Westchester/Playa HomeTown News April 2022

westchester

•

playa del rey

p l a y a v i s t a • m a r i n a d e l re y

April 2022

Community Builder Playa del Rey's Valeria Velasco gets honored for decades of service to Westchester/Playa ...page 14

Save the date for these spring events...page 16

W E N

G N I

T S I

L

4365 Alla Road, #3, Marina del Rey ~ $998,500

Located on the street with direct access to the private courtyard, this two bedroom plus family room property is a great opportunity for a Marina del Rey buyer. This tri-level townhome has been well maintained: Updated copper plumbing, Tankless water heater, Upgraded forced air heat and AC. Close to theatres, shops, grocery stores, boating, dining and freeway access...The Marina lifestyle doesn't get much better than this! Competitively priced at $998,500.

D L O

S

10775 Flaxton Ave., Culver City

Lower Culver Crest 1575 sq. ft. traditional home offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and lovely rear family room with brick fireplace. The traditional floorplan has an open living room/dining area with hardwood floors, and lots of windows for natural light. The adjoining kitchen has six burner Viking professional range/hood, KitchenAid double oven and a separate laundry area.

SOLD in Multiple Offers For $1,850,000

Spring Well-Being

into

Make your reservations now for Spring Into Well Being May 19, 2022 6:00pm in the NEW Drollinger Outdoor Amphitheatre at LMU. Join Fritz Coleman and the Airport Marina Counseling Center in honoring Community Leader, Val Velasco Call 310-641-1410 attention: Bill Morgan or Eden Garcia Balis

JANE ST. JOHN CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES A PORTION OF EVERY COMMISSION JANE EARNS IS DONATED TO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES IN HER CLIENT’S HONOR.

ST. JOHN & VANDERVORT

(310) 567-5971

JANEANDCARLI@GMAIL.COM

Lic# 00998927 Page 2 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

This Month Brings You

help you prom help you prom nization or even l a c o L p Sho nization orin 20even 22!

A look inside your HTN

Teams sought for Westchester Challenge Traveling back in time with the Historical Society 5 Questions With...Valeria Velasco Save the date for these spring events In Pictures: DRALL Opening Day

04 10 14 16 30

HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis, Publisher

Jeff Blair, Contributing Writer Fay Craton, Contributing Writer

Lydia Smith, Contributing Writer Consuelo Israelson, Contributing Writer

Front page: Airport Commissioner, Valeria Velasco, poses at Toes Beach in Playa del Rey.

About The HomeTown News (HTN)

The HomeTown News is a monthly community newspaper dedicated to providing information about the people, events and happenings of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista. Look for the HomeTown News the first Thursday of the month at your home or at one of our drop-off locations.

Connect with the HTN:

Mailing Address: 8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110 #745 Westchester, CA 90045 • Email: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com • Website: thehtn.com • Facebook: facebook.com/thehtn • Instagram: instagram.com/thehometownnews The deadline for submissions is the 22nd of each month.

act us for rates and act us for rates and hesterhometo Now, more than ever, Westchester retailers and service providers need your help. Slammed by the pandemic, our small businesses need

hesterhometo your help to survive. Please make “Shop Local” your

mantra for 2022 – it’s not just a slogan, it helps keep the businesses we love and the families they support alive!

us on Faceboo to-date with news and us on Faceboo Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 3

Photos courtesy WTC.

Members of the Westchester Elks Lodge run across the field during a particularly fun challenge.

Community spotlight: Westchester Team Challenge combines friendly competition and community spirit

Westchester resident Amy Frelinger loves to get people moving, whether it’s by working as a Realtor to help people find their dream homes or inspiring her friends and family to dust off their tennis shoes to get some exercise.

Looking for a way to combine her passion for the Westchester community and fitness, Frelinger teamed up with Grant Francis to create the Westchester Team Challenge (WTC). After a successful inaugural year in 2019, the Westchester High School alums planned to make this an annual community tradition, but the pandemic put a pause on the festivities.

Frelinger is happy to share that the WTC is back on this year, and she’s excited to see people come together to celebrate Westchester, meet new friends and enjoy a morning of friendly competition.

“This event was conceived in the style of a good, old-fashioned day of community fun and team building,” said Frelinger. “The goal is to share some delightful moments, create a reason to gather and move ourselves physically and emotionally. After all we’ve collectively gone through over the past two years with the

Page 4 • April 2022

A little bit of teamwork helps get a team across the finish line at the 2019 WTC.

pandemic, I think we all need activities that not only bond us, but also help sharpen our team working skills!”

Frelinger is encouraging wouldbe participants to create a team with a clever name and sign up 10 people (all ages and fitness levels encouraged)—whether it’s friends, neighbors or fellow members of a social club. During the inaugural event, teams represented closeknit blocks, local businesses and membership organizations like the

Westchester Elks Lodge.

Once the teams head to LMU’s Drollinger Field on Saturday, August 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., they’ll battle it out by playing games like bocce ball, corn hole, football toss and running in a three-legged race.

“Expect lots of high fives, laughing and enthusiasm if you’re joining us this year,” said Frelinger. “The camaraderie on the field is really something special.”

The cost to participate is $300 per team ($30 per person) and everyone

will receive a T-shirt. The winning teams will receive prizes, a trophy and their pictures published in the HomeTown News. Sponsorships and prize donations are also being sought by organizers.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Westchester Streetscape Improvement Association (WSIA), which is responsible for the beautification efforts along Sepulveda Boulevard.

“Who doesn’t love a good challenge? Especially when it’s fun and can raise awareness for a good cause like beautification in our neighborhood,” said Frelinger.

“We appreciate the hard work of WSIA for enhancing the major thoroughfares of our community.

Driving up and down Sepulveda you can see all the improvements they have made with the sidewalks, which used to be broken and a safety hazard, and the beautiful landscaping. When people work together, great things can get accomplished.”

Register your team and learn more at westchestercateamchallenge.com.

Check out our picks for other upcoming events on page 16!

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Help older adults live independently and remain active in their communities by volunteering with Westside Pacific Villages (WPV).

ERRANDS

YARD WORK

SOCIAL SUPPORT

TECH SUPPORT

HOUSE CHORES

DRIVING AS NEEDED

WPV is a volunteer driven organization!

Volunteer drivers get reimbursed for miles driven!

Whether you are employed, retired, or a student, less than 30 minutes a week can make a big difference in the life of an older person in your community.

We are seeking volunteers of all ages and talents. WPV will work with you to create a flexible schedule that fits with your lifestyle. Call us today and join our large group of volunteers!

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 5

Business & Nonprofit News

TheHTN.com

Calling all Fourth of July Parade participants, sponsors and volunteers!

On Monday, July 4 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the LAX Coastal Chamber will present the 22nd Annual Fourth of July Parade. The event committee is now accepting applications to participate in this year’s event and is looking for interactive floats/entries to celebrate the nation’s birthday.

The 2022 parade theme is “Yours for a Better Community: Celebrating the Best of America.”

The committee selected this theme to commemorate the 100th birthday of Howard Drollinger. An entrepreneur and philanthropist with a passion for supporting his community and seeing it grow and thrive, he would sign all of his letters with, “Yours for a better Westchester.” During his time as president of Drollinger Properties, Howard would follow in his mother Ella’s footsteps to build Westchester’s largest property management firm.

“Howard always saw the greatness and the potential of his community and country, and we’re playing off his signature sign-off to inspire our participants to do the same,” said LAX Coastal President/CEO Chad Meander. “Whether the participants want to look locally, or think nationally, we’re excited to see what different organizations come up with to highlight the best of our community and country.”

Drollinger’s daughter, Karen Page 6 • April 2022

Photo by Zsuzsi Steiner.

Westchester’s latest mural “Into the Blue” was unveiled on March 21 on the newly constructed LAX Police facility located on the northeast corner of Westchester Parkway and Loyola Blvd.

The mural is an impressive 105-feet wide by 10-feet high and was created by Los Angeles artist Francisco Letelier in collaboration with Marybeth Fama. The artwork features a variety of colorful scenes that highlight the rich history of the area. Prominent imagery in the painting includes indigenous Kizh-Gabrieleño people; a vaquero, or Mexican cowboy, to symbolize the Machado family who established the neighborhood’s early boundaries as Rancho La Ballona; and historical and present-day travelers. Throughout the mural, viewers will also see a variety of flora and fauna including the El Segundo Blue Butterfly, native birds and Coastal Buckwheat.

The Westchester Farmers’ Market hosts Spring Fest.

Visit the Westchester Farmers’ Market on Sunday, April 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a spring-themed special event.

Do all your shopping and then enjoy family-friendly activities like all-day kids’ crafts, planting demos, an interactive Easter mural and live music courtesy of The Praties.

At 11 a.m., there will be a special visit from the Easter Bunny and an egg hunt, followed by story time with The Book Jewel at 11:30 a.m.

The Westchester Farmers’ Market is located at 6200 W. 87th Street in Westchester. The market will be closed on Sunday, April 17 for Easter Sunday.

Nominate your favorite local businesses.

The 2022 Fourth of July Parade theme is “Yours for a Better Community: Celebrating the Best of The HomeTown News will launch America.” its 11th Annual Best Of Readers’ remain L.A.’s only independent radio Poll next month and is inviting Dial, who is President of Drollinger station.

Properties, will serve as the event’s the community to send in their The station has been broadcasting grand marshal. recommendations for categories and at 88.9 FM from the blufftops since For more information about nominations for its 2022 poll.

1957 and plays an eclectic mix participating in the parade, Email your suggestions to of music on a variety of shows, sponsoring or volunteering, please westchesterhometown@yahoo. including Part Time Punks, She email laxcoastalonparade@gmail. com with the subject line “Best Of” com. Applications to have an entry in Rocks! and Alma del Barrio. nominee.

The station has set a goal of raising the parade are due by May 13.

Voting for the annual list will start $100,000 by April 9 and donors can next month at thehtn.com with receive a variety of KXLU swag for LMU’s independent radio results revealed in August. their pledges including hoodies, tote station, KXLU, hosts annual The HTN launched the bags and beach towels. “fundrazor.” community’s first Best Of list to Visit kxlu.com to check out the It’s fundrazor time! Loyola recognize the area’s top businesses, station’s schedule and to donate.

Marymount’s KXLU is hosting its restaurants and organizations. annual campaign to raise money to (continued on next page) Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

A homeowner’s net worth is 40x greater than a renter’s.

(Recent data from the Federal Reserve)

For a $25 donation, the Friends of Ballona Wetlands will plant a native plant in the wetlands and snap a picture with a customized sign.

Adopt a plant for Earth Day. April is Earth Month, and the Friends of Ballona Wetlands are celebrating with a variety of activities and fundraisers.

For a $25 donation to the nonprofit this month, staff and volunteers will pick a native plant from their nursery. Visit ballonafriends.org/earth-month to sponsor the plant and create a customized message. Volunteers will then plant the seedling and snap a picture with your personalized sign!

For a $50 donation, volunteers will plant an Arroyo Willow cutting.

The fast-growing plant is a popular source of food and shelter for insects, which helps attract a variety of birds to the area.

In addition to helping beautify the wetlands with more native plants, donors are also helping support animals and insects that call the area home.

All the money raised will go towards restoring the wetlands, bringing students to the nature preserve and advocating for environmental policies.

Head to Burton Chace Park for Marina Culture Jam. The Department of Beaches and Harbors and the Music Center are hosting their first-ever Marina Culture Jam starting this month.

The three-part event will feature live performances, arts and crafts, cultural learning activities and more.

The event line-up includes: • Inca, The Peruvian Ensemble on Sunday, April 10 at 11:30 a.m.

• The Alley Cats on Sunday, April 10 at 1:30 p.m.

• Ballet Folclorico Do Brasil on Sunday, May 15 at 11:30 a.m.

• Pacifico Dance Company on Sunday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m.

• Taikoproject on Sunday, June 12 at 11:30 a.m.

• Diavolo on Sunday, June 12 at 1:30 p.m.

Marina Culture Jam will take place at Burton Chace Park, located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. Learn more and RSVP at beaches. lacounty.gov/marinaculturejam.

Have info to share about your business or nonprofit? Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.

Give me a call and let’s make a plan to fire up your net worth.

Amy Nelson Frelinger Realtor® | DRE# 01484711 M 310.951.0416 O 424.281.7603

amy.frelinger@elliman.com

Robert Milligan, Partner Business, Intellectual Property and Employment Counseling & Litigation (310) 201-1579 rmilligan@seyfarth.com

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 7

538 AVENUE A APT 11, REDONDO BEACH, CA 90277

7510 MCCONNELL AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045

Wake up and see the Pacific Ocean from the privacy of your own

Situated on a quiet stretch in North Kentwood, this traditional

home! With only one partially shared wall, this private corner unit is located on the top floor with incredible views from inside the condo along with its own balcony.

SOLD AT $865,000

four bedroom with additional office boasts a newly updated kitchen and large private yard perfect for entertaining. The

grand entrance with vaulted ceilings is a fitting welcome to this must-see, sophisticated home.

SOLD AT $2,325,000

7267 W 91ST STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045

7947 WESTLAWN AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045

Completely remodeled contemporary home in West Westchester.

Must see traditional family home on a large lot in North Kentwood

Move right in to this impeccably designed 3 bedroom/3 bath house, with bright and open floor plan and exceptional attention to detail.

neighborhood! Set back and nestled among lush greenery, the front sitting porch sets the tone with a cheerful welcome.

IN ESCROW | $1,825,000

IN ESCROW | $1,750,000

Robin Zacha

REALTOR®| BRE# 01263946

310.293.3043 rzacha@aol.com www.zachahomes.com Page 8 • April 2022

6605 W. 80th Street, Westchester, CA 90045 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

ABOUT US

Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet and Gifted Magnet provides students with an inspiring, challenging and engaging environment that creates opportunities for research and exploration through project-based learning.

Orville Wright Middle School STEAM & Gifted Magnet 6550 W 80th St., Los Angeles, CA 90045 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 9

Traveling back in time through Westchester/Playa

By Cozette Vergari

For the regular passengers in our time-travel machine, which has taken us all the way back to 65,000 BCE and forward from there up to the 1930s in our last travels exploring the Westchester/Playa geographic footprint, we are jumping back on board. Our time-travel machine is stopping in 1942, where we see women who have been pole-vaulted into what had been a predominantly male workforce due to the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. These women are stepping up to fill the jobs that have been left behind by the men who have enlisted in our military to defend and protect our country.

We are traveling back to capture what was happening on December 7, 1941 in our local community. The machine has mistakenly stopped on December 6, 1941. We see Fred Marlow and Fritz Burns supervising the final pouring of foundations for homes they are building near the intersection of La Tijera Boulevard and Manchester Avenue. These homes are being constructed as affordable housing and will only be sold to those working in the defense industry. In anticipation of being pulled into the European Theatre of World War II, workers are rapidly being hired

by Northrop, Douglas and Hughes Aircraft Companies, among others.

This day of December 6, 1941, has become identified as the birth of Westchester, ironically just one day before the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. We see other developers join in the massive explosion of homes being built throughout the 1940s.

We can see that La Tijera Boulevard is a main thoroughfare from mid-Los Angeles for visitors traveling into our area. One such visitor, Ella Drollinger, widow and mother of two sons, can be seen driving into the area to explore the budding neighborhood around Mines Field, which is just a dirt air landing strip surrounded by bean fields. Just 20 years after women received the right to vote, real estate developer Drollinger, which is not the usual vocation for a woman at that time, is deciding whether to take a chance on the community. She decides

Page 10 • April 2022

Top photo: An aerial view of Sepulveda Blvd. looking south circa 1949. Notice the Loyola Theater, Thrifty’s and Milliron’s which are featured in the photo. Courtesy the WPHS. Bottom photo: Vergari poses in front of the artwork on display for the “Celebrating Women” exhibit.

in favor. Purchasing the real property, she decides to fund the construction of the first commercial buildings in Westchester. As we move forward in time, we witness from the southeast corner of La Tijera and Sepulveda Boulevards, the completion of what is to house the first three stores serving these new homeowners: Thrifty Drug Store, Quigley Department Store and Jim Dandy Supermarket.

Our next stop is October 3, 1946

for the Grand Opening of the Loyola Theatre, as a part of the Fox West Coast Theatre chain. We witness the floodlight focusing on the beautiful swan neck tower, stunningly rising nearly 60-feet above the theatre’s glorious marquee. We now know that in 1982 the theatre was declared a cultural and historic monument and the façade remains an iconic symbol of the history of the local film industry.

We travel forward to January 12, 1949,

where we attend another grand opening of the La Tijera Theatre on the southeast side of the intersection of La Tijera Boulevard and Centinela Avenue. We are among a crowd of 1,530 people seated in the auditorium, as beautiful and ornate as the interior of the Loyola Theatre.

Traveling forward just a couple of months, we stop for a daytime grand opening of the $3 million department store Milliron’s, designed

by Gruen Associates and located at the northwest corner of La Tijera and Sepulveda Boulevards. We know today it is considered by architectural historians as a prototype for the modern self-contained retail malls.

Gruen tells us of the economic advantages of a low sprawling building with parking, an auditorium, a restaurant and retail shops located atop the building. The façade of the building, we note, carefully hides the parked cars atop the building. We also notice the display windows at ground level are angled for the benefit of traffic traveling along Sepulveda.

Our next view from our time-travel machine is looking down from the Westchester bluffs to witness the construction of the hangar in 1943.

Here Howard Hughes, who has been contracted by the military to build the Hughes H-4 Hercules, is building a prototype strategic airlift flying boat to transport troops over the Atlantic during WW II. Moving forward a couple of years, we hear the aircraft is commonly and controversially referred to as the Spruce Goose, which is the nickname being used by critics.

The war ends before the H-4 Hercules is completed. It is being built entirely from laminated spruce and birch, the largest flying boat ever to be built, with the largest wingspan of any aircraft ever flown. We move ahead to 1947, to Long Beach, where the aircraft has traveled from Jefferson Boulevard across the main thoroughfares of Los Angeles. Hughes is surprising his critics and flies the plane over the Long Beach harbor for approximately one mile, at 70-feet above the water.

It will be learned later that, in fact, the H-4 Hercules could have accomplished what it had been designed to do, based (continued on next page)

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

(continued from previous page) on a study conducted by Wrexham Glyndwr University in 2013-14.

Right about this same time, in 1947, we see the formation of the Westchester Woman’s Club, with a mission to fundraise to support community improvement. They have formed almost a decade after the birth of the Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey in 1938.

The Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey is currently sponsoring the “Celebrating Women” exhibit at the Westchester/Playa Historical Society (WPHS) Discovery Center.

The club serves the Playa del Rey, Silicon Beach and surrounding communities by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service and philanthropy. Their determination, conviction and drive to follow the ideal that “sometimes all it takes to change the world is a little support” continues to make an impact on our local region to this day.

The ”Celebrating Women” exhibit features three renowned local artists, JoAnn Cowans, Gail Grover and Mary Leighton Thomson, who have captured the history of our local community in their exquisite works of art. Additionally, the exhibit highlights the contributions of Rowena Ake, Mary Ellen Cassman, Mary Lou Crocket, Ella Drollinger, Ruth Landsford and Shirley Pfeil during the first half

of our 101 years. Recognition will also be given to our contemporary pioneers Karen Dial, Christina Davis, Lisa Schwab, Valeria Velasco and Maxine Waters.

The exhibit is open Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and runs through May 15. The music video “Put a Woman In Charge,” will be presented at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon all Sundays from April 17 through May 8.

Our next exhibit, “Commemorating Veterans,” sponsored by Richard Moon & Associates opens May 29.

We will be honoring veterans who have resided in our community and have served our country in the military. Please submit your veteran’s name, photo, years of service and branch of service to info@wphistoricalsociety.org no later than May 1st to be included.

Also, please visit our website at wphistoricalsociety.org.

The Discovery Center is located in the Westchester Triangle at 6207 W. 87th Street in Westchester.

Cozette is an attorney and lifelong resident of Westchester. She is the President of the Westchester/Playa Historical Society. Together with a group of dedicated volunteers, the organization is working on creating new programming and events to celebrate the history of the area and engage the community in preserving it for future generations.

All are welcome!

Join us in Person or via Zoom: Palm Sunday April 10 at 10:30am Maundy Thursday April 14 at 7pm Concert & Communion with Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater Good Friday April 15 at 12pm Self Guided Stations of the Cross Easter Sunday April 17 at 10:30am

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 11

Our mission missionisistotobuild buildthe the cleanest, safest,most mostinnovative innovative cleanest, safest, energy company energy companyininAmerica.

America.

With oceans, and forests, Southern With oceans,mountains, mountains,deserts deserts and forests, Southern California shows beauty every dayday andand reminds California showsus usnature’s nature’s beauty every reminds us of our responsibility to protect it. us of our responsibility to protect it.

For Earth Day, and every day. We’ve committed to achieving

For Earth Day, and every day. We’ve committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations and net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations and delivery of energy by 2045. delivery of energy by 2045.

Learn more at socalgas.com/community

Learn more at socalgas.com/community © 2022 Southern California Gas Company. All copyright and trademark rights reserved. N22D048A 0322

© 2022 Southern California Gas Company. All copyright and trademark rights reserved. N22D048A 0322

Page 12 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

NOW ENROLLING St. Anastasia Catholic Schol 8631 Stanmoor Dr Los Angeles, CA 90045 (310) 645-8816 https://school.st-anastasia.org/

Grades Jr. K- 8 Join our Panther family!

A community committed to growing in faith and vision for achieving our greatest potential.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 13

Valeria Velasco grew up immersed in beach culture and would head every weekend from Whittier to the coastline with her family to enjoy the water, watch her brothers surf and do a little skateboarding. So it’s no surprise that when it came time to purchase a home, she and her husband, Frank, fell in love with the sleepy little beach town of Playa del Rey and moved here in 1988. While living in Playa del Rey was a dream, the sound of waves crashing was quickly being overtaken by the constant barrage of airplane noise, to the point she couldn’t even have a conversation in her backyard.

As an attorney who had read LAX’s Environmental Impact Report before she moved to Playa, she was eager to get answers from the airport on the cause of the increased noise in the neighborhood. She was surprised at how quickly she got a meeting with airport staff, and when they rolled out hundreds of pages of blueprints detailing plans to expand the airport into the Westchester/Playa community, she was shocked. After being asked for her help in getting the community on board with the proposal, she walked out the door and got to work doing the opposite.

No stranger to advocating for what she believes in, she started calling everyone she knew and knocking on doors to make sure another airport expansion was stopped.

Joining forces with other community activists, she co-founded ARSAC (Alliance for a Regional Solution to Airport Congestion), became a member of the Westchester Rotary and volunteered her time as a founding member of the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa.

“

“THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOVE ABOUT PLAYA DEL REY. LIVING AT THE BEACH IS SO FANTASTIC. BEING ABLE TO SEE THE WATER AND SAND EVERY DAY AND TAKE IN ALL THE POSITIVE IONS FROM THE OCEAN HELPS ME FEEL BETTER. AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, IT’S STILL A FUNKY SEASIDE TOWN, THAT HASN’T HAD A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT, WITH

When Antonio Villaraigosa ran for mayor of Los Angeles in 2005, Velasco asked him to sign ARSAC’s pledge to not allow the airport to expand its footprint into the neighborhood. When he was elected, she was quick to email a list of qualified people she recommended to serve on LAX’s Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) who could represent local residents. Seeing her passion for advocating on behalf of her neighbors and her knowledge of airport issues, he appointed Velasco instead.

GREAT, DIVERSE PEOPLE.”

This September will mark her 17th year serving as Vice President of BOAC, which makes her the longest-serving airport commissioner in LAX history.

“When I reflect back, what I am most proud of is our community for standing up to the airport and keeping it from expanding its footprint into Playa del Rey and Westchester,” said Velasco. “The airport was a different organization back then than it is now. It is now a more open organization, that is open to good communication and input from the community. As a commissioner, I’m really proud of our modernization efforts, creating a better passenger experience, the beautiful facilities and the transportation system we are putting in place.”

After decades of service to the community and fighting airport expansion, Velasco will be honored at the Airport Marina Counseling Service’s Spring Gala on May 19 (read more on page 28). During the event at LMU’s new outdoor Drollinger Stage, she will be presented with the Community Builder Award. Thanks in part to her efforts, when she accepts the award and gives her speech, the audience will only hear her voice, not airport noise.

We recently chatted with her and asked her to share her thoughts on the community, so here is “5 Questions With...Valeria!”

1 2

If you’re looking for the perfect evening out, where are you going?

3 4

What is your favorite neighborhood tip or trick?

5

What do you tell people that are new to the area about Playa del Rey?

I really love dining al fresco at restaurants in Playa del Rey. One of the few silver linings of the pandemic was that all of our local restaurants opened up outdoor dining. Frank and I loved going to Moe’s, Cantalini’s and Caffe Pinguini, sitting outside, enjoying the local fare and the people-watching while supporting our PDR small businesses. It’s really special being able to sit outside in the evening at the beach.

What’s something the neighborhood needs more of and something it needs less of?

We need more of preserving the seaside culture and small-town atmosphere of Playa del Rey. And because of the times we are living in, we need more mental health services and job placement services. We also need truly affordable housing that would be part of the community and blend with the community where people could live with pride and be a part of this wonderful place. On the flip side, what we don’t need more of is gentrification/mansionization of houses.

My favorite neighborhood tip: support our local businesses! One of the best secrets is the Ocean Cafe & Grill at Dockweiler Beach. The owners, Kirk and DJ, are so welcoming, and cook and serve the food themselves. The restaurant is right on the beach with unobstructed ocean views. The other tip I always share is that you can find great gifts and flowers at Felicia’s on Culver Blvd. in “downtown” Playa del Rey.

What’s one local spot you couldn’t live without?

I love the beach here in Playa del Rey and know we are so fortunate to live here. Mild weather winters—okay, 56 degrees is cold for us native Californians–and heavenly summers. The wetlands are another one of our environmental gems right here in our own backyard. The wetlands north of Culver Blvd. and west of Jefferson are fantastic for walking tours and learning about the ecological environment. The wetlands along Jefferson right now are not great for the public, but I have faith and hope for the future that the unhoused people staying there will find a more permanent solution for a better place to live.

Welcome to Playa del Rey–a truly wonderful community to live in! There are lots of great local restaurants and businesses. Residents are great neighbors; we look out for each other and know each other. The population is diverse economically, ethnically, architecturally and socially, making it a really interesting place to live. It’s one of the last small beach towns in L.A., and we have a rich history and surf culture starting as far back to about 1921. Enjoy the beach!

Page 14 • April 2022

Cool Fact

Cool Fact

Velasco is an Estate Planning Attorney with an office on Manchester.

She’s fluent in Spanish, was a bilingual teacher for five years and served as Hispanic Liaison to two politicians.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Photo by Zsuzsi Steiner.

5 QUESTIONS WITH...

VALeria Velasco ROBIN ZACHA

A Younger home gets noticed.

In 2021, our listings attracted over 3 million digital views - generating more than 500 offers from qualified buyers. Connect with us to build a marketing strategy for your home.

stephanieyounger.com

$2.1B+

1,826

800+

TOTAL SALES

TRANSACTIONS

PERFECT REVIEWS

Lifetime sales volume

Lifetime transactions

Verified 5-star online reviews

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 15

Spring Events and Activities Save the date for these fun festivities...

Sixth Annual Migration Celebration The Friends of Ballona Wetlands are bringing their Migration Celebration back this year for an in-person extravaganza of all things feathered.

Attend the family-friendly event on Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ballona Discovery Park (13110 Bluff Creek Drive in Playa Vista) for a day filled with games, food trucks, crafts, music, plant sales, a science lab and more!

Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet and learn about a variety of birds, hawks and other raptors at the celebration. Make sure to save time for a photo with these fascinating creatures while you hear about their habitat and how you can support the Ballona Wetlands. Learn more at ballonafriends.org.

Egg Hunt at Westchester Park

Visit on Saturday, April 16 for the park’s annual Egg Hunt featuring jumpers, games, treat bags, prizes and more. Preregister at laparks.org/reccenter/westchester to join in on the fun for $3 (day of event is $5). And don’t forget to bring your own basket! The egg hunts kick off at 11 a.m. for those 2to 3-years-old; at noon for those 4 to 6; 12:45 p.m. for ages 7 to 9; and 1:30 p.m. for kids 10 to 12.

Get growing tips at the Emerson Ave. Garden If your goal this spring is to work on your green thumb, make sure to check out the monthly programming at Westchester’s popular community garden. The volunteers at the Emerson Avenue Community Garden (EACG) host a variety of events each month open to the public from seed swaps to workshops.

Join them on Saturday, April 9 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. to get the scoop on all things composting. Attendees will learn about the basics and the do’s and don’ts when it comes to the helpful process of building healthy soils. The workshop will be led by EACG president and master gardener, Michael Calzada. The EACG is located at Emerson Ave. at 80th Pl. in Westchester. Visit eacgc.org for more info.

67th Rotary Book Sale

Student Exhibition at Otis College

Looking to add to your home library?

Make sure to save the date for the Westchester Rotary’s 67th Annual Book Sale scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, May 27 through May 30.

The sale, which features thousands of books on every possible subject at prices that start at $1, supports the club’s service projects that impact the Westchester/Playa area and beyond.

The sale is held in the Ralphs shopping center, located at 8824 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester.

If you’d like to donate books for the sale, a drop-off bin is available at the Westchester Family YMCA at 8015 S. Sepulveda Blvd.

For more information, visit rotary-westchester.com.

Page 16 • April 2022

Prepare to be wowed by talented students at Otis College of Art & Design. The community is invited to attend the art school’s Annual Exhibition where guests will have the opportunity to visit the different floors of the iconic IBM building to view graduating student work in fine art, graphic design, toy design, fashion and more.

RSVP for the Friday, May 13 event at otis.edu. Prepare to be inspired and perhaps pick up some art for your budding collection!

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Photo courtesy Otis.

From sports clinics and kids piano classes to spring camps and more, the Westchester Park Recreation Center has a robust schedule of events and classes scheduled over the next few months.

ASWT ōƩ źŰĨ źŀ ƶňĨ

TOP RANKED CONSUMER ADVOCATE LAW FIRMS IN LOS ANGELES ƾơ ŀōơŮ ňýŰġťĨƩ ƞĨơƩźŰýť ōŰşƾơǡۛ ĨŮƞťźǡŮĨŰƶۛ Ěýơ ýŰġ ƶơƾĚŢ ýĚĚōġĨŰƶۛ ƩĨǠƾýť ýęƾƩĨ ýŰġ ňýơýƩƩŮĨŰƶۛ ƞơźġƾĚƶ ťōýęōťōƶǡۛ ĨťġĨơ ýęƾƩĨ ýŰġ ŮƾĚň ŮźơĨۡ

SERVICE AWARDS

ßźťƾŰƶĨĨơ źŀ ƶňĨ æĨýơ ‫ ۺ‬àĨƩƶĚňĨƩƶĨơ FýŮōťǡ ær źŀ hźƩ ŰŁĨťĨƩ źŮŮƾŰōƶǡ ®ĨơǚōĚĨ Ǜýơġ ‫ ۺ‬h å źýƩƶýť ơĨý ňýŮęĨơ źŀ źŮŮĨơĚĨ

LEGAL AWARDS

h æ Ǜýơġ ۲ ýťōŀźơŰōý hýǛǡĨơ źŀ ƶňĨ æĨýơ۳ ‫ ۺ‬ 'ýōťǡ dźƾơŰýť ۲‫ٴٴٲٴ‬۳ ¼ơōýť hýǛǡĨơ źŀ ƶňĨ æĨýơ ‫ ۺ‬۲‫ٳٴٲٴ‬۳ ýťōŀźơŰōý ¼źƞ ‫ ٲٵ‬£ťýōŰƶōŀŀ hýǛǡĨơƩ ‫' ۺ‬ýōťǡ dźƾơŰýť ۲‫ٳٴٲٴ۽ٺٳٲٴ‬۳

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Our firm's attorneys have been highlighted as trial lawyers of the year throughout the state, Top 35 Plaintiff Attorneys in California, Top 100 Attorneys in California, and many of our attorneys are recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers

źŰƩƾŮĨơ ƶƶźơŰĨǡƩ źŀ ýťōŀźơŰōý ۲ ۳ۚ £ơĨƩōġĨŰƶ ۲‫ٻٳٲٴ‬۳ źŰƩƾŮĨơ ƶƶźơŰĨǡƩ ƩƩźĚōýƶōźŰ źŀ hźƩ ŰŁĨťĨƩ ۲ h ۳ۚ £ơĨƩōġĨŰƶ ۲‫ٺٳٲٴ‬۳

H EL P AYS O R E G I O N 7 A N D T H E Y O UTH FOUNDATI ON

REFRESH

NIELSEN

April 10, 9am-1pm

Campaign Goal: $85,000 Help us refresh Nielsen Park to make it a better and safer athletic field for our 3,000 young athletes that play soccer, softball, and baseball at the field annually. With your generous support, we will begin Phase 1 this summer by levelling and resodding the entire west field.

Donate or become a sponsor today!

Scan QR code to donate.

Or contact refreshnielsen@gmail.com

Levels of GIving: Supporter: $1 – $999 Silver Sponsor: $1,000 – $1,999

ALL DAY KIDS CRAFTS, PLANTING

11 AM EASTER BUNNY &

DEMOS, INTERACTIVE EASTER MURAL,

EGG HUNT FOLLOWED BY

LIVE MUSIC

A 11:30 STORYTIME WITH THE BOOK JEWEL

(IRISH FOLK BAND, THE PRATIES!)

Chee r s y 'al l we can't wai t to catch y ou for our Spr i ng Fes t, pl eas e note w e wi l l be cl os ed for E as ter Sund ay !

Logo or name on our League Sponsor Banner for 2022-23 season

Gold Sponsor: $2,000 – $5,000

Follow us on social media for updates.

Your own 3 x 6 ft Sponsor Banner for 2022/23 season

westchesterfarmersmarket

Title Sponsor: $25,000

Naming Rights for Nielsen West Field

@westchesterfarmersmarket

I N W E S TC H ES TER 'S D0 W N T0 WN TR IA N G LE S U N D AYS 9 A M- 1 PM × 6 2 0 0 W 8 7 th S tre e t

AYSO Region 7 is a 501(c)(3) and all donations are tax deductible

w ww.west chester far mersmk t.com

Thank you Sponsors!

Thank you to our market sponsors for all their community support!

The Kissick Family The Zurbrugg Family Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 17

Eighth grader Estella E. from Westchester Lutheran and Julio S., a fourth grader from Goethe, were first place winners in their age range for the LAX Coastal Education Foundation’s Second Annual Art Show & Competition.

Winners announced for Second Annual Art Show & Competition.

The LAX Coastal Education Foundation announced the winners of its Second Annual Art Show & Competition on April 1. The fundraiser, which featured 115 pieces of art created

by K-12 students with the theme, “My Favorite Thing About My School,” raised more than $20,000. The money will go back to schools via grants for arts programs. The artwork was displayed in the Westchester Triangle at The Book Jewel, Ayara Thai Restaurant, Tanner’s Sewing and Vacuums and Covered by More.

All of the students who participated in the competition will receive ribbons, while the first place students in each category have won a $100 prize and an art class at Otis School of Art and Design; second place students have won $75, and third place winners have received $50.

Congratulations to this year’s winners: Kindergarten to Second Grades: • First Place: Violet Z., 2nd grade at WISH Charter • Second Place: Will Z., 1st grade at Westchester Lutheran • Third Place: Juliana M., 2nd grade at WISH Charter Third to Fifth Grades: • First Place: Julio S., 4th grade at Goethe Charter • Second Place: Tionni S., 4th grade at Loyola Village • Third Place: Neryah N., 3rd grade at Cowan Sixth to Eighth Grades: • First Place: Estella E., 8th grade at Westchester Lutheran • Second Place: Amy M., 6th grade at Wright STEAM Magnet • Third Place: Whitney Z., 6th grade at Visitation Page 18 • April 2022

seen in space?”; “Do you stargaze?” and “How do you exercise in zero gravity?” Marshburn explained that the most unusual thing he had seen in space was a shooting star, which he saw flash across the sky below him, instead of above him like on Earth.

When asked about stargazing, he shared that due to his busy schedule of experiments, chores and time spent exercising, there’s not a lot of time to look into space. He described stargazing on the space station as similar to what you might see if you’re outside of a big city and look into the sky, except that stars don’t twinkle in space.

During the watch party on campus, more than 400 students and community members tuned in. Wright also invited students from Kentwood Elementary School’s Robotics Club to participate in the excitement.

Learn more about Wright including upcoming tours and events at wrightms.org.

Outstanding Teachers of the Year to be honored at Eddy Awards dinner.

The LAX Coastal Chamber will host Wright STEAM students interview its 39th annual celebration to honor astronaut on space station. local teachers at a May 16 gala held at Wright Middle School STEAM the Hilton Airport Hotel. This year’s & Gifted Magnet students got the opportunity of a lifetime when they had theme is “Teachers Make Magic.”

At the event, more than 20 local their science questions answered by a educators will be recognized with NASA astronaut on the International Outstanding Teacher of the Year Space Station on March 21. awards.

A Friend of Education award The school applied for the will also be presented. Entertainment, opportunity to participate in the Q&A over a year ago, and students sent their dinner and prizes for honorees round out the event. pre-recorded questions to astronaut Tickets are $75 and can be Tom Marshburn who answered some of them live while more than 254 miles purchased at laxcoastal.com.

Have something to share from Earth. about your school? Email us at Students asked questions like “What westchesterhometown@yahoo.com. is the most unusual thing you’ve

NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn answers a question from Wright student, Nadir, live from the International Space Station.

Ninth to 12th Grades: • First Place: Desy G., 10th grade at WISH Academy High School • Second Place: Margaret G., 11th grade at St. Bernard High School • Third Place: Kayla S., 12th grade at St. Bernard High School The Art Show & Competiton was sponsored by The Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation, the Hannon Foundation, Stephanie Younger Group, Sarlo Income Tax, SoCalGas, Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary, Westchester Rotary, HomeTown News, JANEFF, Otis College and Truxton’s American Bistro.

Learn more about the Ed Foundation at laxcef.org.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

LAUSD moves into spring with new protocols, projects

By Nick Melvoin, LAUSD Board Member

After more than two years of an unprecedented crisis in our schools and communities, the Los Angeles Unified School District is turning a corner toward a sense of normalcy for our kids and families. As your elected LAUSD Board Member, I’m happy to provide an update on the district’s COVID recovery efforts and shifting protocols, our new Superintendent, and upcoming projects to enhance learning opportunities in the Westchester/Playa communities.

Beginning in March, in accordance with new state and county public health guidance, the masking requirement has been lifted in LAUSD school facilities. We will still continue to provide masks for anyone who needs one. The district’s firstrate safety protocols—including our comprehensive testing operation, state-of-the-art ventilation upgrades, and additional sanitizing practices— have made it possible to successfully keep 100 percent of schools open throughout this entire school year, even during the Omicron and Delta surges. We will continue to monitor health conditions and adapt our protocols to keep kids safely in the classroom while aligning with public health guidance.

We also welcomed our new

Nick Melvoin visits a classroom at Playa del Rey’s Paseo Del Rey Elementary School. The school will add a Spanish Dual Language program in the fall.

Superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, who came to Los Angeles from Miami with a long-tenured record of success, deep knowledge of the education system, and personal journey as an immigrant and English learner who overcame homelessness.

His ambitious 100-Day Plan focuses on listening to the needs of our communities, accelerating academic progress and putting students at the center of our decisions. He has already gotten to work supporting students academically and socioemotionally as we continue to prioritize their recovery from the toll

of the past two years.

I will continue advocating for more resources and opportunities to help our school communities flourish, locally and across the district. To aid in students’ recovery, we have invested in more arts and music programming, enrichment opportunities, tutoring services and mental health resources across all of our schools. We are also working to expand early learning opportunities with the reopening of the Kentwood Early Education Center, increase green space with educational campus gardens at Cowan Elementary and

Paseo Del Rey Elementary, and open more schools as community parks, including an upcoming pilot at Open Magnet Charter Elementary in partnership with the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa. We are actively upgrading our learning environments, with several campus projects in the works at Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet, Westport Heights Elementary, Playa Vista Elementary, Wright Middle School, and more, as well as a new Spanish Dual Language program beginning at Paseo Del Rey Elementary this fall.

This crisis has laid bare the inequities so many Americans are facing—including the failures in our public education system that predated the pandemic. As we continue to navigate our path to recovery, I’m committed to doing better than simply returning to normal in our schools. We got through one of the darkest periods in recent history, and now we have an opportunity to build a brighter future for our kids.

You can always find more information on my website at boardmembermelvoin.com and by following @nickmelvoinBD4 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Nick Melvoin is a former LAUSD teacher who has served on the Board of Education since July 2017. Follow him on social media at @nickmelvoin.

visitation SCHOOL By the numbers

244 TOTAL STUDENTS 14:1 STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO TEST SCORES Top 30% MEDIAN MATHEMATICS & READING ACTIVITIES 28+ STUDENT (clubs, organizations, sports)

575

TOTAL YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE ON FACULTY

100%

GRADUATES ACCEPTED TO HIGH SCHOOL OF FIRST CHOICE

UPDATED WITH ADVANCED 100% CLASSROOMS PPE AND AIR FILTRATION SYSTEMS

SAVE THE DATE for a fun community event!

MAY 20 LIVE BAND| FOOD TRUCKS | BAR

JOIN US FOR THIS OUTDOOR EVENING CONCERT IN THE PARKing lot

visitation CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Join the Visitation family and give your child the gift of academic excellence in a supportive community! Schedule a tour today! JK - 8th Grade www.visitationschool.org | 8740 Emerson Avenue, Westchester | 310.645.6620

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 19

WISH continues to thrive due to the incredible support of the Westchester community, strong parent partnerships, and a commitment to high-quality meaningful and engaging public education for all students by our amazing team of educators! be valued and understood be held to high expectations experience exciting & engaging curriculum receive a chromebook have the opportunity to join a sports team participate in exceptional art, music, technology & PE instructional experiences have high quality SEL, STEM, & GATE instruction receive hands-on project based learning benefit from university & business partnerships take rigorous High School pathway courses in Engineering, BioMedical Science, Social Justice & Performing Arts

Page 20 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

For more information about this All-Family Event contact the Westchester Family YMCA! 8015 Sepulveda Blvd. | 310.670.4316 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 21

Random Notes/Opinion

TheHTN.com

Bone health is an important part of fitness

By Jeff Blair

are most likely to break due to low bone density. Many people do not even know their bone is getting weaker until Opinion: In spite of approximately they experience a break.

54 million Americans having low While cycling and swimming are bone density, bone density is an often great for cardiovascular health, they misunderstood health issue. When people think of bones, they might think usually will not improve bone health because they do not place adequate of a skeleton hanging in the doctor’s stress on bone tissue. Brisk walking office, but it is not widely known that might improve bone density in the bone tissue is dynamic, much like hip and femoral neck areas but not muscle tissue. Bone tissue can get at the lumbar spine. More intense stronger or weaker depending on a variety of factors, including exercise cardiovascular activities like running and skipping can improve bone health, and nutrition. Smoking and excessive but many people are not able to alcohol intake can negatively impact bone health. As is sometimes said, perform these due to joint limitations or simply because they do not enjoy bone is alive! those activities.

While some loss of bone is very For these reasons, the best bone normal with age, excessive loss can health exercise for most people lead to a variety of health problems (especially those over 50) is strength including fractures. Many women training. Bones respond to strength experience a dramatic loss of bone training in much the same way muscles after 50 years old. One in two women do. As appropriate level stress is will break a bone during their lifetime consistently applied, bones respond by due to osteoporosis. This equals more progressively getting stronger. Strength than the combined number of women training allows adequate stress to be who suffer a heart attack or stroke. placed on the bones to keep them While all bone is important, the most strong without enduring the difficulty crucial areas for bone health are the wrist, lumbar spine (low back), hips of running or skipping. Strength and femur (thigh bone). These bones training is usually extremely safe if

done properly. If you are not sure how to perform strength training, seek out instruction from a qualified exercise professional.

Full body strength training can improve bone health at the most vulnerable bone sites. Exercises like deadlifts load the lumbar spine, femur and hip bones. Squats work in a similar way. Almost all strength training exercises can improve wrist bone health since the stress of holding the weights is directed into the wrist. Bicep curls are an example of an exercise that loads the bones of the wrist. As you perform strength training for your back, chest and other major muscle groups, the bones that support those areas can also be strengthened as you perform the exercises.

Aim for eight to 12 repetitions per strength training exercise for two to three sets per exercise. The weight should be challenging but not impossible to complete all repetitions.

Rest 30-60 seconds after each set.

Strength training sessions can start once per week but should increase to twice or three times per week to maximize benefits. Consistent workouts should be the goal. Rather

than trying to do everything in 30 days, give yourself a longer time period to see results.

I recommend starting with a weight that you can easily lift. Focus on doing the exercises correctly before you load more weight. Over time, increase the weights and your muscles and bones will increase in strength as well. As weights increase and muscles get stronger, the extra weight lifted puts stress on the bones that can help maintain bone health.

Always see your doctor before starting a strength-training program.

This is especially true for those who might have osteopenia or osteoporosis.

If you have osteoporosis, your doctor might send you to a physical therapist before you begin your strength training program. After therapy ends, your doctor can make appropriate recommendations for the next steps to achieve healthier bones.

Jeff Blair (M.S., CSCS) is celebrating twenty years as a Certified Personal Trainer this year. He is a fitness author and founder of the SoCalSport & Fitness Personal Training Studio in Westchester. You can reach him jeff@ socalsport.com.

AIRPORT MARINA COUNSELING SERVICE MEN’S SUPPORT GROUP

Wednesdays | 6:30 - 8pm Wednesdays | 6:30 - 8pm Mark atat ext.

246 Mark ext.

246 via Zoom • $15/session Via Zoom • $15/session

To join us for one of these educational therapy groups please call 310.670.1410

WOMEN’S PROCESS GROUP Wednesdays | 5:30 - 7pm Wednesdays | 5:30 - 7pm Morgan at ext. 179 & Stephanie at ext. 216 Morgan at ext. 179 & Stephanie at ext. 216 via Zoom • $15/session Via Zoom • $15/session

PARENTING CLASS (COURT-APPROVED) Tuesdays | 7:00 - 8:30pm Tuesdays | 7:00 - 8:30pm Maya ext.

150150 Mayaatat ext. via Zoom • $95 for 10 sessions

Via Zoom • $95 for 10 sessions

EMERGING ADULTS: NAVIGATING YOUR 20s Thursdays | 5:00 - 6:30pm Thursdays | 5:00 - 6:30pm Mark at ext. 246 & Stephanie at ext. 216 Mark at ext. 246 & Stephanie at ext. 216 via Zoom • $15/session via Zoom • $15/session

Embrace your family and friends during these spring observances.

May your holidays be happy, healthy and safe!

LGBTQIA PROCESS GROUP Mondays | 5 - 6:30pm Mondays | 5 - 6:30 pm Morgan at ext. 179 & Daniel at ext. 137 Morgan at ext. 179 & Daniel at ext. 137 via Zoom • $15/session via Zoom • $15/session

from Karen From KarenDial Dial and the entire Drollinger Team and the entire DrollingerProperties Properties Team

GROUP FACILITATORS SUPERVISED BY Brittany Dean, LMFT. # 113749 Brittany Dean, LMFT. #113749 Stefani Roscoe, LCSW, CGP CGP #60100 Stefani Roscoe, LCSW, #60100

KarenDial Dial Karen President/CEO President/CEO Drollinger Properties

Drollinger Properties

7891 La Tijera Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90045 310.670.1410 www.AMCShelps.com

WWW.AMCSHELPS.COM Page 22 • April 2022

P

R

O

P

310.417.8048 310.417.8048 www.drollingerproperties.com www.drollingerproperties.com

E

R

T

I

E

S

8929 Boulevard, #130 #130 8929 S. S. Sepulveda Sepulveda Boulevard, Westchester, CA 90045 Westchester, CA 90045

w w w. D ro l l i n g e r P ro p e r t i e s. c o m Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Satisfying life experiences

By Fay Craton

Opinion: Springtime is here! This year, springtime for me feels like a breath of fresh air. An opportunity to release a wintery hibernation created by more than just the change in seasons, but also by years of feeling tired and stressed as a result of quarantines, change and upheaval. During this long-haul of dormancy, for some people significant relationships have deepened, while for others they have become frayed.

The emergence of something fresh after hibernation is a very important aspect of feeling healthy and whole.

During hibernation, your thoughts become cleaned up and organized, both figuratively and actually. Research has found that when you are sleeping, cells (called microglia) will clean up your brain, sweep out dead cells, remove redundant synapses, repair damage and other biological stuff to keep your nervous system and brain functioning healthily with reduced inflammation and degeneration. If you do not get enough sleep, the microglia become damaged– harming your brain instead of cleaning it up.

As we emerge from winter or an even longer period of dormancy, we may do so from a place of much higher clarity and readiness than at the start of hibernation. The time might have felt stagnant, but it was a time of gaining new perspectives, new insights about what is important, and preparation for action to move toward what we desire to experience.

As we move into this new season, what new insights do you have? Take some time to reflect upon this question.

It is important to take your new insights from your internal being and move them outside of you. Recording them on paper is one way to move them into the world. If you are good at working with clay, create a figurine representing your insight. Write down your thoughts in a journal. Make a picture collage about your new ideas. Another possible way to reflect on your insights is to discuss them with a good, trusted friend or with a therapist.

As a result of the new insights, did you focus on something in your life that you do not currently experience? This is a point where it is easy to fall into a trap and you can go down different paths.

One path is to complain about what you currently have in your life, which devalues its worth. Going this route will ultimately destroy what you now have.

Another path is to carefully assess what you have in your life. Define what makes what you have now good. Then, consider what new experiences you want. Is your current life compatible with what you want? At this point, stop.

You may be stepping into another trap.

Take a breath and review again what

makes what you have now good. How would you feel if you lost what you have now? If it is not compatible, consider why it is not compatible. In thinking about your insight, is it possible to reframe what you now desire? Consider again what you wish to have in life.

Good questions to ask are: • Is what you want not compatible because you have very narrowly defined what your experience must look like? In taking your new insight into consideration, can what you desire be defined in a different way?

• Are you demanding that people close to you must change to fully accommodate you, without you taking into consideration the needs of people you are committed to and love?

Healthy relationships are not onesided. Satisfying lives have within them compromises.

• Are you going down an addictive path? Addictions include more than substances. Sometimes people chase excitement or risk in the same way substances are misused. Addictions destroy healthy long-term relationships.

• Are you not willing to experience any discomfort in order for people you love to have an experience they desire?

Being uncomfortable occasionally is not the end of the world. Sometimes accommodation is necessary to build meaningful relationships.

• Do you need to expand or redefine what you desire in order for you to grow while deepening your already existing relationships? Sometimes goals can be very rigid and prohibit healthy relationships with others. In reviewing your insight, is there another way you can define your desire which will make it more compatible with being in a relationship with another healthy person?

Life is not always perfect. Long-term relationships take work and effort. It is about sharing and commitment through good and bad times. High-quality communication and authentically sharing your feelings are a must if you wish to grow while maintaining a marriage, good relationships with children, and with other family members and close friends.

My wish is for you to experience well-being through satisfying life experiences while simultaneously deepening your meaningful relationships. One of many different ways to accomplish this is to utilize natural life rhythms such as hibernation and the new growth of springtime. I hope you, too, are experiencing this springtime as a breath of fresh air.

Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011), which is the psychology license specializing in relationships (with ourselves or with others). She provides video-based counseling and is located in Westchester. If you have any questions, please contact Fay at (310) 645-6762.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

END OPPRESSION

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF KENTWOOD

Elevate Energy Increase Strength Feel Better 30 day money back guarantee

April 2022 • Page 23

Ten essential techniques for the non-diet approach

By Sheri Weitz, RDN, CDCES Contributing Columnist

his eating! He used to finish a meal in five minutes, and now uses the TV to extend his meal to 24 minutes. He only eats during the commercials!

2. Eat food for your soul. Junk food in moderation can be good for your soul. I’ll never forget going out and buying M&Ms for a patient at the Rader Institute for Eating Disorders.

This patient with bulimia needed to experience eating her favorite junk food without bingeing or purging. As mentioned in my last article, one of my patients lost 100 pounds eating a candy bar every day! The message here is to eat the food you really want. Getting a modest amount of a food you crave makes it easier to portion control your other meals and snacks. It also helps to avoid the trap of eating a bunch of things until you finally get satisfaction with what you’re craving.

3. Try not to skip lunch. If you must skip lunch, then at least eat a balanced snack before dinner which contains some protein and fat. Good options include a piece of cheese and a small apple, or one-fourth cup of raw almonds and half of a banana.

4. Get in touch with your hunger.

Opinion: When it comes to diets, they just don’t work. The short and skinny: food plans lead to yo-yo dieting, which can make you gain more weight than you lost in the first place (weight cycling). This can harm your health more so than just maintaining a higher weight. Dieting can also take a psychological toll. When diets fail, dieters often feel shame and demoralized. Binge eating or other eating disorders can sometimes develop as well.

We also know diets don’t work because as soon as you restrict yourself, your top craveable foods become top of mind! But if diets don’t work, what does? After decades of counseling patients who have tried and failed to lose weight, here are my top 10 non-diet tricks: 1. Try radio eating. Instead of watching TV, videos on your phone or reading, listen to music while you eat. Reading or watching TV can make it difficult to notice when you’re satisfied. Getting the most mileage out of each bite requires mindfulness.

Music enhances digestion and keeps you from feeling too It’s time to... bored without distracting you into mindless overconsumption.

Exception: I just met with a patient who uses the TV to pace

Many of us don’t know if we’re actually hungry or not! We ignore our hunger, or we eat when we’re not hungry.

Before you head to the kitchen, rate your hunger from 1-4; 1 is starving and 4 is barely hungry.

5. Get in touch with your fullness.

Many of my patients associate being satisfied with being stuffed. Imagine your stomach is a Ziploc bag. Is it stuffed full? Did you ignore the little “click” that said you were satisfied when your stomach was 2/3 full?

Give your fullness a number between six and 10. Six is barely starting to be satisfied, and 10 is uncomfortably stuffed. Five is neutral–neither hungry nor full. You might not know your goal number, but checking in is therapeutic and will get you there eventually.

6. Be a “chew chew train.” Try and chew each bite 25 times. Yes, you read this correctly! It’s a great technique for slowing down your eating pace. So much of our digestion takes place in the mouth.

7. Strive for balance and feeling good. Are you tired an hour after finishing your meal or snack or energized? How do you feel after

several days of balanced (not perfect) eating? Feel the difference between eating balanced meals with mostly whole foods versus eating the majority of your meals made up of processed foods high in salt, fat and sugar. Again, one small treat every day can still be a part of a healthy lifestyle. It’s about balance, not perfection! Use the plate method to balance your meals, and don’t be afraid to have some fat with your meals to promote satisfaction.

8. It’s OK to not eat all your food.

Many people were raised to finish their food. Wasting food is a guilt-inducing practice for many, but if you’re full, don’t feel compelled to keep going.

9. Tune into your likes and dislikes.

If you don’t love something, don’t eat it. If you love something, savor it with your full attention.

10. Movement is medicine. Move your body every day at the level you feel comfortable, whether it’s gentle yoga, a slow walk or running a marathon.

Sheri Weitz, RDN, CDE is a Registered Dietitian and functional nutritionist with a private practice in Westchester.

April 3, 10:00 am

April 10, 10:00 am

April 14, 7:00 pm

April 17, 10:00 am *A light brunch following the service*

7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Westchester, Ca 90045 (310) 670-5422 • www.WLCS.org westchesterlutheranchurchandschool

Page 24 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Admissions Inquiries: 1030 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA | stmonicachs.org |310-394-3701

flyLAXairport

Transforming the Travel Experience.

From hi-tech modernized terminals with biometric gates for faster boarding, to smart parking and a people mover train, exciting changes are arriving daily.

World-class is here.

flyLAX.com/transformingLAX

Learn More.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 25

CELEBRATE PASSOVER & RAMADAN

PASSIONATE VOICES POETRY READINGS & OPEN MICS

EASTER CARDS & GIFTS LIVE AUTHOR READINGS VISIT PAIGES THE BOOKSTORE CAT

NEW & GENTLY USED BOOKS

LOCAL ARTISANAL GIFTS

Page 26 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Congratulations Class of 2022!

LMU commencement ceremonies will return to the Westchester campus to celebrate our students’ achievements.

Fri., May 6 sat., May 7 sUn., May 8 sUn., May 15

CoMMenCeMent Mass UndergradUate CereMony gradUate CereMony Law sChooL CereMony

6 p.M. 11 a.M. 10 a.M. noon

There will be increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the neighborhood, particularly on May 7.

Next LMU Neighborhood Advisory Committee meeting

May 25 | 6:30 p.m. on Zoom Register for the meeting at https://community.lmu.edu/masterplan/nac/meeting/ You can call into the meeting at 669.900.6833.

Meeting ID: 893 3876 7864 community.lmu.edu 310.338.2759 community@lmu.edu

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 27

THANK YOU to our sponsors

Spring Well-Being

DIAMOND SPONSORS:

into

celebration

RUBY SPONSORS: chester Ment es t al W

PMS 581C

JANE ST. JOHN He

alth Guild

Fritz Coleman GOLD SPONSORS: Cedars-Sinai Delta Airlines Judy and Daniel Dews Janie Guthrie Skjervem and Mark Skjervem Inn at Playa del Rey Kaiser Permanente Larry Plotkin and Diane Barretti Julie Porter Southwest Airlines

2022 COMMUNITY BUILDER Valeria Velasco Vice President Board of Airport Commissioners, Los Angeles World Airports

MASTER OF CEREMONIES NBC4 Weathercaster Fritz Coleman

Thursday, May 19, 2022

|

6:00pm

Drollinger Amphitheater @ LMU Join Janie Guthrie Skjervem, Event Chair and Airport Marina Counseling Service as we honor Valeria Velasco, Vice President, Board of Airport Commissioners, Los Angeles World Airports, as the 2022 Community Builder

Beer & Wine Reception

6:00PM

Dinner

7:00PM

SILVER SPONSORS: AvAirPros Burns Engineering Concourse Ventures, Inc. William H. Hannon Foundation The HomeTown News International City Bank The Luboviski Family Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Erika Puzik & Associates, Ameriprise Financial Rotary Club of Westchester Law Office of Edgar Saenz United Airlines BRONZE SPONSORS: Suzette and Ed Barden Cantalini’s Salerno Beach Mary Ellen Cassman Dan Cohen LINX Constructors Loyola Marymount University Linda Peterson and Gene White Jill and Terry Marcellus PSM2 Quigley and Miron Ramey Law, PC Regatta Capital Group, LLC Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking John and Judy Theuer Union Bank

For information regarding sponsorship opportunities please contact Bill Morgan at bmorgan@amcshelps.com

Page 28 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

the

BUSINESSES You

LOVE It’s never been more important to share your local favorites, and we need your help in selecting our 2022 Best Of honorees!

Join us in making this our biggest poll yet!

Help us celebrate the eateries, businesses, places, and organizations that make our community special!

2022

VOTING LAUNCHES NEXT MONTH AT THEHTN.COM

Email us your nominees and who you'd like to see on this year's poll at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 29

DRALL OPENING DAY MARCH 12 | AMERICAN FIELD

The Del Rey American Little League (DRALL) kicked-off its 2022 spring season with Opening Day Ceremonies on Saturday, March 12. For nearly 70 years, the baseball league has served Westchester and Playa del Rey and is comprised of boys and girls ages 5 to 12.

This year, the league is almost back to its pre-pandemic numbers with 25 teams and close to 300 players.

During opening day, Westchester’s American Field was filled with Little Leaguers and their families eager to play ball and participate in the festivities. Families were treated to a pancake breakfast before each player had time to shine by running from third base to home as their name was announced to the crowd.

Next up from DRALL is a Hit-a-Thon and Homerun Derby taking place April 30. The goal is to raise $30,000, which will help support large capital improvements on the field, including rebuilding announcer booths and replacing scoreboards.

DRALL’s “Hall of Fame” sponsors are Zacha Homes, Stephanie Younger Group and The Suarez Team.

Pictured: Players, parents, coaches and sponsors pose for photos during Opening Day. Page 30 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Photos by Zsuzsi Steiner.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

April 2022 • Page 31

Page 32 • April 2022

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News