Orange County Culture Magazine

pa s t | p r e s e n t | f u t u r e | E v e r y t h i n g o c | m ay 2 016

8 frames per second The intimate photography of

Michael Voorhees

Keep on Truckin’

three of our favorite food trucks

Blue-Eyed Soul

the return of the Righteous Brothers

Meet Omaima

the lady who ate her husband

J A Y

D A V I E S

R V C A . C O M

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# I N S P I R E D B Y R V C A

T H E B A L A N C E O F O P P O S I T E S

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Burgers, dogs and junk food are a part of Americana and have been for as long as we can remember. The only difference now is that there’s just more of it, which explains why little burger stands like this one 60 years ago at the tip of the Newport Pier are no longer with us. Too many humans.

Try driving your car on the pier in 2016 and see what happens! We miss the simpler times but walk out on any pier in Orange County any day of the week and you’ll see exactly how much nothing’s really changed at all.

P h o t o : H u g h R . M c M i l l a n / U C I S p e c i a l S e rv i c e s

#PASTPRESENTFUTURE

Feliz Cinco de Mayo y bienvenidos a otro tema apasionante de la nueva revista más caliente en el Condado de Orange!! (¿Estamos hablando español correcto?) In other words, welcome to our May issue! Check out our interview with Orange County’s most legendary photographer Michael Voorhees, or read about Omaima, the lady who ate her husband. Curious about the roots of MMA? We got that, too, and will blow your mind with our #OCStateofMind photo feature. Throw in the regulars #eatingout, #barwars, Jail Babes of the OC and our lovely teen Miss May and you’ve got another smokin’ issue of the hottest mag in Orange County! So crank up the Banda Mex and buenos dias! - Skip and Steve P h o t o : R a n dy M i r a mo n t e z

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may | 2016

Contents #PastPresentFuture A wonderful way to start the day!

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#SpotlightOC A calvalcade of information

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#Musick The return of the Righteous Bros.

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#BeneathTheOrangeCurtain The lady who ate her husband

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#CoverStory Michael Voorhees: Photographer

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#OCSTATEOFMIND Mini posters for your office wall!!

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#FightKlub Roots of MMA: Greco-Roman

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#TruthWithRayBones Charlie Blair ... Upstart

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#joefostersarmy The “fire swell” of 2007

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#hankfotomyworld Nothing beats a beach full of girls

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#Tattooyou Azz Malaszewski

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#motorheads All in favor in Glen Helen

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#eatingout Three of our fav food trucks

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#barwars Battle of the Chop Houses!

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#cultureshock A San Francisco treat?

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#TruthLiesLegend Anaheim’s sugary past

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#OCTEENCULTUREGIRL Meet Breanne Schneider

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#PASTPRESENTFUTURE

Believe it or not, this is a 1-inch wave.

Sometimes things are not as they seem and every picture tells a story. Life is a series of ups and downs but it’s the way you look at things: is the glass half empty or half full?

At first glance we thought this was a perfect six-foot barrel. Boy were we surprised!

P h o t o : J o r da n S t e mpso n

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Culture Klub PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Skip Snead skip@orangecountyculture.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Steve Cabler steve@orangecountyculture.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Neight Adamson neight@orangecountyculture.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ray “Bones” Rodriguez EDITORIAL INTERNS Sean Stroh, Victoria Johnson ILLUSTRATORS Antonio Mejias, Drew Toonz PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Weems, Tom Cozad, Strider Snead, Hank Foto, Nick the Tooth, Edward Colver, Robbie Crawford, Murphy Karges, PK, Jake Polgreen, Ken Woods, Marshall Lally, Joe Foster, John Salanoa, Dawson Maloney, Ricky Birks, Eric Barnes, Cat Gregory, Jared Sislin, Cliff Endsley, Ben Ginsberg, Matt Doheny, Bob Okvist, Stan Sievers, Bobby Zee, Jon Zich, David Holzman, Neight Adamson, Mike Voorhees CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Daniel Samarin, Sean Stroh, Paul Duran, Jack Grisham, Deano, Bill Demoss, Chris Cullen, Jon Richards, Derek Rielly, Scott Theriault, Jeff Weddle, Victoria Johnson ADVERTISING Steve Cabler - steve@orangecountyculture.com Skip Snead - skip@orangecountyculture.com FINANCE & OPERATIONS Chele Rubendall COMMUNITY OUTREACH Diana McCalla CORporate Attorney Mike Molseed ADVERTISING INQURIES INVITED, EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS APPRECIATED Please submit all media kit requests, questions, or contributions via email skip@orangecountyculture.com PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY OC CULTURE, LLC 2650 Avon Street Newport Beach, CA 92663 ORANGECOUNTYCULTURE.COM Instagram @orangecountyculture Facebook /orangecountyculture FOUNDERS Skip Snead and Steve Cabler PRINTED IN USA, All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in any part of any words or photos or drawings without the expressed written consent by OC Culture, LLC is strictly prohibited.

#SPOTlightoc

how to relax with PM Tenore As we were sitting in our office here on the Mariner’s Mile overlooking the craziness of PCH to the relaxing view of the Newport Harbor, we got to thinking .... how do some of the busiest most successful people in the world relax? We talked to our friend and master brand builder PM Tenore (of RVCA, Purps and AOJ fame) on what he does to relax and he said, “When I relax I like to be with myself and take in Mother Earth’s vibrations and enjoy what she has to offer ... but nothing beats spending quality time with my kids. I also like to listen to music before bed and just ... breathe - the simple things.”

Angler of the Month:

Mike Boquet

P M T e n o r e r e l a x i n g o n t h e No r t h S h o r e . H a n k F o t o

BEHIND THE COVER: may ‘16 Imagine being on the receiving end of an Ice Man Chuck Liddell right hand. Well our close friend and OC’s revolutionary photo master Michael Voorhees did when he stepped in the ring and snapped this beautiful and viscious looking photo. “We were doing a photoshooot for Budwieser and cranking AC/DC,” recalls Voorhees about this month’s cover, “when Chuck started throwing punches I could actually feel the wind and hear the punches snap around my face.” Photo by Michael Voorhees

Local Spotlight: Hada Family Dental Finding the perfect dentist is no easy task. I mean, you can’t just open your mouth and trust anyone. We feel confident sending you to Hada Family Dental in Mission Viejo where we know you’ll experience the highest quality and most experienced dental care in Orange County. OC native, Dr Richard K. Hada aka Dentist of the Surf Stars, is a highly skilled gentle and thourough dentist known for his detailed, caring and professional service! His partner, Dr. Delaine Cole, aka Queen of the Crowns, is also highly skilled in her own right as a USC graduate where she excelled in cosmetic and general dentistry.

Hada specializes in everything from dental implants and teeth whitening to porcelain vaneers and sleep apnea treatments. But don’t listen to us, take it from some of their actual patients: “The team at Hada never fails to wow me,” says patient Maureen, while another satisfied client quipped, “Seriously, every experience I’ve had at this office has been amazing!” But don’t

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D r . H a da , p r o s u r f e r B e d e Durbidge , and Delaine Cole .

just take their word for it, take ours, and make Hada Family Dental your new dental home. (And tell ‘em OC Culture sent ya!)

Hada Family Dental is located at 25270 Marguerite Pkwy, St. C, Mission Viejo, CA 92692 (949) 951-1067 or visit MyMissionViejoDentist.com

Here Mike talks about the time he hooked this monster Ahi tuna “jackpot fish!” “In January, I was aboard the Excel, fishing “long range” at the legendary “Hurricane Bank” located about 1000 nautical miles south of San Diego. I was fishing a large Humboldt squid for bait, when the fish of a lifetime slurped down my offering and proceeded to empty my reel of all 750 yds. of 130lb. test line. The captain and crew, realizing that I was in trouble, jumped into action and quickly hooked my rod onto a “back up” rod, and just before my line snapped, tossed my rod over board. The fish took another 250 yds. of line off the backup rod, before it finally ran out of gas. During the battle, I promised God that I would share in the bounty, and two hours later the crew put five gaffs into this magnificent Ahi tuna that tipped the scales at a whopping 280 lbs. It ended up being the jackpot fish! In addition I had another six tuna up to 160lbs., 15 wahoo and 15 yellowtail. Over 300 people have feasted on this catch so far, and my freezer is still packed! I was truly blessed on this trip, and I’ve got to thank the captain and crew of the Excel that made this catch possible, and course, the glory belongs to the Lord! Want to catch more fish? Share the bounty.”

#SPOTlightoc

Making the Grade with A+ Hydroponics Great business always starts with a strong foundation, quality products, customer satisfaction, integrity and an honest friendly owner. This is Stephen “Stevo” “Big Fro” Oertle. He is a true hydroponics pioneer who in 2008 founded A+ Hydro in Costa Mesa, one of the first hydro stores in Orange County history. The 5,000 square-foot monster facility carries all major brands of nutrients, lights and growing media at super competitive prices. I have known Stevo Big Fro personally for years and have done plenty of supply shopping at A+ and have sent many friends there! He and his staff are honest, cheerful and always willing to help. “I love my customers,” I’ve often heard Big Fro’ say. For me good people are hard to find and real people even harder, and at A+, Stevo is both.

1606 Babcock Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 www.APlusHydro.com S t e v e “ B i g F r o ” . . . A+ i n th e h y d r o b i z .

Lunch with a Homie

Jail Babes of the OC Presented by Musketeer bail bonds

Yes it’s the return of your favorite column in the world and it’s returning harder than ever with a hot new jail babe. Hardened criminal?

Doubtful? A date night gone horribly wrong, maybe. A call home to daddy with open arms and a check for bail?

Whatever the story, she might be the hottest jail babe we’ve had yet.

This month: Why You Need Selenium Selenium is an essential dietary trace mineral and 34th out of the 118 chemical elements on the periodic table. Selenium has a variety of biological functions important for your life’s health. For one, it’s required for optimal function of your endogenous antioxidants, i.e. the antioxidants your body makes on its own. How? Selenium is an important part selenocysteine, an amino acid needed to assemble a class of proteins called selonoproteins. Among selonoproteins are antioxidant enzymes called glutathione peroxidases, which function by neutralizing reactive oxygen species associated with oxidative damage to your cells. Selenoproteins are also critical for optimal function of your immune cells, so you need selenium to keep your immune system in check and help fight off infection.

Selenium is found in a variety of foods, e.g. brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, whole

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grains, seeds, eggs, dairy, and in dietary supplements. The current US recommended daily allowance (RDA) of selenium is 55mg/day and The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a range of 70-350mg/day. For reference, one Brazil nut (lots of selenium in there) or 2 ounces of tuna contains ~70mg of selenium. The good news is the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) reported that the vast majority of the US population appears to be meeting the RDA for selenium, so don’t overdo it with excessive amounts.

Take home: Selenium is an essential dietary trace mineral important for optimal antioxidant and immune function. It’s found in a variety of foods and supplements, and Americans appear to be doing a good job of getting at least the minimum requirements in their diets. As always, follow your doctor’s recommendation.

For more insight from Dr. Purps follow him on Instagram @DrPurps or follow @purps the bomb!

Orange County Culture: How you doing brethren?

Homie: (Smiling) I’m all good.

Can we get you anything? Here’s food and water...

Ok, thanks.

You gotta place to sleep? Need a jacket for tonight?

No, I’m all good brother. I’m all fine. Just sleepin’.

Well here’s a couple bucks for something later ...

No brother. I’m all good.

Well then take care bro!!

Thanks, man.

@Drewtoonz

Nature + Science with dr. purps

This guy was on a good one, a good nap anyway. Sleeping on the corner of PCH and 6th street in HB, crisp from the sun and a few too many 40s. But we caught up with him anyway just to make sure he was 1) alive and 2) to give him some food and water and offer our help. He wasn’t having it. “I’m all good, brother,” he told us as he closed his eyes and fell fast asleep under the California sun.

Orange County’s most trusted bail bonds

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CA Insurance License #1842297

#MUSICK

Blue-Eyed

Soul

Relivin’ that Lovin’ Feelin’ with the Righteous Brothers

by Jeff Weddle Forever known as THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield teamed up to create what was perhaps the most famous pop duo to ever come out of Orange County. Medley, born in Santa Ana, and Hatfield, raised in Anaheim, came together in 1962 when their respective bands—Medley’s THE PARAMOURS and Hatfield’s THE VARIATIONS—combined its members. Three months later, the act scaled down to only Medley and Hatfield, debuting as THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS with the single “Little Latin Lupe Lu.” With their wholesome looks and presentation, TRB was initially thought to resemble THE BEACH BOYS. But when their voices were first heard, unknowing listeners assumed they were black. Hence, TRB would become the sole inspiration for the term “blue-eyed soul.” Unlike those vocalists that preceded them, Medley and Hatfield took their inspiration from black artists like Little Richard and Ray Charles. Their “soulful” vocals, along with the arrangements of famed producer Phil Spector, contributed to TRB’s successfully opulent sound.

According to Medley, the duo’s name came about after their early live performances wherein black Marines from El Toro Marine Base started coining them “righteous brothers”. Phil Spector entered the picture in 1964 when TRB performed at The Cow Palace in San Francisco where one of Spector’s acts was also appearing. Spector would soon add TRB to the burgeoning roster of his own Philles Records label, and with their striking exchanges from opposite vocal registers, Medley’s baritone and Hatfield’s high tenor soon ranked amongst the most recognizable voices of the era.

Arguably their biggest hit, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” was released in 1964 and actually entered the charts three separate times, the last being as part of the “Top Gun” motion picture soundtrack. The song was #34 on the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time by Rolling Stone, and has been redone by such artists as HALL & OATES

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and THE FIRM. This tune led to their first Grammy nomination, and TRB also performed it live to open the ceremonies when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

Another hit for TRB was 1966’s “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” which, with its soaring vocals and symphonic arrangements, indeed bears a resemblance to their breakout single “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” Written by the same songwriting pair from the previous hit and also produced by Phil Spector, TRB saw it as a mere copy of “…Lovin’ Feelin’” at first. But in 1966, TRB signed a $1 million contract with MGM Records and needed a hit single to please the label. They soon recorded the song and released it in February, 1966, where it reached #1 on the Billboard 100.

TRB continued to steadily tour and record through the late 60’s, never tiring of performing their hits and playing more than 100 shows annually. The duo officially parted ways in 1968, but reunited in 1974 and resumed their successful ways with “Rock and Roll Heaven” (a memoriam to deceased rock stars) which went all the way to #3 on the Billboard charts. Bill Medley would enjoy singular success in 1987 with “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life”, a duet with Jennifer Warnes (another OC native) and the love theme from the hit movie “Dirty Dancing.”

The song received an Oscar nod as best original song the same year, and the “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack became the highest-selling since “Saturday Night Fever.” A big solo hit would also materialize for Bobby Hatfield in 1990 thanks to the movie “Ghost”, showcasing his vocals in the shape of “Unchained Melody”, which featured as the film’s signature love theme. “Unchained Melody” was also nominated for a Grammy in 1991, unexpectedly helping “The Righteous Brothers Greatest Hits”, a collection first released in 1967, become a platinum seller returning to the Billboard charts.

TRB were a fixture in OC for over half a century, recognized in the community as contributing to local charitable causes and social events (including Medley being grand marshal of the 1988 Holiday Parade in Santa Ana.) TRB were also well known for owning and operating The Hop club in Fountain Valley, which opened in 1985 as an “oldies-themed” venue before eventually being sold in 1993. Both Medley and Hatfield were involved in the several iterations of the club as well, from The Hop to Music City to eventually Medley’s (a chain was said to be in the works at the time), all of which included regular performances and happenings based on vintage rock ‘n roll and blues.

Sadly, Bobby Hatfield passed away in November 2003. Bill Medley continued as a solo artist afterwards, often singing alongside a screen projection of old filmed footage of Hatfield or even having the audience or guest singers sing Hatfield’s parts. Medley once said: “I could never replace Bobby vocally, and I could never replace him emotionally.”

In January 2016, Medley announced he was reviving TRB for the first time since 2003 with singer Bucky Heard, who Medley coincidentally watched perform at a tribute concert to JOURNEY. Medley added that he and Heard have a great chemistry and could hit the high tenor notes like Hatfield, although acknowledged how difficult it is continuing on without his Righteous Brother. The two will be pairing together for a residency at Harrah’s in Las Vegas for more than 40 shows up until November 2016. The repertoire will include TRB’s most popular songs, and a new CD is also in the works. It was at the encouragement of TRB’s fans, as well as friends and contacts in Las Vegas, that convinced Medley to thereby revive TRB once again. The legend continues.

#BeneaththeOrangeCurtain

The OC Killogy series:

tastes like murder A Chilling Look Back at OC’s Most Notorius Cannibal

By Sean Stroh November 1991. Despite being married for just a few weeks, 23-year-old Omaima Nelson was well accustomed to her much older husband’s kinky requests in the bedroom of their Costa Mesa apartment. Only this time, there wasn’t going to be a happy ending for 56-year-old Bill Nelson. As he lay bound to the posts of the bed they shared, Omaima stabbed her husband repeatedly using a pair of scissors before bludgeoning him in the head several times with a clothes iron. In what authorities would later describe as a cold, calculated two-day process, the diminutive Egyptian immigrant went on to dismember, cook and eat portions of her husband’s dead body.

The first step she took was to cut her husband, who stood 6 feet 4 inches and weighed 230 pounds, into more manageable pieces. Once the chopping was done, she hung pieces of Bill up in the shower with coat hangers in order to let the blood dry out.

Downstairs, neighbors would later report hearing the garbage disposal running the entire weekend like a motor under stress. While chunks of Bill Nelson’s torso hung in the bathroom, Omaima cooked her husband’s decapitated head and boiled his hands in order to remove the fingerprints. Since it was Thanksgiving Weekend, she decided to celebrate the occasion with a bit of class, dressing up in a red hat, red high-heel shoes and red lipstick during the entire ordeal. She couldn’t even resist the urge to take a bite. “I did his ribs just like in a restaurant,” Omaima told her psychiatrist after her arrest. “It’s so sweet...so delicious...I like mine tender.”

When all was said and done, most of what remained of her husband was wrapped in newspaper and stuffed into a few trash bags along with Omaima’s

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Thanksgiving leftovers. She had a taste for murder.

Unfortunately, the disposal process wasn’t quite done yet. She needed some help. Bouncing from one exboyfriend’s house to another, Omaima is repeatedly denied by her former flames who understandably don’t want anything to do with the disposing of bags full of body parts. Eventually, one of Omaima’s old boy toys calls the police and on Dec. 2, 1991 Omaima Nelson is arrested.

Authorities discover the mangled remains of a corpse within several bags inside her car. Back at the couple’s apartment, more body parts are found as well. More than a year after her arrest, Omaima testified that her husband of just five weeks regularly sexually and physically abused her to the point where she had no other option but to kill him in self-defense. After the murder, her attorneys said she suffered a nervous breakdown from a culmination of abuse as a child as well as from her short-lived marriage. The eightwoman, four-man jury doesn’t buy it and finds Nelson guilty of second-degree murder on Jan. 12, 1993. She is sentenced to 27 years to life in prison.

In October 2011, a parole board denied Omaima a chance of release for the second time, deeming her a risk to society. She will not be eligible for parole again until 2026. Before the decision was made by the board, Bill Nelson’s daughter Margaret held back tears as she spoke of not having her father at her wedding or being able to introduce him to her 8-week-old daughter.

She confessed that she had been invited by her father to meet his new wife over Thanksgiving dinner the night he was murdered. “I don’t know the adequate punishment for a murderer who doesn’t even leave a family a body to mourn over,” Margaret told the parole board. “But I do know you don’t let her out.”

“I did his ribs just like in a restaurant...”

— O m a i m a to h e r ps yc h i at r i s t after her arrest

#COVERSTORY

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frames per second

The intimate photography of Michael Voorhees

by Skip Snead and Steve Cabler

Everyone’s a photographer nowadays, right? What, with all the high tech point and click digital cameras it seems anyone with an iPhone calls themselves a master. Not so fast. While today’s “photographer” can score their 15 minutes of fame with a single Instagram post, Newport Beach’s Michael Voorhees has achieved so much more. He’s turned his passion for photography into an internationally acclaimed photography business and has had a hell of a time doing so. “Photography for me wasn’t an overnight success,” says Voorhees, who has been working out of an absolutely insane 10,000 square-foot studio in Newport Beach for the past two decades. In his 25-plus years of shooting photos professionally, Mike has traveled the world and was already a giant success long before the birth of digital cameras. What’s most impressive about Mike and his stunning body of work is how he has been able to evolve with the times while raising a beautiful family on the beach in Newport.

We caught up with Mike in his studio and just sitting in his office it’s amazing to watch him and his crew work. Beautiful models wondering in and out, the walls adourned with breath-taking larger than life photos and his gorgeous wife Kathleen and handsome, well-mannered son Dane constantly by his side. Not to mention their two white Labrador Retrievers roaming the studio freely ... a few hours hanging out with Team Voorhees makes you realize how happy and successful this talented and giving man really is. turn page >>

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Voorhees is probably the best surf photographer in the world who doesn’t sling his photos to the surf mags and websites. Ian Bonner, Mavericks, several years ago,

flip da page >

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<< from previous page

O

range County Culture: Can you remember the first time you picked up a camera?

Mike Voorhees: Well, I played football in high school and the football coach was also the photography teacher and that class was right after lunch and just before football practice so he had the whole team taking that class so we had no choice. Plus it was a guaranteed A for the entire team.

But for you personally it wasn’t about the easy A. You were actually drawn toward photography?

Yeah, I really liked it. It came easy to me. I then took a few photo classes in between surfing at OCC, then at SDSU and getting hired to be on The Daily Aztec newspaper and being a staff member at one of the best papers in the country and shooting everyday was epic. That was the turning point in my college path, and I was jammin’, shooting everyday. Photography was my drug.

Did you have a breakout moment during college that sort of set you in the direction you went?

Wow ... you know, probably shooting the Olympic volleyball because they happened to be training there. Volleyball’s a hard sport to shoot and I was good at it. Plus the photo lab was open 24 hours a day and I’d go in there and develop some film and there’d be some writers there drinking coffee and we got to develop all our own film, make all our own prints, and we’d have deadlines. It was on after that.

And this was around the time beach volleyball exploded, right?

Yeah, this was in early 90s.

And so college ended, then what happened?

After college my buddy’s brother worked at a graphics place in Irvine and they had an open spot and I moved in. I put up a white seamless, I had a desk and a phone and I was a photographer! (laughs). I only had one light at the time and I just said, what the f#!k, I’m gonna go for it.

You were off and running!

Well, I was just starting out!

So you struggled here and there to maintain it all?

Yeah for sure. I remember one month the total rent between my house and my studio was like $900 or something and I didn’t have all the money and I had to choose and I frickin’ paid my studio rent! I told my landlord that I was waiting for some checks, but he was a total prick so I moved out of there and lived in a loft at my studio for an entire year. I would actually run to the health club and shower. I’d run in, work out for like two minutes, then shower and go back to work (laughs). No TV. No nothing. I just had my tunes, my beer fridge and my work - and I hustled!

You got busy!

Oh yeah, and when women’s volleyball hit and the women started wearing swimming suits I started shooting bikinis, and then Danny (Kwock) hired me from Quiksilver, and then Jim Jannard hired me at Oakley, and then Mossimo hired me... I did all that stuff.

But when the surf industry sort of went down in the early 90s, that’s when I

“Photography was my drug.”

— M i k e o n h i s e a r ly y e a r s i n co l l e g e

went National. I went big. That’s when I hit big and did the Olympics, and CocaCola and Izod and American Express and Nike and Adidas ... I went national and left the surf thing behind.

Smart.

Yeah, but my roots have always been in surfing.

And that’s when it started coming together? With the major accounts?

Yeah, then all a sudden you’re paying for all your gear and equipment and you start buying new surfboards and then houses and buildings. It just kind of ... happened.

It just kind of... happened?? Amazing!

Well, that “starving artist” thing isn’t so cool when you’re actually doing it but then you get a little break and it gets you excited again, then another break keeps you going ... and when you look back, those days were the raddest times. The best times!!! You don’t remember all the easy s#!t. You remember the struggles.

What did the “National” brands think of your “beachy-surfy” portfolio and what was it like moving to New York to work the scene?

The people in New York didn’t know I wasn’t making a lot of money here, they just went, whoa, this guy’s amazing, a cool young Californian guy. I had a studio apartment in Soho and my roommate was a designer at Armani Exchange, so I met everyone, got an agent and was shooting everything in New York, then I’d fly down to Florida, fly back to Cal, do another shoot, get back on a plane and go back to Florida, then fly to Hawaii. I did that for 10 years.

What was it like when the digital camera came out? You embraced it?

Yeah, the digital came right away for me, seamless. I had clients that wanted both. Some wanted film still and others wanted digital and it was seamless. A lot of the purist fought it but I embraced it. I thought, f#!k, I don’t have to develop film? I don’t have to edit slides? I was stoked. I liked it.

And what happened next?

Then I shot the Indy racing series for 10 years and then that turned into a contract with Nascar and I had to turn down so many gigs. But I didn’t want to live in an RV and follow the Nascar circuit. Yeah, it was a $350,000 contract but that’s your whole life.

So you traded auto sports for shooting cheerleaders in exotic locales?

Well, among other clients. But yeah, I’ve been working for the Miami Dolphins for the past eight years.

You’ve traveled the world and built an amazing company in the process.

What’s next for you and Voorhees Studios?

Traveling and spending more time in Hawaii, to be honest with you. I’ve already spent nearly half my life in this building and I love it, it’s home and I can take a nap if I want .... but I’ve got a home in Hawaii and I don’t want to retire but I’d like to shoot there and work out of my studio there more often.... I also have a place on the beach in Hualtuco, Mexico and want to develop my production company there, it’s between Barra De La Cruz and Puerto Escondido. Sand bottom rig ht points. Perfect surf. turn page >>

<< from previous page

What’s your advice for young photogs out there blown away at what you’ve been able to do starting with a photoclass in high school and working for the college newspaper?

I think you’ve got to shoot as much as you can, make mistakes and figure things out. Find whatever you’re passionate about. I have just as much fun going to Bali as I do as going to Detroit. You can walk through the rice fields in Bali, or in an area of downtown Detroit that’s got some old jazz clubs and funky stuff and that’s great too.

Real quick before we go. The trash cans. You’ve got a bunch of them filled

with old slides! What’s the story?

So what happened when I moved out of my first studio I went through all my slides as I was moving and just started throwing them away. I just happened to buy a silver trashcan and as soon as the can filled up I thought, I can’t throw this away! This is my history! So I kept it and filled another one, and another one and another one and another one. I have twenty of them. The good ones are all filed away in books and stored. Those are the bad ones.

We were just looking ... they’re not bad!

(Laughter all around)

“I think you’ve got to shoot as much as you can, make mistakes and figure things out.”

— M i k e ’ s a dv i c e to yo u n g shoot e r s

M IKE AND THE M IA M I D O L P HIN S C HEERLEADER S . B e s t s e l f i e e v e r ?

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For more on Voorhees Studios ... check out MICHAELVOORHEES.COM or on Instagram @voorheesstudios

Family values.

Father and son Adam and Gavin Dambrakasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; catch of the day by Dam Nguyen

#OCstateofmind

Heaven’s gate.

Outer isle paradise by “Ray Ray” Garcia

#OCstateofmind

Golden State.

Southside of the HB Pier by Michael Latham

#OCstateofmind

The art of shredding.

Mikee Zion at the Basic Bowl by Dave Weems

#OCstateofmind

Don’t call me Mike.

NOFX’s Fat Mike on the prowl in Orange County by Dave Weems

#OCstateofmind

Vulgar display of power.

Hall of Famer Albert Pujols courtesy Angels Baseball

#OCstateofmind

Dos tiburones hermosas. â&#x20AC;?Two beautiful sharksâ&#x20AC;? by Marshall Lally

#OCstateofmind

Trippin’.

Not just another day in paradise by “Ray Ray” Garcia

#OCstateofmind

Floats like a butterfly ...

Happy Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day 2016 by Steven Russell Smith

#OCstateofmind

... stings like a bee!

That girl of your dreams (again) by Mayer George

#OCstateofmind

Self-serve dog wash, full grooming and boutique.

445 E. 17th st. Costa Mesa, CA 92627

949.287.6815

pennyspupwash.com

#FIGHTKLUB

The Roots of MMA: Greco-Roman Wrestling

old school Walk into your local MMA gym and take a look at all the action that is going on; sparring, boxing, muay thai, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling. Now ask anyone training what’s the hardest and most grueling aspect of MMA? I’ll bet a hundred bucks 99% percent will say wrestling.

Personally I’m a huge fan of all stand up when it comes to MMA, and I love watching guys like Alistair Overeem, Anthony Johnson or Anthony Pettis surgically bludgeon their adversaries with tree cutting leg kicks, knees from hell, and vintage 88’ Tyson hands to the jaw line. There’s no denying it, the one art of combat sport that can take the best striker in the world out of his game like Kobe Bryant the past three seasons is that of Greco-Roman wrestling.

Greco-Roman wrestling is one of the most ancient forms of combat sports and goes back thousands of years to the Mediterranean, which at one point for centuries was the center of the known world and home to the mightiest of Empires. Under the leadership and conquest of warriors such as Emperor Trajan, Julius Cesar, and Constantine the Great, these once mighty empires birthed, practiced and perfected the wrestling that you see today. Essential hand to hand wrestling was invented and practiced by the men and warriors of the Ancient Greek Empire and was used as exercise for men and practiced by warriors in gymnasium’s to prepare themselves for the glorious games of the Greek culture (where the world gets its Olympics from). Wrestling dates as far back as the year 776 BC and was a part of the very first Olympic games ... where it was practiced butt naked! By the time the Greek Empire fell, the ancient Roman’s picked up the Greek style of combat wrestling and like everything else the Roman’s did, they took it to another level and perfected it.

The Roman’s crafted the art of modern day Greco-Roman wrestling in their palaestra’s (gymnasium).

Fast forward a few thousand years and Greco-Roman wrestling is still alive and well. Some of the very best fighters in MMA and in particular the UFC come from a very decorated wrestling background. Multiple past and present UFC champions come from a very high decorated Olympic or division I college all american wrestling background.

Many countries around the world have adopted Greco-Roman wrestling and have embraced it as a national sport. Historically, within the past 100 years, America, Cuba, and many of the Russian speaking countries have dominated the worldwide wrestling scene. This is also true for MMA as top American, Cuban, and Russian speaking fighters from a wrestling background have made their mark inside the octagon. As wrestling continues to be the best starting base for MMA competition, it is a phenomenal sport to start young boys in; discipline, hard work, toughness, and heart is what oozes out of the wrestling rooms, turning young boys into a man’s man. And while we can thank the Ancient Romans and Greeks for virtually all aspects of civilized western culture, let’s take this time to toast to the art of wrestling.

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P h ot o : A . R i c a r d o

The Truth Behind the sword w i t h R ay B o n e s Ro d r i G u e Z

P h o t o by dav e w e e ms

Charlie Blair

NEW BLOOD The truth is, stars just don’t align easily for the future prospects of skateboarding. A breakthrough skater is rare these days, and with that said, I bring you Charlie Blair.

Born in Riverside, CA in 1991, Charlie started skateboarding at age six before relocating to Fullerton and the rest is history. I’m proud to have Charlie as my teammate. Yes, he’s a new blood Bones Brigader!! He’s the gnarliest anywhere he skates. So stay in the truth, Charlie, and all good things will come to you, brother man!!

--Ray Bones.

Charlie is one of the hottest names in skateboarding.

His favorite skater is Nathan Fletcher and he likes to listen to Suicidal Tendancies, Metallica and Tupac.

He is sponsored by Powell-Peralta, Bones Bearings, Independent Trucks and The Hundreds clothing company.

#JOEFOSTERSARMY 48

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on Fire remembering the fire swell from october ‘07 Says photographer Joe Foster of this amazing day way back when, “I shot this photo about 10 years ago during the massive fires in Laguna Beach. It might not have been the best day ever in Newport history, but definitely the most epic day I’d ever seen at RJ’s. I remember seeing Kolohe Andino and Nat Young, who were groms at the time, paddle out and score world class standup barrels all day long. The wind was literally airbrushing and polishing every wave face in real time and blew every footprint off the sand. It was an absolutely magical California day in which the land wasn’t the only thing on fire.”

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#TATTOOYOU

p h ot os by scot t y h i r a n o

“Carpe Diem” the tattoos of aaron “azz” malaszewski

by J o n R i c h a r d s

“The Garuda was so powerful that no god could defeat him in battle, eventually the Hindu god Vishnu intervened. Impressed with his abilities, Vishnu made the Garuda immortal and promised him a higher seat than that of his own. Henceforth, the Garuda became the ‘vahana’ or vehicle of Vishnu and was allowed to sit atop the god’s flagpole as a reward.”

Aaron “Azz” Malaszewski teaches Muay Thai in Huntington Beach CA. The tattoo, Vishnu riding Garuda” done by Chuey Quintanar of Deers Eye Studio) has taken over 50 hours to complete. “I chose this tattoo to represent how I’ve come to feel,” explains Azz. “I feel free like Garuda, “as a bird” if you may.

The art that originally inspired Azz’s epic Vishnu Riding Garuda comes from a book that was given to him by a Thai friend that has all the depictions of dieties. For Azz the Garuda represents power over oneself and with balance and the ability to destroy or create. “Muay Thai and balance go hand in hand in my opinion,” he adds, “and the tattoo represents this to me, the balance to destroy or create. Muay Thai is beautiful and brutal at

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the same time. So much more than a fight.”

And like his tattoo, an art as well.

Azz feels with so many restrictions in life, religion being a huge one over mankind, that “thoughts about that always lead me to believe in just myself. Many obstacles I’ve had to overcome and many of them have been physical.” The worst obstacles for Azz (being so active) have been physically. “Finding Muay Thai gave me the direct understanding,” he tells me, “it’s the truth drug - you are what you do and you get out of Muay Thai what you put in.”

Do yourself a favor and follow Azz and his tattoo artist Chuey on Instagram at @seuuadaaomuaythai and @chueyquintanar respectively.

Barber & Beauty Shop â&#x20AC;&#x153;A place for the whole family!â&#x20AC;?

949.200.7521

1652 Newport Blvd. costa mesa, CA 92627

www.hotheadzbarbershopcm.com

#MotorHEads

glen helen? (Hell yeah!)

Anyone who grew up riding in So Cal, or anywhere else in the country/world for that matter has heard of Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino (aka Riverside, the 909, etc). Noted for its unparalleled elevation changes and terrain that challenges riders in two classes, it’s by far, the best, roughest, most challenging track in California. But that’s just in our humble opinion. Here’s what some of the world’s best motocross legends think about our beloved Glen Helen Raceway.

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“You’ll always have this sort of love-hate relationship with Glen Helen simply because of how difficult it is and how rewarding it feels to achieve success there.” - Ryan Vil­lopoto

“Some of the guys see the elevation changes and feel a little intimidated, but I’m used to it. A lot don’t like the roughness, but I do.”- Josh Grant

“I hate coming to Glen Helen [laughs] …you get here in the morning, and it’s good for about an hour and then it just gets super hard.”- James Stewart

“The track is always good, but it is one of the gnarlier ones. I think for raw motocross, it is good with the elevation.”- Jake Weimer

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#americanicon

OG laguna Greeter by v i c t o r i a jo h n so n

W

e’ve all seen the guy who claims to be the “new” Laguna Beach Greeter, and he’s okay, but he’s no Eiler Larsen.

Imagine standing at the corner of Forest Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, shouting out greetings to anyone who passed by. That’s what Eiler Larsen spent over three decades of his life doing. He was born in Denmark in 1890, but spend most of his life traveling the world and working all sorts of odd jobs. He worked in Siberia, hiked through Argentina and Chile, served in World War I as a US soldier, walked from Maine to Georgia - and eventually, he settled down in Laguna Beach.

There he worked, on occasion, as a gardener and a potter. Larsen spent the little money he made on books for himself, as he was an avid reader, and on little gifts of books and candy for local children. A few of the residents of Laguna Beach would complain about Larson, but he didn’t let it bother him. “They may think I’m crazy,” he once said, “but does it matter what they think?” Others were happy to provide him with a free hotel room or a free meal. To most, he was a welcome sight. He would call out “hallo!” or “delighted to see you!” as part of his “mission of friendliness.”

He believed in the power of this simple act: “Too many people driving along the highway are frowning and look unhappy,” he once said, “but by waving, I make them smile and thousands of people have a happier day before them.”

On February 14, 1964, Larsen was granted the title of Laguna’s Official Greeter. He passed away in 1975, but his legacy lives on, as others have tried to follow in his footsteps as the town greeter. Currently, there are two life-sized statues of Larsen in Laguna. His message of goodwill is worth remembering; we should all take a leaf out of his book. Long live Eiler Larsen!

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@arenoseswim Pinterest.com/Arenose Facebook.com/Arenoseswim

Arenoseswim.com

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The Burnt Truck

Dogzilla

The Burnt Truck is a staple in the Orange County food truck scene for a reason: awesome food. I’m a freak for sliders but they’ve gotta be good, and The Burnt Truck delivers! I ordered the fried chicken slider. This thing is quite special. They take a bun and spread garlic mashed potatoes on it, then top it with a generous hunk of buttermilk fried chicken, then it’s smothered in homemade country gravy! It’s a chicken sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy on it! It’s their signature item for sure! Definitely not a weight loss plan but boy is it satisfying! But be prepared to wait a bit, as there’s usually a line about 10 deep if not more wherever this truck pulls up. The lady taking orders was super busy but a delightful soul. We love Burnt Truck!-SC

Have dog will travel! Yep, this dog will hunt. If you love hot dogs, Dogzilla is the food truck for you. I just happened to be at the Orange County Marketplace at the OC Fairgrounds recently when I came across the Dogzilla food truck. Not a run of the mill roach coach, that’s for sure. I’m honestly not a huge hot dog lover, and maybe if I’m at an Angel game I’ll have a dog, but Dogzilla converted me! The smell alone when in line at the truck will get you everytime. I ordered the Dogzilla dog, an all-beef dog topped with grilled onions, avocado, Japanese mayo, furikake, homemade teriyaki sauce served piping hot on a Hawaiian sweet roll! Insane! For all you veggie lovers they’ve got a delicious veggie link dog that even carnivores can’t resist. For us, Dogzilla is top dog.-SC

TheBurntTruck.com (949) 421-8900

Dogzillahotdogs.com (714) 805-8857

LOS REYES DEL ELOTE ASADO As a surfer I’ve spent much of my travel time in Mexico, so I’ve tasted a lot of real Mexican food from Tijuana to the beaches of Oaxaca. So I’ve gotta tell ya I found a food truck called Los Reyes Del Elote that delivers authentic handcrafted and delicious Mexican food. I discovered this traveling delight in a parking lot on the corner of Chestnut and Main in Downtown Santa Ana. Owned and operated by a gentleman named Armando, I ordered the Elote (Mexican corn) that’s grilled up and offered with a blend of butter, mayo and spices. OMG, it’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted. They even make their own flour and corn tortillas by hand. They also serve outstanding burritos, tortas and even raspados. This truck is the bomb! Remember to save room for their amazing roasted corn soup. Orale!!-SC Facebook.com/LosReyesDelElote (949) 610-4226

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THE WAYFARER A HOUSE OF SOCIAL PROVISIONS

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BARWARS @Or ang ecount yculture

VS.

Black Bull

B l a c k b u llc h o p h o u s e . com We love Downtown HB and the plethora of humans from all walks of life who cluster Main Street and surrounding areas, and we love the Black Bull Chop House. The Black Bull moonlights as a happening nightclub equiped with a mechanical bull and some of the stiffest drinks in town. But the drinks can wait. Let’s get back to the food. They’ve got it all here, from killer appetizers like the mouthwatering “Bull Sampler” combo complete with an ice-cold, crisp chicken caeser salad to entrees ranging from a 5-pound “Cowboy Burger” that feeds up to five people or a 10 oz. filet of Halibut stuffed with Dungeness crab meat, garlic, spinach and signature pistachio pesto sauce that’s no joke!! Black Bull Chop House is for real and we’re honored to have it in our backyard!

Black Bull is located at 300 Pacific Coast Hwy, Ste 112, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. (714) 969-6700

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c o s ta m e s a

T h e S a d d l e R a nc h . com

Saddle Ranch

Huntington

We love themed restaurants that double as a bar, and if you’re a “people watcher”, Saddle Ranch in The Triangle doesn’t disappoint. Taking up residence on the patio is the way to go, and with all the action going on it gives off this resort-like feeling, i.e. Downtown Disney, Mainstreet HB or some place like that. The food is fantastic and the service is fast and friendly. My girl and I ordered the Monster Platter appetizer with a selection of sauces including marshmallow cinnamon, blue cheese, chipotle mayo and BBQ. Throw in some drinks and dinner wasn’t even needed. Between bites you can lose yourself in a game of pool, ride the mechanical bull, or hit the punching bag! And don’t forget, this place turns into a bar after dinner so put on your party shoes.

Saddle Ranch is located upstairs in the Triangle Square center located 1870 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. (949) 287-4652

#CULTURESHOCK

San Francisco If you’ve ever been to the city by the Bay as famously sung by Steven Perry of Journey, you’ve probably seen or even driven across the massive Golden Gate Bridge, an absolutely breathtaking architectual masterpiece that looms large over the San Francisco Bay. So iconic that when you think of San Francisco you could picture the Golden Gate bridge and its bright reddish-orange structure. However, the bridge has a haunting, dark, lonely and quite disturbing history.

Often dubbed by many as “the Suicide Machine”, the Bridge Rail Foundation, an organization dedicated to stopping suicides from the bridge, estimates more than 1,600 people have jumped to their death since the bridge opened in 1937. Oddly enough the impact of the fall only kills 98% of jumpers leaving many horror-filled survivors. And since July 2013, 34 people have allegedly survived the 220-foot cement-like impact of a jump.

One of the craziest stories was told of a young woman named Sarah Rutledge Birnbaum who unbelievably survived her desperate deadly jump only to return to jump again and die the second time. Creepier yet was the heart-breaking story of five-year-old Marilyn DeMont who, in 1945, was forced to jump from the bridge by her suicidal father who jumped and followed her shortly thereafter. And there are thousands of more stories like this, including the one about the 46-year-old founder of Victoria’s Secret Roy Raymond who took the lonely jump to his death in 1993.

However disturbing this problem is, it must exposed and dealt with. So many humans consider suicide but suffer in silence. If someone you know or love has pulled inward, is in crisis or suffering from emotional distress, talk to them or give them this number 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Free advice, 24/7. Remember, there’s always hope.

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P H O T O : LU C IAN O M O RTULA

Many people in and around the coimmunity have lobbied for years to put up a safety net as a suicide deterrent, then finally in 2014 the board of directors approved installation of a net extending outward from below the structure rather than the side barriers of the railings believing this would detour future jumpers. The project is buried in red tape but should go up by 2017 and if that’s the case, what about those jumpers between now and then?

#TruthLiesLegends

T h e A n a h e i m S u g a r C ompa n y a s i t s t oo d ov e r 1 0 0 y e a r s ag o , To day i t ’ s a n I n d u st r i a l C om p l e x ! Photo co u r t e s y A n a h e i m P u b l i c L i b r a ry.

Anaheim’s

Sugary Past

Reflecting on Orange county’s forgotten industry When thinking about sugar we can’t get our minds off that pink box of C&H pure cane sugar. Why not, right? Doesn’t sugar come from Hawaii? A majority of it, sure, but it wasn’t always like that. We used to have a couple sugar factories of our own right here in the heart of Orange County.

One of the more legendary sugar factories was the Anaheim Sugar Factory. Legend has it, in May of 1910 a couple capitalists from New York (A.R. Peck, C.H Perkins and Charles Warner) bought the 40-acre site located on

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the southwest corner of Patt and Commercial Streets and paid OC developer Herman Kruger over $800,000 to build a state of the art sugar factory and the Anaheim Sugar Factory was born! Herman and his crew completed the factory in 1911 and the first sugar beets were processed on August, 3, 1911. In the first season over 43,000 tons of beets were processed, producing over 12 million pounds of granulated sugar and that number would double over the next few years. And that went on until 1923 when the Holly Sugar Company bought the company for $1,500,000 but

closed the factory and sold the 40-acre tract to the Community Industrial Land Company and that was the end of sugar production in Anaheim. The building was occupied by a tomato paste cannery for some time, then the Essex Wire Corp. of Detroit Michigan bought part of the industrial complex and spent the next 59 years there manufacturing wire products! Sadly, in May of 2005, the sugar factory buildings were ultimately leveled to make way for a new industrial complex and so the cycle begins again.

M i ss May

Breanne Schneider

P H O T O by ov e t h m a r t i n e z

#OCTeenCultureGirl

Breanne Schneider, 18, was born and raised in So Cal and is wrapping up her freshman year at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles where her studies are focused on Political Science and International Relations.

And after graduating she plans to earn a Juris Doctor degree in international law. Awesome, right? When she’s not studying, Breanne enjoys dancing, playing the piano, reading, modeling (with Brand Model & Talent) and she’s also involved in a unique service organization at Loyola that raises awareness on two separate issues: human trafficking and ways to promote environmental sustainability – two of her biggest passions. Her favorite music dates back to the 60’s with the Beatles, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones, and describes herself as an “old soul” who loves shopping at antique stores.

Breanne is a shining star who has only just begun to shine.

Wanna book Breanne for your next shoot?

Contact Sara@brandtalent.net

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K AMALEI ALE X ANDER Photo by: Kamalei Alexander