Chef Alejandra Schrader wants to help omnivores eat more plant-based foods while keeping meals delicious By Jessica Koslow “I’m known for my big flavors!” says chef Alejandra Schrader, whose light-up-the-room smile is equally as grand. “My recipes are mouthwatering, colorful and easy to make.” These days, the Playa Vista resident is delightfully busy in the […]

Tribute band Queen Nation brings the music of Queen to a new generation The first time Gregory Finsley witnessed celebrated rock band Queen perform was in 1977 in Ft. Worth, Texas. He was instantly hooked. A New Orleans native, Finsley spent years carefully studying Queen lead singer Freddy Mercury’s vocal style, and now performs as […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

An LMU professor sent her students on a mission to educate strangers about the Tongva, Playa Vista’s original residents By Andy Vasoyan |  Photos By Maria Martin A bunch of students carrying signs has become a relatively common sight around Los Angeles in today’s political climate, but not necessarily in Playa Vista. Yet in early […]

Look out, young studs — ‘The Cougar of Comedy’  is on the loose in Playa Vista By Shanee Edwards Botox? Check. Cocktail? Check. Desire to date much younger men? Double check. Looks like Playa Vista has its very own cougar on the loose. Of course we’re not talking about some rogue mountain lion stalking the […]

By Gabrielle D’Addario If it hadn’t been performed by my longtime dermatologist (Dr. Jack Silvers of Brentwood Dermatology), I might have lost my cool when I sat up and looked in the mirror after my recent PRP (platelet-rich plasma) with Microneedling treatment, dubbed the “vampire facial.” Growing in popularity and made famous by Kim Kardashian, […]