The Pacific Palisades Community Council has selected Andy Frew and Sigrid and Arnold Hofer for its annual Community Service Awards. The honorees were chosen for their many hours of volunteer service over a number of years. They will be recognized at the Council’s potluck dinner on December 9 at Temescal Gateway Park’s historic dining hall.   ’This award is for longtime service,’ Chair Emeritus Richard G. Cohen said. ‘It’s almost like a lifetime achievement award.’   Cohen, Ted Mackie (treasurer) and Steve Boyers (alternate for Area 7 and former Council chair) selected the winners from nominations they received from community members and organizations.   Frew was chosen for his tireless work at Theatre Palisades, where he assists with everything from lighting and technical to administrative matters.   ’Years ago, I was at Pierson Playhouse, and I saw a man climbing the walls just before showtime,’ Palisades Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Arnie Wishnick recalled. ‘He was literally climbing the walls, fixing something. I asked ‘Who is that guy up there on the beams?’ ‘Why, that’s Andy Frew. We call him Spider-Man.’ Since then, I have called on Andy numerous times for help.’   Frew has served on the Chamber of Commerce’s Teen Pageant Committee for many years and was one of the founding members of Movies in the Park in 2004.   ’I am especially impressed that Andy can find the time to serve the community when he has impressive professional responsibilities,’ Cohen said. ‘Andy is a well-published Ph.D. physicist and neuroscientist at UCLA, where he runs a brain imaging laboratory.’It is especially wonderful to find a busy and productive professional’who finds the time to make the Palisades a better, more cultured place.’   Cohen explained that the committee selected Sigrid and Arnold Hofer, the parents of Palisadian-Post graphic designers Manfred and Tom Hofer, for their community service over the past 40 years.   While their children were in school, Sigrid served on the PTA at Palisades Elementary and Palisades High, and she ran the elementary school library for four years. In addition, for the past 30 years, Sigrid has been a vice president and fundraising chair for the Palisades Symphony.   As a former professional mechanic, Arnold has often built and repaired necessary equipment at the Pierson Playhouse. Together, the Hofers have assisted with many of the administrative tasks for both the symphony and Theatre Palisades.   ’Toiling in the background, the Hofers have done the quiet work that allows our local cultural and educational institutions to be great,’ Cohen said.   Since 1996, the Council has presented the Community Service Award to Margaret Jose, Nancy Markel, Malcomb Abzug, Barbara Manaugh, Susan Oakley, Dorothy Bissell, Ron Dean, Bernice Park, Jack Allen, Deborah Held, Norma Spak, Frances Tibbits, Bill Bruns, Carol Hurley, Dieter and Eva Holberg, Cindy Simon, Mary Cole, Haldis Toppel, George Wolfberg, Shirley Haggstrom, Paul Glasgall, Ethel Haydon and Barbara Kohn.   The Post will profile the three winners in upcoming issues.
Council Proposes Changes to L.A. City Zoning Code
With the L.A. Department of City Planning seeking input on proposed changes to the city’s zoning code by January 13, the Pacific Palisades Community Council unanimously adopted a list of recommendations at last Thursday’s meeting.   ’The ordinance that has been proposed by the city may dilute our community and specific plans and reduce some of our protections under existing regulations,’ Council member Chris Spitz said. ‘Modifications to the ordinance are necessary to preserve these protections.’   Two years ago, the Planning Department launched an initiative to rewrite selected provisions in the city’s zoning ordinance in an effort to simplify the document. The zoning code went into effect in 1946 and has been amended so many times that it has grown from 84 to more than 600 pages.   The Planning Department is now developing six ordinances, all designed to streamline the process for discretionary land-use approvals such as variances, conditional use permits and zone changes. In 2011, the ordinances will be presented separately to the Planning Commission for approval.   On October 14, the Planning Department presented one of the proposed ordinances to the L.A. City Planning Commission for approval. The ordinance would revise the ‘findings’ for conditional uses, adjustments and other quasi-judicial land use approvals.   When making a land-use decision, a zoning administrator must explain how a project complies with a specific ‘finding.’ For example, a decision-maker may be required to articulate how a project will relate to the size and scale of surrounding properties. Administrators must explain their rationale and use evidence when making their determinations, which serve as a record in possible future litigation.   There are 349 findings in the zoning code for 113 procedures and entitlements. The City Planning staff has rewritten 39 findings, deleted 37, and relocated seven; the remaining 266 are unchanged.   ’The proposed ordinance consolidates findings that have the same intent and are located in the zoning code more than once into seven commonly used ‘core’ findings,’ according to the recommendation report. ‘This consolidation removes duplication and organizes various sections more coherently.’   At the October 14 Planning Commission meeting, Los Angeles residents, including Council Chair Janet Turner and Council member Jack Allen, asked for more time to review the proposed ordinance, and the Commission responded by unanimously voting to wait three more months before approving any modifications.   Last Thursday, the Council voted to strengthen some of the language in the seven ‘core’ findings. For example, they are asking that the project compatibility core finding be changed from ‘That the project’s location, size, height, operations and other significant features will be compatible with and will not adversely affect or further degrade the surrounding neighborhood’ to ‘That the project location, size, height, operations and other significant features shall be compatible with the scale and character of and not adversely affect or further degrade the adjacent and surrounding neighborhood or the public health, welfare, safety or physical environment.’   Council member Barbara Kohn, who lives near the Getty Villa, explained that it’s important to add ‘adjacent neighborhood.’ In the case of the Getty Villa, the surrounding community would be Pacific Palisades and Malibu, but the adjacent neighborhood would be Pacific View Estates and Castellammare, and the impacts of the Villa are different for both groups.   The Council is asking that all hillside-related provisions to the ordinance be stricken until after the Baseline Hillside Ordinance (BHO) is passed and the Planning Department has the opportunity to examine the proposed changes in light of the new ordinance.   The City Attorney’s Office is currently preparing an official BHO, which must ultimately be adopted by the City Council and signed by the Mayor.   In the motion passed last Thursday, the Council also recommends that all six ordinances the Planning Department is developing be implemented at once.   ’In the interests of fundamental fairness, due to process and notice, the Council is very concerned about the unknown impact of the remaining five to-be-proposed ordinances which Planning staff indicates are ultimately to be viewed in consortium with the ordinance; however, none of these five proposed ordinances have yet been drafted or examined by the public.’   The Community Council’s Land Use Committee made the recommendations to the full Council. The members ‘ Kohn, Spitz, Allen, George Wolfberg, Stuart Muller, Jennifer Malaret and Paul Glasgall ‘ attended city workshops and spoke to other neighborhood councils and homeowners associations.   ’I would like to thank the committee for spending several hundred hours researching this topic,’ Turner said.
CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 25, 2010
HOMES FOR SALE 1
GREAT DEALS. Homes Steps from Sand. Right in the Palisades! $125-450,000. Fab ocean views. For use as homes/offices/weekend retreats/condo alt. Terrific opportunity! PCH between Sunset and Temescal. 8 sold last year. Heated pool and rec center. Agent: Michelle Bolotin, (310) 230-2438, www.michellebolotin.com
UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a
MALIBU RANCH ESTATE FOR LEASE. 5 acres, room for large animals, ocean view, 1st driveway off PCH, stream, pond, 1 minute from Malibu Seafood and surf! Main home (2+2), hardwood, stainless, granite. Guesthome (1+1), travertine, stainless, granite. $6,500/mo. incl utils. Call (818) 307-9510 for details.
GUEST HOUSE. 3 rooms, garden setting, French doors, hardwood floors, laundry, very quiet. Available Dec. 1st. $2,100/mo. Utilities included, cat okay. (310) 454-8150
PACIFIC PALISADES. Bright 3 BR, 1 3/4 BA. Walk to Village. Yard with some citrus trees. HW floors in living rm/dining area. No dogs. $3,200/mo. (310) 454-7275
UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c
BEAUTIFULLY REMODELED 1 BDRM APARTMENT. Best ocean views in town. Stainless steel appliances, wood floors, fireplace, pool, laundry onsite & parking. Small pets ok. Please call (310) 227-9612. Equal housing opportunity.
ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT 1/2 block from Gelson’s and ‘village’ shops, two blocks from Temescal Cyn hiking. Quiet building, little street traffic. Call Michael, (310) 883-8049
MOVE IN SPECIAL! 1 mo. free rent! Sunny 1 bd. 1 bth. Parking, laundry, carpet, fridge, stove, miniblinds. Small pet w/ pet deposit. 1 yr lease. $1,400/mo. (310) 589-5073, sunset.laslomas@gmail.com
LARGE STUDIO W/ GARDEN PATIO. Kitchenette, 3/4 bath & bonus room. $1,600/mo. unfurnished, $1,900/mo. furnished. (310) 795-3999
CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d
$2,900/MO. BRIGHT, SPOTLESS TOWNHOME. 2 beds+2 baths. High ceiling master, plenty of storage, private garage with direct entry. Quiet, quiet. Broker, (310) 740-0302
BEAUTIFUL 3 BDRM, 2 1/2 BA Highlands townhouse with mountain views. Spacious, 2 fireplaces, 2 balconies, pool, gym, spa, W/D. Unfurnished: $3,500/mo. Elegantly furnished: $4,100/mo. (310) 459-9111
2 BD, 2 BA. Center of town condo. Pool, 1,300 sq. ft., new carpet, large rooms, open kitchen, washer & dryer. $2,600/mo. Available now. Great deal! (310) 403-5113
PALISADES HIGHLANDS TOWNHOME. $2,800/mo. 2 bd, 2 ba, 2 garage. Vaulted ceiling & fireplace, mountain views, patio & deck, pool & tennis. 3 mi. to beach. DiamondPalisades@gmail.com, (909) 861-4493
GEM IN THE PALISADES, Sunset & Almar. 2 bdrm, 2 1/2 ba townhouse. Hardwood, tile, carpet, w/d, dishwasher, roof deck, parking. $3,350/mo. (310) 395-1073
ROOMS FOR RENT 3
BEAUTIFUL FURNISHED ROOM FOR RENT. Bedroom w/ walk-in closet + shared bathrm available now. Palisades home in upper Alphabets. Utilities, cable TV, internet, weekly housekeeper, washer/dryer, kitchen privileges incl. Female preferred, non-smoker. $825/mo. Call Judith, (310) 454-4318
WANTED TO RENT 3b
3 MONTHS SUBLET WANTED. 1-2 bedroom condo/cottage, near town, furnished sublet. Single lady, no pets, 3 months, January-March, 2011. nanvee@aol.com or (212) 799-2146
FURNISHED HOME NEEDED. German family of 5 needs furnished home. July-Aug 2011. Local references available. Mitch, (310) 454-1844
OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c
OFFICE SUITE in the Atrium Building on Via de la Paz. 2 offices, reception area and restroom. Attractive space approx. 900 sq. ft. One year plus sub-lease. Rent negotiable. Great space. (310) 459-5353
OFFICE FOR LEASE. Professional building in Pacific Palisades Village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available. Reasonable rent price. Excellent tenant improvements. 850 square feet. Please call Tracy Rasmussen at (310) 459-8700 for more details.
WRITER’S RETREAT * Quiet office suite with private access and bathroom. This 350 sq. ft. space is bright and airy. Available in December. (310) 702-1107
VACATION RENTALS 3e
LAS VEGAS VINEYARD VILLA luxury home offers 3,500 sq. ft. tri-level half acre with amazing strip view. Available now! Call Ramona for a reservation at (702) 222-0608
BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b
NEED HELP WITH PAPERWORK? Mail & bills, bookkeeping, reconcile accounts, business mgmt, computer help. Caring, thorough, confidential. (310) 459-2066 or (310) 218-6653
COMPUTER SERVICES 7c
MARIE’S MAC & PC OUTCALL. I CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR HOME OR OFFICE WITH: ‘ Consultation on best hard/software for your needs ‘ Setting up & configuring your system & applications ‘ Teaching you how to use your Mac or PC ‘ Upgrades: Mac OS & Windows ‘ Internet: DSL, Wireless, E-mail, Remote Access ‘ Key Applications: MS Office, Filemaker, Quicken ‘ Contact Managers, Networking, File Sharing, Data backup ‘ Palm, Visor, Digital Camera, Scanner, CD Burning. FRIENDLY & PROFESSIONAL ‘ BEST RATES. (310) 262-5652
YOUR OWN TECH GURU * EXPERT SET-UP, OPTIMIZATION, REPAIR. Problem-Free Computing Since 1992. Work Smarter, Faster, More Reliably. If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! ALAN PERLA, (310) 455-2000
THE DETECHTIVES’. PROFESSIONAL ON-SITE MAC SPECIALISTS. PATIENT, FRIENDLY AND AFFORDABLE. WE COVER ALL THINGS MAC ‘ Consulting ‘ Installation ‘ Training and Repair for Beginners to Advanced Users ‘ Data recovery ‘ Networks ‘ Wireless Internet & more ‘ (310) 838-2254 ‘ William Moorefield ‘ www.thedetechtives.com
USER FRIENDLY’MAC CONSULTANT. User friendly. Certified Apple help desk technician and proud member of the Apple consultant network. An easy approach to understanding all of your computer needs. Offering computer support in wide variety of repairs, set-ups, installs, troubleshooting, upgrades, networking, and tutoring in the application of choice. Computer consulting at fair rates. Ryan Ross: (310) 721-2827. email: ryanaross@mac.com ‘ For a full list of services visit: http://userfriendlyrr.com/
EXPERT COMPUTER HELP ‘ On-site service’no travel charge ‘ Help design, buy and install your system ‘ One-on-one training, hard & software ‘ Troubleshooting, Mac & Windows, organizing ‘ Installations & upgrades ‘ Wireless networking ‘ Digital phones, photo, music ‘ Internet. Serving the Palisades, Santa Monica & Brentwood. DEVIN FRANK, (310) 499-7000
DECORATING 7d
INTERIOR DESIGN AND STYLING. From ordinary to unique. Space planning. Paint specs. Furniture. Accessorizing. Hourly design consultations welcome. Carol Fox, ASID. (310) 454-0601, www.carolfoxdesign.com
GARAGE, ESTATE SALE SERVICES 7f
PLANNING A GARAGE SALE? an estate sale? a moving sale? a yard sale? Call it what you like. But call us to do it for you. We do the work. Start to finish. ‘ BARBARA DAWSON ‘ Estate/Garage Sale Specialist ‘ (310) 454-0359 ‘ barbdawson@roadrunner.com ‘ www.bmdawson.com ‘ Furniture ‘ Antiques ‘ Collectibles ‘ Junque ‘ Reliable professionals ‘ Local References
ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h
PERSONAL ASSISTANT/ORGANIZER. Outgoing & cheerful individual available for office or home organization. Office skills, errands, event & travel planning. 3 hour min. Reasonable rates. FEELING THE HOLIDAY CRUNCH? I can address cards, take care of your holiday shopping, Christmas decorating, gift wrapping, or party planning. Pam, (310) 733-8433
MISCELLANEOUS 7o
CONSCIOUS COMPANION. Have you lost a spouse and feeling disconnected? Or retired and feeling ‘stuck?’ As your Conscious Companion,I will greet you in the morning and help start your day. We can delve into stimulating conversations over current events, critique a good book or movie. We can conquer crossword puzzles, play cards, learn fun skills on the computer and read the newspaper together. We can sip tea or coffee and enjoy nature. With integrity, will find what YOUR passions are as we set goals for the week, month and year. I guarantee you will find yourself laughing out loud (again). References are available and space is limited. Let’s start today! Weekday mornings 1-2 hour intervals. Call Marguerite, (310) 403-2391
NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a
FRENCH NANNY AVAILABLE. A responsible, active, and kind nanny. I’ve got a first aid certificate and lots of experience with children. Clean driving license, references, resume. Michele at (310) 430-9253
HOUSEKEEPERS 9a
PROFESSIONAL MAID SERVICES. In Malibu! We make your home our business. Star sparkling cleaning services. In the community over 15 years. The best in housekeeping for the best price. Good references. Licensed. Call Bertha, (323) 754-6873 & cell (213) 393-1419. professionalmaidinmalibu@google.com
GOOD HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Monday through Friday. Own transportation, local references, good with kids & pets. Very light English. Please call Angelica, (818) 645-7775.
HOUSEKEEPER. Looking for work on Tuesdays. Excellent cleaning & references. Dependable & good English. Please call Raquel at (213) 736-5362
HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER AVAILABLE. Good references, own transportation, friendly with pets, speaks English. Available Fridays & Saturdays. Marlene, (323) 423-2558
PAULA IS LOOKING to work as a housekeeper, Monday thru Friday. Has 10 years experience and good references. Please call (323) 219-6984
HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER/DRIVER. Available Monday through Friday. Has own car, CADL & insurance. Local references. 10 years experience. Daisy, (323) 732-8192 or (323) 793-8287
ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU offering eldercare, childcare, and housekeeping. Professional and experienced. References available upon request. (818) 645-1775 or (310) 903-1434
GARDENING/LANDSCAPING 11
PALISADES GARDENING ‘ Full Gardening Service ‘ Sprinkler Install ‘ Tree Trim ‘ Sodding ‘ Sprays, non-toxic ‘ FREE AZALEA PLANT ‘ Cell,(310) 701-1613, (310) 568-0989
MISCELLANEOUS 12f
PILATES HOME STUDIO has openings for first timers or advanced. Professionally trained. Evening & weekend appointments available. Call for appointment and info. (310) 459-0911 or (310) 508-7706
POOL & SPA SERVICES 13e
PALISADES POOL SUPPLY. SWIMMING POOL SERVICE & REPAIR. 15415 Sunset Blvd., P.P. 90272 (310) 459-4357. www.PalisadesPool.com
STEREO, TV, VCR SERVICES 13g
1 REMOTE CONTROL THAT WORKS! Is your entertainment system not entertaining you? We can tune up your system, bring it up to date, hide wires, mount TVs, install speakers, etc. We can even reprogram or replace your remote control so it is easy to use. Call us, we can help! Lic. #515929. Stanford Connect, (310) 829-0872
WINDOW WASHING 13h
THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Detailed interior/exterior glass & screen cleaning. High ladder work. Solar panels/power washing also avail. Owner operated. Lic., bonded & insured. Free estimates. (310) 926-7626
MR. CRYSTAL WINDOW CLEANING. Please call Gary: (310) 828-1218 Free estimate, friendly service, discounts. Licensed & Insured.
PERSONAL SERVICES 14f
EXCELLENT PERSONAL ASSISTANT to help w/ tasks of the day. Organizing, driving, appointments, shopping, errands, property manager, banking deposits, etc. Excellent references. Evelyne, (310) 395-4660
WATERCOLOR PORTRAITS of your beloved children and pets. Specializing in vivid and realistic watercolors and pen & ink. BA in art UCLA. Professional artist. Renee, (310) 454-1821
PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g
PRIVATE DOG WALKER/housesitter, Palisades & Santa Monica. S.M. Canyon resident. Please call or email Sherry, (310) 383-7852, www.palisadesdogwalker.com
MISCELLANEOUS 14k
FINE ART INSTALLATION. Confused about where or how to hang your art collectibles? Rick Strauss has been installing fine art for years in homes and offices throughout the Westside. Reasonable rates. (310) 459-8212
PERSONAL WARDROBE CONSULTANT to solve all of your fashion dilemmas! Closet re-organizing, personal shopping & holiday gift buying services avail. Denise Scher, (310) 398-0921, www.styledbydenise.com
SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d
PIANO INSTRUCTION. Give the life-long gift of music! Very patient, creative teacher. Music degree, USC. Qualified, experienced, local. Lisa Donovan Lukas, (310) 454-0859, www.palisadesmusicstudio.com
TUTORS 15e
INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. Children & adults. 20+ years teaching/tutoring exper. MATH, GRAMMAR, ESSAY WRITING & STUDY SKILLS. Formerly Sp. Ed. teacher. Call Gail, (310) 313-2530
MS. SCIENCE TUTOR. Ph.D., Experienced, Palisades resident. Tutor All Ages In Your Home. Marie, (310) 888-7145
PROFESSIONAL TUTOR. Stanford graduate (BA and MA, Class of 2000). Available for all subjects and test prep (SAT & ISEE). In-home tutoring at great rates. Call Jonathan, (310) 560-9134
MATH & CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS: COLLEGE ESSAYS, SAT/SAT II/ACT/ISEE/HSPT MATH PREP. All math subjects thru calculus. Jr. high thru college level writing skills. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Local office in Palisades Village. Call Jamie, (888) 459-6430
EXPERIENCED SPANISH TUTOR ‘ All grade levels ‘ Grammar ‘ Conversational ‘ SAT/AP ‘ Children, adults ‘ Great references. Noelle, (310) 273-3593, (310) 980-6071
SCIENCE & MATH TUTOR. All levels (elementary to college). Ph.D., MIT graduate, 30 years experience. Ed Kanegsberg, (310) 459-3614
GROZA LEARNING CENTER. Tutoring K-12, all subjects & reading. SAT, ISEE, HSPT, ACT, ERB, STAR. Caring, meticulous service. GrozaLearningCenter.com ‘ (310) 454-3731
EDUCATIONAL THERAPY ‘ Assessment ‘ Motivation ‘ Remediation ‘ Personalized academic, cognitive, & behavioral support. ADD, Gifted, LD, School & Family Challenges. Free Consult ‘ Pre-K – Adult ‘ Local office 10+ years. Arlana J. Morley, MS, MFT, BCET. (310) 459-4125
MATH & SCIENCE TUTOR. Middle school-college level. BS LAUSD credentialed high school teacher. Test prep. Flexible hours. AVAILABLE to help NOW! Seth Freedman, (310) 909-3049
MATH, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS TUTOR * All math through AP calculus, AP chemistry and AP physics. Ask about homework club!!! www.clc90272.com or (310) 459-3239
Alex Van Name, a NAME you can TRUST! for k-12 Science and Math Tutoring. www.310ScienceMath.com. Summer Assignments, S.A.T. and A.C.T. Prep, Academic Tutoring and Support. Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, pre-Calc, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Honors and AP too! ‘Mr. Van Name is such a patient and creative instructor. He explains the material thoroughly and is always ready to explain it in different ways until it makes sense.’ Call: (310) 295-8915. Email: alexvanname@tmo.blackberry.net. 12011 San Vicente Blvd. Suite 540, Los Angeles, CA 90049
SPANISH: Palisades resident from South America, patient & friendly, offers Spanish tutoring to all student levels. Learn, improve & gain self confidence at school, traveling, work, etc. (310) 741-8422
READING & WRITING TUTOR. Credentials in general ed. & special ed. 30 years of teaching / tutoring experience. Offering individual / small group sessions. Elaine, (310) 454-6070
EARLY ELEMENTARY TUTORING, UCLA graduate.32 years experience as owner/director of two Californian Montessori Schools. Specialize in reading & writing. Your home. References. Renee, (310) 454-1821
MATH/SCIENCE/SAT TUTOR. Widely used by Palisades residents. Excellent references. Dozens of satisfied clients at top schools. Call Will at (510) 378-7138
CONCRETE, MASONRY, POOLS 16c
MASONRY, CONCRETE & POOL CONTRACTOR. 40 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES. New Construction & Remodels. Hardscapes, landscapes, custom stone, stamped concrete, brick, driveways, retaining walls, BBQs, outdr kitchens, fireplaces, foundations, drainage, pool & spas, water features. Exlnt local refs. Lic #309844. Bonded, ins, work comp. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 ‘ WWW.HORUSICKY.COM
CONSTRUCTION 16d
SEME TILE. License #920238, insured. All phases of tile work. Kitchens, bathrooms, walkways, etc. No job too small! Call Steve, (310) 663-7256. FREE estimates! Email: semetile@gmail.com & website: www.semetile.com
ELECTRICAL 16h
PALISADES ELECTRIC. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR. All phases of electrical, new construction to service work. (310) 454-6994. Lic. #468437 Insured Professional Service
ELECTRICIAN HANDYMAN. Local service only. Non-lic. Please call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286
LICHWA ELECTRIC. Remodeling, rewiring, troubleshooting. Lighting: low voltage, energy safe, indoor, outdoor, landscape. Low voltage: telephone, Internet, CCTV, home theatre, audio/video. Non-lic. Refs. LichwaElectric@gmail.com, (310) 270-8596
FENCES, DECKS 16j
THE FENCE MAN. 18 years quality work ‘ Wood fences ‘ Decks ‘ Gates ‘ Chainlink & patio ‘ Wrought iron. Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996
CARLOS FENCE COMPANY. Wood & picket fences, wrought iron, chain link, gates, handrails, balconies, decks, pergola, arbor. Custom jobs available. (310) 677-2737, (310) 677-8650 (fax), carlos_fence@yahoo.com
FLOOR CARE 16m
GREG GARBER’S HARDWOOD FLOORS SINCE 1979. Install, refinish. Fully insured. Local references (310) 230-4597 Lic. #455608
CENTURY HARDWOOD FLOOR. Refinishing, Installation, Repairs. Lic. #813778. www.centurycustomhardwoodfloorinc.com. centuryfloor@sbcglobal.net. (800) 608-6007 ‘ (310) 276-6407
JEFF HRONEK, 40 YRS. RESIDENT. HARDWOOD FLOORS INC. ‘ Sanding & Refinishing ‘ Installations ‘ Pre-finished ‘ Unfinished ‘ Lic. #608606. Bonded, Insured, Workers Comp. www.hronekhardwoodfloors.com (310) 475-1414
K&Z HARDWOOD FLOOR EXPERTS. Refinishing, installation, recoat, water & fire restoration. Free est. Lic. #804641. (800) 500-1146, (818) 905-0428
HANDYMAN 16o
HANDYMAN ‘ HOOSHMAN. Most known name in the Palisades. Since 1975. Member Chamber of Commerce. Non-Lic., but experience will do it. Call for your free est. Local refs available. Hooshman, (310) 459-8009, 24 Hr.
LABOR OF LOVE carpentry, plumbing, tile, plaster, doors, windows, fencing & those special challenges. Work guaranteed. License #B767950. Ken at (310) 487-6464
LOCAL RESIDENT, LOCAL CLIENTELE. Make a list, call me. I specialize in repairing, replacing all those little nuisances. Not licensed; fully insured; always on time. 1 Call, 1 Guy: Marty, (310) 459-2692
DJ PRO SERVICES ‘ Carpentry, Handyman, Repairs. ALL PROJECTS CONSIDERED. See my work at: www.djproservices.com. Non-lic. (c) (310) 907-6169, (h) (310) 454-4121
PALI HANDYMAN & CONST. SERVICES. LOW COST HOME IMPROVEMENT. All jobs welcome such as all painting exterior-interior-walls-moldings etc., un-sticking of doors & windows, concrete, tile, brick/block, carpentry, woodwork, patios, decks, all fencing, gates, doors, cabinetry, drywall repair, roofing, additions, flooring, bathrooms, kitchens, water damage, electrical, plumbing, pressure washing, picture hanging, lighting, stucco, repair, sanding, clean up and trash removal and all other projects or fix it problems needed. Call now for a FREE ESTIMATE! Kevin, Brian Nunneley, (310) 488-1153 (always working in Palisades). Licensed, bonded and insured. 24 hr/7 days service available also!
A-1 SUPER HANDYMAN ‘ All concrete & brick work ‘ Blockwall ‘ Fencing ‘ Stucco ‘ Electrical ‘ Plumbing ‘ Painting ‘ Roofing ‘ Clean up ‘ Drywall ‘ Plaster ‘ Tree trimming ‘ FREE ESTIMATES! ‘ Lic. #902840. Tangi, (310) 592-9824, (818) 793-4415
HANDYMAN. Skilled labor/Jack-of-all-trades. $30/hr. or will bid job. Non-lic. Bill Clark, (310) 435-9754
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16p
SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686
PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16r
PAUL HORST ‘ Interior & Exterior ‘ PAINTING ‘ 56 YEARS OF SERVICE. Our reputation is your safeguard. License No. 186825 ‘ (310) 454-4630 ‘ Bonded & Insured
TILO MARTIN PAINTING. For A Professional Job Call (310) 230-0202. Refs. Lic. #715099
J W C PAINTING. Residential & commercial. Years of experience. Affordable & reliable. Local references. Lic. #914882. Free estimates. jwcpnc@yahoo.com. Call Jason Childs (Charlie), (310) 428-4432
JIMENEZ PAINTING ‘ Interior & exterior. Residential & commercial. Cabinet refinishing. Over 15 yrs exp. References avail. 100% quality work. For free estimates call Javier, (818) 268-3311 or (818) 489-7268
REMODELING 16v
KANAN CONSTRUCTION ‘ References. BONDED ‘ INSURED ‘ St. Lic. #554451 ‘ DANIEL J. KANAN, CONTRACTOR, (310) 451-3540 / (800) 585-4-DAN
COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION ‘ Kitchen+bath ‘ Additions ‘ Tile, carpentry, plumbing. Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large & small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Call Michael Hoff Construction, (310) 774-9159
TILE 16x
Tile. Nancy Lee Douglass, Lic. #742322 ‘ Regrout ‘ Recaulk ‘ Repair ‘ Install ‘ Beautify ‘ Consult ‘ 25 yrs. exp. ‘ References ‘ Local ‘ (310) 450-6427
HELP WANTED 17
HAIR STYLIST * Station for rent in Palisades established beauty salon. Reasonable rent. Information: (310) 454-3521
PERSONAL ASSISTANT NEEDED * Phone calls, emails, lite errands around Palisades and SM for local builder. Must have own car. (310) 741-1507
SCARLETT’S CUPCAKES IS HIRING! Need baking assistants w/ decorating ability & cupcake sales associates. Please call (310) 625-2448 or email Susan@ScarlettsCupcakes.com for application. Thanks for your interest.
ADMIN. ASST./RECEPTIONIST needed for small, established law firm in Pacific Palisades. Duties include front office and administrative support. Must be detail oriented and computer literate. Fax resume to (310) 459-1606 or email resume to randy@palisadeslaw.com
FURNITURE 18c
FURNITURE FOR SALE! Black upright Yamaha piano, $4,500. 3 piece wall unit, $600. White hand painted vanity, $150. White bunk bed unit with built in desk, $350. Hand painted upright bookshelf, $150. All in excellent condition! (310) 230-2018
Marking Off the Days ’til Christmas
Advent is anticipation, a period of waiting, a dark period. In the Middle Ages, people lit candles on wheel-shaped bundles of evergreen. These Advent wreaths gave comfort as people looked forward to the longer days ahead. In the Christian tradition, Advent is a time devoted to the preparations for Christmas, commencing on the first Sunday after November 26. The Advent calendar, a tradition started in Germany in the beginning of the 19th century, offered another method of counting down the days to the celebration of Christmas (Weihnachten). The first printed calendar, produced by Gerhard Lang in 1908, consisted of miniature colored pictures that would be attached to a piece of cardboard each day in December. Later, Advent calendars were made with little doors to open on each day. Behind each door, the child might find a small piece of candy, a Christmas picture, a religious picture or a bible verse. The sampling of Advent calendars on this page is part of larger collection that Pacific Palisades resident Sigrid Hofer collected throughout the childhood of her two adult sons, Manfred and Tom (Palisadian-Post graphic artists). A child herself during World War II, Hofer grew up in Alveslohe, a small village in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany, near Hamburg. While her own family was not particularly devout, they did honor the traditions of Christmas by lighting a candle each week on the Advent wreath, making simple crafts and singing songs. ’On Christmas Eve, my parents put up the tree in a room which was off limits to us children, locked with big double doors,’ Hofer says. ‘They decorated it with candles, balls, metal ornaments, tinsel, candy and cookies,’ she remembers with delight the surprise awaiting her and her two sisters, Gisela and Renate, when at last allowed to enter the room on Christmas Eve. ’Our Christmas was simple, it was during the war,’ says Hofer, who immigrated to the United States in 1957. ‘We might have received a doll or new clothes for the dolls. Maybe mother would make us a new nightgown or sweater.’ A tradition that Sigrid did enjoy was the celebration of St. Nikolaus Day on December 6. In Germany, Nikolaus is usually celebrated on a small scale. Many children put a shoe called Nikolaus-Stiefel (Nikolaus boot) outside the front door or on the windowsill on the night of December 5. St. Nikolaus fills the boot with gifts and sweets. Hofer recalls that on certain years, if it snowed excessively, the shoe would have to be put out twice. Christmas was celebrated on December 24 with a Christmas Eve dinner comprised of traditional dishes of roasted meat, a sweet bread and marzipan. From the start of Advent, a weihnachtsmarkt was set up in the town where everything one needed for Christmas was sold: decorations for the tree, candles, crib figures, along with foodstuffs’gingerbread, sausages and roasted chestnuts. Hofer and her sisters did not share the tradition of the Advent calendar when they were growing up, but Hofer and her husband Arnold initiated the Advent tradition in their home with calendars that her sisters sent the Hofer boys each year. This year, Hofer received a four-part, accordion-shaped calendar depicting a townscape, which she plans to use as a backdrop for her own ceramic Dickens’ Christmas village collection that she started over a dozen years ago.
Thursday, November 25 – Thursday, December 2
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26
Theatre Palisades’ production of ‘Putting It Together,’ a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim, 8 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Performances are Friday and Saturday nights and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m., through December 15. For tickets ($18-$22) call (310) 454-1970.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Monthly Pacific Palisades Civic League board meeting, 7:30 p.m. in Tauxe Hall at the Methodist Church, 801 Via de la Paz. The public is invited. Under new business: 14681 Albright (new two-story residence), 522 Almar (second-story addition), 649 Las Casas (new two-story residence) and 569 Mount Holyoke (new two-story residence). Old business: 548 Muskingum (second-story addition). Landscape only: 710 Via de la Paz (landscape and hardscape only).
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Santa Monica Canyon resident Mona Simpson discusses and signs ‘My Hollywood,’ her first novel since ‘Off Keck Road,’ 6:30 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. This free event is hosted by the Pacific Palisades Library Association. Annual meeting of the Temescal Canyon Association, 7 p.m. in Stewart Hall in Temescal Gateway Park. The public is invited.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1
Storytime for babies and toddlers under the age of 3, featuring a lap-sit of songs, finger plays, stories and flannelboards, 10:15 a.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Don’t be late!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2
Storytime for children ages 3 and up, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3
Pacific Palisades resident Kenneth Turan, the L.A. Times and NPR film critic, discusses and signs the paperback edition ‘Free For All: Joe Papp, the Public, and the Greatest Theater Story Ever Told,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. Turan’s book captures the irresistible history of the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Public Theater’two institutions that, under the inspired leadership of Papp, became a vital source of revolutionary and enduring American theater.
Corpus Trio Has Sailors on Course
Chemistry Is Key to Marymount Volleyball’s Success This Season
There is no shortage of talent at powerhouse volleyball programs like the one coach Cari Klein has built at Marymount High. While this year’s team certainly has its share of skilled players, what makes it extra special is an intangible: chemistry. No three girls reflect that more than senior Taylor Bantle and juniors Lanti Moye-McLaren and Christine Irvin, who have formed an unbreakable bond through years of playing together. All three graduated from Corpus Christi School and their symbiosis was on full display last Saturday as the Sailors beat Redlands East Valley, 25-20, 25-18, 20-25, 25-23 to win the CIF Southern Section Division I-A championship at Cypress College. “I’ve had talented teams before but this one is fun to coach and fun to be around because the players are so close to one another,” said Klein, also a Pacific Palisades resident. “It’s a really nice group of girls who genuinely love playing together–and it shows on the court.” Irvin and Moye-McLaren have shared many of the same classes and have long been teammates on their Sunshine Volleyball club team as well. A year older and a head taller, Bantle is the one the others look up to. “Taylor is that person who makes a kill no matter what,” said Moye-McLaren, who lived in Mandeville Canyon for four years and in Marquez Knolls for two more before moving to Bel Air to be closer to the Marymount campus. “She’s who we go to whenever we need a big point.” Bantle was an eighth-grader and Moye-McLaren and Irvin were seventh-graders on Corpus Christi’s 2006 squad that won the bronze medal in the Catholic Youth organization playoffs, coached by fellow Palisadian Haley Jorgensborg, a 1998 Corpus graduate who went on to play for Klein at Marymount and for two seasons at UCLA. “We always believe we are going to do it,” said Bantle, who can finally erase the memory of last season’s CIF quarterfinal loss to Huntington Beach. “We go into every match thinking that even if we get behind we can come back.” Bantle came up with one of her biggest points of the season late in the fourth set against Redlands East Valley. Klein had used up her allotment of legal substitutions, so Bantle had to serve with the Sailors clinging to a one-point lead. Despite not having toed the line all year, she hit an ace that pushed Marymount’s advantage to 23-21. Moye-McLaren’s clutch kill got the Sailors to match point at 24-23, then setter Lauren Fuller served an ace to end it. On defense, Irvin was all over the floor, digging balls to keep points alive and passing the team out of trouble. “If there’s a ball you think is going to drop, she always gets it up,” Bantle said of Irvin, a Highlands resident who follows in the footsteps of her sister Kelly (who captained Marymount to CIF and state wins, including its first Division I-A championship in 2006, before moving on to play at Virginia and USC) and brother Steven (who led Loyola High to back-to-back CIF titles and is now a freshman at Stanford). “Neither of them could make it [to the finals], but I got texts from both saying ‘Way to uphold the family tradition,'” Irvin said, laughing. “Yeah, they consider themselves good luck charms.” Outside hitter Moye-McLaren is one of the team’s kill leaders and her intensity rubs off on the other players. “Lanti is one of the best motivators on the team and she has a way of getting us all to play our best,” Irvin said of Moye-McLaren, who claims she is the only “athlete” in her family. “When we’re in a timeout or between games you can see she doesn’t want to lose.” Bantle, a middle blocker, lives near the Via bluffs and will play for Brown University next fall. She has two younger brothers–Jackson (a sophomore at Loyola who led his SCVC Quiksilver 15 spikers to a gold medal at the Junior Nationals in July) and Will (a sixth-grader at Corpus). Though she didn’t know the Sailors would be this strong when the season started, Bantle is not at all surprised they have gelled because “we are like a family.” In September, Marymount upset Harvard-Westlake–then the No. 1-ranked squad in Division I-AA–and Moye-McLaren realized her team’s potential. “That was the turning point,” she said. “We beat them in four [sets] and that’s when we knew we could be really good.” Having achieved their goal to win CIF, the Sailors are now in pursuit of the ultimate prize–the Division I state championship. That quest began on the road Tuesday night, when sixth-seeded Marymount traveled north to knock out No. 3 Bakersfield Centennial, 25-23, 27-25, 25-22, in the first round of the Southern California Regional playoffs. “We don’t have that one super standout everyone’s talking about, who all the colleges are recruiting,” Klein said. “On our team it’s hard to tell who’s who. I just go with whoever is hot and it’s always someone different. This team just knows how to win.” Tuesday’s Centennial match was a perfect example. Klein used 12 players–a testament to the Sailors’ depth and their coach’s faith that each and every girl on the roster can contribute when called upon. “Taylor was always so quiet but she’s a workhorse and has really come into her own this year,” Klein said. “Lanti has a big serve and is a really well-rounded player and Christine moved from setter to defensive specialist and has done a great job. We wouldn’t be where we are without them.” On Saturday, the battle-tested Sailors (23-6) will try to upset top-seeded Long Beach Poly (36-2), the Southern Section Division I-AA winner, in the regional semifinals. Marymount has won multiple state championships but never in the CIF’s highest division. The Corpus Christi threesome hopes its team is the first. “We got moved up to D1 for state this year so we’re going to play some amazing teams,” Moye-McLaren said. “We’re the underdogs, but that will make it even better if we can pull it off.”
Hershey Felder Captures the Lightning in Leonard Bernstein
For most mortals to create a theatrical portrait of Leonard Bernstein would be folly. The question is where to begin and how many chapters to cover in the life of this American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. Even for Hershey Felder, who was able to access Gershwin through the songbook (‘ George Gershwin Alone’) and Chopin via the piano (‘Monsieur Chopin’), Bernstein presented a major challenge. Indeed, Bernstein, whose interests and prowess multiplied with each successive decade, would make an interesting subject for a theater piece’in multiple episodes. So Felder has sculpted a portrait that adroitly merges biography with prodigious technical skill, personal turmoil and music. ’Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein,’ currently on stage at the Geffen Playhouse through December 12, finds its power in the music, expertly interpreted by Felder, himself a gifted musician, actor and writer. The excitement of the uninterrupted two hours is Bernstein himself, whom we meet at the opening of the piece through a segment from one of his lectures, or ‘lessons’ on music, which were presented on television for the legendary Young People’s Concerts in the late 1950s. He instructs us on the role of the conductor, delivering in a flurry of verbal notes the importance of balance: poco sostenuto, forte, legato. We are at once intrigued and even if it is above our heads, Bernstein is a natural teacher’confident, passionate and joyful. We learn so much more about Bernstein, perhaps the most famous of American musicians, known for such shows as ‘West Side Story,’ ‘On the Town’ and ‘Candide’. He was influenced by his Jewish immigrant status, which informed some of his compositions (‘Kaddish’) and his sympathies towards Israel. His father, a Ukrainian Jew, was opposed to his son’s interest in music until his talent won him over. Bernstein started playing piano as a child and later studied music at Harvard and at the Curtis Institute’where he received the only ‘A’ grade Fritz Reiner ever awarded in his class on conducting. But Bernstein’s roots remain Jewish. When advised to change his obviously Jewish name when vying for a job with the New York Philharmonic, he declined. He was appointed assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1943, where he made his conducing debut on last-minute notification’and without rehearsal’after Bruno Walter fell ill. The soloist for that concert was Joseph Schuster, solo cellist of the New York Philharmonic, who played Richard Strauss’s ‘Don Quixote.’ Because Bernstein had never conducted the work, Bruno Walter coached him on it prior to the concert. Felder is especially effective when playing Bernstein’s works from his Broadway shows and, offers a generous amount of time for each, choosing to complete the entire song (‘Maria,’ ‘Tonight’) rather than just sampling. Felder portrays Bernstein with simple props: a Steinway grand piano, a comfortable table, and an assortment of black-and-white biographical projections. In probing Bernstein’s emotional life, we learn of his mentor and friend/father figure and his first love, Serge Koussevitzky, whom he first met at Tanglewood. At the same time, we understand Bernstein’s desire and need to be married. He and his wife, Felicia, whom he relied upon greatly as the only one who ‘understood the context’ for his music, had three children, but the marriage was compromised over and over by Leonard’s extramarital liaisons. While we’re uncertain about Bernstein’s sexual orientation, perhaps we can conclude that he required men sexually and women emotionally. While Felder couldn’t have possibly covered the multiple activities of this protean life, he does offer an evening of great excitement and intensity with Leonard Bernstein. For tickets ($35-$85), visit geffenplayhouse.com or call 310-208-5454.
Westside Ballet Alum Takes Lead in Annual ‘Nutcracker’
Westside Ballet of Santa Monica’s annual production of ‘The Nutcracker’ is set for the weekends of December 4-5 and December 11-12 at the Wadsworth Theatre, 11301 Wilshire Blvd. in Brentwood. This year’s ‘Nutcracker’ features Westside Ballet alumna Melissa Barak, now with Los Angeles Ballet, who will return as the Sugar Plum Fairy for two performances December 11-12. At age 8, Barak began her formal ballet training at Westside Ballet School. She studied there for eight years before enrolling in the School of American Ballet in New York, then went on to dance as a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for nine years. Overseeing the production as artistic director is Yvonne Mounsey, founder of Westside Ballet of Santa Monica and former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet under George Balanchine. Saturday performances are at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday performances are at 1 and 5 p.m. For tickets ($30), visit ticketmaster.com or call (800) 982-2787. Information: westsideballet.com. Westside Ballet, a nonprofit organization, is one of the nation’s premier ballet training companies, currently comprising about 100 dancers, ages 8 to 18.
Artist Don Bachardy Opens Surprising Show
By ELIZABETH MARCELLINO Palisadian-Post Contributor Don Bachardy’s portraits are familiar to many. They hang in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Portrait Gallery in London. His renown extends beyond the art world, in part because of his life partnership with writer Christopher Isherwood, explored in a 2007 documentary and revisited when Isherwood’s novel ‘A Single Man’ was adapted to film last year. In the wake of the November elections, Bachardy was back in the news, this time as journalists wondered whether the artist’s controversial portrait of the once and future California governor, Jerry Brown, would be returned to a prominent spot in the state Capitol. Even those more interested in celebrity gossip than literary fiction or politics may have Googled Bachardy’s work, after they heard reports that a pregnant Angelina Jolie sat naked for the portraitist. But however familiar they were with his art, those who came to see Bachardy’s show at g169 on November 13 must have been surprised. There were portraits, to be sure; maybe 15 to 20 ink drawings done in 1970 and 1971. The one of Isherwood sold early during the show. The pieces have a relaxed, nonchalant sensibility that seems true to the time. A nimble line often stands in for what could be lots of detail. Then Bachardy more specifically defines certain elements ‘ some critical, like a subject’s mascaraed eyes, others seemingly superfluous, like a pants pocket or shoe. But the components meld into a concise, graceful sketch that reaches toward the essence of its subject. The revelation came from the other 80 percent of the exhibit. Wall upon wall of abstract art so vividly colored that it was almost jarring in its sum. Whose abstractions? Well, Bachardy’s, as it turns out. The lifelong portraitist completed these ‘experiments’ (so-called in the gallery’s synopsis) in non-objective color last year. Though an art student during the height of Abstract Expression, Bachardy steadfastly committed to painting only people. But he began playing with color patterns as backgrounds for his portraiture a few years ago, gradually developing them as independent works. He has a standing list of sitters to call on if a subject doesn’t show or he doesn’t have a commission underway. But working with only color and creativity as his muse, he found himself freed from needing a model at all. ‘I have the luxury of working alone,’ Bachardy says. Though it also means, ‘I’m dependent on myself for entertaining myself.’ His portrait paintings have typically made great use of vibrant colors in jangly juxtaposition to render emotion. These new color studies, untethered to a particular person, are done in equally dramatic hues, but seem emotionally cooler, perhaps more formal in some sense. As abstractions, of course, they provoke multiple interpretations ‘ where one gallery-goer saw a web of hands, another saw trees. But even the most conceptual pieces seemed to proffer a sense of connectivity and flow, a current directing the design. Interesting in their own right, they are all the more so because of the striking turn they represent for Bachardy. Much of his work has centered on movie stars, a fascination since childhood, and other luminaries. Bette Davis, Fred Astaire, Laurence Olivier and Marlene Dietrich all sat for Bachardy, as did Julian Schnabel and Iris Murdoch. He published his diary entries about some of those sittings, together with the drawings they generated, as ‘Stars in My Eyes’ in 2000. Still quite handsome at 76, and as fit as someone decades younger, the artist says he works every day. ‘It’s easier. If I miss two days, it’s too hard to warm up, to get the work going,’ Bachardy says in his Santa Monica Canyon studio. The painting ‘feeds me,’ he adds. That everyday give-and-take with his art has produced a surprising new group of paintings well worth seeing. ’New and Old Work By Don Bachardy’ at gallery 169, 169 W. Channel Road, Santa Monica Canyon, through the first week of December. By appointment. Call Frank Langen: (310) 963-3891.
Finishing with a Flourish
Pali Football Overcomes Early Deficit to Beat Lincoln, 43-28
By JAYANT SUBRAHMANYAM Special to the Palisadian-Post It was as if two different football teams showed up wearing Palisades High uniforms last Friday night at Stadium by the Sea. The first couldn’t get out of its own way in the first half. The second, however, resembled the team that Dolphins fans have become accustomed to seeing all season long–energetic, opportunistic and capable of scoring from anywhere at any time. The Dolphins overcame a 21-6 halftime deficit to power past Lincoln, 43-28, in the first round of the City Section Division II playoffs–Palisades’ first postseason triumph since 1999. “The first half–that wasn’t us,’ Palisades running back Hakeem Jawanza said. “Coach told us, ‘Okay, you got all the nervousness out, now just go out and play.’ And that’s what we did.” Playing their first playoff home game since a 42-14 loss to L.A. Marshall in 2006, the Dolphins immediately dug themselves a hole. Using a varied passing attack, 10th-seeded Lincoln (9-2) methodically marched down the field on its opening possession and scored on James Orozco’s one-yard touchdown run with 2:42 left in the first quarter. Palisades almost answered right away, but receiver Ben Ingram took his eyes off the ball at the last second and dropped a sure touchdown. Undaunted, the Dolphins pulled within 7-6 on Jawanza’s 50-yard run with 9:40 left in the second quarter, but kicker Alex Anastasi missed the extra point. A botched snap on a punt attempt gave seventh-seeded Palisades (6-5) a chance to take the lead at the Tigers’ 35-yard line, but the Dolphins failed to pick up a first down. Lincoln tacked on two touchdowns in the last 30 seconds of the half–the first on Carlos Duran’s 11-yard reception from Brandon Lopez and the second on Andrew Medrano’s 23-yard pass from Lopez just 20 seconds later–and Palisades trudged to the locker room down by 15 points. “Losing the Westchester game the week before actually gave me a concrete example of what we needed to do that we weren’t doing,” Palisades coach Perry Jones said. “First and foremost, we weren’t stopping them. We had to make some adjustments defensively. On offense we simply didn’t have the ball enough. They were smart to use up most of the clock.” Jones must have given his players quite a halftime pep talk because the Dolphins began the second half with renewed energy and determination. It began with running back Malcolm Creer’s electrifying touchdown run 13 seconds into the third quarter that ignited the home crowd and got Palisades back into the game. “In the beginning it felt like any other game,” Jawanza recalled. “At halftime, though, we realized that it could be our last game and we had to come out ready. They started using me to block the linebacker, which gave Kemonte [Reed] space to make the pitch and from that point on it was ours.” With 8:24 left in the third quarter, linebacker Victor Garcia scooped up a Lincoln fumble and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. Then, Creer leaped high in the end zone to make the two-point conversion catch that tied the game. On the Dolphins’ next possession, Creer busted loose for a 50-yard touchdown that gave Palisades its first lead. The Tigers pulled even at 28-28 on a five-yard quarterback keeper by Lopez and the outcome was in doubt going into the final quarter. Palisades had seized the momentum, however, and when Jawanza scored his second touchdown on a 20-yard run to give the Dolphins a 35-28 lead with 10:30 left, it was clear that their wishbone attack was tiring out Lincoln’s defense. Palisades would have padded its lead had a series of penalties not nullified several long runs. Creer plowed through the line from two yards out for his third touchdown and Kevin Mann threw to fellow receiver Jack Gelber for the two-point conversion that closed out the scoring with 6:14 remaining. ‘This was a character win for us because we played a good team,’ Jones said. ‘But now it’s on to the next one.’
