CommentsBCK FILE-The 24/7 news cycle during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown can be equal parts overwhelming, frustrating, heartbreaking, and infuriating.
Even the most ardent of news and politics obsessed are tuning out for Netflix binges and music from happier times.
For native Angelenos and those who have adopted this city as our home, natural disasters and tragedies are part of the fabric of our city. We joke that California has four seasons: Earthquake, Fire, Flood, and Draught.
In the 32 years I’ve lived in LA, I’ve witnessed all of these, along with something even more powerful – the community pulling together during these times of crisis. The pandemic is no different. Most of us have a deep appreciation for those who are on the front line, doctors, nurses, and other first responders, those who risk their health so we can secure food, medications, and other essentials.
During these times fueled with anxieties and unknowns, it’s so important to recognize those who are making a difference in our community. This week, I’m sharing the stories of Francesco Zimone and the staff at Hollywood’s L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele who have been bringing healthy meals to doctors and healthcare workers on the frontline in hospitals throughout the city, and Quinn Cummings who has been delivering her handcrafted cocktails door to door during the lockdown to raise money for Santé D’Or Foundation, an animal rescue foundation in Atwater Village.
If you know somebody who has been making a difference in the community, I’d love to share their stories. We can all use some positivity to get through these challenging times. Reach out to us at CityWatch.
Francesco Zimone, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Exactly one year ago, owner and designer Francesco Zimone opened L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in the former Café Des Artistes space in Hollywood. Francesco has created an ambiance evocative of summers in Naples, his hometown. For restauranteurs throughout the city, these are nail-biting times. With businesses limited to takeout and delivery, many have had to lay off staff and worry their dreams might not reach the other side of this pandemic.
Francesco’s restaurant continues to feed patrons daily – through delivery and takeout. He and his staff have also been bringing meals to healthcare workers in Los Angeles hospitals, from Cedars Sinai and U.C.L.A. to Hollywood Presbyterian and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
“The idea really just came upon me. We were probably the first restaurant to get into this. What motivated me is that charity and taking care of others is part of my reality. Last year, when we had just opened, our doors, we did a big event for a placed called Home. We also did a week of events for the Australian wildfires. I’m looking forward to being in a more stable situation with some guaranteed success and a couple of dollars in the bank so I can concentrate on philanthropy.”
Francesco says people have sent many text messages to share appreciation, thanking him and his staff for being there for first responders. “I’d like people to understand that we are the lucky ones, actually. We have the opportunity to help others. It’s a privileged position to be in to help others. We feel blessed that we are able to help.”
During the first few weeks of March, Francesco shares everyone wanted to be home. “It was really scary to be next to one another at a restaurant. We closed in-restaurant dining as soon as they told us. Now, we’re working on just making a difference,” he shares.
“What I love most is nutrition, so we’ve created healthy meals that are very balanced. Basically, we have a lower carb wrap made of our pizza dough. There’s very little yeast and very little gluten. It’s extremely light, filled with mozzarella, tomatoes, and arugula,” he explains. “For non-vegetarians, we add ham. Then, we also have a vegetable salad, and a mix of fruit. We add some organic chocolate and nuts. It’s basically everything the human body needs, a pretty good source of carbs, protein, incredible amounts of vegetables and fruit, a little bit of huts, and a little bit of dark chocolate. It’s fast, quick, and light, and it gives the doctors and nurses strength to move forward during the day.”
While he and his staff have been preparing and delivering thousands of meals to healthcare workers on the front line, they also continue to deliver each day to people at home, offering a full menu from 10 a..m through 10 p.m. every day.
“This has been very cool. I like to concentrate on positivity. We love the fact that we are doing what we are doing. People have been home for weeks – and we wouldn’t want to leave people at home. We wanted to keep people employed. We’re a small family. They would have been emotionally drained and sad about the results of this with COVID and everything that has been happening now. We have big plans for the future.”
Quinn Cummings, Cocktails for Kittens
Quinn Cummings is a “Jill” of all trades. Many of you will recognize Quinn as the Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated actress from “The Goodbye Girl” and the ABC series “Family.” She is also an author (“The Year of Living Dangerously,” “Pet Sounds,” and “Notes from the Underwire”), as well as a comedy ghostwriter, podcaster (Quinn Cummings Gives Bad Advice), and Twitter raconteur (@quinncy).
Now, Quinn has parlayed her craft cocktail pastime into a way to share her libations with Silverlake denizens while raising money for her “pet” animal charity, Santé D’Or Foundation. Quinn has been a longtime volunteer and kitten foster parent at the animal rescue charity.
Last summer, Quinn decided to further her hobby of mixing craft cocktails by enrolling in a weekend class offered by the Mixology Master Method. “I have weird hobbies—like making people drinks,” she shares. “I love it because it’s like a small problem I can solve—like a puzzle—and then, you have a beautiful cocktail.”
Quinn began offering her artisanal cocktails via her Twitter account (@quinncy) to anyone within a “reasonable distance” from Silverlake in return for a financial donation to the Santé D’Or Foundation.
Ms. Cummings mixes up the cocktails in a mask and gloves and delivers the cocktails via no-touch door to door service, leaving outside people’s homes. In her first few days of mixing Negroni’s, Lemon Drops, and something she calls “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” her enterprise generated over $2,000 for the foundation.
“It’s something to do, a little way to help,” she says. “I try to make the drinks fancy because it’s not about drinking. It’s about providing a small, special moment. People send me pictures of the drinks and they’re pretty. For a minute, we all feel festive.”
A recent Mother’s Day delivery included Bloody Marys for the moms, raspberry/rhubarb/rose syrup, fennel/grapefruit syrup, and lavender/jasmine lemonade for the kids, plus soda for a splash, and umbrellas for mocktails.
Santé D’Or Foundation, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit (Federal ID Number 68-0547925), is a volunteer-run animal adoption center and community-focused rescue located in Los Angeles. All animals come to the rescue from the streets, are surrendered by residents experiencing extreme financial hardship or those who are no longer able to care for them. The foundation directly impacts local shelters and the community by accepting animals who would otherwise have been surrendered and likely euthanized due to overcrowding or left to reproduce on city streets.
To order Cocktails for Kittens, contact Quinn on Twitter, @quinncy.
Throughout the city and Southern California, people like Francesco Zimone and Quinn Cummings are doing what they can to help during these challenging times. If you know an Angeleno who is making a difference, we want to hear about it. Comment below or send me an email at [email protected].
(Beth Cone Kramer is a professional writer and covers The Resistance and other important and topical issues for CityWatch.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.
