I was a ball of nerves the day of my very first book signing. I’d never written a novel before, so this is all terrifying new territory for me. Considering I write for a living, it might sound strange that writing “Ada Lovelace: the Countess who Dreamed in Numbers” was enormously difficult for me, but […]
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Petersen Auto Museum Movie Car Parade @ Google
Photos by Zsuzsi Steiner Doc Brown’s silver DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” the 1998 Volkswagen Beetle from the Austin Powers sequel “The Spy Who Shagged Me,” the yellow Volkswagen bus from the 2006 film “Little Miss Sunshine” and the bubble-gum pink Honda S2000 from “2 Fast 2 Furious” brought some old-school movie magic to […]
St. Patrick’s Day Night Market @ Runway
Photos by Zsuzsi Steiner There’s an old joke that goes, “On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is a little bit Irish. Except the Scottish.” On the evening of Friday, March 15, the Scots weren’t well-represented at Runway. This was an occasion for celebrating the Irish spirt. It seemed like all of Playa Vista was there sporting […]
Women to Watch Creator Spotlight @ YouTube Space LA
YouTube Space LA was buzzing with feminine energy the evening of March 21, as videos from some of the most successful female creators were featured on the big screen. Creators included Jenny Lorenzo, a Latinx comedian who does sketch comedy; Michelle Khare, a fitness enthusiast who trains like Spider-Man and other super-heroes; and Lindsay Ellis, […]
Mutts and Mimosas @ Tocaya Organica
Photos by Maria Martin After a rainy morning on Saturday, Jan. 12, the sun came out just in time for the Mutts and Mimosas event that allowed potential dog parents to sip an organic bubbly concoction while meeting dogs in need of a home. The West L.A. nonprofit Wags and Walks, whose mission is to […]
Remembering a Forgotten History
As much as I like to write about local history related to Howard Hughes and the groundbreaking aeronautical work he did here in Playa Vista, there is another powerful history that has often been overlooked: the history of the native Tongva people. The Tongva, also known as the San Gabriel Band or Gabrieliños, were Playa […]
Home
Living by their Own Design
Creators of digital imagery Albert and Meiko Mizuno can’t picture themselves anywhere else Story by Brian Marks | Photos by Zsuzsi Steiner Flip through the pages of a glossy national magazine and you’ll see ads for everything from designer handbags to space-age vacuum cleaners. One thing you may not notice: many featured images aren’t really […]
Food
Old World Flavor Goes Fast-Casual
Rodini Park Greek Kitchen lets you build your own wrap, bowl or salad for about ten bucks Story by Jessica Koslow | Photos by Courtnay Robbins Some people, under the tutelage of a parent or grandparent, open a restaurant because cooking is in their DNA. Or, a master chef might’ve inspired them in the kitchen during […]
People
Protectors of the Wild
Playa Vista filmmaker Kerry David finds a new weapon in the war against poaching: women By Shanee Edwards We’ve all heard the tragic accounts of wild animals being poached on a massive scale in Africa and Asia. Elephants are still being slaughtered for their ivory tusks, rhinos for their horns. Poaching poses a huge threat […]
Hooked on Mermaids
Young filmmaker Sarah Hamilton makes a splash with her web series ‘LA Mermaids’ By Shanee Edwards | Photos by Maria Martin Growing up in a sleepy town in Upstate New York, Sarah Hamilton spent snow days obsessing about her favorite Disney film, “The Little Mermaid,” and dreaming about a magical world very different than her […]
History in the Making
Instead of ‘reflecting’ on black history, Deutsch tapped artists to frame it in the present tense Story and photos By Maria Martin Deutsch advertising agency is always looking to make an impact. That may be why its name is spelled out in giant silver letters on the front of their offices on Beethoven Street. But […]
The First Lady of Late Night
Former LMU student Busy Philipps drops by campus to talk about disrupting TV patriarchy Story By Shanee Edwards | Photo courtesy of LMU Busy Philipps is known for roles on shows like “Freaks and Geeks,” “Cougar Town,” “Dawson’s Creek” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” But it’s her latest project, called “Busy Tonight,” that is really pushing […]
An Electric Soul in a Steam-Powered World
My book ‘Ada Lovelace: The Countess who Dreamed in Numbers’ celebrates the woman who foresaw the age of computers Story By Shanee Edwards | Photos by Maria Martin Computers run nearly every aspect of our lives, so it’s hard to imagine a time without all the technology we rely on. But a woman born in […]
Healthy
Identifying and Preventing a Stroke
Cardiologist Dr. Nicole Weinberg demystifies the warning signs and discusses risk factors for otherwise healthy people Story and Photograph by Courtnay Robbins Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in America. With the recent passing of actor Luke Perry, who tragically died from stroke complications at the young age of 52, heart health is […]
News
For Everybody’s Kids
Playa Vista Elementary took the teachers’ strike to Jefferson Boulevard Story By Shanee Edwards | Photo by Zsuzsi Steiner Morning commuters honked in support as teachers, parents, students and one Vietnamese potbellied pig took to Jefferson Boulevard on Jan. 18 in support of the LAUSD teachers’ strike. While it was day five of the strike, […]
A Very Special Delivery
Elon Musk pays a surprise visit to Playa Vista By Shanee Edwards Financial planner Devin Scott was excited to finally go pick up his customized Tesla 3. When he got a call saying that the car would instead be delivered to his Playa Vista home, he didn’t think too much of it. But when Scott […]
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A Perfect Fit
Film producer Sonia Machado-Hines says yes to the Renaissance dress Every bride agonizes over finding the perfect wedding dress, but rarely does a bridal gown inspire a movie. For filmmaker and Playa Vista resident Sonia Machado-Hines, one dress did just that. She produced the short documentary “Dressing a Renaissance Queen,” about the painstaking recreation of […]