Southbay - May/June 2017

TH E

OURSOU T HBAY.COM

MEN'S ISSUE

SIX DOLLARS

MAY/JUNE 2017

Great things come in MINI packages

We have the all-new 2017 MINI Countryman in stock and the Hybrid is on its way.

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Ferrari South Bay is one of the latest additions to the Mattioli Automotive Group, North America’s premiere Ferrari dealership group comprised of Ferrari Beverly Hills, Ferrari Silicon Valley, and the newly added Ferrari Westlake.

Conveniently located at the base of Palos Verdes, Ferrari South Bay offers new and pre-owned Ferrari sales, service, restoration, Classiche certification, and genuine Ferrari parts to Southern California’s affluent coastline communities such as Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, and Long Beach. We are committed to delivering exceptional service aimed at the full satisfaction of each Ferrari Customer.

Passion and performance are at the heart of every vehicle that bears the Prancing Horse emblem and is the driving force behind everything we do at Ferrari South Bay. We invite you to visit the breathtaking 2-story, 23,000 square foot showroom and service center that hosts a selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris.

Take for example the sporty, elegant and versatile California T. This innovative, turbocharged hardtop convertible melds signature Ferrari driving pleasure with versatility, making it the perfect sports car. Customized lease opportunities for the California T are available through Ferrari Financial Services.

To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, please contact our Ferrari South Bay Sales Associates or Service Manager.

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MAY/JUNE 2017

WHERE WE LIVE 30 Itinerary

44 Design

Man About Town

Stylish Doghouses

34 Q&A

46 Arts

Dual Discourse

Composer Jack Allocco

36 Palate

48 Weekender

Perfect Mint Julep

38 Style File

Men’s Swim Trunks

40 Entrepreneurs

HippyTree 42 Media

Portland Beer Crawl

52 Datebook

South Bay Event Calendar

54 Seen

Who’s Who Around Town

Dating Apps

30

44 Also ...

65

46

oursouthbay.com

Table

Local chefs share favorite recipes

114 Profiles

Finance & Wealth Management On the Cover

Joe Bark and son enjoy an epic paddleboard break.

Photographed by Bryce Lowe-White

MAY/JUNE 2017, SOUTHBAY

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MAY/JUNE 2017

FEATURES 76

Two’s Company

With the help of a friend and local interior designer, a Manhattan Beach resident creates a beachfront oasis for himself and his daughter.

82 The Fisher Kings

Camera in hand, a local photographer hits the piers of the South Bay to meet the men who dot the railings of early morning and late afternoon, when the fish below are plentiful and hungry.

88 Not Just an Average Joe

For retired fireman, board shaper and family man Joe Bark, the phrase “the good life” translates to the simple joys of good people and a life lived in the water.

98

Manning Up

Middle age is filled with challenges, and for many men one of them is low levels of testosterone. We offer a breakdown of the hormone and a candid look at the latest treatments.

102 Good Sports

Athleticism and altruism often go hand-in-hand. For these four men, melding a passion for sport with a commitment to philanthropy always translates to a big win.

108 Gentleman’s Getaway

A 350-year-old English estate, just outside London, boasts an unexpectedly American heritage.

102

88 82

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

GROUP PUBLISHER

Darren Elms

Jared Sayers

ART DIRECTOR

ADVERTISING Account Executive | Erika Carrion

Michelle Villas

310-897-2424 | erika@moontidemedia.com

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Account Executive | Marcie Gutierrez

Laura Watts

424-220-6337 | marcie@moontidemedia.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Account Executive | Amy Tetherow

Christine Georgiades

424-220-6338 | amy@moontidemedia.com

FOOD & WINE EDITOR

Account Executive | Dale Tiffany

Bonnie Graves

310-663-4609 | dt@moontidemedia.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Account Executive | Robin Sanders

Kara Mickelson, Jennie Nunn

818-427-2050 | robin@moontidemedia.com

WRITERS Linda Grasso, Ian Freshman, Terry Gardner, Kathleen Laccinole, Stefan Slater, Marlene Stang, Steven Stiefel, Rich Thomas, Jack Zellweger

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeff Berting, Siri Berting, Kremer Johnson, Ricky Lesser, Bryce Lowe-White, Kara Mickelson, Kat Monk, Shane O’Donnell, Lauren Pressey, Claudio Santini, Jack Zellweger

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 Associate Brand Publisher | Cherice Tatum Director of Digital | Charles Simmons Director of Film & Video | Bryce Lowe-White Art Director | Angela Akers Operations Manager | Allison Jeackjuntra Marketing Manager | Rachel Gotko Marketing Manager | 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 Moon Tide Media, LLC. Any and all submissions to this or any Moon Tide Media, LLC publication become the property of Moon Tide Media, LLC and may be used in any media. We reserve the right to edit.

TO OUR READERS Southbay magazine welcomes your feedback.

Please send letters to: Reader Response Department, Southbay Magazine, 200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110, El Segundo, CA 90245. Please include your name, address and email. Edited letters may be published.

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200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110, El Segundo, CA 90245 Tel 310-376-7800 | Fax 310-376-0200 | MoonTideMedia.com | OurSouthbay.com oursouthbay.com

MAY/JUNE 2017, SOUTHBAY

25

EDITOR’S LETTER

Men of Distinction

I

n recent months, I’ve done quite a bit of thinking about what it means to “be a man.” To be 100% transparent, I avoid this kind of categorical thinking because it opens the door to so many predicable stereotypes—like strength, ambition, honor, virility, to name a few. But I feel it’s a valuable conversation.

There has been much discussion in the media and on the streets—and rightly so—about women’s rights, protections and perceptions … about gender … yet we don’t often go deep into the condition of men. Do we take “manliness” at its word, or perhaps find his attributes too sacred or inflexible to evolve with time?

Where do empathy, engagement and equality fit into the modern man’s life?

This question was at the front of my mind when planning this edition, our second annual Men’s Issue. I sought to tell stories of South Bay men who not only embodied the time-honored qualities we associate with the male identity but also some less obvious ones, such as a generous spirit of compassion, affection, nurturing and charity. I truly hope we succeeded in that goal.

Our cover story on Joe Bark looks closer at one of the most admired and wellrounded men of our community. A native, retired Redondo fireman, family man, renowned board shaper and philanthropist, Joe is the South Bay’s version of a Renaissance man. We’re fortunate to be able to share his life here … and also with our latest South Bay Strong film coming to our website (oursouthbay.com) and social channels this month.

In our “Good Sports” feature, we get to know the men behind two of the most visible organizations in town, The Jimmy Miller Foundation and Tour de Pier, which also happens to kick off in May. We hope you’ll lend an ear, a hand or your dollars to these worthy groups and their causes.

Another highlight of the issue comes from a young Manhattan Beach photographer who approached us about documenting the fishermen who line the various piers along our coast each morning. His sincere and intimate portraits not only poke windows into his subjects but also offer us a glimpse at this budding documentarian’s artistry. Well done, Jack!

Darren Elms

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SOUTHBAY, MAY/JUNE 2017

oursouthbay.com

CONTRIBUTORS

- Established 1997 -

Jeff Berting PHOTOGRAPHER

“Good Sports” Jeff is an advertising and editorial photographer who lives in Manhattan Beach. “I love living and shooting in the South Bay with all the diversity it has in people and their activities,” he says. “One day it’s in the ocean shooting surfing, and the next it’s cowboys roping cattle.

There aren’t too many places that provide that kind of variety and visual eye candy.” jeffberting.com

INSPIRED WEALTH MANAGEMENT FOR INSPIRED LIVING

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“Man About Town” An LA native, Rich has been writing about music and pop culture for 14 years. A former editor at Raygun, he now creates the official festival magazines for Coachella and Electric Daisy Carnival. He was raised on Kings hockey and old-school hip-hop.

VINCE A. DiLEVA MS, CFP®, AIF® Senior Partner

OUR SERVICES Portfolio Management Financial Planning Retirement Planning Philanthropic and Family Foundation Management

Jack Zellweger PHOTOGRAPHER

“The Fisher Kings” 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.

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MAY/JUNE 2017, SOUTHBAY

27

WHERE WE LIVE

Hey, Dude Writer Rich Thomas wants you to join him for a cup of joe at his favorite breakfast joint.

WHERE WE LIVE | ITINERARY

Man About Town Our contributing writer wants you to tag along on his perfect South Bay day.

WRITTEN BY RICH

THOMAS O’DONNELL

PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE

T

he modern man is strange and complex. Sixty minutes of prime time TV viewing would tell you our persona is trapped somewhere between the bumbling frat dad drunk on Totino’s and NFL Sunday Ticket, and the marathon-running manscaper who enjoys rosé—but only at brunch. The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle. If we are defined by what we consume, the company we keep and what we do for our community, then the crux of our identity lies within our daily routine. So I set out to find happiness and balance in the South Bay—and somewhere in the process hopefully find out who we are.

7 a.m. Good Morning

Ocean Diner, 959 Aviation Boulevard Black coffee, orange juice and a big bowl of oatmeal with all the fixin’s … because I’m no longer young enough to eat chilaquiles with a side order of regret for breakfast. At 9 a.m. on a Saturday, the joint is jumping with a line out the door. But at 7 a.m. on a Thursday, it’s you at the counter with a Beach Reporter and the music of the 1940s wafting through the speakers. The regulars will make you feel young, and the walls are papered with periodicals you’d find in a steamer trunk that belonged to your grandpa, that manly sonofabitch. If you’re craving something a bit more filling, go for the Suzy’s Crunchy French toast or Manny’s Skillet. Just make sure you fill up the tank. You’ve got a big day ahead.

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oursouthbay.com

9 a.m. Anything-But-Basic Training

Triton MMA Training Center, 1400 Aviation Boulevard An iron paradise with an unassuming, openair yard that boasts a boxing ring, free weights, soft green field turf underfoot and enough room to circuit train your quads into oblivion.

Triton is your neighborhood gym filled with your neighbors—not a bunch of imported knuckle-draggers from the next town over lured in by the letters “MMA” like moths to a flame. And you won’t find the selfie brigade here either. Just people like you who are trying to live longer and look good doing it. And maybe Blake Griffin. Big John Marsh will train him, you and your kid brother. He and partner Mitch Tavera use the tactics and training they’ve gleaned from years of experience in the field and distill them down to fundamentals that even beginners can handle.

11:30 a.m. A Shave and a Shop

Deep Pocket Jean Company, 200 Pier Avenue Put aside the mildly unnerving fact that you’ve got a complete stranger with a razor-sharp instrument inches from your jugular. If you’ve never treated yourself to a straight-razor shave, you’re missing out—and the gentlemen at Deep Pocket deliver. The closeness is unmatched, the hot towel treatment and badger brush lathering are luxurious, and the post-shave balm is manly without being overly aggressive. Book the hot towel shave and ask for Sean. But the shave is only the beginning. Browse from a curated selection of raw denim, cotton buttondowns, watches, flasks, socks and grooming products. Despite its relatively small footprint, Deep Pocket is loaded with the type of goods that men put on their Christmas lists but sadly never receive. So treat yourself.

2 p.m. Recharge

SunLife Organics, 451 Manhattan Beach Boulevard A selection of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, bowls and superfood shakes will provide enough nourishment to power you through the afternoon without bogging you down with carbs. It’s hard to stay away from the Wolverine—the almond butter-and-date combination is the business—but the Brazilian Bowl is perfect if you’re looking for something a little brighter and more substantial. Feeling spendy?

Throw down for the Billion Dollar Smoothie.

Don’t know your cumin from your colloidal silver? Let Brad help you out. “But smoothies aren’t lunch,” you say. Guess what? A bowl of cereal isn’t dinner, but when has that ever stopped you?

WHERE WE LIVE | ITINERARY

3 p.m. Unplug

Manhattan Beach Library, 1320 Highland Avenue That small but intimidating stack of books you’ve been beating yourself up about for not jumping into? Grab one, put it in your bag and head to the library. I know you love that Kindle, but it’s not a book, and text messages still ambush you from behind the digital pages of your iPad. Men read books made with paper they can actually turn. Don’t have space in your home for a collection? I get it.

Pass the book along to someone else, or better yet, drop it off to the librarian and donate it—but only after you leave a note somewhere within its pages.

5:30 p.m. Eco-Cardio

Aviation Park, 1935 Manhattan Beach Boulevard The Strand is great, but it can turn into a mini-405. And there are bars lurking. A few laps around the Aviation Track at dusk gives your mind some time to breathe, and the rubberized composite is easy on the knees.

Year-round sports—from club soccer to youth football practice—mean lots of activity. It also means lots of half-empty water bottles, used athletic tape and protein bar wrappers. On your cool-down lap, pick up trash and deposit it in one of the many bins around the track.

Burn calories; save the planet.

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7:30 p.m. Sustenance

S+W, 117 Pier Avenue If you weren’t in the mood for either steak or whiskey—and I’m assuming not interested in life—you might have ambled right past the blacked-out façade of this cozy American eatery. About six months ago they rebranded, opening up the windows, abbreviating their name and opting for a slightly less carnivorous menu. The result: a warm, clatter-free atmosphere with one flat-screen for the game du jour and lots of bottles to stare at—because guys like bottles with pretty labels.

There are many manly bites to choose from.

Order the fully dressed 8-ounce filet with a side of grilled green beans. To drink, Sex For Breakfast: a rye and apple brandy concoction with a smooth finish, just as its namesake would imply. Sit at a high chair by the window for Pier Avenue eye candy, or grab a seat at the bar and have the bartender pour you one of the many whiskeys and scotches on hand. The 110 proof Pikesville Straight Rye will change your life.

10 p.m. The Nightcap

The Bull Pen, 314 Avenue I Family owned and operated since 1948, The Bull Pen is a South Bay institution. It boasts one of the best burgers in the area, and there’s as much variety in the clientele as there is in their selection of schnapps and liqueurs. At 10

years behind the bar, Kevin is still “the new guy,” so you know “the usual” will hit your coaster before your butt hits the seat. Every other Wednesday night, the silver-haired, golden-throated Mike Forbes plays along to the classics you know and love. The tenor sax is for Hall & Oates; the flute is for Jethro Tull.

Your drink? A Maker’s Manhattan, stirred not shaken, so as to not bruise the booze. Too heavy? Hendrick’s and tonic with an extra lime. Because you earned it. 

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WHERE WE LIVE | Q&A

Dual Discourse As individuals, Raam Tambe and Jerry Wang are skilled teen competitors with distinct personalities and skills. As a team, they are high school debate’s reigning national champions. End of discussion.

INTERVIEWED BY DARREN PHOTOGRAPHED BY KREMER

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SOUTHBAY, MAY/JUNE 2017

ELMS

JOHNSON

Hey guys, tell us how you both got into debate.

Jerry Wang: My mom pushed me into the activity when I was in sixth grade. I hated it.

I wasn’t terrified of public speaking, per se, but at that time I’d rather be swimming or hanging out with friends. I started out doing

oursouthbay.com

Q&A | WHERE WE LIVE

an expository speech event—no debating involved. And after winning first place at a local tournament, I thought, “Hey maybe this won’t be so bad after all.” The next class session, though, a new coach walked in: Scott Wheeler. Little did I know I’d be spending my next seven years with him. He cultivated my interest in the activity.

Raam Tambe: My older brother was, and still is, heavily involved in debate. My decision to join debate was primarily just me following his footsteps.

How did you get teamed up with each other?

JW: After being mentored by Mr. Wheeler for three years in middle school, I decided to follow him to Palos Verdes where he’d be coaching debate at Peninsula High.

Although going to Peninsula was mainly to continue learning under Wheeler’s guidance, I also already knew Raam from middle school debate and knew how good he was. I was hoping I could debate with him.

dynamic—especially since we have quite different personalities and views on debate.

against our new affirmative. Raam and I had to rise above expectations to win the round.

What have you guys accomplished as a team so far?

How about the worst?

JW: Winning the 2016 national championship. Everything we had done that year was geared toward the ultimate prize. Not only had we both invested our summers into researching and reading about the topic, but we also gave up a lot of leisure time during the school year, attempting to become experts in the resolution’s literature base.

RT: We’re also the only intact team in history to win the Montgomery Bell Academy Tournament twice, a highly competitive and exclusive tournament in Nashville. We won this tournament for the second time going undefeated and receiving 18 out of 18

JW: Despite our drastically different personalities, we actually work well as a team.

We have different strengths and weaknesses, which makes us great complements to each other. This allows us to effectively wield and execute a wide variety of arguments and develop creative strategies. We also have different opinions on how the game operates, which helps us test each other’s ideas while we’re still developing them. Usually if one of us is lost or confused, the other knows exactly what to do.

RT: Often we’ll disagree about strategic decisions, and it creates a very interesting

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What’s next?

RT: For now, summer vacation. Last year I spent 110 days away from home—eight weeks of which were over the summer. Since our first tournament is in September and the last tournament in June, I really haven’t had a significant break in high school.

RT: I’m not sure where I’ll be going to college yet, but potentially college debate.

After that, I’m not sure what I want to do, but likely law school or I’ll try to get a doctorate. I plan on studying something social science-related, whether that be economics, sociology or history.

JW: He didn’t want to debate with me.

He was fixated on Lincoln Douglas debate, which was one-on-one—no partnerships.

Raam was already successful in the event and saw no reason to switch to policy debate to team up with me.

How does that partnership work when debating or competing?

JW: Raam has a severe peanut allergy and almost went into anaphylactic shock while we were in Utah after eating a mole sauce that contained peanuts. That was pretty scary.

What about after high school?

RT: We actually weren’t planning on being partners when we were freshman—or at least I wasn’t.

RT: I thought that I would just stick with that for four years. The year Jerry and I stepped on campus, Coach Wheeler insisted I do policy with Jerry. He couldn’t have given better advice.

RT: The moments where you know you have nothing to say and have to put something together in the limited time you have before your speech.

possible ballots, as well as being recognized as the top two individual speakers. We’ve won other titles at major national tournaments such as winning the UC Berkeley Tournament, a tournament of over 200 teams, the Greenhill Tournament, the St. Marks tournament, as well as a few other invite-only round-robins across the country.

JW: We won the Baker Cup with one tournament left. We were also both sick with a severe stomach flu, which didn’t make it any easier.

What was your most thrilling moment?

JW: Quarterfinals of the Tournament of Champions. At arguably the hardest tournament of the year, Raam and I were up against Glenbrook North—a team we were 0-2 against that year. Glenbrook North is known for their tricky style of debating, and they read an incredibly strategic position

JW: I’m planning to major in philosophy.

After undergraduate school, I want to go to law school. My dream job is to become a Supreme Court justice.

Does debate extend into other parts of your life?

JW: I use my speech and debate skills every day. By evaluating the intricacies of different arguments, I’ve developed my critical thinking skills, increased my persuasiveness, heightened my decisionmaking abilities, enhanced my creativity and had my personal beliefs challenged—all useful traits that play a key component in school, other activities or even just daily interactions.

RT: I personally feel incredibly indebted to debate. It helped me find my voice and amplify it. Politically, ideologically and ethically, debate has shaped who I am through a constant process of research and argumentation. No single experience could have been more valuable to my development as a person. 

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WHERE WE LIVE | PALATE

Southern Comfort Your mint julep just got a bit fresher.

WRITTEN, STYLED & PHOTOGRAPHED BY KARA

MICKELSON

W

hether you’re headed to Kentucky and are truly “off to the races” or you’re planning your celebration at home, you will want to dive into the culture that makes Derby Day so popular. That means, among other things, getting acquainted with the iconic mint julep.

There are the flamboyant fashion statements and a type of energy and enthusiasm that harkens back to earlier times. While the races draw the crowds, it’s easy to get sidetracked by the heady scent of mint and bourbon. Center stage: the mint julep—the official race cocktail, representing Southern hospitality and the glamour, pomp and circumstance of the occasion.

Served in traditional sterling silver julep cups with crushed or shaved ice, the mint julep is essential to the Derby festivities, while not necessarily a local favorite. There is something about the fresh mint and bourbon that sets the festive mood.

And when properly fashioned, it is a thirstquenching, refreshing drink with a hint of mint on a hot Southern day. Or unfortunately, when poorly crafted, the mint julep is something similar to overly sweet mouthwash.

For some it’s not so much the exact amount of mint or bourbon or ice—as that can be attributed to personal taste—but more the ritual and finesse in making the drink that makes all the difference.

So crank up the tunes, put on “One Mint Julep”

by The Clovers and get to work.

And while you are setting the scene and practicing your bartending skills for a Derby Day fete, be sure to research the infamous Hot Brown—a Kentucky staple and a good fallback when a little too much bourbon has coursed through your veins. The thick Mornay cheese sauce and white bread—layered with sliced turkey and topped with Parmesan cheese, bacon and tomato—is the perfect counterpoint to a day of indulgence … or after a day perfecting your julep. 

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PALATE | WHERE WE LIVE

PERFECT MINT JULEPS Serves 1 (Make these from scratch per request)

2½ teaspoons demerara, turbinado or coconut palm sugar (or for a larger group, 2½ teaspoons simple syrup) splash or two of water, to taste 5 to 6 fresh mint leaves (tear extra-large leaves) 12 ounces crushed or shaved ice to overfill cup 2 jiggers or 3 ounces high-proof Kentucky bourbon garnish: fresh mint sprig, lime wedge and strawberry (optional) fruit additions: fresh muddled strawberries, raspberries, peaches Add sugar or simple syrup, splash of water and mint leaves to pewter, silver or copper julep cup.

Give it a quick stir, then fill half full with crushed or shaved ice. Pour bourbon over ice and stir with a bar spoon or swizzle stick until a frost appears on the outside of the cup. Top julep cup with more ice and add a sprig of mint and a lime wedge or fruit garnish.

SIMPLE SYRUP 2 cups water 2 cups turbinado or coconut palm sugar

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Stir sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Chill in refrigerator.

Tips: Whack the mint sprig on the back of your hand to release the oils. Skip muddling the mint and instead gently stir the mint with the bourbon and sugar to release the oils from the leaves and minimize the medicinal flavor from over-muddling. Julep cups keep your drink chilled and add a nice touch.

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WHERE WE LIVE | STYLE FILE

1

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2

3

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STYLE FILE | WHERE WE LIVE

6

5

4

Trunk Show

Spice up swim season with a stroke of color and a whimsical pattern.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE

O’DONNELL

1.

Baja Kraken Up trunks with SPF 30 sun protection, $88; Tommy Bahama at Manhattan Village, tommybahama.com

3.

Pineblo trunks with elasticized waist by Ted Baker, $105; Nordstrom at Del Amo Fashion Center, nordstrom.com

2.

Karma by Quiksilver, $55; Nikau Kai Surf/Coffee, nikaukai.com

4.

The Tugu by Deus Ex Machina, $89; Nikau Kai Surf/Coffee, nikaukai.com

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5.

Kids Hammer Time board short

by Munster, $55; Gum Tree Kids, gumtreela.com

6.

Flat Plaid trunks by Mr. Swim, $65; Nordstrom at Del Amo Fashion Center, nordstrom.com

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WHERE WE LIVE | ENTREPRENEURS

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ENTREPRENEURS | WHERE WE LIVE

Surf & Stone With an environmental mindset, two Hermosa dudes rely on grass roots to launch a successful men’s clothing line.

EDITED BY DARREN

ELMS LESSER

PHOTOGRAPHED BY RICKY

A

fter graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2000 with a degree in graphic design, Andrew Sarnecki landed a job as a designer at Body Glove—the renowned wetsuit company headquartered in the South Bay. An avid surfer who grew up in Los Angeles, Andrew knew he wanted to work in the surf industry.

During the next six years, he learned the ropes of the graphic and product design business at Body Glove and also pursued surf journalism, earning photo credits in major surf publications. “It was a pipe dream to one day run my own surfwear label,” shares Andrew. “But I went out on a limb and began selling South Bay-inspired T-shirts to the local surf shops.”

The T-shirt graphics were a hit among the retailers, and a small business materialized out of his Hermosa Beach bedroom. Andrew branded the tees under the name HippyTree, a play on his “Hippy” nickname.

In 2005 Andrew teamed up with his childhood surfing buddy Josh Sweeney, and between surfing and day jobs the duo drove up and down the coast selling HippyTree tees, sweatshirts and hats to any surf shop that would give them the time of day. Their Hermosa Beach rental house and garage served as a design studio and warehouse.

“I attribute much of our early success to the iconic South Bay surf shops: Spyder Surf, Becker, ET Surf, Dive N’ Surf and Surf Concepts,” says Andrew. “They gave the brand an early shot and stocked its merchandise next to the major industry players. Support from the local retailers validated the HippyTree brand and helped pave the way for future success.”

Indeed, HippyTree was inspired by the hard work South Bay predecessors put into pioneering the surf industry. The 8th Street Hermosa Beach rental house where HippyTree was born is adjacent to the surfboard factories on Cypress Street, where several prominent shapers also got their start.

“We could often smell the fumes from the surfboard glassing that was taking place on the other side of fence,” Andrew recalls. “The surf industry has largely migrated to Orange County, but HippyTree is stoked to

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have set up shop in the South Bay where it all began.”

On weekends Andrew and Josh often wake up, walk down the hill on 8th Street, catch a surf at the Hermosa Pier, grab a breakfast sandwich and lunch to-go at Ashley’s Deli, load up the truck with climbing equipment, head out to Malibu Creek or Stony Point and spend the afternoon climbing until the sun goes down. “The opportunity to surf and climb in the same day no doubt inspires our ‘surf and stone’ platform,” says Andrew.

The company has been environmentally focused since inception, printing tees on 100% organic cotton back in 2005—an uncommon practice at the time. As a nature-inspired brand with an environmentally-conscious mindset, there was a sense of obligation to source eco-friendly raw materials when possible.

HippyTree also started experimenting with printing using water-based and nontoxic inks and learned they were not only earth-friendly but also had an amazingly soft hand. Down the line, HippyTree began incorporating recycled polyester made in part from plastic bottles into its board short fabrics. Now every product category—from tops to bottoms to headwear—includes products made from sustainable materials.

“Using eco-friendly materials can be challenging; they are not as readily available and are more costly,” explains Andrew. “But HippyTree is committed to doing its part to soften its footprint and produce environmentally responsible products.” 

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WHERE WE LIVE | MEDIA

FOR THE SERIAL SWIPER Tinder App

The Dating Game The good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to looking for that someone special— plus candid comments by two anonymous singles ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE

GEORGIADES

When all you want is the basics about a person. Set preferences like age range and distance, and pictures pop up. Swipe left if you don’t like; swipe right if you do. If the other person also swipes right and there is a “match,” both parties get a chance to read more about each other in profiles, and either party can reach out.

He says: Athough you may have heard otherwise, Tinder is not just for casual hookups. That said, beware of sexy body shots and dubious messages like “I live near LAX.” She says: I run when someone’s initial text is “Wazzup?” It means “I didn’t even bother to read your profile; I don’t really care what you are like.”

FOR WOMEN WHO WANT THE UPPER HAND Bumble App Both parties can “like” each other, but only women can reach out.

In the case of a match, the female has 24 hours to contact the guy. If she does not, he disappears. With that element, being on Bumble can feel like playing a game.

He says: The girls on Bumble seem hotter. There sure are better photos on there—many seem like professionals took them.

She says: I like the fact that I have more control. Beware of gimmicks though, like having to pay a fee to get the guy back after he disappears.

FOR THE DETAIL-ORIENTED Match.com This fee-based dating service requires users to divulge more information, filling out forms and personal statements. Singles can express themselves through various writing sections; profiles can include up to 26 photos; and users can set numerous preferences. Communication between members happens through an “anonymous” email network. Names and contact information are kept confidential until the member personally decides to share.

He says: I like the fact that you can go deep with preferences. I am a single father; I want to make sure women are okay with that.

She says: While Tinder and Bumble have a minimalistic, frank tone, lying on Match is common. And that’s kind of creepy considering the amount of time you spend sharing about yourself (through all the essays, etc.) when you sign up.

FOR RURAL ROMANTICS FarmersOnly.com With the slogan “City Folks Just Don’t Get It,” this fee-based site is not just for people who work in agriculture or live in rural areas. It is aimed at singles who are animal lovers, outdoor enthusiasts and appreciate the laid-back country lifestyle—regardless of where they actually live.

He says: Lots of Trump supporters and people who have a smalltown mentality are on this.

She says: I’m not a country girl by any stretch, but it seems like there are guys on it like me—they really want to meet someone to share their lives with. 

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WHERE WE LIVE | DESIGN

“M Man’s Best Friend Even South Bay dogs deserve a killer pad.

WRITTEN BY

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DARREN ELMS

ies van der Rohe once said, ‘I don’t want to be interesting. I want to be good,’” shares Alejandro Pijuan, who works as an associate senior designer at LA-based architecture firm Johnson Fain. While he says his job allows him to expand knowledge of his craft, he desired an outlet where he could experiment with a different perspective on design.

The Torrance-based professional joined forces with his wife, Sara, also with an architecture background, and they started Pijuan Design Workshop (PDW).

Their primary client? Your dog.

“We aspire to make exceptional design more accessible for the typical family,” he says of his stylish shelters. “Our custom dog house becomes a platform for individuals to bring this into their office, home or backyard.”

All of PDW’s doghouses are fully customizable, depending on the needs of the pet or owner—including size, functionality and style. “Once this is established, we work with a multitude of different amenities in what a dog might enjoy on a daily basis,” says Alejandro. “From accessible green roofs to partially covered sun decks to peekaboo windows and artificial turf, we design and integrate as much as we can.”

PDW is currently developing new doghouse models for their portfolio.

“These will be designed for the urbanite—” he adds, “the individual who lives in a loft, townhome or flat in which they do not have access to a backyard or any type of personal outdoor space. These individuals might have a small or medium-sized dog who deserves their own hideaway ... their own home.”

Additionally, Alejandro and Sara can combine a doghouse build with a furniture piece, like an end table or side table for space management. But is the product tested in the market?

“We have a 7-year-old Siberian Husky named Adilynn. She is a firm supporter of PDW and cheese.” 

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CONSIDERING A MAJOR REMODELING PROJECT?

Love Your Home Again!

Join one of our next educational seminars to learn more about remodeling for yourself.

THURSDAY JUNE 8 @ 6 PM TH

Gaining Space in Your Home

SATURDAY

ONE DISH DINNERS

TH

JUNE 10 @ 10 AM

MAY 31ST OR JUNE 14TH

Architectural Design & Remodeling

Visiting Chef Series featuring Simple Gourmet Kitchen

Seminars are held at our Design Center 2001 E. Mariposa Avenue, El Segundo

To RSVP or Learn More About Our Seminars: 310.815-4815 • VisitCustomDesign.com

License #524561

DESIGN / BUILD | KITCHENS / BATHS | REMODELING | ADDITIONS | NEW CONSTRUCTION

WHERE WE LIVE | ARTS

Winning Score Making music with Palos Verdes award-winning film and TV composer Jack Allocco WRITTEN BY DARREN

ELMS

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LAUREN

W

PRESSEY

hen we interviewed Jack Allocco for this story, he had just been nominated for another Daytime Emmy Award for his music compositions on The Young and the Restless (20 nominations so far and 10 statuettes to date).

“I think the interesting thing about Emmys is that they are awarded by the exclusive vote of your peers,” he shares. “Only composers can vote for other composers. To be honored by those who really understand your work is particularly rewarding.”

Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Jack’s mother was a big band singer and exposed him and his sister to all kinds of music at a young age. “Because of the weather in Rochester, I spent a lot of time indoors watching television and loved the music,” he says of his childhood. “I knew every main title and the names of all the composers.”

He began guitar lessons at age 4 and was pretty much self-taught until he met an amazing high school teacher named Ray Shahin.

“He taught me to sight-read all styles of music,” he says. “I went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in music theory from Nazareth College in Rochester and today am a trustee of that college. After graduation, I did graduate work at the University of Miami.”

Feeling young and restless himself, he knew the only way he was going to live his dream and compose music for television and film was to take a giant leap. That meant a move to Los Angeles, where he says he proceeded to starve to death. He remembers, “For the better part of six months I told my sister back in Rochester

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that I still didn’t have a job, but at least I was out of a much higher level of work.”

He finally landed a job playing piano at a restaurant in Toluca Lake, right around the corner from Warner Bros. Studio, where many of the actors he had grown up watching would come in as patrons.

Then a break. “One thing led to another, and I got a job as music director for the Hager Twins on the TV show Hee Haw,” Jack says.

“I later became music director and conductor for Robert Goulet and played lead guitar and toured with Australian songwriter and performer Peter Allen.”

David Kurtz, a personal friend, was the composer on The Young and the Restless (Y&R) and was leaving the show. “I asked him to get me an interview,” he explains. “The Y&R producers told me I was overqualified, but I managed to convince them to give me a try.”

Thirty years later, with a shelf of Emmy awards, he’s still playing their song.

His “underscore,” as it is called, is designed to enhance whatever the dramatic intention of the scene is—be it tension, romance, angst, danger, sex, etc. “That’s all mirrored in—and hopefully enriched by–the score,” he says.

“The challenge is to figure out what the director wants.”

Together with Kurtz he also wrote the main title theme and hundreds of hours of score for The Bold and the Beautiful, one of the most watched shows in the world, as well as music for numerous movies. He even wrote the alma mater for Marymount College in his hometown of Palos Verdes.

He’s had the privilege of performing at Carnegie Hall, the White House, in concert for the royal family in London, on stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, and he has conducted orchestras all over the world.

In addition to his Emmys, he’s proud of his 13 consecutive ASCAP Awards for the “Most Performed Themes and Underscore,” as well as two honorary doctorates.

As summer approaches, he looks forward to his workouts at the gym and maybe taking up golf again. He’s also preparing to teach a film scoring class and to lecture back East.

But when he’s not soaking up the South Bay sunshine or enjoying the company of his wife and kids, he’s back creating new music for his ongoing gig on Y&R. “That show gave me the opportunity to write all styles of music in massive quantities,” he says. “I’m very proud of my work there.” 

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ARTS | WHERE WE LIVE

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WHERE WE LIVE | WEEKENDER

HOP TO IT Many shades of beer color the vibrant brewery and pub scene of Portland.

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WEEKENDER | WHERE WE LIVE

Sip. Exercise.

Repeat.

Sampling brews in Portland by foot, bike and light rail WRITTEN BY TERRY

GARDNER

F

rom craft beer to saké, the Portland area is chock-full of fun on tap. It was too wet in March to hike, so we opted for a more intoxicating itinerary that included the light exercise of walking, cycling and beer-tasting arm curls.

DAY 1: BEGIN WITH BEER ... OF COURSE Our drinking adventure began with a Brewvana walking tour ($69 per person) and included a guide, tastings at four breweries, a beer-tasting notebook and a souvenir glass.

We took MAX Light Rail from the airport to Hotel deLuxe to drop off our bags, which made us late for our noon Brewvana South by Southeast tour. (Better idea: Fly with a backpack so you can take the MAX directly from the airport to your tour’s first brewery.)

By the time we arrived at Cascade Brewing Barrel House, Craig and Wendy—the other couple on the tour— had already finished their flights. Lizzy, our passionate beer guide, sprang into action—ordering our beer flights, outfitting us with a pretzel necklace for snacking and our beer-tasting notebook. Wendy booked this tour because Craig loves sour beer and Cascade is famous for its sours. I discovered I like sour beers too, while my buddy remains partial to IPAs. Our other stops were at Base Camp Brewing, ADX (aka Art Design Portland) and Burnside Brewery. Lizzy is a self-described “total beer nerd” and really takes delight in sharing the Portland craft beer experience.

We took a break from drinking to shop. (Note: a beer buzz makes shopping more fun.) And since Oregon has no

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WHERE WE LIVE | WEEKENDER

sales tax, the price you see is what you pay. So pack a credit card.

Our day wrapped with dinner at Labrewatory, where brewers are constantly experimenting to create new concoctions.

With the Doe! Si! Doh! Peanut Butter Stout, powdered peanut butter is added to the beer. Down 2 Funk Vol. 2 is a farmhouse saison made with wild yeast rather than strictly cultivated yeast. Despite our ongoing beer sampling, Tamale Boy’s tasty tamales soaked up enough alcohol for us to help our Uber driver find our hotel.

DAY 2: IMBIBING & BIKING We kicked off our second day with “donuts for grownups” at Blue Star Donuts. Locals may love the maple bacon donut, but we were blown away by the lemon poppyseed buttermilk.

My friend lingered for more shopping at the second-hand boutiques along East Burnside Street in southeast Portland, while I grabbed an Uber to Oregon City for a guided bike ride.

I met Thom Batty, The Bike Concierge at Coin Toss Brewery to try out his new 9-mile ride that includes tastings at a brewery, a winery and a distillery.

Tim Hohl, Coin Toss Brewery’s founder, says the name is a nod to the event that gave Portland its name. In 1845, two New England settlers—Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove— flipped a coin for naming rights. Lovejoy was from Boston, and Pettygrove was from Portland, Maine. (And yes, I toasted Pettygrove’s victory, while Batty sipped soda. He doesn’t drink and guide.)

From Coin Toss, we rode to Villa Catalana Cellars, where I enjoyed sampling the fruit of the vine and Trail Distilling, where the tour ended with my tasting handcrafted vodka and gin.(I think Batty should name the tour “The Legs and Liver Ride” because both get a workout.)

DAYS 3 & 4: THE DRINK GOES ON On the third day, our favorite stop was SakéOne Brewery in Forest Grove where Momokawa and Moonstone sakés are brewed. Be sure to take the brewery tour to learn about the intricacies of polishing, soaking and fermenting rice to create a world-class sake. The facility is called a Kura, and much of the equipment is imported from Japan.

We ended our trip with appetizers and beer at Breakside NW Slabtown, Portland’s 75 th brewery. While dining and imbibing, you can look at the brew tanks that are openly displayed at the far end of the restaurant. Breakside has great beer, a fun vibe, and the pickled vegetables knocked our socks off. I enjoyed a bottle of their Passionfruit Sour Ale, while my friend had a beer flight. Six more breweries are slated to open this year.

The thing that makes beer grazing in Portland such a carefree, amusing experience is the availability of light rail, Uber and Lyft. Most breweries we visited were less than 3/10 of a mile from light rail. So instead of driving, you can drink, walk and ride.

These days you can find craft beer almost anywhere from San Diego to San Francisco, but Portland beer tasting is fascinating and completely unpretentious. And so is the wine tasting.

And you don’t need to drink to enjoy Portland. It’s a coffee lover’s paradise, where independent baristas rule and Starbucks is pretty much limited to the airport. 

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Sip, Exercise, Repeat

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WHERE WE LIVE | DATEBOOK

SUMMER PRELUDE June 3

Manhattan Wine Auction

“C’est Magnifique” at the 23rd annual event and fundraiser for the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation. More than 2,000 guests will sample the best in food and wine while bidding on silent and live auctions. 4:30 p.m., Manhattan Country Club, manhattanwineauction.com June 3–23

Last Remaining Seats

Films presented as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen, in a beautiful theatre. The series will travel to the South Bay for the very first time for two screenings at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro. Highlights include On the Waterfront and Jaws. laconservancy.org/last-remaining-seats.

June 15

Southbay HOME Design & Wine

Presented by Amara Rugs, this kick off to the new series will feature designers Kate Lester, Kimberly Coletti and Sara Balough, plus local vendors and plenty of wine pours. 6 to 9 p.m. at the Moon Tide Media offices in El Segundo. oursouthbay.com

May 11 Go Red for Women Luncheon American Red Cross goredforwomen.org

13 VERTE: Grades of Green Annual Fundraiser 5:30 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton, Marina Del Rey gradesofgreen.org

19, 20 & 21 Sophisticated Snoop Home Tour

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., American Martyrs 310-327-9572

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CONTENDERS Above: El Segundo Art Walk. Below: On the Waterfront and Brando at the Warner Grand.

21 Tour de Pier

7:30 a.m., Manhattan Beach Pier tourdepier.com

22 Providence Little Company of Mary Golf Classic 6 a.m., Palos Verdes Golf Club california.providence.org

June 15 El Segundo Art Walk

5 to 9 p.m., Downtown El Segundo elsegundoartwalk.com

10 & 11 Palos Verdes Street Fair and Music Festival 10 a.m., Norris Center and Deep Valley Drive pvstreetfair.com

16–25 3-D Theatricals presents Oklahoma!

8 p.m. and 2 p.m. (Sunday), Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center 3dtheatricals.com

24 & 25 Riviera Village Summer Festival

10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Riviera Village rvsummerfestival.com

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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN

Taste & Toast

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO

Foodies unite! Southbay magazine rounded up some of the best culinary minds of the Beach Cities and invited readers to come “Taste & Toast.” Guests poured into the Custom Design & Construction Design Center and dined on delicious dishes from Sausal, Paul Martin’s American Grill and The Simple Gourmet Kitchen.

Sugar Dayne gave locals a first look at their intricate cookies that will be sold at their first storefront on Pier Avenue in Hermosa opening this summer. Craft brews were provided by Scholb Premium Ales and a fabulous wine selection was curated by Barsha Wines and Spirits.

Special thanks to Rusnak Maserati, Alfa Romeo and FIAT of South Bay, and Choura Events for their continued partnership and Penta Water for providing the purified bottled water.

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SEEN | WHERE WE LIVE

Walk With Sally’s 10th Annual Friendship Bowl

PHOTOGRAPHED BY STUART WIETEN & JULIE CROW

Troy Broyles, Sharon Strauss, Malcolm Gill

Tim Owen, Taylor Sinclair, Brian Gump, Samantha Sinclair, Katy DiBiase

Leslie Kendall, Margarita Cooper, Stefanie Glassberg, Marcela Washington, Liz Mohler

Walk With Sally’s 10th annual Friendship Bowl was an incredible campaign raising more than $100,000 for the charity and culminating in a day of festive bowling. Teams competed for best theme, bowlers and fundraisers among children, their mentors and families involved in the Walk With Sally program.

Griffin Gluck, Charlotte Samuels, Brooke Marston, Jadon Sand

Saturday Shift Cars & Coffee

Guests attended this exotic and fine vintage automobile gathering hosted

by Ferrari South Bay. With all makes welcome, owners showcased their finest automobiles while sipping cups of coffee and engaging in conversation with enthusiasts.

The brand new 2017 GTC4Lusso, a sporty four-seater Grand Tourer

Exotic and fine vintage automobiles on display

A classic Ferrari 275 GTB and California T

A family affair

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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN

Spring Wine Walk

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO

To welcome spring, Southbay hosted a wine tasting event at The Point. After walking the red carpet, locals learned about tasting notes and sipped wines curated by Barsha Wines And Spirits.

In between creating their own DIY flower crowns and getting custom henna tattoos, guests enjoyed seeing what brands had in store for spring fashion and taking advantage of the stores’ special deals.

Special thanks to Rusnak Maserati, Alfa Romeo and FIAT of South Bay, Choura Events for their continued partnership, Penta Water for the purified bottled water and Brooke’s Flowers for the beautiful blooms.

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SEEN | WHERE WE LIVE

Whisky, Wine and a Splash of Love

Guests attended the fundraiser benefiting the P.S. I Love You Foundation’s social-emotional learning program, Love 4 Life. The event featured whisky and wine pours from some top distillers.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO

Patricia Jones

Chelsea Dalton

Manhattan Beach city councilman Wayne Powell

Patricia Jones, Marc Burton and friends

Camille Goldstein, guest, Lavae McClinnhan

Wayne Burton, Patricia Jones, Rudy Salas

Rosé Festival

Shade Hotel Redondo Beach kicked off spring with a wine tasting event that included eight hand-selected rosés paired with a brunch tasting menu. Shade’s wine expert educated guests on the intricacies of each wine while guests sipped and enjoyed the breathtaking views from Palos Verdes to Malibu.

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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN

Las Niñas Fashion Show 2017: A Day at Palm Beach

Las Madrecitas, an auxiliary of the Charitable Children’s Guild of the Orthopædic Institute for Children (OIC), hosted its annual fashion show at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes to benefit OIC and honor its 2017 Las Niñas Senior Class for their community service.

A Black & Gold Affaire

Peninsula High School’s Athletic Booster Club held its 26th annual event at the Palos Verdes Golf Club. More than $180,000 was raised through the live, silent and online auctions, 50/50 raffle, wine wheel, Gift from the Heart and generous sponsorships.

Steve Watts, Ceci Watts, Christina Frasso, Francine Mathiesen

Sophie Semenjuk, Drina Semenjuk, Larry Campbell

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Suzanne Seymour, Jeff Dollinger, Patty Dollinger

Jason Phillips, Hope Reveche, Wendell Yoshida, Tia Nguyen, John Zuercher

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY TONY LABRUNO & ALLISON PHILLIPS

Eileen Mahoney, Sabrina Blackwell, Liz Umbrell

SEEN | WHERE WE LIVE

The Strand House Culinary Masters Series Dinner

The past, present and future converged with a homecoming of The Strand House’s opening consulting chef Neal Fraser, chef partner Greg Hozinky and the welcome return of newly appointed executive chef Austin Cobb.

The Strand House kitchen team

Michael Morrisette, Austin Cobb, Greg Hozinksy, Neal Fraser, Michael Zislis

Michael Zislis

Jenna Ritter and Bill Matthews

NCL Peninsula Chapter’s Annual Medallion Senior Recognition Reception The National Charity League, Inc., Peninsula Chapter recently held its annual Medallion Senior Recognition reception where 27 seniors were recognized for their six years of service and dedication to the organization.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID NICHOLSON & NCL PENINSULA CHAPTER

Janet Westergaard welcomes guests.

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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN

An Affair of the Heart Gala

The Richstone Family Center’s 22nd annual gala at the new Porsche South Bay in Hawthorne supported the mission of The Richstone Family Center of treating and preventing child abuse and improving the lives of children and families in need.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC B

RL Peters, David Peters, Candace Poindexter, Larry Poindexter

Meredith Zellweger, Lee Zellweger, John Fukunaga, Cheryl Fukunaga

Jenny Bronstein, Katy Martin, Anita Bronstein , Bill Bronstein, Andrew Martin

Sam Crittenden, Alphonso Horne, Ben Flocks, John Snow, Sammy Miller

Suzanne Seymour, Jennifer King, Mitzi Cress, Fred Steiner

Harriet Miller, Jeff Miller, Sammy Miller, Mitzi Cress, Julie Miller, Marcie Miller

John Snow, David Linard, Johnny Martinez, Sammy Miller, Sandra Martinez

Joyful jazz filled the Field House at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School when the school’s jazz bands held a fundraising concert with Grammy-award nominated drummer and Peninsula High alum Sammy Miller and his band The Congregation. More than 500 guests enjoyed classics such as “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, “St. Louis Blues” and special Duke Ellington arrangements while the performers brought down the house.

Tartan Day

Manhattan Beach Scots celebrated Tartan Day with the St. Andrew’s Society LA at the Intercontinental Hotel. National Tartan Day celebrates the spirit and character of Scottish Americans and recognizes the many contributions they have made to our culture and way of life.

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANGELA TANG

Sammy Miller and the Congregation Fundraiser

GOURMET FOOD • FINE WINE • CRAFT BEER Benefiting the Programs and Services of Providence TrinityCare

Thank You

for a Successful 26th Annual Sunday by the Sea! VIEW EVENT PHOTOS:

California.Providence.org/PTCevents

Thank You to Our Sponsors EXECUTIVE CHEF Western National Group CHEF The Jacqueline M. Glass Family SOMMELIER American All Care Services | Carolyn and Julian Elliott | Tom and Mary Ann Jankovich BREW MASTER American Honda Motor Co., Inc. | City National Bank | Jim and Joanne Hunter Lighthouse Memorials and Receptions – White & Day Center | Chuck and Betsy Miller Mrs. Denyse Miller | Respiratory Therapy Home Care | Dr. David and Elaine Scott

VINTNER

Brigante, Cameron, Watters & Strong, LLP | Dick and B.J. Brombach | Dr. David and Diane Campisi | Choura Events Evelyn Christel – In Memory of Cathy Lyn Christel | Continental Development Corporation | Nancy Cypert Mr. and Mrs. Will Gassett | Marnie and Dan Gruen | Suzi and Bob Gulcher | Jon Jacobson and Emily Clayton Dr. Glen and Joyce Komatsu | Gary and Teri Kuwahara | June Kuwahara | The Family of Mae and Don Landauer Mr. and Mrs. Roderick N. MacDonell | Ray and Diana Martin | Cathy Melton | Oarsmen Foundation | The Prindle Family Mr. and Mrs. George Romine | Chad and Jo Anne Sanger | Maureen and Brian Takahashi | Lynn and Doug Taylor Robert and Elly Visser | The Wenglikowski Family | Mr. James Zapp and Dr. Elizabeth McGlynn

UNDERWRITERS

Brand 33 | Essentia Water | Gregerson Photography / Dave Gregerson | Scott Gregerson Kendra Scott | Palos Verdes Estates Police Department | Peninsula Magazine | Towne Health

Thank You to Our Vendors RESTAURANTS

The Admiral Risty Bettolino Kitchen Bluewater Grill Bottle Inn Riviera BRIO Coastal Bar & Kitchen The Depot Fresh Brothers Good Stuff Restaurants Hey 19 H.T. Grill Ise-Shima at the Miyako Lisa’s Bon Appetit

Mama Terano Misto Caffe & Bakery Ortega 120 Palos Verdes Golf Club Plates an American Bistro Providence Little Company of Mary Red Car Brewery & Restaurant Red Carpet Cookies Rock & Brews Redondo The Strand House Stripe Café at the PV Art Center Torrance Bakery Truxton’s American Bistro

WINERIES

BACCHUS Wine Made Simple Boisset Wine Collection Cuatro Dias Winery Kinship Winery Montemar Wines Peirano Estate Vineyards Plough / Wooden Valley Winery Riboli Family Wine Estates Rolling Hills Country Club Whitcraft Winery Wine Shoppe - Torrance Towne Center

BREWERIES

Alpine Brewing Company

El Segundo Brewing Company Firestone Walker Brewing Company HopSaint Brewing Company Monkish Brewing Co. Phantom Carriage Brewery Reverand Nat’s Hard Cider Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Smog City Brewing Company Zymurgy Brew Works & Tasting Room

BEVERAGES

Essentia Water New Frontier Coffee Real Soda in Real Bottles, Ltd.

WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN

SKECHERS Friendship Walk Check Presentation

Brooke Burke-Charvet, Michael Greenberg, Denise Austin

Wayne Powell, Mark Lipps, Jacquelyne May, Steven Nicholson, Tony D’Errico, Steve Napolitano

Shauna Mullins, Steve Mullins, Carla Persell

Rick Mina, Rick Graham, Bruce Fendell, Dan Nuthals

PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAT MONK

The SKECHERS Foundation celebrated its eighth annual SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk with a check presentation ceremony at the Shade Hotel in Redondo Beach. The Foundation presented $914,000 to six education foundations and $434,000 to The Friendship Foundation—a nonprofit organization that assists children with special needs and their families. The SKECHERS Foundation also announced that it plans to expand its scholarship program four-fold in 2017, awarding $100,000 to high school students in need nationwide.

Amy Howorth and Wende Nichols-Julien

Torrance Memorial Luminaries and Novas Spring Into Fitness The Luminaries and Novas of Torrance Memorial Medical Center recently hosted their Spring Into Fitness 5K Walk/Run at the South Coast Botanical Gardens. More than 80 volunteers and 343 participants raised more than $33,000. Net proceeds will support the renovations of the Pediatric Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The Sam’s Club Team

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The Novas cheer on participants.

Grant Uba, MD, Lauren Uba, Shari Morinishi, Glenn Morinishi, MD, Wendi Hirata, Brian Hirata, Wendy Shiroma, Gary Shiroma, Debbie Uba

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DEIDRE DAVIDSON

The Novas offer face painting to participants.

The Nurses for Ninos team

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

310.545.0770 Summer Blake DDS, MS

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Metlox Plaza 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Ste. D-224 Manhattan Beach, California 90266

www.summerorthodontics.com

MAY/JUNE 2017, SOUTHBAY

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WRITTEN BY LAURA WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAT MONK

Local chefs and patrons alike crave the tasty treats that summer brings.

Experience the South Bay’s hottest eateries—featured on the following pages.

Read about the history and ambience of the restaurants and the culinary journey and cooking style of the chefs. And try some of these delicious recipes right in your own home!

KINCAID’S EXECUTIVE CHEF RAMON FERNANDEZ EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF ROSA MARTINEZ SOUS CHEF CONRADO CABANAS

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ith patio seating directly over the waves and one of the best water views in Southern California, Kincaid’s has been part of the South Bay community for 18 years. The restaurant and executive chef Ramon Fernandez have been awarded numerous awards and were featured in USA Today as one of the best seafood restaurants in LA. Chef Ramon leads the culinary team at Kincaid’s, partnered with executive sous chef Rosa Martinez and the newest member of the team, sous chef Conrado Cabanas.

Chef Rosa has worked with Kincaid’s since it opened 18 years ago and has been involved in the evolution of the Kincaid’s menu through the years. Chef Conrado has worked at Kincaid’s for nearly 10 years in all of the different positions on the line.

“There is so much culinary talent here,” says general manager Reggie Thomas. “And while our niche is unique, it’s great to see all of the creativity coming from our little neck of the SoCal woods.”

We checked in with Reggie to learn more about the restaurant’s wine dinners and Chef Ramon’s reality TV experience.

We’ve heard about your wine dinners.

What makes those special?

“We like to stretch our creative muscles whenever we do a wine dinner, so we look forward to those events. We get to pair items that may not fit what we traditionally present on our feature menu. It isn’t an everyday type of menu, that’s for sure, but all of our team members in both the front and

back of house get in on creating recipes—so everyone is engaged and excited. And it’s always exciting when our guests are willing to experience something new with us.

Recently we celebrated our 18-year anniversary partnering with Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel wineries for a 12-course pairing. For six years we’ve partnered with Silver Oak & Twomey wines for these dinners. This summer event is always exciting because you just cannot beat enjoying good food and wine with friends on our patio, complemented by live music and live waves crashing beneath you.

We’re presently planning a wine dinner with Chateau St. Michelle, our first with them. They’re a prominent player on our wine list, so this will be fun to bring a new partner into the mix. We also feature some of the South Bay’s best breweries. Strand Brewing Co. has been in our lineup since the beginning, and we recently added Scholb brewery out of Torrance.”

Tell us about Chef Ramon’s reality cooking show experience.

Chef Ramon was a contestant on a Latin cooking show, Reto el Chef. He was the first chef to defeat the host chef, Chef Simon Bühler, who to this day holds a grudge. Chef Ramon’s parents live in Southern Mexico, and people will stop them on the streets to say they saw Ramon on televison. Needless to say, his parents and entire family are quite proud of their celebrity chef.”

500 Fisherman’s Wharf Redondo Beach 310-318-6080 kincaids.com

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OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH MIGNONETTE 2 teaspoons pink & black peppercorns, crushed by hand 4 teaspoons peeled shallots, crushed by hand 4 cups red wine vinegar ½ cup water 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup white cooking wine raw oysters For mignonette, combine all ingredients except oysters in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Chill, transfer to a clean container, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ensure oysters are alive by checking that the shell is tightly closed. Rinse free of sand and mud. Position oyster cup-side down with the hinged end of the oyster toward you. With your prominent hand, choke up on the blade and handle of the oyster knife. Work blade into the hinge and twist the knife to “pop” the oyster open. Guide the knife along the top edge of the oyster shell and cut the abductor muscle to free the top shell. Discard top shell.

To cut the bottom abductor muscle, guide knife under edges of oyster, leaving the oyster and its juice in the shell. Try to preserve any juice by doing this over a bowl to collect any spillage. Serve raw oysters with mignonette sauce.

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STRIPE CAFÉ EXECUTIVE CHEF BRETT HICKEY

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5504 Crest Ridge Rd. Rancho Palos Verdes 310-541-2479 cafestripe.com

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tripe Café, headed by Chef Brett Hickey, is located at Palos Verdes Art Center and is open for lunch Monday through Saturday and scheduled monthly popup dinners. Its contemporary décor complements the art gallery setting, while a farm-to-table menu showcases seasonal produce and fresh, innovative dishes.

“We take familiar things and present them in new and unique ways,” says Chef Brett, a Southern California native whose passion for food began during a restaurant internship at Long Beach Wilson High School. After graduating, he attended Johnson and Wales University and earned a degree in nutrition. He worked at several acclaimed restaurants in Colorado before moving back to Los Angeles.

Brett studied food and international culture while traveling through South America, Australia, Europe and Asia.

Along the way he worked in Italy, gaining a deeper respect for local ingredients and simple food; at a Mediterranean winery run by 15th-generation Croatian wine makers; and as an olive harvester for a Croatian olive oil producer.

Chef Brett enjoys interacting with guests and creating fresh, new menu items every week. “Our menus change seasonally, allowing us to use only the best and freshest ingredients we can get our hands on,” he says. “We love cooking for everyone, but we really enjoy it when our guests step out of their comfort zone a little.”

Some of the chef’s favorite summer menu items include the heirloom tomato tartine with roasted tomato aioli, prosciutto and basil pesto, and the recipe featured here: spring jamón toast with English pea and goat cheese spread, Meyer lemon puree and piquillo honey sauce.

SPRING JAMON TOAST MAKES 10 TOASTS 1 loaf brioche bread extra-virgin olive oil 1½ cups English peas 10 ounces goat cheese 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt Meyer Lemon Gastrique (see recipe) Piquillo Honey Sauce (see recipe) jamón Ibérico ¼ cup small whole mint leaves Cut brioche into 1-inch-thick slices and rub with olive oil. Toast the bread. In a food processor mix peas, cheese, chopped mint leaves, lemon juice and salt combined. Generously spread the mixture on the toasts. Drizzle on the Meyer Lemon Gastrique and Piquillo Honey Sauce. Top with 3 pieces of jamon. Garnish with whole mint leaves.

Meyer Lemon Gastrique 1 cup Meyer lemon juice 1 cup granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon turmeric Combine juice and sugar in a saucepan.

Cook and constantly stir with a spatula.

Remove from heat when a syrupy texture develops. Add the turmeric for color.

Piquillo Honey Sauce 1 cup canned piquillo pepper ¼ cup honey 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar Add to a food processor and mix until combined.

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THE STRAND HOUSE EXECUTIVE CHEF AUSTIN COBB

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117 Manhattan Beach Blvd.

Manhattan Beach 310-545-7470 thestrandhousemb.com

n 2011 a small group of South Bay families with a shared love of great food, wine and friends had the idea to open a sophisticated yet comfortable restaurant in Manhattan Beach. Thus The Strand House was born, featuring 180° sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, warm hospitality and farm fresh, chef-driven cuisine.

Executive Chef Austin Cobb’s menu highlights the bounty of produce available year-round in Southern California. Each week Chef Austin and Chef Partner Greg Hozinsky roam the farmers market, sourcing directly from the best farmers and purveyors around.

The Strand House also features a carefully crafted cocktail and wine program.

Chef Austin is no stranger to the food industry. “As a second generation chef, I grew up in the kitchen,” he shares. “My earliest memories are of me wanting to be a chef.”

The chef describes his cooking as New American and free-style, blending inspiration from cuisines around the world. “I plan to bring healthy, fresh, flavorful food with a seasonal emphasis to The Strand House guests,” he says.

Austin enjoys mentoring the kitchen team and loves his job at The Strand House. “If you love your job, you never work a day in your life,” he says. “Food brings people together, which is what ignites my passion for cooking.”

When he’s not at work, Austin enjoys surfing, playing baseball and enjoying the great outdoors. He is also skilled at pottery and plans to craft unique serving plates for his food at The Strand House.

GRILLED SPANISH OCTOPUS SERVES 8 1 octopus 1 gallon filtered water 2 bay leaves thyme garlic olive oil fingerling potatoes

Chimichurri (see recipe) Aji Amarillo Aioli (see recipe) Choclo (see recipe) red frill mustard greens

Cook octopus in water with bay leaves, 3 sprigs of thyme and 1 head of garlic for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove octopus from water, rub it with olive oil and grill it on a wood-fire grill. Meanwhile, bake potatoes tossed with olive oil, garlic and thyme in oven for 1 hour or until tender. Serve octopus with potatoes, Chimichurri, Ají Amarillo Aioli and Choclo. Garnish with greens.

Chimichurri 1/4 cup chopped shallots 1/8 cup chopped garlic 8 sprigs chopped thyme 1 ounce red wine vinegar ½ once lime juice 2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil 1 bunch chopped cilantro pinch of salt Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl.

Ají Amarillo Aioli 2 cups garlic aioli 2 tablespoons ají amarillo paste Combine garlic aioli with ají Amarillo paste.

Choclo 1 pound fresh choclo Espelette chili pepper salt Place choclo in the dehydrator for 14 hours until completely dried out. Deep-fry for 1 minute crispy and toss with Espelette chili pepper and salt.

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BRANZINO ALL’ACQUA PAZZA SERVES 4

DELUCA TRATTORIA

DIRECTOR/MANAGING PARTNER ANDREA FRANCESCO TORELLI-LESKY EXECUTIVE CHEF GABRIELLA TORELLI

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eluca Trattoria in Downtown El Segundo serves authentic Tuscan cuisine and dishes from regions of Italy that Andrea Francesco Torelli-Lesky and Chef Gabriella Torelli have visited and enjoyed, along with classic Italian dishes that every Italian chef proudly serves. The rustic, relaxed ambience of the restaurant is enhanced by its décor of old brick walls and natural wood trimmings.

“We pride ourselves on the highest quality ingredients imported direct from Italy and sourced farmto-table fresh locally,” says Andrea. “The ingredients we use are on display in our Market Place for guests to see and buy. Everything is always fresh, made to order and paired with award-winning international wines and artisanal beers. A true taste of Italy.”

The restaurant’s mission is to be a traditional Italian trattoria, which is defined as “a place of

hospitality where homestyle food and wine is prepared and served.” Chef Gabriella learned Tuscan culture and cooking from three generations of women in her family. “I also give much of the credit to my extended Italian family, friends and chefs from around Italy who contributed to my continued education and expertise throughout my life,” says the chef, who was born and raised in the city of Firenze (Florence).

The featured recipe translates into English as “Branzino in Crazy Water.” An ancient Neapolitan tradition, this “crazy water” recipe comes from the habit of the local fishermen cooking their fresh catch on the docks upon return from their journey. They would use seawater mixed with white wine and abundant local ingredients of cherry tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Today this is a famous and fabulous main dish.

salt & pepper 2 pounds Mediterranean branzino filet or 2 (1½-pound) whole branzino 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ pound cherry tomatoes, cut in half ½ bunch fresh parsley, finely minced 3 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 cup water 1 cup dry white wine 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper both sides of fish.

Over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons oil to large skillet. Add tomatoes and place fish on top.

Add parsley, garlic, water, wine and remaining 3 tablespoons oil.

Increase heat and bring to boil.

Cover skillet and simmer for 15 minutes on medium heat. Serve branzino filets covered with the “crazy water” that is created during the simmer. Serve with gorgonzola risotto, sautéed baby zucchini or oven-roasted potatoes.

Buon appetito!

225 Richmond Street | El Segundo | 310-640-7600 | delucapasta.com

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DARREN’S RESTAURANT OWNER/EXECUTIVE CHEF DARREN WEISS

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1141 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach 310-802-1973 darrensmb.com

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arren’s Restaurant offers fine dining—highly rated by Zagat—with a beach-friendly atmosphere, where guests are treated like friends coming to dinner. The eatery features American, Mediterranean and Pacific Rim flavors and an outstanding wine collection.

Owner and executive chef Darren Weiss opened the restaurant in 2007 after attending The Culinary Institute of America and working at acclaimed dining establishments in Hawaii, Santa Monica and Texas. He has made an impressive mark on the culinary industry, despite his deafness—a rare feat.

Chef Darren considers food preparation to be his art form. “It’s an extraordinary gift to be able to make 100 people a night very happy,” he says. “Our guests appreciate the extra care we take to bring them a memorable dining experience.”

Joining Chef Darren in creating that experience for guests is general manager Bart Thompson, sommelier Nadia Pavlevska and mixologist Jonathan Dahl.

For more than 20 years, Bart has crafted his guiding principle of “only exceptional food, only exceptional service, only friendly and knowledgeable people.” Nadia has built the restaurant’s boutique selection of international and California wines. She is a Certified Sommelier, a Certified Specialist of Wine, a Certified International Etiquette and Business Protocol Consultant, and a member of the Guild of Master Sommeliers. Jonathan runs the eclectic cocktail program, which he built from scratch.

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 SEA SCALLOPS WITH PANCETTACHESTNUT RISOTTO SERVES 4 2 tablespoons butter 2 small shallots, finely diced ½ cup pancetta, small dice 1 cup arborio rice 1 cup chardonnay 3 cups water (more if needed) ¾ cup heavy cream ½ cup chestnuts, chopped ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated 4 tablespoons chopped parsley salt and white pepper to taste 16 jumbo scallops (U10 or U12) 2 tablespoons canola oil

Melt better in medium saucepan.

Add shallot and pancetta and sweat both. Add rice, stirring constantly till risotto is hot. Add chardonnay, stirring constantly until risotto becomes dry. Add 1 cup water, stirring constantly until risotto is dry.

Continue 1 cup of water at a time until risotto because very al dente.

Add cream, chestnuts, Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of parsley. Continue stirring until desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper. Season scallops with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of parsley. Heat fry pan on high; add oil. Pan sear both sides of scallops until caramelized; let sit 5 minutes. Serve scallops with risotto.

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SEA LEVEL RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE EXECUTIVE CHEF AARON ROBBINS

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655 North Harbor Drive Redondo Beach 310-921-8950 rb.shadehotel.com/dine

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ea Level Restaurant and Lounge at Shade Hotel sits on the water’s edge in Redondo Beach and combines true California coastal cuisine with LA nightlife. Overlooking the marina, the eatery offers guests sweeping views from Palos Verdes to Malibu and indoor/outdoor seating—complete with fire pits and heaters. The bar features craft cocktails, an extensive list of wines and many craft beers on tap.

Coastal-inspired main dishes include fresh oysters from the raw bar, lobster mac ‘n’ cheese and Sea Level’s signature hamachi, which is cured for six hours to impart citrus flavor throughout the fish. Another favorite Asian-influenced entrée is the curry ramen with shrimp and Japanese spices.

Executive Chef Aaron Robbins’ varied menu also includes crispy chicken, brined for 24 hours to keep the meat moist and flavorful; pizza dough made daily from scratch and stretched to order; short ribs braised for six hours until falling-apart tender; made-from-scratch stocks and salad dressings; and hand-cut fries that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Chef Aaron developed an interest in the food industry at a young age and joined a catering group at his high school. From there his passion for cooking and food presentation grew. “I enjoy creating something new or different that people enjoy—I find that very rewarding,” he says.

When he’s not working, Aaron loves to spend time with his family. His hobbies include muay thai kickboxing and raising live coral. Here he shares one of his favorite summer menu items: pistachio-crusted black cod, which he serves with a chorizo and snap pea succotash, garnished with petite red watercress and other micro-herbs.

PISTACHIOCRUSTED BLACK COD SERVES 1 1 ounce each, panko breadcrumbs and toasted pistachios salt 6 ounces black cod ground white pepper ½ cup eggs, whipped 1 ounce grapeseed oil 2 cups carrot juice 1 tablespoon each, sliced garlic and shallots 1 sprig thyme 1 bay leaf 4 white peppercorns 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced Preheat oven to 350º. In a food processer blend breadcrumbs, pistachios and a pinch of salt, leaving the pistachio slightly chunky. Season fish with a pinch of salt and ground pepper.

Dip top side of fish into egg and then immediately into the pistachio-breadcrumb mixture.

Shake off any excess crust. Place oil in a nonstick, oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add fish crust side down to pan. Once the edges of the fish start to bubble, transfer fish to oven and bake at 350º for 7 to 10 minutes, until fish is cooked through and moist and the crust is golden brown. In a small sauce pot reduce carrot juice, garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Once the reduction is thick, whisk in the butter until fully emulsified. Season with salt to taste. Serve fish drizzled with carrot sauce.

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BASHI CHEF DE CUISINE DJ EUSEBIO

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100 Terranea Way Rancho Palos Verdes 855-416-3928 terranea.com/bashi

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n 2012 Terranea Resort debuted bashi, its upscale, approachable, family-friendly eatery that features wok-prepared dishes with traditional Asian flavors and spices. bashi is a tribute to the Ishibashi family—one of the original Japanese farming families who worked the hills of Palos Verdes in the early 1900s.

The restaurant recently reinvented its happy hour, calling it Oishii Time— which translates to “delicious time.”

Oishii Time offers guests Asian-style tapas and refreshing cocktails, Japanese whiskies and Asian beers tailored to pair with the cuisine.

With the new menu, Chef de Cuisine DJ Eusebio incorporated new flavors and techniques. Some of his favorite summer menu items include the Silken Tofu and Tomato Salad and the Singaporean Lobster Tails.

Chef DJ grew up in a family that was passionate about cooking. His parents owned a catering business, inspiring him to study different methods of cooking and create his own signature dishes—like the pork belly recipe featured here.

“The most rewarding part of my job is providing our guests with a menu that enhances and expands their taste of Asian dishes and sharing the history and story behind each dish,” he says. “I love guests who come into the restaurant with an open mind, adventurous palate and eagerness to experience the variety of flavors that our menu has to offer.”

When he’s not at work, DJ enjoys practicing his aim at the shooting range, challenging himself with weight lifting at the gym, and spending time with his wife and children.

PORK BELLY SERVES 4

1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon salt 2 cups water 1 ounce garlic 2 ounces chopped green onion 12 ounces pork belly 5 cups frying oil 2 ounces pork rinds 1 ounce yellow baby pea shoots 3 ounces pickled green papaya 2 ounces sweet soy vinegar

Mix sugar, salt, water, garlic and chopped green onion in a bowl. Add the pork belly and brine for 3 hours.

Vacuum-seal the pork and cook using a water bath with an immersion circulator, at 160ºF for 8 hours. Once the pork is cooked and fork-tender, heat frying oil to 375ºF and deep-fry the pork belly for 3 minutes or until golden brown and let rest for 3 minutes. Slice the pork belly and arrange on a plate. Garnish with pork rinds and yellow baby pea shoots. Serve with pickled green papaya and sweet soy vinegar.

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Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach’s

21st Annual

A Food & Beverage Tasting Fundraiser

Sunday, June 25, 2017 • 3-7pm Hosted & Sponsored By:

South Coast Botanic Garden Palos Verdes Peninsula

$150 per person

(must be 21+ years of age to attend)

Samples from some of the area’s finest restaurants, caterers, wineries and breweries.

To see the full list of participating businesses and to purchase tickets, please visit:

www.CelebrateWellness.org or call 310.376.3550 for more information.

Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach is a 501(c)(3) non profit, Tax ID # 95-4076131 that is dedicated to providing free programs of support, education and hope to adults & children impacted by cancer.

thank you to our generous sponsors Beach Front Property Management California Hematology Oncology Medical Group Capital Group Companies Chevron Choura Events Portia & Andy Cohen Francis P. Torino Foundation

General Security Service Jim & Joanne Hunter Kaiser Permanente Malaga Bank McKesson Specialty Health Paula & Brad Moore PDM CPAs Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center - Torrance

Torrance Memorial Medical Center MEDIA SPONSORS

Southbay Magazine Daily Breeze Easy Reader Beach Magazine Peninsula Magazine Palos Verdes Peninsula News The Beach Reporter

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Two’ s Company With the help of a friend and local interior designer, a Manhattan Beach resident creates a beachfront oasis for himself and his daughter.

WRITTEN BY JENNIE

NUNN SANTINI

PHOTOGRAPHED BY CLAUDIO

Two’s Company

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hen Manhattan Beach homeowner Jason Cole initially bought his 1,950-square-foot townhouse in the Sand Section eight years ago, he didn’t change a thing. “It was basically move-in condition, but my dream was always to live in the downtown area—close to the water,” says Jason, a financial advisor in El Segundo. “What attracted me was the location, and it was just the right size. It wasn’t too big, but it was a nice size for my daughter and me and for out-of-town guests. The view is spectacular, and it’s nice for entertaining.”

But Jason, who describes the finished design as “beach contemporary,” knew he needed extra design help to make the house his own, as well as a space for his daughter and visiting guests including his parents. “There was no rhyme or reason,” he explains of the existing design. “It was just your standard house with not much character that was built in the mid-‘90s.”

Initially Jason hired a contractor to help with the remodel and was fairly deep in the process, but unexpected challenges and overall design differences prevented the project from being completed.

Enter Switzerland–born interior designer Sybille Zimmermann, founder of Mar Vista–based design firm Studio Zimmermann.

“She’s married to one of my oldest friends, Howard, that I’ve known since elementary school. I was talking to him, and he was like, ‘Why don’t you hire her?’” recalls Jason, who admits he initially didn’t want to mix business with friendship, so he opted for the other contractor. “I was a little gun-shy. After I got myself out, though, he said, ‘Now do you want to hire her?’ And she had some great ideas.”

“He wanted to just fix things and finish things,” says Sybille, recalling her initial walk-through of the house. “The contractor did the first and second story, and he wanted me to help him make things look better and finish the job.”

Following their first meeting, Sybille pulled together a slew of images and assembled mood boards and directed him to a more modern and light aesthetic with neutral, calming tones and slight hints of grey and blue to reflect the surroundings: the ocean, coastal fog and sand.

“He lives at the beach, and he wanted something that reflected that,” explains Sybille, who studied interior design at University of California, Los Angeles. “It was very dark and lots of dark wood. I told Jason, ‘I don’t think I can help make this look better; what’s here now is not going to reflect the rest of the house. We basically have to start over. We can’t have the house look one way and the rest of the house look totally different.’ So we literally ripped everything out, and we really started from scratch.”

To make the entire “re-do” process less daunting, Sybille enlisted contractor Craig Gore of Render and worked closely with Jason to capture his vision with new paint throughout the house; removing dated, rounded wall and ceiling corners; and structural changes including replacing an existing walled-in staircase with custom, black steel railings to allow for more light. Other major changes included the master bedroom and bath (lined with 2’x6” Heron Blue handmade tiles by Heath Ceramics), a cook’s kitchen with a Calacatta marble backsplash and a guestroom outfitted with a rustic, sliding barn door found online by Urban Barn Doors.

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Furnishings and accessories include a mix of new finds and pieces culled from websites including 1stdiibs.com and original photography by artist Bo Bridges, and objects from the Santa Monica Flea Market.

“I wanted the house to be updated in a way that it looked brand new, but I wanted it to have a beach feel,” says Jason. “But it’s not my vacation home, and I didn’t want sailboats and very cliché stuff. I wanted it to be very livable for my daughter for me, and I didn’t want to be afraid to spill something on the floor and have to be careful and tiptoe around stuff. Sybille spent a tremendous amount of time with me to go over ideas and help me visualize what we could do to the house.”

In the entry, Sybille set the tone for the sophisticated, beach-

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inspired look with a wink to a vintage and bohemian vibe with a round jute mirror by Shades of Light, a mid-century-inspired cabinet from West Elm and hand-painted terracotta tiles in varying colors by Ann Sacks. “The tiles are one of the splurges, but we wanted to make an impact. I always like to play with graphics,” says Sybille.

Upstairs in the living room she paired a caramel-hued leather chair by Commune for West Elm with a Maxwell sofa in Belgian Linen from Restoration Hardware, topped with accent pillows made from vintage African indigo textiles found at the Santa Monica Flea Market. She also layered the space with a rug found on One Kings Lane, artwork by Naomi Hudson-Knapp, a Susila rattan chair and ottoman from Anthropologie covered with an Icelandic sheepskin from CB2, and created a built-in white oak cabinet and upholstered bench for storage, AV and extra seating.

“They definitely like to entertain, so I wanted the upstairs to be a place where people could come and sit and hang out,” says Sybille.

“The chair from Anthropologie was one of those things that I felt very strongly about that he had to have, and it was probably something he wouldn’t have picked out on his own. But he actually loved it when I showed it to him.”

To maximize indoor-outdoor space for dinner parties and gatherings, accordion doors and built-in teak benches were added to two exterior patios. “Before, nobody really used the patios except maybe to walk outside and take photos and go back inside,” explains Sybille of the 5-foot-wide by 12-foot-long spaces she outfitted with custom benches. “Now there’s another outdoor space for conversation.”

In the cozy but modern master bedroom, Sybille appointed the space with grass cloth wall coverings by Astek Wallcovering, photography by Claudio Santini and a vintage Eames chair from Automaton in Culver City upholstered in a geometric Kravet fabric. “My bedroom is a nice escape for me, and my bathroom is probably my favorite. I don’t have a big space, but it’s an amazing room,” says Jason.

After the major transformation, it’s obvious the final design was well worth waiting for and doing right. “It feels very homey and comfortable, and it feels very easy. It doesn’t feel like we forced a design; it feels like it all came together naturally, with a certain style,” says Sybille. “It doesn’t feel like a designer walked in and said, ‘This is what you should have, or this is what you should do.’

It’s a long-lasting environment to entertain and hang out.”

Jason agrees. “I love everything about it. I love my kitchen and living area, and the whole house has brightened up. It’s sophisticated, and it’s easy to live in. I used to really dread coming home, and now I can’t wait to come home.” 

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Jose, a local fisherman, casts his line off the Hermosa Beach Pier against the soft blue light of a winter evening.

“I’ve only been fishing for 6 months,” he shares. “I’m pretty new to this. I love it though.” Jose hasn’t been fishing long, but he has caught a wide variety of species, including sharks, stingrays, eels, lobster, halibut and even a few birds.

The Fisher Kings ‡ Camera in hand, a local photographer hits the piers of the South Bay to meet the men who dot the railings of early morning and late afternoon, when the fish below are plentiful and hungry.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JACK

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ZELLWEGER

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Ruben just recently began teaching his nephew, Jonah, how to fish. “You have to get the basics down first,” says the Hermosa Beach resident.

“One day I came out here and caught 30 fish in one day. In a city of 10,000 people, look around.” He points around the pier. “There are six people out in this beautiful open space.”

Caesar, a longtime fisherman off the Hermosa Beach Pier, unhooks a freshly caught mackerel. He was born in The Philippines, but when he was 5 years old the Japanese guerrilla forces invaded. He left for Hong Kong in his late 20s, where he met his wife. After seven years in Hong Kong and more bombings, he returned to The Philippines and a decade later applied for U.S. citizenship.

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Two young fishermen, Tyler Wilson and his best friend, improvise a filet job outside Polly’s on the pier in Redondo Beach. Other fishermen—maybe more seasoned than these two—call it a “hack job,” as the boys rip the fish’s head off with their bare hands on the filet table above the calm water.

“Fishing is in my blood,” says Ramond. He hopes to teach his own two young children how to fish and is now teaching them how to bait their hooks and attach their sinkers to their lines. “I caught two bass already today—just using bread!”

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Darren, an engineer from Gardena, has been fishing at this same spot for 40 years.

“My father used to take me out here on these piers,” he says while reeling in a relatively small, 7-inch bass.

“I caught a 17-incher off this pier last week.”

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Gung Tran is part of a group of men who wheel out their tackle boxes and fishing poles at 7 a.m. They exchange Vietnamese banter back and forth, laughing and smoking.

Another man named Le says he came here from South Vietnam in 1975 and now saves the fish he catches for the elderly and the poor that he knows here in America. “There was no freedom there, not like here,� he says.

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Not Your Average Joe In our era of reality TV shows and social media, it’s refreshing to meet a guy like Joe Bark. Friendly and unassuming, the Palos Verdes resident also exudes a strength and vitality that seems to be more prevalent among folks who have saltwater coursing through their veins. And for the retired fireman, board shaper and family man, it does. Whatever the phrase “the good life” might mean to you, for Joe it’s about the simple joys of good people and a life lived in the water.

WRITTEN BY MARLENE

STANG |

PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRYCE

LOWE-WHITE

Not Your Average Joe

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s a kid growing up in the South Bay, Joe Bark lived and breathed the ocean. His maternal grandfather—a man whose professional life included delivering Marie Callender’s pies and working as a night watchman—lived in a house on 13th Street in Manhattan Beach.

That house became a gateway to Joe’s lifelong relationship with the sea.

“I started going to the beach on 13th Street, eventually going to all of the South Bay beaches and doing Junior Lifeguards, skimboarding, surfing, paddling,” says Joe. “That’s just what you did in the summer. You didn’t use sunscreen, and you came home fried.”

Joe’s father was a teacher at Mira Costa High School. His ancestors made their way to the South Bay in covered wagons by way of

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the Swarthout Trail. Joe’s father also coached swimming and water polo and encouraged young Joe to look up to the athletes under his tutelage—most of them young men with a passion for the water and sports.

“I liked it all,” he explains. “I was into fishing … we used to fish halibut. I used to dive—I still do—and then I joined up with a bunch of the guys from the swim team and water polo.” He shares that he body surfed with those guys too, so much so that they’d close down the beaches at night—oftentimes staying in the water until the lights came on along the avenues.

Paddleboarding, however, had yet to catch on. “I had heard about paddling,” he says, “and I started paddling with the Junior Lifeguards. It was only kinda on my radar, but I

paddled from Catalina when I was 16 with a borrowed lifeguard board.”

Although the experience gave him a taste for the sport, he wouldn’t pursue it for several more years because not very many people were doing it. And for Joe, it’s the social element that he enjoys most.

— Joe recalls that in his early years, the South Bay was where all of the boards (surfboards and paddleboards alike) were being built.

“You had everybody—the Bings, the Jacobs, the Webers, Greg Noll—so many of the greats,” he says, “and they were all on PCH.” Joe would take the bus or ride his bike to those shops just to window-shop, and

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Not Your Average Joe

Joe built his first paddleboard at the age of 22. “I just did it outside, and I made a mess. I mean, I’d like to see one of those boards now ... they were so bad. And I really didn’t ask for help, so it took me a long time to get started.”

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sometimes he would even run into one of his idols. He eventually purchased his first board for $29. It was a Boyce Bullet twin-fin that was rock-hard and built out of boat materials.

But it wasn’t just the great surfers who inspired him. He shares that, in fact, the Junior Lifeguard instructors in his circle influenced him in equal measure. “I had some really good instructors who made you want to do what they did ... paddle and surf.

It was just a good growing up.”

Joe built his first surfboard at the age of 13 and his first paddleboard at 22. “I just did it outside, and I made a mess. I mean, I’d like to see one of those boards now ... they were so bad. And I really didn’t ask for help, so it took me a long time to get started.”

Eventually though, mentors in the art of paddleboard-making did come.

Among them was Eddie Talbot, founder of ET Surfboards.

“Eddie was amazing,” Joe says. “He’s one of the most fantastic people you’ll ever meet, and he got everybody into building boards because he was such a gentleman. He’d help the small guys, and to this day he’s just a fantastic person. He helped us as little punk kids, selling us resins and blanks … it was really cool.”

Joe recalls that in the beginning, everyone in the South Bay’s paddleboard community knew everyone else. In those “old” days, he would see a board around town and know exactly who it belonged to. But today that is simply not the case.

This is proof that others have caught on to the sport’s magic. And it’s not just the ocean that attracts paddleboarders, he says. Joe and his friends have paddled down rivers in the snow. Enthusiasts even paddle around icebergs in Canada.

Best of all, says Joe, paddling is a sport that one can “hit hard” without beating their

—

— In the early days Joe simply pressed forward, indefatigable in practicing good, old-fashioned trial and error … both as a board maker and a businessman. “I don’t think for the first five or six years I made a penny,” he laughs.

Joe would run into friends around town or at a party who asked him to make them a board. Sometimes he even gave them away, just so he could build his crew of boarders.

“I built boards because I wanted my friends to paddle with me,” he says. “It was a passion. I’d build the boards for my friends, who would come back from mainland Mexico after sleeping in hammocks. I’d have boards for them, and they’d race. A couple of guys were really serious, but most were doing it for fun.”

He lights up when he talks about the camaraderie and how the sport has grown.

When the famed Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race was resurrected in 1982 (after having died out in the ‘60s), Joe recalls that only 11 people participated. He missed the 1982 race but joined in 1983. Today hundreds of people from all over the world join each year.

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Joe has played an instrumental role in organizing the Callie’s Cause event—a paddling and running hybrid event near Palos Verdes with a mission to support epilepsy research.

The Ocean of Hope race raises funds to support those who are affected by cancer. The Adler Paddler—in honor of paddler Steve Adler who died from a genetic thoracic aortic dissection—supports research into aortic health.

On average, there are 20 to 25 local racing events held each year; sometimes multiple events are held in a weekend. Participation in such races is free, but participants donate money to help selected organizations meet their fundraising goals.

body up in the process. He also enjoys the fact that most people can race a buddy in a workout while still comfortably holding a conversation with them the entire time.

Joe also holds dear the unique inclusiveness of the sport, which draws everyone from surfers who are recuperating from injuries to paraplegics who paddle challenging races like the Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championships. Joe and the team at Bark Paddleboards have built boards enabling these athletes to self-rescue if they tip over.

He is amazed by these paddlers.

The paddleboarding community is also profoundly philanthropic, and approximately 90% of races support a cause. Over the years

Joe has always enjoyed working with his hands but is quick to point out that functionality is his paramount concern. “I’m concentrating on creating state of the art race boards rather than the wooden inlay wall hanger boards that others are making.” But he appreciates watching other craftsmen lend artistic flair to their own work.

For many years, Joe hand-shaped all of his boards himself, which in the beginning he only built for his friends in the paddleboarding and surfing communities. But today he has a team of computer-proficient board builders who can take a master board that he has built, scan it and then reproduce it … perfectly and repeatedly.

Joe describes the scanning process: “It basically gets your blank almost exact. You can take your magic board that’s proven and give it to the guy, and he will scan it and duplicate your same board—the same rocker or concave or v-rail or whatever—and then you finish it. There’s enough leeway to change things. I can soften a rail, harden a rail, thicken or thin the board or turn a 9-footer into a 9-6.”

The excellence of Bark boards is recognized the world over and has been embraced by some of the biggest names in the sport.

When asked what kinds of boards are most popular, Joe says that the stand-up board is stronger than ever. At the Chattajack race in Tennessee, a one-day, 32-mile race down the Chattanooga River, for example, fans of standup racing will drive for 15 hours to get to the event. But again, it’s the social element of the sport that Joe returns to when talking about the stand-up style.

He describes these events as being like family reunions. And his team at Chattajack,

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though it used to consist of older members, now even includes kids who are Junior Lifeguards, as well as college swimmers and water polo players. The younger members will jump on a board and are at the top of their game almost overnight.

“It’s the only sport I know,” Joe shares, “where it’s ‘the more the merrier.’” Whereas other competitive sports entail players getting benched or rotated out of a game, even competitive paddling gives participants an experience of being supported. Paddlers may initially feel intimidated when they join a group, Joe says, but then within in a few days they are “locked in with everybody, and the best paddler is willing to teach the brand new person everything he or she knows, coach the new player and help him or her get through it.”

Regardless of skill level, though, all are united in the road trip spirit that makes participating in such races so fun. Joe loves everything about these races—from loading up the car on the way there to falling asleep the night after a race, muscle aches and all.

— Joe’s entire family—wife Aimee, daughters Gemma and Emily, and sons Jack and Sam— loves the water. Jack and Sam, ages 23 and 19 respectively, have joined Joe in boardmaking. “It’s awesome,” says Joe. He shares that even as kids, Jack and Sam would join him in the shop. As they got older, they began pursuing it as a hobby.

Before Joe knew it, they were helping him clean and router his boards. Joe proudly shares that friends have even begun requesting Jack’s work.

For 27 years Joe served Redondo Beach as a firefighter. The final six years of that career he spent on a harbor patrol boat. So how does this lifelong waterman look back on his career fighting fires?

“It was a great 27 years,” says Joe. “I walked out the door with no injuries and worked with a great group of people. This was a wonderful career for me.” It was rough going at times, however, giving 110% to both his career as a firefighter and Bark Paddleboards. Oftentimes Joe had to pull all-nighters just to keep up with production.

It worked out well for him that he has always been naturally “wired” and never one to waste time. He would sometimes build boards even when he didn’t have orders, simply because he loved the sport and wanted to see more paddlers on the water.

He retired four years ago at the age of 53

and now enjoys the freedom his schedule allows him. Not unlike a kid who just wants to play with his friends, he says it frustrates him when work makes demands on others’ schedules. They’re a spontaneous bunch though, Joe Bark’s circle, and they make getting out on the water together a regular priority.

— Now that his schedule is more flexible, seizing the day is more important to Joe than ever before. Prior to his retirement, the demands of his work required his missing a lot of good days out on the water. Not anymore.

Now Joe will head to the shop at 4 a.m. so that by 8 or 9 a.m., he’s ready to go paddleboarding, surfing, fishing or diving. “I used to miss races on weekends,” he says, “but you don’t get those days back. If something is happening, I don’t want to miss out on it.”

Joe says that the most rewarding experiences of his life so far have been marrying his wife, Aimee, having kids and watching them have fun on the water—not because they’ve been raised to but because they want to. Joe fully realizes that his kids might very well have wanted nothing to do with the water.

As is the case with his friends, however, it frustrates him when the demands of school or jobs make it difficult for his kids to match his spontaneity when the water is good.

In raising their kids, Joe and Aimee were the perfect yin and yang, with Aimee guiding the kids’ academic lives and Joe instilling in them a readiness for adventure. Joe recalls occasions when Aimee would be out of town, and Joe would take the kids to the beach … even on school days.

Joe and Aimee homeschooled their kids for several years, which enabled them to have experiences they might otherwise not have had on a more traditional schedule.

Joe recalls getting a midnight call from his friends telling him that the sea bass were biting in 60 feet of water off Rocky Point, and then waking Jack up so they could head into the foggy night together and join the action.

— Is life a marathon or a sprint? When asked this question, Joe pauses before divulging that while a lot of his colleagues will read the blueprints and “do it right the first time,” he prefers to dive right into his work. The ensuing mistakes sometimes make the road a bit longer, but Joe’s process is part and parcel of his high energy level and his adventuresome spirit.

He’s gotten smarter though, he says,

Not Your Average Joe

because he simply can’t afford to make as many mistakes anymore. But life remains a marathon for him nonetheless, because he’s not all that interested in going anywhere fast.

“I plan to shape (boards) forever,” Joe says. “Even if I won the lottery, I’d still shape for sure.”

For Joe, passion is spending time with friends and family and sharing great experiences. This is his raison d’être.

And more to the point, Joe confesses it pains him to only tell a friend or family member how good the fishing was or how great the conditions were out on the water.

At the end of the day, Joe Bark’s passion is building and racing boards … and engaging in those activities with the people he holds dear.

“I’ve always had fun with my work, even when I had jobs as a kid,” Joe says. “I can’t imagine doing a job I didn’t like. I see guys out there doing stuff I couldn’t do and wouldn’t want to do. I’d rather dig ditches than sell door-to-door or drive the freeways—that would kill me.”

Joe Bark has worked in construction, as a firefighter, painting and roofing … and of course building boards. And he says that his days have generally been bookended with getting breakfast somewhere before work and then finishing the day by getting in the water, whenever possible.

Perhaps it’s that love for his work that has enabled Joe to grow Bark Paddleboards from a one-man outfit to a premier purveyor of boards. In the years since he founded his company, more than 200 paddleboard companies have emerged around the world, though prone paddleboard companies have not really showed up.

All of Joe’s boards are made custom and also produced under the Bark name manufactured by Surftech. Bark Paddleboards also has a team of ambassador paddlers who help spread awareness of the Bark brand.

own ideas, and I don’t fall into things. I’m always trying to talk my friends into doing it my way,” he laughs, “and I’m pretty stubborn in doing it my way, even if it’s wrong.”

And yet, you’ll recall, it was his father’s directive to emulate the fine examples of the athletes he coached that played a part in shaping Joe’s course in life. That, and the bountiful, rich, textured geography of the South Bay itself.

In fact it’s when talking about the South Bay that Joe—a normally low-key communicator—approaches his version of gushing.

“I hope I’m still paddling in 20 years.”

— Joe does not necessarily consider himself a product of his environment. “I’ve got my

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“It’s got everything you need—paddling, fishing, diving, volleyball and boating, wonderful beaches,” he affirms. “It’s amazing … hard to beat.”

He offers that friends from other areas come here for the races and are blown away by such experiences as hiking on the fire roads, and by how on a clear day you can be out fishing on the water and still see snow on the mountains in the distance.

The South Bay’s abundant wildlife has also impacted Joe in a big way. He describes the experience of paddling among whales, porpoises and seals in almost spiritual terms. He shares that whether he’s following a whale or looking down at kelp beds and fish or checking the diving conditions for later in the day, paddling out on the water has the power to clear his head in a way that’s effortless and intrinsic to his being.

Once, when he was diving not 200 feet off

the Redondo Pier in Red Canyon, Joe was suddenly startled to find that the water had gone completely dark. With a racing heart, his immediate thought was that perhaps he was in the presence of a great white shark. It was not a shark blocking the sun, however, but a young grey whale. Its face was mere feet from Joe’s, and the animal silently stared at him for several minutes.

Moments later, the whale’s mother swam overhead, forcing Joe and his diving partner to find a way to quickly surface so she would not inadvertently crush them. As exhilarating and alarming as the experience was in the moment, Joe cites the story as an example of how the wildlife in the South Bay has graced his life.

Ask Joe if he’s ever had a profound moment of uncertainty in building his business, fighting a fire or being on the water, and he’ll likely respond with a shrug. He’s quick to downplay his challenges and instead prefers to highlight the fact that although every day presents its struggles, his own loads have been lightened by the wonderful and supportive people he’s chosen to spend time with.

“I surround myself with the greatest paddlers.” These individuals get out and win races, Joe says, and although he does not, building the boards they all race on gives him enough satisfaction. He credits his friends with encouraging him to train even when it is windy and cold, which perhaps is a metaphor for how this somewhat private man has handled the difficulties in his life.

“I hope I’m still paddling in 20 years,” he says. “It’s a long time from now, but there are guys in their 90s racing. Not far and fast, but they enjoy it.”

Joe Bark hopes to paddle and shape boards until his dying day—and also hopes he still has a team to share the ride with.

“People don’t know that we’re a small company. We use the best glassers in the business. It’s just me, Jack and my wife, but we have a lot of friends. I hope I’m around for 30 years.” 

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DR. BRAD THOMAS Orthopedic Surgeon

Middle age is filled with challenges, and for many men one of them is low levels of testosterone.

Here we offer a breakdown of the hormone and a candid look at the latest treatments.

WRITTEN BY STEVEN ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE

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STIEFEL GEORGIADES

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In any sports locker room or sports bar where men over 40 hang out, you’ll likely hear banter about testosterone—guys complaining about low levels, comparing therapy notes and debating, in some cases, controversial treatments.

Testosterone is a steroidal hormone, derived from cholesterol. The testes primarily secrete it, yet women also have testosterone (just as men have estrogen).

Why do we need it? Healthy levels of natural testosterone help a guy feel and look like a guy.

The hormone bolsters physical energy, sexual prowess and fertility; it encourages secondary sex traits such as muscle mass, body hair and even bone density. In addition, this key male hormone supports brain function, endurance and a sense of well-being.

Levels fluctuate throughout life. Natural testosterone levels peak for most men in their early 20s. By the time guys reach their late 30s or early 40s, many are in the lower third of normal range or even below. Then in later life, testosterone levels continue down that slippery slope.

“The most profound cause of declining testosterone levels for men is age,” says Gary Bellman, MD, a board-certified urologist and anti-aging expert at the Southern California Urology Institute in West Hills. Other factors play a smaller role in the decline of T levels, he adds. These include smoking, ill health, alcohol consumption, narcotic use and obesity, among others.

While you can address many of these secondary factors, you can’t reverse the aging process. Or can you?

Testosterone therapy won’t make you younger, but many experts believe that boosting testosterone levels to appropriate, moderate levels may, at the very least, improve the way you feel and look for your age. Therapy is not without controversy, however, both among those who recommend differing types of testosterone therapy and those who are skeptical about it altogether.

ALL THE RAGE Testosterone therapy has grown in popularity over the years; millions of American men now use prescription testosterone. You’ve likely seen the commercials for these products, targeting the same male demographic as cholesterol-reducing medications and prescriptions that address erectile dysfunction.

Medical testosterone is now available in many different formulations such as topical (transdermal), injectable, implant and oral.

Topical forms include patches, creams and alcohol-based gels. Injectable prescription testosterone can be administered through intramuscular or subcutaneous shots, while pellets are implanted. And there are also oral options, although many doctors discourage the use of these because they can stress the liver.

Finally, there are multiple over-the-counter forms of oral supplements that also claim to boost T levels, but Dr. Bellman isn’t a fan. “I’m surprised by the number of well-educated patients I see who buy stuff from the liquor store or online rather than going to a medical professional to get the guidance to increase their testosterone levels safely and effectively.”

With so many options, choosing a treatment can be confusing. Further complicating the matter, many men and their partners are concerned about possible side effects—in particular potential behavioral changes—although Dr. Bellman downplays those concerns.

“There’s a misconception that medical testosterone therapy will make a man aggressive,” he says. “Properly managed by a doctor, testosterone therapy will make a man more manly but not more aggressive.”

Dr. Bellman emphasizes one caveat: Administering testosterone should only be done under an experienced medical practitioner’s care.

THE “T” TIMELINE Your pituitary gland stimulates your testes to produce testosterone and sperm. After naturally-produced testosterone enters your blood, it attaches to androgen receptors. This in turn increases anabolic signaling in muscle tissue, which encourages increased muscle strength, enhanced hand-to-eye coordination, quickness and other performance-related skeletal muscle effects.

Higher levels of natural T also increase your metabolism and your body’s ability to use protein more efficiently. When your body stops producing ideal levels of T, you’ll

likely begin to notice it. You’ll start to feel more sluggish. You’ll add body fat, and your muscle mass will decrease. Perhaps you’ll feel a little depressed.

That’s the time when you might want to consider consulting a doctor. “The first question I ask a patient once we’ve determined that he has low testosterone is: ‘What is your plan with reproduction?’” Dr. Bellman says. “That’s because all types of testosterone therapy have the potential to reduce fertility.”

Once you provide your body with an exogenous (i.e., external) supply of testosterone, your testes don’t need to work as hard. This leads to a further reduction in production of both testosterone and sperm, decreasing your chances of reproducing.

Using prescription testosterone can also reduce the size of testicles by as much as 25%, according to Dr. Bellman. He adds that this effect is typically reversible if you stop testosterone therapy. On the other hand, young bodybuilders who abuse steroids may shrink their testicles far beyond this—to the point where the damage is not reversible.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENTS Shira Miller, MD, an integrative medicine physician in Sherman Oaks, takes a step-by-step approach. First the internist determines if low T is due to primary or secondary hypogonadism. The primary condition is when the testes cannot produce testosterone due to testicular injury (e.g., cancer, radiation, trauma, infection or aging). Secondary hypogonadism is when the testes can produce testosterone, but other factors cause decreased messaging from the hypothalamus and/or pituitary to the testes,

Testosterone therapy won't make you younger, but many experts believe that boosting testosterone levels to appropriate, moderate levels may, at the very least, improve the way you feel and look for your age.

Manning Up

which reduces testosterone output.

When the latter is diagnosed, Dr. Miller’s first recommendation is clomiphene citrate, an oral estrogen-receptor-blocking drug that allows men with declining testosterone levels to optimize T release from their testes.

“This oral medication doesn’t shut off the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis and is especially important for men wanting to have children, as it doesn’t cause low sperm count or infertility, which is a guaranteed side effect of testosterone,” she says.

David Kawashiri, MD, at Cedars-Sinai, Beverly Hills, prefers to prescribe topical forms for a more modest boost. “Topical applications provide a steadier level of improved testosterone,” he says.

In general, Dr. Kawashiri finds that topical forms are easier for patients to administer because they don’t need to make as many visits to their doctor’s office. “Injectable forms spike when administered but then lower over time,” he says. This leaves patients with diminishing returns between doctor visits.

The bottom line: No form of testosterone therapy is perfect for everyone. Factors such as age, primary objective, level of dedication to treatment and lifestyle all have to be weighed and talked through with a doctor.

TESTIMONIES “I’ve used topical gel for more than eight years,” says Austin [a pseudonym], a 54-yearold man in Woodland Hills. “I’ve noticed many benefits, including an increase in energy and vitality.”

In addition, he describes a boost in muscle mass and a decrease in body fat shortly after he first began using the topical. “At first I used the patch, and I didn’t have any problems. But

FACT VS. FICTION Will testosterone therapy make me leaner and more muscular?

When you begin to use medical testosterone, your body will likely grow leaner and more muscular, especially when you follow a weight-training regimen and healthy diet.

You’ll almost surely see better results than if you taking prescription testosterone.

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after about three months, I began to develop a rash in the shape of the patch after each application.”

That led him to switch to a gel product. “I have noticed an increase in body hair and thinning of the hair on my head,” he says.

But Austin also says that he can’t necessarily attribute that to testosterone therapy rather than to normal aging. “The topical version has been beneficial, but maybe it’s time to have another conversation with my doctor,” he states.

Another testosterone user, Greg [a pseudonym] in Encino, has been using intramuscular injectable testosterone for three years. His protocol is a weekly injection for three months followed by a 90-day break from treatment.

“I noticed that I had more energy and reduced body fat after I first began,” Greg says.

He was fit when he started injection therapy and didn’t notice a weight gain or loss overall due to the fact that muscle replaced body fat.

“I still weigh 174 pounds three years later.”

He notes that one side benefit may be more youthful-appearing skin, a common anecdotal claim among those who use prescription T. “At least that’s what my fiancée tells me,” he says.

Finally, Greg says that he does notice a reduction in energy and muscle mass at the end of his 90-day break—a signal that it’s time to re-start his weekly injections.

LEVEL BEST Normal total testosterone levels for most men range from about 250 to 1100 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter) in your blood. This includes both free and bound testosterone. The normal range for free testosterone should fall between 46 and 224 ng/dL. The Endocrine Society recommends that

Could using medical testosterone harm my heart?

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2013) suggested that medical testosterone therapy could be harmful to the heart. This drew a letter of condemnation from the Androgen Study Group, requesting a retraction.

“Prior to the 2013 study there were over a dozen peer-reviewed articles showing testosterone therapy is protective of the heart,” Dr. Bellman says. Today, many doctors continue to support the conclusion that testosterone therapy is heart protective rather than harmful.

Will exercising more boost my T levels?

“Largely, it’s a myth that exercise will significantly boost testosterone for those

doctors draw blood samples in the morning to determine peak T levels and if testosterone therapy is recommended, Dr. Bellman says.

“Men who have a total level below 250 ng/dL at any time of day may have low testosterone,” he adds.

It’s particularly important to determine your peak level, and younger men (ages 35 to 40) with low T at other times of day may be within normal ranges in the morning. Older men show less fluctuation throughout the day, Dr. Bellman explains.

THE END GAME “Testosterone therapy makes most men with low T levels feel better,” Dr. Bellman points out. The key is to find the form of T therapy that meets all of your physiological and lifestyle needs.

Dr. Miller adds a note of caution: “Before one begins any testosterone therapy, the cause of one’s low T should be determined so as not to miss a more primary diagnosis and to guide treatment options.”

She says that using testosterone therapy without expert consultation and comprehensive blood testing may miss, for example, the diagnosis of a prolactinoma, a common benign brain tumor that can cause low T. Our experts are in sync on the broadest point: Medical testosterone therapy may be beneficial for many men, as long as they’ve had an honest conversation with their doctor about their needs and current health status.

Only after that should they choose medical testosterone therapy.

Regular doctor visits and blood tests, which continue to monitor testosterone levels and other markers of health, are also part of the road map to healthy hormone levels. 

with low levels,” Dr. Bellman says. In fact, it could reduce the hormone as exercise burns or uses testosterone to fuel activity. On the other hand, some experts suggest that exercise may make you more sensitive to the testosterone you do have. Bottom line: Do not reduce exercise expecting to boost T levels.

Does consuming testosteroneboosting foods drive up T levels?

It’s a nice idea that consuming specific foods will spike testosterone, but Dr. Bellman says this is mostly a fallacy. “Diet is only one small factor in testosterone levels.

You can’t reverse time by consuming large amounts of kale and spinach.” Eat these food for health, but don’t rely on them to boost your low T levels, he recommends.

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Good Sports Athleticism and altruism often go hand-in-hand here in the South Bay. For these local men, melding a passion for sport with a commitment to philanthropy always translates to a big win.

WRITTEN BY

STEFAN SLATER JEFF BERTING

PHOTOGRAPHED BY

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Turning the Tide

Jason Napolitano & Jeff Eick Jason is more or less a South Bay local. Though he was born on Maui, he says that he bounced between the Hawaiian Islands and Manhattan Beach for most of his life. As to be expected for someone who grew up in both California and Hawaii, surfing is a major part of Jason’s day-to-day life.

“For 25+ years I’ve been surfing. Growing up in Hawaii, you were raised at the beach and on the sand, and as soon as I could crawl I was in the ocean,” he says.

Surfing is more than just a hobby for Jason though. He’s also the director of operations for Campsurf—a surf school in Manhattan Beach.

He enjoys teaching others to surf, and he and

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the Campsurf organization use surfing as a way of giving back. Campsurf has partnered with a number of nonprofits like the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation (JMMF) and the Mauli Ola Foundation.

The JMMF offers a specialized ocean therapy program for the United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior BattalionWest and the West LA Veterans Hospital that centers on surfing. As a JMMF surf instruction partner, Campsurf works with the JMMF to provide surfing instruction to veterans— especially those who’ve been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The JMMF’s ocean therapy program combines informal group discussions with surfing, providing these veterans with a crucial and constructive outlet.

“These veterans have sacrificed so much, so this is a little something that we can do to give back,” Jason says. “The ocean therapy program is amazing, and it really helps some of these people by giving them a little peace of mind.

We’ve seen some great outcomes.”

Campsurf also works with the Mauli Ola Foundation, providing surfing instruction to children with cystic fibrosis. “It gives the kids a real outlet,” he says, adding that instruction usually transforms into a sort of beach day, as the children often come along with their families. “It becomes a great family day for them.”

For Jason, surfing is all about pure fun.

“That’s what I love about it, and that’s what I try to spread around when I’m teaching it—to just have fun and enjoy the ocean,” he says. And teaching surfing as a career is a real

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dream for Jason—he honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The only suit I own is a wetsuit, and I’d like to keep it that way,” he says.

Born in Hermosa Beach, Jeff Eick started surfing in 1952, and as he puts it, he surfed alongside some of the real greats. “I surfed along with LeRoy Grannis, and he was taking pictures of all us while we surfed,” he says.

From Dale Velzy to Hap Jacobs, Jeff notes that he had the chance to surf with some of the most talented surfers of the ‘60s. During the wintertime, he remembers, the older surfers would often build bonfires on the beach.

“They’d burn just about anything, even tires,” he says.

Since they didn’t have wetsuits back then, he points out, they would stand around the

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fire until they were good and warm, and then they’d rush into the water for a few waves.

“We’d surf until we got so cold we couldn’t stand it, and then we’d come back out and warm up by the fire and do it again.”

A veteran himself, Jeff served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Following his deployment, he notes that he worked a few different jobs before settling into a career in real estate development. He’s since retired, but surfing has still remained a constant in his life.

After learning that the JMMF was using surfing to provide ocean therapy to veterans with PTSD, he wanted to use his passion as a way of giving back. He volunteers with the JMFF as a surf instructor.

“I just thought it was important [to get involved], because I am a veteran and I want

to give back. I went through a war, and I felt like I could help these veterans who are struggling,” he says.

The ocean therapy, he notes, helps these veterans to distance themselves from what they’ve been through. The surfing and the ocean provide a physical distraction, and Jeff often takes a moment to talk with some of the veterans about their experiences. For most of the veterans, Jeff says, they’re thrilled to be out in the water.

“I had a guy tell me, ‘I don’t care if I catch a wave; I’m just glad to be out here.’ So it’s not so much about teaching them how to surf; it’s about the environment, where they are and watching the water.”

The JMFF’s ocean therapy program, he says, “is trying to help these men and women

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who’ve put themselves in harm’s way for our well-being.” Jeff is happy to use surfing as a therapeutic tool of sorts. He uses the sport to introduce others to the ocean in a positive fashion, and he’s able to talk with other veterans, hopefully providing a constructive avenue for those who might be in need.

“I deal with them directly, and they deal with me directly,” he says. “They let their shields down a little bit.”

Ending the Cycle

Heath Gregory & Jon Hirshberg Cycling has always held a special place in Heath Gregory’s life. “I ride Palos Verdes and Malibu, and I’m passionate about this sport,” he says.

Born in Silver City, New Mexico, Heath has fond memories of watching the Tour of the Gila. A five-stage cycling race based in Silver City, the event is one of the premier cycling races in the U.S. In 2009 the South Bay resident took his wife and children to see the Tour de France, and he happened to see a one-day spin event that was connected with the tour.

“It was a spectacle,” he said, noting that the experience—the crowd all spinning together in unison, that engaging collective energy—really stuck with him. Heath wanted to find a way to combine his love of cycling with an altruistic cause, ideally something related to cancer research.

“I lost four family members to cancer,” he says, and Heath felt the need to support the fight against cancer. Eventually he connected with Jon Hirshberg, who originally started the first LA Cancer Challenge in the ‘90s. Together they developed the idea for an outdoor stationary cycling event that would occur right at the base of the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Participants would ride a stationary bike outdoors—within sight of the Pacific—while receiving guidance from instructors and celebrity guest riders. The event would benefit three different charities: the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, the Uncle Kory Foundation and the Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach.

In May 2013 the first Tour de Pier was held right by the pier, and Heath and Jon raised $339,000 for their charities. Since 2013 the event has actually raised nearly $3 million for cancer research and support charities.

“What we have is this ability to weave this communal message over the course of five hours,” says Heath. “We want to create a space for people who’ve been affected by cancer.”

The event not only spurs people to get outdoors and enjoy an invigorating cycling session, but Jon and Heath also designed the Tour

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de Pier to encourage people to come together and share their stories, personal triumphs and struggles against cancer. “Everybody has been touched by cancer in one for or another, and this event is a way to not only raise money and find a cure for the disease, but it’s also a way for the community to heal and share their silent battles,” he says.

Jon shares, “When my dad passed from pancreatic cancer, that was the most traumatic thing that had ever happened to me.” When he lost his father to pancreatic cancer in ’97, Jon—a Boston native—says he made a commitment to embracing a healthy lifestyle.

Jon notes that he’s always been something of an athlete. From marathons to triathlons, he’s done it all. “But cycling has been a real core passion of mine,” he says.

In 1997 Jon helped create the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, and he worked to organize active events,

like the LA Cancer Challenge, to help benefit the foundation and other cancer research organizations.

After connecting with Heath, the two came up with the idea for the Tour de Pier. The event, he notes, truly embodies his love for healthy living. Because the roughly half-day event is basically one enormous spin class, he believes the Tour de Pier has a strong community angle to it.

“It creates this community of people who’ve been affected by cancer,” he says. The event creates an opportunity of sorts for South Bay residents to not only enjoy the outdoors and support an important cause, but it also gives locals a chance to build a support structure for those who’ve been impacted by cancer.

“We’ve built this chance for people in the South Bay to support others emotionally and to also show how strong the community is,” he says. “The experience is quite emotional.” 

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Gentleman’s Getaway A 350-year-old English estate, just outside London, boasts an unexpectedly American heritage.

WRITTEN BY

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DARREN ELMS

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ike many of us here in the “Colonies,” I tuned in season after season to find out what peril awaited the upstairs and downstairs residents of Downton Abbey. This popular British television import captured the imaginations of audiences all over the world and introduced many to a fictional portrayal of wealth and title in early 20th-century England.

While visitors can tour the estate featured in the series, there’s another prestigious abode—similarly drenched in glamour, drama and intrigue—that doubles as a first-class hotel and National Trust garden. Located in the heart of the Berkshire countryside— a short car or train ride from Heathrow—Cliveden House has a colorful history that housed royalty, survived devastating fire and even endured political scandal. After years of private ownership, the house itself now functions as a hotel with 47 individually designed rooms and suites named after its most prominent guests.

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Feature Hed

Built in 1666 by the Duke of Buckingham to entertain his mistress, the Countess of Shrewsbury, the stately home near the River Thames served nobility for centuries and even provided the inspiration for Toad Hall in the The Wind and the Willows. Prominent guests have included Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill and The Beatles. And while the home has a distinctly masculine flair in appearance, it was a woman— and an American—who became its final private owner.

Nancy Astor, wife of Waldorf Astor, inherited the property from her father-in-law, William Waldorf Astor, in 1906. William, the richest man in America, had left the States for England with his family to enjoy a life of privilege abroad. He purchased Cliveden for $1.25 million in 1893.

The Astor family was responsible for many of the current interiors in the home, true to the style of the time. Nancy, a native Virginian, would reign over the home for many years and even became the first woman to take a seat in the House of Commons. The Astors eventually dispatched the home, and it became a hotel in 1985.

In its present incarnation, Cliveden House retains the elegance and etiquette of the past, combined with a contemporary approach to service and hospitality. Each room or suite is totally unique and designed to the original charms of the estate, with vintage furnishings and details throughout. The property also hosts a Spring Cottage, a private three-bedroom accommodation on the bank of the River Thames.

On the main level, guests can enjoy tea or cocktails in the library or dine at the awardwinning André Garrett restaurant—a feast for the eyes and taste buds. Cliveden also recently debuted The Astor Grill in the former stables, a stylish wink at the home’s equestrian past. This summer a new spa will also open to guests in need of a little R&R. Just outside the doors of the home, 376 acres of National Trust garden await your stroll. The grounds also host both indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a fitness suite, golf nearby and the River Thames for vintage cruise launches.

While walking around the estate, you will notice architectural elements by Charles Barry, the architect commissioned to rebuild the mansion after a fire nearly destroyed the main house in 1849. This same architect also designed the Houses of Parliament in London and Highclere Castle … better known as Downton Abbey. Well, isn’t that grand? 

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A gourmet cookie studio in down town Hermosa Beach

Coming Summer 2017

Handmade with Love sugardayne.com | @sugardayne | 310.462.7566 308 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach

Constance Curtis Events

ConstanceCurtis.com | Constance@ConstanceCurtis.com | 520.591.0312

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Our clients tend to be determined to live an active, fulfilling lifestyle and want to make sure their money is positioned so they can live life and not worry about dayto-day money management.””

— KATHLEEN ADAMS, CFP®, CPWA®, SENIOR ASSOCIATE ERIC C. PRITZ, CFP®, CMFC, PARTNER VINCE A. DILEVA, MS, CFP®, AIF®, SENIOR PARTNER SIGNATURE ESTATE & INVESTMENT ADVISORS

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FINANCE & WEALTH MANAGEMENT EDITED BY LAURA WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL & LAUREN PRESSEY

Peace of mind is something money can’t buy. But one way to attain it is to be smart with your money. To do that, you need a team of financial experts supporting you and helping you conquer today’s challenges. The South Bay wealth management professionals on the following pages can help you achieve the peace of mind that comes with meeting your financial goals.

Read on and see how they are enriching their clients’ lives ...

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132 MCDONALD WEALTH

INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC

118 HARRIS FINANCIAL

ADVISORS, INC.

120 MOSS ADAMS WEALTH

ADVISORS LLC

122 NAVIGOE WEALTH MANAGEMENT 124 CHARLES SCHWAB

ADVISORY GROUP OF WELLS FARGO ADVISORS

133 RYAN/BENSON WEALTH

MANAGEMENT GROUP

134 CALIFORNIA RETIREMENT ADVISORS

135 BEACH CITIES

ACCOUNTING, INC.

126 ONE WEALTH MANAGEMENT 128 GUZMAN LAW GROUP, PC 130 EP WEALTH ADVISORS 131 TORTUGA WEALTH MANAGEMENT

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Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, LLC Vince A. DiLeva, MS, CFP®, AIF®, Senior Partner Eric C. Pritz, CFP®, CMFC, Partner Kathleen Adams, CFP®, CPWA®, Senior Associate 1815 Via El Prado, Suite 100 Redondo Beach 310-712-2320 seia.com

“SEIA was established in 1997 with the sole idea of doing what’s best for the client.”

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ignature Estate & Investment Advisors, LLC® (SEIA) is an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm offering wealth management and financial planning services to affluent individuals, families and business owners. SEIA and its affiliates manage more than $6 billion in client assets as of April 1, 2017. SEIA has been recognized by many financial publications including the 2016 Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisors list, the 2016 Los Angeles Business Journal list of largest money management firms ranked by assets managed, the 2015 Forbes Top 100 Wealth Manager in the U.S list, and the 2015 REP Top 100 RIA list.

With a combined 50 years of wealth management experience, Vince DiLeva, Eric Pritz and Kathleen Adams are residents and supporters of the South Bay community. Backed by the advanced resources of the firm, the South Bay team offers portfolio management, retirement planning, estate and legacy planning, as well as philanthropic and family foundation management. Vince, Eric and Kathleen have earned multiple advanced degrees and financial designations over the years.

Who is your typical client?

“We have a diverse client base, but most of our clients are successful professionals who have worked hard and saved well. Our clients tend to be determined to live an active, fulfilling lifestyle and want to make sure their money is positioned so they can live life and not worry about day-to-day money management.”

What is the biggest benefit your clients gain from working with you?

“We try to add ‘Advisor Alpha’ to every client relationship using a multitude of tools and strategies. A process identified by The Vanguard Group, Advisor Alpha takes a varied approach to wealth management on a client-by-client basis, rather than just making efforts to beat the market. Investors typically view portfolio performance versus the market or some arbitrary index as the best way to determine the worth of an advisor. Although hard to quantify, Vanguard believes advisors can add an additional three percentage points through advice on asset allocation, portfolio rebalancing, spending strategies for drawdowns, cost-effective investment guidance and behavioral counseling. We strongly believe in these principles, and our clients have benefited from this knowledge and expertise.

We believe the guidance, peace of mind and discipline that we provide through behavioral coaching and understanding the tendencies of the emotional investor adds the most value over time (especially in times of crisis).”

How important is it to have well-established relationships with legal, tax planning and other professionals on behalf of your clients?

“As longtime South Bay residents and business owners, we have worked with and developed relationships with many local professionals.

We ensure the seamless integration of all the components of your multifaceted financial life by serving as quarterback amongst a collaborative team of CPAs, attorneys and other trusted advisors.”

What makes your firm stand out in the financial industry?

“SEIA was established in 1997 with the sole idea of doing what’s best for the client. We have a long history of success, which is tied to the stability of the firm, its advisors and more than 70 employees. Collaborating for more than two decades, our founding partners and advisors have laid a strong foundation with processes backed by the highest levels of education and professional accreditations.”

How will the future of the financial industry evolve?

“Much has been written about the economy and efficiency of ‘robo’ investment management as the future of our industry. However, in our view it will always be missing the critical component to financial success, which is personalized advice from experienced, professional advisors. Many professions are experiencing potential disruption from online tools. But remember, Legal Zoom will not be brainstorming with TurboTax, which will not be collaborating with your robo-advisor. And don’t call them to express your fears during the next market decline!”

How do you give back to your community?

“As a community-based firm, we spend time in our own altruistic endeavors—donating our time and monetary support to organizations from local education foundations to the Be The Match Foundation, the LA25 Foundation for the Arts, Rotary and Mira Costa athletic support.”

Disclaimer: Registered Representative/Securities offered through Signator Investors, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC, 2121 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1600, Los Angeles, CA 90067 (310) 712-2323. SEIA, LLC and its investment advisory services are offered independent of Signator Investors, Inc. and any subsidiaries or affiliates. VAD CA INS. LICENSE # 0B84300 and ECP CA INS. LICENSE # 0E55966 KAA CA INS. LICENSE # OC76833. Opinions expressed here are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent the opinions of SEIA. Source: Francis M. Kinniry Jr., Colleen M. Jaconetti, Michael A. DiJoseph, and Yan Zilbering, 2014. Putting a value on your value. Quantifying Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha.

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L to R: Jennifer Embler, David Swift, Kathleen Adams, Dylan Price, Katie O’Neill, Jeffrey Zuanich, Vince DiLeva, Eric Pritz, Rachel Otto

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Harris Financial Advisors, Inc. 25500 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 1030 Torrance 310-791-3226 | 800-438-2322 harrisfinancial.net hfa@harrisfinancial.net

“After a short time of working with us, our clients often find themselves with less worry and more time—an enhanced return on life.”

H

arris Financial Advisors has served the South Bay as a Registered Investment Advisor for 25 years. With a teamcentered approach, the firm combines intelligent portfolio design with strategic wealth management to serve the financial needs of their South Bay neighbors.

The Harris Financial team includes golfers, hikers, bikers, surfers, swimmers, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives and even a few grandparents.

What makes your firm stand apart from the rest of your industry?

“Unique Advisor Team: Our key differentiator is the collective profile of our advisors. Our ages span five decades and three generations. We are 40% women, and we all hold advanced credentials that are continually bolstered with ongoing education. With our varied perspectives, experiences and viewpoints, we deliver real-world, practical solutions. With technical expertise and emotional intelligence, we advise on the complexities that accompany significant wealth. Our experience is further strengthened by our fiduciary obligation, which requires us to put the interest of our clients ahead of all others.”

What has been the key to your success over the last 25 years?

“Client Confidence: It is no secret that the key to longevity in any business is focusing keenly on the needs of clients. At Harris Financial Advisors, this translates to an unrelenting dedication to our mission: helping clients build confidence in their financial well-being.

Through thoughtful portfolio design and strategic wealth management, we provide the insights necessary to support our clients as they pursue their personal vision of success.”

How do you simplify the financial lives of your clients?

“Consolidate and Simplify: We streamline the structure and number of accounts to simplify record-keeping and performance reporting. This clarity serves to re-energize personal commitment to financial aspirations.

After a short time of working with us,

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our clients often find themselves with less worry and more time—an enhanced return on life.”

How do your services affect your clients?

“Reduce Financial Anxiety: Focus drives results. We help our clients focus on what is important to them and work to align their financial strategy with the specific outcome they have in mind. The world is full of distractions, and it is easy to delay making key decisions due to time and knowledge constraints.

Many investors worry about outliving their money, meeting unforeseen expenses and not having enough wealth for a comfortable retirement. Others wish to leave a family or charitable legacy with excess wealth. Our purpose is to keep financial priorities in the forefront and provide the context, knowledge and expertise to help our clients make timely, well-informed decisions— thereby reducing anxiety.”

What’s the most common mistake people make with their money?

“Inaction: Confronting tough financial decisions can be a major roadblock to achieving goals. As a result, decisions are deferred and opportunities lost. With forethought and guidance, resources can be efficiently structured, deployed and managed to increase the probability of a desired outcome.”

How do potential clients find you?

“Client and Professional Introductions: We have been fortunate that our clients are not shy about referring us to their friends and family. We have worked with many families for decades and now serve their children, grandchildren, friends and neighbors.

Additionally, we collaborate with accountants, attorneys and other advisors to provide the best possible experience for our clients. Collaboration builds trust and the comfort level necessary to recommend us to people we can help.”

What are your firm’s core values?

“Strong Relationships: We believe in the power of strong relationships. Relationships are forged through collaboration, transparency, trust and empathy.

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FINANCE & WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Advisor team, L to R: Clay Zachry, CFP® Cristin Rigg, CFP®, CDFA™ Mary Harris, CFP® Stewart Darrell, CFA Kristen Perez, CFP® Matthew Kuhn, CFA, AIF®

Collaboration ensures that our advisors work in partnership with our clients in the pursuit of their objectives. Transparency allows clients to clearly understand all the facets of our recommendations—including fees, costs and other mission critical information. Trust and empathy are the additional keystones to ensure a meaningful and productive relationship.”

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How does your team give back to the community?

“Educational Events: As regulation, markets and taxes make financial decision-making increasingly complex, we make a concerted effort to convert information into actionable insights. Our educational events provide a venue to ask tough questions, share experiences and discover strategies to deal with

an ever-changing world. These gatherings are designed to deliver maximum take-home value in a friendly, comfortable setting designed specifically for this purpose.

Additionally, we partner with organizations such as Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Palos Verdes Peninsula Library in providing valuable community educational events.”

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Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC 2121 Rosecrans Boulevard, Suite 2390 El Segundo 310-616-3460 mossadamswealthadvisors.com

“It’s essential for families and business owners to have an advisor who understands the unique aspects of their business, personal finances and—perhaps most importantly—their goals.”

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oss Adams Wealth Advisors helps busy families and business owners meet their financial goals; make informed decisions; and integrate their financial, investment, tax, estate trusts, insurance, real estate and charitable giving into one plan.

Principal financial advisor Jim Schlager is one of 260+ partners at Moss Adams. A Manhattan Beach resident, Jim has worked with South Bay residents for the past 25 years to help them meet their financial goals.

He joined the company in 1995 as part of Financial Security Group, which merged with Moss Adams in 2000. Later he moved from Seattle to Manhattan Beach to open the Los Angeles Private Clients practice.

Jim graduated from Washington State University, and over the years he completed his master’s degree in financial planning and earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), and Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) certifications. He also holds Series 6, 7, 24, 63 and 65 securities licenses.

Describe your ideal client.

“We help individuals and families— including families who own businesses— build long-term financial security, cultivate multigenerational wealth and address their complex needs. Our ideal client is someone looking to his or her portfolio for long-term financial security without the roller coaster ride. He or she aspires to meet specific, defined financial goals.

We believe clients already have enough risk with their business or investments tied up in a private equity fund and shouldn’t have to worry about daily returns as well.

When working for our clients, we believe that volatility in any market is good if you’re prepared. The key is structuring your business or family finances in a way that allows you to take advantage of equity, real estate, government policy changes and industry trends.

What you don’t want to do is back yourself into a corner, leaving you without options.”

Is there a point of differentiation when it comes to your services?

“Families who own a business might find it difficult to keep up with the increasing complexity of both their business and personal finances. We help by maintaining a holistic viewpoint of a client’s finances and coordinating all aspects of their financial portfolio.”

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How in-depth do you get in learning about clients’ financial affairs?

“We get pretty immersed. It’s essential for families and business owners to have an advisor who understands the unique aspects of their business, personal finances and— perhaps most importantly—their goals. Ultimately we help our clients make informed financial decisions.”

How do you think robo-advisors will impact wealth management firms?

“Robo-advisors are the latest financial technology mousetrap in the market. Every business—whether a wealth manager or a widget company—needs to define its value proposition and what differentiates it from competitors. Robo-advisors will take few clients away from valuable wealth managers who can execute on what they say they’ll do for their clients. However, they could be a problem for advisors who are simply asset gatherers. I think the days of wealth managers who charge 1% or more to solely manage their clients’ money are coming to an end.

Clients are looking for solid money management and want an advisor who can provide advice and guidance on myriad financial issues for that same fee.

Robo-advisors aren’t one-size-fits-all, and their fees can range from fairly low to high.

A robo-advisor also isn’t going to sit across the desk from you and coordinate your investments, income and estate tax issues, business, charitable giving or other financial facets of your life. That said, consumers and wealth management professionals should welcome this new platform because it will force advisors to fine-tune their value proposition and cause clients to re-examine what they’re getting for the fee they pay, which is good for everyone.”

What are your top five tips for investing? “(1) Always have a written plan. You’re more likely to achieve your goals with a written plan. (2) If the fundamentals of why you invested in something in the past still hold true today but the investment has gone down, talk to your advisor about buying more. (3) Structure your investments to take advantage of market and industry dislocations. (4) Know what return you need to achieve financial independence goals—goals that, when achieved, ensure you can live the lifestyle you want without worrying about money. (5) Save and invest. Wealth creates more wealth.”

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Navigoe Wealth Management Scott Leonard, CFP®, Founder 417 Beryl Street Redondo Beach 310-697-0400 navigoe.com “At Navigoe, we believe that the core service we provide is that of our clients’ financial navigator, helping them achieve their goals and doing so in a secure and enjoyable manner.”

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ERTIFIED FINANICAL PLANNER™ Professional Scott Leonard started Navigoe Wealth Management in 1996 and has more than 25 years of experience in financial planning and wealth management. In 2012 he was named one of the Top 5 most influential financial advisors by RIABiz. Navigoe is a South Bay-headquartered, fee-only financial fiduciary working with business owners, executives and families concerned with maintaining and growing their financial prosperity.

Navigoe’s wealth management services include investment consulting, financial planning, tax management, estate planning and asset protection.

Navigoe is an interesting name, Scott.

What does it mean? “‘Navigo’ is Latin for ‘navigate’ or ‘to sail.’

The interpretation is to navigate a sailboat across oceans. At Navigoe, we believe that the core service we provide is that of our clients’ financial navigator, helping them achieve their goals and doing so in a secure and enjoyable manner.”

You personally know something about navigating oceans.

“Yes, in 2011 my family and I departed on a 2½-year sailing trip through the Caribbean Sea and the South Pacific. I worked remotely on the boat with periodic trips back to the South Bay for meetings. In the middle of the worse recession since the Great Depression, I literally sailed off into the sunset, and we did not lose a single client as a result of the trip. I attribute that to the incredible staff of Navigoe, our commitment to service and the peace of mind we provided to our clients during the Great Recession and market crash.”

Is there anything you learned on the trip that makes you a better financial navigator for your clients?

“I believe we are all suffering under a deluge of ‘news,’ which causes a great deal of anxiety for people. The constant, 24/7 news cycle—especially around investing and financial topics—suggests that we are flying through life on a fighter jet needing to make constant and quick changes all the time. In reality, life moves much slower … like a sailboat: While monitoring is necessary, major course corrections do not occur often. The anxiety occurs as the hourly news cycle does not correlate with the much slower change in the circumstances of our lives.”

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What does Navigoe do to help deal with this anxiety for your clients?

“As financial fiduciaries, we serve an important role as our clients’ primary source for their financial questions. We have designed a very intentional process of three annual meetings that allows us to address and review all the major financial topics for our clients and do it when it makes sense. In that way our clients can ignore the media hype—knowing that we will address their financial needs when appropriate. We are always taking the long-term view for our clients, which is surprisingly unique in financial services.”

Do you have an example of how your longterm view has served your clients?

“A great example would be our investment strategy. One of the reasons I started the firm over 20 years ago was to implement an investment strategy that was academically sound yet not found in the brokerage firms or banks. We have been investing with the same strategy—using the same money manager—for over 20 years. It has proven itself through the dot.com market crash, Y2K, Enron and the Great Recession. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

More than 20 years with the same investment strategy—is that unique in the industry?

“Very. Most firms are making changes every three to five years, if not annually. The implication is simple: If a firm has a ‘new’ way of investing, a ‘new’ money manager or mutual fund recommendation, or a ‘new’ portfolio allocation, it is because the ‘old’ one did not work. The industry would suggest that their research and analysis is finding something new, better or different. It is all smoke and mirrors to hide the fact that they just failed to deliver on the last strategy.

Don’t get me wrong. There is ongoing academic research around financial markets. But the resulting improvements are incremental to the sound concepts of financial markets. So while we continue to build upon and improve our investment strategy, it is still based on the same academically sound research.

It is analogous to sailing a boat across an ocean. If you selected the correct boat in the beginning, you do not need to change your boat along the way; even if you could, you just need to make minor course corrections.”

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L to R: Don Hance, CFP® Scott Leonard, CFP® Heather Johnson Eric Toya, CFP® Tyler Smith

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Charles Schwab 21370 Hawthorne Blvd.

Torrance 310-546-1571 schwab.com/Torrance

“We believe in partnering with you and getting to know you, so we can work together on your terms.”

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he Torrance team of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Member SIPC, uses the power of investing to help clients create a better tomorrow. They offer South Bay residents access to a range of investing, wealth management and personal finance guidance, service and products.

What makes your firm stand out in this industry?

“Chuck Schwab’s vision to be the champion of all investors continues to be at the heart of everything we do. For the past 44 years, Schwab has been challenging the status quo to deliver investors more value and a better experience. We strive to help people achieve better financial outcomes for themselves and their families. We have a history of challenging the status quo in our industry, innovating ways that benefit investors and the advisors and employers who serve them and championing our clients’ goals with passion and integrity.”

What is your most important strategy for building wealth?

“It’s difficult to make sound financial decisions without a plan that takes into account an individual’s situation and goals. We’ve seen that financial planning can help improve people’s confidence and help them achieve better outcomes. Research from the 2004 Health and Retirement Study of Americans over the age of 50 showed that those who created financial plans and stuck with them achieved an average total net worth three times higher than those who didn’t.”

What’s the most common mistake people make with their money?

“In a perfect world, every investor could ‘buy low and sell high,’ but the realities of the market often prove more complex. Still, many investors allow their emotions to steer them in the wrong direction. When the market is moving up, investors don’t want to be left out of the party so they tend to buy when prices are high. On the flip side, when the market experiences some volatility and declines, investors get scared and end up selling. But building wealth is a long-term endeavor, and for long-term investors, time in the market is more important than timing the market.”

How do referrals play into what you do?

“Good advice can be hard to find, but it’s easy to share. When we receive referrals to friends and family, it gives us the opportunity to help shape the financial future of someone our client cares about.”

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What is your professional “secret weapon”?

“Throughout our history, we’ve put our clients’ needs first. We continue to innovate with a goal of demystifying the process of investing and driving down costs, so investors have more money to invest.”

Describe your relationship with your clients.

“You’re not just a client at Schwab. We believe in collaborating with you and getting to know you, so we can work together on your terms.”

What are some of the most pressing challenges facing the financial industry today? How do you help clients deal with these challenges?

“Planning is critical to successful investing, but not enough people have a financial plan.

For some, the roadblock might be high costs and minimums; for others, planning may seem like a dull and daunting task. At Schwab, we help make it easier and more affordable to build and maintain a plan, stay invested and access professional guidance along the way.”

How do the solutions you offer affect your clients’ wealth?

“At Schwab, we believe there’s a world of difference between sound, time-tested advice and the advice people typically receive. That’s why, instead of fashionable investment ideas, hot tips or one broker’s personal opinions, we offer advice that relies on disciplined principles, fact–based research and the insights of industry-leading experts.”

Tell us about your team of professionals.

“Schwab Torrance branch financial consultants average more than 17 years of professional experience. When you work with one of us, you can count on guidance that’s founded on knowledge and motivated by an authentic desire to help. Whether you want advice or need a plan, helping you achieve your financial goals will be our priority. Also, we offer complimentary, no-obligation workshops where you can learn about investing, trading, saving and so much more. You don’t need to be a Schwab client to attend.”

Disclaimer: Member SIPC. Wealth management refers to products and services available through the operating subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation of which there are important differences including, but not limited to, the type of advice and assistance provided, fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences when determining which products and/or services to select. ©2017 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”) Member SIPC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Charles Schwab Corporation. (0417-Y52H)

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L to R: Lisa Quartarone, Marc Myers, Lane Reid, Casey Mervine, Brian LaTorre, Grant Seaton, Charlie Q. Yang

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One Wealth Management Financial and Insurance Services Edward Wirtz, Founding Partner 1960 E. Grand Ave., Suite 840 El Segundo 424-329-7900 onewealthmgmt.com

“One Wealth Management is built on the idea that clients’ interests come first, last and always.”

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ne Wealth Management Financial and Insurance Services assists clients with comprehensive wealth management strategies to help them grow, protect, preserve and transfer wealth. Founding partner Edward Wirtz has worked in the financial industry for 27 years.

After earning a degree in business administration at University of Southern California, he started his own practice in 1990. In 2015 Ed joined four long-time friends—all seasoned financial advisors—to form One Wealth Management.

What makes your firm stand out in the financial industry?

“One Wealth Management is built on the idea that clients’ interests come first, last and always. Our organization offers clients a single point of contact for their financial needs while providing the background and expertise to provide comprehensive, unbiased and highly customized solutions to complex financial issues. We help our clients build their wealth, protect what they’ve built, enjoy what they’ve earned and leave the legacy they choose for their heirs and community.”

How do referrals play into what you do?

“It is truly rewarding when a client’s trust in my practice prompts a referral to a colleague, friend or family member. Not only do referrals help my practice grow, it’s truly energizing to meet with a new member of our community, hear their stories and help them move toward financial success.”

What is your professional “secret weapon”?

“Discipline. As hard as my clients work for their personal and professional successes, I work equally hard to ensure they remain on track financially. It can involve asking the tough questions, counseling during times of volatility, remaining consistent when challenged and adhering staunchly to regular progress reviews. I am ‘pleasantly persistent’ and find regular follow-up to be critically important.”

How do you simplify the experience for your clients?

“Our approach to the planning process is to take it one step at a time. We start with a foundation of financial protection, which involves implementing insurance to protect a family, business or income. Once in place, we start to build in or enhance accumulation tools designed to complement the client’s existing employer-sponsored benefits and any outside assets. As wealth grows, we then pivot to legacy goals with planning focused on minimizing tax liability, funding a favored charity and providing for family. By breaking the process down to manageable steps, the

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client doesn’t become overwhelmed in trying to meet their long-term goals and objectives in one sitting.”

How has your life experience made you the professional you are today?

“My father was a business owner. From him, I learned how to build and run a successful organization. When I began building my practice, one of my first cases was helping facilitate their business succession plan. This was influential in helping me understand the value of properly preparing to ensure a smooth and equitable transition of a business owner’s assets. Today, working with business owners and helping them prepare for business succession, protect and reward key employees, and manage employee benefits is one of the cornerstones of my practice.”

How do the solutions you offer affect your clients’ wealth?

“The solutions we design for our clients not only help build wealth but help protect wealth. A lot of dollars go into employersponsored retirement plans, which for the most part will be taxable at distribution or retirement. We like to incorporate additional ‘buckets”’ so an accumulation strategy incorporates solutions that are tax-advantageous, giving the client flexibility during incomeearning and retirement phases.”

Describe your relationship with your clients.

“I know my clients well. Whether it’s their business, partners, spouse or children, I make it my priority to know what is most important to them. I rely on my clients to remain engaged in our process, as it is often more analogous to a marathon than a sprint.

I have yet to meet a client whose goals are the same now as they were 10 years ago. We work long-term with our clients to ensure their financial plans remain in line with their financial objectives.”

How do you give back to your community?

“I am an active supporter of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and a major donor of the Peninsula Education Foundation in Palos Verdes. I am also a member of USC’s alumni Scholarship Club.”

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

“I’ve spent the majority of my last 20 years enjoying my kids, coaching football and traveling as much as we can while they are still around. I enjoy basketball, golf, boating and snow skiing with family and friends.”

Disclaimer: Ed Wirtz is a Registered Representative of and securities offered through MML Investors Services, LLC. 4695 MacArthur Court #1000, Newport Beach, CA 92660.

949.660.1717. Member SIPC (www.sipc.org). Transactions may not be accepted by e-mail, fax, or voicemail. CRN201904-211121

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Denise M. Guzman, Founder/Principal Attorney 1230 Rosecrans Avenue Suite 650, Manhattan Beach 310-321-6640 guzmanlg.com

“Protecting the needs of each and every client is not only the cornerstone of our philosophy and practice but also the reason why our clients continue to turn to us.”

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uzman Law Group acts as in-house corporate counsel focusing on owners of closely held businesses, from start-ups to multi-million dollar corporations in all industries, ranging from manufacturing to entertainment. Founder Denise M. Guzman is a noted business, estate planning and trust attorney. She has been serving the South Bay for more than 30 years.

Who should do financial planning?

Denise M. Guzman, Business and Estate Planning Attorney: “Everyone needs a financial plan, whether an individual or family, or a family-owned business or closely-held company. For individuals or families, a sound financial plan is important to have in place for important life events, college, weddings and retirement, plus estate planning and asset protection. For businesses, a strategic business plan allows for the company’s growth for the future as well as contemplates an exit strategy, such as planning for the sale of the business. With family-owned businesses, given their special needs, we emphasize the need to create a corporate succession plan for the next generation to succeed in taking over and managing the family business.”

How do you differentiate yourself from others working in the wealth management industry?

Denise M. Guzman: “Experience. I have seen a lot of successful and unsuccessful structures, whether in estate planning or corporate succession planning. I use that experience and knowledge in guiding my clients.”

How do you tailor your services to each client?

Richard A. Luftman, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Attorney: “This is not a ‘cookie-cutter’ area of the law. Every client has their own unique set of circumstances, and we use our experience to tailor a custom solution to each client’s specific needs and goals.”

How important is it to have well-established relationships with legal, tax planning and other professionals on behalf of your clients?

Denise M. Guzman: “It is essential to put together the right team of professionals, whether you are structuring a corporate sale or creating an estate plan. Each of those professionals brings a different perspective to the table. It is almost like looking at a project in 3-D. Each professional plays a role, and it is important to have those professional relationships in place, because in the end it allows us to give the client the ultimate service and protection. And that is the most important thing we can do for a client.”

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Marcus Chang, Business and Estate Planning Attorney: “I believe it is very important to have these kinds of working relationships within your network in order to best serve your clients. When I work with a client, I always try to involve the professionals that the client works with, such as their accountant or financial planner because they can provide me with a bigger picture of my clients needs, allowing me to better protect my client.”

How do the solutions you offer preserve and enhance the value of your client’s business?

Edward Powell, Business Attorney: “For family-owned businesses, establishing a succession plan is crucial to ensuring the next generation is in a position to take over the business, to maintain continuity for the company’s customers and to create a culture that aligns the interests of family members with the success of the enterprise.”

What is the biggest benefit that your clients gain from working with you?

Edward Powell: “Practicing business law allows me to become an integral part of my clients’ successes. Anticipating, acknowledging and addressing the interests of all the parties to a transaction not only protects my clients’ particular legal interests but also ensures that the business relationship is on sound footing and a positive experience for everyone.”

George G. Romain, Business Litigator and Employment Lawyer: “The greatest value our clients gain from working with the Guzman Law Group is peace of mind. As result of our hard work and expertise our clients can trust in our recommendations on any given point. ‘Protecting the needs of each and every client’ is not only the cornerstone of our philosophy and practice but also the reason why our clients continue to turn to us.”

What is your best piece of advice?

Denise M. Guzman: “Take the time to put a plan in place for the future, whether we are talking about corporate succession planning or estate planning. You need to answer the tough questions. How will I exit from my business? Am I grooming a successor, or will I sell to an outside party? When is the right time to sell? In estate planning, a well planned estate will be positioned to pay the least amount in estate taxes and will leave a clear road map for the family to follow reducing any chance for conflict within the family.”

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARISA GUZMÁN-ALOIA

Guzman Law Group, PC

FINANCE & WEALTH MANAGEMENT

L to R: Edward Powell, Carla B. Hoffman, Richard A. Luftman, Denise M. Guzman, George G. Romain, Marcus Chang, Carol T. Contes, Drew C. Hallett

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L to R: Adam Phillips, CFA, CFP® Sherryl Ray Brian Parker, CFP® Ryan Serrecchia, CFP® Derek Holman, CFP®, AIF® Patrick Goshtigian, CFA Kevin Ashworth, CFA Erin Voisin, CFP®, MS, CDFA®, ChFC®

“We provide useful tools and clear education along the way so clients can understand why we do what we do.”

EP Wealth Advisors

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s an independent wealth management firm, EP Wealth Advisors helps clients develop an investment portfolio and a financial plan that matches their goals and aspirations. In addition to the Torrance branch, the company also has offices in West LA, Orange County, San Diego, Lafayette, Valencia and Denver, Colorado.

What is your most important strategy for building wealth?

“Develop a relationship with a trusted mentor or advisor who cares about you and what you want to accomplish. They’ll be able to provide you with guidance and honest feedback. It all comes down to making better decisions.”

How do you simplify the experience for clients?

“So much of simplicity is being there when a client

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21515 Hawthorne Blvd.

Suite 1200 Torrance 310-543-4559 epwealth.com needs us and being prepared to help with their situation. By understanding a person, by discovering what is really important and what issues they’re facing, we can prioritize what needs to be done and be proactive for them. We provide useful tools and clear education along the way so clients can understand why we do what we do. This level of transparency often creates these ‘aha’ moments where you can tell they truly get it—and make breakthroughs in their own life.”

What’s the most common mistake people make with their money?

“Many people think they should handle their finances on their own. But dealing with money is very emotional, and we often don’t make our best decisions during emotional times. There is Nobel prize-winning research by Daniel Kahneman that illuminates the shortcuts we take in decision

making, why those shortcuts are often hazardous and the solutions to the problem. And the solution is pretty simple: You need someone to help you through difficult decisions.”

Tell us about your team of professionals.

“The most important part of our team is that we all understand our purpose: helping our clients.

So as we’ve had success and added to the staff, we have more people thinking of ways to improve our service to our clients.”

How do you give back to your community?

“EP Wealth helps support cancer research in the Tour de Pier every year, as well as a number of other health, educational and youth causes that include Beach Cities Health District, Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, CFP® Board WinWin Initiative and many kids youth leagues.”

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Tortuga Wealth Management L to R: Kevin Bidenkap, CFP, CLU, ChFC Angela Park Sheldon, CFP Jeffrey Weston

1957 W. Carson St., Suite #100 Torrance 310-935-0275 tortugawealth.com

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ortuga Wealth Management is an independent private wealth planning and asset management firm in the greater Los Angeles area. Kevin Bidenkap and Angela Park Sheldon started the firm in 2010 after working for other large financial companies.

What makes your firm stand out in this industry?

“As an independent firm, we are free from inherent conflicts of interest from proprietary product sales and we are able to provide unbiased wealth management advice that is in the best interest of our clients. We truly take the time to understand each client and their needs for each account. We are not strictly fee-only or commission-only; we believe that decision should be based on each client’s needs. We don’t believe in sticking clients into a ‘model’ based on risk tolerance and time horizon. Our clients have very customized portfolios—no two portfolios are exactly the same.”

What is your most important strategy for building wealth?

“Consistency and starting early. Dollar cost averaging into a mutual fund, for example, is an easy way to start since it forces you to be consistent.

Most people, no matter how young, can start doing something like this even with $100 per month. Dollar cost averaging involves continuous investment in securities regardless of fluctuation in price levels of such securities. An investor should consider their ability to continue purchasing through fluctuating price levels. Such a plan does not assure a profit and does not protect against loss in declining markets.”

How do the solutions you offer affect your clients’ wealth?

“The solutions we offer really focus on intergenerational wealth transfer. We want our clients to retain as much of their assets as possible without losing it to taxes or having their children fritter it away after their death. We want each successive generation to have even more wealth than the previous generation.”

How will the future of the financial industry evolve?

“There’s been a lot of talk about robo-advisors.

While we do believe this will make up a portion of the financial services industry, we think the traditional model will continue to be important.

As families mature and wealth grows, they will still need to sit down with a human to discuss all of the variables involved.”

“We truly take the time to understand each client and their needs for each account.”

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Disclaimer: Kevin Bidenkap, Angela Park Sheldon, and Jeff Weston are registered representatives with and securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Tortuga Wealth Management, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.

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McDonald Wealth Advisory Group of Wells Fargo Advisors

500 Silver Spur Rd., Suite 300 Rolling Hills Estates 310-377-1942 | 800-541-4377

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he McDonald Wealth Advisory Group of Wells Fargo Advisors advises a select group of individuals, families, businesses and foundations to help build, manage, protect and transition wealth. The team originated in the South Bay in 1966 with Jack McDonald. His son, Jay McDonald, joined him in 1972. Kathleen Hogan joined the team in 1988; Ian McDonald arrived in 1993; and Shelley Church came aboard in 2014. The McDonald Wealth Advisory Group has combined experience in the financial services industry in excess of 100 years.

What makes your firm stand out in this industry?

“Our practice was founded in the South Bay more than 50 years ago. We continue to work with many families, foundations and entrepreneurs and pride ourselves in these long-standing relationships.”

Describe your relationship with your clients.

“Our clients are our advocates; the relationships are built on mutual trust, rapport and respect. In having honest conversations with us regarding personal and family matters, a level of trust is established so we can effectively enhance their financial lives. They appreciate the added value that our trusted advisory team brings to their financial success.”

How do you simplify the experience for clients?

“As part of our process, we provide clarity, confidence and structure to our clients’ financial lives. We work with our clients’ CPAs and trust attorneys to improve communication. They appreciate this aspect of our practice, as we work together to add value and enrich their lives.”

What are some of the most pressing challenges facing the financial industry today?

“There is an over-saturation of financial information in today’s environment, which can cause people to overreact to the daily fluctuations of the market.

With a personalized plan in place, our clients have the confidence to focus on their strategy and achieving their goals—not the ever-changing daily news cycle.”

L to R: Ian McDonald, First Vice President–Investments Kathleen Hogan, First Vice President–Investment Officer

“With a personalized plan in place, our clients have the confidence to focus on their strategy and pursuing their goals—not the ever-changing daily news cycle.”

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Shelley Church, Client Associate Jay McDonald, Managing Director–Investments

What’s the most common mistake people make with their money?

“People tend to make irrational financial decisions during periods of economic uncertainty that adversely affect their long-term goals. We team with our clients in creating a custom plan that gives them clarity and structure. In helping them prioritize their long-term goals and the course we have set to achieve them, our clients are able to think more clearly and confidently about their future.”

Disclaimer: Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

Investment and Insurance products: NOT FDIC-Insured

NO Bank Guarantee

MAY Lose Value

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Ryan/Benson Wealth Management Group Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC

Shannon Ryan, CFP® Senior Vice President–Investments 2321 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 2275 El Segundo 310-725-2268 shannon.t.ryan@wfadvisors.com

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inancial advisor Shannon Ryan has worked with individuals, families and businesses for more than two decades helping them make financial decisions. Shannon also enjoys giving back to her community as president of Manhattan Beach Rotary and a patroness with National Charity League.

How do you differentiate yourself from others working in the wealth management industry?

“My passion for financial literacy and building financial strategies. To accomplish your financial goals you have to know why and what you are investing in. You should also consider taxes, liquidity, estate planning and the risk you face on the path to your goals.”

What are some of your firm’s core values?

“I moved my private practice to Wells Fargo Advisor, LLC three years ago. Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC has a very broad depth of resources; lending, small business, M&A, elder care, estate planning, alternative investment and many other areas. These were resources that my clients could benefit from that I did not have access to as an independent advisor. WFA also has a strong commitment to our community and their charitable efforts across the country. I feel privileged to work with a company that has strong core values.”

What’s the most common mistake people make with their money?

“The most common mistake is not being proactive.

Take the time to sit down and align your money decisions with your values. Often there are financial strategies clients have missed that allow them to enjoy their money to its fullest. That may be using it now or building a legacy estate plan that lives for generations.”

How important is it to have well-established relationships with legal, tax planning and other professionals on behalf of your clients?

“As a Certified Financial Planner, I work with my clients’ entire financial lives. It is very important to have your ‘team’ talking to each other as you make decisions. We are on the phone daily with other professionals on our clients’ financial teams. It is my opinion that these well-established relationships are critical to our clients’ financial success.”

“In addition to being a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, I am an author, a public speaker and blogger on financial literacy for children.”

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

Tell us something unique about you.

“In addition to being a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, I am an author, a public speaker and blogger on financial literacy for children.”

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FINANCE & WEALTH MANAGEMENT

L to R: Sherrie Delaine, Kelley Stoddard, Anthony Fratello, Jonalyn HabilDusewicz, Christian R. Cordoba, Ricky Ackerman, William Pettus, Roger J. Conde, Arcadia BerjonneauKeane, Michelle Gonser, Nguyen Le

“We take an objective centered investment approach to help clients identify a particular need (preservation, income or growth), then help them fill that need with the most appropriate combination of solutions available.”

California Retirement Advisors

C

alifornia Retirement Advisors is an independent wealth management firm specializing in the retirement planning needs of successful professionals, business owners and retirees. Founding partner Christian R. Cordoba and managing partner Roger J. Conde have worked in the financial industry since 1991.

What makes your firm stand out in this industry?

“There are very few financial firms that specialized in retirement planning 20 years ago. Today retirement has become somewhat of a cliché marketing word, and suddenly many firms have an arsenal of ‘investment’ advisors who have magically morphed into ‘retirement’ planners.

But we are the real deal! We proactively prepared for this growing need by creating a proprietary advisory process uniquely designed for the wave of South Bay baby boomers who began turning age 70 as of 2016. Combine this knowledge and experience with the special understanding of

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SOUTHBAY, MAY/JUNE 2017

898 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 740 El Segundo 310-643-7472 CaliforniaRetirementAdvisors.com people retiring in California where we have more longevity, higher property taxes, state income taxes, home values, cost of living and more active lifestyles than other states, and you see the benefit of working with our firm.”

What is your professional “secret weapon”?

“We have special resources that help leverage our expertise in retirement ‘distribution’ planning by focusing on those little-known tax rules people often overlook both during life and at death. Many financial practitioners focus on how to help people accumulate money without helping them think of how to preserve it upon taking the money out.

Considering this exit strategy at the inception is a key differentiator toward effectively preserving wealth and helping California retirees maintain their standard of living.”

What’s the most common mistake people make with their money?

“Banking on any single investment company,

strategy or philosophy. How do you avoid finding yourself in that situation? It all begins by working with a firm that has a planning process, believes in educating the consumer, helps set proper expectations and uses multiple solutions. We take an objective centered investment approach to help clients identify a particular need (preservation, income or growth), then help them fill that need with the most appropriate combination of solutions available.”

How do you give back to your community?

“Chris volunteers by providing financial education at no cost for the community on behalf of the Torrance Memorial Medical Center’s Professional Advisory Council and at both the Torrance and the Palos Verdes libraries.”

Advisory services offered through California Retirement Advisors and First Allied Advisory Services, Inc., Securities offered through First Allied Securities, Inc., A Registered Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. California Retirement Advisors is not affiliated with First Allied Securities or First Allied Advisory Services. CA Insurance Licenses #0B09076, #0B57717, #0F10518, and #0F10518.

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

FINANCE & WEALTH MANAGEMENT

“Because we’re a small firm, we work together closely to make sure our clients’ needs are being met.”

Beach Cities Accounting, Inc.

B

each Cities Accounting is a professional services firm that provides outsourced accounting and bookkeeping support to small and mid-sized businesses and highwealth individuals. After more than 20 years as a CPA in corporate America, Kathy Flynn McQuiggan launched Beach Cities Accounting in 2012.

How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?

“There are many accounting firms out there, but few come with our level of expertise and knowledge. Everyone on our team is a CPA and/ or QuickBooks-certified. Because we’re a small firm, we work together closely to make sure our clients’ needs are being met—using the most innovative and advanced technology and knowhow in the industry.”

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

How do clients benefit from working with your team?

“We give our clients peace of mind. The finances of running a business can be incredibly stressful, and we want to take away that stress. We are there to be the back office, to take care of what the business owners don’t want to or perhaps don’t know how to do on their own. Whether that means handling a client’s financials directly or working with their inhouse bookkeeper or tax CPA to provide a second look at the books, the oversight we provide ensures that reports are accurate. An extra set of eyes is also a deterrent to fraud.”

What are the most common problems when working with clients?

“Many businesses have high turnover in their accounting departments, which can make their

Kathy Flynn McQuiggan, CPA, CEO/Owner 2100 Sepulveda Blvd.

Suite 15, Manhattan Beach 424-257-0253 BeachCitiesAccounting.com

bookkeeping inconsistent and susceptible to errors. It’s common to see QuickBooks files that are a mess because they were maintained by a well-intentioned bookkeeper who wasn’t adequately trained. Even if only 1% or 2% of transactions are out of that person’s scope or capabilities, those transactions can skew the numbers.

We provide high-level oversight to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

What’s most rewarding about your work?

“My team and I have a passion for helping businesses succeed, and I really love it when my clients ‘get it’! When clients understand their financials and can use that understanding to grow their businesses, it’s incredibly rewarding for both of us.

I love what I do, and I only hire employees who share my passion and vision!”

MAY/JUNE 2017, SOUTHBAY

135

Gorgeous one level in Oceanfront Estates. Over 4500 square feet on a 21,000 square foot lot. Panoramic Ocean, coastline and Catalina views!

Open floor plan with french doors leading to the multiple patios and gardens. $4,475,000

Chris Adlam 310.493.7216 www.chrisadlam.com

REAL ESTATE DEP | WHERE WE LIVE

OURSOUTHBAY.COM/REAL-ESTATE

Oceanfront Luxury Featuring six modern luxury condos designed by Louie Tomaro. All units have high-end finishes and stunning ocean views, perfect for entertaining and everyday living.

Listed by Raju Chhabria and Neil Chhabria Chharbria Real Estate 310-902-7227 See page 151 for more information. oursouthbay.com

MAY/JUNE 2017, SOUTHBAY

137

Our neighborhood, your home.

RICK EDLER

310.872.4333 CalBRE# 01113145 rick.edler@vistasir.com

DARIN DERENZIS

310.418.6210 CalBRE# 01760239 darin.derenzis@vistasir.com

KITTY EDLER

310.283.8790 CalBRE# 00800837 kitty.edler@vistasir.com

www.edlerderenzis.com

401 2ND ST | MANHATTAN BEACH | $6,150,000

85 LAUREL DRIVE | RANCHO PALOS VERDES | $5,499,000

55 ENCANTO ROLLING HILLS ESTATES | $1,749,000

7206 CREST RD. RANCHO PALOS VERDES $1,849,000

1215 STANFORD AVE | REDONDO BEACH | $1,295,000

ManhattanPacificRealty.com 310.379.1724

BRE: 01909107

320 35th Street, Manhattan Beach New Listing Coming Summer 2017 New Construction

•

Two Town Homes

•

Ocean Views

447 HERONDO ST R E E T, HE R M OSA BE ACH Sand Section Condo I Two Bedrooms I Two Bathrooms I 1,398 Sq. Ft. I $839,000

RICHARD HAYNES RIC HA R D HAY NES

310.756.5588 • richard@manhattanpacific.com 310.756.5588 • richard@manhattanpacific.com

••

BRE: BRE: 01779425 01779425

FEATU RED O N SOPHI STICAT E D SNOOP S TOUR MAY 18 -20!

MODERN MASTERPIECE Visually breathtaking, this home was truly meant to be enjoyed. Spaces blend beautifully from inside to outside in this harmonious home, allowing its residents to congregate, entertain and enjoy South Bay living.

This home is an architectural masterpiece featuring a sky bridge, 7 sets of glass sliding walls, enormous pool, SAND Volleyball Court.

233 S Meadows, Manhattan Beach $8.399.000

LYNNE LEAR Strand Hill Properties Christie’s International Real Estate 310-779-1723

A ON LI C FE E TI IN M E

CL W AS O S RL ES D TA TE

REPRESENTING PALOS VERDES’ FINEST HOMES & ESTATES FOR OVER 30 YEARS!

2701 Via Elevado, Palos Verdes | $26,680,000

999 Paseo la Cresta, Palos Verdes Estates | $10,999,000 7 bdrm/8ba, 10,400+ sq ft, Lot size nearly 1 acre www.999PaseolaCresta.com

LI NE ST W IN G

RE P D RI U C CT E IO N

5 bdrm/6ba, Approx. 10,000 sq ft, Lot size Approx. 4 acres www.KingOfTheHill.me

1414 Paseo la Cresta, Palos Verdes Estates | $8,399,000

12 San Miguel, Rolling Hills Estates | $3,399,000 5 bdrm/6ba, 4,500+ sq ft, Lot size Approx. 20,000 sq ft www.12SanMiguel.com

N QU E

LI NE ST W IN G

VI CK EEN EWLA ’S C S E

7 bdrm/11 ba, Approx. 10,400 sq ft, Lot size Approx. 1 acre www.VersaillesontheHill.com

16 Caballeros Road, Rolling Hills | $2,599,000 4 bdrm/4ba, Approx. 3,100 sq ft, Lot size nearly 2 acres www.16CaballerosRd.com

2209 Via Guadalana, Palos Verdes Estates | $2,188,000 4 bdrm/6ba, 3,700+ sq ft, Lot size 11,300+ sq ft www.2209ViaGuadalana.com

LILY LIANG

Executive Vice President, Strand Hill Properties 550 Silver Spur Road, Suite 240, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 (310) 373-3333 | lily@lilyliang.com | www.lilyliang.com 14 SOUTHBAY, NOVEMBER 2015 Cal BRE# 00837794

oursouthbay.com

OCEAN FRONT ESTATES

11 CALLE VIENTO R A N C H O PA L O S V E R D E S

4 Beds, 3 Baths, Approx. 4,700 SF/Approx. 24,000 SF Lot

Ocean-Catalina Views, One Level W/ Open Courtyard,

Like A Model Home, Pristine Condition Built In 2003,

Exquisite Pool & Jacuzzi

Offered at $4,399,000

Gary Elminoufi

310.292.0332

GaryElmo@gmail.com

BRE 01139207 200 S PCH, Redondo Beach

a luxury division of

1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera

431 Main Street, El Segundo

Call For A Snea k Peek

COMING SOON

COASTLINE, CITY & MOUNTAIN VIEWS

1 6 9 V I A L O S A LT O S REDONDO BEACH

4 Beds, 3.5 Baths, 2,881 SF

MagniďŹ cent Lower Riviera Home With Major Additions

And Remodels. This Home Is Truly Turn-Key Ready!

Offered at $2,199,000

Justin Miller

310.619.9389

mrjustinmiller@gmail.com

BRE 01425870

a luxury division of

200 S PCH, Redondo Beach

1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera

431 Main Street, El Segundo

NEW DEVELOPMENT - SOUTH BAY

NEW COASTAL DEVELOPMENT

9 2 8 J UA N I TA AV E REDONDO BEACH

3 Ocean View Townhomes To Choose From

Coming Summer 2017 4 Beds, 4 Baths, 3,200 SF

Price Upon Request

NEW COASTAL DEVELOPMENT

935/937 15TH ST HERMOSA BEACH

4 (Detached) Townhomes To Choose From Designed by Doug Leach. Developed by Beach City Capital

4 Beds, 4 Baths, 3,000 SF

Price Upon Request

Rami ElminouďŹ

310.947.1180

rami@bcbestates.com

BRE 01434630 200 S PCH, Redondo Beach

a luxury division of

1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera

431 Main Street, El Segundo

A NEW E X PR ESSION OF LU XURY

A G L O B A L L E A D E R I N L U X U R Y R E A L E S T A T E S A L E S S I N C E 19 3 3 Bearing the hallmark of one of real estate’s most iconic names, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury offers you the power of a global network SM

of 88,000 affiliated agents located in 3,000 offices in 49 countries and territories around the world. A network that can share the beauty of your distinctive property with an affluent audience worldwide, and one that sells more than $129.6 million in luxury homes every day.* Experience the power of true luxury.

COLDWELLBANKERLUXURY.COM *Data based on closed and recorded transaction sides of homes sold for $1 million or more as reported by the U.S. Coldwell Banker ® franchise. © 2017 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo are service marks registered or pending registration owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

FORBESCORRALES.COM C O A S TA L

P R O P E RT I E S

#1 Coldwell Banker Team in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach 2014, 2015 and 2016

SPANISH ESTATE MOMENTS FROM THE SAND

4 BD . 3.5 BA . approx. 3,600 sf . beachroom . walkstreet . white water and sand views from all levels | $4,799,000

This stunning Spanish home is drenched in sunlight and positioned on an outstanding walkstreet corner with full ocean and white water views from all levels. The property is located one lot from the sand, allowing the sound of crashing waves to enter every room. The floor plan is open and optimal with three of the bedrooms on one level. The bottom level features a guest suite with direct access to a beach shower from outside. Also downstairs is an oversized bonus room perfect for pool table/game room, media room or second living room. The middle floor, or bedroom level, includes a magnificent master suite. The private suite is framed in floor to ceiling windows to maximize the spectacular white water and ocean views. It also has three separate custom closets and a built in dresser. The master bath includes a large built in tub with white water and ocean views, a huge waterfall shower and two separate sinks. The top floor is the pièce de résistance--open and flooded with sunlight; the living space includes: dark hardwood floors, a gourmet’s kitchen with professional grade appliances and an oversized eat at center island, formal dining room and living room with sit down white water and ocean views. Large patios bookend this top floor with an incredible sunset rooftop deck above. Additional amenities include: a large gated front yard, invaluable 4-car parking, full sized elevator, radiant heating throughout and a generator in case of power outage.

- C O LDW E LL B A N KE R R E S I D E N T I A L BR O KE R A G E -

L A U R E N C A L B 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 B R E

0 1 2 6 3 6 8 7

call | text 310.346.3332 John@ForbesCorrales.com

©2017 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office is owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Logo, are registered service marks 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.

RECENT ACTIVITY FROM

NEW LISTING!

• 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths • 3,340 sq. ft. on a 40 x 120 corner lot • Massive curb appeal and spacious floor plan • Hardwood floors and high ceilings throughout • Custom drapery, including remote controlled window coverings • Air conditioning • Updated kitchen with Sub-Zero and Viking range

LUXURIOUS BEACH LIVING WITH CAPE COD CHARM 2901 BLANCHE ROAD MANHATTAN BEACH OFFERED AT $3,199,000

• Walk-in pantry and breakfast nook • Custom surround sound in family room • Spacious backyard is an entertainer’s dream, complete with built-in seating around large fire pit, built-in BBQ, dual tap kegerator, fridge/warming drawer, outside flatscreen, custom water feature, exterior heated dining area for 10 with custom stone top table and enclosed beach shower

JENNIFER CARAS Realtor ®, CalBRE#01466213

d 310.367.9129 | o 310.546.7611 x357 Jennifer.Caras@VistaSIR.com | VistaSIR.com Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

1144 Highland Avenue Manhattan Beach, California 90266

Outrider Road, Rolling Hills A custom built home in 2005 by well known architect Tony Inferrara. Featuring 4 bedrooms plus office and 6 bathrooms. Over 4700 sq ft with panoramic views. $4,350,000

Gordon Inman 310.936.1979

The Inman Team Inmanteam.com

KeIth Kelley 310.944.5554

FisherRealEstate.com

RESI DENTI A L | I N V ESTM ENT RESI DENTIA L | I N V ESTM ENT OUR CLIENTS' INTERESTS ALWAYS COME OUR CLIENTS' INTERESTS ALWAYS COME FIRST FIRST

“Charles is a tremendous advocate and respected voice when it comes to buying your home. He patiently explains the process, helps navigate potential pitfalls, and vigorously negotiates on your behalf when it comes down to price.”

–Tim & Nora Reynolds

“Charles is a tremendous advocate and respected voice when it comes to buying your home. He “I would recommend Charles to both friends and strangers,pitfalls, and am confident he would treat each patiently explains the process, helps navigate potential and vigorously negotiates on your with the same respect and work ethic he portrayed with us. If you are looking for an agent to list or behalf when it comes down to price.”

–Tim & Nora Reynolds help you find a house, look no further, because Charles Fisher is your guy!”

–Marshall & Lauren Clayton

“I would recommend Charles to both friends and strangers, and am confident he would treat each with the same respect and work ethic he portrayed with us. If you are looking for an agent to list or help you find a house, look no further, because Charles Fisher is your guy!”

–Marshall & Lauren Clayton

CHARLES FISHER 310-902-7214

Charles@FisherRealEstate.com 1401 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 BRE# 01731424

CHARLES FISHER 310-902-7214

Charles@FisherRealEstate.com 1401 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 BRE# 01731424

the | KONDO | GROUP

Malaga Cove Home with Breathtaking Queen's Necklace Views 640 Via Del Monte, Palos Verdes Estates Offered at $2,398,000 WWW.THEKONDOGROUP.COM | THEKONDOGROUP@GMAIL.COM Keller Williams Palos Verdes Realty . 550 Deep Valley Dr. Ste 359 . Rolling Hills Estates . CalBRE # 01438455

Top 1% of producers worldwide for Keller Williams Realty

TADASHI KONDO | 310.567.8790

10,000 SF COMPOUND ON LARGEST LOT IN MANHATTAN BEACH 1155 -1165 RONDA DRIVE $11,500,000

LEO NORDINE 310 379 8800

PDM is comprised of more than 30 professionals who provide tax, audit and financial planning services to individuals, family owned businesses, non-profit organizations, and privately held companies.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:

We are committed to providing personal attention to our clients. That attention comes from years of advanced training, technical experience and financial acumen. Our continuous investment of time and resources in education, state-of-the-art computer technology and business relationships underscores our pledge of excellence.

Succession Planning and Compliance

Tax Planning Tax Compliance Tax Audit Representation Financial Planning

Assurance and Audit Compliance Audits Client Accounting

3460 TORRANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 200 | TORRANCE | (310) 540-4118

.com

Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated

COMING SOON!

3557 ASHWOOD | LOS ANGELES BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION 4 beds | 4.5 baths | 2,822 SF

34 3RD ST | HERMOSA BEACH

1337 6TH ST | MANHATTAN BEACH

CAPE COD DUPLEX, 2 LOTS FROM THE STRAND FRONT UNIT: 4 beds | 2 baths BACK UNIT: 2 beds | 1 bath

CALL FOR DETAILS.

NEWLY REMODELED IN 2016 5 beds | 2.5 baths | 2,364 SF CALL FOR DETAILS.

CALL FOR DETAILS.

JUST SOLD!

1931 POWER ST HERMOSA BEACH

1506 GATES AVE MANHATTAN BEACH

1652 11TH STREET MANHATTAN BEACH

1720 SPEYER LANE REDONDO BEACH

4 beds | 4 baths | 4,004 SFt

5 beds | 6 baths | 4,654 SF

4 beds | 4 baths | 2,275SF

3 beds | 2 baths | 2,068 SF

$4,850,000

$2,575,000

$2,900,000

$1,075,000

WE KNOW THE MARKET. WE KNOW OUR CLIENTS. Luxury property specialists with a refined understanding of the South Bay. We represent both buyers and sellers in residential transactions, structure savvy property investments, and coordinate distinctive construction projects.

JIM VAN ZANTEN 310.466.1004

WALT SPADONE 310.345.7350

CO-CEO, BROKER, CAL BRE #00544011

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, REALTOR®, CALBRE #0143434

ROB DEPAOLI 310.896.5343 REALTOR®, CAL BRE #01918925

OMEGA VALENTE 323.612.7403 REALTOR®, CALBRE #07998742

VZG@VISTASIR.COM | THEVANZANTENGROUP.COM

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

What A Girl Wants…Really Boiling down the essence of a good man Written by Kathleen Laccinole Illustration by Christine Georgiades

I

t’s a question on par with the meaning of life, the existence of God and the reality of time: What do women want in men?

When I asked my son, “What do you think a woman wants in a man?” he responded, “Someone who owns a chainsaw; who doesn’t drink out of a straw; and who is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent [aka The Boy Scout Law].”

Polling my girlfriends, I determined he’s mostly correct.

We confuse you. We confound you. Yet with one kiss you have the power to fluster us with teenaged butterflies and make our hearts soar. So we keep coming back, searching and hoping … and you keep wondering what in the world we want.

We want a tree.

At the age of 13, I knew exactly what I wanted in a man. I made a list in my Jan Brady diary, whilst lolling on my bed, radio tuned to KIIS-FM. I knew the color of your hair, your eyes, the sort of music you played on your Gibson guitar, your preferred surfboard and the exact make of your car— shallow, schoolgirl ideas as frivolous as the leaves on a tree that flit to the ground each autumn.

In college, my list shifted to your career goals, hobbies, friends, political affiliation, the movies you liked, the books you read, common interests. These were your branches— the trunk that held you up, that would hold me as well. But trunks can split and crack and be cut down. Branches are just that—mere offshoots that sprout and grow from who you really are. I’d yet to determine who that was, what I really wanted.

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In the life of a tree, leaves die and blow away, trunks sway, bend and even break, but it’s the roots that dig deep and grow where they are planted. It is the roots that hold up the tree that will shelter me from storms, shade me from sun, hold a swing for our children and give me flowers in the spring. (I’m a girl. I like flowers.)

Humor trumps possessions.

Ambition trumps wealth.

Honor trumps success.

Authenticity trumps fame.

Integrity and kindness trump all else.

And a gentleman is a gentleman is a gentleman.

Meet me at my level through the chaos of a day. Sit with me on the porch at twilight. Connect. Be there. Then be brave and stay there—because women want a strong man, not a tough man. Revere us. Cherish us. Love us. Don’t steal our hearts. Win our hearts.

Be the man I can respect, and I will be a better person.

Be the better person, so I can look up to you.

And I will rise up to meet you.

Up at the top of that tree … with butterflies.  Kathleen Laccinole is a freelance writer who pens a column about dating as a single mom under the pseudonym P. Charlotte Lindsay. It runs on several websites including esme.com.

oursouthbay.com