The Panorama City Rock Garden started in May 31, 2020 by Javier Mejia as a response to the piled up garbage in the area, a common issue in the Northeast Valley where some small spaces in neighborhoods are consistently used as dumping grounds. One day, Mr. Mejia decided to pick up the trash being dumped at this space and decided
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What do (818) locals Alexander Orozco (the Hood Foodie), Marie Salazar (owner of the 818 Pop Up Shop), Joel Gonzalez (Head Chef of Mariscos Corona), Nestor Aguilar (The 818 Insider) have in common? Apart from being from the San Fernando Valley, of course! Give up? Each of them own shoes specifically tailored to their brand. And the team behind the
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Back in 2006 when the “Real Housewives of Orange County” was gaining popularity, one of my co-workers and I would joke around and say that they should include one for the San Fernando Valley. We envisioned ourselves traipsing around Ventura Blvd, going on shopping sprees, spas, and maybe having a mimosa or two at 10 a.m.—because you know it’s 5
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It all started in October 2017. Dustin Staats and his friend Rich went on a podcast adventure called Board Gaming with English. Both friends were teachers: Dustin with a strong background in English Language education and Rich as the resident history and international education experience guru. The podcast shifted gears and started including subjects apart from English, paving the way
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Italian multi-media artist Milena Mortati is the heart and the founder of CRE8, a start up multimedia platform designed by artist for artist. In an interview with Voyage LA in November 2020, Milena shares her love for art and her journey as an artist for the past two decades: “Instead of pointing out what sets me apart, I’d love to
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Phil Leonard’s passion of murals started in 1992 while attending California State University, Northridge (CSUN), as a Psychology student. “They were adding the wings to the Oviatt Library. There were some graffiti artists that did graf art on the construction walls. Fast forward to after the 1994 Northridge earthquake in 1994 and they were doing construction to the new Media
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Sherwin Antonio and Kirk Nishikawa met in high school during the 90s: the age of baggy pants, Cool Water, and Tommy Hilfiger Jackets. It was a shared love of cars that brought these two together. Fast forward to December 5, 2015, these lifelong friends decided to open Brewyard Beer Company, the very first micro-brewery in their hometown of Glendale, CA.
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Ube, where? Ube-r there…(lip pointing optional). Maybe that was funnier in my head than in actual print. But, if you are a HUGE fan of UBE (sweet yam), then maybe it wasn’t too over the top? In mid-June, Café 86, a popular Filipino owned café known for its Ube treats and drinks, opene its new Northridge location just months after
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In today’s Meet The (818) Interview, I have the honor of chatting with Chef Vallerie Castillo-Archer, the first female Executive Chef at the iconic Japanese restaurant, Yamashiro Hollywood. Her grandfather, who owned a bakery in Chef Vallerie’s hometown in the Philippines, played an integral role in her love for food. And, yes, her culinary journey literally began when she was
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Jason Lustina, owner of the popular baking enterprise Brown Baked Desserts, just happened to fall into baking. “It wasn’t something that I thought would turn into a hobby or even business. I did the typical chocolate chip cookies, waffles, Rice Krispies treats. One day, a thought came into my head, ‘Could I incorporate traditional Filipino flavors into these desserts that
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If you walk into Plaza Del Valle, right next to the playground, you will find the newest collectible store in Panarama City, the Flipz Collectibles. Owned by 818 local, Jonathan Mendez, the shop opened about four months ago and boasts of an extensive collection of Funko! Pops, anime posters, as well as Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards. A man of
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San Fernando Valley Realtor Naomi Johnson is a valley girl at heart. As the creator of Live The Valley Life, a 818 lifestyle brand, she combines her two passions: helping her clients navigate today’s real estate market and sharing the 818 community she grew up in. “I’ve been a realtor for two years and I help families buy and sell
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MEET THE (818) 