Home Blog Page 2148

Meet Smokey, the Town’s New Fire Station Mascot

By
dev
-

Left to right: Scott Gill, Larry Bauerlein and Ram Miller watch as Smokey, the new Fire Station 69 Dalmatian, tries to lick 4-year-old Gigi Miller, who was born at the station.
Left to right: Scott Gill, Larry Bauerlein and Ram Miller watch as Smokey, the new Fire Station 69 Dalmatian, tries to lick 4-year-old Gigi Miller, who was born at the station.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Pacific Palisades residents voted equally for Smokey and Pali as their choice of a name for the new Dalmatian puppy at Fire Station 69, located on Sunset at Carey. Subsequently, the deciding vote was cast by the Miller family, which had purchased the dog for the firefighters. Born at the Allen Kennels in Winder, Georgia, Smokey arrived in the Palisades on Saturday afternoon, and Hollywood animal trainer Clint Rowe picked him up Sunday to begin a month of basic training. Firefighter Scott Gill reported that Smokey slept through his first night in the station in his crate, until 4:30 a.m. (7:30 a.m. Georgia time), at which point the jet-lagged puppy awakened the entire station. Thus far, firemen have received checks totaling $300 from residents for their puppy fund, which will help pay for ongoing expenses. Anyone wishing to donate should make out a check to Fire Station 69 and on the memo line write, ‘Puppy Fund.’ Station 69 has a special significance for the Miller family, because on November 22, 2004, Gigi was born there when her parents realized they wouldn’t make it to the hospital in time. Each year, the family (parents Ram and Carolyn, plus Gigi and her older brothers, Jake and Cole) holds a birthday celebration at the fire station with the firefighters.

Pool Vetoed, the YMCA Explores Aquatic Options

By
dev
-

Given the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy board decision last week not to offer a short-term lease for the Temescal Canyon pool, the Palisades-Malibu YMCA has started exploring other options for its aquatic programs. ‘Our aquatics future is not clear at the moment, but the Board of Managers of the Palisades-Malibu YMCA stands committed to providing a new community aquatics program in the Palisades as soon as possible,’ Executive Director Carol Pfannkuche told the Palisadian-Post on Monday. ‘The YMCA is discussing with Palisades Charter High School about a possible arrangement that would allow our members to use the Maggie Gilbert Aquatic Center.’ The high school broke ground in August, but construction has not yet begun. On December 2, the Conservancy board voted against offering open bidding for a five-year lease agreement for the Temescal pool. The Y had hoped to secure a new lease with the Conservancy to continue to operate the pool, which closed in February for repairs estimated to cost $400,000. For liability purposes, the Conservancy is now seeking a coastal development permit waiver from the California Coastal Commission to fill in the pool with dirt, and may re-open the pool in the future if called for in the master plan, said Conservancy Executive Director Joe Edmiston. The Conservancy has hired Dudek, an environmental and engineering consulting firm, to devise a master plan for how Temescal Gateway Park will be used. There will be a series of public hearings, which are not yet scheduled, to discuss the park’s future. Pfannkuche said the Y plans to participate in those discussions, but it could take five years before a decision is made, and ‘we can’t keep our aquatic members waiting that long.’ The $3.5-million Maggie Gilbert Aquatic Center, with a 12-lane competitive pool and adjacent two-lane pool, should be open by fall 2009, PaliHi Executive Director Amy Dresser-Held said this week. Construction has not started because school officials submitted plans to the Division of State Architects, but had to make a few slight revisions such as the addition of a fire alarm, Dresser-Held said. The school will begin work once the division approves the plans. The pool, located on the corner of Temescal Canyon Road and Bowdoin Street, will be available to the public and groups such as the YMCA throughout the summer and from 5 to 7 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on the weekends during the school year, Dresser-Held said. School starts at 7:50 a.m., so the pool will be closed at 7 a.m. to allay traffic congestion and will open to the public after the school’s swim teams finish practice at 4 p.m. The Y is hoping to find another area pool for Y members to use when PaliHi’s pool is unavailable, said Pfannkuche, noting that many of them prefer to swim or participate in water exercise classes during the day. A new swimming pool will be available for the public to use at the Annenberg Community Beach House. The former Marion Davies’ estate, located at 415 Pacific Coast Hwy and operated by the City of Santa Monica, will open in late April. (Continued on Page 3) The city is restoring the original pool, which was designed as an outdoor pool by Julia Morgan, the architect of Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The rectangular-shaped 22-ft.- by-103-ft. pool will be available for open swim and drop-in fitness classes, said Catherine ‘Callie’ Hurd, manager of the city’s Open Space Division. The heated pool will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from late June to August and on the weekends in May and September. From October to April, the pool will be open approximately 40 days from noon to 4 p.m., dependent on the weather. There will be a wheelchair ramp to access the pool area and a lift to help the disabled enter and exit the 4-ft.- to 8-ft.-deep pool. The proposed day-use pool fees are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children ages 4 to 17. Children under three years old will be admitted free. The cost will be $24 a day for a family of four (two adults and two children). In the summer, there will be ‘dollar days’ where people can swim for $1. The Santa Monica City Council has not yet approved the fees, Hurd said. The beach club might offer lap swimming on summer weekday mornings from 8:30 to 10 a.m., Hurd added. The pool can be divided into four lanes, accommodating 16 swimmers. From June to September, Pacific Palisades residents also have access to the 4-ft.-deep public pool in Rustic Canyon Park. That pool provides swim lessons and junior lifeguard training but does not have lanes for lap swimming or equipment for the disabled, said Mary Bingham, City of Los Angeles aquatics director. Pacific Palisades resident Jennifer Grant, a member of Friends of the Temescal Pool, believes these two pools won’t be able to accommodate the community’s needs. The Temescal pool was open all day, year-round and designed for lap swimming, said Grant, who plans to advocate for the re-opening of the pool during the Conservancy’s master planning process. ‘I personally believe the Conservancy and community can negotiate to come up with a plan,’ Grant said. The California Coastal Commission will consider the Conservancy’s request for a coastal development permit waiver to fill in the Temescal pool at its January 7-9 hearing in Oceanside, said Gary Timm, coastal program manager. Bret Foster, an engineer with Penfield & Smith, recommended the Conservancy fill in the empty pool because ‘There is an elevated level of risk with the pool left in its current condition.’ For instance, if it rains, there will be standing water that could attract mosquitoes and other rodents, creating a health hazard. Foster told the Post on Friday that filling in the pool, which will cost between $40,000 and $50,000, is the best way to eliminate the liability without causing too much damage to the pool. Because the pool walls are weak from cracking, filling in the empty pool could actually help prevent the walls from caving in, said Foster, who suggested that the deep end of the pool be punctured to allow for drainage. Foster added that the dirt could easily be removed if the Conservancy decides to re-open the pool in the future. He could not predict how much it would cost to repair the pool, but ‘it would not be like re-digging a brand new pool,’ he said.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 11, 2008

By
dev
-

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

SPACIOUS TUSCANY CANYON HOME. Quiet gated community w/ pool. 3 bdrm/ba. Media & wine room. Formal living/dining. Lovely garden/patio w/ gardener. Furn/unfurn. $5,990/mo. (310) 709-0771

CHARMING COTTAGE FULLY furn w/ 2 bd & 1.5 ba in main house & addl 1 & 1 in separate guest quarters. Vaulted ceils, FP, wood flrs, large lot. Close to bluffs & village. Offered at $4,950/mo. (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) 266-9387

WARM & INVITING 3 bd, 2 ba plus den in quiet Cheviot neighborhood. Hardwood floors, 2 FP, updated kitchen, large yard. Offered at $3,950/mo. Contact Dolly Neimann, (310) 230-3706

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

EL MEDIO BLUFFS. Luxury, 5 bd, 4½ ba, large backyard, hardwood floors, modern granite kitchen, fam. rm, dining room, 2 car garage w/ storage. Available now. $11,000/mo. (818) 458-2386

$2,800/mo. 1 BD, 1 BA HOUSE. New kitchen & bath, frplc, new appliances, near Village & bluffs, yard. Includes utilities & gardener. (310) 586-1946

HIGHLANDS LEASE OR TRADE. 4 bd, 2.5 ba, 3,300 sq. ft. Huge flat lot, views, community pool (w/ swimmers lanes), tennis. $7,200/mo. Open to trade, S.M., Brentwood, Village. (310) 614-4138

GREAT LOCATION AT A GREAT PRICE! MOTIVATED LANDLORD! Live on a beautiful street in Pacific Palisades for less than $5,000 per month. Mid-century architectural, 3 BR, 2 BA in prime location, private wooded lot, outdoor patio and play area, fireplace, wood floors, marble/granite finishes, approx. 2,000 sq. ft. Flexible lease period. $4,900/mo. (310) 230-7901

2 BDRM, 1 BA, w/ oak floors, formal DR, lg LR, w/ wood frpl., Kit w/ deck. Brick patio. W&D, gardener included. Huge fenced property allows rec veh parking. $3,600/mo. (310) 454-1575

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

1 BDRM UPPER Hardwood floors. Laundry room. Covered parking. $1,490/mo. Walking distance to village and beach. (310) 589-9195 x203

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 for right person. Single occupant. Refs. 6 mo. lease. $1,890/mo. w/ dep. (310) 454-3806

PETS WELCOME! $1,595/mo. $3,190 needed to move in. Fantastic 1 bdrm, 1 bathroom in a beautiful, 18-unit building of great people. 1 block from Sunset Blvd. & 1 block from Pacific Palisades Village, with Gelsons, CVS, library & marvelous restaurants & stores. Laundry room at building. Parking space included in rent. Lovely swimming pool. On-sight manager. Must have good credit. Available now. Call Jay, (310) 200-0063

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. 1yr lease. No pets, N/S (310) 804-3142

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

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

$3,300/MO. BRIGHT & PRIVATE HIGHLAND TOWNHOME. 2+2, Dir access garage, quiet pool. Spacious, high ceilings. Clean, clean! Agent, Joan, (310) 740-0302 (cell)

GREAT PALISADES VILLAGE LOCATION. Completely remodeled 2 bdrm, 2 ba. Laundry inside. Secure parking with easy access to unit. Also available furnished. $2,750/mo. (310) 454-6058

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

WANTED TO RENT 3b

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

PSYCHOTHERAPIST LOOKING FOR office to share. Pacific Palisades Village. 1 evening and 1 day per week. Please contact Ruthanne Iliff, (818) 669-0207, or Ruthanne21@aol.com

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PALISADES OFFICE SUITES AVAILABLE in the heart of the Village including: 1) Last remaining single office suite at $1,300 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. $1,800/mo. Call (310) 600-3603 or (310) 454-0840

SMALL UPSTAIRS OFFICE. 855 Via de la Paz. In the Village. $497/mo. (310) 454-4668

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

VACATION RENTALS 3e

TWO FULLY SELF-CONTAINED TRAILERS for rent across from Will Rogers State Beach & about 2 miles from Santa Monica Pier. $995/mo. (310) 454-2515

CHARMING GUEST COTTAGE, Marquez area. Furnished, private entrance, W/D, LG frig, LG flat screen/dish network, internet access. $99 nightly with 1 week minimum. Call Marie, (310) 741-8276

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

ELEGANT, SPACIOUS SALON/SPA FOR SALE in Palisades Village. Private/beautiful garden location. Rent under $3,000/mo. include util. Approx. 800 sq ft. As is $38,999. (310) 692-0063

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

BANK STATEMENT & INVESTMENT RECONCILIATIONS, small business or personal bookkeeping, property, staff & nursing care management/scheduling are available in the Palisades. This can include QuickBooks gathering of data for 2008 to prepare for your visit to your CPA. Call (310) 570-6085 or email: saekorn@aol.com

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/

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

SOLAR/WIND ENERGY 7l

ALTERNATIVE ENGINEERING SOLAR • GO SOLAR • TAX INCENTIVES! Design & engineering solar/wind systems • Huge rebates • Financing availablevLocal Palisades contractor • Lic # 912279 • Call for free consultation : (877) 898-1948

MISCELLANEOUS 7n

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE PALISADIAN-POST • Call Kendy, (310) 454-1321 x40 for display advertising

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

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 yrs, same family. Looking for work in Palisades. US citizen. English speaking. Drives. Great with babies. Trustworthy. Loving. Call Vonnie, (310) 617-2644

NANNY OR CAREGIVER, full time, available 6 days a week. 15 years experience. References available. Call Alma, (310) 743-4165

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

OUR HOUSEKEEPER looking for work every other Monday. Excellent cleaning, good English, excellent references. Please call Raquel after 5 p.m. at (213) 736-5362

LOOKING FOR HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTING POSITION. Live-in or out. Good references & experience. Legal. CDL. Own transportation. Speaks English. Call Olga or Arely, (213) 382-1398

HOUSE CLEANERS! APARTMENTS & HOUSES! Experienced. Available 7 days a week. Good references. Own transportation. Speaks little English. Call Dina, (213) 387-6106

WONDERFUL HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE DAYS! Honest and reliable. Speaks English. Uses bus. Please call Virginia at (323) 766-7527

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER, great references. Available Tuesday to Friday. Have own transportation. Good English. Please call Carmen (310) 412-1747

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday. Own transportation. Good local references. 15 years experience. Call Mariso or Theresa, (323) 735-6382 or (310) 590-9763

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

MOVING & HAULING 11b

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

MISCELLANEOUS 12f

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE COACH. Learn how to live happy & healthy eating nutritious foods you like and doing appropriate exercises. Achieve emotional balance, higher self-esteem, more energy, look and feel awesome. Guaranteed results! 18 years experience. Call Bruce Kenny, (310) 901-4715, for a free consultation.

WINDOW WASHING 13h

THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Detailed interior/exterior glass & screen cleaning. High ladder work. 25% holiday discount. Next day service available. Free estimates. Licensed & bonded. (310) 926-7626

EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER • Experienced 21 yrs on Westside. Clean & detailed. Can also clean screens, mirrors, skylights & scrape paint off glass. Free estimates. Brian, (310) 289-5279

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

PARTY ENTERTAINMENT 14e

PARTY! PARTY! PARTY! Martha’s Creative Parties for kids and other people, too. Theme parties, birthdays, holidays. All occasions. Martha Hunter, (310) 395-3969 • martiesparties@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

COMPUTER LESSONS 15

LEARN PHOTOSHOP from the ground up! Fun & Easy! ONLINE COURSE. Perfect for scrapbookers, students, photographers and graphic designers. Visit site for details. www.photoshopbasics101.com

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

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

TUTORS 15e

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. Children & adults. 20+ years teaching/tutoring exper. MATH, GRAMMAR, ESSAY WRITING & STUDY SKILLS. Formerly Sp. Ed. teacher. Call Gail, (310) 313-2530

MS. SCIENCE TUTOR. Ph.D., Experienced, Palisades resident. Tutor All Ages In Your Home. Marie, (310) 888-7145

PROFESSIONAL TUTOR. Stanford graduate (BA and MA, Class of 2000). Available for all subjects and test prep (SAT & ISEE). In-home tutoring at great rates. Call Jonathan, (310) 560-9134

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

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

SCIENCE & MATH TEACHER FOR HIRE. Super organizer. Online coaching available. B.S. Biochemistry, SUNY Stony Brook, M.A. Columbia University, Teacher’s College. Certified New York (Westchester) public school teacher, now teaching in LA! Prefer students 7th grade to College. I work in the Palisades, but prefer to tutor at your home. Practice tests available! SAT II subject test coaching! Academic progress monitoring & notebook organization! Alex Van Name: (310) 295-8915. www.310tutoring.com

SPANISH TUTOR. All grade levels. UCLA adult student. Lived in Spain and Mexico. Affordable rates. Call evenings, (310) 434-1578

SCIENCE & MATH TUTOR. All levels (elementary to college). Ph.D., MIT graduate, 30 years experience. Ed Kanegsberg, (310) 459-3614

COLLEGE ESSAYS! Experienced college professor available to help with college or graduate school essays. Call Steve, (310) 573-1665

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

EXPERIENCED K-12 TUTOR. Integrates music, creative movement and art into academic studying. Use both sides of the brain in the JOY of learning! (310) 458-7941

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES 15g

SPORTS TRAINING FOR KIDS. Ex athlete provides quality instruction to kids (7-14). Baseball, football, basketball. Great for confidence & fun. Serving the Westside. Call Drew, (310) 350-9696

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

DOORS 16f

“DOOR WORKS” • Residential and commercial, door repairs, replacements. Handicap services, weatherstripping. Free est. Premium service. Lic. #917844. (310) 598-0467, (818) 346-7900

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

NORTH BAY ELECTRIC • Give Us A Call, We Do It All! Prompt Service • Reasonable Rates • Serving the Palisades Since 1984 • Lic. #493652 • (310) 456-7076

FENCES, DECKS 16j

THE FENCE MAN • 14 years quality workmanship. Wood fences • Decks • Gates • Chainlink & overhang. 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

GOLDEN HARDWOOD FLOORS. Professional Installation and refinishing. National Wood Flooring Association member. License #732286. Plenty of local references. (877) 622-2200 • www.goldenhardwoodfloors.com

JEFF HRONEK, 39 YRS. RESIDENT • HARDWOOD FLOORS INC. • Sanding & Refinishing • Installations • Pre-finished • Unfinished • Lic. #608606. Bonded, Insured, Workers Comp. www.hronekhardwoodfloors.com (310) 475-1414

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 • 54 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. 35 years in service. 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

RAINGUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS 16u

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING on your head!! Gutter clean out and repair. Owen Cruickshank, (310) 459-5485. Cal. Lic. #576445

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

COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION • New/Spec Homes • Kit+bath remodeling • Additions • Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large & small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Call Michael Hoff Construction, (310) 710-3199

ROOFING 16w

JOE (NOT THE PLUMBER), THE ROOFER, carpenter, painter, masonry, tile, brick, concrete, retaining walls, landscaper, winter leaks, windows, chimneys, skylights, gutters, remodels. Non-lic. (310) 457-4652

HELP WANTED 17

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

NANNY FOR TWINS. Boy & Girl, 28 months. Weekends: Sat. 3-11 p.m., Sun. 4-8 p.m. Hours are flexible! Loving kids! Pacific Palisades area. Please call Kevin, (714) 318-1791 or (310) 454-6271

HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS? Motivated? Do you want financial freedom? Join our team of distributors. Work with the number one company in scientifically based anti aging skincare. Amazing new anti aging technology! Earning potential $500,000 a year. Call (310) 795-1515

ANTIQUES 18

THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE SET. Enormous collection! Like new table, 53 trains—all wooden, 10 buildings & 6 tunnels/tolls. Plus lots of track. A young boy’s dream present. Value $1,800, selling for $799. Call Christine, (310) 849-6250

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

1982 JAGUAR XJ6. White, saddle, 57K mi. Original paint. Sunroof. Good tires, new brakes, battery. Needs love. $4,000 OBO. (310) 370-9060

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

FURNITURE 18c

MASSAGE CHAIR, PANASONIC. Works perfectly. Looks fine. Ten years old. $200. (310) 454-3557

60” ROUND ENGLISH PEDESTAL WALNUT TABLE with 6 chairs. $2,000. (310) 614-2861

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

GREAT END-OF-THE-YEAR SHOPPING. Whole house. Wonderful furn/furnishgs/collectibles/artifacts/hsehold goods/linens/china/glassware/art/fab hi-end & vintage jewelry. Don’t miss this one! Fri.-Sat., Dec. 12-13, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. 15455 Albright (No. of Sunset/Via de la Paz, LEFT on Albright). Photos/details: www.bmdawson.com

PASSION FOR PINK ROSES; sofas, pots! Sat. & Sun., Dec. 13-14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 632 So. Amalfi Dr. Contemporary art, signed glass, furniture, china, jewelry, antiques, garden, electric wheelchair.

3 HOUSEHOLD SALE! Includes decorator items, furniture, Christmas collectibles, designer clothes, household/kitchen, artwork & more. Saturday, Dec. 13th. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 624 Lachman Lane. No early shoppers.

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

LAB PUPS AKC • YELLOW/WHITE/CHOCOLATE. World famous champion English import lines. Square heads, intelligent & calm, loving temperament. Magic Mountain Area. (661) 269-4673

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

WANTED TO BUY 19

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

PIANO. Would like to buy a SPINET PIANO. Call Eileen, (310) 573-4222

EARLY HOLIDAY DEADLINES

The offices of the Palisadian-Post will be closed on Thursday, December 25, 2008, and Thursday, January 1, 2009, for the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays.

The classified ad deadlines will be Friday, December 19, and Friday, December 26, at 11 a.m.

PaliHi Marching Band Returns, Finishes Second in Tournament

By
dev
-

When the school bus failed to show up to transport PaliHi's marching band students and equipment to a competition in Granada Hills, parents with minivans came to the rescue. Danny Ward (left) and Jeremy Warfel helped load the van.
When the school bus failed to show up to transport PaliHi’s marching band students and equipment to a competition in Granada Hills, parents with minivans came to the rescue. Danny Ward (left) and Jeremy Warfel helped load the van.

In their first competition since 1994, the Palisades High marching band and drum line took second place in the Granada Hills Highlander Band Tournament on November 8. PaliHi, with 35 musicians, competed in Division III (a category based on the number of performing musicians), after overcoming a late start leaving the Palisades. When the students arrived at the school parking lot on a Saturday morning to board the bus, there wasn’t one. When it failed to show up, students scrambled to call parents for rides and drum major Evan Warfel assigned car pools. One parent drove a minivan filled with two bass drums, two tympani drums, two sousaphone cases, the hanging cymbal and stand, the glockenspiel and its stand’and one passenger. ‘We made it in time for warm-up,’ said Arwen Hernandez, the school’s new marching band director. ‘The parents were so supportive and wonderful, and the kids acted as if they’ve been doing this forever.’Watching their performance, no one would have known that just a couple of hours before, we didn’t know if we were going to make it.’They were amazing.’ ”It was really a great day and a testament to Arwen Hernandez,’ said Santa Monica Canyon parent John Warfel.”To accomplish this in such a short time is quite remarkable.” The band’s next competition is December 13 in Palmdale. Long-range plans include adding members and raising money to buy additional instruments and a trailer for the band’s equipment. ‘Our percussion class enrollment is currently limited by the number of instruments we have,’ Hernandez said. ‘We are fundraising to purchase concert tubas and a marimba.’

Art Treasures, Big and Small, Brighten the Season

By
dev
-

One of the most important paintings in William Randolph Hearst’s collection, now on view at LACMA, was this monumental “Portrait of Queen Henrietta Maria with Sir Jeffrey Hudson” by Anthony van Dyck (Flemish, 1633), oil on canvas. Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; photo by Lyle Peterzell. Courtesy of the Los Angeles Museum of Art.

For those seeking refuge from holiday revelry, two important exhibitions in Los Angeles offer sublime moments of solitary contemplation. Though separated by five centuries, the benefactors behind the art in each show were men of enormous wealth and power who passionately sought objects of beauty. In the early 15th century, Jean de France, duc de Berry (1340-1416), commissioned the Limbourg brothers to create a luxurious devotional book known as ‘The Belles Heures.’ The work proved to be his crowning achievement as a patron. Regarded as one of the finest illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, the book is now on view in its unbound state at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Jump ahead to the early 20th century when William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) voraciously collected hundreds of paintings and sculptures and amassed the largest private holding of tapestries, antiquities, silver, and arms and armor of his time. This bounty furnished no fewer than six palatial residences. ‘Hearst the Collector,’ now on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, reunites nearly 150 of the best works of art from the media tycoon’s vast and varied holdings. Belles Heures’ Is ‘Open Book’ Museum visitors are accustomed to seeing illuminated manuscripts opened to a single page. To see one of the greatest illuminated manuscripts ever in all its unbound glory provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk through its pages. Such is the case with ‘The Belles Heures,’ the collaborative work of brothers Paul, Herman and Jean de Limbourg, commissioned by John, the Duke of Berry. One of the jewels of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Cloisters Collection, the medieval manuscript was recently unbound to allow restoration. Before being rebound, its 180 pages, containing more than 80 miniatures, will be exhibited in just two places: here in Los Angeles through February 8, and next fall in New York at the Metropolitan Museum. ‘One can get carried away using superlatives about this exhibition,’ said Thomas Kren, senior curator of manuscripts at the Getty, during a recent interview. ‘I can’t emphasize enough how this is one of the greatest manuscripts the Getty has ever shown and probably will ever show.’ ‘The Belle Heures’ of the Duke of Berry is beloved not only for the splendor of its miniatures, but also for its sheer ambition. While every book of hours contains a collection of devotions with corresponding illustrations, the duke found the Limbourgs’ style so new and exciting that he decided to make the book much larger. In addition to the familiar subjects common to most personal prayer books’such as the story of the infancy of Christ’the Limbourgs added more extensive cycles. They included 11 miniatures of the life of Saint Catherine, a saint especially beloved by the French royal family (the duke of Berry was a son, brother, and uncle of three successive French kings), and 12 miniatures from the life of Saint Jerome, with whom the duke felt a special affinity. The pages instantly transport viewers to the early 1400s and a world full of contrasts, with images of nobles and peasants, holiness and horror, and pleasure and violence existing side by side. Two of the Limbourg brothers were still teenagers when they moved to Paris from Holland circa 1402. Despite their young age, they demonstrated a mature skill as narrative artists, depicting the body and capturing movement and expressions in an entirely new way. ‘Within the tradition of miniature painting, their work is as good as it gets,’ says Kren. ‘They were tremendous colorists whose sensitivity to the effects of light gave their works such delicacy and radiance.’ For those lucky enough to snag one of the magnifying glasses provided in the galleries (or better yet, bring your own or buy one in the gift shop), the nuance of gesture and fineness of individual brush strokes can be savored up close. ‘The book is so well preserved,’ notes Kren. ‘There’s a remarkable freshness and purity of color. It’s as if the artist had just laid down his brush.’ Reframing Hearst as Collector No magnifying glass is necessary when viewing ‘Hearst the Collector’ at LACMA. The exhibition, on view through February 1, is filled with monumental objects, including four full suits of armor and several enormous Renaissance tapestries. Such was the taste of Hearst, whose habits in art collecting mirrored his robust personality as a newspaper tycoon and politician. ‘Hearst did not collect with the intense forethought of J.P. Morgan, Isabella Gardner, or Henry Clay Frick. He was not focused, analytical, introspective or cerebral. He was extravagant, amusing, intuitive and voracious.’ So writes Mary Levkoff, LACMA curator and organizer of the exhibition, in an early chapter of ‘Hearst the Collector,’ the companion catalog. Nonetheless, one of the objectives of the exhibition is to reveal Hearst as an accomplished and discriminating collector, not simply a flamboyant consumer. The exhibition highlights Hearst’s most important acquisitions, including his particularly strong collections of arms and armor, silver, and tapestries. In each of these areas, he surpassed virtually all his contemporaries, amassing the greatest quantity of top-tier works. Hearst also formed legendary treasuries of medieval and Renaissance goldsmith’s work and Limoges enamels. Levkoff surmises the dismissive attitude toward Hearst by many art historians stems from a bias that favors collectors of paintings (even so, the exhibition is not void of paintings’ major works by Boucher, Copley, van Dyck, Fragonard and others are on display). Another contributing factor is that much of Hearst’s collection was dispersed and sold during a liquidity crisis in the late 1930s. Many of his best works of art were bought by benefactors who donated them to other museums, and Hearst’s name subsequently was lost from view. It’s fitting for LACMA to host a reassessment of Hearst’s achievements. He is the museum’s greatest individual donor, and LACMA houses the second largest repository of Hearst’s treasures after Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Standouts in the exhibition include a mother-of-pearl box dotted with garnets and topped by emeralds dating from 1532 and lent by the Louvre. ‘The Lansdowne Venus’ by Antonio Canova, a historic marble statue, is one of many objects on loan from Hearst Castle. A nice complement to the show are drawings by Julia Morgan, Hearst’s preferred architect, who is best known for her work on Hearst Castle.

More Art than Commerce: Peter Gowland’s Photographs

By
dev
-

“Airplane” (1969), a 27″ x 41″ black-and-white print, highlights Gowland’s playful talent working with nudes.

By ELIZABETH MARCELLINO Palisadian-Post Contributor Well, it’s about time. Peter Gowland, 92, a photographer since he first picked up a camera at 13, finally has a solo gallery show. An enthusiastic collection of friends, neighbors and mostly local guests spilled through the two levels and outside space of Frank Langen’s gallery g169 on West Channel Road on Saturday night. To be fair, the Santa Monica Canyon resident’s work through the years has been largely commercial”he earned his bread and butter with magazine covers, advertising jobs, and headshots; he produced an annual pin-up calendar for a tool company for more than 30 years. He’s best known for glamour shots of models and actresses, which include Jayne Mansfield, but also scores of unknowns. Many of the model shots from the ’50s shown on his Web site are nearly kitschy now in their exaggerated perkiness and mannered poses. They were probably effective in selling whiskey and power tools, with their side serving of playful sexuality, but it’s also not shocking that they didn’t have art dealers banging down Gowland’s door. But the work that Laura O’Loughlin has curated here as ‘California Girls, Hollywood’s Beach & The War Years’ serves mostly as counterpoint to those glamour shots. O’Loughlin’s reason for choosing the abstract underwater nude that graces the show’s invitation serves just as well as an explanation of her deft choices throughout”the work here ‘transcends the genre.’ The second-floor main space is devoted to 19 nudes and, while the models here could easily be the same perky gals found elsewhere, these images seem much more about art than commerce. The women are sultry and natural in their near or complete nakedness, not jutting out here or twisting around there to present their selves in calendar fashion. It’s not that they are without props. One woman’s torso, all that’s visible in a shot at the beach, is patterned with the sharp criss-cross shadows of a fishnet. Another girl, standing in only panties, wears a floppy hat that somehow unmistakably pegs her as from the ’70s. It’s also not simply the naturalism of the poses that differentiates this work. One image of just a pair of legs crossed closely together at the knee may have trapped the model in a pose as uncomfortable as any, while Gowland bent the light and shadow to his will. But for the viewer of the finished piece, the pose seems sculptural, not contorted, and pleasing in a much deeper, more interesting way than the simple retro pleasures of the calendar girls. Much of the focus is on the nudes or ‘California Girls,’ but O’Loughlin has split the show into a trinity of elements, with playful intermezzos along the way. The first floor entry showcases photographs from ‘The War Years,’ presented mostly in 8′ x 10′ format and captivating more for the subject matter they capture and their documentary value than any vivid artistry. A small second-floor anteroom off the main space holds ‘Hollywood’s Beach,’ a four-part story in itself, told wall by wall”50s and ’60s beachgoers; celebrities of the era such as Henry Miller and Tallulah Bankhead; a short series of children; and nostalgic pin-ups. All offer up a time otherwise lost to us and O’Loughlin, who pored through hundreds of photos and says she selected these because they ‘just touched us,’ seems to have a knack for finding images either poignant or unique. The beach photographs are also great fun, taken by Gowland during his own playtime. Viewers can see how much fun Langen and O’Loughlin themselves had with the show when some of Gowland’s miscellany pops out of nooks and passageways, as when visitors on their way back downstairs spot a 30′ x 40′ print of a younger Peter, naked, behind a small, strategically-placed palm plant. The show is not entirely cohesive, given the breadth of choices, but there are so many great moments that it hardly seems to matter. Gowland, seated on a stool in the middle of the room and surrounded for hours with guests asking questions and offering praise, is engagingly self-effacing. He offers full credit for everything he’s accomplished to his wife, Alice, 88, who has served as his agent, writer, publisher, assistant and ‘pinch hitter.’ Despite his clear technical expertise (he manufactured cameras as a sideline and wrote several books on lighting), he insists that his ‘best pictures have happened by accident.’ Though the show is hardly accidental, Langen does seem a bit surprised by its apparent great success. It gives him hope that the new gallery can be self-sustaining and that the canyon as a center of art and culture can be revived. ‘Every day is a gift,’ he says of having artists such as Gowland and Julius Shulman, the subject of Langen’s first show, in our midst, and he remains committed to showing local work. For Gowland, the gift seems to have been returned. At least twice during the evening, he deems the whole shebang ‘the biggest day of my life.’ Well, it’s about time.

Comedic Order in Disorder In PaliHi’s ‘Twelfth Night’

By
dev
-

The cast from “Twelfth Night,” now playing at Palisades High School.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Whether it’s the fluttering emotions of new love, the deviousness of an antagonist’s plot, or the frustration of budding sexuality, words tell one kind of story, but music opens a window into the inner turmoil of the characters. By putting Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night, Or What You Will’ to music for Palisades High’s current production, director Lisa Kraus has rekindled enthusiasm for this early 17th century story, injecting fresh delight in the text supplemented by the joyous exuberance of these young actors. Kraus decided to place the action in the disco-crazed 1970s, where the set matches the cool of 007’white fir-covered chaise longue and swivel lamps’and the costumes rival ‘Saturday Night Fever.’ Old stories are often kept alive by stage directors purposefully changing a play’s time and place in hopes of discovering something new and original in the story.   The players in this tale of frustrated loves, confused identities and delicious tomfoolery speak the words, but reveal their emotions by dancing to such standards as Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain,’ ’10 CC’s ‘I’m Not In Love’ and, of course, Van McCoy’s ‘Do The Hustle.’ There is some real talent here, especially with the strong solos by Lauren Hansen, who plays the clown Feste. Her a cappella rendition of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Lady of the Canyon,’ and Donovan’s ‘Sunshine Superman’ are luminous. Seventies fever spreads by way of disco revival, which this reviewer enjoyed as much as the swiveling, kicking kids on stage in their platform boots. ‘Twelfth Night’ is full of rich, memorable characters: the absurd sentimentalism of the duke Orsino is played by Alex Caan, who sustains the tricky balance between being dignified and downright silly. Chloe Wilson, who displays the youthful freshness of Viola, takes up her service to her master Orsino by wooing the flinty-hearted Olivia (Mia Canter), all the while suffering mightily to conceal her love for him. Minor characters in the service of this confounded love triangle are as delightful as can be. The very talented Julian Schwartzman, who not only delivers some of the funniest wit of the evening, also possesses a strong voice and seamless technique. He really brings Sir Toby Belch to the highest shine. His partners-in-crime, Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Marial Redlin) and Maria (Elena Loper), can’t help but enjoy a rib-aching good time. Mistaken identity reigns freely in this production: Viola disguises herself as her brother, whom she fears has been lost at sea. It’s a familiar theme for Shakespeare, who also used the plot device in ‘The Comedy of Errors.’ The results are hilarious, particularly clever in this production as the costume team, headed by Lorin Doctor, has matched the pairs in color and pattern. With PaliHi’s recently upgraded lighting system, the action can move upstage, stage right and left, successfully, which helps to advance the narrative without a set change. Again, the set design, under committee head Mary Hobbs, is brilliant in its minimal effect. The white palette, anchored by the trio of spiral white cylindrical columns, dish chair, chaise longue and table with a vase of red flowers, is sophisticated and sharp.    ‘Twelfth Night’ is a comedy full of rich language, confused identities, and the ultimate triumph of love. The play continues Thursday through Saturday, December 11-13, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 14 at 2 p.m. in Mercer Hall, Palisades High School, 15777 Bowdoin. Tickets: $10 at the door.

Built Tournament Tough

By
dev
-

Paleno’s Boys Basketball Squad Doesn’t Rebuild, It Simply Reloads Every Season

Aaron Fitts drives to the basket in Palisades' 86-54 win over West Adams in pool play of the Campbell Hall Tournament last Wednesday.
Aaron Fitts drives to the basket in Palisades’ 86-54 win over West Adams in pool play of the Campbell Hall Tournament last Wednesday.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

You can take away 11 of 13 players on the roster and you can line up the toughest schedule around, but you can’t keep the Palisades High boys varsity basketball team from winning. The Dolphins have only two players–Lebre Merritt and Aaron Fitts–returning from last year’s squad and yet four games into the season, Palisades is playing like a unit that has been together for three years. “I’m much more pleased with this game… yesterday was ugly,” Coach James Paleno said after the Dolphins’ 86-54 trouncing of West Adams last Wednesday in the second round of pool play at the Campbell Hall Tournament in North Hollywood. “You always have to play like it’s tied. There’s no excuse not to.” The win was No. 325 of Paleno’s career and it was achieved much like most of the previous ones–with tenacious defense, unselfishness on offense and steadiness at the foul line. More to his liking than the Dolphins’ season opener against Sun Valley Poly, which Palisades won 71-60 despite making one out of 13 three-pointers and two of 12 free throw attempts. Aaron Fitts led the way against West Adams, finishing with 16 points, 15 rebounds and five assists as Palisades raced to a 44-22 halftime lead. The next night, against a very good Highland team, the Dolphins found themselves tied at halftime but outscored the Bulldogs by 23 points in the final 16 minutes. “This is one of the youngest teams I’ve had, it’s going to take awhile,” Paleno said. “Hopefully we can get better every game.” For the second straight year, Palisades met host Campbell Hall, the defending state champion, in the final. Once again, the Dolphins lost but they played the Vikings much tougher than they did a year ago. The final score was 88-70, but Garrett Nevels poured in 18 points, Fitts added 14 points and nine rebounds and Kenneth Towner scored 10 points. On Monday, Palisades (4-1) began defense of its Beverly Hills Tournament crown with a 63-41 victory over Palos Verdes. They played Crespi in the second round Wednesday night. Last December, the Dolphins routed Long Beach Poly in the final win the title for the seventh time since 1986. “It’s the closest thing we have to a home tournament,” Paleno said of Beverly Hills. “Hopefully, we can add one more year to the list.” The Beverly Hills Tournament final is Saturday night. Palisades then heads north for next week’s San Fernando Valley Invitational.

Palisades Kickers Draw Three

By
dev
-

Grace Jamison congratulates teammate Natasha Burks after a goal. Palisades blanked Fairfax, 4-0, in its league opener on Monday.
Grace Jamison congratulates teammate Natasha Burks after a goal. Palisades blanked Fairfax, 4-0, in its league opener on Monday.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

The season is but a few games old and already the Palisades High women’s soccer team has had more than its share of adversity. Hosting their own tournament for the first time, the Dolphins tied all three of their games in the Palisades Holiday Showcase last weekend, but they lost a key player in the process. Senior captain Erin Newman was taken down hard after scoring a goal against Woodland Hills Taft last Saturday afternoon and she suffered a broken leg on the play, ending her season. Only time will tell how losing one of last year’s scoring leaders affects the Dolphins, but they played an inspired game Monday against Fairfax, blanking the Lions 4-0 for their first win of the season. “This was important because it was our first league game,” said Laura Goldsmith, who has had little time to sharpen her soccer skills since joining the team fresh off having led the volleyball team to the City championship. The defending Western League champion Dolphins wasted no time getting on the board against visiting Fairfax. Katie Vandaalenwetters scored in the 15th minute and Melisa Tallis scored 10 minutes later. Natasha Burks re-directed a pinpoint cross from Vandaalenwetters for the third goal and Vandaalenwetters tallied her second goal early in the second half to close the scoring. Kristin Bailey made five saves and Kate Rosenbaum had two assists. The Dolphins’ tournament opener against Reseda Cleveland was a good early-season barometer of how far both programs have progressed since last winter when the Cavaliers eliminated Palisades, 3-1, in the quarterfinals of the City playoffs. This time, both teams scored in the second half for a 1-1 tie. Palisades led 2-0 at halftime against Taft only to see the Toreadors net two goals of their own to forge a 2-2 draw. The Dolphins’ last game of round robin against Sylmar was a 0-0 stalemate. Still, tying three of the strongest teams in the San Fernando Valley was an encouraging sign that the Dolphins might be ready to challenge for the section crown. Coach Kim Smith has also entered the Dolphins in the Grant Invitational January 8-10, yet another chance for Palisades to prove itself against Valley teams before the playoffs begin. Ten of the 22 players on the Dolphins’ varsity squad are freshmen or sophomores. Palisades (1-1-3 overall, 1-0 in league) returns to the pitch next Monday when it hosts Western league rival Venice at 7 p.m. at Stadium by the Sea. The Dolphins then host Malibu in an intersectional game Tuesday night before traveling to Hamilton Thursday for their last game before winter break.

Bouncing Back Strong

By
dev
-

Dolphins Gain Share of Their Own Hoops Tournament Championship for 1st Time

Dominique Scott scored 14 points in the Dolphins' 56-18 victory, which earned them a share of the Palisades Beach Invitational title.
Dominique Scott scored 14 points in the Dolphins’ 56-18 victory, which earned them a share of the Palisades Beach Invitational title.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. After losing to Marymount in the second round last Tuesday the Palisades High girls’ varsity basketball team was resigned to the fact that, for the fifth straight year, it was not going to win its own Palisades Beach Invitational. However, because several teams pulled out of the tournament at the last minute, Coach Torino Johnson had to re-work the draw in order to allow every team to play its allotted number of games. In the finals, Marymount lost to Notre Dame Academy, which in turn had lost to Palisades, so all three teams shared the title. “We wound up with a three-way tie, so all three teams share the championship,” Johnson said. “So we can now officially say we’ve won our own tournament, even though we have to share it.” Palisades rebounded from its 53-39 loss to the Sailors by running Crossroads out of the gym, 56-18, the next day. In that game, Dominique Scott and Nicole Flyer each scored 14 points and Utopia Kates added 13 as the Dolphins raced to a 37-9 halftime lead. In fact, the Roadrunners did not score a point in the second quarter. “Definitely our best game so far,” Johnson said. On Monday, Palisades was back on its home court to play Crenshaw in a nonleague battle that came right down to the wire. The Cougars led throughout but had to hold off the Dolphins’ fourth quarter surge to prevail, 53-49. Once again, Flyer led the way with 14 points while Scott and Kates each added 11 for the Dolphins (3-2), who open Western League play next Tuesday at Fairfax. Boys Soccer Three games into the season, Palisades still has not scored a goal. Fortunately for the Dolphins, however, they have only one loss on their record. After a frustrating 1-0 loss at San Pedro in its season opener, Palisades traveled across town to Santa Monica to take on the defending state champion Vikings last Friday. Santa Monica lost most of its players to graduation but was still good enough to score once in each half for a 2-0 win. Under new coach Dave Suarez, Palisades is concentrating more on ball control and possession in the middle of the field. At times that tactic has been successful… except when it comes to finishing plays. “Bottom line is we need to score,” Suarez said. “You have to score to win.” The Dolphins’ scoring woes continued Monday in their Western League opener at Fairfax. Neither team could find the back of the net in a 0-0 draw. Palisades travels to Venice for another Western League game next Monday at 2:30 p.m. Girls Tennis Usually, Palisades High players dominate the draw at the All-City Individual Tournament. This time around, Jessie Corneli was the Dolphins’ only representative . Playing in the middle of the singles bracket, Corneli defeated Carson’s Lily Kurosaki, 6-4, 6-2, in her first match, then lost to third-seeded Samantha Jacobs of El Camino Real, 6-0, 6-1, in the second round last Friday at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.

1...2,1472,1482,149...2,558Page 2,148 of 2,558
© Pacific Palisades Post, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272