By CLAUDIA CHINCHILLA

3-year-old Anthony has a cold, but for the Rodriguez family there are two possible ways to cure it. The approach depends on the caregiver: Ask Anthony’s grandma and she will give him an herbal tea to drink. Ask Anthony’s mom and she will tell you that the best thing to do is take him to a doctor as soon as possible.

These two different perspectives of medicine are both popular among the vast Latino population in the Los Angeles area and differ among generations.

In the year 2000, the Pew Research Center released a study stating that over 20% of the population in the Los Angeles County is Latino. And among the population is a defined divide when it comes to medicine and its treatment.

Dr. Antonio Jose Mendez is a specialist in natural medicine. He says the cure for most illnesses is in the analysis of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual being. The difference to conventional medicine is that focus is on the cause of the illness rather than the symptoms.“Holistic medicine considers the person as an individual, “says Mendez who has been practicing natural medicine for over five years.

When asked, Mendez didn’t quite know how to categorize the type of medicine he practices. When he started his career in Colombia in the early 1980’s he only believed in paradigm of conventional medicine. But because of a personal experience he began to look into the methodology of holistic medicine. There was much he saw that he could explain in natural medicine practices. This brought upon a curiosity he continues to work with today.

“We are living in a time where many are turning to homeopathy as an alternative to conventional or western medicine,” he says. “Times are tough and natural healing methods are not only a lot cheaper, they actually work.”

This type of alternative medicine can be called many things, but it can also be confused of being many things among them witchcraft. However, the understanding of holistic medicine is a combination of the fundamental of physics but also belief.

Mendez says conventional medicine like natural medicine is also based upon belief. But too much belief may not be the answer. Kr. Kenneth Conklin has been practicing medicine at UCLA for over 30 years and says these confusions are common. “The alternative medicine field is pretty big, which is why we should rely on is science and medicine,” he says.“The results can actually be proven.”

Dr. Conklin practices what he calls complimentary medicine, which goes hand in hand with western medicine.“Alternative medicine does nothing for the patient, but to each his own,” says Conklin. But just how much does this make sense to those who believe in natural medicine as an alternative method of medicine. Take the example of the common cold virus. Scientifically it cannot be treated with an antibiotic. However, doctors often prescribe an antibiotic and the patient takes it with out questioning the doctor’s authority. Mendez says this of course works for people because people believe in it.”

He says the cure for the virus requires rest and a specific nutrition guideline. All of which can be found in his website darmony.com

The grandmother in the Rodriguez family says she has believed and followed natural medicine long before she came to this country. “This natural healing is part of our culture,” says Rodriguez. “I’ve always done it and it’s been around for hundreds of years. We believe it and its real.” Rodriguez is right. Homeopathy has been around for over 500 years, but the rise of western or conventional medicine has discredited the field of alternative medicine.

According to a report released by imshealth.com Americans spend over $200 billion a year on pharmaceuticals every year and the number continues to increase. Thus making the pharmaceutical industry the third largest moneymaker in the United States. This might be because of the trust people have on science as Dr. Conklin mentioned.

Anthony’s mother was born and raised here in the United States. “I have faith in the intelligence of western medicine,” she says. “If I know that that it will cure an illness I’m going to go for it without a doubt.” But for Dr. Mendez the meds are only a way to temporarily cure an illness.

“I believed in medicine and only medicine, but the key here is to break away from the paradigms we are taught not to question.”

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Dry Garden

By LESLIE FLORES

Imagine walking into a Zen-filled garden with three large bodies of water and a stone path to guide along the six and a half acres of land. This Zen-filled place is the Japanese Garden, located at 6100 Woodley Ave., in the heart of Balboa Park in the city of Van Nuys.

The Japanese Garden was established in 1984 by Dr. Koichi Kawana, known as the “Renaissance man.” Dr. Kawana did everything from architecture, art, writing books and poetry. He was also a teacher who implemented plans, which are still used today.

According to Jan Abrams, Docent and Gift Shop volunteer at the Japanese Garden, “Docents are tour guides who undergo rigorous training to highlight the key points that Dr. Kawana wanted taught at the garden.

The Japanese Garden was also created in collaboration with Donald C. Tillman’s Water Reclamation Plant, which treats 80 million gallons of sewage through seven steps in eleven and a half hours.

“Visitors who walk into the Japanese Garden experience a whole new world with a feeling of tranquility away from the busy city noise into a place with clean fresh air and well kept plants surrounded by Japanese Koi fish filled waters,” explained Abrams.

In addition to the fish filled waters, there are exotic animals found at the Japanese Garden including swallows, ducks, cranes and pelicans. “I was surprised at the amount of animals present in a beautiful crisp area because the valley is seen as a hot desert-like place,” said Luisa Iturbide, a first-time Garden visitor. “To walk into this attractive scenery is amazing,” Iturbide added.

“Along with the exotic animals, the Garden is a reflection of the Japanese culture featuring a crane that symbolizes honor and loyalty along with the swallow representing luck,” Iturbide pointed out.

The Garden also contains detailed lanterns and waterfalls positioned in a three-tier manner representing the sky on top…the man in the middle and the earth on the bottom. The admission price to the Garden is $3 for adults and $2 for children under 10 and seniors over 62 provides the guest with a half mile walk to surely mesmerize all ages and backgrounds.

Waterfall

“Many of the volunteers are retirees who have a fondness for the garden. They enjoy the environment enough to work in it and have an interest in the Japanese culture,” Abrams said. “Volunteers keep the garden up to par. The fees paid at the Garden entrance help to pay for the maintenance of the place,” Abrams noted.

“The Japanese Garden houses a well-preserved tea house for show and a tea garden,” Abrams revealed. “The tea house oversees the shimmering lakes, green crane island and waterfalls through the large paper mashe windows that take up all sides of the walls. The tea house is empty because it captures the serenity of the moment without any violence.”

Adams described the garden as a place that is “meant to resemble the Japanese art and culture in a home away from home type of feeling while hosting many private events, comprised of weddings, family outings and celebrations. The directional stones found upon entering the garden, lead guests into many Japanese inspired themes, such as a dry garden with stones arranged a certain way on purpose to symbolize happiness and the five basic elements that make up life: wind, water, sky, fire and earth.”

Abrams said: “The Garden is a gift to the San Fernando Valley. If it wasn’t for the city enforcing a garden with the building of a reclamation plant to purify the waters, then there would not be such a wonderful place to escape to and free our minds.”

According to CSUN Urban Studies and Planning Professor Ashwani Vasishth, “In addition to the tea house, a Water Reclamation Plant is located at the Gardens. The Water Reclamation Plant is a good thing to have here. The more water there, the better we are.”

Professor Vasishth explained that “the water reclamation plant uses areas of wetlands to purify water. The clean reclamation plant water is used for the Japanese Garden, Balboa Park and certain wildlife lakes. Japanese people and various ethnic groups in the surrounding community will definitely be able to identify with the Garden and perhaps appreciate the San Fernando Valley even more.”

For further information concerning the Japanese Garden, call 818/756-8166 for Docent led tours.

The Japanese Garden is located at 6100 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406 or one call 818/756-8166 for Docent led tours.

Photostream by LESLIE FLORES

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Japanese Garden in Van Nuys

See the entire series here
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Argentinean empandas (with meat or vegetables) are a staple of Argentinean cuisine.

By NATALIA ZELAYA

If you are looking for an intimate place where various ethnic groups come together to share news about Van Nuys and enjoy eating great food then Mercado Buenos Aires deli-meat market is the place for you.

Located at the corner of Sepulveda Blvd. and Covello St. in the heart of the city of Van Nuys “The ‘Mercado Buenos Aires’ alias ‘El Mercadito’, started as a deli-meat market, according to restaurant General Manager Eduardo Rodríguez .

“My mother used to make the ‘empanadas’ and my aunts would help out as well. It was only carry out food. Later on, we put a table for people to eat Argentinean sandwiches with coffee. Little by little…it became a restaurant,” Rodríguez recalled.

This community restaurant opened in June of 1989 as a deli-meat market in a small shopping center in Van Nuys. “Through the years it became known for its traditionalism and for making customers feel right in the heart of Buenos Aires,” Rodríguez said.

Long time restaurant customer, Luis Campos, has been coming to Mercado Buenos Aires since it opened 20 years ago. “Throughout the years, I have introduced the place to other friends, who also became regulars.”

Mercado Buenos Aires started as El Mercadito; a place where people bought authentic Argentinean foods.

Campos confessed that he usually dines at the deli-meat market five or more times a month depending on the season. “You come here, and you know that you will always find somebody that you know, or a friend. It became part of my routine and part of our lives, like a part of Argentina is in the San Fernando Valley. And it’s not one thing or another, but everything in the restaurant that makes you feel that way,” Campos explained.

“What also makes Mercado Buenos Aires so special is its simplicity,” Rodriguez said, the idea is not to make it luxurious but to make people feel right at home.” Customers also get together on Sundays to watch and discuss soccer games. “A lot of television networks come here during soccer season to interview our customers,” Rodríguez noted.

Another important reason why the restaurant has been so successful over the years is the loyalty of their customers who spread the good news about the great food. “My friend Jesse Corona has told me a lot about this place and brought me here,” Stacey Fewtrel said, “and today, I’m going to order Jesse’s favorite Suprema sandwich.”

A long time friend of the original owner Manuel, alias ‘Manolo.’ Carlos Gonzales Maciel, 67, remembered when the mini-market was first opened. “I used to host an Argentinean radio show here in Los Angeles, which represented Argentina’s famous ‘radio Rivadavia,” recalled Gonzales. “We used to hang huge speakers on the walls, so people could listen to the radio while eating. Many of them would cry remembering Argentina and the friends or family left behind. It was very nostalgic.”

Another very popular order at the restaurant are morcilla and chorizo (blood and pork sausage) with the unique and authentic taste that many meat eaters love.

Vegetarians also have a chance to try authentic Argentinean cuisine. There are pizzas, salads and spinach empanadas.

“Argentinean celebrities such as Andrea del Boca, Diego Torres, Alejandro Lerner, and Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias have come here to try our food. It’s just amazing to think how far we have gone,” Rodríguez commented. “You can also buy Argentinean imports at their mini market. The prices at the restaurant and import products are very reasonable,” he concluded.

Mercado Buenos Aires is one place with the magic of making customers from different backgrounds, feel at home, wherever they feel that home is either in Argentina or in Van Nuys.

Mercado Buenos Aires is located at 7540 Sepulveda Boulevard, in Van Nuys, CA 91405. (818) 786-0522‎. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm; Friday and Saturday from 7:30 am to 10:00 pm, and Sunday from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm.

Photo stream by NATALIA ZELAYA

Video by AMANDA MONTGOMERY

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Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS) Site Coordinator Andrea Ainsworth watches over students who are part of the KYDS program at Van Nuys Middle School.

By CYNTHIA GÓMEZ

“My report card use to show D’s and F’s before joining the “Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS) after school program during the last school year at Van Nuys Middle School,” revealed eleven-year-old Ricardo Hernández. “I improved my school grades to a B average and I was able to turn my grades around,” he added.

“In the KYDS program there are a lot of things that will keep your mind busy instead of just hanging in the streets,” explained Hernández. Agreeing with her nephrew, Hernández’s aunt, Mónica Rincón said, “The youth who participate in KYDS are focused on positive activities. I think it’s a really good program and it keeps youth busy, not thinking about the wrong stuff to do.”

According to KYDS Enrichment Coordinator Erik Cruz, “The KYDS program provides youth with different after school activities in order to keep young people off the streets and help prevent youth from joining gangs. Just because you come from one place or another doesn’t necessarily determine the kind of character you have because a lot people come from low-income neighborhoods,” Cruz said.

Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS) Enrichment Leader Robert Chatley (left) talks to KYDS Enrichment Coordinator Erik Cruz (right) during a martial arts class at Van Nuys Middle School. The martial arts class is one of the many activities the KYDS after school program offers to youth.

“ KYDS was started as a reconstruction project of several inner city parks that became targeted by gangs. The parks where no longer being used to service the community, she added. “KYDS started rebuilding those recreation centers, cleaning up the parks and making the parks available to youth sports groups.”

Dora De León, who provides security for the KYDS program at Van Nuys Middle School, pointed out Van Nuys is an area targeted with gang-violence and negative representations. The KYDS program helps youth to stay active by keeping them off the streets and doing something positive. “I think the KYDS programs provides a safe environment for youth to think in and have fun,” De León continued. “The program has a hour of homework time, but after that they’re pretty much allowed to make their own decisions. There many activities for youth to choose from but still those activities are fun.”

Andrea Ainsworth is a KYDS Site Coordinator who describes the youth program as a place to come and have positive role models. Ainsworth emphasized that the importance of having the KYDS program is that “all kids who participate have an equal opportunity. That’s why I think that the program is so important because it gives youth a chance to be different. Youth who participate at KYDS are not a number. As adults we need to give all kids a chance to strive to have a passion in something,” Ainsworth said.

KYDS is currently funded by several government grants including Beyond the Bell Branch, which is responsible for various programs and activities that are provided to students in several schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The KYDS program also provides tutoring in addition to the one hour of homework. Youth participants choose from various activities including martial arts, arts and crafts, keyboard lessons, and drill team.

“The program gives participants a chance to find something that they’re interested in doing,” Ainsworth continued. “The parents of many kids in our program work during the day. They don’t really have time to drive their children all over the place to participate in different activities. The KYDS program gives youth a chance to find something that they enjoy doing.”

Ainsworth announced: “The KYDS program is free to all students, but in order for a student to join the program, parents must fill out an application form and register their children. The program serves more than 100 students per day.”

For further information concerning the KYDS program, contact Van Nuys Middle School by calling (818) 267-5900 or visit the school located 5435 Vesper Avenue in Sherman Oaks.

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Giovanni Chavira, Pierce College Business major, 19, plays dominoes at ONE generation daycare center in Van Nuys.

By HARRIET MIRANDA

It is fair to say that diversity is largely embraced by Americans due to the hundreds of years of migration of peoples of all backgrounds since its foundation. As American culture becomes saturated with influences from all ethnic backgrounds, society as its been known is changing in a rapid and drastic way. While most people would consider this an example of progress and that change is good, a recent study by Harvard professor Robert Putnam in 2007 said that “The declining civic participation in American societies can be attributed to widespread mistrust in communities due to so much diversity…” he went on to say that because of this there is a decline in civic participation and that people are less likely to participate in group activities, voting, and even elections.

The neighborhood of Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley is a staple of the melting pot communities in modern society. Demographic information for the San Fernando Valley Economic center in 2006 shows that in Van Nuys and Reseda combined there are 41.2% Caucasian, 10.1% Asian, 4.4% Black, and 57.8% are Latino.

Despite its diversity, Van Nuys volunteer organizations seem to be proving Putnam’s findings wrong with the many volunteer organizations in the city and the wide range of services they provide for people of all ages. One of the organizations I found is The Volunteer League of the San Fernando Valley. Established over 50 years ago, it now has three main programs geared toward helping out local children and also senior citizens.

“Our main project is Clothes Corner,” said Betty Koondel, vice president of the league, in a telephone interview. “We clothe children from LAUSD, needy children referred by the principal, a social worker or the school nurse.” Koondel, a retired teacher who worked for LAUSD for 35 years, said the children are able to come in and choose a brand new school outfit, “We clothe them with a uniform, a polo shirt and a pair of navy blue pants or a skort for girls, socks, underwear, and toiletries, a backpack, we also give them a sweat outfit jacket and pants. The children also get a brand new pair of athletic shoes, a book and a toy,” said Koondel. Since last September the organization has clothed 1,742 children.

The other two projects are Kids on the Block, an educational puppet program designed to teach youngsters about disabilities. The last project they have is a choral music group called The Troopers, “They go to different convalescent homes and assisted care facilities and sing songs and holiday songs to the elderly,” said Koondel. “It really gives a wonderful feeling to the elderly.”

The league consists of 25 members who put together fundraising events to keep the programs running. The members are all women and come from different backgrounds. “Quite a few we have right now are retired teachers but there are all from different fields,” said Koondel, “everyone that is there has a feeling that they’d like to give back to the community and they’d like to help and work with kids…the smiles are just so rewarding.”

Koondel says there are many community members who enjoy giving back and don’t necessarily join the league. “We really emphasize we need members, they keep our organization going,” said Koondel.

A similar volunteer organization in Van Nuys is ONE Generation. Started in 1975 by senior volunteers they now have a number of programs that help the elderly and children of all ages. According to Volunteer Coordinator Amber Fuellenbach, in an e-mail interview, “ONE began as Organization for the Needs of the Elderly primarily serving seniors. We later added the childcare in a shared setting with the adult day care where the children and seniors of that program meet daily for activities.”
Fuellenbach said the volunteer age ranges from just 14 years old to 100 years old, and they currently serve about 600 people a month in both of their locations in Van Nuys and in Reseda.

Giovanni Chavira, 19, is a Pierce College student who volunteers at ONE three times a week for about 14 hours. When I met him, Chavira sat in the activity center playing dominoes with an elderly man. “They always have fun when they’re with kids,” Chavira said, “They feel young again especially when they beat me at the game.” This isn’t the first time Chavira volunteers, he has also volunteered to prepare taxes for free at another organization. Although he is currently completing hours for a political science class, Chavira has found the experience so fulfilling he is willing to come back when he’s finished with the 48 hours that are required of him. “It’s fun to volunteer and give back,” he said.

Barbara Hindoyan, a volunteer at ONE has been dedicating hours to this organization for 2 ½ years. Hindoyan has done volunteer work since she retired from working for the county as a social worker. When I asked her opinion of Putnam’s findings she said, “I don’t think it’s that people don’t care I think most of us can’t find the information we need, where we can find a good organization.” Hindoyan said this is important because at other organizations their attitudes toward volunteers were careless and didn’t inform them when they would be closed and other essential information. To Hindoyan it is important to volunteer to have something to do, “Once you’re not working yourself you don’t have a lot to do to fill up your time,” she said, “this is a very well run organization they manage to keep [the elderly] busy not just sitting around being watched.” Hindoyan comes every Tuesday and Thursday, on Thursday’s she said they play a Spanish version of bingo, something she is familiar with since she was born in Mexico. At this organization, they do exercise, they sit down for tea, and have joint activities such as painting, with toddlers from the daycare.

Felicia Woodall,29, is the activities leader at the ONE daycare center, and says that in the six years she’s worked there she’s seen volunteers of all ethnicities and ages come and go. “They are mainly students,” she said, “Some going into healthcare and rehabilitation.” She also told me about a teenager that volunteered there, “She was bad,” Woodall said about that student, but said that after volunteering there the student went to college and turned her life around. “People are concerned with the recession and turn to volunteering with their free time,” said Woodall , and people volunteer because they feel good “giving back to better someone’s life.”

Racquel Decipeda Volunteer Services Coordinator for the Volunteer Center of Los Angeles, said in an e-mail interview, that there are different reasons why people choose to volunteer. “Students may have hours to complete for school, they simply just want to volunteer in their community, some use volunteering to enhance their resumes, or a retired person who want to continue on having something to do and contribute to the community.” The Volunteer Center of Los Angeles supply volunteers to different organizations in the city. One in Van Nuys that they help is the Mary Magdalene Project which helps to rehabilitate prostitutes and take them off the streets. Dr. McCombf, the executive director of the organization, said since its inception in 1980 they have helped some 1,000 women. Volunteers at this organization are also from diverse backgrounds and ages and help out with fundraising events, tutoring and mentoring some of the women. They also serve by driving them to job interviews and other engagements.

These organizations like are largely helped by the time and effort of volunteers of all backgrounds. Without a doubt volunteers are at the heart of the success of many organizations in order to reach and better serve the elderly and less fortunate. There are no specific age limitations, there are no gender or race biases, they are all united one common cause to better the lives of others.

The Volunteer League of the San Fernando Valley is located at 14603 Hamlin St, Van Nuys, CA‎ – (818) 785-4134‎
Photostream by Harriet Miranda

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A Part of Van Nuys Wants Out from Cara Loebs on Vimeo.

The neighborhood of Van Nuys located in the heart of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley has been picked apart—piece by piece—in order to form other neighborhoods. Usually when this happens the part of Van Nuys that wants out forms a new community with a new name. But, a section of Van Nuys between Burbank, Oxnard and Sepulveda boulevards and Hazeltine Avenue, does not want to form a new community—they want to be a part of an existing one: the neighboring Sherman Oaks.

Van Nuys from Cara Loebs on Vimeo.

Los Angeles’ Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley, along with other central valley cities, has not maintained the best reputation. But what most people may not know is that Van Nuys is a diverse area with a rich history. It is full of historical landmarks, recreational facilities and government buildings. Young kids in the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s and up until the 80’s, used to cruise up and down the city’s central artery, Van Nuys Blvd, on a Friday or Saturday night. This scene was so popular, movie-makers made a feature film about it in 1979 called Van Nuys Boulevard. Today, the famous Van Nuys Blvd. is home to many stores.