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goldenstate.is The digital content destination celebrating the very best of California.
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JULY 2017
60 COMMON THREAD Aloha for the People
28 DATEBOOK The South Bay’s social calendar
61
62
THE BUBBLE
30 LIVE LIKE DOUG Support network for children who lost a loved one
62 PALATE Tower 12 in Hermosa
34 STYLE FILE Natural selection
78 MEDIA Red, white & new
42 BABYSITTER’S CLUB The Uber for child care
80 Q&A Your Grateful Nation
44 STROKE OF GENIUS Indoor rowing
90 SEEN Who’s who around town
46 WEEKENDER Lovely Lanai
146 LAST BUT NOT LEAST Diamonds are forever
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also... 106 PROFILES Spa, Beauty & Fitness 118 REAL ESTATE Spectacular local listings
COVER Photographed by Shane O’Donnell. Gauze Queen top by Jen’s Pirate Booty, $122, and Queen skirt, $176; The Beehive in Manhattan Beach. Bird necklace by Marisa Haskell, $160, and turquoise tassel earrings by Ten Things, $65; Gum Tree in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. Beaded bracelet by Kalosoma, $300; Wright’s in Manhattan Beach.
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features 36 A LIGHT TOUCH Natural radiance shines through a minimalist Manhattan Beach home reimagined by a local designer. 48 THE PIPELINE A longtime South Bay resident barrels through the wave of early-‘60s surf bands and clubs that once gave our Beach Cities a summer soundtrack. 54 GOOD VIBRATIONS Easy, effortless and iconic, South Bay’s golden era of surf gives us stylish summer vibes. 64 FROM FEAR TO FORGIVENESS Remembering the forced relocation and incarceration of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans between 1942 and 1946—many uprooted from right here in the South Bay. 83 THE CALIFORNIA GETAWAY GUIDE Wish they all could be Californian? Look no further than our curated list of the coolest and closest hotels, inns and resorts—from north to south and everything in between.
36 64 54
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EL PORTO, CA
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W E A LTH M A N AGEMENT FIN A NCI A L PL A NNING CH A RITA BLE PL A NNING IN V ESTMENT S ESTATE TA X FA MILY OFFICE
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
GROUP PUBLISHER
Darren Elms
Jared Sayers
ART DIRECTOR
ADVERTISING
Michelle Villas
Account Executive | Erika Carrion 310-897-2424 | erika@moontidemedia.com
COPY EDITOR Laura Watts
Account Executive | Marcie Gutierrez 424-220-6337 | marcie@moontidemedia.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christine Georgiades
Account Executive | Amy Tetherow 424-220-6338 | amy@moontidemedia.com
FOOD & WINE EDITOR Bonnie Graves
Account Executive | Dale Tiffany 310-663-4609 | dt@moontidemedia.com
DEPUTY EDITORS Kara Mickelson, Jennie Nunn
Publisher | Robin Sanders 818-427-2050 | robin@moontidemedia.com
WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS Blair Berndes, Michele Garber, Eliza Krpoyan, Tanya Monaghan, Chris Ridges, Stefan Slater, Emily Tecklenburg PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeff Berting, Kat Monk, Shane O’Donnell, Nancy Pastor, 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, PO Box 3760, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. 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
JULY 2017 | SOUTHBAY
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editor’s letter
Ripe for a Reboot Change is good. Change is hard. Change is inevitable. No matter whether you embrace it or run from it, change does find you. In the case of our newly redesigned July issue of Southbay, change couldn’t have been more welcome or organic. The consensus around the production table was pretty much unanimous: Time for a summer upgrade, y’all. Not that there was anything wrong with what we had. No sir. Sometimes you just crave a breath of fresh air. And thanks to the incredible retooling by Michelle, our art director, and Christine, our graphic designer, we kick off the second half of 2017 with a killer new look. Fresh, unfussy, forward-thinking … kind of like the South Bay itself. You may also notice a structural change to the content. We retired our “Where We Live” section and instead dispersed our shorter pieces throughout our bigger features. We prefer the overall editorial balance and hope you will too. One thing that will never change in Southbay: bringing you amazing people, businesses, outings, ideas, history, stories and more from all over our community. And our July edition is no exception. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, we took inspiration from the exciting, energetic and influential youth of 1960s America. Here in the South Bay, that meant an explosion of beach culture … in music, fashion and more. Be sure to check out our nostalgic throwback from local Chris Ridges on the surf bands of the early ‘60s. On a more serious note, we remember the Japanese Americans relocated to camps during WWII and hear firsthand from local residents who lived through those difficult years. It’s a story that needs to be heard, and we’re thankful to our writer Michele Garber and photographer Nancy Pastor for capturing a tough topic so eloquently. Please let us know how we’re doing at letters@moontidemedia. We’d love to hear from you. Enjoy the summer season ahead!
DARREN ELMS
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contributors
- Established 1997 -
Shane O’Donnell PHOTOGRAPHER “Good Vibrations” Shane is a Wisconsin-born photographer living in the South Bay. His documentary and commercial training bring a realistic and refined style to his work. He photographs catalog, advertising, architecture and travel and has shot for such clients as Budweiser, Hershey, Syfy Channel and Vespa. seelikeshane.com
INSPIRED WEALTH MANAGEMENT FOR INSPIRED LIVING
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Nancy Pastor PHOTOGRAPHER “From Fear to Forgiveness” Nancy, a native New Yorker, began a career in photography as a fashion stylist in San Francisco. She pursued her passion for visual storytelling by becoming an award-winning photojournalist in Washington, D.C. After moving to the South Bay, Nancy continues editorial and commercial work while balancing family life and her spoiled pup, Agnes.
Michele Garber WRITER “From Fear to Forgiveness” A self-proclaimed information junkie, Michele has a penchant for history, news and trivia. “Family and friends teasingly say I’m a vast wealth of useless knowledge,” she says. Yet her eternal fascination with researching new subjects serves her well as a features writer.
VINCE A. DiLEVA MS, CFP®, AIF® Senior Partner
OUR SERVICES Portfolio Management Financial Planning Retirement Planning Philanthropic and Family Foundation Management
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JULY 2017 | SOUTHBAY
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july CALIFORNIA GIRLS Crocheted bralette bikini top by She Made Me, $140; The Beehive. Leather pouch with crystal necklace by Feathered Soul, $288; Wright’s. More on page 56.
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datebook
You Make My Dreams Come True July 4 Village Runner 4th of July 5K 8 a.m., Riviera Village villagerunner.com
6–8 Harry Potter in Concert 8 p.m., Hollywood Bowl hollywoodbowl.com
14–16 South Bay Greek Festival
St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach sbgreekfestival.com
15–16 PVAC Art Lawn Show
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Malaga Cove Plaza pvartcenter.org
July 16
Celebrate Chefs & Cellars
July 22
White Light White Night
August 3–6 International Surf Festival
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Restaurants from across the South Bay will pair with amazing wines, beers and spirits for the annual culinary outing on the Peninsula. Proceeds from the event benefit The Palos Verdes Art Center. 4 to 7 p.m. at Catalina View Gardens. Reservations limited. 310-375-6917
Walk With Sally’s annual fundraising event brings out crisp attire to a cool alfresco scene as guests party the evening away and enjoy local bites, beverages and a tempting auction. All proceeds go to Walk With Sally’s mission to mentor kids affected by a loved one with cancer. walkwithsally.org
Torrance hosts the 56th annual event promoting the four South Bay Beach Cities, the world’s best lifeguard service and the physical fitness of more than 1,000 participants. The three signature events will attract both local and international competitors. surffestival.org
25 ARC Blood Drive
11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Manhattan Beach Farmers Market redcrossblood.org
28–29 Daryl Hall & John Oates and Tears for Fears 7 p.m., Staples Center axs.com
29 Author Mary Alice Monroe signs Beach House for Rent 2 p.m., Malaga Cove Library pvld.org/locations/mc
Garth Brooks
7:30 p.m., The Forum ticketmaster.com
INTERIOR & LIFESTYLE DESIGN
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REDONDO BEACH, CA 90277 KIMBERLY COLLETTI
datebook
Live Like Doug After her husband’s passing, a local woman organizes a support network for children who’ve recently lost a loved one. WRITTEN BY STEFAN SLATER PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAT MONK
He may not have lived a long life … but it was a full one. According to those who knew and loved him, Doug Schneider was a seeker of adventure with a thirst for knowledge. He thrived on sharing his passions and lessons with everyone around him. When his wife, Christine Schneider, founded the Live Like Doug Foundation, her goal was to not only create an organization that would commemorate the memory of her husband but to also establish a support system for children in the South Bay who’ve lost a loved one. “Doug was very involved in the community,” says Christine, adding that her husband was an active surfer and volleyball player. “His enthusiasm and love for life was just infectious.” When Doug passed in 2014, Christine wanted to ensure that their son, Dylan, would have the guidance and direction needed to live a full, engaging life. “I wanted to make sure he could live his life in the same way that his father did,” she says. Live Like Doug specializes in arranging enrichment activities and social groups
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for children who have lost a family member or close loved one. The organization offers monthly meetings that are structured around fun, child-friendly activities, such as rock climbing or casual hikes. “We give the kids something fun to do, and we organize activities where they can come together and interact,” she says. Christine notes that these social activities are crucial for these children and their families. “You feel very alone when you lose someone,” she says, adding that allowing children to come together and build meaningful friendships gives them the chance to build a crucial support system—one they can rely on during difficult moments. “All we want to do is to create support, friendship and fun for these kids and their families—especially during a time when they feel alone.” Live Like Doug is also actively involved in the South Bay community. On May 13 Live Like Doug participated in the Dig 4 Jimmy & Doug Surf N’ Turf contest in Manhattan Beach. The event, which benefited Live Like Doug, the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation and the Dig 4 Kids
JULY 2017 | SOUTHBAY
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CARRYING ON Below: Both Doug and Christine with their child.
Education Foundation, centered around a friendly but driven volleyball and surfing competition. The contest celebrates the memories of Jimmy Miller and Doug Schneider, as well as the South Bay community as a whole. Christine notes that she feels that the event truly fits Live Like Doug’s key values. Live Like Doug, she notes, works to provide a sense of community for its members—a reminder that they’re not alone and that even during trying times, they will be able to reach out to others for guidance and companionship—and Surf N’ Turf celebrates that concept. “The event is about appreciating everything that you have, and that includes being a part of a great community,” she says. Families interested in learning more about Live Like Doug can visit livelikedoug.org. ■
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2 0 0 P i e r Av e n u e suite 301 HermosA BeAcH 3 1 0 3 74 7 7 0 0
Natural Selection
Cleanse your color palette with these summery, woven finds. EDITED BY DARREN ELMS
Harbour Island floor pillow in raffia, $208 Serena & Lily, serenaandlily.com Beach House storage bins with handles, $16.99 to $19.99 The Container Store at Plaza El Segundo, containerstore.com Gigi chair, $1,035 Maison Luxe in Hermosa Beach, maisonluxehome.com Natural rattan bulb hurricane candleholder, $12.99 to $14.99 World Market at Plaza El Segundo, worldmarket.com Knobby loop rug, $69 Maison Luxe in Hermosa Beach, maisonluxehome.com Justina Blakeney Emuna wall mirror, $278 Lulu & Georgia, luluandgeorgia.com
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Get Lost sunhat, $96 Gum Tree in Hermosa Beach, gumtreela.com Amada sandal, $245 Trina Turk in Manhattan Beach, trinaturk.com
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A Light Touch Natural radiance shines through a minimalist Manhattan Beach home reimagined by a local designer. WRITTEN BY ELIZA KRPOYAN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY LAUREN PRESSEY
F
ashion designer Mireille Dermer and husband Shane Mengel stood in the kitchen of their Manhattan Beach home wondering how it could capture more natural light. “Maybe we should get a skylight,” suggested Shane. If this were a Nancy Meyers movie, the next scene would cut to their architect Michael Eserts drawing a blueprint of a cupola in a home brought down to its studs. With the help of Wendy Word Design, this happened three years later. “It took on a much more important role in the house,” says Wendy Word of what started out as a skylight. “Suddenly it was dressed with lights and clad with finished carpentry.” The cupola is not only an architectural feature; it beams with sunlight. “On both sides of our house we have neighbors that are very close,” explains Mireille. “Adding more windows would peer into their yard or inside their home. We wanted to allow them privacy, as well as create privacy for ourselves.” The solution was fewer windows, a cupola and a living area on the second floor with folding doors that open to an outdoor deck replete with sectional seating, a wooden soaking tub and a grill. “The indoor-outdoor flow was a big focus,” says Shane, who recently left a career at a global alternative asset management firm and is currently focusing on evaluating private investments. “I love the way the outdoor space relates to the inside of the house,” shares Wendy. “It creates the sanctuary they were looking for but still feels connected to their surroundings.” The space has a retractable awning system for shade and operable louvered shutters. “Because it is on the second floor, it feels private,” adds Mireille. Another thing the couple wanted to create in their home was a distinction between public space and private. “When we first moved into the house, our master bedroom was where the den is now [on the second floor].” Now when you enter the front door, you could either go downstairs to the bedrooms—including their 5-year-old daughter Morgan’s room where a sign reads “No monsters allowed”—or you could go upstairs into the communal areas. “There’s only so much you can do with a 30 x 90 rectangle,” explains Mireille. “We knew we wanted to create different spaces within this main room.” Here there is a space to sit and read; living area where they watch TV; den where Morgan plays; powder room with a barn door; unobstructed kitchen with Calacatta marble slabs contrasted against cabinets in a rich blue-black with undertones of grey; dining area; and breakfast nook that gets used often by the family of three and their 1-year-old wheaten terrier, Zoey. When there are more people, they dine around the French farm
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table made of salvaged pine timbers, or they eat outside. “When we first toured the home that was previously here, I had no sense of how it belonged to them,” confesses Wendy, referring to her visit of the home with Megan Acuna, a designer on the WWD team. “It didn’t make sense to me. The way that I saw their lifestyle, their needs, their wants—everything they were describing was disjointed.” It’s hard to believe this open and airy home layered with neutrals once had dark cabinets, stucco walls and pillars. “The house feels inviting,” says Wendy of the casual but sophisticated, timeless, minimalist home. “Mireille and Shane were open and amenable to using beautiful finishes and metals, natural woods and all those layers. Nothing is ornate or heavy-handed.” White, horizontal wood planking adorns the walls throughout the second story, which is covered with wide European oak floors in a custom grey color wash. “Horizontal planking doesn’t require a lot of art because it is the art,” says Mireille of the two pieces of artwork in white frames that are stacked near the stairway. “It’s similar to a gallery wall,” adds Wendy. “You can adorn it or leave it minimal. It doesn’t demand art to be finished.” The artwork was purchased from Santa Monica Museum of Art’s Incognito event. At Incognito every work is priced the same, and though there are original works donated by artists including John Baldessari, Barbara Kruger and Ed Ruscha, the names of the artists are not revealed until after you purchase it. “I got two pieces that I love,” says Mireille, admiring the works from the pale stonewashed denim sofa in the living room. “It becomes not about the cost of the piece but what speaks to you,” adds Wendy. There are also two pieces of art in the den—one by local artist Bo Bridges. In Mireille’s office is a photograph of Muhammad Ali that once lived in Shane’s office at the firm. “Muhammad Ali’s training camp used to be in Pennsylvania,” shares Shane, who is from Pennsylvania and has always admired the championship boxer. Shane also pays homage to his hometown in his wine cellar, which is constructed of reclaimed Pennsylvania barn wood and Pennsylvania bluestone. “This is a little slice of Pennsylvania that I wanted to bring to California,” he shares, “even though I’ve been out here for 20 years now.” Despite the home’s sharpness, it is livable, Wendy explains. Like the cupola, “this home achieves both form and function.” ■
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Babysitter’s Club Meet the Uber for on-demand child care WRITTEN BY DARREN ELMS
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In the era of iPhone accessibility, nearly everything is a finger’s touch away … ride service, groceries, dates, you name it. So when SoCal resident Sean Greene couldn’t find a sitter one evening, he started to ruminate on an idea. Driving through his neighborhood, he thought of the dozens of potential sitters at home on their couches who would probably rather be making money and watching his kids, but he had no way of reaching them. A year later he launched Bambino. With an easy mobile app, parents can find, book and pay trusted local sitters—all connected to them through friends and neighbors. Here in the South Bay, Brenda Randall acts as the region’s community manager. She lives in Manhattan Beach with her husband and three children. Because of the service’s hyper-local nature, there’s an added layer of trust and
comfort for caring parents. After downloading the free app and creating a profile, parents simply enter details for when they need a sitter, preview the available sitters and choose the best one for the job. Bambino also tracks the duration of the sit, and once the job is done parents pay the sitter right through the app. And because every sitter on Bambino is parentrecommended, each new recommendation helps the next parent who needs to find a trusted sitter. “Already, Bambino is becoming a major part of families’ lives,” says Sean. “As Bambino reintroduces flexibility into busy parents’ lives, they are finding opportunities to use the app multiple times a week, with durations ranging from a couple of hours to a full day. It’s a really exciting indication that our modernized approach to sitting is resonating with the community.” ■
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Stroke of Genius Two South Bay locals make a splash indoors with one of the oldest maritime traditions. WRITTEN BY LAURA WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF BERTING
Rowing boats is an activity that’s been around as long as humankind. Once a method of warfare and transport, rowing became a sport in England in the 1700s. When Yale challenged Harvard to the first intercollegiate boat race in 1852, the sport became extremely popular—making the roster of Olympic games in 1900. Fast-forward to modern times, and the lure of the water isn’t the only inspiration for rowing. You don’t have to know a thing about operating watercraft—or even get your toes wet—to participate in an exercise that’s rapidly growing in popularity: indoor rowing. For years rowing machines lurked in the corners of health clubs, often gathering dust, but all that is changing. “We can give you an amazing workout in 20 minutes without all the crazy equipment,” says Jay Dee Morgan, who cofounded Manna Rowing in Hermosa Beach with longtime friend Thomas Chang. Both men are professional athletes who rowed at UC San Diego and have years of experience working in the health and fitness industry. A full-body workout, rowing uses a variety of muscle groups and offers intense physical conditioning. However, it is considered a low-impact exercise—appealing to those who have been injured in other sports like running or cycling. The Manna Rowing staff approaches workouts as a multidisciplinary program for the mind and the body. In addition to cardio and strength training, participants are taught Manna Mental Sharpening Tools. “Our sessions start with breath training and mindfulness,” explains Jay Dee, who has 12 years of elite rowing and coaching experience. “This mentally prepares them for the challenges ahead. We then run through some yoga movements, conduct a proper warm-up and then get to work.” Indoor rowing is a time-efficient way to perform totalbody cardiovascular training—perfect for those strapped
for time. “We begin driving with your legs, engage the muscles in your back and core, and then follow through with your arms,” Jay Dee shares. “We give you lots of bang for your buck!” It’s also a healthy and exciting activity for youth. In March the company kicked off an indoor rowing club at Hermosa Beach Community Center for students in grades 4–12. The coaches emphasize technique and lead fun drills and activities on and off the equipment. In addition to socializing together, rowers build trust, set goals for personal growth and learn to prepare for challenges— in rowing and in life. Manna Rowing also holds occasional regattas for the club, awarding prizes to the winners. “It’s not just about the physical growth but also exercising your mind and spirit,” says youth program director Tyler Reutgen, a South Bay native who has 12 years of experience coaching youth sports. In addition to enhancing physical and mental strength, rowing has the potential of being financially beneficial as well: The sport offers students the opportunity to earn college scholarships. With this in mind, Manna Rowing provides “boot camp” training for high school athletes looking to be recruited by university crew teams. “We focus on rowing as a great discipline, amazing workout and a mindful practice for our busy-minded youth,” says Jay Dee. “To top all of these benefits, there are insane collegiate opportunities for our South Bay youth to row in college, help with admissions and even huge scholarship opportunities.” Manna Rowing is offering two full scholarships for their college-prep rowing training to help driven high school students with program fees. “Rowing created opportunities for me to be recruited for crew at top universities and ultimately shaped who I am today,” says Jay Dee. “We felt that now is the time to provide a space for children and young adults to find that drive and opportunity for their futures.” ■
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Lovely Lanai One of Hawaii’s most low-key islands is also one of its best. WRITTEN BY DARREN ELMS
Back in the 1920s the Dole Company turned Hawaii’s small island of Lanai into a giant pineapple plantation, supplying the world with the biggest share of the tropical export. When the crops were relocated elsewhere a few decades ago, the Maui-adjacent island looked to tourism to preserve its population. That success rested in the hands of Four Seasons, which hosts two properties on the island. While The Lodge at Koele is expected to take a health-and-wellness approach in the coming years, the Four Seasons Resort Lanai reopened last year following a multimilliondollar transformation under the guidance of majority property owner Larry Ellison. Because no other significant resorts or hotels occupy Lanai, the Four Seasons can offer an experience not unlike a private island— where privacy and intimacy reign. In fact many of the island’s residents work for the resort in some capacity, making for a familiar and friendly vibe all around. Simpler times and an authentic Hawaiian lifestyle resonate here. No stoplights. No malls. No crazy crowds. The 213 recently redesigned rooms and 47 suites feature an elegant touch and open to lush, botanical gardens at each turn. The brand new Hawanawana Spa pampers guests with unique treatments using sensory-rich local ingredients. In addition to a family-friendly pool, the adults-only retreat offers pools, a waterfall and lava rock grottos that echo Lanai’s iconic cliffs with stunning views of Hulopoe Bay. And come to Lanai with an appetite. Top dining venues at the Four Seasons include the Asian inspirations of world-renowned NOBU, fresh and casual fare at outdoor Malibu Farm and both dinner and buffet delights at ONE FORTY. Also recently launched at the resort is the new Island Adventure Center: a concierge service that sets guests up with Jeep rentals to panoramic vistas like the Garden of the Gods, UTVs, golf on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Manele Course, clay shooting, archery and horseback riding on picturesque trails. Don’t miss the sunset cruise off the nearby harbor, where guests can bring bottles of wine or beverage of choice for a romantic catamaran sail toward the setting sun. Given the caliber of the service and amenities both on and off property, you may begin to feel like you own the island outright. Just don’t tell Larry. ■
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GETTING THERE Enjoy a direct flight to Oahu or Maui via LAX and jump on a quick island-hopper to Lanai for easy access. There’s also a ferry that departs Lahaina in Maui several times a day and only takes about 45 minutes. BABYMOON? Parents-to-be are catching on to this travel trend and enjoying a romantic, Zikafree escape before welcoming little keiki.
THE PIPELINE A longtime South Bay resident barrels through the wave of early-‘60s surf bands and clubs that once gave our Beach Cities a summer soundtrack. WRITTEN BY CHRIS RIDGES
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hen Bruce Brown, Walt Phillips and Bud Browne began showing their silent 16mm surfing films in Southern California high school auditoriums and town halls during the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, they would narrate them live. When words became scant, record albums were often played to accompany the brilliant, groundbreaking movies these filmmakers were premiering. Footage of shooting curls and pearling demanded just the right soundtrack, so jazz LPs by Bud Shank and Miles Davis were spun, along with early Mancini, Link Wray, Duane Eddy, The Fireballs and The Ventures. Though they didn’t know it at the time, several of these recording artists would become ingrained in new music and a new scene called “surf.” Redondo Beach’s The Bel-Airs didn’t know what was coming either. The young South Bay band became popular around this time and kept themselves busy playing the Redondo Elks Club, the Portuguese Bend Club and the Torrance Grand. In 1961 band members Paul Johnson (at all of 15 years old) and Richard Delvy wrote a song together: the immediately captivating “Mr. Moto.” The band recorded and released the single that summer. Disc jockey and radio personality Sam Riddle was the first to play it on Los Angeles radio KRLA, and it fast became a major regional hit—nearing the Top 10. Paul says he was in the right place at the right time as “Mr. Moto”—along with Dick Dale’s “Let’s Go
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THEY GET AROUND The Beach Boys ... the South Bay’s most famous export from the era of surf music.
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Trippin’”—were destined to become the two songs best believed to have ignited the era of surf music. The musical sound of The Bel-Airs and Dick Dale was adopted into the new style as soon as it began. They were there before, during and after it all happened, as were some of the other bands that had started before the term “surf music” was ever coined but were nevertheless part of its bloom. Everything fell perfectly into place, partly through coincidence and partly by design. The Bel-Airs’ sound fit into and belonged to the genre seamlessly as it appeared. And the surfers were digging it. The emergence of surf music came at a time when Southern California had already become well-known for its gorgeous weather, endless shorelines, magnificent sunsets and, of course, surfing. Society’s teenage domination had sprung, and the beach scene was just another outgrowth—albeit a profound one. The new music and this new subculture reflected on and legitimized the original surfing community, leaving them more than happy to think they started it all. If the beach
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was a cool getaway, the surfing community was a defined lifestyle. Besides the incredible music, the scene had its own art, fashion, hairstyles, language and attitude—all happening at the same brief, mysterious, phenomenally stoked time. The South Bay was one of several concentrated focal points during this period, and at one point surf music itself was labeled “the sound of the South Bay.” Sadly, it didn’t stick. Live surf bands were known to be insanely loud—the guitars plugged in and cranked up, up as far as up went, reaching an unprecedented level by either night’s end or when the cops showed up. It had to be loud or how else could you drown in it? The volume attempted, among other things, to mirror the release a surfer felt, the abandon and risk of being alone on your own wave, shredding through the world. As the amplifiers blew up and caught on fire, bigger and more powerful models were designed to make things even louder. There was never need to worry about being able to hear the singer over the instruments, as vocalists in surf bands were (mostly) done without—it was about guitars, bass
and drums. The loudest of them all (notwithstanding Dick Dale’s thunder in Balboa) was Eddie & the Showmen. Hailing from Palos Verdes, exBel-Air Eddie Bertrand and his band released several records, including “Mr. Rebel” and “Squad Car.” Named after Fender’s Dual Showman amplifier, they’d better have been loud. Eddie’s exploratory use of a reverb unit—with its auditorium-like echo further trying to expand the “wet, liquid sound” experienced while surfing—resulted in an urgent, tough sound forever associated with surf music. Another significant South Bay band was The Challengers. Their 1962 Surf Beat album was the first nationally distributed LP to consist entirely of surf music. Two popular surf bands from Manhattan Beach were The Revelairs and The Vibrants (including guitarist Tony Guidice). Also of great note are The Baymen, Thom Starr & The Galaxies, The Journeymen and The Lonely Ones. The Crossfires from Westchester played at Torrance Recreation Center’s auditorium and the Revelaire Club. Known for their humor, onstage antics and not-one-but-two
saxophonists, they were filling every hall and club they played. Doomed for success as The Turtles, they moved to the Sunset Strip when surf was up. Let us not forget The Beach Boys (yes, them) from Hawthorne. Though tightly associated with the surf scene and surf music because of early-‘60s hit singles like “Surfin,’” “Surfin’ Safari” and “Surfer Girl,” their music was seen more as surf songs than surf music by many of the original bands and fans. The immense popularity they brought to the sport of surfing began crowding the beaches and bugging the locals. Dennis Wilson, the group’s drummer, would skip class at Hawthorne High and drive to Torrance Beach to surf and hang out. He absorbed the different world that was happening there and relayed what he’d discovered to Brian, his older brother, who thrived on the stuff. Brian’s interpretations of his brother’s adventures would lead to some of the most beautiful and enduring music of our time, and he would go on to become one of the most highly respected composers of the 20th century, outgrowing surf music by miles.
SOUNDS OF THE ‘60S Clockwise from above: The Lonely Ones appear inside the Hermosa Biltmore at Stub’s Pub on this 1963 EP; Eddie & the Showmen stomp at the Revelaire Club in Redondo Beach, 1963; The Bel-Airs live at local high school, late ‘63; 1964 Paul Johnson personal business card (front and back) with artwork by Rick Griffin.
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The Beach Boys stayed involved within their community after reaching nationwide success and continued performing locally alongside the other bands as long as they could. Brian would attend The Bel-Airs concerts and made it known he was a fan. The Beach Boys performed at the grand opening of Torrance’s Wallichs Music City on November 15, 1963—a generous gesture for them at that point in their career. Sadly, the house that Brian, Carl and Dennis grew up in at 3701 West 119th Street is now part of the 105 freeway. Once The Bel-Airs hit the charts with “Mr. Moto,” they needed a larger hall in which to perform as their fan base continued to grow. Soon they were the house band at the newly opened Bel Air Club on Catalina Avenue in Redondo Beach—named in the band’s honor and better equipped to hold their large audiences. So-called teen centers like the Bel Air were springing up along the coast and offered a much-cherished escape for young people at the time. The allure of the stomps was divided between hearing the live bands, dancing and meeting friends with sand on your feet. It was the music, though, that fascinated its audience most and brought attendance at the clubs to new levels. These live performances, along with the increasing popularity in the sport itself, helped create a shared, positive and energetic climate that spread quickly. Longtime locals welcomed like-minded fans until they were sniffed out as weekend surfers and party crashers. A minor dance craze called the Stomp was fun, but not enough to keep everyone from Twisting. The Bel Air Club was renamed the Revelaire Club by new owner and popular radio DJ Reb Foster in 1963 and turned private with an age limit of 14 to 21. The Revelaire continued hosting the most popular stomps in the area for nearly two years, with Eddie & the Showmen appearing often. The Knights of Columbus Hall in Manhattan Beach and the Torrance Rollerdrome often held stomps so overcrowded there was no room to dance. No matter, you could always listen to the bands and talk (make that shout) to whomever you were rubbing shoulders with. The Hermosa Biltmore hosted some major surf concerts and dances in ’62 and ’63— during one of the building’s many
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WEEKEND WIPEOUT The Vibrants share the bill with surf films at the Hermosa Biltmore, November 1962.
transformations. Its biggest show attracted more than 1,500 fans. For a brief time a surf dance club called Stub’s Hub operated in the Hermosa Biltmore’s old cocktail lounge with The Lonely Ones as house band. The scene began to wane in the fall of ’63. Autumn has a way of doing that. The arrival of what’s-their-names from across the Pond early the next year was the final nail. Things deteriorated further with Hollywood’s inane beach-party movies, contrived groups like the Sunrays and Madison Avenue’s inevitable overexposure. Many bands kept on playing and some never gave
up, but sadly the original surf scene was essentially over. A significant revival took place in the late ‘70s, alongside and cooperatively with punk. By the mid-‘80s a full-on surf reawakening had happened. Today, according to noted music historian John Blair, a new scene is thriving—with thousands of bands currently performing globally. He sees the universal language of surf music playing and living on. By the way, if any of you have an original copy of “Wipe Out” on the DFS label, take good care of it. A copy recently traded hands for $2,500. ■
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Easy, effortless and iconic, South Bay’s golden era of surf gives us stylish summer vibes. STYLED BY TANYA MONAGHAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL MAKEUP & HAIR BY BLAIR BERNDES CARS COURTESY OF AUTOMOBILE DRIVING MUSEUM
Kirsi long dress by Starmela, $204, and shell bracelet by Zacasha, $42; The Beehive in Manhattan Beach. Retro button-up short-sleeve shirt by Bevilocqua, $240; Wright’s in Manhattan Beach. Board shorts by Katin, $67; BLVD in Manhattan Beach.
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Lance vintage style polo shirt by Mr. Turk, $248; Trina Turk in Manhattan Beach. Blue overdyed shorts by Billabong, $54.95, and custom surfboard by Ry Harris, $1,850; Nikau Kai in Manhattan Beach. Chevron crocheted bikini top (sold as a set) by Dove, $190; Beach & Beverly in Hermosa Beach. Flared Jeans by Warm, $376; Wright’s in Manhattan Beach. Shell bracelets, $32 each, and suede sandals by Ancient Greek Sandals, $224; The Beehive in Manhattan Beach. Classic tortoise sunglasses, $168; Trina Turk in Manhattan Beach. Gauze Queen top by Jen’s Pirate Booty, $122, and Queen skirt, $176; The Beehive in Manhattan Beach. Bird necklace by Marisa Haskell, $160, and turquoise tassel earrings by Ten Things, $65; Gum Tree in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Beaded bracelet by Kalosoma, $300; Wrights in Manhattan Beach.
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Clay one-piece swimsuit by Amuse Society, $58; The Beehive in Manhattan Beach. The weekender jeans by Mother Denim, $228, sun-stitched leather visor by Right Tribe, $98, and cuff by Beth Orduna, $528; Wrights in Manhattan Beach. Feather earrings by Serafina, $44, and feather necklace by Serafina, $62; The Beehive in Manhattan Beach. Retro button-up short-sleeve shirt by Bevilocqua, $240; Wright’s in Manhattan Beach. Matte tortoise sunglasses by
Electric, $150, blue over-dyed shorts by Billabong, $54.95, and Mexican blanket, $38; Nikau Kai in Manhattan Beach. Long-sleeve peasant blouse by Ulla Johnson, $426, Hustler ankle fray jeans by Mother Denim, $216, ring by MJM, $525; Wright’s in Manhattan Beach. Pillow by Rosie Bunny Bean, $98; Gum Tree. Custom surfboard by Ry Harris, $1,850; Nikau Kai in Manhattan Beach. Leather fringe bag by Right Tribe, $388; available online at shoprighttribe.com.
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Common Thread A Hermosa Beach duo combines style and cause with a new business venture.
Both in their mid-20s, entrepreneurs Emily Sansom and Brian Poage saw an opportunity to launch an apparel company, create jobs and provide clean water to those in need. Founded less than a year ago, Aloha for the People created shirts right here in Downtown Los Angeles using hand-woven fabrics from Guatemala. “We wanted to create a company that could provide jobs in our partner country as well as here at home,” explains Emily. “We really like creating jobs in our own city.” With every shirt sold, Aloha for People provides a child in Guatemala access to clean water for two years, thanks to their partnership with the Guatemalan-based water filtration company Ecofiltro. Guatemala was selected as the first partner country because of its rich history with textiles and its severe water crisis. Nearly 95% of the water sources in the country are not suitable for human consumption, and waterborne illnesses are one of their leading causes of death. To raise the initial capital to make 600 shirts and provide 600 children with clean water access, the duo launched a Kickstarter campaign and raised $25,000 in 30 days. “This got us off the ground with pre-ordered shirts and donations from both people in the LA area and around the world,” shares Brian. “We have had fantastic support from local Southern California stores who have partnered with us to sell our shirts, including Soil Home & Garden in Redondo Beach.” Brian and Emily were inspired to start their business after reading Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes. “We hoped we could truly provide a positive impact for people while making aloha shirts that are unique and represent the Guatemalan culture,” says Brian, reflecting on the journey. “Consumers are looking for companies to stand for more than just profits in today’s market. They are willing to pay more for a quality product that works to improve the world. Patagonia and TOMS have proven that this model can be successful, and I hope that we can do the same.” ■
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The Hungry Surfer Hanging ten at Hermosa’s new Tower 12 WRITTEN BY BONNIE GRAVES
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Lately in America, being qualified for a gig seems hugely irrelevant. (Food writing seems pretty irrelevant too, just for the record.) That’s why it’s reassuring to encounter people of integrity who over-deliver simply because they take genuine pride in what they do. This was my gut reaction when my family and I braved the weekend beach chaos and scored a tiny corner table at Tower 12, Hermosa’s newest hang. This place is so, so, so much better than it needs to be to succeed. In an industry where location and liquor license trump all else, they honestly could serve microwaved burritos and warm Coronas and it would still have a line out the door. Instead, the team behind Tower 12 has created something that’s unique–if you can wait out the lines and find some table real estate. They don’t take reservations on the weekends, at least, and probably with good reason. The young girls at the front have the patience of Mother Teresa as they graciously let folks know it will be at least an hour wait to get a table. Tower 12 is not exactly a restaurant, although consulting Chef Brendan Collins’ food is amazing. It’s not exactly a bar either, although there
are two of them located at either end of a breezy walkway that overlooks the pier, and the cocktails and beers are free-flowing. It’s not exactly a social club, although like Soho House or the Battery in SF, it is a carefully stylized space where every random tchotchke is placed with intention. Tower 12 basically feels like your failure-tolaunch uncle’s surf shack from the ‘70s, where he let you drink beer with your buddies while you played LPs and Pac-Man. Don’t try to go stealing all that great décor though; it’s glued down, as my 7-year-old discovered when we tried to explain what a record player is. On to the food. It’s always a risk to hire a highwattage chef between gigs as a “consultant.” It’s nice to have the name association, but too often this results in a menu that was phoned in and an untrained kitchen staff that can’t execute on the ideas. At Tower 12, it’s quite the opposite. I have no idea how much time Chef Collins has spent or still spends down in Hermosa (he has Birch restaurant in Hollywood and a few other gigs), but the food coming out of the kitchen is beyond good. Whether the well-oiled bar crowd cares or not, I am unsure. But if YOU
like casual food that is impeccably prepared and promptly served, you will love this place. The menu promises “delights for the hungry surfer” and declares that “food is better with family–welcome home.” I must point out that we were the only actual family present, however. I was reminded of why my husband chose to live in the South Bay during his USC film school/bachelor days. The ladies are abundant, young and gorgeous at Tower 12, that’s for sure. Menu highlights for us included the sea salt pretzel knots done with fondue, the requisite burger, a terrific charcuterie-and-cheese plank, and something deadly called the “banoffee sundae.” It’s a very ambitious menu for a restaurant of this size. In addition to the starters and charcuterie, they offer “Five Essential Salads,” six different wood-fired pizzas, a DIY burger section, a smokehouse BBQ selection and six entrées consolidated under the “American Regional Classics” category. Given that Collins is a Brit, I found that category kind of charming, as bucatini with bacon and English peas isn’t often served side-by-side with potpie and brisket in the good ol’ US of A. I wanted to peek in the kitchen and see how many guys were on the line, but our first round of food came so fast I didn’t have time. For a relatively new restaurant, they seem on top of it. From requests for extra sourdough
toast, extra limes for a cocktail and a kid’s fourth round of ketchup, everything was brought out correctly and promptly. Someone knows how to manage both front and back of the house. The joint was jumping. I’d like to go back to Tower 12 on a Monday night in about six months, when the bright young things are home watching Netflix and nursing Sunday’s hangover. Ideally, the husband and I could stroll right in and find a comfy corner. I think an early Coppola movie would be playing on one of the (too) many screens, or perhaps some vintage surf reels. We’d have a cocktail or two, talk about the day and order up some amazing food. Perhaps that surfer uncle eventually went to culinary school and became a Michelin-starred chef, until he decided to come on home to the South Bay. The food at Tower 12 reflects a pride in execution that is a tribute to all who work there. My husband thinks it’s the best burger he’s ever had in Los Angeles, and I thought the charcuterie-and-cheese was on par with some of best I’ve had in Paris. It doesn’t need to be that good but it is. Lucky us! Let’s just hope the bar crowd doesn’t drive away the foodies. ■ Tower 12 53 Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach 310-379-6400, tower12hb.com
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FROM FEAR TO
forgiveness It has been said that a nation gets the leader it needs when it needs him most. During two of the most challenging periods in our nation’s brief history—the Great Depression and World War II—the U.S. could turn to Franklin Delano Roosevelt with his tenacity and his comforting voice over fireside chats. His quotes like “A date which will live in infamy” and “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” helped buoy our ship in the squall of an uncertain world, propelling him to hold our nation’s highest office for an unprecedented four terms. Yet his presidency was not without troubles. This remarkable man who led us through some of our darkest hours also enabled one of the most shameful chapters in our history—the forced relocation and incarceration of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans between 1942 and 1946, many uprooted from right here in the South Bay. WRITTEN BY MICHELE GARBER PHOTOGRAPHED BY NANCY PASTOR
“HUMAN KINDNESS HAS NEVER WEAKENED THE STAMINA OR SOFTENED THE FIBER OF A FREE PEOPLE. A NATION D O E S N OT H AV E TO BE CRUEL TO BE TOUGH.” — FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
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e Americans like to think of ourselves as the world’s good guys … a heroic nation, reliably on the right side of history, whose brave men and women rid the world of fascism and liberated Europe twice. The country that won the space race and ended the cold war. A beacon of freedom and hope, where for more than two centuries immigrants from across the globe have arrived seeking opportunity. After all, we are the country where anyone willing to work hard has a chance to succeed—regardless of the color of their skin, the religion they practice, the status of their
CURATOR OF CONSCIOUSNESS Clement Hanami, art director at the Japanese American National Museum in Downtown Los Angeles, is photographed in front of “The Heart Mountain Barracks” from Wyoming’s Heart Mountain Concentration Camp during World War II. After the war, the barracks were sold to local homesteaders. This one belonged to rancher Ron Morrison, who used it as a storage shed. The mission of the Japanese American National Museum is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience.
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birth or the zip code in which they dwell. And we are one of the world’s most generous nations, always the first to show up in a crisis and offer our support, our ingenuity, our might and our compassion. For America isn’t so much a nation as it is an ideal … a dream, and we are a proud people who perhaps feel an innate—albeit slight—sense of superiority. To be sure, our overall worldview and how we view our nation’s role within global matters is evolving—especially among younger generations. Yet in general Americans believe in our own exceptionalism. Alas, no nation—not even the U.S.—is perfect, and even heroes have foibles. America may be the leader of the free world, the home of the free and the brave, but like most other nations our history is scarred by a few very dark chapters.
Even after slavery was abolished, the lasting effects of our nation’s most heinous chapter continue. Its profound impact still lingers in our nation’s psyche. Some scars never entirely heal. Unfortunately, the U.S. treatment of African Americans and Native Americans are not the only shameful chapters in our history. There is another lesser-known dark period in our not-so-distant past when prejudice, hysteria and greed clouded our judgment and prompted our honorable nation to abandon its most fundamental and cherished principles, betray the Constitution and ruin the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent American citizens. On February 19, 1942—just two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor—President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing the Secretary of War to
the Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants) and Nisei (U.S.-born citizens of Japanese descent) living among us posed a threat. Absurd as it seems, even the elderly, women and children were deemed a risk. They concluded all Nikkei should be removed from areas considered vulnerable to attack by Japan including the west coast of Washington, Oregon, California and parts of Arizona. The location with the highest and most urgent risk of attack was the Port of Los Angeles. Thus within six days of the signing of EO 9066, 500 Japanese American families living on Terminal Island near Long Beach were given orders to evacuate within 48 hours. They were the first to be evacuated and suffered some of the greatest personal losses of livelihood and property as a result of the haste in their removal.
A M E R I C A M AY B E T H E L E A D E R O F T H E F R E E W O R L D, T H E H O M E O F T H E F R E E A N D T H E B R AV E, B U T L I K E M O S T OTHER NATIONS OUR HISTORY IS SCARRED BY A FEW VERY DARK CHAPTERS. Most Americans are aware of the reprehensible way we treated Native Americans in the late 19th century. Under presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren we signed countless meaningless treaties, lied, cheated and forcibly drove American Indians from their ancestral lands—robbing them of their heritage and often their lives, all in the name of continental expansion and manifest destiny. Generations of Native Americans have never fully recovered from the horrendous treatment they endured at the hands of the U.S. government. Every American knows of the ultimate American sin: slavery. It is undoubtedly our darkest chapter. Slavery left a deep scar that has had a lasting effect our nation. Indeed, our nation’s first two centuries were profoundly influenced at almost every step in some way by slavery—from the establishment of states to the advancement of industries to the outcome of elections and ultimately the tragedy of the Civil War, which resulted in the greatest loss of American life and left our nation bitterly divided for generations to come.
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establish a military zone in the U.S. Western states, thus paving the way to forcibly remove and incarcerate American citizens and legal permanent residents of Japanese ancestry in concentration camps. In the weeks and months following the attack on Pearl Harbor there was widespread fear that the Japanese would hit the U.S. West Coast. The highest concentration of Nikkei (people of Japanese descent) residing in the U.S. lived either in Hawaii or near the West Coast. Ignorance and irrational fear that Nikkei would align themselves with Japan and take up arms and commit sabotage or perhaps espionage against the U.S. became pervasive. These fears were not only baseless, they had been completely debunked in the Munson Report—an extensive and credible study prepared at the behest of FDR by Curtis B. Munson a year before Pearl Harbor. In his report, Munson found that well over 90% of Japanese Americans and Japanese residents were loyal to America. Rational or not, many in the U.S. government—including the president—determined
Just 10 days after EO 9066 was signed, the militarized zone was officially established and divided into areas of “exclusion” where those of Japanese descent could no longer remain. A curfew for all people of Japanese ancestry was implemented between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., and the Wartime Civil Control Administration opened 15 “assembly centers”—mostly at fairgrounds and horse tracks—where an estimated 92,000 Nikkei would be processed before being “evacuated” to permanent “relocation” camps. Over the course of the coming weeks, a series of Civilian Exclusion Orders were systematically issued with “Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry” in each of the exclusion areas specifying directions of where to report and on what date. The instructions also outlined what each person could and should bring with them for evacuation and what property would have to be left behind. These Civilian Exclusion Orders came as a shock to many. It was unfathomable to many community members to imagine that the U.S. would ever do something like this to its
TAKING SIDES Tak Fujii and his father arrived in Heart Mountain, Wyoming, after processing through the assembly center in Pomona. Tak says, “I was only 4. As a child I didn’t see the experience of my parents. I was a kid ... it was fun. We would watch war movies, and then we would pretend we were fighting on Guadalcanal. Sometimes we were the bad guys—the Japanese, and some days we’d be the Americans—the good guys. The Japanese were the enemy, and we didn’t think we were part of the enemy because we were American.”
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SISTERS OF SOLIDARITY Old friends Etsuku Nakano, 91, and Harumi Nakao, 84, recall their shared experience incarcerated at the Poston Relocation Center, built on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation in Arizona. Between 1942 and 1945, the Poston camps housed more than 18,000 Japanese and Japanese American detainees. Opposite page: Harumi holds her fifth-grade class photo taken in 1942 at Poston.
citizens. Yet for decades prejudice against Japanese Americans was commonplace and openly condoned. And in the two years leading up to EO 9066 there were red flags that this type of injustice could potentially occur. THE GROUNDWORK OF PREJUDICE In the 1800s many Chinese emigrated to the U.S. in hopes of a better life. They filled many hard labor positions building the new nation’s infrastructure, including the Transcontinental Railroad. But prejudice against the Chinese festered, and in 1882 the U.S. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act—effectively ending all Chinese immigration for the next 60 years. Workers were needed to replace inexpensive Chinese labor both in the Kingdom of Hawaii and the U.S. mainland. Japanese began emigrating to Hawaii to work on sugarcane plantations. And by the late 1800s Japanese began emigrating directly to the U.S. West Coast, especially Los Angeles. In fact, by 1930 a majority of Japanese Americans in the U.S. lived within a 3-mile
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radius of East 1st Street and South San Pedro Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles … the area commonly known as Little Tokyo. Much like the racial bias that was directed at the Chinese, the Japanese immigrants began experiencing similar prejudice. Considerable resentment built up among the white working class and labor communities, as Asians were willing to work longer hours for lower wages. White workers became increasingly concerned they would be displaced from their jobs. Beginning in 1894 and continuing on throughout the first half of the 20th century, a series of laws were passed at the state and federal level to restrict the rights of immigrant populations—especially the Japanese. Classified as “non-white aliens,” Japanese immigrants were denied the right to naturalized citizenship afforded to immigrants of European and African descent. Using this denial of citizenship, Japanese immigrants were deprived of countless other rights purely on the basis of their race. Designated “aliens ineligible for
citizenship,” they were prohibited from owning agricultural land or holding long-term leases on agricultural land. Eventually this extended to holding any lease. Fortunately the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution recognized those born in the U.S. as American citizens, so Nisei were permitted to own property. Issei were able to circumvent Alien Land Laws by purchasing property in their Nisei children’s names or by forming corporations to purchase land. Discrimination against the Japanese didn’t end at denial of citizenship or land ownership. At the behest of the Asiatic Exclusion League—an anti-Japanese immigration organization that was also behind the Alien Land Laws—the San Francisco Board of Education attempted to segregate Japanese children into an all-Asian public school. This created an immediate backlash. When leaders in Japan learned of the incident, it caused diplomatic tensions. To rectify the situation, President Theodore Roosevelt negotiated the “Gentlemen’s Agreement” with Japan. In exchange for
reintegrating San Francisco schools, Japan would cease issuing visas to Japanese intending to emigrate to Hawaii or the U.S. mainland—leading to the first of many limitations on Japanese immigration. Though no new visas could be issued, Japanese wishing to emigrate who already had family in the U.S. could still do so. Many of the Issei living in the U.S. were bachelors. This led to the phenomenon of picture brides—arranged marriages organized through matchmakers exchanging photographs of potential spouses. In 1917 Congress passed additional laws restricting immigration that required all those older than 16 to pass a literacy test … though this did little to stop the flow of immigration. It also had little effect on Japanese immigration, due to the Gentlemen’s Agreement. Then in 1924 Congress passed the Johnson-Reed Act, better known as the Immigration Act of 1924, that severely restricted immigration with draconian quotas pegged to 1890 census levels. The act was aimed primarily at discriminating against Italian, Jewish and Eastern European immigrants, but it also served to completely end all Asian immigration. It would not be overturned until 1952.
three-month period between late August and late November 1940. Also in June 1940, acting on a preemptive concern of “enemy” alien espionage, FDR transferred the Immigration and Naturalization Service from the Department of Labor to the Department of Justice. U.S. government concerns about the loyalty of U.S. and Hawaiian residents of Japanese, German and Italian descent began as early as 1936. Between 1936 and 1939 the Office of Naval Intelligence, the War Department’s Military Intelligence Division and the FBI began the collection of data on
ISOLATIONISM, XENOPHOBIA AND PARANOIA Prior to World War I, the U.S. experienced a massive influx in immigration from all corners of the globe. From 1880 through 1930, 27 million people emigrated to the U.S. Although the Great Depression and WWI saw immigration numbers decrease sharply, a pervasive sense of anti-immigrant sentiment and a surge in post-war isolationist attitudes spread throughout the nation. The 1917 and 1924 immigration laws reflected these widespread isolationist viewpoints. The breakout of World War II only served to deepen this irrational way of thinking. Thus a general fear of the enemy within was taking hold. As a response to these misguided fears, in June 1940 Congress passed the Smith Act—also known as the Alien Registration Act of 1940. The Smith Act required all non-citizens age 14 or older to register and be fingerprinted with the U.S. government. According to the LA Times, in Los Angeles alone 80,000 non-citizens registered in the
aliens from potential enemy states. The FBI launched the secret Custodial Detention List (CDL), which maintained files on every alien who could pose a risk to U.S. wartime efforts. Should war break out, the list would be an expedient way to detain and intern “enemy aliens” in detention camps. Broken into three categories—A, B and C— aliens were ranked by their potential level of threat to the U.S. in the event of war. On December 7, 1941, as bombs were still exploding in the background, the FBI began arresting without warrant Issei throughout Hawaii as well as the U.S. mainland. According to a memo from J. Edgar Hoover to FDR’s secretary, Major General Edwin M. Watson, by 7:30 a.m. on December 9, 1941, a total of 1,212 Japanese Americans were taken into custody by the FBI—including 390 Issei in Hawaii and 580 on the West Coast, 328 of those in Los Angeles. In contrast, 620 Germans and 98 Italians were taken into custody in the U.S. by the afternoon of December 9. In the weeks following Pearl Harbor,
Japanese American bank accounts and assets were frozen. Warrantless, random raids were conducted on Japanese American homes and businesses. Property deemed contraband was confiscated. Thousands of Japanese American community leaders who had appeared on the CDL were arrested by the FBI and surreptitiously shipped to Crystal City, Texas, with no due process, no specific charges, no hearing and no legal counsel. Among these leaders were heads of local social organizations, journalists, teachers, even priests. Tak Fujii was only 4 years old when two FBI agents showed up at his family’s home to arrest his parents in the days after Pearl Harbor. His mother was the priest in the local Tenrikyo church and thus was on the CDL list. “The FBI were rounding up all the community leaders and shipping them to Texas,” Tak describes. “The idea was to get all of them out of the community first. My mother was a priest. The FBI sent two guys, and their orders were to take my parents.” As Tak shares this very personal story, his speech is punctuated with raw emotion and his voice begins to crack. Holding back tears, he goes on to explain, “My father said to the agents, ‘Who is going to take care of my son?’ The agent replied, ‘Well, ship him off to one of your friends.’ I was only 4. Japan is a patriarchal society, so the agents were surprised that my mother was the community leader, not my father. After they checked with the home office, they allowed my father to stay with me. It was traumatic. They took my mother, and I didn’t see her again until 1944.” On January 14, 1942, less than six weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR issued Presidential Proclamation 2537, requiring all aliens from the three Axis countries— Germany, Italy and Japan—to register with the U.S. Department of Justice. Each registrant received a Certificate of Identification for Aliens of Enemy Nationality. A precursor to EO 9066, Proclamation 2537 allowed for the arrest, detention and internment of aliens should they access restricted areas—essentially areas vulnerable to sabotage such as ports, water treatment facilities, vital installations and areas prone
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to brush fires. Five weeks after FDR issued Presidential Proclamation 2537 he issued EO 9066, sealing the fate of 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of which were U.S. citizens. THE EVACUATION On March 2, 1942, Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt—head of the Western Defense Command—issued Proclamation #1 establishing Military Areas #1 and #2. Area #1 included the coastal regions of Washington, Oregon, California and part of Arizona. Military Area #2 was any area outside #1 in those states. The proclamation made it clear that “enemy aliens” would not be allowed to remain in area #1 and encouraged voluntary evacuation. It also said that any planned change of address required registration. On March 18, 1942, the War Relocation Authority (WRA) was established to execute EO 9066. On March 24 the first Civilian Exclusion Order was executed for 45 families living on Bainbridge Island near Seattle. They were given one week to prepare for evacuation and report to their assembly center. Realizing that voluntary evacuation was impractical, Proclamation #4 was issued on March 27, prohibiting any further voluntary evacuation as well as prohibiting any further changes of address. In the weeks to follow, 108 further evacuation orders would be posted. Each time, the families being evacuated had less than a week to make arrangements, dispose of or sell or store their possessions, and report to their designated assembly center. The WRA wanted the evacuation from Military Area #1 to begin immediately, but the facilities to house the evacuees were not ready. Thus the WRA established 15 temporary Assembly Centers. Most of these were at racetracks and fairgrounds. Japanese Americans found themselves sleeping on hay in stalls once used by horses and hogs. In many cases evacuees were held up to three months before boarding a train or bus to more permanent housing in the 10 relocation camps.
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Every person evacuated was given a number on a tag resembling a baggage tag, and whatever possessions they were able to bring with them were labeled. Each person could bring one suitcase. Exclusion orders instructed them to bring household items such as bedding and cutlery too. Pat Fujii, who now resides in a lovely family home in Torrance, muses, “Sometimes I look around at our home and all our family things and think about camp. When you’re told you can only take one suitcase with you … I look around and think, ‘What would I take?’” Pat was 3 years old at the time she and her family arrived at Tule Lake, California. She continues, “Even so, my folks … they weren’t bitter.” The location of the 10 concentration camps that would hold the 120,000 Japanese American inmates were chosen for their inaccessibility. All of them but one were on federal land in isolated areas either in deserts or swampland. The desolation of these areas made it easier to guard the camps.
Though even President Roosevelt called them concentration camps, the government referred to them as relocation centers. There were two centers in California: Manzanar and Tule Lake; two in Arizona: Poston and Gila; two in Arkansas: Rohwer and Jerome; and one in Minidoka, Idaho; Heart Mountain, Wyoming; Amache (Granada), Colorado; and Topaz, Utah. Living arrangements in the camps were sparse—the type of housing suitable for survival-trained combat soldiers. Housing was comprised of military-style barracks laid out in blocks. Each block contained 16 barracks that were each 20 feet by 100 feet. Each barrack was divided into apartments; most were 20 feet x 20 feet. Individual apartments had one light and a potbelly stove. The barracks had bare wood floors, often with cracks in them that allowed cold air to come through. In the camps of Arizona, when dust storms hit dust would stream through the floorboard. In some of the assembly centers and camps there were cots to sleep on, while at others there no beds. Etsuku “Ets” Nakano recalls her arrival at Poston, PAST/PRESENT/FUTURE This page and opposite: Scenes Arizona: “We were sent from The Remembrance Project by bus, and I get car sick. at the Japanese American By the time we arrived, I National Museum. was so sick. They handed each of us an empty gunny sack and pointed to a field where there were bales of hay. We were expected to take our gunny sacks, fill them with hay, and use those as mattresses. Well I could barely stand, so one of the boys filled my sack for me.” Each block also had a barrack used as a mess hall and separate barracks for men’s and women’s communal bathrooms and showers, as well as a barrack for laundry and ironing. There were barracks that served as classrooms and a hospital at each of the 10 relocation centers. Every camp was encircled by barbed wire and had guard towers manned by armed guards and searchlights. Under the guise of
“relocation” versus internment, the government tried to create a sense of normalcy and community in the camps. But no consenting adult could pretend they weren’t being held against their will. Nevertheless, the Japanese American inmates did their best to gaman (“endure the unbearable”), because shikata ga nai (“it can’t be helped.”) This deep-rooted survival mode engrained in the Japanese mindset helped many in the relocation camps persevere and make the best of the situation. Adults put on a brave face and didn’t let the children feel scared or sad. Indeed, in speaking with people who were in the camps as young children, few have negative memories. Most recall their time in camp as an adventure. Whether that speaks more to the adaptability of a child’s mind or the dignity and courage of their parents in not letting on to the severity of the situation or allowing their angst to show is a matter of debate. Perhaps it’s a combination of both. Tak Fujii and his father arrived in Heart Mountain, Wyoming, after processing through the assembly center in Pomona. Tak says, “I was only 4. As a child I didn’t see the experience of my parents. I was a kid ... it was fun. There were races and football. Our team would play nearby schools. I had a neighbor from back home who would send me care packages, which made a huge difference. And my dad could go to a nearby river for fishing. We would watch war movies, and then we would pretend we were fighting on Guadalcanal. Sometimes we were the bad guys—the Japanese, and some days we’d be the Americans—the good guys. The Japanese were the enemy, and we didn’t think we were part of the enemy because we were American.” Beyond gaman, the inmates made a concerted effort to make life as pleasant and normal as possible while interned. They formed social clubs and Boy Scout troops, had movie nights, held dances and attended religious services. They tried to make their apartments more livable and beautify their environment by planting gardens, building furniture, making privacy screens and creating decorative art. Harumi Nakao was 9 when she arrived with her family at Poston. As she recalls, her mother informed her in a very “matter-offact” way that their family was being sent to a camp. Describing the experience Harumi says, “I had three brothers, one sister and another little brother who was born in Poston. He
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claims that he is the most damaged as he was born there—though he was far too young to recall the experience.” Harumi is close friends with Ets now, though the two did not know one another at Poston. Harumi was friends with Ets’ younger sister. Ets was 15 when she arrived with her family of six girls and two boys. Because their family was so large, they had two apartments. The two women enjoy a back-and-forth banter of life in and after Poston, agreeing that while in camp there wasn’t much to do. “We had to make our own fun. Kids who wanted to date had no privacy, so they hung out on the steps of the barracks. In the camps people could work at different jobs and get paid by their skill. Ets’ dad was a carpenter, so he made the highest pay rate,
answered yes, but about 5,000 Nisei answered no to 27 and 28. They became known as the “No-Noes” and were deemed “disloyal” or “potentially troublesome.” Following the loyalty questionnaire debacle, thousands of Nisei asked to renounce their U.S. citizenship. The WRA wanted to segregate the “disloyal” from the rest of the camp population. Because Tule Lake had the highest number of “No-Noes,” it was decided that the “disloyal” would be sent there to be segregated for the remainder of the war, while “loyal” Nikkei at Tule Lake could be relocated to a different camp. Pat was at Tule Lake with her immediate and extended family. When given the option to move, Pat’s aunt and uncle transferred to Heart Mountain. But Pat and her family stayed behind. Her dad didn’t want to move
cases disruptive experience. They were given $25 and a bus or train ticket home. Leaving the camps meant returning to a community where deep racial prejudice and distrust was still thriving. Upon their return Nikkei discovered that they couldn’t find jobs or places to live. Often the only people who would hire or rent to Japanese Americans were other Asians. Discrimination was so bad, Chinese and Koreans would wear buttons saying, “I’m not Japanese.” For those with funds to buy a home, it was often written into the deed that homes could only be sold or resold to Caucasians. African Americans also experienced similar postWWII racism. After they left Poston, Harumi and her family moved into an unoccupied army
THEY WERE GIVEN $25 AND A BUS OR TRAIN TICKET H O M E. L E AV I N G T H E C A M P S M E A N T R E T U R N I N G TO A COMMUNITY WHERE DEEP RACIAL PREJUDICE AND D I S T R U S T WA S S T I L L T H R I V I N G. but there weren’t many things to buy.” Ets, now 91, describes life after the war: “We were living a good life. We’ve done everything we need to do … experienced what we had to experience. Good and bad.” Harumi, now 84, adds, “I think [camp] made all of us stronger. Shikata ga nai and gaman. That’s what got us through.” In 1943 the WRA wanted to form an allNisei combat group and were considering reinstating Selective Service (draft) eligibility for the Nisei being held in relocation centers. They asked all Nikkei to complete a loyalty questionnaire—including Nisei women and Issei—but did not alter the form accordingly. Question 27 asked if they were willing to volunteer for combat duty, while question 28 asked if they would pledge loyalty to the U.S. and renounce loyalty to Japan. The questionnaire caused unexpected and widespread backlash. Some found the questions confusing and viewed them as a trick, while many Nisei were offended to be asked to pledge loyalty while they as American citizens were being held in prison camps against their will with their constitutional rights being flagrantly violated. The vast majority went ahead and
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to an unknown and likely much colder place with his three young children. AN END TO EXCLUSION On January 2, 1945, the U.S. Supreme Court found in favor of Mitsuye Endo, stating that it was unlawful to detain loyal citizens—thus effectively ending the validity of the exclusion orders. What is especially remarkable about the Endo case is that in an effort to make it go away, Endo was offered release from the camp in Topaz, Utah, two years prior. She declined to be freed so her case could continue. There is currently a push for Endo to posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After the exclusion orders were rescinded and the war ended later that year, the Nikkei were faced with another challenge. The camps were closing, and it was time to return home. For many this was obviously welcome news. For others—having lost everything when they were detained and interned—they had no home or livelihood to return to. For many, though not by choice and not ideal, camp had become home. They found themselves having to say goodbye to friends. It was a bittersweet, painful and in some
barracks without running water or a telephone. They lived there for 10 years. Her father was a gardener and somehow managed to support his family of eight while sending his kids to school and saving money. “Within 10 years we had enough money saved to buy a home, but the seller informed my dad that the deed required the buyer must be white. My father walked away saying nothing. He then purchased a five-acre parcel in Garden Grove and built a large family home (with running hot water) for the whole family.” Three of Harumi’s four brothers volunteered to serve in the U.S. military. When asked how they were able to overcome their experience in Poston and serve their country, Harumi replied, “They wanted to prove they were citizens. They wanted to earn the respect of American society.” HOW TO RIGHT A WRONG After the war and the heartbreak that came with internment, many in the Japanese American community simply wanted to move on. Gaman. This attitude of moving forward—not dwelling on the past—was not exclusive to Japanese.
SERVING WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION Even in the face of extreme prejudice and the incarceration of their families and fellow Japanese Americans, a brave group of Nisei men joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and the 100th Infantry Battalion and fought bravely for their country and for the principles of freedom. The 100th Infantry Battalion was comprised of a group of Japanese Americans who were serving in the Hawaiian National Guard prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. When Japan hit Pearl Harbor, 40% of the Hawaiian population were people of Japanese ancestry. Unlike Issei and Nisei on the mainland, the Japanese Americans and residents in Hawaii were not sent to relocation centers after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The displacement of that large of a percentage of the population would have devastated the territory’s economy. Plus, Japanese Americans were needed to support the war effort in Hawaii. Thousands of Nisei living in Hawaii volunteered to join the U.S. military to prove their loyalty. The National Guard members became the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion—an all-Asian military unit established in May 1942. In June the battalion would travel to California and be renamed the 100th Infantry Battalion. During basic training in Wisconsin, Mississippi and Louisiana, their performance was so exemplary it inspired U.S. government and military officials to form the 442nd RCT—an all-volunteer Japanese American army unit. In August 1943 the 100th Infantry Battalion deployed to North Africa and then headed up the boot of Italy, fighting in some of the fiercest and most pivotal battles in the European theatre. Though successful in its battles, the 100th Battalion took heavy casualties—earning it the nickname “the Purple Heart Battalion.” There were 1,300 men in the unit when they landed in Italy. After the brutal battle at Monte Casino there were just 600 troops still able to fight. The 442nd RCT arrived in Italy north of Rome, and shortly after the 100th became part of the 442nd. Yet because of its extraordinary combat record, the 100th was allowed to keep its separate designation. The 442nd RCT and the 100th Battalion would go on to fight multiple battles in Italy and France. They rescued the 1st Battalion of the 141st Regiment of the 36th “Texas” Division trapped in the Vosges Mountains surrounded by Germans, and they took more casualties than the troops they rescued. The 552nd Field Artillery Battalion, also a part of the 442nd, detached from their unit and went to aid in the invasion of Germany with the 7th Army. The 552nd would famously discover Dachau sub-camps and liberated Jewish prisoners ... a poignant irony while members of their families were held in camps back at home. The 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team would become the most decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and length of service. Combined, the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team have received seven Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier’s Medal and more than 4,000 Purple Hearts. In October 2010 President Barack Obama signed legislation to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. Notable members of the 442nd include local Torrance hero Ted Takayuki “Tak” Tanouye, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the military’s highest honor—for his bravery in battle, and former Senator and Representative Daniel Inouye of Hawaii—the first Japanese American to serve in the U.S. Congress.
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Soldiers returning from both the European and Pacific theatres also adopted this “get on with life” philosophy. Courageous and dignified as this was, by not discussing what had happened during the war, subsequent future generations know little to nothing about the Japanese American concentration camp experience. Issei and older Nisei did not speak about it with their parents or their children. Tak, Pat, Ets and Harumi all universally agree. Their parents never spoke of the internment. Their children never ask about it. And all four of them share the same regret that they didn’t ask their parents about the experience while they were still alive. A side effect of this silence was that the U.S. government felt minimal obligation to address or make reparations for the harm they had inflicted on innocent Americans solely due to their race. As the civil rights movement of the 1960s took hold, for the first time in decades Japanese Americans felt safe to openly address the issue. In July through December 1981 the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) held 20 days of public hearings in cities throughout the U.S. in front of a nine-person panel and heard from more than 750 witnesses. The result was the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which made redress payments of $20,000 tax-free to all survivors of the WWII internment. In addition, survivors received a public apology and education funding. While 82,000 survivors received the redress, those who had already passed did not and died without knowing the U.S. had acknowledged and made amends for this terrible wrong. Perhaps the most important way to right the wrong is by keeping the memory alive. At the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Downtown Los Angeles, permanent exhibitions immerse visitors in a comprehensive telling of the Japanese American experience—which of course includes the incarceration of innocent Japanese Americans during World War II. To spotlight the 75th anniversary of EO 9066 and the Civilian Exclusion, the museum is featuring a special exhibition entitled Instructions to All Persons: Reflections on Executive Order 9066, curated by JANM art director Clement Hanami. A fourth-generation Japanese American, Clement is a native Angelino. His father evacuated voluntarily to Idaho during the war, and his mother was a Hiroshima atomic
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bomb survivor and a picture bride. Clement’s perspective of what it means to be a Japanese American informed his curation of the Instructions to All Persons exhibit. The exhibition opens with videos of the CWRIC hearings, so visitors can see and hear firsthand accounts of internment survivors. It delves deep into the human experience of the evacuation and internment. “We’re creating moments and personalizing stories to illustrate individual microhistories,” Clement says. “There are 120,000 individual stories, so we had to leave so much out. Yet we wanted to communicate that
although these are the stories of individuals, they are also human stories and this could happen to anyone.” He continues, “The premise of the exhibition is to align Pearl Harbor with 9/11 and to illustrate what happened after Pearl Harbor can happen again. It’s critical to heed the stories of what happened to Japanese Americans after World War II. Our role should be to share the story to ensure that this never happen again.” ■
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RED, WHITE & NEW We’ve got America on our mind. Here are a few films and tomes we’re looking forward to this summer. EDITED BY DARREN ELMS
THE AMERICAN SPIRIT: WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR By David McCullough Simon & Schuster 192 pages Over the course of his distinguished career, David McCullough spoke before Congress, the White House, colleges and universities, historical societies and other esteemed institutions. Now, at a time of selfreflection in America following a bitter election campaign that has left the country divided, McCullough has collected some of his most important speeches in a brief volume designed to identify important principles and characteristics that are particularly American. THE BEGUILED An atmospheric thriller from acclaimed writer/director Sofia Coppola, the film unfolds during the Civil War at a Southern girls’ boarding school after its sheltered young women take in an injured enemy soldier. As they provide refuge and tend to his wounds, the house is taken over with sexual tension and dangerous rivalries, and taboos are broken in an unexpected turn of events. In theatres July 23. JFK: A VISION FOR AMERICA By Stephen Kennedy Smith and David Brinkley HarperCollins Publishers 496 pages Published in commemoration of the centennial of President John F. Kennedy’s birth, this is the definitive compendium of JFK’s most important and brilliant speeches, accompanied by commentary and reflections by leading American and international figures—including Senator Elizabeth Warren, David McCullough, Kofi Annan and the Dalai Lama—and edited by JFK’s nephew Stephen Kennedy Smith and renowned historian Douglas Brinkley. Combined with more than 700 documentary photos, it tells the story—in words and pictures—of JFK’s life and presidency, and depicts his vision for America. WONDER WOMAN The long-awaited cinematic take on the comic world’s most famous heroine arrives with Gal Gadot taking the reins of the magic lasso. When a pilot crashes and relays conflict in the outside world, Diana, princess of the Amazons, leaves home to fight a war to end all wars— discovering her full powers and true destiny. In theatres June 2. THE NIX By Nathan Hill Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group 752 pages It’s 2011, and Samuel Andresen-Anderson hasn’t seen his mother, Faye, in decades—not since she abandoned the family when he was a boy. Now she’s reappeared, having committed an absurd crime that electrifies the nightly news and inflames a politically divided country. The media paints Faye as a radical hippie with a sordid past, but as far as Samuel knows, his mother was an ordinary girl who married her high school sweetheart. Which version of his mother is true? Two facts are certain: She’s facing some serious charges, and she needs Samuel’s help.
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Your Grateful Nation Former Navy Seal Rob O’Neill comes to the South Bay with an important message about supporting our Tier 1 Special Ops veterans. EDITED BY DARREN ELMS
We all remember where we were on 9/11 and years later, when details about bin Laden’s demise were released. These profound moments changed our country and our lives forever. The men involved in Tier 1 Special Ops are, bar none, extraordinary humans with incredible brains and abilities. Rob O’Neill, the man who fired the gun that killed bin Laden, is one of those amazing soldiers. On July 27 he will be in Manhattan Beach as part of a fundraising effort for Your Grateful Nation (YGN), an organization that seeks to help Tier 1
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veterans transition from the military to a successful civilian life. The July event is three-part: a private lunch with O’Neill and Rob Clapper, executive director of YGN, at The Strand House; a gala at Manhattan Country Club; and a signing of O’Neill’s new book, The Operator. We asked both Rob and Rob to share with us more about YGN and why this mission deserves our respect and attention.
candidates is not as steep because adaptability is in their DNA. Rob, you’re also a veteran? RC: I retired as a major in the Army and went through a tough transition myself, which is why our mission is so near and dear to my heart. I was lucky enough to have a mentor—someone who went through the same thing—there for me to help me through the process and ultimately helped me land my first job. What inspired the creation of YGN? ROB CLAPPER: After the raid that ended Osama bin Laden’s life, members of SEAL Team Six were invited to a dinner hosted by very engaged supporters at a private residence in Washington, D.C. The conversation quickly turned to “What’s next?” The silence and concerned look on the faces of some of the most decorated war heroes spoke volumes. These men commented that they would rather pick up a weapon and go back into combat than sit in an interview and try to break into the corporate world. As the conversation flowed, it was apparent that these men didn’t understand the skills they learned in the military and on the battlefield—leading groups of men into extremely dangerous situations, not succumbing to the pressures of intensely high-stress environments, planning every move in a concise manner, and moving and leading with purpose—could translate perfectly into corporate America. They also mentioned that the military does not have a robust transition process that prepares you for life outside the military. This was eye-opening, and because of that night the idea to create an organization that focuses solely on these Tier 1 heroes when they transition out—many without pensions—was born. So there is no guarantee a high-level military veteran can easily find work after their service? RC: It is a myth that just because they bear the name of Navy SEAL, Green Beret, MARSOC, etc., they can walk into any company and get hired. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen. YGN also engages and teaches companies the value of these incredible veterans and the impact they will immediately make to their organization. The learning curve with our
Your Grateful Nation is based in Virginia, but I understand you have some deep ties to Manhattan Beach and the South Bay. I’ve heard it mentioned that Manhattan Beach is “the West Coast home of YGN.” How did that come to be? RC: YGN was selected as a 2016 Military Non-Profit Partner by FOX Sports. FOX
Sports senior management, led by president Eric Shanks, became a big advocate and supporter of our mission. The support and publicity we received from FOX Sports was instrumental in raising awareness of YGN throughout the country. On the heels of this significant partnership, YGN decided to launch an inaugural L.A.-based fundraising event in 2016. Outreach and conversations were had with venues and community leaders throughout Los Angeles. The city that stood out by far was Manhattan Beach. Several of the other South Bay cities also showed considerable support. Following that event, YGN Los Angelesbased board member Dan Moschella
was invited to speak to the Manhattan Beach Rotary Club. From there the YGN Manhattan Beach and South Bay love affair took a life of its own. Many fantastic friendships and key relationships have been formed. How does one get information on the upcoming 2017 events? RC: Tickets are still available. For information you can visit yourgratefulnation.org or call 310-717-6466. Rob O’Neill, congrats on your recent book. Tell us a little about the process of writing that memoir and what you hope to relay to your readers. ROB O’NEILL: I wasn’t really thinking about doing a book until a little over a year ago, when close friends and family convinced me that my 12 years in combat as a SEAL was a story worth telling. There are so many great books out that capture certain missions—like Lone Survivor and others. But I wanted to focus on something different, broader than any one mission—the life of a SEAL as reflected in the career of one warrior. Through The Operator, I wanted readers to really understand the mindset, the humanity, the humor—essentially the character of all SEALs. These are ordinary guys who are able to do extraordinary things because they live and breathe two words: Never Quit. Did you know what life awaited you after joining the Navy? RO: I was a guy from Montana who didn’t know how to swim when I joined the Navy. I thought I’d complete my service, go back to Butte, work in the mines and have some funny stories to tell my buddies. But Never Quit drove our SEAL team success and my 400-mission career— whether it was getting through BUD/S training, being part of the Marcus Luttrell rescue, the Captain Phillips mission or the bin Laden raid that ultimately led to killing the world’s most wanted terrorist. I was also able to collaborate with a great writer, Tom Shroder, who shared with me the same commitment to conveying the life of a SEAL operator in the most authentic way. There are a ton of great stories in the book, and I’m thrilled with the positive reviews and feedback. I›m really proud of what we were able to achieve with the book. ■
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Wish they all could be Californian? Look no further than our curated list of the coolest and closest hotels, inns and resorts—from north to south and everything in between. Let the local lovefest commence. WRITTEN BY JENNIE NUNN & DARREN ELMS | ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINE GEORGIADES
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The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe WHERE: Lake Tahoe 13031 Ritz Carlton Highlands Court in Truckee; 530-562-3000, ritzcarlton.com/laketahoe WHY WE LOVE IT: Tucked mid-mountain at Northstar California Resort, the luxe, 170room hideaway—replete with a gas fireplace in every room—offers just about every activity known to man including mountain biking, hiking, guided nature walks and golfing. In the winter, die-hard skiers can revel in slopeside ski-in/ski-out access and ski valet and lift ticket services.
WHAT’S NEW: The Lake Club, The Ritz-Carlton (exclusively for resort guests) consists of a modern, private, lakefront venue with sweeping views featuring a multi-level dining facility and bar, and access to a lawn, private beach, outdoor whirlpool, fire pit and boat pier. DON’T MISS: Be sure to save time for an appointment at the 17,000-square-foot spa. Consider the new Tahoe Tree of Life treatment complete with a foaming salt soak and indigenous stones from nearby surroundings.
Timber Cove
NOR CAL THE Meritage Resort & Spa, Napa WHERE: Napa 875 Bordeaux Way; 707-251-1900, meritagecollection.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Surrounded by carefully cultivated grapevines, this Tuscan-style getaway is a love letter to the area’s best-known export: delicious wine. Savor seasonal menus at the California- and Italy-inspired Siena, or sip vintages 40 feet below the sun-soaked soil in the Estate Cave, home of the exclusive Trinitas Cellars Tasting Room.
WHERE: Sonoma Coast 21780 CA-1 in Jenner, 707-847-3231, timbercoveresort.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Other than some modern updates, the vast majority of the property looks much like it did when it was first built. The rooms are spacious and elegantly rustic, like the best overnight camp ever. Many overlook the ocean, much like the giant statue “Peace Obelisk” that hovers over the cliffs like a towering beacon. Apparently the artist, Beniamino Bufano, was none too happy that the “hand” at the perch was lowered onto the statue facing the wrong direction. Talk about
WHAT’S NEW: The in-house restaurant, Coast Kitchen, was designed by hot, trendy LA design firm The Novogratz with subdued simplicity that takes a backseat to the very tasty, locally inspired menu offerings (Dungeness crab beignets, buttermilkbrined quail, fresh house-made cavatelli pasta … all epic). DON’T MISS: Jenner has some great cliffside restaurants, like River’s End right on Highway 1. If you’re in a tasting mood, head up the hill to Fort Ross Vineyard, a secluded spot with forest views and some delicious estate wines.
WHAT’S NEW: The Meritage will soon double its profile with the addition of new rooms, suites and venues on the property. Currently the resort features 322 rooms, including 12 suites. DON’T MISS: Nestled under the vineyards in the 22,000-square-foot Estate Cave, awardwinning Spa Terra soothes with natural stone and copper accents, blended with old-world Florentine architecture and furnishings. Each deluxe treatment integrates Napa Valley influences with essential ingredients indigenous to Northern California.
The Inn at Union Square WHERE: San Francisco 440 Post Street, 415-397-3510, unionsquare.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Situated steps away from the hustle and bustle of Union Square and iconic cable cars on Powell Street, the 30-room boutique hotel is a nod to bygone days of San Francisco’s storied past with a hint of modern elegance. Guests enjoy complimentary breakfast and perks in a setting that’s as close to staying at a good friend’s home as it gets.
a slap in the face.
WHAT’S NEW: Thanks to a massive renovation completed earlier this year, the property’s guestrooms are awash in calming sand and chocolate tones with pops of persimmon. Each is appointed with tufted headboards with nailhead trim, velvet lounge chairs, and artwork inspired by the beloved philanthropy and arts mogul Alma Spreckels (referred to as the “great-grandmother of San Francisco”) and her penchant for dancing and French baroque design. DON’T MISS: Grab a good book and unwind by a wood-burning fireplace in one of the inn’s parlors (there’s one on each floor), and mingle with other guests at a nightly complimentary wine and cheese reception.
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The Hideaway
CEN TRAL The Landsby WHERE: Solvang 1576 Mission Drive, 805-688-3121, thelandsby.com WHY WE LOVE IT: The modern, Scandinavian-style hotel in bucolic Solvang (founded in 1911 by three Danish pioneers) is equipped with an on-site eatery, Mad & Vin (“food and wine” in Danish) headed by Chef Beto Huizar, and a lobby bar. Outfitted by Santa Monica–based design firm Studio Collective, the serene refuge is dotted with fluffy, flokati throws, charcoal-hued wooden
WHERE: Carmel-by-the-Sea Junipero Street & 8th Avenue, 831-625-5222, hideawaycarmel.com WHY WE LOVE IT: The artistic enclave on the Monterey Peninsula stays timeless thanks to its inherent appeal and small-village vibe. Taking the place of the former Cobblestone Inn, The Hideaway brings a contemporary touch to the area without sacrificing an ounce of its natural charm.
WHAT’S NEW: The property has just debuted nine additional guest suites (bringing the grand total to 50 rooms) and upgraded the interior courtyard. DON’T MISS: Swap the day’s news in the hotel’s light-and-airy lobby, or grab a glass of wine and retreat to the outdoor courtyard lined with modern fire pits and lounge chairs.
WHERE: Santa Barbara 8301 Hollister Avenue in Goleta, 855-968-0100, meritagecollection.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Located along California’s most spectacular stretch of Pacific paradise, with 78 acres of oceanfront property including two miles of natural beach, sun-drenched Bacara is equally matched in beauty and bliss. Enjoy vista views of the sea and sky while embracing an innovative, artful design of low-storied buildings terraced to the sea and connected by lush, meandering garden paths. WHAT’S NEW: There is classic, and then there is expected. Angel Oak is anything
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DON’T MISS: Pets are welcome at The Hideaway. Your four-legged friend will enjoy a comfy bed, doggie treats, a bowl for food and water, cleanup bags and a customized Hideaway guest ID tag. Woof!
headboards, brass task lamps, Eames-style molded desk chairs, and black-and-white graphic prints.
Bacara Resort & Spa
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WHAT’S NEW: Owned and operated by the PlumpJack Group, the boutique hotel opened its doors in spring 2016. This highly anticipated 24-room inn now showcases sleek yet comfortable interiors, an airy lobby and a courtyard fire pit where guests can enjoy complimentary wine and cheese hour as well as an extensive European-style breakfast, complete with mimosas.
but the latter. Chef Vincent Lesage has created a culinary experience that takes a modern approach to the traditional steakhouse, set against a stunning ocean backdrop. DON’T MISS: Set above the calming blue waters of the Pacific, the spa features an expertly trained staff, adults-only pool, Jacuzzi, unique redwood sauna, eucalyptus steam room, fireside lounge areas, wellness classes and a rooftop terrace. With holistic, therapeutic treatments and amenities designed to illuminate a better way to live, the Spa at Bacara doesn’t just relax; it transforms.
Majestic Yosemite Hotel WHERE: Yosemite National Park 1 Ahwahnee Drive, 888-413-8869, nationalparkreservations.com WHY WE LOVE IT: This historic, granite-andlog hotel (formerly the lauded Ahwahnee Hotel) is located smack dab in Yosemite National Park with direct access to hiking trails including Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. Built in 1927, the 123-room hotel is a National Historic Monument and has welcomed a long line of notable guests and
dignitaries including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth II, Greta Garbo, Ansel Adams and John F. Kennedy. WHAT’S NEW: Yosemite Valley has a host of summer activities including camera walks, “bike to hike” tours and guided adventure hikes to Vernal Fall. DON’T MISS: Dinner in the Majestic Yosemite Dining Room with 34-foot-high beamed cathedral ceilings and wall-height windows framing the surrounding conifer trees and woods. You might just feel like royalty.
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Shore Hotel WHERE: Santa Monica 1515 Ocean Avenue, 310-458-1515, shorehotel.com WHY WE LOVE IT: An eco-friendly, beach-chic property with a heated outdoor pool and hot tub located just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier. The 164room LEED Gold-certified hotel uses lowflow showerheads and select lobby and guestroom furniture made from 100% preconsumer recycled polyester and Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood.
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WHAT’S NEW: The hotel has teamed up with Perry’s Café and Beach Rentals on offerings including beach butler services. Guests receive two chairs, umbrella, table, two towels and two bottles of water. You can also have the option to purchase food from Perry’s Café at an additional cost from their butler, plus bike rentals. DON’T MISS: Take a stroll down Ocean Avenue to restaurants such as Herringbone and Red O, or take in a picture-perfect sunset from the balcony of your room.
SO CAL Island Hotel Newport Beach WHERE: Newport Beach 690 Newport Center Drive, 949-759-0808, islandhotel.com WHY WE LOVE IT: The stylish, urban oasis with 292 guest rooms and suites offers views of Newport Harbor, Newport Back Bay and the ocean; a 3,000-square-foot outdoor heated pool framed by a large, cozy fireplace; a fitness center and spa; and an on-site restaurant and lounge. Feel like venturing off-property? Choose from stand-up paddleboarding in nearby Newport Aquatic Center, shopping at Fashion Island or electric boat rentals in Newport Harbor.
Fairmont Grand Del Mar WHERE: San Diego 5300 Grand Del Mar Court, 858-314-2000, fairmont.com/san-diego WHY WE LOVE IT: Inspired by the work of architecture giant Addison Mizner, the elegant, Mediterranean-style property designed by San Francisco–based interior design firm Warren Sheets Design features more than 2,000 pieces of custom-designed furniture, Venetian-plaster walls, iron and glass doorways trimmed with 22k gold accents, a lobby library with a 13-foot-high carved limestone fireplace, and manicured gardens and walkways.
DON’T MISS: A private tennis lesson with on-site pro Lynn Lewis (a three-time UCLA All American and NCAA Doubles Champion), a guided horseback ride through the Los Peñasquitos Canyon, or a spa treatment at the five-star spa equipped with wet and dry saunas and outdoor courtyards.
WHAT’S NEW: After an 18-month transformation, the property has debuted a fresh, coastal-modern look in all rooms and suites complete with a text concierge program; a customizable, in-room mini-bar; Keurig coffee makers; and a 24-hour Market Place for last-minute provisions and gourmet snacks. DON’T MISS: For your stay (for an additional fee), opt for access to the Island Club: an exclusive, 2,100-square-foot lounge replete with extras including an enhanced continental-style breakfast, daily beer and wine happy hour, a special pillow menu, iMac workstations and a DVD library.
L’Horizon Palm Springs WHERE: Palm Springs 1050 East Palm Canyon Drive, 760-323-1858, lhorizonpalmsprings.com WHY WE LOVE IT: One of the new kids on the block, this glamorous 1950s gem once served as a playground for Hollywood A-listers and U.S. presidents alike. Thanks to the unique aesthetic of renowned designer Steve Hermann, the renovated resort is better than ever. Oh, and it’s ages 18-and-older only … so leave the little ones at home.
WHAT’S NEW: Enjoy complimentary “Dive-in” movies and snacks by the resort pool on Friday nights, complimentary s’mores at the fire pit on Saturday nights or try your hand at a sand castle-building class with the help of experts at San Diego Sand Sculptures.
WHAT’S NEW: Combining the stunning mountain views with L’Horizon’s mid-century heritage, The Spa is a blend of relaxed elegance with its white canvas cabanas, serene indoor-outdoor setting and private outdoor showers. The Spa features four treatment rooms and a relaxing outdoor space. Indulge in massages, facials and body treatments, aromatherapy and fresh juice bar. DON’T MISS: Dramatic, refined and intimate, SO•PA offers a unique alfresco dining experience on-property. Enjoy a table for two or dine family-style at the 26-foot live edge walnut communal table. Making new friends is encouraged. ■
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Southbay HOME Design & Wine
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO OF SHUTTERSTYLES
Southbay HOME magazine opened the doors of their HQ for their inaugural Design & Wine event. Thanks to presenting sponsor Amara Rugs, local designers Kate Lester, Kimberly Colletti and Sara Balough built out detailed vignettes that gave event attendees a taste of their design essence. Locals sipped on a vast array of wines courtesy of Barsha Wines & Spirits. The centerpiece of the evening was a panel discussion led by Southbay’s editorial director Darren Elms, which featured the three designers as well as local architect Anthony Laney from Laney LA and Abeel Malik from Amara Rugs. One lucky guest won a custom coffee table from Andes International Inc., and another won a contemporary accent chair from Room + Board. Local boutiques including The Souk, Gum Tree, Maison Luxe and Yorktown/Tabula Rasa had pop-up shops for guests to enjoy. The Ripe Choice Catering brought their renowned charcuterie A-game as well as food pairing for the craft brews from Scholb brewery. Special thanks to Choura and Penta for their continued partnership.
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Engines & Estates
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO OF SHUTTERSTYLES
Thanks to Rusnak South Bay, attendees celebrated the release of Southbay magazine’s annual Men’s Issue and the Alfa Romeo Giulia at a private estate in Palos Verdes. Several of the South Bay’s top wealth advisors started at the Rusnak dealership in Torrance and drove Alfa Romeos and Maseratis along the coast to the venue. After arriving and walking the red carpet, the advisors were met with the impressive panoramic view. The stunning, custom construction—currently being sold by Larissa Rubijevsky of ReMax Estate Properties—was packed with locals and home professionals. Guests enjoyed music from We The Folk while sipping on wine from Barsha Wines & Spirits and specialty brews from Scholb brewery. Special thanks to Kincaid’s, Choura and Penta for their continued partnership.
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An Evening of Global Luxury
Coldwell Banker toasted the launch of their Global Luxury program at Hacienda de la Paz, the legendary Rolling Hills mega-property. Guests were treated to an evening of global luxury with Champagne bars by Veuve Clicquot, luxury cars by Rusnak Maserati South Bay and spa service by Burke Williams.
Hosts John Z. Blazevich and Alexandra McLeod
Sean Blankenship and Craig Hogan
Jane Angel, Annie Ho, Beth Styne, Alexandra McLeod
Christophe Choo and Joe Mamone
Bob Foster and Patricia St. James
PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVE BROWN & WAYNE WINTERSTEIN
Linda Sermon, Janet Manavi, Steve Manavi
Beach Cities Go Red for Women Luncheon
Mika Leah and mom Iriet Peshkess
Denise Briggs, Terri Burke, Tonya Esparza
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Shawn Casey and Christine Sarkissof
Ilana Muhlstein
Johnese Spisso and Desert Horse Grant
Health panelists Dr. Kate Niehoff, Kerianne Lawson, Dr. Minisha Kochar and Dr. Nazanin Azadi with emcee Brandi Hitt
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME PHAM
The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Luncheon raised nearly $200,000 to help fight heart disease and stroke in women. The event—sponsored by Macy’s, CVS Health and Union Bank—featured educational sessions on nutrition, meditation, smoking and EastWest medicine, a moving testimony from a young entrepreneur who narrowly escaped a “widow-maker” heart attack, and a panel discussion with local health experts.
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Freedom Breeze
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TOM UNDERHILL
Freedom Breeze, Freedom4U’s annual fundraiser event, was held at the beautiful residence of Ashton Smith in PVE. More than $116,000 was raised for Freedom4U youth programs in the South Bay schools and community.
Kellie Keller and Steven Keller
Toa Fonoimoana and Jennifer Wildenberg
Freedom4U Band
Dr. Greg Allen, Fritz Hitchcock, Ashton Smith, Morgann Pisano
Enjoyable time for all
Freedom4U Therapists
Roundhouse Aquarium Fun Run The overcast skies and low tide made perfect conditions for the 223 registered participants who ran (or walked) on the hard sand from the Manhattan Beach Pier to slightly past the city’s northern boundary and back. They were cheered on by family, friends, Roundhouse board members, staff and volunteers.
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An Evening for Laughing and Fundraising
Sheri Nikolakopulos, Kathy Siegel, Alex Nikolakopulos
John Hodge and Nanci Browning
Kelley Finan and Roxanne Morse
Ann De Briere and Rev. Sunny Kang
Joycelyn Harrigian and Mark Harrigian
Bob Fullerton, Gaye Vancans, Christine Byrne, Kevin Byrne
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEX DEVIN
Tom Grzywacz, Claudia Storm Grzywacz, Beth Burns, Teri Hogan, Margarita Schweisberger
This fundraiser for Harbor Interfaith Services—a South Bay agency empowering the homeless and working poor—included dinner, a client speaker, comedy and magic performances, a raffle and a live auction item for popular travel packages.
PVPEF Main Event
Main Event guests dancing to music of starRo
Robert Feller, Mandi Leonard, Scott Leonard
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Moise Innocent and Anthony Richardson
Danielle Puhl and Darin Puhl
PHOTOGRAPHED BY SEAN AZUL PHOTOGRAPHY & ANNIKA CURREN
Palos Verdes school families and alumni gathered for an evening of support for education at Peninsula Education Foundation’s 35th annual Main Event. “Ibiza en Blanco,” a Spanish-themed event, highlighted student performances from high school opera singers and more for the biggest fundraiser of the year supporting 17 PV schools.
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Manhattan Wine Auction
The Manhattan Country Club hosted 2,000 guests for the 23rd wine outing, which raised a record-setting $1.8 million for MBEF and the Manhattan Beach public schools. For the past two decades, the event has provided an opportunity for the community to come together to raise critical funding for the schools while enjoying culinary delights from 40 local restaurants and beverages served by more than 70
wineries, breweries and distilleries. Top sponsors included Chevron, Manhattan Country Club, Belkin, Moss Adams, Wells Fargo and SKECHERS. Wine Auction chair Roger Spencer celebrated the success of the evening: “We cannot express the depth of our gratitude for our generous and engaged community. This was an evening filled with great food and wine, good times with friends and neighbors, and a spirit of community and generosity that is awe-inspiring.”
Bay Club Leadership Team, new owners of Manhattan Country Club
Center Court at the Manhattan Wine Auction
State Senator Ben Allen and his fiancé, Allison Diaz, Farnaz Flechner, Ted Iantuono, Lawrence Flechner PHOTOGRAPHED BY AXEL KOESTER
Antonio Villaraigosa, Chet Pipkin, Ted Lieu
Sharon Waldman, David Waldman, Vince Vaughn, Jim Kottoor
Chef David LeFevre
Youth and classmates for Team Marley
Renee Vachon, Heath Gregory, Luke Walton, Lisa Manheim
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More than 10,000 people attended this event to raise money for three cancer charities: Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Uncle Kory Foundation and the Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach. The Tour de Pier set a new fundraising record by raising $1.2 million—bringing the accumulated total amount raised to more than $4 million since its inception in 2013.
Coach Clay Helton
Steve Nash
PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVE GAFFNEY & ANGELA DAVES-HALEY
5th Annual Tour de Pier
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The Palos Verdes Junior Women’s Club’s Annual Spring Fundraiser
Andrew Smitham and Carisa Smitham
Julie Douglass, Jane Lau, Nadia Elgrably McMahon, Jerrie Short, Maura Mizuguchi, Silvia Van Dusen, Deborah Richie Bray, Susan Rule Sandler
Charles Clarke and Mary Clarke
Jane Lau and Chani Lau
Keith Lent, Karen Lent, Gretchen Lent, Mick Mohuchy
Jerry Schwartz and Mojgan Chegounchei
PHOTOGRAPHED BY DIANE E. BARBER
Held at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, the “Havana Nights” themed event was held to benefit South Bay women and children in crisis. Proceeds were disbursed to selected philanthropies on May 25 at the Palos Verdes Golf Club, which marked 59 years that the club has helped people in the South Bay community.
Sandpipers’ 25th Annual Fashion Show and Luncheon
KC Johnson, Summer Sheets, Krystal Romagnoli, Nicole Shepley, Kelly Weber
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Jackie Pomahac, Traci Radcliffe, Lee-Meredith Howard, Sarah Steinmeier
Caitlin Keller, Rachel Frederick, Chloe Zahara
Jan Curtis and Claudia Levin
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JP CORDERO
Micall Weinberg, Gina Callari, Camille Soriano, Lee-Meredith Howard, Laurie Wisniewski, Dayna Bubenicek
Sandpipers hosted its 25th annual fashion show at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, featuring the spring/summer collections from Ted Baker London, a silent and live auction, a boutique and an elegant luncheon. With more than 500 guests in attendance, the proceeds will fund Sandpipers’ philanthropic programs.
Creative. Flavorful. Festive. Satisfying. Catering the way it should be.
Executive Chef-Tammy Lipps 312 Rosecrans Avenue Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
catering: (310) 962-4597 to go orders: (310) 546-4800
TheRipeChoice.net
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Champions for Children 2017
Gus Silagy, Julie Silagy, Mia Silagy
Kerry Maetani
Ksenia Smirnova
Marc Schenasi and Marjorie Cortez
GrowingGreat’s 4th Annual Celebrity Chef Farm-To-Table A stunning sunset at Shade Hotel Redondo Beach played backdrop to this delectable farm-to-table benefit, bringing together top L.A. and South Bay chefs to support and celebrate 18 years of building
nourishing, learning communities that have empowered more than 250,000 children to make healthy food choices through hands-on STEM, garden and nutrition education programs.
James Malone, Shelly Malone, Andrea Zislis
Peggy Curry and Rossi Morreale
Megan Curry, Chef David LeFevre, Nyesha Arrington, Ray Garcia, Peggy Curry
Chef Stephanie Franz and Chef Aaron Robbins
Chef Diana Stavaridis, Marisa McGovern, Corina McGovern, Jill Coons
Emmanuel Hubert, Faustinus O. Kalu, Ogechi Hubert, Peace Hubert, Daniel Nwankwo
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PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALICIA YARAK
The 4th annual 5K Run/Walk presented by South Bay Children’s Health Center raised funds and awareness of the necessity for quality oral health and mental health services for young people in need.
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This fine art and photography exhibit featured 52 local South Bay artists as they explored the concept of “Human^Nature.�
Kevin Gilligan, Regina Patton, Rafael McMaster, Marisa Checa, Emily Brantley
Back: Rafael McMaster, Eric Michael, Eric Chavez, Emily Brantley Front: Parker Albarian, Audrina Honig
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TAMMIE VALER
Human^Nature Art x Photography Exhibit
Red Day at Keller Williams Palos Verdes Gives Back
George Rosenkranz, Cheryl Friedman, Dave Taylor, Marcelle Herrerafrom and Norma from PVE-CARES
Manhattan-Hermosa Senior Recognition A night of glamour and celebration honored the graduating seniors of National Charity League, Inc., ManhattanHermosa Chapter. The girls reflected on their six years of philanthropy service and enjoyed a dance with their fathers. The younger National Charity League Ticktockers served as hostesses.
2017 graduating seniors
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Christine Carreon
PHOTOGRAPHED BY RICHARD YAMAKAWA
Keller Williams PV closes its doors every May 11 so its team can go out into the community and give back. This year Cheryl Friedman from the Rosenkranz|Friedman Group spearheaded the efforts by coordinating with PVE-CARES and the Palos Verdes Police Department to provide exterior safety and maintenance projects at the homes of senior citizens in Palos Verdes.
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CLASSIC TILE & DESIGN, INC. 310.376.8024 | FAX 310.376.6887 860 Pacific Coast Hwy. | Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 classictyl@aol.com | www.classictiledesign.com
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PRO FILES
spa, beauty & fitness It’s the South Bay way: living a healthy life—physically, mentally and emotionally. Good health is even easier to achieve and maintain with the help of the professionals on the following pages. They are experts at fitness, relaxation, and beautiful skin and hair. Read on to learn how they can inspire you, beautify you, relax and renew you.
108 ACTIVFEVER Sheila Potter & Sammy Tehrani
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SEXY BEACH TENNIS Carlos G. Rivera
109 ARNOLD’S Claes Kardemark & Pauline Kardemark
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MODERNART MEDSPA & SALON Amanda deWysocki, RN
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SHAD HART FITNESS Shad Hart
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INNER GLIMMER SKINCARE + WELLNESS STUDIO Michelle Steele
111
BLINK STUDIO Cindy Strom & Karla Salguero
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DUBUNNE SPA Jessica Palmer
112 SOUTH BAY BEAUTY Gigi
WRITTEN BY LAURA WATTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAT MONK, LAUREN PRESSEY & SHANE O’DONNELL
spa, beauty & fitness
“It is essential to get to know our clients as individuals, so we understand their sense of style and their training habits.”
Sheila Potter & Sammy Tehrani Co-Owners 1714½ South Catalina Avenue Redondo Beach 424-247-8791 activfever.com
ActivFever
A
ctivFever, which opened in 2016, is a men’s and women’s athleticwear and leisurewear retail store, owned by Sheila Potter and Sammy Tehrani. They are longtime athletes and residents of the South Bay.
individuals, so we understand their sense of style and their training habits. We then can introduce an array of brands that have different attributes, so having a variety under one roof is so beneficial.”
What do you love about working in the South Bay? “ActivFever is our home away from home. It’s unbelievable that we have a business in this gem of a community that we have loved our entire lives. Our neighbors have been so supportive, and we appreciate how each does whatever they can to elevate the local businesses.”
Are you known for your attention to detail? “Combining our varied backgrounds has been crucial, because we both are committed to attention to detail. It is displayed in all aspects of our business: the modern and welcoming decor, the brands we choose, staying locally produced, the store layout. Each points to our desire to be disciplined and reflects how ActivFever mutually interacts with the community.”
How do you help clients achieve the look they want? “It is essential to get to know our clients as
Why did you go into this line of work? “The combination of living an active lifestyle through years of tennis, beach sports,
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CrossFit—basically every imaginable sport— ties us to the South Bay. Let’s face it, we live in our activewear, in case sport breaks out or we are hanging out. The key is to be comfortable yet not lose our own sense of style. That is why we believe that ActivFever, which is our way of combining our passion for activities and fashion, is more than just a place to visit and shop.” Describe your style and technique. “Having grown up in the South Bay, we understand that kindness and loyalty permeate throughout our community, which is why we run our shop in the same manner. Being there for our clients is so important, and at the same time we love making new friends. Our main goal is to please our customers, our neighborhood and the greater community.”
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spa, beauty & fitness
Claes Kardemark & Pauline Kardemark Owners
Arnold’s
1400 S. Pacific Coast Highway | Redondo Beach 310-316-5555 salonarnolds.com
A
rnold’s is a full-service hair salon owned by father-daughter team Claes Kardemark and Pauline Kardemark. A stylist for the past three decades, Claes trained at Toni & Guy in London and Stuhr in Copenhagen and spent years traveling in Europe as an instructor for several major hair companies. Pauline started training with her father at a very young age and attended beauty school at age 16. The family moved from Sweden to the U.S. and opened their business, which they named “Arnold’s” after Claes’ father—an entrepreneur and role model to Claes and Pauline. What do you love about working in the South Bay? “Our clientele. They have helped us see what a closeknit community the South Bay is. Even though we’ve only had our business here for a year, we truly feel at home. We can’t imagine a better place to run and build a business.” How do you help your clients feel pampered and rejuvenated? “By following our mission statement: ‘Where YOU matter the most.’ We make sure every person who walks through the door feels welcome and leaves feeling relaxed and uplifted. We also use the best hair care products out there, which allows the client’s hair experience to last longer than just the salon visit.” What would you like potential clients to know about you? “We know that everyone has a different lifestyle, schedule, hair type, skin tone, taste in fashion. All those things do matter when we decide—along with our clients—what hairstyle will work for them.” Tell us about your team. “We love our team. They have many years of experience and a wide spectrum of hair and nail knowledge. They are amazing people, and anyone who sits in their chairs will not only leave with impeccable hair and/or nails but also a new friend. Now, after this first year, we feel excited and ready to expand our team!”
“Even though we’ve only had our business here for a year, we truly feel at home.” SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
How do you give back to your community? “We love to donate hair and nail services to nonprofit organizations. We are also big supporters of local businesses—not only by shopping but inviting them to be a part of the events we have at the salon where new and existing clients are able to meet other local business owners and eat, drink and get consultations by our staff.”
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spa, beauty & fitness
“Nothing is more satisfying than being a part of someone changing their life and improving their sense of self.”
Shad Hart Fitness
S
had Hart is a personal fitness trainer, offering customized workout programs and comprehensive nutrition plans to South Bay residents. During his 10 years of work in the fitness industry, Shad has worked with a variety of clients— from Olympic and professional athletes to those seeking assistance with weight loss and prenatal/postnatal guidance. Describe your style and technique. “Watching my clients overcome their personal obstacles and reach their physical goals is what drives me. I like to focus on proper form, and I spend a lot of time training my clients to use their own body weight while also stressing the importance of balance. I am acutely aware of injuries or health conditions and will modify workouts accord-
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Shad Hart Owner 323-793-7999 info@shadhartfitness.com shadhartfitness.com ingly. I develop a customized workout plan for each of my clients centered around their strengths, weaknesses and fitness goals.” Why should a potential client choose your services? “Understanding that everyone is unique is extremely important. I approach every client as an individual, knowing they will have different needs and challenges. I strive to help my clients be strong, confident people who maintain a healthy approach to life.” Why did you go into this line of work? “I first became interested in the fitness industry in my early 20s. One of the things that first drew me to this field was the growing rate of childhood obesity that our country has seen. I felt like health and fitness
was something I was really passionate about and believed I could be a positive force of strength for people. Nothing is more satisfying than being a part of someone changing their life and improving their sense of self.” How do you maintain your own fitness? “I really try to practice the principle of periodization, which is simply the idea that you are consistently restructuring your routine so that your body never becomes comfortable or plateaus. But my real focus comes in the kitchen. I really enjoy cooking, and I see my best results when I focus on a clean-eating lifestyle. So much can be accomplished through proper nutrition, and I love developing fun, healthy recipes to share with my friends and clients.”
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spa, beauty & fitness
“Blink Studio feels like you’re getting all dolled up with your sisters.”
Cindy Strom & Karla Salguero Owners
Blink Studio
C
indy Strom and Karla Salguero, owners of Blink Studio in Manhattan Beach, offer all-natural custom airbrush tanning, full-body waxing and eyelash extension services. Cindy is a licensed esthetician and certified lash technician, and Karla is a certified lash technician and airbrush specialist. Blink Studio has been in business for five years. What sets your business apart? “We asked a good friend and client her thoughts on this question, and her response was: ‘Blink Studio feels like you’re getting all dolled up with your sisters.’ Truly we think what sets us apart is that our studio feels like home to many people—filled with lots of women and laughter.” Why did you decide to open your own business? “Our father is a small business owner who
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
2100 N. Sepulveda Blvd. #41 Manhattan Beach 310-469-4968 blinkstudiomb.com always encouraged us to do what we love. It was a lifelong vision to open our own small business and follow in our parents’ footsteps.” What is unique about your style and technique? “The eyelash extensions we use are tapered thin for a more natural-looking extension. While most lash technicians chose to ‘fill’ the eyelash extensions once they’ve regrown, we take the healthy/ sanitary approach and opt for removing the existing lash extensions and starting over with a new set of eyelash extensions. This service is available at half the cost for clients returning within four weeks of their last appointment. We specialize in a brown sugar express custom airbrush tan. It’s literally made of brown sugar and smells like candy. What’s great about this solution is that the color is brown vs. golden, it is eco-certified and all-
natural, paraben-free, gluten-free and can be rinsed off in one to three hours time!” How do you maintain your own fitness? “As small business owners, most of our time is consumed working long hours. So in order to work out, we wake up at 5 a.m. to do a fun SoulCycle class taught by our sister Alba.” How do you give back to your community? “We donate to local organizations, schools, auctions and events, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting local charity organizations.” Tell us about your family. “We are a family owned and operated small business. Family is everything to us! When we’re not working, we are hanging out with our other two sisters supporting each other’s drive and unique talent.”
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spa, beauty & fitness
South Bay Beauty
Gigi Owner/Operator
1987 Artesia Blvd. | Redondo Beach 310-346-6374 southbaybeauty.com
S
outh Bay Beauty provides advanced skin care through non-invasive techniques and technology, including skin tightening and body sculpting utilizing advanced technology. Many of the skin treatments the practice offers are enhanced with vitamin infusion for combating environmental aging. South Bay Beauty offers a line of handcrafted, customized serums for sale, based on the personal skin analysis provided to clients. Owner Gigi started South Bay Beauty in 2016 and has worked in the paramedical field since 1996. She began working in this industry as a licensed laboratory technician at the Veteran Administration in San Diego County. She also worked at Saddleback Memorial, Long Beach Memorial and Little Company of Mary, Torrance. She became a licensed esthetician in 2016, receiving advanced training at the Dermal Institute in Carson and at Xtetic World in North Hollywood. Gigi is also a vitamin specialist certified by California State University. What is the most creative service you offer? “Skin tightening and body sculpting by way of utilizing treatment packages, with combined radio frequency, ultrasound and LED light therapy.” What do you love about working in the South Bay? “I love everything about the South Bay: healthy living, warm and welcoming communities. I raised my two children in the South Bay. We as a family have been very involved in the community, donating time for Meals on Wheels association on Thanksgiving, the Roundhouse Aquarium volunteer work, organizing local events for charity, lifeguarding at Polliwog Park. We are a proud part of the South Bay community.” Are you known for your attention to detail? “My attention to detail is what I am known for in the medical community. Doctors and surgeons specially request me to work with them and their patients. I continue to take great pride in striving for excellence, and excellence comes from being detail-oriented in every aspect of how I conduct myself and my business.”
“Stephanie has worked in the real estate “My attention detail is what I am industry for thetopast 13 years.” known for in the medical community.” 112
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spa, beauty & fitness
“We have a one-of-a-kind store with a beach tennis court inside.”
SEXY Beach Tennis
F
ounded by Mark Bonfigli, SEXY Beach Tennis promotes living in harmony with the environment and striving for good health and wellness. Carlos Rivera moved from his native Puerto Rico to manage the flagship store in Hermosa Beach, which carries gear and accessories related to the sport of beach tennis.
Tell us about your store. “We have a one-of-a-kind store with a beach tennis court inside. We offer 20minute intro lessons provided by one of our professionals. Customers will walk out of the store knowing how to play the fastest growing beach sport in the world.” Tell us about your team. “The SEXY brand team is a family. That’s what makes the brand so special. We feed off each other’s energy and have a very
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Carlos G. Rivera
1248 Hermosa Ave. | Hermosa Beach 772-444-SEXY sexybt.com progressive culture that I have not seen in any company in my life. It’s all about working happy and feeling good to better serve our customers!” Why should a potential client shop at SEXY Beach Tennis? “We are the only actual beach tennis store in the USA! If you are not familiar with beach tennis, we also have an indoor test court that allows you to try the sport and test the paddles.” Tell us about your travels to learn advanced techniques in your craft. “One of the greatest thing about beach tennis is the great locations that we have a chance to visit. In each of these countries there is so much to learn about the sport— especially Ravenna, Italy, where the sport started about 40 years ago.”
How do you maintain your own fitness? “Only beach tennis! Hermosa Beach’s sand is perfect for keeping me fit! Beach tennis is perfect for keeping healthy since it’s played in the sand, which makes it low impact and offers a lot of resistance.” Describe your style and technique. “Aggressive and fast. I like to run, jump and smash!” Do you consider yourself an artist? “Yes, my style of play is creative and very fun to watch.” What do you love about working in the South Bay? “The South Bay is a great community. One of the things I love about it is that the people are into a healthy and active lifestyle and you can stay close to the ocean even at work!”
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spa, beauty & fitness
“It’s truly the people in the South Bay that make it the best place in the country to live.”
ModernArt MedSpa & Salon
C
elebrating its third year in business, ModernArt MedSpa & Salon offers clients a full-service hair salon and medical spa under one roof. Services include injectables, CoolSculpting, Geneveve vaginal rejuvenation, silk peel, PRP (vampire facial), microneedling, balayage and blowouts. Owner Amanda deWysocki started the business in 2014 and has worked in the health and beauty industry for almost nine years. She is an aesthetic nurse specialist with advanced training in a wide variety of cosmetic and anti-aging procedures. Before moving into the field of aesthetics, Amanda worked for years as an ICU nurse at Mayo Clinic Hospital. What is the most creative service you offer? “Oh that’s an easy one. It’s something I came up with myself when I realized how easy it was to have both the CoolSculpting and
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Geneveve treatments done simultaneously. I all it the Freeze ‘n’ Squeeze, and our clients love it for so many reasons! Geneveve is a painless, vaginal rejuvination treatment that treats stress incontinence, vaginal laxity and sexual dysfunction. Aside from the discount clients get from combining the procedures, what woman doesn’t want to shed some fat cells and feel younger down under in a one-hour appointment, with no pain and no downtime? Both of these procedures have been personally very rewarding for me to be able to offer my clients. I’ve been overwhelmed by the number of women who have opened up to me about intimacy problems they’ve had for years— decades even. Many never seek help, and some never share their concerns with their partners. Being able to offer an easy solution for these ladies has been wonderful.”
Amanda deWysocki, RN Owner
1620 Aviation Blvd. | Redondo Beach 310-374-7878 modernartspa.com What do you love about working in the South Bay? “I adore the team I’ve built here at MAMS, and the friends and clients we have here in the South Bay have become like family to us. The beaches and harbors are beautiful, but it’s truly the people in the South Bay that make it the best place in the country to live. People simply love life here and don’t take it for granted.” Describe your style and technique. “When it comes to injectables, I try to maintain the unique characteristics of a face that give us our individuality while focusing more on symmetry, balance and proportion. I’m fascinated with the study of beauty and attraction, both in the social sciences and in the natural sciences. But it always comes down to the art: Does it look natural, healthy and youthful?”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
spa, beauty & fitness
Inner Glimmer Skincare + Wellness Studio
Michelle Steele Aesthetician/Owner 505 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite #8 Manhattan Beach 310-963-6802 | innerglimmer.com
I
nner Glimmer is an intimate boutique studio offering skin care, holistic beauty rituals and organic airbrush tanning. Aesthetic health and wellness specialist Michelle Steele established the business in 2012 and has worked in the spa industry with luxury brands since 2001. She is nationally certified in advanced medical skin care and massage therapy. What is the most creative service you offer? “The Ultimate Radiance Facial, which encompasses the beauty and relaxation of a spa facial with the science and technical precision of an advanced skin care treatment. It includes dermal exfoliation, my signature lift and sculpt facial massage, LED light therapy and an hyperbaric oxygen infusion of essential vitamins, peptides and antioxidants. The results are undeniable and immediate—excellent for red carpet events, brides or any time you want to enhance your own beautiful and natural radiance.” What do you love about working in the South Bay? “It is a privilege to be sought after in a community that places a high value on self care and has high standards for health and beauty services. I’m profoundly grateful for the support I have been given over the last five years from our generous community.” How do you help clients achieve the look they want? “Each treatment and session is personalized, ensuring a results-oriented experience. I strongly believe that youthful, radiant skin is a collaborative effort, and I work closely with my clients and often their dermatologist for the best regimen to maintain flawless results.” How is your business different from others in the industry? “Personalized attention. There’s never more than one guest at a time in my studio, which creates a unique atmosphere of exclusive personal tranquility. I perform every service. Attention to detail and quality mean everything to me.”
“I educate my clients that healthy, glowing skin is a lifetime commitment and that consistency is imperative.” SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Describe your style and technique. “My style is intuitive, yet my technique is methodical and effective. I treat each client individually from the inside out by simplifying and perfecting their skin care goals. I believe in using both results-driven skin care and holistic alternative methods. I’m committed to improving skin on a cellular level. I educate my clients that healthy, glowing skin is a lifetime commitment and that consistency is imperative.”
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“Our philosophy is that relaxation and rejuvenation should be fun and good for you at the same time.”
Jessica Palmer Spa Director
DuBunne Spa
D
uBunne Spa is a full-service day spa offering body treatments, massages, couple’s massages, facials, nails and waxing. Jessica Palmer—a Hermosa Beach native and ISPAcertified spa director—has worked in the beauty industry for more than 15 years. How do you help your clients feel pampered and rejuvenated? “We help our clients feel pampered and rejuvenated by giving them a full spa experience with us, not just a service. At DuBunne our philosophy is that relaxation and rejuvenation should be fun and good for you at the same time. We offer a variety of spa amenities before or after a treatment that truly make the difference between a service and an experience.”
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23725 Arlington Ave. | Torrance 310-326-9062 dubunne.com What is the most creative service you offer? “We are especially known for our Couples Packages, which are very much in demand. Our guests look to DuBunne to bring to them the latest most creative services in the spa industry, so each month I create something that is fun, organic and based on the season.”
that a genuine spa offers. We want our clients to feel like we are their second home but still have access to cutting-edge products and services typically only available at world-class resorts. We constantly have guests tell us they have had spa services all over the world and think we rate right up there!”
Are you known for your attention to detail? “My mission at DuBunne is to give a spa boutique experience to our guests, so my attention to detail is borderline OCD. But it is also what makes our spa run smoothly and look beautiful.”
Tell us about your team “I am so lucky to have my team. We are a family-run business, and our team comes from all types of backgrounds and interests. We have many employees who have been with us well over 15 years. Everyone here works hard but wants to have fun and help each other and share their knowledge. I firmly believe that it is our team that allows DuBunne to be the voted ‘Best Spa in the South Bay’ year after year.”
How is your spa different from others in the industry? “A lot of places may call themselves a ‘spa’ but may not offer services and amenities
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This 6 bedroom estate in Rolling Hills features a pool, spa, soccer field, indoor racquetball court, outdoor paddle tennis court, full gym, guest quarters and more! All situated on 2.6 acres with stunning, panoramic views. $7,495,000
Chris Adlam 310.493.7216 www.chrisadlam.com
real estate
GRAND ITALIAN VILLA WITH QUEEN’S NECKLACE VIEWS
This Oceanfront Estates home features 4,600 square feet of living space, 4 beds and 5 baths, a gourmet kitchen, and a backyard with luxurious pool and waterfall spa. This exquisite home provides seamless indoor/outdoor living in a picture-perfect setting. Listed by Gary Elminoufi Beach City Brokers 310-292-0332 garyelminoufi.com JULY 2017 | SOUTHBAY
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5 NEW CONSTRUCTION HOMES COMING SOON COMPLETION SEPTEMBER 2017
1 9 0 4 PA L M M A N H AT TA N B E A C H Coastal Plantation | 5 Beds | 4 1/2 Baths | Approx. 3,600 Sq Ft
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R E D O N D O B E AC H
Modern Contemporary | 5 Beds | 5 1/2 Baths 3 Stop Elevator | 5 Blocks to the beach Panoramic Ocean Views
Modern Contemporary | 4 Beds | 4 1/2 Baths 3 Stop Elevator | 2 Blocks to the beach Panoramic Ocean Views
Gary Elminoufi 310.292.0332 GaryElmo@gmail.com BRE01139207
200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
431 Main Street, El Segundo
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Offered at $639,000 Justin Miller 310.619.9389 mrjustinmiller@gmail.com BRE 01425870
200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
431 Main Street, El Segundo
N E W C O A S TA L D E V E L O P M E N T
9 2 8 S J UA N I TA AV E SOUTH REDONDO
3 O C E A N V I E W TOW N H O M E S TO C H O O S E F R O M COMING SUMMER 2017 4 B E D S , 4 B AT H S , 3 , 2 0 0 S F
Price Upon Request
Rami Elminoufi 310.947.1180 rami@bcbestates.com BRE 01434630
200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
431 Main Street, El Segundo
“Holly made us feel like family...” “Holly’s knowledge of the local area, thoroughness, and attention to detail made the process of selling our home stress and worry-free. She is the eternal visionary, and she effortlessly guided us through the entire home sale process. Holly made us feel like family and like we were her only clients. We highly recommend her for your next real estate transaction. She is truly the BEST realtor in South Bay Area!” – S A N DY, T O R R A N C E
Holly Kauffman 310.345.0165 holly@perfectfamilyhomes.com BRE 01425870
200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
431 Main Street, El Segundo
COMING 2017
NEW CONSTRUCTION ROLLING HILLS
5 B E D S , 7 B AT H S , 8 5 8 0 S Q , 2 O F F I C E S M O V I E T H E AT E R , 1 0 0 0 + B O T T L E W I N E C E L L A R , P O O L A N D S PA
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Jeanevra Calhoun 424.634.8238 Jeanevra@AmpersandEstates.com BRE 01976822
200 S PCH, Redondo Beach
1716 S Catalina Ave, Hollywood Riviera
431 Main Street, El Segundo
Our neighborhood, your home. RICK EDLER
310.872.4333 CalBRE# 01113145 rick.edler@vistasir.com
KITTY EDLER
310.283.8790 CalBRE# 00800837 kitty.edler@vistasir.com
www.edlergroup.com
959 PASEO LA CRESTA | PALOS VERDES ESTATES | $8,999,000
55 ENCANTO | ROLLING HILLS ESTATES | $1,699,000
2532 VIA ANACAPA | PALOS VERDES ESTATES | $1,549,000
85 LAUREL DRIVE | RANCHO PALOS VERDES | $5,499,000
1821 VIA ESTUDILLO PALOS VERDES ESTATES | $1,999,000
ManhattanPacificRealty.com 310.379.1724
BRE: 01909107
320 35th Street, Manhattan Beach New Listing Coming Summer 2017 New Construction
•
Two Town Homes
•
Ocean Views
RICHARD HAYNES
310.756.5588
•
richard@manhattanpacific.com
•
BRE: 01779425
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Charles@FisherRealEstate.com 1401 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 BRE# 01731424
CHARLES FISHER 310-902-7214
Charles@FisherRealEstate.com 1401 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 BRE# 01731424
Crest Road E., Rolling Hills
Built in 1977, this home is in original condition ready for updating. This is a unique opportunity to make this home your own. Including 6 beds, 7 baths, 5,460 sq. ft. of living space and a 4-car garage. Enjoy almost 2 acres of land with lots of privacy from the main road. $3,829,000
Gordon Inman 310.936.1979
The Inman Team Inmanteam.com
KeIth Kelley 310.944.5554
Spectacular OceanfrOnt Villa This magnificent villa makes a timeless artistic statement while offering every amenity for classic Californian indoor-outdoor living and entertaining. Equally livable and luxurious from the moment you step on the property the design emanates elegance, with natural limestone columns and a shimmering fountains set against a deep-blue ocean backdrop. You feel sense of pride and attention brought to its every detail. Tony Ashai, worldwide famed architect and talented and innovative builder/developer Joshua Herbst aimed to create the ideal combination of elegance, cutting-age technology and quality construction placed in one of the most enviable locations imaginable. 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, approx. 8,300 sq’ft, separate office, gym, home theater, two gourmet kitchens, pool, spa, BBQ with outdoor kitchen, gated 3 car garage, huge corner lot with lush landscaping and much more.
67 PASEO DE LA LUZ, RANCHO PALOS VERDES | PRICED AT $8,990,000
LARISSA RUBIJEVSKY 310/387-1414 HomesFromLarissa.com
MATT MORRIS DEVELOPMENT NEW CONSTRUCTION COMING SOON
400 and 404 27th Street, Manhattan Beach 4 Beds | 3.5 Baths | 2800 Sq. Ft.
2616 and 2617 Vista Drive, Manhattan Beach 4 Beds | 3.5 Baths | 2750 Sq. Ft.
With breathtaking panoramic views and spacious outdoor decks perfect for entertaining. All complete with Matt Morris’ stylish and unique finishes throughout and showcasing his attention to detail and quality. Completion Fall 2017
RECENT RECORDING BREAKING SALES OF MMD NEW CONSTRUCTION
100 Manhattan Ave | $4,900,000
325 6th St. Manhattan Beach | $6,550,000
LOTS WANTED Over $40 million in sales in 2017
MATT MORRIS
CHRISTA LYONS
310–678–4511
310–722- 7115
MattMorrisDevelopment.com
christa@christalyons.com
BRE 01213818
BRE 01489216
I NSP I RED LI VI NG ELEVATOR INCLUDED
3420 THE STRAND, MANHATTAN BEACH 5 Bedrooms I 5.5 Baths I 5,500 SQ. FT. I PRICE UPON REQUEST
www.MBStrandLiving.com Please call Listing Agent for an appointment to show this Beach front estate or for additional property information. BOB CONTENT | B CONTENT & CO. | 310-864-5819 | CalBRE# 00807871
SOLD
1155-1165 RONDA DRIVE, MANHATTAN BEACH $11,500,000
SOLD
1830 THE STRAND, HERMOSA $6,900,000
LEO NORDINE 310 379 8800 OVER 5400 PERSONAL SALES
.com COMING SOON!
Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated
OFF MARKET LISITNG!
NEW LISITNG!
MANHATTAN BEACH TREE SECTION 2007 STUNNING CAPE COD FAMILY HOME 5 beds | 5 baths | 3,000 SF CALL FOR DETAILS.
COMING SOON! EL SEGUNDO FIXER OPPORTUNITY EXCELLENT EL SEGUNDO LOCATION 3 beds | 1 bath | 6,600 SF Lot CALL FOR DETAILS.
34 3RD ST | HERMOSA BEACH
1337 6TH ST | MANHATTAN BEACH
CAPE COD DUPLEX, 2 LOTS FROM THE STRAND FRONT UNIT: 4 beds | 2 baths BACK UNIT: 2 beds | 1 bath
NEWLY REMODELED IN 2016 5 beds | 2.5 baths | 2,364 SF CALL FOR DETAILS.
CALL FOR DETAILS.
JUST SOLD!
1641 8TH STREET HERMOSA BEACH
724 30TH STREET MANHATTAN BEACH
1652 11TH STREET MANHATTAN BEACH
6 beds | 7 baths | 4,541 SF
5 beds | 5 baths | 4,700 SF
4 beds | 4 baths | 2,275 SF
$2,785,000
$4,500,000
$2,900,000
WE KNOW THE MARKET. Luxury property specialists with a refined understanding of the South Bay. We represent both buyers and sellers in residential transactions, structure savvy property investments, and coordinate distinctive construction projects.
JIM VAN ZANTEN 310.466.1004
WALT SPADONE 310.345.7350
CO-CEO, BROKER, CAL BRE #00544011
DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, REALTOR®, CALBRE #0143434
ROB DEPAOLI 310.896.5343 REALTOR®, CAL BRE #01918925
OMEGA VALENTE 323.612.7403 REALTOR®, CALBRE #07998742
VZG@VISTASIR.COM | THEVANZANTENGROUP.COM
Best Value for Size and View on the Entire Peninsula Enjoy panoramic views of harbor, coast, lights & mountains from this 4,292 sq. ft. former model home in the 24 hour guard gated community of Rancho Palos Verdes Estates. Located on the top of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a great place to live with award winning schools, abundant recreational facilities (i.e., Trump Golf, Terranea Resort, 25+ miles of riding/hiking trails) and easy access to freeways to downtown LA and Long Beach. Only $1,999,000! For video go to www.youtube.com, then type in search for: Sheila-Anne Presents 28 Paseo de Castana
SHEILA-ANNE SELLS PV from A to Z • • • • •
310-375-0701
Named a California Megabroker by Unique Homes Magazine Marketing Degree – magna cum laude MBA & Juris Doctorate (emphasis in finance & tax) – University of Virginia Former practicing attorney and business consultant to Fortune 500 clientele RE/MAX Hall of Fame Broker (#00999624) with RE/MAX Estate Properties
Selling and Marketing Palos Verdes and South Bay Properties for over 40 years
Junne L. Hayes REALTOR
Business:310/378-6376 Cell: 310/529-6210
junnehayes@earthlink.net WELCOME TO #6 DAPPLEGRAY LANE
license #BRE00363148
STUNNING COUNTRY ESTATE Over 3800 sq ft of elegance in this 5 bedroom, 4 bath immaculate home. Over one half acre in Rolling Hills Estates, with orchard and pristine barn with 4 enclosed horse stalls on major bridle trail. Close to freeway and award winning schools.� $2,395,000
WWW.6DAPPLEGRAYLANE.COM
the|KONDO|GROUP Top 1% of producers worldwide for Keller Williams Realty
#1
producing team at Keller Williams Palos Verdes Realty
Thinking of selling? We would love to share our marketing plan to get your home sold!
WWW.THEKONDOGROUP.COM | THEKONDOGROUP@GMAIL.COM Keller Williams Palos Verdes Realty . 550 Deep Valley Dr. Ste 359 . Rolling Hills Estates . CalBRE # 01438455
last but not least
Diamonds Are Forever WRITTEN BY EMILY TECKLENBURG, AKA “GELATO MAMA”
“Baseball is what we were, and football is what we have become.” — Mary McGrory There is a place where this notion is false. There is a place where baseball is alive and well and more eagerly anticipated than Christmas morning. There is a place where generation after generation of young boys and girls have been cheered and jeered on a red dirt field that is rich with tears and triumphs. This place is very near to you. You might have passed it a thousand times, cruising down Valley Drive, just south of Pier Avenue in our treasured Hermosa Beach. This place is Clark Field, home of Little Leaguers big and small since 1951. As a resident of Hermosa Beach, I can tell you that our town’s love for this unique patch of grass holding three ball fields borders on obsessive. As a mom with a love for baseball and two kids who may love it more, I can tell you that there is no place we would rather be during the months of March, April, May and June. And if they could, my kids would visit Clark every weekend, every month—all year long. And I would happily accompany them. Because Clark Field is not just a baseball field. It’s not just home of the world-famous snack shack, where Carlos serves up the greatest breakfast burrito of all time. It’s not just where the game is at. It’s where our community lives. It’s where we come together. Where we have butted heads, heckled umpires, laughed and even mourned together. It’s a holding place for memories and a learner of lessons. On any given baseball day, there could be one or three games happening simultaneously, T-ballers playing beside the Majors with everyone in between circling the fields, searching for buddies, finding a way to pass the time, happily digital-free and kicking it
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old-school style with their friends, finding a pick-up game to play in the vacant grass. Veteran parents come prepared for a long day at the field, having no problem with their multiple children playing multiple games and being perfectly content with four solid hours of baseball at Clark. We roll our eyes and tell one another, “Oh, I’m here all day … how about you?” But inside we are all not-so-secretly happy to be residents of Clark for the entire day. Newbie parents linger, slowly figuring out that nobody ever really wants to leave. For as soon as you start to go, you find yourself bumping into someone here and then someone else over there … and what’s the rush, really? The children with their dirt-smudged cheeks and the promise of a few dollars for the snack shack and the parents with their coolers and their cups and their company … sure. We can stay. We’ll stay a little longer. And off they go, these children of ours, free to roam within the gates for just a little bit longer. Because what makes this place so insanely special is that it’s not just baseball that comes alive on those three diamonds. It’s witnessing childhood come alive in all the land that surrounds those three diamonds. It’s childhood how I think it’s meant to be: dirty and free. When our neighboring cities get to come and play on our fields, I watch them walk in and I wonder if they can feel it too. I wonder if they know they’re stepping on magic. I wonder if they can tell how here, at Clark Field in Hermosa Beach, we are still … baseball. May we always be baseball. ■
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MANHATTAN BEACH BOBRIDGESGALLERY.COM ONLINE ORDERING AVAILABLE