MAS Magazine / 2 - 16 - 2007

MÁS C U LT U R E • P R I D E • C O M M U N I T Y

The nature of healing ‘We the People’ winning efforts Mexican director goes for gold MÁS EXCLUSIVE Local hairstylist shares her real life experiences with Anna Nicole Smith For story & more photos, page 11

Presorted Standard US Postage Paid Mercado Nuevo

February 16, 2007 Volume 2, Issue 23

www.masbakersfield.com P.0. BOX 2344, Bakersfield, Ca 93303

MÁS

Contents

12-14 5

COVER STORY

For some, Botanicas offer remedy to what ails them

COMMUNITY NOTICIAS

12-14

February 16, 2007

5

Arvin meeting emphasizes critical need for housing following Valley freeze

EDUCATION

Arvin High School’s ‘We the People’ team brings home second place

GENTE

The Harlem Globetrotters; Luchas come to town

WORKING

The runway is cleared for easier flights from Meadows to Mexico

MÁS EXCLUSIVE

Hairstylist recalls her friendship with celebrity Anna Nicole Smith

LATINOAMERICA

It’s Oscar time! Read all about the Mexican director of ‘Babel’

ENTERTAINMENT

Find something to do, learn or see in our calendar listing

CLASSIFIEDS Buy, sell and hire

6 8 10 11 15 16 19

11

15

10

Did You Know?

General Manager

Delia Carson dcarson@masbakersfield.com 716-8632

More Hispanics buy cold, flu medication

Managing Editor

Olivia Garcia

Types of medications purchased by Kern County adults: Cold or flu Allergies Children’s medicine Skin care/sun protection Digestive disorder (acid reflux, etc.)

Chronic pain relief Diabetes High blood pressure Cholesterol Weight loss Source: Scarborough Research, 2006

04

February 16, 2007

MÁS

Total

Hispanic

42% 38% 21% 17% 13% 14% 10% 20% 16% 6%

48% 32% 28% 15% 12% 10% 9% 9% 9% 8%

ogarcia@masbakersfield.com 716-8644

Cover photo: Lydia Gonzales

Editorial / Advertising 716-8640

Anna Nicole Smith photo: Published by permission only Más is a new weekly magazine focused on Hispanic people, style, culture and issues in Kern County. Más is a publication of Mercado Nuevo, LLC, a subsidiary of The Bakersfield Californian.The Más name and logo design are trademarks of Mercado Nuevo and cannot be used without the company’s permission. For questions or for more information about Más or other publications of Mercado Nuevo, contact us: Mercado Nuevo LLC P.O. Box 2344 Bakersfield, CA 93303; (661) 716-8640 www.mercadonuevocorp.com or masbakersfield.com

M Á S

E XC LU S I V E

Saying goodbye to Anna Nicole Bakersfield hairstylist shocked, saddened over sudden death of her friend/client

PHOTO PUBLISHED BY PERMISSION ONLY

Celebrity Anna Nicole Smith, left, and her personal hairstylist, Sandy Serrano, a Bakersfield native, catch a catnap aboard a private plane. Serrano often traveled with Smith to various work and vacation destinations, including a stay in the Bahamas and a side trip to Florida less than a month before Smith died.

By Matt Muñoz MÁS staff

I

t was in the wee hours of Jan. 10 — Sandy Serrano needed to catch an early morning flight back to the U.S. from the Bahamas, but she would not board her plane without first saying goodbye to her friend and client, Anna Nicole Smith.

She went to Smith’s bedroom — where little Dannielynn Hope, then 4 months old, was already awake. And like so many other times over their two-year relationship, Serrano — a native Bakersfield resident who since moved to Southern California, becoming the personal hairstylist to the model/actress — bid Smith farewell with a kiss and a hug, also saying goodbye to Dannielynn, until the next time.

But there would be no next time, for that day would be the last Serrano would ever see Smith alive.

Less than a month later, Feb. 8, the former Playboy Playmate was found unresponsive in her Florida hotel room and was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later. Smith was 39.

Serrano was shocked, even disbelieving of the initial media reports about Smith’s condition.

“I was at work (in L.A.,) in the middle of a client, and somebody told me they found her unresponsive in a

days after the arrival of his newborn hotel room in Florida, so immediately sister — while visiting Smith in a I knew that she was at the Hard Rock, Nassau hospital. because that’s where she always For Serrano, as much as she wants stayed,” said Serrano, 34, in an excluanswers in the death of Smith, this is sive telephone interview with MÁS a time to mourn a dear friend and a magazine from her Studio City home. time to set the record straight. “‘Unresponsive’ to me meant that she Media frenzy and tabloid reports had just passed out, something just did much to fuel a persona of Smith happened and she was going to be that did not accurately portray her, OK.” according to Serrano.

As time passed, Serrano nervously Smith’s existence in front of the waited for word on Smith’s status. cameras was “I was thinkoften a spectacle ing, ‘She’s gonna of circus proporbe OK, she’s tions. gonna be OK,” But to Serrano, Serrano “She was like a real person, Smith’s life away recalled.

Then, the devand I always explain to people from the celebrity spotlight was realastating news that she was somebody that ly the opposite. was announced She fondly over the radio, was like from Bakersfield.” recalled how the and relayed to — Sandy Serrano, personal hairpair first met, Serrano through stylist to Anna Nicole Smith quite by fate. a frantic series of “Anna had lost text messages her hairdresser, and a flood of cell and Kimmy (Smith’s personal assisphone calls.

Her friend was dead, and Serrano’s tant) was getting her hair done by my boss,” said Serrano, a hairstylist for mind went into a spin. nearly 17 years now. “My boss said “Of course, I flipped out,” she said. she (Smith) needed hair extensions, Foul play has since been ruled out so she basically sent her to me.” as the cause of Smith’s death, but the For their first appointment, Serrainvestigation continues as to what no visited Smith’s home — also in Stuactually killed the former reality TV dio City — the same house where star and Trim Spa diet spokeswoman, “The Anna Nicole Show” on the “E!” whose 20-year-old son, Daniel, also channel was taped, conveniently died suddenly Sept. 10 — just three

“

PHOTO PUBLISHED BY PERMISSION ONLY

By the second time she worked on Smith’s long, blond tresses, Serrano became the star’s personal stylist.

located behind the salon where Serrano worked.

Serrano remembers briefly meeting Smith on a few social occasions prior to that day’s appointment, but never thought it would lead to a client relationship, let alone a friendship.

“Honestly, it was kind of weird because the first time I met her, I walked into her house, and since I had always watched her show, it felt like I already knew her,” said Serrano of that day. “But also before, I have this weird thing where I know who I’m going to meet. It was like I already knew her.”

Serrano was escorted to the star’s bedroom for an introduction.

“It was just really quiet,” she said.

“Her house is really big, and I walked Please turn to ANNA NICOLE, page 17

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M Á S

E XC LU S I V E

ANNA NICOLE: ‘She wasn’t how you would think ...’ false reports and unfair assessments, it’s a horror movie of sorts come true.

And though she knows firsthand how difficult it was for Smith to deal with Daniel’s death, Serrano strongly believes this was not a suicide.

“The first thought going through my head was that she was left alone, she thought of Daniel, she committed suicide,” Serrano said. “Anytime you left her alone, she thought of Daniel too much. Even if you were in front of her, sometimes she would break down and think of Daniel ... she wanted to see Daniel again ... she would cry a lot, so I just assumed that it was a suicide.

“But then I really thought about it, about the boat, that Howard wasn’t in the room, when they said Moe was PHOTO PUBLISHED BY PERMISSION ONLY there — that’s her bodyguard — his Anna Nicole Smith, left, and Sandy Serrano pose for a friendly snapshot together. wife was there — that’s the nurse — and they started saying how many But Smith was more like regular had decided she wanted to go get this people were in the room ... Moe’s kids people than her celebrity image, boat,” said Serrano about Smith’s were there, so it probably happened according to Serrano. recent decision to purchase a yacht in front of his kids ... they used to like Because she was from Bakersfield, for easier traveling within the to visit Anna. So then I started thinkSerrano said she always felt a comBahamas. “We all went together to ing that there was no possibility that mon bond with the starlet, who being Florida to stay at the Hard Rock for a she would ever commit suicide in from Mexia, Texas, also knew all day or two, while Howard (K. Stern, front of children, in Florida, with all Smith’s attorney) went out looking for about life with that small town feel. those people — ... you just don’t do “She was like a real person, and I the right boat she wanted.” that, you know?” always explain to people that she was Serrano said that Smith planned to Plus, Serrano said, Smith was very somebody that was like from Bakerschristen her yacht, “The Cracker” involved in the building/remodeling field,” Serrano said. “She wasn’t like because that was Daniel’s nickname. of her new home in the Bahamas, yet how you would think Hollywood peoWhile at the Hard Rock, fight proanother sign that she was looking ple were like — she’d cook for you, moter Don King invited Smith and toward the future. get up and do anything for you.” her party to a heavyweight champi“She was building a dance studio Although, Smith never did make a onship bout after learning the there ... She was having a 10-foot wall visit to Bakersfield — but not because built up around her house so that celebrity was there, Serrano said. she didn’t want to, Serrano said. nobody could, like, take pictures of “She never went with me, but I the baby. She wanted privacy,” Serraremember her getting mad that I didno said. n’t take her with me Since Smith’s when I went. Mad death, Serrano has because I didn’t invite tried to contact Stern, her,” said Serrano. whom she considers Serrano also appreciher friend as well, but ated Smith’s non-judghas yet to speak with mental attitude toward him. her hairstylist’s appear- To hear an audio excerpt from our exclu“I tried to call him ance, which includes a on the numbers I sive interview with Sandy Serrano: wide assortment of colhave, and of course, www.masbakersfield.com orful “body art.” they were her “She didn’t judge me,” said Serra(Smith’s) phone numbers and her no of Smith. “She didn’t think I was phone and I don’t know if he’s gonna weird for having tattoos like other check ‘em — I know eventually he people do.” (will), but it’s her voice that answers Some of Serrano’s most memorable when you call,” said Serrano, who’s times spent with Smith, include activ- also getting calls from various ities much more on the mundane side, tabloids looking for a story in the Set up a profile on www.masbakersfield.com but fun just the same, she said. midst of a tragedy. and you could receive free tickets to the exclusive screening of “I went there twice a week to do But, for Serrano, the real story “Tortilla Heaven” — a dramedy about three generations of Latinos united by a miracle her hair, but I went there everyday about Anna Nicole Smith is one of a after work. I knew that she didn’t coming to the Fox Theater Feb. 24. sweet person, a cherished friend, have a lot of friends. I mean, you can someone who treated her hairstylist Secure your seat at the free screening by sharing with tell when someone doesn’t, and she like family and her devoted fans with MÁS magazine about a miracle in your own life. We want to know of a always wanted to watch TV with me, a devotion of her own. miraculous moment that happened to you or someone in your family. and she always just wanted to hang“She loved her fans; she loved — Did La Virgen de Guadalupe appear to your abuelita? out,” she said. “‘Fear Factor’ was like Have you had your prayers answered? every single person, every fan,” Serher favorite thing ever. She’d watch it rano said.

Do your children show you miracles on a daily basis? to the point that I’d get tired of it and Serrano and Smith planned to see If so, set up your profile and tell us about your miracle at: get grossed out by it. If not that, it each other again next month, in the www.masbakersfield.com would just be like rented DVD’s — Bahamas for Serrano’s upcoming and we’ll make sure you get to see this film about miracles. her favorite was watching horror 35th birthday. movies.”

There will also be a special Q&A session with some of the Instead, Serrano has made another people behind “Tortilla Heaven” following the show.

As she watches the media storm plan — she’s getting a new tattoo surrounding her friend’s untimely Visit the movie’s Web site at: added to the canvas that is her skin: a www.tortillaheaventhemovie.com death, including what Serrano calls portrait of Anna Nicole Smith.

Continued from page 11 into her room, and she was sitting on her bed, and she just looked really pretty, just from out of bed. No makeup, she just looked really pretty.”

After their second styling appointment, Serrano — who previously worked at Outrage salon in downtown Bakersfield — was notified that Smith liked her work and wanted to hire Serrano as her personal stylist.

“Kimmy told me, ‘Anna really likes you, we were wondering if you could come more often, or if you could work with her every time she needs you for something and travel,’” Serrano said.

“That was a compliment — and a big deal. I didn’t know it was going to happen in my future.”

That future took Serrano along with Smith to various locations, including a glamorous photo shoot for Trim Spa and a couple months in Vermont for the filming of “Illegal Aliens” (2006), a yet to be released movie that also included a small role for Smith’s son.

Serrano spent many flights seated next to Smith, even cat-napping together between destinations. When staying in hotels, they often had suites located across from each other.

In fact, that was just the case in early January, when the pair stayed in the same hotel that would be the site of Smith’s eventual death — the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

“I was in the Bahamas vacationing, but then when I got there, she (Smith)

Be a part of the miracle!

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February 16, 2007

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