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Bourne Runs with ‘Scissorhands’

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Richard Winsor plays Edward Scissorhands in Matthew Bourne's production, which runs through December 31 at the Ahmanson Theatre. Photo by Bill Cooper.
Richard Winsor plays Edward Scissorhands in Matthew Bourne’s production, which runs through December 31 at the Ahmanson Theatre. Photo by Bill Cooper.

The chilling sound of blades being sharpened enticed the audience at the Ahmanson Theatre last Wednesday night as we waited for Matthew Bourne’s ‘Edward Scissorhands’ to begin. Would ‘Edward’ be at home on stage and would Bourne’s dance creation be as sharp and stimulating as Tim Burton’s 1990 film? In fact, this ‘Edward Scissorhands’ does not promise or intend to be like the movie. Only one scene mirrors the film, and Bourne’s Edward (played alternately by Richard Winsor and Sam Archer) is much more gentle and less frightening than the dark, tormented character made famous by Johnny Depp. When the Gothic fairytale begins, Edward is just a little boy who dies tragically and is brought back to life by an inventor. The simple but climactic creation scene is beautifully done, with Edward’s body moving like a rag doll until he appears in an articulated brown leather suit with long spiky hair to match his scissor hands. But the inventor dies, leaving Edward alone and unfinished, with no choice but to enter the bizarre suburban world of Hope Springs. The citizens fit all stereotypes–the mayoral candidate, the neighborhood jezebel, the trailer-trash mom and dad. Edward falls for Kim, the Boggs’ cheerleader daughter. The entire first act is so overloaded with the charades of these characters–some of who are ultimately much creepier than Edward–that when Scissorhands finally appears, it’s almost a relief. Fortunately, the second act picks up and focuses more on Edward, who becomes the hit of the town, wowing the superficial neighbors with new hairstyles and wooing Kim with his elaborate ice angel sculpture. As Edward, Winsor is sweet and innocent. It’s interesting to watch him move and dance with his giant scissor ‘fingers,’ which he sometimes clicks together nervously like acrylic nails. As a dancer, he is not only graceful but also acrobatic, tumbling over tables and pulling ‘stunts’ with his clumsy claws. The ‘Topiary Garden’ and ‘Ice Dance’ duets, performed Wednesday by Winsor and Hannah Vassallo as Kim, are particularly beautiful. These wordless dances stir our emotions and bring a more magical feel to the whole production. Bourne’s New Adventures company dancers perform to live orchestral music that features percussion, organ, and tambourine. Terry Davies has created this diverse score, which includes themes from the original film by composer Danny Elfman. The sets and costumes, fantastically designed by Lez Brotherston, come alive on stage–most memorably, the dancing topiary. The show is also full of special effects that help reveal Edward’s skill (sculpting the bush into a star shape) and helplessness (short-circuiting the Christmas tree). The musical is heavy on humor, and pulls at our heartstrings at times. However, it seems that Bourne, as director and choreographer, got carried away with the suburban world and characters that overwhelm Edward–so much that they overwhelm us. The title character is too often a bystander in the show, which is saturated with long group dance numbers and transitional ‘filler’ scenes. As a result, the production simply is not as captivating as some of his other interpretations, such as ‘Swan Lake,’ which played on the same stage earlier this year. ‘Edward Scissorhands’ runs through December 31 at the Ahmanson, 135 N. Grand Ave. at the Music Center. Tickets ($30-$90) are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org or by calling (213) 628-2772. ——- Reporting by Alyson Sena, Associate Editor. To contact, send an e-mail to newsdesk@palipost.com.

Horton Foote Comes West

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A part-time resident of Pacific Palisades, the beloved dramatist is enjoying a revival of his soulful play “The Roads to Home” in L.A.

This Photograph of Horton Foote was taken in his New York City apartment earlier this year. Photo by Peter Bellamy. Courtesy of Hallie Foote.
This Photograph of Horton Foote was taken in his New York City apartment earlier this year. Photo by Peter Bellamy. Courtesy of Hallie Foote.

In much of his work, Horton Foote, the acclaimed playwright, captures the essence of small-town life while exploring the elusive meaning of home. Yet there’s nothing indefinable about the source of his inspiration: his own home town of Wharton, Texas (fictionalized as Harrison, Texas), is the setting for most of the more than 60 plays he’s written. To be sure, Foote, still writing and active in the theater at 90, has national-treasure status. He received Academy Awards for his screenplay adaptation of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and his original screenplay ‘Tender Mercies’ (Robert Duvall won best actor for that 1983 film). ‘The Trip to Bountiful,’ originally written for television in 1953, is an enduring theater classic. The film version, produced by Foote in 1985, starred Geraldine Page in a role that earned her the Academy Award for best actress. In 1995, he won the Pulitzer Prize for ‘The Young Man from Atlanta,’ and in 2000, President Clinton awarded him the National Medal of Arts. Despite Foote’s many accolades and far-reaching fame, his roots in Wharton, a small town 50 miles southeast of Houston and 40 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, are never far from his mind. ‘I still have a house there that I go back to quite often,’ Foote said during a recent phone interview from the Palisades home of his daughter, the actress Hallie Foote, and her husband, actor Devon Abner, where he lives part-time. ‘In some ways, I’ve never left it,’ he continued, adding, ‘I have a theory that writers don’t choose what to write about; the subject chooses them.’ His subject–the ordinary men and women he remembers from his youth in Texas–is seemingly endless as a dramatic source. ‘I don’t base my characters on any particular person,’ Foote explains. ‘I take a little piece here and a little piece there and create a new person.’ What results are quiet, often heartbreaking tales of troubled lives, told with compassion and deceptive simplicity. Such is the case with ‘The Roads to Home,’ now playing at the Lost Studio Theatre, where infidelity, divorce and madness are themes woven into a trilogy of related one-acts. ‘One thing people don’t often consider about Horton is that he has reached the very peak of success in his career without ever using a vulgar word,’ says Scott Paulin, ‘Roads to Home’ director. ‘That these plays, all written about a small town in Texas, continue to have such impact on people is a testament to the underlying power of what he’s saying.’ At the heart of the story is the tragic figure of Annie Gayle Long (played by Jenny Dare Paulin), a young housewife and mother living in Houston, Texas, in the 1920s who steadily slips into madness in act one, ‘A Nightingale.’ Unsettled by the murder of her father and her inability to cope with two young children, she rides the streetcars day and night, arriving unannounced at the screen door of Mabel Votaugh (Wendy Phillips), who came from the same hometown as Annie: Harrison, Texas. Comic relief arrives in the second act, ‘The Best of Friends,’ when Mabel’s neighbor Vonnie (Laura Richardson), bursts into Mabel’s living room distraught about the discovery that her husband is having an affair. Mabel’s husband, Jack (Jim Haynie), can’t keep his eyes open long enough to contribute to the conversation. The final act, ‘Spring Dance,’ finds Annie, still radiant and glowing despite her diminished mental state, surrounded by three male friends in a genteel garden setting at what appears to be an ordinary dance. The grimness of her situation slowly unravels in this stirring final scene. ‘In some ways, all of my plays are about the roads to home,’ says Foote, who enthusiastically endorses the current production. ‘Home is a very ephemeral, personal thing and each of us has our own definition. Some people think of it only as a place to escape from. When I left home, I never left mentally, only physically.’ That journey began when Foote left Texas at 16 to study acting. He first studied at the Pasadena Playhouse in California before moving to New York, where he quickly learned the easiest way to get good roles was to write the plays himself. Among the odd jobs he had as a young man in New York was running an elevator on Park Avenue from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., allowing him the time and quiet space to begin writing. ‘I figured the tenants were all in bed by 11 p.m.,’ he says with a chuckle. Critics liked his first play, a one-act, and Foote promptly sent a copy to his proud parents back in Texas. ‘Some of the people in Wharton whose names I used weren’t happy,’ Foote recalls. ‘I learned a lesson. That’s when I decided to take another name for the town.’ His talent for theater led to writing for television’s ‘Playhouse 90,’ ‘Philco Playhouse’ and ‘U.S. Steel Hour.’ Eventually, his career expanded to Hollywood and screenplays. Foote has four children, two sons and two daughters. His wife, Lillian, died in 1992 after 47 years of marriage. Regarding a recent revival of ‘The Trip to Bountiful’ at the Signature Theatre in New York that garnered exceptional reviews, Foote says with characteristic modesty and understatement: ‘That play just seems to reach people.’ Actress Lois Smith played the lead as the homesick Mrs. Carrie Watts, with Hallie Foote in the role of Jessie May, the heartless and demanding daughter-in-law. ‘Critics often say she’s the best interpreter of my work,’ Foote says of his daughter. ‘We’re real collaborators,’ says Hallie of her sometimes director. ‘It’s a joy to work with my father; we have our own special shorthand.’ And what’s next from Horton Foote? ‘I’m writing a play, and this one is not in Harrison,’ he says with a note of playful glee. Co-produced by Hallie Foote and Lea Endres, ‘The Roads to Home’ continues at the Lost Studio Theatre, 130 S. La Brea Ave. (south of Beverly Blvd.) this Friday and Saturday, December 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 17 at 4 p.m. The show will also run during the weekends of January 5, 6, and 7 and 12, 13 and 14. Tickets are $15 for all performances. For ticket reservations, call 600-3682 or visit www.theroadstohome.com.

Street Angels Reveal the Heart of the Homeless

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Tina from “Street Angel Diaries.” Photo by Gary F. Clark.

Zebulon Projects presents the world premiere of Mary Lou Newmark’s “Street Angel Diaries,” directed by Darin Anthony, running December 14 through 16 at 8 p.m., and December 17 at 2 p.m. at Boston Court performing arts complex, 70 North Mentor in Pasadena. Created and composed by Palisades resident Newmark, “Street Angel Diaries” explores the issues of homelessness through first-person accounts and multimedia, including live as well as recorded music, poetry, soundscapes, storytelling, projections and movement. Newmark developed the piece as an outgrowth of her interest in learning more about the homeless, putting a face on homeless men and women by finding out more about who they are. She strolled the Santa Monica Promenade, talking to the men and women whom she encountered. Her encounters may have been just a few words or life stories. ‘I listened to people and engaged them,’ she says. ‘It wasn’t an interview; there was no pressure.’ Later, at home, Newmark would write a response to what she had heard, her own interpretation. In February 2005 she gave a concert reading of the piece that she had developed. ‘I had my visuals, people reading and one dancer moving through the audience.’ Zebulon producer Mimi Champlin became interested in Newmark’s work and decided to develop the project in a fully staged performance piece. While the work turns on the stories of homeless people, Newmark believes that it goes far deeper, believing that the staging gives shape to the piece. She has attempted to break down barriers between the performers and the audience. ‘There are layers of meaning to this piece which get down to the fact that we’re all in this together,’ Newmark says. ‘We’re all struggling with our own stuff, whether in Beverly Hills or on the street.’ Newmark has always been interested in multimedia; she writes poetry, dances and paints. ‘I was originally trained as a classical violinist,’ she says. ‘But I’ve always enjoyed creating my own music and was never really satisfied playing the standard classical repertoire. I have always been interested in extending the palette of the violin, and when I started working with electronic music, I saw that I could bring the entire world into my studio.’ Not reliant on synthesizers, Newmark prefers to record sounds from the real world. ‘I go out to record sounds–street noise, birds–and then integrate them with the instruments. Using live sound results in a deeper sonic quality.’ Newmark is an award-winning violinist, composer and poet. She has a traditional classical background, with master’s degrees in violin performance and music composition from USC and UCLA, respectively. Her works encompass a wide range of styles and techniques, incorporating live performance, original poetry and electronically generated sounds into unique pieces that inhabit their own sound world. She maintains a private violin and composition studio in Los Angeles. Zebulon Projects is headed by raconteur and philanthropist Z. Clark Branson, who financed the Boston Court performing arts complex. Mimi Champlin is the producer for Zebulon. Tickets are $25 and are available online at www.bostoncourt.org or by calling (626) 683-6883, ext. 106. Senior and student tickets are available for $20. A percentage of ticket sales will benefit Union Station Foundation, which operates a 36-bed adult shelter, a 50-bed family shelter, a 14-unit transitional housing facility for families, an intake and assessment center, and a career development program.

Palisadian Produces ‘Babygroup’ DVD

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New parents often join a baby group to learn techniques for taking care of their infants and to connect with other people going through the same experience. This community can be–emotionally and informationally–a lifesaver for moms who might otherwise feel lost or overwhelmed during an exciting but challenging time. Palisades resident Marsha Myers Kamer felt so grateful for the information and support she received in Donna Holloran’s babygroup, Inc. classes that she and fellow mom Joanne Pauley decided to capture the experience on film for other new parents. They launched the instructional DVD, “Surviving and Thriving During Your Baby’s First Year,” last month. Holloran, a noted child development specialist and parent educator, will discuss some techniques from the DVD on Sunday, December 17 at 11 a.m. at Spanky Lane, 860 Via de la Paz, across from Domino’s. The two-disc boxed set is divided into the first and last half of baby’s first year and features ‘live’ babygroup classes. Holloran sits on the floor with a group of eight or nine moms and their babies, and leads a discussion on the most common questions and concerns shared by new parents, from “soothing and swaddling” and “solid foods” to “returning to work” and “separation anxiety.” The babies make noises, nurse, and play with toys throughout the sessions, sometimes demonstrating the very behavior (“fussiness”) that their parents are discussing. Every topic is followed by an on-screen review or “cheat sheet,” and each disc ends with the parents singing to their children, which automatically quiets and calms them. “It’s ‘Parenting 101′ and a support group,” says Kamer, whose son, Ben, 3, graduated from babygroup last year. “It’s people who understand what’s going on with you right then. They understand what you’re struggling with and they don’t mind talking about the same stuff–ad nauseam.” The idea for the DVD originated when Kamer and some other moms she’d met in Holloran’s babygroup were socializing outside the class, without their children, and started talking about how fortunate they were to have this “network.” They wanted to reach out to those parents who did not have the opportunity to join a baby group and might be feeling lost or in need of support and advice. “We didn’t want to make it a snotty British nanny telling you what to do or a doctor in a lab coat being really dry,” says Kamer, a TV writer and producer who wrote for “Becker” and “Murphy Brown,” and is currently writing a pilot for Lifetime. She and Pauley also did not want parents to feel guilty for not doing something the “right” way. “What’s great about Donna is there’s no judgment,’ Kamer says. ‘There are a few things that are absolutes, like that babies need to be put to sleep on their backs, but, basically, it’s different approaches to what’s right. It’s what’s right for each family. It’s about how to care for your baby in a compassionate way without feeling guilty.” Kamer learned about babygroup when she was seven months pregnant with Ben and was initially waitlisted to join one of Holloran’s classes, which are held once a week in the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica. A spot opened up for her, and the class “became the highlight of my week,’ Kamer says. “Having a child, I had no idea how different my life was going to be–180 degrees turned around–and how, for a while anyway, I would be out of sync with people in my life who were not new parents.” Not only did babygroup give Kamer a community of other parents who eventually became some of her closest friends, but also information that made her life easier, such as how to get Ben to stop crying in car or how to keep him “still” for 20 minutes so she could take a shower. Kamer felt that putting this knowledge on a DVD was important because while moms usually don’t have time to read parenting books during the first year of their baby’s life, they often find themselves at home on the couch, in front of the television. With a DVD, they can go straight to the topic of their choice. “What’s really helpful, say, if you’re trying to get your baby to sleep through the night, is that you get some encouragement and maybe another piece of advice you could try,” Kamer says. Parents who have seen the DVD have said they particularly liked the “sleeping” and “adjusting to motherhood” discussions. “In the 6-to-12-months section, there are moms talking about whether or not they’re ever going to have sex again,” Kamer says. “It gets very comfortable and familiar and real.” The idea is that this ‘virtual community’ is always available to help both new and ‘repeat’ parents having their second or third child, who may need a refresher course. ‘Some women have joked that they liked seeing people who looked as tired as they did,’ Kamer says. ‘This group is available to you at 4 a.m. No one cares if you washed your hair or brushed your teeth. They’re there.’ Holloran, who founded babygroup, inc. in Los Angeles 1996, produced the DVD with Pauley and Kamer. Palisades moms Nikki Rifkin and Tiffany Lemons appear in the DVD, along with former Palisadian Jenn Linardos. For more information or to purchase the DVD, call (800) 771-2147 or visit babygroupvideo.com.

Local Teen Democrat Canvasses for Election

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When ISABEL FROST joined MoveOn.org’s Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. political consulting firm, she didn’t know that her experience might guide the course of her life. Isabel received training in Boston, then spent three months as a paid worker in Denver as a Democratic canvasser for the recent election. In this position, she was part of what she called ‘a giant phone tree,’ calling MoveOn members to get them to volunteer to help call others. The goal was to reach 5 million voters, but they reached 7.2 million. On the day of the election, Isabel said, the office was hyped up and excited. At least 20 MoveOn members and 100 volunteers were calling different areas to urge voters to support Democratic candidates. Isabel was encouraging people to vote for Jon Tester, now the Democratic Senator-Elect from Montana. When they election was over, the MoveOn members had a party across the street from the offices. ‘Every time a Democrat came [on the television] everyone cheered,’ recalled Isabel, who voted by mail. Her experience with MoveOn benefited her in several ways, exposing her to new people as well as revealing her passion. ‘I got to know everyone really well,’ she said. ‘They became kind of like family. I met a lot of really empowering people.’ Isabel, who attended Palisades High and finished high school through homeschooling last December, is now sure that she is interested in political science. Once she has finished working at MoveOn as assistant director for three months after the election, she will attend Santa Monica College. She hopes to attend law school in the future. ‘I think everyone should take a gap year [between high school and college],’ she said. ‘You only have that chance once, and I had a fantastic experience.’

Brady Hiete and Lauren Gaona Are Engaged

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Brady Hiete, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Hiete, of Pacific Palisades, is engaged to be married to Lauren Marie Gaona, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Gonzales of Camarillo and Mr. and Mrs. R. Gaona of Colorado. Brady attended Corpus Christi Elementary School and Loyola High School, and is a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle. He is currently a tennis professional at the Calabasas Swim and Tennis Club. The bride-to-be graduated from California State University of Channel Islands.

Fire Destroys Renowned Artist’s Canyon Studio

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A dramatic fire on West Channel Road last Thursday destroyed the large art studio of world-renowned artist Sam Francis, who died in 1994. The photo was taken from Sage Lane, which is directly behind the half-acre property. Photo by George Ghiz.
A dramatic fire on West Channel Road last Thursday destroyed the large art studio of world-renowned artist Sam Francis, who died in 1994. The photo was taken from Sage Lane, which is directly behind the half-acre property. Photo by George Ghiz.

Last Thursday at 9:46 a.m., 14 companies of Los Angeles Firefighters (including Stations 69 and 23 in Pacific Palisades), three LAFD rescue ambulances, an arson unit, two urban search- and rescue-units, a hazardous materials team and a helicopter responded to a major structure fire at 345 W. Channel Rd. in Santa Monica Canyon. The smoke from the blaze was easily spotted from the Palisades Village, and the fierce, fast-moving fire destroyed the older wood-sided building–an art studio–in a matter of minutes. Owing to quick action on the part of firefighters, damage to nearby buildings was kept to a minimum. A helicopter circled during the firefighting effort to watch for other possible flare-ups. West Channel Road, from west of Canyon Elementary School to Mesa Road, was blocked off for several hours. Fire investigators estimate the damage at $500,000. There were no injuries. The property, which belongs to Ozama and Shingo Francis (sons of the world-renowned artist Sam Francis, who died in 1994), is on a half-acre of land. It contains two art studios (one larger and a second smaller one, which was used as an exercise room), a main residence, a guesthouse and an apartment over the garage. According to L.A. fire investigator Thomas Derby, the cause of the fire was accidental, probably electrical. It started in the apartment over the garage, which is adjacent to the large art studio. The main studio in back was totally destroyed; there was major damage to the smaller art studio and apartment. The two homes on the property escaped damage. The fire spread to Elizabeth Darling’s guest home, which is adjacent to the art studio, but firefighters were able to distinguish the blaze before it totally engulfed the house. Neighbors alerted Darling, who was at work. After she arrived, she told the Palisadian-Post, ‘Half my guest house is gone.’ An animation producer who lives on the Francis property was in the Jacuzzi when an alarm went off. He got out and went into the garage, thinking it was the burglar alarm. When he didn’t see anybody, he shut the alarm panel off and went into the main residence to shower. According to Derby, when the tenant finished his shower and came out, his dogs were going crazy: it was then he saw the blaze and phoned 911. A neighbor, Yossi Sharon, who lives on a hill on the opposite side of W. Channel Road, was in his kitchen when he saw a puff of smoke come from the Francis art studio. ‘At first I thought it was the chimney,’ he said. Once he saw more smoke come out, he dialed 911. ‘I never got through,’ Sharon said. ‘I saw the thing get bigger and bigger and then I saw the roof come down.’ He estimated that it took approximately 12 minutes from the time he spotted the smoke until the roof collapsed. He said that the first vehicle on the scene was a paramedic truck. Cecilia Alvear and George Lewis own the house located directly behind the Francis studio. She was in the shower at the time of the fire when a Neighborhood Watch block captain pounded on their door and shouted, ‘Get out! Get out!’ Cecilia remembers trying to find something to wear. After she was dressed, she grabbed the cat, while Lewis grabbed his camera and both got out. Heat from the fire caused a window to crack in one of their bathrooms. The Francis property had recently been sold and escrow was set to close January 10. The property had been listed at $4.65 million and realtor Frank Langen confirmed that there were multiple offers. Since the fire occurred before escrow closed, Langen acknowledged that in this circumstance a buyer could use this as an excuse to drop out, but he didn’t expect it to happen. ‘I think there is a high probability that the people will go through with the sale, regardless of the fire,’ Langen said. ‘It’s more about sorting out the insurance. The new owner will probably be entitled to the majority of the insurance.’

Aircraft Noise Upsets Hillside Calm

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The yellow lines represent all non-Santa Monica Airport traffic flying below 5,000 feet during a weekend in September. The bottom left represents Pacific Palisades. This graphic was provided by Santa Monica Airport.
The yellow lines represent all non-Santa Monica Airport traffic flying below 5,000 feet during a weekend in September. The bottom left represents Pacific Palisades. This graphic was provided by Santa Monica Airport.

The chirping of a cricket, the howl of a coyote and the tweet of a finch used to be regular bedtime ballads for residents of Pacific Palisades’ highest streets. But in recent years, many residents say that the nature soundtrack of the Santa Monica Mountains has been replaced by the drone of a low-flying Cessna, the whine of a speeding Learjet and the whirling pulse of an encircling Robinson helicopter. The noise became so intolerable for neighbors in Marquez Knolls in 2003 that they began trading coping strategies: air filters vs. earplugs vs. ‘quiet’ noise machines. In fact, many got quotes to double-pane their windows and re-insulate their houses–both imperfect solutions that can start at more than $20,000. For those within earshot of the high-flying undesirables, it is not NIMBYism gone extreme, but rather regaining their quality of life. ‘Every morning I’m woken up at 4:30,’ said a female resident who lives halfway up Lachman Lane in Marquez Knolls. ‘I try to go to bed at 9 p.m. to get a full night’s rest.’ ‘I have a neighbor who used to sunbathe nude, but she stopped because she felt as if her privacy was violated by all the low-flying airplanes and helicopters,’ she said. For Frances and Hal Oliver, the increased noise pollution has meant less charm to an area they have prized. Since 1959, they have lived in a house near the top of El Medio Avenue that overlooks Santa Monica Bay. The air space around their house has become a virtual hub for low-flying helicopters, twin-engine private planes and loud charter and commercial jets. And conversations on their balcony are frequently interrupted by passing aircraft. ‘The reason that the Palisades is so nice is that you can hear nature,’ Hal Oliver said. ‘But all these planes are changing that.’ Tracing this experience of increased noise to concrete causes is difficult. Air space is vast, and meaningful data are hard to come by. In spite of these challenges, clear trends in local air traffic and the current policies of nearby airports offer some explanations. Changes in the composition of flight activity at Santa Monica Airport reveal an important trend for the airport’s neighboring communities. While single-engine propeller operations (defined as take-offs and landings) at the airport have fallen since the 1960s, the share of jet activity has expanded rapidly. In fact, total jet operations have risen nearly 1,400 percent since 1984, when the airport first began recording jet traffic. Today, jets compose 14 percent of the airport’s total traffic. While the growth of jet traffic at Santa Monica Airport far exceeds most airports, security concerns since 9/11 and fractional ownership plans of jets for the super-rich have made increased jet operations a nationwide trend. The much larger, louder and more polluting engines of the jets have met fierce resistance from communities surrounding the airport. The absence of safety areas at both ends of the runway has also raised safety questions. Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution has lobbied for increasing restrictions on jet traffic at Santa Monica Airport. Councilman Bill Rosendahl has hosted town-hall meetings to discuss the safety and health effects of this trend. And Representative Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) has pressured the Federal Aviation Administration, which has ultimate authority of traffic at the airport, to rethink jet traffic at the airport. On Tuesday, Santa Monica airport managers met with FAA officials to discuss the lack of a runway safety area. The size of jets permitted to land at the airport could be reduced if the airport were required to install such a buffer zone, said Operations and Noise Manager Matthew Majoli. In addition to expanded jet traffic at the airport, helicopter operations have also increased. In the past four years, helicopter operations have grown by about 1,000 operations per year and now compose nearly three percent of the airport’s total traffic. Departing aircraft at Santa Monica face an 11 p.m. curfew, but arriving flights face no restrictions. Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution has favored curbing arriving flights, but currently no new restrictions are planned. Because most air traffic above the Palisades is non-Santa Monica Airport traffic, the effect of increased restrictions there on noise reduction is uncertain. Commercial planes heading toward Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from the north fly above the Palisades at about 7,000 feet. And non-commercial planes, which include fractionally owned and charter jets, use Palisades air space as a corridor between the South Bay and Santa Barbara, said Majoli. The ongoing debate over LAX expansion could have serious repercussions for the volume of large commercial air traffic above the Palisades. Former Mayor James Hahn fought to expand LAX operations to accommodate 89 million passengers per year. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s airport plan, however, seeks to limit LAX traffic to 78 million passengers and promote expansion at regional airports like the L.A./Ontario and L.A./Palmdale airports. The expansion of regional airports in the next five years will more evenly distribute air traffic over the region, said a Palisades resident and longtime pilot with a major airline. That would also mean less commercial air traffic over the Palisades and possibly less noise, the pilot said. Until then, many Palisadians might be sleeping with earplugs and sunbathing clothed. —————- Reporting by Max Taves, Staff Writer. To contact, e-mail: reporter@palipost.com

Matt Ehrhart’s Tour of Duty in Iraq

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By DIANE Z. ELDER Special to the Palisadian-Post Marine Staff Sergeant Matthew Ehrhart, 28, spent last Christmas without food, water or electricity in the bleak, sand-locked surroundings of Camp Dogwood, Iraq. He and the rest of his seven-man Firepower Control Team spent the time digging holes and filling sandbags as they waited to leave for Fallujah, the heart of the Sunni insurgency. In the middle of the night on New Year’s Eve they found themselves driving through the center of downtown Fallujah, peering through night-vision goggles at its blown-out walls and thinking of all the bloodshed that had happened there. Earlier that month 10 Marines had been blown up by an IED (improvised explosive device), and news footage of the burned, mutilated corpses of civilian contractors hanging from a bridge there had shocked the world a year before. The eeriness of it was, as one team member said, ‘something Hollywood could never capture.’ A native of Pacific Palisades, Matt Ehrhart spent seven months in Iraq (from August 2005 to March 2006) as a member of the prestigious Third Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, known as Third ANGLICO, a reserve unit based in Long Beach. Nearly four of those months were spent in Karmah on the south side of Fallujah, near Abu Ghraib. By body count, Karmah was one of the most violent war zones in Iraq. Marines came under attack every day and many lost their lives. Matt also spent three months in Kalsu and nearly a week in Najaf, continually relocating to support units from other branches of the U.S. military as well as the Iraqi Army with intelligence, training and the coordination of fire-support assets. Third ANGLICO usually operated in small teams of four to seven men that were sent out on patrol on foot or in a vehicle several times a day ‘We were always where it was happening, helping other units, doing something different every day,’ says Matt, who is now back home and living in Santa Monica. ‘We were the eyes and ears of the battlefield, controlling the air from the ground, guiding smart bombs to their targets.’ On a laptop equipped with a receiver to pick up signals from the plane, he could see from the ground what the pilot saw from above. ‘We didn’t fire back; we called in air assets–the planes–and the planes were deadly.’ A ground team similar to Matt’s coordinated the air strike that targeted and killed Abu Al-Zarqawi with surgical precision. Too modest to discuss his numerous medals and decorations or the many dangerous situations he faced, Matt visibly swells with pride when talking about the Marines. ‘The Marines come from a very proud tradition,’ he says. ‘They are more disciplined and have a higher degree of training than other branches of the military. A Marine is not a soldier’a Marine is a Marine.’ ANGLICO in particular has more training than any other reserve unit, and includes airborne training and jump qualification, which is rare in the Marine Corps. Matt himself is a rare breed and does not fit the generic profile of the typical Marine enlistee. The son of Dr. Kevin and Martha Ehrhart, he grew up in the Huntington Palisades with two older siblings: Kevin, a lawyer, and Susan, a movie production coordinator. ‘Our parents gave us a really good life,’ he says, ‘We had a live-in housekeeper and just about whatever we wanted.’ He attended Corpus Christi School and played football for Loyola High School, then briefly attended the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1997-98. He joined the ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps), but says he realized that he instead wanted to be an enlisted man. He signed up in 1998 and was on active duty until 2002, during which time he was first deployed to the Persian Gulf for training in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. After returning, he attended Santa Monica College and began working on a degree in computer programming. In 2004 he joined the reserves and in June 2005, with warfare still raging in Iraq, he re-enlisted for three more years. Few young men or women in recent decades have left the comfort of their Pacific Palisades existence to enlist in the military, let alone re-enlist in the midst of an ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East. Matt gracefully accepts the possibility that he may have to return to Iraq once more before he is discharged in March 2008. He says most Iraqis are glad the Americans are there and that Iraqi kids love soldiers more than anything in the world. ‘We definitely should be there,’ he says, ‘If we leave now, we’d be abandoning them’they can’t defend themselves.’ Today, light years from Iraq, Matt works in Santa Monica for Med Informatix, a computer software company owned by two of his uncles. He is still active as an Eagle Scout with Troop 223, which is where he says he first found out and got excited about the military. His future plans include completing his computer programming degree online and marrying his girlfriend of four years, Jamie Rackow, who, he says, had the toughest time of all dealing with the danger of his service in Iraq. (I suspect his mother might argue with that.) This Christmas, Matt will exchange last year’s desert for the Pacific Ocean, hunger and thirst for delicious food and drink, his Marine family for the one he grew up with, and darkness for the twinkling electric lights of his hometown. Pacific Palisades is truly one of America’s loveliest communities, made possible and made safe by the sacrifices of ordinary Americans of courage such as Matt Ehrhart. CAPTION: Marine Corps Reservist Matt Ehrhart, who grew up in Pacific Palisades, served in Iraq from August 2005 to March 2006. He now belongs to a reserve unit based in Long Beach and could be redeployed to Iraq before his military commitment ends in March 2008. (Palisades resident Diane Elder is a former writer, producer and assignment editor at Channel 9 News. She has two boys, Henry and Joey.) _____________________________________________________________ Regarding the country of Iraq itself, Matt says the idea of sanitation has not yet arrived. ‘Marines are warned to watch out for IED’s hidden in piles of trash, but there are so many trash piles everywhere that it’s impossible to know which ones to worry about,’ Matt says. ‘Marines often find themselves chasing people through fields of waste.’ The Euphrates River, mentioned in Genesis as one of the four rivers to flow from the Garden of Eden, now flows over junked cars and all manner of waste together with the people who bathe in it. Used motor oil and other pollutants are carried along in its ancient currents.

CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE DECEMBER 14, 2006 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

DISTRESS SALES. Free list w/ pictures of bank foreclosures & power of sale properties – www.sellerneedsout.com – or free recorded message, (800) 791-5713. ID #1042

HOMES WANTED 1b

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

FURNISHED HOMES 2

FURNISHED HOUSE FOR LEASE. $4,950/mo. Romantic furnished cottage with 2 bd, 1.5 ba and separate 1 bd, 1 ba. The property has beautiful wood floors and a cozy fireplace, high beamed ceilings and a wall of glass that opens to a lovely large garden. Contact: Dolly Niemann, Prudential California Realty, (310) 230-3706 CHARMING COTTAGE, fully furnished, 1 bdrm, 1 ba, fireplace. Close to village & bluffs. Short term. $1,000/wk. (310) 459-0765

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

PRIVATE ENTRANCE STUDIO GUEST HOUSE in El Medio Bluffs. Mtn views, brand new kitchenette, large closet, full bath, N/S, single person, util paid, no pets. $1,400/mo. (310) 230-1921 MID-CENTURY ARCHITECTURAL 3 BR, 2 BA in prime Palisades location, private wooded lot, 2 fireplaces, wood floors, built-ins, marble/granite finishes, approx. 1,900 sq. ft. $6,500/mo. (310) 230-7901 BLUFFSIDE VIEW HOME. Sunny, quiet country traditional, 2 bdrm, 1 ba, huge living room with fireplaces + bonus room, dining room, hdwd flrs thruout, 2-car garage. “CHARMING.” Available Jan 15th, 1 yr min. $4,500/mo. (310) 305-2630 3 BDRM, 3 BA+OFFICE, 2 story, gated courtyard, 2nd story complete master bdrm suite with large sundecks (like artist’s loft) high vaulted ceilings. Fireplaces upstairs and downstairs, central AC, street & driveway parking only, Marquez area. Must see. Month to month, available now. $6,300/mo. (310) 741-8276 SERENE CANYON VIEW. 761 Chautauqua, 2 bdrm, 2 ba, den, lanai, formal din/rm, fireplace, hdwd flrs, enclosed backyard, gardener incl., 2 car garage. $4,000/mo. lease. (310) 454-8282 2 BDRM, 2 BA, large lot, patio, fireplace, separate dining room, near bluffs. $2,700/mo. Please call (310) 459-4441 or (818) 487-8983

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

FABULOUS TWH STYLE unit in Pac Palisades. Spacious 2+1 brand new remodel. Granite & stainless steel kit. All hwd flooring, crown mldg. Private grassy patio. No pets, N/S. Ready Dec. 1 at $2,850/mo. (818) 222-7595 PALISADES 1 BEDROOM, upper remodeled, carpet, stove, refrigerator, covered parking, laundry, new paint, Non-smoker, No pets, one year lease, quiet and clean. $1,280/mo. (310) 477-6767 WALK TO BEACH. 1 bedroom with private patio, limestone floors, dressing area, gated parking, pool. 1 block to beach, quiet location. (310) 230-7804 BRENTWOOD, NR COUNTRY club golf course, $1,650/mo. “Charm” light & airy decorator’s 1 bd upper. Woodburning fireplace, shutters, new wool Berber carpet. Beaut landscaping & trees, new micro, stove & dishwshr, garage, no pets. (310) 826-7960

WANTED TO RENT 3b

HIGHLANDS RESIDENT SEEKING local garage space to house antique car. Call Jay, (610) 645-4505 HOME: 4-5 BDRM, unfurnished, prefer bluffs; small dog, desire 18 month lease. Call Joseph, (310) 245-4368

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE. 862 sq. ft. in the village, newly renovated. Call Ness, (310) 230-6712 x105 FULLY FURNISHED OFFICE for lease nr Pacific Palisades village (on Sunset). Prices range from $300 to $1,000 for desk cubicles or executive ofc suites. Receptionist, copy machines, laser printers, fax, kitch, conference rm w/ computer, monitor, TV & VCR. Incl cleaning servc & alarm sys. Call (310) 254-5496 SHARE FULLY FURNISHED office in village alternate days. DSL. $250/wk. (310) 459-0765

CONDOS/TOWNHOUSES FOR RENT 3f

STUNNING OCEAN VIEW, remodeled 2+2 near beach, large balcony, inside laundry, 2 parking spaces. $3,500/mo. Agent Marta Samulon, (310) 230-2448 2 BDRM, 2 BA CONDO with 2-car garage & pool, completely refurbished with all new hdwd flrs, kitchen app., washer/dryer in unit, no pets. $3,100/mo. Contact Christian, (310) 866-7060

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

ATTENTION AFFLUENT PROFESSIONALS: HASSLE-FREE BUSINESS with proven track record. Not everyone will qualify. (570) 971-7527 – www.SeekFinancialFreedom.com GOLDEN FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY. Want to create your own income? Have control over your lifestyle? What is Financial Freedom? Call direct: (619) 825-9883

LOST & FOUND 6a

FOUND: CREAM COLORED Siamese cat with blue eyes and striped tail. Call (310) 454-8048 FOUND: DENIM BAG/PURSE on corner of Friends & Via de la Paz. Car keys & more inside. Call to identify: (310) 454-5147

PERSONALS 6b

SEMPER FI. HONORABLE combat wounded U.S. Marine veteran needs volunteers & donations to help other veterans. Ray Nasser, Purple Heart, 16321 PCH #63 Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. (310) 454-7432

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 – 20 Years Microsoft Experience -HELPING WITH: Windows XP – Windows Media Center. www.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. End Run-around. Pop-up Expert! Satisfying Clients since 1992. If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! COMPUTER WORKS! Alan Perla, (310) 455-2000 THE DETECHTIVESTM – 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? a moving sale? a yard sale? a rummage sale? an estate 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 – Furniture – Antiques – Collectibles – Junque – Reliable professionals Local References

ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h

CLARE’S SECRETARIAL SERVICES: Business support company specializing in the organization of your home or office. Trained in U.K. References available. (310) 430-6701

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

VIP NANNY AGENCY. “Providing very important people with the very best nanny.” (818) 907-1017, (310) 614-3646 GREAT PRE-SCREENED nannies available. Let us help you w/ your nanny search. We are a dedicated, professional agency and we will find the right match for you. Whether you are looking for full- or part-time, L/I or L/O help, we can help you. Call Sunshine Nannies at (310) 614-5065 or (310) 801-8309 THE STORK STOPS HERE.. L.A.’s premier agency provides professional nannies, estate mangers, baby nurses & more. (310) 226-2845 I’M YOUR MARY POPPINS. You’ve found her! M-F L/I or L/O 26 yrs exp., background check, clean DMV, CPR/First Aid cert., educated, fun, will travel, energetic, patient, positive, good refs. (310) 789-0902 HOUSEKEEPER, 20 YEARS experience, childcare. Mon.-Sat., pet friendly, great references, Available holidays. Call Ms. Jackson, (310) 586-0162 NEED A BABYSITTER? If you are looking for someone to take care of your kids I’m available anytime. Experience & references. Please call (310) 796-6283

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 ORGANIZER, experienced in large homes. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Will do light cooking, errands, pet friendly. References. (310) 382-7883 HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Tuesday & Thursday afternoon and Friday all day. Own transportation. Excellent references. I want to work for you. Call Carol, (323) 299-1797 or cell (818) 742-5680 HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER 15 years experience, Great references. Please call hm, (323) 662-7515 or (323) 828-4180 HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER w/ many years experience. Palisades references, own car, CDL insured, available Wed. & Thursday plus week-ends. Please call Lilian, (310) 390-9235 or leave a message EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER available Mon-Fri until 3 p.m. each day, own transportation, CDL, insurance. Call Lola, (323) 766-8145 or leave message HOUSEKEEPING, OWN TRANSPORTATION 10 years experience, references. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Please call (323) 835-6099 anytime HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE M-F. Good references, experience. Call Jacquelina, (310) 202-7275

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

CAREGIVERS/COMPANIONS Live in/out. Minimum 2 years experience. 3 work related references required. CNA’S/CHH’S welcomed. Bondable. Call (323) 932-8700

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. Cell, (310) 498-5380, (310) 390-1276. www.TheKingKoi.com ERIC-GARDENING SPECIALIST. Seasonal planting, Pruning, Garden clean-up, 15 years local experience. Call Eric, (310) 633-3173

MOVING & HAULING 11b

HONEST MAN SERVICES. All jobs, big or small. Hauls it all. Homes and businesses. 14 foot van/dollies. 15th year Westside. Delivers to 48 states. (310) 285-8688

TREE SERVICE 11d

JOHNSON TREE SERVICE. TREE – SHRUB – STUMP REMOVAL SINCE 1924. No job too small! Consultations. St. lic. #685533. (310) 454-8646, Brad

MASSAGE THERAPY 12b

AWARD WINNING MASSAGE by Natalie. Deep tissue specialist. Call (310) 993-8899. www.massagebynatalie.faithweb.com

WINDOW WASHING 13h

EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER, 20 years Westside. Clean and detailed. Free estimates, sills and screens included. Up to two stories only. Brian, (310) 289-5279 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

MISCELLANEOUS 13i

PRESSURE WASHING. Superior cleaning, driveways, walkways, patios. Craig, (310) 459-9000

HOUSESITTING 14b

YOUR PALISADIAN HOUSESITTER, reliable, experienced, loves animals, lives in the Palisades. References upon request. Call Karen, (310) 570-7297

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

PET HEAVEN – TOTAL PET CARE. Training. Walking. Playgroups and hikes. 30 years Pali resident. References. Call (310) 454-0058 for a happy dog. HAPPY PET – Dog Walking – Park Outings – Socialization. Connie, (310) 230-3829 TRUSTED HOUSE/PET CARE IN PALISADES AREA. Retired teacher with 3 golden retrievers. Walking – Playgroup therapy – References. Call Chris, (310) 454-4768

PERSONAL SHOPPING 14k

PERSONALIZED SHOPPING FOR THE HOLIDAYS & beyond. Yule love Us! Give us your shopping list, we do the rest. Call AT YOUR SERVICE IN LA, (310) 230-1932 YOU SHOP . . . DR. WRAP wraps it up at your location! Beautiful papers & satin ribbons; gift baskets wrapped; corporate & personal wrappings. Highly professional & seen on HGTV; resume available; $75 min. “house call.” Call Dr. Wrap, (310) 995-5624. www.wrapitupmobile.com NEED HELP WITH GIFTS? We’re experienced merchandisers/buyers with an eye to quality, value and service. Gift selection, purchasing & wrapping, shipping & delivery. We can do it all! Business & personal. (310) 459-2066

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

HAVE FUN! GET FIT! NORDIC WALKING CLASSES. Certified Nordic walking instructor teaches private/group classes in the Palisades. Weekends. Call for schedule & rates. (310) 266-4651

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

PIANO INSTRUCTION. Give the life-long gift of music! Very patient, creative teacher. Music degree, USC. Qualified, experienced, local. Lisa Lukas, (310) 454-0859. www.palisadesmusicstudio.com MUSICAL TRAINING IN YOUR HOME. Piano – Voice – Guitar – Drums – Percussion. A system of communication which allows for miraculous & immediate results. Cathleen, (310) 390-1969 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

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. EXPERIENCED TUTOR 20+ YEARS. Children & adults, 20+ yrs teaching/tutoring exper. MATH, GRAMMAR, WRITING & STUDY SKILLS. Formerly special ed teacher. Call (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 EXPERIENCED SPANISH TUTOR – All ages – All levels – Local refs – Flexible hrs. Noelle, (310) 273-3593 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 MATH & SCIENCE TUTOR, Middle school-college level. BS LAUSD credentialed high school teacher. Test Prep. Flexible hours. Available to help NOW! Seth Freeman, (310) 909-3049 LOCAL CREDENTIALED HS TEACHER. Experienced tutoring specializing in Algebra and Chemistry. Experienced in helping students with learning differences too! Call Carole at (310) 749-3378

CABINET MAKING 16

CUSTOM WOODWORK AND CABINETS. Craftsmanship quality, 20 years experience, local resident. Local references available. General Contractor Calif. License #402923. Ron Dillaway, (310) 455-4462. rondillaway@yahoo.com

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

CASTLE CONSTRUCTION. New homes, remodeling, additions, fine finish carpentry. Serving the Westside for 20 yrs. Lic. #649995. Call James, (310) 450-6237 ALAN PINE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR. New homes – Remodeling – Additions – Kitchen & bath. Planning/Architectural services – Licensed & Insured. #469435. (800) 800-0744 or (818) 203-8881 J. BELL CONSTRUCTION * Custom new homes – Additions – Kitchen remodels – Bathroom Remodels – Established 1979 – Lic. #00376978 & Bonded – (310) 714-1116

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 (Not lic.). 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 16l

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. Senior 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 & refinishing. National Wood Flooring Association member. Lic. #732286 Plenty of local references. (877) 622-2200. www.goldenhardwoodfloors.com

HANDYMAN 16n

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) 455-0803 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 THE HANDY GUY. Any job, big or small. Over 16 years experience. Lic #B-858574. We’re proud to donate our services to Habitat for Humanity. (310) 216-9034 LOCAL ENGLISH HANDYMAN serving the Palisades 10 years. You can trust me to do the job right. Hourly rates/bids. Not lic. (310) 454-3838 – (310) 367-6383 HANDYMAN – PAINTING – DRYWALL REPAIRS – Water damage repair – Small carpentry work – 17 years EXCELLENT service & experience. FREE ESTIMATES! Call (310) 502-1168. Not lic.

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16o

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

PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16q

PAUL HORST – Interior & Exterior – PAINTING – 52 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 SPIROS PAINTING, INTERIOR/EXTERIOR. Painting on the Westside since 1980. Lic. #821009. Fax and phone: (310) 826-6097. NO JOB is too small or too big for Spiro the Greek ZARKO PRTINA PAINTING. Interior/Exterior. 35 years in service. License #637882. Call (310) 454-6604

PLUMBING 16s

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 16u

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) 455-0803 COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION. New homes – Kitchen – Bath – Remodeling – Additions. Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large and small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Call Michael Hoff Construction today, (310) 230-2930

ROOFING 16v

SOLAR PANEL CLEANERS: bird droppings (major obstacle), leaves, dust removed, benefit from global warming. License #576445, bonded. Owen Cruickshank, (310) 459-5485

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 WANTED COLLEGE STUDENT who drives own car, CDL, homework helper. Fun & friendly. Once a week, Wednesday, 3 p.m.-8 p.m. Please call (310) 573-5041 NEEDED: SOMEONE TO TRANSLATE housekeeper instructions from English into Spanish. Ask for Shelley, (310) 459-7664 PALISADES BEAUTY CENTER F/T & P/T sales people required. Must be friendly & welcoming. Experience desirable but not essential. (310) 454-8022 ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT NEEDED. Will train. Start immediately. Palisades office. Call Nancy, (310) 454-7741 NURSERY/BOUTIQUE SEEKS administration assistant 30 hrs/wk. Please call (310) 454-5509 PRIVATE PALISADES CLUB seeking P/T on call receptionists for 24/7 operation. Candidates to be available for shifts 2-3 days/wk. Duties: Answering phones, checking guests in/out, directing calls, some general office & special projects. Customer service & phone experience a plus. $12-$15/hr. Send resumes to (310) 566-1880 or jobs@belairbayclub.com FAST GROWING MONEY MGT FIRM seeking P/T admin. assist. Required: Exceptional writing & verbal communication skills, organized, Microsoft Office/financial application. Duties: Ans. phones, filing, letter writing, mail merges, opening accts. manually/ electronically, back office support. Will train. Email resume Angela@abacuswealth.com PERSONAL ASSIST. w/ experience. P/T 20 hrs/wk, $17.50/hr. Palisades residents, high functioning household, computer literate, multi-tasking, nice environment. Please call Melody at (310) 589-9834 PERFECT PART TIME for college student, teacher or coach (M, W, F 2:30-6) I need an energetic, reliable, skilled person who loves kids to help during busy afternoon’s taking care of a 10 year old boy and a 512-year-old girl. Our boy is very high functioning, but has some special needs. Responsibilities include driving kids home from school (a short drive), helping with homework, playing with kids, helping out on playdates. Experience and confidence with kids a must. Teacher, counselor, or a coach experience ideal. Need a good car with a safe driving record. Pay is bt $14-$20 hourly depending on experience. Call (310) 459-9509 FULL SERVICE BOOKKEEPER needed for small publisher located in Topanga Canyon. Duties include: payables/receivables, payroll, royalties, P&L credit mngmt, phones & various administrative tasks. 30 hrs/wk. $18/hr+ DOE. Must know Quickbooks, word & Excel and have a positive helpful attitude. 2 yrs experience preferred. Send resume and letter to info@freedompressonline.com

AUTOS 18b

1989 CADILLAC EL DORADO super clean, 112K, new alt., new battery, new radiator, new front brakes. $3,000 obo. Ask for Roger, mention ad: (310) 450-5644 CASH 4 BMW/MERCEDES BENZ $ 1980-1995, running or not. Any questions please call (310) 995-5898

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE. Saturday, December 16, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 753 Via de la Paz. PRE-XMAS BLOW-OUT! Terrif buys! Furn/furnishings/area rugs/linens/women’s clothes/jewelry/ books/knick-knacks/kitch accessories/glassware/ electronics/fab xmas decorations/lots of nifty things. 14900 Sunset Blvd. (corner of Drummond): FRI.-SAT., Dec. 15-16, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. GARAGE SALE. Saturday, Dec. 16th, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 662 Hamden Place. Great stuff at incredible prices. New clothes, toys, furniture, more. ESTATE SALE, PALISADES Huntington, FRI. & SAT., 12/15 & 12/16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 14948 Altata, Paul Laszlo furn, Csato paintings, furn., accessories etc. Pacific Estate Sales

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

“WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENJOY THE LOVE & companionship of 2 adorable miniature dachshunds but, NOT ALL the responsibility? Looking for doggie time share! Call (310) 863-3030 PUPPIES BEING RAISED and trained by Julie Sterling. Mini dachshunds, rare colors exquisite chihuahua, adorable mini pug. Wonderful temperaments, great with kids, ready for Christmas/Hanukkah. (310) 573-1150

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

MOVING SALE: Custom chandelier with custom shades, sectional loveseat, antique brass headboard, (queen), French Faience vases, 1800’s, pine chest of drawers, 48 inch square mirror by Baker and other fine pieces of art. Please call Diane, (310) 230-6805 FRENCH LINGERIE FROM FRANCE. Name brands, different sizes, sets. Call for appointment & showing: (310) 621-3113. Order now for Christmas!

WANTED TO BUY 19

WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, ’50s, ’60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 306-7746 – profeti2001@yahoo.com

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