Southbay February/March 2018

THE ARTS ISSUE

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

28 DATEBOOK South Bay Calendar

50 MUSIC Saxophonist Mindi Abair

30 Q&A DACHA’s Lauren Alexander

74 COMMUNITY Hermosa Beach Artist Collective

34 ARTS Ellwood Risk 46 STYLE FILE Year of the Dog 48 MEDIA Ken Bishop’s Strandscape

86 WEEKENDER New York Peace of Mind 90 ENTREPRENEURS Energy Muse 108 SEEN Who’s Who Around Town

49 THE BUBBLE 170 LAST BUT NOT LEAST Something to Fall Back On

74 34 50

also...

61

TABLE Local Chef Recipes

100 IN GOOD HEALTH Holtorf Medical Group 122 PROFILES Real Estate and Mortgage Leaders 152 REAL ESTATE Spectacular Local Listings

COVER A proof sheet with many of Al Satterwhite’s greatest hits.

All images ©Al Satterwhite

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

features 39 EXPANDING THE LENS Our contributing photographers each share a piece of work that speaks to them and their creative vision.

54 LIVING HISTORY A Rolling Hills couple pays homage to their Greek roots by creating a midcentury style oasis—complete with meaningful, collected art and furnishings … and a vineyard.

66 SWEET ART

Inspired by her favorite artists, our resident food stylist,

Kara, makes the leap from canvas to cake.

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ABOUT FACE Muhammad Ali, Jane Fonda, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hunter S. Thompson are just a few who have been in front of Al Satterwhite’s lens. His storied career reveals a textured life as deep as the gaze of his famous subjects.

92

LA 2028 The Olympics are in L.A.’s DNA. As the city prepares to host its third games, we take a look at how it finally came together and what to expect for the XXXIV Olympiad.

102 OPEN SPACES, OPEN MINDS

Exploring the treasures of New Zealand.

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102 78

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

GROUP PUBLISHER

Darren Elms

Jared Sayers

ART DIRECTOR

ADVERTISING

Michelle Villas

Media Solutions Manager | Erika Carrion

Helping our clients achieve financial success…

310-897-2424 | erika@goldenstate.is COPY EDITOR Laura Watts

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Media Solutions Manager | Amy Tetherow 424-220-6338 | amy@goldenstate.is

DEPUTY EDITORS Bonnie Graves (Food & Wine), Kara

Media Solutions Manager | Jen Turquand

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WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher | Robin Sanders

Ian Freshman, Michele Garber, Linda

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Kristin Andersen, Jeff Berting, Linda

President CEO

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…that’s what makes us different.

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• Experienced bankers • Flexible and open-minded • Innovative ideas and solutions MANAGING PARTNERS Charles C. Koones

Todd Klawin

MARKETING & OPERATIONS Partner/Brand Publisher | Emily Stewart Partner/Managing Director, Media & Analytics | Warren Schaffer Brand Publisher | Hannah Lee

• Easy access to decision makers • Loan decisions made locally Let’s talk about how we’ll help you finance your business or real estate investments.

Director of Marketing & Business Development | Cherice Tatum Director of Digital | Charles Simmons Director of Film & Video | Bryce Lowe-White Art Director | Angela Akers Digital Marketing Manager | Mike Sayers Operations Director | Allison Jeackjuntra Marketing Manager | Rachel Gotko Director of Events | Danielle Price Accounting | Janet De La Cruz No part of this periodical may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent from The Golden State Company, LLC. Any and all submissions to this or any of The Golden State Company, LLC publications become the property of The Golden State Company, LLC and may be used in any media. We reserve the right to edit.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 | SOUTHBAY

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editor’s letter

Hanging Out I recently attended the LA Art Show, held annually at the downtown Convention Center, with one of my longtime collaborators Monica Orozco. One of Monica’s photographic portraits, Brilliant, was chosen for display by a gallery in Chicago as part of the mini-exhibition Round Hole Square Peg. It was thrilling to see Monica’s work on view at such a notable art event—especially when she stopped by the booth to stand in front of her photos, generating interest from both media and passersby. One of those visitors was Homeira Goldstein, the Manhattan Beach art patron, collector and enthusiast who continues to push the envelope with our local cultural scene. Monica and Homeira previously collaborated on a portrait that ran in Southbay many years ago.

Then, just around the corner was Joe Bark of the Palos Verdes Art Center (PVAC), surrounded by some very fashionable artists who have either shown at the art center or have a personal relationship with Joe. One of my other companions for the evening, Gail Phinney, has been instrumental to the PVAC’s success over the last two decades. Together with Joe, they have attracted some of the best new talent in Los Angeles and abroad.

Just when I thought the evening couldn’t get more local, there was a stunning, large-scale work by contemporary abstract expressionist painter Amadea Bailey. We featured Amadea in our last Arts Issue, celebrating some of the work she created for collectors here in the South Bay. If there’s one thing this evening solidified, other than my passion for art, it was recognition that the South Bay as part of the larger Los Angeles scene is having a significant creative moment. Think about it. In just the span of a decade we’ve seen huge improvements and investments in local institutions like the Palos Verdes Performing Arts Center and PVAC. We’ve seen new and exciting museums like the El Segundo Museum of Art (ESMoA), art philanthropy in the form of Art310 and the emergence of an industrial arts district at the once sleepy Cypress Avenue in Hermosa. And we only need wait a few more months for the return of the El Segundo Art Walk this summer.

In the meantime, we are happy to bring you our annual Arts Issue, with the incredible photographer Al Satterwhite. He has been on our radar for a while, and we’re so honored to spotlight his prolific life and career on our pages. He’s just one of many artists in this issue … painters, photographers, musicians, designers … all part of this amazing, auspicious moment.

DARREN ELMS

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SOUTHBAY | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

contributors

Michele Garber WRITER “LA 2028” A self-proclaimed information junkie, Michele has a penchant for history, news and trivia. “Family and friends teasingly say I’m a vast wealth of useless knowledge,” she says. Yet her eternal fascination with researching new subjects serves her well as a features writer.

Michelle Villas ART DIRECTOR After 16 years as an art director in New York, Michelle loaded up the truck and moved to the South Bay. A true typophile, she carries her obsession with fonts into every project. Michelle is an avid camper and is making her way through national parks from Maine to Alaska.

Jack Zellweger WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER “About Face” Jack grew up in Manhattan Beach and recently finished a bachelor’s degree in physics at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He is a photo editor for The Kenyon Collegian and The Collegian Magazine, two of Kenyon College’s student-run publications.

When not photographing, he enjoys wandering in the woods, campfires and thinking about photography. More of his work can be found on Instagram @zellwegerphotography.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 | SOUTHBAY

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Dear Readers, It’s not often that we pen a letter in Southbay, but as the owners of Southbay’s parent company, Moon Tide Media, we have some exciting news we’d like to share.

From our founding in 2006, we’ve operated our business under the name Moon Tide Media. It’s a name that signifies the highest tide in a lunar cycle. We felt it was optimistic and, well, kind of cool. Since that time, we’ve grown from a single print magazine to a multi-channel media network, with nearly a dozen publications, an award-winning advertising and marketing agency, and a growing family of dedicated employees of whom we couldn’t be prouder. It’s been an exciting ride.

We’ve always been focused on creating great California-inspired content for the markets and the marketing partners we serve. Our team has produced more than 10,000 pieces of content reflecting the very best of where we live, and we intend to continue doing just that on a broader scale. That’s why we’ve decided to rebrand our company. Effective January 1, we have changed our name to The Golden State Company.

Our company will have two operating divisions: The Golden State Network will house our owned-and-operated media, including Golden State, Southbay, HOME, Ventura Blvd and others. We’ve unified our media on a single digital platform, designed so that content can be easily shared—better serving readers as well as advertisers.

Our second division, Moon Tide, will operate as the stand-alone, fullservice advertising and marketing agency it has become.

So what does this mean for you, dear reader? Hopefully, more and better content that is relevant to you. As Southbay celebrates its 12th anniversary this year, our great team, led by editorial director Darren Elms and publisher Jared Sayers, will continue to deliver eye-opening stories celebrating the place you call home. And with our new Golden State Network, which includes the revamped oursouthbay.com, it’s now easier than ever to find articles and features about the South Bay. And don’t be surprised to discover that the content finds you— popping up across your favorite social feeds. It’s part of the plan.

Thanks for joining us on this journey. It’s a fascinating time in the media business, and absolutely none of this would have been possible without our incredibly supportive readers, advertisers and marketing partners. Welcome to Golden State. We’re thrilled about the next chapter.

Warmly,

@ourgoldenstate

Charlie Koones, Managing Partner | Todd Klawin, Managing Partner

feb/ mar MAKING WAVES

Observing a work in progress at Hermosa Beach Art Collective. More on page 74.

datebook

Getting Creative February 1–2 The Killers

8 p.m., Staples Center axs.com

4 40th Annual Super Bowl Sunday 10k/5k 6 a.m., Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach redondo10k.com

9–18 & 23–March 4 Million Dollar Quartet

Presented by 3D Theatricals Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 3dtheatricals.org

March Picasso at the Lapin Agile

Jan 26—Feb 4

Candide

Jan 26—Feb 18

Kelsey Grammer and Christine Ebersole star in Leonard Bernstein’s round-the-world romp! Freewheeling and funny, satirical and soaring, Candide takes the audience on a whirlwind tour of human folly and foolishness. Brimming with youthful innocence, Candide is certain that he lives in the best of all possible worlds. But an unrelenting series of ridiculously unfortunate events makes him question everything he has been taught. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, laopera.com

Cirque By the Sea

Celebrate Vistas for Children’s 40 amazing years of philanthropy with their 18th annual fashion show and boutique. A beautiful view of the calm sea greats you as you take your glass of Champagne and sail through the sea of more than 33 highly selected vendors at the Vistas boutique.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach, vistasforchildren.org

Walk With Sally’s Friendship Bowl

The 11th annual event invites costumed teams to battle it out on the lanes in an important fundraiser for the local mentorship program. Noon to 4 p.m., Palos Verdes Bowl, walkwithsally.org

Feb 25

Mar 10

28

The clever off-Broadway hit play from comedian and writer Steve Martin imagines Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso meeting in a Parisian bar one evening in 1904, just before each man introduced the work that would make him famous. Palos Verdes Performing Arts Center, palosverdesperformingarts.com

SOUTHBAY | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

2 Designs for Dining

St. Francis Episcopal Church stfrancispalosverdes.org

Through 19 The Studio School

Palos Verdes Art Center pvartcenter.org

17 St. Patrick’s Day Parade 11 a.m., Downtown Hermosa Beach hbchamber.net

26 St. Patrick’s Day Golf Tournament

Benefiting South Bay Police and Fire Memorial Foundation Los Verdes Golf Club sbpoliceandfire.com

True Love

23rdstreetjewelers.com Manhattan Beach • Santa Monica

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SOUTHBAY | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

Fresh Perspective With her interiors business DACHA, Lauren Alexander challenges the design sensibilities of the South Bay. INTERVIEWED BY DARREN ELMS | PHOTOGRAPHED BY LAUREN PRESSEY

When you walk into a South Bay home store, you’re likely to encounter a flush of coastal colors and collectibles that evoke our beach-centric lifestyles. Not necessarily at DACHA, a retail space and design business in Manhattan Beach curated by Lauren Alexander. She may not be looking to alter the aesthetic landscape of the community, but her personal and progressive approach to design certainly digs deeper than the ebbing tide. We caught up with Lauren at the start of the year to see what 2018 had in store for both her and the business.

appreciate the aesthetic value of things—that one’s home should be beautiful and inviting. I do the same thing now with my daughter, taking her to galleries, artists’ studios, showrooms—basically everywhere I go. I think it is a great early education.

Where did you grow up, Lauren?

Marin County, just north of San Francisco.

I was so fortunate to grow up close to the city, the coast of West Marin, the mountains of Lake Tahoe and the rolling hills of Napa Valley.

Were you always attracted to design?

Absolutely. From the time I was 5 years old my mother had a floral design business. I grew up in her store and was always brought along to clients’ homes, designer showcase houses, the flower market, flea markets. I have vivid memories of wandering around these incredible mansions in Marin County and San Francisco as a small child, watching artists and designers transform each room.

I was basically always brought up to

How did you get your start in the business?

I was always interested in design, but it wasn’t really until my early 20s that I started doing interiors. I didn’t study interior design in college (I was a lit major), but after I graduated from UCLA and was living in San Francisco, I started designing my friends’ apartments. People would come over to my place and love what I had done and ask me to help them—always on a minuscule budget, of course.

A few years later when I was living in New York, managing the Decorative Home department at Bergdorf Goodman, clients would invite me over and ask me to help them decorate. It started out casually and built over time into a design consulting business that I continued when I moved to L.A. I realized early on that even when someone knows what they like (and not everyone does!), they often have a difficult time executing. It is so rewarding to be able to help my clients achieve the home they want.

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What prompted the move to Los Angeles?

I moved from New York to Los Angeles in 2013. I had the opportunity to work with Kelly Wearstler; meanwhile my boyfriend (now husband) was finishing film school.

L.A. made sense for both of us professionally at the time. I had always planned to move back to California but thought it would be San Francisco. I love S.F. and go up often, but ultimately I am glad we ended up in L.A. There is such a rich art and design culture down here. And the lifestyle is easygoing, social, very much about being outside; it embodies the principles that DACHA is founded on.

How was it working for Kelly Wearstler?

I was store director at Kelly’s flagship in West Hollywood for two years. It was an amazing experience and education. I met a lot of incredibly talented, smart people and worked at the highest level of design. What most impressed me during that time was how Kelly manages every detail of her brand— from her designed collections to her social media presence to the gift wrap in her store. It can be really challenging, but I strive to maintain that consistency at DACHA so that the voice of the brand feels “right” and resonates across all avenues.

What attracted you to open DACHA in Manhattan Beach?

My dad’s family all lived in Manhattan Beach when I was growing up, and I would come down to visit every summer. I loved the feeling of community and the beach culture.

Then when I was at UCLA I often came down to Manhattan Beach to hang out.

Years later when I was deciding where to build my business I saw a void here. There is nothing else like DACHA in the South Bay, and I found it appealing to create that niche.

There is, of course, a big market for the blueand-white beach coastal style, but I wanted to offer something different—a more eclectic, global, current aesthetic. The response has been really tremendous.

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What’s behind the name?

A “dacha” in Russian refers to a country home, a summer retreat. Dacha culture is very much about being outside, entertaining, enjoying oneself. The belief at DACHA is that one’s home should be a retreat—a place

I want to walk into someone’s home and discover who they are by looking at the art on their walls, the books on their shelves, the objects gathered from family and in travels.”

of beauty, enjoyment, creativity and inspiration. I was very close with my grandparents, who were from Russia, and this is how my grandmother lived. She always made her home beautiful and was never happier than when it was full and loud and busy. It seemed fitting that this would inspire the name of my business.

What is your design philosophy, and how does that translate in the store?

My philosophy is that one’s space should feel collected, layered and curated. I like a room with character and soul. So many designed spaces feel formulaic and as though they were staged for a catalog shoot rather than

created to reflect the lifestyle and interests of the homeowner. I want to walk into someone’s home and discover who they are by looking at the art on their walls, the books on their shelves, the objects gathered from family and in travels.

This definitely informs the offering at DACHA—an eclectic mix of natural elements, vintage pieces, globally sourced accessories, art, sculpture.

DACHA is a living portfolio of my design philosophy, which is great because clients can come in the store and experience the vibe.

What design trends are you enjoying most right now?

I love that people are so interested right now in artisanal, handmade goods. They want something different than what is available everywhere, and they want a story behind the items they buy. So much of what I carry at DACHA is either vintage or made by local California artists, and people seek me out for that reason. I have a lot of great lines by local ceramists, printmakers, textile designers. I hear over and over again that people want something unique and well crafted, something with provenance.

And plants! Indoor plants are everywhere (think Jungalow), which I love because I firmly believe that every room should have a living green plant … otherwise it feels flat. DACHA has a great assortment of interesting, lowmaintenance plants.

Any big plans professionally or personally in 2018?

Yes! 2018 is going to be a big year. As the store continues to become increasingly selfsufficient, I am shifting more of my focus to design—starting with a new project in San Francisco. I have several exciting events— shows with artists that I work with—coming up in the store. I am also expanding our store offering to include more outdoor/garden items. On a personal note, I am relocating to the South Bay (we currently live in Beverly Hills), which means a new home and, of course, a new project! ■

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SOUTHBAY | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

Made You Look

Local artist Ellwood Risk has captured the attention of the Los Angeles art scene, and he’s got more to say.

WRITTEN BY AMBER KLINCK PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF BERTING

Standing inside his sprawling, 4,600-square-foot studio, local artist Ellwood Risk shares the motivation behind his most recent work. “Yes, the tweets,” he says. “Since the election, I’ve been such a wreck. This is my response.”

Blackbirds peppered with visuals carried over from Ellwood’s most notable Pistol Target series lay over gold leaf composite. “I’ve wanted to work with gold leaf forever, and this was just the right time,” Ellwood explains.

“With him in office, what’s his color? Oh, it’s gold.”

Along the panel of each piece, words like “Resist” and “Jackass” are written. “[This] is my therapy; it’s my way of dealing with it,” he notes.

With artistic juxtapositions such as violent, front-page headlines paired with images of Mickey Mouse, or lusty silhouettes adorned with firearms, Ellwood’s work is provocative and open to a wide range of interpretation. “I think it’s all subjective,” he says. “I have a really hard time classifying any art as objective. I mean, how can you?”

With such strong visuals that speak to our social, cultural and political climate, Ellwood’s work evokes a reaction at first glance. It would be a challenge to look at one of his pieces and not get lost in a dialogue with the person next to you.

“We’re all targets,” Ellwood says while explaining some of the imagery in his Pistol Target series. “That’s my general statement. We’re targeted from the time we’re born.”

He continues with a smile, “My mom gave me that one.

I said, ‘So what do you think?’ She said, ‘I love it; it’s really weird. I love it.’ You know, we all take our hits in life.”

In one of Ellwood’s Pistol Target series he utilizes pornography for the background. “I’ll stress it out to where it’s barely readable,” he explains. “But when you’re standing in front of the piece and you start focusing … you realize that it’s a partially nude woman from a magazine. That’s her struggle. From the time you’re a kid you’re exposed to these magazines that tell you what you’re supposed to look like. This is how you’re

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supposed to look to be happy and to be accepted and to be wanted. You can take that from Teen to Cosmopolitan right up to Hustler.”

Ellwood then superimposes a silhouette of a woman holding a gun over the background. “When I lay a female image on top of that with a gun, that’s like laying over a power image.”

The visual inspiration behind the Pistol Target series came to Ellwood while visiting a gun range with his father. Ellwood found himself fixated on the targets themselves.

“I thought, ‘Wow, these are amazing. They’re spooky, they’re weird, they’re provocative.’ So I brought a roll of them home,” he notes. “I started making stuff with them immediately, and people were immediately interested in them. It was around the same time, maybe a year after, that I got my first show with Robert Berman.”

A self-taught artist, Ellwood spent years working in construction before making his mark on the Los Angeles art scene. “I was doing this abstract plaster work and playing around with joint compound, which I used for years as a drywall finisher. Ninety percent of my process is informed by a lifetime in the construction industry,” he explains.

But Ellwood pulls the inspiration behind the work itself from all around him. “Every couple of years I move in a different direction; it takes me a while to get there,” he says. “But for me, it was initially almost always a visual attraction, a visual stimulation. That’s how I’ve always responded to art, and that’s how I’m usually inspired to make art.”

There was a shift, however, when a sticker popping up all over the Westside made an impact on Ellwood. “It was Shepard Fairey,” he says. “When I saw my first OBEY sticker, I was like, ‘Obey? Fuck you,’” he notes. “And they were everywhere.”

It wasn’t until a friend of Ellwood’s showed him Shepard’s manifesto, explaining the concept behind OBEY, that he began to truly appreciate the work. “The guy is so fucking smart, and that really awakened my desire to be politically expressive.”

The pairing of provocative imagery and political and cultural expression has served Ellwood well, solidifying his place in the art world with a series of showings in galleries along the coast of California, Seattle, New York, Miami and London. His work has long been featured on Showtime’s Californication, as well as The X-Files, Six Feet Under, Modern Family, Curb Your Enthusiasm and more.

From the Virginia Beach kid who took a chance and drove cross-country to Southern California—a place he’d only fantasized about—to his first introduction to Venice Beach and his love affair with the art scene it had to offer, Ellwood’s journey has always been an organic one.

“My benchmark for it all is: Does it make me feel good?” he says.

What an excellent way to approach life. ■

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L O O K I N G F O R I N S P I R AT I O N ? V I S I T O U R D E S I G N C E N T E R .

YO U ’ L L F I N D F R I E N D LY D E S I G N & B U I L D I N G E X P E R T S W I T H T H E A N S W E R S A N D S O L U T I O N S YO U ’ R E L O O K I N G F O R .

2 0 0 1 E . M A R I P O S A AV E , E L S E G U N D O | 3 1 0 / 8 1 5 - 4 8 1 5 | V I S I T C U S T O M D E S I G N . C O M LICENSE #524561

DESIGN | BUILD | KITCHEN | BATHS | REMODELING | ADDITIONS | NEW CONSTRUCTION

Expanding the Lens You may recognize our Southbay photographers from their frequent contributions, but these talented artists also cultivate a body of work captured outside our pages. We asked them to share a piece with us that speaks to them and their creative vision.

EDITED BY DARREN ELMS

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NEIL KREMER & CORY JOHNSON Craigslist Encounter 18, 2017 This is part of an ongoing series, developed as an exploration of Craigslist culture and those who use it. The series has become our perspective of an accurate cross-section of all Angelenos.

Surprisingly, responses to the ad have come from a wide gamut of socioeconomic, race, gender and age ranges.

SHANE O’DONNELL Hot Rod and Boardtracker Builder, 2009 American Greaser is a photo story about the Rockabilly culture around us. This photo is of a Belgian-born Manuel “Manu” Müller. He created Old School Garage in Long Beach, where he builds cars and boardtracker motorcycles. He is posing with Lorren Carney, a model and tattoo flash artist, in front of one of his projects, a 1941 International.

MONICA OROZCO Flipping the Birdie, 2017 Commissioned for Palm Springs Modernism Week, Mid-Century Crisis began as a sub-series of the larger “deMonica” conceptual character oeuvre. The playful project, however, got inadvertently imbued by turbulence, both inherently personal to me and largely environmental. As a result, the many faces of deMonica’s mid-life crisis confront us with angst, heartbreak, disappointment, loss and disillusion of personal life experience.

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JEFF BERTING Surfing Daze, 2009 This photo represents the place I love to be, doing what I love, with the people I love being with.

JACK ZELLWEGER Blue Beach Towel, 2016 The Journal Times in Racine, Wisconsin was short on content, and I had been asked to go out and shoot something—anything—to fill the pages. I drove around for an hour and then eventually headed to North Beach Oasis, a local beach in Racine along Lake Michigan. I came across a group of kids playing in the sand. They were burying this kid. I saw a lot of potential in this scene and shot a lot of pictures of them—probably over 100—from the side, below and finally from up top … to get it just right.

KAT MONK Luminosity, 2017 This shot is an image of Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers as he comes out to play tambourine after playing the drums. I loved how the light was hitting the camera.

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LAUREN PRESSEY Sacré-Cœur Street Scene, 2013 I’m often tempted to leave my camera behind when going on a trip after a hectic stretch of work. Of course, I never actually do. There’s only one way for me to experience a destination, and that’s behind a lens. Street photography is how I reconnect with life and myself.

ANNIE DEPTULA Frida, 2017 Frida Kahlo marched to the beat of her own drum and defied societal norms.

She had a voice and made sure it was heard through her art. I’m continually in awe and grateful to have artistic influences of past and present like Frida that have a significant impact on the projects I choose to photograph. This series is one of my favorites and most inspiring.

NANCY PASTOR A Day in Beret, 2017 As a “mama” to a now preteen, this child of ours has been photographed thoroughly since birth. Our first European trip would be no different. Creating a series with my willing model proved to be a unique way to document the adventurous spirit she has become.

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Rose gold dog tags with diamonds by Julez Bryant, $4,800 (large) and $1,598 (small) Hamilton Butler Jewels in Hermosa Beach, hamiltonbutlerjewels.com Paul Feig™ for J.Crew dog cuff links, $60 J. Crew at Plaza El Segundo, jcrew.com Foo Dogs by Oliver Gal (set of 2), $700 Z Gallerie at Del Amo Fashion Center, zgallerie.com

Year of the Dog

Some bang for your bark in 2018 Mini balloon dog bank, $53 Shanna Shryne Design in Hermosa Beach shannashryne.com

CURATED BY DARREN ELMS

Dogs by Tim Flach, $50 {pages} a bookstore, pagesabookstore.com

Knit organic cotton dog cushion/ toy by Meri Meri, $50 Nordstrom at Del Amo Fashion Center, shop.nordstrom.com Print coverall snaps with French bulldog, $35 Bella Beach Kids at The Point, bellabeachkids.com Dog bingo, $29.95 Gum Tree in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, gumtreela.com

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INTERIOR & LIFESTYLE DESIGN

310.735.1991 | KIMBERLYCOLLETTI 715 S PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY REDONDO BEACH, CA 90277

A Different Perspective Local artist and photographer Ken Bishop turned his gaze from the sea to The Strand in his new book, Strandscape.

WRITTEN BY AMBER KLINCK

As South Bay residents, we all share at least one commonality: a deep appreciation for coastal living. We sacrifice square footage for walk streets and narrow alleyways that double as sport courts for our kids.

The Strand serves as our expressway—the well-traveled road that links our communities, keeping us all just one short bike ride away.

No matter how long you’ve called the South Bay home, watching the sun set from the sand never gets old … and it’s unlikely you’ll ever hear someone complain about an ocean view. Let’s be honest—we probably all have the same images of the last epic sunset on our phones, just from slightly different angles. #HomeSweetHome But it was the view from the beach looking inland that caught

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the eye of local artist and photographer Ken Bishop and inspired the collection of photographs found in his book Hermosa Beach Strandscape: The 2-Mile Panorama. “It’s like my love letter to Hermosa,” he explains. “I’ve met so many wonderful people here.

I can’t stroll down The Strand without seeing someone I know.

[Hermosa’s] my home; it’s my community.”

There were quite a few stops along the way before Ken settled in Hermosa, however. He was born in Hawaii and grew up in Utah. He also lived in Brazil for two years and Sydney for three. But it was the South Bay’s “downtown Disneyland” feel and “family-friendly vibes” that have kept him and his wife here for nearly 12 years.

Trained in illustration at Brigham Young University, Ken creates characters and animation for video games, movies and television—work he describes as his “day job.” But it’s the hours spent playing beach volleyball and surfing that inspired him to take more than 500 images of the Hermosa Beach Strand.

“I’ve always been interested in panoramic imagery and stereoscopic three-dimensional imagery,” he notes. “This project was just a personal piece in the beginning. I had this thought: There are so many places you live and grow up as a kid. I wish I just had a picture of the street in front of my house. Like the things you see every day that you don’t really think of having a record of. This is your view from the sand, from the beach.”

All the images in Strandscape were taken on the same summer day, a few feet apart, over a two-hour period. But it was the months after that made up the real work of the project. “I’m really well-versed in Photoshop because of my job,” Ken explains. “But it was kind of a complicated process, masking and painting the images together. I stitched everything together by hand.”

Once complete, Ken wanted to create a digital, interactive experience where people could “see the whole image and scroll back and forth,” he says. “I realized Instagram was the perfect platform for that.”

After starting his account, Ken loaded roughly 825 images sequentially onto his feed, converting the collection into one single image that can be scrolled back and forth. “Turn your phone

sideways and you see the whole Strand view.”

Wanting a physical copy of the project, Ken got to work designing the book. “I’m really happy with how it turned out,” he notes.

Adding balance to the book’s already harmonious esthetic is a dust jacket showcasing Hermosa at sunrise and a cover displaying the same image at sunset. Available for purchase at local shops Gum Tree, Waterleaf and Curious and at hbstrandscape.com, Ken is donating to feedingamerica.org for every book sold.

“I’ll always have this as a memento of a place I lived that I loved so much,” he says. “I figure if other people enjoy it as well, then great. I’m going to put it out there.” ■

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Key Player With a brand new album and a musical roster that puts most to shame, a Manhattan Beach resident and two-time Grammy nominee strikes a chord.

WRITTEN BY JENNIE NUNN PHOTOGRAPHED BY MONICA OROZCO

It’s 11:30 a.m., and saxophonist, singer and songwriter Mindi Abair sits patiently waiting for me at a table outside Le Pain Quotidien in Manhattan Beach. It’s hard to miss the striking, svelte blonde and her perfect, shoulder-length, wavy hair with subtle, rocker-chic black streaks, a black vest, black jeans and black leather boots.

As we settle in and decide on our brunch order (hers a quinoa salad and iced green tea; mine avocado toast and an iced black tea), I instantly like her.

“I grew up in a beach town [St. Petersburg, Florida] on the Gulf [of Mexico], and I just love the beach here. It feels like home,” says Mindi, a two-time Grammy nominee who lives in Manhattan Beach. “It’s a different world here, and you can breathe and exhale.

It’s so beautiful, and it’s a great escape from the usual manic Hollywood scene.”

But sitting with Mindi—who graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, played on two seasons (2011 and 2012) of American Idol and traveled all over the world touring with music greats including Bruce

Springsteen (she played one show with him), Aerosmith, Teena Marie, Joe Perry, Duran Duran, Adam Sandler, Mandy Moore and the Backstreet Boys—it’s hard not to feel in awe of her. After all, she’s one of the most accomplished female saxophonists around.

“It kind of chose me,” she explains of her obsession with the instrument that she began playing in fourth grade. “No one told me it was odd for a girl to play. I thought it was cool, and I think it’s the closest thing to a human voice.”

Music is in Mindi’s blood. Her grandmother was an opera singer, and she grew up on the road with her father, Lance Abair, a member of a blue-eyed soul band The Entertainers.

“I watched my father play it growing up on the road with his band. It seemed like he was having fun, and I wanted to have that much fun,” she says. “We didn’t have a house until I was 5, while my mom and I were touring with my dad and his band, and music was always normal for me.”

While at Berklee College of Music, one of her teachers and mentors, Joe Viola, encouraged her to start her own band. “Every time I went into his room, he said the same thing: ‘Start your own band.’ What great advice to just do your own thing. So I did.”

After graduation she loaded her Honda Civic with everything she owned and drove cross-country with a dream of launching her own band. But it wasn’t nearly as easy as she initially thought.

“People would say things like, ‘Oh, we’re not really looking for a saxophonist,’ or ‘We can’t really market you as both a singer and saxophonist,’” recounts Mindi, who ended up playing on Third Street Promenade, where veteran jazz legend Bobby Lyle walked by one day, heard her play and hired her to go on tour and play on his record.

“From there, it just snowballed. My resumé is kind of crazy, but I’ve gotten to see the world and experience everything like a rock star. I never meant to be a sideman, but it helped me find who I really was, and I think it made me a better person. It was fun to go

outside playing my own songs and be a part of someone else’s career.”

In 2003 she launched her first record, It Just Happens That Way, with Verve Records, and she’s been virtually unstoppable ever since—releasing 10 solo CDs. Last year she rolled out her newest album, EastWest Sessions, with her band Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers. The name was inspired by the Hollywood studio where it was recorded.

“It’s this amazing, historic studio where Frank Sinatra recorded. When we were there making this album, the Foo Fighters were in the studio on one side of us, and Justin Timberlake was on the other side,” says Mindi.

“This record is really special, and I couldn’t be prouder. It’s the best album I’ve made.”

One of her favorite songs on the album, “Pretty Good for a Girl,” began as a tonguein-cheek saying that became a strong anthem. “That song really inspired me, and I wanted to celebrate real women and girls out there who are doing amazing things,” recalls Mindi, who recently debuted the website prettygoodforagirl.net with articles and clips highlighting inspirational women making a difference.

“When I was in school, there were 3% women in the program and I didn’t think much of it. But now I’m made aware of how rare it is. I get emails from mothers and daughters saying, ‘Thanks for showing us that this is possible,’ and considering me a role model.”

She’s also penned a book, How To Play Madison Square Garden: A How-To Guide to Stage Performance, and isn’t afraid of being on stage. “I love touring, and I love being out there on the road and on stage,” says Mindi, who will hit the road on a nationwide tour for her new album this month to cities including Nashville, Atlanta, Memphis and Clearwater, Florida. “It’s a total drug to be on stage with my band.”

She admits, though, there’s one band she’d think about abandoning her solo career for: The Rolling Stones. “Who can say no to them?” ■

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LIVING

HISTORY

A Rolling Hills couple pays homage to their Greek roots by creating a midcentury style oasis—complete with meaningful, collected art and furnishings … and a vineyard.

WRITTEN BY JENNIE NUNN PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL

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F

or Dimitri and Leah Bizoumis, finding their dream home in Rolling Hills was a matter of both fate and persistence. “It’s funny—for years I would drive by and look at this place with Leah and think, ‘I wish this becomes available one day.’ It was such a beautiful house and a lifestyle that everyone aspires to achieving,’” says Dimitri, a pediatric dentist who teaches part-time at his alma mater, USC. “I admired it for years. I guess things happen for a reason and it was serendipity, because it finally became available. We were so lucky to get it.”

The home, originally built in 1968 and owned by acclaimed Southern California developer Ernest W. Hahn (who designed numerous shopping malls and centers nationwide including The Promenade on the Peninsula, formerly The Courtyard in Rolling Hills Estates), was not decorated in their style and needed new landscaping.

“There was no landscape to speak of, and it was completely overgrown with ivy,” recalls Dimitri of the home filled with carpet and wallpaper. “The house had good backbones and a solid foundation with steel doors, and it was a very smart house for the time. It’s a California midcentury surrounded by large glass windows. Through the use of his windows, if you’re in the backyard by the pool, you can see the city lights and the coastline.

So he designed the house very well.”

To make it their own and reflect a love

of art and their Greek heritage (they were both born in Athens, Greece), they did a first remodel in 2000, followed by a second remodel with the help of friend and designer Vincent Jacquard of eponymous Beverly Hills–based firm—who also designed their apartment in New York. “We didn’t want to have a house where we would have to say, ‘Don’t touch this,’ and ‘Don’t go near this,’” says Leah, president of Athena Alexander and Callisto of California. “He made it 100% livable without worry.”

The bucolic, 6,000-square-foot residence is replete with a swimming pool, a vineyard consisting of pinot noir and chardonnay, more than 70 olive trees (they bottle 300 liters of olive oil per year and have a wine and olive oil partnership with Terranea Resort), and approximately 120 fruit trees yielding everything from apples and apricots to blood oranges, pistachios and figs.

“Every part of the property is planted.

We wanted to have everything here and to be able to be at home and look at art and have our own wine and olive oil,” says Leah, who along with Dimitri is the owner of Villa Oneiro—a wine and olive oil company that translates to “House of Dreams” in Greek.

“We created this because of how we grew up and what we saw as young children, and it’s a part of our heritage. It’s a really neat way of living. You’re not far from downtown or Orange County, but you can live a very rural type of lifestyle—which I think is what Rolling

“We created this because of how we grew up and what we saw as young children, and it’s a part of our heritage.”

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Hills is all about. It’s a special place, and after you come home at the end of the day, it’s kind of like a Shangri-La.” They painted the front door of the onestory home a striking shade of blue. “It’s a specially-mixed ‘Yves Klein Blue’ color [Pantone 286C], and it’s reminiscent of the Greek islands while also being very midcentury modern,” explains Leah. “It’s kind of cool. It’s the first thing you see, and it gives you a preview of what’s to come when you enter the home.”

Inside, the foyer is appointed with Palos Verdes stone, giving way to subtle, sky-blue ceilings with white beams and walnut floors trimmed with a black Greek key pattern.

“The white and blues are what we would see in Greece all the time,” explains Leah.

“The beauty of our designer, Vincent, is that he likes to mix midcentury with antiques.

Everything stems from how we grew up and where we grew up and the nostalgia.”

The final design is a blend of midcentury style in keeping with the integrity of the home and an impressive collection of welledited art and more than 200 antiquities.

“We started collecting the antiquities because of our heritage,” says Dimitri.

“Everything really started because of the house. It’s all about living with art. There are pieces from the 19th century, 18th century and Asia; you can marry these things together without changing the flow of the house.”

In the main living room, the space is layered with upholstered sofas in Clarence House and Manuel Canovas fabrics, a wooden opium bed-turned-coffee table, Greek vases, an attic black-figure amphora from 550 B.C., side tables by T.H. RobsjohnGibbings/Saridis, Greek funerary stele sculptures circa 1st century B.C., a 19th-century nomadic rug and an 18th-century Victorian chandelier. “All of the artwork pulls certain heartstrings,” says Leah.

The den and home office area, painted a vibrant shade of red, is outfitted with a 1954 Florence Knoll sofa, a Zeta black leather chair

by Paul Tuttle, a living wall unit by H. Sacks & Sons, a brass-and-white coffee table by Paul McCobb and a brass wall sculpture by Curtis Jeré entitled Raindrops.

For the kitchen, the couple chose a fresh, aqua-green Brazilian mosaic tile for the backsplash, a milk-white Caesarstone for the countertops, and they restored an original copper vent above the stove. “The copper

was so tarnished that we didn’t know what it was,” admits Leah. “We really just gave it a facelift, including existing Honduras mahogany cabinets. We literally just changed the handles, and we brought everything together.”

Without being overwhelming, artwork and prized possessions are sprinkled throughout the house—from a 1906 pastel painting L’Orage En Moisson by Léon Augustin Lhermitte to a Greek marble altar from Delos. “It is the mythological birthplace of Apollo, and it was a major religious center and port during the 1st millennium B.C.,” says Dimitri. “We have been to Delos and admired all the sculptures and Altars in the past, and it brings us a great pride to have an altar from there.”

Now almost every free second of their busy schedules is spent tending to the grounds and vineyard, cooking (Leah makes bread and homemade jam) and just staring at the views. “We love the indoor/outdoor feel, the expansive usable grounds and indoor space, and the uninhibited views and natural surroundings,” says Leah. “We are really blessed to have this little area that’s like Hometown USA. It’s like a Norman Rockwell.” ■

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Experience the South Bay’s hottest eateries and most talented chefs—and some of their favorite recipes—featured on the following pages. We hope you’ll get out and enjoy these restaurants ... as well as enjoy a taste of them in your own home!

WRITTEN BY LAURA WATTS | PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL & LAUREN PRESSEY

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DARREN’S RESTAURANT Owner/Executive Chef Darren Weiss

Helmed by owner and executive chef Darren Weiss—a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America— Darren’s Restaurant offers California cuisine with the influence of the Mediterranean and the Pacific Rim. The eatery features a beach-friendly atmosphere and an outstanding wine collection.

Prior to opening his own establishment, Chef Darren worked in some of Maui’s finest restaurants including Hawaii’s top-rated Lahaina Grill, Avalon owned by famed Mark Ellman and Santa Monica’s famed Röckenwagner driven by Hans Röckenwagner.

Darren grew up loving to cook at home for his family and friends. His family suggested that he pursue a career in the culinary industry since it was clearly his passion.

Even now he enjoys cooking at home, especially Asian food— although it’s his wife who is the expert in that area of cuisine! He also hones his skill by working with well-known chefs, perusing cookbooks and eating out at various restaurants.

Joining Darren at his restaurant is general manager Bart Thompson.

For more than 20 years, Bart has crafted his guiding principle of “only exceptional food, only exceptional service, only friendly and knowledgeable people.”

When he’s not at work, Darren loves going deep-sea fishing, as well as skiing with his wife, Sawalin, and son, Noah—an impressive ice hockey player.

PAN SEARED PORK CHOP WITH KOBACHA SQUASH 2 tablespoons minced ginger 2 tablespoons minced candied ginger ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup Karo light corn syrup 1 kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, rough-chopped 2 cans coconut milk blended oil (75% extra-virgin olive oil, 25% canola oil) 4 (12-ounce) bone-in pork chops salt & black pepper To make Double Ginger Glaze, combine both gingers, sugar and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan and bring to nearly a boil.

Set aside to cool. Combine squash and coconut milk in a heavy saucepan and bring to nearly a boil. Reduce and simmer until squash becomes tender, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to prevent burning.

Preheat oven to 400º. In hot sauté pan, heat blended oil over high heat until oil smokes. Season chops with salt and pepper and add to pan. Brown both sides until golden brown, approximately 1 minute per side. Finish cooking in oven until mediumwell. Remove and glaze with Double Ginger Glaze. Let rest 5 minutes.

1141 MANHATTAN AVE. MANHATTAN BEACH 310-802-1973 DARRENSMB.COM

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Place squash puree in center of plate and top with pork chop. Add extra glaze around the plate and serve.

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THE RIPE CHOICE Owner/Executive Chef Tammy Lipps

312 ROSECRANS AVENUE MANHATTAN BEACH 310-962-4597 THERIPECHOICE.NET

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The Ripe Choice catering company creates unique menus for private dinner parties, screenings, gallery openings, red carpet affairs, backyard BBQs, beach picnics, weddings and corporate events.

Although The Ripe Choice specializes in custom catering and creates whatever food the client requests, the team’s go-to culinary style is California healthy and seasonal cooking—using what is good when it’s at its best.

Chef Tammy Lipps and her team also assist clients with rentals, décor, entertainment and service staff. The Ripe Choice storefront is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers gourmet grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, soups and sweets. This year the company launched a new corporate catering menu, providing meals for office meetings.

A former professional actor, singer and dancer, Tammy attended culinary school just to explore a passion—and as part of that passion she opened The Ripe Choice. Through the years of growing and expanding the business, she has discovered that planning an event is very much like producing a show, play or musical. When she’s not at work, Chef Tammy enjoys perusing her collection of cookbooks, gardening (she has fig, avocado, orange and lemon trees in her yard) and enjoying dinner alfresco with family and friends.

Supporting Tammy in creating flavorful, seasonal menus are Chef Aly Seckinger and Chef AJ Pike. “Their work as a team is truly a culinary collaboration,” she says. “What is best for the client, the event and the integrity of the food and presentation are what drives them to work tirelessly to achieve these goals. Even the simplest of menus is tended to with the utmost care.”

SUPER FOOD SALAD Serves 2 BALSAMIC–TAHINI VINAIGRETTE

1 garlic clove, peeled 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar 1 small shallot, peeled 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon tahini 3 teaspoons honey ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil salt & pepper to taste Place all vinaigrette ingredients in food processor and blend until emulsified. Taste for seasoning.

SALAD

1 acorn squash, sliced (as shown in photo), seeds removed extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons cinnamon salt & pepper to taste seasonal hearty greens (such as kale and rainbow chard) 1 cup cooked lentils 1 cup roasted chickpeas 1 cup pom arils 1 cup toasted walnuts 1 cup sunflower seeds Preheat oven to 400º and toss squash in oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Roast until tender; remove from oven and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, place greens and toss lightly with some of the vinaigrette. Divide greens evenly between two bowls/plates and place several slices of roasted squash on each. Arrange remaining ingredients on top of greens.

Drizzle with additional vinaigrette.

From The Creators Of PATRÓN , A Perfect Balance Of Wheat, Rye & Potato.

Please drink responsibly. © 2012 The Patrón Spirits Company, Las Vegas, NV. 40% Alc./Vol.

HEART-SHAPED CAKE WITH RED MIRROR GLAZE Colored frosting on canvas with iced sugar cookies and royal icing INSPIRATION: Joan Miró, Ballerina II, Abstract & Surrealism TECHNIQUE: Mirror Glaze HOW TO DO IT: Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School on YouTube has great video tutorials. Pastry chef Kirsten Tibballs’ recipe for marble glaze is a great resource. Just eliminate the other colors and only use red for the heart cake.

Order hard-to-find items online such as sheet gelatin, neutral glaze (if using), high-quality coverture white chocolate, glucose and flexible silicon mold. Allow extra time for delivery of items.

SUCCESS TIPS: • Be patient. When making the glaze, be mindful of temperatures. Gelatin’s setting power will diminish if overheated (above 140º). Use the type of gelatin suggested in the recipe, as it is difficult to substitute from sheet to powder or between grades (bronze–platinum). Each type has a different bloom strength or setting power.

• Plan to have extra glaze to cover the whole, completely smooth cake. The mixed glaze should also be free from bubbles.

• The glaze temp should be between 95º and 98º. Some recipe temps may vary. Hot glaze will pour too thin, and cooler glaze will pour too thick—not creating the perfect mirror glaze.

• A mousse-base cake or cake covered with marzipan or fondant works best for shaped cakes. A buttercreamfrosted cake is not recommended unless it is covered with marzipan or fondant.

Inspired by her favorite artists, our resident food stylist, Kara, made the leap from canvas to cake. With these creative techniques, you too can add an artsy edge to your next dessert.

PRODUCED, STYLED & PHOTOGRAPHED

BY KARA MICKELSON

• Freeze cake before glazing.

• Set up pouring station. Don’t use a grate or cooling rack if you don’t have any support under your cake. It will just stick and become difficult to remove. It is also harder to get a spatula under the cake once glazed. A smooth-topped container that allows the glaze to flow over the cake but also remains stable while pouring is preferred. Pour glaze until cake is covered.

• Use a paring knife to trim off drips at the bottom of the cake.

• Carefully lift cake on spatula and place in refrigerator for glaze to set. Cake can be stored overnight or frozen for several weeks in an airtight container.

• Glaze can be made in advance and reheated in the microwave. Don’t overheat and follow temp guidelines above.

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SCULPTURED BUTTERFLY APPLE CAKE Fondant cake and insects on a base display of “painted” tiles INSPIRATION: Vladimir Kush, Surrealist TECHNIQUE: Custom sculptured and painted cake with accents HOW TO DO IT: To recreate an artist’s work, source any accent props that will help create the visual story. For this project, adding the knife and “painting” two surface tiles with colored frosting helped set the scene.

Make two copies of the cake art—one for reference and one to create a reference pattern. Use the photocopy cutouts as a guide or use a Kopykake projector that will display the image onto your cake. The printout should be the same size as the cake you want to create. This will help recreate the correct perspective.

Create cake layers and secure pieces together with buttercream in order to get the right size base to carve. Chill to set buttercream.

After refrigerating, use a paring knife to hand-carve the butterfly apple. Toothpicks can help set the shape before carving.

Use your fingers to help form the cake shape. Pound cake will be easy to mold with light pressure. Crumb coat the cake with buttercream and chill to set.

Add colored fondant and food coloring gels as needed to get the correct color for the apple exterior.

Roll out fondant or marzipan to ¼ inch or slightly less for the front of the apple. Marzipan is a little sticky and harder to work with than fondant, but it has a nice almond flavor. Whatever covering you use or mix of product (fondant/marzipan) should be thin and pliable enough to drape over the cake but thick enough not to tear.

Mold and smooth round shapes with clean hands and trim excess product as needed with culinary scissors or a paring knife.

Use a cake smoother to work out any bubbles or imperfections.

Add any accent lines for the butterfly wings with an edible sketch pen from Sweet Sugarbelle.

Use fondant to create the butterfly body and insects and floral cake stems for the butterfly antennas and the feelers on the caterpillar and fly legs. Color stems with black edible ink before using.

Add edible marker and cake paint to add dimension to fondant pieces and create a painted look. Secure accent pieces with edible glue, royal icing or frosting.

SUCCESS TIPS: • Use a cake with a tender but dense crumb, such as pound cake.

It will be easier to manage and shape.

• Fondant cakes can be refrigerated, although some fondant is temperamental and will get sticky or sweat once removed. Just let the condensation dry a bit before handling.

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EDIBLE ABSTRACTS Mini cupcakes with colorful fondant toppers INSPIRATION: Wassily Kandinsky, Color Study, Squares with Concentric Circles, Abstract TECHNIQUE: Edible cake paint and markers on rolled white fondant HOW TO DO IT: Outline design with an edible marker. If creating an intricate design, consider using a Kopykake projector to project the design onto your cake or accent piece.

Paint in stages to avoid color bleed and use a combination of markers and dust mixed with vodka or lemon extract to create difficult colors.

Violets, greys, reds and specific shades are challenging to create. Color mixing does not consistently yield great results. It can take a lot of time trying to match the desired color.

It’s preferred to use cake paint in the color you desire instead of trying to mix shades, although sometimes layering edible ink and cake paints will work. Be sure to test your colors while wet and dry.

SUCCESS TIPS: • Practice, practice, practice before committing to painting directly on a covered cake. Colors are not always vibrant or can look different when dry or unlike the shade you were expecting.

• Accent fondant pieces are the easiest way to get comfortable with painting on fondant. They can be attached with royal icing, frosting or edible glue.

• Add bright white gel to the fondant to create a nice bright white base. Knead for several minutes and then roll out the fondant and cut to desired size and thickness. If the fondant is sticky, dust your hands with some powdered sugar. Don’t use too much or the fondant will lose elasticity and become dull and difficult to work with. Keep rolling out the fondant until you have enough for your cupcakes and extra for practice. Let fondant dry overnight unrefrigerated. A food dehydrator can help speed up the process of drying.

• Food coloring can be used with a small amount of alcohol or lemon extract to thin and set the color; however edible cake paint and markers will provide the best color match and are easier to use for deep vibrant colors.

• Have absorbent, high-quality paper towels and cotton swabs on hand to remove access color and touch up mistakes. Containers of water will clean brushes between color application.

• If using edible markers, make sure the fondant is firm so the marker won’t create indentations. Some markers are sharper than others. Buy extra markers in the colors you want, as they dry out fast.

• Let your painted pieces dry and top your frosted cupcake or secure them to a finished cake. Remove any hard pieces before consuming. ■

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All You Need Is...

L VE

Diamond Jubilee Gala A muscial evening of celebration benefiting South Bay philanthropies supported by the Palos Verdes Junior Women’s Club March 17, 2018 | 5:00 pm - Midnight Hyatt Regency Long Beach $225.00 per person | $250.00 after March 1 Entertainment — A Beatles tribute by Abbey Road To purchase tickets visit www.pvjuniors.org

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Michael Harrington

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Occupy Wall Space Nestled in the creatively cool Cypress Avenue area, Hermosa Beach Artist Collective offers members a place to both develop and display their work.

WRITTEN BY ELIZA KRPOYAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY MONICA OROZCO

In the mornings, the scent of resin drifts through Hermosa Beach’s historic surfboard manufacturing district. “Next door to us are dozens of surfboard shapers,” says Hermosa Beach Artist Collective’s cofounder Rafael McMaster. “[Resin] was such a punchy and poignant word and name, and ultimately a lot of our artists here use art resin—so it felt very spot-on.” Situated on Cypress Avenue at a onetime furniture showroom, Resin Gallery now houses the works of Hermosa Beach Artist Collective (HBAC).

“How do we make an experience where everyone feels welcome?” Rafael recalls musing. When a gallery is highbrow, it disconnects the viewer from the art, he shares. To bridge the gap, he wanted to create a more accessible gallery construct.

Traditionally when an artist sells their work, the gallery can take a sizeable commission. “In that moment when an artist has the opportunity to feel triumphant because they’ve sold a piece, they’re instead feeling less than and self-examining: ‘Why am I doing this? Does this make sense?’”

At Resin Gallery, the first thing Rafael did was liberate the artist of a commission. “The artists keeps 100% [of their sales],” he says.

“This is unheard of, and the few people I’ve told in the art industry kind of just laugh and say I’m crazy. I’m at peace with it. The artists are welcome to make a 10% donation to the nonprofit, which they always do and are always happy about. By doing this we keep the prices low for our patrons, and it creates relatability that’s so important to us.”

With the sun beaming down on us on the second-floor balcony of the industrial gallery space, Rafael adds, “There’s a certain magic to be able to come into a local gallery and actually be able to afford something for your home made by a local artist.”

Currently there are 30 South Bay artists who comprise the collective, including HBAC cofounder Amy Friedberg, Sabrina Armitage and Paul Roustan.

“Healthy communities promote art and expression and have places where you can walk and see and come upon things,” says Amy, who is a New York City transplant. Her goal—and Rafael’s goal—is “to foster that seed to have a place where people can go to see art, where artists can show their work and where they can develop new work.”

Amy, whose artwork is visual interpretations of the human experience, adds, “The community was fractured. I lived here for three years. I knew there were tons of artists around, but I only knew them running into them in other scenarios.”

When Rafael began this journey a year ago, he says that there were no galleries in Hermosa Beach. Resin Gallery not only serves as an anchor space but also allows the artists to see what everyone else is working on—their processes—and share resources.

There are two to three artists working from Resin Gallery at any given time.

Armitage finds inspiration in knowing that in the course of a day she can come across something that might be inspiring to another idea, process or technique at Resin Gallery.

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Rafael McMaster

“It’s one thing to go to a gallery and see a piece of work—and that’s inspiring in and of itself. However if you come in here, there’s always someone here working. It opens up so many more doors, themes and your imagination than just seeing the end result.”

HBAC’s show in May brings the collective together in another way. Symbiosis: The Poetic Nature of Mutualism will be collaborative works from artists in the collective.

In addition to a quarterly show, artists get their own feature show. In February, Paul Roustan is presenting an ‘80s art show featuring the iconic Back to the Future car—a DeLorean—and other relics from the past that inspire him. His medium is painting people with airbrush makeup that’s compliant on skin. The show will feature a painted model in roller skates and a male model painted to look like he came out of the movie Tron.

“I like to tell stories about the people that I paint by painting a little bit of their

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narrative on them,” he says. “Other times it’s more objective, and there’s a cool location I want to put somebody in and paint something that reflects that.” Paul then photographs them.

He also does a lot of underwater photography. Since a lot of his work is performancebased, including holograms, video is one of the best ways to preserve them.

Paul prefers that people come into his space and think of it as an experience—not as an art gallery. “Usually most people who walk by an art gallery feel like there’s this barrier; you have to cross this threshold— you don’t necessarily feel invited. I want people to walk past, say, ‘Woah, what’s going on in here?’ and then they can’t resist coming in to look. And I want them to leave feeling like they’ve seen something they’ve never seen before.”

HBAC was founded not only as place for artists to work and show from but also

to create a youth program. “A lot of the local schools—particularly the elementary schools—don’t have art classes,” shares Rafael, who has a daughter in first grade.

The program—originally called 15 Under 15 and now 16 under 16, because the oldest is 16 years old—offers three 90-minute classes a week and up to four classes a month per child. Rafael, who spearheads the program, teaches everything from photography, painting and illustration to computer design.

Like sports, art requires your full attention.

Rafael leads meditation prior to the students getting their art supplies. When they ask why they have to “sit and breathe,” he gives them an analogy of closing apps on their phones to free up space. Meditating is just like this. It helps free up creative energy.

“We’re not teaching any particular art discipline, “ he says. “We’re teaching how to be creative and how to be comfortable in your creative self.” ■

Sabrina Armitage

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Face Through his environmental portraiture, South Bay photographer Al Satterwhite has immortalized some of the 20th century’s most fabled iconoclasts … Muhammad Ali, Jane Fonda, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stevie Wonder and Hunter S. Thompson are just a few who have been in front of Al’s lens. Here he sits for a young photographer, just starting his own career, and reveals a textured life as deep as the gaze of his famous subjects.

WRITTEN BY JACK ZELLWEGER | AL PHOTOGRAPHED BY JACK ZELLWEGER ALL IMAGES © AL SATTERWHITE

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W

e flipped the narrative this time. Al Satterwhite is markedly uncomfortable in front of the camera.

“I’m not used to this!” he remarks as I snap photos of him in his Torrance apartment. Al leads me through his career in photos on his home’s walls.

Walking around the room is like walking through time. It’s an impressive body of work. How did he accumulate so many photographs?

Al’s career in photography blossomed, but it started with humble beginnings. Born in 1944 in Biloxi, Mississippi, he moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, at an early age. He found his passion in high school at his local paper’s student section, and by graduation it was more than a hobby. He had joined the staff of the local newspaper, the St. Petersburg Times.

Al then took his talent to college, where he started shooting at the University of Florida’s student paper. “I developed all my own photos in their darkroom,” he shares. “I had unlimited access there.”

But Al started college in a major he came to realize wasn’t for him: aerospace. “I was a terrible student,” he remarks as he recounts all the required science and mathematics classes. “I barely passed my freshman year.”

Eventually he switched his major— and even his college—from aerospace at the University of Florida to photojournalism at the University of Missouri.

It was there Al built a darkroom in his apartment.

“You don’t need much for a darkroom,” he notes. “You just put black plastic sheets over the windows … and use your bathtub for the chemical trays.”

He worked hard on his craft and developed hundreds of black-and-white frames over the course of his time at school. After five years of college, Al

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ended up getting only a two-year AA degree. “I realized I had gotten as much of a college education that I was ever going to get,” he says. “You’re only as good as your last shot anyway!”

Al returned to St. Petersburg, shooting for his local paper, but wanted to get out of the newspaper business. He soon became the personal photographer of then-Florida Governor Claude Kirk Jr. “I spent the majority of my time in a Learjet traveling with the governor,” he says.

But after 13 months he quit to start the next chapter of his life. “I got bored of politics,” he adds, laughing.

After his experience with the governor, Al was hungry for exposure and had big dreams of getting photos in LIFE and Time. “You could make a name for yourself if you went to Vietnam,” he says. “You could get killed, but you could also make a name for yourself.”

Al continued to work for his local paper, joined a local army reserve unit and planned to join his best friend, Robert J. Ellison, chasing big dreams in Vietnam. The military didn’t see it his way.

While Al stayed behind, Robert went on to photograph the war and make quite a name for himself, producing timeless images that were printed in national magazines.

Unfortunately, Robert didn’t live to see his photographs published. “He was the closest thing I ever had to a brother,” recalls Al. “We argued cats and dogs, but we were on the same wavelength and we both loved photography. It was the single worst day of my life, the day I got a call from AP that he had been killed. That kind of soured the whole deal on Vietnam.”

Sticking to photography, Al went on to have a successful freelance career, shooting for Fortune, LIFE, Travel + Leisure, Newsweek, Playboy, Sports Illustrated and People. Despite his success, Al says, “Freelance is hard. You’re always looking for work. You can never turn anything down. The first seven, eight, nine years of my life as a photographer, when I first started freelancing, I’d get one job a month, $150 to $200 per day. It’s not a lot of money!”

Despite the financial struggles early in his career, Al has no regrets about his trajectory. “I wouldn’t have been doing it if I didn’t love it,” he says. “I’ve gotten to travel and meet a lot of people in Europe, Australia, Africa, you name it. I’ve shot people whose religion involved handling snakes. One time I got onto the floor of the French stock exchange to take photos, just by talking.

These are the skills you pick up—you could drop me in any country, and I could figure out how to get by, how to get a meal, how to get some money, and how to get where I need to be to get the job done.”

Al didn’t freelance forever though. He soon “got bored” again and started on yet another path in 1980—deciding that he needed to be in New York, where he established his own production company for advertising. He began shooting for big clients like Sony, American Express, DuPont, Nikon, Porsche, Polaroid, Saab and Universal Studios. “I struggled financially; then I started my own company,” he says. “It was a success.”

As we speak, two huge, colorful prints hang above Al in his living room. The prints, he explains, are by the late Pete Turner and Richard Avedon, two heavy influences—both masters of color and black-and-white whose pull you can feel in Al’s own work, especially in his advertising career. “You look at other people’s work, you look at magazines, you look at paintings. You don’t copy it, but you try to bring it forth when you need some inspiration.

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You just shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, and soon enough you develop your own style basically subconsciously.”

Al recounts one of the most memorable and harrowing jobs from his advertising career: shooting oil rigs off the coast of Mexico. “After about an hour of shooting at dusk, we were flying out of an airfield that had no radio control and no lights. We were coming back in the dark with the art director, client and an account executive—running dangerously low on fuel, with too much weight. We were lucky to get back to the field with enough gas in our tanks. From then on I only let the art director go up with me—no one else.”

On another helicopter shoot in the Everglades, Al says, “All of a sudden, the pilot lost the hydraulic steering, so we headed back to base. When we were almost there, the engine cut out.

Our helicopter turned into a rock, and we landed hard, sliding through the muck after we touched down. We had to be rescued by an airboat.”

Eventually Al’s willingness to do what nobody else would do earned him newfound financial success. Al got once-in-a-lifetime experiences on his shoots over and over again and spent most of his time on planes, traveling from client to client. “First they started paying me enough to fly to the West Coast … then I got to travel all over the world.”

He thinks of himself as kind of a nomad, a bit of a vagrant, a gypsy. He never had children or really settled down in one place.

After several years of building a reputation in New York City, Al presented his knowledge of photography to the podium, making guest appearances all over the country. He lectured at Boston University, The Brooks Institute, as well as the well-known Kauai, Maine and Missouri workshops, just to name a few.

Al’s work also appears in several permanent collections. “It’s really nice to have a museum say that they like your work enough to want to keep it,” he says.

Museums hold Al’s most well-known portrait work, including his famous photos of Mario Andretti and Hunter S. Thompson at The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and his portraits of Muhammad Ali at The Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Al’s work also appears in the permanent collections of several California museums including Santa Barbara Museum of Art and The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He has published several photography books, including Titans (iconic images of Muhammad Ali and Arnold Schwarzenegger), The Cozumel Diary (including original photographs of Hunter S. Thompson), The Racers (about the most prosperous age of car racing, 1962 to 1974), Carroll Shelby and Satterwhite on Color and Design.

Al recently completed a new photographic book entitled Southern Exposure, which includes never-before-seen images taken by him while he held the staff photographer position at the St. Petersburg Times newspaper. The book includes images of daily life in the south, with strong emphasis on how different life was 50 years ago.

As I finish my interview with Al, I reflect on the immense experience sitting in front of me. Al Satterwhite truly leads a life well lived and has made his mark on the photographic community.

I take a final look at the frames all around the apartment. The images speak for themselves. ■

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New York Peace of Mind Our copy editor seeks spiritual refuge in an unlikely destination.

WRITTEN BY LAURA L. WATTS

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I was, frankly, a mess. Too much work and not enough play. I was craving physical, mental and even spiritual health, and it wasn’t happening here at home. I needed a getaway … a pilgrimage, if you will. The faithful journey to Mecca. Thoreau took to the woods. Where could I go to unwind and rejuvenate? New York City, of course. The one that never sleeps. Busiest city in the U.S. Unlike my typical NYC visits, this time I wanted to leave feeling exhilarated—not drained. Recharge my batteries—not overcharge the Visa. Sure, I could check into a spa for a week. But was it possible to improve my state of mind in an all-natural, non-commercialized way … in the middle of the Big Apple?

I hailed a cab at the airport and asked the driver, Nir, if he thought I’d be able to chill out in the city. “It’s impossible,” he said emphatically. “It’s not a place of rest—it’s the opposite. Everything is on the go.”

Undeterred, I headed to Sanctuary NYC

Retreats—a Lower East Side gem that offers guests “Zen luxury” accommodations, free yoga classes and the opportunity to feed lunch to the homeless at a nearby park. My home-away-from-home was a spacious, serene suite with a full kitchen and private balcony. The location was perfect: a neighborhood full of friendly residents, lively bars and delicious restaurants. (196 A Stanton Street, sanctuarynycretreats.com) Just downstairs from the hotel, I took several classes at Stanton Street Yoga including Stretch & Restore by instructor Ella Bouriak—a combination of simple poses and calming stretches set to a background of soothing music. Research has shown that yoga relieves anxiety and depression, improves sleep and reduces blood pressure. I was definitely on the right track. (stantonstreetyoga.com) Laughter can also bring about physical changes that lower stress, according to scientific studies, so my next step was

ZEN AND THE CITY Far left: The High Line; Above left: Siempre Verde Garden, Lower East Side; Above right: Voices in Unity Choir, Unity of New York

stand-up comedy. New York is full of comedy clubs, but I love Black Cat LES—a casual, homey coffee shop and bar. I grabbed a seat on a comfy couch, sipped a glass of wine and let the comics—ranging from amateur to really good—work like therapists, reducing my worries with each joke. (172 Rivington Street, blackcatles.com) “Physical sickness comes from stress,” suggested best-selling author and inspirational speaker Marianne Williamson the next evening at Marble Collegiate Church, where she offers a weekly lecture. She suggests allowing rest and relaxation to happen—not trying to force it. “Look at nature,” she says.

“The bud becomes a blossom, the acorn becomes the oak tree—without trying.” (marianne.com/upcoming-events) The historic Marble Collegiate Church boasts one of the only indoor, permanent labyrinths open to the public in New York City. Labyrinths have been used as a spiritual tool in cultures around the world

for thousands of years, and I found it to be a walking meditation—bringing a sense of peace and release. (1 W. 29th Street, marblechurch.org/worship/labyrinth) Church services can also be a respite, depending on your spiritual taste. “We have to find rest and renewal in the heart of the city, in the middle of life,” says Rev. Britt Hall, spiritual leader and music director of Unity of New York—a ministry that believes “all people are created with sacred worth.”

I attended his Sunday morning service, which was simultaneously a Broadway show with top-notch music and a Buddhist monastery with quiet reflection and guided meditation. Just what I needed.

(2537 Broadway, unityofnewyork.org) The next day I spent a mindful half-hour sitting in the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in the heart of Times Square—admiring the French Gothic architecture, extensive marble work and stained glass windows. Its doors are open daily to the public, even when no

church service is in session. This quiet, lofty sanctuary is the perfect place to get away from the chaos of the city and spend a few moments in meditation. (145 W. 46th Street, stmvirgin.org) Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have reported that meditating can actually change the brain’s wiring and reduce bad moods. I’m a fan of guided meditations, and the Soundbath meditation class led by husband-and-wife team Emilie and Andy Brockmann was a unique treat. Emilie helped us get comfortable lying on yoga mats and guided us through deep-breathing exercises. Then Andy played crystal bowls, bells, a harmonium and a shruti box—while we zoned out for an hour. This class was a highlight of my NYC quest for inner peace. (resonateyogaandsound.com) After class I asked Emilie how she decompresses in the big city. “It takes creating time and fitting that into your schedule,” she said, “like walking in a park, admiring the leaves

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and flowers, feeling your feet on the ground.

Being outside, breathing fresh air is vital.”

“Nature is essential,” advises Rev. Britt.

“There’s a lot to be said for hugging a tree.”

Could it be that simple? Just get outside— surrounded by honking horns, smelly fumes and busy crowds—and you’ll be more balanced and at ease?

I gave it a shot and wandered into one of Manhattan’s 150+ community gardens.

Saved from demolition and maintained by neighborhood residents, these small parks are randomly tucked between tall buildings throughout the city. Sitting on a garden bench and observing perennials, a goldfish pond and mural art, I felt a sense of calm that was priceless.

The next morning I headed over to the High Line—a taste of quiet 25 feet above the hustle and bustle of NYC. Covering 1½ miles on Manhattan’s West Side, the High Line was once an operational rail track that was transformed into a one-of-a-kind outdoor space with amazing views (including the Statue of Liberty). This city-owned park attracts parents pushing strollers, kids on school field trips, jogging locals and tourists snapping photos, and offers tranquil activities like stargazing and tai chi. (Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues, thehighline.org) I found the High Line to be a great place to walk—yet another method of reducing stress. Manhattanites have the lowest obesity rates in the entire state of New York, according to another University of Wisconsin report, partly due to miles of bike lanes, sidewalks and walkways, and dozens of parks that encourage physical activity and being close to nature.

Encountering wildlife in NYC’s green spaces also increased my serenity. I was entertained by the puppies at Tompkins Square Dog Park—they were feeling no stress!—and a hawk fledgling that was learning to fly. In Central Park I observed countless varieties of New York’s feathered and furry city dwellers. On any given occasion you might see white-tailed deer, bats, snapping turtles, coyotes and hundreds of species of birds in the park. Animals are all around us; maybe simply being aware of them is a step toward sanity in this crazy world.

With my relaxation vacation drawing to a close, I decided my health experiment was a resounding success. I resolved to incorporate more laughter, exercise, meditation and wildlife into my sometimes wild life back home … and maintain my New York peace of mind. ■

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HANG YOUR HAT Being the arts issue, we’d be remiss without highlighting a piece of New York with a creative past. The Refinery Hotel is one of the newest properties to arrive in the city’s trendy Garment District. Taking cues from its hat factory history, the hotel’s design finds inspiration in the art of fashion, with industrial accents mixed with modern luxuries. Don’t miss the action on the popular rooftop with skyline views, lively crowds and a cutting-edge cocktail list. (63 W. 38th Street, refineryhotelnewyork.com)

The South Bay’s Go-To Law Firm for Business and Real Estate Celebrating 10 Years of Service to the South Bay

We work with business owners and professional services providers to develop comprehensive and

Pure Energy

Two Manhattan Beach friends attract positive vibes with their popular jewelry line.

WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAT MONK

Moonstone, a crystal believed by many to be a protection for travelers or a path to wisdom, used to wash up on the beaches of the South Bay back in the early 1900s—so much so that a stretch of beach in South Redondo was called Moonstone Beach. After years of dredging to stabilize the shoreline, the only things (crystalrelated) that remain are wedge clams and street names such as Topaz and Sapphire.

There are thousands of crystals with many different properties in existence, and aside from being very beautiful, they all hold tremendous healing potential. Crystals are the energy of the earth and can be used as tools. Two lifelong friends from Manhattan Beach, Heather Askinosie and Timmi (Smith) Jandro, realized the power of crystals back in the year 2000.

Heather had been working in the real estate business when she got involved with feng shui for a Brazilian homebuyer. Through feng shui, Heather learned about the energy of crystals, which took her into an entirely new direction.

She called her feng shui business Energy Muse because a muse is someone who inspires, and crystals inspire through energy.

Heather created a necklace based on feng shui principles—three coins tied with a red string—and named it the Prosperity necklace.

She gave the necklace to Timmi as well as several other friends and asked them to wear it for 10 days and then report back to her. Thrilled with the accounts of job offers and other money-related news, Heather knew there was a market for the crystals but did not know how to mass-produce them.

Timmi, a USC alumnus, was super-impressed with the Prosperity necklace and loved the energy of the crystals. She had been a

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merchandiser in the fashion business for 12 years and knew how to mass-produce product. She welcomed the opportunity to start in a fresh, new direction.

The two decided to embark upon a new journey together selling crystals and jewelry as Energy Muse. Lacking an office, “we literally were known as the flip-flop girls in Manhattan Beach, because we were selling out of the trunks of our cars in our yoga gear wearing flip-flops,” says Timmi. It wasn’t long before the flip-flop girls were selling their jewelry to Hollywood’s A-listers.

Almost a couple decades later, Energy Muse is going stronger than ever, and their book, Crystal Muse, just came out to wide success and critical acclaim. Crystal Muse differs from other books on crystals because it is a recipe book for how to use crystals in your everyday life. The driving force of Energy Muse is to “help people empower themselves.”

Selenite, for example, helps stabilize and balance the emotional body. Timmi had

inconsistent sleep patterns after the birth of her children, so she wears selenite every day and it helps her sleep. “When I don’t have it on, I don’t sleep as well. We call it liquid light.

It is my sleep tool.”

Heather describes herself as an analytical person, and she loves rose quartz—the stone of unconditional love, which opens the heart chakra. She states, “I am working on opening my heart up. Rose quartz looks like love.”

In essence, crystals are tools just like meditation. Heather states, “If you think a crystal is going to change your life, you are going to be really disappointed because the only person that’s going to change your life is you.”

She also believes, “We all have our feet on the earth, and that is our common link.

The more we learn to connect to our earth, connect to ourselves, the more we will heal. If anything, maybe the energy of the earth—crystals—is helping people do just that. Connect.“ It was not always an easy journey for the two though. According to Heather, “Five

We all have our feet on the earth, and that is our common link. The more we learn to connect to our earth, connect to ourselves, the more we will heal. If anything, maybe the energy of the earth— crystals—is helping people do just that. Connect.” years ago we went to New York City, and literally you could have heard a pin drop in our meetings.”

Recently on their press tour, the two visited Vogue and other top magazines to talk about crystals, and it was an entirely different reaction. “So the time has come,” she says.

“People are open to crystals now.” ■

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This month the world will turn its gaze toward South Korea and the Games of the XXIII Winter Olympiad in PyeongChang, while closer to home Americans— especially Angelenos—will be watching these Games with renewed enthusiasm and pride.

After a decades-long Olympics drought, Los Angeles is at last bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to the USA. That Los Angeles was finally able to achieve this triumph after the U.S. had so many unsuccessful candidature attempts is momentous.

Yet in truth, L.A.’s selection to once again host the Games is really not all that surprising.

There is simply no other city in the world more perfectly suited to host an Olympic Games. The Olympics are in L.A.’s DNA. As Los Angeles prepares to host its third Olympics, we take a look at how it finally came together and what we may expect in 2028 when L.A. hosts the Games of XXXIV Summer Olympiad.

WRITTEN BY MICHELE GARBER ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE GEORGIADES

Los Angeles has been patiently waiting for this moment for years. Like an understudy who knows all her lines and stands confidently in the wings, L.A. remained poised, ready and eager—knowing the right time would present itself someday.

Every four years the International Olympic Committee (IOC) begins the process of selecting a host for an upcoming Olympics.

The bidding cycle takes two years, and the Games are typically awarded seven years in advance. But before bidding with the IOC, cities must petition their own country’s Olympic Committee.

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) decides whether or not the U.S. will tender a bid to host an Olympic Games. If it opts to field a bid for that Olympics, it then solicits interested U.S. cities and chooses from among them the city that will represent the U.S. in a host bid to the IOC. For the last several bidding cycles, L.A. has thrown her hat in the ring but has been passed over by another U.S. city. L.A. petitioned the USOC for the 2012, 2016 and 2024 Games but lost to New York, Chicago and Boston respectively. New York and Chicago went on to lose to London and Rio de Janeiro.

After the USOC tapped Boston in January 2015 to be the U.S. city bidding for 2024, other cities in contention—San Francisco and Washington D.C.—disbanded their organizing committees and moved on. The organizing committee for Los Angeles didn’t completely disperse.

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L.A. has wanted to host a third Olympics for years and would have especially liked to host 2024, but now she’d just have to wait another four years and try again. And that was fine. L.A. is resilient and was confident that she would host a third Games ... someday.

The paperwork to declare Boston’s intent to bid for the 2024 Games was not due until September, thus Boston was not officially the candidate yet. Within the first weeks and months of Boston becoming the U.S. bid city, there were rumblings of trouble. A group of Boston residents launched a fervent social media campaign to oppose hosting the Games, causing concern for the USOC—as local support is a major consideration when the IOC selects a host city.

Then-Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced he was not yet willing to sign the required host contract that guarantees the host city (aka the taxpayers) will be responsible for any cost overruns of the Games. On July 27, 2015, just six months after Boston was chosen as the U.S. bid city, the USOC and Boston Olympic Committee organizers regretfully scrapped Boston’s bid.

Now the pressure was on. Official applications to host the 2024 Games were due September 15, 2015, leaving the USOC and the remaining interested cities scrambling with only six weeks to submit official bid paperwork to the IOC. D.C. and San Francisco—having dismantled their bid committees in January—were not prepared to launch a bid, though D.C. gave serious consideration to mounting a last-minute effort to do so. Yet D.C. also knew L.A. had a far better shot of being chosen by USOC, and thus it would be wasting its time. L.A. was primed.

L.A. had hosted the Games of 1932 and 1984; was a candidate to host 10 previous Games; and it had gone through the national bidding process with the USOC to bid for 2102, 2016 as well as 2024 earlier that year.

When fortune unexpectedly smiled on her, L.A. was ready to go. The USOC officially chose Los Angeles to replace Boston and bid on behalf of the U.S. for 2024.

L.A. would now move on to compete with Paris, Rome, Budapest and Hamburg to host the 2024 Games. Los Angeles had formed a bid organizing committee called LA24 that compiled a comprehensive and visionary three-part bid that thoroughly impressed the IOC. Yet to secure the 2024 Games, the city would need more than an outstanding bid and a smile.

Since the start of the modern Olympic

era, the U.S. has bid to host an Olympiad 56 times. Los Angeles has been a host candidate 10 times. Having a Games awarded to a city is challenging and rare. The U.S. hasn’t hosted a Summer Games since 1996 or a Winter Games since 2002. Winning the 2024 Games would require doggedness, flexibility and a bit more luck.

Lausanne, We Have Problem Things have been a little complicated for the International Olympic Committee lately. It has had to deal with more than its fair share of challenges and scandals.

The IOC had to ban a country from the upcoming Games and vacate several previously awarded medals when a statesponsored system of doping and cheating was discovered. The IOC had to clean house among its own ranks when some members were accused of bribery during a previous bidding process. And, generally, the IOC faces ongoing criticism for lack of transparency, bias and being demanding and antiquated.

The IOC has encountered further issues while selecting cities to host future Games. A stigma has developed that hosting a Games is bad for a city, and increasingly it is the residents of cities that are preventing their towns from hosting a Games. Having an Olympics in a city used to be an immense honor and a matter of tremendous civic pride. Now residents see hosting the Olympics as a burden more than a benefit.

They believe that the cons outweigh the pros … that the Games will be an albatross, saddling taxpayers with massive debt.

There is also concern that after an Olympics end, the once-glorious sports parks will be abandoned, leaving behind dilapidated venues and squalor.

In the last two bidding cycles, several candidate cities pulled their bids while still in the candidature phase, due to lack of support of their residents. During the bidding process to award the 2022 Winter Games, the candidate cities of Oslo, Norway; Kraków, Poland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Lviv, Ukraine all withdrew their bids, leaving only two authoritarian countries—Beijing, China and Almaty, Kazakhstan—vying to host the games.

Even more quizzical, with essentially no alternative the IOC awarded the 2022 Games to Beijing, which has a dry winter climate with no snow. Thus all the Winter Games outdoor competitions will be on manmade snow.

The IOC was also faced with waning

interest in bidding to host a Games because the process is so arduous and expensive, and the odds of winning the bid are uncertain. Some cities have repeatedly bid, only to be frustrated by not winning the bid yet again. In recent years Madrid bid four times, Istanbul five times and Budapest six times, yet they were never awarded the games. And though it hasn’t submitted a bid in decades, Detroit holds the dubious distinction of the most host bids—seven—without ever being awarded a Games.

The high cost and effort of bidding coupled with the increasingly negative image of hosting a Games was clearly becoming a problem as fewer cities seemed interested in bidding or hosting. The IOC recognized it was time for an overhaul. It needed to reevaluate and modernize its processes, break from a century of entrenched yet obsolete traditions and refocus its priorities.

In 2014 the IOC launched a program entitled the Olympic Agenda 2020. The name does not refer to the year 2020; rather it refers to 20 + 20 elements that the Olympic movement should adopt to evolve with modern times. At its core, Agenda 2020 focuses on the athletes and their Olympic experience. Other key components include placing less attention on pageantry—producing simpler, sleeker, more modern Games; implementing sustainability and best practices; streamlining the bidding process while reducing the extreme expense of both candidature and hosting; and emphasizing events more than sports.

The Next Hurdle Much like what happened with the candidate cities for the 2022 Games, not long after official applications to host the 2024 Games were due, candidate cities began dropping like characters in an Agatha Christie novel. Hamburg pulled its bid in November 2015 when a referendum showed nearly 52% of residents opposed hosting the Games. Rome withdrew its bid in October 2016, citing city-wide financial concerns.

Budapest retracted its bid in February 2017 after residents gathered enough signatures to hold a referendum on hosting the Games.

And then there were two.

Paris and Los Angeles still viewed the Games with optimism and nostalgia. Both cities previously hosted two Games and were eager to host the 2024 Olympics, which held sentimental value for both. For Paris, 2024 marks the centennial of its last Games. For

Los Angeles, 2024 would be the 40th anniversary of its last Games.

Whichever city was awarded the Games, it would be its third Olympics—thus tying the record for the most Olympics, currently held

by London. And both Paris and L.A. were excellent host candidates, presenting exceptional bids to the IOC. However, Paris was largely considered the front-runner, having recently been a finalist for the 2008 and 2012 Games and having not hosted for 100 years.

In inner circles, there were also whispers of a more cynical reason for Paris to prevail. The European-dominated, progressive-leaning IOC was disinclined to award the Games to the U.S. during a period when the current U.S. president could potentially still be in office.

Regardless of politics or sentiment, the IOC was faced with both a tremendous challenge and a golden opportunity. At a time when the IOC was struggling to find and retain cities to host the Games, two worldclass cities were ready and eager to host.

Both had submitted a financially responsible, sustainable and truly impressive bid. Though only one could host 2024, the IOC did not want to choose one and risk losing the other for a future Games.

The decision of who should host 2024 offered the IOC a grand opportunity to break from tradition and fully embrace the tenets of Agenda 2020. In a historic and unprecedented move, the IOC voted to offer dual bids to host the games in 2024 and 2028 and invited Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to enter a tripartite agreement to determine which city would host in which year. Paris had authorization to build a $2 billion Olympic Village for the 2024 Games that would be forfeited if they waited until 2028, and thus waiting to host in 2028 was not a viable alternative.

L.A. on the other hand had little to lose by waiting until 2028. The city is so wellprepared to host, it’s practically a turnkey operation and thus would only be minimally affected by deferring its host year.

To entice L.A. to wait, the IOC sweetened the pot. In exchange for waiting until 2028, L.A. will receive up to $2 billion in incentives and avoid paying tens of millions of dollars in fees. It will receive an approximate $160 million advance to fund local youth sports. Plus it will retain a larger piece of Games revenue and not have to adhere to the practice of paying the IOC 20% of surplus revenue if the Games are under budget.

The benefits so outweighed the costs, and

L.A. was not as married to the year as Paris.

With the full support of the Los Angeles City Council, LA24 graciously accepted the compromise and became LA28. On September 13, 2017, L.A. was officially awarded the Games of XXXIV Summer Olympiad in 2028.

Following the Sun On the eve of submitting the first of three official bid books to the IOC to host the Games, LA24 revealed its logo and slogan for the Games. Designed by Playa Vista ad agency 72andSunny, the logo is a soaring angel—wings and limbs outstretched, awash in rays of sunlight and the vibrant hues of an L.A. sky at dusk ... violet, fuchsia, red and gold.

The slogan, Follow the Sun, represents far more than a nod to L.A.’s gorgeous, sunny climate. The angel following the sun is a metaphor for Los Angeles—a city where imaginative and inspired people come to follow their dreams … a place of innovation, creativity and optimism.

As bid chairman Casey Wasserman pronounced, “We’re inviting the world to Follow the Sun to California ... to join us in L.A. for an Olympic and Paralympic Games that signal the dawn of a new era for the Olympic Movement.”

The soaring angel following the sun perfectly encapsulates the spirit of L.A.’s bid to host the Olympics as well as the grand plan for the L.A. games. The LA28 Olympics will be unlike any other prior Games. L.A. has fully embraced the possibilities of a reimagined Olympic Games through the prism of all that the region has to offer.

LA28 will be the first energy-positive Olympics. It aspires to be the greenest Olympic Games to date—sustainable and quite possibly zero waste. Some of the venues to be used during the Games, including the Coliseum, have already achieved that designation.

Dollars, Good Sense and a Legacy The two previous Olympic Games that Los Angeles hosted were both tremendously successful. Angelenos have positive memories of the 1984 Games, and though fewer are able to recall the 1932 Games, they too had an immensely positive impact on the city.

Perhaps that is why a majority of Angelenos, unlike residents of many other cities, view the Games favorably and support hosting again.

The LA 1932 Games were the first

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modern-era Olympics to be profitable, albeit modestly so. They took place at the height of the Great Depression; thus frugality was an essential part of organizing that Olympiad.

Yet the fact that L.A. was able to stage an Olympics and not incur any debt during the Depression exemplifies the city’s aptitude for putting on a Games.

The 1984 Games was by all accounts one of the most successful Olympiads in modern Olympics history and restored the luster and magic to the Olympics at a time when the future of the movement was in jeopardy.

In the years leading up to 1984, the 1968 Games in Mexico City were marred by a government massacre of student demonstrators and civilians just 10 days before the opening ceremonies.

The 1972 Games in Munich ended in the tragic murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the hands of Palestinian terrorists. The 1976 Montreal Games left the city with a $1.5 billion debt that took 30 years to pay off.

And the 1980 Games in Moscow at the height of the Cold War saw a boycott by 65 Western nations because the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan.

Following so many years of turmoil, only L.A. and Tehran were willing to bid for the 1984 Games. Then the Islamic revolution forced Tehran out, and L.A. was awarded the Games unopposed.

Los Angeles had passed a referendum preventing taxpayer money being used to fund the Games. Peter Ueberroth and the LA84 organizing committee found a way to make the Games profitable through fiscally responsible practices. They minimized costs and avoided accumulating debt by using existing venues.

Recognizing that there were opportunities to develop and enhance revenue streams, they sold the broadcast rights for four times as much as the Montreal Games.

They promoted ticket sales and generated income through sponsorship, licensing and branded merchandise. And they gave the Games a Hollywood makeover, producing star-studded spectaculars and returning glamour and excitement back to the Games.

After 1984, many cities saw what L.A. was able to do and once again chose to compete to host future Games.

Angelenos still effuse about the infectious positive spirit in the city during the 1984 Games ... the lack of traffic ... the civic pride. The 1984 Olympics produced a slew of national heroes, notably Mary Lou Retton, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Greg Louganis and

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Carl Lewis. There were 2.9 million tickets sold for the various events, generating $155 million in revenue.

The 1984 Games were so successful, there was approximately a $225 million surplus— allowing the Games to leave an enduring legacy for Southern California and for the U.S. Olympic Movement. Of that surplus, $111.4 million was used to form the U.S. Olympic Endowment based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which supports the Olympic Movement in the U.S. by overseeing the endowment that funds the USOC and its member organizations.

A sizable portion of the 1984 surplus was also used to form the LA84 Foundation.

Since its inception, the original endowment of $93 million has grown to $160 million, and more than $230 million of that endowment has been reinvested in Southern California to support local youth sports programs and athletic education and to advance the Olympic and Paralympic Movement by encouraging youth to participate in and experience the power of sport. More than 3 million youth have been impacted, and more than 80,000 coaches have received training through LA84 grants and programs.

Among the numerous programs supported by LA84 is the National Junior Tennis and Learning program, where Serena Williams and Venus Williams first got their start in the sport. The sisters both went on to win multiple Olympic gold medals.

The fiscal model that led to the success of the 1984 Games is essentially the same one being employed to produce the 2028 Games. Most of the venues that will host the Games—97% of them—are already in place; either they already exist, were already in the planning or construction phase, or will be temporary. The games are anticipated to have an $11 billion positive incremental economic impact for California and an $18 billion impact for the U.S. The Games are also estimated to create 75,000 jobs and $5 billion in added wages.

The 2028 Games are projected to cost $5.3 billion, though those estimates were calculated for hosting 2024 so they may be moderately adjusted. Though that amount may sound high, for the sake of comparison the London Games in 2012 were originally projected to cost $4 billion but actually cost $14 billion. It’s estimated that the 2008 Beijing Games cost between $40 and $44 billion. And the 2014 Sochi Winter Games were the most expensive Olympics in history, ringing in at a whopping $51 billion—10 times

the amount L.A. is projected to spend.

These extreme expenditures in host cities are largely due to having to build new, expensive venues—often with public funds. That is an issue that L.A. does not have. The city already has everything it needs to host the 2028 Games. In theory, L.A. could feasibly host an Olympic Games within a matter of weeks or months from now. Los Angeles is tailor-made to host an Olympics.

Let the Games Begin Prior Olympic Games have usually centered around one main Olympic Park, which would include the athletes village, the main stadium or venue that housed opening and closing ceremonies, the cauldron, along with most competition venues and the media and visitor centers. Had Boston continued its bid for the games, it envisioned such an Olympic Park and was proud to tout that it would be the “walkable” Olympics. The layout of Los Angeles doesn’t exactly play to that scenario.

L.A.’s primary strength in hosting a Games is that it already is a world-class sports city.

The region boasts 11 professional sports teams, state-of-the-art arenas, stadiums, sporting and entertainment venues, and is the #2 sports television market—reaching 5.319 million homes and providing a built-in enthusiastic sports fanbase.

Rather than creating a Games based on how previous cities have operated, L.A. decided to highlight and utilize the vastness of the city and the diversity and variety of its neighborhoods. The 2028 Games will take place throughout the city and the region and feature four main unique sports parks. These parks will include Downtown LA, the Valley, the South Bay and Long Beach.

Each sports park will embody the neighborhood where it is located as well as the city at large. Each will have a secure perimeter around the venues, feature multiple Olympic competitions, and offer dining, retail and entertainment options.

Other venues throughout the region will also be used to host varying events including the Forum, the Rose Bowl, Pauley Pavilion, Honda Center and the new Los Angeles Stadium. Golf will take place at Riviera Country Club, and a temporary venue will be built in Santa Monica to host beach volleyball.

The DTLA Sports Park will be the most prominent of the four parks. Competitions will take place at the Staples Center, the Microsoft Theater, the Los Angeles Convention Center, the Coliseum, the Galen

Center and other area venues. The media village and media center as well as Olympic family housing will also be located downtown. The entire span from the L.A. Live to USC will be linked along Figueroa by an interactive pedestrian zone.

The StubHub Center will be the heart of the South Bay Sports Park and will feature cycling, tennis, rugby and field hockey. Near the South Bay, though not in the South Bay Sports Park, the Forum will host all of the gymnastic disciplines, and the new Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood will host archery and co-host the opening and closing ceremonies with the Coliseum.

One of the organizing committee’s concerns was avoiding the “been there, done that” feeling of hosting a third Olympic Games if the same venues were used.

Impressively, 80% of the venues to be used during the 2028 Games were not used in the 1984 Games. And though when it previously hosted the 1984 Games L.A. had dozens of outstanding venues to stage competitions which still exist today, the city has enjoyed a renaissance in entertainment and sports in the past three decades that have changed the landscape of the city and offer new options for hosting events.

Venues such as the Staples Center, the StubHub Center and the Galen Center have all opened since the last L.A. Olympics. In addition, the 22,000-seat Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park will open this spring, and the new $2.6 billion, state-of-theart Los Angeles Stadium is under construction and estimated to open in 2020.

Several other Los Angeles athletic and entertainment venues that will be used for the 2028 Games have been or will be upgraded. The Los Angeles Forum reopened after a $50 million renovation in 2014.

USC green-lit a $270 million renovation to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Built in 1923, the iconic stadium played host to the opening and closing ceremonies of both the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games.

Enhancements to the stadium will include replacing all seats while reducing the number of seats, adding aisles and increasing legroom in many sections, adding handrails, upgrading the technology so the stadium is state-of-the-art, restoring the iconic peristyle, and adding a new tower with loge boxes, club seats and suites, a new concourse and media boxes.

USC recently completed a major addition of new on-campus housing, which will be the media village during the 2028 Games.

UCLA, which will be the site of the athletes village, has plans to add additional housing to its campus. And NBC Universal, which has broadcast rights to the Olympics through 2032, will build several new sound stages and a new broadcast complex in Universal City that will serve as the International Broadcast Center for the Games.

These exceptional venues will enable Los Angeles to host an Olympic Games that reflects all that is new and exciting in the 21st century. The L.A. 2028 Games will pay homage to the time-honored traditions of earlier Olympiads yet fully embrace technology, innovation and forward-thinking. The 2028 Games will offer the athletes cutting-edge competition and training facilities.

One issue the LA28 organizing committee grappled with was whether to host the opening and closing ceremonies in the Coliseum— which is the quintessential Olympic venue, rich in history yet slightly prosaic—or in the spectacular new Los Angeles Stadium— which embodies the visionary spirit and ingenuity of today’s Los Angeles. Ultimately, the committee came up with a brilliant and groundbreaking idea: The ceremonies will take place in both stadiums simultaneously.

For the opening ceremony, a lit torch will be run down the famous Coliseum peristyle and through the stadium, then out into the streets of L.A. for a relay that will culminate in the Los Angeles Stadium. Fans at the Coliseum will be treated to the world-class

entertainment for which L.A. is renowned.

Meanwhile, traditional opening ceremony activities including the raising of the flags and the parade of athletes will take place in Los Angeles Stadium. When the torch arrives, the cauldron will be lit simultaneously in both arenas, and fans at both locations will be treated to spectacular fireworks shows.

For the closing ceremonies, the festivities will occur in reverse with the traditional closing activities mainly occurring in the Coliseum, while Los Angeles stadium will provide a simulcast and live entertainment.

We Get Around It is common to hear people speak about how smooth the 1984 Olympics were and how L.A.’s infamous gridlock was nonexistent. In the months and years leading up to the Games, there was constant trepidation of how the city’s notorious traffic could potentially have an adverse effect on the Games.

Yet when the Games began, the traffic magically disappeared.

Credit was due in part to great planning and partly due to locals leaving town or opting to stay off the roads. Nevertheless, the projected traffic nightmare never materialized.

Yet it has been 34 years since the 1984 Games, and L.A. has grown substantially.

Along with all the new residents are new cars on the already overcrowded roads. What

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used to be a normal, tedious rush hour commute back then may be considered holidaylight traffic now. Since 1984 the population of the city of Los Angeles has added an additional 1 million residents. L.A. County is one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and some estimates predict the county could add 4 to 5 million more people by 2025.

Transportation and mobility are vital components of every Olympic Games and required elements of consideration in each Olympic bid. In a densely populated, sprawling city like Los Angeles, after infrastructure and security, transportation is certainly one of the most important considerations. For decades Los Angeles has been actively working to not just address its current transportation needs but to develop a future vision of mobility for the rapidly growing city of our future.

Since 1980 L.A. has passed four ½-cent sales taxes to fund transportation planning and infrastructure. It’s been a long time in the making, but today the decades of effort and planning have paid off. By the time L.A. hosts the 2028 Games, the city will have completed many of its long-range mobility plans and will have a vast and interconnected system of subways, light rail, dedicated

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bus lanes and expanded highways that will enable the athletes and spectators to get to any Olympic venue swiftly and easily.

Some of the many enhancements to the transit system will include a light rail to LAX that will connect with a people mover to take travelers from the terminal to a new rental car hub. The Purple Line will be extended to Westwood Village, and a regional connector in DTLA will provide riders with easier and more direct access between lines.

During the Games organizers will implement temporary initiatives to further enhance mobility including limiting deliveries to nighttime; offering free public transport to those attending Olympic events; creating an Olympic Route Network of dedicated lanes that only permitted authorized vehicles can use to commute between venues; and using other means to limit traffic through issuing parking permits, limiting venue access and more. In 10 years, who knows … autonomous vehicles may be so commonplace, athletes and visitors will be riding self-driving shuttles to their events.

10 Years to Showtime When Los Angeles welcomes the athletes of

the world to her shores on July 21, 2028, it is a given that much will have changed ... things we can’t even imagine. In our modern world, 10 years is an eternity.

Consider the past decade. It was 10 years ago that Apple introduced the iPhone. It is impossible to measure how our daily lives have been impacted by that singular device.

Most cities preparing to host an Olympics have seven years. L.A., because of the unique circumstance in which the Games were awarded, will have 11 years. With all of the creativity and imagination that will be invested into planning the 2028 Games, it is still nearly impossible to fully envision what our lives or the Games may be like in the next 10 years. It’s mindboggling.

Yet it is L.A.’s visionary spirit that was one of the key factors in winning the Olympic host bid. We are an inspired, innovative and imaginative city. Our optimism and futuristic mindset perfectly align with the mission of the Olympic Movement.

In coming years, much will be discussed, written, prophesied and explored leading up to the opening days of the XXXIV Olympic Games. Much is yet unknown, but how exciting and inspiring these next 10 years Following the Sun will be. ■

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Open Spaces Open Minds On a recent trip to New Zealand, contibutor Linda Grasso explores one of the planet’s last great treasure spots.

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WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY LINDA GRASSO

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et in the azure seas of the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is renowned for its clean, green environment and remarkable beauty—from rugged mountains and ancient glaciers to white sand beaches and freshwater lakes. A country slightly larger than Great Britain, many travelers go there to see the ethereal landscapes made famous in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and to tour its top-rated wineries. Not us.

This past November, my husband and I embarked on an idyllic, 10-day journey, dividing our stay between the north and south islands. What lured us was simple: We wanted a full immersion into the raw beauty of the country. In designing our itinerary, we crafted three distinct experiences: golf (my husband’s passion), an island sojourn and just one tourist destination—Queenstown—where we hoped to get an adrenaline rush.

MANGAWHAI After the 14-hour flight to Auckland on the north island, we headed to dinner at the waterfront Oyster & Chop, where we devoured some of the tastiest oysters I’ve ever been served. The country’s capital city was just a pit stop for us; we were anxious to get to the scenic spots.

A driver picked us up the next morning for the journey to the private, exclusive Tara Iti Golf Club in Mangawhai. My husband wanted to play on the oceanfront course recently ranked by Golf Digest as the 29th best golf course in the world. We originally rented a car but changed our minds after we were warned about the challenges of driving on the opposite side and lack of signage.

Indeed it was a treat to kick back and just soak up the scenery during the twohour ride up the coast to Mangawhai (pronounced “Manga-why” or “Mung-fi,” depending on who you ask). My eyes were transfixed on the vibrant green pastures dotted with cows, sheep and grapevines.

The landscape was lush and at peak growth after a strong rainy season.

We arrived at Tara Iti and were delighted to discover it met every expectation. Built by L.A. alternative investment impresario, Ric Kayne, it is sophisticated and luxurious but understated—reflecting the refreshing mindset of New Zealanders.

Kayne bought the property—a seven-mile stretch of uninhabited, pristine, ivory sand beachfront land along the Te Arai coast— from the Maoris. Vowing to create a unique golf experience with a deep respect for the

natural inhabitants and to restrict the number of homes built to just 35, he and his team restored the native dunes and its wildlife.

Opened three years ago, the centerpiece of the resort is a stunning links-style (created atop sand instead of dirt) golf course by renowned designer Tom Doak. The 18-hole course is woven into the natural ridges and sand dunes and dotted with stunning silver “tussock” grass.

There are lots of activities to keep entertained in Mangawhai. You can tour local boutique wineries, horseback ride or surf on the beach, or go diving just off the coast. More experienced divers might embark on a day trip to the Poor Knights Islands, considered one of the top 10 dive sites in the world.

My husband played two days of golf, so we only ventured “off-campus” once for a farmers market 40 minutes away. We strolled among the vendors selling fresh produce, local fare and artisanal items. The experience gave us a real feel for the community.

WAIHEKE ISLAND Waiheke Island was the location for our second adventure. Described as having rugged beauty, it sounded a lot like Martha’s Vineyard—one of my favorite places. The 45-minute ferry ride was super-smooth. We were staying at the Te Whau Lodge. Marg, who runs it along with her partner, Rob, picked us up with a sunny smile and lots of ideas of fun things to do.

With its own warm, dry microclimate, Waiheke is a favorite escape for city dwellers and visitors alike. Eight thousand people live there year-round. On the island’s landward or south side, emerald waters lap at rocky bays. While this side has the best sunsets, the ocean or north side has some of the region’s most spectacular sandy beaches.

The Te Whau Lodge is tucked high on a hill with 180º views from every glass-facaded room. Our hosts immediately made us feel right at home with glasses of wine and delicious seafood canapés. We enjoyed cocktail hour on our balcony, marveling at the sunset.

Afterwards we headed to the island’s main town of Oneroa to dine at Fenice, a casual Italian eatery that we both found impressive.

The next day we awoke to a sumptuous, full breakfast and planned our day in the lodge’s communal dining room overlooking the Te Whau bay.

Since the late 1970s, Waiheke has seen the growth of a flourishing wine industry. There are now 31 vineyards and 17 wineries on the island. A “small is beautiful” philosophy

VISIONS TO REMEMBER Top to bottom: Mudbrick Vineyard; Waiheke Island; Tara Iti ; Linda with husband, Charlie, at Tara Iti

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Stay

TE WHAU LODGE, WAIHEKE ISLAND Six waterfront suites; full breakfast and evening wine/canapés service included; rooms from $355. tewhaulodge.co.nz

HULBERT HOUSE, QUEENSTOWN Six charming rooms (my favorite is The Majestic); full breakfast and evening wine/ canapés service included; rooms from $660. hulberthouse.co.nz

QT QUEENSTOWN Sixty-nine contemporary boutique rooms; Bazaar Interactive Marketplace and Reds Bar are both on site; rooms from $270. qthotelsandresorts.com/queenstown

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yields limited quantities of extremely highquality fruit, which is made into international, award-winning wines—most notably merlots, Bordeaux-style blends and syrahs.

For our first day we hired Chris Palmer, a local driver and guide. It was like having a good friend—who happened to be a native—take us to all the off-the-beatenpath places that locals frequent. Chris took us to his two favorite wineries for tastings, to a hidden cemetery where some of the island’s founders are buried and on a fabulous hike with 360º views.

That evening we headed to the Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant. We strolled the picturesque lavender gardens and then enjoyed a delicious dinner at a table that abutted a large open window, allowing for breathtaking sunset views across the Hauraki Gulf. As with nearly every restaurant we dined at, Mudbrick cultivates its own organic gardens, which provide heirloom produce picked fresh each day. While I expected natural beauty, the palate-bending culinary experience in New Zealand came as a delightful surprise.

Indeed, the Kiwis take farm-to-table dining to a whole new level.

The next day Rob pointed us to a terrific hike that was filled with fragrant honeysuckle and manuka honey bushes.

The trek ended at the Rangihoua Estate olive oil company, where we sampled the varieties and noshed on other locally produced goods.

QUEENSTOWN Queenstown, an hour and a half flight from Auckland, touts itself as “the adrenaline capital of the world.” There are countless activities for adventuresome types: wilderness fly-fishing, hiking, helicopter and jet boat rides, and hot air ballooning. It is also the home of the bungee jump.

We were greeted by the cheerful staff at the QT Queenstown, a new luxury boutique hotel, and then made the stroll along the lake into town. Although it was not yet peak season, the streets were packed with tourists and 20-somethings—all enjoying their cocktails along the waterfront. (There apparently is no open container law.)

The next morning we were picked up by Glenorchy Air and taken to the local airport, where we hopped aboard an eight-seat propeller plane to make the 30-minute trip to Milford Sound. During the surprisingly smooth flight, we glided through the magnificent glaciers and gazed at alpine lakes in all shades—from powder blue to emerald green.

During our two-hour cruise, we learned that Milford isn’t actually a sound, which is created by rivers. Instead it is a fjord—a narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs, formed by the submergence of a glaciated valley.

Our cruise took us all the way out to the Tasman Sea. Sheer rock walls, waterfalls and the mile-high monolith of Mitre Peak were some of the highlights. At one point the ship inched close to a waterfall, and we got misted for the ultimate facial!

Day two we headed to Kawarau Bridge, the spot where bungee jumping was born.

The jumps are all operated by AJ Hackett and easy to arrange. We opted for the Kawarau jump because it was closer to town (20 minutes). My husband was the jumper; I was happy to be assigned photography.

After he was weighed and filled out a questionnaire—checking for things like heart problems and cosmetic implants (I’m serious)—we hopped aboard a bus, and before we knew it he was perched on the ledge encased in his harness. After a quick (and rather pale-faced) thumbs-up—he flew like a bird and then was yanked all over the place before finally being dropped off in a boat below. The whole thing took about an hour.

Afterwards we continued down the road to Arrowtown, a historic mining town.

It was charming but a bit touristy. That evening we had a fantastic dinner at the QT Queenstown’s swanky restaurant, Bazaar. The eatery, described as an “interactive marketplace,” offers buffet-style dining with chef showmanship in full force. From super-fresh seafood to an entire roasted pig, the dishes are all artfully presented before your eyes.

The next day—in an effort to have a completely different experience—we moved into the historic (built in 1888) Hulbert House, a recently restored, six-room boutique inn perched on a steep hill overlooking Queenstown. With magnificent vibrant wallpaper, exposed stone walls and sweeping city views, it has a cozy, luxurious vibe.

Rooms all have their own unique décor.

The next day we walked through Queenstown Gardens with its humongous peonies and stunning array of roses, and then the shops and restaurants along and around Church Lane (the most quaint section of town). Next we opted for one more adventure: a jet boat ride along the fast-flowing Shotover River. The speedboat did 360s and veered within inches of jagged rocks.

My favorite part (by far) was watching our hunky, Hugh Jackman look-alike driver.

Do WAIHEKE ISLAND TOUR GUIDE, CHRIS PALMER info@waiheketransfers.co.nz NEW ZEALAND AIR We took five flights on this airline during our trip, and each one was on time and provided excellent service.

TIME TO GO October and November—the spring season. Avoid the rains in July and August and the summer vacationers in December and January. Plus, in Queenstown it stays light until 10 p.m. during spring.

QUEENSTOWN ADVENTURE Most activities are priced between $125 and $150 per person—even hang gliding.

FULL IMMERSION Top to bottom: Milford Sound; a stunning springtime sight; two small-plate courses from our meal at Amisfield Vineyard & Bistro

We also rode the gondola to the top of the mountain to watch the hang gliders and lunched on salads at nearby Bespoke Kitchen, famous for its edible, flower-adorned baked goods.

For our trip finale, we headed to Amisfield Vineyard & Bistro for a multicourse feast. It put a bow on the farm-totable experience with every ingredient— from earth to sea—sourced locally. “Are these essentially stuffed fruit roll-ups?” I asked the chef regarding some smoked venison wrapped in what appeared to be a dried cherry sheath. (I’m an alwayscurious cook ... what can I say?)

The 10 days passed too quickly. I hope to go back someday. In the meantime I will remember what our tour guide, Chris, relayed in an email. He was speaking specifically about Waiheke Island, but it can easily be applied to all of New Zealand.

“Remember, it’s not so much a place, but it’s a state of mind,” Chris wrote. “The peace and tranquility you experienced yesterday is yours to keep and to remember wherever you are ... even in L.A.!” ■

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Morgan’s Annual Christmas Party

Morgan’s Jewelers Palos Verdes had an impressive turnout at their annual Christmas party.

They showcased several brilliant designers and entertained their best clients and friends with delectable food, libations and live music.

Robert Procop, Alice, Shintia, Irv Levine, Lenora Levine

Jaye-Jo and Bruce Cooperman

Robert Procop, Alice, Shintia, Marshall Varon

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO

Marshall Varon and Shintia Lynch

COMING 2018 – MODEL OPENING MARCH 52 RESIDENCES 1, 2 & 3 BEDROOMS CONDOS & TOWNHOMES 869 – 1,945 SQ FT

888.705.9970 | 1914 Pacific Coast HWY | Redondo Beach, CA 90277 Prices, terms, promotions, features, options, floor plans, elevations, designs, specifications, square footages, and descriptions are subject to change without notice. Prices shown refer to the standard house and the plan and do not include any optional features, upgrades or lot premiums. Square footages are approximate and may vary in construction and depending on the standard measurement used. EHOF II Redondo Beach, LLC (“Owner”) reserves the right to make changes to its home plan and the project design and layout. Any information such as but not limited to community or neighborhood benefits, features, descriptions, open spaces, and school information are not guaranteed, are subject to change or modification at any time. Owner does not guarantee that any specific level of energy utility costs or savings will be achieved or maintained. All renderings and floor plans are an artists’ conceptual drawings and will vary from the actual plans and homes as built. Home images, colors and sizes are approximate for illustration purposes only and may not represent the standard homes in the community. Images show model homes displaying options/upgrades and upgraded landscaping which may be available at predetermined stages of construction for additional charges. Models also display many decorator items and furniture which are not available for purchase. Visit the community or speak to our representative for additional important disclosures for the community and the home. Images do not reflect any racial preference. Maps may not be to scale. Equal Housing Opportunity. Information sources: http://www.visitredondo.com/ and http://thewaterfrontredondo. com/. Offered via Terra Nova Professionals CA BRE 01142554.

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Hosted by South Bay Plastic Surgeons, this spa event for both men and women included live demonstrations of Botox and CoolSculpting, product specials, a raffle wheel and prizes for everyone in attendance.

Nurse Michele Florez

Dr. Michael Newman and attendees

PHOTOGRAPHED BY VINCENT RIOS

Bros, Brews & Botox

Journey of the Endeavour Peninsula Committee LA Philharmonic celebrated its 65th year supporting the LA Phil with a unique event in a spectacular setting under the wings of the Space Shuttle Endeavor. It included a special performance

by Grammy-nominated pianist David Benoit of his original composition “Journey of the Endeavour,” accompanied by NASA footage of the space shuttle’s historic journey to its permanent home in Los Angeles.

Ken Phillips, Sue Frew, Allan Frew

David Benoit conducting

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Jann Feldman, Cheryl Graue, Marian Hal, David Benoit, Kei Benoit, Lu Takeuchi

PHOTOGRAPHED BY GREG SIERVELD

Malaga Bank Cosmo sponsors and Marian Hall

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Las Madrecitas Evergreen Ball

PHOTOGRAPHED BY GILMORE STUDIOS

Las Madrecitas, an auxiliary of the Charitable Children’s Guild of the Orthopædic Institute for Children (OIC), held its 52nd annual Evergreen Ball at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. This event recognized the Las Niñas 2018 senior class for their volunteer service to OIC and their community.

Evening of Hope The Pregnancy Help Center recently held their fifth annual fundraising banquet. The lively program included an inspirational message from keynote speaker Rebekah Buell.

Executive director Adrienne Gross, board chair Brenda Coe and her husband, Eric Coe, also spoke. The center is grateful for everyone who supported the event by volunteering or with financial gifts.

Travis Hill, Lindsey Hill, Laurel Flentye, Jason Flentye

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Tom Nolan, Madonna Rose, Barbara Thomas, Howard Van Gilst

Cheryl DeBeaubien and Scott DeBeaubien

Giselle Guandique, Carol Shafer, Dr. Toks Kamson

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA JOVICIC, LISA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHIE

Linda Houston, Dan Houston, Adrienne Gross

SO LV I N G TH E S ECON D BU TTO N DILEMMA A HIDDEN BUTTON BETWEEN THE 2 ND AND 3 RD BUTTON TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN TOO BUTTONED UP AND NOT BUTTONED UP ENOUGH Get yours at the new johnnie-O store at The Point and mention Tweener20 for 20% off.

johnnie-O THE POINT 860 S. Sepulveda Blvd #107, El Segundo, CA Offer valid through March 30, 2018. Not to be combined with other offers.

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Sandpiper’s Holiday Home Tour

Sandpipers hosted their 25th annual Holiday Homes Tour, showcasing four distinctive Manhattan Beach homes. A holiday market and rooftop happy hour with vendors, food and entertainment were also features of the weekend. The event’s success was made possible by the support of many local businesses and community partners.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO

Rachel Bosma (center) and guests enjoy the Sunday-only rooftop happy hour.

Nicole Wickswat

Unveiling Mural #7

Steve Izant, Lee Farrell, Joanna Garel

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Joanna Garel

PHOTOGRAPHED BY KIM D WEST PHOTOGRAPHY

The Hermosa Beach Murals Project unveiled the seventh in its series of murals commissioned throughout the city, Lifeguards in Hermosa, by local artist Joanna Garel.

Following the mural unveiling, the organization marked the occasion with a celebratory fundraiser hosted by Laurel Tavern Hermosa Beach.

Laura Lull, Lee-Meredith Howard, Jessica Baker

Steve Izant and Joanna Garel

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Torrance Memorial’s Holiday Festival

Torrance Memorial’s 34th annual Holiday Festival raised more than $2.1 million.

At the event’s Friday night gala, the medical center announced a $22 million gift from Donald and Priscilla Hunt that will help fund the renovation of the North Patient Tower—dedicated to mother/baby postpartum, neonatal and pediatric care, and renamed the Donald and Priscilla Hunt Tower. The gift will also fund the Hunt Cancer Treatment Center. More than 600 guests also attended a soldout fashion show that week.

Roxanne Mirhashemi, Linda Perry, Judy Gassner, Joy Theodora, Allison Mayer

Chelsea Gaudenti and Christine Gaudenti

Ralph Moore, Priscilla Hunt, Craig Leach

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DEIDRE DAVIDSON

Front row: Alex Shen, MD, Ally Shen, Deena Fodemski, Song Klein, Lori Baldwin, Dave Baldwin. Back row: Timur Tecimer, Lennie Fodemski.

Randy Ruby Paddle-out

PHOTOGRAPHED BY PETER RHEE

Friends of Randy Ruby gathered for a memorial paddleout at Torrance Beach to honor the Redondo photographer who passed away last year.

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It’s Time to Love Your Smile Call to Schedule a Complimentary Consultation

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Harvest Fair

Peninsula Heritage School’s Parent Association hosted its annual Harvest Fair fundraiser. Designed to benefit the school’s co-curricular program as well as provide a wholesome, exciting day for the school’s families, friends and relatives, Harvest Fair transformed the school campus into a delightful venue for fun and fellowship.

Patricia Cailler and Peggy Bartlett

Jett Abramson, George Toney, Andre Beverly, Erik Southers, Rick Edler, Jason Greenwalk

Melissa Hewitt and Jason Greenwalk

The Chidley Family

Richard Borsuk and Viraf Pudumjee

Chellie Powell, Eric Gutierrez, Emily Gutierrez

Richstone Family Center Playground Build

Members of the Richstone Kids Club

Dain Blanton, Roger Van Remmen, Autumn Burke, Kayla Carpenter, Eric Fonoimoana

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Volunteers from the South Bay community and JetBlue crew members

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELIZABETH AGUILAR & JENNY FUKUNAGA

A beautiful new playground was built at the Richstone Family Center with the help of 200 volunteers from JetBlue, KaBOOM! and the South Bay community. Based on drawings by Richstone kids, the play space allows more than 800 kids each year to receive the benefits of outdoor play.

PALOS VERDES ART CENTER AND PRIMAL ALCHEMY CATERING PRESENT

PALOS VERDES WILD! FARM-TO-TABLE & FORAGED FEAST

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018 Featuring locally foraged elements such as coastal sage, stinging nettles, prickly pear and Palos Verdes Sea Salt; combined with ingredients from our farmer and rancher friends.

Join the fun for an homage to the art of food, as Chef Paul Buchanan brings plein air to the plate.

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3216 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 (310) 372-6027 | www.kkcdevelopment.com | info@kkcdevelopment.com

A LEGACY OF CARE Our lives are defined in many ways, some which reflect the level of our accomplishments. But for those with a deeper interest, few qualities endure longer than the expression of our love—whether it’s aimed toward our family, our community or the thousands of lives we help transform along the way.

Your support and contributions, of any amount, help expert community care thrive for years to come.

Learn more about starting your own legacy at www.TMLegacy.org

“In addition to selling homes, we offer our clients a unique insight into investment property and building the home of their dreams. We have many years of investment experience and offer advice on building wealth through income property and purchasing land to develop the home of your dreams.

Our current clients have made healthy profits thanks to our advice when investing in income property throughout the Beach Cities to Inglewood and south Los Angeles markets … and our new favorite city: Oceanside.

We also assist clients in assessing land value and building costs to acquire property where they not only can build the home of their dreams but have significant equity when all is said and done.”

– RICHARD HAYNES, MANHATTAN PACIFIC REALTY

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PRO FILES

real estate & mortgage For most of us, our home is the most important investment of our lives. So when it comes to buying or selling, it is crucial to work with a top-notch agent. A seasoned, skilled real estate professional can help you find the best solutions and streamline the process. That way stress is kept at bay, and you can focus on the big picture. The local agents on the following pages offer the experience and aptitude one needs in today’s complicated marketplace. Read on to learn about these key South Bay professionals and how they can help you.

124 RICHARD HAYNES

Manhattan Pacific Realty 126 CARI CORBALIS &

BRITT AUSTIN

Cari & Britt Properties 128 WENDY RICH-SOTO

Keller Williams Realty 130 DAN O’CONNOR

O’Connor Property |

Strand Hill–Christie’s 132

NEW AMERICAN FUNDING

134 CHARLES FISHER

RE/MAX Estate Properties 135 UNI

First Manhattan Realtors 136 THE KONDO GROUP 137 REGAN HAGESTAD Watermark

Home Loans |

Regan Hagestad

Mortgage Group

138 TAYA DICARLO Compass

146 KIM HALL

RE/MAX Estate Properties

139 RICHARD ELDRED Compass

147 JENNIFER CARAS

Vista Sotheby’s

International Realty

140 AMIR AMIRI &

RODMAN AMIRI

Merit Real Estate

148 AMIR AL-KHAYAT

West Shores Realty

141 AARON ANVARIPOUR &

YANN FARD Redondo

Mortgage Center

149 LYNN NAKASATO-AGLIPAY

Vista Sotheby’s

International Realty

142 FRANK KOSTRENCICH &

MICHAEL MARDESICH

C2 Financial–South Bay 143

BARBI PAPPAS Vista Sotheby’s International Realty

144 KAREN ANDERSON

The Prestige Team |

Keller Williams Realty

150

CHERYL FRIEDMAN & GEORGE ROSENKRANZ, JD The Rosenkranz | Friedman Group

151

COURTNEY SELF & TONY SELF Harcourts Hunter Mason Realty

145 SEP EBRAHIMI

Berkshire Hathaway

Home Services

WRITTEN BY LAURA WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTIN ANDERSEN, KAT MONK & SHANE O’DONNELL

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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real estate & mortgage

Richard Haynes Manhattan Pacific Realty 2615 Pacific Coast Hwy. #100 Hermosa Beach 310-379-1724 manhattanpacificrealty.com

“People come here on vacation, and we are lucky enough to live here full-time!”

R

ichard Haynes graduated from USC Marshall School of Business with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and began working more than a decade ago as a California licensed real estate broker.

He started Manhattan Pacific Realty in 2011.

Richard is a member of USC Marshall Partners, which raises money to support students attending the Marshall School of Business and the Leventhal School of Accounting.

What makes you the best in real estate?

“It would be hard to claim that I am the ‘best,’ but I feel I can give my clients a superior edge in all aspects of real estate. Since I began my career in mortgage lending and then transitioned into investing, I can be a resource on real estate financing, repair costs and investment on a much higher level than your average agent. Over the course of my career, I have flipped or developed over 30 properties. That means I have been in your shoes as a buyer 30 times, and in your shoes as a seller 30 times. I understand the emotion and strategy, and as a result I have learned how to set aside emotion to get the best deal for each and every client.”

What do you consider your two most important skills?

“Integrity and analysis. My clients know that I always have their best interests at the forefront of my business. I represent them with honesty and the highest fiduciary standard. With regards to analysis, my real estate underwriting skills, I feel, are second to none. Whether it is determining the most effective price to list and sell a home or finding an amazing deal to purchase, I feel clients would be hard-pressed to find someone who can analyze the real estate market better than me and the Manhattan Pacific Realty team.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“I love the South Bay, and so I rarely leave. It is such a blessing to be able to get to work in five minutes and always be close by the beach to get a breath of fresh air and perspective.

People come here on vacation, and we are lucky enough to live here full-time!”

How do you deal with volatility in the market?

“Patience. With technology changing everything these days, all markets have become more volatile as they become more efficient. From real estate to the New York

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Stock Exchange to Bitcoin, you need to remain patient and calculated while trusting your analysis and, oftentimes, your gut. If you have the discipline to wait for the right opportunity, you can mitigate volatility.”

Share a bit about your firm—what makes it noteworthy?

“We have an energetic, young and extremely intelligent team that conducts business with honesty and integrity. With technology changing the landscape of real estate faster than ever before, sellers need a team that is in tune with the latest online marketing techniques while still honoring the tried and true ‘old-school’ marketing to sell your home.

Every agent at Manhattan Pacific Realty has experience working on a real estate investment property—whether it is an income property, home flip or development. We believe that all real estate agents should be well-versed as real estate investors. As a result, our agents know a good deal when they see one and are able to move quickly.

All of our buyers are educated like seasoned investors, and we believe that our clients acquire some of the best home and investment property deals in the South Bay. You can rest easy knowing that you are working with some of the highest caliber real estate agents in the area.”

What are some of your favorite neighborhoods?

“I have lived and worked all over the Beach Cities and Palos Verdes for the past 30 years.

In Palos Verdes my favorite neighborhood is Valmonte, where I grew up, along with Malaga Cove Plaza, where I worked internships for multiple companies during my school days.

And how can you not love Terranea and Portuguese Bend? I lived in Hermosa for many years, and there is no better place to be in your 20s than the Hermosa Sand Section south of the pier. As I grew up a bit, I lived in Downtown Manhattan Beach, which is such an amazing place. My first job was in Redondo Beach post-college, and I think The Avenues and Riviera Village are the most underrated neighborhoods in all of the South Bay.” What additional services do you offer?

“In addition to selling homes, we offer our clients unique insight into investment property and building the home of their dreams. We have many years of investment experience and offer advice on building wealth through income property and purchasing land to develop.”

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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real estate & mortgage

Cari Corbalis & Britt Austin Real Estate Agents Cari & Britt Properties 1720 S. Elena Ave. Redondo Beach 310-938-9167 cariandbritt.com

“A huge chunk of our business comes from past clients and referrals.

That only happens from extremely happy clients.”

C

ari Corbalis and Britt Austin are a mother-daughter real estate team specializing in residential sellers and buyers throughout the South Bay. Together they have 43 years of experience in the industry and started their own firm, Cari & Britt Properties, in 2011.

What makes you the best in real estate?

“We both bring a different skill set to the team. Cari is a veteran in the industry and has seen her fair share of market fluctuations. Britt is a marketing major and brings a tech-savvy element that is crucial in today’s market. We also have a marketing director, Shannon Hoye, and a buyer’s agent, Laura Aranda. As a group, we bring highly specialized expertise that affords our clients an optimal experience. We keep our team streamlined and make sure our clients are always a priority.”

What do you consider your most important two skills?

“The ability to properly target the sales price of a home and our ability to negotiate. We are very protective of our clients and will always do what is best for them. A huge chunk of our business comes from past clients and referrals. That only happens from extremely happy clients.”

What specialty services do you offer clients?

“We have a professional stager on our team that we bring into every single one of our listings at our cost for a consultation.

Making sure each home is seen in its best light is crucial in selling for top dollar. For our sellers we pay for a custom, professional video along with photos. Market data shows listings that incorporate video into their marketing capture a wider range of buyers.

We are one of the few teams in our market doing this today.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“Not only has Cari lived in the South Bay for 37 years, but Britt was born and raised here as well. We know this area better than anyone because we experience the school systems personally, have lived in many of the different South Bay cities and watch neighborhoods change shape over the years. There are neighborhood pockets, streets and cul-de-sacs each with their own

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personalities. We know those personalities and quirks, which allows us to fast-track our clients into a place they can call home.”

What has been the highlight of your career and why?

“We still get choked up when we think about watching our client who was a U.S. veteran walk into his new home with his kids for the first time. The seller was an elderly veteran who raised his family in that home, and they got to meet for the first time. It was a passing of the baton, if you will. It was a very emotional moment and one that we will not forget. It is moments like this that remind us why we love doing what we do.”

Share a bit about your firm—what makes it noteworthy?

“We are proud of our team and what it represents. We feel that it is noteworthy because of the care that comes from carefully selecting the members of our team who will be in contact with our clients.

Selling or buying a house can be such a personal and sometimes emotional time for families; we want to protect our clients to make sure they are taken care of in the best way possible.”

How do you challenge yourselves?

“Professionally we challenge ourselves every single day in the office. That is the nature of real estate. Each escrow is completely unique, like a puzzle to solve with parts that are constantly moving. We know that when we make the phone call to tell our clients that their home recorded, that last piece of the puzzle snapped into place. To stay ahead of the curve, we regularly add new things to improve our business. Complacent would not be a word to describe anyone on our team.”

What nonprofits do you support?

“We currently offer four scholarships at Redondo Union High School. We think these kids work so hard, and if they want to continue their education, we want to be a part of making that happen for them.”

How do you like to spend your free time?

“We have a very large family, and we really love spending time together. Luckily most of us live in the South Bay. Card games are a favorite for all of us, but they can get a bit heated because we are all so competitive!”

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Wendy Rich-Soto Realtor Keller Williams Realty 28901 S. Western Avenue #139 Rancho Palos Verdes 310-944-8062 wendyrichsoto@gmail.com SellingLASouthBay.com

“No matter what the challenge, I have found a way to help my clients win.”

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endy Rich-Soto has worked as a Realtor in California for 17 years and in that time has sold more than 950 homes.

She has also managed two Keller Williams offices as CEO and team leader.

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she relocated to Southern California 10 years ago. Wendy specializes in luxury and historic homes from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to the Beach Cities including Long Beach.

Her team includes a marketing director, buyer’s agent and transaction coordinator.

What distinguishes you as a top professional in your field?

“From the beginning, I have had a tenacity that I cannot explain. I have a passion for working for my clients until the job is done in a way that exceeds their expectations of me.

No matter what the challenge, I have found a way to help my clients win. Having a team to support me helps me make certain that nothing falls through the cracks and that we help our clients achieve their real estate goals every time.”

What do you consider to be your two most important skills?

“My ability to connect with my clients on a deep level. When I am given the opportunity to work with someone, I do it by coming from a place of genuine caring and contribution—always putting them first.

The second skill would be that I am always in solution mode. I find a way to make it happen, and my track record with people shows that over and over again.

What specialty services do you offer clients?

“Staging and consulting services.”

What has been the highlight of your career?

“Meeting people who I would never have met through any other forum. So many clients and friends have come into my life through my real estate business. It has truly helped me evolve as a person to be entrusted with such a big, life-changing thing like selling or helping someone buy a home. I have learned to listen and truly understand the needs of others.

Being a part of a solution that brings joy to someone’s life is everything.”

similar properties that have sold, in terms of square footage, age, bedroom and bath count, is not the only thing that has to be taken into consideration.

The architecture in this area is so varied, and there are so many spectacular view properties—from harbor views to Catalina views to Queen’s Necklace views. The same thing is true with regard to historic homes— not all are created equal.

Knowing different sections of town, popular trends in architecture styles and why one small difference in a home can make it worth a lot more than another around the corner is something that only a trained Realtor with years of experience understands. It is crucial to someone getting top dollar when selling and not overpaying when buying.”

Tell us about a recent challenge you faced.

“This market has been a challenge for buyers as of late. There is very limited inventory, and so many buyers can become frustrated and just give up.

I had been working with a client for a couple months, trying to help her buy in a gated community. However, she kept getting outbid. I asked her to give me a week to find her a home and that I would call her as soon as I had one.

I door-knocked the area she specifically wanted and found a home for her that week.

It was larger and in better condition than any we had seen up to that point. It was meant to be!”

How do you give back to your community?

“I am involved with several organizations that help prevent child abuse and domestic violence, including Ettie Lee Youth & Family Services and Interval House.”

What do you do in your free time?

“I love to spend time with my three daughters and two granddaughters. I experience pure joy whenever I am around them. You haven’t lived until you have grandchildren! They are the best. I also enjoy continuing to renovate my 1931 Spanish home with one of the most spectacular views ever! Aside from that, I love spending time at the ocean with my dog, Baxter, or looking for great paintings to add to my collection.”

How does your knowledge of the area benefit your clients?

“Living near or in the town where someone is looking for a home or selling one is critical. The reason is that just pulling up

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Dan O’Connor O’Connor Property | Strand Hill-Christie’s 3201 Manhattan Avenue Hermosa Beach 310-372-0500 oconnorproperty.com

“If you’re my client, I want you to feel special and I want the process to be as smooth as possible.”

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an O’Connor and his team at O’Connor Property, affiliated with Strand Hill-Christie’s, advise clients on buying and selling homes and income property in the South Bay. Dan also owns a property management company, CPI Beach Properties, and consults on “value add” projects for clients’ properties.

In his 15th year working as a real estate agent, Dan is very familiar with the business.

His grandfather was a contractor, and his mother, Lorie O’Connor, was a broker/ owner/agent. Dan earned a degree from University of San Diego in business and accounting.

What do you consider your most important two skills?

“My knowledge and my work ethic. Those are the biggest assets an agent can provide.

Everyone is seeking the most up-to-date, inside information to make their decisions, and that is what I provide for my clients. I work hard for my clients. My belief is that hard work pays off in the end.”

What specialty services do you offer clients?

“I offer my clients personal service, no matter what the price range. If you’re my client, I want you to feel special and I want the process to be as smooth as possible.

In addition to being a full-service Realtor, I own a property management company.

I help my clients buy the right investment properties and also provide them with excellent property management service to ensure they attain the maximum benefit from their investment.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“I grew up in the South Bay; I know this area better than most people. I see the trends of where it’s going. This place has so much to offer, and I show that to my clients.”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“Yes, my reputation means so much to me.

I have to work together with all kinds of people. It’s not always easy, but if people can trust that ultimately you will do the right thing for them, it goes a long way.

Sometimes you lose out on things because you do the right thing or give the right advice, but more often than not you benefit from having a code and a good reputation.”

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When did you first know you wanted to go into this line of work?

“It wasn’t until senior year of college when I really felt drawn to real estate. My mom offered me a job to work for her, and I quickly found that I had a knack for residential real estate.”

Who has been your professional role model?

“My mom. She is an amazing example of how to make something out of nothing. She moved out at 18 years old, started working, never finished college, built a huge client base and her own real estate portfolio, and is now retired and lives in Maui. She showed me what hard work and dedication to your clients can do for your own personal success.

I am so grateful to her.”

What makes your firm noteworthy?

“My group at O’Connor Property is intentionally very small—my full-time assistant, Brooke Schweyer, and me. The trend in the real estate world is to build a large team and complete as many transactions as possible, but I am the opposite. I know what it takes to sell a house and/or negotiate the best deal for my clients, and I don’t want to dilute that. I have spent a lot of time and energy building my reputation with other agents who help get my clients a better deal. You can’t do that when you have less experienced or less qualified associates dealing with and representing your clients for you.”

How do you challenge yourself?

“My challenge is the market itself; it can be tricky to find the right properties for clients. Low inventory requires fast acting and decisive buying strategies; you’re always racing the clock. I enjoy facing these challenges head-on, and I have become very diligent about setting goals to help me perform better as a real estate professional and continue to grow as a person and a dad.”

What nonprofits do you support?

“I am a big supporter of CHLA, Hermosa Beach Little League and Hermosa Beach Education Foundation.”

How do you like to spend your free time?

“With my children. We love to take small trips and go skiing or wakeboarding or biking or hiking. Our dog, Charlie, goes everywhere with us.”

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New American Funding 1230 Rosecrans Ave. #402 Manhattan Beach 844-247-6883

“We never lose sight of the impact that we can have on the lives of our clients.”

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ew American Funding is a privately owned independent mortgage bank that services the residential mortgage market. Based in Southern California, New American Funding is a direct lender offering a wide variety of loan products. While the firm can handle most mortgage needs, the Manhattan Beach team has built a reputation in the purchase market.

What makes you the best in mortgage?

“Quite simply, we empower the area’s most skilled group of loan officers with the widest array of loan products on the market—all delivered with exceptional service and efficiency. We say ‘Yes!’ to more borrowers and have worked hard to build our reputation as the team to go to when others say ‘No.’ Consistently performing within all contractual timelines—even on the most challenging loan file—is the best gauge of a loan officer’s skillset and a company’s operational effectiveness.”

What specialty services do you offer?

“In addition to the more traditional loan products, New American Funding offers a wide array of products to service the self-employed borrower. We can look at just one year of tax returns instead of the standard two. We can evaluate income by just looking at AGI instead of reviewing the accompanying schedules that may erode borrowing power. And we have a number of products where we do not look at tax returns at all! We understand that the self-employed are traditionally at a disadvantage when applying for a loan, so we have built a suite of products to give them the opportunities that they deserve.”

Do you have a philosophy that guides your team?

“We never lose sight of the impact that we can have on the lives of our clients. From helping a young family get into their first home to helping a seasoned homeowner execute a complex investment strategy, our work has life-changing results and we are grateful to play such a critical role. That trust is never taken for granted.”

How does being a true local lender benefit your clients?

“Being local is critical, and there is hardly a street in the South Bay where our team has not financed a home. This home team advantage can be the difference in a multiple offer situation as the listing agents know us,

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trust us and are confident that we will deliver on time. This often swings the deal to our clients over offers with out-of-area lenders.

Even our panel of appraisers is local, which can be critical as subtle differences in each neighborhood can have a big impact on the home’s value. The clearest example of the importance of being local is that many agents will simply not consider an offer from an out-of-area lender without our team also vetting them and giving our blessing.”

What nonprofits do you support?

“The team gives to a number of great causes, with a particular focus to support Autism Speaks. This cause is especially important, as one of our own has a son with autism. So its impact on daily life is very clear to us.”

Tell us about the team outside of the office.

“We have a truly diverse group in every way, and that is part of what makes the team so strong. We have Bruins and Trojans working side by side and are led by two Gauchos.

We have surfers, hikers, golfers, travelers and foodies. We are active in the community and youth sports and donate our time and energy helping those less fortunate.”

What are your specific areas of expertise?

“The New American Funding team specializes in provided lending solutions to the more complicated real estate transaction, often for self-employed clients with challenging income documentation. With a broader array of products than most lenders, New American routinely closes transactions that others simply cannot do.”

How do you deal with volatility in the market?

“Markets will always fluctuate, but delivering tailored financing with extraordinary service is always in demand.”

Are you a member of professional networking groups?

“As a team, we are the trusted lending partner for many of the top professionals in the South Bay, including Realtors, CPAs, business managers and financial advisors.

Our referral partners know that their clients will have access to a wide variety of aggressively priced loan products while receiving truly outstanding service. This trust was earned one successful closing at a time and has allowed the team to rise to the top of the local lending landscape.”

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Realtor® RE/MAX Estate Properties

Charles Fisher

1401 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach 310-902-7214 | FisherRealEstate.com CalBRE #01731424

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pecializing in properties throughout the Westside and the South Bay, Realtor Charles Fisher has worked in the real estate industry for more than 12 years and is affiliated with RE/MAX Estate Properties.

What sets you apart from the competition?

“I love real estate! It is both my profession and hobby, and I am constantly studying my market space and new strategies to keep ahead. I offer my clients personalized service based on integrity backed up by a track record of success. I bring a great balance of creative and analytical skill sets while applying an intuitive and assertive approach, as each opportunity is unique.”

How did you become so good at what you do?

“Since I was a child growing up in El Segundo, I was naturally drawn to the changing built environment. I was fascinated by new construction and how over the years certain areas transitioned more quickly than others. Once I decided real estate was my calling, I already had a jump-start on the Westside and South Bay markets. By furthering my education with a boots-on-theground approach, I have become an expert in my field.”

Real estate is highly competitive; how do you maintain a code of ethics?

“Disclosure is non-negotiable. Transparency is vital. In this highly competitive, saturated market the temptation to make a deal may give way to compromises by some agents. I am keen on building relationships that support future recommendations and referrals. I am only as credible as my last deal, so my ethical standing is all I have at the end of each day.”

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

“The relationships I have built with so many great people over these past 12 years. Great relationships have forged the trust needed to grow into additional business and investment opportunities. These in turn have resulted in a growing network of valued clients.”

“I provide added value to my clients by helping them define their goals, protect their interests and meeting—if not exceeding—their expectations.

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How do you manage volatility in the market?

“Are you buying a home to live in or investing in residential or commercial property? Each class of real estate offers different methods to reach your goal. I provide added value to my clients by helping them define their goals, protect their interests and meeting— if not exceeding—their expectations. Each transaction requires being well-versed in the particulars that drive the deal.”

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real estate & mortgage

First Manhattan Realtors

Uni

1145 Highland Avenue Manhattan Beach 310-569-6535 RealEstatebyUni.com | uni90266@gmail.com

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riginally from Seoul, South Korea, Uni has been a South Bay resident and a top producing real estate agent for 28 years. She specializes in residential and income properties throughout the Beach Cities, Palos Verdes and Torrance. The daughter of a Korean diplomat, she grew up in Switzerland and Austria before relocating to the U.S. Uni is married and the mother of three children.

She is also a huge LPGA, Dodgers and Lakers fan!

What makes you the best in real estate?

“When you love your job and you do it well, you create positive energy and can share that with your clients. That’s why my slogan has been ‘The Right Energy for You!’ for 28 years.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“Living here has taught me that no matter where I go, when I come back home this is the absolute best place in the world to live, raise a family and enjoy life! I feel so passionate about the lifestyle that I am afforded living here; it’s always been a pleasure to share that with each and every one of my clients!”

Who has been your professional role model?

“Dr. Jerry Buss was my professional role model.

I was blessed to work with him on two real estate transactions, and I learned so much! I have been the Realtor for the Buss Family ever since. To date I have sold more than 20 homes for them.”

How do you deal with volatility in the market?

“Experience has taught me that real estate markets act on the law of supply and demand. I strongly believe in our local real estate market as a great long-term investment that will continue to appreciate as more people become familiar with our area.”

“I am passionate about satisfying my clients, whether they are buying or selling.”

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What nonprofits do you support?

“Giving back to the community is a big part of what I do. I strive to make the world a better place. I’m a member of Junimseun Church, which supports North Korean and Syrian orphanages. I often volunteer to feed the homeless on Skid Row. It is so rewarding to see their smiles. The charity closest to my heart is South Bay Mo Bros, raising money for prostate cancer research. I lost both my first boyfriend and my godfather to prostate cancer. I am determined to work and raise funds necessary to beat this disease.”

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L to R: Aly Bassanelli, Victoria Brown, Meg Puccinelli, Lorena Andrade, Tadashi Kondo, Mora Sepehrnia, Michelle Nishide, Poul Erik Norgaard, Shima Razipour

The Kondo Group

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550 Deep Valley Drive, Suite 383 Rolling Hills Estates 310-740-5742 thekondogroup.com

he Kondo Group, a team within Keller Williams Palos Verdes Realty, provides real estate services in the South Bay and surrounding communities. The nine-member group is one of the largest teams in Southern California. Tadashi Kondo started the team and is also the leading director of the luxury department of Keller Williams Palos Verdes Realty.

What specialty services do you offer?

“Every year we host an exclusive client appreciation event. It is an important aspect of our team to create long-lasting relationships with our clients. We want our clients to feel like they can come to us with any questions and to feel a part of the community they live in. We appreciate the business and support from them, and we like to show them what they mean to us!”

What makes you the best in real estate?

“Our team aims to be different than the next Realtor. We are a group of young professionals with high energy, utilizing all the latest technologies. We have expertise in architecture, the mortgage industry and commercial real estate. Our objective is to always be steps ahead of our competitors by constantly evolving our business to be even more efficient, with personalized and positive service for all of our clients.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“The key is to allow new homeowners to feel welcomed into the community. The majority of us were born and raised in the South Bay and our children attend local schools, allowing us to share a special perspective of this great community and hopefully build everlasting relationships. We are proud to have individual business relationships and friendships with each of our clients.”

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“Our philosophy is simple: Clients come first.”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“Our philosophy is simple: Clients come first. We pledge to be in constant communication with our clients, keeping them fully informed throughout the entire buying or selling process. We believe that if you are not left with an amazing experience, we have not done our job. We do not measure success through achievements or awards but through client satisfaction.

Our team’s focus is always on serving our clients with honesty, integrity and discretion as a dependable and knowledgeable partner committed to exceptional results.”

Share a bit about your firm—what makes it noteworthy?

“We are currently in the top 1% of Realtors for Keller Williams Realty worldwide. We are also the #1 team in our market center for 2017.”

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real estate & mortgage

“We always do the right thing for our clients, and we make lending better.”

Vice President Watermark Home Loans | Regan Hagestad Mortgage Group

Regan Hagestad

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partner of Watermark Home Loans, Regan Hagestad has worked in mortgage banking for the past 15 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and holds a California Bureau of Real Estate Brokers license and a National Mortgage Loan Originator license.

What makes you the best in mortgage?

“Our process is completely different than other lenders. We have a dedicated team of four highly qualified experts who work on our clients’ files, including a processor, a former accountant from a fortune 500 company and the former underwriting supervisor for JP Morgan Chase. This gives our clients a huge advantage when they make an offer on a property; it gives them the peace of mind that everything will be

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840 Apollo Street, Suite 205, El Segundo 310-607-0131 | welcometoregan.com the same from start to finish.”

What specialty services do you offer clients?

“We are a mortgage planning practice that is built to educate our clients, guide our clients through the process and ensure that they have the best mortgage experience they’ve ever had. All of our business is from the referrals of our past clients and our Realtor partners, which is why just providing a loan is not enough.”

How do you deal with volatility in the market?

“The right planning and preparation can put home buyers in a position to limit their risks in a low-inventory, volatile market.

We’ve seen market volatility since 2007 and have perfected our process to ensure

that our clients are in a position to make the right decision without being rushed or stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“What we do is pretty simple: We always do the right thing for our clients, and we make lending better.”

How do you challenge yourself?

“We’ve built one of the top mortgage teams in the country, and our challenge is to continue to improve on what we’ve already done. We have continued to add benefits to our platform since closing on time is not special; that’s just doing your job. Clients deserve more than what the industry has given them, and we provide much more than a home loan.”

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Taya DiCarlo

Realtor® Compass 1240 Rosecrans Ave., Unit 120, Manhattan Beach 310-431-8251 | TayaDiCarlo.com

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aya DiCarlo has been a licensed California real estate agent since 2006 and has worked full-time as a Realtor in the Greater Los Angeles area for the last eight years. She joined Compass last December. Taya specializes in residential sales, multi-unit buildings and investment properties, including 1031 exchanges and portfolio rebalancing. Before entering the real estate industry she worked as a TV host for a number of shows around California. Taya, who is half-Greek, and her husband, who is Italian, both grew up eating delicious cuisine, so they now enjoy cooking dinner together most nights of the week.

Share a bit about your firm—what makes it noteworthy?

“Compass is shaking up the real estate industry with their tech-based approach. Compass provides proprietary tools for the consumer and agent to use together to make the search and sell experience intelligent and seamless. I love being at a company that is focused on making things more modernized and simple, so I can focus on what’s important: getting my clients the best deal possible. That is a win-win for everyone.”

What do you consider your most important two skills?

“My negotiating skills and my follow-up. Whether I’m representing a seller or a buyer, it’s my fiduciary duty to get them the best deal possible. In the past two years, 80% of my listings have resulted in bidding wars and 100% of my closed buyer deals were won in competitive situations. Staying in close communication with my clients throughout a transaction helps ease their nerves and makes them feel more confident with the real estate process.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“It’s everything! Most of my clients are families moving into single-family homes from condos or apartments.

They aren’t just buying a home; they’re buying the South Bay community and lifestyle … and what better way to sell it than by living it every day myself.”

“Compass is shaking up the real estate industry with their tech-based approach.”

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How do you challenge yourself?

“Juggling being a wife and mom of two boys under age 4 is the biggest challenge of my life, but it’s one that I find incredibly rewarding! Taking time each day for myself—whether it’s meditating, exercising or reading—helps me recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance.”

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real estate & mortgage

“Matching great families and individuals with great homes is what motivates me each day.”

Compass

Richard Eldred

1230 Rosecrans, Suite 300 Manhattan Beach 310-503-2519 | EldredGroup.com

ealtor Richard Eldred assists South Bay clients with the buying and selling process as a top 10 producing agent. With more than a decade of experience as a financial analyst at top Wall Street firms, he joined Compass in 2016 and opened the first office for Compass in the South Bay. In his free time, Richard is an avid surfer and loves experimenting in the kitchen and cooking feasts for his family and friends.

He also is passionate about writing and playing music.

What are your greatest strengths in this business?

“I’m a strategic thinker, and with my background in finance I’m able to drill down on the right questions to ask my clients so I can understand what their short-term and long-term personal and family goals are and help them find their dream home. Additionally, my ability to simplify the buying/selling process and run smooth transactions is a great benefit to my clients.”

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What is the backbone of your business?

“Family, friends and community. My business is based on strong relationships with my clients first and transactions second. In the end, the human factor is really what my business is all about, and I am grateful to

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have met so many amazing people through my business and to have made so many good friends along the way. Matching great families and individuals with great homes is what motivates me each day.”

What are you looking forward to in 2018?

“2018 is an exciting year for my family and me. Last year we moved from Hermosa and bought a beautiful home in South Redondo. We are looking forward to all the new experiences and relationships we will be making in this new community.

And we are excited to be welcoming a new baby girl to our family and becoming parents for the first time. Helping others achieve what we have, being homeowners and raising a family in one of the greatest places on earth is what I love to do.”

What is your main goal for your clients?

“My main goal for my clients is to ensure long-term happiness for the sale or purchase of their homes. Client referrals make up more than a third of my annual business, and that can only be achieved through happy, satisfied clients.”

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“We combine our unique perspective and exceptional service to meet the demand of every client.”

Amir Amiri & Rodman Amiri

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outique neighborhood real estate brokerage Merit Real Estate has been serving customers in the South Bay since 1989. Owner/ Broker Amir Amiri and Broker Associate Rodman Amiri focus on the neighborhoods of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.

What makes you the best in real estate?

“Our personal and friendly service we deliver to every single client. It has created lifelong friends, which keep us in business.

We strongly believe that treating people right and always looking out for their best interests is what makes us the best.”

What do you consider your two most important skills?

“Attentiveness. We try to understand our clients by placing ourselves in their shoes

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and finding something that will gratify their vision. Our company revolves around the focus of repeat clientele and referrals, so we can’t afford to have unhappy clients!

And market knowledge. We have contractors, homebuilders, architects, etc., whom we work with on a daily basis. They give us a greater understanding of all the small and large details that help our clients better comprehend potential costs involved in a project or designing their dream home.”

What specialty services do you offer clients?

“From older homes to new construction, we combine our unique perspective and exceptional service to meet the demand of every client. Whether it’s general real estate advice, guidance on a purchase or questions about the home buying process, we are happy to share our knowledge with

Merit Real Estate 2304 Artesia Boulevard, Redondo Beach 310-379-4444 | MeritRealEstate.com our neighbors and potential homeowners!”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“We believe integrity is the most important characteristic you will discover in a Merit agent. We understand that buying a home can be one of the biggest financial decisions in someone’s life, and to facilitate that process, integrity and honesty are crucial to keep a client happy.

Our philosophy at Merit Real Estate is to always keep our client’s best interests as our top priority.”

What’s most rewarding about your work?

“When our clients reach out to us time and time again for advice and guidance with their real estate opportunities. The fact that we earned their trust—and our opinions are valued—is priceless.”

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real estate & mortgage

“The real estate and mortgage market will continue to have a healthy growth, and you can expect it will be a great year ahead.”

Aaron Anvaripour & Yann Fard

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aron Anvaripour and Yann Fard, senior loan consultants at Redondo Mortgage Center, assist clients with obtaining loans to purchase or refinance residential and commercial properties. They provide service to all of California, with a special emphasis on the South Bay. What makes you the best in the mortgage industry?

Aaron: “Unparalleled customer service. I’m responsive, experienced and trustworthy.”

Yann: “I firmly believe that in the current market there has been a fundamental power shift from banks and lenders to customers. Here at Redondo Mortgage Center, we embrace this change and take the necessary time to listen to our customers’ wants and needs to be able to adapt and change accordingly.”

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What do you consider your most important two skills?

Aaron: “My ability to simplify the loan process, which makes it really easy for all of my clients, and my ability to structure the loans so they are always approved and funded on time without any surprises.”

What trends do you foresee for the 2018 real estate market in Southern California?

Yann: “2017 was a very hot year for real estate, and it was one of the main drivers of the economy. There has been a debate on whether the Federal Reserve is going to continue to raise interest rates, and having a new Federal Reserve chair in 2018 seems to have paved the way for that. I believe that the real estate and mortgage market will continue to have a healthy growth, and you can expect it will be a great year ahead.”

Senior Loan Consultants Redondo Mortgage Center 2304 Artesia Boulevard Redondo Beach 310-318-8999 RedondoMortgage.com How does where you live come into play with your job?

Aaron: “I was born and raised in the South Bay and currently live here, so I understand the culture really well. Being able to relate to the local culture helps me ensure that my clients will receive exactly what they deserve.”

Why should potential clients trust you to do the best job for them?

Yann: “I firmly believe integrity, honesty and work ethics are the most important characteristics in any business, and what I offer my clients is not just competitive and unbeatable rates but most importantly the unparalleled service as their partner who has their best interest in mind. I will always be there for my clients and create a lifelong relationship.”

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Frank Kostrencich & Michael Mardesich

C2 Financial–South Bay 304 Vista Del Mar, Suite E, Redondo Beach 310-697-3018 | loans4socal.com BRE #01821025 C2 / 01024274 Frank / 01053119 Michael NMLS #135622 C2 / 238594 Frank / 242591 Michael

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enior loan officer Frank Kostrencich and broker Michael Mardesich provide mortgage lending solutions to clients in the South Bay and throughout California and various other states.

Bringing decades of experience to the table, Mike and Frank partnered with C2 Financial in 2007. The two are well-versed in all lending programs including conventional, jumbo, alt QM and FHA/VA. They also assist clients with reverse mortgages.

Frank and his wife, Karen, have four daughters and live in Rancho Palos Verdes. Mike is raising his three children in the Hollywood Riviera. They both lead an active lifestyle and are outdoors most weekends—playing volleyball, mountain biking, surfing or stand-up paddleboarding.

What makes you the best in mortgage?

“We have both been doing real estate loans for 20+ years in Southern California. Every day we get to interact with people who are entrusting us with one of the biggest financial decisions of their life. Helping our clients understand and navigate the sometimes arduous process of obtaining a mortgage is always a rewarding experience.

We know our borrowers are too busy to review every last line of every single document. Our borrowers trust us as their mortgage advisors and that the products they obtain from us are in their best interest. We do not take that responsibility lightly.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“We have personal connections to almost all of our clients.

The biggest compliment we can receive is a referral for a job well done.”

How do you deal with volatility in the market?

“We see interest rates starting to rise closer to ‘traditional norms’ with more volatility in the market. People shouldn’t be frightened by rising rates, as it is a sign of a strong economy. It may slow the growth in home values slightly, but the overall trend is positive. We see improved credit availability and an influx of new mortgage products that will help consumers with greater options to combat the higher rates.”

Share a bit about your firm—what makes it noteworthy?

“Our partnership with the largest wholesale lender in the U.S. helps us provide the lowest rates to our clients and the ability to close loans in as fast as 10 days.”

“Every day we get to interact with people who are entrusting us with one of the biggest financial decisions of their life.”

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What specialty services do you offer clients?

“Aside from the normal range of ‘forward’ mortgage products, we are experts in the field of reverse mortgages.”

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

real estate & mortgage

Barbi Pappas

Realtor® Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 3300 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach 310-266-3300 | barbipappas.com

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anked in the top 1% of agents nationwide and annually honored as a Top Solo Producing Sales Agent, Barbi Pappas been a local Realtor for more than 25 years.

Specializing in residential, income/investment and commercial properties and affiliated with Vista Sotheby’s International Realty, Barbi holds the unique distinction of closing one of the highestpriced residential sales in the South Bay, as well as putting many first-time buyers into homes.

Tell us a bit about your working style.

“I am a hands-on agent. When listing a home, I oversee every aspect of preparing the house for the market.

There is no detail I won’t personally attend to. I offer my clients print and digital marketing, social media exposure and the most expansive global distribution available in the industry today. I am tireless when it comes to searching for the ideal home for my buyers.

With limited inventory, I’ve found incredible ‘off-market’ homes through networking sources and by writing personal letters to targeted homeowners.”

Why did you choose this profession?

“In 1980 I bought my first home and loved every aspect of the process. When I first started selling real estate, I liked that each transaction was unique—asking a different set of questions each time and drawing on present information as well as past experiences. My many years in the business have trained me to anticipate potential problems before they arise, allowing me to better protect and advise my clients during the sale or purchase of their home.”

Who is your professional role model?

“While I was growing up, I watched my father’s hard work, creativity and integrity grow his business into a huge success. He was my inspiration for going into business, and I emulate those same principles in my own business today.”

What’s most rewarding about your work?

“I never could have anticipated how many of my long-time clients would become lifelong friends. Their appreciation for the help I’ve given them has been given back to me tenfold over the years.”

“The slogan ‘Representing Your Home, As If It Were My Own’ states the responsibility I feel in handling one of life’s most important transactions.”

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How do you give back to your community?

“I donate to NPR, public television, the ASPCA and Cancer Discovery Stores. I annually volunteer at the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair, and a portion of every commission I earn goes to support our local schools.”

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Left to right: Irene Lopez, Administrative Director/Realtor; Karen Anderson, Broker Associate; Jonathan Ramirez, Buyer Specialist/Marketing Director

“Attention to detail is one of the most important things in this business.”

The Prestige Team | Keller Williams Realty

Karen Anderson

28901 S. Western Avenue #139 Rancho Palos Verdes 310-251-2883 | PrestigeTeamHomes.com

ow in her 21st year working in real estate, Karen Anderson heads The Prestige Team at Keller Williams Realty, specializing in residential sales in San Pedro, the Harbor area and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. She also handles investment and commercial properties. Karen studied business administration at both El Camino College and Cal State University Dominguez Hills.

How do you deal with volatility in the real estate market?

“You adjust. The best example is in the late 2000s when short sales were prevalent. I became certified in short sale negotiation and handled dozens of short sales. I actually was even able to get our buyers’ offers accepted in that competitive market by offering to help in the negotiations. When the market rebounded, we helped many of those buyers use their equity to move up.”

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What makes you the best in real estate?

“I often say, ‘The dollars are in the details.’

Attention to detail is one of the most important things in this business—starting with preparing the property for sale, photos, minor repairs … even placement of the pillows! This also carries over to

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negotiating, keeping track of paperwork and everything up to the delivery of keys and even after closing. The other thing is being a good listener. We have to not only hear what our clients are saying but be able to read between the lines and ‘hear’ what’s not being said.”

How does your knowledge of the area benefit your clients?

“I’ve been a South Bay resident for 38 years, so that is a huge plus. I’ve lived in Torrance, the Beach Cities and even Long Beach and have lived in San Pedro since 2001. I know the ins and outs of the areas and can guide my clients based on what their needs are— whether it’s schools, proximity to work, views … whatever their criteria.”

How do you like to spend your free time?

“When I have free time I like to spend it with my family—attending the grandkids’ sporting and school events or going to the desert with my husband and all my unread magazines and doing a whole lot of nothing!”

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real estate & mortgage

Sep Ebrahimi

Realtor® Berkshire Hathaway Home Services 600 Deep Valley Dr., Rolling Hills Estates 310-346-4666 | SepSellsPV.com

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ealtor Sep Ebrahimi has worked in real estate for the past five years, after a career in engineering with such firms as General Motors, Boeing Satellite Systems and Northrop Grumman Space Technology. He is now a Top 1% producer at the Berkshire Hathaway and recipient of the Chairman’s Circle Award.

What specialty services do you offer clients?

“I offer my clients full service from A to Z—including packing, shipping, moving and anything in between! I work with many different subcontractors and provide peace of mind to my clients by using these resources. I also provide free staging consultation by a professional company, a strong 23-point marketing plan, negotiation techniques and my vast connection amongst top real estate agents in the area. This business is about who you know!”

What has been the highlight of your career?

“When I read my clients’ reviews and feedback, I know I must have done something right. They are so genuine and warm; I know I have won their trust for years to come.

Having my clients refer me to their family and friends highly motivates me to continue to provide my aboveand-beyond service to them.”

What nonprofits do you support?

“I continuously support charitable foundations such as Sunshine Kids, Palos Verdes Education Foundation (major contributor), Mahak-ISCC (International Society for Children with Cancer) and ROCK (Reaching Out with Compassion in Kibera).”

How has your experience contributed to who you are?

“Being an engineer manager of multiple aerospace companies for 16 years has given me the mastery of organization, planning, execution and road-mapping of a client’s needs. I am well-traveled and very familiar with many cultures, which makes it easy to understand and communicate with people from all over the world.”

“Having my clients refer me to their family and friends highly motivates me to continue to provide my above-andbeyond service to them.”

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What do your clients appreciate about you?

“Being trustworthy, calm and collected, very knowledgeable and well-connected, 100% committed and very easy to communicate with. My clients know they are my #1 priority, which includes being available 24/7—from preparing to buy or sell a home all the way to moving and through renovation. I make myself available and will do whatever it takes to help them move on to their next chapter of life with peace of mind.”

An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. CalBRE#01923274

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Realtor® RE/MAX Estate Properties 450 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates 310-721-7526 | KimHallHomes@gmail.com CalBRE #01864819

Kim Hall

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esidential real estate specialist Kim Hall has been working with South Bay buyers, sellers and investors for the past nine years.

A consistent top producer, Kim has won numerous awards and was a member of the #1 sales team from all RE/MAX Estate Properties offices throughout Los Angles County from 2011 to 2016.

What makes you the best in real estate?

“A high expectation for myself and unending energy.

I go far above and beyond what is necessary to do a real estate transaction. Through education and networking I’ve attained a high level of expertise, and I share it with my clients in the utmost professional manner. This combination has created a loyal client base that in turn refers me to family and friends.”

What do you consider your most important skills?

“Great listening and clear, calm communication.

Understanding my clients’ objectives is my #1 priority.

I strive to guide my clients through the many decisions they need to make with clear direction and a calm demeanor. These same skills are also the foundation of my strong negotiating style.”

How does where you live come into play with your job?

“Living in the South Bay is a true blessing. I’ve lived on the Palos Verdes Peninsula for the past 35 years and in Redondo Beach for several years before that. My husband and I have six grown children.

Our many activities over the years—from scouting to sports, church to city government and everything in between—have introduced us to wonderful aspects and hidden treasures of the South Bay. I sincerely enjoy sharing that knowledge with my clients.”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“As Realtors we have a code of ethics that must be strictly adhered to. As a person, I have my own code of ethics. Be honest, kind and thankful. Give, even when you think you’ve given all you can.”

“I strive to guide my clients through the many decisions they need to make with clear direction and a calm demeanor.”

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How do you challenge yourself?

“I enjoy constantly learning, both professionally and personally. I’m a big believer in setting goals and continually monitoring my progress toward those goals. For me, goals need to be specific and meaningful, and that makes the challenge fun.

And … I love a good celebration when a challenge or goal is achieved!”

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real estate & mortgage

Jennifer Caras

Realtor® Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 1144 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach 310-367-9129 | jennifercaras.com

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ealtor Jennifer Caras helps clients sell and buy homes in the South Bay. She joined South Bay Brokers in 2004, and the firm was acquired by Vista Sotheby’s International Realty two years ago. A Los Angeles native, Jennifer attended Marymount High School and continued her education at UCSB, where she graduated with a degree in psychology. She lives in Manhattan Beach with her husband, Chris, and three children, CJ, Julianne and Grace, who all attend American Martyrs School.

What are your specific areas of expertise?

“I have significant experience with development and new construction here in the Beach Cities—from finding the lot to helping with the design decisions of the home and the many details that go into a build.”

What makes your firm noteworthy?

“Most of my clients work with me based on their connection to me, but having the Sotheby’s name behind mine has only been an increased asset to my business. It’s a reputable name that coincides with how I conduct my business and the high standard I hold myself to.”

What do you consider your most important two skills?

“My knowledge of the South Bay market, which I’ve acquired through my vast experience of successfully selling real estate for 14 years, and my networking with other agents. Communication is a critical component to negotiating successful transactions. My job is so much more than just selling houses. It’s about understanding and listening while incorporating extensive knowledge with experience and fostering relationships.”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“I’m a firm believer in your word being absolutely golden. Reputation is everything in this business, and 90% of my clients are referrals from satisfied clients. This is significant to me because a recommendation from a past client is the highest compliment an agent can receive. I pride myself on being consistent, reliable, ethical and approachable.”

“I pride myself on being consistent, reliable, ethical and approachable.”

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What has been the highlight of your career?

“Seeing years of hard work pay off. I’ve been honored as a Top Producer consistently for the last seven years, finishing in recent years in the top 2% of the 250 agents within my firm. I was also extremely honored to receive the ‘Best of Manhattan’ Home Sweet Home award by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce in 2016.”

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Amir Al-Khayat

Broker, CEO West Shores Realty 430 Silver Spur Rd., Suite 202, Rancho Palos Verdes 310-541-8000 | westshoresrealty.com

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est Shores Realty is a residential/ commercial real estate brokerage and escrow company started in 2015 by broker Amir Al-Khayat. The firm services clients all over southern California, predominately in the South Bay. In his free time, Amir enjoys going to the gym, outdoor cycling, car racing, going to the movies, and spending time with family and friends.

What has been the highlight of your career?

“Going from five agents to 100 agents in just one year of my business. We are one of the fastest growing brokerages in the South Bay.” Share a bit about your firm—what makes it noteworthy?

“We offer 100% commission to our agents, and we have plans with zero monthly dues so we save agents thousands of dollars on their commission and they keep more of their money. Even with the aggressive pay structure we offer, we still provide fantastic support and trainings at the brokerage—a beautiful 2,500-square-foot office facility in Rancho Palos Verdes (and we should have a second location by next year). We also boast an in-house escrow company, West Shores Escrow, run by Erica Deliz; an in-house lender, Ruben Perez from HomeBridge Financial; we rely on Debbie Rodriguez and Lana Speer with Ticor Title for our title needs; and we have an amazing transaction coordinator, Jodi Pestello, to support our staff of more than 100 agents.”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“Yes, we always have an obligation to our clients, yet we insist on honesty and transparency to all parties in our real estate dealings.”

Tell us about the house where you grew up.

“I grew up in Palos Verdes Estates in the Lunada Bay area on Via Olivera. It was a five-bedroom home where just my mother, father and I lived, as I am an only child.

It has an amazing 180º view of the ocean and Catalina.

It was on a great street where I made friends that I still interact with today.”

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How does your knowledge of the area benefit your clients?

“Growing up in the South Bay and managing properties here over the years has helped me be an expert. I have a clear understanding of the neighborhoods and schools to help my clients make great choices when it comes to real estate for their primary residence or investment purposes.”

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real estate

Lynn Nakasato-Aglipay

Realtor® Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 1801 S. Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach 310-567-0048 | LynnAglipay.com

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South Bay native, Realtor Lynn NakasatoAglipay graduated from California State University Long Beach with a BS in finance and international marketing. She has been a real estate professional for the past 13 years and joined Vista Sotheby’s International Realty in 2015.

What makes you the best in real estate?

“Coming from a corporate background, I took the leap and made the transition into real estate. Very business savvy, I negotiate and navigate through the real estate process seamlessly, giving my clients peace of mind that every aspect of the transaction is being handled with the utmost care.”

What do you consider your most important two skills?

“As an executive, I honed my talent for diplomacy and thinking outside the box. I saw how these skills created amazing real estate opportunities and wanted to bring those directly to the people that could benefit most: my clients. I knew I could elevate the real estate experience for clients and offer superior service. After more than a decade in real estate, I couldn’t be happier to be an agent.

My clients have become an extension of my family, and I am honored to offer my certainty and attention, while working hard to deliver the best service imaginable.”

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to a code of ethics?

“Integrity builds trust. Trust builds relationships. The code of ethics in this business keeps Realtors accountable to each other and most importantly their clients. I believe that we, in our personal lives as well as our professional lives, should ‘do the right thing.’”

How does membership in professional groups enhance what you offer clients?

“It is like building a well-rounded portfolio. Through my affiliations with various groups, I have met numerous service providers who make up my team. They are my arsenal of support. I have gained their trust and support, and they have gained mine. Together our goal is to exceed our clients’ expectations and develop lifelong relationships.”

“Our goal is to exceed our clients’ expectations and develop lifelong relationships.”

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What nonprofits do you support?

“I believe in sharing blessings and giving back as much as possible. I am directly involved with many charities, especially causes that help children, including the Toberman House in San Pedro, Peninsula Education Foundation, Palos Verdes Peninsula Association of REALTORs® scholarship fund, Las Madrecitas and Las Amigas de Las Lomas.”

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“Every step of the way we protect your interests and your pocketbook!”

Cheryl Friedman & George Rosenkranz, JD

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he Rosenkranz | Friedman Group is a full-service real estate team of experienced professionals at Keller Williams Palos Verdes. Owners George Rosenkranz and Cheryl Friedman have more than 40 years combined experience in the real estate industry.

What would you like potential clients to know about your business?

“We are in this together—before, during and after the transaction. Our service does not end with the close of escrow. Every step of the way we protect your interests and your pocketbook!”

How important is the relationship between you and your clients?

“Since selling and buying homes is often a highly personal and emotional decision, creating strong relationships with our clients is critical to achieving successful outcomes.

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A keen understanding and awareness of our clients’ preferences and motivations enables us to provide consistently exceptional service and marketing.”

What is The Rosenkranz | Friedman Group doing that is innovative?

Cheryl: “We have created our multigenerational, multicultural marketing platform that utilizes cutting-edge technologies alongside traditionally successful marketing methods to reach local, regional and global consumers and obtain the results our clients rave about.”

George: “We also distinguish ourselves by being proactive and incredibly responsive.

We are passionate about real estate, so we constantly study the market and network with other professionals to find great opportunities for our clients. We put ourselves in our clients’ shoes to anticipate their needs and questions. This translates into a high level of engagement and hands-on involvement,

Owners The Rosenkranz | Friedman Group 550 Deep Valley Drive, Suite 359 Rolling Hills Estates 310-717-8767 (George) 310-504-4690 (Cheryl) TheRFgroup.com both day and night.”

What does success mean to you?

“We share two important passions: our respective real estate careers and families.

For our team, success is achieved when our clients experience service and results even greater than they desired. On a personal level, we measure success by the amount of love and laughter that fills our homes.”

What’s on the top of your to-do list for this year?

“We are very excited to announce that our team is expanding to San Diego. As a result of our success in the Palos Verdes Peninsula and greater South Bay, in 2018 The Rosenkranz | Friedman Group will proudly be serving clients in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. We could not have done this without the support and loyalty of our amazing clients and their referrals!”

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real estate & mortgage

“We have an amazing group of dedicated agents working with us and a strong company with a long history of success to support us all.”

L to R: Courtney Self, Anthony Self, Hunter Self, Mason Self

Courtney Self & Tony Self

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arcourts Hunter Mason Realty is a full-service real estate firm offering a wide range of services, including sales, leasing, property management and non-distressed real estate auctions. This growing company was started in 2010 by Courtney Self and affiliated with Harcourts in 2017.

What has been the highlight of your career?

“Opening my own brokerage in 2010 was one of my greatest challenges, but it was well worth it. There was a huge learning curve going from a sales agent to a broker/ owner, but it gave me more control over my business and provided a growth opportunity.

In addition, it was something I was able to bring our entire family into. The company is named after our sons, Hunter and Mason.

Both boys already work in the office, and

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Hunter is looking forward to getting his real estate license in a couple years when he turns 18.

Shortly after we opened, Tony joined the company to open our property management division, which has been very successful. He is also developing a commercial sales and leasing division. Even my mom helps out stuffing envelopes and doing administrative work for us.”

What makes your firm noteworthy?

“The non-distressed auction process to get homes sold is something that really sets us apart from other firms. We have an amazing group of dedicated agents working with us and a strong company with a long history of success to support us all. Harcourts has been in business since 1888 and is one of the largest real estate companies.”

Owners Harcourts Hunter Mason Realty 715 Silver Spur Rd., Rolling Hills Estates 310-350-6205 | 310-901-1000 huntermason.com What are your specific areas of expertise?

“I have lots of experience in Redondo Beach, and I work with local attorneys on divorce and probate sales. Tony has a specialty in property management and investment property. He is also a licensed auctioneer and has participated in thousands of real estate auctions throughout the U.S.” Tell us about your code of ethics.

“One of the reasons we purchased our Harcourts franchise is that the company culture resonated with us. Their core values are: ‘People First; Doing the Right Thing; Being Courageous; and Fun and Laughter.’”

How do you like to spend your free time?

“We love to travel—especially to warm climates like Costa Rica and the Caribbean.

We just returned from a quick trip to Hawaii.”

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On the bluffs of Palos Verdes Estates.

Gated and private, this spectacular estate features panoramic, unobstructed ocean and coastline views, a 6 car garage, elevator and so much more. $9,500,000

Chris Adlam 310.493.7216 chrisadlam.com

real estate

BEHIND THE GATES OF ROLLING HILLS

Overlooking gorgeous panoramic, ocean and Catalina views this 2.4 acre estate offers privacy and understated opulence. Including 6,800+ total sq. ft., guest house, 3-car garage, pool & spa, outdoor kitchen, gym & more...

Gordon Inman & Keith Kelley The Inman Team 310.944.5554 | www.InmanTeam.com

Manhattan Beach Sand Section Town Home NEW CONSTRUCTION I OCEAN VIEWS I 4 BEDS I 5 BATHS I 2,450 SQ. FT. I $2,999,000

RICHARD HAYNES 310.379.1724 richard@manhattanpacific.com BRE: 01779425

IT’S YOUR SOUTH BAY. OWN IT.

M a n h a t t a n P a c i f i c R e a l t y. c o m 310.379.1724

BRE: 01909107

Our neighborhood, your home.

RICK EDLER

310.872.4333 CalBRE# 01113145 rick.edler@vistasir.com

O PR FF IV ER AT IN E G

Representing Palos Verdes’ Finest Homes & Estates for Over 30 Years!

OFF MARKET | NOT ON MLS Modern Luxury in Rolling Hills Estates $2,399,000

ES I CR N O W

SO LD

Nestled on a large lot in one of the most sought-after lanes of Rolling Hills Estates, this contemporary split-level home has been tastefully renovated to suit the most refined tastes. This elegant home epitomizes modern luxury and shows like a home from Architectural Digest – with a fantastic floor plan, 3 large bedrooms + library, and 3840 square feet of living space. Entertain family and guests in huge resort style back yard. Private offering at $2,399,000 By appointment only.

WWW.CONTEMPORARYMASTERPIECERHE.COM

40 Via Costa Verde, Rancho Palos Verdes | $1,999,000

16 Caballeros Road, Rolling Hills | $2,599,000

5 bdrm + Media Room/4.5 ba, 4,700+ sq ft, Lot size 10,370 sq ft

4 bdrm/4ba, Approx. 3,100 sq ft, Lot size nearly 2 acres

www.40ViaCostaVerde.com

www.16CaballerosRd.com

Go Global with Lily

Villa Vallerano, Rome, Italy | 6,000,000 Euro

Approx. 25,000 sq ft, Lot size Approx. 12 acres Villa Vallerano consists of several ancient buildings and courts on a lot of approximately 12.25 acres. The building areas are approximately 25,000 sq. ft. and include the main villa, managers building, storage rooms, garages, gardens, courtyards, a church and lake. The entire complex can accommodate 30/35 “fully serviced suites,” communal living and recreational areas.

La Maison en Provence | $2.5 million Euro

4500 sq ft, Lot size Approx. 4 acres Nested in the heart of Provence, south of France, the Luberon Valley remains one the most beautiful place on earth to learn, live and love. The seductive landscape mosaic of vineyards, cherry trees, olive trees and lavender fields with their rich colors and abundant fragrances have inspired Van Gogh and Cezanne, the Masters but also Chefs , perfumers and poets. The magnificent Medieval Hilltop villages with their impressive Abbeys and colorful markets continue to fascinate and enhance your soul.

LILY LIANG

+1 310 373 3333 | lily@lilyliang.com | www.lilyliang.com 550 Silver Spur Road, Suite 240, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 BRE# 00837794

Cape Cod Beauty • Manhattan Beach • Outstanding Craftsmanship built

by Ken Johnson Development • Designed by Architect Doug Leach • Stunning finishes by L’Esperance Design

1901 Palm Avenue $5,500,000

You will love this 2018 Engaging Cape Cod situated on a highly desirable corner lot filled with abundant natural light.

Extensive use of Neolith Estatuario Quartz, Pietra Grey Marble, Calcutta Splenda Marble, Basalto Stone, Ice Cube Marble, hexagon tiles, mirrored tiles, stacked stone, flagstone and french white oak hardwood floors. Approx. 4,800 sq. ft, 5,061 sq ft. lot, large office/ 2nd living room with cement tiled fireplace and a grand balcony, 5 full bathrooms all ensuite, 2 powder rooms, 3 stop wood paneled elevator, Epicurean Kitchen with Wolf, Subzero and Bosch appliances, pot filler, steam oven and microwave oven. Kitchen has a built in desk with floating shelves, a breakfast nook, a walk-in pantry, a massive Neolith Estatuario Quartz Island with 2 sinks and 2 Bosch dishwashers. Family room has coffered beamed ceilings, a substantial bricked fireplace, a 12 foot La Cantina bi-fold door leading to the patio with a herringbone laid tile floor, an electric ceiling heater, a Peninsula cut from Basalto Stone slab with a Lynx barbeque grill, U-line refrigerator, a deep sink, built-in steel trash unit, double steel storage drawers and access door. Luxurious Master bedroom has tongue and groove vaulted ceilings, a marble tiled fireplace, built-ins, a herringbone tiled deck, Calcutta Splendor Marble master bath with a steeping tub, two vanities, a built-in linen closet and a custom wood walk in closet includes a peninsula with velvet lined jewelry and watch showcase drawers and dresser. Large laundry room with sink and storage. The large Basement was built for entertaining with a full bar kitchen, a Fisher-Paykel single drawer dishwasher, glass displays and a fridge with ice maker, a chilled wine room, a powder room and a guest bedroom. Audio Visual System is a Cat 5 fully prewired surround system in family room and basement with a home theatre pre-wire for projection and drop down screen. Speakers in kitchen, patio, master bedroom and first floor office/ 2nd living room. 3 zone heating and air conditioning, fully functional alarm system with optional outside camera locations. 3-car Garage is wired for electric vehicles on each side. Garage has speckled grey epoxy floor and a convenient built-in sink www.1901Palm.com

Please call John and Kerry for viewing!

JOHN CHUKA 310.990.1110 JChuka@aol.com BRE# 00766132

KERRY DAWSON 310.753.5537 KerryLDawson@aol.com BRE# 01024016

WHERE EXCELLENCE LIVES Luxury is bearing the hallmark of one of real estate’s most iconic names. Luxury is having not just one real estate professional working for you — but a global network of 88,000 Coldwell Banker® affiliated sales agents in 3,000 offices in 49 countries and territories who can share the beauty of your home with an affluent audience worldwide. Luxury is knowing that you have representation that sells more than $129.6 million in million+ homes each day.* Dare to indulge.

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury SM

*Average daily sales. Data based on closed and recorded transaction sides of homes sold for more than $1 million (USD$) or more as reported by the U.S. Coldwell Banker franchise system for the calendar year 2016. ©2017 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo service marks are registered or pending registrations owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE

COLDWELLBANKERLUXURY.COM

FORBESCORRALES.COM C O A S TA L

P R O P E RT I E S

#1 Coldwell Banker Team in MB and HB 2014-16 MID-CITY MODERN

INDOOR/OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS BEST

THE CANALS

HERMOSA SAND

4 BD . 3.5 BA . approx 3,891 sf . large rooftop deck . additional family room | $2,950,000

MONTECITO STYLE

3 BD + studio . 3.5 BA . approx 2,700 sf . 6 blocks to the beach . spa & BBQ ready 500 sf rooftop deck . elevator . uber premium | $2,650,000

½ BLOCK TO THE BEACH

MANHATTAN BEACH TREES

MANHATTAN BEACH SAND

5 BD . 4.5 BA . approx. 3,600 sf . bonus media room . vaulted ceilings . lush green backyard . Pacific Elementary School District | $2,950,000

4 BD . 3.5 BA . approx 2,193 sf . panoramic ocean whitewater views . basement . 1000 bottle wine room . AC . 4-car parking | $3,349,000

- COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE -

L A U R E N C A L R E

F O R B E S

0 1 2 9 5 2 4 8

call | text 310.901.8512 Lauren@ForbesCorrales.com

JOHN

CORRALES

C A L R E

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call | text 310.346.3332 John@ForbesCorrales.com

©2017 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo service marks are registered or pending registrations owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Broker does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size or other information concerning the condition or features of property provided by seller or obtained from public records or other sources, and the buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals.

CREST ROAD, ROLLING HILLS

Sitting on 2.4 acres this beautiful estate is complete with 5 beds, 6 baths, 5,955 sq. ft. main house, a 600+ sq. ft. guest house, 3-car garage, pool, spa and gym overlooking ocean and Catalina views. $5,900,000

Gordon Inman 310.936.1979

The Inman Team Inmanteam.com

KeIth Kelley 310.944.5554

SOUTHBAYCHAD Strikes Again!

CHAD HEITZLER FAHLBUSCH NW REAL ESTATE BROKERS

BRE#01346526

WWW.SOUTHBAYCHAD.COM Email:CHAD@SOUTHBAYCHAD.COM

310.600.3555

TOP INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE LENDER in Total Purchase Volume in Southern California

Your Mortgage, Your Terms Loans to $15 Million Unlimited cash out Local appraisers Fico down to 600 Creative solutions for Self-Employed borrowers Business funds allowed for down payment and reserves Non-occupying co-borrowers allowed Interest Only for investment properties RSU income allowed

MANHATTAN BEACH BRANCH 1230 Rosecrans Avenue #402, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

844-247-6883 DAVID GENTRY

Branch Manager NMLS #243989

Discover a mortgage team that provides the service you deserve.

Discover a mortgage team that has the right loan product to fit your specific needs.

ERIC FORMILLER

Branch Manager NMLS #485383

Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS ID#6606. Not all appli-cants will qualify. All options not available on all programs. Terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Top Independent Mortgage Lender status based on Jan-Dec 2016 total purchase volume for Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Di-ego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura & Imperial. © New American Funding. New American and New American Funding are registered trademarks of Broker Solutions Inc. dba New American Funding. All Rights Reserved. Corporate Office is located at 14511 Myford Road, Suite 100, Tustin CA 92780. Phone (800) 450-2010. 1/2018

Discover New American Funding.

Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated

JUST SOLD

COMING SOON

3557 ASHWOOD AVENUE, LOS ANGELES

124 38TH PLACE, MANHATTAN BEACH

4 BEDS, 4.5 BATHS | 2,822 SQ. FT. (APPROX.) | $2,465,000 | REP. SELLER

3 BEDS, 3.5 BATHS | 1,950 SQ. FT. (APPROX.) | CALL FOR PRICING

JUST LISTED

JUST SOLD

469 29TH STREET, MANHATTAN BEACH

2309 WALNUT AVENUE, MANHATTAN BEACH

4 BEDS, 3 BATHS | 1,504 SQ. FT. (APPROX.) | $2,295,000

5 BEDS, 4.5 BATHS | 4,432 SQ. FT. (APPROX.) | $3,875,000 | REP. BUYER

T H E VA N Z A N T E N G R O U P. C O M

We know the market. If you’re thinking of buying or selling give us a call!

JIM VAN ZANTEN 310.466.1004

ROB DEPAOLI 310.896.5343

OMEGA VALENTE 323.612.7403

WALT SPADONE 310.345.7350

CO-CEO, BROKER, CAL BRE #00544011

REALTOR®, CAL BRE #01918925

REALTOR®, CALBRE #01998742

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, REALTOR®, CALBRE #0143434

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CalBRE #00868304

310 753-6738 CindyChew.com CindyChew@earthlink.net

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SOLD | HERMOSA BEACH

FINDING EXTRAORDINARY HOMES FOR MY CLIENTS SINCE 2004

SOLD | MANHATTAN BEACH

SOLD | MANHATTAN BEACH

DIANA TURNER 310.213.2450 diana.turner@vistasir.com LosAngelesBeachHome.com e-Pro, BA CalBRE# 01442365

Your opportunity to make memories where the Tree Section meets American Martyrs!

Beach-side home with mid-century modern style and income potential.

724 13th Street, Manhattan Beach | Offered at $2,200,000!

4310 Ocean, Manhattan Beach | Sold for $1,500,000!

I offer custom solutions for your real estate needs and enjoy working closely with my clients to ensure they find a South Bay home they can fall in love with.

From the hill to the sand, I’ll help you find your next home, call me!

SUSIE DONAHOE REALTOR ®, CALBRE# 00569175

310.529.2297 susie.donahoe@vistasir.com

vistasir.com EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

COMING SOON!

2822 COLT RD

RAN CH O PALOS VERD ES DAN O’CONNOR 310-261-7756 Dan@OConnorProperty.com BRE# 01384632

C R E AT I N G V I D E O F O R YO U R L I S T I N G S I S O N LY E X P E N S I V E I F N O O N E I S WAT C H I N G .

H o m e F i l m s i s t h e o n l y f u l l y i n t e g r a t e d , r e a l e s t a t e v i d e o p ro d u c t i o n a n d d i g i t a l distribution package. Our talented filmmaking artistically tells the story of what m a k e s yo u r l i s t i n g u n i q u e . A n d o u r t a r g e t e d d i g i t a l d i s t r i b u t i o n e n s u r e s t h a t t h e r i g h t p o t e n t i a l b u y e r s a r e s e e i n g yo u r p ro p e r t y i n t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l l i g h t .

BEST IN CLASS FILMMAKERS

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S M A RT D I S T R I B U T I O N

Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n : M a r c i e G u t i e r r e z a t 4 2 4 . 2 2 0 . 6 3 3 7 o r m a r c i e @ g o l d e n s t a t e . i s .

last but not least

Something to Fall Back On So you want to be an artist? Don’t tell your family.

WRITTEN BY LISSA KAPSTROM ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE GEORGIADES

I am a creative person. It’s something I’ve known about myself since experiencing the thrill of drawing a Thanksgiving hand turkey in first grade. The fact that five digits could become a beloved holiday bird blew my mind. I never looked at my hand the same way again. I never looked at anything the same way again.

My childhood was spent endlessly drawing, painting and writing. Heaven was being alone in my room, crosslegged on my pink shag carpet, creating the perfect piece of art to give to my crush, Tim, who by seeing how gifted I was would realize I was his soul mate and dump stupid Gina the prom queen. I had so much inside me that needed to be expressed. It was as natural as breathing. My “Paradise Lost” moment occurred after proudly showing my father one of my many masterpieces. His response was, “You should enlist in the military.”

Part of becoming an artist is doubting you’re going to be one. This is a result of the messages from your family.

They squash your dreams because they love. They don’t want you to starve to death or, worse, never move out of the house. You straddle a life between being a sane person with a paying job and pursuing your passion. As much as it would’ve made my dad happy to see me in the cockpit of an F-16 fighter jet, I went to art school.

Fueled by a healthy dose of “I’ll show them!”—I got a degree in painting, became a set designer and was actually able to pay rent, pretty much. But during one particularly vulnerable period when I was “between jobs,” my dad sent me an Air Force recruitment brochure with

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a note that said, “Something to fall back on.” This was a pivotal moment. What was I doing with my life? It was time to make a responsible decision, so I became a comedy writer. Comedy writers made more money than set designers when they were actually working.

When I landed my first staff writing job, I could finally say “Ha!” to all the haters and doubters—especially the ones inside my head. But I was thrown when I discovered that another writer on staff was going to law school at night. Even though he was making a six-figure salary at 25, his parents wanted him to have a real job. Were they right? I felt for my colleague who, exhausted after a long day of pitching clueless dad jokes, would race across town to his Constitutional Criminal Procedure class at USC. What was he chasing? And should I follow him? It takes courage to live life with no net.

And speaking of no net, I married another writer. His father also wanted him to go to law school. This was ironic because his dad was a successful film composer, whose own father wanted him to go to medical school, even though he was a concert violinist. I found an odd comfort in the fact that family doubt is eternal. But its kryptonite is passion, because a creative person has no choice but to create.

My son has shown talent as a writer and a composer, but he’s a cognitive science major at Yale. I thought I dodged a bullet until he called last week and announced that he’s thinking of switching his major to English, with a minor in music. As I try to breathe, the legacy continues. ■

Providence Little Company of Mary A D D S N A T I O N A L LY R A N K E D

“Top Hospital” TO THE COLLECTION

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance is honored to add another award to our growing collection: “Top Hospital 2017” from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that reports on hospital performance. “Top Hospital”awards go to the highest performing hospitals, with the safest practices and best quality care. These designations represent our commitment to providing excellent care with compassion to the community we serve, and we are happy to share these honors with you.

To find out more, visit us online at providence.org/torrance or call us at 888-HEALING (432-5464).

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