Home Blog Page 2229

Game, Set, City!

By
dev
-

Tennis Tops Taft for Third Straight Title

Katy Nikolova smacks a backhand winner in her 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) victory over Taft's Sarah Cohen last Friday at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.
Katy Nikolova smacks a backhand winner in her 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) victory over Taft’s Sarah Cohen last Friday at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Too deep, too talented and too determined. That might be the best way to describe the Palisades High girls tennis team this season. After the Dolphins wrapped up their third consecutive City Section championship with a 5-2 victory over Woodland Hills Taft Friday at Balboa Sports Center in Encino, the obvious question was how long Palisades can keep its dynasty going. In a rematch of last year’s final, Palisades showed why it was seeded No. 1 in the tournament and why the Dolphins have won 20 Section titles, including 14 under Coach Bud Kling. Rather than folding under pressure, Palisades rises to the occasion. Just as they did in their 4-3 victory 12 months ago, the Dolphins swept all three doubles matches. Rose Schlaff and Yasamin Ghiasi set the tone, winning 6-0, 6-0, at No. 3 to notch Pali’s first point. “Coach was counting on us to sweep the doubles and that was our mindset,” Schlaff said. “We just took our time and hit our shots when they were there.” Kathryn Cullen and Erika Lee gave the Dolphins a 2-1 lead with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Taft’s No. 2 tandem of Tammy Zack and Mayan Ruimy. “I was happy to play doubles today,” said Cullen, one of the team’s co-captains and the only current Dolphin to have played in the finals all four years. “I play a little less risky in doubles, especially with Erika. She’s really good at poaching, so I don’t have to take as many chances.” Marina Sterngold then won, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3 singles to move Pali within one match of a three-peat. “Marina’s victory was critical for us,” said Kling, who reached another personal milestone: his 30th City title since taking over the boys’ program in 1979 and the girls’ in 1984. “She moved up from doubles to singles and played really steady, solid tennis.” Audrey Ashraf and Phoebe Driscoll clinched Pali’s latest championship with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 1 doubles’the Dolphins’ fourth point in the straight-up, best-of-seven format. “Part of the art of arranging your lineup in the playoffs is to get a feel for what matches might take longer,” Kling said. “You want to have people on the court, when you have a couple hundred people yelling and screaming on every point, who will hold up under the pressure.” One of those players is No. 1 player Katy Nikolova, who needed over three and a half hours to pull out a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) victory over Taft’s Sarah Cohen on her 18th birthday. Cohen was trying to avenge her loss in last year’s City individual singles final and the players embraced at the net at the end. “What it came down to is that they are just too strong in doubles,” Taft Coach Tom Wright said. “We had our chances, they were just too tough.” Despite losing to Taft’s Yuliya Maystruk, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 2 singles, freshman Samantha Kogan has been a solid contributor all season and, with Nikolova graduating, could be Palisades’ top player when it goes for four in a row next fall. “I’ve had a great experience this year,” Kogan said. “To win City my first season is great. Hopefully, I can win a few more.”

Back Where They Belong

By
dev
-

Dolphins Sweep Rival Venice to Regain City Section’s Volleyball Championship

Palisades players celebrate after winning the City Section volleyball championship Saturday night at Occidental College in Eagle Rock.
Palisades players celebrate after winning the City Section volleyball championship Saturday night at Occidental College in Eagle Rock.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Saturday night’s City Section girls volleyball final seemed almost anticlimactic–and that’s just the way Palisades wanted it. The top-seeded Dolphins dispatched Venice the same way they had their four previous playoff opponents–quickly and decisively. Palisades needed just 75 minutes to punctuate its perfect postseason with a 25-21, 25-15, 25-21 sweep at Occidental College in Eagle Rock that netted the program’s 24th City title and first since 2003. Venice (18-4-1), playing in its third final in seven seasons, jumped out to an early lead before the Dolphins settled into their game. “Coach warned us there might be pre-game nervousness and when we started off slow he said ‘Okay, we got the jitters out, now let’s play,'” junior outside hitter Laura Goldsmith said. “After that, we started putting the ball down and got more and more confident.” Sure, the scores were a little closer, but by the middle of the first game the outcome was never in doubt. It was clear who had brought the heavier weapons. “We’ve been on a roll and we just continued it today,” said Pali Coach Chris Forrest, whose team needed the minimum 15 games to win the City tournament. “Alex [Lunder] had another great match. I don’t think she made one error.” Lunder had 15 kills and two blocks, Teal Johnson added six kills and sophomore Tait Johnson had 22 digs. Venice dealt the Dolphins their only loss to a City team all season, prevailing in five games in their first Western League meeting–a loss Palisades avenged in a sweep two weeks later. The second-seeded Gondoliers had rallied from a two-game deficit to beat Woodland Hills Taft in the semifinals, but this time there would be no comeback. “I’m really proud of my girls, they did everything I asked them to,” Venice Coach Allen Hunt said. “You have to give Pali credit. They go seven, eight, nine deep and all of them can play. They’re a very good team but we’ll be back.” Setter Jenna McCallister was on her game, serving expertly and dishing out assists to Lunder, Goldsmith, Johnson, Bonnie Wirth and Kelsey Kiel. Defensive specialist Rachel Ehrlich passed superbly and guarded the back line against Gondos’ sophomore hitter Katie McCabe, who finished with a team-best nine kills. When the final point was won, Palisades’ bench erupted and players on the floor hugged each other and raised their fingers in the air to signify who’s No. 1. This year, at least, there can be no argument. “This is an amazing feeling,” senior outside hitter Jennifer Donohue said. “I can’t put it into words. This is something we’ve worked for all season and it feels great.” As City champions, the Dolphins earned a berth in the state tournament, where they hosted Southern Section Division I-AA semifinalist Lakewood (25-7) in the quarterfinals Tuesday (see story below). * * * * Spikers Bounced in State Tourney Still basking in the glow of Saturday’s City title victory, the Palisades High girls volleyball team faced a new challenge in the quarterfinals of the Division I state playoffs. For the first time this season, the Dolphins went into Tuesday’s match against Lakewood as decided underdogs. Senior setter Jenna McCallister told her teammates to play as if they had nothing to lose. “I saw it as a chance to host another match in our gym, in front of our fans and to see the banners hanging up there one last time,” McCallister said. “Win or lose, we were going to leave it all on the court and that’s what we did.” Palisades (25-9) was riding a nine-match winning streak in which it had reeled off 27 consecutive games, including a sweep of archrival Venice three nights before. But first the streak, then the Dolphins’ season, ended abruptly in a 25-20, 25-21, 25-16 loss to the fourth-seeded Lancers (27-7), Southern Section Division I-AA semifinalists. “When you play a Section champion’whether it’s San Diego, Central, Southern or L.A. City, you’re getting the best they have,” Lakewood Coach Mike Wadley said. “They used a lot of float serves and things we’re not used to seeing. They did well with what they had.” Trailing 15-14 in the second game, Lakewood used a 8-0 run to seize control of the match. Laura Goldsmith led Pali with nine kills, Alex Lunder had eight and Teal Johnson had six. McCallister finished with 28 assists and Tait Johnson had 12 digs. “I’m super proud of the girls,” Pali Coach Chris Forrest said. “Even when they were down they fought hard. That team was just too tough tonight.”

L.A.’s Gorillas Come Home

By
dev
-

$19-Million Campo Gorilla Reserve Is Final Phase of Zoo’s Great Ape Project

Two-year-old Glenda explores her new habitat with mother Rapunzel (left) and father Kelly at the L.A. Zoo's Campo Gorilla Reserve, which opened to the public November 8.
Two-year-old Glenda explores her new habitat with mother Rapunzel (left) and father Kelly at the L.A. Zoo’s Campo Gorilla Reserve, which opened to the public November 8.
Photo by Steve Galluzzo, Sports Editor

A thick mist wafted up from the ground, shrouding the space around me in a milky-white cloud. Peering through the fog, I suddenly saw it–a black shape moving silently through the gloom. As if on cue, the creature cupped its hands and beat its chest, creating a hollow sound that reverberated through the trees. The scene was reminiscent of an African rainforest, but actually it was in the heart of the urban jungle we call Los Angeles. I was among the privileged few media members invited to attend the November 8 unveiling of the $19-million Campo Gorilla Reserve at the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park–and welcome our fellow primates back after spending four-and-a-half years at the Denver Zoo while their home was being remodeled. “Right now is an extremely critical time for gorillas in the wild as they face the challenge of habitat destruction and being hunted in the bushmeat trade,” Zoo Director John Lewis said. “It is our hope that this reserve will educate our visitors as to why gorillas are endangered and what we can do to help them.” After walking along a path hidden on either side by shrubs and trees, intended to help “muffle” outside noises, I soon encountered what we had all come to see. First to greet guests to his new real estate was Kelly, a 20-year-old silverback in charge of the family group. Holding a branch in his mouth, he knuckle-walked to the front of the habitat and surveyed his surroundings. Rubbing his brow, he seemed satisfied. Moments later, a 23-year-old female named Rapunzel strolled into view, her and Kelly’s two-year-old daughter Glenda clinging to her back. Mother and baby plopped down under a tree near a pool of water and watched as “Auntie” Evelyn, the true superstar of the group, plucked a handful of leaves from a bush an arm’s length away. Evelyn, 31, was the second gorilla ever born at the L.A. Zoo since it opened its gates in 1966. Charismatic and intelligent, she took up painting during her stay at the Denver Zoo and has since created several works of art. Joining Lewis at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge, Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association President Connie Morgan and actress Betty White, ambassador to animals for the City of Los Angeles and longtime zoo supporter, who monitored the gorilla family’s progress during their relocation. “I want to thank all of the folks in Denver who took such good care of our kids while we were building their new home,” she said. “We were hoping Kelly and Rapunzel would have a baby here but they never did. I don’t know if it was the music, the altitude or what, but within a few weeks of moving to Denver Rapunzel got pregnant.” The 1 1/2-acre exhibit was designed to closely resemble the great ape’s native environment in West Central Africa. Full of trees, brush, flowers, thistles, waterfalls, pools, rocky ledges for climbing, a sunny grass area and a dark shady retreat, it features a mist machine (on a timer set to go off at specified times of the day) that also serves as a cooling system in the summer. There are three viewing stations to this main “common” area–two open-air and another behind a glass wall, at eye-level with the apes. As impressive as the state-of-the-art habitat looked, however, its wonder paled in comparison to that of its inhabitants, who “hammed it up” for their first public appearance. In particularly good spirits was Glenda, who playfully clapped her hands at the sound of clicking cameras and made her audience laugh by tickling her mother’s toes with a slender reed, and then scampering away. Walking further up the path, I happened upon what Ashley Fragomeni of the zoo’s education department humorously described as the “bachelor pad,” a separate enclosure that houses 13-year-old Hasani and his 10-year-old brother Jabari, both of whom previously resided at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. Hasani means “handsome” in Swahili and one look at him is enough to know he will soon mature into a magnificent silverback. He chose to spend the morning at Campo’s built-in salad bar, gobbling down celery-like bamboo stalks, juicy pomegranates and succulant ficus plants. Also befitting his name, Jabari (meaning fearless”) is an outgoing and curious teen who is not above an act of mischief at his brother’s expense. There are no immediate plans to find mates for the bachelors, who are kept apart from the family group so they can’t challenge Kelly’s dominance. Like the adjacent family room, the bachelor pad has an abundance of eats and treats for its inhabitants, who can be seen from two vantage points: behind glass at ground level or across a ravine from above. Lining the top of the exhibit are low-voltage electrical wires, partially disguised as foliage, to deter escapes like the one that occurred at the Dallas Zoo’s “Wilds of Africa” exhibit in 2004, when a 340-pound male gorilla (also named Jabari) injured four people before being shot and killed by police. The Dallas exhibit was equipped with electric wiring (giving a mild shock when touched) but after a three-month investigation zoo officials determined the gorilla had used a running start to jump across a 12-foot wide trench, clearing a wall and the wire atop it. The exhibit was rebuilt with higher walls and boulders were strategically placed to prevent “running jumps.” Campo Gorilla Reserve is the final phase of the L.A. Zoo’s Great Ape Forest, joining the “Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains” exhibit (opened in 1998) and the orangutans’ “Red Ape Rain Forest” (opened in 2000), both located nearby. Like all zoo gorillas, the six here are western lowlands, a critically endangered species that lives in lowlands and swamp forests of subtropical and tropical Africa in the countries of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Angola (Cabinda). Recently, an increase in illegal poaching and diseases such as ebola are estimated to have caused a 60 percent decline in the lowland gorilla’s population over the last 20 to 25 years. Awareness of the gorillas’ plight is the first step towards protecting them in the wild. “I’m passionate about animal conservation and exhibits like this because it shows in a nutshell what’s going on the wild,” said L.A. Zoo Marketing Manager Kim Spence, a Pacific Palisades resident. “What makes gorillas so intriguing is that they’re so much like us.”

Writers Picket Eddie Murphy Movie

By
dev
-

Members of the Writers Guild walk the picket line at the Eddie Murphy movie, “Nowhereland,” which was filming at the Palisades Recreation Center last Thursday. Sue Pascoe/Staff Writer
Photo by Sue Pascoe, Staff Writer

A picket line at the Palisades Recreation Center started with about 10 writers last Thursday morning, but steadily grew to almost 75 as members of the Writers Guild began marching in a circle on the perimeter of the ‘Nowhereland’ movie set. The Eddie Murphy film was shooting at the park and television and movie writers had come to seek support from actors and other production staff. Shortly after the picketing started, Murphy walked off the set and the writers chanted, ‘Thank you Eddie! Thank you Eddie!’ ‘We are inviting everyone on the crew to walk with us in solidarity,’ said Alfredo Barnos, one of the strike captains. ‘The other unions need to know that if we fall, they’re next.’ Although Barnos was from Glendale, the majority of the writers at the park were from Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica. Typical was Michelle King, a writer/producer of ‘In Justice’ and ‘Judy’s Got a Gun,’ who attended Palisades High School, where her father taught. ‘I consider myself a writer first and I think this is a just cause,’ King said. ‘If networks are making money on Internet downloads, then writers should be, too.’ The picketing writers urged crewmembers to learn more about the strike. ‘We’re not here to upset your day,’ Barnos said. ‘If you get a break, we welcome you on the line.’ ‘If they stop writing night scenes, we’ll support them,’ joked ‘Nowhereland’ camera operator Lawrence Karmen. On a more serious note he added, ‘I support the spirit of what they’re trying to accomplish. The Internet is going to be a big market for our product and they should get their share.’ The major stumbling block in contract negotiations has been residuals paid on movies and television shows that can now be downloaded onto cell phones and computers. There are two methods of downloading. One is a digital download, which means the entire movie file or TV show is stored in your computer before it can be viewed. For that process writers currently receive one cent for every three dollars received. The second type of download is streaming videos, which means the show is sent to the user in a constant stream, and the user watches it as it arrives. A viewer can log onto the Internet and view complete episodes of popular shows like ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ’30 Rock,’ making a television set unnecessary. The writers receive no residuals for streaming videos. At the ‘Nowhereland’ set, the Teamsters were asked to park three trucks to obstruct the view of strikers. Some strikers were asked to move, but didn’t. The lead driver got out, and refused to move his truck further. ‘I’m not going to hit anyone,’ he said. Ironically, instead of blocking the strikers from view of the set, the trucks remained bumper to bumper, which resulted in lengthening the strikers’ picket line. The ‘Nowhereland’ extras and crew broke for lunch at 11:20. Murphy did not come back to the set and filming was shut down for the day. Palisades writer David Odell told the Palisadian-Post, ‘Producers are saying ‘Let’s settle this and get on with it.’ We had producers and directors with us as we walked the picket line at Sony.’ Odell won an Emmy for ‘The Muppet Show,’ and his screenplay for ‘The Power of the Dark Crystal,’ an animated film, is in production. Other writers said that the support they received from actors, directors and the Hollywood community was a major factor in reopening negotiations next Monday. ‘Tom Hanks said he wouldn’t start filming ‘Angels and Demons’ since the script wasn’t ready,’ Palisades resident and film writer Juliet Giglio wrote in an e-mail to the Post on Tuesday. ‘I think that helped us a lot.’ Writer/producer and Palisadian Lew Schneider, who was also on the Rec Center picket line, thinks bottom-line fears are on the writers’ side. ‘Advertisers paid for primetime spots on new shows and new episodes aren’t happening,’ he said. When advertisers ask for their money back, the media giants lose money and their stock prices can suffer. Schneider, who won two Emmys for ‘Everybody Loves Raymond,’ said there are two major differences from the writers’ strike in 1988 that lasted for five months. This time television and movie writers, as well as writers on both coasts, are unified. In addition, some show runners (the people who are responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television series) have refused to cross the picket lines.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 15, 2007

By
dev
-

HOMES FOR SALE 1

9 HOMES LEFT. Condo Alternative PCH/Sunset. Up to 1,550 Sq. Ft. $199,000-$659,000. Some Completely Remodeled, Many Upgrades. Ocean Views, Wood Floors, New Fixtures. Sun Deck, Rec Center w/ Pool/Spa/Gym. Steps from the Sand. Agent Michelle Bolotin, (310) 230-2438 www.michellebolotin.com

COUNTRY LIVING in the Missouri Ozarks. Beautiful 800-acre m/l Ranch; Colonial 6 bd home. Great investment. $1,695,500. wwwbakerealty.com or (417) 469-2316. Baker Realty

SPACIOUS MEDITERRANEAN ESTATE. 5 bdrm, 4 ba, former model, gated street. Beautiful ocean/mt views, 2 ocean view mstr. bdrm suites w/ full bath, 1 suite w/ jacuzzi tub & romantic balcony. Large open fam/rm, kit w/ marble F/P, w/ designer new gorgeous carpet, 3 bdrms, liv/rm din/rm w/ custom hdwd flrs, extensive use of marble, Italian porcelain tile. Double solid oak entry doors opening to marble custom tile entry. $1,859,000 or optional lease, $9,250/mo. 3% broker co-op. Contact Dr. Stanley Goodman, Agent, (310) 463-7826 or (310) 478-1835, Gilleran Griffin Realtors

HOMES WANTED 1b

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

CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR SALE 1e

2 BDRM, 2 BA CONDO in village. 15340 Albright St., apt #107. Open house daily, 12-4 p.m. $695,000. (310) 230-7866

FURNISHED HOMES 2

CHARMING COTTAGE, fully furnished, 1 bdrm, 1 ba, frplc, close to village & bluffs. Short term available. No pets. (310) 459-0765

LOVELY 2 BD, 2 BA, wooded setting. Frpl, lndry cable, phone, DSL, gdner. Fully furn & equip. 3-?? Mos. N/S No pets. $2,570/mo. for EVERYTHING. (310) 454-2568

SUNSET MESA estate with KILLER OCEAN VIEWS. Newly remodeled, close-in, mid-century, turn-key furnished with the VIEW! $6,500/mo. (760) 568-9426

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

SHORT TERM LEASE. Light filled spotless ranch style 2 bd, 1 bath updated kit, oak flrs, deck view of tree-filled property. Lg brick patio, W/D & gardener incl. 2-car garage w /side entry. Gated rear lot perfect for boat or RV storage. $3,450/mo. (310) 993-4007

OCEAN VIEWS 4 BDRM, 3 BA, office, den, large spa. Queen’s Necklace, quiet cul-de-sac. Available Sept. One year minimum. Some furniture. $6,995/mo. Call (310) 457-1522

GUEST HOUSE. $1,975/MO. Quiet, secluded, 1 bdrm, 1 ba + loft bed, kitchen, hdwd flrs, WB/F/P, large private pool, beautiful gardens, patio, W/D, cable TV, all utils. incl. Avail now. (310) 459-1227

ALPHABET STREETS near village. 2 bdrm, 1 ba, dining room and den open to patio, oak floors, gardener incl. $3,500/mo. Leave message at (818) 705-4400

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

$2,500/mo. LARGE, LIGHT 1 bdrm, 1 ba, Mediterranean triplex near bluffs. Mucho charm! Unique touches. Built-in bookcases, cabinets, drawers, tile, hdwd. flrs, bay window, gar/gdn. 1 yr lease. N/P, N/S. (310) 829-6931

1 BDRM+OFFICE/DEN, 2 ba, 2 F/P, hdwd flrs, new paint, wood blinds, 1 garage space, laundry on premises. $2,300/mo.+sec. Call (310) 459-5576

PRIVATE OCEAN VIEW GUESTHOUSE, partially furnished; small but cool; gated, tropical gardens, patio. Near old Getty villa. No pets, no smoking. $1,450/mo. Ready now. (310) 459-1983

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

PACIFIC PALISADES. Brand New Luxury Condo. Beautiful & Spacious with Natural Stone and Granite throughout. Gourmet kitchen, 2 fireplaces, walk-in closets, and balcony. 2 BR+2½ BA from 1,300 sq/ft starting at $3,450/mo. (310) 459-4682

PERFECT FOR REMODELERS! 2 bdrm, 21⁄2 ba townhouse, hdwd, tile+new carpet. Large roof deck w/ ocean views, W/D, dishwasher, additional storage, parking. $3,650/mo. Agent, (310) 392-1757

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

OCEAN VIEW ROOM in Pacific Palisades. Private bath, cable, laundry, garage & limited kitchen use incl. Smoking ok. Large home Refs. Male preferred. (310) 454-8120

WANTED TO RENT 3b

OFFICE WANTED TO RENT. Established (12 years) 1-person business looking for single office in the Palisades. Business has no customer traffic, multi-year lease OK. Willing to sublet with existing business. (310) 459-4282

LOOKING FOR GARAGE space. Palisades business owner for 18 years. 1 or 2 car garage. Santa Monica or Palisades. John, (310) 877-5959

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

PP FAMILY SEEKING furnished vacation rental, in or near PP, for relatives visiting 12/25/07-1/4/08. Prefer 2+ bedrooms. Professional, responsible, willing to pet-sit, etc. Call Lisa, (310) 454-9714

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 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 Pietra at (310) 591-8789 or email leasing@hp-cap.com

OCEAN VIEW OFFICES for rent in creative suite on Sunset and PCH in Spectrum Club bldg. Near great restaurants. 3 brand new offices available now. DSL/fax and phone lines with call answering will be in. Furnishing available. Shared conference room, kitchen area. Just sit down and do business. $1,100 to $1,200/mo. Call Pam, Jen or Rob, (310) 230-6866

RENTAL SPACE, STORAGE 3d

STORAGE GARAGE IN VILLAGE. Avail 12/1. $289/mo. (310) 454-4668

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 3f

FULL SERVICE Property Mgt. Co. To rent out &/or manage your house rental. No more tenant hassles. We Do It All. Illana, (310) 498-0468

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

FOR SALE: Curves Chevoit Hills. (310) 454-4121

LOST & FOUND 6a

FOUND ON PALI High athletic field: a good quality hooded sweatshirt. To claim it please call (310) 459-1037 & state the name printed on it.

WE LOST OUR KITTY. Big fat black & white male w/ flea collar. Pink nose, pink paws & looks like a cow. Lost near Via bluffs. Big reward. Please call Pepper, (310) 454-3388

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

BOOKKEEPER/PERSONAL ASSISTANT/Notary Public, personal bookkeeping & financial organizing, clerical duties, honest, reliable, discreet. Excellent references. Patti, (310) 720-8004

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

WEST LA NANNIES • Caring • Committed • TRUSTED • (310) 584-4555

MOTHER’S HELPER available F/T or P/T tutor, babysitting, personal errands. Bachelor’s degree in Education. Excellent references. New Pali resident. Call Kim, (818) 251-0249

LOOKING FOR A FULL TIME JOB! 8-10 hrs./day, Mon.-Fri. Good Nanny references. Cell, (310) 592-8735, Hm, (323) 290-0984

EXPERIENCED NANNY/BABYSITTER available Tues., Thurs. & Friday. All day. $16/hr. References available. (213) 215-6052

EUROPEAN EDUCATED NANNY available F/T OR P/T. Experienced. Eager to learn. Anna, (818) 943-4364

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 AVAIL MON-SAT. Good experience & refs. Cleaning service, includes laundry, ironing, closet organizer. Good with pets. Speak Spanish only. Magdalena, (323) 634-0736, (323) 527-4538

HOUSECLEANING AVAILABLE Mon.-Fri. I like pets. I speak a little bit of English. References. Cell, (323) 559-8806. Ask for Ingrid D. Molina.

HOUSECLEANER AVAILABLE Wednesday. Own car, CDL, speaks a little English. Call Soila, (323) 559-8806

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE to clean your home Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. Great references. Please call Martina, (213) 365-9806 or (818) 693-2231

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Wednesday & Friday. Own transportation. Very good references. Experienced. Call Ada, (323) 293-2067

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

SUGAR & SPICE Nanny Service. Elder/child care. Experienced (special needs), Alzheimers & dementia. Can cook. Personal & house sitting. Call (323) 474-8943, (323) 758-6271

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

MALE CAREGIVER available for L/O only. 5years experience. Good references. Call John, (323) 668-2359

CAREGIVER/NANNY/COMPANION. References, Full/part time, live-in/live-out. Available now. Some housekeeping. Please call (818) 357-8363

CAREGIVER PRIVATE ASSISTANT part time, over 10 years experienced. Great references. Available with car. English speaking. (424) 208-3608

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) 498-5380. 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

GARDENING SERVICE • General maintenance Svcs • Sprinkler installation (manual & automatic) • Hillside cleanups • Tree service • New lawn (topping, pruning & removal) • Block/brick planters • Free estimates • All work guaranteed. Daniel Velasco, Hm. (323) 934-9284, Cell (323) 839-0819

MOVING & HAULING 11b

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

HAVE TRUCK WILL HAUL. Junk around house, brush, debris & stump removal. Lic. #685533. Brad, (310) 454-8646

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

TREE SERVICE 11d

DON’T PANIC, IT’S ORGANIC®! NEED HELP AFTER THE FIRE? Fire Special. 50% off all new local services with 6 mos. contract. Free housecall w/ mention of this ad. Since 1972. Natural pest control, lawn, roses, tree, pond, fruit trees, veg. gdns, natural spraying, whole property restoration, water mgmt & more as seen on PBS, NBC, CBS, YOUTUBE & more. Invisible Gardener Inc. (310) 457-4438. Doing it organically keeps the oceans clean. www. InvisibleGardener.com

MEDICAL BILL HELP 12e

We Get Rejected Medical Bills Paid! Any patient • Any bill • We fight for you • No Recovery • No Fee • (888) 8Medbill • www.MedBillRecovery.com

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, Bonded

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

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

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

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

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

PERSONAL TRAINER 15c

PEAK PERFORMANCE Fitness Training • Ivan Baccarat, A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer • Body Shaping • Strength • Endurance • Prenatal/Post Partum • Cardio Kickboxing • Stretch/Flexibility • Plyometrics • Fat Loss • Core Work Individualized Program Design • 20 Yrs. Experience • Insured • References • Call for a free consultation: (310) 829-4428

“FIT” Jen Into Your Life. I am a certified in-home personal trainer with a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. I design unique fun fitness programs tailored to individual goals. Palisades references available. Call Jen for your complimentary first session. (818) 623-7173

CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER. Mobile service. Train at home, in gym or outdoors. Contact Thomas, (310) 365-8878

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 • Children, adults • Great references. Noelle, (310) 273-3593

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

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

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

PROCPM—WE MANAGE your construction project so you don’t have to. Your home built/remodeled for less—less time, less cost, less stress. (310) 459-6276 • www.ProCPM.com

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

NORTH BAY ELECTRIC. Serving the Palisades area since 1984 • Service Calls • Remodel Work • New Construction • (310) 456-7076. Lic. #493652

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

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

CARPENTRY, CROWN MOULDING, door casing, baseboards, doors, drywall, painting, decks, fences, power, wash, reseal & repairs. 2 hr./min. Non-lic. Free estimates. John, (818) 300-7923

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16p

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

PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16r

PAUL HORST • Interior & Exterior PAINTING • 53 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

PLUMBING 16t

BOTHAM PLUMBING AND HEATING. Lic. #839118. (310) 827-4040

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

D SQUARE CONSTRUCTION. Bonded, Insured. Local resident, local references. St. Lic. #822701 B, C-33. David R. Dwyer, (310) 699-7164

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

RESTAURANT HIRING CREW members. Mgmt potential for right candidate. Noah’s Bagels. Call Peter, (310) 230-1461. Competitive pay & free bagels!

RECEPTIONIST/BOOKKEEPER WANTED for Pacific Palisades estate planning firm. Congenial personality, fast typing, computer skills and desire to learn are all musts. E-mail resume and salary requirements to bjornson@3destateplanning.com

BABYSITTER/MOTHER’S HELPER wanted Mon. & Fri. a.m. & occasional weekend hrs. 10-12 hrs/wk. Must have own car, CDL, fluent English & love to play. Two energetic home schooled children. 11 & 7 yrs. $12/hr. (310) 454-0992

MOTHER’S HELPER WANTED for 11⁄2 year old boy. Approx. 2-5 p.m. any weekdays. College student preferred. Starting $8/hour. Call Nicole, (310) 926-8826

ELDER CAREGIVER needed for overnight shift. 8 p.m.-8 a.m. Experienced, references, English speaking. Call Earl, (310) 459-2861 or (310) 454-7073

NOW HIRING, YMCA Christmas Tree Lot. P/F time, unloading, cutting, trimming, standing, sales, deliveries. Drivers with trucks wanted. Contact Joaquin, (310) 454-5591 ext.1510, or www.ymcala.org/pm

AUTOS 18b

CASH 4 MERCEDES BENZ/BMW $ 1980-1995, running or not. Any questions, please call (310) 995-5898

2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. 45,000 miles, fully loaded, 4 new tires, $23,000. Contact: Suzy, (310) 850-8286 or suzy_lupercio@ yahoo.com

1998 SL 600 AMG sport wheels, metallic green w/ tan interior. 48K miles, collectors cond. Single owner, gar. kept. Detailed every week of its life. No accidents or problems. (310) 383-4162. View wwwflektor.com/webflek/view/1180830403 245816 69385

2002 BMW X5. Fully loaded, 73K miles, $21,500. Price is below blue book. Excellent condition. (310) 573-1956

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

SAT., NOV. 17, 8 A.M.-1 P.M. 665 Las Lomas Avenue,(south of Sunset) 52-inch TV, twin bed, furniture, Lift chair, clothIng, toys, housewares, cameras, printers, lighting, windsurfer setup.

MULTI-FAMILY SALE. Xmas, clothes, books, tapes, houseware, collectibles etc. Friday, Nov. 16, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, November 17, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. 947 Galloway.

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

SADIE, OUR three-year-old Cairn Terrier, needs a home where she can be the only child. (310) 454-4918. cjpacpal@roadrunner.com3

WANTED TO BUY 19

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

‘Unexpected’ Gains Momentum in Second Scene

By
dev
-

Christopher Weir as Michael Starkwedder and Marybeth Massett as Laura Warwick in “The Unexpected Guest” now playing at Pierson Playhouse through December 16. Photo by Richard Little.

‘The Unexpected Guest,’ a murder mystery based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name, now playing at Pierson Playhouse through December 16 reminds me, not surprisingly, of a game of Clue. In the beginning, the prospect of a mysterious murder is intriguing. Who killed whom? Where? And with what? Ten minutes in, someone’s dead and I couldn’t be less interested in who did it or why. I just want to pick a murderer, a weapon and a room so I can open up the little card and check to see if I’m right. I don’t care if I win or lose; I just want the game to end. Unfortunately, in ‘The Unexpected Guest,’ there is no secret card that reveals the murderer. If you want to find out who killed Richard Warwick, you have to stay until the end. The play opens with a single gunshot, which kills Richard Warwick. Obviously, the rest of the plot is dedicated to figuring out who killed Warwick and why. Could it be his wife, Laura? His mother? His brother? Or even the unexpected guest, Michael Starkwedder, who arrives just after the murder occurs and encounters a frightened Mrs. Warwick in the parlor. Starkwedder (Christopher Weir) and Laura Warwick (Marybeth Massett) form a fast friendship, and quickly create a ploy to cover the murder. Still, it feels funny. Neither reveals much emotion, despite the giant elephant in the room’a dead body with a bullet in its head. Fortunately, though, like any good board game ‘The Unexpected Guest’ becomes much more amusing when more people/characters get involved. Scene 2 opens on the morning after the murder. Sergeant Cadwallader (Wilson Green) and Inspector Ian Thomas (Jack Winnick) begin investigating the Warwick family and their live-in employees in order to solve the crime. Winnick steals the scene, perhaps the whole show, with his portrayal of the inspector, an old-time detective whose dialogue, delivered quickly and flawlessly, is reminiscent of that in a fast-paced, classic Hollywood drama. While he was onstage, the play remained engaging. His sidekick, Sergeant Cadwallader was also very well cast, and although the part wasn’t huge, Green kept it entertaining. The set, a classic looking 1950’s parlor room, was very well designed and constructed, and no details were left untouched’from the books and candlestick holders on the shelves, to the fireplace tools and trophy animals on the walls. And in the end, I was slightly surprised by the results of the case, and the revelation of the Warwick’s murderer’despite pretending I knew who did it all along. Theatre Palisades presentation of ‘The Unexpected Guest’ runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through December 16 at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors on Fridays and Sundays and $18 for adults, $16 for students and seniors on Saturdays. For tickets call the box office: (310) 454-1970.

Taking Graf’s ‘Lessons’ to Heart

By
dev
-

Playwright Wendy Graf and Director Gordon Davidson shared similar artistic goals for Graf?s play “Lessons” on stage at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center?s Marilyn Monroe Theatre in West Hollywood.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

“Movies will make you famous; television will make you rich; but theater will make you good.’ Whether the ambiguity is intended or not, for playwright Wendy Graf the theater has proven the best form to tackle ‘serious stories, questions of politics and religion,’ and has intensified her moral aesthetic. After enjoying a successful career in television, Mandeville Canyon resident Graf left the episodic, small arc of that genre to focus on writing plays. Her first three, fueled by her search for her own Jewish identity, formed a trilogy centered on themes of faith and identity. The second in the trio, ‘Lessons,’ which was directed by Adam Davidson and starred Mare Winningham and Hal Linden, debuted in the summer of 2005. The show, which was well received and sold out for its brief run, will reappear in a new guise opening tonight at the West Coast Jewish Theatre in West Hollywood. For theatergoers who saw the first iteration, Graf’s revised ‘Lessons’ explores onstage what had previously been reported offstage in the play’s original production. While the storyline remains the same–Graf’s humor and humanity intact–she comes closer to the truth of the protagonists as complex, nuanced human beings. In the current production, Graf and this time director Gordon Davidson (Adam’s father) pose questions that emerged as they deepened the exploration of the journey that the two protagonists make, each from a very different starting point. It’s rare that a playwright will revisit a produced work for a variety of reasons, but more often because they’ve moved on. ‘Most writers think their work is done,’ says Davidson, a Santa Monica Canyon resident. In fact, Graf, too, had moved on when the West Coast Jewish Theater called in January wanting to include ‘Lessons’ in the 2007-2008 season. ‘Artistically, I was ready to move on to a new project, I didn’t have the distance to revisit it and I had already gotten involved with ‘Leipzig,'[which debuted in October 2006],’ she says. By last spring, Graf had achieved some distance and agreed to take a second look at the script. She restructured it into one act, worked out some problematic plot issues, then sent it to Adam Davidson, whose busy schedule prevented him from taking the job, suggested to Wendy that his dad might be interested. She sent Gordon the script, and three weeks later, Gordon called Wendy and told her he was ‘excited about the possibilities. My son got me the job,’ Gordon quipped in an interview with the Palisadian-Post. ‘Low paying’a 99-seat theater, but” This would be Gordon Davidson’s first directorial gig since retiring after 30 years as artistic director of the Center Theater Group in 2004, where he oversaw productions at the Ahmanson, Mark Taper and Kirk Douglas theaters. ‘I responded to the humanity in Wendy’s play,’ Gordon says. ‘Here was this man, Ben, who starts with no faith, no roots and no family’he had just lost his wife. His tennis partner, a rabbi, suggests that he might consider a change in venue, following such a serious loss. He suggests Israel; it may even awaken his Jewish roots. He might study Hebrew. ‘Ben responds to the challenge,’ Davidson continues. ‘He likes to win, he’s a salesman after all, and so he finds a teacher. The teacher, Ruth, is former rabbi who has lost her faith along the way, she can’t even praise God any more. ‘This is a story about these two people in pain who have an encounter. As they seek answers, I responded to the power of faith and the difficulty of holding onto it. ‘We all wonder why things happen to us and try to understand the lessons that life is teaching us. By couching her story within the context of the Torah, Graf reiterated the value of questioning, as Judaism welcomes change and questions to God.’ While Davidson and Graf were intrigued with the idea of working together, each viewed the initial meetings as a trial period. ‘I didn’t want to do it unless we shared the same questions, philosophical, theological and aesthetic,’ Davidson says. ‘Wendy jumped in and learned to trust me, although she was skittish at first.’ For her part Wendy, while excited to be working with the respected theater veteran, feared that he might overpower her. But as they worked through the summer, they bonded with the play, bonded with the characters and slowly created two people who, through their lessons, learn to reconnect with another person, with faith and with the community. ‘Our process kind of mirrored the process in the play in a lot of ways,’ Graf says. ‘We weren’t tool masters, but together asked questions. Gordon was kind of my spiritual guide. He inspired, encouraged and pushed me to explore and to go deeper.’ “Lessons,” starring Hal Linden and Larissa Laskin, plays through December 23 at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center’s Marilyn Monroe Theatre, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd. For tickets, please call (323) 650-7777 or visit www.westcoastjewishtheatre.org.

Paly Swimmers Drop Times

By
dev
-

The numbers keep improving for the Palisades-Malibu YMCA swim team, as a contingent of 83 swimmers took second place at the Crescenta-Ca’ada Y meet at the El Monte Aquatics Center last weekend. Not only did the Y improve on its third place finish at the first meet in October, individual swimmers continued to drop times. Head Coach Brian Timmerman explains the higher finish to the increase in 13 & over males, who have joined the team. ‘We’ve added Andrew Hacker, Kurtis Rossi and Shervin Ghaffari in the 13 & 14 year-old group,” he said. “They join Stephen Anthony, Jordan Wilimovsky and Michael Schem. Slov Yanov, 15, joins Hudson Lofchie, 17, and Jimmy deMayo. 16, and Nicholas Kaufman, 17.” In previous years, no entries in those age categories meant a lost of individual and relay points for the team. There were two relays in the 13 & and over category, the boys took second place in both the 200 Freestyle relay (deMayo, Kaufman, Yanov Lofchie) and the 200 Medley (Wilimovsky, Ghaffari deMayo, Lofchie). Second place finish in a relay is 34 points, so the older boys added 68 points towards the team total. Individually deMayo took first in the 200 fly (2:23.67) and third in the 200 I.M., as well as racking up nine new best times. Ghaffari placed third in the 200 Breast and teammate Lofchie took second in the 200 Free and third in the 50 and 100 Free. Schem took second in the 100 Fly and third in the 100 Free. Wilimovsky swam third in three events: 100 Fly, 100 and 200 Back. ‘The younger kids also did well at this meet,’ Timmerman said. He saw considerable improvement from the meet held in October. ‘The first meet is always a little stressful. The kids were more comfortable this weekend,’ he said. ‘As a coach, I have to keep it as low key and as fun as possible. For the younger swimmers, Hunter Loncar, 8, continued his winning ways by taking first in the 25 Free (16.80) and 25 Breast (22.90), second in the 50 Free and third in the 25 Back and Fly, and the 100 I.M. Wyatt Loncar, 6, placed third in the 25 Free and Keely McMahon, 6, took third in the girl’s 25 Free. Mardell Ramirez, 10, once again proved she’s a force to be reckoned with by taking first in the 100 Free (1:08.33), the 200 Free (2.27.40) and the 50 Fly (34.09). She continued her domination in the 10 and under girls by taking second in the 50 Free and Breast and 200 I.M. Her lowest place finish was third in the 50 Back. Allison Merz led the older girls with three firsts: 50 Free (25.36), 100 fly (1:00.65) and the 200 fly (2:12.70). She took second in the 100 and 200 Free, the 100 Back and the 200 I.M. Her lowest place finish at the meet was fourth in the 500 Free and the 100 Breast. ‘By contrast, anytime you have best times for the 15 and over it’s significant, because it is tougher to keep getting best times,’ Timmerman explained to the Palisadian-Post on Monday. He pointed out that Rebecca Lawton, 15, had four best times and Samantha Rosenbaum, 15, three best times. Jennifer Tartavull took first in the 100 Breast (1:11.61) and the 500 Free (5:24.59). Tartavull took a pair of seconds in the 50 Free and 200 Breast and finished her meet by placing third in the 100 and 200 Free, the 200 I.M. and 100 Back. Hayley Lemoine placed second in the 200 Fly and third in the 200 Fly. Shelby Pascoe took third in the 500 Free, the 200 Back and the 100 Breast. The 13 & 14 year old girls are also swimming strong with Zoe Fullerton taking third in the 100 Breast and the 200 Free, Sabrina Giglio placing second in the 100 Breast and Mara Silka taking second in the 100 Fly and 200 Free and third in the 200 Fly. Timmerman was pleased with his Y-swimmers who also swim on the Palisades High school team Ana Silka, Lemoine, Pascoe and Haley Hacker. ‘They are all approaching the times they had at city, which is amazing for mid-season November,’ he said. The girls 13 & over relay team placed first in the 200 Free (J.Tartavull, Kimberly Tartavull, Lemoine, Merz) and the 200 Medley (Lawton, K.Tartavull, J. Tartavull and Merz), adding 80 points to the team total. The next Y meet will be hosted by the Westside Y on December 8 and 9. In addition, Timmerman is taking 18 older swimmers to a USA meet in Santa Clarita this weekend. ‘It’s a chance to swim distance events,’ Timmerman said. ‘It’s also the last chance to qualify for the championship meet held in Long Beach December 13, 14 and 15. We have a number of swimmers who are close to qualifying, like Sabrina [Giglio] and Mara [Silka], as well as a few others who are close in additional events.’

Bustamante Blazes Pierce College

By
dev
-

He’s only a sophomore, but Carlos Bustamante has already begun to make a run at the Palisades High record books. Running the school’s second fastest time by a 10th-grader since 1990, Bustamante lowered his personal-best by 21 seconds and led the Dolphins’ varsity boys cross country team to fourth place in its heat at the City Section preliminaries in Woodland Hills. “The conditions were perfect for running’a little chilly with a light breeze’and they field took advantage of that,” said Brumel, who recalled Fabian Castro running 15:49 as a sophomore for Pali in 1994. “Thursday’s weather was probably the best I can ever remember it being.” The result earned Palisades a spot in Saturday’s City finals meet, which will be the first race of the day at 8:15 a.m. “We went in ranked sixth or seventh and we got fourth, so I’m very pleased,” PaliHi Coach Ron Brumel said. “It’ll be hard to improve on that [in the finals] but you never know.” Bustamante completed the hilly three-mile course at Pierce College in 16:09 to lead a pack of Dolphins who all ran their fastest races of the season. Mohaned Elias finished in 16:40’a personal-best by 15 seconds’while Mike Fujimoto was 13 ticks better than his previous best in 17:07. Even the Dolphins’ sixth man’senior Marco Tringali’finished in under 18 minutes. L.A. Hamilton, which won the Western League Finals two weeks ago, ran seventh in its heat and failed to qualify for the finals. “We had everyone step up and we had better clustering,” Brumel said. “That’s what made the difference.” Palisades’ girls varsity was not among the top eight teams to qualify for City finals, but Lynn Lim dropped 35 seconds off her best time and fellow senior Etna Tiburcio broke 22 minutes for the first time. ‘I think the girls were ninth or 10th out of 13 teams,’ Brumel said. An impressive performance on the girls’ side was that of Carly Seder in the frosh/soph race. Her time of 23:33 was the Dolphins’ fourth-best overall and was the third straight race in which she lowered her time by almost a minute. Senior Robert Bird, who won the junior varsity race at League Finals in a personal-best 19:27, will try to improve on that performance in the City JV finals Saturday at 11 a.m. Brumel cited Monroe and Birmingham as the favorites in the boys’ varsity race on Saturday, with perennial power San Pedro and El Camino Real also a threat. As for the girls, he sees Reseda running away with the title. “They are really deep and really fast this year,” he said. “They have six girls who can run under 20 minutes.”

Calendar for the Week of November 15

By
dev
-

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15 Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting, 7 p.m., Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Public invited. Santa Monica Canyon resident Gabe Rotter discusses and signs his debut novel, ‘Duck Duck Wally,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Movies in the Afternoon features ‘Now, Voyager,’ starring Bette Davis, at 1 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Free admission. Palisades Beautiful meeting, 10 a.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Upcoming neighborhood tree planting will be discussed. Members, friends and the general public are welcome. Contact: www.palisadesbeautiful@earthlink.net.’ Final ‘Read to Me L.A.’ preschooler & parent Storytime, suggested for children ages 3 to 5 and their adults, 4 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library, 861 Alma Real. St. Matthew’s annual Christmas Faire, 6 p.m. in the Sprague Center at St. Matthew’s Parish, 1031 Bienveneda. Theatre Palisades presents Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit ‘The Unexpected Guest,’ Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., through December 16 at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Call (310) 454-1970 for ticket information, or go to www.theatrepalisades.org. (See story, page 16). SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Fourth and final flu-shot clinic, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Knolls Pharmacy on Marquez Avenue. Cost: $25. No appointments necessary. Volunteers are invited to join the monthly work party on the community-owned Village Green, 9 to 11 a.m. Just bring shears and gloves. Contact: Marge Gold at 459-5167. Center for the Jazz Arts is providing live jazz music at Tivoli Caf’ each Saturday in November from 8 to 11 p.m. at the caf’,15306 Sunset. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Annual fall fashion show benefiting the Sisters of St. Louis and hosted by the St. Louis League board at Corpus Christi Church, 11 a.m. at the Riviera Country Club. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19 The new Classics Under 200 Pages Book Club will discuss Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s ‘Notes from Underground,’ 6:45 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Public invited. Annual Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, 7:30 p.m., Corpus Christi Church, corner of Sunset and Carey. Public invited. Refreshments will be served. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Orchid grower and habitat conservationist Peter Tobias addresses the Malibu Orchid Society, 7 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. (See story, page 12.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21 A weekly writing meeting for all 12-Step programs or anyone with a habitual problem or illness, 7 to 8 p.m. at 16730 Bollinger. Every third Saturday there’s a three-hour writing workshop at 9 a.m., same address. Contacts: (310) 454-5138 or info@12stepsforeverybody.org.

1...2,2282,2292,230...2,537Page 2,229 of 2,537
© Pacific Palisades Post, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272