Palisades-News-May-6-2015-

Palisades NewsMay 6, 2015 Page 13YogaWorks Will Close This MonthPalisades YogaWorks, at 15327 Sunset Blvd., will close on May 30.Photo: Bart BartholomewBel-Air Bay Club/Las CasasLoop NeighborhoodsBy MICHAEL EDLENSpecial to the Palisades NewsThe Bel-Air Bay Club area was startedin 1928 on 31 acres of mostly hillsideproperty. It was developed byAlphonzo Bell as a beachfront setting tocomplement the facilities offered by theBel-Air Country Club several miles to theeast. Bell was also the originator of Bel-Air and the Riviera section of Pacific Palisades,and influenced the Castellammaredevelopment.The Club opened in 1930 and one largeMediterranean home, designed by renownedarchitect Paul Williams, was built above iton Aderno. The clubhouse and groundsoccupied seven acres, with private beachaccess through a tunnel under the highway.Due to the Depression, the remaining 67lots on the newly paved streets stayed vacantuntil after World War II. Nearly everysite had some ocean and/or mountainview, and most of the enclave is fairly closeto the beach. There are underground utilities,and deed restrictions were in place,until recent years, that prevented structuresfrom blocking views of other sites.Only a few undeveloped sites remain inthe area. These are generally challenged bygeological and topographical issues. Severallarge homes have been built in recent yearsthat replaced the original lower-profileranch or cottage-style houses, and mostprices today might range from $2 to $5 million,with a few special outliers able tofetch $8 to $15 million.A small neighborhood originally knownas “The Western Tract” was laid out in 1923,immediately west of the Bel-Air Bay neighborhood.Most of the homes are along LasCasas south of Sunset, which makes a loopthat connects to Grenola in the southernmostblock.Like several other bluff-oriented sections,the curved streets matched the terrain.Originally, the tract was intended toconnect directly with Pintoresca, beforethe planned roadway disappeared due toslope failures behind Grenola.A loose-knit association evolved manyyears ago along the Las Casas “loop” area,with annual closed-street celebrations andshared contact lists among the owners. Onenovel aspect of the neighborhood is a public-accessparklet overlooking the ocean,which was created by local fundraisingwhen the architect/owner of the lot agreedto sell it rather than build on the site.Recent sale prices have ranged from $1.5million to $3.65 million, with a currentmedian sale price of $1.9 million.Michael Edlen is ranked was #52 of allagents in the country in 2014 with nearly$1.5 billion in sales and more than 1,200transactions. He has tracked Pacific Palisadessales since 1987. Call: (310) 230-7373 ormichael@michaeledlen.com.By TYLER KECKEISENSports EditorThe numbers did not “pencil out” atthe Palisades YogaWorks, and the studio,at 15327 Sunset Blvd., will closeon May 30. The studio opened in 2006 replacingJiva Yoga, which had opened in 2004.Those who practiced yoga at the studiowere told, “YogaWorks is very sad to beleaving Pacific Palisades . . . We would liketo publicly thank our loyal members whohave been incredibly supportive of ourteaching and our staff. We are touched bythe support and the relationships that havebeen formed through the common love ofyoga . . . Unfortunately, there were not morepeople like you and we haven’t been able tomake the numbers pencil out. So, when thelease came up for renewal, we made thedifficult decision not to renew.”Students with monthly membershipswill receive a complimentary upgrade to aregional membership in Southern Californiaand be able to practice at studios onMontana and on Main Street in SantaMonica and at a new studio in Brentwood.Many Palisadians raved about the studio’steachers and the local communityatmosphere.“With the small amount of people at thislocation, it felt we were all family,” said SheriWeinick, a member and part-time employee.“You can’t say the same thing aboutother studios like the one on Montana asit tends to have more foot traffic in a muchbigger studio setting.”“When I go to the Montana studio, I feelI am always in a stressful environment,” saidBarbara Edelman, who has been a memberof the Sunset studio since it opened. “Therewas just not as much room and I had toconstantly worry about having a foot orelbow in my face.“At the Palisades location, it was alsopeaceful being in an environment with thesame members every week,” she said.A spokesperson from YogaWorks toldthe Palisades News they had received highreviews from Palisades customers. “Thetruth is that we did not want to close ourbeloved Pacific Palisades studio and haveworked for years to build a community.”In addition to smaller volume than otherSouthern California locations, the Sunsetstudio was not designed for large crowds.The bigger room could hold about 30 peopleand the smaller room 10. This is abouthalf the size of a California studio, whichtypically holds between 50 to 80 devotees.A spokesman for the building’s managementcompany, who does not wish to beidentified, said that the owner is looking fora new tenant, but the process has been slow.“We have not yet formally advertised thespace but I am in discussions with a few partieswho have expressed interest,” he said.Shuttic Guides Clients to HealthBill Shuttic opened his UltimateHealth business in Pacific Palisadeslast summer at ZFIT Studio, 827 Viade la Paz. A certified herbalist, nutritionist,massage therapist and personal trainer,Shuttic’s perfect client would be an individualwho wants to work out twice a week,have a massage once a week and seek guidancefor a healthy diet.“I want to combine different healthmodalities to create a holistic system: a singlewellness program,” said Shuttic, whogrew up in Ohio and Texas.He graduated from the University ofTexas at Austin with a degree in marketing.After receiving a master’s degree in internationalbusiness from Thunderbird Schoolof Global Management, Shuttic moved toArthritis FoundationOffers FreeExercise ClassesThe Arthritis Foundation is offering afree, low-impact physical-activity programWednesdays and Fridays from 12:30 to 1:30p.m. from April 29 through June 5 at the PacificPalisades Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford.Exercise will keep joints flexible andmuscles strong, promote better sleep andincrease energy. The routines include gentlerange-of-motion exercises. Call DannyVasquez, (818) 984-1380 Ext. 108.Los Angeles in 1989 to work for a Japaneseimport/export company. In the mid-90s,his job took him to Osaka, Japan, where helived for five years.“My life has always been a dual path ofwork and health and fitness, but I alwaysdid the fitness for fun,” Shuttic said. “In1997, I ditched the corporate world andwent strictly into health and wellness.”In addition to making presentations atAtria and offering a 5-week Women’s Self-Defense Course, Shuttic joined the PacificPalisades Chamber of Commerce, wherehe’s on the board of directors and theFoodie Fest committee. Stop by his boothat the Chamber Expo on May 17.Visit: ulti-health.com or call (310)413-0514 or email billshuttic@yahoo.com.