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Dorothy Bissell, 87

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Dorothy Bissell.
Dorothy Bissell.

Beloved Palisadian Dorothy Louise Bissell passed on August 29 in the comfort of her longtime home, with her three children and loving caretaker, Olivia, by her side. She was 87. Dorothy was the cherished wife of Herb Bissell for over 60 years, and together they were one of the first families along Via De La Paz 59 years ago. Early in life, Bissell was accustomed to being active in her community, following her parents’ example of supporting social and environmental causes. Born on January 20, 1920, she grew up in the West Adams district and graduated from Hamilton High School. She studied business at Metropolitan City Business School, and worked at Hughes Aircraft in the accounting department until her first child, Patty, was born in 1945. She and Herb moved to Pacific Palisades in 1948 to raise their family, which eventually included two more children, Paul and Peggy. As a full-time mom, Dorothy stayed connected to the community, teaching Sunday school and preschool at the Methodist Church and coordinating the high school youth program for a year. She was a Bluebird and Campfire girl leader, and a leader in the Methodist Youth Fellowship. She was a huge proponent of the ‘No Oil’ campaign and served diligently in trying to keep offshore drilling from the local coastline. She manned the voting booths for many years as a volunteer at Palisades Elementary School, and served six years on the board of the Pacific Palisades Residents Association. In 1974, Dorothy was one of four women who founded the ongoing Palisades Beautiful, a nonprofit tree-planting organization made up of extraordinary women who encouraged residents to plant parkway trees throughout the community. In 1999, when she was honored by the Community Council with a Community Service Award, Dorothy proudly stated, ‘It feels as if I have spent most of my 79 years putting in endless volunteer hours.’ She continued, ‘I share this award with the Palisades Beautiful Committee. I’ve always felt the Palisades was an especially wonderful community because of the people, who work so hard to keep our town such a nice place to live.’ Dorothy was predeceased by her husband, Herb, in 2002. She leaves her three children, Patricia Smith (husband Buz), Paul Bissell (wife Cynthy) and Peggie Davis (husband John, deceased); grandchildren Peggi and Larry Stoffel, Claire and Jeff Randall, Andrew Davis, Mathieu and Kristin Bissell, and Michael and Jessica Bissell; and great-grandchildren, Mark, Katie, Rose and Logan. At Dorothy’s request, no services are to be held. Contributions may be made either to The American Parkinson Disease Association, 135 Parkinson’s disease, Staten Island, New York, 10305, or Heal the Bay, 1444 Ninth St., Santa Monica, CA. Dorothy wanted to be remembered as being very blessed by love, family and friends, and most significantly, as being able to live and give back to such a wonderful caring community as Pacific Palisades.

The Shock of the New World

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With a landmark exhibition of centuries-old art from Latin America, LACMA shines the spotlight on a rarely viewed chapter of art history.

One of the most unusual and affecting sculptures in “The Arts of Latin America, 1492-1820” exhibition at LACMA is this portrayal of the “Christ Child Crucified” from Guatemala. (18th century, Polychromed wood with a metal halo, Castillo Collection, Antigua, Guatemala.) Photo copyright Rodrigo Castillo.

For those who think they already know the contents of a Spanish colonial art show, think again, says curatorial assistant Sof’a Sanabrais, one of the key organizers of the current ‘The Arts of Latin America, 1492-1820’ exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. ‘People imagine all they’ll see are tons of images of the Virgin of Guadalupe,’ she says. ‘Visitors to the exhibition are so surprised by the richness and diversity of objects. It looks familiar, yet it really isn’t.’ Naturally, the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s most famous religious icon, does appear, but there is so much more. Close to 250 works of art, all produced in the New World during Spain’s long occupation of Mexico and Central and South America, show the strange, often dazzling results of imposed cultural exchange. The interchange goes well beyond the convergence of Native and European cultures, with African and Asian influences also mixed into the unusual melting pot. The epic exhibition spans three centuries–from the arrival of Columbus to the emergence of national independent movements’and showcases art created in the Spanish viceroyalties of New Spain (which today comprises Mexico and Central America) and Peru (now the countries of Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru) and the Portuguese colony of Brazil. Many of the pieces are on view for the first time in the United States. They range from the monumental–an enormous crucifix sculpture borrowed from a monastery in Brazil—to the diminutive–a 9-inch portable altarpiece from Bolivia. In between are a staggering array of paintings and sculpture in addition to rare textiles, shell-inlaid furniture, blue-and-white ceramics and brilliant objects in gold in silver. Sanabrais is frustrated by the fact that some people may stay away from this exhibition, feeling it’s too religious and they can’t relate. ‘You don’t hear that same argument about attending an Italian Renaissance show,’ she says. ‘Nobody ever thinks about it.’ The exhibition, nine years in the making, was the brainchild of Joseph Rishel, curator of European painting and sculpture before 1900 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. ‘It’s interesting to know the genesis of the show came from someone who’s not a specialist in the field but who chose to mount it because he was so drawn to the material and felt it had been so neglected,’ notes Sanabrais. Los Angeles is the final venue for the exhibition, which began in Philadelphia and traveled to Mexico City before coming here. Sanabrais was tapped just one year ago to join the department at LACMA to take on the huge task of facilitating the installation of the exhibition. She and Ilona Katzew, LACMA’s curator of Latin American Art, were graduate students together at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts, one of the few art history programs in the country offering a concentration in Latin American colonial art. In accepting the position, Sanabrais was especially enthusiastic about the future at LACMA, knowing of CEO and director Michael Govan’s stated desire to develop the Latin American department by acquiring works in this area. One of the biggest steps in that direction is the conversion of the modern and contemporary wing, formerly known as the Anderson Building, into the Art of the Americas Building, where art from pre-Columbian to contemporary times will be displayed when the transformation of LACMA’s campus is complete. ‘There are very few institutions in the U.S. that have serious interest in Latin American colonial art and even fewer with a collection,’ notes Sanabrais, ‘That’s why this show is so significant.’ LACMA’s curatorial department jumped at the opportunity to extend the dates of the exhibition when a fourth venue didn’t pan out. Originally planned to end on Labor Day, the show is now on view through October 28, allowing college students and school groups the chance to see it. ‘We realized we were students once who would have loved to see any example of Spanish colonial art,’ Sanabrais says. The exhibition is unusual in that pieces were borrowed not only from museums and private collections, but also from places of worship where they function to this day as devotional objects, including an ornate, rococo-inspired 18th-century confessional from Venezuela. Parishioners at a church in Peru might be eager for the return of ‘Our Lady of the Expectation,’ an enormous oil painting depicting a pregnant Virgin standing among angels who are preparing Jesus’s crib and swaddling. Legend has it that the wish to conceive is granted to those who visit the painted Virgin. ‘My counterpart at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and I thought ‘Oh, what a nice story,” Sanabrais says. ‘Meanwhile, eight women on Philadelphia’s staff became pregnant during the run of the exhibition.’ A similar legend is attached to an 18th-century sculpture from Guatemala of ‘Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary.’ The baroque-style work made of wood with elaborate gilding is on loan from the church of LA Merced in Guatemala City, where devout expectant women flock to pray to Saint Anne for a safe delivery. ‘Too bad the show is only here for three months,’ Sanabrais said. ‘Otherwise, one could have this entire miraculous intervention by both a painting and a sculpture.’ Pride and a desire to share revered objects with the world motivated many of the loans from places of worship and private collections. Borrowing works from museums required the complicated task of negotiating with 12 different governments, many of which held elections while the show was being organized. ‘A change in government affects everything, including heads of museums and cultural institutions,’ Sanabrais says. ‘We had to cross our fingers and hope new heads would still want to lend the works of art to us.’ The Brazilian crucifix was by far the most challenging installation for LACMA. It arrived in crates, weighs about 1,000 pounds, and had to be entirely reconstructed on site. As a living part of a church in Brazil, the work is normally surrounded by high humidity, a condition LACMA conservators had to recreate with blowers for the Los Angeles showing to prevent any damage or flaking. When the exhibition ends, the crucifix will return to the church never to travel again. Some works had been ‘touched up’ prior to coming to LACMA, including a sculpture of St. Sebastian from Guatemala, whose locks were converted from brown to blond. ‘We joke that he was made blond for L.A.’ Sanabrais says. One of the most compelling images in the show is of the Christ child on a crucifix, a sculpture from Guatemala. ‘It’s very powerful and moving,’ Sanabrais says. ‘You don’t see anything like it outside of Guatemala. It’s a strong spiritual device that reminds Catholics that from the moment Christ is conceived, he is destined for the ultimate sacrifice. ‘One of the goals of the exhibition is to show that during the time that coincides with the Baroque and Rococo periods in Europe, there were very similar things happening in the New World,’ she says. ‘Much of it looks European, but there’s always something a little different going on. That’s what I love about Spanish colonial art.’ A roundtable discussion among curators and a behind-the-scenes look at the exhibition will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 29 in the Bing Theater at LACMA. ‘The Arts in Latin America 1492-1820’ continues through October 28. Contact: (323) 857-6000 or go online to www.lacma.org.

A Funny Thing Happened at the Villa

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Left to right: Curtis C. (Arcturus) , Jill C. Klein (Charmides), Peter Van Norden (Scupus), Steve Totland (Deltoidus), Albert Meijer (Bigbuxo), Antoine Reynaldo Diel (Lupus del Mar), Gee Rabe (accordion), Brian Walsh (clarinet) Top: Bob Beuth (Vinita) Cortney Wright (Liplocca), provide a riotous evening in in “Tug of War.”

Ancient Romans loved comedy, and as evidenced by the 30 some comedies that still exist written by the second century B.C. playwright Plautus, they loved the pure entertainment he served up. He satisfied their love for puns, word play, distortions of meaning and other forms of verbal humor that he put in the mouths of the lower social ranks. Programmers of the Getty Villa guessed that modern audiences would respond as enthusiastically when they selected Plautus’ ‘Tug of War’ as the annual play of the outdoor theater summer season. And respond they did on opening night last week. In adapting the original script, translated by Amy Richlin, director Meryl Friedman achieves just the right hilarious pitch to move the plot along. Friedman, who adaped Aristophanes’ ‘The Wasps’ for the Getty in 2005, also choreographed and wrote the music and lyrics for the current production. ‘Tug of War’ was originally called ‘The Rudens’ (the rope), referring to the trailing fisherman’s rope the two slaves use in the physical tug of war for possession of a newly discovered treasure trove. The story turns on a father’s (Valorus) search for his lost daughter (Liplocca), who was kidnapped in infancy, and his subsequent misfortunes that have landed him on a remote farm far from Athens. A storm, stirred up by the gods, reunites him with his long-lost daughter, thereby saving her from the clutches of the villainous pimp (Lupus del Mar) who has enslaved her. Paralleling this story is the constant ribaldry provided by a group of stock characters, who audiences would have recognized as familiar types in Plautus’ comedic arsenal. ‘The clever slave,’ in this case the urbane Deltoidus, with his rustic companion Scupus, ‘the lusty old man’ character, sets the stage, creates the mood, imparts the plot and sustains much of the play’s humor. Plautus warns us that this is a morality tale, and in the prologue, Valorus warns us that he’s keeping track of ‘who’s been good and who’s been a brat. You’re in the book, baby, your bad deeds are enlightened.’ Even though this comedy is a moral tale, depicting the triumph of virtue over wickedness in a world ruled by Jupiter, reverence for the gods is in short supply in Plautus’ universe. When Liplocca is stranded on the island in the care of Venus, she anguishes. ‘ Stranded on a rocky shore with a rundown old priestess, I don’t need a god, I need a man.’ She then segues into a bluesy stroll with the chorus demanding ‘a man with some bunk in his trunk. Venus, send me a man!’ In the early days of Rome, there were no permanent theaters, such as there were in Greece, so the stages were small, and sets were minimal and erected for each performance. As a result, actors were much closer to the audience and were expected to acknowledge them. The intimate size of the Villa’s amphitheater, small stage area and transparent entrances and exits suit the play perfectly. The players talked directly to the audience, liberally breaking the illusory fourth wall, as they admonished the crowd on right behavior. ‘No shouting, whistling, or intrusive conduct,’ we were cautioned. ‘We don’t want to disturb the neighbors who are forced to live around here.’ The audience howled. The cast was terrific, all with substantial credits for stage and film work, and, in the case of Steve Totland (Deltoidus) opera. The musicians, including guitarist Armand Arnazzi, accordionist Gee Rabe and clarinetist Brian Walsh, amplified the humor and sophistication of the production. With no hesitation, I shamelessly recommend to all to go and enjoy this superb musical adaptation of the work of this master of character, plot and humor. ‘Tug of War’ continues at the Getty Villa, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, through September 29. Tickets ($35; $30 students/seniors) are available online at www.getty.edu or at (310) 440-7300.

Josh Mills Reflects on College Years at UCLA

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Josh Mills in cap and gown in June 2007
Josh Mills in cap and gown in June 2007

Joshua L. Mills received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the UCLA College of Letters and Science and was a student speaker at his departmental commencement ceremony last June. A women’s studies major, Mills designed a concentration that addressed his interest in film: gender and sexuality in the media. He received the department’s Academic Excellence Award. Mills, a member of the Palisades Charter High School class of 2000, battled clinical depression beginning in his junior year of high school, and his struggle was the subject of a feature article in the Post [“Dealing with Depression,” September 30, 2004]. He was gradually able to overcome his depression during his undergraduate years. In his commencement address, Mills confessed that he originally intended for women’s studies to be a temporary major when he started at UCLA. He explained, “Almost immediately, however, I realized that the classes were fascinating…I found that my perspective on life itself was changing…Women’s studies isn’t about just women; it’s about everyone. It’s about how we’re all alike, and how we’re all different…It’s about not merely understanding and tolerating these differences, but embracing them.” About his experiences at UCLA, he said, “These have been the happiest years of my life…I never could have predicted that I would end up a women’s studies major, but it has turned out to be one of life’s happy accidents. I feel I understand our society better, and I feel I understand myself better.” Mills will apply what he learned at UCLA as he pursues the two career paths that interest him: film criticism and teaching. He is currently an instructional aide at Marquez Charter School, his own alma mater, and he plans to travel in Europe before earning his teaching credential. Mills is the son of Rick and Ruth Mills. His sister, Jeanette, is on schedule to graduate from UCLA in June of 2008.

The Grape Vine, Two Hours Away

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By Merv Hecht Palisadian-Post Columnist We’ve been traveling a lot. One trip was to Lake Arrowhead to deliver two of our grandchildren to overnight chess camp. After we dropped them off we decided to have lunch and followed a recommendation from one of the camp counselors to go to the Arrowhead Lodge for lunch. We expected the usual rural type lodge that one finds in what we think of as a “retro” setting. Boy were we wrong! The Arrowhead Lodge was so beautiful, the food so delicious, and the wine list so interesting, that we made reservations to spend the night there the following week prior to picking the boys up from camp. The following Thursday night we drove the two hours from Santa Monica to Lake Arrowhead and checked into the lodge. The room was beautiful. The lake was beautiful. The dining room was beautiful. We made dinner reservations for 7:30, and sat at one of the windows from which we could see the lake as the sun went down. We shared an appetizer plate. There was enough food on the plate for three or four people to share. Two of the dips were excellent. The guacamole didn’t have as much natural avocado taste as I would’ve liked, and there were so many almonds and olives on the plate that we took some back to the room as snacks for the next day. Then I was served my main course, beef short ribs. The short ribs, cooked exactly the way I like them off the bone. The meat was tender enough to be cut with the fork, and it had a slight tang of barbecue sauce on the top. It was served over a delicious yam pur’e, with horseradish-flavored coleslaw around the rim of the plate, and I knew the chef must have come from some special ethnic food background. I introduced myself to the manager and got the whole story. Some nice group of investors had recently invested $17 million to upgrade the lodge. They hired a chef from New Orleans, recently displaced by the disaster there, and stole a sommelier from the Flemings steakhouse chain. One of the things they decided to emphasize in the new dining room, along with a slightly New Orleans style cuisine, was’much to my pleasure’the wine list. And the wine list was superb, although a bit difficult for me to understand the first time I looked at it. First, there is a section that contains all of the wines available. Then separate “bins” by geographic area. A couple of the things I liked about the lists were that there were wines from all over the world, and there was a very good selection of wines by the glass. I ordered two glasses of Zinfandel at the same time in order to compare them. One was made by Ridge, one of the oldest and most traditional Zinfandel producers in California, and the other from a producer I never heard of, but quite a bit more expensive than the Ridge. The Ridge was delicious with the short ribs, but the other Zinfandel was over-wooded, and had a strong nose of coffee, which overpowered the fruit. All in all, I loved the dinner and I loved my little private wine tasting. Next time, I’ll review Harris Ranch.

Robert Symonds, 80; Local Actor/Director

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Robert Symonds
Robert Symonds

Robert Symonds, leading actor and associate director of the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center, New York, for eight years, died August 23 from complications of prostate cancer at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 80. Born on December 1, 1926, in Bristow, Oklahoma, Robert acted in theater, film and television, for over 50 years. His career began in the resident theatres of San Francisco, Houston, Seattle and San Diego. Closely associated with avant-garde drama of the 1950s and ’60s, he performed in (most notably at the San Francisco Actor’s Workshop) many United States premiere productions of Brecht, Beckett, Pinter, and Genet. Arriving in New York with a rich background in experimental and classical theater, he was a leading actor and associate director at the Repertory Theatre from l965-73 and during that time he starred in “Cyrano de Bergerac,” as Harpagon in “The Miser,” and gave an award-winning performance of Azdak in Brecht’s “Caucasian Chalk Circle.” Off-Broadway, Robert premiered Harold Pinter’s “Landscape and Silence” under the author’s supervision. From 1973-80 he served as guest director at the Alley Theatre in Houston. He made numerous appearances at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa and many theatres in Los Angeles, including the Mark Taper Forum, Matrix, Odyssey, Coronet Theatre and LATC. Los Angeles’ audiences have seen him in “Night of the Iguana,” “Last Meeting of the Knights of the White Magnolia,” and at the Matrix Theatre in “The Tavern and The Seagull.” He performed at the Fountain Theatre in “The Road to Mecca,” and before that in “Fighting Over Beverley” and “Park Your Car in Harvard Yard.” Robert’s film credits include “Catch Me If You Can,” “Primary Colors, “The Exorcist,” “Micki and Maude,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” “And Justice for All,” and “The Ice Pirates.” He had a recurring role in two long-running television series, “Dynasty” and “M*A*S*H.” He guest-starred on numerous television shows and won particular acclaim for his appearances as Benjamin Franklin in “The Adams Chronicles,” as Robert E. Lee in “The Blue and The Gray,” and in the PBS presentation of Ibsen’s “Enemy of the People.” Robert’s penchant for life-long learning and his curious mind led him to study Tai Chi at the age of 50 and to learn French still later in life. The Santa Monica resident spent part of each year in Paris with his wife, actress Priscilla Pointer, where the couple performed with the group Dear Conjunction, his last production being “The Faith Healer.” He is survived by his wife; his children Vicki Morrison, Barry Symonds, and Rebecca Wooldridge; three step-children David, Katie and Amy Irving; and eleven grandchildren.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 6, 2007

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HOMES WANTED 1b

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UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

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HOME NEAR BLUFFS. 3+21⁄2+den. Light, airy, gorgeous hardwood floors, W/D, refrigerator, security system. Great privacy. Move-in condition, 1 yr lease. $5,000/mo. Agent: Pat Haight, (310) 454-1851

DUPLEX, 863 HAVERFORD. $3,195/mo. Pets welcome, 2 bdrm, 1 ba, all app., gardener, garage incl, near beach & village center, great schools, quiet street. Call agent, Linda Taylor, (310) 994-0168

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

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ROOMS FOR RENT 3

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WANTED TO RENT 3b

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OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

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OFFICES FOR SHORT to medium term sublet available with potential for long term with the right person in the heart of Pacific Palisades. Prefer media-oriented and creative ventures. Office furniture and many business tools included as well as potential use of world class recording studio. Available immediately. (310) 230-2050

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VACATION RENTALS 3e

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GARDENING, LANDSCAPING 11

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WATERFALLS & POND CONSTRUCTION: Water gardening. Japanese Koi fish. Filtration pond service, repair & maintenance. Free estimates. Cell, (310) 498-5380, (310) 435-3843. 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

INDEPENDENT LANDSCAPE GARDENER • Expertise in: Planting • Plumbling & irrigation drip systems • Sprinklers • Timers & repairs on existing systems. Landscape lighting, fencing, arbors & trellises • Pruning & trimming • Sod removal or installation • Soil preparation • Right plants for given conditions • Regular maintenance. Client refs upon request. Bulmaro, (310) 442-6426 or cell (310) 709-3738

MOVING & HAULING 11b

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

TREE SERVICE 11d

JOHNSON TREE SERVICE • TREE • SHRUB • STUMP REMOVAL SINCE 1924 • St. lic. #685533. (310) 454-8646, Brad

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

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

NEED HELP WITH COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY? Recent graduate & professional writer available. Will help to perfect essay for admissions success. Call (310) 985-1607 or e-mail maxtaves@gmail.com

TUTORS 15e

SUMMER REVIEW & REINFORCEMENT. Keep student skills fresh. 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 TUTORING. Specializing in math! 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

PIANO TEACHER in Pacific Palisades. 20 years experience. I teach in your home. Great with children and adults returning to the piano. Call Karen Rae, (310) 383-0200

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

HAVE GUESTHOUSE? Science teacher at local private high school seeking rental. Experienced tutoring all levels: math, physics, chem, bio. Also: SAT, MCAT, GMAT. Berkeley grad. Laura, (310) 560-0383

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

AT LAST, A BREAKTHROUGH . . . A solution to your construction needs that you can feel good about! I live and work in the Palisades community. General Contractor Lic. #858904. Daniel, (310) 877-5577

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

HART HARDWOOD FLOORING. Best pricing. Sr. discounts, quality workmanship. Bamboo, maple, oak and laminate. Installation & refinishing. Call for free quote. Lic. #763767. Ron, (310) 308-4988

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

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

WHITTLE’S PLUMBING • Drain & sewer problems • Garbage disposal & H2O heaters • Copper repiping & gas lines • Fixtures, remodels • Gen. Construction • Free est. Lic. #668743. (310) 429-7187

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. References available. St. Lic. #822701 B, C-33. David R. Dwyer, (310) 699-7164

THE TOWN & COUNTRY BUILDERS • Remodeling • Additions • Masonry • Concrete • Flagstone • Patio • Stone Wall • Tile • Fireplace • BBQ • Deck Brick • Steps • Retaining Wall • Driveway • Free Estimates • Lic. #441191 • Please call (310) 578-7108

HELP WANTED 17

DRIVERS: 150K PER YEAR-TEAMS! Earn more plus GREAT Benefits! Western Regional Solo and Team Runs. Werner Enterprises, (800) 346-2818 x123

ADMIN. ASSISTANT. Exclusive Orthodontic office. Will train and reward. Salary DOE. (310) 454-0317

JOB OPPORTUNITIES. Palisades Elementary Charter School. Several new P/T positions are currently available working with students on the yard & in the classrooms. Desirable qualities: Enjoys working with children, flexible, reliable, available to start in September. Contact: Human Resources Palisades Elementary Charter School. (310) 245-6144 or email: jackiesidman@yahoo.com

HAIRSTYLIST STATION for rent in friendly work environment. Call for details. (310) 454-3521

CHILDCARE/PERSONAL ASSISTANT wanted. Must speak English fluently, have excellent driving record, reliable car & be available most Thursdays & Fridays, 2:30-6:30. Send resume: Rebeccalobl@earthlink.net

FRONT OFFICE SCHEDULING/RECEPTIONIST for Holistic MD in PP: Exp wanted, but can train. Start 20 hrs/wk, move to 35 hrs/wk: Mon: 12:30 p.m.-7 p.m. T, W, Th: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Fri: 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. NO insurance, billing/typing—fun job for right person. You: warm, dependable, front-office multi-tasker, good communication/organizational skills. 5-16 patients/day. Call (310) 383-2629

HOUSEKEEPER/CHILDCARE, Experienced w/ references. Must be organized, good English. Must have clean driving record. F/T, light cooking. Includes every other weekend. Palisades Highlands. Please call Kimberly, (818) 606-6542

PART-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT wanted for busy fitness center in Pacific Palisades Village. Five or six mornings per week including Saturdays. Must love exercise and people. (310) 459-9845

HOUSEKEEPER, PAC PAL. Full-time, Live-out. Must be experienced with references, good English, clean driving record. Some babysitting. Please call (310) 694-4674

AN ESTABLISHED UPSCALE, fully-equipped Pilates studio in Pacific Palisades is seeking an experienced, certified trainer to teach private, semi-private, and reformer class sessions, 3-4 mornings/wk. Must be reliable and able to deliver an energetic workout to advanced clients. Competitive rates. Jackie, (310) 922-8713

AUTOS 18b

1979 MERCEDES BENZ 450 SL. 2 tops, always garaged, excellent condition. Must sell. (310) 592-7405

2000 CADILLAC ESCALADE, Black, 100K miles. Very good condition. Runs excellent. 22” Giovanni rims, tinted, Bose systems premium sound. $14,900. Must See! Eric, (310) 428-3364

2005 MINI COOPER S Convertible. Hyper Blue, blue soft top, chrome wheels, tan/black leather interior. LOADED! Only 24,900 miles on 1.6 liter, 6 speed manual transmission. $25,999 or best offer. To see and drive, call Rhos, (310) 503-7433

PICK ONE CAR! $8,000 each, negotiable. White 2001 Ford Explorer Sport 4WD 2-door OR 2003 Nissan Sentra XE/GXE 5-speed stick-shift 4-door. Both loaded. Kathy/Paul, (310) 512-7996

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

ESTATE SALE. Elegant setting for unique collection of antique furniture and accessories, art, children’s furniture and toys, deluxe Rainbow Play System, and more. 1046 Chautauqua Ave. Saturday, September 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

LOOKING FOR A loving home for 2-yr-old cats. Litter trained, fixed. Emerald eyes. Gorgeous. Call (310) 456-9810, ask for Delanie, mention “cats”

WANTED TO BUY 19

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

School’s Back in Palisades

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Natasha Resnick walked up the steps at Palisades Charter Elementary Wednesday to start first grade. She carried a project she had worked on this summer, that involved different kinds of dried pasta glued to a paper to shower her new teacher.

Palisades Residents and the Homeless: Everyone Agrees–No Easy Answers

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Pacific Palisades residents Bill Moran and Michael Newman have offered to help the city implement practical measures designed to curb homeless encampments along Pacific Coast Highway and below the Via de las Olas bluffs. The suggestions include ‘No Camping’ signs and brush clearance. In recent years, the city’s response to the homeless problem in Pacific Palisades has been to conduct sweeps in the thick brush and trees located within the city’s Recreation and Park lands. The most recent sweeps were held on July 19, 25 and August 2 and resulted in so much garbage being removed from the land above PCH and below Via de las Olas that workers were unable to start on Temescal Canyon Park as scheduled. Local Residents and members of the LAPD wonder if these sweeps are having any effect. By law, police are required to give 72-hour notice prior to a sweep, thus giving transients time to vacate. “The majority of the homeless receive their notice, pack up their stuff and leave the trash for the city to clean up,” said LAPD Senior Lead Officer Michael Moore. “They move to a new site. It becomes a game for them.” Moore was at the clean-up site during all three sweeps and allowed a Palisadian-Post reporter to accompany him on the last one. He pointed to the cigarette butts, beer cans and empty potato chip bags. “It annoys me that they [the homeless] take their garbage and throw it on the hillside,” Moore said. He also expressed concern about a brush fire starting, given the evidence of cigarettes and alcohol. While the sweeps were underway, the camps were deserted. Asked what action can be taken if police find someone still there when a sweep takes place, Moore answered: “The city attorney has advised that we have to give them [homeless] every opportunity to comply,” meaning once the police tell them a sweep is on, the transients can still pack up their belongings and walk away. One multi-dwelling camp was so extensive and established that it took almost two hours for the six men to rake up the trash and cart it to a truck. Some residents think that more frequent sweeps are the answer. Senior Park Maintenance Supervisor Brad Haynes told the Post, “We’re going to continue to do them, but I have to pull regular staff for them [sweeps]. I asked for additional funding for employees, equipment and staffing just do to this. We could almost do this four to five days a week.” Moore thinks it would help if the brush was cleared and the trees pruned because it would make it easier to spot camps. “From my perspective, I could go to the top [along Via de las Olas] and see if there were camps because some stay concealed for years.” He told the Post that a resident had offered to clean the brush out, but wanted the city’s permission before he started. Bill Moran acknowledged that he had made the suggestion to Moore. Moran has lived for 20 years in a home overlooking the Via bluffs and has never seen a tree trimmed or brush cleared. “I’ll raise the money to pay an independent crew to do tree trimming,” Moran said. He also wanted to know why “No Camping” signs can’t be posted below the bluffs. That way police would not need 72-hour notice because anyone “camping” in the brush would be subject to arrest. Officer Moore said that the signage would be a warning and that police officers would write a release from custody citation, but even if it were a second, third or fourth offense, the offenders would still only get a citation. If they were sent to jail they would be released because of overcrowding. However, Moore thought signs might deter some transients. “We need to find a way to get this under control,” Moran said. “It has been an ongoing concern and an ongoing frustration with this situation.” In March, a transient was killed running across PCH towards the bluffs, and a similar fate befell another transient in June. In August, restrooms at Temescal Canyon Park, which are less than 100 yards from a children’s play structure, were badly damaged by transients who smashed all the toilets in both bathrooms. The bathrooms have recently been reopened, but when a Post reporter visited the structure, it was impossible to get into the ladies’ room, because a transient had positioned her possessions by the doorway while she filled up water bottles. Michael Newman, who resides close to the bluffs, has been a lifeguard and firefighter since 1977 and has had numerous contacts with the homeless in both jobs. He echoed Moran’s frustration. “If police know they’re there and violent, why do they have to give them 72 hours notice?” Newman asked. “It is a bad problem the amount of guys addicted to drugs and alcohol or mental illness that need help. They shouldn’t be camping down there; they should be getting help from social agencies that are available.” Help for the mentally ill may soon be harder to come by following Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision August 25 to eliminate a $55-million program for mentally ill homeless people. Newman is worried about the safety of local residents. On August 11, a homeless man known to be violent by the LAPD and Palisades Patrol was stabbed and killed by another transient, who then ran across PCH and threatened a lifeguard. “They’ve been hurting each other for the most part, but I’m not sure I can rely on them to only hurt each other,” Newman said. “It’s dangerous letting those guys living uncontrolled in neighborhoods with kids.” Newman thought Moran’s idea of getting “No Camping” signs was good. “I’ll get the signs donated and I’ll install them so there’s no city money involved,” he said. “Someone would have to tell me where to dig the holes and how many.” The Post contacted Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s office regarding the signage and brush clearance. “If ‘No Camping’ signs are put up, they would be enforced,” spokesperson Safya Jones said. “We are working with city departments and the community to address these issues, The Councilman would like to have the city incur those costs rather than private citizens.”

BOCA Man Re-opens With Men

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Mike Mangimelli, co-owner of BOCA Man, and his nephew, store manager Will Mangimelli, examine the fabric on their new line of custom-made suits.
Mike Mangimelli, co-owner of BOCA Man, and his nephew, store manager Will Mangimelli, examine the fabric on their new line of custom-made suits.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

After closing two weeks for renovations, BOCA Man re-opened August 20 with a new section: high-quality, custom-fitted suits. Customers at the only men’s clothing store in Pacific Palisades can now walk in the door, be measured, choose from fabrics made in Italy (wool or cashmere), order a suit and receive the suit in two weeks or less. Tailors at a company located in Toronto, Canada, make the suits. In addition, there are suits that can be bought off the rack. The store also offers blazers, trousers and tuxedos. “A lot of guys in the Palisades want to stay home on the weekends as opposed to driving to Beverly Hills or going to department stores to shop,” said owner Mike Mangimelli, whose store is located at the corner of Swarthmore and Antioch. He pointed out that many offices are going to a more formal look, which meant that bringing suits back into the store’s inventory was customer-driven. (BOCA Man sold suits when it first opened in 2000, but then discontinued them.) “We can’t afford to hang 500 suits,” Mangimelli explained. “We carry fewer, but there are more choices and the guy feels like he’s getting the attention he needs.” The price range for individually tailored suits is between $650 and $1,800. Once a suit is purchased, the customer’s measurements are kept on file. “If he comes back in three months because he likes the pants, we can order him another pair,” Mangimelli said. “This makes it easier for him, plus his wife can also shop for him.” The owner estimates that about 60 percent of wives shop for their husbands. Suits can be made in fabrics from Zegna, Loro Piana and Scabal, which are all high-end. In addition, the store carries a line of Coppley suits and the increasingly popular Ted Baker Endurance suits “for the guys who put their suits in suitcases,” Mangimelli said. “They are wrinkle-resistant and bounce back.” Customers buying a suit can also choose from swatches of material that are used to make custom dress shirts and ties. Mangimelli showed a reporter how easy it is to place a trouser fabric next to the tie fabric and determine which ties go best with the trouser fabric. “It’s a nice thing for the guy who has trouble putting it together,” he said. The store will also begin carrying Cole Haan dress shoes. Nike purchased the company last year, and many of its shoe heels now carry the comfortable material used in other Nike shoes. “A man can dress up and not have to sacrifice comfort for fashion,” Mangimelli said. His store continues to carry shirts from Robert Graham, Arnold Zimberg, Ted Baker, Martin Gordon and Ike Behar, and its denim line features AG Jeans, Kasil, J. Brand and Agave. “We are a one-stop shop,” Mangimelli said. “We carry everything from casual to elegant.” The new look of the store extends beyond the added formal wear to the interior design. The center cashier island has been moved to the side and the carpet in the center of the store was taken out, exposing the concrete, which has been stained black and then glossed. The large wooden canoe from Massachusetts, which had been in the store since the store’s 2000 opening, has found a new home at a Topanga horse ranch and its absence makes the store seem more spacious. In the far corner of the room, a large-screen television is mounted above the suit alcove ”for the football season,” Mangimelli noted. The Chamber of Commerce named BOCA Man “Best New Business” in 2001. Mangimelli and his wife, Denise Martinez, live in the Palisades and also own BOCA, a women’s clothing store on Swarthmore, and Green Tea, a teen clothing store on Sunset. Mangimelli grew up west of Omaha, Nebraska, and sold his farm after taking a trip to Mexico, where he bought a nightclub. After working there and tiring of the “pay-offs,” he moved to California and began manufacturing clothing. He met Martinez, a Palisades High graduate, in 1990 when she was managing Whispers on Swarthmore and the store carried a clothing line that he manufactured. BOCA stands for Boutique of Contemporary Apparel, which originated because “we played off of MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art),” Mangimelli said.

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