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BECOMING AN ESPORTS LEGEND Team captain EMUHLEET is driving her all-female esports team to make history

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Contents

Vol. 5 | No. 1

PET A DOPTION

PEOPLE

5 Help solve the mystery of Watson, the dog without a home

18 Emuhleet leads an all-female esports 42 Don’t miss Mexican artist Betsabeé team to victory Romero at LMU’s Laband Art Gallery 22 Meet Playa Vista’s newest Girl Scout

Troop

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS 8 Healthy Eater, Happy Worker Jose Cena

FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

26 Sue Lewak and Shish Aikat are creating a global visual effects community around the world

10 Soccer Coach Denver Newton

30 Shireen Jaffer and founders of Edvo named Forbes 30 under 30

12 Student and Purple Lover Olivia Taylor

HEALTH

COMMUNITY

36 Troy Aguila of Spry Society says getting in shape means going digital

14 Standup Comedy Fundraiser @ Gulp

FOOD

16 Playa Vista Moms Group Holiday Party @ The Centerpointe Club

38 Most Valuable Playa restaurant in Westchester is serving up delicious pho

4 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

D I R E C T

BECOMING AN ESPORTS LEGEND Team captain EMUHLEET is driving her all-female esports team to make history

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6 Growth Spurt

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EDITOR’S NOTE

EVENTS

On the cover: Female esports champ Emmalee “EMUHLEET” Garrido at Runway Photo by Zsuzsi Steiner Design by Arman Olivares

PET ADOPTION

Adoptable Pets

FROM ANNENBERG PETSPACE The coolest buddies in Playa Vista are waiting for their new forever homes

WATSON

QUINN

My name is Watson and this young chap would like to help you solve the case of the dog who needs a home. I’d like some positive reinforcement training and a caring companion.

Are you wondering why you should you adopt me? Well it’s elementary, my dear.

Hi I’m Quinn! I’m around five years old and I’m looking for a loving home. I am a bit shy and need a place with no other pets or children, but if that’s not too much to ask, I promise to be your nice, good boy.

Tips from the Trainer

it’s love at first site, or if they’re ready to bite?

Focus on dogs’ behaviors at a distance. Since they can’t speak, watch for body language to see if they mirror each other. Whether it’s sniffing the ground, lying down, sitting, or peeing, it’s appropriate for both

By Eleasha Gall, CPDT-KA When your dog meets another pup, can you tell if

ANGELICA

Hey, I’m Angelica. I’m an adult cat who is a little shy, but could gain confidence in a nice, loving home. Let’s meet up and start getting to know each other better!

dogs to match those actions.

Loose, wiggly and relaxed dogs are likely comfortable to approach. Straight, still dogs are more intense with their intents. Be aware of body language and you’ll have a better idea if your dog is ready to make a connection!

To learn more about pet adoption, or to see other available pets, visit annenbergpetspace.org

EDITOR’S NOTE

Growth Spurt

P

laya Vista Direct is entering its fourth year of publication and I have good news: we’re growing. Instead of six issues in 2020, we’ll be publishing eight and I couldn’t be more excited.

What does that mean for you? More personal stories, more exciting events, more new restaurants and businesses, and more opportunities for community building. For me, it means I’m going to be very busy!

In this first of 2020’s eight issues, I track down a female esports gamer, Emmalee Garrido, who’s known on the world-wide esports stage as EMUHLEET. Her team will soon be practicing and training out of a brand new 5,500 square foot facility on Verizon’s campus. When she’s not gaming, Emmalee serves as a mentor to young girls eager to compete around the world.

I was thrilled to find out that Shireen Jaffa, co-founder of Edvo, a new type of job recruitment company based in Playa Vista, recently made the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30: Education list. I really enjoyed our conversation and hearing about her childhood as an immigrant from Pakistan and discovering she had a knack for being an entrepreneur.

Congrats Shireen!

I also had the chance to visit a Girl Scouts meeting for Playa Vista’s newest Troop 70935. It’s cookie time right now so I encourage everyone to support the troop by getting your very own box of Samoas or Caramel Chocolate Chips. My personal favorites are Do-si-dos and Thin Mints, just in case anyone is wondering.

As part of our issue expansion, we are also going to be expanding out and covering other parts of Silicon Beach. As a lover of Vietnamese food, I chose to cover Westchester restaurant MVP (Most Valuable Playa) and their delicious pho that makes one of the best winter meals.

As always, I loved putting this issue together and meeting so many more of my neighbors. Have a suggestion or want to be part of the magazine? Shoot me an email: shanee@playavistadirect.com.

MANAGING EDITOR Shanee Edwards GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Arman Olivares Kate Doll CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lara J. Altunian · Christina Campodonico Stephanie Case · Richard Foss Jessica Koslow · Brian Marks · Robyn Paris Andrew Dubbins · Andy Vasoyan Gary Walker CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Erica Allen · Inae Bloom Courtnay Robbins · Maria Martin · Shilah Montiel · Zsuszi Steiner Emily Hart Roth ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Kay Christy David Maury Denine Gentilella SENIOR EDITOR Joe Piasecki ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Rebecca Bermudez

CONTACT US EDITORIAL shanee@playavistadirect.com ADVERTISING info@playavistadirect.com

(310) 822-1629

161 S. Pasadena Ave., Suite B, South Pasadena CA 91030 Playa Vista Direct is direct-mailed every other month to homes and businesses in the 90094 area code, with additional distribution to multiple office and retail locations throughout the Playa Vista area.

Shanee Edwards Managing Editor · shanee@playavistadirect.com VICE PRESIDENT: Michael Hiatt PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

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Healthy Eater, Happy Worker Straight out of Venice High School, Jose Ceja started working at Whole Foods in West L.A., spending 14 years there. Craving a change of scenery, he decided to migrate to the Playa Vista store. “The buildings are colorful, the store is beautiful with lovely people.” Overall, he says working for Whole Foods has been a wonderful journey. “I was exposed to all of [Whole Foods’] philosophies.

Being conscientious of what you eat and what you put in the soil, how people should be treated – not only their customers but the people we get our supplies from.” He says he even

8 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

changed his diet, cutting out soda and fast food. “I exclusively shop here now and cook for myself. It’s been an awesome ride for sure.” Ever modest, Jose admits he dabbled in auditioning for TV commercials but won’t call himself an actor. “I liked it, but it was a lot of rejection, so that’s one of the reasons why I stopped,” he says with a laugh.

“But I’ve grown my hair out since and have a new look, so I might dive into it again.” Break a leg, Jose!

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

DENVER NEWTON, Soccer Coach

About his name, Denver playfully says he has, “A film star name without the fame. The only fame I have is around here.” Originally from Scotland, the owner and founder of Euro Soccer USA which started in 2010, speaks with a delightful Scottish brogue. Back home, he played “football” in the lower leagues and worked part time in the family business before following his dream to come to the States. “I came to America on holiday when I was nine-years-old and I always wanted to move here.” He gushes about the California climate. “Everyone’s happy here! You get up every day, it’s

sunny. You go out and you coach kids on the field – I still pinch myself! Right now [back in Scotland] it’s probably 5 degrees Celsius [41 degrees Fahrenheit], windy and miserable. Everybody’s always complaining.” Though Denver himself didn’t start playing soccer until he was five, he coaches kids as young as 18 months. “That wasn’t my choice. The parents were begging me and I finally said ‘Okay, but you come on the field with your kid.’” Denver, his Irish wife Tara, and their two kids currently live in the Fountain Park area of Playa Vista.

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

OLIVIA TAYLOR,

Student and Purple Lover Originally from San Francisco, Olivia is an Art and Graphic Design major at Loyola Marymount University, though she hasn’t quite decided how to use her skills after she graduates. “I love drawing and painting but there’s so many opportunities on the digital side – I really like that, too.

My brother and my dad are computer science people and I’m kind of a math person also, so I like bridging the gap between the art and computer science.” Considering she’s only a sophomore, she has plenty of time to decide her fate. She loves LMU for the small class sizes, friendly professors and

the opportunity to expand her studies outside of just art. “I didn’t want to go to a really small art school because sometimes art kids can be kind of weird. I didn’t want to limit myself, I like so many different types of people.”

And then there’s her electric purple hair. “Purple is my favorite color! I’ve always heard that people who love purple, like, lo-o-ove purple. And I think that’s very true. I paint a lot of purple stuff.”

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COMMUNITY PHOTOS BY ZSUZSI STEINER

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STANDUP COMEDY FUNDRAISER @ GULP Roaring laughter could be heard through the streets of Playa Vista on Thursday, Jan. 23, and it was all for a good-humored cause. Hosted by the Playa Vista Elementary School, standup comedians performed their best knee-slappers at Gulp to help raise money for the always cheerful school. The evening of giggles was emceed by Heather Pasternak, who’s performed on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and tours with “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Jeff Garlin. Other performers included the highly charismatic Lachlan Patterson of “Last Comic Standing,” funny gal Jenny Brandt of the Perfectly Disheveled blog, Leslie Liao, who joked about growing up with strict Asian parents, and local comedy guru and mom, Jessica Entner. Guests enjoyed yummy food and cocktails as the jokers took turns making them chuckle. The event raised over $1,500 for the kiddos.

— Shanee Edwards 14 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

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The emcee comedian Heather Pastornak, who tours with Jeff Garlin

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Gulp Playa Vista hosted the comedy show that will benefit Playa Vista Elementary

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Guests enjoying food, drink and laughs

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Four friends Vika Grey, Kerri Moszkiewicz, Krissy Thomas and Enrica Muniz enjoying the show

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Pastornak warming up the crowd for a night of comedy

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Comedian Joe Weber doing his set

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PLAYA VISTA MOMS GROUP HOLIDAY PARTY @ THE CENTERPOINTE CLUB On Dec. 15, the Playa Vista Moms Group held their annual holiday party at the Centerpointe Club. This year’s theme was “Up To Snow Good,” but given that we live in sunny SoCal, white balloons had to fill in for snow balls. The happy toddlers didn’t seem to mind. Kids got crafty while families posed for photos, donning reindeer antlers and Santa hats while rocking out to Christmas tunes. Delicious Mexican food was catered by Benny’s Tacos. While it may seem like the event was all about having fun, there was also a charity component. Playa Vista Moms Group President, Amanda Goldman, said they raised funds for the Hold You Foundation whose mission is to provide financial assistance to families in need who have a child facing a critical illness or injury. They raised over $1,600 to help two families, in addition to fulfilling the families’ wish lists with cribs, mattresses and sheets.

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16 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

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Emmalee “EMUHLEET” Garrido is team captain for her all-female eports team Dignitas

18 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

PEOPLE

BECOMING ESPORTS LEGENDS

Team captain EMUHLEET is driving her all-female esports team to make history STORY BY KELLIE CHUDZINSKI | PHOTOS BY ZSUZSI STEINER

T

ucked in with the large media companies that call Playa Vista home is esports team Dignitas, one of the best all-female teams in the world. Led by team captain Emmalee ‘EMUHLEET’ Garrido, the team has won five world championships in the last six years.

Most recently, the team won the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) female division world championship back to back in 2018 and 2019.

One win at a time, the team is breaking the glass ceiling in the world of esports and they are not done yet.

Esports is competitive video gaming, an industry that is expected to reach $1 billion this year. Tournaments meet around the globe giving winners sizeable cash prizes. Along with winnings players can make money from sponsorships, and live streaming on platforms such as Twitch.

In 2014, Garrido founded the team, then called Team Karma, recruiting players from Los Angeles and some around the country and world, to compete in the Electronic Sports World Cup in France.

With no financial sponsors, the team paid for their own tickets and expected to place dead last. Everyone was shocked when they finished second.

Three years after their first tournament Team Karma was signed by

EMUHLEET and her team won the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2018 and 2019

Dignitas, under the same umbrella as the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.

Today the team consists of Amanda ‘rain’ Smith, Carolyn ‘artStar’ Noquez, Kiara ‘milk’ Makua and Melisa ‘theia’ Mundorff.

With most esports tournaments being held abroad, being connected to established sports teams in the NBA and NHL, has given the team invaluable tips to stay healthy while traveling. Garrido said the 76ers health and science team has been helpful in teaching her teammates ways to recover from jetlag and better foods to eat for endurance.

In preparation for one of their big tournaments, the team convenes in L.A. for a week-long boot camp filled with

reviewing film of their plays and opponents, 10-hour days of practice, and workouts to remains strong and agile.

For Garrido, her coach David Garrido plays double duty. The two met at Team Karma’s first tournament in 2014 when he insisted on being their coach, a year later they fell in love and married in 2016.

“He just pushes us to the next level,” Emmalee Garrido said of her husband.

“When we’re practicing or at boot camp, he treats me as a player and not as his wife. I want to be pushed to the next level because I want to be a champion.”

(Continued on page 20) PLAYA PLAYAVISTA VISTADIRECT DIRECT| |FEBRUARY FEBRUARY··MARCH MARCH2020 2020 19 19

PEOPLE

(Continued from page 19)

And champions they are. The team’s 2018 and 2019 wins were at the Intel Extreme Masters held in Poland. For the team it validated their dedication to the game.

Studies have shown women and men to play video games at near-equal rates, however, women are still a minority in professional competitions. Garrido herself tries to be a role model for young players, especially girls, so she participates yearly in a gaming camp for girls eight to 16.

Though, similar to professional and high-profile gamers, the young girls Garrido mentors at the camp are already experiencing Oct/Nov the hateful side of the community.

Some girls come to her asking Dec/Jan how to handle the bullies.

Feb/Mar “I try to make them realize that anyApril/May body who’s in the spotlight is going to get picked on,” she said. “I told them, ‘Don’t give [bullies] a taste of their own medicine. Just get back into the game and then

play better, beat them. And that’s the best way to make them stop.’”

On a daily basis, Garrido prepares and leads her team’s practice five days a week, and like any captain, she reviews film and comes up with suggestions to improve their play. The team will soon have access to a brand new, state of the art facility, opening in Playa Vista.

The 5,500 square foot facility will be on Verizon’s campus in a partnership with Dignitas to become the west coast headquarters and training facility. The building will incorporate Verizon’s 5G network giving quick speeds to help the teams with their training.

Winning nearly one championship a year since the team began, Garrido has big plans for the future and wants to continue to break down walls in the industry, starting by making the list of top 10 teams in the world, which currently are all male.

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EMUHLEET mentors young female gamers and helps them deal with bullies

“I want us to eventually be able to be on that top 10 list,” she said. “And slowly but surely, mark my words, we will get there. We don’t want to be the best female team in the room. We want to be one of the best teams in the world.” ”

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Girl Scouts Troop 70935 are excited to sell you their famous cookies that include Tagalongs, Samoas and S’mores while helping the needy

22 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

PEOPLE

MEET PLAYA VISTA’S NEWEST GIRL SCOUT TROOP These Empowered Young Girls Do a Lot More Than Sell Cookies STORY BY ROBYN PARIS | PHOTOS BY ZSUZSI STEINER

L

oosen your wallets and open up a notch on your belt – it’s Girl Scout cookie season again. We all love indulging in our favorite Thin Mints, Do-si-dos or Tagalongs but most of us don’t see all the amazing activities and services Girls Scouts do throughout the year. For Playa Vista’s newest Girl Scouts Troop 70935, the area’s youngest residents are learning they can make a difference.

Troop 70935 is comprised of girls ages 5 to 8 from Playa Vista, and includes both Daisies and Brownies, the youngest of the Girl Scout age groups.

Troop member Eloise, age 7, says, “I like Girl Scouts because you get to help people. For Thanksgiving, we made a meal box for homeless people called Boxes of Love.”

Hailey, age 6, was proud that her troop “adopted a family [over the holidays] and gave them things like clothing and food.”

Charlotte, age 7, adds, “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to do Girl Scouts,” noting that “Helping people is what Girl Scouts is all about.”

While all the girls in Troop 70935 live in Playa Vista, most go to a wide variety of schools including Playa Vista Elementary, Westside Neighborhood School, Crossroads and Braddock Elementary. The troop is a great way to bring girls together who share a neighborhood but might not know one another otherwise.

Scouts play games like “Random Acts of Kindness Bingo” where the goal is to help people in need

Charlotte’s mom, troop leader Siobhan Spencer, explains she decided to become a leader because, “It was always a challenge to find ways for the girls to volunteer and give back to the community. We wanted to instill the idea of being a good citizen of the world.”

In addition to the Boxes of Love, cookie sales, camping trips and the adopt-a-family initiative, the troop turns helping others into a fun game through “Random Acts of Kindness Bingo.” The girls receive a bingo board with various tasks written in each square like, “Write a thank you card,” “Open the door for someone,” “Donate food” or “Plant something.” Girls cross them off as they complete the tasks and try to get five in a row. Says Eloise, “We do it because there are people who don’t have what they

need. It’s nice to do things like bring in your neighbor’s trash cans.”

Ivette laughs and explains that having Eloise bring in the neighbor’s trash was enlightening. Eloise made a phone call to the neighbor, then took her two brothers to help. For the first time, she was in a leadership position and managed the whole process on her own. “She felt independent while doing something nice. [It was] cool to see the steps she was taking without me.”

Troop leader Jennifer Chan added that as a result of Random Acts of Kindness Bingo, her daughter Olivia started putting a lot of energy into to helping around the house. “She was opening doors, putting grocery carts (Continued on page 24) PLAYA PLAYAVISTA VISTADIRECT DIRECT| |FEBRUARY FEBRUARY··MARCH MARCH2020 2020 23 23

(Continued from page 23)

Girls Scouts bookended with Troop Leaders: (left) Siobhan Spencer, Nazie Spantman, Jennifer Chan; (right) Ivette Osorio, Sally Yang Miller

Each year, proceeds from cookie sales subsidize troop activities and volunteer efforts. With cookie sales officially underway, at the last meeting, each girl within Troop 70935 set their individual cookie sale goals with a baseline of 60 boxes per Girl Scout. One had a

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goal of 100, another 400, but Charlotte set her personal goal at 2,000 boxes, explaining, “I’m a risk taker so I put 2,000 and I know we can do it.”

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away for other people in the parking lot.”

Siobhan explained that the point was to teach that you don’t need to earn a treat or reward for everything. “Finding self-fulfillment from doing good things is innate, it makes you feel good to do good.”

The goal of the Girl Scouts organization is to empower young girls. “Girl Scouts teaches our girls that they can be anything they want to be. They become little entrepreneurs,” says Jennifer.

While most of the troop’s leaders were not Girl Scouts themselves, Siobhan reflected, “Girl Scouts was always aspirational. I wanted to be that girl in the uniform.” Troop leaders add that from their perspective, Girl Scouts has evolved since the 1980s. “There are a ton of science and engineering-geared badges now, coding, and an increased emphasis on STEM curriculum,” Siobhan adds.

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Sue Lewak and Shish Aikat are proud of their work with the John Hughes Institute

26 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

PEOPLE

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF ENTERTAINMENT

The John Hughes Institute is helping visual effects professionals keep their edge STORY BY SHANEE EDWARDS | PHOTOS BY ZSUZSI STEINER

E

veryone loves watching movies.

They transport us to new places and emotional experiences using a skillful combination of art and science. When filmmakers incorporate visual special effects into movies, there’s literally no limit to the stories they can tell. Nobody understands this more than married couple Shish Aikat and Sue Lewak.

Aikat has a distinguished background in visual effects (VFX), having worked on dozens of films like, “Life of Pi,” “Captain America: Civil War” and “X-Men: Apocalypse.” Lewak holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from UCLA where she previously taught courses that included graphic fiction.

The couple moved to Playa Vista in 2009 when Aikat worked for the visual effects and animation studio Rhythm and Hues Studios that was located north of Jefferson on Jandy Place, where TOM’s Shoes is now.

Visual effects pioneer John Hughes, a co-founder of Rhythm and Hughes, next formed The John Hughes Institute, or JHI, with Aikat in 2014 to serve as an educational and training resource for universities as well as film production studios not just in Hollywood, but all over the world. Lewak currently serves as JHI’s Director of Programs and Development.

“The John Hughes Institute,” says Aikat, “is about the art and science of entertainment. We are about learning the

The John Hughes Institute Advisory Panel member Ken Roupenian, Shish Aikat, Advisory Panel member Daiush Derakhshani and Sue Lewak at The Lawn

code, living the art and also learning the science.” Aikat says the goal is to bring industry professionals who are working on Hollywood’s best practices into the classroom – whether that be in a brick and mortar school, or a virtual one.

“The wonderful thing about the John Hughes Institute,” says Lewak, “is that it’s at the cutting edge of rethinking the classroom. It’s very inspired by the Khan Academy and flipped classroom, hybrid experiences that are partly in-person and online.”

Because technology is always evolving, this type of learning platform is critical to filmmaking around the world.

Animation and visual effects studio, Tau Films, also co-founded by John Hughes in 2014, where Aikat serves as the Head of Global Learning, has production

arms in India, Malaysia, Canada and Beijing. When filmmakers need to be educated on the latest VFX techniques, JHI fills the niche.

“Having an educated workforce, an educated talent-base, is really important,” says Aikat. “We work in a creative and technology-based industry, but in the end it’s all about the people and what they bring to the table. Being able to tap into that potential workforce out there is essential to the future of the industry.”

Aikat became interested in VFX in the mid 1990s when he worked on the lot at Warner Bros. in their MIS (Management Information Systems) department. On his daily walks to the studio gym, he was inspired by watching live (Continued on page 30) PLAYA VISTA VISTA DIRECT DIRECT || FEBRUARY PLAYA FEBRUARY··MARCH MARCH2020 2020 27 27

PEOPLE

LOCAL COMPANY EDVO MAKES FORBES 30 UNDER 30 LIST At just 26, Shireen Jaffer is busting the paradigm of old-school job recruiting STORY BY SHANEE EDWARDS | PHOTOS COURTESY OF EDVO

Shireen Jaffer (third from right) wants to help you find a great job or the perfect hire

P

laya Vista resident and entrepreneur Shireen Jaffer, 26, started her first company when she was just 18-yearsold. Born in Pakistan, her family moved to the affluent suburb of Palo Alto, California, when she was a small child. “I had one other South Asian kid in my class whose name was also Shireen!” Says Jaffer with a laugh.

As immigrants new to America, the family struggled to make ends meet. Jaffer, her parents and brother all lived in a one-bedroom apartment. Her lifestyle was very different than that of most of her friends, considering that once, in middle school, she remembers walking into a friend’s house to see her friend’s father casually video chatting with Steve Jobs. That’s when a lightbulb went on.

“For me, it was very clear from a young age that my friends had summer camps they could go to, their parents had connections; they were going to be fine. My mom was working three jobs. I started working when I was 14, so I

28 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT || FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020 28 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

knew I’d have to find connections myself and work much harder to keep up.”

While attending USC, she founded Skillify, a company that worked with high schools to implement curriculum to help students with career readiness. More recently, however, Jaffer discovered that while those young people were better prepared for the workplace, they still face difficulty navigating the job market once they graduated college.

“They were coming back to me and saying, ‘Shireen, I have everything I’m supposed to have, a Linked-In, I network, I have calls into companies, but this job search process is still a nightmare!’” People told her that recruiters would ghost them, they often didn’t hear back from employers, or they would only get offers from companies whose values didn’t align with the applicants.

(Continued on page 39)

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(Continued from page 27)

Still from ‘Night at the Museum’ courtesy of 20th Century Fox

film shoots like “Batman” and “Backdraft.”

“I would often stop to stand and watch [the filming] because I thought filmmaking only had a creative part,” he says. “But I would see electricians, mechanical engineers – there were all these people from the technology aspect really having a huge bearing on the eventual product. I thought, ‘I’m a mechanical engineer and I’m always interested in art and storytelling. How do I make those things come together?’”

In his spare time, Aikat started taking a correspondence class Cartoonerama (yes, through snail-mail) with the late professor Leo Stoutsenberger in Maine. After that, he earned his MFA in Film, Video, and Computer Animation from USC’s film school.

“The rest is history – I can’t get out of it now, it’s a trap!”

He says with a laugh.

For Lewak, her interest in graphic storytelling started much earlier. She admits she was a secret comic book fan as a kid and often knows more details about the comic book characters depicted in the films Aikat works on.

“Comic books like “Fantastic Four,” “Avengers,” “X-Men” – that was my childhood!” Lewak says. “I had a brother who had all the comics so that’s how I found them. They had these great girl heroes.”

As a child, Lewak longed to see her female heroes in movies. “They didn’t exist or couldn’t be made unless they were 2D cartoons.”

Her love for these comic book heroes inspired her to include graphic fiction in her classes, which is just one step away from animation.

Both Aikat and Lewak hope to expand JHI’s global educational model beyond universities and film studios.

“Part of our long-term goal is to work with kindergarten through grade 12,” says Lewak.

Aikat agrees, “We hope to partner with an agency like the Khan Academy and give away [the lessons] for free, to have an entire sequence of tracks, get a MacArthur grant and teach people programming and computer graphics at the same time.”

For more info on the John Hughes Institute, visit jhughesinstitute.org.

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PA R E N T I N G

FINANCIALLY LITERATE KIDS Playa Vista resident and financial advisor Hatem Dhiab shares 6 pro tips for creating money-savvy kids

BY HATEM DHIAB | PHOTO COURTESY OF HATEM DHIAB

M

ost parents agree that raising kids is the toughest job you’ll ever learn to love. We know teaching our children life skills like emotional intelligence, healthy eating habits and showing kindness to others is crucial, but what are we teaching our kids about money? What real-world financial survival skills are we passing down? For most parents the answer is: not enough.

Just like charity, wise money habits begin at home. If you really want to raise savvy savers instead of spenders, here are some pro tips learned from my years of experience as a parent and financial professional.

1. Start young For some of us talking about money can be stressful, but if your kids aren’t engaged early on (as early as 5-years-old), they’ll have no sense of what things cost. They won’t grasp basic concepts such as budgeting, saving, and investing. It’s important to reinforce the idea that, when it comes to money, knowledge is power. Teach your kids how having a firm grip on their finances ensures independence. What kid doesn’t dream of doing whatever they want? If they start early enough and manage their money well, that’s exactly what can happen.

2. Teach restraint Spoiled kids aren’t well equipped to cope with the highs and lows of life. Teach kids from an early age that financial choices are ultimately about tradeoffs. How important is that thing you want? What are you willing to give up to get it? Even when it was ice cream, my parents made me choose between the things I wanted. I hated this exercise growing up, but now I understand that my parents

32 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT || FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020 32 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

Hatem Dhiab of Gerber Kawasaki

were teaching me to prioritize and decide what was most important to me, personally.

3. Working it Kids who are assigned chores or work part time to earn money typically value those earned dollars much more than gifted dollars. Earning builds a sense of pride and builds awareness about divvying up funds for savings versus spending. Let your kids pitch you ways for them to earn money. Something as simple as running a lemonade stand will teach them resourcefulness.

4. Save for big buys Whether it’s an Xbox or a car, bigger purchases should never emerge from an impulse. Teach your kids to plan and save for big ticket items. Create a savings plan instead of just giving them the money in a lump sum.

Lessons that teach patience and accountability will last way longer than the desired item.

5. Parlez-vous kid?

Read “The Little Red Hen” with your young children to introduce the concept of investing. The hero of the story “invests” time and effort in turning wheat into bread and ultimately reaps the benefits. When you take a child to a Disney movie, or buy a pair of Nike shoes, you can explain how they can own a piece of companies they know and love. Once they see their own money grow and compound, they will get hooked on investing.

6. Teach them about gratitude and generosity One of the best ways to lower anxiety levels about money is to focus on what you’re thankful for. Encourage your kids to use some of their own money to contribute to causes they care about and show them how you decide your own charitable donations. By cultivating gratitude and generosity in your kids, you’re teaching them that money is about so much more than getting, spending or holding onto it.

Hatem Dhiab is a Playa Vista resident and managing partner at Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management.

PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020 33

H E A LT H

HIGH TECH WORKOUTS

Troy Aguila of Spry Society shares his top 4 tech devices for fitness STORY BY SHANEE EDWARDS | PHOTO BY MARIA MARTIN

I

t’s a new year and a great time to hit refresh on your fitness routine. If you’re looking to try something new or shake things up a bit, accessible, affordable technology is here to help you out.

Wearable tech has grown more personalized as sensors are now more sophisticated. While there are endless gadgets, devices and smart phone apps, Troy Aguila, owner of Spry Society Academy of Fitness in Playa Vista, gives us an overview of his favorite tech assistants.

1. Whoop Strap “Whoop is one of the coolest wearable devices that’s come out in a long time,” says Aguila. “It doesn’t track steps but it gives you tons of data.” Whoop measures your HRV, or heart rate variability, to track the variance in time between your heart beats which is an important marker of your physical stress level. This data can not only help you train, but recover and sleep better.

Whoop also has the ability to measure a person’s “strain” or “How much you have left in your tank,” says Aguila. “In college football, pretty much all the teams play on Saturdays so they usually hit practice really hard on Monday and taper it off as they get closer to Saturday’s game.” To know exactly how much to taper off the intensity of training before Saturday, they review the player’s strain level, which is what Aguila does with his fitness clients.

“I basically have my own team in the gym.” He says people are also using data from Whoop to help predict

34 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

Troy Aguila, owner of Spry Society, says tech assistants are helping guide workouts

and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. “It tracks your sleep and tells you how many hours of REM you got because there’s correlations between that and physical activity, which are two of the top five things that combat Alzheimer’s.”

2. Health App on iPhone Aguila says the Health app on your iPhone is a close second to Whoop. “It’s good because I can look at different measurements from different clients just because they have iPhones. They can also log things as far as food and meals.”

3. Continuous Glucose Monitor Another big wearable Aguila’s clients are interested in is a continuous glucose monitor – even if they’re not diabetic. “People are really dialing into how their bodies are reacting to things they consume. If people have a bagel or a sugary Starbucks, he says, “they’re off to the races. You just started on the Magic Mountain rollercoaster of glucose.” He says he’s recently had about 20 people ask about glucose monitors. “It’s the next wave of data markers, people are really biohacking information about their bodies.

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4. Peloton Stationary Bike Aguila says people are really into the Peloton bike. “People just love it. You can join classes where you’re in live with your instructor or they have them pre-recorded. The only negative I’ve heard is that most of the live classes are on the East Coast and they’re super early.” If you don’t want to purchase the pricy bike, there’s a workaround. “I have friends who have downloaded the app service and run the classes via an iPad and just do it on their bike with the trainer you can put your road bike.” The “trainer” is a triangular device you can affix to your real bike to use it like a stationary bike.

Whoop Strap requires a $30 monthly subscription

PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020 35

FOOD

Pho is a delicious Vietnamese hot soup perfect for a cold, winter’s day

Chef Minh brings decades of experience to his unique recipes

Pho served up by a labor of love Westchester’s Most Valuable Playa creates the popular soup with no MSG STORY BY KELLIE CHUDZINSKI | PHOTOS BY MVP

Inside Most Valuable Playa diners will find an open 15-seat stone bar, plenty of tables and a room filled with natural light. Tucked on a menu varied with Taiwaneseinspired shareable dishes are two different pho soups.

36 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020

On the surface, pho – pronounced fuh not foh – is a simple Vietnamese soup of rice noodles and broth paired with tender meat and herbs. Though the people of Vietnam have likely been eating something similar to pho for

centuries, the modern form of this soup became popular at the turn of the 20th century. At sunup and sundown vendors would hang a hot pot of stock on a bamboo pole over their shoulders, with fixings for the soup hanging from the other end of

The Chicken Pho has poached, organic chicken, rice noodles, garlic, cilantro, and spring onions in a chicken bone broth

the pole. Though pho is considered a street food staple, the soup being served up at Westchester’s MVP is anything but ordinary, combining hours of work, decades of experience, and quality ingredients.

Pho ‘Da Lat’ Style, named in honor of creator Chef Minh’s upbringing in Southern Vietnam’s Dalat, pairs thin cut, tender and exquisite rib-eye with a hefty portion of rice noodles, topped with bean sprouts, spring onions, cilantro, and sliced red peppers. Though the heart of this dish lays in the “labor of love” broth.

Owner Eric Ong pushed Minh, who has been in kitchens for over 40 years, to depart from using MSG, the flavor enhancer typically used in traditional pho, and to avoid shortcuts, he said, restaurants often fall back on.

“I chose to challenge him, let’s

Pho ‘Da Lat’ style has thin-cut ribeye, rice noodles, bean sprouts, spring onions, cilantro and sliced red peppers

make our broth a lot different,” Ong said.

The two who have worked together for eight years, landed on using veal bone broth, which is simmered for 18 hours to create a thick and rich stock for their soup.

“No one is doing that at the moment,” Ong added.

Perfect for those who don’t favor a spicy meal, the mild dish is versatile, taking on the flavor of spices or sauces added to it, as it is paired with sides of spicy sriracha and a sweet tanged hoisin sauce.

The restaurant also added Chicken Pho, with poached organic chicken, rice noodles, crushed garlic, cilantro and spring onions in a chicken bone broth.

In recent years, along with the rise of ramen restaurants, pho has also gained popularity. The single dish provides loads of flavor and

completely satisfies hunger and an urge for comfort.

Ong attributed the current popularity of pho to being a perfect combination of light and heart, while his collaborator Minh called it a “healthy balance” filled with flavor.

“Both [ramen and pho] are equally hardy, rich and delicious,” Ong said. “I think pho is just more of a lighter version of comfort.”

Ong also owns Humble Potato, the restaurant that used to occupy the MVP space and he wants the community to know it’s the same team still serving up Asian fusion but with different flare. The team behind MVP continues to offer mouthwatering dishes, and a welcoming hangout for the small community and visitors.

(Continued on page 38 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020 37

EVENTS Tues. Feb. 18

How to Read Palms Curious about the future of your friends and family? Come learn how to read palms, an ancient form of fortune telling, at the Playa Vista Public Library. Ages 11-18 welcome. Playa Vista Library, 6400 Playa Vista Dr. 4 p.m. Free. Visit lapl.org for more info.

Sat. Feb. 22

Princess Tea Party sponsored by non-profit Gayle Cronin Foundation.

This fantasy experience includes tea, finger sandwiches, photo booth, a singalong performance with the princesses, and a swag bag with tiara and wand.

Tickets are $55 per person. 12 to 2 p.m.

The Resort, 12852 W. Runway Road.

Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.com.

Thurs. March 19

John Carreyrou, author of “Bad Blood” speaks at LMU Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner John Carreyrou will be at Loyola Marymount University’s Playa Vista Campus for a discussion of his New York Times bestselling book, “Bad Blood,” the story of multibillion-dollar biotech startup Theranos, founded by Elizabeth Holmes in 2014. 5:30 to 7 p.m.

LMU Playa Vista Campus, 12105 West Waterfront Drive, Ste. #200. Free, but must RSVP on Eventbrite.com.

Betsabeé Romero’s ‘Caravan’ at LMU’s Laband Art Gallery non-profits, and culture for inspiring talks, and immersive masterclasses and workshops, which show you how to make a real impact in the world. Fee: $349, includes lunch and snacks. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at TOMS HQ, 5404 Jandy Place, 90066.

Register on Eventbrite.com.

Sat. March 21

Sat. March 14

7th Annual Playa Vista Invitational Chess Tournament USCF RATED Section: 3 rounds, round robin format, G/30 and non-rated

FOOD

sections. Sponsored by Playa Vista Library, Playa Vista Optimists, and Ben Eubanks. Playa Vista Library, 6400 Playa Vista Dr. 12:30 to 4 p.m. Register on Eventbrite.com.

Good is the New Cool at TOMS shoes This new kind of gathering brings together a warm, inclusive community of allies from the worlds of brands,

(Continued from page 37)

While the rare cool winter days of Los Angeles may have diners dropping their iced coffees and opting for a portion of warm comfort food, the traditional Asian dish is perfect regardless of the weather.

MVP plans to bring the soups back into rotation seasonally, though once they are gone there is still a range of delectable items from the Lu Rou Fan’s slow-braised pork belly to the seven-ounce burgers that are sure to please.

Pho is just one of the many offerings on MVP’s versatile menu that has wine by the glass and beer on tap

38 PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY FEBRUARY··MARCH MARCH2020 2020

Art Gallery presents “Caravan,” a collaborative art installation by Mexican artist Betsabeé Romero that focuses on human migration. Tues. through Sat. Laband Art Gallery is at Burns Fine Arts Center, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Free. Visit LMU. edu for more info.

Now through March 28

Mexican artist Betsabeé Romero at LMU’s Laband Art Gallery Loyola Marymount University’s Laband

Have an event coming up in or around Playa Vista? Send details to shanee@playavistadirect.com.

PEOPLE

(Continued from page 28)

Seeing these challenges inspired her and her partners, husband Raaid Hossain, 29, and Daniel Fischer, 29, to create Edvo, a company that guides applicants through the hiring process and connects businesses with the best candidates.

“We essentially dug deeper into why this problem exists,” says Jaffer, “and realized, that for 100 years in this recruiting industry, everything has been about helping companies hire. But no one out there is helping the average candidate by understanding who they are, what kind of lifestyle they want to live, what type of skills and experiences they have and then matching them to opportunities that fit all of those things and helping them through the process. That’s what Edvo does.”

The founders of Edvo recently made the 2020 Forbes 30 under 30: Education list.

When Jaffer isn’t brainstorming new companies, she focuses on creating social events right here in Playa Vista to help create community, something she’s very passionate about. She can also be seen around town playing with her dog Lyla, an eight-year-old chihuahua-terrier mix.

For more info on Edvo, or to find your business’s perfect hire, visit Edvo.com. It’s free.

Edvo cofounders Raaid Hossain, Shireen Jaffer and Daniel Fischer named in Forbes 30 Under 30

Raaid Hossain, Dmitriy Konopatskiy, Darlene Dang, Cynthia Orduña, Sarah Vanover, Shireen Jaffer and Moiz Ali work out of WeWork in Playa Vista

PLAYA VISTA DIRECT | FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020 39

When Only the VERY BEST Will Do Trust Your Eyes to Assil Eye Institute

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ABOUT DR. AVNEET K. SODHI GAUR • Local resident of Playa Vista with her husband and two boys

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