VIVA LA REVOLUCION

MURALIST ALEJANDRO CHAVEZ ADDS COLOR TO THE WORLD STORY BY NIKHIL BHAMBRI | PHOTOS BY LUIS CHAVEZ

In a world of suffering and inequality, South Pasadena resident Alejandro Chavez uses different artistic mediums to encourage social change.

Chavez has been using his talents to create art that portrays, in a deeply evocative way, the lives of those affected by political, environmental and social upheaval. It all comes from his belief that shared experiences through meaningful art can break down divisions and unite diverse people in the fight for equality. Chavez’s artistic family, his travels and multifaceted life experiences have shaped him into the artist he is today.

In the late 1990s, Chavez’s uncle exposed him to political art, which helped him understand the 9/11 attacks. This inspired him to use muralism and graphic design to raise awareness of current issues. Chavez strives to challenge divisive or limiting paradigms, by creating dialogue that is catalytic to healing.

According to him, art—regardless of what it depicts—is a universal language that can be appreciated by all people. His work conveys a message to raise consciousness about social issues and engages people in dialogue. These conversations allow for greater understanding and acceptance of others for who they are.

Chavez is galvanized by local and global social and political concerns, and his art depicts impactful stories that he believes do not receive enough attention. His themes include environmental issues, women’s and gay rights, and immigration. He emphasizes leaders who have struggled on behalf of their community in the fight for liberation and equality.

Chavez began working on murals in 2014 with his cousin, who works on NBC’s “The Voice.” His murals revive the rich tradition of Chicano culture and stories. He says he believes murals bring life to a city’s streets. When street art is censored, it feels as if society has been numbed. The messages expressed through street art highlight something more important than what’s presented on the daily news.

Trump’s political measures, such as the border wall and anti-immigration, have inspired Chicano artists to vocalize their views. In Boyle Heights, Chavez painted a wall in which Trump is in a headlock by a famous Mexican wrestler. Despite being a gang-infested neighborhood, community members have shown respect for the piece. In a neighborhood where few things are permanent, the mural has not been defaced many months later.

In 2014, Chavez and his father hosted a debut art show, themed “synergy,” in San Fernando. The father-and-son duo collaborated on artwork reflecting the

daily struggles of communities worldwide. Pieces including a por- trait of Malala Yousefzai and a painting titled “Peace in the Middle East,” in which children of different religions hug each other while bombs fall in the background.

“War is a dark topic to talk about,” Chavez says. “These children of all races embracing each other highlights the power of love, peace and unity, while also capturing my message of turning negativity to positivity.”

One of Chavez’s most recent paintings is of Kobe Bryant. Shocked by the Black Mamba’s passing, he painted the image to heal himself. As Chavez grew older, he deeply respected Bryant’s mission to educate underprivileged children through sports. He hopes to follow the superstar’s message of hard work and dedica- tion in his own life by being influential in a positive way.

“There are few guarantees in life, which include change, birth and death,” Chavez says. “This conversation can be brought to the table here in LA, and being the international city that it is, it will hopefully spread worldwide.”

Travel helps Chavez refresh, reinspire and heal. His experi- ences overseas have a lasting impact on his art style and themes.

“It has exposed me to several mediums of art, and messages from all around the world,” Chavez says. “They have impacted and influenced me to use my artistic skills to speak truth and bring darkness to lightness.”

Chavez recently traveled to Japan, Cuba and Belize and brought cultural remnants back to Los Angeles. While painting a mural in Cuba, he modified his style and technique, as he could not buy supplies from an art store. This inspired him to paint more “freestyle art pieces,” in which the wall guides him through the process, while he just uncovers it through paint strokes. In addition to creating art, Chavez works as a bartender at ARO Latin Bar, where his mural titled “The Future is Women” is painted on the bathroom wall.

His interactions with his Indian boss, Karan Raina, have broadened his horizon and impacted his artwork. He has become more aware of international politics, and the India/Pakistan con- flict was the key influence in his “Peace in the Middle East” paint- ing. Furthermore, he has become fascinated by Indian spirituality, specifically the yogi lifestyle and concept of Karma.

Doing yoga regularly helps him feel relaxed and connected, and he has found that it enhances his creativity.

“Through spirituality and the mind-and-body connection, I have expanded my consciousness and understanding of how en- ergy works,” Chavez says. “It is through this understanding and in this space where I can create my most authentic and truest work. Art heals.

“During the time of COVID, I have been blessed to have many quantum leaps in my mental and spiritual growth. All of (them) have positively impacted me in many aspects of life.”

Howard Serrian, Chavez’s friend, describes him as a liberal, anti-establishment revolutionary who is about exploiting change while going against the normal society standards.

He finds Chavez’s art to be thought provoking, intriguing and empowering. The color patterns catch viewers’ attention, as they are very easy on the eyes. Serrian believes Chavez’s messages about tolerance and peace are especially important for mid-adoles- cents, who are still shaping their ideas and trying to grasp reality.

Chavez wants to leave a legacy. His exposure to different walks of life has helped him better identify with the marginalized and hence create a realistic portrayal of their plight. He believes that a shared appreciation for art is a strong first step in breaking barriers and engaging people in meaningful dialogue. Chavez has a vision; he dreams of a personal artistic mission that will eventu- ally unite different citizens to fight harder for international peace and equality.

Sweet SCHOOL LUNCH STAPLE

STORY BY EMILY CHAVEZ | PHOTOS BY LUIS CHAVEZ

Summer “vacation” is coming to a close, and the return to school is filled with uncertainty.

I found two things that help provide stability and comfort in this situation: routine and nostalgia. Whether continuing education in a physical classroom or virtual one, a routine of a prepared and nutritious midday meal provides the energy boost for the afternoon.

A fond memory of my school day lunches included a sweet treat made with love. That treat was the traditional and hearty oatmeal cookie. This recipe builds on the happiness of past memories but creates something unique to my life now. Instead of vanilla extract and rolled oats, I use seeds fresh from the vanilla bean and steel cut oats for a fragrant and chewy cookie. And to bring a little summer fun into this back-to-school classic, dried pineapple and coconut subtly weaves its flavors throughout for a crisp texture on the outside and a chewy texture in the center. This modern cookie is the perfect finish to my lunch at work, just like when I was a kid at school.

SUMMER OATMEAL COOKIES HANDS-ON TIME: 20 MINUTES; TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 45 MINUTES MAKES: 30 COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 CUP BUTTER, SOFTENED 1 CUP WHITE SUGAR 3/4 CUP PACKED BROWN SUGAR 2 EGGS 1/2 VANILLA BEAN SEEDS 2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1 TEASPOON SALT 1 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON 2 CUPS STEEL CUT OATS 1/2 CUP DRIED COCONUT, SHREDDED 1/2 CUP DRIED PINEAPPLE, DICED

1. IN A MEDIUM BOWL, CREAM TOGETHER BUTTER, WHITE SUGAR AND BROWN SUGAR. BEAT IN EGGS ONE AT A TIME, THEN STIR IN VANILLA SEEDS. 2. IN A SEPARATE BOWL, COMBINE FLOUR, BAKING SODA, SALT AND CINNAMON. SLOWLY ADD DRY MIXTURE TO THE CREAMED MIXTURE AND BEAT UNTIL INCORPORATED. 3. STIR IN OATS, PINEAPPLE AND COCONUT. COVER AND CHILL DOUGH FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR. 4. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375 DEGREES. GREASE COOKIE SHEETS OR LINE WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. 5. ROLL THE DOUGH INTO WALNUT-SIZED BALLS AND PLACE 2 INCHES APART ON COOKIE SHEETS. FLATTEN EACH COOKIE WITH A LARGE FORK DIPPED IN SUGAR. 6. BAKE FOR 7 TO 9 MINUTES. ALLOW COOKIES TO COOL ON THE BAKING SHEET FOR 1 MINUTE BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO A WIRE RACK TO COOL COMPLETELY.

Virtually Possible

DOG HAUS LEADS CLOUDKITCHEN MOVEMENT BY ANNIKA TOMLIN

Dog Haus will celebrate its 10th anniversary on October 20. As it reaches a new milestone, it continues to innovate through the use of virtual kitchens.

Kitchen United Mix Chief Financial Officer Michael Montagano introduced virtual or CloudKitchens to Dog Haus’ André Vener. The two met at a parent party for their first-grade children several years ago.

“Both of our kids go to Pasadena Polytechnic School, and that’s where we met,” Vener says. “It happened to be two Pasadena Poly dads going to a parent party running into each other.”

The two discussed being “kind of in the restaurant business,” and Montagano offered Vener a facility tour to see if he would want to join.

“He gave us a tour and then we thought about it for three months,” Vener says. “And then we heard about CloudKitchen and we decided it’s honestly going to be a big trend in our opinion.”

Once they investigated a bit further, Dog Haus decided to expand across the country with Kitchen United Mix.

“Wherever they open we will open,” Vener says.

Dog Haus partnered with Kitchen United Mix first in Chicago, and Pasadena came third. They opened CloudKitchens in Chicago and Hollywood as well.

After meeting, Kitchen United Mix and Doug Haus decided to have offices on the same alleyway in Old Pasadena.

A virtual kitchen is a shared space for multiple restaurants to make food for delivery and have it available for customers all in one spot. Diners can choose what food from each restaurant they would like and get a whole meal delivered or to go.

Dog Haus has its employees and equipment in the facility along with its designated kitchen space but shares a walk-in cooler, freezer and utilities.

“The big advantage is because, normally, you will sign a five-year or 10-year lease on a brick-and-mortar. You build it from the ground up and then you’re on the hook and hopefully it works,” Vener says.

“This is a little bit more of a conservative approach. We could be (signing a lease for) one or two years long. All you have to do is pay for the equipment, hire five people instead of 30 people, and you give it a go.”

Kitchen United Mix or CloudKitchen owners hire the front staff and handle the construction process so restaurants are ready to start selling as soon as possible.

“The Pasadena location doesn’t actually serve Dog Haus; it serves our other branch that we have,” Vener says.

Dog Haus’ Pasadena-based The Absolute Brands is a subhead for delivery at the virtual kitchens and primary Dog Haus locations. By using these virtual kitchen spaces, The Absolute Brands cook and deliver its food outside of a traditional restaurant.

Dog Haus isn’t listed on Kitchen United Mix’s website, but some of the dishes are like The Freiburger, Bad Mutha Clucka and Plant B as individual companies.

“Now when you are in Pasadena and order from one of those companies through one of the third-party deliveries, that will come out of our kitchen with our same products from our talented chefs and go to your house,” Vener says.

“We used our same high-end, quality ingredients that are hormone-free, antibiotic-free, never ever added nitrates, clean food that we have there. It’s cool that we can even do this when this pandemic is happening. We were able to quickly pivot and do something differently, and it ended up being a huge success.”

The Absolute Brand is available at 35 Dog Haus locations in 10 states for delivery only. Dog Haus has 50 locations in more than 10 states and is continuing to grow throughout the country.

“We are excited to be neighbors with Kitchen United and be one of the first pioneers in the space,” Vener says. “We believe that with delivery with them, we can expand our geographical footprint through our premise locations.

“We kind of strategically locate them in different parts of the country to test the market and test the cuisines.”

Vener says if it’s a hit, they could launch traditional restaurants in the area because they’ve tested the market.

The surge of virtual kitchens will continue as long as delivery is the primary way for people to get food during the pandemic.

“Delivery and third-party delivery are so important especially now,” Vener says. “I can’t imagine anybody after what happened with this pandemic that at least every household had used a third-party delivery once in their life. I think the third-party delivery space is going to continue to grow, and we got a big boost with COVID-19.”

KITCHEN UNITED MIX kitchenunited.com