Longtime Palisadian Kathleen Bloomberg, 62, passed away on September 11. Visitation with be on Friday, September 16, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Gates, Kingsley, Gates, on the corner of Arizona and 20th Street in Santa Monica. The burial Mass will be held on Saturday, September 17 at 2 p.m. at Corpus Christi Church, corner of Carey and Sunset. An obituary will be published in next week’s Palisadian-Post.
Confronting Cambodia’s Past
A photograph of the ancient ruins at Angkor Wat, capturing the spirituality and mysterious beauty of Cambodia’s famed temples, hangs in grim contrast to the other pictures in a new exhibition, ones that speak to the unspeakable about this country’s recent past. “Encountering the Cambodian Genocide,” composed of photographs and essays by Chantal Prunier, a Palisades resident, opens on September 15 at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge, led by despot Pol Pot, seized power in Cambodia. This marked the beginning of a reign of terror that resulted in the most widespread genocide of modern times. Forty percent of the population perished in four years. Prunier’s exhibit includes 17 of her photographs taken during a trip to Cambodia last spring, along with 10 essays she wrote. She visited Tuol Sleng, the most notorious prison camp and execution center from the genocide years, now open to the public as a museum in Phnom Penh, and the infamous “killing fields” of Choeung Ek, a soccer-field sized site nine miles outside Phnom Penh, containing mass graves, slightly sunken, for perhaps 20,000 Cambodians, many of whom were tortured before being killed. The photograph of Angkor Wat is the only one in the show that doesn’t pertain to the genocide. “The exhibit starts with that picture because we begin by talking about the history of Cambodia,” says Prunier. “A lot of people go to Cambodia these days, but they don’t go to Phnom Penh, they go to these beautiful ancient temples. They are stunning, but that was 1,000 years ago.” Prunier’s own travels to Cambodia, a country she’s visited four times in the past seven years, began with just such an isolated visit to the famed temples, but where she encountered the country’s recent dark past via her guide, a person who revealed his role as a Khmer Rouge soldier. “It took him a day or two to talk about it,” recalls Prunier. “He spoke of having done horrible things, but he said what they all say: he was forced to do it.” The Khmer Rouge leaders, in keeping with their perverse revolutionary goals, broke up families and sent children as young as three to camps where they would work and be indoctrinated. In order to serve the revolution, disciples needed to renounce material possessions and leave their families. Submitting to discipline and confessing one’s faults was essential to gaining status as a “truly devoted.” All towns and villages were emptied with huge populations redeployed to work in the fields. Those who resisted the new order were shot to death. Members of the former government, intellectuals, professors and doctors were summarily executed, followed by a second wave of killings that pinpointed teachers, nurses, craftsman and monks. The new recruits who carried out these murders were often just teenagers. “That is what is really haunting about present-day Cambodia,” says Prunier, referring to how most of the Khmer Rouge perpetrators, people who committed unimaginable acts of savagery, were never prosecuted and are free today. “When Cambodians walk in the street and see a person 45 years or older, they know that person could have been one of those people who killed others.” Prunier, who grew up in the Burgundy region of France, says her background predisposed her to having a fascination with Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, a former French colony. A keen interest, also, in social and political issues, led her to delve into the subject of the Khmer Rouge and the horror they inflicted on Cambodia. Prunier describes her foray into photography and journalism as her second career. She attended college at Ecole Superieure de Commerce in Dijon, France, and Harvard Business School. Her first career in business was put on hiatus after she married and had children. She and her husband, Michael Grindon, and their three children moved to the Palisades from the East Coast 14 years ago. When she talked about her Cambodian research and shared photographs with friends, some of whom are board members at the Holocaust Museum, they encouraged the idea of mounting an exhibition. “Man’s inhumanity to man crosses all traditional boundaries,” writes Rachel Lithgow, executive director for the L.A. Holocaust Museum, a museum founded in 1961 by survivors of the Jewish Holocaust. Recalling a genocide’even one that took place 35 years after the Holocaust in another corner of the world’ is central to the museum’s mission to commemorate and remember. In fact, one case in the exhibition is devoted to placing images of the Cambodian genocide side-by-side with photographs from the Holocaust, illuminating their disturbing similarities. Prunier’s photographs are accompanied by in-depth essays chronicling the history of Cambodia and the rise and fall of the Khmer Rouge (the country was “liberated” by the Vietnamese in 1979). Text about the atrocities, for which there is extensive documentation as well as oral histories by survivors, uncovers acts of extreme cruelty. At Tuol Sleng, one of 20 known prison camps where torture was performed on a daily basis, women arriving with young children would be held by the hair while a game was made of tossing their babies up in the air and shooting them. Prunier describes how killings became intensely physical as ammunition became scarce. “They didn’t want to use their precious bullets, so they would do horrible things, like smashing children’s heads against tree trunks,” she says. Although 60 percent of Cambodian’s current population of 12 million were born after the end of the genocide, the scars are still very much present, says Prunier. “In Cambodia, you can’t walk down the street and look anyone in the eye because they are still scared. There are all kinds of things they remember.” The exhibition continues through November 15 at the Museum of the Holocaust, 6435 Wilshire Blvd. (one block east of Fairfax). Contact: (323) 651-3704. (Palisadian-Post Intern Nikila Sri-Kumar, a student at Harvard Westlake, contributed to this story.)
Helen Hart, 95; Involved in Life
Helen Hart, a 17-year resident of Pacific Palisades, passed away at the age of 95 on August 14 from complications of a recent heart attack. She died at home surrounded by her family. Helen and her twin brother, Harold, were born in Chicago, Illinois where she lived until her marriage to Bill Hart. Her parents were both Swedish immigrants. One of her first jobs was working as a tour guide during the Century of Progress in Chicago during the Depression. In later years, she was an executive secretary. After her marriage to Bill Hart, a math professor at the University of Minnesota, she typed all of the pages of the many college math texts that he authored. She and her family lived in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota until Bill retired from the university in 1967. They moved to La Jolla three years later. Helen moved to Pacific Palisades in 1987, three years after her husband died, to be near her only child, Marie Steckmest, and her family. Helen had lived in and visited Pacific Palisades previously with her family during her husband’s sabbatical leaves from the University of Minnesota and periodic vacations, and enjoyed the friendliness of our town. Helen was a devoted mother and grandmother. Her grandchildren grew up going to her home after school for snacks, spending the night, and learning to swim in her pool. She moved in with her daughter’s family nine years ago, after a fall from a stroke. She loved being around the family and seeing the kids grow up. Helen enjoyed reading the Los Angeles Times, watching TV, and sitting in the garden. She was ‘with it’ and enjoyed discussing current events. Her favorite outings included getting her hair done by Ann at Michele, Michel International and going to Dante’s for lunch. She appreciated having such a good local restaurant where ‘they know you.’ She had a good witty sense of humor and loved socializing with her family and their friends. She loved strong coffee, Manhattans and martinis, and chocolate ice cream. Helen is survived by her daughter, Marie Steckmest (husband Larry), grandson Jeff Steckmest, and granddaughter Lisa Steckmest. A celebration of her life was held at Palisades Presbyterian Church with interment at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma. Contributions in Helen’s memory can be made to Turning Point Transitional Housing in Santa Monica or to the Salvation Army.
CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST
HOMES FOR SALE 1
www. swarthmorehouse.com. ROMANTIC HIDEAWAY. 3 BEDROOMS+2 baths. Library, office, private gardens, professional recording studio in garage, large lot. Jewel box! Walk to the bluffs. $1,795,000. Call (310) 459-3738 BEAUTIFUL TUSCAN HOME in Ridgeview Gated Community. 6,900 sq ft living on 43,000 sq ft lot. Lush gardens, ocean and canyon views from most rooms. Hwd floors. Pool, spa, private retreat. 6 bedrooms, 7 baths, 8 fireplaces Huge potential. Must see to appreciate. $6,700,000. Call Ness Krief, agent, (310) 430-0667UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a
VIEW OF QUEEN’S NECKLACE. 4 bedroom, 2 bath, family room. Remodeled kitchen, new carpet. 1 year lease. $5,750/mo. Call Dave, (310) 497-2403 HIGHLANDS HOME on GATED street. 4 bedroom+ 3.5 bath. Large family room opens to kitchen. Use of Summit Club, mountain & ocean vus. 1 year lease. $7,250/mo. Agent, (310) 230-2480 NEW PALISADES 3 BEDROOMS+3 baths plus den built in 2004. Granite kitchen, stainless appliances, hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces. Limestone master bath with spa tub. Walk to village, wheelchair accessible. Available in Nov. $7,500/mo. Cynthia, agent, (310) 472-5396 CHARMING PALISADES HOME with fabulous ocean & mountain views. 3 bedrooms, plus separate office & 3 full baths. This home has a rock entrance with lush gardens, a large back patio with hot tub, hardwood & carpeted floors. Brand new stove-top, W/D and refrigerator. Please call Katie McCabe at (310) 339-9112 or Email katie@katiemccabe.com with any questions or to set up showings. Open Tues., Sept. 6th from 11 A.M. to 2 P.M. Offered at $4,850/monthUNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c
CARMEL in THE PALISADES. 2 bedroom, beautiful lot. Walk to village. $3,495/mo. Agent. Call Nancy, (310) 230-7305 LOVELY SENIOR BUILDING in Pac Palisades. Furn or unfurn. Clean and bright. 1 bed+1 bath. View of lake. Close to everywhere. $1,600/mo. Broker. (310) 456-8770 CHARMING SWISS COTTAGE. Single. 1 bath. Spectacular ocean and mtn views. Private entrance, garden & deck. Hardwood floors. Leaded glass windows. Fireplace. Walk to beach. Wildlife habitat. Washer/dryer. Storage. $2,200/mo. (310) 459-5647ROOMS FOR RENT 3
LARGE ROOMS in SPACIOUS Palisades ocean view home from $1,400/mo. Club privileges, pool, tennis, etc. Call (800) 638-4354.RENTALS TO SHARE 3a
FABULOUS FURNISHED OFFICE to share at PCH & Sunset. Ocean views. 2 private offices (holds 2-3 people). Conference room, reception & common areas. Call (310) 230-6866WANTED TO RENT 3b
GARAGE STORAGE SPACE wanted in the Palisades for a car. The owner lives on Chautauqua & drives it twice per month. Please call (818) 557-0135OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c
PALISADES HIGHLANDS PLAZA. Prime spaces for lease. #532, 1,240 sf retail & #540, 1,905 sf retail/ office. Avail immediately. Call Greg at PAR Commercial, (310) 395-2663, ext. 103, or info at www.parcommercial.com BRENTWOOD law firm has a small ATTORNEY OFFICE and secretarial bay for lease. Receptionist, copier, fax available. Terms negot. For lawyers interested in doing contract work. Please call (310) 472-5763VACATION 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.comBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5
SERIOUS ENTREPRENEURS. Learn to make your annual income a monthly income. Be your own boss. Home base. Have time freedom. (800) 230-6073. www.youdeserveprosperity.comBOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b
BOOKKEEPER. Need help with getting your books in order? Help is near! Call Joannie, (310) 486-1055COMPUTER SERVICES 7c
COMPUTER SUPPORT – Home – Business – Desktop & Network Support – Low Rates – One Or One Hundred PCs, We Can Help. WWW.FRANKELCONSULTING.COM. Providing Solutions for 18 Years – (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.comGARAGE, 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 – Furniture – Antiques – Collectibles – Junque – Reliable professionals Local ReferencesORGANIZING SERVICES 7h
Never seem to be enough time or enough you? Call I NEED ANOTHER ME! We offer temporary project coordinating & assistance, both business & personal, relocation management, jobs big & small, too numerous to say here. When asked, “What all do you do?” I say, “What is it you need done?” Call for a free consultation: (310) 459-0418 ERRAND GIRL & PERSONAL SHOPPER. Available Monday through Friday, 9 A.M.-5 P.M. After hours by appointment. Call Ms. Dennis, (310) 339-1749MISCELLANEOUS 7j
MESSENGER SERVICE/AIR COURIERS. Santa Monica Express, Inc. Since 1984. Guaranteed On-Time! Trucking & Freight Forwarding. Air Courier Door-to-Door Anywhere in the USA. Direct, Non-Stop Service Anywhere in CA. Same-Day Court Filings. Fully Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 24 hours/day, 7 days per week. (310) 458-6000. www.SMEXPRESS.com. PALISADIAN OWNED & MANAGEDNANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a
PROFESSIONAL BABY NURSE is available for night shifts, to help families with newborns. Contact Ms. Dennis, (310) 226-7097 GREAT PRE-SCREENED Nannies available. Let us help you with your nanny search. We are a dedicated, professional agency and we will find the right match for you. Whether you are looking for full-time or p/time, L/I or L/O help, we can help you. Call Sunshine Nannies at (310) 614-5065 or (310) 801-8309 FILIPINO LADY LOOKING for nanny position. Over 18 yrs. experience from new-borns on. Speaks good English and has great references. I prefer no driving. Please call Emily, (310) 467-6426. Thanks. CHILDCARE FOR 2 GIRLS age 9 & 12 needed. Must have a safe car and good driving record. Must be college student or grad who likes kids. Must swim well & be willing to take CPR. Refs req. Hrs: M, W, F, 3:30-5:30 p.m. and T/Ths. 1:30-5:30 p.m. $225/wk. Call Patty, (310) 454-9931HOUSEKEEPERS 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 P/T HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE. I am moving to Santa Barbara and my housekeeper is staying local. She is an immaculate, professional, honest, loyal, mature woman who takes pride in her work. Please no snobs. Has other Palisades clients. Please call me for details. (310) 230-7863 DO you NEED HELP with everyday chores? I can walk dogs, cook, after-school housesitter, weekends. Over 20 years experience. I have refs. Call Ruth, (310) 429-2459 or (818) 757-3976 HOUSECLEANING AVAILABLE 2 DAYS each week. Mondays & Wednesdays. I furnish my own cleaning supplies. References available. Call Alicia, (310) 367-3214 HOUSECLEANING SERVICE. 15 years experience, local refs. Paola Reyes, Juan Flores. Please call (310) 419-0479 HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER available ANYTIME. Experienced, references, speaks English, has own transportation. Call or leave message, (310) 313-7249, or cell, (323) 820-8286. LIVE-OUT HOUSEKEEPER available Mon, Thus, Fri. and Sat. Has own transportation and local references. Light English. Please call Oralia, (323) 228-7788 P/T HOUSEKEEPER for great family. Errands, cooking, lite housekeeping. Sun. (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) or Mon. (11 a.m.-7 p.m.). Must have experience, car, insurance. Call (310) 459-4833 HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED for custom-built Mulholland home. Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Prefer live-in. Must speak English. General housekeeping duties; occasionally filling-in for nanny. Please call during daytime, (323) 468-2701ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a
CAREGIVERS/COMPANIONS: Live-in or out, minimum 2 years experience and 3 work-related references required. Driving preferred. CNA’s/CHHA’s welcome. Bondable. (323) 692-3692GARDENING, 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 GARCIA GARDENING SERVICES. Landscaping, maintenance, planting, sprinkler systems and clean-ups. Call Efren, (818) 881-8523, or cell, (310) 733-7414BRUSHCLEARING 11a
Just Paid a Lot for Brush Clearance? Time to bring in “great grazing goats!” (310) 573-0124MOVING & HAULING 11b
HONEST MAN SERVICES. 14″ van & dollies. Small jobs to 2 bedrooms. Hauls it all. California/Nevada. Over 12 years. Westside experience. (310) 285-8688WINDOW WASHING 13h
NO STREAK WINDOW cleaning service. Fast and friendly. Quality service you can count on. Free estimates. Lic. #122194-49. Please call (323) 632-7207MISCELLANEOUS 13i
REFRIDG-A-CARE. Pull out vacuum dust from behind & under refrigerator. Runs more efficiently, cooler, less energy consumption. Less wear & tear on your refrigeration cooling system. Owen Cruickshank, (310) 459-5485PET 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.FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a
NORDIC WALKING. Nordic Walking burns up to 46% more calories than regular walking and is excellent for weight loss. Perfect for all ages. Makes a great gift and get the 1st instructional DVD in the U.S. for only $29.50! Personal Training walking classes and Nordic walking poles avail. Check at www.nordicwalkingonline.com or call (310) 573-9000SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d
CHILD’S PIANO TREASURE House in Santa Monica. Since 1980! Piano, harpsichord lessons. Beginners or advanced. Call (310) 453-1064. Children, adults. Your home or my studio.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 SPANISH TUTOR. All grade levels, conversational & all ages. Local refs, flexible hours. Please call Noelle at (310) 273-3593 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 THE WRITING COACH: Summertime Application Prep Intensives for next year’s graduating high school/middle school students. Private school application essays. College application essays. SAT/ISEE ESSAYS. 5 individual sessions (flexible scheduling/ your home). Extensive experience, success stories, acceptances. MA, Johns Hopkins; former LA private school teacher and Hopkins CTY instructor; writer/ consultant. Outstanding Palisades/Malibu references. (310) 528-6437 SCIENCE & MATH-Get A Head Start! B.S. Biochemistry, SUNY Stony Brook, M.A. Columbia University, Teacher’s College. Certified New York (Westchester) public school teacher, now teaching in LA! Prefer students 7th grade to college. I live in Brentwood, but prefer to tutor at your home. Practice tests available! SAT II subject test coaching! Academic progress monitoring & notebook organization! Alex Van Name, (310) 442-1093 (hm) or (914) 837-0569 (cell) 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 assessing the student’s needs, developing an individualized education program and implementation of that program. Palisades resident. Call Brandi, (310) 230-9890 LA TUTORING. Private tutors specializing in all subjects and all grade levels, AP assessments, SAT, college placement. We come to you. Contact for a free consultation: (310) 663-2441 or go to www.latutoring.com CHEMISTRY & MATH GURU. Recent college graduate with tons of energy and enthusiasm. He will help students conquer fears to excel. Call Edward, (310) 991-3783 STANFORD-EDUCATED TUTOR. Physics and Calculus (incl. AP), Precalc, Geometry, Algebra, SAT (all sections). Engineering degree. Experience making abstract concepts tangible. Young (-ish) and personable. In-home convenience. References. Chris, (323) 309-6687CABINET 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.comCONCRETE, 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 DAN’S MASONRY & REPAIR. Brick, block, stone and concrete. In area for 30 yrs. Big or small-We do it all. (Not lic.). Call Danny, (310) 261-0536CONSTRUCTION 16d
PARADISE CONSTRUCTION Building Contractor – All Trades – Lic. #808600. Call (310) 383-1659 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 HOWESWORKS, General Contractor. Improve – Build – Install – Repair. Professional Reliable Service. Happiness Guaranteed. Lic. #858904. Daniel Howe, (310) 877-5577 ALAN PINE GENERAL CONTRACTORS. Additions, remodels, plans. Local. Lic. #469435. (310) 457-5655ELECTRICAL 16h
PALISADES ELECTRIC, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR. All phases of electrical, new construction to service work. (310) 454-6994. Lic. #468437. Insured. Professional Service ELECTRICIAN HANDYMAN. All Phases and General Repairs. Local Service Only (Not lic.). Please Call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286FENCES 16j
THE FENCE MAN. 14 years quality workmanship. Wood fences – Decks – Gates – Chainlink & overhang. Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996FLOOR 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 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 WILSON HARDWOOD FLOORS. Complete installation, refinish and re-coat. Fully insured. License #380380. Ask for Kevin Wilson, (310) 478-7988HANDYMAN 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 PETERPAN – Quality Home Repair -Serving Entire Westside. (Not lic.) Ask for Peter, (310) 663-3633 THE HANDY GUY. Any job, big or small. Over 15 years experience. Free estimates. Lic. #B-858574. Call (310) 216-9034HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16o
SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16q
PAUL HORST – Interior & Exterior – PAINTING – 51 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 MASTERPIECE PAINTING & DECOR – Stenciling/Faux/Plaster effects – License #543487 MFA ’84 – Bill Lundby, (310) 459-7362 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 GreekPLUMBING 16s
ROBERT RAMOS, Plumbing Contractor – Copper repipes – Remodels – New Construction – Service & Repair – Water Heaters – Licensed – Bonded – Insured – St. lic. #605556 – Cell, (310) 704-5353 BOTHAM PLUMBING AND HEATING. Lic. #839118. (310) 827-4040REMODELING 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. #769443HELP WANTED 17
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WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, ’50s, ’60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 306-7746 – profeti2001@yahoo.comDanhakl Is Grand Aboard In Sync
Pacific Palisades Rider Wins Equestrian Federation Junior Hunter National Title
Pretty soon, Palisadian Stephanie Danhakl is going to have to look for new places to store all of the trophies she’s winning. She and her mount In Sync were named Grand Champions at the fifth annual Show Circuit Magazine/U.S. Equestrian Federation National Junior Hunter Championships held August 16-17 in San Juan Capistrano. Danhakl, who graduated from Harvard-Westlake High in June, is no stranger to winning equestrian events. She rode another horse, Callaway, to first place at the 2004 Championships on the West Coast. In Sync, meanwhile, won the 2003 Championships on the East Coast, making him the first horse in history to claim championships on both coasts. “Being my last year, it was really great that I could have a repeat performance and do just as well on a different horse,” said Danhakl, who is bound for the University of Pennsylvania. “I went into the last round just wanting to ride my best. I didn’t really know that I had won overall until later on’it was kind of a surprise.” Danhakl said she shares a special bond with the nine-year-old In Sync, who she claimed is “at the top of his game.” Just two years ago, Charlie Jayne rode the same horse to win the 2003 Monarch International/USA Equestrian National Junior Hunter Championships, East Coast. “I’m really lucky be able to ride him,” Danhakl said. “In Sync is so different from any other horse I’ve ever ridden. I can’t even describe it. I love my horse so much and every time I get to ride him, it’s so much fun.” Danhakl received the Show Circuit Magazine perpetual trophy, a crystal trophy that she will be able to display until next year’s championships. Donated by Show Circuit Magazine, the trophy tops a list of prizes, including a Pessoa saddle and a Blue Ribbon Blanket by Royal Rider. In the Small Junior Hunters 16-17 division, Danhakl captured the River Edge Farm Perpetual Trophy riding her own horse, Galatea, a 1995 Oldenburg mare. Then, in the Large Junior Hunters division, she won the Magic Word Trophy on In Sync. Riding a horse named Marcellus, Danhakl finished seventh in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division. She also placed sixth at the USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation and eighth in the WIHS Hunter Phase. Danhakl was the senior captain of her equestrian team at Harvard-Westlake and won last year’s Large Hunter points championship on her favorite horse, Lifetime, with whom she earned three straight High Point National Junior Hunter Rider championships. She won the Small Hunter title on Galatea. “For nationals I go to two shows a month,” Danhakl said. “At each show there are four rounds of jumping and you are judged in each category. You accumulate points at each show and the rider with the most points at the end of the year wins.” Danhakl’s success is the product of hours in the saddle. During the school year she drove to Middle Ranch in Lake Futeres to train for two hours after her classes and practiced for as much as six hours on weekends. Her training has paid off in the form of numerous wins, trophies and accolades.
War Comes Home in ‘All My Sons’
Theater Review
War lasts a long time. It lingers in the air long after the final troops return home and others have been laid to rest. It visits soldiers in their sleep and haunts families still waiting for their boy to return’years later. Such is the postwar atmosphere in which Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” is set. The 1947 family drama preceded “Death of a Salesman” by two years, establishing some of the themes that Miller would further develop in his later works. The Theatre Palisades production, directed by Sherry Coon and performed by a talented cast, successfully captures the multi-layered traumatic effects of loss on one family struggling to face the ghosts of their past. The show runs through October 9 at Pierson Playhouse. The entire play is appropriately set in the Keller’s cozy backyard, symbolic of Midwestern comfort and hospitality. It’s a gathering place for friends and family who pop in and out, expected or not. A tall, white lattice fence encloses the yard, which connects to a dusty blue two-story house with white trim, flower boxes in the window sills, a swinging screen door and a porch complete with a rocking chair. Designed by Sherman Wayne, this set earns applause at first sight. Joe Keller (Jack Winnick) and his wife, Kate (Joanna Churgin), don’t seem to mind living in the bubble of their Ohio backyard, where they can keep a disturbing family secret close to home. Kate is in deep denial over the loss of their son, Larry, who’s been missing in action for about three years now, and also over their other son Chris’s plan to marry Ann Deever, Larry’s sweetheart. When Chris (Jim Felton) returns home with Ann (Kate Woodruff), a tree planted in Larry’s honor has fallen over, and everybody reads some symbolism into it. “We all got hit by the same lightening,” Ann says about Larry’s death. In a poignant twist, her father and Joe were business partners whose company knowingly sold faulty equipment to the Army. However, while Joe managed to avoid prison, her own father is serving time. Ann acts as a sort of peacemaker throughout the play, even though she has questions about Joe’s honor. However, her brother, George (Stephen Peirick), arrives on the scene filled with resentment towards Joe, with the intention of preventing his sister’s marriage to Chris. In the leading roles, Winnick and Churgin deliver powerful and moving performances. As Joe, Winnick crafts a desperate father painfully unable to confront his guilt and express grief over the soldiers who died in airplane crashes caused by his company’s faulty parts. He achieves a delicate balance of pride, playful unease and defensiveness as he inappropriately agrees to play “jail” with the neighborhood kid and attempts to hold down the family fort by ignoring the change around him. Churgin is utterly convincing as a grief-stricken mother who’s overwhelmed with sorrow but also with the burden of her husband’s guilty conscience and her need to protect him. She manipulatively attempts to preserve the past because the painful reality of the present is unbearable. Churgin’s gripping performance makes us feel her pain in a very real way, especially in the scenes where she desperately tries to project her characters’ emotions on others. Through the characters of Chris, Ann and George, we are made to understand that the children of war not only inherit their parents’ suffering but also the guilt of tragic decisions made during wartime. As Ann, Kate Woodruff cleverly portrays a sweet and sensitive but also an assertive young woman who is able to confront Mrs. Keller and stand up for herself under the harsh scrutiny of neighbor Sue Bayliss (Dale Waddington Horowitz). These strong female characters aren’t afraid to put each other in place and challenge the seemingly more dependent male characters. It’s hard to see what Ann loves so much about Chris, but she tells us it’s his honesty and “the way he relaxes me,” and we believe her. Chris, who served as a commander in the war, proves that he loves her by bringing her home to his parents even though he is ashamed that everything about them and their home has remained eerily the same. For Chris, a man’s morals are more significant than family loyalty, which becomes a major conflict for him as the play progresses. In part, his struggle reveals a gap between generations because where his father, of the Depression era, made decisions based on financial concerns and the desire to maintain a successful business to pass on to his son, Chris believes that a man’s morals should guide his actions. But in the Keller world, forgiveness’of oneself and others’is rare, which makes this play a heavy, albeit powerful one. While the characters’ emotions understandably run high, some of their arguments and messages could perhaps be delivered a little more subtlety, with less shouting. Overall, the cohesive production, produced by Shirley Churgin, is one of the best I’ve seen at Pierson Playhouse. The costumes (Sherry Coon), along with the music (designed by Cindy Dellinger and edited by Jeff Scott), transport us directly to the 1940s. It’s also great to see some young talent in the play; Monica Gilsanz played Bert, the neighborhood kid, in last weekend’s performance, and Lili Boyle and Dylan LaRocque will appear in upcoming performances. The play runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets, call 454-1970 or visit the box office at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd., Wednesday through Saturday, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Flight Museum Takes Wing
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
On the south side of LAX is an unknown gem of a museum filled with flight attendant outfits, a scanner of the actual voices from the tower tracking in- and outbound planes, and a mural that salutes the Centennial of Flight and the 75th anniversary of the airport. The Flight Path Museum is one of the rare ones that holds the interest of both parents and children. Located in the Imperial Terminal, which was home to World Airways and then the now-defunct MGM Grand Airlines, the museum sits on the tarmac of LAX and provides one of the most accessible public views of jets landing and taking off. Charter flights for teams like the Clippers and Lakers take off from this area, and visitors to the museum have been thrilled to see favorite athletes boarding a plane. On the museum’s floor are five airplane seats facing the windows offering a premier location to watch various jets land and take off on Runway 25 left and 25 right. Those who enjoy the rumble of planes and hearing noise of gigantic outward-bound jets can go outside, practically placing you on the runway. Immediately next door to the museum is the K-9 bomb-sniffing operation. Museum patrons are allowed to stand outside behind the fence and watch the dogs during training. Approximately 50 suitcases are put down and a dog sniffs around each bag. When he finds any suspected contraband, the dog lies down. As a reward, the trainer takes a ball or toy out of his pocket and they play for a few minutes before the dog goes back to work. As children watch the planes, parents will be interested in the collection of 15 black-and white photos taken by the official airport photographer, Wen Roberts. In the 1960s, he took photos of famous people traveling by air. It was a different era, when passengers traveled dressed up in their best clothes. Roberts caught the naughty come-hither look of Jane Mansfield, Marlon Brando’s bored smoldering sexuality and the sweetness of Audrey Hepburn. Another attraction are colorful antique posters the airlines issued to lure passengers to travel. Lee Nicholas, the Flight Path’s executive director, remembers when teachers brought the posters into classrooms that depicted Hawaii and London and other faraway geographic destinations. Travel agents used to put them in windows, but with the advent of Web sites and bookings over the Internet, these artistic posters are no longer created. The history of LAX can be studied through photos. The dedication photo in 1930 shows LAX (then known as Mines Field), a small runway surrounded by open land on all sides. Small private planes went in and out, but there was no commercial traffic because the major airport in the Los Angeles area was in Burbank. About 1940, the name was changed to Los Angeles Muncipal Airport. During World War II, the military used the fields. After 1946, the airport was opened to commercial traffic. A 1961 oil painting shows an era when LAX had almost a regional appearance. A single roadway runs in front of six ticketing and baggage buildings. Originally, a passenger would go to ticketing, then into one of the underground tunnels that led to the satellite oval buildings near the runways to await departure. With the advent of larger planes, the space between ticketing and departure/arrival became unusable and long hallways were built from ticketing to gates. There is a 1/100th scale model of the super-jumbo Airbus A380 jetliner’the first of its kind on display in Southern California, according to Rowena Ake, Flight Path president. “It will hold 800 passengers if they all fly economy,” Nicholas said. “The plane will probably carry closer to 500 to 600 people.” It’s set to arrive at LAX in November 2006, and once again the gates will have to be refigured to accommodate the larger plane. The museum has a real grab-bag of diverse small exhibits. Fine china, linen napkins and real silverware detail the glory days of commercial air flight. A ceiling-to-floor case is filled with models of different aircraft of Southern California and large oil paintings of planes, donated by the Marina City Club. A small room is filled with Flying Tiger memorabilia. Ann Proctor, the head of volunteers, showed a room filled with flight-attendant uniforms. Recently the museum sponsored a fashion show. “We only used the outfits up to 1990,” Proctor said. “After that they were all dark and Navy colors.” The variety and color of the uniforms are amazing. The large flower print of the muumuu’s came from the inception of flights to Hawaii. A bright-green dress with yellow embroidery, complete with gold shoes, was the outfit for the first flights between Mexico and the U.S. Different uniforms are featured throughout the museum and rotated frequently. Currently the entire collection is being catalogued. Carolyn Woods, who was a flight attendant for United Airlines for 44 years, gave the museum every outfit she had been required to wear during those years. Perfectly tailored suits, with size six labels (but looking closer to a size two) hang on a mannequin. Proctor, who was a flight attendant with TWA from 1957 to 1964, confessed, “I was on weight check.” A thin svelte woman, she explained, “It was my first time away from home and I gained some weight. Every time I showed up for work, they made me step on a scale’if they could find me,” she said laughing. Proctor worked with TWA because it was the first airline to allow married attendants. “You had to quit when you got married,” Proctor said. “Some foreign airlines still have that requirement.” There are also some paper stewardess outfits in their collections, which were in vogue for about a year. Once airplanes headed to foreign destinations were in the air, the flight attendants in first class changed into outfits that look a bit like a colorful short toga. “The women who wore them told me they carried scotch tape and scissors,” Proctor said. “They also wore either a body stocking or a pair of shorts underneath.” The museum has a small library with aviation-related technical materials as well as books on commercial and civil aviation. Currently, the library is in the process of being catalogued and put on a database. The plans are to build a respectable research library. This museum will celebrate its second birthday on Wednesday, October 5, with a benefit that will feature news reel footage of Howard Hughes’ famous Spruce Goose airplane. A fully restored TWA Constellation airliner from the 1940s era will be available for guests to tour during the benefit. In addition to all the airline memorabilia, one of the most attractive aspects of Flight Path are the group of volunteers, all of whom have had careers in commercial aviation. At the front were three volunteers, all retired, two of whom had logged over 40 years with the airlines. All were eager to answer questions and share their vast knowledge. Since the museum is new and still relatively unknown, visitors can receive a lot of personal atttention The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays and the first Saturday of each month. School and group tours are available. The location is 6661 W. Imperial Hwy.; admission and parking is free. For driving and parking directions, go to the Web site www.flightpath.us or call 215-5291.
Palisadian Sets Kicking Records at Notre Dame
Palisadian Kai Forbath had a season to remember at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High last season. As the placekicker and punter for the Knights’ varsity football team, Forbath made 19 of his 21 field goal attempts (the longest being 52 yards) and was a perfect 73-for-73 on extra-point kicks on his way to breaking the state record for points in a season by a kicker with 130. The Palisades Highlands resident played an integral role in Notre Dame’s third consecutive CIF Southern Section Division III title. Forbath begins his senior year Friday night in the Knights’ season opener versus Birmingham. His efforts earned him numerous honors as a junior, including first team All-CIF, first team All-State, Los Angeles Times First Team, EA Sports First Team. In addition, he made the Reebok National Team and Sport Illustrated’s Pre-Season Team. Forbath has already been offered full-ride scholarships to eight Division I schools, including UCLA, California, and Notre Dame. But Forbath’s immediate goal is to help Notre Dame to another CIF championship.
Palisades Girls Catch Field Hockey ‘Fever’
By MICHAEL KAPLAN Special to the Palisadian-Post The popularity of girls field hockey at Harvard-Westlake High in North Hollywood has increased exponentially in recent years, and, as a result, more players from the Palisades are taking an active interest in the sport. Traditionally, field hockey’s popularity has been limited to the southern United States with universities like Wake Forest, Old Dominion, North Carolina, and Maryland annually claiming NCAA championships. Over the past few years, however, the sport has begun to grow nationally at the high school level. Although girls field hockey has been a CIF sport since 1974, only recently has it really taken off here in Southern California. The boom has been dramatic at Harvard-Westlake, where the Wolverines have captured two CIF titles over the last three years. “When I started playing field hockey two years ago, there weren’t nearly as many girls playing,” said Palisadian Lucy Singleton, a sophomore on Harvard-Westlake’s team. “There are many more upcoming players in the lower grades as well. Through word of mouth its popularity has really spread.” Field hockey in the Southern Section is broken down into two leagues: the Sunset League and the Golden West League, which includes Harvard-Westlake. Several members of the Wolverines’ team hail from the Palisades, including Singleton and juniors Hailey Orr and Hannah Dean. Each has played field hockey every year at Harvard-Westlake High. To be successful at the game, one must have speed, energy, and coordination. Like soccer and lacrosse, it also requires a great deal of stamina as players are running up and down the field constantly. “It takes a lot more skill than you would think,” Singleton said. Being short is an advantage because the ball stays on the ground at all times and sticks are the only means of moving it down the field. Thus, field hockey appeals to girls who may not be tall enough to play volleyball or basketball. “The game is centered around getting low and bending your knees, so being short enables you to get lower to the ground,” Singleton said. “But anyone can play because of the different stick sizes, which ranger from 35 to 38 inches.” Field Hockey is played on a pitch similar in size to that of a football field. As in soccer, there are 11 players a side, including the goalkeeper. The ball is advanced using curved wooden sticks that are flat on one side. Teams accumulate points by shooting the ball into a goal slightly smaller in size than a soccer goal. Like soccer, players are whistled for fouls and illegal contact, which can result in penalty stokes and free hits. “I play defense, which requires a lot of hand-eye coordination because you need the stick skills to steal the ball from your opponent,” Dean said. “And you need to be tough enough to intimidate your opponent.” Across the city, girls are getting more and more opportunities to play field hockey. There have been numerous youth programs and club field hockey teams that have sprouted up all over Los Angeles. Dean cited a club league at Moorpark College where girls can train in the offseason. There is even a “Futures” program in Hollywood where high school players train to play for the national team. As girls’ field hockey continues to grow at a rapid rate, Palisadians are eager to play and create hope for more local high schools to offer the sport. “When I started in seventh grade there were only about 20 girls that tried out for the team,but this year about 50 girls tried out for junior varsity alone,” Dean said. “So the numbers have really increased.”
Golden Couples of Pacific Palisades
1951 – Ralph and Norma Nahigian
The 53 years that Ralph and Norma have been married’soon to be 54 on November 11, Armistice Day, almost never were. Ralph, a Rhode Island native who was attending business school outside Chicago, first spotted Norma at St. James Church in Evanston, Illinois. “I saw her at the organ and I knew I had to get her name,” he recalls. They dated for five years, and then, Norma says, “I gave him an ultimatum about marrying me.” Five years was long enough for courtship, according to Norma, who was also dating a man from Detroit who had already asked her to marry him. It wasn’t that Ralph didn’t want to pop the question but, as Norma explains, “He didn’t think he should get married until his older brother did.” Ralph’s father had died when Ralph was young and his older brother had raised him. On a harsh, windy day in December 1950, Ralph took Norma out to Lake Michigan. “We were standing on a jetty along the shore,” Norma says. “The wind was blowing, it was so cold’and he asked me to marry him.” Ralph’s brother was married in April, and the following November the Nahigians exchanged vows in St. Luke’s Church with 250 people in attendance. All of Ralph’s family came from Rhode Island by car and were surprised with an early snowstorm. As they left the church, Ralph says, “I carried Norma over a snowdrift to get her into the car.” “We came out to California on our honeymoon,” Ralph says. “When we saw how beautiful it was, we made a plan to eventually come out here to live.” The couple first moved to Rhode Island, where Ralph worked in the family business’a laundry and dry-cleaning plant. They had two children, Laura and James, but all the while they were saving money for their move to California. They knew that things were more expensive on the West Coast, and they didn’t want to make the mistake that so many other transplants did, which was not to have saved enough money and have to go back. When Laura was ready for kindergarten, the Nahigians decided to make the move. In November, Norma flew out with the two children and left them with her mom at the Lindomar Lodge, a hotel that no longer exists on the corner of PCH and Sunset. She then flew back to Rhode Island and joined Ralph for a cross-country drive in their station wagon. “When we drove out, I had my 60 African violets,” Norma remembers. “I couldn’t leave them behind.” Ralph had built crates to put them in, and every night when they stopped for the day, he had to carry them into the motel. “It tells you how much he loved me to drag them in every night.” As Ralph recalls, “We were in Indiana someplace, around two in the morning. We were dead tired, and it was cold.” A hotel manager looked out his window, saw Ralph bringing the crates to the room and called the state police. They got a knock at the door a short time later from a trooper who wanted to know what kind of contraband they had. Once out here, they settled in a two-bedroom, one bath home at 653 Radcliffe Ave., which they purchased for $25,000. “It was the best place,” Norma says. “The kids walked to school and there were nice neighbors.” Ralph also remembers, “It was before Temescal Canyon Road was built and raccoons came up to the house; mothers would bring their babies.” Discovering that the dry-cleaning business was more expensive here than back East, Ralph got into the plastics business instead. For 40 years, he owned the Plastic Mart, which started in a two-car garage on Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica and grew into a successful plexiglass fabrication business (including surfboard construction and materials for boat repair). After helping her husband with his company, Norma started a business making decorative objects like paperweights out of polyester resin. Her workplace, also on Colorado, didn’t have a toilet, heat, or water; if she wanted any of those “luxuries,” she had to wait until lunch. The Nahigians worked long hours, six days a week, but Sunday was always a family day. Norma’s extended family all eventually moved to California, so on Thanksgiving, they would have 30 people in their little house on Radcliffe. The sink always gave them problems on that holiday. Ralph looks at Norma and asks, “How’d we get through those days?” She looks at him and says, “I don’t know, Ralph, I don’t know.” He replies, “We were young then, I guess.” They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the Riviera Country Club, where Ralph surprised Norma with a necklace. On the chain is a gold circle with a diamond in the center. “I didn’t expect it, because I thought the party was it,” Norma says. Ralph tells her, “You deserved a medal for putting up with me for 50 years.” “Don’t think there haven’t been difficulties,” Norma says, “but you get by them.” She recalls that when she was in Trader Joe’s shopping, a clerk stopped her to look at the necklace and asked her how she managed to stay married for 50 years. “I’ll tell you what works,” Norma told the clerk. “If you can forgive your other half anything, you can stay married. We all have faults.” Ralph winks, “I keep telling her, you’re still on probation.”
