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Issue #4 2019

MAGAZINE PAMELA COREY FUR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER

JOHN CAMPBELL ACTOR, REALTOR

J. D. FREEDMAN

BROADCASTING EXECUTIVE

SANDRA VIDAL

ACTRESS/MODEL/ REAL ESTATE AGENT

SONIA SIMON

INTRODUCES “JE NE SE QUOI” COLUMN

FRANK KAVELIN MUSIC PRODUCER

CHOR BOOGIE LEGENDARY STREET ARTIST

EMILY RICHARDS: AKA“MADAM SNOWFLAKE”

Publisher

Lon Levin CalRE# 01965638 Editor/Contributing Writer

Jodi Mitchell CalRE# 01470032 Real Estate READY is a subsidiary of Lon Levin Real Estate (LLRE) CalRE 01965638. ©2018 Lon Levin Real Estate. All Rights Reserved. All content is the property of LLRE and cannot be copied or used without the expressed written consent of the publisher Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo service marks are registered or pending registrations owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate Real estate agents affiliated with PLG Estates Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2018 PLG Estates. All Rights Reserved.

JUST MY OPINION The Editor expresses his feelings about technology in our lives and who’s controlling who?

PORTRAITS OF HOPE: SHAPING LA Public Artist Ed Massey’s huge project to wrap the LA Convention Center and what it means.

PAMELA COREY...GONE TO THE DOGS

Photographer to canine lovers tells us why she is so passsionate about our furry friends.

SONIA SIMON’S “JE NE SE QUOI” Opinionated Designer,World Traveler and Writer.

JOHN CAMPBELL MAC Charismatic English Actor/Realtor always has a story and a smile J. D . FREEDMAN A radio and broadcasting executive talks about the history of the music business in this insightful interview EMILY RICHARDS AKA MADAM SNOWFLAKE A musical prodigy from a young age We learn a lot about this talented and thoughtful lady.

FRANK KAVELIN Music and Producing are in the DNA SANDRA VIDAL Mother, Actress, Model, Real Estate Agent. A true Reaniassance Woman.

CHOR BOOGIE The master of what he calls “Modern Hieroglyphics” in America.

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”

– Vincent Van Gogh photography by Lon Levin

Lon and I started this publication a year ago to spotlight people in our neighborhoods who

were involved in interesting endeavors related to real estate. We’ve evolved in our short time to include people of all walks of life who have a story. I’ve loved getting to know more about Ed Massey and the work that he and his brother do. I find it inspiring. And JC Mac this month who has had an interesting journey acting and pursuing real estate. Perhaps because I’ve always worked representing writers, I loved his line about scripts…so true. But what caught my attention most was his honesty about the pitfalls of life. We all have them and it’s not what we do that counts, it’s how we respond that is most important.

Like Bukowski said, what matters most is how well you walk through the fire.

In real estate, one meets people in all stages of life and housing choices personify all of them.

There’s the starter house; the second, which is always exciting because it’s usually moving up; the move for work; the acquisition of the vacation property; the investment properties; and the last move, which oftentimes includes downsizing and can be exciting in a different way. I have helped friends’ parents sell their long time homes and move into beautiful, full service condominium buildings where they tell me they are having fun. Oftentimes they find friends in the buildings they choose and the social life that can be available is an added bonus.

Lon and I understand these life changes are sometimes exhilarating and sometimes difficult and while one eye is always on maximizing profit on one’s investment, it also needs to be on facilitating a smooth transition. We want your real estate experience to be seamless which brings us to Madame Snowflake who’s life managed to flow into an extraordinary collaboration with artists around the world and is an inspiration in eco- living. As I read her interview I thought she and Kim Kedeshian at K Bakery could easily organize planting herb gardens in all neighborhood schools if they chose to do so. These women are thoughtful, incredible forces of nature.

In this edition, we welcome Sonia Simon with a piece about what she does – art as life. And I sat down with JD Freeman who was recently inducted into the Arizona Radio Hall of Fame.

I know him as a great raconteur and what is in these pages is but a glimpse of his journey.

Pam Corey will no doubt be a favorite with her fabulous portraits and Chor Boogie was a revelation. As always, we hope you enjoy the read.

Happy Spring!

It’s Just My

Opinion

by Lon Levin

Illustration by Lon Levin

What about those who would rail against technology taking over our lives, corrupting our souls and burning our brain cells up at a rapid rate? Here’s the take away.

If you truly are against progress especially regarding electronic devices and social media apps then throw away your cell phone and your computer and move out into the woods. Going backwards is not going to make our quality of life better, it’s more about monitoring your usage of abuses of technology. Every now and then step away from the devices and take a walk. Gain some balance. But what about the children?…they will never know what it’s like to hike and fish and smell the wafting smell of azaleas. Horse pucky! as one of my grammar school teachers used to say. Our kids are smarter, better educated and move at faster rates than we do so they can do more than we ever did. That means they do both and are adept at each. They time manage better than we did because they have to. It’s progress baby! So you can rail against technology and remain terrified that giant robots will soon control everything or you can pick up the cell phone and see who’s on the line.

True story (as comics always say) I was in the emergency room at our local hospital. I was waiting to talk to the billing person when two distraught parents came in helping their son to the receptionist area. It looked like he had a head injury because he was loosely bandaged and there was some blood on the gauze surrounding his forehead.

I noticed he was clutching an iPad and cellphone in one hand as he pressed the bandaging to his head. It was a quiet night so he was escorted right in. The parents were asked to wait in the lobby until the doctor had seen the young man. Five minutes later an assistant approached the worried parents and told them their son would be fine. The doctor was stitching him up right now. She then handed them the Ipad and cellphone both of which were obviously damaged. The ipad screen was cracked and shattered and the cellphone was bent. The parents stared at the two gadgets with a longing look, then the husband put his head in his hands and started to cry. Was he crying for his son or the damaged equiptment?

Illustration by Lon Levin

Techno-love...Is this the utopia we all want? I have to end this piece now….my iPhone just informed me I have a meeting in ten minutes and I haven’t shaved yet.

PORTRAITS OF HOPE : “SHAPING L.A.” Little did I know the scope of their project involved wrapping Ed’s signature art style around the LA Convention Center. I was intriqued so I planned to meet with Ed at their temprorary headquarters in West Los Angeles.

A few months ago I checked in with Ed Massey, the wellknown public artist that we profiled last summer. He told me he was working on an exciting project called “Shaping LA and I may want to take a look at what he and his partner, brother Bernie Massey were scheduled to do.

How could I resist?

On a very rainy night rolls of primed canvas were trucked into the Westside Pavillion space that was donated to Bernie and Ed to complete their project. I arrived at the pavillion just as several supporters gathered to bring the rolls into the dry space. Young and old worked together to set this marvelous project in motion. I set my camera equiptment down and pitched in, and for the next hour roll after roll was brought in to the huge space and stored by the front counters that lined the entrance. After some further setting up the space was ready for the next step... the kids and adults who were going to play their part in this huge project. I spoke with Ed briefly at the end of the night and he was excited to get started. He laid out the timetable for me and invited me to come back the following week when the painting was going to start. I was pumped to see how he was going to orchestrate how to create a painting that was approximately 20 high by more than a thousand feet long!

Go to www.portraitsofhope.org for more about Ed and BernieMassey’s Portraits of Hope Programs

The next time I saw Ed and Bernie the floor of the pavillion was covered with large half-painted sections of canvas. Bernie was conducting a seminar for some of the kids and adults who volunteered to paint and Ed was going over paint mixing and floor logistics with some of his volunteer staff members. Within minutes the helpers spread out across the floor with painting tools, small rollers and paint in plastic bowls. Each designed area had a paint color assigned to it. The room was buzzing with activity as music floated over the gathering.

It was truly a paint party. One of the young women painted herself into a circle of unpainted canvas. Once she realized what she had done she started to laaugh and dance to the music. Other painters hooted and hollared their approval. The atmosphere was joyous as the process played out.

I made several visits to the paint area over the next week or so until the work was finally done. The entire month was a a productive house party and I didn’t see one person including mentally and physically challenged crew members who were not joyful about the part they played in creating such a monumental piece of art. It really hit home to me as an artist that it’s the process not the end product that is a joy to experience.

However, anyone who now passes Ed Massey’s art that hugs the convention center can’t help but smile when they experience the colorful joy and good feeling it inspires.

P ACOREY MELA “Providing tremendous creativity and service to individuals and their furry family members.”

Ten years ago I left the comfort of the corporate world (I was in international marketing at 20th Century Fox) to pursue photography. Up until 2017, my efforts were focused more on live music, events, and portraiture (humans), but in the summer of 2017 I took a position as lead photographer for a company that focused on pets, and I realized that was my true calling. Animals have always been a true love of mine, and once I started working with pets it became very clear to me that this is what I’m meant to be doing! That company closed, so I struck out on my own, and Fur Family Photos was born in the summer of 2018. - Pamela I met Pamela at my WeWorks office in the Pacific Design Center. She had set up a display of her work in the Sky Lounge. After I poured myself a cappuccino I wandered over and started talking with her. She was enagaging, smart and very down to earth. I asked her if she would do an interview with me and she agreed. A few weeks later she shot photos of my two golden retreivers and they came out fabulous... a real treasure for my wife and me. Over the course of a month I finally got Pamela’s interview completed. I am delighted to present it here and I highly recommend dog lovers to engage her services.

Here’s the result.

When did you first think about photography as something you wanted to do? How did that evolve into Fur Family Photos? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors??

Although I wasn’t aware of it at the time, my interest in photography started as a child when I received my first little point and shoot camera, and our family dog Missy had puppies. I was madly in love (and obsessed) with them, and I knew that I didn’t have much time with them since they would be leaving for their forever homes soon.

I wanted to capture the distinct personalities of each one before they left, so I took photos of them to remind me of what each one was like… and POOF a documentary photographer was born!

It wasn’t until I left the corporate world of studio film marketing 10 years ago that I decided to focus on photography full time. Fortunately family and friends have supported me with words of encouragement throughout the ups and downs of the process. If not for them, I likely wouldn’t have endured the challenges along the way.

A My own insecurities have been my worst enemy by far in my journey of pursuing photography. However, now that my path has lead me to focus on pet photography, I’ve fallen so in love with what I do that I approach it from a place of joy in being able to share something so special with my clients. I no longer come from a mindset of what I can get from my clients, but rather what I can give to my clients; and that passion and love for what I create has changed everything for me. I truly feel like I’ve found my home.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

I was very fortunate to have a wonderful family and childhood. I grew up in Tucson, AZ. in a neighborhood where we bounced between different friend’s houses, and had to be home in time for dinner. Kindness and fairness were a few of the biggest lessons my parents instilled in me as I was growing up, and above all else I’d say I was a very sensitive child. I’ve been extremely empathetic as far back as I can remember; and the “do unto others” philosophy has always been my religion. I believe this is part of the foundation of my love and respect for animals.

Your photo style and way of handling your business is very unique. How did you arrive at that way of doing things and why?

Until the last few years, I had focused on (human) portraits, headshots, events, weddings, and live music. I had done some wildlife photography, but hadn’t

ever focused on pets until I got a job as the lead photographer for a studio doing pet photography. I had the good fortune of learning the process from a wonderful photography mentor there. I was also able to see how they did business, and pondered on how I would do it differently. I truly love being able to provide people with images of their furry loved ones, as well as tying charity work into what I do.

Throughout my life there has been a lot of pain and heartbreak seeing how people treat animals as “things.” It’s something I’ve never understood, and I love that I now work with people who celebrate their connection with animals, and treat them with the love and respect they deserve.

What areas does your work appear in? How did that come about?

entire experience lasts around 3 hours, and is truly something to be treasured.

I have worked in the commercial world shooting pets for magazines, however I prefer to focus on the one-on-one, very personalized experience with my fur parent clients.

It may surprise some people how intimate the experience is in capturing the spirit and personality of their fur family. I often become quite close friends with my clients, and my clients’ reaction to seeing the images we’ve captured is the most gratifying part of what I do

Do you have other photo interests or series you’re planning on?

Does living in LA give you a certain tone to your work that living elsewhere wouldn’t?

Angelinos tend to lead the way in many trends, and it’s been wonderful to be received by the community so positively, and have my work be so embraced and appreciated. I love that the community here really loves the fine art nature of what I create.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

In all honesty, the process is different for each client. I find the most important part of the process is in taking the time to get to know both the fur client and the human client – both in a pre-consultation meeting, and at the start of the session. Being able to evaluate and embrace how the furry client “shows up” at the session is paramount to capture wonderful images them. The connection I have with each of them dramatically affects the outcome of the session.

We spend about 90 minutes in the studio together, during which the fur parent participates and is part of the process, helping to bring out those elements of their fur family that only they can. I couldn’t do what I do without the fur parents, since no one can bring out their babies’ true personality like they can. It’s a REALLY fun experience, and when they see the images it’s great because they know that they were a big part in making those moments happen.

After the time in the studio, my clients go on a quick potty break walk, while I do an initial edit of the images.

Then they come back to the studio, and we have a theater style viewing of the images, so they get to see them right after we took them. Their response is often “are you kidding me?!?!

THAT’S what we just did?!” accompanied by tears, because it’s a really personal experience unlike anything they’ve done before with their furry loved one(s) (which absolutely makes my heart smile); and then they choose the images they’d like to have. The

Yes! I founded a non-profit organization called AARF (Advocating Animal Rescue through Fine art), which is an umbrella for various themed art projects. The images are in the same style as Fur Family Photos, and will also include the story behind them. Proceeds will be donated to the rescue organizations from which the participants got their animals. I’m very excited to be able to help a variety of organizations doing such wonderful work.

We’re currently looking for contributors, sponsors, and supporters, so if this project sounds interesting, please be in touch with us at aarfproject@gmail.com!

AARF projects include: RED CARPET RESCUE – celebrities and their rescue pets, telling the story behind their pet, and why rescue is important to them.

VETS - Veterans with their rescue pets sharing their stories of how their rescue animal improved/changed their lives.

PURE – images of all purebred dogs that were rescues – encouraging people to get a purebred through a rescue organization instead of a breeder.

SAVED – images of people whose lives were literally or figuratively saved by their rescue animals (e.g. people who were suicidal, went through major trauma that they might not have survived without their rescue animal, etc).

What’s the future hold for Pamela and your furry friends? Any ultimate goal? Will there be a book?

I’d absolutely love to do books for not only Fur Family Photos, but also for AARF as a means of fundraising.

If you could meet any photographer past or present who would it be and why?

Annie Leibovitz. Not only because she’s insanely talented, but she put female photographers on the map, and has been a trailblazer in a male-dominated industry. Rock on A.L.!

Je ne sais Quoi

by Sonia Simon

This past January, on a cold winter night in Portland, Maine, I stumbled upon these treelights, dancing against slate rooftops. The delicate texture and shapes just made me smile in spite of the minus 17 degrees weather.

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.�

-- Albert Albert Einstein Einstein

As a designer, trend forecaster, activist, Sonia Simon links art, fashion, design and consumer culture to provide lifestyle concepts for leading brands. Fueled by an extreme sense of curiosity and an inquisitive eye, she searches for signals that tell us things are changing and creates unique environments blending past and contemporary design. A trend researcher and creative product developer, she navigates between different cultures. with the wanderlust of a cosmopolitan. Her aim is to offer concepts that help others see the world through different lenses honoring great design traditions while remaining ahead of the future and being conscious of the dark consequences that our footprint is causing on Earth. Un Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi, touches on the unexpected, out of the ordinary with a cosmopolitan flair and highlights edgy design trends in art, fashion and interiors.

Drawing from nature’s magical palette I photograph during my travels, I picked a few shades for my new upholstery line of textiles for FALL 2020.

Recently in Mexico I found unique interior light fixtures functioning more as sculptures which are elegant and ideal for a more subdued atmosphere.

ART FAIR SEASON At the Zona Maco fair in Mexico City, I noticed new embroidered and tapestry works from emerging artists Mitchell Anderson and Carlos Luna. The great textile artist Olga de Amaral, in a completely different genre, and now officially retired, had also a few pieces left on the market. For its first Los Angeles launch, Frieze art fair was all the buzz at Paramount Studios and brought the expected stellar galleries from NY and London. Rumor had it at the VIP opening, (more a cocktail party scene), that all

Bruce Conner

major work had already been sold.

Except for gems from the talented Michal Rovner at Pace, or the late Bruce Conner drawings, there were few discoveries. Both artists share a sense of timelessness and universality which stands

Carlos Luna

Mitchell Anderson

Olga de Amaral

out. Do Ho Suh’s rendition of smoke detectors in polyester fabric, from all the various homes he has lived in, was also simply magical.

Do Ho Suh

Michal Rovner

The LA Felix Art Fair, free and open to the public, was set in the restored Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and brought dealers showing a mix of emerging galleries in bedroom and suites, an affordable option for dealers hard-up for cash. If you are what I call “ecologic,” you too can create an iconic work of art with a $3.99 soft drink of your choice.

Who knows, it might even sell at Sotheby’s in twenty years or less for $ 390,000.00! As they say “Il fallait y penser”!

For my taste I prefer the ingenuity of Kim McConnell, a seminal artist of the Pattern and Decoration movement; ahead of his time and still going strong.

Kim MacConnell’s lamp and rug detail

Voila for my introduction of Je Ne Sais Quoi.

Stay tuned for more on fashion, food, art & interiors. A bientot!

- Sonia

John Campbell

MAC

by Lon Levin

According to IMDB, John Campbell-Mac was born in Canning Town, East London, England in 1973.

John was brought up by his grand parents William and Mary Campbell. The family moved from Canning Town in East London to Colchester in Essex when John was the age of 5. After being bullied as a child he was encouraged by his grandfather to take up boxing and boxed for the Castle Colchester Boxing Club. He won the award for best prospect in his first competitive season and later became club champion eventually moving back to London to advance his career.

His acting talent first came to the attention of his school teachers where he was regularly given main character in school plays and later in amateur theatre productions. Upon leaving school, he worked in construction, as a physical fitness instructor, model, dancer and as a professional boxer and continued his training in martial arts including Muay Thai (Thai boxing), karate and taekwondo.

When did you first think about acting as something you wanted to do? How did that evolve into your present business? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I think I was born a natural entertainer straight out of the gate, my family were all these huge personality’s so I guess I was just finding a way to be heard. I think people are either born funny or their not and with regards to tough guy roles I grew up in a pretty tough neighborhood so that came pretty easy too.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up?

What were your influences?

I was one of those cheeky naughty kids, full of fun and mischief. I was raised by an old couple who adopted me, I sure kept them busy. They were real larger than life characters from the East End of London, salt of the earth, amazing people. Both sadly passed now.

We were working class but there was never a shortage of love in our house. They moved out of London to Colchester in Essex when I was around 5 years old which is where I grew up. Early influences were probably the tough guys in our neighborhood, early performances? Well when I was about 10 I remember standing on a kitchen stool at the bottom of my garden and singing Nat King Cole, SMILE to the field full of sheep that were gathered there, If I remember rightly they were a great audience ha ha .

Your style is very unique. Did you work on developing a style or is that what naturally came out of you?

I’ve done lot’s of comedy and tough guy roles, both come pretty easy to me. I was always the class clown and it just grew from there.

What areas does your acting work appear in? How did that come about?

I love acting, from my very first day on set I just thought ‘Wow this is it, this is where I’m supposed to be. I’ve met a lot of crazy eccentric people in various parts of the entertainment world. Many were as crazy as a bag of frogs so I felt I just fitted right in, ha ha. If you google my acting name John Campbell-Mac you should find some of my work. Mostly film with some TV, I did more theatre back in London.

But my route to it was a little more unique. I moved back to London when I was 23 years old looking to advance my boxing career. I had been club champion and fought in the ABA’s (UK equivalent to the golden gloves). Now in my mind it was clear, join the most successful club (there was Repton in Bethnal Green which I joined), get an Olympic gold medal, turn pro and become world champion simple as that. Well the universe had something else in store for me. I had managed to buy the house for my old mum and dad and make it nice for them before I moved. Then there was a big recession at the end of the 80’s early 90’s in the UK and suddenly there were fewer jobs especially in construction and I was having hard financial times. Unbelievably I’d lost a few fights (it came as a shock to me too) and after a few months it seemed that I had gone from hero to zero, especially financially, overnight. I remember my car being re-possed as a particularly low point. Now as a young guy, being broke is not such a big deal but with my aged parents mortgage to pay as well as rent in the city was a tough spot to be in.

In desperation I heard about the world of underground unlicensed boxing, I remember a real tough guy in an infamous gym in London saying to me ‘You look a bit tasty Johnny, why don’t you have a fight? you might be able to make a few quid’.

Well desperate times call for desperate measures and all that so I was in. Try and imagine a warehouse in Woolwich filled with 500 flat-nosed skinheads begging for blood. If you have ever seen the movie “Snatch” with Brad Pitt and Jason Statham well my last fight was in the same ring in the same venue where that was filmed and they captured the vibe perfectly. There were some very tough guys, people like Lenny McClean and former champions like Jimmy Cable, really hard men involved who I still have the greatest of respect for, but fortunately for me I had some skills. Rules were pretty loose but we did have gloves. Anyway let me not bore you, I had a handful of these fights, won them all but realized I couldn’t make enough money so I needed something else.

Well just before I left Colchester I saw a guy in a bar in a G-string with a load of screaming cheering girls around him and I remember thinking maybe I could do that. He was performing I think for somebody’s birthday or a bachelorette party. Anyhow to cut a long story short I phoned every entertainment agency in London before I finally got an interview. I went down to meet the owner who took a look at me and said OK son We’ll give you a go, you might want to hit the

weights and build yourself up a bit.

Then boom the next night I was doing it. Straight from the boxing gym into the city on the tube shaking like a leaf. Shot of whiskey for Dutch courage, then bowled into a wine bar took off my track suite while reciting a happy birthday poem to the ladies in there. I’m sure I was dreadful but the crowd seemed to like it and I was hooked. After a few weeks I was running all over London meeting all types of people and it saved my financial situation.

I later met a friend who was a successful model and suggested I try my hand at that. He generously got one of his friends who is still a top photographer to take a few pics of me, then I got an agent and suddenly I was a model, you couldn’t make it up. Believe me it was quite a journey from my working class beginnings. I was in good shape and did lots of underwear and swimwear shoots which led to me being put up for commercials.

Simultaneously the dancing was going from strength to strength and now I was doing fully choreographed shows in every type of venues from small bars to nightclubs and theaters. Through the modelling I met lots of other similar looking fella’s so I put a group together along with my brother and suddenly we were touring the the country and eventually the world not just dancing but singing as well. We toured over 20 countries over a period of 10 years meeting all sorts of people and making all kinds of connections which still serve me today. Sorry I digress so I remember being on the set of my first commercial which was very sane in comparison to my night job and seeing the lights and the crew, etc and thinking, this is me, this is right, this is what I want to do. This led to small parts in TV shows where I met some real actors which made me realize I needed to get some proper training. So for the next few years I did every possible workshop I could do gradually honing my craft as my resume got bigger. You know acting is very different to performing, it took me a long time to learn that.

You’ve worked in construction, as a fitness instructor, model, dancer and as a professional boxer. How has that helped you to become a great real estate agent?

I was a bricklayer for 5 years when I left school, even went to college for it, seems like a million years and a few lifetimes ago now. But I feel this gives me an idea of building fundamentals and architecture. The rest well I have been blessed to have done a lot of things which has brought me into contact with many types of people. Hopefully this has given me a greater understanding of people which can only help in real estate.

I’m fascinated by your film work and it seems like you’ve had some real success at it. What caused you to want to be a real estate agent??

I love acting, it truly is a passion and I’ve enjoyed all the projects I’ve worked on. I’ve had a degree of success and won a few awards and it’s taken me to some glamorous places like Cannes and Sundance for the film festivals. But I would say my second passion has to be real estate. I bought my first house when I was 21 years old which was my introduction to the industry. As my brother and I had success with the entertainment industry we bought a few houses together. We bought and held, managed tenants and flipped. I spent over 20 years negotiating entertainment contracts for our group and later for him when he became famous as a singer in the UK. Owning property was the first thing I experienced that could give you a residual income and was a sure fire way to build real wealth.

Does living in LA give you a certain tone to your work(acting) that living elsewhere wouldn’t?

Believe it or not I came to L.A reluctantly, I had a

nice life in London. I was acting, my managing my brothers career (he’s a bit of a pop star back there).

I was wheeling and dealing in real estate and had a small portfolio of properties. But being an extremist I always wanted to take my acting career as far as I could so Hollywood it had to be. Always having an eye for real estate a friend and I partnered and bought a duplex in El Sereno which we still own.

Coming to the US from the UK and getting a working visa believe me is no mean feat. Thankfully I had a decent resume as an actor but it still took years and thousands of dollars to graduate from an actors visa to a full Green card. Imagine you are trying to build a life somewhere but are always worried that the rug can be pulled from under you. Unless you have been through it, it’s hard to understand but believe me it’s incredibly stressful. The minute I got my green card I started studying for my real estate license which quickly followed.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

I think great acting comes from great writing, if the writing is good I find the lines easy to learn they just flow and stay in my head. In truth the behavior around the lines is far more important than the lines themselves.

But if the writing is shall we say not great then it takes me longer to learn. Then longer to have the freedom of having the lines in your head so you can simply react.

But acting is a lot of work, I believe there is no substitute for repetition and running over the lines again and again and again then make some bold choices then just go for it, as I think James Cagney said ‘Hit your mark, look your partner in the eye and tell the truth’ But if you are under prepared and you are still thinking about your lines etc then this is not possible. Real estate is not so different, in acting you are trying to understand what your character really wants, what is their motivation, why do they make the choices they do. With real estate it’s almost the same thing, what does your client really need, what’s practical, affordable, suiting to their taste

etc. So again you are trying to understand them and their motivation. Once you fully understand the reasons for buying or selling, why they need to downsize or upsize. Or what’s truly important to them then you can serve them a lot better and save them and you a lot of time. I’m sure you have heard the saying ‘your network is your net worth’ well in real estate that’s holds true even more than any other industry. I’ve been blessed to have made a lot of friends and have a huge network of people. I work with a lot of directors and producers and entertainment types as well as now do a lot of video and social media marketing. I’ve not really had a lot of mentors in my life but my broker and great friend Peter Lorimer certainly is one. He is always offering help and ideas for marketing especially video which he has had great success with over the last few years when nobody else was doing it. He is always encouraging us to run to our tribe as the vast majority of deals I do are with people I know and have something in common with. So yes, I work with a lot of single woman… ha ha, only kidding. Actually I do. Thinking about it, my last two deals were for successful independent ladies but lots of my business in from the world of entertainment, both sides of the camera and musicians as well. For the past 12 months I have been building a team at PLG , my brokerage, I have been training two young agents, Dakota and Colton who are both now competent in their own right which has allowed me to social network more, face to face with them helping with the extra workload.

I get to instigate, delegate and negotiate although I give all of our clients my personal cell phone number and they are welcome to call me anytime with any question they might have.

What’s the future hold for JC? Short term and long term. Any ultimate goal?

I know, to be happy and healthy and for everyone I meet to leave with a positive experience. It would be kind of fun to play a leading role in a big blockbuster, win an Oscar maybe? Fun maybe who knows, you know funny enough two of my friends were in the Green Book this year that won best picture, I’m helping one of then buy a condo right now in Marina Del Rey.

JODI MITCHELL COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 11661 San Vincente Blvd, 10th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90049 CalRE# 01470032

www.jodimitchellhomes.com Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. Š2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo service marks are registered or pending registrations owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. CalRE# 01470032

J.D. Freedman

Interview by Jodi Mitchell

on-air to Program Director, General Manager, the Senior Vice President responsible for 167 radio stations in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. I worked in small markets to larger markets with a complete variety of formats from rock, country, jazz, talk, Spanish language, Newsradio even a radio station that did commercials in English and Navajo. I really felt connected to Arizona and I was thrilled they decided to induct me into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame. I had worked and competed with the best broadcasters in Arizona. Good company.

JD Freeman is one of the nicest people I know. I met him and his wife, Dianne, when they first moved to Santa Barbara from Arizona some 20 years ago. He was here to run the Clear Channel stations and she joined the CASA Board, which I was also on. I had no idea that we’d become such good friends. With podcasts being all the rage now, I thought it might be interesting to have a conversation with a recently celebrated broadcasting pro.

You were recently inducted into the Arizona Radio Hall of Fame. Congratulations. What was that like for you?

My first paying broadcasting job was in Page, Arizona; several years in Flagstaff; then on to Phoenix where I was fortunate. My career advanced from

You’ve managed many markets for Clear Channel over the years. In the short time I’ve known you, post Arizona where you were for 25 years, you’ve run Texas, Santa Barbara & San Francisco. How does radio differ from what’s happening with podcasts?

Each market has it’s own regional appeal.

One example is Santa Barbara loves Bob Marley music. Texas loved singer songwriters who are Texas centric. Delbert McClinton, ZZ Top, George Strait.

The difference in radio and podcasts is simple. Radio is broadcasting and Podcasts are narrowcasting. Radio is for a broad audience with a common interest and Podcasts are targeted for narrow interests.

Are new artists able to break into music in the same way?

No. There was a time you could not make it without radio airplay. That’s not true today Any early radio stories you’d like to share?

I always enjoy telling the story of working in Page, Arizona. We were the only radio station you could hear on the Navajo Reservation. One time, someone was running for Navajo Tribal Chairman and bought some commercials on our station. We had a young announcer who worked to translate and record the copy into Navajo.

Apparently, he didn’t care for the candidate because he told everyone NOT to vote for him because he was a thief. It ran all weekend before we realized Monday morning when all hell broke loose at the station. Lesson learned, if you don’t speak Navajo get the announcement reviewed by several others who do before you air it.

If there were one piece of advice you could give to your younger self, what would it be?

You only fail when you stop trying. If you get knocked down, get up and keep going. Don’t let someone else define you You and Dianne have always been philanthropic. In fact, that’s how we first met when Dianne joined the CASA Board. And your daughter was a social worker before moving to SB with her family. What inspires you?

What are some of the pitfalls?

Radio stations can lose their identity if they are not careful. Not reflecting a local community can be a big problem for radio. Music is ubiquitous and can be accessed immediately on a variety of digital platforms. .

What is the role of radio in the current world culture? Is radio less or more important today?

Lots of people still use radio but the choices are greater today when it comes to entertainment and information.

Radio needs to work harder to stay relevant locally.

What about subscription services like Apple, Amazon, Sirius, Spotify…?

All competition for radio. Radio now has streaming distribution now. Right now, I’m listening to a Classic Rock station in Dallas on my computer while I answer your questions. The internet has changed everything.

Working with young people and helping them by opening a door. We all need someone to care about our future.

Besides Santa Barbara, which we know is extremely special, what was your favorite place to live and which style house?

We loved living in the city in San Francisco plus Dallas was fun. We’ve always bought our homes based on the view first. View first then everything else will take care of itself.

Where is your favorite fishing spot? With whom do you go?

I have several friends in Arizona and California who love to fly fish. One of my favorite spots is Marble Canyon on the Colorado in Northern Arizona. It’s very majestic and almost spiritual for me. Nature speaks to you there.

What were some of your favorite music performances over the years? You & Dianne and your family have seen everyone from Rod Stewart to Taylor Swift to…

I’ve had the good fortune to attend many live shows.

Seeing Led Zeppelin on their first US Tour as an opening act was unbelievable. I saw Garth Brooks play at a luncheon in Nashville before he hit big.

He received 6 standing ovations playing 5 songs. I signed him to do a concert for one of my stations after the show. One year later when he played our 4th of July concert Friends in Low Place was Number 1. Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle. Hearing Rhianna sing acapppella before she had a record deal was also a time I’ll never forget.

I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.

I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.� – Audrey Hepburn

EMILY

Richards a.k.a... MADAM SNOWFLAKE

by Lon Levin

How did that evolve into Madam Snowflake?

To tell the truth I had no idea who Emily Richards aka Madam Snowflake was. As luck would have it Jodi and I were promoting the magazine in Brentwood and met Emily’s husband John. He suggested we talk to her because she was a very interesting woman. Well, a lot of people say things like this when you meet them and you take it with a grain of salt...however, in this case it’s true and more! I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did putting it together. And you MUST listen to Madam Snowflake’s music. It is awesome!

When did you first think about singing as something you wanted to do?

There was never a thought about singing, because there was never a time I wasn’t singing! My earliest memory is of a two year old curly-top belting out “On the Good Ship Lollipop” with full choreography -- surrounded by a circle of cheering, gray-haired fans. In Salt Lake City, my grandparents hosted regular dinner parties where their large coffee table was my stage for tap dancing and toddler-style crooning. I remember feeling a nervous embarrassment caused by the insistent adoration of my grandparents and their friends. Perhaps I was born signing!

The journey has been a colorful, winding road! From early childhood piano competitions and ballet performances to pre-teen pageants and songwriting, music has been a golden thread woven through the chapters of my life. I won my first songwriting contest when I was eleven – and that hooked me. Of all the arts I loved, I was most impassioned by songwriting (I wrote my high school’s prom and graduation themes). Though I graduated college with a B.S. in Accounting, I also studied music and dance. I worked for eleven years as a CPA for Price Waterhouse (so geeky!) but also enjoyed a dual career as a singer-songwriter. After winning an American Idol-type contest, I released my first album in Nashville, which led to opening for Martina McBride.

Those unexpected breakthroughs got me recording deals in Los Angeles with Grammy-winning producers John Jones and David Kershenbaum. With the release of my second album, my entrepreneurial-brain made a radical decision – to freely share my music on the internet, unheard of in 1998 (yes that is dating me). Millions downloaded my music on the revolutionary website MP3.com, and terms like “digital music pioneer” and “queen of the internet” appeared with my name in Wall Street Journal and USA Today articles.

Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

My family and close friends are my most supportive fans. I fondly recall my mom and sisters flying in for several big shows at the House of Blues on Sunset, my dad and brother coming to town when I played the legendary Troubadour as well as the Belly Up Tavern in San Diego. My entire family flew to Vegas when I headlined the House of Blues there. And now that I’m writing my first musical, they are my case study listeners.

I’ve had the most amazing managers and producers.

The musicians of ccMixter support and evolve my art continually. Providence has connected me with mentors and a team that think differently – and that has made all of the difference!

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up?

What were your influences?

As the most downloaded artist on MP3.com, I headlined their 50-city tour in 2000 – where late in the tour tragedy struck. My little sister was killed by a drunk driver. It crushed me. Everything changed after that – my rising star went a completely different direction. I formed a nonprofit in her name and though I toured and released several more albums, life in the mainstream no longer interested me. I wanted to make a difference, not sellout to a music industry built on sex-appeal, lockdown and shallow, three-minute ditties. So when MP3.com’s founder/CEO asked me to run his new music company, I jumped -- and moved to San Diego.

Serving as the President of a high-tech company (sued by the major labels) was a sleep-losing challenge, and I finally realized neither music executives nor tech moguls really care about the art of music. In the thick of it, I met Lawrence Lessig who introduced me to ccMixter. org – a website where music was evolving through open sharing and genuine artistry. I joined the ccMixter community in 2006 under the moniker Snowflake (a nickname given me by my first LA band, when I moved from the snowy mountains of Utah to the warm beaches of SoCal). After three years of creating on this global platform I formed my own company, ArtisTech Media, and acquired ccMixter. As Madam Snowflake, I’ve uploaded the vocals (and stems) of over 130 original songs, well as 100 fully produced tracks, to ccMixter.org – under Creative Commons licenses. These “CC” licenses enable other creators to interact with my music – and it is the power of sharing that has virally advanced my deeper message all over the world.

I was and still am a nature girl. As an elementary school student, I spent hours alone in the woods that lined our home’s property. I can still smell that sweet scent of pine and feel the soft needles beneath my feet when I close my eyes. In my conservative Mormon family, we didn’t listen to much rock ‘n roll but our record player was constantly spinning music -- the Carpenters, John Denver, Barbara Streisand, and Neil Diamond. Luckily, I discovered my uncle’s vast vinyl collection when I was 14 – Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Beatles blew my mind open! I’ll never forget the first time I listened to ‘Stairway to Heaven’ – I was crying by the end, and copied all of the lyrics from the record sleeve into my songwriting notebook. “It makes me wonder….”

U2 was my favorite band in high school – ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ and ‘New Year’s Day’ my favorite songs as a sophomore. When “Joshua Tree” was released my junior year, the album became the soundtrack of my life (still is in a way). I was obsessed with every album, B-side and import I could get my hands on. I drove through the night to Phoenix to see the band play live (they wouldn’t play in SLC), and have seen them perform nearly two dozen times. I was an outgoing teen and got along with the smart kids, the nerds, the jocks, and the cheerleaders.

“I was an outgoing teen and got along with the smart kids, the nerds, the jocks, and the cheerleaders.”

I loved to read and my imagination was vivid in everything I created. I spent a lot of time alone in the woods that lined our property.

I was on the dance and track teams, in the glee club and was a student body officer. I got my first gig as a lead singer when I was 19 and had to lie about my age to play at most of the venues in the Salt Lake area. The band performed a lot of Aretha Franklin, Beatles and Al Green covers – all while I was on full scholastic scholarship at the University of Utah. I belonged everywhere, and yet fit in nowhere.

What areas does your work appear in? How did that come about?

Because I’ve freely shared my music, other creators incorporate my songs into their own works -- in ways I would never think of. I recently learned that I have millions of fans in Holland -- because music producers and DJs in Amsterdam perform their versions of my songs each year at festivals bigger than Coachella. My voice and songs are featured in thousands of YouTube videos, websites, podcasts, videogames, and more.

“My family was always amazing – my biggest fans!”

This is how the message of my music – peace, tolerance, evolution, and harmony with our planet – is being shared with the world.

How has the advent of the computer affected your work?

I love technology! Giving away millions of unique downloads launched my career. The ccMixter.org platform has opened up my music stems, and facilitates unique collaboration with producers and musicians I’ve never met, in countries I’ve never visited. Running Pro Tools in my home studio provides the time and resources to create exactly what I envision – without the big sticker price of my early albums (over $100k each). I’m currently working on my 17th album (singles are on my YouTube channel) and have just finished the second draft of my first Broadway-style musical. Computers have given me the freedom and independence to pursue my true art -- and its message.

I’m fascinated by your music, especially your new song Amplify the Light. I’m making a leap here but I’m assuming the present state of American politics is a motivating factor in the lyrics? What’s the origin of that and am I off base?

The division and anger in our country hurts, and I wrestle regularly with despair. Still, music can be cathartic and hopeful. Most of the songs I write are born from observing reality with an imaginative twist -- for what could be possible (in the John Lennon ‘Imagine’ sort of way).

‘Amplify the Light’ is a reminder – that what I focus on, think about, talk about – is what takes up the mental and emotional space in the minutes and hours of each day. If I give my energy and hope to the to harmony that could be on our planet, well, I get one step closer to that being my reality.

Did you take a performing name to allow yourself the freedom to create a persona that can be whatever you want? What is the concept behind that?

The frenzy of life on the road was wearisome – and I’m not adept at handling public criticism. Privacy and a nurturing home is important to my family and me. By transitioning into a virtual music career, I get to be with those I love, enjoy my every day life and still pursue my passion. And, there aren’t the same kinds of pressures for image and brand – which allows my creative work to be totally about the music.

Does living in LA give you a certain tone to your work that living elsewhere wouldn’t?

LA is a special place for music, and I’m so lucky my star first rose on the Sunset Strip. I worked with some of the most talented folks in the biz when I moved here – I was young and lucky! The magic of music became rooted inside me, and has never let go. Being around really gifted musicians pushes my craft – and LA continues to be a force of creativity for me.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

An inspiration surges within me like a volcano, usually from a topic I’m concerned about (climate change, equality, harmony) -- and then I go straight to the piano. I write my lyrics, melodies and musical arrangement all at the same time. Then I head into my home studio – I record a piano track to a click first, and then lead vocals. Harmonies really give me enjoyment, so I’ll usually record at least a dozen backing vocals. Then I add other instruments. Sometimes I play bass and guitar – and often times I go to the ccMixter community for for musical

– because other folks are better at playing drums, bass, and guitar than me! Their styles, influenced by their country’s culture, push me beyond my familiarity. (I usually end up doing a lot of editing and manipulation if I use stems from other musicians.) Then I mix the track and share it (along with my stems) on my page at ccMixter – where the song eventually ends up in all sorts of other DJ mixes, webvids, etc. My team helps curate favorite tracks or songs themed together on albums, that will be mastered (sometimes mixed too) by one of my professional producer buddies. For example, I released a Valentine’s Day album last year “Honey Valentine” that is a collection of lush, romantic songs for candlelight and lovers Is your involvement in environmental activities something that is an Emily Richards thing or a part of Madam Snowflake or a combo of both?

I can’t separate the two when it comes to the health of our planet – just like we can’t separate ourselves from the ecosystem that we utterly depend upon for each breath, our health and every meal by which we sustain ourselves.

On a tour in 2004, I shared the stage at festivals with Ed Begley Jr, Jane Goodall, Willie Nelson, and other good folks that enlightened me with awareness -- and I saw for myself how badly we’re degrading our environment. It is horrifying that we put millions of tons of plastic in the ocean each year, and that we’ve overfished our seas so radically that birds, whales, dolphins, turtles, sea lions, and more are endangered or going extinct because of our ignorant actions. My husband and I visit Kauai several times each year, and over the past six, we’ve seen the coral reefs go from flourishing with fish and turtles to becoming bleached and nearly dead. The mountains in Utah are suffering too – from much shorter, warmer winters that have not only hurt the ski economy over the past two decades, but have also caused devastating bark beetle infestations. 90% of forests at higher elevations are dying from climate change. And then there are the forests we’re intentionally cutting down – 18 million acres each year – for free range cattle, palm oil, construction, and drilling or fracking for oil and gas. The damage is aggravated by the cars we drive; the disposables we discard; the power and water we waste – it all rings a warning bell inside my heart.

Music is the truest way I know how to express myself – Madam Snowflake is my vehicle. I try to be the change in steps every day. Our home in Brentwood has solar panels, rain barrels, and gray water systems. We drive a Tesla. We grow most of our own food using permaculture and absolutely no chemicals. We’ve adopted a plant-based diet and zero-waste lifestyle. We pick up trash on our regular powerwalks around Brentwood and Santa Monica,

and organize beach clean-ups. We have adopted a few school gardens too, and I love seeing kids get their hands in the soil, and appreciate vegetables! It gives me hope.

What’s the future hold for Emily and Madam Snowflake? Any ultimate goal?

My ultimate goal is to help somehow turn around this sixth extinction humans are causing on our planet – for all of us that live and breathe -- as well as for future generations. My new musical is inspired by this crisis -- “we’re the cure because we’re the disease.”

Music is my passion and the purest way I can share this message – for increasing awareness, compassion and consciousness is what shifts people to make a change.

Emily and husband John above.

I love the permutations of my music that pop up – and the different creators that I connect with around the world as a result.

Interview with Frank Kavelin

It’s in the DNA

“Growing up in Beverly Hills I loved music, but practicing music--not so much. Playing basketball certainly had more allure than practicing piano !”

I’ve known of Frank Kavelin since 1965. In fact the first time I became aware of Frank was band practice in 8th or 9th grade. I actually thought he was part of our band, but in fact he told me before our interview that he wasn’t, he was simply there to teach us how to play!

Although Frank and I never spoke in High School, I was always aware of this tall, dark, good looking, cool guy strolling around the lawn at Beverly High. When we sat down to lunch back in September it was as if I had reconnected with a long lost friend. It was one of those moments that stick with you in a good way.

I learned many things about Frank at that lunch, most of which made me realize how little we know of each other as we pass through life. The purpose of this publication is to bring those hidden stories to life, so here’s Frank’s.

Lute Records and its affiliated labels, TransWorld, Marsh and Kammy were owned and presided over by Al Kavelin, Frank’s father. One of the earliest releases on Lute Records was its most successful: “Alley Oop” by the Hollywood Argyles which topped the Cash Box and Billboard charts in July of 1960. Its initial release sold well in excess of 1 million copies internationally.

Although not enjoying the same level of success as “Alley Oop,” subsequent releases reflected Kavelin’s choice of artists and repertoire, and rendered some great pop music— particularly in the genres of R&B, Doo-Wop and Novelties.

The producers, arrangers and instrumentalists that supported Lute’s various artists were the best of the best. Although many of these tracks have been reconfigured and marketed “six ways from Sunday” over the last 40 years, the relaunch of Lute Records offers digital re-masters of the original releases under the supervision of Frank Kavelin, Al’s son (pictured here).

In the near future, Lute Records will be releasing new product in the genres of soul, jazz, smooth jazz, gospel and novelties.

“I would be inspired by the pop acts I would see on TV shows like “Shindig” and “Hullaballoo.”

When did you first think about music as something you wanted to do? How did that evolve into your present business? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I loved Motown and the great music coming out of the Mississippi Delta and New Orleans.

Although I played piano and clarinet as a kid, it wasn’t until I was in my teens that I discovered what arrangers do in placing a familiar piece of music in an entirely fresh and new setting. That led to an interest in songwriting, composing and orchestrating. My father was my biggest supporter and it didn’t hurt that his colleagues took an interest in my musical efforts. His associate, Gene Von Hallberg became my teacher. And composer/arrangers like Elmer Bernstein, Ben Homer, Tom McIntosh, Benny Golson, Oliver Nelson, Jimmie Haskell, Charlie Calello and Earle Hagen provided real world experience as I started to work professionally.staff together.

What type of music do you compose and produce? How did that come about?

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

How has the advent of the computer affected your work?

Growing up in Beverly Hills I loved music, but practicing music--not so much. Playing basketball certainly had more allure than practicing piano. I was greatly influenced by the classical and jazz music that was always playing in our home as well as the diverse popular music that my father published and produced.

For me, the computer has become my pencil and paper, my recording studio, my access to the outside world of selling music, an endless source of information and a great place to schmooze via social media. In sum, it has greatly streamlined my world as it has the world in general.

When did you start writing songs? Did you work on developing a style or did it naturally came out of you?

I began writing songs in middle school. I would be inspired by the pop acts I would see on TV shows like “Shindig” and “Hullaballoo.”

Before too long, I found myself gravitating toward rhythm and blues.

During my career as a “hired gun,” I had to understand and write in many different styles. That is especially true with film music. In recent years I have been had the luxury of picking and choosing the styles of music I like to write and record. These include symphonic, jazz, jazz-fusion and a variety of pop music styles.

Is there a market for the classic tunes in the library and how will you market that?

Ever since Lute Records began in the early 1960s, its product has been consumed with

regularity by fans all over the world. The revitalization of the label in 2014 has brought the music to new audiences, first through digital distribution and, looking forward, through direct marketing utilizing the Lute Records website, social media and email campaigns.

How does the classic stuff of Lute differ from your own work and style?

My father’s mantra was “Material is King.” If the basic material is strong you have something solid to build upon. If not, you can spend a lot of time and money with disappointing results.

That has always guided my efforts, so in basic ways, my music is not that different than what my father produced on Lute. My music differs as to the musical influences that have come into being since my father’s day.

Does living in Rancho Mirage affect your work and how you go about it now that you’ve moved from LA? Living in Rancho Mirage is like always being on vacation. It’s rejuvenating. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I should be in my studio working. When I think of L.A., I think of rushing through traffic to get to work. Now, as long as I avoid stepping on one of my two cats I can safely get to my studio, which is attached to my garage.

What’s does your daily process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

My days are split in half: one-half creative and onehalf business. Most of the time I work on marketing in the morning, which involves initiating and answering correspondence, and monitoring sales. In the afternoon, I am in the studio either writing, recording, mixing or mastering. On rare occasions, I find myself working through the night (which used to be the rule, not the exception).

What do you do to promote yourself and get your work out there?

Arthur Hamilton, who wrote the lyrics to “Cry Me A River,” told me that you do more to advance your career at a cocktail party than by sending out hundreds of tapes. In my case, just about all the work I have done is the result of personal connections and relationships. Even in the impersonal world of online marketing, I find building online relationships to be vital.

What’s the future hold for Frank? Any ultimate goal?

My ultimate goal was to have a studio in a beautiful setting. Somehow, I find myself in just that situation. I still aspire to greater recognition and more opportunities to see the world through travel.

VIDAL

SANDRA

Sandra Vidal is a famous actress and reality TV star from Argentina. She is best known for her role in the television series Ángeles, which is the Spanish version of Charlie’s Angels. She has also acted in the film White Rush, the television series The Bold and the Beautiful. Most recently she has appeared in the Estrella TV’s reality show named Rica, Famosa, Latina. She started developing an interest in acting and modelling from a quite young age. She began walking on ramps when she was just 14 years old.

She took part in a beauty contest at the age of 17 and ended up winning the title of Miss Punta del Este. Her gorgeous looks and sense of style caught the eye of Prince Pierre D’Aremberg. He took her to France and made her the face of the fragrance brands Perfume Rocks and Bizance perfume. That was the first step towards her promising career as an international model. It was not long before she was considered one of the top models in the European circuit.

“My priority as single mom is to provide and to raise a healthy, strong, happy eleven year old boy.

I love my role as a mom as well as working as an agent. It’s not a job it’s what I love to do.”

When did you first think about acting as something you wanted to do? How did that evolve into your present business? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I was five years old when I told my mom that I wanted to be an actress.

I was a happy girl who loved to dance and smile all day long. I grew up in a middle class family with two other sisters. My mother taught me to work hard and follow my dreams.

“I was a happy

girl who loved to dance and smile all day long. ”

Her dreams led her to Europe where she became one of the top models.

Several model agencies hired her to work in Paris, Milan, Hamburg and Madrid. Soon some producers from Hollywood who were on a lookout for a sexy, young girl took notice of Sandra. This is how she landed the significant role of Elena Sanchez in Ángeles.

Why did you decide to give up a lucrative modeling career in Europe to come to America?

I came to the USA with a contract to work on a TV Series, but the thing that was the strongest pull on me was to act in another language. At that time having a strong Latin accent wasn’t ok.

I spent thousands of dollars in dialogue coaches to get my English more clear on the set.

She gained a great fan following after it started airing. It was co-produced by Sony Pictures and Telemundo. The Spanish version of Charlie’s Angels gained huge popularity among the Spanish-speaking audience. Soon she started living a lifestyle a few could dream of having. A lavish life surrounded by celebrities. She was seen in all the high-class parties and often with various handsome men.

She started receiving, even more, fame after starring in “The Violent Kind”.

She starred in the comedy named “The Cattle Call” along with Chelsea Handler. She also appeared in a number of feature films made by American film production houses New Image and Millennium.

How has working so hard all over the world affected your personal life?

I missed my mom and my sister and I still do.

Sandra Vidal was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 17. She grew up in a comfortable home and had a good childhood. Since childhood, she had a natural inclination towards modelling.

She attended school in her hometown. She studied acting with Argentine directors such as Alberto Ure, Flores Yunguerman and Rodolfo Vias. Along with that, she continued to pursue economics. She also attended dance and piano classes.

What led you into real estate?

I started flipping properties as soon as I moved from Buenos Aires, while working as an actor.

I’d rather have a brand new kitchen than an expensive purse.

Once I came to America I had a dream to get my real estate license. I accomplished that five years ago. I started working as a agent and I love helping my clients realize their dreams coming true. I like helping them find the right price for a home they’re selling or buying or helping them with the creative process of building a home.

Do you still work as an actress?

I still work at The Bold and The Beautiful soap opera as recurrent character. I’ve done it in a while... the show has 32 actors. I did 4 season of Rica Famosa Latina for three years. Currently it’s in Netflix and 35 countries of Latin America and USA Spanish Estrella TV.

I’m currently working as a fulltime agent for PLG Estates.

My priority as single mom is to provide and to raise a healthy, strong, happy 11 years old boy.

I love my job as a mom as well as working as an agent. It’s not a JOB it’s what I LOVE to do. So I don’t work a single day of my life.

What is your plan for the future?

My dream is to get the rights of a book that I love and turn it into a movie. The books of Psychology and Spirituality.

From Scratch and Seasonal, Using the Freshest Ingredients.

548 Palisades Drive • Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 TheKBakery.com • 310.573.9900

“The

world

breaks

everyone, and

afterward, some are

strong

at the broken places.”

– Ernest Hemingway

r o h Coogie

B

like an artist,” she said. “So what do I do?” I asked.

She replied “Paint anything you like. Paint yourself.” So I did and it was a big mash up of colors hence the colors I use today. She came back and asked how I liked it. I replied, “When I grow up I’m going to be an artist.” I was never really discouraged. I only received support from loved ones.

The only discouragement is the state of the art world today. But I keep going because I love what I do, and nothing will dictate the flow of that except for me.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

I was a crazy kid. A daredevil, a very adventurous type. I still am. So I live “the kid within” at times.

I grew up in Oceanside and Vista near San Diego.

The place has its ups and downs as does any city.

My influences back then up, until I started painting with spray paint, were comic book artists like Todd Mc Farlane, Rob Liefield, and Jim Lee; skateboard culture; and 80’s culture. Then, I explored the old masters like Salvador Dali, Michelangelo, and Gustave Klimt and contemporary masters of spray paint like Phase 2 ,Vulcan, and Riff 170.

"I was never really discouraged. I only received support from loved ones."

"Street Artists" are valuable to todays art culture.

Most street artists operate in the dark...literally. One that does not is Chor Boogie. He is a master artist who wields an aerosol can like Michelangleo used his chisel or Van Gogh his brushes. His works appears in museums and galleries from San Diego to Switzerland.

He is an American national treasure. - editor When did you first think about art as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

When I was around 5 years old in Kindergarten my teacher said, “Do you want to play duck duck goose or do this activity over here…” I was interested in the activity. “So what is this activity?” I asked. “Painting

Your style is very unique. Did you work on developing a style or is that what naturally came out of you?

It was a little bit of both actually. It takes both nature and nurture in order to find out who you really are when it comes to originality, and then taking that creativity to new heights every time you create something.

You do a lot of “street art” that seems to now have gone mainstream, How did that happen?

Depends on what you consider mainstream.That actually could be a bad word within the genre. Even though I paint on the streets and on canvas, I’m even creative with my terminology when it comes to the genre of my artwork. Instead of “graffiti” or “street art,” I call it Modern Hieroglyphics, which is basically what this culture really is based off of.

"You are asking how did it go mainstream, and I’m just going to have to respond, “VERY CAREFULLY." We create stories, symbols, and images with meaning and context on any surface. Nothing wrong with the other terminologies, but as far as my work goes, that's where I push it. You are asking how did it go mainstream, and I’m just going to have to respond, “VERY CAREFULLY, it’s like playing a game of chess on this roller coaster ride called LIFE.”

Your “love visions” murals seem beautiful and chaotic at the same time. Is that purposeful?

There is a reason for everything and everything is naturally purposeful. They are like mind-body-soul explosions with that medium.

eyes, and I have many styles of eyes. Eyes are the windows to the soul. It so happened that I painted them in pretty much every major city, and it soon fell into a series aspect. Every city I created these eyes in is technically the eyes of that city and that environment.

What’s going on in your head when you work on a piece? Your fears, anticipation, confidence, etc.

How do you know something is finished?

I’m curious about how you choose what to work on. What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

When it comes to the process of what I do, I try not to let my mind get in the way of that creative process, but rather let it be a combination of things, MIND BODY SOUL. This makes sense to me when breathing life into creating something to be real. Nothing is ever finished. It’s all a continuum dialogue with every creation, hence it is one big story in the grand scheme of creative things.

Well sometimes I just go for it to see what comes out, and then I take it from there.

Can you explain to us about the “eyes of the street” series and what that means to you or what are you conveying to us?

The eyes of the street just happened. I love creating

Sometimes I use image references and distort them or make them fit with in my creative process. Either I use as many colors as I can, or not .

The rest is secret. A true master never gives up all his weapons in his arsenal.

What do you do to promote yourself and get work?

Social media plays a role. Media plays a role in general, but usually when I’m painting on the street that's enough promotion to get the job done. Going out networking and schmoozing is alright and helps to get involved in things, but I think I put my name out their enough to where the promotion comes to me. So it’s basically a two way street and we have to meet in the middle.

What’s the future hold for you? Any ultimate goal?

I live for today, my friends. I’m not a psychic. I know it’s bright though... Always has been, always will be.

Your sculpture seems to be more charged with satire than your paintings. i.e. the spray nozzles for nipples and the skull covered with what looks like lacquered money, etc. does the medium influence the message with you?

It’s fun, and I always look for new avenues to create from. I make music as well and entertain the possibility of being a renaissance man like my ancestors.

"A true master never gives up all his weapons in his arsenal."

www.thekbakery.com

Rolled Sugar Cookies INGREDIENTS 25 ounces All Purpose Flour 1 1⁄2 teaspoon Baking Powder 1⁄2 teaspoon Salt 1 lb. cold Butter 10 1⁄2 ounces Granulated Sugar 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 2 Eggs 2 Egg Yolks DIRECTIONS Mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla extract, eggs and yolks. Mix until incorporated.

Add flour, baking powder and salt until evenly mixed.

POP IN THE OVEN and Yay!!

A MOMENT IN TIME

Greystoone Manor To Beverly Hills residents Greystone Manor is an iconic building. And while a lot of them have visited the famous landmark few of them know the real history of the property.

Completed in 1928 for the son of oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny, Greystone Mansion & Gardens is a Beverly Hills and Los Angeles treasure. The City of Beverly Hills purchased the property in 1965, and in 1971 the entire 18.3 acre site was formally dedicated as a public park.

Greystone was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and in 2013 was designated Beverly Hills Local Historic Landmark No. 4.

Greystone Mansion

Greystone Mansion, and the surrounding grounds with which it shares its magnificent beauty, are rich in California history. Edward Laurence Doheny, who bought the land in the 1910s, was born in 1856 in the small Midwestern town of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. By the time he was a young teen, Doheny’s adventuresome spirit and love of the wilderness led him to prospecting for gold and soon thereafter,

“ Edward “Ned” Laurence Doheny, Jr., was born and grew up as heir to one of the world’s great financial empires ”

oil. In 1892, Doheny and his friend Charles A. Canfield, were the first to strike oil in Los Angeles.

They later discovered large oil deposits in Mexico which, combined with their Los Angeles holdings, made them the largest producers of oil in the world at that time. Edward Doheny and his wife Carrie Louella Wilkins had two children. Their first, a daughter Eileen, passed away when she was just seven years old. On November 6, 1893, their only son, Edward “Ned” Laurence Doheny, Jr., was born and grew up as heir to one of the world’s great financial empires. Ned went on to marry Lucy Smith of Pasadena and in 1926 Edward Laurence Doheny Sr. gave his son a premium parcel of land consisting of 12.58 acres with sweeping citywide views. Construction of the palatial manor home began February 15, 1927 and although Ned, his wife Lucy, and their five children moved into the residence in September 1928, the estate took three years to complete at a cost of over $3 million, an almost unimaginable sum in real estate at the time. The extraordinary result became known as Greystone for its

abundant use of stone construction and its rather somber gray appearance. In addition to the mansion, originally located on the grounds were stables and kennels, tennis courts, a fire station, gatehouse, swimming pool and pavilion, a greenhouse, a lake, babbling brooks and cascading waterfalls.

On the night of February 16, 1929, only five months after the family had moved in, Ned Doheny was found shot to death inside the home, at the age of 35 and the victim of an apparent murder-suicide perpetrated by his longtime personal friend and aid Hugh Plunkett. Lucy continued living at Greystone until 1955, after which she and her second husband Leigh M. Battson sold the majority of the original land to the Paul Trousdale Corp., developers of Beverly Hills’ prestigious “Trousdale Estate” homes. The following year Lucy and her husband sold for approximately $1.5 million the remaining 18.3 acre parcel, including Greystone Mansion, to Henry Crown of Chicago-based Park Grey Corporation. Mr. Crown, however, never formally occupied the site but instead leased it out as a popular filming location, a legacy Greystone still maintains today.

READY RESTAURANT PICKS

“Innnovative, well executed and very Los Angeles”

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- TRIP ADVISOR

BAVEL

TEDDY’S RED TACOS VENICE

Bavel, in Downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District, is a This popular East LA eatery has expanded to Middle Eastern restaurant from Chefs Ori Menashe a prime street location in Venice’s Boardwalk, and Genevieve Gergis. With family roots in Israel, which is amazing news for taco fans on the Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt, Ori and Genevieve have always wanted to open a restaurant that showcases the cuisines of their family lineages, bringing together the flavors and dishes they grew up with.

In 2012, Ori and Genevieve pursued their dream of opening their first restaurant, Bestia and in 2018 their second restaurant, Bavel. With a background in the field of interior design, Genevieve played a key role in the design of both restaurants. When not in the kitchen, Ori and Genevieve can be found spending time with their daughter, Saffron.

“Eating at Bavel isn’t about checking it off your list. You eat here

Westside. With freshly chopped, slow-cooked beef served in warm tortillas and covered in a red-tinted consomme broth, this Tijuana dish is quickly taking over every corner of Los Angeles — even the sunny enclave of Venice. Owner Teddy Vasquez is making good on his dream to put a delicious taco into as many LA hands as possible. His new outlet in Venice sits just by the beach in a prime location, and serves up the same delicious birria de res, or simmered beef, tacos with signature bright red consomme as his Slauson truck original.

“The hottest item on Instagram right now, naturally, is tacos.

Places all over greater Los Angeles are building huge social media followings on the backs of some beautiful shots of

because this is one of the most exciting restaurants in Los Ange-

regionally-specific tacos, but one of the biggest in the game

les, and it feels like it’s going to stay that way. So make that 5pm

has to be Teddy’s Red Tacos.”

Review courtesy THEINFATUATION.COM

Review courtesy THE EATER LOS ANGELES

The journey starts with the first step

www.lonlevinrealestate.com CalBre#01965638