B E V E R LY H I L L S | B R E N T W O O D | M A L I B U | W E S T H O L LY W O O D | S A N T A M O N I C A
COMMUNITY POWERED
SPOTLIGHT
WHIMSICAL BARTON G. SIMPLY STYLIST
SARAH BOYD MUSIC EDITOR/HOST
EXECUTIVE CHEF, BALTAIRE
TAMBI SAFFRAN
JANUARY 2016 | FOCUSMAG.US
TRAVIS STRICKLAND
FOOD ISSUE
BEAUTY PIONEER, FACE BAR FOUNDER
AMAZING RACE WINNER
TRICIA DIKES
LAURA PIERSON
LISA MANSFIELD
Realtor, NRT’s Top 1,000 Sales Associates
310.481.4313
lisa.mansfield@sothebyshomes.com www.lisamansfield.com
Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.
BRENTWOOD BROKERAGE | 11911 SAN VICENTE BLVD SUITE 200 | LOS ANGELES | CA 90049
Top
2%
of Sales Associates Nationwide
TESTIMONIAL
“Thank you very much for a job well done! You are the best. When I think of all the people you needed to gather together and oversee to get the property in shape I realize what a superlative realtor team does. And you are it. We endorse you and hope to work with you for many years.” – Peter & Margaret
DID YOU KNOW…?
TIPS TO INCREASE YOUR HOME’S VALUE Small improvements can really pay off...upgrades for your home value and…for you...talk to your realtor. Clean your house now for profits later...a bright and sparkly home can attract buyers like a magnet. Tackle one room at a time...Make a list…based on cost…and how much time each project may take. Beautify your bathroom...faucet…granite or marble…countertops…lighting in favor of wall mounts…new grout. Upgrade the kitchen...Change the paint….a new backsplash…new tile….stainless steel. (HGTV)
I HAVE IDEAS THAT WILL INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME!
DIRECT: 310.481.4313
LISA MANSFIELD
CELL: 310.993.2303
LISA’S LISTINGS UPDATES...!!!
LISA JUST LISTED...1740 S. WESTGATE AVE. D.!!!
1740 S.Westgate Ave. D Asking $1,149,000 *CURRENT LISTING!!!
11351 Burnham St. *In Escrow!!!
11657 Chenault St. 107 4031 Hayvenhurst Ave. 3408 Mandeville Cyn. Rd. 11362-4 Homedale St. 11367 Homedale St. 429 N. Bundy Dr. 11403 Berwick St. 11400 Berwick St.
1740 S. Westgate Ave. D West Los Angeles 3 Beds+2.5 Baths+Private Garage Terrace with Views! WLAHomes.com Asking Price: $1,149,000
*Just Sold!!! *Just Sold!!! *Just Sold!!! *Just Sold!!! *Just Leased!!! *Just Leased!!! *Just Leased!!! *Just Leased!!!
Contact me to hear about my upcoming listings! – Lisa
Focus TV
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Baltaire
Barton G.
Vibrato Grill Jazz
The Face Bar
Executive Chef, Travis Strickland transforms old school steakhouse values into an uber chic, hot spot at Baltaire.
Barton G. brings out the kid in everyone. It’s a Fantasyland where the food takes center stage through whimsical and outrageously fun displays.
Eden Alpert’s jazz club is the perfect setting for a delicious meal, set to live performances of some of the most talented musicians in the world.
Celebrity Aesthetician Tricia Dikes introduces an affordable, 30 minute treatment for smoother, younger looking skin.
City Moms
Click & Carry
Paper Dolls
Alisa Ruby Bash
Tracy Fredkin is the founder of the CityMoms Pass, a membership based service providing families access to the best local events and programs for kids ages 0 to 5.
Kim Meckwood invented a simple device to carry multiple bags with ease.
Jen Mojo talks about Paper Dolls, the shared workspace in Brentwood for women entrepreneurs.
A marriage and family therapist’s new book helps everyone learn to experience healthy, happy lifelong relationships.
Rhonda’s Kiss
Simply Stylist
Shoes of Prey
Cure Spa
Kyle Stefanski honors his late mother with fundraising concerts for cancer patients in need.
Sarah Boyd created Simply Stylist a platform for men and women looking to get into the fashion and beauty industry.
Jody Fox is the Co-founder of Shoes of Prey, a custommade shoe company.
An upscale destination salon and spa located in Malibu, Cure Spa is a complete medical, cosmetic, and spa experience.
Miss Malibu/Beverly Hills
A Wedding To Remember
LA Music Awards
The Parlour Room
2016 Miss Malibu and Beverly Hills Pageant.
An extravagant and memorable wedding celebration in Bel Air.
Focus Events red carpet at the 25th annual LA Music Awards at The Whisky A Go Go.
An inventive, neighborhood cocktail bar from the Vintage Bar Group.
CONTRIBUTORS
Tambi Saffran (Stollman) Tambi grew up in NY. She left a producer job at MTV to start a family. Returning to her passion of producing and music, Tambi is currently producing a documentary called She Rocks! about female guitarists. In her spare time she enjoys being a mom, hiking, boxing and live music. http://instagram.com/iamtambi
Sande Charles Sande was crowned Ms. California United States 2014. She grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and also covers Football Night in LA for the Examiner. When not in front of the camera, you can find her producing for the MLB Network. On the weekends she is in Studio for Fox Sports. sandecharles.com
Rhea Kim Dr. Kim brings international business experience in high-profile marketing and communications and large scale event production from start to finish in luxury retail, cosmetics, and skincare. Her leadership spans across various industries and companies including Toyota, Hyundai, Sotheby’s, and more. Dr. Kim has been serving as a professor at the University of Southern California. She received both Master’s degree and Doctorate from USC.
Hillary Gadsby Hillary brings extensive experience in Sales, Marketing and Event Management as well as providing exemplary service. She has gained recognition among some of the world’s leading companies including Toyota, and luxury market powerhouse brands such as Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Vera Wang. Her ability to successfully put her clients in the public eye and build new business relationships for them has gained her respect with companies in a variety of diverse industries from luxury goods to corporate finance. Hillary was educated at Sorbonne and American University.
Alisa Ruby Bash A Marriage and Family Therapist in Beverly Hills, Alisa has appeared on TLC’s “OMG EMT!,” NBC News, “E! News”, and “EXTRA”. She received her Master’s from Antioch University, and her doctorate degree from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. alisarubybash.com Marlyn Diaz Marlyn Diaz, an integrative nutritionist, speaker and age-defying healthy lifestyle expert, helps her clients eat better and age younger! holisticnutritionista.com @marlynwellness
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Maria Provenzano Maria Provenzano is a lifestyle blogger who writes about food, original recipes and personally created crafts, with fun ‘mom topics’ sprinkled in! Maria is a true Italian girl; she loves creating and feeding people! “From Scratch” sums up how Maria lives her life, and wants to inspire others to do the same.
Wendy Brokaw Kretchmer Wendy is an editorial producer at CNN but considers her most important job to be raising her 2 girls. Her rare spare time is spent on a multitude of passions including fundraising, cancer awareness, fitness, and her guilty pleasure – Pinterest.
Allison Schwartz A Brentwood native, Allison was a financial journalist at Bloomberg News for 10 years covering publicly traded retail companies. She is now the founder of BrentwoodBuzz.com and loves being a mom to her two young children.
Community powered. Editor Andrew Waldman andy@focusmag.us Focus TV Editor/Hosts Sande Charles Tambi Saffran Hillary Gadsby Staff Writer Felicia Waldman Photographer Dalen Muster Videographers Dalen Muster Ben Shani Publisher + Creative Director Mark Castellino mark@focusmag.us Copyright 2015 by Focus Media Agency. Focus (ISSN 2328-1359) is published 6 times per year. Please do not to reproduce any of the content without permission. Subscription and distribution inquiries: promo@focusmag.us
NOTE FROM THE TEAM
It’s our last issue of the year and we end on a food theme, with a smorgasbord of articles on restaurants, recipes and food related businesses. We also highlight several successful women entrepreneurs, doing enterprising things around West Los Angeles. We covered a few high-profile, red carpet events in the last month too. We hope you enjoy this issue and wish you all Happy Holidays. Thanks so much for supporting us throughout the year, and please send us your stories for 2016!
Cheers, The Focus Team
ISSUE 19
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Bringing Great Face to LA Celebrity Aesthetician TRICIA DIKES introduces an affordable, 30 minute treatment for smoother, younger looking skin. 6 FOCUS | J A N U ARY 2 0 1 6
BY FELICIA WALDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN SHANI
The Face Bar “experience” has arrived in Beverly Hills with a first of its kind facial peel that will leave you glowing... There’s a fresh-faced new kid on the block on Beverly Boulevard in Beverly Hills. The Face Bar, in its super chic space, offers their clients a 30-minute “Signature Peel”, as well as a 20-minute express rejuvenation treatment called “The Glow On The Go”. Developed by Tricia Dikes, one of Beverly Hills most renowned Aestheticians, along with her team of leading Dermatologists and Facial Plastic Surgeons, Tricia has used this peel for 20 years on a client list that reads like a who’s who in Hollywood. Her treatments have been clinically proven to reveal smoother, younger looking skin, reducing brown spots, fine lines, minimizing pores and acne. With her long and impressive celebrity client list, Tricia now makes her peel and product line affordable and accessible to everyone. The 30-minute process caters to men and women who want their services quickly yet luxuriously and of course most effectively. For just $69, [“What!?! ”] this facial peel has people asking, “What’s your secret? You look amazing!” One look at Tricia herself and you will say, “I’ll have what she’s having!”
With the explosion of upscale single-service beauty “bars”, The Face Bar is making their chemical peel expertise easily accessible for people who normally would not pursue such a service. Their slogan, “We Give Great Face!” will be sure to appeal to men and women looking for a speedy and affordable option to truly help turn back the hands of time. Clients can visit The Face Bar every 2-4 weeks for the “Signature Peel” or weekly for the “The Glow On The Go” treatment which is ideal for maintaining flawless skin in between your Peel treatments. People will quickly become addicted to the instant results that only get better and more noticeable with each visit. If you have ever wanted to try a chemical peel but didn’t have access to insurance or access to a dermatologist’s office, this is your grand opportunity. During your visit to The Face Bar, you will relax in their sleek space, listening to some great music and possibly sipping on a Bellini while one of their expert Aestheticians take your face through the 6-step process. Your skin will be exfoliated and prepared to drink up all of specially developed products that Tricia has used with amazing results, including a goody bag of products to take home for easy after-care, as you watch the peel work its wonders over the next few days. Most people can usually expect to pay upwards of $150-$300 for a chemical peel at a doctor’s office. Tricia Dikes has assembled a fantastic group of Aestheticians, trained to perform her peel, in her new gorgeous space for a very affordable price of just $69 for the “Signature Peel” and $49 for the “The Glow On The Go”! The Face Bar is by no means just for women. Tricia has a very large percentage of male clients who love the results just as much as women do. She hopes that both men and women will take advantage of her “Date Night”, “Cocktail Hours”, “Wine and
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Peel”, and “Peel Party” specials, aimed at gathering couples or groups of friends to come in and do the peels together, because after all, it’s always more fun with friends or a loved one! The Face Bar fans who can’t make it in to have their peel done in person, can purchase an “At-Home Kit” which they can use themselves at home, or share with out of town pals, with the same end-results of the in-salon experience. And for those who prefer the privacy of their own home, office or hotel they have you covered. The Face Bar will offer “Great Face To Your Place!” They will send an Aesthetician to your location of choice to bring that gorgeous glow to you. The Face Bar will also feature Tricia Dikes’ skincare product line which has been carefully formulated and customized and has been highly recommended by some of the top Cosmetic Dermatologists and Surgeons in Beverly Hills. Her product line features a number of different cleansers, scrubs, moisturizers, Vita Sprays, serums and eye complexes to help maintain your gorgeous glowing skin. Look for The Face Bar’s newest locations opening in 2016, in Studio City, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Westlake Village.
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For more information, or to get YOUR great face, visit www. thefacebar.la or just head on in for your 20 or 30-minute treatment anytime: The Face Bar, 9020 Beverly Blvd.
The Face Bar 9020 Beverly Blvd CA 90048 T: 310.246.2360 thefacebarla.com
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A Seaside Cure
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Photos: Powers Studio Malibu
CURE is an upscale destination salon & spa located in Malibu, California, and offers a complete medical, cosmetic, and spa experience, that was developed by Dr. Lisa Benya and her husband Michael McCauley. They offer comfortable treatment rooms with the all the newest equipment and techniques. There is massage in a variety of styles – traditional Swedish massage, Deep Tissue work, Hot Stone Massage, Reflexology, Sports, Pregnancy and CURE Signature Message. They also offer facial and body treatments, Vitamin C Antioxidant Facial and CURE’s Anti-Free Radical Treatment. The day spa has the latest in anti-aging products and techniques, as well as traditional services like hair and nail care.
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SPA EXPERIENCE
Palomar Starlux – Reverses the signs of aging by treating hyperpigmentation, sun-damage, melasma, rosacea, small veins, and wrinkles. Hydrafacial MD – The new revolution in microdermabrasion. The microdermabrasion system is crystal-free and includes infusion of serums into the skin that has never before been accomplished! Botox, Dermal fillers (Juvederm, Restylane), Mesotherapy, and Sclerotherapy – CURE offers the most advanced products, services, and techniques on the market today. Dr. Benya has been trained and certified by the top doctors in the world and performs only FDA approved procedures. Nutrition, weight loss and weight management program – Establish programs/protocols for having complete medical spa services for patients. Executive/Presidential/Full physicals utilizing all labs, Xray, scans, genetic testing, etc to give complete health assessment. CURE was created and is managed by a physician. All areas of the business are overseen by a doctor, ensuring that care and services are safe, elite/state-of-the-art, and effective.
Cure Spa 22741 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265 curemedspa.com
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The Secret To Keeping The Sparkle Alive BY ALISA RUBY BASH
When I moved to Los Angeles years ago, meeting the right man, getting married, and having a fairytale ending seemed like it would have been simple. After quickly realizing not every man in L.A. was Prince Charming, I created an online dating profile. After my first date with a five- foot tall doctor who had posted a picture of his six- foot tall brother on his profile, and then asked me to split the bill for a cup of coffee, my long journey to find lasting love began. Everyone told me I just needed to get out there. That was when it dawned on me that maybe “out there” was really just a reflection of what was “in here.” Slowly, my obsession with finding “The One” dissolved. I began to wake up each morning committed to my own happiness and creating the life I wanted to live. Even though I was single, I no longer felt alone. The love I sought from outside, grew and blossomed internally as my commitment to my own joy and wholeness genuinely filled up any emptiness. I found my soul mate when I fell in love with my own life. We got married a few years ago, started our own family, and continue to grow together and learn the intricacies of what makes marriages successful. Now, as a marriage and family therapist, it is my greatest joy and mission to help everyone learn to experience healthy, happy lifelong relationships. But, you don’t have to look too far to realize that relationships have
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never faced more challenges or stresses than they do today, and there have never been more avenues accessible to destroy them. Sometimes it may feel as though the odds are stacked against you and the survival of your relationship. With social media, online dating sites, apps, texting, and the myriad other technologies, there never have been more ways to communicate, or more ways to cheat! These new modes of communication have given us new ways to be not only connected, but also disappointed and betrayed. The current economic strains placed on families are causing marriages to suffer at a staggering rate, and often people are suffering in unhappy marriages paralyzed by fear of making a change, or the emotional stress and cost of divorce. And all the while, as our general levels of stress increase, our society moves at an even faster pace, reflecting back to us an appetite for newer, faster, and better. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2002, the divorce rate for first marriages had been at 40% for a full decade, and the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships estimated that 25% of married couples suffer severe, ongoing friction in their relationship. With the negativity and despair in our relationships mirrored in the media and throughout therapists’ offices worldwide, many of us can become overwhelmed with fear, feeling lost and hopeless about ever finding and maintaining true love. We begin to question if marriage is an outdated institution. The principles I work with every day are here to bridge the gap between fear and love. The simple straightforward rules to creating a happy marriage are what I call the Four C’s of a Diamond Relationship. Everyone knows that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Although relationships don’t always have the plot or the ending we hope for, the diamond, the strongest substance created in nature, remains a symbol of a unique story that no other two people can replicate. Although a diamond will certainly not guarantee a successful relationship, its symbolic qualities are a valuable reminder of the strength, sparkle, and durability that we must strive to achieve in our relationships. Sometimes the sparkle will dull over the years from the normal wear and tear of life. But, just as we must clean and polish our rings to keep them shiny and refreshed, so must we do the maintenance on our marriages to keep them alive and sparkling. And right on your finger you will find the daily reminder necessary to practice the 4 Cs. Just as there are four characteristics, known as the four C’s, commonly used to describe the quality of a diamond (carat, cut, color, and clarity), so there are 4 C’s to describe the most precious commodity of all: our relationship with our partner, one we want to be a rock solid diamond relationship. The 4 C’s of a diamond relationship are: Commitment, Communication, Connection, and Consideration.
in a way that they will understand, and how to truly listen to them. Make sure that you connect physically and emotionally everyday. Talk to each other about your day. Even if you are not making love, make sure to touch and cuddle to keep the spark alive. And, finally, have the same consideration for your spouse that you would use for your best friend. Try to do little things to make them smile, and show them how much you love them. Although the 4 C’s can’t fix every problem, practicing these rules from the beginning can help keep you united. Remember that your marriage is a living entity and like a garden, needs nurturing every day. If you let the weeds grow for too long, it can die. But, when you give it the attention it needs daily, and face issues as they sprout up, you can keep it healthy and alive. Marriage takes work. After the wedding is when the real work begins. My new book, “The Secret To Keeping The Sparkle AliveThe 4 C’s of A Diamond Relationship” goes into detail about the 4 C’s and how we can apply them to real life situations.
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First, always remember your commitment to your spouse. Try to work through your feelings, and fights, not just run away, or look outside the marriage when you are angry. Do the work and face your problems head on. Learn how to communicate with your partner
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HALEH LEKKOS hopes to follow in the successful footsteps of Dry Bar, by providing her clients the ease of a quick hair color refresh at an affordable price.
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Base Color Arrives In Brentwood BY ALLISON ABELL SCHWARTZ/BRENTWOOD BUZZ
Tired of spending a fortune once a month covering up your roots? Base Color Bar, located in the Brentwood Gardens shopping plaza in Brentwood, is here to help you keep your color fresh for a reasonable price and without the fuss of a full salon experience.
DC and Texas. Dry Bar charges $40 for a hair blow out, less than the average cost for the same service at a high-end salon. Lekkos followed her instinct and opened Base Color Bar one month ago. When asked what her customers are saying about their experience, she, without hesitation, answered, “It’s just brilliant!” “There are so many people who were paying $100 or more and they are so excited they don’t have to do that anymore,” Lekkos said. And Lekkos is even offering hair blow outs for $35 to follow up their color processing. Also popular are the hair repair treatments her salon provides. Customers are coming in specifically for the Absolute Repair moisturizing treatment. Base Color Bar also provides a Color Powershot Treatment “which seals your color in and adds shine.” Lekkos grew up in Northern California’s Menlo Park and became a nurse at Stanford University before realizing her calling was going Owner Haleh Lekkos, who trained with Frederic Fekkai in to cosmetology school. After leaving New York armed with her Manhattan, came up with the concept after realizing there weren’t Fekkai training, Lekkos catered to private clients at their own homes any salons that would just clean up your roots without charging and at her in-home salon for 10 years. a price tag of more than $100. Base Color Bar, equipped with “I’ve been doing hair for over 15 years, and I really never premium hair color (L’Oreal Majirel) and products as well as super chic décor, offers premium base color for $49 and an ammonia-free thought that I would have my own hair salon,” Lekkos said. But base color for $59. The salon’s services also include gloss/toner ($20), when she thought of this concept, she knew it was worth pursuing. power shot treatments for conditioning and moisturizing ($20) and Base Color Bar, is located at 11677 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 215, next men’s color rinse ($40). to California Pizza Kitchen, and offers complimentary valet parking. Lekkos hopes to follow the successful footsteps of Dry Bar, also located in Brentwood Gardens, by providing her clients with the ease Call 310-820-0505 for an appointment or book online at http:// basecolorbar.com First time customers will receive 10% off their of a quick color refresh at an affordable price. “I remember seeing the Dry Bar open and I just thought it was so treatment of choice. brilliant, “ Lekkos said in an interview. “And having gray hair myself and having to do it as often as I do, I thought, why is there not a place that offers the same type of concept but for base color?” Dry Bar, a blow dry salon with movies and cocktails launched in 2010 Base Color Bar in Brentwood, has expanded to more than 45 locations in 8 states 11677 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 215, CA 90049 including California, New York City, Massachusetts, Washington basecolorbar.com
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COV E R STO RY
Baltaire Steakhouse Brentwood’s Chic Cut Above WRITTEN BY FELICIA WALDMAN INTERVIEW BY TAMBI SAFFRAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTIN TEIG
“Happy cooks put out happy food. When you get that kind of working in unison and the choreography of everything coming together, that’s what really kind of inspires me and says, Wow, today was a great day.”
Focus Magazine’s Tambi Saffran chats with Executive Chef Travis Strickland....an inside look at what makes Baltaire tick so well.
TAMBI SAFFRAN: You are a former executive chef of some Travis Strickland, Executive Chef, Baltaire Steakhouse fantastic steakhouses in Chicago, The Local and Chicago Cut – what brought you to LA and Baltaire? TRAVIS STRICKLAND: This opportunity was presented to me while I was doing some corporate executive work in Chicago Brentwood never looked or tasted so good. The running a few great restaurants, and at the time the whole project old Cheesecake Factory space has been gorgeously was still in the developmental state. An opportunity like that for a transformed by the Coral Tree Cafe team, and the uber young, eager, hungry chef to really be a part of conceptualizing and chic Baltaire has settled in as one of the most sought really putting your stamp on such a magnificent place made me jump at the chance to come out. We worked on it for about a year after hotspots in L.A. for brunch, lunch, and dinner. before we actually opened and we’re pretty excited about the end While there is arguably no better place for the finest product.
beef dishes from around the world, Baltaire is more than a delectable upscale classic steakhouse. Their Executive Chef, Travis Strickland, has completely mastered the art of crowd pleasing, his menus are contemporary and exciting. Its upscale lounge invites you to sit by the fire and enjoy live music, designer cocktails and their impressive and extensive wine and whiskey selections that will have connoisseurs swooning. Baltaire has become a perfect meeting spot for a dates, cocktails with friends, or pretty people watching. This beautiful place, catering to beautiful people, is most definitely here to stay.
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TAMBI: I hear you were part of coming up with the name, how did that come about? TRAVIS: We wanted something that was unique and something that showed a little bit of muscularity and strength and power in the name. Baltaire is a Gaelic word for an old medieval warrior, so it kind of has that uniqueness about it and demonstrates that strength. TAMBI: How long have you been cooking professionally and where did you train? TRAVIS: Professionally since I was 19, so that’s it’s quite a few years now - about 15 total years. I got to a point in my career where I didn’t feel like I was really progressing as a younger cook and it was time to get serious about it. I was in Tennessee at the time, I said,
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“I’ve really got to invest in myself to take the next step.” So I packed all my things and I drove to New York and enrolled in The Culinary Institute in Hyde Park. I said, “This is the best place in the country that I can go actually learn about how food works and the nuance of it and the global influence of it.” It was the best move of my career so far. I learned a lot of things about cooking, but more importantly it’s the network of people that I’ve met and that camaraderie of cooks throughout my career. TAMBI: Is there one thing that Baltaire is known for? TRAVIS: Yes. Baltaire is, at its roots and at the heart of it, a contemporary American steakhouse, so we’re very proud of our selection of meat. We had a lengthy conversation about what the meat program would look like before I even moved out here, and it had to be a 100% USDA prime or better with Japanese Wagyu and global influence in it and really not taking any shortcuts. That’s really our specialty and that’s what we do. But the testament to us is when we get folks who are vegetarian, or vegan, or don’t eat red meat that come here and they say, “Wow, we really love your food,” as well. That, to me, is when we’ve really hit the mark. TAMBI: I’m one of those people. I was here and I had the seabass and it was delicious! TRAVIS: Thank you! And it’s really important that we’re welcoming to all tastes and varieties, and, like I said, that global influence, where we can show a little culinary creativity and go outside of the normal - your-grandfather’s-steakhouse - box. TAMBI: Do you have a favorite ingredient? TRAVIS: I think tastes and flavors and trends come and go and seasons really affect what you’re craving at what point in time. In the summer, when your body’s just craving peaches or local stone fruit, that’s the flavor of the month. As now we’re getting into fall, it’s beautiful mushrooms or it’s deep, earthy flavors, vadouvan curry; Those are some of my go-to flavors right now. It’s cooking with the seasons and using things that are recognizable but still finding a place for exotic ingredients also. It’s really about what inspires you in the moment. TAMBI: Do you have any interesting moments to share with us from your career as a chef? TRAVIS: I’ve had so many good and fun moments. I’ve been very, very blessed to cook for some very high profile people in Chicago. It really doesn’t get a whole lot bigger than Oprah and she was a great big supporter of ours in Chicago. She came into one of my restaurants and she had the cornbread that I made. She tweeted to 21 million people that it was the best cornbread that she’s ever had. TAMBI: So we have to get her into Baltaire now. TRAVIS: Exactly. Now it’s time to get her in. When President Obama came to Chicago we got to cook for him. Here in Los Angeles it’s always somebody interesting and exciting. Some of the great people you meet and get to cook for become really big fans of what you do. It really is a rewarding part of the job. TAMBI: Do you have any advice for young people who would like to become chefs? TRAVIS: Yes. My advice to young cooks is, don’t try to progress too quickly. Take time to learn in the moment, and you learn through experience, and you learn through mistakes, and you be one of
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those hungry, eager people who continues to ask questions and be humble. Those are the folks who are going to get the most tutelage and be taken under a wing and really shown different things. Take your time and learn different things and go to different places. That’s my advice for young cooks. TAMBI: What do you think is the key to a successful restaurant? TRAVIS: At the end of it, we sell two things; and it’s product and it’s service. You can have the greatest food in the whole world, but the greatest food in the world with mediocre service, is mediocre. Or great service with mediocre food kind of leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Successful chefs and successful days in the restaurant life are when service is great and food quality is great and everybody is happy. Happy cooks put out happy food. When you get that kind of working in unison and the choreography of everything coming together, that’s what really kind of inspires me and says, “Wow, today was a great day.” TAMBI: Can you talk a little bit about the wine list here? Do you work with the beverage director on matching wines to some of your dishes? TRAVIS: Yes. This is an interesting journey for me coming from Chicago to California and really interacting a little more closely with California wines. I love getting to know all of the different wineries and even opening us up to small producers across the world, and finding people who are passionate about what they do. It’s about creating something special. When you get a flavor, a food and wine combination that’s just hitting on every level, it’s really one of those magical things in cooking. It’s when you can find that perfect harmony between the two. TAMBI: I have a tough question for you: What would be your last request dish? TRAVIS: My last request dish. For some reason, it always kind of goes back home to what mom cooked or what grandma cooked. It’s those sentimental memories that you have growing up. My grandfather was a very great cook. He was a World War II vet and didn’t really have a lot and kind of grew up in poverty, but he learned how to make things so delicious. Or when my mother makes roast chicken and it’s simple and beautiful all at the same time. That’s kind of my last meal on earth, one of those. TAMBI: Would you say that had an influence on you becoming a chef? TRAVIS: I like to think so. It was kind of always what I gravitated to, and you gravitate to what you’re good at and somebody rewards you by saying, “Hey, you’re doing a great job.” And it kind of fuels that fire. But I like to think seeing my grandfather interested in it and cooking at home with mom, those things stuck with me and shaped me. TAMBI: Is your family still in the Midwest? Have they been to Baltaire? TRAVIS: They’re still back home and I was lucky to fly them out to experience Baltaire. It was a pretty special night. It really was. It’s a sense of pride. It’s a proud moment knowing that you’ve put a lot of hard work into something and seeing it come to fruition and having your family experience that with you. It’s pretty special.
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TAMBI: How does ever-changing technology affect your cooking style? TRAVIS: A really enjoyable part of what we do, is being able to stay current on trends. Just like there are trends in foods, there are trends in equipment and trends in technology. If you don’t embrace those things, they will just go right by you and you miss an opportunity to do something really special. For example, there’s a newer technology on the market that’s called CVap, or controlled vapor cooking, which we use here at Baltaire for some of our steaks. It’s essentially what the French have been doing for a long time in sous-vide cooking – if you’ve ever heard of sous-vide or under pressure cooking. It is essentially that, but almost the reverse process, where you’re actually resting proteins while you’re cooking it in a moist and controlled environment. I’m really a firm believer that you have to stay current on those trends, and keep up with the food scientists. Keep evolving and using new things. TAMBI: How would you describe your style of cooking? TRAVIS: One of the things that I preach to younger cooks and my chefs who work here, is approachability. Have fun, be creative, make something craveable and approachable and recognizable, so that the mainstream diner who comes in can have an experience where they may recognize something – but you put a creative spin on it, and it’s something that’s new and exciting for them. So, favorability, approachability and staying within the confines of traditional American cooking, but with new influence, is exciting to me. TAMBI: How often do you change the menu here? TRAVIS: We try to change pretty frequently, and if it’s not a full revamp of the menu, it’s nightly features. We have to constantly reevaluate and see what the consumers are really, really enjoying and get that feedback. We like to change the menu, we like the feedback: good, bad and indifferent. We are not afraid to try new things and really put our creativity out there.
Amber Jamal, Marketing Director, Baltaire LIVE MUSIC With this type of restaurant, we felt that live music was really important. So, we do have live music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Currently, we have a live band on Thursdays that includes an upright bassist, a drummer, a singer and a pianist who performs on Friday and Saturday. We had a lot of different bands come in and try out in the morning. We would hold auditions. The Thursday night band actually came in and we knew them from playing at Hotel Bel Air, so their style and their sound just totally fit the ambiance of the restaurant – which is a very jazz and bluesy feel. Friday nights, we have a singer who plays a lot of classic rock, which is amazing of course and so engaging. These two acts fit perfectly with the restaurant’s vibe. MOONLIGHT, STARS AND FRESH AIR There’s a fabulous patio. We have a 2500 square foot patio which is huge, especially for Brentwood where space is so scarce. We have a retractable roof so we get to take advantage of the beautiful weather in Los Angeles, dining under the stars. THE WESTSIDE HAS ITS OWN QUINTESSENTIAL STEAKHOUSE NOW! We opened in Brentwood because we saw that there is such a need for a steakhouse on the Westside. There are a bunch of great restaurants in Santa Monica and a plethora of steakhouses in Beverly Hills. Our heart is in Brentwood, with our first restaurant being Coral Tree Cafe next door, which we opened 13 years ago. So we just felt that Brentwood would be the perfect spot for this fabulous restaurant that we had envisioned in our heads. We finally have that essential steakhouse on the Westside – but not just a steakhouse – a place to offer great lunch and brunch, as well as a fantastic lounge.
Mishel LeDoux , General Manager, Baltaire I’ve been in the restaurant business since 1997. I started in the Bay Area at Spago, then opened up Cut by Wolfgang Puck in Beverly Hills where I was for about eight years. Most recently I was at The Bazaar by Chef Jose Andreas for a year, and then I was lucky enough to be able to come to Baltaire right here in Brentwood. This is a fantastic restaurant. It really has an amazing ambiance and an amazing chef, in a wonderful community that really embraces Baltaire, so we’re lucky to be here. FAVORITE DISHES Well, obviously, steak is king, and in terms of the seafood, we have an amazing Dover sole, filleted tableside, which people love. We have a Scottish salmon wonderfully prepared with a risotto. We also have prawn cocktail, oysters, many different seafoods that people love. The tableside Greek salad is also a hit. My favorite dish? I’m a meat eater, so my preference is the bone-in fillet. It’s wonderful. It’s really tender, cooked on the bone, delicious. TRUE CALIFORNIA LIFESTYLE It’s a great spot to be in and I’m really happy to be here. It’s just beautiful at Baltaire. I love the outdoor area where it opens up to the sky, its just beautiful. The candlelight, the trees, the beautiful people from Brentwood, it makes the restaurant just have this buzz about it.
Text focus to 313131 to watch this focusmag.us/tv/baltaire
Baltaire 11647 San Vicente Blvd., CA 90049 baltaire.com
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All That Jazz...And Much More INTERVIEW BY TAMBI SAFFRAN WRITTEN BY FELICIA WALDMAN
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Text focus to 313131 to watch this focusmag.us/tv/vibrato
For 12 Years, VIBRATO GRILL, JAZZ, ETC. has been serving up great live Jazz music and a whole lot more that has new fans asking themselves, ‘How did I not know about this place?!’ Its creator, nine time Grammy award Icon, Herb Alpert has built a masterpiece that can only be described as a feast for the senses. From the decor, to the outstanding contemporary menu, to of course, the live music – stepping out for an evening here feels like a real treat. Have an interesting cocktail and a bite at the beautiful bar, or sit and luxuriate at a table for dinner, as you take in the ambiance engulfing you. This gorgeous dinner theater with colorful art-filled walls, with many pieces painted by Alpert himself, is the perfect setting for a delicious meal, set to live performances of some of the most talented musicians in the world. No wonder it’s been around this long. EDEN ALPERT, daughter of Herb Alpert and coowner of Vibrato: On December 31st, it will be 12 years, so we are rolling into our 12th year. It took about two years to build this place out. It was my dad’s vision. This is built by a musician for a musician, so acoustically there’s nothing like it in LA – with the way the wood is done, the way these pods are placed. Everything has to do with sound in here.
of young protégés, and he and my father worked very close together for years, so he’s like family. He brought a 13-year old protégé up here, who played the piano about two weeks ago. Pat Senator, who’s our booking manager, was the original bass player in the Tijuana Brass with my father, and he and I work together. I bring in the young, kind of hipper people. Our sound, our ear is different. He’s trained through Julliard and I just worked in publishing and grew up in the music industry, so I have a good ear for upcoming young talent as well. And I can feel that pretty much. I can tell you in ten seconds if someone is good. I know that’s hard to believe, but within 10 to 30 seconds I can really know. TS: How do you attract younger people, and get them interested to come in? EA: Jazz, unfortunately, is dying in the music industry. It’s not out there as much as it should be. But it thrives in the local schools – Harvard-Westlake, Crossroads, New Roads, and many others – and sometimes we invite them in to play on a Sunday night. Their families and and all their friends come and support. We bring the menu prices down a bit, so it’s a little crazy in here. It’s packed because they do it for the school. It’s really beautiful to hear the young jazz musicians from the schools and their ensembles, and they’ll do about seven sets. It’s really great.
TS: Do trends in the music industry influence which artists you book? EA: Not really here. I mean, we don’t just do jazz anymore. So for example, Tuesday, we have a really great young artist. He’s younger TAMBI SAFFRAN: Who are some of the big names that have – 30s, 40s, I’m not sure how old he is – Marcus Nand, and his sound performed here? is kind of latin, jazz, pop. And that’s really cool, so I’m able to attract EA: Well, Herb Alpert, Tony Bennett... Seth MacFarlane frequently anyone from 20 to 60s. In fact, regulars who come here every night performs. Hopefully, we will have my dad here December 1st. Chaka are in their late 50s and 60s. Then we get the older crowd who don’t Khan is about to come up. If you’re talking about performing, those like it so loud, and they’ll come for an earlier show. And earlier, it’s are some big nets right there. We have had everybody in here. It’s a little more mellow. We keep it low key, and then we’ll kick it up on nice that it’s celebrity heavy up here but it’s low key, because there’s the weekends at nine o’clock. no paparazzi, so it’s kind of a hidden secret. Everybody has been in here from Clint Eastwood to... oh my gosh, everybody. The younger TS: So Eden, this is also a true “supper club” - people can come artists, Paris Hilton, all of them. They’ve all been in here. here and they can eat while they watch. Can you tell us some of the specialties on the menu that you like? TS: How often do unscheduled performers just show up and play? EA: Well, some of my favorites are the salmon, I’m a fish fan, but I EA: It’s infrequent. But Tom Jones, who eats here frequently, has also like meat. We’re known for our steaks. Our New Zealand lamb gotten up on stage with Brenna Whitaker, who I brought in a few chops are incredible. Our pork chops, incredible. Carlos Gonzalez, years ago. And so has Gene Simmons, and those were nights that it our chef, doesn’t have a dish I don’t like, it just might be something just wasn’t planned. We are not a cabaret, so we don’t do open mic that I personally am not a fan of in general, which is scallops. It’s nights. My dad wanted to keep it on a certain level, so we try to not not my favorite but it’s an incredible dish that he makes. Because allow that too much. But if we know the artist is good they can get I try everything and we do tastings. When we switch things up up and go ahead and join another band or whatever. No one knew seasonally, we all sit down in a group, about six of us, and we Chaka was here the other night, and had they known, they probably decide what’s going to go on the menu and what’s not, and we try would have put her up on stage. And she would have done it. to do it as a team. The food changes seasonally. And my dad is very particular about not having unhealthy foods. When you have a TS: What about lesser known performers? How do they get on steakhouse, there’s going to be creamed spinach, and there’s going your radar to perform here? EA: A lot of people will contact me on Facebook, or through people to be truffle fries, and there’s going to be lobster mac and cheese – that know other people in the music industry. Quincy Jones has a lot which is insane. So, you’re going to have those things because that’s
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what people want with steak. But then we’ve got the healthier stuff, like the tuna tartar, and just a plain shrimp cocktail, or a grilled artichoke, and we add things like quinoa into one of the salads.. So we’re an American grill, and it’s kind of pretty much everything across the board. TS: There are not a lot of supper clubs out there, how do you get people excited to come out and see live music and eat? EA: Well, that’s good question because it’s been a struggle for us. As a matter of fact, in our green room over here we have a sign from my dad that specifically says, “I’m sorry if people are talking while you’re doing your shows.” So when you have a supper club, it’s very difficult unless it’s someone extremely strong, like Seth MacFarlane, who commands the room to be silent. When my dad plays, they command-- certain people can command the silence. Other people feel they can talk and I can’t go to the room and say please be quiet. But I think it’s been over the years we’ve done mostly word of mouth. People crave this more than we know. It was a lesson for me to learn how excited people were to have a place in Bel Air or even in L.A. that has a vibe and energy. It’s for-- to bring something that’s missing back. You’ve got it in New York. You’ve got it in Chicago. You’ve got it in New Orleans, but you don’t necessarily have this here. But we’ve had it here for 12 years, and we don’t really advertise. It’s word of mouth, and then the kids playing like they do from the high schools, that just keeps awareness up there with the younger kids. A lot of kids have to come here and do reports and see bands sometimes, so we need to keep jazz alive. This is a good place for it.
TS: I wanted to ask your General Manager a few questions. Tell us about the Bar here at Vibrato? BRIAN BURKLE, General Manager Vibrato: We actually have a great bartender that came from the Library Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel that has brought with him a lot of the signature cocktails that are amazing. They’re all like farm-totable type ingredients so everything-Brian Burkle, General Manager we’re not using any kind of liquors that are artificially flavored. They’re natural. If we use strawberry, strawberries were used in it. If we’re using mint, it’s fresh mint. There’s nothing that’s manufactured with our specialty drinks. What do you love about Vibrato? We offer such a wide variety. We’re not only a steakhouse. We have dishes on there that like veal parmesan or tuna tartar, so you’re not coming in only for steak, as one might think by looking at the menu initially. In so many other ways, I can’t even put a finger on it right now, but I’ve noticed so many changes as far as new guests, which is always refreshing, that seem to think we’re brand new. And I kind of like that in a weird sort of way because you want to be kind of exclusive and I feel like we have that a little bit, where a guest will come in and be like “I never knew you were here.” Yet we’ve been
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open 11 and a half years. So it’s kind of a catch 22. We want to get our name out but at the same time I like that sort of like “I’ve never heard about you. This place is amazing.” So we get a lot of that. What is your favorite dish on the menu? I has to be either the eggplant parmesean which I love, and, we have a new dish, but I try to stay away from it, it’s too good, it’s the short ribs, they are amazing, they’re really good, fantastic. The halibut’s excellent, it’s one of my other favorites. What is the most popular dish on the menu? Tuna tartare, hands down.
“I try to change the menu when the seasons change”
Carlos Gonzalez, Chef
Tambi Saffran with Chef Carlos Gonzalez
Vibrato Grill Jazz VibratoGrillJazz.com
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BARTON G.’S WORLD OF PURE IMAGINATION
INTERVIEW BY TAMBI SAFFRAN WRITTEN/EDITED BY FELICIA WALDMAN
Barton G. The Restaurant brings out the kid in everyone. Step inside this elegant dining room and you will think you just stepped off the Wonkamobile and have arrived in Fantasyland. The food takes center stage here as the waitstaff parades whimsical and outrageously fun displays to awestruck patrons, not sure whether to dive in and eat, or take ten selfies to share with everyone they know. This is the land of little surprises around every corner. From the drinks garnished with dry ice to create beautiful billowy white clouds of ‘smoke’, to popcorn shrimp served in an actual glass-doored popcorn machine, to a salad served in a mini wheelbarrow, to their now famous cotton candy dessert, in the shape of a wig on an illuminated mannequin, piled two feet high… this is art… no wait… this is an edible culinary wonderland, enjoy!
TAMBI SAFFRAN: Tell us about this really unique, whimsical restaurant. ATTILA BOLLOK, Executive Chef, Barton G. Los Angeles: Well, Barton G. is more than restaurant. It’s a culinary theater of sorts, and it’s for all the senses. It’s fun, it’s fabulous, but we manage to keep it very sophisticated and
elegant in that. That’s what our founder Barton G. Weiss envisioned when he came up with the concept. What are some of the ways it’s unique here? Barton’s vision really is to elevate dining to more than just your white plate. He wants you to really have an experience. Through these vehicles, we showcase these whimsical and over-the-top presentations that really just strike or bring laughter to the table. Give me an example of a dish here that would do that. You might get your Great American Steak, as we call it, on a fourfoot fork. Wow [chuckles]. Exactly. We have a playful take on pop tarts that are filled with lobster, called Lobster Pop Tarts. It’s one of our signature dishes that will come to the table in a toaster, kind of paying homage to your childhood favorite. Really, we are just trying to conjure surprise and awe in these dishes, in the way that we present our cuisine. Now, who comes up with these dishes? It’s Barton G. Weiss himself, and it’s his vision to elevate the dining experience beyond what the usual norm is. We are constantly pushing the envelope on ways to do that. This is a place where you can bring your whole family. The kids would probably go crazy here, right? We do host kids. But we also want to appeal to the inner child, it’s for the kid in you as well. You should come with a romantic date, a group of friends or your business partners. We cater to all people.
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Photos: Jesus Banuelos
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I hear there are some great desserts, can you tell us about one of those? One of our signatures is the Marie Antoinette’s Head – Let Them Eat Cake. It’s a two foot tall bubblegum cotton candy head on a mannequin head, who is of course Marie Antoinette. And that comes with a beautiful slice of cake and some strawberries and raspberries. When it comes to the table you’re going to go, “Wow. That’s amazing.” What is one of your favorite entree presentations? Our steak. I think that it’s a showstopper, for sure. This thing comes to your table, you can’t help but just strike a conversation like, “Wow, look at this.” Barton calls that the art of being social. It encourages for the table next to them to look at this table and say, “Oh, you do have a four foot fork sitting out on your table, and can you tell me a little bit about that, because I’ve never seen that before?” How often does the menu change? We’ll change a couple times a year, always pushing the envelope in new ways to present food. For us as chefs, it’s an amazing task because like I said, Barton really pushes that limit. Usually a chef will take a white plate, think of a protein, think about the accoutrements that go with it, but here it’s almost backwards. We start with a concept and we develop around that concept of the presentation, of the dish itself, and say, “How do we want to tie the food into this dish and into the overall experience of the diner?” Have you had any unique requests for something from the kitchen? We get unique requests all the time. Of course, any time that we can, we love to fulfill them. Once, we had an engagement ring stuck into Marie Antoinette’s head.
From ‘WILLY WONKA AND THE
CHOCOLATE FACTORY’
Photos: Barton G LA
Tell me a little bit about Barton. He comes from Miami. The first Barton G. is located in Miami. The first Barton G. is located in Miami, and it has been open for over a decade. Barton has a catering and events background. One day I guess he just said, “You know, we need to up it. We need to step the bar up and give that multi-sensory exposure to our guests, and show them that they can have a great meal with great food and wine and friends, but in a fashion that no one else is doing.”
“We’ll begin with a spin Traveling in the world Of my creation What we’ll see Will defy explanation.”
Barton G. 861 N.La Cienega Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069 bartongtherestaurantla.com
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Gluten Freedom Dining out with your gluten allergy can be easy and 5-star gourmet! BY CLAIRE BAHN
Here are my top 10 Los Angeles restaurants with amazing gluten free menus:
1. Mar’Sel - I love this restaurant. First the scenery is amazing
to say the least. Second the food is excellent and they bend over backwards to make items gluten free. They even gave me gluten free bread with my meal, which was a complete surprise. It may be a bit pricey, but it’s well worth the drive and expense for a special dinner. http://terranea.com/marsel/
Food allergies are never easy. This is even more so when you want to go out with friends and need to find a place that your friends will love and that will serve you something more substantial than a simple dinner salad. I learned that I had gluten intolerance and a wheat allergy in 2007, well before gluten free was so common. It used to be such an ordeal to go out to eat that sometimes I would just meet friends after dinner so I wouldn’t have to deal with it. Too many times my friends didn’t know how to find a place that would accommodate my allergies, which made for a few awkward moments. Like the time a good friend of mine took me to a famous family style Italian restaurant in New York City and there was literally nothing I could eat, even the salad dressing had wheat in it. I was so hungry I almost cried. Luckily, things have changed in a big way! More and more restaurants will adjust their menus to accommodate different food allergies or in some cases have entirely separate menus. While it’s very nice when a restaurant tries to accommodate my allergy by offering gluten free pasta or gluten free bread, it’s not something I search for when I go out to eat. Ultimately, I like restaurants with great food and ambience so I can enjoy eating out with friends. I also added some brunch and happy hour favorites for you too.
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2. Nobu Malibu - There are so many delicious gluten free options on this menu, including the absolutely amazing miso glazed black cod which is one of their most popular dishes. Also, they always have tamari (gluten free soy sauce) on hand so you don’t have to bring your own. http:// noburestaurants.com/ malibu/experience 3. Ivy at the Shore - They have a
gluten free menu and can make many of their pasta dishes either with risotto or gluten free pasta. I prefer going to the Santa Monica location because of its proximity to the beach but the West Hollywood location is just as good. My favorite items on the menu are the chilled artichoke, chicken enchiladas and swordfish tacos. http://theivyrestaurants.com
4. Toca Madera - This is a new-ish Mexican restaurant on the West Hollywood scene. They have very cool drinks and I’m a big fan of their tacos especially the chicken and short rib tacos. YUM! The flan for desert is not a bad way to end the meal either. http://tocamadera.com
BOA
5. BOA - You might be asking yourself why is a steakhouse on this list?! Well, sometimes the steak preparations, sides or sauces can have gluten in them. With the gluten free menu at BOA there isn’t much that’s off limits and the S’mores for desert is probably my favorite part. http:// innovativedining.com/restaurants/boa
Caffe Roma
8. Caffe Roma - This place is a
happy hour gem. Unlike so many happy hour places that only serve cheap fried or breaded foods, you can eat amazingly clean and gluten free on the happy hour menu. The gluten free options include great salads, grilled octopus and chicken skewers. http:// cafferomabeverlyhills.com
9. Little Doms - This is a fantastic Los Feliz hideaway. You can get delicious salads, fish and meat dishes and don’t forget the Gluten Free Tagiatelle. http://littledoms.com
6. Bouchon - French bistros can be
tough for gluten allergies, but this is a great place to go for brunch on Sunday and you have so many yummy options, from an omelet to steak and eggs. I’m not usually a big fan of brunch but when I do it, this is the only place I go. http://thomaskeller.com/ bouchon-bistro-beverly-hills
7. Cardamom - Like many ethnic foods, several Indian dishes are naturally gluten free…or at least they should be. This restaurant doesn’t add gluten where it isn’t needed, and best of all the food is great! I’m especially fond of the Shrimp Tandoori and the Chicken Biryani. http://cardamomca.com
10. ROC Kitchen - You can finally eat that Chinese food you’ve been craving. This restaurant has GF indicators on the menu and there are a surprising number of items. My favorite thing on the menu is the Dungeness Crab fried rice. So there you have it! 10 of the best options for dining out with a gluten allergy in Los Angeles, and you won’t be stuck with just salad…unless you want one.
Little Doms
To find out more great gluten free restaurant suggestions, as well as recipes, please visit glutenfreeavenger.com.
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Step Into The Parlour Parlour Trick 202 Patron Roca Anejo Tequila ½ oz Grapefruit Juice ½ oz Organic Agave Sliced Jalapeno, Muddled Shaken | Strained into chilled Martini glass | Jalapeno Slice garnish
Cucumber Cooler 209 gin 3 muddled cucumber slices , 2 sugar cubes. Lemon and Lime , muddled Shaken | Strained into a Collins glass | Topped with Soda | Cucumber garnish
Maple Julep 202 Woodford Reserve Whiskey ½ oz Maple Syrup 6 mint leaves muddled Shaken | Strained into chilled Martini glass | Mint Leaves garnish
Kiwi Martini Pearl Coconut Vodka 3 Pieces Fresh Kiwi 2 Sugar Cubes Fresh Lime Served straight into chilled Martini glass | Kiwi Slice garnish
Parlour Room of Hollywood 6423 Yucca St, Los Angeles Owner Craig Trader Bartender Laurie Fitzpatrick Text focus to 313131 to watch this focusmag.us/tv/parlourroom 32 FOCUS | J A N UARY 2 0 1 6
http://vintagebargroup.com
Black Cherry Manhattan “Craig Trager’s Signature Cocktail” Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon 6 Luxardo Cherries , muddled Luxardo Syrup Poured Over Ice in rocks glass | drizzle of Luxard Syrup | Cherry garnish
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Spa Girl Cocktails Quintessentially Classic American Style BY FOUNDER, KAREN HAINES
It was a beautiful Palm Springs day. I was sitting by the pool at the Viceroy Hotel drinking cucumber martinis with girlfriends. Such a profound memory, it was the day Spa Girl Cocktails was born. I had no idea exactly how I was going to do it… but I knew without a doubt that I was going to launch a low calorie, high quality and higher proof, great tasting cocktail brand. While I was new to the spirits industry, I was not new to entertaining and catering events. I knew from experience that when I served my signature martinis at home, everyone loved them. I kept asking myself and friends, “What if someone came up with the perfect 100 calorie martini – made with the finest all-natural ingredients – wouldn’t that be amazing?” The journey included many peaks and valleys; it has been and will continue to be a fantastic learning experience. The part that excited me most was creating the brand and developing the perfect flavor profiles. I knew my customer would be sophisticated, discerning, and savvy, and I needed to provide a product that would surpass their expectations.
embrace life, careers, friendships, and family who deserve and desire a fabulous tasting, low calorie martini. What is so amazing to me is that Spa Girl has been with me my whole life; I just didn’t know it. My hope is that my martinis radiate my core beliefs: timeless beauty, not trends; passion, not conformity; personal relationships, not contacts.
The Spa Girl brand is beautiful, truly the quintessential classic American style, very modern, hip, with a cool retro vibe that speaks Cheers! to women and men. It takes you back to incredible memories and celebrates life with good friends and family. I am so inspired by the women in my life and this is a tribute to each and every one of them. In developing the flavors, I knew exactly what I was aiming for – something smooth, with a great nose, flavorful but not sweet, and with higher proof alcohol. Over the course of three and a half years, I worked with five different flavor houses from New Jersey to Kentucky to create the precise flavor for Spa Girl. This was a challenging process, as it requires delicate refining and subtle adjustments. Eventually, I found the most phenomenal company right here in Southern California. As for the name, “Spa Girl” comes from spa water, the cucumber infused water served at hotels, resorts, and spas. I put my spin on it and created my signature product – Spa Girl Cocktails Spa Martini. It is an all-natural, gluten free, 100 calorie cucumber martini. After many more months of research and trials, I created my second product: the Spa Girl Cocktails Pear Martini. Spa Girl Cocktails just launched, we are at select Southern California retailers, restaurants, and resorts. My vision is that this can be enjoyed everywhere: at home with friends, out with family, and wherever life takes you. It is a tribute to strong women who
Spa Girl Cocktails spagirlcocktails.com
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BLOG SPOTLIGHT FROM SCRATCH WITH MARIA FromScratchWithMaria.com Lemony Basil Pesto
This Lemony Basil Pesto is filled with a bright, lemon flavor accompanied by herbaceous basil and rich pine nuts. The garlic adds a nice tang to the mix, and the freshly grated Parmesan cheese makes this pesto both nutty and salty. There are a few tricks that will make a huge difference in this recipe. Start by toasting the pine nuts first, and it will bring out an extra layer of nutty flavor. Also, grate the cheese fresh before you puree everything together. Lastly, make sure to use fresh basil. If you use wilted leaves, the flavor won’t be as bright. You can store it in the fridge in a sealed container or freeze it. Having pesto in the freezer is very handy for a quick weeknight meal. Pesto is great in a number of lunch and dinner dishes from pasta to pizza, and I often spread it on toast and top it with a fried egg and hot sauce for breakfast as well!
Maria Provenzano Creator of From Scratch With Maria Maria Provenzano is a lifestyle blogger who writes about food, original recipes and personally created crafts, with fun ‘mom topics’ sprinkled in! Maria is a true Italian girl; she loves creating and feeding people! The most artistic, organized, detail-oriented person she knows stirred up her creative inspiration at a young age, her mom. From a very young age, she was instrumental in teaching Maria to make crafts and cook/bake everything ‘from scratch’. Maria started her blog as a creative outlet for all of the things she loves to do. She specializes in original recipes, and easy crafts. “From Scratch” sums up how Maria lives her life, and wants to inspire others to do the same. The heart of the blog is “to create a beautiful life with your own two hands.” For Maria, life is about making even the small things memorable and special.
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1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS • Place the pine nuts in a shallow skillet over medium heat; tossing/stirring frequently • Toast until the nuts are fragrant and slightly brown; careful, this can happen quickly • Allow the pine nuts to cool • Freshly grate the parmesan cheese using a food processor or hand grater • Place the basil, grated cheese, cooled pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic cloves into a food processor • Process all of the ingredients together for about 15 seconds • With the mixer running slowly pour in the olive oil • Add salt and pepper to taste • Process again to mix • If the pesto is too thick, add more olive oil • Serve! Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can also place the pesto in an ice cube tray; fill each cube with pesto; freeze; once frozen place them into a freezer safe plastic bag
Avocado Hollandaise For A New Take on Eggs Benedict
INGREDIENTS 3 heaping cups fresh basil 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 garlic cloves
When you think about Eggs Benedict, generally special occasions and fancy brunches come to mind. The truth is, it can be made at home, and made healthier. Eggs Benedict can sound like it would be difficult, but this version made with Avocado Hollandaise actually simplifies it. Classic Hollandaise is one of my favorite sauces, but gets a bad rap for being unhealthy. It’s so creamy and sinful, you wouldn’t think it could be replicated it in a healthy way. I have figured out a way! Using avocado creates a rich and creamy sauce, and when whipped with lemon juice, warm water, and olive oil it creates a really fresh sauce that is comparable to hollandaise without being super heavy. Try using my take on this sauce, and you will be delightfully surprised at how much healthier it is and how good it tastes…you’ll never need the classic version again. I could honestly just dip bread in this and be completely happy, but I recommend pouring lots of it over poached eggs and an English muffin for a new take on Eggs Benedict.
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English muffins and place them under a broiler until toasted (you could use your toaster instead if preferred) Once they are toasted shred some Parmesan over the hot English muffin Place the Canadian bacon over the cheese; 1 or 2 slices depending on their size Top the bacon with the poached eggs Pour the avocado hollandaise over the eggs and sprinkle with more cheese Sprinkle over some salt and pepper to taste
Cheesy Turkey and Kale Stuffed Shells
INGREDIENTS 1 ripe avocado 2/3 cup warm water 2-3 tablespoons olive oil Juice from half a lemon, about 1-2 tablespoons salt and pepper
Being a busy mom, I am always looking to have recipes that can be made ahead of time, are easy to freeze, make for great leftovers, and provide a well-rounded meal. Stuffed shells is one of my favorite recipes that checks all these boxes. I think most Italians have their own way of making stuffed shells, and this is mine! I know kale is a little overplayed right now, but I still love it. It’s earthy, really sturdy, and super healthy. Spinach can also be used in its place! I also use turkey in this recipe for a bit of a lighter take on an old favorite. This is a great meal for busy parents, because it can be made ahead and/or frozen, AND it can feed a good amount of people. You could even double the recipe to
INSTRUCTIONS • Place the avocado in either a food processor or a blender • Add in the lemon juice and half of the water • Blend together until smooth • While the mixer is running add in the olive oil • Add in more water until you achieve the consistency that you want; it may depend on how big your avocado is as well • Add salt and pepper to taste • Pour over anything! For two servings of “A New Take on Eggs Benedict” INGREDIENTS 2 English muffins cut in half 4-6 slices of Canadian bacon Parmesan cheese (around 1/2 cup) 4 eggs Avocado Hollandaise salt and pepper to taste HOW TO MAKE IT: • Heat the Canadian bacon over medium low heat until cooked through • Boil the water for the eggs • Make the Avocado Hollandaise • Begin poaching the eggs; place in one at a time and only two in the pot at a time (cooking time will depend on how well done you like the yolks) • Lightly butter or drizzle olive oil on the
make it for a very large crowd. The secret to making these shells really good is to not overcook the pasta when it’s boiling. Cook it so that it is al dente (has some bite to it), and still pretty sturdy. It will cook more in the oven. If the pasta is overcooked the shells won’t standup nicely.
INGREDIENTS 1 bunch kale; stems removed; chopped and cooked (ends up being about 1 heaping cup cooked kale) 1/2 large onion 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary 1 lb ground turkey salt and pepper 8oz mascarpone cheese; room temperature 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; plus more for serving 25-30 pasta shells 3-4 cups marinara sauce fresh basil or parsley for topping INSTRUCTIONS • Remove the kale from its large thick stem, and chop • Place the kale in a large skillet over medium heat with a sprinkle of salt • Cook until the kale is softened and cooked down • Place the kale in a strainer and allow to drain and cool • Once cooled, place the kale in a cheese cloth or paper towel to squeeze out the excess liquid • Place in a cutting board and chop into smaller pieces • Place 1/2 a large onion in a large skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt • Cook until softened, about 5 minutes • Add in the minced garlic and fresh rosemary, cook for about a minute being careful not to brown the garlic • Add in the ground turkey; use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey so that it is in small, crumbled pieces • Cook until the turkey is cooked through • Add in the kale, mascarpone, and parmesan cheese • Stir until evenly mixed; if you want to make this ahead of time, this mixture can be cooled and refrigerated • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees • Place the shells in salted boiling water, and cook until very al dente; not completely cooked through • Drain • Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish • Stuff each shell with a scoop of the turkey mixture • Place the stuffed shell onto the layer of marinara; repeat until all of the turkey mixture is used • Pour some more of the marinara sauce over the shells • Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese; optional • Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot • Heat more of the marinara sauce in a pan to have extra for serving • Allow the shells to cool for a few minutes before serving • Top with more marinara, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese if desired
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Hollywood & Wine Building A Better Brand
What best reflects the style and glamour of Hollywood? This is the question the creators of Hollywood & Wine asked themselves. After all, they set out to create a wine label that would represent the most famous city in the world. Entrepreneur Doug Jeffery and his partners, Emmy Award Winning Valerio Ventura and Managing Editor of VIVA GLAM Magazine, Candace Kita have created an inexpensive, distinct, fullflavored wine for those who appreciate a costconscious bottle. They also deliver a presence worthy of the red carpet. We spoke Doug, Valerio and Candace about wine, Hollywood and building a better brand. Focus: Hollywood & Wine is such a catchy name. How did you come up with the concept? Doug: I was sitting in a restaurant with my partner Valerio Ventura and we were trying to come up with a catchy name. We must have gone through 100 ideas before the right one came up. It combines wine with what I do in Hollywood. I own 41 Sets, a full service production, set design company. We build for commercials, television, fashion shoots and film. If you think it, we can build it. Focus: Describe your wine in one sentence? Candace: “Two Buck Chuck” gets a Hollywood makeover. Focus: Doug, tell us about your background. I know you have been in the entertainment industry for many years. How do you think this lends itself to creating a product that encompasses all that is Hollywood? Doug: I started out as an actor and model in the early 90’s. I got to travel the world and feel very blessed with the many lives that I’ve led. You might say that I am a habitual entrepreneur. I’m always looking for the new high and the challenge of creating. I started 41 Sets when I was 41 years old. I think there is a lot to a name or title of something you are trying to create. Valerio and I met at a quaint little coffee shop. He was working for Disney at the time. We started to talk and two creative forces
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united and we’ve been working on projects ever since. Candace is an actor and the Managing Editor of VIVA GLAM Magazine, a women’s lifestyle magazine with a large following. As you can see, everyone has been in the entertainment industry for a long time. Each one brings their talents to create a team. I have business savvy, Valerio is the creative force and Candace has the marketing prowess. Focus: Valerio, you recently won a Primetime Emmy for your work with Walt Disney Television. Tell us about your vision for Hollywood & Wine? Valerio: When Doug asked me if I was interested in collaborating on his idea, I thought it was a great concept that needed to be explored. As a designer, I thought it needed a story. It needed to include all Hollywood film genres and entertainment. Labels can represent genres of film. For example, science fiction is one of our genres. We have 1950’s movies where a small town is being attacked by aliens and we create a nostalgic mock-movie poster label of that style. Additionally, we could have the Georges Méliès “Trip To The Moon” type of label evoking a vintage feel. It is the same for horror, thriller, film noir, femme fatale films, detective hunks, secret agents and more. Some of our bottles will come with a limited edition poster size giclée print signed by the artist. We think that a bottle is more than just a container for the great wine we are providing. A bottle with a proper label can be an extension to MORE; a connection to Hollywood and its film pedigree. This would add to conversation, fun and the enjoyment of drinking a good glass of wine with your friends. That’s our creative strategy and what we plan to unleash with Hollywood & Wine. Focus: Candace, you are the Managing Editor of VIVA GLAM Magazine. How are your talents best utilized by Hollywood & Wine? Candace: I’ve been in the Entertainment Industry for over 23 years now. I’ve been on both sides of the camera as an actor and also coordinator for shoots. I’ve also done PR for over five years now and am currently the Managing Editor of VIVA GLAM Magazine. Part of my position at the magazine is helping to create a media buzz via social networking, events, interviews, articles and other forms of publicity. And the industry connections that I have made for over 2 decades have proven invaluable to this project. I believe thinking outside the box has been vital to building a better wine brand. Doug and I have always created our own jobs in Hollywood. We believe the sky is the limit when it comes
to our potential. We are always creating and never stop. In fact, last night we were brainstorming ideas at midnight and ended up calling a contact on the East Coast at 3am his time! We woke him up and talked business for an hour! There is no 40 hour work week for us. Rather, it is 7/24. Focus: Doug, you are currently in discussions with several networks about a reality show based on your wine brand. Can you tell us about it? Doug: It is a combination of 41 Sets, Hollywood and Wine and my crazy life. Recently, I decided to get back into acting. We have done shoots this year in Costa Rica, Sayulita Mexico and Placencia, Belize. I had the opportunity to shoot a commercial in Palm Springs. We almost had an opportunity this week to go to Vietnam and Cambodia for a job, but I lost out because they said I looked too young! Candace’s job with the magazine allows us to go to large events, galas and travel the world. It has been decades of living and breathing Hollywood. Factor that in with the chaos of 41 Sets and Hollywood and Wine and you have a show. Focus: Larry Hogan from Sagebrush Annie’s is also involved in this project. Who is he, what is he known for and what does he bring to the table? Candace: Larry Hogan was originally a cattle rancher from Dallas, a good ole staunch Republican. I’ve known him for years as we are both Texans. We love him to death. He is based in Central California and has Sagebrush Annie’s wine tasting room along with his own label. He was kind enough to teach us the true nuts and bolts of wine making. His label has won a ton of awards. Combined with our marketing and his expertise, Hollywood & Wine is in good hands. Focus: Doug, previously you have mentioned the need for “building a better brand”. Can you explain this? Doug: We took the concept of an inexpensive wine, like “Two Buck Chuck”, and turned on the marketing machine. We are not making something new. We are not changing the product. We are giving it a makeover. The packing is savvier. The advertising is creating an image and an allure. I recently read there is nothing in our history that deals with an engagement before marriage. An engagement was the 5th largest campaign by a diamond maker to promote the sale of diamonds. Take a product and spin it with a good marketing
campaign, you can make it a part of everyone’s life. And now, with social media, a lot of this is being done without spending a fortune. Focus: You have said your wine is “embarrassment proof ”, why? Doug: People are well aware if you are drinking cheap wine based on the size of the bottle, the punt, the laminated cork and the very bland labeling. There is a new crop of wine drinkers out there that are coming of age. And there are hundreds of bottles in a wine store to choose from. We want your eye to go to ours. It is cost effective and tastes great. It is artwork. Each label is hand designed by an Emmy winning artist. These bottles will turn into collectibles. We will have special editions that you will put on your shelf and never drink!
twitter.com/hollywoodnwine1 facebook.com/hollywoodnwine
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TOP TAKEAWAYS FROM TRAVELING THE WORLD ON
THE AMAZING
RAC E WITH LAURA PIERSON, 2015 winner
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1. Travel with an open mind and eat local foods
More than anything, it is so important to respect other cultures and travel with an open mind. Embrace the culture and people wholeheartedly, you won’t regret it! Smiles are universal, so is the phrase ‘vroom vroom!’ Being on the race you have to get to your next destination as quickly as possible. My race partner, Tyler Adams, [@ TylerHAdams] and I learned early on that no matter where we were, if we said ‘vroom vroom baby’ to our taxi driver, they would drive faster and actually have fun with us! If you approach new people and situations with a positive attitude it always has a better result. Food in different countries can sometimes be scary, you don’t have to like it but at least try it! While in Bangkok, Tyler and I had to eat an age old Thai delicacy…. a century egg! I had heard of century eggs before but they weren’t high on my list to try (I mean it’s a fermented black egg!!). I would never eat one again (unless it was for a million dollars) but it’s important to try new foods because you never know what you may actually like. Tyler and I eating a century egg, Bangkok
Leg #4 of the race in Bangkok, Thailand One of my favorite memories from the race was in Namibia. It was actually Thanksgiving and all of us were a little homesick because we wanted to be with our families. Production put on an amazing Thanksgiving dinner for us racers and the crew. For that little bit of time, we all forgot about the stress of the race and really enjoyed each others company. We shared stories and laughed over wine and bonded on a different level.
2. Take lots of photos (and selfies!) that tell a story Even if you go back to a place in the future you will never have the same experience that you did the first time. A photo is worth a thousand words and for Tyler and me a selfie was worth a million dollars. We took tons of photos on the race and each photo had a story that went along with it. Here are some of my favorite selfies….
Thanksgiving Dinner, Namibia In the final leg of the race, we were faced with a ‘selfie memory test’. We had taken photos throughout our journey and we had to place the selfies in chronological order from right to left on a giant world map that documented the journey Tyler and I shared.
Leg #2 of the race in Nagano, Japan
Taking photos with a story allowed us to get through the final memory selfie challenge really quickly, which resulted in us winning the one million dollar prize. We traveled to places people could only dream of and saw things that you would never want to forget. It was so important for me to capture those memories in photos.
Leg #3 of the race in Phuket, Thailand
Our final selfie with Phil when we won ‘The Amazing Race’ focusmag.us 41
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3. Learn to sleep anywhere and everywhere, pack an eye mask and an alarm clock! I don’t know about you but the last thing I want to do while traveling is sleep. I want to get out there and explore this beautiful world. However, sleep is a must so I have taught myself to sleep pretty much anywhere and everywhere. While in Peru the finale 5 teams had to set up camp and sleep all over the airport. At one point while cleaning the floors, they had to place orange cones around us while we caught some ZZzzz’s. Also be careful where and when you sleep because you are always being watched. Matt from #thehairstylists took this picture of his fiancé Ashley and me while we were taking a nap in the airport.
walk, let alone run. I had to be put on anti-inflammatories to help with the swelling and pain. Tyler was a great partner though, and would help carry my bag, such a gentleman :) Moral of the story, supportive shoes are a MUST! Also, get up and walk every couple of hours when you are flying. Swollen feet are very common because of inactivity, pressure and dehydration while traveling. All of us racers found this out the hard way. A big tip would be to get up every hour to two hours and walk around the airplane to get your blood flowing. Even if you can’t get up and walk around, work the muscles in your feet, point your toes and move your ankles in a circular motion. These exercises will also help stimulate blood flow.
6. Stay Calm in Stressful Situations
Matt, Ashley and I sleeping in the airport
I felt pure excitement the whole time on the race. Yes, there are extremely stressful situations but Tyler and I stayed positive and got through them. For me, there was something so thrilling about not knowing where you are going next. It’s like closing your eyes and pointing at a map of the world and then immediately going there. I kept a constant mindset that we were NOT going to get eliminated. I am really into positive affirmations and I kept telling myself ‘think positive and positive things will happen.’ Once you get to a stressful place it is all downhill from there. When Tyler and I were in Monaco, we got sooo lost! We left the detour before any of the other teams that were there and when we finally found our way to Phil at the pitstop we were second next to last! We were soo close to being eliminated. Even though we were lost, Tyler and I kept calm and figured out our way. If we got frazzled and let the stress get to us, I really think we would have been eliminated in Monaco.
Pack an eye mask and ear plugs. Studies have actually shown that you have a better nights sleep when you wear a facemask.
4. Train both your body and brain!
Stay focused, it’s easy to start feeling self doubt but that is toxic to you. You have to realize your worth and your strength. You can do anything for 1 to 2 minutes, mind over matter. I would push myself to a level I never thought I was capable of getting to and the feeling you get after achieving that goal is remarkable. You realize you are stronger than you think you are and can push yourself to great highs. While training it was important to keep my workouts fresh or else I would get bored. During training I learned how weak my core really was, I felt like my core was strong but I was wrong, a strong core means strong body. That was the first part that I really trained. From there it was time to get used to running around with a backpack on. I put weights in my bag and would go hiking to get used to the strain on my body. My muscles were also super tight so I started using a foam roller. I wish I had space to bring it with me in the race. If you don’t have one, get one. Your body will thank you!
5. Pack shoes that are not only comfortable but have support!
I love my Nike Free sneakers, when I put them on I just feel like working out. However, they are NOT made for running around the world with a 35 lb backpack on. When I was in Germany (our 5th destination) I pulled something in my foot because I didn’t have enough support in my shoes. I was in pain while traveling to the last 7 destinations! It was awful! I had huge ankles and could barely
Tyler and me in Germany after we lost our passports.
7. Keep a journal
At the end of each day on the race, I made sure to take time for myself and write in my journal. There is something so rewarding about looking back at your tale, at a story that you had, feelings that you felt that are just for you. This forces you to reflect on the sights, smells and sounds that you would otherwise forget. I love sitting down and re-reading my journal entries from the race, some things money just can’t buy. twitter @laura_pierson instagram @LPbunny
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Click & Carry
A story of survival, determination, and a useful little gadget exceeding it’s 15 minutes of fame A simple change in daily routine can have an enormous effect on everything else in life. Even something as small as how we bring our shopping bags from the car into the house can set us on a path no one could have predicted. Ten years ago, Kim Meckwood, the inventor of Click & Carry, was living in an upstairs apartment in Brentwood, California. Bringing groceries to her apartment required carrying groceries up several long flights of stairs and through multiple doors just to get to the front door. After finishing shopping, she would call her boyfriend from the car to come down the stairs to help her bring up the groceries. Then life happened; the two parted ways, and Kim found herself struggling to carry the shopping bags herself. Kim knew she needed to come up with something that made shopping easier. Like the beginnings of so many inventions, she had identified a common problem that many people dealt with and the stirrings of a solution began to take hold in her subconscious. She dreamt of a simple, strong device that could hold multiple bags and be placed on the shoulder for easier carrying. She made several iterations of her device and ultimately created the perfect prototype. Once that was accomplished, she filed for a patent and made a mold. Kim received two utility patents on the Click & Carry. U.S. Patent No. 7874602 protects the original invention while U.S. Patent No. 8182008 incorporates a fracture-inspired innovation. Her attorney foresaw that the device would be used for other functions and wrote the patent to encompass a wide range of purposes and materials. Well, what is a Click & Carry? Click & Carry is a simple, handle device that allows shoppers to manage and carry multiple bags at once - comfortably. Click & Carry may be CARRIED in the HANDS or WORN over the SHOULDERS. When worn over the shoulder for easier carrying, the device uses the weight of the bags to counterbalance for a “hands-free” carry. Click & Carry benefits Shoppers with a Conforming Gel Grip, a Rotating Top to easily load/unload bags, it provides Even Distribution of Weight, Carries up to 80 lbs. and is CARRIED in the HANDS or WORN over One’s SHOULDER. Click & Carry is also used for paint cans/construction pails, for dry cleaning, as a ski boot tote, to carry sports equipment and to walk multiple dogs at once. After receiving the patents, Kim continued her career as a successful saleswoman in medical devices at Medtronic, but she would often discuss her idea with close confidants and clients. Then, life happened again. Kim had a life altering experience when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. The journey through
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cancer gave her the faith and determination to quit her stable job and follow her true passion of bringing her product to market. She remained at Medtronic until the end of 2012 and then set out on her journey to launch Click & Carry nationwide. Kim’s breakthrough occurred at the Home + Housewares Show in Chicago where, unbeknownst to her, she had been discovered by QVC. Skinnygirl mogul, Bethenny Frankel, was ending her syndicated talk show. On her show, Bethenny had a weekly segment titled “Bethenny in your Business” where she would highlight a woman owned business each week and offer the owner business advice and a $5,000 or $10,000 stipend to help move the business forward. Bethenny wanted her final “Bethenny in your Business” to be huge. Kim was asked to come onto her show where she received the surprise of a life time. Not only did she receive amazing advice from Bethenny, but Kim was also honored with a QVC contract by QVC’s most popular hosts David Venable and Lisa Robertson. Needless to say, Kim is VERY appreciate to Bethenny, QVC and Ellen DeGeneres, The Bethenny Show’s executive producer, for her “Big Break”. Later that year, Click & Carry was awarded The QVC Sprouts Gadget of the Year. Click & Carry is currently sold at QVC and QVC.com, at Ralphs, The Container Store, Corningware Stores and ShopRite. She will be selling at Lowe’s in the near future in the paint department. She has ideas for new designs that expand the applications of the technology as well as diversified marketing plans. She is currently seeking an equity investor to help her move her business to the next level. She is also an accredited member of WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) because Click & Carry is 100% woman owned and operated. In time, all the pieces will certainly “Click” into place for Kim . When asked what she would say to fellow women entrepreneurs, she said, “My advice for others is to not give up. So many people are naysayers and they will shoot down your idea. You need to do your own research of the competition and market place to ensure you aren’t wasting your time. Once you get to that stage and you realize, hey, this is a viable product, that’s when you know that you have something good on your hands. Or in your hands in Click & Carry’s case.”
Text focus to 313131 to watch this focusmag.us/tv/kimmeckwood
Click & Carry clickandcarry.com focusmag.us 45
It’s All In The Handshake WITH FOUNDER, SARAH BOYD
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Sarah Boyd is a natural connector and has been since she was 5. Connecting people has always been her “thing”. This unique passion motivated her to create Simply Stylist four years ago. Simply Stylist is a platform for men and women who are looking to get into the fashion and beauty industry but don’t quite know how, and need that handshake to get their foot in the door. It’s all about making connections and getting inspired. Simply Stylist is a conference set up in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, with 400 – 700 attendees with amazing panelists from all ends of the fashion and beauty industry. These conferences are hosted by Catt Sadler from E! Television. The lineup of inspirational panelists include stylists, celebrity entrepreneurs, designers, makeup/hair stylists and more – all trendsetters in their own right. The fashion and beauty industry is a tough field to get into unless you have a connection. These conferences help bring real connections for those aspiring to succeed. These selected panelists share their real stories, both successes and failures. In addition, they have brands that come in and meet these stars of tomorrow providing them the opportunity to discover these brands. HOW DOES IT WORK? Simply Stylist facilitates conferences in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, and monthly workshops called “Simply Stylist Sessions”. These sessions will gather 50 people in an intimate setting with new topics each session and different influencers. Topics covered are: Public Speaking and Hosting, Blogging, Social Media, Creative Writing, and YouTube. Topics you can’t really go to school for, all in convenient “Cliffs Notes” versions in 3 hours. These in-person workshops provide real relationships and connections. People who come to the sessions make friends. Texting and online communication just can’t compete with these personalized real experiences. Simply Stylist has been partnering with The Grove for their monthly sessions.
including celebrities. Up and coming bloggers can come to the conference to learn what they need to learn. WORK, LIFE, BALANCE Sarah is all about balancing work and life. “I am very focused and I have an amazing team I cannot live without. I promised my husband that I would leave at 6pm everyday and I leave at 6pm or 6.30pm. I have two step kids and we have dinner and family time every night. It’s so important to have this balance, otherwise, you burn out and I can’t burn out.”
Well said Sarah.
SUCCESSFUL BUILDING BLOCKS Sarah knows fashion and beauty better than anyone. Sarah worked in fashion PR for 10 years, making all the relationships she brought to the table for these conferences. Sarah worked directly with stylists to get her client’s designs onto the biggest celebrities. “It’s always nice to have a steady paycheck but it’s ten times more rewarding to have your company and to be able to change lives. And having my team,” proudly smiles Sarah, “all of that is so much fun. If something is not working, then you can change it. It’s nice but you have all the pressure, salaries, and etc.” Simply Stylist takes great pride in being self-funded. ABOUT THE BLOGGERS Sarah absolutely loves the outpouring of bloggers and the fact that they are becoming celebrities in their own right. Celebrities are now a competition and these everyday girls are so relatable. Sarah takes her style tips from friends and colleagues, as she looks to her friends, not celebrities for style inspiration. Sarah also set up a sister company called Simply Digital Network a year ago, a company comprised of celebrity bloggers, designed to help them build and monetize their blogs. They already have big clients
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simplystylist.com
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Tracy Fredkin is the founder and CEO of the CityMoms Pass, a membership based service providing families curated access to the best of local venues, events and programs for kids ages 0 to 5. Tell us more about the service? The CityMoms team just launched the CityMoms Pass this month in the Los Angeles. The concept is similar to “Class Pass� focused on kids activities. Families purchase a monthly membership from us which gives them access to enjoy a wide variety of local activities including play spaces, museums, family events, classes and programs. The CityMoms Pass is currently by invitation only and caters to families with kids ages 0 to 5. Once a family purchases their membership through a personalized invitation, their Pass comes in the form of a mobile app. This app allows families to view a daily activity stream of events, venues, programs and classes that are available to them via the Pass. They can sort through activities based on type of program, age of their child, location and class provider. The mobile app allows families to quickly find, book and check-in for all activities on the membership. Bookings are allowed in most cases up to the hour before a program
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starts which allows for a lot of in-the-moment decision making and flexibility which families are always looking for. The membership can be used for multiple children and by any caregiver to make setting your child or children up with daily activities as easily as possible. What prompted you to start the company? This company is an evolution of an idea I formulated two years ago. After searching for a reliable source of personalized information on what to do with my own son I found a gap in the market. Since then I have been building hyper-local community based sites and healthy family programming in Southern California through our other properties, SoCalMoms.com, Toddler Camp and the Great Big Family Play Day. Through those programs we have built an audience of over 25,000 families in our core demographic and run over 260 family events per year in Southern California. We found that families spend hundreds of dollars per month on kids activities, but they did not have one clear source providing information, access and booking for those activities. There had to be a better way for families to discover age appropriate local activities for their children as well as book them, we believe CityMoms is the answer to that challenge. Our goal is to modernize and personalize the delivery of local kids activities information as well as provide a monthly membership program that creates one all access pass to the best of those activities. How is this platform different from what is already available to families? Moms are bombarded with information about kids activities. From blogs to monthly, weekly and in some case daily newsletters there’s not lack of content out there. The one thing those resources don’t offer is direct access to book and attend those suggested programs all via a mobile platform. We are all on the go with our kids making decisions in the moment and do not have the information we need at our fingertips. Providing personalized information on kids activities based on your child’s age, and city as well as access to those activities for one monthly membership fee is a game changer. We have the opportunity to change the way families locate and book kids activities every day. The CityMoms Pass experience is personalized, mobile, curated and membership based to ensure that entertaining your child on a daily basis is easier than ever before. What types of kids activities are featured on the CityMoms Pass? Being a mom to a very active preschooler I knew we needed a real variety of activities for kids. Depending on the day, the mood or the weather our kids tastes (and to be honest our own) changes all the time. Right now families can enjoy activities in the following categories: development play, music, art, soccer, fitness, gym, dance, story times, museums, play spaces, fall themed events (like Halloween parties), mommy and me classes plus we offer special monthly perks for mom. In addition to what we are offering the kids this month, all of our CityMoms parents have access to free SoulCycle classes as part of their membership. A happy mom makes for a happy kid so we plan to regularly feature new perks for our families including product trials, local service offers, special discounts and more!
What are your future plans for the CityMoms Pass? We are thrilled to launch in Los Angeles this fall and look forward to a bigger public launch in Southern California at the beginning of 2016. Our goal is to be in 5 cities next year. We have several key cities in mind, but we are also open to crowdsourcing where we go next. Right now anyone who is interested in bringing CityMoms to them can go to CityMoms.com and enter their email and zip code. If communities of moms rally enough to flood our lists, then we will know where to go next. We already have families asking for the Pass in San Diego, the Bay Area and Chicago.
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citymoms.com
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Shoes Of Prey JODIE FOX is a dichotomy of creative and academic: a ballerina with a legal mind and a passion for shoes
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How did it all start? She never thought she would be in a shoe business. It all started with her passion for shoes. Jodie always loved shoes with style and especially those skyscraper heels with just the perfect colors! Jodie Fox, a native of Australia, is the Co-founder of Shoes of Prey, a custom-made shoe company. She was a classically trained ballerina who began her career as a lawyer. She quickly learned her dislike in practicing law and entered advertising. Soon after, she decided to start her own business. Jodie was always searching for the “perfect” shoes but the shoes she found came with imperfections – wrong color, design flaws, and more. Her diligent search for the right shoes led to a shoemaker overseas who had the magic touch. These were custom-made shoes just like the bespoke clothing (a fancy term for custom-made clothes, revered and enamored by the fashionistas out there). With the magic touch of the shoemaker and Jodie’s magic creation, came these amazingly unique shoes. Jodie came back with these fabulous shoes and the rest is history. In 2009, Jodie started Shoes of Prey with two co-founders (Mike and Michael) in Sydney, Australia. All met at the law school they were attending. Mike is a former Google engineer and Michael was an account executive with operational and retail experience. Shoes of Prey recently relocated to Santa Monica to better serve their “happy” American customers. Jodie visited Santa Monica a few times and fell in love with the city – could you blame her? Her affinity towards Santa Monica became a reason for relocating the business. And the support she was getting from the U.S. was significant. How does it work? Here is how you can get a pair of Shoes of Prey. You can go on the website, www.shoesofprey.com or go to the store in Newport Beach at the Fashion Island. You will be able to choose the leather, the toe shape, and the shoe shape, and you can even put in your initials. For weddings, you can put the date of the wedding to memorialize the special day. You can be as creative and the best part is that this will be your “special shoes” that no one else has. The whole process is really fun and Jodie believes that is the reason why there are such loyal customers for the brand. Recently, Jodie was visiting Seattle and learned that you can’t always wear the ballet flats. Hence, long boots are high on their product development radar. And there is more… Partnership with Nordstrom’s at Fashion Island and Janie Bryant, the costume designer for Mad Men, mark another milestone for Shoes of Prey. Janie Bryant’s inspirational design paired with Shoes of Prey was a marriage made in heaven. How about the rise of female entrepreneurs? Interestingly, Australia is a more female-friendly environment when it comes to business. 62% of business is started by women in Australia. Contrastingly, in the U. S. only 8% of start up owned by women is funded. However, when it comes to leadership, only 2.5% of executives is female in Australia and 7% in the U.S. Jodie feels women need to find a better way to be part of the landscape. “It is still unnatural for women to be in the business world which is still very male-dominated,” shares Jodie. What type of shoes would you be? Black pointy ballet flats with ankle strap “Ask me next week! it may be different…”
shoesofprey.com
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Paper Dolls JEN MOJO is the founder of Paper Dolls, workspaces tailored for women founders.
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What began as a series of well curated dinner parties has become a collaborative group of dynamic, make-it-happen, professional women – all unique but united in the desire to do business on their own terms and in a space tailor made for female founders. After making the transition from a corporate career to an entrepreneurial one, It became clear to Paper Dolls Founder, Jen Mojo that there were big opportunities and big gaps for women entrepreneurs, “1 in 11 women are entrepreneurs today. According to the Economic Census Bureau, 1,288 new businesses are being founded by women each day- and yet for all this reported growth, the availability of funding, access to mentorship and consideration of workplace design is limited.” It was the later that inspired her to open a co-working community for female founders in the heart of Brentwood, “I was listening to women tell me how isolating working from home had become. I was watching them carry their handbag “desk” around while trying to find a table at a coffee shop. Those that had tried co-working spaces reported feeling like they didn’t “fit”.” She felt the same and wanted to do something about it, “I was motivated to help these amazing entrepreneurs find a work home outside of home and I knew that it meant creating one” notes Mojo In January 2015, Paper Dolls opened its first co-working studio – a beautiful, inspiring place worthy of the professionals who come
to work there. It’s a premium workspace surrounded by boutiques, culinary treasures and cutting edge fitness. Guests and members are enveloped by rich colors and textures. The walls alternate between bold artwork by local artists and luscious wallpapers. Each office is appointed to reflect the energy and inspiration that is needed to get work done, “we wanted to create a desk-sweet-desk experience that offered the practical efficiency and amenities these busy women needed in their work day.” Members vary in their industries and independent aspirations but share a common belief that women go farther when they go together. Mojo is quick to point out the impact of community, “Even more important than comfort and design is the community itself. Being an entrepreneur or freelancer can be lonely work at times, and it’s important to surround yourself with others who understand what you are going through, and who are there to support.” In addition to the studio environment, Paper Dolls offers workshops, topical events, curated content and personal introductions to a wider community of women who seek independence, flexibility and a way to stay connected. From full-time private offices to monthly member drop-in desks to virtual office options, the studio flexes to meet the needs of your business. Mojo welcomes founders, “ Join us and like Paper Dolls, connect and grow together.”
Paper Dolls 11677 San Vicente Blvd #208, Los Angeles, CA 90049 paperdolls.com
BY MARLYN DIAZ
Do you feel fat, sick or tired? If so, it may not be your fault. We are living in a very toxic world. There are over 85,000 chemicals in our modern world today. These chemicals can be found in our food supply, personal care products, in our furniture, and floating around our environment! The question one used to ask was, "Are you toxic?" Now the question is, "How toxic are you?" We are all toxic in some way. One way we can begin to reduce our chemical exposure and take our power back is to clean up our diet! You can begin by taking a look at your pantry and getting rid of processed foods, chemical-laden junk foods and foods that contain high amounts of refined sugars. Next, increase your fiber intake with things like beans, gluten-free grains and ground flax seeds. High fiber foods are especially good at helping our bodies remove hormone-disrupting chemicals like BPA, pesticides and parabens. Lastly, add in colorful fruits and vegetables (organic when possible) - both are loaded with antioxidants and powerful phytonutrients that help to repair our bodies at the cellular level. In addition to adding in vegetables we want to also look at other ways to boost our immune system. We can do this by incorporating health-bearing herbs and spices to aide our adrenals and combat stress, support our lymph system which carries out waste and enhance our livers, the filter of the body. Some ingredients to
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consider in this category are milk thistle, cordyceps, lemongrass, cinnamon, ginger, and basil. One of my favorite ways to get in an array of healthy vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices is through soups. Who doesn't love a bowl of energy-enhancing delicious soup!? Making it at home can be great, though if you're busy and want to boost your immune system and detoxification pathways with an organic, non-gmo, great tasting product that is made here in LA and delivered right to your door, I'd highly recommend trying Soupure. I've come to LOVE this company over the last two years as their philosophy is completely aligned with creating health and well-being at the core. Soupure's products are designed with total nourishment and cleansing in mind, and incorporate many amazing ingredients that all work together in a synergistic way -supporting all the body systems at once. In addition to their soups they also make healing bone broths, tonics and spa waters. You can learn more about Soupure and place an order at www.soupure.com. or visit their kiosk at the Brentwood Country Mart today. Here's to living a clean, lean and green lifestyle!
soupure.com marlyndiaz.com
Healing With A Brain Tumor JEANNINE WALSTON describes her story about dealing with a brain tumor and finding her way into optimal health and healing.
treatments over many years—including three clinics in Europe and a tremendous more in the United States—I needed conventional treatments. I had my second awake brain surgery at the University of California San Francisco in 2011. Due to more tumor growth, in the fall of 2013 I needed additional treatments. Research led me to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and I chose Los Angeles as my new home. Without a doubt, I needed a top-notch medical team, and I found one led by Linda Liau, MD, PhD, a neurosurgeon and neuroscience expert. Dr. Liau is one of the top 1% of neurosurgeons in this country as ranked by U.S. News Top Doctors and is known internationally. For my third awake brain surgery in November of 2013, Dr. Liau focused in removing the tumor while protecting cognitive functions, given that the brain tumor resided in my left temporal lobe and had the potential to impact my speech, memory, and hearing. Some of the brain tumor removed by Dr. Liau was used for a clinical trial of the DCVax-L immunotherapy dendritic cell vaccine. After surgery, I received radiation and oral chemotherapy in early 2014, and then the dendritic cell vaccine developed by UCLA. I continue to have MRI scans on a regular basis. I cannot know with 100 percent certainly what will happen in the future, and I do see myself living a long life with a vision to accomplish a tremendous amount. In 1998 at the age of 24, I worked in the U.S. Congress with plans for law school. However, the expected emerged when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. In the midst of vulnerability and uncertainly, my world immediately changed. One month later, I had awake brain surgery at the National Institutes of Health where the entire tumor was removed. I felt profound gratitude, and sometimes conversely, parts of me were extremely broken with some physical and psychological pain. As I aspired to engage in actions, I became motivated to embrace my own quest for optimal health and healing. I used various strategies, yet overall I was only scratching the surface. In 2004, I was finally informed with a brain tumor recurrence that actually became very visible in my MRI scans since 2000. In confusion and chaos—into the other side—I conducted more research, acquired multiple opinions, asked important questions, and requested copies of reports on a regular basis. I also began to further think outside of the box conventionally, and create a path with integrative cancer care for the whole person of the body, mind-body wellness, spiritual vitality, social support, and a cleaner environment. Through highs and lows, after extensive integrative cancer
Indeed, challenges can be transformed into opportunities. Since the beginning of my healing quest, I started doing volunteer work in the brain tumor community through fundraising, lobbying Congress, and speaking at the U.S. Congress and brain tumor conferences. Two years after my initial diagnosis and surgery, I joined the broader cancer community to work for cancer non-profits, and as a consultant to the National Cancer Institute and Food and Drug Administration. From there, I reached a point to not only focus on the disease, but expand into the whole person. I immediately got a job at National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Through body-mind-spirit guidance, in 2004 I started my own business evolving into Integrative Cancer Care for the Whole Person and Healing Focus® as a Cancer Coach, writer, consultant, and speaker. I strongly feel through my intellect, heart, and soul that this is what I’m meant to do. Brain tumor patients—and anyone with cancer—deserve to experience optimal health and healing. I hope to support the process. Time is of the essence. For more information, visit www.jeanninewalston.com. She can be reached at jeannine@jeanninewalston.com jeanninewalston.com
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Tambi’s Picks
If you were lucky enough to check out the Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center this Summer, I hope you stopped by the wonderful gift shop. Stocked with many music related items to tie in with the exhibit, these were a few of my faves: VINYLUX RECORD JOURNALS
GAMAGO RECORD PLACEMATS How cool are these vinyl design record placemats? They come in record sleeve packaging and they are dishwasher safe. A great way to put a new “spin” on dining! http://perpetualkid.com/recordplacemats.html BBQ GUITAR SPATULA
These are coolest notebooks ever and created using vintage records. I’ll be using one to write notes about my favorite new bands. Created by music loving artist, Jeff Davis, the entire Vinylux line is worth checking out. Available in several genres including Rock, Soul, Jazz, Pop and 80s. http://vinylux.net/product/ record-journal
SOCKSMITH VINYL RECORD AND GUITAR SOCKS http://socksmith.com/vinylrecords.html Now that the weather is cooling Summer may be over but you off, it’s time to keep your dancing can continue to be a rock star on feet warm and comfortable with the grill with this guitar shaped these soft cotton blend novelty stainless steel BBQ spatula. I could socks by Socksmith. Vinyl record definitely do some heavy metal socks are for men and the guitar grilling in my house with this! socks are for women. They are so http://gamago.com/bbq-guitargroovy you’ll want to leave your spatula.html shoes at the door. Rock on!
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GUITAR CUBES Forget about your smartphone guitar tabs app, these sturdy chord cubes give you the basic tablature you’ll need to play all the hits. Nine cubes made entirely of naturally finished wood make it easy to learn and memorize fifty-four different chords. A must-have for seasoned strummers and budding rockers alike. http://uncommongoods.com/product/guitar-chord-blocks GUITAR NAIL FILES Keep your nails rockin’ between manis with these guitar nail files. Perfect as a stocking stuffer or small gift for your favorite hippie, rock or metal chick, these guitar nail files make it look like you are playing the world’s smallest guitar as you file away. Available in Acoustic, Hot Pink Stratocaster, or Flying V. http://coolshityoucanbuy.com/2015/05/guitarnail-files.html
LA Music Awards Winners
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25TH ANNUAL LA MUSIC AWARDS FINALE 17 September 2015 West Hollywood, CA Scenes from the 25th Annual LA Music Awards Finale. Focus Congratulations The Winners: Rock Artist Of The Year Randall Zwarte Band Pop Artist Of The Year Alyssa Elle Country Artist Of The Year Kenny C. International Artist Of The Year Gianni Ephrikian: Rome, Italy http://25lama.com
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KYLE STEFANSKI honors his late mother with
fundraising concerts for cancer patients in need. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD HARTOG
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Top Right: Bill Burr Second Row: (left) Dave Kushner | Hellcat Saints, (right) Duff McKagan Third Row: (left) Billy Gibbons | ZZ Top, (right) Juliette Lewis Bottom: Kesha
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Help Me Rhonda BY TAMBI SAFFRAN
Kyle Stefanski is a busy man these days. The charismatic 29 year old philanthropist and entrepreneur sits on the board of several nonprofits, has a creative new film and TV company called Creative Therapy and an upcoming starring role in the short film, Unto Us All. But what is closest to his heart, is an organization he founded with his father and his siblings after losing their mother, Rhonda, to pancreatic cancer last November. The Stefanskis formed Rhonda’s Kiss to raise funds for cancer patients who cannot make ends meet for their treatment and support. Kyle and his family felt fortunate they were able to afford the best care for Rhonda’s cancer treatments, but realized others are not so fortunate. Cancer research fundraisers are ongoing all over the world, but Rhonda’s Kiss is very specific as it targets people in need, donating primarily to inner city hospitals and organizations. “A lot of people can’t afford their cancer treatments when they’re struck with this terrible disease. There’s no rhyme or reason to it,” Kyle says. The Stefanskis were determined to make a difference. The first Rhonda’s Kiss fundraiser took place at The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame on July 10, 2015 in Cleveland, Kyle’s hometown. The event raised over $600,000 in one evening and included a benefit concert with performances by Rock and Roll Hall Fame inductee Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield) as well as other local performers. Because of the huge success of the Cleveland event, Kyle decided to have a second concert event in Los Angeles. He teamed with Christine Kushner of Double Platinum, an event based company in Los Angeles. Christine herself is a cancer survivor and Kyle calls her his angel when it comes to Rhonda’s Kiss. He says, “She has helped me more than I thought would be possible.” The LA event took place on November 3rd at the El Rey Theatre. The amazing lineup included such musicians as Billy Idol, Kesha, Dave Navarro, Duff McKagan, Juliette Lewis, Mark McGrath and was emceed by comedian Bill Burr. The event was a huge success and Kyle already has begun planning in many more states, including the next one scheduled tentatively for early next year in Florida.
Rhonda Stefanski
Kyle, Ashley, Alex and Marc Stefanski.
If you can’t make it to a Rhonda’s Kiss benefit concert, you can always support this important cause by donating via the organization’s website at www.rhondaskiss.org Cancer can strike anyone of any race or socioeconomic status. Please support, make a difference and seal it with a kiss... Rhonda’s Kiss. Xx Rhonda’s Kiss rhondaskiss.com
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Mark McGrath, Dave Navarro
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Fit From The Inside Out
How To Step Off The Emotional Rollercoaster And Stop Decades Of Dieting: I Lost 50 Pounds. BY PINA DE ROSA, M.C.Ht.
After her acclaimed TEDxTalk “Choices…Choices…”, and after co-leading the The New Hollywood's “Get My Body Back” Health Elective with Devious Maids’ Brianna Brown, Pina De Rosa was inspired to take her health & fitness results to a whole new level, and ended up writing a book about her journey to finally getting her body back. For those who are tired of the emotional rollercoaster, this book is a journey that gets us to look beyond the “how" into the “why”, giving access to the missing piece of the puzzle that most people don’t know about: how to recognize that there is selfsabotage, how to reach out for the appropriate support, and what to do differently that will make a difference once and for all. Eating healthy and exercising is not enough - there are a lot of books that tell us “how". What we really want to know is what underlies the “how", and that is what her book is about. In Fit From The Inside Out, Pina shares how a negative experience, such as date-rape in college, opened positive doors, rather than shut her down from her life. Today she speaks on college campuses on date-rape awareness and sexual assault prevention: her intention is to end the date-rape epidemic once and for all. Results are not achieved with willpower alone, nor with just diet and exercise, but by exploring the deep seeded emotional blocks that keep us from achieving what we want to achieve. Not everybody is raped, and not everyone needs to lose 50 pounds, but nearly everybody has some emotional blocks that are preventing them from getting where they want to be. There are plenty of other books that tell us what to do, and how to do, but unlike any other book out there, what this book tells is why willpower alone is not enough and why some things we have done in the past have not worked for us. The book is designed to explain how people can do what she did, which is step off the emotional roller coaster, stop decades of dieting and lose the extra weight. It’s not just about the “what”, it’s not about the “how”, it’s about the “why”. Pina is inspired to take this subject to college campuses around the United States as a way to continue a dialogue that makes a difference for all our students, both young women AND young men; as a way to raise awareness and to look at questions, and behaviors, that can help prevent date-rape and sexual assault on our campuses. More at www.CollegeSpeakingWithPina.com Pina offers a 1-1 phone or Skype session with purchase of her Fit From The Inside Out book at www.GratitudeInternational.com Fit From the Inside Out had a rooftop red-carpet book launch on Sunday November 1st that benefited www.SniffingOutCancer.com and www.TheNewHollywood.org
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Foreword for Fit From The Inside Out was written by award winning Minnesota born actress Brianna Brown. Aside from starring in numerous high profile roles throughout the years, Brianna is also the CEO of “The New Hollywood” (TNH) a women’s philanthropic goal group and 501(c)(3) nonprofit. TNH helps support women within the entertainment industry to achieve their personal and professional goals, to be a positive example and to make a difference. TNH intends to inspire everyone to Rise Higher, Shine Bright & Give Back!
Losing The Plot in LA C’mon, so tell me, how many times have you lost the plot? Be honest … I have to admit, losing the plot is the norm for me; no doubt because I believe life is supposed to be fun and exhilarating. That being said losing the plot might just be a byproduct of an exciting life! I was born behind the Orange Curtain and couldn’t wait to get the heck out! As soon as I could drive I was gone. I disliked Orange County because it seemed so clean and normal, lacking in any texture or differentness, homogenized is the way I would describe it. With a bevy of beauties sporting long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes I stuck out like a sore thumb with my Raggedy Ann dyed red hair and funky vintage dresses, I didn’t fit in so off I went! Once comfortably situated in a funky apartment in Larchmont my main objectives were frequenting the hottest clubs and hanging out at El Coyote with my posse. So as not to date myself too much, my favorite club of all time was The Odyssey, and some other pretty cool ones like Dirt Box, Power Tools, and Flaming Colossus to name a few. I dabbled in a variety of miscellaneous jobs and met amazing friends almost immediately. Life was wonderful….well…except for one thing….dating! The men out there, or shall I say the boys were frustrating as hell to deal with. This major issue is exactly what sent me over the edge and inspired me to write “Losing the Plot in LA”. I mean dating is challenging anywhere but Los Angeles is in a league of its own. Part of the problem was presumably the sort of men I was attracted to. I either liked the mysterious, brooding, loner type or the creative, artsy variety. The brooding loner was always doing exactly that, BROODING which is NOT fun or mysterious, just plain annoying BUT they fall in love quickly and are wonderful lovers. Then we have the creative type or shall we say artists who are totally intoxicating, fun, and dramatic, but generally pretty squirrely and non-comital. I claim this to be fact but certainly my reality. Crying at my desk one rainy afternoon after a huge fight (one of many) with Mr. Hot/Cold & Non-Comital, I hit the proverbial wall. I couldn’t take the BS anymore so I dumped him and started writing on my robot looking prehistoric MAC computer and couldn’t stop! I wrote for days without stopping. I always knew I would write a novel, I just wasn’t sure when I would start, thank you Mr. Dickhead. Come some twenty years later “Losing the Plot in LA” is finally published, a dream come true. What the heck too so long you ask?
Life, life got in the way. After that depressing day I plowed through it and finished the book in few months and then it got shelved. It wasn’t even a thought for ages except for the lingering guilt of not doing anything with it. The self-loathing finally took its toll; it was time to get “Losing the Plot in LA” out there. No more lollygagging, I quit working my day job (which totally stressed me out) and reedited this little gem and here we are. June 2, 2015 the dream became a reality, “Losing the Plot in LA” was released. Appropriately enough the launch party was at El Coyote which was fantastic. The same people still work there! Billy at the front desk is my favorite, Mo the bartender, and Marge the owner is still there greeting everyone. It felt like home. The classic El Coyote quote that never made it into the book was “Fat and Fucked up for eight bucks!” All of that being said, “Losing the Plot in LA” is NOT an autobiography however much of it is close to the truth but a lot of it is not even close. As with many novels one takes life and embellishes it because as the cliché goes “life is stranger than fiction.” These days I’m editing my second novel titled “Instant Message” which I am looking to publish next year. Many have requested a sequel to “Losing the Plot in LA” and a “Losing the Plot” series which are both intriguing ideas. We shall see…stay tuned….
mascotbooks.com/mascot-marketplace/buy-books/fiction/losingthe-plot-in-la/
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LA/HOME LA HOME magazine is a celebration of life in LA, with features about the designers and artists who make this city a center of culture and innovation.
“Finishing a record is the most disappointing part of making records, because there is no more potential.” Moby
“prime Beverly Hills or prime Bird Street areas with amazing views, should be hitting $4000 a SQ foot. I think that’s very possible in the foreseeable future.” Mauricio Umansky, The Agency
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“I was a fan of Flipping Out, and it had been on maybe 2 seasons. You think you know Jeff Lewis because you’re in his life, you’re in his world, and you feel like you want to be his friend. I went to dinner one night and walked into a unisex bathroom at a swanky restaurant...and there he was. I introduced myself and...he actually brought me back to his table to meet his friends.” Megan Weaver
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ot, as you might imagine, the name of an English butler, Alfred Coffee is named after Alfred Street, where owner Josh Zad once lived, and just around the corner from the original Melrose Place location. Alfred Coffee
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orming their name from the year Prohibition was repealed, The 1933 Group is surely a name to make hedonists rejoice. With eight bars opening within the last decade, like a competitive drinker, they don’t seem to pause for breath. And each successive venue brings with it a different theme. All of them however, hark back to that bygone era of the early 20th century – if only to give Bobby Green, the designer, indulgence to scour the Mid West flea markets for the vintage items he is so passionate about. 1933 Group
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T
he design of the center alone calls attention from all angles, even to those who are unaware of what goes on inside. You don’t need to be part of the design world to appreciate the stunning beauty of the architecture; its sharp edges, colorfully smooth surfaces, its enormous presence on the fourteen acre campus in West Hollywood. The greens, blues, and reds of the chic complex looks more like something out of a Pixar film, nothing like the rest Los Angeles. Pacific Design Center
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Base Color Bar 11677 San Vicente Blvd. Unplug Meditation 12401 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 101
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Bank of America 287 26th Street.
Malibu Gym 29575 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Sweet Crush 11753 San Vicente Blvd. Vicente Foods 12027 San Vincente Blvd. Brentwood Library 11820 San Vicente Blvd.
Cure Spa 22741 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Malibu Health Club 22917 Pacific Coast Hwy. PC Greens 22601 Pacific Coast Hwy. Colony Liquor 22523 Pacific Coast Hwy. CVS 23841 Pacific Coast Hwy.
SANTA MONICA Coogies 2906 Santa Monica Blvd. One West Bank 1630 Montana Ave.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 3835 Cross Creek Chipotle 3828 Cross Creek
Groundwork Coffee Shop 1601 Montana Ave. Marmalade Cafe 710 Montana Ave. Izzys Deli 1433 Wilshire Blvd.
Urth Cafe 8565 Melrose Ave. Sofitel Hotel 8555 Beverly Blvd.
SHERMAN OAKS Kinsley 14006 Riverside Dr, Sherman Oaks
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2016 Miss Malibu/Beverly Hills Pageant
LA Music Awards http://focusmag.us/tv/lama
http://focusmag.us/tv/miss2016
A Wedding To Remember
Cardio Barre 2nd Anniversary
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Happenings
Text focus to 313131 to watch this focusmag.us/tv/missmalibu
MISS BEVERLY HILLS | MISS MALIBU CROWNED 21 September 2015 Malibu CA Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 Miss Beverly Hills and Miss Malibu Pageant. The winners will proceed to the Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA Pageants in Long Beach, CA. This year, the organizers were supported by Best Buddies, California. Miss Malibu USA Brooke Ashlynn Miller @brookeashylynn Miss Beverly Hills USA Taelyr Robinson @taelyrrobinson Miss Beverly Hills Teen USA Haleigh Hekking @haleighhekking Miss Malibu Teen USA Montana Yao @montana.yao
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Happenings
WENDY BROKAW PRESENTS | DREWCHELLA Beverly Hills, CA Credits: Flowers | Fleurish @youfleurish LA Shave Ice| @shaveicetruck Photo Booth | Iconic Affair iconicaffair.com Taco Cart | @tacoslos2amigoscatering Donut Cake | Krispy Kreme, Santa Monica
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Happenings
CARDIO BARRE 2ND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Santa Monica, CA Featured Participants Perfectly.Me Paper Dolls Juice Served Here Soupure Fabletics Kippy’s just Chill myintent.org Music By http://anniebosko.com
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Happenings
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT 2ND ANNUAL WHITE PARTY Mr. C Hotel Of Beverly Hills The Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation hosted its 2nd annual Light Up the Night for Suicide Awareness White Party. Hollywood came together dressed to impress to help raise awareness of suicide in a fun yet respectable setting. Host Committee included Jenny Garth and The Charity Angels lead by its Founder & President Mellisa Nielsen. http://mattsfoundation.org candace@mattsfoundation.org
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A Wedding To Remember
{Pretty lil Details} is a seasoned Celebration Planning + Styling company owned by the talented Tali Marchefka. From girls dinner parties, to backyard BBQs, to charity events, not to mention weddings as well as Bar Mizvahs- Tali will ensure those thoughtful occasions turn into treasured memories; leaving your friends, family, and loved ones breathless + raving about them for years to come. {Pretty lil Details} specializes in adding those “special” finishing touches to your party. Everything from - chalkboard signage, decorative party favors, or cutesie desserts, Tali will make your party unforgettable. Her goal is to ensure that the “pretty little details” stands out and mirrors each client’s personality. After all, it is the little things in life that mean the most- that is what Pretty lil Details is all about. Text focus to 313131 to watch the video.
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pretty-lil-details.com info@detailsbytali.com Instagram: @detailsbytali
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LIKE
MOTHER LIKE
DAUGHTER Mother, Linda Rendleman and daughter, Catt Sadler, work together to empower women all over the world. BY FELICIA WALDMAN and ASHLEY DANIELS
M
ost days you will find Catt Sadler, host of E! News, looking impeccably stylish, devoting long hours here in LA and often traveling around the world, gathering and reporting the latest Hollywood news. When you meet Catt you soon begin to realize that this is simply only one of her passions, and it has some stiff competition. This is clearly a woman who has her priorities in order; her two young boys, husband, and family, put the real twinkle in her eyes. Between family life and life at E!, her plate is full, her cup runneth over. However, there is one thing outside of work and family that inspires her and changes her life in ways she could never imagine; something she now embraces wholeheartedly and happily carves out space for. Catt and her lovely mom, Linda Rendleman are the co-founders of Women Like Us Foundation. WLUF supports women around the globe who seek to make the world a better place. They help victims of female genital mutilation at a women’s center in Africa, by raising funds, sending supplies, and visiting them and helping them in person. Through their “One Girl at a Time” program, they mentor teen girls to help them become educated, self-confident women who not only learn to be an active part of our world, but also understand the importance of giving back. WLUF hosts humanitarian trips each year to many countries such as Africa, Costa Rica, and Uganda. Linda’s passion for WLUF is infectious. Listening to her soft voice share beautiful stories of how WLUF has made a difference in so many women’s lives, and how they are able to actually see the results of their donations and efforts, makes you want to sign up to travel with her on their next humanitarian mission! WLUF has helped so many and yet Linda and Catt wish they could save the entire world. Personally, their work has touched them so deeply. They filmed their journey to Kenya, along with their inspiring work both here in the U.S. and Costa Rica, and this compelling footage is now being produced into a documentary by Sally Colon-Petree of Dream On Productions, due out in 2015. Ashley Daniels sat down with the dynamic mother-daughter team and was overwhelmingly inspired by their passionate stories of Women Like Us. FOCUS: Linda, before starting your foundation, you were a single mother and a cancer survivor. Despite these challenges, giving back now seems ingrained in your everyday life... LINDA RENDLEMAN: Well yes, giving back is totally in my everyday life that’s for sure. We have all been affected by cancer, I’m not the only one that’s gone down that road but something happens
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when you hear that in your life. For me, it was ‘wait! wait wait! I have things to do – I haven’t written my book yet, I haven’t made a difference in the world like I want, and you know...my kids!” So you become a little panicky, not a little, for pete’s sake it’s cancer! But yeah, it’s really made a difference for me and as so many people say, the things that really matter take on a WHOLE new meaning. You really do realize that, how am I living my life, what do I want to leave behind, and truly Women Like Us Foundation is my legacy and I’m real happy about that. I always knew that I wanted to give back to the world, and I really wanted to particularly support women.
“Really? We got problems here in Western culture? Like, oh yeah, oh darn, my fake lash fell off today FOCUS: Catt, it is so special that you work closely with your mom for such a wonderful cause. You must love it, because you are kind of busy in your daily life as a mom and host of E! News, and yet you still find the time? CATT SADLER: [smiling] Mildly busy! But I have to say, just hearing Mom talk about what propelled her into doing the foundation at all, Mother has always been a beacon of strength, and she’s always been an inspiration to me personally. She always exuded such confidence and such drive and she was always just a force of nature. A single mother for most of our lives, she was always this light, and this exception to any other woman I’d ever known. She was always telling me – you can do anything, you can be anything – and that is everything who I am today. And yes, the foundation is really really thriving right now. It’s just amazing to be so intimately involved with it, to literally travel the globe. We went to Kenya this summer for an absolutely life changing experience, but even then, in Africa, in the dirt, around the Maasai, around those less privileged, from afar to just watch Mom do what she does, it’s a beautiful, beautiful thing. And I’m inspired, and I think everyone who comes in contact with this organization in particular, leaves….changed. LINDA: When we were in Kenya we were supporting our women life causes, and that was certainly Kim DeWitt, who is in our documentary. She founded a home for girls who are victims of female genital mutilation. And we all learned so much being there and seeing the girls. Catt did laundry with them, in the river in buckets. They get their water from the river, they showed us
how they bake their bread, and I think the most touching thing for me was when we saw their rooms. Because their rooms were just like any girl’s you’d see in the world. I often say that our stories are singular. In other words, our stories are different, but our passions as women are shared. And it really is true. There is a sisterhood of women around the world, and these young girls are becoming, what I like to say, women like us. And we want to help bring them along so that they can speak their voice, and they can have positive change and make an impact on the world. CATT: I think that’s the thing that one of the takeaways, again from that trip and from doing charity work like this – we’re all winning, it’s such a reward. LINDA: Oh my, yes. CATT: We are teaching them and we are, hopefully, bringing them resources they don’t have, and we are opening up their eyes in a way that maybe they otherwise wouldn’t have. But we all were so fulfilled by the entire experience. I left there with just this real sense of hope because I was inspired, I mean look at what they are up against, look at the challenges they face every day. Look at the hardships they have been through – this horrific female genital mutilation – and still...they want to get their education, they want opportunity, they want to be put in front and – they want to take over the world! And they do it with this spirit of such strength. I took home a wooden carved Masaai woman and I stare at it every day in my house. I look at it because it’s like, “Really? We got problems here in Western culture? Like, oh yeah, oh darn, my fake lash fell off today you know during my show..” Or whatever. And
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I look to that like the reminder every day through this Women Like Us experience, that is my strength. Let’s bring it back, because if these girls can do it the way they’re doing it, with a smile on their face, and holding tight to their dreams, then we can do it too. So again, the rewards are endless. It’s just as special as it sounds. It really is.
LINDA: Yeah, it’s fabulous. When I started the Foundation I wanted to help everyone. And you know you can’t help the entire world. But you can pick the things that you can help, and you don’t go one time, you go back again, and again, and again. And you build it. And that’s really what we’re about, so it’s sustainability. We can all make a difference. And my favorite quote, that I live my life by, is, “When I get to the end of my life, I not only want to live the length of it, I want to live the width of it as well.” womenlikeusfoundation.org
Text focus to 313131 to watch the entire interview. focusmag.us/tv/womenlikeus
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