WEEKLY HUMANITARIAN EDITION
YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT THIS CHARITY IS DOING WITH CARDBOARD NIRVAN MULLICK
foodie
foodie
shoppe
escape
5 TIPS FOR AN AMAZING HOME GARDEN
EAT PLANT BASED LIKE THIS PRO
A DESIGNER'S ESSENTIAL LIST OF COMFY THINGS YOU NEED
A COLORFUL LA PENTHOUSE TO INSPIRE A HOME MAKEOVER
foodie www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/ www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/
CLICK TO READ ON
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM
JESSICA HOFFMAN www.choosingchia.com @choosingchia LOCALE MAGAZINE 13
foodie
“Making sure your soil is healthy is essential to a great garden.”
Encinitas, CA
Farm Manager ADAM MCCURDY,
rm
at Coastal Roots Fa
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/coastal-roots-farm/
1
www.localemagazine.com/coastal-roots-farm/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM
CAN YOU DIG IT? • “Making sure your soil is healthy is essential to a great garden. Grab a soil test kit from A & L Western Soil Labs to see what nutrients are already in your soil.” 2
BUG OFF! • “Not all bugs are bad—in fact, a diverse group of insects can help keep the good bugs around and kick the bad ones to the curb. Protect your garden with the biodiversity of insects by using IPM (Insect Pesticide Management) for an organic option.”
3
Good to Grow
‘TIS THE SEASON • “Bring in the springtime with the right crops that mix up your garden with their different bloom times. Radishes, broccoli, carrots, kale, chard, collards, lettuce and Bastia are the perfect fit.”
ADAM MCCURDY SHARES HIS TOP TIPS FOR A BLOOMING HOME GARDEN
WRITTEN BY: ALETTA COOKE PHOTOGRAPHED BY: LEAH STEIGER
Old McDonald may have had a farm, but he could never dream up the experience Coastal Farm gives. Located in Encinitas, this picturesque property sits on over 70 acres and features sustainable agricultural produce that serves to help fight food insecurity and cultivate the land based on ancient Jewish traditions. With over 17 years of farming experience, Adam McCurdy, Coastal Farm’s farm manager, shares tips on how to create your home garden.
www.localemagazine.com/coastal-roots-farm/
4
TOMATO, TO-MA-TO • “Tomatoes are very susceptible to pests and fungal infections. Plan to work hard up front and continue doing so throughout the season to be rewarded with these ripe veggies.”
5
BEST BUDDIES • “Sometimes a natural garden can use a little bit of help. Products such as Thin Reemay Floating Row Crop Covers can protect and grow your garden.”
“Bring in the springtime with the right crops that mix up your garden with their different bloom times.”
“Plan to work hard up front and continue doing so throughout the season to be rewarded with these ripe veggies.”
All for Food, Food for All • Coastal Farm offers a Pay What You Can farm stand to welcome the community and offer fresh produce for all families, no matter their income.
14 LOCALE MAGAZINE
At The Center of it All • What used to be called the “flower growing capital of the world” is now where Coastal Roots Farm’s property sits.
COASTAL ROOTS FARM 441 Saxony Rd Encinitas, CA 92024 760.479.6505 www.coastalrootsfarm.org
foodie
Recycling is Cool-er THE LOBBY DOORS HAVE CLOSED, BUT HARRAH’S RESORT SOCAL IS DETERMINED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION WRITTEN BY: KAYLIN WAIZINGER PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY: HARRAH’S RESORT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Harrah’s Resort Southern California is the home of all things fun—there’s no doubt. But in lieu of today’s COVID-19 crisis, Harrah’s Resort SoCal has decided to close its lobby doors to ensure the health and safety of its beloved guests and team members. After all, these folks are essential to putting the “fun” in Funner, CA.
H
Setting fun aside, the resort is taking matters into its own hands. With plenty of food in the fridge and no guests to eat it, Harrah’s Resort SoCal has donated over 8,000 lbs of produce and refrigerated items to
the San Diego Food Bank as well as 805 lbs to The Foundry Escondido, making sure perishable resources do not go to waste. “During this time of uncertainty, we want to ensure that families, seniors and children in need have access to food,” says Bo Mazzetti, Chairman of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians. “We are proud to partner with the San Diego Food Bank and The Foundry Escondido and assist in their missions to fight hunger throughout the communities they serve.” Let’s just say, we need more people like the folks at Harrah’s Resort Southern California.
Funner, CA
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/harrahs-resort-southern-california-donates-8000-pounds-of-produce-and-refrigerated-items-to-those-in-need/
www.localemagazine.com/harrahs-resort-southern-california-donates-8000-pounds-of-produce-and-refrigerated-items-to-those-in-need/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/harrahs-resort-southern-california-donates-8000-pounds-of-produce-and-refrigerated-items-to-those-in-need/
www.localemagazine.com/harrahs-resort-southern-california-donates-8000-pounds-of-produce-and-refrigerated-items-to-those-in-need/
HARRAH’S RESORT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Funner, CA 760.751.3100 16 LOCALE MAGAZINE
foodie
H E R B Y O U R HARVEST TO HOME IS HERE TO REVAMP YOUR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
18 LOCALE MAGAZINE
Costa Mesa
ENTHUSIASM
HARVEST TO HOME 2905 Red Hill Ave, Ste C Costa Mesa, CA 92626 949.873.5400 www.harvesttohome.com
Expert: Mike Saraylian Credentials: CEO, Harvest to Home
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/how-to-have-the-garden-of-your-dreams-in-your-own-backyard-harvest-to-home/
www.localemagazine.com/how-to-have-the-garden-of-your-dreams-in-your-own-backyard-harvest-to-home/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM
www.localemagazine.com/how-to-have-the-garden-of-your-dreams-in-your-own-backyard-harvest-to-home/
WRITTEN BY: REED RYLEY GRABLE PHOTOGRAPHED BY: HANNAH WILSON LOCALE MAGAZINE 19
foodie
[Harvest to Home] installs garden beds, plant fruit trees in old wine barrels and set up teepee-like structures that plants, such as peas, can cling onto and grow.
Off the 73 freeway, a gray building juts from the ground, surrounded by what
appears to be an overgrowth of plants. On closer inspection, succulents adorn the building and surround a sun-faded green sign, which reads: “Organic
Vegetable Gardens—Green Walls—
Succulent Art,” and just below, “Harvest to Home.” This is the headquarters for Mike Saraylian’s ever-expanding business, which services the Orange County
region in a variety of gardening practices and plant art. Starting from humble
beginnings 10 years ago, Saraylian has
seen the art of self-gardening progress from being perceived as a sort of
hippy practice, to one that is becoming
ingrained in our culture. Harvest to Home has helped lead the march for this homegrown lifestyle.
Much like a seed, his hobby budded into a business.
It all began shortly after the 2008 recession. Saraylian previously held a job in the marble and granite industry, but with the economic crash, he felt it was time for something new. Though he had no previous experience with gardening (“I hadn’t even planted a plant before,” he jokes), Saraylian saw the act as something potentially beneficial for him. “I quit my job, having no idea what I was doing, but I was geared more towards healthy living,” Saraylian says.
I
Saraylian began his own garden on the rooftop of his Newport Beach home. As he tended to the garden and watched his seeds grow, he recognized the power of this new hobby. “It’s interesting and therapeutic to see the fruits of your labor grow.” Eventually, he had over 3,000 plants—all on his rooftop. “I’m pretty sure the neighbors thought I was out of my mind...or growing pot,” he jokes. Much like a seed, his hobby budded into a business. While Saraylian’s rooftop served as the greenery, his garage became a woodshop and the living room turned into an office. Soon, he was developing a clientele who wanted a garden on their property as well. 20 LOCALE MAGAZINE
HOW DO YOU PICK? Ò Harvest to Home carries a huge variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs. While at the typical supermarket, a consumer can only find two different types of cucumbers. At Harvest to Home, one can find over ten different varieties!
SUCKER FOR SUCCULENTS
Ò Harvest to Home recently installed a 20-foot wide succulent mural in a Venice home. The mural looks as though it’s a painting, with wide swirls that resemble brushstrokes.
BOOK SMART
Ò “I locked myself in a snow cabin for two weeks and did 300 pages of research for our website— and it’s all free!” Saraylian says about his efforts to create their extensive online database.
“Everyone should be growing something because it’s just such a beautiful lesson.” —Mike Saraylian
Harvest to Home developed the goal to “impact people’s lives positively through their diet.” The company now services well over 100 residential homes and several businesses, and it continues to grow. In fact, since the opening of their showroom in Costa Mesa three years ago, the company has seen an upward growth of 60%. More people are craving the greater nutritional value gained from having their own garden and the knowledge of knowing where their food came from.
H
The company currently has around 10 employees who maintain the gardens of their clientele weekly. They install garden beds, plant fruit trees in old wine barrels and set up teepeelike structures that plants, such as peas, can cling onto and grow. At their Costa Mesa headquarters, a garden is on display, which acts as a window to the garden a potential client can have. On the wall hangs a succulent mural in various hues of purple, blue and orange. In the corner, a wine barrel grows with thyme, and a fledgling spearmint pops from behind. Passionfruit grows above on an overhead trellis, while various herbs nestle at the foot. Wooden beds of beets, onion and carrots line a dirt pathway, and a stilted bed of berries lays at its end.
An automated owl, which scares off the pests, keeps watch over it all. Though Saraylian admits that they are a luxury service, the company is known for offering free gardening classes and featuring a robust website with information about all of their fruits, vegetables and herbs. “Everyone should be growing something because it’s just such a beautiful lesson,” he says, thanks to the profound impact his own garden has had on him. Among his favorite herbs are lemongrass, lemon thyme, and lemon verbena, which he uses to brew tea. “You’re putting a part of the garden in your body,” he says. Recently, Saraylian and his team revamped a garden found at Top of the World Elementary, Saraylian’s childhood school in Laguna Beach, in an effort to give back to the community. When he attended school there as a child, there was a tiny garden in the back, which no one knew existed. Now, there’s “one of the most beautiful gardens” that Saraylian has ever seen at a school. Since its installation, the school has constructed a curriculum around the garden. “This is becoming the norm,” says Saraylian. “It’s very fulfilling, and you can see that’s where the future is going.” LOCALE MAGAZINE 21
foodie /// 5 pro tips
“Always shop organic when you can.” —Jessica Hoffman
, Creator, Choosing
JESSICA HOFFMAN
Chia
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/
1
TOP IT OFF • “Add some protein. Chickpeas, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy are all great options. Protein will help keep you feeling full!” 2
TASTE THE RAINBOW
3
SPICE IT UP • “Don’t be afraid to add spices and seasoning. In addition to making your dishes taste amazing, spices will also help add variety to the same ingredients.”
• “Different colored fruits and veggies will have different vitamins and nutrients in them, so the more options you expose yourself to, the more benefits you will reap.”
PlantBased Like a Pro THE CREATOR OF CHOOSING CHIA DISHES HER HEALTHY COOKING TIPS
WRITTEN BY: ALLIE LEBOS
Jessica Hoffman, founder of the highly successful health and wellness blog Choosing Chia, created her platform in hopes of sharing plant-based recipes that help others live a healthier and happier lifestyle. In order to maintain variety and tastiness, Hoffman follows a few rules that keep her readers busy with new and exciting vegan and vegetarian options. These tips for cooking healthy and delicious plant-based meals will guide you on your next mindful culinary journey.
www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM
www.localemagazine.com/how-to-do-plant-based-like-a-pro/
4
ORGANIC IS IMPORTANT • “Always shop organic when you can. Many crops like soy are highly sprayed with harmful chemicals and pesticides, so it is best to avoid this when attempting to live healthy and happy.”
5
EMBRACE THE VEGGIE • “Always start by filling up half your plate with veggies.”
“In addition to making your dishes taste amazing, spices will also help add variety to the same ingredients.” —Jessica Hoffman
“Protein will help keep you feeling full!” —Jessica Hoffman
22 LOCALE MAGAZINE
Inspiration in India • Hoffman decided to start Choosing Chia shortly after returning from a spontaneous trip to India where she studied yoga and Ayurveda.
JESSICA HOFFMAN www.choosingchia.com @choosingchia
Photography Provided By: Claudia Martel
Go-Getter • Before moving into the health and wellness industry, Hoffman lived a more fast-paced lifestyle as a fashion marketer.
shoppe
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/donni-los-angeles/
www.localemagazine.com/donni-los-angeles/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM
www.localemagazine.com/donni-los-angeles/
DONNI. www.shopdonni.com @shopdonni LOCALE MAGAZINE 25
shoppe
Four Tons of Love Styrofoam Is Out, Igloo Recool Is In WRITTEN BY: TAYLOR GORSKI • PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY: SHANE ADAMS
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/igloo-ecocool/
www.localemagazine.com/igloo-ecocool/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM
On March 4, Igloo hosted an event at Farmhouse Roger’s Gardens to announce even more eco-friendly initiatives in order to reduce their environmental impact. Allen says, “We really challenged ourselves as a business to say, ‘What else can we do to make our business more sustainable?’ and I’d say we’re really at the frontend of our journey.” The presentation started off with the announcement of ECOCOOL—an entire category of environmentally responsible products, technologies and actions that you can expect from Igloo.
www.localemagazine.com/igloo-ecocool/
www.localemagazine.com/igloo-ecocool/
Igloo’s new initiatives include Thermecool Insulation, REPREVE and the world’s first bioplastic cooler. Thermecool
Last year, Igloo launched Igloo RECOOL––the world’s first biodegradable and compostable cooler (after its life, it can be composted to help grow new plants!). This eco-friendly cooler is reusable, can hold up to 75 pounds and is a reasonable $10. Dave Allen, president and CEO of Igloo, says, “We sold over 250,000 [RECOOL] coolers last year, and hopefully that’s over 250,000 styrofoam coolers that didn’t find their way to our beaches, lakes and landfills.” I
26
LOCALE MAGAZINE
is an entirely new insulation formula that is 50-times better than the California Air Resource Board standard. Thermecool is now being used in every one of Igloo’s 16 million coolers in production. REPREVE by Unifi is a fabric that is made from recycled water bottles. Each REPREVE bag (available at Target) is made from nine plastic water bottles. Igloo’s goal is to recycle one million water bottles in 2020. And the new bioplastic cooler is made from a plastic compound derived from a sugarcane plant. Vice President of Igloo Product Development Jeff Diamond says, “We’re making huge strides in the industry and leading the industry from an insulation perspective.”
READ THE FULL STORY www.localemagazine.com/igloo-ecocool/
shoppe /// my style CAMEL SUNGLASSES CHAIN u “I act and have a tendency to dress like a bubbie! I use this chain on my sunglasses but also my regular glasses and my g-ma side really comes out.”
Los Angeles
$75
u Alyssa Wasko Designer and Founder, DONNI.
POODLE PEARL HALF-ZIP PULLOVER u “This is my style in a nutshell: juxtaposition. This is a comfy, casual sweatshirt combined with a freshwater pearl zipper detail.”
THERMAL HENLEY SWEATPANT u “This is a slightly
elevated sweatpant that you can take from home to [running] errands without looking like a total couch potato. Also really cute paired with a chunkyheeled sandal!” $134
$218
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/donni-los-angeles/
www.localemagazine.com/donni-los-angeles/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM
www.localemagazine.com/donni-los-angeles/
JUNE PEARL DROP EARRING u “These quickly make you look completely put together with zero effort!”
www.localemagazine.com/donni-los-angeles/
$134
DONNI. www.shopdonni.com @shopdonni
ALYSSA WASKO SHARES HER ESSENTIAL ITEMS FROM HER LAID-BACK LINE WRITTEN BY: TAYLOR GORSKI
SHEARLING SLIPPER u “These are made locally in Washington and truly the comfiest slippers you’ll ever wear. When people put their foot in, they generally immediately say, ‘These feel like clouds for your feet!’” $104
28 LOCALE MAGAZINE
Alyssa Wasko, designer and founder of DONNI., shares her favorite essentials from her clothing and accessory line. DONNI. creates cozy, comfortable clothes that still allow you to look stylish and put together. With a look this effortlessly cool, each piece is guaranteed to make you feel good.
JUNE PEARL CHOKER u “I can wear this to a black-tie wedding or with a fleece sweatshirt.” $389
Photography Provided By: DONNI. | Alyssa Wasko | Carolina Isabel Salazar
Cozy + Chic
alive
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION HUNTINGTON/SEAL BEACH www.hsbsurfrider.org @hsbsurfrider SURFRIDER FOUNDATION www.surfrider.org @surfrider Photoshoot Location: HUNTINGTON STATE BEACH 21601 Pacific Coast Hwy Huntington Beach, CA 92646 LOCALE MAGAZINE 31
alive /// profile
This Non-Profit Is Encouraging the Next Generation of ProblemSolvers With Creativity and Play
A LITTLE CARDBOARD GOES A LONG WAY WRITTEN BY: JORDAN NISHKIAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY: DAVID ALONZO HERNANDEZ
32 LOCALE MAGAZINE
Gardena
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/caines-arcade-vans-imagination-org/
www.localemagazine.com/caines-arcade-vans-imagination-org/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/caines-arcade-vans-imagination-org/
www.localemagazine.com/caines-arcade-vans-imagination-org/
“What was unexpected was the response to the film...” —Nirvan Mullick
IMAGINATION.ORG Gardena, CA www.imagination.org @imaginationfdn VANS www.vans.com @vans LOCALE MAGAZINE 33
alive /// profile
“Imagination is the ability to dream up something that maybe hasn’t existed before, and creativity is the ability to actually create what you imagined.” —Nirvan Mullick
NAME: NIRVAN MULLICK JOB TITLE: FOUNDER, IMAGINATION.ORG
m
filmmaker Nirvan Mullick, the day began with an errand—to stop by a used auto parts shop in East LA for a door handle. For 9-year-old Caine Monroy, it started with getting his cardboard arcade open and ready for business in front of his family’s shop. It was a chance encounter that would turn into a viral video and the documentation of how a small act of kindness and a spark of creativity can transform into an incredible blaze, benefitting millions. This was the beginning of Imagination.org.
34 LOCALE MAGAZINE
When Mullick met Monroy and saw the ingenuity and raw creativity of his cardboard arcade, he knew he had to share it with the world. Mullick spoke with Monroy’s father, the owner of the used auto parts shop, and began to interview and film for a 10-minute video called “Caine’s Arcade.” That Sunday, Mullick filmed the last portion of the video: a flashmob to come and play at the arcade, which resulted in a wave of overwhelming support across the internet as well as in LA itself. Shortly after the film was published, it went viral. “What was unexpected was the response to the film,” Mullick says. “I got thousands of emails from parents and teachers showing me pictures of kids starting to make arcades out of cardboard after watching the movie...asking, ‘What can we do to foster their creativity?’” Unlike some humanitarian efforts, Imagination. org wasn’t a lifelong vision; it was the result of pure kismet, and a few days after Mullick saw the public’s reaction to “Caine’s Arcade,” both in views and in outreach, he “decided to try to make a non-profit to support more kids like Caine and make creativity a core social value [and] really foster the creativity in every child.” Fate continued to work in Mullick’s favor; the then-unnamed effort began receiving grants, and the organization blossomed. “We didn’t have any programs at the time, and
now we have multiple,” he explains. “Our first program was the Global Cardboard Challenge, which invited kids around the world to make anything they could imagine with cardboard, and then on the anniversary of the flashmob we did for Caine, [we started] Global Day of Play, [which prompted communities to have] flash mobs for their kids who were building things out of cardboard.” There’s no doubt how impactful these programs have been. Since Imagination.org started Global Day of Play in 2012, they have had over one million kids participate. The organization was also starting to get noticed. “We started getting invited to speak and share our story at conferences and various events for different companies,” notes Mullick. And it was at one of these conferences where Vans heard their story. “[Vans was] thinking about their first International Checkerboard Day to really foster creative expression,” Mullick explains. The two companies found a connection through cardboard, and their partnership led to an incredible event, which premiered on Nov. 21, 2019, as well as a jaw-dropping donation of $1 million. “That million dollar grant is going to really help us go to the next level with all of our programs,” he says.
STATS • 175 Chapters Worldwide • 1+ Million Kids Have Taken Part in the Global Cardboard Challenge • 5+ Million Views of “Caine’s Arcade” in the First Five Days of Going Live Kidding Around • “We have had... tens of thousands of kids take part in our Inventors Challenge,” Mullick says. “And thousands more in our Chapters, STEAM Carnivals and Maker Spaces.”
Event Photography By: Vivian Leung & Two Bit Circus Foundation
Lend Your Support • Interested in supporting the cause? “Connect with us on social media, share our story (“Caine’s Arcade” Part 1 and Part 2 on YouTube), share our free programs with parents and educators in your community and tax-deductible donations to help us bring these programs to underserved kids and communities worldwide.”
“It means over 100 new chapters in countries around the world, including China, France and for kids in refugee camps,” Mullick continues. “[And] we’ll be expanding our upcycling materials through our Trash 4 Teaching Division and our STEAM Programs.” But it doesn’t stop there. Imagination.org plans to launch a program where the organization will team up with retailers to add a “ReImagine” symbol on their boxes “that will invite kids to reimagine the box before they recycle it.” Imagination.org has an endless stream of ideas on how to benefit the lives of children around the world that parallels the spirit of that creative little boy in “Caine’s Arcade”—and it should! Monroy, now 17, is still a big part of the organization and wears the official title of Junior Board Member, serving as a reminder that a little ingenuity goes a long way. “It’s really about the combination of imagination and creativity,” Mullick says. “Imagination is the ability to dream up something that maybe hasn’t existed before, and creativity is the ability to actually create what you imagined.” Mullick keeps this sentiment close to Imagination.org’s mission and future goals. “What we want is to raise this next generation and give them the creative confidence to build the world that they imagine,” he explains, “but then also raise the next generation of problem solvers who can help us imagine the world that we can build together.”
For Kids of All Ages • Don’t let adulting get in the way of living. “Always buy the Fun Pass,” Mullick encourages. “Creativity and play are as important for us as adults as they are for kids!” LOCALE MAGAZINE 35
alive /// spotlight
Wingin’ It COLETTE MILLER CONNECTS THE WORLD WITH HER GLOBAL ANGEL WINGS PROJECT
WRITTEN BY: ASHLEE POLAREK PHOTOGRAPHED BY: MATT MISISCO Angel wings painted with dark purples, magentas, blues and golds—the ones that decorate your Instagram feed and various walls around the globe—are all done by the hands of Colette Miller, a Los Angelesbased artist and connector of spirits.
A
Miller started painting when she was a child, opting to paint in the art room instead of going to recess. With a passion for art and schooling at Virginia Commonwealth University, it’s not surprising that Miller’s work has become so well-known. Despite their wild popularity, her wings are meant to be more than just a cute Instagram photo. The idea for the Global Angel Wings Project came to Miller while driving down the 101 in LA. “The image of angel wings came into my head as I was thinking about the state of humanity and the true and divine self found in all of us,” explains Miller. “I thought I would love to see that image out in the world—these huge wings that reminded humanity of our angelic and divine self.” In 2012, Miller put up her very first wings in downtown LA near Art Share. Although the wings you’ll find there now have been touched up and redone by Miller, the
location remains the same. When they first went up, she acted illegally, painting them under the cover of darkness. “I painted them at home because I was going to work fast,” says Miller. “When I put them up, my friends hid me behind a truck and [were on the] lookout. There was a festival that weekend, and there was a line [at the wall] right away. It was weird; I had never seen interactive wings on the street before I started.” Since that fateful evening, Miller has put up wings in countries around the world, including Japan, Australia, Kenya, Turkey and Cuba. While the Global Angel Wings Project is one of her more well-known works, Miller also paints nature and animal scenes. She has worked as a film editor, writes poetry and finds an outlet in music. Creativity and selfexpression are a large part of her life. But, there is one thing she won’t do. “I never add the big hashtag on my murals,” shares Miller. “I find it offensive. It becomes an ad. My street art project was kind of a response to ads. I wanted to give something out as a gift.” Miller hopes that the lasting impression her art makes is “to remind humanity of beauty and love and to recognize beauty and love in all. To remind you of some type of peace.”
Different Strokes • “Don’t be afraid of judgment and connect to yourself,” advises Miller. “There is no right or wrong in painting. It’s just your ability to be sincere.” Hear Her GWAR! • Miller was also part of a heavy metal band, GWAR, during its formative years. She performed under the monikers “GWAR-woman” and “Amazina.”
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/colette-millers-interactive-street-art-has-taken-flight-in-los-angeles/
www.localemagazine.com/colette-millers-interactive-street-art-has-taken-flight-in-los-angeles/
GLOBAL ANGEL WINGS PROJECT globalangelwingsproject.com COLETTE MILLER 310.213.9999 www.colettemiller.com @colettemillerwings Photoshoot Location: LOS ANGELES, CA 36 LOCALE MAGAZINE
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/colette-millers-interactive-street-art-has-taken-flight-in-los-angeles/
www.localemagazine.com/colette-millers-interactive-street-art-has-taken-flight-in-los-angeles/
alive /// feature
PLANET PLASTIC OR PLANET EARTH? SURFRIDER FOUNDATION OF HUNTINGTON BEACH AND SEAL BEACH CHAPTER SPREADS AWARENESS INSTEAD OF WASTE
WRITTEN BY: ANNIE KIM PHOTOGRAPHED BY: CELINE HAEBERLY
38 LOCALE MAGAZINE
The goal of SF H/SB’s education is to teach the younger generation from the beginning how to practice good habits and understand that every decision they make in this materialistic society has potentially large outcomes for the fate of the earth.
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
www.localemagazine.com/surfrider-foundation-is-striving-to-save-our-oceans-and-you-should-too/
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION HUNTINGTON/SEAL BEACH www.hsbsurfrider.org @hsbsurfrider SURFRIDER FOUNDATION www.surfrider.org @surfrider Photoshoot Location: HUNTINGTON STATE BEACH 21601 Pacific Coast Hwy Huntington Beach, CA 92646 LOCALE MAGAZINE 39
Above and Beyond • After each beach cleanup, Pedroza takes home all hard plastics collected at the beach cleanup and personally recycles them.
alive /// feature
Hold on to Your Butt • Norma Sellers, the Chair of Hold on to Your Butt, collects the cigarette butts from the installed canisters in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach and ships them to TerraCycle— where they recycle the plastics from the cigarette buds and repurpose them into plastic pallets and ashtrays. “It’s a good idea instead of being in the landfills and polluting the environment.”
By 2050, there could be more
B
plastic swimming in the world’s oceans than fish in weight. This
prediction was made by various renowned sources such as The
United Nations and Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Society is well aware of
the first step to the solution in solving this ecocatastrophe: pick up your
Ocean Friendly Restaurants • “We started Ocean Friendly Restaurants in 2011 [where] we convince restaurants to use alternatives rather than styrofoam and plastics,” says Soriano. This was such an eco-brilliant idea that headquarters in San Clemente took it over.
trash and dispose of it in the correct color bin. Getting everyone to care enough to take action-based steps
and turn them into daily eco-friendly
habits is where the difficulty lies. Cue
Surfrider Foundation (SF), a nonprofit
organization of coastal defenders with over 82 chapters worldwide.
In particular, the mission of their Huntington/Seal Beach (H/SB) chapter is to fight apathy by cultivating communitybased awareness through digestible education targeted at the youth, and reducing (and eventually eliminating) plastic pollution in the ocean with their diverse range of programs. At every beach cleanup hosted by SF H/ SB chapter, expect several blue canopies set up with registration tables displaying various educational tools on how to take care of our planet—colorful, reusable water bottles, samples of water testing, several wide-mouth plastic jars filled with cigarette butts and young, eager volunteers greeting fellow volunteers with a warm welcome and a reusable bag for the beach cleanup. Adjacent to the registration tables sits another blue canopy known as their “pit.” 40 LOCALE MAGAZINE
“We may think that one straw...doesn't make a difference. But accumulated together with everyone else's straws, it does.” —Surfrider Foundation Huntington/ Seal Beach
“I see a lot of apathetic people...people don’t really think twice about throwing something out the window, which is a shame, but it still happens. They don’t really make the connection that those things go into storm drains and get washed down in the ocean.” —Stephanie Pedroza
The pit, spearheaded by Stephanie Pedroza, the Chair of SF H/SB chapter, is where the central point of change occurs. All collected trash goes to the pit and is then separated into the correct category: hard plastics, straws, bottle caps, cigarette butts and syringes. “The pit is where most of the action takes place...everybody’s role is important,” says Pedroza. Loudly situated on the outskirts of the pit are more educational tools to demonstrate the wastefulness and damage we are doing to our oceans—a large wheelbarrow filled with plastic straws, a clear storage bin brimming with plastic bottle caps and several informative signs— one reading: “We may think that one straw...doesn't make a difference. But accumulated together with everyone else's straws, it does.” The ecological action and education at the pit is where the chapter hopes a shift in perspective may take place for a new volunteer (or a passerby) who may be lackadaisical about using single-use plastics for daily convenience. “It's all about awareness—that's what we're here for,” explains Pedroza. “We’re here to expose and educate people on the effects of single-use plastics.” At the end of every beach cleanup, Pedroza and her pit crew weigh the total amount of garbage gathered from the cleanup. SF H/SB’s website holds seven years of data from previous beach cleanups. On May 4, 2019, the chapter’s beach cleanup at Beach Blvd. State Beach gathered 683 volunteers—from all walks of life, organizations and schools—who collected a total of 591 pounds of trash and a real sense of camaraderie and fulfillment. Beach Cleanups is just one of SF H/SB’s 10 programs. Some of their other coast-protecting programs are: Blue Water Task Force, Help Your Harbor, Ocean Friendly Restaurants, Rise Above Plastics, Ocean Friendly Gardens and many others. “When you have education at the beach like this, the little kids remember the stories that were here and why they came down,” says Tony Soriano, the Staff/Advisor
and former Chairman of SF H/SB who has been with the organization for 14 years. “That’s what was created here at our chapter—[bringing] awareness to the community and awareness to education for the students at all levels.” From school presentations regarding pollution to helping students start an environmental club, SF H/ SB understands that real environmental change will take off with this next generation. Their Blue Water Task Force program, chaired by Manuel Florence, submitted grants and raised funds to build labs and purchase all equipment for water testing purposes for Edison High School and The Pegasus School in Huntington Beach. The goal of SF H/SB’s education is to teach the younger generation from the beginning how to practice good habits and understand that every decision they make in this materialistic society has potentially large outcomes for the fate of the earth. However, preventative steps can be taken now by everyone. It is everyone’s responsibility. Pedroza says that you can start by taking responsibility for the garbage you use and create. “I see a lot of apathetic people...people don’t really think twice about throwing something out the window, which is a shame, but it still happens,” she says. “They don’t really make the connection that those things go into storm drains and get washed down in the ocean.” By taking action and spreading awareness, SF H/SB is cultivating a responsible community through education whose goal is to save and preserve the beaches we love and the earth we live on. “It is easy to get involved and participation is important...or just being proactive within themselves because if every person just changed one thing—not buying single-use plastic water bottles—that would make a world of difference,” explains Pedroza. Planet Plastic or Planet Earth? You decide.
LOCALE MAGAZINE 41
alive /// profile
A Little Kare Goes a Long Way Khloe Kares Is Taking Kindness to the Streets WRITTEN BY: ELISE EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHED BY: TAE KWON
42 LOCALE MAGAZINE
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/khloe-kares/ www.localemagazine.com/khloe-kares/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/khloe-kares/
www.localemagazine.com/khloe-kares/
Khloe Kares estimates it has helped tens of thousands of people so far, and there’s no plan to slow down.
KHLOE KARES www.khloekares.com @khloekares Photoshoot Location: LOS ANGELES, CA LOCALE MAGAZINE 43
alive /// profile
“How do you not acknowledge a person just because they’re on the streets?” —Khloe Thompson
It took Khloe Thompson over an hour to get from her home in Orange County to our interview in Downtown LA. She used that time to get her homework done. She then grabbed an armful of clothes in preparation to pose for photos and answer questions in sweltering 90-degree heat. When I offered to assist with her wardrobe, she said, “I’m fine; I’m used to it.”
I
“She’s not your average 12-year-old,” her mother, Alicia, offered up. That much is clear. Thompson is the mastermind behind Khloe Kares, a non-profit dedicated to helping others that she launched at the tender age of nine. It all started with a homeless woman she passed by on her way to school each morning. “I wondered why she was out there and felt badly for her. I wanted to do something,” Thompson said. 44 LOCALE MAGAZINE
With her grandmother’s help, Thompson went home and sewed 25 bags that she filled with essentials. The first bag went to the homeless woman she came to know as Michelle, who served as her initial inspiration. “I was a little nervous,” Khloe admitted, “but I introduced myself and gave her the bag. She kept saying, ‘T hank you’ and ‘God bless you.’ It felt like the best day ever.” Soon, Thompson and her family found themselves sewing more and more bags while, at the same time, reaching out to friends and family for donations over Facebook. To date, they estimate they’ve donated over 5,500 bags. “I’m not nervous to go up to people anymore,” said Thompson. “I realize that they’re regular people. It’s just like talking to your best friend. That’s how I treat them.” In addition to assembling and handing out bags, Thompson speaks out about her mission with people all over the country. From the Mark Leadership Conference at Rutgers University and a crowd of 70,000 at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, to numerous Boys and Girls Clubs that she hit during a cross-country service tour, she has no problem sharing her goals. And her reach doesn’t stop in the US. In 2016, Thompson was invited to Ghana by a group of girls whom she now visits on a yearly basis. She managed to raise enough money to build a six-stall bathroom facility and filtered water pump in their school, and she plans to continue doing the same work at different schools each year. “I mentor the
Sharing Is Karing • “It’s important for me to help people because I want everyone to feel like there’s someone who cares about them,” Thompson explained. Perseverance Is Key • “I’ve learned a lot about running a business. It’s a roller coaster. Sometimes I don’t think I’m going to have enough bags finished in time or have enough money or supplies, but there’s always a part of me that knows I can do it,” Thompson said. “My advice to others is: don’t let your fears stop you. Just keep pushing even if you’re scared.” Dream It, Believe It • In Ghana, Thompson made vision boards with the girls. It’s something she does for herself each year as part of her New Year’s resolution. “I always have Paris on there,” she said. “I know I’ll get there someday.”
girls, they send me letters and sometimes we have video chats. Ghana is one of my favorite places to visit, and we’re always sad when I leave.” Luckily for both parties, after being gifted an acre of land by the chief of a village there, chances are she’ll get to spend more time in the country. Her dream is to eventually build a community center on the property with an attached Airbnb to generate income and keep it flourishing. Thompson’s schedule is so jam-packed that in fifth grade, she started being homeschooled. It’s a change her mother said she welcomed. “She knew if she were homeschooled, she could help more people. My youngest child is in regular school, but that just wasn’t Khloe’s path. I never wanted anyone to think I was pushing Khloe, but this is who she is. She has an incredible way of connecting with people. When she hands out those bags, she starts intimate conversations that make everyone feel important at that moment.” While most of us can see what a unique quality that is, especially for a child her age, to Thompson, it’s just second nature. “I once gave a bag to a woman at a women’s shelter, and she asked for a hug. When I hugged her, she burst into tears and said she hadn’t been looked at or acknowledged in so long,” Thompson recounted. “That was upsetting to me. How do you not acknowledge a person just because they’re on the streets?” Khloe Kares estimates it has helped tens of thousands of people so far, and there’s no plan to slow down. If Thompson has her way, she will eventually open a community center in Los Angeles where she can employ as many people as possible and give them the skills they need to start new careers. “They could clean up or help in the kitchen. There will be so many job opportunities, and it will be a place for all ages where everyone will feel welcome.”
LOCALE MAGAZINE 45
Stargazers • Evening Under the Stars is the largest fundraiser that AAP-Food Samaritans hosts every year! This year, O’Donnell Golf Course is the backdrop for cocktails, awards, dancing and gathering funds. Classic Hollywood actress Ruta Lee is the honoree for this year’s event.
alive /// feature
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/and-the-oscar-goes-to-aap-food-samaritans-for-their-efforts-towards-assisting-those-with-aids-hiv/
www.localemagazine.com/and-the-oscar-goes-to-aap-food-samaritans-for-their-efforts-towards-assisting-those-with-aids-hiv/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/and-the-oscar-goes-to-aap-food-samaritans-for-their-efforts-towards-assisting-those-with-aids-hiv/
www.localemagazine.com/and-the-oscar-goes-to-aap-food-samaritans-for-their-efforts-towards-assisting-those-with-aids-hiv/
WHEN ALL’S SAID AND DON-ATED
AAP-FOOD SAMARITANS WINS BEST SUPPORTING ROLE FOR THEIR PHILANTHROPY WORK WRITTEN BY: ANDREA GOMEZ • PHOTOGRAPHED BY: MELISSA BANDLI
Watching the Oscars at TRIO Restaurant in Palm Springs means glamour and generosity come together for an important cause in the Coachella Valley. Authentic Oscar memorabilia, golden feather boas, sparkle-tinged suits and laughter are always present at the event. The “Hollywood’s Biggest Night” Oscar Party is held annually at TRIO in Palm Springs and benefits the nonprofit: AAP-Food Samaritans. We got to attend the ‘orange’ carpet event and spoke with several members of the organization who are supporting and impacting the lives of those with HIV/AIDS.
Celebrities filled the TV screens as guests began to filter into the restaurant, and the scent of popcorn mingled in the air. Guests were given the celeb treatment as they walked down the orange carpet and got their pictures taken by the “paparazzi” with local drag queen and Palm Springs ambassador, Bella Da Ball. There was a cheerful and warm atmosphere. Guests hugged
C
46 LOCALE MAGAZINE
and mingled with one another while an MC sold Oscar ballots. “We like to have fun while we raise money,” said Director Vicky Sullivan. According to Sullivan, the nonprofit centers around “honor, responsibility, respect and charity.” AAP-Food Samaritans sets the bar by “mainly being an incredibly giving organization.” “Traditionally, this weekend is slow for business,” explained Tony Marchese, owner of TRIO and president of AAP-Food
“
AAP-FOOD SAMARITANS KNOWS THAT LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES PRESENTS A WHOLE NEW SET OF CHALLENGES, AND BY HELPING WITH BASIC NEEDS, THEY HOPE TO HELP MAKE THOSE DIFFICULTIES A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
Palm Springs
A-List Buffet • The “Hollywood’s Biggest Night” 2019 menu was a feast! The six-course meal consisted of Little Benny’s Kettle Corn, butternut squash soup, Asian lamb lollipop (a ginger soy sauce marinated rack of lamb with goat cheese polenta), sundried tomato ravioli with vodka tomato sauce and fresh basil, surf & turf (featuring medallion filet mignon and jumbo shrimp with sour cream mashed potatoes) and Orange Ripieno, an orange sorbetto!
Samaritans. “So we decided to host this party for charity. It fills the seats and gives back.” For its 10th year, the event shined brighter than ever. “The goal,” Marchese added, “is to bring part of the Palm Springs community into [our] world.” While fun events like these are key in helping AAP-Food Samaritans raise money for its operational budget, the nonprofit receives no state or federal funding. Instead, special events like these, along with private donations, foundation grants and local support, help with fundraising. AAP-Food Samaritans began 28 years ago in 1991 as an AIDS Assistance program. Since then, the organization has expanded its reach and helps people with other severe illness such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and heart and liver disease. Their mission and goal is for clients to “continue to live their lives with dignity and self-respect.”
Through the Eyes of an Angel • The Jeannette Rockefeller Angel Program is named after the former First Lady of Arkansas. Levels of giving include: Angel, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium and Rhodium Angels! Silver Angel and up donors receive special benefits for their support!
AAP-Food Samaritans knows that living with chronic illnesses presents a whole new set of challenges, and by helping with basic needs, they hope to help make those difficulties a little bit easier. Every client is vetted for income (less than $18,090) and residency to ensure eligibility. Some are also randomly drug-tested. Each month they distribute vouchers to their clients that can be exchanged for food and household items such as toiletries. Food vouchers are redeemable at local Stater Bros. Markets. Since its inception, the charity has been able to help change the lives of more than 2,300 people in the Coachella Valley. Executive Director Mark Anton said, “It is important to give Photoshoot Location: TRIO 707 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.864.8746 www.triopalmsprings.com
back and help raise funds for those in need.” Anton started as a board member, and has been involved with AAP-Food Samaritans for the last 16 years, eventually becoming the Executive Director in 2009. “Fundraising is a major part of the organization,” Anton explained. “Fundraising is really challenging because there are so many good causes and we are in a relatively small valley. We are asking the same people for money all the time. We are trying to educate young people about philanthropy and how important it is to continue because a lot of the folks that are major donors are getting about in years.” Lively events, like those the AAPFood Samaritans put on, help attract young, new faces. Most of the people at the “Hollywood's Biggest Night” Oscars Party are those who aren't quite familiar with the work the nonprofit achieves. “Our goal isn't really about money, but to fill every seat we can,” Anton said. “But if...people [are] having a fun time while donating, it makes it a win-win for everybody.” Educating attendees plays a major role in these events to help retain potential new members. The “Evening of the Stars” is another major event that helps attract new donors. Celebrities like Cyndi Lauper, Barry Manilow, the B-52’s and Gladys Knight have all attended in the past. “I just want people to have fun and enjoy themselves,” Anton remarked. As CEO, Anton said that his goals for the organization is to “just keep clients fed. We used to have a calling list when the economy was low but now we are in a position to take more in.”
AAP-FOOD SAMARITANS 1276 N Palm Canyon Dr, Ste 108 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.8481 www.aidsassistance.org LOCALE MAGAZINE 47
escape CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
DANIELLE NAGEL www.dazeyla.com | www.dazeyden.com @danidazey | @dazey_den DAZEYWOOD PENTHOUSE @dazeywood_penthouse LOCALE MAGAZINE 49
escape
Saving the World One Home at a Time
“They’re completely solar powered… We use minisplits—one of the most energy efficient products on the market—to heat and cool the homes.” —Ida Alwin
O
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/sustainable-houses-in-joshua-tree/
www.localemagazine.com/sustainable-houses-in-joshua-tree/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/sustainable-houses-in-joshua-tree/
EXPERIENCE OFF-THE-GRID LIVING WITH BALTIC SANDS PROPERTIES
www.localemagazine.com/sustainable-houses-in-joshua-tree/
WRITTEN BY: LYNNE EODICE PHOTOGRAPHED BY: NATHAN COX
Yucca Valley
According to Alwin, Baltic Sands homes are completely 100 percent off-grid, and each has its own well.
environmentally-sensitive housing.” —Ewa Marais Home Sweet Home • Who is Baltic Sands’ ideal home buyer? “Because we’re not building in highly populated areas, they’re usually vacation or secondary homes,” Alwin states. “Or people who run businesses like Airbnb.” Good for All • Marais notes that as their company expands, they would like to build homes for people in various economic brackets. “In the future, we could build sustainable low-cost cabins for communities in rural areas.” LOCALE MAGAZINE
“We were always interested in environmentally-sensitive housing, but Ida approached us with a business plan,” Marais says. “My husband and I thought it was a really great idea. Who better to partner with than somebody who’s as passionate about it as Ida?” According to Alwin, Baltic Sands homes are completely 100 percent off-grid, and each has its own well. “They’re completely solar powered,” she points out. “We use mini-splits—one of the most energy efficient products on the market—to heat and cool the homes.” In addition to their ability to control the temperature in individual rooms, mini-splits utilize air purifiers, she adds. They’re powered by solar panels, and energy is converted from the solar panels to the homes. Each home also comes with its own backup generator.
“We were always interested in
50
“Off the grid doesn’t mean rustic,” explains Ida Alwin, one of the owners of Baltic Sands Properties, an environmentally sensitive desert design company. The idea of fully sustainable homes was born in the winter of 2016, when Ewa & Jacques Marais came to the desert to visit Alwin, their niece. Today, Alwin is Owner and Operations Manager of the company, and Ewa Marais is the CEO. Marais is an interior designer whose work has been featured in many décor magazines and has designed homes for many years in South Africa. Alwin comes from a career in TV production in London. Her love for the desert brought her to Johnson Valley, California, where she built a prototype sustainable home.
The first Baltic Sands home, JT1, sold very quickly as an Airbnb property, and JT2 is currently on the market at $799,000. Both have sleek, contemporary designs, an open floor plan and high ceilings. Two more sustainable homes are being designed in nearby Pioneertown, in addition to a third in Joshua Tree. “We have a strong vision,” says Alwin. “We want to bring off-grid, sustainable living to a mass market.”
BALTIC SANDS PROPERTIES 7355 Church St Yucca Valley, CA 92284 760.853.0077 www.balticprop.com Photoshoot Location: JOSHUA TREE, CA
escape
HOW TO MAKE
Dazed & Amused Moroccan Meets Art Deco Decor in Dazey LA’s Dazeywood Penthouse WRITTEN BY: JENNIFER PELLERITO • PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY: DANIELLE NAGEL
Los Angeles
52 LOCALE MAGAZINE
CLICK TO READ ON
www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
LOCALEMAGAZINE.COM www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
www.localemagazine.com/brighten-up-your-home-with-a-little-inspo-from-dazey-las-dazeywood-penthouse/
“We wanted it to be very bubbly and chunky and soft and pink.” —Danielle Nagel
DANIELLE NAGEL www.dazeyla.com | www.dazeyden.com @danidazey | @dazey_den DAZEYWOOD PENTHOUSE @dazeywood_penthouse LOCALE MAGAZINE 53
escape
Expert : Danielle Nagel Credentials: Founder, Owner and Designer, Dazey LA
Welcome to Dazey Den, the latest venture by Danielle Nagel, the entrepreneur behind the wildly popular clothing company, Dazey LA. If you haven’t already heard, Dazey Den is Nagel’s newest undertaking into the world of interior design. Lucky for us, her latest creative endeavor is only just beginning to blossom.
W
Creativity can barely be contained within the walls of Nagel’s latest project, the Dazeywood Penthouse—an apartment in Los Angeles’ Beachwood Canyon. The 2,000-square foot apartment sits on the top floor of a Spanish-style triplex. Nagel and her boyfriend, Phillip Butler, decided to move into the space after designing their Dazey Desert rental home in Palm Springs. “After spending time at the desert house and then coming back to our relatively small, little, uninspired apartment in LA, we were like, we should really use the money we’ve been able to make with the rental, and just get a spot that we really, really love in LA,” says Nagel. She took the opportunity to design their new apartment as a space that potentially could be rented for photoshoots, although those plans eventually fell through. Now, the Dazeywood Penthouse is the space that Nagel and Butler call home. “It’s such a game-changer: living in a space that you’re really inspired by, especially as a designer,” she says. Naturally, Nagel dreamt up a grand color scheme that entirely transformed the space. Using paint by DunnEdwards, Nagel and Butler painted the apartment in pink, yellow, blue and green shades. Surprising as it may sound, the colors flow cohesively from room to room without skipping a beat. A fusion of glam furnishings and bohemian accessories tie the look together. The space now represents a shift in Nagel’s personal design aesthetic. “Even as a t-shirt designer, I’m doing more funky, Art Deco, ‘90s, artsy kind-of design, versus my super ‘70s stuff that I was doing a few years ago,” she says. Nagel’s selection of artwork hits this point home—a Matisse print complements the pink wall opposite, and one of Nagel’s own whimsical print designs incorporates the same color scheme. In the living room, soft pink walls and a sage-green tiled fireplace come together with a statement rug—a vintage Moroccan that features both colors effortlessly. “We wanted it to be very bubbly and chunky and soft and pink,” Nagel says. “There’s some midcentury touches in our new apartment, but it’s very Moroccan meets Art Deco—it’s super fun.” 54 LOCALE MAGAZINE
HOW TO COMMIT TO COLOR Make Your Apartment More Awe-Worthy With the Power of Pigment
T
The power of color is a strength that Nagel knows how to wield in fashion, art
and design. Featuring bold colors in every room, the apartment is emblematic of Nagel’s identifiable signature style—fearless, feminine and uplifting. “When you
really commit to a color, that’s when you’re going to make something awe-worthy,” says
Nagel. Steeped in funky, Art Deco and ‘90s-inspired décor, the design infuses lush, velvety
textures in sunny yellow, bubbly pink, sage green and baby blue. How can you get the look? We spoke with Nagel to get the inside scoop.
Tip 1
• “It’s okay to mix different shades. If you’re going to mix shades, mix a lot of different shades so it looks intentional.”
Tip 2
• “Test swatches—it will blow your mind how different it looks on the wall versus a swatch. Even just one shade up or down can have an entirely different look. Our room was shockingly bright [yellow]; it wasn’t cute! But then we went with a slightly more gold, subtle yellow and it looked so much better.”
Tip 3
• “Not being afraid of color and just going for it is a statement in of itself. It does tie everything together because it’s so bold. It’s all so bold.”
Tip 6
• “We have green in our living room and green in Phillip’s office. We have pink in the kitchen, and also my office is blue and pink and then we have pink in the living room. You can tell there’s a theme throughout.”
Tip 7
• “Accent walls are a great way to start exploring color. They’re easy to paint and paint back or paint different—it’s just one wall. If our entire room was yellow, the whole room would have a yellow hue that bounces off the walls. What’s great about an accent wall is it doesn’t really mess with the light in that room as much.”
Tip 4
• “Pulling together inspiration from images and different Pinterest boards can really help get a clear vision of what colors you want.”
Tip 5
• “It can be really helpful to keep [colors] in the same tint. Our kitchen and living room are both lighter shades of pink and sage.”
If you haven’t already heard, Dazey Den is Nagel’s newest undertaking into the world of interior design.
LOCALE MAGAZINE 55