April edition of the Westchester/Playa HomeTown News by Westchester/Playa del Rey HomeTown News

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Our Farmers’ Market picks...page 12 A basket of fruits and veggies is ready to be raffled off at the weekly Westchester Farmers’ Market located at Westchester Park.

Westchester Rotary Club hopes to revitalize Senior Center with Makeover Project

The Westchester Senior Center has seen better days. A once thriving community hub, the center has seen its membership numbers dwindle in recent years and much-needed renovations and maintenance deferred. The Rotary Club of Westchester is hoping to revive the tired center, however, by selecting it for its fifth

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biennial “Makeover Project.” While the club has previously chosen the home of a deserving local family to makeover, club president Heather Martillo spearheaded the idea to select a project this time around that would have a much bigger impact on the community. “We chose this project to not only breathe new life into the Westchester

Senior Center, but to create a handson project that will bring our entire community together to work shoulder to shoulder to improve the lives of our seniors,” said Martillo. “Like many cities, the City of Los Angeles does not have adequate funding for ongoing maintenance, repairs and renovations of its public facilities, even ones

that provide vital services to critical populations like the Westchester Senior Center. With an aging population in our community, it is more important than ever to create an updated, inviting and vibrant Senior Center where seniors can socialize and connect with critical resources.” (continued on page 2)

Fourth of July Parade heads to the beach

Marina celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Spring Garden Tour

Rotary Club hopes to revitalize Senior Center (continued) (continued from page 1) The Rotary Club has spent more than a year and a half collaborating with Councilman Mike Bonin’s office to make this project a reality. Because the Westchester Senior Center is a city facility, the club had to get approval to make any improvements to the building. “We had great talks with Bonin’s office about how to get a project like this through the city,” said Martillo. “With a project like this, there are a lot of potential road blocks.” In the end, it was determined that the club would be making the improvements as a “gift” to the Westchester Senior Center and only cosmetic changes would be made to ensure that no permits would need to be pulled. “The Westchester Rotary is a phenomenal partner in putting neighborhoods first, and the work they are going to do to help renovate the Senior Center is an excellent demonstration of what we can accomplish when we work together,” said Bonin. “The renovations will not only spruceup both the interior and exterior of the Senior Center, but will help attract better programs and services to the center through better facilities and new engagement from the community. I am enormously grateful to the Rotary Club and very proud to help

Westchester Rotary president Heather Martillo (left) discusses the new color scheme for the Westchester Senior Center with interior designer Lourdes Russell.

support this effort.” The club has a budget of $100,000– provided by its own foundation and major donors like the William H. Hannon Foundation and the Drollinger Charitable Foundation– to help improve the space. The hope is to transform the Westchester Senior Center into a bright, welcoming gathering place that will serve seniors, and the community, more effectively. Currently, the center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Martillo hopes that after the renovations are complete, more community groups will use the space after-hours

and on weekends. “The idea is to get good energy in here. So many seniors are staying in their homes now and a community center is vital,” says Martillo. “We want to brighten it up a bit and bring some attention to the center.”

The idea is to get good energy in here. So many seniors are staying in their homes now and a community center is vital,” says Martillo. “We want to brighten it up a bit and bring some attention to the center. Perhaps the most important task the club is undertaking is smoothing the concrete between the parking lot’s handicapped accessible ramp and the center’s doorway. Many of the Senior Center stakeholders told the Home Makeover committee that the walkway was problematic for seniors who may have mobility issues or use a walker. Another key aspect of the makeover is updating the kitchen and helping reconfigure the way the seniors get their lunch. Currently, in order to pick up their lunch, seniors have to queue through the center’s office, rendering it unusable, so finding a way to make the kitchen flow more efficiently is a crucial part of the project. The club will also donate a new refrigerator and an oven that can accommodate catered events. “The center has limped along for many years without a functioning kitchen, despite the fact that many seniors count on the center to provide their daily meals,” said Geoff Maleman, a Westchester Rotarian and founder of the Rotary Makeover Project. “We are hopeful that after the

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project is complete, Westchester area seniors will feel more comfortable and enjoy coming to the center to take advantage of all the excellent programming it offers.” During the weeklong project the club’s “to do” list includes stripping and refinishing the wood floors, painting, light landscaping, updating the decor and giving the computer/library room an overhaul. Although the club can’t tackle every improvement the center needs, the hope is that once it gets the ball rolling, other community groups will step up and take on other projects at the facility. The Rotary Club has already partnered with the nonprofit Do Art Foundation to create a public art installation on the center’s roof. The installation will utilize nylon rope to create a visually impactful abstract design that was developed in part by the Senior Center’s Knitting Club. “We think this is a necessary project to happen, and we know it’s not going to get funded by the city,” said Martillo. “We hope the project brings more people and resources to the center. We want more people to get involved.” Carol Kitabayashi, the executive Director of the Westchester Playa Village (WPV), a nonprofit that helps seniors remain independent in their homes, believes the renovations will be vital in attracting new members to the club. She says adding new events and programming will help ensure the Senior Center and attendance thrives. WPV currently holds its monthly Silver Seminar Series events, senior dances and a fall risk and reduction fair at the center. “It’s important that there is sustainability and people going to the center,” said Kitabayashi. “You can revitalize with paint, but we need the programming. This is a great project and a great idea. I hope this little corner on Manchester and Lincoln comes to life in a new way.” Contractors will start making improvements to the center on April 27 and the Rotary Club of Westchester is looking for volunteers to help with painting, landscaping, decorating and other tasks on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. The club is also looking for skilled handymen, especially a carpenter, to help with issues as they arise. “We think this is a worthy project that can service a lot of people and do a lot of good in the community,” said Martillo. “With limited city resources, communities like Westchester will have to think how they can improve facilities to serve their residents. We all have to step up a little more.” For more information about the Makeover Project or volunteering, please contact Heather Martillo at (310) 227-3779.

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

This Month Brings You A look inside your HTN Rotary Club hopes to revitalize Senior Center Parade gets ready for an “American Beach Party” Marina celebrates its 50th Anniversary Farm to Table: Our Farmers’ Market Picks Business and Nonprofit News

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

Freddi Segal-Gidan, Contributing Writer David “Duke” Dukesherer Sr., Looking Back

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Business & Professional Cinemark Playa Vista Covenant Presbyterian Church Custom Design & Construction Drollinger Properties Father/Daughter Prom Food Pantry, LAX Gateway to GO! Kevin and Kaz Gallaher Jane St. John LA Arts Collective LA’s Marinafest Boat Show Loyola Marymount Marina del Rey Hospital

14 12 14 11 18 15 14 05 21 19 15 18 04 24

Neighborhood Council 23 Otis College of Art & Design 08 Planet Bravo 06 Sarlo Income Tax 05 Socal Gas 09 Socal Sports and Fitness 21 Train with Tarkan 08 Visitation School 02,07 Westchester Family YMCA 22 Westchester Lutheran 03 Westchester Town Center BID 03 Westchester/Playa Village 15 Zacha Homes 20

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.

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Mailing Address: 8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110 #745 Westchester, CA 90045 Phone: (310) 641-1016 Email: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com or htn@thehtn.com Website: thehtn.com • Facebook: facebook.com/thehtn

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April 2015 • Page 3

16th Annual Fourth of July Parade gets ready for an “American Beach Party” Now in its sixteenth year, the Fourth of July Parade is one of the largest community events and a neighborhood tradition that helps kick off the summer season. The parade, sponsored by the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce, is currently in the planning stages and organizers are now accepting applications from community groups to participate in this year’s event. “Our theme this year is ‘American Beach Party.’ This theme is a tribute to the fact that we are a beach community and celebrating the birthday of Marina del Rey, which is 50 years old,” said parade committee chair Gwen Vuchsas. “We once again will count on the community’s support to put on this very special event. We encourage anyone who is interested in participating–whether it’s helping create a float, sponsoring or volunteering on the day of the parade– to get involved and be a part of our community’s celebration in honor of America’s birthday.” The parade will take place on Saturday, July 4 beginning at 11 a.m. along Loyola Boulevard from Manchester Ave. to Loyola Marymount University. “We hope this year’s theme will bring out the creativity of our community,” said chamber president/CEO Christina

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“Uncle Sam” makes his way down the parade route at last year’s event. PHOTO BY GLENN MARZANO.

Davis. “We are always on the lookout for new and exciting parade entries and continue to encourage our longtime parade participants to build and imagine new floats that capture the spirit of the theme and entertain the crowd. I appreciate groups like Westchester Lutheran and the Emerson Avenue Community Garden who work hard to create outstanding floats and help bring our community parade to the next level.” The committee caps the number of

parade entries at 50 to help keep the parade around an hour and a half and is especially looking for applications from community groups interested in creating a float that includes musical entertainment. Groups applying as marching entries must have fifty or more participants to be considered. A $25 entry fee is collected from all participants and a mandatory participants meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 17 at the chamber office to discuss the floats and the

schedule for the day. Organizers are also looking for a local singer to sing the National Anthem at the event. Singers will be asked to audition at the chamber office on Friday, April 24 from 3 to 5 p.m. and should be comfortable singing in front of a large crowd. Preference will be given to singers who live or attend school in Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Del Rey and Marina del Rey. To help raise money for the parade, which costs upwards of $20,000 to put on, a crowdfunding campaign will be launched closer to the event. “Unfortunately, this year we’ve lost three major donors,” said Davis. “The money we raise pays for the costs of permits, honorariums, insurance, sound and cleanup, and we rely on our generous sponsors to help put on this event. Last year was the first time we reached out to the community for support and we were amazed at the generosity of our neighbors and local businesses. We hope people continue to support this hometown event for years to come.” Those interested in having an entry in the parade, sponsoring or volunteering are asked to call the chamber office at (310) 645-5151.

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

PHOTO BY DAVID VOSS, COURTESY THE LAX COASTAL CHAMBER.

Jerry Epstein, one of the original developers of Marina del Rey, and Supervisor Don Knabe pose for a photo shoot to celebrate the Marina’s anniversary earlier this year.

Marina del Rey celebrates 50th birthday with special events The community is invited to celebrate with Marina del Rey as it marks its 50th birthday with a weekend of events and special activities, including L.A.’s MarinaFest. The Marina del Rey Birthday Bash celebration will be held Friday, April 10 through Sunday, April 12. Local businesses and hotels are also commemorating the community’s landmark anniversary by offering birthday promotions and specials. The Los Angeles County

Department of Beaches & Harbors, in conjunction with the Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau, has created the series of special events to honor the momentous occasion and to help draw people to the historic Marina. During the weekend, celebrants can enjoy onboard tours of Tall Ships, cannon battles, day sails on Santa Monica Bay, harbor tours, kids’ activities, a boat and classic car show, local food trucks, fireworks and a free live (continued on page 15)

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April 2015 • Page 5

School News

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School Notes

WESM wins Los Angeles Area Aspen Challenge. Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets School’s (WESM) Aspen Team won first place at the 2015 Aspen Challenge: Los Angeles competition held on Saturday, March 14. The Aspen Challenge asks participating teams to come up with a creative solution to a critical issue that impacts society. The WESM team focused on water issues. At the event, the team made up of 10 WESM students and administrators showcased their water sustainability campaign, which included proposed legislation to make water-use schedules permanent. The team will now present its campaign at the 2015 Aspen Ideas Festival held in July in Aspen, Colorado. WESM beat out sixteen teams representing 160 students and educators from across the Los Angeles Unified School District at the day-long competition to come in first. WESM’s Aspen Team members are Danielle Rawles, Analisa Davis, Azza Spivey, Fabien Debies, Roman Valentine, Brittany Ward, Marcus Shields, Matthew James, principal Debra Bryant and teacher Joseph Starks. Friends of Education nominations being accepted. Do you know someone who has made a difference at a local school with their hard work and dedication to education? The LAX Coastal Chamber’s Education Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2015 Friend of Education Award. This award is intended to honor a person, company or organization that has made a significant contribution to the Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista and Marina del Rey area’s education community through

around for a community expo. For those who can’t participate, but would like to support the event, a donation of $10 makes you a “Virtual Runner” and for a donation of $20 or more, you can receive a t-shirt at packet pick-up while supplies last. Register online at raceforsuccess5k. org.

WESM students pose for a celebratory photo after winning the 2015 Los Angeles area Aspen Challenge competition.

their time, talents and/or treasures. Nominees cannot be a paid staff person of a school. The honoree will be announced at the Teacher Eddy Awards Gala taking place on Wednesday, May 13, at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel. The annual event recognizes one outstanding teacher from each participating school who has been selected by fellow teachers and administrators. To nominate someone for this award, please contact the chamber office at (310) 645-5151 for a nomination form. Nominations are due Friday, April 3 by 5 p.m.

on STEM and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) will integrate California Common Core requirements in Science with instruction in art and design. Kids will learn about the physics of flight, climate and wind, sustainable materials and color theory, while designing and decorating their own unique kites. The Kite Festival was developed by Otis College of Art and Design’s Creative Action Program to bring families and communities throughout the Los Angeles region together for a fun-filled day of learning, creating art and kite flying.

Otis hosts annual Kite Festival. Otis College of Art and Design will host its fourth Annual Kite Festival on Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival will take place directly north of the Santa Monica Pier and parking will be provided at the location for $12. The event is free and open to the public. Headlining a day of flying kites and other inflatables will be worldrenowned kite artists Tyrus Wong, George Peters, Melanie Walker, Jose Sainz, Ali Fujino and Ron Gibian. A special workshop for kids focused

Race for Success. Registration is now open for the 2015 Race for Success, benefiting local schools. This year’s race will take place on Saturday, April 25 at Loyola Marymount University. The cost to participate is $30 for adults and $25 for kids 12 and under. Prices will go up $5 after April 13. All proceeds from the race are divided between the schools that sign-up to participate, and since its inception, tens of thousands of dollars has been raised for local education. After the race, attendees are invited to stick

St. Jerome students recognized. St. Jerome students were recently recognized for their efforts at the 2015 Learning Fair held at St. Monica Catholic High School. The inspiration for this event was “Where Free Speech and Respect Connect.” The school’s participation was organized by seventh grade teacher Mrs. Williams. The following students received special acknowledgment for their contributions: Mackenzie Williams, first place for poetry; Jalen McAlpin, third place in three-dimensional sculpture; and Azure Fisher, third place for prayer presentation. Last chance to apply for high school scholarships. The Rotary Club of Westchester is looking for applications for its Jim Hill Memorial Scholarship. Every year, the club, through its foundation, offers a $500 scholarship in memory of Jim Hill, a former member who was exemplary in his service to the youth of the community. The scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior demonstrating outstanding leadership in community service, who either resides in Westchester or Playa del Rey and/or attends Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets or Saint Bernard High School. The application is due by April 30 and may be obtained by emailing Cozette@laxlawyers.com. Have something to share about your school? Please email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.

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

April 2015 • Page 7

The tour will feature a variety of gardens from traditional to water-wise like the one pictured above. PHOTO BY JUDY DEWS.

Tour highlights vibrant home gardens The Westchester Mental Health Guild will once again offer the opportunity to tour some of the community’s most beautiful backyards at its Eighth Biennial Garden Tour. This year’s event will be held on Sunday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will showcase eight vibrant home gardens in Westchester and Playa del Rey. The tour will also include the Emerson Avenue Community Garden located on the campus of Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet. The tour will give attendees a look into the diverse styles, plantings and space configurations employed by local homeowners and landscapers. With the necessity to conserve water in Los Angeles, the tour will also feature a variety of landscaping techniques that use water-wise planting. According to Co-President Judy Dews, each garden featured on the tour is unique and special and visitors should come away from the tour with many ideas and helpful information to enhance their own gardens. On the day of the tour, there

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will also be a special Guilded Cage Boutique featuring plants and garden related gift items at one of the locations. Complimentary refreshments provided by the Westchester Mental Health Guild Board will be served at the garden that is hosting the boutique. Tickets to the Garden Tour are $25 and are on sale by cash or check at the Guilded Cage Gift Shop, located at 8917-B S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester, in the (Ralphs/CVS parking lot). Tickets can also be purchased online at wmhg2015garden.eventbrite.com. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. The net proceeds from the Garden Tour benefit the Airport Marina Counseling Service, enabling the nonprofit to continue to provide affordable mental healthcare services and training to pre-licensed therapists. Tickets may also be purchased on the date of the event at 6065 W. 76th St. in Westchester. For more information, please call (310) 641-7850

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

April 2015 • Page 9

Random Notes/Opinion

TheHTN.com

Being happy may require change By Fay Craton Opinion: Have you ever held a fossil in your hand? My imagination engages when I hold and look at something that was alive long ago and then suddenly just became stuck and eventually fossilized. As a child, I remember being given a piece a petrified wood and thinking about a magnificent tree preserved as a rock. I was enthralled with the color and layers I saw within the rock, but was sad about the loss of a living, growing and beautiful tree. As I grew up, I discovered that some people also become fossilized. They seem to just be stuck in a time from the past. Thriving life requires movement. Trees move by getting taller and adding branches; new leaves sprout, mature and eventually fall to the ground. With each new growth cycle, the process unfolds again in a continuously unfolding rhythm of movement and life. People also thrive through movement and continuous renewal. At the points where people become unwilling to learn, grow, and accept changes, it appears that a brittleness or hardness forms where meaning and contentment is lost. Someone who is stuck has behavior based on past experiences. If the experience was positive, the continuing behavior will create a positive life expression. However if the past experience was painful, the

behavior could reflect resentment or bitterness and could create an unhappy life experience. You always have a choice in every situation as to how you will respond. Yet, in thinking about your own life, you may not know how to change your behavior or may not wish to learn new ways to view life and form new behaviors, even if you know the new behaviors can result in positive differences in relationships with significant others. You may be comfortable expressing anger and behaving with resentment and hostility, or you may feel comfortable distancing yourself instead of connecting with family and friends with positive and engaging behaviors. Most trees thrive better when they are pruned, even if it is only to cut out diseased branches to keep the disease from spreading. People are the same way. There are parts of your behaviors that may need to be released so you can thrive. Just as with a tree, when pruning happens there can be new growth in new directions. You can find the parts of your behavior in need of pruning by thinking about where you frequently react in anger and condemnation of a loved one, in apathy, or where you distance yourself from important people in your life. These behaviors do not add to your contentment and a positive sense of personal worth and meaning. Clinging to the distancing behaviors will not result in a thriving

life. Instead, they will result in being stuck just like a fossil. In nature when there is no movement and no flow, an ecological system will stagnant and eventually dry up or die. You may also feel like this if you do not have change and growth within your life. To change destructive behaviors you must be willing to let them go. A common destructive behavior is constantly expressing demeaning and critical words at others. A similar behavior is interpreting all behaviors directed at you as being critical. It can be difficult to change these behaviors. Just because someone told you to stop may not mean you are ready to stop. There can be many reasons why you are not ready to change. Some examples may be: • You may not yet understand how significant people around you perceive what you are doing or saying. • You do not trust the person who told you to stop. • You might have tried different behaviors, but the new behaviors felt strange to you and so you did not try again. When considering making a possible change, write down at the top of a paper a description of the requested change. Under the heading, create two lists side-by-side. On the first list, write down the benefits you get by not changing. On the other list write down the benefits, you

get making a change. Beside each item, write down a value of the item. Use a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 as the highest. Add up the value of the items on both lists. From the scoring, you have an indication about whether it is more valuable to you to keep the behavior or to change. You may wish to discuss the values you placed on each item with other people. Feel free to change your scores as you continue to reflect on the worth of the change in question. If you decide to try to make the change, the new behaviors will probably feel different. Different does not need to translate to being bad. The new behavior feels different because you have deep habits built within you from the old way of behaving. As you build new habits, the new way of behaving will become more comfortable. What I want is for you to be able to embrace new ideas and conditions when necessary for you to thrive. Nourishing relationships are not trapped in stone; they have a give and take movement. You have within you the resources to grow, change and to have healthy connection with others. Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011). She has an office in Westchester. Contact her at (310) 645-6762 or visitcommunicationtriangle.com.

Westchester resident hopes to raise money for Lupus By Cathy Heppell When Natalie Tun, a fitness trainer at Equinox South Bay, felt exhausted after a long day with clients, she chalked it up to her own drivenness. After all, she pushed herself during her own workouts as hard as she pushed her clients. Said Tun, “I thought everybody working as hard as I did felt bonecrushing weariness day after day. It wasn’t until I developed swollen lymph nodes and passed out during a training session that I realized something was really wrong.” It would take many doctors and many months before a diagnosis was reached. And it was something Tun had never even heard of before: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Lupus, she learned, is a chronic disease primarily affecting women in their child-bearing years. Many different parts of the body— including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs—may be affected by inflammation from an Page 10 • April 2015

immune system attack on one’s own endured isolation from her peers and tissues and organs. According to the depression. A newly-approved drug Mayo Clinic, some people are born for lupus, Benlysta, was added to her with a tendency toward developing treatment regimen, and it seemed to lupus, which may be triggered by help. Eventually the lesions on the infections, certain drugs or even soles of her feet began to heal, freeing sunlight. her from bed and a wheelchair. A Over the next year, Tun descended hulking stair-stepper machine from into a fog of confusion and pain: her old apartment loomed like a inflammation in her brain caused challenge in the spare bedroom. With memory loss and difficulty her doctor’s approval for exercise, comprehending conversations. Aching Tun forced herself to do 5-minutes joints and painful raw lesions on her a day on it, all she could manage at skin made impossible any exercise— first. Very gradually, she began to even swimming, her favorite. Her breathe more easily and to follow breathing became labored as the conversations with better focus. disease affected her lungs. Unable to After her five-year lupus flare, Tun continue working, she left her job at is grateful for a second chance at life. Equinox. Ultimately, lupus forced Tun Some memory loss and cognitive to give up her apartment in Redondo difficulty persist. She would love to Beach and move back to her parents’ work as a trainer again, but her health home in Westchester, dependent on remains fragile due to her suppressed them for everything. immune system. Recovering from a In the throes of a severe lupus flare, cold can take weeks. Tun struggled for her life. Treatments Tun recognizes the need for new included chemotherapy and large and better treatments for lupus— doses of steroids. After two nearBenlysta, the only new drug for lupus death episodes in the hospital, she approved by the FDA in the past 60 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del

years, doesn’t work for everybody. “I wish nobody would have to suffer through this illness like I did,” she says. So Tun is combining her passion for swimming with the desire to help other current and future lupus patients by holding a fundraiser. On Sunday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the inaugural SwimaTun for Lupus will take place in the rooftop pool at Equinox South Bay in Hawthorne. Swimmers will raise funds for the Alliance for Lupus Research, and participate in fun, 30-minute lap swim workouts. Music, food and prizes round out the event. Those wishing to swim or donate can do so by visiting the SwimaTun for Lupus page at ALR.org under “News and Events” and then “Special Events.” Virtual swimmers— people attending the event but not swimming– may also raise funds. For more information on the event, please email SwimaTun@gmail.com or call (310) 993-5832. Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Finding a workout you enjoy leads to success By Jeff Blair Opinion: When you meet Liz Hall, the manager at the Inn at Playa del Rey, you might think she has never experienced any difficulties making a commitment to a workout schedule since she appears so strong and fit. But like most people who live a fit lifestyle, Liz has made choices that allow her to remain healthy and active. I recently interviewed Liz to find out how she makes fitness work in her life. Liz shared her personal experience and explains the importance of a workout schedule, how she recommitted to fitness and discusses some of her greatest fitness successes. What was your activity level as a kid and as you grew up? Liz: I always remember being fairly active. I either wasn’t allowed to sit at home when I was younger or I didn’t want to. I would ride my bike everywhere and play outside all day. If I wasn’t doing that, I was playing sports such as t-ball, soccer and swimming in elementary school. Then in high school I was on the junior varsity tennis team and the varsity swimming team. I played lacrosse in college. Even after college I played in a co-ed softball league for 5 years. I guess I was a pretty active kid. Did you ever face workout challenges as an adult due to work or other situations? Liz: Of course! Looking back my biggest challenge was me. I would get in my own way. I had the best of intentions of working out on a regular basis but unless I was in a structured environment–team sports, personal training, boot camp– I would let work, life and excuses get in my way. I thought, “I can do it tomorrow.” Well, tomorrow never comes! What motivated you to recommit to consistent workouts? Liz: It was a time in my life where I had no workout structure. I had recently moved from Orange County back to L.A. and had gained 2 hours of my day back because I wasn’t commuting. I thought with all this extra time I would workout at the gym, take classes or run...well I wasn’t doing any of it. After a few months of this I knew something had to change. I wasn’t working out on my own so I started looking into the different programs in the area and I found one that worked for me and I committed to it. Has your daily life changed since you started working out consistently again?

Liz: I am definitely physically stronger than I have ever been and I walk out of every workout feeling better than when I walked in. I am reminded that if I have a tough, bad or tired day a good workout can reset me; even a bad workout is better than no workout. And I also love that my workouts are prescheduled into my week. It sets me up to succeed. What have been your biggest highlights of your fitness journey? Liz: A favorite memory of mine is from 2009 when I ran in a Ragnar Relay, a roughly 200-mile relay race from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. Each of the 12 members of the team runs 3 legs of the race and it took our team just over 21 hours. Despite no sleep and fueled on power bars and bananas, it was a great and actually a fun experience! I think the biggest achievement in my fitness journey is my commitment to it. I know that I am at my best when I have a consistent workout schedule. My workouts may change, but as long as I am moving, lifting and showing up I am improving myself. And when this commitment makes me healthier, stronger and happier, I know I have made the right decision. Do you have any future fitness goals? Liz: I keep toying with the idea of doing another half marathon. I have done 3. I had set a goal of doing one in under 2 hours and missed that goal by 57 seconds in my last race that was 4 years ago. And I joke about one day doing a one-arm pushup. Do you have any words of advice for people trying to get started on a workout program? Liz: My advice for new people is to find a workout you enjoy, show up for it and try not to compare yourself to anyone else doing it. If you enjoy something, you are more likely to show up for it. Once you show up, you might as well workout. And as far as comparing yourself to someone else, we are all different and each one of us has our own strengths and weaknesses, even in a workout. Thanks Liz and keep up the great work! JEFF BLAIR (M.S.) owns a personal training studio located in Westchester. He was voted “Best Of” Personal Trainer in the Hometown News 2014 Readers’ Poll. Jeff has been featured in “Men’s Fitness” magazine and as a “Fitness Expert” on ABC’s “Everyday Health” TV show. Email jeffblair@jeffblairfitness.com for fitness story ideas or comments.

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

April 2015 • Page 11

Farm to Farmers’ skcTable: iP Table: tekOur raM ’srFarmers’ emraFMarket ruO :elbPicks aT Picks ot mraF Farm to Our Market Spring is finally here and with that brings an opportunity to revisit some of the local farmers’ markets to peruse the great selection of seasonal fruits and veggies, as well as the artisanal foods, baked items and goods offered by the vendors. The HTN headed to the Playa Vista and Westchester farmers’ markets to take a tour and check out the latest offerings at each location; what we found were thriving community hubs, offering a chance for neighbors to network, while stocking up on leafy vegetables, homemade salsa, fragrant orchids and fresh baked bread. Each market has its own unique flair and vendors who are proud to share their products and stories with shoppers. While there are dozens of great booths to visit at each location stocked full of fresh produce and food for purchase, here is a roundup of some of our favorite picks from a recent springtime visit to the markets! Westchester Farmers’ Market:

Creme De La Crust. Andrea Phillips has been baking up

Page 12 • April 2015

Creme De La Crust.

sweet treats her whole life and for the last year and a half has been selling her cupcakes at the Westchester Farmers’ Market with her home-based business, Creme De La Crust. Phillips, a Westchester resident, has a menu of 30-plus flavors and offers 4-5 cupcakes for purchase each week at the market, including one specialty item that is either vegan, gluten-free or nosugar added. According to Phillips, what sets her cupcakes apart is that each dessert is comprised of a moist cake, a sweet bottom-layer crust and a flavorful filling. In addition to cupcakes, Creme De La Crust also offers custom cakes in a variety of fun designs. Standout flavors include the Red Velvet Vanilla, Vegan Chocolate Supreme

Spring Veggies.

Tuccio Lane Foods.

and Double Chocolate. Cost:* $1 for mini cupcakes and $2.50 for regular sized cupcakes.

Tuccio Lane Foods. Angela Amberden has been selling her all-natural artisanal jams at the Westchester Farmers’ Market since November. The stay-at-home mom with a background as an executive chef, started the homebased business to fill her time while her son is at school and has had success at craft fairs and farmers’ markets ever since. Amberden changes her selections seasonally in order to offer the best quality ingredients to her customers. Each jam takes approximately six hours to make and is made by cooking down fresh fruit and adding just a

little bit of sugar and vanilla. Her current selection of jams includes the deliciously sweet and tart Strawberry Rhubarb, Pear Rosemary and Orange Marmalade. Cost: $7/each or $20/for three jars

Spring fruits and veggies. With spring now in full swing, look for an abundance of in season asparagus and artichokes at the market. This month, more booths will be popping up including Maria’s Garden, specializing in sprouts, wheat grass and baby lettuces.

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

Popup Pastries.

LSG Honey.

Renew Juicery.

Playa Vista Farmers’ Market:

LSG Honey. LSG Honey is a father and daughter business team that hails from the San Fernando Valley and offers a multitude of pure, raw honey and other bee-related products for purchase each week at the Playa Vista Farmers’ Market. Stop by this booth to get an education on beekeeping from owner Robin and sample honey in an assortment of varietals including the exceptional Orange Blossom, the rich Avocado and the earthy Buckwheat. The booth also offers infused honey with flavors like cinnamon, chocolate and lavender, as well as bee pollen, honeycomb and bee lip balm. Cost: $3 and up.

Popup Pastries. Popup Pastries owner Kelly Mathews

organic all natural almond “mylk” for purchase in flavors that range from Pure and Honey-Vanilla to Mint Cacao and Lavender. Cost: $10/juice and $8.75 and up for the almond milk. has taken the breakfast toaster pastry to the next level and given it an all-natural, homemade makeover. Mathews visits local farmers’ markets every week to find the freshest fruit and flavor inspirations to make jam to pack inside a flaky, buttery pastry, which she then tops with flavored icing. Popular flavors include the classic Strawberry and Cinnamon Sugar. Mathews recommends eating the pastries as is, but you can also put them in the oven for a few minutes to heat them up. Other sweet treats featured at the booth include cookies and Palmiers for purchase.

Cost: $3/each or $10/for a pack of four tarts.

Renew Juicery. For your raw, organic cold pressed juice fix, head on over to the Renew Juicery booth. Locally sourced and made in Venice, Renew Juicery is new to the Playa Vista Farmers’ Market and offers a variety of juices loaded with veggies and fruits in flavors like “Radiant Skin” with apple, blueberries, chia seeds, lemon, ginger and cayenne and “Glow” with pineapple, cucumber, spinach, kale and apple. The booth also offers an assortment of raw,

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

The Westchester Farmers’ Market is held every Wednesday at Westchester Park (on Lincoln Blvd. across from Otis College of Art and Design) from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. rain or shine. The Playa Vista Farmers’ Market runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of Discovery Creek and S. Seabluff Drive in Playa Vista. Starting in May, the market will add a Wednesday evening market from 4 to 8 p.m. through September. *Prices subject to change at each vendor’s booth.

April 2015 • Page 13

A Look Back at Westchester/Playa By David J. “Duke” Dukesherer, Sr.

Playa del Rey Film Stars Playa Del Rey was a secluded mecca for actors in the 1920s and 1930s. It was much more affordable than Santa Monica, more convenient than Malibu and just a few short miles up Culver Boulevard to the preeminent studio of the time, Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Dozens of minor and major film stars called it home. Also in those days, the Speedway Boulevard causeway spanned Ballona Creek and the coast wetlands to Washington Boulevard and the town of Venice, which unlike today and unless by sea, afforded residents a direct northerly way out. Among these early residents was the very popular silent film star Dorothy Sebastian, who appeared in nearly 70 films. Sebastian was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. In her youth, she aspired to be a dancer and a film actress. Her family frowned on both ambitions, however, so she fled to New York. Upon her arrival in New York City, Sebastian’s southern drawl was thick enough to “cut with a knife,” which made it hard for her to land parts. She followed around theatrical agents before returning at

night to a $12-a-month room, after being consistently rejected. Sebastian’s first contact in Hollywood was producer Robert Kane, who gave her a film test at United Studios. She performed in George White’s Scandals and later co-starred with Joan Crawford and Anita Page in a popular series of MGM romantic dramas including Our Dancing Daughters (1928) and Our Blushing Brides (1930). Sebastian also appeared in 1929’s Spite Marriage, wherein she was cast opposite her then-lover of six years, Buster Keaton. This movie contains the famous routine where Keaton must deal with a drunk Sebastian and put her in bed. In 1931, Sebastian was semi-retired from acting after marrying Hopalong Cassidy star William Boyd. It was her second marriage, and his fourth. Boyd planned a round-trip steamship trip to Hawaii for their honeymoon, but it did not turn out as she expected. Apparently Boyd was plastered onboard the entire time and never even left the ship when it docked in Honolulu. He just drank the day out in his cabin until the ship set sail back to Los Angeles. After their 1936 divorce, she returned to acting and appeared in mostly bit parts. Her last onscreen appearance was in the 1948 film The Miracle of the Bells. In truth, her southern drawl made it difficult for her to transition to talkies, which

TheHTN.com

must have had a devastating impact on her. Her beachfront home at 34 65th Avenue in Playa del Rey was a two story duplex across from the Del Rey Lagoon where she lived with her four Alaskan Huskies. It was a far cry from her previous homes in Malibu Beverly Hills. But Sebastian was a well-known, kind and generous neighbor in the village, occasionally entertaining at boozy parties with her ukulele, which she played very well. Her home was just across the street from the now long gone coffee shop/beer joint the Flying Jib, where she would take many of her meals and would reminisce with the locals about her days as a starlet at MGM. In the early 60s, the Flying Jib became a popular hangout for surfers and Toe’s Beach bunnies, bums and beachcombers. Over time, Sebastian wrestled with addiction and on November 7, 1938 she was found guilty of drunk driving. The night she was arrested, she had been dining at the home of Buster Keaton with her nephew. She was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence and paid a fine of $75. Her attempt to beat the rap failed when she had told the arresting officer, “that a meal of spaghetti and garlic had been responsible for retaining the intoxicating odor of the wine.” During WWII, she worked as an

X-ray technician at a defense plant, Bohn Aluminum & Brass, but continued to act in small parts. She met her third husband at this time, the hotelier/aircraft technician Herman “Hy” Shapiro. Sebastian had a brief scene with Gloria Grahame (Violet Bick), in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), but it ended up on the cutting room floor. In the scene, she accidentally conked Grahame and seriously injured her. On April 8, 1957, Dorothy Sebastian died of cancer at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Her Playa del Rey home was just a few doors from another silent film star’s former home, the actress Mae Murray. Murray was a founder of the Motion Picture Home and also passed away there in 1965. Sebastian’s funeral was held at Saint Anastasia Catholic Church in Westchester, and she was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. Film personalities Monte Blue, Yola D’Avril and Greta Grandstedt were in attendance. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Dorothy Sebastian has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6655 Hollywood Blvd.

Please email comments to dukepdr@gmail.com.

FOOD PANTRY, LAX

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If you have Food to donate, take to Covenant Presbyterian Church or bring to location from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged.

Church School for Young People during Service. We have an Orchestra and Adult, Youth and Children’s Choirs. Email: cpoffis@pacbell.net Childcare is provided-For more information, Call (310) 670-5750.

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Marina del Rey (continued)

(continued from page 5) concert by Three Dog Night. The weekend of activities will be held at Burton Chace Park, located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. Some of the highlights of the weekend include: Friday, April 10 • 12 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m.– Onboard Tall Ship Tours • 5 p.m.– Official Commemorative Ceremony • 7 p.m.–Three Dog Night concert at Burton Chace Park • 8:30 p.m.–Fireworks Display Saturday, April 11 • 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.–LA’s Marinafest Boat Show with Exhibitors and Kids’ Activities • 1 to 7 p.m.–Onboard Tall Ship Tours Sunday, April 12 •11 a.m. to 5 p.m.–LA’s Marinafest Boat Show with a Classic Car Show, Exhibitors and Kids’ Activities • 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.– Tall Ship Cannon Battle Times may be subject to change. Please check the website for the weekend’s full schedule. Tickets for the Tall Ship tours, can be reserved at ticketfly.com/event/791155. To help celebrate the Marina’s golden anniversary, some of the special promotions being offered by local businesses include: • Commemorative Birthday shirt with purchase of $19.65 menu at Tony P’s Dockside Grill & Bar

• $50.00 three-course, prix fixe menu at Cafe del Rey, including special birthday cake • 50% off all house cocktails at Beachside Restaurant & Bar • $19.65 prix fixe menu at El Torito and Whiskey Red’s • $196.50 per night room rates at Foghorn Harbor Inn • $50.00 dining credit and 15% off room rate at the newly renovated Marina del Rey Hotel • $50.00 hotel credit at The RitzCarlton, Marina del Rey A variety of other promotions and discounts are available throughout the Marina at Hornblower Cruises & Events, Marina Grill & Bar at the Hilton Garden Inn, SALT at the Marina del Rey Hotel, Pizzarito, N.Y. Pizza by the Slice and Sinder Lounge at the Marina del Rey Marriott. Additionally, the Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau will hold an Instagram contest to help promote the weekend events. To participate, attendees should share their images of the Marina’s birthday festivities using #mdr50 and tagging @marinadelrey_ca. Ten lucky winners will receive a $50 gift card to a Marina del Rey restaurant. For more info about the Marina’s birthday celebration, including a full schedule of events, visit visitmarinadelrey.com/mdr50.

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

April 2015 • Page 15

Calendar Ongoing monthly events: 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 $20 and validated self parking is free. Guests are most welcome! Reservations are not required. For information regarding the upcoming luncheon programs, visit rotary-westchester.com. Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club Join the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club at its Wednesday morning meeting at 7:15 a.m. The club is now meeting 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 information, visit playasunrise.org or call (310) 4293808. 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 or call president Jeff DeLarme at (310) 7212869. Life story writing class Thinking about your life story? Learn a simple method to recall and then write your memories. The Life Story Writing Group meets every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the YMCA Annex, located at 8020 Alverstone Ave. in Westchester. The donation to the YMCA is $12 a year. For information, please call Mary Sage at (310) 397-3967. Harvest Westchester Looks for partners Holy Nativity, in partnership with Food Forward, is looking for local residents interested in donating to its fruit harvesting program. Harvest Westchester is designed to help ensure the extra fruit on your backyard trees does not go to waste while you donate to a good cause. While many with fruit trees or that grow vegetables often have a surplus Page 16 • April 2015

TheHTN.com that is given to family and friends or left unpicked and eventually rots, Harvest Westchester will help pick your excess fruit and deliver it to local food pantries to help feed those who do not have enough to eat. Harvest Westchester will send a team of volunteer pickers to your yard to harvest your fruit trees and 100% of the fruit will be delivered to the local Food Pantry LAX or, if there is more fruit than they can use, it will be delivered to other food distribution centers nearby. If you have fruit trees and want to donate the excess, please call the church office at (310) 670-4777 or visit holynativityparish.org. Speakers by the Sea Toastmasters Speakers By the Sea Toastmasters Club will help you improve your skills for public speaking. Meetings are held every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 12000 Vista del Mar; Conf. Room 230A in Playa del Rey. For more info, please call (424) 6253131. April events: Kentwood Players Production Mame is now playing at the Kentwood Players’ Westchester Playhouse. The musical tells the tale of Bohemian Mame Dennis, a larger-than-life personality living in New York City during the Great Depression. Mame has a collection of eccentric, wealthy society friends and her life is one endless party, until her young nephew Patrick walks into her life. Her madcap, free spirited lifestyle with its focus on today changes while looking after her brother’s son, leading to a new window opening for both in this life-affirming tale seen through Patrick’s eyes. The musical runs through Saturday, April 18. Performances are held Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Ave. in Westchester. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling (310) 6455156 or by visiting kentwoodplayers. org.

Silver Seminar Series: Financial Abuse of the Elderly and Abuse of Guardianship Join the Silver Seminar Series for their free monthly meeting on Thursday, April 16 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Westchester Senior Center, located at 8740 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester. Are you worried about being financially exploited? Come join speakers Eddie Chan, Financial Advisor at Ameriprise and Maria Elena Cabral, Senior Tax Advisor at H&R Block, for this free informational seminar on how to protect yourself from financial abuse including fraud, undue influence by family and abuse of guardianship. Attendees will learn more about the different types of elder financial abuse, the warning signs, and the preventative measures/remedies available. Please call (310) 695-7030 to register and for more information. Brunch Favorites Cooking Class Learn how to make your favorite brunch dishes at April’s Fresh Food in a Flash’s cooking class. On Thursday, April 16 from 6 to 9 p.m., chef Patricia K. Rose will teach attendees how to make classic brunch dishes like poached eggs for a classic Eggs Benedict, desserts and a decadent Bloody Mary bar with all the trimmings. This hands-on cooking class will be held at the Holy Nativity Community Hall, located at 6700 W. 83rd Street in Westchester. The meal will be served after it is prepared. The fee is $50 when you reserve by April 13 and $55 at the door if space is available. For reservations or to ask questions, please email Patricia@ FreshFoodinaFlash.com. Playa Vista Spring Fair On Saturday, April 18th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. join the Playa Vista community for its inaugural Spring Fair at Concert Park! There will be music, gourmet food trucks and family activities. Guests can stop by booths from LAPD and the Fire Department, while mingling with neighbors to learn about safety preparedness and enjoy an Earth Day celebration. At the event, paper shredding services will be offered and there will be a clothing donation drive. Concert Park is located at Concert Park Drive and Runway Road in Playa Vista.

Spring Egg Hunt The Westchester Recreation Center will hold its annual Spring Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4 at the Westchester Recreation Center, located at 7000 W. Manchester Ave. in Westchester. Egg hunt times are as follows: • 1-3 years old 10:30 a.m. Republican Women’s Meeting • 4-6 years old at 11 a.m. Join the Westchester-Del Rey • 7-10 years old at 11:30 a.m. Republican Women, Federated for Participants are asked to bring their monthly meeting on Tuesday, their own baskets. The event will also April 21. This month’s speaker is include arts and crafts, games and Frederick Sutton, Field Deputy for treats. Councilman Mike Bonin. The club For more information, please call meets at 10:45 a.m. for a luncheon and (310) 670-7473. Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del

meeting at KJ’s Diner, located at 8731 Lincoln Blvd. The cost of the luncheon is $17.50. For reservations or for more information, please contact Carol at (310) 641-9726. Community Star Party Curious about the cosmos? The community is invited to enjoy an evening of astronomy on Saturday, April 25. Attendees will have the opportunity to look through telescopes and hopefully get an up close look at the Moon, Jupiter and stars. The Community Star Party will take place in the parking lot of the Christian Science Church, located at 7855 Alverstone Ave. in Westchester. This is an all ages event meant to teach people about astronomy. In case of rain, there will be an indoor learning session on basic astronomy. The event is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact Bob Eklund at (310) 2165947. Celebrate Earth Day at Ballona Join the Friends of Ballona Wetlands for an Earth Day Habitat Restoration and Creek Clean-up on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers can meet at 303 Culver Blvd. in Playa del Rey (main parking lot behind Gordon’s Market) and gloves, tools, water and refreshments will be provided. For more information or to register your group, please contact the Friends at (310) 306-5994. Westside Voices Concert Community choir, the Westside Voices, will be revisiting music from its first season and also debuting new songs at its spring concert “Then and Now.” The concert will take place on Sunday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. at the Westchester United Methodist Church, located at 9065 Emerson Ave. in Westchester. The suggested donation is $10 and a dessert reception will follow the concert. For reservations, please call Penny at (310) 670-3777. St. Jerome Open House St. Jerome Catholic Church is inviting the community to an open house to learn more about the parish. The open house will be held on Sunday, April 26 at 1 p.m. at the church property, located at 5550 Thornburn St. in Westchester. The afternoon will include guided tours of the church followed by refreshments and a question and answer period. For more info, please call (310) 348-8212. Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

Monday

Sunday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Easter Sunday

NCWP Board Meeting @ Westchester Community Room

Mame @ Westchester Playhouse

Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza

Thursday

Friday

April Saturday

Friends of Education Nominations Due

Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista

First Friday @ 6200 87th Street

Mame @ Westchester Playhouse

Spring Egg Hunt @ Westchester Park

Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park

Marina Birthday Bash @ Burton Chace Park

Marina Birthday Bash and LA Marinafest Boat Show @ Burton Chace Park

Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey

Mame @ Westchester Playhouse

Otis’ Kite Festival @ Santa Monica Pier Secrets to a Successful Remodel Seminar @ Custom Design and Construction

Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex

5 Mame @ Westchester Playhouse

6 Super Mom Nominations Due

Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza

Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park

Brunch Favorites Cooking class @ Holy Nativity

Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey

Be Dazzling Event @ Marina del Rey Hospital

Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex

Silver Seminar Series @ Westchester Senior Center

Marina Birthday Bash and LA Marinafest Boat Show @ Burton Chace Park

14 Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza Republican Women’s Meeting @ KJ’s Diner

10 Mame @ Westchester Playhouse

Healthy Kids Day @ Westchester Family YMCA

Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey

Open House @ St. Jerome Westside Voices Concert @ Westchester United Methodist Church

20 Rotary Makeover Project @ Westchester Senior Center (through May 3)

21 Rotary Makeover Project @ Westchester Senior Center

22 Rotary Makeover Project @ Westchester Senior Center

Race for Success @ LMU Memorial Car & Truck Show @ Westchester Park

Community Star Party @ Christian Science Church

Rotary Makeover Project @ Westchester Senior Center Rotary High School Scholarship deadline

Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza

Community work day @ Emerson Ave. Garden

Earth Day @ Ballona Wetlands

Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex

Spring Fair @ Playa Vista Mame @ Westchester Playhouse

National Anthem Auditions @ Chamber office

Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park

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

April 2015 • Page 17

Business & Nonprofit News Now Open. Cinemark Playa Vista, the first business to open in Playa Vista’s new Runway development, opened its doors to the public on Thursday, March 12. The theater held a grand opening celebration for community members and VIPs on Wednesday, March 11 with free popcorn, drinks and movies including Whiplash, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and The Theory of Everything. Guests were also treated to entertainment from celebrity look-alikes Marilyn Monroe, Austin Powers, and Charlie Chaplin. The theater features 9 wall-to-wall screens, electricpowered luxury recliners in its Reserve seating level and a full bar and lounge. Cinemark Playa Vista is located at 12746 Jefferson Blvd. in Playa Vista. LMU names new president. The Loyola Marymount University Board of Trustees has unanimously elected Timothy Law Snyder as the 16th president of the university. His term will begin on June 1. Previously, Snyder served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Loyola University Maryland from 2007-2014. Snyder will replace David Burcham who announced he would be stepping down in October 2014 after serving as president of the university since 2010. Memorial Car and Truck Show. On Saturday, April 25, the Los Angeles

Page 18 • April 2015

TheHTN.com April 13 at 1 p.m. The show’s theme is “conversations plus connections equal community.” The show will be broadcast live and on demand at latalklive.com, an internet radio station that broadcasts out of Westchester.

From left to right: Chris Daniell, Retail Division Manager at Lincoln Property Company, Councilman Mike Bonin, Mayor Eric Garcetti and Tim Warner, Chief Executive Officer of Cinemark Holdings, tear the ticket at the official grand opening of Cinemark Playa Vista on Wednesday, March 11.

Airport Peace Officers Association and the Association of Airport Employees will present the inaugural Tommy Scott Memorial Ride and Shine Car and Truck Show. The event is being held to honor the tenth anniversary of the death of LAWA Airport officer Scott who was killed in the line of duty. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Westchester Park, located at 7000 W. Manchester Ave. In addition to the car and truck show, guests of all ages can enjoy gourmet food trucks, live music, face painting and a meet and greet with the SWAT team and their new SWAT mobile. A raffle prize

drawing will be held every hour. Proceeds raised will benefit the Tommy Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund and a tribute in his honor will take place at noon. The event is free and open to the public. Organizers are encouraging the community to support the Race for Success at LMU, and then after the race, consider heading to the park for brunch and to participate in the festivities. Born to Talk. Westchester’s Marsha Wietecha will launch a new radio show “Born to Talk” on Monday,

News from the Garden. The Emerson Avenue Community Garden (EACG) is holding its second annual Spring Fling Fundraiser on Saturday, April 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees will be treated to a collection of craft beers, fine wines, appetizers and entertainment, while raising money to support the garden. EACG is a local nonprofit that oversees the approximately one-acre community garden located on the campus of Wright STEAM Magnet. The event will be hosted at a private home in Westchester. Tickets are $35 per person and can purchased by emailing Dorothy Stone at eacgc@ yahoo.com. The garden’s next community work day is set for Saturday, April 18 from 9 to 12 p.m. The EACG is also looking for volunteers for its Big Sunday Weekend scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch will be served to volunteers. For more info on volunteer opportunities, please email eacgc@yahoo.com. We want to hear about your business or nonprofit! If you have something to share, please email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.

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In Pictures

Community Builders. Karen Dial and the Drollinger Charitable Foundation received the Community Builder Award from the Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS) at its annual Spring Event on Saturday, March 28. More than 200 people were in attendance to congratulate Dial and support AMCS for its work providing free and low-cost mental health services to its clients. The event featured dinner, live and silent auctions and entertainment provided by NBC4 weatherman and comedian Fritz Coleman. Pictured: Karen Dial (center) receives recognition from AMCS board chair, Dan Cohen, and a yoga mat from longtime AMCS supporter Mary Ellen Cassman.

Protectors Luncheon. The LAX Coastal Area Chamber honored more than fifty police officers and fire fighters at its annual Protectors Appreciation Luncheon. Officers from local agencies, including Fire Station #5, the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Airport Police and LAPD Pacific division, were treated to a hosted lunch provided by the chamber and its business sponsors to say “thank you” for keeping the community safe. The special guest entertainment was a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, who delighted the crowd with a musical routine and comedy. Each officer received a door prize donated by local businesses as a token of appreciation. The prizes included gift cards, hotel stays and spa treatments. The event ended with one protector winning the grand prize raffle drawing for two first class airline tickets donated by Howard Pollack of Rainbow Acres Natural Foods. PHOTO BY GLENN MARZANO.

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