WineStyles, the franchised wine bar and retail wine store that was set to open on December 16 in the 970 Monument Building, has been beset by unanticipated permit issues. Owner Thierry Oliva held a VIP reception on December 15, on the eve of his scheduled weekend opening. That same night his landlord, Elsie Lin of the Forest West Group, told him that she had just learned that although Oliva had a liquor license, a conditional-use permit and a retail certificate of occupancy (C of O)–all of which are requirements for opening–he had the wrong C of O. The C of O he holds means that he can sell wine or other merchandise, but not offer wine tasting, an important element for his store. The liquor license Oliva holds is for selling beer and wine for on- and off-site consumption. He does not hold a license strictly for selling retail wine, which means the store can’t open. ‘I am trying to make sure everyone is pleased, so they don’t take away my license,’ Oliva told the Palisadian-Post on Tuesday. ‘He has been having so much trouble,’ said Forest West Group intern Ashley Sun. ‘I know Elsie has been trying to help him out.’ (Lin is on vacation and unavailable for comment.) This setback is just one of the many difficulties that Oliva has encountered in opening his 1,600-sq. ft. store. After signing a contract for the store space a year ago, he created his company and filed for a conditional-use permit and an Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) license. He started paying rent in April. One woman wrote a letter to the zoning administrator in the City Planning Department stating her opposition to a wine store. ‘Unfortunately for WineStyles and Thierry, this letter was the cause for much delay,’ said Marina Martos in Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s office this week. Rosendahl’s office was active in helping Oliva obtain his conditional-use permit from the City Planning Department, which he received in November. Once Oliva had that permit, he was able to secure his liquor license, which became final on December 11. There are different applications for different C of O’s. ‘WineStyles aims to do more than simply sell wine–it aims to be a place where patrons may have a seat and enjoy a glass of wine on the premises,’ Martos said in an e-mail to the Post. ‘This has been an understanding of our office and the City Planning Department. ‘For some reason, it was not discovered until now that a retail C of O is inappropriate for on-site consumption,’ Martos said. Once Oliva discovered he had the wrong C of O, he and Lin visited the Department of Building and Safety to obtain the correct one. Apparently, Oliva has to apply for a change-of-use permit. This is where the situation becomes mired in bureaucracy. No one at Building and Safety seems to be sure which C of O is required. Oliva said he spoke to one person who said that he needs a nightclub C of O (which implies dancing or music), and another person who suggested a lounge C of O (which is categorized by hard liquor), but neither certificate is applicable to an establishment that simply wants to let people sample wine before they buy it. ‘It’s a confusing situation, the tasting issue,’ Oliva said. ‘The city doesn’t know what category we should be in.’ Martos tried to contact Building and Safety on Tuesday, but no one was available. She speculates that on-site consumption would make the C of O requirements closer to that of a restaurant or a bar, which affects parking, restroom and seating requirements. ‘However, it may also be the case that WineStyles complies with all the requirements and wouldn’t have to change much except the language on the C of O,’ Martos said. ‘That’s what we’re hoping for.’ Said a frustrated Oliva: ‘We have all the wine and everything, but can’t open. It is just a matter of words. The whole bureaucratic thing is just killing us.’ If it isn’t the case of simply changing the language of the C of O, Oliva will have to (l) comply with additional conditions in order to get the change-of-use permit approved and (2) have another inspection before he receives the appropriate C of O. According to Martos, a change-of-use permit takes about three months to obtain. ‘He’s wonderful and a really nice guy,’ said Vivian Foster, owner of Vivian’s Boutique, located opposite WineStyles. ‘My heart goes out to him. He has spent a lot of money and he’s worked his tail off.’ When might the store open? ‘If I’m lucky,’ Oliva said optimistically, ‘the second week of January.’
Audrey E. Breslin, 71; Public Defender, Artist
Audrey Ezratty Breslin, a 30-year resident of Pacific Palisades, died peacefully at home on December 22 from pancreatic cancer. She was 71. Audrey (n’e Bronson) was born on January 14, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was eight. She was a graduate of Venice High School and graduated from UCLA with a degree in art history, later earning her J.D. degree from the UCLA School of Law in 1967. She joined the Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender in 1968 and retired in 1989. While Audrey found career success in the law, she was first and foremost an artist who worked hard at creating a meaningful and beautiful life for herself and everyone she loved. She cultivated relationships as successfully as she cultivated her prize-winning roses and was as diligent at nurturing friendships as she was at making art (oil and silk painting, ceramics, stitchery) and cooking. Audrey served as a volunteer for the Palisades Branch Library and as an art docent. She loved art, art books, theater and world travel. Her energy, intelligence and generosity of spirit inspired friendships wherever she went. Her friends and family were enriched by her unique ability to heighten their perception of beauty in people and in nature. All who knew her will miss her strength of character, unique personality, opinions and loving support. In lieu of flowers she requested that donors invest in a fine meal and a good bottle of wine, shared with someone you love. Audrey leaves her husband Tommy Breslin; son Alan Ezratty (wife Amy) of Torrance; two granddaughters, Hannah and Sarah; two stepdaughters, Colleen Lord (husband Jim) and Kerry Kayajanian (husband Jeffrey) and their children Katie and Max; her stepson, Tom Breslin, Jr.; and a large and loving circle of devoted family and friends. Memorial services will be private.
Herman Loaiza, 42; Owner of H & H Auto Body Shop
Herman Loaiza Jr., owner of H & H Auto Body in Santa Monica, died in an automobile accident on December 23. He was 42. He is survived by his fiance, former Palisades resident Cheryl Johnson; his precious daughter Olivia Tess; father Herman Loaiza Sr.; brother Jerry; and sister Terry. A wake will be held December 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Church of St. Mark, 940 Coeur d’Alene Avenue in Venice. A memorial mass will be held at the church on December 30 at 11 a.m.
Great Wine Cellars in the Palisades
By MERV HECHT Special to the Post Some of the best private collections of wine anywhere are in the Palisades. A few of the super rich (in wines) declined to be interviewed for this article, but here is a sampling of a few local collectors who love wine. Neil and Cindy Selman bought their home on Latimer Road in 1987. Cindy visited Latimer Road many years before, and fell in love with it, and when she and Neil were looking for a home in the Palisades, she remembered its beauty, and was delighted to find a home for sale there. Both were also pleasantly surprised to find that the prior owner had built a concrete and reinforced steel bomb shelter attached to the house, with a filtered air supply and plumbing, but converted to a wine cellar with wine shelves already installed. Recalling their early dates before they married, when they drank ‘nectar ros’,’ the Selmans began to collect wines in 1982, and moved the collection to their new cellar when they moved to the Palisades. Neil and Cindy particularly like to go to restaurant Valentino, and JiRaffe in Santa Monica, and share a bottle of wine, or two, with friends. They like wine because of its connection with other people and its sociability aspects, but they also share a bottle together at home most evenings when they eat in. Cindy prefers white wines, particularly Viognier and Condrieu, while Neil prefers full-bodied reds, such as Rhone wines and California Zinfandels. With two neighbors from Latimer Road, Steve and Harriett Henry, and Robert and Nancy Good, they’ve purchased three acres in New Zealand, where the Goods have moved. They produce about 300 cases of Pinot Noir on the property, which they intend to bring into California in the near future to share with their friends. Clearly these are the kind of friends to have! Linda and Tony Rubin live in a beautiful, country-like setting in Mandeville Canyon. Tony’s a California boy, born in Bakersfield, and educated at Berkeley and Pepperdine Law School. Linda is from New York, and came to Los Angeles to further her acting career. They met in 1988, married in 1989, and moved to the Palisades in 1992 when they built their present house. When they built the house, they knew they would want to house some fine wines, so they built a wine closet. That was quickly filled up, so in 1995 they added refrigeration to a hallway that runs between their pool and kitchen, creating a large wine cellar. Tony remembers his first taste of ‘great’ wine: a glass of Mateus Ros’ (remember the ceramic bottle?) in 1967. In 1980 he met Jeff Kavins at Greenblatt’s deli in Hollywood, and begun to collect serious wine. He’s maintained his relationship with Jeff, but now frequently buys from Moe’s Fine Wines in Brentwood as well. Tony and Linda appreciate the history and aesthetic of wines. They typically have a glass of wine with dinner, and always take a bottle with them when they go out, unless it’s to one of the few restaurants that don’t permit outside wines. Tony analogizes wine collecting to stamp collecting: it’s a great feeling to know you have one of the few bottles left in the world, and it’s a great way to learn about other countries, places, and times. And wine collecting brings people together, creates a common interest between people, and then permits a taste sharing that few other collection hobbies offer. I visited a few other cellars in the Palisades. One well-known lawyer and his wife, who declined to be interviewed for this article, have an elaborate room attached to their home, filled with legendary wines. I noticed some Bordeaux from the 1950s. A couple who just moved to Amalfi Drive has installed refrigerated drawers in their kitchen to house part of a wine collection started by his father. The first few drawers I looked at were full of Petrus wines from the 1970s, and we recently shared a 1982 Cos d’Estornel. My friend Dr. Ivan Gabor converted a closet off the garage into a refrigerated wine cellar filled with a variety of wines ready to drink, and into which he and his lovely wife Sarah are clearly making headway. They particularly appreciate the Tornesi Rosso that I import. And then there is my cellar, which people often ask me about. Do I have any legendary wines, going up in value every year? Probably not. Most of the wines in my cellar are wines I import, and’like most wines, they are meant to be consumed within two to four years of production. But I do set aside each year a few bottles of Brunello, Barolo, and Burgundy’the three B’s’, and sometimes a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and sample them year after year after an initial resting period of three to four years. I make notes, and compare the notes from year to year to see how the wines change with time. What I see is a lot of variation. Some vintages age well, and improve dramatically after six to eight years. Some begin to lose fruit after the third or forth year. And some stay the same for a long time, before a decline. I get a lot of pleasure from watching the life cycle of the wines, although I’m not sure why. It’s similar to the pleasure I get from growing a fruit or vegetable in the garden and then serving it for dinner. The fruits in the market might be better, but the fruit I grow is more interesting. The older wine I can buy at auction might be better, but the wine I’ve aged myself, and tasted over the years is more interesting, and more fun to talk about with friends. What struck me the most in my interviewing these cellar owners is their enthusiasm for wine, and the variety of pleasures they get from it. What I heard most clearly was that wine is an entry to establishing a relationship with other human beings. It’s a basis for a social connection and eases communication with others. And now that we know that red wine also promotes longevity, we need all the connections we can get!
New Year’s Hike Promises Food, Music and Fun
The 17th annual Welcome in the New Year Hike and Festival returns on the evening of New Year’s Eve, Friday, December 31. The annual event, previously sponsored by the Sierra Club and UCLA, is open to everyone. Walkers are invited to participate in a short, 1/2- to 3/4-mile hike to a new viewpoint in the Palisades Highlands. Each person is asked to bring a homemade or purchased food item or drink and cups to share with four to six people. A champagne toast is welcome. Hikers are also encouraged to bring musical instruments, and singing is welcome. A group countdown and a cheer at midnight will greet 2007. Plates, utensils, napkins, large heavy-duty plastic groundcovers, lanterns, heavy-duty trash bags and route-marking glow lightsticks will be provided. No reservation is required, but there is a $9 per person entry. Participants should meet at 10 p.m. at Chastain Parkway East and Via Las Palmas. There is ample free parking. For more information, including directions, contact 479-5717.
Athletes of the Year
Walker Kehrer and Ali Riley Top List in 2006
Walker Kehrer had a breakthrough year on the junior tennis circuit, climbing to as high as No. 3 in Southern California in singles and No. 1 in the nation in doubles in the Boys 16s rankings. His success is primarily a product of hours and hours of practice on the same Palisades Tennis Courts where he first learned to play. In May, Walker won three major tournaments, beginning with the Boys 16s singles title at the Anaheim Tennis Center Junior Open, one of the largest junior events in Southern California. Later the same week, he took third place at the Boys 16s USTA National Open in Sacramento. The next week, Walker won the Quiksilver Junior Championships, a national tournament in Newport Beach. Just 24 hours later, Walker’s Brentwood varsity tennis team beat Beverly Hills to win the CIF title. In June, Walker won the 16-and-under division of the Southern California Sectionals–the largest annual junior tournament in the United States. July brought another national title as Walker took first place in the 16s at the St. Louis Clay Court Championships. Walker’s next major achievement came in September. Playing in one of his first 18-and-under tournaments, he won the Northridge Matador Juniors at Cal State Northridge. Amazingly, he won seven straight matches, defeating five seeded players and never dropping a set. He is currently in Scottsdale, Arizona for the Winter Nationals. Sharing the top spot on this year’s list is Ali Riley, who had a remarkable year on the soccer pitch. Ali rises early every morning and, with a ball under her arm, heads to the Palisades Recreation Center field to perfect a move she’s been working on. It is that kind of tireless dedication to her craft that makes Ali one of the premiere players at her age. In February, Ali’s goal in the Southern Section semifinals helped Harvard-Westlake High prevail on penalty kicks. The Wolverines lost the Division I championship game but Ali was named First Team All-CIF. In April, she was invited to play for New Zealand at the Under-20 World Cup qualifiers in Samoa and she made the most of her opportunity. Ali scored in every game to help the Kiwis earn a berth in the finals in Russia, where she was selected FIFA Player of the Match in New Zealand’s overtime loss to the host nation. In August, Ali earned a spot in Stanford’s starting lineup as a striker after having playing midfield on her prep and club teams. She had one goal and one assist in the playoffs as the Cardinal advanced to the NCAA’s Sweet 16. Ali was named to the All-Pac 10 freshman team and her performance on the international level was so exceptional that New Zealand Soccer voted her Women’s Youth Player of the Year and Women’s Senior Player of the Year– the first time anyone has ever been nominated for both awards. Peter Gilmore Once again, Peter saved his best efforts for the big races and proved that he is among the elite marathon runners in the country. Peter finished seventh in the Boston Marathon in April with a personal-best time of 2:12:45. He followed that with a 12th-place finish in the Falmouth Road Race, where he was the second American finisher. He placed fourth in the B.A.A. Half Marathon in October 8, running the 13.1-mile course in 1:04:30. Although he lives and trains in San Mateo, Peter returned to the Palisades on July 4 for the Will Rogers 5K, winning his hometown race for the eighth time. Peter saved his peak performance for last, however. Starting off the pace in the early stages of the New York Marathon in November, he eventually passed every American in the field to cross the finish line 10th in 2:13:13. Kelly Irvin On the court and on the sand, Kelly was all-everything this year in girls volleyball. She and partner Ashley Lee won the gold medal in the U-18 division at the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic Beach Championships in August. Irvin and Lee then represented the United States at the Youth World Championships in Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda, where they tied for ninth in the U-19 division. As successful as she was on the beach, Kelly was just as good indoors. Playing outside hitter, she led Marymount High to its sixth straight CIF title and first in Division I-A. Two weeks later, the Sailors won the Division IV state title. Kelly, who lives in the Highlands, was voted Sunshine League most valuable player for the second year in a row and made First Team All-CIF. Baxter Humby The “One-Armed Bandit” enjoyed another successful year in the ring, fighting five times in California without a loss and adding two more title belts to his growing collection. His first big fight was in February when he captured the International Muay Thai Council Super Welterweight World Championship. In June, he won the XTMC Super Welterweight title. Baxter currently holds two other belts, the WMTF Middleweight belt and the Japanese Welterweight Shootboxing title. Just two weeks ago he defended his IMTC title at the San Manuel Casino with a first round knockout. On Monday, an amendment by the California State Athletic Commission requesting that any applicant missing all or part of a limb be denied a license was later appealed and Baxter, born without most of his right arm, is training for his next title defense in January. Corinne O’Brien The 2006 season resulted in another “perfect 10” for Corinne. The 13-year-old Palisades native won her fourth consecutive state championship in artistic gymnastics, winning the gold medal in the balance beam. On the way to her Level 8 state title, Corinne also won gold medals at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy Classic as well as gold and silver medals at three other highly competitive invitational meets. Participating in the Junior Olympic Program of USA Gymnastics, Corinne went on to win the silver medal in the all around competition at the USA Region 1 Championships. A seventh-grader at Windward School, Corinne won the balance beam, floor exercise and all-around at the Go For It Classic in January. One month later, she won the vault and all-round at the Lights, Camera, Action Invitational at UCLA. Paris Hays Not only did Paris win all of his races for the Palisades High swim team last spring, he clocked personal-best times when it mattered most. At the City finals in May, Paris won the 50 Freestyle, the 100 Freestyle and anchored the Dolphins’ winning 200 Medley and 200 Freestyle Relays. In June, he was presented the Post Cup Award as outstanding senior athlete at PaliHi. Kristabel Doebel-Hickok Palisades High’s senior captain placed ninth in the girls’ Division I race at the state cross country championships in Fresno, capping a stellar season in which she went undefeated in league dual meets and finished second at the City Section finals. On the track, Kristabel qualified for the state meet in both the 1600 and 3200, finishing third and second, respectively, at the City finals in May. Tom Hill Tom finished ninth in the over-45 age group at the Mulholland Challenge, a grueling 112-mile bike race with a climb of 12,205 feet. He rode the course in seven hours and 44 minutes. In July, he completed the L’Etape, the 15th stage of this year’s Tour de France. He pedaled the 118-mile course through the French Alps fast enough for a silver medal in his age group. Beth Bellamy A former professional tennis player, Beth is now dominating the sport of paddle tennis. In March, at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas, she swept the Women’s Singles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles divisions. She lost only one game in singles on her way to winning the championship. Brian Greenberg Only 13 months after taking up the sport, the Palisades High junior won the pole vault at the City Section finals in May. Brian was the only one of nine finalists to clear 12-6. His personal best height of 13-0 was achieved at the Rotary Invitational in April. He also won the Western League finals, clearing 11-0. Katy Nikolova Completed a near-perfect junior year two weeks ago by winning the City Individual singles title to finish the season undefeated against City Section opponents. She also notched a key victory in Palisades High’s win over Taft in the City team finals November 17. Katy won 39 out of 40 singles sets she played this season. Jared Brown Took first place in the Under-19 age group at the UCLA Iron Bruin Triathlon in April. Jared’s combined time of one hour, 19 minutes and 12 seconds placed him 49th overall in a field of 210 competitors. A ninth-grader at Wildwood Academy, Jared joined the Southern California Junior Elite Team and and works with coach Ian Murray. He also came in fifth out of 12 in his age group and 33rd out of 357 competitors at the USA Triathlon National Club Championships in Las Vegas. Stephanie Sommer A junior outside hitter on Lighthouse Christian Academy’s girls volleyball team, Stephanie was a first-team All-CIF selection for the third straight year after leading the Saints to a 14-5 record and into the Southern Section Division V-AA semifinals in November. Stephanie also plays for Cari Klein’s Sunshine Volleyball Club 18s team. Robbie Bellamy Started the year ranked among the top 10 tennis players in Southern California in his age group. Injuries caused Robbie to miss the first half of 2006 but he recuperated in time to net the singles title at the Santa Monica Junior Open. He also has a full year of eligibility in the 12s and is steadily moving back up the rankings. Last week he beat No. 57-ranked Adam Bagby 6-0, 6-3 at the Westcoast Junior Open and on Saturday he beat No. 45-ranked Dylan Brown 6-1, 6-3 in the California Bowl. Kristin Quinn Talk about going out in style, Kristin just completed her senior volleyball season at Amherst College, where she served as the team co-captain and was named New England Player of the Year. A 1999 St. Matthew’s graduate, she was second in the nation in Division III in hitting percentage and third in blocks per game. Andy Megee The only Palisades High baseball player to earn All-City first-team honors in 2006, Andy led the Dolphins with a .466 batting average, 11 doubles, three home runs, two triples and 28 runs batted in. Palisades’ third baseman was also a first-team All-Western League choice with a .851 fielding percentage and a .739 slugging percentage. Amanda Lisberger Whether suiting up for her high school team or her club team, Amanda has one objective: kick the ball into the net. Her left-footed deflection clinched the Under-17 Surf Cup championship for her Eagles Soccer Club squad in August–one of many game-winning goals she scored this year. A junior at Brentwood, Amanda not only plays soccer, she competes in track and field in the spring. Cole Cook A junior pitcher at Palisades High, Cole was chosen to play in the Area Code tournament in August as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Gray team. The 6-6 right-hander was one of 36 players nationwide selected to play in the Baseball Express Cape Cod High School Classic in July in Wareham Center, Massachusetts. Cole made the All-City second team after posting a 7-3 record with a 3.01 earned run average and 91 strikeouts in 60 innings. Caitlin Blosser A rising star in soccer, Caitlin was recently named Most Valuable Player at the United States Club Soccer Super Y North American Championships in Tampa, Florida after her team, Real SoCal, won its age group. Caitlin led her team in scoring during the tournament with five goals and three assists. A Calvary Christian alum and now a sophomore at Brentwood, Caitlin was named to the All-CIF second team as a freshman. Brian Beckwith The former Loyola High standout is now making waves at the University of Hawaii. A 6-6 setter, Brian was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s All-American First Team after pacing the Warriors to second place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. He ranked second nationally in assists per game (13.52) and averaged 1.43 digs and 0.89 blocks per game. Claudia Campos Was the first Palisadian woman to finish the Palisades-Will Rogers 5K, winning the 45-49 age division in 20:43. Claudia was fifth among females and first in her age group at the Santa Barbara Triathlon in October, completing the swim/bike/run in 3:31:31. To prove it was no fluke, she won her age division again three weeks later at the USA Triathlon National Club Championships in Las Vegas, completing the course in 2:43:07. Raymond Elie Ray did it all as the quarterback for the Palisades High football team in the fall, leading the squad to the playoffs for the first time since 2003. He ran or passed for over half of the Dolphins’ touchdowns and doubled as a defensive safety, intercepting seven passes. His electrifying 97-yard run in the playoffs against Marshall was Palisades’ longest scoring play of the season. Ani Mardirossian Just call her Marymount’s “Renaissance Woman.” As versatile as any athlete in the Palisades, Ani has participated in a variety of sports for the Sailors–including tennis, volleyball, track and field and cross country. Last spring she reached the City Section prelims in track and field. In the fall, Ani played No. 1 doubles on the varsity tennis team and was chosen First-Team All-Sunshine League. She also went 3-0 in singles matches.
Daniel Kanan, 69; Businessman, Father of Five
Daniel Kanan, a passionate family man and real estate expert who played vigorous beach volleyball at Will Rogers until his final year, died on December 13 following a courageous battle with lymphoma. He was 69. Born on October 8, 1937 in Pasadena, Dan was the third son of Marie and Albert Kanan, who also had two daughters. His parents had been born in Syria and, after marrying in 1930, had traveled by ship from Beirut to Ellis Island, a journey lasting 35 days. Looking for greater opportunities and warmer weather, they decided to move to Los Angeles three years later, where Albert started a linen, lingerie and baby clothes store on Colorado Boulevard. Shortly after Dan’s birth, the family moved to Santa Monica, where the ocean and the beach became a haven for the five Kanan siblings, as well as their future offspring. In 1945, the family moved to Pacific Palisades for about four years and then back to Santa Monica, where Dan attended local schools. He graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1955, then attended classes at Santa Monica City College before transferring to UCLA, where he earned a business degree in real estate in 1959. One of Dan’s first jobs was working at McCarthy’s Drugs on Montana. While making deliveries to another local McCarthy’s Drugs on Lincoln and Ocean Park, Dan often spotted a young beauty, Cheryel Greaney, and finally asked her out in 1958. They married in September 1960 and ultimately built and settled down into their modern, electric ‘dream house’ in the Palisades in 1963. Here they raised their five children: Dan, Debbie, Jim, Nikki, and Tami. Dan’s life-long passion was real estate. He began his career at the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office in 1960 and retired in the late 1970s as a senior appraiser. During the mid-1960s, Dan also obtained his real estate broker’s license. He worked in the real estate department at Litton Industries for about a year, then left to join his brother Ed in his company. Dan remained at Kanan Bros. until the 1990s when he started his own company, Kanan Associates (Cheryel being the ‘associates’), where he focused on real estate brokerage and appraisals. His favorite past-time with his family, or alone, was to drive the Westside looking at property. He also dropped in to see his mother every day, leaving her notes that the family later found under the kitchen tablecovering. Dan had many passions in life, most of them involving sports. He was an avid beach and court volleyball player and loved basketball. For most of his life, he ran daily on the beach and always took a short ‘dip’ in the ocean–regardless of the season or weather! He was a tremendous handball player and most recently an advocate for trying to keep this dying sport alive in younger generations. In doing so, Dan solicited a grant and then established and coached a youth handball program at the Santa Monica YMCA. A ‘people person,’ Dan was extremely involved in community and charitable organizations, including Boy Scout Troop 400, the Civic League, the Optimist Club, and the YMCA Indian Guide and Princess programs in Pacific Palisades. His Santa Monica commitments included the Boys Club Council (charter member), Jaycees (president), Rotary, the YMCA board of directors, and the Board of Realtors (president). His kindness and goodness were extended to many through these various groups. Additionally, through the years he coached youth sports, chauffeured for field trips, and babysat grandchildren. He also supported Cheryel (business manager of the Palisadian-Post) in all of her many philanthropic organizations. Dan spread wisdom, friendship and a huge smile to everyone he met. He considered everyone a part of his extended family, and was an unofficial ‘adopted’ Dad to all his children’s friends. He was a mentor and hero in the eyes of most who were fortunate to have come in contact with this amazing, gentle, fun-loving man. As one of the many condolence callers stated, ‘If we all had a little Dan in us, we’d all be better people.’ In April 2000, Dan, Cheryel, Debbie and Nikki visited Syria for the first time. The word got out that they were coming, and when they arrived at their hotel in the small town that Dan’s mother had come from, they were greeted by dozens of family members they’d never known. With no common language, they still had a great time, proving once more that Dan couldn’t go anywhere without running into someone he knew or would soon turn into a friend. Last December, Dan learned that he had a form of lymphoma. He had always told Cheryel that if he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he expected to just walk into the ocean and never look back. But once it happened, he said something different: ‘I want to live for my children and grandchildren.’ Indeed, he made the most of his time, bringing the family closer together and being a loving ‘Jidu’ (Arabic for Grandpa) for his grandchildren for as long as he could. Dan was preceded in death by his beloved parents and his two brothers, Gilbert and Edmund. He is survived by his loving wife and life-partner, Cheryel; his five children Dan (wife Bianca), Debbie, Jim (wife Christine), Nikki, and Tami (husband John); his seven grandchildren Jake, Daniel, Kobe, Malia, Kaia, Alani, and Emma; his sisters Nadia (husband Camille) and Amira (husband Hans); his sister-in-law Sharon; his nephews and niece Mitch (Olivia), Eddie (Stephanie), Kevin, Gregg (Shelly) and Kristen; and his great-nephews and nieces Josh, Nikolas, Sarah, Sophia, Samuel and Gilbert. Dan also leaves behind his dearly loved, four-legged pals Magua and Bruno. His life was celebrated by 600 of his friends and family members on Tuesday at the Palisades Lutheran Church. A reception followed at the Bel-Air Bay Club. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in Dan’s memory to the Santa Monica YMCA, 1332 Sixth St., Santa Monica, CA 90401. These donations will be earmarked for the Childcare Development Program, which Dan proudly helped bring to fruition. The family would also like to thank Dr. Richard Kennedy, as well as the amazing doctors and staff at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute in Santa Monica for their care.
Joe Hernandez, 28-Year Post Employee
Joe Hernandez, the Palisadian-Post shop foreman and a 28-year employee, passed away unexpectedly on December 12. He was 54. Joe was born in the San Fernando Valley on August 29, 1952. He attended San Fernando High School and started working at The Sun, a book publishing company in Van Nuys, at age 16. He eventually became head pressman at The Sun. Palisadian-Post production manager Jim Reynolds hired Joe in September 1978, about six months after Reynolds started working at the Post. ‘The pressman who left had broken the press,’ Reynolds remembers. ‘So I asked the people I interviewed if they knew how to fix the press. I hired Joe and he was able to fix it.’ Joe proved to be a quick learner. In two years, he moved up–literally, upstairs–to run the single-color presses. The single-color presses are ‘completely different from the web press,’ Reynolds says. ‘I gave Joe about two lessons and he had it down pat.’ When the Post later purchased two-color presses that nobody knew how to run, Joe had two weeks of training and was proficient. ‘When it came to printing, Joe was a craftsman at his trade,’ says Ed Lowe, the Post’s graphics director. ‘He was a perfectionist. He would not approve a printing job unless he was satisfied with the quality.’ Joe also did a lot of mechanical repairs, which Reynolds says ‘saved us from having to call in a repairman. He would troubleshoot. If there was stuff he was unfamiliar with, he would sit, look at it, jiggle it around for a while, and fix it.’ Manual Tavarez, another Post employee who worked closely with Joe for nearly 13 years, says Joe could fix any machine and was always helping others repair their equipment. ‘He was an electrician, a plumber, a mechanic. We used to joke that when he had problems with his press, nobody could help him.’ Lowe used to kid with Joe about opening ‘Joe’s Garage’ behind the Post because Joe ‘would work on employees’ cars and stay late fixing them.’ Tavarez agrees that Joe was a perfectionist and always kept his space neat and clean’at work and at home. But working with him was easy. ‘We were always in a good mood, laughing and telling jokes,’ Tavarez says. ‘He was a great friend, and he cared so much about everybody.’ Palisadian-Post Publisher Roberta Donohue recalls that she and Joe initially worked together as co-workers before she became publisher in 1987. ‘Joe was somebody I always went to with questions about printing,’ she says. ‘Besides that, he and I bonded as friends. He was always someone I could talk to and relate to.’ Donohue says that Reynolds’ and Joe’s willingness to teach her everything she would need to know to be director of Post Printing gave her confidence to assume that position. ‘Knowing that I had their support gave me courage,’ she says. Joe also had a passion for the outdoors and liked to hike along the Kern River and in Yosemite. ‘He loved to hike any mountain or trail,’ says his younger daughter, Jennifer. Joe was proud of his American Indian heritage (on his mother’s side) and enjoyed going to Indian powwows. He also loved classic rock music, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Frank Zappa. ‘He was an avid record collector,’ Reynolds says. ‘He’s got an extensive record collection that’s kind of unbelievable.’ Joe is survived by his parents, Joe and Delores Hernandez of Bakersfield; sister Linda Garcia and family of North Hills, brother David Hernandez of Mission Hills, and brother Richard Hernandez of Bakersfield; daughters Adrianna Murillo (Dennis) of Valley Village and Jennifer Hernandez (Jay Farar) of Woodland Hills; and grandchildren Diego Murillo and Jacob Farar (a.k.a. “Jakey Boy”), who called Joe ‘Papa.’ A service will be held tomorrow, December 22, at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Baptist de la Salle Parish, 10738 Havenhurst Ave. in Granada Hills. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Diego’s and Jacob’s college fund at: Washington Mutual Bank, 11160 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills, CA 91344, Acct. # 3152024019. Checks should be made payable to Diego Murillo or Jacob Farar.
Riordan Nears Deal to Buy Mort’s Deli
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan brought good news to the Palisades AARP holiday luncheon last Wednesday, announcing that he’s close to reaching an agreement to buy Mort’s Deli on Swarthmore. “I finally reached a verbal agreement with the landlord last Friday,” Riordan said in his opening remarks as guest speaker. “[The negotiations] have been very hard, and we weren’t sure it would happen. Now we’re just waiting for a written agreement. So say a prayer that it works out.” He emphasized that the landmark eatery “is still going to be called Mort’s. It’s good business and it makes sense.” But he will open an adjacent restaurant in the Oak Room in order to take advantage of owner Bobbie Farberow’s tough-to-acquire liquor license. She has been quietly seeking a buyer for about two years and was sitting at a front-row table as Riordan went public with his negotiations. Acknowledging the importance of the Oak Room as a meeting place for various community organizations and activities, Riordan said the room would be available to the public during the day, but would become “an evening dinner cafe.” “I think Mort would be proud of what we do there, and Bobbie will be the inspiration,” said Riordan, a wealthy attorney, entrepreneur and philanthropist who already owns The Pantry in downtown Los Angeles and Gladstone’s restaurant in the Palisades. He lives in Brentwood and has often had breakfast meetings at Mort’s over the years. Last Saturday afternoon, as she worked the cash register at her deli, Farberow was hopeful that she would now be able to sell her business and retire, seven years after her husband Mort’s death. ‘It would be so wonderful if the landlord [Palisades Partners] gives the mayor a written agreement,’ she said. ‘He loves our community, he will be generous with the community, and he loved Mort. That means a lot to me. I don’t want to sell to some stranger. I’ve said ‘No’ to all of them because I wanted somebody I knew who would feel strongly about the community, like Mort and I did’and I think I’ve come as close to that as I could.’
Teachers Give Edge to Calendar Change
A slim majority of teachers at Palisades Charter High School favored a change to the school’s academic calendar, according to a United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) vote held in early December. Although the PaliHi board approved the calendar change in mid-November, the teachers’ union insisted that any such change would be subject to negotiation and would have to be approved by its members. Of the school’s 115 teachers, more than 100 are UTLA members. A UTLA ballot asked members to either reject the calendar change or approve the calendar change ‘subject to negotiation.’ Of the 101 UTLA members who voted, 49 teachers rejected the change; 52 approved it. If the change is ultimately approved, classes in the 2007-2008 school year will start August 20 and end June 6, rather than beginning after Labor Day and ending in late June. Also, the first semester would end before winter break, rather than ending weeks after winter break. The school’s Policy Committee proposed the change as a way of raising student achievement. Committee members argued that the calendar would give Advanced Placement students two weeks of additional classroom instruction before the test. Members also argued that ending classes before winter break would increase student performance on final exams. The committee polled the school’s stakeholders in October. Majorities of students and parents opposed changing the calendar. Hundreds of students protested the board decision by walking out of class in November. And many parents attended board meetings to voice their strong disapproval of the change. However, 63 percent of teachers and classified employees approved the change. Despite vocal opposition from parents and students at its November board meeting, the governing board passed the controversial calendar in a 7-2 vote and cited teacher support as a reason to override student and parent opposition. But critics of the change disregarded the faculty data because 52 teachers did not participate in the poll. Referring to the December vote, UTLA Chapter Chair and Pali teacher Joi Tanita said, ‘We felt that this was a more complete vote. I would say that it is a soft majority. It’s a split vote.’ In November, the school estimated that the new calendar could cost the school as much as $80,000, but that estimate does not include any salary change or bonus for teachers. Granada Hills Charter High School gave teachers a $1,000 bonus after changing the school’s calendar. And it is expected that UTLA will ask for compensation for the change at PaliHi when negotiations resume on January 12. Most public schools on the East Coast use this proposed calendar, but the Los Angeles Unified School District does not. PaliHi parents with students at other public schools such as Palisades Charter Elementary or Paul Revere Middle School expressed concern at PaliHi board meetings about the effect of the conflicting schedules on summer and winter vacations. ——– Reporting by Max Taves, Staff Writer. To contact, send e-mail to reporter@palipost.com.
