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A Summer Tradition: Monday Night Picnics in Rustic Park

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Left to right, Amelia Saltsman, Ralph Saltsman, Jill Walsh and Carolyn Perry enjoy a recent Monday night picnic at Rustic Canyon Park. They have all lived in the canyon for 25-plus years. Photo: Debbie Alexander
Left to right, Amelia Saltsman, Ralph Saltsman, Jill Walsh and Carolyn Perry enjoy a recent Monday night picnic at Rustic Canyon Park. They have all lived in the canyon for 25-plus years. Photo: Debbie Alexander

By DEBBIE ALEXANDER Special to the Palisadian-Post Every summer since the mid-1970s, Mondays have gone from manic to magical with the neighborhood evening picnic in Rustic Canyon Park.   This enduring and endearing tradition traces back to Rustic Canyon resident Carolyn Perry, who told me, ‘They started in my front yard on Sundays as a way to entertain my sons and all the young boys in the neighborhood. ‘People would bring food and my ex-husband, Doug, would barbeque.”’   Soon the crowd outgrew Perry’s space.’Moving to the park seemed ideal, but there was a caveat: ‘Saturdays and Sundays are busy days there,’ Perry said, ‘so we agreed to do it on Mondays instead.’ Once at the park, her husband would get the grill ready, others brought meat to share, and the men manned the barbecue.   ’At first,’ said Jean Brady, another picnic veteran, ‘many families brought their own dinners, but then at some point we switched to potluck.’   Yet as that initial generation of kids matured, the picnics almost died out until Brady began knocking on doors and making phone calls to neighbors to convince them to keep attending.   Picnic season kicks off the first Monday after Memorial Day and really come alive once school’s out.’ Anywhere from a couple of dozen to more than 60 people converge at the tables in between the basketball court and baseball diamond.   Our family has been enjoying the gathering since 2000, when our eldest son, Casey, finished kindergarten. A friend invited us and the instructions were simple: arrive at the park about 6:30 p.m. with a potluck contribution that serves eight.   Technically, we were squatters because we lived above the canyon in the Riviera. I hesitated answering the question of where I lived, but now no one really cares because folks who show up week after week span a greater geographic area.’We gained acceptance by always bringing a piping hot gourmet entr’e, straight out of the oven.   When we arrived the first time, we recognized other families from school and met many residents of the canyon.’I felt we entered a time warp of a bygone era.’I was struck by how neighbors were actually hanging out as friends at a designated social event on a weekly basis, enjoying a smorgasbord of food offerings.   Sometimes, dinner can be extremely light: heavy on the salads and pastas with very little protein. However, the dessert table always rocks with tons of homemade fruit crisps and cookies. My boys, Casey and his younger brother, Jeremy, got to run around and play the way I did growing up.’As soon as we sat down, they went off exploring on their own with the other kids. In fact, I quickly learned to feed my children beforehand.’If I forgot, then their dinner became the dessert table goodies.   Anne Roberts and her son, Spencer, began making signs advertising the ‘Monday Night Picnics in the Park’ in 1996 when the turnout again began declining. After 12 years, they retired when Spencer applied to college.’   ’Each summer had a theme,’ Roberts recalled. ‘It changed with whatever Spencer and his friends were into, like skateboarding or tennis.” That might be true for those kids, but my own children have preferred perennial favorites such as killer, tag and water balloons.’   During middle school, Casey became less enthralled with the picnics. At 16, he promises to join us, but continually flakes out. Jeremy, at 14, is barely hanging in, but he loyally goes riding his bike there to arrive on time.’He visits with his elementary school buddies and winds up shooting hoops, or playing baseball.’My 10-year-old daughter, Lily, only knows of life with the picnics because we’ve always dragged her along. Now, she and her friends are at the zenith of picnic enjoyment.’She eagerly waits to go and doesn’t want to leave until the park is pitch black.   ’When our kids were young they couldn’t wait to get out the door to go,’ Heidi commented to her friend, Laura, a few weeks back. ‘Now that they’re 18, we hardly come any more, but we’re glad to be here tonight.’   What makes this neighborhood institution so unique is that you never know who might turn up. Anyone who does is a friend to break bread with while chatting about life during this carefree time of year.”   Occasionally, old-timers like Caroline Perry do return with a third generation in tow, but ‘it’s a much younger crowd now,’ she said. Jean Brady’s still a presence, but she strongly feels that Canyon School families have taken over. After scanning the crowd, I know she’s right.’   Yet, I am grateful because this way the picnics keep chugging along as a vital, shared community experience. Now, I just need to shop for the dish I’m planning to prepare for this year’s finale on August 30. I’ve decided on an incredibly impressive but simple dish: Miso Marinated Black Cod.

Thursday, August 26 – Thursday, September 2

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26

Story-Craft time, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Hear a story and make something of it! Suggested for ages 4 and up. Campfire and marshmallow roast, 7 p.m. at the Stone Amphitheater in Temescal Gateway Park, through tonight. The program, complete with an interpretive nature program, campfire songs and activities, is free, along with the marshmallows and skewers. Parking is $7. Former Pacific Palisades resident Mary Lou Chayes reads and signs ‘In Our Quiet Village,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. For more information about the author and her book, visit inourquietvillage.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

Movies in the Park ends its 2010 series with ‘Enchanted’ (rated PG), starting at about 8 p.m. on the Field of Dreams at the Palisades Recreation Center, 851 Alma Real. Admission is free, thanks to sponsorship support by the Pacific Palisades Junior Women’s Club, the Galier family, the Palisadian-Post and Post Printing, and various individual donors.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29

String Project Los Angeles, comprising kids age 10 to 17, will play Beatles music and hits from the ’80s in the final performance of the Music on the Green series this summer, 2 to 3 p.m. on the Village Green, between Sunset, Antioch and Swarthmore. The program is free. Bring low chairs or blankets. Palisades Symphony presents highlights from the opera ‘Carmen’ by George Bizet, 7:30 p.m. at the Palisades Lutheran Church, corner of Sunset and El Medio. The concert is free.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

UCLA law professor Paul Bergman discusses and signs ‘Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. His book goes behind the scenes of nearly 70 riveting courtroom movie dramas and comedies to demonstrate how directors make the legal system accessible to moviegoers. Bergman will show a few clips from films that ‘Reel Justice’ discusses, and read brief excerpts relating to those movies.

Where Have All The Bobcats Gone?

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New research points to rat poison as a culprit in the animals’ decline

Laurel Klein, wildlife biologist and UCLA graduate student, carries a tranquilized bobcat captured in the Santa Monica Mountains for study. Assisting her is Tiffany Teng, former UCLA undergraduate in biology. Photo courtesy Laurel Klein
Laurel Klein, wildlife biologist and UCLA graduate student, carries a tranquilized bobcat captured in the Santa Monica Mountains for study. Assisting her is Tiffany Teng, former UCLA undergraduate in biology. Photo courtesy Laurel Klein

By RENNIE CHAMBERLAIN Special to the Palisadian-Post For the past dozen years, the National Park Service has been tracking mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats in the Santa Monica Mountains to study how these animals are adapting to the urban environment, gathering data on genetics, diet, movement patterns, number of kittens, size of home ranges, and mortality rates.   Laurel Klein, a wildlife biologist and UCLA graduate student, is at the forefront helping the Park Service with its study of bobcats.   In 1997 the bobcat survival rate was about 84 percent.’ In 2002, there was a sharp decline, and by 2003 the survival rate had dropped to 28 percent.   Klein wants to know why the bobcat population is declining and why the cats are behaving so erratically, wandering onto freeways and into backyards in broad daylight.   Klein and the Park Service believe the culprit is a special kind of mange, an ectoparasitic disease called notoedric mange. Oddly, notoedric mange does not usually attack wild cats. And mange alone does not kill normal animals.   Heading out to Thousand Oaks where the NPS has trapped a bobcat, my friend Terry Matkins and I listen as Klein discusses the recent decline in bobcat numbers. On our way we pass a dead coyote on the road, and Laurel hopes it will be there when we return. Not only can she use the coyote fur in her traps, but she will also check the coyote’s liver for anticoagulants.’   Anticoagulants, a main component in rat poison, have become a big problem in the area, especially for carnivores. The substance is everywhere, around homes, public parks, public buildings, golf courses, landfills, farms and gardens.’   Since 1996 the Park Service has gathered blood and tissue samples from more than 190 cats that have died.   Before 2000, there were no bobcat deaths due to mange, and the population was holding steady.’ Then in 2001, one bobcat was found dead from mange. In 2002 it was eight, and in 2003 it was 10.’ The Park Service began doing necropsies on the dead cats and found that in 90 percent of the cats with mange, there were also high levels of anticoagulants in the liver. This was also true for coyotes and mountain lions.   But why this sudden increase in anticoagulants?’   The answer is simple. By 2002, a new generation of rat poisons was on the market.’ Before that, Warfarin was the main ingredient in rat poisons, but eventually the rats developed a genetic resistance to it. Companies then began creating compounds known as second-generation anticoagulants that were longer lasting and more potent.’   These new anticoagulants have become a problem for wildlife because the poisons are stronger. Unfortunately, they are advertised as safe to use outside the home and people use them and they do the job.   Although there are few studies to document how non-target wildlife is affected by the anticoagulants, it is known that the poison moves up the food chain: the bobcat eats the poisoned rat, or the mountain lion eats the dead coyote that has eaten the poisoned rats. ‘   One might think that as the poison travels from one animal to the next it would become diluted, but the opposite is true.’ The potency of the poison increases because the poison doesn’t act immediately. The first dose is lethal, but because it takes several days to act, the rat has plenty of time to ingest more poison. It’s the same with the coyotes and bobcats.’ The more rats they eat, the weaker they become, thus the more rats they continue to eat because the poisoned rats are easy prey for a weakened carnivore.’   On the whole, bobcats appear to be quite tolerant of anticoagulants. Necropsies performed on dead bobcats show that the cats have been exposed multiple times to multiple anticoagulants before they end up dying from a secondary cause, usually mange.   These multiple exposures mean the cats are getting one brand of poison from around a home and a different brand of poison from a golf course. And because the animals are now living in an urban environment where their home range has become extremely restricted, they continue to hunt in a very small area, typically a golf course or along edges of wilderness between housing developments, where they continue to ingest the poisons.’ But what do all these new anticoagulants have to do with bobcats dying of notoedric mange?   Of the 19 bobcats that died of mange between 2001 and 2003, all of them were exposed to anticoagulants and 17 of them were exposed to levels as low as .05 parts per million. This small amount is all it takes to compromise a bobcat’s immune system, making it weak and susceptible to mange, as well as affecting its behavior.   One cat that was strong and had lived in the area for a long time, three or four years, became exposed to anticoagulants and began changing his activity patterns. Ultimately, he became so disoriented he wandered onto the 101 Freeway and was killed.’ By that time he was emaciated and had a severe case of notoedric mange. ‘   Although there’s still much to learn, scientists have pinpointed many contributing factors to the bobcat population decline: loss of habitat; the fragmentation of home ranges; increasing urban developments; and shrinking genetic pools. As for the mountain lions and coyotes, the anticoagulants have been a direct source of mortality instead of a secondary source such as mange.   As Klein drops us back at Topanga Park and heads off to take her samples to UCLA for processing, I find myself wondering what is it going to take to make people realize that their desire for the cheap, easy fix can have devastating results? The irony, of course, is that in our insistence on using convenient poisons we are killing the very predators that help keep the rodent population in check, as well as endangering our own health and the health of our pets.’   Bobcats are solitary animals and their dying happens in secret. Few of us even know it is happening.’ But if we need a clearer picture of what our desire for the cheap, easy fix is doing to our wildlife and our environment, we need look no further than the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.   For more information, visit urbancarnivores.com (Rennie Chamberlain serves on the advisory board and Terry Matkins is the wildlife photographer for The Nature of Wildworks, a Wildlife Care and Education Center in Topanga. Both are Pacific Palisades residents.)

Marty Sugarman: Surfer, Artist, Photo-Journalist

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Marty Sugarman at Will Rogers Beach. Photo: Randy Young
Marty Sugarman at Will Rogers Beach. Photo: Randy Young

By RANDY YOUNG Special to the Palisadian-Post While working on chronicling the history of Santa Monica Canyon, I always was aware of this great scholar of California Cool, Martin ‘Marty’ Sugarman. His H2O Magazine has set the standard for highlighting the state’s beach culture and spotlighting the surfer lifestyle. For the past two decades, he has also painted his beloved Pacific Ocean from the vantage point of a man who has lived most of his life close to the beach, including in Santa Monica Canyon and on a sailboat in Marina del Rey. Many of these paintings are on display in Sugarman’s current show, ‘Between the Tides: War and Peace’ at g169 on West Channel Road, an exhibition that showcases yet another side of the man: documenting war-torn areas around the world through his photography. The photos are classic documentary-style stills, referential to the work of W. Eugene Smith and Henri Cartier-Bresson. The entire frame of the 35mm camera is used, and the feel of the images is right out of Life magazine. The journey began in the early 1990s when Sugarman traveled to Mexico and took pictures to illuminate the plight of the rural poor. This set off a whirlwind of adventure including a stint in Cuba photographing the effects of communism and the American embargo. This trip culminated in ‘Storm Over Cuba,’ a book published in 1995. In 1992, Sugarman joined the ranks of war photographer when he shot the huge battle raging in Bosnia and Croatia. This series, published in 1993 as ‘God Be with You: War in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina,’ led to his covering the conflict in Kashmir, resulting in the publication ‘Kashmir: Paradise Lost.’ Later, he landed in Pakistan, where he documented the battle in the Hindu Kush Mountains at 23,000 feet and produced ‘War Above the Clouds: Saichen Glacier.’ ‘Speak Palestine, Speak Again’ is yet another volume of Sugarman’s photo essays. Sugarman’s life reads like a Graham Greene spy novel, the title of which could be ‘Surfer Dude, Man of Mystery.’ One of the photos in Sugarman’s current exhibition features an old decrepit structure in Mexico with streams of dark stains flowing down the whitewashed walls. The frame creates an Escher-esque type illusion, looking as though it is actually an artist’s rendering. The Cuban series presents the Cuban people, stuck in a time warp of the 1950s. Sugarman has captured the families and particularly the children as full of life. There’s a compelling portrait of five kids, all lined up and so excited about being photographed, along with the picture of a proud gentleman driving his friends around in a shiny restored 1950’s classic. Another image is of two soldiers in Bosnia smoking a cigarette at a checkpoint. The camera angle is low, giving the guns an odd graphic composition. This print is juxtaposed with happy images of kids playing and laughing. These untouched photos honestly mirror the everydayness of the community. There are no shells exploding, just the populace picking up the pieces after the battle. Sugarman is a wonderful Santa Monica Canyon eccentric whom I now respect not just for his surfing prowess, but also for his humanity. Contact: g169 Gallery, (310) 459-4481, or visit www.gallery169.com.

Actor Greg Bryan Engages His Passion on Stage, Screen

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Greg Bryan loves the actor's life.
Greg Bryan loves the actor’s life.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Actor Greg Bryan follows a circuitous road for his dream, accustomed to both the euphoria and the disappointment of the career, yet through it all still imagining the best of all possible worlds in his dream scenario where is the producer.   ’I’d call all my friends and I’d say ‘I have a role for you, and I can pay you more than you need.”   Bryan’s fantasy reveals the complex orbit of passion, imagination, bonhomie and limitless confidence that defines a complete actor. He is also an actor who over the course of years has developed an expansive group of friends’actors, directors and writers who survive on the inexplicable magic of the stage.   A native Palisadian, Bryan recently returned to the Mark Taper Forum for the second time in an understudy role for two actors in the production of Irish playwright Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Lieutenant of Inishmore.’ While he didn’t make it on stage, he said he loved the experience and thinks McDonagh’s play is the ‘greatest play of the 21st century.’   Securing the understudy role with a Taper production added another valuable credit to Bryan’s resume, which also includes roles with L.A. Theatre, Deaf West Theatre, Theatre @ Boston Court, plus three seasons with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and four seasons with the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.   Every actor has a creation story. Bryan’s must have been gestating throughout a childhood of exposure to the arts. His parents took his sister Wendy and him to theater, musicals and opera. ‘I remember seeing the play version of ‘The Wrong Box,’ and being entertained, but not inspired to be an actor,’ he recalls.   It was in high school at Crossroads that the spark was ignited. ‘My friend, Max, was in ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle,’ and he dragged me to an audition, getting the word from the director that they needed more people.   ’It was fun. I remember thinking, This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’   The hurdles were yet to be surmounted, beginning with the ‘discussion’ with his parents, Nancy and Ed Bryan.   ’The family has been supportive, but not in a blind way,’ he says. ‘Having arguments with them really solidified it. To be an actor, you have to have a diehard belief in yourself. Belief is critical’self-love and a strong ego.’   Bryan, 38, is not unusual in his dogged pursuit of his craft. After graduating from Pitzer College in 1994, the choice for him was graphic design or acting. He moved to San Francisco and his decision was made. He landed jobs with Bay Area companies, including the San Jose Repertory, San Francisco Shakespeare Company and the Marin State Company.   ’My plan was to see how much I could learn before going to grad school. When my career hit a plateau, I enrolled in the post-graduate acting program at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2001.’   Acquiring technical skills was key, but more important, Bryan says, was to acknowledge the brilliance of Shakespeare while remembering that the language is not highfaluting. Diction training was critical, and he learned through Shakespeare what would work and wouldn’t work.   ’I learned to keep Shakespeare down to earth. To be true when reciting that language, recognize he was great, but not a god. He’s just a guy telling a cool story.’   One of Bryan’s favorite roles is Leontes, the king in ‘The Winter’s Tale,’ who became obsessed with the belief that his wife had been unfaithful, only to learn, after tragic consequences, that he was mistaken.   ’I loved playing this role because you watch a man falling apart in front of you. His emotional life is so raw.’   Understanding which roles are right for you is another valuable asset when navigating an acting career, Bryan says.   He believes that he’s not quite ready for ‘Lear,’ because of age and life experience but he is ready for ‘Macbeth.’   ’I love the idea of bringing a little bit of comedy through to dramatic roles. I think that anybody who focuses entirely on the grim aspect of the role is boring. Macbeth was a complex man.’   Bryan auditions for stage, commercial and film roles in Los Angeles, and admits that he is getting better at being more realistic about the whole audition process.   ’Rejection makes you stronger,’ he says, somewhat wanly. ‘A regular ‘no’ is whatever, but a close ‘no’ is unbearable because it’s a part you almost got.   ’You know, in your heart and in your body when you nailed it,’ Bryan continues. ‘And, if I don’t get the part, I am comforted by the knowledge that it was the best me I could be.’   Bryan admits that he is often typecast for TV commercials as the ‘Home Depot Guy,’ or the ‘Funny Cop.’ He recently scored with a commercial for the ESPN awards that was aired during the World Cup. But for theatrical auditions, Bryan knows his strengths and pursues his roles with clear eyes.   ’A director friend of mine was auditioning roles in ‘Henry IV, and I thought, ‘I’m the right age, I’ll go for Prince Hal.’ My friend said, ‘Greg, you’re not the fantasy.’ That was the most honest thing anyone could have said. Be honest with yourself.’   Interested in all aspects of acting, why not? Bryan has recently begun writing his own material for TV.   He and his college friend, Carl Strecker, have written a modern take on ‘Barney Miller’ (the 1970’s comedy series set in a New York City police station) set in West Hollywood. The team has developed a compatible working style, Bryan says, referring to himself as a ‘pacer’ and Strecker as a ‘sitter-downer.’ Bryan is great at dialogue, but too much Aaron Sorkin, he admits and the two edit one another’s copy. With his ego intact, endless enthusiasm and delight in life at all levels, Bryan supplements his income analyzing desktop ads for Google. But, he remains good-natured about the capriciousness of the industry. ‘San Francisco and New York are not great towns to be unemployed in,’ he says. ‘Here, it’s a great town to be unemployed in because I have my family and friends.’

Always on Top of His Game

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Curt Toppel Is a Giant in the World of Professional Volleyball

Pacific Palisades native Curt Toppel partnered with Jesse Rambis to place 13th out of 64 teams at the Manhattan Beach Open last week. This year, he played indoors with Lamia, a club in Greece. Photo: Greg Keenan
Pacific Palisades native Curt Toppel partnered with Jesse Rambis to place 13th out of 64 teams at the Manhattan Beach Open last week. This year, he played indoors with Lamia, a club in Greece. Photo: Greg Keenan

For an athlete who never stays in one place for very long, coming home to Southern California is a vacation to international volleyball star Curt Toppel. Okay, so it’s more like a “working” vacation, but after seven years of playing indoors all over the world he’s happy to be back on the beach near his Pacific Palisades roots. “It’s crazy, but I don’t really consider this my home,” says Toppel, who rents a room at the home of his current beach partner Jesse Rambis in Playa Vista while they train. “I’m not in the States very often, so it’s good to be back for a little while.” On the pro beach volleyball tour, it’s not uncommon for players to change partners frequently and since getting back into the beach game last year, Toppel had two partners (first Jeremy Holmes, then David McKienzie) before joining forces with Rambis. “Jesse and I won a CBVA tournament in Zuma Beach three weeks ago and that got us into last weekend’s Manhattan Beach Open,” Toppel said. “They brought back side-out scoring and switched to larger courts and a different ball than what we’re used to, but it was a lot of fun.” Toppel and Rambis literally played until the sun went down on Saturday, fighting fatigue and the competition through six long, grueling matches (including four in a row) in eight hours to finish 13th out of 64 teams. “This is only my second year on the beach so I’m still adjusting to it,” says Toppel, who will be entering his eighth season indoors–the first seven of which he spent overseas. “I actually prefer the beach because it makes me have to be good at every aspect of the game and I’m involved every single point. In indoor, I may not touch the ball for three, four, five plays.” Only 29, Toppel has already endured his share of knee, back and shoulder injuries throughout his career, but he believes the beach game is less taxing on the body. “Playing on the sand is easier on the joints, that’s for sure,” he says. “It works your muscles more, yes, but it’s definitely easier on the joints and that’s where most of the stress is.” Though he agrees there are fewer upsets in the traditional side-out format, Toppel actually prefers rally scoring because he thinks it could prolong his career: “I was hitting 80 balls a game my freshman year in college and I was constantly having to take anti-inflammatories. The matches went on forever. At least with rally scoring, you know there’ll only be so many points. It’s also made our sport better to watch on television.” Toppel, who was a three-time All-American at Stanford, has become good friends with his current beach partner, son of former Los Angeles Lakers forward and current Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis. “I was at his house during the NBA Finals in 2008 when the Lakers were playing the Celtics,” Toppel recalls. “They took me to Game 3 at Staples Center and we had floor seats right in front of the Celtics players’ wives. I’d never been to an NBA game before and the Lakers won so it was an incredible experience.” Even taller than most of his peers at 6′ 9,’ Toppel has played opposite hitter ever since making the switch from middle blocker in college. He prefers his present position because it allows him more flexibility: “Opposite lets me play defense, which I like. And you’re sort of the guy who gets the ball when the set isn’t so good. Hitting and attacking have always been my strengths.” The son of Kurt and Haldis Toppel grew up in Marquez Knolls and went to St. Matthew’s from, as he says, “mother toddler through eighth grade.” He played with fellow Palisadians John Selgrath, John Beckwith and Jordan Wadsworth at Loyola High, where he was among the most highly-recruited prep players in the country. His one regret is that he never led the Cubs to a CIF title. “[Coach] Michael Boehle arrived there my senior year and that’s when the program really took off,” Toppel says. “And they’ve been good ever since.” Toppel’s biggest thrill came in 2001, when he led the United States to a gold medal at the World University Games in Beijing, China. “That was between my freshman and sophomore years [at Stanford] and Beijing had just gotten the bid to host the Olympics,” Toppel recalls. “We’d never won the tournament prior to that and I don’t think the U.S. has won it since. We went undefeated but we had to beat some really strong teams, including Russia in the semifinals and France in the finals.” Always on the go, Toppel does his best to keep in touch with his childhood friends. Billy Strickland (who played at Harvard-Westlake High and was Toppel’s teammate all four years at Stanford) still plays professionally. He also keeps in touch with fellow Palisadian Chris Mortimer, who played for Brentwood School and then UC San Diego. Through all of his travels, Toppel said his favorite place is Thessaloniki, a major port city in Greece that he describes as “friendly, clean and beautiful.” While living and playing in foreign countries has certainly broadened his horizons, being single comes with the territory. “After trying some relationships both overseas and in the U.S., I’ve found it too difficult for both myself and them,” Toppel confesses. “I’d like to have a family someday, but right now I’m concentrating on volleyball.” Toppel began playing club in 2004 for Caguas, a Division A1 team in Puerto Rico. Since then, he’s played for Almeria (A1) in Spain; Crema and Genoa (both A2) in Italy; Lares (A1) in Puerto Rico; Alexandoupolis (A1) in Greece, Hyundai (A1) in Korea; Unterhaching (A1) in Germany; Carolina (A1) in Puerto Rico; Al-Arabi (A1) in Qatar; and he played the 2010 season with Lamia, a Division A1 club in Greece. “Fifth place was the best [Lamia] had ever done until this year,” says Toppel, who speaks Spanish, Italian, German and Greek. “No one expected us to do well, but we ended up beating the second-ranked team twice on their home floor in the playoffs to reach the Final Four.” Toppel estimates he made $110,000 last year, but players are given extra perks like a house, a car and food while under contract with a team. One problem is getting paid, however. “With Lamia, I was supposed to receive money (Euros) every month, but after the first time it kept getting delayed. The good thing is, because most expenses are paid for, you can live off of one month’s salary.” Although he has yet to sign with a team for next season, Toppel is one of the most marketable players in the sport. Every year, he’s played for a different team and has had to weigh three factors: salary, location and the quality of the team. “I really don’t know my next step,” Toppel admits. “I could get the call next week and I’m out of here, but I’ll probably end up waiting for the next signing period in December.” No matter where he plays next, Toppel is anxious to do what he has always done–work hard, have fun and, most importantly, help his team win. “There’s not much more I could ask for,” he says. “I’m doing what I love and getting paid pretty well for it, so I want to keep doing it as long as I can.”

Jones Starts Rebuilding Process

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Head coach Perry Jones gives instructions during football practice last week. He is trying to turn around a program that is 26-65 over the last nine seasons.
Head coach Perry Jones gives instructions during football practice last week. He is trying to turn around a program that is 26-65 over the last nine seasons.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

It’s been 10 long years since the Palisades High varsity football team enjoyed a winning season. Given the stockpile of talent on campus it’s hard to believe the Dolphins haven’t had more victories than defeats since 2000, when they went 8-3 in Ron Price’s last season. That was a decade and five head coaches ago. Sure, the numbers over the last nine seasons aren’t pretty: a record of 26-65 (an average of 2.8 wins per season) and no higher than a fourth place finish in the Western League. For first-year head coach Perry Jones, however, it’s all about the here and now. “We can’t do anything to change the past, the only thing we can do is move forward and that’s where the focus is,” said Jones, who served as the defensive coordinator under Kelly Loftus last fall. “If we’re going to turn this program around, the first thing that has to happen is the players need to be accountable.” Jones set the tone back in November, barely a week after last season ended and long before he was even hired as the new coach. He organized a weight and conditioning schedule for returning players. “What I want to do is coach these guys to the standard of doing what they can do,” Jones said. “That’s to have solid schemes, be well-conditioned and play disciplined football.” Jones has assembled a cadre of coaches to help him lead the varsity back to respectability. His dad, Pat, Jones will be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach; Kyle Cassels and John Aken are the offensive and defensive line coaches; Tony Ryan will handle special teams and running backs; Rocky Montz will work with the tight ends and defensive ends and Donnel Williams will be defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. “This is a rebuilding year for us,” Jones admitted. “It’s not about the wins and losses, but rather how we play and how much we improve.” Ray Marsden is back to coach the junior varsity after leading the Dolphins to a 8-2 record last fall. Bill Jacobson returns to coach the offense and Miguel Perez the defensive coordinator. “I like this coaching staff,” Jones said. “From the top down, we’re all on the same page in terms of what we expect and what our goal is. Everyone is committed to the process of making these kids fundamentally better.’ Palisades had its first intrasquad game last Saturday and Jones liked what he saw: “We’ve got great competition at almost every spot on the field. Branden Sanett is looking good at quarterback. Nate Dodson has been pushing him, though, and Branden has responded really well.” The Dolphins will have another open scrimmage Saturday morning at Stadium by the Sea (JV at 9 and varsity at 11). Continental breakfast will be served and the public is invited to attend. “Hopefully, fans will find our up-tempo style exciting and will want to come to some games this year,” Jones said. “This is an opportunity to get a sneak peek at what they’ll see Friday nights.” Palisades hosts El Camino Real in its season-opener September 10. It is the first on a slate of difficult games for Jones’ team. The Conquistadores lost to Hamilton in the City Division II finals in December and return several key starters, including 235-pound running back Kawan Rally, who rushed for 1,094 yards and scored 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. “We’ll be a little more run-oriented this year, but if they give us the pass we’ll take it,” Jones said. “The main thing is to control the ball a little more, manage the pace of the game and give the defense time to rest.” AT A LOSS Palisades’ varsity team hasn’t had a winning season since 2000 and last won a playoff game in 1999. A year-by-year glance: Season Record Coach 2009 1-9 Kelly Loftus 2008 5-5 Kelly Loftus 2007 1-4 Kelly Loftus 2006 5-6* Leo Castro 2005 3-7 Leo Castro 2004 1-9 Leo Castro 2003 4-7 Jason Blatt 2002 5-6* Jason Blatt 2001 1-7 Carter Austin * Made City playoffs

Mikkelsen Defends Referees

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Peter Mikkelsen polls attendees with a show of hands at the SoccerOne Peter Mikkelsen Referee Event at the Veterans Memorial Park in Culver City, CA on July 19, 2010. (PROREFEREE/Jason Sholl) Visit the PROREFEREE website at http://www.proreferee.com
Peter Mikkelsen polls attendees with a show of hands at the SoccerOne Peter Mikkelsen Referee Event at the Veterans Memorial Park in Culver City, CA on July 19, 2010. (PROREFEREE/Jason Sholl) Visit the PROREFEREE website at http://www.proreferee.com

One of the most controversial calls of this year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa occurred during a Group C game between the United States and Slovenia in which Mali referee Koman Coulibaly whistled a foul on the U.S. team, negating Maurice Edu’s go-ahead goal in the 85th minute. The Americans were never given an explanation for the call and had to settle for a 2-2 draw. In July, Peter Mikkelsen, a member of the FIFA Referee Committee, spoke to 125 local soccer referees (including representatives from AYSO Region 69) in Culver City. He not only defended the FIFA program, he offered insight into calls, referee selection, referee training and the six weeks he spent in South Africa prior to and during the World Cup. After every match, referees watched tapes of matches with FIFA officials. Of the 145 goals awarded during the 64 matches, 142 were correct and three were incorrect. Of the 15 disallowed, 13 were done correctly and only two decisions were incorrect’one of which was the U.S. goal against Slovenia. Overall, referees were correct almost 97 percent of the time, according to Mikkelsen, a Denmark resident who was voted the best referee in the world in 1993 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics and, five years later, was named best referee of the decade. “This is a game of human beings–the ref will make mistakes,” Mikkelsen said, explaining that selection of potential referees for the 2010 World Cup started immediately after the 2006 tournament. One question Mikkelsen was frequently asked is why Coulibaly, two days after the U.S.-Slovenia game, was back on the sideline as the fourth official for Italy’s Group F game against New Zealand. “It’s political,” said Mikkelsen, who retired from officiating international soccer in 1998. He pointed out that overall the FIFA refs gave fewer yellow and red cards than prior years and that the accuracy of the decisions was high. After each match referees reviewed the game, then had to fill out self-evaluations with emphasis on how they could learn from their games and experiences. Those chosen were invited to a weekly platform on the Internet and were subjected to a series of physical, psychological and language tests (all are required to understand English, the official FIFA language). They were then monitored for their performance in matches like the FIFA U17 and U20 Worlds Cups. From there, the field was narrowed to 45 referee teams (three per team) and the final selection of 30 teams was made in February. Before the World Cup, every referee had to pass an additional physical fitness test. Members of an African and a South American team did not and were subsequently sent home because every ref on a team must pass for the team to be eligible. This year, a special video, ‘Hot Topics’ was shown to coaches, players and referees before the start of the tournament. “We went over topics, tackles, holding encroachment, delaying the restart of play, celebration of goals and offsides,” Mikkelsen said. “We showed players video clips of tackles and let them use yellow and red cards to decide what should be called. We hoped with the DVD it could help with uniformity in the matches.” There were 29 referee teams in the 2010 World Cup, five of the trios being reserves. According to Mikkelsen, part of the problem in selecting the best referees is that FIFA has to have representatives from all six regional confederations: Asia and Australia; Africa; North America and Central America; South America; Oceana (islands); and Europe. He also noted that some areas don’t have as much talent as other areas. “We had no major injuries, which showed the overall match control,” Mikkelsen said. No referees from the United States worked this year’s tournament. “They just didn’t have the quality this year,” Mikkelsen said. “However, in the future there will be.” Referees were paid $50,000 (in U.S. dollars), which for some African referees is the equivalent of 10 years’ salary, and also received meals and lodging. Mikkelsen acknowledged that ‘Bribes are a big concern.’ “Refereeing has given me so much, so many friends,” said Mikkelsen who is married, has a teenage son, and works for the Human Relations Department at F-Group, a leading retail electronics chain in Denmark. On occasion, he picks up his whistle to volunteer as a referee at his son’s soccer games. And yes, he has been heckled. Residents who would like to try refereeing on a local level should attend a basic clinic at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 11, at Palisades High School.

PPVBC Tryouts in September

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The Pacific Palisades Volleyball Club will conduct its annual boys tryouts September 12-15 at Palisades High School. Tryouts for boys 14 and under will be on Sunday, Sept. 12, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and tryouts for boys 15 and 16 and under will follow from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Tryouts for boys 17 and 18 and under will be held Monday, Sept. 13, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Make-up tryouts for all ages will be Wednesday, Sept. 15, also from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Cost is $20 per player. For more information, call Charlie Stennett at (310) 266-3182. Estavan to Coach at PaliHi Palisades High girls basketball coach Torino Johnson announced that former Dolphin Leilani Estavan will join his coaching staff this winter. Estavan was the starting point guard on Palisades’ Division I state finalist team in 1999 and won the Post Cup Award as the school’s outstanding senior athlete. She went on to a successful collegiate career at Oregon State. Riley Assists Bay Area Win Palisadian Ali Riley assisted Brazilian international star Marta on the first goal in the eighth minute of FC Gold Pride’s 3-2 victory over host Chicago Sunday night. The win assured Bay Area home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Riley, a rookie defender, has three assists in 19 games played. She helped her hometown Pali Blues win their second straight W-League championship last year.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 19, 2010

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OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED LABOR DAY, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6. THE CLASSIFIED DEADLINE WILL BE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, AT 11 A.M.

HOMES FOR SALE 1

$699K. 4 BD, 2 BA. Palisades native’s home, 5 min. from Yosemite. Solid, quiet, forested 1/3 acre, big garage/shop/deck, pure untreated water, near Tenaya Lodge. A pleasurable investment. AlbostaRealty.com, (559) 676-7444

LOTS FOR SALE 1a

MALIBU LA COSTA ACTIVE BCH CLUB RIGHTS LOT. 3900 Carbon Canyon Road. Own share in private beach and tennis courts. Zoned residential, legal lot: 6,280 sq. ft. burn-out site. 160 feet of road frontage just off PCH. GREAT INVESTMENT. For sale by owner. $129,000. (310) 317-0700

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR SALE 1e

MALIBU CIVIC CENTER CONDO. Single story garden unit with courtyard and private entrance, quiet and secluded 2 BR, 2 full bath, near Pepperdine, shopping and beaches. Entire complex recently refurbished w/ pool, tennis courts and laundry. Great location. For sale by owner: $439,000. (310) 317-0700

FURNISHED HOMES 2

EXECUTIVE RENTAL! MOVE RIGHT IN! Immaculate, fully furnished, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Pool, gym, spa, near trailheads, mountain view, minutes to the beach. Also avail: separate lg studio w/ garden patio. (310) 459-9111

MALIBU OCEAN VIEW GUEST HOUSE. Carbon Canyon. 1 BR, 1 bath, laundry, full kitchen and storage. Private tranquil setting with amazing canyon and ocean vistas set in acreage far apart from main residence and other homes. Private entrance and parking, pool. Eames, Noguchi modern interior. Available August 1, furnished or unfurnished. Water & electr. included. For rent by owner. $2,500/mo. (310) 317-0700

LIGHT, AIRY SPACE IN TREE-TOPS. Exceptional 1 bd, ba, huge living areas for non-smoker, no pets. Avail. 10/1. FULLY equipped. Short/long term. $2,770/mo. for everything. (310) 454-2568

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

DUPLEX FOR RENT. 2 bdrm + fireplace, 1 bath, quiet residential area near village. $2,450/mo. (310) 738-4400

HIGHLANDS PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN w/ ocean view, bright, 3 bdrm, 2 ba, high ceilings, fireplace, 2 decks, stainless steel appliances, olympic pool, tennis, gym, gardener incl. $4,200/mo. Marty, (310) 459-2692

CHARMING 2 BEDROOM UNIT IN THE PALISADES! 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, light, bright unit in a duplex walking distance from the beach, the bluffs, and into town. This unit has high ceilings and an open floor plan. It has a large private patio, washer and dryer in the unit, and a dish washer. Landlord pays water and gardener. It is available September 1st, 2010. Dogs O.K. $3,600/mo. Please contact Tiffany at (310) 849-9592

CHARMING MID CENTURY STYLE BEACH BUNGALOW. 3 bedrooms, 1 3/4 baths, master bath ensuite, natural oak floors, open beam ceilings, front & back yards, close to schools, gardener incl. By appt only. $3,900/mo. Ben, (949) 246-4049

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

PALISADES 1 BEDROOM apt. Large, remodeled, carpet, gas stove, refrigerator, one year lease, new paint, laundry, storage, covered parking. No pets, Non-smoker. $1,335/mo. (310) 477-6767

UNUSUAL unique spacious 1 bd/1 bth (800 ft) mucho charm apt in Mediterranean triplex. All appliances, frplc, hdwd, garage, grdn, ldry. 1 mi. to village & bch. N/S, no pets, 1 yr lse. $2,250/mo. (310) 804-3142

TWO BEDROOM, ONE BATH, sunny & roomy upper floor, glimpse of bay, walk to daily errands. Small pet considered. Available now. $2,200/mo. Call Michael, (310) 883-8049

ONE BEDROOM in small complex. Small pet considered, walk to daily errands. Pool, laundry room, one year lease. $1,595/mo. Third month free! Call Michael, (310) 883-8049

CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

WALK TO P.P. VILLAGE. Woodsy view, 2 bdr, 2 ba, open den, AC, W/D in unit, security bldg. 2 car parking. Just redone w/ recessed lighting. $2,850/mo. Available Sept 1. Nancy, (310) 454-5257

GEM IN THE PALISADES, Sunset & Almar. 2 bdrm, 2 1/2 ba. townhouse. Hardwood, tile, carpet, W/D, dishwasher, roof deck, parking. $3,400/mo. (310) 392-1757

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

LOVELY HOME TO SHARE NEAR VILLAGE. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath avail w/ private entrance. Shared kitchen, laundry, storage, garden & spa. Utilities, cable & internet incl. $1,200/mo. (310) 459-7464

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

CORNER WINDOW OFFICE, cathedral ceilings, 2nd floor, One West Bank building on Sunset, in Palisades Village, 320 sq. ft. $1,200/mo. Call Ev Maguire, (310) 600-3603 or (310) 454-0840

SPACE FOR LEASE (310) 454-9606, (818) 458-4454. Ask for Irena.

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 RENTAL. Unique Village office space. Quiet, quaint setting with Village view, 4 rooms including kitchen & bath. Fantastic location. $1,495/mo. Bob, (310) 459-1220

RENTAL SPACE, STORAGE 3d

2 MANICURING BOOTH STATIONS FOR RENT. Rent is negotiable. Excellent Pacific Palisades location. (310) 345-5457 or (818) 322-5812

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 3f

SHL MANAGEMENT BOUTIQUE FIRM ‘ Manage apartments, houses, and commercial buildings. Experienced, reliable, honest & local. Member of IREM. (310) 392-1757, ask for Loren.

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

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. Part time or temporary OK. 3 hour min. Reasonable rates. Pam, (310) 733-8433

DO YOU NEED HELP GETTING ORGANIZED? Executive level business and personal assistant services available. Office organizing, writing, project and event planning. Concierge services on a project or weekly basis. Call Patty, (310) 394-3085

MISCELLANEOUS 7o

IMarketU. Experienced, marketing entreprenuer. Free comprehensive marketing evaluation. Inexpensive, innovative, marketing and PR Strategy and growth plan to meet goals. Meet Joe, call or email, (310) 795-1045, jcir2000@aol.com

DAYCARE CENTERS 8

PALISADES LEARN & PLAY ‘ Now enrolling for Fall! Educational themes, Art & Socialization. Ages 16 mo.-5 yrs. Balanced nutritious meals provided. Come & see what all the fun is about! (310) 459-0920

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

CERTIFIED NEWBORN SPECIALIST and baby sleep trainer available for overnight shifts of 10, 9 or 8 hours. (310) 226-7097, thebabyguru.com

MOTHER’S HELPER/TUTOR/ELDERLY COMPANION. Out of work University of Michigan graduate is looking to supplement income by assisting families/elderly w/ daily activities, driving, and/or tutoring. Flex hrs. Mature & responsible. Aimee, (310) 560-4084

CHILD & PET CARE. Peace of mind for parents. Former Kindergarten teacher. Experienced with infants through school age. Working in the Palisades for 6+ years. Loving care for children, pets & home. Flexible with days, hours & overnights. References letters & phone numbers available. Phyllis, (818) 340-7183. Leave message if needed.

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

LOOKING FOR A HOUSEKEEPING JOB. 2-3 days. 12 years experience, own transportation, legal, local references. Call Delmy, (323) 363-9492, delmycleaning.com

EUROPEAN CLEANING SERVICE. Reliable, local references. Experienced. Own supplies. Call today. (818) 324-9154

EXCELLENT, HONEST & RELIABLE HOUSEKEEPER available Monday through Friday. Experienced with children and pets, own car, speaks English, local references. Please call Susie at (323) 299-7186

EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER is looking for a job. Speaks English, has own car, and excellent local references. Please call Francis, (818) 472-8119 or (323) 299-1797

HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTING, washing, ironing. Available everyday. Experienced, good references, live-out. Has own transportation. Call anytime. (323) 712-5732

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTING. 25 years experience. Excellent references. Reliable. Pet friendly. Willing to work weekends. Available now. Call Elizabeth, (323) 463-7889

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

SPECIALIZE WITH SENIORS. Friendly/patient personal trainer. Customize workouts to fit your needs. Enjoy P/T in the convenience of your own home. Call Karen for free consultation and GET STARTED! (818) 626-8670

WESTSIDE HOME HEALTH CARE. Providing quality, compassionate IN HOME CARE. Emilia Polakoff, Caregiver. State certified CNA, HHA. P/T or F/T. FREE assessment with no obligation. Pacific Palisades resident. (310) 592-6695

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

CORTEZ & OLIVERA LANDSCAPING & GARDENING SERVICE. Full gardening service. Pruning, topping, removing, new lawns, sprinklers & brush clearance. ‘ 25% off for the 1st 3 months! ‘ Free estimates! (323) 641-2319

GARDEN SERVICE. Maintenance, clean-up, tree trimming, seed planting, fertilizer, sprinkler systems. Free estimates. Concrete, brick & stone. Weekends. 24 hours. 19 yrs exper. Personal. Free cement work. 7 days a week. (310) 256-0734 (c), (310) 838-2429 (h)

MASSAGE THERAPY 12b

HEALING MASSAGE THERAPY. Enjoy a mini-vacation today! Ten years experience. Deep tissue, Swedish. Excellent references available. Cheryl Baldinger, CMT. (310) 592-8474

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.

AUTO DETAILING 13i

AMAZING DETAIL ‘ MOBILE CAR WASH & DETAILING SERVICE ‘ Cars ‘ Trucks ‘ Vans ‘ Boats ‘ RVs and more!
Why go to the car wash, when WE COME TO YOU with better prices? Call today and ask about our specials! (323) 402-7199

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

ClubHappyDog.com. Doggie Day Camp, Play Group, Excursions. “This is the Club Med for Dogs!’ (310) 359-3433

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 through out the Westside. Reasonable rates. (310) 459-8212

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

HAVE FUN! GET FIT! NORDIC WALKING CLASSES. Certified Advanced Nordic walking instructor, Palsades resident teaches private/group classes in the Palisades. Weekends. (310) 266-4651

PERSONAL TRAINER 15c

Peak Performance Fitness Training. Ivan Baccarat, N.S.C.A., A.C.E. Cert. Personal Trainer. Body Shaping ‘ Strength ‘ Fat Loss ‘ Prenatal/Post Partum ‘ Cardio ‘ Kickboxing ‘ Stretch/Flexibility ‘ Plyometrics ‘ Endurance ‘ Core Work. Individualized Program Design. Balance training for older adults. 20 yrs. experience ‘ Insured ‘ Excellent references. Call for a free consultation, (310) 829-4428

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

ISEE/HSPT CLASSES START SOON! * Class size limited, central Palisades location. Private tutoring for math, chem, physics also available. (310) 459-3239 or www.clc90272.com

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

MATH/SCIENCE/SAT TUTOR. Widely used by Palisades residents. Excellent references. Dozens of satisfied clients at top schools. Call Will at (510) 378-7138

CABINET MAKING 16

SMI CUSTOM CABINETS & MILLWORK. Where quality, craftsmanship and customer satisfaction matters.’ Lic. #858954. SMICustomCabinets.com, (310) 537-4674

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

PALISADES CONST. SERVICES. All phase construction and remodeling. All interior and exterior construction. Additions, concrete, tile, wood work (all), brick, patios, bathrooms, fences, bedrooms, permits. We have built (2) new 2,500 sq. ft. Palisades homes in last 3 yrs. Please contact us to schedule your free consultation and free estimate. ALL JOBS WELCOME. Please call: Kevin, Brian Nunneley, (310) 488-1153. Lic. #375858 (all Palisades referrals avail.)

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

HGTV CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN TEAM. We are a full service construction/design team ready to remodel any room for you. We revive any room or outdoor space for you. We can bring your ideas to life. From simple affordable alterations to extensive overhauls and additions. We are the right company for you. Call (310) 877-5577 & (310) 877-5979. http://debonairrenovations.com/home/home.html

PALISADES HOME REPAIR SERVICES. (25 years) Local resident. Services include: ‘ Carpentry ‘ Electrical ‘ Plumbing ‘ Plaster ‘ Drywall ‘ Concrete. (310) 622-2773. Call us for same day service. Fast, clean, best prices. Lic. #294272

AFFORDABLE CONSTRUCTION SERVICE ‘ Roofing ‘ Windows ‘ Painting ‘ Tile ‘ Siding ‘ Concrete ‘ Fences ‘ Decks ‘ Carpentry. All types of home repairs. State License #B-1 746866. Insured. 1 (800) 806-8688

CASALE CONSTRUCTION CO., LLC ‘ Lic. #512443 ‘ Kitchen and Bath Specialist ‘ General Contractor ‘ Residential ‘ Commercial ‘ New Construction ‘ Additions ‘ Remodeling ‘ (310) 491-0550 (o) (310) 927-1799 (c) ‘ www.reemodeling.com

ALAN PINE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR. New homes ‘ Remodeling ‘ Additions ‘ Kitchen & bath. Planning/architectural services ‘ Insured ‘ Local refs. Lic. #469435. (800) 800-0744 or (818) 203-8881

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

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

COASTAL HARDWOOD FLOORS. All wood flooring service; installations, sand & refinish, custom designs. Since 1975. Local references available. Bonded & insured. Lic. #824437. www.CoastalWoodFloors.com, (310) 277-0860

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

PALISADES CONSTRUCTION SERVICES. All jobs and calls welcome!! All phases of const. and home repair. A fresh alternative from the norm, very courteous, very safe, very clean!! Call for a free estimate and consultation. Please call: Kevin, Brian Nunneley, (310) 488-1153. Lic. #375858

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

CALIFORNIA BEST PAINTING ‘ Interior ‘ Exterior ‘ Residential ‘ Commercial ‘ Plaster ‘ Drywall & Repair ‘ FREE ESTIMATES! Lic. #854322. Bonded & Insured. (877) 430-1112, (213) 382-0020

PLUMBING 16t

EXPERT PLUMBER 25 YRS. EXP. Intelligent, cost effective solutions for your plumbing problems. Encompassing all aspects of residential and commercial plumbing. Reasonable, reliable, excellent references. Karl Kolpin, (310) 200-7239. Lic. #776518 B-C36 Bonded, insured.

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

HELP WANTED 17

PART-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT: Computer data entry, online research, organizing, filing. Multi-tasking self starter, focused, detail minded. Excel/Word. Flex sked. High energy office. Fax resume: (310) 459-3814

WANTED: Male live-in caregiver for active 92-year-old man. Please call (310) 454-1956, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., ask for Wendy.

WRITER POSITION AVAILABLE. The Palisadian-Post is seeking a full time (35 hrs/week) writer/editor for its Lifestyle section. Candidates must have proven experience writing for a newspaper or magazine (please send three writing samples with your resume and cover letter). Benefits are excellent; the salary is commensurate with other weekly newspapers. Send packet to: Editor, Palisadian-Post P.O. Box 725, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 or email to: editor@palipost.com

NANNY. Permanent. Part time. Twins, boy & girl. 4 yrs. 4-5 days weekly. 20+ hrs. Start time 4 p.m. daily. (310) 454-6271

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

MOV. SALE! High end Contemp. Furn/Furnishgs/ household goods/collectibles/clothes/linens/jewelry, lots more! 16538 Via Floresta, Sunset/Bienveneda, Fri.-Sat., Aug. 20-21, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Don’t miss! Visit www.bmdawson for photos/details.

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