying attention to each issue.
June/July
Ad Space deadline Wednesday, July 7 Publishes July15
This year’s Rainbow Road Art Walk is presented in partnership with Allies in Arts and will span the Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place and the Santa Monica Pier.
Artists in Santa Monica Pride ArtWalk
WESTSIDE HAPPENINGS
Compiled by Kamala Kirk
Thursday, June 10
COVID-19 Vaccine Pop-Up Clinic, 3 to 6 p.m.
Boys & Girls Club of Venice is partnering with Cedars Sinai and hosting a pop-up vaccination clinic. The clinic’s primary focus is the kids of the Venice community who are finally eligible to be vaccinated. LA residents ages 12 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. Children ages 12 to 15 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult. You must bring some form of ID. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ups are welcome. Appointments can be made by visiting myturn.ca.gov
Boys & Girls Club of Venice, 2232 Lincoln Blvd., Venice Colonial Swag: African and African Diasporic Surrealism, 5 to 6:30 p.m.
In “Atlantica, The Gild Region”, artist April Bey’s immersive installation taps into Black Americans’ historical embrace of space travel and extraterrestrial visioning – a cultural movement dating back to the late 1960s and later termed “Afrofuturism.” Through this Afrofuturist lens and her personal experience, Bey critically explores issues within American and Bahamian cultures including race, colonialism, decolonization and neocolonialism. Join Bey, musician and film director Wanlov the Kubolor, and artist Jeffrey Meris as they screen Wanlov’s music video “True Friends” to set the stage for a discussion about colonialism and the remnants still impacting Africa and the Caribbean.
For more information and to RSVP, visit caamuseum.org
On June 15 at 9 a.m., commemorate Juneteenth as the California African American Museum and nine other black museums and historical institutions join forces with blkfreedom.org to honor the day the news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in Texas.
Saturday, June 12
Marina del Rey Farmers Market, 8 to 9 a.m. (seniors), 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (general public)
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 at 14101 Panay Way.
More information is available at beaches.lacounty.gov/ mdrfarmersmarket
“Rebecca Campbell: Infinite Density, Infinite Light” at L.A. Louver, through July 2
L.A. Louver presents “Rebecca Campbell: Infinite Density, Infinite Light,” an expansive exhibition that brings together work from the last three years that delves into hidden histories and revels in the wonders of creation and young life. Over 20
Through July 2, L.A. Louver presents “Rebecca Campbell: Infinite Density, Infinite Light,” an expansive exhibition that brings together work from the last three years that delves into hidden histories and revels in the wonders of creation and young life.
paintings are complemented by a multimedia sculpture installation. The title of the show comes from a succinct definition of a black hole: its seemingly contradictory attributes of density and light expanding to describe the beauty and fragility of life in the moment.
lalouver.com
Sunday, June 13
Santa Monica Main Street Farmers Market, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop for local fresh produce and prepared foods from local restaurants starting at 2640 Main Street. Guests can also enjoy musical entertainment from featured weekly bands, face painting, balloon designs, and those who catch it on the right week, a cooking demonstration featuring local produce.
Mar Vista Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This vibrant, year-round market offers local produce, prepared foods, kids crafts and live events. Located at 12198 Venice Blvd., Grand View at Venice Boulevard. For more information, visit marvistafarmersmarket.org
Genealogy: Our Favorite New Pastime, 11 a.m.
Ever wondered who your ancestors are and where you came from? Two renowned genealogists will give you tips on tracing your Jewish roots across the diaspora at a new Sunday Morning with The Braid Zoom event. Moderated by awardwinning writer/producer Arlene Sarner, the event will feature an exploration and talk with experts Libby Copeland and Tammy Hepps. Participation is compli-
200-plus years of Gullah culture, the perseverance of Little Africa tenacity through industry and pop culture in Detroit, and resiliency during the COVID-19 era, and also features poetry plus performances by the African American Cultural Ensemble and West African Dance. Stream it live on blkfreedom.org
Mystery Book Group Discussion: Walk the Wire by David Baldacci, 7 to 8 p.m.
Fan favorite Amos Decker teams up with an FBI colleague to investigate the death of a young woman in a fracking town replete with ruthless business owners, shady government officials and religious outsiders. To register, email karen.reitz@ santamonica.gov
mentary and open to all, but attendees are asked to consider purchasing a virtual ticket to support the work of The Braid during this unprecedented time. For more information, visit the-braid.org
Tuesday, June 15
Juneteenth Virtual Celebration: Lift Every Voice and Sing, 9 to 11 a.m.
Commemorate Juneteenth as California African American Museum and nine other Black museums and historical institutions across the country join forces with blkfreedom.org to honor the day that the news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in Texas. This year’s annual collaboration is a film inspired by the deep-rooted anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” that explores the words of the song from the perspectives of the participating institutions, including focuses on pride of
On June 13 at 11 a.m., The Braid will host a virtual exploration and talk with genealogists Libby Copeland and Tammy Hepps (pictured) about tracing Jewish roots.
Wednesday, June 16
Montana Avenue Branch Book Group Discussion: Girl, Woman, Other, 7 to 8:30 p.m. From one of Britain’s most celebrated writers of color, this novel is a magnificent portrayal of the intersections of identity among an interconnected group of Black British women. To register, email stephanie. archer@santamonica.gov
Thursday, June 17
USGBC-LA Thought Leadership Series: Reducing California’s Wildfire Risk, 2 p.m. Every year, California faces major wildfires that are catastrophic to the environment and put our community and wildlife in danger. This mini-conference from the US Green Building Council-LA will offer free virtual tours and practical panels to learn more about proper preparedness, processes and action you can take to make your home and community safer from wildfires. It will also feature the CA insurance commissioner and others offering guidance for you from the state level. It is free to attend but registration is required. For more information, visit usgbc-la.org
COURTESY OF THE BRAID
ARTS & EVENTS
Rocking the Runway
Otis College hosts online fashion show and benefit celebrating students’ creative work
By Kamala Kirk
Recently, Otis College of Art and Design hosted Virtually Cool, an online fashion show and benefit. For the first time in its history, Otis invited the public to the first-ever virtual fashion show to celebrate the creative work of the fashion design classes of 2020 and 2021, and tp help fundraise to support students.
“We were unable to complete the plans we had in 2019-2020 for the Scholarship Benefits Fashion Show,” said Jill Zeleznik, chair of fashion design. “It was heartbreaking due to the pandemic that the class of 2020 did not have an opportunity to showcase their work. However, in 2021 we knew that we must find a way to present the work of both 2020 and 2021 graduates. We explored many options and decided to move forward with a virtual fashion presentation due to state and local restrictions.”
Charles Hirschhorn, president of Otis, added, “Having an online event this year meant that viewers around the world could see the extraordinary work of Otis College’s fashion design students and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.”
Over the past two years, students worked with leading fashion designers, stylists and entertainment industry mentors who guided their work through
TRAVEL
these unprecedented times of remote learning and social distancing to produce innovative pieces.
“In the process of planning the event, the priority was the location,” Zeleznik said. “We looked at several alternatives and then realized that we had the ideal spot on our campus. The next question was how to reinvent the space into a production space. The Forum on campus was perfect and very convenient because our department is just upstairs. We then assembled all our faculty to help dress our models, a job usually done with our students, but we needed the staffing due to state restrictions. Finally, we worked on a format of a video fashion show and acquired our fantastic production team, and the rest is
Beachside Picnics
history!”
New mentorship projects shown for the first time at the show included work overseen by costume designer Ruth Carter, who received an Academy Award in 2019 for Best Costume Design for “Black Panther.” Under her mentorship, students created modern-day eveningwear based on African tribal clothing. During the pandemic, students created work through a close collaboration with the faculty of the fashion design program and utilized a hybrid approach of in-person fittings paired with video conferencing. Local students dropped off their work at the campus via a safe, socially distance process, while students that were out of state or international were shipped fabric and notions, then shipped back their
garments to Otis for final fittings and mentor reviews.
Most mentor fittings were completed via Zoom, but select fashion design faculty, models and some locally-based mentors attended fittings in person while observing social distancing guidelines. Zeleznik closely facilitated all fittings and mentor visits to ensure the same high standards from all students.
Mentor and contemporary fashion designer Vivienne Hu directed students to create a collection using prints inspired by the elements of earth and water. Other unique mentorship projects included Vince designers Deborah Sabet and Otis fashion design alumnus Arthur Thammavong, who directed students to create a collection inspired by the works of the late
American painter Noah Davis.
“It was an extraordinary moment when the shoot was complete to realize what a fantastic group of professionals coming together could make this happen,” Zeleznik said. “Our exceptional department and senior class took on the unprecedented challenge of navigating through uncharted waters. I was proud to present our 2020 and 2021 graduates as solid creative forces, ready to take on the fashion industry as the design leaders of tomorrow, changing the world positively beyond what they imagined possible.”
Now in its 39th year, the Otis College Fashion Show is an essential event that raises critical funds for students. This year, the virtual event raised funds to support first-generation students who make up 30% of Otis’ overall student population, helping to propel future artists and designers across all academic departments.
“The event raised money for much-needed scholarships for our first-generation students, who are the first in their families to attend a four-year college and who make up 30% of Otis College students,” Hirschorn said. “More than 50 scholarships were funded as a result of donations received on the night of the event.”
For more information, visit otis.edu
Hotel Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach offer new bespoke culinary experience
By Kamala Kirk
Just in time for summer and with al fresco dining all the rage, Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, and its sister property, Shutters on the Beach, have launched a new beachside picnic offering for hotel guests. The hotels’ culinary teams made it their mission to create the ultimate picnic experience for guests accompanied by a stunning backdrop of expansive shoreline. The beautifully
curated picnic experience features a charming coastal theme and is set up in the sand by a picnic concierge with a low table, linens, blankets, sun umbrellas and comfy pillows.
The picnic menu showcases international flair with a wide variety of tasty choices that range from lobster rolls and Thai lettuce wraps to charcuteries.
Both hotels have incorporated this experience into the new
Beachside Bliss Package, which includes a two-night stay in a luxurious ocean view room, welcome amenity and daily valet parking. The Beachside Bliss Package starts at $875+ per night with a two-night minimum stay. Hotel guests are also able to purchase the beach picnic offering a la carte during their stay. For more information, visit hotelcasadelmar.com and shuttersonthebeach.com
Otis College of Art and Design recently hosted its first-ever virtual fashion show to celebrate students’ creative work and fundraise.
Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica and Shutters on the Beach are offering guests a beautifully curated picnic experience with a charming coastal theme.
STUNNING CONTEMPORARY IN PLAYA DEL REY
“This property stuns with contemporary design and dazzling views,” says agent James Suarez. “Curved architectural detailing and towering palm trees welcome you. Entering the 1st level, you discover a 5-car garage, family room, an elevator and a refrigerated 1,300 bottle wine cellar. Explore the 2nd level to find high ceilings, thick hardwood floors, an office/bedroom w/built-ins & full bathroom, one guest bedroom w/en suite & a master suite. Relax in the immense luxury of the master bedroom with a cozy fireplace, private balcony, huge closet space and an en suite with soaking tub. Peruse further to the 3rd floor which is party-ready and features hardwood floors, balcony views, a living room with fireplace, wet bar, dining area and a kitchen with SS appliances, Castle pizza oven, walk-in pantry and custom cabinetry. Boasting phenomenal views, the rooftop includes bench seating, sandwich bar and full hookups for an outdoor kitchen/BBQ. Close to Playa del Rey’s shores, award-winning shops and restaurants.”
The Real Estate Market is Sizzl’n
CALL :
Era Matilla rEalty
Manager BrE#1323411 Broker assoc. BrE#01439943
THE ARGONAUT PRESS RELEASES
CHARMING SILCON BEACH HOME
“Picture-perfect 3BD/2BA home,” says agent Stephanie Younger. “The large great room offers hardwood flooring, crown molding, recessed lighting, and large triple-pane picture windows while the spacious formal dining room shines with a halo of light from the French doors to the back patio and a peek-a-boo window to the remodeled kitchen. Stainless steel appliances, custom cabinetry, and granite countertops grace this classic kitchen. Private owner’s en suite bedroom with fireplace, walk-in closet, French doors, and spacious bath.”
Offered at $1,439,000 Stephanie Younger Compass 310-499-2020
PLAYA DEL REY CONDO
“Ultra-charming 2BD/2BA condo at the Villa Medici,” say agents Tom Corte and Dana Wright. “Featuring an open floor plan with hardwood floors, two fireplaces, central heat/air, and newer fixtures throughout. Updated kitchen with center cooking island, gas range, and eat at bar. Master bed/bath suite with walk-in closet and water views. Second bedroom opens to private front patio. Building features panoramic rooftop deck, perfect for entertaining and watching area fireworks and events. Guest parking, extra storage area, and community spa.”
Offered at $1,275,000
Tom Corte & Dana Wright
ERA Matilla Realty 310-578-7777
MARINA DEL REY LOFT
225 CulvEr Blvd. Playa dEl rEy
“This open and spacious 2BD/2BA loft is in the heart of the Marina del Rey arts district,” says agent Jesse Weinberg. “The open floorplan offers high ceilings throughout, floor to ceiling windows, and sliding glass doors that open to a private patio. Two large bedrooms are separated on different stories making each bedroom a private sleeping quarter. Upstairs, the primary suite boasts an en-suite bathroom and custom built-ins. Building amenities include plenty of guest parking, EV parking, bike storage, gated security, daily maintenance of common area, a full gym, and two Jacuzzi pools.”
“Located in the wonderful Westport Heights neighborhood, this large 2BD/2BA home features a detached guest house,” say agents Kevin and Kaz Gallaher. “Inside, hardwood floors, warm natural light welcome you into the classic living room with coved ceilings, vintage fireplace, and an adjacent formal dining room. A beautiful traditional bright kitchen with crisp tile countertops and a cozy breakfast bar. Two large-sized bedrooms with additional sitting rooms overlook a grassy private back yard, complete with a patio and a magnificent orange tree, a perfect setting for summer nights.”
Offered at $1,199,000
Kevin and Kaz Gallaher
RE/MAX Properties 310-410-9777
THE ARGONAUT REAL ESTATE BUSINESS NEWS
Luxury home sales defy gravity — and the recession
The housing market continues to surpass records in 2021, with the volatility extending even to what is usually the most steady and (and slow) tier of sales: luxury homes.
Redfin breaks their home sales into five tiers, from the lowest, “most affordable” tier to the highest “luxury” tier of home sales, comprising the highest 5% of home sales. For reference, in Q1 2021, this luxury tier of homes experienced a median sales price of $3.3 million in Los Angeles and $4.7 million in San Francisco.
Editor’s note — firsttuesday regularly reports three tiers of home sales, as reported by Case Shiller. Tiered home sales provide more information, as different tiers of home sales move at different rates over time.
These types of extreme high-tier home sales typically sit for months on the market waiting for a wealthy homebuyer, and often experience price cuts. In contrast, low-tier sales are typically the most volatile. But in 2021, the luxury tier has exploded, with days on market falling:
• 14% to 78 days in Los Angeles;
• 45% to 55 days in Riverside;
• 57% to 33 days in Sacramento;
• 52% to 36 days in San Diego;
• 45% to 16 days in San Francisco; and
• 21% to 19 days in San Jose, according to Redfin.
Further, since Q1 2020, home prices in this luxury tier have increased:
• 3% in Los Angeles;
• 18% in Riverside;
• 18% in Sacramento;
• 13% in San Diego;
• 1% in San Francisco; and
• 9% in San Jose.
While low- and mid-tier homes have suffered from low inventory during the past year, luxury homes have not experienced the same shortage of available homes. The reason is related to the recessionary job losses that have left 1.7 million Californians still jobless as of April 2021. The majority of the jobs lost have occurred in low-paying industries, meaning the low- and mid-tier were most impacted by the recession.
However, the foreclosure moratorium has kept jobless homeowners secure in their homes since March 2020. Thus, a significant chunk of low- and mid-tier homeowners continue to hold onto their homes, despite losing their jobs, since the
moratorium allows them to do so. This stasis has helped keep prices afloat, but it has also constrained inventory.
Unfettered by the foreclosure moratorium, luxury homeowners are free to buy and sell, according to Redfin. In fact, the U.S. for-sale inventory of luxury homes is 5% below a year earlier as of Q1 2021, compared to a dramatic 20% inventory cut in the mid tier.
The rich get richer, but…
The recent successes of the luxury home sale market are more evidence of what many economists have coined as the K-shaped recession and recovery.
Like the shape of the letter “k” suggests, the 2020 recession has impacted different segments of the economy in divergent ways. Household wealth has declined for those who started off in the lower- or middleincome brackets, while it has jumped for high-income households. This is the result of job losses occurring disproportionately in low-paying professions. Further, high-income earners store much of their wealth in the stock market, which has outperformed all expectations following the 2020 crash.
While home prices have increased across all tiers of housing during 2020-2021, there is trouble on the horizon for low- and mid-tier homes when the foreclosure moratorium expires at the end of June 2021.
When the moratorium ends, jobless homeowners who rely on employment income will need to be in good standing in a forbearance program, or they will lose their home. When the distressed sales start to pile on, home prices will falter and dive.
So, while luxury home sales will feel very little effects from the moratorium’s expiration, please remember — luxury homes only represent 5% of the transactions that occur. Therefore, if you are one of the 95% of real estate professionals who rely on regular low-, mid- or high-tier sales to make a living, consider yourselves warned.
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTION CAME FROM: Carrie B. Reyes is Market Watch editor and project editor of the Real Estate Economics and Economic Trends in California Real Estate books. first tuesday Journal P.O. Box 5707 Riverside, CA 92517
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s t a t e m e n t m u s t b e f i l e d before the expiration The f i l i n g o f t h i s s t a t e m e n t does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a F i c t i t i o u s B u s i n e s s
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c h a n g e i n t h e f a c t s s e t forth in the statement purs u a n t t o S e c t i o n 1 7 9 1 3
o t h e r t h a n a c h a n g e i n the residence address of a registered owner a new Fictitious Business Name
i
e
before the expiration The f i l i n g o f t h i s s t a t e m e n t does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a
son objecting to the name changes described above must file a written object i o n t h a
HEARING: Date: July 23,
The address of the court is 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401-Santa M
P
0 5 / 2 0 / 2 1 , 0 5 / 2 7 / 2 1 ,
0 6 / 0 3 / 2 1 , 0 6 / 1 0 / 2 1
Name Change
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No 21SMCP00227
S U P E R I O R C O U R T O F
C A L I F O R N I A , C O U N T Y OF LOS ANGELES Petition of MICHAEL MOSS, TARA HAGGIAG MOSS , for Change of Name TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1 ) Petitioner: MI-
C H A E L M O S S , T A R A H AGGIAG MOSS fi l e d a petition with this court for a d e c r e e c h a n g i n g names as follows: a ) Any a R o s s K a t h a r i n e H a g -
g i a g M o s s t o I s a b e l l a
Katharine Haggiag Mos s 2 ) T H E C O U R T O RDERS that all persons interested in this matter app e a r b e f o r e t h i s c o u r t a t the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, w h y t h e p e t i t i o n f o r c h a n g e o f n a m e s h o u l d not be granted Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objec-
t i o n t h a t i n c l u d e s t h e reasons for the objection a t l e a s t t w o c o u r t d a y s
b e f o r e t h e m a t t e r i s s c h e d u l e d t o b e h e a r d
a n d m u s t a p p e a r a t t h e
h e a r i n g t o s h o w c a u s e w h y t h e p e t i t i o n s h o u l d not be granted If no writt e n o b j e c t i o n i s t i m e l y filed, the court may grant
t h e p e t i t i o n w i t h o u t a h e a r i n g N O T I C E O F
HEARING: Date: July 23,
2 0 2 1 T i m e : 8 : 3 0 A M
D e p t : K R o o m : A 2 0 3
The address of the court is 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401-Santa
M o n i c a C o u r t h o u s e A
c o p y o f t h i s O r d e r t o S h o w C a u s e s h a l l b e p u b l i s h e d a t l e a s t o n c e e a c h w e e k f o r f o u r s u ccessive weeks prior to the d a t e s e t f o r h e a r i n g o n the petition in the following newspaper of genera l c i r c u l a t i o n , p r i n t e d i n this county: Los Angeles
O
timely filed, the court may grant the petition without
cessive weeks prior to the
the petition in the following newspaper of gener
this county: Los Angeles O
Cho, Judge of the Superior Court PUBLISH: Argo-
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No 21SMCP00178 S
Y OF LOS ANGELES Peti-
t i o n o f A U D R A HOWARD, for Change of N a m e T O
L I N T E RE S T E D P E R S O N S : 1 )
Petitioner: Audra Howard f i l e d a
c h a
g i n g n a m e s a s f o l l o w s : a ) Audra June Howard to Audra June Howard Fer-
g u s o n 2 ) T H E C O U R T
O R D E R S t h a t a l l p e rs o n s i n t e r e s t e d i n t h i s matter appear before this court at the hearing indica t e d b e l o w t o s h o w cause, if any, why the petition for change of name
s h o u l d n o t b e g r a n t e d
A n y p e r s o n o b j e c t i n g t o t h e n a m e c h a n g e s d escribed above must file a
w r i t t e n o b j e c t i o n t h a t i ncludes the reasons for the
o b j e c t i o n a t l e a s t t w o
c o u r t d a y s b e f o r e t h e matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at t h e h e a r i n g t o s h o w
this Order to Show Cause
c a u s e w h y t h e p e t i t i o n should not be granted If n o w r i t t e n o b j e c t i o n i s timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a h e a
Cho, Judge of the Superior Court PUBLISH: A rgon a u t N e w s p
HATE-LOSS DIET
Last year, I broke up with the man I was engaged to and loved deeply. I’d found out he was cheating on me constantly with many different women throughout our relationship. My life has gone on, but I often think of what he did to me and feel incredible anger. I’d like to forgive him, but I’m not sure how to do that when these feelings pop up throughout my week.
— Stuck
It’s hard to move on emotionally when you not only have a grudge, but take it everywhere with you like a cockroach on a little yarn leash. This isn’t to say you should forgive the guy. There’s this assumption that forgiving someone who’s wronged you is the healthy, constructive thing to do – and sure, it can be. Evolutionary social psychologist Michael McCullough defines forgiveness as “an internal process of getting over your ill will for an offender.” He explains that forgiveness is “adaptive” – functional, beneficial – when there’s a valuable relationship at stake: when you’d benefit from continuing contact with the perp (and it seems unlikely they’ll be a repeat offender – harm you again in a similar way).
But you aren’t looking to re-up with the guy! And you probably have zero indication he’s changed anything –aside from which woman he’s twotiming (or, uh, 22-timing, as a rough quarterly estimate). What you’re really seeking is peace of mind. Consider that anger, like forgiveness, can be functional. The anger you still have probably remains for a reason: a warning sign that you’re in danger of being cheated on again. But there’s a way to shut off that alert – and protect yourself in the future – and it’s by turning this into a learning experience. Be accountable for the part you played in what happened – not because, “Yay, blame the victim!” – but because it’s the part you can control. Did you, perhaps, want so badly to believe you’d found love that you ignored signs you’d landed a cheating creep posing as an adoring boyfriend? Being honest about what you could – and should – have done differently can become your guide for what you will do differently the next guy around. A man can give you the sense he has a moral compass, but it’s best you give it a hard look to see it isn’t cracked and dusty from constantly being dropped in other women’s bedrooms.
GLUED-IN ALLERGY
I’ve been dating a guy for three months, and I’d like us to be exclusive, but I don’t know how to go about addressing it. I’m worried that if I say I need him to commit, he’ll feel pressured and bolt.
— Quandary
For a man, agreeing to go exclusive is a bit like wedding vows lite, as posed to the man’s penis: “Do you swear off sex with all the other ladies forever?” Penis: “Frankly, that sounds a little grim.” Men evolved to have the hots for sexual variety – casual sex with a slew-apalooza of different partners – to a degree women do not. (An ancestral woman could get pregnant and stuck with a kid to raise after a single hookup with some rando, while the more randos Grok had sex with, the more likely he was to pass on his genes.)
Feminist scholars contend that “patriarchal” culture – not evolution –leads to men’s greater preference for the sexual variety pack, but it even shows up in “gender-egalitarian” Norway. Evolutionary scientist Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair and his colleagues asked Norwegian men and women the number of sex partners they’d want over a 30-year period. Women, on average, wanted
ACROSS 1 Seuss critter in socks 4 Singer with a Best Actress Oscar 8 Best-of-seven MLB semifinal
12 Put one over on 17 Cupid counterpart 19 Olympics event since 1964
20 Poi source
21 Aquafina alternative
22 *Editorial comment
25 Builds
26 Rainforest rodent 27 Channel with a gate
28 Onboard assent
29 Family tree fill
30 Last word in a popular drinking game
32 Completely wraps 34 “Well done!”
35 *Solid piece of security hardware
39 *Part of a school kid’s allowance 42 London driver’s unit
43 She’s no pro
44 Making a case for 45 Woman on the Sistine Chapel ceiling
46 Snowballs in a fight, e.g.
48 ’60s protest gp.
51 Dashboard nos.
52 AL West team, in crawl lines
55 Doctor’s order
57 Belgian lager, familiarly
59 Bethlehem university
about five sex partners. Men? About 25!
Still, many men eventually tire of the swipe-right hussy of the night lifestyle (which, admittedly, isn’t an option for men low on the mate-value ladder) and start feeling ready for a relationship. However, even if this guy’s open to commitment and maybe already pointed in that direction, consider the lesson from “psychological reactance,” a term coined by psychologist Jack Brehm. Our getting the sense that somebody’s trying to control us, limit our freedom, motivates us to “react”: rebel against being controlled. Give yourself a (silent) deadline so you won’t be waiting around forever, and then ask him how he sees things going forward: what he’s looking for, what works for him. The conversation itself should give him the sense that you might be headed for the door if he doesn’t boyfriend up. Wanting to be with you might motivate him to make the necessary sexual trade-off – which is ultimately a pretty big deal for a dude. Picture the Souplantation buffet, but all those stainless steel bins are filled with the same one item, and you’ll have to eat it for every meal for the rest of your life: “Welcome to the suburban gulag. Table for two?”
61 Jet Ski rival 64 Kaley who played Penny on “The Big Bang Theory”
Shrinking retailer
All together
Mississippi River explorer
“That was a brutal workout!”
Papersaving party announcements
“I guess not”
Pocatello-toProvo dir.
One in a bust
Raisman with three Olympic gold medals
Advice from a loser?
Local bond, briefly
“__ Burr, Sir”: song in “Hamilton”
*Tough talk tension easer
*Offenbach output
Slack-jawed look
They might be holy
Removed
Family card game
Subject of a 2021 packet shortage
It’s been shortening for over a century
*Fast talk from the on-deck circle
It’s not butter
Vannelli of pop
66 One with dreads 67 Church branch 70 *Online dating coup 73 Govt. accident investigator
NE syst. with 64 campuses
Bond’s car starter?
It’s a well-known fact that for many older Americans, the home is their single biggest asset, often accounting for more than 45% of their total net worth. And with interest rates near all-time lows while home values are still high, this combination creates the perfect dynamic for getting the most out of your built-up equity.
But, many aren’t taking advantage of this unprecedented period. According to new statistics from the mortgage industry, senior homeowners in the U.S. are now sitting on more than 8.05 trillion dollars* of unused home equity .
It’s a fact: no monthly mortgage payments are required with a government-insured HECM loan; however the borrowers are still responsible for paying for the maintenance of their home, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance and, if required, their HOA fees.
Today, HECM loans are simply an effective way for homeowners 62 and older to get the extra cash they need to enjoy retirement.
Although today’s HECM loans have been improved to provide even greater financial protection for homeowners, there are still many misconceptions.
In fact, a recent survey by American Advisors Group (AAG), the nation’s number one HECM lender, found that over 98% of their clients are satisfied with their loans. While these special loans are not for everyone, they can be a real lifesaver for senior homeowners - especially in times like these.
The cash from a HECM loan can be used for almost any purpose. Other common uses include making home improvements, paying off medical bills or helping other family members. Some people simply need the extra cash for everyday expenses while others are now using it as a safety net for financial emergencies.
If you’re a homeowner age 62 or older, you owe it to yourself to learn more so that you can make the best decision - for your financial future. It’s time to reverse your thinking
Not only are people living longer than ever before, but there is also greater uncertainty in the ecomony. With home prices back up again, ignoring this “hidden wealth” may prove to be short sighted when looking for the best long-term outcome.
All things considered, it’s not surprising that more than a million homeowners have already used a government-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan to turn their home equity into extra cash for retirement.
For example, a lot of people mistakenly believe the home must be paid off in full in order to qualify for a HECM loan, which is not the case. In fact, one key advantage of a HECM is that the proceeds will first be used to pay off any existing liens on the property, which frees up cash flow, a huge blessing for seniors living on a fixed income. Unfortunately, many senior homeowners who might be better off with a HECM loan don’t even bother to get more information because of rumors they’ve heard.
