As temperatures rose last week, so did the smell at the beach as an estimated 9,600 gallons of sewage flowed into the ocean just south of the Will Rogers Lifeguard Headquarters. A citizen notified the Department of Public Health about a sewer smell coming from a storm drain late Tuesday, September 22, although Santa Monica resident Leslie Herwick had noticed the stench two days earlier when she was jogging along the bike path.   ’It was foul and I remember thinking someone would report it and I did not’need to bring it to anyone’s attention,’ Herwick told the Palisadian-Post. ‘That was my mistake and the last time that will happen.’   The health department performed tests Wednesday morning. ‘There was a foul-smelling liquid discharge,’ said Janet Delgado, manager of the Environmental Protection Bureau. ‘We didn’t want to take a chance, so the beach was closed pending verification of the tests.’ A local resident called the Post, and said, ‘I was body surfing and when I came to shore, a lifeguard came up quickly, driving his truck. He said, ‘Man, I saw you in the water with my binoculars. You have to go home right now and take a hot soapy shower, there’s been a sewage spill.’ It’s very disappointing to have this happen in the Palisades.’ As soon as Wednesday’s closure was announced for the one-mile stretch of beach, the Bureau of Sanitation checked the sewer pipes above the bluffs, along Pacific Coast Highway and through the low-flow diversion devices, by running green dye through the system. By evening it had been determined that there wasn’t a leak or a break from any of those sources. On Thursday, the Bureau of Sanitation closed a lane of PCH nearest the bluffs while workers investigated the hillside between Chautauqua and Potrero Canyon beyond the 10-ft.-high block wall. Workers discovered flood drains clogged with plants and standing water. They cleared the grates and notified Caltrans, which oversees the drains.   A transient, who identified himself as Mo, told the Post that a sewer line had been leaking for three to four years above his hillside, but had recently busted. ‘It’s really coming down,’ Mo said. ‘If someone is doing laundry you can see the soapsuds.’ Sanitation workers discovered that an eight-inch sewer pipe that originally connected a house (now demolished) at 15054 Corona Del Mar to the main sewer system had become uncapped. It was sticking out of the hillside and was spewing sewage down into a flood drain along PCH. According to Michelle Vargas, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, a main sewer line that runs under Corona del Mar was partially blocked by a tree root. The lateral sewer line to the empty lot then acted as a siphon. The drain at the base of the hill, to which the sewage flowed, is used solely to prevent flooding on PCH, sending water on the north side of the highway directly into the ocean. Community activist George Wolfberg asked why the sewage spill was not diverted into a low-flow diversion device. Vargas said that runoff along PCH does not go through this system and that the question should be addressed to Caltrans. Judy Gish, spokesperson for Caltrans, was queried about this and responded: ‘The highway drains are designed to keep the highway from flooding, and that’s all they’re designed for; their function is not to catch sewage that comes down from the hillside.’ She added that highways are regularly cleaned and maintained, which is how Caltrans mitigates pollution from vehicles. ‘It is very unusual that wastewater’will flow down the side of the hill,’ Vargas said.”Had that sewer lateral been capped properly, the wastewater backup would have gone through one of our maintenance holes on Corona Del Mar and our crews would have responded there. The wastewater would have then flowed down the hill to our low-flow diversion on Chautauqua.” The beach reopened at noon on Saturday and, according to Vargas, the lateral sewer pipe has been permanently capped.
Temescal Academy Is Under Way
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Eighteen-year-old Jenna Papa was disappointed this spring to learn that the Los Angeles Unified School District wanted to close Temescal High School because of budget constraints. ‘I was getting better grades here than at Palisades Charter High School,’ said Papa, who transferred to the school in March as a junior. ‘The classes are smaller, and I focus better in smaller classes.’ Fortunately for Papa, PaliHi officials decided this summer to take over the school and rename it Temescal Academy. They were able to do so because PaliHi is an independent charter school that receives funding directly from the state. On Tuesday, Papa was enjoying brunch with her classmates at the school, located at 777 Temescal Canyon Rd., just below PaliHi. She is among 43 students at the academy. ‘How exciting it is to bring the school up from no support staff two weeks before school started,’ said Richard Thomas, PaliHi’s new director of instruction, who is overseeing the daily operations, facilities and curriculum at Temescal Academy in addition to managing teachers and overseeing curriculum at PaliHi. The former Temescal High School staff members took positions elsewhere, including Principal Allan Tamshen, who is now working at Mt. Lukens Continuation School in Tujunga. PaliHi hired a teacher coordinator, Lisa Evans; two teachers, Joann Young and Laurel Silver-Valker; and a part-time office assistant, Pacific Palisades resident Ann Powell. The teachers had four days to prepare their classrooms, and ‘they did a phenomenal job,’ Thomas said. LAUSD took away the former school’s textbooks and supplies, so the teachers are using some of PaliHi’s old textbooks and physical education equipment. ‘We’re doing the best we can,’ Thomas said. PaliHi’s Budget and Finance Committee approved an annual operating budget of $372,000 for Temescal Academy with the assumption that the average daily attendance will be 50 students, said Chief Business Officer Greg Wood. The committee will submit its recommendation for approval to the board of directors at its next meeting on October 20. Temescal Academy started the school year with 28 students, and 15 more were transferred from PaliHi on Tuesday. Administrators plan to transition other PaliHi students who are behind on credits within the next few weeks, Wood said.   ’The goal was to have a balanced budget,’ Wood said, noting that he does not expect the school to make a profit or operate at a loss. ‘We did not want to draw from PaliHi’s budget.’   The money budgeted will cover the facilities, supplies and textbooks as well as salaries and benefits. The teachers’ and office assistant’s salaries and benefits total $289,000, Wood said.   PaliHi administrators chose to maintain the academic program as it has historically been run. ‘We didn’t want to change things too much,’ Thomas said of the first semester. The students spend their entire day (7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at Temescal, and the teachers work with them on multiple subjects in one classroom. ‘We are able to customize to the students,’ Young said, noting that students can study at their own pace and move on to the next level in the middle of the semester if they complete their work ahead of time. ‘They don’t have to wait for 35 other students.’   This year, the teachers will provide more classroom lectures and assign projects that span content areas, said Thomas, who worked as an alternative education teacher for 10 years through the San Joaquin County Office of Education. Thomas was assistant principal at Bear Creek High School in Stockton for three years and at Compton Unified School District’s continuation school for six months before joining PaliHi this summer. ‘ As teacher coordinator, Lisa Evans handles discipline, parent communications and daily operations in addition to teaching four classes. Evans, 27, worked as a teacher at Temescal High School for two years before going to Thailand last year to teach science and English to 8th-10th graders at Benchamatheputhit School in Phetchaburi.   When she returned, she wanted to work at Temescal again, so she was glad to hear that PaliHi had taken over the school and was hiring. ‘The connection with the kids brought me back,’ said Evans, who earned her bachelor’s degree in biopsychology from University of Michigan and her teaching credential from San Diego State University. ‘I was interested in the coordinator position because I thought it would be a challenge for me,’ Evans said, noting that she was the administrative designee for Tamshen while working at Temescal. ‘I know I can be successful.’ ‘ Evans’ colleague, Joann Young, brings 37 years of teaching experience to her new position. She spent the past two years at Hawthorne Math and Science Academy, following 26 years at El Segundo High School teaching math, science and special education. Holding degrees from Willamette University, Cal State L.A., and UC Irvine in biology, chemistry, genetics, science instruction and special education, Young hopes to share her passion for the sciences with students. In 1984, she participated in the Teacher in Space program through NASA. She has two grown children, Katherine Dannen, a school psychologist and sign language teacher in Denver, and Cheryl Dannen, a medical insurance specialist in Irvine. The 58-year-old applied for the teaching job at Temescal because ‘it seemed interesting and challenging; I had never worked in a continuation school.’ ‘ The third teacher, Laurel Silver-Valker, joins Temescal Academy from Greenfield High School in Monterey, where she served as special education department chair for two years. The 39-year-old applied to PaliHi because she wanted to take a job closer to her 14-year-old son, Alex, who lives with his father in Irvine. She has an 18-year-old son, Graham, who recently graduated from Greenfield High School. Silver-Valker enjoys working with alternative students and taught in alternative education for the Orange County Department of Education for five years. ‘I understand what their needs are’I think I do a good job teaching them,’ said Silver-Valker, who earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Concordia University in Irvine and a teaching credential in special education from Cal State Fullerton. Palisades Charter High School recently took over Temescal High School and renamed it Temescal Academy. Lisa Evans, Laurel Silver-Valker and Joann Young (left to right) were hired to teach at the new school.
Palisades High’s Annual Giving Campaign Changes Leadership
When Palisades Charter High School’s board of directors hired fundraising consultant Candice Koral in August to oversee the school’s annual giving campaign, the school’s booster club was caught by surprise.   The booster club, which was incorporated in 1965 and has served as the main fundraising group on campus, has historically conducted the annual campaign, which focuses on parents of students currently attending PaliHi.   The club, with 20 to 25 volunteer members who attend regular meetings, raises about $300,000 annually, with about $170,000 coming from the campaign. All the money goes toward school programs, and the club votes on which groups receive funding.   With the hiring of Koral, the annual campaign money will now be given directly to the school, and the board of directors, with input from stakeholders and PaliHi’s Budget and Finance Committee, will decide how it is spent. Parents will be able to direct their donations to broad categories such as the arts, sciences and athletics.   The administration hired Koral, owner of Koral & Company in Century City, because it wants to intensify fundraising efforts to supplement the general fund. The school had to cut about $1.2 million this summer from its $22-million annual budget and dip into the $5.3-million reserve by $500,000 in order to open doors this fall. The board’s goal is to replenish the reserve.   Koral, who has boosted annual giving campaigns at private schools such as Milken Community High School in Brentwood and Turning Point School in Culver City, believes she can raise 10 percent of the operating budget (about $2.2 million) from the annual campaign within the next couple years. According to her contract, she will receive $25,000 for her services and 10 percent of what funds are raised. Koral told the Palisadian-Post that her entire focus will be on the annual giving campaign and not on corporate sponsorships or private/government grants.   The booster club met on September 1 and September 10 regarding the changes and voted to ask the board for the following: ‘The booster club firmly supports the efforts of the school to raise funds by conducting the annual campaign for the school year of 2009-10. In order for the booster club to maintain its traditional levels, the club respectfully requests $170,000 from the Palisades school direct donation campaign for school year 2009-10.’   At a board meeting on September 15, PaliHi Executive Director Amy Dresser-Held presented the board with a proposal to form a foundation to meet the booster club’s request and help the school with its future fundraising efforts.   The school could give part of the annual campaign money to a private entity such as the booster club through a foundation without creating the perception that it is gifting taxpayer money, Dresser-Held told the Post. The foundation would also shield funds raised from potential liability.   Dresser-Held, who sits on the board, recused herself from discussion on the recommendation because she is the daughter-in-law of the booster club’s longtime president Dick Held.   After hearing from stakeholders and discussing the information provided, the board voted not to establish a foundation at this time and directed the school’s administration to research further the foundation concept and make recommendations.   ’I really think we need to take time,’ said board member Vicky Francis. ‘We need a lot more study done before setting up a foundation.’   Board vice chair James Paleno agreed, saying it’s unclear how the foundation would function. He pointed out that a foundation would need bylaws and a board. In addition, there are start-up costs and operating expenses to consider.   Francis asked why the booster club and the school could not host separate campaigns, where they both send letters and call parents asking for money.   Koral responded that ‘it dilutes both entities’ messages. You want to do [fewer requests] and encourage parents to make [their donations] bigger.’   Following the meeting, Dick Held told the Post that he understands the board’s decision.   ’We support the school’s fundraising efforts, especially in these economic times,’ Held said. ‘It’s a little bit of a jolt to us. What it means is we will have to find different ways to fundraise.’   Other than the annual campaign, the club hosts a silent auction and asks for donations through Vons and Ralphs, where people donate to the club through their purchases.   Dorothianne Henne, treasurer of the booster club, is concerned that the club might not be able to fund as many requests from students and teachers this school year. The club has a reserve, but has already received $10,000 worth of requests.   ’Solicitation to the parents was our main source of income,’ Henne said, noting it’s hard to imagine how the club can put together new fundraisers that would compensate for the loss this school year.   Henne believes the booster club provides an invaluable service because it is able to dole out money faster than PaliHi’s Budget and Finance Committee, which requires notice months in advance. Teachers will ask for money to purchase books for that semester, and Henne often writes them a check on the spot.   Gail Wirth, a PaliHi parent and booster club member, said the club is willing to assist Koral with her efforts. Members will share the parent database and help Koral with the letters. Koral said she plans to mail the letters within the next month and will rely on parent volunteers to make phone calls.   Board Chair Rene Rodman told the Post she is grateful to the booster club for supporting the school all these years and is glad the group has offered to aid Koral. ‘In this environment of severe ongoing budget cuts, both Pali’s internal fundraising plan and the ongoing efforts of the booster club will be required to ensure that Pali continues to deliver exceptional programs and services to its students,’ Rodman said.
Daniel Fremont Bearer III, 59; Skateboarding Hall of Famer
Danny Bearer, a pioneer and Hall of Famer in the sport of skateboarding in the mid-1960s, was found dead of heart failure in his Santa Monica apartment on Sunday evening, September 27. He was 59. Son of Patty and Daniel F. Bearer II, Danny was born on January 5, 1950, at Santa Monica Hospital. He attended St. Joan of Arc School for two years, then moved to the Palisades, where he attended Corpus Christi School, Paul Revere Junior High and Palisades High (class of 1968). He attended Santa Monica College, then spent time at both UC Santa Barbara and UCLA. Danny was a perennial all-star in football, basketball and baseball throughout his youth, and was runner-up in the L.A. Recreation and Parks tennis championship at the age of 12. But by the time he reached high school, he was so passionate about surfing and skating that it was bantered about that he ‘majored in surfing’ at PaliHi. At 14, Danny was selected as an original member of the Hobie Surf and Skateboard team when it began in Dana Point. The Hobie Team toured the U.S. in the summer of 1964, staging exhibitions with tricks and stunts in Texas, New York, and all along the eastern seaboard, performing for crowds, many of whom had never seen skateboards before. Danny became the first International Skateboard Champion when he won the initial competition in Anaheim in 1965.’He then achieved the rank of 17th in the world of surfing, competing in local beach contests up and down the California coast into the early ’70s.’He was rewarded for his exploits when he was inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame in Simi Valley. Danny was known for his fluid, flashy style on the old clay wheels that ushered in the sport. His ocean-bleached blonde hair and blue eyes were always a hit with the girls, but his passion was focused on just one: Janet Freeman of Brentwood. From his early high school years, she was the love of his life, and although they never married, they stayed the closest of friends until her passing two years ago. ‘ Danny donated much of his time assisting the homeless and needy in and around Santa Monica. Step Up on Second, a center for people in need, is where he focused his energy and where he would wish to leave his legacy. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Step Up on Second, 1328 Second Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Danny is survived by his mother Patty and stepfather George Burns, both longtime Palisadians; his father, Daniel F. Bearer II of Burns, Oregon; and siblings Wendy Bull of Burns, Oregon, Tim Bearer of Calabasas, and Suzy Pion of Pacific Palisades. His stepbrothers are George Burns, Jr. of Manhattan Beach, Gene Burns of Las Vegas, Steve Burns of Petaluma, and Marty Burns of San Juan Capistrano. His stepsister, Heather Skeen, resides in Encinitas. Family and friends will miss Danny Bearer’s big heart and generous nature.
Gene Newman, 91; Veteran Airline Pilot
Gene J. Newman, a veteran pilot, flight instructor and former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died at his son’s home in Madera, California, on September 20. He was 91. Born to Stanley and Florence Newman on July 27, 1918, in Winona, Minnesota, Gene attended a Catholic high school, excelling in academics, drama and sports. He took flying lessons from Max Conrad through the federal government’s Civilian Pilot Training Program. After graduating from St. Mary’s College in June 1940, Gene became licensed as a commercial pilot and flight instructor and was hired to manage Max’s airport and flying school in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Late in 1941, after the airport burned down, Gene, with his college sweetheart and new bride, Betty Borzyskowski, moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, to teach acrobatics in a Waco UPF-7 biplane. On his days off, Gene worked on instrument flying and, in 1942, was hired by Continental Airlines to fly in the U.S. Army Cargo Division. In 1943, Gene began instructing Air Force lieutenants in CD-3s. Two years later he became a captain flying Lockeed Lodestars. Over the next 14 years he flew numerous aircraft out of El Paso, Texas. In 1959, Gene moved to Pacific Palisades to fly Boeing 707’s. From 1964 to 1970 he flew 110 military missions to Saigon, Vietnam, carrying troops and munitions. In 1970 he began flying Boeing 747s and DC10s between Los Angeles and Hawaii. When he retired in 1978, he had flown 37,500 miles. After retiring, Gene began a second career as a corporate pilot and Angel Flight pilot and instructor for more than 11 years. Gene was an accomplished softball player in high school and college and continued as a semi-pro pitcher until 1942. He took up the game again in El Paso, playing from 1949 until 1959, and in 1986 he was inducted into the El Paso Softball Hall of Fame. Throughout the years, Gene was a devout Catholic and family man. He also enjoyed fishing, bird hunting, gardening, playing cards and working on his computer. After the death of his first wife, loneliness set in until he was reacquainted with the widow of his copilot from Vietnam days. He discovered love once again and enjoyed eight years with Erma Janczarek Newman. They married and lived in Westlake Village, playing cards, taking cruises and attending many plays and musical performances. They especially loved to visit their children and grandchildren. After moving to Madera in 2007, Gene spent time playing poker and bridge and visiting with friends at Cedar Creek Retirement Community. He will always be remembered and loved as both a gentleman and a gentle man. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty; his second wife, Erma; and his brother, Paul Newman. He is survived by his daughter Susan Cee of Rapid City, South Dakota; his son, Eugene J. Newman, Jr. (wife Christine) of Madera; five grandchildren; and six great- grandchildren. A Mass was held at St. Joachim Church in Madera on September 24. Memorial donations may be sent to St. Joachim’s School Scholarship Fund, 310 N. ‘I’ Street, Madera, Ca. 93637. Condolence messages may be left at www.jaychapel.com.
Barry Levine, 64; Realtor, Entrepreneur, Family Man
Barry Levine, a 27-year resident of Pacific Palisades, died on September 27. He was 64. Born in Boston on June 13, 1945, Barry quickly developed a magnetic personality. He was the most committed and generous son and brother, and he played a major role in raising his little sister. After moving to California in 1979, Barry established Barry’s Deli in Marina del Rey. Three years later he moved to Pacific Palisades and started a career in real estate. He was also an entrepreneur, starting and selling several businesses in his lifetime. Barry was a loving husband and devoted father and brother. He coached his kids’ AYSO soccer teams, encouraged them in their academic studies and guided them in life. While his home was in Southern California, Barry never forgot his Boston roots and was thrilled in recent years to cheer on the city’s successful sports franchises’the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox. An enthusiastic man who was full of personality, whether in his working life or his personal time, Barry was motivated by one thing: the family he loved and who loved him. His family was his life. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Corey; his daughters Julie Beiser (husband Jonathan), Jaclyn, Jennifer, Jessica and Jamie; his son Jeremy; two grandchildren; his sister Ronna (husband Edward); and his nephew, David Fisher. Private services will be Friday at Mount Sinai in Hollywood.
More Than Just Horseplay
Polo Season Ends Sunday with Annual Chamber of Commerce Tournament
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
It is often referred to as the ‘Sport of Kings,’ the most ancient of games with a stick and ball that dates back to Persia more than 2,500 years ago. We know it as polo, and although the modern version is attributed to the British, it can be traced to Manipur, India, where it was called Pulu (ball). The only polo field left in Los Angeles is at Will Rogers State Historic Park. ‘Winston Churchill once said that a polo handicap is your passport to the world,’ said Felice Densa, general manager and executive director of the Will Rogers Polo Club, where the Hector Sustaita Memorial Tournament was held for the seventh time last weekend. ‘Everyone brings their own horses. They’re very expensive and extremely well-trained.’ Tournament play began back in May and last weekend’s event was named after the prominent heart surgeon who suffered a fatal heart attack while playing polo at Will Rogers in 2002. Most of his family, including his widow Clara and daughter Marina, attended. Densa, who began playing here in the early 1980s, retired two years ago. She has managed the Club for the past six years. Prior to that she served as its game coordinator. Started in 1953 by the legendary C.D. LeBlanc, Will Rogers is the 13th oldest polo club in the United States and hosts charity matches, fundraisers and private functions. It received 501(c)(3) classification last year. Polo matches consist of four to six chukkers (quarters), each seven-and-a- half minutes long. Regulation fields are 300 yards long by 160 yards wide (Will Rogers is slightly shorter and narrower) and have goal posts at either end, through which the ball must be hit (either on the ground or in the air) to score a goal. ‘A guy told me that polo is the most fun you can have with your clothes on’and he was right,’ said Lesa Slaughter, who played in Sunday morning’s practice match. ‘In this sport, women can play alongside men because the horse is the big equalizer. It’s not necessarily brute force. Part of it is horsemanship, part of it is the horse. A slow person on a fast horse can still win.’ Slaughter, who lives in Woodland Hills, used to be a Hunter jumper but has been playing polo for over eight years, ever since graduating from law school. ‘Once I tried it I was hooked,’ she said. ‘It’s fast, exhilarating, and the best thing is that you are part of a team. The positions are interchangeable and constantly overlapping.’ Teams consist of four players, designated by numbers. No. 1 is an offensive player, No. 2 is the offensive midfielder, No. 3 is the pivot (both offense and defense, typically the highest-rated player) and No. 4 is the defensive back. Each player is expected to mark his or her numerical opposite. So a No. 1 guards the other team’s No. 1, a No. 2 guards the other team’s No. 2 and so forth. One of Will Rogers’ best resident pros is Ernie Darquea, who not only plays but manages many of the players’ horses, which are transported by trailer from the San Fernando Valley or Moorpark to Will Rogers for games. Horses, like people, need years of practice. ‘You can start them at three years old getting used to the mallet and riding in traffic,’ said Darquea, who lives in Lake View Terrace. ‘Horses don’t like other horses coming at them. They don’t like bumping into each other. They’re used to a certain pecking order in a herd, and it can take a few years for them to get over those instincts.’ Training consists of trotting a horse for half an hour every day and riding it once or twice a week. Horses are replaced after every chukker, although some have enough stamina to last two. Darquea likened the rules of polo to those of driving: ‘The idea is to prevent collisions. Whoever has the right of way has the advantage and right of way is determined by the line of the ball. You can’t cut another rider off or come at them head-on or else it’s a foul.’ Players’ equipment includes helmets, gloves, leg guards, goggles (optional) and, of course, mallets, which range in length from 49 to 54 inches depending on a horse’s height. Like their riders, horses wear protective gear during games’mainly bandages or boots and tendon guards to protect their legs. Manes are shaved and tails are tied or ‘braided’ so mallets won’t get caught in them when swung. ‘It usually takes five to 10 minutes to get a horse ready,’ Darquea said while using tape to braid 12-year-old Dexter, an Argentine thoroughbred he bred and raised himself. Serving as referee for Sunday’s final was Will Rogers’ own Ardeshir Radpour, former captain of the USC men’s polo team and head coach since 2000. Before that, he spent five years in the uniform of Tommy Trojan, galloping Traveler (the team mascot) up and down the sidelines after every USC touchdown. Radpour played in Sunday’s consolation game, leading Malibu to victory over Beverly Hills. Atop the clubhouse roof calling the play-by-play action for all three matches, as he has for 15 years now, was sports announcer Al Epstein, who confessed he had next to no knowledge of the sport prior to landing the gig at Will Rogers: ‘I had a Ralph Lauren shirt in my closet’that’s about all I knew. When I showed up, I didn’t have a roster. I didn’t have anything. I just started describing the action, and I guess they liked me because I was hired.’ Epstein is also the official timekeeper (he keeps a digital clock next to the microphone) and scorekeeper, hanging hand-painted wooden tiles on a makeshift scoreboard whenever a goal is scored. Will Rogers Polo Club President Andrew Bossum rode for Beverly Hills in the consolation game and showed why he is a rated player. He has been playing at Will Rogers since 1992 and has ridden horses since the age of 4. ‘Our main objective is to raise money for charities, so I help organize that and try to attract players here,’ said Bossum, who lives in Bette Davis’ old house in Burbank, near the L.A. Equestrian Center. ‘It’s been a lot of fun, and the best part is, I still get to play.’ Hard at work in the saddling area below the field last Sunday was Manny Ramos, who watered down the horses to keep them cool on a hot afternoon. One of the mounts under his care was Bossum’s 10-year-old mare Mistress, who won several awards as best polo pony this summer at Will Rogers. The championship match pitted Darquea’s green-clad Santa Monica four against blue-attired Palisades, captained by another of Will Rogers’ highest-rated pros, Domingo Questel. Momentum swung back and fourth until Darquea scored in the waning seconds to tie the score. After Darquea and Questel traded goals in the shootout, Chuck Stanislawski made the decisive penalty shot from 40 yards out to win the game for Santa Monica. The 2009 season concludes this Sunday with the 17th annual Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce tournament. The consolation match starts at 10 a.m., followed by the championship match at noon. It is free to the public (except for a $12 parking fee) and Densa expects a good turnout. ‘Watching up close, you really appreciate the beauty and athleticism of the horses,’ she said. ‘They learn just like we do and the more they do it the better they get at stopping, starting, accelerating and turning. It’s a very exciting sport to watch and an even more exciting sport to play.’
Neenan Ushers in 25 Years at St. Matthew’s
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
When Music Director/Conductor Tom Neenan plans a new season of concerts for the Chamber Music Orchestra at St. Matthew’s, there are many considerations beyond choosing from the wealth of music written for chamber orchestras. Were that the only consideration, Neenan would be facing an embarrassment of riches. But he has to keep an eye on the budget, listen to his audiences’ preferences and provide continuing challenges for his musicians. The 2009-10 season, which opens with music by Mozart, Haydn and Honegger on Friday, October 9, exhibits Neenan’s masterful creativity in producing a series that meets these myriad requirements. ‘In May or June, I sit down with my concert master Yi-Huan Zhao and our contractor Patricia Massey, who is also principal clarinetist, to talk about the season coming up,’ Neenan says. ‘We consider personnel and music we may want to substitute for what I have planned.’ The orchestra, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season, is made up of professional musicians, many of whom have been together for 20 years. Neenan formed the orchestra in 1984 with his wife, Robin, who is the principal cellist, and composer/musician Maria Newman. ‘Part of it is pure budgeting. I have to figure out how many concerts we can afford with the full orchestra that feature most of the players. We typically have an opening piece, a concerto and a longer piece. ‘This year it was obvious to us that we would have a couple of full orchestra concerts but more programs that feature smaller ensembles.’ Neenan felt encouraged with this idea after having a conversation with St. Matthew’s Music Guild President Fred Doering. ‘We talked about doing music with choir, organ or small brass and string groups,’ Neenan says. Three programs from this year’s series will offer ensembles featuring a range of music, from Beethoven’s ‘Serenade for String Trio’ to Judith Weir’s 1984 ‘The Bagpiper’s Trio.’ Following the tradition of including guest artists and ensembles, the Catgut Trio will perform with violinist Zhao in February, and the Concord Ensemble returns in April for a program of polychoral masterpieces by Monteverdi and Gabrieli, plus music by Stravinsky and P’rt. Unlike past years, this season will lack a commissioned work, reflecting the uncertain economy. But Neenan enjoys the trust that both the players and audience have in him. ‘The orchestra expects me to give them music that is interesting to play rather than the same old music. I have developed a trust with the members of the orchestra that they’ll delve into it and embrace it and perform it really well even if it’s new and requires more work.’ Neenan is particularly pleased with the concert scheduled for March 26, co-sponsored by Villa Aurora. The program is built around music using 13 musicians rather than the full 35-member chamber orchestra and features three composers: Hanns Eisler, Aaron Copland and Arnold Schoenberg. Eisler, a German ‘migr’, was the first of Schoenberg’s disciples, whose music became more popular in style with influences from jazz and cabaret. His collaborations with Bertolt Brecht included music for the playwright’s works as well as protest songs. After fleeing Germany in 1933, Eisler sought refuge in the United States, moving to Los Angeles, where he composed several Hollywood film scores. The Eisler’s piece will be a collection of several brief cantatas for solo voice and chamber ensemble. They include pieces about subjects as varied as white bread, the Sputnik, and impressions upon seeing a religious painting. It uses 13 players, which matches the instrumentation Copland used in the original ‘Applachian Spring,’ and Schoenberg’s ‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Fawn,’ also arranged for a small ensemble The Holiday concert on December 4 will bring a joyous crescendo to the year’s end, featuring brass and string ensembles from the orchestra, the Choir of St. Matthew’s Parish and organist Roger Daggy playing solo music by Mozart, Schubert and Liszt. A special evening with pianist Andrew von Oeyen in recital is planned for November 13. Von Oeyen, who grew up in Malibu, first performed at St. Matthew’s when he was just 15. Since then he has established a reputation as a soloist and chamber musician. During the 2009-10 season, he will tour Japan with the Berliner Symphoniker Orchestra and violinist Sarah Chang. His program at St. Matthew’s will feature Mozart, Schubert and Liszt. Looking over his career with the chamber orchestra, Neenan is proud of the growth in both subscriptions and the budget, and the orchestra’s standing in the community. ‘People in L.A. know about us,’ he says. ‘Our reputation for interesting programs is well known; I get frequent requests from composers to debut their work.’ Even with a 30-percent drop in subscription income, Neenan says the community rallied and contributed to a special fundraiser allowing for the 2008-09 season to include eight programs, ‘with a little bit of editing.’ This year’s series will comprise seven concerts. ‘A lot of people have been supporting this orchestra from the beginning,’ Neenan says. ‘I tell our audience how impressed I am with them because they come. Last June, we premiered Tarik O’ Regan’s ‘The Eyes of the Stars,’ based on the poem of the same name by Anglo-Irish poet Edward Thomas. Although it was new to the audience, they loved it because they have developed a level of trust with me and the orchestra.’ o o o The Music at St. Matthew’s season begins on October 9 at 8 p.m. at St. Matthew’s, 1031 Bienvenida. Four long-time principal wind players (Phil Feather, oboe; Patricia Massey, clarinet; David Sarachene, bassoon; and Teag Reeves, horn) will be featured in Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Winds. Swiss composer Arthur Honegger’s Pastorale d”t’ and Haydn’s valedictory Symphony No. 104 (‘London’) will also be presented. For series information, call 310-573-7787, ext. 127 or visit stmatthews.com/musicguild. Individual tickets are $35 at the door.
Pathologist Talks on Garden Pests
Dr. Jerry Turney, plant pathologist for L. A. County, will address members and guests of the Palisades Garden Club on Monday, October 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford Ave. With the continuing problem of Citrus disease, Turney will discuss the history and current status of the major citrus diseases in the state, Other blights he has studied include the oleander leaf scorch, which is caused by the glassy-winged sharpshooter, and is fatal. He may even talk about the causes of the disappointing tomato crop this hit locally and nationwide. The fungus started in nurseries in the South, where the plants were sprouted before being shipped and sold at nurseries across the country. Turney received his B. S. degree in botany from Cal Poly and his Ph.D. in plant pathology from the UC Riverside. He has served as the curator of the camellia gardens at the Huntington Library and Botanic Gardens, a research horticulturist at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, and is currently the plant pathologist for the Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures for the County of Los Angeles. In addition, Turney was formerly a licensed landscape contractor, and is currently a licensed agricultural pest control advisor and an ISA certified arborist. His primary fields of expertise are plant pathology, mycology and arboriculture. Born in Redlands, Turney currently lives in South Pasadena. His leisure time interests include basketball, fly fishing, canoeing and backpacking.
Neighborhood Chef Steve Mindel to Sign Book Oct. 4
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Attorney Steve Mindel is a managing partner at Fienberg, Mindel, Brandt & Klein. He mentors USC law school graduates, sits on the advisory board for a family law legal clinic, is a past co-president of University Synagogue, has earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has refereed for AYSO Region 69. But to his Pacific Palisades neighbors, he is known as the king of the kitchen, the ‘Grenola loop’ chef. (The streets off Las Cases south of Sunset constitute the loop.) Every year his family hosts five to six large dinner parties and Mindel does the cooking. Mindel, with the help of wife Nancy and sons Sam, 16, and Jake 13, has just published his first book, ‘Cooking for Our Friends.’ He will sign and talk about his book at Village Books on October 4. He also promises to bring some of the appetizers he discusses in his book from 4 to 6 p.m. ‘About 10 years ago, Sam and I decided that we should have a family cookbook and document all our family recipes so we wouldn’t lose them,’ said Mindel, who started storing the dinner menus and recipes from different parties, which ranged from 30 to 300 people. At those events, Mindel masterminded and cooked everything from appetizers and salads to main courses and desserts. As Mindel pondered what to do for his 50th birthday, Sam suggested putting together a cookbook that could be given to guests at the party. Mindel agreed and pulled the family in. His sons took photos and arranged them on the page and his wife served as copy editor. ‘The cookbook was a good idea because it drew us even closer to each other by having us recall all of the joyous times we have had in the kitchen together,’ Jake said. ‘I took some of the photographs, helped make the food look appetizing for the photographs and assisted in the cooking. The difficult part was putting the finishing touches on the book.’ The first half of the book lists the party and the menu, and on the opposing page, photos of the event are shown, including holidays such as Thanksgiving, Passover, Hanukkah, New Year’s and Fourth of July. There are also celebratory dinners for his law firm, the University Synagogue Pillar Dinner, and a fundraiser for John Kerry, where Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sampled Mindel’s barbecued tri-tip roast, penne rigate with a pesto sauce, barbecued sausage and grilled vegetables. For that party Mindel, planned and cooked for 300 people, and, for his sons’ bar mitzvahs, he cooked for 200. The second part of the book contains the recipes along with photos of what the food should look like as its being prepared. ‘It’s how guys cook,’ Mindel said. ‘It’s more like a shop manual, with lots of pictures and few words, because that’s how we do it. Here’s the meat, here’s what it looks like after it’s browned.’ The section also provides tips such as having barbecued ribs sit in the refrigerator overnight, covered with a dry rub, before cooking and how to reheat food before serving it. Mindel guesses he has been cooking since he was seven or eight, following an accident in which his mother fractured her back. ‘She was the executive chef, I was the sous chef,’ said Mindel, who grew up in Fowler, California. Mindel continued cooking until he left home at 18 to attend UCLA. In college and during law school, he loved to cook for friends and neighbors. Mindel is already planning his second book about the nitty-gritty of cooking for a big party, including how to figure preparation time, the quantities to order and prepare, and how much staff you’ll need. ‘My ultimate goal is to self-publish three cookbooks and then take it to a publisher for a wider distribution,’ Mindel said.
