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 Lisa Kaas Boyle.
We Palisadians are fortunate to live in a walkable community with many excellent restaurants and a thriving farmers market. But are we making the most of these resources in a waste-free fashion to protect our environment and our health from the impacts of waste?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, food and food packaging materials make up almost half of all municipal solid waste. Takeout food is often placed into plastic or Styrofoam containers, and put into paper bags or plastic grocery bags. These bags may contain plastic cutlery, napkins and straws. That’s a lot of waste beginning with its creation and most often ending in landfill and in our environment.
There is so much accumulated plastic in our water ecosystems (by some estimates, 8,300 million metric tons of plastic has been produced since around 1950) that some scientists view plastic accumulation as a “key geologic indicator” of our current geological time period, dubbing it the Anthropocene.
But you can break the cycle of food packaging pollution by bringing your own reusable containers for takeout from our local restaurants and refusing plastic cutlery and straws. California Assembly Bill 619 was passed in July 2019 allowing reusable containers provided or returned to the food facility to be filled by either the employee or the owner of the container. Reusable containers must be clean, and also designed and constructed for reuse. A wide variety of reuse containers is available on the site lifewithoutplastic.com.
In addition, bring your own bags to the farmers market, grocery store and restaurants for takeout. Resilient Palisades hands out free reusable bags for produce at our farmers market to encourage the practice.
Finally, make sure to put your food waste in the green bin for composting. In addition to yard trimmings, LA Department of Sanitation allows for the following in the green bin:
Stickball in the Palisades—the most fun you can have with a broom stick! All ages can play with no experience required. This is just a fun way to play a form of baseball (pitching, batting and fielding—just no base running). A casual (very casual!) group of players assemble Saturday mornings at 8:00 at Pali High School (north, outside wall of gym), pick teams and play. Text Bruce at 310-743-3999 or Pat at 310-625-3153 if you are interested in trying it out.
Tenants
As I read the cover story February 8 on tenants moving out and new moving into Palisades Village, I thought to myself that most of the stores in the Village are the same with different names. Women’s clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories. Stores may be closing as there is an overabundance of the same thing. How about a book store? A store with high quality items and equipment for the kitchen? A Supreme Store, or something boys might be interested in? A Vintage shop? Burro? Paper Source?
Rain
It would be fun to see a rain gauge drawing showing the seasonal rain accumulation in every issue of the Post. (Editor’s note: This is a fun idea and we will consider it going forward.)
Gauge Placement
Where are the Pali weather gauges kept? Geography matters! (Editor’s note: Thank you to Craig Weston, who shares his weather data with the Post from the Huntington.)
Dogs Response
I agree the dog situation is out of hand at Pacific Palisades Farmers Market. I don’t think they are making any effort to keep dogs out other than posting passive signs that are easy to ignore. I’ve never seen anyone asked to leave the market with their dogs. On the occasions when I have gently asked dog owners if they know dogs are not allowed I’ve been met either with belligerence or genuine ignorance of the rule. Obviously, hardly any are service dogs. If owners were actually discouraged by an official at the entrances I think that only the most “entitled” Pali people would keep bringing their dogs.
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.
A Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project was released on February 12, and the 60-day public review and comment period is now underway.
“The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project is a multiagency cooperative effort that seeks to protect and restore precious biological and cultural resources, create an integrated program for coastal access, emergency response and interpretation, and proactively address the effects of sea level rise,” according to a summary on the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains website.
Other key restoration goals are to expand the beach, maintain the surf break and “minimize harm during construction.” Additional elements include the expansion of an existing Caltrans PCH bridge “to improve endangered fish passage and habitat,” as well as determining the fate of the Topanga Ranch Motel.
The area is managed by three public agencies: California State Parks (Topanga State Park), Caltrans (area highways), and County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors (Topanga Beach).
“Topanga Lagoon is special—one of the last remaining wetlands in Southern CA,” read a synopsis of the project. “The current half-acre area is a shadow of the 30-acre extent once present. The lagoon is a natural filtration system, stormwater buffer, and hosts rare and endangered species. Over one million visitors enjoy the associated beach each year.”
The lagoon is a “last sanctuary for endangered fish,” like the tidewater goby, and the “only reproducing population in Santa Monica Mountains” of steelhead trout. The area provides an “important surf break” and “popular beach” with “limited visitor services.” The land also includes “Gabrielino/Tongva cultural sites.”
“Three alternatives have been identified to restore the Topanga Lagoon area,” read the synopsis. “All alternatives address the key project goals.”
The Draft Environmental Impact Report is now available for public review and comments through April 12. The document can be accessed online, as well as in person at Topanga Library, Malibu Library, Calabasas Library, Malibu Creek State Park Administration Office and RCDSMM Office.
Public comments, which will be accepted through April 12 at 5 p.m., can be sent via the project’s website (topangalagoonrestoration.org), email (topangalagoonrestoration@gmail.com) or mail (California Department of Parks and Recreation, Attn: John Ota, Environmental Scientist, 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, CA 91302).
The project timeline includes environmental review from 2019 to 2024, with the EIR expected to be finalized in June. The design phase is expected to take place between 2024 and 2026, with construction slated for 2027 to 2031, and post-construction monitoring from 2031 to 2036. It is currently funded through December 2026.
Two upcoming public meetings regarding the project are scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 24, at 10 a.m. at Annenberg Community Beach House and Wednesday, February 28, at 6 p.m. at Topanga Community Center. The meetings will also be recorded and available to view via youtube.com/@rcdsmm.
“Restoration will preserve and expand the unique biological, cultural and recreation resources of Topanga Lagoon for the future,” the synopsis concluded.
Those who wish to learn more about the project, including information about upcoming meetings, may sign up for an email list at topangalagoonrestoration.org.
I love to cook at home, so I do a lot of shopping. Gelson’s in the Palisades is my go-to. The Gelson’s on Lincoln is not too shabby either. Not to mention Ralphs, Vicente Foods and Whole Foods Market (especially the one on Lincoln).
None of these compares to the beautiful, new Gelson’s Market on Olympic near Bundy. There are many reasons to explore there.
First of all, they have free covered parking. I know this is Southern California, but what a pleasure on those rare occasions when it’s cold or raining.
Second, they have lots of wide-open space making it easy to maneuver a cart. Third, pleasant people make themselves available to answer questions, quite helpful with a store that big.
The kicker is the sushi bar. They serve sushi under the attentive eyes of Tony from Hong Kong. It’s not just sushi—the last time we were there, I had tempura and miso soup, and my friend had a delicious hamburger.
The product selection is extensive, and my only negative thought is that the wines are priced higher than at Trader Joe’s nearby. This is countered by the large selection and some finer wines that are not available at Trader Joe’s.
Good thing there are such great markets around because a lot of restaurants have closed. Who would have thought that the Palm in Beverly Hills—an icon for 50 years—would ever close?
I wasn’t sad to see Tallula’s close, and I was glad to see the pizza place in the Palisades Village close. I hope my review wasn’t the cause.
Luckily, the Caruso folks are on the ball and now Jemma’s Pizzeria has taken over that space. Jemma’s serves a perfectly acceptable pizza. That’s not to say that I don’t have suggestions—I always do. A little more cheese would be welcome, and I don’t care for the white ranch dressing sprinkled on top. Hopefully they’ll take heed to my unsolicited suggestions so that we will all enjoy the pizza there for many years to come.
Jemma’s also has a nice selection of hard-to-find Italian products to take home, and the salads and sandwiches look wonderful.
While there is no inside seating, I have a suggestion for that as well. Perhaps they could make an arrangement with Porta Via next door—customers could sit in Porta Via, order a drink, have an appetizer, order a pizza from Jemma, and have coffee and dessert at Porta Via. What a wonderful life that would be!
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.
Palisadians Romi Lassally and Patrick McCabe Founded Ready to Succeed to Support College-Age Foster Youth in Los Angeles
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Sometimes the right connection can make a world of difference. That is the foundation Ready to Succeed, launched in 2016 by Palisadians Patrick McCabe and Romi Lassally, is built upon.
Ready to Succeed—a “career and personal development nonprofit”—is designed to empower foster college students to graduate, launch careers and “reach their full potential.”
“Romi and I come from similar backgrounds in that we’re both recovering business executives,” explained McCabe, who moved to the Riviera neighborhood less than a year ago after living for 33 years in the same house in Santa Monica. “Romi worked in the film business for over 20 years, and I worked in cable television sports.”
After exiting the television industry, McCabe co-founded New Roads School in Santa Monica with partner Paul Cummins, the founder of Crossroads. McCabe was there for about 12 years, as head of the Lower School.
Through New Roads, McCabe worked with high school-aged foster youth as part of a program where students were placed in private and parochial schools, like Marlborough, Archer and Brentwood schools, in addition to New Roads and Crossroads.
“I saw these foster youth … I saw clearly, I wasn’t worried about them academically,” McCabe explained, since they were studying at “high-end private schools,” “but I was worried about them sociologically … I certainly wondered what happened to them once they got to college.”
After New Roads, McCabe became executive director of Covenant House, a shelter in Hollywood for people experiencing homelessness, where he garnered additional experience working with foster youth.
“After Covenant House … I really wanted to have my own agency,” McCabe said. “And then I just had the incredibly great fortune of meeting Romi through another mutual friend named Abby Adams, who runs something called CareerSpring here in Los Angeles.”
In addition to work in the film business, Lassally—who has lived above the Alphabet Streets since 2007—was also involved with several other entrepreneurial ventures, she explained. When thinking about her through line, Lassally said, for her, it was all about connecting people.
“It definitely fuels me to connect the dots, whether it’s resources or opportunities,” Lassally said, “and I really love working with young people.”
She was able to flex that connection muscle when she created a career day when her daughter was in high school, as well as helping build out mentorship programs through UCLA.
“I found some old notes from an interview I did, and it said I went from developing content, developing material, developing stories for film to developing young people,” Lassally said. “That’s really when I took my, you know, StrengthsFinder test. I should have always been working with people, like what was I doing? It’s just so much more fulfilling.”
At first, Lassally said, she began looking into a way for the work to be a for-profit business, that every student could use “additional career support and doors opened” if they did not have access to someone in the field they were exploring.
“I was thinking about that and quickly realized that there was probably a much greater need in marginalized communities than in communities where the students might have more access, including my own,” Lassally explained. “I was lucky enough to meet Pat.”
Lassally said she and Pat realized they weren’t going to be able to tackle the whole systemic problem foster youth in Los Angeles were facing—so they decided to focus on one piece of it, founding Ready to Succeed.
“These foster youth who make it to college are superheroes,” Lassally added. “The number’s gone up a little bit, but 4% will graduate from four-year schools. They’ve had some support to get into school, but no support there.”
“Foster youth faced some of the worst outcomes among their peers,” according to data shared by Ready to Succeed, with “extremely low college graduation rates and high rates of unemployment, housing insecurity (29%) and criminal convictions (42%).”
Lassally, who has three kids who have gone through college, and McCabe, who has two, said they thought about what was most helpful for their children, which, for them, was access to internship opportunities. So together, Lassally said, “we were going to leverage our networks for good” to connect foster youth with various industries.
“One of the first things I did was sit down with Pat with a legal pad and say, ‘OK, tell me everyone you know,’” Lassally recalled. “I realized between the two of us, we had the entire city covered in every industry.”
Starting with a few students, the nonprofit has, to date, helped nearly 500 program Scholars and alumni, with more than 90% of participants graduating college in four and a half years and 92% securing “strong entry-level jobs” within six months of graduation. Each year, Ready to Succeed forms a class of up to 50 students across 35 four-year universities in California.
Students join Ready to Succeed during their sophomore, junior or senior year of college, remaining in the program throughout their first couple of years of full-time employment—an extension, McCabe explained, is crucial.
“Graduation day for these foster youth is the greatest day in their life because they are that 4% … of all foster youth that are going to graduate a four-year school, so it’s an incredible victory,” McCabe said. “It can also be the worst day of their life because they lose their food, their housing, their mental health support and their social circle. And they can’t go back to Mom and Dad’s basement for six months to think about it. It’s not an option. So that’s why we continue to keep an eye on everybody.”
The program focuses on providing resources (one-on-one career and personal coaching), relationships (making 20-plus introductions to professionals in their networks) and opportunities (internship and entry-level job opportunities at “sought-after and prestigious” companies). There are also scholarship opportunities for participants.
“We know that it’s a solvable problem if these students can get what they need, when they need it,” Lassally explained. “Urgency is a huge driver for us. So it’s holistic, it’s urgent and it’s tailored. It’s really curated and selective and intentional and tailored to our students. And that’s why it works.”
The first step in the program is “new scholars are paired with career and personal development coaches,” according to the website. Scholars then “attend monthly workshops, receive one-on-on communications coaching and are introduced to major players in their industry of choice.”
Coaches then help Scholars create Individual Career Plans, as well as navigate the application and interview process. Once they are placed at a job, Scholars receive ongoing “career and personal support.”
Another facet of Ready to Succeed is Project Dorm Room, described as a collaborative effort with Make Good Inc. that ensures “foster youth move into college with the resources they need.” On average, according to the program, the cost per student for dorm room supplies—including sheets, blankets, pillow, mattress pad, lamp, shower caddy and more—is $750.
There is also the McCabe Impact Fellowship, which “provides select RTS Scholars with paid project-based fellowships,” where “participants gain critical work experience and build their professional networks.”
“RTS Scholars are eager to make real change and bring their voice and ideas to social impact organizations,” according to the description. “However, learning experiences like these are often limited and unpaid. The McCabe Impact Fellowship solves this problem by providing paid experiences with innovative partners.”
To date, more than 50 fellows have been served with 12,000 hours worked across 14 impact partners, including CASA, In a Perfect World, National Center for Youth Law and more.
In many cases, the alumni now form the network and connections in which Ready to Succeed scholars are placed. Two decades later, the very first ninth-grade student McCabe worked with through New Roads, Emmanuel Benton, is now a member of the Ready to Succeed board.
McCabe and Lassally recalled several program alumni who continue to help Scholars. “They’re the models and mentors,” Lassally said, adding the program has created “such a beautiful, virtuous cycle.”
Palisadians who are looking to support Ready to Succeed’s efforts have a couple of options, including donating funds to support programming or joining the Ready to Succeed network.
“People who want to leverage their networks for the good of people outside their networks, who are connectors and get a thrill from making introductions, it’s really gratifying,” Lassally said. “You really get a lot by giving.”
Looking forward to the future, McCabe and Lassally shared plans to continue the program—Lassally saying she hopes to infiltrate more campuses and help every foster student, and McCabe noting that the program could be replicated anywhere in the country to serve more students.
“Like a lot of things, it’s a very, very basic idea that Romi and I had,” McCabe said of the program, “but it’s really turned out quite well.”
“It’s in our DNA,” Lassally said. “We’re lucky to be living our lives of purpose.”
17300 Pacific Coast Hwy, January 28 at 1:45 p.m. Group of 200 to 300 bikers entered business, removed property without paying for items and fled location (flashmob theft).
15700 Pacific Coast Hwy, January 30 between 1 and 1:40 p.m. Suspect removed victim’s property from beach.
1000 Swarthmore Ave, February 1 at 5:08 p.m. Two suspects entered business and removed items from display area. Suspects fled location without paying for items.
Burglary/Theft From Vehicle
1500 Will Rogers State Park Road, January 29 at 4:33 p.m. Suspect entered locked vehicle, removed victim’s property and fled location.
800 Alma Real Drive, February 2 at 3:30 p.m. Suspect entered unsecured vehicle, removed property and fled location.
W Sunset Blvd & Pacific Coast Hwy, February 3 at 11 a.m. Suspect entered victim’s secured vehicle, fled with victim’s property.
Burglary
600 Haverford Ave, February 1 at 6 p.m. Suspect smashed basement window, entered residence and fled with victim’s property.
Robbery
16700 Charmel Lane, February 2 at 9:05 p.m. Suspect entered victim’s residence through unlocked door, brandished a handgun toward victim. Suspect demanded property and fled location. Suspect was being followed by undercover officers and later arrested.
Provided by LAPD Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin. In case of emergency, call 911. To report a non-emergency, call 877-275-5273.
Over 1,000 Jokes Have Been Displayed on the Joke Tree in the Alphabet Streets
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
What’s black and white and red all over? A newspaper.
What’s tall and silent, but also has something funny to say once per day? The Joke Tree in the Alphabet Streets—which, to date, has displayed more than 1,000 family friendly jokes, put together by Ann and Jon Vitti.
The Joke Tree started as a pandemic project. Ann and Jon were in London when safer-at-home orders went into place, and they were called back to the United States.
“Around May 1, I started the tree,” Ann explained. “I put a sign up that was a question for the joke, and then I thought they could flip it, but then nobody was touching anything. So we put the sign on the tree and then on the ground is the answer … and we’ve just done that ever since, for three and a half years.”
The jokes come from many different sources, Ann explained, including joke books and online. Then, there came a point where Ann kept seeing the same jokes across her usual sources, so she put out a call to the neighborhood—and they delivered. Jon has made up a few, Ann said, and she has come up with one.
“Who is the most popular vegan rapper?” Ann asked. “Megan the Scallion.”
Some of the other jokes featured on the tree are classics: Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight nine.
There are also themed weeks around the holidays, like Halloween—which Ann said is her favorite—as well as things like brain teaser week and animal jokes.
Ann said the jokes are planned out about a month in advance, including when her and Jon are out of town. The person staying at their house has jokes that were planned in advance to put out each day, so there is no lapse.
“It’s really funny, like we went out of town for a month,” Ann explained. “We said that the Joke Tree is hibernating, and somebody said, ‘Don’t do that again.’”
During the pandemic, Ann said that greatest compliment she received was one person who said when stuff got to be too much, she would tell her husband to take the kids to the Joke Tree so she could have 20 minutes to relax.
“I thought, that’s the gift you can give somebody that you don’t even know,” Ann said. “For us, it’s just really fun.”
In fact, the Joke Tree lore has since expanded, with nearby Jake the jacaranda who watches from nearby, jealous that Joke Tree is the star.
“He always puts out kind of snarky things,” Ann said
The Joke Tree celebrated a major milestone in September 2023 when it displayed its 1,000th joke. The Vittis honored the occasion with balloons and a special display.
“You know how people say, ‘Oh, it feels like just yesterday’ … Sure did not,” she said with a laugh.
One neighbor, Loren Kaplan, has been walking most days since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, making sure to pass by the Joke Tree every walk since July 2020.
“Seeing the jokes on the Joke Tree gives me such a lift,” Kaplan said. “I really look forward to it. I just think it’s the nicest thing that Ann and Jon do this for our community. I see lots of people stopping all the time. One woman told me she takes a picture of the jokes every day to send to her 93-year-old mother. It’s such a gift they are giving to all of us.”
Ann said the original plan was to end the jokes as 2020 came to a close, but after one faithful joke-reader—a young kid—expressed worry that with the end of the year would come the end of the jokes, the Vittis decided to keep going, and going, and going.
“Because of that kid, whose name I do not know, we’ve gone an additional two and a half years,” Ann said with a laugh.
Another benefit of the Joke Tree is that Ann has gotten to know her neighbors better than before. The Vittis have lived in the Palisades for 30 years, in the same home in the Alphabet Streets for 25 years.
“Everybody needs a joke,” Ann said, “keep the good feeling going.”
Storms in Pacific Palisades that began Saturday, February 17, brought 2.73 inches of rain as of Tuesday morning, February 20, according to Craig Weston, who tracks weather from the Huntington.
The Palisades has received 14.06 inches of rain this February so far, Weston said, with more rain predicted in the coming weeks.
The rainfall total for the season—measured July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024—stands at 24.70.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Grant Request Applications Open | Pacific Palisades
Applications are now open for area programs to request grant funding from the Palisades Will Rogers 5 & 10 K Run Foundation.
“The Palisades Will Rogers 5 & 10 K Run Foundation will grant much of its annual net proceeds generated by the 2023 July 4th run to charitable, educational and community benefit purposes originally envisioned by the co-founders of the run,” read a statement.
Interested organizations are invited to fill out a Grant Request Application, which includes details about the applicant, funds needed and when, the program, how the funds would be spent, and any other additional information “that may be helpful in the consideration of applications.”
The run foundation partners with Palisades Optimist Foundation and the Optimist Club of Pacific Palisades to identify “qualified organizations” that will receive grants from the run’s net proceeds.
Applications are due by March 15 by mail to P.O. Box 211, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 or email to Grants Committee Chairperson of the Pacific Palisades Optimist Club Jody Margulies at jodymargulies@mac.com. They may also be hand-delivered to Margulies.
To receive a Grant Request Application, email jodymargulies@mac.com.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Women of the Year Nominations | Pacific Palisades
The office of Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (AD 42, including Pacific Palisades) is accepting nominations for Women of the Year through February 29.
“This March, in conjunction with Women’s History Month, my office will once again be recognizing and honoring the extraordinary achievements of a number of women across the 42nd Assembly District,” Irwin wrote in a statement. “I would appreciate your help in nominating women who have made significant and/or meaningful contributions to their community over this past year.”
Nominees must live or work within the Palisades, Brentwood, Topanga, Agoura Hills, Bel Air, Beverly Glen, Casa Conejo, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Lake Sherwood, Malibu, Moorpark, Oak Park, Santa Susana, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village or the western portion of Camarillo.
Those who are selected will be recognized on social media during Women’s History Month, as well as in-person later in the year.
For more information or to make a nomination, visit a42.asmdc.org/2024-women-year-nomination.
—SARAH SHMERLING
E-Bike Incentives | Pacific Palisades
Kruse and Company, located at 15121 Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades, is encouraging Palisadians to sign up for the California E-Bike Incentive Program, a statewide initiative that provides vouchers for up to $2,000 for a new electric bike for “income qualified Californians.”
“After a year waiting for the program to be implanted, the application period is likely to open any day now that retailers and the list of eligible e-bikes have been approved,” read a statement from Kruse about the program. “Not all e-bikes are eligible, and vouchers must be redeemed at an authorized retailer.”
The program is open to residents 18 and older with a gross annual household income below 300% of the Federal Poverty Line. Interested parties can sign up to receive the application—which is anticipated to fill up quickly—once it is released.
“We believe this initiative presents an amazing opportunity for residents in the Pacific Palisades to discover the benefits of e-bikes, which can often shorten commuting times and save you money on gas and car maintenance,” said Andrew Grove, co-owner of Kruse and Company, in a statement. “The limited funds mean that residents should act promptly to secure their e-bike incentive vouchers and start trading car trips for bike trips.”
More information about the program is available at ebikeincentives.org and more information about Kruse and Company is available at krusebikes.com.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Music Guild Concert | Marquez Knolls
St. Matthew’s Music Guild will continue its 39th season of concerts on Friday, March 8, at 8 p.m. with a program featuring the Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s and violinist Hye-Jin Kim.
“Kim will be heard in the lyrical ‘Violin Concerto’ by Gian-Carlo Menotti,” read a statement about the concert. “The world-premiere of ‘Tamit and Moar’ by New York composer and saxophonist Ethan Helm, and music of Florence Price fill out the program.”
The concert will take place at St. Matthew’s Church, located at 1031 Bienveneda Avenue. Tickets are $45.
For more information, visit musicguildonline.org or call 310-573-7422.
By Damon Raskin M.D. | Special to the Palisadian-Post
Q:What is the deal with taking expired over-the-counter medicine? I am talking about acetaminophen and ibuprofen, things like that. My family always took them, even if they were expired, but my husband’s family has always thrown them away the day they go bad. Why shouldn’t we take expired medicine?
Medicine cabinets—the final frontier of forgotten expiration dates. We’ve all been there, rummaging through the depths of our bathroom cabinets, only to discover a dusty bottle of pills that expired back when flip phones were still cool. But before you toss them out faster than last year’s trendy fidget spinner, let’s delve into the world of expired medications.
So, you found some expired meds. Before you panic, remember that not all expiration dates are created equal. It’s not like milk turning into a science experiment overnight. Sure, that bottle of antibiotics might have seen better days, but it probably won’t morph into a magic potion or a petri dish monster.
According to the FDA, most medications maintain their potency and safety well beyond their expiration dates. It’s like they’ve got a secret pact with time—“Expiration date? Nah, we’ll just take a chill pill and hang out a bit longer.” But hey, don’t go stocking up on expired meds like they’re limited edition collector’s items. They’re not vintage wine; they’re more like fine cheese—still good, just a tad past their prime.
Now, liquid medications are a whole other story. They’re like the divas of the medicine world—high maintenance and quick to spoil. So, if you stumble upon an ancient bottle of cough syrup that’s turned a funky shade of green, it’s probably best to bid it farewell. No one needs a side of mold with their medicine.
And let’s not forget the importance of proper storage. Your medicine cabinet may seem like a safe haven, but it’s no match for extreme temperatures or humidity. So, unless you’re running a pharmaceutical sauna, keep those meds cool, dry and away from sunlight. After all, nobody wants their ibuprofen to develop a sunburn.
But hey, if you’re still unsure about that expired Tylenol from the Jurassic era, just use your best judgment. If it looks and smells like it’s been living in the Bermuda Triangle, it’s time to say goodbye. And if it’s a life-saving medication, don’t play Russian roulette with its expiration date—that’s a game you don’t want to win.
In conclusion, while expired medications may not be as deadly as forgetting your partner’s birthday, it’s still essential to tread carefully. Use your common sense, keep an eye on those expiration dates and, when in doubt, consult your friendly neighborhood pharmacist. After all, they’re the real MVPs of the medicine world—saving lives one prescription refill at a time.
Have a question you want to see answered in a future edition of the Palisadian-Post? Send it to mypost@palipost.com for consideration.
Sisters of Sojourn—founded by Palisadian Suzanne Lowe—will host its annual benefit “SOS Rocks! Backstage Pass” on March 2 at Buffalo Club in Santa Monica.
Comprised of a group of women who reside in Pacific Palisades and Brentwood, all proceeds from the benefit provide support to Sojourn, which is The People Concern’s domestic violence program—“meeting the emergency and long-term needs of thousands of domestic violence survivors each year.”
“Sojourn’s mission is to provide shelter and support services to adult and child survivors of domestic violence,” read information from organizers. “Sadly, in the aftermath of the Covid shutdowns, Sojourn has seen a drastic increase in the need for their services, so our fundraising efforts are more important than ever.”
“SOS Rocks! Backstage Pass” marks Sisters of Sojourn’s 23rd fundraiser since it was founded 23 years ago.
“Initially [Lowe] was giving excess inventory from her Santa Monica-based apparel manufacturing to Sojourn but wanted to do more,” read a statement. “She saw an opportunity at the time to create a group of young women on the Westside who would be interested in supporting the cause. The group maintains an annual membership of 40 women.”
The People Concern’s Sojourn project operates the second-oldest domestic violence shelter in California. It also operates Adams House, a second stage shelter for women and children.
“Sojourn also provides a comprehensive array of services to people experiencing abuse, including a 24-hour hotline; two shelter facilities (crisis and second stage); legal and medical services; case management; counseling; children’s programming; court advocacy; community education and outreach; and a 24/7 emergency response program, which works with law enforcement and hospital emergency rooms,” the statement continued.
In addition to selling tickets to raise funds, there are also a variety of raffle items available, including a Brentwood Experience (described as a “dream date/night” with a value of more than $1,000) or an Experience Palisades item.
“This Mystery Box Raffle Ticket is for a special experience for two people in Pacific Palisades,” read the item description. “Bring your bestie or bring your bae as you’ll have fun either way. There is no mystery as to whether you will enjoy this special outing.”
The fundraising event, which will feature The Pine Mountain Logs, will begin at 6:30 p.m. at 1520 Olympic Boulevard in Santa Monica.
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