LA Galaxy's Baggio Hušidić
A REFUGEE STORY
OURSOU T HBAY.COM
SIX DOLLARS
NOVEMBER 2016
UNVEILING IN NOVEMBER 2016
Silicon Bay Development (“SBD”) is a full-service luxury home builder and developer focused on creating unique, challenging custom homes that reflect cutting edge design and superior craftsmanship. 1300 HIGHLAND AVENUE #102 MANHATTAN BEACH WWW.SILICONBAYDEVELOPMENT.COM | 310-546-1010 | INFO@SILICONBAYDEV.COM
Fall into the Season
S LA Galaxy's Baggio Hušidić
A REFUGEE STORY
ISSUE PRESENTED BY:
anta Anas. Darker drinks. Collegiate Saturdays. Lobster feasts. All signs the fall season has arrived, and thank God for it. But lobster feasts? Yes. Lobster season goes into full swing October 1, which thankfully gives me yet another reason to jump in the water. The act of jumping in the ocean at night (lobsters are nocturnal creatures) equipped with an underwater flashlight and gloves seems rather unappealing to most. For myself and a small group of my friends, however, there is nothing better. You arrive at a pristine set of coastline at dusk with two to three of your best friends. You walk down to your favorite dive spot, suit up and venture off into the darkness in search of the oversized ocean cockroach that comes out of its nest at night to feed. Sometimes you catch them, sometimes you don’t … but who cares? You swim ashore, talk about what you saw, the one that got away, crack a beer, laugh, hike back out, reconvene at a house, fire up the BBQ, cook your catch and fill up on delicious food and drink. And such is the fall season—a time of laughter and fellowship with great friends and family. Why everyone doesn’t dive for lobster will remain a mystery, but I guess it doesn’t matter because it is the by-product we are after. So this season, immerse yourself in what the South Bay provides and enjoy it with those closest to you. And leave the lobster diving to us. This issue is being brought to you by Silicon Bay Development. Silicon Bay Development, led by Christian Salceda and Ryan Schlee, is a luxury home builder and developer based in Manhattan Beach. SBD provides full construction management from concept and design through project completion. With an impressive body of work, SBD brings their expertise in ultra-high-end custom home building to the South Bay. For a glimpse into current and past projects, go to SiliconBayDevelopment.com or stop by their downtown Manhattan Beach office. Their most recent project is located at 629 6th Street in the Manhattan Beach Hill section. Thanks and enjoy!
Jared Sayers, Group Publisher
Our neighborhood, your home. DARIN DERENZIS
310.418.6210 CalBRE# 01760239 darin.derenzis@vistasir.com
RICK EDLER
310.872.4333 CalBRE# 01113145 rick.edler@vistasir.com www.edlerderenzis.com
30946 RUE DE LA PIERRE | RANCHO PALOS VERDES | $2,499,000
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The Most Spectacular Golf Course In the United States
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- The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences
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“The best course in the entire state of California”
- The Knot Magazine
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2016 Rates* - Daily $280, Mid-Morning rate: $250 Midday $215, Af ternoon $160, Sunset $80
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WHERE WE LIVE | PALATE
70
th
Anniversary Celebration We want to say thank you to 1/2 all our loyal customers for supporting us over the years. You’ve given us the opportunity to be part of AD your special memories, and your devoted support will allow us to continue sharing these memorable moments for years to come. Wishing you a happy holiday season.
50 C peninsula center Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 310 541 2052 14
SOUTHBAY, SUMMER 2016
www.Morgansjewelerspv.com
oursouthbay.com
Hand made white gold bracelet 17.25ctw tanzanite And 10.75ctw in diamonds
Custom made White gold 6.48ct sapphire Ring with 5.34ctw in diamonds
Custom design Platinum 6.85ct Emerald With 2.48ctw in diamonds
Designing your jewelry dreams since 1946‌ Our skilled artisans work together with our clients to create a one of a kind treasure that is sure to become a cherished heirloom for generations to come. Each piece we create results in the unique personality and style of our customers vision. Please allow us to show our design capabilities for your next memorable occasion
Please join us for our 70th anniversary party on Friday December the 9th 6pm-10pm
Your fantasy financial league: not so far-fetched. PERSONAL CIAL GURU FINAN
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Jim Schlager MS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, Principal
A custom event designed for the Borzi Family
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COLON SCREENINGS OFFER EARLY DETECTION AND INCREASED SURVIVAL RATES. Torrance Memorial is a leader in gastrointestinal care with advanced screenings, an expert surgical team, and less invasive treatments including state-of-the-art roboticassisted surgery. Screenings are recommended for all men and women over 50 years old.
CALL FOR A SCREENING AT 310-517-4707 or VISIT TMColonScreening.com
YOU TRUST YOUR GUT. NOW TAKE CARE OF IT.
Exceptional Care. Exceptionally Close.
AMARA
Courtesy of Swaim Furniture
PREMIER RUG RESOURCE
AMARARUGS.COM BY APPOINTMENT | 310.378.6999 23645 MADISON ST. TORRANCE CA 90505 Terrain, Hand Knotted in Wool and Silk
Coastal Holiday Spirit at Manhattan Village and we’re decked out...just in time for the holidays New Flooring New Skylights Full-Service Concierge New Seating Areas New Restrooms Nov. 25 - Dec. 24
Visit with sANtA Santa will be available to hear wishes and pose for photos at his ‘Beach Hut’
#LetsGoshopping Follow us to win gift cards throughout the season
Visit shopmanhattanvillage.com for details and holiday shopping hours
Apple
Macy’s
Brickworks Roadhouse & Grill
Ann Taylor
Pottery Barn
California Pizza Kitchen
Francesca’s
Sephora
Chili’s
Gap
Tommy Bahama
Olive Garden
Sepulveda and Rosecrans
Janie & Jack
White HouseIBlack Market
Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks
Manhattan Beach
Kiehl’s
Williams-Sonoma
Tue-Fri: 8 am - 7.30 pm | Sat: 8 am - 6 pm
the salon where YOU matter the most #whereyoumatterthemost
Arnold’s 1400 S Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA, 90277 310.316.5555 www.salonarnolds.com Follow us: @salonarnolds
®ROBERTOCOIN
ROBERTO COIN BOUTIQUE 1141A Highland Avenue | Manhattan Beach, CA | 90266 | 310.546.4900 NEW BAROCCO & CENTO COLLECTIONS | robertocoin.com
Our Premier Team Thank you to our friends and clients who joined us to celebrate the opening of our new office in Malaga Cove Plaza.
P R E M I E R I S YO U R CO M M U N I T Y PA R T N E R FO R B U S I N E S S A N D P E R S O N A L B A N K I N G .
L A H E A D Q UA R T E R S
3 6 M A L AG A COV E P L A Z A
4A PENNINSULA CENTER
S B A LOA N D I V I S I O N
70 0 S . F LOW E R ST
PA LO S V E R D E S E STAT E S
R O L L I N G H I L L S E STAT E S
2 3 5 1 5 H AW T H O R N E B L ,
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TO R R A N C E 3 1 0. 9 4 4 - 924 5
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P
etros Restaurants have been proudly serving residents in the South Bay for the past 10 years. We provide the freshest ingredients that perfectly combine the Greek cuisine with a California influence. Owner Petros Benekos, believes in the authenticity of his ingredients. He demonstrates this by growing his own tomatoes, apples, and other vegetables at our farms in Los Olivos for a true farm to table experience. Our cheese, olive oil, olives, honey, and oregeno are all imported from his hometown in Greece. Also unique to the restaurants are Petros private labeled wines produced in partnership with some of the best winemakers in the Santa Ynez Valley and Paso Robles. “Fine Hellenic California Cuisine” Take home a piece of Greece with some of our imported honey, olive oil, and wine available in stores for purchase. Petros Manhattan Beach is now open for Brunch Saturday and Sunday at 10am.
Let us Cater for you! catering@petrosrestaurant.com Book your holiday parties with us! Manhattan Beach 310-545-4100 El Segundo 310-322-6200
Coming Soon •
Brunch at Petros Kafe in El Segundo
•
Petros at Westfield in Century City
•
Kafe Bougatsa at Westfield in Century City
•
Bootleggers Speakeasy at Westfield in Century City
•
Kafe Bougatsa at the Elevon Center in El Segundo
•
Petros Saloon Steakhouse at the Elevon Center
•
Petros Los Olivos new home in Solvang
LEARN HOW TO PREPARE A PALEO THANKSGIVING DINNER! Custom Design & Construction cordially invites you to attend our Visiting Chef Series event featuring Chef Amber Caudle of The Source Café and ‘Chopped’ Champion, Chef Taji Marie. CHEF AMBER
Chef Amber Caudle spent her formative culinary years studying and cooking in Colorado, Napa Valley, Italy, and Spain. She brought her vision to Southern California where she took her place as Executive Chef of Mediterraneo for nine years. After facing her own health challenges, she opened the Source Cafe in Hermosa Beach in 2012 to share healthy and delicious food options with the South Bay Community.
CHEF TAJI
Taji Marie is Executive Chef & Co-Owner of The Simple Gourmet Kitchen, a catering company based in Los Angeles that specializes in feeding professional athletes including the LA Kings. She is a Food Network’s CHOPPED Champion and hosts GATHERING POPUP DINNER events throughout the greater Los Angeles area. You can also find Taji at GrowDTLA, a neighborhood shop/deli in the Arts District downtown and Tipple & Ramble, a wine bar and picnic shop in Ojai, California.
PURCHASE TICKETS @ VISITCUSTOMDESIGN.COM TWO nights to choose from! Tuesday, November 1st at 6:30 pm Wednesday, November 2nd at 6:30 pm
World-Class Chefs Inspired Kitchen Experience And Tastings!
THE EVENINGS MENU INCLUDES:
Turkey Breast with Coconut Aioli & Gravy Paleo Stuffing with Nuts & Chicken Sausage Sunchoke Parsnip Apple Mash Thanksgiving Salad Paleo Sweet Potato & Pecan Pie Please note this menu includes poultry, dairy, and nuts
2001 E. Mariposa Avenue, El Segundo • 310.815.4815 • License #524561
THE CARDIOLOGY TEAM (left to right) Dr. Rishi Kaushal, Dr. John Armato, Dr. Nazanin Azadi, Dr. Michele Del Vicario, Dr. Ronald Ruby, Dr. Jashdeep Dhoot
PROUDLY SERVING THE SOUTH BAY WITH AWARD-WINNING HEART CARE. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance as “High Performing” in the treatment of heart failure for 2016-2017. We are honored to have earned this prestigious designation– just another instance of how Providence Little Company of Mary is providing cutting edge health care in your own backyard.
888-HEALING | providence.org/torrance
INTERIOR & LIFESTYLE DESIGN
715 S. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
310.735.1991 | STUDIOKCM.COM
REDONDO BEACH, CA 90277
Maybe it’s time. Why Thelma McMillen Center? Ten good reasons: 01. Affordable – Our program is covered by most insurance plans, which is just one of the ways we strive to ensure that all who seek help can access care. 02. Confidential – We fully protect our clients’ privacy and anonymity. 03. Reality-based – Our outpatient program allows our clients to get clean and sober within the framework of their real lives. 04. Comprehensive – We employ the latest evidence-based treatment modalities, anchored in 12-Step philosophy. 05. Personalized – Our bio-psychosocial approach and multidisciplinary team allow us to create a customized treatment plan that meets the unique needs of each individual. 06. Experienced – For almost twenty-five years, we’ve helped thousands of South Bay residents reclaim their lives. 07. Compassionate – Our exceptional staff extends respect and compassion to all who seek help, health, and healing. 08. Trusted – We’re a division of Torrance Memorial Medical Center, the South Bay’s leading healthcare provider. 09. Supportive – Our doors are always open to our alumni for support throughout their lives and recovery. 10. Successful – Thousands of our clients have succeeded in breaking free from the destructive patterns of addiction. Maybe it’s time for a change.
Adult Program: 310-784-4879 | Teen Program: 310-257-5760 Please call us to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our professionals. www.ThelmaMcMillenCenter.com
Thelma McMillen... the first step in the right direction.
NOVEMBER 2016
WHERE WE LIVE 40 Block Party
50 Entrepreneurs
Sepulveda South
El Segundo’s Chef ’d
42 Community
52 Weekender
MB Pumpkin Race
44 Arts
Dietz Brothers Music
46 Media
Thriller Night
48 Palate
Beyond Vancouver
56 Datebook
South Bay event calendar
58 Seen
48
Who’s who around town
Suburbia in Redondo
40
Also ... 75
Table
Delicious recipes from leading South Bay chefs
126 Profiles
Trusted Advisors
On the Cover
52 oursouthbay.com
Baggio Hušidic´ in the Galaxy locker room. Photographed by Kremer Johnson
NOVEMBER 2016, SOUTHBAY
31
NOVEMBER 2016
FEATURES 87
Coastal Cornucopia
Put a California twist on your holiday and give thanks.
94 Profiles in Courage
Meet three South Bay military veterans … their stories may be unique, but the honor of service to their country binds them in brotherhood.
100 Engineering the Future
A recent high school graduate profiles two enterprising young tech engineers on that track, putting their passion into practice.
106 Perseverance and Play
LA Galaxy player and Manhattan Beach resident shares his story of struggle and soccer—two powerful and personal forces that shaped his allegiance to hard work and discipline.
114 We Love the ‘90s
Killer fall fashion that’s anything but clueless.
122 Fire & Ice
Exploring an Iceland “hot” spot with a reputation for chill.
114 94 122
As we head into the holidays, we’ll introduce you to an exceptional cast of leaders and the charitable organizations to which they are dedicated. It’s our fourth annual “Businesses Give Back,” and it’s in the Holiday issue of Southbay.
BUSINESSES
GIVE BACK
310.376.7800 | oursouthbay@moontidemedia.com | oursouthbay.com
Denise M. Guzman, Guzman Law Group, PC
Great leaders grow great businesses. But here in the South Bay, there’s a culture of business leaders driven to make a positive impact in their communities. From their positions of influence, they look beyond the bottom line and make a difference.
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
GROUP PUBLISHER
Darren Elms
Jared Sayers
ART DIRECTOR
ADVERTISING Account Executive | Derek Poole
Michelle Villas
310-266-3846 | derek@moontidemedia.com
COPY EDITOR
Account Executive | Erika Carrion
Laura Watts
BUSINESSES
GIVE BACK
310-897-2424 | erika@moontidemedia.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Account Executive | Marcie Gutierrez
Christine Georgiades
424-220-6337 | marcie@moontidemedia.com
CONTRIBUTORS Diane E. Barber, Kelly Dawson, Mary
Account Executive | Amy Tetherow
Herne, Jillian James, Staness Jonekos,
424-220-6338 | amy@moontidemedia.com
Jenny Karl, Eliza Krpoyan, Amber Klinck,
Account Executive | Dale Tiffany
Kathleen Laccinole, Kara Mickelson, Tanya
310-663-4609 | dt@moontidemedia.com
Monaghan, Stefan Slater
Account Executive | Robin Sanders
PHOTOGRAPHERS
818-427-2050 | robin@moontidemedia.com
Kristin Anderson, Michael Becker,
The finest professionals in the South Bay
Jeff Berting, Siri Berting, Stephan Cooper, Annie Deptula, Mary Herne, Kremer Johnson, Kara Mickelson, Kat Monk, Lauren Pressey
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. SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: info@moontidemedia.com or phone: 310-376-7800. Subscriptions are $29 per year. 200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110, El Segundo, CA 90245 Tel 310-376-7800 | Fax 310-376-0200 | MoonTideMedia.com | OurSouthbay.com
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NOVEMBER 2016, SOUTHBAY
35
EDITOR’S LETTER
Honor Roll
B
oth my father and father-in-law served during the Vietnam War. My maternal grandfather signed up for the Navy just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, leaving his rural life on a sheep farm in southern Utah for service on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. A young country boy, he hadn’t yet seen an ocean—let alone the kind of war machinery he encountered those next couple of years. During his time on the Saratoga, his ship was torpedoed—an event he recounted often and that secretly haunted him throughout his life. You wouldn’t know it, however. Like many the men and women of our armed forces, he bravely kept most of these memories to himself, sparing us the details. Fortunately his war years held their share of good memories too. It brought him to California, where he met my grandmother at a USO dance in Hollywood. He must have liked her as a dance partner, because they settled here in Los Angeles and raised both my mom and aunt here. I have never served in the military or seen combat like my grandfather, yet my life is still very much a product of someone who did. I believe we all have this in common. And to him, both of my fathers and all those who call themselves veterans, I am most thankful for your service to our country. In this issue we are honored to tell the stories of three local veterans: one a Purple Heart recipient during WWII and two who proudly served in the last couple decades. We also tell the story of another member of our community who experienced war from an entirely different perspective. Baggio Hušidic´ escaped his home country of Bosnia during the conflicts of the early ’90s and eventually made his way to the U.S., where he now plays professional soccer for the LA Galaxy. A refugee who crossed our borders for new opportunity, his timely story has also been captured in our Southbay Strong series—a film feature we hope you will view at oursouthbay.com. As fall finds its footing on our California shores, we also offer you a few seasonal fashion finds from local boutiques and a coastal take on the Thanksgiving meal that’s sure to be both a visual and palatable crowd pleaser. Enjoy!
Darren Elms
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CONTRIBUTORS
Eliza Krpoyan WRITER “Family Band”
Eliza is a luxury lifestyle writer with more than six years of experience covering travel, fashion, beauty and interior design. She has contributed regularly to outlets such as glamour.com and beautyandwellbeing.com. She currently resides in Los Angeles but visits New York City—where she lived for three years—regularly.
Inspired wealth management for inspired living SEIA MANAGES
$5.4 Billion
*
in client assets
*SEIA and its affiliates as of 6/30/2016
Neil Kremer and Cory Johnson PHOTOGRAPHERS “Perseverance and Play”
Neil and Cory are a photography team specializing in environmental, studio and narrative portraiture. Their images are stylized and authentic, showcasing subjects in engaging and impactful ways. True collaborators at heart, they formed Kremer Johnson Photography to explore a combined creative vision, and they share all duties from ideation and pre-production through shooting and post. kremerjohnson.com
OUR SERVICES
Portfolio Management Financial Planning Retirement Planning Philanthropic and Family Foundation management
VINCE A. DiLEVA, MS, CFP®, AIF® Senior Partner
SEIA provides customized wealth management and investment strategies for individuals and corporations. SEIA is proud to have been recognized by many well respected financial publications including the 2015 Forbes Top 100 Wealth Manager in the U.S list, the 2016 Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers list, the 2016 Los Angeles Business Journal list of The 100 Largest Money Management Firms, and the 2016 REP Top 100 RIA list. for inquiries or a consultation please call (310) 712-2320 or email vdileva@seia.com.
Annie Deptula PHOTOGRAPHER “We Love the ‘90s”
Fashion photographer Annie brings a unique sense of style and creativity to every photo she captures. Before working alongside contemporaries such as Dove Shore, Melissa Rodwell and Emily Soto, Annie was a successful model. She credits that time with giving her the distinct attention to detail that encompasses every campaign she develops. She currently resides between Los Angeles and New York.
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Riviera Village | 1815 Via El Prado, Suite 100, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 Century City | Newport Beach Redondo Beach | Pasadena | Tysons Corner, VA *SEIA and its affiliates. Registered Representative/Securities Offered through Signator Investors, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC, 2121 Ave 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. (CA Ins. License #OB84300)
NOVEMBER 2016, SOUTHBAY
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WHERE WE LIVE Striking a Chord
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF BERTING
The instrumental appeal of Dietz Brothers Music in Manhattan Beach. Page 44.
WHERE WE LIVE | BLOCK PARTY
1
Sepulveda South Park. Peruse. Repeat. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
SIRI BERTING
2
11
6 3
4
5
F
or many, that final stretch before the inevitable turn south on PCH into Hermosa is the stuff of rush hour angst and frustration. But while you weary commuters bang your heads on steering wheels, a few of your neighbors enjoy the perks of this busy commercial thoroughfare. Why sit in traffic when you could be sipping an after-work espresso or picking out a nice bottle of wine for dinner? Here are a few reasons to get out of your car and get in on the local action. After you pass Manhattan Beach Boulevard, things start to pick up near 11 th Street and the bold blue façade of 1. Manhattan Torah Center (1003 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) If you order by Wednesdays, you can pick up their delicious challah bread on Friday afternoons. Another block down and you’ll hit a few notable eateries, including popular 2. El Gringo Manhattan (921 N. Sepulveda Blvd.), 3. O-Sho Japanese (913 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) and 4. India Tandoori Halal (916 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) across the street. Now that you need to work off all that delicious ethnic cuisine, 5. Club Pilates Manhattan Beach (903 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) can be found right next door for an after-work workout. For the happy hour-inclined, 6. Barsha Wines & Spirits (917 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) has the perfect pour for you. Leaping ahead past 6 th Street you can enjoy the instant perks of 7. Two Guns Espresso (350 N. Sepulveda Blvd.), a stylish respite for both coffee and tea lovers. Take your caffeine buzz next door and grab a sandwich to go at crowd-pleaser 8. Rinaldi’s (350 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) or one of the much-loved tacos at 9. El Tarasco (350 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) This side of Sepulveda offers plenty for those of you with a green thumb. Most prominent, 10. Deep Roots Garden Center & Florist (207 N. Sepulveda Blvd.) entices visitors with its red façade and wide assortment of drought-resistant, native plants. If your love of nature is more aligned with the vase, you can find fresh-cut flowers and arrangements at 11. Manhattan Village Florist (909 N. Sepulveda Blvd.)
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10
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WHERE WE LIVE | COMMUNITY
It’s a Smash 26 years of Manhattan Beach’s Pumpkin Race ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE
On Halloween Eve in 1990, a dozen friends gathered to race handcrafted Pumpkin Racers in the world’s first Pumpkin Race in Manhattan Beach. Everyone agreed it was a hit, and a new tradition was born.
GEORGIADES
In 2007 the annual block party became a community event sponsored by the city of Manhattan Beach. It received awards of excellence from the National Recreation and Park Association and the California Park & Recreation Society.
Smashing Success, LLC founded the annual attraction to help create a better future for adults living with autism and other neurodiversities. These workers assemble products for Pumpkin Race hosts, attendees and fundraisers, in partnership with public and private nonprofit transition programs across the country.
The 26th annual Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race to Make Autism Work, presented by LAcarGUY, will take place on October 23 at noon at the Manhattan Pier. A Classic Pumpkin Racer must be made with one carved pumpkin (up to 15 inches wide), two independent axles running through the pumpkin and four wheels attached. Don’t be tempted to be a Cheater Pumpkin. Use the honor system and obey the spirit of these rules. Race officials have a keen eye, and the mallet-ojustice is ready to bring a Cheater Pumpkin down.
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SOUTHBAY, NOVEMBER 2016
The Pumpkin Race was featured among the Top 5 Halloween traditions in America by the Travel Channel. It has grown organically to become a cherished annual tradition for tens of thousands in more than 100 communities across America
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S portS & S pine
orthopaedicS
LATEST M EDICAL ADVANCES. H IGH EST QUALITY OF CARE . FASTER RECOVERY TI M ES.
EL SEGUNDO
TORRANCE
2361 ROSECRANS AVE. SUITE #165
23456 HAWTHORNE BLVD., SUITE #200
310-775-2331
310-375-8700
PETER S. BORDEN, MD
SHOULDER, KNEE & ANKLE SPORTS MEDICINE SPECIALIST
CHRIS F. WOLF, MD
CERVICAL, THORACIC AND LUMBAR SPINE SPECIALIST
ALLYSON A. ESTESS, MD
SHOULDER, KNEE, AND HIP SPORTS MEDICINE SPECIALIST
WHERE WE LIVE | DEP
44
SOUTHBAY, NOVEMBER 2016
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ARTS | WHERE WE LIVE
Family Band Making music and memories with the Dietz brothers WRITTEN BY ELIZA
KRPOYAN |
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF
BERTING
T
he lives of Dietz Brothers Music owntrait he and John also demonstrate. They employ ers Pat Dietz and John Dietz are like a musicians who have just graduated and spend a lot blockbuster movie. The two brothers (of 11 of time training them on how to give lessons. It’s not children) studied music at the University unusual to spend 30 to 40 hours with them. of Oregon, where they met their wives, They teach their instructors not to overwhelm Susan and Carol, who are also musicians. students. “The main thing new teachers do wrong is By their early 30s, Pat and John had four and three over-teach,” he says. children respectively. “We were ahead of our time,” Dietz Brothers Music has 14 employees, including jokes Pat. “We didn’t think of ourselves as adults.” Carol (who plays the violin, viola and harp), Susan Pat, who plays the guitar, mandolin and lap steel, (who plays piano and sings) and sometimes including and John, who plays their children. Comthe flute, saxophone, bined, the instructors I didn’t have the realization WE steel drums and guitar, at the music store have WERE RUNNING A BUSINESS until a were giving lessons and taught millions of hours gigging but didn’t have of music. student named Jerry Kelly said to me, their own store. “I didn’t The Dietz brothers ‘You’re doing really well.’” have the realization we find it important to offer were running a business a steady job for musiuntil a student named Jerry Kelly said to me, ‘You’re cians. “That’s really the calling card,” says Pat. “This is doing really well,’” recalls Pat. what they count on. It allows them to do other things In 1988 they opened a small space on Manhattan and not worry about where they’ll come up with Beach Boulevard and Pine. By 1991 they had moved money for rent.” into the current location on Sepulveda Boulevard. Their advice for artists who are starting out? “Be The brothers were strongly influenced by a neighprepared to work,” says Pat. And for those who are borhood music store when they were growing up, already in the business, he says, “Just keep working, owned by the late Gene Leis. This is where Pat and man.” John adds that even today, the two of them log John cut their teeth from the age of 12. They gave lesthe most hours at the store and play 100 shows a year. sons here and sold instruments before they branched To date they’ve played an estimated 6,000 gigs out on their own at ages 33 and 34. for countless dignitaries and celebrities including Gene was Pat’s mentor. He remembers that Gene President Jimmy Carter, Barbra Streisand and Bryan had a Rolodex of people with IOUs for instruments, Cranston. Recently they played in Santa Barbara and one of Pat’s jobs was to call those customers to for The Giving Pledge fundraiser where Bill and collect the debt. “Gene once asked me, ‘Can you guess Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett and Ted Turner were in what percentage of those people wouldn’t pay?’ The attendance. answer was 2%—close to zero.” And they don’t have plans to slow down. On the The lesson was that you have a lifetime customer horizon is the potential purchase of McCabe’s Guitar when you sell someone an instrument—they’ll need Shop in Santa Monica. “The real goal is to keep doing lessons, repairs, etc. In addition to being a great busiwhat we’re doing,” says Pat. “Things are really good, nessman, Gene was a great teacher, explains Pat—a and we just want to maintain that.”
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WHERE WE LIVE | MEDIA
THRILLER
Night
Nothing like a little suspense to get you through those early evenings of Daylight Saving Time
PAGES
FILM
TUBE
END OF WATCH By Stephen King, Scribner, 448 pages
FRANKENSTEIN By Mary Shelley, Simon & Schuster, 284 pages
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN Rachel, devastated by her recent divorce, spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds. Based on Paula Hawkins’ best-selling novel and starring Emily Blunt. In theatres October 7.
This masterpiece of 19 th-century Gothicism and the prototype of the 20 th-century science fiction novel was conceived in the Swiss Alps in mid-June 1816 after a conversation about bringing corpses to life provoked a nightmare. Death and the terrors of childbirth—as much as Romanticism, a burgeoning awareness of unconscious drives and contemporary ideas of atheism, the collapse of the social contract and the corrupting influence of society on human nature—inform this story of a man (or monster) built by Dr. Victor Frankenstein and brought to life by electricity. If you didn’t read it in high school, you must now.
ARRIVAL When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team— led by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams—is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers. To find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life and quite possibly humanity. In theatres November 11.
STRANGER THINGS Doesn’t matter if you’re late to the party. You can binge-watch like everyone else on Netflix. A love letter to the ‘80s classics that captivated a generation, Stranger Things is set in 1983 Indiana, where a young boy vanishes into thin air. As friends, family and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl.
Stephen King brings the Hodges trilogy to a sublimely terrifying conclusion, combining the detective fiction of Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers with the heart-pounding, supernatural suspense that has been his best-selling trademark. The result is an unnerving look at human vulnerability and chilling suspense. No one does it better than King.
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WHERE WE LIVE | PALATE
Bite in the ‘Burbs
Comfort food makes a new Redondo eatery an all-day haven. WRITTEN BY
KELLY DAWSON
I
t’s not easy to talk about the South Bay in a way that doesn’t seem obvious. I was doing my best to summarize the area to a friend who had recently moved here from the East Coast—first describing its cluster of casual cities, then noting its feeling of removal from the rest of Los Angeles—when I said something that she had every right to laugh at: “A lot of people don’t leave.” We were sitting by a large square window at Suburbia, an all-day restaurant from Blackhouse Hospitality that opened last August in South Redondo, as the late-morning sun streamed across our wooden table. A bicyclist peddled by with a surfboard underhand, heading in the direction of a glittering ocean a few blocks away. No wonder my friend teasingly responded with, “Well, yeah,” and chuckled as she glanced back at her menu. Clearly this is a place that anyone should feel lucky to call home. And perhaps Suburbia is the latest reason why. Tucked between well-trafficked storefronts overlooking a popular parking lot, Suburbia lends itself well to the imagery of its namesake. The term connotes manicured streets lined with identical homes and like-minded families, stretching far into the open spaces beyond cities that were otherwise too crowded or too perilous to grasp peace of mind. It’s four syllables of perceived perfection—a comfortable
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bubble that the restaurant upholds within its walls. “It’s definitely the one restaurant where I see a disproportionate amount of people I know from Redondo and around the hill,” says Jed Sanford, the CEO of Blackhouse Hospitality who’s lived throughout the South Bay and currently resides in Palos Verdes. In the last few years, he’s opened a handful of other nearby eateries—Little Sister, Día de Campo and Steak and Whisky, to name a few. But Suburbia was different. The goal was to create a place where locals could hypothetically hang out all day, so the menu needed to be broader than what had been done before. To do that, Suburbia had to have a calm atmosphere but a daring mentality: to embody the one home on the block that isn’t quite like the others. Everything on the menu is made in-house, from stock and scratch, and classic Americana offerings intertwine with eclectic alternatives from around the world (including favorites from Blackhouse’s other haunts). Go ahead and eat the plain bagel and cream cheese topped with lox, sure, but opt for the golden French toast and its rich ricotta, figs and honey when a humdrum breakfast feels as ordinary as a picket fence. Be quick, though: The French toast’s breaded exterior can get chewy if you wait. Thirsty? Stay on your toes and pick from a list of tongue-in-cheek
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PALATE | WHERE WE LIVE
cocktails, including the sweet, strong Hard Out Here for a Pimm. Sticking around for most of the day wouldn’t be hard to do, unless one too many of those pun-swirled drinks turned into empty glasses. A subdued palette of white, black, grey and copper fills a room just big enough for the block party of a cul-de-sac. Modern details, like the herringbone-tiled glossy black wall near the bar and its matching tufted couch, complement the more traditional finishes of wood floors and an exposed beam ceiling. Mason jar light covers and a centralized industrial chandelier provide of-themoment style, and an abundance of white wood allows light to fill the space. Order the Pão de Queijo, a handheld Brazilian cheesy pouf with a side of honey butter, alongside the spicy poke with its fresh tuna, crunchy scallions and eye-opening sriracha mayo. The servings are just big enough for a second wind, and by the time the plates are cleared, dinner is on the horizon. Perhaps the one speed bump in Suburbia’s scheme is that an official happy hour isn’t an option. The restaurant serves a condensed menu between 3 and 5 p.m. to reset before dinner, but those same offerings are available at lunch. You could blow around the neighborhood like the small blue paper airplanes painted throughout the restaurant—try to spot them all—and return later for a sharable bowl of off-the-cob street corn mixed with cilantro and radish. Then all that’s left are larger entrées of aptly named “swimmers” or “carnage” and playful desserts. Hopefully the atmosphere will still be as intimate as it was in the morning, and settling in will be as easy as the sip of a new drink. l Suburbia 247 Avenida Del Norte in Redondo Beach 424-398-0237, eatsuburbia.com
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Full Plate A local dad’s enterprising idea helps puts a smarter, tastier dinner on the table.
ENTREPRENEURS | WHERE WE LIVE
A
lready a successful real estate man and one of the original founders of Bank of Manhattan, Kyle Ransford took the reins of an entirely new endeavor with plenty of room for negotiation: putting dinner on the table for his kids. “I always had a passion for cooking,” says the entrepreneur. “Playing Mr. Mom, I suddenly found myself giving advice to parents on preparation and picking good ingredients.” Kyle also noticed something missing from the market. Why should it take shopping at several stores and tons of wasted produce to get just the right ingredients required for a single recipe? He thought, “What if there was a button you could hit that sent me all the ingredients I needed for one meal?” With some companies already sending recipes and measured ingredients in personal shipments to doorsteps, Kyle started to think outside of the box: “What if the customer was cooking a dish by Bobby Flay rather than something by me?” This type of brand alignment, combined with a “choose your own adventure” menu of ongoing recipes, became the foundation for his latest venture, Chef’d. “With other services, you don’t get choice,” Kyle explains. “You get three recipes with ingredients that the company chooses each week. At Chef’d we have 300 recipes available at any time, and the choice is entirely yours. You can order, cook and eat it at any time you want. No subscription required.” The culinary roster at Chef’d includes contributions from The New York Times and the James Beard Foundation, and celebrity chefs like Fabio Viviani, Susan Feniger and Robert Irvine—to name a few. Kyle, who lives in the South Bay, chose to set up shop right here in El Segundo, adding new jobs and a handsome orange headquarters to the neighborhood. “It’s hard to not leave the bubble,” he says when asked why he opened offices locally. Chef’d also opened a second operation in Brooklyn and currently serves all 48 continental states. In the fall Chef’d will introduce a new user experience to help the company interact with its consumers. “Whether you’re cooking a weeknight dinner, a fancy gathering or anything in between, we want to better suggest a meal that fits your lifestyle.”
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WHERE WE LIVE | WEEKENDER
The Perfect Storm A couple seeks serenity and scenic beauty during storm season in Vancouver, British Columbia. WRITTEN BY STANESS
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JONEKOS
| PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL
BECKER
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WEEKENDER | WHERE WE LIVE
A
fter a two-year vacation drought, my husband and I decided it was high time to unplug. We zeroed in on the Wickaninnish Inn, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Vancouver. Wickaninnish is a Native American word that means “no one in front of him in a canoe,” and when we arrived at the inn I understood how this luxurious haven got its name. There was nothing in front of it except the endless Pacific Ocean. As we entered our room, the majestic view of the setting sun painted the ocean. A double soaker tub overlooked the million-dollar view. Surprised there was no TV, I later learned that it was hidden. Press a remote button, and it rises—James Bond-style—out of a dresser. That was the first of several delightful discoveries at this lovely inn. The space was fully equipped with a fireplace, bright yellow rain gear with matching rubber boots, CDs and outdoor blankets to keep warm on the private balcony. The sustainable Wick Inn, as locals call it, was built with reclaimed red cedar. There are two buildings to choose from. We selected the original Pointe Building on the rugged ocean side. The newer building faces the white sandy Chesterman Beach. After a refreshing nap we dressed for dinner. A leading culinary destination in Canada, the inn’s The Pointe Restaurant is known for ocean-to-plate meals with forged-fresh ingredients. We enjoyed Pacific sole perched on cauliflower risotto topped with truffles, and crispy pork belly with seared scallop mousse presented like a reflection of the landscape surrounding the inn. The meal was so beautiful that I was almost hesitant to disturb such an artful presentation with knife and fork! The sommelier skillfully paired exquisite white wines with our meals, including a variety from the Okanagan Valley—the Napa Valley of British Columbia. Another discovery: White wines that I like do exist! DAY 1: TOFINO OUTING For our maiden outing, we visited the town of Tofino, which is a 10-minute drive away. Along the main road there was a stream of locals (population: 2,000) walking or biking in wet suits with surfboards. Tofino, Canada’s surf capital, offers surfing schools for every level, and as we saw, enthusiasts think nothing of flinging themselves daily into 54º water. The town is also home to several award-winning restaurants. We selected Wolf in the Fog, which was recently named Canada’s best new restaurant, for lunch. We devoured fresh, locally harvested seaweed salad, halibut with homemade gnocchi, tuna cheek and bok choy, and finally a to-die-for butterscotch brulee with raspberry ice cream. We browsed at Tofino’s famous Mermaid Bookstore before hitting the Eagle Aerie Gallery, owned by Roy Henry Vicker. The wood-carver’s art seamlessly fuses Mother Nature and spirituality in a contemporary style. The gallery, made with carved and painted cedar plank, is a sight unto itself.
SEASCAPES
The ocean is visible from just about every angle at the Wick Inn, which aims to pamper guests in a friendly, low-key manner.
DAY 2: PAMPERING Wick Inn’s top-ranked Ancient Cedar Spa is not to be missed. The natural eucalyptus steam cave was the perfect prescription to launch our day of relaxation. It is co-ed, which explains the mandatory “must be covered with a towel or swimsuit.” The masseuse arrived with a tray of organic aromatherapy oils made by Tofino Soap Co., and our customized sensory journey began. We were transported into another world for a full hour, but our relaxed state lasted all night. DAY 3: ADVENTURE We arrived at Ocean Outfitters (oceanoutfitters.bc.ca) on Main Street in Tofino to board a 30-foot boat, Miss Chief. Powering off amid choppy water and high winds, we embarked on a 26-nautical-mile journey up the coast to the natural geothermal Hot Springs Cove at Maquinna Provincial Park. The sights were wondrous. We saw three grazing grey whales, bald eagles
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WHERE WE LIVE | WEEKENDER
and sea otters. The ship’s captain told us that sometimes they even see black bears that venture out of the dense forest to catch fish on the shoreline. After an hour-and-a-half, immersed in exquisite wilderness, we arrived at Hot Springs Cove and made the tranquil 30-minute trek on the meandering historic cedar boardwalk into an enchanted rain forest. Suddenly we smelled the sulfur hot springs bubbling from the earth. Our boatload of tourists stripped down to swimsuits (tightie-whities for some) to soak. We returned to Tofino via Atleo River Air Service (atleoair. com) in a floatplane. The exhilarating airborne tour with book-perfect steep turns offered more whale sightings than the boat. Plus you could really get a sense of the size of the gigantic creatures. DAY 4: ART & SPIRITUALITY On our final day we ventured back to Tofino to visit the gallery of well-regarded local wood-carving artist George Yearsley. George carves eagle feathers out of salvaged red and yellow cedar with his Swiss army knife and puts them on delicate handmade boxes. We spent several hours watching George at his craft and listening to his compelling stories before strolling out for a final stroll on Chesterman Beach. As my husband and I savored our last sunset and pondered the return to our bustling lifestyle, we felt grateful for our respite at the Wick and the opportunity to experience rustic elegance in such a captivating natural setting. l
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GETTING THERE Plan a full day of travel. We flew from LAX to Vancouver, followed by a twin-engine nineseater flight via Orca Airlines (flyorcaair.com) to Tofino. BEST TIME TO GO My husband and I love the rain, so we planned our trip during storm season: November to February. For those seeking sun, May to October is a better option. WICKANINNISH INN Just off the Pacific Rim Highway, the inn has 63 rooms and 12 suites with modern decor—all have ocean views. The Pointe Restaurant and Driftwood Café. wickinn.com
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WHERE WE LIVE | DATEBOOK
TRICKS AND TREATS October 29
Celebration Gala
Presented by Honda, this black-tie masqueradethemed fundraiser will feature fine dining, cocktails and dancing at a beautiful coastal setting. Enjoy sensational live entertainment and a phenomenal auction, all benefiting the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence at Providence Little Company of Mary. 6 to 11 p.m. at Terranea Resort, california.providence.org/ PLCMevents October 29–30
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Danny Elfman will reprise his role as Jack Skellington in this performance of Tim Burton’s holiday season classic. Enjoy the whole score with live singers and orchestra led by John Mauceri. 8 p.m. (Saturday) and 6:30 p.m. (Sunday) at the Hollywood Bowl, hollywoodbowl.com November 6
Neptunian Woman’s Club Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon Join the women of the NWC as they celebrate this season’s top runway styles with the help of Macy’s. Lunch will also be served; proceeds go to the NWC’s scholarship fund. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel in Manhattan Beach, neptunianwc.org
October Opens October 15 The Science Behind Pixar California Science Center californiasciencecenter.org
31 Halloween Trick or Treat
6 SF Opera Cinema Series La Bohéme
13 Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay
7 OIC Swing for Kids Golf Classic
20-27 Thankful Gifting Week
2 p.m., James Armstrong Theatre torrancearts.org
4 to 6 p.m., Riviera Village rivieravillageredondo.org
10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Palos Verdes Golf Club swingforkidsgolf.org
November
Diana Nyad
4 Jen Chapin
7:30 p.m., Nakano Theatre torrancearts.org
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WHAT IS THIS? Above: The Nightmare Before Christmas Right: The Science Behind Pixar
SOUTHBAY, NOVEMBER 2016
8 p.m., Redondo Beach Performing Arts speakersla.com
7:15 p.m., The Norris Theatre palosverdesperformingarts.com
Terranea Resort, terranea.com
24 Turkey Trot Fun Run
8 a.m., Torrance Crossroads Center torranceca.gov
27 Torrance Antique Street Faire 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Downtown Torrance torranceantiquefaire.com
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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN
Et Cetera Launch Party
To celebrate the launch of the premiere issue of Et Cetera, the fashion publication of Southbay magazine, locals gathered at Rusnak Maserati of South Bay. After walking the red carpet, guests walked into a room immaculately lit by VOX DJs’ lighting designer, Aaron Free. The pages were brought to life with professional models styled and handpicked by Et Cetera guest editor, Tanya Monaghan. Fashionistas sipped Flor de Caña nitrogen cocktails prepared by SuperCool Creamery, a curated wine bar by Barsha Wine and Spirits and Stella. Locals enjoyed gourmet food prepared by The Ripe Choice and indulged in dessert by Bazille. Special thanks to Town and Social Events for helping produce the event, Gindog for providing the custom photo booth, Arnold’s and Bluemercury for transforming our models, Choura for their continued partnership, VOX DJs for the epic beats and Penta for the purified bottled water.
Models from Willow Model Management
Adnen Marouani and Lenora Marouani, owners of Barsha Wines & Spirits
Editorial director, Darren Elms, with guest editor, Tanya Monaghan, and her husband, Liam Monaghan
SuperCool Creamery making Flor de Caña nitrogen cocktails
Local fashionistas checking out Maserati’s new models
Guests enjoying the Gindog photo booth
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO
Rusnak Maserati of South Bay team members
A fall Margaret O’Leary design showcased by a model
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SEEN | WHERE WE LIVE
Wine Walk at The Point
PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTIN ANDERSON
To close out the summer, Southbay hosted a wine tasting event at The Point. After walking the red carpet, locals strolled and savored the wine and food pairings curated by Barsha Wine and Spirits. After strolling and sipping their way around The Point, guests snapped photos in a custom photo booth by CHALK SHOT and listened to live music by Mark Righteous featuring Adam Lawson. Special thanks to Portraits of Hope for providing their iconic spheres, Choura for their continued partnership, Penta for the purified bottled water, Susie Cakes for the dessert bar and Mulberry & Moss for the beautiful blooms.
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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN
Premier Bank of PV Grand Opening
Locals double up in the Premier Bank of PV lobby as they network.
Courtney Self and Joanne Gallin
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Wendy Bond and Guaranty Escrow team celebrate their new neighbors.
Marcie Gutierrez and Premier Bank of PV vice president of corporate development, Julia Parton, smile after walking the red carpet.
Premier Bank of Palos Verdes team
Premier Bank of PV president and CEO, John Polen, thanks the crowd for their support.
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO
Southbay hosted the grand opening of Premier Bank of Palos Verdes. Loyal clients and new friends welcomed them into their new Malaga Cove Plaza location at the packed event. After walking the red carpet and getting their photos taken, locals savored wine by Barsha Wines & Spirits. Savory bites were provided by Paul Martin’s Grill, and a variety of fall desserts were enjoyed thanks to Cake Bakeshop. Guests listened to live music by Mark Righteous featuring Adam Lawson and enjoyed the autumn air. Bank employees introduced themselves to the community, and local business owners spent the evening networking and getting to know one another. Special thanks to Choura for their continued partnership and Mulberry & Moss for the gorgeous fall bouquets.
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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN
Evening Under the Stars
World-renowned saxophonist Kenny G serenaded guests at this 30th annual event. Honda combined the magic with another 31-year South Bay tradition, the For Our Children fundraiser, for a re-imagined event for children’s health care. Torrance Memorial Pediatrics, Providence TrinityKids Care and Vistas for Children, Inc. each received a portion of the $300,000 event proceeds.
Sara Moore, Wes Kauble, Trip Simmons, Sean Simmons, Aarika Simmons, Brenda Nowotka
Front: Anna Mellor, MD, Dawn Kaplan Back: Eric Mellor, Craig Leach, Judy Leach, Lisa Nakkim, Eric Nakkim, Bo Kaplan
Susan Dolbert, Stephanie Wexler, Erik Wexler, Terri Warren, Glen Komatsu, MD
Steve Morikawa, Jacqueline Glass, Tara Gregerson, Glen Komatsu, MD
14th Annual Girls Night Out
Cancer Support Community–Redondo Beach’s 14th annual Girls Night Out Fun-raiser generated a record-breaking $185,000 in net income. Proceeds benefited CSCRB’s free support group programs for cancer patients and their families. The three-night, sellout event—just for ladies— promoted awareness of women’s cancers with an evening of fun and laughter.
Wendy Jay, Lynette Moran, Mickey Marraffino, Sharon McHugh, Stephanie Corcoran
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY DEIDRE DAVIDSON
Catie Aspel, Angela Juranek, Norma Imhoff, Bianca Ngo, Deb Patrick, Chenoa Ladabouche, Robyn Haiges, Kaytelyne Odum
Thyra Endicott, MD, Judith Opdahl, Joanne Hunter
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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN
GirlTalk’s Fall Connect+Inspire
GirlTalk is an organization and platform focused around women inspiring, supporting and empowering each other while connecting and giving back. Connect+Inspire events bring women together to celebrate and support each other in beautiful environments. Fall’s presenting sponsors and supporters were The Events Boutique, BLND PR and Mulberry & Moss.
The GirlTalk panel
Women empowerment keynote
Discussion on self-love and collaboration
2nd Annual Hot Ballroom Night
Nonprofit group Dance it UP presented a glamorous, star-studded evening at the Hermosa Beach Community Theatre featuring local celebrities competing to raise money for local charities. The event, hosted by Dancing With the Stars veteran Anna Trebunskaya and local musician Renée Safier, raised more than $21,000.
Contest winners Holli Greene and Evan Greene
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY K PEEL PHOTO
Event judges dance
Anna Trebunskaya and Irina Trebunskaya
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WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN
Havana Noir: The Party Palos Verdes Art Center transformed into a night at The Tropicana with live performances by salsa quartet Changüí Majadero and Afro-Cuban ensemble BombaChante, with special guest appearance by the Kati Hernandez Cuban Dancers, live auction, Cuban fare by TGIS, tropical drinks and cigars by The V-Cut Cigar Lounge.
Allen Ginsburg and Charlotte Ginsburg
Kati Hernandez Dancers and AfroCuban ensemble Bomba Chante
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATT WINKLEMEYER
Ryan Stearns, Terry Young, Joe Baker
Changüí Majadero
Ladies Night Event
At the Ladies Night event at Morgan’s Jewelers, attendees were treated to makeovers by Sommer and Sarah-Bella Anzaldo of Hush Hush Salon and tasty bites from Made by Meg catering. The evening was topped off by a drawing of prizes for some lucky ladies.
Michael Ricci, Ana Piedrahita Huot, Melissa Weinberg
Michael Ricci, Thess Duong, Karen Varon, Melissa Weinberg, Russ Varon, Judy Gassner, Caroline Gassner
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Vanessa MacDonald and Russ Varon
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY TRACY BRESHEARS
Janine Morris and Danielle Stark
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FRANKLIN LUSBY, MD Dr. Franklin Lusby is the Medical Director and Chief of Surgery at NVISION, Torrance. He has performed over 65,000 refractive procedures including all-laser custom LASIK and PRK surgeries.
AMARPREET BRAR, MD Dr. Amarpreet Brar is the Cataract Medical Director at NVISION, Torrance. He specializes in LASIK and cataract surgery with an expertise implanting intraocular lenses.
“...the whole process was far easier than I could have even imagined.....I was in the operating chair less than 10 minutes. I could see, though a bit hazy, and no pain at all. The next day I was in my regular doctor’s office getting the [eye] shields removed and my eyes checked. I could see perfectly. ‘You’re good to go,’ he said. ‘That’s it?’ I replied. Yes, that’s really it.” - NVISION Torrance and local South Bay Patient
NVISIONCENTERS.COM | (877) 455-9942 NVISION Torrance: 23550 Hawthorne Blvd. Suite 220, Torrance, CA 90505 | (310) 784-2020
WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN
59th Annual Portuguese Bend National Horse Show
Peninsula Committee Children’s Hospital held their 59th annual Horse Show and Saturday Night Supper at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates. All proceeds benefitted the Associates Sarcoma Program Chair at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Pat Murphy, Caro Miguelez, Susan Whelan
Gwynne Shaw, Doug Shaw, Valerie Kelly, Kate Cocke
Jim Mahoney, Mary DiMatteo, Eileen Mahoney, Angela Conterno, Flora Fairchild
21st Annual Redondo Beach Lobster Festival
The sponsors and attendees of this year’s Redondo Beach Lobster Festival made the event an overwhelming success. Next year’s festival will again feature fantastic talent and special new additions.
Lobster at the Cracking Shack
Lobster Ladies
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Lobster Bistro
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FEEL AT HOME IN YOUR SKIN.
M e n ti o n a n d r e c e iv th is a d e c o m p li m e a F R E E n c o n s u lt a ti ta r y on.
Whether you’re a mother or not, there’s no reason to say goodbye to your bikini body.
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BREAST ENHANCEMENT & LIPOSUCTION
BREAST LIFT & TUMMY TUCK
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carried out at the same time.
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A COMPLETE LISTING
WWW. MY- PLA ST IC- SURGEO N.CO M
310.597.4734
550 Deep Valley Drive Suite 283, Rolling Hills Estates
WE’VE MOVED! VISIT OUR NEW OFFICE AT:
5 50 D EEP VALLEY D R IVE SUIT E 2 8 3 , RO LLING HILLS ESTAT ES
WHERE WE LIVE | SEEN
El Segundo Dermatology Grand Opening
The South Bay community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the new El Segundo Dermatology office with food, entertainment and giveaways. More than 250 guests were in attendance.
Jill Javahery, Malcolm Ke, Melissa Camouse, Ashley Magovern
Eric Kufs entertaining the crowd
Specialty Tito’s cocktails and wine
Union of Art floral arrangements
#StyleCrawl
Style on the Spot, in conjunction with Downtown Manhattan Beach, debuted the first-ever #StyleCrawl, a one-day shopping extravaganza for SoCal locals that delivered extensive discounts at 30+ stores and restaurants all located in the Downtown Manhattan Beach area. Attendees donated hundreds of items of clothing to the local shelter 1736 Family Crisis Center.
Creator of #StyleCrawl with women from the event in front of LuLu’s Nouvelle
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Lynn Johnson and Teri Screen
Kate Danaj, Tanya Lauwerys-Canada, Shannon Ryan, Amy Howorth
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALORIE DARLING
Christine Barraco and Natalie Tenerelli
SEEN | WHERE WE LIVE
“There is no friend as loyal as a book.” – Ernest Hemingway
Navigoe’s 20th Anniversary Celebration
Wealth management and financial planning firm Navigoe celebrated its 20-year anniversary with an event at the firm’s Redondo Beach office. The historic landmark and its gardens made for a magnificent setting for the celebration.
Chris Smith, Amee Smith, Mike West, Gina West, Allison Smith, Tyler Smith
your local independent bookstore 904 Manhattan Ave. | Manhattan Beach www.pagesabookstore.com | (310) 318-0900
Rolling Hills Preparatory School
Maura Mizuguchi and Mark Coleman
DECEMBER
D ISCOVERY D AYS
M IDDLE S CHOOL T U E S DAY, D E C 6 9 : 0 0 TO 1 0 : 3 0 A . M .
U PPER S CHOOL T H U R S DAY, D E C 8 9 : 0 0 TO 1 0 : 3 0 A . M .
GUTTER CREDIT: XXXXXXXXXX
O PEN H OUSE J ANUARY 2 8 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Melanie Dreike, Bob Castellani, Shannon Castellani
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One Rolling H ills Prep Way 1500 Palos Verdes Drive Nor th San Pedro, CA 90732 (424) 570-1336 RollingH illsPrep.org/AboutRHP
At our Discovery Days and All-School Open House, families can tour the campus, meet current students and teachers, participate in mini lessons, and learn about the admission process. To RSVP, contact the Admission Office at (424) 570-1336 or info@rollinghillsprep.org
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TAKE YOUR COMPANY’S HOLIDAY PARTY TO THE NEXT LEVEL. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S PREMIERE IN FROZEN COCKTAILS AND DESSERTS PREPARED BENEATH A CLOUD OF VAPOR ON THE SPOT.
310.498.0393 WWW.SUPERCOOLCREAMERY.COM
A warm fire. Spicy cider. Weekend trips to the farmers market. It’s what this season is all about, and we’re loving it! Some of the South Bay’s top culinary masters are featured on the following pages, along with seasonal recipes you can at home. Cheers!
WRITTEN BY LAURA PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAT
WATTS MONK & LAUREN PRESSEY
TERRANEA RESORT
EXECUTIVE CHEF BERNARD IBARRA
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he culinary team at Terranea Resort, helmed by Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra, celebrates sustainability and the resort’s natural surroundings by using produce from onsite gardens, sea salt harvested from the Pacific Ocean bordering the property and honey from Terranea’s own commercial wood beehives. Chef Ibarra maintains the active “employ-bee” colonies, which pollinate the 4,000-square-foot Catalina View Garden—located just south of the resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. Nestled between numerous avocado, citrus and fruit trees, the bees help pollinate the garden and roam free throughout the Peninsula with access to native flora and fauna. It is a special symbiotic relationship that Chef Ibarra and his culinary team value and respect. Not only does the chef use the honey harvest in dishes at the resort’s eight dining destinations, Terranea has also included honey workshops in their culinary immer-
sion programs. Depending on the season, Terranea’s honeybee population produces a light to slightly dark, delicious honey included in pastries, dressings and various dishes at the resort. Chef Ibarra brings more than 30 years of culinary and hospitality experience to Terranea. Born and raised in the French side of the Basque Country, his global work and travels after earning his culinary degree inspired his cooking philosophy. The chef enjoys cooking with his daughter and son, Kayla and Keita, as well as scuba diving, underwater photography, surfing, sailing, cycling, flying and enjoying fine wine. The chef donates his time to many philanthropic and charitable endeavors on behalf of the resort. Terranea shares proceeds from its intimate Chef’s Table Dinner Series with local charitable organizations. These dinners provide guests with an interactive culinary experience featuring a three-course meal and wine pairings.
100 Terranea Way Rancho Palos Verdes 310-265-2800 terranea.com
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HONEY AND MEYER LEMON PIQUILLO/ ESPELETTE CHICKEN SKEWERS 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 ounces local honey 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest fresh Meyer lemon juice 4 chopped garlic cloves 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, skin on, smashed and chopped 2 tablespoons puréed piquillo pepper 2 tablespoons powdered Espelette chili 1½ teaspoons Terranea Sea Salt 2½ pounds chicken tails 1 red bell pepper, cut in 18 small squares 1 green bell pepper, cut in 18 small squares 1 small Spanish onion, cut in 18 small squares 5 green onions, white and light green parts only, cut in 18 one-inch pieces 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 6 Meyer lemon wedges, for garnish 6 cilantro/parsley sprigs In a blender bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, lemon zest and juice, garlic, ginger, piquillo, Espelette and salt; process until completely smooth. Set half of the marinade/sauce in a small covered container and refrigerate. In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the chicken tails for about 10 minutes, covered, making sure to turn them. Set aside, single layer, uncovered in a refrigerator until cold. Assemble skewers alternating chicken tails and vegetables. Mix with remaining half of the sauce and place in a plastic zipper bag in refrigerator for about 8 hours. Wrap ends of the skewers with foil before grilling. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Cook skewers, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. While cooking skewers, heat remaining marinade in a small pot over medium heat. Place skewers on platter. Drizzle heated marinade over meat, sprinkle with parsley and cilantro, and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley/cilantro sprig.
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KINCAID’S
EXECUTIVE CHEF RAMON FERNANDEZ GENERAL MANAGER REGGIE THOMAS
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classic American grill located on the world-famous Redondo Beach Pier, Kincaid’s has been serving the South Bay since 1999. Featuring 100% hormone-free meats cooked on a woodfire grill, wild-caught seafood and farm-fresh produce that is delivered daily, Kincaid’s has earned a five-star ranking from the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association and was named one of the top seafood restaurants by USA Today Travel. The eatery offers happy hour seven days a week, a late-night menu from 9 p.m. until close, and a weekend brunch and Bloody Mary bar. Live music is featured on Monday and Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. and during brunch. The culinary team of Kincaid’s—led by executive chef Ramon Fernandez, sous chef Rosa Martinez and GM Reggie Thomas—enjoys a collaborative atmosphere, where various members of the kitchen staff participate in creating special dishes. “We’re excited about pushing boundaries and creating new dishes—and then helping our team get better,” says Reggie. “We love fostering an environment like Chef Gusteau from that epic culinary movie Ratatouille, who lived by the credo: Anyone can cook.”
Creating new dishes is by far one of the best things about my work,” says Chef Rosa. “We change our menu monthly, so as soon as we create a new menu we’ve got to go right back at it again.” For the past five years that they’ve worked together, Reggie and Chef Ramon have shared a goal of bringing team members on board who want to develop into sous chefs and beyond in their culinary career. “Giving people a hand up is a nice perk and helps make those long days worthwhile,”
GRILLED ALASKAN HALIBUT 1 halibut filet canola oil 1 teaspoon KSP (kosher salt & pepper) 3 ounces haricots verts (green beans) 1 ounce tempura batter balsamic reduction 1 blistered lemon 1 ounce Bull’s Blood microgreens parsley
Reggie shares. “We are a high-volume location with more than 400 seats, so whenever we get someone from culinary school on our team, it’s a bit of a wakeup call. We try to teach them what we can and enjoy the time together. We’re always seeking and sharing knowledge.” Guests rave about the restaurant’s amazing view of the Pacific Ocean.
Brush the halibut filet canola oil, season with KSP and place on the grill. Turn after approximately 2 minutes depending, on thickness of filet. Cook to medium or medium-rare. Coat green beans in tempura batter and cook them in canola oil. Drizzle balsamic reduction on the plate to give color. Serve the halibut with the haricot verts and garnish with the lemon, microgreens and parsley.
The waves lap beneath the patio at Kincaid’s, adding a unique element to the dining experience. “With our patio being right over the water and waves crashing beneath us, we have a lot of events here,” says Chef Ramon. “Our guests deserve the best.”
500 Fisherman’s Wharf Redondo Beach 310-318-6080 kincaids.com
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CAFÉ PACIFIC EXECUTIVE CHEF CHRIS GARASIC
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One Trump National Drive Rancho Palos Verdes 310-265-5000 trumpnationallosangeles.com
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afé Pacific at Trump National in Rancho Palos Verdes features modern American cuisine with an eclectic edge. New executive chef Chris Garasic has revamped the menu with vibrant, seasonal dishes. “My cooking style is French-based,” says the chef, who trained at Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon, and has worked in kitchens since the age of 14, “but you will see Latin, Asian and comfort food twists incorporated into my dishes.” The featured recipe is part of Café Pacific’s dish “The Patch & The Pasture,” which includes a mesquite-grilled filet, braised swiss chard and leeks, foie demi glace, red kuri squash puree, sage beurre blanc and pumpkin seed oil. Creating unusual and delicious menu items is a passion for Chef Chris. “The most rewarding experience for me is working together with my team to fabricate these amazing dishes for our guests to enjoy.” Originally from Oregon, Chris enjoys a variety of outdoor activities when he’s not at work, including surfing, hiking, snowboarding and archery. He is enjoying working alongside his mother, who is a server at Trump National. “She is the main reason I got involved in this industry,” he shares. “We have worked together at three different restaurants, and for her to be able to see me evolve into the chef I am today continues to drive me to make her proud.” In addition to Café Pacific, the resort’s formal dining room, Trump National offers three other dining areas: the casual Golfer’s Lounge, a newly renovated patio, and the outdoor grill area with views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. The resort’s award-winning brunch and sold-out holiday meals are guest favorites, as are special weekly events such as wine dinners and the new theme nights.
ROASTED PUMPKIN APPLE BREAD PUDDING 6 mini-pumpkins salt & pepper 3 eggs 1½ cups cream 4 cups cubed French bread 1 cup Granny Smith apples, small dice, roasted 1 cup pumpkin, small dice, roasted ¼ cup pumpkin puree ¼ cup celery, brunoised ¼ cup carrot, brunoised ¼ cup white onion, brunoised 2 ounces butter ¼ cup Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon fresh thyme Cut the tops off the mini-pumpkins and remove all seeds and pulp. Season with salt and pepper and rub with a little oil. Place on sheet tray upside down and roast at 350º for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let cool. In small bowl crack and whisk eggs. In a small saucepan heat cream to a boil and slowly add to eggs, whisking constantly. Add all ingredients into a large bowl and slowly fold in the custard base. Keep folding bread pudding until bread has soaked up the custard evenly. Add bread pudding mix into mini-pumpkins and bake at 350º another 15 to 20 minutes or until bread pudding is set and has a golden brown crust.
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CARROT-GINGER PRAWNS WITH GOAT CHEESE
DARREN’S RESTAURANT EXECUTIVE CHEF DARREN WEISS
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arren’s Restaurant features dishes that combine American, Mediterranean and Pacific Rim flavors. Guests enjoy an upscale, fine-dining experience—whether celebrating a special event, hosting a business dinner or eating a midweek meal—in a welcoming, beach-friendly atmosphere. In October 2007 Darren Weiss found his “home” in Manhattan Beach and opened his namesake restaurant. In 2014 Darren’s underwent substantial renovations to both the restaurant and the menu. The reimagined Darren’s still features the warm atmosphere guests love but with a reinvigorated spirit. Over the course of more than 20 years in the restaurant industry, general manager Bart Thompson has crafted his guiding principle of “only exceptional food, only exceptional service, only friendly and knowledgeable people.” Sommelier Nadia Pavlevska is responsible for all things
wine-related, including building the restaurant’s boutique selection of inter- national and California wines. She is a Certified Sommelier (CS) with the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) with the American Society of Wine Educators, a Certified International Etiquette and Business Protocol Consultant with the Washington School of Protocol, and a member of the Guild of Master Sommeliers. Mixologist Jonathan Dahl runs the cocktail program, which he and Bart built from scratch. Chef Darren attended The Culinary Institute of America and worked in Hawaii at acclaimed restaurant Lahaina Grill. In 1998 he moved to Santa Monica and worked at Rockenwagner. Next he opened Café Catalina—his first restaurant—which enjoyed a successful five-year run. Darren worked at resorts in Texas before returning to the South Bay in 2007. He enjoys spending time with his family, as well as hiking, fishing, skiing and ice-skating.
12 colossal black tiger prawns, shelled, tails on, deveined, butterflied salt & pepper to taste 2 bunches each, baby purple and golden beets, stemmed and washed (leave skin on) canola oil 2 quarts carrot juice ½ pound fresh ginger, peeled, sliced 2 tablespoons freeze-dried green peppercorns (find on Amazon or in specialty stores) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 log chervil goat cheese, crumbled Preheat oven to 425º. Coat beets with canola oil, place in deep baking dish and cover with aluminum foil, shiny side down. Bake until beets are fork-tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes. Peel off skins. Keep golden beets separate from purple. Cut beets into bite size and rinse them separately. Put carrot juice and ginger into saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until thick and nappe (reduction covers spoon well), about an hour. Remove from heat and cool. Grind or finely chop green peppercorn. In medium sauté pan, melt butter. Add beets and toss until well heated; sprinkle with green peppercorns. Remove from heat. Place beets in the middle of plates and top with goat cheeses. Place three shrimp on each plate and drizzle with carrot reduction.
1141 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach | 310-802-1973 | darrensrestaurant.com
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BESCIAMELL AND BOLOGNESE LASAGNA
DELUCA
TRATTORIA
DIRECTOR/MANAGING PARTNER ANDREA FRANCESCO TORELLI-LESKY EXECUTIVE CHEF GABRIELLA TORELLI
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magine having dinner in a relaxed, country-style Tuscan trattoria with a warm, rustic ambience, traditional Italian food and regional wine. You don’t have to travel to Europe for this experience—it’s available right here in El Segundo at Deluca Trattoria. Managing partner Andrea Francesco Torelli-Lesky and executive chef Gabriella Torelli serve cuisine from their native Tuscany, as well as other Italian regions such as Campania, Sicily and Lombardy. “We pride ourselves on fresh, made-
to-order, authentic Italian food,” says Gabriella, who was born and raised in Florence and learned the culture and history of Tuscan cooking from three generations of women in her family. “We maintain the traditions of Italian cuisine, through and through.” The restaurant imports much of its food from Italy and also uses USDA prime meats and poultry, wild-caught fresh fish and locally grown organic produce. “We make classic dishes that every Italian chef proudly serves,” says Chef Gabriella.
225 Richmond Street | El Segundo | 310-640-7600 | delucapasta.com
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Bolognese Sauce 2 carrots 2 pounds ground beef 2 yellow onions 1 pound ground pork 6 stalks celery or Italian sausage 3 cloves garlic 1 pound ground turkey 1 bunch parsley 1 glass sangiovese or ¼ cup extra virgin other dry red wine olive oil 1 large can San Marzano 2 tablespoons butter organic tomatoes salt & pepper 2 cups water Chop carrots, onions, celery, garlic and parsley in food processor. Preheat olive oil and butter in an 8- to 10-quart stock pot. Add vegetable mix and sauté for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in meat and sauté until golden brown. Add wine and mix well; simmer until wine evaporates. Add tomatoes and water; mix very well. Let sauce simmer over medium heat for 2 hours, mixing thoroughly every 15 minutes.
Besciamell Sauce 1 quart milk 2 sticks butter 1½–2 cups flour nutmeg salt & pepper In a small saucepan, gradually heat milk over low heat. In a second saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Add warmed milk slowly to maintain smooth texture and to avoid lumping. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Lasagna 1 box lasagna pasta 1½ pounds shredded mozzarella cheese 1½ pounds grated Parmigiano cheese butter Cook pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 400º. In an 8”x12” baking pan that is 4”–5” deep, spread butter evenly around the entire inside of the pan. Spread a layer of Besciamell Sauce evenly on the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of pasta on the bottom evenly, trying to avoid overlapping. Spread a layer of Besciamell Sauce over the pasta. Spread a layer of Bolognese Sauce over the Besciamell Sauce, allowing the two sauces to mix together. Spread a complete layer of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauces. Spread grated Parmigiano over the mozzarella. Repeat the process, creating 3 or 4 layers,= or until pan is layered to the top. Place in oven on the middle rack and bake for 25–30 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand for 10 minutes and then slice.
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THE RIPE
CHOICE
CATERING
EXECUTIVE CHEF & OWNER TAMMY LIPPS
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312 Rosecrans Avenue Manhattan Beach 310-962-4597 TheRipeChoice.net
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he Ripe Choice catering company creates unique menus for private dinner parties, screenings, gallery openings, red carpet affairs, backyard BBQs, beach picnics, weddings and corporate events. Although The Ripe Choice specializes in custom catering and creates whatever food the client requests, the team’s go-to culinary style is California healthy and seasonal cooking—using what is good when it’s at its best. Chef Tammy Lipps and her team also assist clients with rentals, décor, entertainment and service staff. The Ripe Choice storefront is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers gourmet grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, soups and sweets. This year the company launched a new corporate catering menu, providing meals for office meetings. A former professional actor, singer and dancer, Tammy attended culinary school just to explore a passion—and as part of that passion she opened The Ripe Choice. Through the years of growing and expanding the business, she has discovered that planning an event is very much like producing a show, play or musical. When she’s not at work, Chef Tammy enjoys perusing her collection of cookbooks, gardening (she has fig, avocado, orange and lemon trees in her yard) and enjoying dinner alfresco with family and friends. Supporting Tammy in creating flavorful, seasonal menus are Chef Aly Seckinger and Chef AJ Pike. “Their work as a team is truly a culinary collaboration,” she says. “What is best for the client, the event and the integrity of the food and presentation are what drives them to work tirelessly to achieve these goals. Even the simplest of menus is tended to with the utmost care.”
AUTUMN HARVEST VEGETARIAN SALAD Balsamic-Tahini Vinaigrette 1 garlic clove, peeled 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar 1 small shallot, peeled 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon tahini 3 teaspoons honey ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil salt & pepper to taste Blend all ingredients in food processor until emulsified. Taste for seasoning. Salad 1 acorn squash, sliced (as shown in photo), seeds removed extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons cinnamon salt & pepper to taste seasonal hearty greens (such as kale and rainbow chard) 1 cup cooked lentils 1 cup roasted chickpeas 1 cup pom arils 1 cup toasted walnuts 1 cup sunflower seeds Preheat oven to 400º and toss squash in oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Roast until tender; remove from oven and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, place greens and toss lightly with some of the vinaigrette. Divide greens evenly between two bowls/plates and place several slices of roasted squash on each. Arrange remaining ingredients on top of greens. Drizzle with additional vinaigrette.
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THE SOURCE CAFE EXECUTIVE CHEF & OWNER AMBER CAUDLE
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FALL QUINOA SALAD 1 small pumpkin (about 2 pounds) ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 ounces basil leaves 1 clove garlic ¾ cup raw pumpkin seeds 2 teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper juice from 2 lemons 3 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled 4 cups mixed baby greens 2 persimmons, thinly sliced ½ cup pomegranate seeds 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Cut pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and quarter. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and roast at 375º for 40 minutes until golden. Let cool, then peel and cut into quarter-sized pieces. Make pesto: In a food processor, blend until creamy ½ cup oil, basil, garlic, raw pumpkin seeds, ¾ teaspoon salt, black pepper and juice from 1 lemon. In a large bowl, mix ½ cup of the pesto mixture with the quinoa, remaining lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil and salt. Add the greens, persimmons and roasted pumpkin and toss. Top with pomegranate seeds and toasted pumpkin seeds.
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY HAILEE REPKO, CUCKOOS NEST WEST
509 Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach 310-318-1600 thesourcecafehb.com
he Source Cafe is a health-inspired eatery that offers gluten-free, vegan, paleo and superfood options as well as fresh, organic juices and smoothies, a full espresso bar, and healthy tonics and elixirs. “We value the integrity of our ingredients and craft our menu with love,” says executive chef and owner Amber Caudle. “We are 100% GMOfree, and we use organic and local produce.” Chef Amber knew she wanted to be a chef from the time she was a little girl cooking with her grandmother. “There was never any doubt that this was the business I needed to be in,” she says. Amber trained with an esteemed chef in Colorado, learning the ropes of Southern Italian cuisine. She then continued her culinary education in Italy and Spain. Placing a strong emphasis on the nutritional value of her food is deeply rewarding to Chef Amber. “I love creating a memorable dish for someone who hasn’t been able to eat out because of their dietary restrictions,” she shares, “as well as introducing delicious nutrition to kids and opening people’s eyes to food as healing. The many health challenges we face keep me on my toes as a health-inspired chef.” She also is passionate about cooking with the seasons. The recipe featured here is perfect for late fall in California—a great time to take advantage of local farmers markets. “I love using roasted pumpkin for a savory touch,” says the chef. “The combination of sweet persimmon and tart pomegranate seeds brings great flavor, while the pumpkin seeds and quinoa combine to pack this salad with powerful protein and nutrients.” Assisting Chef Amber at The Source Cafe are her business partner and executive pastry chef, Cindy Van Pelt, who is also GM of The Source; assistant GM Mariela Galindo; kitchen manager Fernando Marquez; business/brand manage Lizzie Rose; and the café staff.
R E SER VAT IO N S: 3 1 0 . 7 9 8 . 2 5 0 0 179 N. HARB O R D R I V E , R E DO NDO B E A CH WWW. R 10S O CIA LH O US E . C O M
EAT, DRINK , BE MERRY. Book your holiday party on the pier! EMAIL: EVENTS@R10SOCIALHOUSE.COM L U N C H & D I N N E R D A I LY | W E E K E N D B R U N C H 1 0 A M - 3 P M | R E D O N D O B E A C H K I N G H A R B O R D A I LY S O C I A L H O U R 3 - 6 P M | H A P P Y M O N D AY S 3 P M - C L O S E | U N C O R K E D T U E S D AY S
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Coastal Cornucopia Put a California twist on your holiday and give thanks. WRITTEN, STYLED & PHOTOGRAPHED BY
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KARA MICKELSON
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Coastal Cornucopia
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Coastal Cornucopia
Pacific Palate Start by giving your table a West Coast makeover. Mixed media of metallic and blue accents with elements of nature refresh the typical orange, black and brown tones used for fall decor. SET THE THEME: Sparkly ornamental birds, leaves, acorns, squirrels and gold embellishments add the right amount of sophistication to a contemporary woodsy theme. Velvet chartreuse mini-pumpkins are interesting table decor accents and also serve as possible guest gifts. DESIGNER TIPS: With metallic gold spray paint, color your leaves, acorns, burlap table runner and accents several days before the event. These blue beaded bird ornaments were found at a local craft shop and provided to the floral artist for a whimsical touch. Survey local home goods stores for current trends, but browse discount shops for your materials. Larger, inexpensive plates can be spray-painted for chargers as long as they do not display edible items directly on the painted surface. FALL-ISH FLORALS: Jenny Barker of Magical Blooms used Cafe au Lait dahlias, hops, clematis pods, Astrantia, oregano, rosemary, Garden Spray rose in blush, tinted Solidago, yellow plumosus, spider amaranthus, turtle rose, garden hydrangea, Dusty Miller, alpine thistle and Kermit Fuji mums to support the West Coast fall theme. The delicate and dainty quality of seasonal wildflowers mixed with a dominant main flower creates a less structured, loose style arrangement that represents a shift to the fall season. Incorporating trendy blue and rose tones with the natural feel of the arrangement fits perfectly with the relaxed southern California lifestyle.
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Coastal Cornucopia
Meet the Gourds Did you know there are more than several hundred recognized members of the family cucurbitceae, the flowering plants also known a gourds and squash? Like most families, working out the details and differences can be quite complicated. Botanically speaking they are a fruit, even though they are often used as a “culinary vegetable” and welcomed as part of a fall feast. The most basic and simple breakdown of the gourd family is winter or summer and edible or inedible. Most well-known members of the family are squash and gourds (sometimes referred to interchangeably), muskmelons, watermelons, cucumbers and, yes, pumpkins. Summer squash tend to be tender with a thin, edible skin and a shorter growing period and shelf life than their winter cousins. Popular varieties include zucchini, globe, pattypan, yellow crookneck and straightneck squash. Winter squash mostly have a thick and often inedible rind (unless pickled) and a longer growing period and shelf life. Familiar types are butternut, delicata, acorn, spaghetti squash, and a range of edible and decorative pumpkin. Some squash—what we typically think of as gourds—are entirely ornamental, and some are only edible when young and immature. Bottle gourds, or calabash, when fully mature have extremely hard exteriors. They have served in ancient times as utensils, bottles, scoops, musical instruments and decorative accents. Pumpkins tend to be both ornamental and edible, although most pumpkin pie mix is not of the typical jack-o’-lantern variety but a mix of one to three different winter squash. What we find truly exciting is all the wonderful options available for fall from farmers markets and even your own urban garden. From easy-to-find treasured heirlooms to exotic options, fall is a wonderful time to explore.
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CHEF TIPS: When it comes to cooking and preparing squash, don’t forget the tender tips of the vines; usually 5 to 6 inches are edible, as well as the flower and seeds that can be roasted. Larger squash are perfect for stuffing and make great containers to display hot or cold food. Keep in mind that cucumbers can be cooked in the same way you cook squash. They taste great in curries if added toward the end of the cooking process and, of course, are delicious pickled. They are also easy vegetarian and vegan options at the holiday table. Melons are also wonderful in salads, pureed and mixed with flavored water for granita, as a palate cleanser in between courses, and as part of a meat and cheese display. GREAT SEED SOURCES: kitazawaseed.com rareseeds.com sustainableseedco.com Farmer Andy Vaughn and Richard Untal of califarmer.com provided a few chef tips and our pictured fall feature harvest.
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Easy as Pie A beautiful pie can be intimidating and time-consuming. Here, stylist and chef Kara Mickelson shares one of her all-time favorite recipes as well as some tips for creating a dazzling, camera-ready pie. She also offers a shortcut: Save time by buying premade pie crust dough by Pillsbury. Typically in the refrigerated section, the dough comes in two log-shaped rolls. One roll can be used for the bottom and the other for showstopping cutouts. TIPSY CALVADOS APPLE PIE 4 pounds assorted apples—peeled, cored and diced 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons granulated or coarse brown sugar (turbinado) ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon ginger 1 ⁄8 teaspoon cardamom 1 ⁄8 teaspoon clove 1 ⁄8 teaspoon white pepper ¼ cup Calvados apple brandy, or any brandy 1 package premade refrigerated pie crust (softened per instructions) ¼ cup all-purpose flour 1 egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water or cream for “egg wash” to secure decorative embellishments Sauté apples in butter. Add sugar and spices and cook until apples begin to caramelize on the exterior yet retain a semi-firm texture. Add brandy and sauté until most of the liquid is absorbed. Reserve and cool. Unroll one dough roll into pie pan. Trim just over the pan edge (1⁄8 inch) to allow for shrinkage during baking. Add a dusting of flour and then cooled, cooked apples. Put in refrigerator or freezer to chill. Take second log of dough, roll it out flat to 1⁄8-inch thickness. Make cutouts with a fall theme—leaves, apples, acorns, forest animals, etc. With leftover dough from cutouts, roll out flat and cut into strips (thin for braids or decorative twists, medium or large for lattice; also include strips of dough to anchor cutouts). Remove cooled pie from refrigerator or freezer. Sprinkle top of apples with flour so the moisture from the fruit does not soften the cutouts. Assemble the dough embellishments on top. Secure decorative pieces with egg wash. Chill pie in freezer for 30 minutes or overnight. Remove and brush with egg wash over the entire top of pie and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake on a cookie sheet in a preheated 400º oven for 30 minutes. Reduce temp to 325º and continue to cook another 20 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is hot. KARA’S EXPERT TIPS • Place dough back in refrigerator if needed while working. Chilled dough is easier to work with. • Bake pies from frozen if time allows. It takes a little longer (to freeze and bake), but the crust will hold its shape better. • Add a coarse sugar like turbinado to hide imperfections and create sparkle. • Let a hot pie rest before cutting. • Add crème fraîche, buttermilk, vanilla seeds or a dash of whiskey to whipped cream.
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PROFILES IN
Courage
Meet three South Bay military veterans … their stories may be unique, but the honor of service to their country binds them in brotherhood.
NICK DENNY WRITTEN BY DARREN
“I
ELMS |
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LAUREN
PRESSEY
was always drawn to books, movies and toys, as a young kid, that involved soldiers or anything military-related,” shares El Porto resident Nick Denny, a former infantry officer in the U.S. Army who completed his service at the rank of captain. “Once I entered college at the University of Minnesota, I started to feel that it was my duty to serve this country and do my part to give back. I also thought it would be an adventure that would push me out of my comfort zone and make me better.” At 19 he walked into the recruiting office at his school and signed up for the Army ROTC program and a National Guard unit. He went on to ROTC basic training in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and graduated in August of 2001, a month before the 9/11 attack. Prior to leaving for a four-month Infantry Officer Basic Course in Fort Benning, Georgia, Nick’s Minnesota National Guard unit received orders to deploy to Kosovo for peacekeeping operations. “Our unit spent about nine months in Kosovo working with the locals to maintain a safe and secure environment between Serbs and Albanians,” he says. “I had the good fortune of leading the men of the first platoon. They were a great group of guys with many years of military experience between them who were away from families and jobs to serve their country.” After returning home from deployment in the fall of 2004, Nick moved to California to escape the frozen tundra of Minnesota and start a career. Once a month and two weeks in the summer, he would fly back to Minnesota to continue training as part of his eight-year obligation to the Army National Guard before eventually transferring to an infantry unit in the California National Guard.
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About 10 years ago he switched careers from pharmaceutical sales with Pfizer to selling orthopedic implants with Stryker. Only nine months into his new job with Stryker, Nick received a phone call that he would be deployed to Iraq. “I was going to be the interim company commander in charge of 200 soldiers brought in from units all over the state until the actual company commander finished training,” he says. “We were called up as a part of the ‘surge’ strategy put in place by General David Petraeus to stabilize Iraq and create conditions that would allow the Iraqi government and army to provide security and stability in the future.” After several months of training in the U.S. and Kuwait, he began his yearlong deployment in Baghdad, Iraq. “We were stationed at the large base at the Baghdad airport and conducted a bunch of decentralized, squad-based missions consisting of security patrols, detainee operations, courthouse protection operations and even guarding a school for detained Iraqi children,” he shares. “By this point the surge was in full swing, and the country was the most secure it had been in years.” He notes that a significant portion of his unit had deployed to Iraq a few years prior and saw extensive, sustained combat operations in one of the most dangerous parts of Iraq. “Our deployment was much less intense than that, and though I am proud to have served in Iraq, I didn’t sacrifice anything at all compared to so many great soldiers, Marines and airmen who experienced things we could not even comprehend … great volunteer heroes of this country who were injured or killed and had their futures taken from them—all for the United
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States of America.” After successfully completing his mission, he returned home in 2008. Back at Stryker and having worked in health care for the last 11 years, Nick believes the men and women who have served our country deserve the best health care this country has to offer. “This isn’t happening right now,” he says. “I have seen how the best surgeons and hospitals run, and it is in stark contrast to what the VA looks like. VA leadership needs to be changed, and there needs to be a focus put on how to fix the system and give veterans the same care a wealthy patient at Cedars-Sinai receives.” Living in Manhattan Beach with his girlfriend, Abby, Nick says his service taught him to appreciate life and not sweat the small, insignificant issues that come up every day. “Traffic was terrible? Get over it. Be thankful you can drive. You had to work late? No one cares. Be thankful you have a job. You only have 300 Instagram followers? Good for you, I have 26,” he says. “I now try to take advantage of every day and appreciate how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place, in such a great country.” ___________
LUIS CASTRO WRITTEN BY AMBER
KLINCK |
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF
BERTING
A
fter a 15-year career in the United States Marine Corps, Luis Castro has redirected his energy toward making legal services accessible to all. The youngest son of Puerto Rican immigrants, Luis was raised in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up with the challenges of a strained home life and a neighborhood that didn’t always present the best path, he did everything he could to stay focused on building a better future for himself. “I started working when I was 9 delivering newspapers,” Luis notes. “But for a lot of kids, it wasn’t about getting a paper route. It was about standing on the corner selling drugs. That’s the reality of the environment I grew up in.” Today, living in Rancho Palos Verdes with his wife, Emily, the father of four has come a long way from his arduous past. Drawing on his career in the Marines, an undergraduate degree in business management from Pepperdine University, a master’s degree from Webster University and multiple paralegal certificates from Cal State Dominguez, Luis created a new life for himself through a series of deliberate and strategic choices. He was the first in his family to go to college. He started own business, Superior Court Docs. But for Luis, the first influence that would greatly shape his future was athletics. “Once I found sports, that was it,” he notes. “The very first sport I played was baseball, which eventually led me to boxing. I didn’t stop boxing until my daughter was born; that’s how much I loved it.” Excelling athletically, Luis dabbled in just about everything. Unfortunately, he did so with little support from his family. “My mother wasn’t supportive of athletic goals; she wanted me to work,” Luis notes. Luckily he was surrounded by another group of adults who encouraged his athletic and educational aspirations: his coaches. “I owe everything in my youth to them,” he explains. “If something needed to be paid for, shoes or equipment, or if something needed to be signed in order for me to play, they took care of it.” With their support, Luis became a scholarship athlete. “The problem was, even though I was receiving athletic scholarships, I’d still have to pay for my living expenses and meals in the off season. And I had no financial support [to do so].” When Luis factored in the time it would take to devote to the sport he was playing while keeping up with his studies, there was little time left to work. “That’s when I
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“I LEARNED SO MUCH AS A MARINE— FROM LIFE LESSONS TO MANAGERIAL SKILLS TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.” thought about joining the military,” he says. The decision to join the Marines not only paved the way for Luis’ academic future, it also laid the groundwork for who he would become as a man. “I learned so much as a Marine—from life lessons to managerial skills to fiscal responsibility,” he says. It was also during his service that Luis met Emily, his wife of 20 years, who was also a Marine. “We met while serving in Okinawa, Japan,” she says with a smile. As the founder of a 100% veteran-owned business, Luis is now serving in another way. “We provide legal services to both the general public and law firms,” he explains. “We don’t file documents, and we don’t serve. What we do is offer highly sophisticated legal research and judicial council from motions and pleadings to document preparation.” By providing traditional paralegal services without the high cost of attorney fees, the ability to obtain legal counsel becomes considerably more attainable for those who are budget-conscious. “We saw a need for this early on,” Emily notes. “There are a lot of people who can’t afford a $2,500 retainer and $375 per hour for an attorney.” “The legal system was not solely established for the wealthy,” Luis adds. “The legal system was established for everyone, no matter if they are rich or poor. And everyone has the right to represent themselves without having to retain an attorney. [Superior Court Docs] offers a way to level the legal playing field so that anyone may be
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able to right a legal wrong or defend themselves in court without the additional stress of having to hire an expensive attorney.” In business since 2008, Luis has channeled all of the determination that made him a successful athlete, student and Marine into his profession. “You don’t have to be the best at anything,” he says. “You have to want to be the best. And I’ve always wanted to be the best at everything I do.” __________
FRANK SESNO WRITTEN BY DIANE
E. BARBER |
A
PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEPHAN
COOPER
n image of a Purple Heart U.S. military medal conjures up thoughts of valor, respect, intrigue and American pride. And when you have the privilege of listening to a distinguished recipient of this high honor tell his or her story behind it, an aweinspiring journey into the past will likely unfold and reframe your perception of some pages in history. Such was the case for me when I took the time to ask my neighbor about the Purple Heart designation on the license plate of his car. Frank Sesno, a veteran and Palos Verdes resident, received his Purple Heart while serving in the U.S. Army led by General George Patton during World War II. He was an 18-year-old civil engineering
student at The City College of New York and was living in Brooklyn when he was drafted in the spring of 1944. Frank went to Fort McClellan in Alabama for boot camp, and after 17 weeks of basic training he returned to New York to board the Queen Mary (now anchored in Long Beach) for an August transatlantic voyage to the United Kingdom in the company of roughly 15,000 other soldiers. Upon arriving in Scotland, he traveled by truck to England and from there was deployed to France. The young college man from New York soon found himself in the trenches in the fight against Germany—an experience that forever changed his life. In December of 1944, Frank’s army unit was sent to relieve General Patton’s troops caught in the historic Battle of the Bulge—the largest battle fought on the western front during the war. During Hitler’s failed attempt to divide the American and British allies by a surprise attack into France and Belgium through the Ardennes Forest, nearly 90,000 allied soldiers were lost. Frank’s parents received a notice that he was among those who were missing before he was found alive—covered in mud in freezing temperatures while suffering from a severe gunshot wound in his leg. “Army personnel traveled in groups of four, and after being under fire by German guns and mortar, I was the only survivor of my group. Air support was not available because of the weather [part of the Nazis’ strategy], so I was strapped to the hood of a jeep and taken to a field hospital where shrapnel was removed from my leg and I was sewn up. I was then transferred to a French hospital where I was ironically attended to by German POWs.” Frank spent three months rehabilitating and received his Purple Heart without fanfare while in the hospital. Then in March of 1945 he was put on limited duty to serve as a military police officer in France until the following spring. “In those days we were patched up and expected to carry on,” reflects Frank. He traveled home on a victory ship in May of 1946 and returned to college. Rather than continuing to pursue an engineering degree, his
“IN THOSE DAYS WE WERE PATCHED UP AND EXPECTED TO CARRY ON.” post-military majors were psychology and education. After receiving a master’s degree in both, he worked as a hospital psychologist for several years before embarking upon a career with a company that published educational textbooks. Frank and his wife, Alice, always enjoyed being near the ocean in Long Island, so when his employer was expanding into Southern California, they saw this as an opportunity to enjoy year-round coastal living. After reading an article about Palos Verdes in a 1973 issue of Town & Country magazine, they relocated to the South Bay and Frank eventually started his own publishing business. Today Frank is retired and is enjoying family time and traveling. Though the chapters of his career and military service are closed, his Purple Heart lives on. It adorns a wall in the Sesnos’ home (along with a Bronze Star and several other medals of honor) and is celebrated with a commemorative plaque in the Purple Heart Museum in New York. Images of it capture the curiosity of onlookers on his license plate, and it remains emblazoned upon the essence of the man he is today. l
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Your map. Your journey. Vistamar gives you the world to explore. Get to know us
Joe Class of 2016 Starting point: Redondo Beach, CA Along the way: Founder of Vistamar’s first Philosophy Club, Editor-in-Chief of the Vistamar View student newspaper, Vistamar Admissions Ambassador. What defined your Vistamar journey? I found the culture of the school to be a synthesis of intellectualism and kindness—a rare and special combination. My Vistamar experience has given me a strong foundation upon which to live a good and meaningful life. Next stop: U.C. Berkeley
OPEN HOUSE October 22, 2016 9:00 - 12:30 PM November 5, 2016 9:00 - 12:30 PM December 3, 2016 9:00 - 12:30 PM January 21, 2017 9:00 - 12:30 PM (Registration begins at 8:30 AM)
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Engineering the Future Growing up in a digital world, today’s kids learn how to use a smartphone as quickly as they master the alphabet. It should come as no surprise that many of these millennials hope to turn a love of technology into a rewarding career. A recent high school graduate profiles two enterprising young tech engineers on that track, putting their passion into practice. WRITTEN BY
JILLIAN JAMES |
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LAUREN
PRESSEY
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hen I met with 17-year-old Fiona McKellar of Palos Verdes at a local Starbucks to talk about her interest in engineering, she was still wearing the uniform she wore to work at The Aerospace Corporation earlier that day. The white polo shirt reveals how slight her frame is, but beyond her petite stature she has an ingenious mind of great size. As she talks, Fiona is all bright smiles and fiddling hands. Her voice trails off in tangents and occasionally backtracks to make a correction, but the way it seems to dart about reveals much about her. She has so many interests—so much to share that when she speaks about it all, it can seem sporadic and unformed. However, much like the electronics projects Fiona spends her time poring over, the story she tells me over coffee begins to come together. For engineers young and old, the common story amongst them is that their interest in their field started from a love of putting things together. Fiona is no different. “Before I knew anything about programming,” she says, “I would just take anything I could find in my house. And if there was anything that I thought could be made more efficient, I would make it so.” She goes into more detail about one of her earlier devices. Made of paperclips and string, the contraption she still uses today allows her to turn off and on her room’s lights from her bed—a solution that arose out of laziness, Fiona points out, but is useful nonetheless. Since then Fiona’s projects have gradually gotten more complex. On her Tumblr blog, Fionadoesthings, she keeps her followers updated on all her innovative creations. Recently she learned to code with infrared so her light switch contraption is now remote-controlled. Another interesting blog post from the engineer extraordinaire has pictures of the “SEAL board” she made, showing her putting it together and even taking the device for a spin. She was kind enough to share how she got the idea to make it in the first place. “So I sail. I’ve sailed all my life, and one day I was really annoyed that I couldn’t sail at the moment because no one could take me to the ocean or provide me with a boat. So I just
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SAILING INTO THE FUTURE Fiona McKellar on the SEAL board she created.
“Before I knew anything about programming, I would just take anything I could find in my house. And if there was anything that I thought could be made more efficient, I would make it so.”
made one myself.” She explains that she was inspired by the Navy Seals three theatres of operations—sea, air and land—when she named her invention the SEAL board. “My board can be sailed on the sea or land, and it uses air to move,” says Fiona. “Basically it’s a sailboat that can be sailed right off the beach and into water if you wanted to.” While Fiona’s board shows the extent of her creativity very plainly, it wasn’t until she started to learn computer programming that a new realm of creative possibilities opened up for her. “At the beginning of high school I found this website called Scratch. It’s basically coding for beginners,” she shares. “I got really into that, and then I decided to take AP computer science at my high school, Vistamar, because Scratch wasn’t enough for me. After that I decided to learn more coding languages. I know Java, Python, C and I’m learning Swift right now, which is for app development.” Fiona is on her way to MIT in the fall, with a mission to create new projects that combine her love of code and engineering into a creation of their own. “When I grow up I want to have my own business,” she says. “I want to sell things that I invent that help people and maybe make their lives more efficient—the kind of things that I build in my own house but on a more advanced scale.”
The first things that stick out about Maxwell Westreich, a 15-year-old student from Manhattan Beach, are his intelligence and sense of propriety. He shakes my hand upon our meeting and kindly opens the door for me. Then he sits across from me, one foot crossed over his knee, business-style. His hands are folded in his lap. His shoulders are ramrod-straight. But he doesn’t seem nervous. In fact he immediately strikes up conversation, and soon enough his bright, full laughter is filling the room. Maxwell tells me that, like Fiona, he first got his interest in engineering from building things as a child. But he wasn’t combining household objects to make his inventions. He got his start by making creations with everyone’s favorite building block … that little devil underfoot, the Lego. “I loved building Legos. We had this Lego
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Engineering the Future
club at elementary school that I did. But then as I went on to middle school, it became less socially acceptable to build Legos and they became too easy. It wasn’t much fun anymore, which led me to try new things. I played Minecraft for a while, which got me interested in computers. Then from there I took the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) class at my middle school. And we did a bunch of stuff—one of the most prominent being that we built VEX Robotics for a month and a half. So that got me into and invested in robotics.” He explains that VEX Robotics is a simplified version of the robotics he does now in the FIRST Tech Challenge that his high school robotics club competes in. Today he plays a leadership role in the club as second head of engineering and head of legislation. Members of the club work together to create robots that can accomplish various tasks at a competition that consists of “30 seconds of autonomous movement where [the robot] is programed specifically to do something with predetermined variables,” Maxwell shares. “Then after those 30 seconds, there is 2½ minutes of tele-op where it’s driver-controlled. Then in the last 30 seconds is the endgame where you can score a bunch of points.” This year the endgame was by far the hardest challenge they had. In order to complete the third round, their robot had to climb a runged ladder that rotated at changing angles. They ended up using tank treads to roll the robot up the first few rungs and a pulley arm to pull them the rest of the way up. “I think [robotics] is one of those things that has just given me an outlet. Because before this, I knew I loved building, but I didn’t have a professional—so to speak— outlet to put it out into. But now that I have, I realize how much I love this and how much I would love to do this for a living. And what I want to go to school for. I think it’s helped me immeasurably.” When I ask Maxwell what he plans to do with robotics when he gets older, his sense of humor makes another appearance. “Have you seen the movie Terminator?” he jokes. “No, in all seriousness, I think that robots will become an essential part of culture. They already are, in a lot of cases. I should have said, ‘Ever heard of the Mars Rover?’” When he goes to college, Maxwell wants to study either robotics or electrical engineering, and he encourages other young people to try out the tech industry as well. “The first step is to see what clubs or classes are available at school. Take those classes; join those clubs. If they don’t have the club, see if you can start it. (That’s a big one.) Or just do it outside of school. Do some research; you can find a bunch of stuff online. There are so, so, so many sources online for learning code, learning how to build things or learning how to build computers.” “That’s just the direction the world is moving in,” he says. l
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MR. ROBOT Maxwell Westreich, an enterprising robotics enthusiast. NOVEMBER 2016, SOUTHBAY
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PERSEVERANCE
In the mid-1990s a young Baggio Hušidić escaped conflict and war in his home country of Bosnia and found both refuge and opportunity here in the United States. Now 29, he plays professional soccer for the LA Galaxy and calls Manhattan Beach home with his wife and newborn child. His is a story of struggle and soccer—two powerful and personal forces that shaped his allegiance to hard work and discipline, both on and off the field. 106
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AND PLAY
WRITTEN BY STEFAN oursouthbay.com
SLATER JOHNSON
PHOTOGRAPHED BY KREMER
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W
hen Baggio Hušidic´ talks of childhood, he speaks about the “before.” The time before the Bosnian conflict began in 1992. The time before the refugee camp in southern Croatia. And the time before he and his family fled to Germany to start anew. Baggio was young—only around 5, he says— when the war began. But he recalls details of the conflict—anti-personnel mines buried in school yards, lost fingers in roadside ditches, and meals of powdered milk and bread—with complete clarity. He speaks calmly, almost matter-of-factly, about what he can remember. These are simple facts for Baggio—facts of suffering and perseverance that gather around the before and after—the times of instability and growth, in Baggio’s memory. These are facts that have helped Baggio forge a constructive and positive personal identity … facts that have helped him achieve success. After the start of the war and during his time in a refugee camp, he says, “It wasn’t
“AS KIDS, WE WOULD PLAY WAR AGAINST OTHER REFUGEE CAMPS. THAT WAS OUR LIFE, FOLLOWING THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.” 108
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really childhood.” But his childhood exists in that small window before the war—during his early years in Velika Kladuša in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And it was during this time that the current LA Galaxy midfielder was introduced to soccer. Soccer, as well as the love and support of his family, allowed Baggio to keep his eyes on the future—to stay focused, keep working and keep advancing with his professional soccer career. There was pain, but the years of instability and doubt have helped Baggio understand the importance of hard work, honesty and, above all, simply moving forward. “All the suffering I’ve done through my life, it was all worth it,” he says. Baggio was born in 1987 in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. His father, Zarif, was a former professional soccer player, and he named his son after the famed Italian soccer star Roberto Baggio. Life was stable. His parents were successful professionals—both his father and mother, Zemira, were accountants. Baggio recalls playing soccer often with his older brother, Alen, and cousins. “That’s all we did—play soccer. We would always be outside in the forests, streets and hills,” says Baggio. When he thinks of the “before,” he says, there are certain odd details that elude him. For example, he says he can’t remember what the inside of his family’s house looked like. But he does remember the trees of Velika Kladuša. He remembers how his dad built him a tree house. The Bosnian conflict, which lasted until 1995, struck Bosnia and Herzegovina—formerly a republic of Yugoslavia—hard and cruelly. The fighting and subsequent ethnic cleansings would claim the lives of roughly 100,000 people—including many Bosniaks, or Bosnian Muslims. Baggio remembers hearing bombs inching toward the town—how each explosion would cause the walls of his family’s home to shake. Baggio and his family were forced to flee Velika Kladuša and made it to a refugee camp near the Croatian border. He notes that later on they learned their home had been bombed. As a child, he says, there wasn’t much he could do in the camp. Mines were scattered throughout the countryside; he couldn’t
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TRAINING PHOTO COURTESY OF LA GALAXY
Perseverance and Play
wander off to play soccer with friends. So he copied the environment around him. “As kids, we would play war against other refugee camps,” he says. They’d scrounge up castoff weapons— he remembers finding a bazooka once—and pretendfight other children. “That was our life, following the surrounding environment.” His parents had to give up everything when they left their hometown, and their time in the camp is something that the family rarely discusses together. Zarif eventually got the family out of the camp and into Split, a coastal town in Croatia, where they hid for six months. When the family first arrived in the town, Baggio remembers how his mother kept both him and his brother very close. “My mom wouldn’t let go of our hands. She had such a strong grip,” he says. Eventually the family made their way to Hamburg, Germany, once the government provided housing to a select number of refugees. Baggio was around 7 years old when the family arrived. They would spend the next 3½ years in Germany, a time Baggio remembers as being mostly miserable. “You are old enough to understand what’s happening,” he says, explaining that anti-refugee fervor was strong in Germany at the time. “You understand when people call you names—all the racism and hatred was so high in Germany then.” After-school fights were commonplace for Baggio and his brother. He and Alen would sometimes leave school early or stay late with the hopes of avoiding other children who might gang up on them. But inevitably a fight would start, and teachers, Baggio says, never came to their aid. “It was always your fault.” However, during his time in Germany soccer became Baggio’s anchor. He began playing with a team in Uetersen—a place where he wasn’t judged for being a Bosnian refugee. “I was looked at as a teammate. It was the one place where you felt equal to the other guys,” he says. It was in Germany, he notes, that the dream of becoming a professional soccer player began. He began watching soccer on TV, and he worshipped Roberto Baggio. He hoped to one day play for the Italian soccer league. The family then won a visa lottery to come to the U.S., and they relocated to the south side of Chicago. The family gained stability. Although their college degrees didn’t carry over to the U.S., Baggio’s parents were able to find work, and the family moved into government housing. Zarif worked in construction,
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and they finally had a car. “We felt independent,” says Baggio. “Life was like it was supposed to be.” He joined a soccer club called Schwaben Athletic Club. The family figured that because the club’s name was German, everyone on the team would speak German too. “But it was just an American team with a German name,” says Baggio. He and the family had to adjust quickly to life in the U.S., so Baggio focused on learning English and playing soccer. A construction boom helped Zarif gain a steady income, and the family left government housing behind and starting building their new lives in the suburbs of Chicago. “In America,” says Baggio, “if you work hard, keep your head down and stay out of trouble, you can start from nothing and end up living in some of the best neighborhoods in the country.” The family ended up living in Libertyville, and Baggio remembers that at around 12 years old he was finally allowed to go outside on his own—for the first time in years. He kept working on his soccer skills. “I wasn’t that decent, all that good, until I was 18,” he says. But he kept advancing, and he went on to play the sport at the college level for the University of Illinois. He then signed a contract with Generation Adidas and spent several seasons playing with Chicago Fire Soccer Club before moving on to play in Sweden for Hammarby Fotboll. Baggio planned on remaining in Europe with his fiancée (now wife), Kathleen—playing for various professional teams in Europe—but an opportunity rose to play for the LA Galaxy. “They were the only team I was willing to come back to the U.S. for,” he says. He joined the team in 2014, and he appeared in every match during the MLS regular season. The Galaxy went on to claim the MLS Cup that year for the fifth time. Baggio is always mindful of the future. He and his wife gave birth to their first child this fall, and he aims to continue his athletic career with the LA Galaxy. The struggles of the past shaped Baggio, and he hopes to teach his child that through hard work and perseverance, you can overcome. “I don’t want him to suffer like I did,” he says, “but suffering can be a good lesson for people.” Baggio looks forward to building a home for his family in the South Bay. And when he looks back, briefly, to the past, he says that it all led to this moment—to all his success. He believes that all the suffering and work was worth it in the end. “It sounds cliché, but it led to the person I am today.”
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WATCH THE FILM AT OURSOUTHBAY.COM
EPISODE TWO: BAGGIO HUŠIDIĆ Refugee. Pro Athlete. Family Man. presented by
a film series by
FREE PEOPLE | karen kane | johnny was | bed stu | eileen fisher | sky | paige denim
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We the ’90s Taking a cue from the last century’s late, great decade, this season’s fall trends are hip, nostalgic and anything but clueless. STYLED BY
TANYA MONAGHAN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANNIE DEPTULA KARL | MODELED BY TAYLER ROSE, REPRESENTED BY VISION LA
HAIR AND MAKEUP BY JENNY
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NEAR NIRVANA Romantic pussy bow dress by Boemo, $173, and thigh high black suede boots by Dolce Vita, $200; both at The Beehive in Manhattan Beach. Prized possession bracelet by Liquid Metal, $255; Urban Clothes Horse in Redondo Beach. ourventurablvd.com
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Feature Hed
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ON THE FLY Embroidered bomber jacket by Capulet, $249: BLVD in Manhattan Beach. Black sweater knit bodysuit with gold zipper, $35.90; Sugarcloth at Del Amo Fashion Center. Gold Flowy pant by Ripley Rader, $100; ripleyraderstyle.com. Gold geometric dangle earrings, $65; Details in Hermosa Beach. Gold ring by Gorjana, $53; Beach and Beverly in Hermosa Beach. Wrap black and gold studded bracelet, $39.99; ANGL at Del Amo Fashion Center. Black cuff bracelet by She.Rise, $220; Gum Tree in Hermosa Beach. Star high top sneakers by Golden Goose, $446, and black leather handbag by Jerome D, $726; both at Wrights in Manhattan Beach.
âžž EXPRESS YOURSELF White silk ruffled top by Nili Lotan, $446, and black pinstriped pant, $630; both by Nili Lotan at Wrights in Manhattan Beach. Black cropped vest, $39.99; ANGL at Del Amo Fashion Center. Gold ring by Gorjana, $53, and black leather wrap choker by Deborah Brewer, $48; both at Beach and Beverly in Hermosa Beach. Black leather high heeled pumps by Shutz, $235; Urban Clothes Horse in Redondo Beach.
JUST A GIRL Black lace choker, $12, and velvet ruffled off the shoulder bodysuit, $42; both at Sugarcloth at Del Amo Fashion Center. Plaid overalls by Capulet, $192; Beach and Beverly in Hermosa Beach. Black leather cuff by Made in the Deep South, $220; Urban Clothes Horse in Redondo Beach. Black leather backpack, $49.99, and black boots, $39.99; both by ANGL at Del Amo Fashion Center.
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SUBLIME STYLE Slip grunge dress by R13, $696, and brown leather visor by Right Tribe, $88; both at Wrights in Manhattan Beach. Beige ribbed cut out bodysuit, $49.90; Sugarcloth at Del Amo Fashion Center. Solid 14k gold large hoop earrings by Zoe Chicco, $408; Gum Tree in Hermosa Beach. Cross body bag by Head Regal, $195; BLVD in Manhattan Beach. Wrap bracelets by She.Rise, $50 each; Gum Tree in Hermosa Beach.
WATCH THE FILM AT OURSOUTHBAY.COM
EPISODE 3: The ’90s An on set look at the making of Southbay magazine’s Fall Fashion shoot. presented by
a film series by
Fire & Ice
EXPLORING AN ICELAND “HOT” SPOT WITH A REPUTATION FOR CHILL WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARY HERNE
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hristened by National Geographic as one of the “Wonders of the World: Earth’s most awesome places,” Iceland’s Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa is definitely a phenomenon that we Americans won’t find in our own backyard. Among Iceland’s most popular attractions, the spa is located in the lava fields of Grindavik (one of the few easily pronounceable towns in Iceland), approximately 20 minutes from the Keflavik International Airport and 50 minutes from Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik. I decided to make a two-night stop at the Blue Lagoon before embarking on a 10-day photographic workshop on the frozen Icelandic landscape. The stunning photographs of icy blue glaciers and black volcanic rock seduced me—not to mention the promise of rejuvenating spa treatments in the lagoon’s geothermal seawater with its healing powers. With the Blue Lagoon only a quick bus ride away, a regenerative post-flight indulgence at this distinctive spa is a great welcome to the Land of Fire and Ice. Neon Flashing Spoiler Alert: You can’t be a “wonder of the world” and amongst Iceland’s most well-known attractions without the risk of becoming a tourist trap. Yes, the crowds can be off-putting. But with good planning you will come away from, arguably, the planet’s most well-known spa with smooth, glowing skin, a slower pulse and a very memorable experience. The appeal of the Blue Lagoon rests in the fortuitous combination of striking arctic scenery and healthful, mineral-infused water. The ethereal steam from the hot water of the lagoon creates a dreamy effect against the backdrop of immense lava fields. Outdoor water treatments feature skin-healing minerals naturally produced by the lagoon’s geothermal seawater. The milky, aqua-blue bathing water that characterizes this unique hot spring mecca is the result of the mineral content in the geothermal seawater surging from 6,500 feet beneath the earth’s surface. As it travels up through porous lava, this seawater blends with fresh groundwater, picking up bioactive components along the way. A unique cocktail—rich in silica, algae and other minerals—is generated, giving the Blue Lagoon its special place among spas and primary place as a medical treatment center for psoriasis and other skin diseases. A HAPPY ACCIDENT The genesis of the lagoon and the boom-
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ing industry rooted in its proven health benefits is a story of pure circumstance. In 1976 a geothermal power station, Svartsengi, was built to harness the naturally occurring geothermal activity produced by this volcanically active island and transform it into the renewable energy source that lights and heats thousands of Icelandic homes. When the plant was built, the salty warm wastewater was directed into an adjacent lava field with the expectation that it would seep back into the earth. Surprisingly, the usually porous lava rocks filled up with silica and instead formed a lagoon. Adventurous workers from the plant “took to the waters.” One of the workers with psoriasis noticed a dramatic healing effect from the water … and the rest was history. In the following years, people began to bathe in this Icelandic lagoon and apply the silica mud to their skin. Not only did it prove to be an effective cure to those with severe skin disease but also proved to be helpful for maintaining the appearance of healthy, young skin. Blue Lagoon’s Research and Development Center devotes substantial resources to scientifically verify its claims and analyze the benefits and unique components of the lagoon’s minerals. Independent scientific research confirms that “the bioactives in the Blue Lagoon have the capacity to improve skin barrier function and to prevent premature skin aging.” That sounds a bit clinical … what does it really mean? The algae found in the Blue Lagoon have proven properties that stimulate collagen creation. Collagen gives our skin strength, structure and elasticity, so when its production naturally declines with age, so goes that smooth, taught, unlined face we used to know and love. The Blue Lagoon silica is the most characteristic element of the lagoon’s geothermal seawater. The fine, clay-like silica mud enhances the functioning of our skin barrier, which keeps the “bad stuff ” out and protects us against the loss of body water. Silica is also great for exfoliation and firming up the skin. Unsurprisingly, silica mud is the star product of the Blue Lagoon skin care line. THE TREATMENTS Over the years Blue Lagoon has been innovative in harnessing this gift of nature to develop different spa services and
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products. For an entry fee of about $45, one to the most amazing light show nature has can spend all day lounging in the lagoon’s to offer: the aurora borealis, or northern 2.4 million gallons of water, take a break in lights. Now THAT would be a home run. the sauna or steam room, or swim up to the The next day I tried the Authentic Silica Lagoon Bar for wine, beer or a smoothie. Salt Glow. This time my therapist, a former Servers at the Silica Mud Swim-up Bar world-class soccer champion, exfoliated my scoop the fine white substance into the skin with a combination of the Blue Lagoon’s hands of its eager recipients who, in turn, minerals, silica and oil. The weather was a smooth it onto their face and skin. I was balmy 34º and no wind! The hot, wet blankets amused by the eerie vision of ghostly bathers did their job perfectly. So did the silica, which materializing from the misty steam sporting left my skin fabulously soft and smooth. these white silica mud masks. However, to truly optimize your lagoon FOOD & ACCOMODATIONS experience, an in-water massage is the While you are there, be sure to eat at the way to go. All of the treatments at the Blue adjacent LAVA Restaurant, which sits Lagoon are done outdoors in water in a against a stunning lava cliff and overlooks private, designated treatment area of the the lagoon. The head chef won the 2013 lagoon. You can opt for a 30- or 60-minute massage or add an additional body treatment, such as a Full Body Silica Salt Scrub, Foot and Leg Silica Wrap or Upper Body Scrub and Head Massage. The Blue Lagoon’s signature treatment—and its most popular—is a twohour, in-water marathon starting with a silica salt body scrub. Next, your massage therapist covers your body (yes, you are in a bathing suit) with either algae or silica (your choice), and you float for 20 minutes in SERENE SOAK Writer Mary Herne embraces the the comfortable, 100º water healing powers of silica mud. wrapped up to your neck in plastic. The final touch is a one-hour massage. For my first day at the lagoon I booked a 60-minute Relaxing MasIcelandic chef of the year and is a member of sage. OK, how does “relaxing” work … given it the Icelandic National Culinary Team. I liked was 32º outside plus wind? This would have the langoustine soup with garlic-marinated to be pretty good to justify the insane act of langoustine, white chocolate and seaweed exposing ANY skin to the frigid arctic air— SO much I had it twice. even for a massage. I accompanied the soup with a glass of Oskar, my new best friend and seven-year chardonnay from their extensive wine list. veteran of the Blue Lagoon, had me lie on Divine. And the intense blue of Into the my back on a floating, yoga-like rubber mat Blue—one of LAVA’s specialty drinks (Bacardi and covered me with a hot, wet blanket. Razz, blue curaçao, blueberries, lime, 7UP)— Only my face was exposed to the cold air. not only looked great, it was great. As he massaged each limb, he occasionally The Blue Café offers more ready-to-go dunked both my mat and me to circulate the food options. hot water. For this I was very grateful. The contemporary, 35-room Silica Hotel— The cold air on my face—contrasted with a 10-minute walk from the spa through the warm, relaxing soak and Oskar’s strong surrounding lava fields—features a private hands—made this massage like no other I had bathing lagoon of geothermal seawater that ever had. Did I mention it started to snow? A provides an antidote to the crowds at the signal perhaps to call it all off? No way. Blue Lagoon. Guests of the hotel receive one If you do this after dark (and in the winter complimentary admission to the spa. A fiveit is usually after dark), you might be treated star, 60-room hotel is due to be completed
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on-site at the Blue Lagoon in 2017. MANAGING GROWTH Every day 2,000 to 3,000 guests visit the Blue Lagoon. In 2015 the number of guests was 918,000—a 20% increase from the previous year. The Blue Lagoon appears to be a beneficiary of Iceland’s dynamic growth in tourism. Last year 1.3 million people visited Iceland. This might not sound like a huge number of tourists; more than 75 million visited the U.S. during the same period. But the population of Iceland is only 330,000. While that is good for the Blue Lagoon’s balance sheet, it’s not so good if you are hoping for a quiet and relaxing spa experience. So how does the Blue Lagoon integrate this growth and still manage to provide their guests with a satisfying experience? Stating that their mission is to protect the experience of their guests, they have recently instituted online booking to time and control the number of guests entering the facility. They increased the size of the lagoon itself by 50% but are keeping the number of lockers and guests constant. It’s a challenge to be sure. Rule #1: You MUST book early to guarantee entry and get the treatment you want. It is suggested that you book months ahead, especially for summer— the height of the tourist season. With such a turnover of bathers, I wanted to know how the Blue Lagoon ensures the cleanliness of its water. The 2.4 million gallons of water in the Blue Lagoon is self-cleaning and renews every 40 hours. The ecosystem maintains itself and is an environment where foreign bacteria can’t live. Nevertheless, the geothermal seawater is regularly monitored for quality and samples are sent to an independent and officially authorized laboratory. There are countless spas worldwide that offer great mud wraps, sea-salt body scrubs and healing massages. And there are other less crowded, less expensive and more rustic hot springs in Iceland. The Blue Lagoon differentiates itself by delivering the whole package. It’s a well-run machine, offering great outdoor in-water spa treatments with its own unique brand of geothermal extracts that deliver proven results. It’s a novel experience in an otherworldly setting. Perfect? No. Incomparable? Yes.
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BLUE LAGOON GEOTHERMAL SPA bluelagoon.com Phone: 011 354-420-8800 Booking: It is required that you book in advance and recommended that you book months in advance to secure entry and treatments. BLUE LAGOON SPA bluelagoonspa.is Phone: 011 354 414 4000 Blue Lagoon Spa in Reykjavik offers a broader array of treatments than the spa in Grindavik, including waxing, manicure/pedicure and massage. However, there are no in-water treatments or lagoon. It is closed on Sundays.
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SKIN CARE PRODUCTS Blue Lagoon’s skin care products utilize the natural ingredients found in the geothermal seawater for which the Blue Lagoon is known. The key ingredients are algae, silica and minerals. The products are hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. They are paraben-free and GMO-free. They can be ordered online (bluelagoon.com/shop) and are shipped from a facility in New York.
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“We are in the job of protecting people, and that role comes quite naturally to me. It is very satisfying to know that I preserved the legal rights of someone. Oftentimes people do not know their own legal rights, and it is rewarding that I am there protecting those rights for them. Whether I am representing a seller/buyer in the sale of a business or representing a trustee or beneficiary in the process of a trust administration, I know that the client is receiving the best possible advice because of my knowledge and my years of experience as an attorney.” – DENISE M. GUZMAN, GUZMAN LAW GROUP, PC
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S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E CT I O N
Trusted Advisors The key to financial success—for individuals and businesses alike—is a professional team of trusted advisors. These experts inform us about our options and help us discover solutions for life’s challenges. When making decisions that impact business, home and family, we can depend on the guidance of these South Bay specialists, known for innovative solutions and top-notch client care. WRITTEN BY LAURA WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTIN ANDERSON, KAT MONK & LAUREN PRESSEY
128 NAVIGOE WEALTH MANAGEMENT Scott Leonard
138 COHEN GROUP Josh Cohen
130 CHASE LAW GROUP, PC DeAnn Flores Chase
139 MOSS ADAMS Jim Schlager
132 BURKLEY BRANDLIN SWATIK & KEESEY LLP
140 ERNST & CO. WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC Michael P. Ernst
134 BEZAIRE, LEDWITZ & ASSOCIATES, APC Samuel B. Ledwitz 136 EP WEALTH ADVISORS Brian Parker and Derek Holman 137 GUZMAN LAW GROUP, PC Denise M. Guzman
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E CT I O N
141 BAKER, BURTON & LUNDY PC 142 ARTIANO & ASSOCIATES Linda Artiano & Jim Artiano 143 EDWARD JONES Audrey A. Stansbury,
144 CALDISSO BY DAIGNEAULT LAW Philip Michael Daigneault, Wendy Jones & Ester Kim 145 JWM CPA & COMPANY, PC John W. McLellan 146 CHARLES SCHWAB & CO., INC. Casey Mervine 147 ADISHIAN LAW GROUP, PC ADISHIAN CAPITAL Chris Adishian 148 RAYMOND JAMES Mark G. Schlig 149 THE MALONEY FIRM, APC Patrick Maloney
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Trusted Advisors NAVIGOE WEALTH MANAGEMENT Scott Leonard, CFP®
417 Beryl St., Redondo Beach 310-697-0400 navigoe.com
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ertified Financial Planner® Professional Scott Leonard started Navigoe Wealth Management in 1996 and has worked in this industry for more than 25 years. In 2012 he was named one of the Top 5 most influential financial advisors by RIABiz. Navigoe is a South Bay fee-only financial advisor providing wealth management to local business owners, executives and their families. Services include tax planning, asset protection strategies, estate planning and charitable giving in addition to 401(k) and retirement plan services.
What is an overview of the 401(k) services you provide to businesses?
“The 401(k) has become a primary vehicle for retirement savings for the majority of Americans. At Navigoe we bring our high-touch, concierge service approach and fiduciary focus—cultivated for our high net worth private client business—to retirement plans. We listen closely to our clients and provide them the ongoing planning and support that will help them achieve all that’s important to them.”
What sets your firm apart from other 401(k) advisors?
“At Navigoe we are personal financial planners above all. While most firms in the 401(k) marketplace are focused on providing a retirement plan product, Navigoe has no products. Consulting business owners on 401(k) plans is just part of our larger, holistic approach to improving the financial literacy and wealth of all our clients. As a truly independent, fee-only firm, we sit on the same side of the table as the business owner to help design and implement the best 401(k) plan for their business. In most situations, total plan costs decrease when Navigoe is hired. Once the plan is designed, Navigoe then works to implement and manage the plan for the business owner so they can focus on their business without worrying about compliance issues, employee dissatisfaction or high fees.”
What are the current industry trends that most affect your clients?
“401(k) and other qualified retirement plans have historically been plagued by high fees, lack of service by plan providers and insufficient transparency. Due to recent legislation enacted by
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the Department of Labor, retirement plans must conform to a higher fiduciary standard or face fines from regulators or litigation from plan participants. Business owners may be held personally liable for fiduciary shortcomings. Being a fee-only advisory firm that believes in assuming fiduciary liability for advising a plan, we are uniquely positioned to take much of this liability off the backs of the business owner or plan sponsor. “
How do you solve these problems for the client?
“There are three levels of fiduciary liability that a plan advisor can assume. At Navigoe we assume the highest level of fiduciary liability for the investment management of the plan (i.e., ERISA section 3(38) fiduciary liability). Our fiduciary compliance includes creation of an Investment Policy Statement that codifies and systematizes the selection and monitoring of the investment choices. We benchmark the plan fees and funds every six months, and we create a fiduciary file to keep all of this documentation organized. If the plan sponsor is not working with a 3(38) advisor, they will have to not only perform these actions but take on full fiduciary liability as well.”
401(k) rules are very complicated. How does a business owner know if they are meeting their fiduciary duty?
“That is probably the single biggest challenge faced by the business owner today. While the Department of Labor (DOL) has done an excellent job of forcing higher standards for 401(k) plans, it put the responsibility of this standard directly onto the business owner. To provide protection from litigation and fines, every business owner needs to do an annual fiduciary plan review to ensure that they are meeting the new high standards established by the DOL. At Navigoe we feel so strongly that employees deserve a great 401k plan, we will provide a fiduciary plan review pro bono to any business owner in the Greater Los Angeles area. The review is completely unbiased and compares one’s plan to plans of similar size and scope. Along with the ability to see unnecessarily high fees and other fiduciary deficiencies and take action to correct them, the report can be used as evidence to regulators that fiduciary due diligence has been done. Best practices are to evaluate plans at least annually.”
L to R: Scott Leonard, CFP® Heather Thomas Tyler Smith Don Hance, CFP® Eric Toya, CFP®
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E CT I O N
FAST FACT Scott has written a book for small business owners entitled The Liberated CEO.
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Trusted Advisors CHASE LAW GROUP, PC DeAnn Flores Chase Founder
1334 Parkview Avenue #230, Manhattan Beach 310-545-7700 | ChaseLawMB.com
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hase Law Group provides legal services to entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals across Southern California, tailoring legal counsel to protect personal and proprietary assets through all stages of business ownership. DeAnn Flores Chase started Chase Law Group in 2007 and has practiced law for two decades.
tioned my law practice to work with business owners and professionals on their legal structures in order to avoid many of the problems I saw in court. I have a unique perspective and expertise that benefits clients who are concerned with protecting their families from the risks involved in operating a business or professional practice.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
What’s most rewarding about your work?
“We are a small firm that provides a range of practice specialties that small business owners and professionals need, including corporate and LLC structures, employment advice, trademarks and commercial leasing. Our clients appreciate that we are a local firm with the track record and practice experience necessary to support their growing businesses and professional practices while also providing the personal feel and attention of a small firm.”
How do you determine what your clients want?
“In every case—no matter the problem—we always ask our clients what they want to happen and when. We then map out a step-by-step strategy to get them to their desired outcome. As each step of the plan is completed, we circle back to the original plan to confirm that we are on track and that we have accomplished the tasks in a timely, efficient matter. Each of the attorneys in our firm is approachable, and our clients feel comfortable in communicating their desired results and their concerns along the way. Our clients find that we are a valued resource to them—not only with our legal advice but also with our deep-rooted connection to our community and other trusted advisors and professionals.”
How can clients protect themselves and their families?
“It is so important to reach out to an attorney for legal advice as soon as possible upon discovering a new problem or opportunity. We tell our clients to ALWAYS call us first. They usually find that we can save them time and money. Most of all, we provide our clients with peace of mind in knowing that we are looking out for them and their families.”
To what do you attribute your expertise in this industry?
“I am proud to say that I have appeared in defense of individuals and businesses in virtually every courthouse in Southern California. I spent the first 10 years of my career defending businesses that were being sued on many different theories. Then I transi-
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“I am always honored when my clients refer me to their friends and family members. This demonstrates the utmost trust and confidence in me and my team. I am also honored to work with a fantastic team of experienced attorneys and motivated, enthusiastic staff who all have the common goal of helping our clients succeed.”
Who are your clients?
“We work with family-owned businesses to develop legal structures that facilitate manageable day-to-day operations and implement succession strategies that allow the business to continue to thrive and grow as it passes from one generation to the next. We work with professionals to provide a range of legal services that serve their needs. In some instances, we also work with new business owners considering the purchase of an existing business or franchise. Our clients desire to do things the right way legally to ensure that their families and personal assets are adequately protected.”
What are the most common problems that you run across when working with clients?
“Today it is increasingly challenging to run a business in California, with the ever-changing landscape of regulations that impact the day-to-day operations of a business. We have recently seen an increase in the number of business clients that are not keeping up with employment laws that affect their businesses. We help California employers work with their employees in a cooperative environment while protecting their business from employment-related claims and lawsuits.”
How do clients benefit from working with your team?
“Our team approach means we evaluate a client’s business structures and enlist the best attorneys on our team to provide the client with specialized legal counsel in the areas where it is needed the most. Our experienced attorneys solve our clients’ problems in a prompt and cost-effective manner. This is why our firm has become known as the Legal Team Local Business Owners Trust Most.”
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FAST FACT DeAnn earned her undergraduate degree in Rhetoric from UC Berkeley and her law degree from Southwestern University School of Law. She is a member of Benjamin Aranda Inns of Court, the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the South Bay Bar Association.
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L to R: DeAnn Chase, Brian Cole, Victoria Gomez and Carol Glover
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Trusted Advisors
BURKLEY BRANDLIN SWATIK & KEESEY LLP 21515 Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 820 Torrance 310-540-6000 bbsklaw.com
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he attorneys at Burkley Brandlin Swatik & Keesey assist clients with estate law and estate litigation matters. Located in Torrance, the firm serves clients throughout Southern California. Walter R. Burkley, Jr. has practiced law in the South Bay for more than 40 years, with experience in corporate and real estate law and succession planning for family businesses. He is a past president of the South Bay Bar Association. Bruce R. Brandlin has practiced law since 1979 and holds an AV Preeminent Rating with Martindale Hubbell. He was a board member for California Grocers Association for eight years and has served as counsel and attorney for several independent grocery companies. Brian R. Brandlin has been certified by the State Bar of California as a legal specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law—a certification awarded to less than 1% of California attorneys. He has been in private practice since 1987. Deborah Keesey practices in the areas of trust litigation and corporate/business law. She is a Trust & Estates Executive Committee member of the LA County Bar and probate chair of the South Bay Bar Association. Christopher Brandlin was admitted to the California bar in 2011 and is also a licensed real estate broker. His practice areas include personal injury, premises liability, product liability, employment law, probate, business litigation and civil litigation. Mark E. Swatik specializes in trusts and probate law, advanced tax, special needs and business succession planning. Mark also has an MBA and is a retired police sergeant.
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“From the moment clients walk through our door, they have our undivided atten-
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tion, loyalty and respect. Not only do we provide exceptional legal service and expertise unparalleled to any other law firm in the South Bay, our thoroughness and attention to detail is second to none. Our clients continually recommend us to their friends and family—the highest form of compliment a law firm could receive.”
In which ways does your firm set a standard of excellence?
“Unlike most law firms, we prepare fully customized and cutting-edge revocable and irrevocable living trusts that are tailored to each individual person or family and—most importantly— according to their specific interests and needs. Our clients commonly refer to us as their extended family based on the concierge-style service we provide to them, not only during their meetings with us, but any time they call upon us to help answer questions that affect their lives or their family. We are exceptionally responsive to our clients and address their needs timely and efficiently. We remain in the top tier of South Bay firms earning the best performance and client satisfaction reviews.”
How do you build trust in your relationship with clients?
“We stay in constant contact with our clients to make sure that we have fulfilled their requests and needs.”
FAST FACT The attorneys of Burkley Brandlin Swatik & Keesey assist clients with the resolution of disputes in trust litigation and probate, employment, personal injury, real estate and business/corporate law, drafting of estate plans and representation in conservatorships.
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Trusted Advisors THE LAW FIRM OF BEZAIRE, LEDWITZ & ASSOCIATES, APC
Kaitlin P. Kellogg, J.D., and Samuel B. Ledwitz
Samuel B. Ledwitz, J.D., LL.M. President/Managing Partner
21515 Hawthorne Blvd. Suite 585, Torrance 310-316-2400 smartestateplans.com
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he Law Firm of Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC assists clients in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, probate and estate litigation. Owner Samuel Ledwitz founded the firm in 2007 and has worked in the legal industry for 18 years. He is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar and earned his J.D. degree at Pepperdine University School of Law and his LL.M. degree at The University of Miami School of Law. He has worked as a professor at Cerritos College within their law department. Samuel is married to Kamila, a marriage and family therapist, with whom he has two children: Charles, 8, and Emily, 10.
Give us a great piece of advice on how we can protect ourselves and our families.
“The short answer is to have a well-constructed estate plan in place. This ensures that you and your loved ones are properly taken care of while you are alive and after your passing. It is very important to have the appropriate documents in place in order for your wishes to be met concerning medical and financial matters. The decision about your health and property should be made by you and not the courts. That is what a proper estate plan can provide you with.”
What question or concern do you frequently hear from clients?
“Often we hear concerns about continued health care for themselves and their families. Our clients want to make sure their beneficiaries’ finances and health care needs are taken care of upon their passing. A poorly constructed estate plan can eliminate a beneficiary’s ability to receive government medical assistance from existing sources, such as Medi-Cal, if not correctly planned for. We work with clients to construct an estate plan that prevents this.”
Do you offer a free consultation for new clients?
“Yes, all initial consultations are complimentary.”
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Tell us something unique about your business.
“We retain two certified Estate Planning Specialists as certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar.”
What is your professional goal this year?
“My firm has had tremendous growth this year. My goal is to continue to provide the best possible service with the utmost professionalism and compassion—as we always have.”
What are the most common problems that you run across when working with clients? “When I see the frustration a client has when the rules, regulations and laws do not make any sense to them. Most people have a natural inclination to assume that common sense applies to the creation of legislation. That isn’t always the case. I am put into a position to explain the seemingly illogical to the client and how it impacts them.”
What are some important life decisions that you assist clients with?
“Planning for your loved ones is a very emotional process for many. The handling of their assets in a respectful manner with my clients and upon their passing is very important.”
What’s most rewarding about your work?
“The satisfaction of knowing that I have helped someone and their family through a difficult time and provided support in what can be their most crucial time of need. I enjoy constantly learning and developing strategies to further the ability for my firm to help our clients. I enjoy working with other professionals within and outside our firm and the camaraderie that comes with it as we pursue mutual goals.”
How do you give back to your community?
“My staff and I are very active with multiple charitable organizations. Please visit our website for a complete list of charities, schools and children’s organizations the firm is involved with. I also encourage you to contact us about charitable giving strategies within your estate plan.”
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FAST FACT Samuel earned his law degree (J.D.) with an emphasis in the areas of estate and income tax at Pepperdine University School of Law and then earned his postdoctoral degree (LL.M.) in estate planning at The University of Miami School of Law.
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Trusted Advisors
EP WEALTH ADVISORS Brian Parker and Derek Holman Co-Founders
21515 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 1200, Torrance 310-543-4559 epwealth.com
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rian Parker and Derek Holman both have more than 20 years of experience working in the wealth management sector. They started their own business, Premier Wealth Management, and in 2004 merged with another firm to create EP Wealth Advisors.
How do you build trust in your relationship with clients?
“It starts by understanding the client, because they all have unique situations. Then it’s about creating the financial and investment plan that they feel is right for them, and continuing to listen and communicate with them along the way. Our investment team holds twice-a-year events on the market outlook, and our financial planning team holds educational events on how to plan for retirement, saving for a kid’s college, Medicare and so much more. These events have been popular—not just because we’re educating our clients, but there’s also an opportunity to get to see each other and talk about life.”
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What are the current professional trends that most benefit your clients?
“Technology is a huge advantage for our clients because it provides much simpler and more transparent approach to finances. EP Wealth has heavily invested in technology so our clients can see what’s going on with their finances and investments by just taking their phone out of their pocket.”
In what ways do you address critical challenges facing your clients?
“The biggest worries we see are: ‘Do I have enough?’ and ‘Will my family be okay?’ We create a safe space for our clients to share their worries and fears, so we can have really honest conversations with them about their finances and investments. Once we go through our discovery process, we come back with much clearer answers and that’s the start of the journey—because without that understanding, it’s hard to invest on a personal level.”
How do you give back to your community?
“Patrick Goshtigian sits on the executive committee for the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation, where he handles investments. Adam Phillips is a board member of the finance committee for Beach Cities Health District. A team from our office rides and donates money every year in the Tour de Pier. We donate to the Palos Verdes Juniors Women’s Club, Manhattan Beach Education Foundation and the American Cancer Association. A few of our employees coach kids soccer, and we sponsor a volleyball team.”
FAST FACT EP Wealth Advisors is a fee-only fiduciary with 17 CFP®s and seven CFA Charterholders on staff.
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Trusted Advisors L to R: Edward Powell, Carla B. Hoffman, Richard A. Luftman, Denise M. Guzman, George G. Romain, Marcus Chang, Carol T. Contes
GUZMAN LAW GROUP, PC Denise M. Guzman, Founder/Principal Attorney
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uzman Law Group provides high-caliber legal services in the areas of estate planning, wealth management and business transactions, often serving as in-house corporate counsel. Founder Denise M. Guzman is a noted business, estate planning and trust attorney. She has served the South Bay for more than 30 years.
FAST FACT In 2015 and 2016, the South Bay community voted the Guzman Law Group “South Bay’s Best Attorneys” in the Daily Breeze Readers Choice Awards.
Tell us a bit about your working style.
Denise M. Guzman, Business, Estate Planning and Trust Attorney: “As an attorney my working style is direct, intuitive and—by nature—collaborative. However, I also know
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1230 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 650, Manhattan Beach 310-321-6640 guzmanlg.com how to deliver the bottom line to opposing counsel. I am very good at effectively communicating a difficult message. Timing is everything in a case, and I know how to choose the right moment to engage in battle—and only if needed.”
To what do you attribute your expertise in this industry?
Edward Powell, Business Attorney: “I began my legal career as a banking lawyer in the 1990s during a transformational time for financial institutions. This resulted in exposure to a great variety of acquisitions, financings and securities offerings involving companies in all industries and of all sizes. My representation of businesses draws on this experience every day in formulating creative, efficient and solid solutions for our clients.”
What is the ideal client relationship?
Carol T. Contes, Entertainment, Copyright & Trademark Attorney: “I take my clients’ work
very seriously and strive to achieve excellence on matters big and small.”
What would you like potential clients to know about you?
Marcus Chang, Business and Estate Planning Attorney: “We have a team approach to cases, meaning there is always more than one attorney familiar with each case. When a client retains our firm, they know they are receiving the expertise of not just one attorney, but a team of individuals who are able to provide various perspectives on the matter to ensure that the client is receiving the best possible representation.”
How do you advise your clients to achieve and maintain success?
Denise M. Guzman: “Be proactive. If it’s business or estate planning, it’s about creating a strong foundation that the next generation can work from. It helps everyone involved have a clear picture of where they are going.”
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Trusted Advisors
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he Cohen Group (CG) helps apartment building owners evaluate, sell and purchase multifamily commercial real estate investments in the South Bay and Los Angeles. CG’s principal, Josh Cohen, has been selling apartments for more than 15 years and has sold in excess of $500 million and closed more than 400 transactions.
COHEN GROUP – INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE Josh Cohen Principal/Owner
830 S. Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 200 El Segundo 310-480-2130 cohengroupla.com
To what do you attribute your success in this industry?
“Being a good listener and putting clients’ objectives first. We never apply pressure to a client’s decision-making process, and frequently our advice is to not dispose of the asset and focus on enhancing operations for increased cash flow. Also, having 15 years of apartment brokerage experience allows me to anticipate and overcome potential deal hurdles. Moreover, I have access to many of the South Bay’s most attractive investment real estate opportunities and deals.”
How do you build trust in your relationship with clients?
“We have long-standing, strong relationships with all of our clients, and they depend on us to make decisions that are prudent and in their best interest 100% of the time. This trust is of upmost of importance to us and to them.”
In what ways do you address critical challenges facing your clients?
“Many of our clients are concerned about not wanting to pay taxes and focus on 1031 tax-deferred exchanges. The Cohen Group explores all investment options (apartments, single tenant NNN retail, DSTs, seller financing structures, etc.) and matches our clients with the best investment opportunities available.”
What makes apartment building investments so attractive today?
“Rents are going up; interest rates and vacancy rates are incredibly low. Many apartment owners don’t trust the stock market and would rather invest in brickand-mortar assets that they can go to and enhance themselves. Also, real estate investments can be depreciated and therefore allow investors to shelter some of their cash flow. The South Bay is an outstanding place to live, own and invest. I am so pleased to have been involved with many terrific clients and smooth transactions— our clients have literally made countless millions over the years. I’m happy to take investors to lunch (on me) to provide a complimentary evaluation of their assets.”
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FAST FACT Josh plays lead electric guitar in a popular local ‘70s/’80s cover band, One Digit Down.
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Trusted Advisors
MOSS ADAMS Jim Schlager Principal
L to R: Adam Margiotta, Ariana Marcoulier, Lisa DeMoss, Aimee Kwain, Terri Yokota, Michael McConnell, Justine Hunter, Susan McLaine, Jim Schlager, Craig Cerniglia, Martha Jauregui, Anneliese Johnson, Tina Su, Katie Weiss
2121 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 2390, El Segundo 310-447-0450 mossadamswealthadvisors.com
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oss Adams Private Client Services helps clients meet financial goals, integrating investments, taxes, estate trusts, insurance, real estate and charitable giving into their plan. Jim Schlager is one of more than 260 partners at the firm. A Manhattan Beach resident, he has worked in the financial services profession for more than 25 years.
What concern do you frequently hear from clients?
To what do you attribute your expertise in this industry?
How do clients benefit from working with your team?
“I define expertise as the sum total of the quality experiences one has had over their life. In addition to making ‘lifetime learning’ one of my mantras, I have grown and sold my financial services business, as well as worked with countless business owners and families. That experience has been priceless for my clients who need to make informed decisions, often about the same things I’ve had to make decisions about myself.”
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“Time is their biggest concern, particularly the lack thereof. People have very busy lives. As the family financial manager, my role is to ensure we are integrating all the complex financial needs of our clients, acting as their financial sounding board and ‘quality control’ in order to increase the likelihood clients will meet their personal and business goals.”
“Traditionally I think clients tend to have a professional for each financial area of their family’s life. That is a lot of phone calls—not to mention the possibility of issues or important information not being properly shared across all fronts. My role is to have a clear understanding of my clients’ finances and to coordinate their complex financial needs based on their goals. All their financial concerns are under one roof, so to speak, and they can come to me for anything.”
How do you give back to your community?
“When I first moved to Manhattan Beach, I got involved in Leadership Manhattan Beach as a way to get to know my community. I was appointed to the City Planning Commission, and I got involved in coaching my children’s sports teams and Adventure Guides. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors has been a corporate sponsor and silent auction sponsor of the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation for the past several years.”
FAST FACT Jim grew up in Seattle and started his financial career after graduating from Washington State University. He moved to Manhattan Beach in 2000 to open his LA Wealth Advisors practice.
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Trusted Advisors PHOTOGRAPHED BY MELISSA WALKER-SCOTT
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wner Michael Ernst and his team of professionals at Ernst & Co. Wealth Management, LLC work with clients to manage risk and preserve and grow capital over time. They use a portfolio review process that considers how various assets should be allocated to suit an investor’s specific objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon.
In which ways does Ernst & Co. Wealth Management set a standard of excellence?
“My firm provides the premium service and attention of a boutique firm and operates with institutional discipline. Our core principals include maintaining the highest levels of integrity and transparency. As a boutique firm, we are committed to white glove concierge service for our clients. It is a level of attention that larger firms just cannot provide. My clients can reach me anytime and have peace of mind knowing that I am protecting their interests at all times.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“I distinguish myself by doing things that most other advisors don’t do. While I do employ traditional investment vehicles, I am unique in that I utilize a broader range of products than the average advisor. For example, a portion of our investing is in gold and managed futures, which helps enhance returns and smooths out portfolio volatility.”
To what do you attribute your expertise in this industry?
“I had a mentor at Morgan Stanley who was an investment advisor to Bill Gross of Janus Capital (previously Pimco) and a Barron’s Top 100 Advisor. Learning the business from one of the industry’s most sophisticated and successful professionals has given me and my clients a huge advantage and was significant in shaping my professional development.”
FAST FACT
Tell us something unique about your business.
Michael graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in economics and began his career in the finance industry more than 22 years.
“We diversify client portfolios using a three-mandate process—strategic, tactical and diversifier—to insulate clients from cyclical market changes and volatility created from geopolitical uncertainty and shifting central bank policies.”
In what ways do you address critical challenges facing your clients?
“Among the biggest challenges is to provide income for clients in a low-interest rate environment. I build, protect and grow client assets by identifying investments that can provide a good rate of return with reduced risk.”
How can clients protect themselves and their families?
ERNST & CO. WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC Michael P. Ernst President
1334 Parkview Ave, Suite 100 Manhattan Beach 310-546-8184 ernstwealth.com
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“Investors must avoid emotional responses to the markets. Emotionally based decisions drive investors to take more risk at market peaks and less risk at market bottoms. These reactions undermine the investors’ long-term interests. My firm is built on the cornerstones of discipline, patience and conviction—a practice that removes the emotion of investing.” Disclaimer: Ernst & Co. Wealth Management, LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser. No advice may be rendered unless a client service agreement is in place and many only transact business in states in which it is registered or in which it is excluded or exempt from registration. Information in this article should not be considered investment advice.
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Trusted Advisors
LAW OFFICES OF BAKER, BURTON & LUNDY PC 515 Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach 310-376-9893 bakerburtonlundy.com
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n 1976 Brad Baker and Kent Burton founded Baker & Burton after graduating from UCLA Law School. The firm moved to Hermosa Beach and later became Baker, Burton & Lundy after Albro Lundy became a partner in 1997. Baker, Burton & Lundy grew in 2011 with the addition of trial attorney Evan Koch, followed by Teresa Klinkner, of counsel, Clint Wilson in the transactional department and Christine Daniels, who works in estate planning and probate. The firm has a longtime support staff of paralegals and legal assistants. Its main areas of focus are personal injury, elder abuse, employment law, business law and litigation, real estate, estate planning and probate litigation.
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How do you build trust in your relationship with clients?
shared. We fit the client with the correct team member (including marvelous paralegals) to keep legal bills more manageable.”
What are the current issues that most impact your clients?
Baker, Burton & Lundy is celebrating its 40th year as a law firm this year.
“Be a teacher. Share knowledge. Educate clients so they will need us less. Treat everyone like you would like to be treated. Learn to listen.”
“Preserving Prop. 13 property tax benefits and adjusting to ‘portability’—the new concept in estate planning. For example, with portability now available, most current estate plans are built upside down upon the first spouse’s passing, and Prop 13 benefits can be lost by using LLCs unnecessarily.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“We educate and empower our clients. We involve our clients so that decisions are
FAST FACT
How has your law partnership flourished for more than 40 years?
“Mutual trust and respect are the cornerstones of any long-term relationship. In all of the 40+ years, the trust and the respect have never wavered. We are very fortunate to have had an extended family of associates and staff over the decades that were and are worthy of our trust and respect.”
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Trusted Advisors
LINDA ARTIANO & JIM ARTIANO Owners Artiano & Associates
3828 Carson Street, Suite 102 Torrance 310-543-1240 artianolaw.com
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rtiano & Associates is a law firm representing South Bay and Long Beach businesses, municipalities and residents in their business law, employment law, civil litigation and estate planning needs. The firm was first established in 1984 and is now headed by owners Jim Artiano and Linda Artiano.
How do you build trust in your relationship with clients?
“We are business owners ourselves and understand the challenges of being a California business owner. We keep our clients’ overall business and financial health in mind.”
What’s most rewarding about your work?
“Taking the burden off our clients. Whether it is an estate plan we are putting in place for them, HR matters that are handled by providing clients with the information employers need, or handling any civil, business employment or trust litigation matter for a client, our clients
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know that our firm is in partnership with them. Giving clients a voice and advocating for them is most rewarding for the attorneys on the file.”
specific needs instead of giving them a cookiecutter approach.”
In which ways does your firm set a standard of excellence?
“Jim specializes in business law and estate planning—from the simple to the very complex. Linda is an employment law attorney representing employers in matters ranging from discipline and termination to employment law compliance issues including handbook reviews and harassment training. Lawrence ‘Chip’ Andrews is a seasoned litigator who defends cities in civil litigation, as well as litigating business matters. Joanne Leighton is also an experienced attorney who litigates both employment law and all matters of civil litigation.”
“Each of our attorneys is passionate about the area of law they practice. From finding the best estate plan to solving their employment law needs to litigating for individuals and local cities, we have paired each of our attorneys with the area they are most interested in and dedicated to.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“We are different because we don’t try to solve each problem in a fishbowl. With the crossspecialties in our firm, we look at the overall best solution for our client. From setting up routine to complicated estate plans, to disciplining or terminating employees to litigating or arbitrating claims, we delve into each client’s
Tell us about your team.
FAST FACT Linda and Jim are both originally from Buffalo, New York.
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Trusted Advisors
EDWARD JONES
Audrey A. Stansbury, AAMS Financial Advisor 1230 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 155 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 edwardjones.com
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s a financial advisor for Edward Jones, Audrey A. Stansbury helps clients with financial goals such as retirement plans, insurance needs, education savings and estate considerations. Audrey joined Edward Jones in 2004.
How do you determine what your clients want and help them get there?
“My approach is comprehensive, starting with where my clients are today and where they would like to be. I take a holistic approach to financial strategies. All of my clients meet with me face-to-face, and we work together using a five-step process to determine their goals. We first determine where they are today by assessing their risk tolerance. We then discuss where they would like to be, such as a desired retirement date. I look at their entire financial picture: income sources, liabilities, necessary and discretionary spending, tax bracket, assets and current savings rates. From this comprehensive assessment, we can determine the likelihood
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that they are able to meet their goal. We then review their plan at every meeting to make sure they stay on this path toward their goal.”
Describe the specialized services your firm provides.
“Edward Jones is a full-service brokerage firm, and we serve the needs of the serious, longterm investor. I am able to provide an array of services to my clients. I also provide education to my clients by arranging meetings with regional managers and portfolio managers of mutual fund companies to discuss market trends and opportunities.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“At Edward Jones, we focus on one client: the serious, long-term individual investor. We do not try to be everything to everyone. We believe that personal relationships are key. This allows me to meet with my clients face-to-face to really get to know them and what their needs
are. When they call our office, they are going to reach either me or my branch office administrator, Margo Parsons. My clients will never talk to a phone operator or interact with someone they do not personally know. This gives us an advantage to truly help those in our community focus on their investment needs. Therefore we are able to appeal to a careful and considering kind of investor who prefers a long-term relationship with his or her financial services firm.” Edward Jones, Member SIPC
FAST FACT Edward Jones is a national strategic partner of the Alzheimer’s Association, creating the Edward Jones Alzheimer’s Research Fund and serving as the nationwide presenting sponsor of the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
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Trusted Advisors
CALDISSO BY DAIGNEAULT LAW Philip Michael Daigneault, Esq. Wendy Jones, Esq., CFLS Ester Kim, Esq.
3828 Carson Street, Suite 100, Torrance 310-540-2515 CalDisso.com
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he attorneys of Daigneault Law combine more than 50 years of experience in the Los Angeles family law courts. Attorneys Philip Michael Daigneault, Wendy Jones and Ester Kim work with a team of highly experienced accountants, financial consultants and mental health professionals to put their clients in position to reach their maximum potential. All serve as either directors or members of the South Bay Bar Association and on the in court mediation panel of the Los Angeles Superior Court. Philip Michael Daigneault has practiced family law for more than 20 years, focusing on complex litigated dissolutions often involving closely held businesses or professional practices, disputed cash flow, issues involving hidden income and child custody and visitation matters. Wendy Jones focuses on collaborative representation, mediation and other non-litigated paths toward resolution. She is
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a Family Law Specialist and a member of “A Better Divorce,” an interdisciplinary group committed to non-court solutions for family law matters. Ester Kim is a former intern with the Family Law department of the Los Angeles Superior Court, where she developed behind-the-scenes experience working closely with our local family law judicial officers.
What do you find most fulfilling about your work?
“When a client comes in for an initial consultation, their anxiety is off the charts. At that first meeting, we help reduce that anxiety by educating them. We perform spousal and/or child support calculations; we discuss various models of litigated and non-litigated proceedings; we give them an idea of what their future will look like and the most efficient way to get there. The client walks out of that meeting feeling better about their situation and about knowing where they’re going.”
What are your future plans?
“Primarily to just keep doing what got us here, providing the highest-caliber professional services in a way that provides maximum value to our clients. We are leveraging our technology with features such as our web- and smartphone-based client link, which allows our clients online access to their files. The firm is also very excited about our educational website, CalDisso.com, where clients and others with family law questions can go for answers, find helpful resources and read about the latest developments in family law.”
FAST FACT The attorneys of Daigneault Law all serve as mediators for the Los Angeles Superior Court.
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Trusted Advisors
JWM CPA & COMPANY, PC John W. McLellan, CPA, Principal
111 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 310, Manhattan Beach 310-372-0672 jwmcpa.com
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n his early 20s, John McLellan started his career as the executive administrative assistant to a CFO, which led to him become the accounting manager/controller of a small, international construction company before becoming a CPA. He worked at two firms before starting JWM CPA & Company in 1999. When he’s not at work, John enjoys surfing, biking, Motocross and spending time with his son.
What question or concern do you frequently hear from clients?
“Clients are most concerned about protecting their family’s assets and about the ever-changing new tax laws. They want to be in compliance with tax laws, to not have any issues with the IRS and to not have to pay any more taxes than are necessary. They want a CPA who is available year-round and not just during tax season. We take away the stress of taxes for our clients by planning and keeping them informed. We listen to our clients’ needs, and we go beyond just
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crunching the historical numbers by providing proactive advice.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“We development a strong relationship with our clients, and I take the time to inquire about our clients’ lives and activities that may affect them financially. Typically I uncover tax deductions and/or additional information that a client will forget to provide by just asking the right questions. As a CPA, our clients value our services and really trust us.”
Tell us something unique about your business.
“We utilize cutting-edge technology to stay on top of tax developments and provide quality customer service that is equal to a large firm. Unlike a large firm, though, clients get direct access to the firm’s decision-maker.”
Why does your industry appeal to you?
“I love what I do because it allows me to really
help people while providing a valuable service. I like working the numbers and conveying complex taxes and account matters into a ‘bottom line’ that clients can understand.”
Give us a great piece of advice on how we can protect ourselves and our families.
“If you have a small business with employees, you should be incorporated. If your family’s estate holds real estate, you should set up a trust to avoid probate. Lastly, everyone should have umbrella insurance policy to protect them.”
FAST FACT John has been an active board member of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce for more than 10 years and has been an active member of Rotary International.
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Trusted Advisors
CHARLES SCHWAB
Casey Mervine VP – Senior Financial Consultant 21370 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance 310-545-3254 schwab.com/casey.mervine
C
harles Schwab Corporation is a financial services firm with $2.71 trillion in client assets under management across its separate but wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. (“Schwab”), member SIPC, and affiliates offer a complete range of investment services and products including wealth management; an extensive selection of mutual funds; financial planning and investment advice; and retirement plan and equity compensation plan services. Its banking subsidiary, Charles Schwab Bank (member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender), provide trust, custody, deposit, and lending products and services. Senior financial consultant Casey Mervine joined Schwab in 1996.
How do you distinguish your firm from the competition?
“Since day one, Schwab set out to challenge the status quo and deliver investors more value and a better experience. The firm was founded on the belief that the financial services industry too often gets in the way of investors’ success. That’s why we’re big believers that it’s important for investors to stay engaged with their finances
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and invest based on tried and true principles, such as establishing a financial plan based upon your goals, being diversified and minimizing fees. While there’s a lot about investing that can’t be controlled, these are things that can be. Ask your financial professional questions to ensure that you understand how you’re invested, how much you’re paying, and how you’re tracking against your goals. At Schwab, we encourage clients to ask these kinds of questions.”
Tell us about your team.
“At our Torrance branch you’ll find friendly, personalized help from an experienced team. As members of your local community, we welcome you and are committed to giving you transparent, straightforward answers to your questions. In addition, you’ll have access to expertise, specialists and insights into areas like fixed income, estate planning and portfolio management to help you reach your goals.”
What are the current professional trends that most benefit your clients?
“We think the future of investment advice will be a mix of technology and financial professionals like myself. Investing can be a challenge. It takes time to study the market, choose the
appropriate investments and rebalance your portfolio. One of the most exciting trends for investors over the last few years has been the emergence of automated investing. It helps make investing and advice more accessible to more people, and for the industry it makes portfolio management very efficient and scalable. Schwab Wealth Investment Advisory introduced Schwab Intelligent Portfolios™ in March 2015, and client assets in the service totaled more than $10 billion at the end of the third quarter of 2016. So it’s growing quickly.” Disclaimer: Please read the Schwab Intelligent Portfolios disclosure brochures for important information. Schwab Intelligent Portfolios ™ is made available through Schwab Wealth Investment Advisory, Inc. (“SWIA”), a registered investment adviser. Portfolio management services are provided by Charles Schwab Investment Advisory, Inc. (“CSIA”). Free credit balances are swept into deposit accounts at Charles Schwab Bank (“Schwab Bank”). Brokerage products and accounts are offered by Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. (“Schwab”), Member SIPC. SWIA, CSIA, Schwab Bank, and Schwab are affiliates and are subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation. Charles Schwab received the highest numerical score in the J.D. Power 2016 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study, based on 6,006 responses from 20 firms measuring opinions of investors who used full-service investment institutions and were surveyed in January 2016. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com. © 2016 Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC. (1016-MVSS)
FAST FACT Charles Schwab ranked “Highest in Investor Satisfaction With Full-Service Brokerage Firms” in the J.D. Power 2016 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study.
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E CT I O N
Trusted Advisors
L to R: David Simmons, Gladys Mydland, Chris Adishian, Heather DeFalco, Erik Bleitz, Patricia Parker, Tamara Cook, Andrew Messori
ADISHIAN LAW GROUP, PC ADISHIAN CAPITAL Chris Adishian Owner
222 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 2000 El Segundo 310-726-0888 | AdishianLaw.com 310-426-8832 | AdishianCap.com
A
dishian Law Group practices business, employment and real estate law, and Adishian Capital is a licensed real estate brokerage that provides property management services and select brokerage services. Owner Chris Adishian started the law firm in 2003 and Adishian Capital in 2007.
FAST FACT From their South Bay headquarters, Adishian Law Group has represented clients in 22 California counties, 12 states outside California and 9 foreign countries.
What would you like potential clients to know about you?
“Our work at Adishian Law Group includes leading mission-critical transactions and litigation, and high-stakes employment cases involving highly compensated professionals. Together with Adishian Capital, we deliver
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E CT I O N
‘family office’ real estate capabilities—giving clients relationship continuity across all their real estate activities.”
What’s next for your firm?
“Adishian Law Group completely upgraded its technology in the past 12 months so we can continue to provide the highest quality legal services with cutting-edge hardware and software. Adishian Capital has grown to more than $50 million in assets. Prudent growth is the plan.”
What’s most rewarding about your work?
“Our clients inspire us—they’re proven leaders in their industries and professions, and we have a lot of fun working on their behalf.”
Tell us about your team.
“I’m really proud of the team. We have a welleducated mix of Boomers, Xers and Millennials. Many have advanced degrees or even multiple advanced degrees. They work hard to
deliver for our clients. A majority of them call the South Bay home.”
What are the current trends affecting your industry?
“New technology continues to disrupt the legal field. It is a dynamic industry and intensely competitive. Like our entrepreneurial clients, we’re constantly reviewing and adopting technology tools to improve professional service delivery.”
To what do you attribute your success in this industry?
“We’ve earned a reputation for being friendly, fair-minded and respectful. This extends to our clients, coworkers, vendors, clerks, judges, opposing parties and their attorneys or advisors. As a result we’re able to close deals, resolve litigated disputes and still build relationships. In fact, a number of our clients were formerly ‘across the table from us,’ either in a negotiation or litigation. Our former opposing counsel are among our best referral sources.”
NOVEMBER 2016, SOUTHBAY
147
Trusted Advisors
RAYMOND JAMES
Mark G. Schlig Vice President, Investments 608 Silver Spur Road, Suite 380 Rolling Hills Estates 310-265-6062 raymondjames.com/markschlig
M
ark G. Schlig, a financial advisor with Raymond James, works with individuals, families and businesses to create and implement comprehensive financial plans that span all phases of life. He owned and operated three restaurants for 20 years before going into the financial industry.
FAST FACT Mark is a semi-professional magician, performing shows around the world for the past 40 years.
How do you build trust in your relationship with clients?
“Trust is earned over time. I truly care about the welfare and success of my clients. When they see how hard I listen to them and address their concerns, they tend to know I have their best interest at heart.”
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SOUTHBAY, NOVEMBER 2016
How do you determine what your clients want and help them get there?
“In order for me to properly service my clients, it is imperative I gather all pertinent information and understand all of their needs. This includes risk tolerance, time frame, cash flow, current assets and liabilities, and tax brackets and other variables. Each client is different.”
In what ways do you address critical challenges facing your clients?
“When any client faces a major change, we deal with it to meet their needs and objectives. I am always available for face-to-face meetings and by phone and email. The most common critical changes that clients experience range from new family additions, death, divorce, buying a home and retirement.”
To what do you attribute your expertise in this industry?
“Being in this industry 20 years plus running my own businesses for 20 years prior taught me
many things, especially patience. There are no magical ways to ‘get rich quick.’ Many of my clients may not have earned large salaries but were fantastic savers and invested wisely over time. Today they are in the ‘high-net-worth’ category, with the help of disciplined planning I’ve provided.”
What concern do you hear from clients? “Will they have enough money to retire and maintain their standard of living? That’s the area I focus on for them and help them plan accordingly.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“The dedication I give to my clients in terms of service, investment advice and care is what I am most proud of. I also tend to give clients some out-of-the-box investment ideas that they usually won’t hear from other advisors. Many of my clients have become good personal friends over the years.”
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E CT I O N
Trusted Advisors
THE MALONEY FIRM, APC Patrick Maloney Managing Partner
2381 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 405, El Segundo 310-540-1505 maloneyfirm.com
T
he Maloney Firm is a business litigation firm that assists clients with business disputes, partnership disputes and employment litigation. Attorney Patrick Maloney started The Maloney Firm in 2012 and has worked in the legal industry for the past 18 years.
FAST FACT Patrick graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law with honors. He has earned an AV-Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell and has repeatedly been selected to the Rising Stars and Super Lawyers lists.
In what ways do you address critical challenges facing your clients?
“Our clients are generally facing the daunting challenge of litigation when we meet them. They often have little experience with the courts or
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E CT I O N
legal proceedings. To help them address any concerns, we spend quite a bit of time upfront explaining the process, identifying their goals and providing realistic assessments. By being candid from the very beginning, we ensure that our clients will have a level of comfort throughout our representation of them.”
How do you distinguish yourself from the competition?
“The Maloney Firm is extremely focused on determining how to deliver the best and most cost-effective outcomes for our clients. To achieve this, we identify the most important issues early in our representation and then focus our efforts on those issues. In this way, we avoid wasting time and money on extraneous issues unlikely to impact the ultimate result.”
How can clients protect themselves and their families?
“Through proper documentation of business dealings, business relationships and employment practices. I am constantly amazed at the number of disputes we are asked to handle that could
have been avoided entirely by proper documentation. Oftentimes we are asked to handle partnership disputes where there is no written partnership agreement. Relatedly, it is common in our employment cases to find that there is inadequate documentation, such as up-to-date employee handbooks and written policies and procedures.”
How do clients benefit from working with your team?
“We’ve cultivated a strong team that includes four lawyers and three support staff, several of whom have been at the firm for years. This allows us the depth and breadth to represent our clients in a cost-effective manner by properly staffing projects with the appropriate team.”
What’s most rewarding about your work? “When clients recognize the hard work and commitment we put into their matters, and also the thrill of calling a client to report that we have achieved their goal—whether it is negotiating a business transaction or settlement, prevailing through motion practice or winning at trial.”
NOVEMBER 2016, SOUTHBAY
149
Chris Adlam 310.493.7216 www.chrisadlam.com
Overlooking this magnificent bay in Palos Verdes Estates, this bluff top property is situated on a huge, corner lot. Dramatic one-level with a front courtyard and pool. $5,999,000
REAL ESTATE OURSOUTHBAY.COM/REAL-ESTATE
RANCH STYLE 4 BEDROOM, 3 BATH Santa Barbara-like setting Expansive city and rolling hills views Award-winning Palos Verdes schools Listed by Chad Fahlbusch North West Real Estate Brokers 310-600-3555 southbaychad.com For more information see page 164.
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 Designed by MAP. Developed by Beach City Capital
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
Coastline, City, and Mountain Views
169 Via Los Altos 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
www.169vialosaltos.com
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
Lovely Traditional Home in Walteria
2846 WINLOCK RD TORRANCE
3 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,351 SF / 5,630 SF Lot
Extensively Remodeled Home With Spacious Outdoor Entertaining Area And Beautifully Landscaped Yard.
Offered at $799,000
Holly Kauffman
310.345.0165
holly@perfectfamilyhomes.com
BRE 01425870 200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
a luxury division of
431 Main Street, El Segundo
BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION OCEAN VIEW TOWNHOMES
535 AVENUE C REDONDO BEACH
3 Beds Plus a Loft, 3.5 Baths, 2,600 SF
Amazing Ocean Views, 3 Blocks To The Beach,
3-Stop Elevator, & Extra Large Garage w/ Storage
Offered at $1,699,000 Each
Gary ElminouďŹ
310.292.0332
GaryElmo@gmail.com
BRE 01139207
a luxury division of
200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
431 Main Street, El Segundo
Rancho Palos Verdes Hilltop Home with Amazing Views!
27138 DIAMONDHEAD LN R A N C H O PA L O S V E R D E S
3 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,899 SF / 26,000+ SF Lot
Cul-De-Sac Home In Top Rated Palos Verdes
Peninsula Unified School District
*price is subject to pending approval of private road
Offered at $1,375,000
Jeanevra Calhoun
424.634.8238
Jeanevra@AmpersandEstates.com
BRE 01976822 200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
a luxury division of
431 Main Street, El Segundo
Panoramic Ocean Views
4 BR Suites
6 Full BA plus 2 Half BA
Approx. 7,028 SF
Approx. 11,508 SF lot
Pool & Spa
Beach Access
REDONDO BEACH THE ESPLANADE
Offered At: $ 12,999,900
www.717Esplanade.com
South Bay’s Trusted Real Estate Partners BUILT ON 32 YEARS OF REAL ESTATE EXPERTISE AND EXCEPTIONAL CLIENT SERVICES
Raju Chhabria Realtor
Cell Office Email CalBRE
310.493.9533 310.379.2167 Raju@ChhabriaRE.com 00874072
TO VIEW OUR EXCLUSIVE PROPERTIES, VISIT:
C h h a b r i a rE. C o m
PALOS VERDES ESTATES 717 Yarmouth Road Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
HERMOSA BEACH 205 Pier Ave, Suite 201 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
FOLLOW US
TORRANCE 3730 PCH, Suite 202 Torrance, CA 90505
REPRESENTING PALOS VERDES’ FINEST HOMES & ESTATES FOR OVER 30 YEARS! 3300 PV Dr W., Rancho Palos Verdes
Imposing Villa with 180 degrees of Ocean View and a Merlot Vineyard is a true work of art built in 1997. Amazing interiors include 5 bdrm/10 ba, a formal dining room, a gourmet kitchen, massive master suite with his and her bathrooms and closets, elevator and dumbwaiter, paneled library with secret passage, a large wine cellar and 5-car garage. 12,000+ sq. ft. sitting on over 1 acre. $9,800,000 www.3300PalosVerdesDrWest.com
2990 Twin Harbors Dr., Rancho Palos Verdes Exquisite 4 bdrms + Library, 6 ba estate richly appointed with the finest of materials, high-end appliances and finishes throughout 6,200+ sq ft. Large library, formal dining room, gourmet kitchen, and elegant living room. Extraordinary master and second suite are on the main level. Resort-like backyard with pool/spa/waterfall, outdoor kitchen, and unobstructed Ocean/Sunset/Catalina Island views! $4,599,000 www.2990TwinHarborsView.com
12 San Miguel, Rolling Hills Estates
Monte Malaga Palos Verdes Estates
$2,399,000, Lot with plans, 13,000+ sq ft Lot 5,000 sq ft Interior, Infinity Pool Ocean/Coastline/ Redondo to Malibu Views
E NEW A SE L
L
C
E FOR A SE
S OOM O ING N
Located in the 24-hour guard & gated community of Vantage Pointe. 5 bdrm suites and powder bath stretching over 4,500 sq. ft. on a lot approx. 20,000 sq. ft. Elegant living room, formal dining room, library, and huge family/media room. Lovely Ocean & Catalina views could be enjoyed from most major rooms. Unique lot with a separate area for the beach-style salt water pool/spa/waterfall, grassy yard and two trellis covered patios. $3,599,000 www.12SanMiguel.com
1724 Esplanade #B, Redondo Beach
$10,000/mo. 1 yr. min. Lease 3bdrm/3ba 1,830 sq ft Fully Furnished Unparalleled views of the Ocean/PV to Malibu
24 Narcissa, Rancho Palos Verdes $8,500/mo. 2 Bdrm/2Ba 1,825 sq ft Fully Furnished Incredible Catalina/Ocean views!
LILY LIANG Executive Vice President, Strand Hill Properties 550 Silver Spur Road, Suite 240, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 14 SOUTHBAY, NOVEMBER (310) 2015 373-3333 | lily@lilyliang.com | www.lilyliang.com Cal BRE# 00837794
oursouthbay.com
Your Team Of South Bay Market Leaders Ken Adam Ali Ahmad Michael Alarcon Tom Atmore Matthew Barry Abby Berstein Brook Billings Bryn Britton Chris Broadhurst Dave Caskey Jennifer Caskey Dennis Cleland Jake Cleland Claudia de Fries Ralph Ferdinand Marc Furman Rachel Gabriel Carmen Galzerano Miguel Gurza Colleen Hartley Linda Hernandez Lori Herold Austin Houska
Peggy Johnston Will Joseph Robert Kalouch Ed Kaminsky Tina Kaminsky Kathy Kernochan Aaron Klapper Aa Eric Kredatus Lynne Lear Peter Lee Lily Liang Dominique Lux Christa Lyons Bill Mar Laura Marquess Holly Messer Dennis Moloney Matt Morris Kala Newquist Amy Olivares Patrick Panzarella Mark Paolucci Nicole Peters
Brigitte Pratt Kevin Pratt Barret Pulver Gary Richardson Racquel Rivera Angela Sabatasso Hank Scheinberg Christopher Schmidt Larry Schreiner Michael Schwartz Mo Sharii Nahal Sharii Cindy Shearin Jeremy Shelton Zach Sokolow Barry Sulpor Serene Sulpor Christian Taylor Karynne im Deanna Wallo-Whipp Rachel Weitzbuch Evan Zapf Fred Zeulich
Local Connections · Global Expertise · Tailored Service Manhattan Beach 1131 Morningside Drive, 2nd Fl. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 +1 310 545 0707
Palos Verdes 550 Silver Spur Road, Suite 240 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 +1 310 541 6566
info@strandhillproperties.com www.strandhillproperties.com
CAL BRE #01968431
ManhattanPacificRealty.com 310.379.1724
BRE: 01909107
2 Middleridge Ln S, Rolling Hills Brand new custom construction masterpiece! 5 Bedrooms, 5 baths 5 car garage High-end new construction! Saltwater pool and spa
City lights view. Large open rooms/high ceilings Great main gate location. Huge center island granite kitchen. Great covered stone patio with fireplace.
Plenty of room for horses and kids.
$5,295,000
ruth|raine BILL RUTH
310/621-2885 BILL@RUTHANDRAINE.COM DRE#01047519
CHARLIE RAINE unequalled exposure
WWW.RUTHANDRAINE.COM
310/377-4932 CHARLIE@ RUTHANDRAINE.COM DRE#00982925
6 Middleridge N, Rolling Hills Just Listed - Custom designer estate on over 3 acres! 5 en suite Bedrooms - 6 Bathrooms Formal living and dining rooms. 6 Car Garage 4 Custom fireplaces
Recently remodeled Great main gate location. Refrigerated wine room Separate Gym Redwood Sauna Large flat yard
Saltwater pool and spa Great curb appeal Private, guard gated city
$5.995,000
ruth|raine BILL RUTH
310/621-2885 BILL@RUTHANDRAINE.COM DRE#01047519
CHARLIE RAINE unequalled exposure
WWW.RUTHANDRAINE.COM
310/377-4932 CHARLIE@ RUTHANDRAINE.COM DRE#00982925
22 7TH COURT | HERMOSA BEACH PLANS FOR A 3 BED - 3.5 BATH SINGLE FAMILY HOME 2,020 SQ FT $1,750,000
1707 PCH #507 | HERMOSA BEACH 1 BEDROOM - 1 BATHROOM CONDO 723 SQ FT $499,000
27444 SUNNYRIDGE RD | PALOS VERDES PENINSULA 4 BEDROOM - 3 BATHROOM SINGLE FAMILY HOME $1,750,000 - IN ESCROW
1946 AVA AVENUE | HERMOSA BEACH 2 BEDROOM - 2 BATHROOM SINGLE FAMILY HOME $1,599,000 - IN ESCROW
CHAD HEITZLER FAHLBUSCH 310.600.3555 | CHAD@SOUTHBAYCHAD.COM | WWW.SOUTHBAYCHAD.COM
BRE # 01346526
NW REAL ESTATE BROKERS
Introducing
THE VILLAS AT TERRANEA
An exclusive collection of exquisite seaside second homes just 20 minutes from Los Angeles.
Become one of the privileged few who can call Terranea their own seaside sanctuary for every season. Choose from 2, 3 and 4 bedroom Ocean Golf Villas, each with its own sweeping ocean and sunset views, and gracious outdoor spaces perfect for a lifetime of entertaining family, friends and colleagues.
Call 310-265-2888 T ERRANEA R EAL E STATE.COM
TERRANEA REAL ESTATE
PRICING FROM $1,500,000 - $3,100,000 Only 14 Remaining
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LUXURY REAL ESTATE
Aspen, Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, London, Miami, Mumbai, New York, Paris
47 COUNTRIES / 2,900+ OFFICES / 84,000+ SALES ASSOCIATES
Manhattan Beach, CA $14,900,000 Represented by: The Capellaro Group (310) 463-4100
For additional information contact your local Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office today. COLDWELLBANKERPREVIEWS.COM
MANHATTAN BEACH METLOX PLAZA (310) 802-5700 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Ste D220, Manhattan Beach
PALOS VERDES BEACH CITIES (310) 378-5201 68 Malaga Cove Plaza Palos Verdes Estates
©2016 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 Previews International® and the Coldwell Banker Previews International 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.
FORBESCORRALES.COM C O A S T A L
P R O P E R T I E S
C O L D W E L L B A N K E R | M O S T I N F L U E N T I A L R E A L E S TAT E B R A N D O N S O C I A L M E D I A # 1 I N T E R N AT I O N A L LY F O R O V E R 1 1 0 Y E A R S
MUST SEE, NEW LOOK, NEW PRICE
5 BD . 4BA . 2 powder rooms . office . music room . media room . family room . approx. 5,050 SF . approx. 6,238 sf lot | $4,799,999
Manhattan Beach has a lot of heart, many hearts. And depending upon which way your compass points, 608 15th Street in American Martyrs has that presence of mind. It’s an easy path to your friends in the Tree section-East MB, a quick ride to the Hill section and a no sweat stroll to the Sand section’s downtown and the beach. Put it all together and it’s a balance of the best of what each areas’ homes offer. Large ocean view, large home, large lot and at large close to the beach.
MANHATTAN HILL BEACH HOUSE
2 BD . 1 BA and Large Backyard | $2,399,000 People who love trees are going to love this house, as it offers serenity during the day, and it frames the stars at night. It’s about having a beautiful place inside but also having a beautiful outdoor living space: the large lot-estate Hill section of MB, this rare remodeled beach house with Dutch door, the seemingly indestructible hardwood floors, a stunning kitchen where everything has a place, a dreamy bath of exquisite decor and 2 sets of French doors leading to its own backyard beyond any expectations one may have. With cabana style seating, it’s an enjoyment to look forward to everyday with the heart-warming outdoor fireplace and dazzling landscape as well as lots of free space amid its beauty and privacy. Easy as it goes stroll to school and to town. Even the Manhattan Hill section still has some of these quaint beach homes left, for now.
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
©2016 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 Previews International® and the Coldwell Banker Previews International 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.
2.63-acre estate featuring 6 beds, 7 baths, 11,686 sq. ft., gym, pool, theatre and views. $7,195,000 | PineTreeLnRollingHills.com
5 beds, 6 baths, 6,000 sq. ft. main house, barn, pool and a 500 sq. ft. guest house on 3.5 acres, with views. $7,200,000 | UpperBlackwaterCyn.com
Gordon Inman 310.936.1979
The Inman Team Inmanteam.com
KeIth Kelley 310.944.5554
Selling the South Bay Since 1979 NW REAL ESTATE BROKERS, INC.
WWW.NWREBROKERS.COM | 310.546.3468
R ES I D E N T I A L | C O M M E RC I A L | I N C O M E P RO P E R T Y | S A L ES | L E AS I N G | D E VE LO P M E N T
WHEN IT COMES TO JUMBO LOANS, NEW AMERICAN FUNDING HAS MORE TO OFFER. JUMBO PROGRAM FEATURES: • • • •
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• Up to 10 financed properties • Cross collateralization for down payment to lessen amount of cash needed to close
Manhattan Beach Branch 1230 Rosecrans Ave. #402 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 844-247-6883
Coastal branches located throughout Southern California
Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS ID#6606. All products are not available in all states. All options are not available on all programs. All programs are subject to borrower and property qualifications. Rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. © New American Funding. New American and New American Funding are registered trademarks of Broker Solutions, DBA New American Funding. All Rights Reserved. Corporate Office (800) 450-2010. 4/2016
WE KNOW THE MARKET. WE KNOW OUR CLIENTS.
HERMOSA BEACH DOUBLE LOT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY – CALL FOR DETAILS
SAND SECTION COMING SPRING 2017
EAST MANHATTAN COMING IN FALL 2016
Luxury property specialists with a refined understanding of the South Bay.
JIM VAN ZANTEN 310.466.1004
ROB DEPAOLI 310.896.5343
CO-CEO, BROKER CALBRE #00544011
REALTOR® CALBRE #01918925
DAVID SMITH 310.720.7900
WALT SPADONE 310.345.7350
REALTOR® CALBRE #01949282
REALTOR®, DEVELOPMENT PARTNER CSLB #967329, CALBRE #01343434
VZG@VISTASIR.COM THEVANZANTENGROUP.COM
We represent both buyers and sellers in residential transactions, structure savvy property investments, and coordinate distinctive construction projects.
EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
the |KONDO|GROUP Have we met? Your Luxury Real Estate Team
WWW.THEKONDOGROUP.COM | THEKONDOGROUP@GMAIL.COM Keller Williams Palos Verdes Realty . 550 Deep Valley Dr. Ste 359 . Rolling Hills Estates
CalBRE # 01438455
1200 10TH STREET M A N H AT TA N B E AC H
$ 3,795,0 0 0
5 BEDROOMS | 6 BATHROOMS
NEW PRICE
4,746 SQ. F T. | 7,467 SQ. F T. LOT
An international associate of Savills
THEAGENCYRE.COM
KOF I NA RT EY CO M PA S S 3 1 0. 29 4 .9 59 0 K R I ST I N R EGA N T H E AG EN C Y 424 .4 8 8 .1 0 1 3
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Set amidst sweeping canyon and mountain views minutes from the heart of Calabasas, Country Ridge is a private estate community offering a distinct style of living at the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. P r o v i d i n g u n m a t c h e d s p a c e, privacy and serenity, five homesites and four hacienda-style residences are set upon 5 to 40 idyllic acres and seamlessly connected to the nature that surrounds.
C ALAB AS AS C OU NTRY CLUB
LAS V IRG
An Exceptional Lifestyle In An Idyllic Setting
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Represented by CRAIG KNIZEK & MICHELLE SCHWARTZ
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MOD EL E STAT E OPE N TUES, THURS, FRI, SAT, SUN 11AM - 4PM
Price Upon Request
424.221.5039 C OUNTRY R IDGE C AL ABASAS.COM The developer reserves the right to make modifications in materials, specifications, plans, pricing, various fees, designs, scheduling and delivery of the homes without prior notice. All dimensions are approximate and subject to normal construction variances and tolerances. Plans and dimensions may contain minor variations from floor to floor. This is not an offer to sell or solicitation to buy to residents in jurisdictions in which registration requirements have not been fulfilled, but is intended for information only. Listing Broker: The Agency New Development CA RE 01973483. 6/29/16. Obtain the property report or its equivalent by federal and state law and read it before signing anything. No federal or state agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. .
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9 SUNNYFIELD DR. ROLLING HILLS ESTATES 90274 CLASSIC RANCH STYLE HOME OFFERED AT $1,460,000 WWW.9SUNNYFIELD.COM
COURTNEY SELF
Broker / Owner Director of Relocation 310.350.6205
info@huntermason.com BRE 01229263
SOUTH BAY LONG BEACH WESTSIDE HunterMason.com
NEWLY BUILT SUPERHOUSE DESIGNED BY LOUIE TOMARO 1601 NELSON AVENUE, MANHATTAN BEACH | OFFERED AT $3,999,000
FILLED WITH UNEXPECTED DETAILS • 5,791 sq. ft. on 8,592 sq. ft. corner lot (buyer to verify) • 6 bedrooms, 6 ½ baths + office/den • 4 fireplaces • Jeld wen windows • Elevator • Outdoor kitchen with bulit-in barbeque • Disappearing mirror TV in master bath
• 2, 25ft. wide by 9 ft. tall moving glass walls • 2 master bedrooms, one upstairs and one on the main level • Thermador kitchen appliances: two ovens, microwave, 48in. built-in refrigerator • 2 wireless stations + Smart home wiring with ipads
CALL FOR YOUR PRIVATE SHOWING
Robyn &Alicia Robyn.Biener@VistaSIR.com Alicia.Greene@VistaSIR.com Robyn 310.717.5804 Alicia 310.729.0512 RobynandAlicia.com
CalBRE#0077384 CalBRE#00775787 EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
ÓIn all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.Ó – Aristotle
2 Peppertree Drive, Portuguese Bend Gated Enclave of Portuguese Bend / Unobstructed Pacific Ocean, Coastline and Catalina Views 3 Bedrooms / 2 Baths / 2000 sq ft of open living space / Over a Half Acre Lot / Serene Outdoor Living $1,699,000 2peppertree.com
Karen Anderson 310-251-2883 karen@prestigeteamhomes.com
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Dreams Reimagined A single mother contends with saying goodbye to her college-bound child. Written by Kathleen Laccinole | Illustrated by Christine Georgiades
M
y marriage was spent dreaming of a baby—my perfect, nuclear family. I painted a buttery-yellow nursery, added crystal pulls to my childhood dresser, stenciled the rocking chair where I would breast-feed my child. If you build it, she will come … She didn’t. After seven years of infertility treatments, I got pregnant. Then came nine months of misery. Not the fairy tale “let’s do yoga and photo shoots with my magnificent belly” pregnancy. Instead I got three trimesters of rampant vomiting, wore the same cheap dress every day and showered maybe twice. When overly ripe with child, despondent and wretched, my mother told me, “I know you want her out now, but in three months you’ll want to shove her back in.” Mom was right. My fantasy baby was born with colic, and my marriage fell apart—as did my life. Three became two, and my dreams shifted to new ones. Now I imagined all the things we would do together—what I would become as a mother, a woman, a writer ... my daughter by my side. The next year I dipped my toe back into the dating pool. Nine months later my son arrived. (It happens.) Two again became three—thousands of miles, stratospheres from the life I’d envisioned. My daughter excelled in school, music and life in general. Still, at home it felt like her colic lasted well into her 16th year. And since I could not “shove her back in,” I began to quietly entertain the idea of her leaving for college. But I blinked, she turned 18, and somewhere along the way we’d become friends. We shopped, talked about boys, got mani-pedis. Then POOF! She was accepted to USC. And so began the countdown …
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I started looking back at all the things we hadn’t done: road trips, Ireland, Africa. I never French-braided her hair, made chocolate chip pancakes, pierced her ears. I never met Mr. Right. She never saw me in love, wouldn’t be the flower girl at my wedding. She deserved better. But does life ever turn out the way we envision in 10-year-old dreams? My emotions are fractured. I try to rein in scattered merry-go-round ponies, search for hidden answers in sock drawers. If college is a good thing, why do I feel so bad? Suddenly, every moment is precious. I hold on tight. And when she’s cranky, I endure because the stomping feet will leave a ghostly silence in a few short weeks. Three will become two … then eventually one. I resist the urge to buy a cat—or seven. I shift my focus to what we did do: our non-nuclear life—biking in Paris, cooking classes in Barcelona, watching a Rolling Stones concert from the rooftop of our hotel in Rome. We made magic. I feel a tingly excitement for my daughter and all she will become. I worry about what can go wrong and long for what can go right. And when I drop her off at the collegiate city that holds the next phase of her magnificent life, I will drive away, lumpy throat, like yesterday’s first day of kindergarten. Still, I will always be her mother. And like I endured childbirth, I will endure this. It might require corpulent Netflix viewing, extra martinis—and yes, God forbid, a cat. Because no matter how hard it hurt to push that baby out, this will hurt more. But I will survive. Like my mom did. And her mother before. Because my mom says I will. And Mom is always right. Kathleen Laccinole is a freelance writer and regular contributor to ESME.com. She lives with her son and—so far—no cat.
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