Westchester/Playa HomeTown News June 2021 edition

westchester

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playa del rey

p l a y a v i s t a • m a r i n a d e l re y

June 2021

Show your love for your favorite businesses...page 9

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

This Month Brings You

help you prom help you prom nization or even l a c o L p o h nization orSin 2even 021!

A look inside your HTN

Summer fun in Westchester and beyond NCWP election information Fourth of July Home Decorating Contest Westchester Pioneer Series: Howard Drollinger In Pictures: Congratulations Class of 2021!

04 06 07 10 26

HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis, Publisher

Jeff Blair, Contributing Writer Fay Craton, Contributing Writer

Lydia Smith, Contributing Writer Consuelo Israelson, Contributing Writer

Front page: 4 Stack Cone painting by Westchester resident Jeff Klarin.

Courtesy Bughouse.

About The HomeTown News (HTN)

The HomeTown News is a monthly community newspaper dedicated to providing information about the people, events and happenings of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista. Look for the HomeTown News the first Thursday of the month at your home or at one of our drop-off locations.

Connect with the HTN:

Mailing Address: 8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110 #745 Westchester, CA 90045 • Email: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com • Website: thehtn.com • Facebook: facebook.com/thehtn • Instagram: instagram.com/thehometownnews The deadline for submissions is the 22nd of each month.

act us for rates and act us for rates and hesterhometo Now, more than ever, Westchester retailers and service providers need your help. Slammed by the pandemic

and stay-at-home orders, our small businesses need your help to survive. Please make “Shop Local” your

hesterhometo mantra for 2021– it’s not just a slogan, it helps keep the businesses we love and the families they support alive!

us on Faceboo to-date with news and us on Faceboo Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

June 2021 • Page 3

...in 90045 and beyond

Clockwise from top: 1.The crowd enjoys the band at the Westchester Arts & Music Block Party. Photo by Glenn Marzano. 2. The Westchester/Playa Discovery Center will open this summer for tours. 3. Community members march the flag down Loyola Boulevard at the 2019 Fourth of July Parade.

By Lydia Smith As the pandemic starts to appear in the rear-view mirror and vaccination numbers continue to rise, local businesses and organizations are beginning to plan and host events again.

While last year every major summer happening was canceled or went virtual, as we move toward the state’s June 15 reopening date, more activities and events keep getting announced. With many organizations still working on finalizing their calendars for the next few months, here’s a snapshot of some of the exciting events and activities that have been announced so far for this summer!

Marina Drive-In Movies

Fridays and Saturdays starting June 18 through September 5 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

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This pandemic has brought a Saturdays through September 5 with resurgence of an old time favorite– screenings at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at drive-in movies! Over the past year, Lot 2, located at 13477 Fiji Way in drive-in movies have been popping Marina del Rey. up all over Los Angeles, providing a Check mdrmovies.com or call fun and safe way to enjoy time with (424) 526-7900 to find out this your family and get to see some month’s movie line-up once it’s awesome classics. finalized.

Marina del Rey is getting in on the action with a summer 2021 drive-in 21st Annual Fourth of July movie series launching this month.

Parade Celebrating “Our For $20, you can pack the car with American Treasures” your loved ones and catch a flick Sunday, July 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the big screen while you enjoy The LAX Coastal Chamber of a picturesque view of the marina.

Commerce is anticipating being Parking spots are on a first-come, able to hold its 21st Annual Fourth first-served basis. of July Parade next month, and the Attendees are welcome to bring committee is calling on all interested their own food, or guests can order participants, volunteers and their favorite dishes from local sponsors to join them in putting on a restaurants for an early dinner with successful event. a waterfront view! Gourmet food The parade is scheduled to take place on July 4 with a later than trucks will also be on site for all your usual start time of 11:30 a.m., snack needs. since it falls on a Sunday this year.

Movies will be shown Fridays and

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del

The parade route is Loyola Blvd. from Westchester Park to Loyola Marymount University. The 2021 theme is “Our American Treasures.”

Organizers say that while this will be a scaled down version of the event compared to previous years, attendees should expect parade favorites and a lot of community spirit.

The parade is still pending approval from local officials, and more information will be made available at laxcoastalonparade.com and at facebook.com/laxcoastal as it becomes available.

Those interested in participating, volunteering or sponsoring, can email laxcoastalonparade@gmail.com for details or to receive a participant entry form.

Questions can also be directed to the chamber at (310) 645-5151. (continued on next page) Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

If your family loves bowling, check out the Summer Games pass at Bowlero.

Summer Games Pass at Bowlero Various Dates Bowlero’s cool vibe and excellent food and drinks make it a Westchester destination. But this summer, Bowlero has some great offers for kids that will keep them entertained and happy all summer long: the Summer Games season pass! Pass holders can bowl three games, every day, and the deal includes shoes—all for one low price that pays for itself in three visits or less! Plus, there are special offers exclusively for passholders like access to a discounted Summer Games Kids’ Menu.

The pass is good from May 27 through September 6 and cost about $40 for kids and $50 for adults.

On Saturday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bowlero Westchester will host Kids’ Fest. During this event, kids ages 15 and under will get one free hour of bowling and complimentary shoe rental. There will be discounts on adult bowling as well. As an added bonus for attending, Bowlero will be holding a drawing where one lucky family will win one free year of the PBA Jr. club bowling for their child!

Bowlero Westchester is located at 8731 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester.

Visit bowlero.com/location/bowlerolos-angeles for more details.

Westchester Historical Society Discovery Center Opening August 1 For the past year, a group of dedicated individuals have been working hard to bring the Westchester/Playa Historical Society’s Discovery Center to life and on August 1 they will cross the finish line!

The primary objectives of the historical society are to gather, study and preserve the history of the communities of Westchester, Playa del Rey and Playa Vista. The Discovery Center is in the heart of Westchester– the Triangle–and will be a place to see the historical society’s objectives come to life. The center will house more than 11,000 images of these communities and will provide educational and research opportunities. It will also be able to fulfill the State of California’s history education mandate for fourth and ninth graders through coordinated programmed presentations for field trips. The nonprofit also has plans for walking tours, and eventually bus tours of the area as well. The center will have temporary exhibits under two different themes: Commerce and Community Pioneers.

The Discover Center is located at 6207 W. 87th St. in Westchester. Learn more at wphistoricalsociety.org. (continued on page 18)

AMCS IS CELEBRATING-June is LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH

Please join the AMCS LGBT+ Affirmative Therapy Center on June 21st from 12noon-1:30 pm via Zoom for a virtual Pride Month Celebration!

This event is open to all AMCS staff and therapists as well as members of the public.

Looking forward to seeing you then!

Please RSVP to tinyurl.com/w2tryhef by June 20, 2021.

This will be a fun and educational event; and we invite the public to join us.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

June 2021 • Page 5

TheHTN.com Photo By Lek Pollard.

Business & Nonprofit News

Thousands of books are displayed for purchase during the 66th Annual Rotary Club of Westchester’s Book Sale held during Memorial Day weekend. The money raised from the event will support the club’s projects, which include the makeover at Emerson Avenue Community Garden, scholarships for high school students, supporting the YMCA’s food pantry and more.

Ballots due for the Neighborhood Council Election by June 8th.

While the deadline to request a ballot to vote in the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa’s (NCWP) election was June 1, voters have until June 8 to make sure their voice is heard.

The NCWP is a quasi-governmental agency made up of elected or appointed community members who serve as a voice for the Westchester, Playa del Rey and Playa Vista area.

The NCWP discusses and votes on important issues that impact the neighborhood at their monthly board meetings. The council also has numerous active committees that focus on issues like Education; Planning and Land Use; and Airport Relations among others.

Elections for the NCWP take place every two years, and this go-round all voting is being done by mail.

Stakeholders 16 and older, who live, work, own property or can otherwise declare a stake in the neighborhood, were eligible to request a ballot on the City Clerk’s website or by filling out a paper application and uploading the necessary documentation.

Thirty-three candidates are vying for 15 seats during this election, with the majority of candidates splitting into two slates: Stand up Westchester/Playa and Westchester Playa Forward.

Ballots must be postmarked by June 8 and received by the City Clerk

by June 18 to be counted. Ballots can also be placed in the drop-box at the Westchester-Loyola Village Branch Library, located at 7114 West Manchester Ave. in Westchester.

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running for NCWP at ncwpdr.org/ meet-the-candidates.

Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey members host a tribute to fallen soldiers in front of their clubhouse on Memorial Day.

Through June 15, graduates are invited to take a picture in front of an installation celebrating the Class of 2021 at RUNWAY Playa Vista. RUNWAY is located at 12746 W. Jefferson Blvd. in Playa Vista.

Woman’s Club hosts Memorial Day Tribute.

On Memorial Day, the Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey hosted a tribute to fallen military heroes who gave their life for their country.

As part of the ceremony, volunteers from the club planted 120 American flags on the center median on Manchester Ave. in Playa del Rey in front of the organization’s clubhouse.

The flags were purchased by community members to honor loved ones and were part of a fundraiser to benefit Shelter to Soldier. The nonprofit rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to become psychiatric service animals for combat veterans who are suffering from PostTraumatic Stress Disorder. Thanks to the club’s efforts, $1,300 was raised.

Learn more about the Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey by visiting wcpdr.org.

Westchester Elks host blood drive.

The Westchester Elks Lodge is hosting its next blood drive with Cedars-Sinai on Monday, June 14 from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m. As a thank you for participating, donors will receive a choice of a gift card, a coupon for a pint of Baskin-Robbins ice cream or a limited edition T-shirt. Appointments can be made at cedars-sinai.org/ giveblood with the code WELG. The Elks Lodge is located at 8025 W. Manchester Ave. in Playa del Rey. Free parking is available in the back of the lodge. (continued on next page)

This ballot drop-box will be Day, Tuesday, June 8. available starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, For more info, visit ncwpdr.org and June 4 through 8 p.m. on Election learn more about all the candidates

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Decorate your home with a patriotic theme to enter the Second Annual Home Decorating Contest hosted by the LAX Coastal Chamber.

(continued from previous page) Enter the Fourth of July Home Decorating Contest.

The LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce is inviting the community to enter its Second Annual Fourth of July Home Decorating Contest!

Those interested in participating can show their Fourth of July and community spirit by decorating their homes with red, white and blue, flags, stars, their favorite American heroes and more!

To participate: • Please take a photo of your home decorated for the holiday and email the picture to laxcoastalonparade@ gmail.com. Don’t forget to upload the photo to social media and tag @laxcoastal and #laxcoastalonparade, so we can share your photo!

• Send in your photos by Thursday, July 1. Homes will be judged by the committee, and the top three decorators will receive bragging rights for the year and a gift card to a local restaurant!

The winners will be announced at the 21st Annual Fourth of July Parade.

The event, which is organized by the chamber, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 4 at 11:30 a.m. pending approvals from city and county agencies.

Organizers are planning for a scaled-down version of the community tradition, which

takes place on Loyola Blvd. from Westchester Park to LMU. “It’s been great to hear from our community groups, schools and sponsors that are excited about participating in this year’s parade,” said Chamber President/CEO Christina Davis. “A lot will hinge on the state’s reopening date of June 15, but based on what we’re seeing and hearing, we’re confident the parade will happen. We’re working very closely with all our government agencies and will only proceed with their approval and following their protocols. After more than a year apart, we’re looking forward to safely coming together to celebrate our community and the Fourth of July.”

This year’s theme is “Our American Treasures” and will celebrate all that we have to be proud of in our community and across the country, from neighborhood heroes and dedicated volunteers to our beautiful natural resources and our frontline workers, as we recover from the pandemic.

For more information about participating, sponsoring or volunteering, please visit laxcoastalonparade.com or email laxcoastalonparade@gmail.com.

Have info to share about your business or nonprofit? Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com. for a chance to be featured.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

If you’ve been thinking of selling, now could be the time to make a move.

Looking to trade up or trade out?

Call me, let’s discuss.

Amy Frelinger DRE# 01484711

O 424.281.7603 M 310.951.0416 amy.frelinger@elliman.com

June 2021 • Page 7

SCENE SUMMERTIME IN PLAYA VISTA

PV Summer Must-Do List

Summer officially kicks-off June 20, and we’re all looking forward to seeing our friends and neighbors again, outdoor activities and fun events that take advantage of some of the best our community has to offer! Here are our top picks to have an awesome summer experience in the neighborhood this month:

1

Farmers’ Market

Located at Runway Playa Vista, the Playa Vista Farmers’ Market courtesy of Farmer Mark is a must-do this month! Whether you are a Playa Vista local or just visiting, the market is well worth the trip!

From farm fresh fruits and vegetables, to local meats and fresh flowers, this Saturday hangout is your one-stop-shop for your summer BBQ or healthy summer living needs. Just be careful; there are so many good vendors, you might just get hooked! Come visit every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. @farmermarkpv

2

Cinemark PV

Looking for a way to escape the summer heat? Why not book your own Private Watch Party at Cinemark Playa Vista? You can easily book online to reserve your own auditorium with your choice of either fan-favorites or new release movies. Up to 20 guests are included, and up to five more may be added at the theater for an additional fee. The cost is around $200, but confirm directly with the theater for details!

3

Maker’s Market

On Sunday, June 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., visit Runway Playa Vista for their Creative Communal Maker’s Market featuring local artisans, live music and photo opps! The whole family is invited to this kid- and pet-friendly extravaganza that is sure to be a great start to your summer activity list! What more could you want for a Sunday afternoon in Playa Vista? @runwayplayavista

All events and activities are located at RUNWAY Playa Vista at 12746 W. Jefferson Blvd. in Playa Vista.

DRE# 01972897 Page 8 • June 2021

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

June 2021 • Page 9

Howard B. Drollinger

By Cozette Vergari I have already written about the courageous visionary, Ella Drollinger, taking the risk in 1944 of building the first commercial property in Westchester at a time when the area was beginning to evolve and take shape out of the wheat fields surrounding the small Los Angeles Air Port. And, no that is not a typo. Initially, on March 17, 1928, the headline for The Daily Californian read “Air Port Here Chosen.” Shortly after on July 26, 1928, the Los Angeles Examiner’s front page headline read, “Council Votes To Lease Mines Field For City Air Port.”

The land was owned by rancher Andrew Bennett and comprised of acres of wheatfields. The original terminal built in 1928 still exists at the eastern end of LAX. Will Rogers and Charles Lindbergh landed in the first passenger plane at Mines Field.

Commercial aviation was developing its foundation with an eye to the future.

And, as the future unfolded, Ella’s vision of a commercial district to support the community of Westchester and its new stakeholders working in the aerospace and defense industries following WWII, was shared, embraced and carried on by her son, Howard B. Drollinger. After returning from serving his country in WWII in the Army Airforce and having been awarded the Purple Heart, four air medals and two Presidential Unit Citations, Howard joined Ella to grow Westchester’s commercial district. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at USC, and would go on to build and manage much of the area along Sepulveda.

During the expansion of LAX in the 60s and 70s, more than 3,500 homes were taken by the airport and approximately 10,000 residents were displaced.

That, coupled with the opening of Culver City’s Fox Hills Mall

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(now Westfield Culver City), hit the retail and business district of Westchester hard. Howard fought back even harder, and for nearly 20 years bought up the real estate that was being abandoned and left behind by major retail companies who were moving to the malls.

Single screen movie theaters could not compete with the new multi-screen cinemas that were attached to those same malls.

Along with those who fought for the preservation of the Loyola Theater as a historic landmark, Howard battled for decades on many levels to preserve the Paradise Building at the southeast corner of Sepulveda Boulevard and Westchester Parkway. The theater had been the site of many star-studded movie premieres in the 1950s with searchlights lighting up the evening skies over Westchester as it hosted many Hollywood celebrities of the day. When it opened on August 23, 1950, its proximity to the Los Angeles Airport made the Paradise Theater the ideal place to host celebrities traveling from afar.

His redevelopment of the Sepulveda commercial district culminated in 1995 with the opening of the Ralphs Supermarket Center and attracting other large retail businesses to take up shop in downtown Westchester. It was exciting to see new businesses opening in the location of the first building constructed by his mother on the southeast corner of Sepulveda Boulevard and La Tijera, which opened as a Thrifty Drug Store in 1945.

More than 25 years later, the Ralphs Supermarket Center, now known as Westchester Village, is still the hub of the commercial district and is bordered on the south by Howard Drollinger Way. Today, the center is home to numerous eateries, a CVS, Chase Bank, Starbucks and a Petco.

Howard was a not just a developer, however. He was

also a philanthropist, who gave back to his community and to the region at large. Raising his family in the Westchester/ Playa del Rey community with his wife Jewel, he appreciated the concept of giving back and established the Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation.

The foundation continues to give, through his legacy, to countless local charitable and educational causes.

On November 15, 2017, the Rotary Club of Westchester honored Howard and the Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation, by installing the Rotary International Clock that sits at the west end of Howard Drollinger Way, in the Westchester Village shopping center. The clock is a tribute to Howard and his family for all the years of dedication to the community of Westchester/ Playa, past, present and future.

Since Howard was a member of the club for nearly 50 years after joining in 1952, the dedication was even more special. During his decades with the organization, he donated hundreds of thousands to support its efforts. If you read the panels on the clock, you will also notice another dedication to the business community of Westchester. This serves as a symbol of the close partnership between the Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation and the Westchester Rotary Foundation to support the community and its citizens, as well as maintain a thriving business area.

Cozette is an attorney and lifelong resident of Westchester.

She is the President of the Westchester/Playa Historical Society. Together with a group of dedicated volunteers, the organization is working on creating new programming and events to celebrate the history of the area and engage the community in preserving it for future generations.

Top: Howard Drollinger.

Bottom. Drollinger’s daughter, Karen Dial (left), and Cozette Vergari pose at the clock dedication.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

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June 2021 • Page 11

Student spotlight: For St. Bernard senior, it’s important to make a difference and lead by example Chloe Jackson has been giving back to her community for as long as she can remember.

The St. Bernard High School senior had not yet begun school when she learned that helping others was something everyone was expected to do.

“I got it from my grandma,” said Jackson. “We helped the neighbors, helped the church, donated clothes and canned goods. We brought coats to shelters. It was little stuff, but she taught us to help the neighbors whenever we could. Grandma had a really caring heart.”

A heart that is obviously hereditary.

Jackson’s time at St. Bernard has been filled with a long list of extracurricular activities. She is a member of the school’s Viking Ambassadors, Associate Student Body, Black Student Union and yearbook staff. She mentors middle school students by participating in TAKS Leadership group as well as teaching them math and science in her role as a STEM Summit Leader. For several years, Chloe has also been a serious athlete, devoting time to soccer, volleyball and track and field, all while achieving top grades in the classroom.

She said she takes pleasure in serving others and sharing her experience at St. Bernard’s with the community at large, volunteering with Mothers In Action (MIA), One Incredible Family and My Friends House L.A. along with being a camp counselor for Westchester Girl Scouts.

And that is her true passion–Girl Scouts. She began as a Daisy, and the community service aspect of the organization hooked her for good. She did the obligatory selling of Girl Scout cookies, but even there she excelled, selling more than 500 boxes for six consecutive years!

She has served for two years on the Girls Advisory Board, representing the Brownie Girl Scouts in the Tournament of Roses Parade and earned the Silver Award in eighth grade.

But in true Jackson fashion, she went one step further.

Earlier this year, she earned Scouting’s Gold Award–the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a Girl Scout.

According to the Girl Scouts, “Gold Award Girl Scouts are the dreamers and the doers who take ‘make the world a better place’ to the next level.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable–proof that not Page 12 • June 2021

Jackson teaches a virtual art class to help kids express themselves during the pandemic.

only can she make a difference, but that she already has.”

That is certainly true in Jackson’s case.

Working through MIA, Jackson spent countless hours assembling packages and boxes of school supplies for students who otherwise would have none.

“It’s so important to give back, lead by example and be a light for those who can’t help themselves,” she said.

“I love [MIA’s] Back to School Health Fair. It is one of my favorite events that I look forward to each year. To see the smiles on the children’s faces when I hand out school supplies is simply priceless.”

Jackson’s proudest moments, though, are working directly with kids to help them understand themselves and the world around them. Working with MIA mentees, who are ages 8 through 14, Jackson recently conducted virtual art sessions, teaching them about everything from portraits to landscapes and urging them to use their creativity to push back against the stresses of a world in lockdown.

“I have done a lot, but I’m proudest of the work I have done with kids,” she said. “I taught an art class during a pandemic that I hope brought kids energy and gave them hope. I wanted them to use art to express themselves.

I love art myself, so that was an easy thing for me.”

Candace Hardy, whose 8-year-old son, Braylen, was one of Jackson’s students said she was incredibly impressed with Jackson’s class.

“For her to be so young and so [helpful] was amazing,” Hardy said.

“She was very informative, and she connected with all the kids.”

Hardy said before the class Braylen never showed an interest in art and was often shy.

“But he gravitated toward Chloe very quickly, even on Zoom, and he loved it,” she said. “He was so proud of his little masterpieces. She encouraged him to interact and be creative and use his imagination.”

Her engagement with her virtual students did not stop there. Jackson provided all of the art supplies, made beautiful hand-painted aprons and gave them an art kit with all the trimmings to continue their self-expression at the end of the program–a little bit of extra effort that would make grandma

proud.

Hardy said the experience has already made a lasting impact on Braylen.

“His level of excitement about art was surprising to me,” she said, adding that he has already convinced her to continue supporting his new passion. “I went to Michael’s and got big canvases and easels and he’s painting outside now. It’s really therapeutic for him.”

In the fall, Jackson will attend Clark Atlanta University in Georgia and major in Architecture/Interior Design with the hope of one day opening her own business in the field. Not surprisingly, she wants her success to be the success of everyone around her.

She said she wants to “enhance the standard of living and improve the quality of life in my community” and help “address the inequalities of women in an industry where we are the minority.”

Of course, St. Bernard will always have a special place in her heart.

“From the first time I visited and had my Shadow Day, this just felt like home,” she said. “I’m certainly going to miss all the activities because I did everything here.”

Still, Jackson is ready to blaze a new path and serve as an example for her fellow students just as her grandmother did for her.

“My generation needs to take time out of our day to give back to the community,” she said. “We need to take that time and effort because we can make a difference.”

Congratulations to Joan O. and Judith O. for taking home the People’s Choice awards in the LAX Coastal Ed Foundation Art Show and Competition.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

June 2021 • Page 13

Hosted by the Emerson Avenue Community Garden

September 18, 2021 11am-9pm Emerson Ave. at W. 80th St. wamblockparty.org Page 14 • June 2021

ARTS MUSIC DANCE FOOD DRINKS FUN Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

June 2021 • Page 15

A road map for stress-free vacation eating

By Sheri Weitz, RDN, Contributing Columnist

juice. If you can’t stand one without any sweetness (OK, I admit it; it’s often hard for me, too!) ask the juice Opinion: Have you made your travel bar to add just a quarter of an apple or other fruit to your veggie juice. If plans yet? If you’re lucky enough to you’re drinking bottled vegetable juice, get a rental car, you just might be on look for one with less than 10 grams of your way to an awesome summer sugar per serving. Check serving sizes: vacay. Or perhaps you’re even flying is it half the bottle or the entire bottle? to parts unknown, feeling brave and 3. Pack snacks. If you can’t stop for adventurous as the world opens up. a meal, bring portable snacks with you Vacation eating can pose the same to prevent the “overly hungry dinner challenges as before, and many of my binge.” Examples of travel worthy clients have gained weight during the pandemic. Perhaps this time you’d like snacks: ¼ cup dried fruit and a small handful of raw almonds or walnuts; to take “only photos and memories” a protein bar which doesn’t contain away from your trip, not unwanted any Sucralose (an artificial sweetener pounds and inflammation.

Here are some nutritional strategies which can damage your healthy gut bacteria); a piece of fruit with yogurt, to help with your next sojourn: string cheese or nuts; chips made 1. Treat most days of vacation from garbanzo beans or lentils (they eating as if you’re home. Would you have some protein) and add fruit. Or eat two rolls, an entire plate of pasta maybe this is the opportunity to drink and dessert? Most likely no. So why that fresh veggie juice. Pair it with not eat as if you’re home six out of seven days per week during your trip? some nuts for protein, and you’ll be You can still order your favorite foods, good to go until dinner. If we enter that restaurant slightly hungry, but while watching portion sizes and avoiding overeating during most meals. not starving, it’s much easier to make 2. Take a veggie vacay. What better deliberate menu choices.

4. Remember that restaurants often way to experience the local produce serve very large portions–especially and culture than to visit a farmers’ of carbs. Rice and pasta are cheap and market? Or if you’re not able to get your usual intake of fruits and veggies plentiful, and some establishments will serve up to 10 servings instead of the at markets or restaurants, look for a ½ cup, or palmful, most bodies need. local juice bar and order a vegetable

5. Have a strategy for boredom.

If you find yourself eating in the car due to boredom, a lollipop or roasted sunflower seeds in the shell will provide satisfaction with some damage control. Since they take longer to consume, you’ll eat less.

6. Stay well hydrated. We sometimes overeat due to being thirsty. Try and drink close to half your body weight in ounces of water every day. Keep in mind that thirst can trick our bodies into thinking we’re hungry. Being dehydrated can also cause fatigue, which can be a trigger to overeat.

7. Eat slowly at restaurants. It takes 20 minutes for your head to know your stomach is full.

8. Mind the bread basket. Unless you’re really craving it, say “no” to the bread basket or just take one roll and ask the server to remove the rest in order to avoid mindless consumption.

If you avoid being overly hungry prior to dinner, you won’t need to eat rolls to keep your stomach from singing a pre-dinner solo.

9. Treat yourself. If you really truly want to eat something while you’re on vacation, eat it! Deprivation will make things far worse and you’ll end up eating everything else, including the kitchen table, until you finally get what you’re craving. Give yourself what you

Weitz is a local dietitian and enjoys teaching Zumba at local spots.

want, eat mindfully and try and stop when you’re no longer enjoying each bite.

10. Have fun. Enjoy your vacation and try not to stress about your health or weight. It is a break from your routine, after all.

Bon Voyage!

Sheri Weitz, RDN, CDE is a Registered Dietitian with a private practice in Westchester, and she provides clinical nutrition services for Manchester Medical. Sheri also teaches Zumba classes…her “happy pill.”

To find out more about her services or for a free consultation, go to MovetoWellness.net.

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community partners for supporting this publication!

Robin Zacha, Zacha Homes Drollinger Properties Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital Stephanie Younger Group | Compass Jane St. John | RE/MAX Neighborhood Council Westchester/Playa Loyola Marymount University Westchester Lutheran School Westchester Town Center BID Erika Puzik & Associates-Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Airport Marina Counseling Service St. Anastasia School RE/MAX Estate Properties Visitation School Amy Nelson Frelinger Douglas Elliman Properties Westside Pacific Villages SoCalSport & Fitness Loyola Marina Auto Care

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Page 16 • June 2021

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Shown by appointment only.

June 2021 • Page 17

Photo courtesy the YMCA.

Swim lessons are back at the Y and the next session starts June 21.

(continued from page 5)

sponsored a few drive-through events.

During this time, the Westchester YMCA has been a true community hero!

Now, as things slowly creep towards normalcy, the Y recently opened for swim lessons, just in time for summer.

Swim lessons at the YMCA are a rite of passage for most families, so don’t miss an opportunity to participate in this fun tradition.

The next sessions start June 21.

Member registration opens on June 7 and non-members can register beginning June 14.

The YMCA is located at 8015 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester. Visit ymcala.org/locations/westchesterfamily-ymca for more details.

Caravan Swim Club at Hotel June Various dates As we all know, the restaurant industry was hit extremely hard by the pandemic, so supporting local eateries has been a mainstay of Safer At Home life. Caravan Swim Club is one of those restaurants that is so excited to be open and getting back to normal.

On June 15, all parts of this hidden gem of Westchester will be up and running and ready to welcome guests.

The breezy Baja-inspired Caravan Swim Club has poolside gathering options and a beautiful, elevated terrace.

Right now, poolside dining is only available for guests of the hotel on the weekends, but soon will be fully open for dining and for relaxing at the bar while enjoying your favorite cocktails.

Enjoy the view on the elevated terrace with house favorites like locally caught grilled fish, organic steak, seasonal salads, oysters from the raw bar, and shareable snacks paired with drinks like biodynamic wines, craft beers and small-batch tequilas.

Chef Angie Lee is the culinary force behind dining at Hotel June. She is a Le Cordon Bleu graduate with more than a decade of experience in restaurants around the world, including a Michelin star-rated restaurant in La Sarte, Spain.

In Los Angeles, she has led kitchens at the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel and the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons.

The Caravan Swim Club is located at 8639 Lincoln Blvd in Westchester.

Learn more at thehoteljune.com/ caravan-swim-club.

Pride event at The Book Jewel Saturday, June 26 at 8 p.m.

The Book Jewel is truly a community treasure. In addition to their many events and book club meetings, this summer, the bookstore will host its first LGBTQ Pride and evening event on June 26.

The evening will feature Liz Brown, the author of “Twilight Man.” Brown will read from her newly released biography about her great-grand uncle, William Andrews Clark Jr. and his secret relationship with another man named Harrison Post in Los Angeles during the 1920s–a tumultuous time for LGBTQ folks who had to hide their truth or risk economic and social ruin.

Clark is known for launching the LA Philharmonic and helped establish the Hollywood Bowl. The book focuses on Post’s life after the tragic and unexpected death of Clark, and the legal battles that would shape the rest of his life.

The event will also feature a short poetry reading, followed by a drag variety show! This will be a ticketed event and will include a copy of “Twilight Man” with the price of admission.

RSVP at thebookjewel.com.

The Book Jewel is located in the Westchester Triangle at 6259 W. 87th St. in Westchester. (continued on page 25)

YMCA Swim Lessons Starting June 21 The Westchester Family YMCA is another organization that has been hit hard by the pandemic. With the government mandating the closure of all gyms over the last year, the YMCA made a major pivot. While being closed for workouts, they opened up a shower program for the unhoused, launched a community food pantry, hosted multiple food drives, and even Page 18 • June 2021

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June 2021 • Page 19

TheHTN.com

Design your workout routine around your preferences

By Jeff Blair

constraints and not have the hospital incur additional expense.

HCD tries to align with someone’s Opinion: I am currently taking a preferences and “design around” their “Human Centered Design” (HCD) constraints. course. HCD is a problem-solving This got me thinking how constraints approach that considers human needs impact fitness success. Two of the most as a crucial part of any problem. For common fitness constraints are time example, while a HCD hospital would and energy. Rather than acting like the offer traditional medical treatments, constraints are not real, can we find a it would also attempt to address the way to design around them? We can anxiety people experience when they then create innovative solutions and go to the hospital. The hospital could hire patient care coordinators, provide design something that might actually employees with more empathy training work for you rather than for your spouse or neighbor who might not have or even use soothing colors to make the same constraints. hospitalizations less stressful for Let’s consider an example. A patients. popular home fitness program may Understanding individual require 90-minute workouts six times preferences is always our HCD per week. If you are a busy working starting point. We all have different professional, you might feel lucky preferences and one person’s is not if you can even get two hours per necessarily better than another’s– week. HCD says we should design they are just different. When we your workouts in a way that fits your understand someone’s preferences, schedule rather than simply give the we can design in a way that matches those preferences. This should produce same one-size-fits-all recommendation to everyone. HCD would modify that higher levels of satisfaction for each six days per week, 90-minute workout user. schedule to something more realistic Constraints (or limits) are always for you. considered in HCD. When we Finding the energy to get started is acknowledge constraints, we check into another powerful constraint. People reality. For example, hospitals have often feel they do not have energy budget constraints. Budgets may limit to exercise, but lack of physical the number of employees who can movement actually decreases energy be hired as patient care coordinators. levels. It is a bit of a vicious cycle.

Recruiting volunteers to provide How can we design around this energy patient emotional support could be one way to design around those budget dilemma?

Scheduling exercise when you have the most energy during the day is one strategy. If you are a morning person and your schedule allows, try to exercise in the morning. If you have more physical energy in the evening, consider exercising at night.

If you seem to have more energy on the weekend, put exercise on your weekend schedule.

When it comes to strength training, unreliable information is another common constraint. Many think they need to work out two hours per day, six days per week to see any results. Meanwhile, almost every major medical organization in the world recommends just two sessions per week of 30 to 60 minutes per session. That is two hours per week or less.

Constraints are usually the first thing I consider when designing workout programs. If someone only has a couple hours per week to work out, I know that can really improve their quality of life without overwhelming their schedule. That means they are more likely to continue exercising over the long-term.

I am confident they will experience greater strength, increased energy and might even become happier.

Not wanting to work out by yourself can be another constraint. Recruiting a workout partner or hiring a personal trainer are a couple ways to design around this issue. A workout partner can make all the difference when it comes to long-term exercise adherence.

No one likes to let someone down by no-showing. If the partner is emotionally supportive, that is even better.

Determine your preferences. Try not to compare yourself to others. Design an approach that works for you. By considering your preferences and designing around real-world constraints, you increase your chances for success.

You can then make fitness work on your terms.

Jeff Blair (M.S., CSCS) has been a certified personal trainer in Westchester since 2002. He is in the process of completing his second fitness book and has been featured in national and international fitness magazines.

He founded the SoCalSport Personal Training Studio in Westchester in 2011.

Reach out at jeff@socalsport.com

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Open Tuesday & Friday, 10am-12pm 355 Beach St., Inglewood

Bring donations of non-perishable food to Covenant Presbyterian Chuch. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged!

For more information, please call (310) 677-5597 Ad donated by the Covenant Presbyterian Church

Page 20 • June 2021

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Photo by Zsuzsi Steiner.

Random Notes/Opinion

Do you want solid long-term relationships?

By Fay Craton

Opinion: As a result of the pandemic, for more than a year we have all been living through what once was unimaginable. Your life may have changed drastically.

Changes and loss can easily cause a shift in your sense of self. As people steadily become vaccinated and COVID rates continue to fall, you should be able to regain some normalcy in your life. But, after so much loss and change, what is normal? In thinking about normal, common questions for many people are: • Who am I? • What do I want?

• How do I control my life?

Questions are natural when your life has been radically impacted, such as during the pandemic shut down.

Now that shutdowns in our area are lifting, change is again happening. Do the changes make you happy or uncomfortable? Some people enjoyed the togetherness caused by families quarantining together. Many people enjoyed–even flourished–working from home.

Other people experienced a loss of work, or felt trapped, frustrated and struggled to hold onto involvement with people outside their immediate family. Some who worked from home found it was difficult due to lack of space, childcare needs and difficulty maintaining enough emotional space. In some homes, tension developed with part of the family thriving and part of the family feeling trapped. When people you care about experience the uncertainty you are living through differently, conflict can easily happen.

When change happens, it ripples throughout how you live, experience events and connect with the world.

The changes during the pandemic have been like an earthquake with the ground shaking under your feet for over a year. For many, maintaining personal balance, family balance and work or occupational balance has been difficult while the world continued to tremble.

How do I control my life?

Reflecting on the common questions, some people jump right to the last one. In answering this question, do you think the answer is in controlling what is happening around you? Do you believe you can keep your life from changing by keeping track of loved ones to

ensure they are doing what you want? Are you forcing your will onto others? Do you expect conversations to be primarily about your life? If you are answering “yes” to these questions, chances are you are losing opportunities to retain and build quality relationships with important people in your life.

When uncertainty lasts for an extended period of time, such as with the pandemic, the desire to eliminate as much change around you as possible is understandable.

However, you can only control your own life. When you attempt to control another person’s life, you end up creating resentment. The likelihood of problems within the relationship increases.

What do I want? Consider the first two common questions.

Do you want solid long-term relationships? Do you want a lasting life partnership? Good relationships are necessary for a sense of trust and emotional well-being. A life partnership in which you feel supported (not forced) to grow contributes to a healthy and not paralyzing sense of safety.

Who am I? Understanding your own strengths, weaknesses and activities that resonate deep within your soul requires continual exploration. Emotionally secure partners are able to support each other for the long haul. Sometimes, this means experiencing differences at some points during your life’s journey. Sometimes, it could mean expectations and agreements must be renegotiated and changed.

Marriages and life partnerships take effort by both people in the relationship. They require being fully present for each other even when experiences of the same event are different.

My wish is for you to have the peace of knowing who you are while experiencing long-term healthy, relationships. A healthy relationship includes times of discomfort, as well as times of contentment. I wish for you to have the strength to stay the course, to be present for the significant people in your life and to know love.

Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011), which is the psychology license specializing in relationships (with ourselves or with others). She provides video-based counseling and is located in Westchester. If you have any questions, please contact Fay at (310) 645-6762.

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June 2021 • Page 21

Business spotlight: Husband and wife team behind Bughouse get creative in Westchester Westchester residents Rebecca Johnson and Jeff Klarin are the creative duo behind art and design studio, Bughouse. Both native Angelenos, the married couple love to create art in a variety of media and find inspiration everywhere, especially when it comes to the natural beauty of the area.

From fun paintings and graphic design work to custom furniture and photography, the two enjoy challenging themselves with new projects and hope to help bring more public art to the community.

Get the scoop on this month’s spotlight by reading below!

Q. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. A. Rebecca: I was born in Santa Monica and raised in Westchester. My husband and I recently moved back to Westchester after living in Northeast L.A. for the past 20 years. Jeff and I are partners in our art and design business, Bughouse.

We spent many years working in television graphics and eventually transitioned to making art full time and graphic design part time.

We have two mutts, Finn and Jones; they excel at barking, eating and sleeping. One of my favorite ways to unwind is tending to our native California garden. During the long lockdown of 2020, I immersed myself in Zoom classes on native gardening and had an epiphany about how individual action can influence the environment on a macro and micro level.

Jeff Klarin and Rebecca Johnson pose in Jeff’s art studio in Westchester.

Q. What is your favorite medium to work with? What are some of your favorite subjects?

A. Rebecca: I spent decades as a photographer, but my favorite medium is oil painting. My first–and ongoing– series of oil paintings is based on rescue dogs I photographed to help them get adopted. I’ve just started a new series, “Southland,” based on photographs and impressions of Southern California, ranging from fire-influenced sunsets to sea lions bobbing in the ocean.

Jeff: We’re both native Angelenos, and we moved to Westchester four years ago. Since Rebecca grew up here, it is a dream to be back.

We’ve traveled quite a bit, but we truly believe that Los Angeles is as good as any major city in the world. With so many distinct cultures and styles, being artists and designers here is a constant inspiration.

Jeff: I have used many traditional medias such as acrylic, oils, casein and watercolor. Currently, I am very excited by spray paint, which has such vibrant colors. It is so immediate. You can lay down an area and go over it immediately with another color, weton-wet, creating a fluid mix.

My favorite subjects are things like plants, ocean waves and clouds, as well as food. There is an intensity to the shapes and colors of food, especially ice creams, cakes, popsicles and pies. The colors are crazy rich.

Q. Please tell us a little bit about your business A. Jeff: Bughouse is a design studio owned and operated by both of us. Over the years, we have designed business systems for small businesses, done promotional animations for numerous entertainment companies, designed a series of wine labels and created physical awards for the Grammy Museum and the Woody Guthrie Center. We always like to challenge ourselves by working in new areas, while hopefully retaining a unique outlook on the product at hand. The name Bughouse is British slang for crazy house or mental institution.

Page 22 • June 2021

Q. What do you love most about what you do? A. Rebecca: What I enjoy about painting is also what I find challenging: the problem-solving, the unknown, the image you have in your head and what emerges once the paint starts moving around the canvas.

Watching the image come to life is its own sort of magical alchemy.

Jeff: Every day in the studio is like being born again. You are not sure how the day is going to go, but that is what

makes it exciting. It is the moments that are unplanned that create details and shapes–the accidents that are better than the things that are carefully planned.

Q. Anything else you’d like people to know about your business or share? A. Jeff: During the pandemic, we were in the middle of a massive renovation of our house. We had very little room to work. I had to keep it simple and quick, so I looked around to see what materials I had on hand.

I had scrap lumber, cardboard and spray paint. So for the first time, I worked exclusively with spray paint and acrylic markers using chip board to cut out stencils. Because COVID was so stressful for everyone, I wanted to make small pieces that were happy and made you smile, so I started painting popsicles, ice cream cones, cakes and chocolate bars. That was how the ‘Sweet Things’ series was born. [You can view the painting “4 Stack Cone” on this month’s cover.]

Rebecca: We’re looking forward to meeting our neighbors, getting involved in the creative community of Westchester and Playa del Rey, and bringing more art to the neighborhood through public projects. We’re also up for private commissions!

Q. What are some of your favorite local businesses or things you enjoy most about the neighborhood? A. Rebecca: We have so many great, local food options that I can’t list them all! This is our

short list (haha): In Westchester, we most often visit Cafe Solar, The Manchester and Caravan Swim Club. In Playa del Rey, we love Playa Provisions, The Shack and Señor G’s. Our Playa Vista faves are Loqui, Ritrovo, SOL, Dan Modern and Urban Plates. In Marina del Rey, we love Sugarfish and recently had a beautiful anniversary meal at Cast & Plow. We are over the moon with the opening of our local bookstore, The Book Jewel. Kudos to them for planting a California native garden in their parking lot and hosting regular readings and performances!

Jeff: What inspires us is all this natural beauty in our own backyard. We love the Ballona Wetlands, Dockweiler Beach, the Marina and the coastal beach cities for cruising with our bikes. For us, rejuvenation comes from either making art or interacting with the beauty and power of nature.

Visit bughouse.com to learn more and view the art available for purchase.

At right: A sampling of some of Jeff and Rebecca’s work. Jeff’s work includes the block art (top left), whale sculpture (top right) and “Sweet Things” collection (bottom row). Rebecca’s work includes the seabirds and portraits of “Merry,” “Astra” and “Lucky” (second row from the bottom).

We love learning about local, small businesses and sharing that info with our readers to help promote shopping locally and to support community members! Email us your suggestions on who to feature next at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

June 2021 • Page 23

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Summer events (continued)

Stop by the Westchester Farmers’ Market every Sunday to stock up on fruits and veggies.

(Continued from page 18) Westchester Farmers’ Market Every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It is hard to think about June and July without picturing all of the abundant offerings at the farmers’ market: from peaches and nectarines to watermelon and all the squashes, heirloom tomatoes and summer corn.

The Westchester Farmers’ Market takes place every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and summer is a great time to check out all their vendors and fresh produce.

Follow them on Instagram @westchesterfarmersmarket to view what’s in season and get the scoop on the week’s schedule as they start to welcome back live music and kids’ activities this summer!

The market is located in the 6200 block of 87th Street in Westchester.

Westchester Arts & Music Block Party Saturday, September 18 WAM is back! After going virtual last year, the Sixth Annual Westchester Arts & Music Block Party will return just in time to say “goodbye” to summer! This free, day-long event is a community favorite and although it may look a little different this year depending on county guidelines, be prepared for fabulous live music, local artisans, vendors, community booths and a wine/beer garden. Save the date, and get ready to party in the street as Emerson Ave. between 80th St. and 80th Pl. is shut down for the ultimate Westchester block party! Stay tuned for more details at wamblockparty.org.

What’s on your summer activity list?

Send us a message at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com or at facebook.com/thehtn.com!

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