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Life in the Saddle: Cory Walkey

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Childhood photo, courtesy Cory Walkey
Childhood photo, courtesy Cory Walkey

By THERESA HEIM-KILKOWSKI It was a tempestuous night, the wind was blowing hard and the rain was falling fast. It was the perfect setting for storytelling. I was having dinner with my friend Joe McKinley, a trainer at Mill Creek Equestrian Center in Topanga. We were entertaining each other by telling tales of our pasts, whiling away the time until the storm passed. ‘You know, Cory has led an interesting life,’ Joe said. ‘She used to be friends with Ronald Reagan and ride with him on his ranch in Malibu. He even gave her one of his horses as a gift.’ Cory Walkey is the owner of Mill Creek and a lifelong resident of Pacific Palisades. Intimidating is a gentle word to describe this woman who is all business when it comes to her horses. Her presence at Mill Creek is omniscient; all seeing and all knowing. She is a very private and enigmatic figure to many of us riders, so it was a delightful surprise when she enthusiastically agreed to let me interview her for the Palisadian-Post. I met with Cory at her one-story ranch house in Rivas Canyon, where she lives with her two Rottweilers, six chickens and Mr. Duck, who has the run of the house. As we talked, her mystique quickly melted away, and before me sat one of the most gracious and personable women I have ever met. One of the most intelligent, too. Born in 1945, Cory was raised in the Palisades, initially in a house on Las Casas Avenue. At age five, while on a trail ride with a neighbor, Cory came upon Rivas Canyon, a remote setting on the north side of Sunset, between Brooktree Road and the entrance to Will Rogers State Historic Park. It was secluded by sycamore trees and holly-leaved cherry, close to civilization, yet still very wild. Cory brought her mother to this enchanted place and she immediately fell in love with it. ‘At the time, there were two houses down by Sunset’one where Myrna Loy lived,’ Cory says. ‘Another house, further up the canyon, belonged to Lee Tracy, the 1930s movie actor.’ At the time, Cory’s father worked for the Douglas Aircraft Company, but it was the inspiration of her mother, who ran the foreign students program at UCLA, to buy 12 to 14 acres in Rivas. She first built the Walkey home, then throughout the years built spec houses and sold off parcels of land. Cory spent most of her childhood in a riding ring across the street from her house. ‘I was always getting into trouble with my horses,’ she recalls. One afternoon, seven of her horses escaped from the corral and made their way up Sunset towards the Palisades village. ‘I flagged down a motorist and begged him for a ride. He took me to the old Hot Dog Show, where I found a policeman, but he wouldn’t help me. He thought I was crazy. I found the horses all the way down at the bluffs just standing there, looking at the ocean.’ Cory always knew what she wanted to do in life. ‘I never had to think about it,’ she says. At age 11, her friend wanted to keep her horse at the stable at Cory’s house. Her mother agreed, but only if Cory set it up as a business. ‘She bought me a ledger book and told me to keep track of all the costs. Soon after, I had three, then four horses and was running a pretty good business.’ At age 16, Cory was giving riding lessons after school and on weekends. ‘From there, it just grew and grew.’ And so did the status of her clientele: Anthony Quinn, Glenn Ford’s wife, Sidney Portier and Katherine Ross, to name a few. ‘There was a young man about 14 named Reginald Sully III who thought the world set with Katherine Ross,’ Cory remembers. ‘He would come to the house and hang out whenever she came to ride. One day I was on the phone and someone was insistently knocking at the door. I figured it was Reggie and yelled out for him to go play in the barn. I finally answered the door, and standing there was Gregory Peck. He was inquiring about riding lessons for his daughter. I can’t believe I told Gregory Peck to go out and play in the barn.’ Cory suffered from dyslexia and had a difficult time at Palisades High because her teachers never recognized her disability. One day she was called into the principal’s office and she feared trouble. To her surprise, the principal pulled out a set of blueprints. ‘He was building a stable and wanted my advice,’ Cory says. He made an arrangement for Cory to get involved in a work/study program. ‘I came to school for four hours in the morning and my work was to come home and ride and take care of my horses. I even got to write out my own report card.’ While at a horse show, Cory’s mother befriended Sir John Galvin, one of the world’s richest men, who subsidized the U.S. Olympic eventing team. He invited Cory to stay at his ranch in Solvang”the most incredible equestrian center anyone’s ever seen,’ Cory says. ‘It was the opportunity of a lifetime.’ After high school, while most of her peers went to college, Cory decided to travel to Galvin’s estate in Ireland, where she trained extensively and received her teaching credentials in equestrian sports. Ten months later, when it was time for her to return home, Cory didn’t want to leave. She had grown attached to one of Galvin’s horses and approached Galvin, asking if there was any way she could buy his horse. ‘He said to me, ‘You know I don’t sell my horses, Cory, but you really love this one, don’t you? You can take him home with you.’ It was unbelievable. I get teary when I think about it.’ In the 1960s, Cory started the Will Rogers Riding Club. When the state put out a bid for the whole concession, Cory fought to keep her club. She proposed a comprehensive equestrian package, wanting to make it more accessible to the public. ‘The polo guys had George Hearst, son of William Randolph on their team, so I didn’t stand much of a chance. The whole thing went to the Will Rogers Polo Club,’ Cory says. ‘Right or wrong, that’s how it went.’ In 1971, she found the future site of Mill Creek, a former walnut and egg farm. ‘There was nothing there but junk,’ Cory says, ‘but I thought, ‘Yep, that’s it.” Throughout the years, she has turned the 30-acre property off Old Topanga Road into a world-class training facility for dressage and event riders. Joe McKinley grew up in Northern California. As a young boy just starting out in the sport, he remembers going to shows throughout California and regarding the riders at Mill Creek as the ones to beat. Mill Creek is no longer his competitor, but instead his family, largely because of Cory. ‘For all the roughness about her,’ McKinley says, ‘she’s a very sweet person at heart. There’s no place like Mill Creek. It’s a tremendous undertaking for just one woman.’ Cory never married nor had a family of her own. ‘The kids at Mill Creek are my family,’ she says. ‘They’re the ones who have kept the place going all these years. What started as a passion for horses has evolved into just enjoying spending time with the kids. I love that stage from when they go from being passengers to when they’re able to ride. Everything at that point for them is such a thrill.’ Sitting in her living room with one of the Rottweilers at her feet, Cory is reflective. ‘I’ve lived in the same town in the same house nearly all of my life and had the same business for 37 years,’ she says. ‘I live in this beautiful canyon, and on my way to work I see dolphins bouncing around in the ocean. It’s idyllic. Sometimes I think I should do something else, but then I think–what, where? It doesn’t get any better than this.’

THURSDAY, APRIL 24 to THURSDAY, MAY 1

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THURSDAY, APRIL 24 Citizen of the Year Dinner, sponsored since 1947 by the Palisadian-Post, 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall on La Cruz. Bill Minor discusses ‘Trek: Lips, Sunny, Pecker and Me,’ a comic adventure novel set in 1976 along the Oregon Trail, 7:30 p.m., Village Books on Swarthmore. FRIDAY, APRIL 25 Theatre Palisades presents Michael Frayn’s ‘Noises Off,’ 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, through May 11 at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Tickets: (310) 454-1970 or visit theatrepalisades.org. SUNDAY, APRIL 27 Canyon Charter School’s 114th Annual Fiesta and Silent Auction, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the school campus. Free admission. Free shuttle service available at the Marix Restaurant on Entrada. MONDAY, APRIL 28 Monthly meeting of the Pacific Palisades Civic League, 7:30 p.m. in the Methodist Church lounge, 801 Via de la Paz. Public invited. TUESDAY, APRIL 29 Storytime for children ages 3 and up, 4 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 Free screening of the documentary ‘Shadows in Paradise,’ 8 p.m. at the Villa Aurora, 520 Paseo Miramar. Filmmakers Peter Rosen and Sara Lukinson, UCLA professor Erhard Bahr, Cal State Northridge professor Michael Meyer will take part in a Q & A discussion following the film. RSVP by April 28 to infola@villa-aurora.org or call (310) 573-3603. (See story, page TK.) Sustainable eating? discussion, tasting, and book signing with food writer and author Amelia Saltsman, Molly Gean of Harry’s Berries, and Evan Kleiman host of KCRW’s ‘Good Food’ and owner of Angeli Caffe?, 7 p.m., ?Kehillat Israel ?16019 Sunset Blvd. THURSDAY, MAY 1 Swazzles’ Forest Fables, a free puppet show for preschoolers of all ages, 4 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Robert Levinson discusses and signs ‘In the Key of Death,’ a thriller set in the world of the Los Angeles music industry, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. Levison’s book draws on his years as an art columnist, critic, feature writer and reviewer for publications such as Rolling Stone.

Palisadian Playwright’s ‘Remainders’ of Marriage

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“The Concept of Remainders” playwright Richard Martin Hirsch.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

How’s this for prolific? ‘I have a play opening in New York City in 15 minutes–a one-act play called ‘Fast Light and Brilliant,’ off-off-Broadway, at the Emerging Artists Theatre Festival,’ playwright Richard Martin Hirsch tells the Palisadian-Post, even as he discusses his latest L.A. stage production, ‘The Concept of Remainders,’ at the Chandler Studio Theatre in North Hollywood. ‘Concept of Remainders,’ which tackles ‘morality, mortality, sex, and how life choices can lead to surprising results,’ asks the question of what happens when conservative, middle-aged couple Mac and Mary, hitting a stagnant phase in their 15-year marriage, agree to allow each other to have sex with other partners during a 10-day window. The cast includes Meredith Bishop, Suzanne Ford, Bradley Fisher, Dan Gilvezan and Salli Saffioti. ”The Concept of Remainders’was actually begun before the other three,’ the writer says. ‘The challenge was to write something both funny and meaningful about middle-age relationships and how the nature of marriage has changed. The genesis of the play came from observing other married couples with children our child’s age.’ If ever there was a Palisades-bred playwright, it’s Hirsch. ‘I grew up here,’ Hirsch says. ‘My parents moved here in 1958. I went to high school here.’ After graduating from UCLA, Hirsch lived in Cheviot Hills for many years before returning to his native community. He married his wife, Sue, in 1988, and bought a house in the Riviera in 1990. ‘I’ve always loved the Palisades,’ Hirsch says. ‘My parents still live in the Palisades.’ Richard and Sue Hirsch have a 17-year-old college-bound daughter, Holly, now a junior at Palisades High. ‘A lot of the things she’s going through and has gone through was addressed in ‘The Monkey Jar,’ the whole competitive nature of schools,’ Hirsch says. ‘I’m having the best time I’ve ever had,’ Hirsch says. ‘It’s a great cast of actors, a terrific director, Mark L. Taylor. We’ve been having such a fun time working to get it ready.’ He notes that, among the cast, Bishop is appearing in her third Hirsch-authored production, while Saffiotti just played in his ‘Monkey Jar.’ Earlier this year, ‘Monkey Jar’ played at the Beverly Hills High School-based Theatre 40. Last year, he celebrated the run of his play ‘Atonement’ (not to be confused with the novel and its Oscar-nominated feature adaptation). ‘All my work has humor in it, but of the last four plays, three have been dramas,’ Hirsch says. In April 2006, the Hirsch drama ‘The Quality of Light’ was named ‘Critics’ Choice’ in Los Angeles Times, L.A. Weekly and Backstage West. The acclaim for ‘Light’ culminated with an Ovation Award nomination for ‘Best World Premiere Play.’ ‘I’m an avid fan of theater and I see a lot of theater around town,’ Hirsch says. ‘L.A.’s theater culture, it’s strained financially, but there’s a lot of good work.’ He cites a local version of Margaret Edson’s ‘Wit’ and a recent workshop production of ‘Only Say the Word’ by Colin Mitchell as examples of work he enjoyed and admired. As for his own play, he sees his ‘Concept’ comedy as a window into what is very much drama for a lot of people. ‘It’s a look at how the passion in a long-time marriage is lost and yet there’s still this undercurrent,’ Hirsch says. ‘Especially with the men, there’s almost this grief about the passion being gone, about less excitement, as the talk turns to the future, children, school, career, etc.’ Well, you get the concept’now go see ‘Concept.’ ‘The Concept of Remainders’ runs through May 17 on Friday and Saturday evenings, 8 p.m.; Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. at the Chandler Studio Theatre Center, 12443 Chandler Blvd., North Hollywood. Tickets: $22. Cash only at the door, or go to www.theprodco.com or call (800) 838-3006 to order tickets.

A + D Dream Team: Gensler’s Rob Jernigan, Nila Leiserowitz

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On a sunny March morning, the Palisadian-Post finds itself in the Gensler war room where a closed-door executive session plays out. At the table: Glenn Rasumssen (hospitality technical director), Warwick Wicksman (hospitality designer), Lisa Asahara (practice area marketing coordinator), and Diane Cullen-Levin (client relationship manager). On the table: projects in development with Nickelodeon, Eagle Lodge, and other high-profile entities big enough to own a piece of our daily lives. At stake: enterprises years in the making, with hundreds of millions of capital investment hanging in the balance. Leading the discussion: architect Rob Jernigan and interior designer Nila Leiserowitz, a pair of seasoned professionals who also happen to be Palisadians. In the heart of Santa Monica beats Gensler, a global architecture, design, planning and consulting firm that handles top-tier architectural assignments for the most prominent clients in L.A.’s financial, medical, municipal and entertainment sectors. Gensler pumps lifeblood into the design of contemporary Los Angeles. Projects at Gensler include some of the costliest, most ambitious architectural challenges in our city’s 158-year history; large-scale projects’make that events!…that will shape the destiny of our city for many decades to come. As co-managing directors of the 360-person Los Angeles office, Jernigan, 52, and Leiserowitz, 54, work in tandem at what is considered”within Gensler’s international network of 30 offices (including locations in London, Tokyo and Dubai) and 3,000 employees”the most creatively progressive office. Jernigan heads the architectural division. Leiserowitz designs interiors of buildings and campuses. Both Jernigan and Leiserowitz bring impressive credentials and resumes to the figurative table. Jernigan’s resume includes a short list of Houston’s most prominent edifices. In March, Leiserowitz received her profession’s highest honor when she was named Designer of Distinction by the American Society of Interior Designers. With his Ryan O’Neal-Warren Beatty-ish looks, semicasual attire, and a soft Texan accent, Jernigan clearly and confidently leads the internal roundtable. Sporting cat’s-eye glasses, curt hairstyle, and checkered socks and black shoes, Leiserowitz looks every inch the artsy master interior designer and appears strikingly bohemian compared to the mix of formal and casually dressed studio leaders in the room. Leiserowitz does not talk as much as Jernigan does, but when she speaks, the room listens. A ‘BD’ (Business & Development) discussion ensues, which segues into a conversation on colleague and client relations, and on improving internal consultation and training, finally ending with venting frustration with the insular, cloistered culture of a particular hotel chain. All in a day’s work for this team. ‘?Rob and Nila both have an eye for identifying new young leaders in the architectural community,’ Wicksman says. ‘Their knowledge of current architecture and design, industry trends, and their understanding about focusing on the important issues, inspires confidence within the office, and with our clients.’ Paired together by Gensler, the Leiserowtiz-Jernigan juggernaut is a partnership that works. Thoughtful and soft-spoken, Leiserowitz counters Jernigan’s brashness with a different kind of temperament. ‘Nila is persuasive in a calm sort of way,’ Cullen-Levin says. ‘She’s a very strong, organized thinker,’ Jernigan says of Leiserowitz. ‘She’s very honest.’ ‘Rob is much more verbal and outgoing than I am,’ Leiserowitz says of her partner and fellow Palisadian. ‘He’s a very talented architect. We have similar values, so when we’re trying to set a direction for the office, we’re aligned. We bring two different perspectives to the same issue, which is healthy.’ [DROP CAP] Nila Leiserowitz jokes that she envies the fact that her husband of 22 years, Ron Leiserowitz, works from home because ‘his commute is much shorter than mine.’ She and Ron like to spend their down time around the Palisades with their Irish setter, Leo. ‘It’s a walking city,’ Leiserowitz says. ‘We live near St. Matthew’s so we can walk to the Village for lunches and to the farmer’s market. ‘Something that you would never expect about Nila is that she climbs mountains!’ Cullen-Levin says. ‘Nila has such a calm demeanor, and one would not expect that she would do something so physically taxing and extreme. But it definitely supports her personality in that she is always shooting for the pinnacle, whether it is in design or in her personal life.’ ‘We’re avid hikers, so we appreciate the access to the trails,’ says Leiserowitz, who also likes to laze around Caf’ Vida on Antioch. Before heading West, the erstwhile Nila Hildebrandt wallowed in her Midwest roots, growing up in South Dakota and getting her interior design degree from the University of Minnesota. At age 24, she and partner Gary Wheeler created the successful interior design firm Wheeler-Hildebrandt. After a decade, Leiserowitz moved to Chicago and worked for Perkins & Will (from 1988 to 1995), the firm which purchased her 20-person firm. While at Perkins & Will, she enjoyed her first brush with the West Coast when she partnered with a local firm to design San Bernardino Community Hospital. There was no question when Gensler came calling in 1995 for Leiserowitz, who was ready to put her career on a pedestal. ‘It was the number-one firm that interested me,’ she says. ‘A global firm that has its roots in interiors. The types of clients that you’re able to attract are much more diverse ‘I love the diversity. We work on projects from as large as airports to product design.’ Blessed with unlimited budgets, Leiserowitz adds that ‘a part of our responsibility is to find that balance.’ Leiserowitz’s career highlights since joining Gensler have included Western Asset Management in Pasadena and Saban Capital in Century City. ‘Until recently, there was a lot of work in the financial industry. All of a sudden the entertainment industry is active again,’ says Leiserowitz. ‘When the recession goes down, our corporate services will shift into a different mode. There’s different work to be done, but all of it is challenging.’ [DROP CAP] ‘Robert Jernigan is passionate about life,’ Cullen-Levin says. ‘He is passionate about architecture and designing the best building to meet the client’s ‘point of view,’ but he is just as passionate about his family. He has been active with his son and the Boy Scouts since Grayson [Jernigan’s oldest child] was little.’ Indeed, Jernigan received an illustrious acknowledgment last month when the Boy Scouts awarded him the Design and Construction Industry’s Distinguished Citizen Award. But his Palisades lifestyle is where his heart is. Specifically, Paseo Miramar, where Jernigan, after graduating from the University of Georgia and University of Tennessee, moved to from swingin’ Manhattan Beach upon marrying wife Sue. Today, Jernigan is very involved with St. Matthew’s Parish with his three children, Grayson, 13; Cassie, 11; and Charlotte, 8. Through the children’s soccer games and the like, Jernigan befriended such esteemed individuals as William Morris CEO Jim Wyatt, for whose firm Gensler will be establishing the new digs of Wyatt’s talent and literary agency; and Jason Reese of Imperial Capital, another Gensler client. ‘The kids’ network is powerful,’ Jernigan says, smiling. The Palisades, to him, ‘represents the best of L.A. It clearly has the best climate. For a certain stage in your life, it’s the perfect place”very close-knit, family-oriented.’ In the workplace, Jernigan proves as dedicated to his craft as he is to his family and community. Jernigan climbed his way up from a prominent Houston architect to heading Gensler L.A.’s architecture department. He worked on the Wells Fargo Bank Plaza (formerly Allied Bank Plaza) in downtown Houston, which he helped design while at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Today, the building stands as the 13th-tallest building in the nation; a magnificent 992-foot, 71-floor urban monument of steel and glass that extends four stories below street level. Jernigan also designed Downtown L.A.’s Gas Company Tower. He counts among his proudest achievements the new CAA building in Century City, as well as downtown’s Ritz-Carlton Residence and Hotel. When you build a 90-ft. by 100-ft. hole in the middle of an endeavor such as the new CAA headquarters, ‘the first question becomes – which will be the movie which shoots rockets through it,’ Jernigan says. In other words, like the Welton Becketts and Armet & Davises before him, Jernigan intends such a monument to today’s entertainment establishment to radiate iconic. But Jernigan is currently tackling bigger fish, namely the Staples Center-centric L.A. Live entertainment district downtown, due in 2010, which, he says, represents ‘the way we live in L.A.’ ‘It includes a 54-story hotel and residential tower, a conference center, a 14-screen Regal Cinema, and a 2,700-stall parking garage,’ Wicksman says. ‘It is probably the most prominent project under construction in L.A. right now, and Rob is instrumental in providing high-level leadership to the team.’ While such lifestyle projects will be built on a grander scale, they will become dated in a few generations, whereas the corporate work, Jernigan notes, ‘needs to look timeless for 50 years, but the lifestyle stuff, you will remodel it. Because it is experiential, it’s going to be reinvented.’ So does Jernigan prefer the expansive lifestyle projects or the corporate complex assignments? ‘I enjoy them all, but I have a bigger track record in the corporate office building,’ he admits. Perhaps LACMA was a bit of both. Jernigan worked with no less than architect Renzo Piano on the just-opened Broad Contemporary Art Museum. ‘We’re doing phase two as we speak,’ he says. ‘We really work in regions. We are the Southwest region. A lot of the young talented people come to L.A. ‘The audience is much more accepting of creative design here than in other cities,’ Jernigan adds, keeping in the Southern California tradition of why the Schindlers, Neutras, Sorianos, Wrights, and Albert Freys were able to create their masterpieces here. Leiserowitz agrees. ‘Here, people are more experimental,’ she says. ‘Exploring new ideas and thinking. Still an advantage in L.A. We’re a Petri dish for new ideas. We’re probably the most diverse design firm.’ ‘We’re a professional service firm,’ Jernigan says of Gensler L.A. ‘Our equity is our people.’ So does Jernigan miss working as a hands-on architect, or has he settled into his role working with Leiserowitz to oversee 360 employees? ‘I would go stir crazy in a five-person firm,’ admits Jernigan, who remains proud of his talented Gensler team. ‘It’s a challenge and it’s fun,’ says Jernigan of him and Leiserowitz. ‘We’re no longer playing on the court, we’re coaching. We’re helping these younger people recognize and reach their full potential. It’s no longer ‘me, me, me,’ it’s ‘we, we, we.”

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 24, 2008

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

HAWAII EXISTS IN LA! NEW INVENTORY. 11 HOMES AVAIL. Terrific Opportunity! PCH/Sunset. Up to 1,600 Sq. Ft. $179,000-1.1 million. Some completely remodeled, many upgrades. Ocean views, wood floors, new kitchens, sun deck, rec center w/ pool/spa/gym. Steps from the sand. Condo alternative. Agent, Michelle Bolotin, (310) 230-2438

HOMES WANTED 1b

WE BUY HOUSES, APTS & LAND! ALL CASH, AS-IS, FAST CLOSE. David, (310) 308-7887

FURNISHED HOMES 2

FULLY FURNISHED/UNFURN & tastefully remodeled. 3 bdrm, 2 ba cul-de-sac home in Marquez school district. Great floor plan. New kitchen & bath. 6 mos.-1 yr. $6,250/mo. Agent Gwen, (310) 749-8821

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

BEAUTIFUL 2 BDRM guesthouse + fam rm, view, rec/rm, NO KITCHEN. Small ref., hot plate, MIC/W, AC/heat. Cable, internet, util. incl in rent. $1,800/mo. (310) 454-9337

HALF BLOCK TO BEACH off Sunset. Patio, newly tiled flrs, hdwd flrs in living room, new carpet, pool, security building, parking, hiking close by. $1,650/mo. (310) 459-6369

BEAUTIFUL 2 BD + 2 BA * $2,795/mo. Small pet ok with deposit. Quiet building, new carpet, marble floors, crown molding, gas fireplace & appliances. Private balcony with ocean view, walk to village & beach. Call (310) 454-2024

BEST LOCATION in Santa Monica. Lincoln @ trendy Montana, restaurants, shopping, buses, ocean 8 blks. 2 bdrm, 11⁄2 ba upper front. Windows on N, W & S. Balcony, pking, ldry. $2,495/mo. (310) 393-0798

IN THE HEART OF THE VILLAGE. Detach/gar. apt. 1 bdrm, 1 ba, lrg liv rm. Very quiet & pvt. All appl/TV, stereo, internet access, ldry, pvt. off st. pking. Util incl. $1,650/mo. Call (310) 454-1904

CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

LUXURY PENTHOUSE w/ panoramic unobstructed ocean views. Walk to beach. 7 min. to Santa Monica. 2 bdrm, 2 ba. All new interior. Hwd, granite, stainless steel. Ocean view, deck. W/D, garage. Quiet & safe. $4,600/mo. (310) 230-4200 www.MalibuCoastline.com

Palisades “THE HIGHLANDS”. 3-Sty, 3 bdrm end unit, FP, Gar. 2,500 SF, Huge vus! Pool, Gym. (310) 963-5902, Chris Edwards-Sotheby’s

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

LOVELY BRENTWOOD HOME (north of Sunset) private garden level, furnished rooms w/ bath. W/D, pool, kitchen privileges, N/S, N/D, no pets. $850/mo. incl util. (310) 472-6466

BEDROOM, LARGE DEN, private bath on lower floor of Pac Pal home. Private entrance. Furn/unfurn. $795/mo. (310) 454-1159

RENTALS TO SHARE 3a

I AM SEEKING a responsible, kind, N/S/D female to share my home in the Palisades. Gated lot w/ pool, W/D etc. Very private. (310) 459-2907 or cell, (310) 383-5722

WANTED TO RENT 3b

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

3 BDRM+ HOME or larger or condo for month of July. Need yard and good neighborhood. Great local references. (310) 393-1171

GUESTHOUSE/STUDIO wanted to rent. Local employed male. Trustworthy. Contact Alex, (310) 454-6463

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PALISADES OFFICE SUITES available in the heart of the VILLAGE including 1) Single office suites with windows in each office and some with balconies starting from $975 per month and 2) Office suites ranging in size from 950 sf to 5,000 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

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE now in the heart of the village. Creative options for space to lease or sublease. Call now, (310) 383-9520

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE. Could be one or 2 offices. In the village. Private bathrooms. (818) 487-8983 or (310) 459-4441

VACATION RENTALS 3e

FULLY SELF CONTAINED 24’ Fleetwood Terry trailer across the street from Will Rogers State Beach. Pacific Palisades. $1,400/mo. (310) 454-2515

FULLY SELF CONTAINED 28’ Kit Road Ranger trailer across the street from Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades. $1,600/mo. (310) 454-2515

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

SEEK PRIVATE INVESTOR for short term $190K bridge loan. 10 pts. for 6 mos or less. Secured by real estate. No brokers please. (310) 454-0685

MISCELLANEOUS 6c

STORE MOVING SALE. 857 Via de la Paz. Women’s clothing/pet boutique. All items up to 75% off. Sale days: Fri., 4/25, Sat., 4/26 & Sun., 4/27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Select fixtures and display available. (310) 230-2275

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

BUSINESS OR PERSONAL bookkeeping available to my neighbors in the Palisades including bank reconciliation, financial reports, payroll and sales tax reports. Highly experienced, fast, discreet with excellent local references. Call Shirley, (310) 570-6085

COMPUTER SERVICES 7c

COMPUTER SOLUTIONS & SUPPORT. HOME & BUSINESS–Windows Vista/XP–20 Yrs exp. frankelconsulting.com (310) 454-3886

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

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 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

PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, ORGANIZATION & bookkeeping. Superior services provided w/ discretion & understanding. Pali resident, local references. Call Sarah, (310) 573-9263

“Do You Have Projects You’ll Never Get Around To?” (Tax Organization Welcome!) • ‘ORGANIZERJESS’™ • Your Professional Organizer & Personal Assistant By the Hour • Clutter Catch-up • Home & Office Organization • Space Planning • Habit Coaching • Create Effective Systems • More Space & Clarity • Impeccable Palisades References • Call Jessica at (310) 429-3289

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

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

HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTING available Monday-Friday. 5 years experience. Trustworthy. Call Sofhia or Marta, (323) 596-8758

FULL-TIME NANNY AVAILABLE! My nanny is looking for a F/T position to live out. She has 14 years experience from infants to children and she is lovely. She will do light cleaning, laundry, cook and drive. Please call Bertila at (818) 388-9360 or Samantha, (310) 795-7830. References available.

BABYSITTING/HOUSEKEEPER, Mon.-Sat. evenings beginning 4 p.m. Excellent local references. Good exper. Please call Celia, (310) 207-0351, or cell (310) 966-0314

DOMESTIC AGENCIES 9

NEVERLAND NANNIES & DOMESTICS. We assist local families in finding domestic professionals for their household needs. Caring nannies, doulas, nurses; attentive assistants, housekeepers, chefs & more. Please call at anytime. (818) 888-9894, (818) 653-6999. www.NeverlandNannies.com

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

HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTER/ELDERCARE avail. Mon.-Sun. Own transportation. Excellent references. Call Maria, (310) 948-9637

PLEASANT, EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER available Mon.-Fri. Live out. Excellent local references. Some English. Please call Olga, (323) 802-4224

EXPERIENCED-IMMACULATE HOUSEKEEPER and nanny available two days per week. Speaks English and drives. Excellent references. Honest and trustworthy. Please call (310) 230-0260

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Mon. Tues. & Wed. Own transportation, Very good local references. Call Ayda, (310) 397-7586

HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTING Monday-Friday, full time, own car, experienced, references. Call Susie, (310) 442-6426 or (310) 663-7836

HOUSECLEANER W/ many years experience. Available Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday. Very good local references. Call Holga, (310) 207-8323, or cell, (310) 968-1138

HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTING Monday-Friday. Full time, drive, excellent references. Honest & trustworthy. Please call me. (213) 480-1257

HOUSEKEEPER available Monday-Friday 25 years. Excellent references. Reliable. Call Elizabeth, (323) 463-7889

HOUSEKEEPER, EXPERIENCED 17 YEARS, reliable, local references. Avail Monday, Friday & Saturday. Please call Rufina, (310) 836-8853 or (310) 663-4853

HOUSEKEEPER available Tuesday & Thursday. Own transportation, experienced, references. Please call Erica, (213) 385-7922.

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER, full time Monday-Saturday. Very good local refs. Own car. Trustworthy. Good experience. God Bless. Call Evelin, (323) 521-1697 or leave msg.

HOUSEKEEPER, Mon.-Fri. Experienced. Good referrals. Own transportation. Call Maria, (310) 508-6262

HOUSEKEEPER, MONDAY-SATURDAY, experienced. Good references. Own transportation. Call Sandra, (323) 983-3001

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

EUROPEAN CAREGIVER. Any days & some nights. Over 12 yrs exerience in private homes, hospitals, convalescent homes. Excellent local references. Call Martine, (310) 458-3037 or (424) 214-9091

COMPANION/CAREGIVER available Monday-Friday. Many years experience. Very good references. Own car. Reliable, trustworthy. Call Sheila, (310) 270-6761

ELDERCARE/BABYSITTING Monday-Friday, full time, live out. Excellent references & experienced. Please call Claudia, (323) 731-4823 or (323) 348-8882

ELDER CARE in your home. Available in the day. M-F. Excellent local references. 10 years experience. Own transportation. CDL. Insured. Call Sandy, cell, (818) 272-3400, or hm, (818) 896-7696

NURSING CARE 10b

BABY NURSE LOOKING for a newborn. Saturday & Sunday. Day or night. Good references & experienced. Call Ana, (310) 586-1049

GARDENING, LANDSCAPING 11

PALISADES GARDENING • Full Gardening Service • Sprinkler Install • Tree Trim • Sodding/Seeding • Sprays, non-toxic • FREE 10” Flats, Pansies, Snap, Impatiens. (310) 568-0989

WATERFALLS & POND CONSTRUCTION: Water gardening. Japanese Koi fish. Filtration pond service, repair & maintenance. Free estimates. (310) 435-3843, cell (310) 390-1276. www.TheKingKoi.com

MOVING & HAULING 11b

BC HAULING & CLEAN-UP • Houses • Garages • Apts • & Yards. All junk removed. Home demolition, i.e. patios, yards & walls. Truck with lift-gate. (310) 714-1838

INTERIOR PLANTS 11c

CALVIN’S PLANT SPECIALISTS! Interior, exterior plant care & installations. Rose garden maintenance, organic vegetable gardens, Serving Malibu over 50 years. Free estimates. Call (310) 460-8760

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 12c

NEIGHBORHOOD THERAPIST: Caring, patient & local Palisades Psychotherapist available for help and insight into issues relating to your personal and interpersonal life. To make an appointment with Dr. Aunene Finger, Board Certified MFT, please call (310) 454-0855. www.neighborhoodtherapist.com. Lic. #37780

WINDOW WASHING 13h

HAVING A PARTY? SELLING some real estate, or just want to do some spring cleaning? Get those WINDOWS SHINING by calling No Streak Window Cleaning, where we offer fast friendly quality service you can count on! For a free estimate, call Marcus, (323) 632-7207. Lic. #122194-49, insured.

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

MISCELLANEOUS 13i

SUNSET HOUSE & CARPET CLEANING • Window washing • House cleaning • Carpet cleaning. Over 33 years experience. Call Barry at (818) 887-7150

PERSONAL SERVICES 14f

A WELCOME HOME SERVICE specializing in personal assistance, organization & home management. 12 years experience in high profile homes. Please contact Linda, (310) 980-2403

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

HAPPY PET • Dog Walking • Park Outings • Socialization • Insured. Connie, (310) 230-3829

PERSONAL TOUCH. DOG WALKING/sitting service. Cats included. Pali resident over 25 yrs. Very reliable. Refs. available. If you want special care for your pet, please call me. Jacqui, (310) 454-0104, cell (310) 691-9893

PET HEAVEN • TOTAL PET CARE • Training. Walking. Playgroups and hikes. 30 years Pali resident. References. Call (310) 454-0058 for a happy dog!

PHOTOGRAPHY 14h

PROFESSIONAL HEAD SHOTS for all occasions by a Professional Photographer. Digital or Film. Call Gail Goodrich, (310) 230-8388 or (310) 502-6733

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

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

PIANO LESSONS by UCLA Piano Major & Pali resident. Call Meriette, (310) 741-8280

COME BE INSPIRED in a peaceful garden studio setting. Artists and aspiring artists welcome. Fun & gentle instruction. Contact Susan, (310) 459-7783

TUTORS 15e

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. Children & adults. 25+ years teaching/tutoring exper. MATH, GRAMMAR, ESSAY WRITING & STUDY SKILLS. Formerly Sp. Ed. Teacher. Call Gail, (310) 313-2530

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

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

READING SPECIALIST • Master of Education—Reading and Learning Disabilities • Special Education Teaching Certificate: K-12 • Regular Education Teaching Certificate: K-9 • Elementary Education Teaching experience: 12 yrs • Services provided for special & regular education students of all levels • Academic areas taught include reading (phonics and reading comprehension) writing and spelling • Private tutoring includes accessing the student’s needs, developing an individualized education program and implementation of that program. Palisades resident. Call Brandi, (310) 230-9890

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 & Spanish! 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 grades • Levels • Grammar • Conversational • SAT/AP • Children, adults • Great references. Noelle, (310) 980-6071

SPANISH TUTOR CERTIFIED TEACHER for all levels. Has finest education, qualifications, 20 yrs exper. Palisades resident, many good references, amazing system, affordable rates. Marietta, (310) 459-8180

TRAVELING TO MEXICO, South or Central America or Spain? For tourism or work? I can help you with Spanish communication. I am a Palisades resident from South America. Great experience. I teach all ages, students, businesspeople. All professionals, groups ok. (310) 741-8422

CREDENTIALED MATH & STUDY SKILLS TEACHER (BA-UCSD, M.Ed-UCLA, Ph.D. candidate-USC) Tutor K-College. Most subjects. 15 years recent classroom experience in the Palisades. Libby, (310) 963-0093

LEARN TO SPEAK FRENCH LIKE THE FRENCH DO! Private lessons in conversational French. You’ll be ready for Paris. Will Paris be ready for you? (310) 770-8864

SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS: FINALS IN SIX WEEKS! Get help from an experienced tutor and buff your grades to a college shine. English, History and Spanish. Justin, (310) 801-1048

SUMMER CAMPS 15f

JULIE VAN HERWERDEN’S Summer Art Camp in the Palisades. Save a spot. Sign up now! Visit summerartcamp.info

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

CONTRACTOR for remodeled rooms, editions, bathrooms, kitchen, windows, painting, construction on hillside, blueprints, deal w/ city inspections. Bonded, ins. Lic. #887326. Call for free est. (888) 783-7195

BUILDERS & REMODELING. New construction & additions. Bathroom & kitchen remodels. Custom painting. Fences, decks, driveways. Concrete work. Lic. #B824686. Free estimates. (323) 877-8505, (323) 898-6127

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. Lic. #775688. Please Call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286

FENCES 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.

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

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16p

SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686

LOCKSMITH 16q

LOCKSMITH • (310) 396-7784 • Bill Walter, Residential & Commercial • License #LCO-4438. Emergency Service 24/7

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. Ref’s. 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. License #637882. Call (310) 454-6604

ALL SEASONS PAINTING. Interior/exterior, local licensed color specialist for 30 years. Kitchen cabinet clean-up. Fast, clean & on time. Lic. #571061. Call (310) 678-7913

PACIFIC PAINTING SINCE 1979. Interior/Exterior Residential/Commercial • Custom painting • Wallpaper removal • Drywall repair. Bonded & Ins. Lic. #908913. (310) 954-7170

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. Michael Hoff Construction, (310) 230-2930

ARCHER JORDAN CONSTRUCTION • Quality Work • Competitive Pricing • Call James Jordan, (310) 579-7722 mobile, (310) 399-7478 office. Lic. #908588

CASALE CONSTRUCTION Since 1977 • New Homes • Additions • Remodeling • Kitchens • Bathrooms • BBQ Islands & more. • Full service from inception to move-in. Free consultation. (323) 964-9707, (800) 974-7420. www.remodeling-4u.com Lic. #512443

ROOFING 16w

PALISADES ROOFING • All types of roofing. Waterproofing & water damage repairs. Best service • Best price • Guaranteed • Lic. #751137. (310) 230-2930. Fax (310) 230-2931

HELP WANTED 17

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

WORLD-RENOWNED PLASTIC surgeon looking for an admin assist & patient relations coordinator to join our team in Pac Pal. Will train & reward generously. Call (310) 459-6792

COSMETIC RN. World-renowned plastic surgeon. Pacific Palisades. Injectables/laser. Call (310) 459-6792

NANNY NEEDED for family with 2 children, F/T, Live in, Tues-Sat. Must speak English, drive and have own trans, and have newborn experience. Please call (310) 344-1740

BABYSITTER NEEDED in Palisades 2 days a week, after school (starting at 1:00 or 2:30 p.m.) until 6:30 p.m. Extra hours are available, but not necessary. Must drive, car provided. Excellent English required to assist with homework for 2 grammar school children. Must be happy, active/energetic person with experience with children. (Tuesdays and Thursdays would be ideal.) Call (310) 740-1266

LIVE-IN caregiver 5 days/week. Must drive & have own car. Experienced with references. CNA or LVN preferred. (310) 489-5496

PART-TIME ASSIST. for design-related business. Maintain sample library & client data base. Proficient in word & excel. Neat, organized & courteous, with good math & writing skills. Flex. hrs. Home office. (310) 230-1616. Send resume to helen@hmresourcegroup.com

POSSIBLE CAREER CHANGE! L.E.D. lighting & environmental solutions. Great opportunity for talented individual. Call (310) 917-3399

HOUSEKEEPER/COOK, F/T (Sat.-Wed.) or P/T (Mon. & Tues.), 12-8 p.m. Must speak excellent English. Live out, no dependent children, drive, own car. N/S. (310) 226-6905

ACCOUNTANT, FLEXIBLE P/T. Santa Monica service & retail store requires Bachelor in accounting & 3-5 yrs. exp. w/ Quickbooks, Excel, Word & Outlook. Retail exp. preferred. Call Elisa at (310) 998-1981, x22. Submit resume www.pumpstation.com

HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED FOR Palisades family. 3 days/wk. Must have own transportation. Speak English. Good local references. Call (310) 454-8677

FURNITURE 18c

PIANO FOR SALE. Mason & Hamlin. Mahogany case, upright, professionally tuned. Purchased from UCLA. $1,400. Call (310) 454-8926

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

PALISADES YARD SALE! 1145 Chautauqua Blvd. Friday, 4/24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, 4/26, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Quality items. No early birds.

GARAGE SALE this Sat., April 26. 1281 Chautauqua Blvd. 9 a.m. Hundreds of items. No early birds. Just north of Bestor Blvd.

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

MALE BORDER COLLIE PUPPY. 9 weeks. $500. Call Paul, (310) 459-4745

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

STORE MOVING SALE. 857 Via de la Paz. Women’s clothing/pet boutique. All items up to 75% off. Sale days: Fri., 4/25, Sat., 4/26 & Sun., 4/27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Select fixtures and display available. (310) 230-2275

WANTED TO BUY 19

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

WILL PAY CASH for used watches. I will buy your used watch such as Cartier & Rolex. All brands considered. (310) 717-9917 or netplay@mac.com

Pali Students Win State Contest

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Five Palisades Charter High School students won the Canon Envirothon state contest outside Kings Canyon. Back row (left to right): Ethan Larson, teacher Steve Engelmann and Trevor Cline. Front row: Matthew Correia, Ana Escalante and Shion An.
Five Palisades Charter High School students won the Canon Envirothon state contest outside Kings Canyon. Back row (left to right): Ethan Larson, teacher Steve Engelmann and Trevor Cline. Front row: Matthew Correia, Ana Escalante and Shion An.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

To win an environmental science and natural resource management contest, a group of Palisades Charter High School students successfully completed such tasks as examining footprints in the wild, measuring the height of a pine tree and identifying types of soil. The five seniors won the Canon Envirothon state contest held April 2-4 and sponsored by Canon U.S.A., Inc. and several conservation groups. The students will compete in the national contest from July 28 to August 3 at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. ‘I am very proud of our team,’ said science teacher Steve Engelmann, the supervisor. ‘They took the initiative and made a lot of sacrifices on their own.’ The students volunteer to participate in this after-school program and do not receive academic credit. In addition to completing their regular schoolwork, they must set aside time to prepare for the competition, Engelmann said. This is the second straight year Palisades High won the state contest, held outside Kings Canyon in the foothills of the Sierras, and the school’s fourth year to participate. The winning team members are Ana Escalante (who also competed last year), Matthew Correia, Shion An, Ethan Larson and Trevor Cline. Eleven teams from six schools competed at the state level, including another Palisades High team that placed fourth. Members of that team are Cecelia McGaughran, Natalie Farnham, Connie Clarke, Rosalva Chavez and Alina Vasilenko. To reach the state level, the two teams won the regional contest at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park on March 24. In Kings Canyon, students completed five written and field exams on soils, forestry, aquatics, wildlife and a current environmental issue. This year, the students analyzed how recreational activities affect natural resources. ‘The exams are all outdoors and practical,’ Engelmann said. Shion An likes the competition because it’s hands-on. ‘You are actually in the middle of the forest taking a test,’ she said. ‘You can learn better with a leaf in hand.’ An can now identify most of the trees in California forests. ‘I can point at a pine cone and give its scientific name; it’s kind of nerdy, but I like that I know,’ she said. The students also gave an oral presentation about how to provide recreational activities in Yosemite National Park while still preserving the park. They suggested building a natural history museum, which would raise money for the park and cause the least amount of environmental damage, Cline said. They also proposed educating the public about the importance of staying on hiking trails and disposing of waste properly. The team presented in front of a panel of judges who represented groups such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resource Conservation Service. To prepare for the state contest, the students met once a week during lunch, after school or on the weekends. They ventured into Temescal Canyon to measure trees and take water samples. Engelmann hopes the team will have a chance to meet with a forester or soil scientist before nationals. In last year’s competition, Palisades High competed against 53 teams from the United States and Canada and finished 19th. ‘We are hoping to place in the top 10 this year,’ Engelmann said. The top 10 teams receive scholarships and prizes from Canon. ‘I really like competitions that test your academic capability,’ said Cline, who found that the contest made him and his teammates more environmentally conscious. Teammate An started a program on campus that encourages teachers and students to use both sides of computer paper before recycling. ‘It just adds another step to it,’ An said. ‘Reuse and recycle.’ Escalante has decided she would like to become a civil engineer, so she can design and construct ‘green’ schools and apartment buildings. ‘The earth sustains us, and we need to take care of what gives us life,’ Correia noted.

New Bank in Town

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Palisadians Plan New Bank in Town By LIBBY MOTIKA Senior Editor A new community-based bank, founded by Palisadians for Palisadians, is anticipated to open by early 2009. Pacific Palisades Bank is the brainchild of Brad McCoy, whose recent experience as executive vice president of community banking with First Federal Bank of California reinforced his belief that there was room for a bank in the Palisades that would concentrate on servicing the owners of local, midsize businesses. With a Wachovia branch opening in July, the Palisades will have nine banks in a three-block area, but this doesn’t faze McCoy and the other founders. ‘When I was at First Federal from 2002 to 2005, my goal was to launch a commercial banking group with a focus on business owners and then personal accounts,’ McCoy told the Palisadian-Post. But McCoy began to see that there was no bank that was serving the needs of mid-level business owners, ‘tweeners,’ he calls them, ‘who don’t have $10 million to invest but who are successful and appreciate service and flexibility.’ In addition, McCoy said that he envisions his future customer base to include established locals and new arrivals, in addition to what he calls ‘executives at home.’ McCoy, who recently moved to Mandeville Canyon from the Palisades, pursued his idea by engaging a consulting firm, Carpenter and Company, to help him outline the process for starting a bank, which is a highly regulated business. He invited Palisadian Jim Wadsworth, whom he met though Calvary School connections, to one of Carpenter’s presentations, which proved helpful, as Wadsworth had just retired as president of Watt Industries, Inc. and was intrigued by the opportunity. Wadsworth agreed to be the chairman of the founding group and because of his involvement in the community helped McCoy bring others into the venture. He suggested Bob Klein, a Palisades native and former Rams football star who currently serves as vice president of St. John’s Hospital Center Foundation. ‘Bob can ask people to do stuff,’ McCoy said, adding that although he had not known Klein, nevertheless he realized that ‘he was that gigantic guy I see at Starbucks.’ A year ago, the organizing committee of 23 individuals, seven of whom are Palisades residents, including Bill Mortensen, Bill Fritzsche, Brad Favre, Michael Wojciechowski and Sterling Lanier, filed their application with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of Thrift Supervision to be chartered as a federal saving bank ‘There is $1.3 billion in deposits in Pacific Palisades,’ Wadsworth said. On a pro rata basis [out of the 10 banks in the Palisades] he said that his group is aiming for $130 million of that total, but anticipates a better show. ‘First Federal has $220 million between two branches, about 16- to 17-percent’ of the local market. In the rigorous, protracted filing process, regulators require an initial investment of over a $1 million to start a bank, with the stipulation that the founders own 20 percent of the bank. ‘They want to see a commitment,’ McCoy said. Moving beyond this initial investment, the founders have also committed to becoming the title sponsor of the annual Will Rogers Fourth of July race, now in its 31st year. ‘Our board said ‘Let’s do this,” McCoy said, adding, ‘This is at-risk money,’ since there’s no guarantee that the bank will be approved. Anticipating a decision in six months, McCoy and his board are currently looking for bank space in the Village. While they’d like to find a location, ideally 2,700 or 2,800 sq. ft. to accommodate both retail and back-office functions, the founders said, ‘2000 sq. ft. would be just great.’ A staff of 12 to 14 would include a full time chief compliance officer, a newly created federally mandated position, along with teller and loan positions. McCoy anticipates hiring fulltime employees, convinced that employee stability is one of selling points. ‘Customers want to know their tellers,’ he said.

YMCA Moves Ahead with Pool Repairs

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The Palisades-Malibu YMCA has elected to make repairs on the broken recirculation pump at its 50-year-old pool in Temescal Canyon. The date of the pool reopening will be contingent on a geologist’s hillside stability report, which is expected to take about five weeks. If all goes well, the pool could be reopened around Memorial Day, according to the Y’s executive director, Carol Pfannkuche. Last Friday, Pfannkuche told the Palisadian-Post that the Y had reached an agreement with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which owns the pool and adjacent property. She wrote in a letter to members that the Conservancy’s executive director, Joe Edmiston, had consented to the repairs, and had also ‘confirmed that the YMCA has no liability for either the current condition of the pool or the suitability of the surrounding geology. With these understandings confirmed in writing, the YMCA is proceeding with these actions immediately.’ The geological study will start today and geologists will spend about two days on the hillside above and below the pool. The YMCA is paying for that study as well as the estimated $25,000 needed for the pool repair. ‘We’re doing this with good faith and hope that all will be well with the geological [report],’ Pfannkuche said. ‘The YMCA remains committed to safety as our first concern. We must wait for the results of the study before we allow swimming to resume.’ Many swimmers were heartened to hear that the pool–closed since February 9– was finally going to be repaired. Loss of the town’s only competitive pool (six 25-yard lanes) has caused the Palisades High School school swim teams to be without a practice or meet site, and has displaced the Y-swim team, master and lap swimmers, water exercise classes and swim lessons. The swim teams have been training at inconvenient hours at Santa Monica High and Santa Monica College. Other swimmers are driving to the Santa Monica YMCA and the Westwood Recreation Center. When the recirculation pump broke, the YMCA became concerned about land movement on the hillside above the pool. A portion of this land slid over the roadway into the pool on February 23, 1998, closing the pool for two months. After this year’s pool closure, an inspection of the pool and grounds found that an area of the hillside directly above the pool was saturated. A six-inch pipe, which started in the backyard of a house located on Rimmer Avenue, was draining water to that site. Pfannkuche contacted Joyce Whitehead, the Conservancy’s manager in Temescal Canyon, who contacted the neighbor. ‘The owners are working with the Conservancy,’ Whitehead said last week before leaving on vacation. ‘There is not a problem. They have done an enormous amount of due diligence on their own property and what little issue there is will be resolved as soon as possible.’ On Monday this week, workers were trenching across the hillside above the pool in order to lay the pipe underground. It was not clear where that pipe was going to drain. A neighbor on Rimmer asked the Post, ‘Why do they get to drain down the hill? My water has to drain into the street.’ Whitehead was unavailable for comment.

Cox Paint Traces Back to Swarthmore

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Palisades native Terry Burt and his wife, Nita, owners of Cox Paint in Santa Monica.
Palisades native Terry Burt and his wife, Nita, owners of Cox Paint in Santa Monica.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

When selecting paint colors from Cox Paint in Santa Monica, you might be surprised to know that co-owner Terry Burt has a master’s degree in art from Cal State Fullerton. An equally unusual connection is the bachelor’s degree in philosophy held by his wife and co-owner, Juanita (Nita). Although Terry was raised in Pacific Palisades, the couple’s odyssey to ownership of Cox Paint started with a 10-month stint in Europe in 1977. They had planned that Terry would teach, but it was difficult to get full-time work. ‘We wanted to live there,’ Nita said, ‘but it wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be.’ They returned to the United States and on their way to California stopped in Crested Butte, Colorado, to see friends. The pair decided that if Terry got a job, they’d stay. He found part-time work teaching at Western State College and supplemented the family’s income by working in freelance graphic design and substituting in local schools. After two and a half years, they moved to the Palisades in 1980. ‘Terry decided it was just too much snow,’ Nita said. Terry had never thought about going to work at his father’s paint store–the Brush and Ladder on Swarthmore (now occupied by Village Books), but after three years of uncertain income and a nine-year-old to support, he took over the management. Four years later, he joined his father in the Santa Monica store, which Bill had purchased in 1969. Nita began working at the store when Terry’s mom, Mary Ann, decided to retire. ‘It wasn’t where I came from, but it came natural,’ Nita said. ‘I could add and subtract.’ In 1993, the Burts’ accountant advised them to close the Palisades store because of rising rents and low profits. They acquired a second store in Culver City in 1996. The Burts have made a decision to carry high-end paint, which has a higher price tag. ‘We sell quality paint,’ Terry said. ‘It’s the resins: really great paint has more resin.’ ‘Quality paint washes better and holds up better for a longer lifetime,’ Nita said and pointed to the Donald Kaufman line. ‘It gives a rich look’the pigments give a depth of color.’ Most paints use just three pigments and obtain a static color; Kaufman paints use up to 12 pigments to create paint whose hues react to changing light. Another high-end line at the store is Fine Paints of Europe, which produces full-spectrum paints with as many as eight pigments per gallon and is available in 110 stock colors. They also have Cabot, Farrow & Ball, M.L. Campbell, Pratt & Lambert, Purdy, Ralph Lauren, Susan Sargent and Sydney Harbour Paints and YOLO. ‘We used Farrow & Ball’s deep red in one of our hallways,’ Nita said. In addition to color charts and books, there are now sample pots of paints, as well as paint-colored posters, which allow customers to hang or paint the color they are considering on their wall. That allows a customer to see the paint in different light at different times of the day. Another trend that the Burts have seen is away from white. ‘People want color,’ Terry said. ‘That trend started in the 1990s.’ ‘Wall coverings [wallpapers] market has become smaller and the coloring and specialty finishes have become more popular,’ Nita said. ‘There also seems to be a trend towards ‘green’ products,’ Terry said. ‘Benjamin Moore had them four years ago, but they just sat on the shelf. Now those products are taking off.’ Paints like YOLO have zero volatile organic compounds (VOC) and many consumers are now choosing paints with the lowest VOC’s. Oil-based paints are no longer allowed in California because of state EPA regulations. The Burts now have 18 employees, including their son Jason, who joined the business 10 years ago. He started an online service in 2006 that allows people to order over the Internet at www.coxpaint.com. Not bad for two people who never considered a business career when they were in college. Cox Paint is located at 1130 Santa Monica Blvd.

Simons Raise $3 Million for School Fitness Program

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Bill Simon with his wife Cindy (whose lime dress was the talk of the event), Olympic swimmer John Naber, and the Simons
Bill Simon with his wife Cindy (whose lime dress was the talk of the event), Olympic swimmer John Naber, and the Simons
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Olympic gold-medal swimmer Donna de Varona. Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Olympic gold-medal swimmer Donna de Varona. Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Olympic diving champion Sammy Lee and his wife Roz. Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Olympic diving champion Sammy Lee and his wife Roz. Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Merv Griffin’s old joint, the Beverly Hills Hilton, became ground zero for the nexus of California’s educational community and world-class sports last Friday, when Palisadians Bill and Cindy Simon hosted a ’50 Schools Celebration’ gala fundraiser for their physical-fitness program, Sound Body, Sound Mind. Honored at the $500-a-plate banquet was retired UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden, whose 10 NCAA championships remain unmatched. At a time of diminishing school budgets, the Simons’ program strives to keep physical education alive and well in LAUSD schools. Cindy told the Palisadian-Post that she and her husband have enjoyed ‘taking an idea and growing it to 50 high schools. We’ve raised $3 million at tonight’s gala, and we want to take it to the middle schools [including Paul Revere]. ‘We don’t just buy equipment and drop it off,’ she continued, explaining the various components of their physical education program, which also includes after-school activities, gym equipment, and guidance teachers. ‘We never thought when we launched the program nine years ago from our hometown school, Pacific Palisades High School, that it would become so successful.’ At the podium, Bill Simon told the audience, ‘Exercise is the difference between a good school and a not-so-good school,’ and he noted that ‘the possibilities are quite literally endless’ with his iniative’s ‘pipeline’ to 45,000 L.A. students. Simon, the son of former Treasury Secretary Bill Simon, Sr., ran for governor in 2002, and his opponent, Gray Davis, were in the audience. Ubiquitous as the yellow roses at every table were numerous Olympic athletes past and present, including swimmers John Naber, who won four gold medals at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, and Donna de Varona, who competed in the 1960 (Rome) and 1964 (Tokyo) Games. ‘We’re facing a nation where we have morbid obesity in our schools and sports, fitness and the arts are being cut out,’ said de Varona, explaining why she’s on Sound Body, Sound Mind’s advisory board. ‘The Greeks understood that you have to have balance. Bill is putting it back in the schools. Since the government won’t do it, we have to do it.’ Now a resident of Connecticut, de Varona knows Los Angeles well; her sisters are actresses Joanna and Sandra Kerns. During the cocktail hour, de Varona socialized with legendary diver Sammy Lee, a Korean-American who overcame much discrimination to become the first Asian to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States. Lee also became the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in platform diving, achieving this in London (1948) and Helsinki (1952). At 87, Lee is a spirited, good-humored ball of energy. He told the Post about a candid conversation he had with the early television fitness icon Jack LaLanne. ‘I said, ‘Jack, you look good!’ He said, ‘Sammy, if I didn’t, I’d be on radio!” Meanwhile, Lee’s wife, Roz, chatted up State Board of Equalization member Michelle Steel, the nation’s highest elected Korean-American official. When asked why they had come all the way from their Huntington Beach residence, Sammy Lee said, ‘How many times do you get to see John Wooden? It’s for a good person and a good cause. He’s like the Pope. There’s something about him that brings out the good in you.’ Alas, Wooden, 98, was unable to attend. He sent in a message via video in which he expressed his appreciation for the honor. In addition to the Simons, Palisades-related attendees included 2003 Citizen of the Year winner Mike Skinner and Calvary Christian Church youth pastor Shawn Gendall and his wife, Kelly. Among those seated at the Post’s table: Kristen Odermatt, the Simons’ graphic artist of 15 years, who designed the Sound Body, Sound Mind logo; and her husband, Jason Lee (who joked that he is not to be confused with the skateboarder/actor star of ‘My Name is Earl’). Host Roy Firestone kept the evening moving with his spot-on impressions of singers Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Neil Diamond.

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