Brentwood Focus October 2013 – Organic Food Issue

Art

kozyndan – the new exhibition at Giant Robot 2 14

Free

A history of Westminster Abbey 20

Books Linda Ronstadt in conversation 25

Live

Open Houses this weekend in 90049 28

FOCUS LOVE your neighborhood

BRENTWOOD

ISSUE 5: September 2013

Insights into your neighborhood.

Editor/Creative Director Mark Castellino Sales & Marketing Jorie Dunlap T: 310 869 7532 Focus (ISSN 2328-1359) is published monthly and distributed free to homes in Brentwood CA 90049.

Please try not to reproduce any of the content without asking us first.

NEXT MONTH... .....the focus is on our Finance issue.

We will have articles on financial advisors, investments and insurance.

If your business is associated with any of these fields, please contact us at info@brentwoodfocus.com

Cover image: Coral Tree Cafe

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As a society, we are becoming increasingly concerned with the standards of food production. Genetically modified foods are gradually seeping into our food chain and the food industry is maximizing profits through dubious farming practices.

This issue gives us a chance to be grateful for the restaurants and food businesses in our neighborhood, who instill greener choices in the running of their business, and who rely on local farms for their produce to nourish us with organic food.

There’s also a section on gardeners who can help you create your own kitchen garden, and grow your own food without pesticides.

As always, there are our must-see events, including music, art and performance from around the entire Westside too. I hope you enjoy this free issue – please email us your comments and suggestions for future themes.

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CONTACT US Write to us and send gifts to: 149 South Barrington Place #178, Los Angeles CA 90049 Email inquiries, news stories, promotions, suggestions, photos and compliments to: info@brentwoodfocus.com

CONTENTS

Feature

8

18

25

A potted guide to owning a feathered flock, for eggs and general amusement.

A whole month of family activities including a creepy crawly fest.

New book releases and a chance to catch the queen of 70s music, Linda Ronstadt, in conversation.

Keeping Chickens

Kids

Books

5

Organic Food

The theme this month is organic food – places to eat, farm deliveries and gardeners to help you grown your own vegetables.

14

20

28

Alternative rockers Soul Asylum, who gave us the Grammy Award winning single “Runaway Train,” play at the Canyon this month.

An interesting talk about the cathedral where Kate Middleton and all the British Royals wed.

The Real Estate section has open houses this weekend, and recently sold houses in the neighborhood.

Soul Asylum

4 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

Free

Open Houses

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Dining Out There’s a lot to be thankful for in the way of fresh, organic food in Brentwood.

It’s only going to get better with M Cafe de Chaya due to open next to Juice Crafters, and Elaine’s Bakery opening September 17th in Brentwood Gardens.

Let’s do a quick recap on the delights we have right here in our neighborhood.

Coral Tree Cafe

Coral Tree Café is part of the Brentwood fabric, having been in the neighborhood since 2002. It was named after the landmark coral trees that line San Vicente Blvd and true to the name, the owners were the first to donate funds for the upkeep of the trees. Surviving a kitchen fire in 2008, the cafe has risen from the ashes to become the go to place for breakfasts at the weekend, business lunches and casual dinners for the local apartment dwellers.

The outdoor patio is great for hanging out, the firepit being the most sought after spot on cooler nights.

Healthy food choices are plentiful, the signature panini being a favorite and daily specials are reasonably priced too.

The restaurant recently received its green certification, which means it not only prepares sustainable, organic food sourced from local farms, but all the behind the scenes management and organization follows an environmentally friendly standard too – in the form of recycling, non use of harmful chemicals and the use of natural products wherever possible.

The order at the counter, take a number system which has become the norm in an increasing number of places, works extremely well. It also allows for a more casual dining experience if you’re not inclined to wanting constant attention – but the staff are attentive if you need anything.

Vegan friendly items are not plentiful but they do exist in the form of the vegetable soup, salad and wrap. Substitutions for gluten free bread are available in most cases too.

All of the coffees are certified organic, shade grown and fairly traded. Coral Tree Café coffee comes from coffee beans that have been grown under a canopy of shade trees, which serves as a natural sun screen and provides a safe and natural habitat for migratory birds and other species. “Fair trade” provides an alternative trade model that keeps small farmers in business by guaranteeing them a fair price for their coffee.

Chef Gillard’s inspiration is a simple, classic technique, centering on seasonal produce from farmers’ markets. Summer fare is still in season for about two more months but in Fall, they will be featuring items such as brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.

11645 San Vicente Blvd, CA 90049 T:(310) 979-8733 Hours: 7am–11pm www.coraltreecafe.com

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YELP REVIEWS

My office has ordered from Coral Tree twice now. The first time I had the portobello mushroom sandwich, then today I had the grilled vegetable panini. Both were great! Both had pesto, which I love. The panini had goat cheese which was delicious. I am a pescetarian so I am always on the lookout for vegetarian options.

Both of these were filling despite the lacking protein component. Looking forward to the next office lunch catered by Coral Tree!

Curly Q – 8/28/2013

Another fantastic meal at Coral Tree. Today I had the vegetable fritatta and my friend had the Lox. Both outstanding. Service is fast and friendly. Love the outside seating. I can bring my dog Calvin and he loves sitting there people watching.

Tiffany G – 8/19/2013

JOSEPH GILLARD Chef, Coral Tree Cafe Joseph Gillard, chef at Coral Tree Cafe, found inspiration from the earlier days of cooking television. At the age of five, he was mesmerized by the shows of Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet, and Julia Child, declaring to his mother that he would one day become a chef. The budding culinary enthusiast was only ten when he read his first cookbook, Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, from cover to cover.

Gillard was raised in Fremont, Mich. on a 40-acre homestead where his mother, a single parent, raised goats, chickens, rabbits, pigs, pheasants and cows. The family’s large vegetable garden and market stand where they sold their goods provided sustenance and income for the family, making a lasting impression on Gillard as to the integrity and beauty of local and seasonal food products. Raised on goat’s milk, Gillard recalls that he was 16 before he first tasted store-bought cow’s milk. During high school, Gillard received a strong background in vocational culinary training, preparing him for local cooking jobs.

Intrigued by the city’s culinary culture, Gillard moved to Los Angeles in 1993 and secured a job at Joachim Splichal’s Pinot Bistro in Studio City.

Over the next eight years, Gillard served as an integral part of the Patina Group kitchen team as Chef or Executive Chef at Patina Catering, Pinot at the Chronicle and Nick and Stef’s Steakhouse in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. In 2001, Gillard moved to Boca Raton to open his own catering company, but he returned to Los Angeles in 2002 to become Executive Chef at Mirabelle on the Sunset Strip.

Chef Gillard joined Coral Tree Café late 2010 as Corporate Executive Chef.

Gillard, a Santa Monica resident, regularly contributes his time to several Los Angeles fundraisers, including Meals on Wheels, the Los Angeles Opera Wine Auction and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Burger Lounge Occupying a commanding corner on San Vicente Blvd, Burger Lounge is as great for burgers as it is for people watching.

The grass fed burger place is a step up from the fast food joints but still retains the ‘lounge’ feeling of a more upscale restaurant. There are attentive staff, endless refills, fresh pepper tableside. The menu is compact but comprehensive, with a selection to cater to all tastes - from the classic burger and turkey burger option, to healthy salads with locally sourced, mostly organic ingredients.

The grass fed burger is the star, however, and founder Dean Loring, who you can read about more on page 11, is a great believer in delivering a stylish, simple burger with the best possible ingredients. The beef is from Sun Fed Ranch in Northern California, where they practice traditional farming methods. And it shows in the taste. Together with R+D and Bandera, it has made my list for the best flavored burger with a great consistency of texture to the meat.

Nutritional information is posted on their website if you want to know the amount of calories, salt and protein ratio.

The two month old restaurant itself is green certified, and the innovative design is

by MYID Design – the tables are made from empty soda bottles, the tiles are recycled and the cooking oil is recycled and used as biodiesel to power the roving burger van.

The aforementioned truck is available for catering and makes a great choice for parties.

Feedback has generally been good, judging from the recent Yelp reviews. It’s definitely a place to try if you like to feel good about eating burgers.

Mon-Sat: 11am-7pm, Sun:12pm-5pm T: 310 207-0927 www.burgerlounge.com

Fresh Juices

Greens 5 spinach, romaine, pineapple, fennel, orange, cilantro $6.50 Pressed Juicery 13050 San Vicente Blvd, #120, Brentwood, CA 90049

YELP REVIEWS I love their easy-to-use online ordering system, and this last time I used it, I ordered one of their organic salads, and lemmy tell ya, it was SO good.

Flavorful, filling and it came with an AMAZING smoked tomato dressing James W – 8/8/2013 Everything here is amazing.... but go with a double lounge burger or their chicken tenders, with the 1/2 & 1/2 of fries and onion rings.

Bryan L – 8/6/2013

Greener #2

spinach, kale, romaine, Juice Review cucumber, parsley,

celery, lemon, apple.

Transitional pieces including their coveted jackets, $6.95cozy sweaters and limited edition skirts make up Free People’s pre-Fall Juice Crafters preview. for Blvd, the 26-year-old girl – 11682Designs San Vicente smart, creative, confident and comfortable Brentwood, in all aspects of her being. Free and CA 90049 adventurous, sweet to tough, tomboy to romantic.

Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm, 13030 San Vicente Blvd, CA 90049 T:310 451-5995 www.freepeople.com

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Gardening Homeowners are discovering the beneficial aspects of growing their own vegetables. There’s a rare delight in watching the plants grow, and then plucking fresh vegetables and herbs exactly when you need them for cooking. A new generation of gardeners offer their services to help you build your dream kitchen garden. All of them can help you design and create the garden, and then either maintain it for you, or guide you so you can carry on the process yourself.

Jad Wenger is the owner, manager and Top Tomato of Heart Beet Gardening. He has managed several organic and biodynamic small farms and orchards in the Sierra foothills in Northern California. Now, as an urban gardener he is focused on soil quality, proper irrigation techniques and growing the most beautiful and productive home vegetable gardens in Los Angeles. Key members of the team are Sara Carnochan, Kathleen Redmond and Megan Bomba who all met in 7th grade.

Their mission: “As Los Angeles natives we imagine how much food could be grown in our city if we replaced lawns with gardens, and how that would positively affect the lives of each person those gardens touched.” Free consultation. T: 310 460-9365 www.heartbeetgardening.com

Julie Burleigh grew up on a farm in southern Louisiana and moved to Los Angeles 11 years ago. She is a professional artist and her background in art allows her to approach gardening as an extension of her studio. “I love creating exquisite design from the color, texture and shape of living, growing things.”

Julie designs and installs native, drought tolerant gardens and vegetable gardens. She maintains these gardens or she can come to your home and create customized instructions for you if you want to do it yourself.

She’s also very knowledgeable about chicken breeds and she designs amazing coops.

T: 310 207-0927 www.myhomeharvest.com

Thomas McCarry or ‘Tommy Teeple’ is a rather spiritual guy, keen on helping to create a green planet. His philosophy is “Don’t try to change people; change their environment.” He enjoys uncovering what sorts of changes would make an individual greener, and at the same time provide enjoyment and perhaps a more relaxed state of living. His original ‘teeple’, with living quarters on the inside and edible garden on the roof, was inspired in part by the classic teepee.

He builds all kinds, shapes and sizes of gardens, including ones with raised beds and rooftop beds. A consultation with Tommy is $150 – but with that you get a site visit, recommendations and a 60 page booklet.

T: 310 924-1839 tommyteeple@gmail.com www.edbl.net

Chicken and Egg If you’re interested in green living there’s a good reason to keep chickens. They eat your leftovers and they will pick off bugs destroying the vegetable garden. Their poop is an excellent composting aid. Oh, and of course there’s an endless supply of fresh eggs.

Dave Belanger is publisher of Backyard Poultry, and subscriptions to his magazine have more than tripled since he launched in 2006. “Bottom line, chickens are a lot of fun,” he says in the LA Times.

Raising Chickens Pick a breed best for your area and your family. If you have a dog or cat, choose the biggest breed hens you can buy and introduce them to the leashed pet. Little children need a friendly, gentle, sturdy breed. Buy from a respected breeder, farmer, whose flock looks healthy and clean. You can use found items to make a coop or clean out a corner of your storeroom or garage to provide weather tight quarters. Any safe, dry place will do. If you store your feed in the coop, use metal containers with tight-fitting lids set where they won’t rust. Check Craigslist too, for low cost or free coops. Now that they have a dry and safe coop, what about a safe place for them to run and play in the sunshine, safe from predators? You can make a chicken run at the back of your property by fencing that portion with wire and shade cloth cover to protect from hawks. Some chicken owners fence in around a tree to ‘hawk proof ’ their chicken area. Provide weather proof housing. – ventilation in summer, rain-proof openings with plastic sheets or tarp material and screened ventilation windows. You need flooring to absorb and help the poop dry. Straw, pine shavings or sawdust keep flies and disease away. Rake your material each week, removing the most soiled areas. When flooring needs replacing, dump the used stuff in your compost pile and give it a good tossing. Compost that contains chicken poop is perfect for veggie or flower gardens. Don’t allow poop to get moldy or cause flies to congregate, bringing disease to your coop. Disinfect the bottom trays once a month.

Raising Chickens on a Shoestring by Sandra Higgins Hanna (edited) More info: www.backyardchickens.com

8 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

Farmscape is the largest urban farming venture in Los Angeles.

Inspired by the Victory Gardens of the 1940’s they started in 2008 helping residents, schools and restaurants set up vegetable gardens and home orchards. To date, they have installed over 300 urban farms throughout Los Angeles and currently maintain 150 of those plots. They have setup 15 home gardens in Brentwood and maintain 10 on a weekly basis.

Farmscape uses organic methods and handles everything from planting the garden to leaving a harvest on the doorstep.

T: 323.454.2888 info@farmscapegardens.com www.farmscapegardens.com

Where to buy Chickens Midway City Feed, near Long Beach: 714-893-2613 Malibu Feed Bin in Malibu: 310-456-2043 The Red Barn (in Tarzana, West Hills, Granada Hills, or North Hollywood) www.redbarnfeedandpet.com East Valley Feed and Tack in Sun Valley: 818-767-3060 Agoura Feed: 818-889-1989 Dare 2 Dream Farms delivers chicks to Los Angeles: www.dare2dreamfarms.com Rocking B Ranch in Oak Hills hatches chicks every Monday (sells them unsexed), and also sells pullets and hens. Ask for Georgeanne or Bill: 760-669-0939 The ‘Farm & Garden’ section of Craigslist often advertises chickens for sale.

Thanks to Julie Burleigh www.myhomeharvest.com

Here’s a great idea.

Why doesn’t someone come along and pick the excess lemons, oranges and other fruit in our garden, and take it away to the foodbanks and people who actually need them? Well, Food Forward does exactly that. Do you have a hundred oranges on your tree and twenty of them splat to the ground every day, making your lawn look like Cheetos eating birds have made their home there? Call Food Forward.

Not only will they eliminate the task of cleaning away the debris but you also have the satisfaction of knowing that someone else is enjoying those lovely citrus fruit.

“If you have an abundance of anything, you share it”, as one volunteer puts it eloquently.

Food Forward volunteers also ‘glean’ produce from Farmers Markets.

Rather than take the leftover produce

How did you hear about Food Forward (FF) and what made you decide to volunteer?

I began volunteering for them in the office in April 2013 and I saw that opportunity posted on a job board. I actually have back problems, and during my interview for the office position they were like, “You know this is NOT a field position. You will not be harvesting fruit.” I was like, “My back hurts, I want nothing to do with picking fruit.” And then I started to notice homeowners who we couldn’t get to because our volunteers were at capacity. Additionally, I started noticing EVERY fruit tree I drove past. Each tree I saw made me a little more motivated to volunteer because we have such an abundance of nutrition in Southern California, where we pretty much have some kind of fruit ripening on the street year round.

I just started to feel the burn to get the fruit to those who need it most. So, that’s how I ended up helping with FF harvests.

Jamie Poster is a Masters of Public Policy Candidate ‘14 at UCLA, concentrating in regional economic development and pursuing a certificate in Urban Humanities.

She volunteers for Food Forward and this her story.

Fruits of Labor back, the farms donate the excess to them. Sign up as a volunteer through their website and you can participate at the Santa Monica Farmers Market gleaning next week.

They also organize team building days for companies like Google and NBC where they supply all the equipment – baskets, ladders and such – give you instruction and then let you pick to your heart’s content.

Building morale and character all the while, naturally. You even have the option to ride with them afterwards to the foodbank, to see the citrus-starved folk enjoy the fruits of your labor, as it were.

All these good natured company events currently take place in Ventura or some far off farm so the good folk at Food Forward are looking for homes with large orchards in the Brentwood neighborhood to volunteer to help them out.

They deliver food to about 40,000 people a month and the weight of the food they have harvested since inception in 2009, is now about 1,592,000 lbs. Please give them a call if you have a property you can volunteer or if you want to be a picker yourself – it really is for a good cause.

begins to lift as the weight of the fruit is relieved from its branches. Your boxes begin to fill and then there’s a moment where you’re like, “Oh my goodness, in an hour we just created a ridiculous in-kind donation!”

At private homes, poundage for a citrus normally ranges between 100-1000. But, one time, I did a pick at Orcutt Ranch and we’d pick something ridiculous like 4000 pounds of grapefruits. It was a bigger pick and there were around 20 volunteers, but in an hour we’d harvested 2 tons, or the equivalent of a $4000 in kind donation... I mean, that’s pretty crazy.

So yeah, the experience for me is less about being up a tree and more about talking to the homeowners and seeing results. But that’s just one person’s experience.

Like I said, I’m not really into manual labor or climbing trees, though I’m starting to see the pleasure is puzzling your way up a tree (but normally we just use a ladder).

What does a typical day’s picking involve?

Normally you tell the homeowner you’ve arrived.

That’s always fun because, in my experience, they always kind of forget that you’re coming. Then they normally walk you around to the back, or direct you to wherever their tree is, and this is one of my favorite parts because people are, rightfully so, AMAZED by their trees. They’ll stand there and point and be like, “There’s just so much of it.” I visited a kumquat tree in Mar Vista during the summer and the homeowner kept repeating, “They told me it was going to be a shrub!” as she pointed to the 300+ fruiting tree that was creeping over the roof of her house. Sometimes the homeowner isn’t even there, so that’s not even a typical day’s pick. But other times homeowners will come out with homemade cookies, or water, or they’ll have another tree with less fruit that they’ll want you to take some fruit from. Then you have to take a deep breath because cleaning up any mess is kind of daunting, but whereas I could clean my room until the cows come home and there would still be some pile of dust that’s accumulated, picking a fruit tree is a very visible and surprisingly quick success. The tree

Does it require any particular training?

No training. The pick leaders are trained. And it’s pretty straight forward, especially for citrus. You just grab it. Something like a pear or apple is a little trickier because you can’t break the skin otherwise you can’t donate it.

How long does it take? Does the owner have to be there?

It takes as long as the volunteers are available. The owner does not have to be there, so long as the owner is comfortable with that kind of arrangement.

Sometimes, if I’m solo picking and I just have an hour and the homeowner is home, I’ll just tell them I only have an hour and I’ll get what I can get.

You know, you do the best that you can with the resources that you have. Some people are taller than others and can access more fruit, some people have ladders, other people have more time... You just do the best you can. info@foodforward.org T: 310 207-0927 www.foodforward.org

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Farm to Door

Pick Your Own FARMBOX LA

Farmbox partner with local farms to bring you fresh fruit and vegetables weekly, in a colorful reusable basket. As well, you can order fresh bread (from Rockenwagner) eggs, nuts, orange juice and snacks like kale chips. The baskets range from $52 for a small fruit and veggie box to $129 for the deluxe version. www.farmboxla.com

THE VENICE MERCHANT

Giles and Laura Donovan source small farms and ranches, pack a crate of the finest produce and deliver it to your door weekly or bimonthly. Also included in your crate are three simple recipes using the seasonal produce. Their website does a wonderful job of telling you where everything comes from, and you can tell they have a real passion for food. A small crate is $25 and a regular crate $39.99. www.venicemerchant.com

Almond Milk

Starbucks have yet to offer an almond milk option but we think that day is not far off. It’s healthier than soy milk and it’s a great dairy alternative.

Yelpers take on Veggie Burgers It’s always nice to let others do the tasting for you and Yelp does a great job in that regard. Here are some recommendations for the best veggie burgers on the Westside.

Green Temple (Redondo Beach) Eric R’s vegetarian lady friend “is very particular when it comes to meatless burgers. This one’s nicely seasoned and the bun is delicious.” Made with organic brown rice, pinto beans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, soy cheese, and tamari, this patty has it going on! www.greentemple.net R+D Kitchen (Santa Monica) “I am completely obsessed,” admits Randalyn M. “I would be perfectly happy never eating another beef burger in my life if I could have these instead. Must try!”

This version is made unforgettable with almonds, brown rice, and Jack cheese. www.rd-kitchen.com

Mylkman

Venice Beach local, Jeff Leaf founded Mylkman in 2009, making it the firstever almond milk delivery service in the nation. Made with freshly cracked coconuts and raw organic almonds, it is packed with protein, electrolytes, potassium, calcium, iron, vitamin E and magnesium. Emphasizing the term ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’, Jeff has developed Mylkman into an ecodriven, family-run company. www.mylkman.com

10 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

Upper West (West LA) Pair your patty with a cocktail. Linh F indulges in their happy hour veggie burger.

“Get this. It is unbelievable, and everyone at the tables agrees.” Avocado, grilled pineapple relish, and piquillo make this one “bold!” www.theupperwest.com The Vegan Joint (Palms) A plethora of options may make it hard to choose, but Kelly B is thrilled that each burger is “$5.95 and comes with fries and premium toppings like grilled sweet red onions and alfalfa sprouts. One of the few places in West LA where a filling, vegan meal for two diners clocks in under $20.” www.theveganjoint.com

McGrath Family Farm McGrath Family Farms is a certified organic farm where fruit and vegetables are planted and grown without pesticides. You can pick your own squash and tomatoes round about this time but it’s best to call before you go, to see what’s available for picking.

T: 805-983-0333. Weekends from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm 1012 West Ventura Blvd., Camarillo Cost: $3 per person www.mcgrathfamilyfarm.com Underwood Family Farms On weekends, admission includes a tractor-drawn wagon ride around the farm to the pick-your-own fields, and admission to their 30 minute Animal Show.

When you’ve fed the animals and played, it’s time to pick the berry fields. On weekdays, you take your own wagon and head to the fields to pick your fill.

Daily from 9am – 6pm 3370 Sunset Valley Rd., Moorpark Cost: $3 on weekdays, $6 on weekends www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com Riley’s Farm Oak Glen is famous for its apples and Rileys Farm has over 100 varieties. They specialize in the ‘heirloom’ apple and some of their trees are over a hundred years old. The season is in full swing from now until November. They also have a great crop of Bartlett pears to pick right now.

T: 909-797-7534 for picking availability, 12261 S. Oak Glen Rd, Oak Glen www.rileysfarm.com

HEY

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Profile

J Dean Loring, founder of Burger Lounge, is a S.O.B. – son of a butcher. Why, what were you thinking?

In fact he’s a GSOB he says proudly. The grandson of a butcher, he was raised in the beef industry, and it was only natural that the quest to perfect the hamburger became his obsession. Why a burger I ask him, and not a taco or pizza? It’s the perfect meal he laughs. His Dad told him that it was everything you could want in a meal – protein, grain, fruit (since we all know tomatoes are fruit), and vegetable.

He opened his first grass fed, hand-crafted burger bar in 1988.At that time it was a strange concept. 60 years ago it wasn’t. All beef was grass fed because cattle were fed on a natural diet of grass. They are ruminants - that’s what they do. Eat grass. Along came the corn industry and cattle bred for slaughterhouses, so of course the cheapest diet became grain.

There are 14 billion burgers consumed each year. The burger industry is a huge one, with low margins, fast delivery and an easy to understand concept.

Data from food industry analyzer Technomic, carried on the website of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says that, in 2008, commercial restaurant operators bought 5.4 billion lbs. of beef. The U.S. Census estimates the country had roughly 304 million residents that year, meaning each person in the nation consumed an average of 7.64 lbs. of quick-serve restaurant beef.

So why grass fed? Dean says not only does grass fed taste better – it is more natural and also ‘good’ for you. It’s high in Omega 3, Linoleic Acid, which is thought to reduce heart disease and cancer risks, and it is high in Vitamin E. And there is less saturated fat. You should actually feel pretty good about eating at Burger Lounge.

The beef itself, comes from two ranches that are family owned and run along a strict and humane code of ethics. The beef for the Brentwood restaurant comes from Sun Fed Ranch in Northern California, where the owners have been cattle farming since the 1800s.

There are now eleven Burger Lounges, four in Los Angeles, with Brentwood being the newest. And none are the same, he says. The designs are constantly refined to give the best customer dining experience. They make an effort to raise the concept from just a fast food chain to a great casual dining experience. Your table is cleared, there are endless drink refills and you get fresh pepper at your table.

Why is the brand different? Dean explains it’s due to the fact that they keep things simple. It’s gimmick free, authentic, genuine and healthy. The whole menu is limited so that they can concentrate on delivering value.

He says they have great vegetarian options that are really healthy and delicious, and not just served as a gesture for vegetarians. The ingredients are mostly organic and the dressings are house made every day. The level of service is well thought and exceeds guests expectations.

The natural aspect is carried through to the Green Certification that they hold. The table tops are made from recycled soda bottles, the tiles are recycled, the lighting is LED, the cooking oil converted to biodiesel.

It’s a wide ranging philosophy that guides his original vision.

And will grass fed become the norm, I ask? Well, in 2006 the awareness was limited he says. Now it’s more widely accepted and he believes awareness will grow as people taste the difference.

When it comes to a good hamburger, Americans definitely are not careless eaters. A 2009 report indicated that 75% of burger-lovers rank the quality of the meat as the first or second most important attribute to their burger. Second in line was toppings, ranked either first or second place by 42% of consumers. Even though the affordability of the burger is considered, high-quality ingredients are still key in producing a successful burger franchise.

Even during the recession, Americans want to take their families out for a hamburger outing every once in a while. Statistics show that nearly 50% of consumers purchase burgers from fast food restaurants at least once every three weeks, and approximately 21% of people chomp down at a fast casual chain at least once a month. However, to counter this restaurant hopping habit, the number of burger-eaters who make their own burgers once a week has increased by 3% since 2007.

Americans are eating more burgers and better burgers, according to a new report from food industry consulting firm, Technomic. Half of Americans now eat burgers at least once a week--up from 38% in 2009.

And many are squeezing more burgers even into non-meal times: 20% say they regularly eat a burger as a mid-afternoon snack, and 10% say they sometimes nosh on a late-night burger.

The report also indicated that consumers are increasingly interested in new varieties of burger. It recommended that burger vendors try swapping out “standard ground beef ” for Angus beef, turkey and vegetables to meet consumer demand for those sectors. Technomic also noted that Americans are becoming more open to “exotic” toppings and flavors: guacamole, chipotle, pineapple, herbs.

One factor that may be driving both these trends is consumers’ willingness to pay more for their burgers. The surveyed burger-eaters put taste and convenience before price when they ranked the influential factors in their choice of burger. Indeed, the survey noted that these sorts of restaurants are quickly gaining market share previously held by McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s.

Findings show that quality is key when it comes to burgers. Fifty-one percent of consumers cited that it’s highly important that their burgers are made from never-frozen beef, which is up from 43% two years ago.

Also, 55% of consumers seek menus that specify the type of beef used, which is an increase from 48% in 2011. Further, nearly two-thirds of consumers think build-your-own burger concepts are appealing and 64% say they feel that the ability to customize burger toppings and condiments is important. Data also revealed that interest in special diets, driven by young consumers, is continuing to grow. More than a fifth of all consumers who eat burgers citing that gluten-free (23%), vegan (23%) and vegetarian (22%—up from 18% in 2011) burger options are important.

How does Burger Lounge keep the prices so low if the meat is organic and grass fed, I ask? After all, at $7.95 the Classic burger is on par with the cost of lesser burger chains. Simple ingredients sourced well. That and the fact that they have a tremendous partnership with the ranches that supply the meat. In fact they probably are the largest purchaser of grass fed beef in the country, and that brings a great degree of purchasing power which they pass on to the customer. We never raised prices, he said, even though we made better deals and sourced fresher ingredients.

After twenty years, Dean Loring seems to have achieved his quest to make the perfect burger. Let’s hope Burger Lounge succeeds in its organic growth, and that Dean continues to educate our palates in his natural manner. • brentwoodfocus.com 11

Profile IN FOCUS

Green Fingers

Originally from Galway in lush, rainy Ireland, John Lyons found himself transplanted to California, creating edible landscapes and organic vegetable gardens.

In a nutshell, what do you do and what inspired you to do it?

I design and install edible landscapes and California Native gardens. My inspiration comes from my childhood because I grew up on a farm and growing your own food was a way of life. Then when I came to CA in 1997 I discovered native plants and loved their aesthetic as well as seeing the need to have drought tolerant and sustainable landscapes.

Children love their ‘own’ space so creating a special raised box to grow vegetables and having them responsible to take care of it is a great place to start. Growing easy vegetables from seed is another way to get a science discussion going! When they get to harvest and eat the food they have grown, they will be bitten by the gardening bug and you will have helped create in them a life-long interest in gardening.

After you design and set it up, can you help me maintain my garden too?

Yes we also do follow on maintenance. Some clients are present each week to work along side me and they get the added benefit of a garden class!

Do you have any advice on how not to use pesticides?

Simple. Do not use them. Avoid the temptation to use any chemicals in your garden. It upsets the natural ecosystem and only causes long term problems. Allow certain infestations to occur from time to time and Nature’s natural pest control team will show up. If you have a recurring problem use an organic treatment such as neem oil but be aware that even organic sprays can be toxic to beneficial insects. Native plants are a great attractor of beneficial insects and can clean out harmful infestations.

What about native plants? I want to conserve water but don’t know what to plant.

Native plants are extremely drought tolerant, look beautiful and, as importantly, attract all manner of beneficial insects to your garden.

In general the growing season is November to March when the weather is cooler. There are wonderful local resources such as The Theordore Payne Foundation in Sunland and Matilija Nursery in Moorpark that have a huge array of plant choices. Local cities now give as much $2 per square foot in a rebate if you choose to remove your water guzzling lawn and replace with a native landscape.

How can I involve my kids in the garden and teach them about growing things?

Most children are now getting an initial exposure to gardening in their schools and additional involvement at home is a great idea.

12 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

How or where can I learn more about plants and gardens?

There are many places. UCLA has a very good Extension programme and the LA Arboretum, Huntington and Descanso Gardens have a wide array of classes. I teach at these locations from time to time.

Do you build large scale gardens for companies or schools?

Yes. I have done a few large scale projects and created a gardening curriculum at one local school.

What’s your opinion on the organic food scene? Is it a fad?

No. The organic movement is both a necessary reaction to and consequence of the rise in large scale use of chemicals in agricultural practices.

Our latest threat is the use of GMO’s. People have begun to realize that monitoring what we eat is vital to our ongoing health as a nation.

When is the best time to plant fruit and vegetables? Is it too late now?

Too late only for summer vegetables. We have a 24/7/365 day growing season in Southern CA. Soon it will be time to start thinking about cool season planting such as all the winter greens, garlic, peas, lettuces and brassicas.

How long does it take to set up a garden, and is it expensive?

Expense is directly related to scale and materials used. Growing food and native plants is relatively simple and straightforward. You do need some key specialist advice with natives because they have special requirements to get them started. A good idea is to think of what you would like long term, create a master plan and break it down into bite sized pieces and create your garden over time if expense is an issue.

The Woven Garden john@thewovengarden.com T: (323) 793-3139 www.thewovengarden.com

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, as well as following an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of sentient animals. A follower of veganism is known as a Vegan Founded in 1994, Native Foods Café has grown to become America’s premier fast-casual vegan restaurant group serving made-from-scratch, chef-crafted cuisine. They have a great menu that appeals to vegans and non-vegans alike, with seasonal updates of hearty dishes, delicious desserts and homemade beverages inspired by the travels of their chefs. The food is made fresh daily—from homemade tempeh and seitan, to their delicious Native Cheese (cashews is the secret).

The entire menu is 100% plant-based and non dairy – even the mayo.

They have Native Community Days and free cooking demos each month! Heads up that the next Community day is September 10th.

You get a free dessert with the purchase of an entree, side and drink.

Also a portion of the sales goes to Found Animals Foundation.

1114 Gayley Ave. CA 90024 T: (310) 209-1055 Hours: Mon-Sun: 11am - 10pm www.nativefoods.com

What to try.

Native Chicken Wings Six battered Native Chicken wings with ranch or buffalo on the side. $6.95 Super Italian Meatball Sub Native Sausage Seitan meatballs, marinara sauce, caramelized onions, roasted sweet peppers, pumpkin seed pesto, ranch dressing and Native Parmesan on a warm grilled baguette. $7.95 Strawberry Shortcake Parfait Moist vanilla cake layered with almond creme and fresh sliced organic strawberries. $2.95

Yelp reviews:

“If all vegan food taste like this, then I won’t mind becoming a vegetarian!” – Luke L. 8/20/2013

“I think vegan food is pretentious. Overpriced and overhyped. Well, Native Foods Cafe sure convinced me otherwise, because I love this place.” – Elaine W. 8/7/2013

A larger chain in Los Angeles than Native Foods but commited to the same principles of having no meat, dairy, eggs, cholesterol, animal fat or trans fat. The renowned (and delicious) All Hail Kale Salad is packed with 5 times the recommended daily value(DV) of Vitamin A, 3 times the DV of Vitamin C, and healthy doses of Calcium and Iron.

If you think vegan food is lacking in protein you’ll be glad to hear that the Tempeh, Chickin’, Veggie-Steak and “Crab” Cake are all high in protein (over 20 grams per serving). Beans, Kale and Quinoa are also nutritient-dense sources of protein on the menu. The decor is a little trendier with booths and the signature orange and green highlights.

It operates on a choose your meal, take a number and the food is delivered to your table but service is great and friendly. Staff do a good job of guiding first timers through the unfamiliar menu items.

Westwood Village 10916 Lindbrook Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90024 Daily 11am to 10pm | 310.209.6070 Hours: Daily: 11am - 10pm Santa Monica 2025 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403 Daily 11am to 11pm | 310.829.1155 www.veggiegrill.com Yelp reviews:

“One of my favorite places to eat great food! Amazing atmosphere & unbelievable customer service! Have brought several non-vegetarian friends here who became addicted to Veggie Grill lol.” – Monica C. 8/23/2013

What to try.

All Hail Kale Salad Marinated kale and red cabbage, corn salsa, agave-roasted walnuts, ginger-papaya vinaigrette $8.95 Baja ‘Fish’ Tacos Crispy “fish”, green cabbage, original Baja sauce, cilantro, fresh limes, side of roasted corn salsa, “Bean Me Up” Chili $9.95 Sweetheart Fries Scrumptious sweet potatoes with chipotle ranch. $4.25

Neighborhood Vegan A Votre Sante An interesting selection of vegan dishes including Dragontail: Fresh vegetables, hijiki, tofu, ginger tamari sauce, brown rice, black beans, tahini.

13018 San Vicente Boulevard www.avotresantela.com Barneys Good selection of veggie burgers if you make sure to skip the cheese.

11660 San Vicente Boulevard www.barneyshamburgers.com Souplanation A Mediterranean and Mexican theme this month with lots of salads and some hot vegan choices like Santa Fe Black Bean Chili.

11911 San Vicente Blvd. www.souplantation.com California Pizza Kitchen A few salads and half a dozen pizzas that are vegan or which can be modified. They also provide a breakdown of all ingredients on their website so you can see what to avoid.

11677 San Vicente Blvd. www.cpk.com Whole Foods Invariably has three vegan options at the hot food bar e.g. Sweet and Sour Eggplant, Pineapple Tofu. Both the Westwood and Brentwood locations have a patio where you can sit and dine too.

Chin Chin Bok Choy with Black Mushrooms and other delights.

11740 San Vicente Blvd. www.chinchin Coral Tree Cafe Vegan wrap, vegetable soup. Lots of gluten free options too.

11645 San Vicente Blvd. www.coraltreecafe.com Sweet Crush The Pure Crush is fruit frozen into snow, paired with fresh fruit toppings. Flavors like passionfruit, blood orange, strawberry lemonade.

11753 San Vicente Blvd. www.sweetcrush.com

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SEPTEMBER 2013

Art & Photography End of Summer Never Ends, an art show featuring new works by kozyndan (featuring Leah Chun).

It’s been years since artist duo kozyndan has exhibited in their home city of Los Angeles. In fact, it was more than a decade ago since their first exhibition at the Giant Robot store which then prompted the opening of Giant Robot 2. We’ll be seeing a new range of work, from their paintings to their newer craft of sculpture. Their influence from their worldly travels will continue and they’ll also have a special guest artist and collaborator, Leah Chun who’s works are driven by popular culture. End of Summer Never Ends will continue the legacy of the artist duo.

kozyndan End Of Summer Never Ends - September 25, 2013

Sebastião Salgado

Genesis

- November 30, 2013

14 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

GR2 2062 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 T . 310 445-9276 www.giantrobot.com Hours: Wed-Fri 12am - 6pm, Sat: 12-8, Sun 12-7

Peter Fetterman Gallery 2525 Michigan Avenue Gallery A1 Santa Monica, CA 90404 T . 310 453 6463 Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11am - 6pm

An opening reception for End of Summer Never Ends will take place from 6:30 – 10:00 on Saturday, Sept 7th.

The first US exhibition of Genesis, the new series from internationally acclaimed photographer Sebastião Salgado. The exhibition features an intimate selection of large-scale black and white prints curated by Peter Fetterman.

Genesis marks Salgado’s most ambitious project to-date involving years of research and eight years of travel to thirty-two of the most isolated regions of the planet.

Inspired by the re-forestation of his family farm in Brazil, Salgado set out to re-discover the Earth’s natural sanctuaries, untamed wildlife and traditional cultures that remain undisturbed by the influence of modern society. Salgado explains, “I had the privilege to see the most incredible things on the planet, and discover that close to half of the planet is yet pristine [...] as the day of the Genesis.” The result is an epic series of photographs that celebrate the purity of un-developed nature and inspire its preservation.

Sebastião Salgado was born in Aimores, Brazil in 1944 and raised on a cattle farm before moving to Paris as an economist and beginning his career in photography. He is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and an honorary member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences (USA) as well as the recipient of many prestigious awards.

Art Study of a Weyschuit on the Shore and Some Rowing Boats in the Water, Jan de Bisschop 1648 - 1652

TILL 20 OCTOBER The Poetry Of Paper

Broken, sunken ship Lies on the dry shore, untouched Sees the others float.

Portrait of a Young Woman Reclining Gustav Klimt 1897 - 1898

This exhibition of drawings explores the concept of negative space—the unoccupied ground around drawn elements. It elucidates how artists deliberately left areas of paper blank to create the illusion of light and form, using absence to evoke a sense of presence.

The Drawings curator, Stephanie Schrader, uses haiku an unrhymed, three-lined poem to invite us to look at Old Master drawings in a new and unusual way. Employing only seventeen syllables in three lines to conjure an image or idea, these haikus complement the artful restraint of the works on view. As an innovative way of using social media she also invited people to write their own haikus on Pinterest.

Getty Museum 1200 Getty Center Drive Monday: closed Admisssion Free. Parking $15 per car. www.getty.edu

http://pinterest.com/gettyeducation/the-poetry-of-paper/

LAST CHANCE © Estate of Helmut Newton

Slope of languid head Against suggested pillow Peacefully resting.

A Music Party Jacques-André Portail 1738

TILL 8 SEPTEMBER

A Quincy Jones: Helmut Newton The Annenberg Space for Building For Photography features the work of the revolutionary fashion Better Living photographer, Helmut Newton.

The first major museum retrospective of the Los Angeles-based architect’s work. A quiet modernist and dedicated architecture professor at the University of Southern California, Jones worked to bring a high standard of design to the growing middle class by reconsidering and refining postwar housing and emphasizing cost-effective, innovative, and sustainable building methods. www.hammer.ucla.edu

Light surrounds poets Illuminating faces Touching words with tones.

This is the first exhibition of Helmut Newton’s work outside of gallery shows in Los Angeles, his long-time winter residence.

Images from Newton’s first three books - White Women, Sleepless Nights and Big Nudes - will be on view through September 8, 2013.

The photographs were made specifically for the exhibition and are large-scale – some reaching nearly 8 x 8 feet. In addition to the more than 100 prints displayed, the exhibit will feature two documentary films about Newton. annenbergspaceforphotography.org

brentwoodfocus.com 15

To see in the next 30 days

Music & Theater THEATER 27 - 29 SEPTEMBER

Complicite and Setagaya Public Theater: Shun-kin WEST COAST PREMIERE MUSIC 18 SEPTEMBER

Soul Asylum

Alternative rockers Soul Asylum originated on the Minneapolis music scene. They hit it big with their triple platinum selling album Grave Dancers Union, featuring the Grammy Award winning single “Runaway Train.” They also gained notoriety in 1992 when they played at Bill Clinton’s inaguration.

Three years later, they once again enjoyed platinum selling success with the album Let Your Dim Light Shine.

Just released: No Fun Intended, which features some fantastic cover tunes.

With an opening set by Dizzylilacs.

Doors 6pm. Show 9:00pm.

Tickets $25 / $50 The Canyon 28912 Roadside Drive Agoura Hills, CA 91301 More info: www.canyonclub.net

The mysterious world of shamisen player Shun-kin and her dutiful servant Sasuke sets the backdrop for a tale of devotion, passion and power, where beauty is unforgiving and love is blinding. This powerful performance from a Japanese cast—including film actress Eri Fukatsu and celebrated actor Yoshi Oida— is based on texts of Japanese author Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, who examined the sequestered lives of women in pre-modern Japanese society. He compared them to the traditional bunraku puppets which were designed mainly in the shape of a long kimono—only a head, feet and hands animate them. The suggestion, said Tanizaki, was that “for a woman who lived in the dark it was “A distant world of ceremony, secrets enough if she had a faint, white face—a full body and furtive sexual desire is conjured was unnecessary.” with shadow-strewn grace in ‘Shun-kin,’” Through intricately executed puppetry and - The New York Times Complicite’s inimitable physical style, Shunkin explores the connections between beauty and violence, amplified by the singular craftsmanship of the company’s long-running exploration of theatrical animation. Founded in 1983, London’s Complicite is an internationally acclaimed theater company led by artistic director Simon McBurney. The company has won more than 50 major theater awards worldwide.

8pm Tickets: $50 - $85 Freud Playhouse 245 Charles E. Young Drive East, CA 90095 UCLA Campus, MacGowan Hall More info: www./cap.ucla.edu

JAZZ 28 SEPTEMBER

Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, Gary Peacock: 30th Anniversary Tour

Comprising what is irrefutably one of the most important jazz trios of all time, pianist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Gary Peacock have been interpreting standards and writing originals for three decades. In the process, they’ve reached musical heights that only true masters attain. Live, they straddle the line between straight ahead and free jazz like no other ensemble, using classic repertoire as a launching pad for spellbinding virtuosity, stunning rhythmic counterpoint and thoughtful solo work. With a near-psychic connection between them, Jarrett, DeJohnette and Peacock can lock into a groove or an idea where anything is possible.

8pm Tickets: $45 - $105 Royce Hall Royce Dr., CA 90095 UCLA Campus, More info: www./cap.ucla.edu

16 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

Performance DANCE 21 SEPTEMBER

An American Tango Presented by State Street Ballet The multifaceted dance production of “An American Tango” is an elegant, dramatic portrayal of a true American love story. The legacy of ballroom dance sensations Frank and Yolanda Veloz is brought to life through dramatic narrations, multimedia projections,

11 SEPTEMBER

Boz Scaggs

Grammy award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist Boz Scaggs brings his national tour to Royce Hall in support of MEMPHIS, his first studio album in five years. William Royce “Boz” Scaggs began a long and storied career in 1965 with the release of his first solo recording Boz. He first gained acclaim playing with the Steve Miller Band on several highly successful projects, as well as working with the likes of Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Duane Allman.

Royce Hall Tickets: $45/65/85

vibrant music from the Jazz Age, and wondrous costume design. It’s an unforgettable, romantic journey through American dance history!

8pm Tickets $50 / $80 VIP reception packages available for $125 for Saturday’s performance.

THEATER TILL 22 SEPTEMBER

Rapture, Blister, Burn

1310 11th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 | Box Office: 310 434 3200 More info: www.thebroadstage.com

Hailed as a “genius” by Variety, playwright Gina Gionfriddo’s West Coast premiere tackles feminism’s foibles in what The New York Times called an, “intensely smart and immensely funny,” new play. Three generations of women share their raucous and refreshing approaches to navigating work, love and family.

Rock star academic Catherine envies her friend Gwen who finds her domestic responsibilities less than satisfying. Meanwhile the witty and wry student Avery wonders whether she has more in common with Catherine’s aging mother than any of today’s modern feminists. This new comedy takes a sharp look at how women, and men, find happiness and conquer disappointment.

Tickets: $39-$79 Geffen Playhouse 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd. CA 90025 T: 310-477-2055 More info: www.geffenplayhouse.com brentwoodfocus.com 17

Kids 8 SEPTEMBER: 11am-3pm

Creepy Crawly Creature Feature Ages: All ages Cost: $8 Adults $6 Kids

Walls that Crawl! Winged Wonders! Frightening Fangs! It’s time to BUG OUT at the 14th Annual Creepy Crawly Creature Feature!

STAR Eco Station, an exotic wildlife rescue and environmental science museum, hosts this zany entomology expo that showcases hundreds of bugs, from terrifying tarantulas to beautiful butterflies! Test your bug bravery with Fear Factor inspired games, fun crafts and yummy food, including incredible edible insects! Join a tour to see all the creepy crawlies and the rest of STAR Eco Station’s rescued exotic wildlife. STAR Eco Station 10101 Jefferson Blvd. Culver City CA 90232 www.ecostation.org

8 SEPTEMBER: 9.30am and 11.30am

Justin Roberts & The Not Ready For Naptime Players

Ages: 2-8 Cost: $12 Justin Roberts is truly one of the “all-stars” of the indie family music scene. He logs thousands of miles on the road each year, leading some to call him the hardest working man in children’s show business. With numerous national awards and recognition and a devoted fan base, Justin and The Not Ready for Naptime Players dish out unexpectedly intelligent and whimsically rocking music for kids and their parents Theatricum Botanicum 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd, CA 90290

14 SEPTEMBER: 2 pm

Cinderella

Ages: All Ages Cost: $20 Adults, $12 Kids After being told by her mean step-mothers and step-sisters that she won’t be allowed to go to the ball, Cinderella discovers that with a little help from her mice friends and her fairy God-Mother, dreams really can come true! Follow Cinderella as she is transformed from rags to riches! Will Prince Charming find the girl who lost the glass slipper? This magical musical journey is one hour long, audience interactive and fun for ages 3 and up!

Promenade Playhouse 1404 3rd Street Promenade Santa Monica, California 90401 T: (310) 804-0223 www.creatingarts.org

21 SEPTEMBER: 12pm - 5pm

Santa Monica Airport Open House

Ages: 2 -16 Cost: $5 Adults, Kids Free The third annual Open House featuring a tours, Museum of Flying, Vintage aircraft displays, art workshops, food trucks. Enjoy a free, fun-filled day exploring the airport’s campus, offering a diverse range of attractions and experiences for the entire family.

Take a self-guided tour of the campus, the largest single open space in the city of Santa Monica, with stops at the Museum of Flying, vintage aircraft displays, an art exhibition at the Santa Monica Art Studios, the Santa Monica Airport Observation Decks, mini -bus tours of the airfield; restaurants, and the Airport Park recreational area. https://www.facebook.com/SantaMonicaAirportOpenHouse

18 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

15 SEPTEMBER: 10am - 1pm Polo Match

Ages: All ages Costs: Free Take the whole family to the only remaining polo field in Los Angeles. It was originally the private estate of Will Rogers, the cowboy, author, movie star and polo player. Rogers and his family lived here between 1928 and 1935. During this period, he and his friends (David Niven, Spencer Tracy, Hal Roach, Walt Disney and Clark Gable) played on this field on weekend mornings.

Will Rogers Polo Club. Will Rogers State Park, 1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd., Pacific Palisades

18 SEPTEMBER: 9am - 12pm

Homeschool Days at the Aquarium

Cost: $6 Ages: All Ages It’s Homeschool Days at the Aquarium of the Pacific and all homeschool networks, students, parents, and teachers are invited.

While the Aquarium will be open to the general public, no classroom-based school trips will be booked during these days. This way, aquarium educators can bring you ocean related activities and biofacts all morning. These engaging learning stations will allow students of all ages to experiment, investigate, and explore marine habitats and concepts.

Aquarium of The Pacific 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 www.aquariumofpacific.org

19 SEPTEMBER: 7pm - 9pm Full Moon Hike

Cost: Free Ages: All Ages There’s a full moon tonight, and you can enjoy the mountains, meadow, and an ocean overlook as the moon lights the way. Bring a flashlight! The walk is easy, but kiddos tire easily at this time of day, so come prepared to carry those with little legs…

Reservations required: (310) 317-1364.

Charmlee Wilderness Park 2577 Encinal Canyon Rd., Malibu, Ca www.nps.gov/samo

28 SEPTEMBER: 4pm

Moby Dick Puppet Show

Cost: Free Ages: 3-8 This month the Los Angeles Public Libraries are celebrating Moby Dick. (There are readings, lecture, movies and celebrations all month long all over town, check out a complete list here.) Today’s celebration takes places at the Palisades Branch Library, where kids can a Moby Dick related puppet show for children. Palisades Library, 861 Alma Real Dr., Pacific Palisades

Tech & Startups Sponsored by gomoment.com BEST NEW GADGET

BEST SIGN OF THINGS

Chinese tech company Tencent is offering a jaw-dropping 10TB worth of free storage. Yes, that’s a whopping 10 times more than the already-shocking 1TB being offered.

There is a caveat though — you won’t get the whole 10TB worth of space at one go. Instead, Tencent will top up your storage space as you deplete it.

This latest move, besides being beneficial for consumers, will also likely put pressure on cloud storage services, which often give away set amounts of free storage space as an incentive for users to sign up. Dropbox has offered free space amounts ranging from 25-50GB as part of promotional deals with Samsung and HTC, Box has offered 50GB of free storage with file-size limitations before, and just this week Microsoft upped the storage space for its SkyDrive Pro offering from 7GB to 25GB. Source: www.thenextweb.com

Chad Russell, the chief technology Officer at BluePoint Security.

BluePoint went onto Kickstarter and proposed a device to block ads. Two thousand people chipped in about $135 each, and AdTrap was born. It’s a small, white box that plugs into your router.

“It eliminates all of the inbound advertising from any device in your house,” said Russell. So when you hop onto the web from your desktop, smartphone or tablet, the sites you visit are stripped BEST NEWS (SORT OF) Free WiFi throughout Los Angeles. The city of Los Angeles is of ads. And the videos are commercial-free. considering offering free citywide access to wireless internet service. www.getadtrap.com

BEST KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN SolSource is a sun-powered grill which heats up in minutes, and it is made from recyclable materials.

One Earth founders Scot Frank and Catlin Powers are MIT and Harvard grads (respectively).

They joined forces after discovering that hundreds of thousands of rural Chinese were dying from diseases related to pollution from their household stoves, and millions more struggled to access fuel and coal.

Thirteen prototypes later, they came out with SolSource. It captures sunlight to provide heat for warmth and cooking, without requiring fuel or emitting noxious fumes.

“Nomads can save up to 70 percent of their energy costs, feed their families while breathing cleaner air, and reduce carbon footprint by 50 percent or more,” Powers said.

The team said that last Fourth of July, American grills generated more CO2 in a single day than many African nations produce in a year, and charcoal grills generate 10 times more CO2 than stoves.

One SolSource, they claim, can offset the carbon footprint

of four Americans. And cook a hamburger in six minutes.

The goal of the Kickstarter campaign is to distribute

Newly installed L.A. City Councilman Bob Blumenfield, as head of City Council’s Innovation, Technology and General Services Committee, introduced a motion last week asking staffers with the city’s Information Technology Agency for a report on setting up free citywide WiFi service, reports City News Service. The councilman says the program would benefit not only government officials, businesses and visitors, but also people who “cannot afford private high-speed services.”

The news of Blumenfield’s initiative first came to light on July 30, around when he noted, “We live in a world where success is increasingly tied to ability access to information. Los Angles has already made great strides towards enhancing government openness through technology, from live simulcasting of council meetings to the MyLA311 mobile application. Providing universal access to the Internet is a natural and necessary extension of these efforts.”

Taking a cue from cities like Houston, Minneapolis, Riverside and San Jose, Los Angeles would be the largest city in the nation to provide universal WiFi. As of now, L.A. only offers free WiFi at libraries, Los Angeles International Airport and parts of City Hall.

Source: www.laist.com

Unforgettable experiences SolSource to anyone looking for a more environmentally friendly way to grill. It can grill, steam, bake, boil, or fry, and is clearly generating a lot of excitement.

Nearly 500 backers pledged $139,930. The initial goal was $43,000. www.oneearthdesigns.com

There are now 5 million ‘zero TV’ households in the US - no cable and broadcast antenna – as more people watch shows over the internet. The Wall St Journal

GoMoment.com

brentwoodfocus.com 19

The best things in life are

Free Here are some things you can do around your neighborhood this month, that won’t break the bank.

Gothic buildings in the United Kingdom.

Its iconic west towers however are an 18th-century construct by architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. In addition to its stunning architecture, the Abbey is a treasure house of paintings, stained glass, monuments, textiles, and other artifacts.

The Abbey has been the setting for every coronation since 1066 and the site of 16 royal weddings, including the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April 2011. The Abbey

Tuesdays – Open Mike of Love

Popular on the comedy circuit, this open mike comedy event is hosted by Vance Sanders. Names are collected from 7:30 until a little before 8pm, when slots are chosen via a random lottery, and then the show starts. There are usually six performers an hour. It’s mostly funny since everyone tries really hard, and it’s very good practise for aspiring actors!

8:00 p.m. every Tuesday. Westwood Brewing Company 1097 Glendon Ave. Westwood, CA 90024

A golden opportunity to tag along and get some personal insights with British artist Mark Leckey, as he leads a walkthrough of his current exhibition.

Mark Leckey: On Pleasure Bent.

Hammer Museum.10899 Wilshire Blvd, 90024.hammer.ucla.edu

18 September, 12.30pm – Lunchtime Talks: Max Ernst

Fifteen minutes of your lunchtime given to learning about a particular painting or artist in the Hammer Museum’s permanent collection. Today it’s the surrealist Max Ernst, in an insightful discussion led by Allegra Pesenti, Curator, Grunwald Center for Graphic Arts. Hammer Museum.10899 Wilshire Blvd, 90024.hammer.ucla.edu

23 September, 7pm – Westminster Abbey: Forever New

Westminster Abbey is steeped in more than a thousand years of history. The present church, started by King Henry III in 1245, is one of the most important

20 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

10 September, 1.30pm – Passport to Pimlico

Tribute to Ealing Studios: After an unexploded bomb is detonated in the town of Pimlico, the residents discover they’re actually residents of Burgundy.

What follows is an uproarious case of revolt against British rules, rationing, and other post-war discontents. (1949) Skirball. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. www.skirball.org

21 September, 2pm – Sing Me The Songs That Say I Love You

COMEDY

ACTIVITIES AND TALKS 15 September, 2pm – Mark Leckey Walkthrough

FILM

In May 2011 family and friends gathered together to pay tribute to the late singersongwriter Kate McGarrigle. Filmed in New York City, this documentary is partly a concert and partly an intimate look at family and friends coming to terms with the loss of a loved one.

Performers include Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Anna McGarrigle, Jane McGarrigle, Emmylou Harris, Teddy Thompson, Norah Jones, Sloan Wainwright, Joel Zifkin, and others.

Hammer Museum 10899 Wilshire Blvd, 90024.hammer.ucla.edu is also the final resting place of 17 monarchs as well as notable statesmen and philanthropists, soldiers, scientists, musicians, and actors.

Join the Very Reverend Dr. John R. Hall, Dean of Westminster, for an evening exploring the architecture, events, and people that are part of the history of this magnificent Abbey.

Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center www.getty.edu

Sunday Morning Yoga

Every Sunday, complimentary in-store yoga at Lululemon from 9:30 -10:30am.

Take your yoga mat – and if you don’t have one, you can borrow one for the class.

Thursdays – Run Club

If you like company when you’re running, Lululemon have a great free running club for the Brentwood community on Thursday evenings at 6:15pm. Meet at the store (11920 San Vicente Blvd.) and run around the neighborhood.

Lululemon 11920 San Vicente Blvd, T: 310 442-3563 brentwood-store@ lululemon.com

1 October, 1.30pm – Kind Hearts and Coronets

Tribute to Ealing Studios: A destitute and estranged relative of the D’Ascoyne aristocratic family plans to reclaim his lost wealth by offing each heir ahead of him. (1949) Skirball. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

MUSIC

12 September, 7 p.m – Jimmy Cliff at Santa Monica Pier

The Grammy-winning musician, actor, singer, songwriter, producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee headlines the last of the Twilight Series of concerts at the pier. He just released his first studio album in seven years but you can expect the classics like “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” “Many Rivers to Cross” and “Sitting in Limbo”.

Cliff is still going strong in a career that has spanned almost 50 years and includes his native Jamaica’s highest honor, the Order of Merit.

Santa Monica Pier www.tcs.dola.com

Crowdfunding Cancer Medical Research

Tooth Fairy More Generous at $50 A Tooth.

Crowdfunding has been a godsend for According to a new survey by getting lots of projects off the ground Visa, some American children are that otherwise may not have attracted pocketing up to $50 per tooth. dollars from traditional powers-thatbe in retail manufacturing, music, Its annual tooth survey revealed Scientists invent hangover-free beer movies, and the like. So at a time that children found an average Australian researchers claim to have created an electrolyte-charged ale when the federal dollars that typically of $3.70 under their pillows in fund medical research are under more three times more hydrating than normal beer.

2013 – that’s $74 for a full set of constraint than ever, doesn’t it make The refreshing booze was brewed up by nutrition researchers at sense to bring that same model that baby teeth.

Griffith University’s Health Institute. They manipulated the electrolyte has worked so well for wristwatches 6 percent of American children levels of two commercial beers (one light and one regular strength) and rock albums to work for curing and gave them to people after a rigorous workout. The results showed breast cancer and new methods for lung receiving $20 or more from the tooth fairy – and 2 percent find that the adjusted light beer was up to three times more hydrating than transplants?

That’s what Molly Lindquist believes, a $50 bill tucked under their regular beer. so she founded a non-profit organization pillow. The tooth fairy visited 90 “We know that beer is a very popular drink with people, particularly called Consano for allowing people percent of households in the U.S. to browse through vetted medical after… sport or exertion,” associate professor Ben Desbrow told the this year. research projects at select universities ABC news network. “From our perspective it’s about exploring harm and research institutions, and then minimization approaches that may still allow people to potentially contribute funding directly to the ones drink beer as a beverage but lower the risks associated with the they find compelling.

Spray On Caffeine It’s a fascinating model that could alcohol consumption — and hopefully improve rehydration potential.”

Caffeine is America’s favorite drug, really shake things up and help to While Desbrow always recommends drinking water over beer after bar none. And while we’ve extolled empower individual scientists. So we the culinary and social aspects of exercise, the fact that the added electrolytes didn’t affect the taste in invited the Portland, Oregon-based coffee over the years, sometimes any way probably means his advice will be largely ignored by the beer- Lindquist to come by the TechCrunch TV studio when she was in San people don’t have time for a leisurely loving nation.

Francisco recently to tell us all about cup of joe and just want a quick fix.

Liz Fields – www.salon.com it. Lindquist told us that herself is a

Health & Science

10 Superfoods To Make Part Of Your Diet You’ll notice a difference in your health almost immediately.

Leafy Greens Mom was right, eat your veggies. They contain folate, calcium, and other nutrients that support bone health, protect against cognitive decline, and help prevent age-related eye problems. Diets high in cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli and cabbage, help reduce risk of memory loss. Kale is an excellent choice as well.

Whole Grains Rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, whole grains can lower the risk of age-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Because they’re digested more slowly than processed grains, they also help prevent high blood sugar and diabetes.

Quinoa is a great choice, as is oat meal.

Berries Blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries are rich in antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins, which have been shown to slow the growth of certain cancers as well as improve brain function, muscle tone, and balance.

Strawberries are excellent as well.

Olive Oil Rich in antioxidants

and anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fat, olive oil figures prominently in the Mediterranean diet.

It may explain the lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and agerelated cognitive decline in people who follow this way of eating.

Tomatoes They contain lycopene, an antioxidant compound that helps maintain youthful skin texture and may reduce the risk of some types of cancer (especially prostate, lung, and stomach cancers) and heart disease. Tomatoes are actually MORE potent powerhouses when cooked because the nutrients are concentrated but not lost in cooking.

Nuts Varieties such as almonds and walnuts contain a generous helping of healthy fats, vitamins, and protein that benefit cardiovascular and brain health. Nuts are also high in compounds that ease inflammation.

Red Grapes Grapes contain an antioxidant called resveratrol, which has anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties. hot cereals. Excellent.

Fish An important part of the Japanese and Mediterranean diets, oily fish provide omega-3 fatty acids that help combat inflammation in the body.

People who eat several weekly servings of such fish have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Salmon, cod and sardines are top choices with very low toxin levels.

Teas Of the various types of tea, white and green tea contain the most EGCG, one of the most powerful antioxidants. Numerous studies have linked tea consumption to lower rates of conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Herbs and Spices Spices such as turmeric and ginger contain antiinflammatory compounds that might reduce the risk of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. The antioxidant substances in garlic and onions can protect against heart disease and cancer; cinnamon may help lower blood sugar. Turmeric is a particularly strong choice when taken in supplement/ pill form for aches and pains.

breast cancer survivor, so the roots of Consano come from a very personal place. She realized when she was diagnosed that she wanted a way to provide direct funding to research about the specific gene that may have triggered her ailment, which is the same gene her two young daughters also carry.

Organizations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure are wonderful for getting the word out about breast cancer and funding general research, but Lindquist also wanted a way to provide direct support to projects herself. After lots of discussions with medical professionals and research institutions, Consano was born.

Colleen Taylor – www.techcrunch.com

Today Ben Yu, 21, one of Peter Thiel’s 20 Under 20 fellows, and his partner Deven Soni, have introduced a patent-pending form of caffeine that you spray directly on your skin. (This is not to be confused with Aeroshots, another novelty energy booster that is a powder you spray in your mouth.) The marketing materials claim that caffeine diffuses through your system more gradually through the skin than through drinking. At $15 for 40 doses, it’s waaay cheaper than Red Bull.

Anya Kamenetz – wwwfastcompany.com

TALK IS CHEAP OR IS IT? REFER SOMEONE TO US AND IF THEY PLACE AN AD WE WILL GIVE YOU $50. NO BULL. ENGAGE | PROMOTE | ADVERTISE info@brentwoodfocus.com

brentwoodfocus.com 21

Snippets

Holy Caped Crusader – Ben Affleck to play Batman.

News that Ben Affleck will play Batman in the 2015 movie set Twitter atweet.

News and Gossip.

Jeremy Renner’s Flip

A 10,000-square-foot house in Homby Hills bought by actor Jeremy Renner for $7 million in 2010 just sold for $24 million. It was rebuilt with architecture by Phillip Vertoch and design

by Kristoffer Winters. The listing describes it as a “roaring 20’s Art Deco style home fit for a 21st century Howard Hughes.” The LA Times reports that the buyer was British luxury developer’s brother/business partner Christian Candy.

Chimp Wins Art Prize

BBC news reports that a US chimpanzee who paints with his tongue has won a $10,000 (£6,450) prize in a chimpanzee art competition. Brent, 37, created a delicate, vibrantly colored work featuring daubs of violet, blue and yellow on paper. The entries were judged by noted primate researcher and conservationist, Jane Goodall. The prize in the contest, sponsored by the Humane Society of the US will benefit Chimp Haven, Brent’s sanctuary in the US state of Louisiana.

22 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

The President is in Town

President Barack Obama will be in Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 9, for an “off the cuff ” roundtable discussion with a small group of deep-pocketed Democratic donors. Though the event’s precise location is not yet known, a limited number of tickets will be made available for $32,400 per guest. Invitations to the small event, organized by the Democratic National Committee’s finance team, were sent out Monday afternoon to a select group of major Los Angeles contributors.

The Hollywood Reporter

@DragonflyJonez Affleck gonna be like “It’s the Jokah! Or the Riddlah! Rahbin! Call Commissionah Gahden!”

6:30 PM - 22 Aug 2013

@RichardDreyfuss You read for a part, you feel good about it, you feel confident, then they cast Ben Affleck.

6:31 PM - 22 Aug 2013

@timcarvell Spend ten years working your way back into everyone’s good graces. Win an Oscar. Then you get cast as Batman, and BAM! You’re Gigli again.

9:06 PM - 22 Aug 2013

@frankieboyle As a dad, I have to go to all the big superhero movies. Ben Affleck’s casting has actually made me love my children less.

3:19 AM - 23 Aug 2013

@jalexxandra Ben Affleck, don’t check the internet today 5:39 AM - 23 Aug 2013

@AndreaJoWill Can we all just calm down about Ben Affleck being the new batman? No? Ok...proceed.

5:41 AM - 23 Aug 2013

Film

Movie Guide

KIDS

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2

DRAMA

Jayne Mansfield’s Car

A man in between WWI and WWII raises a family after his wife Cloudy 2 picks up where the first movie left off, with Flint Lockwood leaves him for an Englishman and moves to England. After a discovering that his evil machine decades long absence, the wife which turns water into food “is dies. Because she had asked to still operating and now creating be brought back to Alabama to mutant food beasts. With the fate be buried, the two families, her of humanity in his hands, Flint original family she abandoned and his friends must embark and her English family, finally on a dangerously delicious mission, battling hungry tacodiles, meet. Stars: Robert Duvall Billy Bob Thornton, John Hurt shrimpanzees, apple pie-thons, Kevin Bacon. double bacon cheespiders and Director: Billy Bob Thornton. other food creatures to save the world... again.

Stars: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg.

Director: Cody Cameron

16 September, 7.30pm HAMMER SCREENINGS

PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER Feminist art collective Pussy Riot participated in a 40-second “punk prayer protest” on the altar of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral before being detained.

Arrested and tried for trespassing, wearing “inappropriate” dresses and disrupting social order, members Nadia, Masha, and Katia were accused of religious hatred in a trial that reverberated around the world. Exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to courtroom footage garnered this film the 2013 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Punk Spirit. (2013, 88 min. Dir. Mike Lerner & Maxim Pozdorovkin. Color, sound, DV.)

THRILLER

DOCUMENTARY

A mafia boss and his family are relocated to a sleepy town in France after snitching on the mob. Despite the best efforts of Agent Stansfield (Tommy Lee Jones) to keep them in line, Fred Manzoni (Robert DeNiro), his wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer) and their children Belle (Dianna Agron) and Warren (John D’Leo) can’t help but revert to old habits and blow their cover by handling their problems the “family” way, enabling their former mafia cronies to track them down in this darkly funny film. Stars: Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tommy Lee Jones Director: Luc Besson.

Documentary based on author J.D. Salinger. The documentary promises interviews with 150 subjects, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Edward Norton John Cusack, Gore Vidal, Danny DeVito and Salinger’s friends, colleagues and members of his inner circle, as well as film footage, photographs and other material that has never been seen.

Director: Shane Salerno

The Family

16 September, 7pm Reel Talk with Stephen Farber

Salinger

Join Stephen Farber, President of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for a screening of MUSCLE SHOALS – an eyeopening new music documentary in the tradition of the recent hit, 20 Feet from Stardom. It tells the unlikely story of a recording studio in the heart of Alabama that brought together black and white musicians to create some of the ground-breaking music of recent decades. Interviews with Aretha Franklin, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bono, Alicia Keys, Percy Sledge, and many others enrich the film. Guest speaker: director Greg ‘Freddy’ Camalier.

Tickets $23, Season Pass $135 www.landmarktheatres.com

brentwoodfocus.com 23

Design Focus on Design

by Tom Callaway

Designing A Greener Mouse Trap

I went to the movies yesterday, and before showing the film there was a three-minute documentary about an average American homemaker asking her husband “Why don’t we cover all the asphalt roads, highways, and driveway surfaces in America, with some kind of solar panel materials that could soak up every minute of sunlight, melt any snow, or ice before it formed, and store up enough energy to electrically power America? To my astonishment, her husband, a regular guy with no scientific or engineering background, or any relationship with solar business or any kind of manufacturing experience, proceeded to meet with solar companies and their engineers. Following his lead, they eventually developed a product that, in fact, could cover every road and highway with snap together, replaceable glass laminate solar panels, which could indeed, power America in it’s entirety in years to come. And the fact that asphalt itself is a petroleum product, the reduced need for more oil related products and practices would eliminate a huge fraction of the global warming agents currently used to continue the “American way of life” we all enjoy.

Acting upon seemingly naïve ideas, like from the homemaker above, might provide one of the keys to solving huge environmental and health problems facing our lives now and in the future.

The fact that her idea helped to create a product that now actually exists means it may not be such a farfetched idea. Who knows, it might not be so long for her idea, or ones like it, to find their way into becoming reality.

Not so long ago, California got tough with automobile emissions and set what seemed to many, as almost impossible goals for gasoline engines to reduce their impact on clean air in our state. To avoid

I arrived in Los Angeles 30 years ago.

During the months of July through October, one could not clearly see highrise buildings and huge billboards even four or five blocks ahead, let alone hills and mountains in the distance. steep fines, auto companies pushed their designers and engineers to dig deep to come up with hybrid engine vehicles. Those design efforts have evolved to “zero emission” cars, from the Nissan Leaf to the Chevrolet Volt, to the expensive, but modern miracle of engineering, Tesla. The glowing reviews for the Tesla will undoubtedly pull more car company designers into this competition to make and sell zero emission cars that people can afford. Eventually this may become the norm… not just a novelty for the contientious wealthy, but for the majority of owners.

I arrived in Los Angeles 30 years ago. During the months of July through October, one could not clearly see high-rise buildings and huge billboards even four or five blocks ahead, let alone hills and mountains in the distance. The brown veil of smog was so prevalent that radio and televisions stations issued health advisory smog reports on a daily, if not hourly basis. Now our August September vistas are near crystal clear. The mountain ranges spread their magnificence as far as the human eye allows.

Smog is no longer the LA catchword. Our tough emission laws have changed one huge aspect of our lives for the better.

Perhaps the global warming crisis is finally sinking in. With enough awareness, effort, and imagination, we just might be able to rewind the clock enough to slow down, and eventually reverse a good deal of the environmental damage we humans have blindly created. The melting Polar Glaciers will not likely return, but if we get busy, maybe we can throttle down this quickening pace of warming to a manageable degree so we can continue to live on the only planet we currently have to share with our fellow inhabitants. And let’s keep dreaming and questioning, which seems to me, might be the first step toward a healthy and lasting future.

Enjoy your crystal clear Indian Summer in Southern California.

Tom Callaway is an interior designer and architect, living in Brentwood. www.thomascallaway.com 24 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

Books New Releases These Few Precious Days Christopher Andersen These Few Precious Days: The Final Year of Jack with Jackie offers a behind-the-scenes portrait of the iconic couple with a look at their last year together. With details of the Kennedy’s affairs and firsthand accounts of the family’s more intimate moments, it’s a must-read for fans of JFK and Jackie Kennedy.

The Whole Enchilada Diane Mott Davidson The story follows caterer Goldy Schulz, as she learns that two people close to her are dead and there’s someone after her, too.

Crazy Rich: Power, Scandal, and Tragedy Inside the Johnson & Johnson Dynasty Jerry Oppenheimer The ups and downs of the family and leaders behind the high-profile company.

EVENTS

8 September, 2pm

Book Signing – Patricia Olson

Brentwood author, Patricia Olson discusses and signs her latest book, Tall Jay. It’s a tale of a blue jay whose legs kept growing until he was too heavy to fly. Follow this sad, forlorn blue jay on his journey to look for happiness. In his travels he meets an unusual friend. This special friend takes Tall Jay to a place where he discovers he has a hidden talent that changes his life forever.

Vromans Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91101

24 September, 7.30pm

A Conversation with Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt, the most successful female singer of the 1970s, talks to journalist Patt Morrison. Ronstadt performed with the biggest names in rock – her backup band became The Eagles. In her memoir, Simple Dreams, she leads us through the landscape of her musical and personal journey. She talks about her family’s profound influence on her musical development and her very public relationship with Jerry Brown. Her recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease with her disclosure that she can no longer sing at all, underscores her significant artistic accomplishments, as well as her great gift to us, her listeners.

Ann and Jerry Moss Theater at New Roads School, 3131 W. Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica. Free Parking. Tickets, $20.

29 September, 2pm

Libros Schmibros Book Club – Moby Dick

Night Film Marisha Pessl In the suspenseful novel Night Film a veteran investigative journalist suspects that a woman’s death isn’t suicide, and he dives into the strange, mysterious world of the woman’s father — an iconic director who hasn’t been seen in public for 30 years.

Libros Schmibros continues its public engagement at the Hammer with a monthly book club led by co-directors David Kipen and Colleen Jaurretche.

In conjunction with the Los Angeles Public Library’s celebration of Moby Dick, climb aboard and see how canonical a book can be and yet still be underrated.

Hammer Museum 10899 Wilshire Blvd CA 90024 www.hammer.ucla.edu

brentwoodfocus.com 25

Mark Castellino

WEBSITE DESIGN | BRANDING

littlecastle@me.com

brentwoodfocus brentwoodfocus.com 27

OPEN HOUSES 9/8/2013 – 2pm-5pm Recently Sold Homes 13172 Boca De Canon Ln, 90049 Price: $2,699,000 Sold: $2,600,000 – 8/23/2013 Office: Gibson International Agent: Winnie, Carla

340 N Skyewiay Rd, 90049 $3,100,000 5 Beds | 4 Baths

Located in Kenter Canyon, this architectural gem is the ideal home for family and entertaining. With 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, stunning finishes and a flat lot this home is not to be missed! www.thepartnerstrust.com Contact: Darlene Hutton, Partners Trust Tel: (310) 751-4468

11326 Homedale Street, 90049 $1,349,000 3 Beds | 1.75 Baths

Gorgeous, Light-Filled, Chic Home with Fantastic Indoor / Outdoor Flow & Romantic Deck + Large Grassy Yard! www.lisamansfield.com Contact: Lisa Mansfield, Sothebys International Tel: (310) 481-4313

1050 Moraga Avenue, 90049 Price: $29,500,000 Sold: $28,800,000 – 8/27/2013 Office: Surterre Properties Inc. Agent: Kline, Jim 11372 Montana Ave, 90049 Price: $1,549,000 Sold: $1,640,000 – 8/27/2013 Office: Sotheby’s International Agent: Mansfield, Lisa 1755 Old Ranch Rd, 90049 Price: $2,050,000 Sold: $1,900,000 – 8/21/2013 Office: Coldwell Banker Agent: Afshar, Aram 141 Barlock Ave, 90049 Price: $2,275,000 Sold: $2,165,000 – 8/2/2013 Office: Gibson International Agent: Steinberg, Janet 321 S Thurston Ave, 90049 Price: $795,000 Sold $1,010,000– 8/20/2013 Office: Coldwell Banker Agent: Hall, Michele 12420 Rochedale Ln, 90049 Price: $1,599,000 Sold: $1,750,000 – 8/16/2013 Office: Sotheby’s International Agent: Silver, Marc

11628 Chenault #105, 90049 $1,450,000 2 Beds | 3 Baths

3,000+s.f. multi-level architectural townhome.

Eat-in kitchen w/granite counters & stainless steel appliances. 2 loft areas+pvt patio & roof decks w/ sweeping city views. www.chenault105.com Contact: Nora Wendell, Coldwell Banker Tel: (310) 979-3913

1300 Minorca Dr, Pacific Palisades $5,645,000 7 Beds | 10 Baths

Gated architect designed California hacienda that wraps around a center courtyard on nearly an acre of park-like grounds in the Palisades Riviera. www.1300minorca.com Contact: Mary Beth Woods, Coldwell Banker Tel: (310) 571-1358

116 S Carmelina Ave, 90049 Price: $2,199,000 Sold: $2,500,000 – 8/16/2013 Office: Hilton & Hyland Agent: Greer, Joshua 543 N Kenter Ave, 90049 Price: $1,695,000 Sold: $1,530,000 – 8/15/2013 Office: Prudential - Palisades Agent: Closson, John 429 N Bundy Dr, Los Angeles Ca 90049 Price: $2,399,000 Sold: $2,815,000 – 8/14/2013 Office: Rodeo Realty - Beverly Hills Agent: Rustad, Tregg 11326 Burnham St Price: $1,598,000 Sold: $1,535,000 – 7/29/2013 Office: Sotheby’s International Agent: Mansfield, Lisa

28 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

Real Estate REALTOR PROFILE

Chris Hicks Chris Hicks is a residential realtor specializing in luxury properties in the Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Venice and Beverly Hills areas. He started his real estate career at Dalton, Brown and Long Brokerage in Beverly Hills. He is currently an associate at Prudential CA Realty in the prestigious Brentwood Gardens office. His ideology is that knowledge, integrity and local expertise are the key to success.

T: (310) 207-7080 x 368 M: (310) 980-7980 Prudential California Realty 11677 San Vicente Blvd.Ste. 307, Los Angeles CA 90049 BRE # 01315836 chris@cbhicks.com www.chrishickshomes.com

SOLD

SOLD

11633 Chenault St #Ph401, Los Angeles, CA 90049

453 S Barrington Ave #202, Los Angeles, CA 90049

SP: $1,100,000

SP: $750,000

3 Beds | 2.5 Baths Brentwood’s latest, new construction condo project penthouse. This “Brentwood Crest” penthouse offers 3 large Bedrooms and 2.5 Bathrooms with an expansive living room for entertaining. An open dining area looking out to the City. French doors leading to a magnificent sun deck fit for a party. Living room wet bar. The Master Suite boasts an endless walk-in closet. Inside washer dryer hook-ups. Spacious gourmet kitchen with custom cabinetry. Gated parking, and completely controlled access to the building. Located just two blocks away from San Vicente’s fine dining, farmers’ market, coffee shops, Whole Foods, yoga studios, and some of the best schools in Los Angeles.

Size: 2232 sq ft. Built 2012

2 Beds | 2 Baths Located off Barrington Avenue, down a secluded gated driveway in a newer elegant building. This beautiful single level condo is in move-in condition. Features include a generous open floor plan, hardwood floors, high ceilings, recessed lights, and fireplace.

Formal dining room with coffered ceiling and archway. Spacious master suite with a large walk-in closet and master bath featuring dual sinks and spa tub. Second bedroom with a large walk-in closet, and full bath.

Unit has laundry inside, and two separate parking spaces. Close to Brentwood Village boutiques, dining and rec center!

Size: 1396 sq ft. Built 1976

brentwoodfocus.com 29

On this Day

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World War II began, Hitler invaded Poland, 1939

Read a Book Day

Make Your Bed Day World Trade Center attack in 2001

Collect Rocks Day National Play-Doh Day Mayflower Day

World Gratitude Day International Peace Day

Johnny Appleseed born John Chapman, in 1774.

Labor Day National Blueberry Popsicle Day

Grandma Moses born, 1860 (painter)

National Chocolate Milk Shake Day

Citizenship Day National Apple Dumpling Day

First Day of Autumn Elephant Appreciation Day

California Native American Day Crush A Can Day

30 FOCUS | SEPTEMBER 2013

Skyscraper Day

National Grandparents Day International Literacy Day

National Peanut Day Positive Thinking Day

The New York Times was first published in 1851

Nintendo founded in 1889 - made playing cards

First Airport Opened (1909)

Rosh Hashanah Newspaper Carrier Day

Teddy Bear Day California became the 31st state in 1850

Francis Scott Key wrote the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ in 1814

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Supreme Court established in 1789.

The U.S. Army was established in 1789

National Cheese Pizza Day

Swap Ideas Day

Make A Hat Day

First Railroad Station Opened

Mary Poppins Debuted in 1964

Safety Pin Invented (1849)

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

SELLER’S TESTIMONIAL

Top

2% of Sales Associates Nationwide

Hi Lisa, I just wanted to say thanks so much for all your (and Michael’s) time, effort, patience, dedication, etc.. for the sale of Beloit! We’re nearing the home stretch and we’re so happy it looks like we are going to be able to close as planned with the buyer that we wanted!!

We are so thrilled with the outcome thanks to you and your team.

– Jennifer Kang

“…Let’s Discuss the Value of your Home and your Options!”

LL A C E! M

LISA MANSFIELD DIRECT: 310.481.4313 CELL: 310.993.2303

IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS LISA MANSFIELD REPRESENTED 10 PROPERTIES AT OR ABOVE ASKING PRICE!

WHAT’S NEW! 2101 Hillsboro Ave. Asking $1,549,000 *NEW LISTING!!!

11326 Homedale St. Asking $1,349,000 *NEW LISTING!!!

11420 Chenault St. Lease $5,950/Mo *NEW LISTING!!!

4812 Sancola Ave. Asking $889,000 333 Bundy Dr. Asking $1,549,000 11326 Isleta St. Just Sold! – Over Asking 11326 Burnham St. Just Sold!

11372 Montana Ave. Just Sold! – Over Asking 11331 Isleta St. Just Leased!

11338 Joffre St. Just Leased!

“Contact me to hear about my upcoming listings!”

– Lisa