Home Blog Page 2009

‘Beauty Is Simplicity:’ Cronin Dances to Nationals

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Kimberly Cronin dancing in the streets of Pacific Palisades. Photo: Shelby Pascoe
Kimberly Cronin dancing in the streets of Pacific Palisades. Photo: Shelby Pascoe

Floating across the sand with crashing waves and the blue sky as a backdrop, Kimberly Cronin dances for a video camera at Will Rogers State Beach. Her choreographed three-minute dance, titled ‘Beauty Is Simplicity,’ won the state PTA Reflections contest in the dance category and was forwarded to the national level, where Cronin was one of three in her age group to receive an excellent award. The Reflections contest encourages artistic expression in six categories (photography, film production, dance, literature, music and visual arts) by students in kindergarten through high school. The contest starts at the school level with more than 500,000 entries, with winners advancing to district, state and national levels. Cronin, a senior at Palisades Charter High School, received $200, a silver-plated Reflections medallion, a certificate and recognition in the annual PTA Reflections online gallery. She had never participated in the contest, but her PaliHi dance teachers, Cheri and Monique Smith, told her she should enter. ‘They’ve been really inspirational and supportive, encouraging me to take [artistic] chances,’ Cronin says. ‘Cheri told me I should enter because there are not too many opportunities where people ask you to show your talents.’ After choosing the song ‘Comptine d’un autre ‘t’ by Yann Tiersen to dance to, Cronin asked a high school friend to videotape her. At the beach, she encountered a problem. ‘The noise from the waves and birds was so loud,’ she says, ‘I couldn’t hear the taped music. But I heard the music in my head and danced to it.’ Later, her brother Colin, who graduated from UCLA in December and was a drum major at PaliHi, added the music. Cronin, who has been in the PaliHi spring musical all four years, has the lead in this year’s ‘City of Angels,’ but now has a new problem: She fell at a college dance audition in March and tore several ligaments in her right foot while also fracturing several bones. ‘The bones have healed,’ says Cronin, who has been on crutches for several months. She graduated to a walking cast and one high heel in time for the senior prom on May 14. Hoping to be out of that cast before the musical opens on June 3, Cronin admits ‘It’s been hard watching my understudy in my role.’ Her character, Laura Kingsley, is supposed to be drop-dead gorgeous dame. The part, unfortunately, calls for high heels rather than crutches or casts. Since Cronin also participates in the PaliHi dance program, she faces yet another challenge: she may miss the spring dance recital on June 8. For an earlier assignment in dance class, she choreographed a piece that allowed her to do a dance sitting down, and she hopes she can do something similar for the recital. Cronin, who lives in Westchester, enrolled at Paul Revere as a sixth grader. ‘We went to the school for the music program,’ says Cronin, whose mother, Colleen, teaches music at a different elementary school every day of the week. Colleen knew that Revere’s music program was regarded as one of the best in the district and put her children in Revere’s lottery, where they won the right to attend the school. Cronin’s father, Patrick, is a contractor. Like many young girls, Cronin took her first dance class at a YMCA (in Westchester). When she was eight, her mother was asked to play piano for an upper-level ballet class. In exchange, Cronin was given lessons. ‘My mom eventually stopped playing, but by then I was hooked and kept dancing,’ says Cronin, who has taken ballet for 10 years. She now dances jazz, tap, lyrically, modern, hip-hop and West African. ‘I’m open to any styles and will explore any type of dance,’ says the vivacious teenager. ‘Ballet is where I developed my technique, and that makes it easy to adapt to another style.’ She has been accepted into the UCLA dance program, but says she might also look at physiology because she enjoys biology. ‘No matter what I do, I want to be dancing somehow,’ Cronin says. ‘Dancing on Broadway would be awesome, because you could also sing and act.’ To view Cronin’s dance, visit: www.ptareflections.org.

Medow’s ‘Wild Wings’ Opens at TAG Gallery

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“Walking to Kenya,” by Palisadian Cheryl Medow

Photographer Cheryl Medow’s new exhibition, ‘Wild Wings,’ continues her exploration of two passions: birds and the environment. ‘Wings’ runs through May 25 to June 19 at TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station D3, 2525 Michigan Ave. in Santa Monica.   In addition to Medow, new works by Peter Kempson and Gary Polonsky will also be on display. A reception for the artists will be held on Saturday, May 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the gallery.   In her latest work, Medow, a Pacific Palisades resident, presents idealized images of the wild birds she photographs in idealized environments to emphasize the interconnectedness of all creatures.   Medow travels from her backyard to other parts of the United States, Europe, Central and South America, and parts of Africa in search of just one more bird, one more photograph of the flying descendants of dinosaurs. Her images are initially captured in the field as photographs of birds, landscapes and sky, and are then melded in the studio through modern computer techniques to produce a final idealized image that is simultaneously hyper-real and hyper-artificial, reminiscent of the dioramas found at the Museum of Natural History.   A graduate of UCLA with a degree in art and design, Medow’s recent work has been published in ‘100 Artists of the West Coast II,’ NANPA Expressions magazine, and ‘Nash Editions: Photography And The Art Of Digital Printing.’

Graf’s Serviceable ‘Gates’ at Lee Strasberg Theatre

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A collision of cultural extremes results in the mystery of a missing American teen in Wendy Graf’s latest play, ‘Behind the Gates,’ directed by David Gautreaux, now at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center in West Hollywood through July 3. Graf, a Mandeville Canyon resident and a member of Kehillat Israel Reconstructionist Congregation, is best known for such works as ‘Lessons’ and ‘Leipzig.’ The PaliHi graduate returns with ‘Gates,’ a meditation on the perils of religious fervor, using Judiasm as a metaphor for dogma and the oppression of women in orthodoxy of any religion. The play opens in Los Angeles with 17-year-old Bethany (Annika Marks), a rage-filled, drug-using troubled goth teen, unleashing a profanity-laced soliloquy to the audience in which she explains that her adoptive Jewish-American parents”the Leibermans (James Eckhouse and Keliher Walsh)”are derailing her life by shipping her off to Israel for the summer to straighten her out. Bethany complains that she even got a job ‘bagging groceries at Gelson’s”not easy to get!’ Once in Jerusalem, we see Bethany the metalhead transform before our very eyes into a frum (‘devout’) young woman as she warms up to her new environs with its customs and rules, literally shedding her death-metal tee and black makeup for the modest clothes of one of the mavens of the ultra-Orthodox haredi community. ‘It’s kind of cool, they have values,’ Bethany, now ‘Bakol,’ tells the audience. By the end of her transformation, the pendulum has swung in the other direction. She wants to live in Israel among the haredi, never to return to America: ‘I’m not going back! They can’t make me!’ Then she goes missing. Rumor has it the newlywed had fled the religious community to escape her abusive husband. Act two consists of the Leibermans’ search for their missing daughter, in which they cross paths with Israeli private investigator Ami Dayan (Steven Robert Wollenberg) and the American Embassy’s Donald Stone. Along the way, the search for the missing Bethany strains the Leibermans’ marriage, as Mr. Leiberman opts to abandon the search and return to the U.S. The play’s surprise does not come with the inevitable if they find her but how they find her and whether or not she wants to come home and live her parents again. The stand-out, spot-on performance is delivered by Wollenberg as the bald investigator Dayan. Every time his character is on stage”with his mix of Israeli matter-of-fact seriousness and gallows humor”the proceedings perk up. (Perhaps partially because Graf, in real life, has 15 years of experience as a California state-licensed private investigator). Marks, as a vessel of exposition, does a formidable job carrying the bulk of the play’s themes on her back (although her voice was noticeably hoarse from previous performances). ‘Gates’ is a play about extremes, echoing the similarly themed book ‘Chosen by God: A Brother’s Journey’ by Joshua Hammer (a family member’s search for a relative sucked into an ultra-Orthodox cult). The underlying problem with ‘Gates’ is that, as is, the story is devoid of any nuances or positive images when it comes to the Orthodox Jewry. While it’s not to refute the fact that religious extremism and the repression of women exists in that community, to put it on the same plane as some of the radical Muslim circles seems far-fetched. In order to draw a parallel between extremism in the Jewish sector with that of other cultures, the Orthodox Jewish representations here are flattened. ‘Behind the Gates’ also stars Oren Rehany, Robyn Roth and Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper, each in multiple roles. All of the technical details are the minimalist set design of sheer white curtains and ‘Jersusalem stone’ (Stephanie Kerley Schwartz). (Graf and Schwartz”also a Kehillat Israel member”will discuss the play after a special performance on Saturday, June 5, at 8 p.m. For more information, visit kehillatisrael.org/readmore.php?id=2454) Behind the Gates, produced by Racquel Lehrman/Theatre Planners and presented by Hatikva Productions in association with the Lee Strasberg Creative Center, continues Fri.-Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm; through July 3. Tickets: $25. Marilyn Monroe Theatre, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; 323.960.5772 or plays411.com/gates.

Temescal Native Garden Seeks Volunteer Workers

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  Residents are invited to volunteer at a much-needed clean-up day for the long-neglected California Native Plant Garden along Temescal Canyon Road on Saturday, May 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The garden is located across the street from Palisades High’s athletic field, and next to the Chumash mural.   Palisades Beautiful and the Pacific Palisades Garden Club are co-sponsoring the event. Volunteers will help pull weeds, cultivate the ground, pick up trash, trim overgrown shrubs, and, oh, yeah, make new friends! ‘Hands-on’ people of all ages are welcome, whether or not they’re native-plant experts or even gardeners.   Saturday’s project will take place under the auspices of the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks. With cutbacks in park maintenance, volunteers are invaluable.   In 1988, the nonprofit Palisades Beautiful organization, with permission and cooperation from Rec and Parks, planted the native plant garden and maintained it for some years, but with a dwindling number of volunteers, responsibility for the garden was turned over to the city. Alas, the garden, along with the adjacent xeriscape plant-demonstration area, failed to get the oversight and continuous care that only volunteers in committed community groups can provide.   Volunteers should bring gloves, bottled water, and snacks or lunch. Ample street parking is available. Contacts: Barbara at 310-459-0190; e-mail TCPNPG@verizon.net.

Dolphin Girls Swim to City Title

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Seniors (L-R) Hayley Lemoine, Shelby Pascoe, Hayley Hacker and Anna Silka placed second in the 400 freestyle relay, earning the points that clinched the City Championship.
Seniors (L-R) Hayley Lemoine, Shelby Pascoe, Hayley Hacker and Anna Silka placed second in the 400 freestyle relay, earning the points that clinched the City Championship.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Three hours of competition came down to the final event last Friday at the City Section Swim Championships. Palisades High seniors Ana Silka, Hayley Hacker, Shelby Pascoe and Hayley Lemoine knew if they took first place in the 400-yard Freestyle Relay, they would give their team enough points to win the title. Anything less or a disqualification and the Dolphins risked coming up short. Swimming the anchor leg, Lemoine touched the wall at 3:46.40–almost three full seconds faster than the foursome’s preliminary time Tuesday. Still, defending champion Cleveland won the event in 3:43.81 and it was only after officials added Wednesday’s diving points to the final totals that Palisades was declared the new City champion by a razor thin 409-405 margin at John Argue Swim Stadium next to the L.A. Coliseum. “It was a team effort,” Palisades High Coach Adam Blakis said. “The depth on the girls’ side is tremendous.” Palisades’ boys squad also had one of its best finals meets in years, coming within three points of second place Birmingham. Cleveland captured the City title. “I’m particularly proud of our boys to come that close to second,” Blakis said. “Especially considering we gave up a lot of points on diving.” Birmingham boys placed second, sixth and 10th in diving while the Dolphins had no divers. Unlike Cleveland, which won five individual races, as well as two relays, Palisades’ girls team quietly accumulated points through sheer numbers, placing multiple swimmers in every event. Ultimately, it was depth that carried the day for the Dolphins. “We needed every single person and every single race counted,” said co-captain Hacker, who swam second in both the 100 backstroke and 50 freestyle. “Oh, yeah, we earned this, we worked so hard,” added fellow co-captain Silka, who took second in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 100 freestyle. Junior Sabrina Giglio swam a personal-best 1:11.95 in the 100 breaststroke and almost pulled an upset against Cavaliers’ senior Jessica Chong, who also went her best time (1:10.38). Junior Zoe Fullerton placed third in the butterfly, shaving two seconds off of her seed time to clock 1:02.61. “For all the seniors who lost last year’we’re back this year!” Lemoine said. “In a sport that depends on individuals, we pulled together as a team, supporting each other and that made all the difference,” added Pascoe, who was fourth in the 500 freestyle and fifth in the 200 freestyle. Silka, Hacker, Pascoe and Lemoine were all promoted to varsity as freshmen, helping the Dolphins win back-to-back titles in 2007-08 and finishing runner-up to Cleveland last spring. “Last year we lost [the title],” Palisades Coach Brooke King said. “This year they really wanted it bad. Being part of that was exciting.” Seniors John Cullen, Lev Vaysman and Wyatt Elliott joined sophomore Henry Siegal to win the 200 medley relay. Cullen took first place in the 100 backstroke (55.90) and fifth in the 100 freestyle while Vaysman was fifth in the 100 breaststroke and 10th in the 500 freestyle. PaliHi’s boys’ team is young, with sophomores capturing a majority of their points. Andrew Hacker placed third in the 200 and 500 free, John Amis took fourth in the 50 free and third in the 100 free, Matthew Hammer placed fifth in the back and seventh in the 200 I.M., Stephan Kang took eighth in the 200 free and ninth in the butterfly and Gabriel Connolly (who was seeded 16th in the back, swam to a ninth). The same depth that saved the girls was a weakness to the boys, for while they placed in the top eight in almost every event, Cleveland had three or four swimmers in every event. “I felt like it was more a team effort,” said boy’s co-captain Cullen. “We almost beat out Birmingham.” “It was incredible,” added fellow co-captain Elliott. “I couldn’t have asked for a better last meet. The team has been steadily improving and it’s the best we’ve done in a long time.” Winning never gets old for Blakis: “I’m super stoked. Five years ago when I coached the team, we won a championship. I’m glad to be back winning another.”

Spikers Fall to Taft in City Finals

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Kene “Air” Izuchukwu shows off his 41-inch vertical leap as he spikes over three Taft blockers in Saturday’s City Division I final. Taft won in five sets.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

There were 203 points played in last Saturday’s City Section Division I boys’ volleyball final and, in the end, Taft won three more than Palisades’just enough for the Toreadors to prevail 25-23, 18-25, 25-12, 18-25, 17-15 at Roybal Learning Center in Los Angeles. The teams traded leads throughout the fifth set until Palisades forged a 14-13 lead to earn the first match point. However, Taft stayed alive on a kill by Alex Platt, then won four points later on a quick kill by Brandon Scharping. UCLA-bound senior captain Kene Izuchukwu led the way with 27 kills and junior Denton Van Duzer added 17 kills for the third-seeded Dolphins (24-8-1), who were seeking their second section title in three years and 12th overall. It was the fifth City crown but the first since 2001 for the top-seeded Toreadors (33-3-2), who became the 11th West Valley League team in the last 12 years to capture the section title. Taft also earned the City’s lone berth in the state Division I playoffs, which began Tuesday. In the semifinals last Thursday, Palisades upset second-seeded Van Nuys 22-25, 25-16, 27-25, 25-18 on the Wolves’ home floor. Izuchukwu had 15 kills, Van Duzer added 11 kills and Isaac Margulies had 29 digs. “I really want to play Taft next to show them we never should have gotten the No. 3 seed,” senior opposite hitter Josh Kanan said after the Dolphins’ decisive semifinal win. “They are the No. 1 seed and you always want to play the best.” Kanan got his wish, but not quite the outcome he and his team were hoping for. Loyola Wins Section Title Thanks in large part to the contributions of four Pacific Palisades players, Loyola won its second consecutive Southern Section Division I boys’ volleyball title last Saturday, rallying to defeat Mira Costa 23-25, 27-25, 25-20, 25-16 in the finals at Cypress College. The locals leading the third-seeded Cubs (24-3) were 6′ 5″ senior outside hitter Steven Irvin, 6′ 8′ junior middle blocker Robert Feathers, 6′ 6″ junior middle blocker Tommy Stoeckinger and 6′ 4″ junior middle blocker/opposite hitter Kyle Houge. Top-seeded Mira Costa (33-1) swept Loyola 25-22, 25-23, 25-23 in the regular season despite 22 kills by Irvin, who is headed for Stanford. Loyola hosted Santa Monica in the first round of the state Division I playoffs Tuesday.

Baseball Bounced by Banning

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Brad Schaeffer slides home safely under the tag of Bell pitcher Abraham Villela in the fourth inning of Palisades' 11-4 victory in the first round of the City Division I playoffs last Wednesday.
Brad Schaeffer slides home safely under the tag of Bell pitcher Abraham Villela in the fourth inning of Palisades’ 11-4 victory in the first round of the City Division I playoffs last Wednesday.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Early on against Bell, it looked like history might repeat itself. Last spring, the Palisades High baseball team was seeded sixth and was upset 1-0 by 11th-seeded Banning in the first round of the City’s upper division playoffs. This year’s Division I postseason opener was shaping up much the same way. After plating three runs in the second inning on singles by Phillip Joseph and Julian Achez and a double by Brad Schaeffer, seventh-seeded Palisades watched the visiting 10th-seeded Eagles storm back with four runs to take a 4-3 lead in the third. Then, the Dolphins suddenly came alive, scoring for seven runs in the fourth inning and the bullpen shut out Bell (24-8) in the final three frames of a 11-4 victory last Wednesday afternoon at George Robert Field. “We swung the bats well [in the first game] and did a good job of adjusting to what the pitcher was throwing us,” Palisades Head Coach Mike Voelkel said. On Friday, the Dolphins (17-11) traveled to Wilmington to take on second-seeded Banning in the quarterfinals. Palisades scored a run in the first inning on a leadoff single by Dylan Jeffers, another single by Cary Jacobson and a bloop to left field by Josh Korn and maintained the lead until the fourth, when the Pilots (22-8) scored twice to go ahead for the first time. The Dolphins tied the game again in the sixth when Jeffers led off with a single and scored on Joseph’s two-out hit but Banning answered with four runs in its half en route to winning 6-3, bringing an abrupt end to Palisades’ season. Sam Wasserman hit a RBI in the seventh, scoring Schaeffer. Voelkel was particularly proud of Achez. The Dolphins’ ace pitcher threw complete game and gave his team an opportunity to win. “We played pretty well defensively for the most part but we couldn’t stop rallies when we needed to,” said Voelkel, whose team is 43-2 in Western League play over the last three seasons. “As the game wore on I think they [Banning] started to gain confidence that they could come back and win it.” Achez, who is headed for Pierce College in Woodland Hills to continue his baseball career, was named first team All-Western League at third base, Nick Poulos was named first-team All-League at pitcher and Josh Korn was voted a first-team All-League outfielder. Phillip Joseph made the All-Western League second team at first base, Cary Jacobson was selected second-team catcher and Chase Holmes was named a second-team outfielder. Julian Harrison was chosen the league’s Freshman of the Year.

Blues Beat Santa Clarita

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The Pali Blues gave their fans a taste of what they will see this season, defeating the expansion Santa Clarita Blue Heat 3-1 Saturday night at Stadium by the Sea. The Blues looked sharp in their final warm up before opening defense of their W-League title Saturday, June 5, also against Santa Clarita. Japanese international Hikari Nakade scored the first goal in the 36th minute to give the Blues a 1-0 lead, which they kept until halftime. Ali Hawkins scored to make it 2-0 in the second half and then, after Santa Clarita scored to pull within a goal, Janice Cayman notched her second assist to an onrushing Leanne Champ, who one-timed the pass into the net for the final tally. The marquee moment actually took place at halftime when throngs of kids took the field to participate in the Blues’ Guinness World Record attempt for most people juggling soccer balls in a single stadium at one time. Although the record of 627 jugglers was not broken, hundreds of balls were collected after the record attempt and later donated to Los Angeles’ celebrated children and family non-profit Para los Ninos (PNL) and international charity Balls Without Borders. Over 100 PLN kids and families attended.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 20, 2010

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OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, MAY 31, FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY. THE CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE WILL BE THURSDAY, MAY 27, AT 11 A.M.

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR SALE 1e

$248,000. IMMACULATE SENIOR UNIT. 1+1 condo + patio on Palisades Dr. Quiet, park-like setting, lots of trees. Min age 62. 2 car gar, elevator, 1/2 mile to bch. Broker, (310) 795-3795 (c), (310) 456-8770 (h)

FURNISHED HOMES 2

LOVELY 4 BED. FURNISHED HOME. Beautifully furnished home on desirable Las Casas Ave. 4 Bed., 2.5 Baths, 2,700 SF. $5,900/mo. (310) 463-6323

LIGHT, AIRY, SPACE IN THE TREE-TOPS. 1 bed/bath, huge living areas for 1-2, non-smoker, no pets. Exceptional. Avail. 3-?? months. $2,700/mo. includes ALL. (310) 454-2568

EXECUTIVE RENTAL! MOVE RIGHT IN! Immaculate, fully furnished, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Pool, gym, spa, near trailheads, mountain view, minutes to the beach. (310) 459-9111

TRANQUIL WOODED SETTING. Charming 2 bed, 2 bath. Monthly (3 mo. min.) Furnished & equipped. No smoke/pets. $2,670/mo. for everything. (310) 454-2568

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

NEWLY REMODELED 2 BD, 1 BA with canyon views on quiet street. $3,400/mo. Call Dolly Niemann, (310) 230-3706. Lic. #00416255

DUPLEX FOR RENT. 1 bdrm + office, 1 bath, quiet residential area near village. $2,800/mo. (310) 738-4400

CAPE COD NEAR BLUFFS WITH VIEW. Super charming, sunny, 1-level, 2 bed, 1 ba (sep tub/shower) + den + lg living rm. 1,700 sq feet. 2-car garage. $4,000/mo. (310) 770-3940

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

REDUCED PRICE! CHARMING, sunny upper unit. 1 bdrm.+office/den. Hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces, 2 baths, 1 car garage, on-site laundry, small pet considered. $1,985/mo. (310) 459-5576

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

PALISADES 1 BEDROOM apt. Large, remodeled, carpet, gas stove, refrigerator, one year lease, new paint, laundry, storage, covered parking. No pets, Non-smoker. $1,325/mo. (310) 477-6767

PALISADES GUEST COTTAGE: Small & charming studio apartment with separate entrance. Built-ins, stove & fridge. $900/mo. Utilities included, street parking only, no pets. (310) 210-8455

CHARMING DUPLEX, walk to village. 2 bedroom, 1 bath. New kitchen, jacuzzi tub, hardwood floors, private yard. $2,995/mo. Consider pets. (310) 454-4599, (310) 266-4151

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

$350/MO. SMALL MODERN bedroom, just-reduced rental, in Santa Monica luxury apartment, off Montana near ocean. Seeking responsible, friendly, female professional or college grad. student to share apartment w/ retired arts professional. Must provide occasional afternoon local driving: short drop-off/pick-ups; other assistance, own time. (Full rental value, $600/mo.) Contact 4artistry@gmail.com, phone evenings only. (310) 310-3429

1 FURNISHED BEDROOM, full bath share P/T. Female student preferred. 5 min. walk to village/5 min. drive to beach. $825/mo. includes utilities, wireless & possible cable. Kitchen priv., W/D. Lower rent in exchange for house/cat sitting. (310) 454-7554

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PROFESSIONAL BUILDING in Pacific Palisades village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available. 750 square feet. Reasonable rent price. Excellent lease hold improvement allowance. Please call Ness, (310) 230-6712 x105, for more details.

2 OFFICE SUITES, windows, cathedral ceilings, 2nd floor, First Federal Bank building on Sunset in Palisades Village. 450 sq. ft. $1,400/mo. Call Ev Maguire, (310) 600-3603 or (310) 454-0840

OFFICE AVAILABLE IN VILLAGE. Light & bright, recently remodeled 4-office psychotherapy suite has office available. Private waiting room, kitchen & bath to share. Parking negotiable. Email srl@ucla.edu with interest. (310) 230-2236

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

FOR RENT: A large office overlooking Sunset Blvd. in the heart of the village. $500/mo. Available June 1st. Please call Jim @ (310) 459-2757

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

VACATION RENTALS 3e

SUMMER IN PALISADES. Ocean views surround, just behind village. Brand new kitchen & baths. 3 bedroom, 2 baths, kids large playroom, outdoor paradise. Available Jul.-Aug. Furnished. $5,000/mo. (310) 428-8625

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

ACCOUNTANT/CONTROLLER. Quickbooks/Quicken setup. Outsource the hassle’all bookkeeping needs including tax prep for home or office. Get organized now! (310) 562-0635

PART TIME BOOKKEEPER TO GO! F/C Bookkeeper specializing in small businesses & private individuals. QB, QUICKEN & PEACHTREE PROFICIENT. PC or MAC. Excellent refs. Call Joanie, (310) 486-1055

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 ‘ bmdawson@verizon.net ‘ www.bmdawson.com ‘ Furniture ‘ Antiques ‘ Collectibles ‘ Junque ‘ Reliable professionals ‘ Local References

ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h

FORMER LAW FIRM MANAGER can help you get organized. Executive level business or personal assistant services. Office organizing, writing, project and event planning. Concierge services on a project or weekly basis. Call Patty, (310) 394-3085

MESSENGER/COURIER SERVICES 7n

MESSENGER & COURIER SERVICES (S. Cal.). Direct, same day or overnight, PU & Del. 24/7 guaranteed, on-time service. All major credit cards accepted. Santa Monica Express Inc. ‘ Since 1984 ‘ Tel: (310) 458-6000 www.smexpress.com

MISCELLANEOUS 7o

PSYCHIC & TAROT READINGS BY NATALIE. Find what’s in store for the future & the untold reasons of the past. 1 free question by phone! (323) 378-5897

DAYCARE CENTERS 8

PALISADES LEARN & PLAY * Licensed in home Pre-K program. Summer session only available. F/T & P/T, flexible days. Healthy meals provided. Fun & educational. (310) 459-0920

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

MY OUTSTANDING NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER of 10 yrs is avail. this July Mon.-Fri., 8:30-5pm., as our kids are in school full time. She drives her own SUV w/ a perfect driving record. Speaks fluent English. Does all cooking, shopping, errands & light housekeeping. She is simply the best w/ children of all ages & all household responsibilities! Please call Natalie at (310) 467-3769 or call Lorena directly at (323) 572-5306

NANNY: Looking for a full time job Monday through Friday. Live out. Experienced with newborns & all ages. References, drives, legal & responsible. Available for babysitting also. Esther, (310) 903-7174

EXPERIENCED NANNY & HOUSEKEEPER. Reliable, caring & flexible. Bilingual and I provide my own transportation. Great local references. Call Nancy at (818) 209-6024

HOUSEKEEPERS 9a

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

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & weekends. Excellent w/ animals, speaks English, 43 yrs. experience. Available now. Call Angela, (323) 732-9720 (h), (323) 383-6574

HOUSEKEEPER. Housekeeper. Good local references, own transportation, available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Call Rosalba, (323) 377-2485

THE BEST HOUSEKEEPER. 25 years of references in the Palisades. Bilingual. Tuesday and/or Thursday. Call Paula, (310) 454-5199

EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER. Excellent worker, dependable, trustworthy, excellent cook. Call Arlina, (323) 229-9327

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

HOUSEKEEPER. Available Monday through Saturday. Local references, own transportation, good with children & pets, 12 years experience. Please call Ruth, (310) 590-9763 or (323) 731-1510

GREAT HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE! Experienced and reliable, wonderful with children and pets. Excellent English. Wednesdays and/or alternate Tuesdays. Please call Raquel at (213) 736-5362

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

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

GREEN MOUNTAIN LAWN CARE. Trim trees, sprinkler systems, hillside clean ups, masonry. Insured, Workers Comp., Liability. Phone: (323) 934-9284 Website: danielvelasco.webs.com

MOVING & HAULING 11b

HONEST MAN SERVICES. All jobs, big or small. Moves & hauls it all. 14 foot truck. 20th year Westside. Delivery to 48 states. (310) 285-8688

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.

EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER ‘ Experienced 22 yrs Westside. Anything under 25 feet. Clean & detailed. Can clean screens, mirrors, skylights & scrape paint off glass. Free estimates. Brian, (310) 289-5279

AUTO DETAILING 13i

DOES YOUR CELL PHONE WORK? Are you tired of going outside to use your cell phone at home? We may be able to boost your cell phone to work indoors. Call us, we can help! Stanford Connect, (310) 829-3115

CATERING 14

CHEF & EVENT MANAGER! Cordon Bleu Chef and 15 year veteran event manager wants to help you plan your event! $60 per hour. Please call or email Danielle . . . (310) 691-0578 or daniellesamendez@gmail.com

COOKING/GOURMET 14a

PART TIME IN-HOME CHEF. Experienced in home chef available part time. References available upon request. Please call Roni @ (818) 307-3117

HOUSESITTING 14b

HOUSESITTING/PETSITTING. Available for short or long term. Sharp, reliable, recently retired professional. References. Susi, (310) 963-5269, susi824@aol.com

PERSONAL SERVICES 14f

CLARITY’. NEED HELP ORGANIZING? Office, Kid’s Rooms, Photos, Storage, Etc. Personal Organizer Lisa Viscardi can help. Call (310) 702-7314. Email Lisa@ClarityLV.com. Visit www.ClarityLV.com

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

HORSE STALLS FOR RENT. Horse stalls for rent near Will Rogers Park. Easy park access, rent neg. dep. on feed and cleaning needs. Call Bob, (949) 235-4761

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

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

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

NEED SAT MATH TUTORING? Learn from a college math major who scored a 800. (310) 892-7221

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

CARPENTRY 16a

RESTORATION & MAINTENANCE. Home improvement. No job too small! Carpentry of any kind. Bathrooms, kitchens, doors, cabinets, decks & gates. State license #822541. Reasonable prices. Contact Ed Winterhalter at (310) 213-3101

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

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

DRAPES/BLINDS 16g

LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE SHUTTERS, blinds, or indoor/outdoor drapes? Available locally @ Carpets West. Call for a free estimate. (310) 454-0697, 874 Via de la Paz

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

HARDWOOD FLOOR INSTALLATION & Refinishing Services available locally @ Carpets West. Call (310) 454-0697 for a free estimate. We carry a large selection of hardwood samples. 874 Via de la Paz

HANDYMAN 16o

HANDYMAN ‘ HOOSHMAN ‘ Most known name in the Palisades. Since 1975. Member Chamber of Commerce. Non-Lic. Experience do it, not lic. 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

PETER PAN HOME REPAIR. Serving all of the Westside!! (310) 663-3633. Non-lic.

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

‘NOW’S THE TIME!’ to take care of your painting projects with a contractor that has 35 years of experience and great local references. ALL SEASONS PAINTING, (310) 678-7913. Lic. #571061

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

A PACIFIC PAINTING. Residential, commercial, industrial. Interior/exterior. Drywall, plaster, stucco repair, pressure washing. Free estimates. Bonded & insured. Lic. #908913. ‘Since 1979’ (310) 954-7170

OWEN GEORGE CRUICKSHANK ‘ Paperhanger ‘ Removal ‘ Repair ‘ Painting ‘ Handyman services as well. Lic. #576445. (310) 459-5485

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

MYSTERY SHOPPERS earn up to $150 per day. Undercover shoppers needed to judge retail and dine-in establishments. No experience required. Call (877) 648-1571

MANICURIST & HAIRSTYLIST WANTED for rental with clientele. Contact Nikki, (310) 459-1616

THE SKI CHANNEL & THE SURF CHANNEL located in the Palisades village have immediate openings for interns in programming, production & marketing. (310) 230-2050

FURNITURE 18c

ROUND CRIB, mattress, bedding. HAND PAINTED whimsical fairies & flowers, gently used by granddaughter. Will email photos, compare at www.ababy.com. $800. Susan, (310) 459-3600

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

MULTI FAMILY** Fri. 5/21, Sat. 5/22 8 a.m.-2 p.m. NEW & LIKE NEW: Toys, designer clothes (M/W/childrens). Household, kitchen items, bookcases. 1033 Lachman, 1056 Tellem.

HOLLYWD HILLS! Classic antiques/furnishgs/ clothes/jewelry/etc. 2316 Holly Dr. (90068 TG 593, E3) Cuenga/Odin. Fri.-Sat. May 21-22; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Photos/directions: www.bmdawson.com

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

CHARITY SALE! ‘ To benefit Saint John’s Health Center. FABULOUS ITEMS FOR SALE. Saturday and Sunday May 22 & 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 11870 Santa Monica Blvd. btwn Bundy & Barrington

Chamber’s Expo Is a Sunday Hit

By
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The Expo drew residents and visitors to some 50 sponsor booths along Antioch Street.
The Expo drew residents and visitors to some 50 sponsor booths along Antioch Street.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

So there stood Gricelda Gamboa, in the clutches of a giant lizard writhing all over her body. No, this wasn’t the penultimate chapter of a Republic serial, but the scene midday on Antioch Street at Sunday’s Community Expo, where Gamboa, Village School’s director of auxiliary programs, was showing off Yoshi. The people-friendly monitor lizard, along with a giant tortoise and a 9-foot albino boa constrictor, are among the exotic animals that will be part of Animal Safari, one of 50 classes being offered at the school’s day camp this summer. ‘We not only teach them,’ Gamboa said with a cockatoo perched on her shoulder, ‘the class is also hands-on.’ Indeed, as animal handler Jennifer Portillo (who teaches Animal Safari) kept a watchful eye, kids pet and caressed the lizard, the boa, and the Sulcata tortoise, which lives up to 80 years. Village School joined more than 52 businesses, institutions and entrepreneurs with booths promoting health, the environment, education, financial services, camps, home and garden, religion, travel and technology at this year’s Expo. Hosted by the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce, the Expo stretched along Antioch between Art on the Village Green and a car show featuring 43 classic cars parked along Via de la Paz. Not all of the exotic animals were real. On Via, dentist Phil Trask of Pacific Palisades Pediatric Dentistry, with daughter Laura by his side, worked the street fair with an orange kangaroo puppet. He had a grand time handing out samples of toothpaste and mouthwash to the passing kids. Around the corner, Lewis Finocchio, a business consultant and car enthusiast, stood by his 1929 roadster with daughter Amy. The display car was a true automotive Frankenstein, consisting of a Ford cowl section, a Mustang radiator and steering box, Camaro transistors and tilt steering column, and a Studebaker Avanti step pad. ‘I fabricated everything to make it fit,’ Finocchio said. ‘This engine’s built for a 3,600-pound car. This car weighs 1,400 pounds.’ He added, ‘I let the kids sit in it. It’s not a museum piece. That’s how I got started [being interested in cars] as a little kid.’ Car aficionados found many impressive automobiles to gawk at on Via, from the orange, two-door 1955 Thunderbird and the 1965 Chevy Corvette to the graphite 1967 Jaguar XKE and the aquamarine 1951 Ford Country Squire woody. ‘I’m having a great time,’ said Jon Stokes of Stokes Tire Pros in Santa Monica, who underwrote the Expo’s car show. He helped kids ease into his lime green-and-white LMP3 French Norma M20F formula racing car. Silver sponsor Wells Fargo Bank, recently relocated to 15240 Sunset Boulevard, employed a steady stream of young representatives to greet the public. At the OneWest Bank (formerly First Federal) booth, branch manager Jean Porter (whose dad was a former owner of the town’s longest-running business, Norris Hardware) was handing out reusable grocery bags and other paraphernalia bearing the OneWest logo. This was only fitting since the adjacent table was You Logo Girl, a company devoted to branding merchandise. On the Village Green, the Pacific Palisades Art Association (PPAA) displayed an array of artwork that ranged from Degas-esque portraits to framed photo landscapes and collages. ‘People are just really excited to see how much is available,’ said PPAA’s leader, Annette Alexakis, who had a dozen artists in attendance. Barbara Leibovic, director of the Chabad Palisades’ Little Maccabees program, was guiding youngsters at an arts-and-crafts table, aimed at children ages 2’10, to create forms out of Playfoam and make their own spin-art with paint and glitter. ‘It’s been going great out here today,’ she said. ‘The kids are attracted to every color and texture.’ Geri Amster and Scott Davis of Altour Palisades on 15309 Antioch”an Expo gold sponsor”shared the history of their agency. Formerly Travelmore, which opened its doors in 1967, ‘we joined Altour International in 2005, and it’s been a wonderful company to work for,’ Amster said. Davis added that this was an amazing time to travel, with trips to Australia going for $999 and good deals available on such destinations as New Zealand, Tahiti (via Crystal Cruise) and a two-for-one package to Europe. On a stage at the corner of Antioch and Via, music instructor Patrick Hildebrand provided the Expo’s soundtrack with his Amazing Music band. At one point, he led a collection of students of all ages who have learned to play at his 867 Swarthmore studio, and they jammed on such recognizable hits as ‘Tequila’ and some Beach Boys tunes. Michael Cladis, a one-man-band (joined by one accompanist), entertained the kids with his music at the other end of Antioch. The Chamber, represented by executive director Arnie Wishnick and his associate, Marilyn Crawford, expressed thanks to the Expo’s volunteer committee, co-chaired by Joyce Brunelle of Suntricity, Inc. and Roberta Donohue, publisher of the Palisadian-Post. Expo merchants and participants said that this year’s festival was a successful improvement over last year’s inaugural event. ‘It’s been good for us,’ said OneWest’s Porter. ‘It’s a little better this year’it’s more relaxed,’ noted car buff Finocchio. And Stokes agreed: ‘There are more people this year.’ At press time, it was premature to speculate whether next year’s Expo would include live silverback gorillas and Bengal tigers.

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© Pacific Palisades Post, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272