San Pedro Today - February 2023

PASSION, PURPOSE, &PIZZA

Modern Dentistry, with Old Fashion Values.

Our office is a multi-specialty private practice located in Weymouth Corners in San Pedro. With 28 years of experience, we provide high-quality modern dentistry at an affordable cost in an inviting setting. Our office is equipped to provide most specialty dental services efficiently under one rooftop. We use cutting-edge technology and are versed in all aspects of Cosmetic, Restorative, Dental Implants, Orthodontic, and Oral Surgery services.

Dr. Souzan Ardalan, D.D.S.

Education:

USC school of Dentistry

Doctor of Dental Surgery

Professional Association:

American Dental Association, member

California Dental Association, member

Western Dental Society, member

SERVICES & SPECIALTIES

• General Cosmetic and Children’s Dentistry • Oral Surgery • Dental Implants • Permanent Implant Supported Dentures • Orthodontics (Traditional Braces & Invisalign) • Periodontics • Sleep Apnea

(310) 832-5559

www.drsouzanardalan.com

ASSOCIATES

Ian Woo, D.D.S., MD.

Education:

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Los Angeles County / University of Southern California Medical Center

Dr. Marvis Sorrel, D.M.D., M.D.S.

Education:

University of Pittsburgh, Master of Science in Dentistry, Doctor of Dental Medicine

Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

Orthognatic Surgery Externship / Invisalign Certification

Dr. Rebekah Coriaty

Education:

University of Pacific

Professional Association:

American Dental Association

California Dental Association

#161f70

Color Palette: #4962f5 #233f4d

Dr. Miles Madison

Education:

UCLA School of Dentistry

Professional Association:

Font:

American Academy of Periodontology

California Society of Periodontists

American Dental Association

California Dental Association

American Association for Dental Research

FONT: Lato

run more photos of the restaurant in print, but you can see them all online at sanpedrotoday.com.

Speaking of our website, we have lots of fun planned for our digital space in the coming months with new audio and video content. We’ll have more news for you next month.

Finally, I’m excited to have Ahmad and Jillana from Miller Butler on our cover. Their story is inspiring, and their pizza is delicious. Check them out.

Thanks for reading. See you next month. spt

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Joshua J. Stecker

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lori Garrett

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION

Joseph A. Castañeda

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS

Linda Grimes, Sanam Lamborn, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Eddie McKenna, Nadia Nizetich, Anthony Pirozzi, Sophie Schoenfeld, Amber Sheikh, Lee Williams

PHOTOGRAPHER

John Mattera Photography

CONTACT INFO: Phone: (424) 224-9063 Email: contact@sanpedrotoday.com

San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168 San Pedro, CA 90733

ADVERTISING:

General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com

Patricia Roberts (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com

EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER

Joshua J. Stecker

San Pedro Today publishes the last Thursday of every month and is produced monthly by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes. San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today. Copyright 20092023, Empire22 Media LLC.

VOLUME 15 | NUMBER 1

ON

Butler's Ahmad Butler and Jillana Miller.

THE COVER: Miller

(photo: John Mattera Photography)

CALL

(310) 519-3662

FEBRUARY 2023

Every Friday – SAN PEDRO FARMERS MARKET AT LITTLE ITALY (396 W. 6th St., corner of 6th and Mesa), 11a-3p. – New location! Pick up essential fruits and vegetables from certified, small family farms. Get a head start on weekend meals with so many delicious and fresh options. Please note social distancing of six feet between groups and people is required. Masks must be worn at all times, and a hand washing station is provided for your convenience. For more info, visit sanpedrochamber. com/san-pedro-farmers-market.

Every Tuesday, Friday, & First Thursday Evening – OPEN GARDEN at Feed and Be Fed (429 W. 6th St.), Tuesdays 10a-12p, Fridays 10a-1p, & First Thursday evenings. – Feed and Be Fed farm, San Pedro's own urban farm, opens its downtown garden space every Tuesday and Friday and on First Thursday evenings. Organic produce is for sale at the San Pedro Farmers Market at Little Italy (corner of 6th and Mesa) on Fridays 11a-3p. Come share nature’s bounty and beauty as we grow vegetables, flowers, and community. Get your hands in the dirt as a volunteer, get expert advice, or just relax. For more info, visit feedandbefed.org.

Every Tuesday & Every Saturday –BELMONT SHORE RAILROAD CLUB at Angels Gate Park (3600 S. Gaffey St., Building 824), Tuesdays 7-10p & Saturdays 12-4p. – The best kept secret in San Pedro! The Belmont Shore Railroad Club is the oldest and largest N scale club and offers clinics on modeling and an opportunity to explore a new hobby. Admission is FREE and open to the public. For more info, call (310) 831-6262 or visit belmontshorerr.com.

2 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY in Downtown San Pedro, 6p. – The popular First Thursday ArtWalk is back in the historic core of Downtown San Pedro. The redesigned First Thursday will feature guided ArtWalk tours, open galleries, outdoor dining, and live music on the corner of 6th and Mesa streets.

2-5 (Thurs-Sun) – SAN PEDRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), Starlight Terrace Cinemas (28901 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes), and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (3720 Stephen M White Dr.), various showtimes. – The San Pedro International

Film Festival (SPIFFest) celebrates the diverse culture and community of San Pedro with a broad spectrum of independent film, documentaries, and shorts. This year’s festival will run from Thursday, February 2 through Sunday, February 5 at various locations. Free admission. For programming, showtimes, locations, and to reserve tickets, visit spiffest.org.

7 & 9 (Tues & Thurs) – POINT FERMIN LIGHTHOUSE NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING at Point Fermin Lighthouse (807 Paseo del Mar), 10:30a12:30p. – The Point Fermin Lighthouse is a wonderful community treasure and a wonderful place to volunteer. Interested in welcoming visitors to the site and sharing its rich history? Getting your hands dirty working in its lovely gardens (no experience or tools needed)? Working as a gift store salesperson? Helping with fundraising events? Collaborating on planning a celebration for its 150th birthday (December 15, 2024)? If you are looking for an opportunity to serve your community, make new friends in a beautiful setting, and to continue the preservation of this historic treasure, please join us for our New Volunteer Training. Classes: Tuesday, February 7 and Thursday, February 9 from 10:30a to 12:30p at the lighthouse. To streamline the registration process, fingerprinting and vaccination authorization will be onsite on February 9. Attendance confirmation required by texting your name to (310) 293-8000 or calling the lighthouse at (310) 241-0684.

11 (Sat) – SAN PEDRO MAKERS MARKET at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.), 9a-3p. – Join nearly two dozen artisans, makers, and bakers outside San Pedro’s favorite neighborhood store for a fun day of shopping and live music! This event is hosted by Homemade by the Hays and sponsored by San Pedro Today. Best parking is along Paseo Del Mar. For vendor info, message @sanpedromakersmarket on Instagram.

15 & 25 (Wed & Sat) – PECK PARK CANYON HIKES at Peck Park (560 N. Western Ave.), 9a. – Exercise walks are led on the third Wednesday of each month at 9a and last 1 to 1.5 hours. Nature walks are led on the fourth Saturday of each month at 9a. All walks leave from the trailhead in the lower parking lot at Peck Park. spt

GIVE WHERE WE LIVE

by Lee Williams

As the leader of a local real estate team, I’m inclined to help lift up our community and find ways to improve it. We call it “Give Where We Live.”

Each member of my team has a favorite charity they contribute to — in volunteer hours, monetary donations, and some serve on boards of directors of nonprofits that mean the most to them.

Many years ago, before I could find San Pedro on a map, I was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. It was back when she had donated millions of dollars to build a school in Africa. She faced a lot of criticism from people who thought she should spend that money here in America, not knowing how many hundreds of millions she had spent here in support of education, fighting food insecurity, addiction, healthcare, and homeless housing in the towns she once called home. During a commercial break, I asked her, “What do you say to these critics?” She said, “If everyone had a charity or a way to contribute [to something] that mattered most to them, something that touched their heart so deeply that got them out of bed and into action in a meaningful way… can you imagine the world we would live in?”

That moment really touched me and helped bring into focus a lot of the work I had done with my best friend who was born and raised in San Pedro, Otto

Schutt. We focused on charities that helped fight cancer, support women’s issues, and educate and lift up children living in poverty. These challenges remain my main focus now that I live in Otto’s hometown, in the house he grew up in.

More importantly, I’m surrounded by folks doing amazing work here in San Pedro in unique and different ways. Maria’s Closet, founded by Ronna Luna and supported by some of the strongest women in the Harbor Area, has its annual fundraiser on Saturday, February 11. It’s a night of dinner and dancing with some of San Pedro’s best people to hang out with. A party not to be missed with an auction that always gets me into trouble. Maria’s Closet provides prom dresses, makeup, and confidence for young girls to have a

prom night filled with happy memories they will carry with them for life. Visit mariasclosets.org for more information and ways to donate.

San Pedro Meals on Wheels is a charity close to the heart of my operations manager, Laura Avila, who serves on the board of directors. For $8.50 per day, San Pedro Meals on Wheels can provide a tasty, nutritious lunch and dinner for those who can’t provide for themselves. For many, the volunteer-led deliveries are the only human interaction these folks may have in the day. For them, it’s not just the food; it’s someone caring enough to check in on them and ensure they’re okay. Meals on Wheels is always looking for donations of time and money. Visit sanpedromealsonwheels.org to see how you can contribute.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor is providing bright futures for our children in various ways. What started as a way to give kids something to do after school is now so much more. California Youth of the Year Nicolas Velazquez says the BGCLAH has provided him with a future free of drug and alcohol abuse and gang violence. The club’s work here in the Harbor Area provides the education, skills, and direction that many of our kids will need to remain here as responsible adults with the jobs, families, and community roots that protect the culture of San Pedro. Visit bgclaharbor. org to see how the College Bound and Career Bound programs are making a difference.

The San Pedro Chamber of Commerce is bringing back its Honorary Mayor campaign this month, with candidates winning based on the money they can raise for their favorite charity. If you are interested in supporting your favorite charities and nonprofits here in San Pedro on a grand scale, visit sanpedrochamber.com for details. Your campaign could lead others to contribute to the organizations you love most and help us all give where we live. spt

Lee Williams leads the Williams Group at Keller Williams Realty and is a member of the Board of Directors for the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and the Boys and Girls Club for L.A. Harbor.

A San Pedro Meals on Wheels volunteer prepares sandwiches.

(photo: San Pedro Meals on Wheels /Facebook)

ESCAPE IN SAN PEDRO!

BRAIN GAMES ESCAPE ROOMS OFFERS SOMETHING UNIQUE & FUN FOR A NIGHT OUT IN TOWN

by Jennifer Marquez

We ran up a hefty tab at the tiki bar while on vacation. Now my family has to find the clues and figure out how to earn coins to pay off our debt.

For over an hour, we turned keys, pushed buttons, searched for clues, and listened as we received prompts from our helpful game master from a speaker. This all took place behind the library in San Pedro at Brain Games Escape Rooms. Who would have known there was buried treasure on 9th Street?

Escape rooms are themed games that require participants to solve a series of puzzles within a certain amount of time. It is a race against the clock to escape the room as couples and groups work together. The door isn’t really locked, but you get the idea.

Brain Games Escape Rooms opened in October 2021 in San Pedro with one room called The Laboratory. In this room, you find yourself in a strange laboratory belonging to a mad scientist, Dr. Crawl. My family had a great time figuring our way out before the bomb “exploded.” Of course, there is no real bomb, but part of the fun is transporting your group to an imaginary place in a room with props and sound effects.

“Escape rooms are built for fun. A lot of people are intimidated about trying their first escape room,” says Daniel

Crowley, Brain Games Escape Rooms owner. “Some worry it will be scary, or they will feel dumb. We build our rooms to be a fun, exciting, family-friendly experience.”

The rooms at Brain Games Escape Rooms took over a year to build. Crowley enjoys pushing the limits of art and enjoys sharing it with the community. The newest room to open, Treasure Island, is much more elaborate than the original game, The Laboratory. It is an immersive experience with multiple surprises and much more than a tiki bar, which is front and center when you first enter the room. The game master can be accessed anytime for nudges or hints

during the game. Often, the answers are in plain sight, and it is a good strategy not to overthink things.

Brain Games, a highly-ranked escape room in the industry, is busy working on its next game, Twenty Ghosts, a mildly spooky game that will open in two months. Their ultimate goal is to offer six games at their current location, housed in a quirky, strange building on 9th Street perfect for escape rooms. According to Crowley, the building was initially designed in the 1970s by an architect to be his office. The 5,000-square-foot building has been used by a chiropractor, a lawyer, and a dentist before it became Brain Games.

Each room is hexagon shaped, and the hallways zigzag. Brain Games embraces the funkiness of the building and uses it to enhance its games.

With limited things to do at night in San Pedro besides dining and bars, Brain Games offers an alternative way to spend time for people of all ages, and they stay open until midnight. Groups range from escape room enthusiasts who travel from other countries and states to experience different escape rooms to people playing their first game on a fun night out with family and friends.

With tropical music playing, my son took the ship’s steering wheel as we finished our game. There were pirates, hidden areas to explore, keys to be found, and even things to be dug up. We made it out, solving all the puzzles along the way, all on a Tuesday night in San Pedro. spt

Brain Games Escape Rooms is located at 757 W. 9th Street, San Pedro. For more information, visit braingamesescaperoom.com, email info@braingamesescaperoom.com, or call (747) 333-8886. Use code San Pedro Today for $15 off your group’s total price.

Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com and @jenntmqz on Twitter and Instagram.

Brain Games Escape Rooms on 9th Street.

(photo: Jennifer Marquez)

I MAY BE OVER THE HILL, BUT THE VIEW IS STILL GREAT

THE ‘REAL SAN PEDRAN’ TURNS 40; REMEMBERING SP’S FIRST LITTLE LEAGUE TITLE

by Steve Marconi

Inadvertently or not, baby boomers like myself are constantly reminded that we’re old.

Personally, I have no problems with it; the wife says I was born old, and it’s true. As a history lover, I have always been able to relate to those older than me. More than once, especially when commenting on current cultural or political situations, I have been called a curmudgeon — usually for good reasons. It may be a pejorative, but I’ve come to embrace it.

We “boomers” are often accused of living in the “good old days.” I plead guilty because as I get older, of one thing I am certain — I did live in the good old days. We may be biased, but who of you who grew up in San Pedro doesn’t look back fondly on the ‘50s

and ‘60s? The huge following of the San Pedro Born and Raised Facebook group says it all. Whippersnappers call this fascination with reliving the past “nostalgia porn,” but I think they’re just jealous we have such great memories.

It isn’t just social media that keeps bringing up the past, either; I still get a newspaper, which dates me right away. (Talk about anachronisms: I still wear an analog wristwatch.) I don’t get the newspaper so much for news anymore, because what’s in the morning paper is usually “old news” by the time you read it. I get the Daily Breeze primarily for the comics, the occasional local high school sports results, and of course, the obituaries.

Nothing makes you aware of your age like the obits. Reading about the passing of someone you knew or knew about, especially if it’s someone you grew up with, is like a slap in the face. It’s a grim reminder that we

baby boomers are much closer to the end than the beginning and a helpful reminder to make every day count because we’re not promised tomorrow.

Other passages of time also remind us we’re getting older, and fortunately, most are cause for celebration — birthdays, anniversaries, class reunions. See below for a significant San Pedro anniversary that passed without mention last year.

San Pedro Today editor Joshua Stecker reminded me recently that it was 40 years ago this month that I wrote a column for the late, lamented NewsPilot in which, tongue firmly planted in cheek, I tried to explain to my Midwestern aunt and uncle what made someone a “real San Pedran.”

That and a follow-up column took on a life of their own, particularly after then News-Pilot editor Bob Beck gave Bob Bowles of Anchor Press permission to print framed copies (and no, I never received a penny from it). They soon began appearing in homes and businesses around town and wherever expats who missed their hometown lived.

If remembering the Real San Pedran column makes you feel as old as it does me, well, welcome to the club, and always keep in mind one of my mother’s favorite quotes: “Do not complain about growing old. It is a privilege denied to many.”

A TEAM FOR THE AGED

Sixty years ago last August, the San Pedro Southern All-Stars, a team of 11- and 12-year-olds, won the Western Boys Baseball Association championship in Northridge, San Pedro’s first Little League title. The previous year’s

all-stars had finished second in Provo, Utah.

This was before there was a Little League World Series; the association, which included Canada, was split into Western and Eastern regions. San Pedro beat Blackfoot, Idaho, 7-3, in the semifinals and then defeated Woodland Hills, playing virtually a home game, 10-7, for the title. Woodland Hills advanced after beating Vancouver, B.C. The championship game was televised locally.

Most of the all-stars went on to play and star at either San Pedro High or Fermin Lasuen, and some even continued their careers at the college level. The team was composed of Tim Ursich (catcher); Jay Zuanich (first base); Jerry Garcia (second); Mark Vidovich (shortstop); Ed Brummel, Dennis Andries, and Sean Blakeman (third); and outfielders Steve Skomessa, Frank Karmelich, Danny Seaman, John Sullivan, and Joe Rios; Billy Suarez and Chip Williams were injured. The pitchers were Andries, Brummel, Terry Martin, and Rios. The coach was Andy Vidovich, and the manager was Bob Schroeder.

Ursich, founder of Marina Sports Medicine in Rancho Palos Verdes, has written a book about that season that should be available later this year. The coaches and Martin and Suarez have passed away, and Ursich hasn’t been able to contact Williams or Rios. Most of the rest of that team, men now in their early 70s, remain in the area, I believe, still cherishing childhood memories of when they put San Pedro in the national sports spotlight. spt

Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

TRUTH & POSITIVITY

'IT'S NOT ABOUT TIME; IT'S ABOUT WANT'

by Anthony Pirozzi, Jr.

I see it in the people closest to me — family, friends, and many in our community. Limiting time watching the news or television, in general, has resulted in feeling more relaxed and focused.

I still enjoy sports, news, and some shows, but I mostly enjoy spending quality time with those around me. At the same time, I continue to reflect on where to place my focus in helping those in need, serving our community, and being a positive influence in life.

This leads right into our annual New Year’s resolutions, which may have already dissolved for many by now. If this is true, why is this the case? Could it be that resolutions are focused on the wrong things? That we haven’t really committed to the right changes needed in our life to fulfill us? Lack of accountability? Or maybe the changes we need are much simpler than the big resolutions we tend to make each year.

One of my “Pirozzi-isms” to those I mentor or groups I have spoken to is, “It’s not about time; it’s about want. If you want to do something, you will find the time.” When posing this to a group of students, one complained about not having enough time in the day to do homework. I asked if it was really about time or want. I asked, “How much time do you spend on social media? On your phone?” The student felt a little embarrassed and agreed the time spent on the phone was in hours and not minutes, which was taking time away from what was important, this student’s education. The student agreed to reassess time versus want when it came to studying and social media.

This comes back to resolutions, why many of them don’t stick, and why we find ourselves in the same old habits.

For me, resolutions are personal

areas of focus that I need to improve, sustain, and achieve. For example, when I retired two years ago, it was not as joyous of an occasion as I thought it might be after all the years of working toward this life goal. It was 2020. I had battled the first string of COVID for three weeks, my father passed away, and then I retired. All of this happened within six months. Life stepped in and gave me personal demands during a time I felt lost and knew I had to keep moving forward, change my focus, and adjust along the way. So, the changes

I felt necessary in my life were to improve my relationship with God, attend Mass on Sunday, pray the Rosary daily, and listen to The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz). Spending quality time with family has always been a priority, but being an empty nester now requires more attention. Taking care of my mom, donating more to charities, sharing my life’s experience, healthier living, and continuing to serve my community all make the list.

Lastly, I do my best to inject positivity through my social media posts, hoping to impact someone along the way. So, while delivering Meals on Wheels, a recipient thanked me for my post from a recent vacation with just Carolyn.

I had started posting our trips so our parents could follow along with us on Facebook. The recipient said, “I just wanted to thank you for your pictures from your vacation because I can’t travel anymore, and they allowed me to travel with you.” I was really surprised but so appreciative of the feedback. I said, “Thank you, I will make sure to do it the next time we go on vacation.”

You never know who is watching, who you might impact, inspire, or help. So, join me this year with a concerted effort to self-assess what is important for you to improve, inject more truth and positivity into our world, make more time for God, focus on quality time with family, volunteer, donate, and truly appreciate what is around you. spt

Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. is a Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be reached at apirozzi@yahoo.com.

In a world where it feels that truth is hard to find or positivity is an afterthought, the reality is that these two elements of life are closer to us than we may feel.

Jillana Miller and Ahmad Butler returned to their San Pedro home one Saturday night after setting up shop at the Los Feliz flea market, where they’d had a long day. Money was tight, and they were relying on the day’s earnings to carry them through another week. But the wind at the market had been unforgiving, and their pizza ovens couldn’t hold a flame.

As Jillana climbed the stairs to their apartment, she had an idea. “I looked down at the pavement, and I thought, maybe we should just pop up right there tomorrow. We should pop up right in San Pedro.”

Jillana and Ahmad are the co-owners of Miller Butler, a pizza pop-up restaurant founded in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of work but full of inspiration, the newlyweds — who married just days before lockdown — decided to sell handmade pasta to make ends meet.

As a pasta pop-up, they traveled across Los Angeles until they received a request from one of their spots to sell hot food, and they transitioned into pizza making. They were well-equipped to handle the switch — prior to Miller Butler, Jillana had been a private chef in Manhattan Beach, and Ahmad was the food and beverage manager at the LAX Marriott.

With the help of Jillana’s father, who made their pizza oven and supplied their first dough recipe, they began firing pizzas across the city until that fateful windy day at the Los Feliz Flea.

The decision to set down their operation right outside their home is one Jillana looks back on fondly. “That first day on the block was an opportunity that I

PASSION, PURPOSE, &PIZZA

MILLER BUTLER FINDS A HOME IN SAN PEDRO

by Nadia Nizetich

didn’t even know was there,” she says. “We suddenly connected with our neighborhood, and I thought, I want to do this every Sunday.”

True to her word, the couple began popping up each Sunday in front of their home as Pizza on the Block. They quickly found their support reciprocated — many patrons returned every week, and some brought gifts of their own.

“One day, we’re using our pizza oven, and we’re talking about getting some wood for it,” says Ahmad. “And Chris, the owner of Whiskey Flats, just happened to be there. He’s like, ‘We got tons of almond wood if you want it,’ and we started buying our wood directly from them.”

The couple phased out their other locations in Los Angeles as their popularity grew, took up catering, and began teaching Miller Butler pasta-making classes on the side.

Today, they’re based in San Pedro, with their menu reflecting the many supporters they’ve earned in their year there. They honor Whiskey Flats with a barbecue chicken pizza, and their love of the town’s working-class roots spurred them to host a “Bloody Thursday” special — one free Margherita pizza with the purchase of a regular pie.

“We’re community-made in many ways,” explains Jillana. “We started serving our community for survival, and it became this relationship. Their support has helped us grow.”

True to themselves, they also serve pizzas that reflect their storied careers as chefs. The Boujee is a

Miller Butler's Ahmad Butler and Jillana Miller. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

Miller Butler's Classic Margherita pizza.

(photo: John Mattera Photography)

pesto-based pizza topped with prosciutto, arugula, and honey, and past pies have featured jalapenos. Ahmad credits Jillana as the mastermind behind the flavors. “Jillana has come up with a lot of really interesting flavor combinations,” he explains, “like pears and gorgonzola or kale, goat cheese, and mushrooms.”

In addition to specials, the Miller Butlers also partner with Feed and Be Fed farm for fresh, local ingredients. However, not everything is possible to source in San Pedro, and they import their flour from Italy — a crucial ingre-

dient that cannot be substituted. Ahmad, nicknamed “Doughboi” for his love of the craft, has spent years refining the original recipe from Jillana’s dad. Unlike other pizza doughs, he’s hesitant to make substitutions that may change the dough’s constitution. His recipe also contains no sugar or honey — it must rise for an extra day, a step that extends the dough-making process to a hefty 72 hours before its quick two-to-five-minute cooking. With such attention to detail, it’s a surprise to the pair that customers prefer the classics — their bestsellers are the Margherita and

pepperoni pizzas.

Despite their success, the challenges of starting and running a pop-up are ever-present. Unlike a brick-and-mortar business, the restaurant must be put up and taken down for each service. “We basically set up a small pizzeria within a 10-by-10 square,” explains Jillana.

Social media marketing is also critical without a consistent location, and they must contend with the weather, which can shut down an operation in a flash. Though they have a handle on these challenges now, they were nearly fatal to the business early on. “Money was so, so tight,” says Jillana. “Back then, I can’t tell you how many times my card got declined at Restaurant Depot, and I’d have to put stuff back. I’m so grateful to be where we are now.”

Looking back on that period, the couple believes their success is due to their passion and support for one another. “When she needs something, I’m there,” says Ahmad. “We’re very much like back and forth.”

The birth of their daughter, Sofia, in 2021 also caused their work to take on greater importance. “We do it in part just for the sake of having an enjoyable community,” he says. “We have a child here — we’ve got to invest in our home. That’s all our futures.”

When asked what their greatest successes have been, Jillana believes that getting through the growing pains of

that first year was huge, but she also keeps the memory of the windy Los Feliz Flea in the back of her mind. “We popped up at Brouwerij West one day, and within 30 minutes, our weighted tent flew away,” she laughs. “But we got through it. We advanced. And now we’re warriors of the wind.”

Having reached the other side of a trying yet rewarding two years, Ahmad and Jillana now employ six workers. They’ve even begun to look to the future, though their plans are far from concrete. “Lately, I’ve been describing our ultimate goal as a small market pasta shop, where you can see and buy fresh pasta being made daily,” says Ahmad. “Maybe you could also get some companions to your pasta, like sauces, cheeses, or wine, and sit on a patio next to our wood-fired oven.”

Although they may not know exactly what their future business will look like, they know precisely where it will be.

“The most inspired I’ve felt about cooking in a long time was cooking on the street,” says Jillana. “We want to stay here.”

Ahmad agrees. “You stick with the person who brought you to the dance,” he says. “This community built us. If we’re going to set roots, it needs to be here.” spt

For more information on Miller Butler, visit millerbutler.com.

Sports

Orthopedics

TEAMWORK: Ahmad works the wood-fired pizza oven (left), while Jillana preps another pie at Brouwerij West. (photos: John Mattera Photography)

Dr. Ja’nae Brown

Dr. Maile Bay Jacques Dr. Daisuke Saiki Dr. Geovanni Sandoval

UTRO'S DIES HARD

SAN PEDRO'S ICONIC UTRO’S CAFÉ CLOSES ITS DOORS, MARKING THE END OF AN ERA

Joe Utovac sits on a large chair inside the dining room at Utro’s Café, holding his cane in one hand and gesturing towards the walls of his recently closed restaurant with the other. Once adorned with hundreds of pieces of San Pedro memorabilia, the walls now have blank spots made by patrons taking a piece of the café home in remembrance.

“There’s a story behind every piece of memorabilia here,” says the elder Utovac, 75, pointing with his cane to a wall filled with vintage photographs, trophies, nautical signage, and the famous Utro’s Café caricatures by late local artists (and brothers) Bob and Pete Bentovoja.

The memorabilia on the walls told the story of arguably San Pedro’s proudest generation, the “born and raised” baby boomers who came of age going to the original Utro’s Crest Café on 22nd Street in the ‘70s and following it to the harbor at Berth 73 in the ‘90s. Utovac even declared as much with the café’s original awning, which read “Home of the Proudest People on the Coast.”

Since the restaurant stopped serving Devine Burgers and beer on December 30, and with some time left on its lease, the café has become a makeshift antique shop until February 4, when its lease is officially up.

Joe, the burly and lively retired crane operator, holds court while his

wife Cheryl and daughter Nicole help navigate the revolving door of past and present customers stopping by to pay their respects and maybe purchase a one-of-a-kind memento off the wall.

“This wasn’t how we wanted things to end,” admits Nicole, 44, who’s worked in the restaurant her entire adult life. “If I had known last year was going to be our last summer here, we would’ve done things differently.”

The sudden closure of Utro’s Café, a San Pedro institution since 1976, came as a bit of a surprise to the Utovac family. The way Joe explains it, the restaurant had been on a month-tomonth lease “for a while” and was aware changes were coming but admits he didn’t know when. He also knew that the café’s current building, built in the 1930s and part of the West Harbor project, needed several critical repairs that, if done, would require the restaurant to be closed for an extended amount of time.

Also, had they come back after the repairs and become part of West Harbor, their rent would’ve quintupled from the significantly below-market rate they were paying.

So, the writing was on the wall that the café’s time had come. Still, receiving a two-week termination notice after being a tenant for 28 years (at the Berth 73 location) was a tough pill to swallow.

“I just wish we had one more sum-

mer to do it right,” says Nicole.

END OF AN ERA

Utro’s has a reputation for going out with a bang.

In 1976, 29-year-old Joe Utovac purchased the original Cresta Café on 22nd Street, which had been around since the 1950s. It quickly became a famous neighborhood watering hole for generations of San Pedrans, known for its good burgers, cheap beer, and colorful characters.

“We were a workingman’s bar,” says Joe.

When the 22nd Street location was forced to close after the property owner sold the land to build condos, the bar threw an epic goodbye party that included a classic car parade and concert by The Wingtips.

The party was so big that it ended up in the pages of the L.A. Times. According to an article from July 9, 1989, many cars had black signs that read: “Utro’s Dies Hard.”

After a six-year hiatus, Joe opened Utro’s Café at Berth 73, across the parking lot from Ports O’ Call Village near the fishing boat slips. For years, it was one of the only restaurants in town with a legit outdoor patio.

“We opened October 3, 1995, the same day O.J. [Simpson] was acquitted,” laughs Joe. “We tried giving away free orange juice that day, but it wasn’t very

successful.”

In mid-December of last year, the Utovacs announced the pending closure of the restaurant on social media. The news spread like wildfire, causing the restaurant to have its busiest days in years. It wasn’t necessarily a sendoff like 1989, but it was something.

While the restaurant is gone for good, there’s talk of continuing the brand by selling apparel online. Their son, Joey Utovac, a longshoreman and clothing designer, may continue selling Utro’s merchandise through his website cavotu.com.

Joe and Cheryl are still coming to terms with not having the restaurant anymore but are looking forward to relaxing soon. Still weighing her future options, Nicole is grateful for all the love and support her family has received since announcing the closure.

“So many of my dad’s old friends he hasn’t seen in years have been coming by to say hi and reminisce with everyone,” says Nicole. “That part of it has been really great. We truly feel the love.” spt

Utro’s Café is still selling equipment and memorabilia most weekdays from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. through Feb. 4. Call (310) 547-5022 for more info.

View more photographs of Utro's memorabilia at sanpedrotoday.com.

Joe and Cheryl Utovac.

(photo: John Mattera Photography)

by Joshua Stecker

EAT IN SAN PEDRO: MY TYPE OF PIZZA

by Sanam Lamborn

Last February, I wrote about long-standing pizza makers in town and the many childhood memories heavily interwoven with eating at these eateries. Writing about American-style pizza was not easy for me, but I still found combinations I truly enjoyed. Even though I have lived in this country for over 30 years, I am still deeply rooted in certain culinary traditions I grew up with. My Italian stepfather and my years in Rome have significantly shaped my taste buds and affection for all things Italian.

As you may have guessed by now, I am pretty picky about pizza. It took me a long time to adjust to American-style doughy pies loaded with piles of cheese and other ingredients (and don’t get me started on the horror of pineapple on pizza). Although I have come a long way, my preference remains thin-crust pizza with limited but purposeful toppings.

A visit to J. Trani’s Ristorante (584 W. 9th St.) never disappoints because the food and service are consistently good. I approve of The Blanca & Bacon; how can you go wrong with a pizza topped with bacon, fontina, mozzarella, parmesan, and brown butter? Another combination that I enjoy is the caramelized pear and gorgonzola; however, it

is a bit too low on pear slices for me. But I am obsessed, and I am choosing my words intentionally here, with the truffle potato pancetta pizza. It’s impossible not to love paper-thin slices of potatoes topped with pancetta and mozzarella and finished with truffle oil. It’s the type of pizza that I crave most often. I can’t tell you about the rest of the pizzas because FOMO (fear of missing out) won’t allow me to deviate anymore.

When the current owner of Burattino Brick Oven Pizza (29701 S. Western Ave.) took over, I was happy to see that

the staple menu items did not change along with the ownership and business name. I have had many options on the menu, but my absolute favorite since the beginning has been the Quattro Gusti, made with ham, artichokes, mushrooms, mozzarella, and fresh basil. When in the mood for variety, I also like to order the Mercedes, a trio in which the Quattro Gusti makes up one-third of the pie. The other third is the Croatian, made with beef prosciutto, mushrooms, peppers, onion, olives, feta, and mozzarella cheese. The final third is

the Romana, topped with ham, large tomato slices, feta cheese, and fresh basil. The crust crunch here is on point.

Last but not least is what, in my opinion, San Pedro needed: Miller Butler Pizza. I first learned about their existence from friends who repeatedly told me to stop by their weekly Sunday pizza on the block. To say that I was skeptical, given my strong opinions about pizza, is a bit of an understatement. Let’s just say it was love at first bite. It’s hard not to love a dough made with good quality flour that results in a light, thin crust. I have had all the pizza options, and the Boujee, made with pesto, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, prosciutto, arugula, and drizzled with honey, is by far my favorite. Il Chicano, made with Chori-man Red Zacateca chorizo, chimichurri, roasted corn, Mexican crema, cotija, and cilantro, is a close second.

I particularly love seeing my pizza made in front of me, from stretching the dough and adding toppings to it going in and out of the wood-fired oven. I also enjoy interacting with the talented owners Jillana Miller and Ahmad Butler, who are personable and good at their craft. Much to my excitement, Miller Butler is now on a regular rotation at Brouwerij West, making for perfect pizza and beer opportunities. For up-to-date information about where to catch them in and out of town, visit their Instagram account: @millerbutler_sp. spt

Sanam Lamborn created the Eat in San Pedro Facebook group and Instagram account in April 2020 to entice people to patronize San Pedro’s eateries.

PIZZA PERFECT: J. Trani’s Ristorante's caramelized pear and gorgonzola pizza (top left) and truffle potato pancetta pizza (top right); Miller Butler's Boujee pizza (bottom right); and Burattino Brick Oven Pizza's Mercedes pizza. (photos: Sanam Lamborn)

SAME THEMES, DIFFERENT STORIES A

by Amber Sheikh Interview

has been edited for length and clarity.

I sat down with Shauna and her adorable dog, Koa, this month at their apartment. I first met Shauna years ago at a local encampment. She immediately struck me as articulate, feisty, and tenacious. After living on the streets for four years, she was finally housed in 2021.

My favorite part of this interview, other than spending time with them, is how clear and confident Shauna was when I asked her what large-scale change we can make to solve homelessness. She immediately knew. Read her story and message for us.

Sheikh: Tell me a bit about yourself. Where were you born, where did you grow up?

Shauna: Born in Buffalo, New York, I was seven years old when my mother and two siblings came to Los Angeles to escape my father, a Vietnam veteran who was abusive. Of course, I’m sure he’d seen some crazy things too. It’s complicated, right? But I remember spending three days on a Greyhound bus to Los Angeles. We came right to Lomita, and that’s where I grew up.

My mother ended up marrying her high school sweetheart. I went to Eshelman Elementary, Fleming Middle School, and Torrance High School. I

know she meant well, but these Torrance kids had money and were already doing things like meth. I tried meth for the first time when I was 16.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a beautician. I’ve always wanted to make people feel pretty and was constantly doing my mom’s hair and makeup growing up.

What circumstances led to you becoming homeless?

I never thought I could become homeless. It seemed like the worst thing that could happen to someone.

In 2017, I had been working at Farmers Insurance for five years as an office manager and was great at my job. I was living with my boyfriend in Torrance and making $19/hour, driving a Mazda, having a pretty normal life. He started to have issues with substance abuse that got out of hand, and I tried to move out. I couldn’t find anywhere to live on $19/hour. How was that possible? I tried renting a room but got scammed a couple of times by private renters who stole deposits and never handed over keys, things like that. When you’re at the bottom of the rental market, people are awful. So I stayed with him.

I finally left my boyfriend in 2017 and went to stay in a hotel after he got violent. I was still working. Soon, I was pawning everything I owned since $19/

hour just wasn’t enough. A couple of months later, I got in a car accident, lost my car, and then lost my job. On top of it all, I started menopause.

In 2018, I spent my first night on the street, right on the corner of Western and PCH. I had no tent and no tarp and cried all night long as I tried to sleep under the blanket with all my things next to me in a shopping cart.

I spent my life thinking this was the scariest thing that could happen to someone. And it was. It was frightening.

What does being homeless feel like? How would you describe it to someone who hasn’t had that experience?

Scary, degrading, lost, lonely. That is how I felt every minute. I remember thinking, “How did I get here? I used to have a job and life, and when I talked, people would listen to me.”

What changed?

I met a caseworker from Mental

Health America (MHA) and did the intake paperwork to start the process of getting a voucher. That took a year. I got my voucher in 2019, and then the pandemic hit. Caseworkers couldn’t have people ride in their cars; their hours were limited, and no one could take me to see apartments. I was lucky that we were able to renew my voucher until I found a place. It took almost two years to get a place that would take my voucher. All that time, I was living this nightmare.

How do you feel now?

Look, this place is a dump. It has rats and cockroaches. But it’s mine, and I can lock the door; for all I know, I’m in Hawaii. I’m still struggling, even now that I’m housed. I get $200 to live off each month [from general relief] and $250 for food [from electronic benefit transfer, EBT]. That used to be enough, but with the price of everything going up, that typically lasts a week or two before I need more food. Even the price of doing laundry in this building has

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Shauna and Koa. (photo: Tammy Khan)

gone up to four dollars a load for these tiny machines. I’ve been looking for a new place to live since June, but no one will take my voucher. Let me know if any of your readers can help.

So, even now, I feel like I can’t get my head above water. But oh my god, I’m so grateful to be off a dirt road. Koa [my dog] and I are safe.

What is a misconception about homelessness that you wish you could correct?

I was so judgmental and ignorant about homelessness. I judged what I saw them spend money on and do with their time. And then I realized, some days, a cigarette and my dog were all I had.

The things that people hate about homeless people, we hate more. Do you know there is nowhere to get food or use the bathroom after 10 p.m.? Deciding between soiling yourself or going in public is the worst decision you can make.

In your experience, what’s the biggest change on a large level that needs to happen? What are the biggest roadblocks that people face?

Caseworkers. They aren’t paid enough or given enough training, and

the organizations can’t give them the hours they need to just do that fulltime. They can’t handle the work and then quit, and we get passed to someone else over and over again.

What is something that WE can all do to help?

and the call to action for everyone to stop judging and start helping.

While I was visiting Shauna, she showed me an eviction notice. Shauna doesn’t pay her own rent, so this is understandably frustrating. Luckily, we have a local network of advocates that are on this. If Shauna loses this hous-

and the firehose of people becoming homeless each day, often formerly homeless people — once housed — fall to the bottom of the priority list. These systemic challenges are how we got to more than 69,000 homeless individuals in L.A. County.

My action item this month begins with looking inwards. We’re starting slow here. I hope it will be more impactful than any quick gesture that leaves you feeling like you’ve done your part.

1.) Landlords need to take vouchers. Please take vouchers. Please. 2.) Stop being so judgmental. It’s so hard to pay for housing in this city as a single person. Give people a chance.

ing, 1.) she will become homeless again, and 2.) she will have a black mark on her tenant record, which will only make getting someone to take her voucher harder.

Every story I hear is different, but similar themes echo across these storylines: the shock of becoming homeless — often told through the memory of someone’s first night on the street — the need for a stronger system of services,

Shauna was very clear in what she knows the solution is: hire, train, and pay caseworkers well.

Shauna and I are lucky to know each other, so we can fix this. She currently has a service provider assigned to her. But due to the overwhelming caseloads these often part-time caseworkers face,

As you’re driving around today or tomorrow, notice the folks living on the street and try to peel away one or two layers of your judgment. Soften your gaze. Take a deep breath. See a human. I promise you that “getting soft” won’t allow some influx of new homeless individuals, but it may open our hearts to solutions we never considered before.

Drop me a line to tell me how reading this story made you feel: info@sheikhimpact.com. spt

Amber Sheikh is a San Pedro resident, mother of two, community advocate, and owner of Sheikh/Impact, a nonprofit consulting firm. She has nearly two decades of experience working in and with organizations solving homelessness and income inequality.

'I SPENT MY LIFE THINKING [HOMELESSNESS] WAS THE SCARIEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE. AND IT WAS. IT WAS FRIGHTENING.'

PRACTICE LIKE YOU PLAY THE

IMPORTANCE OF INTENTION

by Eddie McKenna

Hey, it’s me again. Did you start yet? It has been 30 days since we last spoke. We went over how simple it can be to start caring for yourself. Now, if you are still in limbo, haven’t started, started and failed, or even if you started and things are not going as well as you expected, I will let you in on a little secret I learned when I was 19 years old.

Throughout my career as an athlete, I have had many coaches. One coach, in particular, stands out amongst the rest: Stu Krohn. Stu, whose nickname was Moose, was a mountain of a man. He was also the most impactful coach I have ever had. And if I had to distill Stu’s philosophy to sport (and life), it would be the importance of intention Whatever you are doing, do it with a sense of purpose. Checking the box off is not enough.

Nearly two decades ago, I was a player on Stu’s rugby team. A lot was riding on the upcoming season because we had just bumped up in divisions; the previous year, we were in Division 2, and now being in Division 1, we would have to elevate our game.

At one of our training sessions leading up to the start of the season, Stu brought all the boys in and told us how we weren’t cutting it. He said we were just going through the motions during practice and that that wouldn’t be enough if we wanted to win. We were casually running through plays, not taking them as seriously as he wanted us to. If we wanted to win, we’d need to play our practices with the same intensity and focus we give to playing the game. Our team took his advice to heart. We stepped it up, and during the next two years — 2005 and 2006 — our Division 1 rugby team won back-toback national championships.

This is where I learned to practice like I play, a philosophy I’ve carried with me in everything I do. The result of our success in those two years reflected how well we as a team bought into the intention of practicing with purpose during our training. This is no different than how you approach lifestyle changes — with purpose.

How can we apply this purposeful intention skill to non-athletic endeavors, such as living a healthy lifestyle?

If you are struggling to do this alone, I’d say don’t do it alone. Easy, right?

The best bet would be to find a friend, coach, or gym with people who share a similar goal as yours. Then set up a schedule and stick to it. Consistency with sticking to the schedule is going to ensure success tenfold. We had rugby practice every Tuesday and Thursday night from 7 to 9 p.m. There were many nights I did not want to go, but I knew my team was there, so I showed up regardless of how I was feeling.

The best way to hold yourself accountable if you have trouble doing it yourself is to know that you are in it together with someone else. Remember — misery loves company.

Make sure you choose someone you can depend on or find a coach who has a reputation for being dependable. When you are doing what you said you would do, make sure you are mindfully present while doing it. The act of being mindfully present during those sessions is going to compound the return on your investment. It helps to turn your phone off.

Remember, you want to get better; if you are not present at the time you are performing, you are just going through the motions. It’s almost like, why even do it? spt

Eddie McKenna is co-owner of Heyday Elite Fitness. For more info, visit heydaytraining.com.

(photo: Luis Quintero / Pexels.com)

WHY IS SAN PEDRO'S CULTURE IMPORTANT?

SP WATERFRONT ARTS DISTRICT LAUNCHES

NEW CULTURE TALKS! SERIES

by Linda Grimes

The unique aspects of San Pedro’s culture are a compelling reflection of our community and can attract new visitors, residents, and businesses. It’s also a vital determining factor of how our community interacts, responds, and grows. Culture plays a significant role in the lives of everyone in society, and it can give us a sense of belonging.

When we share our cultural references, we feel nurtured and even loved. Sharing history and ideologies with our neighbors and friends gives everything unity. It ties us to our ancestry and provides a sensation of longevity, giving each of us a feeling of truth and living an authentic life.

To honor and bring attention to the power of partaking in our diverse cultures, the Arts District has relaunched our in-person Arts Appreciation Series, Culture TALKS!, along with the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Arts for LA, KPCC/LAist, and San Pedro Today

Begun in 2018 on Mexico’s Independence Day as an expression of the Arts District’s commitment to community arts education, these programs will seek common ground by engaging participants in conversations about culture and how the arts inspire empathy,

understanding, and identity.

As we celebrate our diversity, we seek to enrich our collective sense of place to unite us as a community. Culture TALKS! speakers are selected based on their art and activism. They will discuss how Los Angeles residents are rising to challenges, affecting not only artists but the existence of healthy, sustainable, diverse communities.

On February 25, 2023, in partnership with the Arts District’s Culture TALKS! Series, Culture Clash’s Richard Montoya will talk with KPCC Retake host John Horn about how the filming of Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings came to be and why this story continues to resonate almost 20 years after its stage premiere. We’ll also get a chance to see a few innings on the big screen and a live performance.

Producer, Live Programming & Events for Southern California Public Radio Rebecca Stimme explains, “Part of the mission of LAist is to explain L.A., including its complicated history and rich multicultural communities. In that way, we share the goal of Culture Clash, who have become prominent tellers of distinct L.A. stories. So, we’re thrilled to partner with the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District’s Culture TALKS! to revisit Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings and explore the themes of the virtual Center Theatre Group production.”

Rebecca continues to detail KPCC’s involvement, “The event allows us to present something a bit more theatrical than we usually have the opportunity to do, with a live performance of a monologue from the show, a screening of several of the ‘innings,’ and conversation between Culture Clash’s Richard Montoya and Retake host John Horn.”

Since 1984, Culture Clash (Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas, and Herbert Siguenza) has been creating adventurous works for the national stage. Born in a long-gone art gallery in the heart of the Mission District of San Francisco, the performance trio knows about adversity and the need to evolve and find new ways to reach new audiences, especially in these pandemic times.

From Richard Montoya of Culture Clash, “At the height of the global pandemic, Center Theatre Group asked Culture Clash to consider what our theater might look like in a time when audiences could no longer gather. We’d seen enough zoom script readings to realize that was not the answer. But how to get theater to displaced audiences — and where did our audiences go? — was a mystery like the Corona itself!”

Richard goes on to say, “Two things became clear. The audience was decentralized, with no plan to return to where they normally gathered, and the City of Angels was empty at night! Perhaps we could own — or borrow — the streets

and play out selected scenes of our play about L.A. that were more filmic? We thought in terms of cinema or digital video — not theater. Chavez Ravine seemed ripe and ready for episodic storytelling.”

What emerged was Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings, a cinematic reinterpretation of the beloved 2003 play. Using existing footage, newly filmed scenes, original music, and spoken word, the result was a fresh look at the story, with a city in the grips of a pandemic as the backdrop.

The Arts District invites you to join us for an “away game” and travel to Pasadena for a seminal work of L.A. theatre. Tickets can be purchased at www.laist.com/events. spt

Linda Grimes is a retired sales and marketing geek with a passion for art, design, and creative placemaking, and now serves as the executive director of the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District.

Do you have arts and culture story ideas? Please share them — email to 55lindagrimes@gmail.com.

For more information, visit SanPedroWaterfrontArtsDistrict.com.

Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings

by Sophie Schoenfeld, MFT

Gossip, defined as chatter about an individual not in present company, generally has a negative connotation. Yet, according to statistical data, an average person spends at least 50 minutes daily engaging in gossip.

According to evolutionary psychologists such as Robin Dunbar, gossip has an essential social function in the community. Different types of gossip serve a variety of functions within a social group. Certain types of gossip are toxic, while others are benign and necessary.

According to Dunbar, about 15 percent of gossip is, in fact, innocent and equips us with helpful tidbits of information about each other that create a sense of connectivity.

Toxic gossip usually involves fabricated or deliberately distorted facts against an individual as a form of social warfare. This type of gossip has no embedded social learning; it is simply a covert act of aggression and is deliberately misleading, causing either chaos within the group or social ostracism of an individual. On the other hand, judgmental gossip helps maintain a moral compass of a given community. It informs us of unspoken rules and expectations, thus

weeding out cheating, lying, and other destructive behaviors. Exaggerations and embellishments about individuals create a collective mythology, guiding our dreams and aspirations and even the invention of deities and idols.

Historically, gossip was seen as a primarily feminine trait. In patriarchal societies, gossip is often viewed as a negative and petty activity.

Socially, men have been given permission for overt aggression and assigned a doer role. When men disagree, they can settle their disagreement through physical force, and the victor is celebrated. On the other hand, women are supposed to be passive and display no signs of overt anger. In fact, not only are women not supposed to express anger, but they are also not allowed to win. Women are supposed to be quiet, humble nurturers. A true nurturer gives the win away. We don’t only nurture the young, but we nurture our partners and our friends. We listen, we comfort, we soothe, we feed. Hence, the only social tool women are given is language.

“Women talk.” According to anthropologist Dean Falk, language developed from music, like vocalizations of prehuman females soothing their young. Language is a powerful cognitive tool and integral for social

relatedness, connectivity, and survival. When looking at the very structure of this linguistic system, it is easy to see that gossip is, in fact, its nucleus. To form a coherent sentence, one must have a subject, verb, and object — in other words, who did what to whom.

Before script was created and before printing was possible, it was through gossip that we learned about who had the resource, power, skills, or knowledge, who partnered with whom, and who had children. This web of information allowed us to organize and form rules and relational exchanges that allowed the development of the first primitive political and hierarchal systems.

In ancient Greece, for example, Homer described gossip as the messenger of Zeus, a universal trait that was perceived to be the conduit between the lowliest and the mightiest. The power of gossip was used by ancient orators who found marketplaces useful to spread negative rumors against their opponents. Gossip, to this day, is used to whip up scandals, discredit, and extort. Public opinion forms an individual’s reputation in the community, and the success or social demise

of an individual hinges on maintaining this reputation. As long as human beings are social animals, gossip will play an integral role in relationships.

It is through the language of gossip that we create gods and demons. By idealizing or discrediting, we either give power or strip it; it is a way of sanctioning individual conduct. In so doing, we create myths and belief systems that push us into motion, wars, migrations, and discoveries.

Gossip is the act of making stories, and without stories, there is no collective consciousness or identity. We observe and share, and in doing so, we do good, we do bad, and everything in between. No one can claim to be above it, as we all engage in it — it is our nature — but next time we engage, perhaps we ask ourselves: What drives our sharing?

“Word spread because word will spread. Stories and secrets fight, stories win, shed new secrets, which new stories fight, and on.” — China Miéville. spt

Sophie Schoenfeld, MFT is a local marriage and family therapist. For more info, visit sophiemft.com.

(photo: William Fortunato / Pexels.com)

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TIL DEATH DO US PART: A photo of the "ceremonial marriage" of San Pedro and Los Angeles, taken at the Harbor Day Celebration on July 4, 1908, an event sponsored by pro-consolidation interests. In the photo, Miss Pearl Pierson plays the part of the young, virginal San Pedro, full of potential. Next to her stands L.A. Mayor Arthur Harper. The infamously corrupt Harper would resign from office nine months later amid recall efforts, and Pierson would die in her parents’ home in less than ten years’ time. (photo: San Pedro Bay Historical Society)