Encino, CA

by Carol Wolfe

If you have never been to The Japanese Garden in Van Nuys it is time to plan a day trip. We live in such a diverse and wonderful area that it is sometimes easy to overlook the most amazing places even if they are practically in our own back yard. This is one of those amazing places.

This 6 ½ acre authentic Japanese garden is open to the public Monday through Thursday from noon to 4pm and on Sundays from 10am to 3:30pm. Visitors are not admitted after 3:15 pm as there would be insufficient time to stroll the grounds. During the summer the gardens offer evening strolls on select Tuesdays and Thursdays. They advise that you call before attending on any day to make sure that they are not closed for private events.

Direct from their website, "...fashioned after "stroll gardens" constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries for Japanese Feudal lords. Our facility is unique in that it incorporates three classical designs: a dry karensansui, a wet garden with promenade chisen, and an authentic tea ceremony garden incorporating a 4.5 tatami mat tea room."

The result is a stunning afternoon get away that is peaceful, inspirational and energizing. Overwhelming beauty, close proximity and amazingly low admission prices make this garden a must see. Admission is a mere $3 for adults, $2 for Seniors over 62 and children under the age of ten.

By Carol Wolfe
You can tell a lot about a community by the services that it provides for both its citizens and their four legged friends. By this gauge Encino measures up nicely. The Encino Dog Park is the showcase of the day.

For those of you unfamiliar with this lovely park it is located at 17550 Victory Boulevard. The park is open from dusk to dawn six days a week, on Friday mornings the park does not open until 11 am. Parking is ample and there are three main areas to the park. There is a picnic area where dogs must remain on leash, a small dog area and a 5 acre off leash area guaranteed to give even the largest dog plenty of room for a healthy run.

The Encino Dog Park is a wonderful community gathering place for those who cherish their furry companions.

by Carol Wolfe

Encino is a beautiful place to live. Even its name represents its picturesque beauty. Encino was named after the Rancho Los Encinos, literally translated as the Ranch of the Evergreens. This was the name for the area which was given to the Gabielino Indians by the Spanish government after they left the California Missions in the early 1800s. Established in 1845, Rancho Encino was a hub of activity. Its rich water sources and springs made it a desirable place to live. In the late 1800's the Encino Roadhouse was built and Encino became an important mail stop between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

In the early nineteen hundreds the community of Encino began to grow and diversify. Today Encino continues to be hub of activity; it remains rich with green foliage and excellent water sources. The main aquifer for Los Angeles runs deep below the surface of Encino. Thoroughly modern our fair city has stayed true to its name and remained ever green. If you are interested in relocating to the Los Angeles area, let me show you what Encino has to offer. I'm Carol Wolfe and nobody does it better.

by Carol Wolfe

I am a big fan of new technology, whether it is the ability to email from my phone or the new fangled washing machines that use less water and detergent. I enjoy the change that progress has made in our lives. However, one thing I am old fashioned about is customer service. Technology has yet to come up with anything as helpful as a real person at the other end of the phone line who cares about your business and genuinely wants to be helpful.

We all have horror stories of epically bad customer service. I heard one story from a close friend the other day that seemed to sum it all up. After spending a sizable amount of money with a company, who shall remain nameless, and getting unbelievably bad service my friend called the customer service hot line. Shockingly she didn't get much help there either and in exasperation she finally said, "You have lost my future business" to the representative on the phone. The answer back was, "That's okay; we have millions of other customers who are happy to pay for our services." My friend was stunned, I was stunned. I'm still stunned. Clearly this is no way to do business and I won't be at all surprised in two years to hear that the company in question is in serious trouble.

As a consumer, I think we all want the same thing, to be treated as if we are the most important part of any transaction. That is how I choose to run my business. My client's needs are first, and each client deserves to be treated as if they are my only client. That is the kind of service that I crave so I would be remiss to provide my clients with anything less. That may be old school, but there are some things in life that technology can't improve upon. I'm Carol Wolfe and nobody does it better.

by Carol Wolfe

There are many wonderful things to do in Encino through out the year. One of my favorites is fast approaching. The Taste of Encino will be held on October 12th this year. If you have missed this event in the past you won't want to miss it this year. This 21st version of the annual event promises to blow out all of the stops for a spectacular fun filled family event.

This year the Taste of Encino will feature a Business Expo, a Wellness Pavilion, Arts & Crafts, Children's Activities, four separate stages with live performers, a Beer & Wine Pavilion and of course the star of the show will be foods showcasing all of the truly spectacular restaurants in the Encino area. New additions this year will be a Home and Garden Show and a Disaster Preparedness Expo.

The Event will be held on Ventura Boulevard between Balboa and Amestoy between 10 and 5pm on October 12th. For more information or to register as a Sponsor or Business contact The Encino Chamber of Commerce.