Westchester/Playa HomeTown News November edition

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Artists sought for utility box murals......... page 20 Westchester Mental Health Guild members pose in front of the Halloween decorated home that will be featured on their 35th Annual Home Tour on November 5th.

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

This Month Brings You A look inside your HTN 35th Annual Holiday Home Tour NCWP helps convince city to roll back lane closures Secrets from the Inn: Holiday Recipe Contest Artists sought for utility box murals

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HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis, Publisher, Editor Jeff Blair, Contributing Writer Fay Craton, Contributing Writer

Rebecca Hill, Secret Recipes of the Inn Kirby Israelson, Graphic Design

Advertisers’ Directory

Airport Marina Counseling 15 Badge of Heart 12 Cedars-Sinai 02 Drollinger Properties 07, 22 Edgar Saenz 15 Food Pantry, LAX 21 Holiday Home Tour 23 Jane St. John 18 Just Kirby 17 Loyola Marymount 04 Marina del Rey Hospital 24 Neighborhood Council 13 SoCalGas 05

Socal Sports and Fitness 17 Utility Box Mural Project 20 Vergari and Napolitano 14 Visitation School 08 Vistamar School 11 Westchester Farmers’ Market 07 Westchester’s Jewel & Playa’s Treasures 04 Westchester Lutheran School 22 Westchester Town Center BID 03 Westside Pacific Village 14 Zacha Homes 19

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 • Phone: (310) 641-1016 • Website: thehtn.com • Facebook: facebook.com/thehtn The deadline for submissions is the 22nd of each month.

Interested in Advertising Your Business or Organization?

Let us help you promote your business, organization or event to our readers!

Contact us for rates and to reserve space at: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com

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

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

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Business & Nonprofit News

TheHTN.com

Westchester Rotary to dedicate clock in business district.

On Wednesday, November 15 a 13-foot, four-sided clock will be dedicated and unveiled by the Westchester Rotary Club and Rotary District Governor, Cozette Vergari.

Vergari is a longtime Westchester resident and member of the Westchester Rotary Club.

The clock will be located on Howard B. Drollinger Way in the Westchester Business District and will recognize the founding of Westchester, the founding of the Rotary Club of Westchester and the contributions of the Drollinger family to the business community of Westchester. Ella Drollinger is credited with opening Westchester’s first commercial building, the Jim Dandy market, and her son, Howard Drollinger, continued the legacy by starting the H. B. Drollinger Company. Now named Drollinger Properties, the company is the largest property management firm in Westchester’s business district.

Drollinger, a longtime Westchester Rotarian with perfect attendance, passed away in 2006.

The dedication of the clock is the culmination of almost a year of work to pay tribute to Westchester, the Rotary and the Drollinger family. The clock is made possible by the generous donation and support of Karen Dial, the Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation Board and Westchester Rotarian sponsors.

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Photo by Anthony Ranville.

A new mural is in the process of being painted in Westchester. The mural is on the west-facing 5-story wall of the Drollinger Properties Building located on the corner of Sepulveda Blvd. and Westchester Parkway. Artist David Russell is creating the mural, which will cover both sides of the building, and depicts numerous area landmarks, including the Otis Building and the Loyola Theater.

The artwork is expected to be finished in November and is the second Westchester mural commissioned by Drollinger Properties President, Karen Dial.

Coastal Connection honorees pose with their awards alongside presenters at this year’s event held at the Santa Monica Pier. From left to right: CA Assemblymember Richard Bloom, Irma Muñoz of Mujeres de la Tierra, Annie Walton-Teter and Kara McNally of Patagonia-Santa Monica, Dr. Tom Poon of LMU, Judson Heard of Patagonia-Pasadena, Julie Andersen with “A Plastic Ocean,” Matthew Redondo of Patagonia-Pasadena and Tom Ford of The Bay Foundation.

Playa Vista Farmers’ Market looks for support.

The Playa Vista Farmers’ Market is asking for the community’s help after losing a significant amount of space to hold their weekly market in Playa Vista’s Runway development. With the market’s available space being dramatically downsized, organizers say that they will not be able to support about 50% of their current vendors, which include farmers, artisans and food booths.

For those interested in showing

their support, organizers have created a pledge form that people can sign and share their thoughts on the importance of having a community farmers’ market in Playa Vista.

For more info and to sign the pledge of support, please visit facebook. com/playavistaFM. The Playa Vista Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 12775 W. Millennium Dr. in Playa Vista.

Feel stressed during the holidays?

The Airport Marina Counseling

Service (AMCS) knows that the holidays can bring up a wealth of emotions for people. While the holidays should be a happy time, what happens when they lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, stressed and unhappy? To help people deal with the holidays in a healthy way, AMCS is offering a free “Happy Holidays?” therapy group. The group meets Saturdays starting November 18 and runs through January 6 from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m.

For more info and to sign-up, please call AMCS at (310) 670-1410 ext. 172.

AMCS is located at 7819 La Tijera Blvd. in Westchester.

Bay Foundation honors community partners.

The Bay Foundation recently honored Loyola Marymount University, Patagonia Santa Monica and Pasadena and the film “A Plastic Ocean” for environmental stewardship and their support of the Bay Foundation. The awardees were recognized at the third annual Coastal Connections event held September 28 at the Santa Monica Pier.

The Bay Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and enhancing the Santa Monica Bay and local coastal waters. Locally, the Bay Foundation leads iceplant removal at the Ballona Wetlands, as well as a monthly volunteer day at the LAX Dunes.

For more info, please visit santamonicabay.org.

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

Photo by Stacey Cochrane.

The community is invited to share their comments on the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project Draft EIR through February 5, 2018.

File photo.

William H. Hannon continues support of local institutions.

The William H. Hannon Foundation recently awarded two $20,000 grants to longtime Westchester institutions–the Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS) and the Westchester Family YMCA. The foundation’s founder, the late William Hannon, helped build homes in Westchester following World War II and was an initial funder of both AMCS and the YMCA. “My late uncle believed that organizations like AMCS and the YMCA were critical to advancing the physical and mental health of Westchester residents. Today, their services have expanded beyond just Westchester. They are helping people throughout the area. My uncle would be proud to see how AMCS and the YMCA have grown and become critical service agencies for both Westchester and adjacent communities,” said Kathleen Hannon Aikenhead, President of the William H. Hannon Foundation and a member of its Board of Directors since the foundation was established in 1983.

AMCS will use its $20,000 grant to continue to fund the Hannon Immediate Intervention Program, which was first established in 2006.

In the coming year, the program will offer a minimum of 750 sessions of group therapy options, rapid access to psychiatric services, the training of 12 therapists and rapid intakes and assessments for at least 50 clients.

“The foundation’s continued partnership will sustain and continue enhanced critical mental health care services needed for low income populations. Our clients have no medical insurance and generally nowhere else to turn. We serve the neediest individuals and their families,” said Eden Garcia-Balis, LMFT, Executive Director of Airport Marina Counseling Service.

The Westchester Family YMCA will put its grant towards support for their Thriving Youth & Teens Initiative by providing funds for its Youth & Government and Model United Nations programs. The Youth & Government program serves over 120 local high school teens in a 6-month model legislation and court experience, while the Model United Nations program engages local middle school teens to represent their self-selected countries when posed with an international crisis. The programs ensure that the teens voices are heard and valued.

“My thanks to the William H. Hannon Foundation for its generous support of our Thriving Youth & Teens Initiative. As a result of [this] gift, hundreds of our youth will be beneficiaries of a positive experience that they otherwise might not have,” said John Loussararian, Executive Director of the Westchester Family YMCA. Comment period extended for Ballona Wetlands Draft EIR. The comment period for the more than 1,200 page Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project has been extended to February 5, 2018 at 5 p.m. The Draft EIR and other documents can be viewed at wildlife. ca.gov/Regions/5/Ballona-EIR. For those that would like to make comments in person, one public meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 8 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Burton Chase Park Community Center, located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. Comments can also be emailed to BWERcomments@wildlife.ca.gov.

Opened a new business? Celebrating an anniversary or other milestone?

We want to hear about your business or nonprofit! Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.

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Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet drum line students perform during lunch for fellow classmates and student visitors during the “Day in the Life of a Seahawk” event.

Wright shares educational opportunities at “Day in the Life of a Seahawk” event.

More than 450 Westchester elementary school students from Kentwood, Cowan, Westport Heights, Paseo, Loyola Village and Open Charter had the chance to take a tour of Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet during the campus’ annual “Day in the Life of a Seahawk” event on September 28. The students were able to attend the event thanks to buses donated and coordinated by Councilmember Mike Bonin.

Visiting students had the chance to experience first-hand the programs, classes and electives available at the middle school including the 3-D imaging lab, the audio recording technology room, the flight simulator lab and the dance studio. Students also participated in projects where they got to create sounds in the music lab and created paper rockets, which were launched in a model solar system.

As a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) Magnet, the school offers a variety of electives including fashion art design, music lab, instrumental music program, advanced theater, biomedical detectives, green architecture, flight & space, automation & robotics and more.

The school is hosting its last fall

tour of the season on Wednesday, November 8 at 9 a.m. and is inviting prospective parents to come check out all Wright has to offer. Wright STEAM Magnet is located at 6550 W. 80th St. in Westchester.

For more info, please visit wrightms.org.

Local schools offer tours and open houses.

It’s school tour season and numerous local schools are inviting interested parents to visit their campuses and learn about their programs. Here is our round-up of school tours happening in November and early December: • St. Bernard High School will hold an open house on Saturday, November 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. St. Bernard is located at 9100 Falmouth Ave. in Playa del Rey. RSVPs are required. Please visit stbernardhs.org/admission or call (310) 823-4651 to RSVP. • Westside Neighborhood School is holding Admission Presentations and Tours for parents only on Thursday, November 9 and Wednesday, November 29 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

RSVPs are required at wnsk8.com/ page/admission/admission-events.

WNS is located at 5401 Beethoven St. across from Playa Vista.

• Vistamar High School is holding tours monthly through January.

Vistamar’s next open house is

Saturday, November 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. RSVPs are required at vistamarschool.org/openhouse.

Vistamar is located at 737 Hawaii St. in El Segundo.

• Cowan Elementary School offers tours every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

Please call (310) 645-1973 or email sarah.ponton@lausd.net for more information. Cowan Elementary School is located at 7615 Cowan Ave. in Westchester.

• Kentwood Elementary School’s next tour is scheduled for Thursday, December 7 at 9 a.m.

For more info, visit kentwoodes. org. Kentwood Elementary School is located at 8401 Emerson Ave. in Westchester.

• St. Anastasia School offers tours on Wednesdays with a RSVP. Please email office@st-anastasia.org to schedule your tour. St. Anastasia is located at 8631 Stanmoor Dr. in Westchester.

• WISH is offering tours at its elementary and middle school campuses. The elementary school tour will take place on Monday, December 4 at 9 a.m. at 6550 W. 80th St. in Westchester.

The middle school tour will take place on Tuesday, December 5 at 9:30 a.m. at 7615 Cowan Ave. in Westchester.

For more information and to RSVP,

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

please visit wishcharter.org/how-toenroll/enrollment-process.aspx.

NCWP Education Committee hosts School Forum.

Join the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa’s Education Committee for a Facilities Forum.

The forum will take place on Monday, November 13 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets (WESM) High School auditorium, located at 7400 W. Manchester Ave. in Westchester.

The event is free and open to the public. The forum will have a moderated Q&A format, and local LAUSD board member and board Vice President, Nick Melvoin, and Allison Holdorff Polhill, Senior Advisor & Director of Community Engagement, are confirmed to attend. LAUSD Facilities Division representatives will also participate in the forum.

According to NCWP Education Committee co-chair Dr. Michele Cooley-Strickland, this forum will focus on the issues, policies and education related to facilities, while a second forum is being planned for next year that will involve the discussion of Prop 39. The forum is sponsored by NCWP, LAUSD and SpeakUp. Have something to share about your school? Please email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.

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These four homes in Westchester and Playa del Rey will be decked out for the holidays and ready for guests at the 35th Annual Holiday Home Tour on Sunday, November 5.

Westchester Mental Health Guild’s 35th Annual Home Tour provides opportunity to tour area homes for charity For the members of the Westchester Mental Health Guild, November is an exciting time as they gear up for the Holiday Home Tour.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the annual event gives people the OK to be looky-loos for the day and tour some of the area’s most fabulous homes all for a good cause.

“This event is really a community effort,” said Westchester Mental Health Guild President Linda Peterson. “We have people donating their homes, over 100 volunteers working in shifts and help from neighbors and Boy Scouts. People really look forward to attending each year, and we are happy to host this event.”

The Annual Holiday Home Tour will take place on Sunday, November 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Westchester Mental Health Guild, which was formed in 1962 to promote and support the Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS).

AMCS provides low-cost counseling and group therapy in Westchester, as well as provides training for mental health professionals. Since Page 10 • November 2017

its inception, the nonprofit has raised more than an estimated million dollars to aid AMCS’ efforts, which over the years have grown to include an immediate intervention program, an at-risk kids program and expanded group offerings.

“The Westchester Mental Health Guild is AMCS’s fundraising arm.

They raise much-needed dollars so that AMCS can continue providing comprehensive mental health services at low-cost,” said AMCS executive director Eden Garcia-Balis.

“Supporting the Home Tour ensures that those that need mental health services in our community can get the help they need.”

More than just a group that raises funds, however, the Westchester Mental Health Guild is also part social club, with many of the members becoming lifelong friends after joining the organization. Many formed bonds after volunteering at the Guilded Cage Gift Shop, which closed last fall after 41 years in business in Westchester.

“You really treasure the friendships. It’s one of the biggest benefits of membership,” said Second

Vice President Ylla De Leon. “A lot of us wouldn’t know each other if it wasn’t for the organization.”

Echoed Recording Secretary Candy Yip, “It’s a wonderful group of women who have formed lasting friendships, while benefiting our community.”

While the Guild is made up of a group of enthusiastic volunteers, membership numbers have declined in recent years due to an aging membership, something that the current board is working to turn around. Membership is open to community members, with annual tax-deductible dues ranging from $25 to $100 a year. New members are always welcomed and are seen as a big boost to the organization, with membership numbers hovering around 150.

“We are always looking for new members and board members,” said Yip. “We love new members who bring in great new ideas that we hadn’t thought of before. They’re like a shot in the arm for our group.”

For its 35th year, the Home Tour Committee has set an ambitious goal of raising $50,000 for AMCS

and is looking for the community’s support to reach their goal. Thanks to generous sponsors and those that have purchased an ad in the program booklet, the group is well on their way, but they will depend on ticket sales to get them to their final goal.

Featured on this year’s home tour in Playa del Rey is a castle-like threestory home, decorated for Christmas and a two-story home that doubles as an art gallery for the owner’s work, decorated for Thanksgiving. In Westchester, Home Tour attendees will tour a one-story bungalow with guest house, decorated for Halloween; a newly renovated twostory craftsman home, decorated in tranquil colors for fall; and a totally modified two-story “smart” home with a pool house, decorated to entertain for New Year’s.

Westchester resident, Megan Edmonds, is one of the homeowners offering her house for this year’s tour. After being persuaded by one of her neighbors to open up her home for the event, Edmonds learned more about AMCS and the Westchester Mental Health Guild’s mission and was happy to participate.

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

“I have a soft side for this,” said Edmonds who has family member with schizophrenia. “So I am happy helping any way I can. Everyone is buying tickets for a good cause, and I even got my husband to finish a few projects around the house. I also think it will be really nice to tour the other homes. ” Guild President, Linda Peterson, says while the tour is a fun way to meet your neighbors and socialize while supporting a good cause, it’s also a great opportunity to get ideas on remodeling, color schemes, decorating and landscaping.

After the tour, attendees are invited to the Westchester Elks Lodge for a special one-day marketplace and reception. Vendors will be on hand selling a variety of items like holiday decor, chocolate, pillows and jewelry.

The Guild Crafters will also be selling their handmade items. For the first time this year, the Westchester Mental Health Guild will raffle off a week-long vacation to Hawaii, with airfare included, courtesy of the William H. Hannon Foundation.

Peterson hopes that the Westchester Mental Health Guild reaches their goal this year and the neighborhood comes out to support

Westchester Mental Health Guild Executive Board Committee members pose in front of one of their home tour houses. Clockwise from top right: Ylla De Leon, Mildred Hanson, Candy Yip, Judy Dews, Gail Ruhlen, Sandy Luboviski and Linda Peterson.

this fun event, that also has the added benefit of giving back to a nonprofit that provides such valuable services to the community and the larger Los Angeles area.

“It’s great that we can support mental health and think of new ways to support AMCS,” said Peterson.

“AMCS is not government funded, so anything we can do to help support their mission is great.”

Tickets for the 35th Annual Holiday Home Tour are available through November 4 for $35 at wmhgtour2017.eventbrite.com or on the Guild’s website at westchestermhg.org. Tickets will also be available on November 5, the day of the tour, for $40 at the Westchester Elks Lodge, located at 8025 Manchester Ave. in Playa del Rey. Children under 12 will not need tickets if they are accompanied by an adult.

Major sponsors of this year’s tour include Platinum Sponsors Jane St. John of Re/Max Estate Properties, Alex & Kate Real Estate and Stephanie Younger of Compass; Gold Sponsors Fineman Suarez, The Real Estate Consultants and Coldwell Banker; and Silver Sponsors Amy Frelinger of Teles Properties, Nancy & John Edwards and the HomeTown News.

Want to attend the Holiday Home Tour?

The HomeTown News is giving away two tickets to the event!

Like us at facebook.com/thehtn and find our Holiday Home Tour post to enter.

One person at random will be selected on Friday, November 3rd.

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Random Notes/Opinion

TheHTN.com

Five ways to achieve your fat loss goals

By Jeff Blair Opinion: I Googled “Fat Loss Fitness” and received about 40 million results. There is certainly plenty of information available on the subject, but information is not really the solution to fat loss. Finding a way to actually implement the information is the solution.

Here are five relatively painless ways to create change in your life.

For most people, losing ten (or more) pounds will lower blood pressure, increase self-esteem and enhance their quality of life. In other words, it will improve their life dramatically!

Who wouldn’t want that?

1. Start small. Most motivational speakers encourage you to change everything at once when pursuing your goals. “Go big or go home” is the theme of many a self-help book. The problem with that is most people cannot sustain dramatic and invasive changes. People are better at sustaining small changes.

For example, if you can reduce your empty calories (alcohol, for

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example) by 20%, you can make steady progress toward your fat loss goals. If you can add an hour or two of exercise to your week (rather than try to workout two hours per day), you can make steady health gains.

If the thought of a specific change sounds overwhelming to you, I would encourage you to scale back your idea. Start with something that feels manageable. “Go small” will bring you the results you want with time.

2. Eat protein with every meal.

You may think of Rocky Balboa drinking raw eggs or a bodybuilder eating an entire chicken when you hear the phrase “eat more protein.”

However, protein can have dramatic benefits for “regular Joes and Janes” too. Protein helps control your appetite and makes you less likely to overeat. Protein burns more calories during digestion than either a fat or a carb. Protein also helps you build and maintain muscle. Muscle helps you burn more calories around the clock, and no one can complain about that.

3. Track your activity. Fitness tracking device may help you increase your activity level. Many

people commit to an activity goal (10,000 steps, for example) and trackers help you actually achieve your goal. We all read articles (such as this one) dishing various fitness recommendations. However, they have no impact unless some action is taken.

In my experience as a personal trainer, I have found trackers can be a great tool to get people moving consistently.

4. Consider working out in the morning. When you commit to working out in the morning, you remove many obstacles that arise for later workouts. Usually, less conflicts exist early in the morning. People often (but not always) have more energy in the morning. Once you finish your morning workout, you can strike it off your to-do list rather than having it linger all day.

While some people have child issues in the morning and some people just aren’t wired for morning workouts, many will be more successful with morning exercise.

5. Don’t neglect the cardio. While many personal trainers emphasize

weight-training only, I believe in a more balanced approach. Biking, running, walking, hiking and swimming are all great forms of exercise.

Consider your personal preference and any physical issues when creating your cardio program. Those with knee pain might be better on a bike than running. Those with back problems might spend less time on the bike and more time hiking or walking.

Find the program that works for you and shoot for consistency. If you struggle with consistency, don’t give up. Stay persistent and you can slowly create a habit that sticks.

Before starting any fitness routine, consult your doctor.

Jeff Blair (M.S.) is five-time winner of the Hometown News “Best Of” in the Personal Trainer category. He has owned a personal training studio in Westchester since 2011 and has been seen in numerous national and international fitness publication.

Email jeffblair@jeffblairfitness.com for story suggestions or ideas.

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

Regaining a healthy life experience when bad events happen

By Fay Craton to aggression. If you have run away or Opinion: In today’s world, there is simply become numb with the inability an overwhelming culture of aggression to respond, again, you are responding and uncaring actions often surround us. to the same ancient biological pattern.

I observed this recently when a couple It is important to recognize that being of cars were recklessly traveling down on edge is not something to be ashamed one of our community’s residential about. It is also important to recognize streets, oblivious to a car stopped for a that you can change what you are expepedestrian to cross. It was after dark. riencing.

Without pausing, the passing cars pulled You are responsible for your own life into the lane in the road for cars going in experiences, not what other people say the other direction and rapidly continor do. You can only change yourself. It is ued down the street. Fortunately, the not likely the culture of aggression will pedestrian was not hurt. I was surprised change in the near future. You cannot by the behavior of the drivers of the change your experience by forcing other cars, but it was only one unbelievable people to change their words or actions. occurrence. Nowadays, it is common to It is up to you to create a different persee and experience many devastating sonal experience. As you do the work events. In our movies, shows, and every- for yourself, the natural outcome is that day news, chaos and horrifying events other people immediately around you seem to permeate the fiber of what we will also benefit. experience. It has become normal to Regaining a healthy life perspective hear about mean-spirited comments and requires establishing healthy habits of actions, shootings and devastating acts self-care and forming a positive “lens” of nature. about stuff happening around you. In Needless to say, when aggressive the past, you may have already done behavior occurs between people, the some of this work, but in the current quality of the relationship with others overwhelming culture of aggression, is damaged. Healthy relationships need the habits may have slipped or stopped. trust and respect. Offensive, demeanTo offset one negative event, it takes ing, loud, manipulative communication multiple positive events. Here are some with others does not build trust. Putting important self-care habits: down another person does not create • Daily, connect with a higher power. the type of experience upon which • Practice gratitude. It may be necesmeaningful dialogue can occur. Human sary to place notes around you remindbeings need quality and trusting connec- ing you to look for events for which you tion with others in order to experience are thankful. meaningful lives.

• Take time each day to remember A challenge is that aggressive behavior what is working in your life. has so permeated the culture around us • Take time each day to move your that many people are living on a trigger’s body. Even just a short walk or an occaedge– responding to differences with sional stretch is good. put-downs instead of a healthy ex• Eat healthy meals. change. It seems as if so much meanness • Obtain enough sleep. being experienced has reached a boiling • Before you react, stop and think. point, and people don’t know what to Ask yourself if what you are about to say will create a healthy dialogue. do with the resulting painful chaotic • Limit your viewing of the news. feelings. The continuous procession Instead, read or watch a comedy. of horrifying events can wear down • Find time to laugh. the fiber of your life, impacting your • If you are stuck in a negative expehealth, emotions and relationships with rience, take a break and consider other both significant others as well as casual options. Perhaps, simply reframing the interactions with folks with whom you experience can shift the “stuckness.” come into contact. When distressing • Very consciously, seek something experiences happen, it is very importyou can do to make another person’s life ant you take control of your own life to better. minimize how shocking events affect My wish is for you to have behaviors the quality of your own reality. that lead you to have thriving, meaningWhen you are worn down and on ful relationships. You have the power edge, remembering the steps you may within you to create habits which will already know to calm yourself and result in a contented life. I support you respond to others in a healthy manner in either establishing or renewing habits can be easily forgotten. One reason this of self-care. happens is that your filters as to how Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed you perceive life can become askew when overpowered by a constant stream Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011), which is the psychology of troubling images, words and experilicense specializing in relationships ences. If this happens to you, you are (with ourselves or with others), and she normal. If you have snapped at somehas an office in Westchester. For more one, it does not make you a bad person.

You are responding to an ancient biolog- info, visit communicationtriangle.com or ical pattern as to how humans respond contact her at (310) 645-6762.

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Calendar Ongoing monthly events: Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club Join the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club every Wednesday morning at 7:15 a.m. for its weekly meeting. The club meets at Whiskey Red’s, located at 13813 Fiji Way in Marina del Rey. The cost of the meeting is $25, which includes breakfast. Guests are welcome and reservations are not required.

For more info, visit playavenice. org.

Rotary Club of Westchester The Rotary Club of Westchester meets every Wednesday at 12 noon for lunch at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel, located at 5985 W. Century Blvd. in Westchester. The cost of lunch is $25 and validated self parking is free. Guests are most welcome! Reservations are not required.

For more information or to reserve a seat at the luncheon, please visit rotary-westchester.com.

LAX Kiwanis Club The LAX Kiwanis Club is looking for new members. The club meets every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel, located at 9620 Airport Blvd. in Westchester.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. The LAX Kiwanis raise money every year for such causes as providing scholarships, holiday baskets for needy families and back to school shopping sprees.

For more information about the club or to RSVP to attend one of their meetings, please email laxkiwanisclub@gmail.com.

Life Story Writing Class Who will tell your great-grand kids about your life growing up? Why not you? Join the life story writing class and learn techniques to make memories come alive.

The life story writing group meets every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the YMCA Annex, located at 8020 Alverstone Ave. in Westchester.

The class will teach simple methods to recall your past and new ways to write your memories.

The cost to participate is $10 a

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TheHTN.com year.

For more info, please call Bernie Horst at (310) 670-3796.

November events: Laband Art Gallery Presents: “Carolyn Castaño: A Female Topography 2001-2017” The first career survey of works

by Los Angeles artist Carolyn Castaño recently opened at Loyola Marymount University’s Laband Art Gallery. “Carolyn Castaño: A Female Topography 2001-2017,” features more than 40 artworks highlighting the artist’s ongoing exploration of identity, gender and social conditions facing women. Over the past 15 years, the artist has worked across a range of media, including collage, drawing, painting, video and installation. Her work is known for its vibrant colors and knockout patterns that marry fluorescent hues with tropical flourishes.

Curated by Laband Director Karen Rapp, the exhibition is open through Sunday, December 10. All Laband events are free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, November 15, at 5:30 p.m., join the artist and Rapp for a walkthrough of the exhibit. A reception will follow in the courtyard.

The Laband Art Gallery is located on the campus of LMU, located at 1 LMU Drive in Westchester.

For more info, please visit cfa.lmu. edu/labandgallery.

SoCalGas Open House The community is invited to attend the Playa del Rey Natural Gas Storage Facility Open House on Saturday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At the event, guests can learn how the Playa del Rey facility helps meet the region’s energy needs, hear from storage operations professionals and take a tour of the facility.

Refreshments will be provided.

The Playa del Rey Natural Gas Storage Facility is located at 8141 Gulana Ave. in Playa del Rey. To RSVP, please call (818) 701-4572 or email LPerez2@ semprautilities.com.

Weekend Concerts at Fisherman’s Village Stop by Marina del Rey’s Fisherman’s Village for free concerts this month.

The concerts take place on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4

p.m.

The November lineup includes: November 4– U.S. 99 (rock, blues) November 5– Elements (R&B, funk) November 11–IZMSKZM (reggae) November 12– Susie Hansen Latin Band (salsa, Latin jazz) November 18– Jimbo Ross & The Bodacious Blues Band (blues) November 19–Floyd and the Flyboys (blues, funk) November 25–Charangoa (salsa, Latin jazz) November 26–2 Azz 1 (jazz, funk) Fisherman’s Village is located at 13755 Fiji Way in Marina del Rey. Parking is free for two-hours with validation.

Pies and Tarts Cooking Class Join Fresh Food in a Flash for their annual Pies and Tarts Cooking class on Wednesday, November 8. During the class students will learn how to make a foolproof pie crust and other tips to create delicious pastries every time. Pies that will be made include a pear ginger pie, pumpkin brownie swirl pie, cranberry walnut tart, whiskey apple crumble pie and a piña colada cream pie.

A savory quiche and a salad will be served for dinner.

The class is led by Patricia K. Rose and will take place on Wednesday, November 8 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The fee to attend is $50 when you reserve your spot by November 6 and $60 thereafter if space is available. RSVPs can be made by emailing Patricia@ FreshFoodinaFlash.com.

The classes are held at the Holy Nativity Community Hall, located at 6700 W. 83rd St. in Westchester.

Pizza Bake at Westchester Community Oven On Saturday, November 11 join the volunteers at Westchester’s Wood-Fired Community Oven for a free pizza and bread bake. Now in its second year of operation in the garden of Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, guests are invited to bring homemade or store bought pizza dough to fire-up in the oven. Roll them out, add your favorite toppings and watch them cook to bubbly perfection in a minute and a half.

This traditional earthen oven is blazing hot from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For those interested in baking bread, the oven is ready at 2 p.m.

The oven is fired up the second Saturday of every month and is located in the garden of Holy Nativity at 6700 W. 83rd St. in Westchester.

Alzheimer’s Workshop A series of workshops on Alzheimer’s disease will be held through the end of the year at the Westchester Elks Club. Come learn from experts about necessary legal and financial planning, the latest in Alzheimer’s research and tips for handling the holidays for caregivers and their family members.

The second workshop will take place on Thursday, November 16 from 4 to 5 p.m., with the topic of “Alzheimer’s Disease Research Updates with UCLA.” The Westchester Elks Lodge is located at 8025 W. Manchester Ave. in Playa del Rey. To RSVP or for more information, please contact Carmen Moore at (323) 930-6273 or email cmoore@ alzgla.org.

Messiah Concert at Westchester Lutheran The Worship, Art and Music Commission of Westchester Lutheran Church will hold its 48th annual Messiah Concert on Sunday, December 3 at 4 p.m.

This year, the concert features the Christmas portion and select favorites from the second and third parts, making for a shorter performance. Prices are $20 at the door ($10 for kids).

The concert, directed by Marshall Ramirez, features professional solo artists, a large chorus of singers from local area choirs and a 20-piece orchestra, featuring Donna Anderson as Continuo.

For more information and a presale discount, contact the church office at (310) 670-5422.

Westchester Lutheran Church is located at 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester.

Save the Date: Holiday Boat Parade The 55th Annual Marina del Rey Boat Parade will take place on Saturday, December 9. This year’s theme is “Let’s Dance” and the grand marshal is HLN anchor Carol Costello.

For more info, please visit mdrboatparade.org.

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

Recipes from the Inn: holiday recipe contest Wow–a lot has happened this year.

Many people, including me, feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the natural disasters as well as the man-made, intentional acts of destruction we’ve experienced this year. Though there is no sweeping our sadness under the carpet or ignoring the situations at hand, I do think it’s important that we try to find fun things to celebrate in an attempt to create balance in our lives and maintain optimism.

With Thanksgiving approaching, the Inn staff and I wanted to thank you for all of the joyous occasions you’ve celebrated at the Inn this year–the wonderful birthday and anniversary stay-cations you booked for yourselves were fantastic! The times you’ve used the Inn as your “guest house” and had beloved family members and friends stay with us were lovely! And we’ve also really enjoyed when you’ve stopped by the Inn simply to say “hi” and have a look around!

You’ve added so much joy to our lives, that we want to add some to yours with our “Holiday Recipe Contest!”

Photo by Liz Hall.

By Rebecca Hill, Innkeeper

The Inn’s recipe for its chocolate chip cookies is its favorite, and this month you can share your favorite recipe with them and enter their Holiday Recipe Contest.

Here are a few simple rules: 1. Please email your favorite cake, cookie, muffin or baked egg dish recipe to us at info@innatplayadelrey. com by Monday, November 20, 2017.

2. Please put “Recipe Contest” in the subject line.

3. If possible, include a short essay

telling us why you love this recipe. Is it because it’s easy? Is it because one of your parents taught you how to bake it? How did you come up with this recipe? Is it a well-known recipe you’ve adapted, something you invented yourself or an old family recipe? Don’t stress yourself out;

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

just give us a few lines or paragraphs telling us why you love this recipe!

4. Please include your name and telephone number so we can contact you if your recipe is chosen as the winner!

We’ll take your recipes and bake them for our guests in November and then we’ll announce the winning recipe in the December issue of the Hometown News. We’ll be judging recipes based on taste, ease of making, originality and the essay. One winner will be selected to receive a gift certificate for a one-night stay at the Inn at Playa del Rey (excluding holidays).

Good luck everyone and happy baking!

The Inn’s recipes have been lovingly collected over the past 20 years. Some are original recipes, others are wellknown recipes that have been adapted and some are recipes that have been handed down by our innkeepers’ mothers and grandmothers over the years.

Rebecca Hill is an innkeeper at the Inn at Playa del Rey and a published writer. Her stories have appeared in Redbook magazine and in over a dozen Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies.

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YOU CAN HELP! FOOD PANTRY, LAX

Emergency Food Distribution to those in need.

Sponsored by the Westchester Clergy Association

Open Tuesday & Friday, 10am-12pm 355 Beach St., Inglewood

Bring donations of non-perishable food to Covenant Presbyterian Chuch. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged!

For more information, please call (310) 677-5597 Ad donated by the Covenant Presbyterian Church

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

November 2017 • Page 21

In Pictures

More than 170 people came out to honor Garrett Smith at the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary’s annual Cultural Dinner at the Playa Vista CenterPointe Club on Wednesday, October 18. At the event, Smith was presented with the Playa Venice Sunrise Community Service Award for his dedication to the community and his work with numerous community nonprofits including the Rotary Club, the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa and the LAX Coastal Chamber. The

Cultural Dinner is the club’s largest fundraiser of the year and helps support the club’s philanthropic work, which includes scholarships, teacher mini-grants, the adopt-afamily program, support of the LAFD and more.

Pictured from left to right: Rotarian David Voss, honoree Garrett Smith, Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club President Gwen Vuchsas and LAWA’s Chief of External Affairs, Trevor Daley, pose at the Argentinianthemed Cultural Dinner.

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HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Start the theCelebrate New Year Year looking lookingFreedom! in the the right right direction...Up! direction...Up! Start New in

Photo by Susan Weisbarth.

Photo courtesy Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary.

TheHTN.com

The Kentwood Player’s next production, Avenue Q, will open on Friday, November 10.

Winner of the Tony “Triple Crown” for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, Avenue Q is an irreverent and hilarious musical that tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that although the residents seem nice, it’s clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood.

Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, love and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Filled with gut-busting laughout-loud humor and a delightfully catchy score, not to mention puppets, Avenue Q is a truly unique show that has quickly become a favorite for audiences everywhere.

With adult themes and situations, this play is not appropriate for those

16 and under.

The show will run through December 16, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. One Thursday evening performance will take place on December 14 at 8 p.m.

Performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Ave. in Westchester.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at kentwoodplayers.org or by calling (310) 645-5156, Wednesday through Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m.

During the run of the play, the Kentwood Players will be holding a coat drive and encouraging patrons to donate new or gently used coats, sweaters or jackets for donation to the Los Angeles Mission.

Pictured: The naughty Bad Idea Bears (Maya Efrat and Brad Halvorsen) tempt Princeton (Bryan Burrets) to spend his parents’ money on beer.

Celebra Start the New Year Year lo lo Start the New Rehearsals for the 48th annual presentation of Handel’s Messiah doubt. begin onFreedom Sunday, November Freedom from Freedom from from doubt. Freedom from fear.fear.

5th from 1-3 pm at Westchester Lutheran Church and all Sundays in Lutheran November.

This is a Join us Westchester Lutheran Church, Joincontinue us at at Westchester Church, community event,the andfreedom we invite anyone thatain would andembrace embrace found in and the freedom found a loving, forgiving thethe like to joinforgiving the chorusrelationship to attend thewith rehearsals.

The loving, relationship with Lord.Join Join date new a celebration of of performance Sunday, December 3rd at 4 pm.

Lord. newisfriends friendsin in a celebration everything that is possible when you live This is a professional featuring a 20 piece everything that is event possible when you live in harmony with the Word. in harmony withand the Word. orchestra talented soloists.

SStartar theNewYearlo kingintherightdirection.nU.p!Up! Can’t sing? Come and enjoy the performance on Sunday, December 3rd.

All are welcome.

All are atwelcome.

Ticket information 310-670-5422 Come celebrate with us!

Join us Sunday mornings 10 am for Come us!

Come look upcelebrate with us. atwith Come look up with us.

Worship and Sunday School Come look up with us.

Come look up with us.

Weekly Worship Sundays at 10 a.m.

All are welcome.

Summer Choir Rehearsal Vacation Bible School

Weekly Worship Summer Choir Rehearsal Vacation Bible School

Sundays at 9 a.m.

July 29-August 2

Sundays at 10 a.m.

Sundays at 9 a.m.

July 29-August 2 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd.

Westchester, CA 90045

310.670.5422 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd. www.wlcs.org

Our school, Preschool – 8th, began

Enrolling

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Westchester, CA 90045 its 67th year310.670.5422 in September. www.wlcs.org

Free

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

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