Mulholland | Ewing & Associates

vinnie tortorich and serena scott thomas

Vinnie and Serena Scott Thomas running near Calabasas

Guest blogger and fitness expert

By: Vinnie Tortorich

I moved from New Orleans to Los Angeles 19 years ago. Unlike most people who move here for fame and fortune in the movie industry, I came for a different reason. I came to escape the 100-plus inches of rain Louisiana gets annually. By definition, it’s almost a rainforest. Please don’t misunderstand me, just like everyone, I love rain. The only time it becomes a hassle for me is when I go outside and exercise. I think it’s safe to say very few people like exercise as much as I do. I enjoy the occasional run outdoors, and my true love, bicycling. I generally log between 15-17,000 miles a year. That’s not much fun in the rain. To round out my reasons for moving here, I’m also a fitness trainer. Heaven knows there is no shortage of clientele who want to stay fit in southern California.

My view of the Los Angeles area was much different when I was standing in Louisiana, as opposed to when I actually moved here. For instance, in my mind, the Strand in Santa Monica would be bustling with beautiful women in bikinis, and Jack from Three’s Company would be falling off his bike checking them out. Instead, the Strand seems to be filled with homeless people. When I lived in New Orleans I had a view of Beverly Hills also. In my mind’s eye, I envisioned convertible Rolls Royces going up and down the palm-lined streets, in somewhat of a Stepford Wives community air. In actuality, Beverly Hills seems to be littered with trucks, portable bathrooms and roach coaches because everyone seems to be “under construction.” This also seems to be true for Bel Air. One Saturday morning shortly after I moved to southern California, I set off on a bike ride.

Vinnie Tortorich riding his bike on Stunt Road

Leaving Brentwood, I went north up PCH. When I got to Topanga Canyon, I decided to take a right. I’ve often tried to get lost in new places on my bicycle. Those seem to be the most adventurous rides. After several miles of climbing the Santa Monica Mountains and descending the opposite side, I found myself in the perfect place. The sign read, “Welcome to Calabasas.” As I strolled along Mulholland Highway, the first thing I noticed was the lack of traffic. Cars didn’t seem to be in a rush. Instead of giving the one-finger salute, people were actually waving to me. I noticed horse property, something I hadn’t seen since I left Louisiana. As I turned off of Mulholland Highway and on to Las Virgenes, I saw something I never anticipated seeing in Los Angeles County. There were sheep grazing on the hillside. I made another right on Mureau Road, and soon found myself in what was the heart of Calabasas. The air was fresh and crisp. It didn’t seem to have that same smoggy haze that Los Angeles had. The streets were well-paved with lots of bike lanes. When I stopped at the Sagebrush Cantina, they filled my water bottles with a smile. They told me to have a nice day. Calabasas became part of my weekly ride. But once I moved from Brentwood to Beverly Hills, I had a problem. As it turns out, Ventura Boulevard is not the friendliest place to ride a bicycle.

On the weekends, I would often leave before daybreak to beat the traffic out to the Calabasas area. After a wonderful day of riding, I would have to take my life into my own hands just trying to get home. I literally started carrying my bike in my car to Calabasas, parking at the Commons (an open-air shopping community), and using my new-found community as the starting point of my ride. Using Calabasas as a kickoff point allowed me to ride out to more exotic places. Ojai, Santa Barbara and the like were all within a day trip. I seemed to be making friends at the local corner bakery, Starbucks and King’s Fish House, where I would often stop for lunch and to fill up my water bottles. The baristas and wait staff began to recognize me as the bike guy. They would ask me, “How many miles today, Vin? One hundred? Two hundred?” I would always smile and say, “I’ll let you know when I finish.” I began to make friends, and shortly after, began to pick up clients for my fitness business. Other trainers thought I was crazy. They wondered why someone with the clients I had in Beverly Hills would disappear four hours a day to train clients in Calabasas. My answer was always that I liked the people and I liked the place. There’s one other thing that happened to me in Calabasas that means more than all of that. I fell in love with a girl, Serena Scott Thomas, who I met standing right outside of Starbucks. And she happens to work for the very agency that I’m writing this blog post for.
[Vinnie Tortorich is a fitness expert and writes a daily blog on his Web site http://savegasburnfat.com

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

A little night magic in your own backyard.

By: Gary Krieger and Sherry Robbin v_experience1

If you’re searching for a new way to spend an enchanting evening close to home (a short 5-10 minute drive from Sherman Oaks or Encino), look no further than Vibrato, a sophisticated, yet intimate jazz club, tucked away in a corner of the Glen Centre in Bel Air, just south of Mulholland Drive and west of Beverly Glen Boulevard. Premiering in 2003 and owned by legendary trumpeter Herb Alpert, Vibrato sets itself apart from other jazz venues in that it hits on ALL cylinders—high quality music, great food with an extensive wine list, and an unmatched ambiance with quite a cool vibe.

Such industry notables who have performed here include Dave Brubeck, Strunz and Farah, Toots Thielemans, and the ever popular and soulful Jazz and Blues vocalist Barbara Morrison. Due to appear sometime this Fall with his wife, internationally renowned singer Lani Hall, is none other than Herb Alpert himself, to promote his latest release entitled, “Anything Goes,” a collaborative effort with Ms. Hall. Then again, you never know who might show up on any given night of the week. According to Pat Senatore, the club’s Artistic Director and widely recognized bass player in his own right, having played with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass from 1965-1970, the Stan Kenton and Les Brown Orchestras, among others, his most memorable night in the club’s history is when Stevie Wonder, previously unannounced, took center stage and began weaving his magic.

On yet another occasion, the incomparable and illustrious composer Michel Legrand (“What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life,” “The Windmills of Your Mind,” “Theme from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”) made a rare and very special appearance, of which it should be noted that Vibrato is the only venue in which the grand Legrand will perform when in Los Angeles.

For more information, check out Vibrato at www.vibratogrilljazz.com