Award-Nominated Television

July 25, 2024

life072524_23 — Photo courtesy of HBO | Max

76th Emmy Award Nominations Feature Palisadian Actors, Producers

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Nominations for the 76th Emmy Awards were announced on Wednesday, July 17—and many Palisadians have a chance to take home awards.

“The nearly 22,000 voting members of the Academy nominated an abundance of inspiring talent and a robust selection of diverse program offerings,” read a statement by Television Academy. “In a year marked by significant challenges and changes in the television landscape, the nominations recognize the excellent work of performers, producers, writers, directors, craftspeople and professionals above and below the line on television programs from the 2023-24 eligibility year.”

Two shows starring Palisadians—“Only Murders in the Building” (former honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades Martin Short) and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Larry David)—are nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series. The category also includes “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Hacks,” “Palm Royale,” “Reservation Dogs” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”

David and Short have also been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for their respective roles in their shows—David as himself in the 12th and final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and Short as Oliver Putnam. Also nominated are Matt Berry for “What We Do in the Shadows,” Steve Martin for “Only Murders in the Building,” Jeremy Allen White for “The Bear” and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai for “Reservation Dogs.”

David has been nominated previously for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for the role, most recently in 2018 and before that in 2012, while Short was nominated for his role in 2023 and 2022.

“Congratulations to the cast and crew of the HBO Original Series ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ on their [Emmys] nominations,” read the show’s Instagram page.

Palisadian Conan O’Brien has been nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program for the “Ireland” episode of “Conan O’Brien Must Go”—which has since been picked up for a six-episode second season by HBO | Max—alongside Jessie Gaskell, Matt O’Brien and Mike Sweeney. The category also features the “Scotland: My Mother’s Country” episode of “The Reluctant Traveler” with Eugene Levy, though the current honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades did not have a writing credit on the Apple TV+ show.

Both Levy and O’Brien have been nominated for executive producing and hosting their respective shows in the Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special, a category that also includes “Finding Your Roots” with Henry Louis Gates Jr. for PBS, “How To” with John Wilson for HBO | MAX, and “My Next Guest” with David Letterman and John Mulaney for Netflix.

Palisadian Jamie Lee Curtis has been nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role of Donna Berzatto in the “Fishes” episode of “The Bear.” The category includes Olivia Colman in “The Bear,” Kaitlin Olson in “Hacks,” Da’Vine Joy Randolph in “Only Murders in the Building,” and Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig as hosts of separate episodes of “Saturday Night Live.”

“A merry morning indeed,” Curtis shared on Instagram the day the nominations were announced. “[‘The Bear’] team from words to sounds and everything visually in between are represented so beautifully with their record 23 … nominations. The show is singular and it’s beauty and power and truth and I’m honored to be a member of the creative family.”

When it comes to Outstanding Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Palisadian Robert Downey Jr. received a nomination for a role in HBO’s “The Sympathizer,” a category that features Jonathan Bailey for “Fellow Travelers,” Tom Goodman-Hill for “Baby Reindeer,” John Hawkes for “True Detective: Night Country,” Lamorne Morris for “Fargo,” Lewis Pullman for “Lessons in Chemistry” and Treat Williams for “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.”

“The Morning Show”—which stars Palisadian Reese Witherspoon—is nominated in the Outstanding Drama Series category, which is rounded out by “The Crown,” “Fallout,” “The Gilded Age,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” “Shōgun,” “Slow Horses,” and “3 Body Problem.”

Witherspoon has been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role of Bradley Jackson in the show, alongside co-star Jennifer Aniston as Alex Levy, Carrie Coon as Bertha Russell in “The Gilded Age,” Maya Erskine as Jane Smith in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko in “Shōgun,” and Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in “The Crown.”

Palisadian Kevin Feige—president of Marvel Studios—has been nominated in the Outstanding Animated Program category for executive producing the “Remember It” episode of “X-Men ’97” for Disney+. Other shows in the category include “The Simpsons,” “Scavengers Reign,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “Blue Eye Samurai.”

“Shōgun” received the most nominations, with 25 in total, followed by “The Bear” with 23 and “Only Murders in the Building” with 21.

The awards will be broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, September 15, beginning at 5 p.m. They will be available for streaming beginning the next day on Hulu.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Features Palisadian Producer, Actress

Sarah Shmerling

July 25, 2024

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to unfold with “Deadpool & Wolverine”—produced by Palisadian Kevin Feige and featuring a role filled by fellow Palisadian Jennifer Garner—set to release in theaters on Friday, July 26.

Ryan Reynolds will reprise his role of Wade Wilson (aka Deadpool—who has accelerated healing but lives with scarring after undergoing an experimental mutation to treat cancer) and Hugh Jackman will return as James “Logan” Howlett (Wolverine—a “mutant” with the ability to heal, claws that retract and an adamantium-infused skeleton).

“Wolverine is recovering from his injuries when he crosses paths with the loudmouth Deadpool,” according to a synopsis on IMDb. “They team up to defeat a common enemy.”

The film is reportedly a sequel to “Deadpool” (2016) and “Deadpool 2” (2018). It is directed by Shawn Levy, and produced by Feige, Reynolds, Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner.

“Something shifted inside Hugh that gave him clarity about what this pairing could be,” Levy said to The Ringer about Jackman’s decision to return to the role of Wolverine after previously retiring from the world of Marvel. “He wanted it in his life and he wanted it for this character.”

In the beginning of the final trailer for the film, Reynolds’ character tells Jackman’s: “I waited a long time for this team up.”

The cast also will include Emma Corrin in the role of Cassandra Nova (who has telekinetic and telepathic powers) and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox (an agent with the Time Variance Authority who is tasked with overseeing a project).

Several actors will also reprise their roles from previous “Deadpool” films, including Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Stafan Kapičić, Shioli Kutsuna, Randal Reeder and Lewis Tan.

Garner will reprise her role of Elektra Natchios—an assassin from previous Fox-produced Marvel films “Elektra” (2005) and “Daredevil” (2003).

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is rated R—a first for the Marvel Cinematic Universe since it was acquired by Walt Disney Studios. The two previous “Deadpool” films were released under 20th Century Fox.

“I think it gets a lot of attention that this is our first R-rated movie, but it is the third R-rated Deadpool movie,” Feige told Deadline, “so we wanted to stay true to what Ryan has built over those last couple of movies and we weren’t going to undo that.”

Our Town

the Palisadian-Post

July 25, 2024

Palisadian classical musician and composer Samuel Siskind was named an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Morton Gould Young Composer Award winner—given to “young creators of concert music ranging in age from 14 to 29.”

“These incredibly accomplished young composers represent the best of the next generation of concert music,” ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams said in a statement. “We applaud all of our award recipients and look forward to their assuredly bright futures.”

On August 29, Siskind’s first album of concert music, “Awake,” will become available for streaming. The album was recorded in New York following the premiere of his piece, “Soaring Dreams,” by the National Children’s Chorus at Carnegie Hall.

Siskind—a Palisades Music School and Westside Waldorf School alum—lived in the Palisades until the age of 12. He is a rising senior at the Palisades iteration of Lindamood-Bell Academy.

Photos courtesy Getty Images for Hammer Museum

Palisadian filmmaker Steven Spielberg attended the 19th annual Hammer Museum Gala in the Garden—which honored Ann Philbin for 25 years of leadership at the museum ahead of her retirement in November.

“The sold-out event raised a record-breaking $3.6 million to support the museum’s internationally acclaimed exhibitions and public programs,” according to a statement.

Other attendees included Jodie Foster, Keanu Reeves, Jane Fonda, Owen Wilson and Ava DuVernay, with tribute speeches by Will Ferrell, Hilton Als, Kara Walker and Darren Walker.

“The Hammer Museum is part of the School of the Arts and Architecture at UCLA, and offers exhibitions and collections that span classic to contemporary art,” the statement read. “It holds more than 50,000 works in its collection, including one of the finest collections of works on paper in the nation, the Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts.”

Ready to Succeed—“a career and personal development nonprofit that empowers foster youth and first-generation college students to graduate, launch successful careers and reach their full potential” helmed by Palisadians Patrick McCabe and Romi Lassally—recently partnered with Maslon Group to create welcome packages at MĀVVEN mercantile on Antioch Street for foster youth who are headed to college.

More than 25 families helped craft 100 welcome packages through the Project Dorm Room arm of Ready to Succeed.

“Founded in 2017 by Ready to Succeed board member, Tania Suster, Project Dorm Room ensures that Los Angeles-based (and beyond) foster youth have the dorm room essentials and move-in support they need to launch a successful college career,” according to a statement. “To date, more than 900 college-bound foster youth have benefited from Project Dorm Room.”

A Year of Adventure

the Palisadian-Post

July 25, 2024

life072524_07 — Photos courtesy of Anna Purdum

Palisadian Anna Purdum Reports on Life Traveling Across the Globe for Over a Year

By ANNA PURDUM | Contributing Writer

Just over a year ago, we boarded a plane with two one-way tickets to Italy after having quit my job and securing a short-term lease for our home in Pacific Palisades. This was the spark which started us on our adventure around the world.

At the time, we didn’t know we’d be traveling to 20 countries and all seven continents. Or that we’d be nomads for over a year with just a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. We only knew that we were ready to travel, sail and explore the world.

I planned to take this time to figure out what my “pivot” would be in life. Would I change jobs, shift to consulting, teaching or permanently retiring?

Over the past year, we have explored major metropolitan cities like Buenos Aires, Sydney, Tokyo, Santiago and Paris; connected with friends in Ireland, Amsterdam, France, Italy, Portugal, London, Morocco, Türkiye and Japan; hiked rural pastures in remote Scotland, Montenegro and Argentina; trekked glaciers and majestic mountains in Patagonia, New Zealand and Peru; ridden camels in the Sahara Desert and horses in Peru; driven a campervan across New Zealand’s diverse wildlands; meandered through many small towns in France, Ireland and Peru; sailed in Greece, Uruguay and Southern Turkey; and even took a last-minute inaugural cruise to Antarctica.

Along the way, we have traced world history through famous mosques (like Hagia Sofia, which was once a Roman church, then a mosque, then a museum and now a mosque again) in Istanbul (formerly Constantinople), trampled through the Greek and Spanish Baroque ruins of Sicily, hiked the Inca trails while marveling at their mysterious archaeological feats, and even imagined ourselves living back in time in Calabria where we met my distant family relatives for the first time.

(Finding those relatives and connecting the dots is another story altogether, but suffice to say we have Google translate to thank for the conversation identifying how we were related with an assist from ancestry.com.)

The best part of the trip has been meeting interesting people and immersing ourselves in all the different cultures of the world. We have been lucky to have many friends join us for various segments of our trip.

Each visit seemed to come exactly when we needed it most. Whether we were joining a friend on their trip or reconnecting with old friends in their home country, we were surprised by how many people shared friends and friends-of-friends to contact along the way.

Sharing a meal with a new friend is the best way to memorialize a place and understand its unique personality.

Some lessons I’ve learned:

24/7 travel with your spouse (or anyone) is hard. Meeting up with friends to share new stories is good for a marriage and your psyche.
Don’t get your hair colored by someone who doesn’t speak the same language. Nuanced conversations matter more than you think.
Dinner with locals is always better than a Michelin-star restaurant alone. Exploring new beliefs (due to cultural differences) or explaining your own can reinforce or challenge an old one.
Facebook can keep you in touch with friends and family and may even re-unite you with long lost friends in Lisbon. Keeping connected with valued friends is worthy of the time and effort.
Saying yes to last-minute changes on your itinerary can turn out to be some of the best memories of your trip. Keeping an open mind, staying focused on the possibilities and being a persistent problem solver in a challenging situation will often produce results that far exceed your expectations.
Comfortable beds in an Airbnb are far more important than any other amenity. Read the reviews carefully.
A week aboard a sailboat and a two-week rental camper van have a lot in common. Learning from our earlier experiences and applying it to others is valuable and rewarding.
Using a carry-on with wheels is actually packing more than you need. Trust me on this one.
Everything is temporary as a nomad. If you don’t love the place you’re at, don’t worry, it will change soon.
In this post-pandemic world, this adventure has taught me even more about remote opportunities. I can consult from anywhere, participate in virtual advisory boards as an expert and even develop potential future college course content online.

Whether I pivot to a new career, consult, teach or retire is still to be determined, but I will carry my treasured memories and learnings with me for a lifetime.

Oh, and our tenants renewed their lease through September, so until then, we will continue to travel.

Anna Purdum and her husband Jim have lived in Marquez Knolls since summer 2013.

Dining in France

the Palisadian-Post

July 25, 2024

life072524_28 — Photo courtesy of Merv Hecht

By MERV HECHT | Restaurant Critic

We are traveling in France, eating in some of the top restaurants in the world.

My favorite is the La Grande Cascade. This beautiful restaurant was built in 1900 as part of the world fair in Paris, with a waterfall built next to it for a nice walk after lunch.

It is situated in the largest park in Paris, the Bois de Boulogne. The decor is like being in a castle.

While it looks like something from the 19th century on the one hand, on the other, everything looks very new and clean. This time of year, seating is only on the outdoor patio.

Originally Michelin failed to award any stars to this restaurant, on the theory that no serious restaurant would seat people outside. But eventually they relented, and now the restaurant has a star.

We’ve eaten here with Parisian friends a few times over the years and not much has changed. The chef is a minimalist.

My first course consisted of a large morel mushroom with a mushroom stuffing, one poached langoustine, and a square piece of cake filled with pieces of langoustine and vegetables. Delicious and not overfilling for a first course.

Next was something almost impossible to find in the U.S.: sweetbreads. I know a lot of people don’t eat organic meat, but I love this dish and this was one of the best I’ve ever had. Again, it was minimalist: one large piece lightly sautéed with a poached vegetable on the side.

As usual in this type of restaurant some sweets on the house were served with coffee.

A few days later we traveled to Lyon, France, to honor the memory of Chef Paul Bocuse. He built his own temple—a brightly painted house a half hour out of town—and people flock to it from all over the world.

Upon making a reservation an email is sent out, so you know to expect a bill of at least $300 per person—if you don’t order too much.

The Bocuse group are not minimalists. They serve time-tested special dishes with a lot of sides, and a lot of table-side service and dishes “en croute.”

The restaurant was totally filled in each of the four rooms we could see, and there is a second floor with a large room that I ate dinner in last year.

This time we were there for lunch during the week, and it was still filled, but the tables are spaced well apart.

As always, the service was impeccable even though the chef passed away a couple of years ago. I missed his friendly greeting at the front door.

We didn’t order as much as usual. We started with lobster in a citrin sauce. This was a complex dish with citrus foam and chopped vegetables around the edge.

Then we shared an order of large white asparagus with hollandaise sauce on the side of the plate. How they find such large, delicious asparagus is a miracle, I never see it in Los Angeles.

Like the last time I was there, I noticed a very popular dish: the chicken from Bresse. The people next to us had that, so we had the pleasure of watching its ceremony.

At the table on the other side of us the couple ordered the fish baked in pie crust—also prepared table-side—and it looked delicious, but that’s one dish that we can find in LA and I sometimes make it at home.

So I ordered something a bit mundane and dated: Tournedos Rossini. That’s a beef filet with a slab of fois gras on top, surrounded by Bordelaise sauce.

But this serving was a bit different: instead of a slice of fois gras, there was a big piece and there were two sauces—one dark and one with a cream base—served over the steak. It really was special. But the steak itself, as always in France, is no better, and perhaps not as flavorful, as the meat in the U.S.

On the side was a wonderful small asparagus soufflé. And as always, a series of extraordinary sweets, including a small box of chocolates, was served with coffee. But even knowing about the sweets on the house, Joan couldn’t resist picking one of the extra desserts from a cart, and I had a slice of Roquefort cheese.

I washed it all down with a half-bottle of Cote Rotie Madiniere 2021 and said a prayer over the wine that I can return here again.

Merv Hecht, like many Harvard Law School graduates, went into the wine business after law. In 1988, he began writing restaurant reviews and books. His latest book, “The Instant Wine Connoisseur, 3rd edition,” is available on Amazon. He currently works for several companies that source and distribute food and wine products internationally. Send comments to mervynhecht@yahoo.com.

Happiest Birthdays

the Palisadian-Post

July 25, 2024

life072524_14 — Halston Van Atta delivers a birthday kit.

Halston Van Atta Spreads Birthday Joy to Area Students With Cake Kits

By PARKER KESTON | Intern

For many kids, celebrating their birthday means cake, candles and gifts. However, not every child has access to these resources to make their special day as extraordinary as it should be.

Halston Van Atta—also known as the “Birthday Angel”—began her work creating birthday cake kits for Paul Revere Charter Middle School students in need of an extra dash of specialness in March.

Van Atta—a rising junior—began her involvement in service work at the National Charity League as the vice president of philanthropy with her group. Although she was participating in volunteering, Van Atta was not as involved and active in the community as she wanted to be.

The recipe
Photos courtesy of Halston Van Atta

“I ended up leaving the NCL, I started doing my own thing,” Van Atta explained to the Palisadian-Post. “I then began thinking about something that I could do that could genuinely help the community and [kids] my age and [in] my area who need my help. So I was thinking, and I was brainstorming, what’s something simple that I could do that could really impact people’s lives? And I thought of my birthday kit idea.”

Although Van Atta lives in Beverly Hills and is homeschooled, she said she spends a great amount of time in Pacific Palisades and is very involved in the area, as it is special to her.

Van Atta puts together each kit by hand. The boxes consist of a cake mix, a can of carbonated soda, frosting, a spoon, a piece of candy, balloons, candles, party poppers, confetti and an instruction sheet. Van Atta stated the benefits of the soda, as it is a substitute for typical baking items, such as eggs or oil, that a student may not have access to. The only resource a student needs to complete their cake is an oven.

She happily reflected back on the positive feedback she has received from students and administrators at Paul Revere.

“The feedback that I’ve received from the vice principal there, and the responses of the students who have so far gotten my birthday kits, is full of just the most heartwarming messages ever,” Van Atta said. “I’m a very empathetic person, so hearing that feedback makes my heart so warm, and I just want to do more for everyone that I can. It makes me so happy to hear that I’m really impacting people’s lives with something so simple, that really anyone could do.”

Each kit includes all of the ingredients needed to create a cake.

Despite the successes and rewards of the program, Van Atta has faced numerous challenges with expanding her program to schools other than Paul Revere.

“I reached out to a handful of schools, and Paul Revere has been the only one so far still interested,” Van Atta explained. “It’s a lot of reminding the schools and calling over and over again, to just, you know, really pitch my idea, because every time I relay it to someone, they tell me it was a great idea. They said they’d love to have it, but afterward I never really get anything back. That’s the hard part of the whole project.”

Nevertheless, Van Atta has found joy in creating the kits and seeing her work develop over time.

“Making the kits honestly is probably my favorite part because I’m a very creative person,” she said. “With every group of kits that I make, I switch it up a little bit. I’ll put a different type of candle, different candy in there, different color scheme, whatever it may be.

“I really enjoy doing that and actually taking them to the schools, seeing my whole project just coming to fruition.”

Planning ahead, Van Atta has goals for the future of her work, including hopefully becoming a nonprofit and getting the kits into additional schools for the 2024-25 academic year.

“I’m going to keep doing this project for a while, that’s my plan,” she remarked. “I want to keep it going for the next few years. In the end, my goal is once I have a handful more schools on board, I’m hoping to start a nonprofit and branch out to more projects like the birthday kit one, just simple things that can really help people.”

Summer Creative Writing Contest 2023: ‘Our Very Own Yes Day’

the Palisadian-Post

July 25, 2024

life072524_06 — Christine Kludjian reads winning stories in 2023.
Photo by Steve Galluzzo

The Palisadian-Post is highlighting winners of Pacific Palisades Library Association’s Summer Creative Writing Contest 2023, which had the theme “The Best Day.” Here is the third-place piece in the Jotters category (grades three and four), written by Dylan.

When you have a really good friend, it doesn’t matter if you don’t see them for a while, because when you do, you pick up right where you left off. My friendship with my best friend Preston is like that. He’s been traveling most of the year to multiple cities and countries because of his Dad’s work. I learned a lot about time zones trying to figure out when I could do on-line play dates with him.

I finally got to see him in person for the first time in 8 months. His family was in town for just a couple of days and I was going to spend 24 hours with him.

I had just finished my lunch when he knocked on the door. I opened it and couldn’t believe he was really standing there. I was so happy to see him and rushed to give him a hug.

We ran to my playroom and built a massive Lego structure just so we could throw it down the stairs and watch it explode. It was awesome until my mom said it was OUR job to pick up the pieces. But we laughed the whole time and talked about how amazing it looked with the pieces flew everywhere.

We had so many things we wanted to do, it was hard to decide what to do next. “Super Smash Brothers on the Switch?” Preston suggested. “Yessir!” I answered. We played that for a bit and moved on to Fall Guys when my mom came over and asked if we could walk the dogs with her.

Preston is obsessed with my dogs, Freddie and Georgie, so it was an automatic yes for him. Freddie is a silly looking, big, soft, fluffy dog with a brown head, white spotty body and big, sweet “puppy dog” eyes. Georgie is small and brown with a pretty face and a bad attitude, but he loves Preston. Preston has known them from the time we rescued them as a puppies.

We got back from a “successful” dog walk, and we chilled on the sofa, which led to a lively pillow fight with the sofa cushions, which led to a real fight and hurt feelings. So we went to separate rooms to cool off. It didn’t last long.

Preston played with the dogs for a while and then came to find me on my “thinking chair” and we looked at each other and I said, “Preston, why did you have to hit me on the nose?” And he replied, “Why do you have to hit me hard on the elbow?” I screamed back, “The dog nipped you on the elbow!” We both knew this wasn’t true. He looked at me and rolled his eyes and said, “Right!!! Why don’t we get over this and play some Fortnite?” “Yeah,” I said, “Let’s goooo!”

About two hours later my mom told us she was going shopping and we went with her. We spent way too much time in the video game aisle at Target. We were looking at the PS5 and kept asking my mom if we could get it. “Do you have $600?” She asked. I looked at Preston and said, “We have $6.”

Needless to say, we did not walk out with the new PS5. But we did each get a pack of Pokemon cards and did a pack battle in the car on the way home. Neither one of us got anything good, but it didn’t matter. We just kept smiling.

When we got back we rested for a bit. And then my dad walked in holding 2 bottles of soda and a couple packs of Mentos. That perked us right up. We went outside and placed the bottles on a tree stump. I put the Mentos in one of the bottles and we all watched it explode.

Preston stood over the exploding soda and tried to catch it in his mouth. None of it went in his mouth. It dripped all down his t-shirt. And as if it couldn’t get worse, one of the dogs came out and knocked over one of the bottles of soda and our shoes were covered in the sticky mess. My dad basically had to hose us down.

Once we’d had dinner and gotten into our pajamas for bedtime, we managed to sneak our Nintendo Switches upstairs. We giggled so much thinking we were so clever. My mom told me later that she totally knew what we were up to, but let us get away with it because we looked so happy. Usually, I only get an hour of video games but that day, we got a lot more. That was a W in my book. Eventually, we fell asleep.

We woke up at 5 AM and made breakfast for ourselves. We watched TV until my parents got up. When we heard them come downstairs, we quickly switched off the TV and pretended to be reading a book. The morning seemed to go by way too fast as we tried to pack in nerf battles and as much gaming as we could get away with.

Soon my dad came in and said Preston’s parents would be here in less than an hour. We finished making sculptures of our heads in Minecraft right when his parents arrived.

I didn’t want him to leave and apparently neither did the dogs because they stole his socks when he was trying to put his shoes on. The dogs wouldn’t give up the socks. Preston and his sister chased them around for 15 minutes.

By the time we got the socks back, they were too slobbery to wear so I gave him my new Billie Eilish socks. We all hugged goodbye and my parents and I went to the balcony and waved as they drove down the street.

I ran inside and sent him a message to meet me in Roblox when he gets home. His response, “I’ll be there.”

The 2024 Summer Creative Writing Contest is underway with a theme of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to … ” for students in grades one to 12. Entries are due by September 3. For more information, visit friendsofpalilibrary.org.

Joan Garaventa Jaffe

the Palisadian-Post

July 25, 2024

Joan Garaventa Jaffe, a loving and charismatic wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully at her home in Pacific Palisades on July 10.

Born on October 13, 1941, in San Francisco, Joan moved to Los Angeles more than 50 years ago. She embarked on a successful career at UCLA, where she was also a proud graduate.

In 1980, Joan married Howard Jaffe, and together they created a beautiful family. As stepmother to Cynthia Jaffe and Eric Jaffe and mother to Lauren Jaffe Sweeney, Joan’s nurturing spirit provided endless love, advice and amazing meals. She adored her four grandchildren, Milo Jaffe, Kate Lynch, Ella Sweeney and Jack Sweeney, and cherished every moment spent with them.

Joan’s generous spirit and warm personality made everyone feel welcome and loved. Her friends were her extended family, and her kind heart maintained many friendships that have lasted decades. She was also an active volunteer, which included serving for many years as a docent at the Getty Villa and LACMA.

Joan will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion and an unwavering zest for life.

A private memorial mass will be held at Old Saint Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco, in addition to a Celebration of Life held locally. Please contact the family for details.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research (pancreatic.org) or the St. Joseph Center (stjosephctr.org).

Elwood Gair

the Palisadian-Post

July 25, 2024

May 6, 1930 – June 28, 2024

Elwood Gair “Woody” passed away peacefully at the age of 94 on June 28. Born on May 6, 1930, in New York City, Woody was the beloved son of Harry and Harriet Gair. He was predeceased by brothers Donald Gair, Tony Gair and Roger Gair.

Woody graduated from Colby College in 1951, where he proudly served as the captain of the ski team. His college years were filled with adventure, as he spent his time exploring and skiing in Stowe, Vermont, Tuckerman Ravine, and Sugarloaf, Maine. In 1956, Woody earned his MBA from Harvard University, an educational experience he was very proud of and referred to throughout his life.

He served as a lieutenant in the United States Army, demonstrating his dedication and commitment to his country. Woody went on to become a successful marketing and advertising executive for Foote, Cone, and Belding and SSC&B in New York City and Los Angeles.

Woody had a lifelong love for horses, which he enjoyed through the Fairfield Hunt Club and on ranches in Montana and New Mexico. He was an avid competitor in tennis, skiing, ocean competitions, sailing, water skiing and swimming.

After moving to California in 1979, Woody embraced life in Pacific Palisades, where he earned the affectionate nickname “the Old Man of the Sea” due to his participation in numerous ocean competitions.

In his later years, Woody resided in Ojai, California, where he continued to pursue his passions for Masters Swimming and playing tennis daily at the Ojai Valley Athletic Club and Libbey Park. He enjoyed meeting friends for coffee, attending parties and socializing throughout the many events Ojai offers.

Woody is survived by his daughters Debbie Gair (husband Noel Bylina), Amy Pietrafesa (husband Anthony Pietrafesa), Kimberly Gair and his son Timothy Gair (wife Ericka Gair). He was a proud grandfather to Allison, Kevin (wife Melissa), Reid (wife Bella), Hannah (husband Nicolas), Liam, Taylor and Bailey, and a great-grandfather to Charlotte, Ruby, Jackson, James Elwood and Joseph.

Woody’s adventurous spirit, competitive nature, and love for his family and friends will be deeply missed. His legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. Woody was dedicated to ensuring that his children and grandchildren were well rounded, and he shared his wisdom and life lessons with each of them.

An open memorial service for friends and family will be held at Will Rogers State Beach on Sunday, September 8, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: Rangeley Heritage Trust, 2424 Main Street, Rangeley, ME 04970 or rlht.org/donate.

Karate Mom

Steve Galluzzo

July 25, 2024

sports072524_03 — New Blue Belt Gracy Llana scores with a kick during a sparring session at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center.
Photos by Steve Galluzzo

Gracy Llana Stays Forever Young at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When she began taking karate lessons 14 months ago, little did Gracy Llana know how much it would change her life for the better.

She has found a renewed purpose, new friends and a fountain of youth at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center on Marquez Avenue.

“We call her the Karate Mom,” Blanck said of his new prize pupil, who in her 50s has quickly become the dojo’s golden girl. “Everyone loves her. She’s winning all these tournaments and she’s totally into going—even if she’s by herself.”

Llana’s reflexes match those of someone half her age, her instincts are uncanny and her fighting spirit separates her from her peers. In barely over a year she has ascended to Blue Belt and has her sights set on Green, Brown and, lastly, Black.

“It started with private kickboxing lessons from Gerry in April of last year through one of my best friends, Danica Dallas, who’s a family friend of his,” Llana explained. “I wanted to find a purposeful exercise that would keep me physically fit, but also instills discipline. Before that, I’d gone to the gym, took dance and played volleyball, but I got bored. With karate I’m learning new things. You have to think on your feet and apply what you learn at the moment. Karate is my refuge, my sanctuary, my ‘me’ time. Gerry is a pillar of the community and his dojo is a family. It’s a really supportive environment in which to grow in mind and body.”

One could say Llana’s penchant for the sport is in the blood as hers is a family of boxers. Her dad Romy Somodio was a judo champion in the Army in the Philippines and an Olympic boxing referee in 1984 and 1988 while her uncle Bert was a pro boxer in the 1950s and ‘60s.

“The genetics is there, I just never capitalized on it before,” she said. “I did dance and modeling instead, but my competitive spirit is inherent in the DNA. Sometimes you have to go beyond your comfort zone, push yourself and try new things.”

Versatility is one of her strengths.

“I enter all the disciplines because I want to be able to spar,” she added. “I learned the bo and I’m learning nunchucks now. For competitions my primary coach is Sensei Tamar [Springer]. She really knows how to hone in on your strengths and she does the refining of my routines. I train three days a week, sometimes more. It’s about being able to center yourself and focus, understanding it’s about the journey. Win or lose, no one can take that away.”

In May, Llana won gold medals in both Kata (forms) and Sparring and added a silver medal in Weapons at the Elite Karate Cup in Santa Ana.

One month ago, she captured three golds in the Adult Novice Division at the USA World Championships in Las Vegas.

“I live in West LA but I want to move to the Palisades,” said Llana, who came to America from her native Philippines in the late 1980s.

Growing up, her parents exposed her to a variety of activities and she tried dance, art, painting, modeling, swimming and skateboarding. She earned two Master’s degrees in Education in addition to two years of law school and took doctorate classes in Educational Administration. She was Principal of a K-8 school and now does public relations and marketing. She has two adult children who “do their own thing.”

While she wishes she had started in karate younger, Llana is making up for lost time.

“We should never stagnate, so I’m always pushing myself,” she said.

“Health is wealth, so I work first and after that I go to the dojo. I want to get better at everything—technique, accuracy, power and speed. I want to learn more katas, which are specific to styles. There are some for Taekwondo, some for Kung Fu, some for kickboxing and others for karate. As you progress you see new skills built upon old skills.”

Then a board member of the Filipino American Kiwanis of Glendale, she was named one of the 100 most influential Filipina women in the U.S. by the Filipina Women’s Network in Washington, D.C. in 2007.

“Striving for excellence is my motto in life,” Llana said. “I’m very competitive, so to be in an environment which nurtures that philosophy is good. I feel so much support from everyone at the dojo.”

Llana marched in the Palisades Fourth of July Parade alongside Blanck and many fellow students and brought the trophies she won in Las Vegas, frequently holding them up for all to see while doing the splits.

Being that there are so few competitors in the 50+ division, Llana has had to go up against women much younger than herself, but she is never one to shy away from a challenge. Case in point: at last weekend’s Elite Summer Showdown in Chino Hills she competed in the Intermediate Division for the first time and left with golds in Kata and Weapons and a silver in Kumite (sparring).

“Starting at the bottom again, but I persevered,” she said proudly upon returning home. “I lost to a gal 20 years my junior with a higher belt and many more years of training but I conquered my fear of stepping into the ring and just doing it. As Nelson Mandela said: ‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time you fall.’ Homage to my parents in heaven and my heritage. Seriously, how many dojo moms are willing to do this with people decades younger?”

These days there’s nowhere Llana would rather be than with her “Fam Bam” at Blanck’s studio. She is preparing for her next big competition in October, after which she hopes to celebrate at one of her sensei’s favorite local hangouts: Pearl Dragon.

Knowing the positive impact the sport has made in her own life, Llana encourages women of similar circumstance to give martial arts a chance.

“It’s never too late to start… just look at me,” she said. “A year ago I was a girly wimp wearing high heels and look how much I’ve grown. We all want to keep improving ourselves and it’s a way to improve mental stamina as well as physical stamina. There’s a harmony of mind, body and spirit, an interweaving of all these different components. It’s both an end and a means. We need more karate moms and I think they’ll really love it if they try!”

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