The Argonaut Newspaper - November 24, 2022

The Westside’s News Source Since 1971

CONTACT US

(310) 574-7655 Letters, News, Tips & Event Listings: kkirk@timespublications.com

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com Editor: Kamala Kirk (310) 574-7654 kkirk@timespublications.com

Contributing Writers: Jeff Favre, Bridgette Redman, Michele Robinson

ART Graphic Designer: Arman Olivares

Staff Photographer: Chris Mortenson

ADVERTISING

Display Advertising: Rebecca Bermudez (310) 574-7655 Peter Lymbertos (818) 624-6254

Classified Advertising: Ann Browne (626) 584-8747 abrowne@timespublications.com

BUSINESS Associate Publisher: Rebecca Bermudez (310) 574-7655 rbermudez@timespublications.com

NEWS & SALES OFFICE PO Box 1349 South Pasadena, CA 91031

The Argonaut is distributed every Thursday in Del Rey, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Santa Monica, Venice, and Westchester. The Argonaut is available free of charge, limited to one per reader. The Argonaut may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written per mission of The Argonaut, take more than one copy of any issue. The Argonaut is copyrighted 2022 by Times Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means without prior express written permission by the publisher. An adjudicated Newspaper of General Circulation with a distribution of 30,000.

VICE PRESIDENT: Michael Hiatt

ON

THE

LETTERS

Re: End the fires, move homeless to vacant lots near LAX

Editor:

People need to stop suggesting to move the homeless to the LAX Northside properties along Westchester Parkway. First, the LAX Specific Plan, adopted in 2017 with input from the Westchester/Playa del Rey community, specifically prohibits residential uses on LAX Northside. (LA City Ordinances 176345, 179148, 182542, 184348 and 185164, Section 12, Paragraph F, Sentence 1:. “Prohibited uses: 1. Residential or dwelling units of any kind, except hotels.”)

Second, most of the LAX Northside land is within the 65 decibel noise contour. The 65 db standard is the eligibility for residen tial soundproofing provided by LAX. LAX Northside land once contained homes that were acquired by LAX in the 1960s through federal airport noise mitigation grants because LAX noise exceeded 65 dB in this area. If the purpose of acquiring those homes was to protect people from airport noise, then how it can be fair to house the homeless there? One cannot soundproof a sleeping bag or a tent. The homelessness issue is truly one of the greatest human crises of our current time. Instead of communities making unrealistic proposals of dumping their homeless population into other communities, communities need to work together to improve delivery of homeless services. I

Sun setting on Venice Beach before 5 p.m. Daylight savings is over!

strongly encourage the Venice Neighbor hood Council to start direct dialogue with the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/ Playa to begin to resolve this common concern.

Robert Acherman Torrance

Past Chairman (2002-2005), Airport Relations Committee

Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa

We Want to Hear from You!

Being in print is a lot more meaningful than grouching on Facebook. Send compliments, complaints and insights about local issues to kkirk@timespublications.com

PHOTO CREDIT: KRIS DAHLIN

Continuing Success Let's celebrate female entrepreneurs

By Apryl Stewart, Founder and President of Skyview Concessions Inc.

In October, we celebrated National Women’s Small Business Month, an opportu nity to share truly good news: Over the past 40 years, the number of women-owned businesses in the United States has exploded, growing from just 5% of all businesses to more than 42%, edging ever closer to parity with our male counter parts.

Translated into pure numbers, four decades ago there were around 400,000 women-owned businesses nationally. Today, we are 13 million-plus strong –mostly small businesses – gener ating nearly $2 trillion in revenue. In California, where I’m founder and president of Skyview Concessions Inc., the number of women-owned small businesses has grown to nearly than 150,000, and we employ

more than 1.5 million.

But even with our growing numbers and increasing financial impact on the communities where we live and work, the sustained success of womenowned small businesses remains much more fragile than that of our male counterparts.

We are more likely than men to struggle to retain our employees, to meet our revenue goals and to compete with big business.

Why this gender gap persists is, of course, complicated and often affects women entrepreneurs differently.

Working mothers still shoulder much of family caregiving responsibilities, and the pan demic has stretched us and the already-tenuous network of child care options to the breaking point. And providing benefits such as child care to support parenting employees, it’s harder for small businesses to compete with the economies of scale of

bigger businesses.

We can’t sustain our businesses if our communities lack afford able, high-quality child care options, for women entrepre neurs and the working mothers they employ. That is a national dilemma that deserves a coordi nated national response. There are, however, other areas in which specific steps can be taken immediately to help female entrepreneurs thrive.

A recent Goldman Sachs survey of small businesses owners across the United States found that half of women small business owners face significant challenges finding and retaining employees, compared with 44% of men. Women are also more likely than men to say they are hindered by having to compete for workers with big businesses that can offer more generous retirement and health insurance benefits.

My fellow women entrepre neurs and I are taking the opportunity presented by Nation al Women’s Small Business Month to call on our policymak ers to address these stubborn disparities by reauthorizing and modernizing the Small Business

Administration (SBA) for the first time in more than two decades. Bringing the SBA into the modern era, with a contem porary sensibility about what tools and resources women entrepreneurs need to survive and thrive in our every-changing economy is key to serving the needs of our small business com munity.

Let’s modernize access to SBA programs, eliminating cumber some and redundant paperwork.

Let’s streamline and bring into this century SBA program application processes. (Step. 1 – eliminate requirements that documents be faxed!) Let’s make sure the SBA expands access to capital for small businesses by filling the current gaps in the credit market, especially for women-owned small businesses unable to find credit elsewhere so we can continue to grow businesses like Skyview Concessions. Let’s create an information system that better informs small business owners of important programs that are historically underused because they are difficult to find and navigate.

And let’s hold the SBA

accountable for meeting its own goal of awarding five percent of federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses.

The SBA has consistently failed to hit that goal. In fact, federal contracts awarded to womenowned small businesses actually dropped from 2020 to 2021.

Let’s reduce obstacles that block us out before we event start, including high bonding requirements and the cost in time and money of preparing volumi nous responses to federal

requests for proposals.

As I said at the start, we have made great strides since the days not so long ago when women were required to have a male relative co-sign for a business loan. (Fact check: true.)

But as we celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of Ameri ca’s women small business owners, let’s support our women small business owners by taking strong, measurable, sensible steps that reflect the realities of what it takes to succeed our

modern and ever-evolving economy

Apryl Stewart is an entrepre neur, an expert in the airport retailing sector and a skilled executive leader in business development, sales management, operations, marketing, human resources, merchandising and buying.

She founded Torrance-based Skyview Concessions Inc. in 2007. It operates airport retail operations at LAX and SFO.

A New Harvest Home for the Holidays

Design firm and local nonprofit partner to transform lives of homeless expectant mothers

By Michele Robinson

With the holidays quickly approaching, residents at the new Harvest Home on Pico have something to be very thankful for. This new location, brought to life by a collaboration between RIOS and Harvest Home, welcomes unhoused new mothers and their babies into a safe and nurturing environment.

“The time when women come into Harvest Home is a sacred moment,” said Zantika Ellis, Harvest Home alumni resident and current case manager at the Pico location. “They intend to build a life and family. We are very proud of our homes.”

Harvest Home started on the Westside in 1985, when the founder welcomed an unhoused pregnant woman into her house. From this humble beginning, the first home was opened in Venice in 1989. From its inception, this space temporarily housed 10 women at a time and their babies.

Award-winning international architecture and design firm RIOS recently completed a probono project in collaboration with Santa Monica-based nonprofit Harvest Home to provide housing for homeless expectant mothers.

this surge, Harvest Home began looking to expand its capacity. Thirty-seven years later, Harvest Home has opened its second location. Almost two-and-a-half years in the making (partly due to

COVID-19 restrictions), the new Pico location welcomed its first residents in July. This new transitional facility can house up to 18 mothers and their new borns.

Potential residents first live at the Venice location for 30 to 60 days when they are given initial support. From there, women who need additional support, transi tion to the Pico location where they can reside until the baby is up to 6 months old.

“It is a two-step process,” Ellis said. “After the initial intake, which includes an online application, phone interview, mental health evaluation and in-person interview, we assess if they are the right fit.”

Ellis has firsthand knowledge of living at Harvest Home. She lived at the Venice location from July 2020 to January 2021.

Now working as a case man ager, she mentors other women who find themselves in a similar situation.

Harvest Home provided Ellis with a place to land and prepare for her daughter to be born when she unexpectedly lost housing due to COVID-19. Now Ellis lives an independent and

Excerpts from this novel--The Pollinator In His Own Wordsread by the author, exemplify the intimate relationship between two art forms: painting and writing. The protagonist of this tale, through the mystic art of surfing, slowly develops the ability to fly. As the story evolves, he discovers that he can, during flight, by way of olfactory engendered clairvoyance, accumulate and store inter nally essential love; eventually he is able to bestow this love. The following excerpts, inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper, occur in the story when the protagonist is beginning to collect such essences of primal bliss.

FIND EXCERPTS on YouTube GENRE: Magical Realism Fictional Memoir 18+ audiences only

paintings of Edward Hopper, occur in the

18+ audiences only

Fine Hair

Women and men with Fine hair have unique problems that need to be understood by a hair designer who knows how to handle and give a design line to fine hair. A personal prescription for your hair and angled weight line hair cuts will make it look thicker and fuller than ever before.

18+ audiences only Open 7 Days Lunch & Dinner 12740 Culver Blvd, Ste. B, LA 90066 (310) 305-0305 Lenzinis.com Gluten Free • Vegan Cheese Salads • Sandwiches • Desserts 1 LARGE PIZZA WITH 2 TOPPING & 10 WINGS $28.99 1 MEDIUM PIZZA WITH 2 TOPPINGS & 10 WINGS $26.99 additional toppings $150 ea. For any other order mention The Argonaut and receive 10% off. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK VIP WASH $2399 Reg. $2799 Small SUVs $2 extra everyday. Large vehicles $3 extra everyday. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 12/7/22 Hand Wash Sealer Wax Armor All® Tires 12681 W. Washington Blvd., L.A. (310) 398-6211 100% Hand Car Wash & Sealer Wax Vans, Limos, Trucks & SUVs Extra $2099 Reg. $2499 Small SUVs $2 extra everyday. Large vehicles $3 extra everyday. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 12/7/22 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK VIP WASH $1899 Reg. $2399 Small SUVs $2 extra everyday. Large vehicles $3 extra everyday. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 10/31/19 Hand Wash Sealer Wax Armor All® Tires 12681 Blvd., L.A. (310) 398-6211 100% Hand Car Wash & Sealer Wax Vans, Limos, Trucks & SUVs Extra $1699 Reg. $1999 Small SUVs $2 extra everyday. Large vehicles $3 extra everyday. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 10/31/19 12681 W. Washington Blvd. L.A. (310) 398-6211 12681 W. Washington Blvd. L.A. (310) 398-6211

PHOTO CREDITS: HUNTER KERHART ON BEHALF OF RIOS

the

productive life. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and is returning to school in the fall to earn a master’s degree in social work.

“We help residents get to where they want to go,” Ellis said. “We walk them through the process to help get them an education, job, career, or meet family goals. We build connections that help them back on their feet.”

The Pico location is ideally suited as a transitional housing space because it originally belonged to the archdiocese and was a nunnery. In 2018, the archdiocese asked if Harvest Home wanted the property because the nuns were retiring.

“We got a call from the Catholic Archdiocese, they didn’t know we were looking for a new space,” said Sarah Wilson, executive director of Harvest Home. “This building was well-suited for moms and babies.

It is a nice space and needed some updating,”

As a former nunnery, the space offered modest single-occupancy rooms with a private sink, wash basin and closet. There is a communal bathroom with

showers and a shared kitchen space downstairs. It is similar to dormitory living, which is perfect for a mother and newborn.

But it also needed updating to meet the needs of the programs including rooms for mothers with older children and making the former chapel usable for pro gramming.

“It is not just a house, it is a program,” said Huay Wee, architect at RIOS. “They need intimate space for meetings and gatherings.”

In late fall 2019, Harvest Home supporter and commercial developer Matthew Howell connected Harvest Home with RIOS. Due to this introduction, RIOS took the project on pro bono. Wee, as a managing studio director, spearheaded the pro bono collaboration.

RIOS is an award-winning international architecture and design firm. For the past 37 years, RIOS has been transforming spaces. Based in Leimert Park, it has offices both locally and globally. Although RIOS has done other pro bono projects this is the first collaboration with Harvest Home.

RIOS donated its efforts to create a beautiful living space, both inside and outside, for new mothers and their babies. Built in 1947, the space has windows in each room, giving it a light and bright feeling. The design team chose beautiful neutral pastel colors inside the living areas to bring a sense of calmness and because they want the women to feel comfortable. The courtyard offers privacy, safety, and meets the needs of the mothers.

“It is now a lovely space,” Wee said. “There are places to connect for gatherings and education.

There is an open dining room with lots of natural light and a private courtyard. We are also in the final stages of finishing up with landscaping.”

Another positive aspect of this project is that it took a commu nity’s effort to help improve this dwelling. Besides RIOS donating their time and efforts, other vendors also offered donations and discounts. The project received donations of baby cribs, beds, lighting, tile, and carpet.

“It impacted the community we work in,” Wee said. “People are looking to make change in the

world that is for the greater good.”

With the Pico facility open and increasing temporary housing, new mothers can focus on important things.

“Having a baby is stressful enough. We help the residents get everything they need to succeed and thrive,” Ellis said.

Harvest Home harvesthomela.org RIOS rios.com

RIOS, an award-winning international architecture and design firm, transformed Harvest Home into a comforting space for mothers and their babies.

Spreading Holiday Cheer

Annual Muscle Beach Toy Drive returns, thanks to Joe Wheatley and first responders

By Michele Robinson

The 15th annual Muscle Beach Toy Drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. Organized by Joe Wheatley Productions, the toy drive spreads joy to local underserved children during the holiday season. With special guest appearances, the family event kicks off the holiday season with a little magic.

The first Muscle Beach Toy Drive was in 2007. Wheatley was walking on a treadmill when the idea for the event struck him.

He came home and told his wife, Christine, that he wanted to do a toy drive. She was a bit hesitant and asked how he planned to get the toys to the kids.

“I don’t know all of the details yet, but I will figure them out,” Wheatley told her.

He not only figured it out, but he found success.

To find out who needed the toys, he reached out to his friend and longtime Venice resident, Jill Prestup. She put him in contact with the Venice Bible Tabernacle Church, who agreed to accept and distribute the toys.

Academy Award-winning actress and former Venice resident, Anjelica Huston, was the first person to donate toys to the inaugural event, which ultimately raised $250 and collected 300 toys.

In 2009, Wheatley decided to partner with the Los Angeles Police Department Pacific Division Winter Wonderland Toy Drive Giveaway. The Pacific Division Police Substation is located adjacent to the Venice Beach Recreation Center, which

is the location for the Muscle Beach toy dropoff.

“It was a no-brainer to partner with the LAPD Pacific Division distribution drive,” Wheatley said.

Last year, the Muscle Beach Toy Drive raised approximately $8,000 and collected several thousand toys. The money raised from the drive goes to the Pacific Area Boosters, a nonprofit organization that supports the LAPD Pacific Division Cadets Program. Diane Barretti is the current president of the Pacific Area Boosters.

Now that the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, this year is expected to be the best, Wheatley said. Starting at 10 a.m., the Pacific Division LAPD Color Guard Cadets will kick off the festivities to the national anthem. Immediately following will be

the Lat Pull Down competition. Contestants must pull down a close grip bar to their sternum for a maximum number of reps. Women pull 50% of their body weight, while men pull 60%.

There is no time limit, but if there is more than a 3-second interval, it is their last pull. The top three male and female winners will receive gift boxes provided by Wheatley’s generous sponsors.

To enter the contest they must bring in a new unwrapped toy of around $20 in value.

At 12:30 p.m. the Venice Vintage Motorcycle Club will arrive with toys strapped to the back of their motorcycles. Then Santa and his Elvettes are scheduled to come on their sleigh, provided by LAPD Pacific Division, from the North Pole to the Venice Muscle Beach Toy Drive at 1 p.m.

Santa will ride down the Boardwalk, greet fans, and offer photo opportunities.

Santa and the Elvettes will join Wheatley and hand out the special certificates of appreciation to the sponsors.

The certificates are signed by Councilmember Mike Bonin’s office and awarded to those helping with the drive. Event T-shirts will also be distributed to attendees.

After the events, around 15 to 20 LAPD cruisers will pick up the toys and bring them to the Pacific Division Station in Culver City.

Their distribution drive this year will take place at the Venice and Westchester Boys and Girls Club, Mar Vista YMCA, Mar Vista Family Center, Oakwood Recreation Center, and HUD Housing during the second week

of December.

For Wheatley, doing a toy drive for all of these years is very meaningful to him.

“It has a special place in my heart because it is giving back,” he said.

“Over the years, it has made thousands of kids happy. When the toys go to a child, it makes an impact on their lives.”

Muscle Toy Drive

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4

WHERE: Venice Boardwalk COST: Free admission; donated toys should be new, unwrapped and around $20 in value. The toys will be collected at the Venice Beach Recreation Center, located at 1800 Ocean Front Walk.

INFO: musclebeachvenice.com

The 15th annual Muscle Toy Drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, on the Venice Boardwalk.

Organized by Joe Wheatley Productions, the toy drive spreads joy to local underserved children during the holiday season.

Celebrating Their Heritage

Venice High seniors start new club

By Michele Robinson

Thanks to forward-think ing seniors Elijah Dubon and Anthony Zavala, there is a new club at Venice High School. Dubon and Zavala started the first Native Heritage Club in Venice and it is quickly gaining a lot of momentum.

“Helping others is always a good thing,” said Dubon, who is the current club president.

“My culture inspires me.” Dubon is of Xinca heritage. His father’s side of the family is from Guatemala and his mother’s side is from Honduras. Although Dubon is Americanborn and has lived in west Los Angeles his entire life, he is inspired to give back to people from his heritage who need it the most.

“We chose the Official Rural Mixta Aldea Oliveros school, in the village of El Jobito, Guate mala to raise funds for because it is where my grandparents went to school,” Dubon said.

While Dubon runs the day-today responsibilities of the club, Zavala is in charge of the digital design and social media aspects of the club. He runs the Insta gram account (@vhs_native_ heritage_club) and makes all of the flyers. Zavala, who was born and raised in Venice, is of 100% Salvadorian heritage.

The club got approved with the help and guidance of Spanish teacher, Dr. Angela Fajardo, who is also the club sponsor for the Native Heritage Club, and Magnet coordinator Cristobal Vicente-Aguilar. During the summer, they helped Dubon and Zavala organize the GoFundMe campaign and the club.

The GoFundMe page will close by the end of November. Currently they have raised over $3,700, but they hope to raise $17,000 to help the povertystricken school. They want to use the funds to acquire new computers (they are also trying to get donations from large companies like Best Buy, Walmart and Staples). They will also use the funds to help fix the school’s toilet system and purchase a refrigerator and cook-top for the school lunches.

Dubon, along with his sister and mother, will arrive in Guatemala during Thanksgiving

Break. Luckily, their air travel will be at reduced costs, courtesy of Fors Humanitas, a nonprofit. Dubon is bringing needed supplies with him including donated clothing and school-related items like pencils, notebooks and art supplies.

The other items that are too big to travel with he plans to purchase on-site. This includes the refrigerator, cook-top and the school’s first computers. His family that lives there will help arrange transportation for those larger items.

“I plan to order items in Guatemala so they will be ready when I arrive in November,” Dubon said.

Besides raising funds, the other goal of the club is to celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion. They want to create an environment where all students from any background can feel comfortable. The club is open to all grades and cultures from around the world.

“Everyone is welcome,” Zavala said. ”Diversity is wonderful. We learn and appreciate different cultures and build a sense of community.”

During their Tuesday meet ings, members get to know each other and learn about their respective heritages. They also decide what their next project will be. Dubon and Zavala already have other ideas after they complete the current fundraising project. They are thinking of helping other

schools, but it is not just about education.

“This is just a starting point,” Zavala said. “We hope to also help refugees.”

Besides the Native Heritage Club, both Dubon and Zavala are involved in other clubs on campus. Other activities they participate in include chess, tennis and Model United Nations. Zavala is president of the Chess Club and Dubon is the vice president. Dubon is also vice president of the Tennis Club.

After graduation, Dubon and Zavala plan to further their studies by attending college.

Dubon wants to go out of state and study BioScience and film.

Zavala plans to stay in Califor nia and wants to major in business with a minor in nonprofit management. His future career goal is to either start or work for a nonprofit organization.

Patrick McGuire, who has been an educator for decades, is helping oversee the fundraising project. McGuire is on the

Board of Fors Humanitas, a 501 C-3 that mentors kids.

“I am proud that Elijah wants to help other kids less fortunate than himself, and that he and Anthony are interested in their heritage,” McGuire said.

Native Heritage Club Instagram: @vhs_native_heritage_club GoFundMe Page gofundme.com/f/help-us-rescueindigenous-school-children

PHOTO CREDITS: ABE LOJERO

Elijah Dubon and Anthony Zavala are seniors at Venice High School who started the first Native Heritage Club to bring awareness about their ancestral communities.

The club has created a GoFundMe page to raise funds to help a poverty-stricken school in Guatemala as its inaugural project.

Meet the Chef

10 questions with 1 Pico’s Executive Chef Sean Michael Runyon

How did you become a chef?

As a teenager in Dallas, I peeled potatoes and onions at the school cafeteria as a way of making some money. I was moved to the grill and started making hamburgers and roasting the chicken…I was hooked. When I graduated, I decided to move to San Fran cisco to pursue more hands-on training in the culinary arts. My cousin was living there at the time and we shared an apart ment while I gained experience working with some of the city’s best chefs. I worked hard, learned a lot and made a lot of

connections. Fourteen years later, I found this wonderful home at 1 Pico.

Most important thing you learned in culinary school? The most important thing I learned at Le Cordon Bleu California are all of the classic French techniques of cooking especially knife skills. There are so many ways to prepare produce and acquiring these skills has allowed me to be more proficient.

What’s the first dish you learned to make really well?

Crepes! I loved making crepes as an 8 year old, and I was a master at it. You have to get the consistency of the batter just right and make sure the temperature of the pan is on point. My family loved being my official tasters and I made them in so many different ways. I experimented with various sweet and savory combinations.

Signature dish you’re known for?

It’s a dish that I was chal lenged to create by our general manager, Christophe Baraton. He challenged me to reinvent

By Kamala Kirk

Helmed by

executive chef

Sean Michael Runyon, 1 Pico offers simply grilled dishes passionately prepared with the finest ingredi ents. Located at Shutters on the Beach, which was named Southern California's No. 2 hotel in this year’s Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, the restaurant recently launched a menu that includes standout dishes such as Elysian Farms lamb rib chop, sustain ably farmed Loch Duart salmon from Scotland, candy stripe beet gazpacho, and John Givens beef steak tomatoes.

Runyon brings with him more than a decade of expertise from Michelin-starred restaurants and Forbes five-star hotels.

His passion for the industry began at a young age when he started working with his college’s food service team as a barista, banquet chef and sous chef.

He earned a culinary degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and went on to elevate his skills at restaurants throughout San Francisco including 4 Corners, Farmer Brown, and Chambers Eat and Drink.

Making his way down to Southern California, Runyon served as a chef de tournat for Nobu Malibu and Nikita Malibu, before serving as a sous chef for The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Most recently, he was chef de cuisine for the high-end

Discovery Land private clubs, catering to VIPs and celebrity clientele. Under his leadership, guests at Shutters on the Beach can enjoy a redefined culinary experience at 1 Pico.

“The proteins and produce I select hail from boutique purveyors who sell almost exclusively to chefs,” Runyon said.

“Los Angeles is an interna tional gateway and a city of foodies, so I am always on the lookout for the most exceptional ingredients. Being a coastal chef, my phone rings daily from fishermen about their amazing catches of the day, sometimes while the fish are still on the hook. They’ll even send me a video as they are pulling it into the boat. It’s almost like being out there with them.”

Runyon shared what sparked his interest in the culinary arts, the most important thing he learned in culinary school, and his favorite ingredient to cook with, among others.

What got you interested in cooking?

My mother definitely sparked my interest in cooking. She has always been brilliant in the kitchen. Every Thanksgiving she would be cooking up a storm for a hundred people wearing Chanel. Before I was 10 years old I would wake up, go to the kitchen and fry eggs for my brother and me… without asking permission from my parents to fire up the stove.

Executive chef Sean Michael Runyon oversees 1 Pico.

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF SHUTTERS ON THE BEACH

1 Pico at Shutters on the Beach serves passionately prepared grilled dishes.

the crab cake, and my crab and corn Espuma was born. My sweet and savory deconstructed crab cake allows you to enjoy each flavor separately and it is a local’s favorite.

Favorite ingredient to cook with and why?

I would have to say vinegar is my favorite ingredient to cook with, especially a good cham pagne vinegar from Banyulssur-Mer, in southern France. I love everything it brings to the table. An acidic kick, a refreshing bite, and often the ingredient that I’ve noticed many dishes are lacking.

Kitchen tool you can’t live without?

I recently commissioned my friend Todd Harrington of TH

Blades to make me a custom knife. Todd is a talented chef and also a culinary craftsman. It is my prized possession and I use it every single day.

Who do you look up to in the culinary world?

There are so many chefs I draw inspiration from. Thomas Keller, Dominique Crenn and Paul Bocuse, to name a few.

What do you love about being a chef?

I love the joy I feel when I am planning a menu with my team, training them, helping the service staff understand the menu, and watching everyone work together to execute great service. At the end of the shift, the guests are happy, the staff feels accomplished, and everyone has put in a solid

day’s work to provide for their families. There is no other feeling quite like it. That’s what I love about being a chef. Watching something develop from a dream to reality.

If you could have a meal with anyone, who would it be? That’s a tough one. I would have to say either Auguste Escoffier or Julia Child. I’d probably lean toward Julia Child. She was a legend in the kitchen, a trailblazing chef, and I have heard she was fun to have dinner with.

1 Pico

1 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica 310-587-1717 shuttersonthebeach.com

Under Runyon's leadership, guests at Shutters on the Beach can enjoy a redefined culinary experience at 1 Pico.

Santa Monica Forever

Hometown hero Tony Todd returns to Wakanda

PHOTOS BY CHRIS MORTENSON

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Santa

Monica High School

classmates Tony Todd and Lisa Satriano hadn’t spoken in years, but their bond remained. It’s a true testament to Todd, who lives to make people happy.

When she was working on this “big, low-budget film” — “Black Panther” — she thought of him immediately for a stuntman role.

“We played baseball together growing up,” she said. “I knew he was doing stunts. He was an athlete. I reached out to him because we were looking for Black stuntmen who could handle this. I asked him if he was still into it, if he was available and if he was inter ested. He was.”

Todd, who still resides in Santa Monica, returned to Marvel Cinematic Universe to play one of the king’s guards in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which opened Nov. 11.

He finds it amazing that he’s been a part of films like this. As of Nov. 20, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” has grossed $287.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $258.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $545.5 million.

“I just love it because if the team does well, we all do well,” Todd said. “I don’t need to be front and center. This is for the screen credit. My little niece and nephews, that’s for life.”

Todd said it was a pleasure to work with Chadwick Boseman on “Black Panther.” The award-winning actor died after the film of colon cancer.

“He was very, very, very hard working.

“We had to go to training every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a one-hour break. We would finish and he would do extra. He had that one-on-one training. He’s a star, but he was very nice to everyone. No one knew that he was sick. It shocked everyone. When we

Born and raised in Santa Monica, Tony Todd lives to make people smile.

came back for reshoots, you could tell he was a little lighter, but you lose muscle mass when you’re not using it. I didn’t think anything of it. When we got the news, it was so heart breaking. We lost our leader.”

Working on “Wakanda Forever” was bittersweet and the set had a very different vibe, he said.

“Everybody’s minds, of course, were still on Chadwick, but we knew we had a job to do,” Todd said.

“We wanted to fulfill the commitment of working and getting the job done. I’m so grateful just to be a part of the franchise and Marvel. Seeing my name in the credits was incredible.”

‘The connector’

Born at Santa Monica Hospi tal, Todd attended John Adams Junior and Santa Monica High schools. Repeated sports injuries in high school and college killed his dream of playing professional baseball or football, even though recruited by schools around the nation.

To stay motivated, he keeps his USC letter of intent.

“That’s my driving force,” he said. “I can never quit. My license plate on my car — a ’66 Pontiac Le Mans — says never quit.”

One day, returning home from a Planet Hollywood opening, Todd and his friend drove by a park where they used to play Pony and Colt League Baseball. More than 250 people were on the diamond.

“All of a sudden, he pulls over to see what’s going on,” recalled Todd, who does video inter views for Topps Baseball Cards.

Castle Rock Entertainment was casting the film “Little Big League.”

“My buddy takes me home, I put on my uniform from college, came back and asked if I could audition,” Todd said with a laugh.

“There were guys out there with just jeans and T-shirts. They said I could not audition for the role. I asked them about five times. They said I couldn’t because I didn’t have an agent. I wasn’t even in the business.”

Todd persisted, and as he was walking away, they asked if he could play.

“They were giving everybody like 10 swings,” he said. “They gave me five. The first four were over the fence. The last one line

drive off the fence, they told me to run to first base. That’s what brothers do. We can run a little bit. I didn’t stop at first. I ran all the way home. They asked me to come to Castle Rock the next day, Monday.

“I didn’t know what Castle Rock was.”

After a few trial reads, Todd was told to stop reading.

“Ever been to Minnesota?” they asked. “I said, ‘I know Kirby Puckett is there.’ I got the part of Mickey Scales, and that’s how I started acting.”

Since then, Todd had a recurring role as Officer Kettles in the Charlie Sheen comedy series “Anger Management,” which aired on FX Networks.

“Being an ex-ballplayer, we’ve all been there,” Todd started. “You get down on yourself, but one thing was taken away and I was able to portray all these different characters on film. I still get to go to sporting events. I love it. I get to travel.

“I still have the same friends I grew up with. We all stick together.”

His classmates included Yvette Le Bowser; Karyn Parsons, who played Hilary on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air;” musician Lenny Kravitz; and actors Dean Cain, Holly Robinson, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Sean Penn. Some of them still get together as part of the monthly Grub Club.

“This is all before they were famous,” he said. “People always tell me, ‘Your life is so interesting — especially growing up in Santa Monica and you’re still there.’ I meet so many people. They call me ‘the connector.’ I connect someone with someone else.”

Private baseball coach Pat Armstrong met Todd through baseball and athletic pursuits 30 years ago.

“For the Santa Monica kids, he really puts himself out there and gives them better and better opportunities with baseball,” Armstrong said.

“It’s so hard to get people to look at you as a high school player. Some don’t have the money to go to certain show cases. He picked up the slack for kids who may not have had the opportunity they ended up getting.

“He’s very well connected within the city. Tony’s very outgoing and a champion of young people. He believes our Santa Monica kids should get more opportunities than they

deserve. He’s like, ‘Let’s talk our kids up.’ It’s OK to be a little over the top when it comes to a young person. He’s very good about that.”

Todd — who said he smiles all the time thanks to orthodontist Dr. Alan Bloore — is just giving back.

“That’s what my coaches did for me. They didn’t ask for things. They took me to the park to show me things. Life is just about opportunities, I always say. A lot of kids may not get that opportunity. I make sure they’re prepared for it. I’m not going to put my name on something if I do not thing this person is worth of that.”

Sports commentator/former baseball player Harold Reyn olds is another of Todd’s friends.

“He loves Tony,” Armstrong said. “Not only does he love Tony, he holds Tony in the highest regard in finding top players from Southern Califor

nia. He calls him his ‘super scout.’”

Reynolds met Todd 20 years ago through a celebrity softball game.

“I do call him my ‘super scout,’” Reynolds added with a laugh. “He knows everything about kids who come out of Southern California. He meets them, knows them, knows their family. From (Giancarlo) Stanton to (Christian) Yelich, he knows all of them.

“His personality is so engag ing. I don’t think he’s ever met a stranger. He acts like every body knows him, and I swear he knows everybody.”

Kind soul

Satriano looks up to Todd and his athleticism, intelligence and kindness.

“He has good principles,” Satriano said. “He’s really athletic and takes athletics to a human level. For me and my

wife, he’s like a father figure to our son. He teaches him the ‘heart’ stuff about athletics — how to be a team player, how to have each other’s backs, common courtesy, the respect of other players, to lift each other up.”

Still, Santa Monica is in Todd’s heart.

“It was so awesome growing up there,” he said. “It was like a melting pot of every race. Everyone tries to divide each other. The way I treat people is no one’s above common courtesy. I live by those words and try to be a great person every day. I just like to make people happy. I want kids to grow up better than I did — and I think I had a pretty good one.”

Tony Todd @TonyTodd32 on Instagram

Lisa Satriano asked Tony Todd to appear in 2018's "Black Panther."

Reclaiming Male Myths

City Garage uses Margaret Atwood play to give classical tale a new perspective

By Bridgette M. Redman

While it is a truism that history is written by the victors, some writers excel at reframing historical tales and mythological legends from different points of view.

Chief among those talents is Margaret Atwood, the awardwinning Canadian writer and creator of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The City Garage in Santa Monica is staging one of her works through Dec. 18.

“The Penelopiad” is a retelling of “The Odyssey” from the viewpoint of the long-suffering wife of Odysseus and her 12 murdered handmaids.

By giving Penelope a modern, witty and pragmatic voice, the feminist icon transforms the politics of the Greek classic by letting the women involved tell the story. Now angry in Hades, these 13 spirits tell and retell their story, haunting the men who tormented them.

“The Penelopiad” relates that while Odysseus is gallivanting the country fighting a war for the sake of Penelope’s beauti ful, shameless and aggravating cousin Helen, Penelope is running the kingdom and raising their rebellious son.

Odysseus gets to have adventures and play the hero, but Penelope has to deal with more than 100 brutal suitors. Then when the supposedly conquering hero returns home, Penelope and the 12 faithful maids pay a tragic price.

Directed by artistic director Frédérique Michel and pro duced by executive director Charles Duncombe, “The Penelopiad” is performed by an all-female cast.

“One of the attractions of this play is that we have 13 women on stage and they are playing all the parts,” Michel said. “They’re playing the men and the women. It’s really incred ible and epic. It has 32 scenes and they’re all very intense. There are several musical numbers which is very new for me. It’s a fantastic tale.”

The play, Duncombe added, is filled with gender politics that allows women to portray their oppressors, revealing the violence and abuse of the men in their lives.

“But instead of being victims, they’re actually taking control of their own story,” Duncombe said.

The production, they warn, does have nudity, though it is done in a tasteful, classical Greek manner.

“It’s done in a sense of the pagan culture out of which the mythology emerges,” Dun combe said. “There was a sense of the body in ancient Greece and in classical times. The way Frédérique is using it aligns with that cultural origin. It’s not in any sense exploit ative or sexualized. It’s that pagan comfort with the natural world, the body and sexuality itself.”

Perhaps more disturbing is the play’s violence.

“They have a very violent scene where they are portray ing men raping a woman,” Michel said. “It shows the real ity of the brutality of men because that is what happened

then. They are actually re-acting the scenes, re-acting battles when they were fighting with a horse. They are doing a lot of things on stage. Penelope is telling the story while the 12 maids are recreating the scenes.”

Duncombe said that because these spirits are trapped in Hades for all eternity, they are endlessly replaying the story as a way of exorcising their demons, but they remain trapped in their story.

“There’s a sense almost of little girls playing pretend, make-believe games where they play all the characters and do all the parts — but there’s this frightening edge to it,” Duncombe said.

The narrative relates how the maids were accidently sent to their death, executed at the command of Penelope’s wrathful husband who believed the maids were in cohorts with the suitors when actually they

had been sent by his wife to seduce them and spy on them so that she could live in peace. The maids put their faith in Penelope, that she would tell her husband how they had served her, but she didn’t have time to do it and Telemachus, their son, acting out his father’s male rage, hung them all.

“In many ways, the play shows the fidelity and frater nity of women at the same time that it shows the egoism and violence of men,” Duncombe said.

While the maids are faithful to Penelope, not all women in this show are friends. Penelope expresses her disgust and frustration with Helen of Troy, the woman owning the face that launched a thousand ships to battle the Trojan War and set off tragedy after tragedy.

Penelope relates how mean her cousin was to her in their youth.

City Garage is using an evocative and unrealistic set, one that makes careful use of platforms, elevations, lights and projections. As they often do, they’ll use cameras to project images of people on stage. For example, when Penelope is doing a mono logue, they will project a huge close-up of her in the back ground.

They’ll also make use of costume bits to help the audiences understand when the maids become men and the various roles they take on as they tell their stories. Under Michel’s direction, the changes are designed to happen in a beautiful and fluid manner.

In addition to being attracted to the gender politics of Atwood’s play, Duncombe said “The Penelopiad” is a good fit for City Garage because their audiences crave variety and have responded positively to the past adaptations they’ve

City Garage Theatre in Santa Monica presents “The Penelopiad” by award-winning Canadian writer and “The Handmaid’s Tale” creator Margaret Atwood through Dec. 18.

PHOTO CREDITS: PAUL RUBENSTEIN

“WINE PAIRINGS” BY ED SESSA ACROSS 1 Asparagus piece 6 For the ages 10 Open pages in a browser 14 Channel with Supreme Court coverage 19 Childish comeback 20 Biblical wedding location 21 Writer’s block cure 22 Troubling signs 23 Very dangerous red? 26 Vatican City masterpiece 27 First novel in Cather’s “Great Plains” trilogy 28 Coral formation 29 How one must win in volleyball 30 Violinist Leopold 31 “Te __”: Rihanna song 32 “Just watch me!” 34 Email folder 36 “Invisibilia” airer 37 Wine on tap? 40 Look at 41 Actor Mendelsohn 42 Datebook col. 43 Painting, cinema, ballet, etc. 45 Have 49 Formal talk 53 __ setter 54 Steer clear of 55 Kimono sash 57 Proverb ending? 58 Game that begins with the murder of Mr. Boddy 59 Remains unsettled 60 Sequel to Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath”? 64 Moo pork

67 “Rule, Britannia” composer 68 Outlaw 69 Snacked on 70 French assent 71 Tavern quaffs 72 Trough spot 73 Hangover caused by wine? 76 Like gymnasts 77 Gobi locale 79 A pop 80 At the stern 81 More rational 82 Become frantic 84 Stockpiled 87 Delegates, as duties 89 Endangered Himalayan mammal 91 Rain-__ gum 93 Coop resident 94 Tax agcy. 95 Wax eloquent about some wine? 100 Sunblock letters 103 Mineral hardness scale 105 Forensic facilities 106 Stretch the truth 107 Actress Polo 108 1965 march site 110 Little brook 111 __ section 113 Skylit courtyards 114 Wine that’s good for one’s bones? 116 Nested supermarket rollers 117 “Red Clocks” novelist Zumas 118 Connection point 119 Teeny pests 120 Private rendezvous 121 Dermatology concern 122 Boxing ref’s decisions 123 Wade noisily

DOWN 1 South Pacific islander 2 Keep from falling 3 More ghoulish 4 Mary of “The Maltese Falcon” 5 Dappled horse 6 Dermatology concern 7 Create couples 8 Cozy retreats 9 Half-__: latte spec 10 Unfortunate quality in a karaoke singer 11 Arithmetic figure 12 Meat-flavored broths 13 Kid-lit girl with a blueberry pail 14 __ and paste 15 “In the Heights” actor Jimmy 16 Wine that comes in tiny bottles? 17 Lost and found, e.g. 18 Govt. cybersecurity monitor 24 Picks up 25 With the bow, in music 29 Ring event 32 Footnote kin of op. cit. 33 Couple in a boat 35 Radio host John 37 Acts 38 Get in shape 39 Case for Mulder and Scully 41 Back of a hit 45 record 44 Tulsa sch. 45 Family guys 46 In plain view 47 Tale about one Corleone’s love of fortified wine? 48 L.A.’s region 50 Some calorie

counters 51 Less common 52 Historic Nevada city

56 Rock group 58 Forensic series starring Paula Newsome, familiarly 61 Ben and Jerry 62 Car top 63 “__ my way!” 65 Oscar winner Mirren 66 Icon tappers 68 “Hello, ewe!” 71 Once more 73 Hebrew prophet 74 Federal org. with a flower logo 75 Sauce dispenser 76 Portfolio part 78 Small drink 82 Buttoned-up 83 Ford’s first minivan 84 Score after deuce, perhaps 85 Hogwash 86 Flows back, as the tide 88 “You gotta be kidding!” 90 Zip 92 City near Disney World 96 Sci-fi invaders 97 “Heads or tails?” 98 Equal to the task 99 Nephews’ sisters 100 Taken care of 101 Jabbers 102 Wind up 104 Thin openings 107 Hiking path 109 Sloop pole 111 “Order up!” shouter 112 Goals 113 Play a role 114 Great Basin cap.

done through the years of Greek mythology, both tragedies and com edies.

“We experience it in our contemporary voice in a way that makes it seem not like distant history but more immedi ate,” Duncombe said.

“It relates to what people are examin ing and reflecting on today, whether it’s power or gender politics or any number of issues.”

This is the first time City Garage has produced work by Atwood. They’ve had the rights for some time as they were originally planning to open the show in April 2020, but COVID-19 shutdowns prevented that. While the world has changed in many ways over the past two years, the story still holds the same sway and power it did before.

“The same issues still resonate, which is about the position of women in society, the need for equality and diversity,” Duncombe said. “All the issues are still as alive as they were.”

Michel has high praise for her actors. She acknowledges that it is sometimes difficult to work with certain women or groups of women on stage, but that she has had none of those issues with this group.

“It’s really a great group of actresses who want to do their best and are very excited,” Michel said.

“I was a little worried before when I was thinking 13 women on stage was going to be a challenge, when in fact, it’s really great. It’s a really good feeling to have them on stage.”

“The Penelopiad”

WHEN: Through Sunday, Dec. 18 WHERE: City Garage Theatre, 2525 Michigan Avenue, Building T1, Santa Monica COST: $25 students and seniors, $30 general admission INFO: citygarage.org

“The Penelopiad” is a retelling of “The Odyssey” from the viewpoint of the long-suffering wife of Odysseus and her 12 murdered handmaids.

'The Nutcracker'

Westside Ballet’s annual holiday performance returns to BroadStage

By Jeff Favre

Last fall, not only did a starring role in the company’s most antici pated production appear out of the question for two Westside School of Ballet veterans battling illness and injuries—but even dancing again at any level seemed in doubt.

What a difference a year makes.

Lilly Olvera and Jasmine Harrison, both 18, fought their way back into the studio and now, onto the stage. The longtime friends will share the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in Westside’s annual production of “The Nutcracker,” beginning an eight-show run on Nov. 26 at the Santa Monica College Perform ing Arts Center.

The Sugar Plum Fairy joins the Cavalier in the famed pas de deux, a dance that Olvera would watch in her first years at Westside, as she appeared in the smaller roles meant for beginners. Back then, she didn’t want the coveted part.

“It terrified me, because it's the longest piece, and you’re what the audience sees last,” she said. “You're the grand finale. It always seemed so intense. It looked so scary. But at the same time, the scary things are the fun things,

because then I get to look back at them and say, ‘I can't believe I did that.’”

What was scarier, though, was when Olvera began feeling ill during the beginning of the pandemic. But it wasn’t COVID.

“I have a condition called POTS,” she explained. “I also had, growing up, chronic

migraines, and my migraines would get really bad. I would get visual symptoms, so I wouldn't be able to walk around my house even, because I would walk into walls. Obviously, dancing was off the table, and that was really awful.”

Olvera’s neurologist diagnosed her, and with the help of a cardiologist and nutritionist her health improved and she was able to resume dancing. The first day back in the studio with Westside artistic director Martine Harley felt like a literal dream to her.

“Martine has always been very nice and very sweet, but I was so scared, because I really wanted her to know that I could do this,” she said. “I remember at the beginning we were a little bit into bar, and she came up and put her hand on my shoulder and said, ‘You are just as beautiful as I remember.’ It was honestly the most cliche thing, and for a second I thought I made it up in my head, but then the girl next to me was like, ‘That was so sweet,’ and I was like, oh my gosh, thank God I didn't make that up.”

For Harrison, the road back to the studio went through a physical therapist’s office. She said repetitive stress caused a substantial hip injury, and she had to take off several months while healing. Grateful to dance at all again, she didn’t imagine getting any of the major roles in “The

Nutcracker.”

“But then Martine asked me to do Sugar Plum,” Harrison said. “Even with my hip injury, I guess I was able to come back and dance at the same level that I was before. I had to do a lot of physical therapy, I had to do Pilates, and just make sure to know when I’m reaching my limit, and I think it's working.”

Harley has been thrilled watching two of her longtime students recover.

“Lilly and Jasmine grew up at Westside, and the two of them overcame some incredible physical challenges,” Harley said. “They have such resilience coming back and saying, ‘This is what I want to do. I want to graduate in my “Nutcracker” at the top of my game.’”

Westside’s “Nutcracker” follows the 1954 George Balanchine choreography that most compa nies use. Harley maintains to keep the tradition of Westside’s founders, which first produced the show 49 years ago. The setting remains the same, but Harley updated a few elements.

“We made some changes to the Arabian costume and also to the Chinese dance,” she said. “In the Chinese dance, it was traditional to hold up two fingers for the Chinese dancers, which was representing chopsticks. That was more recently viewed as cultur ally insensitive or stereotypical. I

researched it and watched what are the most traditional dances in China, so I re-choreographed the dance to be with fans instead, and the younger dancers hold lanterns.”

Westside also has invited professional Maté Szentes, who has been a member of several major companies, to perform the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier.

For Harrison and Olvera, one of the brightest spots at the end of their long journey to becoming the Sugar Plum Fairy is watching others who are just beginning.

“I get to see all the kids that are like so excited,” Olvera said. “And I love helping out in the dressing rooms, getting everybody ready for their costumes, because it reintro duces the magic. Last weekend, I was helping out one of the younger girls, putting on her beaded and shiny head piece, like a crown. And I get to see them experience it as I did.”.

“The Nutcracker”

WHEN: 1 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 27, and Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4

WHERE: Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica COST: $50

INFO: westsideballet.com/ nuttix or 1-800-595-4849

Westside School of Ballet will present eight performances of “The Nutcracker” at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center beginning Nov. 26.

PHOTO CREDITS: TODD LECHTICK

Lilly Olvera and Jasmine Harrison are dancers and longtime friends from Westside School of Ballet who will share the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in the annual production.

WESTSIDE HAPPENINGS

Compiled by Kamala Kirk

Have an event for the calen dar? Send it to kkirk@timespub lications.com

Freshwater Marsh Tour Sunday, Nov. 27

Join Friends of Ballona Wetlands for a tour of Ballona Freshwater Marsh. Wear close-toed shoes, weather-appro priate clothing and a hat. Bring water, sunscreen, bug spray and a snack if needed. Binoculars are permitted. The tour begins promptly. Street parking is on Bluff Creek Drive in front of Ballona Discovery Park or the parking lot just west of the park in front of Playa Vista Elemen tary School and Sports Park. The suggested donation is $5.

13110 Bluff Creek Drive, Los Angeles, 10 a.m. to noon, ballonafriends.org

Chess at the Wende Sunday, Nov. 27

Sharpen your skills with professional instructors and learn about the significance of chess in the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries through specially displayed artifacts from the Wende’s Historical Collection. Public free play chess stations will be made available throughout the Wende Garden. Chess players of all ability levels, from beginners to masters, are welcome to attend.

10808 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, noon to 3 p.m., wendemuseum.org

Movies on the Lawn Sunday, Nov. 27

Jamaica Bay Inn presents a free outdoor movie series every Sunday with seating at 7 p.m. and movie starting at dusk. Warm drinks, snacks and treats

Starting Dec. 1, stroll around Burton Chace Park and take in the spectacular display of sparkling lights and décor that will take place every night throughout December.

are available for purchase. Bring low chairs, blankets and pillows. Seating is first come, first served. On Nov. 27, the film is “A Christmas Story.” 4175 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, 6 to 9 p.m.

Marina Lights at Chace Park Thursday, Dec. 1

There’s nothing more festive than holiday lights wrapped around trees throughout the 10-acre Burton Chace Park. The spectacular display of sparkling lights and décor will take place every night throughout Decem ber. Enjoy a seaside stroll under

the holiday lights. Bring a hot cup of cocoa or pick up food from nearby restaurants. 13650 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, 4 to 10 p.m.

Official City of Santa Monica Holiday Tree Lighting Thursday, Dec. 1

Santa comes to the Promenade for the annual lighting of the official city of Santa Monica’s 24-foot holiday tree. Join for performances by local school groups, free photos with Santa and a snowy surprise. Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Boulevard, 6 to 8 p.m.

Freeway Funk Yard Thursday, Dec. 1

Come see LA’s top comics perform in an outdoor Playa Vista Speakeasy. Freeway Funk Yard is a large hidden lot nestled near a secret Westside Los Angeles freeway. Hosted by Ryan Churchill (“The Mental ist”) and Nick Hoff (“MTV). Lineup includes Jared Campbell (Yahoo Sports), Lisa Alvarado (HBO), Sammy Obeid (“Conan”) and other special guests. Free beer and wine available. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 online. 5300 Grosvenor Street, Los Angeles, 8 to 10 p.m., freewayfunkyard.com

Stand Up for Pups Comedy Show

Friday, Dec. 2

PetSpace’s Barks and Rec play yard will be transformed into the Westside’s premier comedy venue, welcoming hilarious comedians Jeremiah Watkins, Nicole Aimee Schreiber, Ron Taylor, Austin Kress and Darran Davis, alongside host Caitlin Benson and DJ VFRESH. A por tion of ticket sales will go toward the PetSpace Extraordi nary Care Fund, which supports PetSpace’s work with the most vulnerable animals in the shelter system: those who face signifi cant medical needs that serve as barriers to adoption. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for

general admission, $25 for table seating. All tickets include two drinks. Purchase tickets on PetSpace’s website. 12005 Bluff Creek Drive, Playa Vista, 7 to 9 p.m., annenbergpetspace.org

Restoration at LAX Dunes Saturday, Dec. 3

This monthly restoration event is open to 50 participants at the LAX Dunes. Since 2015, The Bay Foundation, Friends of the LAX Dunes, and Los Angeles World Airports, along with thousands of volunteers have worked to restore, enhance and protect this unique habitat.

Come volunteer to help remove non-native and invasive vegeta tion and learn more about this historic site. Sign up online.

LAX Dunes (Waterview gate across from park) Trask Triangle Park, Playa del Rey, 9:30 to 11 a.m., santamonicabay.org/events

15th annual Muscle Beach Toy Drive

Sunday, Dec. 4

Hosted by World Gym Interna tional, the annual Muscle Beach Toy Drive returns. Donate new and unwrapped toys valued at $20. There will be contests, product giveaways, red carpet holiday shout-outs, and lots of photo ops with Santa and his lovely Elvettes. The Venice Vintage Motorcycle Club will arrive at 12:30 p.m.

1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, 10 a.m., to 3 p.m., musclebeachvenice.com

COURTESY PHOTO

“This turnkey gorgeous home was built with class in mind,” says agent Sam Araghi. “Located in the highly coveted North Kentwood neighborhood, this 4bd/4.5 bar modern home has panoramic city and mountain views. The open floor plan and soaring ceiling height is perfect for hosting especially with the wine cellar. Enter the gourmet kitchen with center island and find two walk-in pantries. Enjoy the scenery with 3 balconies and a spacious deck. All bedrooms are en-suite with the master boasting a large steam shower which connects to a private deck in this open concept home. The bathroom in the primary suite includes a soaking tub and a separate glass shower. Step into the hedged backyard to find a pergola and pool. The home is on a quiet street but just a short distance to The Runway, Whole Foods, restaurants and more.

THE ARGONAUT PRESS RELEASES

LOYOLA VILLAGE DREAM

Perched on a quiet street, this home provides well-appointed living and entertaining spaces both inside and out. Inside, the great room is filled with natural light showcasing an entertainer's kitchen with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, large center island with breakfast seating and generous sized dining and living areas. The primary suite doubles as a relaxing retreat and features a walk-in closet and spa-style bathroom with herringbone tiling, dual vanity, Two more generously sized bedrooms with ample closet space and bathroom with stunning upgrades along with laundry closet and open study area round out the interior of the home. The backyard is an entertainer's dream. In the backyard find the beautifully appointed ADU with its own address which provides a kitchen, full bathroom and its own laundry. Enjoy the benefits of a suburban community while a short distance from some of Westchester's favorite restaurants, bars and grocery stores. Offered at $1,849,000 Stephanie Younger COMPASS 310-499-2020

THE ARGONAUT REAL ESTATE UPDATE

With a little time and effort, you can make even the messiest house look clean for a day or two. However, many people struggle to actually maintain their organization. Instead, they get stuck in a cycle of getting the house dirty, spending hours cleaning it, and then messing it all up in just a few days. People who manage to keep their house organized all the time tend to follow a few basic rules. Here is what you need to know about keeping your home tidy without too much effort.

Store Things Where You Use Them

If you have to go get an item, use it, and then walk a long distance to put it back in its place, you are likely to just give up and lay it down after using it. Instead, create organizational spaces right by items you commonly use. A few things to consider are cups for pens by your desk, a tray to hold your remote on the coffee table, and a shoe rack by your door

Look for Creative Ways to Simplify Your Life

Each home is unique, so everyone has one or two things that always get in the way of being completely organized. Think carefully about major organization hassles that take up too much time in your life and then consider how you can cut back on the inconvenience. For example, if you spend hours every Christmas sorting out a garbage bag filled with tangled lights, consider switching to a pre-lit Christmas tree.

Stock Up on Containers

Storage bins, boxes, and baskets are the ultimate tip to making any room look organized. Containers are helpful because they ensure that every object has a specific place, and they clear up visual clutter in a room. To make things easy for everyone to find, consider using labels or putting things in clear bins so you can easily see them.

Tidy Up During Wait Time

Throughout our life, we end up using almost two years of our time waiting around. Those who feel like they cannot stay organized because they are always too busy can use this time to tidy up. For example, you can load a few dishes in the dishwasher while you wait on the microwave, or sort out a messy bathroom drawer as the shower heats up.

Create a System for Paper

One of the biggest culprits of mess in the modern home tends to be paper. It is far too easy to just toss a stack of mail in a letterbox and ignore it for weeks. The end result tends to be drawers, bulletin boards, and boxes that are just a mess of random pages no one needs. Creating a system for dealing with this ensures that you deal with the root of this problem. Make it a goal to open mail and discard of all unnecessary items as soon as you get it. Every week or so, sort through the pages you keep and file them away in a box.

Organize for Five Minutes a Day

The final key to avoiding hours spent organizing every few weeks is to break organizing down into tiny, manageable chunks of time.Professional organizer Heidi Goodwin recommends her clients aim to tidy up the house for five minutes every day. This should just be a quick walkthrough where you sort through a stack of bills, straighten throw pillows on the couch, or make your bed.

These helpful tips keep you from having to spend major time completely organizing and tidying up your house regularly. If you want to live in an organized home everyday, all you need to do is keep on top of the mess. Once you get into the habit of being organized, it is far easier to keep it up.