Los Angeles magazine - January 2022 by The Lifestyle Magazines of SoCal - Issuu

Los Angeles magazine - January 2022

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BEST NEW RESTAURANTS ( B E C AU S E TA K E O U T I S S O 2 02 1 )

WHAT HAPPENED TO HEIDI PLANCK?

THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MOM




JA N UA R Y 202 2

A RT H O U S E

Acclaimed trans painter Celeste Dupuy-Spencer in her L.A. studio.

Features 54

Are the Kids Alright? A brand-new generation has arrived at the office, freaking everyone out. The good news is that Zoomers aren’t nearly as entitled on the job as millennials. The bad news? They could really use a hug BY J O E L ST E I N

2 L A M AG . C O M

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Best New Restaurants Times are uncertain, but L.A.’s dining scene is a sure bet. With delicious, dazzling openings from both established power chefs and hot young talent, now is the time to get out and dig in BY A N DY WA N G

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“A Mess of Contradictions” Celeste Dupuy-Spencer is L.A.’s most buzzed-about painter, with comparisons to David Hockney and Michelangelo. But is she making art for the masses or throwing canvas-shaped hand grenades at the establishment? BY M I C H A E L S L E N S K E

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JA N UA R Y 202 2

Buzz The Vanishing

» What happened to 39-year-old Heidi Planck? The only thing anyone knows for sure is that this is no ordinary missing-mom mystery BY MICHELE MCPHEE PAGE 9

The Brief

» Gavin Newsom’s not-so-mysterious non-disappearance; banning Bennifer from Van Nuys Airport; John King wants to make social media a happier place; and Crossroads: School for Scandal? PAGE 14

BY ALEXANDRIA ABRAMIAN PAGE 18

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» Björk’s performance spectacular, Cornucopia, finally arrives at the Shrine; the must-know musical acts in 2022; Sunset Tower’s majordomo opens up his little black book; Alice Waters’s first Southern California restaurant; and puffer coats that are as chic as they are warm (really) PAG E 2 1 4 L A M AG . C O M

» Why are the on-ramps to the 110 freeway so terrifyingly short? Why do they always play Frank Sinatra songs at the Grove? Why is the corner of 4th and Main downtown called Woody Guthrie Square? Our resident historian answers all your burning questions. BY CHRIS NICHOLS PAGE 124

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T H E TA L K O F LOS A N G E L E S

The Vanishing WHAT HAPPENED TO 39-YEAR-OLD HEIDI PLANCK? THE ONLY THING ANYONE KNOWS FOR SURE IS THAT THIS IS NO ORDINARY MISSING-MOM MYSTERY

C R E D I TS T K H E R E A N D H E R E

BY MICHELE MCPHEE

I L LU S T R AT E D BY R O B E RT CA RT E R

L A M AG . C O M 9


|

L . A . MYSTE RY

T

H E S E C U R I T Y footage couldn’t

look more innocent. A pretty, petite, blue-eyed blond woman in her late thirties is shown leaving her rented townhouse near the Culver City Arts District. She’s dressed casually but fashionably in jeans and a smiley face T-shirt with a gray sweater wrapped around her waist. There’s a cell phone and a coffee cup in her hands and a Labradoodle trailing behind. She and the dog can be seen climbing into a shiny silver Range Rover—its black-and-yellow California license plate reading U840X0—and driving away. And that’s it. Not a single hint or clue as to what transpired later that day in mid-October that would turn Heidi Planck into one of the most mysterious disappearing acts in recent Los Angeles history, setting off a media frenzy of missing-mom headlines and triggering a Los Angeles Police Department investigation that had search crews sifting through local landfills and, at one point, detectives bursting into her townhouse with guns drawn in a SWAT-like raid that presumably turned up nothing. their son, Bond Mason Wayne, play football. Although the The only thing that’s become clear about Planck in the couple had been divorced for nine years, they were, at least months since she vanished into thin air, leaving behind a on Sunday, October 17, on good terms. A few days earlier, as bewildered ex-husband and a distraught 11-year-old son, they prepared to celebrate Bond’s 11th birthday, Planck had is that nothing is remotely clear about the assumed victim. sent Wayne flowers and a tender text thanking him “for all Indeed, the more you dig into the case, the more extraordiyou do for Bond . . . He adores you and you’re a very special nary—and in some ways nefarious—it becomes, with trails person to him.” leading to places not usually associated with 39-year-old But it was clear at the football game that something Westside moms. was bothering Planck. Witnesses say she was fidgety and Like, for instance, her part, if there was one, in a securidistracted, and she abruptly left at halftime, which was the ties-and-exchange-commission investigation involving her last time Wayne and Bond saw her. boss, Jason Sugarman, husband to a Hollywood mogul’s For the next three days, Wayne and Bond became daughter, and a bunch of other shady businessmen, includincreasingly alarmed, then frantic, as they tried unsuccessing a onetime “porn king” as well as fully to call and text Planck. a huckster with ties to the president’s “Can you please call me back? I son, all mixed up in an alleged scheme called you two days in a row and you “Please call or just to bilk $43 million from a Native haven’t picked up,” Bond wrote in a text me because I American tribe with phony investtext on October 18 at 7:31 p.m. ments. There’s also Planck’s troubling Then, after school on October 19, want to make sure history of drug abuse and mental he tried again. “Please call or just text your ok and I’m instability, which may or may not me because I want to make sure your worried about you.” have anything to do with her disapok and I’m worried about you.” Later pearance. And last but certainly not that same day: “Please call mom. I least, there’s the very real possibility miss you and I’m worried about you.” that murder may be at the bottom of this head-scratching The next day, on October 20, Planck was supposed to thicket of plot twists and turns. pick up Bond at his private school in Westwood. When she “Detectives are not treating this as just another missingdidn’t show, concern turned to cold panic. After a flurry person case,” understates an LAPD source with knowledge of more unanswered text messages, Wayne drove to the of the investigation. “Homicide is still asking for volunteers West Los Angeles police station to file a missing-person for the landfill searches.” report, while one of Planck’s friends was dispatched to her townhouse. There was no sign of her or Seven or her Range Rover. Her work cell phone was in the house, along with a L E T ’ S S TA RT at the beginning, the day of Planck’s disaplaptop, but nothing seemed out of place. pearance. After leaving her townhouse and climbing into “There was no way—no way—Heidi wouldn’t show that silver Range Rover with her dog (named Seven), she up for Bond,” Wayne says. “I knew something was really drove to Downey, where she would join her ex-husband, wrong. People don’t just disappear.” Jim Wayne, a prominent Beverly Hills hairstylist, to watch 1 0 L A M AG . C O M

CO U R T E SY J I M WAY N E

BUZZ


G ONE GIRL

N E WS FO OTAG E : A B C 7.CO M

Opposite page: Heidi Planck and then-husband Jim Wayne. “People don’t just disappear,” he tells Los Angeles; Planck’s $1.7 million rented townhouse in Mid City; a missing person flyer; security video outside Planck’s home taken the day she vanished. Her dog and SUV were later recovered in downtown L.A.

Wayne tried calling Planck’s current boyfriend, Na’eem Salaam, who lives in the Bay Area where he’s the vice president of operations for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Facebook’s philanthropic organization. Salaam told Wayne he hadn’t seen Planck in a while because he’d been busy with work but noted that she’d sent him an alarming text telling him that “she was afraid” and asking him to come down to L.A. on the weekend she’d vanished. But Salaam—a “super nice guy,” according to Wayne—couldn’t make it. Beyond that, he had no more information. Taking matters into his own hands, Wayne began his own amateur sleuthing. He tried using the location-tracking system in Planck’s SUV, but it’d been turned off. The location finder on her earbuds and Apple watch had also been shut off. “It was really odd,” Wayne says. “That had to be done deliberately, systematically.” Then Wayne remembered Seven. The dog had been chipped, so Wayne headed to the family vet to see if there was any way to track his location. But no sooner had he arrived than Planck’s work phone received a text message from the occupant of a high-rise luxury apartment complex—the new Hope + Flower building in downtown L.A. Seven had been found several days earlier, on October 17, just hours after the football game, wandering around the 28th floor. Wayne and the LAPD say that Planck had no known T O P R OW P H O T O G R A P H E D BY WAY N E NAT H A N

connections to the area or to the building, which, being new, had plenty of surveillance equipment. For unknown reasons, the building’s management was initially reluctant to cooperate with the police but ultimately, after a warrant was issued, handed over a video that showed Planck walking Seven in an alley behind the structure. She was now wearing what appears to be the sweater that had earlier been tied around her waist. It was Planck’s last known location. The police, meanwhile, performed several more checks of Planck’s townhouse, including the one on October 29, in which they entered with guns drawn. Exactly why they unholstered their weapons is unclear—perhaps they suspected she was being held there against her will?—but they found nothing suspicious. Or at least nothing overtly suspicious. They did leave the townhouse wondering how a woman who made $145,000 a year working as financial controller at Camden Capital Partners could afford the rent on a 2,000-square-foot home with 28-foot-high ceilings, a floating staircase with glass railings, and walls filled with expensive modern art. (The townhouse had last been listed for sale in 2019, for $1.7 million.) For that matter, how could she afford her top-of-the-line $90,000 Range Rover? Alimony certainly didn’t explain her income; when the couple divorced in 2012, Wayne paid a lump sum. He’s paid no other money since. “You’re going to have to ask Heidi,” Wayne says with a resigned sigh when the subject of her finances is broached. “or her boss. All I know is that she always had piles of cash and took a lot of vacations. She told me that her boss floats her money when they close a deal.” The trouble with asking her boss, though, is that she doesn’t appear to have one—at least not one who isn’t currently on trial for massive financial malfeasance. That company she works for, Camden Capital Partners? Its registered address is Planck’s townhouse in Mid City. And at present, a public-records search shows Planck listed as its only employee. I F PA S T I S P R O L O G U E , then Heidi Planck’s history

might shed at least a little light on the mystery of her disappearance. Or maybe just throw a red herring into the enigma. In any case, family-court documents reveal that her life—which began in suburban Buffalo before she made her way to L.A.—was wracked with turmoil and psychological issues as well as substance abuse, including an addiction to benzos and Adderall. Planck’s mental health and drug problems were apparently a key component of her and Wayne’s custody battle over Bond in the years after their divorce. “I have learned L A M AG . C O M 1 1


to be aware of her conduct and try to be aware of when and if she is using,” Wayne wrote in his request for full custody (they ended up sharing custody). Not that it was difficult for him to spot. In October 2015, for instance, Planck suffered what Wayne described as a “full psychotic break.” That harrowing episode began when Planck showed up late to pick up then-five-yearold Bond from Wayne’s salon. While driving with Planck and Bond back to her former home in the Fairfax District, Wayne noticed that Planck had suddenly become pale and disoriented. “I can’t be in here,” she complained. “It’s too intense.” Wayne managed to get them to Planck’s place, but as soon as he’d turned around to drive himself home, Planck called in distress and asked him to come back and take them to his house. When Wayne returned, Planck was sitting outside inexplicably holding a plate of bacon, which she tried to get him to eat. Wayne thought she might be intoxicated, but by the time they all arrived back at Wayne’s house, Planck seemed to have calmed down. Until Wayne heard his son shouting for him: “Dad, you have to come see my room . . . mom made a mess!” Planck had ransacked the boy’s bedroom, then squeezed herself out his window and hopped a neighbor’s fence. Minutes later, another neighbor called the police after spotting Planck “climbing on roofs and over fences.” When the police arrived, they found Planck “partially clothed” and switching an electrical circuit breaker on the street on and off. Planck voluntarily checked herself into a psychiatric hospital, according to court records, but a day later, she called Wayne again, begging him to take her home, 1 2 L A M AG . C O M

claiming she was being molested. Wayne told her she needed to stay. “Why do I have a C-section scar?” she asked him, apparently forgetting about Bond’s birth. “We don’t have children.” Then she hung up the phone. Whatever inner demons she was battling back then, Planck seemed to have made peace with them by 2017, when she started a job as an assistant at Camden Capital Partners, which at the time existed as more than Planck’s address in Mid City. But Camden Capital could hardly be described as a safe or even sane place; her new boss was Jason Sugarman, the now-indicted financier and son-inlaw to Hollywood mogul Peter Guber. In 2019, Sugarman would be investigated and charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission for a highly complex tribal bonds scheme that allegedly defrauded Native Americans from the Sioux Nation of some $43 million dollars. Sugarman’s partner at Camden Capital Partners (not to be confused with Camden Capital in El Segundo) was a huckster named Jason Galanis, an Angeleno whom Forbes once dubbed “Porn’s New King,” thanks to his billing service for pornographic websites. Along with a coterie of other shady characters—including Hunter Biden’s former business partner Devon Archer—Sugarman and Galanis were accused of using investments from their Native American clients to line their own pockets with goodies like apartments in Tribeca. Galanis pleaded guilty to securities fraud and is serving 15 years in a minimum-security prison in San Pedro, while Archer is awaiting sentencing for his part in the affair. Sugarman’s trial is still unwinding in New York. Planck was never implicated in the scandal, but nevertheless scaled the ranks of the company, rising from Sugarman’s assistant to financial controller overseeing all employees involved in the accounting process. What does any of this have to do with her disappearance? Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. “Stealing from Native Americans is a whole new level of dirtbaggery,” notes Wayne. “Dirtbags associate themselves with other dirtbags. And there are a lot of dirtbags around my wife’s job. Good stays with good. Bad stays with bad. T O P R I G H T P H O T O G R A P H E D BY WAY N E NAT H A N

TO P L E F T: H AU T E L I V I N G .CO M ; N A’ E E M SA L A A M : T H E - S U N .CO M ; D E VO N A R C H E R : C L I N T S PAU L D I N G / PAT R I C K M C M U L L A N V I A G E T T Y I M AG E S

LEFT BEHIND

This page, clockwise from left: Planck’s boss, indicted financier Jason Sugarman (left) with his wife and father-in-law, Hollywood mogul Peter Guber; Planck’s boyfriend, Na’eem Salaam; the new Hope + Flower building where Planck’s dog was found; Hunter Biden’s one-time business partner Devon Archer, who was caught up in the Sugarman scandal. Opposite: Planck’s ex-husband, Jim Wayne.


inconsistency after another. There are a lot of bad people It’s possible, for instance, around Jason.” that Planck is still very much Even if Sugarman had alive. It’s not inconceivable nothing to do with Planck’s that Sugarman is correct and vanishing, he certainly didn’t that she absconded with comseem all that helpful—or even pany money—after all, she was concerned—when Wayne conclearly living a lavish lifestyle tacted him to ask if he had any that couldn’t be funded by her information about her where$145,000- a-year salary. Planck abouts. According to Wayne, seemingly had a taste for the Sugarman wouldn’t even get on dangerous and exotic—she prethe phone and instead had his sumably named her kid after a assistant deal with the matter. secret agent (and her dog, too, All that assistant would say was minus a couple of zeros). But that Sugarman wanted Planck’s if that were true, she’d have work laptop back. When bolted from her life without Wayne balked, he could hear so much as a goodbye to her Sugarman in the background only child, not to mention her barking to the assistant. “Tell ex, whom she was clearly still him I want the laptop!” attached to. And what about “If you had a loyal employee Seven? Would she really abanfor five years, and unlimited don the dog on the 28th floor of resources, wouldn’t you offer a random downtown building to help in the search?” ponders and hope for the best? (Seven, Wayne. “Jason didn’t.” by the way, is now living with What Sugarman did do, “She’s my ex-wife. I could Wayne, who also has full emerweirdly, was drive to Planck’s say a lot of things. But she gency custody of Bond). townhouse the day after Wayne wouldn’t steal. That is such It’s also possible, given her called him. The same security psychological history, that camera that had filmed Planck a bunch of hogwash.” Planck suffered some sort of getting into her car with Seven psychotic relapse and, like now captured Sugarman outso many other lost souls, has side her front door, ringing the simply disappeared into the labyrinth of Los Angeles’s dark bell and leaving a box of pastries on the stoop before getand little-explored alleyways. But, again, if that were the ting into his own luxury SUV and driving away. Why he was case, one would assume, given all the media attention and delivering snacks to a woman he knew to be missing is not police activity, at least some morsel of a clue would have known. Numerous calls and emails to Sugarman’s attorneys been uncovered by now. With so many people looking for for comment on this story were not returned. her, it’s hard to believe some shred of evidence about her The same day Sugarman was making a pastry run to whereabouts couldn’t be found. Planck’s townhouse, Wayne received a follow-up call from Although the LAPD isn’t officially disclosing its theoSugarman’s assistant, again asking for the laptop, claiming ries about the case, it’s pretty obvious what direction their that Sugarman believed that there was “sensitive informasuspicions are heading. Just after Thanksgiving, reports of tion on it.” By then, Wayne had already turned the computer “undisclosed forensic evidence” found in that downtown over to the FBI, but what really infuriated him was when apartment complex where Seven was picked up and where Sugarman’s assistant told him that her boss believed Planck Planck’s Range Rover was ultimately recovered, have led had absconded with some of the company’s money. to renewed landfill excavations. For some reason, they’re “That is the most disparaging thing you can say about looking at a landfill in Chiquita Canyon, miles from both another person, especially when you are under investigaPlanck’s Mid City townhouse, and at another one in downtion for stealing millions of dollars,” he fumes. “She’s my town L.A. The police obviously think she’s dead. ex-wife, I could say a lot of things. If there is one thing I Wayne isn’t quite ready to go there himself, but he is would stand by, she wouldn’t steal. For them to say that is convinced, like everybody else, that this remains no ordisuch a bunch of hogwash.” nary missing-person case. “Right now, everything is speculative. Is it a drug deal T H E R E A R E , O B V I O U S LY, a ton of unanswered gone bad? Was she in the wrong place at the wrong time questions here, well beyond the mysterious pastries with the wrong people? Or is it connected to her job?” he her indicted boss left on her doorstep. So many queswonders. “There is foul play here. I just don’t know how tions, in fact, it’s difficult to form any coherent theories foul it is.” of the case without tripping up on one contradiction or P H O T O G R A P H E D BY E L I SA B E T H CA R E N

L A M AG . C O M 1 3


The Brief NEWSOM’S NOT-SOMYSTERIOUS NON-DISAPPEARANCE THOSE CRAZY RUMORS THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS IN HIDING AFTER SUFFERING SEVERE COVID-BOOSTER SIDE EFFECTS? GUESS WHERE THEY STARTED? BY REBEKAH BRANDES

rumor that the governor had hired a body double to cover up for his illness. They pointed to Newsom canceling a trip to Scotland for a climate summit in late October and the fact that he had stayed off the grid until November 9, when he popped back up at Gavin Newsom the California had gone into Economic hiding after Summit, as suffering a evidence that traumatic vacsomething cine-booster nefarious was side effect going on. were at least in FA K E N E W S Here at part fueled by Los Angeles’s March 2021 cover, featuring a Newsom Los Angeles, Los Angeles’s double blowing a bubble. we learned of March story on our role in the plot on the gubernatorial recall November 8, when phoelection, which used a tographer Corina Marie Newsom lookalike for the cover image. Seizing on Mazzi, who shot the March L.A. mag’s six-month-old cover, received an email casting call for a Newsom from Markus Allen, founder doppelganger, anti-vaxxers of a website that publicizes started spreading the anti-vax rumors. “There’s a E V E R wonder

where crazy, rightwing anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories are born? Turns out at least one of them was (inadvertently) hatched right here, at Los Angeles magazine. Those rumors in November that Governor

1 4 L A M AG . C O M

rapidly growing conspiracy theory,” the email read, “that you’re involved in covering up the disappearance of Newsom.” Mazzi attempted to explain what really happened—that actor-comedian Charlie Farrell had been hired to impersonate Newsom for our cover—but that didn’t do much to kill the rumor. On the contrary, a little bit later, Robert Kennedy Jr. (far left) got in on the act, publishing a false report on a website run by his anti-vaxxer group, claiming that “sources close to Newsom” confirmed the governor had contracted Guillain-Barré syndrome after receiving his Moderna booster. Following up on that report, Silicon Valley philanthropist and anti-vaxxer Steve Kirsch speculated on his Substack that Newsom had developed Bell’s palsy. Next up was notorious conspiracy theorist Alex Jones (second from left), who claimed that Newsom was “very sick” after getting his booster. Newsom himself brushed off the reports, telling reporters on November 10, “I had absolutely no F LY AWAY W I T H B E N N I F E R . . .

impact whatsoever from the COVID shot.” He explained his late-October absence by noting that his children, ages five to 12, had held an “intervention” to make their father spend Halloween with them and pointed to a photo, posted November 1, of himself dressed as a pirate after trick-or-treating with his kids.

BANNING BENNIFER FROM VAN NUYS AIRPORT? IN RECENT MONTHS,

Van Nuys Airport has been packed with more Hollywood celebs than the Polo Lounge, with everyone from Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lawrence to The Kardashians flying out of the airfield that sports its own miniature Customs office. But not everyone is thrilled with the influx of A-listers. Some local San Fernando Valley residents are furious about the increase in air traffic, noise, and toxic fumes. “People across the Valley are complaining about adverse health effects,” says Chloe King, a writer who lives in

But just not out of Van Nuys Airport, say critics of the VIP airstrip.

B E N N I F E R , R O B E R T K E N N E DY, J R . : G E T T Y I M AG E S ; A L E X J O N E S : J O S E LU I S M AG A N A /A P/S H U T T E R STO C K ; G AV I N N E WS O M VACC I N AT I O N : DA M I A N D OVA R G A N E S /A P/S H U T T E R STO C K

N E W S & N O T E S F R O M A L L OV E R


J O H N K I N G P O R T R A I T: L I N K E D I N .CO M ; C R O S S R OA D S S C H O O L : M A R I A N N A DAY M A S S E Y/Z U M A P R E S S .CO M

NUMBER OF DAYS IN JAIL RESTAURATEURS AND SUPERMARKET OWNERS COULD SERVE PER VIOLATION OF CALIFORNIA’S NEW PROP 12, WHICH PROHIBITS THE SALE OF FARM PRODUCTS RAISED IN INHUMANE WAYS. THE LAW IS EXPECTED TO DISALLOW 96 PERCENT OF THE BACON NOW COMING INTO L.A.

Sherman Oaks. “The airport has been transformed into a commercial entity with little to no community input or environmental oversight.” One reason Van Nuys has become the go-to airstrip for VIPs is that the Santa Monica airport shortened its runways, making it impossible for some private jets to take off and land. Another is the popularity of ride-sharing on private airlines, with companies like Aero and XO letting customers buy seats on private planes and share chartered services with others, an appealing pandemic-era option that helps wellheeled travelers avoid more crowded airports. Airport officials say they are listening to the community and addressing complaints by working with the FAA to recommend flight-pattern changes. In addition, they implemented a voluntary curfew at the airport. “As a leading employer of about 10,000 employees in the region,” notes airport spokesperson Diana Sanchez, “we are committed to operating in a sustainable manner and being a good neighbor.” — S U SA N C A M P O S

JOHN KING WANTS TO MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA A HAPPIER PLACE L.A. ENTREPRENEUR John King has his fingers

in many pies—real estate, music, film, TV (he owns KSDX in San Diego)—but these days, he’s working on

180

themselves,” King says. “Social media created this world where people like to flaunt. But with TAPP, there’s no pressure.”

TA P P I N T O T H AT

John King launches a new, friendlier social-media platform.

a modest side hustle: he’s trying to make the internet a nicer place. King, 50, is in the process of launching TAPP, a mobile app he hopes will become the anti-Facebook, a platform where friends share lists of favorite things—restaurants, hair pomades, running shoes—without being inundated with ads, political polemics, and fake news. “Facebook is about selling personal data and negative behavior,” he says. “TAPP is about private connections with people you know and trust.” The app, which requires users to invite each other to their personal pages, soft-launched over the summer and is still working out the bugs, not to mention staffing up (it’s got just three employees, including King). It also could use some users— right now, there’s only about 700, mostly in L.A, although they do reportedly include Kate Hudson and jewelry designer (and Ron Meyer’s daughter) Jen Meyer. But remember, Facebook started small too. “We want users to be

on attractiveness, as well as several TikTok accounts “in which seventh-grade students speculate about real or imagined relationships between classmates.” —MERLE GINSBERG But, obviously, the accusation that so many students CROSSROADS: had been assaulted and SCHOOL FOR harassed by a single alleged SCANDAL? predator was the most incendiary bombshell. A S C A N DA L O F S O M E Curiously, though, sort seems to be brewing Crossroads didn’t take the at Crossroads School for complaint to the Santa Arts & Sciences, the excluMonica police—which sive K-through-12 campus is typically what schools in Santa Monica. But are required by state exactly what kind of scanlaw to do—but, instead, dal is hard to pin down. filed a report with the It began in November, Department of Children when the school’s headand Family Services. “We are confident that we handled the situation fairly, quickly, and with care,” is about all a school spokesman would say when contacted by Los Angeles. Even more curiously, a S C H O O L DA Z E Crossroads, where a sexual assault scandal may source close to or may not be unfolding. the school says that a week after Riddle’s master, Bob Riddle, emailed email, meetings were held parents to notify them that with parents in which his administration had they were told none of the been made “aware of a Upper Schoolers’ accusavoice memo emailed to tions turned out to be true. some members of our comThe source also says that munity last night by an DCFS examined the comUpper Schooler... [who] plaint and also found no said that she, as well as 17 evidence of wrongdoing. others, had been sexually Meanwhile, the unnamed assaulted and harassed student accused of the by a Crossroads student.” crimes has been withdrawn Riddle’s email also referfrom the school by his parenced other inappropriate ents after he was harassed behavior—an “eighth-grade with death threats. ranking list,” in which students graded their peers — IAN SPIEGELMAN L A M AG . C O M 1 5


BUZZ

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DATA

The Price of Gridlock A S T H E C I T Y H A S F I T F U L LY E M E R G E D from its COVID slump, traffic problems have returned, with congestion and delays on the Westside setting new records over the holidays. But it turns out the countless hours we spend trapped in gridlock on the 405 are sapping more than our patience. The insurance firm Budget Direct recently tallied the average number of hours that drivers in cities around the globe spend idling in traffic, factoring in local gas prices and the cost of those delays on productivity. To no one’s surprise, L.A. topped the list in the U.S. (Globally, the city came in at No. 13, after Tel Aviv and Dublin.) According to the study, gridlock cost the everyday Angeleno a yearly average of $1,816 in time that could have been spent on important things like curing cancer or firing your agent. But it could be worse—you could be losing $3,555 a year trapped on the freeways of Hong Kong, where gas is $9.90 a gallon.

( 2 ) NEW YORK

COST PER DRIVER / $1,816

COST PER DRIVER / $1,499

( 3 ) SAN FRANCISCO

( 4 ) HONOLULU

( 5 ) SAN JOSE

( 6 ) MIAMI

COST PER DRIVER / $1,499

COST PER DRIVER / $1,466

COST PER DRIVER / $1,458

COST PER DRIVER / $1,439

( 7 ) SEATTLE

( 8 ) BATON ROUGE

( 9 ) RIVERSIDE, CA

( 1 0 ) AUSTIN

COST PER DRIVER / $1,308

COST PER DRIVER / $1,304

COST PER DRIVER / $1,280

COST PER DRIVER / $1,204

1 6 L A M AG . C O M

G E T T Y I M AG E S

( 1 ) LOS ANGELES


Our agents are the heart and soul of our business. Congratulations to Our Agents & Teams Named Among Los Angeles Magazine’s 2022 Real Estate All-Stars

Santiago Arana Lisa Ashworth Karine Aslanian Guy Azar Ben Belack Heather Bell Austin Brunkhorst Alex Brunkhorst Carla Buigues Blair Chang Nick Collins Aileen Comora Jacob Dadon Zohar Daniel Sandro Dazzan Irene Dazzan-Palmer Kevin Dees Christopher Dyson David Findley Michael Grady Jon Grauman Lindsay Guttman Arvin Haddad

Andy Hairabedian Emil Hartoonian Eric Haskell James Hirsch Deedee Howard Nikki Joel Tessa Johnson Matt Klein Craig Knizek Jeffrey Kohl Jagger Kroener Paul Lester Maya Librush Christine Martin Cooper Mount Josh Myler Danielle Peretz Adi Perez Sam Plouchart Stefan Pommepuy Alex Quaid Chris Reisbeck Griffin Riddle

Billy Rose Gus Ruelas Jonathan Ruiz Ingrid Sacerio Robert Sandefer Michelle Schwartz Brian Selem Natasha Sizlo Denise Snanoudj Daniel Stevenson Laura Stupsker Jon Swire Alex Vichinsky Amy Weber Keri White Rita Whitney Camellia Yeroomian

TEAMS

George Ouzounian & Gina Michelle James Harris & David Parnes Sandler Hirsch Group The Umansky Team

LUXURY REAL ESTATE AT THEAGENCYRE.COM


BUZZ

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S U R R E A L E S TAT E

What $2,000 a Month Will Rent You in . . . $

1.9K

DROP TOP

This Manhattan Beach house, on sale for $9 million by Patricia Blakemore at Palm Realty Boutique, sports a retractable skylight.

Razing the Roof

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR DEEP-POCKETED BUYERS; HAWTHORNE IS HOT ; AND, YES, YOU CAN ACTUALLY RENT FOR $2,000 IN BEVERLY HILLS BY ALEXANDRIA ABRAMIAN

HIGHLIGHTS A one-bedroom, one-bathroom,

lower-front unit includes a living room and dining-kitchen area. It has one assigned parking place but no laundry. So what? You’re on Doheny, a block from Gregory, in the freaking heart of 90211 for less than $2,000 per month.

NEW LISTING $1,895 CONTACT Westside Property Management, 310-310-8063

H O N E E D S a roof

over their heads? A new spate of sevenand eight-figure homes tout ceiling-free living as the latest amenity. A Pacific Palisades home with a massive, roof-free bedroom recently fetched $83 million, while a $30 million Calabasas compound includes a deck with a retractable glass roof. “This is a logical way to take indoor-outdoor design to a new plane,” says real estate agent Tony Mariotti, founder of RubyHome. “It’s a pivot from the candy rooms

and jellyfish-viewing tanks. Spec homes are increasingly geared toward the tech buyer who is less drawn to gimmicks but nevertheless wants something that few, if anyone else, has.” Some are dedicated, ceiling-less spaces designed to withstand the elements. “We’re so fortunate to live within a climate that supports seamless engagement between indoor and outdoor spaces,” says David Montalba, of Montalba Architects, who recently completed an open-sky spa bathroom in Santa Monica.

$

2K

P L AYA D E L R E Y SIZE 762 square feet HIGHLIGHTS This one-bedroom, one-bath

condo includes the upscale deets, appliances, and perks usually associated with ownership. The building sports a modest pool and fitness room, and, in any event, the beach beckons a few blocks to the west.

⁄ TODAY $2,000

1 YEAR AGO $2,389

CONTACT Trent, 626-691-3539

SOUTH BAY WATCH Prices are up 17 percent and the typical home price is $840,00 in Hawthorne, the rapidly gentrifying home to Tesla, SpaceX, and Amazon’s Ring headquarters. South Bay-based flippers are rehabbing the area’s original, humble ranch houses as well as its more elaborate ’80s-era homes. Alexis Akleh-Soof, design principal of Soof Construction & Design, recently completed an overhaul of a typical ranch house (left) in the desired Hollyglen area. “We listed it at $1.45 million and got nine offers, mostly from people living in Manhattan Beach and Palos Verdes,” Soof says. “It sold for over asking.”

(for rent by owner)

$

1.8K

DOWNTOWN

HOT TAKES I

I K E M C H U K U M E R I J E , C E O, CO N C I E R G E I N T E R N AT I O N A L

> You handle logistics for sports stars relocating to L.A.? “Contrary to popular belief, many athletes are price-concious. My younger guys want to live close to the training facility. For Rams, that’s in the Valley. For Lakers, that’s El Segundo. Younger players will stay in Playa Vista, Marina del Rey. Superstars are in Bel-Air, Beverly Hills, and Brentwood. Safety is important. They want gated. Especially now, when we’re hearing all the time about burglaries.” 1 8 L A M AG . C O M

SIZE 345 square feet HIGHLIGHTS A studio in the refurbished 1925

Subway Terminal Building near Pershing Square delivers the downtown-renaissance lifestyle in a building packed with amenities and a one-long-block walk past Angels Knoll Park to public transportation.

1 YEAR AGO $1,550

⁄ TODAY $1,845

CONTACT Brookfield Properties,

855-248-7653

S O U T H B AY WATC H : L AU R E N P R E S S E Y; H OT TA K E S : W I L L U T L E Y P H OTO G R A P H Y; R E N TA L S : Z I L LOW.CO M

W

B E V E R LY H I L L S SIZE 650 square feet


Make Music a Part of Your New Year Start your 2022 on the right note with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and world-class guest artists

DASHON BURTON, BASS-BARITONE

MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS, CONDUCTOR

EMANUEL AX, PIANO

SASHA COOKE, MEZZO-SOPRANO

ELIM CHAN, CONDUCTOR

ROHAN DE SILVA, PIANO

ITZHAK PERLMAN, VIOLIN

IGOR LEVIT, PIANO

FRI–SAT JAN 7–8 8PM SUN JAN 9 2PM

THU–FRI JAN 13–14 8PM SUN JAN 16 2PM

THU & SAT JAN 27 & 29 8PM SUN JAN 30 2PM

Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano Dashon Burton, bass-baritone

Emanuel Ax, piano

Elim Chan, conductor Igor Levit, piano

Prokofiev and MTT

Beethoven and Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Mendelssohn

FAURÉ Pavane Michael TILSON THOMAS Meditations on Rilke PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5

Ax Plays Brahms

MAHLER Blumine BERG Three Pieces for Orchestra BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1

Elizabeth OGONEK Cloudline (U.S. premiere, LA Phil commission) BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, “Italian”

WED JAN 26 8PM

Colburn Celebrity Recital Itzhak Perlman, violin Rohan De Silva, piano

The internationally recognized violin icon returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall with his longtime musical partner.

Get Your Tickets Today!

laphil.com/jan | 323 850 2000 Groups (10+) 323 850 2050

Programs, artists, prices, and dates subject to change.

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01.22

SIGHT AND SOUND

Björk’s Cornucopia tour promises to be a feast for both the eyes and ears.

Plus > Scream’s revolutionary reboot PAGE 26

> The colorful jelly cakes everyone’s clamoring for PAGE 36

> Puffer coats that thrill in the chill

SA N T I AG O F E L I P E /G E T T Y I M AG E

PAGE 46

HAPPENINGS

Sing It On PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A CONCERT EXPERIENCE LIKE NONE OTHER. BJÖRK’S YEARS-IN-THE-MAKING PERFORMANCE SPECTACULAR CORNUCOPIA IS COMING TO L.A. BY JOR DA N R I E F E

L A M AG . C O M 2 1


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MUSIC

I NA L LY, I T ’ S L . A .’ S T U R N.

Much of the rest of the world, including New York and London, got to see Björk’s rapturous Cornucopia tour in 2019— essentially a lifetime ago. Now it’s coming to the Shrine Auditorium on January 26, January 29, and February 1. No mere pop concert, it’s an immersive musical and theatrical art installation. Critics have hailed it as “an audacious, expectation-disrupting spectacular,” a “swirling phantasmagoria,” and “the wildest visual display in a concert that I’ve ever seen.” Start thinking about what edibles you’ll want to have on hand. “I am trying to carve ways to express the spiritual in the digital,” 56-year-old Björk told Dazed about the impulses behind the show. “There is an enormous need to find a place for the soul in our global landscape.” The 52-member Hamrahlíð choir—which Björk was a member of as a teen growing up in Iceland—will join the ethereal singer on the stage, as will Viibra, a seven-member women’s flute ensemble playing multiple variations of the instrument. Digital visuals by media artist Tobias Gremmler will have aqua-flora-inspired designs to match sculptural costumes by designer Olivier Rousteing of Balmain. Set designer Chiara Stephenson, who has previously worked with Lorde and the xx, as well as on several West End plays, has created various structures resembling fungi and sea anemone to populate the stage. “Björk is totally interested in nature and technology and where those two combine, and how they can combine in the future as we move forward,” Stephenson has said. All will be corralled and tempered by Argentine film director Lucrecia Martel. The setlist will focus on songs from the singer’s 2017 Utopia, a collaboration with Venezuelan musician Arca. But it will also include retuned versions of some of her classic songs like “Isobel,” “Hidden Place,” and “Pagan Poetry.” Expect some unique renditions of the otherworldly artist’s work. A custom-made “I am trying reverb chamber designed by to carve ways engineering firm Arup will to express the flank the stage. From it, Bjork will sing songs like “Features spiritual in Creatures” and “Show Me the digital.” Forgiveness” while a camera —Björk transmits her image to proscenium curtains. Not to be outdone, her performance of “Blissing Me” will feature a singular beat by percussionist Manu Delago who plays water drums— hollow pumpkins suspended in water with, naturally, a submerged microphone. If it sounds like the pint-sized soprano might be getting soft—or at least overly conceptual, even for her—fear not. Tunes such as “The Gate” and “Arisen My Senses” will feature simple arrangements that showcase the grit and naked power of Björk’s voice from her punk-rock and Sugarcubes days. 2 2 L A M AG . C O M

Born Björk Guðmundsdóttir in Reykjavik, the fearlessly experimental singer sang in school and community events throughout her childhood and signed her first recording contract at age 11. In her twenties, she became lead singer of the Sugarcubes, the first Icelandic band to have a global impact. Its signature song, “Birthday,” was written following the birth of Björk’s first child, Sindri, with guitarist Þór Eldon, whom she divorced in 1987 after a year of marriage. She went on to have a lengthy, high-profile relationship with artist Matthew Barney. The pair had one daughter, Ísadóra, in 2002, but parted ways in 2013, inspiring Björk’s Vulnicura album. In more recent years, she’s said she doesn’t find “normcore” sexuality very interesting but rather gets turned on by

TO P : SA N T I AG O F E L I P E /G E T T Y I M AG E S

Incoming


N OW P L AY I N G

MUSIC

ON AND OFF

Cornucopia initially played in Europe and New York City in 2019, before COVID put live music on hold.

Listen Up! The music world has always been a fast-moving beast, but as artists come out of COVID-enforced hibernation, expect things to hit warp speed. Here’s our playlist of newer acts worth looking out for in 2022

PinkPantheress, “Just for Me” She’s still quietly toiling away at college in London, but PinkPantheress’s sublime DIY garage beats and nostalgic melodies have sent the music industry into a spin. Mimi Webb, “24/5” As her recent single indicates, big feels and a big voice make for a big future for this British pop starlet. Wet Leg, “Wet Dream” If you like your indie rock fast, fizzy, and dripping with innuendo, then behold this 140 seconds of magic from the British duo currently setting pulses racing. Beach Bunny, “Oxygen” The ’90s revival continues in earnest with this Chicago outfit, which is set to drop its second album early in 2022. It will feature this lovelorn power-pop nugget. Maisie Peters, “Psycho” Ever wondered what Taylor Swift would sound like if she were English? Well, listen to this shiny breakup banger and wonder no more. Lila Drew, “Crystal Ball” Don’t call her the new Billie Eilish just yet, but as this gorgeous track shows, there’s a definite parallel between Drew’s delicate, lyrical intimacy and the work of her more famous fellow Angeleno.

P L AY L I ST: G E T T Y I M AG E S , E XC E P T FO R : P I N K PA N T H E R E S S : B R E N T M C K E E V E R ; W E T L E G : H O L L I E F E R N A N D O ; B U N N Y: A L E C B A S S E ; M A I S I E P E T E R S : DAV E J. H O G A N /G E T T Y I M AG E S

Rina Sawayama, “XS” If not for COVID, Sawayama would have already conquered the world off the back of her 2020 release Sawayama, which featured this funky highlight. This year, it’s finally her time.

nature. The precarious state of the natural world is one of the concert’s themes. At the end, 18-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg will appear on the screen to talk climate change. “I’m here to tell you that change is coming, whether they like it or not,” Thunberg says. “The real power belongs to the people.” But the messaging is ultimately hopeful, with Cornucopia highlighting women and offering up a vision of a feminist alternate reality. A bulletin on-screen at one point makes this powerfully explicit. “We have to imagine something that doesn’t exist, carve intentionally into the future,” it reads. “Make a musical mock-up, then move into it.” Indeed.

Baby Keem, “Family Ties” Kendrick Lamar doesn’t give out cosigns for fun. But he’s featured on this track from L.A.’s own Baby Keem, a sure sign that Keem could be hiphop’s next big star. Audrey Nuna, “Space” She can rap up a storm, but when this New Jersey native purrs out these kind of dreamy R & B vocals, she’s truly a force to be reckoned with. Latto, “Big Energy” The Atlanta MC has had a few false starts down the years, but with this sizzling current single making waves, Latto is finally starting to become a rap-scene player.

Tickets at axs.com. L A M AG . C O M 2 3


Incoming

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HAPPENINGS

THE TO-DO LIST

YOUR JANUARY CULTURAL AGENDA BY JOR DA N R I E F E

I M M E R S E YO U R S E L F

› He’s not quite risen from the grave, but

Tupac is all around you at Wake Me When I’m Free: Tupac Shakur. The 20,000-squarefoot interactive exhibition looks at art, activism, music, and the man, and features thousands of his handwritten notes on subjects ranging from poetry to his grocery list. There’s also clothing and artifacts, some of which have never been publicly displayed. One gallery is dedicated entirely to Shakur’s late mom, Afeni Shakur, a former Black Panther and inspiration to the rapper, who was fatally shot in Las Vegas in 1996. The Shakur estate is behind the exhibition, which was developed by creative director Jeremy Hodges—who has worked with Drake and Jay-Z—and Nwaka Onwusa, the chief curator at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

A new exhibit celebrates the late Tupac Shakur.

January 21 to May 1 at the Canvas at L. A. Live, wakemewhenimfree.com.

LISTEN

› More than two decades

READ

› Written by USC grad

student Jean Chen Ho and set in SoCal, this exploration of female friendship and the Asian American experience introduces an exciting new literary voice. Pulitzer Prize–winner Viet Thanh Nguyen calls Fiona and Jane “a knockout.” January 4, Viking. 2 4 L A M AG . C O M

have passed since Cat Power released The Covers Record, which featured unique renditions of classics by the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and other boomer faves. On her new album, Covers, the acclaimed singer-songwriter delivers her own takes on Frank Ocean’s “Bad Religion” and Lana Del Rey’s “White Mustang.” There are also original tracks, like the new single “Unhate.” January 14, Domino Records.

SEE

› Tony winner Alan

Cumming (below) and NPR’s Ari Shapiro (right), who used to sing with Pink Martini, bring the fun in Och and Oy! A Considered Cabaret. Songs

include “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and the Scottish national anthem. January 21 and 22 at the Broad Stage, thebroad stage.org.

STREAM

› Netflix is rebooting

Rebelde, the hit musical telenovela from the early aughts about a prestigious boarding school in Mexico. In the original, the kids wore sexy ripped street clothes. Now they’re in sexy preppy uniforms, drawing comparisons to another Spanishlanguage hit for the streamer, Elite. January 5, Elite Netflix.

WAT C H

› Take a break from the

Oscar prestige pics and get into Deep Water. The erotic thriller stars Ben Affleck as a man who won’t give his wife (Ana de Armas) a divorce but will let her have a lover . . . or two. When her consorts turn to cadavers, he becomes the No. 1 suspect. Directed by veteran thriller maestro Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction), the film also stars actor and Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Tracy Letts. In theaters January 14.

T U PAC S H A KU R : M E D I A N E WS G R O U P V I A G E T T Y I M AG E S ; O C H & OY: E M I L I O M A D R I D : B O O K : P E N G U I N R A N D O M H O U S E

K E E P YA HEAD UP


N O

C R O W N

T O O

H E A V Y

L A K I N G S . C O M


Incoming

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M OV I E S

T H E Y’RE BAC K!

Some of the original Scream cast members are joined by new blood in the reboot. Inset: Neve Campbell (left) and Courteney Cox are among those returning.

With a script from then-unknown Kevin Williamson and in the hands of Craven, the answer was yes. The first Scream took in around $173 million in theaters (closer to $300 million in today’s dollars) and birthed three sequels that had their charms but never surpassed the original. It remains among the most successful—and influential—horror franchises of all time. Without it, it’s not just that there would be no I Know What You Did Last Summer (also penned by Williamson); it’s that there’d also be no Scary Movie or even Get Out— Jordan Peele has acknowledged how much Scream influenced his own horror stroke of genius. The new film is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, whose Ready or Not is also indebted to THE ORIGINAL SCREAM FRANCHISE REVOLUTIONIZED THE GENRE. Scream. It sees the return of not only CAN THE NEW ONE DO THE SAME FOR A YOUNGER GENERATION? Campbell but also original cast memBY TRACY MOORE bers Courtney Cox (playing ruthless, hard-charging reporter Gale Weather) and David Arquette (as the former H E R E ’ S A N E W Scream race, gender identity, motive, and doofus deputy sheriff Dewey Riley). in town on January 14. technology far beyond its touchBettinelli-Olpin convinced With the first film, stones. The new Scream plants itself Campbell to come back based on their released in December among them. mutual deep admiration for Craven’s 1996, and the sequels that followed, “You have a diverse cast that’s very work. Barrera says the late director Wes Craven famously relaunched reflective of today’s world and what was “a constant conthe slasher genre. Now the question the world looks like,” versation” on the shoot. is if and how the reboot—informally new lead actress Melissa “Everything we did known as “Scream 5” but actually just Barrera says via Zoom. on set was, like, ‘What called Scream—will relaunch the “You have the technolwould Wes do?’ ” original franchise, especially without ogy. It deals with mental Barrera says. “Neve, Craven, who died in 2015. health. But you also specifically—she had The first Scream brilliantly played have the young generaa very deep connecwith the rules of classic horror films. tion that’s so woke.” tion with Wes. She was As the old film frequently declared, The original there are guidelines: To survive a horScream knowingly “Scream remains also adamant about taking care of the little ror villain, one must take no drugs; winked at every horror among the most details. And she would never leave the room; say, “I’ll be film from Halloween to successful—and tell us, ‘This is how we right back”; and, crucially, keep one’s A Nightmare on Elm influential— did it in the first one.’ ” virginity intact. On that note, Scream Street to Friday the 13th As with the first, famously departed with horror’s most to Candyman to Psycho horror franchises Barrera insists the new infamous trope, letting good-girl to The Texas Chainsaw of all time.” Scream is not just terriSidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) lose Massacre. It also notably fying but also a scream. her virginity before winning the day. combined horror with “It will make you jump out of your seat Today, such rules seem about as satire and comedy, baffling critics who and want to jump out of your skin,” quaint as a landline. A slew of horror were divided over whether a horror she says. “It’s very bloody. But it also films since Scream have splintered and movie about horror movies having fun has very funny moments.” redefined the genre to explore class, with horror movies could succeed.

Horror of Horrors

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JOIN L.A. WORKS FOR LOS ANGELES’ LARGEST VOLUNTEER EVENT CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE.

PHOTO CREDIT: STEP UP TUTORING

Our Mission Since 1991, L.A. Works has recruited and led over 300,000 volunteers to provide millions of hours of service in support of nonprofit organizations uplifting Angelenos. L.A. Works volunteers become knowledgeable about the challenges facing their neighbors – and as a result, are catalyzed to do more to build a more vibrant and equitable Los Angeles. But there is always more to do. We are investing significant volunteer power to combat critical issues that have arisen in the wake of the pandemic – the academic achievement gap; food insecurity; homelessness; and environmental justice – through acts of service and advocacy.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

narrowing the academic achievement gap. Join us on Monday, January 17, 2022 for a virtual volunteer event to honor the holiday. Volunteers will participate in service projects at home to follow Dr. King’s call to action for systemic change.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King through acts of service and advocacy. This year, L.A. Works focuses on educational equity and

Online Virtual @Home volunteer activities include an interactive college/career fair; steps to become an online tutor; and a workshop featuring local teachers with the opportunity to show appreciation for their hard work.

For the second year in a row, Minecraft March volunteers will participate in a virtual re-enactment of the 1963 March on Washington. Volunteers will interact with NPCs (non-player characters) representing past and current day activists and have a chance to build their own monument to reflect on their experience.

For more information and to register, please visit laworks.com/MLK.

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ST Y L I ST A S S I STA N TS : V I C TO R I A JAC K S O N , L I SA L I ; C R E AT I V E P R O D U C E R : R I C H A R D V I L L A N I ; O N - S E T TO U C H - U P S : L AU R A R AC Z K E ; H A I R : R I C H A R D N O R M A N G R A N T; M A K E U P : C A M I L L E A R I A N E FO R E XC LU S I V E A R T I STS

Being Benedict

than a quarter of a century after the seminal The Piano—is as much hitched to Cumberbatch’s star as the other way around. Born to a highbrow thespian family, performing Shakespeare and Ibsen on the British stage from the age of 12 and conquering Hamlet along the way, Cumberbatch nevertheless took no time making his mark on popular culture. Near the outset of his meteoric rise he was Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness and Tolkien’s Smaug the dragon in The Hobbit. HOLLYWOOD’S MOST VERSATILE (AND UNEXPECTED) The breakthrough, however, was surely Cumberbatch’s STAR IS SUDDENLY BACK IN SIX FILMS AT ONCE updated Sherlock Holmes over four BBC seasons airing in BY STEVE ERICKSON the States beginning in 2010. Remote when not defiantly antisocial, caustic when not bemusedly scathing, brilliant when not possessed of digital-age genius, bearing the police’s H E I N T E R E S T I N G T H I N G about Benedict informal code name “Freak” and correcting anyone who calls Cumberbatch’s early career isn’t the fact his drama him a psychopath by clarifying he’s merely “a high-functionteacher considered him the most talented student ing sociopath,” the legendary private detective at the center he ever taught. Unless his drama teacher also of Sherlock was the ultimate geek as heartthrob, in a dazzling happened to teach, say, Meryl Streep or Daniel Day-Lewis, twenty-first-century London slowly going mad. Asperger’s Cumberbatch being the most talented student he ever taught was never so glamorous. is as inevitable as the Oscar Prophecies of drama teachthat will someday adorn the ers aside, so indelible was Cumberbatch abode, if not this Cumberbatch’s interpretation year, then soon enough. Rather, of the Arthur Conan Doyle the interesting thing about character that it established Cumberbatch is that despite him as not just a great actor the drama teacher’s encomium, but also that most improbhe counseled the young actor to able of things: a star, with all give up acting anyway, having the creative baggage that goes concluded that Cumberbatch’s with it. Cumberbatch’s only talent—along with a name that limitation as an actor has been sounds like a character in an an inability to entirely supOz book as written by Charles press a blinding if eccentric Dickens—wasn’t the stuff intelligence even when the of marquees. role doesn’t call for it; he has We live in strange times, become the go-to for playing though, and one of the few eccentric savants—and was upsides of the era is that, right nominated for an Oscar for now, Benedict Cumberbatch is portraying one of the most a juggernaut. Over the course tormented: the World War II of the year just past and the cryptographer Alan Turing in new one just unfolding, he’s 2014’s The Imitation Game. been in half a dozen ventures, The scariest character to For that reason, his perforfrom art films to period pieces stalk the frontier since Daniel mance as Phil Burbank in the to comic-book pictures, bringharrowing western The Power ing his ridiculous range with Day-Lewis’s oilman. of the Dog is unlike anything him—as a civil servant lured he’s done. The character is into unwanted Cold War herpossibly the most disturbing oism (The Courier), a nearly to stalk the American frontier since Day-Lewis’s oilman in autistic Victorian-cult illustrator fetishizing the fixation of There Will Be Blood. His malevolence is compounded by the cat lovers everywhere (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain), a sort of roiling psychosexual dynamics that are de rigueur in post-9/11 military prosecutor ambushed by his conscience Campion’s filmography, where forbidding terrains from New at Guantanamo (The Mauritanian), a neurosurgeon and Zealand to Montana drive her characters crazy, id and eros Manhattan one-percenter turned by fate into an astral sorspilling over the strafed landscape. Regardless of whether cerer (Spider-Man: No Way Home and DA R K S TA R he overcomes this year’s Oscar sentiment on behalf of Will Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Cumberbatch’s Smith in King Richard or the ever-formidable Denzel Madness), and, most prominently, the turn as a malevolent rancher in The Power Washington in the Coen brothers’ The Tragedy of Macbeth, sadistic and self-loathing rancher in Jane of the Dog could it is Cumberbatch’s time, and you don’t need to be Sherlock Campion’s The Power of the Dog. It’s as finally earn the prolific Holmes to figure that out. likely that Campion’s comeback—more actor an Oscar.


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C L A S S AC T

DeLeon Hayes models clothes from Chanel’s Fall-Winter 2021/2022 collection

ST Y L I ST A S S I STA N TS : V I C TO R I A JAC K S O N , L I SA L I ; C R E AT I V E P R O D U C E R : R I C H A R D V I L L A N I ; O N - S E T TO U C H - U P S : L AU R A R AC Z K E ; H A I R : R I C H A R D N O R M A N G R A N T; M A K E U P : C A M I L L E A R I A N E FO R E XC LU S I V E A R T I STS

Viscose and mixed-fibers cardigan, $5,400; silk jacquard tunic, $3,100; viscose and mixed fibers skirt, $3,600; sequins and patent calfskin pumps, $1,200. All available at chanel.com

RISING UP

AT 17, THE EQUALIZER’S LAYA DELEON HAYES HAS A STARRING ROLE ON THE BIGGEST SHOW ON TELEVISION AND AN NAACP AWARD ON HER BOOKSHELF—AND SHE’S JUST GETTING STARTED B Y K A I LY N B R OW N

W H E N L AYA D E L E O N

Hayes auditioned for The Equalizer in 2020, it was the middle of pilot season, and she was just eager to get a regular gig. But when she read for the part of Delilah, the fiery daughter of Queen Latifah’s former CIA operative, Robyn, she knew this was more than just another role. “I had done a bunch of pilots that didn’t get picked up,” the North Carolina native recalls. “When I got The Equalizer script, I was so engaged and so excited about it.” Audiences share her enthusiasm. The CBS show, which returns from hiatus January 2, is a ratings blockbuster. Working with Latifah has been a dream. “I P H O T O G R A P H E D BY WO L F E + VO N

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thought she would be more into hip-hop,” Hayes says. “But she’s also teaching me about country music and alternative music. She’s very much into everything.” Latifah’s groundbreaking moves—she’s the first Black woman to lead The Equalizer franchise—are an inspiration to Hayes. In 2021, the young actress won an NAACP Image Award for her work on Doc McStuffins, the hit Disney animated show about an African American girl with a medical clinic for stuffed animals. She’s looking to take on more roles that challenge stereotypes. “I just want to continue on a path of playing characters that could change the world.” L A M AG . C O M 2 9


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As a Waikiki icon that sets the standard for luxury hotels on Oahu, Halekulani reopened in fall of 2021 after extensive renovations. The comprehensive hotel-wide renewal included a further enhancing of guest accommodations with its signature “seven shades of white” aesthetic philosophy for a tasteful, quiet luxury vibe right on Waikiki’s shoreline. Another noteworthy hotel is the $80 million transformation of the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort that includes brand new upscale residential-style rooms and suites, as well as a reimagined poolside venue and entertainment. Pro tip: check out the “Grand Navigator Experience” by reserving the entire 18th floor with penthouse suites for you and your entire traveling party—a great way to have a reunion in paradise! For those who appreciate the soothing tranquility of an undersea experience and want to elevate their vacation, Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach welcomes you with a two-story, 280,000-gallon saltwater indoor oceanarium in their elegant lobby, as well as a private Longboard Club for members with exclusive indoor and outdoor spaces with morning and evening menus that are globally inspired during your stay.

No matter how travel transforms you, the Hawaiian islands offer you the opportunity to be a part of a bigger global movement to travel responsibly while being fabulous in the 50th state. Learn more at gohawaii.com/malama.

PHOTO CREDITS FROM TOP: HALEKULANI HOTEL; ALOHILANI RESORT WAIKIKI BEACH; OUTRIGGER REEF WAIKIKI BEACH RESORT

Fabulous in the Five-0


Made new. For you. New surroundings and experiences await on the shores of Waikiki. Experience the beginning of a new era. Learn more at Halekulani.com. 2199 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815 | Toll Free Room Reservations: (855) 738-4966

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New & Notable Tokki

K O R E AT OW N

Bowls of fresh local fruit on reclaimed-wood tables set the mood at Alice Waters and David Tanis’s new restaurant, Lulu.

The Art of the Meal

writing his own recipes. Now he’s come back to California to reunite with Waters and run the Lulu kitchen. “I’m having a lot of fun with the L.A. farmers’ markets,” says Tanis, who is taking great pains to source almost all ingredients from small, local farms that practice regenerative, WITH THE OPENING OF LULU, FOOD organic agriculture. “That’s important to us; LEGENDS ALICE WATERS AND DAVID TANIS it’s a way to help mitigate the climate crisis.” BRING BEAUTIFUL DISHES TO THE HAMMER Lulu offers an ever-changing, daily, threeB Y H E AT H E R P L AT T course lunch for $45, with a similar dinner launch in early 2022. On a recent Monday, the prix fixe began with crisp romaine leaves in a H E H O T T E S T T H I N G to see balanced, creamy anchovy dressing. A mainat the Hammer these days isn’t in course chicken thigh came exactingly braised the galleries; it’s in the restaurant in a comforting broth with polenta, wild space. Farm-to-table pioneer Alice mushrooms, and tiny turnips. Waters has finally opened Lulu, A lemon tart with a dusting of her first-ever Los Angeles eatery, lime zest and a dollop of crème in the museum. fraîche made for a bright ending. “Lulu will fully engage the It’s food that’s simple but senses of everyone who comes perfectly sourced and preto experience this beautiful pared —and reminiscent of intersection of art, food, and Chez Panisse. But Tanis hopes learning,” Waters gushes. “A dinZEST FOR LIFE to diverge from the famous ing experience at Lulu is about Lulu’s dishes, like this lemon restaurant’s European-leaning opening up the senses and expetart, are defined by a meticulous simplicity and commitment to approach and represent more riencing life.” local farms. of L.A.’s diverse cuisines. Waters isn’t the only marquee “We look at the whole project as being name of the new venture. The restaurant experimental,” he says. “Even though we all is a collaboration between her and famed know how to run a restaurant, and we’ve cookbook author David Tanis. Tanis, who is worked in restaurants for years, we’re trying well-known for his New York Times cooknew ways to be a restaurant.” ing column, worked at Waters’s seminal Berkeley restaurant, Chez Panisse, on and 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood, off for nearly 25 years. He left in 2011, movhammer.ucla.edu/restaurant. ing to New York to focus on developing and

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3465 W. 6th St., tokki-la.com.

Vinovore E AG L E R O C K

● The beloved Silver

Lake wine store has a new location. Bottles from female winemakers are on offer, as are sandwiches from Otoño, sourdough doughnuts from Gemini Bakehouse, and coffee from Canyon Coffee. 4627 York Blvd., vinovore.com.

Ramen Nagi

C E N T U RY C I T Y

● One of Japan’s most

popular ramen chains has opened its first SoCal outpost, in the Century City mall. The classic tonkatsu is the bowl to order. 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 2850, ramennagiusa.com.

P H O T O G R A P H E D BY J U S T I N C H U N G

CO U R T E SY O F LU LU : H E AT H E R P L AT T; CO U R T E SY O F R A M E N N AG I : JA KO B L AY M A N

S E A S O NA L G R E E T I N G S

● Chef Sunny Jang, whose résumé includes the acclaimed Quince in San Francisco, is in the kitchen at this ambitious modern Korean restaurant. Fried rice cakes mingle with both Korean gochujang sauce and Spanish manchego cheese. Kalbi steak comes with truffle aioli.


HISTORIC PLAZA THEATRE, PALM SPRINGS, CA

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PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

ARTURO SANDOVAL / DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER & BILL CHARLAP JOHN BEASLEY & MONK’ESTRA WITH ALICIA OLATUJA SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2022

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THE MILK CARTON KIDS THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022

THE WHITE BUFFALO

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022

PLUS, THESE ARTISTS: Y LA BAMBA / THE DIP / THEE SACRED SOULS / THE FABULOUS YACHTSMEN / NUTTY / GAND BAND / THE FLUSTERS COURTNEY CHAMBERS / GISELLE WOO & THE NIGHT OWLS / LANCE CONRAD QUARTET / EMILY ROSE & THE RAMBLERS BLASTING ECHO / VINNY BERRY CONNECTION / SHADOW MOUNTAIN BAND BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEW BANDS ADDED TO THE BILL!

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Plate Expectations

KOBE BRYANT’S ONETIME CHEF HITS A SWISH SHOT WITH A COMPANY THAT DELIVERS HEALTHY MEALS BY HAILEY EBER

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H E N TAY L O R DeCosta was in culinary school

She and husband, Mike, launched Taylor Made Cuisine at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, she was soon after. The company now has a full-time staff of 24 invited to audition to work as a personal chef and recently expanded to a second prep facility in Irvine. for an unknown client. When she arrived for the After seeing steady growth for the first few years, business interview, the person looking to hire was none other than doubled overnight during the pandemic. Meals are delivKobe Bryant. ered weekly to customers—among them “I was so nervous. I was, like, 25,” recalls professional athletes, stars like Christina DeCosta, now 32. “It was so surreal.” Hendricks, Beverly Hills execs, and reguShe landed the job and went on to work lar folks in Los Angeles and Orange County for Bryant and his family for nearly a year. looking to eat well with ease. People can “It was really wonderful,” says DeCosta, order three to seven days of meals per week, who’s prevented by an NDA from going into opting for one to three meals per day, plus further detail about working for the late snacks and desserts. The company accombasketball great. “It really started my love of modates a wide variety of special diets, custom cooking.” from keto to low-FODMAP. Ingredients F E E DI NG U P DeCosta went on to serve as a private Taylor DeCosta and her husband, Mike, have are mostly organic, and meals, like a fried chef to other Southern California notables. a thriving business delivering healthy meals to brown rice, are prepared simply but flastars in sports, television, and business. Then, in 2016, she was planning her wedvorfully, making them a more wholesome ding and in need of extra work to pay for her bridal gown. option than restaurant takeout. A friend connected her with Newport Beach entrepreneur/ Some customers are actively looking to lose weight. Others philanthropists Alan and Twila True, who were looking just want to be healthy but don’t want to have to think about for a chef to prepare and drop off healthy meals. It quickly what they should actually consume. “For the most part,” became clear that DeCosta had the seed of a business that DeCosta says, “people don’t even know what they’re supposed would cover the cost of her dress—and then some. to be eating.” “The Trues just started telling their friends,” she says. “After a few more weeks, I had to hire my first employee.” taylormadecuisine.com. 3 4 L A M AG . C O M

P H O T O G R A P H E D BY A L A N L E Y VA


PROMOTION

COMING IN FEBRUARY 2022

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL EVENT HONORS THE CITY’S MOST APPETIZING OPENINGS. THE EVENING BRINGS TOGETHER THE TOP 10 BEST NEW RESTAURANTS TO TOAST THE CHEFS, TASTE SIGNATURE DISHES, SIP ON CREATIVE COCKTAILS, AND MORE.

For details and tickets visit: lamag.com/bestnewrestaurants


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LET THEM E AT C A K E

Nünchi’s unique cakes are popular not only with celebs but also corporate clients like Kim Kardashian’s Skims and Bottega Veneta.

Getting Jiggly With It MOVE OVER, SWEET LADY JANE. THE CITY’S LATEST MUST-HAVE TREAT IS A UNIQUELY BEAUTIFUL JELLY CAKE CREATED BY A FORMER FASHION DESIGNER

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B O U T A Y E A R ago, Lexie Park made one of her Instagram-famous jelly cakes for a customer who wished to remain anonymous. Months later, Park saw who the cake was for: her creation— a wobbly, translucent periwinkle confection with letters spelling out “Sour”—ended up on the special-edition album cover for Olivia Rodrigo’s platinum debut Sour. Park, a 32-year-old former fashion designer, started selling jelly cakes in 2020 under the name Nünchi. She now makes about 50 cakes per week, releasing reservations at the beginning of each month on Instagram. The gelatinbased treats, which start at $105 for a six-inch mini and come in various fruity flavors, sell out in a few hours for the 3 6 L A M AG . C O M

entire month ahead. “It’s almost like this prized possession. Like ‘Oh, my gosh, I got a Nünchi cake!’ ” says Park. Many cakes are for celebrity clients. Designer Kelly Wearstler had one for a recent birthday, as did Rodrigo, comedian Jordan Firstman, and Instagram avatar Lil Miquela. Ariana Grande got a Nünchi cake to fete her upcoming role in Wicked, while Kaia Gerber celebrated her starring gig in a short film with several of the desserts. The cakes also appeared at the Super Bowl, with the Weeknd, and in a music video for Justin Bieber protégé Eddie Benjamin. “Every week, I feel like there’s a VIP client,” says Park. She’s not one to be starstruck but says, “I would be excited if Oprah got a cake from me. I’m waiting for that.”

CO U R T E SY O F N Ü N C H I

BY HAILEY EBER


PROMOTION

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THE FOOD EVENT Los Angeles magazine’s 15th annual extravaganza celebrating L.A.’s robust culinary scene.

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PHOTO CREDIT: KIERNAN MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY AND DEVIN BURKO

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1. The picturesque Hummingbird Nest Ranch 2. Cameron Slaugh demonstrating how to make flatbread 3. Dino's Famous Chicken 4. Shaking up Maker's Mark Gold Rush 5. Brooklyn Ave. Pizza Co. slices fresh, out of the oven pizza 6. Cheers to The Food Event 7. 2021 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing


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In November, attendees ventured to the breathtaking Hummingbird Nest Ranch in the Santa Susana Mountains to indulge in delectable tastings from L.A.’s iconic restaurants. Pours from boutique wineries, craft brews, spirits, and beverages complemented the gourmet samplings. The Demonstration Stage presented by Mountain Valley Spring Water was hosted by Jessica Vilchis of NBC4’s California Live and featured renowned chefs – Moises Placencia of Theia, Cameron Slaugh of Nonna Mercato, Raphael Lunetta of Lunetta All Day and Sandra Cordero of Gasolina Café – each sharing recipes and preparing seasonal dishes.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTICIPANTS WINERIES Austin Hope Winery Bernardus Winery Brander Winery and Vineyard Brick Barn Wine Estate Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard Diniz Cellars Heavensake

The culinary focused day was complete with unique experiences including:

Kimsey Vineyard

• 2021 Cadillac Escalade and CT4-V Blackwing vehicle displays and Cadillac Lounge featuring an engraving station where attendees personalized their wine glasses

Kobrand Fine Wine & Spirits

• Refreshing cold brews from Stella Artois and Michelob ULTRA Organic Seltzer

Nectar of the Dogs

• Sips of wines from California’s coolest wine growing region at the “Taste of Pismo Beach”

• Creative cocktails from House of Suntory, Maker’s Mark, St~Germain, Santa Teresa Rum, and TrueRoots Brew

• Microdosed cannabis beverages from Cann and Pamos

Miami Cocktail Co. NABU Wines O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery Pope Valley Winery Ranchos de Ontiveros

• Plus Jiant Kombucha, Yishi, Suja Juice, and Don Francisco’s Coffee

Ryder Estate Wines Thacher Winery and Vineyard Warson Wine Company Wrath PARTNERS California Live on NBC4 Get Hooked Seafood J'Adore Les Fleurs Kids Courage Off the Menu Club The Art of Caramel VOX DJs

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Opposite page 1. A Sunday celebrating L.A.'s diverse culinary scene 2. Taste of Pismo Beach features SLO Wine Collective wineries 3. Friends gather in Santa Susana 4. A couple enjoys each other's company 5. Mountain Valley Spring Water keeps guests hydrated 6. Rock shrimp aguachile from Lunetta All Day This page 7. Cold brews from Stella Artois 8. Guests soak in the views at Hummingbird Nest Ranch 9. Pours from Kobrand Fine Wine & Spirits 10. It's a good day for eating and drinking 11. Sweet treats from Crème Caramel LA 12. PADERIA brings their famous cookies 13. St~Germain airstream serves refreshing spritzes 14. 2021 Cadillac Escalade 15. The future of drinking from Cann 16. Etta's ice luge keeps attendees entertained 17. Girls' day out 18. A preview of savory bites from Rainbird 19. House of Suntory creates craft cocktails 20. Sandra Cordero of Gasolina Café and Jessica Vilchis of NBC4's California Live

Strict CDC and LA County guidelines including proof of vaccination and 72-hour negative tests were followed.


PROMOTION

THE FOOD EVENT 2021 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

THANK YOU TO THE RESTAURANTS THAT JOINED US FOR THE FOOD EVENT 2021.

THESE RESTAURANTS WERE CURATED BY OUR DINE EDITORIAL TEAM AND REPRESENT THE DIVERSE CULINARY SCENE IN L.A. FOR YOUR NEXT TO-GO ORDER, DINE-IN EXPERIENCE, AND RESERVATION, LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS ANY OF THESE RESTAURANTS ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES.

Lunetta Restaurant & Bar Lunetta is both fine dining and an approachable rustic California destination, serving an inventive breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Menus for Lunetta are locally sourced using seasonal ingredients. The bar features classic as well as craft cocktails using the finest in artisan spirits. Their wine list highlights small California producers and worldly artisan winemakers. The recent addition of three cozy garden patios were an instant hit. In these side-byside restaurants, Chef Lunetta continues to craft what he is best known for: bringing people together while creating warm, comfortable settings where clean flavors and local ingredients take center stage. 2424 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica 310.581.4201 lunettasm.com

Prince St. Pizza Our family recipe stemmed from a simple idea “if you can put it on pasta then you can put it on pizza.” Whether you are in the mood for our Soho Square, Spicy Spring, or our classic cheese — we have something that will surely make your taste buds dance with pure joy. Our Sicilian recipes have been in the family for generations, including our sauces which are handcrafted daily from scratch and paired perfectly with our crisp and fluffy dough. We are committed to consistency and the perfect bite in every pie that is made and served. So, come on in and have a slice! We look forward to serving you! 9161 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood 323.446.2244 eatprincestreetpizza.com

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PROMOTION

71Above

All’Acqua Restaurant

In the heart of downtown Los Angeles and almost 1,000 feet above ground level, 71Above is the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi. Executive Chef Javier Lopez prepares elevated seasonal modern American cuisine coupled with spectacular 360º views. From Malibu to Laguna Hills and the surrounding mountain ranges, guests can enjoy an uninterrupted panorama in an upscale, romantic atmosphere.

All’Acqua (which means Atwater in Italian), located in Atwater Village, offers a PanItalian menu with crowd pleasing wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, salads, and main courses. Complementing the vast menu is a carefully selected California and Italian wine and beer list as well as a handcrafted cocktail menu.

633 W. 5th St., Los Angeles 213.712.2683 | 71above.com

3280 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles 323.663.3280 | allacquarestaurant.com

Barbrix Restaurant & Wine Shop Tucked in the crest of the Silver Lake Hills, Barbrix is a cozy hideaway serving Mediterranean inspired small plates. Cozy, sleek, and set in a 1940s bungalow, it has a “home away from home” feel with polished wood floors and tables, a comfortable square bar, and a quiet outdoor patio with a spectacular urban-chic view of the Silver Lake hills. 2442 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles 323.662.2442 | barbrix.com

Blasteran

Brooklyn Ave. Pizza Co.

Casa Vega

Blasteran is a brick and mortar smorgasbord. It offers new American cuisine infused with Southeastern Asian and south of the border flair. It is a “unity in diversity” concept where differences are delicious. Open every day starting with an amazing grab-n-go breakfast menu, followed by lunch and dinner.

Firing up pizza, wings, and loaded fries, Brooklyn Ave Pizza Co. crafts a home-made menu that is both creative and enjoyable. Ice cold beer on draft, boozy cocktails and wine to-go – we have a little something for everyone! This fast-casual spot is perfect for watching sports, hanging with friends, going on a first date, or filling the pizza-loving hearts of kids!

Casa Vega is a Mexican restaurant that has been operating for over 65 years and is one of the longest family-owned restaurants in all of greater Los Angeles. Rafael “Ray” Vega opened Casa Vega in 1956 after being inspired by the success of his parents’ earlier restaurant, Café Caliente, which operated on Olvera Street throughout the 1930s. Casa Vega serves authentic, delicious food and drinks in a warm and festive atmosphere.

272 S. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills 424.274.3611 | blasteranbh.com

2706 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Los Angeles 323.968.1106 | brooklynavepizzaco.com

13301 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks 818.788.4868 | casavega.com

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PROMOTION

THE FOOD EVENT 2021 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

Ceci’s Gastronomia Ceci’s Gastronomia offers a selection of Italian dishes and delicacies prepared daily including pastas, baked goods, sweet treats, espresso, and more! Each dish has been approved by Nonna, the queen of the culinary arts. Available for dining and takeout or delivery from Wednesday through Sunday. 2813 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 213.277.1690 | cecisoven.com

Conservatory West Hollywood

Crème Caramel LA

Conservatory is built to showcase the experience of dining through innovative cuisine in a setting that evokes a modern greenhouse in the heart of West Hollywood. Guests are invited to relax in a serene and intimate environment with spectacular views of nature and design, to enhance Executive Chef Victor Munoz’ interpretation of elevated and thoughtfully composed Southern California cuisine.

Crème Caramel LA marries the Filipino “leche flan” with both Filipino and American flavors for a sweet and unique treat that’s both a crowd pleaser and a worthy mention on your Instagram. Highlighting flavors like ube, a purple yam from the Philippines and childhood favorites like Cookies n’ Cream, makes Crème Caramel LA a special destination for delicious sweets.

CREME CARAMEL LA LOGO

8289 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood 323.654.0020 | conservatoryweho.com

14849 Burbank Blvd., Sherman Oaks 818.949.8352 | cremecaramella.com

Croqué

Dino’s Famous Chicken

etta

Croqué is the first French fast casual restaurant dedicated to Croque Monsieur sandwiches in the US. Croque Monsieur are the most popular sandwiches in France. It’s a gooey concoction of soft bread, ham, cheese and béchamel sauce. Croqué’s vision is to embrace the Californian and French food inspirations to offer its own interpretation of this mouthwatering sandwich.

In 1969 Demetrios Pantazis opened Dino’s Chicken and Burgers (now Dino’s Famous Chicken) on Pico Boulevard, where he created the infamous charbroiled chicken recipe. Dino’s Famous Chicken is now run by his four daughters ensuring their father’s continued legacy. Recently, they have collaborated with Chef Royce Burke to add the first new menu items in 50 years.

etta is a neighborhood restaurant that serves wood-fired dishes in a fun, relaxed dining environment. It’s a perfect spot for friends and family alike to eat and drink as if they are in their own home.

615 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles 310.492.5649 | croque.us

2575 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles 213.380.3554 | dinosfamouschicken.com

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8801 Washington Blvd., Culver City 424.570.4444 | ettarestaurant.com


PROMOTION

Gasolina Cafe

Ginger’s Divine Ice Creams

Impasta

In 2015 Chef Sandra Cordero opened Gasolina Cafe, a Spanish influenced breakfast and lunch restaurant, in Woodland Hills. The menu focuses on authentic flavors and showcases the best produce of the season from local farms. Gasolina Cafe offers fun brunch cocktails, Spanish beer and wine to accompany dishes like Tortilla Española, Chorizo Omelet, Patatas Bravas, and once a month Paella Nights.

Ginger’s Ice Creams is a premium ice cream company. We proudly source from locally owned family farms and purveyors of specialty ingredients to bring you the best of what California has to offer. We hand-craft our cookies, brownies, fudge and caramel and many other delectables that go into our many wonderful artisan, vegan, and alcohol flavors.

At Impasta, we believe you shouldn’t sacrifice your favorite pasta dishes to eat healthy. All of our dishes are compatible with low-carb and gluten-free diets, without compromising flavor. Our menu offers a variety of classic pasta and pizza recipes made with zero to low carb noodles options, cauliflower crusts, sauces, and proteins to choose from. Our ingredients are organic and carefully sourced from farmers who know what they’re doing.

21150 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills 818.914.4033 | gasolinacafe.com

12550 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles & 8430 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles 310.437.0246 | gingersicecreams.com

Luv2Eat Thai Bistro

Magpies Softserve

Moon Rabbit

Luv2Eat Thai Bistro comes from chefs Fern Kewathatip and Noree Pla, who are both originally from Phuket, Thailand. The duo shares their passion through their food, but also through their warmth of hospitality. Luv2Eat offers a menu of regional favorites from their hometown that satisfies intrepid diners who seek delicious, authentic Thai cuisine, but also offers an unpretentious, genuine experience since 2014.

Magpies Softserve is a chef-driven, made from scratch Softserve dessert shop. We make our Softserve mix, Softserve Pies, and creative toppings in house. We wanted to expand the flavors of typical soft serve ice cream from the traditional vanilla and chocolate by creating flavors of soft serve that bring us back to our childhood, flavors that inspired us to become chefs.

Moon Rabbit is an Asian tea and sandwich shop inspired by the great San Gabriel Valley. Specializing in traditional boba teas, bánh mì and katsu sandwiches, Moon Rabbit is brought to you by the beloved Sticky Rice founder, David Tewsart, and team.

6660 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 323.498.5835 | luv2eatthai.com

2660 Griffith Park Blvd., Los Angeles 323.407.6076 | magpiessoftserve.com

459 N. Roxbury Dr., Beverly Hills 310.726.3232 impastacompany.com

Grand Central Market 317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles grandcentralmarket.com/vendors/moonrabbit

L A M AG . C O M 43


PROMOTION

THE FOOD EVENT 2021 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

Photo By: Don Nguyen of LetterBox Collaborative

Nonna Mercato

PADERIA

Poppy + Rose

Nonna Mercato is Chef Cameron Slaugh’s SoCal inspired French-Italian bakery, pastaio and restaurant featuring handmade pasta, breads and pastries made with organic produce from local farms and heirloom grains. Nonna offers brunch, fresh bread and baked goods at the counter daily. Our warm and rustic addition to the neighborhood opens Spring 2022 with dinner service coming late Spring.

PADERIA is a modern, globally-inspired boutique bakery specializing in traditional baked goods with a focus on bringing everything back to basics, quality and authenticity. PADERIA is known for awardwinning cookies, Portuguese egg tarts, banana pudding, brioches, cheesecakes and uniquely crafted beverages.

Founded in 2014 by husband-and-wife duo Michael and Kwini Reed, Poppy + Rose is a beloved local eatery located in the bustling Flower District of Downtown Los Angeles. Focused on creating reimagined American comfort food dishes, Poppy + Rose serves seasonal, elevated country style cuisine, and offers a robust list of wine and beer-based cocktails.

3722 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach 562.595.1100 | nonnamercato.com

3032 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. E Santa Monica 424.416.7785 | paderia.com

765 Wall St., Los Angeles 213.995.7799 | poppyandrosela.com

®

Rainbird

Saikai Ramen Bar

Steep LA

Opening early 2022, Rainbird celebrates the farmers and farms of its Central Valley home, revels in their bounty, and is inspired by the joy of breaking bread together. Its prix fixe seasonal menu leads guests on a vegetableforward, multi-course journey through Chef Quentin Garcia’s innovative expressions of local produce and regional fare, paired with artisan cocktails and finely curated wine.

Saikai Ramen Bar is a chef-driven ramen and Japanese concept established in Koreatown, Los Angeles by Chef Jimin Kim and wife Sandy Han. Saikai Ramen Bar combines traditional Japanese techniques with the couple’s Korean heritage, made with seasonal California ingredients that reflects the multicultural Los Angeles inspired menu items.

Steep LA is a modern tea room and eatery located in the heart of Chinatown, Los Angeles, offering a simple menu focusing on premium teas and family recipes from Taiwan and China. The founders Samuel Wang and Lydia Lin came from different backgrounds, but share the same gratification through similar tea drinking experience with their respective families.

209 N. Western Ave., Unit B, Los Angeles 323.378.6518 | saikairamenbar.com

970 N. Broadway, Ste. 112 Los Angeles 213.394.5045 | steepla.com

609 West Main St., Merced 209.446.4026 | rainbirdrestaurant.com

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PROMOTION

STK Steakhouse

TACOS AF

Theía

STK is a unique concept that artfully blends the modern steakhouse and a chic lounge into one; offering a dynamic, VIBE DINING experience, with the superior quality of a traditional steakhouse. STK aims to define the modern dining experience complete with a vibe-driven approach to fine dining, worldclass service and the perfect ambiance.

New to the taco scene in Los Angeles, Brandon, Emilio and Roman opened TACOS AF as a passion project during the pandemic. The menu at TACOS AF focuses on favorite quick eats that are full of flavor and spice. At TACOS AF, you will find signature items that feature products from local vendors such as marinated meat from Los Compadres Carniceria and traditional stone-ground handmade tortillas from LA Chapalita.

Theía, a lively restaurant lounge concept in West Hollywood aspires to captivate guests through its stylish ambiance, inventive cocktails, and contemporary Greek cuisine. The beverage program features artistically crafted libations that combine the finest ingredients with whimsical presentations that stimulate the senses. To complement, the modern Mediterranean fare from Chef Moises Placencia features a selection of shared plates and sophisticated mezze dishes.

930 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles 310.659.3535 | stksteakhouse.com

312 W. 7th St., Los Angeles 213.221.7231 | tacos.af

8048 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles 323.591.0059 | theia-la.com

Follow Us:

@lamag @lamagfood Todo Bien

Wise Sons

Chef Alex Arutyunyan wants to share his passion for authentic, delicious birria with you. Along with a community of taco-loving friends, he added their magic to the mix and created Todo Bien. Todo Bien brings fresh, bold flavors of So-Cal Mexican food to the rest of the world, one taco at a time.

Wise Sons is a Bay Area-based Jewish Delicatessen that opened its first Southern California location in 2021. Over the past decade, Wise Sons has earned its reputation for honoring the classics by using the highest quality ingredients like hardwoodsmoked pastrami and house-baked goods like bagels, bialy, and babka, as well as favorites like The OG Reuben and Matzo Ball Soup.

7065 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 213.632.9445 | todobienla.com

@LosAngelesmag

9552 Washington Blvd., Culver City 424.298.8205 | wisesonsdeli.com

@lamag

L A M AG . C O M 45


Incoming

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TRENDING

DRESSED TO CHILL

PUFFER JACKETS—INVENTED IN THE 1920S BY FREEZING SOLDIERS WHO STUFFED FEATHERS INTO THEIR COATS —ARE ENJOYING A HIGH-FASHION REVIVAL, TURNING UP ON RAPPERS AND RUNWAYS AND HOLLYWOOD RED CARPETS, SOMETIMES CASUALLY SLUNG OVER DESIGNER GOWNS AND BESPOKE SUITS. WE ROUNDED UP A FEW FAVORITES TO HELP YOU LOOK COOL WHILE KEEPING WARM. BY MERLE GINSBERG

TARTAN CONTROL » A tufted, yellow-plaid overcoat from Faith Connexion will stand out both at your local ski lodge and at the San Vicente Bungalows. $768, faithconnexion.com. 4 6 L A M AG . C O M

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CO U R T E SY O F B R A N D S

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Incoming

|

EXPERT TESTIMONY

THE A-LIST

From left: Mírame restaurant, the Carpinteria Surf Shop, and Klein before brunch at Sunset Tower.

Restaurant with the best service? > The Polo Lounge. Their service is a bit old-fashioned; they really go out of their way to remember your name and your favorite dish, which is why everyone keeps going back again and again. 4 8 L A M AG . C O M

Best drink there? > La Frutera— tequila with mango and tamarind. It’s a bit spicy and a little bit sweet. Favorite place for authentic Mexican food? > I love Mírame. All the ingredients are fresh, the chef is actually Mexican, and it’s always a really good time.

Favorite beach? > It’s not in L.A., but I’m obsessed with driving to Carpinteria. It’s such a charming, authentic California beach town with surfers and little stores and restaurants. It’s like a threehour vacation. Favorite museum? LACMA. Their permanent collection is so fabulous, and their exhibitions are so spot-on. It’s also the

perfect size for me. It never feels overwhelming. Favorite LACMA exhibition? > David Hockney portraits and a VR exhibition by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Best neighborhood for bar-hopping? > Silver Lake.

>

Favorite weekend brunch? > San Vincente Bungalows!

Favorite place for a cocktail? Thunderbolt in Filipinotown.

>

Best weekday breakfast? > Croft Alley. Everything’s really fresh, and the chef is incredibly talented. The avocado toasts and tuna wraps are the best.

Guilty pleasure tourist activity? The Ivy. I love the red velvet cake and the apple tarte tatin.

Favorite gay bar? > I don’t really go to gay bars because I’m married 17 years. (But I do like Rocco’s!) Favorite in-city escape? > Grabbing a chicken parm sandwich at Gjusta in Venice

Favorite spa? > Joanna Vargas in Sunset Tower. Favorite concert venue? > Hollywood Bowl. How can you beat the outdoors? Favorite barber? > It’s all about Alex at Alma Salon in Beverly Hills. Favorite tailor? > Isaia. They have the most beautiful

fabrics for shirts. They make them especially comfortable with a spectacular fit. Favorite neighborhood? > My life and work is in West Hollywood, so I have the most going on there. Favorite Fridaynight activity? > Before COVID, I used to love to go to the movies. I love watching with an audience and then maybe grabbing dinner. Best place for a dinner date? > Tower Bar, of course! Because it’s beautiful and the food is delicious. It’s also romantic, and you feel a connection to Hollywood. And I run a very tight shop! —J U L I U S M I L L E R

M I R A M E : R I C H M A R C H E W K A ; C A R P I N T E R I A : L A N T E R N P R E S S ; J E F F K L E I N : CO U R T E SY J E F F K L E I N / I A N M A D D OX ; T H U N D E R B O LT: I N STAG R A M .CO M / T H U N D E R B O LT L A ; L AC M A : P H OTO BY M I K E N E L S O N /A F P V I A G E T T Y I M AG E S ; T H E I VY: P H OTO BY F R A Z E R H A R R I S O N /G E T T Y I M AG E S

JEFF KLEIN, THE IRREPRESSIBLE IMPRESARIO OF SUNSET TOWER AND THE SAN VICENTE BUNGALOWS, OPENS UP HIS LITTLE BLACK BOOK

and then taking a leisurely stroll on the beach.

>

My Favorite Things


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Social Studies

BY JOEL STEIN

Are the Kids Alright? A BR AND NEW GENER ATION HAS ARRIVED AT THE OFFICE, FREAKING EVERYONE OUT. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ZOOMERS AREN’T NEARLY AS ENTITLED ON THE JOB AS MILLENNIALS. THE BAD NEWS? THE Y COULD REALLY USE A HUG

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A F E W Y E A R S AG O, I was

up for an editing job and met with the person who was about to leave the position. She interrupted herself as she was telling me about the mechanics of the work and asked if she could tell me truth. She told me I wouldn’t last three months. “They’re going to destroy you,” she said. ¶ Who would destroy me? My bosses? The elderly subscribers? The Hollywood players I’d be covering? ¶ No, she said. My staff. ¶ It’s not that I L LUS T R AT E D B Y JA S ON R A I S H


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the millennials wouldn’t work. They’d just do whatever work they wanted regardless of what I assigned. Then they’d wait for me to say or post something they’d consider inappropriate and destroy me with it. So last October, when the New York Times ran an article entitled “The 37-Year-Olds Are Afraid of the 23-Year-Olds Who Work for Them”—about how entitled millennials are unable to manage their even-more-entitled Gen Z workers— I and all my Gen X friends excitedly passed it around Facebook, a place we knew neither millennials nor Gen Zers would see. It had scenes of Gen Z employees assigning work to their bosses, including their CEOs. It cited—in two different places—employees asking for paid leave for menstrual cramps. It had one of my favorite lines ever in an article: “Ms. Rodriguez’s cofounder at Unbound, which sells vibrators, called to say that their social media manager, a younger employee, wanted to know

Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood—and What That Means for the Rest of Us. And she told me, to my dismay, that the New York Times piece didn’t match what studies were finding about Gen Z. She said that iGen—a term she’s still pushing instead of Gen Z—doesn’t feel nearly as entitled as the millennials. “There’s this really stark change between millennials and Gen Z on a huge list of things. Narcissism is down. Thinking of yourself as above average is down. Life satisfaction is down. Happiness is down,” she explained. “They’re sad. And they doubt themselves. Depression has doubled among teens.” The change between these two generations, she went on, happened quickly and before the pandemic. “I think it’s the phone,” she said, repeating her theory from her book about the pressures of social media and a lack of face-to-face communication. “I don’t know how much you followed Facebook’s internal documents, but . . . mic drop.”

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what the company planned to do to support the [Black Lives Matter] protests.” Though, in the Gen Zers’ defense, it must be really hard not to tell the founder of a sex-toy company to go fuck herself. The Times piece also cited my 2013 Time magazine cover story about millennials, whom I called the Me, Me, Me Generation. To which many millennials responded with angry emails explaining how the story didn’t pertain to them, explaining all the details about them that made them different. To revel in millennial comeuppance, I called Jean Twenge, the San Diego State University psychology professor who gave me the idea for my Time cover. In the years since we first talked, she’d gone on to write 2017’s iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant,

This is a generation that has sex later, drinks later, drives later. In 1991, 53 percent of high schoolers had gotten laid. In 2017, only 39 percent had. I’d go with this as the reason they’re depressed, but I’ll trust Twenge on the phone theory. But they’re not a pain in the ass at work. Managers say that while Gen Zers are new on the workforce and have spent half that time working from home, they already understand office hierarchy. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem like that to older people because office communication has changed. By which I mean Slack. “I could look at an email and see it’s from the VP of whatever, so I knew I needed to take it seriously,” says Elizabeth Brownsen, the Gen X senior director of operations for Riot Games, the video game company that makes League of Legends. “Now when I get a Slack, the title isn’t


WORKING GIRL

C A R R E R B E C K Y : T I K T O K . C O M /@ C A R E E R B E C K Y

Zoomer guru Career Becky doles out helpful job tips on TikTok.

obvious.” While Zoomers seem comfortable getting @’ed and emoji’ed hundreds of times a day, it’s taking older workers some getting used to. These days, reminding your boss to respond to something is not quite like mimeographing a Jerry Maguire memo and putting it in the pneumatic tube to the C-suite mailboxes. Besides, your boss isn’t in some corner office. She’s eating a salad out of a plastic container right near you in the open seating plan. Gen Z is also more professional than millennials. Brownsen talked to millennials about appropriate work outfits. “I had to have conversations about how there are different versions of ‘dress up’—as in ‘dress up for a club’ and ‘dress up for work.’ ” She had to remind them that ‘nice’ doesn’t have to do with price. “I have not had to have that conversation with Gen Z.” One of the observations the New York Times article got right is that members of Gen Z are bringing politics to work. But not in the virtue signaling millennial way of monitoring the company’s Instagram reaction to the liberal outrage du jour. Instead, at an interview, Gen Zers ask more about the company’s values

than they do about their benefits. Hooli, the Google-like company on Silicon Valley, could get away with a bromide such as “Making the World a Better Place” when hiring millennials. Now it’d have to explain how its search algorithm is correcting for a lack of diversity in image searches. Becky Bush, a millennial TikTok influencer who mentors Gen Z under the name “Career Becky”— the second best name to show you don’t care about getting laid after “HIV Hank”—scored her best 1.7 million views by offering “four amazing questions at the end of every job interview.” Number three? “What are the company values?” The weirdest thing about Gen Z is how into titles it is. Gen Zers might be working for a two-year-old startup, but they treat their rank as if they were British expeditionary officers in the Raj. “I have heard stories from other teams where they were told we have to add ‘associate’ or ‘senior’ or ‘group’ to a title,” says Brownsen. “I said, ‘Is there a collection of people? Or does ‘group director’ just sound bigger than ‘director’? Is there a group there?” It’s partly because of LinkedIn and company websites, where titles


G E N E R AT I O N Z Z Z Z Z

As obsessed as Gen Z is about titles, they view their identity more fluidly.

two years and then start my own company. Gen Zers see the power that comes from sitting in a boardroom.” As obsessed as Gen Z is about titles, they view the rest of their identity more fluidly. It’s the postrace, postgender, postsexuality generation. Grayson was consulting for a sex-toy company and observed that one item was listed on the site as being “for someone either born with a vulva or made one.” When she got home, she

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58 L A M AG.C OM

reported this to her daughter, who goes to UCLA. “She and her friends were out by the pool, and I said, ‘Look at this dope shit I heard.’ And they were so offended. ‘Why would you have to put a label on anything? Why can’t you put it on a website and let everyone figure it out on their own? They fundamentally believe we’re all just spectrumized and we’ll figure it out on our own.” Between this story and the one in the New York Times, it

S H UT TERS TOCK

are the currency of the realm. But it’s also because Gen Z longs for structure. A promotion, Gen Zers figure, is based on how long you’re at a company, just like graduating to another grade. “Up to this point, there have been handbooks literally handed to them as freshmen in high school and freshmen in college. There’s been scaffolding for them. Great companies are putting training programs in place and adjusting to that,” says Brownsen. Chelsea Grayson, former CEO of American Apparel and True Religion, who now sits on the boards of Xponential Fitness, Spark Networks, iHerb, and the UCLA English Department, made a YouTube show called From the Office of the CEO. “I did it for Gen Z because Gen Zs crave the traditional training and mentoring that we all got at the beginning of our careers as 50-yearolds but dropped because of budget and because millennials shunned a lot of that stuff,” she says. “The term ‘lily padding’ was created on the millennial prototype: I’m going to be here for


seems that a huge portion of Gen Zers work for sex-toy companies. Gen Z is also, as Twenge has written, anxious. And eager to talk about it. Gen Zers will tell you that they’re too stressed to work that day, citing mental health as if it were food poisoning. “I’ve dealt with my share of employees with mental-health issues—things that I would take to my personal support network. They expect work to be a support network,” says Christopher Kao, who works in Atlanta as the director of global product operations at 17Live, a live-streaming company. “They say, ‘Support me in my endeavors whether it has to do with work or not.’ Once you understand that, you can start ‘engaging’ and ‘dialoging’ and give an education about what we can provide: ‘If you want to talk about this personal stuff with me, we can; but I can’t do much because I’m not your family.’ ” To reduce stress, some companies have started No Meetings Friday. Blend, a financial services company based in San Francisco, issues four

or five office-wide “mental health” holidays a year when they feel employees are getting stressed out. “It’s important that you manage Gen Z a bit differently. You don’t just manage for work, but you manage for energy. Twenty years ago, your one-on-ones would be, ‘Have you done x, y, z? No? When will you have them done?’ ” says Gautam Srivastava, the head of

everyone else down in the office who saw us making Constant Comment tea in the kitchen? “It was too embarrassing to me at the beginning of my career to talk about how stressed I felt because it would be seen as weakness. You’d have to not talk about it. You’d have to disguise it. That’s not true anymore, and I have the younger generations to thank,” he says.

“Twenty years ago, your one-on-ones would be, ‘Have you done x, y, z? No? When will you have them done?’ Now it’s, ‘What’s going on in your life?’” people at Blend. “Now it’s, ‘What’s going on in your life? Are there parents you’re helping?’ Your conversation has to be much wider.” Which Srivastava has grown to like. All those sick days we took when we got dumped, faking elaborate illnesses like we were Ferris Bueller? Or worse yet, didn’t take, and brought

Why is Gen Z less narcissistic, harder working, and more open than millennials? Was it the #MeToo movement? Trans rights? Climate change? No, it’s because they weren’t raised by boomers. I can’t imagine how millennials survived being exposed to that much narcissism in their formative years.

DFSM CATERING

STAFFING

EVENT RENTALS

BAR SERVICES

³ȒǼɖɎǣȒȇɀ۬ƳƺǼɎƏǔȒȒƳȅǕȅɎِƬȒȅ ɯ ɯɯِ Ƴ ƺ Ǽ Ɏ Ə ǔ Ȓ Ȓ Ƴ ȅ Ǖ ȅ Ɏ ِ Ƭ Ȓ ȅ Ƴ ƺǼɎ Ə ǔ Ȓ Ȓ Ƴ ȅ Ǖ ȅ Ɏ

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C R E D I TS T K H E R E A N D H E R E

BEST R E S TA U

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P H O T O G R A P H E D BY F I R S T L A S T NA M E T K


NEW R A N TS

TIMES ARE UNCERTAIN, BUT L.A.’S DINING SCENE IS A SURE BET. WITH DELICIOUS, DAZZLING OPENINGS FROM BOTH ESTABLISHED POWER CHEFS AND HOT YOUNG TALENT, NOW IS THE TIME TO GET OUT AND DIG IN BY ANDY WANG

C R E D I TS T K H E R E A N D H E R E

PHOTOGRAPHED BY KREMER JOHNSON

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best new restaurants

THE BAR AT AGNES

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P H O T O G R A P H E D BY S T E FA N M E R R I W E AT H E R


P R E V I O U S S P R E A D : P H OTO G R A P H E D AT H O R S E S T H E FO R M E R Y E COAC H & H O R S E S S PAC E BY K R E M E R J O H N S O N ; P H OTO A S S I STA N T: C H R I S M O R T E N S O N ; P R O D U C E R : R I C H A R D V I L L A N I ; P R O P ST Y L I ST; AVA J O N E S ; WA R D R O B E ST Y L I ST: K A I T LY N LU S K ; H A I R & M A K E U P : J E N N Y K A R L , L AU R A R AC Z K A , A N D CO R I T E R R E L L . C LOT H I N G D E S I G N E R : R I A V I C TO R I A ; COV E R M O D E L S : S I E N N A B E N TO N , C H R I S B R E W, M A R C I O C A RVA L H , J O S E P H FA R AG H E R , A M A N DA G U L L I C K S O N , ZO E L I K A , JAC K M E N Z I E S , R E B K E Y/ L . A . M O D E L S , K AT R E D N E R , LO G A N S C H OT T, R I A V I C TO R I A , A N D JA M I E Z E L L A / L . A . M O D E L S ; CO U R T E SY O F AG N E S : ST E FA N M E R R I W E AT H E R ; CO U R T E SY O F B I C YC L E T T E : A N N E F I S H B E I N

A PERFECT SEQUEL

bicyclette • 9 5 7 5 W . P I C O B LV D . , P I C O - R O B E R T S O N • BICYCLETTELA.COM

Walter and Margarita Manzke’s charming follow-up

THE BIG CHEESE

agnes

• 40 W. GREEN ST,, PASADENA • AGNESLA.COM

Order a cheese-and-charcuterie board at Vanessa Tilaka and Thomas Kalb’s endearing restaurant/cheesery/market (above), and it comes with crackers, corn nuts, and fruit preserves. Order a tin of marinated mussels and you get ciabatta crostini, seasonal pickles, and country mustard. These might seem like small details, and that’s the point. This is food that’s fairly familiar, but every ingredient and every aspect of the presentation is carefully calibrated. Kalb, who met Tilaka when they worked at San Francisco Cal-Italian trailblazer Flour + Water, makes pastas with whimsy and grace. A soul-warming lamb Bolognese is a successful riff on Hamburger Helper. A tomato-forward plate of bouncy little radiatore starts to resemble vodka sauce when you stir it. For dessert, there’s a comforting seasonal fruit crisp that will easily delight two people at the restaurant or double as breakfast the next morning. The space—once home to the Pasadena Fire Department’s horse stable—features a bar, a comfortable lounge area with low-slung seating by the cheese counter, plenty of outdoor tables, a bright and airy dining room, and an open kitchen where large-format meats and fish are cooked in a hearth. Tilaka and Kalb are first-time restaurant owners, but Agnes is a fully formed powerhouse that already feels like it has everything.

to République pairs silky duck-liver mousse with a perfect baguette that’s chewy, crusty, and ultimately yielding. This is a bistro that’s happy to shut up and play the Parisian hits, so order a textbook version of onion soup with oozy cheese before indulging in the hearty short rib bourguignon or a luxurious bouillabaisse with rock cod, mussels, clams, and prawns (below). Of course, potato mousseline is on the menu and, of course, they’re made with wonderful Normandy butter. (You can also have Normandy butter with a baguette, of course.) Chocolate sauce is poured over profiteroles tableside, making for a sweet moment that’s great for a date night and/or Instagram. Showy moments aside, the dessert is truly transporting. The sauce is warm, the ice cream is still cold, and the exemplary pate a choux holds everything together. Bicyclette’s staff, including chef Joe Garcia and wunderkind wine expert Andrey Tolmachyov, is knowledgeable and accommodating, even if you don’t have a reservation. The dimly lit room feels sexy and correct, and walk-ins who are lucky enough to snag a bar seat are right next to all the action in the gleaming kitchen, where a tray of those baguettes sits majestically on the counter. You’re not in Paris, but it’s pretty close.

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best new restaurants

THE BRAZILIAN COMER

caboco

• 1850 INDUSTRIAL ST., ARTS DISTRICT • CABOCOLA.COM

The torresmo (below)—small chunks of pork belly that are remarkably crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside— at Brazilian superstar chef Rodrigo Oliveira’s first restaurant in America is a statement of purpose. On one level, it’s an ultrasimple dish that’s made with just pork and salt. But preparing the torresmo is a two- to three-day process that involves at least ten hours of brining, cooking the pork belly three different ways in an oven, refrigerating it, frying it twice, and then reheating it. The effort pays off in delectable dividends. Oliveira and fellow chef/partner Victor Vasconcellos are here to show Los Angeles that there’s a lot more to Brazilian food than churrascarias, so they’re serving habit-forming fried tapioca cubes and a vegan stew (moqueca de caju) headlined by cashew fruit that’s startlingly complex. Wash it all down with refreshing caipirinhas—the bar makes no less than five different kinds. The room’s amber lighting and a mural of a strapping shirtless man by Brazilian street artist Speto set a provocative mood. The space buzzes with hot-datenight energy and the seductive power of fried pork.

AN OG EXPANSION

caldo verde

As much as anyone else in Los Angeles, A.O.C. chef-restaurateur Suzanne Goin and her business partner and sommelier, Caroline Styne, are responsible for the shared-plates, all-over-the-map-food, goodwine philosophy that fuels crowd-pleasing restaurants across the city. Caldo Verde, which is the Portuguese-leaning cousin of the Spanishinfused A.O.C., loads up its namesake seafood stew with a generous amount of local rock crab as well as grilled linguica, mussels, kale, and potato (above). It’s a tremendous example of the rough-and-tumble food that Goin loves—dishes in which she deftly balances salt, fat, and bold flavors with California brightness. A starter of Iberico ham, anchovies, and olives is called “a small plate of salty favorites” because Goin understands that you visit restaurants to be jolted and enjoy food that’s a bit more intense than what you typically eat at home. So get the tender beef cheeks, make a mess smearing them into avocado, green chile, and crema, and then take a bite that’s a study in different levels of creaminess. And maybe head upstairs to Cara Cara, the Proper hotel’s rooftop restaurant, for some breathtaking views and an equally stunning piri-piri version of Goin’s famous fried chicken. 6 4 L A M AG . C O M

CO U R T E SY O F C A B O CO : DY L A N + J E N I ; CO U R T E SY O F C A L D O V E R D E : DY L A N + J E N I

• 1100 S. BROADWAY, DOWNTOWN • PROPERHOTEL.COM/DOWNTOWN-LA


Dish of the Year WHOLE GRILLED LOBSTER STUFFED WITH BUBBLING SHRIMP, KING CRAB, AND LOVE ETTA, 8801 Washington Blvd., Culver City, ettarestaurant.com

• The menu at Etta—the first L.A. restaurant from Chicago mega-chef Danny Grant—is full of exciting, splurgeworthy experiences. This $155 shareable lobster “picnic” is the standout. Have a look.

A two-level tower of accompaniments is topped with naan-like bread and lettuce cups to serve as the vesssels for diners to make luxurious, DIY seafood wraps. The tower’s bottom level is a bounty of flavorful delights, including a number of spicy surprises: sunflower seeds are paired with guajillo chiles while a smashed cucumber salad has both Sichuan peppercorns and pickled Fresno chiles. A whole lobster and a pound of king crab legs are cooked on the hearth, right above the embers, giving the dish a smoky flavor. Ten spicy, bubbling shrimp get a punch of umami from Italian fish sauce.

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best new restaurants

Best Scene

ISSIMA 623 N. La Peer Dr., West Hollywood

• With blue-and-white floors inspired by Ibiza, a poolside dining setup that evokes European beach holidays, and an ever- changing playlist of songs that are in constant rotation in Mykonos and St. Barts—Pomplamoose’s “Lovely Day/Good As Hell” mashup, Purple Disco Machine’s remix of Elton John’s “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again”—Issima is a definite vibe, and a very fun one at that. Scene-making restaurateurs Marissa and Matt Hermer have created a WeHo hot spot that feels like a vacation. The jet-setting crowd flaunts abs, cleavage, limited-edition sneakers, and fresh blowouts while enjoying housemade pasta topped with truffles. Chef Michael Fiorelli’s Mediterranean fare is as vibrant and fun as the setting. Grilled lamb ribs get a kick from cucumber-garlic yogurt, while a huge, whole sea bass is the base for great DIY fish tacos. Get down and get messy.

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THE SPICY STUNNER

cobi’s

• 2104 MAIN ST., SANTA MONICA • COBIS.LA

Cobi Marsh and Lance Mueller’s beautifully

CO U R T E SY O F CO B I ’ S : K AT R I N A F R E D E R I C K

ferocious devil chicken curry, amped up by both fresh and dried bird’s-eye chiles along with ghost peppers, is accompanied by a saucer of habanero vinegar that magically cuts the heat and enhances it at the same time. Fragrant and funky, the dish also bursts with the flavors of brown mustard seeds, shallots, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, galangal, cilantro root, shrimp paste, tomato, and coconut vinegar. This is an intense curry, no doubt, but Marsh and Mueller aren’t here to melt your face. They want to celebrate the nuance, power, and high-wire act that is Southeast Asian food. Clean-tasting and tender, dry-aged branzino is intensified but not dominated by a yellow curry with fresh turmeric (below). Terrific beef rendang is aromatic and intoxicating with spices that include black cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. You’ll want both rice and roti with every meal here to soak up all of the deliciousness on the plate. Cool off your palate with Thai tea pudding or fruity shaved ice. More-is-more retro decor—floral wallpaper, antique plates, and a tropical patio—match the bold flavors. Coming here is like visiting a perfectly art-directed beach house where everything—from the colors on the walls to the curries on the plate—just pops. Grab a date, grab your friends, and get to the party.

P H O T O G R A P H E D BY K R E M E R J O H NS O N

A ROLLICKING REVIVAL

horses

• 7 6 1 7 W . S U N S E T B LV D . , H O L LY W O O D • HORSESLA.COM

Versatile power-couple chefs Liz Johnson (who got extensive national acclaim at Freedman’s) and Will Aghajanian (formerly the chef de cuisine at Vespertine) have created a lively California bistro that feels both old-school and of the moment. Located in the redboothed and tile-floored space that was home to Ye Coach & Horses (where Quentin Tarantino met Tim Roth to discuss a film called Pulp Fiction) and then the Pikey, the restaurant exudes vintage Hollywood glamour (above). But Johnson and Aghajanian have created a modern blockbuster with mostly European-inspired food that’s rooted in both classic technique and free-spirited cooking. A sobrassada panino with white American cheese and a drizzle of honey is thin, crispy, sweet, savory, creamy, and spicy: an extremely pleasing little bite. Lumache pasta with vodka sauce gets an unexpected and delightful kick from ’nduja. Caesar salad is crisp and properly anchovy-forward. A juicy pork chop, marinated with mustard and cumin, is expertly grilled over vine cuttings that add earthiness. Life is about balance, so both the thick burger (one of the city’s best new ones) and the thin fries it comes with are excellent. Service, led by general manager and wine director Terence Leavey, is polished and convivial, and there’s a general sense of decadence, from the $40 Cornish game hen on the menu to whatever may or may not be happening in the bathroom. Horses is the throwback that the city craves. L A M AG . C O M 6 7


best new restaurants

DON’T CALL IT A STEAK HOUSE

matu matū

• 2 3 9 S . B E V E R LY D R . , B E V E R LY H I L L S , • MATUSTEAK.COM

THE NEW FUSION

kinkan

• 771 N. VIRGIL AVE., VIRGIL VILLAGE • INSTAGRAM.COM/KINKAN_LA

Prolific restaurateur Jerry Greenberg (Sugarfish, Nozawa Bar, KazuNori, Uovo, HiHo Cheeseburger) and his partners at Matū are convinced that they serve the world’s best beef, prepared in the most optimal way. After trying their five-course, $78 Wagyu dinner featuring sustainably raised, 100 percent grass-fed beef from First Light Farms in New Zealand, you might see things their way. Magnificently marbled steaks are cooked to “warm red,” which is the color of rare and the temperature of medium rare. The result is meat that’s tender, luscious, and strikingly beefy. The set menu might also include bone broth, hand-cut tartare, and eight-hour braised beef cheeks. This isn’t a steak house—Greenberg likes to call it an “exploration of beef ”—but you can order à la carte and request that steaks be cooked slightly longer. Still, the best value and experience is the beef tasting. (Just like at Nozawa Bar, put your trust in the chef.) If you must customize, add on some wood-fired lobster tails with yuzu kosho-garlic butter for some fabulous surf along with your turf.

pandemic, selling jewel box–like chirashi sushi over Instagram to an exclusive guest list of in-the-know Eastside types, among them Eric Wareheim, Jonah Hill, Albert Hammond Jr. of the Strokes, and Hillary Duff and Matthew Koma. In June, Yimcharoen opened a brick-andmortar restaurant serving an exquisite Thai-Japanese tasting menu, inspired, in part, by her Bangkok roots and her grandmother’s cooking. The ten-course menu’s standouts have included slices of bluefin tuna larb gorgeously assembled in the shape of a rose and a resplendent crab curry with blue butterfly-pea-flower noodles and a sauce powered by innards and roe. On other nights, Yimcharoen takes things in a different direction, serving up skewers of yakitori and traditional sushi. She’s still figuring out what exactly KinKan is, and that’s more than fine. Eating here, especially if you’re sitting at the counter and conversing with Yimcharoen while she makes dinner alongside some close friends she’s hired, is like watching an artist play around with different palettes and learn that boundaries often don’t matter. This is one of the most surprising and invigorating dining experiences in the city right now.

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CO U R T E SY O F K I N K A N ; CO U R T E SY O F M AT Ū : N ATA L I E G A R ST

Nan Yimcharoen (above) became an underground sensation during the


You Can Take It With You L.A.’S TAKEOUT GAME GOT STRONGER IN 2021 AS BOTH WORLD-FAMOUS CHEFS AND FLEDGLING CULINARY TALENTS FOUND CREATIVE WAYS TO KEEP THEIR BUSINESSES ALIVE. HERE ARE OUR 10 NEW TO-GO GO-TOS

with noodles, Chinese broccoli, or the namesake holy basil) are standouts at this fierce Thai street-food counter. Thai tea with oat milk cools it all down. 718 S. Los Angeles St., downtown, holybasildtla.com.

DITROIT

THE WINDOW AT SEOUL SAUSAGE Brothers Yong and Ted Kim’s doshiraks— Korean lunch boxes—are tremendously satisfying. Choose sausage, smoked pork belly, or fried chicken, accompanied by dumplings, macaroni salad, seasoned rice, kimchi, market greens, frozen grapes, and a memorable jalapeño soy sauce. Insider tip: order the rice “mom style,” with a fried egg and sesame oil. 1263 W. 2nd St., Echo Park, seoulsausage.com.

CRUDO E NUDO

Opt for carefully composed crudos featuring scallops, kanpachi, uni, and other pristine seafood before enjoying steamed clams or spicy grilled prawns. Everything at this counter-service restaurant/seafood market is available to go, so you can also compose your own crudo at home if you buy a loin of the superb fish and some olive oil. 2724 Main St., Santa Monica, crudoenudo.com.

TEL AVIV AUTHENTIC CHEF KITCHEN

Deeply comforting Israeli beef stews and merguez come with a colorful and tasty array of salads showcasing produce like red cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, and pumpkin. The spicy sauces that come on the side work well with any- and everything. 17630 Ventura Blvd., Encino, telavivkoshergrill.com.

I L LU S T R AT I O NS BY TA E L G O M E S

GREAT WHITE

The new outpost of this Californiachic, all-day café excels at breakfast burritos, elaborate salads, burgers, fried-chicken sandwiches, pizza, and much more. The smoothie bowls, matcha lattes, and coffee are also made with care. 244 N. Larchmont Blvd., Larchmont Village, greatwhitevenice.com.

EL RUSO

The carne asada taco, with perfectly seasoned meat and beans on an otherworldly handmade flour tortilla, is the main reason that an in-the-know crowd flocks to the streetfood-star’s new location. But the chicken and chorizo are excellent too. 3140 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, elrusola.weebly.com.

DANNY BOY’S FAMOUS ORIGINAL

Daniel Holzman’s New York–style pizza, with its thin and properly chewy crust, is exemplary. You should definitely try a meatball slice—Holzman cofounded the famous Meatball Shop in New York—but the chicken parm sandwich is also not to be missed. 330 S. Hope St., downtown, dannyboysfamousoriginalpizza.com.

HOLY BASIL

The mushroom larb, shrimp tom yum, and crispy pork (which you can get

Enrique Olvera’s back-alley taqueria is just as delicious and thoughtful as his adjacent upscale spot, Damian. Tortillas for tacos—including a great carnitas number with pickled shishitos—are made fresh from top-tier heirloom corn nixtamalized onsite. The churros with chocolate sauce are one of the city’s best desserts. 2117 Violet St., Arts District, ditroitdtla.com.

DAYBIRD

For those days when you want lunch to jolt you, Top Chef winner Mei Lin’s Sichuan hot-chicken sandwiches offer the proper amount of mouth-numbing mala spice and shattering crunch. (No wonder Oprah had Lin to her house last summer to make them for her.) If you’re feeling frisky and opulent, you can order a caviar-topped sandwich. 240 N. Virgil Ave., Ste. 5, Silver Lake, daybirdla.com.

SAUCY CHICK ROTISSERIE

Two styles of free-range chicken are on offer here: one popping with Indian spices and the other bursting with Mexican flavors. Both pair well with the rainbow of sides and sauces on the menu, including charred cucumbers; jeera rice; two kinds of ultracomforting beans; macha-chili oil; and a habit-forming, garlicky green sauce. Sundays at Smorgasburg, 777 S. Alameda St., saucychickrotisserie.com.

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best new restaurants

A NEXT-LEVEL BARBECUE JOINT

Moo’s craft moo’s Craft barbecue Barbecue

• 2118 N. BROADWAY, LINCOLN HEIGHTS • MOOSCRAFTBARBECUE.COM

Some of the best Texas barbecue is actually in Los Angeles. The supple, standard-bearing brisket and fat-flecked beef ribs at Andrew and Michelle Muñoz’s Moo’s Craft Barbecue are meaty, smoky bliss that would be taken seriously in Austin. But Moo’s is very much a vital L.A. restaurant because the Muñozes weave in their Mexican-Angeleno roots with dishes like a cheese-and-poblanofilled pork verde sausage that’s reminiscent of a chile relleno. While Andrew has established himself as one of the country’s most formidable pitmasters, it’s Michelle who came up with this marvelous sausage. Her other creations include an off-the-cob version of street corn and a tres leches bread pudding. Come to Moo’s for a family-style feast or linger with a craft beer and specials such as Frito pie, beef cheek tacos, and a chili-covered smoked burger while you watch a game on the TV. Then maybe get some takeout and spend a few days happily repurposing brisket and sausage into breakfast burritos, nachos, rice bowls, and more. Moo’s started as a backyard pop-up in 2017 before becoming a Smorgasburg superstar and opening its brick-and-mortar restaurant this past June. It’s a new restaurant that already feels like an L.A. institution. 7 0 L A M AG . C O M

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THE RAW DEAL

saso

• 37 S. EL MOLINO AVE., PASADENA • SASOBISTRO.COM

CO U R T E SY O F SA S O : F R I E D C H I C K E N SA N DW I C H ST U D I O S ; CO U R T E SY O F T H E B A R I S H : T H E H O L LYWO O D R O O S E V E LT

What does a great chef do with premium seafood? Treat it with reverence. So Dominique Crisp, the chef at this Basque-inspired wonderland that shares a lovely courtyard, Spanish Mission-inspired architecture, and an ornate fountain with the Pasadena Playhouse, gets live local spot prawns and serves them raw. What else does a great chef do with premium seafood? Prepare it under brutal conditions. So Crisp also cooks prawns in a 700-degree Josper oven. The result is a spectacular combination of juicy heads, crispy shattering shells, charred crumbling tentacles, and sweet, soft flesh. Meals at Saso are built around a cavalcade of meticulously sourced seafood from California (rock crab claws, spiny lobster, rock cod, tuna, halibut, abalone) and the Pacific Northwest (Dungeness crab, geoduck, oysters, purple clams). Start with chilled crab claws if you want a reminder that California shellfish rivals anything in Florida. Continue with delicate, handmade duckegg-yolk pasta, swimming in a seafood sauce that makes the wide noodles taste like the ocean and topped with both plump shellfish and fin fish. Like the maritime expanse it mines, Saso’s lengthy menu is full of exciting options that demand further exploration.

Best Dessert FIOR DI LATTE GELATO

THE BARISH, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, thehollywoodroosevelt.com

• At Nancy Silverton’s new steak house in the Hollywood Roosevelt, hotel guests sometimes come in just for dessert. It’s a laudable life choice. The Barish’s fior di latte gelato, made with Straus Family Creamery dairy and topped with honey, gray French salt, and a fried cannoli shell that’s dusted with powdered sugar, is mind-blowing: fiercely creamy and absolutely bursting with the pure and clean flavor of top-tier California milk. Once you try it, you’ll want more . . . and more. Plan ahead by also ordering a hot fudge sundae, which features the gelato in a sublime rendition of vanilla. No regrets.

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Crime Pays LOS ANGELES

2022

Is he Bruce Wayne? Or Oswald Cobblepot? Either way, Andrew Frame is turning every city in America into Gotham with his wildly popular crime-fighting—and paranoia-inducing—mobile phone app, Citizen, which keeps its 10 million users in the loop whenever there’s a trash fire or stolen bicycle in their neighborhood. Critics call it Big Brother. Fans

BY REBEKAH BRANDES PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELLIOT T MORGAN

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G R O O M I N G : L AU R A R AC Z K E ; P H OTO G R A P H E D AT Q U I XOT E ST U D I O S

can’t get enough. The police find it mostly annoying.


C I T I Z E N ’S BRAND

Andrew Frame fancies himself a Batman protecting Gotham while detractors see a Two-Face fomenting fear.

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Andrew Frame C O U L D N ’ T FAT H O M why armed men, guns drawn, were pulling him out of bed early one morning. It was 1997, he was 17, living in Las Vegas, and the men with the guns, it turned out, were FBI agents. While they handcuffed him and proceeded to toss his apartment, Frame wondered if maybe his roommates had gotten mixed up in some crazy criminal activity. It never occurred to him—not for a moment—that it might have had something to do with the time, back when he was 15, that he had hacked into NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Flash forward a quarter of a century, and Frame is now the 42-year-old founder and CEO of Citizen App, the internet’s fastest-growing—and most controversial—crime-fighting mobile app. Turning any iPhone into a pocket-sized Bat Cave, it monitors 911 calls and keeps its 5 million active users notified of crimes, accidents, and other incidents in their neighborhoods, encouraging them to supplement these bulletins with their own personal videos. The app’s upgraded $19.99-a-month version connects them to so-called digital bodyguards (remote phone operators who can call 911 for them). Frame’s scared-straight moment as a precocious hacker was the last time, he says, that he strayed from the straight and narrow. Nowadays, he says, he’s dedicated his life to Citizen App’s vainglorious mission statement: “Protect the world.” The world, though, hasn’t decided if it wants Frame’s protection—if he’s hero or villain. He’s secured millions from investors and compiled a team of tech stars and the support of former Los Angeles Police Department chief William Bratton, who sits on Citizen’s board. But from its launch in 2017, Citizen has generated charges that, whatever Frame’s quixotic pretensions, the app instills paranoia in its subscribers and is helping destroy whatever comity remains within communities already divided by politics and the pandemic.

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It’s a dynamic familiar to tech startups with lofty foundation principles.Remember when Google’s motto was “Don’t be evil”? Thanks to the company’s actual conduct, the slogan became such an embarrassing meme, Google quietly rescinded it. That’s not a pattern Frame is eager to replicate. “We’ve never thought or talked about scaring people,” he insists. “We think and execute on keeping people safe. There are two things that scare people: one is knowing exactly what’s going on, and the other is not knowing what’s going on.” But the manner in which Citizen mediates fear gives pause to crime and safety experts. “Our study showed that fear of crime does not always equate with the levels of crime,” says Steven Richard Bishop, a professor at University College London and coauthor, with Oxford University’s Rafael Prieto Curiel, of the paper “Crime and Its

Fear in Social Media.” Fear, Bishop says, “is based on a personal assessment of risk.” He goes on, “Reports of crime change this perception. When I was a boy, we never locked the back door of our home. Today, we would never dream of leaving the door unlocked, and yet the number of stranger murders is no higher. Yes, burglary rates have gone up nationally, but not in the area where I live. It is the reporting of the crimes that has changed our behavior.” F R A M E C A L L S I N via Zoom from L.A.’s Westside, where he lives when he’s not in New York. Sitting in front of a virtual background of Japanese mountains, he wears a white T-shirt and a pair of glasses that could be Clark Kent’s. He’s guarded at first. “How did you know that?” he asks suspiciously when I inquire after his cat, Darlington, whom he’d mentioned in a previously published interview.

C I T I Z E N .CO M

TECH TOCK

Below: Citizen posts 911 calls and user videos in real time; upper right: during the Palisades fire, the app placed a $30,000 bounty on a man who had nothing to do with the blaze.


P H OTO BY PAT R I C K T. FA L LO N /A F P V I A G E T T Y I M AG E S

Frame is a 40-is-the-new-30 type — thick dark hair, lean and vibrantlooking—the kind of tech bro you could imagine with a Pressed juice in hand and a 5 a.m. Peloton routine. He’s single, animal-loving, and not in a relationship because “right now my job is pretty much all consuming.” There is no Citizen office in L.A.; in fact, there isn’t much of a headquarters anywhere at this point—the company’s 170 employees have been working remotely since March 2020. Last year, Citizen doubled its user sign-ups, currently at 10 million (half of whom are active on the app), including 1.5 million Angelenos. Incident reports based on real-time 911 calls are posted on the app by Citizen analysts using proprietary software called ProtectOS, alerting subscribers with a unique ding on their phones that sounds a bit like a muffled gunshot. Users are encouraged to supplement these reports

by filming and adding videos to the thread (which are vetted by the app before going live). Citizen also features news segments, complete with interviews and reporting. While there is potential for the

to practice freelance vigilantism. Although the app wasn’t implicated in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, the Black jogger who was cornered by three white men and shot to death in a Georgia neighborhood, the outlines of that case—individuals assessing a threat where none existed—have at least a rhyming similarity to Citizen. Indeed, in at least one instance, Frame himself went way overboard with his enthusiasm for justice. After receiving a tip that an arsonist started the Palisades fire in L.A. last May, Frame wrote in a conversation with employees on Slack, “FIND THIS FUCK” and “LETS GET THIS GUY BEFORE MIDNIGHT HES GOING DOWN.” Frustrated that the LAPD hadn’t made an arrest, he posted the man’s name on the app along with a $10,000 bounty, which he later increased to $30,000. The problem was, the man wasn’t an actual suspect, merely a person of interest who had been questioned and released by police. He had nothing to do with the fire, but Citizen named him repeatedly, which some employees saw as breaching Citizen’s policy of not releasing personal information, according to Vice. The subsequent media storm held Frame accountable for endangering the life of an innocent man. “We’re always trying to balance speed with quality, and they’re always in contention anytime there’s a fire,”

“Go after bad guys. Signups will skyrocket,” Frame exhorted Citizen App employees. “We should catch a new bad guy EVERY DAY.” app to expand into its own news network, Frame seems uninterested. “We focus on safety, but the byproduct of safety is news.” In a podcast earlier this year, he said, “A missing child is news to everyone except the missing child’s family. For them, it’s safety.” But in practice, critics say, Citizen also provides civilians with the means

Frame says today. “And in that situation, you know, speed, unfortunately, was optimized over accuracy. So that was an unfortunate situation where the information was wrong. And we’ve since updated our policies.” The latest bout of unsavory publicity came in October, when two former Citizen employees said one of their L A M AG . C O M 7 5


B O R N I N H E N D E R S O N , Nevada, in 1979, Frame spent his formative years taking apart and putting together computers. By the time he was a teenager, he was writing open-source software. “The learning was infinite,” he says. “There was just so much to do that there were not enough hours in the day.” School took up too much of that time, so Frame dropped out in tenth grade— the end of his formal education. At 15, he launched his first startup: an internet service provider. Eventually, his love of computers and open-source coding led him to hacking. It was the mid-’90s, and the internet was still mostly a wilderness. Frame, who had always been curious about UFOs, decided NASA would be the coolest place to go spelunking. It wasn’t the first illegal thing he’d done—he was using his Tandy, an old-school computer sold at Radio Shack, to print fake IDs. He likens his behavior to the “young entrepreneur kids” of today dealing Bitcoin in the school parking lot: harmless fun. NASA and the FBI didn’t agree. After his arrest, Frame accepted a plea deal but remembers asking his attorney if he might still go to jail. Because the crime was relatively new territory, the judge had tremendous latitude, and even with the prosecution’s deal, anything could happen. “It was a very intense moment,” Frame says, “because I was like, ‘Oh, my God. What did I do?’ That was the scariest day of my life.” Frame walked with probation, community service, and the promise to show NASA the weaknesses in its security. At 17, Frame moved to San Jose and used one of his fake IDs to get a job at Cisco in tech support. Soon he was traveling the world with the company, establishing systems in Korea and Australia before

A BY T E OU T OF C RI M E?

Right: Citizen’s original name was toned down after the app was kicked off the Apple Store for terms of use violations. Opposite: Frame meets with ex-gang members in New York City. 7 6 L A M AG . C O M

launching his next endeavor, Ooma, a not-so-successful telecommunications startup. He began hanging out with other young techies, among them Napster’s Shawn Fanning, and briefly helped Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker in the early days of Facebook. He walked away with shares in the company that would turn into an eight-figure fortune. In 2009, weary of the startup grind, he left Ooma and headed to L.A., where he enrolled in a screenwriting intensive run by producer Joan Scheckel. He had no intention of actually writing movies. “There are a lot of analogies between the filmmaking process and creating consumer technologies,” Frame says. “So I just got really focused on story structure.” In 2016, when it was time for him to start his next company, Frame had five defining criteria: it had to be mission-oriented, consumer-based, mobile, networkdriven, and unique. Then he thought of police scanners he’d first seen at Radio Shack when he was a teenager—how you could monitor danger in real time—and it dawned on him: pass that information directly to the consumer via an app optimized for mobile phones. A member of a community, he thought, should have the same access to what’s going on around them as a first responder. Within weeks, Citizen’s prototype, Vigilante, was born. Frame knew the name was provocative, but as a friend told him, controversy is better than being ignored. Frame tapped his newfound screenwriting skills to frame Vigilante’s teaser video, which in retrospect was an encapsulation of exactly why so many people are wary of Citizen today: A young woman is followed by a shadowy figure in a New York City parking garage. Terrified, she calls 911, but the police are miles away. As the app broadcasts her predicament, a montage of hiplooking twentysomethings put down their ramen, race to the scene, and surround her just as her attacker has her where he wants her. The video

C I T I Z E N .CO M

colleagues attended the January 6 insurrection undercover and livestreamed it on the app. Frame denied that anyone was forced to attend, and a Citizen spokesperson released a statement saying that the employee attended of his own volition. Still, 1.4 million users engaged with Citizen during the four hours that rioters breached the Capitol—the app’s best daily performance at the time. Earlier, Citizen’s head of central operations, Lenny BeckRoda, had announced the company’s goal of generating $28 million in 2021, fueling speculation that the revenue target factored into the employee’s decision to livestream the riot. This wasn’t the first time Frame appeared to encourage drama to goose Citizen’s metrics. During the Palisades-fire manhunt that he incited, Frame wrote to employees on Slack, “The more courage we have, the more signups we will have. go after bad guys, signups will skyrocket. period ... we should catch a new bad guy EVERY DAY.” Eventually, Frame said, “these metrics will be great.” He wasn’t wrong. More than 40,000 watched the live feed of the manhunt, and signups spiked substantially in the aftermath. An app that encourages citizens to submit video of suspected crimes can create what amounts to a self-fulfilling feedback loop. Citizen is “monetizing our insecurity and our fears,” says Oxford’s Curiel. “In terms of business, it means having more users, but also having more crime, because the more crime that gets reported, the more their platform is successful. Suddenly you have a business that wants to make a profit out of insecurity, and their indicators [for success]— at least one of them— are going to be dependent on higher volumes of crime.”


GUY AROCH

made waves, racking up thousands of views in hours. Frame was elated by the response and dismissed the video’s critics. “They said it was too dangerous,” he says. “They said, ‘What if the person that shows up gets hurt?’ But for me, putting the vision into a story was a good idea. And we ended up getting thousands of requests.” Shortly after Vigilante’s release, the New York Police Department issued a statement: “Crimes in progress should be handled by the NYPD and not a vigilante with a cellphone.” Within months, Vigilante was banished from the Apple Store for breaking its user agreement to not expose app purchasers to risk of physical harm. Frame wasn’t deterred. He and his team quickly regrouped and, in 2017, rebranded under the less terrifying name Citizen. D E S P I T E T H E N E G AT I V E publicity it generates, Citizen is credited with regularly locating missing children and animals. The week of my interview with Frame, a woman used the app to find her autistic son after 200,000 alerts were broadcast across New York City’s boroughs. It also has found favor among emergencyservice providers. “We had a fire a few weeks ago—a one-alarm—and I thought, ‘OK, this is a typical fire,’” says Lieutenant Jonathan Baxter, public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department. “But then I see on Citizen that there’s a person hanging out the window.” Baxter immediately dispatched rescue units to the scene. He credits Citizen’s video with more accurately reflecting the nature of the emergency. A 2020 study by Johns Hopkins University found that, on average, patients referred by Citizen alerts arrived 12.9 minutes earlier at hospitals than those referred by standard emergency radio notification. “ER surgeons use Citizen because they say, ‘OK, in the next ten minutes, this person is going to arrive,’ ” Frame says. Frame says that Citizen has other products in the works but won’t share details. There is speculation that the company is planning to launch

its own on-demand security force, and leaked internal emails suggest it is very much in development. The private security firms Securitas and Los Angeles Professional Security are said to be involved in the plans as partners. (Both companies declined to comment.) A Citizen spokesperson confirmed that a test of the concept was run in L.A. in May. Currently, Citizen’s only paid feature, at $19.99 a month, is Protect, its digital bodyguard service. Subscribers are monitored remotely around the clock by human agents who coordinate emergency services if needed. Smaller-bore versions of the concept, such as General Motors’s OnStar and other remote emergency-monitoring systems, have been in mostly uncontroversial use for years. What Citizen hopes to bring to the space is a dramatic upscaling, thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones and a user base accustomed to posting video and commentary to social media. Given its fraught relationship with some first responders, Frame says Citizen isn’t looking to share its technology or user information with police departments. “We’re not the police,” he says. “The police and Citizen have the same goal, which is safety, but we go about it in very different ways.” It is this codependence of Citizen’s police-like functions with the actual police that concerns experts like Curiel. “The police are a public service,” he says. “If they do something wrong, they have to be held accountable. We are giving a private company the right to choose what gets posted and doesn’t. Imagine [Citizen] starts posting only information about certain races, certain genders, certain ages. There are thousands of crimes—which ones get posted, why, and who decides?” Adds Bishop, “Citizen’s method of collecting data is open to those who wish to paint a particular picture, and so bias will become a feature. This bias can create tensions, which then lead to outcomes that far outweigh the severity of petty crimes. Our justice system is based on the idea that we should let 100 guilty people go free rather than convict a single innocent person, and yet profiling does not take this into account.” Like every tech startup bro before him, Frame dismisses the naysaying as so much negative noise. “Let’s say, hypothetically—and this is pretty implausible— but let’s say Citizen made the world a safe place, and we went out of business. That would be the most spectacular way to fail.” L A M AG . C O M 7 7


BY MICHAEL SLENSKE PHOTOGRAPHED BY IRVIN RIVERA

“A Mess of Contradictions”


Celeste Dupuy-Spencer is L.A.’s most buzzed-about painter, with comparisons to everyone from David Hockney to Michelangelo. But is she making art for the masses or throwing canvas-shaped hand grenades at the establishment? Maybe both. Maybe neither. L A M AG . C O M 7 9


O 2021, Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, like most Americans, was going about her business as usual. She’d recently completed an ambitious suite of 15 allegorical paintings for her solo debut at Galerie Max Hetzler, her Berlin dealer, who also represents art stars like Ai Weiwei and Julian Schnabel. One depicted oil rigs burning in the sea; another, a medieval army killing everything in its path; still another, a parade of elephants representing the 3.5 billion-year march of evolution. But the Max Hetzler exhibition was ending in three days, and she was in limbo. As she relaxed in her onebedroom, cat-filled Elysian Heights bungalow, she considered what her next project might be. Dupuy-Spencer listened to NPR that morning, smoked one of the day’s first Marlboro Reds, and struggled to come up with an idea for a new painting for a February group show in Brussels. “I just didn’t have an idea,” she says. “I was a completely depleted person.” Listening to the radio blare reports of an angry mob of Trump supporters storming the U.S. Capitol, she took to her laptop—she doesn’t own a television—and began feverishly scrolling CNN, Democracy Now!, and

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YouTube for videos of the rioters. She was consumed by the day’s events but reluctant to use them as subject matter, even though she’s become known for “painting the news.” “I couldn’t stop looking at this blank canvas and going, ‘No fucking way am I painting the Capitol,’ ” she recalls. But she also felt she knew the people she was watching on her computer screen. In them, she saw the working-class folks she’d grown up with in New York’s Hudson Valley and those she’d once gotten clean with while in rehab in New Orleans.

For a week after the riot, DupuySpencer stewed in her own discomfort and then began dissecting arthistorical crowd paintings—Christ’s Entry into Brussels in 1889 (1888) by James Ensor and Tintoretto’s Moses Drawing Water from the Rock (1577)—to find an entry point into a canvas that would become her own totemic painting of the insurrection. After weeks of two-day-on, one-dayoff sessions (she’s been known to paint in 50-hour marathons), a sprawling Boschian stew of Fauvist fury had emerged: Proud Boys, QAnoners, and

I M AG E CO U R T E SY O F N I N O M I E R G A L L E RY A N D T H E A R T I ST

O N T H E M O R N I N G of January 6,


PAINTING THE NEWS

Don’t You See That I Am Burning, 2021, oil on canvas, 85 x 85 inches.

CAP KICKER

Caption goes here and heretk use bold weight over tk images.

faceless insurrectionists in flak jackets, gas masks, MAGA hats, and T-shirts that read “God Guns & Trump” and “Camp Auschwitz,” swirled together in a miasmic field of mayhem. The resulting painting, Don’t You See That I Am Burning (2021)— shown this March in a one-work, three-week exhibition by her primary dealer, Nino Mier Gallery in West Hollywood—was greeted by the art world as nothing short of a masterpiece. Artnet dubbed the work “epic,” while a Forbes critic said it “recalls Last Judgement paintings

from the Renaissance by the likes of Michelangelo and Jan van Eyck.” At 42, Dupuy-Spencer is poised to become a great American figurative painter—she’s already one of the most respected (and collected) ascendant artists in L.A.—who has drawn comparisons to Kerry James Marshall, David Hockney, and one of her mentors, Nicole Eisenman. Since her 2015 debut at Artist Curated Projects—the project space of her old friend, mentor, and eventual subject, the L.A.-based conceptual artist Eve Fowler—Dupuy-Spencer’s paintings have been acquired by the Whitney, the Hammer, LACMA, and SFMOMA. She’s also completed the trifecta of top Stateside biennials with large groupings of her ambitious history paintings on display at the Hammer’s 2017 Made in L.A. biennial and the 2017 Whitney Biennial for which The New Yorker dubbed her “a standout.” “Celeste doesn’t shy away from really tragic, horrifying aspects of our culture,” says Diana Nawi, who is cocurating (with LACMA’s Naima Keith) the Prospect.5 biennial in New Orleans, where Dupuy-Spencer is exhibiting the Capitol painting and a half-dozen others depicting “frenetic catastophe” through January 23 at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. “She’s drawing on so many histories and cultural references and bodies of knowledge to create this really incredible document of now.” Despite the outwardly polemical nature of her oeuvre—a life-size painting on the wall in her studio of a young man donning tactical gear and an AR-15 isn’t exactly welcoming—the collecting class has been lining up behind the critics. Her larger paintings can fetch six-figure sums, and her collectors include MOCA board chair Maria Seferian, art publisher Benedikt Taschen, and gallerist Jeffrey Deitch, who compares the complexity of her paintings to “great novels.” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman even attempted to buy a painting a few years back, of DupuySpencer performing cunnilingus on an ex-girlfriend, prompting the artist to enact a “no fucking royalty” policy

with her dealers. “Can you imagine?” she says with a laugh one late summer night in her studio. “What was he going to do with it?” “I think she’s almost like a journalist. She’s investigating, probing,” says Anne Ellegood, the former Hammer curator and current ICA LA director, who cocurated the 2017 Made in L. A. biennial. “She doesn’t seem to think that there’s any subject out of her wheelhouse. I just think she keeps getting better and better.” D U P U Y- S P E N C E R was born to

Manhattan literary royalty, or at least adjacent to it. Her father is New Yorker scribe and novelist Scott Spencer, acclaimed author of Endless Love (which Franco Zeffirelli turned into a 1981 film) and Waking the Dead (which Jodi Foster turned into a 2000 movie). Her mother, Coco Dupuy, is a descendent of New Orleans aristocracy with some talent of her own for painting (she illustrated Spencer’s 1987 children’s book, The Magic Room). But Dupuy-Spencer didn’t grow up in upper-crust Manhattan; her parents moved from the city to rural Rhinebeck, New York, once a working-class backwater and now an ultraquaint escape for Wall Street families and celebrities. Hers was not a close-knit clan. “We didn’t do family dinners,” she says, hinting at a lonely upbringing. She spent most of her days rummaging in the woods. Her parents divorced when she was 13. To escape what she calls the “core pain” of her adolescence, Dupuy-Spencer shaved the sides of her head and started wearing Metallica tees, Daisy Dukes, and a peace-sign necklace she got from her first boyfriend, Ralph DiMeo, a local boy from a working-class family. “We were madly in love,” Dupuy-Spencer recalls. “We actually ran away together for a few days.” But at around that same time, she began coming to terms with the fact that she was gay. “I had wild crushes on the girl babysitters,” she says. As her lifelong pal, the L.A.based artist and filmmaker Mariah Garnett, observes, “Celeste is a mess of contradictions.” By the time she was 14, she’d also started experimenting with alcohol L A M AG . C O M 8 1


and drugs. It wasn’t long before the experimentation careened out of control. “I started going to the bar at 14, maybe 13. I went all the time,” she says of the old Rhinecliff Hotel, which Garnett called “an alcoholic cross section of the town.” By 17, she was shooting up heroin. “I was doing a lot of drugs in my teens,” she adds. “And having a lot of wild adventures. But I wasn’t happy. And I wished I had someone looking out for me. I don’t want to give the impression that I was a wild party kid. I wished I had that kind of freedom. But there was something self-destructive about how I did it.”

“Nicole and Amy grabbed me one day in the middle of the hall and brought me into Amy’s office and they were like, ‘What the fuck? You’re a really good painter and you’re queer and you’re a feminist. It’s your responsibility to take this seriously.’ No one had ever spoken to me like I had potential.” She never graduated from Bard. She just took art classes until the college asked her to graduate or leave. She chose to leave, heading for New York, joining a group of queer artists including Eisenman, A. L. Steiner, and Leidy Churchman at a time when the identity-politics spotlight

“Nobody ever taught me how to be a person—how to do stuff.” After high school, she spent an unhappy year at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, ended up in rehab, then found a job back in Rhinebeck working as a landscaper. She loved working outdoors but says, “I did feel that, if I didn’t go to school, I would regret it later.” Another friend from the Rhinecliff Hotel was working in the continuingeducation program at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, so DupuySpencer began studying art there, becoming friends with teachers Amy Sillman and Eisenman. “I wasn’t thinking I’m going to be an artist—I was going to be a landscaper,” she says. By this time, though, she was estranged from her parents and was having a difficult time keeping up with her bills. She stopped paying her car insurance, failed to pay the fines on a delinquent traffic ticket, ended up briefly in jail, and ultimately was evicted from her apartment, leaving her sleeping in the boiler room of her studio building with her dogs, Oliver and Freeway. 8 2 L A M AG . C O M

was shining directly on them. Dupuy-Spencer’s paintings became documents of this circle, and she was included in various group shows but didn’t feel her work was good enough for the exposure it has now. “She was doing a lot of scenes of lesbians, and people compared her to Nicole Eisenman a lot,” says Garnett. “But there was always this white, working-class representation she was painting.” By then, in her mid-twenties, she’d been clean for over five years, but the toll of going out all the time and having to constantly be on during dinner parties with “artists doing weird performance-y drunk things” wore on her. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 28, which she was initially treating with heavy injectable medications that made her feel sicker than her flare-ups. The social pressures of her New York life ultimately led her to use heroin again. Around this time, Dupuy-Spencer was also struggling with her gender identity. In New York, she started

injecting hormones, beginning the process of transitioning to male, although she never quite saw herself as either fully male or female. “I definitely do not identify with being a woman,” she says. “I’m trans, masculine presenting.” She’s not keen on pronouns, but said she/her sufficed. “I don’t consider myself transitioning, but I was starting to do that and found myself reacquainted with something that I really love in myself—the feminine side that was in a constant state of suppression. Being trans allowed me to understand what femininity really was.” But though she came to peace with her identity, her addiction overtook her. At her bottom, DupuySpencer began stealing to feed her heroin habit, including her roommate’s record collection, and when she realized who she’d become and that she couldn’t stop, she attempted suicide. When Dupuy-Spencer woke up at Mt. Sinai Hospital, her mother was there to drive her to an all-women’s rehab facility in New Orleans. After eight months, she left treatment but stayed on to answer phones. “I was really scared of leaving. I wanted to stay as close as possible to the people who helped me get sober,” she says. But, ultimately, in 2014, she made her way to L.A. and reconnected with old friends like Fowler and Garnett. She had no desire to return to New York and hasn’t spoken to many of the people in that scene since. “I feel like there’s been this huge liberation. Sort of the worst thing that can happen interpersonally has happened,” says Dupuy-Spencer of her breakup with her old art coterie. “So I don’t have to make work about being a queer person at an art dance party anymore.” Along with the liberation came a revelation: in 2019, she was diagnosed with autism. It helped to explain so much of what had been so difficult about her life. “Nobody ever taught me how to be a person—how to do stuff— but I also felt like there was something really wrong,” she says. “I didn’t know why I didn’t understand how to get my electricity, how to greet somebody the way somebody meets a gallerist. I prided myself on watching everybody else really closely and emulating them. I had all these friends, and I realized that none of them knew me. But I was aware that if they really knew me, they


ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Dupuy-Spencer’s Arts District studio is filled with her collections of books, knives, and train-set figurines. In her downtime, she assembles them into Lilliputian mise-en-scènes along the window sills, bookshelves, and planters back home in her tiny Elysian Heights bungalow, which she jokingly refers to as “an anti-minimalist, repurposed toolshed that I share with a clowder of cats.”

P H O T O G R A P H E D BY I RV I N R I V E R A

L A M AG . C O M 8 3


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with class struggle, including a tender portrait of her ex, Ralph DiMeo in a gray T-shirt, holding a fawn. But at the opening, Dupuy-Spencer overheard a collector comment, “Oh my God, I love white trash.” From that moment forward, she vowed to never again make paintings about class using images of friends. Instead, she pivoted her work toward grittier paintings with tougher subject matter. “I feel like if I’m going to be a figurative painter who is interested in politics, I can’t pretend that I’m not white and I can’t pretend that racism isn’t my problem or that I’m somehow above it,” she notes. “I’m painting white America, and it’s not about forgiving.” To better understand that America—one diametrically opposed to her lifestyle and her staunch atheist upbringing—she started attending services at the Evangelical Oasis megachurch on Normandie, the big-box house of worship that famously bought Jesus a star on Wilshire Boulevard.

She was baptized inside an elevated glass tank with the ceremony broadcast on closed-circuit jumbotrons. Nobody was more shocked than she was at how it impacted her. DupuySpencer, who still considers herself an atheist, found herself crying at the church while singing along with the lyrics to Hillsong Worship’s “New Wine.” “I had this moment where I felt this wave crash over me. I don’t think Christianity would be such a beautiful or transformative experience for me if I had been raised to believe it was true as a young person.” I T ’ S A F E W minutes past 10 p.m. on a muggy Friday evening in midAugust, and Dupuy-Spencer is still busy at work. Inside her tiny, skylighted studio, which is tucked into an industrial armpit just south of the Arts District, she’s seated before a red-brick wall on a white Scandinavian-style armchair with streaks of oil paint running down the blond wood frame.

L E F T A N D M I D D L E : CO U R T E SY N I N O M I E R G A L L E RY A N D T H E A R T I ST; R I G H T: CO U R T E SY N I N O M I E R G A L L E RY A N D T H E A R T I ST/ P H OTO G R A P H E R : DAW N B L AC K M A N

wouldn’t like what they saw. It wasn’t just that I didn’t know how to do stuff; I thought I was deeply flawed as a person, which is the messaging I got as a child as well.” But in her garage, she began painting the people she’d met in New Orleans. Fowler, who had sold DupuySpencer’s drawings when the painter was still in New York, offered her a show once she saw the new work in L.A. Mier represented Fowler at the time and previewed the Artist Curated Projects show before it opened. “Nino saw her watercolors on the flat file, met her, and just flipped out,” recalls Fowler. Shortly after, Mier offered DupuySpencer a solo show, which led to a waiting list for her work and offers for more shows from New York to Europe. At the opening of Wild and Blue, her New York solo debut at Marlborough Contemporary that sold out immediately, she got a hard lesson about art-world dynamics. Several paintings in the show dealt


“ UNSELLABLE ART” (WITH SIX-FIGURE PRICE TAGS)

Opposite page: When You’ve Eaten Everything Below You, You’ll Devour Yourself/Except in Dreams You’re Never Really Free (2020), oil on linen, 85 X 85 inches. This page, from left: And the Kingdom is Here (2020), oil on canvas, 65 X 85; R. DiMeo III, 2017, oil on canvas, 60 X 48 inches.

“The idea that my job would make people feel pleasure, I really do feel like I could throw up.” Her rough-hewn attire, which might include a duster and ten-gallon hat at an art opening, is paired down to a white T-shirt revealing her tattoos (“Freeway” on her right arm; “O” for Oliver on her left), weathered Wranglers, cowboy boots, and a baseball cap. There’s a surfboardsized plank, stabbed with a half dozen throwing knives, leaning against a corner beside a tiny macabre oil painting of country music singer Lee Ann Womack. Stress balls cover every shelf, desk, and table. “When I think about who I want to be as an artist, it always goes back to country music,” she says, as country music blares in the background. “I don’t want to make paintings that retain their value by being impenetrable to people like my mom. I want

to have all those difficult conversations that are steeped in a historical context, but everybody is invited. Not just people who are $100,000 in debt from art school.” As she lights yet another cigarette and sips coffee from a thermos, she walks over to a giant canvas propped up on cinder blocks, the latest of her epic religious paintings, that would soon ship to New Orleans for Prospect.5. It’s a rendering of the exorcism of the Gerasene demon, led by a Black Jesus and a multicultural band of disciples. It’s set in a hellish, firebombed Syrian backdrop. “I’m not trying to give anyone pleasure. The idea that my job would make people feel pleasure, I really do feel like I could throw up,” says Dupuy-Spencer, who was trying to walk the fine line

between making her paintings more accessible, if less sellable. As her old friend Garnett noted, contradictions are at the core of this atheist evangelical trans country music fan who ascended to the art world’s rarified heights by painting white America without appeasing the Fox News or NPR crowds. Perhaps the biggest conundrum is that the more successful DupuySpencer becomes, the more she seems poised to run for the exits. Despite the overwhelmingly positive response to her work, DupuySpencer admits the weight of her subject matter exacts “a big emotional toll”—not to mention wreaking havoc on her legs and potentially her MS, which she’s chosen to ignore until she can’t. One gets the sense that in the near future, she may just up and leave the art world. “I’m not suicidal,” she says, “but I’m either going to work myself to death or go fight for a revolution . . . or rescue goats in Tennessee.” L A M AG . C O M 8 5


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W E A R E T H E # 1 R E A L E S TAT E T E A M I N T H E VA L L E Y I F Y O U I N T E N D T O G E T T H E H I G H E S T VA L U E FOR YOUR HOME, ALIGN YOURSELF WITH US

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INFO@CHERNOVTEAM.COM WWW.CHERNOVTEAM.COM 818.432.1524 | DRE# 01850113 FOLLOW US

@CHERNOVTEAM

The selv ach sha spa clie loca


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The Chernov Team embodies integrity and vitality across all of our business operations. We hold ourselves personally accountable to the highest standard of performance, vigorously working together to achieve dynamic results and prevailing equitable and ethical, even in the most difficult situations. We share a resolute passion for what we do and an unwavering drive to excel in every move we make. We spare no effort, make no excuses, and leave no stone unturned in realizing optimal success for all our clients. We know the San Fernando Valley inside-out and we have carefully curated and nurtured the local relationships necessary to produce outcomes well beyond the reach of our competition.


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ROSEMARY ALLISON ESTATES DIRECToR

COLDWELL BANKER

Rosemary Allison is one of the country’s most successful Realtors. Rosemary set the standard for excellence throughout her career and is truly a legend. Her vision and reputation as a trendsetter in the science of marketing Los Angeles & Ventura Counties finest estates, established her as one of the most innovative leaders in real estate professionals. Rosemary’s dedication to the community and strong work ethic have earned her numerous honors and accolades including multiple years of recognition in the Wall Street Journal as one of the top selling 250 agents in the USA. Ranked as the #1 top producing Realtor by volume of sales with Coldwell Banker in Ventura County, in 2021 she was recognized by the Daily News Reader Poll in 2021 as the BEST Realtor in Ventura County. Rosemary Allison is well known for her hard work and generosity. In 2020 she was chosen as the Woman of the Year by the State Legislature in California Assembly District 44. As quoted in a resolution presented by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors: “Rosemary Allison is the yarn that weaves this close knit community together, setting an example for residents of all ages on how a committed individual can work to change the world for the better. Rosemary is an expert in the details and subtleties that define multi-million-dollar negotiations. Rosemary can give you advice on improvements that will highlight your home’s strengths, downplay its weaknesses and appeal to the greatest possible pool of prospective buyers. Innately understanding the finer points of caring for clients with high net worth, and even higher expectations, Rosemary utilizes multimedia print and digital internet advertising to masterfully unite sellers of the finest homes with quality buyers from across the globe.

9 0 L A M AG . C O M

Rosemary Allison Coldwell Banker 883 South Westlake Boulevard Westlake Village, CA 91361 805-479-7653 CallRosemary.com DRE# 00545184


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CHELBY CRAWFORD LUXURY ESTATES AGENT

COMPASS

Chelby Crawford has successfully assisted sellers and buyers of Pasadena residential properties for nearly two decades. Crawford represents many high-profile VIPs including CFOs, CEOs, athletes, entertainers and people seeking a custom, creative and competitive edge in the sale and acquisition of unique homes and one-of-a-kind estates. Crawfords words to work by, "Only perfection will do". Crawford received the International President's Elite Award for sales production in 2020 and leads in the top 2% of her company worldwide. Crawford also has a long history of community involvement and was the 2019 recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year award from the Pasadena Foothills Association of Realtors.

Chelby Crawford Compass 680 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 150 Pasadena Ca 91101 626-536-2002 chelbycrawford@gmail.com DRE# 01399237

L A M AG . C O M 91


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ANDY HAIRABEDIAN LUXURY ESTATES AGENT RANKED NATIONALLY IN THE TOP 1% BY TRENDS MAGAZINE

THE AGENCY

With nearly a decade of experience in the L.A. market and beyond, Andy quickly rose to become one of leading real estate agents in his hometown of Pasadena after only one year in the business. However, real estate and development aren’t something he just happened to stumble upon. It's been a part of his family history dating back to his grandfather in the 1940s and his uncle in the U.K. in the ’70s. By combining his background in finance and his enthusiasm for architecture, Andy has been able to dominate both the residential and commercial real estate markets throughout the years. He's established himself as an honest and reliable broker with unparalleled hustle and a "get it done" attitude!

Andy Hairabedian The Agency 12080 Ventura Place, Suite D Studio City, CA 91604 626-318-0907 theagencyre.com/agent/andy-hairabedian andy.h@theagencyre.com DRE# 01900114

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CARMEN MORMINO RODEO REALTY, INC.

Carmen Mormino is one of the most successful real estate agents in Southern California, committed to “Making Great Things Happen.” In 2007, while many were leaving the business, Carmen began his first day in real estate. Over the next fourteen years, Carmen continually has focused on both stellar client service as well learning the nuances of the industry, resulting in becoming #542 of over 400,000 licensed realtors/ brokers in all of California. What started out as a way to make ends meet has turned into Carmen’s passion that grows deeper every day. Along with his know-how of the industry, Carmen has a well-versed familiarity of a wide range of areas, having his main office in Westlake Village as well as a desk in Beverly Hills, allowing him to serve his clients’ needs in the best way possible. In addition, Rodeo Realty has 12 offices and over 1,200 agents, all of whom work together as a team to provide first-class service. Along with his dedication to his clients and craft, Carmen is passionate about sharing his story, both through his first book, “Making Great Things Happen” (presently in the works), and through speaking engagements to inner-city students, getting them to recognize and believe in the gifts they have inside, giving them insight on how he achieved this meteoric rise from struggling actor to one of the most respected and successful Realtors in the state. While his unsurpassed commitment to his clients could be all-consuming, Carmen maintains the everso-important work-life balance, never sacrificing what is most important: priceless time his wife of 26-plus years MaryLee, and two daughters, Mia and Lola. For his clients, for his family, for the community, Carmen is continually “Making Great Things Happen.” Carmen Mormino Rodeo Realty, Inc. 100 N. Westlake Boulevard, Suite 100a Westlake Village, CA 91361 818-693-2181 carmenmormino.com CalBRE# 01808462

L A M AG . C O M 93


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CINDY SHEARIN THE SHEARIN GROUP STRAND HILL CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE Cindy Shearin of The Shearin Group, has been a top producing South Bay Real Estate professional for over 30 years and is consistently rated in the Top 1% of Realtors nationwide. Her years of experience working with buyers, sellers, and investors in home sales, purchases and development enable her to provide expert advice and guidance to her clients. Cindy's exceptional negotiating skills, coupled with her unmatched knowledge of the South Bay, ensure that one will maximize results with a seamless transaction every time. Cindy's clients benefit from her knowledge and hands-on experience. Cindy emphasized, "the outcome is established during the planning and initial approach and therefore I start by being intimately involved with every little detail in the early stages." Her many years of successful design through development efforts, combined with access to all necessary resources, are a unique addition to her abilities. She can execute projects from the ground up or simply repurpose the last desired touches in a home that can easily impact the overall presentation. No job is too small or large for Cindy and her team. With Cindy, you get a 2-in-1 package of a seasoned, successful realtor combined with a gifted visionary designer who has a superb eye for detail. A ubiquitous multi-channel marketing platform fuels Cindy's vast reach. Through her exclusive luxury social media marketing platforms, Cindy reaches millions of subscribers and thousands of page views. Cindy's outside-of-the-box presentation campaigns are successful. Cindy has lived in Manhattan Beach, California, for over 30 years. She and her husband have raised their family here and understand the great honor and privilege it is to call the South Bay home. Cindy and her family are known throughout the South Bay community as well as Los Angeles by being involved in numerous charities and events and have served on a number of boards with an attitude of always giving back today for our future generations. They love the city of Angels and The South Bay!

Cindy Shearin Strand Hill Christies International Real Estate Group 1311 Morningside Drive Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 310-200-8318 CindyShearin.com DRE# 00925580

94 L A M AG . C O M


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

LYNETTE SOHL BROKER ASSOCIATE LUXURY COLLECTION DIVISION COMMERCIAL DIVISION CHAIRMAN'S CIRCLE DIAMOND-TOp 1/2 Of 1% 5-YEAR LEGEND AWARD

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, HOME SERVICES I knew when I was eight years old that I would be in real estate. I began investing in real estate in my early 20's, buying my first home at the age of 22 and my first rental property at 24. I did all of this at a time when a young, single woman purchasing real estate was not only unusual, but also not easy to do because of the industry limits and biases of the time. Today, as a results-driven professional with a passion for real estate, I represent clients in marketing luxury estate properties, as well as residential and commercial properties at the highest level. My clients and I often become lifelong friends, putting real meaning behind "Your Realtor for Life", helping you and your family through the many seasons and reasons of selling and purchasing real estate. Strength, Integrity, Trust and Superior Service exemplify my professional ethic. As an expert negotiator with a wide range of experience, knowledge and expertise, I have a reputation for making complex deals simple and rough transactions smooth - for everyone with whom I work!

Lynette Sohl Berkshire Hathaway, Home Services 540 South Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101 626-665-2649 lynettesohlrealestate.com LSOHL@bhhscal.com DRE# 01256496

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KAL WAYMAN GUARANTEED RATE

I’m Kal Wayman, and I am originally from Atlanta, Georgia. I currently reside in Malibu, California, with my wife Rosana, my two beautiful children Mateo, 8, and Ben, 2, and our Lhasa Apso, Barkley. When I am not working, I enjoy mountain biking in the Hills around L.A., writing songs, and recently working on antique cars. I moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago and I fell in love with the weather, outdoor activities, and the hustle and bustle of this busy city. I wanted to be around creative, like-minded, driven individuals and to raise my boys in a city where anything is possible. I have been in the industry for 22 years, mainly within the private banking world. About one year ago, I saw the opportunity help to build a branch in Santa Monica. The industry, forever changing, I found many great resources within Guaranteed Rate where we could offer a diversity of product offerings. Being able to help more clients with more solutions and close quicker without big bank bureaucracy was a no-brainer, so I made the switch to one of the largest non-bank lenders in the United States. I love that every day I get to wake up and help people achieve their dream of homeownership. My favorite part of what I do is meeting new people and finding out what they do for a living. It never ceases to amaze me how many unique ways there are to earn a living within this country. I work with a variety clients—from first-time homebuyers to self-employed successes, celebrities and entertainers alike. But I most love the challenge of technical financials and getting deals done other banks couldn’t do. I always like to say “never say never” because I strive to find the path of homeownership for every scenario. Rarely do you find people in this industry who take the time to look closely to find a solution with something that seems impossible. At the end of every year, I take the time to look at what I’ve accomplished. My biggest goal is to outdo what I’ve done the year before. It is important to set goals, achieve them, and to keep moving forward. You never know where life will bring you.

Kal Wayman Guaranteed Rate 100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 700 #16, 17, 19 & D Santa Monica, CA 90401 678-431-0391 guaranteedrate.com/kalwayman NMLS# 23076 9 6 L A M AG . C O M

CA - CA-DFPI23076, GR NMLS 2611, CA: Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

20 22 THE LIST

Arcadia Joe Chiovare DRE# 01931960 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-945-2236 jchiovare@coldwellbanker. com Imy Dulake DRE# 00987845 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-664-1280 imydulakerealestate@ gmail.com Dean Griffith DRE# 01452542 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-664-9163 DeanGriffith@coldwellbanker.com Kevin Kwan DRE# 01488390 Century 21 Cristal Cellar 626-272-2365 kevinkwan@century21.com Alpha Liu DRE# 01906983 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-321-0123 alpha.liu@cbcnrt.com Ash Rizk DRE # 01503342 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-393-5695 arizk@coldwellbanker.com Susan Stone Rey DRE # 01438231 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-354-1306 susanstonehomes@aol.com Beverly Hills Christine Agopian DRE # 019785355 Compass 310-499-8820 Christine.Agopian@compass.com

Ravit Bachar DRE # 01996822 Keller Williams Beverly Hills 323-428-8220 ravitbachar@kw.com Rory Barish DRE # 00966513 Keller Williams Beverly Hills 310-502-8797 n2swmng@aol.com Dan Beder DRE # 00644137 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-213-7835 Dan.Beder@Sothebys. Realty Ben Belack DRE # 01900787 The Agency 310-497-6789 bbelack@theagencyre.com Fred Bernstein DRE # 01476689 Westside Estate Agency 310-701-3733 fjb@weahomes.com Lori Berris DRE # 00962605 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-880-3061 Lori.Berris@Sothebys. Realty Connie Blankenship DRE # 01353414 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-734-2655 connie.blankenship@ elliman.com Kevin Booker DRE # 01869691 Westside Estate Agency 310-721-7736 kb@weahomes.com Heather Boyd DRE # 01836830 Hilton & Hyland 310-994-3140 hboyd@hiltonhyland.com Danny Brown DRE # 01335192 Compass 310-901-7405 dbrown@compass.com Alex Brunkhorst DRE # 01457282 The Agency 310-251-7721 abrunkhorst@theagencyre. com

Rochelle Atlas Maize DRE # 01365331 Nourmand & Associates 310-968-8828 Rochelle@RochelleMaize. com

Jory Burton DRE # 01201321 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-766-5679 Jory.Burton@Sothebys. Realty

Joseph Babajian DRE # 00813384 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-490-7800 joe@joebabajian.com

Blair Chang DRE # 01248419 The Agency 310-560-7320 bchang@theagencyre.com

Michael Collins DRE # 00963037 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-413-1100 Michael@MichaelCollins. com Christina Collins DRE # 01998280 Hilton & Hyland 310-343-3456 christina@hiltonhyland.com Nick Collins DRE # 01922418 The Agency 310-433-4946 nick@theagencyre.com Aileen Comora DRE # 01002982 The Agency 310-569-7950 acomora@theagencyre. com Jacob Dadon DRE # 01970038 The Agency 818-264-8780 jacob.dadon@theagencyre. com Daniel Dill DRE # 01924087 Westside Estate Agency 310-422-8280 dd@weahomes.com Barbara Duskin DRE # 00522074 Hilton & Hyland 310-278-3311 barbara@barbaraduskin. com Christopher Dyson DRE # 01762388 The Agency 310-623-2854 cdyson@theagencyre.com Richard Ehrlich DRE # 01267136 Westside Estate Agency 310-968-8881 re@weahomes.com Jill Epstein DRE # 00472171 Nourmand & Associates 310-779-9513 jill@jillepsteinRE.com Ivan Estrada DRE # 01882046 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 323-574-2317 ivan.estrada@elliman.com Bjorn Farrugia DRE # 01864250 Hilton & Hyland 310-998-7175 bjorn@bjornfarrugia.com Judy Feder DRE # 01250325 Hilton & Hyland 310-890-0033 Judy@jfeder.com Drew Fenton DRE # 01317962 Hilton & Hyland 310-858-5474 drew@drewfenton.com

Tania Ferris DRE # 00664167 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-713-8234 taniaferris68@aol.com

Zach Goldsmith DRE # 01454329 Hilton & Hyland 310-908-6860 zach@hiltonhyland.com

David Findley DRE # 00641180 The Agency 310-345-6911 david.findley@theagencyre. com

Scott Gorelick DRE # 01876674 Compass 310-600-2511 gorelick@compass.com

Brendan Fitzpatrick DRE # 01791703 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 424-245-0336 brendan.fitzpatrick@ elliman.com Joshua Flagg DRE # 01470467 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-623-8703 hilary@joshflagg.com https://joshflagg.com/ Claudia Flores DRE # 01886205 Keller Williams Beverly Hills 424-334-9291 Claudia@ClaudiaFloresProperties.com Patrick Fogarty DRE # 01992295 Hilton & Hyland 310-779-2415 patrick@hiltonhyland.com Steve Frankel DRE # 01195571 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-508-5008 homes@stevefrankel.com John Galich DRE # 01232383 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-385-3142 john@johngalich.com Megan Gallivan DRE # 01795160 Hilton & Hyland 310-735-3192 megan@hiltonhyland.com Steven Geller DRE # 01153015 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-922-2141 steve@stevegellerhomes. com Neyshia Go DRE # 01933923 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-882-8357 neyshia@neyshiago.com Gary Gold DRE # 00813554 Hilton & Hyland 310-741-0505 gary@soldbygold.net Mark Goldsmith DRE # 01031230 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-200-6697 mark.goldsmith42@gmail. com

Scott Goshorn DRE # 01964409 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 323-251-5479 scottg@rodeore.com Michelle Graci DRE # 01925500 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-967-8295 mgracirealestate@gmail. com Jon Grauman DRE # 01469825 The Agency 310-403 6477 jgrauman@theagencyre. com Jacqueline Gunn DRE # 01912797 Westside Estate Agency 323-842-2527 jg@weahomes.com Lindsay Guttman DRE # 01901278 The Agency 310-310-9712 lguttman@theagencyre. com Arvin Haddad DRE # 01930604 The Agency 310-909-6434 arvin.haddad@theagencyre.com James Hancock DRE # 00946077 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-770-6351 james@jameshancock.com

Nancy Hochman DRE # 01067292 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-600-8358 nancy.hochman@elliman. com Juliette Hohnen DRE # 01772623 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 323-422-7147 Juliette.hohnen@elliman. com Deedee Howard DRE # 01039224 The Agency 310-780-7676 dhoward@theagencyre. com Justin Huchel DRE # 01375793 Hilton & Hyland 310-617-4824 justin@hiltonhyland.com Jeff Hyland DRE # 00389584 Hilton & Hyland 310-278-3311 jeff@hiltonhyland.com John Iglar DRE # 01803457 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-740-5090 john.iglar@elliman.com Loren Judd DRE # 00965167 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-991-6568 loren.judd@cbrealty.com Eli Karon DRE # 01732369 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-701-4779 eli.karon@elliman.com

Marcie Hartley DRE # 01358268 Hilton & Hyland 310-980-0141 marcie@marciehartley.com

Mark Kitching DRE # 01742148 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-902-0221 mark.kitching@elliman.com

Eric Hassan DRE # 01435762 Hilton & Hyland 310-971-5655 ehassan@hiltonhyland.com

Matt Klein DRE # 01905626 The Agency 310-418-9785 mklein@theagencyre.com

James Heckenberg DRE # 01910100 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-650-1116 JimmyHeck@HRGestates. com https://jimmyheckenberg. rodeore.com/

Jeffrey Kohl DRE # 01095791 The Agency 310-625-9035 jkohl@theagencyre.com

Thomas Hilal DRE # 01354379 Nourmand & Associates 310-486-1065 thilal@nourmand.com Richard Hilton DRE # 00904327 Hilton & Hyland 310-278-3311 rick@hiltonhyland.com

Alphonso Lascano DRE # 01723550 Hilton & Hyland 818-800-8848 alphonsolascano@gmail. com Eric Lavey DRE # 01511292 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-908-6800 el@sir.com

L A M AG . C O M 97


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Brett Lawyer DRE # 00897489 Hilton & Hyland 310-858-5402 brett@brettlawyer.com

Linda May DRE # 00475038 Hilton & Hyland 310-435-5932 Linda@LindaMay.com

Felix Pena DRE # 01414250 Hilton & Hyland 310-256-0770 felix@hiltonhyland.com

Ben Lee DRE # 01808926 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-704-6580 ben@benleeproperties.com

Michael Mikail DRE # 00978642 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-617-6272 michaelmikail@rodeore. com

Adi Perez DRE # 01963659 The Agency 347-238-7622 adi@theagencyre.com

Jordana Leigh DRE # 01239166 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-383-1701 jordana769@gmail.com Paul Lester DRE # 01338925 The Agency 310-488-5962 plester@theagencyre.com Steve Levine DRE # 00560269 Hilton & Hyland 310-702-4509 stevlevine@aol.com Maya Librush DRE # 01932610 The Agency 818-201-5226 maya.librush@theagencyre. com Dena Luciano DRE # 01827352 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-600-3848 dena.luciano@elliman.com Alison MacCracken DRE # 01920182 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-600-8590 alison.whitaker@gmail.com Justin Mandile DRE # 01507705 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-860-4509 j.mandile@sothebys.realty Chris Mara DRE # 00886282 Hilton & Hyland 310-858-5466 chrismara@hiltonhyland. com Michele Martin DRE # 00938514 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-508-8448 michele@mmichelemartin. com Christine Martin DRE # 01823589 The Agency 310-614-5779 cmartin@theagencyre.com Richard Maslan DRE # 01304570 Hilton & Hyland 310-435-2196 richard@hiltonhyland.com Peter Maurice DRE # 01129738 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-623-8819 peter@petermaurice.com

9 8 L a m ag . c o m

Jade Mills DRE # 00526877 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-285-7508 homes@jademills.com Lynn Mirisch Rogo DRE # 01337553 Compass 310-890-7738 lynn.rogo@compass.com Josh Myler DRE # 01443547 The Agency 323-333-0301 jmyler@theagencyre.com Jonathan Nash DRE # 01943888 Hilton & Hyland 424-230-6088 jonathan@hiltonhyland. com Marc Noah DRE # 01269495 Hilton & Hyland 310-968-9212 marc@marcnoah.com Michael Nourmand DRE # 01281017 Nourmand & Associates 310-666-3294 mnourmand@nourmand. com Lisa Optican DRE # 01960751 Hilton & Hyland 310-351-6646 lisa@hiltonhyland.com Tom O’Rourke DRE # 00931753 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-770-0221 tomorourke@bhhscal.com Mick Partridge DRE # 02015130 Hilton & Hyland 310-990-6425 Mick@hiltonhyland.com Marshall Peck DRE # 01872030 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-497-3279 marshall.peck@elliman.com Barry Peele DRE # 01092290 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-754-5238 barrypeele@barrypeele. com

Roger Perry DRE # 01882885 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-600-1553 rperry@rogerperry.com Susân Perryman DRE # 01878839 Hilton & Hyland 310-261-1960 susanperryman@hiltonhyland.com

Lloyd Ross DRE # 02046500 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-499-8730 lloyd.ross@elliman.com Allen Roth DRE # 01272304 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-387-7087 allen@allenroth.com Jonathan Ruiz DRE # 01886713 The Agency 310-850-7849 jruiz@theagencyre.com Trista Rullan DRE # 01067844 Hilton & Hyland 310-858-5476 trista@trista.tv

Sam Plouchart DRE # 01921196 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-752-3133 sam@samplouchart.com

Paul Salazar DRE # 01763227 Hilton & Hyland 310-387-1976 paul@hiltonhyland.com

Stefan Pommepuy DRE # 01817077 The Agency 310-562-6264 stefan@theagencyre.com

Erika Schaefer DRE # 01975154 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 480-216-3668 erika.schaefer@elliman. com

Michael Rabbani DRE # 01942087 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-499-8835 MR@rodeore.com Kurt Rappaport DRE # 01036061 Westside Estate Agency 310-995-3214 kr@weahomes.com Josh Reef DRE # 01950745 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-728-9228 josh.reef@elliman.com Stephen Resnick DRE # 01241282 Hilton & Hyland 310-210-5048 stephen@sresnick.com Victoria Risko DRE # 01033692 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-882-0246 victoriarisko@gmail.com Chad Rogers DRE # 01204144 Hilton & Hyland 310-278-3311 chad@chadrogers.tv Leslie Romenesko DRE # 01724540 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 323-253-3177 leslie.romenesko@elliman. com Billy Rose DRE # 01302611 The Agency 310-650-2999 brose@theagencyre.com

Naomi Selick DRE # 01908101 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 213-280-9120 naomi.selick@elliman.com Stephen Shapiro DRE # 00388759 Westside Estate Agency 310-991-6115 ss@weahomes.com Keeley Smith DRE # 02037676 Hilton & Hyland 646-512-0870 keeley@hiltonhyland.com Susan Smith DRE # 01187140 Hilton & Hyland 310-492-0733 susan@susansmithrealty. com Daniel Stevenson DRE # 01981172 The Agency 646-884-2928 dstevenson@theagencyre. com Beth Styne DRE # 00815705 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-367-3388 bethstyne@gmail.com Jon Swire DRE # 01336277 The Agency 310-948-2631 jswire@theagencyre.com Barbara Tenenbaum DRE # 00823256 Hilton & Hyland 310-278-3311 btenenbaum@hiltonhyland. com

Mia Trudeau DRE # 01379660 Hilton & Hyland 310-850-2747 mia@estatesofla.com

Lee Black DRE # 00224804 Keller Williams Calabasas 818-419-5705 leeblack321@outlook.com

Alex Vichinsky DRE # 02044570 The Agency 510-289-5980 alex.v@theagencyre.com

Zohar Daniel DRE # 01834710 The Agency 818-930-1806 zohar.daniel@theagencyre. com

Gayle Weiss DRE # 01050268 Nourmand & Associates 310-880-7948 GayleMWeiss@gmail.com Jonah Wilson DRE # 01078809 Hilton & Hyland 310-858-5465 jonah@jonahwilson.com Jen Winston DRE # 01522987 Compass 310-944-1167 jen.winston@compass.com Moji Zohourian DRE # 01390640 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-777-6200 MojiHakim@yahoo.com Brentwood Gary Glass DRE # 00933169 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-820-9343 gary@garyglassestates. com Elisabeth Halsted DRE # 01434953 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-463-1601 eh@elisabethhalsted.com David Offer DRE # 01150357 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-820-9341 doffer@davidoffer.com Lauren Ravitz DRE # 01352397 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-600-4581 lauren@laurenravitz.com Calabasas David Abas DRE # 01422571 Keller Williams Calabasas 310-400-2222 david@davidabas.com Heidi Adams DRE # 00997097 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-461-2278 heidi91302@gmail.com Guy Azar DRE # 01882376 The Agency 818-339-4192 guy.azar@theagencyre.com

Jordan Davies DRE # 01914332 Keller Williams Calabasas 213-271-4945 jordan@jordanliamdavies. com David Emanuel DRE # 01825239 Compass 818-621-9141 david@davidsellsla.com https://davidsellsla.com/ Kathleen Finnegan DRE # 01193021 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-601-0056 ksfinnegan@gmail.com David Friedman DRE # 00867551 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-915-3982 davidfriedman818@yahoo. com Yana Galuz DRE # 01454066 Keller Williams Calabasas 310-595-5522 yana@galuzgroup.com Marc Garbell DRE # 01347800 Keller Williams Calabasas 818-625-8949 mg4re@ymail.com Patte Gilbert DRE # 01144659 Wish Sotheby’s International Realty 818-515-5028 pattegilbert@gmail.com Emil Hartoonian DRE # 01796925 The Agency 310-990-0063 ehartoonian@theagencyre. com Richard Klein DRE # 01174039 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-207-2068 richkleinhomes@aol.com Michael Koshet DRE # 01504747 Keller Williams Calabasas 818-915-3829 michaelkoshet@yahoo.com Derek London DRE # 01229959 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-400-8008 sold@teamlondonhomes. com


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Michelle Mandel DRE # 01718890 Keller Williams Calabasas 818-481-1778 michellebuildsla@gmail. com

Angela Wong DRE # 00990276 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-645-6754 Angela.Wong@camoves. com

Sam Liberow DRE # 01933858 Marcus & Millichap 818-212-2795 sam.liberow@marcusmillichap.com

Oren Ovadia DRE # 01893470 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-723-2706 ovadia@att.net

Camellia Yeroomian DRE # 02090567 The Agency 310-245-0418 camellia.yeroomian@ theagencyre.com

Peter Miller DRE # 01256871 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-489-1902 plmgrp@aol.com

Milla Pariser DRE # 02006267 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-271-1233 milla@millapariserrealestate.com

Desiree Zuckerman DRE # 01292971 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-262-5648 desiree@dzhomes.com

Janette Monfared DRE # 00765098 Marcus & Millichap 818-212-2752 janette.monfared@marcusmillichap.com

Craig Parry DRE # 00963612 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-326-8109 craigparry@rodeore.com Danielle Peretz DRE # 01897529 The Agency 818-644-1477 danielle.peretz@theagencyre.com Doug Puetz DRE # 00995378 Keller Williams Calabasas 805-795-4455 dougpuetz@me.com David Salmanson DRE # 02024450 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-421-2170 DS4Homes@gmail.com Aaron Scott DRE # 01710252 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-663-9431 Aaron@mylaagent.com David Shemesh DRE # 01836977 Keller Williams Calabasas 310-919-5470 david@iknowyourhomevalue.com David Smith DRE # 01503210 Keller Williams Calabasas 310-480-7523 david@teamsmithca.com Lisa Sorrentino DRE # 00974656 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-355-4751 Teamsorrentino@gmail. com

Claremont Geoff Hamill DRE # 00997900 Wheeler Steffen Sotheby’s International Realty 909-621-0500 geoff@geoffhamill.com

Scott Nell DRE # 01358285 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-522-2862 scott@scottnellteam.com

Mason Prophet DRE # 01714034 Wheeler Steffen Sotheby’s International Realty 909-447-7708 Mason@MasonProphet.com

Zeev Perez DRE # 01932490 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-445-6909 perezeev@gmail.com

Ryan Zimmerman DRE # 01801354 Wheeler Steffen Sotheby’s International Realty 909-447-7707 ryan@rrzimmerman.com

Lior Regenstreif DRE # 01267761 Marcus & Millichap 818-212-2730 lior.regenstreif@marcusmillichap.com

El Segundo

Leetal Schapiro DRE # 02003656 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-402-2142 leetalschapiro@kw.com

Kimberly Doner DRE # 01828186 Compass 310-720-7933 kim@kimberlydoner.com Bill Ruane DRE # 00972400 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-877-2374 bill@billruane.net Encino Marty Azoulay DRE # 01234131 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-822-2422 marty@myhousesellers. com Eric Delgado DRE # 01831579 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 310-909-3464 ericdelgado@kw.com

Frank Trejo DRE # 01195209 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-620-4381 franktrejo@rodeore.com

Cindy Hill Slater DRE # 00885625 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-640-4360 cindyhill@kw.com

David Watkins DRE # 01307458 Pinnacle Estate Properties, Inc. 818-444-8300 david@davidwatkins.com

Lara Hutchins DRE # 01930111 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-527-2912 lovelivela@gmail.com

Andrew Teshinsky DRE # 01932243 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-748-5293 andrew.teshinsky@gmail. com Stephanie Vitacco DRE # 00985615 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-298-1187 stephanie@teamvitacco. com Carol Wolfe DRE # 00477745 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-285-3688 Carol@CarolWolfe.com Gardena John Yeressian DRE # 01854965 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices 818-254-9290 jyeressian@sbcglobal.net Glendale David Robles DRE # 01134528 eXp Realty 213-712-4343 dave@daverobles.com

Goleta Patrick Rodriguez DRE # 01377250 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-310-2053 propertiesbypatrickrodriguez@gmail.com Huntington Beach Jeff Russell DRE # 01275750 Russell Realty Group - eXp Realty 626-695-2576 Jeff@RussellRealtyGrp.com La Canada Flint Amy Chang DRE # 01870603 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-404-2168 amy.chang@camoves.com Suzanne Edwards DRE # 00959224 Compass 818-219-1010 suzanne.edwards@compass.com Carey Haynes DRE # 01144568 Compass 818-599-8066 carey.haynes@compass. com Benjamin Kelly DRE # 01414185 Compass 818-282-2816 ben.kelly@compass.com Christine Navarro DRE # 01308102 Compass 818-288-4802 christine.navarro@compass.com Kathy Seuylemezian DRE # 00947297 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-378-7928 Kathy@ImUrAgent.com Valerie Talbert DRE # 01320897 Compass 818-618-4825 valerie.talbert@compass. com

Michelle Berg DRE # 01993627 Redfin Corporation 310-487-6345 michelle.berg@redfin.com Amy Black DRE # 01454740 Redfin Corporation 323-854-7457 Amy.black@redfin.com Roddy de la Garza DRE # 01995374 Redfin Corporation 323-696-5375 roddy.delagarza@redfin. com Gregory Eubanks DRE # 01949808 Redfin Corporation 310-663-7896 gregory.eubanks@redfin. com Renata Fallon DRE # 01752799 Redfin Corporation 562-331-1023 renata.fallon@redfin.com Costanza Genoese-Zerbi DRE # 01941438 Redfin Corporation 562-221-4527 c.genoese-zerbi@redfin. com Aaron McCarty DRE # 01956114 Redfin Corporation 510-673-8924 aaron.mccarty@redfin.com Thomas Royds DRE # 00949407 Redfin Corporation 310-738-1125 thomas.royds@redfin.com Janice Sadler DRE # 01359319 Redfin Corporation 562-397-4685 janice.sadler@redfin.com Alec Traub DRE # 01403054 Redfin Corporation 310-502-2945 alec.traub@redfin.com

Melissa Alt DRE # 01019836 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 424-202-3232 melissa.alt@elliman.com Santiago Arana DRE # 01492489 The Agency 310-926-9808 santiago@theagencyre. com Elyse Arbour DRE # 01227787 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-893-9388 elyse@elysearbour.com Alex Barad DRE # 01960595 Nourmand & Associates 323-251-9779 alexbarad@nourmand.com Simon Beardmore DRE # 01321605 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-892-6454 simon.beardmore@gmail. com Loren Bennett DRE # 01744020 Redfin Corporation 818-674-0176 loren.bennett@redfin.com Stacy Blair Young DRE # 01190242 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-367-7654 stacy.young@elliman.com Laura Braui DRE # 01931500 Compass 310-650-4156 laura@laurabrau.com Emily Bregman DRE # 01935416 Compass 310-699-7038 emily@emilybregman.com

Rick Wilkinson DRE # 01427456 Redfin Corporation 310-663-9064 rick.wilkinson@redfin.com

Austin Brunkhorst DRE # 01823513 The Agency 310-254-7989 austin.brunkhorst@ theagencyre.com

Monica An DRE # 01826656 Society Realty 818-621-1360 lion@societyreal.com

Michelle Zabukovec DRE # 01851945 Redfin Corporation 206-595-6681 michelle.zabukovec@ redfin.com

John Burdick DRE # 01983093 Redfin Corporation 805 340-0486 john.burdick@redfin.com

Long Beach

Los Angeles

Laura Addario Salgues DRE # 01940236 Redfin Corporation 310-730-3097 laura.salgues@redfin.com

June Ahn DRE # 01188513 Coldwell Banker Realty 323-855-5558 june.ahn@camoves.com

Mystoura Afolabi DRE # 01515906 Redfin Corporation 310-409-5650 mystoura.afolabi@redfin. com

Sharona Alperin DRE # 00923981 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-345-9425 sharonaalperin@gmail.com

La Crescenta

Mica Campbell DRE # 01911998 Sotheby’s International Realty 323-696-1647 Mica.Campbell@Sothebys. Realty Elizabeth Campos Layne DRE # 01415795 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-430-5432 agentlizlayne@gmail.com

L a m ag . c o m 9 9


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Joan Caplis DRE # 00629011 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-748-2208 joancaplis@gmail.com Seta Chorbajian DRE # 01419425 Redfin Corporation 626-656-3255 Seta.Chorbajian@Redfin. com Ellen Conrad DRE # 00918465 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-345-7766 ellen.conrad@camoves.com Andrea Dunlop DRE # 01396262 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-560-4180 Andrea.Dunlop@Sothebys. Realty

Sylva Khayalian DRE # 01323217 Redfin Corporation 626-390-2545 sylva.khayalian@redfin.com John Kostrey DRE # 01729039 Nourmand & Associates 310-621-4341 john@thekostreycollection. com Susan Lau DRE # 01516710 Coldwell Banker Realty 213-220-5466 Susan.Lau@cbcnrt.com Rick Llanos DRE # 01123101 Coldwell Banker Realty 323-460-7617 rickllanos@aol.com

Jennifer Eckert DRE # 01512045 Nourmand & Associates 323-543-3697 jeneckert1@gmail.com

Heidi Ludwig DRE # 01400091 Redfin Corporation 310-920-2129 Heidi.Ludwig@Redfin.com

Alin Glogovicean DRE # 01327641 Redfin Corporation 818-395-7772 Alin@Redfin.com

Lisa Mansfield DRE # 01105508 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-993-2303 Lisa.Mansfield@Sothebys. Realty

Bita Goodman DRE # 01873432 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-721-4071 Bita.Goodman@Sothebys. Realty Nadine Guyaux DRE # 01932889 Redfin Corporation 310-925-4180 nadine.guyaux@redfin.com Michele Hall DRE # 00517739 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-850-1357 mhall@michelehallrealestate.com Steven Hill DRE # 02023251 Redfin Corporation 310-999-3449 steven.hill@redfin.com Dana Hughes DRE # 01940909 Redfin Corporation 562-544-0582 dana.hughes@redfin.com Lisa Hutchins DRE # 01018644 Coldwell Banker Realty 323-216-6938 hutchinsdesk@gmail.com Lindsay Katz DRE # 01921555 Redfin Corporation 818-521-9931 lindsay.katz@redfin.com Brad Keyes DRE # 01857106 Keyes Real Estate 310-367-3372 brad@keyesla.com

10 0 L a m ag . c o m

Nicholas Mercado DRE # 01348465 Sotheby’s International Realty 323-896-9955 Nick.Mercado@Sothebys. Realty Joseph Montemarano DRE # 01266419 Compass 11601 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 101 Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-613-7777 joseph.montemarano@ compass.com Steven Moritz DRE # 00928961 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-871-3636 Steve.Moritz@Sothebys. Realty Jesse Morton DRE # 01764470 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-339-4766 jesse.morton@elliman.com Dana Murphy DRE # 01348375 Redfin Corporation 805-338-0866 dana.murphy@redfin.com Sam Najarian DRE # 01988623 Redfin Corporation 626-808-5101 sam.najarian@redfin.com

Dustin Nicholas DRE # 01385049 Nicholas Property Group 310-770-1847 dustin@nicholaspropertygroup.com

Melissa Ryan DRE # 01160269 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-993-8319 MelissaRyanRealEstate@ aol.com

Michael Waxman DRE # 01063090 Redfin Corporation 661-373-5282 michael.waxman@redfin. com

Myra Nourmand DRE # 00983509 Nourmand & Associates 310-888-3333 myranourmand@nourmand.com

Simon Salloom DRE # 01356271 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-749-8686 simon.salloom@elliman. com

James Whalen DRE # 01303827 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-435-6775 James.Whalen@Sothebys. Realty

Blaine Ostrander DRE # 01178207 Redfin Corporation 805-358-3469 blaine.ostrander@redfin. com

Robert Sandefer DRE # 01996491 The Agency 310-889-8463 robert.sandefer@theagencyre.com

Keri White DRE # 01491049 The Agency 310-804-4011 kwhite@theagencyre.com

Anthony “TJ” Paradise DRE # 01888369 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-279-8303 tjparadise@gmail.com

Julie Sanders DRE # 01895602 Redfin Corporation 415-694-1215 julie.sanders@redfin.com

Jackie Wolf DRE # 01413548 Redfin Corporation 661-755-7148 jackie.wolf@redfin.com

Simone Poingsett DRE # 01894240 Redfin Corporation 424-625-4008 simone.poingsett@redfin. com

Trevor Schneeberger DRE # 01894314 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-902-7170 trevor.schneeberger@ elliman.com

Mary Beth Woods DRE # 00470539 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-463-1599 mwoods@marybethwoods. com

Arto Poladian DRE # 01779642 Redfin Corporation 818-383-2792 arto@redfin.com Jessica Ranuschio DRE # 01987956 Redfin Corporation 661-607-3178 jessica.ranuschio@redfin. com Rick Raymundo DRE # 01357019 Marcus & Millichap 213-943-1855 rick.raymundo@marcusmillichap.com Lauren Reichenberg DRE # 01415570 Compass 310-502-0580 larrealestate@gmail.com Griffin Riddle DRE # 01949069 The Agency 310-890-3306 griffin.riddle@theagencyre. com Josh Ritnimit DRE # 01873160 Redfin Corporation 626-375-7966 josh.ritnimit@redfin.com Patricia Ruben DRE # 01262286 Sotheby’s International Realty 323-333-3801 Patricia.Ruben@Sothebys. Realty Jodi Rubin DRE # 01402265 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-254-7123 jodi@jodirubin.com

Brian Selem DRE # 01056044 The Agency 310-995-9562 brian.selem@theagencyre. com Shamon Shamonki DRE # 01455034 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-713-4492 shamon.shamonki@sothebys.realty Richard Stanley DRE # 00971211 Coldwell Banker Realty 213-300-4567 rstanley@richardstanleyrealtor.com Richard Stearns DRE # 01118915 Compass 310-850-9284 richard.stearns@compass. com Steve Stratton DRE # 01242577 Redfin Corporation 818-414-0200 steve.stratton@redfin.com Mary Lu Tuthill DRE # 00556630 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-339-3327 marylu@marylututhill.com Karen Ulloa DRE # 01395066 Redfin Corporation 951-206-7842 karen.ulloa@redfin.com Konstantine Valissarakos DRE # 01023114 Nourmand & Associates 323-252-9451 konstantine@nourmand. com

Timothy Xu DRE # 01703821 Compass 310-227-1001 timothy.xu@compass.com Vanessa Yan DRE # 01418060 Soulful Abode 310-259-4381 vanessa@soulfulabode.com

Cammy Godeck Pinoli DRE # 02074002 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-452-9725 cammypinoli@bhhscal.com Claire Hanssen DRE # 00887277 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-680-0929 clairehanssen@yahoo.com Patricia “Patty” Murphy DRE # 00766586 Sotheby’s International Realty 805-680-8571 Patty@pattymurphy.com Malibu Michael Cunningham DRE # 01291455 Pinnacle Estate Properties, Inc. 310-985-9340 mike@themalibuagent.com Sandro Dazzan DRE # 01418033 The Agency 310-435-7556 sandro@theagencyre.com Irene Dazzan-Palmer DRE # 00597226 The Agency 310-418-3777 irene.dazzan@theagencyre. com

Richard Yohon DRE # 01276405 Sotheby’s International Realty 323-270-1725 Rick.Yohon@Sothebys. Realty

Ani Dermenjian DRE # 01185123 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-738-0499 ani.dermenjian@elliman. com

Jeffrey Young DRE # 00977617 Sotheby’s International Realty 213-819-9630 Jeffrey.Young@Sothebys. Realty

Kathy Ellis DRE # 01320487 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-804-4526 kathyelliscoldwellbanker@ gmail.com

Hooman Zahedi DRE # 01849803 Redfin Corporation 818-429-2940 hooman.zahedi@redfin. com Los Olivos Michael Brady DRE # 00825140 Sotheby’s International Realty 805-391-0587 michael.brady@sothebysrealty.com Laura Drammer DRE # 01209580 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-448-7500 laura@lauradrammer.com

Ellen Francisco DRE # 00709314 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-589-2464 ellen@malibuonline.com Mark Gruskin DRE # 01324387 Westside Estate Agency 310-92-5769 mg@weahomes.com Lily Harfouche DRE # 01737283 Compass 310-230-5564 lily@lilyharfouche.com Eric Haskell DRE # 01866805 The Agency 805-570-7243 eric.haskell@theagencyre. com


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Lea Johnson DRE # 01006000 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-924-2168 leajohnston@atlantafinehomes.com Tessa Johnson DRE # 01056486 The Agency 818-489-5065 tessa.johnson@theagencyre.com Barry Kinyon DRE # 01097786 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-251-9254 Barry.Kinyon@Sothebys. Realty Brian Merrick DRE # 01204107 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-383-4336 merdog68@gmail.com Susan Monus DRE # 00827409 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-663-1554 susan@susanmonus.com Bill Moss DRE # 00860010 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-293-5503 william.moss@camoves. com Cooper Mount DRE # 01956287 The Agency 310-351-9002 cooper.mount@theagencyre.com Cormac O’Herlihy DRE # 00787980 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-980-1194 Cormac.Oherlihy@Sothebys.Realty Shen Schulz DRE # 01327630 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-980-8809 shen@shenrealty.com Shirley Sherman DRE # 01316456 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-849-8834 shirley.sherman@elliman. com Ren Smith DRE # 01329241 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-567-5704 ren@rensmith.com Tara Switzer DRE # 01422161 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-463-5527 taraswitzer@gmail.com Tracy Lynn Testin DRE # 01212506 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-940-5578 tracytestin1@gmail.com

Manhattan Chris Adlam DRE # 00967574 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-493-7216 chris.adlam@vistasir.com Christine Anderson DRE # 02025722 Strand Hill/Christie’s International Real Estate 310-750-5614 christine@strandhill.com Liz Bird DRE # 01998069 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-975-4760 liz.bird@vistasir.com Gerard Bisignano DRE # 01116110 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-990-4727 gerard.bisignano@vistasir. com Brittny Burford DRE # 01874928 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-897-8228 bb@brittnyburford.com Jennifer Caras DRE # 01466213 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-367-9129 jennifer.caras@vistasir.com Jerry Carew DRE # 01374136 3 Leaf Realty, Inc. 310-714-1416 jerry@3leafrealty.com Hady Chahine DRE # 01302060 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-404-5361 hady@hadychahine.com Alison Clay Duboff DRE # 01786922 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-200-3037 alison@alisonisrealestate. com Holly Danna DRE # 01988811 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-405-2769 holly.danna@elliman.com Kevin DaSilva DRE # 01946257 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-528-7708 kevin.dasilva@elliman.com Becky Davidson DRE # 01894087 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-920-9287 becky@beckydavidsonhomes.com Shawn Dugan DRE # 01749343 Strand Hill/Christie’s Inter-

Darren Pujalet DRE # 01845166 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-613-1690 darren@SouthBay411.com

national Real Estate 310-265-3428 manonthestrand@gmail. com Kitty Edler DRE # 00800837 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-283-8790 kitty.edler@vistasir.com Rachel Ezra DRE # 01396863 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-400-0297 rachel.ezra@vistasir.com Charles Fisher DRE # 01731424 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-902-7214 Charles@Fisherrealestate. com Alexandra Gauss DRE # 01426014 Strand Hill/Christie’s International Real Estate 310-418-0869 alexgauss1@gmail.com Terri Harkins DRE # 00968312 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-507-5746 terri.harkins@vistasir.com Tami Humphrey DRE # 01745122 Palm Realty Boutique 310-745-1600 tami@playavistaliving.com Susan Jones DRE # 01015290 3 Leaf Realty, Inc. 310-748-7431 Susan@susanatthebeach. com Audrey Judson DRE # 00872303 Strand Hill/Christie’s International Real Estate 310-902-3234 homes@audreyjudson.com David Keller DRE # 00851437 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-707-8706 david@davidbkeller.com

Tara Klein

Vista Sotheby's International Realty DRE# 019363331 2501 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach 626.862.5971 tara@ tarakleinrealestate.com tarakleinrealestate.com Rob McGarry DRE # 01356525 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-463-8488 rob.mcgarry@vistasir.com Andy McGuire DRE # 01891008 Palm Realty Boutique 310-971-5949 Andy@teammcguirerealestate.com Dennis Moloney DRE # 00808394 Strand Hill/Christie’s International Real Estate 310-480-8854 mbnewhomes@aol.com Steven Mullins DRE # 01487977 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-901-4687 steven.mullins@vistasir. com Kristen Novoa DRE # 01291929 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-650-1078 kristen.novoa@vistasir.com

Bob Lane DRE # 01913992 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-962-4022 bob.lane@vistasir.com

Jane Sager DRE # 01001004 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-748-0677 jane@janesager.com Cindy Shearin DRE # 00925580 Strand Hill/Christie’s International Real Estate 310-200-8318 cindy@theshearingroup. com Dunham Stewart DRE # 01006738 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-200-5283 dunham.stewart@vistasir. com Mark Stoll DRE # 01280262 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-421-2828 mark.stoll@vistasir.com Diana Turner DRE # 01442365 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-213-2450 diana.turner@vistasir.com Jim Van Zanten DRE # 00544011 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-466-1004 jim.vanzanten@vistasir.com Brett Zebrowski DRE # 01313739 Palm Realty Boutique 310-678-7158 brett@palmrealtyboutique. com Marina Del Rey Michael Kayem DRE # 01320892 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-390-3337 homes@agentmichael.com

Lynn Kim DRE # 01476216 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-741-2642 lynn.kim@vistasir.com Tara Klein DRE # 01936331 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 626-862-5971 tara.klein@vistasir.com

Lynn Range DRE # 01910412 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-308-1221 lynn.range@vistasir.com

Cindy Shearin

Strand Hill Christies International Real Estate Group DRE# 00925580 1311 Morningside Dr., Manhattan Beach 310.200.8318 Cindy@ TheShearinGroup.com CindyShearin.com

Jennifer Portnoy DRE # 01215535 Compass 310-420-7861 Jennifer.Portnoy@Compass.com Montecito Cristal Clarke DRE # 00968247 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-886-9378 cristal@montecito-estate. com

Susan Conger DRE # 00545024 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-689-3034 susan.conger@camoves. com Dan Encell DRE # 00976141 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-565-4896 danencell@aol.com Sally Hanseth DRE # 00902225 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-570-4229 hanseth1410@gmail.com Dan Johnson DRE # 00609860 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-895-5150 DanJohnson@bhhscal.com Nancy Kogevinas DRE # 01209514 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-450-6233 nancy@kogevinas.com Harry Kolb DRE # 00714226 Sotheby’s International Realty 805-452-2500 Harry.Kolb@Sothebys. Realty Barbara Koutnik DRE # 00809916 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-689-3015 barbara.koutnik@camoves. com Sherry Lawson DRE # 01019856 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-252-4400 sherrysbrealestate@gmail. com Maureen McDermut DRE # 01175027 Sotheby’s International Realty 805-570-5545 Maureen.Mcdermut@ Sothebys.Realty Maurie McGuire DRE # 01061042 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-403-8816 maurie@mauriemcguire. com Teresa McWilliams DRE # 00285016 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-895-7038 tereska1@aol.com Crysta Metzger DRE # 01340521 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-453-8700 crysmetz@me.com

L A M AG . C O M 10 1


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Chris Palme DRE # 00989478 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-448-3066 chris@sbrivierahomes.com Charles Petersen DRE # 01742017 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-637-0312 charles.petersen@camoves. com Kevin Schmidtchen DRE # 01316975 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-689-6877 kevinschmidtchen@yahoo. com Lisa Scibird DRE # 02027505 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-570-9177 lisa.scibird@bhhscal.com Patrice Serrani DRE # 01764713 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-637-5112 patrice@patriceserrani.com Jason Siemens DRE # 01886104 Sotheby’s International Realty 805-455-1165 Jason.Siemens@Sothebys. Realty Randy Solakian DRE # 00622258 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-886-6000 Randy@Montecitoestates. com Sandy Stahl DRE # 01040095 Sotheby’s International Realty 805-689-1602 Sandy.Stahl@Sothebys. Realty Mitch Stark DRE # 01196532 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-689-2429 mstark@bhhscal.com

Kathleen Winter DRE # 01022891 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-451-4663 Kathy@KathyWinter.com Newhall Tricia Fossa DRE # 01441052 RE/MAX Gateway 661-702-4764 triciafossasells@gmail.com Northridge Ratchanida Komenkul DRE # 01060862 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-482-0085 poupee7777@yahoo.com Sana Saleh DRE # 01975947 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-324-8062 sanasaleh@rodeore.com Jeffrey Scott Post DRE # 01908413 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-535-6028 scottpost33@gmail.com Sharon Stonefield DRE # 01519125 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-621-2897 Sharonsellssfv@gmail.com Norwalk Wonnie Kim DRE # 01873341 Kim Real Estate 562-474-1722 wonniekim@yahoo.com Pacific Palisades Heather Bell DRE # 01897826 The Agency 310-779-7211 heather.bell@theagencyre. com Aaron Bernbach DRE # 02038896 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 424-835-1470 McNicholBernbach@gmail. com Barbara Boyle DRE # 01259141 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-255-5403 Barbara.Boyle@Sothebys. Realty

Yolanda Van Wingerden DRE # 01308141 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-570-4965 Yolanda@bhhscal.com

Joseph Cilic DRE # 01421044 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-925-1402 thecilicgroup@sothebyshomes.com

Scott Westlotorn DRE # 01875690 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-403-4313 Scott.Westlotorn@camoves.com

Mary Caitlin Colvin DRE # 01949286 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-210-3639 Caitlin@caitlincolvinre.com

102 L A M AG . C O M

Violetta Hargitay DRE # 01048551 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-367-2190 violetta@laestates.com Laurie Hudson DRE # 00604603 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-890-2160 lauriehudson@bhhscal.com Sue Kohl DRE # 00560679 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-720-3400 suekohl@gmail.com Graham Larson DRE # 01905737 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-303-9397 Graham.Larson@Sothebys. Realty Ellen McCormick DRE # 00872518 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-230-3707 ellen@ellenmccormick.com

Paula Ross Jones DRE # 01157578 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-880-9750 Paula.Rossjones@Sothebys.Realty Emil Schneeman DRE # 01200793 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-922-3292 emil@bhhscal.com Natasha Sizlo DRE # 01982402 The Agency 310-874-2302 nbarrett@theagencyre.com

Cindy Chew DRE # 00868304 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-753-6738 cindychew@earthlink.net Tuba Ghannadi DRE # 00922882 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-686-4688 tuba@remaxpv.com Igor Nastaskin DRE # 01317822 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-892-6016 inastaskin@remaxpv.com

Isabelle Mizrahi DRE # 01209059 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-850-1136 isabelle@inthecanyon.com

Steve Simonetti DRE # 00368946 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-621-5155 stevesimonetti@gmail.com

Alexandra Pfeifer DRE # 01743378 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-650-3540 alexandra@alexandrapfeifer.com Robert Radcliffe DRE # 01132704 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-317-9900 rob@robertradcliffe.com Ali Rassekhi DRE # 01183331 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-359-5695 ali.rassekhi@camoves.com Enzo Ricciardelli DRE # 01097604 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-853-3837 Enzo.Ricciardelli@Sothebys.Realty

Chelby Crawford

Compass DRE# 01399237 680 E. Colorado Blvd., Ste. 150 Pasadena Ca 91101 626.536.2002 chelbycrawford@ gmail.com chelbycrawford.com

Palos Verdes Estates

Devin McNichol DRE # 02038322 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-910-4075 mcnicholre@gmail. com

Susan Montgomery DRE # 01269732 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-255-5441 susan.montgomery@ sothebyshomes.com

Garrett Chan DRE # 01959579 Compass 626-456-0056 garrett.chan@compass. com Tink Cheney DRE # 01173415 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-233-2938 tinkcheney@earthlink.net

Jackie Wang-Dojiri DRE # 01097324 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-999-8812 jwangdojiri@remaxpv.com Pasadena Lisa Ashworth DRE # 01330150 The Agency 626-644-3844 lisa.ashworth@theagencyre.com

Carol Chua DRE # 00908699 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-844-2222 cchua@coldwellbanker.com Chelby Crawford DRE # 01399237 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-536-2002 chelby.crawford@cbrealty. com Alisa Cunningham DRE # 01719178 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 818-472-2801 alisa.cunningham@elliman. com Darrell Done DRE # 01233781 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-354-3551 darrell@darrelldone.com Colette Dornblum DRE # 01952165 Compass 626-818-3534 colette@compass.com

Karine Aslanian DRE # 01331967 The Agency 818-355-4906 karine.aslanian@theagencyre.com Michael Bell DRE # 01164731 Sotheby’s International Realty 626-354-8505 Michael.Bell@Sothebys. Realty Carla Buigues DRE # 01160323 The Agency 626-664-4444 carla.b@theagencyre.com

Tony Dowdy DRE # 01347010 Coldwell Banker Realty 323-804-3542 tdowdy@coldwellbanker. com Michele Downing DRE # 01046965 Compass 626-523-6939 michele.downing@compass.com Jeff Fisher DRE # 01429217 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 626-394-6696 jfisher.realestate@yahoo. com Andy Hairabedian DRE # 01900114 The Agency 626-318-0907 andy.h@theagencyre.com Maureen Hollingsworth DRE # 00673955 Sotheby’s International Realty 626-252-0948 maureen.hollingsworth@ sothebys.realty Kerry Jackson DRE # 01977527 Coldwell Banker Realty 626-808-2500 Kerry.Jackson@camoves. com Scott James DRE # 01911554 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 626-327-1836 Scott.james@elliman.com Julia Kwon DRE # 01740725 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-309-8944 julia.kwon@bhhscal.com Evangelyn Lin DRE # 01817694 Lin Realty Group 626-807-6581 eva@linrealtygroup.com Norma Mardelli DRE # 01477249 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-400-3794 norma.mardelli@camoves. com

Andy Hairabedian

The Angency DRE# 01900114 12080 Ventura Place Ste. D, Studio City 626.318.0907 andy.h@theagencyre. com theagencyre.com/agent /andy-hairabedian

Matt McIntyre DRE # 01844466 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 626-437-3643 mpmcintyre@bhhscal.com Giusy Mele-Brown DRE # 01252230 Compass 626-695-2312 giusy.brown@compass.com


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Amy Weber DRE # 01946366 The Agency 818-568-4243 amy.weber@theagencyre. com

Lynette Sohl

Berkshire Hathaway, Home Services DRE# 01256496 540 South Lake Ave., Pasadena 626.665.2649 LSOHL@bhhscal.com lynettesohlrealestate. com Vera Nelson DRE # 01333471 Hythe Realty 626-298-3025 vera@hytherealty.com Chris Reisbeck DRE # 01475481 The Agency 818-298-6413 chris.reisbeck@theagencyre.com Devone Richard DRE # 01857383 CINC Real Estate Group 626-500-1212 devone@cincre.com Gus Ruelas DRE # 01221146 The Agency 626-375-5401 gus@theagencyre.com Gretchen Seager DRE # 01217500 Sotheby’s International Realty 626-616-8146 gretchen.seager@sothebys. realty Lynette Sohl DRE # 01256496 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 626-665-2649 lsohl@sbcglobal.net Nicola Speranta DRE # 01274694 Compass 626-253-6746 nicola.speranta@compass. com Fleming Trainor DRE # 01810650 Sotheby’s International Realty 626-660-4186 thetrainorteam@gmail.com Lin Vlacich DRE # 00609754 Sotheby’s International Realty 626-688-6464 Lin.Vlacich@Sothebys. Realty

Rita Whitney DRE # 01209004 The Agency 626-755-4988 rjwhitney@theagencyre. com Michael Yue DRE # 02083986 Compass 310-435-2237 michael.yue@compass.com Porter Ranch Rebecca Locke DRE # 01818907 Coldwell Banker Quality Properties 323-839-9972 rlestates31@gmail. com Redondo Beach Mike Baker DRE # 00934330 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-817-2345 mike@realestate-baker.com Gabrielle Herendeen DRE # 01325858 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-433-7313 gabby@gogabby.com Rolling Hills Estates Joe Alessi DRE # 01844404 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-738-3262 joe.alessi@sbcglobal.net Kim Hall DRE # 01864819 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-721-7526 kimhallhomes@gmail.com Teri Hawkins DRE # 01195117 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-251-3850 terihawkinspv@gmail.com Norm Lucas DRE # 01049036 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-373-9994 lucas@TheLucasTeam.com Kevin Moen DRE # 01014808 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-466-4656 k.moen@verizon.net

Larissa Rubijevsky DRE # 01347242 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-387-1414 larissa@remaxpv.com

Gary Limjap DRE # 00927151 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-430-0818 GaryLimjap@gmail.com

Wendy Sun DRE # 01729186 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-544-7301 wendysun@msn.com

Ray Lyon DRE # 01875162 Ray Lyon Realty 310-993-1065 ray@raylyonrealty.com

San Dimas

Hana Ogawa DRE # 01517593 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-717-7153 hana@hanaogawa.com

Kimberly Olbrich DRE # 01851689 Century 21 Citrus 909-592-8500 kimberly@c21citrus.com Santa Barbara Keith Berry DRE # 00363833 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-689-4240 keith@keithberryrealestate. com Suzy Dahl DRE # 02021715 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-451-4332 suzy.dahl@bhhscal.com Linda Lorenzen DRE # 00583737 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-886-1842 Linda@LorenzenPartners. com Angela Moloney DRE # 01221588 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-451-1553 amoloney1@aol.com Karina Padilla DRE # 01726170 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-680-7701 KarinaPadilla@bhhscal.com Ann Rasmussen DRE # 01818392 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-705-3865 Ann.Rasmussen@camoves. com

Tyson Park DRE # 01880308 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-456-4840 tysonpark@bhhscal.com David Pearl DRE # 01963469 Keller Williams Santa Monica 561-201-2845 davidjpearl@yahoo.com Alice Plato DRE # 01216340 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-704-4188 aliceplato@gmail.com Megan Silva DRE # 01980348 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-614-6513 megan@megansilva.com Melanie Sommers DRE # 01303647 Compass 310-418-0343 melanie.sommers@compass.com Robin Walpert DRE # 01237116 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-480-4980 Robin.Walpert@Sothebys. Realty

Ann Zafiratos DRE # 01355461 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-448-4317 zaf@cox.net Santa Monica

Gayle Probst DRE # 01137236 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-977-9711 gayle.probst@gmail.com

Kate Bransfield DRE # 01218699 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-395-1133 kate@santamonicalistings. com

Charlie Raine DRE # 00982925 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-377-4932 charlie.raine10@gmail.com

Bill Friedman DRE # 00672015 Coldwell Banker Realty 213-200-2500 billfried@earthlink.net

Deborah Weiss DRE # 01367708 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-804-6470 debgweiss@gmail.com

Harma Hartouni DRE # 01467929 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-421-7110 hh@harma.com

Sherman Oaks

Kirk Hawkins DRE # 01996101 Beverly & Company 818-292-4779 kirk@getkirk.com

Mario Acosta DRE # 01328908 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-925-4470 marioacosta.re@gmail.com Michael Bergin DRE # 01845572 Compass 310-600-0715 michael@michaelbergin. com Philip Boroda DRE # 00822192 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-968-3844 pboroda1@earthlink.net Charlie Coronado DRE # 01723306 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 323-841-2911 charlie@coronadoreg.com Victoria Cruz-Christian DRE # 01887799 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 310-254-8124 victoriacruz@kw.com Barry Dantagnan DRE # 01020477 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-426-8677 barrydantagnan@gmail. com Kevin Dees DRE # 01915567 The Agency 818-414-3404 kdees@theagencyre.com Stephanie Dimakides DRE # 01752778 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-321-2320 Stephanie.Dimakides@ gmail.com Andrew Dinsky DRE # 01724985 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 310-729-3393 andrewdinsky@gmail.com

Deborah Weiss

Keller Williams Santa Monica DRE# 01367708 2701 Ocean Park Blvd., Ste. 140, Santa Monica 310.804.6470 debbie@ debbieweiss.com debbieweiss.com

Daniel Drantch DRE # 00900188 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-290-5001 homesbydad@aol.com Matt Epstein DRE # 01121162 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-681-2000 somatt@aol.com

Michelle Hirsch DRE # 01445587 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-512-4226 michelle@michellehirsch. com James Hirsch DRE # 01970186 The Agency 310-413-7414 jhirsch@theagencyre.com Nicole Joel DRE # 01784589 The Agency 310-428-2248 nikki.joel@theagencyre. com Kara Katz DRE # 02062597 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 619-850-4106 karakatz@kw.com Craig Knizek DRE # 01377932 The Agency 818-618-1006 cknizek@theagencyre.com Natalie Kraiem-Levi DRE # 01896518 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 310-309-9299 natalie@nklrealestate.com Bernard Leibovitch DRE # 00897501 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-472-5265 bernie@leibovitch.com Roy Lhanie DRE # 01854551 Keller Williams Encino-Sherman Oaks 818-642-3449 listwithroy@gmail.com Adi Livyatan DRE # 01892750 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-919-4060 adilivyatan@yahoo.com Ron Maman DRE # 01344010 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-469-7021 rmaman00@hotmail.com Andrew Manning DRE # 00941825 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-522-3972 andrew@andrewmanning. com

L A M AG . C O M 103


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Ken Marker DRE # 00977263 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-402-6254 sold@therealestateguys. com Michael Okun DRE # 01430979 Wish Sotheby’s International Realty 818-415-1819 Group@theMJOgroup.com Jaime Pearson DRE # 00817566 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-601-2260 jamie@jamiep.com Errin Riley DRE # 01985926 Wish Sotheby’s International Realty 818-321-2122 errinriley.sothebysrealty@ gmail.com Ben Salem DRE # 01367073 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-765-3020 ben@bensalemproperties. com Denise Snanoudj DRE # 01101684 The Agency 323-646-8866 denise.s@theagencyre.com Laura Stupsker DRE # 01796518 The Agency 310-993-9166 lstupsker@theagencyre. com Marly Tempel DRE # 01384323 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-470-0432 marlytemp@yahoo.com Kevin Tidwell DRE # 02040752 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-383-3623 kevin@rodeore.com Alison Turner DRE # 01953223 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-600-8229 alisongturner@gmail.com Howard Zuckerman DRE # 01107036 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-710-8415 hwzuckerman@aol.com Studio City Dorothy Apple DRE # 01185105 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-424-4440 dorothyapple@att.net Don Ashley DRE # 01988292 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-535-9987 donashleyre@gmail.com

104 L A M AG . C O M

Avi Barazani DRE # 01004601 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-528-2210 dcbarazani@gmail.com Joe Breckner DRE # 00883666 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-528-2291 Joe@JoeBreckner.com Tammy Jerome DRE # 00978772 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-903-5854 tammyjerome@gmail.com Stamatia Karakasidis DRE # 01336135 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-308-9210 stamieinla@gmail.com Jonathan Lichterman DRE # 01216058 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-606-4893 Jon@jedwardgroup.com Tom Otero DRE # 01153440 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-919-5350 tomotero@rodeore.com Galia Revivo DRE # 01752690 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-585-8652 galiarevivo@yahoo.com Ingrid Sacerio DRE # 01905431 The Agency 323-333-7018 isacerio@theagencyre.com Michelle Schwartz DRE # 01889141 The Agency 310-800-0408 mschwartz@theagencyre. com Steve Shrager DRE # 01240376 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-606-7862 callme4re@aol.com Steven Walker DRE # 01113472 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-717-4750 stevengwalker@sbcglobal. net Toluca Lake Craig Strong DRE # 01450987 Compass 818-930-4050 info@strongrealtor.com Topanga Olga Crawford DRE # 02005209 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-633-1469 Olga.Crawford@Sothebys. Realty

Torrance John Briscoe DRE # 00692202 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-918-3030 johnbriscoehomes@gmail. com Melinda Brock DRE # 00983274 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-920-0520 melinda@southbayhomesales.com Maggie Ding DRE # 01414326 Compass 310-937-2027 maggie@maggieding.ccom Tiffany McGuinness DRE # 01947654 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-525-7653 tiffany@leveluprealtyllc.com Valencia Holly Thompson DRE # 01825192 RE/MAX of Valencia 661-702-4525 holly@scvholly.com Venice Michael Grady DRE # 01505317 The Agency 310-995-8774 mgrady@theagencyre.com Jagger Kroener DRE # 01984562 The Agency 310-993-6044 jagger.kroener@theagencyre.com Alex Quaid DRE # 01838631 The Agency 310-717-1054 alex.quaid@theagencyre. com Ventura Domonique Rodriguez DRE # 01493429 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-479-2772 rebydrod@msn.com Laurie Rutledge DRE # 01156115 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-340-4854 Laurie.Rutledge@camoves. com

Steve Sanders DRE # 01367826 Compass 323-828-6471 steve.sanders@compass. com Jamie Tian DRE # 01920120 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-717-1321 jamietian@gmail.com West LA John Capiro DRE # 00925696 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-487-4404 john@johncapiro.com Reid Kaplan DRE # 01711288 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-883-8921 kaplanrc@hotmail.com Elizabeth Marquart DRE # 01344207 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-246-0888 elizabethsellsinc@elizabethsells.com Westlake Village Rosemary Allison DRE # 00545184 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-479-7653 rosemaryallison@aol.com Tamara Campbell DRE # 00843771 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-750-6577 Tamara.Campbell@camoves.com Casey Gordon DRE # 01880153 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 805-750-9804 casey@rodeore.com Sheri Karp DRE # 00968763 Sotheby’s International Realty 818-232-1851 Sheri.Karp@Sothebys. Realty

West Hollywood Yohann Bensimon DRE # 01966630 Keller Williams Hollywood Hills 310-923-1550 yohann@ikonadvisors.com Jason Oppenheim DRE # 01863254 The Oppenheim Group 310-927-7048 jason@ogroup.com Matthew Paul DRE # 01394372 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 310-499-3579 matthewtpaul@gmail.com

MORTGAGE Agoura Hills

Carmen Mormino

Rodeo Realty, Inc. CalBRE# 01808462 100 N. Westlake Blvd., Ste. 100a Westlake Village 818.693.2181 carmenmormino.com Leo McHale DRE # 01377546 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-621-4940 lmchale@sbcglobal.net Carmen Mormino DRE # 01808462 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-693-2181 morminoproperties@ gmail.com Tricia Onsgard DRE # 01091321 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-559-0841 triciaonsgard@verizon.net Teri Pacitto DRE # 00997649 Sotheby’s International Realty 805-444-7013 Teri.Pacitto@sir.com Karen Sandvig DRE # 01507450 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-941-7437 Karen.Sandvig@camoves. com

Coldwell Banker DRE# 00545184 883 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village 805.479.7653 rosemaryallison@ aol.com CallRosemary.com

Dorain Williams NMLS # 251389 Finance of America Mortgage LLC 310-907-8959 Team.Williams@financeofamerica.com Beverly Hills John Borkhus NMLS # 448448 Change Lending, LLC 310-913-1212 jborkhus@changemtg.com Mark Cohen NMLS # 1257559 Cohen Financial Group 310-777-5401 cohenfinancialgroup Maria Crisanta Castro NMLS # 481238 Change Lending, LLC 310-499-6449 mcastro@commercemtg. com John DeMaria NMLS # 486145 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 818-689-5001 John.Demaria@wellsfargo. com

Woodland Hills

David Eghbali NMLS # 450328 Change Lending, LLC 310-889-4502 deghbali@commercemtg. com

Dana Frank DRE # 01386144 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-618-6000 dana@danafrankhomes. com

Chris Furie NMLS # 357449 Insignia Mortgage 310-859-0488 chris@insigniamortgage. com

Brandon Haft DRE # 01485980 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-612-7690 brandonhaft@hotmail.com

Damon Germanides NMLS # 317894 Insignia Mortgage 310-859-0488 damon@insigniamortgage. com

Lonnie Mintz DRE # 01251366 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-298-1108 lmintz6729@aol.com

Rosemary Allison

Joe Tishkoff NMLS # 240232 Finance of America Mortgage LLC 818-971-4252 jtishkoff@financeofamerica.com

Shane Nichols DRE # 01948062 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-312-3164 Shane@SellitShane.com Collin St. Johns DRE # 01240582 Collin St. Johns Real Estate, Inc. 818-312-2171 csj24seven@gmail.com

Jason Hecht NMLS # 268384 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 310-447-1120 jason.hecht@rate.com Melissa Loeffler NMLS # 350276 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 424-325-0074 melissa.loeffler@rate.com Steven Maizes NMLS # 250590 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 424-354-5324 steven.maizes@rate.com


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Lyndi Mallory NMLS # 236144 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 424-325-0082 lyndi.mallory@rate.com Dan Millstone NMLS # 260491 Union Bank 310-295-7476 dan.millstone@unionbank. com Michael Most NMLS # 363202 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 917-841-8096 mmost@rate.com Kimberly Nelson-Olszewski NMLS # 235173 Riviera Financial 310-312-2638 knelson@rivierafinancial. com Jonathan O’Donnell NMLS # 301511 Union Bank 310-480-6863 jonathan.odonnell@unionbank.com Steven Anthony Powell NMLS # 451084 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 323-864-3640 Steven.A.Powell@wellsfargo.com Darius Sepehripour NMLS # 1554558 Kind Home Loans 818-430-5933 arius@kindhomeloans.com

Mark Johnson NMLS # 244919 Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. 818-532-1218 Mark.Johnson@homebridge.com KJ Margolis NMLS # 457645 Citibank 310-994-5642 kj.margolis@citi.com Joe Parisi NMLS # 255572 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 818-280-4057 joe.parisi@rate.com Michele Stanisch NMLS # 256367 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 747-242-2488 michele.stanisch@rate.com John Wade NMLS # 256688 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation 818-404-1905 john.wade@fairwaymc.com Randy Wagner NMLS # 317649 Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp. 818-483-4899 randy.wagner@dkmortgage.com Cerritos Alfredo Otero NMLS # 1833720 Citywide Home Loans, LLC 310-427-5511 aotero@citywidehomeloans.com

Melissa Velasquez NMLS # 633920 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 949-293-5119 melissa.m.velasquez@ wellsfargo.com

City of Industry

Lisa Yacoubian NMLS # 357641 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-295-0264 lisa.yacoubian@wellsfargo. com

Claremont

Brea

Mondie Pic’l NMLS # 299679 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation 626-233-1303 mondie@fairwaymc.com

Joshua Sun NMLS # 349638 Blue Financial Group 714-529-4300 TeamPraise@bluefinancialgroup.com Burbank Marc Chamberlain NMLS # 1208992 Movement Mortgage 310-382-7629 marc.chamberlain@movement.com Calabasas Max Byfuglin NMLS # 304337 Citibank 310-266-6399 max.byfuglin@citi.com

Graciela Barajas NMLS # 455470 U.S. Bank 626-485-2449 grace.barajas@usbank.com

Eric Kellner NMLS # 471994 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation 909-615-4993 ekellner@fairwaymc.com

Diamond Bar Fiona Bryan NMLS # 1812932 Academy Mortgage Corporation 303-882-0543 fiona.bryan@academymortgage.com Downey Alex Ascencio NMLS # 244230 American Financial Network, Inc. 562-861-1414 aascencio@afncorp.com

El Segundo Nader Chahine NMLS # 259628 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-650-2225 nader@wellsfargo.com Steve Eckhoff NMLS # 261230 CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC 310-470-8080 steve.e@myccmortgage. com

Jim Darr NMLS # 297090 Citibank 310-795-3836 jim.darr@citi.com Granada

Brian McKim NMLS # 381742 HouseAmerica Financial 818-844-8200 Brian@HouseAmericaFinancial.com

Todd Schultz NMLS # 540786 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 818-292-9542 todd.r.schultz@wellsfargo. com

Fredrik Megerdichian NMLS # 300774 HouseAmerica Financial 818-321-8080 Fredrik@HouseAmericaFinancial.com

Hermosa Beach

La Crescenta

David Gentry NMLS # 243989 Bank of America 424-405-4868 david.gentry@bofa.com

Brian Croft NMLS # 332750 Citibank 310-600-5012 brian.croft@citi.com

Shawn Davis NMLS # 234348 U.S. Bank 818-236-4510 shawn.davis@usbank.com

Gary May NMLS # 611774 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-808-8453 gary@wellsfargo.com

Jim Darr NMLS # 297090 Citibank 310-795-3836 jim.darr@citi.com

Long Beach

Sarah Purcell NMLS # 239593 ACC Mortgage Lending 310-918-7464 sarah@sarahshomepage. com

Charles Vides NMLS # 459976 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-435-2793 Charles.Vides@wellsfargo. com

Chantal Reyna NMLS # 1220186 Movement Mortgage 949-910-6946 chantal.reyna@movement. com

Hollywood

Irvine

Dean Kishiyama NMLS # 15931 loanDepot 562-924-9745 dkishiyama@loandepot. com Irvin Lopez NMLS # 457584 BluPrint Home Loans 562-276-3027 ilopez@mybploan.com Los Angeles

Debby Brown-Wiesner NMLS # 302192 Back Bay Funding 949-400-8725 debby@backbayfunding. com

Norma Arujo NMLS # 487205 First Republic Bank 310-407-7056 narujo@firstrepublic.com

Mike Cook NMLS # 162785 Watermark Home Loans 602-469-5293 mike.cook@watermarkhomeloans.com

Simon Atik NMLS # 961014 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 310-434-1735 Simon.Atik@grarate.com

Garden Grove

Darren Hamill NMLS # 1044196 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 949-253-4403 Darren.Hamill@wellsfargo. com

Patrick Bishop NMLS # 368491 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 213-688-3691 pmbishop@earthlink.net

Marc Bui NMLS # 380219 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation 714-350-7014 Marc.bui@fairwaymc.com

David Lennartson NMLS # 308214 Change Lending, LLC 310-293-6401 dlennartson@changemtg. com

Victor Samaan NMLS # 393322 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-422-3339 victor@wellsfargo.com Denise Thomas NMLS # 82268 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 424-262-2091 Denise.P.Thomas@wellsfargo.com

Glendale Nick Bronsozian NMLS # 292407 BluPrint Home Loans 818-266-8442 nick@mybploan.com Meyoung Spektor NMLS # 253960 Union Bank 323-203-4323 Meyoung.Spektor@unionbank.com Glendora Brian Croft NMLS # 332750 Citibank 310-600-5012 brian.croft@citi.com

Slavic Stolyarenko NMLS # 742731 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 949-874-7528 slavic@wellsfargo.com Will Toorosian NMLS # 305785 HighTechLending Inc. 949-334-0151 wtooros@hightechlending. com

Russell Boschetti NMLS # 485768 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 213-688-3677 Russell.Boschetti@wellsfargo.com Andy Christenot NMLS # 283390 Movement Mortgage 562-301-0324 andy.christenot@movement.com

La Canada Flintridge

Mary Deckebach NMLS # 487235 First Republic Bank 310-407-7003 mcdeckebach@firstrepublic.com

Eddie Avakian NMLS # 611773 HouseAmerica Financial 818-844-8200 Eddie@HouseAmericaHL. com

Jordan Donolow NMLS # 389920 Mortgage Capital Partners 626-768-2001 jdonolow@mortgcap.com

Mike Glover NMLS # 815531 PNC 323-251-4351 michael.glover@pnc.com Michelle Kim NMLS # 410072 HSBC Bank USA, N.A. 310-738-2656 michelle.m.kim@us.hsbc. com Janna Kohl NMLS # 283109 1st Century Bank 310-689-1152 janna@jannakohl.com Adam Liebross NMLS # 1885282 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 818-430-3046 Adam.Liebross@wellsfargo. com Linnea McArt NMLS # 541401 First Republic Bank 310-407-7185 lmcart@firstrepublic.com Dave Ramirez NMLS # 404613 Movement Mortgage 970-708-1324 dave.ramirez@movement. com Robyn Rosenbach NMLS # 259226 Mortgage Capital Partners 310-295-6236 finance@robynrosenbach. com Sam Simani NMLS # 765860 Bank of America 747-998-0121 sam.simani@bankofamerica.com Eric Singer NMLS # 260954 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-721-6105 Eric.Singer@wellsfargo. com Kenneth Yang NMLS # 1469644 First Republic Bank 213-804-0926 Manhattan Beach Scott Davis NMLS # 330765 RPM Mortgage 310-303-3488 sdavis@rpm-mtg.com David Gleiberman NMLS # 871704 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-906-6866 David.Gleiberman@wellsfargo.com Stephanie Green NMLS # 328557 RPM Mortgage 310-303-3410 stephanie.green@rpm-mtg. com

L a m ag . c o m 105


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Rob Luna NMLS # 272994 Citibank 310-744-5585 rob.luna@citi.com Grant Norris NMLS # 330743 RPM Mortgage 310-880-0904 gnorris@rpm-mtg.com Jasmine Rassekh NMLS # 236173 Mortgage Capital Partners 310-295-2177 Jasmine@JRassekh.com Craig Yamamoto NMLS # 507220 Chase Bank 310-922-4524 craig.yamamoto@yahoo. com Marina Del Rey Trey Alexander NMLS # 442965 Citibank 310-927-3838 trey.alexander@citi.com Dean Wong NMLS # 261224 RPM Mortgage 310-344-3252 dwong@rpm-mtg.com Mission Viejo Jonathan Gih NMLS # 1058510 Movement Mortgage 951-218-2625 jonathan.gih@movement. com Monrovia Benson Pang NMLS # 897612 NestMade Mortgage 626-262-4321 apply@nestmade.com Newport Beach Daniel Horvath NMLS # 686935 loanDepot 949-705-0638 dhorvath@loandepot.com Northridge Jeff Fink NMLS # 325731 LA Mortgage Inc. 818-723-1638 jeffrey.fink55@gmail.com

Ontario David Turney NMLS # 1996002 loanDepot 909-912-7894 dturney@loandepot.com Pacific Palisades Greg Roberts NMLS # 246350 Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC 310-200-5488 Greg.Roberts@phmloans. com

10 6 L A M AG . C O M

Pasadena Kal Antoun NMLS # 1012051 C2 Financial Corporation 626-583-1623 kal@tgloans.com Daniel Arias NMLS # 461805 We Fund LA 323-697-3240 daniel@wefundla.net Leslie Black NMLS # 1111536 We Fund LA 562-322-0836 Katie Brooks NMLS # 1430943 New American Funding 626-200-1817 Katie.Brooks@nafinc.com Zack Cervantes NMLS # 502342 U.S. Bank 626-660-1820 zack.cervantes@usbank. com Karen Chiu NMLS # 611778 New American Funding 626-437-4481 karen.chiu@nafinc.com Steve Kechichian NMLS # 489278 Bank of the West 626-240-8071 Steve.Kechichian@bankofthewest.com Joseph Kloss NMLS # 352569 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 626-321-4224 Joseph.Kloss@grarate.com Rob Levy NMLS # 493497 Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. 626-404-4599 rob.levy@homebridge.com Art Terrill NMLS # 306036 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 626-379-4344 art.terrill@wellsfargo.com Roland Wilcox NMLS # 245214 Sierra Capital Mortgage Company 626-449-8545 roland@sierracap.net Redondo Beach Jeremy Altervain NMLS # 261164 Civic Financial Services, LLC 310-890-4896 jeremy.altervain@civicfs. com Samantha Baig NMLS # 1060169 Chase Bank 310-750-0936 Samantha.Baig@chase.com

Craig Barton NMLS # 358342 CBLoans 310-374-9000 craig@cbLoans.com Riverside Philip Golden NMLS # 1912504 Jet Direct Funding Corp. 631-574-1306 p.golden@jetdirectmortgage.com Rolling Hills Estates Robert Ruiz NMLS # 485775 Bank of America 424-417-1884 robert.ruiz@bofa.com Jennifer Yang NMLS # 484337 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 310-991-1070 Jenn@wellsfargo.com San Diego Shavarsh Alajajyan NMLS # 488378 Groves Capital Inc. 818-967-1417 shawn@grovescapital.com Nolan Davis NMLS # 1835375 C2 Financial Corporation 310-853-0236 nolan@nolanpdavis.com Sherri Walther NMLS # 595267 U.S. Bank 310-205-7559 sherri.walther@usbank.com San Gabriel Peter Chang NMLS # 724019 Chase Bank 626-252-5149 peter.chang@citi.com Santa Clarita Brian Border NMLS # 448556 loanDepot 310-261-3443 bborder@loandepot.com Nicole Kim NMLS # 641944 loanDepot 661-414-0108 NKim@loandepot.com Gail Lagrotta NMLS # 681685 loanDepot 661-714-6590 glagrotta@loandepot.com Mike Meena NMLS # 241370 Augusta Financial, Inc. 661-714-6258 Mike@AugustaFinancial. com Santa Monica Shayan Ali NMLS # 826194 Wintrust Mortgage 818-231-5446 shayo25@yahoo.com

Kal Wayman

Guaranteed Rate NMLS# 23076 100 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 700 #16, 17, 19 & D, Santa Monica 678.431.0391 kal.wayman@rate.com guaranteedrate.com/ kalwayman Colin Garrity NMLS # 663699 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 847-258-1546 Colin.Garrity@grarate.com

Tomer Yeyni NMLS # 1603612 Option One Lending 818-397-8137 TomerY@OptionOneLending.com

Donna Krieger-Pearson NMLS # 219655 Mountain Mortgage Company 805-338-3531 donna@mtnmortgage.net

Seal Beach

Torrance

Tom McMurray NMLS # 39007 C2 Financial Corporation 714-909-1981 tom@karbonfinancial.com

Paul Cawthorne NMLS # 249035 Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. 310-499-8128 Paul.Cawthorne@homebridge.com

Sherman Oaks Shayan Ali NMLS # 826194 Wintrust Mortgage 818-231-5446 shayo25@yahoo.com Mike Hartunian NMLS # 247330 Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. 818-728-3702 Mike.Hartunian@homebridge.com

Jay Goldberg NMLS # 261023 Union Bank 310-600-1988 Jay.Goldberg@unionbank. com

John Musso NMLS # 448606 Citibank 818-518-1008 john.musso@citi.com

Mike Hartunian NMLS # 247330 Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. 818-728-3702 Mike.Hartunian@homebridge.com

Michael Razak NMLS # 262408 Finance of America Mortgage LLC 818-971-4287 michael.razak@financeofamerica.com

Arshia Mashayekhi NMLS # 1136131 Cornerstone Home Lending 805-563-1100 Arshia@BrothersMLoans. com

Tomer Yeyni NMLS # 1603612 Option One Lending 818-397-8137 TomerY@OptionOneLending.com

Aryan Mashayekhi NMLS # 1145071 Cornerstone Home Lending 310-998-7794 Aryan@BrothersMLoans. com

Sierra Madre

John Musso NMLS # 448606 Citibank 818-518-1008 john.musso@citi.com Michael Razak NMLS # 262408 Finance of America Mortgage LLC 818-971-4287 michael.razak@financeofamerica.com Samantha Scherr NMLS # 1202073 Movement Mortgage 310-968-4046 samantha.scherr@movement.com Kal Wayman NMLS # 23076 Guaranteed Rate Affinity 678-431-0391 kal.wayman@rate.com

Dartagnan Molinar NMLS # 666710 Chase Bank 818-439-0456 dartagnan.molinar@chase. com South Pasadena Eddie Ajamian NMLS # 342821 Journey Mortgage Advisors, Inc 626-826-5225 eddie@journeymac.com Studio City Artin Babayan NMLS # 304962 PrimeLending 800-963-4623 ababayan@primelending. com Thousand Oaks Barry Hollander NMLS # 271207 FirstFund Mortgage Corp. 805-367-3117 Barry@FirstFundMC.com

Revi Chohan NMLS # 461794 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 415-412-4595 revi.chohan@wellsfargo. com Nick Do NMLS # 485767 U.S. Bank 626-660-1685 nick.do@usbank.com Anouheh Moghaddam NMLS # 637497 Movement Mortgage 310-208-1988 anouheh@movement.com John Peterson NMLS # 285998 U.S. Bank 310-205-7570 j.peterson@usbank.com Chris Rivera NMLS # 331031 LendUS 310-729-4431 chrisrivera@lend.us Douglas Smith NMLS # 299671 Stratis Financial Corporation 310-508-5832 doug@stratisfinancial.com Tustin Rob Gillon NMLS # 260543 New American Funding 949-385-7930 rob.gillon@nafinc.com Upland Tim Harrison NMLS # 170960 Cornerstone Home Lending 909-920-5252 Tim@HLCTeam.com Westlake Village Ahmad Azizi NMLS # 1688523 Option Funding Inc. 805-501-6806 ahmad@optionfunding.net Scott Engel NMLS # 260965 Finance of America Mortgage LLC 310-739-6243 sengel@financeofamerica. com


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Daniel Gat NMLS # 261049 Finance of America Mortgage LLC 310-363-5800 dagat@financeofamerica. com Michael Pfefferman NMLS # 236429 First Rate Financial Group 818-735-5924 mikep@frfgp.com Geoffrey Rouss NMLS # 285987 Wintrust Mortgage 310-804-8181 grouss@wintrustmortgage. com Mark Rowland NMLS # 1544568 CSMC Mortgage 310-710-2255 markrowland@csmcmortgage.com Woodland Hills Cari Crites NMLS # 244941 Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. 818-631-0332 cari.crites@homebridge. com Karen Natapoff NMLS # 254553 Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. 818-867-1266 Karen.Natapoff@homebridge.com Mitch Waldstein NMLS # 334941 Mortgage Capital Partners 424-203-1895 mwaldstein@mortgcap. com

TEAMS Beverly Hills Daniel Banchik & Amy Dantzler DRE# 01305623 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-503-6436 d.banchik@bhhscal.com Larry Young & Associates DRE# 00999537 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-801-9355 larry@larryyoungassociates.com Nancy Sanborn & Brian Joy DRE# 00771096 & 01324371 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-777-2858 / 818-5907303 nancy@sanbornteam.com / brianjoy@bhhscal.com

St. James + Canter Team DRE# 00949711 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-291-1029 cristie@stjamescanter.com Todd Marks & Team DRE# 01227834 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-383-5354 ToddMarksEstates@gmail. com Aram Afshar Team DRE# 01484569 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-702-0583 aram@quintessentiallyestates.com SPS Group DRE# 00695525 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-709-7424 Shah.Noorvash@cbcnrt. com The Joyce Rey Team DRE# 00465013 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-291-6646 joyce@joycerey.com Aaron Kirman Group DRE# 01296524 Compass 424-249-7162 aaron@aaronkirman.com Ari Afshar & Associates DRE# 01753779 VOYAGE Real Estate 310-780-3180 ari@compass.com RARE Properties DRE# 01394743 Compass 424-230-7928 marketing@rarepropertiesinc.com Sally Forster Jones Group DRE# 00558939 Compass 310-579-2200 showings@sfjgroup.com Carswell and Associates DRE# 01111566 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-345-7500 Ernie.carswell@elliman.com Heather & Learka DRE# 01398002 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 424-202-3208 HeatherandLearka@ elliman.com Ross & Ryan Group DRE# 01915056 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-795-0943 Ross.Groefsema@elliman. com; Ryan.Hirsh@elliman. com

The Chad Lund Team DRE# 00998185 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 424-202-3295 chad.lund@elliman.com The Rachelle Rosten Kelly deLaat Team DRE# 01255977 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-710-5151 rachelle.rosten@elliman. com; kellydelaat@elliman. com The Scrocco & Isaacs Team DRE# 01245433 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-259-7355 Tom.Scrocco@elliman.com; Randy.Isaacs@elliman.com David Kramer Group DRE# 00996960 Hilton & Hyland 310-691-2400 david@davidkramer.com Bellet|Grakal Real Estate Group DRE# 00881239 Keller Williams Beverly Hills 310-367-2288 BENBELLET@AOL.COM MS Property Partners DRE# 01261623 Keller Williams Beverly Hills 310-432-6400 dafna555@yahoo.com The Cilic Group DRE# 01421044 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-925-1402 thecilicgroup@sothebyshomes.com James Harris and David Parnes DRE# 01909801 The Agency 424-400-5916 dparnes@theagencyre. com; james@theagencyre. com

The Valerie Fitzgerald Group DRE# 00974075 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-285-7515 valerie@valeriefitzgerald. com Brentwood Drew & Susan Gitlin DRE# 00944472 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-415-1968 drew@drewgitlin.com Calabasas Marc & Sara Shevin DRE# 00671618 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-251-2456 info@theshevins.com Diamond Bar The JY Team DRE# 01972773 Keller Williams 626-551-1332 steven@thejyteam.com Encino Brandon Michaels Group DRE# 01434685 Marcus & Millichap 818-212-2794 brandon.michaels@marcusmilliclap.com Glendale Think Real Estate DRE# 01134528 eXp Realty 213-712-4343 dave@daverobles.com Glendora CENTURY 21 Marty Rodriguez DRE# 00632854 CENTURY 21 Marty Rodriguez 626-914-6637 jamier@c21martyrodriguez. com Hermosa

Sandler Hirsch Group DRE# 02028724 The Agency 310-593-1902 bhirsch@theagencyre.com; Nick.sandler@Theagencyre. com

Kaminsky Real Estate Group DRE# 00958114 eXp Realty of California, Inc. 310-427-2414 ek@itzsold.com

The Umansky Team DRE# 01222825 The Agency 424-230-7299 mumansky@theagencyre. com

The Hoffman Murphy Real Estate Team DRE# 01008829 Hoffman Murphy Team 310-939-9393 Info@Hoffmanmurphy.com

GRAUMAN & ROSENFELD GROUP DRE# 01469825 The Agency 424-238-2484 CONTACT@GRAUMANROSENFELD.COM

La Canada The McGlashan Group DRE# 01041976 Coldwell Banker Realty 818-512-2375 janice@janicemcglashan. com

Los Angeles Loveland Carr Properties Team DRE# 00888374 Coldwell Banker Realty 323-864-3004 anne.loveland@camoves. com Laci Buller Group DRE# 02008575 Compass 310-975-9947 lacibuller@compass.com Smith & Berg Partners DRE# 00961954 Compass 310-500-3931 team@smithandberg.com Heather Coombs Perez & Art Perez / Heart Real Estate DRE# 01169916 Compass 310-259-7419 info@heartrealestate.com RSR Real Estate DRE# 01710680 Compass 310-963-4205 rsr@compass.com Lauren Reichenberg Team DRE# 01415570 Compass 310-502-0580 larrealestate@gmail.com Jenna Cooper | LA DRE# 01352710 Compass 323-481-0644 jenna@jennacooperla.com The Jackie Smith Group DRE# 01889096 Compass 213-494-7736 thejackiesmithgroup@ compass.com The Altman Brothers Team DRE# 01764587 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-819-3250 josh@thealtmanbrothers. com; matt@thealtmanbrothers.com Scott Moore Group DRE# 01347535 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-678-7855 scott.moore@elliman.com Solomon Property Group DRE# 01386406 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 310-279-7759 DS@Ellima.com; anna. solomon@elliman.com Michael Hanassab, Elliot Hassan, John Katnik DRE# 01484891, 01481211, 02002695 James Capital Advisors 858-531-1826 dani@jamescapitaladvisors.com

Red Real Estate DRE# 01317929 Keller Williams Larchmont 323-821-7300 john@redxrealestate.com Alperin Team DRE# 00923981 Sotheby’s International Realty 310-345-9425 Sharona.Alperin@Sothebys.Realty Malibu The Oliver Ferra Real Estate Group DRE# 01227825 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-455-1717 Paul@oliverferra.com Manhattan Beach The Hobin Company DRE# 00819814 Bayside Real Estate Partners 310-318-1212 molly@thehobincompany. com Davidson Group DRE# 01321065 Bayside Real Estate Partners 310-308-5196 info@davidsongroupre.com Stroyke Properties Group DRE# 00855690 Bayside Real Estate Partners 310-545-9595 info@stroykeproperties. com Lauren Forbes Group DRE# 01295248 Compass 310-901-8512 lauren@laurenforbes.com Caskey & Caskey and Associates DRE# 01198999 eXp Realty 310-374-1800 ashley@caskeyandcaskey. com Keith Kelley Bill Davis Tony Puma DRE# 01810798 Palm Realty Boutique 310-800-7862 tony@tonypuma.com Kevin & Brigitte Pratt DRE# 01023090 Strand Hill/Christie’s International Real Estate 310-738-2348 kpratt@strandhill.com Cari & Britt Group DRE# 00850678 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-704-4014 cariandbritt@vistasir.com DeRenzis Real Estate DRE# 01760239 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-600-7973 derenzis@vistasir.com

L a m ag . c o m 107


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Gillespie Host Group DRE# 00426498 Vista Sotheby’s International Realty 310-796-1617 ghg@vistasir.com Watts & Associates DRE# 00966894

Newport Beach

Playa Del Rey

MWA

Jesse Weinberg & Associates DRE# 01435805 Jesse Weinberg & Associates 800-804-9132 info@jesseweinberg.com

DRE# 01275953 Compass 714-420-8379 nick.gannon@compass.com Oxnard

Vista Sotheby’s Interna-

Ariel Palmieri & Karen

tional Realty

Stein

310-874-8775

DRE# 01501968

stevewatts@vistasir.com

Coldwell Banker Realty 805-824-2004

Montecito Ken Switzer DRE# 01245644

karenstein63@gmail.com Pacific Palisades

Berkshire Hathaway

Amalfi Estates

HomeServices California

DRE# 01173073

Properties

Amalfi Estates

805-680-4622

310-293-9280

KSwitzer@bhhscal.com

anthony@amalfiestates.

Playa Vista The Suarez Team DRE# 01433992 Keller Williams Realty 310-862-1761 team@thesuarezteam.com Rancho Palos Verdes

com

Jerry and Laura Yutronich Team DRE# 01218093 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-480-3601 jyutronich@remaxpv.com

ciates

Betty-Jo Tilley

DRE# 00598625

Redondo Beach

DRE# 01001357

Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway

HomeServices California

HomeServices California

Properties

Properties

805-689-3242

310-230-3767

kerrym@coastalranch.com

bettyjo@bettyjotilley.com

Marsha Kotlyar Estate

The Feil Group

Kerry Mormann & Asso-

Group DRE# 01426886 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-565-4014 home@mkgroupmontecito. com Team Scarborough DRE# 01182792 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-331-1465 team@teamscarborough. com The Hamilton Co. DRE# 01415235 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-284-8835 josiah@thehamiltonco.com

DRE# 01739001 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 310-422-0102 cfeil@thefeilgroup.com Michael Edlen Team DRE# 00902158 Coldwell Banker Realty 310-600-7422 michael@michaeledlen. com Ryan + Trevor | My Westside Home DRE# 01904981 Compass 310-729-6882 info@mywestsidehome. com Pasadena Teresa Fuller Team DRE# 01315387

Calcagno & Hamilton

Compass

DRE# 01499736

626-483-0710

Berkshire Hathaway

teresa@teresafuller.com

HomeServices California Properties

Tracy Do Team

805-565-4000

DRE# 01350025

info@homesinsantabar-

Compass

bara.com

323-842-4001 tracy@tracydo.com

Dusty Baker Group DRE# 01908615

The Durkovic Group

Sotheby’s International

DRE# 01923778

Realty

Douglas Elliman Real

805-570-0102

Estate

dusty@dustybakerreales-

310-738-8098

tate.com

tim.durkovic@elliman.com

108 L A M AG . C O M

GCP Team DRE# 01804169 Great Castle Properties 310-866-7133 will@gcprealestate.com Rolling Hills Estates The Chadmar Group - Rolling Hills Country Club DRE# 01780997 The Chadmar Group 310-490-0214 kmeier@chadmar.com Santa Barbara Bartron Real Estate Group DRE# 01005021 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-689-4613 team@bartrongroup.com Glick Real Estate Associates DRE# 00950129 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-689-7167 randy@randyglick.com Randy Freed & Kellie Clenet DRE# 00624274 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-895-1799 Randy@TheSantaBarbaraLifestyle.com The Easter Team DRE# 00917775 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-568-4955 associates@easterteamrealtors.com

The Santa Barbara Group DRE# 01314939 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 805-886-5735 info@thesantabarbaragroup.com

Upland Lori Alvarez and Team DRE# 02147316 Lori Alvarez and Team 909-227-4196 lori@lorialvarez.net Valencia

Santa Clarita Armando & Dan Team DRE# 01515313 RE/MAX of Santa Clarita 661-702-4857 armando@armandoanddan.com Montemayor & Associates DRE# 01316056 RE/MAX of Santa Clarita 661-284-5480 brandon@bringingyouhomescv.com The Kathy Watterson Team DRE# 01022836 RE/MAX of Santa Clarita 661-284-5066 kathy@kathywatterson. com The Neal Weichel Group DRE# 01107376 RE/MAX of Santa Clarita 661-284-5080 neal@nealweichel.com Santa Monica The Davis and Burns Group DRE# 01457341 Compass 310-880-5288 team@davisandburns.com The Eighty8 Group DRE# 01965361 Compass 310-913-9451 david.yun@compass.com Flashman Investment Group DRE# 01841976 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-774-3787 om@flashmangroup.com Illulian Realty DRE# 02003019 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-867-0474 benjamin@illulianrealty. com Noel Team DRE# 01329053 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-482-2239 sherri@sherrinoel.com

Chernov Team Real Estate DRE# 01850113 4061 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Studio City 818.432.1524 info@chernovteam .com chernovteam.com

The Richard Schulman Team DRE# 01427211 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-779-5042 admin@richardschulman. com Sherman Oaks The Harriet Cameron Group

Mike Hrezo & Associates DRE# 01204922 RE/MAX of Valencia 661-702-4644 mikehrezo1@gmail.com The Kathy Bost Team DRE# 00912128 RE/MAX of Valencia 661-284-5461 kathy@homesscv.com Venice Pardee Properties DRE# 01858429 Pardee Properties 310-907-6517 info@pardeeproperties. com

DRE# 00675971 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 818-380-2151 HarrietMCameron@aol.com The Michelle Hirsch Group

West Hollywood Angelo Fierro Group DRE# 01724787 Compass 323-821-5353 angelo.fierro@compass. com

DRE# 01445587 Keller Williams Encino/ Sherman Oaks 818-512-4226 michelle@michellehirsch. com Studio City

Branden and Rayni Williams of the Beverly Hills Estates DRE# 01774287 The Beverly Hills Estates 310-626-4248 branden@thebeverlyhillsestates.com

Chernov Team DRE# 01850113 Keller Williams Santa Monica 818-432-1524 info@chernovteam.com George Ouzounian & Gina Michelle DRE# 01948763 The Agency 818-850 1458 gina.michelle@theagencyre.com; george.oz@ theagencyre.com Torrance

The Miller Team DRE# 01389620 Keller Williams Santa Monica 310-923-5353 ToddMiller22@Gmail.com

Mark Allan Team DRE# 01711684 RE/MAX of Valencia 661-702-4954 mark@markallanhomes. com

West Los Angeles Rory Posin & Kristian Bonk DRE# 01030819 RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-559-5570 roryposin@aol.com Westlake Village Erin Pohl & Bob Pearson DRE# 00827028 Coldwell Banker Realty 805-907-6928 erin@erinandbob.com Woodland Hills

310-937-2027

Marc Tahler & Kenneth Zietz DRE# 01077251 Rodeo Realty, Inc. 818-970-3000

maggie@maggieding.com

marc@marctahler.com

Maggie Ding Team DRE# 01414326 Compass


SPECIAL ADVERTISING ADVERTISING SECTION SECTION SPECIAL

2022 LOS ANGELES — WEALTH MANAGERS —

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGERS These days, it takes a village to manage your financial world. Whether it is managing your assets with a wealth manager, navigating the ever-changing tax landscape, sorting out your estate and succession planning or picking the right life insurance, finding the right team can be a daunting task. In fact, many consumers have a hard time figuring out where to even begin. Sometimes, a few simple questions can put you off on the right path. Asking a professional what makes working with them a unique experience can help you understand how they work and if their style meshes with your own. This is a great place to start! Five Star Professional uses its own proprietary research methodology to name outstanding professionals, then works with publications such as Los Angeles magazine to spread the word about award winners. Each award candidate undergoes a thorough research process (detailed here) before being considered for the final list of award winners. For the complete list of winners, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER

DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA

RESEARCH DISCLOSURES In order to consider a broad population of high-quality wealth managers, award candidates are identified by one of three sources: firm nomination, peer nomination or prequalification based on industry standing. Self-nominations are not accepted. Los Angeles-area award candidates were identified using internal and external research data. Candidates do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final lists of Five Star Wealth Managers. • The Five Star award is not indicative of a professional’s future performance. • Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. • The inclusion of a professional on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the professional by Five Star Professional or Los Angeles magazine. • Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any professional is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected professionals will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. • Five Star Professional is not an advisory firm and the content of this article should not be considered financial advice. For more information on the Five Star Wealth Manager award program, research and selection criteria, go to fivestarprofessional.com/research. • 3,781 award candidates in the Los Angeles area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 150 (approximately 4% of the award candidates) were named 2022 Five Star Wealth Managers.

Award candidates who satisfied 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria were named 2022 Five Star Wealth Managers. Eligibility Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards. 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered: 6. One-year client retention rate. 7. Five-year client retention rate. 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered. 9. Number of client households served. 10. Education and professional designations. Regulatory Review: As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not: been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; been convicted of a felony. Within the past 11 years the wealth manager has not: been terminated from a wealth management or financial services firm; filed for personal bankruptcy; had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them (and no more than five total pending, dismissed or denied) with any regulatory authority. Five Star Professional conducts a regulatory review of each nominated wealth manager using the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. Five Star Professional also uses multiple supporting processes to help ensure that a favorable regulatory and complaint history exists. Data submitted through these processes was applied per the above criteria; each wealth manager who passes the Five Star Professional regulatory review must attest that they meet the definition of favorable regulatory history based upon the criteria listed above. Five Star Professional promotes via local advertising the opportunity for consumers to confidentially submit complaints regarding a wealth manager.

All award winners are listed in this publication. Financial Planning Roberta Bautista Armijo · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Adam Scot Goldstein · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Mitchell Simon Kraus · Capital Intelligence Associates

Jonathan Franklin Rowsey · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Donald James Harrington · MassMutual

John C. Lindsey · Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management Page 2

Kevin R. Whitten · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jennifer Han Malek · JHM Wealth Management

Kyle Joseph Whitten · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Brent Markey Mason · Mason & Associates

Investments

Percy Ermon Bolton · Percy E. Bolton Associates, Inc.

Victor James Hazard · Avantax Advisory Services

James Allen Christiansen · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Carolyn Hemann · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Page 3

Christian Cordoba · California Retirement Advisors Page 2

Jill Helene Kasen · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Bradford Daniel Creger · BFF Financial Brett Eugene Dalton · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Bob Frank Farmer · Comprehensive Wealth Management Michelle Fenton · Fenton Wealth Management

Matthew David Heller · Willner Heller Ivan Manuel Illan · Aligne Wealth Preservation & Insurance Services Josh Kenneth Oder · Oder Investment Management Sheryl O’Donnell · Morgan Stanley Page 3

Jon Derek Neuhaus · Morgan Stanley

Yuji Chao · UnionBanc Investment Services Page 3

Anthony Andres Perez · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jean D. Koehler · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Page 3

Rene Annise Nourse · Urban Wealth Management Group

Robert Earl Coe · Morgan Stanley

Canon Jill Price · Beverly Investment Advisors

Richard Howard Koff · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

James Thomas O’Grady · Braemar Wealth Management

Arthur Dellar Kraus · Capital Intelligence Associates

Elizabeth Pell · Morgan Stanley

Timothy George Fitzgerald · Fitzgerald Financial Services

Ivy Pierson · Pierson Wealth Management

Jeramy Heath · Morgan Stanley

Jonathan Tad Corob · Wells Fargo Advisors

Laura Marie Raulinaitis · Morgan Stanley Richard J. Ryan · Morgan Stanley Page 3 John B. Tan · LPL Financial Continued on FS-4

LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S - 1


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management Understanding Today’s Financial Environment • Investment management, including stocks and mutual funds • Retirement planning and life insurance • Estate planning and preservation

7

YEAR WINNER

Left to right: Seven-year winner John C. Lindsey, CFP®, CKA®, CEO; 2020 winner Christina Lindsey Orta, CFP®, CKA®, President

Westlake Village, CA 91362 • Phone: 805-330-3700 john@lindseyandlindsey.com • christina@lindseyandlindsey.com www.lindseyandlindsey.com

John Lindsey’s fundamental investment philosophies are consistent with conservative, long-range goals helping clients accumulate wealth through sound diversification strategies. John founded Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management in 2012 to better serve his client base with an expanded universe of investment offerings. John’s daughter, Christina Lindsey Orta, joined Lindsey & Lindsey in January 2014, bringing more than 10 years of experience to the team. Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management offers only independent, objective investment advice dedicated to helping clients build wealth and protect their hard-earned assets, recommending only products and services that can be tailored to suit their clients’ unique needs. Securities Offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. A Registered Broker/Dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC Advisory services offered through Cooper McManus, an SEC Registered Investment Advisory firm. Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management, Cooper McManus, and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. are not affiliated.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Christian Cordoba Founder, CFP®, Retirement Specialist, Lic. 2271129

Helping Successful People To Live An Even Better Life • Providing financial service since 1989

NO Bank Guarantee / MAY Lose Value ng Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered Company. [insert CAR# & date].

5

YEAR WINNER

Left to right: Anthony Fratello, RFC®; Arcadia Berjonneau, AIF®; 2018 – 2022 winner Christian Cordoba, CFP®; Maili Bergman; Ricky Ackerman, CFP®

California Retirement Advisors (CRA) was founded in 1997 by Christian R. Cordoba, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, with the goal of providing clients with financial retirement advice beyond merely buying investments. My team specializes in helping you grow and protect your income and assets and save money on taxes for a worry free retirement. To do so, we provide comprehensive guidance for successful people with the unique financial challenges of living, working, playing and retiring in (or from) California. Our unique CRAve Life Advisory process is designed to help if you want to make smart financial decisions for or during retirement but don’t have the time, knowledge or desire to do it yourself. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and the CFP® mark (with plaque design) in the U.S.

898 N Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 740 • El Segundo, CA 90245 • Phone: 888-643-7472 chris@CRAdvisors.com • www.CRAdvisors.com • facebook.com/CRAGinc

Investment advisory services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA California Retirement Advisors, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Securities offered through Mutual Securities, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Mutual Securities, Inc. and Mutual Advisors, LLC are affiliated companies. CA Insurance License 0B09076.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their client’s assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to fivestarprofessional.com. 3,781 Los Angeles-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 150 (4% of candidates) were named 2022 Five Star Wealth Managers. 2021: 3,574 considered, 158 winners; 2020: 3,527 considered, 158 winners; 2019: 3,528 considered, 154 winners; 2018: 2,708 considered, 154 winners; 2017: 2,351 considered, 287 winners; 2016: 2,374 considered, 298 winners; 2015: 3,105 considered, 327 winners; 2014: 6,088 considered, 340 winners; 2013: 3,488 considered, 372 winners; 2012: 1,019 considered, 176 winners.

F S - 2 — LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

— WEALTH MANAGERS — Carolyn Hemann

Jean D. Koehler

CFP®, Private Wealth Advisor

CLTC®, CRPC®, RICP®, Financial Advisor, Lic. 0C96997

11835 W Olympic Boulevard, Suite 735E Los Angeles, CA 90064 Office: 310-477-2500 Direct: 310-477-2301 carolyn.f.hemann@ampf.com www.carolynhemann.com

9

When You Have the Right Financial Advisor, Life Can Be Brilliant

YEAR WINNER

• Over 30 years of experience

• Diamond Ring award recipient

Carolyn, a 2013 – 2020 and 2022 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner, has been guiding clients toward financial independence for more than 30 years. She is passionate about providing timely, quality financial advice and financial planning that can lead to peace of mind for her clients. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and the CFP® mark (with plaque design) in the U.S.

Hemann, Preator & Associates., a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Not FDIC Insured | No Financial Institution Guarantee | May Lose Value Investors should conduct their own evaluation of a financial professional as working with a financial advisor is not a guarantee of future financial success. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

55 E Huntington Drive, Suite 340 Arcadia, CA 91006 Office: 626-254-0455 Toll-free: 800-268-1155 jean.d.koehler@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/jean.d.koehler

10

When You Have the Right Financial Advisor, Life Can Be Brilliant

YEAR WINNER

• Wealth preservation strategies and estate planning strategies • Investments and insurance I am passionate about working with clients to help them plan to meet their financial needs now and in the future. I will look at your entire financial picture, including cash reserves, estate planning strategies, investments, insurance and tax planning strategies. I also ask targeted questions and listen closely to your answers. That way, you can feel more confident that the advice I provide reflects your personal dreams and goals. Additionally, I am a 2013 – 2022 Five Star Wealth Manager. NOT FDIC Insured

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Sheryl O’Donnell

Vice President, Financial Advisor, NMLS 1252906

Vice President, Financial Advisor

21250 Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 650 Torrance, CA 90503 Phone: 310-543-0230 sheryl.o’donnell@morganstanley.com fa.morganstanley.com/sheryl.odonnell

8

YEAR WINNER

7 YEAR

WINNER

MAY Lose Value

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Yuji Chao

15800 S Western Avenue Gardena, CA 90248 Phone: 310-354-4764 yuji.chao@unionbank.com

No Financial Institution Guarantee

Ameriprise Financial does not offer tax or legal advice. Consult with a tax advisor or attorney. Investors should conduct their own evaluation of a financial professional as working with a financial advisor is not a guarantee of future financial success. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

• Comprehensive wealth management

I help clients build and retain wealth through customized investment solutions. Whether it’s asset accumulation, retirement distribution, income plans or passing wealth to charities and loved ones, there is a strategy and solution for you. I am a 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 – 2022 Five Star Wealth Manager.

©2022 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 3856232 10/21. FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Alleviating Financial Challenges

Richard J. Ryan

Wealth can provide opportunities, but it can also create significant challenges. With a planning-based approach, I work closely with you to help: • Customize an investment plan based on your unique financial goals • Adjust your investment plan to accommodate life events and changes • Simplify the process and help you understand your options I’m fluent in Japanese and English, and I look forward to partnering with you.

Portfolio Management Director, First Vice President, Financial Advisor

10

YEAR WINNER

21650 Oxnard Street, Suite 1800 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 Direct: 818-715-1894 richard.j.ryan@morganstanley.com fa.morganstanley.com/richard.j.ryan

UnionBanc Investment Services LLC is an SEC-registered broker-dealer, investment adviser, member FINRA/SIPC, and subsidiary of MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

Markets change. With 41 years of experience, I can be your guide through the investing jungle. My job is to help you optimize the return on your assets in a way designed to help you meet your goals while seeking to minimize the risks involved. My clients seek my assistance to do just that. I am a 2013 – 2022 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner.

NOT FDIC-Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value

©2022 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 3852604 10/21.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their client’s assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to fivestarprofessional.com. 3,781 Los Angeles-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 150 (4% of candidates) were named 2022 Five Star Wealth Managers. 2021: 3,574 considered, 158 winners; 2020: 3,527 considered, 158 winners; 2019: 3,528 considered, 154 winners; 2018: 2,708 considered, 154 winners; 2017: 2,351 considered, 287 winners; 2016: 2,374 considered, 298 winners; 2015: 3,105 considered, 327 winners; 2014: 6,088 considered, 340 winners; 2013: 3,488 considered, 372 winners; 2012: 1,019 considered, 176 winners.

LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S - 3


THE HOT LIST L.A. MAGAZINE

WEST » American $$

James Beard Award–nominated chef Jeremy Fox gets personal with a sunny spot dedicated to comfort food and named after his young daughter. The high-low menu is full of playful riffs on comfort food, from a decadent stuffed latke called the Goldbar to a matzo ball soup with carrot miso to a next-level relish tray. Don’t miss the jiggly Rose Petal pie for dessert. 2421 Michigan Ave., 310-310-3616, or birdiegsla.com. Full bar.

Broad Street Oyster Co. MALIBU » Seafood $$

If ever there was a car picnic scene, it’s at this openair spot overlooking Malibu Lagoon State Beach (and across from a SoulCycle, if we’re being honest). You can grab a great lobster roll (topped with uni or caviar if you’re feeling extra fancy), towers of raw seafood, great clam chowder, and a burger sprinkled with shio kombu (dried kelp) that shouldn’t be overlooked. 23359 Pacific Coast Hwy., 424-644-0131, or broadstreetoyster.com. Beer and wine.

Cassia

» Southeast Asian $$$ Bryant Ng mines his Chinese Singaporean heritage, honors wife Kim’s Vietnamese background, and works in the wood-grilling technique he honed at Mozza at this grand Southeast Asian brasserie. Hunker down at a table on the patio—or treat yourself to some great takeout—to devour turmericmarinated ocean trout or chickpea curry with scallion clay-oven bread. Wherever and however you enjoy Ng’s cooking, you won’t be disappointed. 1314 7th St., 310-393-6699, or cassiala.com. Full bar. SANTA MONICA

Colapasta

» Italian $ It’s equally pleasant to grab and go or eat at this quiet, affordable spot that features fresh pastas topped with farmers’ market fare. The colorful,

SANTA MONICA

112 L A M A G . C O M

B Y

H A I L E Y

THE BREAKDOWN WEST

EAST

Includes Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Century City, Culver City, Malibu, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Palms, Santa Monica, Venice, West L.A., Westwood

Includes Atwater Village, Eagle Rock, East L.A., Echo Park, Glendale, Los Feliz, Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley, Silver Lake

DOWNTOWN Includes Arts District, Bunker Hill, Chinatown, Historic Core, Little Tokyo, South Park

T H E VA L L E Y Includes Agoura Hills, Burbank, Calabasas, Encino, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Van Nuys

CENTRAL

SOUTH

Includes Beverly Grove, East Hollywood, Fairfax District, Hancock Park, Hollywood, Koreatown, West Hollywood

Includes Bell, Compton, Gardena, Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Watts

Denotes restaurants with outdoor seating $ $$ $$$ $$$$

2022

E B E R

I N E X P E N S I V E (Meals under $10) M O D E R A T E (Mostly under $20) E X P E N S I V E (Mostly under $30) V E R Y E X P E N S I V E ($30 and above)

Price classifications are approximate and based on the cost of a typical main course that serves one. For restaurants primarily offering multicourse family meals, the cost per person of such a meal is used.

Restaurant hours are changing frequently. Check websites or social media accounts for the most current information.

poppy-seed-sprinkled beet ravioli is delicate and delicious, while the gramigna with pesto and ricotta is hearty and satisfying. 1241 5th St., 310-310-8336, or colapasta.com. Beer and wine.

Crudo e Nudo » Seafood $$

SANTA MONICA

Brian Bornemann, the 31-year-old former executive chef at Michael’s Santa Monica, has gone his own way. He and his girlfriend, Leena Culhane, have launched a sustainable neighborhood joint that’s by turns a coffee shop, a seafood market, and a casual restaurant where you can nibble impeccably prepared crudo, tuna tartare toasts, and vegan Caesar salads on the patio while sipping a thoughtfully selected natural wine. Though the project began as a pandemic pop-up, it’s now an exciting brick-andmortar spot from one of the city’s most promising young toques. 2724 Main St., crudoenudo.com, or @crudo_e_nudo. Beer and wine.

Dear John’s » Steak House $$$

CULVER CITY

There’s still good times and great food to be had at this former Sinatra hang stylishly revamped by Josiah Citrin and Hans Röckenwagner. Steakhouse classics—crab Louie, oysters Rockefeller, thick prime steaks—pay homage to the lounge’s Rat Pack past and can be enjoyed on a sunny new patio or to go. 11208 Culver Blvd., 310-881-9288, or dearjohnsbar.com. Full bar.

Etta

» Italian $$$ With a sprawling patio, lengthy menu, and various party tricks (the restaurant calls them “moments”), Etta is primed for good times. You can go big and order a $120 short rib “picnic” with various accoutrements for the table or opt to have wine poured into your mouth from a large jug while a server snaps Polaroids. But you can also just pop in for a pizza or excellent pasta at the bar. For dessert, there are shots of tequila and coffee topped with rainbowsprinkled shortbread cookies. 8801 Washington Blvd., ettarestaurant.com, or @ettarestaurant. Full bar. CULVER CITY

COURTESY L A CHA CHA CHÁ

E D I T E D

Birdie G’s

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O U R M O N T H LY L I S T O F L . A .’ S M OS T E S S EN T I A L R E S TAU R A N T S

JAN

SANTA MONICA

The tiger penicillin cocktail at LA Cha Cha Chá


Felix » Italian $$$

VENICE

At Evan Funke’s clubby, floral-patterned trattoria, the rigorous dedication to tradition makes for superb focaccia and pastas. The rigatoni cacio e pepe—tubes of pasta adorned only with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper—nods to Roman shepherds who used the spice to keep warm, while the rigatoni all’Amatriciana with cured pork cheek sings brilliantly alongside Italian country wines. 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd., 424-387-8622, or felixla.com. Full bar.

Kato

» Cal-Asian $$$ Jon Yao is now serving his acclaimed Taiwanese tasting menu outdoors. Dishes like 3 Cup Abalone and Dungeness crab soup are just as revelatory alfresco. At $118 for more than a dozen courses, Yao’s prix fixe menu is one of the best deals in town. 11925 Santa Monica Blvd., 424-535-3041, or katorestaurant.com. SAWTELLE

Mírame

» Mexican $$$ Joshua Gil is cooking exciting, contemporary Mexican fare with market-driven ingredients and serving them on a stunning patio. Dishes are imaginative but not overly contrived—salmon-skin chicharrón with fermented garlic aioli; a divine slow-cooked Heritage Farms pork shoulder served with a black-lime gastrique, celtuce, and hearty, richly flavorful frijoles charros cooked with a pig’s head. The latter is available as part of Mírame’s to-go family meal, which includes house-made tortillas; a memorable riff on Caesar salad with pork chicharrón, roasted vegetables and goat cheese; chocolate flan; and an adorable little bottle of margaritas. At just $105 for two people, it’s an amazingly affordable way to sample Gil’s cooking. 419 N. Canon Dr. , 310-230-5035, mirame.la, or @mirame.la. Full bar. BEVERLY HILLS

Ospi » Italian $$$

VENICE

Jackson Kalb’s sprawling new Italian joint brings bustle and outdoor tables to a corner on an otherwise quiet stretch. Pastas, including a spicy rigatoni alla vodka and raschiatelli with a pork rib ragù, are sublime, and most travel remarkably well if you’re looking to takeout, which is the only option for lunch. Roman-style pizzas boast a uniquely crispy, cracker-thin crust; to get the full crunch, have a slice as you drive your takeout home. 2025 Pacific Ave., 424-443-5007, ospivenice.com, or @ospiveni. Full bar.

Pasjoli

» French $$$$ Dave Beran’s à la carte spot bucks the trends and eschews bistro clichés in favor of old-fashioned thrills—an elaborate pressed duck prepared just as Escoffier would have and served with potatoes au gratin dauphinois—and modern French fare. The showy duck must be reserved in advance as only a limited number of birds are available each night. But there are plenty of other exciting dishes on the menu, such as the chicken liver in brioche and a complex lobster, mussel, and clam bisque with shaved fennel and tarragon. 2732 Main St., 424-330-0020, or pasjoli.com. Full bar.

SANTA MONICA

Sant’olina

» Mediterranean $$$ The buzzy h.wood Group has taken over the rooftop at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to launch this breezy pop-up that’s likely to become a permanent fixture. Tables with views are topped with blue-and-white linens, and the menu is full of crowd-pleasing dishes: babka french toast for brunch, harissa-cured salmon, a lamb burger for dinner, or various Middle Eastern dips for any time of day. The culinary team includes h.wood’s Michael Teich and David Johns, along with Burt Bakman of the beloved barbecue joint Slab. 9876 Wilshire Blvd., 310-285-1260, santolinabh.com, or @santolinabh. Full bar.

BEVERLY HILLS

DOWNTOWN Angry Egret Dinette » Sandwiches $$

CHINATOWN

Wes Avila has left Guerrilla Tacos and is focusing on torta-esque sandwiches at this heartfelt new venture. Standouts include the Whittier Blvd: beef belly braised in star anise-laced lard for eight hours, then stuffed in a roll with horseradish cream, avocado, queso fresco, serrano chile, and red pepper escabeche. It’s hearty and decadent—especially if you opt to add a duck egg, which you should— but also wonderfully nuanced. There’s ample outdoor seating, but sandwiches with fried ingredients, like a veggie number, with squash blossom tempura, miraculously manage to remain crispy and travel well. 970 N. Broadway, Ste. 114, 213-278-0987, aedinette.com, or @angryegretdinette.

Badmaash

HISTORIC CORE » Indian $$ This Indian gastropub concept comes from the father-and-sons team of Pawan, Nakul, and Arjun Mahendro, who are all well versed in the culinary techniques of East and West. The menu features contemporary mash-ups, like a version of poutine smothered in chicken tikka, tandoori chicken wings, and a spicy lamb burger. If tradition’s your thing, you’ll be comforted by spice-stewed chickpeas, potato and pea samosas, and what they call Good Ol’ Saag Paneer. Wash it all down with carefully curated, reasonably priced natural wines. 108 W. 2nd St., 213-2217466, badmaashla.com, or @badmaashla. Beer and wine to go. Also at 418 N. Fairfax Ave., 213-281-5185, Fairfax District.

Cha Cha Chá ARTS DISTRICT » Mexican $$

The huge, lively, plant-filled rooftop and some mezcal would be enough for a good night out at this Mexico City import, but chef Alejandro Guzmán, an alum of Le Comptoir, has packed his menu with quiet thrills. Carnitas get taken up a level by an orange reduction that comes at the end of the long cooking process. For dessert, the carrot flan is a small revelation, a surprising, exciting riff on carrot cake. The newly opened interior bar, La Barra, offers up unique mezcal cocktails. 812 E. 3rd St., 213-548-8487, or chachacha.la. Full bar.

Gamboge

LINCOLN HEIGHTS

» Cambodian $

The Cambodian sandwiches known as numpang, which are somewhat similar to Vietnamese banh mi, are the speciality at this charming new deli. Crusty bolillo bread is a vessel for proteins like lemongrass-marinated pork shoulder or grilled trumpet mushrooms, along with condiments like Maggi mayo, chili jam, and carrot-and-papaya slaw. The menu is full of delights beyond sandwiches, including rice bowls; a great shredded chicken salad with cabbage, peanuts, and a citrus-and-fish-sauce dressing; and a memorable braised-sardines-and-tomato dish. Order food to go, or enjoy it on the sunny, succulentdotted back patio. 1822 N. Broadway, 323-576-2073, gambogela.com, or @gambogela. Beer and wine.

Girl & the Goat » Eclectic $$$

ARTS DISTRICT

At long last, Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard has brought her hit Chicago restaurant to a light, airy space and pretty patio in downtown L.A. with seating for 200. The lengthy menu is full of international intrigue and the unexpected flavor combinations Izard is known for. Roasted beets mingle with blackberries and a yuzu-kosho vinaigrette. A salmon poke features chili crunch, avocado, and strawberry. Goat makes an appearance in both a liver mousse starter and a hearty curry main. 555-3 Mateo St., 213-7994628, girlandthegoat.com, or @girlandthegoatla. Full bar.

Pearl River Deli » Chinese $

CHINATOWN

Chef Johnny Lee has gained a reputation as a poultry wizard, and his succulent Hainan chicken is a highly sought-after dish. Sadly, he’s serving it only as an occasional weekend special at his tiny Far East Plaza takeout spot. But don’t despair:

the ever-changing menu is full of winners, from a pork chop sandwich on a pineapple bun to a beefy, memorable rendition of mapo tofu. Keep an eye on Instagram for information about Friday dinners and other specials. 727 N. Broadway, Ste. 130, 626-6889507, pearlriverdeli.com, or @prd_la.

Redbird

» New American $$$$ Neal Fraser has defined his own kind of L.A. elegance over the 20 years he’s been cooking in his native city. Setting up shop in the deconsecrated St. Vibiana Cathedral offered an opportunity to add theatrics to a space that’s contemporary and classically plush and now boasts three distinct outdoor dining areas. A delicate curried carrot broth and beluga lentils transform slices of smoked tofu from wholesome to haute, while lamb belly spins on a spit in the former rectory. 114 E. 2nd St., 213-788-1191, or redbird.la. Full bar. HISTORIC CORE

Sonoratown

FASHION DISTRICT » Mexican $ At this downtown spot known for its flour tortillas, you can order à la carte or opt for affordable family-style takeout options to make your own tacos, burritos, or chimichangas filled with chorizo, carne asada, or mesquite-grilled chicken. Wash it all down with a six-pack of Tecate or seasonal aguas frescas. Look out for a new location in Mid-City, on San Vincente Boulevard, opening this fall. 208 E. 8th St., 213-628-3710, sonoratown.com, or @sonoratownla. Beer.

Superfine Pizza FASHION DISTRICT » Pizza $

Get a quick taste of Rossoblu chef Steve Samson’s Italian-food mastery at his casual pizzeria, which serves both thin-crust slices and whole pies. The pepperoni always pleases, but the honey—with spicy salami, provolone, and Grana Padano—really thrills. 1101 S. San Pedro St., Ste. F, 323-698-5677, superfinepizza.com, or @superfinepizza.

CENTRAL Alta Adams » California Soul Food $$

WEST ADAMS

Riffing on his grandmother’s recipes, Watts native Keith Corbin loads up his gumbo with market veggies and enlivens his collard greens with a smoked oil. Soul food in this city is too often associated with Styrofoam containers, but this verdant patio, is a lovely place to linger. Hot sauce splashed onto skillet-fried chicken is pure pleasure, enhanced by a bourbon drink the bar tints with roasted peanuts and huckleberries. Finish the night by taking on a heroic wedge of coconut cake. 5359 W. Adams Blvd., 323-571-4999, or altaadams.com. Full bar.

A.O.C.

» California $$$ Unforced and driven by culinary excellence, A.O.C. is anchored by a courtyard with soft sunlight and laurel trees. Caroline Styne’s wine list doesn’t shy away from the ecology of vineyards, while Suzanne Goin’s cooking has become indispensable. Carefully constructed salads showcase vegetables at their best, and the roasted chicken with panzanella is both an homage to San Francisco’s Zuni Café and a classic in and of itself. 8700 W. 3rd St., 310-859-9859, or aocwinebar.com. Full bar. Also at 11648 San Vicente Blvd.,310-806-6464, Brentwood. BEVERLY GROVE

Brandoni Pepperoni

WEST HOLLYWOOD » Pizza $$ Six nights a week, Brandon Gray turns out some of L.A.’s most exciting pizzas. Gray, a veteran of Navy kitchens and top local restaurants like Providence, brings boundless imagination to his pies. They’re topped with premium ingredients—Jidori chicken, Sungold tomatoes, Spanish octopus—in exciting combinations. A curry-Dijonnaise dressing renders a side salad surprisingly memorable. 5881 Saturn St., Faircrest Heights, 323-306-4968, or brandoni-pepperoni.com. Wine to go. L A M A G . C O M 11 3


Gigi’s

HOLLYWOOD MEDIA DISTRICT

» French $$$

With its sceney Sycamore Avenue location and gorgeous, illustration-lined interiors, Gigi’s could easily succeed with subpar fare. But chef Matt Bollinger’s bistro classics—like curry mussels, steak tartare, and roasted chicken—are done quite well, if priced rather high. The wine list from beverage director Kristin Olszewski, an Osteria Mozza alum, is surprisingly interesting, with various natural and biodynamic options on offer. 904. N. Sycamore Ave., gigis.la, or @gigis_la. Full bar.

Hanchic

» Korean $$ This new K-town spot infuses Korean dishes with Italian elements to create uniquely craveable dishes. Tagliatelle is tossed with kimchi and pork. A decadent spin on mac ’n’ cheese features both Korean rice cakes and elbow pasta coated in tangy Mornay sauce that’s been infused with fermented soybean paste. 2500 W. 8th St., Ste. 103, hanchic.com, or @hanchic.la. KOREATOWN

Harold & Belle’s JEFFERSON PARK » Southern Creole $$

For Creole-style food—a mélange of French, African, and Native American flavors—Harold & Belle’s is as close to the Dirty Coast as you’ll come on the West Coast. The crawfish étouffée in spicy gravy will have you humming zydeco, while the bourbon bread pudding will leave you with a Sazerac-worthy buzz. 2920 W. Jefferson Blvd., 323-735-9023, or haroldandbelles.com. Full bar.

few of them before opening her own sophisticated haven, which invites with the swirling aromas of berbere and burning sage. Stretchy disks of injera—the sour, teff-flour pancake that doubles as a utensil for scooping up food by hand—arrive piled with uniquely pungent delights. There are wots, or stews, made with chicken or spiced legumes or lamb sautéed in a creamy sauce. 1025 S. Fairfax Ave., 323-965-1025, or lalibelala.com. Beer and wine.

Luv2Eat Thai Bistro HOLLYWOOD » Thai $$

Vibrant flavors and spices abound at this strip-mall favorite from two Phuket natives. The crab curry, with a whole crustacean swimming in a creamy pool of deliciousness, is not to be missed (it travels surprisingly well), but the expansive menu is full of winners, from the massaman curry to the Thai fried chicken with sticky rice and sweet pepper sauce. 6660 W. Sunset Blvd., 323-498-5835, luv2eatthai.com, or @luv2eat.thaibistro.

République » Cal-French $$$

HANCOCK PARK

République may be devoted to French food, but its soul is firmly rooted in Californian cuisine. Walter Manzke is as skilled at making potato and leek beignets as he is at roasting cauliflower and local dates. Meanwhile, Margarita Manzke’s breads and pastries are always spot-on. Like a fine wine, this classic L.A. restaurant just gets better and better. 624 S. La Brea Ave., 310-362-6115, or republiquela.com. Full bar.

Ronan

» Cal-Italian $$ At Daniel and Caitlin Cutler’s chic pizzeria, the pies—especially the How ‘Nduja Like It? with spicy sausage, gorgonzola crema, green onion, and celery—are the clear stars, but it’s a big mistake not to explore the entire menu. It’s filled with delicious FAIRFAX DISTRICT

Lalibela

» Ethiopian $-$$ The strip of Fairfax known as Little Ethiopia has long been dominated by the same handful of restaurants. Chef-owner Tenagne Belachew worked in a

FAIRFAX DISTRICT

PROMOTION

delights, from cacio e pepe risotto to a sea bass served with an ever-changing assortment of banchan. 7315 Melrose Ave., 323-917-5100, ronanla.com, or @ronan_la. Full bar.

Slab

BEVERLY GROVE » Barbecue $$ Hungry diners used to line up in the driveway of Burt Bakman’s home, desperate for a taste of his famous smoked barbecue meats. In 2018, Bakman came up from the underground, opening a sleek storefront that’s now filling to-go orders for hearty fare, from perfectly marbled brisket to pulled-pork sandwiches and collard greens. You can even get a six-pack of Bud Light. 8136 W. 3rd. St., 310-855-7184, slabbarbecue.com, or @slab. Beer and wine.

Son of a Gun » Seafood $$

BEVERLY GROVE

Florida-raised chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo deliver a certain brand of sun-drenched seashore nostalgia. Dropping into the nautically themed dining room for chilled peel-and-eat shrimp and a hurricane feels as effortless as dipping your toes in the sand. There are buttery lobster rolls and fried-chicken sandwiches alongside artfully plated crudos. 8370 W. 3rd St., 323-782-9033, or sonofagunrestaurant.com. Full bar.

Soulmate

» Mediterranean $$$ It’s lovely outside, and there’s a stunning new WeHo spot with a patio that can hold 75 attractive people, plus hours that go to midnight on Friday and Saturdays. Starters include various jamones and spicy paella bites. Further down the menu, there’s lot of seafood options, from wood-fired octopus with charred romesco to salmon crudo. 631 N. Robertson Blvd., 310-734-7764, soulmateweho.com, or @soulmateweho. Full bar. WEST HOLLYWOOD

PROMOTION

LIST

17

JAN

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Nina Ansary presents Anonymous Is a Woman, co-hosted by Los Angeles magazine October 12, 2021; 7-10:00 pm Maer Roshan, Editor-in-Chief of Los Angeles magazine joined award-winning author and women’s rights advocate Nina Ansary in conversation about her book, Anonymous Is a Woman, which illuminates women’s hidden achievements from the past 4,000 years and exposes the repercussions of centuries of gender inequality, cultural bias and stereotypes. The discussion was followed by Q&A, book signing, dinner and drinks. ninaansary.com/anonymousisawoman


EAST Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery PASADENA » Eclectic $$

This low-key charmer—the work of two alums of acclaimed San Francisco Italian joint Flour + Water—deftly mixes midwestern hospitality and European technique. The casual lunch is all about cheese and charcuterie boards and sandwiches. At dinner, excellent pastas, smartly prepared proteins, thoughtfully selected wines, and great cocktails join the party on the spacious patio. 340 W. Green St., 626-389-3839, agnesla.com, or @agnes_pasadena. Full bar.

Bar Restaurant » French $$$

SILVER LAKE

Chef Douglas Rankin, who worked under Ludo Lefebvre for years, struck out on his own with this charming “neo bistro” in the old Malo space in Sunset Junction. The menu features playful Gallic-ish fare, like curly fries and plump mussels Dijon atop milk toast; classic cocktails; and plenty of funky wines available by the glass. A large parking-lot seating area has huge plants, twinkling lights, and good vibes. Somehow it manages to feel both festive and safe. 4326 W. Sunset Blvd., 323-347-5557. Full bar.

Jonathan Whitener’s Here’s Looking At You is, sadly, closed, but his thrilling cooking continues on a bustling Eastside corner. Whether you opt for smoked spare ribs, a hot catfish sandwich, or a breakfast sandwich on pastry chef Thessa Diadem’s sublime biscuits, it’s all great. 3200 W. Sunset Blvd., 323-741-0082, alldaybabyla.com, or @alldaybabyla.

» Fried Chicken $ This long-anticipated casual chicken concept from Top Chef winner and Nightshade toque Mei Lin is finally open, and it was worth the wait. Lin separates her hot poultry sandwich from the flock of others in the city, thanks to uniquely crispy fried chicken that’s dusted with a memorable, Sichuanpeppercorn- heavy spice blend. A spicy slaw and habanero ranch dipping sauce add to the fun. 240 N. Virgil Ave., Ste. 5, daybirdla.com, or @daybirdla. Eszett

C H E F FAV O R I T E S J O S H B U C K WA L D EMPLOYEES ONLY

This dish walks the line between tradition and invention perfectly, with the addition of saba, grape syrup from Italy, which provides an unusual counterpoint to the savory notes of brown butter and seared mushroom that are the dish’s base flavors. It's a pasta that is cozy and unique. $25, 1124 San Julian St., Fashion District, rossoblula.com.

Strawberry Scones

BROOME STREET GENER AL STORE

They are almost always sold out before 8:30 a.m., and for very good reason. These

perfectly glazed, gnarled, moist, fist-sized, strawberry-speckled demons redefined for me the whole notion of what a scone can look and taste like. $4, 2912 Rowena Ave., Silver Lake, broomestgeneral.com.

Meringue Gelato K ALI

It’s an intellectually exciting concept—separating yolks and egg whites into different components, then bringing them back together in the finished dish that tastes incredible, balanced, and cohesive. $10, 5722 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, kalirestaurant.com.

» Eclectic $$

This stylish, cozy wine bar brings warm hospitality to the strip-mall space formerly occupied by Trois Familia. Chef Spencer Bezaire’s menu deftly brings in flavors from around the globe without feeling overly contrived. Chicken wings are accompanied by salsa macha, grilled Broccolini is dusted with furikake. Don’t miss the big fries. 3510 W. Sunset Blvd., 323-522-6323, or eszettla.com. Wine and beer.

Found Oyster » Seafood $$$

EAST HOLLYWOOD

This tiny oyster bar was a pre-pandemic favorite, and chef Ari Kolender’s seafood dishes still thrill when taken to go or enjoyed on the restaurant’s “boat deck.” The scallop tostada with yuzu kosho and basil is a must-order, and a bisque sauce takes the basic lobster roll to new heights. Interesting, affordable wines add to the fun. 4880 Fountain Ave., 323-486-7920, foundoyster.com, or @foundoyster. Wine and beer.

Hippo

» Cal-Italian $$ Hidden in a wood-trussed dining room behind Triple Beam Pizza, this Cal-Ital restaurant from Mozza vet Matt Molina balances casual and refined. Snappy wax beans are sluiced with vinaigrette for a picnic-worthy salad. Great pastas and juicy grilled chicken thighs deliver the unfussy pleasure found at the best neighborhood spots. Eclectic regular specials like haute corn dogs add to the fun. 5916 ½ N. Figueroa St., 323-545-3536, or hipporestaurant.com. Full bar. HIGHLAND PARK

“The Best of Culver City” 9 Years in a Row - Culver City News

“Readers Choice Award” - LA Times

“Best of The West Side” - The Argonaut

Venice: 10101 Venice Blvd. | (310) 202-7003 Full Bar | Sushi Bar

Beverly Hills: 998 S. Robertson Blvd. | (310) 855-9380 Full Bar | Valet Parking

Dine In | Delivery | Take Out | Order Online

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Maury’s Bagels SILVER LAKE » Bagels $

East Coast transplant Jason Kaplan spent a decade in L.A. before deciding he had to take matters into his own hands if he wanted a great bagel in this town. He started out as a pop-up at farmers’ markets and coffee shops, but his appropriately modestly sized, delightfully chewy bagels and quality smoked fish now have a brickand-mortar location. On a quiet Eastside corner next door to Psychic Wines, it’s quite charming. 2829 Bellevue Ave., 323-380-9380, maurysbagels.com, or @maurys_losangeles.

Northern Thai Food Club EAST HOLLYWOOD » Thai $ E M P L O Y E E S O N LY

C U I S I N E

Daybird

SILVER LAKE

ROSSOBLU

T H A I

WESTLAKE

All Day Baby SILVER LAKE » Eclectic $$

Maltagliati with Mushrooms

NATALE E

Offering specialty dishes unique to northern Thailand, this family-run favorite doesn’t skimp on flavor, spice, or authenticity. Tasty takeout meals include the khao soi gai (curry egg noodle with chicken), laab moo kua (minced pork), tam kha noon (jackfruit salad), and pla salid tod (fried gourami fish). For those unfamiliar with the

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L A M A G . C O M 115


region’s distinct cuisine, the illustrious sticky rice is still a reliable bet. Need incentive? Everything on the menu is less than $10. 5301 W. Sunset Blvd., 323-474-7212, or amphainorthernthaifood.com.

SHOP DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH

Playita

» Mexican $ The team behind the beloved local chainlet Guisados has taken over an old seafood taco stand on a busy Eastside stretch. The results, as you might expect, are delicious and delightful. Playita has a fresh, beachy blue-and-white aesthetic and a tight menu of well-done ceviches, seafood cocktails, and fish tacos. 3143 W. Sunset Blvd., playitamariscos.com, or @playitamariscos. SILVER LAKE

DTLB.ORG/SHOP

Saso

» Spanish $$$ The arrival of this splashy new spot suggests that the good times might soon be here again. It shares a charming, sprawling courtyard with the Pasadena Playhouse, and the seafood-heavy menu from chef Dominique Crisp, who previously worked at L&E Oyster Bar, begs for reuniting with friends on nice summer nights. Orange zest enlivens jamon iberico crudite, while miso butter takes grilled oysters to new heights. 37 S. El Molino Ave., 626-808-4976, sasobistro.com, or @sasobistro. Full bar. PASADENA

Sōgo Roll Bar » Sushi $$

LOS FELIZ

DINE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH DTLB.ORG/DINE

So¯go is hardly the only concept in town devoted to rolls, but it has mastered the form. Rice is cooked with the same careful consideration and seasoning that sushi master Kiminobu Saito uses at the high-end Sushi Note, and it manages to maintain a great temperature and texture, even when being delivered. Fish is not just fresh but also flavorful, each type thoughtfully paired with ideal accompaniments, from a tangy yuzu-pepper sauce that makes salmon sing to brandy-soaked albacore with garlic-ginger ponzu and crispy onions. 4634 Hollywood Blvd., 323-741-0088, sogorollbar.com, or @sogorollbar. Beer and sake.

Spoon & Pork » Filipino $$

SILVER LAKE

The go-to for Filipino comfort food offers a variety of dishes, all featuring one shared ingredient: deliciousness. Spoon & Pork puts an innovative spin on some Filipino favorites—just try its adobo pork belly, pork belly banh mi, or lechón kawali. The dishes, which can be ordered at the counter to enjoy on the patio or for takeout and delivery, elegantly mix decadence with some authentic soul. 3131 W. Sunset Blvd., 323-922-6061, spoonandpork.com, or @spoonandporkla. Beer and wine.

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Sunset Sushi » Japanese $$$

SILVER LAKE

With omakase boxes priced from $30 to $85, this new sushi place in the old Ma’am Sir space strikes the sweet spot between affordable and indulgent and is another exciting addition to the Eastside’s growing number of quality sushi options. It’s a sister spot to Highland Park’s Ichijiku, but with a more luxe vibe and a larger menu, tailor-made for takeout. 4330 W. Sunset Blvd., 323-741-8371, sunsetsushila.com, or @sunsetsushi. Beer and sake to go.

U Street Pizza » Pizza $$

PASADENA

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116 L A M A G . C O M

There was a moment in the spring when U Street’s vodka pepperoni pie was a shining star of Instagram, and rightfully so. The why-haven’t-Ihad-this-before combination of pepperoni and creamy vodka sauce is an easy win. Vegetable dishes, notably a Japanese eggplant with Calabrian chili agrodolce, are more than afterthoughts. Note that while the vodka pepperoni pie travels well, the clam pie is best enjoyed in-house. 33 E. Union St., 626-605-0430, ustreetpizza.com, or @ustreetpizza.


THE VALLEY Black Market Liquor Bar STUDIO CITY » New American $$

Some nights it seems as if half the Valley is here, enjoying the colorful patio. Top Chef graduate Antonia Lofaso’s Italian chops are visible in the buxom ricotta gnudi with brown butter and pistachios. The deep-fried fluffernutter sandwich is a reminder that food, like life, should not be taken too seriously. 11915 Ventura Blvd., 818-446-2533, or blackmarketliquorbar.com. Full bar.

The Brothers Sushi » Sushi $$$

WOODLAND HILLS

This hidden gem, reinvigorated when chef Mark Okuda took the helm in 2018, is worth traveling for. The excellent omakase is available in the restaurant, on the patio or to go. You can also order à la carte or get non-sushi items like soy-glazed grilled chicken. 21418 Ventura Blvd., 818-456-4509, thebrotherssushi.com, or @thebrotherssushila. Beer, wine, and sake.

Casa Vega

SHERMAN OAKS

» Mexican $

The Vega family’s 64-year-old institution has put up a massive tent in its parking lot to keep the margaritas flowing amidst COVID-19 restrictions. And if you prefer takeout, there’s a drive-through setup that makes it easy to pick up a plate of enchiladas or a hulking “oven-style” burrito topped with enchilada sauce and melted cheese. The expansive menu has a great selection of hearty crowd-pleasers, cocktails, and tequilas. You might leave tipsy, but you’ll never go hungry. 13301 Ventura Blvd., 818-788-4868, or casavega.com. Full bar.

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Hank’s

BURBANK

» Bagels $

The L.A. bagel revolution continues at this stylish spot in the Valley that serves up carefully constructed sandwiches. Tomato, aioli, and maple-glazed bacon elevate a simple bacon, egg, and cheese, while a classic salmon-and-lox construction has thoughtful touches like salted cucumbers and pickled onions. Grab a tub of Hank’s “angry” spread—a spicy, slightly sweet concoction—to have in your fridge. 4315 Riverside Dr., 818-588-3693, hanksbagels.com, or @hanksbagels. Also at 13545 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.

SOUTH Ali’i Fish Company » Seafood $$

EL SEGUNDO

This small, unassuming spot shames all of the glossy poke purveyors popping up around town to serve mediocre versions of the Hawaiian dish. Glistening cubes of tuna, flown in fresh from the islands daily, remind you how great poke can be. The smokedahi dip with house-made potato chips is not to be missed. Perfect for picking up a beach picnic. 409 E. Grand Ave., 310-616-3484, or aliifishco.com.

Fishing With Dynamite MANHATTAN BEACH » Seafood $$$

A premium raw bar near the beach shouldn’t be unusual, but it is. The same goes for velvety clam chowder. Here, it achieves smoky richness—you can thank the Nueske’s bacon for that—without any of the floury glop. 1148 Manhattan Ave., 310-893-6299, or eatfwd.com. Full bar.

Hotville

» Fried chicken $ With her hot chicken joint, Kim Prince is doing her family’s legacy justice—she’s the niece of

André Prince Jeffries, owner of Nashville legend Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, where hot fried chicken is said to have originated. Prince adds spice at every step in the cooking process to produce a complex, layered flavor. The sides ($5 and up), like spicy mac and cheese and kale coleslaw, are also winners. 4070 Marlton Ave., 323-7924835,or hotvillechicken.com. No alcohol.

Little Coyote » Pizza $

LONG BEACH

That most amazing slice of pizza you had that one very drunken, late night in your early twenties in New York lives on . . . in Long Beach. The crust, made with dough cold-fermented for 48 to 72 hours, is carby perfection: tangy, crispy, thin but with a healthy puff. The concise menu doesn’t offer any revelations about what should be atop pizza, but instead perfects the usual suspects, from a generous pepperoni number to a veggie supreme that defies the form’s usual mediocrity. 2118 E. 4th St., 562-434-2009; 3500 Los Coyotes Diagonal, 562-352-1555; littlecoyotelbc.com, or @littlecoyotelbc.

Tamales Elena Y Antojitos » Afro-Mexican $

BELL GARDENS

This small spot, with counter service, a drivethrough window, and a patio purports to be the only Afro-Mexican restaurant in the area. It focuses on a distinct cuisine from a part of Guerrero to which former slaves fled. Pozoles are rich and slightly thick, and the memorable pork tamales with red sauce are wrapped in fire-tinged banana leaves that impart a hint of smoke. 81801 Garfield Ave., 562-0674-3043, ordertamaleselenayantojitos.com, or @tamaleselenayantojitos.

BALDWIN HILLS CRENSHAW

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Continued from FS-1

Duc Tien Tran · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Michael Scott Anton · Kairos Wealth Partners

Shawn Stauffer Landis · HCR Wealth Advisors

Andrew Benjamin Basch · Morgan Stanley

Bryan Hutchings Bishop · TIAA

Roger Phillip Park · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Curt Mitchell Biren · Kayne Anderson Rudnick

Alexander Masaru Kimura · Mercer Advisors

Ryan Tetsuo Onishi · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Caleb Padraig Powell · Kayne Anderson Rudnick

Robert August Miller · Morgan Stanley

Judith Maria Lu · Blue Zone Wealth Advisors

Robert George Vogelsang · Morgan Stanley

Rob Choi · Morgan Stanley

Richard Alexander Leu · Bridge Advisory

Dustin L. Gale · Kayne Anderson Rudnick

William Daniel Bowman · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Laura Anne Gilman · KCS Wealth Advisory

Daniel L. Gracy · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Gregory Paul Kushner · Lido Advisors

Carlos Antonio Getino · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Jennifer Leah Capo · TIAA Farid Antonio Krizman · TIAA Erika Renata Puzik · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Christopher John Laubach · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Vicky Hung Rangsuebsin · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Jeffrey Allen Taylor · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Howard Arthur Huckins · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC George Lee Cheng · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Ashkan Paul Afrasiab · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Amit Rasik Patel · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Angela Anne Dax · Dax Wealth Management Group Sean Dewayne Blackwood · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Louis Philip Ashamallah · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Jermaine La Monte Jamison · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Lauren S. Vahdani · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Ryan Mauritz Liljegren · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Joseph Pates · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Travis Anthony Gabler · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Chris Matthew Frantz · Catalina Capital Group Alberto Daniel Alvarez · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Robert S. Fenton · Fenton Wealth Management Sayeed Hasnat · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Paul Francis Heising · Moran Heising & McElravey

Deborah Lynn Wilkins Betters · Morgan Stanley Evan Robert Levy · Lido Advisors Jeffrey Joseph Westheimer · Lido Advisors

Daniel Louis Klein · Morgan Stanley Drew John Zager · Morgan Stanley Chris Richard Luechtefeld · Morgan Stanley

Robert James Salvaria · Morgan Stanley

Paul Phillip Nelson · Viewpoint Financial Network

Charles George Salfity · LPL Financial

Michael Allen Wilhite · Morgan Stanley Thomas Christian Buckley · LPL Financial Celeste Diane Despres-Sheres · Morgan Stanley Maarten Rietveld · LPL Financial

Gregg Lawrence Haglund · Wells Fargo Advisors John B. Petrick · Perennial Financial Services Brandon David Bernstein · Wells Fargo Advisors

David Allan Papale · Wells Fargo Advisors

Sean Joseph Kennally · Morgan Stanley

Ara Kevork Mekhitarian · Wells Fargo Advisors

Freeman Huey Welch · TSG Wealth Management

Marah Beth Fineberg-Kuck · Wells Fargo Advisors John Thomas Diciaccio · Snowden Lane Partners

Yangchen D. Lama · Morgan Stanley

Jonathan Fujiwara Kimmes · Wells Fargo Advisors

Anny Cho-Fang Shen · Morgan Stanley

Michael Nazarian · Wells Fargo Advisors

Barak Raviv · Morgan Stanley

Marc Anthony Henderson · Thrivent

Jeffrey Ronald Germain · Wells Fargo Advisors

Trevor Ernst Theodorus Kleineahlbrandt · Western International Securities

John Michael Scott · Wells Fargo Advisors

Perry James Johnson III · Trilogy Financial Services

Mark Newton Withers · Morgan Stanley

James Edgar Berliner · Westmount Asset Management

Michael Burke · Morgan Stanley

Maria Olegovna Shtabskaya · Morgan Stanley

Gary Lee Corderman · Goldman Sachs

Lewis Morton Wallensky · WallenskySpatz Associates

Rhonda Jean Finby · Wells Fargo Advisors

Kristopher Brandel Ziskin · The Galeb Group

Alfred Lee McIntosh · McIntosh Capital Advisors

Bruce Ansel Mandel · Wealth Enhancement Group/Oakwood Team

Mark Anthony Nordbrock · Equitable Advisors

Daniel Eric Fienberg · Wells Fargo Advisors

Jorge Villarante Ragde · Morgan Stanley

Stephen George Hekimian · Morgan Stanley

Michael Anthony Persaud · Morgan Stanley

Joe O’Boyle · O’Boyle Wealth Management

Trevor R. Randall · Randall Wealth Management Group

Selwyn Miller · Miller Financial Planning Irwin Gordon Persaud · Morgan Stanley

Robert Lewis Sackler · Wells Fargo Advisors

Christina Chiang Chou · Morgan Stanley

Benjamin Franklin Duckett · Morgan Stanley

James Stuart Olson · LPL Financial

Carolanne Marie Chavanne · Prosperity Wealth Planning

W. Kent Althouse · MML Investors Services

Richard Anthony Downer · Morgan Stanley

David Aaron Horvitz · Cheviot Value Management

Christiane Salameh Tomasi · CS Tomasi Wealth Management

Jerrold M. Cowitz · Morgan Stanley

Andrew Walter Orr · Wells Fargo Advisors

Todd Andrew Brooks · Wedbush Securities Deborah Weis Ellis · Cogent Independent Advisors

When you decide to hire a wealth manager, feel confident knowing that their services will be hands-on and inclusive, fitting to your specific needs.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and federally registered CFP (with plaque design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. The Chartered Financial Consultant® credential [ChFC®] is a financial planning designation awarded by The American College. The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their client’s assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to fivestarprofessional.com. 3,781 Los Angeles-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 150 (4% of candidates) were named 2022 Five Star Wealth Managers. 2021: 3,574 considered, 158 winners; 2020: 3,527 considered, 158 winners; 2019: 3,528 considered, 154 winners; 2018: 2,708 considered, 154 winners; 2017: 2,351 considered, 287 winners; 2016: 2,374 considered, 298 winners; 2015: 3,105 considered, 327 winners; 2014: 6,088 considered, 340 winners; 2013: 3,488 considered, 372 winners; 2012: 1,019 considered, 176 winners.

LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S - 4


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WITH REGION’S ABUNDANT SUNSHINE AND EASY ACCESS TO ALL MANNER OF OUTDOOR RECREATION, IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT LOS ANGELES COUNTY ATTRACTS STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

W

hether you are a parent looking for quality K-12 options, a rising high school senior navigating college applications, or a working professional considering an advanced degree to accelerate your career, options abound! The Los Angeles County is home to a wide range of K-12 private school options, plus renowned private colleges and universities. With choices that range from small, intimate campuses with specialized curriculums to sprawling institutions with world-class reputations, you’re sure to find your perfect pick.

FAST FACTS •

The average tuition cost of private schools in Los Angeles County is $14.8K

52% of private schools in Los Angeles County are religiously affiliated (most are Roman Catholic and Christian)

According to Niche.com, the number one rated private high school for the 2022 school year in Los Angeles County is Harvard Westlake School

There are 13 private colleges within the Los Angeles city limits and 43 private colleges within a 50-mile radius, including nationally ranked institutions like USC, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount

L A M AG . C O M 1 19


ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

DIRECTORY AGBU Manoogian/Demirdjian 6844 Oakdale Avenue, Canoga Park (818) 883-2428 agbumds.org ASA Silver Lake 2772 Rowena Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 666-6706 appliedscholastics.org Academy of the Two Hearts 406 33rd Place, Hermosa Beach (310) 748-9870 academyoftwohearts.org Adat Y'shua Academy 23676 Blythe Street, West Hills (818) 222-0200 Alex Pilibos Armenian 1615 North Alexandria Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 668-2661 pilibos.org Armenian Mesrobian 8420 Beverly Road, Pico Rivera (562) 699-2057 mesrobian.org Bais Chaya Mushka Chabad 9051 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 859-8840 bcmla.org Bay Shore School 228 Corona Avenue, Long Beach (631) 968-1100 bayshoreschools.org

Campbell Hall 4533 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, North Hollywood (818) 980-7280 campbellhall.org Canyon View School 762 West Cypress Street, San Dimas (909) 599-1227 mckinleycc.org

Carson Christian School 21828 South Avalon Boulevard, Carson (310) 609-2300 carsonchristian.com

Hillcrest Christian 17531 Rinaldi Street, Granada Hills (818) 368-7071 heritage-schools.org

Center for Learning Unlimited 2785 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite G, Torrance (310) 997-1900 cflu.org

Hope Chapel Academy 2420 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach (310) 374-4673 hopechapel.org

Chadwick 26800 South Academy Drive, Palos Verdes Peninsula (310) 377-1543 chadwickschool.org

Keystone Academy 8615 East Florence, Suite 207, Downey (562) 862-7134 keystoneacademyschool.com

City of Knowledge 3285 North Garey Avenue, Pomona (909) 392-0251 cityofknowledge.com

Lancaster Baptist School 4020 East Lancaster Boulevard, Lancaster (661) 946-4668 lancasterbaptistschool.org

Crane Academy of Excellence 23119 Vose Street, West Hills (818) 716-7220

Lighthouse Baptist Academy 2600 North White Avenue, La Verne (909) 596-0060 lbclaverne.com

Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences 1714 21st Street, Santa Monica (310) 829-7391 xrds.org

Brentwood School 100 South Barrington Place, Los Angeles (310) 476-9633 bwscampus.com

Delphi Academy of Los Angeles 11341 Brainard Avenue, Lake View Terrace (818) 583-1070 delphila.org

Calvary Baptist Church and Schools 2990 Damien Avenue, La Verne (909) 593-5346 calvarybaptist-laverne Calvary Chapel Christian 12808 Woodruff Avenue, Downey (562) 803-6556 cccsdowney.org Calvary Chapel Christian Academy 931 South Maple Avenue, Montebello (323) 724-8464 thearkmontebello.com 1 20 L a m ag . c o m

Harvard-Westlake School 700 North Faring Road, Los Angeles (818) 980-6692 Hw.com Highland Hall Waldorf School 17100 Superior Street, Northridge (818) 349-1394 highlandhall.org

Da Vinci Design 12501 Isis Avenue, Hawthorne (310) 725-5800 davincischools.org

The Buckley School 3900 Stansbury Avenue, Sherman Oaks (818) 783-1610 buckley.org

Golden Day Schools 4508 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles (323) 296-6280

Carousel 7899 La Tijera Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 645-9222 carouselschool.com

Berean Fellowship Christian School 38050 30th East Street, Palmdale (661) 272-9980 bereanav.org

Bridgeport 13130 Burbank Boulevard, Sherman Oaks (818) 781-0360 thehelpgroup.org

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Desert Christian Schools 44662 15th Street, Lancaster (661) 948-5071 desertchristian.com The Episcopal School 6325 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles (323) 462-3752 es-la.com Faith Baptist 7644 Farralone Avenue, Canoga Park (818) 340-6131 myfbs.org Faith Christian Academy 6100 Florence Avenue, Bell Gardens (562) 806-7540

Lighthouse Church, The 1220 20th Street, Santa Monica (310) 829-2767 lighthousechurch.com Logsdon, Inc. 7600 East Graves Avenue, Rosemead (626) 572-8424 Loyola High School 1901 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles (213) 381-5121 loyolahs.edu Los Angeles Adventist Academy 846 East El Segundo Boulevard, Los Angeles (323) 743-8818 laadventistacademy.com Marymount High School 10643 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90077 (310) 472-1205 mhs-la.org/page Marlborough School 250 South Rossmore Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 935-1147 marlborough.org

First Lutheran School 1300 East Colorado Street, Glendale (818) 507-9591 first-lutheran-church.com

New Harvest Christian 11364 East Imperial Highway, Norwalk (562) 929-6034 newharvestnorwalk.church

Flintridge Preparatory School 4543 Crown Avenue, La Canada Flintridge (818) 790-1178 flintridgeprep.org

New Open World Academy 3201 West Eighth Street, Los Angeles (213) 480-3700 now-lausd-ca.schoolloop.com


NOW ENROLLING

Changing the Lives of Young People with Social, Learning and Emotional Differences The Help Group’s specialized day schools offer preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, and transition programs for students with learning differences, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and social-emotional challenges. The schools, certified by the California State Department of Education, are located on four campuses in the Los Angeles area, provide prescriptive teaching, small classes, individualized curriculum, and enrichment activities to maximize learning. What separates their schools from others are an array of unique offerings, such as social skills training, counseling, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, career counseling and vocational education. The Help Group Schools: Bridgeport School, Bridgeport Vocational Center, North Hills Prep, Sunrise School, Summit View School, STEM3 Academy, Village Glen School, Westview School of Arts, and Young Learners Preschool To schedule a tour, contact The Help Group’s admissions office at (877) 943-5747 or admissions@thehelpgroup.org. thehelpgroup.org


SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION New Roads School 3131 Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica (310) 828-5582 newroads.org

Village Glen 13130 Burbank Boulevard, Sherman Oaks (818) 781-0360 villageglen.org

Nishiyamato Academy 2458 Lomita Boulevard, Lomita (310) 325-7040 nacus.org

Village Glen, Westside 4160 Grandview Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 751-1101 thehelpgroup.org/school/village-glen-school

Notre Dame Girls Academy 2851 Overland Avenue, Los Angeles (310) 839-5289 academy.ndasla.org

The Web Schools 1175 West Baseline Road, Claremont (909) 482-5214 webb.org

Notre Dame High School 13645 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks (818) 933-3600 ndhs.org

West Hollywood College Preparatory School 1317 North Crescent Heights Boulevard, West Hollywood (323) 822-7999 westhollywoodschool.com

Oakwood School 11600 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood (818) 732-3000 oakwoodschool.org

West Valley Christian School 22450 Sherman Way, West Hills (818) 884-4710 westvalleychristianschool.com

Pacific Baptist 3332 Magnolia Avenue, Long Beach (562) 426-5214 pacificbaptistschool.com Pilgrim School 540 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles (213) 385-7351 pilgrim-school.org Rancho Dominguez Preparatory 4110 Santa Fe Avenue, Long Beach (310) 847-6400 rdps-lausd-ca.schoolloop.com San Fernando Valley Professional 6215 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, North Hollywood (818) 985-9485 Seton, Inc. 44751 North Date Avenue, Lancaster (661) 948-8881 setonhome.org Shalhevet School 910 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 930-9333 shalhevet.org South Bay Faith Academy 101 South Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach (310) 379-8242 homeschool-life.com Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School 15500 Stephen South Wise Drive, Los Angeles (310) 476-8561 wisela.org Sunland Christian School 13216 Leach Street, Sylmar (818) 523-6791 home-schooling.org Vermont Christian School 25302 Vermont Avenue, Harbor City (310) 534-0260 thevermontschool.com Village Christian Schools 8930 Village Avenue, Sun Valley (818) 767-8382 villagechristian.org 1 22 L a m ag . c o m

Wildwood School 12201 Washington Place, Los Angeles (310) 397-3134 wildwood.org Private Colleges and Universities Los Angeles County Academy for Jewish Religion California 574 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles (213) 884-4133 ajrca.edu American Film Institute Conservatory 2021 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 856-7600 afi.com Antioch University 400 Corporate Pointe, Culver City (310) 578-1080 antioch.edu Azusa Pacific University 901 East Alosta Avenue, Azusa (626) 969-3434 Apu.edu Biola University 13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada (562) 903-6000 biola.edu California Institute of the Arts 24700 McBean Pkwy, Valencia (661) 255-1050 calarts.edu California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona 3801 West Temple Avenue, Pomona (909) 869-7659 cpp.edu

Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion 3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles (213) 749-3424 huc.edu Life Pacific College 1100 West Covina Boulevard, San Dimas (909) 599-5433 lifepacific.edu Loyola Marymount University 1 Loyola Marymount University Drive, Los Angeles (310) 338-2700 Lmu.edu Marymount California University 30800 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rancho Palos Verdes marymountcalifornia.edu Mount Saint Mary's University 12001 Chalon Road, Los Angeles (310) 954-4000 msmu.edu Occidental College 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles (323) 259-2500 Oxy.edu Otis College of Art & Design 9045 Lincoln Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 665-6800 Otis.edu Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu (310) 506-4000 Pepperdine.edu Southern California Institute of Architecture 960 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles (213) 613-2200 sciarc.edu Southern California University of Health Sciences 16200 Amber Valley Drive, Whittier (562) 947-8755 scuhs.edu Touro College Los Angeles 1317 North Crescent Heights Boulevard, West Hollywood tcla.touro.edu University of La Verne 1950 3rd Street, La Verne (909) 593-3511 Laverne.edu University of Southern California Los Angeles (213) 740-2311 Usc.edu

Claremont McKenna College 888 North Columbia Avenue, Claremont (909) 621-8000 Cmc.edu

Vanguard University 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa (714) 556-3610 vanguard.edu

Columbia College Hollywood 18618 West Oxnard Street, Tarzana (818) 345-8414 Columbiacollege.edu

Whittier College 13406 E, Philadelphia Street, Whittier (562) 907-4200 whittier.edu

Harvey Mudd College (Claremont Colleges) 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont (909) 621-8011 Hmc.edu

Woodbury University 7500 North Glenoaks Boulevard, Burbank (818) 767-0888 woodbury.edu


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Q

EMAIL YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS ABOUT L.A. TO ASKCHRIS@LAMAG.COM

Why are the on-ramps to the 110 freeway so terrifyingly short?

CHRIS’S PICK

100 Years of Betty A BOOK FOR BETTY WHITE’S BIRTHDAY

BIKE LANES

A:

Because you’re going too fast! The West’s first freeway was meant to be cruised at 45 mph. The idea for a new route connecting Pasadena to downtown was kicked around for decades before 1924, when the firm that designed New York’s Central Park proposed a “pleasureway park” you could drive through, but the funds and the land weren’t acquired until much of the riverbed that would become the Arroyo Seco Parkway was destroyed by a flood in 1938. The rustic prototype for future “parkways” used accelerator and decelerator ramps to tame traffic. “It’s schizophrenic, and maybe that’s the beauty,” says historian Nicole Possert. “It’s part leisure and part freeway.” Q: Why do they always play Frank Sinatra songs at the Grove? A: Owner Rick Caruso, who might end up our next mayor, made sure that the iron streetlights, the clock tower, even the “rhythm of the trees” were all ringa-ding-ding when he opened the mall in 2002—and he loves Ol’ Blue Eyes. 1 2 4 L A M AG . C O M

The billionaire personally selected more than 600 tracks to accompany the dancing waters of its $2 million dollar fountain. Swoonatra is still in heavy rotation, but so are plenty of living artists. Listen for Josh Groban and Seal the next time you’re throwing three coins in the fountain. “They try to convince me to

put in AstroTurf. No way,” Caruso once told the Baltimore Sun. “Real grass. Real Sinatra.”’ Q: Why is the corner of 4th & Main downtown called Woody Guthrie Square? A: Remember when Lady Gaga sang This Land is Your Land at the Super Bowl? That was Woody’s big hit that

endeared him to generations. Before he wrote it, he was a 25-year-old busker downtown, who took the proceeds to bars on Skid Row. Although he had an apartment in Glendale, he preferred crashing with like-minded souls in downtown flophouses. He wrote about the neighborhood in songs like Fifth Street Blues and Skid Row Serenade, and the city honored him with that Woody Guthrie Square sign in 2012. Today, you can get a $500 bottle of scotch or a $250 omakase dinner on that same corner.

A R R OYO S E CO PA R KWAY: CO U R T E SY O F T H E A R C H I V E S AT PA SA D E N A M U S E U M O F H I STO RY; M A I N P H OTO CO L L E C T I O N , A 7- 5 8 ; B E T T Y W H I T E : M A R K DAV I S /G E T T Y I M AG E S FO R T V L A N D

A motorcade at the opening of the Arroyo Seco Parkway in 1940.

● Before City Hall was built, before Canter’s Deli opened, even before sliced bread, there was Betty White. The Golden Girl turns 100 this month, and a new coffee table book, Betty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life, celebrates the TV legend. She landed her first role on a network show while in the third grade and starred in L.A.’s first experimental television broadcast before graduating from Beverly Hills High in 1939. Her ’50s TV series featured celebrity interviews and sketch comedy five-and-a-half hours a day. The indefatigable star was named mayor of Hollywood and hosted the Rose Parade for decades. Author Ray Richmond’s love of his subject is clear when he writes that “if apple pie took human form,” that’d be Betty.

VOLUME 67, NUMBER 1. LOS ANGELES (ISSN 1522-9149) is published monthly by Los Angeles Magazine, LLC. Principal office: 10100 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, CA, and additional mailing offices. The one-year domestic subscription price is $19.95. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LOS ANGELES, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials, which must be accompanied by return postage. SUBSCRIBERS: If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. Copyright © 2022 Los Angeles Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved. Best of L.A.® is a registered trademark of Los Angeles Magazine, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph, or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. SUBSCRIBER SERVICE 866-660-6247. GST #R133004424. PRINTED IN THE USA.

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