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McDonnell Is New PTC Director

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New PTC Director Andy McDonnell has fresh ideas for spring break camps, which start March 17.
New PTC Director Andy McDonnell has fresh ideas for spring break camps, which start March 17.

Andy McDonnell has been named the Palisades Tennis Center’s new Director of Tennis, replacing Ivan Lauzon, who had immigration issues getting his family to the United States from Toronto. McDonnell has been in the tennis business for 10 years working for Andy Roddick, sfx Sports, the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation and other top pros. He is from Naples, Florida, and has spent nearly a decade traveling to tournaments, including Wimbledon and the US Open. “Andy is one of the nicest, most talented guys you will ever meet,” PTC owner Steve Bellamy said. “I have known Andy for many years in the tennis business and he is one of the most respected, honorable people in this industry. We are really lucky that the tennis center can have a guy of his caliber there on a daily basis.” Andy’s main area of focus will be the on-court operations of the PTC including workouts, junior and adult programs, LiveBall, leagues and events. He is very connected to the pro tennis world and has already brought touring pros like Nick Monroe and Stephen Amritraj out to the PTC to play with the kids and in the adult programs. The first area McDonnell is tackling is the spring and summer tennis camps with a complete overhaul. “In general the programs at the PTC are the best there are so there aren’t major fixes, but we have some new ideas for the camps that could really take them over the top,” McDonnell said. “We have added a few new staffers with tons of energy and we’re investing a lot in the most sophisticated teaching aides money can buy.” The spring break camp starts on March 17th and runs through the 28th. The camp will be broken down into two sessions to accommodate the schedules of all community members, ages 4 through 18, in the surrounding Palisades area. Additionally, parents are going to be able to sign up for the summer camp now. In the past, patrons could not sign up for the summer camp until nearly the first day of camp. McDonnell assured that the administration and back office of the camp is going to be much more user friendly. “There is not a better sport for a kid to play than tennis. It is year round, it doesn’t create spectators out of its participants by age 13 like the majority of sports ‘ it is a life sport that anyone can learn when they are 5 and play with their spouse when they are 60. It is fitness for life. None of the other sports have this to offer,” McDonnell said. “I am going to hammer this message home.”

Soccer Bounced by Cleveland

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Erika Martin (left) tries to win the ball from a Cleveland midfielder during the Dolphins' 3-1 loss in the City quarterfinals.
Erika Martin (left) tries to win the ball from a Cleveland midfielder during the Dolphins’ 3-1 loss in the City quarterfinals.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

After surviving a scare in the second round of the City Championship playoffs, the Palisades High women’s soccer team faced an even more daunting task in the second half of Friday’s quarterfinal game against Cleveland at Crossroads. And this time, the Dolphins couldn’t come back. Palisades spotted 13th-seeded Reseda a 1-0 halftime lead before Erika Martin scored twice in the second half to rally the fourth-seeded Dolphins to victory at Santa Monica Airport field on Wednesday. On Friday, however, Palisades dug itself too deep a hole against the 12th-seeded Cavaliers, who got a hat trick from Ashani McGee to build a 3-0 lead before the Dolphins finally scored off a corner kick 10 minutes from full time to provide the final margin. Cleveland advanced to the semifinals against West Valley League rival El Camino Real, the top seed and winner of the last seven section titles. Palisades, which won the Invitational Division last year, finished the season 16-4. The Dolphins’ other three losses were to Southern Section teams. Kelly Mickel scored four goals in Palisades’ 8-1 rout of Manual Arts in the first round, which moved the Dolphins into the single-elimination Championship bracket. Palisades scored 77 goals, nearly doubling last year’s total, led by Mickel, Erin Newman and Kathryn Gaskin. Erika Martin was the Dolphins’ assist leader. Goalies Allison Kappeyne and Kiki Bailey combined to allow 17 goals, 11 fewer than a year ago. Girls Basketball Palisades was just seconds away from a berth in the City Invitational finals, but El Camino Real rallied late to tie Thursday’s semifinal in regulation and the Conquistadores went on to win in overtime, 57-51, bringing an end to the Dolphins’ season. Sarah Rebibo led El Camino Real with 22 points and four assists, including five points and two assists in overtime. She tied the game on a free throw with 20 seconds left in regulation. Palisades led by as many as 10 points in the first half but trailed by eight after three quarters before regaining the lead early in the fourth quarter. Dominique Scott scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter and Chanea Adams added eight for fifth-seeded Palisades (17-13), which upset fourth-seeded Marshall, 61-49, in the quarterfinals last Tuesday. In that game, Mariah Lyons had 21 points and Scott added 13 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks for the Dolphins. Scott led the team in points, rebounds and blocks, Lyons led in assists and Utopia Kates led in steals.

PPBA Pancake Breakfast March 15

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The Pacific Palisades Baseball Association’s annual pancake breakfast will be held Saturday, March 15, from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at the Palisades Recreation Center’s Field of Dreams. The PPBA places 350 children ages 7 to 14, on teams in three divisions: Pinto, Mustang and Broncos. Players are currently going door-to-door selling tickets in an effort to win prizes like being a batboy at a UCLA game, or a free week at Pepperdine baseball camp. Tickets are $5 and include pancakes, sausage, orange juice and coffee’no cheaper breakfast in the Palisades, plus offering an opportunity to chat with neighbors at festively decorated tables, as well as supporting the program. Opening day ceremonies include the throwing of the first pitch. Last year Golden Glove winner and former Dodger Wes Parker caught the first pitch thrown by California’s First Lady Maria Shriver. The breakfast signifies the start of the Palisades Pony League season that runs through May, when playoffs begin.

Paly Second at Y Champs

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Having to find Santa Monica pools to practice in since February 18 hasn’t deterred the success of the Palisades-Malibu YMCA swim team, which finished second at the Y Champs meet in El Monte last weekend. Crescenta-Ca’ada YMCA won for the second year in a row. Fifteen-year-old Allison Merz qualified in two additional events, the 100 freestyle (54.62) and 200 freestyle (1:57.48), for the Y-Nationals at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in April. Merz will swim five individual events as well as relays. She will be joined by teammate Jennifer Tartavull, who has qualified in five events, Kimberly Tartavull, Haley Hacker, Haley Lemoine and Shelby Pascoe, who will swim relays. ‘Last year I took one swimmer [Merz], this year six and I hope to double it next year,’ Paly Coach Brian Timmerman said. ‘These girls will be competing not only against the best swimmers in the Y, but in the nation.’ Timmerman feels that CCY beat Paly, because it had more swimmers in certain age groups. Paly’s over-13 boys group, which has been lean the past few years, has started to fill in, resulting in extra points. Slava Yanov, 15, was third in two events, 13-year-old Jordan Wilimovsky won the 200 freestyle (2:09.11) and finished second in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley and 17-year-old Hudson Lofchie won the 50 freestyle (24.62) and 100 freestyle (54.56). Jimmy deMayo took second in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley, 13-year-old Kurtis Rossi was fifth the 100 butterfly, 14-year-old Michael Schem won the 100 freestyle (55.08), 14-year-old Shervin Ghaffari was second in the 100 breaststroke and third in the 200 individual medley, Andrew Hacker was third in the 200 freestyle and Gabe Kaufman, 14, was seventh in the 100 breaststroke. Timmerman has secured pool space at Santa Monica High not only for the swimmers going to Y-Nationals to train, but to allow his team time to prepare for the USA swim season, which starts in March.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 21, 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

MANUFACTURED HOMES. OCEAN & MT. VIEWS. Pacific Palisades-Pt. Dume. REPRESENTING BUYERS & SELLERS. Assoc. Broker/Realtor, Franklin, (310) 592-6696. Mfg. Home Consultant. Lic. #SP1136798

HOMES WANTED 1b

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

FURNISHED HOMES 2

MOVE WITH A SUITCASE. Space, light, luxury in treetops greenhouse patio with spa, lndry, frplc, cable, TVs, VCRs, micro, linens, dishes et al. Short term fine. 1-2 N/S, no pets. $2,680/mo. Includes everything. Available March 1. (310) 454-2568

FULLY FURNISHED, CHARMING & quiet 1 bdrm, 1 ba cottage. FP, walking distance to village & bluffs. Short term available. No pets. $2,500/mo.+security. (310) 459-0765

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

1 bdrm, 1 ba MOBILE HOME GEM overlooking beach. Nice yard, fresh paint, new fridge & oven. $2,000/mo. (310) 454-2515

MAR VISTA CHARMER! 3 bdrm, 1.5 ba, hdwd flrs, F/P. Updated kitchen and bath. $3,700/mo. Dolly Niemann, agent, (310) 230-3706

STUDIO GUEST HOUSE in Palisades village. All new kitchen, W/D, travertine floors, two closets, utilities included. $1,450/mo. unfurnished, $1,500/mo. furnished. (310) 459-2913

3 BDRM, 2 BA in ABC streets. Large lot, nice yard. 2-car garage. Gardener. Quiet. $5,000/mo. Call (714) 526-9046

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

PALISADES STUDIO, sunny upper apt, new paint, carpet, gas stove, refrigerator, covered parking, one year lease, Non-smoker, No pets, laundry, storage. $1,095/mo. (310) 477-6767

PRIVATE OCEAN VIEW GUESTHOUSE, partially furnished; small but cool; gated, tropical gardens, patio. Near old Getty villa. No pets, no smoking. $1,300/mo. Ready now. (310) 459-1983

BRENTWOOD “MINI Penthouse.” 1 bdrm+den/office. Near Brentwood Country club. Charming ambiance. High beam ceilings, brick woodburning fireplace, hardwood floors. French doors to private balcony, shutters throughout. Stainless stove & micro. Privacy & quiet. Nestled among trees & gardens. Immaculate condition, A/C garage, no pets $2,250/mo. (310) 826-7960

WALK TO BEACH! 1 bdrm, hdwd, gated entry, pool and parking. Quiet location near Sunset/PCH. $1,745/mo. (310) 230-7804

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

GEM IN THE PALISADES! 2 bdrm, 21⁄2 ba townhouse, hdwd, tile+new carpet. Large roof deck w/ ocean views, W/D, dishwasher, additional storage, parking. $3,500/mo. Agent, (310) 392-1757

DELIGHTFUL LARGE LIGHT studio, separate eat-in kitchen, office alcove, ocean view. Walk to beach. Partially funished. One person. $1,200/mo. (310) 613-1572

WANTED TO RENT 3b

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

GUEST HOUSE WANTED to rent. Contact Alan at (310) 454-0531

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER seeks 2 bdrm apt for herself & her sister. Would also be interested in housesitting situation. Please call Betty at (310) 395-5369

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 s.f. to 4,000 s.f., 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. Could be one or two offices. In the village. Private bathrooms. (818) 487-8983

OFFICE LEASE: Office available in 2 office suite with reception area in courtyard building, available March 1. Bathroom, kitchen and parking included. Rent reasonable. (310) 230-2233

OFFICE FOR RENT. Available March 1st. Heart of the Palisades. (310) 454-3521

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

MORTGAGES, TRUST DEEDS 4

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL LOANS. Avoid the “Credit Crunch” with our flexible portfolio jumbo loans. No income verification & cash out options. 5, 7, 10, & 30 year fixed (interest only), & 40 year adjustables. $500,000-$20 million+ (high LTVs). Most property types. 100% financing available up to $5 million+. Please visit realloans.com (email: info@realloans.com) for more information. Call Rick at First Financial Bancorp, (310) 571-3600 x203, for a confidential analysis. CA DRE #01144023

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

ACCOUNT ASSISTANT NEEDED for large financial company. Must be hard-working and reliable individual. High commissions paid. Check this offer! Info: http://e-logisticsgroup.biz or info@e-logisticsgroup.biz

LOST & FOUND 6a

LOST KEYS! If found call (310) 422-5661. REWARD!

PERSONALS 6b

CREATIVE HEARTS MUSIC presents 2008 Teen Artist development workshops. • Songwriting • Recording • Performance • Pro-tools • Make-up • Photography. Please call Lori McNulty, (310) 457-4661

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

BUSINESS OR PERSONAL bookkeeping & organizing available in the Palisades including financial reports, everything to prepare for your visit to your tax person. Highly experienced, fast, discreet, estate sale management w/ detailed reporting also avail. 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

HOME INVENTORY SERVICES 7j

HOME INVENTORY SERVICES for FIRE THEFT, Earthquake, wills/estates, rentals, divorce. Incl video, photos & detailed reports. Pali resident. (310) 230-1437 www.homesweethomevideo.com

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

BABYSITTER/ELDER CARE with great references. Own transportation. CDL. Avail Monday-Friday. Call Ana, (323) 778-8239 or (323) 819-4923

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

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

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Tues & Thurs. Live-out. Local references. Own transportation. Call Marta, (213) 365-6609, after 5 p.m.

HOUSEKEEPER EXPERIENCED Weekends Will keep your home sparkling clean with personal care. CDL, Car, English speaking. Pet friendly. Housesitting while you are away. Refs. (310) 227-5132

HOUSEKEEPERS AVAILABLE. GREAT REFERENCES. We work as a team to clean your house. Many years experience. Please call Ruben, (213) 481-2545 or Amanda, (323) 828-4770

HOUSECLEANER with many years of experience. Available Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. References. Own transport. Call Lidia, (213) 235-8512, Lidia4172@att.net

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER Available Monday & Thursday. Own transportation. Local references. CDL. Call Marion, (323) 424-5671

HOUSEKEEPERS AVAILABLE Monday-Friday. Own transportation. CDL, insured, very good references. Call Emilia, (213) 718-0716, or Mercedes, cell (323) 365-7748 or (323) 299-2510

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

HOUSEKEEPER OR BABYSITTER. Monday-Friday. Own transportation. Very experienced. CDL. Call Jannett, (310) 820-8985

I DO HOUSEKEEPING. I have lots of experience. References available M-F. Please call Sonia, (323) 387-0668

TRUSTWORTHY, RELIABLE HOUSECLEANING available Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday. Own transportation. Experienced. Speaks English. Very good references. Call Evilia, (213) 745-6276

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Monday-Friday. Great refs. Experienced. Detail orientated, honest, trustworthy, reliable. Own transportation. Great DMV. Call Maria, (310) 902-6588, (323) 935-0179

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

HOUSEKEEPING CHILD & ELDERLY care, experienced CPR, first Aid certified with medical background L/I or L/O, fluent English, references available. Call (888) 897-5888, (818) 486-6432

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

PRECISION LANDSCAPE SERVICES! Tired of mow, blow, let’s go! Specializing in fine maintenance • outdoor lighting • fertilizing • automatic timer repair & installation • artificial grass installation • hillside clean ups • new sod • sprinkler repair. Fair prices. (310) 696-6453

“CALL CALVIN’S” for rose pruning organic feeding & spraying. Interior/exterior plant care serving the Westside over 50 years. Call for free est. (310) 460-8760

MIRANDA’S LANDSCAPING for your landscaping needs and more. 25 yrs. Pacific Palisades. Concrete, fencing, tree trimming. Call Moses for free est. C: (310) 428-1937, hm: (310) 672-5792

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

TREE SERVICE 11d

ECCONO TREE SERVICE. Professional tree trimming & removal. LAFD brush clearance. Monthly gardening service. Lic. #780501. Bonded & insured. Worker’s comp. Free est. (310) 497-8131. www.ecconotreecare.com

COOKING/GOURMET 14a

PERSONAL CHEF SERVICES. Fill your refrigerator & freezer with delicious home cooked meals! Expensive but worth it, references available by request. Please contact James, (310) 713-0101 or james@culinarycoach.com

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

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

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

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

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

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

PERSONAL TRAINER 15c

SUPERIOR PERSONAL TRAINING • www.latrainer.com • (310) 772-5105 • A new body in 8 weeks! Check out the before and afters!

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

FRENCH COOKING CLASS for children ages 5 & up. My home or yours. $45/hr. Call Nicole, (310) 477-7079

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

TUTORING & HOMEWORK HELP. Teacher with credentials in Elementary, Special Ed. and Reading. Masters in Education & 23 years classroom teaching experience, 2 years as Reading Recovery specialist. Palisades resident. Affordable rates. Diana, (310) 717-5472 dianaleighw@yahoo.com

SPANISH TUTOR & PALISADES resident from South America is back in town! All ages, students, housewives, travelers, business people, all professionals, SAT & AP Prep. Call (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

HOMEWORK HELPER. Credentialed Special Education teacher, K-6, all subjects. Reasonable prices. (310) 863-4496. Palisades resident.

ENGLISH TEACHER. I can tutor in essay writing, grammar and important test preparation. Call Louise, (310) 459-2433

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

JOHN & TANGI CONSTRUCTION & Home repair. All concrete • Blockwall • Brick • Stucco • Patio cover • Stamp • Painting • Stone • Foundations • Free Est. (310) 592-9824, (818) 731-6982, (323) 401-1128

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

HARDWOOD FLOORS. Professional Service Since 1987. Installation, refinishing, repair. www.designerhardwood.com • Lic. #799101. (310) 275-9663

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

EXPERT HANDYMAN, very experienced. Repairs for small projects: Replacing windows, tilework, doors carpentry, painting. Local refs. Lic. #2190206. Emilio, (213) 272-9699

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 • Wallpaper removal / Competitive rates. Quality workmanship & materials. Bonded & Ins. Lic# 908913. Refs. avail. (310) 954-7170

PLUMBING 16t

JLK PLUMBING. Re-pipe and sewer specialist & all plumbing repairs. Mention this ad & receive 10% off. Lic. #722414. Call (310) 678-6634

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 today, (310) 230-2930

HELP WANTED 17

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

DENTAL-ORTHODONTIC ASSISTANT. Exclusive office in Pacific Palisades. Exceptional opportunity. Call (310) 454-0317

BILLING/COLLECTOR position. 1 year min. Exp. knowledge of ICD9 & CPT codes. W/C exp. a plus. Efficient, reliable, self starter, punctual. Fax: (310) 550-0367 & admin@bluestonemedical.com

PERSONAL ASSISTANT FOR Broadcaster/Dr./producer part time/flexible, personal/business/home/ office activities, some clerical and errands. Must have car and like dogs. hensel_b@yahoo.com

AUTOS 18b

1998 HONDA ACCORD EX/V6 sedan, silver, only 41,300 miles! Excellent cond! Great family car. $8,750 obo. One Palisades owner, all service records. AM/FM/CD, cruise control, power: locks, driver seat, windows, sunroof. A/C, ABS, airbags, leather interior. (310) 804-6373

2003 BMW 325i wagon. Spotless, 65,000 miles, Runs great! Heated seats, premium sound package, iPod adapter, all windows tinted. Warranty 11/08. One driver. Blue w/ tan leather interior. $16,000. (310) 455-3455

1999 SATURN DS 4-door, 4 cylinder automatic, champagne color. Only 7,900 miles. $6K OBO. Santa Monica. (310) 963-4910

1987 MERCEDES BENZ 560 SL. 42,000 miles, mint condition, like new, cherry red. A jewel! $21,000. (310) 710-7798

FURNITURE 18c

NEVER USED LARGE entertainment wall system. Holds flat screen TV & components. $895. Microfiber sofa/chaise sectional, $495. Queen Simmons beauty rest mattress set, $495. Chest of drawers, $195. (310) 393-2338

POKER GAMING TABLE with three rolling swivel chairs. Octagonal top reverses to dining table. $400. (310) 573-1025

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

BIG COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE! Feb. 23, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Community Church, 801 Via d la Paz

ESTATE SALE: Santa Monica. 1720 Cedar St. 90405. FRI.-SAT.-SUN., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb 22, 23 & 24. Rain or shine. Residential furn, carpets, artwork, pottery, accessories, small photo lab, books, craftsman tools, kitchen items, womens clothing etc. Pacific Estate Sales

MOV. SALE! Stereo/computer elect./Hsehold-kitch goods/upscale clothes/Linens/hi-end-costume jewelry/sports equip/grt Xmas decorat./books/CD/ DVDs/VCRs etc. FRI.-SAT., Feb. 22-23; 8 a.m.-4 p.m.! 942 Galloway. Info/pix: www.bmdawson.com

BIG GARAGE SALE! 607 Via de la Paz. FRI.-SAT., Feb. 22 & 23 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Furniture din/bedrm, computer, lamps, mirror, clothing, kids playground, fitness equipment.

MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE SALE! Great stuff. 781 Wildomar St. FRI.-SAT., 2/22 & 23. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Furniture, electronics, lots of baby clothes, equipment, toys and everything else!

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

LOVING HOMES NEEDED for 2 adorable “brother” BIZUS, 3 years young, fun & playful. Moving from house to condo. (310) 413-6878, Claire

WANTED TO BUY 19

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

PaliHi Students Aid Orphans

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Palisades High School members of the community service club, Reaching Out to Africa, hosted a bake sale after school, as well as numerous other fundraisers to help build a model orphanage in Moshi, Tanzania.
Palisades High School members of the community service club, Reaching Out to Africa, hosted a bake sale after school, as well as numerous other fundraisers to help build a model orphanage in Moshi, Tanzania.

By REBECCA EPSTEIN Special to the Palisadian-Post When looking at the dire situation of poverty and homelessness in Africa, one often feels overwhelmed. This huge continent, where vast areas are in need of substantial help, makes one feel as though a few measly dollars will make little difference, which is how I felt until I met three orphans from Moshi, Tanzania, who were staying for a month at my neighbor’s house in Pacific Palisades in November 2006. The orphans had been brought over from Tanzania by TunaHAKI, a nonprofit foundation that is establishing a model for the care of orphans and vulnerable children across the globe. Their pilot program is in Tanzania. They brought the three orphans to America to help raise awareness about the dismal situation they face and to give them a glimpse of what the world has to offer. Many orphans are found on the streets, abandoned by their parents, and the three who visited the Palisades–Thomas, Coleman and Abdul–were no exception. Throughout that month, I got to know them. Thomas had an unquenchable appetite for whatever my neighbor Sheryl would cook for him. His face was the definition of happiness when he saw a pile of pancakes waiting for him to devour. It would glow twice as brightly when he found out that more were cooking in the kitchen. Coleman had been abandoned at a bus stop when he was seven. His mom had told him to wait there for her. A week later TunaHAKI found him, still waiting. Abdul had been taking care of his two younger siblings since he was nine, and cried when he received a pair of shoes as a gift. But these were not ordinary kids. At TunaHAKI, they were able to learn acrobatics, a skill they could use in America to help reach more people. These children never ceased to amaze me because they were so grateful for something as simple as a pair of shoes, or a cookie; things that we take for granted, or worse, often throw away after little or no use. Why was it that I had all of these things–a comfortable bed to sleep in, nice clothes to wear, a working shower–and they didn’t? Don’t all children deserve basic necessities? How could it be that some of us have so much, while so many have so little? We complain when our food is not exactly how we like it. They don’t even have food to complain about. I realized that I could use my resources to make a positive difference. I filled five bags worth of unneeded clothes to give to TunaHAKI, and I donated my month’s allowance of $80, which pays for movies, friends’ gifts and clothes. But I knew that if I worked with others, together we could do much, much more. With that goal in mind, I met with Scott Fifer, the founder of TunaHAKI, to discuss ways to make a difference. I started by raising awareness at my school, Palisades High, by starting a club called Reaching Out to Africa (ROTA). At our first meeting, more than 50 people attended. We have held bake sales and sold jewelry, and staffed booths at carnivals, raising more than a $1,000 at just two events. Some of our goals include raising funds to buy a refrigerator for the orphanage and a garden that will provide the children with food, so that the excess produce can be sold at markets, bringing in needed income. Most of all, we are helping to make TunaHAKI a ‘model orphanage’ for the rest of Africa. TunaHAKI currently houses 25 orphans, and is working to expand to house 100. To donate, or learn more about the organization, go to www.tunaHAKI.org. Contact ROTA Co-President Rebecca Epstein at repstein1017@gmail.com.

Jason Miles Named Postmaster, But a Successor Is Now Sought

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Pacific Palisades Postmaster Jason Miles
Pacific Palisades Postmaster Jason Miles
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Jason Miles was officially sworn in as the 10th Pacific Palisades Postmaster on February 11 in a ceremony at the American Legion Hall. But at the end of the ceremony, District Manager William Almaraz cast an unhappy note on the otherwise upbeat event when he announced, ‘Miles won’t be here for long.’ Almaraz explained, ‘ It would be unfair to Jason. He’s got a great future and the company needs people like him. He’s a great asset not only for the Palisades, but for the company.’ After noting that a promotion would mean a salary raise for Miles, Almaraz promised, ‘We’ll find someone who is equal to him and Jason Miles will be on the committee to find his replacement.’ Miles to Palisades in December 2006, at a time when customer dissatisfaction was at its highest. In addition to late home delivery, in a town that has one of the highest mail volumes in Los Angeles, there was internal turmoil. Postal spokesperson Larry Dozier, who emceed the February 11 ceremony, told about the state of mail delivery when Miles started. ‘The Palisadian-Post wrote about the delivery problems and then the story went into the L.A. Times and all over,’ Dozer said. ‘Once Jason got here, and he and the employees worked together, there was a turnaround and the negative stories started going away.’ Manager of Post Office Operations Aurora Ulloa-Gonzales continued the praise, saying that ‘in 2007, Pacific Palisades ranked as one of the top-performing post offices in my district.’ Before the ceremony, Miles, who at 34 is one of the youngest postmasters in the nation, said that one of his ongoing goals is ‘maintaining a peaceful harmonious relationship between the community and the Postal Service.’

City Unveils New “Park and Pay” Meter System

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LADOT's Assistant General Manager Amir Sedadi demonstrates to Councilman Bill Rosendahl how easy it is to use a cell phone to pay for parking through the Park and Pay machine in the metered, city-owned lot at 15126 Sunset Blvd.
LADOT’s Assistant General Manager Amir Sedadi demonstrates to Councilman Bill Rosendahl how easy it is to use a cell phone to pay for parking through the Park and Pay machine in the metered, city-owned lot at 15126 Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles officials introduced the city’s new parking system, Park and Pay, last Thursday morning in the city-owned parking lot at 15216 Sunset Blvd., adjacent to the Washington Mutual building. The system operates like beach parking lots in Santa Monica and at UCLA: Drivers note their parking space number, then walk to a Park and Pay machine, where they follow step-by-step instructions and make payment by using coins, a credit card or a cell phone. They don?t have to return to their car with a receipt for the windshield. “This is a new day–we’re pulling in new technologies for paying,” said Councilman Bill Rosendahl. “It allows you to park more efficiently without getting a ticket.” With two Park and Pay stations handling`24 spaces in the city lot, the cost for dealing with individual meter vandalism and repair should become less of a financial burden for the city. In order to pre-register a cell-phone account, go to www.mparkusa.com or call (888) 672-7546. Once the account is set up, you can use a cell phone to pay for the time. When that time is about to expire, a text message will alert you that your parking time is up. Of course, the same mechanism that warns drivers of expiring meters also alerts parking enforcement officers. “I want my senior citizens to know that Park and Pay is simple and easy to use,? Rosendahl said. “Don’t worry or be afraid of the new technology; it is something that works and it is convenient. The machine operates like an ATM.” As resident Carol Hurley watched DOT’s Assistant General Manager Amir Sedadi demonstrate how to use a cell phone to pay for a space, she said, “I’m not sure it is easier, but it may turn out to be more convenient.” Last May, the L.A. City Council approved a plan to upgrade 6,000 of the city’s 40,000 existing metered spaces. The first phase replaces 1,000 off-street meters in 30 parking lots citywide. In April, the city will replace 5,000 on-street parking meters with the same program. It has not yet been decided whether the Palisades will receive the Park and Pay meters. Rosendahl warned that because of the city’s budget crisis, “We may increase the parking cost in the days and months ahead,” up from the current 50 cents an hour. In fiscal year 2005-06, Pacific Palisades parking meters generated $275,000 in revenue. The total revenue for meters citywide was $20.8 million. The city would not provide Palisades parking-meter revenue for 2006-07, but said that citywide the figure was $26,030,183. According to Sedadi, enforcement costs should go down because of the real-time text messages to enforcement, which allow officers to pinpoint infractions. He was asked, if a customer pays for an hour in a one-hour parking space, then comes pack and pays for another hour for the same space (which is illegal), can that be tracked on the Park and Pay station? “No,” he said. “Enforcement people would have to do that.” According to Senior Transportation Engineer Dan Mitchell, vehicles displaying a handicap placard are exempt from money and time restrictions. The following vehicles are exempt from money, but not time, restrictions: Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, Honda Insight and Ford Escape Hybrid.

Rivera Brings Youthful Expertise To Rosendahl Field Deputy Role

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Jennifer Rivera is the new field deputy covering Pacific Palisades and Brentwood for City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.
Jennifer Rivera is the new field deputy covering Pacific Palisades and Brentwood for City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

From attending homeowners’ association gatherings to community council meetings, Jennifer Rivera has stayed busy her first month on the job as Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl’s new field deputy. ‘It feels like six months already,’ she said in an interview. ‘It’s not a job where I can slow down.’ Since Rosendahl, who represents Council District 11, can’t be everywhere at once, Rivera is his liaison with the residents and organizations in Pacific Palisades, Brentwood and Santa Monica Canyon. So far, Rivera has helped organize a press conference in the Palisades to talk about the installation of new parking meters. She has worked with residents to alleviate parking problems during the golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club, and she spent one Sunday at the farmers market on Swarthmore Avenue handing out reusable grocery bags with the Girls Scouts to encourage environmental consciousness. ‘It really is 24-7, but I wouldn’t be out here if I didn’t enjoy it,’ Rivera said as she handed out information packets about the new parking-lot meters at 15216 Sunset Blvd. last Thursday. Rivera, 25, replaces Andrea Epstein, who had worked as Rosendahl’s field deputy since his election in May 2005. Epstein has taken a job overseeing volunteer programs at the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks. Rosendahl said he is glad to have Rivera onboard. ‘Jennifer has a warm, inviting personality,’ he told the Palisadian-Post. ‘She listens, and she’s positive.’ He chose Rivera from the many applicants because of her inviting personality: ‘This is a people business we’re in. I look for someone who can get along with people.’ Fellow Councilperson Janice Hahn, who serves District 15, also recommended Rivera for the position. Rivera interned for Hahn for four months working on water conservation and affordable housing issues. ‘As an intern, Jennifer was highly motivated and showed great potential,’ said Hahn, who represents the San Pedro area. ‘She will serve Councilman Rosendahl and the people of the district well.’ Rivera thanked Hahn for preparing her for the job. ‘It’s been a really easy transition,’ she said. ‘They have a lot in common. They are really politicians for the people. I was happy to make the change.’ Rivera grew up in Cerritos, where she now lives with her parents, Sandra, a third grade teacher, and Raul, a partner of an aerospace aluminum casting foundry. She has plans to move to District 11, bringing her closer to work. Her 19-year-old brother, Chris, attends USC and studies fine arts. After attending an all-girls school, St. Joseph High in Lakewood, Rivera earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish literature from Loyola Marymount University in 2004. She then worked in immigration law for one year in Los Angeles at Bernard P. Wolfsdorf & Associates as a paralegal. She planned to apply to law school, but decided she wanted to take a different route in life. Her friends had attended colleges in the United Kingdom and their stories inspired her to study abroad. She was accepted to the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, where she earned a master’s degree in international relations. While living in the UK for 14 months, she managed to travel to 13 European countries. ‘I had an understanding of the U.S., and I wanted to learn how the world worked,’ Rivera said. When she returned from her travels, she decided she wanted to pursue a career in politics. She had traveled through impoverished areas and felt grateful for her life in the United States. She also felt inspired to continue to improve her country. ‘I wanted to make a change, so I figured, Why not start in my own city? I was born and raised here and will raise my family here. Why not make it better?’ Rivera hopes to learn as much as possible from Rosendahl and his 22-person staff. She is proud to represent him. ‘He really is a genuine politician who cares,’ she said. ‘He’s not the normal politician who talks the talk and doesn’t walk the walk. I’ve seen the compassion and passion he has for what he’s doing and it’s contagious.’ When asked if she may run for office someday herself, she shyly smiles and then giggles. ‘I would leave that possibility open.’

Pacific Palisades: The Golden Years

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Celebrities have always had a presence in Pacific Palisades, as this 1959 photograph of a beauty contest judges panel illustrates. Photos courtesy Palisadian-Post Archives
Celebrities have always had a presence in Pacific Palisades, as this 1959 photograph of a beauty contest judges panel illustrates. Photos courtesy Palisadian-Post Archives

In the early 1950s, a young Roger McGrath tagged along with his older brother and sister to Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles. ‘Where are you kids from?’ he recalls a man asking. ‘Pacific Palisades, sir,’ they replied. ‘Now where is that?’ the man probed. ‘All the way out at the end of Sunset Boulevard’ they answered, to which the man shot back, ‘Why would anyone want to live out there?’ The story underscores the modest roots–and blissful obscurity–the town once enjoyed in the late 1940s and ’50s, an era McGrath will vividly recount during a presentation for the Pacific Palisades Historical Society on Monday evening, February 25. McGrath, now 60, is a noted author and historian who grew up in a house on Embury in the Alphabet streets. He describes the task of selecting photographs from the Palisadian-Post archives, seldom-seen images he’ll use to illustrate his talk, as a ‘half-fun romp and half-melancholy journey.’ A natural storyteller, McGrath delights in recalling the ‘boys will be boys’ days of his youth, when slingshots and skinny-dipping, motorcycles and mayhem ruled the day against a backdrop of empty fields, dirt roads and pristine beaches. Using his raspy voice to dramatic effect, he tells of hitching rides on the bumper of a Rambler station wagon, enduring muck up to his waist while playing with the neighborhood gang in the surrounding wilderness, and, at 17, using his pluck and motorcycle prowess to forge a friendship with a then 30-something Steve McQueen. His narrative skills are legendary. As a professor at UCLA during the 1980s, he taught a class called ‘The American West’ that consistently drew a capacity crowd of 500 students. Gun battle reenactments and other theatrics, many involving the professor himself, transformed the conventional lecture format. The author of ‘Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes’ (1984), McGrath makes frequent appearances on TV and in documentaries as an authority on the Old West and World War II and regularly contributes to a variety of publications, including ‘Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture.’ Many of his recent articles focus on life in the Palisades and will eventually be used as chapters in a book tentatively titled ‘The Fabulous Fifties: Not a Decade But an Era.’ One piece gleefully recalls the bygone culture of fistfights among boys; another entitled ‘Church of the Open Sky’ exalts surfing as ‘an almost holy communion with nature.’ ‘When people say the 1950s, that’s not what they mean,’ says McGrath of the artificial distinction made by strict ‘decadists.’ ‘For instance, 1961 was really the ’50s with hot rods, motorcycles, surfboards, rock ‘n’ roll and fights all part of the scene. It wasn’t ‘Oh, peace brother, I’m going to chant this mantra.’ That nonsense came in the late ’60s,’ McGrath says. Selling blackberries for 10 cents a box at a stand along Sunset is one of McGrath’s earliest memories. ‘ This was the country for people taking Sunday drives in the late 1940s and early ’50s,’ he says. ‘It was like a big journey traveling from Los Angeles.’ The area behind his house, what is now a commercial block along Sunset from Monument to Carey, was a field filled with berry thickets, oak and acacia trees. ‘If you look at pictures of the Palisades in the late 1940s, there was more open space than houses. What we called ‘the center’ was just a couple of commercial blocks,’ says McGrath, emphasizing the rural nature of the setting by adding that his sister kept a horse in the backyard. Another early impression was Fiesta Days, a community tradition McGrath remembers as rivaling the Fourth of July parade in terms of popularity. Every June, all the men in town grew beards and anyone caught not wearing a Western costume would be thrown in a ‘monkey jail’ with bail set as a donation to charity. ‘It was a ‘back home in Indiana’ small town mixed with a certain Hollywood hipness,’ says McGrath, who concedes that this dynamic, however much altered, still exists today. McGrath’s baseball little league team, the Bay Pharmacy Orioles, was filled with Hollywood kids, including David Niven’s son. He remembers how the actor would bring his attach’ case to the games, turn it into a mini-bar, and after imbibing two or three shots, yell out to the field in his English accent ‘Good show, good show, lads.’ When McGrath was in high school, a visit to Vince’s Barbershop on Saturday morning would inevitably elicit reviews about the previous night’s football game at Palisades High. ‘Good game, kid,’ McGrath remembers hearing from men in the shop. ‘Everyone went to the game whether they had a son on the team or not,’ he recalls. The homespun character of the early Palisades is only one of many themes McGrath will touch upon during his presentation, the kick-off to a yearlong celebration of the Palisadian-Post’s 80th anniversary, taking place on Monday, February 25 at 7 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Admission is free.

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