From Big Screen to Soul Dogs

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When Don Scott moved to Los Angeles 17 years ago, he dreamed of making it big in both the entertainment and business worlds.

Indeed, Scott, 42, became a successful screenwriter, co-writing the popular “Barbershop” film and writing the sequel. He is now penning the sequel to his own life story as he tries to become a successful business operator. Scott and his wife, Rasheedah, opened a hot-dog joint earlier this month in North Hollywood called Otis Jackson’s Soul Dog.

The fast-casual restaurant was inspired by his love for frankfurters, and his family’s Cleveland restaurant and nightclub, where he worked as a busboy and waiter growing up. Otis Jackson is a friend of the family who invested in the restaurant.

“I always believed I should have my own business,” Scott said. “And I knew once I came to Los Angeles, I wanted my own business. I wasn’t sure what it would be back in the early 1990s, but I wanted to be my own boss.”

Scott’s family also inspired the Soul Dog menu, including hot-dog toppings such as collard green cucumber relish and black-eyed pea chipotle mayo that his wife adapted from recipes by his mother.

Scott hasn’t quit his day job, but you’ll usually find him running Soul Dog with his wife – and, of course, eating one of those dogs topped with something like sweet potato puree and crumbled bacon.

“I’m trying not to eat too many,” he said. “But I probably eat five or six a week.”

Page Turner

Caring for elderly Alzheimer’s sufferers isn’t exactly a glamorous job, but Loren Shook is fast becoming a celebrity in that corner of the professional world.

The chief executive of Silverado Senior Living, which operates assisted living facilities across Los Angeles County, last week won his second award for the book “Silverado Story.” As co-author, he has been asked for photos and signed countless copies of the book, which chronicles the history and mission of the company.

“We’ve given the book to all of our staff and they’ve wanted us to sign them and we’ve done book signings for families,” said Shook, 60, who said he had never done any serious writing before decided pursue the book.

Though he now has the bug and is considering writing another book, he said it was a difficult task that required writing in the evenings when he wasn’t busy with work. It paid off: The book won a silver medal in the 2011 Independent Book Publisher Awards last week, not long after picking up an honor as the best business book at the Los Angeles Book Festival.

“There’s so many components to making a book work,” Shook said. “I never dreamed it would be winning awards.”

Staff reporters Alexa Hyland and Richard Clough contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].

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