What’s InsideShuman at Large......................

Paul Krekorian.........................

Scoops.......................................

Dr. Michael Abaian...................

Brad Sherman..........................

Wendy Greuel...........................

Tamar Galatzan.......................

Paul Koretz..............................

Ellen Vukovich.........................

Real Estate................................

Gerald Silver.............................

Michael Mann’s Sports............

Restaurant Review...................

Anna Terra-Recipies........................

Talk DVD..................................

Grigware’s Curtain Call..........

I Teen............................................

White Sofas...............................

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February 2012 Vol. IV No.5

Heathly Eating in Encino Pg 8. Lacrosse League comes to the Valley Pg. 5

OP Mend Teens Reach out to Disabled SoldiersStory by Zoe Shpiner

This past year, new threats arose to theexistence of Medicare and Social Securityas we know it. In April of 2011, the Repub-lican Majority in the House of Representa-tives passed a radical plan to eliminateMedicare and replace it with a voucher pro-gram. Seniors would have to use their ownmoney, along with a government voucher,to purchase insurance from private insur-ance companies. While this Republicanplan has not passed the Senate, I stronglyopposed any efforts in the House to createa “voucher” system that effectively wipesout Medicare’s guaranteed health care ben-efits. According to the Joint EconomicCommittee, the Republican Medicare planwould increase the average senior citizen’sout-of-pocket medical costs by $6,300 peryear. There are also new proposals in Congressto privatize Social Security. These planswould cut future Social Security benefitsand divert these savings to fund new pri-vate accounts. Because these plans woulddivert massive sums from the Social Secu-rity Trust Fund, it would leave the programin a deep financial hole, and likely lead to

New Threats to Social Security & Medicarecuts in benefits. I have consistently op-posed any and all efforts to privatize So-cial Security. I believe Social Security belongs to thepeople who contribute, not the govern-ment—it must not be hijacked to pay thefederal debt. The money put in should beprotected and used only for Social Secu-rity. All Americans should seek a comfort-able retirement including IRA’s, 401(k)’s andsimilar accounts. However, any sound re-tirement plan starts with an inflation-ad-justed lifetime annuity — a monthly checkfor life that you cannot lose, and you can-not outlive. This is what Social Securityprovides. We should not replace a guaran-tee with a gamble. Previously, Medicare didnot provide any coverage for prescriptiondrug costs between $2,840 and $6,447 peryear – causing a “donut hole” or coveragegap for prescription drugs. Now, thanks tolegislation that I supported, recipientswhose drug costs fall within the donut holeare receiving a 50% discount on brand-name prescription drugs. The out-of-pocketcosts for seniors’ drug costs falling in thedonut hole will be further reduced incre-mentally until it is completely eliminated in2020. But some in Congress would rein-

state the donut hole, placing additionalburdens on seniors in need of prescrip-tion drugs. No American should have tochoose between paying for groceries, andpaying for vital prescription drugs. I alsooppose any proposal to repeal the newprovision that provides seniors with freeannual checkups without co-pays. Thegood news is that, so far, we have beenable to prevent these sweeping changesfrom taking place. I will continue to fightplans to privatize Social Security or turnMedicare into a voucher program. If you would like to tell me how I canbetter serve the community, please attendmy next Town Hall meeting on Sunday,February 26 from 3:00 – 4:30pm PST atReseda High School located at 18230Kittridge Street. Listening to Valley resi-dents is one of the most important partsof my job. Town Hall Meetings are an op-portunity to discuss issues facing Con-gress, including health care, the economy,taxes and education. The meetings alsoare a chance for you to meet my constitu-ent service staff and get help dealing withfederal agencies.

By Congressman Brad Sherman 27th District

Bradley James Sherman is a Democratic member of the US Houseof Representatives, representing the 27th congressional district. theSan Fernando Valley. Sherman currently resides in Sherman Oaks.

Every day, young men and woman sustaintraumatic injuries that leave permanent,physical scars on their bodies and on theirfaces from hand to hand combat, or explo-sions from ambushes or accidents. Theseresults of wars leave our heroes deformed,disjointed, and disfigured. Many teens to-day want to acknowledge the strong heroesthat risk their lives fighting for the benefit ofthe country and for the freedoms of its citi-zens. Operation Mend is a program that utilizesthe best of the military’s resources with theexpertise of UCLA Health System for an all-inclusive and mutual approach to healing andhelping wounded war veterans. OperationMend’s goal is to provide released servicemembers with severe facial injuries access tothe Army’s best burn center and the nation’sbest plastic and reconstructive surgeons. The reconstructive process these former sol-diers go through is extremely rigorous. Manyof the participants in Operation Mend havehad significant disfigurations and a good per-centage of their skin burnt, requiring multiplesurgeries. Immediately once the injury oc-curs, the soldier is medically evacuated(medvacd) to the nearest Mobile Army Sur-gical Hospital for quick treatment. Here, theCorpsmen take care of disinfecting any openwounds, and Doctors tend to the burns in-flicted by the incident. When they are stableenough to travel, they are then sent to Texasto the Brooke Army Medical Center to re-

gram, explains, “ I committed to runthis program because I truly be-lieve that we can improve the qual-ity of lives for our wounded war-riors and their families by wrap-ping our arms around them andhelping them heal both their physi-cal and mental wounds. We see alot of out patients becoming moreand more self-confident and inde-pendent during the time we spendwith them, and able to return todoing a lot of things they loved todo before they were injured. Theydeserve our love, support andcommitment to doing whatever wecan do to help them recover andreturn to productive, happy lives.”

Cont. Pg. 14

ceive the best burn care possible. After that,they are then transferred to UCLA to undergotheir desired reconstructive surgeries. UCLAcomplements the life-saving work of the Armywith the restorative expertise of their surgeonsto demonstrate that the private sector shouldtake more responsibility to provide the bestmedical care available to these men andwomen who have sacrificed so much for ourcountry. Since many of the veterans are unfamiliarwith the LA area, Operation Mend developedthe Buddy Family Program that assigns a vet-eran to a specific family. This way, the vet-eran has a family to visit, keep them com-pany, and show them around the area whilethey are there receiving their reconstructivesurgeries. Dana Katz, the founder of the pro-

Dana Katz founder of the buddy family program withCorporal Aaron Mankin

Thursday February 9A public hearing on the proposed newCity Council district boundaries will beheld Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. atWalter Reed Middle School, 4525 IrvineAve., Studio City, in the auditorium.Light refreshments will be provided.Here’s your chance to speak out on theCommission’s preliminary draft map,posted on the Commission’s website athttp://redistricting2011.lacity.org. Afterthe conclusion of this round of hearings,the Commission will make anynecessary changes to the map beforeadopting and a presenting a finalproposed map to the City Council onMarch 1, 2012.

Saturday February 11Unitarian Universalist Church of StudioCity. Karen Hart and the RenaissanceBand present: “The life and Times ofMirabelle”. Karen Hart, winner of the“West Coast Songwriters”, will beperforming this touching musical storyof a woman’s life from her teen yearsto her golden years. Doors open at 6:30pm for a cocktail reception and theshow is at 7:pm,12355 Moorpark Street,

A beloved member of the Operation Mendfamily, corporal Aaron Mankin, was the firstto experience the opportunities of OperationMend. On May 11th, 2005, in Iraq, Mankinwas wounded when the 26-ton amphibiousassault vehicle (personal) he was traveling inrolled over an improvised explosive devicemade from a 122mm high explosive shell. TheAAVP was propelled ten feet in the air. Four

AAVP similar to Corporal Mankin’s

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2Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

Dr. Michael Abaian ofSouthland DentalCare is referred to asthe leading Los Angelescosmetic dentist andthe “Engineer of theSmile” as he makes thateffort to artisticallyrestructure one’s teethwhen he is doing a“smile makeover”, asmany have seen on the

mouth or throat.Chronic difficulty swallowing or chewing.Difficulty moving your tongue or jaw.Numbness inside your mouth.Jaw swelling.I like to Remind all of our valued patients Thatearly Oral Cancer detection saves lives That iswhy we offer oral cancer screening at no charge. WE HAVE HEARD THAT MOST OF YOURPATIENTS HAVE NICKNAMED YOU “THESMILE DESIGNER. WHY? Dr. Abaian: When it comes to smile design,many factors must be taken into account includingthe patient’s age, life-style, and physicalcharacteristics. In addition, there are othertruisms associated with your teeth themselves thatof our practice must consider—including the factthat our teeth tend to get shorter with age as theywear. Much like a fine oil painter working on acanvas, our doctors take their artistic inspirationand experience and transforms them intoawesome smile. In some cases, procedural anddesign techniques include tooth lengthening orshortening. Veneers are also consideredsometimes to widen your teeth or broaden asmile. Crowns can bring subtle, yet totallydifferent dimensions to a patient’s facialproportions. Most people are surprised with thestunning difference even the smallest ofadjustments can make. It’s a fusion of scienceand art. DR. ABAIAN, DO YOU BELIEVECOSMETIC DENTISTRY IS LIFEALTERING? Dr. Abaian: I do believe nice smiles make adifference and has a big impact on how othersperceive your personality and yourattractiveness. For example when you havecrowded crooked teeth your whole facialappearance is affected . You don’t look your best,and your good features are overshadowed byyour misaligned teeth because your smile is thefirst thing others notice when they look at you.Your ability to make a good first impression at ajob interview or on a date might be limited byyour yellow or crooked teeth and if people don’tmake a good first impression, they might not geta second chance. Fortunately , today there are somany ways to have attractive smile fromstraitening your teeth invisibly only for few monthsor to restore missing teeth by having implantcrown. Cosmetic dental procedures are absolutelyworth the investment in altering or restoring theideal proportions for your own physicalcharacteristics. There’s nothing more fulfillingfor our team, than witnessing the often life-changing transformation that takes place formany of our patients through smile makeovers.

By the SO SC ENC News Staff

hit television series, “Extreme Makeovers.” A former engineering graduate Dr. Abaian bringsthat type of perfection into his comprehensivetreatment planning and the design of one’s smileas it is very personal and befitting to thatparticular individual. Color of the tooth and lengthand width of the tooth are all taken into artisticconsideration. “When you are an engineer and you are building,you want to make sure that the structure isbalanced, and the same principle goes into themathematical proportions that we find in aperfectly balanced, aesthetic smile.,” Dr. Abaianpoints out. He provides his patients with high-qualityrestorative and cosmetic dentistry and continuesto actively seek the latest in technology, materials,and techniques that will improve his patient’sdental care. He is licensed to administer Oral ConsciousSedation for a peaceful and painless dentalappointment. Additionally, he also provides allthe conveniences of an i-CAT 3D x-ray machinefor accurate diagnosis and excellent implantplacement as well as the Sirona Cerec3, a machinethat sculpts a crown, in-house, in one hour’s time,all under one roof for the convenience of hispatients. He recently took time out of his busy scheduleto answer a few questions about Denistry: WHY IS PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE ANDMAINTENANCE ON TEETH AND GUMSSO IMPORTANT? Dr. Abaian: There are several reasons.Devoting small amounts of attention to your teethand gums will help you keep your smile for yourentire life. Daily maintenance through properbrushing (for at least 2 minutes) and flossingtechniques using a mouth wash not only improveyour smile, they dramatically reduce your risk ofgum disease. We want you to be proud of theteeth you flash to the world each time you smile!But it isn’t just about the way you look—it’s alsoabout your health and the way you feel. We urgeyou to come in for regular checkups and cleaningevery six months, Studies continue to link youroral health to your overall health, making a visitto dentist is just as important as visiting yourfamily doctor! Diseases associated with ourmouths like oral cancer and gum disease areprobably familiar terms to most people, but fewpeople realize that other health issues canmanifest themselves initially in the mouth as well.Visiting our practice can help catch potentiallylarger problems before they get out of hand—problems you may not even realize exist.WHY DOES ORAL CANCER GO SO OFTENUNDETECTED? Dr. Abaian: One of the reasons is because manyof the symptoms are not painful, and people justdon’t know. Sadly, detecting oral cancer in itslater stages significantly lowers survival rates.According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, if youexperience any of the following symptoms, youshould go to your dentist immediately. A soreinside your mouth that doesn’t heal within twoweeksA lump or thickening of your cheekA white or red patch on any part of your inner

Dr. Delaram Hanookai,Los Angeles dentistperiodontist, and herteam at SouthlandDental Care can giveyou the smile you havealways wanted. Notonly will they listen toexactly what you want,but they will deliver that

virtually anything and can smile with confidence,knowing that their teeth appear natural and thatfacial contours have been preserved. Dentalimplants consist of small titanium posts whichare placed into the jawbone where teeth aremissing or need to be replaced. The bone in thejaw bonds with titanium, creating a strongfoundation for artificial teeth. In addition torestoring a natural appearance in your mouth,dental implants help preserve facial structure,and prevent bone deterioration, which typicallyoccurs when teeth are missing. IS IT PAINFUL TO HAVE IMPLANTSURGERY?Dr .Hanookai: Not at all in our office we do offersedation dentistry and our patients don’t feelanything . WHY THE PRICES OF IMPLANTS ARE SOVARIED AND WHAT IS THE FACTORSBEHIND ALL THIS PRICES?Dr. Hanookai: Another good question. You areright the material of the implant is one of thefactors. For example at Southland Dental Carewe only use 3i implants, the most advanced qualityimplant. The other factor is by whom this implantgets placed. There are general dentists that takecrash courses during one weekend and there arespecialist that continue dental implant specialtyanother 3 years after finishing dental school.These are the facts that patients have the right toknow when they decide to have dental implants. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW GUMGRAFTING CAN GIVE A PATIENT ABETTER SMILE?Dr .Hanookai: Healthy and even gum lines fromgum grafting are an essential part of any beautifulsmile. Attractive gums make your smile lookhealthier and more attractive by framing andcomplementing your teeth. Red swollen gumsdetract from your smile. Your teeth may look toosmall or too short because of the different sizerelationship between your exposed teeth andgums. If you suffer from either of these issues,gum grafting or gum contouring is the solutionfor you. Gum grafting or gum contouring givesyou the consistent, even gum line you need for ahealthy, attractive smile.(SEE EXAMPLES BELOW)

LA Dental Implant Specialist Dr. Delaram HanookaiAnswers Questions about Implants

Dr. Michael Abaian, Top Los AngelesCosmetic Dentist Answers Questionsabout Cosmetic Dentistry

perfect smile you’ve always dreamt of having- asmile that fits perfectly with your face andelevates your self-esteem. Dr. Hanookai is a former Clinical Instructor ofPeriodontics at USC and says, “I am honored tohave had the opportunity to be a clinicalinstructor at USC School of Dentistry in theGraduate Periodontics Department. Thisopportunity has allowed me to share myexperience and knowledge with residents and alsothrough publications in peer journals.” She has 15 years of professional experiencewith grafting bone and gum tissue and thereplacement of missing teeth, as well as themending of the souls of her many patients whoonce could not smile. She specializes in patientswho were rejected by other Los Angeles cosmeticdentists and periodontists as unsuitablecandidates for dental implants. These were toldby other doctors that bone or tissue regenerationwould be unsuccessful. She has had over 98%success with her implants, higher than thenational average. You may view her numerouspatient video testimonials on-line at website,“www.SouthlandDentalCare.com “. She was kind enough to answer some commonquestions about implants: COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT ISA DENTAL IMPLANT AND WHY IT IS ABETTER OPTION THAN BRIDGES ANDDENTURES?Dr .Hanookai: Good question. Because today’sdental implants are changing the way people live!With implants, people are rediscovering theconfidence to smile, eat, speak, laugh and enjoylife in comfort. Dental implants are designed toprovide a foundation for replacement teeth thatlook, feel and function like natural teeth. A personwith dental implants regains the ability to eat

Dr. Michael Abaian began a career in Engineering with adegree from Cal State Los Angeles. This unleashed his lovefor structure and perfection. But he returned to Cal State LosAngeles to take up a B.S. in Biology, maintaining a highposition on the Dean’s List, and continued to complete aDoctor of Dental Surgery degree from USC. Finally now anexperienced Los Angeles cosmetic dentist, he combines hislove for perfection, structure, and art into the smiles of veryhappy, more confident patients.

Before Gum Grafting

After Gum Grafting

BeforeGumGrafting

AfterGumGrafting

Dr. Delaram Hanookai is a Sherman Oaks’ Periodontistand Implantologist who has trained with the world’s mostprominent Implantologists. A USC Graduate and facultymember she recieved her Doctor of Dental Surgery degreein 1994, and her Masters of Science degree in CraniofacialBiology as well as an Advanced Periodontal and DentalImplants degree in 1998 both from USC. Dr. Hanookaialso graduated from the Misch Implant Institute, one of theworld’s most advanced training centers in dentalimplantology.

Advertorial

4312 Woodman Avenue #100, Sherman Oaks

By the SO SC ENC News Staff

3Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

4Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

ADDRESS: 11333 Moorpark Street. #139Studio City, CA 91602www.shermanoaksstudiocitynews.comPHONE: 818.982.5002 (advertising)E-MAIL:bigvalleypublications@gmail.comStaffPublisher / Editor : M. L. MarksAssociate Publisher: Jim Kaplanjimkaplan@mac.comAssociate Editor / Graphics / ProductionStephen Phenow sfp55@aol.comWebsite Manager: Brandan Scottmagictreeproductions@yahoo.com

The SC SO ENC NEWS is published monthly, anddelivered to 25,000 homes in Sherman Oaks, Stu-dio City, & Encino areas.Delivered by Great Western Adv. Dist. INC.Delivery problems? Call (213) 627-0539

From the Publisher

Contributors:Phil ShumanPaul KrekorianWendy GreuelGerald A. SilverEllen VukovichTamar GalatzanJon EpsteinVicki SternDon GrigwareAnna TerraJenny PlattMichael MannDonna TetreaultZoe ShpinerSam KaplanStephen Phenow

All Contents Copyright 2011 BVP llc All Rights Reserved.

Shuman At LargeBy Phil Shuman

LLC

TheCouncilmemberSpeaks...

By PaulKrekorian

Jerry & Me Jerry Brown is not like you and me. Thismuch we know. But what makes it even betteris that Governor Brown is also unlike anyother politician I’ve ever covered. He sayswhat he thinks without spin, embellishment,advisors, notes, hesitation, or concern. Forthat reason alone we should love him. Atthe age of 73, he has the attitude that Iobserved in people like Bill Bratton or PhilJackson, which is, quite simply, I’m doingthis job because I want to, I don’t need theaggravation, if you don’t like what I’m doing,fine, go get someone else. That’s an attitudethat comes with confidence and success.Brown’s definition of success is of courseopen to interpretation, but on his second goround as California Governor, after years asMayor of Oakland and Attorney General, hecertainly would consider himselfaccomplished. As he embarks on public relations and mediacampaign to sell his package of tax hikes, anincrease in the sales tax, and further cuts toclose a 9 billion dollar budget shortfall, he’sa bit more accessible than usual, and as areporter that would qualify as fun. After hisState of the State in early January in themorning in Sacramento, he flew to LosAngeles to talk to the City Council, wherethey were for the most part predictablyfawning, then went to a Burbank elementaryschool to talk to teachers and administratorsabout the (additional) cuts public educationwould face if voters didn’t ok his tax plan. Of course the official signature gatheringcampaign hasn’t even begun and so this planhas therefore not even begun to quality fora fall ballot initiative, but that seems besidethe point. After he spoke to teachers forabout an hour in a closed session, whichmeant to the media (uncharacteristic), hecame out and agreed on the spot to face thecameras and microphones for about 20minutes, just him with his wife and a coupleof aides in the background. I asked him if hestill was glad he got elected to this job, andhe said, “Well, I don’t like talking to you.”Thank you. I doubt he even knows who Iam, though I’ve been on TV in Los Angelessince 1983, but that’s OK I don’t see him asa big news watcher. I then questioned thewisdom of supporting the soon to be 100billion dollar high speed rail plan and heaccused me of “small minded thinking.” OK,we were two for two. That’s how the backand forth goes with Jerry Brown. He’soptimistic... he’s forward thinking.(Remember, the Governor Moonbeamnickname that many used so derisively wasfor the 1970’s era “outlandish” notion ofCalifornia launching it’s own space satellite!)

His basic response to questions about thestate budget deficit, water shortage, pensionperils, threats to public education, the powerof the unions etcetera is , “Hey, sure, we’vegot problems, but we’ll fix them. This is stillthe Golden State.” He told a group of reporters in Irvine themorning after the Burbank visit “the onlystrategy we have in my line of work is talk...and I’ll talk as effectively as I can becausethe stakes are so very high. We’re talkingabout kids, schools, colleges anduniversities. This is very serious andCalifornia only moves forward if we investin learning and that temporary tax will dothat. If they all go down it won’t helpanybody.” He was back in Los Angeles again a weeklater speaking to a glittering gathering ofmovers and shakers from the businesscommunity in the Diamond Ballroom of theJW Marriott at LA Live for the LA Chamberof Commerce annual inaugural dinner. It wasa big deal. Speaking without notes again hetalked for about 15 minutes about how we’reon the verge of a big comeback and how heneeds their help. “This is a call to action” hetold the crowd again with the “This is stillthe Golden State, the Land of Dreams. …People still want to come here…” When he says it, you know he believes it,and you want to believe it too, even if it’s alittle over-simplified. In the back of the hugeballroom I chatted with one of his 3 mainpress aides, who let me and the otherreporters know well in advance that theGovernor would give us a few minutes for Q& A in the hallway once his speech was overbut then he had to go catch a flight back toSacramento. The aide, by the way, wasstaying over in Southern California at hissister’s house to save the state money.Seriously. This is part of the Governor’s deal.When he was in Los Angeles the day afterthe State of the Union he stayed at his longtime confidant Tom Quinn’s house. The manis nothing if not frugal. Consistently frugal.Do I have to remind you about all the presshe got, again in his first go round in the 70’sabout his State vehicle being a powder blue1974 Plymouth Satellite, 150 hp, 318 cu. in.V8 with a list price $3,342? Frugal and clever, this Governor. What he’sbasically doing now is setting up a choicefor the voters that can be boiled down tothis; we pay a little bit more and our schoolswill benefit. Don’t pay any more and theEducation system, and possibly the statewill crumble into the Pacific. Given thatchoice, who can say no to paying a half cent

Cont. Pg. 15

The 21-member Redistricting Commission,charged with drawing new votingboundaries for the city’s council districts,submitted its proposed maps for publicconsideration recently. The maps followthe commission’s receipt of testimony andinput from Los Angeles residents duringmonths of public hearings held across thecity, and in every council district. Hundredsof public commenters – myself included -provided feedback at the meetings, as wellas by phone, email and letters to thecommission. Based on the current drafts,Council District 2 would swing south andeast, based mostly on the 14 other councildistricts and a shifting population ofmillions of Angelenos. The proposed mapof CD2 includes the entire communities ofStudio City, Valley Glen, North Hollywood,Toluca Lake and most of Valley Village. Thedraft map would leave the district withoutthe north Valley communities of Sunland,Tujunga, Shadow Hills, Sun Valley and LakeView Terrace. I have great affection andconcern for every block of my district, butpopulation increases require that CouncilDistrict 2 shrink. Under any scenario, I willbe required to give up some neighborhoodsthat I care about very much. The Citizen’sCommission still has more work to do andmore public input will be required beforethe proposal is even considered by the CityCouncil. Regardless of how the politicallines are ultimately drawn, I will alwaysstand with the residents from throughoutthe Foothills and the rest of the SanFernando Valley to fight for issues importantto us, including protecting open space,preserving community character and qualityof life, creating jobs and opportunity, andmaking our community stronger. CD2 nowincludes portions of 11 differentcommunities and only two are entirely withinthe district - all of the other communitiesare arbitrarily divided by the currentpolitical boundaries of the district. One ofthe clearest sentiments expressed duringpublic comment was the strong desire bystakeholders to unite communities that hadbeen arbitrarily divided. The proposed mapfor CD2 would unite four significantcommunities.The city’s second council district firstincluded parts of the San Fernando Valleyin 1944, when CD2 was extended north fromHollywood to include Studio City. In 1955,the district boundaries changed to includea chunk of the Valley generally southVentura Boulevard and parts of Encino.In the 60’s and 70’s, the second districtboundaries moved north and west, losingHollywood and including more of theValley, including Sherman Oaks, Van Nuysand North Hollywood.After the death of Councilmember HowardFinn in 1986, the First District that herepresented moved from the northeastValley to neighborhoods near Downtown,and Districts 2 and 7 took over greaterportions of his former region.In 2001, CD2 was gerrymandered to include

Cont.Next Pg.

It’s all about Encino this month! We receivedgreat feedback from new readers andcontributors when we increased Encinodistribution last year. This month we are againexpanding our distribution in Encino to Lindleyon the west and Oxnard on the north.

Encino resident Zoe Shpiner reports on localteens making a difference giving back to themen and women who put themselves inharm’s way so we can live in Paradise. Herstory about Operation Mend shows insightbeyond her sixteen years.

Welcome to new contributor, Ron Sarchian, afitness professional and four Time GuinnessBook World Record Holder. Sarchian, a Tarzanaresident who trains in Encino, lets us knowhis favorite restaurants between the gym andhome that serve tasty but healthy low carbmeals to enhance anyone’s training regimen.

Longtime Encino resident Randy Parkerreports on his successful effort to bring youthLacrosse to the Valley, the first games start inMarch.

But fear not the rest of the valley, we includedstuff for you. Read the columns of citycouncilmembers Krekorian and Koretz fornews about the proposed new redistrictingboundaries, or attend the public hearing onFebruary 9 at Walter Reed Middle School inStudio City.

Our intrepid city controller Wendy Greuelproves she is a worthy successor to LauraChick by sharing the results of her latest audit,as she continues her quest for transparencyin our convoluted city government.

February, what an eventful month with theSuper Bowl and Ground Hog, Valentines andPresidents’ Days. Six more months of winteris a lot colder somewhere else.

5Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

By Ellen VukovichFrom the Desk of SOHABy Gerald A.

Silver

Cont. Pg 15

PrPrPrPrProject to Improject to Improject to Improject to Improject to Improoooovvvvve LA Rie LA Rie LA Rie LA Rie LA Rivvvvvererererer

Cont. Pg. 14

SOHA began the New Year back at work onissues which have significant importance toour Sherman Oaks quality of life. As usual,there is plenty to keep our Board of Direc-tors busy. Marshall Long, who chairs ourLand Use Committee, continues to monitorthe Il Vilaggio Toscano (IVT) apartment andretail project planned for the large vacant lotat the corner of Camarillo and Sepulveda -adjacent to the 101/405 freeway intersec-tions. Proposed is one of the largest projectsin the East San Fernando Valley - 500 units,supermarket sized retail spaces, and over1,400 parking spaces. The developer is seek-ing relief from many building and zoningcodes - including the Ventura BoulevardSpecific Plan. For reasons we can only sur-mise, the developer, M. David Paul, has re-fused to disclose plans to the Associationeven though his representatives have metwith other community groups. Fortunately,Councilmember Paul Krekorian, who willhave the final word on the project, told Paulhe must meet with SOHA, and he reiteratedhis position when he spoke at our Januarycommunity meeting. Meanwhile, oppositionis mounting. Interested in learning aboutand/or opposing this massive and trafficcongesting project? Contactstopilvillagio@sbc.global.net orsoha914@gmail.com. Bob Anderson wears a few hats for theBoard - working on the 1-405 WideningProject and helicopter noise and safety is-sues. When pile driving begins on both sidesof Sepulveda Boulevard, under the freeway

near Valley Vista, one lane on each side ofSepulveda Boulevard will be closed formonths. He advises to check for road clo-sures on the Metro I-405 website:www.metro.net.projects/I-405. In mid-January, Congressman HowardBerman hosted a meeting with local commu-nity leaders, the FAA, Helicopter Pilots As-sociations, and media representatives. Theymet to see if it is feasible to create a set ofvoluntary restrictions on low-flying hover-ing non-emergency helicopters. Working withSOHA President Richard Close, Berman hasintroduced a bill to control this problem. InAnderson’s report to the Board, it was clearthat there might not be a meeting of minds,yet they remain hopeful a resolution can befound. Board Member Elke Heitmeyer, who chairsour Deervale Committee, reported at the Janu-ary meeting that they are considering retain-ing an attorney to explore legal options aboutthe illegally built 7 foot tall privacy wall builton City property that was discussed in lastmonth’s column. No doubt you have heard that maps redraw-ing the 15 City Council Districts are under-way, and will be released by the time this col-umn has gone to press. The Board is workingwith the Commission charged with this po-litically onerous task with the hope thatSherman Oaks will become one communityof interest represented by oneCouncilmember, instead of two. Some believe

The Los Angeles City Planning Commissionis considering a new City ordinance thatwould establish the Los Angeles River Im-provement Overlay District. This would ap-ply to all properties located within approxi-mately 2500 feet of the Los Angeles River. Itwould establish the LA River ImprovementOverlay (LA-RIO) and LA River DesignGuidelines, and implement a SupplementalUse District. The LA-RIO establishes the areain which projects will need to comply withbasic RIO standards, and the River Guide-lines establish guidelines that discretionaryprojects will need to comply with.The proposed ordinance defines a project as“the erection, construction, addition to, orexterior structural alteration of any buildingor structure located within the River Improve-ment District.” A Project includes construc-tion work consisting of remodeling, interiorrehabilitation work or repair work, alterationsof, including structural repairs, or additionsto, any existing building in which the aggre-gate value of the work, in any one 24-monthperiod, exceeds more than fifty percent ofthe building’s replacement cost before thealterations or additions.This proposed ordinance will have severenegative impacts on business and residen-tial properties located in Encino, ShermanOaks and Studio City as far south as VenturaBlvd. The ordinance mandates onerous de-sign regulations concerning landscaping,screening, river access, and exterior site light-ing that will apply to new or remodeled

Bad fBad fBad fBad fBad for Our or Our or Our or Our or Our VVVVValleallealleallealleyyyyyprojects within an established river corri-dor. This will impose severe economic bur-dens on affected properties and is a furtherintrusion of the heavy hand of City govern-ment on residents. The project will forcespecific requirements on economically bur-dened residents and businesses, such asproviding native habitat, requiring newlandscaping with local species and provid-ing unwanted facilities for pedestrians,skateboarders and bicyclists near resi-dences, not to mention building design, set-back and orientation requirements.Planners must understand that the LA Riveris not a river. Since the early days of the SanFernando Valley the “river” was simply adrainage channel for rain water run-off. It ismistaken to believe that the water flowingdown the LA. River is pristine run off fromhigh-mountain springs. The water that flowsdown the “river” is simply 60 million gal-lons per day of treated sewage effluent fromthe Tillman sewage plant, and run-off fromcity streets. The LA River is unlike the RiverWalk in San Antonio, Texas. During heavyrains, the LA “river” becomes a massiveflowing flood control channel that is incom-patible with any adjacent recreational us-age.The addition of recreational uses near the“river” will create noise, pedestrian intru-sions, traffic and unwanted building andlandscaping restrictions on nearby propertyowners. It is unwise to convert the LA River

its current communities of Sunland, Tujunga,Shadow Hills, La Tuna Canyon, Sun Valley,North Hollywood, Lake View Terrace, ValleyVillage, Studio City and Van Nuys.Publichearings of the Commission will continuethrough February in anticipation of adoptinga series of newly drawn maps by March 1.The City Council is required to adopt theredistricting ordinance by July 1 and the newcouncil districts become effective uponadoption of the ordinance describing thosedistricts.

Lacrosse has been the fastest-growingsport in the country for several years, andparticipation in Southern California has sky-rocketed, with more than 250 high schoolsplaying the sport, including 80 in the LosAngeles area. Locally, lacrosse is played inthe San Fernando Valley at Birmingham,Chaminade, Crespi, and Granada Hills highschools, and at the area’s newest school,the Valley Academy of Arts & Sciences (akaValley regional #4). But up until now, there has been noorganized league for San Fernando Valleyyouth wanting to play lacrosse. My kidshave played for several years and really lovethe sport but we’ve had to travel to theWest Side to play. We thought it was timeto bring lacrosse to the kids of the SanFernando Valley and give them a chance toplay this great sport.. Enter the San Fernando Valley LacrosseLeague (SFVLL). The SVFL with my helphas just formed and is now holding clinicsto introduce local boys and girls in 3rd –8thgrades to the sport, leading up to theinaugural season this Spring. Althoughnewly formed, the SFVLL is an offshoot ofan established youth lacrosse program – theLos Angeles Lacrosse League (LALL) whichboasts more than a thousand boys and girlsplaying in chapters in Pasadena, PacificPalisades, Malibu, and Whittier. Lacrosse is known as the first Americansport, since it originated with NativeAmerican tribes hundreds of years ago. Themodern version has grown because parentsand kids alike enjoy the fast-paced play with

Youth Lacrosse Arrives in the San Fernando Valleyend-to-end action and frequent scoring. Practices and clinics will be held thoughout February, with the first games in March.All are welcome, especially beginners.Anyone wanting information about youthlacrosse, can visit the league’s web site atwww.sfvlacrosse.org.

Paul Krekorian (cont)

Councilmember Paul Krekorian represents L.A.’s Second CityCouncil District . His website iscd2.lacity.org and you canfind him on Facebook and Twitter (@PaulKrekorian).

By Randy Parker

6Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

By Tamar Galatzan

What Counts As Needy?

The Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News welcomesyour letters. Letters to the Editor should be no morethan 300 words, although the News reserves the rightto make exceptions to this policy. Hand written lettersare acceptable only if they are legible. Letters mustcontain the writer’s telephone number and address forverification purposes only.The Studio City ShermanOaks Encino News reserves the right to accept, rejector edit letters and other editorial material. The Newsdoes not return letters, photos or other editorial sub-missions.

Editorial SubmissionsThe Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News welcomesarticles. Editorial material of 500 words or less maybe mailed to Big Valley Publications, 263 West OliveAve Suite 305, Burbank CA 91505 or emailed tobigvalleypublications@gmail.com. Deadline is secondweek of the month.

Letters to the Editor

Tamar Galatzan represents more than 100 Valleyschools on the Los Angeles Unified Board of Edu-cation.

Seeking ARRA OversightBy WendyGreuel

Wendy Greuel is the Los Angeles City Controller.

Through my career I have always believedthat having transparency is crucial toensuring accountability in government. Mylatest audit shed some light on what’s beenhappening with the City’s competitiveAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act(ARRA) funding opportunities and theresults are alarming. The City failed to pursueall eligible competitive funding grants,causing Los Angeles to miss out onhundreds of millions of dollars. Specifically, of the $1.3 billion in ARRAgrants that Los Angeles sought through 88competitive applications, the City was onlyawarded 24 grants, totaling $261 million. Myin-depth review of the City’s processes forapplying for and receiving competitiveARRA grants also found that the lack of aneffective centralized oversight unit tocoordinate grant applications among theCity’s departments led to various oversightsand ultimately reduced Los Angeles’ shareof competitive grant funding. It’s unfortunate. Our City’s departmentswork hard to secure all the funding they canfor Angelenos, but the City’s decentralizedapproach meant we missed out on someimportant opportunities. We all know thatwhen we’re going to apply for a job that youdo not just stop calling after the interview,you keep following up until you land thejob. We need a central unit that makes surethat Los Angeles is always persistent whenit comes to competitive grant opportunities. My audit also revealed that some Citydepartments do not have comprehensiveprocedures for grant administration. SinceLos Angeles has no formal citywide

guidelines, the quality of grant applicationsvaried significantly between Citydepartments. Some, like the HousingDepartment, have formalized processes andmanuals for grant application processes, butmany, including LAPD, LAFD and the CityAttorney’s Office, rely on just one or twoemployees to handle grant applications,often in parallel with their other duties. My audit also found that the City’s processcould be extremely slow; whereas theturnaround for receiving and accepting agrant awarded to the City is typicallyexpected to be 5-6 weeks, most ARRA grantswere not accepted by City Council until fivemonths after they were awarded. In particular,one police-training grant was awarded inSeptember 2008, but not finally approved byCouncil until June of 2010. In these difficulteconomic times, it is crucial for the City topool resources and expertise betweendepartments to streamline grant approvalsand get the funding in the pipeline. As a result, I am urging the City Council toestablish and empower a CentralizedOversight Unit to make sure that the Citydoes not miss out on accessible federalsupport and to help ensure that Los Angelesreceives its fair share of federal funds.

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In December, the Los Angeles Board ofEducation voted 6-1 to raise the thresholdfor what qualifies as a Title I school from 40to 50% of the student body. I was the lonedissenting vote, and I am outraged and de-moralized. This may sound like bureaucratic schooldistrict lingo, so let me translate: the schoolboard voted that in order to qualify for fed-eral Title I funds, at least half the studentsat a given school must qualify for free andreduced lunch. In other words, if 48% ofyour student body lives in poverty, you getno Title I money, but if 50% lives in poverty,you do. The effect will be immediate anddevastating; schools that lose Title I fundswill lose hundreds of thousands of dollars.And in today’s already dire financial climate,that can spell the difference between a func-tioning school and a failing one. A total of 23 schools across the district willlose Title I funding as a result of this deci-sion; 8 of them—or one third—are in theSan Fernando Valley. That money will bediverted to schools where at least 75% ofstudents are impoverished. Principal Deborah Hirsch at Dearborn El-ementary School—a California Distin-guished School with a student body that is46.86% and an API score of over 800--saidher school gets an additional $110,000 infunds annually from Title I dollars. “The district is taking away the money, butwe still have all the kids who need thoseresources,” Hirsch said. At Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Stud-ies, 49.07% of the student body is Title I.

SOCES is six students short of meeting thethreshold. There is a stigma to signing upfor free and reduced lunch, and paperwork ishard to collect. But had the school knownwhat was coming, they would have triedharder. That error will now cost them hun-dreds of thousands of dollars—or eightteachers. Why should a poor student who attends aschool that is 42% Title I not have access tointervention services, tutoring or after schoolprograms, while a student who lives a fewblocks away and attends a school that is 51%Title I can receive all of that? Is that equi-table? Are we telling students they shouldgo to poorer schools to get better services,tutoring and technology? Parents, teachers and principals from acrossthe district have reached out to me askingwhat to do. Last week, district staff fromLocal District I and the LAUSD Charter Of-fice met with 24 principals to talk about go-ing affiliated charter. Principal DeborahHirsch is not optomistic at this time. “Itdoesn’t look like there is any other option,”

ENCINO/SHERMAN OAKS - Not all realestate agents are the same. If you decideto seek the help of an agent when sellingor buying your home, you need somegood information before you make anymoves. Choosing a real estate agent isone of those critical issues that can costor save you thousands of dollars. In thisFREE special report, we give you thespecific questions you should be askingto ensure that you get the bestrepresentation for your needs. Before you

hire any real estate agent, call and get acopy of a FREE Report entitled “10questions to Ask Before You Hire anAgent”.To order a FREE Special Report,visitwww.homesellersbeware.info or tohear a brief recorded message about howto order your FREE copy of this report calltoll-free 1-800-304-4024 and enter 1006.You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7days a week. Get your free special reportNOW to find out the questions the otherswould prefer you never ask!

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Help Your Child Catch-Up, KeepUp, and Get Ahead!Professional and Personal In-Home Tutoring Math, Test Prep,Physics, and moreRichard Malecki 818.780.2412

Get involved in your local community. The Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News Writersseeks writers to report on local events, news, politics, and restaurants for our monthly newspa-per. Some writing experience preferred. Send writing samples to bigvalleypublications@gmail.com

Freelance Writers Wanted

7Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

Real Estate Corner by Matt Epstein

Matt Epstein of Prudential Realty is considered the expertfor real estate sales in the South/East San Fernando Valley.Any questions or comments please contact somatt@aol.comor (818) 789-7408.

The View from CD5 By PaulKoretz

CD 5 Councilmember Paul Koretz can be reached atpaul.koretz@lacity.org,

Advertorial

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3. If your elder loved one is a doglover and weather permits, howabout heading over to the local dogpark to watch the canines play? Thisis a great way to meet other animal

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Before you start your remodel or move intoyour new home you should consider all ofyour options on your current as well as yourfuture electronic needs. Today’s consumersare more electronically connected than everbefore and advance planning can save youa lot of money, time and headaches. Advanceplanning will make you a lot happier in yournew home. It might seem expensive today,but it is money well spent and oftentimesneeds to eventually be done, and the costswill be higher if you don’t plan in advance. First, figure out what your currentelectronic needs are: These needs shouldinclude, telephone, music, TV, satellite orcable supplier, any special lighting needs,security systems, computer, Wi-Fi andanything else on your electronics list. Then try to determine what your futureneeds might be. If you are planning to havekids….where will the baby monitors go? Talkto your contractor. If you’re installing asecurity system but not the cameras now dueto the cost….plan now where the cameraswould go when the time is right to installthem so that you don’t find yourself havingto tear down some walls. This pre-planningnow will help you to avoid problems later,and save you a lot of money. All of this advance work regarding yourtechnology needs can make your life easierand cost you less in the long run. See whatyou can afford to do now, then what you willwait on to do later. Just know that when thelater comes you have a plan that has alreadybeen worked out. Figure out which roomsyou will want each of these devices to workin, and then look at the existing rooms and

Planning for your New Home’s Technology Needsdetermine if you will needadditional outlets or pre-wiring. Once you have determined your existingneeds, create a written list and then review itto make sure that you have not overlookedanything. Create a list of different vendorsor contractors that you will require to satisfyyour needs. By giving these vendors yourdetailed written list, the contractors willunderstand that you are organized andhopefully they will be able to give you amore precise bid for your needs. After you have met with your vendors andreviewed your bids, ask them if there isanything else that you are forgetting ormissing. These people are dealing with thesedifferent areas on a daily basis, and may haveinsight into some things that you haven’teven thought of yet. You should now be ready to have yoursystems installed so that once you move intoyour new place you will be able to work moreeasily with all that is in place for you thatwill make your life easier. Have fun getting yourself plugged intotoday and tomorrow’s technology. It’s adifferent world out there today, and the daysof allowing that green flashing clockpulsating 12:00 over and over and over againon your VCR are gone. Embrace today’stechnology and plan ahead. Your life cantruly be easier and just maybe you won’thave any of those unsightly wires hangingout all over your place anymore.

Every ten years, the City of Los Angelesgoes through a mandated redistrictingprocess — one that by law must take intoaccount demographic changes, and thatoften significantly reconfigures theboundary lines of City Council districts. The process inevitably involves a dizzyingseries of competing proposals. When thefinal maps are approved, Councilmembersmay end up representing a vastly differentarray of communities than before, andresidents – without moving homes — maynow be located in totally new councildistricts. Currently, one major issue involves whetherthe number of Councilmembers representingat least portions of the Valley will be reduced,in order to create one more District that islargely contained within the Valley. AnyCouncil District that represents parts of theValley and the other side of the hill, my 5thDistrict included, therefore faces potentialsignificant change. When I’m asked what I think, I say quitetruthfully that I’m humble and proud torepresent any Los Angeles community andconstituent. That said, I also tell people loudand clear how much I enjoy the areas I’vebeen representing, and that the communitiesand people of the San Fernando Valley areamazing! I’m incredibly inspired by thedetermined involvement and civiccommitment demonstrated by Valleyresidents every day. Whether it’s communitycleanups in neighborhood afterneighborhood, successfully mitigating theaesthetic travesty that the Gold Mountain

development threatened to be, closing downthe “Mermaids” source of nuisance orprotecting our hillsides, we’ve partneredagain and again with tremendous success. One great example is what is happening,right now, regarding Los Encinos StateHistoric Park, which has faced closure dueto the state funding crisis. It would bedevastating to lose this remarkable culturaland recreation resource, which is why it isso important that the community hasstepped forward to work with State SenatorFran Pavley and me to help ensure that wedo everything in our power to craftlegislation and raise funds to keep the parkopen. I’m delighted that an anonymous donorhas already stepped forward to get us a longway towards our goal, but there’s still muchto be done.

8Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

by Ron SarchianFinding a Healthy Meal in Encino/Tarzana

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Ron Sarchian is a fitness professional who has a background as aprofessional stuntman, an endurance cyclist and is also a 4 time GuinnessBook World Record Holder. Ron has also worked in the film industry,on the radio and enjoys freelance reporting and writing.Sarchianfitness.com Roadbikebootcamp.com

Living in Tarzana and working in Encino, Itend to frequent local restaurants andusually with a very limited amount of time todo it. Even those of us who work in thefitness industry are faced with a dailydecision of what to eat and often where toeat. My daily meals are planned, on mostdays, but I also like to get out there andexperiment with food from some of the localeateries. Eating a clean, healthy meal isbecoming much easier to do, as most localrestaurants offer some sort of a low-carb orlow-calorie menu. Most of these specialtymenus are well thought out by therestaurant’s chef and or manager, due to theconstant requests of patrons. However,portion control of each dish may still fall intothe customers lap. Eating a healthy meal really depends onwhat your definition of “healthy” means.Some people may consider a dish healthy ifthere is a piece of some green, leafy vegetablehanging out of it. I tend to be more specificwith what I consider to be healthy. I believethat with anything, including food andmeals, you must aim for balance andmoderation. The average restaurant meal comes inbetween 1200 to 1500 calories. Most peopleassociate going out to eat with relaxing andwhen we relax we tend to eat and drink more.This means, the more relaxed you are withyour family or friends at breakfast, lunch ordinner, the more you will stuff your face. Sadbut usually very true. To keep your eating experience healthy,enjoyable and fulfilling, keep these simplethoughts in mind:1.) Always ask for the healthy meals menuwhich may also be termed as the low-carb

menu or the low-calorie menu. These menu’swill usually do most of the thinking for youbut you should almost always try keep thefat and carb content low and the proteincontent on the high side.2.) Keep it interesting by trying somethingnew. Be adventurous with variety but staywithin your healthy guidelines, especiallywith portion size.3.) Try not to eat too much of one thing nomatter how great it tastes. The key to livinga healthy lifestyle is moderation. Keepportion sizes in mind and realize that youcan even eat dessert if it’s in moderation.4.) When eating healthy, slow down andsavor the flavor. Really enjoy the taste ofyour food.5.) Don’t eat until you’re full, eat until youfeel satisfied and take the rest home asleftovers for a later meal. Here in Encino and Tarzana, we really dohave some great restaurants where you canget some tasty, enjoyable food. At the riskof missing a few of these places I am goingto mention just a few of my favorites. TheStand is a great place to go if you’re limitedon time and are looking for a quick healthymeal. They offer everything fromhamburgers/turkey burgers and hot dogs/turkey dogs to some great salads and almosteverything in between. The Coral Tree Café has a great menu witha large selection of healthy and organicmeals. Aroma has a great internationalselection of healthy foods on their menu aswell as a delicious bakery inside therestaurant. A few others that I often visit areCalifornia Pizza Kitchen, Off the Hook,

Chili’s, Kushiyu and my favorite beingBleecker Street Bar and Grill. All of theserestaurants offer some form of carry outservice and a several also offer deliveryservice. Bleecker Street Bar and Grill has been inTarzana for over a year now and they offer adeliciously, healthy menu along with a verycomfortable environment in which to relaxand enjoy a meal. One of my favorite thingsto get is the thin crust, New York style pizzawhich is incredible. These pizzas are madewith the freshest ingredients and you canalways tweak your order to suit yourindividual taste. A few of the other healthyselections on the menu include the OrientalChicken Salad for lunch and the Ahi TunaSteak and Farmers Market Chopped Saladfor dinner. This place is a gem and they alsohave a great wine bar with very personableservers and bartenders. If you do visit thebar make sure that you say hello to Jerry.Enjoy !

Stay healthy !!!Ron SarchianRestaurant locations mentioned in the article:

The Stand17000 Ventura Blvd.Encino,91316(818) 788-2700

Off the Hook (Laemmle Center)17200 Ventura Blvd.Encino, 91316(818) 981-4665

Chili’s17240 Ventura BlvdEncino, 91316(818) 906-8469 .

Coral Tree Café17499 Ventura Blvd.Encino, 91316(818) 789-8733

Aroma18047 Ventura Blvd.Encino, 91316(818) 757-0477

Kushiyu18713 Ventura Blvd.Tarzana, CA 91356(818) 609-9050

Bleecker St. Bar & Grill5442 Yolanda Ave.Tarzana, 91356(818) 996-3008

California Pizza Kitchen18800 Ventura Blvd.Tarzana, 91356(818) 345-9925

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef or turkey

1 (28 ounce) can crushedtomatoes

2 (15.5 ounce) can of kidneybeans

1 (15.5 ounce) black beans orpinto beans

1 (15.5 ounce) chili beans

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Whether tailgating or hosting an at homeSuper Bowl party, a Chili Bar is your easymenu-on-a budget! Start with a pot of heartychili. Next, assemble toppings for each guestto personalize their bowls. You can includecorn chips, shredded cheddar cheese, sourcream, sliced avocado, fresh choppedcilantro, chopped red onion and top it withyour favorite hot sauce. Chili Bar is a new,casual entertaining trend that is guaranteedto please your pocket book and your guestswhile watching the big game!

2 to 3 tablespoons ground cumin

chili powder to taste(approximately 1 to 2tablespoons)

salt to taste

In a large pot on medium heat,brown onion and garlic for about 5minutes. Add meats, breakingapart into small pieces. When meatis cooked, add tomatoes and allbeans, with the juices. Do not drain.Add cumin, chili powder and saltto taste. Let cook on medium to lowfor about 45 minutes, stirringoccasionally. Top with favoritetoppings!

Buon appetito!

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9Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

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10Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

Holland

Vargas (C) with OTN at Skinnys

For years Studio City residents had to driveto Sherman Oaks or brave the Citywalk themepark to see a movie, now that is all changedbecause on December 21 a brand newLaemmle multiplex opened on LankershimBoulevard just north of Magnolia by theTelevision Academy. The Laemmle Theatresare a group of family run art house movietheatres owned and operated by RobertLaemmle and his son Greg. Robert Laemmle’sfather Max and Uncle Kurt, cousins ofUniversal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle,bought their first movie theater in HighlandPark in 1938. The Laemmle Theatres areknown for screening films that are on apathway to the Oscars, acclaimed foreignfare and indie gems that become breakouthits, as well as more high profile films. Thebrand spanking new digital NoHo 7 isreceiving rave reviews for its comfy seats,crystal clear picture and sound, healthysnacks that include gourmet teas plus therequired good buttered popcorn. Thefriendly staff really seems to enjoy moviesand the ticket prices are reasonable. GregLaemmle told me the Valley has always beenan important part of the business with oneof the earliest Laemmle Theatres establishedin Encino, as well as the newer one in WestHills. Special screenings and discounts are

will be fun to revisit her playing one of themost romantic roles ever written for anactress. The grand opening festivities forthe NoHo 7 featured a screening of The IronLady as a benefit for the charitableorganization, LA Family Housing, to whichthe Laemmle Charitable Foundation wrote acheck for $10,000. Councilmember Tom LaBonge was on hand to present a certificateto the Laemmle family business that has beenwelcomed by the local community,especially movie lovers.

Sultry jazz vocalist Sony Holland made herStudio City debut Upstairs at Vitello’s lastmonth with a crack band, including guitarist/husband Jerry Holland, acclaimed pianistOtmaro Ruiz, and the rhythm section ofKendall Kay and David Hughes. Holland gother start playing at Fisherman’s Wharf inSan Francisco, which led to dates at jazzclubs across the country and several tours

Bentley on the Beat

Stew & the Negro Problem - “Making It”.

Just when it looked safe to head back intothe alternative waters, a furiously creativealbum like this shows up to remind us howwild rock can be. All bets are off as Stew andhis band mate/former lover Heidi Rodewaldturn their laser beams on that fracturedrelationship and the rest of life, making forwhat will easily be one of the best releasesof 2012. It’s well known how Mark “Stew” Stewart’splay “Passing Strange” won a Tony Award,and Spike Lee decided to turn it into a movie.

By Bill Bentley

Councilman Tom LaBonge, Greg Laemmle& Jay Reisbaum in front of NoHo 7.part of the Laemmle way of reaching out toloyal clientele, who go to the movies moreoften than the average moviegoer. ForValentine’s Day, the NoHo 7 will feature aspecial screening of Baz Lurhmann’s “Romeo& Juliet” starring Clare Danes and LeonardoDi Caprio for the low price of $7. Soundsvery romantic, we’ve recently been followingDanes in the hit series “Homeland” and it

Santana singer Andy Vargas made a surpriseappearance at Skinny’s in North Hollywood,heating up the room when he took the stageto jam with his old band mates from One TribeNation. Vargas sang lead on One TribeNation’s first album. OTN is working on anew Cd for a March release that will featurea song tribute to Occupy LA called It’s Time.

Around the SC: This weekend is the grandopening of an upscale gay nightclub calledRain in the spot that used to be Aura, inthe Times Square Shopping Center byChin Chin. Proprietors Maurice Safizadehand Mathieu McBee have upgraded thespace and sound and will feature a varietyof entertainment most nights. Thisweekend there will be DJs on Friday andSaturday night. On Sunday, Rain is hostingthe NBC Universal Super Bowl viewingparty and benefit for the film mentoringorganization Outset. Around the SO: VanDyke Parks speaking about his post-Smilework at Freakbeat Records in ShermanOaks.

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But after he became the toastof the Great White Way, Stewand his band the NegroProblem have jumped backinto the deep end to examinethe wounds and warfare of alove affair gone sour and howthe world can conspire to turndreams into nightmare, drugsinto despair and even skiinginto a combat sport. Thelessons learned creating a playhave worked their way intothese rock songs, adding adramatic scope that swingsfrom joyous to chilling in amatter of seconds. It’s close tomagic. You simply have to hear“Leave Believe,” “Curse,”“Speed” and “Treat Right” tocatch the total vibrancy ofwhat Stew and Rodewald have

captured. They’re on fire, two polarizedmagnets pushing each other into way deepwaters. When love goes this far south andisn’t coming back, there is nothing left to hide.Needless to say, not another pair on theplanet could have come up with anythingequal right now. There is no way to tell if aromantic breakup is worth tearing the soul intwo, but if getting an album like this is theresult at least we can share in that love and,yes, that misery. Richard and LindaThompson phone home.

Bill Bentley began writing about music over forty years agoand has no intention of ever stopping.

of Asia.She put down rootsin Los Angeles andhad a full house forher Studio Citydebut. Although thesound check wasthe first time thequartet had playedtogether, theplayers, Hollandgrooved like it wasold home week.Holland recentlyreleased a Cd,SanSouci, that isreceiving somekudos. Marks is a actor, singer & songwriter.

Photo: Terry Dudley

11Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

12Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

EXP 03/04/2012

EXP 03/04/2012

13Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

Valley Curtain Call By Don Grigware

FFFFFrrrrree ee ee ee ee Assessment ($149 Assessment ($149 Assessment ($149 Assessment ($149 Assessment ($149 VVVVValue)alue)alue)alue)alue)

On Sunday January 15 producers Michael Ster-ling and Tony Monsour presented the second weekof the annual six-week competition LA’s NextGreat Stage Star 2012, now in its sixth knockoutyear. Twenty contestants are competing for thetitle which will be announced at the end of thefinale on February 12.Four men from the world ofshow business in LA - record producer BruceKimmel, MTW’s director Steven Glaudini,Candlelight Dinner Theatre’s artistic director JohnLalonde and theatrical agent Steven Dry served asjudges on the 15th. Michael Sterling was the sterling host introduc-ing and speaking with each contestant and TanyaPossick choreographed a delightful opening num-ber “Together” from Gypsy featuring all twentycontestants. Musical director James Lent accom-panied brilliantly at the piano throughout the twoand a half hour set.Highlights of the afternoon - allsongs from 1940s - 70s Broadway - from the la-dies: Lauren Leigh Barker’s intriguing “Bewitched,Bothered and Bewildered” from Pal Joey, a sweet“Where Is Love?” from Oliver by Demaree Hill, Josie Yount’s unusual “You’re Not Alone”, Justine Huxley’s “What More Do I Need?” fromSondheim’s Saturday Nite and Katrina LaurenMcGraw’s amazing rendition of the showstopper“Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” from Showboat.From the men: a great “Luck Be a Lady” by DavidMichael Laffey, Scott Reardon’s terrific “Every-body Says Don’t” from Anyone Can Whistle,Harrison Meloeny’s beautiful “Never Never Land”from Peter Pan, Brett McMahon’s exquisite tenorwith “On the Street Where You Live” from MyFair Lady and Tyson Pyles’ delightful “She LovesMe”.The other ten contestants, with equally won-derful singing voices include: James Blashaw, Tay-

lor Courtney, Chelsea Emma Franko,Melody Goodell, Tyler Hodges,Monica Quinn, Tyler Shceef, CarrieSt. Louis, Adrienne Storrs and JessicaWithers.There’s tremendous talent here, andit is difficult to judge at the moment just who willwin, but it would not surprise me in the slightestif Katrina Lauren McGraw and Tyson Pyles makeit into the top five. Only time will tell, as thesaying goes. I look forward to returning for the finale on Feb-ruary 12 when the 20 contestants will be reducedto a group of five, from which the winner will bechosen.Stay tuned for the exciting results on Feb-ruary 12! On the Pasadena Playhouse stage catch the de-finitive rendition of Yasmina Reza’s Art throughFebruary 19! David Lee and a terrific cast bringout the human and inhuman touches to perfectionin this newest rendition of Art. And TomBuderwitz’s tremendously museum-like set de-sign of a multitude of modernistic empty can-vases does much to emphasize Reza’s themes.The overpowering set with the three actors in thecenter foreground shows how this is but one ex-ample of the effects of dehumanization withinthe giant macrocosm. In Carnage the vast set wasred, like blood, for carnage; here it is a shade ofgrey, more neutral, less severe, more pacifisticbut just as powerful. Streaks of grey are alsosprinkled on the white canvas purchased by Serge,lending it, at least through his eyes, a sense ofcolor. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, andstars Bradley Whitford, Roger Bart and MichaelO’Keefe work their magical art on Art. Don’t missit through February 19 only!See you in March!

14Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

RIDING LESSONS

Private - Group - Show Team

BirthdayBirthdayBirthdayBirthdayBirthdayPartiesPartiesPartiesPartiesParties

SATURDAY CAMP9am - 3pm

For More Information Call:

818.768.5470

LFIGGE@earthlink.netwww.lachildrensridingcenter.com:

Los Angeles Children’sRiding Center

9211 Del Arroyo Drive, Sun Valley

SilverCont. from pg 5

Cont.from Pg. 1

SOHACont. from pg 5

Ellen Vukovich is a SOHA Boardmember and aSherman Oaks Homeowner.

that our political power is stronger havingtwo instead of one Councilmember workingon local issues. However, we have found thatsome community interests can be neglectedwhen one of the Council Members defers tothe other - usually on land use issues. Moreto come next month. Missed last month’smeeting? Check out www.youtube.com/user/soha4ever. Membership information atsoha914.com.

Wednesday, February 15 - Community Meet-ing. Assembly member Michael Feuer willdiscuss pending legislation, the budget andmore. Will he run for City Attorney? Refresh-ments 6:15; speaker 7:15. Notre Dame HighSchool Cafeteria, Riverside and Woodman,free parking

Gerald A. Silver is President of Homeowners of Encino. Heserved on the Citizens Advisory Committee that helped craftthe Ventura Blvd. Specific Plan. He can be reached atgsilver4@earthlink.net.

from a concrete lined flood control channelto a riparian, recreational facility. The LA Rivermust maintain its full flood control capacityto prevent disastrous floods similar to thosethat occurred in the 1930s.The Planning Commission should not as-sume that the LA River project has been ad-equately vetted by the public because of thefew hearings and workshops that weresparcely attended. Unless there is extensivecommunity outreach, the imposition of theonerous new regulations will be met by mas-sive public opposition. The LA PlanningDepartment must engage in more extensiveoutreach to local residents, before any ordi-nances are considered. Any new ordinanceshould require the approval of a two-thirdsvote of the property owners living within theproposed overlay district.

marines died in the attack and 11 others wereinjured. In addition to the damage sustainedto his throat and lungs from smoke inhalation,Corporal Mankin suffered intense burns onover 25 percent of his body. His ears, noseand mouth were essentially gone and he losttwo fingers on his right hand. He was thentransferred to the Brook army medical centerto receive treatment for his burns, and wasthen sent to UCLA to undergo reconstructivesurgery. Fifty plus surgeries later, CorporalMankin now has active ears, a mouth, and anose. “I have been blessed in my involvementwith UCLA’s Operation Mend,” Mankin said. “The doctors, staff and families participat-ing in this trailblazing program will forever bemy heroes. Operation Mend is devoted to quiteliterally changing the very face of war. Our war-riors, the people we call heroes, deserve noth-ing less than the best their country has to of-fer in every sector of commerce.” The buddy families welcome their buddiesat the Tiverton House (where the veterans staywhile receiving medical attention from UCLA),bringing them food, or just a time to hang outand relax. They are also there to take them onsimple exertions around the area, if wanted, inbetween surgeries. The program is there tomake the veterans feel more comfortable dur-ing their stay here, and it gives the familiesopportunities to impact lives and brings thereality of war closer to home. “Through opera-tion mend, our own children’s eyes have beenopened to the reality of war. It’s very easy forall of us to live in Los Angeles and not feel atall connected to the wars we’re fighting, butthrough our work with Operation Mend, thewars have become real to us, and we under-stand the commitment our service membersmake protecting our country and its ideals. Weowe them so much and are honored to be partof their recovery” explains Dana Katz. Similarly to the buddy family program, teenshave the opportunity to interact with theseveterans one on one, through a teen buddyprogram. The teen buddy program incorpo-rates a pair of teenagers, over the age of 16, tomeet with the veterans and take them on dailyfield trips. Teens hear what it was like servingin the army, especially being wounded whilein service. Teens can also interact with the chil-dren of the veterans. A founder of the teenbuddy program and a participant in the buddyfamily program, Hailey Katz, has formed a deepconnection with one of the veterans since theage of 11..“One particular hero that stands outto me was the first in the program and withouta doubt, my favorite. Calling him my bigbrother is the best possible way to capture therelationship that I feel Aaron and I have. Hehas most definitely become a part of my familyand I am proud to be a part of his. “ I myself am a teen buddy, along with anotherfriend and it has been one of the most reward-ing experiences. We hold the chance to makesomeone’s day in a short period of time, withjust providing company and a friendly face totalk to. Operation Mend, the buddy family program,and the teen program have truly made a differ-ence in the lives of everyone involved. Wewill forever remember the services providedby the veterans who helped protect our na-tion and who risked their lives for us.

MendCont. from pg 1

Zoe Shpiner has always had a love of writing. She is anauthentic valley girl, a high school student born and raisedin Encino. She enjoys escaping to the Laemmle Theatres onweekdays to catch a new indie or foreign film and plans tocontinue her writing career.

Studio City. Suggested donation is $10.For tickets and further information callthe church office at 818-769-2511.

Monday February 13Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council.Meets second Monday of each month.6:30pm. Sherman Oaks ElementarySchool Auditorium. 14755 Greenleaf St.818-503-2399

Wednesday February 15Sherman Oaks HomeownersAssociation. The Meeting begins at 7:15p.m. with a Social Hour starting at 6:15p.m. The Meeting is held at Notre DameHigh School located at 13645 RiversideDr., Sherman Oaks. This month’s guestspeaker, Assemblyman Michael Feuer,discusses the state budget crisis andgoals for the 2012 legislature andanswers your questions. For info call818-377-4590

Studio City Neighborhood Council.Board of Directors meets the thirdWednesday of each month. CBS StudioCenter Annex 1 Meeting room. 4024Radford Ave. Studio City enter Gate Ato be directed to the meeting. 818-655-5400

Saturday, February 18Congressman Brad Sherman HostsSeminar on Refinancing, HomePurchasing & Foreclosure Prevention.All constituents are invited to attend.Topics include Pointers forHomebuyers. Refinancing Even withLow or No Equity. ForeclosureAvoidance. Free Personal Counselingfrom Experts.9:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m. Sherman Oaks/East Valley Adult Center, 5060 VanNuys Blvd. 91423 Free parking on sitein public lot on Hartsook Street and VanNuys Bl..

Wednesday February 22Encino Neighborhood Council GeneralCouncil Meeting the 4th Wednesday ofeach month at the Encino CommunityCenter: 7:00pm 4935 Balboa Blvd.Encino, CA 91316.Homeowners of Encino’s AnnualMeeting featuring CongressmanHoward Berman. Sponsored jointly bythe Homeowners of Encino, The EncinoNeighborhood Council (ENC) andEncino Property Owners Assn. (EPOA)Encino Woman’s Club. 4924 PasoRobles Ave.

Saturday February 25Friends of the Studio City BranchLibrary book sale the last Saturday ofevery month. 10am – 2pm. Please bringyour own bags or boxes for yourpurchases. We thank you and the earthdoes too. For info call 818-763-8668

OngoingFarmers Markets

Every SaturdayNorth Hollywood Arts District FarmersMarket. Every Saturday from 8am-2pm.5200 Bakman Ave Between Lankershimand Tujunga.

Every SundayEncino. ONEgeneration Encino FarmersMarket. Every Sunday from 8am – 1pm.17400 Victory Blvd. (between White Oakand Balboa) with plenty of convenientfree parking.

Studio City. Every Sunday from 8am to1pm the Studio City Farmers Market. OnVentura Place.

1st Saturday of the MonthTeen Knitting Program. Studio CityBranch Library – Knitting For Others.Teens are welcome to come togetherand knit scarves for those in need

Last Saturday of the MonthFriends of Studio City Branch Librarybook sale featuring paperbacks,hardcover’s, CD’s, videos, DVD’s etc.12511 Moorpark Street 10am-2pm.Tower Hematology Oncology CancerSupport Network, in collaboration withweSPARK Cancer Support Center, arehosting a Guided Imagery Group forcancer patients, family members andother caregivers. Participants will enjoya 90-minute guided imagery session thatwill help reduce stress and build copingskills during cancer treatment. Anexperienced facilitator from weSPARKwill lead the group on a journey thatenhances the body-mind connection. TheCenter for Radiation Therapy of BeverlyHills 9229 Wilshire Boulevard (http://rtbh.net/) The first and third Thursdaysof every month from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Forinfo call 310-205-9750Every TuesdayLIFE STORY WRITING CLASS -Record your special memories andfamily history as a precious gift toyourself and future generations. Nowriting experience is necessary andyou’ll learn step-by-step techniques forremembering, reflecting and writingabout your life clearly and vividly.Tuesdays, 1:15—4:15 p.m. andThursdays 1:15-3:15 at OneGenerationSenior Center, 18255 Victory Blvd.,Reseda 91335. Wednesdays, 2—4:30 pmat the Simon Wiesenthal Center Library& Archives 1399 South Roxbury Drive,Los Angeles, 90035. (818) 702-8693 orshelburne@aol.com

Ongoing Pet AdoptionsSave-A-Life Dog and Cat Adoptionevent every 1st and 3rd Sunday. 11am-4pm at Moorpark Park 12061 MoorparkAvenue SC corner of Laurel Canyon.

15Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

By Jon Epsteinage 15

iTeenIt’s All About Apple

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It’s hard to be a perfect mother. That’s whyI don’t even try. It’s too darn hard. I don’tski anymore for the same reason, that andbecause I finally realized I don’t have toactually ski to wear nifty ski clothes and stuffmyself with nachos by a big stone fireplace. I am not a bad mother. I’m just not perfect.I admit, I have been known to serve “In NOut” for dinner and forget the ketchup, soyou can’t even pretend you’ve had avegetable. I have, on occasion, said the “F”word in front of my child. And I have usedthat “bad word” as a noun, verb, adverb,adjective, pronoun, interjection, andprepositional phrase…all in the samesentence. I have tailgated. Which led to moreuse of “bad words.” See above. I have brought pet hamsters into a housefull of cats. ‘Nuff said. I have told a white lienow and then. For example, “What pimple?”and “Winning a ribbon’s just as good as amedal,” and “Who wouldn’t want a necklacemade out of cocoa puffs soaked in milk! I’llnever take it off!” I wish I were the June Cleaver of moms. Iwish I could take a wad of clay and atoothpick and make Fort Sumter. I wish Icould iron things without needing burn salve. I long to drive my son through thecountryside and identify all the foliage byname, instead of saying “Pretty sure they’retrees.” I also wish I could build a go-cart, throw a

perfect spiral, cut hair, shampoo a rug, pop awheelie, stain glass, and rap. But, let’s faceit, I can’t do any of those things. Well, Ibelieve I can rap, but apparently the dogs inthe neighborhood feel it’s not a comfortingsound. Despite what all the self help books wantme to think, that I need to be an “uber” parent,here’s the way I look at it: The world is flawed.The sooner he gets used to being aroundimperfection the better his future outlook willbe. So, really, I’m doing my son a big favor. Think I’ll order in some pizza to celebrate…

By Vicki SternWhite Sofas and OtherStupid Parenting Mistakes

Vicki Stern used to be funny when she was a writer/producerof sitcoms for TV. Now she’s a Mom and she’s not funnyanymore...just ask her kid.

Mathnasium, a learning and tutoringcenter where the focus is exclusively onmath, is now open in Sherman Oaks. Mathnasium of Sherman Oaks is ownedand managed by Zack Awad, who earnedhis engineering/master degree from thePolytechnique Institute in France. Aftermore than 7 years in the industrial world,he decided to follow his childhood dream

Sherman Oaks Welcomes Mathnasium Let me start out by saying, “I LOVEAPPLE”. Whether it is the new iPhone thenew Mac or the new iPod, I love it all. Andas Apple’s stock is reaching highs of $454 ashare in the stock market I have beenthinking to myself, why does Apple needso much money. What do they do with allof this money? What do they contribute ina charitable way to our society? Last week, Apple became the most valuablepublicly traded company in the world witha market value of 419 billion compared toExxon Mobil which has a market value of414 billion dollars. While its market value is419 billion, Apple holds 76 billion in cash,more than the US Treasury, which has 74billion. Times are changing under the controlof the new CEO Tim Cook but while SteveJobs was in charge, according towww.dealbook.com, there is no publicrecord of Jobs giving to any charity. Hardto believe. This source does say that thereis a theory that he gave an anonymousdonation of 150 million to a cancer center inCalifornia. While Apple gave iPods to fire victims in2008 and gives discounts to students andschools, all which spreads their brand more,they rarely donate money to charitableorganizations. I am in no way trying to saythat Steve Jobs was a bad man, just perhapsnot that charitable a man. I’m just showinghow he had not given that much from hiscompany, nor his personal accounts tocharity. The WSJ said CEO Tim Cook ofApple has promised to match anyemployee’s donation up to $10,000. Apple’s

charitable giving is gettingbetter than it was, but why doesa company need so much money in the bank?The thing is, they don’t. I agree that theyneed money to develop and build newproducts, but they also need to use a lot oftheir wealth to do charitable outreach. Firststarting locally with Cancer Run/Walks,beach cleans ups, food banks, and beginninga “Young Steve Jobs” program which wouldgives grants to brilliant and intuitive youngadults would be a great start. Then movingfrom locally bound community work theycould move nationally creating a “take a biteof the Apple” program which would be aprogram to help hunger and povertythroughout the US. And finally going globaltrying to fight AIDS, Malaria, and other killingdiseases. Like how almost all companies nowa days give to charities, Apple should get onthe boat and start giving a percentage of theirmoney to charity. Apple should take note fromBill Gates of Microsoft and be more generouswith Apple’s earnings. As consumers, wegive so much money to Apple for theiramazing and groundbreaking products, butwhy this idea about Apple not giving back isso important to me is because Apple doesnot help the world which supports them.These programs could help save lives whilealso giving a more charitable stance to thealready shiny Apple.

to teach math. With more than 12 years ofmath tutoring experience, a strong and solidmathematical background and a passion forteaching the subject all the way up to firstcollege years, he believes that theMathnasium Approach has the power tolastingly shape students’ critical reasoningand sharpen their problem solvingtechniques.“Give a man a fish and you feed him for aday. Teach a man to fish and you feed himfor a lifetime”. That’s what Mathnasium isall about. Mathnasium is a learning and tutoringcenter where the focus is exclusively onmath with a unique system designed toteach children a lifelong “number sense”that goes beyond rote exercises and short-term memorization.

Awad describes the three components of“number sense” as:*Counting*Wholes and parts*Proportional thinking It combines procedural knowledge withconceptual learning. Both are needed forsuccess in Math.Mathnasium of Sherman Oaks location is14452 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks(818)380-0169

shermanoaks@mathnasium.com.

ZackAwad

more sales tax and a little more income tax ifyou’re a high earner? Well, no one, butthat’s only one part of the question.Another, equally valid part of the questionhas to do with trust. How can we trust youto fix the problems you want to fix with thenew money we’ll give you? I know it’ssupposed to be written into the initiativethat most of the money has to be used for

K – 12 public education and communitycollege, but the rules of the game after oftenchange after it’s begun and a lot of peoplehave felt betrayed the past. We just takeJerry’s word for it that if we do what he saysit will work out? I’d ask him to explain howthat can happen but I’m afraid he’ll yell atme again and I’m very sensitive.Phil Shuman is a reporter and weekendanchor for Fox 11 NewsPhil.Shuman@foxtv.com @FoxphilonTwitter

ShumanCont. from pg 4

Questions? Comments? Contact me atjjoonnyy16@aim.com

16Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

It’s Academy Time!

Stephen Phenow has written about film and television for numerous pub-lications. He is currently in adapting a novel for the screen.

2/15/12Not to be combined with any other offer

Expires

Febuary 26th is the Academy Awards. Andonce again people around water coolers arediscussing who is going to win those goldenstatues. Here is more fodder for the discus-sion.Best Actor The Nominees:Demian Bichir, “A Better Life,” GeorgeClooney, “The Descendants,” Jean Dujardin,“The Artist,” Gary Oldman, “Tinker TailorSoldier Spy,” Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”Honorable Mention: Michael Fassbender,ShameWinner: George Clooney,” The Descendants”Longshot: Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”Comments: Clooney is still a star! But Pittwas better. Fassbender should be there.

Best Actress The Nominees:Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs,” Viola Davis,“The Help,” Rooney Mara, “The Girl WithThe Dragon Tattoo, “ Meryl Streep,” The IronLady,” Michelle Williams,” My Week WithMarilyn.”Honorable Mention: Tilda Swinton,“WeNeed To Talk About Kevin .”Winner: Viola Davis, “The Help”Longshot: Michelle Williams,” My WeekWith Marilyn.”Comments: Davis makes “The Help the greatfilm that is. Williams is radiant as MM in“My Week With Marilyn.” but the nod goesto Davis. Poor Swindon.

Best Supporting Actor The NomineesKenneth Branagh, “My Week With Marilyn”Jonah Hill, “Moneyball,” Nick Nolte, “War-rior” Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”MaxVon Sydow, “Extremely Loud and IncrediblyClose”Honorable Mention Albert Brooks, “Drive”Winner: Plummer, “Beginner”Longshot: Nolte “Warriors”Comments: Plummer’s performance elevates“Beginners” Nolte does the same but on theless seen “Warriors”

Supporting Actress The Nominees:Berenice Bejo, “The Artist,” JessicaChastain, “The Help,” Melissa McCarthy,“Bridesmaids,” Janet McTeer, “AlbertNobbs,” Octavia Spencer, “The Help.”Honorable Mention: Carey Mulligan,”Shame”Winner: Octavia Spencer, “The Help”Longshot: Bejo, “The Artist”Comments: Spencer assists Davis . The twomake “The Help” amazing. But the Acad-emy members like Bejo.

Best Director The Nominees:Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris,” MichelHazanavicius, “The Artist,” Terrence Malick,“The Tree of Life” Alexander Payne, “TheDescendants,” Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”Honorable Mention: Lynne Ramsay, “WeNeed To Talk About Kevin”Winner: Michel Hazanavicius,” The Artist”Longshot: Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”Comments: “The Artist” would not be inexistance without Hazanavicius, but Scorseseremains an Academy favorite.

Best Picture The Nominees:”The Artist,” “ The Descendants,” “Ex-tremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” “The

Help,” “Hugo,” “Midnight in Paris,”“Moneyball,” “The Tree of Life, “ “WarHorse”Honorable Mention: “Melancholia”Winner: “The Artist”Longshot: “The Descendents”Comments: While this year saw the return ofthe “old” Woody Allen picture, and the tri-umph of Malick, the odds on favorite re-mains “The Artist.” “The Artist” has severalthings going for it. First it was made in Hol-lywood, with so many films fleeing Califor-nia, that is an important statement. It cel-ebrates a bygone era that many Academymembers still remember as youths. Do notunderestimate the pull of “the good old days.”Finally it is a very good picture, and standsequally next to all the other nominees.

Best Original Screenplay The Nominees:Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris,” JCChandor, “Margin Call,” Asghar Farhadi, “ASeparation ,” Michel Hazanavicius, “TheArtist,” Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumulo,“Bridesmaids.”Honorable Mention: “Mike Mills, “Begin-ners”Winner: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris.”Longshot: Hazanavicius, “The Artist.”Comments: The Academy rewards Allen forreturning to us and for doing what he doesbest, but don’t count out “The Artist” theAcademy’s flavor of this year.

Best Adapted Screenplay The Nominees:George Clooney & Grant Heslov, “The Idesof March,” Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne &Jim Rash, “The Descendants,” John Logan,Hugo Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan,“Tinker, Tailor Soldier Spy,” Aaron Sorkin &Steven Zaillian, “Moneyball”Honorable Mention: The Help.”Winner: Faxon, Payne & Rash,“The Descen-dants.”Longshot: Sorkan & Zaillian “Moneyball”Comments: “Moneyball” is the better script,but “Descendants” was harder material toadapt.

Foreign Film The Nominees:“Bullhead” (Belgium) “Footnote” (Israel) “InDarkness (Poland) “Monsieur Lazhar”(Canada) “A Separation” (Iran)Honorable Mention: “Miss Bala” (Mexico)Winner: “A Separation” (Iran)Longshot: “Footnote” (Israel)Comments: Well shot and acted “Separation”is the best of the bunch. But don’t underestimate the power of Israel’s lobby.

Documentary The Nominees:“Hell and Back Again,” “If a Tree Falls,”“Paradise Lost 3,” “Pina” “Undefeated.”Honorable Mention: “The Interrupters”Winner: “Pina”Longshot: “Hell and Back Again.”Comments: A moving work, “Pina” takes it.

Animation The Nominees:” A Cat in Paris,” “ Chico & Rita,” “Kung FuPanda 2,” “Puss In Boots” “Rango.”Winner: “Rango”Longshot: “Chico & Rita”Comments: Soon compadre, very soon.

Cinematography The Nominees:“The Artist,” Guillaume Schiffman “The Girlwith the Dragon Tattoo,” Jeff Cronenweth“Hugo,” Robert Richardson “The Tree ofLife,” Emmanuel Lubezki “War Horse”Janusz Kaminski.Winner: “The Artist”Longshot: “The Tree of Life”Comments: B&W Cinematography is a lost

art that Schiffman rediscovered for the pro-duction.

Art Direction The Nominees:“The Artist” Production Design: LaurenceBennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould.“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part2” Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Deco-ration: Stephenie McMillan.“Hugo” Production Design: Dante Ferretti;Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo.“Midnight in Paris” Production Design: AnneSeibel; Set Decoration: Herne Dubreuil.“War Horse” Production Design: Rick Carter;Set Decoration: Lee Sandales.Winner: “Hugo”Longshot: “The Artist”

Costume Design The Nominees:“Anonymous” Lisy Christl, “The Artist”Mark Bridges, “Hugo” Sandy Powell, “JaneEyre” Michael O’Connor, “W.E.” AriannePhillips.Winner: “The Artist”Longshot: “Hugo”

THE REST:Music (Original Song) “Man or Muppet”from “The Muppets” Music and Lyric by BretMcKenzie “Real in Rio” from “Rio” Musicby Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyricby Siedah GarrettWinner: “Man or Muppet”Music (Original Score) “The Adventuresof Tintin” John Williams, “The Artist”Ludovic Bource, “Hugo” Howard Shore,“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Alberto Iglesias,“War Horse” John Williams. Winner: “The Artist” Longshot: Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyFilm Editing: Winner: “Man or Muppet”

Sound Editing “Drive” Lon Bender and Vic-tor Ray Ennis “The Girl with the Dragon Tat-too” Ren Klyce “Hugo” Philip Stockton andEugene Gearty “Transformers: Dark of theMoon” Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl“War Horse” Richard Hymns and GaryRydstrom.Winner: “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”Longshot:: War HorseSound Mixing: “The Girl with the DragonTattoo” David Parker, Michael Semanick, RenKlyce and Bo Persson, “Hugo” TomFleischman and John Midgley “Moneyball”Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco andEd Novick “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J.Haboush and Peter J. Devlin “War Horse”Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnsonand Stuart Wilson.Winner: “Hugo”Longshot: “War Horse”Visual Effects: “Harry Potter and the DeathlyHallows Part 2” Tim Burke, David Vickery,Greg Butler and John Richardson, “Hugo”Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossmanand Alex Henning, “Real Steel” Erik Nash,John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and SwenGillberg ,“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” JoeLetteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher Whiteand Daniel Barrett “Transformers: Dark of theMoon” Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, MatthewButler and John Frazier.Winner: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hal-lows Part 2.”Longshot: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”Make up: Winner: “Hugo” Longshot: “TheArtist.”The 84th Academy Awards presentation willbe Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. PST on ABC.

17Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

18Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

19Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

20Studio City Sherman Oaks Encino News February, 2012

15729 Sutton St Enc $1,599,000Mid Century Modern South of Ventura Boulevard. Gourmetkitchen with granite counters & stainless Steel appliances. Openfloor plan with Great room and walls of glass. 4Bd+5Ba in3967 SqFt, 13,992 SqFt Lot.

3804 Woodcliff Rd SO $729,000Charming Mid-Century Modern South of the blvd withCanyon views. Elegant but cozy, open beam ceilings, Livingroom & Den with wood burning fireplaces. Galley Kitchenw breakfast area. Private back yard.2Br+2Ba in 1,762 SqFt,on a 10,170 SqFt. Lot.

13546 Cheltenham Dr SO $699,000Stunning mid-century modern pool home, So.of the blvd. Breath-taking canyon & valley views. Family room w/ stone fireplace.Kitchen with stainless, granite & tile. Master suite w/ views & rainshower. 3Br+2.75Ba in 2700 SqFt

11531 Canton Dr SC $1,399,000Amazing architectural Villa. Fabulous SOB location w easy westside access. 2 story living room, family room, cooks kitchen,two master suites, 5 Fireplaces & studio/office or media room.6Br+7Ba in 5,450 SqFt on a 11,000 SqFt lot.

3610 Longridge Ave SO $2,200,000Proposed new construction with approved plans for $2,200,000for land and plans only. Or plans and finished construction on a4Br+3Ba home in 4,860 SqFt. on a 38,330 SqFt lot for$3,800,000

3554 Scadlock Ln SO $799,000S. of the Blvd Trad w/ Pool and Views. Easy west side andvalley access. Living room & Family rooms both w/ Fireplace.Master suite w/ full bath. Open and Bright Kit w/ Skylight andbreakfast area. 3Br+2.25Ba in 2,456 sqft, on a 14,980 Sqft lot

4118 Stansbury Ave SO $1,995,000Renovated South of the Boulevard traditional. Hardwood floors,open & bright entertainers kitchen. Large master suite w pri-vate bath, plus a den, family room & a legal 2 story guest house.5Br+5Ba in 4,685 SqFt. on a 13,072 SqFt lot

4060 Kraft Ave SC $1,399,000Colfax Meadows home located at the end of a cul-de-sac andsituated behind gates for privacy. Stunning setting w/ openliving room, formal dining, state of the art kitchen, 3 mastersuites including a 1000sqft Master with office and bath.3Br+3.5Ba in 3,644 SqFt

4308 Teesdale Ave SC $1,079,000Single story Trad rebuilt in 2006. Living & family rooms w/wood floors, den/playroom/office with skylight. Master w/walk in & private bath. Grassy back yard w/ room for a pool.3Br+2.25Ba in 2,930 SqFt, on a 7,744 SqFt lot.

3231 Longridge Ave SO $749,000South of the boulevard up a private driveway with valleyviews. Living room & family room w/ fireplaces, formaldining room, Master suite w private bath. Grassy back yard.3Br+2.5Ba in 2,322 SqFt on a 22,188 SqFt Lot.

13481 Cheltenahm Drive SO $1,150,000Stunning Panoramic Views from almost every room. Living &Family rooms w/ wood floors. Chef’s Kitchen w/ stainlessappliances & Granite counters. Gym/Game room & Indoor sparoom. 4Br+4Ba in 3,974 SqFt on a 10,575 Lot

13115 Morrison St SO $920,000Hidden woods at its finest. Living, Family and Formal Diningrooms w/ wood floors. Open Kitchen w/ built-ins and eatingarea. Master suite w/ walk in and private bath. Large bedrooms.4Br+3Ba+Office in 2,865 SqFt.

18628 Tarzana Dr Tar $850,000Ranch home on large lot. Living & Family rooms w/ FP &exposed beam ceilings. Galley kitchen. Formal dining Mastersuite w/ double closets & bath. Large back yard w/ room fora pool. 3Br+3Ba in 2,304 Sqft on a 17,916 Lot

4545 Katherine Ave SO $719,000Traditional in the heart of Sherman Oaks. Rebuilt in 1997.LR and dining room w high ceilings, Kitchen w granitecounters, Master suite w full bath, Grassy back yard.3Br+2.5Ba in 1,924 sqft on a 6,727 sqft lot

3511 Camino De La Cumbre SO $719,000S. of the blvd single story South Western Ranch Home. LRw/ FP & exposed beam ceilings. Arched doorways, Kit w/corian counters & Viking stove. Easy valley & west sideaccess. 3Br+2Ba, 1404 SqFt, 10,600 SqFt Lot

4430 White Oak Place Enc $1,495,000SOB w style & flair. Open living, family & dining rooms wFP. 500 sqft master w high ceilings, FP & spa style bath.Kitchen w granite counters. Large deck with pool & views.6Br+6Ba in 4,626 sqft on a 20,220 sqft lot.