Ventura Blvd August 2019 by Moon Tide Media

THE FOOD ISSUE MENDOCINO FARMSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ELLEN CHEN

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ENTER TO WIN Calling all foodies! The Valley has solidified itself as a true foodlovers destination. Going to other parts of Los Angeles to experience culinary mastery is no longer done out of necessity. Great food exists right here in our own backyard and that is why we decided to launch our Taste the Valley contest where we will be giving one lucky winner gift certificates towards a network of the best Valley eateries. FINAL LOGO

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AUGUST 2019

where we live 14 Q&A Salt & Straw’s Kim Malek

38 GET SAUCED Dips & Spreads

28 DATEBOOK Fun Stuff to Do

40 WEEKENDER Sacramento—Like You’ve Never Seen It

32 THE GOURMAND’S KITCHEN Gadgets, Gizmos & Beyond

72 SEEN Faces Spotted Around Town

14 44 features

the sauce

18 CHEF’S POTLUCK The owners of Mendocino Farms invite over the top chefs of the Valley—along with a summer dish.

44 AROUND THE WORLD IN ONE BLOCK Valley Village’s Restaurant Row

56 SOIL & TROUBLE Learn about the effort to improve the health of California’s soil. 62 WHEN IN BARCELONA Discover some savory surprises in the Catalan capital.

COVER Ellen Chen Photographed by Michael Becker

46 BOBALOOZA Brit Boba 48 PASTA ARTIGIANA Semolina Artisanal Pasta 50 GRAB & GO Gourmet Picnic Boxes

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

PUBLISHER

Linda Grasso

Robin Sanders 424-220-6340 | robin@goldenstate.is

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Michelle Villas

ADVERTISING Senior Media Solutions Manager | Sue Williams

EDITORIAL

818-625-3515 | sue@goldenstate.is

Editorial Director | Darren Elms Digital Specialist | Chloe Curtis Copy Editors | Bob Howells, Laura Watts

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Marketing Manager | Kimberly Caltagirone

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VB’s The Sauce eNewsletter Editor

GROUP PUBLISHER

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Jared Sayers

CONTRIBUTORS Katie Chin, Heather David, Bonnie Graves, Diane Haithman, Josh Lurie, Kara Mickelson PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Becker, Matthew Cooke, Shane O’Donnell

VENTURA BLVD IS A DIVISION OF THE GOLDEN STATE COMPANY

MANAGING PARTNERS Charlie Koones

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MARKETING & OPERATIONS Partner/Brand Publisher | Emily Stewart Partner/Managing Director, Media & Analytics | Warren Schaffer Director of Digital | Charles Simmons Director of Film & Video | Bryce Lowe-White Operations Director | Allison Jeackjuntra Community Manager | Natalie Long Director of Events | Danielle Price Accounting | Janet De La Cruz, Ljay Farris To learn more about us, visit thegoldenstatecompany.com No part of this periodical may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent from The Golden State Company LLC. Any and all submissions to this or any of The Golden State Company, LLC publications become the property of The Golden State Company LLC and may be used in any media. We reserve the right to edit. SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: info@goldenstate.is or phone: 310-376-7800. Subscriptions are $29 per year. TO OUR READERS Ventura Blvd welcomes your feedback. Please send letters to: Reader Response Department, Ventura Blvd at address below. Include your name, address and email. Edited letters may be published. 200 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 110, El Segundo, CA 90245 Tel 310-376-7800 | Fax 310-376-0200 | goldenstate.is | venturablvd.goldenstate.is

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editor’s letter | LINDA GRASSO

With Ellen Chen and Carolina Guddemi

You Had Me at Hello I’m such a sucker when people tell me they love VB magazine. That is how my friendship with Ellen Chen and Mario del Pero began. I met the married couple when they invited me to see their first Mendocino Farms in the Valley in 2015. I arrived at the Sherman Oaks eatery and the first 10 minutes of our conversation revolved around them telling me how much they coveted the publication. “We never throw them away!” Ellen quipped. I could have eaten anything at that point and raved—but truth be told I devoured their Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Salad and it remains my go-to lunch when I’m out and about. (Ellen keeps promising to give me the recipe for those delicious homemade crunchies on top, but so far no luck.) That restaurant ultimately became their number one in the chain of what were then 26 California outposts, only to be surpassed a few years later when they opened the Studio City location. (There are now 28 locations in all.) In our annual FOOD issue, we invite our readers to a stunning al fresco dinner party hosted by Ellen and Mario (page 18) at their new Studio City home. As anyone who has lived here for a while will tell you, the Valley is like a small town in many ways. So it’s no surprise that among Ellen and Mario’s myriad friends are some of the best chefs in the Valley. On this particular evening they invited several of them over, asking each to bring a favorite summer dish. The result? A spectacular feast that included dishes from two alumni of the TV show Chopped and pairings from one of the most highly regarded brewmasters in the country. I was invited as well, and made sure to snag all the recipes. The Valley continues to be a vibrant food scene as evidenced by several of the stories in this issue—from a tiny innovative boba shop tucked in the back of a strip mall (Bobalooza, page 46) to an ice cream cult favorite in a prime spot on the Boulevard (Ice Cream Queen, page 14). From a culinary standpoint, dining locally is now more interesting than ever—and quite frankly it’s a delight to cover as a magazine editor. Enjoy this special issue and your own tastes of summer.

Linda Grasso Editor-in-Chief

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

Follow me on Instagram @linda.grasso and my podcast @she_sez

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august SMASHING S’MORES

When you go to a potluck attended by the Valley’s top chefs, dessert is an event. Get in on the fun—and fare— beginning on page 18...

APRIL 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

Ice Cream Queen Salt & Straw cofounder Kim Malek on how working at Starbucks prepared her to run her chain; the inspiration behind all those adventurous flavors and the Goodwill purchase that started it all.

You simply can’t drive by the Salt & Straw ice cream shop in Studio City and not see a line. The time of day doesn’t matter. Neither does the weather. Head to Venice, and you’ll notice the same thing. People of all ages queue up to taste the multitude of gourmet mashups—from Honey Lavender to Marionberry Habanero. Now with 19 outposts along the West Coast, Salt & Straw’s Kim Malek sits down with VB editor Linda Grasso to reflect on her remarkable journey that began eight years ago.

How has working at Starbucks impacted the way you operate S & S? I started working at Starbucks in marketing in the ’90s and was there for 12 years. It was an incredible opportunity to learn how to run a business, as well as how to create a company around people, which was what Howard Shultz was doing back then. That people-first ethos is a core part of our identity at Salt & Straw. Tell me about the early days. I’d always dreamt of opening up an ice cream shop, and my cousin Tyler, who had recently enrolled in culinary school, decided to take a detour and pursue this dream with me. He bought an ice cream maker at Goodwill, moved into our basement and started experimenting with it, making recipes in our kitchen. The very first flavor he made was our signature Sea Salt ice cream. It has a ribbon of caramel running through it. It was clear right from the get-go that he possessed a talent for making ice cream. So how soon did you open shop? First, we got a little pushcart and started serving ice cream from that. It was a particularly wet year for Portland and we were standing outside in the rain a lot of the time, but it was a cool way to get to know

the neighborhood. We opened our first store in August 2011. I was catering a wedding and wasn’t there that day, but all of my friends had come to Portland for the opening. Suddenly I received a phone call from them saying, “Kim, you gotta get back here! It’s swamped!” My friends were literally working behind the counter. People in the community really showed up! What were some of the first flavors? We had my favorite flavor, Strawberry with Honey Balsamic & Black Pepper, which you can still find in our Portland, Seattle, and Downtown Disney District scoop shops. We also had one flavor that was a big flop: Berries & Baked Beans. We brought it back this summer as part of our Camping Series, which supported the National Park Foundation, and it was really well received. Tyler thought it would be great to resurrect our greatest failure and make it right. So do you try to shock customers with some of your flavors? We never do anything to be crazy. Every four weeks we change our menu and approach it like writing a magazine, asking, “What is next month’s editorial going to be?” We love collaborations, whether with local restaurants or students. It sparks creativity. While you were launching a business you adopted three kids. Wow. I met my husband late in life and one day we looked at each other and said, “Oops, we forgot to have kids.” We tried to get pregnant, but it was not happening. My husband, who grew up in the foster care system, said he’d like to adopt, and honestly it was my dream too. I hadn’t brought it up because I assumed he’d want to have our own. So we adopted a 2-, 4- and 5-year-old. How did you manage that while you were running a fast-growing business? It was pretty scary when they first came home with us. I thought, “Oh god, how am I gonna do this?” But I’ve experienced that feeling a lot in my life. And like I did while opening our first couple of stores, I told myself, “I’m just going to take one step at a time.” Share a bit about your husband. My husband is a doctor. When we met I cautioned him a bit saying, “I work a lot.” He kind of laughed and said, “You’ll never work more than me.” And a couple of months into our

We love collaborations, whether with local restaurants or students. It sparks creativity.” relationship he said, “Wow, you work a lot!” He pitches in with the kids and house. And we both realize everything doesn’t have to be picture perfect all the time. What skills do you think are responsible for your success? I recently visited one of our stores in the Arts District in downtown LA and it was so much fun. I love the people part of the business. I like setting a vision and working side-by-side with people to bring it to life. What’s new? We recently rolled out more plant-based flavors, so the menus at all our scoop shops are now 20% vegan. We’re also finalizing our student inventors’ series for September, which is one that is very near and dear to my heart. Tyler creates flavors inspired by suggestions from local elementary school students, with proceeds benefiting those schools. ■ To hear more of Kim's story, go to the SheSez with Linda Grasso podcast at shesez.com or wherever you listen.

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

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VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

Chef Potluck Ellen Chen and Mario del Pero, the husband-and-wife team behind the Mendocino Farms eateries, invite some of the top chefs in the Valley over to their Studio City farmhouse for a summer soirÃ©e. WRITTEN BY LINDA GRASSO | PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL BECKER

hen Ellen Chen and Mario del Pero entertain at their Studio City home, the vibe tends to be casual and relaxed. “We entertain a lot and love having friends over— often with their kids. Everyone is running around all over the place. It’s crazy and fun!” Ellen laughs. And as with their restaurant chain, Mendocino Farms, dishes tend to be farm fresh with a gourmet slant, whether it’s a mile-high sandwich on uber fresh bread or a goat cheese-spiked salad of mixed celadon and purple greens. So on a recent summer evening, when the couple invited some other successful luminaries in the food-and-beverage industry over for an al fresco dinner, that vibe did not change. “Oh, we know all these guys pretty well,” says Mario, who handles the food aspects of Mendocino Farms (Ellen helms the business side). “We all work in the Valley and you get to know each other. It’s a pretty tight community here; it’s never been like we’re competitors. It’s more like we have all have a bond.” On this particular evening Ellen and Mario decided to take advantage of the gold mine of talent. Everyone was assigned to bring a dish of their choice. Chef Antonia Lofaso, who grew up just a stone’s throw from Ellen and Mario’s home, co-owns and operates Studio City’s Black Market, as well as two other LA eateries. She arrived toting three-day aged ribeye steaks.

HOMEGROWN Ellen picks some lettuce from her garden. Left: Jeremy Bringardner

Ellen’s Gard en Forage S alad

SERVES

4-6

Mixed ba by g 1 cup Mam reens (6 generou sh a Lil’s pick led peppe andfuls) 1 fennel b BOILED & ulb, shave rs, chopp G ed d 8 ounces 3 artichoke RILLED ARTICHO grilled Ma KES hearts, en nouri che Summer ds cut 13 garlic c ese* sherry vin loves aigrette 12 pieces S prigs of fr of quarte esh thym red artich Frizzle-fri e Salt and p okes ed leeks* ep ½ cup extr per a virgin oliv Cut off th e oil e stalks o f fennel a very thin, Place a la nd shave preferably rg b u e lb p on a man ot of wate Gently to add hand dolin. r over ful of salt shaved fe ss the greens, pic . Smash 10 high heat and cloves an kled pep nnel and of the garl d add, as pers, crumbled with the ic well thyme. Bri grilled Ma vinaigrett ng to a bo as a few sprigs of nouri e until th evenly co il. e lettuce C ated. u t a h alf-inch o is Pile the sa ff the stem off an inc lad high in end, and h or two o and arran th cu e f the artic c e e x n pose the ter of a p ge the co hoke tip to t inner laye latter oked artic the base. rs. Add to water. Co hokes aro ok anywh the boilin und Scatter th ere from g artichoke e frizzle-f 15 minute s are sma the salad ried leeks s if ll (fi a st size) to rtichokes to garnish on the to are large 30 minute p of . *Get recip (grapefru s if Check for e on ourv it size). doneness enturablv a n b d y d.com the base. squeezing If cooked SUMMER the stem tongs to tr , they will SHERRY an give. Use VINAIGR 7 ounces flipped up sfer to a plate or c ETTE sherry vin utting bo side dow egar 1 ½ oz. sh ard, n to drain Use a sha allots off excess rp knife to ¼ cup ag water. quarters b c u ave necta t a rt ich y cutting r light ¼ cup ma down thro okes in and the b ple syrup ugh the st ody. Use 1 tablespo a em sp c hoke (i.e., oon to sc on Dijon m oop out th the hairs ustard 2 cups ex in the cen e any sharp tra virgin ter). Pull -tipped le olive oil 1 tablespo out aves. Mince the on koshe r salt remaining 1 ½ teasp add to th 3 cloves oons grou e extra vir nd peppe gin olive o garlic and artichoke r il. Brush th s g e nerously Add all in e season w with the g gre ith salt an arlic oil, th and blend dients to a blende d freshly en Sear artic r on high fo groun h r 1 minute smooth a until nicely okes on all sides o d pepper. nd emuls or until v e c r a hot gri ified. harred an ll d the hea rts are so ft.

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

Chef Anton Aged Bone-ia Lofaso’s Salsa Verde in Ribeye With and Grilled SERVES 12; PAIRED Vegetables WITH WH AM FROM 6TH AND 24-ounce L

bone-in, d ry-aged ri Gray coars beye e sea salt Black pep per Extra virg in olive oil to coat Lime and avocado w edges for Tortillas garnish

ABREA

Grill ribey e on high heat for 8 uncovered minutes o for 15 min n each sid utes. Slice steak e. “Rest” m a n eat d place on lime and av platter or ocado we plate. Serv dges, fresh e w it h grilled veg warm tort gies, illas and sa SALSA V lsa verde. ERDE (makes ½ cup) 4 tablespo ons chopp ed flat-lea 1 teaspoo f parsley n choppe d garlic 1 boquero ne anchovy , chopped 1 teaspoo n choppe d fresh ro Zest of ¼ semary lemon 1 teaspoo n chili flake 1 tablespo on chopp ed fresh o Extra virg regano in olive oil to cover Mix all ing redients to gether an d place in small ram VEGGIES ekin. 1 Japanese eggplant with skin round pie on, cut on ces bias into 2 ½ cup wild -inch-thic mushroom k s 2 green o nion stalk s whole Sherry vin egar Season all with salt an d pepper tender an and coat w d charred . Season g ith olive o enerously il. Grill unti with sherr l soft, y vinegar and olive oil.

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

KICK BACK Mario del Pero uncorks some red wine. Left: the buffet table

“That is as long as I like my steaks aged!” She promptly set herself up at the grill, showing off the mastery that landed her on shows like Top Chef and Chopped. As she flipped each steak numerous times (“Forget about perfect grill marks, I like the char all over”), she shared a story about how she got inspiration for one of the dishes at her new downtown eatery, DAMA. “We were near the border of Tijuana and we saw these kids cooking on the side of the road and their food was amazing!” Next to Antonia, on a wood-fired grill, was chef Ted Hopson, who owns The Bellwether in Sherman Oaks with his wife, Ann-Marie Verdi. He was grilling corn in their husks. “I soaked the corn in water for about an hour beforehand, so you get the char on the kernels and a nice smoky steam,” says Ted. He’ll use the corn to create a salad that will be a bed for grilled swordfish. “Everything about this dish is summer to me!” Mendocino Farms’ corporate executive chef Jeremy Bringardner stationed himself in the open, spacious kitchen. He brings some serious chops to the chain (now with 28 outposts), having competed on Chopped and won. His dish was a foraged garden

salad, and he was busy boiling some pristine artichokes in a big pot of water. “I boil them first with garlic, lemon and fresh thyme.” Later, he finished them at the grill “just for a little carmelization.” The well-known artisanal brewer Tony Yanow was also in attendance. Having sold Golden Road Brewery to Budweiser, he now owns and operates four brewpubs in the LA area, including Bluebird Brasserie in Sherman Oaks. He befriended Ellen and Mario after curating the beer selections at the couple’s new Mendocino Farms in Studio City; he’s charged with the same responsibility on this evening. Kristine de la Cruz, who owns and operates the Crème Caramel dessert emporium on Burbank Boulevard in Sherman Oaks with her husband, Sean, was charged with the après-meal sweets. She brought 3-inch high cookie/marshmallow creations for roasting s’mores (get recipe on ourventurablvd.com), a coconut corn vegan pudding and a purple yam custard. Spectacular flower arrangements of large pink peonies, purple tulips, yellow roses and clippings from a bright orange Australian

shrub in the yard helped create a stunning backdrop as guests noshed on a round wooden board filled with charcuterie, cheese, dried fruit and nuts. Dinner was served buffet style. Plates in hand, guests ambled down a few stairs to a lower-level lawn where a stunning table was set for 12. Right before the meal began, Mario bounded back up the stairs to the house to grab a few bottles of red wine from a glassenclosed cellar adjacent to the kitchen. The cellar was one of the few things the couple added to the two-story home when they bought it last year. “We updated the kitchen a bit and made light fixtures throughout the house a little less farmhouse and a bit more contemporary. But other than that, it was pretty turnkey.” He selected only two varietals. “I’m putting a few reds on the table but I think the hit of the evening will be Tony’s beers.” He was right. The steak blended perfectly with the dark-hued “Wham” variety Tony brought from his 6th and LaBrea brewpub. And later when the crowd moved over to the bonfire to roast Kristine’s gargantuan

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

Ann-Marie Verdi and Ted Hopson

GATHER ROUND Seated left to right: Ellen, Antonia, Mario, Carolina Guddemi, Kristine de la Cruz and Sean Gilleland. Standing: Mario Guddemi, co-owner of Black Market and Local Peasant.

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

Chef Ted H from The B opson’s Grilled Swordfi sh ellwether SERVES 6 ; PAIRED WITH

s’mores, the chocolaty “Skag” brew, also from 6th and La Brea, cut the sweetness in a taste sensation that was truly heavenly. Guests lingered into the night. No one seemed to want to leave. And even though Mario and Ellen and their two kids were headed on vacation to Mexico early the next morning, they weren’t exactly taking it down a notch. Keeping with her relaxed style, Ellen quipped, “No rush. Really! I’m never rigid about anything when it comes to entertaining. It’s about terrific food and drink—and friends. Great entertaining is as simple as that.” ■ Get all the recipes from the dishes mentioned in this article on ourventurablvd.com.

SAISON L I FROM B 6 8-ounce LUEBIRD swordfish BRASSER st 8 ounces eaks, skin IE olive oil off, trimm ed 2 tablespo ons cumin seed, not 1 tablespo toasted, cr on Aleppo acked chili flake 1 teaspoo n black pe pper, grou 1 teaspoo nd n coriand er, not toa 1 lime with sted, grou zest cut o nd ff so it’s la Kosher sa rge, no pit lt h Mix all ing redients to gether. Ad well coate d the swo d. rdfish and Let sit a m mix so it is inimum of 2 hours; b Preheat g etter if ove rill to med rnight. ium-high. marinade , season w Remove fi ith kosher sh steaks Grill. We lo from sa lt on both sides. side, but it ve to cook it to me dium, abo really dep ut 3 minu ends on yo of the corn tes on each ur fish and salad. your grill. Place on to p

Tony Yanow

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AUGUST 2 Summer Drive-In Nights

Experience an old fashioned drive-in movie at Lake Balboa with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone shown on a 60-foot inflatable screen. Food trucks, live bands, retro arcade games and slot car racing. Portion of proceeds benefit Valley Relics Museum. myvalleypass.com

3 Backstreet Boys

The boy band’s DNA World Tour—their biggest arena tour in 18 years. staplescenter.com

4 Moby Dick – Rehearsed

Adapted from Herman Melville’s classic tale of Captain Ahab, the brooding one-legged fanatic whose obsession is to kill the whale Moby Dick. theatricum.com

8 Cha Wa

This past spring fire ravaged the 850-year-old Notre-Dame in Paris. In recognition of the historic event, this exhibition at the Getty offers a glimpse into the history and art of the architectural and religious icon. Paintings, photographs, prints and rare books show the importance of the cathedral in European art history from its construction in the Middle Ages to its restoration in the mid-1800s. Through October 20. getty.edu

22 Josef Leimberg

Enjoy the trumpeter’s original fusion of jazz, hip-hop and funk at sunset on the Skirball’s enchanting patio. skirball.org

23 Kacey Musgraves

The multiple Grammy-winning singer takes the stage at the Greek. lagreektheatre.com

28 The Roots

The house band for Jimmy Fallon and considered one of the best live acts in hip-hop. hollywoodbowl.com

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

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By Cooks Illustrated publisher Christopher Kimball, Milk Street Tuesday Nights categorizes recipes by the time they take to prepare. $35; BLVD Kitchen in Sherman Oaks; theblvdkitchen.com Lacanche handcrafted metal ranges are culinary art. Available in a dizzying array of colors like powder blue, bright orange and kelly green. From $12,850; lacanche.com

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

Brevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Juice Fountain Cold, XL has an extra-large feed tube that accepts whole fruit; champagne finish. $350; williams-sonoma.com This cast-iron skillet and lid by Finex features a quick-cooling ergonomic spring handle and is stick- and rustresistant. $225; williams-sonoma.com

Commercial-grade, climate-controlled spiral wine cellar for above or below ground. 8 feet, 1,450-bottle capacity. From $95,000; genuwinecellars.com

Charcoal and gold platter by ceramic artist Avesha Michael. $86; BLVD Kitchen in Sherman Oaks; theblvdkitchen.com Matchstick striker by ceramic artist Avesha Michael. Also in black. $30; etsy.com/shop/aveshamichael

Midcentury spider leg folding table with brass, flower-shaped engraved tray. $825; at Maude Woods in Woodland Hills or maudewoods.com Abstract vintage leafy metal wall sculpture signed by California artist Cliff Widdowson. $950; at Maude Woods in Woodland Hills or maudewoods.com

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Le Sanglier Elegant French Fine Dining Now Featuring Full Bar

For over 40 years, Le Sanglier French Restaurant has stood the test of time and provided a quiet haven from the stress and tumult of everyday life. It’s about pleasure, indulgence and relaxation with one of the most irresistible, exquisite tastes of fine dining offered. The delightful and extensive menu of contemporary French cuisine promotes light and healthy fare. Food connousseurs are in for the ultimate treat at this upscale, quaint Tarzana favorite. The lodge-like interior is low key and often filled with regulars. Patrons agree that Le Sanglier Restaurant is “the best in the valley” with specialties including: Venison • Wild Boar • Veal • Steaks • Seafood • Daily Specials

Voted Best Restaurant

Open for Dinner Only Tuesday - Sunday 5:30 - 10pm 5522 Crebs Ave Tarzana | 818-345-0470 | www.lesanglier1.com

A family-owned neighborhood gem celebrating 4 years on Ventura Boulevard! Now serving our new handmade pasta dishes. Reservations available on Resy or by calling the restaurant. We provide outstanding catering for events large and small. We’re also happy to host your private party or special event. – Chef Ted Hopson and Ann-Marie Verdi “…bringing seasonal fare and cocktails to Studio City in a comfortable, open space.” – ZAGAT “...a neighborhood restaurant any neighborhood would be lucky to have...” – Food & Wine

13251 Ventura Blvd. Suite A Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 285-8184 Brunch: Saturday + Sunday 10:30 am -2:30 pm Dinner: Daily from 5 pm Join Us for Happy Hour: Monday-Friday 5-6 pm

VEGAN PESTO Composed of fresh herbs, olive oil, nuts and lemon. Use a nutritional yeast as a substitute for Parmesan to give the pesto that “cheesy” flavor. Experiment with different flavor combinations, like sorrel and cilantro, or use cashew or Brazil nuts instead of traditional pine nuts. Pesto adds a shot of bold flavor to vegetables, seafood, pasta, pizza and sandwiches.

ROMESCO A blend of tomato, dried ñora chili pepper, garlic, sherry vinegar, toasted bread and nuts. Most Americanized versions substitute roasted red bell pepper and smoked paprika for hard-to-find ñora peppers. Use as a dip or side sauce for meats, seafood, roasted or grilled veggies and fried potatoes. Serve with fresh baguette, Spanish meats and cheeses, or even use it as a pizza sauce.

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CHERMOULA This North African green sauce is popular in Moroccan cuisine. Typically includes cumin, coriander, chili spices, garlic and lemon, although recipes vary. Red versions contain paprika. It’s a delightful addition to soups and stews and can be served as a dip, marinade/relish or sauce for seafood, meats and vegetables.

CHIMICHURRI Argentinian green sauce made with with parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar and chili. Red versions of the sauce may include tomato and red pepper. Excellent drizzled on grilled steak, chicken or seafood, and perfect for dipping bread. Can be pureed with a blender or coarsely chopped. Best made fresh, although you can find jars at the grocery store.

GOCHUJANG A staple in Korean cooking and more of a paste or condiment than a sauce. Spicy, sweet and pungent, deep red gochujang is made from fermented chili peppers. It’s found in dishes ranging from bulgogi “fire meat” to dukbokki (spicy Korean rice cakes). With a tomato-pastelike texture and a strong flavor with more dimension and depth than sriracha. Put a dollop on meat and veggies, use as a dipping sauce or to thicken a sauce.

Get Sauced From dips to spreads, 6 sauces for elevating summer fare.

WRITTEN, STYLED & PRODUCED BY KARA MICKELSON PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL

TZATZIKI A popular Southeast Europe and Middle Eastern yogurt sauce (get the 5% Fage variety) made with cucumber, garlic, onion and fresh herbs like mint and dill. Mix it up by swapping fennel for the cucumber. Add to a meze platter as a dip or serve with grilled chicken, beef or lamb. Also great with whole-grain chips!

AUGUST 2019 | SOUTHBAY

NE W GLOBAL TA S TING MENU Introducing “A Taste of Korea” Three Inspired Courses, Just $39

The Irresistible Flavors of the Pacific Rim 30 years ago we opened our first restaurant in Hawaii Kai. A fusion of founder Roy Yamaguchi’s Japanese heritage and classical French Training, Roy’s has become the epitome of Hawaiian fusion cuisine. We invite you to join us. Dinner served nightly from 3pm.

Weekend Brunch Join us Saturday and Sunday for our Hawaiian-inspired Brunch beginning at 11am.

Aloha Hour Enjoy amazing appetizers, sushi, signature cocktails, beer and wine, all specially priced from 2:59-7pm daily. Late night Aloha Hour daily 9pm-close.

ROY’S WOODLAND HILLS 6363 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91367 Phone: (818) 888-4801 RESERVE YOUR TABLE AT ROYSRESTAURANT.COM

Private Dining Our beautifully appointed private dining rooms offer the perfect backdrop for your next meeting, luncheon, cocktail or dinner.

Capital Assets

Explore the sites and bites of food-forward Sacramento. WRITTEN BY DARREN ELMS

WHERE TO STAY One of the coolest hotels to debut in recent years, The Sawyer overlooks the Sacramento Kings’ new Golden 1 Center—putting guests at the heart of local entertainment and activity. The hotel hosts several dining venues, the Revival bar and lounge, and a third-floor pool deck to soak in the Sacramento sun. Take a complimentary public bike on some of Sacramento’s 32 miles of bike paths and explore the incredible murals popping up in the downtown neighborhood. 500 J Street, sawyerhotel.com WHAT TO DO The seventh annual Farm-to-Fork Festival has grown to be one of California’s

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most-anticipated events of the year. Hosted on Sacramento’s iconic Capitol Mall, the admission-free festival boasts more than a half-mile (80+ vendors) of local food, beer and wine, along with exhibits from farms and ranches. Attendees will also find live music, cooking shows and a butchering competition on several demo stages. September 19-29, farmtofork.com At the festival’s conclusion on September 29, take part in an event that has truly become one of Sacramento’s most soughtafter tickets. On the city’s famed Tower Bridge, 800 diners enjoy a one-of-a-kind culinary experience created by the region’s top farmers and chefs. The Tower Bridge Dinner also serves as a fund-raiser, with a

portion of the proceeds helping pay for the free Farm-to-Fork Festival that attracted more than 65,000 people in 2017. Last year Visit Sacramento also utilized a portion of the proceeds to fund scholarships for College Assistance Migrant Program students—children of migrant farmworkers who attend Sacramento State. WHERE TO DINE Once known as the Beer Capital of the West pre-prohibition, Sacramento’s beer scene is back in a big way. The region boasts more than 60 craft breweries, along with a host of activities to explore. Check out Urban Roots Brewing for casual smokehouse bites paired with your favorite local

pint. 1322 V Street, urbanrootsbrewing.com Little-known fact: the largest commodity coming out of Sacramento County is wine grapes. The region’s Clarksburg wine country presents an ideal location to sample California wine—just 15 minutes outside downtown. Unpretentious and bursting with hidden gems, the Delta is home to a host of boutiques as well as the international brand Bogle. 37783 County Road 144 in Clarksburg, boglewinery.com ■

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WHITSE

T T AV E

DAY BREAK Singer and American Idol finalist Haley Reinhart at Steampunk.

BURBAN

Around the World in One Block Valley Village emerges with a global dining scene that offers everything from progressive Thai food to old-school kosher. WRITTEN BY JOSH LURIE | PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL BECKER

K B LV D

Burbank Boulevard may not have the status of Ventura, but it is rapidly earning stripes as one of the Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most robust dining scenes. The stretch along Valley Village, near a charming bedroom community, LA Valley College and several office buildings, provides steady foot traffic and a diverse customer base. The corner of Burbank and Whitsett Avenue is the epicenter of the action, with a half dozen spots worth hitting.

STEAMPUNK COFFEEBAR + KITCHEN This small space with art-lined walls seems perpetually packed with customers. A wide-ranging coffee program includes classic choices like French press and a sweet, velvety Habana espresso drink. But as the owner is quick to point out, they don’t come for the beverages; they come for the comfort food. Among the most popular choices: buttermilk fried chicken, bacon and a sunny side up egg served atop a Belgian waffle. 12526 Burbank Blvd. SCHWARTZ BAKERY Valley Village houses the northernmost outpost of this kosher institution that dates to 1954. Schwartz bakes breads like challah and 7-grain, plus bagels and cinnamon rings. Breakfast pastries and chocolate babka also have devotees. 12522 Burbank Blvd. PACIFIC KOSHER This versatile Israeli café eschews meat in favor of fish, pizza, pasta, and sandwiches on house-baked bread. Their toasted, horseshoe-shaped, sesamestudded Jerusalem bagels are particularly good. The Jerusalem bagel sandwich known as Moran teams za’atar with hard-boiled egg, stretchy mozzarella, salty feta, kalamata olives, avocado and garlic sauce. 12519 Burbank Blvd. CHIANG MAI URBAN THAI KITCHEN This colorful eatery, with a covered patio, sprinkles northern Thai dishes across the menu. Skip the all-too-common pad Thai and satay in favor of regional dishes. Khao soi, the famed coconut curry noodle soup topped with a crispy egg noodle nest, is available with chicken drumstick, crispy pork or shrimp. Chiang Mai larb features ground pork stir-fried with funky pork liver, chiles, mint leaves, garlic and scallions. Eat this dish with purple sticky rice, which doubles as a utensil. Chiang Mai got in early on the butterfly pea (anchan) trend. The blue flowers supposedly aid the immune system and circulation and factor into a vivid beverage with honey and lime. Butterfly pea flowers also stain sticky rice blue in a dessert that’s available with either custard or mango. 12510 Burbank Blvd.

HUMMUS YUMMY This fast-casual Israeli restaurant (formerly a food truck) delivers on its name. The rich, creamy garbanzo bean dip is available with toppings like mushrooms, garlicky garbanzo beans and fava beans. Mach’lutta is an even split of fava and garbanzo beans with hummus. Soft, herb-flecked falafel and sabich—fried eggplant with hard-boiled eggs—are other tantalizing hummus toppers. The falafel blend, crafted with garbanzo beans, parsley, garlic, cumin and secrets, also forms waffles and “burger” patties. The fantastic vegetarian burger features a crispy coat and soft core, plus the classic burger accompaniments. Supplement with mushrooms and a sunny egg. For dessert, try malabi, a creamy milk pudding sporting house-made syrup with a hint of rosewater, shredded coconut and crushed pistachio. 12514 Burbank Blvd. MIRABELLE Like Augustine Wine Bar, Mirabelle (from some of the same team) offers more than 30 wines by the glass, plus a small selection of more-obscure bottles and nine rotating craft beer taps. The cozy denlike hangout with a marble bar initially focused on wine, cheese, charcuterie and small plates, but the menu has become increasingly ambitious. Some of Mirabelle’s boldest bites involve fingerling potatoes served with walnut romesco, smoky Idiazábal cheese and pickled green garlic. Creamy burrata’s seasonal accompaniments might include cara cara oranges, Calabrian chiles, pistachios and arugula. A dark chocolate sesame tart highlights two desserts, costarring burnt honey, walnut and sesame cream. Bargain hunters will delight in Mirabelle’s three-course, market-driven Sunday menu priced at $35 per person. 12518 Burbank Blvd.

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

the sauce

Bobalooza

The boba tea craze is exploding all over the Valley, but Brit Boba in Studio City is a breakout star. WRITTEN BY DIANE HAITHMAN

Valley cuisine is all about fusion, but the combination that Brit Boba has come up with— authentic British pastry and Asian-inspired Boba tea—is still delightfully surprising. Despite the fact that the shop’s location— the back of a small strip mall next to Calico Corners—is accessible only by making a right turn (for those headed west), the owners say business has been swift. Coco Lloyd and Jacob Clifton credit social media for driving traffic to the tea emporium, and report double-digit growth every month since opening last November. Coco is a British actress with a yen for authentic English baked goods that taste like home. Husband Jacob is a native Angeleno with an MBA. Together they devised a menu that combines the best of British baking with boba teas enhanced with either chewy tapioca pearls or fruity-sweet popping bubbles. Coco says that the couple tested 10 to 15 chefs in pursuit of an American baker who could make authentic British sponge cake and scones. Pastries are baked off-site

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using recipes from Mary Berry, former host of popular BBC TV competition The Great British Bake Off. For Coco, sponge is key. “In America the consensus is to make it very sweet a lot of the time,” she said. “British sponge isn’t actually that sweet; it’s the buttercream in the middle that makes it sweet.” The shop now works with two chefs, one for the British pastries and another to handle donuts, tea-infused cupcakes and a rotating selection of baked goods. Coco occasionally steps in to bake the time-intensive English specialty banoffee pie, a confection involving digestive biscuits, caramel, bananas, lemon and whipped cream. The couple prides themselves on their winning combination of tapioca pearls and bubbles with clear English teas. They eschew teas traditionally used for boba drinks that are thickened, sweetened and flavored with powdered mixes. One of their most popular combos is periwinkle lemonade, served iced with organic floral tea and popping fruit boba.

The shop also serves black teas, matcha, and Thai tea à la carte, as well as a “Queen’s Tea” that includes choice of tea with options from the day’s variety of British cakes and desserts. ■ Brit Boba 12747-½ Ventura Blvd., Studio City britboba.com

Tea Tidbits Boba tea originated in Taiwan and is typically served iced with tapioca pearls or popping bubbles made of sugar, fruit juice and an outer shell of seaweed extract that provides a satisfying mini explosion. Other places to get your boba on: Lemonade in Studio City, North Hollywood’s TEAPOP and Universal CityWalk’s Mini Monster.

Pasta Artigiana Wearing a white bib apron, her blonde hair pulled back by a headband, Leah Ferrazzani stands over freshly extruded rigatoni laid out on racks, her fingers lightly circulating the tubeshaped pasta in preparation for the dryer. The 300-square-foot organic pasta lab and provisions shop is divided by an 8-foot glass window. Until she hired one person to help just a few months ago, she was single-handedly manufacturing and packing 750 pounds of dried pasta and 150 pounds of fresh pasta per week. The 41-year-old’s path to becoming a pastaia happened serendipitously. A former food writer, Leah always made her own fresh pasta, but didn’t have the time after the birth of her two kids. And finding locally made organic dried pasta to stock her pantry proved difficult. She started researching and found that half the durum grown in the U.S. is exported to Italy to make into pasta, which is then sent back to the States. “I was just like, okay, well that’s asinine … and it’s not a matter of not having a good raw ingredient because they don’t have the market on great durum wheat or great semolina in Italy. So that means it’s a matter of craft—and I can learn craft.” Determined to make dried pasta the traditional way with only water and semolina—the coarse flour made from durum wheat—Leah ventured to Italy’s Amalfi Coast and Naples to observe some of the world’s most renowned pasta makers. “I had a translator because everyone spoke Neapolitan.” Leah relays how after returning home she went MacGyver on her laundry room, creating a makeshift drying environment, which entailed tiling walls, hooking up a Vicks vaporizer to an egg incubator hydrostat, and box fans to regulate the humidity for drying the pasta. Within a year, her cottage business outgrew the laundry room, and in 2015, with $26,000 raised though Kickstarter, Leah moved to LA Prep, a communal commercial complex in Lincoln Heights. By 2017, Semolina Artisanal Pasta was carried in 125 grocery stores and 60 boutiques across the country. But the stress was too much. “That growth almost bankrupted me,” confides Leah. “The

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At Semolina Artisanal Pasta in Pasadena, Leah Ferrazzani makes small-batch pasta in the time-honored traditional Italian way— and big-name chefs are taking notice. WRITTEN BY KAREN YOUNG

more orders I had to fill, my expenses increased.” She decided to downsize, let go of supermarket clients and leave LA Prep. A few months later she found her current location, and with the help of a second Kickstarter campaign was able to build out a pasta lab and begin again. Leah sources certified organic durum semolina mostly from South Dakota and Montana. She mixes water with semolina and extrudes the various shapes through bronze dies, creating dense, textured pasta that “grabs sauce”—as opposed to industrial Teflon dies that result in a nonadhesive, smooth texture. The pasta is then slow-dried in a static dryer at 100 degrees for 16 to 20 hours, a method that retains the flavor and nutritious qualities of the wheat. Leah credits chef Matt Molina for influencing her to create a fresh pasta line for chefs. “I knew I always wanted to work with Leah when opening HIPPO (in Highland Park), but couldn’t incorporate the longer cooking time,” shares Matt. “I suggested she test her freshly extruded pasta before it dried and it cooked up beautifully. It’s exciting to see how this has opened up an entire market of chefs around town.” Restaurateur Nancy Silverton, who uses Semolina’s fresh line at Michelin-starred Osteria Mozza, concurs. “Before Leah we were using pasta with a 10-minute drop time. Now we get her excellent extruded pasta with about a 3-minute drop time, which means a lot in a busy restaurant. Just because pasta is fresh and extruded doesn’t mean it’s good. I’ve had plenty of yummy versions. But Leah’s is of outstanding quality.” Semolina Artisanal Pasta is now back in about 100 stores, including Whole Foods and Joan’s on Third. It is also served at The Bellwether in Studio City. Leah hopes to expand into an Italian deli, but for now she’s satisfied making pasta and chatting with customers browsing in her shop. “I like to look in the eyes of the people I’m feeding and talk to them about food. Cooking can be intimidating and eating is so fraught these days, so I just like that very natural simple interaction. That is just your basic humanity— connecting with people over food.” ■

I like to look in the eyes of the people I’m feeding and talk to them about food. Cooking can be intimidating and eating is so fraught these days, so I just like that very natural simple interaction. That is just your basic humanity— connecting with people over food.”

SEMOLINA BY THE NUMBERS

750

Lbs. of dried pasta made per week

Number of cuts of pasta made

150

Lbs. of fresh pasta made per week

100Â° Temperature necessary for drying the pasta

850

Lbs. of semolina flour used per week

Average number of hours it takes to dry the pasta

Spread Your Blanket 5 ideas for gourmet grab and go WRITTEN BY KAREN YOUNG

With the outdoor summer concert and movie season in full swing, kick up the flavor with this picnic hit list. THE BLVD KITCHEN Signature boxes that include small plates, cutlery and napkins (serves two, $60-$75). Create a supper with sliders (caprese, turkey and Havarti, chicken) or dishes like the southwest grain salad or chicken in lettuce cups. Comes with a spreading side (hummus, tapenade or cheese) and fresh-baked treats. Also available: “grazing” boxes ($55 and $100) filled with crudité, hummus, tapenade, assorted cheeses, grapes, dried fruit and nuts. Add cured meats and mini desserts for $10-$20. Boxes require 72 hours’ advance notice. theblvdkitchen.com CHEESEMONGERS OF SHERMAN OAKS This gourmet shop offers picnic boards packed for easy transport with two cheeses, one cured meat, cornichons, olives, dried fruit, and Marcona almonds (serves two to three, $20). Add-on possibilities: a fresh baguette, crackers and tapenade. Make it sweeter with a Dick Taylor chocolate bar or Bertha Mae’s Brownies for dessert. Daily sandwich specials are available for $8 and can be also be prepared quickly on the spot. cheesemongersofshermanoaks.com JAYDE’S MARKET Situated just a stone’s throw from Mulholland, this family-owned market is the perfect one-stop food shop for those traveling over the hill. Check out the deli counter for pre-prepared dishes or order from the picnic menu for two ($60). Choose two entrées: organic rosemary-grilled chicken breast; seared ahi; grilled salmon; a choice of sandwiches on freshly baked bread; or a cheese and charcuterie board. All include a pasta salad, fruit salad, homemade cookie and a bottle of San Pellegrino water. Bonus: There’s also a pretty amazing wine selection. jaydesmarket.com SUGARFISH Switch up the traditional picnic with a modern sushi bento box. Go with one of the four “Trust Me” options ($25-$38) packed with color photos and instructions about how to properly eat and sauce (or not sauce) the sushi. All are served with organic edamame, tuna sashimi, albacore sushi, salmon sushi, yellowtail sushi, toro cut roll and crab cut roll. The amount served differs with the box size. À la carte is also available. sugarfishsushi.com JOE’S FALAFEL Although this fast casual Mediterranean eatery doesn’t have a formal picnic box, the reasonably priced menu provides a fun, sharing experience with choices for carnivores and vegetarians. Order combo plates or a la carte; mix and match kabobs, shawarma, and salmon. Make it a feast with hummus, babaganoush, tabouli and falafel. Baklava makes the perfect dessert. A big plus: it’s located within minutes of the Hollywood Bowl bus on Cahuenga Boulevard West. joesfalafel.net

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Over 60 selections of world class, hand-selected wines from all over the world

§ Chef inspired menu- Seafood, Vegetarian plates & Dry-Aged Beef selections

§ Outdoor covered patio

{ 18636 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana

•

California inspired Wine Bar & Restaurant now open at Village Walk in Tarzana.

818-578-3098

•

arcwoodrestaurant.com

A P L U S S I Z E FA S H I O N B O U T I Q U E

WE’VE MOVED J U ST A F E W ST E P S AWAY F R O M O U R O L D LO C AT I O N AFTER 20 YEAR IN THE SAME SPACE, WE THOUGHT YOU DESERVED A BIGGER, BRIGHTER MORE ABUNDANT PLACE TO SHOP. COME CELEBRATE WITH US.

(818) 990-6128 1 3 6 0 6 V E N T U R A B LV D.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A HEALTHY INDULGENCE Terranea’s stunning new eatery offers all the pleasures of dining out—with none of the guilt. WRITTEN BY AMBER KLINCK PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHANE O’DONNELL

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

o often we associate health and wellness with omission, employing dietary restrictions that deprive us of a sensorial and well-balanced dining experience. Solviva, Terranea Resort’s new all-day wellness eatery, challenges that perception with an expertly crafted menu focused both on the benefits and the beauty of a well-balanced dish. “It has to be nutritious, it has to be textural, and it’s got to be beautiful to look at,” explains Terranea’s vice president of culinary experiences and executive chef, Bernard Ibarra. “It’s a different way of looking at food. There is nothing that’s forbidden; it’s just perfectly balanced.” The collaboration between Ibarra, executive sous chef Bruce Nguyen and Terranea’s in-house nutritionist, Navil Lorenzana, is what created that balance. “We don’t adhere to any fad diets,” Navil

says. “We crafted our menu with wellness in mind. That diet mentality is what we want to get away from.” The result of their work is a tantalizing menu full of character and personality. “It’s food that tells a story,” Chef Ibarra says. “It’s not another dining option that we’re offering; it’s a dining destination.” Further enhancing Solviva’s culinary delights is the restaurant’s seaside locale. Diners can opt to cozy up inside or enjoy their meal while gazing at the Pacific. Each dish uses locally grown products from sustainable and reputable farmers and fishermen. Feeling indulgent? Save room for dessert or take a peek at the list of libations curated by Terranea’s wine director and certified sommelier, Alicia Ajolo. For the discerning guest, the nutritional information is listed beneath each menu item.

At the helm of the kitchen, bringing to life Solviva’s visionary menu items, is chef de cuisine RJ Dela Merced. While creating menu items that are balanced nutritionally requires him to work within certain parameters, it also inspires creativity. “It challenges you to think about what you can do. It forces you to be creative and look for a different path to achieve something.” Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Solviva is certainly an indulgence you can feel good about. To experience Solviva and learn more about Terranea’s culinary offerings, please call 855-416-3928 100 Terranea Way in Rancho Palos Verdes. terranea.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

as seen in

Ventura Blvd is part of the Golden State network, a family of digital, social and print media brands celebrating the people, pursuits, lifestyles and ideas of California. In every issue going forward, we will share one story from across our network. Each will explore topics that go beyond the limits of the Valley. These are California stories that speak to the meaningful impact our state and its residents make on the global stage. To learn more about Golden State and to see more stories like this, please visit goldenstate.is.

Soil & Trouble There’s something rotten in the state of California. The dirt— specifically the farming soil that supports our multibillion-dollar agriculture industry—is sick … from chemicals and pesticides, bad farming practices and greed. And sadly that sickness trickles down to the food you put on the dinner table. But a movement to correct decades of damage is germinating at the grassroots level. If successful, these “soil saviors” could change both farming and our health … for good. WRITTEN BY BONNIE GRAVES | ILLUSTRATED BY YASMINE KAHSAI

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt $2.055 billion. It’s a staggering figure—more than the gross domestic product reported of 26 different countries. Yet that’s the amount a jury in Oakland awarded plaintiffs Alva and Alberta Pilliod on May 13 for both compensatory and punitive damages. The defendant? Monsanto (now owned by German conglomerate Bayer) and its glyphosate-ridden Roundup weed killer. Like the plaintiffs in two previous lawsuits filed against Bayer-Monsanto, the Pilliods contend that their non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was caused by a lifetime of exposure to Roundup. American juries have agreed, although predictably Bayer-Monsanto has appealed and delayed the award of any monies such that some of these plaintiffs may well die of cancer before they see any compensation. A quick Google search is revealing. Sponsored ads from lawyers soliciting clients with cancer cases connected to Roundup are jarringly intermixed with ads from Target, Amazon and Walmart—all cheerfully competing to ship the herbicide to you at discount rates. As demonstrated by the inexorable battle against big tobacco, regulatory wheels don’t get greasy until the squeak gets loud enough. Much like the anti-vaccine movement, the controversy surrounding glyphosate and its carcinogenic effects can be traced to an alarming intermingling of actual science and pseudoscience. The former requires established principles of open and transparent procedures and peer review—something that was notably lacking in a seminal report submitted to the European Union (EU) in 2014 by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, in which glyphosate was determined to be “harmless,” at least in small doses. Here in America, the use of glyphosate is even less regulated. Just last May the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reaffirmed its stance, based on research conducted back in 1993, that glyphosate is not a carcinogenic compound. Tellingly, CNN later discovered and released internal emails sent between a Monsanto executive and a key EPA regulator in which they appear to collude in a plan to quash an updated inquiry into the herbicide’s harmful effects. From 1974 to 2014 the use of glyphosate in

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American agriculture increased by 300% in correlation with the rise of Monsanto’s sister product, Roundup Ready crop seeds, which are genetically modified in order to flourish in tandem with the herbicide. It’s akin to marketing opioids and naloxone simultaneously, i.e., create the dependent market and then sell its alleviation. It’s certainly smart business, even if it’s morally reprehensible. It is as difficult to overstate the degree to which our American soils are now saturated with this chemical as it is to overstate the dependency of most farmers. Many farmers can no longer realistically afford the financial risk of growing without chemicals. Simply put, our soils are sick. Our soils are chronically unhealthy, and that’s before we consider the health of the animals that graze on them or the equally catastrophic impact of the antibiotics that these ruminants are force-fed. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Soil health ultimately dictates human health, and the old adage “you are what you eat” is both terrifying and inspiring in an era of chemical saturation. The good news is that we live in California, where we are leading the rest of the country in tackling soil pollution— among other environmental initiatives. On May 8 Governor Gavin Newsom officially banned the use of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to childhood brain damage. Just two years ago former EPA head Scott Pruitt mounted a last-minute campaign to override his own agency’s recommendation that this pesticide be banned nationally. In August the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Pruitt’s decision was a direct violation of federal law and ordered the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos nationwide within 60 days. Current EPA head Andrew Wheeler has defied the court’s order, and the matter is now set to be resolved by President Trump’s Justice Department in July—with grim implications for American children not lucky enough to consume produce grown in a chlorpyrifos-free California. And while Roundup is not yet illegal statewide, many local municipalities have banned it regardless—including all of Los Angeles

County, where it can no longer be used for weed eradication along public thoroughfares. Californians apparently won’t wait for the federal government to tell us what’s healthy or not, and that’s a very good thing. Any solution to a large-scale public health risk begins at the grassroots level, and in this case it’s doubly appropriate. Soil advocacy begins on the ground level, and while we should take pride in our local and state legislative initiatives, we also need to take independent action as citizen activists. What is clearly emerging is a movement—a movement that encompasses farmers, doctors, chefs and advocates from all walks of life. Unifying them is a foundational belief that “food is medicine.” What we eat—and how it is grown—is fundamentally linked to our physical well-being in a much more complex way than has previously been understood. As the renowned Indian scholar and Gandhian activist Vandana Shiva puts it, “Regenerative agriculture provides answers to the soil crisis, the food crisis, the health crisis, the climate crisis and the crisis of democracy.” As the founder of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy (RFSTN)—an organization devoted to developing sustainable methods of agriculture—Dr. Shiva’s early research and activism has inspired a generation, both here in California and around the globe. It was she who first connected the dots between monoculture, syntheticdependent farming and corollary climate and health crises. Increasingly, epidemiologists and other public health experts are also turning to the soil—literally and figuratively. Among several prominent American doctors, the work of Zach Bush, MD, is consistently cited by soil advocates. Dr. Bush is triple board-certified in internal medicine, endocrinology metabolism and hospice/palliative care. In practice this means he has deep clinical experience and a rare linear observation of how our digestive tract and organ systems integrate with our metabolic baseline over the course of a lifetime, including palliative care for lifeending diseases. Typically, doctors specialize more deeply,

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM Moorpark farmers Molly and John Chester

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

which can create crippling myopia as surely as it creates siloed expertise. This guy’s vision is much more expansive. Dr. Bush’s mission statement is to “provide a foundation of cutting-edge philosophy and science for a grassroots movement that will change our business and legislative structures and ultimately upshift consumer behavior to bring about radical change in the mega industries of big farming, big pharma and Western medicine at large.” In tech parlance this is called “disruption,” and if you’re doubtful that it can be done in the food business, take a look at the relationship between Tesla and the automotive industry, or at Airbnb and its impact on hotels. Disenchanted with traditional Western medicine and its reliance on pharmaceuticals, Dr. Bush left his medical practice 10 years ago in order to advocate for a new understanding of wellness. His goal is to teach that a healthy environment leads to a healthy gut, which in turn leads to overall physical and mental well-being. Of Dr. Bush’s many endeavors, the Farmer’s Footprint initiative seems most compelling (farmersfootprint.us). It’s an ambitious, Instagram- and media-friendly campaign that supports farmers converting to regenerative farming practices, with a goal of reclaiming 5 million acres of farmland by 2025. A documentary film of the same name spotlighting one Minnesota family farm’s successful transition to regenerative techniques was released in February, and it’s well worth the watch. Again the link between sick soils and sick

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

Americans is made explicit. Dr. Bush asserts, “A century of monocrop farming and reliance on pesticides has damaged our nation’s once-fertile soils and the health of every American. The rapid increase in pesticide use over the past few decades has coincided with this explosion of chronic disease.” He continues to note, “A profound change in the demographics of chronic disease is underway in the United States. Independent research from private laboratories and universities around the world are implicating glyphosate—the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup.” Dr. Bush, like other medical professionals, is increasingly alarmed that the same companies that manufacture medicines may also be manufacturing the chemicals that cause disease, e.g., Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto as an exemplary case. HOME TURF Regenerative agriculture is on the rise in the Golden State. In practice this involves not just the eschewing of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. It’s as much about the do’s as the don’ts when restoring soil to a more natural, nutrient-dense state. Keeping the soil intact (no tilling), using diverse cover crops and planning multiple crop rotations all help create carbon-rich soil rife with the vital microbes that in turn lead to healthy microbes in the human gut. In Moorpark, for example, we find Apricot Lane Farms, featured recently in the widerelease film The Biggest Little Farm. Founded by husband-and-wife team Molly and John Chester, Apricot Lane is an incubator for soil health and is a lab of sorts for teaching regenerative practices. When asked at a recent conference in Los Angeles about the long-term prospects of Apricot Lane Farms, Molly admitted that it often comes down to outside funding. While regenerative farming has quantifiable benefits, it is definitely not yet profitable. You can only recoup so much expense at a farmers market, selling DTC (direct-to-consumer) to people who care. When up against Big Ag, as The Biggest Little Farm documentary points out, it really is a case of David versus Goliath. The solution for farmers interested in healthier practices is to broaden their markets, and one important way to do that is to work directly with restaurants. Because the food industry is so heavily regulated, it is challenging for chefs to purchase directly from farmers. Ironically, our many health and sanitation regulations prohibit farmers from

simply showing up at the restaurant door with a truckload of healthy produce. The Santa Monica Farmers Market, however, is a model that successfully connects farmers and chefs. Launched in 1981, the Wednesday market features more than 75 vendors, many of whom grow sustainably or organically. A trend that now seems commonplace among top restaurants is to acknowledge food origins in restaurant menus, e.g., not just berries but “Harry’s Berries.” Chefs often cite vendors by name or location, which in turn strengthens the connection between farm and table. People increasingly want to know where their food is grown, and they want to know if it is grown with or without the use of chemicals. While the farmers market model works in a year-round growing season like California’s, it is more challenging to replicate in other climates. Restaurateurs, like father-and-son duo Matthew and Ryland Engelhart, are examples of food entrepreneurs who are finding creative ways to work directly with farmers. At age 48, Matthew left his career in apparel to found Café Gratitude, a “transformational business in the form of a restaurant.” With multiple locations across California, the brand has expanded to include Gracias Madre and the upscale Gratitude restaurant as well. Conceptually, this restaurant group serves primarily plant-based cuisines, although environmentally friendly meats were introduced several years ago. At Gracias Madre, an homage to Mexican mothers and their indigenous cuisines, Chef Chandra Gilbert’s masa is made exclusively from organically grown corn that is also directly sourced. Ryland notes, “We promote regenerative agriculture. All the corn used in our restaurants to make tortillas and tamales comes from a regenerative farm in Nebraska that practices crop rotation. We use the restaurants to show that the most important conversation is about food that is healthy, not only for our bodies but also for regenerating landscapes.” Ryland is also the cofounder of Kiss the Ground, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to regenerative farming and soil restoration. Launched just over five years ago, Kiss the Ground is an innovative advocacy group whose main client just happens to be Mother Earth. Matthew has also pointed out the connection between low-cost, chemically dependent food production and chronic illness. He uses the expression, “Our food is cheap, and we are sick.”

“Regenerative agriculture provides answers to the soil crisis, the food crisis, the health crisis, the climate crisis and the crisis of democracy.”

“In the 1960s Americans spent an average of 18% of their household budget on food and 8% on health care,” Matthew says. “Today this relationship has changed. Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart problems, are more common and kill more people than ever in history.” Spending more on food as preventative medicine—and less on pharmaceuticals—is the paradigm shift many are seeking to enact. Cue the Lunch Lady. Eating farm-totable takes on a different context entirely when the table is at a school. Hilary Boynton may lack the hairnet and the Styrofoam tray, but this lunch lady is on a mission to alleviate childhood illness by improving school lunch offerings. A mother of five who once struggled with infertility issues, Hilary is an evangelist for intestinal health and its potential to offset illness. She wrote The Heal Your Gut Cookbook with fellow nutrition expert Mary Bracket, featuring nutrient-dense recipes designed to minimize the inflammation that Dr. Bush and other medical experts causally link to a host of diseases. Incidentally, the recipes are also delicious and family-friendly. The inspiration for the book came from her own children’s health needs; from eczema to asthma to epilepsy, Hilary repeatedly found that what she fed her kids was as impactful as traditional medicines. “Food is medicine,” she told me as she flashed a blood glucose monitoring patch she was wearing as part of a citizen-science school project. She likes to use the metaphor of a fish tank. “You can feed the fish organic foods or give them drugs, but if you don’t clean the tank they’ll never get better.” Like Dr. Bush, Hilary’s approach to food centers on protecting healthy microbes in the gut. Her day job is at the Manzanita School in Topanga Canyon, where she prepares snacks and lunches that are

light-years ahead of industrial chicken nuggets and microwaved pizza. SEEDS OF ADVOCACY Access to healthy food is, of course, a socioeconomic issue. The privilege of choosing organically grown foods that cost more is just that—a privilege. Advocates for the disadvantaged are also seeking to implement healthier foods and to disrupt the cycle of chronic illness. Chefs Daniel Patterson and Roy Choi made headlines several years ago with their healthy fast-food concept, LocoL. While the intentions were noble and the design and menu were appealing, the Watts location failed quickly even though it was located in a food desert with few to no restaurant choices and a median income of just $25,000. The Oakland and San Jose LocoL franchises were shuttered as well. If you build it, they still may not come. This is apparently the lesson here. Change can be painfully slow. A different strategy was employed successfully by CALPIRG, whose lobbying efforts recently resulted in a commitment from McDonald’s—the country’s single biggest purchaser of beef—to reduce antibiotics in its meat supplies. It’s a huge step forward toward safeguarding the health of everyone in the U.S. Everyone needs antibiotics to remain effective when needed for critical medical treatment; whether they eat at McDonald’s or not is a secondary issue. Another unsung hero preaching the healing powers of soil is Carolyn Day, a former stuntwoman and professional surfer who recently started a nonprofit called Growing Hope Gardens. She is a master gardener who works with homeless shelters and transitional housing developments to install and maintain organic garden beds. While the gardens may not provide all the food the shelters’

residents require, the connection to the soil and the experience of growing food is often a first for many folks. Carolyn explains, “We believe that time spent in contact with nature through these gardens will provide meaningful, rewarding work and a safe environment for healing. While growing nutritious organic produce, our garden programs will create a sense of belonging and the opportunity to make beneficial human connections.” Growing Hope Gardens aligns with many fellow organizations in its regenerative, chemical-free techniques that also reduce the carbon imprint of the shelters they serve. Carolyn feels passionately that the homeless and “people of small means” also deserve access to healthier foods. The impact of sick, glyphosate-saturated soils planted with GMO crops should be considered a public health crisis akin to tobacco use, lead in household paints, the lack of seat belt use, drunk driving and other life-threatening risks. The situation is that dire. Dr. Bush asserts, “As the health of the soils and the plants that grow in them has diminished, chronic disease has gone epidemic. In the 1960s the entire U.S. population had a chronic disease burden of 4%. Today 46% of our children carry a chronic disease diagnosis. We have never imagined, let alone witnessed, this level of chronic disease.” The good news is that we can do something about this, and we must do something about this for the well-being of our children and of our planet. From the food choices we make in our own homes to pressuring our elected officials to supporting advocacy work, each of us can be a part of the regenerative work needed to restore healthy soils and cleanse our food supply of diseasecausing chemicals. And the time to start was yesterday, so let’s squeak loudly and get the wheels of change moving. ■

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

When In Barcelona Rebellious and romantic, the Catalan capital savors surprises. WRITTEN BY DARREN ELMS

n the surface one thing is clear: Barcelona does not play by the rules. You only need to step into the famously unfinished Sagrada Família, a piece of modern architecture so captivating and controversial that Pope Benedict XVI would only consecrate it as a minor basilica. Its visionary, Antoni Gaudí, put his artistic stamp on many sections of the city. And like his iconic mosaic sculptures, Barcelona pieces together an eclectic energy that is both vibrant and unexpected. The heart of the autonomous community of Catalonia, the Spanish metro proudly promotes its unique cultural identity and Catalan language. Following years of repression under the Franco regime, Barcelona has enjoyed a recent renaissance since hosting the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. It has also distinguished itself as an epicenter for arts and architecture, promoting the talents of some of the city’s most celebrated residents including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and, of course, Gaudí. GETTING THERE Norwegian Airlines offers a direct flight from LAX to Barcelona on one of their jet lag-friendly Dreamliners. If you’re feeling fancy, book a cushy PremiumFlex seat. It is reasonably priced for the extra amenities. norwegian.com WHERE TO STAY Barcelona has numerous vibrant areas to explore, so it’s wise to stay somewhat central. Located steps from the fashionable Passeig de Gràcia, Almanac Barcelona offers a stylish and upscale experience from which to launch your daily adventures. The rooms are spacious and sleek, many with incredible views. From the rooftop pool you can enjoy a 360º view of the city while sipping a cool glass of albariño. The hotel also features Línia, a Mediterranean brasserie serving culinary delights, where locals and travelers intersect from morning to night. almanachotels.com WHERE TO EAT Tapas are an edible tradition in Barcelona. You’ll find plenty of these shareable plates throughout the city. But if you want to merge tapas with the ultimate culinary playground, reserve a table at Tickets. As the name implies, Chef Albert Adrià’s Michelin-star restaurant seeks to entertain.

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My meal started with a tomato iced tea served in a porcelain pot, saucer and cup with a savory tea bag garnish. Light and refreshing, this liquid amuse-bouche offered the prelude to an evening filled with bite-size masterpieces, cleverly presented and incredibly tasty. As a bonus, I was handed a special invitation to the separate dessert bar—think Willy Wonka meets Alice in Wonderland— and concluded my meal with a sweet sendoff. Some places live up to the hype, and Tickets is one of them. elbarri.com WHAT TO DO If you find the tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare to be unbearably crowded, as I did, head to the Gothic Quarter—Barcelona’s old city center—for window-shopping and people-watching. On some days, antique vendors set up their wares in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona. In the evening, gather with locals as they join hands for traditional Catalan song and dance. This plaza is also a great vantage point to view Picasso’s frieze atop the modern Collegi d’Arquitectes building. His museum is a short walk away; be sure to reserve your ticket in advance. Picasso may be one of the art world’s most recognizable artists, but in Barcelona, Gaudí is most revered. You can view his art nouveau architecture at Casa Milà—his last private residential design. Peruse the extraordinary exteriors, or visit the building’s interiors—from basement to terrace—with a ticketed tour. On the outskirts of the city, meander through Parc Güell, a natural setting intermixed with the artist’s mosaic sculptures, serpentine shapes and colonnades hall. However, the must-visit Gaudí attraction is the one he never saw to completion. Don’t let the cranes and construction discourage you from visiting. I’d argue that the ongoing activity only adds to the experience. The magnificent white columns and contours swim in colored lights from the stained-glass windows, and awestruck visitors try to capture that perfect photo. But take a moment to sit among the devoted at noon. That’s when a chorus of unseen nuns fills the church with their voices. A minor basilica? Hardly. ■

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

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ince 1999, financial planner and wealth manager Jeffrey Munjack has provided customized financial plans and guided clients through major life decisions. After several years at a global financial services firm, he founded JDM Financial Group in 2002. As a Certified Financial Planner™ with a master’s degree in financial planning (MSFS), Jeff’s expertise in personal finance includes investments, tax strategies, insurance and estate planning. WHAT DISTINGUISHES JDM FINANCIAL GROUP? “JDM’s mission—and my mission—is to help clients make smarter financial decisions so limited financial resources, time and energy yield the greatest possible results in their lives. In our approach there are no sales agendas, no proprietary products and no investment commissions. Our focus is on our clients’ best interest and overall well-being. We take a holistic approach and work with multiple generations of a family to ensure that the efforts of one generation leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.” WHY WOULD SOMEONE HIRE A FINANCIAL PLANNER? “Few people have the time, desire and background to adequately address the complex financial questions households face. These questions intertwine multiple areas of personal finance including tax, investments and pensions. Making smart financial decisions requires expertise in all these areas. A good financial planner not only brings broad personal finance knowledge and planning expertise but also leads a collaboration among a household’s other professional advisors (e.g., CPA and estate planning attorney). In our many years of experience, we have found that adding financial planning expertise improves decision-making across the board.”

DOES JDM FINANCIAL GROUP SPECIALIZE IN A PARTICULAR MARKET NICHE? “Most firms, including ours, have expertise in working with Baby Boomers to help them prepare for and navigate retirement. However, many of our best clients are Gen Xers and forward-thinking Millennials—particularly those who are high-earning professionals or servicesector business owners who want to make smarter financial decisions and plan ahead for their future. Working with these younger professionals requires a broader expertise to address their more complicated financial needs. We’ve really enjoyed helping them get on the right path.” HOW IS ADVISING GEN X OR MILLENNIAL CLIENTS MORE COMPLICATED? “There are two primary reasons. First, for younger clients, collaborating with them to create a plan for the future can be more difficult because it is harder for young adults to envision retirement and to determine their lifestyle preferences in the distant future. Secondly, for younger professionals, multiple financial goals compete for limited resources, and therefore the challenge of setting priorities adds complexity to the process. However, an empty-nest Baby Boomer has goals that revolve around the narrower question of how to prepare for a comfortable and secure retirement. Thus planning for younger adults usually requires a more extensive understanding of personal finance as well as insight into a greater number of life cycle issues and stages.”

ENCINO | 310-479-4122 | JDMFINANCE.COM

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL ADVICE? “The character of a professional is always the most important predictor of the quality and trustworthiness of professional advice. It is also important to investigate the compensation structure of an advisory firm and to inquire whether the firm works exclusively as a fiduciary. If a firm is a fiduciary, an advisor’s recommendations must be guided solely by what is in the client’s best interest. If it does not operate as a fiduciary, an advisor may recommend products or strategies to a client that are merely ‘suitable.’ Some financial professionals set themselves up as both, meaning a client may not know whether a given recommendation is sales-motivated or made in their best interest. Consumers of financial advice should work only with advisors who are fiduciaries.” WHY SHOULD SUCCESSFUL GEN XERS AND MILLENNIALS CHOOSE YOUR FIRM OVER OTHERS? “JDM is a Millennial/Gen X firm. We harbor the same skepticism toward financial services as other young adults do. I know how they want to be treated and want to experience financial advice: client interests first, fees instead of investment commissions, and advice that creates a pathway to achieving real-life goals, while reducing stress and anxiety along the way. Unlike their parents, young professionals will have less of a social safety net, and they will need to make smarter financial decisions. Our mission is to help them do just that.”

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seen

Opening Night Michael Feinstein headlined at the opening of Feinstein’s at Vitello’s in Studio City (formerly Upstairs at Vitello’s). With outposts in New York and San Francisco, the singer’s new location, nestled in the heart of Tujunga Village, is his first supper club in SoCal. At the opening night performance, Liza Minnelli and Dick Van Dyke joined the entertainer on stage.

Michael Feinstein

Dick Van Dyke

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

Jane Kaplan and Matt Epstein

Jeffrey Sherman and Wendy Leibman

George Hamilton, Lily Tomlin, Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli joins Michael for a duet

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID SOBEL

Brad and Val Roen

seen

Big To-Do at the Zoo The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s (GLAZA) annual Beastly Ball attracted more than 800 guests and raised nearly $1.2 million. This year’s fundraiser honored oceanographer, explorer and author Dr. Sylvia Earle, Glen Curado (founder and CEO of the World Harvest Charities and Family Services) and retired GLAZA President Connie Morgan.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID SOBEL

Rich Corgel, Dawn Petersen-Ahmend, Sylvia Earle, Denise Verret, Allison Rigger

Zookeeper shows off snake

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

seen

Silent Night The second annual Silent Films Live was held at Bandrika Studios in Tarzana. The concert featured new scores written to classic silent films with proceeds going to Education Through Music-LA which provides music programs for low-income area schools. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concert featured the USC Trojan Chamber Orchestra, conductor Angel Velez, host Robert Townson and composers Nathan Barr, Sean Callery, Fil Eisler, Blake Neely, William Ross, Arturo Sandoval, Lisbeth Scott and Emilie Bernstein.

Fil Eisler conducts the Trojan Chamber Orchestra

Arturo Sandoval, Emilie Bernstein, William Ross, Lisbeth Scott, Fil Eisler, Blake Neely, Sean Callery, Nathan Barr

Sean Callery and J. Peter Robinson

ETM-LA Executive Director Victoria Lanier

The Trojan Chamber Orchestra

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

Conductor Angel Velez and composer Arturo Sandoval

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID SOBEL

Fil Eisler, Debbie Dao, Sean Callery, Blake Neely

seen

Rocketgirl Peyton Hemann traveled to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April to take part in a 4-day event put on by the Conrad Foundation. High school students from all over the world were invited to pitch their inventions to a judging panel. The foundation is led by Nancy Conrad—the widow of Charles “Pete” Conrad—and one of its goals is to encourage the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in teenagers. 11-year-old Peyton was invited after Nancy read the article in the April/Faces of the Future issue of Ventura Blvd. The article shared Peyton’s dream of being an astronaut and about her efforts to help other kids suffering from alopecia.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID SOBEL

The group at the Kennedy Space Center

Peyton and former NASA astronaut Wendy B. Lawrence

Peyton and mom Monica Kim

AUGUST 2019 | VENTURA BLVD

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Call for your FREE market analysis! ©2016 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting this information. Based on information obtained from the MLS as of (11/1/2016). Display of MLS data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS. CalBRE 1317331

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4921 AZUCENA ROAD

$2,799,000 5 BEDS 6 BATHS 5,200 SQ. FT. 7,833 SQ. FT. LOT

5364 ENCINO AVENUE

$2,699,000 6 BEDS 6 BATHS 4,708 SQ. FT. 12,000 SQ. FT. LOT

WOODLAND HILLS

EMIL HARTOONIAN

818.924.2806 | LIC. # 01796925

ENCINO

DENISE SNANOUDJ

323.646.8866 | LIC. # 01101684

4440 VANCEBORO COURT WOODLAND HILLS

INGRID SACERIO

323.333.7018 | LIC. # 01905431

$8,900,000 5 BEDS 6.5 BATHS 7,350 SQ. FT. 21,702 SQ. FT. LOT

$3,499,000 5 BEDS 6 BATHS 6,208 SQ. FT. 1.28 ACRE LOT

4648 ALONZO AVENUE ENCINO

EMIL HARTOONIAN

818.924.2806 | LIC. # 01796925

OFF-MARKET 4179 PRADO DE LA PUMA CALABASAS

GINA MICHELLE

818.850.1458 | LIC. # 01503003

$2,700,000 4 BEDS 4 BATHS 3,100 SQ. FT. 18,208 SQ. FT. LOT

24132 PARK CASINO

$2,695,000 5 BEDS 5 BATHS 8,348 SQ. FT. 17,542 SQ. FT. LOT

18001 KAREN DRIVE

CALABASAS

EMIL HARTOONIAN

$4,799,000 6 BEDS 8 BATHS 8,000 SQ. FT. 18,513 SQ. FT. LOT

$2,998,000 6 BEDS 6 BATHS 4,902 SQ. FT. 13,126 SQ. FT. LOT

$2,699,000 5 BEDS 6 BATHS

818.924.2806 | LIC. # 01796925

ENCINO

GEORGE OUZOUNIAN

818.900.4259 | LIC. # 01948763

$2,691,000 5 BEDS 5.5 BATHS 4,485 SQ. FT. 20,276 SQ. FT. LOT

in the San Fernando Valley

3296 COY DRIVE SHERMAN OAKS

JORDAN REGHETTI

818.730.0505 | LIC. # 01927782

51 COOLWATER ROAD BELL CANYON

JOHN TASHTCHIAN

818.968.2822 | LIC. # 01453364

16144 MOORPARK STREET ENCINO

BRYAN CASTANEDA

310.895.5572 | LIC. # 01309833

5747 VESPER AVENUE SHERMAN OAKS

MICHELLE SCHWARTZ

424.230.3716 | LIC. # 01889141

$2,495,000 5 BEDS 4 BATH 3,952 SQ. FT. 7,500 SQ. FT. LOT

$2,095,000 6 BEDS 5 BATHS 4,413 SQ. FT. 3.43 ACRE LOT

5001 GAVIOTA AVENUE ENCINO

MAYA LIBRUSH

818.379.7702 | LIC. # 01932610

3752 GLENRIDGE DRIVE SHERMAN OAKS

GEORGE OUZOUNIAN

818.900.4259 | LIC. # 01948763

$1,848,000 5 BEDS 3.5 BATHS 4,500 SQ. FT. 7,532 SQ. FT. LOT

11224 DONA LOLA DRIVE

$1,200,000 3 BEDS 2.5 BATHS 1,700 SQ. FT. 6,605 SQ. FT. LOT

5738 BEVIS AVENUE

STUDIO CITY

EMIL HARTOONIAN

818.924.2806 | LIC. # 01796925

SHERMAN OAKS

DANIEL OHANA

818.633.5521 | LIC. # 01941646

$2,199,000 4 BEDS 6 BATHS 4,987 SQ. FT. 13,572 SQ. FT. LOT

OFF-MARKET 19841 REDWING STREET WOODLAND HILLS

GINA MICHELLE

818.850.1458 | LIC. # 01503003

$1,949,000 4 BEDS 3 BATHS 2,549 SQ. FT. 23,136 SQ. FT. LOT

1623 BEN LOMOND DRIVE

$1,500,000 3 BEDS 3 BATHS 1,900 SQ. FT. 17,279 SQ. FT. LOT

4233 ALLOTT AVENUE

$929,000 4 BEDS 3.5 BATHS 1,622 SQ. FT. 6,163 SQ. FT. LOT

GLENDALE

CHRIS REISBECK

818.298.6413 | LIC. # 01475481

SHERMAN OAKS

LINDSAY HECKER

818.379.7117 | LIC. # 02050425

16821 OAK VIEW DRIVE ENCINO

ANDREW MORTAZA

818.458.2218 | LIC. # 01470043

$2,150,000 4 BEDS 5 BATHS 4,018 SQ. FT. 16,007 SQ. FT. LOT

$1,899,000 4 BEDS 3.5 BATHS 3,484 SQ. FT. 10,385 SQ. FT. LOT

$1,399,000 5 BEDS 4 BATHS 4,000 SQ. FT.

$17,000/MO 6 BEDS 7 BATHS 5,133 SQ. FT. 3.72 ACRE LOT

THEAGENCYRE.COM

5 3

17173 Strawberry Drive

5325 Collingwood Circle

4004 Rogen Drive

5088 Amestoy Avenue

14308 Greenleaf Street

ENCINO | $5,750,000 | NE W LISTING ENCINO | $2,899,000 | AC TIVE

CAL ABASAS | $2,370,000 | AC TIVE ENCINO | $2,898,900 | SOLD

SHERMAN OAKS | $1,750,000 | IN ESCROW

Danielle Peretz | Danielle.Peretz@theagencyre.com | 424.230.3710 | Lic. # 01897529 LU X U R Y R E A L E S TAT E AT T H E A G E N C Y R E .C O M

The Homestead 47 01 B A L B O A AV E N U E | E N C I N O S O L D F O R A R E C O R D - B R E A K I N G P R I C E P E R S Q UA R E F O O T THE VINTNERSRE SIDENCE .COM

W E CONGR ATUL ATE RED DOOR HOME S, FOR THEIR INSPIRED DE SIGN TO GA RNER THIS RECORD BRE A KING CLOSING. W E A RE HONORED TO H AV E SOL D THIS FOR THE FUL L LIS T PRICE $ 8,995,000

CR AIG KNIZEK

CKNIZEK@THE AGENCYRE .COM 818.618.1006 | LIC. # 01377932

A N D R E A KO R C H E K

A NDRE A .KORCHEK@THE AGENCYRE .COM 818.371.0933 | LIC. # 01311917

THE AGENCYRE .COM

I T â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S C O M I N G S O O N

RECORD BRE AKING LIS T PRICE 2 0 , 0 0 0 S Q . F T. | 3 A C R E L O T $19,9 9 5 , 0 0 0

CR AIG KNIZEK

CKNIZEK@THE AGENCYRE .COM 818.618.1006 | LIC. # 01377932

M AYA L I B R U S H

M AYA .LIBRUSH@THE AGENCYRE .C OM 818.379.7702 | LIC. # 01932610 THE AGENCYRE .COM

ENCINO

3457 White Rose Way

$6,389,000 7 Bed | 9 Bath | 8,600 Sq Ft | 45,572 Sq Ft Lot Secluded one acre (fully landscaped) three story Italian Villa with mountain and city views. Easy access to the Westside and down into the Valley. Elevator. 7 bedrooms, 9 baths, two kitchens, media room, sauna, and large wine tasting room. Lighted tennis court, walking trail, pool and spa; 3-car garage with parking for 7+ additional cars onsite. Large generator with back-up butane tank, full security with exterior cameras for 24/7 surveillance. First floor presently used as business office for 8 staff with 2 private offices. Shown by Appointment Only

compass.com

Robert Winans

Hazel Perez

Jacqueline Chernov

310.722.8456 robert.winans@coldwellbanker.com robertwinans.realtor DRE 01925689

310.256.6430 hazel.perez@compass.com hazelperez.com DRE 01905887

310.403.7557 jacchernov@gmail.com jacquelinechernov.com DRE 01361435

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate.

TOLUCA LAKE

10405 Sarah Street $4,295,000

Craig Strong 818.930.4050 DRE 01450987 Toluca Lake Modernist Masterpiece. Polished perfection. Home theater, Pool. Outdoor kitchen. Walls of glass.

TOLUCA LAKE

10424 Valley Spring Ln $6,495,000

TOLUCA LAKE

Craig Strong 818.930.4050 DRE 01450987

4315 Arcola Ave $3,375,000

Craig Strong 818.930.4050 DRE 01450987

SHERMAN OAKS

13280 Valley Vista Blvd $4,495,000 STUDIO CITY

3876 Carpenter Ave $2,799,000

TOLUCA LAKE

Gina Covello 310.251.8280 DRE 01323543

STUDIO CITY

3231 Dona Raquel Pl $1,939,000

10422 Kling St $1,995,000

Renee Ogiens 818.404.7440 DRE 01829777

STUDIO CITY

Eric Lieberman 310.849.4900 DRE 01008206

11642 Acama St $1,795,000

Joan Duffy 310.995.0900 DRE 00525687

Elegant 2-story Traditional located in Longridge Estates on Â±26,000 square foot lot.

SHERMAN OAKS

Michael Bergin 310.600.0715 DRE 01845572

5536 Tyrone Ave $1,350,000

Patty Ray John Locke 818.406.1853 DRE 01162851 | 01420559

ACTIVE, PENDING & SOLD

1ST HALF OF 2019 Alan Taylor | 818.650.1603 | info@alantaylorrealestate.com Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01866771. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. DRE 01369255.

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. DRE 01450987.

WSJ REAL Trends 1,000 Agent Rankings recognize Craig Strong for his incredible

achievement.

Ranked #114 across the U.S.

Craig Strong

Vice President, Luxury Home Sales

818.930.4050 info@strongrealtor.com strongrealtor.com

4315 ARCOLA AVENUE

10424 VALLEY SPRING LANE

TOLUCA LAKE

OFFERED AT $3,375,000

OFFERED AT $5,995,000

5 Bd | 5 Ba | 4,685 ± sf | 12,188 ± sf lot

5 Bd | 8 Ba | 6,386 ± sf | 21,572 ± sf lot

4415 SANCOLA AVENUE

4843 LEDGE AVENUE

8819 LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AVENUE

TOLUCA LAKE

HOLLYWOOD HILLS

OFFERED AT $2,495,000 5 Bd | 5.5 Ba | 4,527 ± sf | 8,250 ± sf lot

OFFERED AT $2,395,000 4 Bd | 3 Ba | 2,632 ± sf | 7,614 ± sf lot

OFFERED AT $1,745,000 3 Bd | 3.5 Ba | 2,062 ± sf | 6,630 ± sf lot

10441 SARAH STREET

5940 MATILIJA AVENUE

TOLUCA LAKE

VALLEY GLEN

OFFERED AT $1,995,000 5 Bd | 5 Ba | 3,952 ± sf | 10,489 ± sf lot

OFFERED AT $1,199,000 3 Bd | 2 Ba | 1,879 ± sf | 10,323 ± sf lot

CRAIG STRONG Vice President, Luxury Home Sales Top 1% Nationwide Sold Over $125 Million in 2018 StrongRealtor.com #1 Individual Agent Companywide

Compass does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size, or other information concerning the condition or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from public records and other sources and the buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information. CalBRE 01450987 | 818.930.4050

MICHAEL BERGIN |

LUXURY ESTATES DIRECTOR

FOR SALE 11642 Acama Street, Studio City

FOR SALE

IN ESCROW

JUST SOLD

3450 Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles $950,000 - $1,365,000 2 + 3 Bedrooms Available Enclave Live/Work Townhouses 7 Units Left

4150 Kraft Avenue, Studio City $2,165,000 5 Beds 5 Baths Colfax Meadows Carpenter School District

6014 Greenbush Avenue, Valley Glen $1,499,000 5 Beds 6 Baths 4,200± Sqft Guest House & Pool

4707 Cedros Avenue, Sherman Oaks $1,925,000 5 Beds 4.5 Baths 3,622± Sqft Representing Buyer

4254 Irvine Avenue, Studio City $2,680,000 Colfax Meadows Pool Representing Buyer

4457 Camellia Avenue, Studio City $3,175,000 5 Beds 6 Baths 5,861± Sqft Pool Spa Media Room

Michael Bergin Luxury Estates Director 310.600.0715 BerginHomes@gmail.com DRE 01845572

Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. This is not intended to solicit property already listed.

FEATURED PROPERTY

5 BED | 5 BATH

4,000 SFT | 6,923 LOT

4146 BECK AVENUE, STUDIO CITY

COMING SOON

4205 Teesdale Ave, Studio City ACTIVE

11442 Dona Cecilia, Studio City ACTIVE

12020 Guerin St PH#4, Studio City IN ESCROW

20239 Inland Ln, Malibu

#1 Team in the Valley #6 in Los Angeles #16 in California #60 in the U.S.

COMING SOON

10439 Valley Spring Lane, Toluca Lake ACTIVE

18938 Wells Dr, Tarzana IN ESCROW

4302 Teesdale Ave, Studio City SOLD OFF MARKET

12339 Cantura St, Studio City

COMING SOON

12403 Landale Street, Studio City ACTIVE

13520 Hesby St, Sherman Oaks IN ESCROW

3850 Vanalden Ave, Tarzana SOLD OFF MARKET

4224 Elmer Ave, Studio City

OFF MARKET

12530 Kling St, Studio City ACTIVE

833 N. Sierra Bonita, Los Angeles IN ESCROW

3538 Alana Dr, Sherman Oaks JUST SOLD

15967 Meadowcrest Rd, Sherman Oaks

818.432.1524

CalDre Lic#01850113

Each office is independently owned and operated. If your property is listed with another broker, this is not a solicitation. Keller Williams Realty does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size, or other information concerning the condition or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from public records or other sources and the buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information through personal inspection with appropriate licensed professionals.

Oren David Mordkowitz ESTATES DIRECTOR | REALTOR Â® CalDRE License #01246402 818-933-5866 oren@orenestates.com

16720BajioRoad.com

17809TwilightLane.com

15732HighKnollRoad.com

COMING SOON

5334OveringDrive.com

12442RyeStreet.com

SOLD IN 1 DAY

SOLD IN 3 DAYS

SOLD

SOLD

Development Opportunity

SOLD

Curious what your home is worth? Contact Oren for a complimentary home analysis!

OrenEstates.com

HOME FILMS

C R E AT I N G V I D E O F O R YO U R L I S T I N G S I S O N LY E X P E N S I V E I F N O O N E I S WAT C H I N G . Home Films is the only fully integrated real estate video production and digital distribution package. Our talented filmmaking artistically tells the story of what makes your listing unique. And our targeted digital distribution ensures that the right potential buyers are seeing your property in the most beautiful light.

BEST IN CLASS FILMMAKERS

S M A RT D I S T R I B U T I O N

Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n : Ro b i n S a n d e r s a t 8 1 8 . 4 2 7. 2 0 5 0 o r ro b i n @ m o o n t i d e m e d i a . c o m .

A home that exceeds expectations deserves a mortgage to match.

• Up to 85% financing on a primary residence may be available on loan sizes up to $2 million1 • Dedicated support every step of the way

Let’s find a mortgage that fit your needs. Call me today. John Musso Home Lending Officer 818-518-1008 john.musso@citi.com citi.com/johnmusso NMLS# 448606

Terms, conditions and fees for accounts, programs, products and services are subject to change. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Certain restrictions may apply on all programs. Offer cannot be combined with any other mortgage offer. This offer contains information about U.S. domestic financial services provided by Citibank, N.A. and is intended for use domestically in the U.S. A minimum FICO score of 740 is required. Borrowers must have a minimum of six months reserves. Refinances are limited to rate/term refinances of an existing CitiMortgage serviced loan. Refinances cannot result in cash back to the borrower. The property must be a 1 to 2 family dwelling located in a stable market occupied as a primary residence. Properties in any MSA depreciating 5.01% or more per the Citi seriously declining market list or information found on the appraisal are not eligible. A Citibank deposit account is required for this option. A minimum in $50,000 in eligible post-close balances must be in place no later than 10 days prior to your scheduled loan closing. The anticipated post-close Citi eligible balances are based upon the balances you are anticipated to have following the closing of the mortgage loan and taking into account any down payment and/or closing costs you will be paying out of pocket at closing. Citi eligible balances include your personal account balance in your Citibank deposit accounts (Checking, Savings, Certificate of Deposit and Money Market). Balances from Citibank, N.A. business accounts and retirement accounts other than IRAs are excluded. Conforming loans are loans that are up to $484,350 or up to $726,525 in certain high cost markets. Jumbo loans are loans that exceed those conforming loan amounts. A Citi Mortgage Representative can inform you what the conforming loan amount is in the area where your property is located. ©2019 Citibank, N.A. NMLS# 412915. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Citi, Citi and Arc Design and other marks used herein are service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, used and registered throughout the world.

last word

A Mother’s Touch

When your mom is a well-known chef and restaurateur, the prospect of following in her footsteps is daunting. Why and how Katie Chin ultimately wound up doing exactly that. WRITTEN BY KATIE CHIN | ILLUSTRATED BY YASMINE KAHSAI

“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I will understand.” – Chinese proverb As a young Chinese American girl growing up in Minneapolis, I often gritted my teeth when my mom asked me to help make potstickers or roll up egg rolls in our basement. My parents had emigrated from Guangzhou, China, and my mother, Leeann Chin, ran a catering business from our tiny home in the ’70s. My siblings and I were her team of guileless sous chefs (it is the Chinese way, after all). We just wanted to be blonde, Norwegian and carefree like everyone else around us. Looking back on my childhood, I’m awed by my mother’s dedication and unwavering patience in teaching us, even as toddlers, how to pleat dumplings or master the art of making velvety Cantonese stir-fry sauces. She was a perfectionist, a general whose expectations were as high for us as they were for her. We stood at attention. Her drive, talent and attention to detail led her to build a 50-plus eponymous restaurant chain, which still exists in Minnesota. It was

VENTURA BLVD | AUGUST 2019

a miraculous feat, considering my mother never attended high school and started out as a seamstress making 50 cents an hour. Eighteen years ago, after a successful career as a film and TV marketing executive, I did something that I never would have guessed I’d do. I became a chef and cookbook author, ultimately following in my mother’s footsteps. I was throwing a dinner party for some clients and realized I had completely forgotten how to cook. I kept calling my mother for advice and the next thing I knew, she boarded a plane for LA with a carry-on of frozen lemon chicken. She cooked the entire meal but let everyone think I had cooked it. She was just that kind of mom. On that same trip, she opened my nearly empty fridge and was mortified. I thought that by becoming a senior vice president at a major film studio I’d make her proud. But in fact, I’d done the opposite by forgetting how to cook! I suddenly felt inspired. Cooking became a means to make sense of my cultural identity and to embrace my heritage. Getting to spend hours in the kitchen with my mom became a bridge between her past and my

present and future. I was under her tutelage once again as we formed a catering business together, co-hosted the PBS cooking series Double Happiness, made appearances together on the Today show and traveled to China to host a special for the Food Network. She was the toughest boss I ever had—even after spending all those years in Hollywood, where I had some doozies. My mother passed away nine years ago. I still hear her voice in my head when I cook. “Make sure the water comes to a rolling boil before you blanch those pea pods,” or “Don’t forget to test the oil with a scrap of dumpling wrapper to make sure it’s hot enough.” And now, as a mom to 11-year-old twins, I try to involve them in cooking as much as possible, so they too develop a lifelong love of Chinese cuisine. With every fold of a wonton and with every mince of fresh ginger, her memory lives on. ■ Katie Chin lives in Encino. She is founder of Wok Star Catering and is currently working on her fifth cookbook.

The Spitz | Cameron Group Selling A Lifestyle SU GO N RG SE T EO V US IE W S

V EX A LL PL EY OS I V VE IE W S

17925 Medley Dr, Encino $4,295,000 www.17925MedleyDr.com

3949 Vista Linda Dr, Encino $3,195,000 www.3949VistaLinda.com

A SH NC ER O M CK A N PA O RK A K IN S

15404 Sutton Street St, Sherman Oaks $1,799,000 www.15404Sutton.com

ST A

BO N

4208 Colbath Ave, Sherman Oaks $1,420,000 www.4208Colbath.com

The Spitz | Cameron Group, Placed 70th Out of All Berkshire Hathaway Agents Internationally for 2018! AndrewSpitz.com

HarrietCameron.com

FranChavez.com

DRE#924610 Realtor®

DRE#675971 Realtor®

DRE#01013357 Realtor®

818-817-4284

O K A L

818-380-2151

818-517-1411

©2019 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information. DRE #01317331

THE PRIMARY CARE YOU TRUST, HERE IN THE VALLEY. With multiple Cedars-Sinai locations in the Valley, our primary care doctors are bringing expert care closer to you and your family. From checkups to consultations that guide you to specialized care, trust Cedars-Sinai to help manage your health, right in your neighborhood.

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NORTH HOLLYWOOD • TARZANA • VAN NUYS