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Simon’s “Lost” Finds Pierson

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Revival Gets the Theatre Palisades Treatment

‘Lost in Yonkers’ debuted on Broadway in 1991 when Neil Simon was at the height of his powers as America’s premier playwright. A movie adaptation by Martha Coolidge, starring Mercedes Ruehl and Richard Dreyfuss, quickly followed. Directed by Sherman Wayne and produced by Martha Hunter and Pat Perkins, Theatre Palisades’ production of ‘Yonkers’ proves, if anything, that the Simon play is worth reviving. This local version opened Friday night. Set during World War II, ‘Yonkers” premise is simple: teen brothers Jay (Jason Lockhart) and Arty (Joel Rosenthal) are shipped out (very reluctantly) to live for 10 months with their batty relatives when dad Eddie Kurnitz (John Clement) must take out-of-state work to raise $9,000, which he owes to loan sharks who will surely kill him if he does not repay. Eddie, as it turns out, was in a pinch”the money he had borrowed for a failed attempt to save the life of Jay and Arty’s sick mother. ‘Right now, I’d go into debt again just to eat an onion roll,’ says a homesick Eddie as he travels through the Deep South to raise the $9,000 by selling scrap iron to factories. Unfortunately for Jay and Arty, their fate is ostensibly worse than Eddie’s as they must shack up with their intimidating Grandma Kurnitz (Marilyn Berney) and her loyal daughter, the daffy Aunt Bella (Rebecca Silberman), who is 35 and suffers from arrested development due to a childhood bout with Scarlet Fever. Also in the picture is Bella’s anxiety-ridden sister Gert (Chrissy Cawley). ‘We have to stay here to save Pop’s life!’ Jay rationalizes regarding his Yonkers hell. Living with Grandma Kurnitz is no picnic for anyone. ‘Her eyes were like two district attorneys,’ says Kurnitz’s other son, the shady Uncle Louie (Brian Robert Harris), as he describes the one person more terrifying than any of the underworld characters he’s become mixed up with. ‘He’s amazing,’ Arty exclaims as he observes Uncle Louie’s theatrics. ‘It’s like having a James Cagney movie in your house!’ Even though this play won the Pulitzer Prize, ‘Lost in Yonkers’ is comfort-food Simon”a quasi-autobiographical work on a par with ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs,’ ‘Biloxi Blues’ and ‘Broadway Bound.’ His ‘Yonkers’ is a bowl of chicken soup for the soul. With a funny bone floating in it. Even though you may not choke yourself laughing on it, this concoction will certainly warm you up. While Lockhart solidly carries the bulk of the play as the elder brother, Rosenthal, the youngest actor, appears green in places, struggling to maintain his New York accent. But the sold-out opening-night crowd clearly adored both young men. Berney as callous Grandma Kurnitz, and Clement and Harris, as the weak, well-intentioned single father and the ridiculous mug, respectively, deliver the stand-out performances. Silberman also does a nice turn as the ditzy Bella, and Cawley mines laughs from the play’s smallest, least fleshed-out role. In Act Two, the dramatic subtext at the play’s core rises to the surface, and that’s when Silberman shines most, as we witness Grandma Kurnitz’s long-obedient golem Bella rage against her colder-than-clay creator. We also learn how the horrors of the Old Country have hardened Grandma. This point of the play is where all of the character development pays off effectively. Costume designer June Lissandrello and Wayne’s set design effectively steeps the visuals in the Forties. The props team makes one minor misstep: surely they could have done some dollar-bin diving for an older, more authentic-looking period comic book for Arty to read. For variety’s sake, one wonders whether Theatre Palisades should have staged this play hot on the heels of another dysfunctional immigrant-family comedy, ‘You Can’t Take It With You?’ Both ensemble pieces are set during a world war and feature a household of eccentric ethnic characters. At the ‘Yonkers’ wrap party, Wayne informed the Palisadian-Post that the production company had no choice but to move up ‘Yonkers’ in the season’s schedule to fill a hole after the rights to stage ‘Don’t Dress for Dinner’ evaporated following the success of Marc Camoletti’s other hit revival, ‘Boeing Boeing.’ Less farcical than ‘You Can’t Take it With You,’ ‘Lost in Yonkers’ provides stronger material for the actors to chew on. Courtesy of Theatre Palisades, family feuds are back: somebody notify Richard Dawson! ‘Lost in Yonkers’ runs weekends through February 15 at the Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Fridays and Sundays, $16, adults; seniors and students, $14; Saturdays”Adults, $18; seniors and students, $16. Tickets: (310) 454-1970; or visit www.TheatrePalisades.org.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 15, 2009

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FURNISHED HOMES 2

PICTURE PERFECT LEASE, Huntington Palisades. Beautifully decorated 3 bd, 3 ba, LR w/ FP, FR w/ FP, FDR, den, lovely garden, pool. Furn or unfurn at $14,500/mo. Contact Dolly Neimann, (310) 230-3706

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

$4,250/MO. 3 BDRM, 2 bath+den house with fpl & white picket fence, close to village, hardwood floors, newer appliances, garage, lovely garden with paid gardener. Pets welcome. (310) 454-9840

RANCH STYLE 2 bd, 1 ba w/ oak floors, formal DR, lg LR, w/ wood frpl., Kit w/ deck. Brick patio. Hk-ups, gardener included. Huge fenced property allows rec veh parking. $3,600/mo. (310) 454-1575

EL MEDIO BLUFFS, Quiet studio guest house with full bath & walk-in closet. Separate entrance, mountain views, no smoking, no pets, ktchnt, H/AC included. $1,500/mo. Call (310) 230-1921

MARQUEZ: 3 BR+2 BA, great room w/ open beamed ceiling, Country kitchen & designer baths, new AC, patios & Zen Garden for entertaining. $5,250/mo. (310) 502-3665

RUSTIC CANYON CRAFTSMAN CHARMER with 3 bd, 3.5 ba, great room with river rock FP, & cathedral ceilings. Huge porch & large yard. $7,000/mo. Call Dolly at (310) 230-3706

ALPHABET STREET HOUSE, walk to village: 2 bd, 1 ba, LR w/wood frpl, formal DR, kit w/ bkfast area, den opens on patio and garden; gardener incl. No dogs. $3,500/mo. (818) 458-0712

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

BEAUTIFUL 2 BD + 2 BA * $2,695/mo. Small pet ok with deposit. Quiet building, new carpet, marble floors, crown molding, gas fireplace & appliances. Walk to village and beach. With 1 month free rent. Call (310) 454-2024

LARGE 1 BDRM, 1ST FLOOR, pool, Sunset & Temescal, small bldg, patio, quiet back unit, 2 car parking spot/tandem. Walk to beach & Village. Call (310) 999-4425

UNFURNISHED APT. $3,600/MO. Unique find in Mediterranean triplex. Large upper unit, 2 bd + bonus room, 1 bath. Plantation shutters, fireplace, ceiling fan, balcony, garden, garage, light & airy. 1 yr lease. No pets, N/S. (310) 804-3142

HOLYOKE BLUFFS: Newly redone large studio. Top-of-the-line full kitchen w/ granite & stainless appls. Full bath. Design décor. Charming patio, separate entrance. Tranquil location. Laundry facilities, utilities, HD cable included. Unique setting. Single occupant. No pets. Refs. 6 mo. Lease. $1,890/mo. w/ dep. (310) 454-3806

CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

GEM IN THE PALISADES, 2 bdrm, 2½ ba, townhouse, hdwd, tile, new carpet. Large roof deck, W/D, dishwasher. Parking. $3,500/mo. (310) 392-1757

MALIBU, 2 BDRM, 1½, BA, two story, two car parking, security. Across from the Colony. Views, pool, tennis court, great shopping & beach. $2,500/mo. (310) 589-9195 x205

3 BD, 2½ BA PALI HIGHLANDS TOWNHOUSE. Private two car garage, patio w/ French doors, dining room w/ wet bar, kitchen w/ granite, utility room & powder room. Second floor w/ large master suite, 2 addl. bedrooms share full bath. $3,777/mo. (310) 889-8998

COMPLETELY REMODELED 2 BD, 2 BA CONDO IN THE PALISADES VILLAGE. Laundry inside. Easy access to unit with secure parking. Also available furnished. $2,750/mo. (310) 454-6058

ONE BLOCK TO BEACH • 1 bdrm, 1½ ba condo overlooking Los Liones State Park, surrounded by hiking trails, pool, retreat ambience. $2,300/mo. (310) 420-1028

AMAZING OCEAN VIEWS, designer interior. 2 br+2 ba condo. ½ block to beach. 5 min to Santa Monica. All new granite, marble, hrdwd flrs, cabinets, appls, high ceils, large deck, huge closets. W/D in condo. Ocean view patio. Garage. 1,200 sq. ft. $4,200/mo. (310) 702-1154. www.MalibuCoastline.com

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

STUDIO KITCHENETTE, FULL BATH, private entrance, private home. Walk to village, utilities included. $1,050/mo. 6 month lease. (310) 454-3883

WANTED TO RENT 3b

LOCAL EMPLOYED male seeks guesthouse. Quiet, local references. Non-smoker, no pets. Call Palisadian-Post, (310) 454-1321

SUMMER RENTAL WANTED. Family of 5 looking for home/condo Jul 3-Aug 1. Excellent local references. Contact bsjanes@grandecom.net or (210) 861-3967

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PALISADES OFFICE SUITES AVAILABLE in the heart of the Village including: 1) Last remaining single office suite at $1,600 per month and 2) Office suites ranging in size from 1,015 sf to 3,235 sf, all with large windows with great natural light. Amazing views of the Santa Monica mountains, private balconies and restrooms. Building amenities include high speed T1 internet access, elevator and secured, underground parking. Call Brett at (310) 591-8789 or email brett@hp-cap.com

LARGE 378 SQ. FT. WINDOW OFFICE on Sunset in Pacific Palisades Village. $1,750/mo. Call (310) 600-3603 or (310) 454-0840

OFFICES FOR SUBLEASE. Large & small offices, 400-1,800 sf. Available short term. 881 Alma Real Dr. $800-$3,600/mo. (310) 459-8700

PROFESSIONAL BUILDING in Pacific Palisades village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available. Lease hold improvement allowance. 850 square feet conveniently located in the village. Please call Ness, (310) 230-6712 x105, for more details.

OFFICE SUBLEASE OPPORTUNITY ACROSS FROM PACIFIC OCEAN. Four offices available in Pacific Palisades, at corner of Sunset and PCH, fabulous ocean views. Includes telephone system, internet access & utilities. Lease terms negotiable. Call Angela at (310) 566-1888

CHARMING CONSULTING OR THERAPY OFFICE. Airport internet and fax. Available by the hour. References required. Call (310) 455-8623

VACATION RENTALS 3e

MAMMOTH: 3 BDRM, 2½ BA, TOWNHOUSE. 2 car garage, walk to Eagle Lifts, hot tub, swimming pool, located on Sierra Star Golf Course. (310) 230-4104

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

CALLING ALL ENTREPRENEURS! Billion dollar rock solid company creates a millionaire every 10 days. Make 2009 the year of the “Upturn,” not the downturn in your financial life. Call (310) 795-1515

LOST & FOUND 6a

FOUND: YOUNG CAT gray & white back, solid white stomach & legs. Front paws de-clawed. Corner of Charm Acres & Via de la Paz. Friendly. Needs home. Call Jackie, (310) 454-4270

PERSONALS 6b

VERY ATTRACTIVE EUROPEAN MALE, aspiring Southern California real estate investor. Blond, hazel eyes, 29 years, 6’4”, 190 lbs. Speaks 3 languages, well traveled. Seeking above average, well-to-do female professional, age open, who prefers to be treated like a lady and enjoys the finer things in life. Casual, short term, or possible long term relationship. Call Pete, (310) 775-0443 • www.europete.com

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

Quickbooks Gathering of Data for 2008 to prepare for your visit to your CPA. Also bill paying, bank statements reconciliations, business or personal full-charge bookkeeping, property, staff and nursing care management/scheduling are available in the Palisades. Call Shirley at (310) 570-6085

BOOKKEEPING & FINANCE services: prepare for taxes, pay bills, reconcile accounts, financial analysis/ planning/budgeting/counseling. Computer expertise. Caring & thorough. (310) 218-6653, (310) 459-2066

QUICKBOOKS FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS. Set-up, Data Entry, Reporting, Tax Preparation. 10 Years of Experience and Flexible Hours. Palisades Resident. Doris, (310) 913-2753

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 * SET-UP, TUTORING, REPAIR, INTERNET. Problem-Free Computing, Guaranteed. Satisfying Clients Since 1992 • If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! COMPUTER WORKS! 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/

Are Your Children Protected From Harmful Websites? • Parental Control Software • Virus Removal • Data Backup • File Recovery • Internet Training • Speed up your slow computer • (310) 433-4099 • www.pcrescuela.com • WE COME TO YOU!

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 • Garage Sale Specialist • (310) 454-0359 • bmdawson@verizon.net • www.bmdawson.com • Furniture • Antiques • Collectibles • Junque • Reliable professionals • Local References

ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h

A SENSE OF ORDER ORGANIZING. Professional organization & coaching. Every area of your life & home. 16 yrs. exper, exclnt refs. Free consultation. Deva Taffel, Psy.D. (818) 787-4488

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

NANNY, MATURE RUSSIAN LADY. 13 years local experience looking for nanny job, 3 days a week (Mon., Wed., Fri.). I can provide excellent references. Call Nadia, (323) 599-7677

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

MY FABULOUS NANNY HOUSEKEEPER. 18 years same family. Looking for work in Palisades. US citizen. English-speaking. Drives. Great with babies and kids. Trustworthy. Loving. Call Vonnie, (310) 617-2644, or Rosa, (310) 617-2643

DOMESTIC AGENCIES 9

VIP NANNY AGENCY • “Providing very important people with the very best nanny.” • Baby Nurses • Birthing Coaches • Housekeepers. (818) 907-1017, (310) 614-3646

HOUSEKEEPERS 9a

“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.” 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. Call Bertha, (323) 754-6873 & cell (213) 393-1419

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER/ELDER CARE, day or night, available Monday-Sunday. Own transportation, excellent ref’s. Call Maria, (310) 948-9637

HOUSEKEEPING AVAILABLE FOR 1 DAY OR 5 DAYS of the week. I have good refs. Own transportation w/ valid driver’s license. For more info, call (310) 673-8758. Ask for Maria.

HOUSE & APT CLEANER! Speaks English & Spanish. Very good references. 25 years experience in Pacific Palisades. Available Mon., Thurs. & Sat. Call Maria Sylvia, (h) (310) 391-7424, (c) (310) 804-3248

EXCELLENT HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER. Available Mon.-Sat. Good refs. Own transportation. Over 19 yrs exper in Malibu & Beverly Hills. Speaks English. Call Yolanda, (h) (323) 731-6114, (c) (323) 580-2859

WONDERFUL HOUSEKEEPER looking for employment. Full time, part time or per day. Excellent experience and refs. Honest & responsible. Call Aleida anytime, (310) 597-9326 or (323) 608-8483

HOUSE CLEANING. Homes, Apartments, Offices. One time • Weekly • Monthly • Vacancies. Own transportation • Good refs. 25 yrs exper. Rebeca Acosta, (818) 633-3630

PALISADES HOUSEKEEPER W/ 15 yrs experience! Excellent references. Honest & dependable. Legal resident. Child & pet care also. Avail Tues, Thurs, & Sun. Carmen, (323) 460-6473 or (213) 618-9671

HOUSEKEEPER AND NANNY!! Good references and great experience. Available Monday-Friday. Honest & reliable. Live out. Please call Karina, (323) 919-2244

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTING. Monday-Friday. Own transportation. Excellent experience and references. Call anytime, (818) 982-1283

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

GOOD COMPANY Senior Care. A premiere private duty home care agency. Provides in-home care and companionship to help people remain independent and happy at home. If you are a caring individual who would like to join our team, please call (323) 932-8700. joni@goodcopros.com

GARDENING/LANDSCAPING 11

PALISADES GARDENING • Full Gardening Service • Sprinkler Install • Tree Trim • Sodding • Sprays, non-toxic • FREE PLANT • Cell, (310) 701-1613, (310) 568-0989

GOT ROSES—FRUIT TREES? Now is the time to prune and treat! 100% organic—Invisible Gardener. (310) 457-4438 • organicdatabank.info

HEALTH & BEAUTY CARE 12a

SINUS PROBLEMS? HARD OF HEARING? Neck & shoulder tension? Treatment seen on CBS, NBC. New customers only: $125 treatment for $75. For information & appointments call (310) 455-8623

WINDOW WASHING 13h

THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Detailed interior/exterior glass & screen cleaning. High ladder work. 10% new customer discount. Next day service available. Free estimates. Licensed & bonded. (310) 926-7626

CATERING 14

HOLIDAY EVENT PLANNER & CULINARY STUDENT. Le Cordon Bleu student and event planner to help with your holiday prep, cooking, serving, menus & all event details. 10+ years experience. $40/hr. Please call Danielle, (310) 691-0578. daniellesamendez@gmail.com

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

PRIVATE DOG WALKER/runner/housesitter, Palisades & Santa Monica. S.M. Canyon resident. Please call or email Sherry, (310) 383-7852, email: Sherry230@verizon.net

PERSONAL TOUCH. DOG WALKING/OUTINGS/SITTING SERVICE. Cats, too! 30 yr. Pali resident. Very reliable. Refs available. If you want special care for your pet, pls call Jacqui, (310) 454-0104, cell (310) 691-9893

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

PERSONAL TRAINER 15c

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

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

PIANO TEACHER. I have several years experience in teaching piano to children. Excellent references. Call Nadia at (323) 599-7677

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

CLEARLY MATH & MORE! Specializing in math & now offering chemistry & physics! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Math anxiety. Call Jamie, (310) 459-4722

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

K-4 ELEMENTARY TUTOR • CA & AZ Cert. Elem Teacher • Qualified in all subjects but specialize in reading skills K-4 incl phonics, reading comprehension, spelling & writing • Will strengthen learning while building academic confidence & self-esteem • Motivational, creative, positive relationships w/ students • Will come to your home. Caroline, (424) 228-5744 or email cmiller16@gmail.com

SPANISH TUTORING. South American teacher, university degree, all levels: college and beyond. Learn, improve, get confident for studies, work & traveling. Call (310) 741-8422

SPANISH TUTOR, CERTIFIED TEACHER for all levels. Has finest education, qualifications, 21 yrs exper. Palisades resident, great references, amazing system, native speaker. Marietta, (310) 459-8180

EXPERT TUTORING. Biology, chemistry, SAT, ACT. Exper classrm teacher. Exclnt refs. Great student rapport. (310) 456-4747

CONCRETE, MASONRY, POOLS 16c

MASONRY, CONCRETE & POOL CONTRACTOR • 36 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES • Custom masonry & concrete, stamped, driveways, pools, decks, patios, foundations, fireplace, drainage control, custom stone, block & brick, tile. Excellent local references. Lic. #309844. Bonded/insured/workmen’s comp. Family owned & operated. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 • www.horusicky.com

CONSTRUCTION 16d

ALAN PINE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR • New homes • Remodeling • Additions • Kitchen & bath • Planning/architectural services • Insured • Local refs. Lic. #469435. (310) 457-5655 or (818) 203-8881

JOLYON COLLIER • CUSTOM FINISH CRAFTSMANSHIP • Specialty Construction • JolyonCollier.com • Non-lic. • (323) 493-3549

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

ELECTRICAL WORK. Call Dennis! 26 yrs experience, 24 hours, 7 day service. Lic. #728200. (310) 621-3905

FENCES, DECKS 16j

THE FENCE MAN • 18 years quality work • Wood fences • Decks • Gates • Chainlink & patio • Wrought iron • Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996

INDEPENDENT SERVICE CARLOS FENCE: Wood & Picket Fences • Chain Link • Iron & Gates • Deck & Patio Covers. Ask for Carlos, (310) 677-2737 or fax (310) 677-8650. Non-lic.

DECK REPAIR, SEALING & STAINING. Local resident, local clientele. 1 day service. (See ad under handyman.) Marty, (310) 459-2692

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

HANDYMAN 16o

HANDYMAN • HOOSHMAN • Most known name in the Palisades. Since 1975. Member Chamber of Commerce. Lic. #560299. 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

HANDYMAN SERVING PALISADIANS for 14 years. Polite & on time. No job too small. Refs available. Non-lic. Ready for winter? (310) 454-4121 or cell, (310) 907-6169. djproservices@yahoo.com

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 • 55 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

SQUIRE PAINTING CO. Interior and Exterior. License #405049. 25 years. Local Service. (310) 454-8266. www.squirepainting.com

ZARKO PRTINA PAINTING. Interior/Exterior. Serving Palisades/Malibu over 35 years. Lic. #637882. Call (310) 454-6604

PAINTER, SMALL JOBS PREFERRED. Interiors only. 20 years experience. References available. Very reasonable rates. Excellent craftsmanship. Non-lic. Tim, (310) 433-9610

PAINT/PAPERHANGING by NANCY. Master craftsmanship in Palisades. Since 1988. Free estimates. Lic. #537105. (818) 883-4600

REMODELING 16v

KANAN CONSTRUCTION • References. BONDED • INSURED • St. Lic. #554451 • DANIEL J. KANAN, CONTRACTOR, (310) 451-3540 / (800) 585-4-DAN

LABOR OF LOVE HOME REPAIR & REMODEL. Kitchens, bathrooms, cabinetry, tile, doors, windows, decks, etc. Work guar. Ken Bass, General Contractor. Lic. #B767950. (310) 487-6464

HELP WANTED 17

DRIVERS: TEAMS EARN TOP DOLLAR plus great benefits. Solo drivers also needed for Western Regional. Werner Enterprises, (800) 346-2818 x123

WANTED: LIVE-IN CAREGIVER, at least 3 years experience, for one hospice patient. Pay commensurate w/ experience. FT or PT. Call (310) 454-1956. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Good personal appearance a plus.

EARN $1,000-$3,200 a month to drive new cars with ads. www.YouDriveCars.com

MYSTERY SHOPPER. Enjoy this unique and interesting position and the associated training. Are you responsible, motivated and computer literate? Are you interested in providing feedback to a Fortune 50 company specific to store conditions and service levels? Hourly rate for driving time, observation time, report time applies. Mileage reimbursed based on distance associated with assignments. For additional information and to submit an on line application visit qualityshopper.org. No Associated Fees.

AUTOS 18b

REDUCED! 1999 FORD F250 Super Duty V10 Supercab Longbed, black w/ lumber rack & Weatherguard tool box. Great work truck! $5,000 OBO. (310) 576-0622

2006 SUBARU TRIBECA B9. Gold, very good condition, almost fully loaded. 14,000 miles. $18,000. (310) 471-2423

FURNITURE 18c

BEAUTIFUL NEW WROUGHT IRON TRUNDLE BED with 2 mattresses. Orig. $1,200, now $250. Designer wicker desk, $200. To see, call (310) 573-2024

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE! Computer equipment, router, printers, tape drive, modem, Canon lenses, camping tent, air purifier, elegant junque! 500 block Radcliffe Ave. Sat. Jan. 17, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

BEAUT. FURN/FURNISHGS/kitch-hsehold goods/linens/china/collectibles/prints/antique engravings. High-end & vintage jewelry. Fri.-Sat., Jan. 16-17, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. 333 Mt. Holyoke. Swarthmore, rt on DePauw, left on Mt. Holyoke. (TG 631, A-6). Photos/details: www.bmdawson.com

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

TERMINALLY ILL PET OWNER is interviewing to find homes for 3 wonderful pets. Email below for pictures and to begin dialogue. saekorn@aol.com

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

PIANO SALE! Samick upright style. Beautiful ivory color. Great condition. Must see! $1,350 or best offer. Located in the Highlands. Call Kathryn anytime, (310) 874-1498

THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE SET. Enormous collection! Perfect condition, 53 trains—all wooden, 10 buildings & 6 tunnels/tolls. Plus lots of track. A young boy’s dream present. Value $1,800, reduced to $750. Christine, (310) 849-6250

WANTED TO BUY 19

WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, working or not. ‘50s, ‘60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 895-5057 • profeti2001@yahoo.com

PTC Pair Aims for Top Ranking

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Doubles partners Robbie Bellamy (left) and Alex Giannini reached the semifinals of the Copper Bowl last week in Tucson, Arizona.
Doubles partners Robbie Bellamy (left) and Alex Giannini reached the semifinals of the Copper Bowl last week in Tucson, Arizona.

It takes talent and hard work to reach the top in any sport, but local tennis players Robbie Bellamy and Alex Giannini have several factors on their side as they pursue the No. 1 doubles ranking in the country in the boys 14s division. Partners for almost a year now, the 13-year-olds have almost the same exact birthday, meaning they can compete in their age group the longest possible time. One reason they play so ‘big’ is because they are both big for their age–Giannini stands 6′ 0′ with a size 12′ sneaker and Bellamy is 5′ 11″ and wears a size 13. They not only enjoy a time and size advantage, however. They also have loads of ability and spend hours a day practicing at the Palisades Tennis Center courts. Giannini hits 120-mile-per-hour serves and Bellamy can crack the 110-m.p.h. range. Bellamy can routinely pound forehands over 100 m.p.h. and Giannini is a lightning-quick mover at the net. What really makes the Palisades’ dynamic duo so tough to beat, though, is their ability to anticipate each other’s moves. That just might be their ticket to the top of the tennis mountain. Last week, the PTC pair went up against the nation’s best at the Copper Bowl, a premiere junior event in Tucson, Arizona. The Palisadians were seeded ninth and opened against Carter Lin and Ognien Samardzic from the Nick Bollettieri Academy in Florida, where Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova and hundreds of other top-ranked pros have trained. The Pali duo breezed through the pro set, 8-3. Next up were No. 8-seeded Ben and Mason Vierra of Monterey, both of whom were also highly-ranked in the singles draw. Giannini and Bellamy raced to a 4-1 lead before the Vierra brothers rallied to force a 10-point “super” tiebreaker. Down 8-7, Bellamy served and pulled off a shoestring volley that Mason was unable to return. Bellamy and Giannini won the next two points and the match. Waiting in the quarterfinals were 10th-seeded Mike Brewer from Houston and Austin Spinazze from Shreveport, Louisiana, who succumbed 8-4 to the Palisades Express. In the semifinals, the locals lost to second-seeded Hunter and Yates Johnson, twins from Litchfield Park, Arizona. In December, at the national championships in Irvine, Bellamy and Giannini teamed up to knock off two of the best tandems in the country, including Stefan Menichella and Edward Kim in a third set tiebreaker when Bellamy hit a missile return of serve that caught the net cord and bounced over Menichella’s racket. Bellamy attends Corpus Christi while Giannini goes to Paul Revere Middle School. Both intend to play at Palisades High next year. They will join forces again at the Super Nationals in Claremont. * * * * In the 10s division, PTC standout Ben Goldberg made the semifinals at the Esme Pearson Designated in San Diego. He beat Palm Desert’s Alex Kuperstein and Davy Bolkvadze of San Diego by identical 6-4, 6-4 scores. In the quarterfinals, Goldberg upset Patrick Trhac (ranked No. 10 in Southern California) 6-2, 6-1, before losing to Trevor Faulk of La Jolla. “I started feeling sick in the warm-up,” Goldberg said. “I had nothing left in the tank against Trevor.” Goldberg reached the finals of the Matador Tournament in Northridge in December and made the quarterfinals of the Los Caballeros Classic in September, beating the No. 5 and No. 9 seeds in the process. Goldberg is one of the PTC’s fastest-improving juniors and is poised for more winning in 2009. * * * * Fresh off last week’s success at the Copper Bowl in Arizona, Marquez Elementary’s Harry Cohen has advanced to this weekend’s semifinals at the Satellite Masters Invitational. Along the way, Cohen eliminated Isaiah Volk of Los Angeles, 6-4, 6-4, and Daniel Grigg of Studio City, 6-2, 6-1. In a gutsy quarterfinal round effort, Cohen rebounded from a rough first set to outlast Ryan Ruffels of Laguna Niguel, 2-6 6-0, 7-6(8). Cohen, 9, is playing so well that he even won two rounds in the 12-and-under draw at the Copper Bowl last week. Cohen also trains at the Palisades Tennis Center. In October, he won the Beverly Hills Classic, then teamed with Samuel Feit to reach the doubles semifinals in Orange County.

Dolphins Win League Opener

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Boys basketball stifles rival Venice in first game back from winter vacation

Aaron Fitts shoots a jumper on his way to a game-high 17 points in Palisades' 75-47 Western League victory at Venice.
Aaron Fitts shoots a jumper on his way to a game-high 17 points in Palisades’ 75-47 Western League victory at Venice.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Although both had busy tournament schedules over Winter Break the Palisades High boys’ and girls’ basketball teams returned to action Monday anxious to begin the second half of their seasons with victories. Both succeeded. Seventeen games in three and a half weeks gave his young team some valuable experience, but boys coach James Paleno would have preferred a few more practice days–or at least one–before the Dolphins’ Western League opener at Venice. Paleno need not have worried, however. Palisades easily dispatched the host Gondoliers, 75-47, stretching a 37-25 halftime lead to a 27-point bulge by the end of the third quarter. The scorebook read like a coach’s dream–six players in double figures and five with six or more rebounds. The result was impressive given Palisades’ 55-43 win over the same team two weeks before. “Practice makes perfect–or I should say perfect practice makes perfect,” said junior forward Kenneth Towner, who scored 11 points against Venice. “It gives us time to work on specific things, things we can then take to the games. We know we have Fairfax and Westchester coming up next week so we want to be playing well. Against those teams we’ll need to make our open jump shots and our free throws.” Moments after Monday’s post-game talk Palisades players had already turned their attention to Wednesday’s opponent–University–and a chance to avenge a three-point loss at the San Fernando Valley Invitational. “It’s kind of hard not to underestimate a team you’ve already beaten but our coaches remind us all the time that you can’t do that,” senior captain Aaron Fitts said. “It won’t be hard to get up for Uni, though. We look at this as payback. It’s redemption time. Everybody has to come ready to play.” Still without point guard Lebre Merritt, who has been out with an injury since the Beverly Hills Tournament, the Dolphins had the were led by Fitts (17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals), Garrett Nevels (16 points, six rebounds, three steals), Rico Matheney (11 points, eight rebounds), Adam Griffin (10 points) and Sam Stapleton (seven assists, four steals). “I’m happy to be 1-0 in league but we still need to work on our execution,” Paleno said. “We talked at halftime about improving our transition defense and Venice opens the third quarter with two fast-break baskets. Little things like that we need to fix.” Palisades (12-6 overall, 1-0 in league) travels to LACES on Friday and hosts perennial state power Westchester next Wednesday night. * * * * Protecting home court is one thing Coach Torino Johnson emphasized going into the season and so far his Dolphins are undefeated in league at the Palisades gym. Monday’s game resulted in a 61-51 victory, improving the Dolphins to 12-5 overall and 2-1 against league rivals. Center Dominique Scott had a monster game, pouring in 30 points (including 10 of 17 from the free throw line) and adding 14 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals. Scott leads the team with an average of 16.3 points per game. Sophomore guard Kanoko Ishahara had 11 points, senior forward Katie Bell had nine points and senior guard Utopia Kates added six points and four steals. Sophomore forward Nicole Flyer made five blocks as the Dolphins built a 27-24 halftime lead, then gradually pulled away in the final two quarters. Palisades needs only five more victories to match last year’s total and the Dolphins can move even closer with a victory over visiting LACES on Friday.

Soccer Squads Kick into High Gear

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Senior Natasha Burks dribbles past a University defender in the Dolphins' 6-2 win Monday night at Stadium by the Sea. Photo: Jared Rosen
Senior Natasha Burks dribbles past a University defender in the Dolphins’ 6-2 win Monday night at Stadium by the Sea. Photo: Jared Rosen

In a sport where teamwork is vital to success, the Palisades High women’s soccer squad keeps winning in the best possible fashion–as a team. Coach Kim Smith’s Dolphins got key contributions from a multitude of players on their way to capturing first place at last weekend’s Grant Tournament in Van Nuys. The momentum from that triumph carried over to Monday night’s Western League game against University, where four different Dolphins scored en route to a 6-2 victory at Stadium by the Sea. “In the past we’ve had a tough time maintaining a high level against poor teams, but not now,” said sophomore goalie Kristin ‘Kiki’ Bailey, who was rarely tested against the overmatched Wildcats. “We had top stay there all day so we were determined to win the [Grant] tournament. That was a huge confidence booster for us to know we can compete with the top Valley teams.” In pool play, Pali blanked Kennedy 3-0, tied Alemany 1-1 and routed Poly 10-1. After shutting out the host Lancers, 7-0, in the semifinals, the Dolphins faced Sylmar for the championship–a rematch of their meeting several weeks before at Pali’s own tournament. That game ended in a scoreless tie. This time, freshman Melissa Tallis scored off a pass by sophomore Brittany Aliado from 18 yards out to tie the game, 1-1, with 15 minutes left in regulation. Palisades went on to prevail, 3-2, on penalty kicks and assistant coach Laura Bailey cited junior Leslie Ota’s strong play at forward as a factor in the outcome. “Leslie normally plays defense but their sweeper and keeper were huge so we moved her up to negate their size advantage,” said Bailey, herself a former goalie for the Dolphins. “She can steamroll anyone and she was really the game changer.” Senior Estefania Yanez-Ceballos was chosen the Dolphins’ defensive most valuable player while sophomore Kathryn Gaskin was picked offensive MVP. What has made the Dolphins so tough to beat so far, however, is depth at every position and their ability to adapt to different styles. “The girls have really improved their combination passing and their runs off the ball,” Coach Bailey said. “It really has been a whole team effort.” Palisades has grown accustomed to home night games this season and, despite only one day’s rest from their tournament triumph, had an easy time with the visiting Wildcats on Monday. Gaskin and freshman Katie van Daalen Wetters netted two goals apiece while sophomore Samantha Elander and junior Yasmine Tabatabai each added one. The front-running Dolphins (7-2-3 overall, 4-0 in league) traveled to LACES Wednesday and host Westchester Friday at 2:30 p.m. Boys Soccer Etiah Van Herwerden scored off of an assist from David Linares in the 10th minute and Linares tallied the game-winner with 15 minutes remaining as the Dolphins remained undefeated in league with a 2-1 victory Monday at University. “We’ve been playing a 4-4-2 formation since league started and we’re getting more scoring chances,” said Van Herwerden, who just missed a second goal when he shot wide on a breakaway late in the first half. “We need to get better at finishing but overall we’re controlling play pretty well.” University tied the game early in the second half on a well-placed shot, but Linares made sure the Dolphins would leave with a victory, dribbling through a maze of orange jerseys and blasting a shot into the left corner of the net. “So far we’re doing pretty good,” Linares said. “We’re playing better as a team.” First-year coach Dave Suarez had implored his players to run over Winter Break: ‘I can’t make them do it. I told them this is their season and if they want to win bad enough they’ll do what they need to do to stay in shape.’ Van Herwerden admitted endurance was a factor in the Dolphins’ first game back from a three-week break. “Our conditioning wasn’t there and our touch was off a bit,” he said. “This field is also a lot harder to play on than ours. You never know how or where the ball is going to bounce.” The win kept Palisades (3-2-1, 3-0-1) atop the Western League standings heading into Wednesday’s home game against LACES.

Open House Offers Free Dance Classes

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Palisades High graduates Lisa and Amy Gumenick will host an open house at their dance studio on Sunday, January 11 from noon to 5:30 p.m. at 2912 Colorado Ave. # 101 in Santa Monica. The event will include free introductory classes for all ages and levels. Sample classes include jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, and modern for kids and teens ages 3-15. Additionally there will be jazz, hip hop, ballet, tap cardio, African, Afro-Latin jazz, yoga, tai-chi, and cardio kickboxing for adults 15 and up. Lisa graduated from Palisades Charter High School in 2000 and earned her B.A. from UC Santa Barbara in 2004. Prior to opening her The Pretenders Studio in 2007, she taught at Fancy Feet Dance Studio, choreographed and directed shows local schools, Theater Palisades Kids, Young Adult Civic Light Opera and worked as a guest choreographer at UCSB in the theatre/dance department. The Pretenders is a comprehensive studio that offers various classes for adults and children. Additionally, the studio is home to The Pretenders Company and The Junior Pretenders theatre programs. Amy Gumenick (Pali ’04) graduated with a BFA in theatre from UC Santa Barbara in June. While at UCSB, she appeared in over 17 theatrical productions and originated many roles, both on stage and screen. Now, just six months after graduating, Amy has landed lead guest-star roles on several television programs and will travel to South Africa to film ‘The Natalee Holloway Story,’ the true story of the teenage girl who vanished in 2005 during her high school graduation trip in Aruba. For more information, visit www.thepretendersstudio.com or call (310) 828-3030.

Thursday, January 8 – Thursday, January 15

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 8 Jamey Hecht, Ph.D., reads his book of poetry, ‘Limousine, Midnight Blue: Fifty Frames from the Zapruder Film,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. FRIDAY, JANUARY 9 Palisades Beautiful meeting, 10 a.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real Dr. Public invited. Theatre Palisades presents Neil Simon’s ‘Lost in Yonkers,’ running from January 9 through February 15 at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Directed by Sherman Wayne and produced by Martha Hunter and Pat Perkins, the play runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets (Friday and Sunday, adults $16, seniors and students $14; Saturday, add $2 to each ticket) call (310) 454-1970 or visit www.theatrepalisades.org. MONDAY, JANUARY 12 Moonday host Alice Pero presents poets Nancy Shiffrin and Neil Aitken at 7:30 p.m. at Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore Ave. Open reading sign-ups begin at 7 p.m. TUESDAY, JANUARY 13 Joyce Brunelle of Suntricity, Inc., a Pacific Palisades-based company, will discuss how to install solar power at one’s home or business, 7:30 a.m., Palisades Optimist Club meeting at Gladstone’s restaurant on PCH at Sunset. Public invited. Palisadian Dr. Susan Love, the renowned breast cancer specialist and surgeon, will speak at the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club meeting, 11:45 a.m. at the Clubhouse, 901 Haverford Ave. The public is invited. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14 Coldwell Banker realtor Michael Edlen is guest speaker at the monthly Palisades AARP chapter meeting, 2 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. Renee Tyack discusses and signs ‘They Call Her Cassandra: A Story of Survival,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15 Yogaworks Studio hosts the monthly Chamber of Commerce mixer, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 15327 Sunset. The public is invited to enjoy hosted hors d’oeuvres and a drawing for gifts donated by Chamber members. Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting, 7 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Public invited. Jonathan Kirsch discusses his latest book, ‘The Grand Inquisitor’s Manual: A History of Terror in the Name of God,’ 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. (See story, page 11.)

Not Your Average Supermarket Guy

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Gelson's employee Fred Wolf, 84, is an Auschwitz survivor who now lives and works in Pacific Palisades.
Gelson’s employee Fred Wolf, 84, is an Auschwitz survivor who now lives and works in Pacific Palisades.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

A Holocaust survivor recounts an encounter with an S.S. soldier in a black uniform who was overseeing the group of Jewish laborers the survivor toiled with during World War II. ‘He started to get nasty with us,’ the survivor says, ‘and he pulled his gun out and said, ‘If it happens again, I’m going to shoot you guys.’ One of us’a big guy, athletic’he took that gun out of the soldier’s hand and turned it around on him. He told him, ‘You say that one more time and I’m going to shoot you!’ No, this is not a tense scene from ‘Defiance’ or ‘Valkyrie’ or any of the other WWII dramas currently playing in theaters. This is a scene from the life of Fred Wolf, the popular, avuncular employee working at Gelson’s market on Via de la Paz who managed to survive the horrors of the Auschwitz concentration camp. December 2008 was particularly busy with Holocaust-related film releases’add ‘The Reader,’ ‘Good,’ and ‘Adam Resurrected’ to the aforementioned films’and the year itself was a particularly active one for Wolf, who, last fall, was invited to Germany by the City of Frankfurt for a celebration at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University. The college’s humanities building used to house I.G. Farben, the chemicals company that created the deadly Zyklon B used in concentration-camp gas chambers, for which Auschwitz prisoners’Wolf included’worked as slave labor. Wolf was among other Holocaust survivors from all over the world invited to partake in the positive rebirth of the former I.G. Farben Building, re-dedicated as the Norbert Wollheim Memorial. Wollheim (1913’1998) was a fellow forced laborer for I.G. Farben at the construction site in Auschwitz. In 1951, he filed a suit against the conglomerate seeking compensation. On a lunch break at the Gelson’s patio, over some of the market’s Hungarian goulash and a bottle of Pellegrino, Wolf tells the Palisadian-Post that he brought his girlfriend, Calia Mintzer, to Germany for the 10-day visit, where he was reunited with people he worked with during the war. The Frankfurt event attracted media coverage, including a human interest spot on ABC’s ‘World News With Charles Gibson’ that focused on Wolf. ‘They came to Gelson’s with their camera and they filmed me bagging groceries,’ Wolf, 84, recalls with a grin. In 1999, Wolf sat down with the Post’s Susan Schell and recounted the long, strange trip that brought him to the Palisades. Manfred Wolf was 17 years old in 1942 when the Allies were at war with Germany. He worked for the German city of Paderborn, and, like all Jews under the Nazi regime, wore an ethnicity-identifying yellow Star of David on his clothing. ‘You were afraid to walk around with it,’ he recalled in 1999. ‘Sometimes you would try to hide it.’ One day, Wolf received a chilling call from his father in Cologne that he and Wolf’s mother were going to be ‘evacuated.’ Wolf would never see his parents alive again, and he later learned that they had perished in a concentration camp. ‘What was heartbreaking,’ Wolf said, ‘was that my dad fought for Germany in World War I from 1914 to 1918 in field artillery.’ In March 1943, the order came for Wolf to pack up his belongings and go to a train station, from where he was transported, over three days, to the infamous Auschwitz camp. ‘Everyone was lined up,’ he remembered. ‘They said all women and children and anyone who felt sick in this line, males 18 to 45 in another line. I was 18 and I got in that line, but I looked much younger. An SS officer walked by, carrying a horsewhip that he kept snapping against his boots. He stopped and looked me over and asked, ‘How old are you?’ I stood at attention and said, ’18.” After some tense moments, the officer let Wolf stay in the line. Survival was a brutal affair, involving constant bartering. One of Wolf’s friends, who was assigned to work in a crematorium, was himself burned alive in an oven. Wolf once found a shoe with the heel hollowed out, inside which was hidden a diamond ring, a Czech gold piece and an American gold piece. He used this unexpected booty to trade with an SS guard for ‘bread, salami and bacon’enough for a week!’ By early 1945, as the Russians advanced, the Nazis began to dismantle factories on the eastern front. Wolf and other prisoners were forced to march with little food along the border between Poland and Czechoslovakia, walking for many days across open fields in the middle of winter wearing only the thinnest of clothes. At a camp near Salzburg, dubbed Gunskierschen, Wolf recalled, ‘Someone lifted me up, and I slept on the beam [of wood, near the ceiling]. It was the first night I was able to actually sleep. ‘In the morning, when I woke up, everyone was gone. I looked out and the gates of the camp were standing wide open. I walked out and there were three or four dead German soldiers on the ground. Outside the gates stood a jeep surrounded by American soldiers. I overslept the liberation! The Americans were waving at me to come over. I fell to my knees with tears in my eyes and kissed the ground. I couldn’t believe it. I was overwhelmed to be free.’ Post-war, Wolf, after having survived two years in concentration camps, moved to the newly formed Israel, where he served in the army and air force before returning to Germany to reclaim some family property. It was there in Cologne that he met his wife, Sonia, who had escaped from East Germany. ‘It was love at first sight,’ Wolf recalled in 1999. The couple had a daughter, Rita, whom they brought to California. Today she lives in Santa Monica. Wolf also has a son, Edward, residing in Los Angeles. For 30 years, Wolf owned and ran the Cork and Bottle, a liquor store on Lincoln Boulevard. After Sonia died of breast cancer in 1993, Wolf sold his Venice store, which was more trouble than it was worth: long hours, countless hold-ups. But the boredom of retirement was worse, so on an occasion when Wolf came to town to sell some neon signs from his old store to a Palisadian, he noticed a sign on Gelson’s doors, searching for a boxer. Wolf, already familiar with the town’s Gelson’s because his late wife used to buy her pastries there, applied for the position. The market’s then-manager Ray Stockton took Wolf on. Eleven years later, Wolf says that he still enjoys working at Gelson’s. ‘They’ve been very good to me,’ he says of his co-workers. He also enjoys kibitzing with the customers who come through, from local folks to other Holocaust survivors who strike up a conversation after noticing the former I.D. numbers on his forearm. In fact, several years ago, the old Auschwitz tattoo caught the notice of some students, and Wolf wound up speaking to a class at Palisades High about his experiences. ‘The history teacher still stops by, hugs me, asks me, ‘How are you, Fred?” he says. After joining the Gelson’s team, Wolf continued to live at his residence in West Los Angeles until relocating to a condomium building in the Palisades. Around this time, he also met his current main squeeze. ‘I used to go dancing every Saturday in the Fairfax area until I got sick and tired of that,’ Wolf explains. A friend told him about a dance in Culver City, where he met Calia Mintzer the first time he attended. They recently celebrated Mintzer’s birthday with her four children at Shanghai Red’s in Marina del Rey, and Wolf adds with a proud smile that his girlfriend, an actress long involved with the Westchester Theater, ‘sings beautifully! Better than me!’ As for that spate of Holocaust-era films Hollywood released over the holidays, Wolf welcomes the discussion and wants such history to be told and retold. ‘Many Americans don’t know what really happened during the Holocaust,’ he says. ‘There’s still plenty of questions.’ So the next time you’re at Gelson’s, picking up some of that chicken tortilla soup for lunch or sampling the Dutch cheese, be sure to say hello to Fred on your way out. We’re lucky to have him around.

Larry Lippincott, Former Resident and Veterinarian

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Larry Lippincott, a renowned veterinarian and former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died on January 2 in Medford, Oregon. He was 76. Lippincott was born on September 12, 1932 in Los Angeles to Charles Lydon and Thelma Lippincott. He graduated from Hollywood High School in 1950 and attended UC Bekeley before transferring to UC Davis, where he earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1957. Lippincott became board-certified in veterinary surgery in 1975 and maintained a surgical practice at California Animal Hospital in West Los Angeles until his retirement in 1993. Lippincott met his future wife, Robyn Reps, while they attended Hollywood High. They married in 1955 and enjoyed a close, loving relationship across five decades. He and Robyn moved to Pacific Palisades in 1957 and raised their family there until 1993, when they moved to Bend, Oregon. They relocated to Medford in 2002. During his Palisadian days, Lippincott was actively involved in local activities, serving as president of the Huntington Palisades Property Owners Association and the Bel-Air Bay Club. His children attended St. Matthew’s and Palisades High School.   Lippincott participated in more than 60 radio shows and 30 television shows during his career and worked with notable celebrities such as Art Linkletter, Betty White and Dinah Shore. He lectured frequently, produced more than 200 veterinary surgical teaching videos, and wrote about 1,500 scientific papers and seven books that were published in English and in Japanese. He also traveled the world teaching veterinary surgery, voyaging all over Asia and Europe, with five trips to Japan. He received a multitude of professional awards, including the American Animal Hospital Association’s American Veterinary Practitioner of the Year Award, and the top award from the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. Of note, Lippincott was the resident surgeon for the 36 white tigers and 16 white lions in the Siegfried and Roy show in Las Vegas. Lippincott enjoyed sharing his Christian faith with his friends and acquaintances. In recent years, he indulged in many passions, including scuba diving, the fine arts, fishing and skiing. He was always working on projects, exercising, golfing, dancing, or donating his time to help others. Survivors included his wife Robyn; daughters Cameron Lippincott of Redondo Beach and Vicki O’Rourke of Encinitas; son Brad Lippincott of Pacific Palisades; and grandchildren Ryan O’Rourke and Blake O’Rourke.   Memorial donations can be made to the Lange Foundation, which cares for and finds homes for lost/sick dogs. Lippincott provided free veterinary care for them while in practice in West L.A. Contact: www.langefoundation.com.

William W. Vaughn, 78; Renowned Trial Lawyer

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William W. Vaughn, a highly respected and honored attorney who practiced more than 40 years with the Los Angeles law firm O’Melveny and Myers, died on Saturday, January 3. He was 78. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Bill served on its board of regents from 1991 through 1995. He was a member of the Advisory Group of the U.S. District Court, the Los Angeles Area Alternate Dispute Resolution Panel and the Center for Public Resources. A former chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Committee on Professionalism and Court Improvements, Bill also served on LACBA’s board of trustees, the board of directors of LACBA’s Foundation and the board of governors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He co-chaired the ABA’s Litigation Section Committees on First Amendment and media litigation. During an illustrious career of leading complex litigation cases, Bill gained diverse experience in many fields. He was lead counsel in the successful defense for the Smothers Brothers and Dan Rather. He was lead counsel for a large French electronics company and successfully concluded international arbitration concerning government procurement of complicated electronic devices. He also successfully defended IBM in an antitrust case in the Northern District of California. In 1991, Bill received the Learned Hand Award from the American Jewish Committee for Outstanding Professional Achievement. He wrote for the UCLA Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif in 1955. He completed his undergraduate studies at Stanford University. Bill was born on August 29, 1930 in Los Angeles, and attended University High School. In 1962, he fell in love with and married Claire Willison, a recently widowed mother of three young children. They added three more children to the family and moved to Pacific Palisades in 1970. Bill coached youth baseball games, loved watching Dodgers and Lakers games and took his boys to what would become the first Super Bowl game. Bill was predeceased by his oldest son, Bobby, but is survived by his wife, Claire; sons Gregory, Tony and Jimmy; daughters Liz and Christy; nine grandchildren; and his brother Dennis Vaughn and wife Linda. Services will be held at St. Martin of Tours Church in Brentwood on Friday, January 9 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California Chapter, 2440 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 115, Los Angeles, CA 90064.

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