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Cynthia Lee Fine, 47; Multimedia Professional

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Pacific Palisades resident Cynthia Lee Fine, a beloved daughter, sister, mother and wife, succumbed after a lengthy but noble battle against breast cancer on March 28. She was 47. A deeply faithful woman of unending grace and love, Cynthia inspired all who knew her. She was at peace at the time of her death. Born on December 7, 1958 in Vermillion, South Dakota, Cynthia grew up in San Diego. She majored in political science at UC Santa Barbara, and completed her senior year in the UC Abroad program at the University of Grenoble in France. After college, she worked at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich/Holt in educational publishing, developing interactive teaching books that used floppy discs and video. Her husband-to-be Mark Fine, who was then a senior record executive at Polygram, hired her as a producer to build multimedia CDs for Philips Interactive Media. “She was a competent producer, technologically savvy and very impressive,” Mark says. The couple were married on September 7, 1991. When Mark moved to New York to head up special markets for the Polygram Group, Cynthia was hired by Ogilvy & Mather to develop interactive TV. After several years, the couple returned to Los Angeles and bought a house in Pacific Palisades in 1992. She worked for Musictonic, Inc. from 2000 until her passing. A devoted mother, Cynthia found that her greatest joy was raising her boys, Nicholas (12) and Derek (8), both of whom attend Berkeley Hall School. Cynthia was on the school’s board of trustees until her health declined. Married for 15 years, Cynthia created with Mark a quiet and loving home centered on their family. Outside, in nature, Cynthia was fearless and indomitable, excelling at skiing and rollerblading. In addition to her boys and husband, Cynthia is survived by her loving parents, Walter and Shirlee Mizer, and her sister Sheri Miller. Her memorial service was held April 2. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Cynthia’s name to Berkeley Hall School, 16000 Mulholland Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90049.

Board Approves Pool Designers

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On March 21, the Palisades High board of directors unanimously approved the hire of Aquatic Design Group to design the school’s on-campus aquatic facility, a $2.4-million project expected to take four years. After weeks of research and consulting, PaliHi swim coach Maggie Nance, along with pool committee member Jim Bailey, recommended ADG to the Board for its reputation in building state-of-the-art pools throughout the country. “We could not find a record of any place that registered a complaint about a pool that ADG designed,” Bailey said. “Their track record speaks for itself.” ADG has already started drawing up plans and is expected to have initial sketches done next week. In the meantime, Nance is in the process of looking for a grant writer for the proposed project–an outdoor pool consisting of between eight to 10 lanes located near the PaliHi gymnasium. Nance, PaliHi’s head swim coach for three years, flew to USA Swimming headquarters in Colorado Springs on Wednesday to attend a pool-building conference. Nance said that choosing a construction company is still a year to a year and a half away.

Locals Lead Sunshine Club In Junior Olympics Qualifier

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Five Palisadians led the Sunshine Volleyball Club’s 12-and-under team to victory at a Junior Olympic Qualifying tournament last weekend at Artesia High in Lakewood. The first-place finish ensured the team a spot at the Junior Olympics, held this year from June 28 to July 5 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. A trio of Corpus Christi students was instrumental in the squad’s march to the championship. Outside hitters Christine Irvin and Lanti Moie-McLaren and middle blocker Lauren Waters all contributed in Sunshine’s narrow semifinal victory over Los Gatos Vision. Also playing key roles in the team’s success throughout the tournament were local defensive specialists Madison McAndrews (St. Paul) and Kate Sommer (Lighthouse Christian). The team went on to sweep Bakersfield Kern River 25-11, 25-10 in the finals. Under the leadership of head coach Stephanie Wigfall, Sunshine fell behind Vision 9-1 in the third and decisive game before Skylar Dykstra took over the serve and won five consecutive points to pull Sunshine within 9-6. Then, one point away from defeat, Irvin reeled off nine consecutive points on serve to give Sunshine a 16-14 victory. Rounding out the team were twins Lauren and Manon Fuller, Maddy Klineman, Rachel Vetter and Grayce Campbell. Sunshine’s 13s Crimson squad finished third, the 14s Gold squad and 14s Platinum squads were third and the 16s squad finished fifth.

Lacrosse Nets Wins

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Palisades High’s varsity boys’ lacrosse squad beat Beverly Hills, 12-11, on Monday and the junior varsity followed with a 2-1 victory. Palisades took a 1-0 lead only to see Beverly Hills come back to score three unanswered goals. The game was tied 6-6 at halftime but the Dolphins took an 11-8 lead into the final quarter. Sophomore Riley Gitlin scored four goals, while fellow 10th-grader Eric Rosen and junior co-captain Josh Packer each added three. David Lee and Sudsy Dyke rounded out the scoring for Pali. Goalie Jafet Santiago made nine saves in his first start. In its previous game last Thursday, Pali’s varsity beat NJC 15-9 in Woodland Hills. Gitlin had six goals and three assists, Josh Packer had three goals and one assist, Travis DeZarn and David Lee each scored two goals and Sudsy Dyke and Rusty Miller scored one apiece. Sophomore goalie Jesse Poller made 12 saves. Baseball The Dolphins improved to 4-0 in Western League play with a 9-3 win over Hamilton last Thursday at George Robert Field. Andy Megee went two for three with a double and Tim Sunderland hit a solo home run in the fourth inning for the Dolphins. Right-hander Seri Kattan-Wright (2-0) recovered from a bases-loaded jam in the first inning to allow just two hits with five strikeouts in five innings. Softball The Dolphins defeated host Hamilton 11-5 last Thursday as Stephanie Torres went four for four with two triples and three RBIs and Emily Noel (4-2) pitched a seven-hitter with 10 strikeouts. In a nonleague game at Garfield last Friday, Palisades lost 9-4. Krystal Mitchell pitched a nine-hitter with four strikeouts for the Dolphins, whose home opener against University was rained out Monday. Swimming The Dolphins swept all four divisions (frosh/soph boys and girls and varsity boys and girls) against Crenshaw Monday at Temescal pool to remain undefeated in the newly-realigned Western League. At the varsity level, Palisades took first place in every event, including relays. Boys Tennis In a matchup of unbeaten teams, the Dolphins moved into sole possession of first place in the Western League with a 5-2 victory at Venice. Senior Ben Tom won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles while Stephen Surjue paired with Sepehr Safii to sweep at No. 1 doubles for Palisades (8-0, 5-0). Boys Volleyball Palisades posted its second victory of the season over Fairfax on Monday, winning 25-19, 25-18, 24-26, 25-16.

Running Down a Dream

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Fraser Robertson enjoys a training run in the hills above his home in the Palisades Highlands while preparing for the Marathon des Sables in Morocco.
Fraser Robertson enjoys a training run in the hills above his home in the Palisades Highlands while preparing for the Marathon des Sables in Morocco.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

If running 145 miles in seven days sounds hard enough, try doing it over rugged terrain in the face of 50-mile-per hour winds and with a 40-pound pack strapped to your back. That is the daunting task facing Palisadian Fraser Robertson on Sunday when he will be one of 600 people worldwide attempting to survive the 21st annual Darbaroud through the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Also called the Marathon des Sables (“Marathon of the Sand”), the Darbaroud is the runners’ equivalent to the Tour de France and it is not known as the toughest foot race in the world for nothing. Even elite athletes might consider the Darbaroud too dangerous an endeavor, but its degree of difficulty is precisely what motivated Robertson to give it a try when he first heard about the event several years ago. “I’m 50 years old so I figure if I’m going to do this sort of thing, now’s the time,” he says in a cheerful Scottish accent. “I have no illusions about winning–I just want to finish. But I think I’ll do okay in my age group.” Robertson loves to run in the hills above his home in the Highlands and along the beach at Will Rogers. He completed the Los Angeles Marathon two years ago and the Nairobi Marathon last year, but knowing specialized training would be needed for the Darbaroud he enlisted the help of the only American ever to win the race–Lisa Smith-Batchen, who won in 1999 and is participating again this year along with her husband Jay. “Lisa has been sort of like my online coach,” Robertson says of Smith-Batchen, who lives in Idaho. “We communicate via e-mail. She gives advice over the internet on how to train, what to eat, what to wear and what I’ll need to bring with me. I’ve typically been running about four and a half hours on Saturdays and another three and a half hours on Sundays.” Like the Tour de France, the Darbaroud is contested in stages. There are six stages over the seven days, with the first three daily stages set around 20 miles each. The fourth stage is around 50 miles; the fifth stage is always a full marathon of 26.2 miles, and the sixth (and last) stage is from 9-12 miles. While it is possible to power-walk the entire race, Robertson is expecting to run most of the race. “I’m hoping the workouts I get running up Michael Lane and down Paseo Miramar will serve me well,” says Fraser, who garners all of the spiritual support he needs from his wife Sarah and their children Daisy, 3, and Jamie, 2. “It’s a real advantage living in the Palisades and having so many great places to run that are in close proximity.” The Darbaroud’s terrain is not all giant sand dunes. In fact, most of the course is run over salt flats, dried up river beds, rocky desert plains and ancient, dried up lakes. Drastic changes in climate make the week-long journey even more perilous, as temperatures can rise as high as 125 degrees during the day and drop as low as 38 degrees at night. “We have to carry freeze-dried food, 11 liters of water a day, a snake-bite kit, flares, a compass, toilet paper, all of our clothes, sleeping bags… you name it,” says Robertson, who was born in Scotland and now owns a marketing/real estate business at Sunset and Pacific Coast Highway. “I have a lot of unique equipment I got just for this, like odor-free shirts and custom-made gated shoes that keeps sand out.” Although anyone can apply, only so many runners are allowed every year. Each country is allocated only a certain number of spots. Robertson signed up through Dreamchasers Outdoor Adventure Club–the race’s official representative for the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This year’s race will begin near the remote town of Ouarzazate, Morocco. “I’m in pretty good shape and I’m really looking forward to it,” Robertson says of his first Darbaroud. “And I’m looking forward to a nice long rest when I get back.”

Gambill Is New Young Adult Librarian at Palisades Branch

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By DIVYA SUBRAHMANYAM Palisadian-Post Intern Henry Gambill, a local resident, started working in his new job as the new Young Adult Librarian at the Palisades Branch three weeks ago. Gambill, whose full name is William Henry Gambill, grew up in the Palisades and attended Corpus Christi, Loyola High School, and then Pepperdine University for his undergraduate and master’s degrees in English. He is a first-time librarian, having taught freshman English, among other courses, at Pepperdine for 13 years. About seven years ago, he decided he wanted a career change. “I think most people understand’you start wondering if this is what you really want to do,” he said. “Being a librarian seemed like something fun. I’d always loved libraries.” Gambill received his master’s of library information science from San Jose State University in 2001. The two-year program taught, in essence, the organization of information. “I was very intrigued by this, because the field has changed dramatically with the Internet,” he said. “I was interested in how you organize and access information on the Web, do research, and deal with copyrights.” Around the same time, his alma mater was renovating the Pepperdine library, so he was hired to help and advise there until its completion. After that, he said, “it was time to move on.” The application process to enter the Los Angeles Public Library system, which does not allow prospective employees to apply for a particular branch, was extensive and included several stages. He received his first interview in October, earning a high enough score to grant him a second one in January. While he was waiting to find out if he got the job, Gambill was worried about where he might be stationed. “You don’t know where you’re going to end up’I could have been placed as far away as Chinatown,” he said. “I was very fortunate to land here.” He has spent the last few weeks on what he calls “step one” of his learning to be the YA librarian. “What you learn in school is philosophy and theory, not really how to step into the library and learn the procedures, how to catalog, how to order books.” “Step two,” which began this week, involves researching programs and the types of events available for him to hold at the library. He is also looking to reinstate the Teen Council, which disbanded when previous YA librarian Brad Allen left in the winter of 2005. On his second day, Gambill was sent to a bimonthly book-ordering session, at which YA librarians meet at the Central Library to look over the lists of materials. “During the period where there was no YA librarian, [senior librarian Janet Gast] ordered a lot of great nonfiction and classics,” he explained. “So I chose a really good representation of young adult fiction. I also noticed holes in our music section, and ordered some new CDs.” The new material, which will arrive shortly, includes books by popular teen authors, such as Meg Cabot, and music by Elliott Smith and the Black-Eyed Peas. Gambill’s own tastes, however, are different. He particularly enjoys mysteries and nonfiction, especially in the field of diversity issues and the history of U.S. immigration. His time as the YA librarian has even introduced him to a new style of popular fiction: manga, or Japanese graphic novels. “It’s a total pleasure to find a new genre you’ve never heard about, like manga, which is really fun and interesting and provoking and sometimes outrageous,” he said. As a Palisades native, Gambill has a unique perspective on the library: once a patron of the old library, he is now a staff member in the new structure. “I basically learned to read at the Palisades library, and the old library had a lot of fond memories for me,” he said. “It’s definitely weird being on the other side of the desk, but it’s been a full cycle, and I’m still learning.”

CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE MARCH 30, 2006 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

INCREDIBLE WATERFRONT HOME, Kitsap County, WA. 2,300 sq ft custom 4 bdrm, 2.5 ba. 96 ft. low bank. Only $599,500! Owner/agent, (360) 265-3652. Janellis16@hotmail.com

HOMES WANTED 1b

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

HOME EXCHANGE 1c

CHARMING GARDEN APT. IN HAMPSTEAD, LONDON. Offer to swap for August to visit our Palisades based family. Would consider also offering one week in our large villa with pool in Italy. London apt. is big enough for family of 4 or 5. 1 master bdrm, kids room w/ bunk bed and one more small single bdrm. 2 ba and lg fenced garden. Contact by email: kwolman@blueyonder.co.uk

FURNISHED HOMES 2

FURNISHED CHARMING HOUSE near bluffs. 2+ den. Fireplace, garden, hardwood floors. Available short term. $5,000/mo.+security. Call (310) 459-0765 FURNISHED CHARMING COTTAGE close to village and bluffs. 1+1, fplc, garden, quiet. Available short term. $2,700/mo.+security. (310) 459-0765

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

WALK TO VILLAGE. Fabulous condominium. 2+2, formal dining, oversized patios, hardwood floors, pool. $3,200/mo. (310) 454-7340 or (310) 804-5612 VILLAGE 1 BDRM APT. 85512 Via de la Paz. $1,515/mo. References, security dep. Avail 30th April or before. (310) 454-4668 1 BDRM, 1 BA MOBILE HOME at the beach. Yard, patio, sundeck, ocean view. $1,650/mo. No smoking. No pets. Call (310) 459-8538, cell (310) 895-0537 2 BD, 1 BA, CHARMING, quiet. Hardwd fl, w/d, microwave, dishwasher, Jacuzzi tub, large priv yard, pets ok. Walk to village. 853 Haverford Ave. $2,660/mo. (310) 454-4599 SMALL OCEAN VIEW. Guesthouse, private, gated, tropical gardens near old Getty villa. No pets, no smoking. $1,250/mo. Ready now. (310) 459-1983

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

FURNISHED/UNFURNISHED Master bdrm, bath in Palisades home. 2 double closets & sunny. Use of kitchen, laundry, yard. Close to trails. $840/mo. (310) 454-8520

WANTED TO RENT 3b

SEEKING A LONG TERM housesitting arrangement. 53-yr-old widow. SMC RN student without children/ pets. Desires a quiet environment. N/S. Call anytime. C.R., (310) 548-0626, (310) 621-7781 RECENT LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE looking in Palisades area for an apartment or guest house to rent. Clean, responsible, friendly with excellent employment. Non-smoker. Loves pets, children, life. Handy with tools. Able to house/ pet/babysit. Call Michael, (312) 375-5622 FIREFIGHTER IN PALISADES area looking for guesthouse/private rm to rent. Excellent credit, clean, non-smoking, handy w/ tools, loves dogs, able to housesit or maintain large property. Mike, (805) 907-0579

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

LARGE CORNER OFFICE 320 sq. ft. in Palisades village. 15135 Sunset. Second floor, $1,370/mo. (310) 454-0840 or (310) 600-3603

VACATION RENTALS 3e

PRIVATE FURN APARTMENT IN PARIS. Services available. 24-hour hotline. Starting at $75 a night for 2 persons (studios to 4 bedrooms). Privacy, economy, convenience as you live like a Parisian. 5 day minimum. Established in 1985. PSR 90, Ave Champs-Elysees. PSR, Inc. (312) 587-7707. Fax (800) 582-7274. Web address: www.psrparis.com. Email: Reservations@psrparis.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

I’M THE CEO of my life. Are You? Executive Pay Without Executive Stress! (800) 841-8702 FreedomMyWay.com

LOST & FOUND 6a

$500 REWARD! LOST: BLACK DOGS, lost February 2nd. Escaped from backyard De Pauw St. near Swarthmore. “DRAKE” 11 years old, pit bull/lab mix, white chest, very people friendly. “Stella” 8.5 years, lab mix black retriever. CALL (310) 740-5849 LOST: BEAUTIFUL diamond stud earring (one of a pair) on Temescal Canyon (street from PCH to Sunset. Dear to my heart. If found, call (310) 980-6071

PERSONALS 6b

MAH JONGG PLAYERS WANTED for a regular WEEKLY game. Also looking for couples or individuals for a monthly poker game. Lorraine, (310) 459-0166

MISCELLANEOUS 6c

SEMPER FI TO BE ALWAYS FAITHFUL. US Marines code of honor. A class by Ray Nasser, US Marine. CA cred teacher. 16321 PCH #63, Pacific Palisades. (310) 454-7432

COMPUTER SERVICES 7c

PUT YOUR COMPUTER TO WORK – HOME & BUSINESS SURVEILLANCE-Featuring: PC Based Solutions to View your Property Remotely – Live Viewing from Internet & Wireless Handhelds! – FRANKEL CONSULTING – (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 COMPUTER CONSULTANT, MAC SPECIALIST. Very Patient, Friendly and Affordable. Tutoring Beginners to Advanced Users. Wireless DSL internet. MAC/PC SET UP – Repair – Upgrade – OS X. Senior discounts! Home/Office. William Moorefield, (310) 838-2254. macitwork.com QUICKBOOKS-GET ORGANIZED – Set-up, Data Entry, Reporting, Tax Preparation. Palisades Resident. Doris, (310) 913-2753 FREE YOURSELF FROM THE OFFICE! Want to work from home or anywhere you want? Got a Virus? The Mobile Office Professional CAN HELP! Call QTutors, (602) 625-3381 TAX PREPARATION / ACCOUNTING – Tax Services: Tax Extensions, Lacerte Software – Individual, Partnership, Corp, Trust & Estate – Retail, Wholesale, Entertainment Business – Bookkeeping/Quickbooks. SILVERMAN CO., (310) 454-5822. Palisades Resident

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

PUTTING IT TOGETHER 25+ years organizing. Organize: home office, file system setup, finances, kitchen, bedroom, closet, garage, etc. Clear the path to enjoy life. (323) 580-4556 PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, ORGANIZATION & BOOKKEEPING. Superior services provided with discretion and understanding. Local references. Call Sarah, (310) 573-9263

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

HOME HELP! I would love to help you organize kids, errands, pets, cook, office help. 20 years experience. Excellent local references. Call Ruth, (310) 429-2459 NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER EXPERIENCED, good references, speaks English available 5 days and weekends. Please call cell, (323) 490-5750, or home anytime, (323) 750-3874 BABTSITTER, RESPONSIBLE 27-year-old female available weekday evenings and weekends. $15/hr. (310) 779-9630

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 OR BABYSITTER available now Monday-Friday. Experienced. Local references. Own car. Please call Imelda or Carolina, (323) 752-5244 EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER AVAIL weekdays Mon.-Fri. Expert cleaning, laundry, errands, English-speaking, own transportation, trustworthy. Pacific Palisades & Malibu refs. Roxanne, (323) 293-4917 EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE 3 days/week, Tues. Thurs. & Sat. Speak English. I have my own transportation. Good references. Please call Adelina at (323) 737-7158 or (323) 527-4538 HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER wanting to work immediately. M-F Own transportation references. Please call Yenis, (213) 385-5074 HOUSEKEEPER, EXPERIENCE, good references. Available 7 days a week. Has own transportation. Speaks English & Spanish. Call anytime, (323) 564-8928 HOUSEKEEPER 18 YEARS EXPERIENCE. Excellent references. Own transportation. Available Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Call Aida, (323) 735-7603 HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Excellent references. Has car, English, U.S. citizen. Call Silvia. (323) 422-9017 HOUSECLEANER AVAILABLE on Monday and Fridays only. Own transportation, local references. Please call Marisa, h (323) 232-7668, or cell, (323) 687-8816 HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Thursdays and every other Friday afternoon. Own transportation. Excellent references. I want to work for you. Call Carol, (323) 299-1797 HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER to live out available now M-F or live in 2 or 3 days a week. References. Call Dora, (213) 924-6534

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) 692-3692 EXPERIENCED COMPANION/CAREGIVER Live-in 24/7. Capable of light housework, meal preparation and drive. References available. Call Precious at (323) 404-5043. Email preciosazgarcia@yahoo.com

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 TREE AND LANDSCAPE EXPERT. Horticulturist, arborist, landscape manager/designer. Tree diagnosis, trimming, removal, appraisal/donation for tax deduction. Lawn diagnosis, repair. Sprinklers, drip systems. Expert maintenance. Greenhouse/veggie/herb gardens Comprehensive plant & landscape consulting. Darren Butler, (818) 271-0963 POND CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN: Water gardening. Japanese Koi fish. Filtration pond service, repair & maintence. Free estimates. Cell, (310) 498-5380, (310) 390-1276. Visit us at www.TheKingKoi.com

MOVING & HAULING 11b

HONEST MAN SERVICES. 14″ van & dollies. Small jobs to 2 bedrooms. Hauls it all. California/Nevada. Over 12 years. Westside experience. (310) 285-8688

HEALING ARTS 12

HEAL YOUR LIFE at the DNA Cellular Level. Transform yourself with caring, compassionate spiritual counseling. Gain clarity about root causes of your painful issues, with help from an experienced intuitive who knows how to walk you through the shadows and into the Light. Begin changing your life NOW. Contact: Selacia, (310) 915-2884, Selacia@Selacia.com, www.Selacia.com

WINDOW WASHING 13h

NO STREAK WINDOW cleaning service. Fast & friendly. Quality service you can count on. Free estimates. Lic. # 122194-49. Pressure washing available. Please call (323) 632-7207 EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER 20 years Westside. Clean and detailed. Free estimates, sills and screens included. Up to two stories only. Brian, (310) 289-5279

MISCELLANEOUS 13i

PRESSURE WASHING. Driveways, patios, walk-ways, garages, dirt, oil, rust, paint and moss removal. Concrete, brick, natural stone. Clear and colored-stain sealer. Craig, (310) 459-9000

PERSONAL SERVICES 14f

DO YOU HAVE MEDICARE? I can find the best and least expensive Medicare Part D prescription plan for you. Private and confidential. (Save $$-join by 5/15). Paula, (310) 454-8694

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

BE HAPPY TO COME HOME! Trusted house/pet care in & around Palisades since 1986. Educated, responsible. (310) 454-8081 PET HEAVEN – TOTAL PET CARE – Training. Walking. Play groups. Does your dog need manners? Call (310) 454-0058 for a happy dog.

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

VIOLIN INSTRUCTION. Expert friendly guidance at all levels by highly qualified teacher. Home or studio. Teaching in Palisades 20 years. Laurence Homolka, (310) 459-0500 PIANO INSTRUCTION. Give your child the life-long gift of music! Patient, creative teacher, specializing in children. Music degree, USC. Qualified, experienced, local. Lisa Lukas, (310) 454-0859 STUDY SAX WITH A PRO! Your home or my studio. All levels, 9 years old and up. Twelve years on the Westside. Jim Thompson, (310) 581-1916

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 grade levels, conversational & all ages. Local refs, flexible hours. Please call Noelle at (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 & AP). In-home tutoring at great rates. Call Jonathan, (310) 560-9134 SPANISH TUTOR, CERTIFIED TEACHER for all levels. Has finest education, qualifications and experience. Palisades resident. Many good references. Amazing system. Affordable rates. Marietta, (310) 459-8180 PIANO TEACHER IN PACIFIC PALISADES! 20 years experience. I teach in your home. Great with children and adults returning to the piano. Call Karen Rae, (310) 383-0200 MATH & SCIENCE TUTOR Middle school-college level. BS LAUSD credentialed high school teacher. Test Prep. Flexible hours. AVAILABLE to help NOW! Seth Freedman, (310) 909-3049 COMPUTER LESSONS. Working on an assignment for school or work, but need help? From the Basics to Web Design to Viruses, WE CAN HELP! Call QTutors, (602) 625-3381 CLEARLY MATH TUTORING. Specializing in math! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, indivdualized tutoring. Math anxiety. Call Jamie, (310) 459-4722 CAN SCORE OVER 650 on June SAT Math, if commit to 8 weeks of tutoring, 5 hours per week, homework practice tests. Please, only dedicated students eager to work hard. Hubert, (310) 573-7088

CABINET MAKING 16

CUSTOM CARPENTRY – Entertainment Units – Cabinets – Libraries – Bars – Wall Units – Custom Kitchens – Remodeling – Designed to your Specifications – Free Estimates – CA Lic. #564263 – (310) 823-8523 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

CARPENTRY 16a

QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP! Doors, windows, skylights, decks, drywall, kitchen, baths, etc. Non-lic. (310) 428-3822

CONCRETE, MASONRY 16c

MASONRY & CONCRETE CONTRACTOR. 36 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES. Custom masonry & concrete, stamped, driveways, pool, 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 PALISADES CONSTRUCTION SERVICES. KEVIN B. NUNNELEY. (310) 454-5029. Local References Avail. Lic. #375858

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

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, Since 1975. Call for your free est. Local ref. Lic. #560299. Member, Chamber of Commerce. 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 HANDYMAN SERVICES. No job too small. 10 years experience in the Palisades. Please call (310) 454-3838 for prompt, friendly service. Not licensed. PETERPAN – Quality home repair. Serving entire Westside. (Not lic.) Ask for Peter, (310) 663-3633 AVALON ESTATE MAINTENANCE. Specializing in all aspects of home repair. Reasonable rates. Refs available. Prompt service. Non-lic. Call Dustin, (310) 924-2711

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 QUALITY PAINTING PLUS: Free estimates. Family owned and operated for three generations. Serving southern California since 1979. Interior/exterior, residential/commercial. Only high grade materials applied. Lic. #698939. James Welsh, (310) 663-3914

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

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 BASIX DESIGNS & REMODELING, INC. WE DO IT ALL – Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling Specialist – Room Additions – Interior/Exterior Paint – Windows/Doors – Custom Carpentry – Plumbing – Electrical – Call For Free Estimate – Toll Free: (877) 422-2749 – Lic. #769443

HELP WANTED 17

DRIVERS, ARE YOU GETTING GREAT PAY? Are you living the lifestyle you deserve? If not, call WERNER today! (800) 346-2818, ext 123 PATROL OFFICER, ARMED, P/T or F/T. Great benefits, high pay. CA BSIS permit and CA POST cert. required. Call today, (310) 454-7741 or email patrol@gatessecurity.com AAA HOME INCOME. 23 people needed NOW. Earn PT/FT income. Apply online to get started: www.wahusa.com FULL-TIME BOOKKEEPER FOR the Malibu Times newspaper. Become part of our account team. Experienced. Proficent in Quickbooks, Word, Excel. Detail oriented, organized with excellent people skills. Fax resume with salary history to Janice, (310) 456-8986 PART TIME NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER. Must speak English and drive. Great with kids. Flexible hours. Wed., Thurs., Fri. Call (310) 387-7722 LOOKING FOR LIVE-IN HOUSEKEEPER/NANNY. Tuesday thru Saturday, or Monday thru Friday. Must have experience with children, cleaning. References please. (310) 573-3663 PERSONAL ASSISTANT/CHILDCARE provider needed for 7 year old girl, 10 year old boy, afternoons. Additional hours as necessary. Rebeccalobl@earthlink.net. YMCA/SUMMER DAY CAMP OPPORTUNITIES! We need Camp Directors, Counselors, an Art Director, Hiking and Nature Director to closely supervise and educate the children in the summer camp program, by maintaining a safe and stimulating environment. Each employee is responsible for planning programs for their group of campers and coordinating their programs within the camp. QUALIFICATIONS: High school diploma, GED, or further education. Experience working with children is preferred but not required. CPR and First Aid Certification. Flexibility and ability to adjust to varying situations. Creativeness, patience, understanding, co-operation, and common sense. www.YMCALA.org/PM. Jason Forman, (310) 454-5591 OFFICE MANAGER, GOOD CUSTOMER service skills. Computer literate for new physical rehabilitation clinic. Fax resume: (310) 454-5049 LEAD GUITAR PLAYER WANTED: Looking for mature and accomplished lead guitar player (40+ yr old) to play with local Palisades band (The Garden Weasels) specializing in ’60s and ’70s music. We play occasional gigs, parties, clubs, etc about one gig every two or three months. Together 15 years. Mainly to have fun, money is not major factor. Practice locally in Palisades at homes of band members. Beatles, Eagles, Clapton, Doobies. We do lots of vocals, but we need a lead player. Ours just moved to Phoenix under suspicious circumstances. Call Len, (310) 459-5243, or Don, (310) 459-3170 HOUSEKEEPER/NANNY needed part-time short term. Available immediately to Santa Monica Family. Drive own car, speak English. Call Claudette, (310) 451-8723 SUBTLETONES LOOKING FOR PART TIME and FULL TIME employees in all of our locations, Santa Monica, Palm Desert, Newport Beach. Please contact Janna at Santa Monica store, (310) 576-0504, or email janna@subtletones.com DRIVERS: $1,000 BONUS! Just for hauling your FIRST flatbed load. Call WERNER ENTERPRISES for this and more! (800) 346-2818 ext. 136 NEEDED: WOMAN OR COUPLE for help with partially handicapped young lady, housework. 8 hours per day in Malibu/Pt. Dume area. Live-in or out. English-speaking. Drive car w/ license. Prefer no children, no pets. Call (310) 457-3393 and ask for Madora. NANNY NEEDED. PALISADES family with two children needs 20 hours a week; after school 2:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. or later nightly. Must drive and speak pretty good English. Need a lot of errands run. Please call (310) 874-1084 AFTER SCHOOL HELP WANTED. Two days/week, pick-up children from school, help with homework and dinner, approx 12 hrs/wk. Great driving record required. Ruthanne, (310) 230-4035 LIVE-IN HOUSEKEEPER, must be legal and pay taxes. Some childcare. English speaking. Light cooking. Driving a plus. In the Highlands. Call (310) 694-4979

AUTOS 18b

CASH FOR CARS $$ Foreign or domestic. Running or not. Friendly professional buyer. We come to you & handle all paperwork. Local references. Please call (310) 995-5898 1994 FORD EXPLORER SPORT 4×4, 2 door hunter green. Alloy wheels w/ BFGAT’s. Brand new master cylinder and brakes. 125,000 miles good condition. $3,200 obo. GREAT CAR! (310) 576-0622 1998 VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY V70, AWD, Black, Sportswagon pkg, loaded, blk lthr htd seats, 3rd seat, 85K mi. Clean. $9,500 obo. (310) 892-6707

FURNITURE 18c

COMPLETE APPLIANCE PACKAGE, Slightly used (Fridge, range, microw, dishw, W/D), white, $1,500. Eclectic pine furniture. (310) 454-0846 BEAUTIFUL NEW & NEAR NEW office furniture for sale. Oak desks, file cabinets. Executive chairs, more. See Joy or Chris at the Methodist Church. 801 Via de la Paz. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (310) 454-5529 2 TWIN BDS, SLEIGH style w/ wood & iron, mattresses incl, good cond, med brown, $995. 2 matching bedside tables, grt cond, $250/pair. Matching bunk beds, desk w/ hutch, 2 side tables, light wood, grt cond, mattresses incl, $1,500. Pine hutch, grt cond, $750. (310) 230-9947 3 PIECE BEDROOM SET painted for Disney TV decorating show in “Toy Story” theme. Our little Buzz Lightyear has grown up! Twin trundle bed with mattress, computer ready desk with large hutch and 3-drawer dresser. A few knobs are missing (easily replaced at Norris) but otherwise in great condition. $400 for set, you arrange pick-up. (310) 459-8506

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

SMALL ESTATE SALE! Good furniture, brand new “Foof” chairs, wooden kitchen bar chairs, tile inlay table and chairs, iron baker’s rack, new elec mower, misc. & MORE. 773 Via de la Paz. FRI.-SAT., April 7-8, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (310) 459-7418

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

LOOKING FOR A LOVING home for 2 year old cats. Litter trained, fixed, short hair, beautiful grey. Call (310) 456-9810

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

SINGER SEWING MACHINE & other items. Hardly used. Like new. $295. (310) 454-4887

WANTED TO BUY 19

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

‘Plaza Suite’ Is A Sweet Success

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Theater Review

This well-directed Theatre Palisades production of Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” is a delightful evening of comedy. The original Broadway play starred George C. Scott and Maureen Stapleton and opened for previews in December 1968. It was directed by Mike Nichols, who won a Tony for his efforts. The play and Stapleton were also nominated for Tonys, but did not win. In 1971, the play was turned into a movie starring Walter Matthau. Simon’s plays are generally about middle-class families dealing with the complexity of life: divorce, infidelity and, yes, even marriage, that are lightened through one-liners. The anguish of the characters’ situations is masked with glib remarks and covered with the audience’s laughter. Underneath Simon’s comedies is the same pain of being human as found in Eugene O’Neill’s tragedies. Simon started as a television writer with Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Larry Gelbert and Carl Reiner on the “Show of Shows” before turning to plays. His early successes, like “Come Blow Your Horn,” “Barefoot in the Park” and “The Odd Couple,” are more lighthearted than his darker, more autobiographical plays, The Eugene Triology, “Brighton Beach Memories,” “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound.” “Plaza Suite” is one of Simon’s earlier plays and is actually three separate sketches'”A Visitor from Mamaroneck,” “A Visitor From Hollywood” and “A Visitor from Forest Hills”‘that share a uniting factor, Suite 719 in New York’s Plaza Hotel. In the first sketch, Karen Nash (Martha Hunter) has secured the same hotel room for her 23rd anniversary that she and her husband shared on their honeymoon. Although it would have been easy for Hunter to follow Stapleton’s lead, she has made Karen her own. From Hunter’s acting choices, like a slip that peeks out from her blue skirt to her blunt, truthful outbursts about her children, her wistfulness is appealing. Wiser and more clever than her husband gives her credit for, she is a complex woman we know and understand. Her husband, Sam Nash (George Lissandrello) has other plans, which include spending the evening “working” with an assistant, Jean McCormack (Kimshelley Garner), who is younger, thinner and “smarter” than his wife. Nash does his best to try to vilify his wife by pointing out her deficiencies, but she nicely outwits him, and the audience realizes that beneath her seeming scatteredness there is a woman fighting to save her marriage. The audience laughs at her lines like, “We don’t have to worry about you, you have an affair. I’m the one who needs an activity.” In the second sketch, famous Hollywood producer Jesse Kiplinger (Frank Schultz), formerly of Tenafly, New Jersey, is a “Visitor from Hollywood” in Suite 719. Weary from all the “phoniness” of show business, he calls his high school sweetheart Muriel Tate (Holly Sidell) to join him for a drink. Although Muriel is married with three children, she comes to his room. Why would a happily married woman come to a famous producer’s hotel room? Is it curiosity about whether he would or could still love her, or is it because the happiness she proclaims about her marriage is not entirely honest? The second sketch, like the first, has a bittersweet quality that still is honest, funny and relevant today even though the play is almost 40 years old. Schultz, after he dropped the opening schtick, let the vulnerability surface in his performance. It was nicely nuanced and prevented him from being one-dimensional. Before raising the curtain for the final sketch “Visitor from Forest Hills,” which involves a bride who refuses to come out from the bathroom of Suite 719, members of Theatre Palisades went into the audience passing out “wedding party favors” and assuring the “guests”‘the audience’that there had been a slight delay with the wedding. This was a clever move on the director’s part that indirectly pulls the audience into the sketch, while giving the final cast time to set up. When the curtain rose, Norma Hubley (Dale Waddington Horowitz) and her husband Roy (Jack Winnick) spend frantic minutes trying to get their daughter, the bride, out of the bathroom. Roy is worried not only about all the money they’ve spent on this wedding, but also insulting the bridegroom’s family. Norma is worried about her daughter. This sketch is filled with physical comedy, as well as negotiations between the bathroom and bedroom in Suite 719 that would make any hostage negotiator proud. Kudos for the evening go to director Sherman Wayne. Even though the acting was uneven, the staging and pacing makes this a production to see. The one-liners provoke laughter throughout the performance. Comedy is one of the hardest art forms to do well, but in Wayne’s capable hands “Plaza Suite” is a great evening of laughs. “Plaza Suite” runs Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday, April 7 at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon. Contact: 454-1970 or www.theatrepalisades.org

Playing in the Palisades

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A Photographer’s View of Our Local Parks

The centerpiece at Rustic Canyon Park is the historic Uplifter Clubhouse, which served as the country home for the men’s social club, founded in 1913. The Spanish-style building, designed by William Dodd, became the venue for the group’s absolutely “stag” Annual Outings. The property was transferred to the city in 1953, placing the 20,000 sq.-ft.-clubhouse

After Maral Kirschenmann moved into her home on Paseo Miramar in 1988, her photographs began exploding with the endlessly fascinating, ever-changing natural environment around her: the moods of the Pacific, the subtleties of the chaparral, and the critters. “Most of my challenges have to do with weather, light and timing,” says Maral, who’ despite an expertise that goes way beyond the amateur’s’considers her photography a hobby. Not really untrained, Maral minored in cinema at USC, and after she graduated with a business degree she continued to take courses in film, concentrating on the directing. “Framing became my interest, which carried over into my photography,” Maral says. Whether she is using her digital Canon Elf or her Pentax 1st-D (for which she can use the assortment of lenses she acquired for her old Pentax film camera) she is constantly taking pictures. At the end of each year, she selects the best work from each camera and creates a slide show for her family and friends. While her interest in the natural world is ceaseless, Maral has an affinity for photographing children, which she says is probably the hardest thing to do. “Fortunately, I am blessed with a daughter who is photogenic and allows me to shoot her. I seem to be really good with kids.” Her daughter Aran, 9-1/2, is a student at Calvary Christian School in the Highlands. Photographing birds is actually quite predictable, she says. “You give them the right food and setting and they’ll come and pose for you, flutter. And having an artistic eye, I can go from there.” Maral would like to do a book of her photographs someday. “Maybe a book on the views of the Palisades or the Westside, as a release for my artistic side. What I’d really like to see is an art gallery in the Palisades, and I think a great spot would be in that space right across the courtyard from Blockbuster [the former location of Contentment].” Maral was raised in a family in which you became a banker, a doctor or a lawyer. “I was a banker for years, now I’m more interested in doing something with my art.” She and her husband, Lon, have just finalized a film script that they have been working on for the past five years. Now in the hands of CAA, the story concerns the adventures of two young girls in the Cancun jungles. For now, though, Maral says that her real estate development firm continues to pay the bills.

In Conversation with Robert Towne

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Academy Award-winning writer Robert Towne, who was born in Los Angeles and raised in San Pedro, has lived in Pacific Palisades for over 20 years. He resides in an English Tudor-style house in the Riviera with his Italian wife, Luisa, and their 14-year-old daughter, Chiara. Asked what he likes about our town, the former philosophy major says “the way the weather comes in over the ocean, having friends like Sydney Pollack in the neighborhood” and “‘ la tarte,” where he often eats with his brother Roger, who is also a writer. Asked if living here has influenced his work, Towne says: “No, it doesn’t inspire me in that way.” However, it may some day, given the scope of his career. Towne, who got his start acting and writing for director Roger Corman, came into his own writing what he knows best’Southern California. His Oscar-winning screenplay for “Chinatown” (1974) was critically acclaimed and “Shampoo” (1975), which he wrote with his friend Warren Beatty, was a commercial hit. “Tequila Sunrise” (1988) reflected his roots, as does his latest release, “Ask the Dust.” Known as one of the best script doctors in Hollywood, Towne worked on other Academy-Award-winning films, including “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967) and “The Godfather” (1972). What do all these films have in common? They’re all “period” pieces in that they reflect the reality of the times in which they are set’be it the sexual mores of the 1970’s or the racial prejudice of the 1930’s. Still considered one of the finest writers in Hollywood, Towne at 72 is the quintessential Californian: laid back, opinionated, hip. He swaggers around his room in the Four Seasons Hotel in faded jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt looking for a match to light his cigar. He was meeting with the media here for two days to promote “Ask the Dust,” which opened in early March. The film, which Towne both wrote and directed, is based on the novel by John Fante. Set in Depression-era Los Angeles, it stars Colin Farrell as Arturo Bandini, the son of Italian immigrants who comes to L.A. determined to write the great American novel and marry a beautiful blonde. Instead, he falls for Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek), a passionate Mexican waitress who can’t read and longs to marry a WASP. Their explosive relationship (the curdled milk Camilla accidentally puts in Arturo’s coffee says it all) is meant to be a metaphor of the larger issues facing Angelenos at the time: the underlying racial tension, given the steady influx of Mexicans into California seeking a better life. “This whole book and movie is really about Los Angeles,” Towne says. “It’s a love story about the city and the relationship between two angry people, who are essentially angry for the same reason. Both feel like outsiders.” Asked if the film is somewhat autobiographical, Towne says that when he first read Fante’s novel “I almost thought I was reading about my own past. While there is a point where the movie and the book diverge, it was hard for me to tell where one ends and the other begins.” For Towne, “Ask the Dust” became a 30-year labor of love. After discovering the book while researching “Chinatown,” he began a friendship with Fante that would last until the author’s death in 1983. In the mid-1990s, 20 years after he first read the novel, Towne wrote a screenplay on spec and then spent the next decade years trying to secure financing. He says the reason the novel became a passion for him is that it taps into strong feelings he has for this city and his work as a writer. “It’s about a writer who feels neglected, unappreciated,” Towne says. “What writer doesn’t feel that way? How could I not identify with that?” Fante was born in 1909 in Colorado, the son of an Italian immigrant bricklayer. After a childhood spent in poverty and battling anti-Italian prejudice, he moved to California in 1929 and began writing stories for H. L. Mencken’s The American Mercury magazine. By 1936, he had created Arturo Bandini, the character who would become his alter ego in four novels. The first novel, “Wait Until Spring, Bandini,” was published in 1938 (and made into a film in 1989), followed by “Ask the Dust,” “Dreams from Bunker Hill,” and “The Road to Los Angeles” (published posthumously). The saga chronicles the writer’s acceptance of his working-class background, his Italian-American heritage and his longing for assimilation. “If there’s a better piece of fiction written about L.A., I don’t know about it,” Towne says of “Ask the Dust.” “I saw the story as a sort of ‘Wuthering Heights’ in Bunker Hill. In its way, it’s as old a story as ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ It ends, as all great love stories do, tragically. [But] it makes us believe that there is such a thing as love.” In the opening shot of “Ask the Dust,” which was filmed in South Africa, Towne pans a series of drawings of the California landscape over a radio weather report. The drawings come to life, taking us to the Alta Loma Hotel on Bunker Hill, where Mexicans and Jews are not welcome. It is here that Bandini finds a room. The view outside his window? A dusty palm tree. “You can feel the sand that comes in from the Mojave, even between the sheets,” writes Bandini. Although self-absorbed, Bandini is surprisingly likeable, as played by Farrell. As for Hayek’s Camilla, her feisty spirit can still be found in almost any small downtown coffee shop’given the ongoing racial tension in L.A. (Note: In 1988, as an entertainment writer for The Toronto Star, I interviewed Robert Towne when “Tequila Sunrise,” which he also both wrote and directed, was released. At the time, Towne said he saw the film as a modern morality tale about loyalty, friendship and love and hinted that some day he could end up as a character in one of his own films. As what? I predicted as an incurable romantic, which could certainly describe Bandini. Towne says his next film, which he’s already working on for Sony, is the tale of an American mining engineer, Wendell Fertig. It will be set during World War II and filmed in the Philippines.)

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