Malibu Coast, CA September 2023

Malibu Style

ARTS + CULTURE

JANE SEYMOUR

PLEIN AIR PAINTER CATHERINE TIRR

HOME + DESIGN

HOME STYLE

ENTERTAINMENT

MALIBU CHILI COOK-OFF

SEPTEMBER

The Los Angeles Daily News, one of the most widely-circulated paid daily newspapers in the city, holds an annual poll where readers nominate their preferred individuals, locations, and objects within Los Angeles. For an impressive six consecutive years, Rosemary has been awarded the prestigious title of “BEST Real Estate Agent” by the discerning readers of the Daily News. Additionally, in the four years prior, she had also earned the distinction of “FAVORITE Real Estate Agent”.

Nestled in the Camarillo Foothills near Spanish Hills Country Club facing the Pacific Ocean is the most extraordinary one story estate in all of Ventura County. Mere words cannot describe this breath-taking location. Located on over 7 acres, enter through a gated entry to a large private compound. 180 degree panoramic views spanning from the Conejo Mountains to Point Mugu State Park to the Pacific Ocean, including the striking views of the Channel Islands. Jet setters will appreciate the close proximity to the private Camarillo Airport which can be seen from the property just minutes away. This is one of the finest estate lots in Ventura County. Family room with fireplace, kitchen with decorator range, two large ovens, dishwasher, built in refrigerator, 2 work stations with sinks & built in desk. Office/den with wood floors & bathroom. Remodeled Master bedroom features fireplace, walk-in closet with organizers & master bath with jacuzzi style tub, separate shower & double sinks. Jack & Jill bedrooms with crown molding, walk-in closets, large bathroom with double sinks. Entertainer’s yard with Pergola covered patio, built-in bar-b-que, refrigerator, fire-pit, pool, spa, large grass area for playing & views. 4 car garage plus huge RV garage. Equestrian facilities including shed row barn, and riding arena. Lime orchard, fruit trees and more. Come fall in love.

Life Style

“Being happy never goes out of style,” –Lilly Pulitzer

Welcome to the September Style issue! As you’ll (hopefully) read in these pages, style goes beyond mere fashion and extends to the way we live, feel and relate to others. Our lifestyles reflect each person’s unique sense of style, incorporating one’s passions, experiences and aspirations.

Within these pages, we showcase the many facets of style—personal, home and community. Our cover story features the very stylish Jane Seymour. The beloved actress and artist shares a little about her life, art, work and personal insights. Her nonprofit, Open Hearts Foundation, reflects her philanthropic style. In the article, Jane advises others to “Love yourself unconditionally, let go of judgment toward yourself and others and shine brightly—you will inevitably inspire others to do the same.”

This issue’s Home Style feature is sure to inspire readers to add a touch or two of style to their home—possibly a new beautiful Italian leather sofa, classy backyard furniture or updated stylish window coverings? The article highlights a knowledgeable lineup of first-class experts ready to assist clients to transform their homes into places of more comfort, function and style.

Community spirit is another form of style. This month welcomes the annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off, where locals can meet and mingle, taste chili, shop and enjoy rides, all while supporting the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu.

Cheers to style in all its glory!

September 2023

PUBLISHERS

Ben Malkin | Ben.Malkin@citylifestyle.com

Robin Chesler | Robin.Chesler@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Tracy Marcynzsyn

Tracy.Marcynzsyn@citylifestyle.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Barbara Burke | Barbara.Burke@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Barbara Burke, Hannah Gross, Ashlen Kernes, Tracy Marcynzsyn, Cary ONeal

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Faryl Amadeus, Cary ONeal, Brad Stanley

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Tiffany Slowinski

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson

DIRECTOR OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS Jennifer Robinson

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein

CONTROLLER Gary Johnson

AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall

LAYOUT DESIGNER Eva Tucker

Proverbs 3:5-6

Break Out of the Conventional

Wine is a beautiful journey filled with joy, self-discovery and connection. At Mizel Estate Wines, we encourage you to awaken your senses and embrace the unique path to your personal wine epiphany. The moment when the wine reveals itself.

Pour with Passion

At the heart of Mizel Estate Wines is passion. An affinity for the land that inspires us and nurtures our vines. A spirited team blending their ardor, knowledge and experience to create superb wines. And a commitment to lift others to achieve their dreams. We invite you to share our luscious, velvety reds punctuated with fruit and spice with those you love.

It would be our pleasure to welcome you as a member of Mizel Estate Wines. As a member, you receive special privileges to enjoy our magical estate. We would delight in helping you curate memorable moments with the people you treasure.

For more information call 805-795-2506 or email us at info@mizelestate.com.

Mizel Estate Wines 1050 W. Potrero Rd. Thousand Oaks, CA 91361

WWW.MIZELESTATE.COM

We’d love to raise a glass with you.

Home Style

When it comes to style, creating the perfect look that reflects individual preferences and tastes is an art. These local experts specialize in crafting an environment that is truly unique. Whether it’s a beautiful Italian leather sofa, state-of-the-art appliances, breathtaking and functional window coverings or a transformed outdoor space—you can count on these industry pros to elevate the style meter in your home.

Cat In a Hammock

Style is where effortless living, function and beauty come together. Like wearing a stylish dress and feeling amazing in it—it fits perfectly, the colors suit the skin tone, it’s elegant and shows off just enough form without being overbearing; it’s sophisticated, it’s astonishing and enchanting. With these style principles in mind, we rethink outdoor living spaces for our clients. Like a stylish dress, our clients “wear” their homes and feel amazing in them.

We want our clients’ homes to look elegant, timeless and beautiful and speak quality. We do that by creating a unique design that suits the lifestyle of our clients and their home. We guide the client in selecting finishing materials that will be an expression of the story they’re trying to tell with that property; it can be a Mediterranean villa, an English cottage, a French Riviera, an American midcentury modern getaway—whatever they’ve always wanted to have in their life and family. California has an array of home architecture to play with. With a good style and reimagining, the property can go from ordinary to stunning and something the clients love and enjoy every day.

From pergolas, swimming pools and spas, to outdoor kitchens, pavers and masonry, landscaping and lighting, Cat In a Hammock can thoughtfully design and build a backyard that enhances your family’s lifestyle. Cat In a Hammock is a design and build construction company located in Thousand Oaks and is committed to creating spaces that are beautiful, functional and long-lasting. Call Cat In a Hammock today to schedule your free onsite design consultation and let them craft the space that you will love. Then receive a competitively priced estimate and get ready to transform your outdoor living space into something you have always dreamed of.

WDC Kitchen & Bath Center

No longer can a living area or space be considered “in style” based solely on luxury or price. Style is subjective and defined by an individual’s experience. An individual’s style is something that simply makes one feel warmth and comfort.

WDC gets inspiration through its partnerships and network of interior designers, contractors, and last but certainly not least, its customers. Their direct relationship with product manufacturers allows WDC to be well-informed of all the latest styles, trends and product features available in the kitchen and bath industry—not just styles and features of today, but those that will be available in years to come. WDC’s five interactive showrooms are frequently updated using current fashion trends and styles designed by local artisans and interior designers. When customers walk through the kitchenettes and bathroom vignettes, they view the products in a lifestyle setting, which inevitably sparks their own creativity. Professional staff will then guide them to the products that fit their own individual style and comfort.

WDC Kitchen & Bath Center carries all types of major appliances—kitchen and bath, outdoor barbecues, plumbing fixtures and fittings, and even mattresses—in a wide range of brands and prices, from entry level to luxury.

Style up your outdoor space with a gorgeous new patio furniture set from Aldik Home, featuring a stunning selection of outdoor furniture. Meticulously crafted from premium materials using both age-old building methods and stateof-the-art finishing processes, the furniture will last for years to come. Aldik Home’s array of stylish and sophisticated patio furniture is also the most comfortable outdoor furniture on the market (the Majorca Collection is our favorite!). Lucky for you, the best selection of patio furniture in the country is nearby at Aldik Home in Van Nuys. Check out the beautiful options in person while you wander through one of LA’s most beautiful stores. There’s no place like Aldik Home!

Cat ‘N Twiggs

From Hippie Goddess Military Tent Travel Bags to Busy Bees Eco Dryer Balls, Cat ‘N Twiggs Boutique in Westlake Village offers stylish gifts to delight unique personalities of all ages. Owner Cathy Blumel draws on her love and passion for cooking, travel, photography, hosting and celebrating with friends and family to populate the store with unique gifts, small batch merchandise and handmade items. She aims to promote sustainable brands and independent artists as often as possible. Cathy’s selection of curated items make finding the perfect vintage or modern gift for anyone and any occasion an experience to enjoy.

Cellar Masters

Stylish custom-built wine cellars grace homes and businesses throughout Southern California, thanks to Cellar Masters, specializing in the design, construction and installation of climate-controlled wine cellars and wine storage solutions for more than 30 years. Owner Scott Berry takes pride in designing unique wine cellars for those who share a passion for wine, to safely store and showcase their wine—be it 100 bottles or 10,000 bottle collections.  Understanding the proper handling, storage and organization of wine ensures the perfect design and construction of every cellar. Cellar Masters’ popular offerings include traditional wine cellars made from the finest quality woods and cut to precision as well as sleek and elegant contemporary wine cellars designed with frameless glass, acrylic and stainless steel. Cellar Masters also creates wine features based on the latest modern trends for storing and displaying wine within your living space.

Fabio & Co. Italia

At Fabio & Co. Italia, style equals beautiful, comfortable and 100% made in Italy furniture. Italy is known around the world as the creator of the most sophisticated, most elegant and most colorful style–it’s all about beauty. Top-of-the-line quality hides combined with the skill of Italian designers result in the highest quality furniture and style. Visit their luxurious, state-of-the-art showroom in Agoura Hills to experience firsthand the gorgeous and comfortable leather sofas, chairs, sectionals, recliners, ottomans, dining tables and bedroom furnishings. Customers can be assured that nothing comes to the showroom unless it is beautiful and comfortable!

Drawing on their extensive experience in the leather industry and custom interior design, Owners Yana and Fabio take pride in offering luxurious, stylish and comfortable home furnishings at affordable prices. Working directly with manufacturers cuts out the middleman, so clients receive a high-end luxury product at an affordable price.

Choose from 350 colors of leather, six different grains ranging from top grain leather hides to full grain leather hides to order custom furniture—made from scratch by hand for a truly unique and one-of-a-kind piece—or select one from their extensive inventory of elegant choices for same-day delivery.

Thousand Oaks Fireside

A far cry from the traditional “mom-and-pop” fireplace hearth stores, Thousand Oaks Fireside features modern displays of efficient gas fireplaces, dynamic and useful retrofit options for existing fireplaces and dazzling electric fireplaces by featured brands, including Heat and Glo, Heatilator, Twin Eagles/Delta Heat Grills, Luxor Outdoor Kitchen Products, Kamado Joe Ceramic Grills, The Outdoor Plus Fire Pits, Infratech Heaters, SunPak and more. The locale also sells stone and wood mantels, custom-built outdoor kitchen islands complete with the latest grilling equipment, pizza ovens, outdoor heating solutions, fire pits and an extensive selection of mailbox options. Visit their showroom for inspiring backyard options.

The Sofa Guy

Personalized service coupled with exceptional style have earned high marks for The Sofa Guy for 2 decades in Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village. Evolving from a small family owned business with custom sofas into a local interior design team, The Sofa Guy helps clients furnish their homes to reflect their unique personalities.

At their Thousand Oaks showroom, beautiful pieces from their various vendors and custom upholstery are displayed for customers to see and feel—and even borrow and bring home. The old-fashioned house call is one of The Sofa Guy’s most popular services, guaranteeing that any piece we make will actually fit the space, as well as coordinate colors, understanding clients’ personal style and often leads to helping clients complete the design of their space with rugs, coffee or end tables, lamps, artwork… offered through their TSG Interior Design program.

Create custom sofas, sectionals, chairs, ottomans, beds and more at The Sofa Guy, where Owners Paul and Holly Trent aim to provide a long-lasting, extraordinary experience in a warm, friendly and knowledgeable environment. The Sofa Guy collaborates with clients to create custom furniture and provide design consultations, including fabric selection, spacing and style design. Find couture fabrics for custom pillows, bedding and draperies; reupholster furniture and cushions; and shop a wide selection of rugs, lighting and accessories at The Sofa Guy.

Skyline Window Coverings

Style is more than a “look.” It’s a deep understanding of one’s own unique likes and dislikes, needs and preferences, blended with the aesthetics of form and function.

For some, style is developed by environment and experiences. The way we interpret style comes down to our desire for authentic connections with the spaces we’re in and the experiences clients have with the product. From the sleek profile of a designer roller shade to the soft folds of a vignette roman shade; the ability to morph and shape a room with light and shadow is exclusive to each person.

Skyline designers help bring style to clients’ homes by working with them to say “I love the organic look of a woven shade, but I need room darkening function. How can I achieve both?” It can definitely be overwhelming to choose window coverings even if you’re 100% dialed in on what your personal taste is. Having that professional next to you who can point out subtle differences in fabric drape, finishes and use cases is one of the best ways to get exactly what you need out of your shades.

Recently, we’ve seen homeowners trending toward the pillars of contemporary design. This directly translates to how they bring window treatments into their spaces. When we work with clients, we help bridge the gap between what the vision for the space is and how shades, blinds, or drapery fit into that narrative. Each designer brings with them a very strong understanding of industry style along with the product knowledge to make clients feel comfortable with their choices.

Creating an oasis with color, hidden detailing, and a strong bend towards functional design is what we strive for each time we’re working with a client. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned veteran years into your style journey, the ability to craft a compelling storyline in a space and infuse it with your own personality is something we love seeing come together. Skyline Window Coverings’ collaborative window treatment showroom located in the heart of Westlake Village is designed to provide the most innovative features, fabrics and operating systems from Hunter Douglas. Offering the full collection of Hunter Douglas shades, shutters, blinds and draperies, Skyline Window Coverings is “an experience center—a place for clients to feel inspired, to envision custom window treatments in their own homes.” Showcasing today’s most popular features, the showroom provides a hands-on approach to choosing custom window treatments. See and touch the fabrics and experience each and every type of operating system. The showroom includes Smart Shades, intentionally placed so you can play with all of the innovative features and gadgets offered with today’s automated shades.

SkylineWindowCoverings.com

Inspired and Inspiring:

Attendees of all ages admiringly looked on in awe as she entered the foyer at the City of Malibu Art Gallery. Exuding her ageless, ethereal beauty, Malibuite Jane Seymour smiled broadly and shared vignettes about her storied career, her love of the sea and her works of art recently showcased at the gallery.

Aptly titled “Expressions,” the exhibit featured her fine art open heart bronze sculptures—the signature symbol of the charity she co-founded, Open Hearts Foundation—that warmly embraced the space, as well as her colorful watercolors and warm oil paintings that evoke the delicate sensitivity of impressionists

Mary Cassatt and Claude Monet.

Seymour’s artwork captures simple scenes— one of a small child holding a red bucket on a beach, entranced by and enamored with ocean waves, another of a lady bedecked in a red gown

and matching hat immersed in a garden, her flowing garments fluttering in the breeze. The pieces masterfully capture fleeting scenes, celebrating nature’s purity.

Seymour’s art gallery in Westlake Village, Coral Canyon Publishing & Gallery, is open to the public by appointment and displays her permanent oeuvre, as well as fascinating memorabilia and ephemera from her many movie and television roles.

There, one can appreciate Seymour’s introspection—her intricate floral images that explore the delicate anatomy of a flower—as well as her perspectives of everyday, fleeting occurrences that deftly delve beyond the patina seen in an initial glance. Not to be missed is her Circus Suite, a delightful series of original watercolors, celebrating the muscular ballet of trapeze artists, the colorful and daunting feats of a fire

eater and the commanding authority of the ringmaster. A viewer feels drawn into the circus, mesmerized by its enchanting magic.

There is, as her fans know, a depth to Seymour that is as enchanting and intriguing as her many roles throughout the years. A tour of the gallery is delightful and includes a rare sight. When a viewer looks at one particular painting, she leans in and looks more closely, eyes wide and wondering, “Is that really Jane Seymour depicted in the Norvegienne Boat at Giverny? Is that really her on the famous bridge in the Claude Monet garden?”

Yes, confirms Susan Nagy Luks, Seymour’s longtime gallery director and curator, that is, indeed, her sitting in the famous boat.

“She was able to briefly sit in the boat and to paint in the garden and the lily pond,” shares Nagy Luks.

A multiple Emmy and Golden Globe-winning television and film star and recipient of the Officer of the British Empire (OBE), bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace for her services to drama, Seymour is most known as the mysterious Solitaire starring alongside Roger Moore in the James Bond movie, “Live and Let Die” (1973); as the star of the 1990s American television series, “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” and its telefilm sequels; and as a beguiling seductress in “Wedding Crashers.” Both on and off screen, she is a master of many skills, most notably her ability to constantly change in response to her life’s varied vicissitudes. Seymour has also received many accolades for live theater appearances.

In 1980, she played the role on stage of Constanze in Peter Shaffer’s play, “Amadeus,” which ran on Broadway for 1,181 performances and won five Tony Awards. That same year, returning to film, she played a young theater actress— Elise McKenna—in the period romance, “Somewhere in Time,” an experience that marked the start of her friendship with co-star Christopher Reeve. She’s even played Marie Antoinette in “La Revolution Française,” filmed in both French and English, and she is fluent in French Origins

Seymour’s path to fame started humbly. She and her sisters grew up in a loving, yet simple family in Middlesex, England. Her mother, Mieke, was a Dutchborn protestant and a Japanese concentration camp prisoner of war in Indonesia during WWII. Her father, John Benjamin Frankenberg, an obstetrician, was an English Jew whose family was from Poland.

Seymour has, in a phrase, charted her own path, deftly maneuvering past any obstacles and outmaneuvering twists of fate. For 5 decades, she has worked assiduously at all of her many, multifaceted endeavors. When young, she aspired to be a professional dancer and trained at the Arts Educational School in Tring, Hertfordshire, London. She dreamed of appearing in Russia’s renowned Kirov Ballet. However, she only appeared there once. Unfortunately, she sustained a serious knee injury in that performance. She had to adjust to the fact that a career in dancing was not in her future.

So, as she would so many more times in life, the undaunted Seymour pivoted. Born Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg in Wimbledon, when she was 17, the star assumed the name of Jane Seymour, also the name of King Henry VIII’s third wife who, like the actress, stands out amongst her colleagues for her bright personality and ingenuity.

Seymour is generally known for her long, brown hair. However, when one looks closely, they’ll see that her left eye is emerald green, but her right eye is brown, a condition known as heterochromia. She once told a journalist that English filmmakers found that presentation to be “off-putting,” and that early in her film career she was fired because her eyes were different colors. Although that rejection was difficult to accept, remaining positive and moving forward as she always does, Seymour kept both eyes on the ball. She later commented, “That taught me that when life deals major blows and you think they’re impossible to overcome, like the loss of someone, a death or dealing with a medical issue, out of it, comes a gift.” One of the several books she’s penned, appropriately entitled, Remarkable Changes, shares one of the primary mottos describing Seymour’s outlook on life: “Through remarkable changes, life inevitably becomes remarkable.”

That approach to change has carried Seymour through the ebbs and tides of vying for and winning roles in movies and television shows, through four marriages, divorces and her devoted mothering of her four children, including twin boys she had later in life, in addition to two stepchildren whom she considers her own. In addition to being an attentive, loving mother—and now, a doting grandmother to three children—Seymour is a serial entrepreneur. She is well known for her wearable art clothing line and is a self-described “scarf-aholic”

“Through remarkable changes, life inevitably becomes remarkable.”

and “textile-aholic,” creating gorgeous scarves through her company JS Designs depicting stunning, brilliant colors that her fans lovingly collect, as well as for her home collection line, and a production company. She is a prominent spokesperson for Crepe Erase, one of the leading Guthy-Renker brands in the skincare space.

Always sanguine, often when facing very difficult circumstances, Seymour is intuitive, imaginative and innovative. “In life, when stuff happens, the instinct is to close off your heart,” Seymour says in one of her books discussing her Open Hearts Jewelry Collection. “By leaving your heart open, it leaves room for someone else to come in.”

In Remarkable Changes, she discusses the true value of life transitions, from marriage and divorce to career changes to milestones in the lives of one’s parents and children. She posits that whether we initiate the change in our life, or it is thrust upon us by circumstances beyond our control, we should stop “dealing” with change, but instead actively incorporate it into our lives by employing the hard-won wisdom gained through such experiences.

An avid traveler, Seymour often posts messages such as “reveling in the serenity of Iceland’s pristine beauty,

where the blue skies meet the crystal clear embrace of nature’s reflection—let’s spread some positivity!” Whether zip lining in Costa Rica or immersing herself in rugged Ireland, Seymour is, at heart, an adventurer, curious about what life will offer next.

Sporting a beautiful swimsuit and sans makeup, the ever-youthful Seymour recently posted, “The warmth of summer’s arrival is like a gentle breeze whispering hope into our souls, reminding us that amidst life’s uncertainties, there’s always room for joy.”

She’s also very philanthropic. In 2010, she co-founded the Open Hearts Foundation, a charity that empowers small and emerging nonprofits through its grantmaking and volunteerism programs. Today, more than 60 charities across the United States and hundreds of volunteers across the world are a part of the Open Hearts Movement and everyone is welcome. The Foundation recently hosted a 2-day Gala celebration in Malibu, raising a significant amount of donations that are immediately being put to work in the Foundation’s latest grant cycle. Seymour continues to serve by volunteering on the Foundation’s board and remains one of its largest benefactors.

“By leaving your heart open, it leaves room for someone else to come in.”

Her advice to others? “Love yourself unconditionally, let go of judgment toward yourself and others and shine brightly—you will inevitably inspire others to do the same.”

For her part, Seymour is always reviewing scripts and assuming new roles. Seymour stars as Dublin-based retired literature professor Harriet "Harry" Wild who stumbles into a second act as a private investigator solving crimes with her literary expertise and young, streetwise sidekick much to the consternation of her son, a detective in the Dublin police. The series, which is filmed on location in Ireland and airs in numerous countries around the world, returns for its second season on Acorn TV in the fall of 2023. Look for her in 2024 in Netflix’s rom com, “Irish Wish,” where she plays Lindsey Lohan’s mother in the film.

“It’s a love letter to Ireland,” Producer Michael Damian says. “It’s a ‘be careful what you wish for’ story. Sometimes, you may not get what you want, but you get what you need.”

And, with her heart always, always open, Seymour continues to embrace change.

Luxury Living

Bespoke furnishings customized for you.

TSG Interior Design loves the creative process, collaborating with clients and coordinating many of the little details one never thought existed. We believe the “sofa” is the heart of a room , and we put our heart into everything we do. Make an appointment to visit us soon. We’ll keep the candy bowl full.

“Start with a Sofa ...end with a room”

MR. MALIBU STYLE

As I consider the styles of Malibu from clothing fashion to architectural design to fine automobiles, I see everything from wetsuits on the red carpet to Nick Nolte wearing a bathrobe and pajamas in the supermarket. Once upon a time when Madonna lived in Malibu with Sean Penn, she would wear her underwear on the outside of her clothes. Lady Gaga, often spotted on the beach in Malibu, wore a raw slab of beef on stage. A genuine Flintstones’ architectural home sits in the Malibu mountains near a $6-million two-story home with a stainless-steel Ferris wheel as the main living room attached to a spaceship-like structure that one may expect to see on another planet.

The current architectural rage is a 20,000-square-foot concrete structure that took 50 cement trucks to build with 40 bathrooms for a family of four replete with tennis courts, swimming pools and a Jacuzzi on the roof and a full-blown movie theater underground. I remember seeing Jerry Weintraub’s “Blue Heaven” smart home Crestron system where you could pull up a floor plan of any room in the house and remotely control everything, from lights, temperature and surround sound music to the channel on your TV. This “style,” of course, is not exclusive to Malibu but appears to be an unstoppable trend.

While considering the various styles of all things Malibu, I also see many choices in the style of “toys” and entertainment—electric Lambos, Mercedes motor homes, Volkswagen limousines, BMW golfcarts and a $500,000 canary diamond ring flaunted by a woman in the post office. Depending on your taste for entertainment style, you can find both these forms simultaneously. While taking an evening stroll down the beach, you’ll see people watching CNN or a horror movie in their beach mansion bedroom on your right, while to the left and above, the full moon is out, stars shine and sandpipers chirp divinely as they dance along the shoreline. It’s funny how our mind’s idea of “entertainment” is in reality the mind itself vying for the spotlight of our attention by taking our focus outside, away from our authentic selves, which ironically can be the most exhilarating entertainment.

I remember walking with a friend into a swanky clothing store in Malibu and bursting out laughing when I saw a pair of sneakers for $900 and cotton short sleeve t-shirts for $300. Maybe I should take a cue and sell Mr. Malibu driftwood for $25K? Anywho, it is all either meaningless or justified depending on how one perceives it, and it’s all relative. If we are focusing on prices after all to decide if we want to play

the Malibu style game, it helps to consider how the value of money even began.

The first historically documented form of money was in Sierra Leone, Africa, where a large boulder could buy a wife. Today, money can be nothing more than digits in a flash drive. During the Dutch tulip bulb craze in the 1600s, you could secure a loan for a home with the right tulip bulbs. Today, wild claims of a digital piece of art (known as an NFT) titled the “First 5000 Days” sold for a purported $69.3 million. The only way an NFT can be shared with friends is by texting or emailing a picture of it, as it has no physical reality—from boulders to invisible intangible digits of imagination—all imaginary values that we collectively assign.

Come to think of it, if my own thoughts are a “style,” I may figure out how to sell “Mr. Malibu Thoughts” happening in real time! Researchers at the University of Texas claim to have built a “decoder” algorithm that can reconstruct what somebody is thinking just by monitoring their brain activity using an ordinary fMRI scanner,  The Scientist reports. Should one be worried about A.I. taking over the world, this ought to fuel the fire! You can almost see the next thinking style: Think thoughts that can’t be detected.

Back to Earth and life in Malibu, “style” is not all that ethereal by any means. I would like to share a free form montage that expresses what I see as examples of Malibu style:

Flashy sparkle waves and electric blue cobalt skies are patterns for shirts, dresses, blouses and sweaters. Style itself can be redefined by the perfectly chaotic sand ripples and pervasive golden sunshine shimmering on glassy waters as the stage

for the electrifying tango of whales, pelicans and dolphins. Stunning styles strike admirers of serene sunsets with elegant puffy clouds and wisps of bright pink and fire red ease concerned minds as we’re reminded of a power that created this entire light show. A party with stylish enjoyers of the moment wear emerald velvet evening gowns and royal red velvet dinner jackets and logo-less loafers while sipping champagne-like organics on the deck overlooking the crashing waves below. Casual elegance draws in a feeling of relaxing laughter and whimsical doodles in the sand as groups of camaraderie saunter down the warm breezy beach with dolphins leaping for joy in full aerial flight and rocketing through the crystal green waves like playful extraterrestrials who have come to teach us how we too can dance. A vivacious magnetic woman in soft white cashmere pants with sparkly gold stars like Tinkerbell’s wand with a royal blue silk long sleeve elegant top is seen skipping along the low tide in the evening golden glow. The sound of the waves rolling in a hypnotic rhythm caress the ears to our soul like a gentle angel would inspire us to feel. The sound of seagulls’ singing in a peaceful flight and silky breezes wrap around us like a divine comforter of mystic magic bring tranquil hints of enthralling emotional elegance steeped in simplicity and beaming with infinitely expanding designs of the ultimate Malibu artist.

Mr. Malibu’s high-profile events and celebrity interviews reach over 22 million on television, 500,000 via social media and nearly 4 million on YouTube. Visit MrMalibu.net to learn more. Look for more Mr. Malibu chapters in next month’s issue.

FDA approved SMILE Eye Laser Surgery

SMILE is short for Small Incision Lenticular Extraction. SMILE Laser eye surgery is a game changer in laser vision correction. Dr. Khanna is experienced in the use of the only FDA approved laser for SMILE, Visumax. Dr. Khanna is experienced in the use of this laser to carve a sliver of tissue in 30 seconds within the cornea. Cornea trained surgeon Dr.Khanna, skillfully and painlessly removes this thin tissue through a small opening. The recovery is quick with patients returning to work and sports in a day or two. The absence of the cornea flap causes less dry eye. Flapless also makes it safer, as there is less chance of the flap getting displaced. Therefore, even people who could not have Lasik, like surfers or those engaged in contact sports can SMILE.

SMILE vs Lasik

Lasik has a flap which can get displaced or allow debris, cells or bugs to creep in. There is no flap in SMILE making it safer.

SMILE vs PRK

The healing in PRK is slow and painful while that in SMILE is painless and fast.

Who can perform SMILE?

Only highly competent Lasik eye surgeons, like Rajesh Khanna, MD who are certified by Zeiss can perform SMILE laser eye surgery.

Am I a candidate for SMILE?

Khanna Vision Institutes has an advanced diagnostic machine to detect the shape and curvature of your cornea and eye. Dr. Khanna uses this information to decide if he will do SMILE surgery for you. Therefore, he offers a free consult to find out if you are a candidate for this latest procedure.

Malibu Chili Cook-Off Showcases Community Style

What better way to celebrate friends, family and community than the annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off? Even better, all proceeds directly support local youth, however, there are so many exciting benefits to this end-of-summer event. Finish out the summer in style at the Malibu Chili Cook-Off, September 1 through 4.

As an iconic and highly anticipated event, the Cook-Off includes food, drink, music, shopping, carnival rides and so much more! It incorporates local favorite restaurants, businesses, artisans, DJs and family-friendly activities throughout the weekend, as well as signature Chili CookOff swag.

Adults who attend are encouraged to unwind at the Barefoot Dreams Lounge, a cozy-chic oasis where delicious beer and local wine varieties are served. Separately, plenty of activities curated explicitly for kids will be available, including a 24-foothigh rock-climbing wall presented by Alphapals and a new junior carnival area featuring rides for ages 2 to 10. With something for everyone, this year’s Chili CookOff ensures an unforgettable experience for all ages.

Attendees who are 21+ are in for a hoppin’ good time. Aside from all of the delicious and diverse food offerings, this year, exclusively created for the Malibu Chili Cook-Off, the event has teamed up with Malibu Brewing Company to create a custom Cook-Off Kölsch, the perfect summer beer!

The famous Chili Competition is a fan favorite, where contestants compete for the top chili award in the meat and vegan categories and vie for the People’s Choice award. The winners will be announced on Saturday, September 2. Guests to the event vote for their “fan favorite” on Friday, September 1 (on-site only).

“We’re really looking forward to another successful event. We couldn’t be prouder to serve Malibu and surrounding communities. We are continuously looking for ways to elevate the experience and truly appreciate all of the support. First and foremost, we are focused on youth public safety, but also aim to provide a fun, happy and memorable experience for all attendees. We are so incredibly grateful to all of our partners who choose to support not only this event but ultimately the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu and our mission to support youth and families in Malibu and beyond. All proceeds help to sustain our year-round enrichment programs and the BGCM Wellness Center, providing access to mental health and wellness resources,” notes Kasey Earnest, chief executive officer at the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu. Admission tickets must be purchased in advance. Visit MalibuChiliCookOff.org for event information and FAQs, including the event’s chaperone policy.

MALIBU CHILI COOK-OFF EVENT HOURS OF OPERATION

• Friday, September 1, 4 to 10 p.m.

• Saturday, September 2, 1 to 10 p.m. (Chili awards from 5 to 6 p.m.)

• Sunday, September 3, 1 to 10 p.m. (Skate Contest from 3 to 5 p.m.)

• Monday, September 4, 1 to 8 p.m. (Family Day)

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MALIBU

For over 24 years, the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu (BGCM) has enabled young people to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. With four sites, including a Wellness Center and three Clubhouses on the campuses of Malibu High, Malibu Elementary and Webster Elementary Schools, and counseling sites at each location, BGCM serves over 1,400 K-12 students annually. The Wellness Center, the first of its kind in the area, provides free mental health, wellness and social support services to all Malibu Public Schools and the community. BGCM provides a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship and high-impact youth development programs daily during critical nonschool hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, healthy lifestyles, and social and emotional wellness. Learn more about the Club at BGCMalibu.org.

Website: malibuchilicookoff.org

Facebook: @malibuchilicookoff

Instagram: @malibuchilicookoff

Twitter: @malibucco

Local Artist Shares Passion for Painting

Catherine Tirr’s affinity for art began in her early childhood.

“I’ve been painting all my life,” says Catherine, a Topanga Canyon resident of 28 years. “My father was a painter. He used to give me scraps from his studio to play with as a child. I’ve always been dabbling in something visual.”

Despite her father’s warnings about the challenges of pursuing art as a career, Catherine attended art school, eventually going on to attend Chelsea College of Art and Design in London to obtain a master’s degree in printmaking.

“He knew how hard it is, but I couldn’t help myself,” shares Catherine.  Today, a celebrated painter herself, Catherine passes on her love of art as a teacher at Santa Monica City College and Pierce College, teaching classes in plein air drawing, acrylics, printmaking and studio watercolor.

“I really enjoy the social aspect of it; a studio practice is quite isolating, so it’s a nice balance. What I really enjoy about teaching is the enthusiasm of the students. All the classes I teach are in the adult programs, my students all really want to be there and are eager to learn—it’s not about credits,” says Catherine. “As a teacher, you always benefit from what the students bring. It’s a very happy environment, very conducive to relaxation and enjoyment. The plein air classes I find especially meditative.”

Much of Catherine’s own work as an artist is plein air painting centered around capturing the essence of the Malibu landscape and other picturesque areas across California, from Big Sur to Joshua Tree.

“I think the seascapes, the landscapes and the desert-scapes are all fascinating,” says Catherine. “I love going to places that are exceptionally beautiful. In my work, I’m not representing, not rendering, but absorbing how I feel about my surroundings; that's why they're somewhat abstract.”

Some of Catherine’s favorite locations to paint in Malibu include Zuma Beach and Point Dume.

“Point Dume is one of my favorites. I must have made at least 25 paintings there,” says Catherine with a laugh.

In addition to teaching college classes, Catherine also conducts private plein air workshops, bringing students along to paint on location. The most recent trip was to Big Sur and Carmel.

“The workshops are something I find very fulfilling. We’re fully immersed in the place. I find it very rewarding to teach on location. There is something about this full immersion, that is like jumping into a whole new language,” Catherine says.

She advises those interested in painting to sharpen their foundational skills, and above all, to be persistent.

“I would advise taking some drawing classes first. I think it's important to have some drawing experience; it's too daunting otherwise,” Catherine explains. “If there's a will, there's a way. It's not the skill of the man, it's the will of the man, or woman. The great thing about the adult programs at Santa Monica College and at Pierce College is that the classes are totally free, so there’s no reason not to pursue that passion.”

Catherine’s work is currently on view at Coast Gallery Big Sur and at Dacha in Manhattan Beach.

Learn more about Catherine at CatherineTirr.com or email catherinetirrstudio@gmail.com for more information.

F ABIO & CO. ITAL IA

SHARES PASSION FOR STYLE

When it comes to style, Italy is world-renowned as the epicenter of art and culture. Beautiful designs fashioned from the highest quality materials are the hallmark of Italian-made creations, and sharing these objets d’art with local residents is the pride and joy of Fabio & Co. Italia in Agoura Hills.

Offering the finest furniture 100% made in Italy, Fabio & Co. Italia welcomes customers into their luxurious, state-ofthe-art showroom, where they can experience firsthand the gorgeous and comfortable leather sofas, chairs, sectionals, recliners, ottomans, dining tables and bedroom furnishings.

“Our business is all about Italy, where it’s gorgeous and people are happy, stuff is unique and the attitude is happy,” says Yana Lazzari, who founded Fabio & Co. Italia in 2012 with her husband, Fabio. “Italy is known around the world as the creator of the most sophisticated, most elegant and most colorful style—it’s all about beauty. We buy topof-the-line quality hides and work with Italian designers on the style—my husband is very, very picky and so nothing comes to the showroom unless it is beautiful and comfortable!”

Fabio’s passion for fine Italian leather stems from his roots growing up in Arzignano (Vicenza), Italy, a town known for producing the world’s finest authentic leather products and where his father owned a tannery. Drawing on their extensive experience in the leather industry and custom interior design, Yana and Fabio take pride in offering luxurious, stylish and comfortable home furnishings at affordable prices.

“What sets Fabio & Co. apart from other made in Italy furniture is the luxury of having direct ties with manufacturing facilities,” Fabio explains. “This essentially lets us cut the middleman out, and in return gives us the opportunity to offer clients a high-end luxury product at an affordable price.”

At Fabio & Co. Italia, customers can choose from 350 colors of leather, 10 different grades ranging from top grain leather hides to full grain leather hides and order furniture of their dreams—made from scratch by hand for a truly unique and one-of-a-kind piece—or select one from their extensive inventory of elegant choices for same-day delivery.

“Come as a client, leave as friend,” invites Yana, sharing that their showroom has been nicknamed “the United Nations.”

“Lots of our clients are immigrants, so on any given day when you come into the showroom, you’ll see people from England, Israel, Ukraine, India, Russia, Iran, China, Vietnam, Korea, Armenia, etc. It’s really amazing for us to see this response to Italian furniture.”

Fabio & Co. Italia’s stylish and elegant furnishings coupled with their amazing customer service have clients singing their praises.

“Clients’ homes often become showrooms for our furniture; we get a huge number of referrals,” says Yana, adding, “We really love our clients. As a small family business, we welcome them, and we want them to feel at home. We’re here to assist and help.”

Fabio & Co. Italia stands behind the quality and value of all purchases and its knowledgeable, friendly staff are ready to address each clients’ individual needs to make their dream sofa, sectional or chair a reality.

“We genuinely love what we do and proudly open our doors as well as our hearts to all of you, who are looking for the finer things in life!” says Yana.

For affordable luxury at the lowest prices, visit Fabio & Co. Italia Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 28205 Canwood Street in Agoura Hills. For more information, call 818.735.8000 or visit them online at FabioandCo.com.

“We really love our clients. As a small family business, we welcome them, and we want them to feel at home. We’re here to assist and help.”