The Peninsula Post: Ever Wonder About that Fence?

If you’ve ever been curious about that large fenced area on the beach just north of the jetty in the MDR Peninsula, you’re not alone.

While working with a client to buy a beach front condo at Voyage St. he asked us what the big idea was. Was it a toxic dump? Should he be concerned?

The answer is, no! It’s actually doing a whole lot of good to protect the endangered least tern bird that lays its eggs in shallow sand. The bird lays its eggs in April and May in shallow impressions in the sand. Their eggs are sand colored and prone to being destroyed by beach goers, dogs, cats even.

In breeding plumage, the least tern has a broad white forehead framed by a black crown and a black line running from the crown through the eye to the base of the bill. The mantle and the short forked tail are pearl-gray.

Hopefully the goofy hat doesn’t scare the birds away!

Ocean water quality update - Marina del Rey Peninsula

Bumped into a friend on the peninsula and we decided we were long overdue for a swim together now that the sun was finally rearing his face. But then my buddy said that the water was dookie status and we should wait… or so advised a doctor that lives on his street.

I did some further digging, as it takes a lot to keep me out of the ocean. Yes, there was a major sewage spill in July at the Hyperion plant, (ewww!), but according to Heal the Bay, the Peninsula is OK at the moment, though they recommend steering clear of swimming close the the Santa Monica pier where it’s an “F.” Gross!

Also, here’s a live map of water quality from LA Public Health. And the beach report card is also a great resource for updates.

Holler at me if you’d like a partner to take a dip with. Just remember to shuffle your feet as you go out in the shallow water. It scares off the sting rays and lets them know you’re coming. And TRUST, you do not want spike on your foot.

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How to embrace the summer ... GG Coastal Style

Here are GG’s 3 top must haves for summer BBQs. It’s time to be social again in irl, so get yourself sorted. Be safe!

Drew Martin pre-rolls

Speaking of easing into the summer vibes. These pre-rolls are fancy shmancy, but that’s ok, because now that we are adulting, we no longer rip bong hits or smoke until our heads explode. These low dose pre-rolls have creative blends and deliver just the right amount of THC.

Don’t throw shade, instead, wear it in style

We’re digging this hat brand, Wyeth. And this Ipanema style is well... stylin'. Get your shade on ward off the melanoma monsters. You got a lot a livin’ to do, so protect ya punim.   

DJ Mix to get you started

This mix will sure to get your guests in the mood for socializing again since let’s be honest, we’re all a little rusty. Press play and get loose.

GG Coastal Living is a real estate brokerage with a design arm. We help clients identify and secure dreamy homes, as well as help sellers keep peace of mind while getting top dollar for their properties.Decades of experience and modern sensibilities. 

Hit us up for a no-strings attached consultation!

JUNETEENTH. We are honoring Juneteenth by donating 5% of our earnings through the rest of the year to The Bail Project.  Because we also "believe no one should be in jail because of poverty." 
 

Let's get your home office sorted!

You dreamed about working from home, then boom - the pandemic. Without a proper WFH setup, the ideal scenario you imagined became a nightmare... 

Take a breath. 
Woosa. 
We’ve got you covered! 

The NYT shared some ideas for sleek home office upgrades, and while there are some great references, we don’t necessarily vibe with their featured designs. Inspired by the article, we've put together an easy guide to making a big impact in your space - the GG Way. 

1. Picking the right space. Some of the NYT featured designs are built into closets. If that’s your only option, we understand, and can work with that, however, we would opt to find a place in the house you actually enjoy being, and planning around that space. Think natural lighting.  

2. Protect Ya Neck. We like screens being at eye level to avoid posture issues down the road. (We’re currently using this laptop stand… if the whole standing desk thing doesn’t work for you)

3. Functionality is top priority. The key here is ensuring that your space wherever you create it is more functional than it is chic. Our approach to any aspect of design is to ensure that design enhances function. 

4. Right. Left. Right. If you’re a righty, have more space to the right, as you will tend to spread your work out that way. 

5. Storage. Build storage that keeps clutter away and helps you stay organized. We often lean into neutral colors in these spaces and let texture do the talking. This space should feel like an extension of your home and reflect your personal style. 

We are also helping clients buy and sell, so if that sounds like you, don’t hesitate to drop us a line so we can schedule a Facetime consultation. 

DIY Furniture Sprucing

The way we are using our living spaces continues to evolve. Since we’re stuck at home for the most part, we’ve taken on some DIY jobs around the house, sprucing up some of our old patio furniture. Lead designer, Jo, had the vision to prime and paint these pieces black. 

This chair was discarded on the street (way before COVID) and sat idle until we finally got around to painting it. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Nothing a nice sanding and coat of paint can’t do. Let us know what you think!

Baked Turmeric + Coconut Chicken Tenders

Do you miss the good ol’ chicken “fingers” (what an awful name) of yesteryear, and when made right they’re human finger lickin’ good.

Well, here’s an alternative to the breaded and fried chicken of our youth that gives a much healthier and sophisticated update. The creamy dressing is also delicious and nutritious.

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb Organic Chicken Cutlets

• 1 cup of Organic Panko Bread Crumbs

• ½ cup of Organic Dried Coconut (chop fine)

• ½ cup of Organic Flour

• 1 tbs Dijon Mustard

• 1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 tsp Turmeric

• 2 Organic Eggs

• ½ cup flour

• OO Spray

• S&P

Instructions:

* Pre-heat oven to 350

* Combine panko + coconut + Tumeric + S&P in a shallow bowl

* Whisk together eggs + worcestershire + dijon + splash of H20 in shallow bowl

* Sprinkle flour on plate 

* Arrange plates in order or dipping 1. Flour 2. Egg Mixture 3. Crumbs

* Lightly pound chicken

* Dip in flour, lightly,  then egg, then panko. Make sure panko mix coats the chicken fully.

* Place on baking rack, spray with OO and bake for 10 minutes till golden and crispy. Flip, re-spray and bake for another 10 minutes. 

* Serve with Tahini honey mustard, lemon, ketchup or special sauce

What Area in Los Angeles is Considered Silicon Beach?

Are you confused about what neighborhood Angelenos (or home listings) are referring to when they say “Silicon Beach?” If so, you’re not alone! 

The term Silicon Beach is a nod to Northern California’s Silicon Valley, which is a region in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, came to be known as silicon, due to the density of companies that made silicon-based computer chips in the area (e.g. Intel, Applied Material, etc). The area became a hub for technology innovation, leading to software startups and of course personal computers (Apple) and though startups expanded far broadly out of chip making, the “silicon” stuck.

Here’s a map of Silicon Beach

Despite there not being much chip manufacturing in Los Angeles, that didn’t stop tech company startups from helping to brand a part of the city as Silicon Beach, which isn’t even on the beach! Are you thinking, “hold up, so there’s no silicon and it’s not necessarily on the beach in LA’s Silicon Beach?!?” The short answer is, you’re right, but then again, it’s LA, and this is a city known for dressing things up to be not exactly what they are in reality. 

The reality is, Silicon Beach has evolved. When Google first set up shop with an office in LA, they did so in Santa Monica, near-ish the beach. From there, other smaller tech companies and investors followed suit. It’s like how huge whales attract small fish and barnacles. But then the whale swam to Venice and took over the legendary Frank Gehry designed binoculars building, and so many guppies followed. 

As the tech industry in LA expanded over the past 10 years, so did the neighborhoods that include what we now call Silicon Beach. Other companies that have joined the herd include Google’s YouTube (now in Playa Vista), Facebook, AOL, EA, Amazon (Culver City), Apple, Scopely (Culver City), Snapchat (Venice), and many many others. Personally, we think it’s a stretch to call any part of WeHo or frankly anything east of the I-405 to be Silicon Beach… sorry, it’s just not! 

Google has since expanded, keeping its now iconic Venice location and as mentioned above includes offices in Playa Vista, where they have taken over the Spruce Goose hangar (where Avatar was once filmed) and there are confirmed reports that Google has taken over the former mall (yes, mall) Westside Pavillion to build new offices in West LA. So will West LA now be Silicon Beach? 

Here’s our take, the epicenter of Silicon Beach has shifted. If Santa Monica was once the hub, many of smaller companies have been priced out as they had to grow. We see Silicon Beach as including parts of Culver City, Del Rey, Marina del Rey (where Dollar Shave has HQ), Playa Del Rey, Venice, and yes, still Santa Monica. 

And we love the idea of living close to these tech giants, because let’s face it, like it or not, the so-called FAANG (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google) cohort of companies aren’t going away anytime soon. In fact, they’re GROWING, so living in proximity to these companies means there will be investment pouring into them. Now are there certain areas that are more promising than others, and have better value? You bet your atari 3000! For example, look at Google’s Venice office. Despite it being a stone’s throw from our favorite (if not super pricey) restaurant Gjusta, there is also a severe homeless (unhoused) people situation on the same block. Regardless of where you fall on the complex issue of homelessness, it’s hard to argue that having hundreds of unhoused folks on the sidewalk nearby your house is not a desirable aspect of the neighborhood. 

This is in part why we're huge fans of neighborhoods like the sleeper neighborhood of Del Rey for example. It’s quiet, clean, family-friendly, packed with starter homes and a bike ride away from the amenities of say, Playa Vista or Marina del Rey. So, in short, not all Silicon Beach pockets are the same -- there’s lots of nuance. 

We could go on for days breaking down the pros and cons of Silicon Beach areas, but this is just a taste. If you’re interested in chatting more, we’re here to talk shop, even if it’s talk coffee shop (speaking of Sachi.LA in Del Rey is the bomb!). We’re here to advise and guide you through any housing or design needs you may have. 

Celery and Mushroom Salad

Our friend, Judith, often sends along recipes she thinks will resonate with our style. We’re typically backlogged on stuff we want to try and make, it’s hard to keep up. But last week, the day I received this, we happened to have all the ingredients already handy and it sounded so easy and yummy… that it was… and is! I don’t know about you, but in our house, celery usually sits, straight chillin in an ice water tub in the back of the fridge. Often ignored until it's the last thing to snack on. And even then, it’s regrettable. But this is how to put it to good use (if not being used in a bone broth) This is the kind of salad you could imagine on a menu at a Nancy Silverton type restaurant and be intimidated to make, but it’s so simple. This salad is like a bird chirping springtime from atop an olive tree in Tuscany. Or maybe just our dog barking from Marina Del Rey. 

Ingredients:

• 8 ribs of Celery 

• 1 cup shaved Parmesan or even better Grana Padano

• 1 radish (preferably Weiser farms mild lavender)

• ¼ cup of flat leaf Parsley (torn or chopped) 

• ⅓ cup of fresh Mint (torn or chopped)  

• 1 cup of Mushrooms (preferably Pioppino, slightly chopped)

• 1 ½ lemon lemons

• 1 small scoop of labne 

• EVOO

• S&P 

• Shallot confit

Instructions: 

* Saute mushrooms in a small cast iron pan with enough oil or shallot confit to lubricate the pan. Cook until slightly crispy on the edges - put aside 

* Whisk EVOO, lemon a splash of confit, a pinch of S&P & a little bit of labne

* Slice the celery as thin as you possibly can (if you have a mandolin, this would be a great use for it)

* Combine the celery, herbs, cheese and cooled mushrooms together with dressing and voila!

** Herbs - use what you have, we almost always have dill so it goes into almost everything

** Labne is our everything, we use it as creme to add a little flough to vinaigrettes, creme to bolognese

** Shallot Confit is the best thing to add a little umami to your dressings or other dishes where olive oil is used. (see recipe)