2021

*PLAYA – READER COMMENT:

Our area City Council member Mike Bonin is proposing sanctioned safe campsites, similar to this one, in Marina Del Rey harbor, Playa Del Rey.

Is this a good or bad and idea and why? Send your comments to: PlayaVistaPeople@TimeWire.net
*PLAYA PEOPLE – MEET LANCE AND CALI:

Lance and Cali getting a little (pandemic) crazy at Ralph’s in Westchester.

*PLAYA – NEWS: TACOS, ICE CREAM, & MORE AS PLAYA VISTA FREE MARKET CENTER ARRIVES:

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, founder Jeni Bauer
– Playa Vista

Tacos, ice cream and more highlight a new dining and retail center in Playa Vista. The new Free Market Complex is located at 12751 W. Millennium Drive. It features a variety of stores ranging from goods and services such as flowers, paper, jewelry and more. The company behind Free Market has similar centers in Denver and Downtown Los Angeles. The Playa Vista location will open on May 1. In addition to shopping, customers can explore two dining options: Loqui taco shop and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

Loqui is a northern Mexico taco joint that first opened in Culver City back in 2016 at the Platform. The restaurant first began out of Tartine Bakery as a weekly pop-up in 2013. The menu features a variety of grilled meats including- asada perrones, carnitas, fish tacos, birria and cemitas. Their tacos are served up in homemade flour tortillas charred on the grill and made to order corn tortillas with fresh masa.

The owners Ari Ampudia and Cameron Wallace hosted several taco pop ups before the restaurant itself had a brick and mortar. Wallace was a popular baker for restaurant Tartine, while Ampudia had been developing tacos and Mexican street cuisine for several years. Loqui’s second location opened November 2019 in the downtown LA Arts District.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams offers a unique take on soft serve by incorporating buttercream into their recipe. The ice cream is free of artificial flavorings, dyes, or off-the-shelf mixes, stabilizers or emulsifiers. Founder Jeni Bauer had been professionally making ice cream for more than 20 years before opening the shop and had also studied art as well as worked at a bakery, before founding Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002.

You can check out the list of brands at the Free Market Complex below:

Alchemy Works
County Line Florals
Joliet
Jeni’s Ice Cream
Heyday
Loqui
Natural Rough
Nicholas Konert “Spread Love” Project
Period Correct
Please Do Not Enter
Studio C
Teressa Foglia
Urbanic

According to their website, the Free market is “an ever-evolving collective that develops and markets curated products, services, and experiences by combining incubator strategy with artistic understanding and infrastructure strength.”

*PLAYA – NEWS: WENDE MUSEUM REOPENS IN CULVER CITY:

The Wende Museum reopened this weekend in Culver City, sharing Cold War artifacts and history with the public again since it closed during the pandemic. The collection features art, artifacts, personal histories and archival documents that record life and political developments throughout Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union during the Cold War period from 1945 to 1991. The museum has a variety of media and items, including design objects, works on paper, ceramics, sculptures, paintings, textiles, posters, clothing, furniture, photos and films.

It has a collection of more than 21,000 books and periodicals published in East Germany and the Soviet Union, and a portion of the collection is from Erich Honecker’s personal library. Museum admission is free and reservations are required. Private tours and school groups are still on pause due to the pandemic.

“We are unable to accommodate walk-ins at this time and those without confirmed reservations will be turned away,” according to the museum. The Wende Museum is located at 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City. The museum is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and reservations are available through May 31. Visitors are asked to continue following Los Angeles County’s health and safety guidelines. Visit the website for more information and to make a reservation.

*PLAYA – PEOPLE: MEET OLIVIA:

Oliva daydreaming in Playa Vista.

Fun Fact: Is allergic to dogs and cats.

*PLAYA – NEWS: APPLE PLANS TO ADD MORE THAN 3K JOBS IN CULVER CITY

Apple will be bringing over 3,000 jobs to Culver City. According to CEO Tim Cook, Apple will bring 3,000 jobs over the next few years to Culver City, part of the company’s plan to invest $430 billion in U.S. projects. “At this moment of recovery and rebuilding, Apple is doubling down on our commitment to US innovation and manufacturing with a generational investment reaching communities across all 50 states,” Cook said.

Apple’s new Culver City offices have been under construction since 2018 at 8777 Washington Boulevard. It is unclear when the offices will open, but when they do they will serve as the new Culver City headquarters of Apple’s content division, with 128,000 square feet of office space and 4,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space. According to Apple, the 3,000 jobs in Culver City will be filled by 2026.

“We’re a city that will work hard to ensure that the benefits of our success are broadly shared, and I look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate that inclusive growth is possible,” said Culver City Mayor Alex Fisch. “Apple’s investment in Culver City shows once again that we live in one of the most desirable places on earth.”

In addition to the offices at 8777 Washington Boulevard, last December Apple purchased another block of warehouse and office properties in Culver City. The properties, reportedly valued at $162 million, include office space at 8771 Washington Boulevard, storefront and office space at 8876-8888 Venice Boulevard and warehouse and storage space at 8825 National Boulevard.

*PLAYA PEOPLE – MEET RINGO:

Ringo has been living in Marina Del Rey since April 2017

Fun Fact: Ringo hates bull-shitters.

*PLAYA – NEWS: LLOYD TABER-MARINA DEL REY LIBRARY REOPENING

Library reopenings are coming to Los Angeles County, including Lloyd Taber-Marina Del Rey Library. The Los Angeles County Library announced Sunday that 30 of its 85 libraries will reopen for in-person service beginning May 10, bringing the total number of reopened libraries in the county system to 60. Libraries will reopen at limited capacity — only 75%. People are still required to maintain six feet of physical distance as a precaution against COVID-19.

The goal is to prioritize equity and consider reopening libraries in underserved areas where residents use in-person services.

The following libraries scheduled to reopen starting May 10 include:

Lloyd Taber – Marina Del Rey Library, 4533 Admiralty Way
A C Bilbrew Library, 150 E. El Segundo Blvd., Los Angeles
Hermosa Beach Library, 550 Pier Ave.
Pico Rivera Library, 9001 Mines Ave.
Artesia Library, 18801 Elaine Ave.
La Canada Flintridge Library, 4545 North Oakwood Ave.
San Gabriel Library, 500 S. Del Mar Ave.
Baldwin Park Library, 4181 Baldwin Park Blvd.

Outdoor programming for a limited number of participants will begin in early summer 2021 and will be available at select libraries. County residents can visit LACountyLibrary.org for library hours, services, additional openings, safety protocols and scheduled events and programs. The city of Los Angeles Public Library system will begin a phased reopening of the Central Library and 37 other branches for in-person services beginning Monday.

To learn more about that reopening and see which 37 branches are participating, see www.lapl.org/reopening.

*PLAYA – HISTORY:

Undated photo of the incline railway from the beach to the bluffs at Playa del Rey. Note trolley car in foreground. (Courtesy Malcolm Atwill Collection, via The Electric Railway Historical Assn. of Southern California website)

*PLAYA – RESTAURANTS:

Bull & Butterfly,
– Playa Vista

Playa Vista neighborhood spot, Bull & Butterfly, is launching an all-new brunch menu.

Available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., the extensive brunch menu is an ode to Bull & Butterfly’s Californian inspiration and is broken down into eggs, boards, sweets, salads, and sandwiches, with highlights including a Steak and Cheddar Eggs, Jumbo Blue Crab and Poached Asparagus, Avocado Toast, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, 10 oz. Hickory Patty Melt, and an Eggs and Cheddar Cheese Panade.

In addition, they will also be offering a few sweeter items including Sticky Toffee Pancakes and Bread Pudding French Toast. To wash it all down, Bull & Butterfly will also be serving brunch cocktails—including the classics like Bloody Mary’s, mimosas, and sangria in addition to a few housemade creations—beer, and wine. Only a short drive away from the beach and an expansive patio, Bull & Butterfly makes the perfect brunch setting to safely enjoy with friends and family.

*PLAYA – LENS:

Things started getting a bit nuts in the middle of the pandemic in Culver City for Leslie and Willson.

*PLAYA – VIDEO:

Severe staff shortage hits Playa Vista restaurants.

WATCH HERE

*PLAYA PEOPLE – MEET ABRAHAM: SELF-PORTRAIT

Abraham has been working in Marina Del Rey since October, 2015

*PLAYA – BULLETIN BOARD:
1. ***If you want your community represented by a leftist radical, please vote for Mike Bonin for City Council. — Sarah W., Marina Del Rey.

2. ***At the start of the pandemic, here in Westchester, there were vague hopes of an artistic flourishing—that ultimately specious “Shakespeare wrote ‘King Lear’ in quarantine!” trope—but for me, at least, it was difficult to focus on much more than the ways in which my friends and neighbors were suffering. —- Amanda Q., Westchester.

3. ***Barber – Experienced barber needed with good customer service, communication, organization and time management skills. Please contact Fernando 424-268-7578.

4. ***Beware of 76 at Sepulveda and Manchester. Just a heads up. Our gas card got skimmed twice at that gas station a couple weeks ago. We noticed it on our statement. Whoever got the info filled up their car twice in the valley for $300 in total. According to the manager at Jiffy Lube, LAPD was out there a couple weeks ago investigating a skimming incident. Whatever card you use make sure you check your statements! —– Hayden Elder, Westchester.

5. ***To my ex-wife Diane: If your disdain is my humiliation, I shall ill be able, albeit I am well furnished with longanimity, to suffer a grief that is not merely intense but protracted. Good luck. —— Michael Y., Playa Vista.

6. ***Recall Bonin officially started. A campaign has started in earnest. Msg me if you are interested in assisting. Details to follow. —- Matt Stayner, Westchester.

7. ***Catalytic converter sawed off and stolen from garage parking. It happened around 10 PM on 04/16. Two thieves, driving a nice white Infinite SUV, stole it from a Honda accord and took off within 5 minutes leaving a jack underneath the car. It seems to happen a lot recently in West LA. Please watch out and be safe! I have reported this information to the police. Person 1 Hair: dark curvy Top: red jacket Age: 23 Sex: male Build: slim Person 2 Hair: dark short Top: grid shirt Age: 35 Sex: male Build: medium Vehicle 1 Color: white Make: Infinite Model: SUV. 5940-5950 Sea Walk Drive, Playa Vista, CA —–John Wang, Playa Vista.

8. ***I vividly remember my old roommate in Culver City when I first arrived in L.A. from Miami. The fragrancy of her perfume seemed to attract every man in the room, drawing them to her like flies to honey. Fun to watch, honestly. —— Claire Z., Culver City.

9. ***My father, who used to live in Marina Del Rey but moved a first ago to Florida, just completed his memoir and asked me (actually begged) to read it for him and provide comments. As a published author myself I can tell you the book is sentimental rubbish and I couldn’t show you one page that contains even a modest idea. However, as a daughter, I will tell him it’s wonderful and how proud I am of him. —– Renee P., Playa Del Rey.

10. ***We’re in very desperate need of a foster for this boy Charlie, like right now. His current foster was just informed by her HOA that she exceeded the 20lb limit and is being fined for each day she has him. He’s super sweet, fixed, and housetrained, loves people and kids, not sure about dogs or cats. Of course, he’s also available for adoption too. If you remember Marco from a few months back, they’re pretty similar, but trust me, not the same dog. Please pm or email info@farescue.org, or call 310-362-0321 if you can help, or share. —– Andy Pearlman, Del Rey.

11. ***Front yard intruder at 3 am. A man entered our front yard and looked around for something to steal (Short Ave near Chase). —– Jeremiah Garcia, Del Rey

12. ***Another catalytic converter theft. A white van parked on 82nd just east of Hindry had its catalytic converter cut off and stolen early this morning. My husband and another neighbor came out and yelled at them and chased them off the first time when they started loudly cutting off the converter with a power grinder. -They started cutting at about 2:30 am.- At 5:30 am another car showed up and they continued cutting. When we heard the sound we came out again and yelled etc. again. This time they were driving a dark blue/silver Pontiac sedan. With us yelling at them, they finished cutting, removed the converter from the van, and drove away west on 82nd street. —– Ingrid Harsh, Westchester

13. ***Coyote on Weir and Mesmer. Coyote spotted on Weir and Mesmer. Time to cull the herd. As with all things lately, the city has ignored this for years, refusing to cull the packs to what the wild areas can maintain. How many of our beloved pets must die so the “animal lovers” feel good about themselves. A lot of domesticated animals will die on the altar of Their “love” for animals. —- Greg Turquand, Del Rey

14. ***For the person who left me a lovely note on my dusty car. We have been going through a lot for the last year. I live at 7537 W 85th Street. Please do me a favor, do not leave me cowardly words on my car. You can tell me face to face to clean up my yard. If you would have come up to me and asked, I would have told you why my yard looks like it currently does. We are all neighbors here. Don’t be a Karen……….Karen. —– Sori Pritikin, Playa Del Rey

15. ***”The homeless now invading the Ralphs on Lincoln Boulevard and Westchester are putting their filthy hands all over the produce, which unknowing shoppers then purchase hours later. I have talked to the Manager. Yuck!” – Loretta Y., Playa Del Rey

Playa Vista People Disclaimer: 1.) Playa Vista People accepts no liability for the content of this email, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Playa Vista People is not associated with any commercial or political organization and is transmitted via the web for the sole benefit of its subscribers. 2.) Unfortunately, computer viruses can be transmitted via email. The recipient should check this mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses.

Playa Vista People 4/29/2021

*PLAYA PEOPLE – MEET LINCOLN:

Lincoln has been living in Playa Del Rey since August 2012

FUN FACT: Lincoln chews gum before going to sleep each night.

*PLAYA – NEWS: MARINA DEL REY AMAZON BOOKS SHOPPING BENEFITS VENICE SHELTER

Marina del Rey Amazon Books store hosted a special shopping event Friday to provide hundreds of books for youth at Pacific Sunset Bridge Home in Venice. The event celebrates World Book Day with an in-store shopping spree to benefit shelter residents in Venice. It’s part of a partnership with Amazon Books Marina del Rey and The Book Foundation. The books were donated by the store, and will stock the organization’s library installation, or ‘Book Nook,’ which will be installed at the Westside shelter next week. The Book Foundation is a Los Angeles-based non-profit that helps get new books into the hands of children in underserved areas. The organization’s work is based in the belief that literacy is the key to opening doors and creating opportunity.

This World Book Day event is part of a two-week nationwide Amazon Books campaign through May 3, where customers can gift new books at checkout to a local nonprofit organization focused on children’s literacy. All Amazon Books stores in Southern California will donate the books collected throughout the campaign to The Book Foundation. “Our store team is honored to be here today to partner with our friends at The Book Foundation to shop for hundreds of books to help stock the first library, or “Book Nook,” for the youth living at the Pacific Sunset Bridge Home in neighboring Venice Beach,” said Irina Bekker, Amazon Books Marina Del Rey Lead Associate.

“I am so glad that today my team at Amazon Books Marina del Rey is able to provide these books for youth at The Pacific Sunset Bridge Home,” Bekker said. “I hope these stories inspire them the way they have always inspired me.” The donations are a step forward for children who need them, organizers said. “The Book Foundation is excited to be here today with our partners at the Marina del Rey Amazon Books store to provide hundreds of books to youth experiencing homelessness at the Pacific Sunset Bridge House,” said Ruth Stalford, Founder and Executive Director of The Book Foundation. “We believe that literacy is the key to opening doors and creating opportunity, and our mission is to get new books into the hands of children in underserved areas. Fulfilling our mission wouldn’t be possible without donations like this from our friends at Amazon Books in Marina del Rey.”

To donate and participate, visit the Marina del Rey Amazon Books store at 4752 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey.

*PLAYA – NEWS: PLAYA DEL REY HOME COMPLEX STARTING AT $3M A UNIT WRAPS UP NEAR FACEBOOK OFFICES

Work is nearly done on 14 multi-story homes starting at $3.1 million per unit in Playa Vista near the offices of Facebook and IMAX. As reported by Urbanized LA, construction company Taylor Morrison is finishing up work at a development called Encore at 6500 Seabluff Drive in the master-planned Playa Vista community. The project was billed as the final development of for-sale homes in Playa Vista, according to Urbanized. The project’s website shows that each single-family residence, starting at $3.1 million, ranges between 3,627-3,666 Sq. Ft., with 4-5 bedrooms, 3 baths plus 1-2 powder rooms and a 2-car private garage. In addition, the website touts “convenient side yards, chef’s kitchens, private elevators and magnificent bluff views from covered decks.”

The apartments are located close to the offices of a number of major companies, including IMAX, Facebook and EA Sports. In addition, Google purchased a 12-acre plot of land nearby in 2014. The company has not yet announced plans for the space. As reported by Urbanized, Google’s vacant property is zoned for around 900,000 square feet of office space.

*PLAYA – PEOPLE:

Good friends hanging out – Mo’s Place, Playa Del Rey CA

*PLAYA – NEWS: HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT DEMOLISHED IN MARINA DEL REY

A homeless encampment and two-story structure was demolished and cleared off the sidewalk in Marina del Rey Wednesday, according to reports. The structure was located near Princeton Drive. A bulldozer, Los Angeles police officers, trash collectors and a number of workers destroyed the encampment area, which was marked off with yellow caution tape. It’s unclear how long the encampment had been there. Neighbors had complained about the structure on the sidewalk.

*PLAYA – PEOPLE: MEET ZENA

Zena likes to wear red gloves in Marina Del Rey.

*PLAYA – NEWS: APPLE EYES EXPANSION IN CULVER CITY TO 3,000 EMPLOYEES BY 2026, PART OF $430B U.S. INVESTMENT PLAN

Apple expects to dramatically boost its workforce in L.A., where its original video production teams are based, over the next five years. The company announced that it plans to grow its teams in Culver City, Calif., to more than 3,000 employees by 2026, along with “expanding its state-of-the-art campus with additional space for these employees” and more. Apple also said its five-year investment plan encompasses “dozens” of Apple TV Plus productions in 20 states over the same time span. Those announcements were part of Apple’s blueprint unveiled Monday to make new investments of more than $430 billion in the U.S. — adding some 20,000 new jobs across the country — over the next five years. The total investment target is up 20% from Apple’s original five-year goal of $350 billion set in 2018, according to the tech giant.

In 2018, Apple agreed to lease a 128,000-square-foot office building in Culver City after HBO canceled plans to move to the site. Previously, Apple had said it expected to have more than 1,000 employees at the Culver City location by 2022. The four-story office building at 8777 Washington Blvd., across from the Culver City Expo station, is a joint development between LPC West and Clarion Partners. Among other major projects outlined Monday, Apple said it plans to invest more than $1 billion in North Carolina and will begin construction on a new campus and engineering hub in the Research Triangle area. That will create at least 3,000 new jobs in machine learning, AI, software engineering and other areas.

“At this moment of recovery and rebuilding, Apple is doubling down on our commitment to U.S. innovation and manufacturing with a generational investment reaching communities across all 50 states,” Apple chief Tim Cook said in a statement. “We’re creating jobs in cutting-edge fields — from 5G to silicon engineering to artificial intelligence — investing in the next generation of innovative new businesses, and in all our work, building toward a greener and more equitable future.” As of the end of 2020, Apple had roughly 147,000 employees, up 7.3% from the year prior.

*PLAYA – PEOPLE: MEET TAYLOR

Taylor has been working in Culver City since January 2018

FUN FACT: Taylor loves pickles.

*STOP FEELING BLAH – READ PLAYA VISTA PEOPLE AND GET YOUR GROOVE BACK

*Playa Vista *Marina Del Rey *Culver City *Playa Del Rey *Westchester

Read by over 25,000 people in the hood every week.

playavistapeople.com/

*PLAYA PLATINUM AWARD:
URBAN PLATES – PLAYA VISTA

BEETS + AVOCADO BOWL With organic red and white quinoa, walnuts, pickled red onion, hemp seeds, cabbage, miso lemongrass dressing
GF V DF 720 cal

CHICKPEA + SWEET POTATO BOWL With organic lentils, cabbage, goji berries, green peas, chia seeds, kale pesto, harissa sauce
GF V DF 720 cal

GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SANDWICH Marinated portobello mushroom, pesto goat cheese, zucchini, red bell peppers, red onion, arugula
VEG 720 cal + 150 w/ chips

CURRY TOFU & VEGETABLE BRAISE Organic tofu slow cooked with organic carrots, organic apples and zucchini, in a green curry-coconut sauce, with ginger and garlic
GF V DF 490-540 cal

ANTIOXIDANT SALAD Lettuce blend, organic baby kale, cucumbers, celery, mint, pickled onions, raw walnuts, grapes, blue cheese, seasonal fruit, mint lemongrass vinaigrette
VEG 730 cal

MIXED BEET SALAD Yellow & red beets, arugula, lettuce blend, roasted tomatoes, organic carrot, jicama, raw walnuts, hemp seeds, goat cheese, preserved lemon vinaigrette
VEG 560 cal
Urban Plates – Playa Vista
12746-3 W. Jefferson Blvd
Playa Vista, CA 90094
P: (424) 256-7274
urbanplates.com

*PLAYA – LENS:

*PLAYA – PEOPLE: LAUREN AND KIKI

Lauren and Kiki doing somelate night snack shopping in Playa Vista

*PLAYA – IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

The need for local blood donations remains high as coronavirus vaccines become more available and people begin to resume more of their normal activities. People who have received a coronavirus vaccine can donate blood so long as they are symptom-free, feeling well and can provide the vaccine manufacturer’s name, according to the American Red Cross. There is no waiting period after getting a vaccine dose. All blood types are needed, especially type O, to refuel the country’s blood stockpile for the spring and summer.

In most states, donors need to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health; some states allow 16-year-olds to donate with parental consent. Donors 18 years old and younger need to meet certain height and weight requirements. People who donate blood, platelets or plasma in May through the Red Cross will be automatically entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps five from Suburban Propane. Anyone who donates between May 1 and 15 will receive a $5 Amazon gift card by email courtesy of Suburban Propane.

Red Cross blood drives follow coronavirus safety protocols including temperature screening, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff.

Here are the Red Cross blood drives coming up in the Culver City area in the next few weeks. You can search for additional Red Cross blood drives from a wider area here.

4/22/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., American Legion Post 46, 5309 Sepulveda Blvd (Culver City)
4/24/2021: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Legion Post 46, 5309 Sepulveda Blvd (Culver City)
5/3/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., American Legion Post 46, 5309 Sepulveda Blvd (Culver City)
5/8/2021: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Legion Post 46, 5309 Sepulveda Blvd (Culver City)
5/13/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., American Legion Post 46, 5309 Sepulveda Blvd (Culver City)
5/22/2021: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Legion Post 46, 5309 Sepulveda Blvd (Culver City)

*PLAYA – HISTORY:

Duck hunting in Ballona Creek, circa 1890

*PLAYA – PEOPLE: MEET ARLO:

Arlo has been working in Culver City since April 2018
FUN FACT: Eat two bananas a day – 7 days a week.

*PLAYA – BULLETIN BOARD:

1. *** Whiskers – technically called vibrissae in mammals – are an important part of my cats’ sensory arrays. When Margarita abruptly tears across the apartment for reasons I can only speculate about, her whiskers can tell her if she’s cutting to[o] close to a wall so that she doesn’t run headlong into the doorway. —- Carla P., Playa Vista.

2. ***The Dunkin’ Donuts on Wilshire and 12^th in Santa Monica looks like a poor run, a poorly cleaned donut shop in a bad neighborhood. —– Culver City Police Office J.S. (Retired), Culver City.
3. ***The Chicken burger at HopDoddy in Playa Vista is flavorless. Not unlike the customer service as well. —— Grant N., Playa Del Rey.

4. ***Thank God CVS has finally wised up and stopped distributing those obnoxiously long cash receipts. Yeah. —– Victor W., Culver City.

5. ***It’s fascinating we find the sound of a single drop of water at night infuriating but the sound of many drops of water (rain) calming. —- Beth O., Playa Del Rey.

6. ***It would make more sense of a Bachelor party with something celebrated the night before a divorce instead of the night before a wedding. —- Marcus R., Marina Del Rey.

7. ****In a few 1000 years some archaeologists might find those keys you lost, Gwen. Love, your husband Jose.

8. ***I just moved to Playa Vista and had a strong urge to commit suicide when we found out my congressman was radical Maxine Waters . —– Karl B., Playa Vista.

9. ***As one of the organizations that has filed a legal challenge to the project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, I also am more than happy to answer any questions the public may have as to why we filed that challenge and why we are confident that it will be successful. —- Walter Lamb, Ballona Wetlands Land Trust

10. ***Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services have a deep and long-standing commitment to protecting and advocating for children and families, particularly when they are at their most vulnerable, not only for their well-being but for the stability and security of our greater communities, as well.—- Lena Wilson, J.D., President& CEO, Vista Del Mar Child, and Family Services, www.vistadelmar.org

11. ***Is the new clothing store Matte Argyle closed already. It always seems closed. —– Kirby I, Playa Del Rey.

12. ***As a journalism major in college (many years ago), I am aghast at the negligence on the part of “liberal news both print and television” to provide any coverage of the crisis on our US borders. This is a critical issue and they have elected to forego coverage in deference to the administration. —- David Mitzman, Playa Vista.

13. ***The effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is a revolt of red California against the state’s blue political and cultural establishments and insanity. —– Buck L., Playa Del Rey.

14. ***How American parents have been doing it all wrong: Toss out the toys, lay off the praise! —– Gwen P., Marina Del Rey.

15. ***If clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence, we are screwed. —— Donna Q., Marina Del Rey.

Playa Vista People 4/22/2021

*PLAYA PEOPLE – MEET DORIT:

Dorit‘s photo shoot with candlelight in Marina del Rey.

*PLAYA – NEWS: CULVER CITY IS BOOMING BUT HOUSING, RETAIL STILL WEAK POINTS

Runyon Group co-founder Joseph Miller
– Culver City

Culver City has become a magnet for major content companies. HBO announced in 2019 that it would move its headquarters to Ivy Station, a mixed-use project designed by KFA Architecture and developed by Lowe, AECOM-Canyon Partners and Rockwood Capital. In 2018, Apple signed on to occupy an office building along Washington Boulevard and in December locked down five more adjacent buildings. Amazon Studios is slated to move into an expanded and renovated Culver Studios, which is expected to be complete this year. Runyon Group co-founder Joseph Miller noted that Culver City’s population roughly doubles during the workday.

“Balancing that out so that it’s not being flooded during the day and evacuated in the evenings” is something that would benefit the neighborhood and that adding more housing would help achieve, Miller said. Culver City is not an inexpensive place in which to live. Rents for a one-bedroom apartment averaged about $2.3K per month, according to rental data from apartment listings site Zumper. According to listings site RENTCafé, the average rent across all unit types is about $2.5K.

Building and maintaining housing that hits a wide range of price points is key, speakers said. Preserving the existing stock of older buildings that function as the city’s de facto affordable housing stock is critical to meeting the need for housing across a variety of price ranges, Suhr noted. “If we start plowing those under and building new, in whatever density level the city may allow in a future general plan, we’re never going to catch up to the need for all the price points on housing,” Suhr said. KFA Architecture partner Jonathan Watts added that smaller projects, like an eight-unit small-lot project he was recently approached about, can play an important role in making sure a variety of price points are provided for residents.

“Not everyone can plunk down the money for 100 units,” Watts said, and with larger projects taking years and years to complete, smaller projects can yield housing that has a lower cost for the eventual resident. Housing isn’t the only thing that Culver City is missing. Panelists said that supporting unique small businesses is key to keeping and inviting the kind of authenticity that is required to help Culver City grow the best way. The city needs a “critical mass” of retail stores, Rick Moses Development President Rick Moses said, but he cautioned that not just any old retail will do.

“It’s really crucial to keep in mind that the big chains will kill the vibe and the spirit of Culver City,” Moses said. “It’s so important for [retail] to have a local flavor.” The city’s challenges, though, don’t seem to be holding it back. “One of the few markets where investors have looked past the uncertainty [of the pandemic] has been Culver City,” Pendulum Property Partners partner Dan Wagman said.

*PLAYA VISTA PEOPLE:

Happy team member – Mo’s, Playa Del Rey.

*PLAYA – NEWS: FORMER ‘BACHELORETTE’ CONTESTANT ALLEGES SECURITY ATTACKED HIM

A former “Bachelorette” contestant claims that a maskless security guard attacked him with anti-Semitic threats after he asked the guard to wear a mask at the parking lot of his Marina del Rey apartment complex, TMZ reports. Michael Garofola, who appeared in season 9 of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” says a security guard punched him in the head and slammed him into a wall, then pushed and shoved him around, and damaged his iPhone as he tried to film the attack. Police arrested the guard in February. Garofola is now suing the security guard, apartment complex and the guard’s employer.

*PLAYA – NEWS: FEEDCULVER CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY AFTER SERVING NEARLY 40,000 MEALS

Culver City police participating in the FeedCulver program

When the pandemic struck early last year, a team of Culver City leaders sprung into action with a bold, innovative plan that has been a lifeline for both food-insecure residents and local restaurants, serving up over 40,000 meals. Dubbed FeedCulver, the new group began purchasing meals from struggling restaurants and developing an infrastructure to deliver those meals to families who had been adversely impacted by the pandemic. April 16 marked one full year since the first meal was served, and the effort is going stronger than ever – largely because the need is as great as ever.

“When we began, there were people who lost their jobs and truly didn’t know where their next meal was coming, and at the same time, our restaurants were struggling to stay afloat,” said Culver City Councilman Göran Eriksson, who was one of the organization’s co-founders. “Unfortunately, we are still feeling the devastating impacts of the pandemic on local families and businesses, but I am proud to say that FeedCulver continues to raise money from the community and local businesses to buy and deliver those desperately needed meals.” Since April 14, 2020, when the group delivered its first meals, almost 40,000 meals, approximately 160 hot meals per day, have been delivered to struggling Culver City individuals and families. The volunteer ranks have swelled to more than 100, and FeedCulver has a wide array of partners from the City of Culver City and the city’s Downtown Business Association to the Culver City Chamber of Commerce and the Culver City Exchange Club.

So far, FeedCulver has helped support 23 area restaurants, including Akasha, Harajuku Taproom, Mega Pizza Grille, Auld Fella, Quicksand, Taproom Pizza Co., Chica’s Tacos, Meet in Paris, Novecento Pasta & Grill, Pasta Sisters, EK Valley, Ugo, George Petrelli Steak House and more. Funding has come from individuals and small businesses as well as major donations from Amazon Studios, The Culver Studios, Cedars-Sinai, Culver City Exchange Club, Sony Pictures and the Culver City Rotary Community Foundation.

“This has absolutely been an example of neighbors helping neighbors during one of the most difficult times in recent memory,” said Eric Sims of the Downtown Business Association. “And the best part is that we are doing more than just feeding the people who need it. We are helping to maintain hospitality jobs that might have otherwise gone away as restaurants closed. We are helping the small businesses in our community that may otherwise have gone out of business. And we are discovering, like never before, that ours is a close-knit community filled with people who care about their neighbors.”

“In many ways, this is an extension of the work we have been doing for many years at Grace Diner,” said Lisa Skelley, manager of the program. “But what makes it special is how many people have stepped up to volunteer, to donate, to support what we are doing with FeedCulver. It has been a very special experience.” Eriksson said FeedCulver continues to seek donations, partnerships and volunteers at its website: www.feedculver.org.

*PLAYA PEOPLE MEET – LIZA AND DAISY:

Liza and Daisy love enjoying lollypops in Playa Vista.

*PLAYA – PLATINUM AWARD:
ELLEN’S SILKSCREENING

VISIT: https://ellenssilkscreening.com/

*PLAYA – LENS:

Ritrovo Playa Vista in the heart of Playa Vista

*PLAYA – PEOPLE: MEET TRIPP

Tripp works in Westchester since December 2020.

FUN FACT: Has a pet turtle named Clementine.

*PLAYA — RESTAURANTS: FLOUR TORTILLA FAVORITES LOQUI OPEN FOR TACOS TODAY IN PLAYA VISTA

Loqui Tacos
– Culver City

Playa Vista’s bright new Free Market complex has arrived, and with it a collection of places to eat, shop, and generally hang out. There’s the brand new Jeni’s Ice Cream for dessert, but the real star of the show on the dining side is Loqui, the popular flour tortilla favorite that first opened at the Platform development in Culver City back in 2016. The restaurant, founded by Cameron Wallace and Ari Ampudia, began as a pop-up out of San Francisco’s Tartine years ago, before heading south and eventually expanding into the Arts District as well.

Now they’ve landed in Playa Vista, not far from the temporarily-closed fellow flour tortilla makers HomeState. The new Loqui will offer patio seating for tacos and Mexican craft beer, as well as a takeaway menu that includes family-style meals and packaged flour tortillas. The restaurant formally opens today, April 15, and will keep hours from Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.

Carney has been living and working in Culver City since April, 2017

*PLAYA – COMMENTARY:
by David Mitzman,Westchester

Westchester Park is becoming more disgusting by the day. The tents and other “housing” are spread throughout the entire park at this point creating an impossibility of enjoying any of the facilities or even a peaceful walk. The dwellers are irresponsible in their maintenance, and Mike Bonin is doing NOTHING! He now wants to make little mini houses at three major beach locations; Will Rogers State Park, Dockweiller Beach, and Fisherman’s Village in MDR. HE HAS GONE OVER THE TOP AND CARES ABSOLUTELY ZERO ABOUT THE PARK IN WESTCHESTER. Please note for the record he has moved from Mar Vista (where their park is being considered for a homeless destination-he has been able to keep it from being like Westchester because he lived in Mar Vista).

Now he doesn’t care about Mar Vista because he has planted himself in Pacific Palisades which is virtually homeless free as is Bel Air, and Beverly Hills. WE PAY PROPERTY TAX AND SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO ENJOY PARKS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE. HE IS A JOKE TO US AND MAR VISTA WHILE HE SITS IN HIS “CASTLE” WITH A MOAT AROUND HIM! We need to recall him, his emissary Gascon who has created havoc in Los Angeles by being a defense attorney and not a prosecuting attorney (BTW he has never been a prosecutor), and Garcetti who goes along for the ride in whatever convertible gives him the best sun and air. Can he ever give a news conference without his little laptop in front of him? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

*PLAYA VISTA – BUSINESS:

Jessica Alba’s Honest Company filed to go public. The celebrity’s consumer startup had a huge pandemic year selling baby products, lotions, and sanitizers, per CNBC. Revenue hit $300m in 2020 and it could IPO at $2B.

*PLAYA – PEOPLE: MEET WALDO

Waldo working out in Playa Vista.

*PLAYA – BULLETIN BOARD:
1. ***Private utilities are pushing changes that would undermine the growing rooftop solar market in California. That would hurt everyone, not just rooftop solar companies and people interested in buying panels. —– Zeke P., Playa Del Rey.

2. *** It is chiefly through books that I enjoy intercourse with superior minds. ‌—– Virginia L., Culver City.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

3. ***The L.A. City Council unanimously approved a resolution calling for the state to close SoCalGas’ Playa del Rey storage facility. Here’s why some say it may pose a far greater threat than Aliso Canyon, site of a record-setting gas leak. Amen! —– Tom and Sally W., Playa Del Rey.

4. ***It’s surprising how much memory is built around things unnoticed at the time. —- Waldo W., Westchester.

5. ***The current pandemic, which has curtailed normal interaction, throws into dramatic relief the central importance of teaching not only for our students’ learning, but also for their overall well-being. —– Pablo E., Culver City

6. ***In this troll-saturated world we find ourselves (sadly) in, it’s hard to care about street-level trolls and their movie boycotts. In fact, it would probably behoove us to stop caring about “trolls” at all. —- Emma E., Playa Vista

7. ***My old boss at YouTube in Playa Vista was self-promoting to the point of arrogance, and heedless of what others might think. —– Darin H., Westchester.

8. ***It sure seems to me that most books on dictators elide the political and cultural conditions that allow for their rise. —– Dr. Walt P., Marina Del Rey.

9. ***A year of isolation has left our lives strewn with carcasses of friendships once held sacred—but can reopening revive them? —- Zane R., Playa Del Rey

10. ***’Switching tabs on the phone or computer and forgetting why’ is the new ‘going to a different room and forgetting why’. —– Jose H., Westchester.

11. ***A papercut could probably be viewed as a tree’s last act of rebellion against its executioners. —– Clay T., Culver City.

12. ***Nearly 15-thousand people have already signed a petition opposing a new plan that calls for relocating homeless people to Los Angeles’ beaches. Earlier this week, L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin proposed building tiny homes in beach parking lots in cities like Pacific Palisades and Marina Del Rey. If the proposal passes, beach parking lots would also be zoned for temporary RV camps. Watching. I hope a new petition recalling Councilman Mike Bonin starts circulating immediately. What an idiotic idea! —— Mr. and Ms. Lance and Jennifer Z., Marina Del Rey.

13. ***Suspicious male on a bike. I was running with my dog today around 1 pm on Beethoven and Walsh when a man on a bike passed and slowed down to stare at me, he continued to try and go as slow as possible, I believe to stay in line with my speed. I had stopped to figure out what was going on and he started to circle as a means to stay near me while he continued to stare me down. —- Lindsey Barnes, Del Rey

14.*** HUZZAH! Toys Pop Up at Runway
Part-time Weekend Sales Associate

Our Team Members create an exciting and friendly shopping experience at HUZZAH!

Part-time Sales Associate responsibilities may include:
• Operating the cash register in a fun and efficient manner
• Stocking shelves
• Gift wrapping
• Helping customers choose the perfect, age appropriate toy
• Inventory management
• Community outreach

HUZZAH! is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to hiring a diverse Team.

Interested? Contact cs@HuzzahToys.com

Wanted: Prominent P.R./Branding Firm Seeks Part-Time (Flexible Hours) Intern:

Entry-level Internship at Michael Levine Media, one of America’s premier P.R. and Branding firms having represented *58 Academy Award winners *34 Grammy Award winners, and 43 New York Times best-sellers.

1. Looking for an extremely reliable (6 month commitment) entry team member as an Intern. (Preferably enrolled in school currently, but recent college graduates are encouraged to apply)

2. You must be available for a one hour Zoom call on Friday’s at 3pm Los Angeles time.

3. Must be smart, resourceful, tech-savvy, organized, and hungry to learn. A great opportunity to learn and grow within the world of media and entertainment.

E-mail resume (no attachment) and contact details including a phone number to Ms. Aurora DeRose: boundlessmediajobs@gmail.com