Following a “tremendous volume” of donations in January, Pacific Palisades Library Association will continue accepting donated books, but, going forward, only on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We are building a fabulous selection of gently read books and are planning a book sale for April,” an announcement read. “Please stay tuned for the big announcement regarding our first parking lot book sale since 2019.”
Volunteers will be in the Palisades Branch Library parking lot on Wednesdays through the remainder of February and March to accept book donations—February 21 and 28, and March 6, 13, 20 and 27.
PPLA will accept books in “good condition,” according to an announcement. Books donated should not be written or highlighted in, or show signs of excessive wear and tear.
PPLA asked that donors not leave book donations at times other than those specified or when volunteers are not present. They will not be able to accept magazines, textbooks, CDs, DVDs, encyclopedias or library books.
“Parking lot book sales have been a treasured community activity in Pacific Palisades for more than three decades,” according to a previous announcement. “The book sales provide critical funds for library books, educational materials, community programs and other improvements at the Palisades Library, as well as assistance to underserved libraries in other parts of Los Angeles.”
Photo courtesy of Pacific Palisades Art Association
By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
Palisadian Artist Martha Meade will lead an Adult Painting Class on Saturday, February 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Palisades Branch Library.
In an announcement from the library, community members were invited to an afternoon dedicated to learning how to paint with acrylics on canvas and producing a masterpiece of their own.
“Martha is a Pacific Palisades-based painter who works primarily in oils on canvas,” according to the statement. “She is a long-time resident of Pacific Palisades and a member of the Pacific Palisades Art Association.”
Because space is limited, the library asked that individuals RSVP to palsds@lapl.org or stop by the reference desk to reserve a place.
“First come, first served, regardless of whether you took a prior class,” the announcement read.
Palisades forward Aniah Bradley has a shot blocked by King/Drew’s Anayla Anderson in the girls game Friday night, February 9. The Dolphins lost 56-45. Photos by Steve Galluzzo
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Last Friday night’s basketball doubleheader at King/Drew Magnet High School in Los Angeles generated loads of excitement and an enthusiastic crowd for the boys and girls City Open Division quarterfinals.
By the end of the night, February 9, Palisades Charter High School’s City title hopes were over, but not their season.
The girls game was first, and early on, the host Golden Eagles jumped out to an 8-3 lead. The fifth-seeded Dolphins (17-12) trailed 17-12 at the end of the first quarter but cut their deficit to 21-19 with 2:05 left in the first half.
Fourth-seeded King/Drew (18-7) closed the second quarter on a 7-0 spurt, capped by Kaitlin Johnson’s three-pointer at the buzzer, to carry a 28-19 lead into intermission.
The Coliseum League champions led by 10 after three quarters, and though the Dolphins got to within four points twice in the final eight minutes, they could not creep any closer and lost 56-45.
Elly Tierney led the Dolphins with 18 points, Ayla Teegardin had seven, Alyssa Ramirez had six. Aniah Bradley and Olivia Lewis each had five points, and Riley Oku had four.
Christiauna Taylor and Alexis Wallace had 14 apiece for the Golden Eagles, who advanced to the semifinals against top-seeded Birmingham at 5 p.m. Saturday, February 17, at El Camino College. Earlier that afternoon, No. 3 Hamilton and No. 2 Westchester meet in the other semifinal after splitting two Western League matchups.
Palisades coach Adam Levine expected a competitive game versus King/Drew, and though he was disappointed with the result, he was not disappointed with his team’s effort.
“We battled and made it close in the second half,” Levine said. “Two good teams playing hard.”
King/Drew’s Semaj Howard and Kameron Gates defend Palisades’ Muhammed Butler in the boys game Friday night, February 9. The Dolphins lost 77-60.
The second game saw Palisades’ boys grab a 5-0 lead in the first two minutes only to see King/Drew rattle off the next nine. The seventh-seeded Dolphins (11-15) reclaimed the lead, 11-10, but then the second-seeded Golden Eagles (17-11) got hot from long range and began to pull away.
King/Drew closed the first quarter on a 9-0 run and widened the margin to 32-16 by the midway mark of the second quarter. The home team took a 43-24 lead into halftime thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by Josahn Webster (the coach’s son) and Donald Thompson’s twisting layup.
Palisades missed numerous layups in third quarter, and King/Drew continued its three-point barrage, building the lead upon to as many as 30 points. The Dolphins never gave up, narrowing the gap to 16 with two minutes left, but ultimately being eliminated, 77-60. Jayshawn Kibble drained six three-pointers, Webster added five and King/Drew hit 13 in all to total 39 points from beyond the arc.
“The game plan was to make them shoot tough shots, limit them to one shot a possession and attack the basket on offense,” interim coach LeBre Merritt said. “We had some good looks that didn’t fall, we missed some opportunities and when we’re not scoring, sometimes our defensive energy drops. That kind of environment either exposes you or inspires you to rise up. The final score doesn’t reflect how hard we played.”
Jordan Farhadian had 16 to lead the Dolphins. Muhammed Butler and Aten Hassan each added nine, Eli Levi had eight, and Donovan Knighten and Wyatt Junger each had five for Palisades.
Just making the Open Division as one of the top eight teams in the section was remarkable for the Dolphins, who won 10 of their last 13 regular season games to finish second in the Western League after a 1-11 start. Two other teams from the Western League made the Open Division: First-place Westchester, seeded fourth, was upset by No. 5 Chatsworth and third-place LACES (the No. 8 seed) beat No. 1 Cleveland on Friday, February 9. King/Drew, the Coliseum League winner, takes on No. 3 Birmingham in the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, February 17, at El Camino College.
Palisades’ boys and girls squads can now look ahead to the regional playoffs, which start in two weeks at the conclusion of the CIF sectional playoffs. Levine and Merritt do not even know what bracket their teams will be placed in, let alone who they will be playing.
“We’ve gone through this before—having a long break in between City and regionals—so nothing new,” said Merritt, who also assists Levine with the girls team. “The key for the guys is whether this group still believes. There’s still a lot to play for, and practice will show me who has checked out and who wants to keep playing.”
Palisades’ James Van Wagenen (top) scores two points on a take down in the City 126-pound final Saturday, February 10, at Roybal Learning Center. Photos by Steve Galluzzo
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Shortly after watching his friend Adrian Escobar become the first Canoga Park wrestler to win three straight City titles, Palisades Charter High School senior James Van Wagenen made history of his own Saturday evening, February 10, at Roybal Learning Center.
Van Wagenen, who dealt Escobar the only defeat of his high school career to a City opponent last year at regionals only to lose a 6-4 decision to Escobar in the City 113-pound final one week later, completed his own redemptive quest by winning the City 126-pound title in dramatic fashion.
Van Wagenen won the 106-pound division as a sophomore, and after coming up short at 113 a year ago, he moved up two weight classes and has found it much to his liking. He pinned all three of his opponents in the first period at regionals and won his first three matches Saturday in like fashion.
In the finals against Birmingham’s Roman Arakelyan he took an early lead, fell behind, then took the lead back. Trailing 7-6 as the final seconds ticked off the clock in the third period, Arakelyan lunged at his adversary in a desperate attempt to score. Van Wagenen sidestepped the move, grabbed the Patriots grappler and the two fell to the mat together as time expired.
James Van Wagenen after winning the City title with a dramatic 9-6 victory in the finals over Birmingham’s Roman Arakelyan
At first, neither wrestler knew how to react as the referee explained his call to the scorer’s table. Arakelyan thought he had been awarded a reversal, which would have given him a one-point win. Instead, Van Wagenen was credited with two points for a near fall that gave him a 9-6 decision, promoting him to flex his muscles and waving to the crowd in jubilation.
In capturing the City crown, he reached the 100-win plateau for his career and earned a trip to the CIF state meet next weekend in Bakersfield.
Parker Field took third at 132, pinning Manuel Miranda of Banning in 2:22 in the third-place match. Soushyant Saberi was fourth at 138, Derek Anwar was fifth at 150 and Matthew Hsu was fourth at 165.
Birmingham captured its sixth boys team title in a row with 279.5 points. Palisades took fourth with 110 points.
Three Dolphins ninth-graders also placed in their respective weight classes for the girls: Alicia Chow was fifth at 105 (pinning Amara Castaneda of El Camino Real in the fifth-place match); Emma Bolch was fifth at 140; and Sophia Townsley took fourth at 170.
The SAM Initiative reached a new milestone, granting a total of $320,000 in its most recent giving cycle in fall 2023, which the foundation described as “a testament to the extraordinary generosity and commitment within our community.”
The program was launched in 2013 by Mindy Freedman, a member of Kehillat Israel, as a group of individuals who pool their financial resources and experience to fund and support programming throughout the city that aims to promote social change and benefit women, children and families.
“Since 2013, SAM has given over $3 million to the community, and our reach goes far beyond the grants we give,” read a statement from the program. “Our model enables us to be responsive to the needs of the community and helps organizations expand at critical points in their growth.”
Four area organizations—Alzheimer’s LA, Los Angeles Food Policy Council, Open Paths Counseling Center and Teen Talk App—each received $80,000.
Alzheimer’s LA aims to improve the lives of families affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia through various programming, including increasing awareness, programs and services, and support, while LA Food Policy has a mission to create a local food system “free from hunger, rooted in equity and access, supportive of farmers and food workers, and guided by principles of environmental stewardship and regeneration.”
Open Paths Counseling Center works to address the mental health needs of the community via counseling for individuals and families, available at affordable fees, as well as free therapy for at-risk children and youth in area schools. Teen Talk App “provides a free, anonymous, safe space for teens to request support from trained peers and learn from others with similar experiences.”
“We have achieved much this cycle, from nominating and vetting urgent-need organizations to addressing the mental health crisis,” Freedman wrote in a statement about the grants. “These successes underscore SAM’s leadership and the power of collaborative giving.”
Harvard-Westlake’s girls middle school team went undefeated on the way to wining the Delphic League A Division soccer championship.
Led by three Palisadians, the Harvard-Westlake Middle School girls soccer team won the Delphic League A Division championship last week, defeating Oaks Christian 5-1 in the finals to complete an undefeated season.
Pacing the Wolverines, who finished 10-0, were outside back Edie Himes and midfielder Caroline Daenzer (both eighth-graders) and seventh-grade defender Avery Kline. All three play club for LA Breakers but grew up playing locally in AYSO Region 69.
A tree fell, pictured here on Sunday, February 4, on Alma Real Drive following the first storm. Photo by Bud Kling
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
The month of February began with two storms in Pacific Palisades—bringing more than 10 inches of rain to the area so far.
The bigger storm, described as a “slow-moving atmospheric river,” which began Sunday, February 4, brought 7.89 inches of rain to the Palisades by Tuesday evening, February 6, at 5 p.m., according to Craig Weston, who tracks rain and weather from the Huntington.
Including the storm at the end of the previous week, the total rainfall for the Palisades in February so far reached 10.8 inches. The yearly total—measured from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024—was 21.44 inches as of Tuesday, with four and a half months remaining.
“We average roughly 15 inches per year,” Weston explained, “so well above that now.”
The bigger storm brought 13.2 inches of rain to Topanga, as measured at Topanga Canyon Fire Station 69, according to a map provided by Ventura County Public Works, while the Sepulveda Dam saw 12.97 inches. Bel Air Hotel measured 12.82 inches, 9.03 inches in Beverly Hills and 9.59 inches in Malibu Hills.
By Sunday afternoon, February 4, Governor Gavin Newsom had declared a state of emergency in eight Southern California counties, including Los Angeles.
A flash flood warning, issued by National Weather Service Los Angeles, was in place through February 5 at 9 p.m. A flood watch was then in place through February 7 at 1 a.m., according to National Weather Service.
At the peak of the storm, there were several reports of flooded streets. There were also reports of fallen trees, including on Alma Real Drive (which fell near Palisades Car Wash on February 2) and Toyopa Drive, where a large tree fell onto a home across from Corpus Christi Church.
“In case you are wondering, given all of the rain, how Will Rogers State Historic Park is doing, we learned that only one tree has fallen,” Temescal Canyon Association wrote in a post shared on social media February 5. “This was a eucalyptus tree that fell on the roping area … Will Rogers State Park Road is currently blocked, and only residents and park workers are allowed through.”
Several parklands in the area were closed as of Monday, February 5, including Temescal Gateway Park in the Palisades, Franklin Canyon Park, Mill Creek and others.
Over the course of the storm, several roads were closed intermittently—including a portion of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Malibu Canyon Road, prompting the closure of schools in Malibu, while most Los Angeles Unified School District campuses remained open.
Sunset Boulevard was closed to westbound traffic between Rustic Lane and Chautauqua Boulevard as of Monday evening, February 5, according to information shared by Councilmember Traci Park.
Pacific Coast Highway was closed in both directions in Ventura County between Las Posas Road and Sycamore Canyon Road by Caltrans due to “a right lane shoulder that has been partially washed out from storm-related erosion.” The highway was anticipated to reopen by Tuesday morning, February 6.
The rain was expected to continue through Wednesday, February 7, which had a 40% chance of rain at print time. No additional rain was forecasted through Sunday, February 11, with temperatures to reach highs in the mid 50s to low 60s, and lows in the low 40s.
The last major storm to hit the Palisades—Tropical Storm Hilary in August 2023—brought almost four inches of rain in two days.
“The Huntington Palisades received 3.88 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Hilary on August 20 through August 21,” Weston said at the time. He called the storm—the first tropical storm to hit Southern California since 1939—a “very rare event.” At its peak, Hilary was reported to be a category 4 hurricane, bringing rain and wind to the Baja California Peninsula before making its way to the Southwestern United States.
As the first month of 2024 came to an end, Caruso’s Palisades Village prepared for a couple of tenant changes.
FRAME and Cuyana have closed their stores in the development, while Golden Goose and Cult Gaia have revealed plans to open soon.
Cuyana, which opened alongside the development in September 2018 as one of the original tenants, closed on January 28. Cult Gaia is slated to open in its place between Bonjour Fête and ANINE BING.
Cuyana operated with a “fewer, better” ethos, meaning “each piece is made with premium quality, smart design and sustainable production,” according to its website. The brand offered a selection of bags, clothing, leather goods and accessories.
“Our mission is to provide a fewer, better wardrobe,” the website continued, “a smart system of pieces that is so easy to style, it gives you more time to focus on what you love.”
Cult Gaia, which is currently slated to open in summer, according to a representative from the brand, has grown from accessories to “full-fledged lifestyle,” selling “everything from ready-to-wear to shoes.”
“Cult Gaia designs heirloom pieces that will live in your closet forever,” the Palisades Village website read. “The cornerstone of Cult Gaia’s DNA has been forged with the ideal of creating objet d’art that makes you look twice.”
FRAME closed its Swarthmore Avenue store, located between Angelini and Vince, in Palisades Village effective January 25. The FRAME brand, with headquarters in Los Angeles, was first launched in 2012. It is best known for its denim jeans and hand bags.
The Palisades Village iteration marked the seventh FRAME store at the time, but the brand had since expanded to 16. It opened in a Palisades Village space previously occupied by Rachel Zoe, who opened with the development with a “retail residency.”
Golden Goose—a “luxury fashion and accessories brand founded on the value of Perfect Imperfection”—is slated to open in the previous FRAME space on May 3, according to a representative from the brand. It will offer a “Venice-inspired” collection of sneakers and accessories, “for men and women and the world of Co-Creation.”
“The brand has become synonymous with high-quality materials made to last, meticulous attention to detail, an iconic lived-in signature aesthetic and bringing the Italian art of hand-made tradition to the rest of the world,” according to the Palisades Village website.
The brand encourages people to “immerse themselves in the Golden World through Co-Creation,” which will be available daily at Palisades Village.
“This highly unique customization experience gives customers the opportunity to participate in the design of one-of-a-kind sneakers together with Golden Goose Dream Makers, who ultimately translate each story into walkable art,” the website continued.
The representative said the brand is “thrilled to grow its Golden Family in Pacific Palisades,” with the opening marking its further expansion within California and the U.S.
Other recent changes at Palisades Village include the opening of Jemma Pizzeria, with Palisades-native Jackson Kalb at the helm, in a space previously occupied by ROCA Pizza.
Sam Rubin with the dedication plaque Photos by Steve Galluzzo
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
A dream was realized January 28 for Palisades P.R.I.D.E. board member Sam Rubin, who addressed a crowd at the corner of Swarthmore and Sunset, acknowledging everyone who made it a reality during the dedication of the four-sided town clock—the organization’s latest project.
“My 15-year obsession with installing a town clock in the Palisades Village was worth the wait,” said Rubin, a local real estate developer and Palisadian since 1987. “I’ve seen many town clocks across the United States and Europe, and I thought that’s what our town needs and how fortunate we are to have it on this corner in the heart of the Village.”
The clock is dedicated to Robert Lindtrathen McBain Wilson (1898-1994), Richard Otto Wahlgren (1933-2020) and Arnie Wishnick (1942-2019)—“prominent business members for this community whose good works touched the lives of many,” read the plaque.
“This clock is a gathering place for the families and businesses of Pacific Palisades,” an inscription on the plaque continued. “So until we meet again!”
Rubin, who grew up in Hancock Park but now lives in lower Marquez, has been a P.R.I.D.E. member for almost 20 years. He persevered in first finding a location and then the funding for the clock itself.
“They say ‘it takes a village,’ well this clock project was achieved due to our Pacific Palisades Village collaboration,” Rubin continued. “This Palisades P.R.I.D.E. project would not be possible without the generous support and donations from numerous parties. I want to thank you all for being here today and being part of history for our wonderful community. We hope you enjoy this addition to the Village and please get involved in any of the many great community volunteer organizations.”
With that, Rubin proceeded to thank the Vard Stephen Hunt Foundation for permitting P.R.I.D.E. to use their property; U.S. Bank for allowing them to occupy their lease premises; Rotary Club of Pacific Palisades for being part of the community project; contributor Helen Wahlgren; and Jackie Maduff, wife of the late Wishnick.
Rubin also thanked Palisades architect Rich Wilken; Rubin’s neighbor and attorney with CGS3 Law David Schwartz; Pacific Coast Design Group with owner Frank DiMarco (president of the Rotary Club) and his crew who handled the construction of the clock foundation work; Greg Heller with Stone Age Masonry; Pacific Palisades Community Council for supporting the project since P.R.I.D.E. presented it to the board in 2019; and Vittorio Ristorante & Pizzeria, who supplied pizzas for the dedication.
Rubin gave thanks to late Palisades P.R.I.D.E. co-founder and board member Wally Miller who, as Rubin put it, “recruited me to Palisades P.R.I.D.E. almost 20 years ago.”
Palisades P.R.I.D.E., which stands for Protect and Renew our Identity and Environment, has been raising funds via private donations for the beautification of the Palisades since 1992. The organization was named Pride of the Palisades by PPCC at the end of 2023.
Lifelong Palisadian Sam Laganà, a 2011 PPCC Sparkplug Award winner and current stadium voice of the Los Angeles Rams, also spoke at the dedication, offering historical perspective and vision of the three movers and shakers for whom the clock is dedicated.
From Paris to the West End, Broadway, the big screen and beyond, Pacific Palisades now has a chance to catch an adaptation of a “Tony Award-winning epic French musical” at Pierson Playhouse.
Theatre Palisades Youth and Theatre Palisades Teens will present “Les Misérables School Edition,” with performances slated over the course of two weekends, February 23 to March 3.
“‘Les Misérables’ recounts the struggle against adversity in 19th-century France,” according to a synopsis. “Arrested for stealing a loaf of bread, petty thief Jean Valjean spends 19 years in prison. Upon his release, he becomes an honest man, the mayor of a prosperous town and a loving adoptive father—violating his parole in the process and causing him to be relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert. Only after a bloody student uprising, when Valjean saves the life of a young man who’s in love with Valjean’s adopted daughter, does the ex-convict finally feel fully redeemed.”
The show is directed by Lara Ganz—who said she felt like the program was “called to do this show”—with gaba as music director and choreography by Rebecca Barragan, Mark Marchillo and Aaron Jung.
“‘Les Misérables’ is a story of love, redemption and sacrifice,” Ganz, director of the TPY and TPTeens programs, said in a statement. “It shares a message that we need today, more than ever—that even in the direst of circumstances, in the end, faith and hope can redeem you.”
“Les Misérables” is based on a novel by Victor Hugo. Ganz said she first saw the show, which has won more than 100 awards across the globe since its debut in September 1980, on Broadway when she was a youth herself.
“I was so young, and I didn’t have a lot of understanding of what was going on in the world,” she explained, “but it left me sobbing. I had never felt anything like that.”
The cast is comprised of 54 students, ranging in age from 7 to 17, from schools in the Palisades, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Topanga, as well as Pasadena, West Hollywood and West Hills.
“There are so many issues addressed in this musical that are relevant to what we are going through in the world right now,” Ganz said. “And these kids are playing characters who sacrifice everything for the hope of a better future. They’re dedicating themselves to these roles, and allowing themselves to be vulnerable in order to become these characters. This experience will stay with them forever.”
Performances will take place at Pierson Playhouse, located at 941 Temescal Canyon Road, on Friday, February 23, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, February 24, at 1 and 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, February 25, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, February 29, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 2, at 1 and 5:30 p.m.; and Sunday, March 3, at 1 p.m.
Tickets are $22 for general admission, and $17 for students or seniors.
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