We Know Weho

This week We Know WeHo gets their namaste on with newly opened Shiva Yoga Practice founder and owner, Garth Hewitt, as this week's featured guest.  Garth is a Teacher Trainer, Yoga Therapist, Certified Yogaworks Teacher, Certified Dharma Yoga Teacher, and has led Classes, Workshops, Retreats, and Teacher Trainings, in Los Angeles, and around the world.  Garth taught for several years at the original Yogaworks in Santa Monica and at Exhale in Venice.  Garth is the creator of the Shiva Yoga® style of yoga where the classes focus on setting intentions, practicing gratitude, finding balance and quieting the mind.

Garth is also the owner of the Mama Kuka™ yoga props company, founder of the YogaSphere® and the Yogi Pro Kit and progressive yoga strap system, and the Director of the Shiva Yoga® Practice online yoga studio and platform that offers virtual and on-demand classes.

Website:  https://shivayogapractice.com/ 

Instagram:  @shivayogapractice

SHOW NOTES & LINKS:

This week's episode kicks off the change of season as the summer months wind down and a change is afoot with the We Know WeHo Co-Host spot.  Former guest and owner of V Wine Room, Mikey Consbruck, steps into the Co-Host seat and brings his love of food, wine and West Hollywood to the mic.  This Nebraska native first appeared in the year end episode wrap with a list of recommended bubbles to ring in the New Year.  He subsequently made an appearance on the Valentine's Day episode and more recently in August with a list of his summer sipping picks.

Tracy can't resist and asks Mikey for some wine pairings to compliment a favorite local BBQ spot, Bludso's, in celebration of Labor Day weekend. BBQ is always a good meal choice, regardless of season, so check out the picks for Texas BBQ, Mac & Cheese, and Key Lime Pie from Bludso's. Mikey gives a run down of new openings happening in his part of West Hollywood and Tracy shares a few finds in a new neighborhood that has popped up along two blocks of Sycamore just on the WeHo border.  

Be sure to follow the team on their new instagram @weknowweho_official 

Show Notes & Links:

This week’s episode features Steve Lococo, a master stylist and owner of B2V Salon in West Hollywood.  He is one of West Hollywood’s legacy businesses after beginning his salon adventures in 1985 on Santa Monica Blvd.   This episode begins with a little nostalgia as Steve recounts the days of the Tropicana Hotel and the train that ran through the center of the city right down the middle of Santa Monica Blvd.

B2V is situated in an old bungalow setting and adapted well to pivot their services after three different mandated closures from the State and La County impacting salon businesses.  In addition to creating a serene outdoor salon on the deck, Steve and his team are offering a number of express services in addition to the full salon treatment experience.

Our two hosts particularly enjoy talking to Steve about their hair care given their love of the poolside lounging and sunny ocean swims.  Steve has some great tips for Tracy’s curly blonde hair and Maxine’s dark brunette that can have a brassy tendency with too much time in the sun.  Give this episode a listen and you may learn a tip or two for your own coiffed look.

Website:  https://b2vsalon.com/

Instagram:  @b2vsalon

(B2V segment can be found at the 20 minute mark)

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This week's episode features long-time West Hollywood resident, CJ Russo, who is a director, producer and writer of documentary films.  She is no stranger to the film festival arena, with six short films playing at Outfest over the years, and winning an award for the Best Documentary Short with her film "Straight Down the Aisle" - confessions of lesbian bridesmaids.  CJ's most recent project, Lady Buds, is her first feature documentary film that is making an appearance at Outfest 2021 (Los Angeles' LGBTQ Film Festival) before it lights the worldwide film festival circuit on fire.   

"Lady Buds is a feature documentary that tells the story of six courageous women who come out of the shadows of the cannabis underground to enter the newly legal market. With deep-pocketed corporations taking over the industry, these trailblazers risk everything to make their American Dream come true in the very market they helped create."

Lady Buds kicked off its film festival screening schedule with a world premiere at the Canadian Hot Docs Film Festival earlier this year and Angelinos have the opportunity to catch a viewing at a very special sneak peek showing at Outfest on Friday, August 20th.

Felicia Carbajal, one of the women featured in Lady Buds, also joins the We Know WeHo interview and brings her perspective as an activist in the LatinX, LGBTQ+ and cannabis communities to the conversation.  Felicia provides insight about the gay history of cannabis and how queer activists were a big reason for the legalization of this industry and her personal involvement in providing cannabis to Bay Area AIDS patients in the 1990's.

(Guest Interview begins at 10:25)

Website:  www.ladybudsmovie.com

Instagram:  @lady.buds

SHOW NOTES & LINKS:

Bikes and wine, proves to be the perfect summer combination for this week's We Know WeHo episode!  Bikes and Hikes LA is a West Hollywood-based company that offers a wide variety of daily outdoor LA biking and hiking tours, corporate group activities, and private tours all over Los Angeles. It is easy to see why they are consistently rated as the #1 Outdoor Activity Operator in LA with their popular "LA in a Day" bike tour and two choices to hike to the top of the Hollywood Sign - with the full experience hike taking 2.5 hours or the express hike at 1.5 hours.   General Manager, Jason Bowers, also runs Bike Shop LA out of the same location.  This shop sells new and used bikes, kids bikes, electric bikes, and their expert mechanics perform bike repairs and tuneups.   You don't have to be a tourist to discover LA on a bike or foot, local residents can use code WEHO20 for 20% of a tour.  Insider tip:  consider opting for the electronic bike upgrade for your tour of LA!

Website:  www.bikesandhikesla.com | www.bikeshopla.com

Instagram: @bikesandhikesla | @bikeshopla

Bikes & Hikes LA - 29:32

Mikey Consbruck from V Wine Bar rounds out this Tour de France episode with a few of his favorite summer sipping picks that include a light white from Portugal, a traditional rosé from Provence, a Gavi from Italy, and five different Rieslings from Germany.  His red picks are a local Syrah and Grenache from California that can be served either room temperature or chilled - and our host adds her favorite, Lambrusco to the list!  Monday and Thursday is happy hour all day at V Wine Room and you can enjoy a glass of the house Rosé or Grenache for $6 every Tuesday and Wednesday.  If you live in the area and want to pop by and pick up a bottle to go to enjoy poolside or at your favorite Hollywood Bowl summer concert enjoy 20% off your purchase at V Wine Room. 

Summer Sipping Picks from V Wine Room - 16:30

SHOW NOTES & LINKS:

This week rounds out the month of June and We Know WeHo's month long Pride celebration of featuring LGBTQ+ owned businesses.  Partners in life and business, Joshua White and Mehdi Elias Rezig from Dogue Spa in West Hollywood are our featured guests.  Josh's love of animals and talents as a dog groomer and Mehdi's entrepreneurial business skills are the perfect combination to build their brand and Dogue Spa together.

Josh is an LA native and the Co-Owner and Lead Groomer at Dogue with experience who competed on the "The Pack", an Amazon Original global adventure featuring 12 teams of dogs and their human companions in fun and exciting international adventures.  You can find Josh and Snow, an elegant white Standard Poodle, at their West Hollywood canine spa - Dogue Spa.  

At Dogue, they offer a unique, high end salon experience to you and your four legged best friend. As a full service Spa, their main goal is to provide the highest level of excellence when styling your dog, starting with premium shampoo and conditioner. Each dog is given a thorough consult by the stylist to assure the best results, allowing our stylist to connect with both you and your dog. By the end of the consult, your stylist will recommend what's best for YOUR pet so that they can feel, look and smell his/her best.  

Please note that any coloring used on the dogs is vegan and non-toxic and completely safe for your canine friends.  Insider tip:  if you drop your furry pal off at Dogue, you might just run into Usher and his Goldendoodle Dog Scarlett.

Website: https://www.doguespa.net/

Instagram: @doguespa | @joshandsnow

Show Notes & Links:

It is officially summer and we can't think of a better way to kick the season with all the great Pride and summer promotions happening at one of the West Hollywood Hotel Collection's four sexy boutique hotels that include the Chamberlain West Hollywood, Montrose West Hollywood, Le Parc Suites and The Grafton on Sunset.  This week's episode features Jamison DeTrolio who is the Marketing Director of the West Hollywood Collection.

Don't miss out on the "Passport to Pride Offer" for travelers who choose to stay at one of these gay-friendly hotels who will receive the third night free, plus 20% off in-room massage service from Soothe!  Guests have access to all four hotels' pools and amenities and can take advantage of the hotels' complimentary house bikes to bounce between properties.  Staycation and vacation travelers can check out the newly renovated rooftops at Montrose and Le Parc Suites and enjoy a day at the pool, a yoga flow class and a sunset cocktail with the "Rooftop Rendezvous" summer promotional package.  

Resources

Website:  https://www.westhollywoodhotels.com/our-collection

Instagram: @montrosewesthollywood | @leparcsuites | @chamberlainweho | @graftononsunset

Show Notes & Links:

It is June and that means it is Pride Month, especially in West Hollywood!  We Know WeHo is celebrating by featuring LGBTQ businesses.  This week we are excited to talk to Todd Barnes who is the General Manager of the Abbey.

The Abbey was founded by David Cooley in 1991 and got its start as a small coffee shop.  Over the past 30 years the Abbey has grown to become a West Hollywood institution, home of the Gay Walk of Fame, Elizabeth Taylor’s favorite pub, and a community center. A favorite of celebrities, locals and tourists alike, there is no better place to meet old friends, make new ones, enjoy a generous 10-ounce martini, eat a delicious meal and just kick back and have fun.  Insider tip: the bakery inside has delicious sweets and the key lime pie and ding dong are not to be missed!

Todd Barnes has been the General Manager at The Abbey for almost 15 years.  Over the last decade, Todd has carried out operations for some of the largest events, fundraisers and celebratory occasions at The Abbey, helping create memorable moments for the LGBTQ community and the City of West Hollywood.

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Season two of We Know WeHo kicks off featuring a brand new business this week in the guest spotlight!  Farm Cup Coffee opened last week with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Lindesy Horvath!  

In 2017, founders Tony and Emerson took their very first trip as a couple to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico. While they were there, they passed by a VW camper outfitted as a mobile coffee shop. They didn't pay too much attention to it at the time, but it planted the seed to what would become Farm Cup Coffee.

The name Farm Cup Coffee came from the sustainable idea of farm-to-table food. Ethical food-sourcing has become essential to a sustainable future, so why not translate that to one of the most consumed beverages in the world?  They focus on organic single origin coffee directly sourced from the farm owners so you know exactly where your coffee comes from. The coffee is roasted at source when possible to ensure the farmers receive the highest profit for their craft. 

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