Cycling Keeps Him Sane

0

While some Angelenos may have spent Sunday morning nursing a hangover, attorney Zia Modabber was up early orchestrating a charity bike ride for hundreds of cyclists.

Modabber, a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, races in amateur competitions and even acts as counsel for several pro cyclists. He has also become close with cancer foundation Livestrong, so it made sense last year when he helped create and organize a bike race benefiting that organization. This year, he again helped to oversee the race, dubbed the Malibu Canyons Gran Fondo charity ride, scheduled for Oct. 30.

Modabber, 49, said he was something of a late starter when it comes to cycling, discovering it years after he became an attorney. Today, he regularly competes in amateur races at the masters level, which pits him against former pros.

“Racing in the masters takes a huge commitment and a lot of talent I wasn’t, quote, born with, but I work really hard,” he said. “If I didn’t cycle, I don’t think I would have the sanity to be a lawyer, or at least a good one.”

Grilling President Clinton

Two heart surgeries made President Clinton turn to a vegan diet – free of animal products – last year. So when the former president was in town Oct. 15 celebrating the 10th anniversary of the William J. Clinton Foundation at the Hollywood Bowl, event organizers turned to Santa Monica-based Veggie Grill.

Greg Dollarhyde, chief executive of Veggie Grill, watched the Clinton family and 200 other VIP guests gobble up plant-based cuisine in the green room backstage.

“Those events are so rushed and so many people want to meet (Clinton) and take their picture,” said Dollarhyde, 58. “He probably wasn’t too hungry in an environment like that, but Chelsea Clinton was there. She’s a sweetheart and tried the food.”

He expected to see the Clintons, of course, but he was surprised to see Jane Fonda, Joni Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt backstage. Dollarhyde, a fan of Raitt, couldn’t pass up the chance to speak with the music star. He was even more surprised – and pleased – that she was a fan of his, too:

“Bonnie Raitt said that she always eats Veggie Grill when she’s in L.A.,” he said.

Weighty Choices

Santa Monica bariatric surgeon

Dr. Carson Liu has spent the past 13 years helping obese patients by surgically making their stomachs smaller. So it’s ironic that Liu now stars as staff physician on a reality TV show that emphasizes losing weight the old-fashioned way.

Liu, 46, is in charge of monitoring the health of the morbidly obese participants on syndicated show “Living Big With Ali Vincent,” hosted by the first woman to win “The Biggest Loser.” Vincent takes a similar, though somewhat more nurturing, approach to weight loss than “Biggest Loser’s” intense boot camp.

Liu and his staff have been entertained by the camera crews that periodically take over his clinic on what otherwise would be slow days. But he wonders about the long-term effectiveness of such controlled-environment regimes, noting that several “Biggest Loser” alumni have packed weight back on once the cameras disappeared.

“I’ve had some (‘Living Big’) participants say that ‘If this doesn’t work for me, I’ll look into the surgery you do,’ ” said Liu, wryly.

Staff reporters Alfred Lee, David Nusbaum and Deborah Crowe contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].

No posts to display