Liz Ohanesian

Casey Schreiner

A Local Expert Has Written the Book on L.A.'s Best Hiking Trails

Liz Ohanesian
Casey Schreiner admits that he used to laugh at Angelenos decked out in winter gear on 60-degree days. Now, after spending close to 15 years here, the New England–reared writer is wearing a down vest on a clear, chilly, mid-December day at Griffith Park's Old L.A. Zoo. Moreover, Schreiner now......
Amber Giles aka Mija; Credit: Clifford Lidell

In Just Two Years, Mija Has Built Her Own Dance Music Empire

Liz Ohanesian
Almost a year-and-a-half ago, Mija and I met met in this same spot, a pint-sized downtown Arts District coffee joint with sidewalk seating and a view of the impossibly hip afternoon crowd strolling along the stenciled sidewalk past murals and brick buildings. Back then, Mija (real name: Amber Giles) was......
Credit: Davis-Panzer Productions

The Highlander Taught Me How to Sword Fight

Liz Ohanesian
Inside a large hall at Los Angeles Convention Center, I'm practicing a sequence of sword movements alongside 21 other people. Step one: Aim for the hip. Step two: Protect your head. Step three: Aim for the shoulder. There are more steps to follow, a series of offensive and defensive movies......