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table of contents
WINTER 2016
FEATURES 28 LET'S DANCE
We hear the music and we've just got to start moving. Local dance pros explain the mysterious pull of dancing.
32 CANYON CASTAWAYS
Mark Wallace built his rustic house using materials from unlikely sources.
38 SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SPREAD
Los Robles Hospital's chef shares a healthier take on game day dishes.
42 IN SEARCH OF THE FAMILY TREE
One woman's search for her family story reveals mysteries and raises questions.
18
DEPARTMENTS 42
10 WELCOME FROM BEYOND
Greetings from the editor and publisher.
NEIGHBORS 14 HOW THE WEST WAS FUN
Margaret Brownley's novels celebrate the wit and romance of the Old West.
16 TUNING IN
High style and downright delectable goodies for organizing your workspace.
SHOPS 23 OFFBEAT SHOPPING STREET
LOOKING GOOD 56 WILD WORKOUT WEAR
Once a local design center, Lindero Oaks Park has evolved to include an eclectic mix of lifestyle businesses.
With today's tools and materials, you can turn a cake into just about anything.
Imaginative ways to illuminate the home.
READERS CORNER 49 PIECES WITH A NEW PURPOSE Cover photo by Richard Gillard
Hand model: Karma Christine Salvato
mentioned in this issue.
SNAPSHOT 66 Lady of the Canyon
NESTING 46 LIGHTEN UP!
The crazier, the better: bright, colorful workout leggings that turn on the style.
RESOURCES 65 A guide to the people and vendors
AROUND THE TABLE 24 CAKE WALK
Examine your relationship with food and learn how paying attention can pay off in the long run.
Radio host Mike Tanner keeps the airwaves 24 AROUND TOWN hopping with the help of a cool little device 58 OUT AND ABOUT designed by 15-year-old Andrew Herdering. Our calendar will help you fill your new year with fun.
ACORNUCOPIA 18 DESKTOP ESSENTIALS
FEELING GOOD 53 MINDFUL EATING
Readers share creatively repurposed old and vintage goods.
8 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
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welcome
From the Publisher and Editor
F
irst, I want to give a warm thank you to our readers and advertisers for welcoming us into your homes and giving us your business. You make the process of creating this magazine a joy and it’s a pleasure to serve you. I am humbled by your support. “A life abounding in material comforts and luxuries . . .” That’s the dictionary definition of a good life. But life is so much more than material when it comes to what makes us fulfilled and happy. Dream it: People who continue to dream, to improve themselves with self-discovery, and look beyond themselves to help others enrich their lives. I’ve run into many young and old people who have either stopped dreaming or never even began to dream. My mother has always told me, no matter how young or old you are, never stop dreaming and keep yourself open to new experiences and people. You never know where they may lead you. Build it: Own your dream and act on it. In April 1996, my husband came to me with his dream. Would I stand by him, take a leap and buy a little newspaper called The Acorn. I was all in. Now, our incredible employees have built five newspapers and a quarterly magazine, which enable us to inform, entertain and advocate for our readership. This growth is despite recessions and cries of “print is dead.” The lesson: Don’t let outsiders control the destiny you wish to build for yourself. Live it: Take advantage of the opportunities and experiences around you. Be fully present for the joys you are experiencing, learn from the setbacks and immerse yourself in the now of your “good life.” And thank you for letting Beyond be a small part of it. Above is our pup Zinger’s new repurposed wine barrel doghouse.
Lisa Rule, Publisher lisabeyond@theacorn.com
10 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
I
n this issue of Beyond the Acorn magazine, we’ve taken a different view of “new.” We meet a man who incorporates salvaged materials into his home which is literally held up by old telephone poles. Mark and Lisa Wallace’s haven is truly an exercise in repurposing. On a smaller scale, that’s just what our Readers Corner is about. We asked you for projects you have repurposed. We received a great selection of vintage and just plain old things that have new life and new purpose thanks to your creativity (and elbow grease). The results are delightful. Now that I’ve got your attention, here’s what we have in mind for next time: We want to see your goofiest kid pix. That may be an old photo of you doing something utterly childish or an irresistibly goofy image of your child engaged in something so silly only a kid could have done it. I can’t wait to see what you send. Beyond the Acorn is evolving into what we hoped it would be: a very personal, very local lifestyle magazine. That’s why in every magazine we include profiles of interesting neighbors. In this issue you’ll meet Mike Tanner, a blind radio host who stays on the air with the help of a device designed by a teenage whiz kid. You’ll also get to know Margaret Brownley, a prolific romance novelist. Another is Winnie Au, an instructor at Westlake Culinary Institute who approaches cake decorating as art. “Cake Walk” is a lovely piece on one of the hotter (and sweeter) trends around. I consider Los Robles Hospital’s executive chef Brian Vandermause a neighbor as well. I think you’ll enjoy the menu he devised for Super Bowl Sunday. It’s tasty and terrific, and will certainly spice up your game-day buffet. There is so much more in this issue of My outdoor coffee table is a Beyond the Acorn WWII Liberty Ship hatch cover. magazine. Enjoy! See our readers’ repurposed Until next time, projects on page 49.
Leslie Gregory Haukoos Editor-in-Chief beyond@theacorn.com
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Severe injury or illness affects the whole person - body, mind and spirit. In caring surroundings where residents and families experience the comforts of home, Windsor’s physicians, nurses, therapists, dieticians and case managers also offer social and spiritual services as well as enrichment activities.
Providing sub-acute services such as ventilator therapy, inhalation therapy, tracheotomy care, intravenous therapy, tube feeding, and complex wound care, Windsor’s mission is to stabilize the patient and safely return them to their lives as soon as possible.
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Beyond THE ACORN
PUBLISHER Lisa Rule EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Leslie Gregory Haukoos ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Nick Oliveri CREATIVE DIRECTOR David McMartin ART DIRECTOR Timm Sinclair PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Richard Gillard EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Stephanie Bertholdo, Ela Lindsay, Allison Montroy, Erin Newman, Stephanie Sumell COPY EDITORS Erin Newman, Ela Lindsay EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Allison Montroy ART CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS Sarah Ely, David Lopez, West Ma채tita, Karma Christine Salvato, Beth Thayer WEB DESIGNER Beth Thayer PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Coons, Joan Pahoyo ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mona Uttal, Richard Singer, Sue Martin, Jennifer Carlo-Valdez, Diane Verner, Stacey Janson, Stephanie Alatorre ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLLER Andy McGinnis ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Marilyn Burin, Donna Bondy Beyond the Acorn is published by the Acorn Newspaper Group in association with J. Bee NP Publishing, Ltd. Address correspondence to 30423 Canwood St., Ste. 108, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (818) 706-0266. Send editorial comments to: beyond@theacorn.com For advertising: beyondsales@theacorn.com
www.beyondtheacorn.com www.facebook.com/BeyondTheAcorn
BEHIND THE SCENES: Hand model Karma Christine Salvato strikes a pose for Beyond the Acorn photographer Richard Gillard.
neighbors
Margaret Brownley
How the
WITH 40 PUBLISHED NOVELS, MARGARET BROWNLEY IS THE QUEEN OF CLEAN ROMANCE
WEST was fun
Written by ELA LINDSAY
Photo by RICHARD GILLARD
14 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
“I failed eighth-grade English and was discouraged when the teacher told me to forget about being a writer,” says Margaret Brownley. Those are ironic words coming from the author of 40 published books. When Margaret’s dream was crushed back then, she says she went on to other things: “School, work, marriage, babies . . . but the writing bug never left.” Though she began writing her first novel at age 11, Margaret’s first published pieces were monthly articles about crafts for Family Circle magazine. “I wrote four books before one actually sold to Harlequin.” But now she’s found her niche in “clean” historical romances, which explains her branding, “Love and laughter in the Old West.” The engaging Simi Valley grandmother has a delightful sense of humor, which has also become her trademark as a writer. “I wrote six books before an editor informed me that I had a knack for writing serious themes with humor.” Her Western stories are set in the 1880s and ’90s, a time she likens to present day. Back then, the telegraph and phonograph were changing the world; now computers, the Internet and social media are turning things around. For years, as a working mom of three, Margaret would rise at 4 a.m. daily to write, a routine she still follows as an empty-nester. “I work on a book five mornings a week and handle the business (side) of writing in the afternoons. Weekends are devoted to writing blogs, working on my newsletter, updating my website, social media and all the other stuff writers are expected to do these days.” Luckily, she gets help from her husband, George, a retired Paramount Studios film editor. “He’s my assistant,” she adds with a smile. Like a storyline from one of her own romances, it was pretty well love at first sight when the couple met. “And then he walked in . . . .” George proposed not long after. Although she uses a computer, Margaret admits she still enjoys putting words on paper. “Treasure the pencil,” she says on her website. “It can be used upside down, under water and at zero gravity. Try that with an iPad.”
But there’s nothing old-fashioned about the way Margaret can write and get books published. She says staying in shape helps her keep up the pace. She uses a Monet-purple Gaiam balance ball as an office chair, which is “good for strengthening the core,” she says. After a couple of hours of writing, she hops on a treadmill for an hour. “That helps me go over what I’ve written and decide where to go from there.” As for getting motivated in the first place, “All I need is a cup of coffee and a looming deadline,” she says. Margaret has a penchant for brand-new notebooks so she begins each novel scribbling thoughts into one. And she knows when she’s got the characters right when she can hear their voices in her head— speaking in a Western drawl. She says she never knows when inspiration will hit. “Fortunately, most people don’t recognize themselves in print so I can get away with writing about my quirky friends.” She also reads everything. “I’m embarrassed to say I even read the National Enquirer and have found some real gems tucked in between the fluff.” She mentions one about an Avon lady who risked her life to sell face paint to Amazon natives, a story Margaret says was too good to pass up. “I did some research and discovered that the first Avon lady was (actually) a man who sold his products to sporting ladies.” That was her inspiration for “A Touch of Lace,” originally published by Penguin in 1996. “Calico Spy,” book three in her Undercover Ladies series published by Shiloh Run Press and released this month, was inspired by a visit to the Harvey House in Barstow. In the late 19th century, Fred Harvey created the first restaurant chain in the U.S. “He helped civilize the Old West with his innovative restaurants,” says Margaret. “He also did a tremendous service to women by providing legitimate employment during a time when few opportunities existed.” The Harvey Girls, his carefully trained, well-groomed waitresses, set a new standard for serving meals promptly and with precision. “A Match Made in Texas,” Margaret’s first book in yet another series, will be released in the fall by Sourcebooks. The prolific writer has worked hard to get where she is today. Even though one of her books was rejected 17 times, she says, “When it finally sold, it sold big and helped to establish a whole new line for a major publisher. Had it not been rejected I would have missed out on that amazing opportunity.” But it’s hard to advise aspiring writers, she says, because “it’s a different publishing climate today . . . . Now everyone can self-publish a book without having to go through years of rejection.” Her advice to wanna-be writers who wanna-be published? “If you’re going the traditional route, never give up. If you plan on selfpublishing, get thee to a good editor.”
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WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 15
neighbors
Mike Tanner & Andrew Herdering
TUNING IN
Written by ERIN NEWMAN
Radio host Mike Tanner, who is blind, stands beside Andrew Herdering, the homeschooled teen who developed a gadget that helps Tanner on the air.
Photo by MICHAEL COONS
Mike Tanner was 29 years old when he woke up on a Monday morning with foggy vision, feeling like he had a blade of grass in his right eye. Though he had mowed the lawn that weekend, it wasn’t a grass particle. It was a cataract. Mike, a morning DJ and program director at KNJO in Thousand Oaks at the time, was stunned at the diagnosis. “I need to read copy, I need my eyes, let’s get rid of it!” he told his ophthalmologist. A 30-minute surgery turned into 2½ hours when the equipment malfunctioned, pulling on his retina, which tore. Mike and his wife, then six months pregnant with their son, traveled to Boston to see a specialist. Thirteen hours of surgery couldn’t repair it. “My surgeon here told me I have to let it go,” Mike, now 60, recalls. “But I was optimistic. ‘Well, I have my left eye,’ I thought. What was I going to do, close up shop?” A year later, Mike took a job with a company that became Westwood One Radio Network, where he was heard on over 130 stations across the country. The radio host was hitting his stride in an entertainment career that began when he was a child actor appearing in commercials and on TV shows including “Dragnet” and “Marcus Welby, M.D.” The Chicago native recalls with pride that he was the last finalist against Barry Williams for the role of Greg on “The Brady Bunch.” “My wife knows it still sticks in my craw that I didn’t get that job!” he jokes. But in 1994, when driving home from work on the 118 Freeway, Mike started seeing bubbles through his healthy eye. “Sure enough, 10 years to the day, the retina started pulling away from my left eye.” After six operations in three months, the retina was saved, but scar tissue in the center of the eye limited Mike’s vision to shapes and shadows, leaving him legally blind.
16 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
Mike was able to keep his job at Westwood One for 13 more years thanks to the help of an engineer at the company who worked tirelessly to adapt the sound board, enabling Mike to do his job independently. The radio host also gives credit to the Braille Institute and the nonprofit’s VIP group meetings in Simi Valley, which helped him get back to work after losing his sight. In 2008, following companywide layoffs, Mike decided to retire from radio at age 53. But it turns out he wasn’t quite done with broadcasting after all. In late 2014, Mike’s friend, Simi Valley Mayor Bob Huber, asked him if he’d like to get back on the radio—this time as a volunteer—and put him in touch with 99.1 The Ranch, a nonprofit community radio station that was launching in Simi Valley. The station, in a storefront at the Simi Town Center mall, aims to connect listeners to local events, artists, government and businesses, broadcasting country music along with sponsor messages instead of ads. The Ranch has attracted a legion of professional on-air DJs enthusiastic about volunteering their time to a station that strives to unite the community. Mike, who spent his career spinning adult contemporary pop tunes, learned to embrace country music and went on the air in July, hosting the Saturday afternoon shift. But it wasn’t without help. Andrew Herdering, then-14-yearold son of the station’s community outreach director, Thomas Herdering, started brainstorming how to help Mike man the sound board independently. “All the controls are on a touch screen,” explains Andrew, a Simi Valley homeschooler with an aptitude for engineering and
programming. “So if he can’t see the screen, he can’t find where the buttons are. I made a box that basically functions as a keyboard, connected to the main computer.” Mike’s wife, Marla, produces his show, helping him go over the playlist the night before and telling him what the next element is during his broadcast. Mike uses Andrew’s box, pressing the corresponding buttons—all brightly lit colors and shapes—to start or stop components in the lineup, “so I can talk and do my shtick,” Mike says. “Andrew had the code written in 45 minutes,” says Thomas of his son. “He’s been doing electronics since about age 2.” Andrew, now 15, has been involved with the station since the beginning. “All the songs and spots are stored on a server I built,” he says. Recently, he was able to write code to transmit digital information from the station to cars equipped with Radio Data Systems, so that the station name, song titles and artists will appear on the displays in cars with RDS. But the most important invention as far as Mike is concerned is the gadget that helped him get back on the air. He’s not only grateful to Andrew, but admires the teen’s ingenuity. “He’s a genius. It’s amazing—we’re talking to the new Steve Jobs!” Mike is also pleased at the serendipitous turn his retirement years took, landing him back in broadcasting. “It’s therapy for me . . . more than anything. I love the music; I love being heard in the community again.” 99.1 The Ranch can be heard in Simi Valley, Moorpark and parts of Newbury Park, Camarillo and Ventura. www.facebook/99.1TheRanch www.991TheRanch.com
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CAMERA PENCIL SHARPENER
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BLUETOOTH GRAMOPHONE
In truly back-tothe-future form, the Gramovox Gramophone 2.0 is a unique collaboration of vintage and modern, delivering full-range sound through a steel horn mounted on a solid walnut base. The fresh take on music appreciation uses a 33-foot Bluetooth range and a 12hour battery life to stream whatever music suits you—whether Beethoven or the Beatles. www.gramovox.com (844) 472-6686 $349.99
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WHO SAYS GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS HAS TO BE BORING? CAMERA PEN
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CORK GLOBE
Put an interesting spin on your travels—literally. Mounted on a stainless steel base, the cork globe shows off your worldly exploits. Includes set of pins. www.suck.uk.com +44 20 79 23 00 11 Large $200 Small $80
T-REX SKULL STAPLE REMOVER
Promise he won’t bite— unless you’re a staple. Like a guard dog for your desk, this prehistoric pewter staple remover from Jac Zagoory Designs will liberate your papers with his ferocious fangs. Handmade in the U.S. www.jzpen.com (212) 777-6003 $78
PERFECT PENCIL
Your hand will feel like royalty cradling this elegant cedar wood pencil from Graf von Faber-Castell, a company that has been crafting writing utensils since the 18th century. The timeless German-made tool also comes with a replaceable eraser, choice of sterling silver or platinum-plated pencil extender and built-in sharpener. www.graf-von-faber-castell.us (800) 311-8684 See Dealer for Prices
VISE BOOKENDS
Get a grip on your books with these ironbodied bookends from Restoration Hardware. The pair comes with working steel screws and wooden clamp handles. www.restorationhardware.com (800) 762-1005 $69
TAPE DISPENSER
Don’t get stuck with a boring tape dispenser. With a minimalistic design and a stable cantilever stand, the Cantili from Beyond Object is a tape dispenser that doubles as abstract art. us.amara.com (866) 896-3804 $142
TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD
GRASSHOPPER CLOCK
Even the slowest of work days will tick by in style with Restoration Hardware’s 19th-century French grasshopper skeleton clock. The hand-blown glass dome cloche exposes wheels, gears, pendulum and escapement with an antiqued brass finish and white enamel clock face. www.restorationhardware.com (800) 762-1005 $495
The Qwerkywriter was made for those who dream of the past and love the functionality of the present. Its vintage-inspired mechanical keyboard uses Bluetooth technology to wirelessly connect to any tablet resting in the typewriter’s integrated stand. www.qwerkywriter.com $349
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APPLE WATCH CHARGING STAND
A luxury watch deserves a luxury dock. This stand, handcrafted in San Francisco, is made of California American Walnut with a solid steel base and features Apple’s MagSafe inductive charger that fits all watch strap designs and styles. www.dodocase.com (877) 920-3636 $99.95
VALENTINE’S DAY
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BRASS PEACOCK LETTER OPENER
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Admissions Information Night THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Admission Application for Academic Year 2016-2017 NOW AVAILABLE Apply Online www.oakschristian.org
Please visit our website at www.oakschristian.org to RSVP and to learn more, or call us at 818.824.9492 for additional information.
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acornucopia
Shops
OFFBEAT
SHOPPING STREET
If you didn’t know it was there, you wouldn’t know it was there. But Lindero Oaks Park, an off-the-beaten track shopping district on Via Colinas in Westlake Village, has been a rich resource for many years. Once almost exclusively home-design shops and showrooms, which earned it the nickname Design Center West, the block-long collection of retail stores situated in semi-industrial buildings has evolved into a more diversified destination. Yes, it still has plenty for the consumer who is building, redecorating or remodeling. To mention just a few of the home resources, à la Maison, touted as a kitchen and bath design showroom, is actually equipped to handle most of your remodel. Westlake Village Lighting & Accessories carries a distinguished selection of lighting products. Tesoros Interior & Drapery caters to high-end clients furnishing or remodeling homes. A couple of stores carry furnishing and arts from the Far East including Eastern Living, which sells fine Asian antiques, and AE Rugs, which specializes in Oriental rugs. But if rustic country chic is more up your alley, pop in to Hoot n’ anny home for unique vintage style décor. But now, other retailers are hanging their shingles alongside the home resources. Raffia is a charming boutique with women’s clothing displayed with delightful “girl gifts” and other doodads. And Farmhouse Comforts is filled with warm and cozy country-style gifts. This eclectic corridor is also home to several businesses that cater to health and well-being. Among them is My Health Studio, offering fitness classes and training. Under the same roof is a massage therapist and a skincare pro. Who needs to leave the building? If you’re aiming to make it a full afternoon of retail therapy, you can refresh at one of the area’s watering holes: Five Threads Brewing Company opened in October and the Duke of Bourbon has a limited but interesting menu alongside its evening wine tastings. That is, after you’ve dropped off the pooch for grooming at It’s Pawfect and the car for detailing at Bumper 2 Bumper. —Leslie Gregory Haukoos Lindero Oaks Park is a fun shopping destination. Clockwise from top: Raffia carries a unique selection of clothing and "girl gifts." The Drapery Guy can help with window treatments. Farmhouse Comforts carries down-home boutique items. The center's distinctive green awnings. Five Threads Brewing offers a place to refresh and Westlake Lighting & Accessories has lots of lighting choices.
WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 23
around the table Icing spatula
CAKE WALK Written by ALLISON MONTROY Photos by MICHAEL COONS
P
icture the perfect handbag: fuchsia-colored fauxcrocodile skin exterior, elegant handles fastened with rose gold buckles and a jewel-encrusted clasp. It’s chic, exquisite, sumptuous—and delicious. In today’s world, a cake can be disguised as anything. Hailing from humble beginnings, cakes were simple fruit and nut baked goods that were crumbled over the bride on her wedding day in a tradition called “crowning the bride.” Once the notion of eating the cake stuck, bakers began filling and smearing their creations with royal icing and marzipan, marking the beginning of the modern cake. But it’s doubtful that any royal baker would have predicted what heights the lowly cake would reach.
Today, cake decorating is an art limited only by the imagination. Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes” and TLC’s “Cake Boss” have taken it to a whole new extreme, using new tools and edible materials that bring castles, cars and characters to life in very tasty ways. A far cry from their crumbly beginnings, contemporary cakes are all in the details: icing flowers can’t be hastily squeezed out of a pastry bag, but are meticulously crafted out of gum paste and dusted with coloring powders and pearly shimmer for three-dimensional glow. Impression mats add texture to previously lifeless edible trees and leaves.
Impression mat
Gum paste
Gum paste flowers by Winnie Au
CAKE ON PAGE 27
Ball tool
Coloring dusts Fondant
JEM easy rose gum paste cutter
Sug
arV eil
Modeling chocolate
Fondant
“LET THEM MAKE CAKE!�
Local classes to help you get started Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Kake Kreations Conejo Valley Plaza Shopping Center 1516 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks (805) 496-2116 www.joann.com/classes
21851 Sherman Way, Canoga Park (818) 346-7621 www.kakekreations.com
Michaels
4643 Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village (818) 991-3940 www.westlakeculinaryinstitute.com
Moorpark Marketplace 816 Los Angeles Ave., Moorpark (805) 552-9140 5780 Lindero Canyon Road Westlake Village (818) 707-0013 Carmen Plaza 351 Carmen Drive Ste. A, Camarillo (805) 388-5001 www.michaels.com
Westlake Culinary Institute
Online Classes Craftsy
www.craftsy.com/classes
Wilton
www.wilton.com/education
Canine cupcakes by KT Cakes Fondant roller
cak
e la
ce
Sweet Enchantress
When making flowers, Chef Winnie Au prefers gum paste, an edible dough that hardens quickly. Fondant, an icing, stays softer and is good for molding figurines and covering cakes.
Chef Winnie Au is like a fairy godmother for cakes. With a smattering of fondant and gum paste, a sprinkle of food coloring and a modeling tool as her wand, Winnie turns plain old pumpkins into ethereal delicacies fit for a princess. All it takes, she says, is a little imagination—and maybe just a dash of magic. When a career as a home economics teacher rekindled her childhood love for crafting and baking, Winnie, who has a bachelor’s degree in education, found herself dreaming more and more about life in the world of pastries and baked goods, to the point where she realized her hobby might just be something more. She put down the home economics hat and began pursuing a life in the culinary arts. Her cake decorating “aha!” moment happened while she was studying at the Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver. The project: a three-tier Angry Birds cake with individual fondant characters. With a cramped desk space in her shared apartment, no proper tools and limited time, Winnie spent two days forgoing sleep for
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her sugar creations—and loved it. She knew she had found her calling. She returned to Hong Kong, where she grew up, and earned her Master Certificate in cake decorating from PME, a global cake decorating supplier and school. Winnie moved to the West Coast two years ago and now spends her days at the Westlake Culinary Institute transforming cakes into confectionary masterpieces and teaching others her art. Her floral formations look like no match for clumsy hands, but Winnie eagerly assures naysayers that gum paste flowers and fondant figures are for anyone—it’s like playing with Play-Doh. “The key thing is patience,” Winnie says. “People are always surprised at the end of my class. They go from saying ‘this is impossible’ to ‘I can do this!’” Winnie says her favorite source of inspiration is traveling. “I’ll go to different bakeries when I travel and see what they’re doing,” she says. “One time in Vegas I saw an entire cake in the shape of a queen (made of ) modeling chocolate. . . . I drew from that inspiration on my next project.” Mostly though, Winnie loves to make gum paste flowers. Because nothing inspires her quite like a real bloom, she often goes out walking in search of a pretty blossom that she can recreate in her kitchen. When it comes to cake adornments, the key is in the details, and Winnie puts calm, calculated effort into each delicate curve and intricate texture. “No matter how long it takes me, I feel satisfied. This is fun to me. . . I spend my time making sugar into something beautiful. It’s a dream come true.” —Allison Montroy CAKE FROM PAGE 24
Airbrushing adds depth and shadow to a scene. Thanks to increased access to tools and classes, anybody can try their hand at cake decorating. For Shelly Baker, who has been teaching at the Canoga Park Kake Kreations store for 34 years, the learning never ends, especially as students present her with Pinterest-inspired projects. “I never get bored,” she says. While the most sought-after material these days is fondant, Shelly never sticks to just one product. She may use modeling chocolate instead of fondant, for example, or top a cake with a lace bow made from a SugarVeil confectionary icing mold (though she still calls herself a “buttercream icing kind of girl”). Katie Auerbach is a self-taught fondant aficionado who got her start making friends’ birthday cakes inspired by what she saw on television. Katie now runs a custom cupcake business out of Thousand Oaks—KT Cakes Cupcakes. “I find joy in turning a thought or idea into something real.” And that she does, topping cupcakes with baby toes, succulent plants, dogs in sunglasses or whatever else may spring from her imagination. A cake today can be transformed into virtually anything— a bathtub overflowing with gelatin bubbles, a crystal butterfly formed from melted isomalt, a chic handbag airbrushed to perfection. Anything.
e c n a D Let’s
D
ance has become a national pastime, with competitive shows like “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing With the Stars,” inspiring us to jump off the sofa and get moving to the music. And we should. It’s in our DNA. Moving rhythmically helped our prehistoric ancestors to bond, communicate and find a mate—all traits that improved their ability to survive. Babies as young as 5 months old can find a beat and teens can hardly hold themselves back from moving with their iPods. Dancing infuses us with grace and helps us age gracefully. It can improve flexibility, posture, balance and energy, reduce stress and depression and help memory and heart health. It’s also a social exercise, increasing our serotonin levels as we share the human experience of self-expression. Seems like something we should all be doing, and often. And there’s no excuse not to, as our region is chock-full of dance studios, classes and clubs of all types. (Check out our listings on page 31.) We asked several local dance pros to try to put into words just what it is about dance that inspires them. Their insight may make you ready to rhumba—or waltz, tap, swing, tango or two step—your way to a new passion. — Erin Newman
Louise Bretz Co-owner, Poinsettia Swing Dance Club
Q&A
How would you describe dance to someone who cannot see?
I don’t think I’d need to. Dancing is something you do with your body, not just something to watch. A blind person would feel their own dancing any time they moved to music. When did you first know you were a dancer?
I loved my cotillion class in third grade. But I only came to define myself as “a dancer” in my 30s when I fell down practicing for the first time. You don’t fall down if you are not risking enough. That’s when I really knew. Why is dance important to you?
Dancing is in my bones, not so much a choice. If music is on, I want to move. It brings me joy. It is an inseparable part of me.
Ahjalia Hall Co-owner/Director, Thrive Dance Center
Q&A
How would you describe dance?
Dance, in its truest form, is a person allowing their body to move to music.“Music” can be in the traditional meaning or it can be silence, the sounds around you or even the sounds in your mind that no one else can hear. Why is dance important to you?
Two reasons: First, because it’s a beautiful form of expressing yourself. And second, dance gives people confidence in themselves that they didn't otherwise know they had. If you could dance with any one person, from the past to the present, real or makebelieve, who would it be?
I have always wanted to dance with the one and only Janet Jackson. Her style, dynamics and electricity on stage . . . and she is a true entertainer.
Dance is like . . . a beautiful poem written with your body and soul connected.
Marianne Van Etten Owner/Director, The Ballroom World of Dance
Q&A
What song makes you jump up and dance?
I love Samba! I have to say that it is a strong tie between “Jump in the Line” by Harry Belafonte and “Bailamos” by the Ray Hamilton Orchestra. They both get me up dancing every time. . . If you could dance with any one person, from the past to the present, real or makebelieve, who would it be?
Fred Astaire, because of his gentle dance demeanor, animation and interpretation of music. I believe he would bring out the best in anyone he danced with. Why is dance important to you?
Through dance, I am able to bring joy into the lives of others, from children to seniors. If I am ever feeling down or under the weather, my instant cure is my dance studio. Being around music and dance is the best natural mood elevator!
Jennifer Maples Co-owner/Director, Thrive Dance Center
Q&A
How would you describe dance?
Dance is a feeling of freedom and departure. Your emotions combined with the music inspire your body to move. Dancing feels wonderful physically and it fills your soul with joy. It can be therapeutic and even a source of meditation. All of the beauty of human emotion moves through you and there is no wrong way to dance, there is only your way. Why is dance important to you?
Dancing is one of my favorite things in life. It feels great to dance and, just like all art, it is a universal language. My favorite part of weddings or big parties is that everyone dances. No matter your age, where you are from, or what your beliefs are, dance, music, visual arts, all of it . . . has the power to bring all people together in joy. Can everyone dance?
Absolutely. Everyone can also learn to dance at any age. Dancing is great for your body, your mind and for your spirit. It feels good and it’s good for the world. Dance is like . . . magic.
Christy Melgoza Co-owner, Arthur Murray Dance Centers Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills
Q&A
When did you first know you were a dancer?
I was raised in the ballroom dance environment, also known as a “studio brat.” However, I distinctly remember after my first Cha Cha dance performance at the age of the 13, no one could drag me off the floor again. Why is dance important to you?
Dance has not only given me pleasure my whole life, it has allowed me to help others enhance their lives. I have seen marriages rekindled, singles get married, students grow amazing friendships, and I have seen people become healthier and happier. The connection ballroom dancing brings to people is unparalleled, and that's never more important than in today’s computer, tablet, smartphone world. It forces people to be reminded of how joyful true interaction with others is. Can everyone dance?
Oh ya! . . . People naturally do things in rhythm. The truth is, if you can walk or talk, you can dance. It is teaching people what to listen for in the music and to step properly. I have never met a person who can’t learn.
Woody Bretz Co-owner, Poinsettia Swing Dance Club
Q&A
How would you describe dance to someone who cannot see?
I would think people who cannot see would be very much in tune with both music and the sense of kinesthesia. I think they could feel dance.
Why is dance important to you?
Dancing has provided me with a great deal of joy over the years and it was through dancing that I met my wife (Louise Bretz). Dance is like . . . a short, lovely, intimate conversation without words.
Dance Lessons and Classes A few local spots where adults can move to the music.
Dance Schools
Agoura Hills Dance 5015 Cornell Road, Agoura Hills agourahillsdance.com (818) 991-8883 Ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop Arthur Murray Dance Centers 3065 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., #4 Thousand Oaks www.arthurmurraythousandoaks.com (805) 495-1445 5725 Ralston St. #210, Ventura www.arthurmurrayventura.com (805) 644-5999 Various social ballroom dance styles as well as rhythm and Latin dance, country and specialty Ballroom World of Dance 30686 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Agoura Hills www.ballroomworldofdance.com (818) 889-5400 All social ballroom dances, Latin and rhythm Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts 2320 Teller Road, Newbury Park www.bobbiesschool.com (805) 498-7747 Ballet, tap, jazz/contemporary and hip hop Caliente Dance Studio 2550 E. Vineyard Ave., Oxnard www.805salsa.com (805) 754-6081 Salsa and bachata Ciara Dance 21250 Califa St. Ste. 105A, Woodland Hills www.ciaradance.com (818) 888-7744 Tap and ballet House of Dance 3007 Bunsen Ave., Ste. E, Ventura www.pmhouseofdance.com (805) 650-2719 Social ballroom and Latin dances as well as hip hop, country and belly dancing
Karina Smirnoff Dance Studio 6344 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Ste. 2020 Woodland Hills www.karinasmirnoffdance.com (818) 232-7224 Ballroom and Latin dances
Conejo Valley Folk Dancers socalfolkdance.com/clubpages/ conejovalley_fd.htm (206) 849-1190 International line and circle dancing in Thousand Oaks
MacKinnon Dance Academy 2200 Outlet Center Drive #420, Oxnard www.mackinnondanceacademy.com (805) 485-0115 Ballet, tap, Polynesian, Scottish Highland, jazz and salsa
Happy Squares Square Dance Club www.happysquares.com Classes and dances held at the Simi Valley Senior Center
Thrive Dance Center 3623 Old Conejo Road, Ste. 100 Newbury Park www.thrivedancecenter.com (805) 375-9988 Tap, ballet, jazz and hip hop
Clubs and Groups
Poinsettia Dance Club www.poinsettiadancers.org (805) 290-5414 Ballroom dancing to live music in Ventura Poinsettia Swing Dance Club www.psdance.org (805) 223-0635 West Coast Swing classes on Thursdays in Ventura
Bogies at Westlake Village Inn www.bogies-bar.com; salseros-la.com (818) 889-2394 Latin Night Wednesdays: salsa and bachata lessons
Scottish Country Dancing www.dancin-fool.com/classes.html Group social dancing in Thousand Oaks and Ventura
Boots and Slippers Square Dance Club www.bootsandslippers.com Classes and dances held at the Simi Valley Senior Center
West Coast Swing www.peoplewhodance.net (805) 405-2946 Tuesday nights at Sportsman restaurant
Borderline Bar and Grill www.borderlinebarandgrill.com (805) 446-4435 Line dancing, two step, West Coast swing and salsa lessons in Thousand Oaks
Also check with your senior center, parks and rec, adult schools, community colleges and meetup.com for dance opportunities.
Buckles and Bows Square Dance Club www.bucklesandbows.org Classes and dances held at the Goebel Adult Center
Canyon Castaways MARK WALLACE IS A PRO AT SALVAGING ODDS AND ENDS FOR HIS ECLECTIC HOME
Written by LESLIE GREGORY HAUKOOS Photos by JOAN PAHOYO
It’s really anyone’s guess as to what Mark Wallace will be dragging home on any given day. But then again, the kinds of things he brings in aren’t exactly items most other people would even think of adopting: discarded telephone poles, boulders that have shaken loose from their perch, orphaned emus. The thing is, once Mark, a firefighter who is stationed in Woodland Hills, has carted, trucked or dragged these odds and ends to his home, it’s just the beginning of the story because the man has a vision for using castoffs to create beauty. This story begins with telephone poles, though Mark’s salvage skills reach farther back. He remembers going to garage sales with his grandfather when he was a kid. But on the day he spotted those poles he was driving along Mulholland Highway when he noticed Edison workers stacking downed telephone poles, preparing to haul them away. Mark pulled over and asked what they planned to do with the old, weathered wood. Why not save the dump fees and let me take them off your hands, he proposed. Those poles, which once lined up like soldiers from Malibou Lake to Calabasas High School, now serve as the beams in his rustic home, built on 4½ acres in unincorporated Calabasas. 32 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
Far left, Mark Wallace displays the antique draw knife he and his buddies used to smooth the telephone pole beams. Family room floors are made of wood from the old Malibu Pier. The overall effect is a home that seems to have emerged from the land on which it rests. WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 33
Mark salvaged the intricately carved post, left, out of a rubbish pile in Venice Beach and guesses it may be more than 100 years old. Above, a still life on the family room mantel. Right, tiles on the stairway are replicas of Malibu Tiles in the historic Adamson House. Mark commissioned artist Janine Waldbaum to make them.
Mark grew up in the area. He was 10 when his family moved to a piece of land just next door to his current home. The family lived in a trailer while Mark’s father, retired fire captain Don Wallace, built the family home. Mark helped his dad construct the house, was in the first graduating class of Calabasas High School and regularly rode his horse on local trails his father helped build. (The Don Wallace Trail near Las Virgenes Creek was named after Mark’s father.) Since then Mark, who is testing to be fire captain and is a paramedic, realtor, general contractor and beekeeper, has completed several homes, some on spec, some for other families. But his pièce de résistance, the house supported by those telephone poles, now is home to his young family, which includes his wife Lisa, and their toddlers, Nyla and Tuff. The house, perched high above a canyon tributary, is clearly a labor of love as well as an ongoing project. “We broke ground on 9/11,” Mark recalls. Sometime 34 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
after that, the poles went up. Mark and his lifelong high school buddies, who often collaborate on each other’s home projects, used antique draw knives to rediscover the wood’s golden hue, long hidden by a dark crust of age when they stood along the highway. The floors stretching through the house are mostly flagstone interrupted by boulders that Mark pulled in by tractor, mostly from nearby roads after they had slid down the hill, a common occurrence in the area. But the golden, grainy wood floors have another story to tell. When the old Malibu Pier, built in 1905, was being torn down, Mark took the scrapped wood off of the workers’ hands. Today those floors shine. Who knew such beauty lingered under those weathered planks. “I fished on the Malibu Pier as a kid,” Mark recalls. Today some of the corbels from the pier grace the interior of his eclectic home. Wife Lisa, a former New Yorker who worked as a costume designer and stylist in the film industry, describes herself as a “dumpster diver” as well, and one of the most interesting pieces in the living room is her occasional table made from the tailgate of a vintage Chevrolet pickup truck.
Mark modeled the tile roof after the Adamson House in Malibu with its "double pan, triple cap" pattern. Salvaged corbels support the scalloped overhang in the courtyard, above right. The master bath, right, has rough hewn rock in its design. Many of the rocks incorporated into the outside walls contain ancient fossils of seashells, below.
Still, Lisa, who says she was more familiar with a neighborhood stoop than a stray boulder, says the house is mostly Mark. He had already built it when they married. And she good-naturedly embraces whatever he brings home. Recently that included the pair of emus and a couple of ponies suddenly homeless after the Pierce College Farm Center petting zoo closed. Mark found homes for most of the ponies but it looks like emus Errol and Flynn may have found their forever home with the Wallace family in their eclectic house of castaways. 36 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
The backyard porch is supported by blocks of stone Mark tractored in, creating an ideal perch for enjoying the unobstructed views. Mark's wife, Lisa, a New Yorker at heart, says her California home has stoops, reminding her of the East Coast.
Mark and Lisa with their toddlers, Nyla and Tuff, who feel right at home atop their ponies, Shannon and Scotty. The Wallace menagerie also includes pigs Tubbz and Crockett. WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 37
SUPER BOWL
SUNDAY SPREAD Written by STEPHANIE SUMELL Photos by MICHAEL COONS
B
rian Vandermause donned a chef ’s hat in some of the most esteemed New York City hot spots before becoming the executive chef at Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. He worked as a line cook under chef and television personality Bobby Flay at the restaurants Bar Americain and Mesa Grill, and helped open an upscale eatery called G-50 before returning to his home state. Brian now oversees a kitchen staff that prepares food for an average of 1,200 people a day. Depending on the daily census, about an eighth of those people are patients. The chef, who says his position at Los Robles is nothing like the bustling New York restaurant scene, enjoys the challenge of providing patients with meals that defy the bad hospital food cliché. His food supports the notion that delicious and healthy can be one in the same. “I knew this position would test my creativity and that was intriguing,” the 29-year-old says. “At one of the restaurants in New York, when we made bacon at breakfast, we would reserve all the bacon fat to cook our vegetables with at dinner. Here the approach is more, ‘We want to come up with this new dish, but it needs to be low in sodium and have less than 15 carbs.’” Brian works closely with Tori Cohen, the director of food and nutrition service at the hospital, and a team of dietitians to ensure patients get the nutrients they need. Examples of newer entrees on the ever-evolving menu include pork tenderloin with an apple mango salsa and baked tilapia with a mango pico de gallo and wild rice.
Los Robles Hospital executive chef Brian Vandermause and director of food and nutrition service Tori Cohen are used to feeding up to 1,200 patients, staff and hospital visitors each day. Brian graciously agreed to design a specially made menu for Beyond readers who want to chow down on Super Bowl Sunday, revising some game-day favorites to make them healthier yet every bit as delicious. 38 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 39
Spicy chicken wings are a must during the big game and a big pot of chili is hard to resist. Throw in some cheese-stuffed meatballs and a succulent barbecue pork sandwich. Wash it all down with an ice-cold brew. Mix well with good friends, a comfy sofa and a place to rest your feet and, voilá, you have the makings of a perfect Super Bowl Sunday afternoon.
Tori says those who work in the kitchen understand how important a good meal can be to the healing process. “Food is not just about putting something on a plate. It’s about the entire experience, from the moment the food is delivered through the back door, to the preparation, to when it is put on a tray, to when it is delivered.” “We serve mostly comfort food,” Brian adds. “Foods that are meant to warm people’s bodies and souls.” But although most people equate comfort food with copious amounts of cream and butter, the chef says it doesn’t need to be that way. Brian began modifying some of the recipes he cooks at home for his fiancée, Courtney Miller, after she told him she wanted to look and feel her best before their nuptials next fall. The chef, who earned his bachelor’s degree in restaurant management from East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., before attending Napa Valley’s Culinary Institute of America, says delicious food and fattening food don’t need to be mutually exclusive. He developed a menu for Super Bowl Sunday that includes traditional game-day favorites prepared in ways that are lower in fat and calories.
Brian says most of the dishes are made with light meats as opposed to darker or red meats and he chose not to sauté or fry the chicken wings, as dry methods of cooking, such as grilling, are healthier than wet. “You just need a little bit of oil to get the seasoning on them,” he says of the wings. “Grilling meat will always be healthier than cooking it in oil or butter.” His favorite item on the menu is his pork tenderloin sandwich, seasoned with a barbecue spice rub containing onions, garlic and chili peppers. His use of tenderloin instead of the typical pork shoulder helps lower the fat. The coleslaw topping is flavored with a citrus base rather than a mayonnaise base. “It’s just the vegetables, lemon and lime juice. It’s a fresh and crisp coleslaw you put on top of the sandwich to enhance the natural flavors.” The executive chef said he looks forward to cooking up some of the recipes on the day of the game. “I’m sure we will be at home watching the game. I’d be shocked if I’m not making some of the stuff on that list.”
8 oz. smoked provolone cheese, whole chub ½ cup diced onion ½ Tbsp. minced garlic ½ Tbsp. Chardonnay wine 1 lb. ground chicken 1 tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. black pepper ½ cup plain breadcrumbs 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese 1 egg ¼ cup milk ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 24 oz. canned marinara sauce
Cut cheese into 1/4-inch cubes. Return to refrigerator until needed. Sauté onion and garlic in pan until soft and translucent. Add wine to the onions and garlic and allow to reduce until almost dry. Set aside and cool. In a large bowl combine meat, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, milk and parsley until blended. Remove cheese cubes from refrigerator. Scoop 1/4 cup of meat mixture from the bowl and form it into a ball. Push a piece of cheese into middle of ball; reform ball. Repeat with the rest of the meat and cheese until all meatballs are formed. In a sauté pan with just enough oil to keep the meatballs from sticking, sear the meatballs on all sides. Place meatballs in slow cooker and cover with marinara sauce. Cook on high for two hours. Serve hot, directly out of slow cooker.
Grilled Chicken Wings Makes 40 wings
40 chicken wings** 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning 24 oz. buffalo sauce***
In a large bowl, toss wings in oil and Old Bay seasoning to ensure they are well coated. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Remove wings from refrigerator and allow to warm slightly on counter. Heat outdoor grill to around 300° and place wings presentation-side down on grill. After about 3 minutes, depending on size of wings, turn and cook an additional 3 minutes. Once wings have reached an internal temperature of 165° and they feel firm, remove and place in a large bowl. Toss with buffalo sauce and serve with ranch and/or bleu cheese dressing for dipping. For a lighter, healthier op-
50
Makes 18 meatballs
MENU
Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Meatballs
Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Meatballs Grilled Chicken Wings Roasted BBQ Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Citrus Slaw Turkey Chili White Bean Spread with Chips
tion, choose a low-fat or nonfat dressing. NOTE: This dish is spicy! **If you purchased the wings unbutchered, separate the two edible pieces (wing and leg) and dispose of the wing tip before beginning. ***Buffalo sauce is available for purchase at most major supermarkets.
Roasted BBQ Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Citrus Slaw Serves 12 1.8 3¾ 1½ 1½ 3 12
oz. BBQ spice mix lbs. pork tenderloin (about 1 to 1½ lbs. each) cups BBQ sauce* lbs. citrus slaw* Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil whole-wheat hamburger buns
In a bowl, assemble BBQ Spice Mix. Trim excess fat from tenderloin and pat dry. Coat tenderloin with spice mix and place in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes. Prepare BBQ Sauce and Citrus Slaw. Take pork out of refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425° (400° if using convection). Spray tenderloin with nonstick vegetable spray. Heat oil in an oven-safe pan and sear pork over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Place pan in oven and finish cooking tenderloin until an internal temperature of 155° at its thickest part is reached, about 15 minutes. Remove tenderloin from pan and allow to rest on cutting board for 5 minutes. Slice tenderloin, then dice into 1/4-inch cubes. Place diced pork in a bowl and toss with BBQ sauce. For each bun, serve 4 oz. of pork with 2 oz. of citrus slaw. SUPER BOWL ON PAGE 62
BY STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO
amily stories told over generations have a way of morphing over time. Sometimes the tales grow tall and fantastic, while other details of family lore become so fuzzy that they simply fade into obscurity. 42 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
But now, solving enduring ancestral mysteries is much easier with genealogical tools such as Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com and FamilySearch.org. DNA tests offer another intriguing window into family histories, providing insight into who we are, reaching back thousands of years. People launch genealogical digs for many reasons. Some may want to verify or debunk family lore; others may want to illuminate the life of an elusive relative. But whatever the spark that begins it, the search can provide many surprises. Sometimes tales of a family member’s criminal behavior are verified through newspaper accounts. Other searches uncover answers to questions that living relatives have forgotten, often healing old wounds. And for some, connecting with family members from across the world brings unexpected joy. My search started with a mystery.
na” was actually Martin’s endearing mispronunciation of his sister’s name, “Lena,” who died at the age 10 when he was only 3. Perhaps “Manina” was Martin’s way of saying “my Lena.” But knowing that there was a sister who Martin loved and lost didn’t put the mystery to rest. Why had her life—and her untimely death—been kept secret? The question gnawed at my mother (and me) for years. Had she known the truth about her father’s loss sooner rather than later, life with him might have been different. Regardless, shame seemed to surround Lena’s death. So, how did she die? My genealogical dig started on Ancestry.com, which offers a treasure trove of information through census records, marriage and death records, ship passenger lists, obituaries, news accounts, and much more. Simply plug in a name, choose a record you want to investigate and information pops up on the computer. The site provides little leaf graphics attached to names to provide hints for your search. Ancestry.com revealed that Lena died on May 24, 1908, in Manhattan, N.Y. She was listed in the 1900 U.S. Census, but by 1910, Lena had disappeared from the historical record. Lena’s death certificate said that she died of double tuberculosis, or the Great White Plague as it was called at the time. Sadly, my grandfather mourned his sister his entire life, but was only able to express his grief after drinking that bottle of beer. But, my genealogical dig became more than just a quest to find out about Lena. I continued with the search because when it comes to family matters, details are difficult to resist. Plus, the journey has given me a chance to reconnect with distant family members. I contacted New York cousins on Facebook with a request to share old photos. I was able to copy a wedding photo of my mother’s aunt, Julie, and her mother, Carmella Mona, my mother’s beloved grandmother, who she remembers leading the large family in song after every Sunday dinner. While searching for Lena’s fate, I also gained insight into her era through Ancestry.com, which offers information about daily life. It was interesting to learn that, during Lena’s time, New York was in the midst of building its first subway system.
Knowing there was a sister who Martin loved and lost didn,t put the mystery to rest. Why had her life —and death— been kept secret?
The author's family photos and mementos help to tell the story of their rich life together.
‘MANINA’
My interest in parsing family fact from fiction started many years ago when my mother, Dolores Bertholdo, shared a painful memory from her childhood. As the story goes, after one can of beer, my grandfather, Martin Nienstedt, would cry and babble out the word, “Manina.” As a child, my mother thought her father was speaking gibberish fueled by alcohol. Every time it happened, she would bristle, and as a result, her relationship with her father was strained. “I used to get so upset with my father,” Dolores said. “I would see the devil when he cried ‘Manina,’ but my mother had promised him she wouldn’t let us know why he did this.” On the day her father died, her mother, Theresa Nienstedt, revealed the long-held secret. Martin, it turned out, wasn’t talking nonsense at all. “Mani-
MY FATHER’S STORY
On my father’s side, family lore says that my great-grandmother, Maria Rizzo, emigrated from Italy to New York when she was 11, working first in a cigar factory and then a doll factory. She married Vincenzo Marraro in 1898 at the age of 14 and worked as a WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 43
seamstress doing intricate bead work for wealthy families—possibly even the Vanderbilts. Any dress she saw, it’s been said, she could reproduce with ease. She continued with this work after she was widowed in 1911 and through the Depression, making enough money to support her two daughters, Concetta Veronica, who went by the name Anna, and Annunciata, or Nancy. I found my great-grandmother’s name on a ship’s passenger list through Ancestry. com. At 53, she traveled with six pieces of luggage to California on the SS President Cleveland through the Panama Canal. She met and married her second husband, John Cuccio, in California. Although Maria Marraro didn’t know how to read or write, the money she earned as a seamstress in New York paid for a diner and a block of businesses in East Los Angeles, that included a barber shop, beauty salon, grocery store and bar. Family stories vary on just what happened. It had been said that someone was either murdered or killed in a fire at the bar, which prompted the sale of the property and land. My recollection is that the block of businesses was destroyed in a fire during the 1965 Watts Riots. My sister and I plan on further researching this aspect of our great-grandmother’s story by visiting the Los Angeles Hall of Records and the County Recorders.
NEANDERTHAL DNA
I always naively thought my ancestral makeup was three-quarters Italian and one-quarter German. But when my mother, Dolores, sister, Patrice Bouffard, and I each took a salivabased DNA test from the company 23andMe, we discovered some surprises. Turns out that I’m only 49.8 percent Italian and 9.8 percent German and French with a smattering of broadly southern and northern European ancestry, 5.4 percent Middle Eastern and North African, with a touch of Asian, African, British, Irish and Scandinavian genetic links. I also have a smidgen of Ashkenazi DNA in me, which means I have distant Jewish relatives. My sister and I also assumed that we would have the same concentrations of heritage but that’s not the case. I happen to be more genetically Italian than Patrice—her genetic breakdown revealed that she is 31.7 percent Italian. We both have a higher than normal amount of Neanderthal DNA coursing through our cells. What that means is that we’re all connected. Neanderthals are the closest evolutionary relatives of today’s Homo sapiens, having lived side by side with them for thousands of years. Neanderthals became extinct about 40,000 years ago, but their DNA has survived. Studies have shown that people FAMILY TREE ON PAGE 64
GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES Many online sources can help those seeking to piece together their family puzzles. Here are a few: • Ancestry.com • MyHeritage.com • Familylink.com • FamilySearch.org • Genealogy.com • 23andMe.com • conejovalleygenealogicalsociety.org
44 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
Several collections of major genealogical data are available online at the Thousand Oaks Library at no cost: • Ancestry Library Edition • Heritage Quest • Los Angeles Times 1881 to present • New England Historic Genealogical Society For genealogical societies, visit: www.ancestry.com/ wiki/index.php?title=List_of_Genealogical_Societies
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readers corner
Repurposed projects
Beyond readers are as busy as bees and twice as creative. Here's a selection of projects they submitted that show how old stuff can enjoy new life.
When remodeling her house, Karin Aldridge of Camarillo turned two sinks into decorative planters.
This 1950s-era bread delivery truck drawer is now a serving tray for Cory LeBlanc of Camarillo.
Danica Lopez of Thousand Oaks made a wreath from scavenged pine cones and her wedding cake topper.
PIECES WITH A PURPOSE
Carol Haverty of Camarillo mounted tractor disks on tree stumps to use as planters for her succulents.
Iron candle holders display antique religious relics for Flora Bratt of Thousand Oaks.
Susan Wilson of Camarillo created ceramic flowers made of vintage plates and doorknobs.
Marsha Klipp of Moorpark made ‘Argo the Owl’ from a vintage camera, a brass bowl, drawer handles and a lamp part. Her bride is a delightful combination of vintage silverware, goblets and jewelry while her groom is constructed of vintage brass pieces.
This etched glass panel was part of Sandra Weston's front door before she turned it into a decorative divider in her Thousand Oaks bathroom.
Evie Bystrom of Thousand Oaks transformed an old upright piano into a piano bar in what she calls "upcycling." We call it charming.
“I continue to be interested in new things that seem old and old things that seem new.” — Jaquelin T. Robertson, architect
With her husband and son, Lissa Coffey of Westlake Village turned an old horse corral fence into two rustic picnic tables with built-in coolers for drinks and snacks.
Dolores Murphy of Camarillo used vintage power line glass insulators for her luminous lamps.
This hand crafted rocker was a Father's Day gift for Doug Magnusson of Thousand Oaks. His son built it, using a reclaimed wine barrel.
Visiting birds can feed in Ela Lindsay's repurposed Tiffany lamp in Moorpark.
Heidi Dauwalter of Simi Valley has had this trash-to-treasure sculpture in her family for decades.
Kimney Bennett of Agoura Hills used a vintage window frame to bring a sense of style to her outdoor table garden.
Jeanne Cristiano of Thousand Oaks converted candlestick holders into electric lamps for her fireplace mantel.
To see more readers' projects, go to www.beyondtheacorn.com
COMING UP: We want to see your goofiest kid pix. Send them to beyond@theacorn.com
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feeling good
Hand model: KARMA CHRISTINE SALVATO
Mindful eating The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor. — Chinese proverb
Written by ELA LINDSAY Photo by RICHARD GILLARD
I
magine taking five minutes to enjoy a single grape. Use as many senses as you can. Pick it up, let it roll around in your hand and look at it like you’ve never seen a grape before. Explore how it glistens in the light; smooth green skin reflecting the shine. Sniff it and see if you can detect a scent. Press it gingerly between your fingers; feel its resistance. Finally, place it in your mouth and explore it with your tongue and teeth. Rediscover the delights of this little morsel of sweetness by gently puncturing its skin and taking time to taste it fully. If possible, chew it at least 15 or 20 times before swallowing. This is similar to a mindful eating exercise taught by Agoura Hills resident Mark Waldman, executive MBA faculty at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and creator of NeuroWisdom 101, a mindfulness training course. The program teaches a neuroscientific approach to living, eating healthy and losing weight by applying mindfulness—a popular buzzword these days. “Healthy mindful living is the ability to use knowledge, personal understanding and meditative techniques to foster peace and happiness in ourselves in the present moment,” says Lindsay Leimbach, a mindful living coach and teacher, and creator of the Centered Moment in Thousand Oaks. WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 53
“Our relationship to food is a central one that reflects our attitudes toward our environment and valuate your initial hunger ourselves. As a practice, mindful eating can bring us awareness of our own actions, thoughts, feelings and motivations, and insight into the roots of ssess your food and present it mindfully health and contentment.” According to owner/director of the Camarillo aste the food Yoga Center, Audrey Walzer, who also offers local science-based mindfulness courses, “Mindful eatnvestigate your hunger as you eat ing is the first meditation we do (in the course) . . . because it provides a template for the way we approach our lives in general. When we are eatotice how you feel ing, what are we usually doing? Talking. Reading. Watching TV . . . pretty much anything but acturatefully acknowledge the people, plants and ally paying attention to our food and the process of animals that played a part in providing your food eating it.” —Provided by Lindsay Leimbach She cites a 2010 study out of Harvard University, which shows that “as much as 47 percent of our day, our mind is actually on something else other than what we are future ones can trigger a stress response in the body: “Release of the doing right now,” she says. “In other words, almost half our life, we’re stress hormone cortisol, and adrenaline surges, heart rate and blood not really here!” pressure go up, digestion decreases, and the fight/flight/freeze So where are we? (mechanism is engaged)—the body is responding as though the According to Walzer, “We are in the past, rehashing something situation is a real emergency, and yet it’s all in our head!” that has just happened, or in the future, rehearsing for something Living and eating mindfully, then, can help focus us in the that may or may not happen.” In mindfulness, this is called the au- present moment. According to Waldman, the process of mindful tomatic pilot of our lives, she says, “the habit we all have of living in eating can start when buying food. “Stroll through the grocery store our thoughts.” and pay attention to all of the colors, scents, flavors and textures, Unfortunately, even remembered past experiences or imagined and keep asking yourself what you really want and what you need to
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nurture yourself,” he says. This is actually what the slow-food movement is all about. “People are taking more time to grow, pick food, prepare, and then take that same approach to cooking,” says Waldman. “The more you can immerse yourself in using all the senses while you’re preparing, eating, etc., and the more you can slow down (the process), the more it enhances the neurological functioning of your brain.” To have a meal mindfully, he suggests: “Take 60 seconds to deeply relax the mind and body, yawn a few times, stretch, and in super slow motion, take your time to look at the food, smell it, hold a bit on your tongue and enjoy the subtle flavors. You’ll feel more satisfied, and you’ll eat less and enjoy it more.”
Five Fab Tips to Try 1. Use a red plate or red napkins. Red means STOP, whether you’re at a traffic light or looking at your plate. 2. Eat with your nondominant hand. This easy tip can reduce how much you eat by up to 30 percent.
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3. To slow down your eating even more, spear your food with your fork instead of scooping it. 4. Eat your favorite food last because it’s the piece you’ll remember.
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—Adapted from Dr. Susan Albers’ website, eatingmindfully.com.
Local Classes Camarillo Yoga presents 10-week courses in Camarillo, Westlake and Ventura. www.camarilloyoga.com Lindsay Leimbach will present a free mindful eating class Fri., Feb. 5 at the Conejo YMCA, 4031 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. Call (805) 523-7613 to register.
WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 55
looking good
Style
From left: Climb a Mountain legging from Mara Hoffman, Lake legging in black and white floral from Electric and Rose, Ferocity legging in camouflage from Anjali, Lake legging in street art from Electric and Rose, Ferocity legging in bloom from Anjali.
THE PRINTED LEGGING REVOLUTION
It’s time to toss those bland, monotone leggings of yesteryear because fitness fashion today is all about self-expression and looking—and feeling—good while getting fit. That’s the premise behind Anjali, a New Jersey-based yoga clothing line that uses fabric made from rPET (recycled) water bottles. Co-founder Kristinn Sigridarson calls their legging designs “artwork that reminds us, and all that see it, of the inherent beauty and 56 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
goodness that resides in each and every one of us.” The brand believes that activewear should keep wearers looking cool on and off the mat. At Evolve Fit Wear, an online shop that curates emerging activewear brands that are mainly USA-made with environmentallyfriendly or recycled fabrics, outreach and content manager Laura Helms says this year camouflage, nature and animal-inspired prints are the most popular patterns spicing up the once-basic yoga legging.
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Much like art, colorful, bold workout wear is a fun way for people to express their individuality. “An interesting print with a shot of color can make an outfit exciting and light up a room,” says Sigridarson, “. . . every print has its own unique personality and energy.” Helms says that for years women wore standard black leggings to “hide their curves,” but two trends in the last decade were catalysts for a big style switch-up: yoga and the movement to embrace individual body types. At the same time that women started “feeling more confident and ready to try new styles, colors and patterns in their workout wardrobe, emerging designers . . . began to notice the lack of fun and inspired options in activewear and began the printed legging revolution that we now see,” Helms explains. And it’s not just prints that are shaking up the legging, but also texture. Mesh cutouts and glossy fabrics are now commonly seen in yoga studios as well as on the streets. When it’s time to get sweaty, Helms recommends wearing graphic tees with yoga-inspired sayings or solid-color tops. That way, printed leggings don’t look too busy. When wearing prints off the mat, however, she pairs her colorful leggings with boots and oversized sweaters. Looking forward, Helms and the Evolve Fit Wear company expect the gym-to-street style, called “athleisure” wear, to continue to change how leggings are worn. “Emerging designs are more highfashion and versatile than ever, and we look forward to this bringing us some really exciting looks in the next year.” —Allison Montroy
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Winter 2016
AROUND TOWN THEATER
SAT., FEB. 13
Valentine's Day Sweetheart's Dinner and Dance
WED., JAN. 27 “See Rock City” Rubicon Theatre Company 1006 E. Main St., Ventura www.rubicontheatre.org (805) 667-2900 Runs thru Feb. 14 FRI., JAN. 29 “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” Cabrillo Music Theatre Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks www.cabrillomusictheatre.com (805) 449-2787 Runs thru Feb. 14 FRI., FEB. 5 “The Wizard of Oz” Young Artists Ensemble Hillcrest Center for the Arts 403 W. Hillcrest Dr. Thousand Oaks www.yaeonline.com Runs thru Feb. 21 *Conejo Theatre For Everyone performances Feb. 26-28 “Tuesdays With Morrie” Camarillo Skyway Playhouse 330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo skywayplayhouse.org (805) 388-5716 Runs thru March 6 “Oliver” High Street Arts Center 45 East High Street Moorpark www.highstreetartscenter.com (805) 529-8700 Runs thru Mar. 6 WED., MARCH 2 “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” Rubicon Theatre Company 1006 E. Main St., Ventura www.rubicontheatre.org (805) 667-2900 Runs thru Mar. 20. FRI., MARCH 11 “Wizard of Oz” Conejo Players Theatre
The New Year is brimming with promise and, as always, there’s a whole lot going on. Here are some highlights.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley www.reaganfoundation.org, (805) 577-4057, 6 to 10 p.m. Reserve by Feb. 10. 351 S. Moorpark Road Thousand Oaks www.conejoplayers.org (805) 495-3715 Runs thru April 10 FRI., APRIL 1 “The Pajama Game” Camarillo Skyway Playhouse 330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo skywayplayhouse.org (805) 388-5716 Runs thru May 8
www.rubicontheatre.org (805) 667-2900 Runs thru May 1 FRI., APRIL 15 “On Golden Pond” High Street Arts Center 45 East High Street, Moorpark www.highstreetartscenter.com (805) 529-8700 Runs thru May 8
LIVE MUSIC
FRI., APRIL 8 “Children of Eden” Cabrillo Music Theatre Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks www.cabrillomusictheatre.com (805) 497-8613 Runs thru April 17
SAT., JAN. 16 Saturday POPS Gold Coast Wind Ensemble Scherr Forum Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. www.gcwe.org (805) 449-2775 7:30 p.m.
WED., APRIL 13 “eXtras” Rubicon Theatre Company 1006 E. Main Street, Ventura
SAT., FEB. 20 “Broadway Concert Series: Babes in Arms” Rubicon Theatre Company
58 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
1006 E. Main St., Ventura www.rubicontheatre.org (805) 667-2900 Runs thru Feb. 21 SUN., FEB. 28 The Band of the Royal Marines and the Pipes, Drums, and Highland Dancers of the Scots Guards Valley Performing Arts Center California State University, Northridge 18111 Nordhoff St. www. valleyperformingartscenter.org (818) 677-3000 3 p.m. FRI., MARCH 11 Kristin Chenoweth Fred Kavli Theatre Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. www.civicartsplaza.com (805) 449-2787
SAT., APRIL 2 “Broadway Concert Series: Children of Eden” Rubicon Theatre Company 1006 E. Main St., Ventura www.rubicontheatre.org (805) 667-2900 Runs thru April 3 SUN., APRIL 10 “Wild Things: Music of Birds, Beasts and Bugs!” Areté Vocal Ensemble Samuelson Chapel Cal Lutheran University 60 W. Olsen Road Thousand Oaks callutheran.edu/arete (805) 493-3308 2 p.m.
ART THURS., JAN. 21 Oils, Watercolors and Collages With Wendy Winet and Lynn Fogel Fox Fine Jewelry 560 E. Main St., Ventura www.foxfinejewelry.com (805) 652-1800 Runs thru March 6
FRI., FEB. 5 “Reflections” Exhibit Prints by Paul Finkel William Rolland Gallery of Art Cal Lutheran University 160 Overton Court Thousand Oaks www.callutheran.edu/ rolland-gallery Runs thru Feb. 20
SUN., JAN. 24
Stomp
SAT., FEB. 6 Gallery Opening Reception Studio Channel Islands Art Center 2222 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo www.studiochannelislands.org First Saturday of every month
Valley Performing Arts Center California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St. www.valleyperformingartscenter.org, (818) 677-3000
FAMILY FUN SAT., JAN. 16 “Star Party” with Oak Canyon Astronomy Group 5600 Hollytree Dr., Oak Park www.oakcanyonastro.com Also Feb. 13, Mar. 5 and Apr. 16 MON., JAN. 18 MLK Freedom March and Celebration Oxnard Performing Arts Center
800 Hobson Way, Oxnard www.mlkventuracounty.com Starts at Plaza Park, 5th St. SAT., JAN. 23 Camarillo Ranch Bridal Showcase 201 Camarillo Ranch Road Camarillo
camarilloranch.org (805) 389-8182 SUN., JAN. 24 Topanga Vintage Market Flea market at Pierce College Woodland Hills www.topangavintagemarket.com Also Feb. 28, Mar. 27, Apr. 24
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Oak Park Sustainability Fair and Recycling Event Oak Park High School 899 Kanan Road www.oakparkusd.org/ supersaturday SAT., FEB. 6 LA Cookie Con The West Coast's biggest baking, decorating and pastry convention. L.A. Convention Center 1201 S. Figueroa St. www.lacookiecon.com Also Sun., Feb. 7 THURS., FEB. 12 Chinese New Year Celebration Camarillo Public Library 4101 Los Posas Road www.vccaa.org FRI., MARCH 4 International Orchid Show Earl Warren Show Grounds 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara www.sborchidshow.com Also Sat., March 5 and Sun., March 6 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SAT., MARCH 5 Ojai Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball Ojai Art Center 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai ojaimardigras.com 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Gem, Mineral, Lapidary and Fossil Show Ventura Gem & Mineral Society Ventura County Fairgrounds 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura vgms.org Also Sun., Mar. 6 SAT., MARCH 12 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Main Street, downtown Ventura venturastpatricksdayparade.com 10 a.m. MON., MARCH 14 Norm Weitzel Open Golf Tournament Buenaventura Golf Course 5882 Olivas Park Drive, Ventura www.vccaregivers.org Shotgun start at 9 a.m. SAT., MARCH 19 Zoo Spring Spectacular America’s Teaching Zoo
Moorpark College 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark www.moorparkcollege.edu/zoo (805) 378-1441 Also March 20, 26, 27 and April 2 and 3 Dole Great Race of Agoura and Expo Chumash Park 5550 Medea Valley Drive Agoura greatrace.run Expo and pick-up March 17 and 18 Celtic Faire Constitution Park 601 Carmen Drive, Camarillo www.vccaregivers.org Also Sun., March 20 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. FRI., APRIL 8 The Hollywood Show Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel 5400 West Century Blvd. Los Angeles www.hollywoodshow.com (818) 533-8204 Hob-nob with celebrities; get
autographs and memorabilia. 6 to 9 p.m. Runs thru April 10 SAT., APRIL 9 The Pickford Ensemble: Up Against the Screen II Ampitheatre at Center for the Arts Pepperdine 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy. Malibu arts.pepperdine.edu (310) 506-4522 "The Little Princess" with Mary Pickford. 7:30 p.m. WED., APRIL 20 Ojai Tennis Tournament 112 tennis courts in the Ojai Valley, Ventura, Oxnard and Port Hueneme www.ojaitourney.org Thru April 24 SUN., APRIL 24 Chili Cook-Off and Conejo Valley Classic Car Show Conejo Creek Park North Thousand Oaks www.conejovalleycarclassic.com 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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ONGOING Ventura County Maritime Museum Exhibit 3900 Bluefin Circle, Oxnard www. channelislandsmaritimemuseum.org (805) 984-6260 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gardens of the World 2001 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks www.gardensoftheworld.info (805) 557-1135 Open Tuesday thru Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Heritage Square Century Homes Tour 715 S. A St., Oxnard Historic homes heritagesquare.org (805) 483-7960 Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. Santa Paula Airport First Sunday Open House 28 Wright Taxi Way Santa Paula www.aviationmuseumofsantapaula. org (805) 525-1109 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Canyon Club 28912 Roadside Drive Agoura Hills Live entertainment www.canyonclub.net (818) 879-5016 Sagebrush Cantina 23527 Calabasas Road Calabasas Live entertainment www.sagebrushcantina.com/event (818) 222-6062 California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks 1948 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks Art exhibits (805) 405-5240 www.cmato.org Downtown Oxnard’s First Thursdays Food Trucks 500 S. C St. www.downtownoxnard.org 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monthly food truck festival at Plaza Park. Excido Escape Room 111 Poindexter Ave., Ste. A
Moorpark www.excidoescaperoom.com (805) 334-5975 Game and entertainment: Choose either Studio E or The Casino Club.
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ONGOING COMEDY Ventura Harbor Comedy Club 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Ste. 205 Ventura www. venturaharborcomedyclub.com (805) 644-1500 Laugh Out Loud Comedy Nights First Wednesdays at Westlake Village Twin Third Wednesdays at Paseo Camarillo Regency Theater 7:30 p.m. Ventura Improv Company 34 N. Palm St., Ventura www.venturaimprov.com (805) 643-5701 Live improv on Friday and Saturday nights. Comedy Nights at Aldabella Custom Crush Winery 31111 Via Colinas Westlake Village www.aldabellawinery.com (818) 991-9463 7 p.m. First and third Thursday of each month. Fresh Friday Comedy Improv Show Ventura Improv Company 34 N. Palm, Ventura venturaimprov.com (805) 643-5701 Weekly Friday and Saturday nights. 8 p.m.
To submit an event for the Beyond calendar, email information to eLindsay@theacorn.com by February 29. The next calendar will cover events taking place from April to July.
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WINTER 2016 | BEYONDTHEACORN.COM 61
SUPER BOWL FROM PAGE 41
BBQ Spice Mix Makes 2½ oz.
2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ ½
Tbsp. paprika Tbsp. chili powder Tbsp. kosher salt tsp. ground cumin tsp. granulated sugar tsp. dry mustard tsp. black pepper tsp. dried thyme tsp. dried oregano tsp. curry powder tsp. chipotle powder tsp. onion powder tsp. garlic powder
BBQ Sauce Makes 2 cups
1 cup ketchup ½ cup tomato puree 1⅓ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. onion powder 1 pinch kosher salt 1⅓ oz. cider vinegar 1 tsp. chili powder ½ tsp. chipotle powder 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. paprika
Mix lemon juice, lime juice, marmalade, hot sauce and oil in a large bowl. Add cole slaw mix and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. Remove from refrigerator, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Combine ingredients in a saucepan and place over low heat on the stove. Simmer, occasionally stirring, until ingredients are completely blended. Use water to adjust thickness if necessary.
2 cups chopped onion, chopped ¾ cup diced green bell pepper 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeno pepper 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 Tbsp. ancho chili powder 1½ tsp. chipotle powder 2½ Tbsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. dried oregano 1½ tsp. kosher salt ¾ tsp. black pepper 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 3 lbs. ground turkey
Turkey Chili Serves 10
Combine all ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container. Mix will Citrus Slaw Serves 16 keep up to one month. BBQ spice mix can also be purchased 6 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 2 lemons) at most major supermarkets.
4 Tbsp. lime juice (about 2 limes) ½ cup orange marmalade 2 Tbsp. Tapatio hot sauce
8 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 lbs. cole slaw mix
St. Jude the Apostle Catholic School 32036 Lindero Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91361
Achieving Academic Excellence in a Community of Faith
• Grades K-8 • Academically challenging curriculum aligned with state standards and Common Core • Highly competitive Junior High Academic Decathlon Team • Athletic Teams and Spirit Squad • After School Enrichment Programs
We look forward to sharing our school with you! Can’t make it? Private tours available by appointment. Please call 818-889-9483 to schedule your visit. Principal Michele Schulte: mschulte@stjudeschool.org
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Save The Date! 2016 Open House Sunday, January 31st 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please join our faculty and staff, student council and parent board members for campus tours, classroom visits and light brunch refreshments. Admission packets for our 2016-2017 school year will be available.
2½ 1 2½ 1½ 2½
Tbsp. tomato paste pint beer cups diced tomato cups no salt added tomato sauce cups canned black beans, drained
Place onion and green bell peppers in a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice the jalapeno (for milder chili, remove seeds or omit jalapeno completely). Place in bowl with onion and pepper. Add the minced garlic. In a small bowl, combine spices. In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat and brown turkey. Season with salt and black pepper. Once fully cooked, remove turkey from pot. Saute onion, peppers, garlic and jalapeno in additional 2 Tbsp. oil until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat vegetable mixture. Continue to cook and stir about 2 minutes until the ingredients turn dark red. Pour in ½ pint of beer and allow to boil down by 2/3, about 2 minutes. Place the cooked turkey back in the pot and combine. Add spice mixture and stir to coat meat and vegetables. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and the remaining beer. Stir to combine. Lightly simmer for 40 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans and heat through, about 5 minutes. Serve with green onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips or any other toppings you desire. For a lighter option, consider using low-fat cheese, lowfat or fat-free sour cream and baked tortilla chips.
White Bean Spread Serves 16
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 15 oz. canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 Tbsp. water 1 tsp. thyme, dry, chopped ½ tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. black pepper ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
In a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and turn off immediately. Allow garlic to sit in oil for 30 seconds to a minute and then strain out the garlic pieces, reserving the oil. Set aside and allow to cool. Discard garlic. In a food processor, combine beans, flavored oil, lemon juice, water, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne. Process until smooth. Dip may be refrigerated a few hours before serving. Serve at room temperature with your favorite chips.
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Be a part of Beyond the Acorn and reach 100,000 area homes. Each issue is brimming with local lifestyle info on people, activities and entertainment.
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Kids Do the Darndest Things! and we want to see them in action
Kids love to be kids. They’re messy, silly, loud, crazy and just plain goofy. They turn salad bowls into helmets and lipstick into face paint. And sometimes we’re lucky enough to have a camera on hand to snap a shot in between laughs.
In the next issue of Beyond the Acorn, our Readers Corner will feature the goofiest kid pix. So send us your best (or worst).
Beyond
Please send photos to: Beyond@theAcorn.com Or: Beyond the Acorn, 30423 Canwood St., Suite 108, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 — Include your name, city and phone number.
FAMILY TREE FROM PAGE 44
from countries in southern Europe, like Italy, have a higher level of Neanderthal DNA than people from Great Britain. The differences may point to how Neanderthal populations migrated geographically in Europe.
SCANDAL
A new mystery has arisen for my mother from the 23andMe experience. The organization provides a service that connects genetically matched 23andMe users. Generally this means third to fifth cousins are identified. My mother found that she has a new second cousin, Karen Harper, from New Jersey with family ties to Brooklyn. Karen and I discussed family surnames to try to land on the common relative. So far, no match. We have theorized that a child was either born out of wedlock or given up for adoption. So far this seems likely since my mother and Karen would have to share a great grandparent in order to be second cousins. We know that the family connection would have to be from my mother’s German side because of Karen’s German ancestry. Also, both my mother’s and Karen’s great-grandparents once lived in Brooklyn. Karen and I have delved into many possible scenarios of who in our family trees might have given birth to a baby conceived outside of marriage. It seems likely that a child was given up for adoption, or handed over to another family to raise without going through legal channels. What seemed like an easy trace turned out to be a lesson in frustration. Yet I don’t think either Karen or I will give up on this new mystery. We hope some other new relatives will pop up through 23andMe connections and give us further clues as to the intersecting relative. Agoura Hills resident Jan Meisels Allen, president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County, said roadblocks like these are called “brick walls.” Brick walls or not, there are all kinds of ways to dig up the past. We could travel to various locales where our ancestors lived and snoop through historic records that are not linked to online sites, talk to living relatives who may have undocumented historical tidbits to share, or admit we’ve reached a dead end and just enjoy the ‘what if ’ theories about those genetically linked relatives who defy cross reference. The hunt for family stories is never ending, but with every little tidbit that emerges, the story of your life comes a bit more into focus. My journey into the past has just begun.
We have theorized that a child was either born out of wedlock or given up for adoption.
Stephanie Bertholdo, shown here in her high school senior photo, is a staff writer for the Acorn newspapers.
resources
People and vendors in this issue
NEIGHBORS Page 14 “How the West was Fun” Margaret Brownley margaret-brownley.com AROUND THE TABLE Page 24 “Cake Walk” Fondant dog cupcakes: Katie Auerbach, KT Cakes Cupcakes www.ktcakescupcakes.com Modeling chocolate, SugarVeil: Kake Kreations 21851 Sherman Way Canoga Park (818) 346-7621 www.kakekreations.com Gum paste flowers and decorating tools: Winnie Au and Westlake Culinary Institute 4643 Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village (818) 991-3940 www.westlakeculinaryinstitute.com FEATURE STORIES Page 28 “Let’s Dance” Thrive Dance Center 3623 Old Conejo Road, Ste. 100 Newbury Park (805) 375-9988 www.thrivedancecenter.com Arthur Murray Dance Centers 3065 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. (806) 495-1445 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Ste. 2210-A, Woodland Hills (818) 225-8000 arthurmurray.com Poinsettia Swing Dance Club (805) 223-0635 www.psdance.org The Ballroom World of Dance 30686 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Agoura Hills (818) 889-5400 www.ballroomworldofdance.com
Page 32 “Canyon Castaways” Tile: Janine Waldbaum Malibu Tile Works www.malibutileworks.com (310) 702-9111 READERS CORNER Page 49 “Pieces with a New Purpose” Flora Bratt luxeinteriors00@gmail.com
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snapshot
Local lore
Barry Balin was 21 years old in 1966 when a friend phoned him and told him to grab his camera and come to Malibu Canyon. “We ran out there . . . it was chaos. We set up our 4x5 Polaroid camera and shot one single photo before leaving.”
Lady of the
One morning in 1966, a 60-foot-high painted image of a naked woman, flowers in her hand, her black hair flowing freely in the wind, appeared on the rock face high above the northbound opening of Malibu Canyon tunnel. Five days later, all that remained of the infamous nude was a ghostly pink outline of her voluptuous body. In a way, the shadow of who she had been was even more provocative. Those traveling through Malibu Canyon could only imagine what she must have looked like. The Pink Lady of Malibu Canyon was the work of artist Lynne Seemayer, the then-31-year-old mother of two who wanted to replace the mountain’s graffiti with something beautiful. Over several months, working only by the light of the moon, the artist used ropes to suspend herself on the rock, painting over the graffiti and then outlining her figure. On the night of October 28 she began painting at 8 p.m. By morning, the Pink Lady was complete. For days the local news buzzed with reports of the guerilla art. The artist, who worked in a law firm in the San Fernando Valley, told the Los Angeles Times she was surprised by the attention her Pink Lady received. Then, almost as quickly as she appeared, the Pink Lady was gone, painted over by county workers as a crowd of onlookers protested. But her blurred shadow remained and for many years those who traveled the canyon would point at where, for a brief moment in time, the Pink Lady had danced freely. —L.G.H.
canyon
MALIBU CANYON’S MYSTERIOUS PINK LADY STOPPED TRAFFIC FOR FIVE DAYS IN 1966— AND THEN SHE WAS GONE Photo by BARRY BALIN 66 BEYONDTHEACORN.COM | WINTER 2016
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