LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Game Plan

I was on my way to the wonderful Chinese restaurant in the Palisades a few weeks ago, but when I got there it was closed. A friendly waiter at Cafe Vida next door told me that the landlord wouldn’t renew the lease because the restaurant wasn’t “high-end” enough. Well, it certainly was for me, and now I have to drive all the way to Wilshire and Barrington for my won ton soup and moo-shu shrimp. Bummer.

Then I heard that Mr. Caruso’s team is not renewing the lease for the Pearl Dragon—no reason given. Pearl Dragon and its Chinese predecessor have been there since before I moved to the Palisades in 1964, and in its current iteration, it’s been a local tradition for over 20 years—a good place for families and a bar reminiscent of the bar in the TV show “Cheers”—where everyone knows your name.

What is Mr. Caruso doing? What’s his game plan? Will we ever get a Chinese restaurant, a good BBQ and a copy of Taverna Tony? Is there room for book store, and how about putting back Mort’s Deli? Meanwhile can we keep what we’ve got?

Merv Hecht

Region 69 AYSO

As a native Palisadian, one of my most cherished memories is running on the field in my brand new, electric yellow AYSO uniform. I still smell the half-time oranges from the team parents, I hear the silly team chants that made us laugh and I see my dad on the sideline, suited in his highlighter reffing uniform and high black socks.

Most importantly, I feel the foundation I made at age 6, every time I fell from kicking the ball and getting right back up. Now from my Paul Revere Par era, I’ve moved on to college, playing Division 3 soccer at Claremont McKenna College.

Yes, it’s a higher level, but my skills are second to my spirit, my Palisadian spirit. The smell of grass, the feeling of community, the love of the sport, the parents that still come out to support us … it’s all the same.

Looking back, I wonder what causes this simple feeling of joy. In my case, I credit the parents, the coaches and the family behind AYSO, which made soccer fun, taught me skills, introduced me to a local passion—one that burns longer and stronger than anything you just put work into.

So, in my letter home to my Palisadian families, Region 69, Palisades Charter High School, Paul Revere Charter Middle School and AYSO, thank you for what you gave me.

Natalie Phillips