People

Local writer has fourth book published.

At first glance, conducting can look deceptively simple. A baton flicks, arms rise and fall, and somehow an entire orchestra breathes together. But beneath that surface lies something far more complex—something Stanley describes as both technical and deeply intuitive.

There’s a quiet rhythm to knitting—loop, pull, repeat. It’s meditative, deliberate, and deeply human. For Tamala Takahashi, Mayor of Burbank, that rhythm is more than a hobby. It’s a philosophy—one that threads through her life as an artist, a community leader, and a public servant.

The first thing you notice is the counter. Randall Michael Tobin will casually mention that he built that counter himself—skills he picked up in junior high school shop class half a century ago and still uses every day.

Artist, designer, and creative writer Dave Lowe came to Los Angeles in the late ’80s chasing illustration work—then found his real lane by saying yes to whatever needed making. Nickelodeon sets, Sci‑Fi Channel builds, Hallmark how‑tos, public art boxes, City Hall’s elephant, and finally a Tournament of Roses float: a career built on craft, community, and the joy of turning ideas into real objects.

On Hollywood Way in Burbank, just down the street from Portos, behind an inviting storefront filled with color, fragrance, and the soft hum of creative hustle, sits The Enchanted Florist. Its owner, Kimberly Williams, moves through the space with the ease of someone who knows every bucket, bloom, shelf, and stem by heart.

Mary Gallagher will tell you she’s “a comic, actor, and writer,” but that doesn’t really cover it. She’s a survivor of Midwestern discipline, a student of chaos, a quiet storm turned loud truth-teller. She’s also a working mother, an educator, a late-night TV comic, a Colbert alum, a voice in the room helping actors find their own voices.

Elizabeth Dowell greets the world with a calm presence, the kind that seems to slow everything down. At 27, she has already built nearly a decade-long career as a lash artist and holistic aesthetician in her hometown of Burbank. But what sets her apart isn’t just her technical skill — it’s the philosophy she brings to her work.

On a sunny afternoon in Burbank, the front door of The Green Man creaks open and the scent of sage, sandalwood, and something indefinably earthy drifts out. Inside, shelves glow with candles, herbs, crystals, and hand-blended oils.

Across the street from the Mystic Museum is another unique Magnolia Blvd. store. When you walk into Blast From the Past you’re immediately transported. Star Wars action figures line the walls. Classic movie posters compete with Freddy Krueger masks for attention.