Fall 2021

MALIBU www.malibumag.com

e r u t u F e h T u b i l a of M

• The Hottest New Stores Around Town • Malibu’s Next Wave of Hotels

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• New Cross Creek Developments

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• The Real Estate Market After Covid

• Gina Clarke: Malibu’s Next Star Chef

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FALL 2021

REPORT Homeless in an Age of Fires

INSIDE The Endless Problems with the Malibu Lagoon

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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Julie Wuellner

Holly Bieler

With the ongoing uncertainty we’ve all experienced over the last year and a half, we wanted to take this opportunity to focus our Fall 2021 issue on all the positive changes coming to Malibu in the near future.

For one, despite millions of tourists visiting our lovely city each year, hotels are few and far between. Now, developer Norm Haynie and architect Doug Burdge are looking to change that by bringing not one but two new hotels to Malibu. You can read more about their efforts on page 106. We’ve also rounded up all of the new stores and restaurants that have opened in Malibu in the last few months. From unique boutiques like Res Ipsa to trendy coffee shops like Alfred’s Coffee, we’re willing to bet there is something new around town everyone will love (page 80). Of course, we couldn’t leave out all the exciting developments coming to Cross Creek. You can read about the latest on the new Santa Monica College campus and The Cross Creek Ranch on page 40. Lastly, we interviewed Malibu’s most prominent real estate agents on how Covid has affected Malibu’s real estate market (page 138).

For this issue, we’re excited to have the stunning Gina Clarke grace our cover. 18 years after opening Malibu Seaside Chef, Clarke has staked a reputation as one of Malibu’s most successful and sought-after private chefs in Los Angeles. Clarke’s mastery of so many different cuisines and ability to truly put together a memory-making event has made her the go-to caterer in the city, with a client roster of who’s-who celebrities from Josh Brolin to Justin Bieber. We had the opportunity to sit down the beloved local to chat about what’s coming next for her (page 68).

If you’ve spent any amount of time in Malibu this summer, you’ll likely have heard of various fires breaking out around town. In fact, there have been 17 fires in Malibu this year to date, and a large majority have unfortunately been due to homeless encampments. While homeless encampments in Malibu aren’t a new problem, coupled with worsening fire conditions, they have become a growing concern amongst Malibuites.

We take a deeper look at the factors in play and some of the best ways to help on page 50.

Undeniably, one of the biggest travel trends to come out of the pandemic era has been the return of the road trip. So to round out this issue, we decided to give the trendy #vanlife a go and hit the road ourselves.

For three weeks, we traveled around the US in a 66 sq. ft. van with two dogs, starting in Malibu and hitting Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon before coming home. You can read all about the many adventures, and misadventures, we had along the way on page 116.

We hope you have a great fall season,

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The New Malibu Magazine Newsletter

ALL THE LATEST MALIBU NEWS DIRECTLY ON YOUR PHONE MALIBU MAGAZINE’s daily newsletter, full of the day’s top stories, real estate news, daily events, goings-on about town, and more!

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CONTENTS

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PEOPLE EVENT ROUNDUP Coverage of the best summer events in Malibu over the past three months, plus our People We Love features.

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DOWNTOWN MALIBU BIG CHANGES Malibu’s downtown is on the cusp of transformation, with a slew of new developments opening in the next few years. We preview what’s coming.

40 THE RANCH The Ranch shopping development is just one of the major new changes coming to downtown Malibu.

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ENCAMPMENTS NEW FIRE HAZARD The growing number of unhoused people in Malibu has yielded another pressing issue; homeless encampments catching on fire.

58 58 LAGOON What’s behind Malibu Lagoon’s algae problem?

80 ABIERTO An introduction to Malibu’s new stores.

MALIBU LAGOON ALGAE HEADACHE The Malibu Lagoon has been overtaken by new spawns of algae and high bacteria levels. What’s behind the issue, and can it be fixed?

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COVER MALIBU SEASIDE CHEF Gina Clarke is one of the most sought-after caterers in Los Angeles. We sit down with the Malibu local to hear about her exciting next chapter.

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RETAIL MALIBU’S NEWEST STORES 68 GINA CLARKE Since opening Malibu Seaside Chef 18 years ago, Gina

Clarke has become one of Malibu’s best-known culinary figures.

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Malibu’s retail scene has changed drastically in the past year. We introduce you to the stores that have recently closed and opened around town.

MALIBU MAGAZINE

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, u b i l a M Dear

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CONTENTS

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FASHION FALL FASHION ROUNDUP A collection of some of our favorite new pieces from Malibu stores to wear this fall, from cozy sweaters to minimalist jewelry.

90

HIDDEN GEM A WORLD OF CRYSTALS Seattle’s Masterpieces of the Earth gallery contains the finest collection of crystals anywhere in the world. We take an exclusive tour.

106 NEW HOTELS A Doug Burdge-designed property near the Malibu Pier is just one of a number of new hotels opening in Malibu over the next few years.

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ART TYLER BARNETT

Since opening the Enso Gallery, Tyler Barnett has become one of Malibu’s best-known artists. We take a look at his vibrant local studio.

106 90 EARTH ART Awe-inspiring crystals at Masterpieces of the Earth gallery.

100 MALIBU’S PAINTER A tour of Tyler Barnett’s studio.

HOTELS MALIBU’S NEW ACCOMODATIONS For years, Malibu had relatively few hotels. But in the coming years, new construction will add hundreds of rooms throughout the city.

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TRAVEL THE ULTIMATE ROADTRIP Amidst the pandemic, more people than ever took their vacation on the road. Our EIC Julie Wuellner on her own unforgettable experience.

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REAL ESTATE PANDEMIC EFFECTS 116 ON THE ROAD A dispatch from our EIC Julie Wuellner on her roadtrip this year, which have become increasingly popular during the pandemic.

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We sit down with local real estate agents to hear how the pandemic has changed the market, and what to expect in the future.

MALIBU MAGAZINE

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MASTHEAD

MALIBU www.malibumag.com

re The Futu u of Malib

• The Hottest New Stores Around Town • Malibu’s Next Wave of Hotels

GINA CLARKE Catching Up With Malibu’s Seaside Chef

MAGAZINE $ 5.95 US

FALL 2021

REPORT Homeless in an Age of Fires

• The Real Estate Market After Covid

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie Wuellner

MANAGING EDITOR

Holly Bieler

ART DIRECTOR EDITORS

INSIDE The Endless Problems with the Malibu Lagoon

SANTA MONICA + BEVERLY HILLS + CALABASAS + WESTLAKE VILLAGE MM_Cover_Malibu Seaside Chef_FINAL.indd 1

Dirk Manthey

Petra Pflug

• New Cross Creek Developments

• Gina Clarke: Malibu’s Next Star Chef

PUBLISHER

8/27/21 10:02 AM

Holly Bieler Barbara Burke Taylor Tomlinson

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Ellen Francisco Susan Monus Madison Hildebrand Brian Merrick Russel Grether Michael Bloom Tony Mark Shen Schulz

Ani Dermenjian Brian Goldberg

Julie Wuellner Jennifer Olson Kevin McDonald

John Troxell

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jennifer Johnson Jules Williams Elliot McGucken

INTERNS

Taylor Tomlinson

SALES LEAD

Dorie Leo Lauren McCarran SECURITY / MODELS

Bailey Willow ADVERTISING

advertising@malibumag.com EDITORIAL

editorial@malibumag.com DISTRIBUTION

Disticor Right Way Distribution Malibu Magazine (ISSN1938-9272) published quartely by ES Media Services LLC. 23410 Civic Center Way Unit E-8, Malibu, CA 90265. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material, and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to Malibu Magazine’s right to edit.

POSTMASTER

Send address changes to Malibu Magazine 23410 Civic Center Way Unit E-8, Malibu, CA 90265.

Copyright © 2019 by ES Media Services LLC. All rights reserved.

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CONTRIBUTORS

BARBARA BURKE Writer

Barbara Burke is a freelance journalist and writer from Malibu. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Arizona. She delights in digging deep, delving into details and thoroughly researching a topic, whether the subject focuses on the lighter side or delves into deeper topics, such as her articles in the realm of investigative journalism. She is honored to write for Malibu Magazine.

TAYLOR TOMLINSON Writer

Taylor Tomlinson is a recent graduate at Malibu High School, Class of 2021. She is currently studying magazine journalism and publishing at London College of Communication. She appreciates all she learned while interning at Malibu Magazine and enjoys participating in local journalism. Taylor hopes to become an editor at her own magazine. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, beach walks, and spending time with her Dalmatian Roxy.

JENNIFER OLSON Photographer

Jennifer Olson is a food photographer based out of San Luis Obispo. She focuses on capturing the vibrancy, passion and life that surrounds food. She also loves capturing families and children. Her work has been featured in publications like Edible San Luis Obispo, 805 Living and Wine Spectator. In this issue, Jennifer shot the cover as well as the cover story on Malibu Seaside Chef.

ELLIOT MCGUCKEN Photographer

Dr. Elliot McGucken is an award-winning fine art photographer, author, conservationist, sculptor, and Ph.D. physicist. He loves contemplating the secrets of the universe while exploring the great outdoors and chasing the light. Born in Ohio, he attended Princeton University and UNC Chapel Hill, and he fell in love with the West and Malibu while teaching at Pepperdine University. Prints and NFTs of his fine art photography are available via his website and social media: www.emcgucken.com, insta @elliotmcgucken

KEVIN MCDONALD Photographer

Kevin McDonald is a freelance photographer and videographer based in Malibu. A few years ago he begrudgingly helped his now-wife photograph a few weddings knowing little more than which end of the camera goes where, and since then has fallen in love with capturing moments and telling stories.

This issue he roadtripped across the western part of the US to capture it in all its stunning beauty.

JULES WILLIAMS & ALISON POTHIER & Photographers

Jules Williams and Alison Pothier are husband and wife filmmakers living in Malibu. Also writers, coaches and intuitive practitioners, they create short-form documentaries, write books, and coach private and professional individuals. Jules has directed Elliott Gould, Sir Alan Parker,and Hans Zimmer, among others. The owner of Inside Out Retreats, Alison runs retreats for individuals and executives.

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ZUMA BEACH LIFE GUARD TOWER This stunning sunset over Zuma Beach was captured by award-winning fine art photographer and conservationist, Dr. Elliot McGucken. You can see more of his work at emcgucken.com

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THE BIG PHOTO

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MALIBUITES

ZUMA BEACH

Amanda Stanton

Adrian Grenier and Katherine Hope McPhee

Amanda Stanton

Shiseido Beach Clean Up In collaboration with the World Surf League PURE and the conservation group Wildcoast, cosmetic company Shiseido held a Zuma Beach clean-up on July 23rd. Dozens of volunteers, led by actors Adrian Grenier and Katherine McPhee took to the coast and picked up trash along the beach. Shiseido and the World Surf League’s #weareoneocean initiative, responsible for this beach clean-up, also oversees ocean activists lobbying for conservation action at the 2021 U.N. Convention for Biological Diversity. The Zuma Beach cleanup would be their first West Coast environmental protection effort.

The event was celebrating Shiseido’s new ocean-safe sunscreen, a further step in their Project Blue initiative. Zuma Beach was star-studded on the 23rd, with reality star Amanda Stanton and model Kassidy Rameriez in attendance. Grenier, who has shifted away from acting into environmental activism, told the Hollywood Reporter, “Getting up and going to do something to make the ocean a better place, that’s what it’s all about.” Malibu beaches have benefited from the Shiseido Project

Photos by Jennifer Johnson

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MALIBUITES

MALIBU VILLAGE

Welcome to the Metaverse On July 10th at the Malibu Village, artist Nick Simon, otherwise known as CANTSTOPGOODBOY, and Multi-Platinum recording artist Bryce Vine unveiled their new collaboration “Welcome to the Metaverse,” an original NFT collection. The collection incorporates wonderfully weird designs, explosive colors, and spoofs of iconic figures from pop culture. The event was presented by recording companies Warner Records and Sire Records at Alma Mater and VIBAe Gallery. Moving artwork donned the walls as guests were treated to spinning images and animated digital works from Malibu’s first NFT art exhibit. Malibuites witnessed firsthand the future of the art world and the exciting possibilities brought on by the digital age. However, artwork from the collection also exists outside the web, with skateboards hung on the walls serving as traditional canvases at the event. The duo also showcased exclusive merchandise, including limited edition CANTSTOPGOODBOY x Bryce Vine clothing items, along with Alma Mater x CANTSTOPGOODBOY and CANTSTOPGOODBOY x VIBAe footwear. Simon and Vine’s NFT collection “Welcome to the Metaverse” is available on Opensea and Alma Mater and VIBAe Gallery at the Malibu Village.

Nick Simon CANTSTOPGOODBOY x Bryce Vine

Nick Simon and Br

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MALIBUITES

TRACY PARK GALLERY

Jim "T.A.Z" Evans Pop-Up Art Show At Tracy Park Gallery, local artist Jim “T.A.Z” Evans hosted a solo exhibit of his career retrospective on July 31st. The collection, “Waiting on the Future”, was a unique mix of film and rock posters, along with larger-than-life paintings. The solo exhibit was held in collaboration with 232AM Projects. The retrospective spans his 50-year career as an artist. Rock fans and film buffs will enjoy T.A.Z’s pieces, featuring rock band Pearl Jam and Blink-182, along with the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

The paintings are a spoof on fine art, with elements of graffiti-style street art. T.A.Z’s NFT installation “Future Jane”, which began in 1997 when he was commissioned to create a poster for the band Jane’s Addiction, was also celebrated at the exhibit. Artists and art-lovers alike gathered in a lively Tracy Park Gallery to meet the artist and enjoy the latest from Malibu’s art scene.

Guests enjoyed sipping on refreshments while taking in the colorful paint-splattered art now covering the gallery’s walls. T.A.Z also sold limited edition prints of his work that attendees reserved. “Waiting on the Future” will be available to view and purchase at the Tracy Park Gallery in the Malibu Country Mart from July 26th to August 23rd.

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PEOPLE WE LOVE

CHARISSA SEAMAN

Born to Dance Even before creating Dance Star Malibu in 2007, Charissa Seaman has always known she was a dancer. After leaving South Carolina, Seaman voyaged to Los Angeles to work as a professional dancer and later performed at the Grammys, MTV Music Awards, Billboard Awards, and countless other venues. Today, Seaman is known as “Miss Charissa” to many students of all ages at Dance Star Malibu. The dance studio is well-known around the community, responsible for producing the next generation of dancers in Malibu. Seaman has a clear message she wants all her dancers to know as they pass through the studio, “Dance really illustrates that if you put your mind to something and put your whole heart into it, you can achieve anything.” To Seaman, Malibu is “where you get the feeling of a small town, and yet you are so accessible to everything,” and often reminds her of her childhood growing up in a quaint South Carolina town. Her studio, a rainbow-covered room shining with disco balls, is a place of positivity for both her and the dancers. Whether it’s teaching hip-hop routines or turns and leaps, Seaman cultivates a supportive and encouraging environment for her dancers.

MALIBU MAGAZINE loves Charissa Seaman and her dance studio for instilling messages of positivity and love through dance.

HUNTER PEARSON

A Love For Pop Art Malibu has always been a hub for creatives. Artist Hunter Pearson’s dynamic pop-art paintings are making a statement in the local art scene. His art career started when he was a child playing with crayons and markers. Today, Pearson has sold his paintings in Malibu’s Tracy Park Gallery and Real Art Gallery in Agoura Hills. Striking and colorful, Pearson says his art “repurposes images and recontextualizes them for a different audience” through a bold pop-art style. Often mixing with something playfully childish, his work focuses on contrast. His work can be seen on the walls of local art galleries, but it can also be viewed on a pair of white tennis shoes. While Pearson mainly focuses on fine art, he has created custom-painted sneakers for Maroon Five’s Adam Levine.

Pearson speaks kindly about Malibu’s beauty and small-town feel, “there are different inspirations that I’ve pulled that I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere else.” Even after an art career filled with impressive clientele and collaborations, his proudest achievement was selling his largest 4x5 feet painting to a family in Carbon Beach. Pearson sells his work on his website hunterblaze.com and Instagram @hunterblazepearson.

MALIBU MAGAZINE loves loves Hunter Pearson for his talent and versatility expressed in each piece of art he creates.

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PEOPLE WE LOVE

ASHLEN KERNES

The Care Behind the Cook-Off Malibuites know well about the fun festivities of the Chili Cook-Off, but they may not know the people acting behind the scenes. The Malibu Boys and Girls Club, responsible for countless wellness programs for Malibu’s kids, hosts but is also the beneficiary of the proceeds. Under the care of Special Events & Marketing Associate Ashlen Kernes, the event comes together. Kernes has been with the Club for three years, putting in work ensuring Malibu families know what services the MBGC can offer them. Kernes, along with Executive Director Kasey Earnest and Board of Directors President Nathan Jones, have been navigating fires, the pandemic, and other disasters while offering support for kids. “Our mantra is to do whatever it takes to ensure the youth in our community have a safe space to grow and thrive and to receive positive mentorship and support,” said Kernes. The Boys and Girls Club, famously scattered across the country, offers a wide variety of summer camps and wellness programs. Kernes and the rest of the team are expanding the Club in Malibu by increasing collaboration between the Club and local schools, even offering a class in Malibu High School. Whether it’s academic help, social-emotional learning, or just general support, the team behind MBGC works tirelessly to ensure a bright future for Malibu’s youngest MALIBU MAGAZINE loves Ashlen Kernes for their passion for creating a safe and supportive environment for Malibu’s youth.

CANTOR MARCELO GINDLIN

Love, Music, and Community Cantor Marcelo Gindlin has recently hit a milestone; he’s been Cantor at Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue for over 20 years. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, his father studied and worked as a tenor at Opera at the Colon Opera House for 25 years. Inspired by his father’s passion for music, Cantor Marcelo has surrounded himself in his faith and love for music. Recently, he was appointed to the Executive Council of the Cantors Assembly of America, regarded as the largest association of Cantors in the world. Cantor Marcelo said, “As a Cantor and Senior Clergy, my greatest mission is to reach out, to touch every soul, and to create a connection within our spirits.” His music focuses on elevating people spiritually and creating a loving space of community and healing. However, Cantor Marcelo’s work extends beyond MJCS. The acclaimed Hand-in-Hand program, which utilizes Cantor Marcelo’s MA in Music Therapy, provides disabled youth opportunities to socialize with their peers in a supportive environment. He is also the author of two children’s books, along with having released many CDs of his singing. Throughout his expansive career, Cantor Marcelo has always lived by one mantra, “Gratitude is the attitude: Gracias a la Vida!”

MALIBU MAGAZINE loves Cantor Marcelo Gindlin for his longtime commitment to his faith, music, and Malibu community.

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LOLA KEYSER

An Eye for Design When the pandemic hit and the world seemingly shut down, 18-year-old Lola Keyser started a business. Setting out with the goal of picking up a new hobby in quarantine, Keyser created her first purse for herself. Then, Keyser took her handmade fur bags to Depop and set her sights on creating a website by May 2020. “I never knew it would turn into this business,” Keyser said. Now, Keyser’s Lolita Jade purses can be seen on the arm of every influencer on social media, with the bags now being produced in factory facilities under Keyser’s creative direction. Lolita Jade sells purses, backpacks, and hats with a fun furry feel.

Partnering with Urban Outfitters U.K. and Selfridges U.K, the brand created by the recent Malibu High School graduate has extended beyond the 21 miles of Malibu. With Lolita Jade expanding by the day due to a strong social media presence, Keyser has reached a wider audience, but she has learned to create without fear. “I think I’ve learned a lot of patience and that not everyone is going to love what you do,” Keyser said. Lolita Jade, along with Keyser herself, has bigger plans in mind. While the brand hopes to sell a wider range of clothing and accessories, Keyser is heading to Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her newest collection of bowling bags is available on her website now.

MALIBU MAGAZINE loves Lola Keyser for her entrepreneurial creativity and her courage to create without fear.

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SARAH & SEAN RYAN

Teaching Malibu’s Next Generation Malibu High School Faculty Sean and Sarah Ryan have influenced the school just as much as the school has impacted them. The Ryans, having both taught at MHS for over 16 years, have educated countless students in a wide variety of subjects. Sean Ryan has taught World and U.S. History, along with essential life skills in Freshman and Senior Seminar. Supporting MHS outside of the classroom, Sean Ryan has also coached football, cross country, golf, and track. Sarah Ryan has instructed high school students at every grade level. After teaching English for 16 years, Sarah Ryan has been MHS’ librarian since 2016.

“Living in Malibu allows us added opportunity to be a part of the community at large, so it is fun seeing students and families at the beach, grocery store, or restaurants,” Sarah Ryan said. The Ryans have an invested interest in giving back to the community by creating a safe, inclusive environment for Malibu students while inside the classrooms. By teaching students real-world topics, such as financial literacy and mental health, the Ryans seek to create a more empathetic and informed generation. “MHS has become my home. I met my wife there, have made lifelong friends, and formed wonderful professional relationships with colleagues I respect,” said Sean Ryan.

MALIBU MAGAZINE loves Sarah and Sean Ryan for their longtime dedication to both the community and the students they teach.

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PEOPLE WE LOVE

HANS LAETZ

Keeping Malibu Informed For years, Hans Laetz has been one of the most talented and dogged reporters in Malibu. A decades-long Malibu resident, Laetz studied journalism at the University of Arizona, and went on to a career in broadcast journalism that has spanned 40 years. In 2004, he began Malibu’s only KBUU, Malibu’s only local radio station, which quickly became an integral source of breaking news and information in the city. Laetz’s dedication to shining a light on happenings in the community is truly inspiring. He broadcasts every day, covering stories from the latest unreported news at city hall to natural disasters in the area. His contacts, determination and talent have helped him break numerous important news stories in Malibu for decades.

During the Woolsey Fire, Laetz continued to cover the fire’s onslaught through the early morning hours, leaving only once he was ordered to evacuate. And in the fire’s aftermath, with electricity still out, Laetz hiked into the mountains above Paradise Cove every day to gas up his generator so he could continue his broadcast. Laetz is truly one of the most vital citizens Malibu has ever had.

MALIBU MAGAZINE loves Hans Laetz for his tremendous dedication to keeping Malibu residents informed.

CAROLINE JONES

Celebrating Through Sculpture From her childhood where Caroline Jones would create street paintings in Gibraltar to painting horses in a village called Hok Tsui Tsuen outside of Hong Kong, Jones has dedicated her life to art. Now a Malibu local, Jones has led an exciting life of exploration and travel. Jones would venture on “epic journeys to mystical places in Pakistan and the Silk Road,” following wherever her artistic voice would lead her.

Eventually, Jones found herself in London with a diploma in architectural stone carving after studying from the City Guilds, a curriculum dedicated to preserving historic buildings. Today, Jones uses her knowledge of sculpture and painting in her Topanga Gallery. Foundations: Joshua Tree Rocks, which captures the beauty of California, exhibited at the Topanga Canyon Gallery. Jones seeks to create healing through her art. At Gallery 825, Landscapes of the Mind: Dreamscapes & Scholarstones, Jones’ newest exhibition will debut from September 8 through October 22.

Jones’ latest artistic endeavor will pay tribute to those through marble memorial sculptures. These sculptures, featuring late celebrities, are Jones’ way of honoring and celebrating the subjects, acting as “a bridge from time immemorial - sacred and divine.” A well-traveled and eclectic soul, Jones has cemented her place in the art world through her adventures and talent.

MALIBU MAGAZINE loves Caroline Jones for her creativity and compassion that shines throughout her painting and sculptures.

If you have suggestions for community members to feature in our next issue, email us at editorial@malibumag.com

✎ written by Taylor Tomlinson

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MALIBU’S CHANGING DOWNTOWN With the new SMC campus and the Cross Creek Ranch under construction, the Civic Center area is on its way to becoming the downtown Malibu’s always deserved. ✎ written by Barbara Burke 40

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SANTA MONICA COLLEGE Santa Monica College will particularly highlight artistic fields, such as music and dance,

at its new Malibu campus.

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riving down Civic Center Way these days, you’ll find a lot of construction activity.

Rising from the horizon behind the Malibu Labor Exchange, a russet brown skeletal structure is beginning to take form.

“The new community college satellite campus in Malibu will provide students, including emeritus students, and the general community, with a place to learn and share knowledge, as well as a facility to host community gatherings, including those that highlight art and music,” Don

Girard, Senior Director of Government Relations said. “Santa Monica Community College is delighted to provide a new campus in Malibu designed to accommodate approximately 200 students and we look forward to opening in the Spring of 2023.”

The project consists of a new two-story, 27,500 square foot educational facility.

The building will feature a 100-seat lecture hall, a flexible science lab designed for marine science, environmental science, geography, and geology courses, 2

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SMC CAMPUS The New Santa Monica College campus utilizes outdoor space and Malibu’s natural terrain to satisfy student’s need for recreational spaces. The campus will also allocate space for a new sheriff’s substation, complete with 5,700 square feet set aside for emergency operations.

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general education classrooms with a capacity of forty-five students, an art studio that can be rented by local arts groups for a fee, a computer classroom, and a multi-purpose physical activity space to accommodate a variety of activities such as yoga and dance. The space will also feature a small interpretive center to support Legacy Park and other community information displays, a small staff office and reception area and an outdoor recreational space for class and community activities.

And a sheriff’s substation. Or, if some area citizens and Councilperson Mikke Pierson have their way, a full sheriff’s station with dedicated officers serving Malibu.

Malibu Magazine chatted with Pierson and Lt. James Braden, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, about the possibility of making the proposed quarters a full sheriff’s station. Currently, approximately 5,700 square feet of the Malibu community college campus is allocated for the substation and an emergency operations and planning center on the college’s ground floor.

“We are in preliminary meetings about having a full sheriff’s station with our own captain,” Pierson said. “That’s a better fit for Malibu. To accomplish that, we have a lot to work out in discussions with LASD.” Braden explained the current plans to accommodate sheriffs in Malibu’s community college campus.

“There are holding cells and offices for staff and the space allocated, but the space could accommodate a full station,” He said. “Right now, Malibu is served by the Lost Hills Station. To provide a full station with its own captain and command staff, along with the deployment of deputies, would cost the City more money. The City contracts with LASD and will have to make the decision.”

A combination of both office and retail space, the Cross Creek Ranch will offer locals a place to work, dine, shop, and relax.

There was a time decades ago, Braden noted when Malibu had its own sheriff’s station. Whether to have a dedicated sheriff’s staff is entirely the City’s budgetary decision, he explained.

“When I was a deputy sheriff in the late 1980s, we had a fully staffed sheriff’s station in Malibu, consisting of three full shifts,” Former Mayor Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner said. “We had a Captain, sergeants on staff, and 20 to 30 deputies, and the Sheriff’s station had a holding facility.” Wagner explained that Malibu’s sheriff’s station closed in 2000 because “it didn’t meet the criteria to house prisoners because there was mold in the holding area and the sheriffs’ shower locker room.”

Since Malibu’s Sheriff’s station closed, services provided to Malibu have been based out of the Lost Hills Sheriff’s station, more than ten miles from Malibu.

“I know a lot of people in Malibu really want a full sheriff’s station again,” Braden said. Pierson agreed, noting that Assistant City Manager Lisa Soghor is coordinating efforts to explore whether a full sheriff’s station will be provided.

Community College Campus Construction Impacts the Malibu Farmers Market Traffic on Civic Center Way is occasionally impacted by the community college construction. However, the construction of the project has negatively impacted the weekly Malibu Farmers Market and parking for those attending, according to Debra Bianco, Manager of the Market.

“The contractors building the Community College have taken over approximately 90 percent of the Farmers Market parking,” John Mazza, City Planning Commission member said. “Fortunately, the City has recently helped the Farmers Market and now, the attendees can park at the Chili Cook Off site.”

When the project is complete, Mazza assumes that the Farmers Market will have its usual parking capacity once again.

The Cross Creek Ranch Just down the road, construction continues on the Cross Creek Ranch, formerly named the La Paz complex. The project sits on a 15-acre tract of land located between The Park at Cross Creek and the Malibu Library. The Malibu City Council approved the project in November 2008. Cross Creek Ranch is now scheduled to open in approximately Spring 2023, according to Bryan Gordon, CEO of Pacific Equity Properties, the entity developing the center.

“Our project is unique, offering an en-

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THE CROSS CREEK RANCH Set to open in

Spring 2023, the new Cross Creek Ranch is now under development. The space, located between The Park and the Malibu Library, will soon be home to a wide variety of retail, restaurants, and office spaces.

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A SPACE TO SHOP, DINE, AND RELAX

The Ranch is designed around a central plaza where visitors can meet, hang out, dine, shop, and bring their children to play. There will be abundant parking around the perimeter of the shopping center, including valet parking and 33 electric vehicle charging stations.

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OFFICE SPACE The 10-building Cross Creek Ranch project will include 42,000 square feet of office space and 70,000 square feet of retail space along with 519 parking spaces some of which will be located underground.

hanced visitor experience unparalleled in Malibu, creating easy access, abundant parking, beautiful landscaping and architecture, all oriented around a central plaza where Malibu residents can meet, work, dine and shop, and bring their children to play,” Gordon told Malibu Magazine before the construction was briefly delayed due to Covid restrictions. He noted that parking is located on the complex’s perimeter instead of its center, allowing for a more pedestrian-friendly and open design.

The ten-building project will include 42,000 square feet of office space and 70,000 square feet of retail space. It will feature unique, site-specific architecture and landscaping incorporating plants indigenous to Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains. The eastern

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The eastern edge of the [Ranch] will include a multi-use trail for horseback riding, biking, and hiking.

edge of the parcel will include a multiuse trail for horseback riding, biking, and hiking. It will also include a green space to picnic, lounge, and provide play spaces for children. The project will offer 519 parking spaces, some of which will be located in the underground parking structure. Parking options will include valet, 33 electric-vehicle charging stations, and EV-ready spaces. There also will be ample bicycle storage space.

Pacific Equity is actively talking with interested businesses and fashion retailers about leasing opportunities and plans to secure anchor tenants. However, Gordon has no announcements to make yet in that regard. Jay Luchs, Vice Chairman of Newmark Knight Frank, is managing leasing details.

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CROSS CREEK FIRE A USGS research geologist, Patrick Barnard’s research focuses on storm- and climate-related changes to beaches and estuaries bordering the Pacific Ocean.

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A GROWING PROBLEM

HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN AN AGE OF FIRES As Malibu enters fire season amidst serious drought conditions, MALIBU MAGAZINE takes a look at the risks that homeless encampments pose and some of the proposed solutions. ✎ written by Barbara Burke Photos by Holly Bieler, Julie Wuellner, Dirk Manthey, and @cityofmalibubum 

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THE PEOPLE CONCERN The City has been working with the People Concern since 2018, which works to connect homeless people in Malibu with housing, healthcare, and mental healthcare amongst over services.

B

y percentage of the population, Malibu has more homelessness than downtown Los Angeles, according to Susan Duenas, Malibu’s Public Safety Manager. In Malibu, the homeless account for 1.87% of the population, while in Los Angeles, 1.04% of the population is unhoused. A count conducted by the Malibu Homeless Working Group on February 12, 2021, revealed that 157 homeless people live in Malibu. Malibu’s population was approximately 13,000 as of 2019.

There’s another way to assess how prevalent homelessness is in a community, Duenas noted. “You can view the number of homeless by looking at density statistics,” She said. “In Malibu, we have 12.04 homeless persons per square mile, whereas Los Angeles has 82.14 persons per square mile.”

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In 2020, Malibu experienced a surge in homelessness because the County prohibited vehicles from parking overnight in areas in the canyons near Malibu, which triggered a host of RV’s camping overnight along Malibu’s beaches, Duenas noted.

However, in October 2020, the Malibu City Council passed an ordinance creating staggered overnight restrictions regarding when vehicles can park on both the land side and the areas adjacent to Corral Beach and Zuma Beach.

As Malibu enters fire season, which traditionally spans from late August through December, fire risk is extremely high, especially amidst the current serious drought conditions.

“We’ve had 17 fires since January 1, including the ones in Tuna Canyon that aren’t technically in the City, but are closeby,” Duenas said. “There were two in May, two in June and six in July.”

Duenas added, “Most of the fires have been caused by new homeless persons because the unhoused folks who have lived in the Malibu Mountains for a long time understand fires, have lived through them and don’t want them.”

On August 10, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Kathryn Barger aimed at reducing the risk of fires from homeless encampments in unincorporated regions of the county by ensuring areas designated as very high fire hazard severity zones are free of encampments and connecting homeless individuals with housing and resources. The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Services’ Team will notify impacted individuals. Those departments will coordinate with the Los Angeles Homeless Services

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Authority to provide a report back to the Board regarding progress in rehousing people experiencing homelessness.

On July 21, Gov. Newsom signed a $100 Billion “California Comeback Plan,” legislation that allocates a $12 Billion investment over two years to tackle homelessness, the state’s largest appropriation ever. The bill focuses on behavioral health housing and solutions to tent encampments. Malibu has yet to receive any of that funding, but it will most welcome, according to Mayor Paul Grisanti.

Malibu City Council Takes Steps to Address Homeless Encampments Faced with the reality that the homeless encampment problem and risk of wildfires is extremely serious, the Malibu City Council recently took some steps to combat homelessness, and, if two city councilpersons, Bruce Silverstein and Steve Uhring, have their way, the council will soon consider utilizing Malibu’s trespass ordinance to remove homeless persons from private property. The City currently has the ability to remove people who are trespassing on public property that is closed to the public pursuant to the Very High Hazard Severity Zone ordinance. City staff is currently identifying areas that will be posted as closed under that ordinance and installing signage.

A grim-faced city council convened on July 21, fully cognizant of the potential of a homeless encampment fire disaster. If bone dry vegetation combines with extreme wind gusts that are archetypal during the Santa Ana winds that Malibu endures, and then, there is a fire at a homeless encampment, it is a recipe for catastrophe.

The city council appointed a ten-person Homelessness Citizen Task Force consisting of two citizens appointed by each of the five council members. On August 9, the council revisited the homelessness issue and unanimously amended the City’s Nuisance Code aimed at homeless encampments on private property in Malibu to hold property owners, especially those owning vacant land, responsible for ensuring that homeless individuals do not establish encampments on their parcels.

Homelessness in Malibu by the Numbers 2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

People on the Street

58

58

43

38

57

Makeshift Shelters

11

22

13

25

46

Tents

15

27

5

37

18

Cars

31

54

48

34

20

RVs & Campers

26

42

23

13

19

Vans

16

36

22

8

18

157

239

154

155

178

TOTAL

“We’ve had 17 fires since January 1...

Most of the fires have been caused by new homeless persons.”

“Strengthening our Nuisance Code gives us more tools to protect our community from the real threat to lives and property posed by fires starting in homeless encampments in the mountains of Malibu.”

Mayor Paul Grisanti said.

The amendment to the ordinance expands the definition of “nuisance,” to include “fire and biohazards; storage of cooking, heating and camping equipment; and trash and debris.” Further, the new ordinance empowers the City to commence abatement proceedings if the City Manager cannot contact the owner or tenant of a property where a homeless encampment exists,. The amendments will be effective on September 9.

In a broadcast on July 21, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva noted “investigators from LASD’s Arson and Explosives detail went into Malibu Lagoon State Beach to assist the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Sta-

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homeless encampment occupant, Battalion Chief Drew Smith stated in a report to the City council.

“With climate change making huge fires the new normal in California, every small brush fire should be a reminder that the next big wildfire is just around the corner, not just in peak wildfire season,” Grisanti said in a recent message concerning preparedness.

HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS Prior to the new parking restrictions along PCH it

was not uncommon to see homeless camped out in both RVs, vans, and even tents along PCH.

tion and State Parks.” According to Duenas, there were three fires in the Malibu Lagoon within a few days and all were under the bridge on Pacific Coast Highway going over Cross Creek. “At least two of the fires were deliberately set,” Duenas said. “One individual was arrested - he had lit someone else’s property on fire so he could take over the space.”

According to Villanueva, because encampments present a huge wildfire threat, especially when conditions lend themselves to wildfires, officials are working actively to clear out the encampments that present a threat of starting wildfires in the wildland/urban interface in Topanga Canyon, Pacific Palisades, and around the perimeters of Malibu.

One perimeter that presents huge concerns is Tuna Canyon in eastern Malibu, where, on July 9, a six-acre fire named the Tuna Fire was apparently caused by a

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“Every small brush fire should be a reminder that the next big wildfire is just around the corner.”

The City’s New Homelessness Task Force This is not the first time the City has established a homelessness task force. Nor is it the first time that the City has tried to combat homeless encampments or to address the many needs of the unhoused.

Previous efforts include developing a strategic plan, increasing participation in events to aid the homeless, and forming the Working Group to strengthen cooperation between the various agencies and organizations providing homelessness assistance within the community.

Since 2018, the City has funded an Outreach Team through The People Concern.

The team works full-time in Malibu and can connect homeless people in Malibu with The People Concern’s housing, mental healthcare, and other services. The City also funds a Housing Navigator, who works with the Outreach Team and landlords to help people experiencing homelessness get into housing.

The newly created Homelessness Task Force is charged with reviewing existing efforts, evaluating the need for an alternative sleeping location (ASL), developing strategies to mitigate the fire safety concerns of encampments located in open spaces, developing a robust public engagement and outreach plan to obtain community input on proposed strategies to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community from the dangers of homelessness, providing assistance to Malibu residents experiencing homelessness, and providing regular updates and recommendations to the City Council.

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Malibu’s New Homelessness Task Force Past Actions Trying to Address Homelessness In January 2020, the City council held a special meeting regarding homelessness, an effort that ended in some failed efforts to address the issue, including creating a temporary homeless shelter at the Civic Center’s empty courthouse, an option the State Judicial Council rejected, and using part of Zuma Beach’s parking area for safe overnight parking, an option requiring a zoning change that the City council declined to pass after citizens vociferously objected.

The idea of possibly establishing an ASL, as Laguna Beach employs, seems to still be in play. If an ASL were developed, it would consist of a safe place for unhoused persons to park and sleep overnight and the sheriffs could then enforce Malibu’s no camping laws.

Supporters of an ASL note that all residents, those who are unhoused and those who have shelter, would be protected.

Nonprofit Efforts to Assist the Homeless Long an advocate for the unhoused, Malibu’s Kay Gabbard is affiliated with two organizations that serve the homeless community - the Malibu Methodist Church and the Community Assistance Resource Team (CART), co-founded by the Church’s prior minister, Rev. Sandy Liddell, and the late community advocate, Carol Moss.

“The dinners we host for the homeless never stopped during the Pandemic,” Gabbard said. “We have been serving three lunches and two dinners a week right now, attendance is low as only maybe 12 people attend a dinner and there are somewhere near 22 to 23 attendees at lunch.”

There are, Gabbard noted, more unhoused people in Malibu who live in the nearby canyons and other encampments, but don’t come to the meals. “I’m confident that some of those unhoused persons are being assisted by our outreach work-

BILL SAMPSON Bill Sampson is a Malibu-based lawyer who has practiced for 45 years. He was appointed by Mayor Pro-Tem Bruce Silverstein, who said Sampson will provide “ a professional approach to these issues.”

BILL WINOKUR Appointed by Mayor Paul Grisanti, Bill Winokur was chosen for the task force for his repeated interest in the issue. He works as a senior advisor in the software company Uniloc.

TERRY DAVIS Serving as President of the Big Rock Home Owners Association and secretary for Malibu Community Assistance Resource Team, Terry Davis was appointed to the task force by Mayor Paul Grisanti for her community dedication.

CHRIS FROST Chris Frost is a relator for Pritchett-Rapf who has been working in Malibu for more than 45 years. He was appointed to the task force by Councilmember Karen Ferrer.

DEBORAH BENTON A successful venture capitalist,

Deborah Benton is the founder of private equity group Willow. She was appointed by Mayor Pro-Tem Bruce Silverstein for her professional approach to the issue.

IAN ROVEN Malibu local lawyer Ian Roven was appointed

by Mayor Paul Grisanti. In addition to his career in business law, Roven is a chairperson on the Malibu Chamber of Commerce.

KELLY PESSIS A Malibu realtor and governing board member of the Malibu Association of Realtors, Pessis was appointed by Councilmember Steve Uhring. She has been working in the Malibu community for over 15 years.

PAUL DAVIS Paul Davis owns and operates Paul Davis

Emergency Services of Malibu, which assists Malibuites on emergency home restoration. He was appointed by Councilmember Karen Ferrer.

SCOTT DITTRICH Appointed by Councilmember Steve

Uhring, Scott Dittrich is the owner of the video production company Action Sports. The company was founded in 2011 and has been active in the community since.

WAYNE COHEN Wayne Cohen works as a Malibu lawyer and Angel investor at Cohen & Cohen and Matador Solutions. He was appointed by Councilmember Mikke Pearson.

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ers.” Gabbard said. When asked what she hopes the most recently appointed task force will accomplish, Gabbard noted the group’s goals will be set at its first meeting, and “the City’s Council’s directive to the working group is to develop a homeless plan for Malibu, taking into account the efforts of the first task group that was appointed in 2018.”

Gabbard is heartened that Terry Davis, CART’s president, has been nominated to serve on the task force.

Gabbard is hopeful that an ASL will be established soon. “We envision an ASL as a facility that would house people who have expressed the intention of wanting assistance and who want to get off the streets,” she said. “The ASL housing is only for approximately three months while we help to facilitate that transition.”

The significant fire hazard makes such efforts urgent, Gabbard, Grisanti, and many others emphasize.

Davis holds out hope that the task force can fashion some possible solutions to the many layers of the homelessness crisis in Malibu. “A lot of diverse opinions exist about the homeless situation and what our responsibilities are morally and financially, but my greatest hope is that through cooperation and coalitions and the inclusion of city, county, public and private sectors we can come up with some positive actions that will impact the homeless situation in Malibu,” Davis said. “We cannot cure it, but we can help alleviate the pain and suffering and give a hand up to those who are willing and able.”

In Davis’ opinion, there is a role for mini-houses to be used to house the homeless.

“We have homeless in Malibu that have been Malibu residents for a long period of time,” Davis said. “Whether the ultimate solution is establishing an ASL or tiny homes, if we find a place within Malibu’s borders, it will have a positive impact, not only on those homeless individuals who would be vetted and benefit but also on the overall safety of the community.”

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“We cannot cure it, but we can help alleviate the pain and suffering and give a hand up for those who are willing to help.”

KAY GABBARD Malibu local Kay Gabbard works closely with the homeless population, working with both Malibu Methodist Church and the Community Assistance Resource Team (CART)

Homeless Encampments on Public Lands When the homeless camp on public lands, a court ruling constrains sheriffs from removing them.

“Right now, the missing piece is to get someone to agree at the County legal council’s office that it is okay to have the Sheriff’s office remove people from fire hazard areas that are public because the council has advised the sheriffs not to do so in light of the Martin v. Boise decision,” Gabbard said, referring to a Ninth Circuit federal court of appeals ruling that it is unconstitutional to punish a homeless person for sleeping or camping on public property if they are not provided another place to go. When the United States Supreme Court denied review of that decision, it bound California and all other states within the Ninth Circuit.

Councilperson Bruce Silverstein feels that “Malibu is very different from Boise’s situation,” and that the Los Angeles officials are reading the opinion too broadly.

Silverstein notes that, according to Cal Fire, Malibu is in a Very High Hazard Severity Zone, a designation based upon several factors, including historical fire patterns, proximity to forests and parkland, extensive chaparral, and severe drought.

“In just the past year, Malibu experienced nearly a dozen brush fires attributed to transients engaged in unpermitted camping in and around Malibu. In prior years, Malibu experienced multiple other brush fires linked to transients engaged in unpermitted camping,” Silverstein said.

“One way or another, something has to change. Hopefully, that will occur before transients in Malibu cause serious and irreparable harm to the community.”

Attempting to sum up the entire homeless encampment conundrum, Davis said, “Susan Duenas has worked tirelessly to create collaboration with regional, county, state, and federal officials. This is not an American problem - it’s a universal problem. I’m not looking to solve the entire problem, I’m looking to make MM a difference.”

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Malibu’s Lagoon, nestled behind Surfrider Beach, has sparked concern over the increasing pile-up of algae that threatens water quality. Malibu Magazine dives deep into the Lagoon’s ecological challenges.

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ONGOING ISSUES AT THE LAGOON Despite numerous restoration projects, the Malibu Lagoon has a long history of being plagued by problems with large silt build-ups, poor water circulation, and masses of algae.

“T

he Lagoon is getting worse and worse every year,” said Andy Lyon, former Malibu city council candidate, surfer, and community activist. His concerns were validated on August 12, when the Los Angeles County Health Department issued a water quality warning, cautioning citizens to refrain from swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters at Surfrider Beach and the Malibu Lagoon due to potentially hazardous conditions, including exceeding bacteria standards, and to exercise caution where Malibu Creek discharges into the ocean and

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near discharging storm drains. Such warnings have been intermittently issued recently.

Lyon added that many surfers and Malibu residents believe that before a 2013 restoration, the Lagoon, a 31-acre shallow water embayment at the terminus of the Malibu Creek watershed and a wetland connected to Surfrider Beach, was cleaner, surfing at the famous Third Point was more enjoyable, and Surfrider beach was in better condition.

Officials who oversaw the restoration efforts vociferously disagree, maintaining the project succeeded and did not contribute to the significant

beach erosion that has recently damaged the Adamson House grounds.

Although stakeholders do not agree on proper next steps, they do agree on one thing - something must be done immediately to address the beach erosion as it threatens to cause more damage.

Environmentalists and citizens are mindful that the Lagoon is a resting and feeding estuary for more than 200 species of migrating and native birds, including the California least tern and western snowy plover, both federally endangered species. Federally endangered tidewater goby and southern steelhead trout also inhabit the La-

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goon, which receives year-round freshwater from sources upstream. And, of course, visitors would like to enjoy the Lagoon, the Beach, and the Adamson House, with its historical treasures and event lawn amenities.

All these constituencies and factors are in play as officials try to determine how best to address concerns about the Lagoon and attempt to thwart beach erosion affecting Surfrider Beach and the Adamson House. As they do so, they are ever mindful that Mother Nature has a mind of her own.

Malibu Magazine explored the history of the Lagoon’s restoration and what solutions scientists, policymakers, and locals propose to address the recently marked stagnation of algae at the Lagoon.

The Tides of Change There was a time, Malibu historian and journalist Ben Marcus wrote for Malibu Magazine in 2010, when steelhead rainbow trout, an indicator species for creeks and streams, flourished in Malibu Creek which feeds into the Malibu Lagoon.

“Big and healthy steelhead means a big and healthy creek,” Marcus wrote.

“In the first half of the 20th Century, Malibu Creek was big and healthy, when the steelhead population was estimated to be more than a thousand fish. But in the first half of the 21st Century, that thousand-plus is down to 20 to 50 fish - with complete die-offs of every swimming thing occurring every couple of years.”

In the early 2000s, the Lagoon’s poor water circulation prompted its listing as an “impaired body of water” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which determined that out-ofcontrol bacterial growth negatively affected wildlife in the Lagoon.

Malibu made great efforts to clean up the water flowing into Malibu Creek prompted in part by lawsuits filed pur-

“The Lagoon became unable to sustain and clean itself as nature intented.”

suant to the Clean Water Act seeking remedies for the continued fouling of the waters at Surfrider. The City built Legacy Park to help with surface stormwater coming off the streets and retail center parking lots draining into Malibu Creek. The City also imposed a temporary septic tank ban and then built a sewer treatment plant.

Nevertheless, according to California State Parks, the Lagoon “became unable to sustain and clean itself as nature intended because it was used as a dumping ground for discharge from nearby Malibu Colony homes and for dirt and debris during construction of the Pacific Coast Highway.”

At the time, many locals strenuously opposed a restoration project, leading to protests and very contentious City Council meetings. Many who objected noted that a 1983 State Parks restoration of the Lagoon creating western channel flows had altered the water flow from Malibu Creek, moving the Lagoon’s breach and significantly weakening the wave at Third Point.

Scott Hubbell, a longtime Malibu lifeguard who has surfed in the area since 1965, noted, “Third point has not been the world-class spot it was for over 3 decades.”

Despite all efforts, the Lagoon remained degraded, according to a 2005 study sponsored by Heal the Bay. In 2010, yet another restoration project neared. At the time, Marcus suggested that it might make better sense to leave the Lagoon alone, except for trying to restore its original channel flows. “Nature had it dialed in the 1940s - waves and steelhead - and so they should just “restore” it to that flat, boring, but abundant profile,” He wrote at the time, sharing a 1941 picture of the Lagoon area. “See what’s there? That’s right ~ nothing, nada, rien, bupkis. The river bottom and the Restoration area are at sea and creek level.”

The Last Restoration Project Amidst citizen’s heated protests and palpable confusion about what was proposed, the California State Parks, The Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, and the California Coastal Conservancy installed more than 20,000 wetland plants, removed old fill and debris that was deposited in the Lagoon when the Pacific Coast Highway and the Colony were built and added interpretive features so people visiting the Lagoon could learn more about the wildlife, fish, flora, and fauna.

At the time, then City Councilperson Wagner posited that returning the Creek to a more direct, natural flow to

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WATER QUALITY ISSUES Despite the lagoon reviving to some

extent after the last restoration project, many citizens have become concerned because once again the lagoon is a plagued by algae and bacteria triggering water quality warnings being issued on and off by the Los Angeles County Health Department.

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1924 The Malibu Lagoon, pictured nearly 100 years ago in it’s flat yet healthy natural state.

the ocean would be the best idea in the long term. Wagner proposed removing tons of fill deposited during the construction of Pepperdine University on the east bank of the creek bed on the landside of the bridge, rather than dredging the western portion of the Lagoon.

Citing Army Corps of Engineers and CalTrans analyses, he wrote a letter to the community stating that deposited fill, which he dubbed “Pepperdine Point,” was responsible for changes in the creek flow that essentially eliminated the surf break at second and third points and silted up the Lagoon.

Wagner feared that silt would swiftly build up and refill the freshly-dredged Lagoon channel unless the original creek alignment was restored.

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The latest iteration of the Lagoon restoration ended in 2013. The Bay Foundation and California State Parks’ 2019 Malibu Lagoon Restoration and Enhancement Project Final Comprehensive Monitoring Report stated, “The restoration project has been wholly successful . . . post-restoration results show improved water quality, improved circulation, removal of dead zones and excess sedimentation issues, and a diverse native ecosystem resilient to impacts.”

Wagner and Marcus concede that the Lagoon did revive to some extent. “My position is that the restoration did not entirely fail,” Wagner said. “Some wildlife and fauna returned to the ecosystem.”

However, like many others, he added

that severe concerns exist because the Lagoon is, once again, a mass of algae.

Malibu Mayor Paul Grisanti says that, as Wagner and others feared, less than a decade after the last restoration project was completed, silt has built up and the Lagoon is in a poor condition now.

“When they did the restoration project, they put the creek’s outlet at the wrong place, and therefore, the water flow won’t let it break at Third Point,” He said. “As a result, we have lost the shower and the two date palms in front of the Adamson House.”

Graham Hamilton, Chapter Coordinator for Surfrider Foundation, Los Angeles Chapter, an environmental nonprofit dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches, wrote to Malibu

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2021 Pictured today with a thinning coast, the iconic Malibu spot has seen alarming erosion and algae levels.

City Council members on May 8, 2018, addressing chronic beach erosion at Surfrider Beach. “When it comes to erosion, Malibu is not unique. Chronic erosion plagues much of the California coast,” The letter stated. “While contributing factors are numerous, shoreline development and coastal armoring continue as the primary constraints disrupting natural sediment flows, curbing our beaches’ ability to nourish themselves and in Malibu, the impediments are clear, from Rindge Dam to the developments of Cross Creek and the Colony.”

Hamilton noted that historically, the inlet at the Malibu Lagoon flushes to the west after it first rains. It then migrates through the Spring and ultimately closes with seasonal south swells. However,

“When they did the restoration project, they put the creek’s outlet at the wrong place. ”

over the past several years, an increasingly aggressive easterly breach is undermining the native Chumash heritage site, the historic Adamson estate, and the integrity of one of the greatest surf breaks in the world.

Surfrider Foundation proposed seasonal estuarine and lagoon management programs to address “the legitimate threat to the historic, cultural, and environmental resources at Surfrider Beach.”

To accomplish that goal, the City would have to amend its Local Coastal Program (LCP) and mandate the development of an ongoing adaptive management program for the Malibu Lagoon.

“There are those that argue that the Lagoon is in fact naturally opening to

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STEELHEAD TROUT In the first half of the 20th century, a large population of steelhead trout could be found in the lagoon, an indicator it was strong and healthy.

the east, and we should simply let nature “do its thing,” Hamilton wrote. “If nature is doing its thing, it is only doing so around the constraints we’ve imposed upon it. As such, we must continue to manage it to prevent irrevocable damages to the cultural and environmental resources we all cherish.”

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“The processes that occur within the Lagoon have nothing to do with the soft engineering project, other than the flows coming downstream and tidal influences when the Lagoon is breached toward the Adamson House,” West said. “We will continue to allow the natural processes of the Lagoon to

proceed. There is no need to realign the Lagoon’s flow because you can’t.”

With more than sixty years of surfing the area’s waters, and surveying them as an L.A. County lifeguard for 47 years, although he’s concededly not a scientist, surfer Scott Hubbell agrees.

“Man-made attempts to change the way the ocean works never work because it comes down to how the water is being diverted by nature, how much rain there is, and other factors. It’s my opinion that if man did not touch it, it would always be changing as nature dictates. Nature dictates the way it breaks.”

Malibu Magazine reached out to the scientists at The Bay Foundation and California State Parks, which owns and operates the Malibu Lagoon State Beach. Although they note that during hotter months, the Lagoon is not a pretty sight, they urge citizens to understand the Lagoon’s inherent characteristics and patterns and to refrain from any self-help measures, such as physically breaking the berm to release waters from the Lagoon, as some surfers and others have suggested on local social media.

“Malibu Lagoon is a bar-built estuary, which means in the summer months a sand bar forms to cover the mouth of the estuary and it seasonally closes to the tides,” said Karina Johnston, Science Director, The Bay Foundation.

“During these periods, for all estuaries of this type, the water can become warmer and be more prone to algal blooms. Malibu Lagoon was designed to still have water circulation during these events, to increase dissolved oxygen throughout the water column.”

LeFer agreed.

“The Lagoon restoration project was implemented due to a large build-up of silt and a lack of circulation,” LeFer

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THE ORIGINAL LAGOON With many restoration projects under its belt, some have argued that it might be best to simply leave the lagoon alone, except for trying to restore its original water channels.

said. “The channels were redesigned to take advantage of wind circulation at some times of the year, there is less circulation which leads to algal mass.

The algae provide food for the fish and provide habitat for a number of species - the Lagoon is functioning the way it is supposed to.”

LeFer strongly advises citizens against trying to manually open up the mouth of the Lagoon.

“Doing that would be contraindicated because sensitive species could be harmed, unnatural species could be introduced which would harm the ecosystem,” She said. “If the Lagoon’s mouth were physically opened, it

“The algae provide food for the fish and a habitat for a number of species.”

would be too shallow of an opening and that could cause a recurring prophecy as it would create a shallow soft spot and that would not allow a full breach.”

As the policymakers and scientists ponder solutions, they are mindful that, as Professor Gary Griggs, Director of U.C. Santa Cruz Institute of Marine Science said, “Mother Nature bats last.”

Although citizens, policymakers, and scientists may not agree about whether and how to further address concerns regarding algae at the Lagoon and how to address the soil erosion at Surfrider that is threatening the Adamson House, they all agree on one thing.

Time is of the essence.

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CULINARY PASSION Clarke’s love for food and legendary attention to detail has made her the preeminent caterer in Malibu, trusted by some of the city’s most renowned and exacting residents.

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GINA CLARKE

A SITDOWN WITH MALIBU’S CHEF 18 years after opening Malibu Seaside Chef, Gina Clarke has staked a legendary reputation for her spectacular cooking and events. We sit down with the beloved local to hear more about her next chapter. ✎ written by Holly Bieler  photographed by Jennifer Olson and John Troxell

I

n the 18 years since Gina Clarke opened Malibu Seaside Chef, no lack of extraordinary things have happened. Then only a few years out of culinary school, Clarke’s mastery of different flavor profiles and cuisines quickly catapulted her into becoming one of the top caterers in Los Angeles, and the go-to caterer in Malibu, relied upon by some of the biggest celebrities in the world, such as Justin Bieber, Josh Brolin, U2, Brian Grazer and Anthony Kiedis, to major corporations like Neutrogena, Youtube and

Adidas. Fast forward to 2021, and Clarke has no plans for slowing down. Indeed for this longtime Malibu local, life is busier than ever. After the covid hiatus, her phone has not stopped ringing, her next few months now jam-packed with everything from celebrity birthdays to extravagant parties with massive farm-to-table menus, to intimate vegan dinner parties served from some of Malibu’s most jawdropping homes. It’s a hectic time for Clarke, and yet she wouldn’t have it any other way. Even after all these years, she’s still as in love with her work, and bring-

ing magic into her customers’ homes, as she was all those years ago when she started Malibu Seaside Chef out of her little bungalow on the water.

“What makes me the happiest is when I know that I put all my love and effort into my food, and that people felt that,” she said.

This passion has established Clarke’s reputation not just as one of the most delicious chefs in the city, but as one of the most adaptable. With the help of her talented Assistant Chef Brian Algee, whom Clarke calls her “secret weapon”, there

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INGREDIENT-FORWARD Often referred to as an unofficial mayor of Malibu, Clarke has been a regular at the Malibu Farmers Market for years, where she sources many of her ingredients from fresh, local farms.

is no cuisine or dietary restriction which Malibu Seaside Chef cannot cater, from intimate Halal sit-down dinners to large Greek Kosher buffets. For each event, Clarke meticulously plans, conducting extensive research and taste testing to ensure her menu is perfect.

Next comes one of Clarke’s favorite parts of the whole event— sourcing the most spectacular local produce she can find.

Come Sunday morning, you can invariably find Clarke at the Malibu Farmers Market, where she has bought many of her ingredients for years.

“I’m at the Malibu Farmers Market reli-

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“WHAT MAKES ME HAPPIEST IS KNOWING I PUT ALL MY LOVE INTO MY FOOD.”

giously every Sunday at 9 a.m.,” she says.

“I have personal relationships with so many different vendors. Every single person there knows my name.”

But Clarke’s success is about more than her legendary, ingredient-forward food.

Indeed one thing that has long set Clarke apart from other caterers in this city is her exquisite attention to detail and the comprehensiveness of her events. Clarke might be a born chef, but she’s also a born host, and no one knows how to throw a party like her. When working on an event, she handles everything, from impeccably-designed tablescapes to match any

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BACK TO THE EARTH One of the characteristics that sets Clarke apart is her incredible versatility as a chef. She’s wellversed in a variety of cuisines, including vegetarian and vegan dishes.

theme, to beautiful local flowers, custom playlists and lighting, and specialty cocktails (her raspberry mojito is a local favorite). “Every last detail is taken care of so [the host] can rest and enjoy themselves and have a great time,” she said.

Food and entertaining has played a significant role in Clarke’s life from the time she was a child. Growing up in San Luis Obispo on California’s gold coast, Clarke took advantage of the bounty of her natural surroundings, watching cooking shows for hours on TV then trying out recipes in her kitchen utilizing fresh local ingredients.

“EVERY DETAIL IS TAKEN CARE OF SO THE HOST CAN HAVE A GREAT TIME.”

At 15 years old, Clarke put this passion on hold when she embarked on what would become an illustrious modeling career. After being scouted in her hometown, Clarke moved to Germany to begin modeling, quickly landing prestigious print and runway work all across Europe.

Eventually she moved to Paris, rooming with other models in a tiny apartment in the city’s left bank. It was there, on a charming cobblestone street not far from her flat, that Clarke found herself falling in love with food all over again.

“I remember living in the 7th arrondissement in Paris, and there was this amazing

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UNPARALLELED TALENT Clarke’s passion for cooking began in childhood, and has never waned over her 18 years at Malibu Seaside Chef. To this day, she says, nothing makes her happier than cooking beautiful food for her beloved clients and friends.

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ALL IN THE DETAILS A natural-born host, Clarke ensures every detail is perfect at her events.

FAMILY Clarke with her husband Keith, a Malibu firefighter, and their daughter Avila.

market at the end of our street with hens, chickens, rabbits, all this fresh produce,” she said. “I’d always loved food, but this enticed me in a new way.”

She began experimenting with local Parisian ingredients, her passion for food and communing with other cultures through local ingredients inspired all over again.

Another major milestone occurred when Clarke was 18 years old. Arriving back to the U.S. after three years, Clarke was searching for a home base that was still near her modeling work in Los Angeles, when a friend suggested she check out Malibu. This was in the city’s less trendy days, when the Dume Room was the local watering hole, and way before Nobu.

But Clarke immediately fell in love with the town— with the intoxicating salt air, its spectacular natural beauty and, most of all, the warmth and support of its residents.

“I just loved Malibu instantaneously,” Clarke said. “I’m a nature person and Malibu had the ocean and the mountains.

It reminded me of home in San Luis Obispo.”

Clarke settled into a small bungalow right on the ocean near Big Rock, a home base that kept her centered and happy for the next 15 years as she continued with her modeling career. However as she neared her thirties, she began traveling less and spending more time in Malibu, thinking over her next move.

“It’s not like you can be a model forever,” Clarke says. “I was modeling into my mid-thirties, but there’s a point where I realized I needed to think of another career. So I thought to myself: what can I do that I’m going to be really good at?

And I realized, ‘Oh my God, I really love to cook.’”

Within a few months, Clarke had en-

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rolled in cooking school at Epicurean Los “I get such satisfaction from being able in the industry.

Angeles, and soon thereafter moved to to create something enjoyable for others,” “People are trusting us with their Viareggio, Italy, to study under legendshe said. “From shopping for the ingremulti-million dollar properties, and we ary chef Giuliano Bugialli, author of one dients to picking out the right tableware, always take care of them like they’re our of the most significant cookbooks of all candles and flowers, to working with the own homes,” she says. “By the time we time, “The Fine Art of Italian Cooking”. client to create the most memorable dinleave, everything is spotless, like you nevSoon after moving back to Malibu, Clarke ing experience possible. It’s more than er even had a party.” landed a prestigious job at Malibu’s finjust the food itself. It has to taste amazing, But don’t be fooled. As seamless and est restaurant at the time, beautiful as Clarke’s events the Malibu Colony Plaza’s always turn out, behind Granita, learning the in’s the scenes her work is an and out’s of fine cuisine unexacting, painstaking and der none other than Wolfsometimes hectic process, gang Puck. with no small number of However, Clarke knew daily hurdles. This, coupled almost immediately she with her legendary reputawanted to start her own tion, led local production business, something which company WestWorld Prowould truly showcase the ductions to reach out last breadth of her talents. And year about a reality show. after only a few years in Clarke recently wrapped up Malibu, she had already shooting the pilot at Malimade wonderful friends bu’s One Gun Ranch. throughout the city, who “[The show] is a real, deep had become obsessed with look into a day-in-the-life her delicious cooking and of a celebrity private chef,” ability to put together truly she says. “It’s dramatic all spectacular, special events. the time. Sometimes I show In 2003, Clarke officialup to these Airbnbs and ly opened Malibu Seaside they don’t even have a fork.

Chef, and within just a few People will see it’s not as months was one of the most easy as it looks.” sought-after chefs in the As harried as things can area. get behind the scenes, In the years since, Clarke however, Clarke wouldn’t COCKTAIL HOUR Clarke is well-known for her menu of has taken on something of trade her work for anydelicious, locally-sourced craft cocktails. a legendary status on the thing. After all these years, city’s culinary scene, staking a lauded reputation across Los Angeles, and especially among her beloved Malibu clients, for her artistry as a chef and events coordinator that is truly unparalleled.

It’s hard work being this perfect, and putting together events for some of the most high-profile and demanding people in the world. But there’s nothing, Clarke says, she would rather be doing. Catering and putting together events is truly her soul-fulfilling passion.

look amazing, and the experience has to be memorable.”

This passion for creating world-class events extends way beyond her incredible food; no detail is too small, from choosing the right cutlery, music and lighting for an event to ensuring she has the best staff in place for all events. Indeed Clarke has worked for years with her incredible support staff, a team of professional waiters and bartenders who are among the best

there’s still nothing quite as exciting for Clarke than creating an unforgettable experience and memories for her clients that will last a lifetime. “Seeing my clients truly happy,” Clarke says. “There’s no better MM feeling than that.”

Malibu Seaside Chef malibuseasidechef.com @malibuseasidechef (310) 701- 4841

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SHOPPING AND DINING IN 2021

WHAT’S NEW IN MALIBU? From farm-to-table restaurants to luxury shopping experiences, Malibu Magazine has captured the latest new editions and recent departures in Malibu’s ever-evolving retail landscape. ✎ written by Barbara Burke and Taylor Tomlinson

Every Malibu local can share which one of their favorite restaurants has met its end too soon. On the other hand, many would be happy to tell you which new place has the best lunch, dinner, or dessert. After Ollie’s Duck and Dive closed down, Thaia, a new Thai restaurant, welcomed new patrons in that very same Point Dume Plaza location. When Mexican spot Corral Cantina closed, a renewed Howdy’s, known for burritos and bowls, opened shortly after. Mali-

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bu, with its promise of beach tourism, can be a surprisingly tricky place to operate a business, which is why many locals have grown used to the constant turnover. After a devastating pandemic that caused many local businesses to shutter their doors, it is no surprise that the Malibu retail landscape looks quite different from March 2020. Malibu’s numerous shopping plazas may appear without its familiar favorites. However, many new Malibu businesses have blos-

somed post-pandemic. Your CBD Store, with its revealing name, has become the new hot spot for luxury CBD products.

Lucky’s Steakhouse, taking the place of Mr.Chow’s, has been offering fine dining to Malibu residents. The new Violet Salon is providing stylish hair cuts and color treatments, and has cemented itself as a great edition to Malibu. While Malibu has seen many recent foreclosures, these new establishments prove our retail scene is more exciting than ever.

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SHOPPING & DINING

THE MALIBU VILLAGE & LUMBER YARD NEW: RES IPSA

NEW: MALIBU COLLECTIVE

Malibu Contemporary Art Gallery joined with Crown Boutique and Stoked Surfboards to form Malibu Collective, an entirely woman-owed effort located right above Cafe Habana. “Our goal is keeping the local flavor of Malibu with hometown artists, designers, and locally sourced products.” Lori Mills, owner of Malibu Contemporary Art Gallery, said.

Res Ipsa offers lovely, colorful shoes, fabrics, luggage and rugs, many made in the company’s Marrakech artelier. Odini Gogo and Joshua Moore were once attorneys who became burned out by the rigors of practicing law. Firmly believing that retail is not dead and that customers value hand-made items. The pair named their new business Res Ipsa, a legal phrase meaning “the thing speaks for itself.” The unique merchandise does, indeed, speak for itself. Upcycled kilim shoes, babouche slides, rugs and clothing are produced with fabrics by makers from around the world. Res Ipsa has stores in Nantucket, Aspen and Vail and is getting a lot of love from customers in Malibu.

and Los Angeles. Think teak meets chic.

Between now and the formal opening, look for James Perse pop-ups throughout the summer - they will provide insights into the full product line. The new James

EXPANDED: JAMES PERSE

The MLY has been undergoing significant renovations to accommodate a new anchor store - James Perse is expanding into a second space in MLY with a furniture store slated to open in late Summer or early Fall. The large space will feature the brand’s casual living collections, including Baja, Malibu, Nor Cal, Brentwood

Perse location fits perfectly into Malibu’s relaxed, beachy aesthetic by offering comfortable, minimalist pieces. The Malibu Lumber Yard is home to his retail location, while the furniture expansion will serve as a close-by, convenient second location.

NEW: NOBLE SOULS CLOSED: SOUL CYCLE

The longtime Malibu cycling studio closed making indoor cycling classes featuring high-intensity cardio a thing of the past at Malibu Village.

CLOSED: LEVI’S

Long-time clothier Levi’s closed its Malibu store in early Summer.

Noble Souls’ showroom features furniture made with artisanal construction that highlights beautiful grain patterns in wood and upholstery made with soft and durable fabrics designed with 100 percent vegetable dyes.

CLOSED: BED STU

Although the brick and mortar location is gone, the company continues to have a strong online presence and its shoes and bags are on show in numerous retail stores.

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MALIBU COUNTRY MART NEW: ALFRED’S COFFEE

NEW: NENERGY BOOST

Nenergy Boost opened next to Taverna Tony’s and provides infusions for vitality, including chelation and ozone therapies, Venofer IV’s and apothecary items.

NEW: LUCKY’S STEAKHOUSE

Opened in Summer 2021, the SoCal based Alfred’s Coffee is the Malibu Country Mart’s newest tenant. The stylish and Instagrammable coffee shop serves specialty lattes, cappuccinos, teas, and even breakfast burritos. Alfred’s Coffee also holds locations all across California, Austin, and Japan. Malibuites will hopefully enjoy the fun-filled and modern ambiance that accompanies their drink at Alfred’s. The menu features some consistent favorites for every coffee lover, such as iced vanilla lattes and cold brews, but it can also vary among locations. Residents and visitors can only wait and see what special creations will be available at the new Alfred’s Coffee.

NEW: BRANDY MELVILLE

Having opened its doors in December 2020, the chain retailer Brandy Melville now occupies the space previously owned

by Ted Baker London. Brandy Melville is well known for its simple basics and California-casual clothing.

NEW: NOMAD MALIBU

Nomad Malibu opened its doors in August 2020. Sustainability-focused, this women’s clothing boutique sells independent designers, both local or international. The boutique sells chic beachwear, perfect for the effortlessly laid-back Malibu style.

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Mart for one of Malibu’s newest restaurants. Diners at Lucky’s should expect excellent classic dishes paired with a sophisticated ambiance. With its numerous well-crafted cocktails and wide-ranging wine cellar, Lucky’s makes for a fabulous night out. Today, Lucky’s brings its traditional yet luxurious charm to the ‘Bu in the Malibu Country Mart.

NEW: VUORI

Serving both lunch and dinner, newly opened Lucky’s Steak House’s menu features steak and seafood. Malibuites searching for a nice dinner in town will look no further than the Malibu Country

CLOSED: COFFEE BEAN

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was one of the many places where Malibuites could get a hot beverage in the Malibu Country Mart.

CLOSED: MR. CHOW

Mr. Chow was an upscale Chinese restaurant that featured authentic Beijing recipes. The restaurant closed in January 2021.

CLOSED: PLANET BLUE

The beachy and bohemian retail brand announced it would be closing all loca-

Activewear brand Vouri, located in the space previously housing Micheal Stars, opened in November 2020. The brand sells both men and women’s athletic apparel. Committed to ethical manufacturing, Malibu shoppers can take comfort that their new athletic-wear supplier offsets 100% of its carbon footprint.

tions in November 2020, an unfortunate outcome of the pandemic.

CLOSED: BURRO

Offering a wide range of stationary, tote bags, apparel, and gifts with an eclectic touch, Burro left the Malibu Country Mart in 2020.

CLOSED: VICTOIRE

Before closing in August 2020, Victoire was a European luxury brand selling elegant apparel and accessories in the Malibu Country Mart.

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THE PARK NEW: THE REAL COCONUT

Tropical, fresh, and nutritious, The Real Coconut has provided Malibu residents with a new easy lunch and dinner spot. Originally based in Tulum, Mexico, the restaurant features Mexican health food that relies on local, organic ingredients. The menu features classic Mexican dishes, such as fish tacos and burritos, to breakfast favorites, like avocado toast and breakfast bagels. The Real Coconut Restaurant acquired a license to serve beer and wine as well as Kombucha and sparkling cocktails. Remaining health-conscious, the restaurant also serves signature smoothies and wellness shots. The Real Coconut also interestingly utilizes marine phytoplankton as a healthy ingredient as its the only known form of vegan EPA, an important Omega 3 fatty acid. In addition to the restaurant, the Real Coconut has its very own market, where patrons can take home ingredients used in the kitchen and use them in their own dishes at home. Selling cheeses and ready-made meals, the market specializes in giving a portable taste of the Real Coconut. The market also features a bakery, where residents can purchase freshbaked bagels, donuts, and other sweet treats. Many of these oven-baked goodies are made and sold without gluten, grain, and dairy. If customers wanted to give the recipes from the Real Coconut a try in their own house, co-owner Daniella Hunter sells her cookbook Nourish Yourself, Nourish Our World with 116 recipes straight from the restaurant’s kitchen.

NEW: MALIBU INSIGHT Malibu In Sight Optometry opened, offering professional eye care services and eye frame offerings from a host of upscale artisan collections. The Malibu Country Mart location sells designer frame brands, ranging from John Varvatos to Fenty. Whether it’s receiving specialized eye-care to shopping for your next pair of frames, Malibu In Sight Optometry has residents covered for their eye health needs.

NEW: UNITY IMAGING & APPAREL

Unity Imaging & Apparel, a clothing company that makes custom screen prints and embroidered merchandise, is enjoying a lot of foot traffic in The Park. The venue offers custom design services for everyone from the novice to professional designers.

specializes in both physical and mental health services.

EXPANDING: HOWDY’S

As Malibu goes forward and leaves Covid behind, restaurateur Howdy Kabrins is optimistic. “I am expanding Howdy’s into the adjacent space because doing so will provide us the chance to serve Malibu and the students who will return to Pepperdine,” He said. “Look for an expanded and delicious menu.”

EXPANDING: BAREFOOT DREAMS

is expanding its space - the new store, located adjacent to the existing one, will offer cozy furnishings and an expanded line of clothing products.

RELOCATING: JUST FOOD FOR DOGS Just Food for Dogs, long an Eastern Malibu retailer, will relocate to The Park this Fall and will offer on-site consultants to help customers ensure they are buying the best food options for their pets.

RELOCATING: CURE WELLNESS

Cure Wellness Center will open in late Fall, Soboroff stated. The venue will offer aesthetic services and IV therapies. The Med-Spa, paired with scenic ocean views,

CLOSED: TOPIKAL

Topikal is a hemp cannabidiol (CBD) health and wellness company offering therapeutic grade topicals, oils, vapes and personal care products.

While the Malibu location is closed, they still have locations in Larchmont Village and Tarzana. You can also shop their products online.

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Bachelor Gulch

POINT DUME PLAZA NEW: ABIERTO

CLOSED: OLLIE’S AND DIVE

DUCK

Ollie’s Duck Dive, a popular eating and drinking establishment for many Malibu locals, shuttered its doors.

Malibu’s Amanda Weir opened Abierto, a gift shop, in early July. “I think that gift-giving is important and that people appreciate things like a handwritten thank you note,” Weir said. “Abierto is offering merchandise at all price levels as it’s also important for everyone to be able to buy something.”

CLOSED: BANK OF AMERICA

Bank of America, which had been at its location for sixty years closed.

CLOSED: OCEANNE SALON NEW: THAIA RESTAURANT

Thaia Restaurant is described as “a place where the influences of Thailand, East Asia and California are brought together.”

Oceanne Salon and Day Spa closed its brick and mortart location, opting

instead to move to a home studio that offers many of the same beauty services.

CLOSED: MALIBU BEACH YOGA

Malibu Beach Yoga, a studio that offered many adult and youth classes, closed.

CLOSED: SUBWAY

The popular chain sandwich shop Subway closed its Point Dume Plaza location during the pandemic.

OTHER OPENINGS EXPANDED: AVIATOR NATION DREAMLAND

After Cafe Escobar closed, Aviator Nation expanded into the entire old Malibu Inn space.

“Ever since we moved in seven years ago, I’ve dreamed of designing an experience for the community in the full build-

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ing,” said Paige Mycoskie, Aviator Nation founder. “When I was younger, I used to visit the old Malibu Inn and attend great concerts here. My dream is to bring back the greatness of the Malibu Inn’s past, but in Aviator Nation style.”

Aviator Nation Dreamland is opening this Fall and will offer a full liquor, wine and beer bar, coffee and juice bars and what Mycoskie describes as a “small but super yummy menu and the best stage in town.” Mycoskie described her vision for the venue.

“Our Dreamland stage will host special, limited shows. We completely revamped the sound system to be state of the art every element to the new space was done

carefully to consider the effects of the sound quality,” She said. “I would love to offer special events that cater to the wellness community like yoga, nutrition, and skincare.”

Mycoskie elaborated. “The venue will be open to the public and will host private events and will celebrate the California lifestyle we know and love. It is a space that makes you feel warm and cozy inside when you enter. We wanted to bring love to Malibu and hopefully inspire the future of our community.”

Discussing the concept, she said, “I live in Malibu and I know we need a great breakfast burrito and coffee across from Surfrider beach and a rad hangout with

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awesome shows. I care about the community because it is my personal backyard. I want to celebrate our past and brighten our future. We need a new place in Malibu to make great memories and I hope Dreamland will be that.”

Look for the new line of merchandise that is only sold in Dreamland, including eponymous branded apparel, luxury swimwear and other lifestyle products, such as towels and beach gear.

ferent materials and metals, from sterling silver to white topaz. The store also sells luxury cases to protect precious items.

NEW: YOUR CBD STORE

NEW: MALIBU BREWING COMPANY Your CBD Store, an alternative and holistic health service company that offers Hemp-derived products, opened in the Ranch Market in June. The company has more than 550 stores in 41 states and is drawing interest from locals and beach visitors. CBD water-solubles, oils, tinctures, vape products, skincare and topical creams are available, as are pet care items.

Malibu Brewing Company, a taproom and eatery, is opening this fall.

“We are Malibu locals creating a space for our community to gather together,” said Jill Ahrens, co-owner. “We are a microbrewery creating our own premium craft beer, with two award-winning brewmasters at the helm. Our taproom and eatery, designed

by Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors, will offer high quality food in a casual atmosphere, served alongside Malibu Brewing Company’s craft beer and wine. Malibu Brewing Company will be a place to gather after a little league game, a day at the beach or on a date night.”

NEW: ALBERTINA

Albertina, a new Malibu jeweler, sells a wide variety of bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. From graduation to weddings, these pieces make great gifts for special occasions. Albertina ultizes countless dif-

NEW: KECIA KEINZ HAIR STUDIO

Kecia Heinz Hair Studio is a new salon that is popular with locals and receiving accolades on local social media. Heinz specializes in precision haircuts and styles.

provides cuts, colors and hair extensions, opened in mid-Malibu. Proprietor Lindsey Carse, a longtime go-to stylist in Beverly Hills, describes the salon as “a real niche that provides a superb Beverly Hills private experience in Malibu.”

Carse considers the City as the perfect place to establish her business, which also offers an ever-expanding hair product line.

“We are launching a vitamin shampoo, conditioners and treatments packaged in ultraviolet glass that sustain ingredients for seven months and contain biotin which addresses premature, steroid-induced hair loss,” Carse said. “We also have a fabulous FHI blow dryer brush that is our trophy product and we offer 200 items, everything from flat irons to hair clips.”

NEW: SMOKIN’ BARBQUTIES

Sonja Randall’s gourmet catering business, opened a food stand next to Colony House Liquors, offering delicious barbeque and to-die-for BBQ chilibeans, vegan chili and coleslaw, among other delicious items.

NEW: ROCKWELL KITCHEN

NEW: C. BONZ

Founded by artist Celine Benz, C.Bonz helps customers add embroidery to their wardrobe. “We offer a limited amount of pre-embroidered items in our small, onsite boutique,” Benz said. “We also help people personalize items they already own.

They might bring in a picture or design of a favorite place or pet and want it to be on an item of clothing we sell.”

NEW: VIOLET SALON

Violet, a high-end hair salon that expertly

MHS graduate Alla Rockwell opened Rockwell Kitchen in a food truck located in the Boardriders Shop parking lot across from Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine. From morning fuels, including a salmon breakfast sandwich and ‘shroom omelet, to fondue and a lobster BLT, the food truck offers organic, wholesome foods. They are also available MM for catering.

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Yellow 108 Paul Fedora Faherty, $112

Made from 100% Merino wool, this fedora acts as the quintessential fall accessory. Completed with a brown leather band, the Paul Fedora is a must-have.

Puff Waist Dress The Alcove, $345

TOP 10

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CoziChic Lite Pullover Barefoot Dreams, $118

Stay cute and comfortable with this luxuriously soft hoodie.

Relaxed fit, kangaroo pockets, and a generous hood - this hoodie checks all the boxes.

Elegant, earthy, and fun, this Rebecca Taylor dress is the perfect transition piece from summer to fall. Ramie linen and side slits create an easy, livedin feel that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Down to Earth Autumn Wardrobe Fall means many things to Malibuites; PCH traffic eases, fewer beach days, and colder weather. Luckily, our coastal town has much to offer in terms of dressing for the season. We put together 10 fashion must-haves for fall in Malibu

AIDA Jumpsuit Ba&sh, $450

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Ba&sh’s AIDA jumpsuit’s lightweight material will ease you back into autumn. Casual yet sophisticated, the jumpsuit’s elegant drape creates a flattering silhouette. The rich tan fabric is 100% cupro, an eco-friendly material made from cotton waste.

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Flor Necklace Sunroom, $3,280

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Embedded in two-toned beach stone are a bezel set 0.25-carat diamond and a gypsy set 0.015-carat diamond. Its warm-toned, earthy look makes it a great fall statement piece.

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Classic Bracelet Set gorjana, $85

Simple and delicate, Gorjana’s Classic Bracelet Set is a subtle way to add a hint of gold to your outfit. These simple, adjustable chains can be worn together or on their own! An easy accessory to any fall outfit, Gorjana’s Classic Bracelet Set adds an elegant flair.

Anessa - Beachbum Jeans Paige, $239

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These wide-legged jeans add a vintage touch to whatever you pair them with and the darker wash pairs beautifully with the rich, warm colors of autumn. Stay comfortable and relaxed with these easy-fitting jeans.

Willa Top, Faherty, $158

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This top is everything thing you need in a blouse. The white bohemian blouse creates a romantic and feminine look, all while remaining laid-back and relaxed.

Dressed up or down, the Willa Top exudes the beachy Malibu style in the fall season.

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Black Rock Western Belt Free People, $38.50

With ornate silver detailing on the buckle, the Black Rock Western Belt can transform simple outfits. The belt comes in beautiful fall colors, such as rust, dusty blue, sage, and black, making this easy to pair with any fall attire.

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Marled Elbow Sleeve Crew Vince, $225

This 100% cotton crewneck top is an excellent choice for anyone a more minimalist look for the fall season.

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DOOR TO DOOR CLEANERS

A SPOTLESS REPUTATION Door to Door Cleaners has long been in the busines of old school customer service combined with new school environmentally conscious technology and recently was awarded the California Small Business of the Year Award for their efforts. ✎ written by Barbara Burke

D

oor to Door Valet Cleaners, Malibu’s environmentally friendly dry cleaners, was honored to receive the California Small Business of the

Year award.

“We were selected as one of 60 businesses to receive this award out of 3.3 million California businesses,” Sajid Veera, CEO of the company, said. “We are extremely excited to receive this award and we thank State Senator Ben Allen for nominating us.” The August 18 ceremony recognized that in the Pandemic, the company’s tailors made cloth masks for the medical community and distrib-

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uted them at no charge. The company also received Dry Cleaner of the Year for California for 2019-2020, an honor conferred by the Dry Cleaning Institute, the premier dry cleaning education organization nationwide.

“My brother and I come from a long line of entrepreneurs,” Sajid said. “It all started in India, when my paternal grandfather, an orphan, was sponsored by a gentleman who taught him a trade.

Soon, my grandfather took over the business. My maternal grandfather and my mom and dad were entrepreneurs as well - my mom ventured into the frozen food industry and was very successful.”

Door to Door offers a full-service dry cleaning, laundry and tailoring service in Malibu at The Park at Cross Creek.

If you need stained lawn furniture or awnings restored, Door to Door Cleaners is your answer. If you need wedding gowns or heirloom garments preserved, Door to Door Cleaners is your answer. If you need hand bags or shoes cleaned or preserved, the company is your answer.

If you need sustainable and quality dry cleaning, the company provides solutions.

Sajid is the CEO and his brother, Habib Veera, serves as the company’s CFO. They handle the day-to-day operations

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FAKE ADVERTORIAL

and implement strategies and plans with capable help by their wives, Shaheen and Molly. Yasin and Yasmin offer expert strategic advice.

Sajid and Habib were born in Bombay.

The family immigrated to America in the 1980’s. Door to Door Cleaners began humbly, starting with a small Manhattan Beach storefront. Over time, the family bought its own dry cleaning equipment, always adhering to best sustainability practices.

“We now have 13 Southern California beach town locations, including our Hawthorne plant,” Sajid said. “We use the best equipment and technology to ensure quality service.” The dry cleaning business is very fragmented, with no consistency in quality, he explained, noting there are serious environmental and toxicology concerns with some dry cleaning chemicals, including perchlorethylene, a known carcinogenic.

“Perchlorethylene can leach into your body through the skin, our biggest organ,” Sajid said. “Studies have identified it in women’s breast milk. At Door to Door Cleaners, we don’t use toxic chemicals. Rather, we use a wet cleaning process and Green Earth liquid silicon, which derives from sand and water.”

“Best in class,” is the phrase Sajid uses for his company’s products, including Kreussler’s suite of cleaning processes.

Door to Door Cleaners also carries natural, plant-based products by The Good Home Co. for customers’ at-home use.

Best in class - that’s the phrase Sajid uses to describe his long-time, loyal employees.

“We took care of our employees during the Covid crisis,” Sajid said. “Our fifty-plus employees’ families rely on their paycheck and, although we were on a reduced work schedule, we made sure their groceries and basic needs were met.” At Door to Door Cleaners, “family,” is an expansive term. So expansive that

LIKE FAMILY Door to Door Cleaners treats its employees like family and despite a reduced work schedule during Covid, made sure their needs were met.

the company is known for its philanthropy, including its participation in Build a Better Benin, an effort delivering healthcare and education to the people of Benin, West Africa by establishing sustainable projects, such as the well Door to Door Cleaners helped to construct.

“When an opportunity presents itself, we do all we can to help. A customer named Sarah came into our Hermosa Beach location with donation boxes for Build a Better Benin,” Sajid said. “We matched all the donations and installed a well and its motor. Now, the entire village gets its water from that well.”

Was it tough establishing a Malibu lo-

cation during Covid? Malibu Magazine inquired.

“With the strong support of Steve Soboroff, who developed The Park in Malibu, we opened in the depths of Covid,” Sajid said. “We are very community-oriented and doing so, in some small way, helps to MM instill a sense of normalcy.”

DOOR TO DOOR CLEANERS

23401 Civic Center Way #4G Malibu, CA 90265 Phone: (424) 644-0042 www.doortodoorcleaners.com

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MASTERPIECES OF THE EARTH

CRYSTAL PALACE Tucked away in a Seattle warehouse sits one of the most spectacular collections of crystals anywhere in the world.

Richard Berger takes us on a tour of his extraordinary wonderland. ✎ written by Holly Bieler  photographed by Julie Wuellner

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TRANSCENDENT OASIS The Masterpieces of the Earth gallery is unlike anywhere else on earth.

Berger has painstakingly designed the space not just to showcase his collection of rare crystals, but to allow for visitors to truly commune with them.

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ART

I

t was 9:30 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, and I was sure I was in the wrong place. My Uber had just stopped on the side of a busy highway in suburban Seattle, a dull stretch of road dotted with beige stucco office buildings and the occasional used car dealership. A dusty philly cheesesteak shop helmed by a yawning teenager presented the only perceptible sign of life within view.

“You’re sure this is the right address?” my Uber driver asked. For about the tenth time that morning I checked my phone again. In my experience, places like the one where I was headed— places that contain some of the most beautiful things it’s possible to see in this world— usually have relatively grandiose entrances. That Masterpieces of the Earth didn’t even have a sign was as sure an indication as any that I was in for something I’d never experienced before. Or, it was a sign I was being scammed. As I stood on the side of the highway, the smell of day-old cheese whiz growing stronger by the second, I wasn’t entirely sure which one it was. Then I remembered that I had seen Masterpieces of the Earth featured on CBS Sunday Morning program and began to settle down.

Then I saw Richard Berger. The founder of Masterpieces of the Earth, Berger is a study in contradictions. He’s an oldschool hippie, for one, who wears his beard long and his Birkenstocks daily

and can still recall in intimate detail that summer in 1968 he spent couch-surfing in Haight-Ashbury. But he’s also a Bronxborn, straight-talking New Yorker, with little appetite for bullshit or hard R’s but an abiding one for gentle cynicism, which

the fresh Seattle air has as yet been unable to stamp out.

He’s an interesting guy, to say the least, and yet perhaps the most interesting thing about Richard Berger is what’s sitting behind the nondescript warehouse door he’s walking me towards right now; one of, if not the most, spectacular collection of giant crystals anywhere in the world. Indeed among crystal lovers and collectors, Berger is a legend, albeit an elu-

sive one. For over 40 years he’s worked to amass a carefully-curated collection that includes some of the most exquisite, largest and rarest crystals and fossils that have ever been unearthed. He’s been profiled on everything from NBC Evening Program in Seattle, which proclaimed that “Richard Berger has what is considered the most spectacular private collection of giant natural crystals and fossils in the world.” to NPR, and CBS Sunday Morning, which described Masterpieces of the Earth as “Mother Nature’s private museum.” His crystals also line the gallery walls of some of the most prominent museums in the world.

And yet it’s a rarefied few who have had the opportunity to see his legendary collection up-close in person; multi-millionaires and acclaimed artists and some of the most influential people in the world, from Andy Warhol to Stephen Hawking. That is, until now.

For the first time in twenty years, Berger is opening up his worldclass gallery not just to top crystal and fossil collectors and major natural history museums throughout the world – including the Smithsonian where three giant crystals from Richard’s collection surround the Hope Diamond – but also to new crystal and fossil lovers and collectors. All of the amazing pieces in the collection are now available for sale and you can schedule your own private showing.

And today, I’m getting a first look. I’d

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ANCIENT ART A huge fossilized sequoia which was fully transformed into microscopic crystals of quartz and was then cut and polished to a brilliant luster. It’s spectacular patterns inscribe the story of the tree’s time on earth 38 million years ago.

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FONTAINEBLEAU CONCRETIONS An exquisite, two million year old natural sculpture, created by super-heated water dancing and swirling over itself through powder fine sand that in the process of setting captured these deliciously sensuous forms for eternity. Berger has the largest collection of these incredibly rare Fontainebleau concretions in the world, having acquired the entire discovery back in the early 1990s.

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ART

cautioned Berger beforehand that I might not be the best person for the job; crystals, decidedly, have never really been my thing.

“Well,” he said, “These aren’t like crystals you’ve seen before.”

Indeed I had no idea what I was about to witness as Berger opened the doors to his warehouse. As I walked inside, I couldn’t see anything at first, my eyes adjusting from the overcast Seattle light. And then, slowly, an astonishing new world came into view. Berger’s gallery is a massive space, filled with lush trees and plants and rays of brilliant white museum lights centered upon glittering crystal behemoths that are almost too much to take in. Every

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which way I looked, it seemed, I found myself staring at something truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I was hardpressed to remember the last time I’d felt this way about anything, let alone dozens of things, all in one room. And this was just the first room — to my astonishment, there were four more to go.

To my right sat the largest quartz I’d ever seen, nearly 5 feet in width and diameter, a sparkling harmony of small and large jutting stones, each clear as water, a show of their molecular perfection. To my left was a massive crystal that looked more like a magical cave, filled with craggy, glistening forms of exquisite baby blues and pinks so richly-pigmented they took my breath

away. It felt, as I walked through the labyrinthine gallery, like I was at the show of the world’s greatest artist. And yet, at the same time, it didn’t feel that way at all. The symmetry and grandeur and hues of the stones, and indeed the wildness of their creativity, were very clearly not of a human maker. This, Berger explained to me, is kind of the point.

“Crystals are one of the most perfect forms in nature,” he said. “Being next to them gives us a template for our own perfection.”

Richard Berger got into crystals accidentally. The year was 1968 and Berger, then a second-year medical school student in Philadelphia, was on a summer

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cross-country road trip when he happened upon a small rock shop in Wyoming. He’d never had an affinity for crystals before, but something drew him to the little shop, and to a small, pedestrian crystal he bought there on a whim. He was fascinated by the form. And more than that, it seemed to help him understand the world in a way he never had before.

Most of Berger’s extended family was lost in World War II. “I have no history beyond my grandparents. It’s like you could have dropped me here from Pluto,” he said. “So this became my history. It was replaced by geological magnificence. It became a path for understanding myself.”

Berger soon dropped out of medical school, and within a few years had opened up his own shop, Crystal Resources Gallery, on the upper east side of Manhattan.

Within only a few months, he had gained a worldwide reputation for his exquisite pieces. The most influential New York guide book at the time, Gerry Frank’s Where to Find It, Buy It, Eat It in New York, anointed his space “the finest crystal gallery in the world.”

It was there, on a summer afternoon in 1982, that Berger met Miriam Dyak. A creativity teacher and poet by way of Maine.

Dyak had been living in New York City for only a few months when she took a trip to Crsytal Resources Gallery on the recommendation of a friend. Debate lingers as to whether she actually bought anything – Berger swears he gave her a crystal for free – but either way, Dyak left that day with a crystal and Berger’s number. What resulted was an everlasting connection.

By 1985 they were married, and within a few years, tired of the grind of the city and craving the natural earth, decided to pick up shop and move to Seattle. For a while they ran one of the most successful and acclaimed crystal stores in the world, but as their collection grew even larger as did the size of the crystals they were acquiring, they realized they would have to decamp for a larger space.

In 2011, Berger moved everything to

YALE PEABODY MUSEUM Berger and his wife, Miriam, at the grand opening dinner for the new David Friend Hall of Gems and Minerals.

a remote warehouse, and began painstakingly crafting a space he hoped would not just showcase the magnificence of his pieces, but allow for a place where people could truly commune with them.

“I wanted a place where you had permission to take a deep breath and feel at peace with yourself,” he says. “And maybe even feel optimistic about the future for this world.”

As we neared the end of our tour, we stopped in one of the most beautiful rooms in the gallery. It was almost like an oasis within the universe, with floors of glistening black sand, thickets of tropical green trees and a babbling rock fountain in the middle. At the top of the fountain sat a massive, jaw-dropping amethyst, with jewel-encrusted forms that looked almost like palm trees sprouting out of

the middle, each casting brilliant sparkles of dark purple and lilac light across the room. As we walked closer to it, the amethyst’s beguiling artistry was thrown into stark relief; it was almost too exuberant, too beautiful, to look at. I was moved, suddenly, though I couldn’t exactly say why.

Berger knew the feeling.

“This happened when nobody was looking,” he said. “If this is what the earth is creating beneath our feet, it makes you think; maybe humans can get it together, have a bit more compassion and learn how to work with each other and the MM earth.”

For more information or if you’d like to arrange for a private showing of the Masterpieces of Earth Collection in Seattle, you can reach Richard at rb.masterpiecesoftheearth@gmail.com

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ART SCENE

BEAUTY DURING THE PANDEMC While COVID-19 put a damper on many things, Malibu’s artists and musicians weren’t slowed down. ✎ written by Barbara Burke

Scholars, poets, and philosophers will no doubt spend years assessing the impacts of Covid 19 on the music and art worlds. Malibu is but a microcosm of those worlds, but a quick review reveals that the pandemic notwithstanding, local musicians and artists found solace, and indeed, inspiration in their ability to create, unhindered by touring or any of other circumstances that generally impede their free flow of creativity.

Malibu Magazine sat down with local musicians and artists to catch up and discuss what they did with their downtime.

“I composed More Than Another Day from March to May of 2020 and like ev-

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FASHION + SHOPPING SHOPPING ART

ENSO GALLERY Artist, Tyler Barnett, specializes in the art of painting ensos.

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LISA KRISTINE HILTON Hilton found inspiration during the pandemic to compose more music than ever before

eryone, I was dealing with fear, anxiety, worry,” Lisa Hilton, Malibu’s prolific composer, and piano virtuoso said. “But as a recording artist, I knew the album would be out in December 2020 and hoped we’d all be over our difficult times and want upbeat music, so I was diligent to find the “beauty,” the positive points, still in our world. The sun is always rising and setting in all its glory every day no matter what is going on in the human world, right?”

Like many of Hilton’s other twenty-five records, the album soared on the charts as the #1 Amazon New Release, was #5 on the JazzWeek chart, and remained on the Apple Music Pure Jazz Playlist for months.

Always charming and unassuming, Hilton simply said, “It has been very uplifting to people everywhere to listen to positive music as we continued the saga of 2020

BLUE DOLPHINS The Blue Dolphins released a steady stream of music during the pandemic, releasing a new single every six weeks.

and it feels really good that our trio has positively affected so many.”

The trio Hilton refers to consists of bassist Luques Curtis, drummer Rudy

Royston, and tenor saxophonist JD Allen, musicians with whom she often records.

As the Pandemic lingered, Hilton, known for innovative compositions blending jazz, classical music, and the Blues, did what she always does. She returned to her piano to record, carrying on Malibu’s tradition of serving as a backdrop for iconic jazz traditions. Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Zawinu all once called Malibu home.

“In November 2020 through April 2021, I composed another album Transparent Sky that comes out September 1, 2021,” Hilton said. “This was created during the “second wave” of Covid, when Anthony Fauci told us all to stay home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Surprisingly and thankfully, this new album is probably even more upbeat!”

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SHOPPING ART

“We’ve come through a lot. I’m proud of the world in many ways. We’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and this music is about making the best of whatever you’ve got at the time.” Hilton said. Smiling, she added, “As an artist, I think I am inspired and motivated to try and touch others positively, especially through difficult times. I have learned during the last year that I deal with difficulties by creating beauty and uplift. That is my natural creative response.”

Like Hilton, Malibu’s The Blue Dolphins, a roots pop-rock band that records in the Malibu Canyon, recorded incessantly during the lockdown. The duo consists of singer-songwriter Victoria Scott and five-time Grammy-winning engineer, producer, and Spanish singer-songwriter Alfonso G Rodenas.

“We wanted to cheer up our friends and fans around the world, so we decided to livestream a concert every Friday at Noon PST from our Facebook page,” Scott said. “It was really great and the first time we’d been able to play to people in England, America, and Spain simultaneously, which created such a cohesion.

We couldn’t do that usually with our live shows, so this was a plus!”

“Then, we decided we would release a new single approximately every six weeks.

So, we started shooting music videos with our good friend Shannon Michael Terry, a visual artist, music composer, and filmmaker. We shot seven music videos during 2020,” Scott said. “Even though this has been a really trying time, staying creative was a great way to stay sane and vital in a situation that could have felt really oppressive,” During COVID Malibu’s visual artists surged with creativity. Malibu’s premier jeweler designed stunning pieces. The City’s galleries virtually exhibited. Painters painted. Local fabric artists tried to

ENSO GALLERY Enso Gallery opened right before COVID-19 hit. Now, artist Tyler Barnett is using his time of introspection with his new show “Unmasked”.

“I DEAL WITH DIFFICULTIES

BY CREATING BEAUTY AND UPLIFT. ”

weave a sensible and optimistic story amidst all the uncertainty.

Malibu’s CANTSTOPGOODBOY aka Nick Simon and Multi-Platinum artist Bryce Vine’s Welcome to the Metaverse Collection opened on July 10 at VIBAe and Alma Mater Gallery at Malibu Village. The event highlighted Malibu’s first NFT collection exhibit and featured an exclusive worldwide drop of the Metaverse NFT Collection. For more info on the event, go to page 28.

Malibu jewelry designer Roman Paul continued to create elegant, elaborate, exquisite gemstones coveted by many and admired by those who closely observe their exquisite details. He often incorporates 18K gold, silver, and precious stones in jewels that complement one’s person-

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THE BLOOMING TREE Malibu West knitting group The Blooming Tree is responsible for neighborhood “yarn bombings” on trees during the depths of quarantine.

ality, but do not overwhelm. Some works are Gothic. Some are reminiscent of Renaissance images. All are timeless.

During Covid, Paul was busy making one-of-a-kind creations for clients. “I put all my creative energies into my projects to inspire people and to help them feel better,” He said. “When you feel better, your immune system is stronger and I think that making jewelry helped my clients feel positive and better able to cope during the challenging times.” Paul’s exclusive designs are on show at The Malibu Colony Company.

For artist Tyler Barnett, COVID offered a time for introspection. After running a highly successful public relations firm in Beverly Hills for many years, Barnett knew it was time for a change. A practicing Buddhist for the past 10 years with a passion for art, Barnett decided to turn his attention to opening Enso Gallery in East Malibu right before Covid hit.

In his art, Barnett uses that conscious state as the starting point to open an expansive body of work employing dynamic variations surrounding the circular flow of the forms that his images depict. They visually illustrate that the old adage is true - Nobody’s perfect. Barnett and many other artists maintain that it is impossible to paint a perfect circle.

“When the Pandemic hit, I snapped into a wonderful, heightened state and was full of energy,” Barnett said. “I painted for a full year!”

Barnett explains that during Covid, he was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, a condition he suspected he had for years but had never addressed.

“Many artists over history had bipolar disorder. They think that Van Gogh had it,” he said. “I have decided to be fully transparent about it. My first post-Covid show is Unmasked, the theme refers to being fully transparent about my mental health as well as to the fact that we’re all unmasked now.”

When art is collaboratively created in a community, everybody wins. That’s the

inspirational concept behind The Blooming Tree, a group knitting effort in Malibu West. It all started when a group of knitters, inspired by Karen Quartz, joined designer Maggie Pierson, her daughter Gracie Pierson, and friend Grace Clarke. They shared some yarns and spun some yarns while they knitted while socially distancing outdoors. Then, they decorated a tree in the neighborhood, covering its trunk with knitted patterns.

“The group had all levels of knitters,” Maggie said. “I think we all needed something to put our anxiety aside.” The group first decorated a tree dedicated to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg after she passed, complete with the collar the Justice was famous for wearing.

The project bloomed as passersby expressed delight. Soon, the community artists “yarn bombed” another tree, knitting squares to cover its trunk. Gracie Pierson and Clarke had attended school with Amanda Gorman at New Roads School, so they decided to have Quartz embroider the last four lines of Gorman’s Inauguration Day Poem on the tree: “The new dawn blooms as we free it For there is always light, If only we’re brave enough to see it If only we’re brave enough to be it” In sharing the inspiration, the group collectively shared joy, love, peace, and optimism.

Smiling as they stood under the tree, Liz Camfiord said, “I had just moved into the neighborhood and I believe the tree welcomed me and it was a sign I belonged in this amazing place.”

Local artist and gallery owner Lori Mills articulated the sentiment felt by many Malibu area creatives.

“I felt grateful, during the Pandemic. I painted to get out my emotions, almost daily. I mostly painted abstractedly, where feelings lie,” She said. “Owning the gallery during this time was also a source of joy, putting art on people’s walls in their homes giving them some sense of happiness.”

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NEW HOTELS COMING TO MALIBU Despite millions of yearly tourists, Malibu has few hotels to house visitors. Local developer Norm Haynie and architect Doug Burdge are trying to change that. ✎ written by Barbara Burke 106 MALIBU MAGAZINE

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MALIBU INN MOTEL Located on Pacific Coast Highway, the new Malibu Inn Motel will not only provide scenic views for

guests, but provide locals with overflow beach parking.

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f you build it, they will come, an old adage observes.

When one considers Malibu’s sometimes overwhelming number of tourists, perhaps the converse is more apt: they keep coming, even though sufficient accommodations have not been built.

Although Malibu has only 10,654 residents, approximately 13 million visitors come to the community every year, according to the Malibu Chamber of Commerce and a report generated by Point2homes.com.

By any measure, there is a marked paucity of lodging in Malibu. Indeed, many locals like it that way, noting that most residents in this community do

not want the City’s coastline to be inundated with a plethora of resorts. That is why the City’s mission statement, carefully crafted in 1991 by the rugged individualists who formed the City of Malibu to ward off development, declares: “Malibu is a unique land and marine environment and residential community whose citizens have historically evidenced commitment to sacrifice urban and suburban conveniences in order to protect that environment and lifestyle and to preserve unaltered natural resources and rural characteristics.”

Malibu has only a handful of lodging locations. The

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MALIBU SEA VIEW HOTEL

The 39-room boutique hotel is a non-intrusive

get-a-way spot near Carbon Beach.

City has only one hotel and five small motels. The only hotel is the Malibu Beach Inn, with 47 guest rooms. The term “motel,” a portmanteau contraction for “motor hotel,” referring to a lodging venue that is designed so guests park near their rooms. Malibu’s motels have an average of 17 rooms each. Nobu Ryokan, The Surfrider Malibu, and Malibu Country Inn each have 16 rooms. The “M Malibu” has 18

rooms. Native, formerly the Malibu Riviera, has 13 rooms, but remains shuttered due to damage from the Woolsey Fire.

When one does the math it is clear that Malibu could use more accommodations for tourists and visitors. Two experienced professionals, Developer Norman Haynie and renowned Malibu architect Doug Burdge, propose building two new lodging venues in central Malibu.

The Proposed Sea View Hotel Haynie seeks to build a new hotel in central Malibu across from Nobu and Soho House. Nothing intrusive; nothing expansive, he assures City officials and residents. He describes the three-level Sea View Hotel as “an aesthetically pleasing, 39-room boutique hotel with luxurious rooms that average 500 square feet and provide for indoor-outdoor living.” Every

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LIMITED CONSTRUCTION Two-thirds of the hotel have already been constructed on this Pacific Coast Highway location.

room in the hotel would have a partially landscaped, private balcony measuring at least 14 feet by 24 feet.

The development would be constructed on a sloping property at 22729-22741 Pacific Coast Highway, less than a halfmile east of the Malibu Pier near Carbon Beach, sometimes referred to as Billionaire’s Beach.

“The Sea View Hotel is very unique on

many different levels, including that almost two-thirds of the hotel is already constructed and therefore this area of the hotel requires only a change in use,” Haynie said.

The existing three-level 12,889 squarefoot commercial building that opened in 2006 will be remodeled, but not enlarged, creating 22 large guest rooms and a rooftop deck with a pool. Currently, Cure

Salon and Rafi’s Lounge, and some other commercial tenants are there. Cure Salon is opening at The Park in Malibu in Autumn, 2021, according to Steve Soboroff, Developer of that complex. It is unclear what Rafi’s Lounge will do if the hotel is approved.

The lower part of the Sea View Hotel will be located on the abandoned Shell gas station parcel, now a shuttered auto

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INDOOR/OUTDOOR The 39-room boutique Malibu Sea View hotel will be a mix of indoor and outdoor living that takes advantage of Malibu’s year-round sunny skies and picturesque ocean views.

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detailing establishment. That parcel would become a landscaped entryway and driveway, with a hotel office set back 40 feet from the highway and connected to the existing building uphill. The middle level of the merged parcel will provide 17 guest rooms, a reception room, and a small restaurant, with a spa. The hotel will have 91 onsite parking spaces and all cars will be parked by professional valets.

The hotel will also provide six electric car charging stations that will be available to the public when guests are not using them.

Designed by Luis Tena, a visionary architect from Pamplona, the proposed hotel will hug the landscape and complement the surrounding terrain. Think Frank Lloyd Wright meets Tadao Ando.

Tena is very familiar with Malibu as he worked in this community on the team that designed the pool, spa, gym, and luxury apartments adjacent to Nobu Ryokan.

He also designed Nobu restaurants worldwide.

Positive Aspects of Building the Hotel “What I am proposing is a benefit to the community and to the City,” Haynie said, first addressing revenues. “The hotel will provide an estimated $1,300,000 to the City every year resulting from a 15% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) for approximately 70 years.”

Haynie added, “Hotels, motels, and Airbnbs are the only commercial use that generates TOT, none of the shopping centers, restaurants, etc. provide nearly as much revenue to the City as the hotel will provide. Malibu desperately needs the TOT revenue and the hotel is the unequivocal solution.”

As we emerge from Covid, the City could put such revenue to good use, Haynie maintains. “The $1.3 million can be used by the City to pay for the recently acquired 29 acres of commercially zoned property and for recreation facilities that

The middle level will provide 17 guest rooms, a reception room, and a small restaurant, with a spa.

NORM HAYNIE Developer Norm Haynie assured locals that the Malibu Sea View Hotel will benefit the city, promising additional revenue.

have been promised to Malibu’s citizens for over 20 years and are desperately needed.”

Haynie recites several other benefits of constructing the hotel. First, he has agreed to spend approximately $500,000 to build an enormous valve for the City water supply right near Topanga Blvd. to replace one that is inoperational. Doing so will benefit others in Malibu because “four million gallons of water in several tanks high on the Topanga Canyon ridge are connected to a water main that extends down to a valve that is located in a concrete vault, but that valve cannot be opened,” Haynie explained. “During an emergency such as the Woolsey Fire or a major earthquake that reduces or eliminates the flow of water from Santa Monica to Malibu, a check valve can be opened to allow the water in the tanks to flow into the water main in PCH at a very high pressure to save lives and homes in Malibu.”

Although the hotel already has the required fire flow and pressure in the fire hydrants next to the abandoned gas station, Water District 29 does not have the money to replace the valve, so the District is requiring Haynie to replace it in return for the District’s approval of the hotel. That outlay is in addition to Haynie’s agreement to donate $400,000 to the Malibu Boys and Girls Club to fund an annual summer surf camp offered to inner-city children, a gesture lauded by State Sen. Henry Stern and city councilpersons.

Second, Haynie asserts the hotel will actually reduce traffic and congestion on the PCH, making the highway safer.

He notes that a “Jerry Overland of Overland Consultant, a highly respected traffic engineer, recommended by the previous Director of Malibu’s Public Works Department, analyzed all existing uses in the commercial building, including medical offices, a spa, a salon, a gym, and other businesses and those existing uses generate 16.5% more trips on PCH than

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TODAY The hotel will be built on lot

currently houseing the 40-car parking lot adjacent to Aviator Nation.

the hotel will generate.” Haynie added, “If the gas station parcel were included in the analysis with its right to retail use, the total traffic generated by the existing building and the new permitted retail use would be 31% greater than the traffic generated by the hotel.”

He also points out that eliminating one driveway used by drivers to enter and exit the highway will reduce accidents.

Finally, he is insisting that all deliveries and pickups be onsite, as opposed to vendors parking in the center lane of PCH and pushing loaded handcarts across two lanes of traffic, as is often done for deliveries to other area properties.

Moreover, Haynie asserts that by merging the two parcels, the new development on the gas station parcel, the only parcel in the City to be designated a visual blight, can be pushed northerly away from PCH and be notched into the hillside, reducing its visibility and creating a front yard setback of 46.6 feet - five times greater than the 9-foot average front yard setback of the 15 commercially developed parcels within 1000 to the east and 1000 feet to the west of the hotel project.

How the Hotel Compares to Short Term Rentals Haynie also addressed the hotel’s impact on short-term rentals. “The proposed hotel is the best alternative to the irresponsible and bad-acting Airb-

nb party houses that are destroying the tranquility of Malibu’s quiet residential neighborhoods,” he asserts. “Airbnbs are the equivalent of a hotel or motel in a residential neighborhood, but they do not have to abide by any of the commercial standards applied to commercial uses: they don’t have to meet any of the setback requirements, parking requirements, or wastewater treatment requirements, and most of the time these

“party houses” have no onsite management. However, in light of the new Malibu ordinance that will require on-site management for Airbnb’s, it is expected that AirBnb’s will generate significantly less TOT revenue. Malibu desperately needs the TOT revenue and the hotel is the unequivocal solution.”

He also points out that Malibu’s restaurants and small, unique retail stores need a larger customer base during the long

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PROPOSED MALIBU INN MOTEL Architect Doug Burdge is still seeking city approval for his proposed project of the Malibu

Inn Motel, a two-story, 20 room hotel.

fall and winter months. Further, Haynie asserts, the hotel will provide a place of refuge during an emergency such as the Woolsey Fire. Hotel guests will leave the hotel and the two-hour fire-rated garage will be available to Malibu’s citizens who are required to evacuate their homes.

“Additionally, in an emergency, hotel room rates will be reduced by 50% for Malibu citizens, and the 50% rate reduction will be for six weeks and will be for

any citizen that loses his/her home in a natural disaster.” Haynie added.

The Process of Building the Proposed Hotel Building a hotel in Malibu is complicated. Haynie started the effort in 2015.

To construct the project, he needs several discretionary approvals from the City of Malibu, including a general plan amend-

ment and a zoning change. He has faced a rather protracted process to progress from the design phase to construction and was required to address fiscal, logistical, and aesthetic considerations.

On February 4, the City’s Planning Department generated a “Draft Initial Study: Mitigated Negative Description,” a title that, at first blush, seems to denote something “negative.” On the contrary, the comprehensive 777-page doc-

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ument invited public commentary but recommends a determination that The Sea View Hotel will not negatively impact surrounding businesses, homes, or land, will not exacerbate traffic on the PCH, and will not negatively affect the environment or increase area noise levels. Such a finding expedites the approval process because there is no need for a full environmental impact review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The exhaustive report determines there will be “less than a significant impact” on available scenic vistas and no increased glare that would obstruct viewing the Pacific, or air pollution, area habitats, or ecosystems. The report provides that with mitigation, should there be an earthquake on or near the parcels, the project will not result in seismic-related ground failure, including liquidification.

On March 4, the comment period ended. “There are no negative impacts to building this hotel,” Haynie says, a conclusion supported by all five members of the City Council, each of whom has expressed support. “All of the mitigation measures recommended in the Mitigated Negative Declaration that resulted from the Initial Study were included in the project, and the conclusion by the independent review company selected by the City is that the hotel will have no significant negative impacts.”

The next steps in the protracted process before any shovels dig at the proposed site include the Planning Commission deciding how much of a quid pro quo payment Haynie must make for the rezoning of the lower parcel and building a structure whose square footage exceeds more than fifteen percent of the lot’s square footage. Then, the matter goes before the City Council. If approved as “recommended

by City staff,” the Coastal Commission must give its imprimatur.

Haynie is optimistic the process will go smoothly. If so, he projects the hotel will open in Spring, 2023.

“Malibu needs more accommodations, not just for visitors, but also for locals.”

DOUG BURDGE Architect Doug Burdge says he is proposing this hotel not only to accommodate visitors, but locals as well.

The Proposed Malibu Inn Motel Renowned Malibu architect Doug Burdge is also proposing to add to Malibu’s limited accommodations inventory.

Funding is proposed by Surfrider Plaza, LLC, an affiliate of Hakim Holdings, which seeks City approval for the project.

The two-story Malibu Inn Motel would feature 20-rooms situated on an approximately 1.2-acre site located at 22959 Pacific Coast Highway. Currently, the site is a 40-car surface parking lot adjacent to Aviator Nation and its new performance space Dreamland which now occupies the space where Casa Escobar closed last year.

The project includes parking for 47 vehicles in a subterranean garage and a surface lot. The project is in its nascent stages. An initial study was circulated by the City of Malibu and, according to Adrian Fernandez, Principal Planner for the City of Malibu, staff are working on a report and no Planning Commission hearing has been scheduled as of yet.

Malibu Magazine caught up with Burdge to discuss the project. “This is a wonderful project that will fit into the landscape nicely and have beautiful new landscaping and a rooftop that is on an even grander scale than the one at Surfrider,” Burdge said, referring to one of the innumerable projects he has designed in Malibu. “We think it is a great project as the parking lot that is on the site now is an eyesore - I don’t know how this project can’t be a welcome addition as it’s providing additional lodging as well as additional overflow parking for beachgoers, in addition to ample parking for the hotel’s guests and employees.” Elaborating, Burdge noted, “Malibu needs more accommodations, not just for visitors, but also for locals - when there are weddings or people’s family visits, they often need a place to stay.”

The project will not add to the traffic problem on PCH, he added, noting many guests Uber and they can walk to the beach, the Pier, and area restaurants.

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TODAY The hotel will be built on the

lot currently houseing the 40-car parking lot adjacent to Aviator Nation.

the hotel will generate.” Haynie added, “If the gas station parcel were included in the analysis with its right to retail use, the total traffic generated by the existing building and the new permitted retail use would be 31% greater than the traffic generated by the hotel.”

He also points out that eliminating one driveway used by drivers to enter and exit the highway will reduce accidents.

Finally, he is insisting that all deliveries and pickups be onsite, as opposed to vendors parking in the center lane of PCH and pushing loaded handcarts across two lanes of traffic, as is often done for deliveries to other area properties.

Moreover, Haynie asserts that by merging the two parcels, the new development on the gas station parcel, the only parcel in the City to be designated a visual blight, can be pushed northerly away from PCH and be notched into the hillside, reducing its visibility and creating a front yard setback of 46.6 feet - five times greater than the 9-foot average front yard setback of the 15 commercially developed parcels within 1000 to the east and 1000 feet to the west of the hotel project.

How the Hotel Compares to Short Term Rentals Haynie also addressed the hotel’s impact on short-term rentals. “The proposed hotel is the best alternative to the irresponsible and bad-acting Airb-

nb party houses that are destroying the tranquility of Malibu’s quiet residential neighborhoods,” he asserts. “Airbnbs are the equivalent of a hotel or motel in a residential neighborhood, but they do not have to abide by any of the commercial standards applied to commercial uses: they don’t have to meet any of the setback requirements, parking requirements, or wastewater treatment requirements, and most of the time these

“party houses” have no onsite management. However, in light of the new Malibu ordinance that will require on-site management for Airbnb’s, it is expected that AirBnb’s will generate significantly less TOT revenue. Malibu desperately needs the TOT revenue and the hotel is the unequivocal solution.”

He also points out that Malibu’s restaurants and small, unique retail stores need a larger customer base during the long

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ARIZONA

After leaving the Grand Canyon National Park, you will encounter vast dessert landscapes on the way to Page, AZ.

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FROM MALIBU TO MONTANA

AN EPIC 5,000 MILE ROAD TRIP This May, MALIBU MAGAZINE

Editor-in-Chief Julie Wuellner and her husband Kevin McDonald packed up their two dogs

and hit the road in their self-converted camper van for an epic 3 week, 5,000+ mile road trip across the Western part of the US.

✎ written by Julie Wuellner  Photographed by Julie Wuellner

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JOSHUA TREE

Joshua Tree National Park is a quick 3-hour drive from Malibu. The park is well known for its Dr. Seuss like trees and cactus-dotted dessert landscapes.

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OUR VAN BUILD Like many others, we spent 2019 & 2020 converting our Ford E350 XLT into a tiny home on wheels, complete with a bed that converts into a dining room, a functioning sink, stovetop and plenty of storage.

I

’d been following #vanlife on social media for a while. To be honest, the idea of being able to pack all of your belongings into a 60 square foot van and go wherever you want always intrigued me, but it seemed like something to admire from a distance, not actually do. Then one night, I carefully brought up the idea to my husband, sure that he would think I had lost my mind. After all, at the time, we lived in a beautiful Malibu condo overlooking the

pacific - why would anyone in their right mind want to take off in a van? But to my utter shock, he was on board.

So our search for the perfect van began. We didn’t want anything too extravagant, and we thought we’d be ok with a low-roof van. Who needs to be able to stand up anyway, we thought. After all, we weren’t looking to actually live in our van.

We just wanted to be able to take it out on weekend adventures. Standing room be damned. After some research, we ended

up settling on a 20-year-old Ford E350 XLT, that despite its age, was in very good mechanical condition.

And then began the hard part. The conversion. Who were we kidding? I had never held a tool in my life, and while my husband is without a doubt handier than me, neither of us were anywhere close to calling ourselves carpenters, or mechanics, or plumbers, or really possessing any of the many other skills needed to build out a van. But what we lacked in experience, we

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HORSESHOE BEND

Located close to Page, AZ, Horseshoe Bend is quick 1-mile hike out and back from the parking lot. The bend features a 1,000-foot drop down to the Colorado River.

BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS

Once you get out of the hustle and bustle of cities like Denpasar and Ubud the Balinese countryside is filled with lush jungles, and farmers working

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TRAVEL

made up for in stubborn determination.

Slowly, but surely we stripped the van, laid down insulation, put down flooring, redid the insulation (because getting foam boards to stick to a metal ceiling is surprisingly hard), put up walls, built a bed, built a counter, and just like that, we were done. We were ready to hit the road. Or so we thought.

I had been spending countless hours researching the perfect road trip. An epic, 3-week, 5,000-mile adventure that would take us through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Oregon before coming back to California. We had it all planned and scheduled out. And then Covid 19 hit.

Like millions of others, our travel plans came to a screeching halt. And to be honest, they became the least of our concerns.

Instead, we both moved to working from home and watching the news obsessively.

We baked bread, hoarded toilet paper, and watched Tiger King.

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SALT FLATS Depending on the season, the

salt flats can be either covered by water or be completely dried out.

But as the pandemic wore on we slowly started dreaming of our trip again. We decided it was time to put the van to the test and went on a couple of short weekend getaways to isolated places like Joshua Tree. And what we realized very quickly was that 1) packing two people and a dog into a van is a tight squeeze and 2) for two very tall people (I’m 5’11 and Kevin is 6’3) standing room is actually incredibly important. Back to the drawing board it was.

After more research, we found a company called Fiberine. Fiberine specializes in high-top van conversions a.k.a taking your low-top van, cutting a massive hole in the roof and attaching a brand new higher roof. They’ve been doing this for over 30 years, are one of the best in the business, and happen to be conveniently located in Los Angeles. So we went for it.

It also meant stripping most of our hard work and building the van out again from almost scratch.

But this time around we were more prepared. We now owned several power tools that we actually knew how to use and had recently moved to a house with

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BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS

Located an hour and a half west of Salt Lake City, UT the Bonneville Salt Flats are one of the largest salt flats located west of the Great Salt Lake and are well worth the drive.

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T.A. MOULTON BARN

Just outside of the Grand Teton National Park lies the iconic T.A. Moulton Barn which is perhaps the most photographed location in all of Wyoming.

BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS

Once you get out of the hustle and bustle of cities like Denpasar and Ubud the Balinese countryside is filled jungles, andoffarmers working BAILEY with ANDlush WILLOW One the perks of traveling via car or van is the ability to bring your dogs. Our two labs, Bailey (2) and Willow (3 months) were with us every step of the way and loved exploring the new terrain.

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GRAND TETONS The Grand Teton National Park includes major peaks of the 40mile long Teton Range as well as numerous lakes and glaciers.

WILD MOOSE Moose are one the many types of wildlife that call the Grand Teton National Park home. Gray wolves, grizzly bears, and bison can also be found in the park.

a big driveway to work in. Our stationary bed became a bed that could convert into a daytime lounge with a table. Our wonky bedside table turned into a real counter with a functioning sink, stovetop, and space to store dishes. We built overhead cabinets that could hold all of our clothing and even added a pull-out toilet to the van. And most importantly we now both had enough space that we could stand up and move around the van freely.

At the same time, the country started to slowly open up again and vaccines became available to the public. On social media,

#vanlife exploded. After living in quarantine for over a year, I think we all craved a bit of freedom and adventure.

So almost exactly a year after our original departure date, we packed up our things and along with our now two dogs moved into the van we lovingly nicknamed Big White to head out on our highly anticipated trip. The drive out of Los Angeles felt surreal. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that we were actually doing it.

We spent our first night camping on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land right next to Joshua Tree National Park

as a way to dip our toes in. We’d camped here several times before and knew it was somewhere we enjoyed and that was safe.

When we woke up, there was sunlight streaming through the van windows and almost no one else in sight. It was magical. We spent a leisurely morning making breakfast and letting the dogs run around outside.

And then the real adventure began.

We quickly realized that despite all of our research, we were pretty unprepared for the realities of van life - and that it rarely looks as perfect as social media

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GRAND PRISMATIC The Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States and displays a wide array of colors.

makes it out to be. We spent more than a couple of nights camped alongside roads or in Cracker Barrell parking lots. Every day brought a new challenge. Where do we dump our grey tank? How do we find this remote parking spot with almost no service? Who thought it was a good idea to bring a partially potty-trained 3-month old puppy? Why isn’t our solar panel charging?

But despite the challenges, and maybe also because of them, I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. The sense of freedom and self-sufficiency that you gain is truly like no other.

After making it out of California, we crossed over to Arizona and the joshua trees along the road gave way to giant red rock formations and expansive canyons. Our

first stop was the Grand Canyon. We got there right as the sun was setting and casting the last rays of light over the peaks of the canyon. If you haven’t seen it for yourself, it is truly an awe-inspiring sight. From there we continued north to Page, AZ where we made the short hike out to Horseshoe Bend and then quickly crossed over to Utah to let the dogs paddle around in Lake Powell.

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YELLOWSTONE

Grand Prismatic displays bright bands of orange, yellow, and green surrounding its bright blue waters.

.

We spent the next couple of days exploring Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park where we truly put our van insulation to the test. With temperatures in the high 20s at night and snow on the ground, we stayed surprisingly warm inside our cozy little van (that is, when we wore our puffy winter jackets and hats).

We weren’t sure exactly what to expect

when it came to these two parks, but to say that we were blown away by Bryce Canyon is an understatement. Walking around Bryce Amphitheater and peering into the sprawling hoodoo-filled canyon truly felt like peeking into another world. Unfortunately, due to a combination of the early season and covid restrictions, many of the hikes we wanted to go on were still closed.

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BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS

Once you get out of the hustle and bustle of cities like Denpasar and Ubud the Balinese countryside is filled with lush jungles, and farmers working

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WILD BISON Bison are frequently seen wandering through Yellowstone.

This is something that we would encounter quite a bit during our trip.

So, we continued on to Salt Lake City.

We had a couple of days in the city and despite my reservations, Kevin convinced me to make the 3-hour round trip out to the Bonneville Salt Flats. While I wasn’t overly enthusiastic at first it ended up being one of my favorite stops. The salt flats extended as far as we could see and acted like a giant mirror spanning across miles and miles of ground. The water level that covers the flats varies depending on the time of year and was just a couple of inches when we came, making it the perfect place for the dogs to run and play. It was truly epic, that is until we realized that the dogs along with everything we had with us was now encrusted in a thick layer of salt. We would spend the rest of the trip sweeping up salt from every surface, crack, crevice in the van.

From there, we continued on to Wyoming to see what the famed Jackson Hole area was all about. What we found was a quaint and welcoming western-themed ski town nestled in a stunning mountain scenery. After so many days spent in National

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Parks, we welcomed the change of pace and took our time strolling through the shops and the town square. We picked up decadent chocolates at the renowned Atelier Ortega, warmed up with Huckleberry Mudpots (Huckleberry flavored coffees) at Cowboy Coffee, and tried bison burgers at Liberty Burger. After we got in our fill of shopping, we headed out past the famed Elk Refuge, where the elk antlers that make up the town square’s arches are collected, and into Grand Teton National Park.

As we drove up to the park, the Grand Tetons rose up in front of us. Jagged and icy, yet incredibly beautiful they were a sight to behold and a stark contrast to the orange, wonky shaped hoodoos of Bryce Canyon.

Since we came early in the season, the park was largely empty which allowed us to explore it at our own pace. What we found was truly amazing - wandering elk, snowcapped peaks, and frozen blue lakes.

From there, we spent the next two days in Yellowstone National Park, though if the time had allowed we could have easily stayed two weeks. From the moment we drove into the park and were immediately greeted by a herd of roaming bison, we knew this was going to be a special place.

Geysers so massive in size that they dwarfed anything around them were scattered throughout the valleys and filled the air with steam. Bison wandered past unassum-

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK Glacier

National Park in northern Montana is home to 1,583 sq. miles of wilderness filled with glacier-carved peaks and crystal clear lakes.

ing visitors and grazed completely unfazed

by Old Faithful erupting meer feet from them. I would be amiss here not to mention though, that while bison may seem docile, they can in fact be quite dangerous and you should stay away from them whenever possible.

After a few adventure-packed days, it was time to head back into civilization for a bit. From Yellowstone, we headed into Bozeman where we found Hot Springs that allowed us to finally thaw out after being in 30 and 40-degree temperatures for what felt like forever. It turns out that the van insulation was a bit iffy after all and even the dogs were wearing puffy jackets

by this point. After we could once again feel all of our fingers and toes, we continued on to Missoula, where we spent a couple of days falling in love with the small, yet vibrant city. We took the dogs on bike rides along the Clark Fork River, watched people river surf while sipping on coffees, and tried all the restaurants we could find.

Next, we drove up to the northern border of Montana (and the US) to spend some time in Glacier National Park. Unfortunately, due to the early season, most of the park was closed to traffic but still, we made the most of it. While you couldn’t drive down Going to the Sun Road, you could bike down it, which we happily did

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TRAVEL LAKE MCDONALD Measuring in at 10

miles long and over 450 feet deep, Lake McDonald is the largest lake in Glacier National Park.

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OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK Located in the Olympic peninsula, WA, the Olympic National Park is home to seven different ecosystems making it an incredibly diverse destination for nature enthusiasts.

REDWOOD NATIONAL & STATE PARKS

The Redwood National Park is home to some of the tallest trees on earth as well as plenty of wildlife like the above elk.

until we saw a small black bear and realized that once again we were completely unprepared (the theme of our trip apparently) and weren’t carrying bear spray. We decided it was time to go back. To celebrate our turning around point - after we left Glacier National Park, we would technically start our drive home - we decided to splurge and pay for a campsite directly in the park along Lake McDonald. For spending so much time in a ‘camper van’ we really hadn’t done much camping but we made up for it there with a cozy campfire that we roasted hot dogs and s’mores over.

From there, we started the long drive to Seattle, stopping briefly in Spokane to stretch our legs. Seattle has always been one of my favorite cities in the U.S and I relish every opportunity I get to explore Pike Place Market and

hike around the Washington Park Arboretum. This was the first time we’d been to the city with dogs in tow and we were pleasantly surprised at how dog-friendly everything was. After leaving Seattle, we headed to the Olympic National Forest, more specifically the Hoh Rainforest, which had been on my bucket list for years. It’s hard to describe how green and lush everything was. Moss covered any surface it could find, flowers sprouted from trees, and the air had a permanently damp feel to it.

After leaving the Olympic National Forest we started the long drive down the coast back home, stopping briefly in Portland and then the Redwood National Forest. We’d done this road trip before and were starting to run short on time, so we tried to cover as much ground as possible. However, if you haven’t made the drive, we highly recommend it.

And just like that, after 3 weeks of living in our tiny 60-square foot van that was starting to feel a lot like home, we pulled back into our driveway in disbelief.

After spending over a year planning this trip and converting our van, it was over. We did it. And while the trip wasn’t what I’d call a traditional vacation, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we wouldn’t trade MM for the world.

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ITINERARY Day 1: Joshua Tree National Park, California (2) Day 2: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (3) Day 3: Page, Arizona & Lake Powell, Utah (4,5) Day 4: Zion National Park, Utah (6) Day 5: Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah (7) Day 6 & 7: Salt Lake City, Utah with a day trip to Bonneville Salt Flats (8,9) Day 8: Jackson, Wyoming (10) Day 9: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (11) Day 10 & 11: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (12) Day 12: Missoula, Montana (13) Day 13 & 14: Glacier National Park, Montana (14) Day 15: Flathead Lake, Montana (15) Day 16: Spokane, Washington (16) Day 17 & 18: Seattle, Washington (17) Day 19: Olympic National Park & Hoh Rainforest, Washington (18) Day 20: Portland, Oregon (19) Day 21: Redwood National & State Parks, California (20) Day 22: Drive home, or if you have extra time, spend a day or two in San Francisco! (1)

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THE STATE HOTEL

A SEATTLE TREASURE Located in downtown Seattle’s historic Eitel building, The State Hotel is the perfect combination of old-world charm, Seattle whimsy and contemporary luxury. ✎ written by Holly Bieler

S

eattle is widely known for its delicious food, creative spirit and awe-inspiring nature, and no hotel captures the vibrant soul of the city quite like The State Hotel does.

Located in downtown Seattle’s historic Eitel building, built in 1904, The State feels at once old-world yet exceptionally modern. It’s beautifully designed, with rooms that are at once plush and luxurious yet contemporary and elegant. The lobby feels more like a chic Seattle apartment than a hotel, with beautiful furniture that invites you to sit and watch the bustle of downtown Seattle through the hotel’s massive windows. Hotel staff also walk around periodically handing out yummy snacks to enjoy while you people watch.

The hotel also features unique artistic flourishes throughout. Indeed art plays a central part in The State Hotel, most notably in the form of a spectacular, five-story mural on the hotel’s west

façade painted by world-renowned street artist Shepard Fairey. Titled “Obey Fire Sale”, the mural serves as a comment on the challenges individuals face when pushing for environmental and climate responsibility.

The State Hotel pays homage to the city’s vibrant food scene with its own acclaimed in-house restaurant, the Ben Paris. Named after the Seattle entrepreneur who opened a billiard parlor and gambling hall out of the Eitel building in the 1930s, the Ben Paris features beautifully-composed, delicious seasonal American fare (the hush puppies and buttermilk fried chicken are favorites).

Arguably the best part of the hotel, however, is its unrivaled location. Just a few steps away from the world-famous Pike Place Market, The State Hotel offers incredible access to one of Seattle’s most beloved and vibrant areas of the city. Beautiful cobblestone streets are lined with cafes serving cuisines from all around the world, while charming

THE BEN PARIS Named after the Seattle entrepreneur who opened a billiard parlor and gambling hall out of the Eitel building in the 1930s, the Ben Paris serves delicious American fare out of a beautifully-designed dining room.

little markets display everything from homemade wares to fresh coffee and nuts to the farm-fresh produce Washington is known for. It’s the perfect place to begin or end a day staying at MM The State Hotel.

The State Hotel statehotel.com @thestatehotel (206) 513-7300

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MODERN LUXURY The Eitel building has been lovingly restored in opening The State Hotel. Rooms are modern, chic and bright, with flatscreen TVs, lush linens and unparalleled views of downtown Seattle.

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JOIN OUR TEAM! Malibu Magazine is searching for local contributors, journalists and photographers who would like to get involved with the magazine, as well as local sales reps looking to work for commission part or full-time.

for more info email:

julie@malibumag.com

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REAL ESTATE MALIBU MARKET TRENDS

SEPTEMBER MARKET TEMPERATURE BUYER

Source: Zilllow.com/Realtor.com/Own Research

SELLER

BALANCED

MEDIAN SALE PRICE SINCE 2019

Source: Redfin.com Source: Trulia

$6.0M $5.0M $4.0M $3.0M $2.0M $1.0M

2019

$4.2M $1.4 K $3.6M

2020

2021

The chart on the left shows Malibu’s median sale price fluctuations. Since 2019, Malibu has seen many fluctuations in price with a couple of big spikes in 2019. However, since the middle of 2020 the median sale price has been trending steadily upwards with a current median sale price of $3.6 million.

Source: Realtor.com

MEDIAN LISTING HOME PRICE

MEDIAN LISTING HOME PRICE SQ/FT MEDIAN SOLD HOME PRICE

Currently, the median sold price is on average 15% lower than the median listing price.

NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD SINCE 2019 Source: Redfin.com

50 40 30 20 10 2019

2020

2021

The number of homes sold in Malibu has increased drastically since the middle of 2020.

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HOW HAS COVID-19 AFFECTED MALIBU REAL ESTATE? 138 MALIBU MAGAZINE

REAL ESTATE

MADISON HILDEBRAND A founding member of Compass and The Malibu Life Team speciliazing in luxury real estate

It started with high end rentals, but then transitioned to a frenzy of purchases.

MALIBU MAGAZINE interviewed Malibu’s most prominent real estate agents about the effects of COVID-19 on Malibu’s real estate market.

Real estate during the pandemic, in Malibu, was a surprise. It delivered when no one expected it to. Initially I found that mothers of wealthy families who were either pregnant or had young children were the first to start flocking to Malibu to look at beachfront properties. Many of them came from towns that were hit hard by Covid, so they looked to Malibu in order to escape and hunker down. None of us knew what to expect or what we were walking into, so it made sense that Malibu became a sanctuary for those who were most vulnerable (ie. pregnant women, the elderly, or families with high-risk members).

This is when I realized the pandemic was real and those who knew of our historical beachtown, also understood the open space, farm to table, and the education was the beginning of the Real Estate craze we’re still experiencing today.

Clearly, Malibu was devastated by the Woolsey Fire,

and we thought it was going to be a much longer road to bring the community back together. Though when the pandemic hit, Malibu became a new community of like minded people seeking “paradise refuge”. With all of the fear and travel restrictions, no one was getting on a plane. Initially it started with high end rentals, but then transitioned to a frenzy of purchases. There were many Angelinos with families spread out around this city, and having a fresh new happy place to commune safely with the sand and ocean in your backyard, was the best idea everyone had all at the same time.

We Realtors were there to receive, just as we were there when the devastation wiped out so much of our community. We are one of the few industries that have been absolutely blessed due to the pandemic, and Malibu also a MM benefactor of this.

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ELLEN FRANCISCO

RUSSELL GRETHER & TONY MARK

Part of Coldwell Banker’s Society of Excellence, with 35+ years in Malibu real estate.

Founders of the Mark & Grether Group with 35+ years of experience and over $1 billion in sales.

This has been the most amazing year and a half in the Real Estate Market.

When people are looking for extra space, nature and fresh air, Malibu is unbeatable.

This has been a most amazing year and a half in the Real Estate market. Due to Covid, we have all been faced with challenges that we have not experienced before.

Just as I was settling into a routine of staying at home (a first in 41+ years), the phone started ringing in May and a record number of people wanted to come to Malibu to rent a place in order to get out of the City. Many just wanted the summer months, but others wanted a much longer timeframe. Then the requests changed to purchasing homes, condos and even land here in Malibu and we were off and running and have not looked back. All of a sudden the practice of working from home and not going into an office made Malibu a very attractive place to live. The fact that the weather is so mild and people could spend a lot of time outdoors here felt safe and a great way to deal with the COVID pandemic. Properties were in demand and Buyers were plentiful.

COVID’s impact on luxury markets across the country has been, for lack of a better word, intense. Malibu is no exception. It is a wonderful place to be at any time, but when people are looking for extra space, a touch of nature, and fresh air, it’s nearly unbeatable.

The Malibu market absolutely boomed this year.

Inventory has remained relatively low and while we are starting to see demand level off a bit, the market is still

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Currently, as properties have sold and new ones are slow to come on the market, there is currently a huge decrease in the inventory. We are seeing increased pressure, which in turn has lead to price increases. Right now, things seemed to have “settled” just a bit, but if a new well priced property comes on the market, it may sell fairly quickly, especially if it is in move-in condition. The high end market (over $10 million) has been off the charts and since 1/1/2020, we have seen 78 closed escrows, both on the beach and off.(plus others that were not listed) It has truly been a remarkable market here in Malibu and while others struggle to stay afloat and stay open, it is unilaterally agreed that the Real Estate Market here in Malibu has benefited in a very positive way during the Covid MM pandemic.

very strong. With the variety of neighborhoods and niches here, we’ve been able to work with a huge variety of buyers - people looking for second homes as well as people looking to move permanently out of the city to find a space that fits their lifestyle needs.

For sellers, it’s been a historically opportune time to capitalize on that demand and fetch record sales in each price category.

MM

REAL ESTATE

ANI DERMENJIAN

BRIAN GOLDBERG

Executive Managing Director, Architectural Division at Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

One of Malibu’s top brokers specializing in luxury concierge real estate services.

I think we were all anticipating a decline, but that just wasn’t the case.

Suddenly the market was back and homes started selling faster than ever before.

The local market was booming during the Global Pandemic, which was surprising initially. I think we were all anticipating a decline but that just wasn’t the case. The lockdown forced people to evaluate their current setup and as a result, we started to see more and more people migrating to Malibu from more crowded areas such as Venice Beach, Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey. We saw a lot of condo owners transition to single family residences and fewer people were downsizing than ever before because nobody was really interested in moving to a smaller space (especially in light of the stay-at-home orders), which attributed to the historically low inventory we’ve seen. There are more Buyers than Sellers, which drove prices up and also resulted in a surge in sales, especially with turn-key properties. Interest rates

At the beginning of the COVID-19 scare, the market froze like a deer in the headlights. Six months later, the market was on fire (not literally).

It seems that the beginning of the pandemic scared everyone into hunkering down and not leaving the house for anything.

The supermarket shelves were bare, and people went into survival mode. Moving was not on people’s mind. After six months of being cooped up in their homes and afraid to leave, many people realized that they didn’t want to live where they were and Malibu seemed like a very safe place to live. Suddenly the market was back and better than ever. Interest rates being the lowest in history (mid 2%) only fueled the fire. Homes started selling faster than ever and a low inventory from the Woolsey fire was made even lower by the increase in demand for Malibu real estate. In fact, the inventory is the lowest ever – about ½ of what it typically has been in the past.

Another huge impact of the pandemic was the rental market.

Since travelling by plane wasn’t

are low, which is an added bonus.

Factors such as lot size, views, office space and an ample indoor/outdoor living area and amenities such as pool, garden, and outside play area for children are more important than ever. Properties that were priced right oftentimes went over asking due to multiples, and there were also far more cash Buyers than in the past, which eliminated the need for appraisal and loan contingencies in many cases, allowing for a quick close of Escrow.

Overall, COVID-19 seemed to have a positive impact on the Malibu Real Estate market which was an absolute blessing. Looking ahead, we hope the strength of the local market will remain steadfast in the foreseeable MM future.

an option, it seemed everyone wanted to spend the summer in Malibu. It was nearly impossible to find any summer rentals and the prices skyrocketed. This summer has not been as crazy as last year as people were able to travel to other areas, but the prices have remained high.

Overall, the impact of COVID-19 on the Malibu market has been very positive and its effects will linger on for years to MM come.

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SUSAN MONUS

BRIAN MERRICK

Monus ranks top 1% internally in sales for Coldwell Banker

One of Coldwell Banker’s top 1% of agents worldwide.

Our inventory is at the lowest level it has been in the last 31 years.

Multiple offers with sales prices above asking are the new normal.

In every societal shift, there are winners and losers.

The pandemic created both a desire to escape urban living and the ability to work remotely at the same time.

Once the extended nature of the economic shutdown became apparent, Malibu real estate fulfilled one of the dream destinations of choice along with Aspen, the Hamptons, Palm Beach and Miami. Our phones started ringing and have never stopped. In the beginning the desire for leases was insatiable but that soon segued into an extremely robust sales market. Our inventory is at the lowest level it has been in the last 31 years that I have been selling real estate in Malibu. The active single family home market is holding steady at approximately 130 homes for sale which is approximately one half of the listings in a normal market. The luxury market is setting records. Through July, there were 15 sales over $20 Million in Malibu

While COVID 19 has been a difficult economic hardship for many it has been a boom to Malibu Real Estate. With low infection rates and work from home themes prevalent throughout the county, areas like Malibu have experienced high demand for real estate.

Malibu’s outdoor lifestyle, fresh air, hiking, beaches, and sunny weather has attracted people who now can work from home and not out of an office.

If you’re going to have to quarantine why not do it in Malibu?

When COVID first hit with the government lockdown, the initial thought was that the market was going to crash but it turned out to be the exact opposite. After the first three weeks, it was dead and things looked bleak but then it took off and has not looked back. In the early days of COVID, there were some good deals as sellers feared a crash and were willing to negotiate or give concessions to Buyers. However, that soon changed, as inventory dried up and prices began to rise. Multiple offers

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and there are more Buyers looking. I predicted at the beginning of the pandemic that people were going to decide if they liked where they live or they didn’t like where they live as we have all never spent as much time in our homes. I thought that would create a tsunami of movement in the luxury market and that has panned out to be correct. Malibu has turned out to be the beneficiary of change. The number of sales on the Westside of LA including Malibu are up over 63% since last year for homes over $5 Million and they are up over 90% for homes over $10 Million. If you are looking to sell in Malibu, now is clearly the time to explore that opportunity.

MM

with sales prices above asking price are now the normal as demand for Malibu Real Estate has soared. Due to COVID, I had to adapt and introduce new techniques of “outside the box” thinking to market and sell properties. I utilized video, 3D floor plans, multiple social media platforms, Facebook live, and Facetime to sell properties where people never physically came to the property. I focused on service and not sales, I worked on long term relationships and not short term sales. I also used Virtual Open Houses where I was available for anyone to access me during what would have been a traditional Sunday open house time and walk them through the property with my phone filming and answering questions. The challenges of working in a COVID environment like many others presented me an opportunity to grow and transform my business to serve an ever changing real esMM tate market.

REAL ESTATE

MICHAEL BLOOM

SHEN SCHULZ

A true local LA real estate agent at The Agency.

A born-and-bred Malibu local, Schulz is Sotheby’s Malibu’s #1

Covid brought about an increase in people’s need for more space.

People come here and you can literally see the stress beginning to melt away.

The pandemic has affected the local real estate market in significant ways.

First, Covid brought about an increase in people’s need for more space, quieter neighborhoods, home offices, newer kitchens and access to the outdoors; the suburbs.

Second, historic low interest rates during the pandemic allowed many more potential buyers to enter the market; multiple offers was commonplace.

The Malibu real estate market has really heated up over the past year. While I’m a bit surprised by the immensity of the current demand for property in our city, I’m not surprised that more and more people would want to make a home in Malibu right now, considering the current climate. For a lot of people, the pandemic has upended many of their priorities. It’s not about working the most hours at your job or getting out to the city as much, but about quality time spent with family, and having a true oasis to relax in as we sustain so many changes all at once. Across the county, buyers are looking for more space, more natural beauty and more peace from their home and nowhere offers all those qualities quite the way that Malibu does.

It’s been an incredibly exciting and invigorating time for me professionally, as we have welcomed so many new families to Malibu over the past year. One of my favorite

Third, Covid presented significant challenges in showing homes; Some sellers did not allow showings so virtual showings became popular when showing, Coronavirus form (PEAD) needed to be signed by the buyer and buyers agent, protocol for showing: masks worn and in some cases gloves and booties. No open houses were allowed.

MM

parts of this job is introducing new buyers to the city I grew up in, to its incredibly warm community, and spectacular beauty and the spots around town that make it feel special, and indeed like home, whether you’ve lived here for one month or thirty years. People come here and you can literally see the stress beginning to melt away. Especially families, as they see what an incredible environment this is to raise a family. It’s always felt to me like a true gift to me to be able to help my clients find their perfect oasis of calm and happiness in Malibu.

But now, more than ever, it brings me so much joy to be able to shepherd people on MM that journey.

MALIBU MAGAZINE

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Coldwell Banker Realty’s 2021 #1 Agent YTD | Malibu Office (310) 589 2477 | SUSAN@SUSANMONUS.COM | SUSANMONUS.COM | CalRE#00827409 Your Home Deserves a Social Media Presence @malibuhomes

Facebook.com/MalibuEstates

@malibuhomes

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the MultipleListing Service, and it may include approximations.

Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, notemployees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. AGT. CalRE#00827409.

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