Bruce Lurie Gallery will host Alphabet Streets resident Lisa McCord as she presents her recently published book, “Rotan Switch,” as well as an exhibition of her work, April 16 to 18.
Her work will be on display April 16 to 18 from 12 to 6 p.m. A viewing of the exhibition and book signing event will take place Thursday, April 18 from 6 to 8 p.m.
McCord is a fine art and documentary photographer who lives and works out of Los Angeles and Arkansas. “Rotan Switch” is McCord’s first monograph, documenting life on her grandparents’ cotton farm in the Arkansas Delta community of Rotan.
“I was 21 years old when I began photographing Rotan Switch,” McCord said to the Palisadian-Post. “This project spans 45 years—from 1978 to present day—following five generations of a community.”
McCord said though she has lived in many places, home for her remains “firmly rooted” in the Arkansas land and people.
“I developed close relationships with the people who worked on the farm,” McCord explained. “They welcomed me into their homes, we’d share fried chicken and black-eyed peas, meet at the cafe where they relaxed at the end of a hard work week, and at church on Sundays, we’d sing ‘Sweet Jesus, Carry Me Home.’”
She described the photographs she captured as “complicated,” and her ability to observe and document them reflects “a position of privilege.”
“These photographs … exist in the context of the socioeconomic structures of the rural South,” she said. “The images are coupled with my own memories, as well as reflections by the people in the photographs. These images are a record of my story of Rotan and the Arkansas Delta, a story that is specific to my and my family’s role in a place where inequities exist to this day. I have done my best to acknowledge this complicated history.”
Printed and bound in Germany, “Rotan Switch” is 204 pages of McCord’s analog photographs, family snapshots and monochrome photographs, color polaroids and recipes. It is available for purchase for $64 on McCord’s website.
She invited the community to her exhibition and book signing at Bruce Lurie Gallery—located at 873 Via De La Paz.
For more information or to purchase “Rotan Switch,” visit lisamccordphotography.com/rotanswitchbook.
The Palisadian-Post has partnered with locally founded environmental organization Resilient Palisades to deliver a “green tip” to our readers in each newspaper. This edition’s tip was written by Bonnie Zucker.
Come to the Resilient Palisades Earth Day 2024 event, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Pacific Palisades. The event will occur on April 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Village Green, next to Pacific Palisades Farmers Market.
Resilient Palisades is a local organization dedicated to addressing the climate crisis. Last year’s Earth Day was a huge success, and this year is shaping up to be a great community celebration for all ages.
We will have vendors selling crepes and tamales throughout the event, and we will provide reusable cutlery and cups. We will also have musical entertainment, thanks to Palisades Charter High School senior Shawna Ashley (10:30 a.m.), The Shambles (11 a.m.) and the Harvard Yardbirds (12:30 p.m.).
Guest speaker Palisadian Ed Begley, Jr. will share words of hope and encouragement around 10:10 a.m., followed by a representative from Councilmember Traci Parks’ office.
There will be activities for kids, compliments of Camp Wildcraft and Pali High students. You can also learn what the various Resilient Palisades teams have been up to. Stop by the Zero Waste table for a complimentary reusable produce bag and kitchen compost pail.
We are also fortunate to have several organizations and businesses that will be at the event: Palisades Rotary Club, Forestry Committee, Temescal Canyon Association, Athens Services, LA Parks Foundation, LA Waterkeeper, Ridwell, Heal the Bay, Sierra Club, Santa Monica Mountains Fund, Prana by Lana, TruEarth, Cabbage Hill Fertilizer and Pacific Palisades Community Council.
700 El Medio Ave, between March 20 at 12 p.m. and March 21 at 11:50 a.m. Vehicle taken from street or driveway.
Burglary/Theft From Vehicle
700 Radcliffe Ave, between March 20 at 9:40 p.m. and March 21 at 5:30 a.m. Suspect gained entry into victim’s secured vehicle. Suspect took victim’s property and fled location.
300 Amalfi Drive, March 21 at 6 a.m. Suspect broke rear passenger window of vehicle, took victim’s golf clubs and fled location.
16000 Junaluska Way, between March 23 at 6 p.m. and March 24 at 9 a.m. Suspect removed victim’s property from unsecured vehicle and fled location.
Theft
1000 Swarthmore Ave, March 23 at 6:35 p.m. Suspects entered store and removed victim’s property without paying for merchandise.
Provided by LAPD Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin. In case of emergency, call 911. To report a non-emergency, call 877-275-5273.
Being parents of a 2022 college graduate now living in NYC’s East Village, we so appreciate David G’s candor. For all students and parents thinking about those east coast dreams, we encourage you to read his articles. David’s words are spot on and we look forward to his first book!
‘An Angel Among Us’
On the evening of March 19th, I tripped and fell near the corner of Swarthmore Ave. and Antioch while walking with my husband. I did not know it at the time but my pelvis was fractured. I was in considerable pain and braced myself on a low post while my husband ran 4 blocks to retrieve our car. As soon as he left, a woman seemed to appear out of nowhere. She offered to stay with me until my husband arrived. While we waited, she drove her car next to the curb and helped me into her front seat to rest. When my husband arrived, the two of them moved me into his car. I would like to thank her for stopping to help and comfort me, a stranger in distress. There are indeed angels among us.
Potrero
The wildflowers in full bloom at Potrero Canyon are stunning!
Coffee I
A quaint coffee shop in Marquez Knolls would be just delightful.
Coffee II
Marquez Knolls could really use a coffee shop!! It would do so well in our community.
Earth Day
I have seen posts for two Earth Day events so far in the Palisades. I love that we are celebrating this day with productive solutions, like a beach cleanup.
Weather
I thought we were through with the rain when I saw that it’s meant to reach the high 70s this week but alas we may see more of it this weekend.
Got something to say? Call 310-454-1321 or email 2cents@palipost.com and get those kudos or concerns off your chest. Names will not be used.
MĀVVEN Mercantile Joins Antioch Street With ‘Wellness Essentials,’ ‘Curated Homewares,’ Yoga, Soundbaths and More
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Selling homewares and wellness essentials during the day, leading a series of workshops and classes in the mornings and evenings.
An added bonus? Showing their daughters the “importance of pursuing your passion and giving back to the community.
“Gathering and creative space” MĀVVEN Mercantile—which opened on Antioch Street in early March—is led by longtime Palisadian best friends Lisa Waters and Michelle Villemaire. The store, which offers “wellness essentials and curated homewares,” operates with a mission to “foster joy, growth and healing through connection to yourself and community.”
Waters, MĀVVEN owner and co-founder, has had a career in the health and wellness space that spans more than 25 years.
“I’ve done marketing and public relations for pharmaceuticals for big agencies and big brands, like very large pharmaceutical companies and biotech companies,” the Sunset Mesa resident explained to the Palisadian-Post. “I did that for a really long time … I turned 50 this year and decided I really wanted to try my own business. I’ve spent my life building businesses for other people, and I really decided I would like to build one for myself.”
She said she thought through all the things that she could do and got together with MĀVVEN Co-Founder and COO Villemaire, an interior designer, DIY expert, television personality and activist, who Waters has known since the age of 13.
Waters and Villemaire met in seventh grade in Florida, then went to college together in Boston. Waters moved to Los Angeles, then Villemaire moved out here as well. Both ended up settling on the Westside.
Villemaire’s work has previously been seen in the heart of town, when she “yarn bombed” the Village Green to celebrate Women’s History Month. She said over the years, she enjoyed doing it so much, “the idea of creating a brick and mortar space where people could come and find community really appealed” to her.
“In the olden days, a town mercantile was the place where you’d get your flour and stamps,” Villemaire said, “but you’d also run into all of your neighbors and maybe some local gossip. I wanted MĀVVEN to be like an old-fashioned mercantile, a place to pick up essentials, gather with friends and feed our souls.”
The two combined their experience to create MĀVVEN: Waters explained that design is Villemaire’s passion, while health and wellness is hers.
“It’s been kind of a lifelong journey to end up raising daughters in the same town, which is odd in and of itself—and lovely,” Water shared. “We’re chosen family.”
In fact, MĀVVEN is a combination of Waters and Villemaire’s daughter’s names—Mabel and Vivian. Waters said her daughter “literally walks over to the store after school in the afternoon,” while Villemaire’s daughter, Pearl, is working there part-time: “It’s very much a family business.”
“I want to cultivate that real small town feel where you come in, and you feel known and you feel seen, and you feel appreciated for who you are,” Waters said. “That people take time to listen to you.”
The name also “speaks to the definition of ‘maven,’” which is “one who understands.”
“Mavens are considered experts in a field,” read the website. “Yet one does not become a maven overnight—MĀVVENs are born from an accumulation of knowledge, experience and inspiration.”
Waters said she got into healthcare because she is a “do-gooder by nature.”
“I just really, truly thought that I was doing really good things my whole career,” Waters explained. “And I think in a lot of ways I was and decided I really wanted to do something more in the community, like give back to my own community.”
Waters described her and Villemaire’s style—as well as the space—as “very California,” “very laid-back” and “West Coast-y.”
When it comes to homewares and wellness essentials, MĀVVEN carries several local artists, including works by ceramic artist Stephanie Morton-Millstein, a resident of Santa Monica Canyon.
“That’s actually something that I’m very passionate about,” Waters said.
In addition, most of the homewares available are handmade. Waters said she “hand-selected” things that she would like and buy. Other items available include journals and baskets.
Waters also works with ceramicists around the country—including an artist named Gale Ray, who is based out of Charleston, South Carolina—and that she has sourced from travels.
The store was “founded on the belief that clarity comes from activity and engagement,” which is why it includes a “beautiful space to experience events in self expression and personal development, movement, breath, and sound.”
“MĀVVEN was created to function as a home where all who enter feel a sense of belonging,” read a post on social media. “Events to feed the soul and heal the heart are here in our safe space.”
MĀVVEN offers a full slate of events, all led by fellow Palisadian instructors: Nora Plesent will host “Longing for Belonging” on Friday, April 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. “Breath, Sound and Movement” will take place on Friday, April 19, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., led by Nish Fox.
“We’re going to have a set schedule of wellness activities and community activities,” Waters explained, “and then we will rotate in different experts, depending on what the community responds to.”
MĀVVEN will be home to a “gentle flow yoga class” every Wednesday at 9 a.m. with instructor Kim Harrington. There will also be a mid-level/advanced yoga flow class every Saturday and Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. with Matty Whitmore, which will begin on April 27.
The community is invited to “join wellness and sound practitioners Lexi and Tim Hade for a soundbath meditative concert” on Sunday, April 21, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. The “Sunday Evening Soundbath,” which will take place once per month, will be “a combination of sound healing instruments” that will be “used to create a relaxing, healing experience,” designed to leave participants “feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.”
“The whole space is purpose-built, so all the furniture easily gets put away,” Waters described, “and then the mats come out or the meditation chairs come out.”
A month after the opening of the space, Waters said the reception from practitioners she has worked with so far has been “overwhelmingly positive,” that “they love this space” and “how it feels in the store.”
“We created MĀVVEN for the community,” Waters concluded. “We’re offering what we’re offering because we’re hoping that community reception will be positive—and it has been.”
MĀVVEN is located at 15326 Antioch Street, between Juice Crafters and Katie O’Neill’s Fine Art Studio. For more information, including a complete list of upcoming workshops, visit mavvenmercantile.com.
The Palisadian-Post presents an homage to Will Rogers’ column, “Will Rogers Says,” with a column by Palisadian Jimmy Dunne—on life in the “greatest town in America.”
Greet Your Kids Like You’re a Dog
Photo courtesy Jimmy Dunne/Shutterstock
As a young dad, I was forever hunting for that magic manual with all the answers on “how to raise a kid.”
Never found that book.
My parents never found it either.
As a dad, sometimes you look back at things you wish you could take another swing at.
Here’s one on my list.
I learned it from watching all the fabulous dogs we’ve been so lucky to have in our lives.
……………
You know how when you walk in the door, and your dogs run up and jump all over you? Just go absolutely looney tunes? Their tails spin around like helicopters?
And they try so hard to say something like, “Aaaaarrrrhhhrr. Ouuurrrrhhhhrrr.” Trying their best to say, “I just love you and missed you so, so, so very much that I can’t see straight.”
I think they’re on to something.
Moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, here’s an idea.
When you see your kids or your grandkids …
Do that.
Every time.
Whether they’re 2 months—or 32.
Give it to ’em with everything you’ve got.
Every noise, every hug, every everything that tells ’em they’re the bee’s knees.
That they bring you so much crazy joy.
That whatever wonderful is, that’s what they are.
And, in return, I think we all get a door prize.
A little glimpse of that kid in all of us again.
Gotta go.
I think my grandkid just walked in our front door.
“Auurrrrrrhhh. Ouwwwoooohhh!”
Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com or jimmydunne.substack.com.
The Friends of the Palisades Branch Library has postponed its first parking lot book sale since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to Saturday, May 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The sale was originally slated for this weekend, Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. but was postponed due to forecasted rain.
“The beloved tradition is back,” read a statement about the sale. “All books have been generously donated by our wonderful community and include a mix of contemporary fiction, nonfiction, art books, cookbooks, special interest, children’s and young adult books.”
All books are in “excellent” condition. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted as forms of payment.
“Proceeds help the Friends continue to supplement library materials, host speaker programs and provide special initiatives for youth creative writing and art,” the statement concluded.
Additional information can be found at friendsofpalilibrary.org.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Rotary Raffle | Pacific Palisades
Photo courtesy of Marie Tran
Rotary Club of Pacific Palisades is selling raffle tickets for a chance to win dinner with Palisades High School graduate and head coach of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr, while supplies last.
There will be a maximum of 200 tickets sold for $100 each, which will serve as a fundraiser for the Rotary to support its programming, as well as Palisades-Malibu YMCA. Proceeds will be split evenly between the two.
Steve’s mother Anne will do the drawing on August 12, and then dinner will take place at a mutually agreeable date, time and place. Tickets are available for purchase at Palisades-Malibu YMCA, at 821 Via De La Paz.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Pali Runway Auction Gala | Pali High
The Pali Runway Auction Gala—“Pali Runway: Where Style Makes Waves”—will take place at a private residence in Brentwood on April 13 from 6 to 10:30 p.m.
“For the first time in Pali history, our annual auction is taking on a fabulous new twist with a spectacular Fashion Show, inspired by our beloved Dolphin mascot,” read the event website. “The Pali High Booster Club invites you to join the PCHS community on April 13 as we celebrate and support our students and staff. All proceeds from the event will support the students and programs at Pali High.”
Community members have several ways to support the event, including buying tickets for the gala, buying raffle tickets or bidding on auction items. The Booster Club has a goal of raising $80,000.
For more information, visit go.palihigh.org/auction.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Hank’s Reopens | Palisades Village
Palisades Village eatery Hank’s has reopened with a “revitalized interior and a tantalizing new menu of American Bistro classics,” read an email announcement from Caruso.
“Building on his distinguished legacy with Caruso, Tancredi DeLuca (Angelini Ristorante & Bar, Trattoria Amici, Ombra Wine Bar, EMILIA) and his esteemed team bring a fresh perspective to Hank’s,” the statement continued. “The revamped interior radiates a sense of modern elegance, while the menu showcases a delectable array of beloved American favorites using the finest local ingredients.”
SMC’s Malibu Campus Offers High School Concurrent Enrollment and Emeritus Programming for Palisadians
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
After two decades in the making, Santa Monica College’s satellite Malibu Campus on Civic Center Way recently celebrated its first anniversary—and offers several educational options for Palisadian students and lifelong learners.
“The three-acre campus, SMC’s first in Malibu, includes a two-story educational building with a dedicated art studio and a classroom for science; a multipurpose physical activity space, which will double as an emergency operations center, should the need arise; a 100-seat lecture hall with raked seating; a computer lab; and two general education classrooms,” read a press release from SMC. “Designed by QDG Architecture with numerous sustainability features, the campus fulfills the city’s ‘dark skies’ standards. A one-story wing of the campus will house a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s substation, marking the first time since the early 1990s that Malibu has had a police substation within city limits.”
The campus opened its doors on February 13, 2023—the first day of the Spring 2023 semester—and celebrated with a ribbon cutting and open house in April. SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery said at the time that it took “tremendous teamwork to make SMC Malibu a reality.”
There are four types of classes offered by SMC at the Malibu Campus: credit (can be used toward an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college or university), noncredit (short-term vocational and workforce preparation courses and certificates), emeritus (noncredit and adult education courses, offered for free, designed for older adults) and community education (class, seminars and workshops available at a low cost).
SMC Associate Dean for Malibu Alice Meyering has been with Santa Monica College since December 2007, starting in the president/superintendent’s office, working with community relations and public programs. She then oversaw the school’s community education program (fee-based, not-for-credit programming) before joining the Malibu Campus as associate dean.
When describing her favorite aspects of the Malibu Campus, Meyering said she likes that it is spacious, yet intimate.
“This is the reaction I get from all the students too, people are just so happy when they come into the building,” Meyering said. “They feel like they have space to breathe … We really try to do our best to give our students and our faculty the best service.”
Some of the credit classes that were available during Spring 2024 at the Malibu Campus were Western Art History I, Beginning Oil Painting, Stellar Astronomy with Laboratory, Introduction to Business and General Psychology.
One of the ways that high school students in Pacific Palisades can prepare and gain experience for college is by taking courses at SMC’s Malibu Campus during “tuition-free Summer concurrent enrollment.”
“How great is it for high school students to get college credits before they even graduate high school?” Meyering said. “And it’s free to them. They only have to pay for books, so that is very, very minimal. I think it’s a great deal.”
Palisades Branch Library will host a seminar for teenagers about the high school concurrent program on Wednesday, April 24, from 4:30 to 5 p.m. in the Community Room.
The campus will offer a “full lineup of interesting and fun for-credit classes” in Summer 2024—and the classes are “completely tuition-free” for California residents. The only requirements are having completed the eighth grade, and approval from a parent, school counselor and principal.
This summer, the Malibu Campus will offer several for-credit courses, including business, psychology and photo, which Meyering described as a “popular class.”
“Cameras are free for students who want to take the class, so they don’t have to worry about buying a camera,” Meyering said. “They can check out a camera from the department.”
Priority enrollment for the courses opened on March 25 and extends to April 30, while general enrollment is set to begin May 7. The classes will all begin the week of June 17.
When it comes to emeritus courses—designed for learners aged 50-plus—the Malibu Campus offered Drawing, Painting, Poetry and Fiction, Autobiography, and Current Events as part of its Spring 2024 programming.
SMC’s main campus is located at 1900 Pico Boulevard—described as “the central location for most of Santa Monica College’s classes and services.” Most satellite campuses, including Malibu, are linked by a free shuttle bus.
Additional satellite sites include Airport Campus near the Santa Monica Airport, Bundy Campus (the largest satellite campus), Center for Media and Design (housing the Design Technology Department, as well as the college’s only bachelor degree program: Interaction Design), Emeritus Campus (designed for older adults) and Performing Arts Center (a complex that includes The Broad Stage).
SMC previously offered educational options in Malibu, dating back to the 1970s and early 1980s, according to the press release, recently through the Malibu Senior Center in City hall as part of the college’s Emeritus Program and evening credit courses at Webster Elementary School.
Those looking for additional information can reach out to Santa Monica’s Malibu Campus directly, or keep an eye on the website for additional informational webinars and seminars.
“We’re very happy and feel very fortunate to be here to serve this community,” Meyering concluded. “We want everyone to know that we want everyone to come here, and that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to help.”
After four years in the neighborhood—and a “head-to-toe makeover”—actor Max Greenfield, well known for his role in “New Girl,” and wife Tess Sanchez, a casting director, have sold their Castellammare home for just over $3 million.
The couple originally purchased the home, which is located steps away from the beach, for $1.68 million, Variety reported at the time. In a 2022 interview, Sanchez told Sunset magazine that she was inspired to complete the remodel during the COVID-19 pandemic, after being laid off in the beginning of 2020 and left with “idle time.”
The home hit the market in early March, according to Robb Report, when it was listed for $2,975,000. It went into escrow by mid-March, before being listed as sold on April 2.
The home offers “stunning ocean and mountain views,” according to the listing. It features three bedrooms and two bathrooms, across 1,907 square feet of living space.
Described as a “mid-century beach cottage” and an “architectural gem,” the home is “flooded” with natural light from “ample windows and sliding glass doors,” which lead to wrap-around decks.
A main living level includes high ceilings, oak hardwood floors, an over-sized fireplace, chef’s kitchen with an eat-in bar, and a primary suite and en-suite bathroom.
Located downstairs are two “well-appointed” guest bedrooms, which includes a “perfect beach house bunk room,” as well as an additional guest or media room, which share a bathroom and laundry room.
“With easy access to the beach below from the pedestrian bridge over PCH, this special property is ideally located between the best of Malibu, Santa Monica and the Palisades,” the listing concluded.
Sanchez and Greenfield maintain a primary residence in Hancock Park, according to Robb Report, which they purchased in 2014.
Greenfield, who has recurring roles in “Veronica Mars” and “Ugly Betty,” received an Emmy nomination for his role of Schmidt in “New Girl.”
One evening, my friend and I decided we wanted Chinese food for dinner, so we went to the Lotus on 4th and Wilshire, which I have previously reviewed favorably. We arrived there to find it had closed—so much for Chinese food near the ocean. I heard a rumor recently that it will reopen as a Korean steak house. That will be nice—stay tuned.
We were pretty hungry, so we saw a new restaurant across the street—Osteria Del Fornaio—and decided to go there. I had seen it for a while but hadn’t tried it yet.
We were pleasantly surprised. The room was light and airy with high ceilings, and tables around a long table where large groups could sit (and did while we were there) with good spacing between the tables.
It reminded me a bit of Basque restaurants where single people sat at a large table and mingled with others. Did you know there used to be a Basque restaurant in Santa Monica?
In any event, this is a beautiful restaurant. There are two patios outside: one covered and one open air. This will be a terrific venue if Santa Monica ever heats up.
I saw some good-looking pizza coming out of the open view kitchen, but we decided on pasta. Both pasta dishes were excellent, and we were too full for dessert.
The menu was pretty standard for Santa Monica Italian restaurants, but there is a chef’s special menu each week. There are so many Italian restaurants in Santa Monica that it’s hard to find one that has something special that makes it worth going to. When I say something special or different, I mean something like the duck ragu pasta I had at Felix.
The food and service here is good, it has a nice setting, and the prices are middle of the road. They have an excellent drink menu, although the wine list is average.
If I find myself nearby one night when I’m hungry I’ll probably stop in, and perhaps have one of the very attractive courses on the menu, such as the Grilled Cauliflower, the Pollo ai Funghi ($34) or the Costata al Pepe (ribeye steak in brandy sauce $49).
All of these dishes look very good on the menu. But I might end up at one of the other 200 Italian restaurants in town.
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.
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