LA Home Fall/Winter 2016

LA HOME /

$6.99 | FALL/WINTER 2016

HOME + LIFE IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

AT HOME WITH MEREDITH ALEXANDER/JENNA ATCHISON/VIVIANA FRANCO JAY HUGULEY/BRITT LOVETT/TINA & DAVID PAYNE SET DECORATOR BEAUCHAMP FONTAINE

GETAWAY EL CAPITAN CANYON

+ ART, ARCHITECTURE & PHOTOGRAPHY

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Contents

6/BRIEFING

What’s cool in this season’s lifestyle and home decor, plus new store openings.

10/DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT Showcasing one of the latest projects from a couple of emerging, talented interior designers.

I N T ERI ORS

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The Actor Jay Huguley from 12 Years A Slave and The Walking Dead, at his home in Silver Lake.

During a tour of her Santa Monica home, Meredith Alexander discusses Milk+Bookies, which she founded.

STREAMLINED MODERN h

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DARK SPIRIT

A case study from Malibu architects, Burdge & Associates, focuses on a unique residential project.

18/HOPE FOR LA’S HOMELESS A profile of the work that the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is doing to alleviate LA’s homeless.

22/FIVE FAVORITE CERAMIC DESIGNERS Part of a regular series: five of our favorite ceramic designers.

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STORYBOOK SETTING i

42/A DELIGHTFUL SPOT A visit to the apartment of the founder of From Lot To Spot, Viviana Franco, who reveals how she became involved in transforming vacant lots into green spaces.

64/A NEW BOHEMIAN The home of Jenna Atchison, nestled beneath a hiking trail in Bel Air, is the perfect setting for a boy’s adventure birthday party.

72/PERIOD PIECES A profile of the movie set decorator, Beauchamp Fontaine.

PH OTOG RAPH Y

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Designer, producer and entrepreneur, Britt Lovett, at the playful home she designed for her family.

Tina and David Payne return to their roots and design a familyfriendly home that combines rustic elements, modern finishes i and show-stopping views.

DESIGNED FOR FUN h

A SORT OF HOMECOMING

76/AS IF IN DREAMS Featuring the dramatic dreamscapes and photo sculptures of the art photographer, David Drebin.

80/BIG MACHINES Architectural photographer, Benjamin Ariff, captures the beauty of the inner workings of two high rise structures in Downtown LA.

ART

84/STEPH SEBBAG The owner of De Re Gallery on Melrose Avenue discusses art and his awardwinning advertising agency.

90/GETAWAY: EL CAPITAN CANYON Christopher Damon spends a weekend at El Capitan Canyon in Santa Barbara.

94/NEIGHBORHOODS: PASADENA Exploring the favorite places of Pasadena realtor, LeAnn Healy 98/TECH Technology in home design.

104/LANDMARK A historical LA landmark

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LA/HOME E D I TO R I A L Publisher Andy Waldman/andy@lahomemag.com Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director Mark Castellino/mark@lahomemag.com Tech Editor/Editor at Large Jenna Atchison/jenna@lahomemag.com Copy Editor Felicia Kaplan Design Editors Erin Castellino Christopher Damon

CON TR I B U TO R S Photographers Jenna Atchison John Chimon Joanne Garcia Jessica Isaac Jackson Steele Writers Chris Carter Elif Cercel Christopher Damon Kelly Rudnicki Efrem Singer Myra Stafford

I N Q U I R I ES Advertising, Subscriptions, Custom Publishing and Distribution inquiries: hello@lahomemag.com Submissions: editor@lahomemag.com Events: events@lahomemag.com

LA HOME is printed 4 times a year by Focus Media Agency, ISSN 2378-5381, and is available on newsstands, retail outlets, bookstores and also strategically placed in upscale locations throughout Los Angeles.

FOCUS MEDIA AGENCY 149 S. Barrington Ave #178 Los Angeles CA 90049 All rights reserved. LA HOME is published by Focus Media Agency. No articles, illustrations, photographs, any other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of the copyright owner.

Focus Media Agency does not take responsibility for the claims provided herein.

Cover photo: Lovett House by Jessica Isaac

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B R I E F I N G

cool stuff ...with an emphasis on doing good

MARBLE SERVING TRAY

CONSTELLATION FLOOR LAMP

HAND MILLED SOAP

Post Studio’s Marble Serving Tray is perfect for the design conscious host, and looks stunning whether you are carrying drinks or snacks.

11” x 15” x 3/8” Birch wood coated with water-proof resin. $58

An elegant freestanding lamp, hand made from the wood tripod to the detailed aluminum shade. Perfect to light up that dark corner or to be the center of a room, this unique piece is made in Tunisia and it has over 2,000 individual illumination points.

Tripod: 63’’L. Lamp: 22’’D x Lamp’: 16’’L $810

This hand-milled soap smells of sun-dried lavender. It is infused with simple, yet sensational smelling essential oils and herbs, which combine with spring water to form a soap bar that is a sweet treat for the bath.

Made by artisans at the foothills of the Himalayan mountains in Northern India. $8

postispost.com

kamsah.com

ravenandlily.com

SISAL LIDDED PEACE BASKET

ROUND CACTUS FELT BASKET

Originally made by nomads of the Central Asian Steppes, felt rugs remained mostly unknown outside of the region until Dodd and Melina Raissnia built their own felt rug workshop in Iran. They created a modern collection of rugs based on Melina’s work as a painter and graphic designer. This Peace Industry basket is made by hand from seconds and scraps in their San Francisco work room above the showroom. 100% lamb’s wool and natural dyes.

12”H x 20”W 275.00

In Rwanda, these Sisal Lidded Peace Baskets are given as gifts containing tokens for good luck at weddings or on other special occasions. Simple yet thoughtful, the hand woven baskets contain pops of color that draw the eye and make you want to take a peek inside. Handcrafted in Rwanda by the Kamonyi Cooperative. For each basket sold, the artisan can afford annual health insurance for one family member.

Dimensions: 4”D x 9.5”H $ 36.00. localandlejos.com

peaceindustry.com

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SIERRA CHAIR A delicate looking but sturdy chair, the steel frame is cut and welded, straps are cut to size and joined. It can be upholstered to order. Croft House is a Los Angeles manufacturer and retailer of handmade, reclaimed furniture and commercial fixtures. Using primarily repurposed materials, they create sophisticated pieces at a practical and affordable price point. 36”W x 36”D x 30”H $1,075.00 crofthouse.com

LOW SIDE TABLE/COMMUNE

Commune, the design studio known for its eclectic designs and collaborative practice, married modern style with multifunction, when they created this exclusive table for West Elm. Its roomy surface offers enough space for magazines and a tray for drinks and snacks, while its lift-up storage cubby can store books, remotes or even your favorite vinyl records. 33”W x 32.5”D x 16”H. $399 westelm.com/shop/collaborations/commune

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/ BRIEFING

NEW STOREs

capsule

Tiffany Fong

Creative Director/Capsule

nder the guidance of Creative Director, Tiffany Fong, Capsule aims to foster creativity by supporting young designers and emerging talent with product development expertise. Their roster of inhouse designers includes Eric Lin, Matthew Grayson, and Chelsea Park.

A line of original and affordable furniture for new homeowners and city dwellers was launched in May 2016. Special capsule collections from Block Shop and Tejido were launched in November 2016.

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Capsule capsulehome.com

Block Shop Indigo Wall Hangings $120 each The new collection features a variation in printing and color, hallmarks of hand block printing with all natural dyes. Each wallhanging – which doubles as a scarf – consists of 25% silk and 75% cotton. There is a natural selvedge on each long side, with raw ends on each edge. Each scarf features a hand block design produced by fifth generation master printers from Bagru.

BLOCK SHOP is a textile company that marries the traditional Indian hand block printing process with a modern California aesthetic. Block Shop is a direct collaboration between Los Angeles-based sisters Hopie and Lily Stockman and a community of master printers, dyers and weavers in Rajasthan, India. Their bold, geometric designs are inspired by the architecture and palette of the sisters’ three home bases: downtown Los Angeles, Joshua Tree, and Jaipur. Block Shop has quickly grown into an international lifestyle brand with limited edition collections of scarves, pillows, kantha quilts, and hand-woven dhurries. 5% of its profits is invested into community healthcare initiatives in Rajasthan.

TEJIDO SHOP works with small artisan communities in North and South America. A textile and accessories design brand, they work with master artisans, with a focus of preserving the indigenous traditions of handmade textiles. Working primarily in Peru, the product incorporates natural fibers, the use of handlooms, crochet, hand knitting, and plant based dyes. From the handloomed textiles, they construct the products in the Bay Area studio.

Tejido Striped pillow Each striped pillow is loomed from 100% wool, and ethically made by Peruvian artisans. All yarns are dyed with natural dyes. Tejido makes each pillow exclusively for Capsule.

Tejido

Wool throws made by Peruvian artisans.

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COMME UNE PLAY

orn out of Lovett’s belief that beautiful solutions for the home can bring artful and masterful techniques to everyday products, Comme Une Play offers the best, most useful provisions for the modern natural household. Los Angeles native, Britt Lovett, created Comme Une Play, a California lifestyle brand and boutique dedicated to Design Mindfulness with a diversity of contemporary objects promoting beauty, sustainability, value and utility.

Lovett recently introduced her Comme Une Play approach to modern living with a flagship boutique and showroom at SWAY in Santa Monica, a new breed of integrated development, equal parts architectural playground and environmentally enlightened flash point. Showcasing select goods by local, regional and international artisans. She leans into an emphasis on furnishings, dĂŠcor, housewares and unconventional gifts. The collection spans the design spectrum from raw and unfinished to sleek and refined.

B Britt Lovett

Founder/Comme Une Play

Comme Une Play 525 Broadway, Santa Monica, California 90401 commeuneplay.com.

Photography By Brad Cohen

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/ DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

design PROJECTS LINDSAY PENNINGTON INTERIORS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TED THORNTON PORTRAIT BY ALEXANDRE JARAS

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nterior designer Lindsay Pennington takes on a Spanish-style charmer in Hancock Park.

Choosing a color scheme was practically instantaneous; Lindsay knew she wanted an overall neutral backdrop with accents of blue to provide interest and dimension. Farrow & Ball’s “Skylight” offered a subtle tone that it is more atmospheric than colorful. Though the client purchased all new furnishings and accessories, Lindsay insisted the room not telegraph its infancy. “We really wanted it to feel comfortable and traditional with carefully selected pieces that would live with them gracefully over time,” she explains.

Both to maintain a consistent color palette across the room and to cover an off-center window, Lindsay devised a curtained wall to establish an architectural backdrop for the bed. Matching bedside dressers and lamps create a strong sense of symmetry and draw attention to the room’s new focal point.

Lindsay Pennington T: 310.903.3802 lindsaypenningtoninc.com

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DESIGN vidal HOME PHOTOGRAPHY BY ORIANA KOREN PORTRAIT BY CURTIS DAHL

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he home is located in Beechwood Canyon and built in 1926 by noted architect John De Lario, who was the lead architect in the development of “Hollywoodland�. The house even has a passing reference in a Raymond Chandler story, referred to as the Spanish house on the corner of Heather Drive. The homeowners, a multi-cultural couple with three children, hired Design Vidal to give the home an authentic globe-trotting vibe. They also wanted to refine the home to make it more accommodating for a modern family. The home has an interesting multi-level layout with multiple entrances, a tower, and separate yard and pool areas.

The home also features multiple living areas, and the renovated kitchen is a standout.

The Vidals created details that, although not part of the original kitchen, appear to be original, such as the plaster stove hood with inset encaustic cement tile, and the open plaster shelves and plaster cove detail over the built-in desk.

Design Vidal T: 310.614.9444 designvidal.com

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/ ARCHITECTURE CASE STUDY: BURDGE & ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS

dark spirit The Malibu home of BRENT HOCKING, owner of Virginia Black Whiskey and DeLeón Tequila brands was designed by Burdge & Associates Architects, with interior design by Collen Torres.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BERLYN PHOTOGRAPHY

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he Malibu home of Brent Hocking, owner of Virginia Black Whiskey and DeLeón Tequila brands. Together with interior designer, Colleen Torres, the duo have designed and customized several homes and showcase venues over twenty years. They collaborated once again on Malibu’s Serra Retreat, to build and design a home in a Kona resort-style environment. The unique home has minimalistic touches, and tranquil dark colors not typically found in traditional homes. Colleen Torres and architect, Douglas Burdge provide commentary on a pictorial tour of the property.

FRONT EXTERIOR DOUGLAS BURDGE: We began work with many unattractive existing conditions, such as: a low roof, a broken ridge line with the large skylight and the overgrown trellis covering the main entry. With all of that, we were limited on how many changes we could do to improve the curb appeal of the house.

By opening up the elevation and exposing the main entry to the house, with a foyer accented with large glass pivot doors, which brought the view through the house into the back yard….by simplifying the roof ridge line…by adding heavy modern aluminum doors and windows…and by making the roof, the facade, and the doors/windows a similar color, we achieved a smoothening of the proportions between the roof and the wall space – all of which added instant curb appeal to the house.

The starkness of the landscape creates union with the simplicity of the home.

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COLLEEN TORRES: The smooth, almost black stucco on the exterior of the home was part of the strategy that Brent and I had to create the tropical look of Hawaii. We had in mind black lava rocks and lush green surroundings.

“The best projects truly require complete cooperation between client and designer...in this case a client with a definite direction... and designers (and builders) who can turn that vision into reality.

Brent’s house was the type of the house that appeared as if every year someone added something to the house as a summer project – the roof line was broken with large skylights connecting a garage with a living space, the main entry to the house was

covered with an overgrown trellis. The layout of the house was like a miniature Daedalus labyrinth hiding Minotaur around the next corner.

The main idea behind the architecture of the renovation was to simplify the exterior of the house, to open up the interior layout, maximizing the volume of the space and connecting it with a beautiful outdoor space.” - Douglas W. Burdge, AIA

FIRE PIT AND REAR ELEVATION DOUGLAS: The in-ground fire pit was designed to accommodate a large group, but maintain a low profile as to not obstruct an infinite view through the back yard.

Even from the backyard you can see that the great room is the center of this happening, living home, especially during the evening when the lights are on.

Creating intimate communal spaces are key to corralling large exterior expanses.

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COLLEEN: This home was built as a resort. Between the fire pit that seats 20, the exterior kitchen and bar to the 12’ x 20’ wide jacuzzi and 72’ edgeless pool, there’s almost no reason to go inside...except that it’s spectacular as well.

/ ARCHITECTURE OUTDOOR ROOM DOUGLAS: The same concrete flooring, and the same ceiling continuously going from the great room through the massive, faux steel pocket doors incorporated the exterior deck into the great room space. To accentuate the industrial look of the outside, we kept steel beams exposed and painted them to match the look and feel of the pocket doors.

COLLEEN: The space was expansive. We had to commission the 60” wide urchin chandeliers for the scale to be appropriate for the Great Room and the Outdoor room. Our furnishing choices were custom made and chosen for their ability to be inside or outside.

THE GREAT ROOM DOUGLAS: The Great Room became the center of the modern lifestyle.… This is ‘the room’ where everything happens, from cooking to entertaining friends.

We wanted to create this ‘central space’ which connects all other spaces around it… beginning with the foyer to the kitchen, the dining room and a very vital outdoor space, which is central to the Malibu lifestyle.

That connection is established via the consistent concrete flooring going throughout all these rooms and spaces, and the high vaulted ceiling which continues through to the outside deck.

Also, we wanted to bring the beautiful Malibu exterior environment to the inside of the house. This was achieved by changing the orientation of the pool so it looks boundless from the inside and carries the eyes outside, afar.

The striking contrast of darkness to light is intentionally expressed upon entry to the home.

COLLEEN: From the start, we knew we wanted a seamless interior to exterior space. The sliding doors were custom made to disappear completely into the walls. A seamless concrete floor was softened with a warm wood ceiling. The walls are a custom, mushroom plaster finish, based on a sample of limestone. We used the same minimal furnishings inside and outside to amplify our vision of a massive entertainment space.

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MASTER BEDROOM DOUGLAS: We expanded the volume of the master bedroom with a vaulted hip ceiling, the glass exterior doors centered on the room with an invisible (glass) guardrail allowing an unobstructed view of the backyard and the pool.

A built-in gas fireplace was added to the cozy ambiance of the space.

Nothing is more personal than creating a peaceful and romantic resting place.

COLLEEN: The master suite is the warmest room in the home. We used textural finishes to create a dark but not cold space. The massive, distressed leather bed is from Restoration Hardware. The drapes (Clarke & Clarke fabric) and grey velvet chaise (a Maxwell fabric) are custom made.

MASTER BATH DOUGLAS: Here again we utilized the initial idea of connecting spaces with similar functions. The master bedroom and bathrooms became an inseparable couple - connected with wide double, floor to ceiling pocket doors, the same wood flooring and the same vaulted ceiling to maximize the volume of the space. The whole bathroom is centered on a large window with the freestanding tub seated below – while allowing his and her lavatory sections.

Combining master bath with master bedroom as one define the perfect marriage.

COLLEEN: We wanted to create a dark, sexy space. The plaster on the walls is dark, and the hand-scraped oak floors have a warm texture and grain. The black etched, freestanding tub and vessel sinks are from Blu Bathworks. There is a large infrared sauna and steam facility.

Burdge & Associates Architects Inc   buaia.com

Colleen Torres | Interior Design Concepts colleentorres.com

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/ F E AT U R E

hope for la’s homeless The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is at the center of a more engaged approach to ending homelessness in our city. The Foundation’s ANDREA ILOULIAN breaks it down for us.

BY ELIF CERCEL

The Star Apartments transformed an existing one-story commercial building into a mixed-used complex with 102 apartments for formerly homeless individuals. Designed

by Michael Maltzan, the LEED for Homes Platinum development, located at 6th Street and Maple Avenue, sets a new model for urbanism and increased density by adding new community spaces and residential levels above.

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he Hiltons have been part of our history of entrepreneurial success and celebrity culture for generations. But they are also synonymous with super-size philanthropy. It was the dynasty’s founder, Conrad N. Hilton who built his hotel empire from a humble start in New Mexico where his family once rented out rooms. By the time of his death in 1979, he left most of his fortune to the foundation he created to “relieve the suffering, the distressed and the destitute.”

Following in his footsteps, in 2007, his middle son Barron Hilton pledged 97% of his personal fortune to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Today, the Foundation is one of America’s leading philanthropic institutions with more than $2.5 billion in assets earmarked for causes ranging from foster youth in LA and NY to access to safe water in Africa.

Ending chronic homelessness is one of the Foundation’s primary targets, and it has channeled vast funds to this cause. In the past 25 years, the Foundation has committed almost $100 million to ending homelessness, with more than half of this being spent in LA County since 2010.

LA has a huge homeless population to match this sizeable generosity. According to the 2016 homeless count by the LA Homeless Services Authority, there are more than 46,000 homeless individuals in LA County. While most of them find housing on their own, those experiencing long-term homelessness require help.

On any given night, there are more than 14,000 chronically homeless persons in LA. Many of them have been homeless for years, according to the Foundation, and have severe mental illnesses, substance use disorders, and other health problems. These are also among the most vulnerable, and costly people living in the city, requiring a disproportionate amount of public health and safety services. The Foundation says its grantees have provided homes for more than 6,000 of those individuals.

In recent years, experts have been rethinking their response to the problem, looking beyond distributing grant money. They’ve come to accept that an immediate intervention to get people off the streets called permanent supportive housing, works when other programs fail. This is the opposite of shelters, half-way houses and rehab that so often dehumanize and put impossible conditions on the hope of having a home. After all, as a formerly homeless resident of one such program said, ‘Everybody deserves a home.”

We recently talked to Andrea Iloulian, a Senior Program Officer, who manages the Foundation’s Chronic Homelessness Strategic Initiative at its headquarters in Agoura Hills.

Andrea Iloulian Senior Program Officer, Domestic Programs at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

What is the Foundation’s approach to helping the homeless?

Historically, the field has looked at interventions like transitional housing or shelters as a solution to homelessness, hoping individuals find their way out through employment. But many people experiencing chronic homelessness have severe mental or chronic physical health problems, and the Foundation believes that providing them with permanent supportive housing is the best way to solve their homelessness. When our grantees place someone in permanent supportive housing they use an intervention called Housing First.

Some transitional programs require sobriety before you can receive an apartment. But we found that if you put someone in permanent supportive housing first, and take them from the street to a home with wrap-around services, they actually have much more success in their recoveries. They are stably housed for a longer period. If we put them in a house first and then help with their substance use disorder and their mental illness, the success rate for individuals to stay in housing is more than 90%. It’s a very effective strategy.

While the Foundation has supported programs and research around this issue for 25 years, the director of our Domestic team that oversees all of our work, Bill Pitkin, was really the visionary behind this strategy we launched in 2010. Under his leadership, the initiative

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/ F E AT U R E began looking at how to take what we learned nationally to scale in LA County. He is an essential part of the success that we have here.

How has this changed the way the Foundation gives out funding?

What’s interesting about the way we do grant-making at the Foundation is we don’t just consider ourselves funders. We think of ourselves as partners and conveners. One of the great things that the foundation has done that’s unique is having a senior program staff person and an associate focused full-time on each of our strategic initiatives specifically. That allows us to do thoughtful grant-making, getting out in the field and finding opportunities. We’re not just providing a little bit of grant money here and there, but looking to change the way things are done on a big scale. Being in the field allows us to make smart, catalytic investments that help change the system as a whole.

Even though the Foundation is a major grant-maker on the philanthropic end in ending homelessness in LA County, the Foundation’s investment is only a small fraction compared to what the county itself or the city of LA spends. So we think about figuring out how our philanthropic dollars can help shape the way public money is used. We push for innovation, effectiveness and efficiency in the system as a whole rather than just thinking about a single program.

Do you get to interact with the homeless community in your work?

I do get opportunities to get out in the field. I meet with the executive directors of some of the most innovative agencies and some of our partners in the community. But actually one of my favorite programs is called Speak Up!, that empowers individuals who experienced homelessness, who’ve been housed in permanent supportive housing to tell their stories and do advocacy to help change the perception of how you end homelessness and who our homeless neighbors are.

The advocates travel to Sacramento and Washington D.C and share with legislators about how investing in housing changes the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness. I’ve developed pretty good relationships with some of the graduates of that program and I look forward to seeing them at meetings. The Foundation makes a really strong effort to include them in our discussions about solutions.

Recently some of our partners had a meeting about substance use treatment and prevention with some county partners, and we invited three of the advocates to be part of that discussion. The field discovered that Housing First was a solution to homelessness because staff who were working with those in the street asked them what they wanted. The first thing they wanted was adequate housing. So if you really want to solve this problem you need to ensure that those who experienced homelessness are at the table helping to craft the interventions and solutions.

Why is design important in finding a permanent solution?

Although we don’t work one-on-one with architects, for me this is an exciting piece of the work. Many of our partners are incredibly conscious about the living spaces that they build because of the impact that they have on an individual’s feelings and recovery. In the Star Apartments project, there is a garden, a roof and a track on the second floor that the tenants can walk on. The residents can participate in the organization’s social enterprise, Piece by Piece, making mosaic art that gets sold. I’ve got several pieces in my own home and they are really beautiful. You walk out of every apartment and there’s an open-air hallway with lots of natural light. The building

was designed intentionally to ensure there was lots of natural light in every apartment. It’s an important aspect of an individual’s feelings to have beautiful architecture and communal spaces. So we are proud that our partners work with architects and others who consider the individuals living in the space when they design their work.

What are your hopes for ending homelessness in LA and the part you play in this?

If we are talking big-scale hopes, one of the reasons why LA has such an immense challenge around homelessness is because we lack housing. My vision for us as a community is to build enough housing for people of all income levels so that this is not such a tight market.

We all need to focus on long-term homelessness because there are many who are at risk of homelessness living in crowded living spaces or places not meant for human habitation. We have a problem with housing affordability and the market is very tight in our city.

In regards to the Foundation’s goals and what we can achieve, I think in the last five years we’ve established a new benchmark. The city and the county have focused on the effort on a bigger scale. They recently released comprehensive plans about how they will each move forward in addressing homelessness and the plans are interconnected.

They reference each other and are looking for additional public funding. I see our Foundation being part of that conversation and helping to move the needle forward. I would like us to continue to take advantage of this incredible new momentum that we have now.

Steven Hilton, the grandson of Conrad Hilton, has been one of the key figures in running the Foundation for the past 30 years. He recently retired as president and CEO. How closely did you work with him?

I’ve had the pleasure of working on the initiative for several years, but the work on homelessness was started by Steve Hilton himself.

He initially identified permanent supportive housing as a solution to homelessness and made the Foundation’s first investment. When he had my job 20 years ago, he traveled to New York and found an incredible group called the Corporation for Supportive Housing that was doing work in this area. That has been the primary driving force that has gotten us to where we are today. Now, as Chairman of the Board, he stays deeply invested in all of our strategic work and he continues to be involved in our work on homelessness which I greatly appreciate.

hiltonfoundation.org

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Skid Row Housing Trust/ Star Apartments

LA Family Housing An exclusive look at the groundbreaking Campus at Los Angeles Family Housing in North Hollywood – a brand new 80,000 square-foot complex that will offer permanent supportive housing, health care, and other essential services for the homeless. Construction for the project began in 2016. lafh.org

The Star Apartments are a $40 million housing project developed by Skid Row Housing Trust and designed by architect Michael Maltzan. The building features 100 units of Permanent Supportive Housing above a health clinic, and include a community kitchen, art room, running/walking track, and exercise equipment.

Residents also enjoy a raised community garden, and multiple outdoor patio spaces for group activities.

Skid Row Housing Trust says, “We emphasize natural light and open spaces in our buildings to help residents recover from the isolation and trauma of homelessness.”

The project is founded on the idea that an individual’s physical environment affects how they feel about themselves and interact with others. skidrow.org

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FIVE CERAMIC DESIGNERS

In a regular series of Favorite Things, five ceramic designers show us their favorite pieces.

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CER AMI C DESI GNERs

kat + roger

“We love our K&R Task Lights!

These lights are the most recent addition to our growing body of functional artwork, made to bring a little joy into a space while reminding us of the simple things in life.�

Kat+Roger katandroger.com

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/ FAVO R I T E S CER AMI C DESI GNER

ben medansky

Ben Medansky benmedansky.com

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“My favorite piece is from my most recent collection of industrial inspired shapes.

For “CIS (Circle In Square) Vent Bowl”, I fabricated a calculated vent structure and attached it atop a round bottomed vessel. While I see echoes of Brutalism and Minimalism in this piece, I also see something entirely new and inspiring.

It is that innovation which drives me to constantly redefine the boundaries of my practice. The future is bright!”

CER AMI C DESI GNER

PAULINE WOLSTENCROFT

Pauline Wolstencroft paulinewolstencroft.com

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“These wall pieces represent a departure for me.

Most of my work is decorative and functional and hand painted with graphic interpretations of landscapes that I’ve travelled through or seen around Los Angeles. These wall pieces are the first of a series of slab wall hangings that are solely decorative. I often use bright, primary colors, so the earth tones I used with these wall pieces were a shift for me. I’ve always been in love with the color pink. It’s a complex color with so many connotations and I think it looks great with almost every other color. I love these for their minimalist simplicity and because they convey the spirit of a place with only a few shapes and colors. My friend, Chelito Villaflor, described them as “fleshy landscapes” which is exactly what I was going for!”

/ FAVO R I T E S CER AMI C DESI GNER

Tomoko Morisaki

Tomoko Morisaki tomoropottery.com

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“I enjoy seeing how compositions of clay, sand and metals work, and how the colors and quality evolve. During the pottery making process, you must let go of your creation and let firing do what it naturally does. Each clay composition works differently with the natural physiochemical process. The results are magical. Each piece comes out unique. My pieces should be ubiquitous and possess quietness. I want them to bring peace yet provoke thoughts within people’s minds.”

CER AMI C DESI GNER

ROBERT SIEGEL

“These platters are a reaction to the insane gun violence that is plaguing our nation, and a questioning of how we can begin to change, antiquated laws that are no longer relevant in modern society. The pistol platter is an attempt to address the absurdity and prevalence of handguns in modern society and a note of how desensitized we really have all become.�

Robert Siegel robertsiegelstudio.com

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THE HUGULEY HOME

streamlined modern The actor, JAY HUGULEY, who has appeared in 12 Years a Slave, True Detective and The Walking Dead, is at his Art Deco home in Silver Lake. The house was one of the first Art Deco homes built in Los Angeles by William Kesling in 1936.

BY CHRIS CARTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN CHIMON

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S I LV E R

L A K E

A A view of the Silver Lake hillside from Jay’s balcony.

A large collage by Robert Rauschenberg sits on top of a sideboard among movie and art related books and a vintage Chevy hood ornament.

labored drive up a steep hill overlooking Silver Lake Boulevard, brings you to the front door of a compact house built in 1936 by the prolific architect, William Kesling. Its owner is the actor Jay Huguley, who has appeared in movies like 12 Years A Slave, and acclaimed TV shows like The Walking Dead and True Detective.

An imposing man, Jay is somewhat dwarfed by the home he bought in 2007 when he moved to LA from New York. His passion for 1930s architecture led him to the Kesling house, one of six in the immediate Silver Lake neighborhood.

Kesling’s clients were mainly the film community which had the bold taste and the income to afford his homes. His most well known client was the actor, Wallace Beery. The architect’s remit in Silver Lake however, was to build affordable homes, and certainly at the original price of $3,600 it was an admirable achievement.

The Wilson House, as it was initially named, is in the Streamline Moderne style – its long, horizontal lines, rounded alcoves and curved railings are reminiscent of an ocean liner. A map of Buzzard’s Bay, where Jay’s father lives, hangs on one wall as if to reinforce the nautical theme, as does the painted grey stripe that borders the entire ceiling.

The front of the house is walled with a rectangular clerestory window for privacy which, on entry, opens to a wall of steel windows and a terrace overlooking the leafy, hillside. The windows were usually made onsite and it was not uncommon for every pane of glass to be a different size. In his book about Kesling, Patrick Pascal notes, “Kesling’s wndows are definitive. Almost always, placed at the corner of his rooms, the windowpanes always had more width than height. Those windows facing the street were opaque, usually placed high and used sparingly for privacy, while the back of the house contained walls of glass framing a view…”

To the right of the entry is a curved nook with a fireplace surrounded by glazed and aluminum tiles. A cozy alcove still retains the original cowhide covered seating. The open plan has plenty of natural light from the bordering bank of windows. A dining area to the left and a living room area to the right are fronted by an outside balcony, from which to admire the Silver Lake hillside view.

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The dining area with a print by Adam Fuss on the far wall.

A Herb Ritts limited edition print inscribed ‘Here’s looking at you, Diane’, as a gift to Diane Keaton.

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On the far wall, a print by Bruce Weber hangs above one by Peter Beard. To the right, above the television is a photo of Jay’s grandfather taken in the 1930s.

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S I LV E R

L A K E Opposite page Top: The wall of black and white photographs are mostly gifts from friends. On the top left is a Warhol photo of Bianca Jagger getting ready for a night out to Studio 54. Next to it is a portrait of Christopher Walken by Greg Gorman. On the bottom row is a photo of the actress Kim Stanley given to Jay by Walter Odets, son of playwright, Clifford Odets. Bottom right, is a portrait of Joan Crawford by George Hurrell.

Left: A view from the bottom of the staircase shows a map of Buzzards Bay, where Jay’s family lives. The nautical ceiling stripe, which runs across all the rooms, and the curved railings add to the Streamline Moderne ocean liner inspired design.

Bottom right: The guest room, showing a typical Kesling designed corner window.

A built-in corner lightbox at ceiling height provides indirect lighting, the round soft lightbulbs showing through translucent glass.

The house is on two levels, with the living and dining areas and kitchen on the upper floor at street level, and two bedrooms and a bathroom down a flight of stairs, built into the hillside. \\ Jay’s admiration for the 1930s is evident in things other than the architecture of his home. A framed sepia print of his grandfather sits on the floor of his office. The elder Huguley in his Harvard football team colors, with cropped back and sides in the 30s style. “When I was growing up in New York,” he says, “my parent’s house was filled with the most beautiful furniture from the 1930s. I loved everything about that period – the haircuts, the sweaters, the sepia film stock.”

Jay’s nostalgia from that period is not evident in his collection of art or furniture for his own home. Instead, most of the furniture dates from the 50s or 60s; items found at the Long Beach or the Rose Bowl flea markets or from a Swedish mid century warehouse in the Valley.

“The previous owner had everything from the 30s, and it was lovely,” he says, “but it looked like a movie set.” His taste is more eclectic, buying things online, or at Lawson Fenning which is down the road.

His predilection for art is “a lot of portraiture, some fashion but mostly things that I like to look at. For some reason I love faces in the house,” he says. “I travelled around Europe as a model when I was about 16 and I feel like that was the first time I was treated as an artist, part of making a picture, and the grown up way I was spoken to. That’s how I fell in love with photography.” Jay’s collection of photography prints, mostly acquired at auction, are reminiscent of that early career as a teenage fashion model, travelling through Europe and forming life experiences which would later entice him to an acting career.

A 1986 photo by Bruce Weber, Claudia, Room 700, Copacabana Palace Hotel, Rio hangs on the living room wall. He has a Herb Ritts photograph too. “My two favorite fashion photographers – and they were so different. Bruce photographed models who were looking away, having a private moment, while Herb photographed models who were looking at the camera saying ‘look at me’.” Of the two characteristics he says, “I think I was an actor as a model, he says. I loved being part of telling a story.”

Talking of pictures which tell a story, in his office hangs a Josef Karsh original photographic print of Georgia O’Keefe deep in

contemplation. “I used to go stare at it in a gallery, and one year my father bought it for me,” he says. On the wall next to it, hangs a black and white print of Cindy Crawford on a Bahamas beach by Marco Glaviano, the Italian fashion photographer.

The photographs throughout the house have a story to tell, and Jay clearly relishes telling them. He acquired the Herb Ritts photograph at auction. It bears the inscription ‘Here’s looking at you Diane”, which he later found out was a birthday present Herb gave to Diane Keaton.

A wall of black and white photographs in the downstairs master bedroom are portraits of various actresses. Flanked by a photo on the left by Warhol of Bianca Jagger getting ready for a night out at Studio 54 and a George Hurrell photo of Joan Crawford on the right, sits a portrait of Christopher Walken by Greg Gorman, one of Kim Stanley given to him by Clifford Odets’ son Walter, and a portrait of Jessica Lange on the set of the movie Frances.

Jay studied politics at the University of London, frequenting the various theaters across London in his spare time. His acting career started in the theater in New York in some small plays, and when one play brought him to LA, he was attracted to the city immediately. “I loved the architecture, the light, the art, the museums,” he says. “I loved it all. I had the beach, the surf, and I was getting a paycheck.” He subconsciously touches the corner of his eye where his surfboard hit him just a few days ago.

He just completed a movie called Heartbaby in New Orleans. Set in the 1980s, it’s an incredible story about a boxer in the Tennessee state prison whom the authorities conspire to release so that he can compete in the 1984 Olympics but eventually, he refuses to go when his transgender lover is not allowed to accompany him.

In true fashion, it has all the hallmarks of Jay’s previous roles in dark, character led movies. We talk about his experiences with Steve McQueen on 12 Years A Slave and Cary Fukunaga on True Detective.

Roles he relishes for the experiences he had with the directors he so admires, beating other actors for great parts he had never envisaged when he was a model or a theater student. “And that’s a great feeling,” he says.

“Getting older, if you do it right and make an effort to play different parts, the more interesting parts start coming – so I have to say, I have not been typecast.”

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THE ALEXANDER HOME

storybook SETTING The founder of Milk+Bookies, MEREDITH ALEXANDER, has a penchant for art and design which equals her love of children’s books.

BY MARK CASTELLINO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA ISAAC

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/ SA N TA M O N I C A

“I love the idea that children are being exposed to an experience where they have a visceral reaction to giving, and they know how good that feels.”

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wide, tree-lined street in Santa Monica is home to the Alexander family – Meredith, Jesse and their two children. It would appear that Meredith Alexander has a fondness for black and white. When we visit her at her home in Santa Monica, she is dressed in black and white. Her house too, is white with painted black shutters and white walled interiors.

In fact, the black and white canvas only serves to enhance the bright colors of Meredith’s storybook art collection and her funky design style.

Her husband, Jesse Alexander, is an Emmy award-winning writer, having penned episodes of the cult series Lost. He is currently working on the new Star Trek show, and he is a huge science fiction fan.

With the family’s love of books, it is no surprise that Meredith chose to give up her career as a floral designer and dedicate her time to the non profit organization she founded, Milk+Bookies. In Los Angeles, which has the highest illiteracy rate of all the major US cities, Milk+Bookies encourages children to donate books to children who have none. They aid schools in hosting book drives, which help to stock libraries for schools in less fortunate communities in Compton, Linwood and Watts.

When the Alexanders moved to Santa Monica, they transformed the already charming cottage into their storybook home. It is full of books, as you would expect, but it is also filled with art and beautifully designed and quirky items, which bear testament to Meredith’s love of design.

The front entrance opens to a sunny living room at the front, with bedrooms and bathrooms off the central hallway to the left of the house. To the right is a dining room, central kitchen and Meredith’s office, with steps leading down to the family room, and outwards to the leafy backyard and swimming pool.

The Alexanders didn’t have to do much in the way of construction when they moved in. They added siding to the house, replanted the front garden with native plants and implemented quirky touches to the interiors. Splashes of color are deftly handled throughout, taking the form of a blue country shaped mirror, a bright cactus print, a set of curtains with purple giraffes. Bold stripes and chevrons.

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Top left: The wallpaper “Biblioteca” from Brunschwig & Fils took many months to arrive – I’d never waited more than a few weeks for anything before, so it felt very exciting and grown up.

Top right: My all time favorite, Pickle Chiffon Pie, was written and illustrated by Jolly Roger Bradfield, and he was kind enough to sell me a couple of his last pieces.

Center: Ikea rug, Restoration Hardware leather sofa, Wegner Papa Bear chair, Target chevron bench, Jonathan Adler curtains and pillows.

Bottom left: My tiny home office has become the “catch all” room. The Andre poster was from our favorite ‘street art’ show at the Geffen Contemporary, chairs from Land of Nod. My deep love of children’s books comes up again with my Eloise poster, which I got when I met the illustrator, Hilary Knight.

Bottom center: The family room is bright and cheerful. A denim sectional from SofaULove, and Sister Corita images from Lost And Found Home in Hollywood.

Bottom right: The kids bathroom - Geoff McFetridge whale paper from Walnut Wallpapers.

Turquoise Ikea towel caddy. Jonathan Adler towels.

/ SA N TA M O N I C A

“I think my kids are amazing artists - is that every mom’s thought? I love seeing their work everyday.

It used to be in drawers and I’m so happy I hung them up in a semi-permanent place.”

“We keep a landline phone plugged into the wall for emergencies, plus it looks super cute. Cookie jars and Easy artwork.”

Top left: “This table is custom and at least a decade old. In our photography collection we have a few O Winston Link, Elliott Erwitt, Jesse Alexander (my father-in-law), Sid Avery and random others.”

Top right: “Again my love of children’s books is here in the hallway with original artwork from some of our favorite stories. The art all came from Storyopolis, when they had a gallery on Robertson Blvd.”

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“Pendant lights also from Dutch + Finn, vintage Peter Pan fabric I originally bought for the nursery, now gets seen all day in the kitchen. I don’t know if I’ll ever get tired of a white kitchen.”

“It was built in 1946, and the previous owner had made it look quite contemporary. The outside was covered in stucco and there was a rock garden. It had a very Frank Gehry feel to it.” says Meredith.

That was not her taste at all, so they changed the aesthetic to make it more traditional.

“We tried to think what it may have looked like in 1946, so we put frames on the windows, siding on the exterior, wainscotting in the formal rooms, and we made the fireplace the centerpiece of the living room,” says Meredith.

Regarding her interior design inspiration she says, “Our last home went through some iterations. I was crazy about color and the dining room was lime green and purple. The playroom was bright red – I like being bold. Now, I see myself coming back from that and we painted all the walls white, the floors are dark, rich and traditional.

In the living room, I was drawn to the black and white tones, and we saved the color for the family rooms. I’ll always be attracted to things that are bright and fun but as I get older and I get a little more mature, I can appreciate the neutrals in a way that I didn’t in the last 20 years.

We had a lot of fun collecting. Throughout the hallway are artworks from children’s books. Our love of children’s books carry over into everything.”

Their art collection is equaled by their ecelectic photography collection, which includes names like Elliot Erwitt and O. Winston Link. Some of the prints were gifts from her father-in-law, Jesse Alexander. His black and white, motorsports themed photographs are currently on show at The Petersen Museum. // MILK+BOOKIES

In 2004, Meredith and her 3 year old found themselves wanting to do something at the weekends, something meaningful for the community – but there wasn’t a lot that was appealing for a young family. When she realized they spent every weekend in the bookstore, an idea blossomed. Meredith invited all her friends to Storyopolis, and asked them to buy a copy of their favorite book, which the kids then inscribed and donated. The event was so successful that the store asked her to recreate it every 6 months. After doing that for 3 years she realized that other parents and kids could be doing this, not just her, and together with two of her friends as board directors, Milk+Bookies was born.

Meredith created a ‘Bookies Box’ which holds all the ingredients needed to host your own party. Guests are asked to bring a new or used book, inscribe it and donate it. Milk+Bookies gives them a list of worthy recipients in that area, which is important to know since Milk+Bookies is now national. They will research worthy schools, homeless shelters or after school programs countrywide, so that the children know exactly where their donated books are going.

Now they sell around three Bookies Boxes a week across the country. They also follow up and ask how many books were donated by these ‘Future Philanthropists’.

“I love the idea that children are being exposed to an experience where they have a visceral reaction to giving, and they know what that feels like. And it isn’t just doing good for the recipient or the animal or the earth, research shows that those kids develop self confidence and a humanitarian spirit and an understanding of being part of something bigger than themselves.”

There’s an annual fundraiser with celebrities like Selma Blair, Lena Dunham and Jack Black reading from their favorite books.

The next Storytime Celebration will be on 26 February 2017 at HD

Buttercup in Culver City. Most of their time in last 3 years in LA has been focused on Leaders and Readers, which is another arm of Milk+Bookies, but with the emphasis on school to school book giving. The difference is that the donor school kids are taken on a field trip to their recipient school to personally donate the books they collected. They exchange buddy letters prior to meeting, and when they do meet, they sit and read books together. They leave the recipient school a new book for every child there and restock the library.

Leaders and Readers, in the 2016/17 year, services thirty Title 1, LAUSD schools in Linwood and Watts; elementary schools which don’t have resources for new books. In many of those children’s homes there is no appropriate reading material. “The literacy rate drops quickly when you don’t have things to practice on at home.

We give everybody a book to take home, as well as restocking the schools. We come back year after year, and soon the children start to grow a home library,” says Meredith.

Depending on the size of the school they generally take between 1000-3500 books each time. They aren’t just books that are chosen randomly. The Milk+Bookies team sorts the books, and they know which ones the kids gravitate toward, and what the teachers are looking for. A well edited selection will ensure that the books are going to be read and not just a token gift. They take current title books, hoping that one will be the ‘gateway’ book in which the children will immerse themselves to become lifelong readers.

Meredith’s goal is to continue doing what they are doing and scale it larger. “It’s a model that can be duplicated in other cities. Rather than 30 schools, it would be nice to do 200 schools. As a non profit, you’re really at the mercy of donors. If people are excited by our mission, and a book changed the trajectory of their future, they will be more likely to understand and support our mission,” she says.

And they are always happy for people who live in LA to come with them on a weekly delivery to a school. To unpack boxes, hand books to kids in Compton and Watts and watch their joyful reactions.

“Our focus is two pronged,” says Meredith, “getting kids exposed to giving – and getting books to kids who need, and want them.”

It is a modern day fairytale, as communities of children are discovering new and fertile, imaginary worlds which no longer have to be black and white.

Milk+Bookies milkandbookies.org

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/ LINCOLN HEIGHTS THE FRANCO HOME

a delightful spot A visit to the apartment of the founder of From Lot To Spot, VIVIANA FRANCO, reveals how she became involved in transforming vacant lots into green spaces.

BY CHRIS CARTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOANNE GARCIA

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A garage sale find; this papier mache figurine of San Vicente, by sheer co-incidence, is the patron saint of construction workers.

t the time Viviana Franco was a child and living in the City of Hawthorne, Metro and Caltrans started building the I105 freeway. It cut through their neighborhood, causing pockets of abandoned land, which became their meeting place.

Her walk to school now became a longer route to circumvent the freeway. The area became a maze of cul-de-sacs. They grew up playing at the nearby ‘dirt lot’, never knowing anything different.

The defining moment in her career was when she went to private school in Torrance, and it was the first time she saw how the other half lived. “There were tree-lined streets, supermarkets, wine stores instead of liquor stores. It really affected me,” she says, “to notice the difference between affluence and poverty, and the differences in neighborhoods. And my question, even at that young age was, ‘doesn’t everybody pay taxes’? We should all have access to the same resources.”

Her experience of that divisive effect on her community led Viviana to study history and then Urban Planning at the School of Public Affairs at UCLA. Her thesis ‘From Lot To Spot: A Vacant Lot Beautification Project’, highlighted neglected cities, and it eventually brought her to doing what she does know.

The organization which she created, From Lot to Spot, finds vacant lots in lowincome communities like Hawthorne, Inglewood and Watts, and it converts them to parks or community gardens.

Her first project was to try to turn the lot where she used to play on 118th and Doty, into a park. “It was that one fight that catapulted us into finding amazing resources and mentors,” she recalls. Viviana organized her neighbors and went to City Hall, learned that Caltrans owned the property, (it took three years to find the owner), and she raised enough money to buy it from them.

“Nobody realizes the degradation a vacant lot brings to a low-income neighborhood she says. When you leave it vacant, you don’t fence it, you don’t maintain it – I remember when I was growing up we had three giant fires because in the Summer it was just dry brush and 3 feet high.” The state wanted $300,000 for the 13,000 sq ft lot, and she says they got all the conservancy organizations involved, blasting them with emails. In the end, they lost that fight when someone else bought the land, but the work they did there and the battles they fought, catapulted them to the front pages of the LA Times and brought them the partners and funding they needed.

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/ LINCOLN HEIGHTS

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“We’re not dealing with environmentalism but environmental justice - making sure people of all socio-economic backgrounds have the same access to clean water, clean air and parks.”

From Lot to Spot is now an established 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with five staff, and they currently have 15 projects underway at various stages of completion.

“We’re culturally sensitive,” she says. “Most of the communities we work in are monolingual. It’s not just about having bilingual campaigns We do ‘sidewalk engagements’ to involve the community.” She says some immigrants inherently don’t trust government because of the experiences they have had in their own corrupt countries. They don’t want to go a to a big recreation hall to see a Powerpoint presentation.

They don’t want to participate so they bring the meeting to them on the street, where they shop – outside the supermarket, a Zumba class, at an after school event. They show them the location of the vacant lot and ask them what they would like there, giving them information but mostly listening.

“Sometimes, we have a larger workshop at the site. We always want to be at the site because we want the community to be vested in the park or garden, whatever they decide. We give them parameters, though, or we would get roller coasters and swimming pools all the time,” she laughs.

It may be zoned for particular purposes, there may be infrastructure underneath so they can’t do deep rooted trees. They show them similar types of spaces and features, and then it’s a consensus decision. “We vet it with them and work with the local jurisdiction to make sure it’s a project that’s feasible but mostly that it meets their needs. Then there’s the permitting process, meeting environmental regulations.

It doesn’t happen overnight.” But they are committed to communitycentric spaces. They won’t take on a 10-acre park. “We like to focus on community parks in a residential area. If it’s under 45,000sq ft and it doesn’t require environmental remediation, it’s clean, and political will is onboard, community engagement is there – we can have it ready within 12 months.”

As well as parks, they also create gardens. Community gardens are incredibly beneficial to a community and cheap in comparison to a park.

They teach them gardening skills. They empower the communities to be vested in their space and to maintain it over time. From Lot to Spot continue to be involved post construction by having parties and potlucks in those spaces, engaging the community with their newly created space.

And there’s a reason to keep the community engaged so that in 6 months it doesn’t end up looking like it was originally. To that end, they have events like community clean up days, removing graffiti and replanting dead plants, even though the city or council is responsible.

“We have to be innovative. LA is built out, and I’m not going to pick a spot which is prime real estate. We do urban tree canopies. A lot of lowincome communities don’t have trees. In the Summer, kids are baking on the street, their houses are super hot, you crank up the a/c. It’s this whole terrible circle for climate impact.

It can be anything that’s green and will bring some nature to their neighborhoods. Urban Nature is important. It’s all well and good to save the polar bears but, in built up cities like Los Angeles, it’s important to be able to breathe clean air.”

Take, for instance, the wall opposite their office in Boyle Hights. “I hate blank walls. It’s an invitation to graffiti. It cost less than $200 to cover it with climbing ficus or bougainvillea to green up the wall. And taggers won’t tag on it.” They recruited neighbors and the local youth center to help in the planting. Did it work?

“Yes. I thought the gangs would tag on the plants, but as it grows, the taggers go higher,” she laughs.

“LA has one of the largest economies in the world, and nobody pays attention to all the smaller cities,” she says. To date, they have built parks and gardens in Lynwood, Lawndale and Lennox.

They worked on a project along a half mile of the Dominguez Creek in Inglewood, refurbishing the bike lanes by planting native vegetation. They involved local students in researching which plants were indigenous to the Tongva and early settlers in LA. “There’s a certain work ethic my parents taught me – to be resourceful.

All my life I’ve worked for non-profits. I’ve seen the waste in money. I want to make sure all our money is out on the street, being put to work.

‘Projects not Plans’ is their mantra. The city of LA is obsessed with planning. You can’t have a good project without a plan, but you don’t need 15 plans for one project.

“We’re not dealing with environmentalism but environmental justice, making sure people of all socio-economic backgrounds have the same access to clean water, clean air and parks.” says Viviana. // Unsurprisingly, for someone who transforms dustbowls to green spaces, Viviana has a fondness for rescuing abandoned objects. She refinishes and finds a new purpose for them. She frequents flea markets and her local charity store at nearby St Vincent’s Thrift Store - upcycling pallets for a coffee table, with inbuilt shelving, and also book shelves and storage. Her 1926 apartment in Lincoln Heights is full of character and a microcosm of her personality and her resourcefulness. Items she repurposed from the abandoned lots she helps to transform - a door with crackled paint, covered in glass, resting on two large oak feet, make up her dining table. Rescued pallets are painted and transformed into a coffee table and storage. Stacked wooden boxes, clamped together make up her wall of well-thumbed books – California and Mexican history, magical realist authors and vintage cookery books. There are various copies of The Little Prince, including a first edition, copies of Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. Viviana is drawn to his larger than life sense of adventure. Born of Mexican immigrants, she went through a phase where she was fascinated by Americana.

The religious iconography in her apartment, including a papiermache statue of St Vincente Ferrer, bear testament to her Catholic upbringing. Above the vintage typewriter in her office space, she still has her Catholic preschool graduation certificate.

St Vincente, she was delighted to discover, is the patron saint of construction. And so, through her inherent kindness and circumstance, all the pieces of Viviana Franco’s life fit together like a pre-determined framework.

Coming full circle, and five years later, the City of Hawthorne bought a vacant lot on the other side of the freeway in her family neighborhood, also at 118th and Doty, and asked Viviana to turn it into a park. Hopefully, it’s a sign of enlightened times.

If you wish to support From Lot to Spot, either in kind or through donation, please email info@fromlottospot.org From Lot to Spot fromlottospot.org

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THE LOVETT HOME

DESIGNED FOR fun

BY MARK CASTELLINO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA ISAAC

/ WESTWOOD

Designer, producer and entrepreneur, BRITT LOVETT, recreates a mid-century entertainer’s home in her own quirky and original style, while preserving the emphasis on entertaining and fun.

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Opposite page KITCHEN/DINING AREA: The gloss wall tiles were custom made by California Pottery and Tile Works.

Kitchen fixtures by Ninas Kitchen and bath.

Photographic prints by Alex Prager.

John Robshaw pillows sold at Britt’s store commeuneplay.com

y all accounts, the house on Dalehurst Avenue was a party house; the previous owners were stalwarts of the entertainment industry. Doris Singleton had a recurring role in the 1950s series, I Love Lucy, as Carolyn Appleby. Her husband, Charles Isaacs, was a writer for comedians like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Groucho Marx.

When Britt Lovett moved there in 2014, herself a producer of shows like Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators and NBC’s Last Comic Standing, she was enthralled by the history of the house.

An interior designer and veteran in home renovation, Britt also has a home décor and gift boutique, Comme Une Play in Santa Monica. It’s a curated selection of furniture and gifts which reflect the California lifestyle.

Over the period of two years, the house on Dalehurst Avenue became a personal project for her. She wanted to preserve the history and remain true to the architect’s original vision, but also to expand it to create a more contemporary space for her children, Peyton and James, and their two dogs.

“What I loved about the house was that it was straight out of the 50s, nothing was modernized. It was untouched,” she says. Much of the original structure remains intact but Britt added 1600sq ft, extending the upstairs bedroom to create a new master bathroom and walk-in closet. Downstairs, the added space became an extended kitchen, pantry and a new laundry room.

There were challenges; the hardest part of the extension was to find and age stone to match the already rare stone at the front of the house. Every room was carpeted in different colors which, when removed, revealed beautiful hardwood floors of 2” herringbone parquet in the entry, living room and den. She had to find a shop to reproduce the now obsolete size wood and large areas had to be hand made so that it could be extended to replace the linoleum floor in the kitchen area.

Balconies were added to the rear exterior – one extending from the master bedroom and overlooking the pool. Every door and window were replaced and the glass was double paned for both safety and energy efficiency.

A lot of lacquer was used on the wood throughout the house in keeping with that era. Fun wallpaper was used to highlight their toy collection, and antiques helped balance the new appliances and fixtures.

THE KITCHEN/DINING AREA

The kitchen, breakfast nook, pantry and dining room was all just the one room. It was compact, with lots of dividing walls. Now, pocket doors with a span of 16 feet open up the entire kitchen back wall to the rear, continuing the theme of entertaining, with an easy flow from inside to outside.

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The family room, centered around the magnificent, original fireplace.

The original bar, which was hidden behind a false wall.

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PEYTON’S ROOM: The room was based around her favorite lavender color with a soft, white carpet. It is a testament to the collecting spirit that was instilled in them when they were toddlers, that she continues to collect fun and colorful hats, toys and Steiff stuffed animals.

JAMES’ ROOM: Based on his favorite colors of blue and green, with a black carpet. There’s lots of space to display his collection of books, cards and vintage toys. The cabinet was custom designed and built in a 50s locker style and painted a black gloss. The original children’s book illustrations are by David Shannon from ‘How I Became A Pirate’ and Maurice Sendak ‘Where The Wild Things Are’.

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LIVING ROOM: The informal living room with its comfortable seating for the surround sound movie screenings also has a pool/ping pong table at one end. All of the upholstered furniture is available at Britt’s Santa Monica store and online.

Vintage lamps, side table and mirror. The artworks are original Ethan Murrow graphite drawings.

Opposite ART ROOM: The room is dedicated to the previous owner, actress Doris Singleton, with walls upholstered in her favorite color and flower - yellow roses. The entire back wall has a corkboard backing so that both Britt and the kids can pin up their design projects. Britt’s collection of toys are everywhere too.

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Top BEDROOM: Vignettes from the master bedroom with John Robshaw pillows, antique trunk and antique dresser.

Right GUEST BEDROOM: with wallpaper by Nina Campbell. The curtained bunk beds have built-in televisions.

Left WALK-IN CLOSET: The open closet, just off the master bedroom and bathroom, has a bright, built-in seating nook with storage space above and below.

Right MASTER BATHROOM: corner vignette with vintage lamp and mirror. The custom-made Chaise and the cushions by John Robshaw are available at commeuneplay.com.

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POOLHOUSE interior: Repainted, original fireplace. The bathroom sink is by Ronbow, light fixtures by Ralph Lauren, cushions on right by Kathryn M Ireland.

The design inspiration for the kitchen revolved around the blue-grey sofa she had inherited from a previous house, and she wanted to keep the colors within the same spectrum. The kitchen was to be the focal point of the house. “In the 40s and 50s they had a formal dining room which we really don’t use much these days,” she says. “I wanted to have one big hang out room because everyone always ends up in the kitchen.

I wanted the dining room to feel formal but I also wanted it to have a restaurant vibe, so tiling the entire space was a solution that worked for both those criteria. It’s sort of upscale but also down to earth. It was my take on a formal dining room meets a restaurant.”

The resulting color of the tile complements the sofa as well as the large sectional which anchors one wall. Britt didn’t want a brand new tile or a bathroom tile, and it took California Pottery and Tile Works almost six months to distress them and to get the sheen and color right.

She also wanted a dark color for the walls because she knew which artwork was going to be displayed in that area. Certainly, the four, white-framed Alex Prager prints dramatically pop out against the sleek, dark tile. The photographer’s meticulously staged prints are exemplified by the centrally placed Molly, from the series Week-End, 2010, in the dining area.

THE OFFICE/ART ROOM

This room, which Britt uses as her creative space, and the kids use as their homework and art room, is the creative space in the house. Also, it is her tribute to the previous owner, Doris Singleton. The yellow rose pattern on the padded, fabric-upholstered walls, her favorite color and her favorite flower. An entire wall is cork board, onto which there is pinned a mixture of the kid’s projects as well as fabrics and concepts for Britt’s interior design projects.

THE BEDROOM

The single door leading to the master bedroom is now reframed and double wide. The ceiling was extended upward. “I wanted the house to look like it was back in the 1940s but create open spaces for the way we live today. It takes a lot of time to find the right resources,” she says.

It would have been easier to do everything new, but Britt wanted to preserve the original elements. Taking a piece of the original molding she had a new custom molding milled for the extended ceiling.

THE LIVING ROOM

In the living room, the wide, steel framed pocket doors leading to the walled, exterior seating area were added. The walls were wood paneled, and custom molding was added to match with the stair molding.

“We love having friends around, and we want to be the hang house where the kids’ friends come over to hang out,” she says. To that effect, they put in a pool table, which also serves as a ping pong table, at one

end of the room and a big screen with surround sound, set up like a screening room for a group of kids to watch movies.

“It’s a formal playroom,” Britt says. “When I make furniture, I upholster all the furniture in outdoor fabric. I want every room to be a high traffic room. I don’t like the old time mentality of everything covered in plastic or rooms the children aren’t allowed to go into.” That’s in contrast to the formal living and dining rooms in her grandparent’s house where she spent her formative years. “You had to go through those rooms to enter the rest of the house, and you weren’t allowed to touch anything,” she laughs. “I’m traditional in the respect that I love nice things, and I want the kids to take care of things and to be respectful of objects and their beauty and their history – but I also want to find a way for those things to be used. It’s my modern take on traditional thinking.”

THE FAMILY ROOM

The room was anchored by an impressive, original fireplace and Britt shaped the design around it. It was the room in which the previous owners entertained. “Like a speakeasy,” she says, “the bar was hidden by a fake panel door, and it was full of black and white photos from the parties they had there in the 50s. All of them dressed formally; the men in suits, women in hats and wearing gloves. It was where the husband would make cocktails, and it was directly opposite the front door for guests to have a drink as soon as they arrived.”

Britt created a doorway there, so the bar is now visible. The paneling in the room was redone, and the original stained wood was painted.

Cozy club chairs were added. Now, it’s most commonly used as the family game room, where they play board games and watch movies on weekend evenings.

THE GUEST BEDROOM

The guest room which is just off the kitchen is a small space in which there are curtained bunk beds. It’s not for kids, though. These are full-size beds with built-in TVs. “It’s great for more than one guest at a time,” Britt says. “Everybody loves sleeping in a bunk bed. You feel super cozy, and it has that nostalgic, summer camp feel. It’s youthful, fun and playful. It’s the formality of the guest room upturned. It’s beautiful, but it also makes people instantly feel comfortable and silly.

It brings playfulness to a sleepover, which is generally why overnight guests are here.” // Visiting her house, you can’t help feeling that it is designed with fun in mind. With her toy collection, the bright colors and the general silliness that pervades her home, Britt Lovett has created the perfect hang house for kids and adults alike.

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THE PAYNE HOME

a sort of homecoming

BY KELLY RUDNICKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLE NIEMIER

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TINA and DAVID PAYNE return to their roots and design a family-friendly home that combines rustic elements, modern finishes and show-stopping views.

T

he German poet Novalis said in 1798 “Everything at a distance turns into poetry; distant mountains, distant people, distant events, all become romantic.” His words were used to describe the unforgettable art exhibit “Rooms with a View - The Open Window in the 19th Century” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 2011. “Windows” explored how two worlds can exist as mirrored images of one another. The New York Times said, “its head-clearing effect is the perfect start for a show of artworks permeated for the most part by a luminous light and a concomitant clarity of vision that regularly translates life’s daily pleasures.” For Malibu couple Tina and David Payne, it is precisely this love for “luminous light” and a “clarity of vision” that connected them in, not only building their lives together, but also their forever home.

When Tina and David first met at a Hollywood party years ago, they came from two distinctly different universes. She grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa and he was raised in a small town outside of Chicago called Elk Grove Village, but together they found common ground in their creative pursuits. Tina was a Londontrained actress at the time and David was a writer/director/producer in the indie movie world. Together they worked on a few films but when it was time to settle down and start a family, they changed course and embarked on a journey that was more stable yet still challenging. Two boys and two businesses later, Tina and Dave have constructed a living space that incorporated all of their favorite things.

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“Walking in the door is an affirmation of the life choices we’ve made,” says Tina, who along with her husband David, runs a Burbank-based post production company and a vehicle camping accessory business called Front Runner Outfitters. “We’ve completed a lot of big projects in our lives, but this one we get to live with every day. Designing and building this house is so much more satisfying because we get to live in the results and experience daily the payoff of our hard work.”

The couple’s home is quintessential Cali-living with its breathtaking views of the picturesque Monte Nido neighborhood in Malibu. It is an area dotted with pine, oak, sycamore and fruit trees nestled among horse trails, all important elements to Tina and David when considering a place to call home. “Our goal was to capture the best of the big city and rural life. Our priorities were clean air and close to open spaces and the ocean. Yet not too far from milk. We never wanted to live more than 10 minutes from basic necessities,” says Tina. After two and half years of looking at every available home and property for sale in the tiny neighborhood of just 200 homes, they found what they wanted and spent the next two years designing and building their own utopia.

“When I enter the foyer I can see straight through the house to the backyard. I like the contrast of entering a safe, climate-controlled space, surrounded by all the things I love, but also feeling right in the middle of nature. The landscape blends and feeds right into our interiors and there is a nice sense of peace we find by inviting the rest of the outside world into our space, says David. The expansive views are a natural backdrop for two artists who have lived all over the world, and wanted to bring pieces from their journeys into their show-stopping space.

Throughout their years together, Tina and David were inspired by the places they visited and fell in love with. Like the time they stayed in a modern tree house lodge in Tanzania, which exuded warmth with natural woods, glass, rustic elements that felt simple but modern. Or the Northern New Mexican style home they lived in outside of Santa Fe which incorporated their favorite design features such as corrugated steel covered porches, cement floors and expansive views from every room. “We’ve been renting different mid-century homes in Palm Springs for the last 20 years and love the Weller, Frey and Neutra homes, minimal “resort” style homes with fireplaces, and living spaces that open up to the outside pool and entertaining area,” says David.

It would take someone special to help the Payne’s in their quest for bringing together outdoor and indoor habitats, combined with a cleaner living approach to home design. The man best suited for the job was Noah Walker of the design firm Walker Workshop.

When they met, Walker was just starting out on his first remodel in Hollywood. “Then when he hit it out of the park with the Oak Pass Guest House he designed and built, we knew we had to work with him. We loved his masculine, modern approach,” says David.

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They had just two parameters for Walker; a family friendly home for their two boys, and it had to be fully integrated into the landscape of the community in which they were building. “Our neighborhood used to be home to trout and the bears that fed on the fish in Malibu Creek as well as the surrounding tributaries. The first homes that were here were weekend cabins and lodges used by hunters and fisherman.

So there was a “Malibu Modern” style with a hint of hunting/fishing lodge informing us while we were designing the home.”

The exterior of their home is sturdy and textbook modern, but inside boasts an impressive collection of vintage and sleek accessories amassed from their years of skipping around the globe together. Their influences almost certainly run the gamut. David says they aren’t trying to collect any more than they already have, and avoids browsing unless they have a purpose for their finds. “We are up to our ears in kitschy crap, which we love, but don’t need any more. We have an affinity with cowboys, African and Mexican folk art, classic country music, retro travel trailers, neon signs, film noir and fraternal lodges.”

The warmth of their interior showcases their love of earthy textures, shimmering silhouettes and an impressive showcase of smart home technology. David says he wired the main living areas with coax cable but later reflected it was a waste of time and material and has since given up linear television and DVRs. “We haven’t once felt the need to go backward.”

And given the charm and beauty that surrounds them on a daily basis, who would ever want to?

Architect: walkerworkshop.com Windows and doors: westernwindowsystems.com frontrunneroutfitters.com

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Styled by: Kelly Studer, Clothes by Urban Outfitters, children’s clothes Fore! Axel and Hudson. Hair by: Sheila Haroonian.

THE ATCHISON HOME

a new bohemian

BY MYRA STAFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACKSON STEELE

N

estled in a canyon in Bel Air, between Sunset and Mulholland, is a magical bohemian cottage occupied by tech enthusiast Jenna Atchison and her family. Framed with majestic trees, backed to Stone Canyon, this idyllic cottage is the picture of rural living within Los Angeles.

Blending style with a touch of ingenuity this ‘tree house’ proves the perfect backdrop for Jenna, her husband and their three young boys. Built in early 1940’s, with its hand carved enchanted doorways, charming gardens and vintage wallpaper, this home encapsulates timeless rustic chic. Out from the nursery and up the steps into the backyard, you’ll find a private hiking trail providing the ideal path to curious exploration of the unexpected. Stone Canyon is known to be a major migratory path for local wildlife. Coyotes, mountain lions and deer frequent the Atchison’s garden and hillside.

Jenna Atchison Jenna began her career at Electronic Arts and Playboy Enterprises and is a graduate of Harvard University. As Chief Technology Officer for the Focus Media Agency and Technology Editor for LA Home, she endeavors to find emerging tech companies and trending gadgets/devices for the home. Jenna is also an active advocate for STEM education, Hour of Code, and Women in Technology.

In previous years, she co-founded HackerJack Media, where she created digital platforms and strategies for start-ups and developed custom business-to-business and consumer services. A technology entrepreneur, Jenna was the creative director and developer of Robot Vegan, an urban lifestyle magazine distributed via apps, designed for the web and mobile devices. She was responsible for the launch of “green” brands led by web-based initiatives.

“My husband and I both work in the tech industry, jokingly refer to ourselves as ‘techsies’ modern gypsies of sorts. We have the luxury of moving wherever we want, whenever opportunity knocks. The tech industry has taken us on a magical journey, allowing us to experience one amazing city after the next. Each time we move, we endeavor to find the most unusual home.

And our current home, has proven the most remarkable of all; the most extraordinary backdrop to our family’s story,” says Jenna.

Of course, when you think of Bel Air, most people imagine opulent homes, luxury estates and celebrities. While there are certainly plenty of those in the neighborhood, there are also secret cottages, bungalows, and rustic artist retreats steeped in rich history. The Golden Age still lives on in Bel Air; everywhere you go in the neighborhood you’ll find a property or street that has some old Hollywood relevance.

“Having three young boys, obviously education and community are our family’s paramount concern,” says Jenna. “One of the major deciding factors in the decision to relocate from San Francisco to Bel Air was its small, diverse community, with excellent schools and community events. Top-notch private and public schools elementary schools and famed UCLA are all within our 5-mile radius. We enjoy family walks to the weekly farmers market at the Glen Center.

Everybody congregates up there, neighbors, and school friends and, yes, even celebrities. We know the local restaurant/shop owners and postal workers by name; it’s the epitome of a modern town square. We love our neighborhood, and consider ourselves lucky to call Bel Air our home.”

We spent the day with the Atchisons, (minus hard working husband), while they prepared for Indy’s at-home birthday celebration. Their home is the perfect venue for his Cowboy and Indian themed party. The mountains, canyons and its wildlife are the idyllic setting for little boys’ active imaginations.

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Opposite page (top): Hand carved doorway to boys bedroom. Vintage wallpaper. (bottom) - Hallway bathroom with vintage plates found in Mexico.

Above right: Indy’s room, teepee, Land of Nod, crib handmade by Jenna’s father.

Left: Boys patiently play Legos will waiting for guest to arrive. Cafeteria table, World Market.

Right: Stone steps with inlaid tile lead to hiking trail at the top of the house.

Below center: Little cowboy rides a vintage horse found at Rose Bowl Flea Market, Pasadena.

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period pieces With her intricate eye for detail and painstaking recreation of the era, set decorator, BEAUCHAMP FONTAINE, has created a memorable ambiance for many TV shows and movies.

INTERVIEW BY JENNA ATCHISON

Tell us about your background and how you got started in the movies. How did you go from studying Anthropology to becoming a set decorator?

After I received my M.A. in Cultural Anthropology I taught at a university in Memphis, TN and I tutored French to make ends meet. A friend who was already in the film industry called and suggested I interview for an art department position on the film The Client. By the time I drove home from the interview there was a message on my answering machine with a job offer. I assisted the set decorator, and the rest is history. Interestingly, I think my degree in anthropology has been an asset to this field as one has to be observant without passing judgment. I have to meld with the character and detach from my opinions or personal tastes as much as one can.

What does your typical day entail?

I get up really early so I can make it to Pilates, and then I often work from home for a couple of hours. I send out emails and do research from the quiet of my home office, which also allows LA traffic to die down! Then, if I do not have meetings, I am out and about in prop houses and shops to search for those pieces that I need to decorate a set and tell the story of the characters through those selections. I have a wonderful team which, under my direction, helps with the shopping.

The logistics of getting the items to the set and dressing them in to my floor plans is under the purview of the rest of my stellar team. Long days and weekend work are par for the course, so it is not for the faint of heart.

Beauchamp Fontaine Set Decorator Beauchamp Fontaine is a Los Angeles based feature film and television set decorator and a commercial designer.

The sets she has created are as diverse as a back alley in Tokyo, a burnt out apartment in Aleppo, and the control room interior of the treasure ship for Independence Day: Resurgence.

With Jack Fisk, she helped to create an 1812 Pawnee Indian Village on the U.S. portion of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant.

Alexander Payne’s Nebraska, allowed Fontaine to reveal a quiet glimpse inside the lives of a midwest family. Prior to that she decorated Louis Leterrier’s blockbuster Now You See Me, and Jeff Nichols’ wonderful film Mud. Her decorating style ranges from a tasteful marriage of masculine metropolitan chic with an understated traditional sensibility, to a natural approachability.

Ms. Fontaine is well-respected for her accurate period detailing, notably showcasing the 1960’s in The Playboy Club, the 70’s in Swingtown and the exquisite flashback sequences of the 1920’s in Skeleton Key.

What kinds of movies have you worked on – and which was your favorite/most challenging?

I have worked on all sorts of movies and feel lucky to have had so many opportunities. From thrillers, such as Skeleton Key to period television programs like The Playboy Club to the riparian “realness” of Mud, I have covered a lot of ground. I think any film where I am challenged to really learn something new would count as a favorite. For example, I was fortunate to have just worked on a small portion of Stephen Gaghan’s film, Gold starring Matthew McConaughey. The offices I was tasked to create were set in the Sunkist Building on Riverside and Hazeltine, but were supposed to be in Reno, NV in 1981. McConaughey’s character, Wells, works at Washoe Mining Corporation, which has been in his family for a couple of generations. To deliver what the director needed, I had to delve deep into research of the mining industry in Reno, Nevada in 1981. Our graphic designer, Marissa, found this amazing guy, Garrett Barmore, who runs the W. M Keck Earth Science And Mineral Engineering Museum. I flew to Reno and he shepherded me about campus for an entire day. Barmore was a fount of knowledge and I eagerly soaked it all up. When I came home I created an environment that was appropriate to the time period and channeled a little bit of Reno and a lot of the mining industry. It was quite edifying. Our brain can atrophy just like any other muscle, so I love it when I am faced with any type of challenge.

Who or what are your inspirations? What drives you?

Hmmm… Well, my first inspiration came from my paternal grandparents. My grandmother was a skilled and prolific needleworker. Our house was full of her beautiful creations, from pillows to bargello dining room seat covers, to the petit point rugs in my dollhouse. My father and brothers also wore her needlepoint cummerbunds! My grandfather, who had been a Chesapeake Bay pilot, was a finish carpenter. I do not remember a time when he was not creating something special. He could build anything, and his skill level was astounding. Plus, he had a work ethic that humbles me to this day. Both of my grandparents had exquisite taste and I know I was greatly influenced by their love of good furniture. Interestingly, my grandfather’s work

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Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

Mud (2012) The bedroom and the shelf detail were for Ellis (Tye Sheridan). The houseboat was where he lived.

The Playboy Club (2011)

Now You See Me (2013) Atlas’ (played by Jesse Eisenberg) apartment in Chicago.

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Photo: courtesy of Universal Pictures Photo: Sean Hayworth for Warner Bros.

Skeleton Key (2005) The Terrebonne Parish plantation home attic, which was the epicenter of the evil side of hoodoo.

Suicide Squad (2016) Tokyo Alley scene from the production of Suicide Squad

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with the merchant ships on the Chesapeake gave him access to some beautiful antiques, and our family homes were full from that bounty.

My grandmother was an amateur interior designer, my step-father was a talented oil painter, and my mother studied textile design, so I guess it is in my blood.

Now I find inspiration everywhere. There are a few blogs that blow me away, and I only wish I had more time to immerse myself in those worlds. People are very creative, and there is so much readily at our fingertips. I wish I had been able to meet Tony Duquette as I think he must have been something else! Or Sister Parish and Albert Hadley.

Truly, if I could live in the Rockefeller living room designed by JeanMichel Frank in the 1930’s, I would be in heaven. I would start with those four as my design idols, but the list is LONG. Presumably, you have access to an endless amount of period objects, how do you know when you’ve achieved the end result and stop filling a set?

Well, I think there is a delicate balance there: Real people live with their precious objects, but overcrowding can sometimes detract from the pithiness of the right visual narrative. I have to be careful to show the layering that comes from a rich and busy life but to ensure that the pertinent elements are not lost in visual chaos. I know that in my personal life, particularly in recent years, I am happiest with my space and in my space if I can eliminate clutter. My home is Lilliputian, so it mandates a certain ruthlessness. Books, though, are exempt.

How do you spend your time when you are not working?

I hike, ride my bike, and do Pilates. Getting exercise and being outdoors is really important to me and is rejuvenating. I enjoy cooking, so when I am not working I love to entertain. I spend time with my fiancé, Mads, and his sweet son, Erik, and I try to see my friends as much as I can.

We also travel as much as possible, and lately that has been to see Mads’ family in Norway. And I love to read!

What are you working on now?

I am currently prepping Richard Linklater’s latest film. Set in December 2003, Last Flag Flying takes place in the early days of the Iraq war. Doc, a grieving man in his early 50s, tracks down his Vietnam buddies Sal and Mueller, for a gut-wrenching request they cannot deny. What follows is a road trip among military veterans who have to confront their past as their journey from Pennsylvania to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, evolves into a heart-breaking and humorous mission.

Where are your best resources in LA for vintage finds? Lighting, furniture, hardware, fabrics?

The very best resource of all is Omega Cinema Props. It is the largest prophouse in North America and a treasure trove of beautiful pieces.

The owner, Jay Krause, started Omega back in 1968 and they have the best cared for inventory of fine, period furniture in the industry.

They also have a knowledgeable staff, helmed by Allan Songer, and

some superb craftspeople. They have refinished or replicated some of the period pieces I have used, such as the 14’ stereo that was in The Playboy Club in the late 60’s. As far as vintage sources that are available to the public, I love Midcentury L.A., T.I.N.I, Sunbeam Vintage, and Amsterdam Modern. One of my favorite fabric houses is Schumacher.

I go to Astek Wallcoverings for beautiful papers, and my current go-to for hardware is Sun Valley Bronze.

When you watch movies, you probably spend more time looking at the set design than listening to the dialogue. What other set designs/ designers have blown you away, and why?

That is not an easy question as there are so many talented people on this side of the business. I would have to first list Jack Fisk, the designer with whom I have worked on both Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups, and Iñarritu’s The Revenant. He is an indefatigable creative force and a legend whose reputation is well-earned. He is one from whom I have certainly honed the skill to be spare. Another talented designer, who is not as well-known as he should be, is my close friend, Scott Murphy.

We did The Playboy Club together and I was blown away by his passion for, and encyclopaedic knowledge of, design.

As for set decorators I will start with my friend and mentor, Cheryl Carasik. Many moons ago, I worked briefly as her shopper and from our first conversation I recognized a pro and a kindred spirit. She has natural talent to spare and will not rest until she has delivered the last, best detail to her sets. She has done many blockbusters, but my two favorites are The Bird Cage and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Next would be Nancy Haigh. Nancy has the career to emulate. I think my personal favorites of hers would be No Country for Old Men for its subtlety and Hail, Caesar! for its perfectly realized sets. She hits a home run every time and she does it with grace and aplomb. I aspire to the c.v. of those two great women and I am happy to know them both.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a set decorator?

That advice varies a bit depending upon where you live. If one is in Los Angeles, then start by touring the prop houses. Anywhere you live, introduce yourself to the vendors and try to meet decorators you admire. Take any job in the art department and make it clear where you want to end up. Even if you are working as the PA that gets lunches, talk to the decorator and shadow him or her as much as your schedule allows. If you have idle time, jump in and help with research. It is guaranteed that there is some elusive item that warrants extra time and thought. You will certainly make a lasting impression if you can bring something to the table. Always have a smile on your face and do your best to be positive. Ambition is great, but remember that there is a lot to learn. I have been doing this for 22 years and hope I never lose my sense of curiosity.

Beauchamp Fontaine beauchamp-fontaine.com

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A R T

as if in dreams

How did you become interested in photography?

My parents divorced when I was 6, and I was confused for so many years about what happened. Getting images out of my mind and creating what I thought was magic titillated my interest in photography. I had to get my imagination out of my head an on to photographic paper and see my own thoughts and vision.

Traversing the dreamworld of art photographer, DAVID DREBIN, whose themes are both breathtaking and insightful.

How would you describe your style?

Epic, Dreamy, Imaginative, Smart, Sexy - and sometimes even Funny.

There’s an international element and appeal to a lot of your work.

Are you inspired by travel and global themes?

I am inspired by Dreams and Dreaming and imagining possibilities; I am driven by fantasy.

I

n a unique manner, David Drebin’s work combines voyeuristic and psychological viewpoints. He offers the viewer a dramatic insight into emotions and experiences which many of us have doubtlessly felt at some point in our lives.

After graduating from Parsons School of Design in New York City in 1996, David Drebin rapidly made a name for himself as an internationally renowned photographer by creating images of movie stars, sports personalities and various entertainers. Subsequently, he was commissioned for numerous high profile advertising campaigns around the world.

In 2005, Drebin had his first solo exhibition at Camera Work in Berlin. This was followed by his first comprehensive illustrated book entitled Love and Other Stories in 2007, and this zeitgeist moment signaled his transformation from commercial photographer into art photographer. Leafing through his recently published fourth book, Dreamscapes, is like taking a magic carpet ride across the globe.

Drebin’s photographs are epic, dramatic and, above all, cinematic, and they have been collected around the world.

Tell us about your photo sculptures. What are you trying to achieve with them?

Photo Sculptures have never been done before. They are photographs taken with 150 cameras simultaneously in a studio 360 degrees that are printed 3D. The subjects are stripped of identity and then covered in glitter and housed in either Acrylic Hearts, Teardrops, Starfire Crystal Glass, or two way mirrors depending on the piece. We do them in editions of 6, plus one Artist Proof, and they are seen at Art Fairs and Galleries around the world.

You still do advertising commissions – is there a distinction for you between art and commerce?

I don’t distinguish between the two approaches except that the odd assignment we do we are a “service that is commissioned”. And in Art, we create a “product that we distribute” in galleries worldwide.

How do you achieve the effects of the Dreamscapes? How long does it take to achieve each image?

We just create fantasies utilizing global destinations that so many of us dream of going to. The flights to these destinations is where the time is put in...

What camera do you use?

My mind/imagination.

Which photographers inspire you?

I love reading Authors and translating their words into pictures/ photographs especially the works and words of Alain De Botton and Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Ann Rand’s famous novel “The Fountainhead.”

What are you working on now/next?

Working on understanding at a deep level that the more you know, the more you know you don’t know:) daviddrebin.com

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Los Angeles 40” x 125” Edition of 7 30” x 93,75” Edition of 10 20” x 62,5” Edition of 15

Luxembourg Gardens 40” X 96” Edition of 7 30” X 72” Edition of 10 20” X 48” Edition of 15

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P H O T O G R A P H Y

“I’m motivated through seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, and presenting that in my images.”

BIG MACHINES STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY BENJAMIN ARIFF

The architectural photographer, BENJAMIN ARIFF captured these stunning images of the huge machinery and systems which drive two of the largest buildings in Downtown LA.

The images presented in this photo series invite us behind the scenes, exposing the machinery and equipment that make these large structures habitable. The strength that this equipment portrays is a credit to those who designed and assembled them. The equipment represents the accomplishments of our society during and after the industrial revolution.

Look closer and you will see images that transform ordinary into extraordinary, as the machine’s strength surges through the buildings that they care for. The current running through this machinery allows the buildings to come alive, breathing and stretching. Photography is exceptionally powerful when it captures an image, using light and the environment to depict unique attributes. The equipment that you see was assembled by hand, and years later stands proudly, aware of its contributions.

My photography career emerged as a young child when I began to see images differently and to appreciate the power and character of natural light. My mind would consistently try to hold the picture so I could remember it. Through high school, I had a photography teacher, Charlie Sitzer, who taught me how to use photography to not just capture images but to tell a story. He encouraged and inspired me to photograph a biplane in the studio and to capture in detail the essence of that machine. Consistently perfecting the exposure in the darkroom led to my appreciation for the art and science of photography.

Opposite: Aon Center 707 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles.

Next page: City National Plaza 515 Flower Street, Los Angeles

Earning a college degree in professional photography helped me to perfect skills that were nurtured by my high school teacher and my grandfather. In the belly of a B-17 bomber, my grandfather documented the victories and defeats of World War II. As an accomplished photographer, my grandfather captured images of everyday people and life that told their own stories. He taught me the power of a photograph and its ability to bring life to every picture.

benjaminariff.com

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P H O T O G R A P H Y

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STEPH SEBBAG

BY EFREM SINGER

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The owner of De Re Gallery on Melrose Avenue, STEPH SEBBAG is also the founder of the award-winning entertainment advertising agency, BPG. The gallery is renowned for its buzzworthy art previews as well the celebrity art collectors it attracts.

T

o understand the path that led Steph Sebbag to open an art gallery you have to follow the trajectory that first led him there. He was born in Toronto, and when still in his freshman year at the University of Western Ontario, he came up with an idea to create a poster of all the bars in the town. He sold them to students and eventually the posters were seen in almost every dorm room on campus. In the process he got bar owners to pay him for the publicity but that also led to them asking for him to work on their own marketing and advertising campaigns.

The largest chain of comedy stores asked him to pitch for their new campaign and when he won, he realized that he was destined to forge a career in the entertainment industry. This led him to the door of the largest entertainment advertising agency, Echo Advertising in Toronto , where he honed his craft, working on accounts for Miramax and New Line. In fact, Pulp Fiction was his first account. Steph worked as a creative director but also an account handler. He was a creative foremost but always business oriented. And that hybrid model served him well when he moved to Razorfish in New York and eventually found himself in Los Angeles in 2002, the entertainment capital of the world beckoned him.

He started his own agency BPG in 2005, and he has transformed it into one of the leading entertainment ad agencies in the world, winning agency of the year for the third time this year. BPG works with all the main networks through print, spot and interactive advertising. They have launched shows like Top Chef and The Real Housewives and established their own production company Rebel Films so that they could keep the production in house.

Their success is due to his fundamental understanding of the digital space and the art of storytelling in the new age of advertising.

“People want to be entertained, it’s not informational anymore.”

Witness the Superbowl commercials, where all the rules of advertising are broken. He recounts a story about how when they launched Jurassic World, they shot a 30 second spot for ESPN with Richard Sherman, from the Seattle Seahawks. It aired about 10 times but when they moved it to social media, the video was the 7th most watched on YouTube that week and in fact it was viewed more times than the official Jurassic World trailer. Things are different online – a spot can be 30 seconds or 6 minutes but above all it has to be entertaining or tell a story.

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Top: Steph Sebbag, Brian Bowen-Smith, Channing Tatum.

Center: Cindy Crawford, Brian Bowen Smith, Steph Sebbag.

Bottom: Clint Eastwood, Steph Sebbag.

“Unlike many other galleries, it’s not our main business, so we can afford to take risks on emerging artists, and that can yield some exciting stuff. Playing it safe, whether in art or advertising, doesn’t always work.”

Above left: Michael Sagato, Onism 44” x 48” and (right) Ellipism 48” x 50” Below right: Brian Bowen Smith, Ricky - 60” x 40”

So how does the head of a successful ad agency come to own an art gallery? He says he was always interested in art and photography. A wall of books outside his office serve as inspiration for their ad campaigns but in the process he became an avid art collector. He teamed up with Marine Tanguy, formerly the director of London’s The Outsiders Gallery, and they opened the De Re Gallery in 2014, populated with part of his own collection and a mixture of emerging artists.

The De Re Gallery, which has just relocated to Melrose Avenue, became a place where he could indulge his passion for art. One of his first exhibitions was a photo series by Brian Bowen Smith. Brian was a photographer whom the agency used on their campaigns. A protégé of Herb Ritts, he was quietly working on an art series when not shooting the likes of Jennifer Anniston and Alicia Keyes in commercials. Once Steph discovered his work he asked him to do a show at the gallery. In 2014, they produced a limited edition of 9 oversized prints. The opening show was a huge success, attended by the celebrities he photographed.

Cindy Crawford bought a $30,000 print.

He is now contacted by most of the largest collectors in LA, including the Kardashians. “We’ve made a name for having really fun openings which are really buzzworthy,” says Steph. “Unlike other art galleries we can take more risks on emerging artists. It can yield some exciting stuff. Playing it safe, whether in art or advertising, doesn’t always work.”

Current works in the gallery include diverse artists like Stephanie Hirsch, Margherita Marzotto, and Monroe. The latest exhibition is Pareidolia by Michael Sagato.

The art scene in LA is burgeoning, with several established galleries opening offices here. Museums like MOCA and LACMA are curating provocative exhibitions and attracting artists from around the world. Added to that are the numerous private collectors with the kind of wall space you would envy. “In most cases, says Steph, “their art is worth more than their homes” It’s a long way from posters in dorm rooms but Steph Sebbag is still finding the opportunity to adorn blank walls, albeit with fine art these days, and indulging his passion at the same time.

De Re Gallery 8373 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90069 deregallery.com

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weekend getaway

A Walk on the Wild Side: Glamping at El Capitan Canyon

BY CHRISTOPHER DAMON

It was 8:30 PM. The stars were out, and the wind was blowing peacefully through the trees. My wife, Alicia, and I were enjoying the delicious tritip and roasted vegetables that I had just cooked up over my self-made campfire. A feeling of manly satisfaction washes over me. Who knew ‘roughing it’ was so easy? Just then, we heard a rustling of the leaves in the creek nearby. We knew something was coming. I had seen the Revenant, and I was preparing myself for a standoff between man and beast. Out of the blackness came a creature that would have made any man shiver in his boots as they would be no match for this beast’s bitter sting. It was black...it was furry...and it had a white stripe going up its tail. “Skunk! Save our s’mores! Call security!” Alicia screams. We ran for dear life to our cabin, which thankfully was only a few steps away.

Now that’s glamping!

The funny part about our 3-day stay at El Capitan Canyon, a luxury nature resort about 20 miles north of Santa Barbara, is that we actually could call security to rescue us from our skunk stalker. El Capitan Canyon is the city slicker’s answer to camping—what some people call “glamping” (“glamorous camping”). The 15-year-old resort has the staff, services and amenities that you would typically find at a resort (try the on-site spa, restaurant or room service), and yet you can still be one with nature. “It’s minimalism without deprivation,” the resort advertises, “it’s comfort without over-indulgence.” And, it’s also the perfect place for busy Angelinos like me to unwind not far from home.

After my escape to El Capitan Canyon, I felt refreshed and renewed, ready to return to my crazed life in Los Angeles. Certainly, I wasn’t the only Angelino who had this experience. I wanted to understand more about this unique nature resort. Opening in 2001, El Capitan Canyon practically started the “luxury camping” trend — you know, the trend that appeals to those travelers who prefer to camp with glasses of Chardonnay, luxury linens, soaker tubs and maid service as opposed to mosquito bites and sleeping bags.

To hear Terri Bowman tell it, El Capitan Canyon started with a simple mission: to preserve the land. Terri is a hotel industry veteran and Managing Partner for El Capitan, who operates and manages the resort today. Texaco oil had owned the 3,500-acre land for decades for exploratory drilling that ultimately turned up empty. Texaco eventually leased a 400-acre sliver of land at the bottom of the canyon to a family who turned it into a campground during the late 1960s. When Texaco decided to divest of the property in 1999, real estate investor Roger Himovitz —who had an appreciation for the environment — jumped at the opportunity.

“The land had been very heavily camped over the years with very little regulation, so there was a lot of damage to the creek area and some of the canyon corridor areas,” recalls Terri. “The major shareholders in this land deal were very conservation minded. They wanted to come up with a collaborative solution to keep it open to camping, but also

to restore El Capitan Creek and the canyon corridor. They wanted to restore it to its original, natural condition.”

Roger’s first endeavor was to protect the land from any future development, so he carved out 2.500 acres and dedicated it to the state as a nature preserve. This untouched part of the Santa Barbara coastline is now protected forever. Meanwhile, the county wanted the original campground to remain. Roger and his partners came up with the idea of placing cabins — like tiny houses on wheels — right on the land.

“The cabins don’t sit near the root structure; they sit lightly on the land,” says Terri, who joined the team in 2002. “As far as I know, I think we were the first to come up with this process.”

While Terri wasn’t immediately convinced that the nature resort concept would appeal to travelers, she followed her instincts. Success would not be proven until the Great Recession in 2008. While most other hotels’ business suffered during that time, El Capitan Canyon continued to see high occupancy rates and a loyal customer base returning.

El Capitan Canyon is something special. It is a home away from home for many guests, who range from couples looking for a quiet getaway to families coming for the adventure. A community exists within the ecosystem of El Capitan Canyon. Perhaps it’s because the resort and its coastal surrounds speak to all generations. For some, it reminds them of the fond memories they had as children, sitting around campfires, telling ghost stories and roasting s’mores. For others, it is the promise of new memories. Perhaps it’s also seeing the same faces and the closeness that guests feel with the staff, most of whom have been there with Terri since the beginning — a rarity in the hospitality world.

Terri’s philosophy is that when you treat your staff well, and you treat them like family, they’ll treat the guests like family. It’s a positive circle of energy, and no doubt, it is the foundation of El Capitan Canyon’s success over the last 15 years.

“We have had family loyalty after so many years, that we are now seeing kids that have grown up, coming back to the canyon with their own families,” she beams with pride.

She has seen so many Angelinos, like myself, who end up finding a little piece of Zen that remains with them long after they return to the city. As a guest, I was inspired. As a business owner, real estate agent and free-thinker, I was inspired too. The founders dared to be the “first” and do something that no one else was doing at the time. You can count me in for glamping any time. Minus the skunk. // To learn more about El Capitan Canyon visit elcapitancanyon.com.

Written by Christopher Damon. The Damon Group specializes in residential real estate sales throughout Los Angeles. thedamongroup.com

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Photos: Eric Hernandez/El Capitan Canyon

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el capitan canyon, santa barbara El Capitan Canyon resort, 20 miles north of Santa Barbara, is located on 300 acres on the picturesque Pacific coast. The resort caters to ‘luxury campers’ and is nestled in historic groves of oak and sycamore trees. Along the seasonal El Capitan Creek, cedar cabins and safari tents are grouped in villages with picturesque names such as ‘Stone Pine,’ and ‘Shaded Creek.’ All accommodations are furnished with willow beds, down-filled duvets, western-inspired blankets and casual furnishings.

Guests can hike the canyon, explore the beach and surrounding areas on trails and bike paths, or try the challenge ropes course with both low and high ropes. On the property, they offer activities such as yoga, story-telling, Saturday night barbecues and concerts during the summer.

Santa Barbara’s famous wine country is less than an hour’s drive from El Capitan Canyon, so there is plenty to do for everyone. elcapitancanyon.com

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N E I G H B O R H O O D

pasadena Realtor, LEANN HEALY, on a tour of favorite places around her Pasadena neighborhood.

PASADENA Maude Woods Interiors, a great mix of vintage and handcrafted items, linens, pillows. I’m pictured here with owner Carrie Davich on the left.

55 E Holly St, Pasadena, CA 91103 Phone: (626) 577-3400 maudewoods.com Salutations Home (not pictured) 900 Granite Dr, Pasadena, CA 91101 Phone: (626) 577-7460 salutationshome.com

PASADENA left: Lincoln Avenue Nursery The best selection of succulents around.

Succulents are so great because of the drought and heat in this area!!!

804 Lincoln Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103 Phone: (626) 792-2138 lincolnavenuenursery.com right: Brad Larsen Florals Love his Potted orchids w/ succulents‌ 597 E Green St #101, CA 91101 Phone: (626) 792-6167 bradlarsenflorals.com

ALTADENA Home on Lake Very new! Designer Christine Miller has a great flair. Kate Spade Home and interesting art and jewelry. Love her Amle jewelry from Italy. Amazing.

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LeAnn Healy Associate Partner Partners Trust Pasadena 626.826.4777 mobile 626.696.4770 office leannhealy.thepartnerstrust.com

I am a third generation realtor; I think real estate is in my DNA. From looking through listing books in my grandparent’s office to evaluating properties with my mother, I have been exposed to this industry since I was a child.

Born in Southern California, I moved to New York and Colorado, my family settling in San Marino, CA for my High School years. I earned a degree in Business Economics from UCSB and hold a CPA certificate. I worked at Price Waterhouse in Public Accounting, always keeping an eye on the Pasadena Area real estate market, buying, fixing and selling many times. After leaving public accounting, together with Stephanie Miller, we created a home accessories store in Pasadena called Motif. I also did consultations and interior design for customers.

In 2008, with the economy in shambles, I committed to a full time career in residential real estate. With my mother as my mentor, I was fortunate to work beside her and her clients. It was a tough market environment but a great time to learn. With my previous careers under my belt, I felt well equipped to tackle the nuances of what it takes to be successful. In this business every transaction is different and you are challenged constantly in ways you never could have imagined. It can be exciting, it can be rough but it is rarely boring.

My diverse skill set gives me a keen eye in preparing a home for sale and to see the potential in a home that needs some TLC. I have successfully represented both sellers and buyers with my willingness to understand their needs. Having always been in the service industry, I place my client’s satisfaction as my main goal, and I realize that it is my privilege to become their trusted advisor.

When not working, I am involved with Cancer Support Pasadena and other causes which aid vulnerable people with basic needs.

SAN MARINO Pearls I love the paintings by local artists and the glassy babies 2639 Mission St, San Marino, CA 91108 Phone: (626) 403-5001 pear;sltd.com

SAN MARINO Julienne Fine Foods Gifts and seasonal foods adjoining a fine restaurant.

2649 Mission St, San Marino, CA 91108 Phone: (626) 441-2290 juliennetogo.com

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEANN HEALY

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Who, What,

STYLE

DINING

FITNESS

INTERVIEWS

PERFORMANCE

ART

DECEMBER 2013 focusmag.us

CO M M U N I TY P OWER ED

HANGING OUT WITH ACTRESS NICOLE CANNON

ALLI WEBB

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE FOUNDER OF DRYBAR

A GOOD GUY

EX ‘SOPRANOS’ LOUIS LOMBARDI HITS A HIGH NOTE

A HAPPY PLACE THE SENSORY WONDERLAND THAT IS HAVEN & Co.

CATT SADLER/ANDREA SCHRODER/MARK STEINES/BROOKE ANDERSON/EDEN SASSOON APRIL BEYER/KIT HOOVER/TRACY O’CONNOR/LAURIE DAVID/HEATHER BILYEU KELLY RUTHERFORD/ALLI WEB/ANGELA DAVIS/SANDRA TAYLOR...

NICHE DEMOGRAPHIC, AVERAGE INCOME $113,000, AVERAGE HOME $1 MILLION. MEDIA KIT AT FOCUSMAG.US/ADVERTISE OR EMAIL:

ADVERTISE@FOCUSMAG.US

YO U R CO M M U N I T Y P OW E R E D M AGA Z I N E

focusmag.us B E L A I R | B E V E R LY H I L L S | B R E N T W O O D | W E S T H O L LY W O O D | S A N TA M O N I C A

Where, When.

REAL ESTATE

OPENINGS/PRODUCT LAUNCHES

CHAUTAUQUA BLVD Pacific Palisades

Video coverage of the preview party for Partners Trust to reveal a new construction property for sale.

Video coverage/photo gallery focusmag.us/tv/hamptonsinla

HERITAGE WINES STORE OPENING Beverly Hills

Coverage of a wine store opening in Beverly Hills.

Video coverage/interviewer/photo gallery focusmag.us/tv/heritagewines

CHARITY EVENTS A NIGHT TO INSPIRE Beverly Hills

Red carpet coverage of the Catt Sadler hosted, Women of The Agency event in Beverly Hills.

Co-branded/banner/Red Carpet/ Interviewer/ Video coverage/photo gallery focusmag.us/inspire

Magazine and video coverage to make your event unique.

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T E C H N O L O G Y

EDITED BY JENNA ATCHISON

(Top left to bottom right)

Lucy - Robotic Sunlight Reflector Lucy illuminates dark spaces in your home or office with rays of sunlight. She’s a smart robot that automatically finds and redirects natural light for you.

Lucy remembers where to send the sunlight and keeps it there all day as the sun moves. Lucy is portable and requires no installation, and she will brighten up your home or office with sunshine. indiegogo.com/ projects/lucy-a-robotthat-fills-your-homewith-sunshine-solar# $199 in development

Toymail The Toymail app lets grownups send messages to WiFienabled Talkies right from their phone, and approve friends and family to chat with their child. Parental insights and controls let you know when your child is playing and lets you customize their experience. toymail.co $50

Nui Mygdal Lamp The plant light allows having living plants even in windowless interiors. Nui Studio in Germany succeeded in composing a lamp with a completely autonomous ecosystem that allows plants to photosynthesize in the most unlikely environments. The Mygdal plant lamps are designed as a pendant lamp as well as a standing lamp in two different sizes. The standing lamp has an electrically conductive glass coating rendering an invisible connection between the power source and the LED. nui-studio.comprojects/ lamp-mygdal $tbd

iGrill Mini The iGrill Mini is a single probe, wireless Bluetooth Smart thermometer to tell you when your food has reached your desired temperature.

It features a Smart LED, proximity sensor, extended battery life of 150 hours and magnetic mounting. The app is available for free in the App Store. store.weber.com $40

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Goal Zero 250 Lantern Light up any situation with 250 lumens of bright LED light, or use the dimmable, DuaLite™ Directional Lighting feature to extend runtime.

Recharge from USB, external solar panel or the included hand crank. The Lighthouse 250 includes a built-in USB port to power small handheld devices. goalzero.com $70

Picbot A smartphone motorized mount which helps to capture the moment with facial tracking. Create automated videos and pictures, timelapse and panoramas. kickstarter.com/ projects/1597931194/ picbot-an-automatedmotorized-picture-andvideo-bo $99 in development

ECOVENT

Ecovent A whole home, intelligent zoning system that delivers room-by-room temperature control. The system is made up of self configuring room sensors, vents and a Smart Hub. The sensors plug into a standard wall outlet, detect the climate of the room and send the information to the Smart Hub. The Smart Hub then opens and closes vents in your home and communicates with the Wi-Fi thermostat to achieve your temperature preferences. ecoventsystems.com

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L A N D M A R K S

Herald Examiner Building

146 W. 11th Street, Downtown Architect, Julia Morgan Built in 1914

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Home is wherever you ARE DIGITAL EDITION, BEHIND-THE-SCENES STORIES AND VIDEO FOOTAGE AT LAHOMEMAG.COM