The Pacific Palisades Junior Women’s Club (PPJWC) will put on its 21st annual Holiday Home Tour and Boutique from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 12. The three featured homes highlight the diversity of architectural styles in the community: a classic Craftsman, a charming Cape Cod, and a beautiful Mediterranean overlooking the Riviera golf course. The PPJWC Holiday Boutique (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), located at the Palisades Recreation Center, showcases many holiday treasures, home accessories, children’s wear, women’s wear and menswear, jewelry, gifts and more. Returning this year are the traditional homemade baked goods from the PPJWC general membership. Pinocchio’s, the Italian eatery in the Palisades, will sell lunch and refreshments at the Boutique cafe. Home-tour guests will receive a free gift bag upon presentation of their ticket at the boutique. Tickets, $35 or $25 for seniors 60 years and older, are available for purchase online at www.PPJWC.com or by phone at. All tickets need to be picked up on November 12 beginning at 10 a.m. at the PPJWC boutique located at 851 Alma Real, Palisades Recreation Center. Please note that photography and children under six years of age are prohibited. Proceeds from the home tour and boutique are awarded to local non-profit organizations in Pacific Palisades. In the past five years, PPJWC has donated over $515,000 to both fire stations, public schools, Palisades Beautiful, Palisades Recreation Center and many other groups. The club invites all nonprofit groups serving the palisades community to participate in our grant application program. Please visit the Web site, www.PPJWC.com, or call for more information. Craftman Style Lives Anew in Huntington 341 Alma Real Drive In today’s fast-paced world, there’s something comforting about an architectural style that epitomizes home: the Craftsman. Introduced in the late 1800s, the Craftsman-style home is based on the bedrock virtues of beauty, simplicity, utility and organic harmony. This year’s home tour pays tribute to this style by showcasing 341 Alma Real Dr. Step into this home and immerse yourself in signature Craftsman design hallmarks: earthy, understated colors; natural building materials; and clean, simple lines. Home-tour visitors will experience the easy flow of spacious, light-filled rooms and can appreciate the copper and natural stone fireplaces–popular materials used during the Craftsman era. Accordion glass and wood doors that open to the backyard anchor most of the downstairs. “I love how open it is,’ says the homeowner. “One of my favorite things to do is to slide open the doors and feel the canyon breezes all through the house.” Walking outside into the spacious backyard, one is surrounded by breathtaking ocean and mountain vistas. Upstairs, one of the marquee features of this home is the master bedroom, which opens to a spectacular deck complete with an outdoor hot tub. Also on the second floor are three children’s rooms –all whimsically designed by the resident artist–Grandma! Beyond the storybook children’s rooms, the back stairs leads to the gourmet kitchen. Granite counter tops, custom cherry cabinets and the most up-to-date modern appliances complement the traditional Craftsman design elements. A hallway behind the kitchen leads downstairs to a basement wired for a front- or rear-projection home theater. Country Charmer by the Sea 16104 Northfield Situated on a prime corner lot in the El Medio bluffs, this traditional Cape Cod treasure embraces the street and immediately welcomes visitors with a stunning country fence, wrap-around porch and expansive grassy front lawn. Also, note the Tuscan- inspired classical porch columns, which add a touch of elegance, in contrast to the rustic chimney stone, all part of the master design by Santa Monica-based architect Eric Charles Parlee. Walk through a charming ivy-filled arched trellis before stepping inside the home. The formal dining room is highlighted by shallow coffered paneled ceilings to complement the wainscoting on the walls in the living areas. Walnut wood floors throughout the home provide a “beachy” feeling and emphasize the owners’ casual ‘shabby-chic’ style. The kitchen and great room are the heart of the house, with a layout that is well suited to handle lots of activity. Mosaic glass tiles, a mahogany center-island counter top, and a glass-fronted Sub-Zero refrigerator give the kitchen a professional cook’s polish. The elegant kitchen leads into a comfortable family room setting with a flat-screen TV. Doors leading outside from the great room open up to park-like grounds complemented by a covered entertaining area overlooking canyon views. Next, visitors may explore the upstairs, where the upper hall uses a gallery of windows and skylights to achieve a light-filled openness. Also, on the second floor is the owner’s home office/sitting area, where one can enjoy the warmth of the sunlight or gaze at the children playing outside on the front lawn. The master suite is defined by vaulted ceilings and sliding French doors that open to a deck overlooking the canyon views. Other design features in the home include the owner’s painting and lithograph by renowned artist Tom Everhart, the only artist authorized to artistically render the ‘Peanuts’ characters originated by Charles Schulz. Take in one last breath of the ocean air as you exit this country charmer home by the sea. Tuscan Elegance in the Riviera 1100 Napoli Dr. Although perched above the 18th hole of the world class Riviera golf course, this home echoes Italy’s Tuscan countryside more than a country-club estate. Built in 2003 and comprising 7,500 sq. ft., the home was designed to provide the ultimate in family living and entertaining. The interior design reflects the owner’s eclectic taste by synthesizing contrasting elements: formal yet casual, Western with hints of Eastern. The entry courtyard and gardens convey a sense of grandeur and elegance, with a beautiful selection of limestone pavers accentuated by custom wrought-iron doors. Lush landscaping accents the path past the fountain into this one-of-a-kind home. Once inside, both the formal dining room and the expansive living areas are highlighted by the owner’s collection of antique Turkish Oushak rugs and extensive art collection. The living room balcony beckons with a view of an infinity pool that blends seamlessly with the golf course backdrop. A meditation garden with a Buddha statue offers an opportunity to reflect upon the surroundings. Kitchens and great rooms have become the core of family life today, and this house is no exception. In the kitchen, distressed black-walnut floors and imported Italian granite counters maintain the home’s luxurious feel, while commercial appliances and custom hand-glazed cabinetry offer a sense of professional efficiency. The focus of the family wing is comfort and togetherness. The inviting furniture and flat-screen TV allows family members to unwind and enjoy each other’s company. A covered loggia area outside highlights the home’s indoor/outdoor feel along with its family-oriented plan. The rear staircase leads to the second level, where the master suite, children’s bedrooms and his and her offices are located. Floor-to-ceiling glass bathes the master bedroom in light, and the master bath is almost entirely made up golden Carrara marble. The children’s bedrooms, as well as their bathrooms, are themed to reflect the two boys’ personal interests. Returning downstairs, visitors are guided to an outside staircase leading to the inviting pool area and guest suite. The additional kitchen area is ideal for entertaining, while the guest quarters reflect a light, whimsical elegance. This is the perfect setting for another gorgeous Tuscan-style day in California.

Palisadian Mary Main, author of mystery novels featuring gutsy protagonists, profiles a real-life heroine–author Isabel Allende–in a new biography geared for middle-school-aged students. Written as part of a series of books profiling Latinos by Enslow Publishers, the biography traces Allende’s dramatic life story, one that is by turns as vivid and compelling as her fiction. The first chapter recounts how Allende came to write her acclaimed first novel ‘The House of the Spirits.’ Exiled from her native Chile and living in Venezuela, Allende learned that her beloved grandfather was gravely ill. It was 1981, and she was afraid to return to Chile for fear of imprisonment or worse at the hands of the military dictatorship. Instead, she began writing a series of letters to him filled with family stories. Elements of magic realism seeped into the work, with family truths mixing with creations of Allende’s imagination. The grandfather’s first love, a mysterious great-aunt who had died from poisoning, became the character Rosa the Beautiful, a woman with white skin, green hair, and golden eyes. Eventually, the letters took on the shape of a novel, one that became an international bestseller and catapulted Allende, who had spent 20 years as a journalist and playwright, into a new role as famed novelist. ‘She is an amazingly generous person in terms of giving interviews and sharing her life with people,’ says Main, who took advantage of all this material during her research. ‘I especially drew upon her book ‘Paula,’ she adds, noting how that novel, about Allende’s late daughter, is largely autobiographical. Allende has written nine novels including ‘The House of the Spirits,’ along with three memoirs and three children’s books. Her latest novel, ‘In’s of My Soul,’ is being published by Harper Collins this month. Main (known to readers of the Palisadian-Post as Mary Foote), is a member of the Mystery-Suspense chapter of Romance Writers of America and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. A UCLA-educated paralegal, she is an avid student of the law and the criminal justice system. Her first novel for young adults, ‘Tower of Evil,’ has sold over 100,000 copies. Main is eager to write more biographies, noting how it ‘helps with character development’ in her fiction. She and her husband, Bob Foote, a mortage broker on the Westside, have been married for 31 years. They have a daughter and two granddaughters, Jenna and Megan Disney, to whom Main dedicates her book. In addition to writing fiction and biographies, Main teaches creative writing, most recently for the after-school program at Carl Thorpe School. ‘Isabelle Allende’ is available at the Palisades Branch Library and at Village Books, 1049 Swathmore. Editor’s note: Isabel Allende will appear at the Skirball Cultural Center at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 28 as part of the ‘Writers Bloc’ series. She will share stories about her life and career and discuss her latest novel, ‘In’s of My Soul,’ a sweeping work of historical fiction that spans the 17th century from Spain to South America. Tickets are $20. Reservations: 335-0917 or visit www.writersblocpresents.com.

Palisades Charter High School students have the opportunity to study a new instrument this year: their voices. A choir program is up and running under the direction of Josh Elson, a 2006 graduate of Cal State Northridge with a master’s degree in choral conducting. With just two students on the first day of school, the choir elective has grown to about 45, split between two classes. ‘I was passing out flyers,’ recalls Elson, who did not hold auditions this year, so the students are not separated by talent. About one-quarter of the choir is male, and some students are new to organized singing. Senior Sean Kubota was playing guitar with another student when Elson recruited them to join the choir at the beginning of the year. ‘We had always wanted to do it, but we were afraid to,’ Kubota says. What made him join? ‘Mr. Elson’s nice,’ Kubota says, standing in the choir room after a recent class. ‘It’s comfortable here.’ PaliHi, which has an orchestra led by Terry Henderson, had a part-time choir teacher two years ago, but choir was not offered last year. Elson was drawn by the administration’s eagerness to build a program from the ground up. ‘It’s a school that was saying, ‘We want a choir program enough to hire someone when there’s not even a program here,” says Elson, who is working towards his teaching credential. ‘I think we know deep-down that music is important. We believe that music can contribute to a student’s overall growth.’ Elson, who attended Crescenta Valley High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in choral conducting from Chapman University in 1997, sings and plays piano and guitar. His own high school music teacher, Shirley Knut, inspired him to go into teaching. ‘She changed my life. She was maybe the most influential person during my high school years,’ Elson says, recalling his days as a freshman member of the men’s glee club. ‘She was this tiny, 5’2” woman, but the seniors with headbands and Metallica shirts respected her so much. Not only did she help me realize the kind of musician I wanted to be but the kind of person. She had high expectations, but they were realistic. We [in the glee club] were striving to be better than we thought we could be.’ Following his high school graduation, Elson traveled for a year with Up with People, performing in variety shows and doing community service in 25 states and six countries. When he returned to the United States, he worked as the music and youth director at First Christian Church of Concord in northern California for five years. In 2002, Elson moved to New York City for a year ‘just to have a new experience,’ and taught violence prevention and communication skills to public school students. ‘I always felt like an outsider in New York, but I love it,’ says Elson, a Connecticut native whose family moved to California when he was 5. In fact, during his year in New York, Elson met his future wife, a California native with a degree in musical theater. Together, they moved back to Los Angeles, and she currently teaches first grade at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks. Elson enjoys working with high school students because ‘I think this is the time when they really start to understand what they can do, how to make musical decisions rather than just always doing what the teacher says.’ The choir is currently rehearsing for its winter concert, which will be held in conjunction with the orchestral program on December 13. The choir will perform Christmas and Hanukkah songs as well as the popular ‘Seasons of Love’ from ‘Rent.’ During a rehearsal last Thursday, Elson stood at the piano, playing parts of the songs while students practiced singing. When their energy began to lag, he imitated their sluggish body movements, which garnered a laugh, and then showed them how to put ‘energy and style’ into their performance by swaying to the rhythm of the music. In a previous rehearsal, when they were practicing ‘Deck the Halls,’ Elson says they got into a discussion about ‘what it means to sing it as if you mean it even if you don’t.’ ‘I’m always trying to find ways to get across the strands of connection, to make a piece of music come alive for the students,’ he says. Sometimes, this means teaching them about how Ella Fitzgerald influenced contemporary R&B singer/songwriter Beyonc’. Elson also believes that students respond well to high expectations. ‘I think they want to be challenged,’ he says. ‘I introduced them to a piece by Palestrina, a Renaissance composer, and then sort of backed off because I thought it was too ambitious, but a couple of students later asked me when we’re going to go back to it.’ At this stage, Elson is focusing on teaching them the basics of music, working on vocal range, control and breathing, and ‘getting them to sing out, to share their voices.’ He is also teaching them about classical music and how to sight-read. ‘It’s fun finally having a choir that feels like it’s going to stay,’ says senior Kylee Norfleet. About Elson, she says, ‘He’s passionate, and it’s infectious.’ In addition to the two choir classes, which meet for an hour and 40 minutes two to three times a week, Elson also teaches a ‘music pod’ for freshmen, which he describes as a world music class, connected to the world cultures and English classes. He recently taught students in his ‘music pod’ about jazz, which is influenced by African and Western classical music, while they were reading ‘A Raisin in the Sun.’ Elson eventually would like to create a jazz choir but, for now, plans to build participation in the existing choir. ‘I can’t imagine that we couldn’t have 10 percent of the student population involved,’ he says. ‘I think that’s feasible.’ The school currently has about 2,700 students. He anticipates that the choir will be active in the Palisades community, performing at local venues. ‘It’s a great way for us, as a school, to have bonds with the community.’ Elson also plans to build a music library that will include composers from Mozart and Schubert to Benjamin Britten.

Palisades resident Michael S. Sitrick, chairman and chief executive officer of Sitrick And Company, the highly regarded ‘spinmeister’ of the media, will kick off a new monthly speaker series at 8:30 p.m., November 10 at Kehillat Israel. Convening on the second Friday of the month, the series will feature adult-themed evenings designed to stimulate thought and conversation. Sitrick, a nationally recognized expert in the strategic use of communications, has provided advice and counsel to more than 500 companies, including some of the nation’s largest corporations and some of the nation’s highest profile individuals–both on routine and extremely sensitive matters. He has lectured on public relations and crisis management before numerous professional groups and forums and is author of the critically acclaimed book, ‘Spin–How to Turn the Power of the Press to Your Advantage.’ The coming speakers are diverse and promise a satisfying evening. On December 8 the congregation’s cantor Chayim Frenkel will talk and sing about his life and will feature Jewish standards. Marlene Canter, LAUSD Board President, will address participants on January 12, speaking about the current status of education and politics within the L.A. Unified School District. February 9 will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author Howard Rosenberg. He will share his inside information on the machinations behind network programming and the role of television in changing social mores. March 9 will feature internationally renowned a capella choir, Pizmon, with members from Columbia University, Barnard College, and Jewish Theological Seminary of New York, singing a warming and invigorating program of Jewish folk music and traditional Jewish liturgy. April 13 hosts writer/researcher Sara Moskovitz, author of ‘Screaming The Truth,’ the translated hidden poetry of the Ringelblum Archive, Yiddish poetry buried in milk cans and tins by desperate Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto. Concluding the inaugural Kehillat Israel’s speaker series on May 13, the authors of ‘Literacy and Longing in L.A.,’ Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack will share delicious tidbits from their recent bestseller. For more information, contact Kehillat Israel at 459-2328 or Joy Kravitz at joyksm@yahoo.com.